AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 45

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2017

 

"Sun-Mi's not a novice at this, she can handle a minor scandal half-way around the world." -- Yoon Hyung-Chul

 

 

MBS SEOUL ... A WEEK LATER ...

 

"Less than two weeks, as I expected," Sun-Dal gloats, holding out his hand. "I told you not to trust those hyenas."

 

Hyung-Chul takes a 10,000W note from his wallet. "Okay, you win," he concedes their bet. "What do you have?"

 

Sun-Dal shows him a draft copy of the next morning's tabloid entertainment lead story. "My contact there sent this over, as a head's up," he shares the source as he lays several sheets or paper on Hyung-Chul's desk. One of them displays the headlines:

 

Shocking Love Triangle Exposed -- MBS Ensnarled In Real Life TV Drama

Announcer Jin Sun-Mi Breaks Off Secret Engagement After Promotion To Prized London Post

Rising Drama Star Park So-Won Snares Jilted Director Yoon Hyung-Chul On The Rebound

 

"And this is the friendly press," Sun-Dal reminds him, as Hyung-Chul scans the pages. "You don't want to see what the less reputable rags are printing."

 

"It's all speculation," Hyung-Chul dismisses the article. "First, I'm not in that kind of relationship with Park So-Won. Second, I haven't proposed to Sun-Mi yet. And third, I also haven't broken up with Sun-Mi, either."

 

"With all the press coverage of your escorting Park So-Won around lately, you'll have a hard time convincing anyone to the contrary," Sun-Dal disagrees.

 

"Why care about one more scandal?" Hyung-Chul dismisses his manager's concern. "I've been the subject of a dozen of these since I came back from England."

 

"Did any of those others get this far?" he asks, referring to several photographs he places on the desk, next to the article. They show So-Won snugly entwined with Hyung-Chul in a booth at his private club, including several where she is planting a kiss on his cheek.

 

"I'd been drinking when Park So-Won just appeared and invited herself to sit," Hyung-Chul defends himself. "It means nothing."

 

"That's fine for you to say, but it's the solid 'evidence' they'll use to back their allegations..."

 

"Relax, it'll all blow over in a few days, when the paparazzi drums up their next juicy so-called 'scandal'," Hyung-Chul scoffs.

 

"This isn't going to go away easily," Sun-Dal warns. "And even if you don't care, what about Jin Sun-Mi? How is she going to feel when the proverbial 'shit' hits the fan?"

 

"Sun-Mi's not a novice at this, I'm sure she can handle a minor scandal half-way around the world," Hyung-Chul brashly expresses confidence, to cover his own doubts about what Sun-Mi will think, and how she will react.

 

"But this is more than just a media scandal," Sun-Dal cautions. "It wasn't just any reporter taking those pictures; your club has a strict policy banning the press. Frankly, I think you were set up."

 

"You're saying Director Kim is angling for an advantage with the Board?" Hyung-Chul suggests the obvious culprit. "What else is new?"

 

"What if it was Director Park, or Park So-Won herself?" Sun-Dal adds more suspects to the short list. "They're pressuring you, and this could be the ammunition they need. But either way, you need to be careful."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Have you noticed anyone following, or watching you?" Sun-Dal asks. "Like a private detective tailing you?"

 

Hyung-Chul studies the pictures and article again, now with a different eye. "Does anyone else knows about this?"

 

Sun-Dal nods. "I've only told Joo-Hee, and..."

 

 

Bzzz... bzzz...

 

The intercom interrupts Sun-Dal mid-sentence. Hyung-Chul raises a finger for Sun-Dal to hold the thought while he answers the call...

 

"Yes, Miss Lee?"

 

"Manager Oh is here," she informs him. "I know you asked for no visitors, but he says it's urgent..."

 

"Sure, send him in," Hyung-Chul allows the interruption.

 

"The PR Manager? What a coincidence," Sun-Dal chuckles. "Now we can get our denials out before the scandal even breaks."

 

 

"What denial?" Manager Oh speaks up from the doorway. "This is a golden opportunity, if we play our cards correctly."

 

Manager Oh walks up to Hyung-Chul's desk and sees the papers Sun-Dal delivered. "So the news preceded me," he remarks.

 

"How did you know already?" Sun-Dal expresses surprise. "I just got this from a secure source."

 

"You're not the only one with inside contacts," Manager Oh replies. "How do you think I do my job?"

 

"Explain what you were talking about," Hyung-Chul says, his interest piqued.

 

"It's not often the press gives out a freebie. Let them run with this story as long as possible," Manager Oh recommends. "We can milk publicity like this all the way to the bank."

 

Sun-Dal is puzzled. "You mean, we're not going to categorically deny these false stories?"

 

"On the contrary, we'll neither confirm nor deny," Manager Oh elaborates on his scheme. "That will keep speculation roiling, spawning a continual stream of follow-up articles. Now and then we just need to feed the media beast a juicy tidbit or two to keep it coming around for more, gradually building and developing a narrative we control as we go, right up to the air date for Catwalk."

 

"The preliminary polling certainly isn't going well," Hyung-Chul comments, getting the man's drift. "Casting Park So-Won as the lead was a mistake, as I warned the Director -- and my Father. But that's water over the dam now..."

 

He picks up the headline sheet and reads aloud from it: "Rising Star Snares Jilted Director..." He muses, "A continuing theme is speculation that So-Won's character sleeps her way to the top... you're saying by creating a parallel, real-life backstory to the drama, we'll attract a bigger audience following?"

 

"People want to believe the worst about others, especially those in the public eye," Manager Oh points out. "Once a story likes this hits the internet chat boards, it generates even more smoke, until it's generally believed there's a real fire raging."

 

Sun-Dal looks at Hyung-Chul, to see if he is in agreement. "You're fine with all this?" he wonders disapprovingly.

 

"We can't afford to reject anything that builds ratings," Hyung-Chul decides. "The stakes are too high to fail. Go ahead with your plans, Manager Oh, but keep me informed in advance of those 'juicy tidbits' before you send them out..."