'The search term will appear soon. Nowadays, once a photo goes viral, it is immediately registered as a search term.'
Hansoo, brimming with confidence, had it right. After my evening shift, I entered 'Fucking car' into the studio computer. Sure enough, Myungshin's sports car came up. Now, all I needed was someone to push his buttons. Before heading to Alice, I placed a call. Thankfully, Cha Jungwoo's road manager, who had a recollection of me, connected me to Cha Jungwoo.
[Lee Taemin? What do you want, it's bothersome.]
An irritated voice reached my ears. He was probably quite fatigued from what seemed to be the most challenging performance of his life. Ignoring his irritable state, I posed my question.
"Do you feel stifled?"
[Why are you asking that?]
"I'll give you a breath of fresh air."
[Don't be ridiculous. How would you know if I'm feeling stifled or not?]
"It's tedious to remain at home, venting frustration on innocent people. I'll provide you with an outlet to vent properly."
[By what means?] He inquired promptly.
"Come to Alice. Song Yoohan is waiting there for you, ready to let you release all the steam you want."
Silence filled the line at the mention of Myungshin's name. He was likely grinding his teeth at the mere sound of it. As expected, he spoke in a hushed tone.
[Is that guy there right now?]
"Yes. Furthermore, there are effective tactics to bruise his ego."
[What are they?]
"When you taunt Song Yoohan, mock his car. It'll work like a charm."
When Cha Jungwoo skeptically asked, "How do you know that?" my lips curled involuntarily. How did I know? I had discovered it thanks to him.
"Since the watch worked, it's only natural that a pricier car would do the trick."
*****
To be completely honest, stepping into Alice made me feel somewhat uneasy. The source of this discomfort was the madman who kept occupying my thoughts, even when I attempted to disregard him. Thoughts like me waiting for him to initiate contact, as Hansoo had pointed out, or my confusion when I encountered him at Alice two days ago, still lingered, refusing to fade away. If it were possible, I would have chosen to avoid coming here altogether, but there was no more fitting place than Alice.
Furthermore, the convenience of being able to freely enter and exit as a trainee wasn't something commonly granted. So, when the manager who greeted me informed me of the madman's absence, I breathed a silent sigh of relief. However, it was a relief too soon.
"The boss is expecting you."
I hadn't mentioned that I was coming, yet they were waiting? The manager responded with a mechanical smile, almost as if he comprehended the implications of my silence.
"Actor Song Yoohan came by and asked me to inform him when someone named Lee Taemin arrives."
He must have been quite preoccupied with identifying my connection. While considering him impatiently waiting, I asked as well.
"Could you let Song Yoohan know in an hour or two that Lee Taemin is here?"
"What if he leaves before that?"
"He's not leaving."
I chuckled and reassured him.
"That brat won't budge an inch."
