Chapter 151
Yoon Inbeom came to mind as soon as I saw it. He was the one who had said I would dance naked.
Our relationship with Mitchell was fully exposed, and even the private conversations we had shared were revealed. No matter how positively I tried to think about it, it felt like an attack on Mitchell and me.
The issue was the leak from the filming site, but Mitchell and I were the ones directly affected. That’s why I kept suspecting that the media outlet called INB Report was related to Yoon Inbeom.
Is this bastard really trying to get revenge? I had heard that his company went bankrupt and he was in and out of court due to various lawsuits.
I wanted to contact him directly to confirm, but I don’t know where my old phone has disappeared to. So I don’t know Yoon Inbeom’s phone number either.
Should I tell Mitchell about this? The thought of having to say again that someone I know might be doing this made me feel hopeless. This insufferable person was tormenting me to the end.
Still, it would be better to speak honestly before things got bigger. I also had faith that Mitchell would somehow resolve it.
“Mitchell, have you checked the article about our dating rumors? It was quite detailed…”
I brought it up as soon as we got home. Mitchell put his hand inside my t-shirt as he entered the living room.
“You’re still worried about that?”
The touch of his hand exploring my body was familiar. I naturally accepted his caress as well. I nuzzled my face into Mitchell’s neck as I entered his embrace and continued speaking.
“It’s not that I dislike having dating rumors with you, but I’m worried it might interfere with our movie or your career. That’s all. I’m really okay.”
“Then don’t worry about it.”
“You know the content of the article. It’s too detailed…”
“Was it?”
“Hmm…”
I pressed my lips firmly against Mitchell’s chest to stifle a sigh. I walked in sync with Mitchell’s movements without even looking ahead. If he hadn’t properly seen the article, he might not realize the seriousness of the situation.
“That’s not what’s important right now… I want to touch you.”
Mitchell, who had put down his bag on a side table in the living room, wrapped his arms around my waist. He entangled our bodies deeply as if to compensate for the brief time we were apart.
If we continue like this, the conversation will fizzle out again. I had to take the initiative.
“It seems like Yoon Inbeom. INB Report. That guy keeps spreading our secrets. The comments are weird too. If we leave him alone, he might reveal everything.”
Mitchell’s busy hands finally stopped at my words. But his response was just a short, indifferent exclamation.
“Oh.”
I’m dying of worry here!
Mitchell’s response is just one exclamation. Still, seeing him pat my head, it seemed like he was praising me for bringing top-tier information.
“It’s not Yoon Inbeom.”
He asserted. Well, sure, I might be overthinking it. But Yoon Inbeom is the only one who knows our relationship with Mitchell and my peculiar tendencies this clearly.
Bae Junman is excluded because that guy doesn’t have the money or connections to do this. No matter how I think about it, it must be Yoon Inbeom… Come to think of it, even the leak of on-set photos might be his doing?
“Mitchell, think about it carefully. Who else knows our story in such detail? And that comment earlier. Do you know what it said? That I’m crazy. That I’m so crazy about you that I’d dance naked if you told me to. The only person who would know this is Yoon Inbeom. He’s now systematically…”
Mitchell laughed as I got all worked up. Is he laughing because he thinks my claim is far-fetched? But even if it’s not Yoon Inbeom, it’s not a light matter.
Why? Why is he just laughing? I scrutinized Mitchell with very suspicious eyes. But I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking at all.
***
Mitchell sometimes did crazy things. He would use any means necessary to get what he wanted.
The object he wants most right now is Geon-woo. It was natural for him to think that he should announce their relationship to the world to eliminate competitors.
So Mitchell chose a method that was unconventional, but most powerful and effective.
“There’s someone else besides Yoon Inbeom who knows our story that deeply.”
Geon-woo tilted his head at Mitchell’s words. No one came to mind immediately.
“Who?”
“Me.”
Geon-woo could barely breathe. He covered his wide-open mouth with one hand and froze with his eyes wide open.
“…What did you say?”
“I said I did it.”
Mitchell was the one who spread the dating rumors.
He was the one who tipped off the not-so-famous media outlet about the two of them.
Originally, Mitchell had no intention of telling Geon-woo the truth. But since Geon-woo kept worrying about it, he had no choice but to be honest.
“W-wait, just a moment. So you’re saying you spread our d-dating, dating rumors? Really?”
Geon-woo was so surprised that he even stuttered. Mitchell stroked Geon-woo’s hair and wrapped his arm around his waist. He kissed Geon-woo’s stammering lips, administering a sedative, and only then did the breath that had momentarily stopped burst out all at once.
“But why?”
Geon-woo’s round eyes wouldn’t close. He couldn’t even tell how soft Mitchell’s lips were as they kept pressing against his.
“To keep the trash away from you.”
Mitchell had protected Geon-woo in his own way. He wanted to do even more, but he wasn’t the type to go overboard, so he stopped at dating rumors.
“Wow… you’re really crazy.”
Geon-woo’s expression twitched as he blurted out the harsh words. His fluttering eyelids betrayed considerable shock, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
Geon-woo didn’t know how to express this feeling. It was clearly a crazy act, but that action made him happy and excited.
To think that it wasn’t a third party but Mitchell who spread the dating rumors.
‘To think that the one who announced our love to the world was Mitchell!’
Geon-woo suddenly realized. If such an article had come out in the first place, Seimon would have dealt with it immediately. They would have certainly taken down the fake news and sued the relevant parties for invasion of privacy or defamation.
But until now, the original article that first raised the dating rumors was still intact. It was conclusive evidence that Mitchell had done it.
“I’m sorry for putting out such an article without your permission.”
Mitchell’s hand touched Geon-woo’s nape. His large palm dug into Geon-woo’s hair and firmly supported it. The arm wrapped around his waist was so strong that Geon-woo felt trapped by him. Not that he had any intention of running away.
“You seem surprised.”
“Of course I’m surprised. I thought someone was trying to interfere with us. But if it’s something you did… I like it.”
Mitchell’s smile deepened at Geon-woo’s answer that he liked it.
“I told you. You don’t need to worry no matter what happens. I’ll take care of everything.”
“Was the leak of the on-set photos your doing too?”
“That wasn’t me.”
“Then?”
Even though Mitchell probably didn’t know everything, the question popped out involuntarily.
It had only been a few hours since the incident happened. Geon-woo was asking Mitchell about the identity of the culprit that even the filming team didn’t know yet. Geon-woo felt he had made a mistake, but surprisingly, Mitchell provided an answer.
“Someone who needed both money and attention. It’s a contract worker you don’t even know. They say he came to work for just a day and secretly took photos while we were on break.”
“How did you know?”
“David just told me. Brandon figured it out. Anyway, it’s nothing to worry about. Filming will resume soon. Keep this a secret for now.”
“Okay. Got it.”
Geon-woo nodded, straining his eyes. It was reassuring to have Mitchell by his side no matter what happened. Problems that seemed unsolvable when he worried alone were now cleared up smoothly, and his nagging curiosities were resolved.
Now all Geon-woo had to think about was dealing with the dating rumors. Since they would be in the public eye, they would have to be more careful with their actions. He could easily manage that much.
Anyway, everything goes smoothly as long as Mitchell is around. Geon-woo newly realized what it felt like to have a person of power by his side.
“But dating rumors with you. It’s really funny. And you’re the one who started them.”
“What’s so funny about that?”
Mitchell smiled slightly as he watched the excited Geon-woo.
“It’s like announcing it yourself. ‘I’m dating. Please acknowledge it…’ Something like that.”
“…”
“I guess it looks like we’re dating to other people too.”
“Then we must have acted that way.”
“…Huh? Me? I don’t act like that when I’m dating. Mitchell, aren’t you the one who acted in a way that could be misunderstood?”
“Misunderstood?”
“You treat me so well that even I could misunderstand.”
“So? Do you want to date me? Want to try something like love?”
Geon-woo’s mouth formed a triangle as he tried to hold back his laughter. He put his hand inside Mitchell’s pants, touching the thick thing inside as he answered.
“Yes.”
