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“Do you know who it is?”
“Well, there were more than one or two guys I beat up.”
“Read to the end.”
The post on the internet was quite long. The facts aligned with Dojun’s earlier statement, leaving no room for doubt.
[Lee Haejoo was famous in the neighborhood since childhood for being so beautiful. But perhaps because of the abuse from her mother, she was very introverted.]
Dojun’s heart broke as he read the post. Even now, as an adult, the world was still cruel to Haejoo.
[Surprisingly, Lee Haejoo’s mother is her biological mother. Lee Haejoo’s older sister tormented her younger sister just as much.]
People who had been indifferent to the explanations from the agency and Dojun were greatly surprised after reading this post. “So that explanation was true?” they thought. While he felt relieved, he was also disgusted.
[At the time, Lee Haejoo’s older sister said that if I paid money, she would let me date Lee Haejoo. It was very wrong, but I was naive and tempted.]
Even though it was a post rambling about the past, anger surged within him. Dojun’s blood boiled whenever he thought about that time.
[Around that time, Dojun stepped in. It was as if he became Lee Haejoo’s guardian angel. If Lee Haejoo seemed to be in danger, he would appear like a ghost and punish the worthless guys, including me.]
Of course, it didn’t mean Dojun was right for using violence. Nevertheless, the anonymous poster, having matured with age, revealed a mature side.
[I think Dojun is a cool guy as a man. It was only after seeing the official statement Dojun posted that I realized how much he loved Lee Haejoo. His father was also a good adult, far from the loan shark you all imagine him to be.]
Even President Park was mentioned. Dojun read the post, feeling extremely sensitive.
[Once, I secretly gambled away my college tuition money on stocks. In desperation, I borrowed money from Dojun’s father. When I explained the situation, he readily lent me the money and told me to pay it back slowly. I worked odd jobs throughout the vacation to pay him back, and he didn’t charge any interest.]
That’s why President Park couldn’t make money. Just reading the post, Dojun felt suffocated whenever he thought of his father.
[Even though he fought with Dojun and should have disliked me, he treated me kindly.]
In the comments, individuals who claimed to have lived in the same neighborhood at the time appeared one after another to support the claims. Dojun, holding his breath, checked every single comment.
[President Park is a good person. My mom is also very saddened by this whole incident.]
[Haejoo’s mom was truly the worst. I was happy that Haejoo was doing well as an actress, but because of one trash reporter, she’s going through all sorts of things.]
[At the time, I didn’t understand Dojun’s actions, but now I do. He’s a cool guy, as expected.]
The views on this post instantly exceeded 100,000. Then, posts defending Haejoo and Dojun, with people claiming to be witnesses, consecutively appeared. The spread on the internet was instantaneous. Of course, this didn’t solve everything, but it brought some peace of mind.
“What kind of article do you think Choi Inho will release this time?”
“It’ll be difficult for now. There must be countless complaints filed against him.”
“Pressure the police. We can’t have him escaping like this.”
“I’ve already contacted the police through Lawyer Park to request an arrest warrant.”
Hyunseong quietly listened to their conversation. He felt a sense of relief at the clean handling of affairs, unlike Jinhan.
“Hyunseong.”
“Yes?”
He was startled when Dojun called him while he was lost in thought.
“Haejoo wouldn’t have had a hemorrhage just by sitting still.”
“Ah, well...”
Haejoo had asked him not to tell Dojun about her conversation with Jinhan. However, with the current messy situation, it was difficult to keep it hidden.
“Noona wanted to keep it a secret from you, CEO.”
“Why?”
“She said if you, CEO, were told to die in her place, you would actually die.”
“Hmm.”
“Noona decided to hold a press conference tomorrow at 10 AM.”
“Really?”
“There was a disagreement with the Director about that, so they had an argument.”
“An argument?”
Hyunseong relayed what had happened in Jinhan’s office without exaggeration. Dojun’s face changed terrifyingly as he listened.
“He forced Haejoo to say that?”
“The Director had his reasons for doing so.”
“What is it?”
“The Director also collapsed from a headache yesterday and was taken to the hospital.”
“And?”
“I heard from our team leader that Chairman Yoo, the Director’s father, was furious.”
“What?”
“He said that the Director even collapsed because of an actress.”
It was clear that Chairman Yoo was secretly making moves behind the scenes. It was plausible, as he was known to particularly dote on Jinhan among his three sons.
“Haejoo Noona said it would be difficult to deal with if she fell out of favor with the Chairman.”
“Director Yoo Jinhan is truly foolish.”
“What?”
“He doesn’t realize that if he just handles himself well, it’s over. He’s the one escalating things, but he’s shifting the blame elsewhere.”
Chairman Yoo was a difficult person for Dojun to deal with as well. Since his family had been called a prestigious family for generations, in his eyes, Dojun was merely a vulgar person with some money.
“If Chairman Yoo really steps in, Yoo Jinhan will only be admitting his own incompetence.”
“Ah!”
“If he received initial investment, he should have carried it through with his own ability afterward.”
He had ultimately forced his powerful father to intervene. It was an absurd situation by Dojun’s standards, which made him let out a hollow laugh.
“Haejoo Noona absolutely refused to accept the Director’s wishes.”
“So that’s how it was.”
It was a moment for deep thought. He had to consider the greater good, as it could potentially throw the Gino Group into chaos. Of course, within the bounds of what wouldn’t be too hard on Haejoo.
Just then, Dojun’s phone rang. It was Director Kwak.
________________________________________
Choi Inho, who had finally calmed down and returned to his car, couldn’t easily start the engine. Dojun’s gaze, still aimed at him, was vivid in his mind. His hands trembled terribly. And yet, he cursed, annoyed by what he had endured.
“You scumbag, do you think I’ll just take it?”
He rummaged through his camera bag and found some Cheongsimhwan (a Korean traditional medicine for calming the mind), quickly unwrapped and ate it. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and called Seonkyu.
“It’s me. How are things going?”
“The article we published this morning completely backfired.”
“No, why?”
“People who claim to know CEO Park Dojun are posting everywhere.”
“What did you say?”
Choi Inho’s fury erupted. Even with a splitting headache, Seonkyu continued to speak.
“Someone even filed a national petition saying we’re causing chaos with sensational articles.”
“Oh, seriously!”
“In that short time, the number of petitioners has already exceeded 50,000.”
“50,000?”
“At this rate, it’ll probably surpass 200,000 in no time. Our editor-in-chief was just called in by the head of the department.”
The department head wasn’t exactly a loyal person. He was better than anyone at taking what was sweet and spitting out what was bitter, so he was anxious. Still, Choi Inho had achievements at Real Fact, so there was a glimmer of hope remaining.
“The editor-in-chief will shield me, right?”
“There’s also the police summons, and today, Lee Haejoo and CEO Park Dojun’s side filed additional lawsuits.”
“Again?”
“The damages claimed not only against you, sunbaenim, but also against the company, are immense.”
It felt like he had touched something he shouldn’t have. But to back down, his pride as a reporter wouldn’t allow it.
“Even Park Dojun will be helpless when he’s cornered! I’ll take him down no matter what, just you watch.”
“Before that, you might be arrested, sunbaenim. And me too...”
“Why you?”
“According to the summons, I’m also implicated as a kidnapper. It’s a complete mess.”
“This is insane!”
“Please come back quickly. I’m hanging up now.”
Seonkyu weakly hung up the phone. A desperate Choi Inho quickly racked his brain. He began to search for a person who would have as much regret as he did in the current situation.
“Lee Haejoo and CEO Park Dojun have teamed up. So the person stuck in the middle is...”
It was Jinhan. If he dug into Jinhan’s true feelings, which went beyond special to Haejoo, the answer would have come out long ago.
“He must have liked Lee Haejoo.”
Choi Inho, who was about to call Jinhan, put down his phone. This was based on the judgment that meeting in person was better than a phone call. He turned his car around and went to GN Entertainment. Among entertainment agencies in Korea, it was the largest in terms of scale and capability. Choi Inho had shaken this company’s star as if to kill her.
At first, when he attacked Haejoo, he felt euphoria. But in a brief moment, he found himself unexpectedly on the defensive. However, yesterday’s enemy can become today’s ally. Even if he lost Yura, if he could just talk Jinhan into it, he would gain a powerful ally.
“What’s the matter again?”
As he parked his car in front of GN Entertainment, a security guard came out. Choi Inho replied politely.
“I’ve come to see Director Yoo Jinhan.”
“If it’s not a pre-arranged appointment, please leave.”
The security guard turned away. Choi Inho had no choice but to empty out all the cash he had, along with checks. He shoved the money into the security guard’s pants pocket and pleaded.
“Please just tell Director Yoo Jinhan that I’ve come.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t do this!”
“Please. This is the last time.”
The thick wad of cash made the security guard uneasy. He looked around, then firmly told Choi Inho.
“This can’t happen a second time, so be aware.”
“Of course.”
He had recently been notified by the company that they had signed a contract with a professional security firm. A new office was also being set up in the first-floor lobby, and young security guards were scheduled to arrive. He figured he might as well get some money since he was going to be fired anyway.
The security guard sighed deeply and went to the guard room. He was scared to talk to Jinhan, who had been on edge recently, but he picked up the receiver.
“Yes.”
“This is the guard room. A visitor has come.”
“I haven’t made an appointment with any outsider, so send him away.”
“Well...”
The security guard looked back, embarrassed. Choi Inho, immediately sensing the atmosphere, snatched the receiver.
“This is reporter Choi Inho.”
“Where do you think you are coming from?”
“Let’s put our heads together! You don’t like Park Dojun either, Director Yoo Jinhan!”
Choi Inho provoked him, deliberately probing Jinhan. As only rapid breathing could be heard from the other end of the receiver, his heart pounded as if it would burst.
“Come to the reception room on the first floor.”
“Phew, good thinking.”
He couldn’t miss this slim chance. He had to somehow persuade Jinhan and deal a blow to Dojun, who had threatened him.
...
Meanwhile, Jinhan scoffed at Choi Inho’s fearless visit. It would be a shame to simply send away the trash who dared to suggest joining forces with him. So, he decided to borrow a more ruthless power for a moment.
“Chief Secretary Han Jintae, it’s me. Are you busy?”
“I’m on my way up from the provinces. What’s the matter?”
“Please take care of a rat for me. But don’t tell Father.”
“Understood. I’ll send someone right away.”
Jinhan, who had told him the location where the rat was hiding, leaned back in his chair. He couldn’t guarantee whether Choi Inho, the culprit behind this whole affair, would be able to walk out on his own two feet.
________________________________________
When Haejoo opened her eyes, the sky was cloudy. Dojun, who had been dozing on the sofa, stirred at the movement and woke up.
“Are you awake?”
“Where did everyone go?”
“I sent Hyunseong. He said he was going back to the company.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Let’s eat something.”
The mealtime was ambiguous. So, Secretary Song ordered delivery to the hospital. While they waited, Dojun lay next to Haejoo and embraced her.
“You said you’re holding a press conference tomorrow?”
“Hyunseong told you everything, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. And about that...”
Dojun’s voice condensed, and his arms tightened around Haejoo. He held his breath for a moment, then whispered lowly.
“Don’t do it.”
“What?”
“Don’t hold the press conference.”
“Dojun!”
“The rumors about me have been circulating for a while, and Choi Inho just exaggerated them in his article.”
“That’s not all.”
“I hate it more that you’re holding a press conference in this condition.”
This time, Dojun had no intention of backing down. Since they had almost lost the baby, he didn’t want to tolerate it at all.
“You just need to come to the press conference with me.”
“What?”
“We have nothing to hide, so we’re not scared.”
“Hmm.”
He had received a call from Director Kwak earlier in the day. Han Jintae, known as Chairman Yoo’s man, had visited Jeju Island. He said he wanted to be an investor in the film that was already in production. Chairman Yoo intended to manipulate Dojun and Haejoo. Director Kwak’s resolve regarding this was simple.
‘They’re definitely crazy. I think it would be best to finish the Jeju Island shoot quickly.’
He deliberately didn’t tell Haejoo about this. Chairman Yoo would also be keeping a close eye on tomorrow’s press conference, which irritated him.
During their conversation, Dojun’s phone rang. It was Hyunseong calling, so he quickly answered.
“Yes, Hyunseong.”
“Our company is in chaos right now!”
It was a surprised but subtly joyous scream mixed into the shout.
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