“Is he still busy…”
During that time, contact from Dowon also became scarce. Of course, he’d asked for understanding in advance, saying his schedule suddenly got busy. He asked again worrying whether it might be because of his article, but each time he was soothed not to worry too much, saying it was rather because of other work.
On the day they’d arrived at the hotel, he couldn’t make a call because CEO Choi and Section Manager Kim were together talking about various things, but the next day, contact was made. Dowon, who apologized for not being able to keep his promise to somehow make even brief time and substituted with a call instead, looked tired even if he didn’t show it.
— It’s not easy to see your face even once. I didn’t expect it would be to this extent.
‘Really… it’s not because of that article, right?’
— If I was going to waver over just that, I wouldn’t be this busy instead. Don’t worry, I’m also trying to clean up that article… No, this is too inconsiderate talk to Muyoung-ssi. You must be very anxious. I’m sorry.
The voice apologizing as if troubled was sunken unlike before. He thought that if work was very busy, even the article that broke in the midst of this might be a stumbling block, but Muyoung didn’t voice it out loud.
‘…No, it’s not. It’s okay. Right now I’m resting.’
— Oh right, how’s your body? You’re not worse or anything, are you?
‘I’m really fine. Rather than me… you should take care of yourself more, CEO.’
— …Are you worrying about me?
Dowon’s voice tinged with laughter wasn’t bad compared to when they’d started the call, so he didn’t give any particular reply. The fact that in Muyoung’s current situation he was worrying about Dowon was also somehow funny.
But after that, contact really became scarce. Though he thought he shouldn’t worry, he couldn’t help but be concerned. The fact that he couldn’t escape from the hotel was also frustrating. But he wasn’t in a situation where he could go anywhere either. On top of that, since he wasn’t even sleeping properly, his nerves were doubly on edge. Even while knowing the fact that there was nothing he could do right now. He was scared that at this rate, the problem would really become serious.
Just when he was thinking it would be good if someone would just shake out his head that kept being dominated by bad thoughts, the bell rang. Muyoung, who had just received cleaning service and had no one to visit, approached the door with a puzzled feeling while tightly holding his phone. The person who had come was CEO Choi. He hurriedly opened the door, then first went inside the room and sat down.
“What, did something happen? Why do you look so tired?”
Muyoung, who had been wiping his pale face with his hand, hesitated briefly at CEO Choi’s question. He felt awkward wondering if it showed that much. CEO Choi, who had sat in a chair in front of the tea table, waited briefly for Muyoung to sit across from him.
“…Work is, no. I guess I was startled because the bell suddenly rang.”
“Anyway, it needs to be resolved quickly so we can get out of here. Muyoung, are you sleeping well? Your complexion really isn’t right.”
Muyoung, who shook his head while sitting down, smiled at CEO Choi with effort, hiding his anxiety. Though he must have already noticed even if he acted fine, he didn’t want to cause more serious worry. Above all, he knew that the desire to quickly resolve this situation was the same for CEO Choi as much as for Muyoung.
“I’m fine. I’m just staying here… You and Section Manager are the ones having a hard time.”
“Well, we… that’s the kind of work we do going around. But Muyoung…”
CEO Choi, unable to hide his troubled air, looked at Muyoung for a moment then continued.
“No more articles are coming out, but public opinion is too bad. We tried to somehow put out a rebuttal article, but CEO Han’s side asked us to wait…”
“What do you mean by bad…”
“Well…”
CEO Choi’s words, which had been muttering hesitantly into his mouth, were too small to understand. When Muyoung tilted his head at the words he couldn’t hear well and tried to bring his face closer to CEO Choi, he waved his hands to stop him.
“It’s better you don’t know the details. Because the stories people were arbitrarily talking about on the day the article broke are going around just like they’re facts.”
“Are you talking about people saying I’m pregnant or… sponsored?”
“…That’s right.”
CEO Choi, who frowned as if he didn’t even want to put it in his mouth in front of Muyoung, let out a deep sigh.
It was at most one photo.
He knew well how the traits of being alpha or omega appeared to people. But Muyoung was known as a beta and had never caused a big commotion. Rather, he had a good reputation in the industry, so the quality of advertisements and works coming in compared to his years was getting better and better. After this drama ended, places that wanted to work together were also continuing, so he’d been thinking of just focusing on activities once Muyoung’s health improved a bit. That had definitely been the case until he knew the fact that Muyoung was entangled with Dowon.
But now that tabloids about the two had secretly circulated then disappeared and they were really even meeting now, CEO Choi thought Muyoung’s career was a waste. Though he’d thought there would be a crisis or two for Muyoung working as an actor, it wasn’t in this way.
Still, CEO Choi believed that given Muyoung’s personality, he was far from things like sponsorship as others were freely chewing on. The public who could fantasize this much with a photo of them coming out of a hospital together was much more disgusting.
“CEO, has anything happened to you?”
“Huh? Why me, I’m fine. I’m just busy, kid.”
It wasn’t that CEO Choi had no impact from Muyoung’s article. Actually, just now he’d stopped by the office and was on his way after having it out with a reporter asking if he’d used Muyoung for entertainment. He naturally knew how the talk was going around behind. But he didn’t want to get worked up about something that wasn’t true, so he’d left it alone, and now he was being treated like trash who went around doing business using Muyoung. However, he couldn’t tell all this to the anxious kid.
“Is there anything else uncomfortable? Isn’t it too cramped and stuffy here?”
“…Have you eaten?”
“What time is it, I ate lunch early too. What about you? You’re eating meals well, right?”
Muyoung, who had been looking at CEO Choi while nodding, smiled with effort. He vaguely knew the fact that his current state wasn’t very good. He also knew well that this situation he was barely enduring couldn’t continue. Though CEO Choi and Section Manager Kim were telling him not to look at this and that and just rest well, as long as it was his own matter, he couldn’t not check such public opinion. The reason he could be less affected by words that weren’t true was thanks to Dowon and the two of them.
“The room service here is good. I’m eating well and resting well, so you don’t need to worry.”
“You need to get better quickly. I don’t know why people are so interested in others’ business. Though this industry is all like that, this time is a bit excessive…”
Perhaps words he’d been holding back slipped out carelessly, as CEO Choi glanced at Muyoung after muttering. Muyoung also quietly nodded, not much different from CEO Choi’s feelings.
“Don’t worry too much. No matter what, you won’t collapse from this incident.”
“The advertisers… haven’t said anything yet?”
“…Well, those who turned their backs because of this, we just won’t contract with them later. That’s about it. How can they make such a fuss just over coming out of a hospital?”
CEO Choi’s grumbling tone sounded quite playful, but neither of them could laugh refreshingly. Breaking the silence that had continued for a while, Muyoung spoke first.
“…What I mentioned before.”
“Hm? What, which one?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if I revealed that I didn’t deliberately hide being an omega?”
“…Muyoung, that’s.”
“If we just stay still like this, speculation will only grow. I was thinking it might be okay to wrap it up as CEO Han being an acquaintance.”
“…”
Muyoung’s face as he slowly stated his thoughts was resolute. CEO Choi wasn’t unaware of Muyoung’s feelings saying this much. It was also an opinion he’d been asserting since the article first broke. CEO Choi also thought this upright belief of Muyoung’s—that the truth would solve things—wasn’t bad.
But did things in the world all flow as one thought?
Even just the article that had broken now was like that. Muyoung had only received Dowon’s kindness, and that wasn’t a bad thing no matter what kind of relationship the two had.
However, the media that took photos and burst it out in an instant didn’t think that way. Public opinion was the same. Because Muyoung was an actor, because Dowon was a chaebol, because they were trait-bearers, because he didn’t reveal his trait, because the agency was a small and powerless medium-sized agency. There were many factors that could speculate on this situation in each article, and those various speculations gathered to become reasons to criticize Muyoung and Muyoung’s surroundings.
“I understand your feelings well too, but if you reveal it like that, you’ll naturally have to rest for a while. Whether that’ll be one year or two years will depend on public opinion. If that happens, a situation even harder than your debut might come.”
“…Honestly, as long as this current situation calms down after saying everything, starting fresh isn’t a problem.”
“How do you know when that time will be? Of course it’ll be hard on your personality to just stay quiet now. Do you think I don’t know? But things being vaguely forgotten and passing over versus you making a statement and it becoming completely established fact are very different directions. I’m not saying to think pessimistically… I’m saying let’s not make a choice that will tear down even what you’ve done until now.”
“…Will it be to that extent?”
“You know too. What kind of differences arise for actors with traits versus actors without. Even if you say you didn’t deliberately hide your trait, will there be many people who think from your perspective that innocently? Even if treatment in the industry becomes different, we can’t prevent that.”
Muyoung also knew the points CEO Choi was making. In reality, casting also changed depending on the presence or absence of traits. The reason that choice couldn’t simply be called bad was not only the prejudice prevalent in public opinion but also because the matters requiring attention on set actually increased and there was pressure from production companies and investors. The reasons were different each time.
