Payback

The third match was also boring and quickly ended. The only difference was that the ugly guy got a nosebleed and blood spilled from his roughed up face all over the place messily. The ugly guy didn’t even faint, but the instructor, who was surprised that he was half-conscious, ran up to him and shouted something, but his eyes were just blank. Of course, the instructor protested to me and raised his voice. 

The ugly guy’s face was messed up and his blood spilled so he almost treated me like a murderer and made a fuss. It was an unexpected person who ended this situation. The sharp-looking guy suddenly came to his senses and came forward.

“It’s noisy, so please stop. We had said we would do this.”

“But, his face is so messed up that he’s bleeding…”

He walked out with his hand wrapped around the injured area and looked down at the ugly guy the instructor was holding with a frown. 

“Hey.”

The ugly guy, who had been looking into the air with his eyes bewildered by the call, turned his eyes blankly. But his dazed eyes soon changed at the next words he heard.

“What are you going to do? Your face is completely messed up.”

His eyes, which had been faint at the word ‘messed’, radiated a spiteful light.

“This fucking… Urgh!”

He raised his upper body and tried to spit out words, but when he opened his mouth, he fell back, groaning as if he was in pain from a torn wound.

“I won’t let you go… Fuck… Just wait, that bastard will never be able to take a step into this industry…”

“I said your face is messed up.” 

The sharp-looking guy emphasized and cut off his words. I didn’t understand why he repeated it, and it seemed like it was the same for the ugly guy. He frowned as his face began to swell.

“What are you talking about?”

“Your face is messed up, so you need to fix it.”

It was something I still didn’t understand, but the ugly guy seemed to come to realization. He forgot the pain and suddenly jumped up to sit down and opened his eyes wide. 

“Fix it? Oh… right! I can fix it… Ouch!”

He covered his face with his hands again and let out a painful moan, but strangely, there was also a mix of laughter.

“Heuheu, since it had become like this, my father won’t be able to object either. Right? Haha~ I’m excited. Make a reservation right now and fix it all! Argh!”

Who knew whether he was laughing or crying, the guy who was alternating between groaning and laughing raised his eyes to me. Then he spoke to the instructor, in high spirits as if he was the winner. 

“It was us who said we would do it first like fools, so keep your mouth shut.”

The instructor hardened with an absurd expression and could no longer say anything. Now that the most problematic person said it like that, it seemed that the rest of them didn’t matter and gave up. And the sharp guy who helped me make this happen slowly came near me. He grabbed the ring and looked as if looking at the situation, noticing the last one left and twisting his lips as if something was interesting.

“You’re pretty good.”

He asked, staring at the yellow hair still standing outside the diagonal ring. 

“I’m talking about that guy who’s the last. How did you know he was the most annoying?”

I was too lazy to answer, so I just looked at him, and he turned to me.

“You know what the second piece of advice I was going to give you is?”

“…” 

“It was to watch out for that guy. After he came…”

His words trailed and he looked back at the good-looking man who was still sitting on the floor with his back bent.

“It became tainted.”

He didn’t explain what had become tainted, but I knew.

I remembered the bitter expression when the guy with the nice appearance had said that he had been sleeping with men since four years ago. When the name ‘Song Yoohan’ was brought up in front of the two of them in Alice’s Labyrinth, the good-looking man frowned for a moment. Even if he had to sleep with men with much difficulty, he still seems to have resistance to doing such a thing. Therefore, ‘Song Yoohan’, who succeeded in taking a man as a sponsor, must be an obstacle he couldn’t accept yet. It would be unreasonable to take orders from such an opponent to do childish things. 

On the other hand, the yellow-haired person did not show much expression at the name of ‘Song Yoohan’. He had just averted his eyes. No matter how well you try to put up an expression, the eyes cannot lie. Knowing that, a person who hides may instinctively fail to see the other person.

When I found out that the yellow haired was Myeongshin’s underling, I thought it was a bit surprising. When I saw the two of them, it was the man with a good impression who led the situation more. It was something to be concerned about that the yellowed hair didn’t take the initiative while pulling the opponent into the direction he wanted. To the extent that I had to reconsider that he wouldn’t use childish methods. So I didn’t want to take it lightly.

Ufgtjqr tf kjr qeaalcu tlr ygjlc ab kbgx ktlif atf euis yjrajgv kjr yflcu yfjafc eq. Rbk, ktja’r ublcu ab mbwf bea bo atja ues’r wbeat? Cr P kjr jybea ab ajxf j rafq abkjgvr atf sfiibk tjlgfv, P tfjgv j nblmf ktlrqfglcu yftlcv ws yjmx.

“… P qjlv boo atf vfya.” 

As I stepped forward and turned my head around, the guy with a sharp impression added.

“Thanks for sparing my face.”

Thanks for almost knocking me out. I thought it was a funny situation as I approached the yellow haired. He clenched his teeth and spat out with a pale face as if he had been waiting.

“You better not touch me.” 

Try me, the guy stood crookedly holding himself and stared at me.

“You… it seems like you already know who’s behind me, so all the more you shouldn’t touch me. If you just end it here, I’ll put in a good word about you to Yoohan hyung…”

“Yoohan hyung?”

I pretended not to know and asked. He seemed to hold his breath, then narrowed his eyes. 

“You already know everything. Ah, are you sounding me out? You want me to say everything with my own mouth?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What do I know?”

“…”

“What do you have to say with your mouth?” 

“…”

“If you have nothing to say, put on your gloves.”

“…”

“If you want to run away because you don’t want to do it, then do it. If you’re the only one who skips it, I’m sure the other three who worked hard in class will be very happy.” 

I pointed to the rest outside the ring, gathered around the ugly guy. The yellow-haired man said with his own mouth that rumors about this place would spread within a few hours. It might be fine to ignore rumors saying he was a coward, but even if it was someone like the yellow haired, he would be reluctant to turn those three into enemies.

“You don’t understand? Put on your gloves.”

“I did it.”

“Did what?” 

“… That thing with your recorder. And I lied to that guy that you cursed at him. Now, I’ve said it all with my own mouth. Aren’t we cool now?”

“I’ve already told you. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Does the fact that you did it all give me a reason to stop beating you here?”

“…”

“Are you deaf? Do you want me to write it down?” 

I glared at him, annoyed. He closed his mouth tightly and murmured so that I could barely hear it.

“I’ll let you know if you stop here. Why Yoohan hyung wants to make you leave this industry…”

“No need.”

When I cut him off firmly, the guy frowned as if a little startled, then murmured. 

“Did you notice? Yoohan hyung is bothering you because of your manager?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“So If you’re going to negotiate, at least bring up something I don’t know.” 

The guy swallowed the saliva so that his throat moved loudly. I followed his movements with my eyes, bored. Then I pressed him.

“Do you want to be dragged into the ring?”

“The order has changed.”

He spoke hastily and lowered his voice, noticing the others who were watching. 

“Yoohan hyung knows everything. That you got out of Alice’s Labyrinth with the help of a sponsor? He told me to find out who your sponsor is instead of getting in your way.”

“So?”

It’s nothing much. As I expressed my annoyance, the guy panicked a bit and added an explanation.

“I’ve been following you for days. Didn’t you notice? I had someone else do it for fear of getting caught. Then, interestingly enough, you put a stamp at Alice’s Labyrinth every day. You also go in and out through the back door, not the front door.” 

“…”

“Does your sponsor go there every day?”

I wracked my head for a moment and didn’t answer. Actually, even I had not yet determined that. How influential is Alice’s Labyrinth? Perhaps he thought I kept my mouth shut because I was embarrassed, so he scoffed in a slightly relaxed voice.

“Otherwise, maybe you’re working there.” 

When I raised my eyes, I met eyes filled with ridicule. The yellow haired whispered, not caring if it could be heard.

“I heard that there are guys who are working there and trying to debut in the entertainment industry. Or are you an employee there?”

“…”

“Hm, if you had a sponsor, there is no way you would go to that place by bus. Well, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is that if I tell you as it is, you can feel a little more comfortable. If he found out that you were just an employee, Yoohan hyung might think it’s ridiculous and won’t care anymore. Don’t you hate it too? Trying to climb higher in this industry but already getting interfered…” 

“It doesn’t matter.”

“… What?”

Startled, he tilted his head to the side.

“I don’t care about getting interfered with. Rather, I welcome it.” 

Approaching the dazed guy for a moment, I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him closer.

“Go to Song Yoohan and tell him. That it seems that my sponsor is a powerful man.”

I twisted my lips, looking at the guy’s face up-close with the rope in between.

“If you deliver those exact words, I will spare your face.” 

———

When I went to take acting class the next day, a few things had changed. Thanks to the company that checked attendance more strictly than high school, no one has ever missed a class, but there were only three attendees including me that day.

The ones who were missing were the ugly guy and yellow haired. I had hit them both properly, so it was natural for them to miss class, but it was surprising that the other two came. They probably wouldn’t have been able to get up in the morning, but crawled up. Nevertheless, they had a reason to come today. It was the day the instructor was going to decide who to give a small role in the drama as a prize through a test. Maybe that’s why the instructor was a little embarrassed because the ugly guy who should have received the prize was missing.

“Where are the rest?” 

Haven’t you heard the news yet? After a day, I thought there would be a rumor that a gangster had entered the company, but I guessed not. When I saw the two of them standing silently unexpectedly, their eyes met mine. The good-looking man had a bitter expression, and the sharp-eyed man had a smile in his eyes. He first gave the instructor the name of the ugly guy and added an explanation.

“He was admitted to the hospital. He’s fixing his face.”

“Face? But his father said he was against it…”

“Yes, he was against it. He objected, saying why fix the most handsome face in the world, but there is no parent who can win against their children.” 

The instructor made an absurd expression, but then he shook his head and wrote something on a piece of paper in his hand, and turned his eyes to the good-looking guy. Then, as if he had been waiting, he also explained what happened to the yellow haired.

“He’s sick.”

Glancing at me, he added briefly.

“I guess it’s just the flu.” 

For some reason, the instructor looked incredulous, but then he frowned.

“Um, then, the acting competition we were going to do today shall be done next…”

“Let’s do it with just the ones here.”

As I interrupted, the instructor raised his eyes in bewilderment. Perhaps it was difficult to proceed with the person who was supposed to receive the prize being absent. He coughed and looked back at the rest. 

“Isn’t it better to do it the next time when everyone comes back?”

The two who were asked the question looked at me instead of the instructor. It meant that they were going to do what I wanted so the instructor turned his bewildered eyes to me instead.

“So I’m saying, the others would have practiced, but if we do it now…”

“They said he was getting surgery.” 

“But the other one is sick…”

“He has to take care of himself, shouldn’t he?”

I cut off his words and asked for opinions from the other two.

“Are we going to do it?” 

The two nodded their heads kindly, as if they were holding back their laughter.

The manager had said that my acting was still just an imitation. Knowing how to read lines and getting used to pronunciation and vocalization according to the situation, made my acting look better, but it still wasn’t genuine. The lines coming out of my mouth did not contain my emotions at all, so I was advised to include more emotions.

I was thankful for the advice, but that was something beyond my efforts. Because I had no idea how to do that. I vaguely thought it was impossible for me. The good news was that emotional and deep acting wasn’t really necessary for what I was trying to do. If I was unfamiliar with facial expressions and voices such as smiling and laughter, gag tones, and intense anger, I could imitate them with practice.

On the other hand, Hansoo had picked something out as my strength. That I had no fear. Everyone was hesitant and awkward when they made unfamiliar tones and expressions, but it wasn’t the case for me. 

‘Not having fear’ was just a nice expression that Hansoo used, but in fact, it would have been more accurate to say that I was shameless. I suppose I was shameless enough to ignore the awkwardness of playing a character I was not. Thanks to this, even though I wouldn’t be able to do the in-depth acting that the manager wants, I had been able to recite lines well enough to hear that the skills I’ve learned in a few weeks were pretty good.

But that didn’t mean my acting was the best out of the three that came to class that day. I didn’t have enough time to do that, and there was one person who was very good at it, even as a beginner.

Unlike what he usually did during practices, his serious acting made me realize who the manager and Hansoo said was very good at acting. It wasn’t just me who could have seen that. So everyone seemed surprised by my suggestion. The fact that I, who couldn’t act the most, stopped the instructor from doing what he wanted.

“All three of you worked hard. You seemed to have practiced hard within a week. And I should give a prize to someone who did a good job, but that’s… Hmm, I’ll think about it a bit more…” 

“Are you having a hard time making a decision?”

The instructor looked back with a frown, as if he didn’t have a good feeling about me interrupting him. But, I didn’t care and told him the solution to his dilemma.

“Let’s vote.”

“Vote?” 

“Each one should say who did the best. You had said that it would be most accurate if acting is viewed in the eyes of other people. Wouldn’t it be more meaningful if we make a decision?”

The instructor couldn’t give a clear answer, saying, ‘Oh, what…’, but looking at the other two, he nodded his head reluctantly. The two of them wondered why I would say such a thing, but they agreed to do it. The instructor gave me a frown.

“Then let’s vote.”

“Whoever gets the most votes gets the prize, right?” 

“…”

“Isn’t it?”

“… That’s how it is done.”

With a shaky answer, he pointed to me first. 

“Then, Lee Taemin, tell me first. Who do you think did the best?”

A smirk flashed in his expression. He probably thought I was going to pick myself. The other two were following my words strangely, so it seemed like a masterplan I had planned ahead in order to get the prize. Well, it was not like I hadn’t thought of that at all. When I told the manager about the prize, he said that it was a very good opportunity and that he wanted me to win it. However, I turned my eyes to one person and opened my mouth.

“You. In my eyes, you did the best.”

The sharp-looking man whose eyes I met, stiffened with his mouth open as if surprised. But he didn’t seem to be the only one surprised. After a moment of strange silence, the man with a good impression asked me. 

“Really…?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and pointed my chin at the sharp-looking man who was still frozen.

“You were really good. That guy over there did well too, but this guy did better.” 

The good-looking man kept his mouth shut, and then suddenly smiled despondently.

“You got me. I thought it would be different this time… Instructor, I have the same thoughts. In fact, I’ve been feeling it before. There’s someone among us who is exceptionally good and doesn’t need classes. It can’t be that the instructor doesn’t realize what we do, right?”