Cheating way through to Stardom chapter 13- The women in my family are really cool

“Your sister? Cha Sora?”

His face twisted in disgust.

I laughed inside.

He’s her enemy, after all.

“Yes.”

“Hmm, can we eat just the two of us?”

“Does it have to be today? I’m joining Friends Entertainment. I think we’ll have lots of meals together there.”

Though I’ll avoid them.

“Ah, right. We’ll see each other often.”

“Well, you seem high up. We might not cross paths much.”

“Different departments, I guess.”

He pondered for a moment and then looked at me.

“Then I’ll leave for today.”

“That’s a pity. Sure, hyung. Take care.”

He patted my head and lowered his.

As he quickly approached, I tried to step back, but his whisper was faster.

“Why are you coughing blood?”

Damn. You couldn’t let it go, could you?

“It’s not an illness. Not pneumonia.”

“It’s not contagious?”

“No. I’ll recover soon.”

A year is soon enough.

“Don’t let the company find out. They might send you home.”

“As long as I don’t cough, I’ll be fine. Ah…”

I looked him straight in the eyes.

“You won’t tell, right?”

Kang Minjae smiled brightly.

“Do you trust me?”

Damn.

Can I trust you?

“You said you’d use me, didn’t you?”

“Well, that’s right.”

Kang Minjae walked away without resistance.

I clenched and unclenched my fist.

Bastard.

Still strong. I can’t let my guard down.

“Alright then, see you later, Dowon.”

“Yes, hyung.”

Kang Minjae slowly walked away from the bus stop.

That’s when I noticed.

He had a foreign car parked at the end of the stop.

‘Just pay the fine, you bastard.’

Normally, the buses would honk at him, but maybe because it was a foreign car, they avoided it, not wanting to get involved.

‘Disgusting. Really disgusting.’

He vanished from sight stylishly.

I let out a small sigh.

“I feel like my mind’s been tainted.”

But isn’t he the same age as my sister?

Barely twenty?

How is he driving a foreign car?

His family can’t be that wealthy, can they?

‘I doubt it.’

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts.

Maybe he won the lottery or something.

Who knows?

“I feel like my head’s been shoved into the mind of a devil.”

With no information, that’s how it felt.

I smirked.

“Sorry, but I’m not who I used to be.”

I got up and stretched my legs.

Even if Kang Minjae showed up and did something weird, I still had to do what I had to do.

‘Let’s run, Cha Dowon.’

I can’t cheat my way to stamina.

If that’s the case, I’ll have to build it up the hard way.

I started running again.

Then a question popped into my head.

‘How did he know I was here?’

I was really curious about that one thing.

***

Precious time flew by.

I sat in the back seat of the car, staring out the window.

It was foggy due to the overcast weather.

“Are you worried?”

My aunt, who was driving, asked.

I shook my head immediately.

“No.”

“I’m worried. What’s with this idol business and agency stuff?”

I smiled.

Sure, suddenly telling her that her nephew, who lost his mom, had to transfer schools because of an agency would worry her.

“And you had to rent out the house too…”

“Luckily, someone showed up quickly.”

“I don’t understand any of this!”

Honestly, things were looking up.

The house got rented out quickly, and we could store everything except clothes and household items in a storage unit.

My sister would stay at my aunt’s place for a while.

“Aunt, please take good care of my sister.”

Luckily, my aunt had a spare room.

“Oh, Sora will be moving into a dorm soon, right?”

“Yes.”

“Are you really okay with this, Dowon?”

I shrugged.

“Isn’t it good to decide on a career early? I made this choice.”

“But you’re risking too much.”

I shook my head.

“No, I haven’t risked anything yet.”

The car stopped, indicating we had arrived.

I got out and took my luggage from the trunk.

My aunt helped, still looking worried.

“It’s okay, aunt.”

“I’m not okay at all. This is your life on the line. Are you sure about practically giving up on your studies?”

It’s not like I had the potential to excel academically anyway.

Sure, if I worked myself to the bone, I might see results, but I wanted to be an idol.

I pulled out my strongest, all-purpose shield.

“Aunt, you know, if I don’t make it as a celebrity, I’ll become a lawyer.”

“What! Did your mom say that?”

“Yes. That’s a professional job too, but I prefer having an audience.”

My aunt nodded, understanding.

As expected, mom was the ultimate key.

Dragging my bag, a chubby man ran out to meet us at the entrance.

“Are you his mother?”

I was about to correct him, saying it was my aunt, but she spoke first.

“Yes, I am Dowon’s mother.”

Oh.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Heo Yongdam, the manager and caretaker.”

What an unusual name.

I smiled and bowed my head.

“Hello!”

“So, you’re Dowon. Come on in. Don’t worry too much, ma’am.”

I said goodbye to my aunt and followed the man.

At that moment, my aunt grabbed my parka hood and pulled me back.

“Dowon!”

I had no time to respond.

She pulled a pen from her top pocket, leaned in, and whispered in my ear.

“It’s a recorder.”

Wait, why?

“Recording is essential in group living. Ah, I forgot the batteries.”

She handed me fifty small mercury batteries from her pocket.

Why do you have those? And why so many?

Ignoring my confusion, she clipped the recorder to my shirt and smiled.

“Now I feel relieved.”

What, what for?

“Gather evidence thoroughly.”

“But I’m just going to be a trainee.”

“In any group living situation, crap happens, and laws and money depend on evidence.”

She patted my shoulder.

I was speechless.

“Go on, be brave!”

“Uh, yes. Goodbye?”

“Son! Mom believes in you!”

What are you believing in!

The recordings?

And you’re not my mom!

“If someone hits you, take it and then call me. You know my job, right?”

I had no words.

Dragging my bag, I followed the manager.

When I looked at him awkwardly, he asked the familiar question.

“What does your mom do?”

I almost said shaman but shook my head.

No, that’s my aunt’s job now.

“She’s a criminal defense lawyer.”

The manager stumbled, almost losing his balance.

I glanced at the recorder in my shirt pocket.

‘The women in my family are really cool.’

So cool it’s freezing.

‘Am I going to use my auntie?’

I smiled slyly.

‘I will use everything at my disposal.’

Since she gave it to me, I might as well use it.

The manager stumbled again.

“Are you alright?”

Why is he so surprised?

His lower body is weak.

“So, Dowon?”

“Yes, hyung?”

“Even though this is a place where people live, there shouldn’t be any need to record, right?”

I chuckled.

“I hope so, but since it is a place where people live…”

I looked at the villa entrance and smiled.

“There might be something to record.”

I wanted to live well, but conflict was inevitable.

The manager whispered to me as he looked at me.

“Crazy…”

I tilted my head as if I hadn’t heard properly.

“Me?”

“Did you hear that? Oh, sorry.”

“No.”

I smiled bashfully.

Look closely.

It’s the smile of a pretty boy.

‘That’s right. I am crazy.’

Since I passed because of that, I didn’t feel the need to correct him.

The manager looked at me as if I were some unknown creature, but I didn’t care.