Chapter 64

Everyone was looking out for him. He was grateful for their concern, but Gowon truly was fine.

He had already been through quite a lot since his debut. There had been smaller things, like calls from blocked numbers that kept coming even after he changed his phone number, and an anti-fan who smashed the door of his accommodations with a rock.

Not long ago, he had even ended up in a terrifying chase through the company building.

Through it all, Gowon had learned that when the other person was deranged, there was no need to struggle to understand them or dwell on whether something was wrong with him.

“I really am fine.”

Besides, this incident had left him feeling a little proud... No, perhaps proud was not the right word. In any case, his heart felt much lighter than it had after the previous incidents.

Until now, most of the serious problems that had befallen Gowon had been resolved by Baek Hanje stepping in. But this time, he had managed to get through it safely without causing Hanje too much worry.

Baek Hanje.

As time passed, the image he had of him gradually became more varied.

From a distinguished senior artist far beyond his reach, to a playful older member and dependable ally in the industry...

You’ll never fail, not even if it kills you. I’ll make sure you succeed so spectacularly that you won’t envy anyone in the world. I’ll make sure the light above you never goes out.

You always had plenty going for you. You just never realized it because you walked around with your head hanging.

“......”

Whenever he remembered the things Hanje had said to him recently, his face and insides kept growing hot.

“All right. Let’s get you dressed now.”

“Yes.”

Throughout the promotional cycle for <DEEP>, Gowon maintained his bright blond hair. Onstage, they usually gave it a slight wave, but today it had been neatly straightened.

Gowon rose from his seat wearing a Roman-collar shirt that covered his neck and black trousers. The stylist held out a black cassock.

Once he slipped it over his clothes and fastened the buttons—

“Wow...”

“This is the greatest masterpiece of my entire career as a stylist.”

“I’ve never believed in God in my life, but suddenly I feel devout.”

Everyone gazed rapturously at the work of art before them.

Today, Gowon would make his first appearance in an original-content segment run by K-Dom’s official channel.

After much deliberation, everyone in Division Five had chosen the perfect concept for him: a young and beautiful priest.

“Take at least a hundred photos for photocards. Hurry.”

“I heard somewhere that if a priest is too handsome, they send him off to some remote village with no people around and hide him away so he won’t cause trouble.”

“Thank goodness Father Gowon debuted before they could hide him away.”

“What kind of conversation is this?”

Amid the cheerful chatter, the preparations proceeded smoothly.

As a solo artist, Gowon had difficulty producing original content.

There were plenty of dance practice videos and behind-the-scenes stage footage, but it was not easy to plan the sort of self-produced skits and variety content considered essential for idols.

After tearing their hair out over the problem, the planning team had finally come up with an idea.

If he had no members, they could simply drag other people into it!

After all, it was common for idol members to try out different jobs or go somewhere unfamiliar and make and sell food or coffee.

Since the video would be released through K-Dom’s account anyway, subscribers would surely enjoy it even if people other than the artist himself appeared.

“Then, Father Gowon, shall we go hear some confessions?”

“...Yes. I’ll do my best.”

His own expression was filled with concern, as though he were thinking, Will this really work? But even his lowered lashes created a sorrowful air that blended perfectly with the concept.

***

A small wooden booth had suddenly appeared in front of the elevators on the Division Five office floor.

It was a confessional, divided into one compartment per person, barely large enough for two people in total.

Father Gowon entered and sat with perfect posture.

“Like I said earlier, thank God the religious world didn’t steal that talent from us...”

On the camera feed, his face showed no awareness of the conversation outside as he explored the interior like a cat.

“Gowon, the opening we discussed.”

“Yes.”

Hearing the instruction through his in-ear monitor, Gowon lifted the rosary on his chest and reverently kissed it.

“Damn...”

They had already secured one guaranteed thumbnail. They could practically hear the cries demanding a high-definition photo book of him in this outfit.

Just then, a knock sounded from outside, and Gowon turned his head.

“Yes, come in.”

When he granted permission in a low voice, someone entered on the other side of the wooden wall.

“Father Gowon, I have sinned.”

It was a man’s voice heavy with untold history. With an ascetic, holy expression, Gowon recited his script.

“This place was established so that people may honestly confess their sins and leave with lighter hearts. Please feel free to tell me anything. What sin have you committed?”

“I loved my enemy. No, I still love them.”

“...Excuse me?”

“I... am a Dearest who works at K-Dom and receives a salary from the company...”

“!”

Dearest.

That was the fandom name of Dearune, the girl group currently at the very top of K-pop.

After entering the annual chart rankings with their debut song, Dearune had never gone a single year without producing a mega-hit. They were a girl group at the absolute height of their career.

And over the nearly five years of the Dearune phenomenon, countless K-Dom artists had lost trophies to them.

Gowon himself had gone winless during his debut week after facing <Paradox>. The song in question still remained firmly near the top of the charts, its addictive chorus—“Para, Para, Paradox”—playing in cafés, supermarkets, and all kinds of other places.

In the idol industry, overlapping promotions with Dearune was now considered nothing short of a disaster. Every division at K-Dom remained equally vigilant toward Maybe Entertainment’s Dearune.

So describing them as the enemy was not exactly wrong.

“I... see. Well, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your work, liking another singer is a matter of personal choice...”

“I thought the same thing. Work was work, and my private life was my private life. At least, until the idol I was assigned to entered into a rivalry with Dearune...”

“......”

“If I supported Dearune, it felt as though I shouldn’t work too hard at my job...! Of course, I still did my absolute best. But the results turned out far too well. And now I feel guilty toward Dearune...!”

“Mm, hmmm...”

Father Gowon encountered an obstacle with his very first confession.

“What do you think Dearune would think of someone like me? Would they see me as a traitor after all?”

Gowon fell into thought.

A fan who works for a rival group...

For a moment, he recalled his idol days, his “previous life” before becoming a priest.

Then he tried to imagine Dearune’s perspective.

Suppose a Maybe Entertainment employee—specifically, someone assigned to Boyholic—was a One and Only fan.

Suppose their comeback periods happened to overlap, leaving them unable to support him...

Hm?

Gowon tilted his head.

Why... would that trouble them?

Gowon did not care what a One and Only fan did for a living. Even if they worked with Kim Eumyul, toward whom some resentment still remained. He was simply grateful that someone loved the clumsy journey of a person named Gowon.

“This is only my own opinion, but...”

“Yes.”

“In this situation, I think Dearune... No, the people you love would be worried about you. They practice hard and think through countless things before coming out onstage so that you can enjoy their performances happily and without any worries...”

That was why he thought it would be sadder if a One and Only fan suffered and agonized because of him.

“Dearune would never think of you as a traitor. I think they would rather you focus on your important work in your everyday life, then enjoy being a fan whenever you have the time.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Yes. So I hope you find whichever path brings you the most peace of mind.”

“Understood. Hearing that this is how a star feels has put my mind a little more at ease.”

“Yes. No, I’m not a star, but... Anyway, the fact that you love them at all is something to be grateful for, so please don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Understood...”

The man let out a long sigh, then straightened his upper body with determination.

“Then, since having such worries also makes me feel guilty toward the singer I’m assigned to... may I sing one line from their song?”

“Excuse me?”

“To wish them luck going forward!”

“Ah, all right.”

Gowon had no idea what was happening, but he forced himself to nod.

“Beyond distant consciousness, I go to you, Deep, Deep, Deep, Deep Down.”

“?!”

“Even if this way of loving! Takes away my breath, I’m not afraid, I sink in ecstasy, aaah—!”

“!!!!!!”

Father Gowon unconsciously grabbed the bars connecting the two compartments.

“W-Who are you...?!”

But with only the narrow gaps between the bars, there was no way he could identify the other person. His eyes beneath his blond hair trembled violently.

“Thank you for forgiving me, Father!”

“Wait! Uh, um...?!”