Chapter 1:

 

Kang Eun-jae’s P.O.V

 

                Why was I getting called so early? Did I do anything wrong again? My manager, Jeon Hee-chul, didn’t tell me anything because she was busy talking to the press about the issue of me being pregnant. Duh! I was on 24 years old. Why would I get pregnant when I was not even allowed to have a boyfriend? Part of my contract in YG entertainment was I couldn’t date anyone until I’m 27. Three more years of singleness would be fun.

 

                In my 3 years in the showbiz industry, I had faced many issues about me being dating this guy and that guy or someone who was not in my industry. It was such a bore. Now, that they didn’t get any problem from me, they were spreading rumors that I might be pregnant. Shouldn’t it be engaged first or rather married before being pregnant?

 

                “Annyeong,” I greeted the staffs as I walked through the lobby. They smiled and bowed too. One of the biggest issues of me was a rumor of me being arrogant while filming my music video, which was so not true at all. I was not that popular like my sunbaes and the company didn’t want that to their artists.

 

                “Eun-jae ssi,” I smiled at the familiar voices calling me. I looked back and saw my sunbaes in the company.

 

                “Yo!” I saluted. Youngbae oppa, or also known as Taeyang, ruffled my hair then placed his arm on my shoulder.

 

                “What are you doing here early? You’re not a morning person after all.” Jiyong-oppa, or also known as G-dragon or GD, asked me while pinching my cheeks.

 

                “Yah! I’m not a teddy bear to pinch my cheeks like that.” I swatted his hands away but they only laughed at my attempt at being angry.

 

                “Ooh, Eun-jae knows how to get angry,” Seung-hyun oppa, or also known as TOP, teased while grinning at me.

 

                Yeah, I was known here as someone who doesn’t get angry at anything. They said I was so tamed that I wasn’t fit in this full of wolves industry. Why would I be scared when these guys always protect me like I’m their younger sister?

 

                “Sajangnim called me to meet him in his office. Do you know something about it?” I asked them. They shook their heads and shrugged. “Is there some issue again about me other than the pregnant issue?” I inquired again.

 

                “Well, it must be like that but I didn’t hear any rumors other than the pregnant issue?” Daesung oppa stated.

 

                “How can they even say you’re pregnant when you’re as thin as a stick?” Seungri grumbled like a little kid.

 

                “Anyway,” I checked my watch, “I’m almost late already. See you around,” I said, running and waving at them.

 

                “Fighting!” They shouted.

 

                At the office of Sajangnim or known as YG, I was seating casually while he didn’t look that much mad as I thought. So, it was not that big because if it was he was going to rant like normal about me being that and being this. He was lenient sometime but sometime he was not.

 

                “What did I do this time that I’m not aware of, Sajangnim?”

 

                He chuckled and said, “Why? Do every time I call you here you are doing something?” I thought about it then shook my head. “I need your schedule again to your workplace. After all, I need to accommodate that one than me subjecting to mine.”

 

                I grinned and nodded. “There’s nothing much that has changed in my schedules. It’s just that I have two graveyard shifts in Monday and Wednesday.” I explained to him.

 

                He sighed and looked at me seriously. “Why don’t you quit in your work? You are more popular now rather than the past years.”

 

                I stared back and giggled. “It is the only thing that makes me normal.”

 

                “You are normal,” he justified.

 

                I shook my head. “Ani (no), the thing is being in this industry is fun but working like normal people where there is no cameras and reporters is like feeling free to do whatever you want,” I explained.

 

                “There’s nothing I can do. Do I?”

 

                “I’m trying my best not to blow my cover. Plus, I’m having fun playing a double person, the exact opposite of the singer, Kang Eun-jae.” I smiled widely at him.

 

                He smiled back. One thing, I personally ask for my contract was to have the work I love to do. It was not easy to hide the fact that you are famous but having normal people around you was fun and enjoying. “Arasso, but don’t forget that you have to write a new song for your next album. It has been a year already since we release an album.”

 

                “Arasso,” I replied and smiled. “Can I collaborate with TOP, Taeyang, and Jiyong oppa? I want them in my album this time. The last one was with CL and Dara unnie.”

 

                He stared at me and said, “Why are you only picking some rather than whole?”

 

                I giggled and answered, “You know I have to pay them. That’s why I only pick some.”

 

                He laughed at me while shaking his head. “You are earning in your work and here but you are still thrifty,” he muttered.

 

                “Aisht! Money doesn’t last. Besides, I have to buy some clothes that cost a fortune, just to look fabulous.” I countered. Being an artist wasn’t easy. You were buying this and that to show that you are fashionable. This industry was harsh about you looking bad after all. They would say mean things to you when you wore such a thing.

 

                “You have to go now or else you’ll be late for work.” He dismissed me and I rushed out to get into the van. The reporters flocked around me asking hideous question and my statement for the issue. I just did tell my statement already. Why should I repeat it?

 

                “Mr. Park, to the hideout,” I said.

 

                He smiled and nodded. “Hee-chul said that she’s getting crazy because of your double life,” he said.

 

               “Hee-chul will leave long. Besides, she is the one in the firing range while I’m busy with my double life. Don’t you think this if fun?”

 

               He looked at me in the rear view mirror and replied, “It does. But I want you to be careful, Eun-jae. If they found out you are working there…”

 

               “Arasso,” I butted in. “I will be utterly careful in my work to not get caught. I’m unrecognizable with my get-up after all.” I said proudly looking at the mirror while I was putting my wig and thick glasses and my very professional make-up to hide the fact that I am Kang Eun-jae. I muttered my magic words, “Cha Hae-jee.”

 

               “It’s nice to see you again, Hae-jee.” Mr. Park smiled.

 

               “Annyeong, Mr. Park.” I changed the tone of voice into a strong and carefree one. What I loved being a singer was that I could change my voice like it was normal. That was my talent.

 

               He laughed softly. “Even I couldn’t recognize that voice even if I was your driver for three years,” he praised. “Here we are. Be careful.” I nodded and waved at him.

 

               I waited for the service van to pick me up to get me to the hotel where I was working. Cha Hae-jee didn’t look near to Kang Eun-jae. Eun-jae was the epitome of beauty and style while Hae-jee was the simplicity and fierceness of her attitude. Total opposite but they were both me.

 

               “Hae-jee!” My best friend Jin-hee shouted, waving and running fast because the van was almost in the stop. She breathed in and out to get her breathing steady. “Is your schedules all morning again?”

 

                I smiled and gave her my hanky. She was sweating from running. She thanked me and wiped her face with it. “Not all, I have two grave yard shifts,” I replied.

 

                “At least, you have good ones, while I on the other hand have the three shifts in one schedule,” she ranted.

 

                “Come on,” I said and dragged her to the van. “Annyeong,” I greeted our co-workers and they greeted back.

 

                “I saw you running, Jin-hee. Are you late again?” Byung-woo teased. If I didn’t know how to read people I would have not known that Byung-woo was interested to my best friend and vice-versa. It was pretty obvious because he likes to and she would snap back like a wild beast. Then they would start quarrelling like lovers in the whole ride through the hotel.

 

                “You are not late today too, Hae-jee. Are you changing the same habit of you and your best friend?” Min-ki asked grinning at me.

 

                “I know right,” I replied jovially, “this must be a good sign.”

 

                “Yah!” Jin-hee then smacked me in the head.

 

                I glared at her but then laughed. “Ani (no), I’m just being energetic for the past days. Wait till I get lazy again and I will be late like her,” then added a wink.

 

                They giggled and chorused, “We know.”

 

                “Do you know that Choi Kang Ju is back and going to the hotel to check on it?”

 

                We all looked at Da-bin. Did she just say that the CEO was already backed from studying in London? Choi Kang Ju was the heir to the Palace Hotel and other business of the Choi family. They held the biggest profiting conglomerate since ages. Palace Hotel was their biggest profiting hotel in all of their business. It was six star hotel and catered all the international artist who held concerts in Korea.

 

                And he was known as the stoic heir who didn’t have any expression in any circumstances. But even with his attitude he’s popular to girls and he ranked one in the survey about which guy would you like to be your husband. He won over Jiyong and Seung-hyun oppa and even the other artist who were bankable as husband.

 

                But the bad news was that she was engaged already to the singer but also a daughter of a businessman, Yoon Chae-won. The girl had the very bad reputation for being arrogant because she takes our industry like it was a hobby and she was arrogant as hell.

 

                How did I know? I met her in one party of my friend where she was also a guest. When she saw me, the Kang Eun-jae who was being called her rival in the industry, she instantly threw sarcastic remarks about me which she particularly like me to hear.

 

                If I was not a rising star back then I would have thrown a punch or two to her face. That would be relieving but Sajangnim took care of it because the next day, everyone was asking my reactions for being ridiculed in my face by Yoon Chae-won.

 

                But YG warned me not to talk back, for it not to get big than it supposed to be. I didn’t disobey him or else it would be a much longer issue and I would not have peace of mind. Being ridiculed in the face was fun especially when you know that someone is being threatened.

 

                Manager Joo rounded us up in the assembly area. He was talking about what to do today and to be prepared always because today CEO Choi would roam around the hotel. “Don’t do any mistakes. You know how meticulous he is. Be assertive and don’t let your mind fly around, right Cha Hae-jee?”

 

                They all laughed at me. I forced a smile to him and nodded before I make face in front of him. “Hae-jee,” he warned.

 

                “Arasso, Manager Joo,” I replied and saluted.

 

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