Son Yejin POV
I studied the copy of Choi Youngjae's scanned birth certificate, on my computer screen. Nothing was suspicious. Choi Youngjae, the first son of Choi Jaewook, and Oh Hyewon born in 1989. Went to military school and joined the navy for a year before signing up to President Security Service in the era of President Hyun, and became President Hyun's most trusted personal bodyguard before being assigned to Hyun Bin when he started to involved in messy troubles, and last, being assigned to me for a week before he resigned a day before my wedding day.
I knew Youngjae was that impressive, but I didn't know that President Hyun chose a new and unexperienced young agent to stay by his side, along with other agents who were periodically being rotated.
Using my employee access, I looked up for Choi Jaewook. Long before National Assembly, he was a stock trader in Saxo Bank. His political career began twenty years ago, and no documented cases. A politician with a clean record. Married to Oh Hyewon, then after his wife's death, he married a former National Assembly administrative staff, who may lead him to a political career.
Oh Hyewon, was a former stock trader in Saxo Bank, until her death. Written that she was sick and depressed after giving birth in 1991. Not much to dig, just some photographs of her with Choi Jaewook and baby Choi Youngjae. No more photographs, so maybe she had a miscarriage or other horrible experience that so upsetting that she fell sick and depressed.
Mr. Park stated his worry about Hyun Bin. Choi Youngjae stated that I didn't know who was the Hyun. While I had my privacy and access, I looked up for the Hyuns one by one, even though I have read their files at the beginning of my career in Blue House.
President Hyun, born Hyun Woosung. A businessman, gained his fortune through stock trading. His fund placement was mainly in South Korean stocks through Saxo Bank as the brokerage firm. His political career was started gaining attention when he was elected as the Seoul mayor and slowly climbed up to higher political positions. Before winning the presidential election, he was the former South Korean ambassador in England for almost ten years. Maybe that's why Hyun Bin finished his formal school there and even called London as his hometown.
Married to Lee Mina, or I called her as Mrs. President, in 1987. Lee Mina was a former winner of beauty pageant Miss Korea and has invested most of her time in social philanthropy events. She has special attention to kids' orphanages, kids refugees, and everything that related to helping misfortune kids.
Hyun Bin, their only son, went to South Korean private schools before moved to London with his parents and finished his formal school and went to college there. Bin's countless case records were the exact opposite of Youngjae's cleaned one.
I didn't know what to dig here. Everything seemed normal. The Chois, the Hyun. I called Park Heesoo for more clues.
"Mr. Park, I've been reading the Chois and Hyuns files, but what am I looking into? I've started with Youngjae's birth certificate anyway."
"Son Yejin, I'm on my way out of the country. I got a threat and it's best for me to lay low for a while. Once I was safe I will reach out for you."
"What? Mr. Park, why don't you ask the PSS agents to guard you? I'm going to ask President Hyun now, I'm out of my study now, Sir, where are you?"
"Don't. Don't tell them anyway. The threat is from inside the Blue House. This call may be bugged as well. I'll reach out to you. Keep all your correspondence channels on."
"I will. Sir, what am I looking to at these files?"
"One of the birth certificates is fake. Bin and Youngjae are blood-related. Youngjae possibly has found out but I'm not sure about Bin. I can't really read him, and I'm not sure what chaos is about to come. It might be related to this, it might be not. Your husband's problem with the ex-staff who made a confession of sexual harassment isn't over yet."
"Mr. Park, am I in danger too?"
"You and I knew too much about these powerful families. Hyuns are inside the Blue House and Chois are outside. We're sitting duck there. I believe that you're safe, stay around your guard Choonja, and I am sure Youngjae is keeping his eyes on you from afar."
"Who to trust now, Sir?"
"Only if you think that Bin was sincere, then along with Choonja, he's the one to be trusted inside."
That day was a train wreck. Hours after my former boss was disappeared, I was being hit by more photos of Bin and his past. Him on a date, him kissing other girls, and all of those were provocatives. Compared with the one I saw between him and the latest case Hong Buyong, these were not that steamy, but way harder to swallow.
Who can relate to this feeling? Your husband that you loved so much, in frames with other women, all former staff, were claiming to be harassed sexually by him. These women didn't file the cases to the police yet but roaring on the prime time TV shows with these embarrassing pictures.
What were their goals anyway? Why didn't they just sue Bin if they want him to rot in jail, but why now, not years ago? If this meant for President Hyun, he almost failed to join the election anyway, and still, someone may sponsor these women.
I didn't even have the gut to pick up the calls from my parents and friends. I wasn't ready yet, but soon I have to. I knew I have to play my part, being the good wife to defense my husband.
I felt like I was alone now. I just had a meeting with Bin, Mrs. President, and the crisis team. She was furious over Park Heesoo not coming to the meeting and I acted like I was as clueless as her. I asked the crisis team to track where was Hong Buyong because I wanted to talk to her in person before releasing a statement to respond to the latest scandals.
Surprisingly, Hong Buyong was willing to come to Blue House and I met her in a meeting room by my former office.
She was around my age, pretty attractive, and didn't look like a desperate one.
"Miss Hong, thank you for coming here this soon."
"No problem, Mrs. Hyun. If this will make Bin rot in jail then why not. You are his wife, you deserve to know this."
"Pardon me, Miss Hong, rot in jail? If you think that he would be rotting in jail for consensual intercourse then why don't you report him to the police instead of national TV shows? Is that because it was really consensual one so the police won't even process it in the first place?"
"I was forced by Bin, or I would lose my job here."
"Address him as Mr. Hyun. I'm having a hard time processing your statements, Miss Hong. We all know who is my husband, to force someone for sex is very unlikely for him. If it was you who lured and offered yourself, that would be undoubtful. What's your motive, Miss Hong, and who gave you those pictures?"
"I care as a woman to woman. I heard him got married and I think his wife has to know who her husband is."
"That is the most ridiculous answer I ever heard! The world was barely ever heard about you before this. Now everyone knows. If you cared about his wife then you will reach out to me directly, not through national TV! Have you even saw yourself in those pictures? You were so proud of telling the world about your short time session with my husband. Would it escalate your bid price? How much were you being paid for opening your legs?"
I was hurt and angry.
A crisis staff took over the meeting and brought me outside, and then another one promised me to continue digging her motive and reveal who was her sponsor.
"Sorry guys. This isn't the usual me, you know that. I am so upset, and this is clouding my mind."
"It's okay Yejin, we understand. We know it's hard to maintain the calmness when it comes to the loved ones. Don't you realize that deep you have fallen for President Hyun's son?"
Bin picked me from the staff office and brought me into the study, apparently, he noticed my uneasiness caused by the absence of Park Heesoo and the scandals themselves.
"I am so sorry, Yejin, so sorry..."
"It's okay. They were just past, weren't they?"
"They were, and all consensual. I never force someone to."
"I know, I know you don't have to. You can't be that desperate. It's just shocking that you didn't only do the high profile women but these staff too. How many women, ever did that with you? I lost counts, Bin."
"I..I am so sorry. I'm not proud of my past. I wish my records were as clean as blank white paper when I met you."
"To face the public is easier for me, but to make peace with my own self and accept that those were just past, is no joke. How many times more do I have to spend my day in agony, waiting for another surprise from your past lovers?"
"I wish this would be the last time. Tell me how to make it up to you, baby?"
"I'd ask for a gift. A very expensive one."
"What is it? Tell me. Nothing is too expensive for my precious one."
"Your honesty. I can't get it from cheap people. I have faith that behind all the flaws that the world is so eagerly showing to, you are a rich soul. Just like your bedroom rules, but apply this anywhere with me. Always be honest with me. Anything. Good or bad, there must be a way to compromise it."
"Yes, baby. I promise you, even until I have nothing left for you, you will always have my honesty."
"Did you always use protection? I will always stand strong for this as long as no one claimed to be impregnated by you."
"I did. I always. No worries about that."
I was aware that in every sex I had with him, he was bare in me. We didn't use any protection or birth control. I was aware of the risk of getting pregnant but I know that if one day I were pregnant, I would be very happy because it would be his child.
"We'll be on air in an hour. Are you okay, Yejin?"
"I'm good. I'll prepare my statement."
He kissed my temple and pulled me closer. "Thank you for being there with me during this hard time, baby. I love you so much. This has made me realize how stupid I was for wasting my time doing things I thought were fun, and how lucky I am to have you as my wife."
"I love you too, Bin. Just don't do it again with another woman. Take care of my feelings. You have me now. But don't expect loyalty if you can't provide honesty."
The press conference went almost like the last time about the Hong Buyong case, but this time Mrs. President just agreed with whatever I suggested. Hyun Bin and I presented together and I answered most of the questions. We denied the being forced issue and highlighted the consensual part.
"Of course I am disappointed, who wouldn't? But I trust my husband and I love him. I have accepted both good things from him and his past as well. This is just another test for our bond as husband and wife."
Bin was looking at me every time I spoke. Once in awhile I glanced back and squeezed his hand. I closed our press conference question and answer session with one of my favorite quotes.
"We get on with living and loving. We don't have forever."