THE news portals are all being filled by news about Kang Seulgi and about her relationship with Kwon Sangwoo and Kang Hanna. Many were worried about the girl as well due to her disappearance after the accident that she encountered with her band manager. Now that a lot of things about her personal life has been brought into the open, even Seulgi’s relationship with Joohyun was also leaked. With this, a lot more people got concerned about her well-being since her girlfriend technically got her life in danger because of her. 

The CCTV record in front of the vandalised restaurant also revealed a sighting of Seulgi crying in front of the door before she vanished completely. There was no trace of where she went. There was no contact from her as well as her phone remained off. With this footage sold to news outlets, it was pretty much confirmed that Seulgi is indeed related to Kang Hanna.

Three days have passed since the incident and there’s still now news about Seulgi’s whereabouts. Speculations about her ending her own life have been circulating in different online forums. Coast guards were even on the lookout for floating bodies. The situation was already that severe yet there was still no statement coming from the Kwons. 

When Joohyun looks at online forums, sometimes she just couldn’t help but wonder how other people could easily wish for other people to die. So easy that they would cheer for Seulgi to jump off a building.

Despite all the bad things happening, the competition’s final round is still being pushed, which worries a lot of people about the state of the Overtime Band. Their friend being missing but still being forced to do the final round felt sickening for a lot of people but in reality, the band actually saw it as a chance to send a message to Seulgi wherever she is now. They just know well that Seulgi would be watching over them.

Joohyun was released from the hospital the next day and proceeded to join the band in their preparation. She chose not to stress herself, making herself busy with work and band duties and then drowning herself in PC games when at home but it shows in the dark arcs under her eyes how much she’s worried about her missing girlfriend. 

It was working hours when Section Manager Shin suddenly went inside her office like a bulldozer. The man was already in tears when he leaned into Joohyun’s desk for support. Confused, Joohyun couldn’t even stand from her seat and just stared at the man for a moment.

“W–What’s wrong Shin-chajang?” The young director asked carefully.

“I-It’s… It’s…” The guy took a deep breath before aggressively wiping his tears away. “P-Please check the documents that need your sign, Director… Right now…”

Joohyun’s eyebrows formed a frown. Still lost, she did what she was asked to and her heart did the thing when she saw the newly arrived document that needed her digital sign. It was a resignation letter yet strangely, Joohyun felt so much relieved after seeing a document like that.

“She’s alive, Director…” Shin-chajang sobbed. The man was being haunted by his conscience after Seulgi’s identity was brought out to the public. He felt so bad for treating Seulgi like a threat to his position. “That child is alive. She even m-managed to file her resignation letter.”

“My goodness…” Joohyun said, almost out of breath. “Thank you for telling me about this, Shin-chajang. Don’t sign it yet since resignation letters should also be filed directly. We’ll find her soon enough.”

“A-Alright, Director.”

The man was then dismissed and Joohyun balled into tears the moment he left her office. That was the first news that they heard from Seulgi for the past few days and the relief that she felt was really out of the roof. 

She was about to tell the band about it through the group chat (in which Seulgi left as well) but she was surprised when her phone suddenly started ringing. Speaking of the devil, it was Seungwan.

“Director!” 

Joohyun was glad she put her phone on speaker or else her eardrum would be complaining at Seungwan’s voice again. “What is it, Son-gwajang?”

“K-K-Kwon Sangwoo is having an emergency press conference now! Y-You have to watch it! I-I-It says it’s about Seulgi!”

Joohyun wasted no time and went out of her office to join the band in the practice room. The Chairman approved of them having longer hours of practice for the finals, allowing them to gather at the practice room from 2PM onwards. 

The young director could actually watch in the comfort of her office but she was afraid of how whatever Kwon Sangwoo would say about Seulgi might affect her. When the door of the practice room flung open after Joohyun’s arrival, the gang who was watching the press conference using Minjoo’s iPad quickly made a space for Joohyun.

She just arrived on time as Kwon Sangwoo just entered the venue and was immediately showered with camera flashes as he stepped in. The veteran actor gave the media a deep bow before moving to the podium. He kept his hands balled to prevent him from being caught shaking but it was still very noticeable. 

The man then greeted everyone, introducing himself and giving another bow. Joohyun could only wish that wherever Seulgi is now, if ever she’s watching this, that there’s someone watching it with her.

“Everyone, I know you’ve been all in a state of confusion and disarray after a post about me being related to a young woman who was fulfilling her dreams as a member of a music band was uploaded online. I know my statement about this issue is really late but after seeing everything that happened to the other party involved, I believe there’s no reason for me to stay silent about this issue. I am here to tell you the truth and nothing but the truth.”

Everyone in the room did a synchronised gulping after that statement. No one was moving even an inch. 

“The young woman widely known as Kang Seulgi…” Sangwoo looked straight to the camera in front of him. “...Is indeed my child. She is my eldest child.”

“What the f—” Ryujin’s jaw dropped. “He did confirm it!”

“Dude, I am having goosebumps!” Yujin started rubbing her arms to calm down her body hair. Her eyes then widened in realisation. She was about to burst it out when Minjoo mentioned it before her.

“D-Did he just say that Seulgi-unnie is his e-eldest child?” 

Their eyes widened even more as they looked at one another. Joohyun gestured for them to be quiet since Kwon Sangwoo was still talking.

“As most of you already know, I adopted a child years ago and that child is indeed Kang Seulgi. It is also true that she’s my child with the singer Kang Hanna, my first love.”

The whole conference hall was filled with murmurs from the press. The live stream comment box was also being trashed already but Sangwoo couldn’t care less. He’s already decided to bring everything out into the open.

Everyone knows well that his first born was a boy. It was a hot topic that time because he got Kim Jooyoung pregnant even before marriage. No one even knew that they were dating at that time. The pregnancy and marriage announcement was a complete shock to all. They couldn’t believe it all at first because Kwon Sangwoo was never into any dating scandal at all, He was so focused on work at that time. 

“The boy isn’t mine. I was made to believe that the child was mine.”

The whole hall was silenced, even the sound of the camera shutters stopped for that moment. Sangwoo took it as a chance to continue his speech.

“While it is true that my son had already got a special place in my heart, I still couldn’t believe the fact that the very reason I got married, the very reason that I have given up my true love isn’t connected to me by blood. He was only used to having me chained into this miserable marriage life.” 

Sangwoo’s jaw clenched as he took in a deep breath. “I tried to keep everything a secret but I guess nothing would really stay hidden forever. Seeing how Kang Hanna’s name is being dragged by this, seeing how my daughter is suffering because of the adults’ doings, I can’t stay quiet anymore. “

His next statements brought even more surprise to the whole nation.

He explained how a night of drinking became the last time he touched alcohol. He doesn’t remember anything that happened but he did wake up in a bed with his now wife, Kim Jooyoung. They were then caught by the actress’ manager and he was threatened that he would be sued if he didn't take responsibility for something that he couldn’t remember at all.

But at that time, he knew he was drunk so he could only blame himself for being irresponsible with drinking. He couldn’t afford to be sued, he couldn’t afford to lose the reputation that he worked hard to get since he was from a poor family himself and his mother was taking medications back then.

When he found out that Jooyoung was pregnant, he felt like his world had already collapsed, it was over for him. At that time, he was actually just waiting for the right timing to be with the person that he was in love with for the longest time—it was his same-town junior, Kang Hanna.

He got to know Hanna through his mother since the woman was close with Hanna’s parents. He was tutoring her way back when they were young. They had five years of age difference so Sangwoo kept distance and waited for the both of them to be successful in their own fields first but before they parted ways, they promised to be with each other in the end. They were technically lovers without labels.

Since he was forced into a marriage, he tried to make it work with dignity but he couldn’t face Hanna because of regret. When the baby was born, he wouldn’t deny the happiness that he felt because he thought it was his child. He tried to form a happy family with a woman he only worked with in one movie. He tried to show to the nation that they have a loving family.

It was going out fine until Kang Hanna became a phenomenal singer. No one knew about their past, even Hanna didn’t talk about him in interviews since it would be irresponsible to talk about a married man so when they were paired up in Hanna’s silver screen debut, Sangwoo was in his last threads of sanity. In the end, his heart still leads him to Hanna.

After a year of taking that movie, he thought he survived the trial but then he met Hanna back in their town when he visited his parents. It was already late when he realised that he shouldn’t have been there that time. 

Some feelings are really unstoppable especially when you have been growing that special feeling inside your heart for the longest time. 

It was then that they crossed the line only for Sangwoo to wake up alone in bed. Hanna left him most probably because of guilt since Sangwoo is a married guy. All he could do was soak himself in his own tears. His dream to be loved back by the person that he’s been keeping in his heart for the longest time came true only for it to be taken away the next morning.

“I didn’t even know that the real reason she disappeared from the spotlight wasn’t because she was sick, it was because she was carrying my child. When Hanna died, I couldn’t even show my face at her funeral. I grieved on my own. I wasn’t even aware that she chose to give birth to our child despite the health hazards of the pregnancy.

During the time that she was suffering, because of guilt of cheating, I did my best for the family I was chained into when my real family was actually out there in need of me.”

Sangwoo continued with his statement and every word that came out of his mouth literally pushed his wife, who was watching at home, into the furnace.

He only found out about Seulgi when Hanna’s mother told him the truth, when the old woman was also in her last days. He kept Seulgi’s real identity from his family until Jooyoung found out the truth through a DNA test.

That’s when guilt took control of him once again, that instead of being there for Seulgi he chose to distance himself and have his eldest look after his sister. It was only recently that he found out about the truth… from the real father of the boy he thought to be his own.

“My son found out everything last night. I would feel even worse if he found out about it through today’s press conference so I told him directly. The DNA test says everything. Just like me when I first knew the truth, he was in a deep state of shock because he was used for personal gains.”

The man then straightened his back and made eye contact with the main camera again. “So, if there’s someone that you have to attack in regards to this issue, just attack me. My daughter has nothing to do with this. I believe she wouldn’t even wish to be my child because of how she was treated. Stop bothering her anymore. She is never at fault. Don’t even touch my son as well because just like what I told you earlier, the boy has a special place in my heart. He is my son no matter what happens. Don’t even touch any of my three children.”

He took another deep breath. He had to cover his mouth because he could already feel the tears being squeezed from his eyes. “Lastly, stop dragging Kang Hanna’s name. If you need someone to attack then you can attack me however you want. I am terribly sorry for all the confusion and disappointment my life has become.”

Sangwoo gave another deep bow and faced the camera. “Seulgi… My child…”

Joohyun felt her heart clenched at how Sangwoo was preventing himself from crying. He looks like Seulgi when crying. “P-Please come back home when y