Flashes coming from a sea of cameras almost blinded her. She wasn’t used to all of this stuff. She wondered, ‘How do Yoona and Yuri cope with all this?’ She wasn’t a public person. She was more of someone from behind the scenes. She was a mover of huge mountains, projects that would build establishments and bring in the mother lode, but not this kind of thing.

Sure, she would stand before prominent people – businessmen and lawyers, even politicians and celebrities. She would meet critical eyes, expectations, and criticisms. And she would change their impressions, their perspectives. She may look fragile and seemingly dumb – well, there’s the dumb blonde stereotype, right? Yet, she would prove them all wrong. She loved proving them all wrong.

Jessica Jung would use their prejudices to her advantage. That has always been her strategy. And it has always worked for her benefit. But she would shy away from the public. Better locked up in a quiet office than meet all those people who admire her work, her credentials. She doesn’t give a care about the press, but she knew this – her presence here – was a necessity.

It’s a business opportunity. One that, as her father and grandfather had taught her, should never be overlooked. Publicity is advertisement. It informs people. It draws in the crowd.

And what better way to draw in the crowd?

Seeing the most buzzed rumor’s subjects together in the flesh would certainly attract the public. And Jessica saw that as an opportunity to make this project more than a success.

And so, here she was, sauntering towards the conference table where a few seats were lined. Well, only two seats were there. She could feel Taeyeon tailing her, the sound of his confident strides ringing in her ears amidst the sea of fans screaming and the reporters bustling among themselves. She heard a few young girls scream her name.

Her name? She has fans?

Jessica didn’t know she had a huge following, well, not until she saw fan signs with her name on it. She had fans among KTY’s own crowd. Interesting, but she has a duty to fulfill here. She found herself before a chair. She was about to pull it out from under the table, but a hand had beaten her to it. Her eyes shifted to the hand’s owner.

Taeyeon beamed her a smile and for a moment, time had lost its place. The Kim pulled it out for her, gesturing with his free hand for her to take a seat. She complied and nodded, thanking him for the kind gesture. And then, she heard the fans squeal and the camera shutters chattering a series of shots of the sweet scene. Some of the reporters got carried away, their voices rising above the crowd with the barrage of questions both for her and her secret fiancé.

A sigh escaped her lips. ‘So much for publicity.’

“Relax. Breathe. You’ll be fine.” She heard Taeyeon whisper. She turned to him and noticed that he had a smug look on his face. He was facing upfront, his eyes on the crowd and his lips unmoved, but she could hear him whisper once more, giving the answer to her unaired question, “Ventriloquism.”

She turned and nodded meekly knowing that Taeyeon would spot it via his periphery.

Well, this was new.   

***

“Everyone, we are proud to announce the presence of this project’s director, Miss Jung Jessica, CEO of the Jung Empire group of companies. Please give her a round of applause.” Said the facilitator.

Jessica stood up and bowed as the audience exploded in applause whilst some fans screamed in adoration for the young woman. Jessica was quite astounded by the huge crowd yet she retained her composure as she cleared , taking the mic from the table before her, prior to addressing everyone.

“Good Day, everyone. My name is Jessica Jung and I am pleased to welcome you to KTY’s mall tour. Thank you for the support you’ve given us today. You are the reason why we joined this venture with KTY and his record label. This is also the first project that the Kim Empire and the Jung Empire would undertake as one conglomerate. We hope you enjoy the upcoming fan meetings and mall concerts that KTY will be holding in our malls as part of his endorsement. There will be open auditions for KTY’s duet partner with KTY picking out the best performer as well. We wish the best of luck to the contestants. A lot more exciting collaborations are waiting in the future so please look forward to them. Once again, thank you for the support.” Jessica was all smiles when she once again bowed to the crowd before setting herself down.

Another round of applause came from the audience before KTY stood and bowed before everyone. Much to everyone’s surprise, he turned to Jessica, who was seated an arm’s length from him, and bowed to her before he made his statement. Gasps came out from the crowd upon seeing his courteous gesture.

“A pleasant day to everyone, I am KTY. It’s been awhile since I have come back to the music scene and I really missed the stage and my fans. I’m really thankful for the Kim Empire and the Jung Empire for supporting this mall tour and for giving me an opportunity to meet my fans up close. I’m looking forward to meet and work with my duet partner in the future. Please continue to love and support the new image of KTY. Taegangers, thank you for the love!” Taeyeon said as he made a heart sign using his hands before he sat down for the press conference.

“We now proceed to the press conference. Reporters, please organize your selves and state your questions one at a time.” remarked the facilitator.

The cameras flashed and to Jessica, it was seriously blinding. Somehow, she now knew the reason why celebrities would wear their sunglasses most of the time. These camera flashes could seriously damage the eyes. She could barely make out the faces of the people before her. She saw Sooyoung and Sunny picking out the reporters who were to cast their questions.

She heard a question popped by a reporter from the very front row where a microphone had been given to him, “Miss Jung, there have been rumors that you and KTY have been dating. Paparazzi photos of someone looking like you, together with KTY inside Club Generation, have been circulating around the internet. What is your opinion regarding them?”

Jessica smiled. She had expected that and she was prepared to answer that question. “Those rumors were false. KTY and I are not dating.”  Groans of disappointment and some cheers of relief came from the crowd after Jessica outright denied the dating rumor. “I admit that those photos taken at Club Gen were those of KTY and me. We were there together with our respective families. It was a private business affair regarding the planned corporate merge. KTY, at that time, had taken the liberty to lead me to the venue since I had arrived later.”

What Jessica said was true. They weren’t dating, but they were secretly engaged. The courtship part had been skipped. The couple knew that; was aware of that. Jessica stole a glance of Taeyeon. She could see him suppress a full-blown smirk.

“Miss Jung and I are friends. We’re bickering friends. Friends and enemies at the same time.” Taeyeon managed to playfully add, letting out an amused chuckle as he turned to look at the Jung. Jessica went along with him, giggling some while they waited for more questions.

“But you two look good together!” shouted someone from the crowd. The couple on stage ignored the comment, knowing that any reaction towards that statement could cause another scandal. Jessica could not afford to have herself mobbed by the paparazzi because of that. She had stepped forth on this occasion to clear out the rumors as well as to take advantage of it.

The camera flashes never stopped as they went on with the conference.

“KTY, what are your planned activities for this year?” asked another reporter.

“For this month, I’ll be busy with the solo mall tour and fan meetings. There will be auditions held on these tours as well. I will be looking for my duet partner and my label planned on debuting me in a duo unit. You will all see a different KTY in the future.”

Another reporter inquired, “You’re also the CEO of the Kim Empire, but the corporation has merged with the Jung Empire. Who will lead the new conglomerate? This question is both addressed to KTY and Jung Empire’s CEO, Miss Jung.”

This time, it was Jessica who answered, “There are still ongoing negotiations between the two companies about that matter. The subordinates, on the other hand, would be working on extended departments. Their supervisors will be collaborating to maintain the flow of the workplace. As of now, the Kims have agreed to place me as the temporary CEO of the newly merged conglomerate as KTY continues with his promotions. Mr. Kim Taeyeon, here, would be my second-in-command. He will be assisting me whenever he can.”

“KTY, you have just come back from Japan after a long time. And now, you’re the Vice Chair of a newly merged company. How will you fulfill both duties as a Hallyu star and as a businessman?”

‘So many questions today.’ Taeyeon thought as he pulled his mic closer, “It’s all about time management. I will tend to my duties in the company during my free time. My cousin, Kwon Yuri, has been juggling his modeling activities and fashions shows with his corporate work and he’s been doing fine. I think I could handle that as well.”

***

Kim Vacation House

The huge screen flashed the live news feed from the Jung mall event where KTY performed a few songs, held a short fan meeting, and a press conference. A lone person was watching the whole thing on his modernized grandfather chair. A wine glass filled with claret fluid was on his right hand, a carmine-studded ring decorated his index finger.

Eyebrows raised in amusement as KTY’s and Jessica Jung’s press conference blared from the huge television. The figure pursed his lips in delight upon noting the denials that the couple had blurted regarding their relationship. The man seated inside the theater-like room knew better.

“I wonder…” The figure muttered under his breath, “how much longer those two would hide their intimacy…”

The figure, known by all as Grandmaster Kim and Kim Taeyeon’s grandfather, had kept the evidence of the young couple’s intimate act with him. He had the carmine-stained sheets, the sole evidence of Taeyeon and Jessica’s rendezvous, carefully preserved and stashed in a special container before he had it hidden in the cabinet inside the pub’s secret room where the couple gave themselves to each other.

‘It does not matter whether the public found out about the couple.’ He thought as he toned down the television’s volume to a minimum, his thoughts occupying his attention. ‘Jung and I have been dreaming of joining our houses. Taeyeon and Jessica will fulfill that dream.’

A sly grin crept through his face when he recalled the incident a few days back when he had arrived at the vacation house for some rest after a tiring business venture near the area. What he found inside the pub still amused him even today.

The old man muted the television, pressing a button on the plush chair, reclining himself as he closed his eyes to reminisce what he had witnessed when he wandered into the house.  

***

Taeyeon’s grandfather was surprised to see a black car parked inside the supposed unoccupied house’s garage. What startled him was the familiarity of the vehicle. It was a car licensed under HQ, an organization that he, along with his longtime friends, had helped fund. Grandfather Kim was now suspicious of the occupants of his property.

Were members of his own family directly involved with HQ? Grandfather Kim didn’t expect that. He had thought that his participation in HQ’s confidential meetings was enough and that his family would not be drafted into the dangerous tasks assigned to HQ’s agents and codes. The old man got out of his vehicle, his loyal bodyguards noting the troubled look on his face as he came closer to the black vehicle.

“Did you expect someone to be here, grandmaster?” asked his personal butler and bodyguard.

The Kim elder shook his head, “But I have an idea as to who might be currently occupying the mansion.”

“Would you want us to sweep through the house before you enter, grandmaster?”

“Let’s enter the house together. The occupant is a member of my family, I’m sure. Anybody who isn’t a Kim has not taken refuge here given the security measures they had to go through…”

“Very well, grandmaster. We will be standing guard for you.”

“As you would please.”

***

The hallways were empty save for the music playing from somewhere down the hall where the family pub was situated. The old man could only assume that it would be his son, Taeyeon’s father, or Taeyeon, himself, who came to the vacation house.

A faint yet familiar song by a foreigner played from within the pub. Now, Grandfather Kim was sure that it was his grandson, knowing that the boy was the only grandchild in the country right now, after Tae Hee left for Japan and ever since Jaejoong had left for America.  

Grandfather Kim raised a brow at the faint music. He took a cautious step closer, then another until the song was loud enough to be identified by the ears. The old man slowly pushed the door open, his bodyguards following him with utmost caution, their guns at the ready.

‘Strange.’ The elder Kim thought upon taking a peek of the contents of the pub. ’There’s no one here.’ He checked the dimly-lit room, eyes trained for any anomaly only to find it bare save for two wine glasses and a bottle of wine with some bowl of… cherries?

Now, the old man was sure as to who currently occupied the house. ‘He’s here.’ Grandfather Kim concluded as he stepped past the threshold, holding back his guards with his raised hand, signaling them to wait outside. ‘Taeyeon, my boy, what’re you up to?’ He stopped when he had stepped on something soft as he arrived at the bar counter where the forgotten bowl and wine glasses were displayed. Grandfather Kim looked down only to be surprised by the apparel he had stumbled upon on the floor.  

It was a woman’s shirt along with a man’s shirt which Grandfather Kim had identified to be his grandson’s. Now, this is getting more interesting. The elder found himself holding back a smile from forming on his face after thoughts of his grandson bringing someone else in this secluded house entered his mind. For one, the elder knew that his grandson had never taken any girl seriously. Old Kim knew of Taeyeon’s player reputation but he knew the boy never dared to bed a woman, unless the boy was tied in marriage. Taeyeon had sworn to his grandfather to be an honorable man.

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