By Zephyria 
“He said I’d regret it, and this is what he was planning….”
As he read through the articles, he found one that included an interview with Choi Hwan’s parents. Every single word was designed to paint Yeon-rok in a negative light. In particular, the content was strikingly similar to the yellow journalism articles Kim Jeong-seong had shown him earlier. The more he read, the angrier Yeon-rok became.
He could accept it for himself since he was a complete stranger to them. But Choi Hwan was their own child, wasn’t he? Instead of praying for his success, they were doing something that would destroy his reputation? When he moved on to the comments, a significant number of people were cursing Yeon-rok. However, whether it was because he was more worried about Choi Hwan or simply because he was too enraged, he didn’t feel particularly hurt. For one, the content of the articles was utter nonsense.
“…Right, enough of this. Secretary Hyung will handle it well.”
Steelening his resolve, he pushed his phone far away. He had locked himself in his hobby room for some time when he heard a knock. Since the door hadn’t been flung open, it wasn’t Choi Hwan.
“Yeon-rok-ssi. May I come in?”
“CEO!”
Yeon-rok, who had been clumsily painting since there weren’t many hobbies one could do with one hand, sprang up from his seat. Seeing Yeom Cheon-ho upon opening the door, Yeon-rok realized just how much he relied on this man.
“Um, what happened with the scandal?”
“Hmm….”
Yeom Cheon-ho’s expression wasn’t particularly bright, causing Yeon-rok’s heart to sink. After a low groan, he stepped back.
“Let’s talk downstairs for now.”
Anxious, Yeon-rok headed down to the first floor to find Choi Hwan and Moon Gyeon-woo waiting. He looked out the window to see if they had already left for the day, only to realize it was already evening. Moon Gyeon-woo looked thoroughly displeased, while Choi Hwan was fidgeting as if he were a criminal. As soon as Yeon-rok descended, Choi Hwan rushed over and dropped to his knees.
“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry…!”
Yeon-rok sighed. He didn’t actually feel like blaming Choi Hwan. If he had to pinpoint the fault, it lay with Choi Hwan’s parents, Yeom Cheon-ryul, and the low-quality media outlets. Yeon-rok spoke generously to Choi Hwan.
“It’s okay. It’s not like you’re the one who leaked the scandal.”
Yeon-rok truly had never been angry at his name partners because of Choi Hwan’s or Yeom Cheon-ho’s family issues. Just as he hadn’t chosen to be born an orphan, these three hadn’t chosen the families they were born into.
“Dating rumors are common for celebrities anyway. People will forget about it over time, right?”
He tried to soothe and coax him to stand up, but Choi Hwan remained on his knees, glancing up tentatively. Like a dog that had committed a mistake behind its owner’s back, he kept looking up at Yeon-rok, the whites of his eyes showing.
Something felt off. It seemed like he had done something wrong, but since it didn’t look like he would confess easily, Yeon-rok turned his gaze toward Yeom Cheon-ho and Moon Gyeon-woo.
Moon Gyeon-woo was glaring at Choi Hwan with a truly terrifying intensity, arms crossed. Choi Hwan tried to glare back with all his might, but the moment Yeon-rok looked at him, he cast his eyes down again. Yeom Cheon-ho looked equally displeased. Seeing these reactions, Yeon-rok suddenly broke into a cold sweat. Becoming extremely anxious, he asked in a trembling voice.
“Why? What happened?”
“For now, we’ve been trying to manage the articles in our own way until this afternoon, but… no, it would be better to hear it from his own mouth.”
Yeon-rok’s gaze shifted downward again. Choi Hwan, still kneeling, spoke politely.
“Um, the thing is… I admitted it….”
“…What?”
Yeon-rok doubted his own ears. Admitted it? Admitted what? Moon Gyeon-woo, unable to hold back any longer, strode forward and showed him the phone screen.
“Read this.”
With trembling eyes, Yeon-rok read the headline:
[Choi Hwan Officially Admits Dating Rumors… Partner is a Non-celebrity, a Same-sex Name Partner]
It was an article from the most famous comprehensive entertainment news program in Korea. Yeon-rok clicked the attached video link.
In the video, Choi Hwan was exiting the agency building and encountering a crowd of reporters. Jo Jun-ho and another man who appeared to be the agency CEO were whispering urgently into Choi Hwan’s ear. With an annoyed expression, he nodded and tried to brush past the reporters, but they shouted.
— Actor Choi Hwan! Actor!
— Have you been hiding your sexual orientation until now?!
— When and how did you meet!
— Is it true that your partner is preventing you from meeting your family?
Rude questions poured in, but up to this point, Choi Hwan seemed to be enduring them silently. However, just before he got into the car, some sleazy reporter shouted:
— There are rumors that it was an escort service provided to VIPs at a club! Is that true?!
Yeon-rok had never heard of something like an escort service, but he could tell the nuance was not good. Suddenly, Choi Hwan stopped dead in his tracks. He glared at the reporter who asked the question and spoke.
— That is correct.
Beside him, Jo Jun-ho and the CEO could be seen screaming silently. The reporters fell silent instantly and thrust their microphones forward. Flashes exploded from all directions.
— The dating rumors are correct. He is my name partner. But as for the escort service or whatever, everything else in the articles is groundless. I will reveal everything officially on the broadcast this week!
Yeon-rok stopped the video. He quietly handed the phone back to Moon Gyeon-woo. Choi Hwan gave a sheepish, hehe-ing laugh while gauging the mood. Laugh? The heart that had been anxious and worried all day instantly boiled over with a raging fury.
“You little…!”
“Aagh!”
Yeon-rok lunged at Choi Hwan. With a loud crash, the two of them rolled across the living room floor. Yeon-rok screamed while tugging at Choi Hwan’s hair.
“Are you crazy! What! The dating rumors are true?! It’s practically the same as my face being revealed to everyone! Die! Just die! Go drop dead! I was a fool for worrying about you!”
“Ugh! Telling me to d-die is too harsh….”
“Doing whatever you want without saying a single word to me!”
“Ack! Sorry! I told you I was sorry!”
It was a commotion loud enough to make Mrs. Park, who was in the kitchen, rush out in surprise. In truth, it was embarrassing to even call it a fight, as it was closer to Choi Hwan being unilaterally beaten. Yeom Cheon-ho looked at the ceiling for a moment, pretending not to see, but as Yeon-rok continued to rampage like an angry wildcat, he finally intervened.
“Yeon-rok-ssi, calm down. Let’s talk this through.”
Yeom Cheon-ho pried the two apart. Even then, Choi Hwan screamed. It was because Yeon-rok had managed to rip out a handful of his hair. Holding the clump of hair in his hand, Yeon-rok panted, struggling to beat Choi Hwan some more. This time, Moon Gyeon-woo hugged him tightly from behind, patting his back and soothing him gently.
“Yeon-rok-ah, you’re going to hurt your hands. Let’s take a break before you beat him again.”
Even in his blind rage, Yeon-rok wondered, ‘Is this really the right way to soothe someone?’ Choi Hwan, finally catching his breath, hid behind Yeom Cheon-ho. He glanced at Yeon-rok with a frightened expression, rubbing his aching side and back where he had been punched. Even then, without any remorse, he blurted out:
“Y-you said we’re basically in a common-law marriage anyway…. So it’s no different from dating.”
Upon hearing that, Moon Gyeon-woo released Yeon-rok without a second thought. Yeon-rok lunged at Choi Hwan again. Despite the screaming, Choi Hwan stayed put in the living room without running away. He had quite a bit of endurance. Checking the time on his wristwatch, Yeom Cheon-ho stopped Yeon-rok seriously this time.
“Yeon-rok-ssi, stop. Stop now.”
Unable to hit him any further, Yeon-rok glared at Choi Hwan, his face flushed red with anger. The sorrow of last winter, which he thought he had forgotten as they grew closer, surged up within him.
“You did this because you think I’m an easy target, didn’t you?”
Sensing an ominous energy, Choi Hwan sprang up from behind the sofa where he had been hiding. His face turned pale as he immediately denied it.
“N-no! Easy target?”
“Because I’m the most insignificant one, because I’m not great at anything and have nothing to my name…. That’s why you just did whatever you wanted….”
Once he spoke it aloud, he realized it was a complex of inferiority, and his face grew even hotter. Out of embarrassment, it was now Yeon-rok who wanted to run away. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he murmured lowly.
“Forget it. Why would you even listen to me….”
“I said no! It’s not like that!”
Before Yeon-rok could even finish his sentence, Choi Hwan shouted urgently.
“I like you!”
It was a sudden confession. Choi Hwan’s forehead was completely flushed as he sent a desperate look Yeon-rok’s way. In fact, it wasn’t just his forehead. The heat gradually spread downward. From his forehead to his eyes, his cheeks, and down to his neck.
“I did it because I like you so much! It’s not because I ignore you. H-how could someone I like be an easy target?”