Clandestine

scandal

Sooooo idk how to start this but...

Lezgooo (my two biases in one short story) 

Two words, thirteen letters, and her name was all it took to send everyone into chaos. The dimly lit room was filled with tension as they stared at the screen, which was now their only source of light.

The man in the center of the room finally broke the eerie silence. "How did this happen?"

A voice responded, "Well, that's what you all get for trying to control us in the first place."

"Enough of this! You need to break up and stop this once and for all," another voice demanded.

But she shook her head and snorted, "No."

She left the room, and a moment later, a hand gently caressed her back. A voice whispered in her ear, "Babe, everything is gonna be alright."

"Well, it's just a scandal. A dating scandal, that's all."

"And it's for real this time," she smirked.

6 months ago ...

She was having a bad day. Her schedule had been canceled again due to a heavy rainstorm. She sat at her desk, waiting for her members to call.

"Miss, I'm sorry to disturb you, but someone informed me that the CEO wants to see you in his office," a staff member said.

It was unexpected, and it only added to her already ruined day. She was guided to the CEO's office, which was more like a royal chamber. He sat behind his desk, resembling a king on his throne.

"Hello, Sajangnim. I heard you called for me?" she greeted politely.

He gestured for her to sit across from him and got straight to the point. "Yes, dear. I received a call from the higher-ups. You might not be thrilled about what I'm about to say, but I expect a lot from you. You'll have to do this—whether you like it or not."

She furrowed her brows, curiosity piqued. "Higher-ups? What do you mean?"

He leaned in slightly, his voice lowering. "Here's the thing, sweetheart. Several companies are involved in this. To be honest, we wouldn't even be standing here right now if not for the higher-ups... and the government." He paused and leaned back a bit.

Her chest tightened. Her heart was beating too fast, but she knew she had to hear him out. "There's been a recent accident. You've heard about the governor's son, haven't you?" He didn't wait for her to respond. "Turns out he was dealing illegal drugs. And you know—rumors don't just start without reason..."

She took a sharp breath. What does that have to do with me? she wondered silently.

"Well, the rumors were true. He made some dangerous enemies. To cut it short, he was abducted. And to make things worse, he was involved in the Itaewon bombing. That place was being used as a hideout for illegal operations by him and his accomplices." Her brain froze. Everything was too much, too fast.

"Shouldn't this be all over the news?" she asked, her voice trembling. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably now. If she was connecting the dots right, this could explode into something massive. It could drag multiple K-pop agencies down with it.

She remembered the rumors whispered by their seniors—rumors of dark connections and shady deals made just to reach the top. Money really does lead people to terrifying places.