Both the Endem family and the User Center were worried about this troublesome situation, but only the person involved, Evil, was brazen.
“Thinking that lowly refugee brat and I would get along is more idiotic. Just track down whoever has that loose mouth and bring them before me.”
Because of those fierce words, the Endem family gave up secretly tracking. If the person who spread it was revealed, Evil wouldn’t stay still, and it was to avoid the charge of aiding and abetting murder that the family would be saddled with then.
The official position they announced was this:
Evil and Cheche grew up in vastly different circumstances, are in the stage of understanding each other’s differences, and there was absolutely nothing to worry about. They would respond firmly to any future rumor spreading.
However, even after the weekend passed, public opinion didn’t calm down. Alcity was a wealthy nation, and being so peaceful, when news about celebrities came out, whether good news or bad news, there was a tendency to boil over excessively. Especially when it involved Evil. This was because Evil tended not to care even when the media and internet said bad things about him.
Evil ignored the criticism people poured on him. Like how humans can’t hear when ants at their feet curse at them.
Then occasionally when he got bored, he would file mass lawsuits crushing the ants with his shoe, but usually he ignored them. Because of this, people also tended to easily curse however they wanted on the internet. They couldn’t say anything to his face though…
When James entered Evil’s office, Evil was in the middle of gaming. Evil Endem, the SSS multi-user who had blocked a non-user’s nose and mouth causing unconsciousness, was leisurely playing games with both legs propped up on the desk. James felt a sense of debt toward Cheche, but the person who actually committed the crime had no sense of guilt whatsoever.
“Public opinion is very unfavorable. No more articles are being posted, but since Cheche-ssi is a non-user… the Non-User Association is planning to release a statement.”
He reported the public’s reaction to the official position to this scum of humanity. He pulled up articles on the tablet PC for reference and held it out, but Evil didn’t even glance at it.
“Fucking bastards, things worse than insects daring to nag at who? Should I just kill them all?”
“…It’s not too bad.”
“I’m talking about the game.”
“…The Endem family is hoping you’ll visit the hospital just once to recover public opinion.”
“It’s annoying, should I really just kill him?”
“Are you talking about the game?”
“I’m talking about the refugee.”
James wanted to be hospitalized instead of Cheche from his surging blood pressure, but today too he safely endured it.
“If I had wanted to kill that bastard, I wouldn’t have even used my hands. Why would I do that when just moving a finger would kill him?”
“That’s correct. But people don’t know that fact.”
“Idiots.”
“Please look at this article. This is an article currently on the main page of each portal. If you visit just once, it will subside. You can just go and play games. If you just game for exactly ten minutes and come back…”
“I don’t want to.”
Evil refused without hesitation and concentrated on the game. Concentrated was just a manner of speaking; his face was extremely bored. Even when playing the most boring game in the world, his expression would be more interested than that. Well, what could draw this person’s interest?
James stood across from him unable to do this or that.
Evil hates saying things twice. Repeatedly asking about something he’s refused once is a taboo action that makes Evil say things twice. No matter how much he had been with Evil since he was a newborn baby, this alone should not be done. Thomas from the Center’s secretariat in the past suffered greatly for violating that taboo.
‘Evil-nim, please reconsider attending that party. It’s something that will only raise the adapters’ prestige.’
‘I don’t want to. I have to go try the new drug that came out. If you say it one more time, I’ll pull out all your teeth.’
‘But Evil-nim…’
Thomas, who had all his teeth pulled out like that, is currently living off the consolation money given by the Endem family. There’s even a rumor that the consolation money was so generous he’s satisfied with having his teeth pulled, but James didn’t want to have his teeth pulled yet.
“…I’ll return to the secretariat now. Please call me if you need anything.”
He concluded it would be better to retreat now and ask again later when he was in a good mood, and it was when he turned around. Buzzzz, James’s cell phone vibrated. It was the Endem family cell phone among the three phones. Seeing the name that appeared on the screen, James answered the phone while coming out opening the office door.
“Yes, Cheche-ssi.”
And as he was about to close the door, it didn’t close as if blocked by something.
“……?”
– Director-nim, as you mentioned, reporters came so I’m contacting you.
“Ah, I see. Just a moment.”
Cheche’s voice on the phone sounded young enough to be a boy’s. While listening to the husky voice calmly reporting the journalists, James tried to close the door again, but it was the same. It didn’t budge as if blocked by an invisible force…
James looked back at Evil with a feeling of dread. Evil had put down his game console and was looking this way. Staring at eyes that had been full of only boredom now glowing red, James blankly opened his mouth.
“Yes… what’s the matter?”
– As you mentioned, journalists came all the way to the entrance, so I’m calling you.
“I’ll contact the family right away, so absolutely don’t show yourself. Don’t even go near the windows. There are drones for filming.”
– Yes, I’ll stay inside only.
“Journalists? Figure out which crazy bastards dared to completely ignore my warning.”
Cheche and Evil spoke simultaneously. While answering yes, James got a headache. Of course, if there was a media company that ignored the warning to refrain from hospital visits and interview requests, he was planning to identify them and impose appropriate penalties. It would have been that way if Evil hadn’t been listening. However, from the moment that devil heard it, the penalty for the media company wouldn’t end at the level he was thinking. Rather, he’d have to protect the media company.
– …Director-nim.
From beyond the phone that hadn’t hung up yet, Cheche called quietly.
– After the journalists leave, can I go out?
“You cannot. Journalists might be hiding.”
– There’s someone I need to contact. They’ll be waiting for my call.
“The Endem family should have given you a cell phone.”
– I don’t know the number.
“……”
“What the fuck is that bastard saying? He would have saved it in his phone.”
At Evil’s words, James briefly took the phone away from his mouth.
“Cheche-ssi doesn’t have a personal cell phone. It seems he didn’t save the number in the phone we gave him for easy contact.”
Then Evil laughed loudly. That devil would laugh like that looking at people in difficult situations.
“So he’s been contacting them from payphones until now? And still hasn’t memorized the number? If we had an idiot battle, everyone would kneel.”
Looking at Evil laughing loudly, James felt an ominous feeling. Sure enough, Evil spoke with extremely arrogant eyes while crossing his arms.
“Tell him absolutely not. It’s his fault for being ignorant.”
“Yes…”
The moment he was about to convey those words, Cheche opened his mouth first.
– That’s Director-nim, isn’t it? His voice is loud, so I heard everything.
At the dry voice, Evil stopped laughing, and James stopped breathing.
– He still seems bored.
“……”
– I understood the meaning. I apologize for making an unreasonable request.
“No, well…”
James couldn’t continue speaking in confusion and just hung up abruptly. The phone didn’t call back.
A chilling coldness flowed from Evil’s direction. He was very afraid to place his gaze there. James now resented Cheche, not Evil.
No, if you’re sorry to me, you can’t say such things. How am I supposed to handle this!
Unlike someone else, James, who had a strong attachment to life, wanted to just open the door and leave, but barely turned his head.
Red eyes were flashing.
“That fucking bastard…”
Evil ground his teeth. He might really go to kill him this time… And this time I won’t be able to stop him either. When he was thinking such thoughts, Evil asked in a low voice.
“Hey, did the refugee seem angry?”
“…Pardon?”
At the unexpected question, he asked back without realizing it. James was inwardly terrified, but Evil didn’t get angry.
“He was angry at me just now, right?”
“No. It absolutely wasn’t an angry voice.”
“Really?”
“It was just his usual indifferent voice. Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely he didn’t get angry at Director-nim. No matter how ignorant a refugee he is, how could he get angry at Director-nim? With that kind of brain, he should go to the hospital.”
James babbled without even breathing to somehow protect the life of Tar’s young hero. That was also sincere. Cheche had spoken in the same dry voice as usual, and based on the personality he’d grasped while spending a short time together, he wasn’t someone who would get angry about such things. He was worried there might be a misunderstanding that he dared to get angry.
