part 18

Bzzz… Bzzz…

I listened closely, realizing the source of the buzzing was a phone.

Seung-rok's body twitched slightly.

Now, I could move my arm.

A chance to pull my arm out. 

I managed to move my arm, but it was still numb.

The blood hadn't circulated, leaving it tingling. 

Maybe it was because our skin had been touching for so long. 

It felt warm, almost hot. 

My arm was even slightly damp. 

The warmth made me bite my lip and drift into thought. 

But I didn't have much time for the stream of thought. 

The relentless buzzing of the phone kept bugging me.

I reached into my pocket first. 

The buzzing wasn't coming from my phone.

"Phew."

A sigh of relief escaped me. 

It wasn't my call.

That meant I didn't have to answer it. 

There is no need to take the celebrity's call, right? 

Just as I was about to leave, a thought struck me. 

What if, by any chance, it was an urgent call about the child? 

Just a few days ago, Hayeon had gone abroad with her grandfather and had to return urgently due to health issues. 

If something had happened to the child, and Seung-rok couldn't take the call, shouldn't I answer it and handle the situation? 

It seemed like my duty as the coach to look after Hayeon.

I listened closely to locate the source of the buzzing. 

It was so loud that I quickly found the phone. 

It was in the inner pocket of Seung-rok's jacket. 

To get it out, I had to touch his body. 

Reluctantly, I reached towards his chest. 

I couldn't help but feel the firm chest muscles under my hand. 

I swallowed the saliva hard. 

Who would have thought I'd be having such intimate contact on the first day of living with a K-pop star? 

Of course, it was due to a series of accidents and bad luck. 

But still, it made me worry about what might happen next. 

What if THE One's fandom, The ZERO, found out about this? 

All sorts of thoughts crossed my mind. 

But if I stopped thinking for now.

Let me just be the Michelangelo of K-pop, except instead of sculpting marble, I'd be...well, let's just say I'm very hands-on with their anatomy.

I had to finish what I started.

After fumbling for a while, I finally felt the phone with my fingertips.

I hurriedly pulled it out.

But by then, the buzzing had stopped.

"Ah!"

When I pulled out the phone, only a black screen greeted me.

Seung-rok was meticulous about his privacy.

He locked his phone with a password instead of a fingerprint, making it impossible to unlock.

I couldn't even tell who had called him just now. 

In the end, all I did was fumble around his body without any gain. 

I wondered if I had meddled unnecessarily. 

After regret came a strange sense of relief. 

When the phone buzzed, I was torn between answering it or not. 

I was like.

'To answer or not? That is the question!'

But now that there was no way to answer it, my dilemma was gone, and I felt oddly liberated.

Now that my body was free, I could go straight to my room and sleep. 

Despite the time wasted due to the incident, if I showered and slept now, it wouldn't be too late. 

After all, tomorrow was the last day I could sleep in late. 

With that thought, I was about to leave when the buzzing started again.

Bzzz… Bzzz…

Sigh.

All sorts of thoughts crossed my mind. 

Should I answer it? 

Should I at least check who it was? 

What if it was Hayeon or her grandfather? 

And more importantly, what if it wasn't? 

What if the caller was Seung-rok's secret lover or the mother of his child? 

Someone I should never know about. 

What was I supposed to do then?

After a moment of hesitation, I decided to ignore it this time. 

I shouldn't try to answer someone else's call anyway. 

There was no need to get involved in Seung-rok's issues. 

I had enough trouble managing my own life.

But then, I froze. I realized the buzzing wasn't just a sound; I could feel it. 

That meant the phone buzzing now wasn't Seung-rok's phone on the table, but my own phone. 

I pulled out my phone and checked the screen. 

It was an unknown number. But somehow, I felt like I should answer it.

"…Hello?"

-Is this artist Seung-rok's golf instructor?

Suddenly, a man's voice, vaguely familiar, came through. 

But there was no time to ponder where I'd heard it before. 

The fact that he knew I was Seung-rok's golf instructor was what mattered. 

It was a secret I hadn't told anyone. 

How did he find out? 

Could he be one of Seung-rok's obsessive fans? 

Had they already uncovered my personal information? 

If so, what would happen? 

Not only would I be unable to continue this job, but who knew what other problems might arise. 

Feeling a chill down my spine, I opened my mouth slightly.

"Yes, yes, that's correct. Who is this?"

-I'm Eui-jin Lee. I'm in charge of KROCK… I mean, Seung-rok. I know you live next door to him.

The man casually relayed this crucial information in a nonchalant voice.

"Oh, hello. Nice to meet you."

Startled, I instinctively bowed at a 90-degree angle. 

It occurred to me that a fan wouldn't call Seung-rok an 'artist.'

Only music label staff do that.

A question immediately popped into my mind.

"How did you get my phone number?"

-The artist… I mean, Seung-rok gave it to me. He said to call here if I couldn't reach him. I haven't been able to get in touch with him. Is he okay? He told me you live next door, so I thought I'd call.

So that's how it was. 

I checked the clock. It was 11 PM. 

Most people would be asleep by now, but not necessarily celebrities. 

And telling people that I am living next door to Seung-rok was a good move.

His house was a luxury house, and next to it was a modest apartment, suitable for a young woman living alone. 

It was a plausible lie. 

With such skill, it was no wonder he could hide his identity as a father while being a K-pop idol. 

Having finished my thoughts, I answered his question.

"Actually, he's sleeping deeply right now. Until just a moment ago, he was having drinks with neighbors, including myself, and then he fell asleep."

I said this while glancing at Seung-rok. 

The part about the neighbor was a lie.

But it was true that he was sleeping deeply. 

He was sleeping so soundly that he wouldn't wake up even if carried away. 

I heard Eui-jin sigh through the receiver.

-O c'mon! We had an online meeting scheduled for today. He must have completely forgotten. He is usually so good at this. And he's having drinks with outsiders and then falling asleep? That's strange.

I decided to defend Seung-rok.

"It's my fault. I had a drink with an acquaintance, and he got caught up in it…"

-Seung-rok did?

Eui-jin asked in a bewildered voice.

-He got caught up in someone else's drinking party? Kang Seung-rok? The guy who wouldn't touch a drop even if the President of the United States invited him?

Was he that serious about drinking? 

But honestly, having observed Seung-rok until now, I could imagine.

He was always a staunch individualist, maintaining his own pace. 

His choice to attend the drinking party today was unexpected.

-Well, in personal settings, he does have a few drinks. But he never gets drunk. Maybe he was in a good mood after starting golf. He's tall and can handle his liquor. Did he… drink makgeolli?

"Yes. He started with wine but ended with makgeolli."

I heard Eui-jin sigh through the receiver.

-Ah, that explains it. Whenever he drinks makgeolli, he ends up like that. Now I understand.

I swallowed hard. 

K-pop Idols are like walking corporations, generating revenue worldwide. 

Especially someone as globally popular as Seung-rok.

The thought of causing any harm to him made me nervous. 

"What should I do? If it affects his schedule tomorrow…."

Eui-jin's serious tone suddenly softened.

He responded nonchalantly, as if it was no big deal.

-No, it's fine. He'll be fine after a good night's sleep. That's what's more annoying. He sleeps like the dead, making everyone worry, and then wakes up the next day as if nothing happened. That's why makgeolli is banned for him in our group.

That was a relief in the midst of misfortune.

-There's nothing we can do for now. Luckily, it was just a promise between the two of us. We can reschedule for tomorrow.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

-No problem. By the way, Nice to meet you. I'm the leader of Seung-rok's managing department. I handle all his affairs for the company. I'll be in touch from time to time. I've heard a lot about you.

"You've heard a lot about me?"

That guy?

He said a lot about me?

It was surprising.

He was so cold and distant in front of me.

-Yes, he wouldn't stop bragging about starting golf. He said you're amazing. I was worried he had no hobbies outside of his career, so I'm glad he's taken up golf. Please take care of him, even if he seems cold at first. Once you get to know him, he's a great guy.

"Sure, I'll do my best. I'm just a golf instructor, so I'm not sure how much help I can be."

Lies flowed effortlessly from my mouth. 

Had I already learned this from Seung-rok or what?

-So, you made sure he went to bed?

"He passed out on the sofa. His grandfather took care of him."

I made up a plausible story. 

I couldn't say we lived together or that we had been hugging just moments ago. 

Who knew what kind of backlash that would cause?

-You must have a hard time! Make sure Seung-rok treats you to a nice meal tomorrow. He's caused you a lot of trouble. His house is really nice.

I couldn't bring myself to say I already knew. 

A while ago, Hayeon had shown me every corner of Seung-rok's house, even the underground passage to the annex. 

I probably knew more about Seung-rok's house than his manager did.

-Not just the house, but there's an annex too. It has his gaming consoles, instruments, and all his personal stuff. He treasures it like a hideout.

"I see."

I said, staring at Seung-rok's face. 

He was sleeping soundly.

I was wrapping up the conversation with his manager, but my mind was elsewhere. 

If the annex was so precious to him, why had he given it up for me? 

Could it be…?

Did he do it for me? 

I stared at Seung-rok, pondering. 

What kind of person was he? 

I couldn't quite grasp it.