116: Chapter 116 I'm afraid Unnie will be bullied again

After the office door closed, Song Tianhao stood by the window for a while longer until his cigarette burned out before turning to walk back to his desk.

Instead of sitting down, he picked up the intercom on his desk and dialed an extension.

"President," Jang Se-hoon's voice quickly came through.

"Have the security department tighten security around the building, especially the underground garage and the back door. The reporters might stake out until late at night."

Song Tianhao said, his voice very calm. "In addition, notify the PR department that I want to see a list of all the media outlets present today and their parent companies in thirty minutes. Especially those under CJ—mark them clearly."

"Understood." Jang Se-hoon paused. "President, about CJ..."

"Ignore them," Song Tianhao interrupted him. "If Chairman Lee Jae-hyun wants to talk, tell him to come in person. What is he doing sending a secretary? Tell him, either he comes himself, or don't come at all."

With that, he hung up the phone, picked up his suit jacket, and walked out of the office.

The hallway was very quiet. Most of the employees had already left work by this time, with only the lights in the PR and security departments still on. Song Tianhao didn't take the elevator; instead, he pushed open the emergency exit door and walked up the stairs.

The Sky Entertainment building had twenty-eight floors in total. His office was on the twenty-seventh floor, and further up was the rooftop. He pushed open the iron door to the rooftop, and the evening wind immediately rushed over him, carrying the chill of late autumn in Seoul.

The rooftop was very empty, with only a few ventilation ducts and outdoor air conditioning units. A thin layer of dust had accumulated on the edge of the railing, showing that few people ever came up. Song Tianhao walked to the railing and looked down at the street below.

The reporters had not dispersed yet.

Although the security guards had already tightened security and pushed the crowd back a bit, those carrying cameras and voice recorders still gathered in twos and threes across the street, occasionally looking up at the building. A few reporters squatted by the flower beds to smoke, the red embers of their cigarettes flickering in the twilight.

Song Tianhao watched for a moment, pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, slipped one out, and lit it.

He didn't actually smoke often, only lighting one when he was particularly frustrated or needed to think. Right now, both applied.

The wind was strong, and the lighter took several tries to catch. The orange-red flame flickered in the wind, illuminating half of his face. He took a drag and exhaled a ring of smoke, the white mist instantly scattered by the wind and vanishing into the twilight.

Soft footsteps sounded behind him.

Song Tianhao didn't turn around, just taking another drag of his cigarette.

The footsteps stopped behind him, and after a moment, a can of coffee was handed over from the side.

The can was warm, and the temperature of the liquid inside could be felt.

Song Tianhao turned his head.

Ahn Sohee stood beside him, holding the can of coffee and looking at him with a somewhat complex expression.

She had changed her clothes, no longer wearing her previous stage outfit but a simple white hoodie and jeans with a thin coat over them. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead and delicate features.

Her eyes were still slightly red, but there were no longer any visible traces of crying.

"President," she spoke, her voice slightly soft in the wind. "Have something to drink."

Song Tianhao looked at her for two seconds and took the coffee. The can was indeed warm, and holding it in his hand, he could feel the warmth transferring from his palm.

"Thank you," he said.

Ahn Sohee didn't speak. She walked to the railing, stood beside him, rested her hands on the railing, and looked down at the street below. The wind blew her ponytail, her hair fluttering in the air. Her profile appeared somewhat blurry in the twilight, but her silhouette was distinct, her jawline clenched tight.

The two of them were silent for a moment, with only the sound of the wind howling in their ears.

"About this morning," Ahn Sohee suddenly spoke, her voice soft but clear. "I'm sorry."

Song Tianhao didn't speak, just pulling the tab of the coffee can and taking a sip.

"I shouldn't have spoken to you like that," Ahn Sohee continued, looking down and not at him. "And I shouldn't have recorded it, let alone... caused trouble for you in front of the reporters."

Song Tianhao put the coffee can on the railing and turned to look at her.

"You did nothing wrong," he said.

Ahn Sohee was stunned for a moment, then turned her head to look at him.

"Protecting your unnie is an instinct," Song Tianhao said, his tone very calm. "If you saw Sunye being bullied by me and remained indifferent, then I would actually look down on you instead."

Ahn Sohee's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. She lowered her head and looked at her fingers, which were slightly red from the cold, tapping them gently against the railing.

"Actually," she spoke, her voice even softer. "I wasn't angry at you."

Song Tianhao didn't speak, waiting for her to continue.

"I was angry at myself," Ahn Sohee said, her voice slightly hoarse. "Angry at why I am so useless, why I had to watch Unnie suffer and yet could do nothing. Angry at why I wasn't the one to save her, why... the person standing by her side wasn't me."

She looked up at Song Tianhao, tears welling in her eyes again, but this time she held them back, not letting them fall.

"Back when we were at that previous agency," she said, speaking each word very slowly, as if forcing herself to dig those memories out of her mind. "On the day Unnie was locked in that small room, I waited outside. I heard her crying inside, heard her begging them to let her out, and heard the sound of her banging against the door.

I went to the manager and begged him to open the door, but he pushed me away and said, 'Kids shouldn't meddle.' I went to the department head, and he said, 'This is for her own good, let her calm down.' I went to the CEO, but he wouldn't even see me."

Her fingers gripped the railing tightly, her knuckles trembling.

"I just stood outside that room for six hours. Listening to her cry inside, listening to her bang on the door, listening to her voice go from loud to soft, until finally, there wasn't a single sound. I couldn't do anything but wait.

When the door finally opened and she came out, her face was as white as paper, and she was swaying as she walked. I asked her what was wrong, and she just shook her head and said it was nothing."

She took a deep breath, her voice trembling.

"After that, I swore that I would become strong—strong enough to protect her, strong enough that no one would ever dare bully her again. I practiced desperately, ran to every schedule, and took on any work I could get. I wanted to make money, a lot of money, and then take her away from CJ, away from that horrible place. But..."

She gave a bitter laugh.

"But I was too slow. Before I could save up enough money, before I could become strong, Unnie collapsed. She fainted on stage and was sent to the hospital, while I... I was still doing a variety show that barely anyone watched, waiting backstage to go on, completely unaware that something had happened to her."

She turned her head to look at Song Tianhao, her tears finally falling, but her expression was calm—so calm it was heartbreaking.

"So this morning, when I saw you and Unnie... my first reaction wasn't anger, it was fear. I was afraid Unnie would get hurt again, afraid she would be bullied again, afraid she would hide away and cry all by herself again.

I ran to your house not because I didn't trust her, but because... I was too scared. I was so scared that I lost my mind and couldn't care about anything else."

She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, but new ones immediately fell.

"And then I saw you holding her hand, saw you protecting her in front of the reporters, and saw you expose all of CJ's dirty laundry for her sake. Suddenly, I understood. I wasn't angry at you; I was angry at myself.

"I was angry at why I couldn't become strong sooner, angry at why I couldn't protect her, angry at why... I wasn't the one standing by her side."

Having finished speaking, she lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Song Tianhao looked at her for a long time, then reached into his pocket, pulled out his cigarette pack, slipped out another cigarette, and lit it.

He took a drag and exhaled a ring of smoke, the white mist drifting away in the wind.

"Ahn Sohee," he spoke.

Ahn Sohee looked up at him.

"How old are you this year?" Song Tianhao asked.

Ahn Sohee was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Eighteen."

"Right, eighteen," Song Tianhao nodded, taking another drag of his cigarette. "What was I doing when I was eighteen? Probably playing games at an internet cafe, arguing with my parents to buy a game card, fighting with others over a girl I liked, and then going home black and blue only to get beaten up by my dad."

He turned his head to look at Ahn Sohee, his gaze very calm.

"Eighteen should be an age for going to school, dating, shopping with friends, and worrying about trivial things. It shouldn't be standing here telling me, 'I want to become strong, I want to protect my sister.'"

Ahn Sohee bit her lip and didn't speak.

"At your Sunye Unnie's age, she should be just graduating from college, finding her first job, and starting to plan her life," Song Tianhao continued. "Instead of fainting on stage, being locked in a small room by her company, injected with sedatives, and then hiding away to cry alone."

He flicked the ashes from his cigarette.

"Neither of you is in the wrong. What's wrong is this industry, certain people in this industry, those bastards who treat you as commodities, tools, and cash cows, but never as human beings."

He paused and looked at Ahn Sohee.

"So, you don't need to apologize, and you don't need to blame yourself. You've already done enough, far more than what someone your age should have to bear. Protecting your sister is an instinct, but there are many ways to protect. You choosing to stand by her side, accompany her, and support her is the best form of protection."

Ahn Sohee's tears fell again, but this time she didn't wipe them away, just staring at him and letting them stream down.

"President," she spoke, her voice somewhat choked. "Can I... ask you for a favor?"

"Speak."

"Don't let Unnie get hurt again," Ahn Sohee said, emphasizing every single word. "No matter what happens, no matter how things turn out in the future, please... don't let her get hurt again. She looks strong, but she's actually very fragile. She always hides everything in her heart, says nothing, and carries everything on her own. Please... treat her well."

Song Tianhao looked at her for a long time, then nodded.

"I promise," he said.

Ahn Sohee was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting him to agree so readily.

"But," Song Tianhao continued, "you must also promise me one thing."

"W-what?"

"Live well," Song Tianhao looked at her, his gaze very earnest. "Not just for her, but also for yourself. Your life is still very long; it shouldn't just revolve around one person. You can have dreams, ambitions, things you want to do, and someone you want to love.

You can become stronger, but becoming stronger isn't for the sake of protecting someone. It's so that you yourself can live freely and happily."

He paused and added.

"That is also what Sunye wishes to see."

Ahn Sohee's tears completely burst their banks. She covered her face, her shoulders shaking violently as she sobbed like a child. This time, she didn't suppress or restrain herself, weeping aloud, letting out all her grievances, fears, self-blame, and resentment.

Song Tianhao didn't speak, just standing quietly beside her, smoking as he looked down at the street below.

The wind was strong, making his suit jacket rustle loudly. After a moment of thought, he held the cigarette in his mouth, took off his jacket, and draped it over Ahn Sohee's shoulders.

Ahn Sohee was startled, looking up at him with red eyes.

"The wind is strong," Song Tianhao said, his tone very casual. "Don't catch a cold."

Ahn Sohee clutched the edges of the jacket, which still held his body heat and a faint scent of tobacco. She lowered her head, burying her face in the jacket, took a deep breath, and slowly stopped crying.

Only after a long time did she look up. Her eyes were still red, but she was no longer crying. She took off the jacket and handed it back to Song Tianhao.

"Thank you, President," she said, her voice still slightly hoarse. "But it's fine, I'm not cold."

Song Tianhao took the jacket and put it back on. The jacket still carried her warmth and a faint, subtle fragrance—the kind of fruity shampoo scent that young girls often used.

"President," Ahn Sohee suddenly spoke, her tone somewhat hesitant. "Are... are you and Unnie serious?"

Song Tianhao glanced at her. Instead of answering directly, he asked, "What do you think?"

Ahn Sohee thought for a moment and said very seriously, "I don't know. But I know Unnie is serious. When she looks at you, there's a light in her eyes. I've never seen that kind of light in her eyes before. Even on stage or in front of fans, she has never shown that kind of expression."

She paused and added softly, "So, please... don't let her down."

Song Tianhao didn't speak, just taking a drag of his cigarette before stubbing the butt out on the railing.

"I won't," he said.

Ahn Sohee looked at him for a long time, then nodded.

"I believe you," she said.

With that, she turned around and walked toward the stairwell.

She pushed open the iron door and walked inside. The iron door closed gently behind her, making a dull thud.

Song Tianhao was left alone on the rooftop once again.

He lit another cigarette but didn't smoke it, just holding it between his fingers, watching the ember flicker in the wind. Below, the reporters had begun to disperse one after another, with only a few still staking out the spot, though they also seemed ready to pack up. The streetlights lit up one by one, and Seoul's night began.

His phone vibrated.

Song Tianhao pulled it out and glanced at it; it was a text message from Min Sunye.

"President, did Sohee go to find you? Is she okay? I'm very worried about her."

Song Tianhao looked at the text message, his finger lingering on the screen for a few seconds before typing a reply.

"She's fine. She's stronger than you think."

Sent.

After a moment, Min Sunye's reply came.

"That's good. Thank you, President. About today... I'm sorry, and thank you."

Song Tianhao didn't reply again, putting his phone back in his pocket. He looked up at the sky.

The evening clouds had already dispersed, revealing a deep blue sky and a few early stars. In the distance, the N Seoul Tower lit up, its orange-yellow light prominent in the night. The wind blew across the rooftop, bringing the bustle of the street below and the faint sound of music from afar.

He stood there for a long time until his cigarette burned out before turning, pushing open the iron door, and walking down the stairs.

The iron door closed behind him, making a dull sound.

On the rooftop, the half-finished can of coffee was still sitting on the railing, swaying slightly in the wind. The condensed water droplets on the can slowly slid down, leaving a faint water mark on the railing.

Below, the last wave of reporters packed up their equipment and left. The security guards closed the main gates, and the building returned to tranquility.

As the night deepened, the lights of Seoul lit up one by one, illuminating this bustling yet cold city.