III
2017 March
Standing by the huge glass wall, a man in blue striped white suit is waiting for his talent, Lee Je Hoon. He didn't have to wait long as Je Hoon was around the area when he called him to his office. When Je Hoon went in, he asked him to sit on the small meeting area as he himself settled down on his seat.
"I have a proposal to you. This is going to be burden but this would benefit you in the long run," he tells him.
Just by hearing it; Je Hoon already knew this is going to be a ridiculous proposal.
"Entertainment news will release an article of you dating; and in few days' time we'll confirm it," it's ridiculous indeed.
He has heard of situations like this, but it's his first time encountering one. "Can I ask what is it this time?" He plainly asks.
"What?"
"At least I should know if it deserves to be covered up."
"Je Hoon-ah, I honestly don't know. The only thing I know is I owe them one and they'll probably use this against me and my artists; and that includes you. Please?"
After thinking much he decided to agree; he just has to fake relationship with his co-star, Shin Hye Sun and in few months they'll announce breakup due to busy schedules; he doesn't even have to meet her outside of work.
Among all the artist under the same agency, his project is the best well-received by the audience; thus he felt he's the best option.
The next day in Daegu, it's Chaewon's fifth day of her "a week with family in hometown" vacation. She was chewing her snacks while reading the script of a drama she's been offered, "Water God and his Bride."
She had her phone on vibrate so she could focus on reviewing the script. On the middle of reviewing her phone started vibrating; it took the phone to vibrate thrice before she decided to check it. There were three messages from two people; Hyo Joo and Yeon Seok.
'Are you busy? I'm around your area we should have dinner together.' A message from Yoo Yeon Seok says. She chooses to read the other message before she'll make him a reply.
'Big news!'
'Check naver when you're at home; if you're out and driving, then don't. Okay?' says Hyo Joo's messages and while reading her messages another one came.
'I'll call you when I'm off. Love you.'
Her heart starts beating faster each second. She knows something is not right. She forced to bring herself to open Naver app though her hands are subtly shaking. There, Lee Je Hoon is in the top trending. For a while she hesitated, taking a deep breath she hovered her thumb atop his name, hesitantly she tapped it.
"Tomorrow For Us leads; Lee Je Hoon and Shin Hye Sun rumored to be dating."
Her mouth slightly dropped open. She imagined this day would come; she knew this day would eventually come, the day when he'll start dating again.
She tried to go back to her reading but couldn't focus anymore. She went out to get some fresh air when she felt her phone vibrating again from her pocket; she brought it out and checked. It's a call from her friend, she picked it up.
"Hmm"
"I love you," Hyo Joo said first.
"Me too, Hyo Joo-a, thank you; but I already know it's bound to happen. I'm okay, you don't have to worry."
"Chaewon, you know you don't have to always be okay with me right?"
Their talk was short but comforting. The rest of the day, she tires herself out. She knows she can't fall asleep fast if she won't and instead she'll spend all night being bothered.
"Chaewon-ah"
Soul left from her body for a second, "Oppa!"
Her brother took a step closer, "What are you doing?"
Chaewon stood tall, extends her neck upwards "why?", she said.
"You've been cleaning the whole afternoon, are you planning to quit acting and start being a cleaning lady?" He slides his fingers on top of the coffee table, and nods his head "passed." Chaewon crosses her arms as she let him finish what he wants to say.
"Do my room next, will you?"
"Do it yourself, will you?"
2020
"Should I tell them the truth? Maybe it's time," Hye Sun suggested.
Eyes wide open; the CEO was furious yet able to keep his calm. "That's not an option; we'll get the blow even more."
Hye Sun is aware of that but she's suggesting it to Je Hoon more than anyone else. She's asking for Je Hoon's opinion but he remained silent not knowing what right to do in this situation; what should be done that won't cause more damage to anyone especially Chaewon.
On the other hand, Chaewon's agency Live Entertainment released a statement regarding the issue;
"Moon Chae Won's agency, Live Entertainment denies third party rumors; says Moon Chae Won was with husband Yoo Yeon Seok when the photos were taken."
Live Entertainment, after discussing the issue with their artist Moon Chae Won, denies the third party rumors involving their artist.
They said Moon Chae Won was with Yoo Yeon Seok that time the photos were taken; "They were still secretly dating at that time and met with their ex Architecture: Chapter One co-star Lee Je Hoon to personally invite him to their upcoming wedding," said Live Entertainment's CEO.
Lee Je Hoon's manager upon reading the statement given by the other party hurriedly excuses himself in the CEO's office to deliver the news.
"Please excuse me, Live Entertainment just released a statement regarding the issue," he went forward to where the CEO is sitting and showed him his phone for the CEO to read while Shin Hye Sun and Lee Je Hoon quickly opens their phones to read the news as well.
"Is it true?" the CEO asked.
2019 March
"I'm going to release a statement for our divorce whether you like it or not," Lee Je Hoon says firmly yet in calm manner.
Shin Hye Sun smirks, "You won't."
"Why not?" Je Hoon asked furrowing his brows.
"If you do I'll say it's because you're cheating with her."
"Her?"
"Moon Chae Won. Do you think I don't know?" she raised her eyebrow at him. She accidentally found out about Chaewon when they were moving after their marriage. She went to check on his room and found a wallet sized photo of them together in one of his boxes. Je Hoon was on the middle of arranging his things back then. Hye Sun was silent about it until today.
Je Hoon can't believe what he just heard from her mouth. How can she be like this? It's only been five months since their marriage news, it's still fresh for two individuals who got married because of love but for Je Hoon it felt like years already and he can't wait for the time they'll announce their divorce.
"What is it that you want? Why are you suddenly holding on to this staged marriage?" he asked honestly oblivious of why she's being petty when she's not this type of a person before.
"You, you made me want you." she admits without second thought.
Je Hoon was taken aback. What? Did he hear it right? She suddenly wants him? He couldn't say a word of response; it's just all so sudden.
"And you know how much I work hard to get what I want," she adds.
Je Hoon don't know what to say, he just want to leave this place at the moment. He went out without a word and Hye Sun didn't bother asking him where he'll go nor ask him to stay.
He's not sure where his feet brought him, when his head is a little clearer he lifts his head and examined the area he's currently at. It turned out he's been walking for over half an hour already. He decided to go to a nearby coffee shop that he knows when he accidentally ran across the person he's been thinking of, Moon Chae Won.
"Je Hoon," Chaewon formally utters his name as if they barely know each other; which they basically are for years now.
"Chae Won," he says her name like he longed to say it for the longest time.
Both can't believe their eyes. After five long years they met face to face for the first time. Everything else went silent; the sound of the leaves dancing in the wind suddenly stopped, the wind chime from the next store didn't produce a sound when a customer went out and not even the loud sound of the motorbike that passed them resonated in their ears.
It's too silent that Je Hoon feared she'll hear the sound of his heart beating twice harder. It too silent that she could hear her own heart skipping beats.
"Chaewon! Let's go?" a lady a bit older than her went out from a convenient store twenty steps away from them and called out her name. She was pulled back from that new yet familiar world she just shared with him for quite a moment.
She excuses herself "I have to go," she stepped forward towards her waiting friend and now she's standing next to him. Meanwhile, a passerby spotted them standing side by side; he could recognize its Chaewon soon as his eyes laid on her.
Chaewon was wearing plain white shirt; faded fit jeans; black leather mules and her hair falls down just below her shoulders with just a cap for her disguise. She's few feet away from him facing his direction and standing beside the guy in black hoodie; black cap; acid blue jeans and white rubbers facing the other direction.
He took out his phone and is ready to capture the moment he knows he could make money off. He took as much photo as he can and soon the man beside her turned to face her and he took more photos giddily. "Jackpot!" he said, the woman who called Chaewon suddenly turned to his direction so he stopped taking photos at once and hid himself, luckily he's at a dark spot and the woman didn't notice him as she shifted her attention back to the two people.
After he got the scoop he flees from the scene and soon contacted Dispatch to sell the photos he has taken.
2020
Outside the CEO's office; on their way out of the entertainment's premises, Hye Sun walked side by side Je Hoon with his manager walking ahead and her manager walking behind.
"I'm sorry," she starts speaking and broke the silence between them.
"It's not your fault," he replies without breaking his gaze ahead of them.
There were few staffs along their way who's clearly gossiping about them; they could tell but both couldn't care less.
"I should've let you announce divorcement that night," she continues "I was selfish."
Je Hoon stopped and so she did. Their managers gave them the space they need "Je Hoon, I'll be in the car," his manager says; and Hye Sun's manager told her the same.
"If I just let you go then, you would've got your chance with her," she continues lowering her head apologetically.
"No. Even if you didn't; I should've told her from the start if I wanted to keep her so much. It's my fault," he heaved a deep sigh "I should've done better."
"You can still tell her," she suggested.
Je Hoon pitifully scoffs, "What for? It won't matter anymore."
"I'm sorry," she says not because she felt it's her fault but because she's sorry that he lost his chance with her.
* * *
Chaewon is on her phone with her brother on the other line. After her entertainment discussed with Yoo Yeon Seok's agency, King Entertainment and they acknowledged Yoo Yeon Seok's involvement in the said scandal after talking with Yoo Yeon Seok; they released their statement saying Yoo Yeon Seok was with Moon Chae Won that night.
"Umm, I'm okay. Don't worry. I'm currently with Hyo Joo now."
"That's good, I'll come over tonight." her brother said.
"Okay, I'll see you later." Her family has been checking on her since the scandal came out. She came back on their table after she took the call.
"We've been here for two hours now; don't you have something important to do?" Chaewon asked her friend.
Hyo Joo shakes her head no, "None. I don't have anything to film at the moment but I'll soon be in Japan for a Japanese film." She looks at her friend in the eyes, "Why? Are you sick of being with me now?" she asked pouting.
Chaewon chuckles, "You're ridiculous, stop using that face on me you know I could live with you if only I'm not married." They both laugh at each other knowing she's telling the truth.
The night that day Chaewon's brother came over for a short visit and brought her homemade foods that their parents made for her; while Yeon Seok hasn't come home yet due to busy schedule.
Few hours after her brother left she prepared herself to sleep; lying in their bed as Yeon Seok told her through text that he'll probably be home in the morning and that she shouldn't wait for him and to go to sleep early.
* * *
In a remote area; there's a midnight food truck owned by an old man, there are five tables with three stools each, set up in front of his food truck for the customers to eat or have a drink.
It's not Yeon Seok's first time here, in fact he has visited this food truck few times before when filming location is nearby or when he's having a hard time, he brings his friends here and drinks casually like normal citizens.
It's convenient for him because it's owned by an elder man who doesn't really care much about celebrities and doesn't recognize him. There's also not much customers at midnight and if there are; they don't really pay attention to other customers probably because they're busy with their own lives to care for others or they're there to unwind from their own problems and doesn't care about the people around.
"Why we're here and why are you meeting me at this hour instead of going home to your wife?" a man who accompanied Yeon Seok says. He has dark hair parted from the left side; high nose; and stands a little shorter than him.
Their orders were being served by the older man and he waits until the server's done before he answered, "Ho Joon, what should I do?"
Son Ho Joon, his best friend who's also a celebrity; wrinkles his nose, "Don't tell me your wife, Chaewon, is actually cheating?" he asked dramatically.
"She's not, of course!" he defended raising his voice a little higher dismissing his friend's accusation.
"All right, I get it don't shout."
"I'm not shouting," surely he didn't, he just raised his voice a little higher finding his friends statement ridiculous.
"So why are you acting like this? Your wife is not even cheating on you."
He took his time to answer, contemplating whether to say it or not; to which in the end he did. "Je Hoon and Chae Won were lovers, until six years ago," he said sounding defeated.
Though a bit shocked, Ho Joon found his next words to say "And what? You're sulking because you think she'll go back to him now that he and Hye Sun are divorcing?" he says straight to the point without sugar coating his words; and he's right, it hit Yeon Seok right at the spot.
"Can you blame me?"
"No but you're being dramatic. It's been six years, you said it yourself."
"And we've only been married for months, anything could change easily," he sighed preparing to say his next words "The news that came out this morning..."
"The one involving you," Ho Joon stated.
"I wasn't there," he smiled bitterly. He suggested using him as an excuse and Chaewon did as he told her. He wanted to save Chaewon and that's the safest and best thing he could think of. That night when the rumored scandal broke; after he fetch Chaewon at Live Entertainment, he told her to use him and Chaewon told her agency about it the same night.
Ho Joon remained silent letting him speak what he wants to speak about, "She told me they ran across each other accidentally that night; that they just talked briefly and nothing else happened."
"Don't you trust her?"
That question slaps him to reality, instead of overthinking things; he as her husband should trust her especially on times like this. Because if she's lying, then she won't be married with him now and probably having an affair with Je Hoon like how the rumors says they are.
"Thank you Ho Joon," he smiles, now with worries washed away from his handsome face.
Ho Joon gave his friend a tap and smiled back at him, "You should go now."
With that they bid each other good bye, Yeon Seok hurries to go home while Ho Joon took his time before he too went home.
When he arrived home; Yeon Seok lied down beside his wife and enveloped her in his arms. Chaewon slowly opened her eyes and turned her head slightly to look at him who's hugging her from behind. She couldn't see his face so she turned her body to face him. Her eyes are searching for his but they have him closed.
"Thank you... because I used you the media has finally stepped back," she smiled though he won't see it with his eyes closed, "Not completely though but it's so much better." She snuggles closer in his embrace and he kissed her forehead.
It didn't take long for Chaewon to fall back to sleep, it's two in the morning after all. Just when he could feel her even breathing he whispers, "I'm sorry" he says referring to not trusting her enough.