The meeting was brief and transactional. As I left the high-rise office building, the sleek, anonymous architecture seemed to press down on me. "Sounds good," I'd said, concluding the call, "Please send the sample to my apartment once it's ready. Have a great evening." I paused by the door, the chill evening air a welcome change from the stuffy room.
Walking out, I was on the move. But the moment I opened my apartment door, I felt an unsettling need to check my phone. It buzzed immediately—a message, then another, almost frantic. The sight of the notifications made the hairs on my neck stand up.
"I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this..." I muttered, stepping inside and answering the phone.
The first attempt to call Ajin failed. "The person you are trying to reach is unavailable at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep."
Beep.
"Ajin, it's me. You're with Inkang right now, aren't you?"
A cascade of texts followed, but one grabbed my attention. I unfolded a piece of paper I'd been holding, its contents unsettling. I traced a finger over the name I found on the document. "Rena Lim is her actual name..." I thought aloud, a frown creasing my brow. "There isn't much on her... Oh, but she did two time these two. This is some tabloid material. I wonder why this never hit the news."
Then the information started to connect.
"She has a journalist cousin who works for FactCapture? That's an agency that specializes in entertainment," I realized, staring at a blurred name on a business card—Heeguk Lim.
The message continued to scroll: "You might want to be very careful for the next while. Rena's cousin is a journalist. His name is Heeguk Lim. He specializes in writing articles about celebrities. Give me a call as soon as you get this message." Below the text, an image of an article headline appeared: "[EXCLUSIVE] INKANG <3 AJIN SPOTTED ON A DATE IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE."
I sat back in my chair, the cigarette in my mouth glowing a dangerous red in the dim light of the room. I was wrestling with an immense choice, one that could rock the celebrity world. My eyes narrowed, smoke curling around my face. "Should I blow the lid off this or not...? I'm torn..."
The Wake-up
The decision, for now, had to wait.
Hours later, deep in the city, the only sound was the incessant "RRRING... RRRING..." of a phone—or perhaps a doorbell—that echoed between the towering apartment buildings. My own apartment was quiet for a few moments, and I lay half-buried under a white duvet, trying to escape the world.
"RRRING... RRRING... RRRING..."
I pulled the covers tighter, groaning, "MMM..." The noise was coming from the nightstand. The faint light of dawn hadn't quite cut through the blinds.
But the sound was persistent. I finally pulled my arm out from under the covers to reach for the phone. Next to it, on the nightstand, two silver cans of what looked like energy drinks or beer sat, a silent testament to a late night. I swiped to answer, a sense of dread already settling in my gut. I knew, somehow, this wasn't going to be a simple "good morning" call.
Do you want to know what I said in response to the call, or what Heeguk Lim might do next?
The incessant ringing finally forced me awake. I fumbled for the phone, the bright screen a jolt to my sleep-hazed eyes. It was Chayoung, my manager.
"Hey, Chayoung... what's up? Don't I just have acting lessons today?" I mumbled, still half-asleep. I had been up late thinking about the whole Rena situation.
"Where are you? Are you at home?" Her voice was taut, vibrating with urgency that snapped me fully awake. "I called a few times but you didn't pick up, so I was about to head to your place."
I sat up on the bed, pushing the covers away. "Oh, really? I got into bed late last night, so I must have slept through your calls. What is it?"
"Are you and Inkang together?" she cut straight to the chase.
A cold knot formed in my stomach. "Who told you that...?"
"A journalist from FactCapture called us," she said, her voice dropping to a serious tone. My mind immediately went to Heeguk Lim, Rena's cousin.
"What about Inkang...?" I asked, my heart beginning to race.
"He arrived about ten minutes ago and is in her office right now..." Chayoung was clearly referring to Ms. Seo, the agency head. "He said he has a photo of you and Inkang! Ms. Seo and the PR team are freaking out and she's asking you to come into her office right away."
"Okay, I'm on my way," I said, disconnecting the call. I looked at the screen again: Manager Jayoung Nam—Missed Calls (4), Missed Calls (1), Voice Mail (1). I hadn't even realized how many times she'd tried. "A voice mail...? When did he leave a voice mail?" I muttered, the pressure mounting.
The Drive and the Reckoning
I quickly dressed, tossing aside my pajamas. Chayoung arrived to pick me up, and the drive to the office was tense. She was the one who filled in the blanks I had already started to draw.
"He's got some influence in his industry," she said, steering the car through the morning traffic, "and he's published a few pieces that went big." She glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "And he was quite possibly behind those articles that were targeting you last time. I think he may have asked a few of his journalist friends to take turns publishing them."
I didn't flinch. "I'm not too surprised. It all started the day I pissed Rena off. It couldn't have been a coincidence."
"Maybe it would be best not to draw attention to yourself for the next while," Chayoung suggested cautiously.
I scoffed. "I finally got Inkang to make a move. It would look very strange if I suddenly pushed him away." I looked out the window, the city a blur of gray and steel. The only question that mattered was the bigger picture: "The only question is how this impacts my public image."
The Final Strike
While Chayoung drove, I made a call of my own, my eyes on the road but my mind racing. I was already moving on to the counter-attack.
"Anyway, is that all there was on Rena? Anything on her using drugs or avoiding taxes?" I asked the person on the other end, the one who'd done the background digging for me.
"Nothing illegal," the contact replied. I imagined him staring at a whiteboard covered in notes, facts, and dead ends. "She has an interesting track record when it comes to her love life, but there's nothing to write home about in terms of her private life. It looks like journalists are keeping quiet on it because..."
I finished the thought for him, my voice cold. "...because she's protected."
I felt a surge of grim satisfaction. Heeguk Lim had moved his piece on the board faster than I'd anticipated.
"This is happening faster than I had expected, but it's fine," I told my contact. "I was going to leak this to journalists in time anyway."
The game had started, and there was no turning back now.
The confrontation with Ms. Seo and Heeguk Lim is next. Would you like to see how I handle the meeting with my agency and the journalist?
As Chayoung's car pulled into the parking garage of Longstar Entertainment, I wrapped up the call with my contact. The journalist from FactCapture was already inside, and my own agency was in crisis mode. Time was up.
"Will you look into who the other person was and text me the details?" I asked my contact, keeping my voice low. "I've heard that she two-timed Inkang when they were dating." I paused, considering the political climate. "Because that kind of scandal could impact her idol group as well." I needed leverage.
"I'm at the office. I should head inside," I concluded, ending the call.
Chayoung turned to me as I grabbed my purse. "Will you be okay...?" she asked, her concern genuine.
I straightened my jacket, my demeanor shifting into my public persona—cool, collected, and slightly defiant. I met her gaze, a small, knowing smile touching my lips. "Why wouldn't I be okay? It's not as though I committed a crime."
I thought back to the previous phone call, the information I'd gathered. Heeguk Lim, the journalist, had been targeting me before. I knew this was retaliation for crossing Rena Lim. But I had anticipated this, even welcomed it. This forced revelation was the spark I needed.
I closed the car door with a quiet THUD, then turned and walked toward the entrance.
The CEO's Office: Crash
The moment I reached the door of the CEO's Office, I heard a loud CRASH. It wasn't the sound of breaking glass, but something heavy hitting the floor. The door to the conference room was ajar, and I could hear Ms. Seo's voice, strained and furious.
I pushed the door open just wide enough to see the scene. There was a vase of flowers shattered on the floor, petals scattered everywhere—Inkang's pathetic attempt at a peace offering, perhaps. Inkang himself was kneeling on the couch, looking utterly miserable, being loudly berated by Ms. Seo, who was in a frantic purple dress.
"How could you, Inkang?!" she shrieked. "Did you think a few flowers would make me forget all about this?!"
Her eyes were wide with panic. "This is too early in her career!! You shouldn't have done this if you really care about her!!" She paced the room, waving her arms. "Don't you know that public opinion of her is still down in the dumps after her last drama?! Instead of producers asking us if they could cast Ajin, she's about to go around doing..."
Ms. Seo trailed off, too exasperated to finish her sentence.
I stepped fully into the room, my presence immediately halting the shouting match. All eyes turned to me—Ms. Seo, Inkang, and a man I assumed to be the journalist, Heeguk Lim. My calm expression was a mask. This was the moment of truth. They were panicking about a secret that, to me, was just the launchpad for my next move.
They want a scandal? I'll give them one.
The confrontation is set. Would you like to hear the conversation between I, Ms. Seo, Inkang, and the journalist, or move on to the fallout in the media?
Ms. Seo, still purple-faced with rage, was venting at Inkang, who looked small and defeated. He was a popular idol, but his power meant nothing against the fury of a CEO trying to salvage a PR disaster.
"Why are you overreacting like this," Inkang muttered, running a hand through his bright red hair. "I said I'm sorry. I had no idea a journalist would be camping out at my grandma's apartment."
Ms. Seo ignored him and turned her full force on me, her voice booming. "AJIN, this kind of scandal this early on in your career isn't okay!! How is that important right now?! Instead of producers asking us if they could cast you, you're about to go around doing auditions!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "All I'm hearing are excuses! If you two aren't officially in a relationship yet, I want you to end things."
She leaned in, her voice dropping but no less intense. "You know that journalist, Heeguk Lim, is a piece of work. So give our PR team a break and end it before it gets serious. Okay?" She emphasized the last word, waiting for my submission.
"But—!" Inkang started to protest, but I cut him off.
I stepped forward, my posture unyielding. My red jacket seemed to catch the light, making me the focus of the room. I met Ms. Seo's furious gaze with a calm, deliberate smile.
"I don't think I can do that, Ms. Seo."
Her face twisted in shock. "YOU—!"
I kept smiling. "We're serious about each other. Plus, if we break up over an article, wouldn't that be even more embarrassing?"
Ms. Seo was speechless, stammering, "AJIN, what are you even saying—?"
I turned my attention to Inkang and Ms. Seo, laying out the real context for them. "Ms. Seo, that journalist, Heeguk Lim, is Rena Lim's cousin." The silence was deafening. "He's also behind those scathing articles about me and my acting."
Inkang finally looked up, bewildered. "What...? I had no idea!"
"This just gets better and better, so?" I continued, ignoring their rising panic and focusing on the path forward. "You're meeting with Mr. Lim today, right? Who on the PR team are you sending out to meet with him?"
Ms. Seo seemed to deflate. "He won't have any good will toward me."
"If he does publish that article, it'll impact my career more than Inkang's," I explained simply, my logic cold and professional. "So I'd like to meet and talk to him in person."
Ms. Seo narrowed her eyes at my sudden desire to take charge. "What are you even going to say to him?"
A flicker of ruthlessness crossed my face. "He didn't publish that article right away and called us first. It means he wants something from us." I looked right at Inkang, who was listening intently. "I'll hear him out on what he wants, and make a deal with him if what he wants seems reasonable... We could turn this into a win-win situation."
I had all the cards I needed. Now it was time to play them.
The stage is set for a high-stakes negotiation with the journalist. Would you like to proceed to the meeting with Heeguk Lim, or see how I begin to gather dirt on Rena Lim to use as leverage?
The meeting was set not in a sterile office, but in a private dining room—a calculated move by the journalist, Heeguk Lim, to make the atmosphere less formal and more transactional.
I entered the room. A single, low table was set with what looked like traditional Korean side dishes: a platter of fresh vegetables and a dish of dipping sauce. Heeguk Lim, sitting opposite, looked up. He was exactly as I had imagined him—smarmy, confident, and smelling of ambition.
"Mr. Lim?" I asked, though I knew it was him.
He smiled, a predatory expression that didn't reach his eyes. "Ah, you're here. Please have a seat, Ms. Baek. You're even more beautiful in person." The flattery was cheap and entirely dismissible.
I took my seat, my red jacket a stark contrast to the muted tones of the room. I kept my face neutral, meeting his gaze steadily.
"Would you like to eat first, or shall we get into it right away?" he asked, waving a hand at the food.
"Let's talk," I said, cutting to the chase. "I'd like to hear what you have to say."
He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Haha, you're a fiery one."
I already knew his game. "He didn't publish that article right away and called us first. It means he wants something from us," I'd told Ms. Seo. My intuition proved correct the moment he spoke.
"Ah, I like money. How much is Longstar willing to give me?" His eyes sparkled with greed. He paused, then added, "I heard Longstar doesn't do bribes, though. Do you have a sponsor?"
His words confirmed my initial assessment: "Judging by the way he acts like a street thug, he's exactly as I imagined."
I decided to forgo the niceties. There was no point in pretending this was a polite negotiation. I leaned forward, my voice crisp and commanding.
"Is it money you want?"
Heeguk Lim's smirk widened, clearly expecting me to start haggling.
I delivered the cold shock. "Mr. Lim, I think you have this all wrong. I can't give you money if that's what you're looking for. Go ahead and publish the article."
I watched as his greedy smile wavered and froze. I had just called his bluff. The ball was now entirely in my court.
Now that I've refused to pay him, what should my next move be? Should I try to intimidate him with information about his cousin Rena, or offer him a different kind of deal?
I leaned across the small table, my eyes locked onto Heeguk Lim's flustered face. His initial confidence, built on the assumption that I would cave to a bribe, was completely shattered.
The Counter-Offer
"Ha ha... that's no fun, Ms. Baek," he stammered, recovering slightly. "When they said you were coming to meet me in person, I thought it was because you were bringing me some incentive to not publish that article."
I smiled, a wide, genuine-looking smile that didn't hide the steel in my eyes. "I don't see why I need to pay you for doing your job. Your company pays you enough, doesn't it?"
He was growing visibly agitated. He pulled the printout of the article he had prepared—the one detailing my date with Inkang—and slid it across the table.
"Ha, she's not easy. She's not even blinking an eye," he muttered to himself. Then, he looked at me and tried to regain control. "Then what brings you here...? Could I see the article first? You brought it with you, right? I'll take a look and let you know."
I casually picked up the paper, already familiar with the sensationalized headline: "ROOKIE ACTOR AJIN BAEK BECOMES INKANG HEO'S WOMAN." It was exactly the kind of misogynistic, power-imbalance framing that Ms. Seo was worried about.
I placed the article back down. "You wrote the headline this way on purpose to make me look bad, right? So predictable..."
He bristled, his journalist pride wounded. "Cliché?! Hey, you're outta line if you think you can lecture me!!"
"Whoa, calm down," I chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm not lecturing you. I'm offering you a deal."
The Win-Win
My tone shifted, becoming conspiratorial and alluring. I leaned in again.
"Don't forget, Mr. Lim. You started this. You're Rena Lim's cousin, right? You two seem close. I saw your previous articles about me and my sh*tty acting." I let the comment hang there, reminding him that I knew his motivation. "But how would you like to write articles people would actually take an interest in... rather than those boring, cliché ones?"
I continued, letting the full scope of my offer sink in. "People want to know about the love lives of celebrities. Aren't other people's love lives the most interesting? They want to know what we wear, where we go... things like that."
My smile widened. "I was hoping you'd be interested in writing about us."
His eyes widened, confusion giving way to a glimmer of intrigue.
"Anyone could write an article pointing fingers and tearing people down, but you're all about taking a peek at what's going on behind closed doors, right? If you accept my offer... I'll let you in on my love life."
I pushed the paper back toward him, pointing at the headline. "Change the headline. Take out the whole thing about Inkang Heo becoming Ajin Baek's woman... and change it to, 'INKANG HEO FALLS FOR AJIN BAEK AND HER IRRESISTIBLE CHARM.'"
I gave him a knowing look. "You're a journalist, so you probably know this, but choice of word matters."
He stared at the page, then at me.
"That means you'll always have an exclusive on our relationship," I said, hitting him with the key word. "Of course, this would be a secret between just you and me."
The temptation was clear on his face: money for one story, or an Exclusive pipeline to a celebrity couple's drama for a career's worth of stories. The former was a handout; the latter was gold.
"Exclusive...?" he breathed, finally hooked.
Heeguk Lim is clearly considering my offer of an exclusive. Do you want to see him accept the deal, or will I use my leverage on Rena Lim to make sure he complies?
The persistent ringing of my phone finally dragged me out of bed. "Hey, Chayoung... what's up? Don't I just have acting lessons today...?" I mumbled, still groggy. Chayoung, my manager, was frantic.
"Where are you? Are you at home? I called a few times but you didn't pick up, so I was about to head to your place," she rushed out. "I got into bed late last night, so I must have slept through your calls. What is it?" I asked.
"Are you and Inkang together?" she pressed. "A journalist from FactCapture called us... and said he has a photo of you and Inkang! Ms. Seo and the PR team are freaking out... and she's asking you to come into her office right away".
My eyes snapped open. This was faster than I expected, but it wasn't a problem. I was going to leak this to journalists in time anyway.
"Okay, I'm on my way," I told her. The only question now was how this would impact my public image.
Retaliation
As I drove, I called a contact, gathering intel on the journalist. "He's got some influence in his industry, and he's published a few pieces that went big," my contact said. The journalist's name was Heeguk Lim, and he specialized in writing articles about celebrities. He was also Rena Lim's cousin, and was quite possibly behind the articles that were targeting me last time.
"I'm not too surprised. It all started the day I pissed Rena off," I thought, looking in the rearview mirror. "It couldn't have been a coincidence." I had finally gotten Inkang to make a move, and it would look very strange if I suddenly pushed him away.
"Anyway, is that all there was on Rena? Anything on her using drugs or avoiding taxes?" I asked my contact, fishing for leverage.
"Nothing illegal. She has an interesting track record when it comes to her love life, but there's nothing to write home about in terms of her private life," the contact explained. "It looks like journalists are keeping quiet on it because... I've heard that she two-timed Inkang when they were dating. Will you look into who the other person was and text me the details? Because that kind of scandal could impact her idol group as well."
"I'm at the office. I should head inside," I concluded. My friend Chayoung looked worried as I got out of the car. "Will you be okay...?" she asked.
I gave her a determined look. "Why wouldn't I be okay? It's not as though I committed a crime".
The Meeting
Inside the CEO's Office at Longstar Entertainment, the room was chaos. "How could you, Inkang?! Did you think a few flowers would make me forget all about this?!" I heard Ms. Seo shout. She was furious, pointing out that public opinion of me was still low after my last drama. "Instead of producers asking us if they could cast I, I'm about to go around doing auditions!".
Inkang protested that he was sorry and had no idea a journalist would be camping out at his grandma's apartment.
Ms. Seo turned to me, demanding, "If you two aren't officially in a relationship yet, I want you to end things. You know that journalist, Heeguk Lim, is a piece of work. So give our PR team a break and end it before it gets serious, okay?".
"I don't think I can do that, Ms. Seo," I said simply. "We're serious about each other. Plus, if we break up over an article, wouldn't that be even more embarrassing?".
I then revealed my trump card. "Ms. Seo, that journalist, Heeguk Lim, is Rena Lim's cousin. He's also behind those scathing articles about me and my acting".
Inkang looked shocked. "What...? I had no idea!".
I pushed my advantage. "This just gets better and better, so? You're meeting with Mr. Lim today, right? Who on the PR team are you sending out to meet with him?".
Ms. Seo admitted, "He won't have any goodwill toward me".
"If he does publish that article, it'll impact my career more than Inkang's, so I'd like to meet and talk to him in person," I stated. "He didn't publish that article right away and called us first. It means he wants something from us. I'll hear him out on what he wants, and make a deal with him if what he wants seems reasonable... We could turn this into a win-win situation".
The Negotiator
I met Heeguk Lim in a private dining room. "Ah, you're here. Please have a seat, Ms. Baek. You're even more beautiful in person," he greeted me with a smirk.
"Let's talk. I'd like to hear what you have to say," I replied.
He was predictably greedy. "Ah, I like money. How much is Longstar willing to give me? I heard Longstar doesn't do bribes, though. Do you have a sponsor?".
"Judging by the way he acts like a street thug, he's exactly as I imagined," I thought. I cut straight to it. "Is it money you want?".
He chuckled. "Ha ha... that's no fun, Ms. Baek. When they said you were coming to meet me in person, I thought it was because you were bringing me some incentive to not publish that article".
I smiled brightly. "I don't see why I need to pay you for doing your job. Your company pays you enough, doesn't it? Mr. Lim, I think you have this all wrong. I can't give you money if that's what you're looking for. Go ahead and publish the article".
His eyes narrowed in shock. I picked up the pre-written article. The title was: "ROOKIE ACTOR AJIN BAEK BECOMES INKANG HEO'S WOMAN." "You wrote the headline this way on purpose to make me look bad, right? So predictable...".
He got angry. "Cliché?! Hey, you're outta line if you think you can lecture me!!".
"Whoa, calm down. I'm not lecturing you. I'm offering you a deal," I said. "Don't forget, Mr. Lim. You started this. You're Rena Lim's cousin, right? I saw your previous articles about me and my sh*tty acting. But how would you like to write articles people would actually take an interest in... rather than those boring, cliché ones?".
"People want to know about the love lives of celebrities," I pitched. "If you accept my offer... I'll let you in on my love life. That means you'll always have an exclusive on our relationship. Of course, this would be a secret between just you and me".
I pointed at the draft article. "Change the headline. Take out the whole thing about Inkang Heo becoming I's woman... and change it to, 'INKANG HEO FALLS FOR I AND HER IRRESISTIBLE CHARM.' You're a journalist so you probably know this, but choice of word matters".
I ended with a smooth, decisive statement. "I can promise you that my love life will be passionate and riveting. So, what do you say?".
One Year Later
1 YEAR LATER
The articles began to pour out, exactly as I had orchestrated:
"INKANG ❤️ I, STILL HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THIS WINTER AWAY, CELEBRATE THEIR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY".
"Women in Their 20s and 30s Vote I Baek Their Fashion Inspiration".
"I Baek Is Trending, And Her Lovely 'Girlfriend Look' Is A Winner".
"I Baek Donates 1,000,000 Won* to Charity! No Wonder Inkang Heo Fell for Her".
"Inkang Heo Mentions Girlfriend, I Baek, in an Interview. He Says They Are Living the 'Happily Ever After.'".
The scandal had been turned into the start of a perfect celebrity narrative, all thanks to a calculated deal.
The deal has paid off, and my image is soaring. What kind of new drama or personal conflict should arise next?
But even celebrity bliss has a shelf life. Suddenly, the headlines changed. A new crisis hit, bringing a chilling dose of reality to my curated world:
[Breaking News] Inkang Heo's Grandmother Passes Away After Slipping and Falling in Washroom.