Chapter 20: Ex-Fiancé?!

Ryu Seo-woo walked down the dimly lit street, a plastic bag full of toys and chocolates swinging at his side. The crisp evening air nipped at his cheeks, but he barely noticed it—his mind still reeled from the intense events at Lee Hye-sung's apartment earlier.

It had been a whirlwind of emotions.

Before they started the recording session, Lee Hye-sung had broken down. The weight of betrayal hit him hard.

Seo-woo recalled the raw devastation in Hye-sung's eyes.

"I trusted him," he had murmured, voice thick with emotion. "Si-hyun was... one of the few people I could confide in. I never even considered—"

His voice had wavered, and Seo-woo had to step in before the grief consumed him.

"You need to rest, Hye-sung. Let me handle this."

At first, Hye-sung hesitated. But then, with a deep sigh, he nodded. "Alright. Take care of them."

And so, Seo-woo had taken the reins.

Seo-woo had closely observed the duo.

Kang Eun-jae went first.

Seo-woo immediately noticed his impressive vocal range. However, Eun-jae seemed hesitant, as if afraid to push himself too far. He sang carefully, almost cautiously, as though he didn't trust his own voice.

"You're holding yourself back," Seo-woo pointed out after stopping the track.

Eun-jae looked startled. "I just... I don't want to mess up."

"Eun-jae, singing isn't just about hitting notes—it's about owning them." Seo-woo leaned against the glass. "Your voice has range, but you're treating it like fragile glass instead of a weapon. Trust yourself. If you're going to reach for that high note, commit. Don't hesitate."

Eun-jae blinked.

"How do I—?"

"Take a deep breath. Relax your throat. And when you go for that note, don't think about failing—just sing like it's the last chance you'll ever get."

Eun-jae swallowed hard and nodded.

This time, when he sang, his voice soared effortlessly. When the note rang clear, even he looked shocked.

"I... I did it?"

Seo-woo smirked. "Of course you did. You just needed to get out of your own way."

Eun-jae grinned.

Next was Yu-ki.

Unlike Eun-jae, Yu-ki was technically flawless. His baritone voice was smooth, well-controlled, and powerful.

But something was missing.

Seo-woo listened, brows furrowing.

"Stop."

Yu-ki blinked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Not wrong. Just... emotionless." Seo-woo crossed his arms. "Your technique is great, but technique alone won't move people. A song isn't just about how well you sing—it's about making people feel something. Right now, it sounds like you're reciting lyrics, not telling a story."

Yu-ki frowned. "How do I fix that?"

"Close your eyes."

Yu-ki obeyed.

"Think about what this song means to you. Picture a real memory, an emotion that connects you to the lyrics. If this song is about longing, think about someone you miss. If it's about pain, remember a time you were hurt. Channel that into your voice."

Yu-ki took a deep breath.

And then, he sang again.

This time, the difference was palpable.

His voice carried—depth and vulnerability—a weight that hadn't been there before.

When he finished, the room was silent.

Even Hye-sung, who had been quietly watching, looked impressed. But he was more impressed with Seo-woo who was good at advising.

Yu-ki opened his eyes. "Was that better?"

Seo-woo smiled. "Much."

Finally, it was Seo-woo's turn.

He adjusted the headphones, inhaling slowly.

The moment his deep voice resonated through the studio, the room fell into silence.

Hye-sung and the duo were frozen.

His voice was—rich and captivating—not just technically perfect, but effortlessly emotional.

For the first time that night, Eun-jae and Yu-ki looked at each other with determination.

"We need to get on his level," Yu-ki muttered.

"Yeah," Eun-jae agreed. "We're not stopping until we do."

By the time the recording session ended, Seo-woo felt drained—but satisfied.

Hye-sung, though still shaken, seemed better.

"Thanks, Bi-yong"

Seo-woo smiled. "Anytime."

After the long night, Seo-woo finally checked his phone.

A new message from his eldest son popped up.

Attached was a selfie.

In the picture, the triplets were sitting at the dinner table, happily eating red bean rice cake.

Seo-min, of course, was the only one who had managed to make a mess of himself. His cheeks and fingers were completely covered in red bean paste.

Seo-woo couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"That kid..."

Just then, a notification flashed on his screen.

[Hidden Quest Completed: One of the host's sons must send a picture of themselves without the host asking them.]

Rewards: +50 Parenting, +20 Charm

Seo-woo's eyes widened.

"Wait... there are hidden quests too?"

He blinked at the screen, stunned.

Apparently, his own sons were unknowingly helping him level up.

With a small laugh, Seo-woo shook his head.

"Guess I really am a gamer dad."

As he walked home, he smiled as if there was no tomorrow. It had been a long, exhausting night, but he had managed. He didn't notice that someone was watching him from afar.

---

At idle evening at Starlight Entertainment

Moon Woo-seok slumped in his office chair, staring at the ceiling, doing absolutely nothing.

And yet, his mind wasn't empty—oh no, it was tormented.

By what?

By Jin Yu-jin's relentless pestering from earlier that morning.

"Hyung, tell me what I did wrong!"

"Hyung, why are you ignoring me?!"

"Hyung, I won't leave until you answer me!"

Moon Woo-seok rubbed his temples, remembering the migraine-inducing scene of Yu-jin whining and nagging about their last treatment session.

"How am I supposed to know what you did wrong? You exist, don't you? That's probably it."

Sighing, he closed his eyes, hoping for a moment of peace.

But peace?

Peace was a luxury.

Because at that very moment, his office door swung open without a knock.

A tall, cold man walked in as if he owned the place, his presence demanding attention.

Moon Woo-seok immediately scowled.

"Choi Min-ho."

That name alone was enough to ruin his night.

Moon Woo-seok's frown deepened. "What the hell are you doing in my company?"

Choi Min-ho simply chuckled and made himself at home, gracefully settling onto the sofa like a bored prince.

"Is this how you greet your ex-fiancé?" he mused, crossing his legs with a smirk.

Moon Woo-seok's eye twitched.

"Ex-fiancé, my ass!" he snapped, slamming his palm onto the desk. "Our elders tried to push us into marriage, not knowing you were a boy. Tsk."

Choi Min-ho merely laughed, enjoying every second of Moon Woo-seok's irritation.

Honestly, Woo-seok thanked the universe every day that their engagement was voided the moment everyone realized Min-ho wasn't a girl.

He and Choi Min-ho had grown up together, their families closely intertwined. But while Moon Woo-seok saw Min-ho as a distant acquaintance at best, Min-ho had always seen him as a rival.

So naturally, when Moon Woo-seok founded Starlight Entertainment, Choi Min-ho had to open his own company too called Dawn Entertainment.

Because why not?

It was like Choi Min-ho had made to annoy Moon Woo-seok as his life's mission.

Even Choi Min-ho's own mother had raged endlessly about her son's life choices.

"You had one job, Min-ho! ONE JOB! Instead of settling down with a rich heiress, you're out here playing corporate wars with Woo-seok?!"

To which Choi Min-ho had probably shrugged and said, "Sounds about right."

Choi Min-ho stretched lazily before dropping a casual bomb.

"Oh, by the way, I met Bi-yong in person."

Moon Woo-seok's brows shot up.

He was no longer annoyed. He was curious.

Before he could grill Min-ho for details, the office door burst open—again.

"HYUNG!"

Jin Yu-jin stormed into the office, his eyes blazing with determination.

Behind him, Moon Woo-seok's assistant frantically held onto his wrist, trying to stop him from invading the office.

"Sir, I tried to stop him, but—"

"Hyung, I need to talk to you—"

Choi Min-ho sighed dramatically and stood up.

"Nope. I refuse to witness another soap opera." He waved a lazy goodbye, already heading for the door. "I had my dose of drama this afternoon, and I refuse to overdose."

With that, he exited.

Leaving behind a fuming Moon Woo-seok...

... and a determined Jin Yu-jin.

The temperature in the office dropped.

Moon Woo-seok slowly turned his gaze to Jin Yu-jin, his stare as cold as ice.

Jin Yu-jin gulped.

Maybe... this wasn't his best idea after all.

---o---

"Little Theatre"

Moon family: "Let's arrange a marriage between our cute little Woonie and the baby inside you, Madam Choi."

After knowing the baby's gender...

Moon family: "Oh, let's forget about this marriage matter. Let them be best friends in the future instead."

The future...

Moon family: "I guess let's just pray for their safety."

Also Choi family: (˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥)