Lee Soo Man’s office
SM Entertainment Building
Gangnam-gu, Apgujeong 2-dong
Seoul

It was one of those phone calls that Lee Soo Man has dreaded to receive over the years.

That one informing him that one of his artists (which he considers his own children) is embroiled in a scandal which he can’t do anything about.

He was not sure which he did first: slump in his CEO chair or covered his face with his hands. At that moment, the SM honcho was in complete disbelief. He was shaking his head several times before he let out a sigh; a very heavy one.

He just spoke with an old friend, a college classmate who happened to be a CEO of a company which is a distributor of imported Lifestyle magazines in South Korea. Bizarre that she’d ring him up after all these years. They’d usually just meet during class reunions, birthday parties or weddings.

She rarely calls him.
Only now.

His friend, Go Hyomin began with the usual pleasantries before she dropped the bomb. She told Lee Soo Man that her company’s going to have its own publications from now on, and they’re starting with a Wedding Magazine. This is what she really wanted in the beginning and Lee Soo Man knew this as a fact.

Extensive research and study were done before they embark into this new project. Since she knew the head of the Gangnam City Hall personally, she came with her staff when they went to interview him regarding marriage registrations in their district. 

They only wanted to get statistics; ask basic questions. The interview will be featured in the first issue of their wedding magazine. But on the side, without anything intended, Go Hyomin was ‘informed’ by this head, which happens to be a friend too, that there were celebrities out there who have secretly filed for their marriage. Some of them you wouldn’t even imagine being together.

“I asked my daughter who knows these entire boy and girl groups, what she thinks of TOP-ssi and Tiffany-ssi being together.”  He whispered, “She threw me a weird look, saying TOP probably doesn’t even know Tiffany’s last name. They most likely just see each other on television only.”

“BIGBANG’s TOP and Tiffany of Girls Generation?” Go Hyomin’s eyes were wide, “They are…?”

He nodded discreetly.

He then phoned someone and a little while he showed Go Hyomin a copy of their marriage registration.

“You never saw this, alright?” He told her. “Surprising isn’t it?”

The marriage registration was signed.

Of Choi Seunghyun and Stephanie Hwang.
By Choi Seunghyun and Stephanie Hwang.

With witnesses having signed the same piece of paper.
Duly registered.
Stamped.
Legal.

Go Hyomin knew she had to phone her friend, Lee Soo Man the moment she gets out of the building. She wanted to confirm with him. Maybe he knows already.

Apparently not.

Lee Soo Man thanked her repeatedly the same number of times he told her to keep it a secret. Go Hyomin also told Lee Soo Man that she’ll take care of the people in the Gangnam City Hall. She’ll make sure this will not leak out. That friend kind of owes her a favor, and now it’s time to return that favor back.

The SM CEO was not done absorbing what his friend told him when he realized he’s facing another thing that he’s been avoiding the most too:

Talking to rival Yang Hyun Suk.

It’s as if they were parents and their children eloped without them knowing. Various thoughts run endlessly into his mind.

He was absolutely certain that there’s nothing going between TOP and Tiffany. Tiffany just introduced Nichkhun to him as her boyfriend; shyly admitting they’re already together for more than three years now. And the two, Tiffany and Nichkhun were just together at Yoona’s birthday party one week ago.

But Hyomin told him the marriage have been filed eight months ago.

Tiffany can’t be married to TOP while being in a relationship with Nichkhun.
The whole situation was entirely baffling and weird.

He buzzed in his secretary. No need for time to be wasted. Things are needed to be cleared as soon as possible.

“Get me Yang Hyun Suk on the phone please.” Lee Soo Man noticed that his voice was even nervous. “Now.”

“Mmmm, Sajang-nim, you mean Yang Hyun Suk of YG Entertainment?” His secretary was the third person to be shocked that day.

The ‘shocked people’ on the list:

Go Hyomin
Lee Soo Man
Areum (the secretary)

In a few minutes, Yang Hyun Suk is expected to be added to the list. Not unless he knew of this whole fiasco before Lee Soo Man did.

“Yes.” He replied.

The secretary could just shake her head but looked for the YG’s CEO’s number just the same. ‘The world may be coming to an end’, she thought.

It was thirty minutes before the two can finally talk.

First, the secretary couldn’t get Yang Hyun Suk’s number and when she finally did, the one she spoke with (probably her counterpart in YG Entertainment) didn’t want to believe it was Lee Soo Man calling her boss.

The world may be coming to an end.
 

Lee Soo Man and Yang Hyun Suk talking on the phone.

“Hyung.” The younger CEO greeted him. “How are you?”

As if they were good friends.
And rivalry between their companies never existed.
Pffft.

“Hyun Suk.” He seriously began, “We have a problem.”

We.
Problem.

Yang Hyun Suk doesn’t know which one his head will reject first, the ‘we’ or the ‘problem’.

Did one of his family members made one of his townspeople pregnant or the other way around? As far as he knows his family has much more elegant taste; that couldn’t be. SM might think they’re untouchable but YG has a different perception: forget the arrogance; YG family’s never going to touch anyone from SM anyway.

“What is it Hyung?” He coolly asked.

He had to be cool whatever it is.
YG people are cooler.
Cooler than SM people by all means.

“TOP and Tiffany are married.” Lee Soo Man went straight to the point.

Yang Hyun Suk laughed. “Hyung, that’s the lamest joke I’ve ever heard. I’m not even sure if those two have ever talked. And you know that it’s an open secret that Seunghyun is dating Shin Min Ah.”

That makes it weirder.
Everyone knows that TOP and Shin Min Ah are in a serious relationship.
How can he be married to someone else?
And to Tiffany?

How?

“Use your sources.” He told him like an older brother, “Go confirm it in Gangnam City Hall. You know where to reach me. I couldn’t think right now.”

Yang Hyun Suk couldn’t contain his laughter but he knew Lee Soo Man wouldn’t waste his time calling him to tell him nonsense. So he did exactly what ‘Hyung’ told him. He asked someone to investigate.

Days later, on Yang Hyun Suk’s hands was the copy of Seunghyun and Tiffany’s marriage registration. He’s been married so he knows what that thing looks like. The person he asked to check confirmed it too.

They are married.

Choi Seunghyun is married to Stephanie Hwang.

Legally, she now goes by the name of Stephanie Choi. She’s American; she can take her husband’s last name.

Lee Soo Man didn’t throw the lamest joke after all. It was true what he said. Yang Hyun Suk wanted to curse and shout. But he needs to talk to Seunghyun first before anything else. He called him to go to his house that evening.

It was already 1.30 in the morning.

Yang Hyun Suk’s House
1.30 a.m.

When Yang Hyun Suk opened the door for Seunghyun, the BIGBANG rapper just confirmed that indeed his CEO was mad beyond words.

He lost his cool.
He wasn’t the Hyung that he knew.

It’s 1.30 am and he’s being called.
Seunghyun just knew he was mad.

“Sit down.” He commanded Seunghyun. His eyes were burning.

Yang Hyun Suk rubbed his temples. He took several deep breaths before he can finally speak. Seunghyun did not anymore take time to adore his house, his living room particularly, whose furniture Seunghyun raved about ever since.

Seunghyun noticed that Yang Hyun Suk was drinking. He must’ve been thinking a lot; he must’ve been stressed. The YG CEO is only an occasional drinker – he only drinks when something or someone upsets him seriously.

Seriously.

And seriously, Seunghyun started to get scared.

“I hate to be like this, Seunghyun.” He began; anger can be heard in his voice, “Especially with you.”

Seunghyun doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He was absolutely clueless. He doesn’t recall doing anything or being in the news for a scandal. He wasn’t sure why Yang Hyun Suk called him past midnight saying they need to talk and it can’t wait.

“But what the hell is this?!?!?” Yang Hyun Suk almost threw the paper at his face, shouting.

Seunghyun, startled, had to stand up to get the paper that flew near the elegant lamp stand. His heart began to beat faster than the usual. It was pounding. When he picked up the paper, Yang Hyun Suk gave him time to study what’s in it.

Seunghyun was digesting everything that he saw on the paper that he’s holding. No, he didn’t return to the sofa anymore to sit.
 

He stared at the marriage registration on his hands.  

He was nothing but confused.

Right before his eyes, was the proof of his own marriage, registered months ago.
He recognized his signature; no way denying it was his.

He looked up to Yang Hyun Suk who finally realized that Seunghyun is just as surprised as he was. The YG CEO softened up to Seunghyun whose face went from blank to dazed.

“Who is Stephanie Hwang?”

Those were Seunghyun’s first words.

Asking who the girl is.
The one who’s name is written in the paper together with his.
 

His wife.

“You don’t know the girl you married?” Yang Hyun Suk was puzzled as ever, “Choi Seunghyun, that’s you in that marriage registration, right? Your name, your signature, your personal details…”

Right.
No qualms about it.

It’s him, Choi Seunghyun.

“And now you’re telling me you don’t even know who that other party is.” Yang Hyun Suk held his nape, “That is a marriage registration, Seunghyun. Two consenting parties sign and file it. You just don’t do it with random strangers.”

“I know…” He went back to the sofa, facing his now face-palming boss, “But I never did this, Hyung. I swear I didn’t. I don’t recall signing this…”

Wait.

Seunghyun closed his eyes. He’s trying to remember. He vaguely had memories of this kind of paper. But he couldn’t pin point where exactly he saw this paper.

“Tiffany Hwang.” Yang Hyun Suk told him. “SNSD… She’s the one. The one you just married.”

No way.

Seunghyun stared at Yang Hyun Suk moments before he finally spoke. He couldn’t compose words to say, that is, if he can say anything at all.

“Tiffany?” Seunghyun asked looking defeated. “We don’t know each other personally, Hyung. I only know she exists.”

‘I only know she exists.’
That was too harsh of Seunghyun to say.

But what do you expect for him to say?

“Then tell me what that is!!!” Yang Hyun Suk went back to being enraged.

“I don’t know Hyung… I don’t know…” It was Seunghyun’s turn to cover his face with his hands.

How can he be married to someone he doesn’