"That's right. So put that ring on your finger... and take my hand."
He looked at me, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. "But how do you even know what I want...?"
I simply inclined my head, a knowing smirk playing on my lips. "Why don't you tell me?"
Dohyeok leaned back, the wine glass in his hand reflecting the dim light. "I'm a big fan of fighting over my share of the pie too... so it looks like we want the same things at the end of the day."
"Good." I replied, watching his expression carefully. "My family is quite lenient toward those that are capable, so you go ahead and take what you can take."
He stated his demands, a glint of ambition in his eyes. "I want a business, shares, and a title. I want Croshoe."
I let out a soft, dry laugh. "Ah, so you want to nibble away at my family's fortune, is that it?"
"As long as you don't cross any lines, you'll be fine," I assured him, then delivered the setback with a cool voice. "But I can't give you Croshoe. Learn the business first, and I'll give you another company to play with. You can have that instead."
He paused, considering my counter-offer. "Then tell me what you want from me, Dohyeok. I'd also like to know how long this business relationship will last... before I say yes to anything."
"The length of the contract depends entirely on you and your performance," I told him. "The things I want are simple. You need to keep your reputation up as an actor."
"If you'd like to keep acting, I'm willing to support you... but you'll have to fulfill all the duties I ask of you when my subsidiary companies launch."
I gave him a hard, unflinching look, stating my final, non-negotiable term. "You'll also have to abort the baby after we get married."
He took a slow sip of wine, his gaze steady. "Thank you for giving me an excuse to push forward with this all... but I have no interest in raising a child that isn't mine. Of course, I won't mention a thing about your pregnancy to the press."
"We'll move forward with the wedding quickly... but everyone knew we were dating with marriage in mind so there won't be too much talk around it." I finished, leaning back. "If you want to keep your elegant actress reputation intact, consider it the least you could do."
He finally capitulated, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Well, if you hadn't surprised me with this like this little show of yours..."
I cut him off, my voice final and absolute. "Then I'll give you everything that marrying me could bring."
"Well, if you hadn't surprised me with that little show of yours... I'd never have considered marrying you... so, you win." Dohyeok conceded, a wry twist to his lips.
I returned his gaze, a silent understanding passing between us. He had accepted my terms. My reputation, my business, my life – it all hinged on this.
"If your image as an actress becomes tarnished... and ends up hurting my business in any way... you won't be able to appear on screen with that pretty little face of yours, ever again. You understand what I'm saying, right?" I articulated, making sure my conditions were crystal clear. There would be no room for misinterpretation.
He met my eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You got what you wanted, after all."
Later, the silence of my apartment was broken by a sudden, insistent ringing. It echoed through the room, jarring me from my thoughts.
"Hello?" I answered, a hint of caution in my voice.
"Oh, hello. We're with a show called Dim Heart, on HBN. You're Jaero Kim, right? Please calm down, we'll explain everything. We're a documentary program called 'Dim Heart.' We're doing a special on Ajin Baek and reached out to you for a quick interview. Wait, are you calling me from Korea...?" The voice on the other end rattled off, causing a jolt of alarm.
"Where'd you say you're calling from again? Also, how'd you get my number?" I pressed, my mind racing. Something felt off.
"You know Junseo Yun, right? We got your contact information from him. He mentioned that you were her classmate and close friend. Is that true?"
A cold knot formed in my stomach. "Wait... Junseo gave you my number?" This was entirely unexpected.
I paced my apartment, the phone still pressed to my ear. "I don't think they're lying, since they seem to know Junseo... But that's still weird. Don't they know that I have a criminal record? There's no way Junseo gave them my number without reason... What's with this random documentary?"
"We'd like to ask you a few questions over the phone," the voice continued, oblivious to my internal turmoil.
A memory flashed in my mind – a previous conversation with Dohyeok. "What if I decline this offer of yours...?" I had asked him then, challenging his demands.
His smile had been chillingly calm. "Personally, I couldn't care less, but the minute I leave this place... I'd meet with a few journalists and make good on that whole 'do my worst' bit."
Back to the present, a different memory, a different promise. "Ajin, if you follow the terms of my offer to a tee, I will treat you like the best partner in the world. I don't even care who you see behind my back. I'm willing to respect your privacy. Just don't let other people find out. People won't really care if I'm caught cheating... but you'd be put in a bad spot if you were."
"Well, if you hadn't surprised me like this with that little show of yours... I'd never have considered marrying you... so, you win." Dohyeok conceded, a wry twist to his lips.
I returned his gaze, a silent understanding passing between us. He had accepted my terms. He added, "You got what you wanted, after all."
I had to ensure he understood the gravity of his new role. "If your image as an actress becomes tarnished... and ends up hurting my business in any way... you won't be able to appear on screen with that pretty little face of yours, ever again. You understand what I'm saying, right?" I articulated.
He had been equally clear about the benefits. "Ajin, if you follow the terms of my offer to a tee, I will treat you like the best partner in the world. I don't even care who you see behind my back. I'm willing to respect your privacy. Just don't let other people find out. People won't really care if I'm caught cheating... but you'd be put in a bad spot if you were." His leverage was always the threat: "What if I decline this offer of yours...?" I had asked. His smile was chillingly calm. "Personally, I couldn't care less, but the minute I leave this place... I'd meet with a few journalists and make good on that whole 'do my worst' bit."
The silence of my apartment was broken by a sudden, insistent ringing.
"Hello?" I answered, caution in my voice.
"Oh, hello. We're with a show called Dim Heart, on HBN. You're Jaero Kim, right? Please calm down, we'll explain everything. We're doing a special on Ajin Baek and reached out to you for a quick interview. Wait, are you calling me from Korea...?" The voice on the other end rattled off.
"Where'd you say you're calling from again? Also, how'd you get my number?" I pressed, my mind racing.
"You know Junseo Yun, right? We got your contact information from him. He mentioned that you were her classmate and close friend. Is that true?"
A cold knot formed in my stomach. "Wait... Junseo gave you my number?"
The man on the phone responded, "He did. We could prove that he gave us your contact information if you have that much trouble believing us."
I paced my apartment, the phone still pressed to my ear. "I don't think they're lying, since they seem to know Junseo... But that's still weird. Don't they know that I have a criminal record? There's no way Junseo gave them my number without reason... What's with this random documentary? Maybe they really need my interview. Why didn't he tell me in advance?! Let's see what they want to know first. Uhhh... what are the questions you want to ask me?"
"We'd like to ask you a few questions over the phone," they said. "A video chat would be great, but that might be uncomfortable for you, right?" I considered the situation. "Did Junseo really give you my number and ask you to interview me?"
The interviewer began, "You probably know her a lot better than others, if you knew her since high school. Was there anything that stood out to you about her when she was going to school with you? Why don't you simply tell us how you remember Ajin from back then."
I took a deep breath. "She was quite famous in our high school. She was pretty, kind, and smart. But if I had to pick one thing that really stood out about her, it was that... she doesn't have prejudices about people. That's how we became friends, actually."
Then the questions took a dark turn. "Did she ever bully others? Did she ever lend money to other kids and collect interest?"
"What did you say...? Hey, you said this was a special on Ajin... Why're you asking me this kind of crap?!" I demanded, my composure breaking.
"Oh, I guess you've never seen our show," the interviewer said flatly.
"Why would I ever watch a show that makes a living off of digging up dirt on celebrities?! Do you really think I have that much time on my hands?!"
"Oh, we received an anonymous tip that the Ajin Baek we see on TV... is a carefully crafted persona that has been created through imagemaking... and contacted you for your comments. So we--"
"Imagemaking? That's ridiculous. Who the hell said that kind of crap?! You should have told me this BEFORE you asked me that crap!! Are you kidding me right now?!" I shouted into the phone, standing up.
"Please calm down, Mr. Kim—" the interviewer tried to interject.
"YOU MAKE SURE YOU PUT THIS IN YOUR DAMN SHOW! Whether it's bullying others, or playing loan shark, IT WAS ALL ME! All Ajin ever did was treat me like a friend because she felt bad for me!! WHEN EVERYONE IN THE WORLD POINTED FINGERS AT ME, SHE WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO TOOK MY SIDE!!! What do you people know about her?!"
"Mr. Kim, please just—" the interviewer desperately pleaded. The line clicked. I had hung up.
The documentary team sat in stunned silence after the abrupt hang-up.
"He hung up on me..." the interviewer, his hand still near his ear, mumbled.
His colleague shook his head. "Wow, he's got quite the temper. He probably won't pick up, even if we call him again."
The interviewer brightened, undeterred. "Well, we got everything we needed from him anyway. Plus, he gave us permission to air his comment."
The colleague's eyebrows shot up. "You're gonna air this?"
"If we don't want people saying that this is an ill-intentioned portrayal of her, we need to include interviews of a handful of people who defend her," the interviewer explained with a sly look. "Obviously, I won't be including that last comment of his."
"What's so bad about that? Just make sure the identity of my source is kept a secret. He'll stay anonymous, right?" the colleague pressed.
The interviewer smiled, a hint of cruelty in his eyes. "Whoa, didn't you hear? He's going to appear anonymously in Part One, but he'll be appearing under his real name in Part Two."
The colleague stared. "What...?"
"He's the one who gave us permission. Plus, it makes our jobs easier," the interviewer rationalized. "If the source reveals their real name, people will trust his claims way more. He did mention that he'd pay for his crimes with her..."
The colleague looked down, troubled. "What the hell...? Is he trying to jump into the fire with her, or what?" He looked back up at the interviewer. "Alright, I'll leave that to you... but keep this under wraps until the episode airs. Her boyfriend is the son of Hyeseong Group. If this gets in his ears, it'll never be broadcast."
The interviewer leaned back, dismissing the concern. "This is going to generate so much interest. Why'd we ever say no?"
"At this point, I'm surprised that your director even said yes to producing this special," the colleague countered, shaking his head. "It's just that the timing is a bit iffy. It's set to air on the same day as The Yejong Film Awards Ceremony. I can't tell if this is good luck, or bad luck."
Meanwhile, oblivious to the storm brewing, I was at a tailor's shop, preoccupied with my wedding dresses.
"What do you think?" I asked the assistant, turning in a deep red gown.
The assistant looked doubtful. "I don't know... this dress doesn't really fit the mood of the ceremony, don't you think?"
"I like the white one I just tried on. The blue one made me look cold," I decided.
"I agree. We'll just have to take the white dress in at the waist in a little..." the assistant said before a knock interrupted us.
"Knock, knock," came a voice from the door. "Um, Ajin, your phone has been ringing off the hook..."
The wine glass sat untouched between us as we laid out the terms of our arrangement.
"But how do you even know what I want...?" he asked, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes.
I simply inclined my head. "Why don't you tell me?"
He stated his demands, a glint of ambition in his eyes. "I want a business, shares, and a title. I want Croshoe."
I let out a soft, dry laugh. "Ah, so you want to nibble away at my family's fortune, is that it?"
He nodded confidently. "I'm a big fan of fighting over my share of the pie too... so it looks like we want the same things at the end of the day."
"Good." I replied. "My family is quite lenient toward those that are capable, so you go ahead and take what you can take."
"As long as you don't cross any lines, you'll be fine, but I can't give you Croshoe. Learn the business first, and I'll give you another company to play with. You can have that instead."
He paused, considering my counter-offer. "Then tell me what you want from me, Dohyeok. I'd also like to know how long this business relationship will last... before I say yes to anything."
"The length of the contract depends entirely on you and your performance. The things I want are simple. You need to keep your reputation up as an actor. If you'd like to keep acting, I'm willing to support you... but you'll have to fulfil all the duties I ask of you when my subsidiary companies launch." I then delivered my final, non-negotiable term, my gaze unflinching. "You'll also have to abort the baby after we get married."
He finally capitulated. "Thank you for giving me an excuse to push forward with this all... but I have no interest in raising a child that isn't mine. Of course, I won't mention a thing about your pregnancy to the press."
"We'll move forward with the wedding quickly... but everyone knew we were dating with marriage in mind so there won't be too much talk around it. If you want to keep your elegant actress reputation intact, consider it the least you could do."
He gave a slight sigh. "Well, if you hadn't surprised me like this with that little show of yours..."
I cut him off. "Then I'll give you everything that marrying me could bring. That's right. So put that ring on your finger... and take my hand."
Hours later, while I was trying on a dress, my assistant approached me. "Um, Ajin, your phone has been ringing off the hook... You have ten missed calls."
I looked at the phone in my hand, which was vibrating again. BZZZZ. I frowned. "Is it from an international number...?" I didn't recognize the number, but I had a sudden, sinking feeling about who it might be.
"Yeah. Just block that number for me, will you? You know what, I'll do it. Here, could you pass me my phone?" I took the device, my heart pounding, and clicked to block the number.
A moment later, a message popped up: "Call me when you get a chance."
THUD. CLICK. The sound of the phone being slammed down echoed in the room.
Later, I was on a call, pacing a cold corridor. The person on the other end was clearly upset.
"Did you change your mind and want to help me now? You acted like you were never going to see me again last time," I said, my voice strained.
"You didn't call me to help you...? No, I'll always do what's best for you. Just as I've been doing my entire life."
"Then don't do anything and stay put. That's how you can help me. Why don't you go abroad and take a good rest?" I pleaded. "I'm going to ask you one last time... Will you stop what you're doing for me?"
I heard a heavy silence, then a broken whisper. "Could you change your mind, just this once, for me?"
The answer was immediate, firm, and painful. "No..."
My next words came out as a desperate accusation. "Let me ask you one thing, Ajin. You used me, knowing full well that I'm a child of an affair, right? And you weren't trying to comfort me that night. You just needed me to get pregnant, didn't you?"
I fought to keep my voice even, though my breath hitched. "What do you want to say...? Will the truth change anything?"
The reply was brutal. "I always thought you were smart... but you just seem like such a fool to me now. What? There were so many people around you who loved you, and you lost them all because you could only see what was ahead of you."
I clutched the phone, reeling from the blow, but refused to let my resolve break. I took a shaky breath, then pleaded one last time. "Take some time to think about it. Take an hour, no, even 30 minutes. I deserve that much, don't you think? Think it over and let me know... if you still feel the same way then..."
The wine glass sat untouched, reflecting the dim light as he laid out his terms. He looked at me, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. "But how do you even know what I want...?"
I simply inclined my head. "Why don't you tell me?"
He stated his demands, a glint of ambition in his eyes. "I want a business, shares, and a title. I want Croshoe."
I let out a soft, dry laugh. "Ah, so you want to nibble away at my family's fortune, is that it?"
"I'm a big fan of fighting over my share of the pie too... so it looks like we want the same things at the end of the day. Good. My family is quite lenient toward those that are capable, so you go ahead and take what you can take."
"As long as you don't cross any lines, you'll be fine," I assured him, then delivered the setback. "But I can't give you Croshoe. Learn the business first, and I'll give you another company to play with. You can have that instead."
He paused, considering my counter-offer. "Then tell me what you want from me, Dohyeok. I'd also like to know how long this business relationship will last... before I say yes to anything."
"The length of the contract depends entirely on you and your performance. The things I want are simple. You need to keep your reputation up as an actor. If you'd like to keep acting, I'm willing to support you... but you'll have to fulfil all the duties I ask of you when my subsidiary companies launch." I then delivered my final, non-negotiable term. "You'll also have to abort the baby after we get married."
He accepted with a calm, unnerving smile. "Thank you for giving me an excuse to push forward with this all... but I have no interest in raising a child that isn't mine. Of course, I won't mention a thing about your pregnancy to the press."
My voice was final. "If your image as an actress becomes tarnished... and ends up hurting my business in any way... you won't be able to appear on screen with that pretty little face of yours, ever again. You understand what I'm saying, right?"
He conceded. "You got what you wanted, after all."
"We'll move forward with the wedding quickly... but everyone knew we were dating with marriage in mind so there won't be too much talk around it. If you want to keep your elegant actress reputation intact, consider it the least you could do."
He sighed. "Well, if you hadn't surprised me like this with that little show of yours... I'd never have considered marrying you... so, you win."
I cut him off. "Then I'll give you everything that marrying me could bring. That's right. So put that ring on your finger... and take my hand."
His previous warnings, however, lingered in my mind. "What if I decline this offer of yours...? Personally, I couldn't care less, but the minute I leave this place... I'd meet with a few journalists and make good on that whole 'do my worst' bit." And his terms for a good partner: "If you follow the terms of my offer to a tee, I will treat you like the best partner in the world. I don't even care who you see behind my back. I'm willing to respect your privacy. Just don't let other people find out. People won't really care if I'm caught cheating... but you'd be put in a bad spot if you were."
The tailor's assistant looked at the deep red dress I was trying on. "I don't know... this dress doesn't really fit the mood of the ceremony, don't you think?"
"I like the white one I just tried on. The blue one made me look cold," I decided.
"I agree. We'll just have to take the white dress in at the waist in a little..." she said just before a knock interrupted us.
"Knock, knock," came a voice from the door. "Um, Ajin, your phone has been ringing off the hook... You have ten missed calls."
I sat down, my eyes fixed on the news articles flashing across my screen: "A-LIST ACTOR, AJIN BAEK AIMS FOR A TRIPLE CROWN ACHIEVEMENT AT THE FILM AWARDS!" "EVERY TEENAGER'S ROLE MODEL, AJIN BAEK'S POPULARITY IS ENDLESS." "[EXCLUSIVE] AJIN BAEK CONFIRMS RUMORS SHE IS DATING A CHAEBOL WITH PLANS TO MARRY SOON."
Then, a message came through from my ex-classmate, Jaero Kim. "I'm getting married soon."
I stared at the text. I can't let you take another life... because there's no coming back from that.
Then the phone rang again. It was Jaero. "Did you change your mind and want to help me now? You acted like you were never going to see me again last time."
"You didn't call me to help you...? No, I'll always do what's best for you. Just as I've been doing my entire life."
"Then don't do anything and stay put. That's how you can help me. Why don't you go abroad and take a good rest? I'm going to ask you one last time... Will you stop what you're doing for me?"
He answered in a strained voice, "I'll give up." Then the line went cold, replaced by text. "AJIN, THIS IS THE LAST CHANCE I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU. PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME RUIN YOU WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS."
He followed up with a final, desperate message. "My management will be announcing it to the public. I can't turn back now. I want it all. Don't get in my way."
I looked at the message, heart hammering. I knew what I had to do to protect my future, to protect us.
I sent a final text: "Please don't force me to topple everything... with my own two hands."
Then, on the day of The 52nd Yejong Film Awards, as I stepped onto the red carpet in my sparkling high heels and white gown, dazzling the crowds who shouted "AJIN! PLEASE LOOK OVER HERE!", the director of the documentary stood over a printed picture of my face, a large red 'X' covering it.
He said to his team, "Please proceed... with the broadcast as planned."
I stared at his final text message: "My management will be announcing it to the public. I can't turn back now. I want it all. Don't get in my way." My fingers flew across the screen, a desperate plea for him to reconsider. "Please don't force me to topple everything... with my own two hands."
A voice within me screamed, I can't let you take another life... because there's no coming back from that.
The day of the awards ceremony arrived with a crushing weight.
As the car pulled up to the red carpet, a sea of flashes erupted. I stepped out in my white gown and sparkling high heels, forcing a dazzling smile as the crowds shouted: "AJIN! PLEASE LOOK OVER HERE!" The energy was electric, a perfect shield of celebrity and glamour.
Inside the broadcast station, however, the mood was tense. The director stood over a printed picture of my face, a large, dramatic red 'X' covering it. He looked at his team, his voice calm and resolute.
"Please proceed... with the broadcast as planned."
The interview with Jaero began to air, featuring him in his dark, intense moment. I could practically hear his voice.
"You should have told me this BEFORE you asked me that crap!! Are you kidding me right now?!" he had yelled into the phone. "I don't think they're lying, since they seem to know Junseo... But that's still weird. Don't they know that I have a criminal record? There's no way Junseo gave them my number without reason... What's with this random documentary?"
And then, his explosive defense of me. "YOU MAKE SURE YOU PUT THIS IN YOUR DAMN SHOW! Whether it's bullying others, or playing loan shark, IT WAS ALL ME! All Ajin ever did was treat me like a friend because she felt bad for me!! WHEN EVERYONE IN THE WORLD POINTED FINGERS AT ME, SHE WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO TOOK MY SIDE!!! What do you people know about her?!"
I walked past the throng of photographers, utterly alone, knowing what he had sacrificed, and what I was about to lose.
As the pre-show coverage continued on monitors everywhere, the anchor announced, "The 52nd Yejong Film Awards will be starting soon..." The director watched the screen, an almost manic certainty in his eyes.
"I want it all..." Jaero had texted.
As I took my seat among the nominees, the phone in my clutch vibrated. A new notification flashed across the screen: "DIM HEART (Part 1) IS AIRING NOW"
I took a deep breath, the smile fixed on my face, the cameras focused on me. The game had just begun.