chapter 3

Chapter 3 ; Honesty, the best policy

[Kyo Wen's Aunt's Cafe | Kyo Wen's P.O.V]

The double S boys and I sat quietly in my parent's cafe waiting for Jung Min's ex.

The bell above the door tinkled indicating that someone has entered.

Looking up from our seats there she stood. Dressed in black she looked like she was ready to attend a funeral with that expression of hers.

"So Hee..." called out Jung Min in a tone we have never heard before.

It was a tone where you could hear the love and sadness flowing within him.

Hyun Joong placed his hand on Jung Min's shoulder as a sign on moral support as I approached her.

"Ms So Hee?"

"And who are you? I only agreed to meet Jung Min here" she replied with a snobbish tone.

I wanted to beat the life out of her but I restrained myself.

"Please, do take a seat" I managed to choke out while resisting the urge to choke her.

Young Saeng sensing my anger tugged on my shirt and shook his head indicating that I have to stay calm.

Taking a deep breath I sat opposite of her beside the others.

Jung Min starred at the cup infront of him not making eye contact with anyone of us.

"Park Jung Min, I only agreed to meet you here as we have things to be settled. I did not agree to come here with such a big crowd around" stated So Hee in a flat tone.

"Shut up will you" Hyung Joon exploded with rage.

"Yah, Hyung Joon. Relax. We aren't here to cause trouble" came Hyun Joong's command.

So Hee glared at us with a menacing look.

I reminded myself that I had to stay calm for the sake of Jung Min.

"I came to know that you have been threatening Jung Min, Ms So Hee. And I would like to settle this today" I got straight down to business as I did not want Jung Min to face this woman any longer then necessary.

"Threatening? Is that how he said it? Well, listen here little girl, this matter is regarding us adults while you little one have no right to interfere" she mocked.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself.

"Apparently this has all the matter to do with me as soon as I was appointed as SS501's manager. And please, are you threatening Jung Min?" I replied more furious this time.

"What if I am? It's the most he can do for me after I had to waste a year hanging on to someone I totally despise" came her harsh remark.

Jung Min cringed and Hyun Joong not being able to stand this anymore stood up and screamed right into her face.

"Shut up you! You have no right to judge Jung Min as you are rubbish to the society! Not working for things you want you choose the easy way out while hurting those around you! Do you have a heart?! Well I guess you don't since you look like you aren't even human! You know what, we won't bow down to you! Go ahead post all those pictures out and see who would suffer. I swear you would then dissapear completely from our lives!"

With that said Hyun Joong grabbed Jung Min up and pulled us all out of the cafe.

Apparently it was a smart move to have cleared out the cafe for the day or Hyun Joong's sudden outburst would have made it onto the front covers of every magazine in Korea by tomorrow morning.

"Hyun Joong ah..." I started.

"Sorry, Kyo Wen. I couldn't stand her anymore" Hyun Joong apologised and turned away to face the street.

I smiled and hugged him.

"You were so cool back there! I totally wanted to whack the life out of her!" I shrieked like a kid.

The members all looked at me dumbfounded. They were expecting me to start screaming at Hyun Joong for ruining everything and putting their image on the line. But, this sudden cry of joy from me has set them all speechless.

"What? It was cool. I'm sure I'll figure another way out without having to bow down to that woman" I stated confidently.

Jung Min then started laughing and we all joined in.

What's better then sharing a few laughs with friends.

"Yah, I'm hungry" Kyu Jong said while putting on a puppy face.

"Let's go celebrate!"

All six of us went to the nearest supermarket and grabbed everything we wanted from frozen pizza to carrot juice.

[SS501's Dorm | Kyo Wen's P.O.V]

"Cheers!"

We clanked our glasses together and laid back to enjoy ourselves without bothering about anything else.

"Hyung, how could you stand that girl?" asked Hyung Joon while opening a packet of chips.

"I don't know, it seems stupid now. I can't believe I felt so bad when she broke up with me" confessed Jung Min.

"Ahh....well, love makes us blind,no? Anyways, what doesn't kills us only makes us stronger, right?" I said while surfing the net.

It was then that I stumbled over something that drained all my happiness out of my body.

There on the computer screen were about twenty pictures of Jung Min and So Hee.

Afraid to let Jung Min see it, I turned off the screen and tapped Hyun Joong on the shoulder.

Raising an eyebrow at me I indicated for him to follow me out to the balcony.

"What's up?" he asked.

"The pictures are up"

"What?" his eyes grew so wide I was afraid it might fall out of it's sockets.

"It's up on the net, I jus saw it a moment ago when I googled SS501"

"Aish, I shouldn't have said that just now" he frustratingly messed up his hair and downed a bottle of beer.

"Relax, I'll find a way to clear this. Your job is to make sure that Jung Min doesn't go on the net or on the TV. We don't want him to think that it's all his fault"

Hyun Joong nodded his head and we returned back into the room acting like nothing happened.

[Later that night | Kyo Wen's place | Kyo Wen's P.O.V]

I scrolled through the searches that popped up when I googled SS501.

Almost all of the internet entertainment portals have posted up the pictures.

I quickly dialled for Kim Jung oppa's number.

"Oppa!"

"Kyo Wen, I was just about to call you. Have you seen the pictures?"

Kim Jung oppa sounded mad and panicky at the same time.

"Yeah, I have. I was just about to ask you if you saw them"

"What is happening Kyo Wen?? Is that really Jung Min?"

"Oppa, are you at the office? I'll come over now and explain it to you"

"Yes, I am. You better have a good explanation"

He then hung up on me.

I grabbed my jacket and put on my sneakers before making my way back to the office.

[Kim Jung's Office | Kyo Wen's P.O.V]

As I entered Kim Jung oppa's office I could hear the phone in the office ringing.

Kim Jung oppa answered the call then slam it down hard.

"Oppa..." I called out.

"Kyo Wen, what is going on? I've been receiving calls from paparazzi's since the minute this pictures popped out on the internet!"

"Well, it's like this"

I sat there and explained everything that had happened excluding the part where Hyun Joong screamed at her as I knew Kim Jung oppa would kill Hyun Joong for that.

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" screamed Kim Jung in a fit of anger.

"I'm sorry" I starred down at my shoes not knowing what else to do.

"Now is not the time to regret your doings. We have to find a way to clear this"

I sat there quietly for a few moments then an idea came to my mind.

"Oppa, do you trust me?" I asked with a twinkle in my eye.

"What are you up to?" he asked

"Do you trust me?"

[Next day at DSP's lobby | Kyo Wen's P.O.V]

The lobby was packed with reporters from various companies. A stage was placed at the centre of the lobby. On it was a long table arranged together with five chairs. On the tables were five pieces of cardboard bearing the names of each SS501 member on it. It was nearing the time of the press conference. I busily attended to the needs of the reporters then went up to check on the boys.

"Hey guys, it's almost time. Are you ready?" I asked with an encouraging smile plastered on my face.

Hyun Joong looked up at me with a weary look.

"What's wrong?"

"Hyung came in earlier and asked us what we were going to say. Jung Min told him what you asked us to say and he totally objected to it" explained Young Saeng.

"And?"

"He changed the whole speech" continued Kyu Jong.

I turned to look at Jung Min whom was sitting at the corner of the room worry written all over his face.

I slowly aproached him and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, it's going to be alright" I smiled at him to let him know that we're all with him.

The other four boys too came over and comforted him.

"Everything will be fine. No matter what, remember we're with you!" cheered Kyu Jong.

"We're SS501, through thick or thin we will remain as one. If you fall we will fall with you" said Hyun Joong while giving Jung Min a brotherly slap on the back.

"Do your best, we're with you through it all!" said Hyung Joon.

"Here, I thought you'd like to have something to drink before you face the media later" Young Saeng handed Jung Min a bottle of carrot juice and smiled.

They might bicker often but when any trouble occurs you can see how much they really care for each other.

I smiled at all of them and Jung Min smiled too.

"Okay, it's time now. Let's go" I said.

"Yah, SS501, FIGHTING!" they cheered before leaving the room, ready to face the furious crowd of hungry media.

As soon as the five boys came into sight the media went crazy. Snapping pictures, trying to shove each other out of the way to get better pictures and asking all types of questions.

The five boys calmly took their seats and greeted the crowd.

I stood close by incase they needed help.

A reporter then stood up and shot a question directly at Jung Min.

"Jung Min, is that really you in those photos? What's your relationship with that girl?"

The media then once again started to shoot questions at the boys.

My heart ache to see them enduring all this. But I have to stay strong to help them out.

Before I could take any action to silence the crowd. Jung Min spoke.

"First of all, yes, it is me in those photos"

The crowd burst into whispers or disgrace towards Jung Min.

Wait, he's not using the speech I set for him.

And I don't think he's using the one Kim Jung oppa set as well.

Then I understood that Jung Min is standing up for himself and is expressign what he really feels.

"But, I am not afraid to admit that she is, or was my girlfriend and yes I have slept with her. I am not going to deny this fact. What I did was not wrong. All I wanted was to be loved for who I am and not for what I am. The love I showered her with was all pure from my heart. I told no lies to her and I tried my best to make her feel loved. Without any doubt I have to admit that when I was told that I was being used all along I felt like dying. What more when she threatened me with those photos I couldn't think but to admit that I was a fool"

Taking a pause he took a sip of water.

"I would take full responsibility of my actions. It is my fault that this photos could be taken as no part of it is fake. All punishment that DSP wants to give me I would willingly accept it. But please, do not think bad of SS501 as they had played no part in this scandal. Please, forgive me."

As Jung Min ended his speech tears were rolling down his cheeks and he quickly wiped them off.

Kyu Jong, Hyun Joong, Hyung Joon and Young Saeng then stood up and hugged Jung Min.

And, the crowd burst into applause.

They were taken aback by Jung Min's honesty and touched by his speech of how he only wanted to be loved but got hurt in the end.

I myself had tears rolling down my cheeks.

I was proud, I was touched.

At that very moment I felt like a proud parent being able to raise five wonderful children.

Wiping off my tears I approached the boys and hugged them.

We broke apart and smiled at the crowd.

"Thank you all for being here today to listen to Jung Min's explanation. It would be up to all of you to write but we do hope that you would do Jung Min some justice. Thank you once again"

The boys were then ushered off the stage away from the cameras, away from the questions.