Chapter 28: Before the Final Scene Ends

He said he hoped his character didn’t die…

Taeha couldn’t help but be bewildered by Seon Min-gi’s unexpected words.

It was even more so because the man who had left the set with such a stiff expression suddenly came over and started talking like this.

Seon Min-gi smiled, as if he understood Taeha’s reaction, and added,

“I was so immersed in the role of Jinseong that I actually hoped for it to be true….”

“Ah.”

Only then did Taeha understand what Seon Min-gi was trying to say.

It made sense, if he was that absorbed in the role of Jinseong.

To Jinseong, Lee Jae-hyun was a being no different from a real younger brother.

At the same time, Taeha understood why Seon Min-gi had left the set with such a rigid expression.

It was the pain of not being able to accept Lee Jae-hyun’s death.

That pain must have stirred up Seon Min-gi’s thoughts and emotions.

“But it seems you’ve come to terms with it now.”

It was a thought Taeha could have only because he had experienced various acting lessons, counseling, and deep conversations.

In fact, Im Chan-hyung, on the other hand, was tilting his head, unable to understand Seon Min-gi’s story.

However, Seon Min-gi paid no mind to these reactions and continued,

“But regardless of my wishes, Lee Jae-hyun must die. If not, Jinseong wouldn’t be able to move forward as Jinseong.”

“…Yes. I suppose so.”

“But I just wanted to say this one thing before that happened. If Kang Tae-ha hadn’t acted as Lee Jae-hyun, I wouldn’t have been able to become Jinseong so completely.”

Seon Min-gi reached his hand out toward Taeha.

“Thank you, Kang Tae-ha. Let’s do our best until the end.”

Taeha quietly looked at Seon Min-gi’s outstretched hand, then took it.

“I should be thanking you, hyung.”

And the next day.

At last, filming for Episode 13 began.

It was Taeha’s final scene.

***

Episode 13, Scene 1.

Facing the Backer, Jinseong felt confused.

An emotion that was both longing and familiar seized Jinseong.

Lost in that confusion, Jinseong couldn’t bring himself to move.

That was when Lee Jae-hyun made the first move.

“I’ll kill you! I said I’ll kill you!”

Lee Jae-hyun, consumed by rage, charged at the Backer.

But the Backer’s power was overwhelming.

He wielded Energy that an ordinary person like Lee Jae-hyun could never withstand.

In the end, Lee Jae-hyun was struck by the Energy, flung away, and slammed to the floor.

The Backer, as if about to attack Jinseong as well, reached out his hand.

But then, with a smile on his lips, he withdrew his hand without releasing any Energy.

He vanished completely, disappearing into the Shadow.

Regaining his senses belatedly, Jinseong rushed to Lee Jae-hyun.

“Jae-hyun!!”

But Lee Jae-hyun had already fallen unconscious.

***

Episode 13, Scene 5.

Lee Jae-hyun lay unconscious on the bed.

Jinseong and Yoon-ha conversed by his bedside.

Yoon-ha, unable to understand, questioned Jinseong.

“What on earth happened? How did it end up like this?”

Jinseong couldn’t immediately answer Yoon-ha’s question.

He just tightly held Lee Jae-hyun’s pale hand in both of his and closed his eyes.

“Say something. If you don’t, how am I supposed to understand what’s going on and help?”

Only then did Jinseong open his eyes.

Before he knew it, his eyes were full of sorrow.

It looked like tears would fall at any moment.

“Last night, I confronted the Backer.”

“Really? Then, what about Jae-hyun…”

“He charged at the Backer and ended up like this. The power was overwhelming. Especially the way he used his Hand of Power to release Energy.”

“If he really releases Energy, that’s far more dangerous than just strengthening his body… Wait, with his Hand of Power?”

Yoon-ha asked again in surprise.

That technique—releasing an unknown force through the Hand of Power—was Jinseong’s specialty.

Jinseong spoke as if he already knew what Yoon-ha was thinking.

“I’m considering… the connection. I haven’t found the answer yet.”

“…I see.”

Yoon-ha’s thoughts grew tangled, and she could say nothing more.

She had her own burdens to bear.

Leaving Yoon-ha in silence, Jinseong closed his eyes again and recited a Bible Verse.

“Therefore do not be like them, for your Father in Heaven knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Jinseong’s grip on Lee Jae-hyun’s hand tightened as he murmured the words.

In that state, Jinseong quietly added,

“What is it that you knew before all of us, Jae-hyun?”

***

Episode 13, Scene 12.

While Yoon-ha was finding records of suspicious connections between Jinseong and the Backer in the past,

Jinseong, who had returned to the Goh-a-won, took one step closer to the truth.

At last, Jinseong learned that Lee Jae-hyun had been tracking him for a long time.

Just then, someone came looking for Jinseong.

It was Na Tae, the Evil Spirit executive who had long opposed Jinseong.

“Did you come here to die?”

Without hesitation, Jinseong lunged at Na Tae, grabbing his throat.

But even while being strangled, Na Tae smiled coolly and replied,

“Perhaps. But unfortunately, you can’t kill me today. There’s something you must learn first.”

“Follow me. There’s someone who wants to answer your questions.”

Jinseong stared silently at Na Tae for a moment.

Suddenly, Jinseong moved his hand roughly and hurled Na Tae out the window.

With the sound of glass shattering, Na Tae fell from the fifth-floor Production Company Office.

Jinseong landed after him and said to Na Tae,

“Don’t waste my patience. I’m reaching my limit.”

***

Episode 13, Scenes 18 and 19.

Chasing Na Tae, Jinseong arrived at a grand Mansion.

In the Mansion Corridor.

Na Tae stopped in front of a massive door.

Jinseong asked Na Tae,

“Is it here? Is this where the Backer is?”

Unexpectedly, Na Tae nodded calmly.

“Yes. This is the place. However…”

As his words trailed off, a horde of Evil Spirits began to appear.

Na Tae grinned and continued,

“You’ll never make it through this door alive!”

And so the fight began.

Meanwhile, Yoon-ha hurried to the Production Company Office to tell Jinseong what she had discovered.

But the person she encountered was not Jinseong, but Lee Jae-hyun.

Fully dressed and ready to go, as if he’d never collapsed, Lee Jae-hyun asked Yoon-ha,

“You put a tracker on hyung, didn’t you?”

“How did you know that?”

“That’s not important. Just tell me where hyung is now.”

***

Episode 13, Scene 23.

After a fierce struggle, Jinseong finally strangled the life out of Na Tae.

With each battle, the mysterious power inside him had only grown stronger, and now Jinseong could feel it swelling even more.

Trying to shake it off, he clenched his fist—and with a loud thud, the great doors swung open to both sides.

From a luxurious Throne-like Chair, the Backer rose slowly.

And then, the Backer’s face came into view.

Jinseong couldn’t help but scowl.

Seeing that face, all the puzzle pieces fell into place.

At that moment, a painted-on smile appeared on the Backer’s emotionless face.

“You’re here, my child.”

“Shut up.”

“I’ve been waiting. Watching you grow.”

“Shut up, you bastard!”

Enraged, Jinseong reached out his Hand of Power and released the mysterious force.

The Backer responded in kind, extending his hand.

Energy burst from the Backer’s hand, the two forces clashing in midair.

Gradually, the two powers began to take on a similar nature.

Like a tug-of-war, they strained against each other until they unraveled in the air.

Watching this, the Backer burst into laughter.

“As expected! You really are born of my power!”

“It’s a little lacking, but that’s fine. Let’s finish this after you take care of those flies headed this way.”

“What? Finish what?”

Just as Jinseong asked, he heard footsteps approaching.

To his astonishment, Lee Jae-hyun appeared.

“Jae-hyun!”

Jinseong’s eyes widened as he called out Lee Jae-hyun’s name.

His voice was filled with worry and relief.

But Lee Jae-hyun glanced between Jinseong and the Backer, then gave a sly smile.

“Everyone I need to kill is all in one place.”

Only then did Jinseong realize that Lee Jae-hyun had known about Jinseong’s connection to the Backer from the very beginning.

“No way…”

“Focus. Take care of him, and it’ll be your turn soon.”

“But… how could I…”

“I said, focus!”

But Jinseong couldn’t pull himself together so easily.

His memories with Lee Jae-hyun resurfaced, and the pieces he’d never seen before finally fit together.

“I… I… I’m the Enemy’s Child who killed your parents…”

“Ugh, just shut up and fight! Fight, damn it!”

At that moment, the Backer, who had been releasing Energy, noticed something around Lee Jae-hyun’s neck and frowned.

“The Cross Necklace… You’ve gotten your hands on something troublesome. In that case, I’ll drain the power from my own child first.”

Suddenly, the Backer redirected his attack.

The Backer’s assault struck Jinseong directly, and the mysterious force began to drain from Jinseong’s body.

Just as Evil Spirits grew stronger by consuming humans, the Backer could grow stronger by devouring Jinseong.

In fact, the reason the Backer had created Jinseong in the first place was for this very purpose.

Just before Jinseong lost his life, Lee Jae-hyun, clutching the Cross Necklace, leaped into the stream of mysterious power being absorbed.

Not a moment too soon, Lee Jae-hyun placed the Cross Necklace around Jinseong’s neck.

“Gaaahhh!”

Lee Jae-hyun, now fully exposed to the Energy, screamed, just as Yoon-ha arrived at the Mansion with the Apprentice Priest.

Seeing this, the Backer clicked his tongue and left the scene.

***

He sensed the end was near, but he was not afraid of death.

Ever since his parents were brutally murdered and he vowed Revenge, death had no longer been something Lee Jae-hyun feared.

But seeing Jinseong sobbing as he clung to him stirred strange feelings in his heart.

He was still unafraid of death, but suddenly a tinge of regret appeared.

‘If only… If only I had revealed the truth a little sooner…’

Thinking this, Lee Jae-hyun slowly reached out his hand toward Jinseong.

Then he wiped away Jinseong’s falling tears.

“Jae-hyun… Jae-hyun… why…”

And Jinseong asked.

Did you save me even though I’m the Enemy’s Child?

Did you risk your life to save me?

Even Lee Jae-hyun himself hadn’t known why he jumped in—but now he understood.

Why he had done it.

“Because I… didn’t want you to die, hyung.”

That was it.

Lee Jae-hyun didn’t want Jinseong to die.

Regardless of being the Enemy’s Child, Jinseong was his only Family.

He was the older brother he cherished and loved more than even a real family.

“Don’t die… hyung… not by anyone else’s hand but mine…”

Lee Jae-hyun forced a smile, hoping Jinseong would grieve a little less.

That was his last moment.

“Jae-hyun… ahhhh!”

No matter how Jinseong screamed and wailed, Lee Jae-hyun could never wake again.

***

No one on set could stop him for a long while.

Seon Min-gi, sobbing and holding Taeha tightly.