Chapter 138
Feeling the urgency in the interrogation, Cheong-yeon quickly searched his memory.
“Who did I meet? It was a dinner gathering, so the director… writer, actors, staff? That’s all.”
—Then why are photos like this circulating, kid? Hurry and get your phone. Did you check the link I sent you?
Having found his bag, Cheong-yeon hurriedly took out his phone. There were already over ten missed calls from various contacts.
Only then did Cheong-yeon feel that something had gone wrong.
At the same time, the memory of taking Han Iram home after the dinner quickly flashed through his mind.
No way… Cheong-yeon swallowed dryly, extremely tense as he tapped the link. A headline article on a major portal site appeared on the screen.
—Beta Han Iram, Dating Omega Yoo Cheong-yeon?
Cheong-yeon’s brow immediately furrowed upon reading the headline.
—What’s going on, Cheong-yeon? It’s not true, right? We’re getting calls from the press, it’s chaos.
The article contained a photo of Cheong-yeon and Han Iram side by side.
The moment when he had supported Han Iram, who couldn’t properly control his body, had been perfectly captured to look like they were leaning close to each other, whispering intimately.
Moreover, Cheong-yeon’s face was completely visible. Although Han Iram had his hat pulled down, the side profile of his lower face was enough to identify who he was.
In addition, the article pointed out that the outfits of the two matched exactly with what was seen in the dinner photos posted by the drama team staff, completely eliminating the possibility that they were different people.
Even to Cheong-yeon, who was directly involved, the situation looked difficult to explain away.
“I only know Han Iram by face; I had never met him before. We only exchanged a few words that day.”
—Then how did a photo like this get taken?
Kim Kyung-seop asked frustratedly.
“He suddenly said he wasn’t feeling well, so I helped support him. I think the photo was taken then… Haah.”
Cheong-yeon knew better than anyone what it meant for an Omega to unexpectedly enter a heat cycle while outside. At that moment, his only thought was to help Han Iram however he could.
—But you rode in the same car too? What’s that about?
“I took him home because he said he couldn’t drive.”
After saying it, Cheong-yeon realized how careless he had been.
—Hey. What were you thinking, taking someone you just met to their home? And you even drove Han Iram’s car.
“I know. It looks incredibly suspicious even to me.”
So this was the eyewitness account Min Hye-rin had mentioned. Who took these photos?
Cheong-yeon gnawed on his lower lip as he checked the headlines of the articles already flooding the portal.
The time it took for him to bring Han Iram’s car to the front of the building and help him into it was less than thirty seconds.
Counting from when they came down the restroom stairs, it was about a minute. He had thought he had carefully checked the surroundings and moved when no one was around, but apparently not.
Judging by the direction the photo was taken from—the building side rather than the sidewalk—it might have been spotted by someone from the drama team.
—Han Iram♥Yoo Cheong-yeon caught on private date!
—Style icon Han Iram and rookie actor Yoo Cheong-yeon’s pink scandal
—Actor Yoo Cheong-yeon, a chaebol killer? Past ex-husband causing buzz
—What is Han Iram’s phenotype, secretly dating passionate Omega Yoo Cheong-yeon?
Seeing that articles about Do-heon were also beginning to surface, Cheong-yeon closed the page with a dumbfounded expression.
Although the JT Group would eventually take down the articles about Do-heon, it was clearly an incident that would disgust someone who extremely disliked media exposure like him.
On top of that, the relationship with Han Iram seemed difficult to explain. Yet he couldn’t arbitrarily reveal that Han Iram was an Omega just to deny the dating rumors.
“Is there no way to stop these articles… from being published now?”
—There’s nothing we can do on our end. Maybe, um, if you talked to Director Moon Do-heon…
“Moon Do-heon isn’t in Korea right now. And.”
Cheong-yeon started to speak but then closed his mouth.
Honestly, he wasn’t even sure anymore if Do-heon would help him.
No matter how insensitive Do-heon was, how could Cheong-yeon contact him for help after causing such a scene the last time they met, cursing him out?
Besides, he didn’t want to call someone overseas and ask them to somehow block a scandal that broke due to his own carelessness.
Even if he somehow requested help and resolved it, it would all be debt in the end. With Do-heon’s personality, he would certainly ask for repayment later. In the way he wanted.
Cheong-yeon no longer had the ability or confidence to repay debts owed to him.
“Anyway, there’s no use in telling him.”
Cheong-yeon muttered helplessly.
Do-heon’s articles were being filtered and would be taken down soon. The biggest problem was the relationship between him and Han Iram.
—Hah. I guess we’ll have to talk with Han Iram’s agency and issue a statement or something. Didn’t you say you were meeting Team Leader Kwon today? Forget the meeting and go straight home now. Don’t go wandering around and get photographed again.
Kim Kyung-seop sighed as if he had a headache. Through the receiver, the busy sounds of office phone rings and employees rushing around the agency mixed together.
—I’ll call you again later, so don’t turn off your phone and wait. Oh, and don’t drive. Ask your manager to take you home. Got it?
Kim Kyung-seop emphatically instructed before hanging up.
*
The weather in Korea was bright. Sunlight sparkled as it penetrated through the transparent glass of the airport’s outer wall.
Despite the clear weather, Do-heon was walking toward the exit with an expressionless face.
As soon as he passed through immigration after the private jet landed, a plainclothes security guard and Secretary Shim, who had accompanied him on the overseas schedule, followed Do-heon at an appropriate distance.
Outside the building, the driver had already arrived and was waiting with the car parked. Secretary Shim quickly went to the front of the car and opened the back door. Only after Do-heon had seated himself did Secretary Shim get into the front seat.
“How far have the documents brought from the U.S. been organized?”
“They’ve been compiled by category, so you can only check them on the tablet for now.”
Do-heon gestured indifferently. Secretary Shim took out a tablet PC from his document bag, opened the document window, and handed it to Do-heon.
“And Director, those files…”
“I know they haven’t been reviewed by the M&A team yet, and I’ll take that into account.”
Do-heon intercepted, seemingly aware of what Secretary Shim was about to say.
From a quick glance, Do-heon showed no signs of fatigue despite having just disembarked from the private jet after a flight of over ten hours.
And the driver’s navigation system had the JT Electronics building set as the destination, as if it were a given.
“Secretary Shim, you can go home directly when we reach Seoul.”
Do-heon said in a dry voice.
“No, sir. I’ll return to the company, check any domestic issues that occurred during the trip, and then go home.”
At this firm answer, Do-heon silently began checking the files brought from the U.S. one by one, as if to say “do as you please.”
The car’s interior quickly grew quiet. Secretary Shim briefly stared out the window where the midday sunlight was streaming in, then turned on his domestic work phone.
Due to work security, he used a different phone during overseas trips, and because the schedule was tight, communications from Korea were only received via email.
As a result, there were quite a few messages piled up. Secretary Shim began checking the content in chronological order.
“Secretary Shim.”
Just then, Do-heon, who had been reading documents, spoke up.
“Yes, Director.”
“…”
Although he called as if he had something to say, Do-heon didn’t say anything for a while.
As Secretary Shim was about to say that if there was anything he needed, to please let him know, Do-heon broke the silence.
“Have you heard from Cheong-yeon?”
Secretary Shim, who had been preparing to take notes, assuming it would naturally be work instructions, hesitated.
“There have been no communications from Mr. Cheong-yeon.”
“Then contact him.”
Do-heon instructed dryly, in the same tone as if asking for approval documents to be brought.
“Understood.”
Secretary Shim put the small notebook back in his pocket and responded somewhat perplexedly.
“But what should I contact him about?”
Despite Secretary Shim’s cautious question, Do-heon only stared at the tablet screen resting on his knee without saying a word.
Time passed, and the white screen showing the documents went dark. Do-heon’s own silent face was reflected in the black screen.
“Director?”
“Never mind. Disregard what I just said.”
Do-heon then put the tablet down beside him, leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes.
Secretary Shim, who had been watching for his reaction, turned back and resumed checking his backlog of messages.
After a few minutes of not moving at all, Do-heon opened his eyes at the sound of an ambulance siren on the road.
“What did Professor Han Sung-wook say afterward?”
“There’s no additional news from Professor Han Sung-wook yet. From what I heard just before departure, he tried to contact Mr. Cheong-yeon several times, but he did not agree to the examination.”
Secretary Shim accurately explained exactly what Do-heon was curious about. As he was about to add something more, his phone started ringing.
“Answer it.”
When Do-heon nodded, Secretary Shim responded, “Excuse me,” and pressed the call button.
Secretary Shim’s expression gradually became serious as he took the call.
After quickly finishing the call, he immediately reported the received information to Do-heon.
“Director. There’s something you need to check regarding Mr. Cheong-yeon.”
NOTES:
For Kim Kyung-seop being called Manager will be replaced with CEO from now on for accurate translation.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
