Chapter 32
“Who are you?”
Creaaak—
She opened the door and looked around, but no one was there.
“What the? There’s no one here.”
Creaaak—
Just as she sighed and was about to close the door, something caught it with a light thud.
“…?”
“Hey.”
A strange voice came from somewhere, and Park Miso jumped back in surprise.
She looked around again, but saw no one.
“…?”
“Where are you looking? Down here!”
When she lowered her gaze, a small child was standing there.
A white T-shirt, denim overalls, and long, rainbow-colored socks.
It was the very definition of tacky—but somehow, when Ruha wore it, it didn’t look tacky at all.
“Long time no see.”
Ruha waved lightly and tilted his head.
“…Who are you?”
Park Miso tilted her head in confusion.
“Mind if I come in for a bit?”
Without waiting for an answer, Ruha marched confidently into the office.
His short legs made his steps small and cute, but his walk had no hesitation.
“Uh—huh?”
Flustered, Park Miso hurried to follow him.
“Wow~ Nice office you’ve got here.”
Ruha clasped his hands behind his back and slowly looked around the office.
“Who are you, kid?”
Park Miso asked, still bewildered.
“You’ve really made it, huh? Even got the interior all done up.”
Ruha spoke as if to himself, barely acknowledging her.
‘Kids these days really have no manners…’
Park Miso finally stepped closer, crouching to meet his eye level.
“You—who are y—”
But her words stopped mid-sentence.
‘Wh-what the…? How can a kid be this handsome?’
A small, adorable face, porcelain-white skin, sharp features—it was the kind of face that promised a dazzling future.
For a moment, Park Miso stared blankly before shaking her head to snap out of it.
“Did you… get lost or something?”
“Do I look like a lost kid to you?”
Ruha snapped back with a sulky tone, then hopped onto the sofa and plopped down.
“Well, since I’m a guest, don’t you serve refreshments here? I’ll have orange juice, thanks.”
Crossing his short legs and leaning back with authority, the kid looked every bit like a tiny CEO.
‘Ugh… What kind of day is this?’
Park Miso forced a strained smile and swallowed a sigh.
“R-right… Got it.”
She faked a polite grin and went to get the drink.
The way he walked into a real estate office like it was his own place, the way he said “refreshments,” the sheer attitude of it all—
Her eyes suddenly gleamed.
‘He’s definitely the son of a building owner!’
Not just any building—probably a whole building.
Clack—
She placed the orange juice on the table.
“Where are your parents, sweetie?”
Park Miso asked in the gentlest tone she could manage.
“Why’re you asking that when you already know?”
Ruha took a sip of juice, then exclaimed,
“Ah! This orange juice is amazing!”
“…”
…Wow. No manners whatsoever.
Park Miso gritted her teeth inwardly. Her patience was running thin, and her voice rose slightly.
“Hey, kid? You shouldn’t play jokes on adults. Where are your parents?”
Then, Ruha suddenly burst out laughing.
“Puhahahaha!”
‘Ohhh I swear—!’
That was it. She could take a lot, but not being mocked by a kid!
She shot up from her seat and grabbed his arm.
“Hey! Out! You rude little—”
“Jin Do-hyun.”
“—!”
Park Miso froze.
“…W-what did you just say?”
“Didn’t you hear me? Jin. Do. Hyun.”
Ruha enunciated each syllable clearly.
Her pupils began to tremble.
That name… was so familiar. But also so distant now.
“What did you just… say?”
Ruha’s lips curved into a mischievous, teasing smile.
“Who are you?”
Her voice turned cold.
“Oh, your Twex account. It’s still active, you know?”
“…What?”
Her eyebrow twitched.
“You didn’t even delete my photos.”
“Who the hell are you?”
She asked again, her voice low.
“How many times do I have to say it? I’m Jin Do-hyun. What, you don’t remember your first love?”
Ruha spoke casually, picking at his ear.
“What? You’re saying—”
“Oh, wait—is this it?”
Ruha hopped off the sofa and walked to her desk.
He flipped the black velvet cloth covering something—and a camera was revealed underneath.
“Wow~ Who are you taking pictures of these days? Twex has been quiet.”
“W-what do you think you’re doing!”
Miso quickly shoved him aside and grabbed the camera.
“Oh?”
Ruha’s eyes and fingers turned toward the monitor on her desk.
Displayed on-screen: RE:VIVAL Episode 1 — LUMIS’s stage performance.
Beside it, a split-screen article read:
[Hit Song Maker Jin Do-hyun to Start Anew at Clef Entertainment]
“What’s this~? You still can’t forget me? Well, I am hard to forget.”
“Wh-what the—why is this—?”
Miso panicked and quickly shut off the monitor.
Ruha just chuckled.
“What do you think? The boys are good, right? Totally your type. You’ve always been weak for pretty faces. Though, compared to me in my prime, they’re way behind.”
“W-what nonsense are you—”
“Park Miso. Let’s work together. No—let’s do something you like.”
“Hey! You little brat! You can’t just—”
“Don’t you remember? You promised to build my world. Well, those kids are my world now.”
He nodded toward the monitor.
“…What?”
Her eyebrow twitched.
A memory flashed in her mind.
“I’ll build your world for you.”
That day, when Jin Do-hyun suddenly announced he was leaving the group—she had gone to his house, fallen to her knees, and cried those words.
Why had she done that?
For an idol?
Why had she begged so desperately? The thought crossed her mind—but only for a second.
“…!”
Her face flushed bright red.
It was an embarrassing memory, but she didn’t regret it.
Back then, he was her one light, her joy—the first person she had ever been truly obsessed with.
“I told you to make use of your talents,” Ruha muttered. “Didn’t think you’d use them like this.”
“I saw the listings you posted. The photos are amazing. But honestly, isn’t that kinda… fraud?”
“…”
He wasn’t wrong.
Sure, real estate had started as a suggestion from her landowner mother.
But her success had been built on something else.
Her past—as a homma (short for “homepage master,” a fan who photographs and uploads pictures of idols).
Years of chasing idols with her camera had honed her eye, her hands, and her aesthetic sense.
Thanks to that, she could make even a run-down office look bright, or a small 700 sq. ft. apartment look like a spacious luxury suite.
Her photos gained popularity by word of mouth. Soon, more and more clients sought her out.
That’s how she rose so quickly in the real estate scene.
‘Wait, that’s not the point here…’
This kid is claiming to be Jin Do-hyun?
…That’s insane.
Her pupils trembled violently.
“Ajusshi!”
“M-Miso!”
At Clef Entertainment Headquarters.
CEO Yoon Tae-jin and Park Miso ran into each other and hugged tightly.
“…?”
“…!”
Then they quickly pulled apart.
They weren’t exactly close.
To Yoon Tae-jin, Miso was an obsessive sasaeng fan.
To Miso, Yoon Tae-jin was “the pig who ruins every perfect shot of the most beautiful subject in the world.”
Still, time softens grudges—and the joy of seeing a familiar face outweighed their resentment.
“Ahem.”
“Yeah… Long time no see.”
They sat down awkwardly.
“So, this is our Baek-gu—”
Miso stopped mid-sentence.
“Or should I say… Heuk-gu now?”
Baek-gu (white dog), Heuk-gu (black dog), Hwang-gu (yellow dog)—nicknames fans gave Jin Do-hyun back in his idol days.
It started during a variety show that had him visit Jindo Island, famous for its Jindo dogs.
The producers had assigned him there simply because of his name, Jin-do Hyun.
He’d spent the day rolling around with the dogs—and the nickname “Baek-gu” stuck.
When he dyed his hair black, fans called him Heuk-gu. Blonde? Hwang-gu.
“Pfft!”
Yoon Tae-jin barely held back laughter at the cheesy old nickname—or maybe he didn’t even try.
‘When else am I gonna get to tease her like this?’
“Ah—no!”
Miso blushed furiously and quickly changed the subject.
“F-fine! Let’s just say—for argument’s sake—that this kid is Jin Do-hyun!”
She still half-doubted it.
But the kid’s words, the shared memories, the official keychain from years ago, and the testimony of Clef’s CEO himself—all pointed to one impossible truth.
“Anyway, why should I help you two? What do I get out of it?”
She wasn’t the same Park Miso anymore.
Now in her thirties, a businesswoman with employees—
She put business over fandom.
“Wow~ Look who grew up. Right, Tae-jin?”
“Yeah? Hahaha!”
Ruha and Tae-jin laughed together.
‘…Excuse me? You’re literally the shortest one here.’
Miso shot Ruha a glare.
“When did you ever get anything out of photographing me?”
“…”
That arrogant tone.
‘Yep. That’s Jin Do-hyun, all right.’
People said he’d changed after becoming a producer—but Miso knew better.
Jin Do-hyun had always been a brat. Probably from birth.
As she glared at him, Ruha said,
“When you take photos, people talk.”
Tae-jin added slyly, “You’d go viral.”
“Ha!”
‘So that’s what this is.’
Everything clicked in Miso’s head.
RE:VIVAL Episode 1—she’d skimmed it, but she got the idea.
LUMIS, a washed-up idol group.
They’d tried a survival show to make a comeback—but it wasn’t going well.
And the next live evaluation was coming up.
No matter how good the stage, without enough fans, they didn’t stand a chance.
In short—
‘They’re going for a publicity stunt.’
“You’ve got money, don’t you? Real estate from your mom’s building and all.”
Ruha said curtly.
“W-what? I pay rent like everyone else!”
“Yeah? Then what about the camera?”
“It’s for listing photos!”
“With that telephoto lens?”
“Precision shots!”
“And Twex?”
“I… I forgot the password!”
Her face turned bright red.
“Do you expect me to believe that?”
“Puhahahaha!”
Ruha and Tae-jin burst out laughing.
‘Damn it… even I don’t believe me…’
Miso clenched her jaw.
“Park Miso.”
Ruha suddenly called her, voice calm now.
“…?”
“I need your help.”
