CHAPTER FIVE: PAINFUL SECRET I
Saturday 15th of June, 2024
Hana's (Yu Ra's) concert
Months Later
"These are the things you must do before and after the concert okay?" asked Soo Min handing me a clipboard containing the info of my job as a manager.
"Yeah, I'll do them," I responded collecting the clipboard.
We were at the backstage of the concert hall which Hana was going to perform today. Millions of fans cheered like never before. The hall was filled with the deafening sound of cheers, whistles and some who just wanted to see Hana.
"Woah, I knew she was popular but I didn't know she was this popular," I blotted out.
"Of course she is," Soo Min responded and faced me but this time with a less aggressive and more pleasing outlook.
"Look Tae Kyun, the reason I didn't want to accept you as her manager is because, I care about her a lot. And I don't want anything to ruin her career, hard work and life. We have been friends since childhood, we basically grew up together,"
"What made you think I'd ruin her career?"
"Well…..no one knows but when she broke up with her Ex, Kang Tae Sung, she was broken….for months. We had to cancel all our preparations and tours. I thought her career had met its end but somehow, she got over it and is now better than before. That's why I'm extra careful this time so that the past occurrence wouldn't occur again,"
"So, it's not that she hasn't found anyone....she's afraid to fall in love again, Philophobia,"
"Yeah,"
"And here I thought she was playing with me. Stupid, stupid, stupid," i thought slapping my forehead.
"What's wrong Tae Kyun?" Soo Min asked
"Oh, it's…. nothing. I'll make sure to do my level best and I promise with my life that I'll not let anything happen to her,"
"You promise?" asked Soo Min with her eyes stuck on mine expecting an answer having a sad expression on.
"Yes, I promise,"
"Thank you,"
"Don't worry, it's what friends do, right?" I asked placing a hand on her petrified shoulder.
"Friends? Are we….. friends?"
"Of course, we aren't enemies are we? Let's be friends," I replied with my hand stretched forward for a handshake.
"Well…..I don't see why not, okay. Friend," she said accepting the handshake.
Then I heard footsteps loud enough to call the attention of the millions of fans waiting outside for Hana.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the new boyfriend/manager Tae Kyun," a certain voice uttered
"Speak of the devil and here he comes, that's Kang Tae Sung, hana's ex. He's super mean and doesn't respect ladies or anyone...at all,"
"Mean? That's...not a nice way to introduce us Soo Min.
"What are you doing here?" I asked but he shrugged the question aside pointing out a hand towards me requesting a handshake.
"I am Kang Tae Sung, Korea's best model, nice to meet you,"
I glanced at his hands but didn't accept it. Everyone around watched as his hands lingered in the air unanswered.
"Wow, tough crowd. You must have said something to him Soo Min, what did you say?" He asked leaning forward.
""Only the truth, nothing else," she replied hand folded and expression displeased.
"Why the long face? You mean to say you dot miss your old friend?"
"We aren't friends, I hate you,"
"Oh really?" asked Tae Sung with one of his brows lightly raised walking closer to her—to close that she was backed up to a wall holding a wicked smile on his face.
"You hate me? Do you remember that night before Hana broke up with me?"
"What night are you talking about?" She asked a little interested and still a little displeased.
"Oh, so you wanna pretend huhn? Very well then, I'll just let you know that…..," he said leaning in close for a whisper.
"I've got several naked pics of you in my bed at my place, on my phone,"
Soo Min 's eyes widened and so did mine, sure he whispered but, that was loud enough for me to hear.
"Just one mess up and then...click. It would be broadcasted around the world. The headlines for the next day would be...'breaking news, naked pictures of the famous K-pop star's manager Ji Soo Min have been found all around social media. You know how famous I am. I would even go farther, your whole career would be ruined," he grinned before I intervened.
"Step back, don't cross your boundaries Tae Sung," I said pushing him back.
"Oh so you heard. Good, but what boundaries are you talking about? She crossed her boundaries as a friend long ago, why not yell at her? I just hope you aren't doing the same th—,"
Before he could speak, I lunged at him landing a devastating punch to his mouth that made him fall to his back with a bruised mouth.
"Watch what you say about my friend," I said visibly angry now with raw hatred etched to my face.
The whole backstage fell silent that only the noises and music outside could be heard.
"Friends? How dare you you brat?" He lunged trying to attack me but I interrupted catching his fist mid strike and twisting it till he fell flat to his face while I still held his twisted arm.
"Look here Tae Sung or whatever you call yourself, I don't care what she did or what you think of me. I am Hana's boyfriend, and her manager, so anything related to her is related to me. Her friends, family, even her show which has already begun. And if I ever see you or anyone trying to sabotage it…..," I paused twisting the arm tighter.
"I'll break your arm as well as every part of you and their bodies, do you get that? I don't care if you are a celebrity, I'll break you. Trust me, you don't want to mess with me,"
I released his arm and he stood holding nothing but pure hatred on his face as he retreated holding his twisted arm.
"This isn't over Tae Kyun, I've still got the photos, just wait and see till Hana sees these on the internet,"
Soo Min who wasn't watching or moving, fell down to her feet broken, hands trembling tremendously, people around couldn't do anything but watch.
I felt sorry for her, I just watched as tears welled up her eyes and how they dropped down her cheeks rapidly despite being covered with her hands, her sobbing echoed through the backstage hall, shifting to loud crying almost heard on the stage.
"Oh my gosh, I never thought I would see anyone cry let alone her, the one who always held a strong face towards me. I thought she hated me but she was just protecting her friend from disasters like Tae Sung. Gosh I hate that guy. But...who Wil help her now? Hana mustn't find out about this, if she did, she'd be devastated like before and both their friendship would be destroyed leading to more sorrow for Soo Min. I wonder what happened, I just wish I can help somehow," I thought to myself
Then Soo Min received a message from an unknown number, she was too sad to check but I did for her.
A long pause was on my face, then disgust and sadness, it was a rollercoaster of emotions for me.
"Who does that bastard think he is?" I muttered in anger.
"What?" asked Soo Min glancing at me with the phone on my hands.
"It's…. it's….," I showed her the message Tae Sung sent to her, it was several pics of her naked, some containing them naked on the bed.
Again, her eyes widened but wider than before. She broke down again and couldn't say anything but cry.
Then another message came in, it was a video this time, she watched for some moments and covered her face in her folded thighs.
"W-w-w-what is it?" I stammered.
She didn't answer, she just dropped the phone to the ground which showed me a glimpse of them together in an inappropriate act together, alone in a room.
"M-m-m-my l-l-life is…..r-r-ruined," she stammered looking at me with those tears worn out eyes.
"I…can't go back to school if he sh-sh-shows it to everyone. Hana…..won't ever f-forgive me. I would never be accepted for a...job once I'm done. My whole life is ruined. I should just...…end it,"
I was surprised by those words.
"End it? No, that's the worse option,"
"Then what should I do?" she yelled crying even more.
"What should I do when I won't be able to get a good life after he uploads it? Hana would hate me after this, life would be unbearable, I would not be able to find…..love. Look at me Tae Kyun," she said yelled holding me by my arms.
"Look at me, who would want to love or even marry someone who has spent the night with another man? Who Tae Kyun? Who?"
"I….I don't…. know," I muttered voice lower than before.
Her grip loosened from my arms, as her eyes were on me. The moment stood like that for up to one hour, all I could hear was the voice of Hana and the millions of fans and smell of designer dresses behind me.
"But it doesn't matter," I finally mustered up the courage to speak
"What?"
"It doesn't matter. It isn't what has happened that matters, it's what will happen that matters. And what will happen is greatly influenced by what we will do now,"
"What the but are you yammering about Tae Kyun? What will happen is that my life would be over, my aunt, mother, father and other family members would be disappointed in me. I….I wish….I wish I had never done that with him. None of these would be happening,"
"I'll help,"
"Huhn?"
"Hana doesn't have to find out, the rest of the world don't have to find out. I'll help you to the very end, I'll make sure your life isn't ruined,"
"And how are you gonna do that? Are you gonna confront him again?" She asked me.
"It doesn't matter, I'll do everything within and beyond my power to help you, even if it comes at a cost,"
She suddenly hugged me, it was warm and calm, almost submissive. It was...the best thing ever. Being accepted and trusted.
I held her tighter in my arms, not out of love…..but out of friendship.
"Thank you Tae Kyun, thank you. I now see why Hana chose you. Because you are trustworthy and exceptionally kind," she said giving me a peck on the cheek.
"It-it-it's…. nothing. I just don't want to see anyone sad, expectially not Hana's friend,"
"What happened here?" asked Hana as she saw us on the floor.
I guess the show must have ended.
"Well….," Soo Min tried to explain quickly wiping the tears from her eyes.
"She was not feeling well, bad tummy ache. That made her really sad to the point of tears, I was just comforting her," I interrupted
Soo Min glanced at me with awe but I held up the act.
"Right Soo Min?"
SOO MIN'S POV
"Y-y-yeah, it was a bad tummy ache,"
"I'm sorry for lying to you Hana, I'm really sorry. I have never lied to you before but I just did, for your own sake. I'm really sorry. And thank you very much Tae Kyun, you've been a good man and, a good friend. Hana's lucky to have you but the both of you don't even know that,"
"I hope it's fine now?" Hana asked placing a hand on my tum tum.
"Y-yeah, it's….calm now. I'm fine, can we go now?,"
"Oh yeah, let's go," she replied and she changed heading home together with a deep secret kept from Hana.