An Innocent Criminal [Chanyeol X Reader]

5

After reaching home safely, Jieun found herself surrounded by a swarm of media reporters. They bombarded her with countless questions, repeatedly asking the same things. However, this time, she responded with a different answer from before. "I'm sorry, but he is innocent. He didn't drug me," she uttered, devoid of any emotion.

~

A notification appeared on Jieun's phone, indicating a text message from Minjae. It simply read, "Meet me tomorrow at 8." She let out a sigh and wondered why he would have messaged her. Then, it dawned on her that it might be related to her recent statement.

Jieun berated herself for her foolishness. She had changed her stance so easily, and now everyone must think she's lying and incredibly unintelligent. It was even more regrettable since she worked as a journalist. But as a journalist, she felt a responsibility to uphold the truth, or else she would carry a heavy burden of guilt concerning Chanyeol.

Honestly, she wished she could just run away. She didn't know what to do anymore. However, she couldn't bring herself to flee because, in her mind, a journalist should never shy away from the truth. They should confront it head-on, regardless of the circumstances. 'But how did I end up in this predicament? What did I even do?' Jieun pondered, feeling trapped and bewildered.

Nightfall arrived, and Jieun involuntarily yawned, a signal reminding her that she needed some rest. Taking a break and finding solace in relaxation seemed like a good way to escape the chaos of the world, didn't it?

The following day, Jieun went to meet Minjae as instructed. Upon arrival, she noticed him standing there, arms crossed, wearing a smirk that silently conveyed the message, 'You're in trouble now.'

"So, Ms. Bae Jieun, you thought you could run away and reveal the truth to everyone?" he asked, circling around her. Jieun locked eyes with him momentarily before shifting her gaze to an empty space.

"You know, I'm a journalist, and journalists don't run away from the truth," she stated confidently. "He may be good or he may be bad." Slowly, she moved forward, approaching Minjae, and stared directly into his eyes.

"But one thing is certain, Mr. Minjae, you are the one who is truly bad. You don't deserve this position," she said, taking a step back.

Minjae scoffed at her words and stepped closer, closing the gap between them. "I thought you were a smart journalist," he chuckled, amused by his own remark. Gradually, he leaned in towards her ear, causing Jieun to flinch.

"Think carefully before you speak. You know where you are, don't you?" he whispered ominously.