C H A P T E R  S E V E N
headlines
 

"BREAKING: Bae Joohyun, girlfriend of Lu Telecommunications heir
Lu Han, photographed going into Jang Wooyoung's unit."

Luhan's blood boiled when she saw the headlines of famous tabloids. Luhan isn't the type of man who frequently reads infamous tabloids as they bring him no good and he thinks they are a waste of space and time, but this just caught him off because his name was in the headline. Luhan wonders where journalists get the time to write nonsensical articles and why editors choose to place said nonsensical articles in the front page. Shouldn't front pages be reserved for m ore important issues, not baseless rumors? 

Luhan reached for his phone and dials Joohyun's number. It rings once, twice, then he hears a faint--

"Hello?"

"Where are you?" Luhan asked.

"Somewhere. Why?" Joohyun said, and Luhan could hear the faint giggle in her voice.

"Where are you?" Luhan repeats.

"Why do you want to know? Do you care about me now?" Joohyun asked and her tone takes a turn to serious, still hurt by what Luhan said yesterday.

"Answer me." Luhan commanded over the phone.

"No."

"Then you're just confirming my suspicions."

"Where do you think I am then?"

"You're with Wooyoung, am I right?" Luhan said, and there was a pause. He hears a 'baby who's that?' and creaking bed springs that only confirm Luhan's suspicions even more.

"Yes, so what if I am? I seem to be blessed today; my fiance cares about me."

"Have you seen today's headlines?" Luhan asked challengingly.

"N-No. Is it something important?" Joohyun sat upright, fear immediately in her mind.

"I'll let you see for yourself." Luhan hanged up and Joohyun immediately searched for the headlines of famous tabloids, and sure enough, her name along with Wooyoung's and Luhan's were in every headline.

"." Joohyun cursed. She didn't know there were paparazzi within the vicinity of Wooyoung's unit. Although she didn't care that she could be caught and therefore generate a scandal, now she felt the brunt of being reckless. 

"Joohyun, I'm sorry." Wooyoung said, hugging Joohyun lightly. "I heard your call and I saw the news. This is all my fault."

"When are you going to stop being so apologetic Wooyoung? Not everything's your fault; certainly not this one. I should be the one apologizing, not you. I caused all of this." Joohyun said, her voice breaking at the last words.

"Don't cry. This is not the Joohyun I know. The Joohyun I know deals with this, not sitting in a corner crying and telling herself it's her fault." Wooyoung told her, building her confidence.

Joohyun continued to think deeply about her actions yesterday that resulted to what's happening now. Although this kind of 'dating scandal' has never happened to her before, she's seen it happen to her friends, and to see them break up for the sake of appearing that they broke up even though they still love each other left a scar on Joohyun and she told herself not to let that happen with her and Wooyoung.

But that decision seems imminent now.

"Baby I need to leave. I'm sorry. I'll see you soon."

Joohyun got up from the bed and began dressing up, with Wooyoung kissing her in between. Joohyun tried to stall time as much as possible, to spend the remaining time between leaving and facing the media by spoiling Wooyoung with kisses and hugs, but Father Time seemed to disagree and when she stepped out of the boundaries of Wooyoung's unit, she felt like several indestructible walls set the both of them apart and tears escaped from her eyes.

"I want all articles about this Joohyun and Wooyoung disappear, okay? Do what you have to do. Sue journalists, threaten them, whatever, just make them disappear like they never existed in the first place. Same goes for possible pictures and even videos, any photographic evidence. Target them first especially those bastards who tease in their articles that they have pictures. Report to me as soon as possible." Luhan said sharply over the phone to his company publicist.

Luhan wanted those articles about Joohyun and Wooyoung as well as him be gone. He knew that creating a scandal will not be an easy thing to control, given that it could happen at any given time should any or both of them do something irrational. They both possess household names, names that are publicized everywhere and names they can't escape from association, like being caged and the key to escape was destroyed. Netizens are harsh and unforgiving, especially if Luhan falls on their wrong side. Luhan rubbed circles on his temples, wishing that this will pass by quickly so that the media will generate less press about him because even though he's been exposed to this kind of publicity, he was never used to it and intensifying it only adds to the hundred layers of stress placed upon Luhan's shoulders. 

"I'm here. What do you want to talk about Luhan?" Luhan heard Joohyun's voice echo throughout his office as well as the sound of clacking heels and a chair being displaced.

"Where the were you yesterday?" Luhan asked harshly, but Joohyun refused to back down.

"I was with Wooyoung." She said truthfully.

"You know you are being followed. You know that photographers itch to get a scandal out of this relationship. Why did you continue?" 

"I didn't care. I didn't care if there were photographers. I didn't care that a scandal could result from my actions because if anything, I would take the blame; just don't involve Wooyoung in this." Joohyun said, and Luhan mockingly admired her boldness about Wooyoung.

"Your actions were irrational, yet you still stand up for your boyfriend. How admirable." Luhan scoffed.

"Do what you want to do. Delete articles, burn photographs, have a press conference or release a statement about this, just don't involve Wooyoung. The least you can do is release a statement playing off that we're just friends and I'm visiting his condominium."

"You have not experienced the wrath of people behind screens have you? People will always find a way to see a loophole in the statement, make excuses and draw up theories. It's ridiculous as it is, but it's what they do, so simply saying that you're 'friends' makes them think even more suspiciously. You were spotted at the unit late at night, and there are pictures of the two of you hugging at the doorstep. How would a statement saying that you're 'just friends' explain that?" Luhan explained. Joohyun knew that Luhan was right, that she was irrational and stating that her and Wooyoung are just friends only adds fuel to the fire.

"Why don't you do it then, since you own a telecommunications company and you can easily make all those photos and articles vanish and make all the excuses possible. It isn't just me or Wooyoung involved in this Luhan, it's also you. As the boyfriend you'll be persecuted as irresponsible too, as well as lazy and a workaholic, or maybe they'll say you have another woman that's why I turned to Wooyoung. Didn't you think of that?" Joohyun said triumphantly.

"Shouldn't I be handing all this mess to you, since you started it all? I'm the one who has to clean your mess, so I can easily rebuild my reputation as the good boyfriend because I'm making up all these statements and defending you and even your lover. How romantic." Luhan said. "Don't mistake this as some kind of charity work because it's not that easy to clean up a scandal."

"You think I'm living an easy life just because you're the only one cleaning up my scandal? I'm the one taking the burden out of a single article repeated a thousand times with the threat of releasing photos."

"As you should," Luhan said pointedly, "since you were the one responsible for starting all of this. Now leave, I have more important things to do." Luhan and Joohyun stood up at the same time and Joohyun left Luhan's office, slamming the door for good measure. Luhan reached for his ringing phone, surprised that Yoona called.

"Hello? Luhan-ssi?"

"Im Yoona-ssi, is there a reason why you called?" Luhan asked.

"Uhm... do you want to cancel the meeting today?" Yoona asked, a sheen of cold sweat covering her skin.

"Why should I?" Luhan said, raising an eyebrow at Yoona's question. He found absolutely no reason to cancel the meeting, so why is Yoona asking?

"I... uh... I thought you'd want to lie low. I read the headlines." Yoona swallowed a lump as she replied to Luhan and upon hearing this, the latter sighed. One of the things he hated the most is being pitied on, especially on simple things such as what Yoona said.

"Ignore all headlines Yoona-ssi. There is no need to cancel the meeting, but don't expect Joohyun to show up." Luhan said and hung up.

Yoona walked inside the restaurant where their wedding planning meetings are usually held as was stopped in her tracks when she saw through the door that Luhan was actually earlier than her, because usually Yoona would have to wait up to twenty minutes for Luhan and Joohyun to arrive. Yoona approached the table cautiously since Luhan seemed to be on a bad mood with this angry expression. Yoona was about to get her notebook from her bag when Luhan took hold of her hand.

"Don't."

"Why?" Yoona asked.

"No planning today. Can we just... talk?" Luhan asked quietly and Yoona sat upright at the former's request. What should a businessman talk about to a wedding planner?

"Talk? What do you want to talk about?" Yoona had an inner debate inside her mind on continuing about Luhan's request. She understands why Luhan would want to talk her, seeing as his fiancee is being accused of infidelity and he needed someone to let out whatever's in his mind and that someone like him has hardly any time to make friends when he's been studying on how to rule a conglomerate empire since he was young. The negative side argued that why, of all the people Luhan knew, does it have to be Yoona? Why does it have to be the wedding planner, who knows absolutely nothing about their relationship because she wants to keep things professional between them?

"Don't be scared. If you don't want to talk it's fine, but I just need someone to talk to, like a friend or something." Luhan said.

A friend?

"Now you're guilt-tripping me." Yoona said. "What is it that you want to talk about? What does a poor wedding planner know about business?" Yoona agreed to talk, but set herself upon the limit that this will be the first and last time that she'll push her boundaries like this and afterwards she'll abide by her principles again: keep this professional, don't get close to clients, and regain the trust of Sehun.

"Have you ever felt so angry before, like the kind of anger that you don't know what to do because the thing you're angry at is uncontrollable?" Luhan asked.

How strange for a first question.

"No, not really. Why? What is this uncontrollable thing?"

"It's part of human nature, but I don't like it when someone breaks my rules. Not really 'rules', but just something that could qualify as an order."

"You sound like a control freak." Yoona said bluntly.

"I know I do. What would you do if someone presumably cheated on you?" Yoona was slightly put off by Luhan's question as it immediately dived into personal. It was a question that required her opinion.

"I would break up immediately. What sane person would continue being in a relationship with a cheating bastard?"

"What would you do if someone put your reputation as person at risk?"

"Now you sound like a materialistic man." Yoona said and Luhan glared at her.

"As a person exposed to the society you know I have to keep a good image, so what would you do if someone put that 'good' image at stake?"

"Did the person lie or exaggerate or was he telling the truth? I'm assuming this is about media."

"He did something that indirectly involved me. Think as if there was a suspect and a victim, and I'm the accomplice. You know how people persecute nowadays. They're unforgiving, even if you actually did nothing wrong."

"I'd ask them why they did it. I sound like saint, but think about it. They should have a motive on why they did it, shouldn't they?"

"Now what would you do if you were forced into doing something, like an agreement that you want to agree to, but you had no choice because there are extreme consequences?" Luhan asked the very question he wanted answers to. 

"I would weigh the consequences, but I would most likely object. I'm not a person who agrees so easily even if there are rewards or if it's beneficial. If it harms me or if it forces me I won't do it."

"Have you experienced it before? I admire you for your courage." Luhan said, admiring Yoona for speaking like that, like it was from experience.

"Are you experiencing these things now? Is that why you're asking me? Does this have to do with Joohyun?" Yoona blurted out, which she regretted but she can't eat her words back. Luhan was taken aback by Yoona's question, as she didn't strike him as the type to blurt out such personal questions to him.

"No, this has nothing to with Joohyun. I just want to make it clear that whatever news or tabloids you're reading are ridiculously incorrect. Yeah, Joohyun was in Jang Wooyoung's house, but Joohyun isn't cheating on me." Luhan clarified.

"Woah, too defensive. Why are you telling me this all of a sudden?" Yoona asked, perplexed at where Luhan found the purpose to tell her this.

"Because I know that somewhere in this conversation you would ask." 

"You haven't answered my first two questions."

"I prefer to keep some things personal." Luhan said.

"Good, I do too."

"Tell me honestly, are you still scared of me?" Luhan asked, recalling the time iin the hotel when Yoona told him she was scared of him.

"No. Why should I be, after you apologized?"

"They say first impressions last." Luhan sighed.

"You were an intimidating client to handle, since this is the first time I'm planning the wedding of a high profile couple, but I've seen scarier people. In comparison maybe you're just a tamed lion." Yoona said truthfully.

"So does that mean I could still act fierce?" Luhan asked jokingly, wanting to alleviate the tense mood of their conversation. 

"Yeah," Yoona smiled. "You're exactly like how I envision a lion to be: calm and patiently waiting for its prey. That's what I get from you anyway."

"Am I that transparent?" Luhan asked, mocking indignance.

"No, but I've been with clients long enough to know them, at least from the outside."

"Do you dislike me?" Luhan asked seriously, and Yoona hesitated on answering his question.

"No, I don't dislike you Luhan-ssi."

"Because everyone seems to hate me right now. I thought maybe you would too."

"Well then, consider me as one of the people who doesn't hate you. Why do people hate you anyway?" 

"Because of what I'm doing right now. I'm 'flirting' with another woman."

"Oh, so you're flirting with me now? Don't they know you have a fiancee? Why are they linking you to women like me? It's laughable." Yoona said, incredulity etched on her face.

"It's a long story." Luhan sighed, unable to talk freely again because they stumbled upon forbidden topics.

"I've got time, soft of."

"You wouldn't understand. You'd be repulsed if you knew." Luhan hesitated.

"I'm okay with it."

"No, I'd rather not. I don't even know why I mentioned it in the first place."

"Despite being a prolific businessman you still don't know how to express yourself properly."

"As a prolific businessman I'm supposed to keep a few secrets to myself, not wear my heart on my sleeve. I was taught that so I can be a more ruthless man."

"I can't imagine you being a ruthless man, with your flower boy looks." Yoona teased. "But anyway, the thing is, to be a embody being a ruthless man as you were taught to be, you have to want it. You have to feel it. Do you want to be a ruthless man?"

"I don't want to, because I don't want to become like my father. But I have to, because it's my duty to be a ruthless man."

"So, in short, it's a need? A need to embody this kind of man because you were taught to be that kind of man. But what do you want to be?"

"The one with money, power and glory."

"You're no different from a ruthless man." Yoona scoffed.

"But I have a reason, infinite reasons. I don't to be seen as a greedy man."

"So what do you want to be? Just? Righteous?"

"I'm not trying to become a saint Yoona-ssi, because I'm far from becoming one."

"So what do you want to point out to me? That you want money, power and glory but don't to be seen as a greedy man? Have just reasons but don't want to be righteous?" Yoona asked incredulously.

"I'm one hell of a confusing man." Luhan laughed.

"Yes, you are one hell of a confusing man." Yoona said, shaking her head.

Right there and then, Yoona realized that maybe she didn't really know Luhan. Maybe he wasn't the lion as she envisioned him to be. Maybe he's just another man who wanted to be ruthless in the world of business. But maybe he was a normal person as all normal persons can be. Maybe he has problems too, and maybe Yoona just learned all or none of them in one sitting.

author's note;
Hello! A really short update for you all, since I'm kinda focused on writing the Christmas/New Year Luyoon one shot and another one I can't say right now. Christmas is coming and maybe during our Christmas break I'll be able to update ^^ Please upvote, comment and enjoy. Comments and upvotes are highly appreciated. Advanced Merry Christmas!



〔science of deduction♦〕