Jace appeared really sincere when he said that. If he could channel such emotions when he was acting, then he would make a pretty decent actor.
Zeno was about to admit to the allegations. However, as he looked at the others, he began feeling strange once again.
It appeared like they truly wanted him to say that he didn’t do anything wrong.
He reflected for a few moments, still looking at their pitiful faces, before sighing.
“I… didn’t,” he finally said, making the others sigh in relief.
“But!” he quickly added, capturing their attention.
“I don’t think we should go through such great heights to debunk the rumors.”
Bobby nearly tripped as he walked toward Zeno. “What? What do you mean? Why wouldn’t we?”
“You’ve gotten so far! Your short series is doing really well. And most of all, your career had just started,” Bobby exclaimed. “How can we give up?”
Zeno pursed his lips. He had thought about this the entire night, sacrificing his sleep once more.
He didn’t have many scenes during the rest of the episodes after Sohee rejected his character.
Yujin could definitely edit him out, and he didn’t even have to appear for the very last episode.
He was sure the latter episodes would garner half a million views each, too, which would accomplish his ongoing penalty quest.
One thing about these rumors was that no matter how bad they were, people were still curious.
So, the views were going to increase even more. He didn’t want to impact it too negatively when Young and the crew had worked so hard on it.
“The evidence is already there,” Zeno reasoned. “It isn’t the most credible, and it’s taken out of context, but people will believe just a sliver of evidence over nothing.”
“Aside from that, we are battling another company for this—one who will make sure that they won’t lose,” he continued.
They all frowned. “Who?” Moby asked.
“Continuous Dominance,” he answered.
Bobby and Moby turned to each other with deep frowns, and then a knowing look passed through their faces.
“They aren’t as successful as Moonrise, but they still have more money than us. That’s the one thing we lack right now—money and connections. In this industry, it’s hard to make a name for yourself when you don’t have those.”
“I’m afraid we don’t have any choice but to accept what they throw our way because we risk losing more if we fight more,” he seriously said, trying to look as pitiful as ever.
As much as Bobby wanted to argue, he knew that Zeno was right. No matter how hard they fought, if they didn’t have the resources to get the media on their side or to have someone thoroughly investigate everything, then it would be futile.
A losing game.
“So, we’re just not going to do anything?” Jace asked, sounding defeated already.
Zeno nodded.
Just then, Bobby sniffed, running his fingers through his hair. “I told you we would protect you as our artist, but here we are. We can’t even defend you from such baseless rumors.”
“Don’t feel bad for me,” Zeno said with a small smile.
“I’m okay.”
“I’m going to be alright.”
The moment his career plummets under the ground, he can regress his meter back to the mediocre one.
Those words, however, sounded heartbreaking for the others. They realized just how hopeless their company was that a natural star like Zeno could even be dimmed in their presence.
“No,” Bobby refused. “I can’t go down with a fight. You have worked so hard to get to this point. I will protect you until the end.”
Zeno sighed.
Why did he have to meet so many righteous people in this life?
Then, he placed his hand over Bobby’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Bobby, you have done more than enough,” Zeno said, giving him words of encouragement. “You shouldn’t do so much for me.”
“Your daughter’s piano recital is coming up, right?” he asked, remembering what Amby had mentioned during their photoshoot.
“Focus on that and not on me.”
“After this all dies down, you can continue on with your lives without worrying about my well-being.”
As he said those words, they couldn’t help but feel that Zeno was phenomenal. He was a humble, selfless person who didn’t want to trouble those around him.
“Rival,” Jace said, walking over to him with solemn eyes. “Who will be my rival if you’re gone?”
Zeno internally clicked his tongue. They weren’t rivals in the first place!
“Let’s just say you’ve won, huh?” he said, patting his shoulder. “Good luck on your journey… each of you.”
He looked them in the eyes one by one. He was quite thankful that they were the ones he worked with. He wouldn’t have changed a thing!
Well, maybe he would have.
“I’m sincerely rooting for all of you.”
***
The small house smelled of garlic and fresh basil, filling the air with warmth despite the cold night.
The dinner table was set simply—bowls of steaming rice, stir-fried greens, and a plate of pork and basil. Two children, a boy and a girl, sat cross-legged on the floor, their eager eyes locked onto the food. Across from them, their mother wiped her hands on her apron, waiting for someone to come in.
Just then, the door creaked open, and a man stepped inside. He was thin, with his work clothes covered in dust. He had deep lines on his face from exhaustion, but his expression instantly brightened when he saw his small family waiting for him.
“You’re home?” the woman asked, turning to him with a small smile.
He sighed, dropping his bag onto the floor. “Yeah.”
“What’s for dinner?”
“Pork and basil,” she answered, lifting the plate proudly. “The herbs you got from that handsome man are doing pretty well. The kids love it. And I’ve been selling some to the neighbors, so I was able to buy meat.”
The man’s lips twitched into a smile. He stepped closer, looking at the food before glancing at her. “I love it too,” he said quietly. “I’ve been clean since then.”
The woman nodded with a proud glint in her eyes. She reached out, squeezing his wrist before handing him a bowl. He sat down, exhaling and letting the warmth of home settle into his bones.
Just then, the television crackled, showing the evening news. A serious-looking anchor appeared on the screen.
“In showbiz news,” the anchor announced, “an anonymous user had sent in CCTV footage of rising actor Zeno Han and his alleged recreation drug distribution. Police say that investigation is still ongoing and cannot confirm—”
“Papa, it’s you!” the little girl gasped, her chopsticks falling onto the table.
The man turned, his eyes snapping to the screen.
There, staring back at him, was his own face.
“That is me,” he muttered. Then, his eyes traced the name beneath the image.
“Zeno Han?”
And then it all clicked.