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Chapter 07
“Wow…”
A mix of admiration and a sigh of disappointment that this issue was coming to an end with such acknowledgment escaped.
Still, it had been a long time holding onto this. If things were properly settled, another article could be written for extra views.
“Before Pink Pop debuted, we were in the same agency, and we briefly dated, but we went our separate ways. So all those novel-like stories circulating online…”
He paused for a moment, then Ko Geon laughed silently. It was ridiculous, yet amusing.
“The rumors about me using my power in the group or having a child with her are absolutely not true. We recently met again and decided to continue our relationship.”
Just as the reporters were shoving their phones and recorders to ask questions…
“She’s my first love.”
Ko Geon silenced the reporters with that statement.
“I want to keep seeing her well. Please protect her, as she is an ordinary person, and I don’t want her to be harassed by reporters because of me.”
There was strength in his words.
Now, Ko Geon was just in his early thirties, the age when an ordinary person would still be adjusting to working life.
He was young enough to be called a rookie, but even men could see that he was impressive.
It wasn’t just his looks; his confidence in standing up for his woman was admirable.
That kind of impression didn’t last more than five seconds, though.
“Does that mean Ko Geon was dumped before?”
“You’re saying you got back together with your first love?”
“How long did you date? Why did you break up back then?”
His manager stepped in.
“Our agency will be sending out an official statement, so please cooperate.”
“Ko Geon! Just say a bit more!”
“You’ll get hurt! Step back!”
Ko Geon usually had obsessive fans following him, and his manager Kiwoong was handling both their duties on his own, doing enough for the two of them.
Ko Geon made his way to the van, blocking reporters from getting any closer.
He opened the door and let the woman in first.
He stepped in himself, but just as he was about to close the door…
“When did you two meet again?”
Ko Geon turned and gave a bright smile to the reporter who asked.
“It was the day before. The day the video was taken.”
The woman, who had been hiding her face and crouching inside the car, was startled.
As soon as Ko Geon got in, he shut the door.
“Why did you say that?”
The woman’s face turned bright red.
“What do you think people will think?”
“Since we admitted we’re dating, they’ll think we did what most couples do.”
“What couples do…”
“Kissing, sex, and so on.”
She opened her mouth but shot him a glare instead.
“Did you call the reporters on purpose?”
“We decided to have a public relationship.”
That was it.
The method Ko Geon suggested was a public relationship.
He would maintain the image of the pure-hearted romantic who reunited with his first love, while the woman, even if she received some insults from his fans, wouldn’t become the national villain, which worked for both of them.
They came out to make proper arrangements and discuss things with Able Entertainment, but she hadn’t expected it to be announced right at the entrance.
“…What if I had rejected your offer, though?”
“Then what would people think if I went to the company of a woman who caused a scandal? What kind of conversation would have taken place? Was there any blackmail involved? In the end, my image would have gotten worse, and I would have had to pay advertising penalties.”
The woman had a lot to say. She was about to speak when Kiwoong got in the car.
“Hello, I’m Ko Geon’s manager, Park Kiwoong. I’m three years younger than him, so feel free to call me comfortably.”
He was still older than the woman, though.
“Hello, I’m Lee Bom.”
“We’re heading out.”
The greeting was awkward. Lee Bom subconsciously looked at Ko Geon. She wasn’t sure how much the manager knew, so she couldn’t speak freely.
If she made a mistake and this fake relationship got exposed, things would only get worse.
She was nervous as hell, but Ko Geon looked completely at ease.
She glanced at him, and their eyes met.
There was no other way, so she decided to follow Ko Geon’s suggestion, but she still couldn’t figure out if this method was actually okay.
She muttered under her breath and watched Kiwoong as he drove. She lowered her voice so that only Ko Geon could hear.
“You don’t have to lie about it being your first love.”
“It’s not a lie. She’s my first love.”
Lie.
Even when he was a trainee, Ko Geon was a hot topic.
The small agency’s terrible CEO even went so far as to form a male group just to debut Ko Geon.
The fact that he was the grandson of the Daehyun Group chairman was revealed when he debuted as an actor, but no one knew back then.
Even among actors, someone who looked as good as him wouldn’t have been any different in school.
Other students wouldn’t have let him be, so Lee Bom couldn’t possibly have been his first love. It was so obvious, yet he lied so convincingly.
“Kiwoong, stop the car for a second and go buy banana milk at the convenience store.”
“Banana milk? We’re almost at the company.”
“Just give them the signal that we need to talk before going in.”
“Ah, okay. Hyung. Please open the door after you’re done talking. I’ll wait outside.”
Kiwoong, who was a bit slow on the uptake, stopped the car in front of the convenience store and got out.
Now, it was just the two of them left.
“Lee Bom, if you’re going to do this, do it properly. If we act so awkwardly, people will suspect us. Like I said, only the CEOs of Iri Sam and our agency know about this. I haven’t even told my manager.”
Ko Geon spoke to Lee Bom in a low tone.
“Our relationship is a secret. Don’t tell anyone, not even the people closest to us. We have to keep our stories straight.”
It was all fake.
Well, except for Ilju and Go Wonnam.
She knew it was a fake relationship, but actually trying to pull it off wasn’t easy.
Lee Bom deflated.
“Alright.”
“Then how about a kiss?”
“Go kiss someone else. I need to talk to the Able CEO, and Kiwoong will be back soon, so… ah!”
Suddenly, Ko Geon’s face came too close to hers. Lee Bom pressed herself against the window.
Did he mean they should test the waters, not actually kiss?
Why was his body leaning toward her?
His breath touched her face.
Looking down at her, Ko Geon smiled mischievously.
“Why are you so surprised?”
“W-was that what you meant by a kiss?”
“Oh, you want it? If we’re going to look like real lovers, we should do what’s necessary.”
“Not in front of everyone!”
“Would it be fine if we were alone?”
“No, that’s not what I meant!”
“Are you excited?”
Who is excited?!
She shook her head desperately.
Having worked as a celebrity, she could tell from his every word how experienced he was with his smooth talk.
His face was right in front of hers now.
Is he really going to kiss me?
She turned her head sideways, pretending she didn’t know what was going on.
Soon, a laugh that sounded like air leaking came from him. It was so close it felt like he was whispering in her ear.
“Do you know? Your face is so red.”
Who’s fault is that?!
“Hyung! Here’s the banana milk, ugh! S-sorry for interrupting!”
Kiwoong, the manager, opened the car door and saw them sitting so close. He quickly shut it again, flustered.
“We don’t need to kiss. We just need to talk about what really happened between us. About how we met.”
Ko Geon casually leaned back in his seat as though nothing had happened, his hand now holding the bottle of water that had been next to Lee Bom.
“Get ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“My world is different now, compared to when I was with Pink Pop. You’ll have to be prepared.”
Ko Geon slightly opened the door and told Kiwoong to get back in.
Who in Korea doesn’t know this person?
He was showing off, and it made her feel rebellious.
“I know you’re famous.”
Lee Bom, the small-time girl.
She couldn’t even speak up.
Kiwoong, his face red, quickly jumped into the driver’s seat.
He seemed to avoid looking in the rearview mirror, trying to ignore the two of them.
Ko Geon couldn’t resist pushing her buttons.
“Still acting like this in a relationship? I know you’re upset because I insisted on a public relationship, but calling me ‘actor’ hurts my feelings.”
Ko Geon glanced sideways at the manager in the front seat.
The manager didn’t know either, so it was a signal to make sure they stayed in sync.
It was a conversation that could happen between lovers.
But she couldn’t call him “actor.”
“Yeah… Ko Geon.”
“Still upset? Huh? Didn’t you just call me ‘oppa’?”
When did I ever call you that?!
He was teasing her, enjoying making things awkward for others.
Even when they were trainees, she never called him “oppa.”
Back then, Lee Bom was cheerful and straightforward. She either called him by
