Descent of the Demon Master

and beckoning at Kang Eun-Yeong.
After letting go of her mic, she stared at her older brother in a daze before slowly nodding away.
While making a sorrowful face similar to a cow being dragged to an abattoir, she trudged toward Kang Jin-Ho.

He reached out, grabbed his little sister ’s hand, and began dragging her away while breaking through the crowd.
The duo eventually disappeared into the back of the crowd and out of the camera ’s frame.

“T-t-that crazy boy?!” Even Hwang Jeong-Hu jumped up and cried out in shock.

’Well, it ’s over. ’

Jo Gyu-Min could only chuckle despondently.

No matter her story, there wouldn ’t be a stage willing to accept a singer who had walked away in the middle of a performance.
Even worse, Kang Eun-Yeong was ’under scrutiny ’ for that rumor involving her romance as well.
It no longer mattered what kind of press release her talent agency would release, as the industry would not be so understanding of her situation anymore.

Jo Gyu-Min shifted his focus away from the screen, hurriedly switching to a different scene and yanked out his phone.
Something major had gone down, so he figured that social media should be blowing up right about now.
While ardently praying to the heavens, Jo Gyu-Min typed ’Kang Se-Ah ’ into the search engine.

– During Kang Se-Ah ’s performance, a man suddenly appeared! She got dragged away! Lolololol

– Turn on the TV! Hurry! This incident will go down in history! Kang Se-Ah gave up in the middle of a broadcast and went down to the audience section!

– Who is that dude? Her BF?

– Kang Se-Ah disappeared with a man in the audience, but instead of getting pissed, I ’m feeling defeated from how good-looking he was…
ㅠㅠ

Every time Jo Gyu-Min refreshed the feed, new posts he hadn ’t seen before popped up so quickly that the previous posts were no longer visible after getting buried.
In the blink of an eye, Kang Se-Ah ’s name became the most-searched topic.
Jo Gyu-Min watched this play out as a despondent expression slowly formed on his face.
He leaned back on the couch and chuckled weakly.
“Hah.
Hahaha…
ha…
ha…”

Well, Jo Gyu-Min already knew about Kang Jin-Ho ’s tendency to lose all objectivity when it came to matters involving his family.
Even then, he did not expect that young man to cause a major incident like this—live on air, no less!

’

Jo Gyu-Min suddenly recalled all those sleepless nights and hardships he had to face while molding Kang Se-Ah into a top star.
He sneakily wiped away at the corners of his moistening eyes.

Hwang Jeong-Hu asked in a stupefied voice, “So, hmm…
What ’s going to happen now, Gyu-Min?”

“Chairman, sir…”

“Mm?”

“…Sir, our Jaegyeong Uni has a special admission screening.
I think we need to use that to enroll that girl in our university for the time being.
For her to find a new career, I fear the minimum she has to do is to further her studies.”

“Mmm…” Hwang Jeong-Hu groaned heavily after understanding the severity of this situation from Jo Gyu-Min ’s ’explanation ’.

“And, well, they created this mess, so I ’m sure Mister Jin-Ho will deal with it.” Jo Gyu-Min told himself that, so he could maintain a grip on himself, but his eyes opened even wider at the new post appearing on his phone.

– Hey, someone who went there to do a vlog is now doing a live stream! The dude dragging Kang Se-Ah away is having an interview with the entertainment reporters! Here ’s the link!

– Wow, it ’s for real?! They are really interviewing Kang Se-Ah and the dude dragging her away!

Jo Gyu-Min ’s shaking finger tapped on the link.
The phone ’s browser opened an internet streaming platform, then a black screen appeared, followed by the familiar buffering circle.

“…P-please, dear lord.
Don ’t do it.”

It would already be so difficult to fix what just transpired live on air.
But this…

‘Those crazy reporters! What are they thinking, trying to shove cameras and mics in front of Kang Jin-Ho ’s way! Don ’t interview him or anything like that, you foools!’

Unfortunately, Jo Gyu-Min ’s ardent prayer was ignored.
The buffering finally ended, and the black screen changed to a chaotic scene of Kang Jin-Ho and Kang Se-Ah, currently surrounded by a gaggle of reporters.

“What the f*ck?! It ’s just a simple live music show, so why are there so many bloody reporters present in that place?!” Jo Gyu-Min cried out as spittle flew out of his mouth.

Objectively speaking, it would be weirder for no reporters to show up at a live gig where a top idol mired in a dating rumor was supposed to perform.
However, Jo Gyu-Min was too far gone to think objectively at the moment.

The voices of the reporters surrounding Kang Jin-Ho could be heard so vividly in the stream.

[What is your relationship with Miss Kang Se-Ah?]

[I ’m her Oppa.] Kang Jin-Ho replied in a very forthright manner.

The resident Kang Jin-Ho expert—Jo Gyu-Min—quickly read the young man ’s expression and interpreted it as ’why are all these annoying people bothering me? Still, I shall answer you if you ask me politely enough. ’

[When you say oppa, do you mean you ’re dating her?]

’

[No, I ’m her real Oppa.]

[Oh…]

The reporters must have been hoping for a tale of romance to end all romance just then, judging from the disappointed sighs coming from everywhere.

[What was your reason for taking away Miss Kang Se-Ah in the middle of a live broadcast?]

Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow as he replied.
[A wet-behind-the-ears kid is already the subject of salacious gossip, so I ’m taking her away to verify the truth.]

[That sounds like Miss Kang Se-Ah ’s family had no idea about her dating rumors, then! If it turns out to be true, what will happen?]

[She will retire.]

[I ’m sorry?!] The reporter asking that question gasped in shock.

Retirement?! Who in their right mind would retire from the industry just because one gossip piece about their love life had gotten published?!

However, Kang Jin-Ho remained utterly resolute.
With an expression of a man repeating an irrefutable truth, he replied in a firm voice.
[A student her age should be focusing on her studies right about now, but she insisted on her dream of becoming an entertainer.
So, as a family, we supported her choice.
However, if all she wants to do is date some guys instead of performing on stage, we might as well force her back into studying.
If the story of her dating someone turns out to be true, she will retire immediately.]

The reporters sensed the unyielding, inalienable truth in Kang Jin-Ho ’s voice, then hurriedly turned their attention over to Kang Eun-Yeong.

[M-Miss Kang Eun-Yeong! Your older brother has made his statement.
However, will you really retire if your family insists you must?]

Kang Eun-Yeong making a tearful face cried out, [No, wait! That ’s all a pack of lies! That never happened!]

[If! If by any chance! Even though it won ’t happen, hypothetically, will you do it?]

[…Well, if they say I must jump, I gotta ask how high, right?] Kang Eun-Yeong said some things that an idol shouldn ’t say, but the reporters didn ’t have the mental leeway to point that out right now.

[Miss Kang Se-Ah!!! What you said just now, are you being serious?!]

At this point, Kang Jin-Ho was frowning deeply.
[I don ’t quite understand what you all want from us, but…!]

[…?]

[This is a family matter.
Once a family comes to a decision, the family members will abide by it, that is all.
And as a family, we shall discuss a way forward and make a decision accordingly.
However, my sister is still a student.
If we find out that she has been involved in matters that don ’t match the scope of her identity as a student, we shall definitely make her retire.
That will be all.
Goodbye.]

Jo Gyu-Min turned off the stream and accessed the portal site once more.
And loud guffaw exploded from his mouth after confirming the current no.1 most-searched-for topic, which was ’Chad ’.