Chapter 59
The “Messages from Anywhere” reward may sound like a lame name, but it boasts incredibly powerful capabilities.
What “anywhere” refers to here isn’t something like a portable phone.
It’s not just limited to space; it transcends time, allowing me to receive messages from anyone, anytime.
And by messages, I don’t just mean text messages. Letters, chats, and if I’m lucky, video messages can come my way as long as they qualify as messages.
However, it’s not without its drawbacks. Until I choose a recipient, I won’t know the content, the message content is set randomly, and I’ll only see what’s sent at one time, meaning I could waste the reward on a “hi” or something equally lame, which is a horrifying landmine of a risk.
So, it’s crucial to choose someone who won’t engage in pointless chit-chat with me. For example…
[Vice President of CBS Broadcasting Station – Cheon Baekhyun (Confirmable)]
I need to pick someone whose identity and information quality are guaranteed.
The content of the message from the CBS vice president would undoubtedly help me grasp the future that will change in this round.
After all, I haven’t contacted him at all in the last round.
Just knowing how I became connected with him would be useful for networking.
There might be opportunities packed into that message that I can’t even imagine.
I didn’t have to specifically choose Cheon Baekhyun; there were plenty of other decent options available.
I could check messages from big shots who might seem like they could help me stir things up in the scheduled future.
Picking anyone from among them would likely yield useful information.
“…”
I clearly know who I need to select to make proper use of this reward.
But my finger swiped past the big names, settling on just one.
[Yaley University Undergraduate – Jin Yeoreum (Confirmable)]
And my hand stopped on that one name.
I knew this was a foolish choice.
But I had to know. What is that sincerity buried beneath the falsehoods of our relationship?
It might not be too late after all, I thought. So I had to do it now.
I clicked on Jin Yeoreum’s name.
With a cheap mechanical sound of ‘ding’, a letter materialized in my hand.
The letter was quite thick. It seemed to contain a significantly long message, unlike the one Yoon Haneul had given me.
I seemed to have avoided the unfortunate incident of receiving just a ‘lol’ in a chat message.
Looking at the letter, it appeared to have been sent about three years later. I opened it and checked the contents.
Jin Yeoreum must have had a lot to say during those three years, as the text was quite lengthy.
I read through all that content in an instant, standing in my place.
Having finished reading the letter, I held it tightly enough to crumple the paper.
“…Ha. You’re telling me this three years later?”
I opened my smartphone and called the number that Seok Hyun-woo had given me as a means of repayment.
Was his statement about answering calls even at dawn not a joke? The phone connected immediately after ringing.
“It’s Seok Hyun-woo.”
“Manager Seok. This is Team Leader Seon Taeyang.”
“Ah….”
“I’ll cut to the chase. Where is Yeoreum right now?”
“She’s at the airport… at the airport.”
His response was astonishingly quick.
Or maybe Jin Yeoreum had been exceptionally good at hiding her whereabouts until the situation escalated.
“Could you bind Yeoreum’s feet for a moment?”
“That’s….”
“I absolutely need to say something. I’m begging you.”
“…It won’t be easy for long. But since it’s Team Leader Seon’s request, I’ll do my best.”
“Thank you.”
I hung up and sprinted away.
*
“Hello. Team Leader Seon, it’s Jin Yeoreum. It’s been a really long time since I last greeted you.”
“Taxi!”
Screech!
“Is it unpleasant for you that I reach out again in such a rude way after cutting ties like that? Hmm… I think it might be. Honestly, it is quite a rude method. …Still, I believe you’ll receive me warmly, even I think so. That’s the kind of person I know Team Leader Seon to be.”
“No, seriously. Are you trying to ride like that in such a dangerous way? You’re going to get seriously hurt someday!”
“If you’re going to ride that dangerously, what will you do? You might get seriously hurt one of these days!”
“I’m currently studying business at Yale University. Honestly, if it weren’t for the early admission program, it would have been tough to get in, so there are times when just keeping up with the classes feels overwhelming. Naturally, all the classes are in English, right? For someone like me who just used to dance, it’s been quite a trial. Still, I’m doing my best. Recently, my professor even recommended I pursue a master’s program. Is this what they call ‘being chosen’?”
“…Huff. Hah. …To the airport.”
“What?”
“I’ll pay double, no, quadruple the fare if you can get me to the airport as fast as possible!”
“…Please fasten your seatbelt tight, customer.”
“Here, everyone calls me ‘Jin’ or ‘Summer.’ It seems my foreign friends find it really hard to pronounce ‘Yeoreum.’ But I don’t mind at all; in fact, I’m kind of glad. It means no one here recognizes me as that drug-doping criminal, Jin Yeoreum.”
“Ding dong, there’s a speed bump ahead.”
“But why are you in such a hurry? It obviously looks like more than just an ordinary matter.”
“I sometimes see Korean friends, but they probably don’t think of me as that Jin Yeoreum. Have I changed that much since my rhythmic gymnastics days? Or can they simply not believe I’m studying here? Regardless, it’s nice.”
“…”
“No, you don’t have to say anything if you’re uncomfortable….”
“I’m just living like this. Chatting about trivial things with friends, checking out good restaurants, then when finals come around, I hit the library studying like mad, living a plain and peaceful life. My father’s words were spot on. Starting anew in a place where no one knows you is truly an incredible opportunity.”
“I have someone to meet. And there are words to convey.”
“The trivial conversations I have with them also include talks about KPOP. It seems there’s a lot of interest among the girls right now. As a Korean, they often discuss related topics with me. Thanks to that, I’ve had an easier time adjusting. The little I learned from dancing with Gyeoul during winter helped too; I’ve sometimes participated in flash mobs and showed my face in the dance club, which helped me improve my language skills and bond with friends quickly. But I often hear stories about the group that Team Leader Seon, Gaeul, and Gyeoul created.”
“I often do that. Thanks to it, I found it easy to adapt. Learning a bit from when Gyeoul danced during the previous winter helped, so I occasionally joined flash mobs and spotlighted in the dance club, improving my language skills and getting close to people quickly. But I often hear about the group that Team Leader Seon, Gaeul, and Gyeoul made.”
“And that statement only matters if said right now.”
“It was really pretty and cool. Everyone seemed to sparkle, and I felt proud. What if I had participated in that group? …I definitely wouldn’t have succeeded looking like that, right? Of course, I would’ve been a hindrance. Honestly, there were times I thought crazy thoughts like clinging to the rope called Team Leader Seon, but I think it was good that I didn’t. I know avoiding my feelings by suddenly running away to study abroad was a bit pathetic, heh. But I hope you can understand me a bit. Otherwise, I wasn’t sure how I’d endure my selfish desires.”
“I feel like if I don’t say it, it’ll stay unknown for three years.”
“Since it’s all in the past, I’ll be a bit honest. I said I wasn’t doing idol activities because it wasn’t the best choice. That was a lie. Actually, I wanted to be an idol. I made excuses about it being the best choice or helping with image improvement, but… in truth, my true desire was just one.”
“I wanted to be an idol with Team Leader Seon, Gyeoul, and Gaeul. Honestly.”
“You have arrived at your destination.”
“I don’t need the change. Thanks for coming quickly.”
“Quit talking and run! I’ll close the door!”
“Thank you for the advice back then and for considering me seriously; it was a really happy dream. I hope this happy dream comes true for Team Leader Seon, Gyeoul, and Gaeul.”
“Recalling memories of a midsummer night. Sincerely, Jin Yeoreum.”
Seok Hyun-woo dashed crazily toward the gate that had him bound.
Then he spotted Jin Yeoreum, wearing a white camisole dress with a beige oversized cardigan and a picnic hat with a blue ribbon.
I shouted that name.
“Yeoreum!”
And Jin Yeoreum turned her head to look at me.
“…Team Leader Seon?”
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