Chapter 14: Rumors
Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong—
The lunch bell rang, and the students noisily poured out of their classrooms.
However, one child sitting by the window remained completely still, gazing out at the scenery beyond the glass.
“Chaerin, aren’t you coming to lunch?”
At the familiar voice, Chaerin instinctively turned her head.
There was only one person in this school who called her name so warmly.
Seunghyun.
“I’m not hungry. You go eat by yourself.”
“You haven’t seen today’s lunch menu, have you? It’s amazing! Come on, let’s go. If we’re late, the other kids will eat everything before we get there.”
Seunghyun hurriedly pulled the lunch menu off the wall at the back of the classroom and held it out in front of Chaerin, his voice brimming with excitement.
“Just go by yourself.”
But Chaerin turned back toward the window, looking thoroughly annoyed.
“A student refusing to eat school lunch is absolutely unacceptable. Now, hurry up!”
With a bright smile, Seunghyun grabbed Chaerin by the wrist and pulled her to her feet.
“I said go by yourself.”
“Just follow me!”
“Ugh, you’re so annoying.”
Though she pretended to be reluctant, a faint smile had unknowingly crept across Chaerin’s lips as she allowed herself to be dragged along.
The cafeteria was bustling with the laughter and chatter of students.
“By the way, I saw you getting into a man’s car in front of the school the other day. Was he your father?”
Seunghyun casually asked Chaerin, who was sitting across from him, while taking another spoonful of food.
At once, Chaerin’s expression stiffened. Without saying a word, she lowered the chopsticks she had been holding.
“Why’d you stop eating? Don’t tell me you’re on a diet. Eat some more! You know what they say—food eaten with enjoyment has zero calories!”
Seunghyun awkwardly smiled as he picked up her chopsticks and placed them back in her hand.
Why did I have to bring that up?
Chaerin had never once spoken about her family, so he couldn’t help worrying that his careless question might have hurt her.
“And you don’t need to go on a diet anyway, so hurry up and eat. Didn’t you say you wanted to try that tteokbokki place that opened near the school? Want to go there later? My treat.”
Seunghyun desperately wanted to lift her spirits somehow.
“He’s not my father.”
Chaerin finally replied in a flat, expressionless voice.
“Oh? Then who is he? Actually, never mind. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
He knew he shouldn’t pry any further. But whether it was concern or simple curiosity, the question had slipped out before he could stop himself. Seunghyun quickly closed his mouth.
“Just someone… someone who gets on my nerves.”
Chaerin picked up her chopsticks again and murmured under her breath, slowly counting the grains of rice on her plate.
“Is someone talking about me? Why do my ears keep itching? Mr. Kim Seungbeom is coming today, right?”
Deputy Chief Choi asked Seongjin as he stood up, rubbing his ear while gathering the scattered documents covering his desk.
“He’s supposed to be here by two. Where are you going?”
“To meet someone.”
Just then, Seungbeom opened the office door and walked in.
“Oh, Mr. Kim Seungbeom! You’re here early.”
“I’m a little early, aren’t I? I came straight here after finishing work.”
“That’s perfectly fine. Please, have a seat.”
Seongjin guided Seungbeom toward a chair. At that moment, Seungbeom made eye contact with Deputy Chief Choi and offered him a polite greeting.
Deputy Chief Choi returned it with a slight nod before opening the office door and stepping outside.
There’s something peculiar about his eyes. The more I look at him, the stranger they seem.
Once out in the hallway, Deputy Chief Choi clicked his tongue and tilted his head slightly.
“A trial? You’re saying I have to stand trial?”
Seungbeom, who had been sitting across from Seongjin and answering what was essentially an informal interrogation, looked visibly troubled.
“Yes. Since your fiancée has passed away, you’ll most likely have to stand trial for involuntary manslaughter resulting from a traffic accident. It won’t be handled through a summary proceeding, but you’ll still have to go through a formal trial.”
“I still can’t understand it, no matter how much I think about it. Why am I being treated like the person who killed Seunghee?”
Seungbeom’s voice rose with indignation.
“That’s not what I’m saying. It’s simply because someone died as a result of a traffic accident. So please, don’t get too worked up.”
“Hah. The law really is cruel, isn’t it?”
Seungbeom lowered his head and let out a deep sigh.
“The law can be rather harsh, can’t it? I don’t know if this will make you feel any better, but cases like this usually end with either the charges being dropped or a suspended sentence. So there’s no need to worry too much.”
Seongjin tried to console the dejected man.
“What difference does it make whether I’m cleared of charges or given a suspended sentence when Seunghee is already dead?”
Seungbeom bowed his head, clutching it with both hands as he struggled to contain his anguish.
“I honestly don’t know what to say. Still, there’s one thing I can tell you. You don’t need to worry too much about this latest accusation of insurance fraud, just like the previous complaints. We’ve looked into it, and there doesn’t seem to be any problem this time either. We’re planning to close the case with no charges.”
Wanting to offer the suffering man at least one piece of good news, Seongjin tapped the stack of documents concerning the insurance fraud allegations against Seungbeom that had been piled beside him.
“Ah… I see.”
Seungbeom slowly raised his head.
“Just think of it as the price of being famous. These days, there are plenty of people who file lawsuits and complaints first and ask questions later. And personally, I never believed those rumors in the first place.”
“Thank you.”
“Well, I think we can wrap things up here for today. You’ve been through a lot. You’re free to go.”
Seongjin stood up and gave him a warm smile.
“You’ve worked hard too, Detective. And I’m sorry for getting so worked up earlier. Things have been really difficult lately, and I lost my temper without even realizing it.”
“It’s completely understandable. You’re very polite, too. There’s no need to apologize for every little thing.”
Seongjin waved his hand dismissively and gently straightened Seungbeom’s back as the latter bowed once again.
“Thank you for understanding. Well, I’ll be going now.”
After exchanging farewells, Seungbeom turned the doorknob with his shoulders slumped.
Just then—
“Wait a moment…”
At the sudden sound of Seongjin’s voice calling after him, Seungbeom swallowed nervously.
“Y-Yes? Is something wrong?”
“Sorry to trouble you, but could you sign this for me?”
Seongjin had hurried over and was now holding out a book to Seungbeom, smiling broadly.
Several weeks later, at the recording studio of a television program.
Seungbeom, who had been invited as the show’s special guest, was sitting in a chair onstage. His face was still noticeably gaunt.
The audience filled every seat in the studio, watching him with sympathetic expressions. Here and there, banners expressing support for him could also be seen.
A moment later, the red recording light on the cameras came on, and the producer gave the cue to the elegantly dressed female host.
“Hello, everyone! I’m Kim Yoonjin, your host for Books and People. Today, we’re delighted to welcome an author who has risen to the ranks of the nation’s bestselling writers, Mr. Kim Seungbeom. It’s a pleasure to have you with us, sir.”
“Hello. I’m even more honored to have been invited to such a wonderful program.”
Seungbeom smiled faintly and bowed his head politely toward the host.
“First of all, I’d like to offer my deepest condolences regarding the unfortunate accident that occurred recently. Have you been able to come to terms with everything that’s happened?”
As soon as the host finished speaking with a sympathetic expression, every camera in the studio zoomed in on Seungbeom’s face.
“Can anyone really come to terms with something like that…? I’m simply trying to get through each day, one at a time.”
When his exhausted, sorrowful face appeared on the large screen beside the stage, the atmosphere throughout the studio, including the audience, grew heavy almost instantly.
“Still, there are so many people supporting you, Mr. Kim. Please stay strong.”
“Thank you.”
“Your recent tragedy isn’t the first time you’ve suffered through unexpected accidents and misfortunes. It’s well known that you’ve endured quite a lot of pain in your life. How were you able to heal those wounds through your writing? I know this may be difficult for you, but would you mind sharing your story with us?”
At the host’s question, Seungbeom took a long, slow breath and adjusted his posture. Then he looked toward the camera and began to speak.
“Those days were truly like living in despair. Every single day, all I could think about was wanting to die. In fact, I made several attempts to end my life. But eventually, I realized that wasn’t what the people I loved would have wanted for me. That’s when I picked up a pen and began writing.”
“Your writing has always carried a profound sense of pathos. I had no idea you’d endured such terrible pain yourself.”
“I suppose that’s because I wrote those books while singing about the faintest glimmer of hope amid overwhelming sorrow. And I think I’ll have no choice but to write another book like that this time, too.”
The camera once again zoomed in on his eyes, which were glistening with tears.
For a brief moment, the studio fell completely silent. Then soft sobs could be heard from various corners of the audience as people were moved by his grief.
“Now, why don’t we change the mood a little? I’d like to give a few members of our audience the opportunity to ask Mr. Kim some questions they’ve been curious about. Would that be all right with you?”
The host skillfully changed the subject, attempting to lighten the increasingly somber atmosphere.
“Of course. Please feel free to ask me anything.”
Seungbeom wiped his tears with a handkerchief and turned to face the audience.
“All right, let’s take just one more question before we wrap up. Yes, the lady over there with her hand raised. Please introduce yourself and go ahead with your question.”
After a while of questions and answers, the host handed the microphone to the final person selected.
“My name is Han Somi, and I’m a reporter for the Focus Daily. First of all, I’d like to thank you for writing such wonderful books that have brought comfort to so many people, even while you’ve been going through such difficult times. I was deeply moved when I read them as well.”
“Thank you.”
Seungbeom responded to the reporter’s words with a faint smile.
“However, there’s something else I’d like to ask. Are you aware of the rumors surrounding you?”
At the mention of rumors, a chilling silence swept through the recording studio.
“What exactly are you curious about? I’m afraid I don’t quite understand the intention behind your question.”
Seungbeom’s faint smile gradually disappeared, and his expression began to harden.
“Are you really unaware of the rumors surrounding the deaths of people close to you? Your parents, your former fiancée, and now your most recent fiancée, who was involved in the accident?”
As soon as Reporter Han finished speaking, everyone’s attention in the studio turned toward Seungbeom.
“If you’re referring to rumors… Surely you don’t mean those ridiculous stories?”
Perhaps sensing the weight of everyone’s gazes, Seungbeom quickly concealed his stiff expression. A faint smile returned to his face as he leaned back in his chair, maintaining an air of composure.
“The sudden fire that claimed your parents’ lives, the fact that you—not your parents—received the death insurance payout after your former fiancée passed away, and now the recent accident involving your latest fiancée. Surely you can understand why people might find these circumstances suspicious, regardless of whether they’re technically just rumors?”
Reporter Han pressed him relentlessly, refusing to give him an opportunity to avoid the question.
“As you just said, they’re rumors. If that’s all they are, what more am I supposed to explain? They’re nothing but rumors.”
Seungbeom refused to back down and calmly threw the question back at the reporter.
The confrontation between the two in the middle of the recording brought the entire studio to a standstill.
“Yes. Thank you for your question. I think we’ll have to wrap up the Q&A session here. Everyone, please give a big round of applause to our guest for answering our questions so sincerely throughout the program.”
Following the producer’s hurried signal, the host hastily brought the questioning to an end.
“And with that, today’s episode of Books and People with author Kim Seungbeom comes to a close. Thank you so much for joining us today.”
“Not at all. Thank you for inviting me.”
Still visibly displeased by the reporter’s question, Seungbeom forced a smile and casually glanced toward the audience.
“We’ll see you again next week. And thank you to all our viewers for staying with us until this late hour. Good night!”
“Cut!”
The moment the host finished her closing remarks and the cameras stopped rolling, the producer and several writers hurried onto the stage toward Seungbeom.
“Mr. Kim, I’m terribly sorry about what happened. I’ll personally make sure that entire section is edited out, so please don’t let it bother you. You there! How on earth did you select the audience members? What happened to checking the questions beforehand?”
“I’m very sorry. We collected the questions in advance, but that woman suddenly snatched the microphone from the person sitting beside her and stood up before we could stop her… Mr. Kim, I’m truly sorry.”
The woman who appeared to be the head writer repeatedly bowed to Seungbeom in apology.
“I should have cut her off sooner. I’m really sorry. You must have been taken by surprise, weren’t you? I had no idea there were still people who believed such ridiculous rumors.”
The host approached as well, her face full of regret, and offered her apology.
“There’s really no need for all of you to apologize like this. People have always been more sensitive to rumors and gossip than to the truth, and they’re often quick to believe whatever they hear. So please, don’t worry about it too much. You’ve all worked very hard today. Thank you for having me. I hope to see you again.”
Rather than showing any resentment, Seungbeom flashed a bright smile at the people apologizing to him and made his way out of the studio.
A moment later—
BANG!
The studio door slammed shut behind him.
The bright smile that had remained on Seungbeom’s face as he walked out vanished in an instant, replaced by a twisted expression of irritation.
“What the hell was that back there…? That woman really got on my nerves.”
“So, what did you think? Was it interesting seeing everything in person?”
From the back of the studio audience, Deputy Chief Choi asked Chaerin, who was sitting beside him, as they watched Seungbeom leave.
“Yes, I suppose. But why did you bring me here?”
Chaerin knew perfectly well that he hadn’t brought her to the broadcasting station simply to show her around.
“Remember the person I told you about the other day? The one I’ve been keeping an eye on?”
“Don’t tell me it’s author Kim Seungbeom?”
The only thing that surprised her was that the person Deputy Chief Choi had been talking about turned out to be Seungbeom.
“You heard what happened earlier, right? Those rumors. For now, they’re nothing more than rumors, just as the name suggests. But there’s something about the whole thing that doesn’t sit right with me.”
Deputy Chief Choi tilted his head, his expression filled with suspicion.
“What do you think? Did you get any kind of feeling about him?”
“I think I’ll have to see him up close to know.”
Chaerin rose from her seat and strode after Seungbeom without hesitation.
