Chapter 103
Chapter 103
In the meantime, a message from Jae-gyu had arrived.
[Bom. If you wait just one hour, I’ll buy you something incredibly delicious.]
How can I just sit and wait? You might be in danger, Jae-gyu.
Now that things had blown up, she felt it was better for the arrows to be aimed only at her. It was bad enough that her mother’s image was being dragged through the mud; she absolutely did not want Jae-gyu to be caught up in it too.
If that were to happen, what would she even do?
With a heavy heart, Bom arrived at the QBS Broadcasting Station cafe parking lot. Before getting out of the car, she rummaged through the glove box.
‘This should be enough to hide my identity.’
She put on a pair of sunglasses and pulled a ball cap—something she rarely wore—low over her eyes. After putting on a black mask and checking herself in the rearview mirror, she looked so different that even Jae-gyu or her mother might not recognize her at first glance.
In that state, Bom entered the cafe’s main entrance. The large, single-story cafe had floor-to-ceiling glass windows on all sides, making the interior exceptionally bright as it soaked in the light.
There, Bom quickly spotted the back of Jae-gyu’s head. He looked sharp, dressed in a suit with his hair neatly styled. She had expected him to be with her mother, but he was sitting alone, sipping a pink drink through a straw.
Bom pulled her mask up tighter and tugged the brim of her hat lower.
She stealthily approached and took a seat at the table directly behind him.
‘Is this too close?’
Since they were sitting back-to-back, all she had to do was turn her head to see the back of his.
She didn’t know what he was planning, but she worried her presence might interfere. That was why she had gone to the trouble of wearing a disguise, yet she felt her heart thumping as if she were doing something wrong.
‘Ack!’
As she pressed a hand to her chest, the phone she had placed on the table vibrated loudly. Startled, Bom grabbed the phone and quickly switched it to silent.
[Honey♡ Did you make it to the main house?]
[I’m dying to see you. Me toooo~]
Bom’s eyes nearly popped out of her head as she checked the messages. Honey?! Me toooo?! Had he eaten something wrong in China? While she sat there in a daze, she heard Jae-gyu mutter from behind her.
“Should I try calling?”
No, don’t! Bom’s face went pale. She double-checked that her phone was on silent and breathed a sigh of relief, only to see a long shadow fall across her table. Glancing sideways, she saw Jae-gyu holding his arm up high, taking a selfie.
Click.
She didn’t even have time to wonder how it turned out. The photo was sent to her immediately.
(Photo)
[Wearing the black shirt Bbomi likes.]
[Mother should be here soon. I’ll fly to you as soon as we’re done~~~♡]
What is with his tone? Bom tapped the photo Jae-gyu had just sent and pinched her fingers outward to zoom in. She flinched. In the background behind Jae-gyu, a round back of a head was visible. It was her.
“…….”
She had intended to sit quietly, find out what was going on, and leave, but her head was already starting to throb. Seeing Jae-gyu joking around so casually, was it really not a big deal? Maybe it would be better to just listen to him and go home now.
“Oh! Here he is. This was the spot, right.”
Bom lifted her hips to leave, but she sat right back down when she heard a voice from behind. It was her mother.
“Stop complaining and just sit down.”
“Sigh….”
Just from that irritable sigh, Bom knew exactly who her mother had brought along.
‘It’s my brother.’
But why?
Her mother was one thing, but why would her brother have any reason to meet Jae-gyu? Jae-gyu hadn't given her even a hint about this.
If it was a full family gathering, her father should have been there, and she should have been invited too. But this combination of people made no sense. What reason could they possibly have to meet at a cafe in front of QBS on a weekday afternoon?
‘This is strange.’
The tension she had briefly let go of tightened in her gut again. Bom sat frozen, straining her ears. Since it was near the end of the lunch hour, people were constantly streaming in. The cafe was noisy, so she had to focus all her senses.
“This is the CEO of an energy company called JK Power Energy, and he’s the one seeing Bom.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Seon Jae-gyu.”
Stealing a glance, Bom saw Jae-gyu pulling a business card from his jacket and handing it over. Did he have business to discuss? She still couldn't figure it out.
“And this is Bom’s brother.”
“Ah… I’m Yoon-cheong. I’m just starting up a finance-related business. You look a bit different in person than you do on screen.”
What was that? Bom tilted her head at her brother’s strange greeting.
“…….”
The three of them sat in silence after the introductions, almost like a formal meeting between prospective in-laws. It felt as if they were feeling each other out. Jae-gyu was the first to speak.
“The reason I asked to meet today is to discuss Yoon Bom’s situation.”
“Hah, what, are you her husband or something?”
As her brother sneered, her mother gestured for him to be quiet.
“I’m sure you’re both aware, but let me summarize. Please focus.”
Jae-gyu began to recount the events of the previous day as if he were giving a professional briefing.
Bom’s eyes widened as she listened. It was impressive how clearly he summarized the core issues, but she was even more surprised that Jae-gyu knew things she hadn't even confirmed herself. When had he prepared all of this?
“Since she’s been targeted by the entire nation, Our Bom’s Protection Squad needs to step up and solve this. Don’t you agree?”
“Excuse me. How long have you even been seeing Yoon Bom?”
“79 days.”
Upon hearing the answer, her brother let out a scoffing laugh.
“You’ve certainly been together a long time. You’ve seen the posts online, so you know—this isn't the first time this has happened to her.”
“…….”
“The rumors about her going down to the countryside because of a scandal like this before? Those aren't rumors, they’re true. You clearly don't know the half of it.”
As if telling an amusing story, her brother tapped his wallet rhythmically against the table.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. She brought this on herself, and she’s an adult, so she can handle it. More importantly, this is family business, so don't interfere.”
There was nothing factually wrong with what her brother said. I shouldn't have come. Bom bit her lip so hard it nearly bled. She hadn't come here to hear her own family say she deserved this.
“Whether she brought it on herself or if it’s a case of 'vague as a blank sheet' is something we’ll know once we look into it.”
“Vague as a… what?”
“You should study more.”
“……Hey, look here!”
After delivering that sharp jab, Jae-gyu leaned back against the sofa and lowered his voice.
“You’re going to cooperate, right? Since you’re her brother.”
“……I mean, what are we even supposed to do?”
Her brother, seemingly unfamiliar with Jae-gyu’s way of speaking, began to play along half-heartedly.
“Face exposure through evil editing. Leaking photos of a past affair.”
Jae-gyu wagged two fingers.
“I’ve looked into it, and these two things are suspicious. You agree, don't you, Mother?”
“Yes, that was the problem.”
It was exactly as Jae-gyu said. In the first place, it was the broadcast itself that had maligned her through evil editing and intentionally poor blurring that allowed screenshots to circulate. And just as the public mood was starting to settle, the photos of the past affair were leaked, completely burying her reputation.
“Let’s track down the culprit who did this.”
What did Jae-gyu mean when he said he’d be back in an hour? They were just starting the discussion, and it didn't seem like something that would end quickly. Jae-gyu was already stepping up to find the first culprit.
“The broadcast was the start. Evil editing and face exposure. Who could have done that?”
“What kind of question is that? The broadcasting station did it, who else?”
“Right. But why would the station expose Ms. Bom like that?”
Because it was provocative? It was a classic trope: use a melodramatic story to stir the viewers' emotions, then introduce a wicked antagonist at the climactic moment to make them everyone’s enemy.
And didn't the identity of that antagonist send everyone’s dopamine levels through the roof?
“They would know. What’s the point of us talking about it? Fuck, this is a waste of time.”
Her brother’s voice was full of irritation, but perhaps because of Jae-gyu’s overwhelming physical presence, he only managed to mutter the curse under his breath before standing up.
“Mother, I’m leaving.”
However, her brother couldn't leave. Jae-gyu had quickly stood up and pushed him back down by the shoulder with one hand.
“Ugh.”
Her brother’s posture collapsed pathetically as he was forced back onto the sofa. Jae-gyu sat back down, dusting off his large hands.
“Now, now. You can’t leave until I’m finished talking, okay?”
“You… you really are a thug. Mother, who is this man? Why are you just watching him do this?”
“Cheong, just stay still.”
Ha, wow, unbelievable. Her brother was huffing in frustration, but he froze like a statue when the cafe’s main door opened and someone walked in.
“What the… Did you call that person…?”
Bom also hurriedly lowered her head after identifying the person. Of course, there was no way they would recognize her in a hat, sunglasses, and mask. But still, this person was….
“You asked what the point of us talking was. So, I brought a special guest.”
The person who appeared, looking haggard, was none other than the Writer of 'Nakega'. Having apparently already finished her talk with Jae-gyu, the writer arrived right on time and obediently took a seat.
“The writer arrived right on schedule. Now, it’ll be much easier to talk, won’t it, brother-in-law?”
The sound of the writer gulping nervously as she sat down with a deeply uncomfortable expression reached Bom’s ears. But there was something else she heard even more clearly.