✎ Issue 4: Guise
Scandalicious
✎ Seo Hayeon ✎
I move the cursor and click on the new article which my colleague just sent to me. I read it thoroughly and correct the typing mistake he made without any excitement.
After I finish it, I open my e-mail to continue my job but my eyes widen in surprise when I see the new e-mail from my supervisor. More over she sent it to my personal e-mail as exLibris.
"Dear exLibris,
don't forget that you still have an important mission regarding SHINee's Onew. Two weeks have passed and looks like you still haven't shown any progress about it.
The contract is not a joke, in case you don't think about it seriously.
I admit that you are indeed my favorite journalist ever but our CEO puts his faith in your reputation. Don't disappoint us, will you?
Please do refrain with your usual activities and don't make yourself burdened by this e-mail.
Best regards,
Cho Kahi"
I prop my chin on palm and frown with disbelief, "Don't make myself burdened? How could you tell me that after warning me that I should not disappoint you?"
Cho Sunbae is ten years older than me and she is a strict supervisor. I never miss my deadline. I never disappoint her expectation before...
...but now I'm not sure if I can fulfill the contract terms in time.
On the contract that I've signed, I need to publish the article about SHINee's Onew in three months. I actually let the first two weeks to pass without doing anything at all.
It's not that I don't want to do whatever I need to do. I have no idea how to start looking for the scandal. It's difficult enough for me to hide my own scandal.
My phone rings and it's a notification of a new text message. When I read the sender name is "Pabo Dongsaeng", I smile to myself, "Always know when I'm feeling helpless."
Working as a mysterious journalist is difficult enough but being the secret girlfriend of the famous idol is definitely nothing compared to my two lives habit.
I still remember vividly the day Taemin came to my office for the first time around seven months ago. That's around the time after I published an article about SHINee's Jonghyun broke up with Shin Sekyung.
Under my pen name, I posted the picture of them together around half a year before they broke up and it's the start of why their companies finally made public announcement of their relationship.
I accidentaly saw them together at night and I knew it would be a hit if I posted the pictures. Ironically enough I'm also the one who posted about their broken relationship months after their public announcement.
From my reliable source, I found out that they had decided to split up due to their hectic schedules. They couldn't spare their times anymore even just to think about their relationship.
Days after the article was up, someone came to meet Cho Sunbae in private. He wore black glasses and long coat as if he didn't anyone to know who he was.
Without asking for Cho Sunbae's permission, I entered the room to find SHINee's Taemin was in her office room. He was surprised at first but he continued his conversation with Cho Sunbae.
He told her that it's not funny to dance happily with idols' lives, to write about whatever we wanted to, acting as if their lives were our options to live.
Taemin was not happy with the fact that our company posted about Jonghyun's broken relationship without giving him any concern. He felt disappointed with whoever exLibris was for being so heartless.
To be honest, that's the first time I felt like someone just stabbed me with an imaginary knife; it felt really hurt.
He surely didn't know that I was the one who wrote the article. Maybe he thought that I was only random worker who passed by but he never knew that his words were hurting me somehow.
The story doesn't end there.
When he finished speaking out loud, he bowed to Cho Sunbae and apologized. He said that he knew he wasn't supposed to be angry but he just wanted to protect his group, his second family.
He stormed out from the room. Our eyes met for seconds and I felt that I couldn't let this issue to slide off so easily. He looked hurt and his eyes looked really sad.
Cho Sunbae asked me if I wanted to bring up this issue as an article but I made a special request to keep his quick visit as a secret. I told her that maybe it's a constructive criticism for me and she agreed.
Who knows that I became his girlfriend now.
"Dinner date tonight! Don't forget!"
Taemin just reminds me that we will have a date tonight. Of course I remember about it. We rarely go out together that I really wait for tonight.
Maybe he is younger than me but the way he treats me is the sweetest treatment I ever receive from a guy. He makes me feel like I'm his world with every single thing he does.
My attention turns to the new e-mail from Cho Sunbae again. Why did she send me two e-mails in such a short time?
"Dear exLibris,
I have given it a thought and I think it must be difficult for you to dig the information from such a famous idol like SHINee's Onew.
You need to do something different from what you have done before. It is difficult but I think this is the best option for you to take for the upcoming article.
You need to go undercover for this mission of revealing his little secret. Yes, you will need to guise yourself and go straight to meet him by yourself.
They always said that the best place to hide is in plain sight. Use your identity as an editor of our company and get the news with your skill as the best journalist.
The CEO will make a request letter to SM Entertainment and tell him that we propose to write a biography about SHINee's life journey, from their debut until today.
We will assign you as the one who will be responsible for the biography. Let's kill two birds with one stone, shall we?
We will have the right to publish a book of the famous idol group and you can have your article in no time.
Reply this e-mail if you agree and we'll move on to our next plan.
Best regards,
Cho Kahi"
"Jinjja?!" I heave a sigh and read the e-mail again. "Cho Sunbaenim, you're really..."
I know that I don't really have a choice. I signed the contract and I need to fulfill it before the deadline.
There is no way I can ask Taemin's help for it. This is my duty and I can't let my personal life to get into my professional career.
I click the reply button and place my fingers on the keyboard. I hesitate for seconds, thinking about the words I need to type as the reply.
"Dear Cho Sunbaenim,
Looks like I don't have another choice.
Please make sure that everything is prepared perfectly.
Thank you.
My best regards,
exLibris"
"Sent," I hit the send button and stare at my laptop. "Ah, what will I say to Taemin?"
I really hope I don't make a wrong decision.
__________
Glossary #4
- Jinjja (진짜) : really. Sometimes used as surprised expression.
-
Hiding in a plain sight : a phrase which means something is so obvious that you don't see it.
Possibly because it doesn't even cross your mind or it blends in with the environment until you don't realize it. - Kill two birds with one stone : a phrase which used to describe achieving two objectives at the same time.
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