The members next to Do Wook weren’t able to hide their surprised expressions.
Seo Kang Jun thought Do Wook would laugh mockingly at him. However, Do Wook’s expression didn’t change at all.
Do Wook looked directly at Seo Kang Jun. It was a gaze devoid of any emotion. There was no sympathy nor contempt. Seo Kang Jun felt more humiliated by that gaze.
It felt as though he became a meaningless inanimate object to Kang Do Wook. It would have been better if Do Wook mocked him instead.
“······.”
“······.”
The two of them briefly exchanged glances. Seo Kang Jun had become so miserable. He felt pathetic after having said, “I won’t let you have your way,” to Do Wook that day.
Gu Chul Min broke through the ferocious atmosphere and moved the KK members along. The KK members slowly went past the M2M members and entered the venue.
Other members of M2M, except for Seo Kang Jun, also moved in a hurry with the rookie manager. The other manager took Seo Kang Jun to the car and got in. There were several people behind them taking pictures.
Seo Kang Jun, who had gotten into the car, accepted the tissue his manager handed him and closed his eyes as he wiped off the egg.
“It doesn’t seem like today’s performance will be possible. Let’s go back to the dormitory.”
Seo Kang Jun nodded his head as he nervously threw the dirty tissue to the car floor.
However, it didn’t seem like ‘today’s’ performance would be the only one that wasn’t possible. It was uncertain whether or not he’d be able to do future performances.
He felt he would no longer be able to hear the cheers of those who used to cheer for him when they were completely deceived by him, not knowing what kind of person he really was.
Director Seo Joong Won, Seo Kang Jun’s father, was not one to be willing to accept his weak son who lost his will.
‘If it holds him back, he’ll get rid of it.’
His son wasn’t safe from that either. It was a bit of a pity, but at this rate, all of M2M would sink entirely.
They hadn’t made back the money they invested to raise M2M yet, so he couldn’t abandon them outright. It was true that they didn’t have a male idol group they could immediately release either.
Director Seo Joong Won frowned as he clicked on a photo of his son covered in egg. The amount of wrinkles on his forehead increased. It was time to make a decision.
The direction they had to go for now was to accelerate the album release of the girl group they had planned on releasing next quarter. In the meantime, if they reorganized the album they were preparing with M2M and released it, there should still be a chance to move forward.
‘Once a decision is made, it’s probably better to act on it quickly…’
Director Seo Joong Won answered his cell phone that was ringing off the hook. It was a phone call from Ara Entertainment’s President. Ara’s President, who had founded Ara Entertainment, left all of the work to Director Seo Joong Won. He had determined that since he’s aged, his ability to adapt to the rapidly changing industry was dwindling.
However, Director Seo Joong Won still had to report to the President about the company’s major situations.
‘I thought I was almost done doing this kind of thing.’
Their stocks were doing well, and all the major players were under Director Seo Joong Won’s influence. It would have been much easier if his son hadn’t done anything stupid. Director Seo Joong Won smiled brightly in advance. On the phone he still spoke with the tone of a subordinate who is more loyal than anyone else.
“Yes, sir.”
Director Seo Joong Won put saliva on his mouth with his tongue. After all is said and done, it was still his son, so he couldn’t help but feel his mouth get a little dry.
“Yes. A decision has been made. I’ll come up and brief you right now. Are you at the President’s Office?”
It was rare for the President to come to the office now. Director Seo Joong Won replied as he nodded his head,
“OK. Then I’ll head to your house.”
***
< SEO JUN ANNOUNCES HIS WITHDRAWAL FROM M2M...GOING ABROAD TO STUDY AFTER RETIRING FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY >
< IN THE END...M2M'S SEO JUN LEAVES! >
< SEO JUN, WHO WAS HEATING UP THE INTERNET FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS, WHO IS HE...? >
< M2M'S SEO JUN KICKED OUT, ARA ENTERTAINMENT OFFICIAL STANCE >
< FUTURE ACTIVITIES NOT DECIDED YET...M2M CONSIDERING RECRUITING NEW MEMBRER! >
< ME, WHO SAW THE RECORDING PROVING THE ASSAULT...AND THE FANS WHO TURNED THEIR BACKS ON SEO JUN, WHO SHOWS NO REMORSE >
-Studying abroad? As expected, having a golden spoon is nice. They just need to go abroad
-Just go to the army lol
-It’ll be a sight to see if he commits military service corruption too lolol
-They’re calling it studying abroad but it’s an exile…
-I feel bad for the other M2M members, the right thing to do is to leave quickly;;;
-So in the end he’s not going to apologize? lolol He’s so brazen-faced…
-I hope you don’t even think of showing your face on tv again! Ptooey!
-You’re leaving after getting hit by one raw egg? Those kind of people need to suffer the same way
‘He ruined himself.’
This situation was the definition of “self-destruction”.
Do Wook, who was looking at his cell phone, thought as he dragged his suitcase and was getting ready to go through security with the help of Manager Oh Baek Ho. However, as he moved on to the next article, his thoughts also moved on from Seo Kang Jun.
Seo Kang Jun’s life as a celebrity was over. Even if he poked his head back in after people had forgotten about these incidents, he could never have the same glory as before.
Although he avoided getting convicted, he was guilty in the public’s eye. His face was well known too, so even if he were abroad, if it was an area that had many Koreans he wouldn’t be able to live with his head held high.
Do Wook decided to forget the sinner who had to live with his sin like a mark on his face.
Today, Incheon International Airport was crowded with more people than usual. It wasn’t because of a holiday nor tourists, but because two stars were leaving. One of those stars was Do Wook.
“Do Wook!”
“Do Wook oppa!”
“Kang Do Wook!”
“Do Wook! Please look this way!”
The fans and reporters were mixed together, so it was hard to tell which of the people screaming Do Wook’s name like crazy were fans and which were reporters.
Do Wook quickened his pace, answering the people calling him with a smile only. Manager Oh Baek Ho and the additional bodyguards who were hired protected Do Wook.
They battled through the crowd and at the entrance to the departure area, Director Yoon Sung Ah and Park Hyo Won, who arrived ahead of Do Wook, were greeting the reporters as they waved their hands.
The two people waved when they saw Do Wook. After greeting them with a wink, Do Wook went and stood next to them.
The three of them stood in a line and waved their hands towards the reporters. They were following Director Yoon Sung Ah’s opinion that, although they officially weren’t supposed to have time for reporters, it would be better to say hello to them as fan service since so many reporters and fans came.
There were so many flashes going off towards the three of them that it almost hurt their eyes.
“How do you feel?!”
“Here too! Look this way too!”
Director Yoon Sung Ah and Park Hyo Won’s gaze turned toward Do Wook.
It was a public area with many general users. Making it even more congested would be a nuisance. Therefore, the two of them determined that the greeting couldn’t be prolonged, and that it would be the right thing if Do Wook, on whom the spotlight was most focused, gave a brief statement.
Do Wook had a slightly embarrassed expression, then started to speak.
“Hmmm.”
They didn’t have microphones on so they had to only use their voice. Do Wook gave a fake cough and calmed down the loud crowd a little.
“I consider it a real honor. It’s all thanks to you all who gave our movie love. Then, I’ll see you in Cannes.”
It was Cannes. Everyone in the movie world wants to step on the red carpet of Cannes at least once.
Cannes, a resort city in France where a blindingly blue sea spreads out with wind blowing over it. The dreams of filmmakers that unfold there. Those dreams aggregate in Cannes, and Cannes itself was the dream.
< Blue Whale > received an official invite to the Cannes Film Festival as a project under the ‘Prix Un Certain Regard*’ category.
(*TL/PR note: Correct French would be “Prix D’Un Certain regard”, but this was the literal text)
It was an indescribable honor for Park Hyo Won, who had been active in independent film for quite a long time, as well as for Director Yoon Sung Ah and Do Wook.
It was even more so for Director Yoon Sung Ah and Do Wook since it was their first movie.
The Cannes Film Festival’s ‘Prix Un Certain Regard’ category was called the future of the Cannes Film Festival. Like the name of the category, it was an opportunity for films that may be notable or eye-catching in the future.
It might be stating the obvious, but it was exactly as he said. It was an incredible honor, and this moment of glory did not come on one’s abilities alone.
Do Wook genuinely thought that it was thanks to the people who made the film and the people who gave the movie love.
Do Wook quietly gave a smile as he finished up his speech. The crowd, who had gotten quiet, became loud again as they started to cheer and murmur. The sound of the flashes going off toward the remarkable smile also intensified.
It was an incredibly cool remark when Do Wook said, ‘See you in Cannes’.
Not just anyone could say that. Only those who were invited to Cannes could say that.
The three of them waved their hands for a final time at the people who had given them a lot of attention, whom they were grateful to, and entered the departure area.
Do Wook looked particularly dignified today as he leisurely entered the departure area.
As the fans watched Do Wook from behind, they rubbed their eyes from the emotions swelling up in them.
Fans were also in disbelief that Do Wook was participating in Cannes. It was not a famous director’s film, and fans were concerned that the next acting project Do Wook had chosen was an art film by a new director.
They felt ashamed of themselves that they questioned Do Wook’s choice. A fan who had posted that he wanted Do Wook to take a vacation instead of filming even slapped himself on the cheek.
“Ah, I guess Do Wook’s beauty will be known in Cannes too now…”
“Foreigners probably think he’s handsome too, right?”
“That goes without saying. Whether they like Asian things or not, in the end, the most beautiful actresses picked by foreigners are always Kim Tae Hwang and Song Hae Jin.”
“Our Do Wook wouldn’t lose even to Brad Putt in Cannes.”
“Brad Putt from when?”
“You’re getting old…I guess taking your child to kindergarten wore you out.”
“Wait, has Brad Putt ever even come to Cannes?”
The fans who came to see Do Wook off were chatting amongst themselves.
Then, a group of reporters left Gate 2 where the < Blue Whale > team was located, to gather around Gate 8.
“What, is someone else coming too?”
“Is that so? I didn’t know.”
Do Wook’s fans had a puzzled expression.
At Gate 8, where reporters had gathered, there was another star of Do Wook’s age. A star that had fallen before really rising to its peak in the heavens.
It was Seo Kang Jun.
Despite having kept the fact that he was leaving the country a secret, reporters somehow found out the plane schedule and gathered.
Dressed in black from head to toe, Seo Kang Jun appeared, looking like a criminal. The agency only sent the youngest manager to help Seo Kang Jun carry his luggage.
Seo Kang Jun, who had two suitcases with him, was quickly walking towards the departure area as he avoided the reporters who kept asking him how he felt.
If he left now, it would be hard for him to return to Korea for the time being so he couldn’t cause any more ruckus, or at the very least interfere with M2M’s activities. Of course he didn’t have time to say goodbye to his family or friends.
It wasn’t certain if Seo Kang Jun even had any family or friends who would be sad about his departure. It was Seo Kang Jun’s father who ordered his exile in the first place.
Seo Kang Jun left the country while looking pathetic, weaving through the reporters who swarmed like hungry hyenas and people who were pointing fingers at him.
Compared to Do Wook’s departure right before, it could only be described as a miserable sight.
***
After a long flight, the weather when they arrived in Cannes was very clear, as if welcoming Do Wook.
When they arrived there, there weren’t many people who recognized Do Wook. As he breathed in the clear Cannes air, Do Wook soaked up the happiness of this moment.
Coach Yoon Sung Ah and Park Hyo Won also couldn’t hide their excitement.
“Who knew we’d make it here…?”
It was a moment they all weren’t sure would happen.
< Blue Whale > was scheduled to be shown at the Debussy Hall tomorrow. Relieving their fatigue from the flight and getting plenty of rest was a priority. After grabbing an e-taxi, they headed to their lodgings.
Manager Oh Baek Ho, who was accompanying Do Wook, said,
“It looked like Seo Kang Jun left the country today too…”
“I see.”
It was as though a weight had lifted. He wasn’t able to get revenge in his own body, but getting revenge through this second chance wasn’t bad either.
Do Wook’s expression as he was feeling those emotions was very calm and clear. Manager Oh Baek Ho looked at Do Wook and asked,
“Is it all over now?”
Do Wook smiled at Manager Oh Baek Ho’s question.
“No. It’s only the beginning.”
The end was another beginning. Do Wook had no intention of stopping at Seo Kang Jun from the beginning.
If the tail was cut, the hand holding the knife that cut the tail. You have to cut down the owner of that hand too.
—
Next chapter: Sure Do Wook has had success in Asia, but now he’s in a whole different continent. Will he continue his rise to fame or is he in for a culture shock?