Big Life

Chapter 219. Laugh, Why Don’t You (7)

[Exclusive Scoop! Celebrity Chae Bo-Ra caught at a swimming pool of a certain hotel in Fukuoka. She's with a man! Who is he?]

[Photo 1, A man affectionately holding Chae Bo-Ra’s hands as she does backstrokes.]

[Photo 2, Both of them were holding hands while lying next to each other on the sunbeds.]

[Photo 3, The couple was seen returning to the hotel after their swimming session.]

[The man in his forties caught in photos with Chae Bo-Ra was identified as Mr. Lee, the CEO of a famous drama production company in Korea.]

“Wait, what’s this?” Woo Tae-Bong’s jaws dropped as he read the news article on his phone. He was currently at the filming site of Storm and Gale, with actor Park Do-Joon sitting next to him, taking a rest after a long scene.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“You should read this yourself.” Woo Tae-Bong showed Park Do-Joon his screen.

Park Do-Joon laid his nonchalant gaze on the screen at first, but his eyes soon grew wide in shock at the content he was reading and snatched Woo Tae-Bong’s phone from his hand.

“Bo-Ra...?”

“Her secret was revealed eventually. Hey, Do-Joon. They don’t seem to be in a normal relationship.”

Park Do-Joon scrolled down the article and checked out each photo attached with it in detail. Woo Tae-Bong wasn't lying; the man and Chae Bo-Ra in the photo were both either holding hands or linking arms together.

There was no way this could be called a business-only relationship.

“Who is this man?”

“It’s not certain, but I think it’s Lee Dong-Myeong.”

“Lee Dong-Myeong? The CEO of Dongmyeong Networks?”

“Yeah, you met the man a few times, right? Can you not feel it even with that mosaic on the photo?”

“Is he her sponsor?”

“Probably.” The surprise on Woo Tae-Bong’s face lingered. “I’m curious how she’ll overcome this crisis. The photos are concrete proof. Bo-Ra is usually quite the sly fox, but with these photos, it’ll be tough for her to wriggle out of this so easily.”

“...This is astounding, really. She’s just twenty-one.” Park Do-Joon clicked his tongue in amazement.

Chae Bo-Ra’s name and the incident had already dominated the real-time search rankings, and the photos had gone viral on social media as well. The majority of the comments were criticizing Chae Bo-Ra more than they were protecting her.

“You’d better be careful from now on, Do-Joon,” Woo Tae-Bong said as he patted Park Do-Joon’s shoulder. “Don’t go near this mess, and don’t provoke her either. You won’t know what she’ll do if you start forcing her into a corner. You get me, right?”

“Don't worry.” Park Do-Joon returned Woo Tae-Bong his phone and stood up. “What's there for me to do when she's eventually going to self-destruct?”

Park Do-Joon’s break had just ended as well, as an announcement rang through the loudspeaker, announcing the resumption of the filming.

Park Do-Joon smirked as he headed back to the scene, curious about what kind of expression Bo-Ra had on her face now.

***

“Yes, sir. I-I am on my way to the airport now....” Sitting in the backseat of the cab was Chae Bo-Ra was as pallid as a ghost. She sounded obedient, different from her usual haughty tone of voice. She felt intimidated by the ongoing situation.

— Are you crazy?

The department head roared into the phone. Things would have been different if the other party were Director Cho Cheol-Won from See&Good. Unfortunately, she had kept her personal relationship with Lee Dong-Myeong from Dongmyeong Networks under wraps from the company.

— Celebrities should use TV shows to raise their own profiles and not through such scandals!

“I’m really sorry...! I... I have nothing...! Sobbb...!” Chae Bo-Ra whimpered and began sobbing. The Japanese driver sneaked glances at Chae Bo-Ra through the rearview mirror.

— When did this start? When did you start seeing Lee Dong-Myeong?

“It hasn’t been long.... Really.”

— You’re really crazy. Stay put at the airport.

The department head hung up the call even before Chae Bo-Ra could reply. She gripped her phone tightly, with her head dropped. She was clenching her jaws so tightly that her teeth were almost on the verge of breaking. It was the first time she had met such a shocking crisis throughout her career as a celebrity.

‘Hyun Sung-Beom from Weekly Trends...?’ Her teeth chattered in anger at the murderous intent toward the unfamiliar reporter. Her tears of anger flowed incessantly down her cheeks. She had made a mistake lowering her guard, thinking that they were staying at a remote hotel in Fukuoka.

She should have paid more attention to their surroundings, and she should have met him secretly in the hotel rather than outside. Bo-Ra shuddered with regret and leaned her head over and back.

Bzzt!

“Ah!” Chae Bo-Ra dropped her phone from the sudden vibration of her phone. The lit screen showed the name Cho Cheol-Won. Chae Bo-Ra picked up her phone with trembling hands and pressed the answer button after much hesitation.

“Y-yes... Director.”

— Is it true?

“Pardon? W-what...?”

— Don’t act like a fool before me. There’s no way you haven’t seen the news yet. That’s Lee Dong-Myeong, right? You told me you’re off on a healing vacation, but you actually went there to meet Lee Dong-Myeong?

Director Cho’s voice sounded more icy cold than ever. It was the first time Chae Bo-Ra had ever heard such coldness in his voice.

Chae Bo-Ra placed a hand on her seemingly about-to-explode heart and began making excuses for herself. “It’s a misunderstanding, Director. I-it really is a misunderstanding. It’s not the truth.”

— Why don’t you tell me the truth? Be prepared to face the consequences if you can't make me understand what's going on.

“I-it was a coincidental meeting. I didn’t know we were staying in the same hotel. I’ve only met him a few times at the office....” Chae Bo-Ra swallowed a few times as her throat grew parched.

“The photo was taken at a weird angle, Director. I’ll admit that I was playful, but I am bad at swimming, so he somehow held my hand at that time.”

— Somehow held your hand? And you guys held hands, too, while lying side by side on the sunbed? Then why did you guys link arms?

“The photo was taken weirdly! My bracelet dropped on the floor when we were on the sunbed, and the photo was taken when our hands overlapped. As... for us linking arms, CEO Lee offered to buy me a gift, saying that it was fate for us to meet outside of Korea...! That photo was taken just when I was pulling apart...!”

— Are you asking me to believe that?

“Please believe me, Director. I feel really wronged and scared. I’ll crumble if you do this to me as well. Please, please... Sobbb...!” Chae Bo-Ra sobbed uncontrollably as her tears flowed. Her trivial acting skills proved to be quite useful in situations like this.

Director Cho resigned and chose to accept her words as the truth and let out a sigh.

— Are... you sure?

A grim question followed.

Bo-Ra stifled her tears and replied, “Yes, Director. You know me.”

Chae Bo-Ra was drawing out her dramatic acting skills that had not been shown in any of her works. Dealing with Lee Dong-Myeong was a problem for later. She had received a lot from Director Cho until now, and if she didn’t want to lose everything, she had to reassure Director Cho first before anything else.

— I seem to have made my judgment too hastily.

After a few moments, Director Cho’s voice became gentle.

— Even so, you’re not a kid anymore, must you behave like that? You’re a celebrity on top of that.

“I’m sorry, Director. I’m deeply reflecting on myself.”

— All right, let’s talk more when we meet. Be careful on your way back, and call me immediately once you’re back at the apartment.

“Yes, Director. I’ll see you soon.”

Chae Bo-Ra’s sobbing stopped as soon as the call ended. She wiped her teary eyes with tissue and regained her composure in just the blink of an eye.

‘This might be for the better. Talks on the drama from Dongmyeong Network might progress just to cover up this scandal.’

She definitely didn't have any bad thoughts. Twenty-four hours wasn’t enough for her when she was busy occupying her mind with good thoughts. She began to see the outline of the airport in the distance outside the car window.

***

[Chae Bo-Ra’s official statement: The rumors are not true. I will reveal the truth in detail through a press conference soon.]

Chae Bo-Ra’s agency and Dongmyeong Networks immediately made an official statement and published it in an article as soon as Bo-Ra arrived in Korea.

Shortly after her statement was published, the fans who were still on the fence about the issue turned to support Chae Bo-Ra eagerly, who had been steadily building up a positive image through various TV programs.

- Look~ Our angelic Bo-Ra wouldn’t unni won’t do such dirty deeds~ Did the jobless anti-fans get a job today as well?

- Kyaa~ Bo-Ra noona’s swift announcement is great. She’s not guilty of anything, so that’s why she could respond so swiftly. ^^

- Those insidious reporters be taking photos from weird angles just to deceive the public should learn their lesson. Weekly Trends is trash, too.

- It’s wrong as well if someone is too nice.... How can they bear to bother someone who has been having a hard time earlier this year because of assistant writer Won Ji-Yeon? How can Bo-Ra noona meet anyone else if she’s scared of those reporters?

- Yeah;;; Bo-Ra unni might just get anthropophobia if this goes on t.t Cheer up, unni. There are many fans who trust and support you!

“Just one official statement, and the responses are...!” Hyun Sung-Beom’s teeth chattered as he read the comments left on social media.

His senior, Cha Hyung-Jin, downed the last glass of soju and scoffed, “Well, her image on TV is obviously that of an angel to everyone else.”

“But still, Senior. How can the reactions be this way when such photos are shown? How can you accidentally hold hands? And they’re meeting for the first time? Wow, seeing how she’s coming up with excuses makes me think that she can even tie shoelaces with her tongue now.” Hyun Sung-Beom then lamented about how he couldn’t take more photos at the hotel.

Had he taken a photo of them entering a hotel room, Chae Bo-Ra’s excuse might not have worked now.

“Just stop here already.” Cha Hyung-Jin stirred the bottom of his bowl of rice soup and added, “Dongmyeong Networks, ICU, and See&Good all contacted us. The chief isn’t going to pursue this any further, so don’t push it any further as well. Consider yourself real lucky, punk.”

“...”

“He said to lay low for a while, and I even got scolded because of you. Why did you not appear in the office?”

“I'm going to get scolded if I were to go there, so why should I?”

“You’re such a glib talker... You’d better pay for this meal, punk.”

Bzzt!

Hyun Sung-Beom was about to stand up when his phone rang. He checked the name on the caller ID and answered it immediately, "Mr. Tae-Bong?”

— Hello, Reporter Hyun. How have you been?

“Of course, I’m doing well.”

— It must be chaotic at your office.

“Well, not really. I’ve prepared myself to a certain extent as well.”

As he grew closer to Ha Jae-Gun, Hyun Sung-Beom had also gotten to know his close friend Park Do-Joon. Of course, he naturally got into contact with his manager, Woo Tae-Bong.

— I’ve just sent you an email.

Woo Tae-Bong’s serious voice traveled over the line. Standing at the cashier counter, Hyun Sung-Beom wedged his phone between his ear and shoulder and pulled out his wallet while asking, “An email?”

— I’ll leave it to you to decide how you’ll want to use its content. But I hope you won’t ask about its source.

“Mm, I see.... I understand.” Hyun Sung-Beom didn't probe any further, as he could just make a decision after verifying the contents of the email.

The call soon ended, and Cha Hyung-Jin finally asked, “Who was that?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Are you hiding things from me now?”

“I’m afraid that you’ll be put in a tight spot later, that’s why. You don’t have to feel frustrated.” Hyun Sung-Beom excused himself to use the washroom and accessed his email there. Indeed, a new email had entered his inbox with an attachment.

‘What did he send?’

Hyun Sung-Beom opened the email with curiosity. There were roughly ten photos attached to the email, and all ten of them were laid with the autumn scenery as their background.

“...!”

Hyun Sung-Beom’s mouth slowly dropped to the floor as he checked out each photo.

***

“Writer Ha, do you still remember me? It's been a while.”

“Hello. It’s nice to see you again ever since the gathering at Star Books. How has your writing been going recently?”

The vast wedding hall of Kang Min-Ho and Jang Eun-Young’s wedding was bustling with guests. As it was the wedding of two writers, most invited guests were writers as well, and most of them had gathered around Ha Jae-Gun.

“Is the issue with Haetae Media true? Did you really step up?”

“I felt so relieved. A senior at my office had also signed with them and said that they received their royalties recently as well. They’ve been raving about wanting to treat Writer Ha to a meal.”

“It’s really amazing to see you here, Writer Ha. You’re not just a writer but a celebrity now as well. I Live Alone was really entertaining. Han Yu-Na was so cute...”

“I heard that there’s an after-party today, is it true? Today’s a happy day, so you’re going to stay until the end, right? You’re not allowed to run off early again.”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled shyly and nodded to them. Today was both Kang Min-Ho and Kang Eun-Young’s wedding, and they were the main stars of the day, so the attention they were giving him was quite burdensome.

“I’ll see all of you later after the wedding.” Ha Jae-Gun managed to escape from the group of writers. As he took a breather, he met Yang Hyun-Kyung standing blankly at the sink in the washroom.

“What are you doing standing here?”

“Ah, Jae-Gun hyung. The live broadcast of Chae Bo-Ra’s press conference just started. I’m very curious to hear what she has to say.”

“Why are you watching that when you’re at a wedding? Let’s go now. The wedding’s going to start soon.” Ha Jae-Gun grabbed Yang Hyun-Kyung by his shoulders and turned him toward the entrance. He had zero interest in Chae Bo-Ra. Instead of a thoughtless celebrity, he was much more interested in the wedding of the two writers he cherished.

“Hmm, I’ll watch the video after that then.” Hyun-Kyung suppressed his curiosity and dropped his phone.

The hand of a reporter shot up just before Yang Hyun-Kyung was about to turn it off.

The camera zoomed in on the reporter’s name tag—Weekly Trends Reporter Hyun.