“They said I’d regret it, and this is what they were planning…”
Reading through the articles, some of them included interviews with Choi Hwan’s parents. Every single one spoke badly of Yeonrok. Particularly, the content was very similar to the yellow journalism article Kim Jeongseong had shown him earlier. As he continued reading, Yeonrok grew increasingly angry.
He could let it slide for himself since he was a complete stranger to them. But Choi Hwan was still their child, wasn’t he? Instead of praying for his success, they were doing things that would damage his reputation like this? When he went on to read the comments, a considerable number were cursing at Yeonrok. However, perhaps because he was more worried about Choi Hwan or because he was so furious, it didn’t particularly hurt. First of all, the article’s content was completely nonsensical.
“…Right, let’s stop looking. Secretary hyung will handle it well.”
He steeled himself and put his phone far away. After spending some time holed up in the hobby room like that, he heard a knock. Since they didn’t just barge in, it wasn’t Choi Hwan.
“Yeonrok-ssi. May I come in?”
“President!”
Having few hobbies he could do with one hand, Yeonrok, who had been clumsily drawing, sprang up from his seat. Opening the door to see Yeom Cheonho, Yeonrok finally realized just how much he was relying on this person.
“Um, what happened with the scandal?”
“Hmm…”
Yeom Cheonho’s expression wasn’t very bright, making Yeonrok’s heart sink. He hesitated, then stepped back.
“Let’s talk downstairs for now.”
When he went down to the first floor feeling anxious, Choi Hwan and Moon Gyeonwoo were there. Thinking they’d already finished work, he looked out the window to find it was already evening. Moon Gyeonwoo looked quite displeased, and Choi Hwan was fidgeting restlessly as if he were a criminal. As soon as Yeonrok came down, Choi Hwan rushed over and knelt down first.
“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry…!”
Yeonrok sighed. He didn’t really want to blame Choi Hwan. If he had to assign fault, the problem was Choi Hwan’s parents, Yeom Cheonryul, and the low-quality media outlets. Yeonrok said generously to Choi Hwan,
“It’s okay. It’s not like you created the scandal.”
Yeonrok had never truly been angry at his Name Partners because of Choi Hwan’s or Yeom Cheonho’s family issues. Just as Yeonrok didn’t choose to be born an orphan, these three people hadn’t chosen to be born with such families either.
“Celebrity dating rumors break out all the time anyway. Once time passes, people will forget, right?”
He tried to coax and comfort him to get him to stand up, but Choi Hwan wouldn’t get up and kept reading the room. Like a dog that had done something wrong behind its owner’s back, he kept looking up at Yeonrok with the whites of his eyes showing.
Somehow it felt fishy. It seemed like he’d done something wrong, but it didn’t look like he’d easily confess with his own mouth, so Yeonrok turned his gaze to Yeom Cheonho and Moon Gyeonwoo.
Moon Gyeonwoo was glaring at Choi Hwan with his arms crossed in a truly terrifying manner. Choi Hwan was also glaring back with all his might, but when Yeonrok looked at him, he looked down again. Yeom Cheonho looked just as displeased. Seeing these reactions, cold sweat suddenly began to form. Feeling very anxious, Yeonrok asked in a trembling voice,
“Why? What happened?”
“Until this afternoon, we were managing to handle the articles somehow… No, it would be better to hear it from him directly.”
Yeonrok’s gaze turned downward again. Choi Hwan, who had been kneeling, said respectfully,
“Um, the thing is… I acknowledged it…”
“…What?”
Yeonrok doubted his own ears. Acknowledged it? What? Unable to hold back any longer, Moon Gyeonwoo strode over and showed him his phone screen.
“Read this.”
The title of the article Yeonrok read with trembling eyes was as follows:
[Choi Hwan Officially Acknowledges Dating Rumors… Partner is a Civilian, Same-Sex Name Partner]
It was an article from Korea’s most famous comprehensive entertainment news program. Yeonrok clicked on the attached video link.
In the video, Choi Hwan, who had just come out of his agency building, was confronted by a crowd of reporters. Two people who appeared to be Jo Junho and the agency president were earnestly whispering something in Choi Hwan’s ear. With an annoyed face, he nodded and tried to pass by the reporters, but the reporters shouted out.
— Actor Choi Hwan! Sir!
— Have you been hiding your sexual orientation all this time?!
— When and how did you meet!
— Is it true that your lover won’t let you meet your family?
Rude questions poured out, but up until this point, Choi Hwan seemed to endure silently. But just before he got in the car, some reporter bastard shouted this:
— There’s also talk that it was an escort service provided to VIPs at a club! Is that true?!
Though Yeonrok had never heard of anything like escort services before, even he could tell the nuance wasn’t good at all. Suddenly, Choi Hwan’s steps stopped abruptly. He glared at the reporter who had thrown the question and said,
— That’s right.
Next to him, Jo Junho and the president could be seen screaming silently. The reporters instantly quieted down and thrust their microphones forward. Flashes went off from all directions.
— The dating rumor is true. They’re my Name Partner. But escort service or whatever, all the other articles are completely false. I’ll officially reveal everything on a broadcast this week!
Yeonrok stopped the video. He quietly returned the phone to Moon Gyeonwoo. Choi Hwan laughed nervously while reading the room. Laughing? The anxiety and worry that had made him on edge all day instantly boiled over into blazing fury.
“This is really!”
“Ahhh!”
Yeonrok lunged at Choi Hwan. Bang crash thud, the two of them rolled on the living room floor. Yeonrok grabbed Choi Hwan’s hair and screamed.
“Are you crazy! What! The dating rumor is true?! My face is practically exposed now! Die! Just die! Get out and drop dead! I’m the idiot for worrying about you!”
“Uahhh! Te, telling me to die is too, harsh…”
“Without even a word of discussion with me, just doing whatever you want!”
“Ahh! I’m sorry! That’s why I said I’m sorry!”
It was such a loud commotion that Ms. Park, who had been in the kitchen, came running out in surprise. In fact, it was embarrassing to even call it a fight since it was closer to Choi Hwan getting unilaterally beaten up. Yeom Cheonho looked up at the ceiling for a moment, pretending not to see, but when Yeonrok continued to rampage like an angry wildcat, he finally intervened.
“Yeonrok-ssi, calm down. Let’s talk this out first.”
Yeom Cheonho separated and pulled the two apart. Even in the process, Choi Hwan screamed. It was because Yeonrok had ended up tearing out a handful of his hair. Holding Choi Hwan’s hair in his hand, Yeonrok struggled, grinding his teeth as he tried to beat Choi Hwan more. This time, Moon Gyeonwoo hugged him tightly from behind and patted his back, coaxing him gently.
“Yeonrok-ah, you’ll hurt your hand. Let’s rest a bit and then beat him.”
Even while being furious beyond reason, Yeonrok thought, ‘Is this really comforting?’ Choi Hwan, who had barely caught his breath, hid behind Yeom Cheonho. With a frightened expression, he glanced at Yeonrok while rubbing his throbbing sides and back where he’d been hit. And still without any remorse, he babbled this:
“W-we’re in a common-law marriage relationship anyway, you said so yourself… So it’s no different from dating.”
Hearing those words, Moon Gyeonwoo released Yeonrok without any hesitation. Yeonrok lunged at Choi Hwan again. While screaming, Choi Hwan stood his ground firmly without running away from the living room. His endurance was quite strong. After checking the time on his wristwatch, this time Yeom Cheonho seriously stopped Yeonrok.
“Yeonrok-ssi, that’s enough. Stop.”
Since he couldn’t hit him anymore, Yeonrok glared at Choi Hwan with a face red from fury. The sorrows of last winter that he thought he’d forgotten as they’d grown close recently surged up.
“You’re doing this because you look down on me, aren’t you?”
Sensing the ominous energy, Choi Hwan sprang up from behind the sofa where he’d been hiding. His face turned pale as he immediately denied it.
“N-no! Look down on you?”
“Because I’m the most worthless one, nothing special about me and nothing to my name… That’s why you just did whatever you wanted…”
After blurting it out, he realized it was an inferiority complex and his face heated up even more. Embarrassed, Yeonrok became the one who actually wanted to run away. Swallowing down what was welling up, he muttered quietly,
“Forget it. Even if I say something, would you even listen…”
“That’s not it! It’s not!”
Before Yeonrok’s words even finished, Choi Hwan shouted urgently.
“I like you!”
It was a sudden confession. Choi Hwan’s forehead, sending desperate looks, was completely flushed. Actually, it wasn’t just his forehead. Gradually, the heat spread downward. From his forehead to around his eyes, to his cheeks, and even to the nape of his neck.
“I did it because I like you so much! It wasn’t because I was ignoring you. How, how could someone I like be someone I look down on.”
