Winter's Love

Bonus Chap. 13

I went immediately to the company, obviously everyone there was angry. How on earth will those photos have leaked? The only way I see that possible is for someone to follow us... but does that make any sense? The problem lay in something so absurd that it angered me. Before getting out of the car I studied the things that were going around. It had already been said that she worked as a staff. The messages against that were horrible. It was something that worried me, but not the main concern. Although her work is excellent, Ha Neul has been in bad position many times thanks to Hana, I don't think the company will let this happen. As unfair as it may seem, they can fire her just to calm others down and maintain the position in my career. I got out of the car immersed in thoughts, so I was surprised to meet Hana at the doors of the company. I arched an eyebrow when I saw her.

-Not now, I'm in a hurry.

-I have a proposal that can help you protect your girlfriend -I turned to see her-. It's better if we talk about this in private -I ignored her. I didn't have time to be playing right now-. You know that your girlfriend is about to lose her dream job because of this -I already knew that and it was one of the things that weighed the most. Considering how much she had to leave to come here, I can't afford to be the cause of the loss of it. There has to be something, a middle point that allows me to be with her and to continue working on what she likes. Did that point even exist?-. In addition, she will be persecuted by your fans that aren't in agreement with your relation. Do you know how hard it is to put up with a jealous fan? It's hard to handle when you're an idol and you have people who protect you, imagine what it would be like for a person who is not from the artistic environment -I knew that too.

-So? That should not matter to you.

-Of course. I will offer you a deal to protect her. Be my boyfriend and I will make sure that she continues in her work and out of the public eye.

-Are you crazy?

-No, you know it's the only hope for her to stay here. Not everyone sees her with good eyes, so there are always rumors about her. Adding that she has fought with me -Have she fought with Hana? That wasn't true, but now I see that this is how she has let others see it. How has the Hana I knew been transformed into this?-, so many times that the director said that next time he would not hesitate to fire her.

-I'll find another way -She laughed

-And I'll find a way to break up with each of them. Take it or leave it.

-You were the one with the photos, right?

-Indeed. You're so careless. How do you plan a date in the company hall? If you want my opinion, that wasn't a prudent move -Ah, that means she heard us that day. The phone rang again.

-I'm on my way -I answered the manager who was already meeting with the director. I left Hana and her stupid idea to head to the office. When I arrived, as I expected, it was chaos.

-Are you dating someone? -It was the first question. But then he answered himself-. Isn't obvious? You're the one with the photos -The director of the company began-. Someone from the staff? -The manager looked at me with understanding, very unlike the director who didn't seem to want to hear what I to say at all.

This was going to drive me crazy, I really didn't have much to do. Although in my contract I could go out with someone, now we were in full swing, this means an impact for the group and for the company that is why he was so intransigent. The director continued reading from the fan-café all the comments and the bad responses until he came to something that caught his attention and improved his mood considerably.

-Can you call Hana? -The director asked the manager. This gave me a bad spine.

-Right away -I didn't have to wait long to see her with a big smile on her face.

-Did you call me?

-Be the official girlfriend of Won Sik -I blinked a couple of times in the face of disbelief.

-I'm not going to accept that. I'll face and say who my girlfriend is -The director scoffed.

-Do you think that's what people care about? They don't care if you're happy, what matters to them is what makes them happy -He turned the screen, showing a picture of Hana and next to one of the photos taken in the woods-. Even I know it's not her, but it makes them feel better that she is the singer so they try to find how to fit the pieces. They are speculating only about the color of the coat because it is similar. Even though the header of Hana's photo can be an open one. Just to say: I had fun. Thank you #love; People think it's her -He kept turning the page down. In effect, there were pictures of us together, those that we took at the surprise birthday party. Others that we only shot for fun, and some more suspicious that they were leaving together the company and my studio.

-I don't think that's convenient -Hana said-. He is already with someone. It is better that the fans accept the truth.

-And the group what? Your career what are you going to do with it? I swear they will do the impossible to make your girlfriend miserable.

-We can make this work in another way -I insisted. He denied.

-I'm not asking you if you want to or not, it's a sacrifice that you have to make. Unless you want your girlfriend to pay the consequences. I will look for who it is and I will take it out of the company. It would be a way for the fans to calm down. And although I don't know who she is, I assure you I can know her name if I want to -This was bad for many reasons, but I didn't see a way out of this. Doing a press conference on my own could negatively affect my brothers. Doing what the director imposes means hurting Ha Neul beyond forgiveness-. For your face, I see that you prefer that she keep her job. So, would Hana be willing?

-I am.

I left with so much anger from that office that it is a miracle that I still had control of myself. Was this what I had to get to? I always thought I would find a way to have everything I wanted. In these moments I can't get anywhere without hurting someone. What bothered me was that for some reason this seemed so perfectly planned. There was no error in synchronization.

-You planned everything, right? -Hana didn't bother to deny it.

-It was her fault for getting in our way.

-We were never going to be together.

-It doesn't matter, we already are. And you better treat me like your beloved girlfriend in front of everyone. You can't tell her your plan either, you're going to leave her... Ha Neul is in all of losing, she was always at a disadvantage.

I left her talking alone, because she was right. Ha Neul didn't have anything solid to keep up with and I didn't have the tools yet to protect her. I had no choice but to follow Hana's game, as crazy as it may be. Even if I become a stranger to her, Ha Neul must enjoy her dreams. I hoped that one day she would know that although it seems otherwise, I chose her. Eventually, I would find a way to do everything I want, I hope I don't find that opportunity late.