Summer in Seoul

“SOON -HEE SSI, you should lower your hat edge a little more. Your face must not be seen,” ordered Park Hyun-Shik.

Sandy muttered unclearly, handed the cellphone she was holding to Jung Tae-Woo, then pulled down her red hat. “At this rate I can’t see anything myself,” she sighed. “Where exactly is uncle? Is he watching us remotely or something? “

She and Jung Tae-Woo were in Jung Tae-Woo’s car parked in the parking lot in front of the building where Park Hyun-Shik worked. It was ten o’clock at night and the atmosphere in the parking lot was very quiet. Jung Tae-Woo who wore a black hat and sunglasses sat behind the wheel, Sandy sat next to him, while Park Hyun-Shik watched them out of nowhere. All communication is done via cellphone. They are ready to carry out the first phase plan.

Jung Tae-Woo put his cellphone to his ear and said, “It can already be started.”…

He hung up and looked at Sandy, who was tidying her braids. “We will be out in a minute or so,” he said curtly.

“So we just need to get out of the car, pose for a while, then go back to the car? “Sandy asked to make sure….

Jung Tae- Woo nodded. He paused, then, “Well, it looks like Hyung is ready with the camera. We are out now. “

They both got out of the car and started walking side by side.

“Why is it so far away?” asked Jung Tae-Woo.

Sandy turned and realized Jung Tae-Woo was commenting on the distance between the two of them who was too far away. “Why? I think it’s close enough.”

“People won’t believe I have a special relationship with you if you stand that far.”

Sandy stopped walking and turned around to face Jung Tae- Woo. “I think this is also pretty good. We don’t need to hug so that people will believe that we have a special relationship, right?”

Jung Tae-Woo gave a short laugh. “What’s not bad? Your body is so stiff and your walk is like a robot. “

Sandy remained silent.

Jung Tae-Woo looked back at her, then said, “We have to do something.”

Sandy was surprised when Jung Tae-Woo stepped closer to her. “What do you want?” she asked, but she was so nervous she could not move from where she stood.

Jung Tae-Woo stood right in front of her. Sandy just realized how short she was compared to this man. She had to look up if she wanted to see Jung Tae-Woo’s face.

“Hey, Jung Tae-Woo ssi, what exactly do you want?” asked Sandy once again when after a while Jung Tae-Woo just stood still without doing anything. She couldn’t see Jung Tae-Woo’s expression clearly because he was wearing sunglasses, but Sandy could see his lips forming a smile.

“Me? Just giving a nice pose for our picture, “he said casually, then he retreated again.

Sandy snorted softly. “Very funny.”

“The mission is complete,” Sandy said when they were sitting back in the car.

“Hhhh … tired. Really hard work. “

Tae-Woo smiled slightly at Sandy’s joke. It turns out this girl can make a joke too. Tae-Woo believes that Sandy is actually a friendly person, although at this time the girl is more often rigid and keeps her distance, sometimes even tends to be cold. However it’s only natural considering they do not really know each other.

“I feel like I’m playing a movie,” Sandy added. “Maybe I should just be an actress. What do you think?”

“Keep on dreaming,” Tae-Woo said as he started the engine.

At that moment the cellphone rang. They both simultaneously search for their cellphones.

The one ringing turns out to be Tae-Woo’s cellphone.

“You’d better change your cellphone ringtone,” Sandy grumbled, putting her cellphone back in her pocket.

“Why should I? You should change yours, “Tae-Woo said before answering the phone. “Yes, Hyong … Already?”

Suddenly Sandy’s cellphone rang too. Without seeing who is calling, Sandy immediately answers the phone. “Hello?”

Tae-Woo sees the girl sighing and takes off her red hat. Who called her? The daydream in his mind shattered when he realized Park Hyun-Shik repeatedly mentioned his name on the phone.

“Eh, what, Hyong? … Oh, okay. See you tomorrow, “Tae-Woo said before closing the cellphone.

“Me? Now? Outside, “Sandy said in a relaxed tone.

Tae-Woo noticed Sandy’s eyebrows raised as she listened to the answer from the other person.

“Soon I will also go home. If there’s anything to talk about, just talk later. I’m busy right now. End it first, okay? ” Sandy immediately hung up.

“Who is the call from?” Tae-Woo asked casually.

Sandy turned to his direction. “Friends,” the girl said curtly, then diverted the conversation. “Are we done now? What did uncle say? “

Tae-Woo looks at Sandy with a frown. “Uncle?” he asked in surprise.

“Why do you call Hyong” uncle”? He is not that old yet. I wouldn’t want to be called “uncle” anyway.

Sandy would open her mouth to answer when Tae-Woo added, “But it’s up to you. Just call him “uncle” or whatever you like. Hyong won’t mind. He is not a person who likes to bother with such problems as this. As long as you don’t just call him “onni[1]”. “

[1]. Older sister, how a woman calls an older woman.

Sandy sighed and cleared her throat. “So what did uncle say?” he asked once more.

“He said maybe the day after tomorrow the photos would appear on the tabloid,” Tae-Woo answered.

But then his next words as if addressed to himself, “Must be ready to face reporters again. But at least my reputation will go back to the way it used to be … “

Tae-Woo turns around and finds Sandy looking at him with a strange look. “What? What is wrong?”

“Can I ask something?” Sandy asked, somewhat doubtfully.

“What?”

“Actually … are you gay or not?”

Tae-Woo takes off his glasses and looks at Sandy with annoyance.

Without waiting for an answer, Sandy waved. “Oh, well, I won’t ask again. Are you gay or not, it’s none of my business. “

Like Park Hyun-Shik’s plan, on Monday morning their photos had appeared in the tabloids. Sandy only entered the lecture hall when Kang Young-Mi ran toward her.

“Hey, Han Soon-Hee!” exclaimed Young-Mi in a thunderous voice.

Sandy blinked her eyes in confusion, then after recovering from her surprise, she grumbled, “I told you so many times not to call my full name like that. Is ‘Sandy’ too hard to say? “

“And I told you many times that I don’t like westernized names,” Young-Mi replied and continued, “Now it’s not an important issue. Look at this!” She waved the tabloid right in front of Sandy’s face.

“What is this?” Sandy asked. She must take a step back to be able to clearly see what her friend wants to show.

“Jung Tae-Woo has a girlfriend!” this time Young-Mi’s cry was so loud that Sandy jumped in surprise.

Sandy looked at the front page of the tabloid and held her breath. She reads the headline “JUNG TAE-WOO AND HIS LOVER?” printed in a big size. Under the title are three photos with Jung Tae-Woo. The photos were a bit blurry, but why did Sandy feel so clearly visible?

The first photo shows the two of them in the car. Jung Tae-Woo was holding the steering wheel and looked at her with a smile. Sandy herself was also staring at the man with her head tilted so that her face was covered by her red hat. When do they pose like that? Sandy herself doesn’t remember.

The second photo was taken when they walked together. The photo was taken slightly sideways so that Sandy was slightly covered in Jung Tae-Woo’s body. Sandy looked at the photo and frowned. As far as they remember, they didn’t stand that close, but maybe the direction of the photo was taken that made them look so close.

The third photo is when Jung Tae-Woo stood right in front of her and so close, Sandy herself stood up straight with her head looked up at him. Again, the angle of the photo makes the photo look very good and Sandy’s face is slightly covered. Plus Jung Tae-Woo is smiling in the photo. Inevitably Sandy was amazed at Park Hyun-Shik. It turns out that Uncle is good at taking pictures.

“You see? Have you seen it? ” Young-Mi clearly looks upset and is a bit hysterical.

“It turns out that Jung Tae-Woo already has a lover. Who is she? Artist? You know what, all of his fans are in shock right now. “

Sandy was rather relieved that Kang Young-Mi didn’t realize that she was the one in the photo with Jung Tae-Woo. She refolded the tabloid, returned it to Young-Mi, then said, “Why upset? Doesn’t this prove that Jung Tae-Woo isn’t gay? ”

Young-Mi paused and pondered. “But if I see him with another woman, it makes my heart … ouch,” she said with a piteous face.

Sandy giggled.

“But … maybe this girl isn’t her lover either,” said Young-Mi suddenly.

“What makes you think that?”

“It could have been the same case as yours then. Jung Tae-Woo only drove you and there was no relationship between you two. Besides, everyone knows reporters like to exaggerate things. “

Sandy turned quickly and found her best friend looking at her confidently. “But I think this one is true. In this article there is even a written source that states that Jung Tae-Woo has a girlfriend, right?

Anyway if you think about it, isn’t this a good thing? I mean, for fans like you, the most important thing is that Jung Tae-Woo isn’t gay or likes women … ”

Because Young-Mi’s disappointed expression hasn’t changed, Sandy added, “You don’t need to be hysterical either. Even if the woman in this photo is indeed his girlfriend, there is still a possibility they split up. You just pray that they split up quickly. “

“You can say that because you’re not his fan! I was very curious who that woman was. It also doesn’t tell us who she really is … ” Young-Mi exhales deeply. She suddenly clapped her hands and said excitedly, “But you’re right. It’s okay, soon it will be known. She must break up with my Tae-Woo oppa[2]! “

[2]. Older brother, how a woman calls an older man.

Sandy shook her head and held back her amusement. But before her smile died down, Young-Mi had said again, “But there is something strange. Take a look at these photos, Soon-Hee. Why did the two of them not touch one another? Maybe it’s not really important, but I mean, aren’t dating people like holding hands when walking together? ”

* * *

Jung Tae-Woo is in Park Hyun-shik’s office. He holds a tabloid that contains photographs with Sandy.

“Hyong turned out to be good at taking pictures,” Tae-Woo said with a smile.

 Park Hyun-Shik just shrugged his shoulders at the compliment. “I think our plan is quite successful because since the morning our office has been flooded with calls asking for certainty and interviews with you.”

“Has she seen this or hasn’t she?” Tae-Woo asked, putting the tabloid on the table.

“Soon Hee? It should have been because people would also talk about it, “said Park Hyun-Shik. He reaches for the tabloid and observes photos of Tae-Woo and Sandy. “She did very well, right? A calm girl, easy to work with. It’s good that she isn’t one of your fans, so she’s not hysterical or anything like that. “

Tae-Woo just shrugs.

Park Hyun-Shik said quietly as if pondering. “Yes, calm girl. Maybe even too calm … Don’t you think she approves your request too easily? “

Tae-Woo shrugs again. “Not really,” he replied.

“She didn’t ask for anything in return?” asked Park Hyun-shik again.

Tae-Woo tried to remember. “No.”

“Weird,” murmured Park Hyun-Shik. After saying that, the telephone on his desk rang.

While his manager answers the phone, Jung Tae-Woo considers whether he should call Sandy. Not long after he finally took out his cellphone and pressed the number nine.

Sandy and Young-Mi are walking in the campus yard while talking about Jung Tae-Woo and his mysterious girlfriend when Sandy hears her name being called.

They both looked back and saw a big tall man jogging toward them.

Young-Mi nudges Sandy’s arm and whispers, “What else he wants to do?”

Sandy frowned and shook her head in ignorance.

The man stopped in front of the two of them with a big smile. “Hello, what a coincidence to meet you here. Do you want to have lunch? Come on, I’ll buy.”

Young-Mi grimaces. “Coincidence?”

“Lee Jeong-Su, what are you doing here?” Sandy asked.

“There is no specific reason,” Lee Jeong-Su answered cheerfully, as if unaware of the two girls’ curt tone. “I think because we haven’t seen each other for a long time, it doesn’t hurt that we have lunch together while chatting.”

“Where is your girlfriend?” Young-Mi asked suddenly. “She’s not angry when you have lunch with two women? By the way, you were still with the girl from last time, right? Or is there a new girlfriend? “

Lee Jeong-Su’s face turned red and he was a little embarrassed when he answered, “Oh, she has business elsewhere. Come on, while my work isn’t much. Anyway I want to chat with you guys. Okay?”

Sandy and Young-Mi looked at each other. They know they can’t avoid it without being rude to men like Lee Jeong-Su.

They entered a small restaurant that they had often visited. They had just sat at an empty table when Sandy heard her cell phone ring. She looked at the screen of her cellphone. She did not recognize the telephone number listed there.

“Hello?”

“Have you seen?”

“What?” In confusion Sandy looked at her cellphone, then pressed it back to her ear. “Who is this?”

The man on the other end snorted in annoyance. “You did not know?”

“No.”

It was quiet for a while, then the voice said in a flat tone, “This is Jung Tae-Woo.”

Sandy gasped and suddenly looked at Young-Mi and Jeong-Su alternately. The other two looked at her with questioning looks. Right at that moment the waiter came and asked for the order.

Sandy looked away and said in a low voice on the phone, “Oh, you are apparently. What’s wrong?”

Sandy heard Jung Tae-Woo sighing across there. “Have you seen the photo?” His tone was back to normal.

“I did,” Sandy said. “Then, how? Have you been asked? “

“I have an interview scheduled this afternoon.”

“Soon-Hee, what do you want to eat?” Jeong-Su asked suddenly.

Sandy turned and answered, “Whatever. Just order it for me. “

“You’re not alone?” Tae-Woo asked.

“I’m eating with a friend.”

“Hey, why didn’t you say so earlier? You can expose our plan. “

“Why angry? You yourself didn’t ask first, anyway I didn’t say anything to anyone. “

Jung Tae-Woo paused, then said, “Tonight at seven you have to go to Hyun-Shik Hyong‘s house. I have something to talk about. Understand?”

Sandy’s face turned annoyed, but she said, “Yes, yes, I understand. But where is the house? “

Sandy took out a piece of paper and a pen from her bag. After taking down Park Hyun-Shik’s address as Jung Tae-Woo mentioned, she hung up her cellphone

found Young-Mi and Jeong-Su watching.

“Who?” asked Jeong-Su.

“Friends,” Sandy said lightly with a small smile. “Did you order the food?”