16 | The Culprit

 

***

 

As soon as she heard her phone chimes, Seohyun hurriedly runs to get it from the nightstand and check the message from her manager.

 

Manager J: Everything was shut down. No need to worry.

Go to sleep now. We'll found out who leaked the screenshots also by morning.

 

She's relieved to learn. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she types on her response and sent it.

 

"Have you heard from Jessica?" Yoong walked into the room with a tea on the tray he was carrying.

 

"Yes. Every article is no longer existing. And we'll know who leak it by tomorrow." She said and took the cup of tea. She sips on it and exhales so loud. "I thought it would last until tomorrow or in the coming days. That would definitely get a lot of hate if the agency didn't act on it immediately."

 

"I check on Sunny too but she's on duty. I doubt she's the one who leaks it." Yoong is doubtful of his best friend. She may be acted weird towards Seohyun but he won't do such a thing.

 

"I'm sorry if I suspected on her immediately. I just can't think of anyone who knows the video. Also, she wasn't friendly to me at all." Seohyun apologized sincerely. She sighs and puts the tea down. "I better go before-"

 

"Don't you think it's better for you to stay?" Yoong interrupted her.

 

"Yes?"

 

"I mean, we just meet after three days and... it's not safe to travel these hours." He explained further. "It's better you sleepover." And suggested softly.

 

Seohyun smiled sweetly. "Indeed."

 

"Lay down now." Yoong says as he also put his tea down. Once the young singer complied, he turned off the nightstand and lay down next to her. He moved closer and let her cuddle with him. "Good night." he softly whisper kissing her forehead.

 

Seohyun didn't say a word as she close her eyes and smile serenely as she holds him on his waist. Her heart is beating happily. Being with him again just feels better. 

 

Yoong felt so warm inside, holding the young singer in his arms again. But he felt a little protective after what happened.

 

-

 

Just as they pulled the car over, Jessica found a lot of reporters coming to the van.

 

"What the heck are they doing here?" She lock the door back.

 

"Aish, I knew this will happen." Seohyun couldn't look at the outside as the reporters are trying to see her inside. She cover her face with her bare hands while listening to their calls.

 

"Should I cancel the schedule today?" Jessica is worried. They have cf filming and photoshoot later for her album. "I'm sure they know your schedule too."

 

Sighing, Seohyun looked at her and nodded. "Tell Appa about this." And she instructed casually. Tilting her head to her right, she sends the reports glares. "They really don't bother if they will cause harm to the artist. They care more for gossips and ratings." She muttered. She's glad the van is tainted that they can't see nor hear her inside. "Aish." 

 

"I couldn't agree more." Jessica replied simply as she rings Mr. Seo's number.

 

[Don't come to the agency. A lot of reporters are here.] Mr. Seo beats her to speak.

 

"Yeah, unfortunately, we are here at the parking lot now, Mr. Chairman and the reporters are surrounding the van. I'm canceling her schedule now." 

 

[That's good. I'll tell the directors later. I'll send security too so you guys can leave.] 

 

"Yes, Thanks Mr. Chairman." Jessica ended the call with a brief bow. "Your father will send security." She informs the young singer right away. 

 

"Are we going home straight?" Seohyun is concerned they'll find reporters there too.

 

"Yes. You have to save yourself some strength to resume the schedule tomorrow." Said Jessica as she turns on the engine. When the security finally arrived, they give her the way easily. She thanked them with a salute as they drives off.

 

Opening her phone after turning it off for a few hours, Seohyun received a lot of messages, mostly from unknown senders and she knows they're reporters. Her friends and colleagues also sent cheering messages. She's glad they are not criticizing her. Otherwise, she'll lose a lot of friends.

 

"Unnie, can you turn on the radio?"

 

Jessica simply complied without saying a word but once she did, the reporter on the radio is talking about the leak screenshots of the video. She hastily turned it off. "I should use my phone for music." She offered and Seohyun doesn't mind.

 

While enjoying the pop music and looking out the window, Seohyun noticed that her posters to a fast food restaurant are being taken out by the staff. "What are they doing?"

 

"Omo, what the heck?" Jessica also saw it when her eyes turned to the left. "Your contract with them has five years left. This is a violation to the contract." She exclaimed.

 

"Is this because of that?" Seohyun sadly asks. It hurts her to see the result.

 

"I don't know but with wide backlash, I think they want to save their , doesn't want to get the hate too." Jessica sighs heavily.

 

"Just because of that. And I am not even allowed to release a statement about it." Seonyun pouted and felt like she can't even release the album. People will definitely not buy it and might as well boycott it. Her hard work is going to waste. She doesn't want to imagine but it will be the case. "Am I done?"

 

"What?! No! This is just temporary okay? Don't think like that." Jessica glanced at her through the rare view mirror and sighed. The gloomy face of the young singer hurts her. "Everything will go as planned, don't worry."

 

"What if the hate won't go away until the release of my new album Unnie? We have to work our asses off with all the preparation. They can't possibly hate on my album too, can they?"

 

'Aigoo, where's the positive woman I met six years ago?' Jessica felt so sorry for her. "Listen up, this will not affect your album, trust me." She cheers her up, flashing a bright smile.

 

"I hope so." Sighs Seohyun. She received a message from her father and her heart sunk upon reading it.

 

Appa: We decided to delay the release of your fourth album. I'm sorry honey.

 

"I knew it." She throws her phone on the side and opened the window. "AAAAAHHH!!!" So she can scream her frustration out. " YOU!"

 

"Wae?" Jessica was surprised.

 

"The album will be delayed. Maybe Appa's thinking it's not going to be good if we release it. Aish, I hate society. I hate this canceled culture. In U.S.A they don't even care and will even release a lot of songs and it still goes well. South Korea." Seohyun can control her emotions and curses. "This is why I thought of living there than here." 

 

"I'm sorry to hear that... Hyun." Jessica tightened her grip on the steering wheel. She wanted to explode too but doesn't have a choice but to keep calm. They might into an accident if she also releases her strong emotions.

 

After a while, they reached the apartment and were welcomed by reporters still. She hurriedly drives again and hit the wheels twice in frustration. "Now where are we heading?" She doesn't know where to bring the young singer anymore. If she brings her to a cafe, people would be staring at them and might as well throw some eggs. "Why that Tiffany has to do that though? This wouldn't have happened. None of this will. She's a ing stupid woman. Doesn't even think of her boyfriend and their baby. She was selfish don't you know that?!"

 

Seohyun shed painful tears. "I don't know Unnie. It was just bad luck for me... To get involved in an accident." She can't think bad over Tiffany knowing she didn't intend it.

 

"I'm sorry for my words. But It's what I think. We maybe don't know her but come on, she shouldn't have hurt someone if she wants to do that. It's just so unfair. She wasn't drunk nor sleepy when that happened. Just because she's hurting, she doesn't want to be alone? She's stupid. Look, You have to suffer with what she did." Jessica heaved a sigh and decided to pull the car over on the side of the road. She looked back at Seohyun just to see those tears. It hurts so bad. "You have the right to be mad, Seohyun, you really have. I think it should even Yoong who should apologize on behalf of her, not you." 

 

"Did Yul Oppa already update you, Unnie?" Seohyun wipes her tears off and sniffles as she asked her. 

 

"Not yet. He said later five, the cybercrime department will hand him the report. He'll be able to know the culprit once he got it." 

 

"The reporter that spread that, have they heard from him?"

 

"He said he really just received the email and decided to post it. He apologizes by the way."

 

Seohyun scoffed in disbelief. "Apologizing immediately after what he did? He knows what will happen. He intended it.Tsk."

 

"I know right? Aish, I hate reporters." Jessica crossed her arms and huffed.

 

Suddenly feeling cold, Seohyun rubs her arm gently. "Can you turn off the aircon Unnie?" She asked but the next thing she knows, it was hard to breathe. She started catching it.

 

"Omo, did you take your pill for that?" Jessica got panic seeing her having a panic attack.

 

"No." She tried to reply as she keeps her breathing at bay.

 

"Hold on." Hastily Jessica opened the compartment and took the small medical kit. She hurriedly look for the pill and handed it to her along with a bottle of water. "Took a deep breath and out slowly." She instructed after she drinks the pill. "Again, breath in and out... Follow me." 

 

Seohyun is complying while holding the arms rest of her seat tightly. She keeps doing it with Jessica until she relaxed. "Thanks, Unnie." And her condition returned to normal.

 

"Why don't we go to Eunha Hospital?" Jessica suggests.

 

"Up to you, Unnie." She smiled weakly as she rested her head on her seat while keeping her breathing in check. Just then, she heard her phone chime which made her turn and pick it up.

 

YoongHusband: You okay? I've seen the news. 

 

She just simply replied 'I'm fine.' In a vague way and throw her phone on the side again. She doesn't know why but seeing his message reminds her of what Tiffany did. She felt more than the victim now. It's ridiculous but with what's happening, she is starting to agree with Jessica's words.

 

Moments later, they still found reporters outside the hospital. 

 

", they really know the places you're going to go." Jessica glances at Seohyun and the latter didn't even look bright knowing her boyfriend is inside. "I guess I'm bringing you to our apartment."

 

"It's better, Unnie." Seohyun doesn't have any mood at all to be even face the doe-eyed.

 

-

 

While enjoying his lunch break with Sunny, Yoong started to hear gossip around the cafeteria. He wasn't surprised to hear his name but to hear them talking bad towards Seohyun just makes his blood boil. He tightly holds his coffee as he continuously hears it.

 

"Yoong, calm down." Sunny noticed. She reached his hand, caressing it gently. "You can't cause a scene."

 

"What they're calling her is just below the belt." He muttered as his coffee splattered the moment he crumpled it angrily. He stood up, turned, dashed towards the doctors nearby, and flipped their table. "If you can't say good words to someone, just ing shut the hell up!" He angrily yelled.

 

"It's true though, Seohyun is just good at taking pictures." one of the doctors laughed. "Why are you so mad?"

 

Everyone laughs beside Sunny who tried to stop the fuming doe-eyed but he pushed her as he throw a punch at his fellow doctor. 

 

"Yah, stop it." One of the nurses yells as two doctors are now on the ground, throwing punches at each other.

 

"You guys should stop them!" Sunny told the other doctors who are just watching and were even recording the fight. "Aish." She wasn't heard so she decided to do it on her. When the doe-eyed was finally back on his feet, she immediately hug him tight. "Please, stop it. This won't change their thoughts, Yoong. You're just making them gossip about it."

 

"Huh? Are you kidding me, Sunny? You want them to continue doing this?" Yoong argued angrily. "They have to stop. It's not good to hear it in this hospital."

 

"And you're making it worse!" Sunny countered back as she shouted. "Come out before the head knows about this fight. And you too." She turned to the other doctor. He complied, leaving the cafeteria.

 

Yoong yank her hand off as he returned to their table to get his phone and white rob, walking out of the place with a small cut on his lips. Instead of going to the office, he headed straight to the comfort room. He check his face and wiped off the little blood. "Aish." Opening the faucet, he wash his hands and face for a few minutes before he looked back at the mirror.

 

Taking a deep breath and slowly relaxing, he did it again until he was relaxed. He entered a cubicle and called Seohyun but she was unreachable. "What?" He tried for the second but it's still the same. He heaves a sigh and decided to send her a message.

 

-

 

is just good at posting on social media.

She's really just a pretty face. I don't know why people like her. 

This is what she got. She has to go to prison instead.

I'm regretting why I'm a fan if she can't help someone in that position. 😭

I finally unfollowed her SNS accounts. She doesn't deserve even a million followers.🤭

I hate to say this but Seohyun deserves to die instead of that poor woman. 😡🔥

Go to hell, Seo Joohyun! 😈

Seven years and still haven't won a daesang not even best female artist, poor her. She's just singer for money.🤑🤘

When her husband saves lives, she's the opposite 😂

 

Seohyun is reading the hate comments on an article that just surface again after the incident in the agency. She's laughing in a sarcastic way while drinking soju in the living room. She's in Yul and Jessica's apartment while both are out there, trying to track down who leaked it to the reporters.

 

"I already know though, why waste time, commenting?" She chuckled and throw the phone on the coffee table as she took the bowl of popcorn and enjoy it while watching an anime series. Her phone rings a few times which she didn't mind until she heard a text message was sent. She put aside the bowl to check the message.

 

YoongHusband: I and Woojin will come to your apartment tonight. Please be safe, I love you.

 

She scoffed in disbelief as she reminds herself about the truth once again. She laughs and sheds tears once again. "I'm not supposed to be like this but because of that ing accident, my career is on the line! I will always be hunted by that. Aish." She's so annoyed and mad by Tiffany. "I really should visit you again so you can apologize to me too, idiot. This is ing your fault. I don't ing deserve this." she kicks the table, causing the soju bottle to dropped on the floor. "I'm so sick of this." She hang her head low and wailed. "You're so lucky you're dead. Otherwise, I have tangled you already."

 

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