Was there an affectionate feeling while following him? Well, it was the first time they met in person, so there wasn’t much of a strange feeling due to the already substantial internal familiarity.
“I have things to tell the reporter, and there are things I want to ask.”
“Yes.”
“It seems that the reporter already knows about Writer Choi Yeoreum.”
“Oh.”
Taeseok looked at Oh Hyun-sik, who seemed somehow sincere, with a glance. It was a gaze that reporters found hard to have. The reporters Taeseok had seen so far were sinister like snakes and always tried to dig something out, but Oh Hyun-sik was different.
“In fact, it seems that Summer already knows quite a bit about me, but I’m curious why you’re not doing anything.”
Since meeting Summer again, Taeseok had been reckless.
He had been to and from Summer’s house several times, driving the most exposed luxury sedan among several cars. Seo Taeseok, who was not used to hiding his private life, didn’t do any actions that were typical of him.
“If you’re waiting for a condition and want compensation.”
Taeseok chose his words carefully for a moment.
“If that’s the case, you can tell me the amount you want.”
“Compensation…?”
Oh Hyun-sik blinked and asked. Taeseok answered seriously.
“You probably know, but it’s not a great situation for a scandal to break out. For Yeoreum.”
“Ah… Right.”
I understood what was being said. For a rookie writer who had just started shooting a mini-series, it would be too burdensome to handle such a scandal.
Oh Hyun-sik fell silent briefly. Taeseok thought he was calculating an appropriate amount.
“No matter how much you ask for, will you give it all?”
“Yes.”
Taeseok responded quickly without any hesitation.
“100 million… No, 500 million. No, maybe 1 billion?”
For a moment, Taeseok glanced at Director Hong, who was waiting separately. Director Hong approached and said to Oh Hyun-sik.
“You can tell me the account details.”
Taeseok stared at Oh Hyun-sik’s expression, tapping the armrest of the sofa with his fingers.
“You’ll give even 1 billion.”
Oh Hyun-sik made a somewhat bewildered expression.
“Yes.”
“Actually, I don’t intend to take the money.”
“Why?”
Taeseok’s face darkened when he realized that he wasn’t keen on resolving the situation with money. If the situation could be resolved cleanly with money, it would have been easier, but Taeseok thought he was a more challenging person than he seemed.
“I really want to stop this scandal, Mr. Oh.”
Even if he lived one day like a month, suppressing the desire to see her, he couldn’t expose the scandal without her consent.
Taeseok didn’t want to breathe without Summer’s permission now. So, preventing this scandal with his best effort might bring him a step closer to her.
“Why do you have to stop it?”
Oh Hyun-sik asked, seemingly curious. Taeseok smiled faintly.
“Because I love her.”
At that answer, Oh Hyun-sik briefly stiffened his expression, then began speaking with determination.
“In fact, I came to be honest. I’ll stop beating around the bush and get to the point.”
“!”
“I’ve been following Mr. Taeseok for more than a day or two. I’ve already captured the scene where you two kissed in the parking lot of this apartment three years ago.”
A cautious alertness arose in Taeseok’s gaze.
“Exactly since when?”
“If you ask journalists who have been working in this field for a long time, they would probably say I’m crazy about Seo Taeseok.”
Oh Hyun-sik skillfully opened his bag, setting up his laptop as he spoke.
“I didn’t reveal that picture three years ago because the other party was an ordinary person. Honestly, back then, I only thought about money. ‘Ah, it would have been better if she were an actress.’ I had such thoughts.”
I understand what he means. To make gossip, stars need to meet other stars or at least someone on the level of a giant corporation. At that time, Yeoreum was just an ordinary person with nothing to boast about.
It was a period when she was just a wannabe writer and socially just unemployed.
“To make matters worse, while I was contemplating, you two broke up. So, I completely missed the opportunity.”
“Ah.”
Talking about the time they broke up, I roughly guessed when the picture was taken. On a night when she didn’t want to spend the summer unusually, the day she reluctantly came down to the parking lot with me and stuck to me until the end.
“Just hold hands. Huh? Let’s go back up.”
“I don’t want to. Will I be fooled again by those words? I’ve never kept a promise for a whole year.”
“Today is for real, Yeoreum. Huh? Look at this. It seems like the car won’t even start.”
“Then, shall we take a taxi?”
Perhaps at that time, she was already being threatened by Ji Hyun-jung.
Whether he read the regretful look, Oh Hyun-sik quickly started talking.
“Initially, I blamed both of you for missing the exclusive report, and frankly, it was annoying. After Seo Taeseok’s relationship ended, I didn’t know what to do, and it was awkward, you know? It’s you two who ended the relationship, so why am I feeling empty?”
Oh Hyun-sik chuckled.
“Anyway, I spent a few weeks idly, and since my curiosity didn’t fade, I followed you two more. What I’m about to say is useless to me, but it will probably be good material for Mr. Taeseok.”
“Yes.”
“The reason I don’t reveal the dating rumors… Honestly, I don’t know very well, but I just watched you two for so long and ended up cheering for you.”
Oh, the reporter turned the laptop toward Taeseok, showing a picture of Summer standing on the beach, startling Taeseok.
“It’s a beach in Namhae. After Seo Taeseok and Choi Yeoreum broke up, they spent six months here.”
A punch of force went to the end.
I didn’t expect to hear such words.
The whereabouts of Yeoreum two years ago, which I was so curious about, came to Taeseok in a somewhat absurd way. Taeseok didn’t want to miss a single word, so he held his breath.
“Choi Yeoreum had to hide and live for about six months. The situation at that time… I don’t know if you’re aware, but it’s related to President Ji Hyun-jung.”
Oh Hyun-sik continued speaking somewhat hesitantly, and Taeseok nodded.
“Yes.”
“That’s right. It must have been tough.”
A long story began.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
