It became a hot news in school that Yoo Jin was dating Rian, and he was called by the president to come to his office. Lee-sajangnim looked at the free spirit standing like he just did not care.

"What is this news that I had heard?" Lee-sajangnim asked the teacher. "The CEO of Rian's company called up to me and told me Rian is in vacation and was supposed to be out of the public eye. Why are you hanging out with her?"

"We are friends, Lee-seonsaengnim," Yoo Jin articulated. "Rian and I made a promise after the school play that we will be hanging out during her hiatus. Is that so wrong?"

"Yes, it is wrong!" the principal said. "You are a teacher, but you are dating a Hallyu actress! Many people may have forgotten about Super Idol after its termination, but many eyes are focused on Rian. You should know better. She deserves rest!"

"And she wants to spend that rest with me," Yoo Jin said. "I know she is a Hallyu actress, but I am her friend. Is that so wrong? So, JB and Hae Sung's engagement is good news while me hanging out silently with Rian is wrong?"

Lee-sajangnim was not able to say something.

"It is because of gossip and scandal that Rian wants to get away with it even for a while," Yoo Jin said. "I am merely a friend trying to spend time with her."

"And it is because of that time that Rian was not able to join the Engagement of the year!" Lee-sajangnim said.

"Anio, Seonsaengnim," Yoo Jin said. "Rian did it on purpose. When we planned it, we have no idea that JB and Haesung were going to get engaged. And when we received the invites, we declined because of the promise. Now, I do not want people to think that we are dating just because we absconded the engagement party."

"You may have thought of it that way, Young Man, but the netizens and the media won't," the president/principal said while shaking his finger at him.

Yoo Jin fumed and left the office.

****

Ui Bong, Seul, and Ahn-ssaem asked Yoo Jin about it.

"You believe what the others say?" Yoo Jin asked.

"Ani," Ui Bong said. "That is why we want to know your side. We are friends, right?"

"I know you and Rian were super close during the Super Idol days," Seul said. "And I cannot blame you if you chose to hang out with her than be at the engagement."

"I made a promise to Rian, and I should grant it first because it was the first."

"Ah, I get it," Ahn-ssaem said. "So that explains why. If Sugar Cube were here, she'd kick you in the face."

"I don't care about that anymore," Yoo Jin said. "All I know is that Rian and I were not doing anything wrong. And who is Sugar Cube, by the way?"

"Hyun Ji Soo," Ahn-ssaem said before laughing.

Up to now, Yoo Jin still could not understand the way Ahn-ssaem's mind works, so he just scoffed. Ui Bong and Seul, however, understood him.

"Good thing it did not leak in the media," Ui Bong.

"It better not be," Seul said. "Otherwise, Rian's image would be damaged."

"Only those who remember the Super Idol group will probably think that it is just Rian bonding with a former group member," Ui Bong said.

"That--is if they remember," Seul said. "People tend to have amnesia once another controversy sparks up."

Ahn-ssaem nodded her head. Seul may be bull-headed, but she had become so sensible that she did not know where on earth she had been all these time.

"Aish, I really do not care anymore," Yoo Jin said.

****

"This is the spirit of G-minor, krrrrrrhhhh!!" Yoo Jin said to his class.

One student raised his hand and asked about the circulating pictures of him and Rian playing ball at the park. Yoo Jin only smirked.

"Is that a big problem?" Yoo Jin asked his student. "If you and a rich friend are hanging out, would you get annoyed if people put color in the relationship?"

The student nodded his head.

"That is why, my dear children, that you should investigate instead of jumping to conclusions," Yoo Jin said. "And also, do not put color on events."

"Ne," the students said.

Yoo Jin explained to them the dirty tricks in the entertainment industry, which causes some misunderstanding between people.

"Aish, netizens are the harshest people in the world," Yoo Jin said. "That is why you should be careful of what you do when you become stars. And for someone like me and Rian who were just hanging out, you should think in the side of safety. Just think that we were just hanging out, arasseo?"

"Ne."

"But what if the media will ask about you and Rian?"

"I will tell them that we are friends, period," Yoo Jin said.

One student began to perk up.

"Ah, just like Park Shin Hye and Jung Yong Hwa. They look so sweet on and off cam, but Shin Hye-ssi was afraid of antis, that is why she always said they were merely friends."

As to Shin Hye and Yong Hwa, Yoo Jin smirked.

(In my fic, Shin Hye and Yong Hwa got married).

"Well, well, it could not be helped, because Yong Hwa-ssi is a famous rock star who was once associated with Seohyun-ssi, and Shin Hye is a famous Hallyu star who was also associated with a lot of guys, especially Jang Geun Suk-ssi. That is why they were being careful with their relationship. As for me and Rian, it is entirely different. She is famous, and she was not associated with anyone, while I WAS famous. Get it?"

"Ne."

"So, if you see us hanging out again, I want you to know that we are just friends having a good time," Yoo Jin told them.

"Ne."

Yoo Jin sighed. How he wished he could just wash the brains of the media with soap and water so that they would not think of any controversy regarding the park date.

~~~~