superficial love | jaerosé

one

superficial love
chapter one - beginnings

chaeyoung

❦

I had been sitting in the YG cafeteria for lunch with my members, chatting and joking around like usual until my name was loudly called over the YG intercom by Yang Hyun Suk himself.

"Park Chaeyoung, please head to my  office immediately. Alone." 

The members had all turned to me, confusion on their faces.
I was just as confused as they were, as well as deathly afraid.

Had I done something wrong? I didn't have time to check my phone all morning... maybe an article about me spread or something?
I was panicking, and my members had sent me worried looks as I slowly got up out of my seat and began to walk to my boss's office.

This was the only time I was ever thankful that our YG elevator is extremely slow. It gave me time to compose myself and think about what I could have possibly done wrong to be called to his office personally.

As the elevator's metal doors finally open as I reach the top floor, I take a deep breath before stepping out and making my way to the front of his large office door.

Lightly knocking on the door, I hear Hyun Suk's voice telling me to go in.

As I opened the door and walk in, i'm shocked to see many people in the room.

There's a man in a business suit and briefcase sitting on the couch whom I am unfamiliar with, but I'm unsure of why our group manager, one of our body guards, YG's director of public affairs, and people from YG's media board are all in the same room.

Yang Hyun Suk sits on the couch further away from business suit man, looking very displeased.

"Come in and take a seat, Chaeyoung."  Hyun Suk tells me, and I nod. "Y-yes sir."

As I take a seat, I glance over at my manager, sending him a look that screams 'what's going on?!', but he only sighs.

"Chaeyoung, nice to meet you." Business suit man shakes my hand.
"I'm Seo Ahn-Min. I'm a worker from SM entertainment's public affairs board."

My eyes widened. What was a worker from SM entertainment doing here?

"I know you're probably confused right now, so I'll have your public affair director explain for you."

I nod slowly before turning to Minji, our public affair director who deals with whatever news YG artists are involved in. She was a nice woman.

Minji takes a seat next to me.

"Well, Chaeyoung. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. As you know, we are in the process of electing our new governors. Unfortunately, a well-known politician's son is currently involved in a big scandal. The politician needs you to help him divert attention away from the scandal."

I was confused. What did I have to do with any of this?

"How will I be of any help...?" I ask, my voice shaking.

"They did their research. You're a pretty perfect idol to use. First of all, your past record is clean. You're free of scandals. You're the peace-maker of your group. The public adore you and your voice. Your visuals are very pure-like.

Second of all, you're a member of BLACKPINK. Your group is very popular, so it's smart to use you."

I could only nod slowly, still not knowing where they were going with this.

"Getting to the point, you're going to be a cover-up for the scandal.
You'll be in an arranged relationship with someone from SM entertainment."

My jaw drops agape in shock.
An arranged relationship with someone from SM?
I did not sign up for this.

My record was clean of scandals, and I wanted to keep it that way. I just want to focus on singing.
I became an idol to sing, not to be a cover-up. This is absurd and unbelievable.

"I tried to get you out of it. But they're not budging. SM entertainment didn't want to partake in it, either... but these politicians have a lot of power. They were forced to accept it, too. " Hyun Suk finally speaks up, pinching the bridge of his nose.

I gulp.
This was something that only happened in movies, seriously.

"The scheduled meeting to meet your 'boyfriend' will be in two days. Hopefully, this will work out smoothly. You only have to pretend until the elections are over, but they need your relationship to be believable. As you know, YG and SM are the top companies, and we can only imagine what fans reactions will be. We will be deleting and blocking any malicious comments left on the internet about you or our idol, so you don't have to worry about that. Just make the relationship believable." Ahn-min tells me.

I try to wrap my head around all of this, but I just can't.
What would my fans think?! They'd be so disappointed in me that I was dating... I just knew it.

My heart hurt at the thought of my fans losing trust or love for me.
BLINKS were my entire world. I don't want to let them down.

And my family... what am I supposed to tell them? What would my members think?

and for sure SM sasaengs would come for me.

Who from SM could it possibly be...? Not an EXO member, right? I pray to the high heavens it isn't. I'd be skinned alive by sasaengs and all fans worldwide. No way could it be an EXO member. I was acquainted with Chanyeol because of that one collab we did, and I received hate on even that.

"May I ask who exactly i'm going to be in a fake relationship with?" I ask timidly, not knowing that the name I was about to be given was the name of the boy that was about to change my life.

"NCT's Jung Jaehyun."