Chapter 28: Did Yu-jin Buy My Song?

The two CEOs stood in silence as they watched Bi-yong walk away. His confident strides carried him further into the distance until he disappeared from view.

Choi Min-ho was the first to break the silence. "That guy... he's definitely unique. Kind of interesting, too." His voice carried a hint of amusement.

But Moon Woo-seok didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed on the spot where Bi-yong had vanished, lost in thought.

Min-ho furrowed his brows. It wasn't like Woo-seok to ignore him like this. Something about Bi-yong had clearly shaken him. Min-ho hesitated for a moment before reaching out and giving Woo-seok's shoulder a light tap.

Woo-seok blinked, as if waking from a trance.

"Hey, you good? What's with you?" Min-ho asked, watching Woo-seok carefully. "Did Bi-yong do something to piss you off?"

Woo-seok exhaled slowly. "No," he said simply.

Min-ho didn't entirely believe him, but he let it go for now. "Alright, if you say so."

Shaking off the strange feeling, they turned their attention back to business. Woo-seok leaned against the car, arms crossed. "Let's talk about Kwon Si-hyuk."

Min-ho raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

Woo-seok's expression darkened. "Jin Yu-jin's little secret... the one I found out about."

Min-ho straightened at the mention of Yu-jin. "You mean the reason you terminated the agreement between you and him?"

Woo-seok nodded. "I thought Yu-jin was a naive, innocent guy. But he wasn't." His voice was laced with quiet frustration. "He was having an affair with Kwon Si-hyuk."

Min-ho whistled low. "Damn. That's messy."

"That's why I cut ties with him." Woo-seok clenched his jaw. "I don't like his dirty deeds, but I'm also a businessman. Yu-jin is one of the biggest moneymakers for the company. I can't afford another scandal—twice is enough."

Min-ho smirked. "Twice?"

Woo-seok sighed, rubbing his temples. "First was Ryu Seo-woo's bad temper and downfall. Second was that damn trending photo of me hugging Yu-jin in front of his house. My head hurts just thinking about it."

Min-ho chuckled. "You really do attract chaos, don't you?"

Woo-seok shot him a glare. "Shut up."

Min-ho irritatedly said, "That snake Si-hyuk is walking chaos. I always keep an eye on him."

Woo-seok leaned closer, his tone turning more serious. "You called him a snake. Did he embezzle your company's money?"

Min-ho was about to answer when both of their phones suddenly rang. Their assistants were calling.

The moment they answered, their assistants informed them that the live broadcast was about to start.

---

Meanwhile, Seo-woo entered Lighthouse's resting room.

Inside, Eun-jae and Yu-ki paced back and forth, their nervous energy filling the space. Even Hye-sung looked anxious, tapping his foot repeatedly.

Seo-woo chuckled at the sight. "You three look like you're about to faint."

The duo turned their heads sharply and, upon seeing him, rushed forward. "Mentor Bi-yong!" they cried in unison.

Seo-woo raised an eyebrow, amused. "I told you, I'm not a mentor. I'm just an ordinary citizen of South Korea."

Eun-jae pouted. "An ordinary citizen wouldn't be this good at performing."

Yu-ki nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly!"

Seo-woo smiled, then took a moment to glance at their outfits. They were dressed in stunning all-white ensembles, exuding an ethereal charm that made them look like angels who had descended from the heavens.

Eun-jae wore a long, flowing white coat with silver embroidery along the edges, layered over a high-neck sheer blouse tucked into fitted white pants. His look was elegant yet modern, with a touch of regal sophistication.

Yu-ki, on the other hand, had a more contemporary take—he wore a cropped white jacket with pearl embellishments over a sleek, sleeveless turtleneck. His pants were slightly looser, adding a casual yet stylish flair. Their outfits complemented each other, making them look like two celestial beings preparing to grace the stage.

Before Seo-woo could compliment them, the stage manager entered the room. "Eun-jae, Yu-ki, it's time. Please get ready."

The duo turned to Seo-woo with pleading eyes, looking like lost puppies.

Seo-woo chuckled. "No need for those looks. Just go out there and perform like it's your last stage."

The two took a deep breath, nodding. "We won't mess up," Yu-ki said, hyping himself up.

"Let's do this," Eun-jae added, giving himself a pep talk.

As they exited the room, Hye-sung walked over to Seo-woo. "Follow me," he said.

Just as Seo-woo was about to follow, his phone rang.

It was Auntie Song.

---

Just as Seo-woo was about to answer his phone, he accidentally bumped into someone, causing his phone to slip from his grasp and clatter onto the floor.

"Ah, I'm sor—" Seo-woo started but froze when he looked up.

Standing before him was Jin Yu-jin, holding a microphone in one hand. Beside him was a young woman, also holding a mic, likely his co-host for the live broadcast.

Yu-jin's sharp gaze locked onto him, his expression unreadable. Seo-woo stiffened. Did he recognize me?

Then, Yu-jin spoke.

"Are you... Bi-yong?"

Seo-woo's breath hitched.

His screen name.

Only a handful of people knew it—Hye-sung, the duo, Min-ho, and a few clients who had purchased his songs. How does he know?

Seo-woo quickly masked his shock. "You know me?" he asked cautiously. "How?" His brows furrowed. "We've never met before."

Yu-jin parted his lips as if to answer, but before he could, the stage manager rushed over.

"Yu-jin, you're on in thirty seconds. Hurry up!"

With a last unreadable glance at Seo-woo, Yu-jin turned and walked toward the stage, the young woman following closely behind.

Seo-woo exhaled slowly and bent down to retrieve his phone. He forgot that Auntie Song had called him several times because his thoughts were clouded with confusion.

Did Yu-jin buy my song?

Shaking his head, he pocketed his phone, unaware of what was happening back home.

---

At the rental house, Auntie Song anxiously tried calling Seo-woo again.

He still wasn't answering.

The triplets clung to her tightly, their small arms wrapped around her waist. Their wide eyes darted toward the door, where an unsettling series of loud, persistent knocks echoed through the house.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Seo-jin swallowed hard. "Grandma... who are they?"

"I don't know, sweetheart," Auntie Song whispered, trying to keep her voice calm. But the fear in her eyes was unmistakable.

The knocks suddenly stopped.

For a brief moment, silence filled the air.

Then—

"AHH!"

The muffled screams of men in pain erupted from outside.

The triplets flinched. Seo-jin buried his face in his grandmother's skirt.

Then, a familiar voice rang out.

"Are you all okay in there?"

Seo-min's eyes widened. He knew that voice.

"Uncle Ye-joon!" he shouted.

Seo-jun quickly responded, his voice trembling. "We're okay!"

Auntie Song hesitated before cautiously unlatching the door.

The sight that greeted them was unexpected.

Several men lay groaning on the ground, clutching their stomachs or rolling in pain. Their would-be intruders had been subdued.

And standing in the middle of the chaos was Ye-joon, hands in his pockets, looking completely unbothered.

His gaze softened when he saw Auntie Song. "Grandma, are you okay?" he asked gently.

Auntie Song exhaled in relief. "I'm fine, dear. Thank you for helping us."

But before she could say anything else, her eyes shifted past Ye-joon—where another young man stood behind him.

There was something familiar about him.

Then, the stranger took a step forward and bowed politely.

"Grandma Song," he said, "I'm Ryu Jung-woo."

Auntie Song stiffened.

The triplets looked up at her in confusion.

She turned back to the young man, eyes widening. "Ryu... Jung-woo?" she echoed.

Seo-woo's younger brother.