Her phone buzzed again, startling her from her thoughts. She hesitated before picking it up, expecting another message from Jihoon or a barrage of notifications about the scandal. But when she saw the name on the screen, her breath caught in her throat—Dad.
She hadn't spoken to him in months. Her parents had gotten a divorce a long time ago and her dad had moved to another country, and though they kept in touch, their conversations had been irregular at best.
She hadn't expected to hear from him, especially now, in the midst of everything.
With a shaky hand, she answered the call, pressing the phone to her ear. "Dad?"
"Mingwa," his voice was warm, tinged with concern. "I saw the news… Are you okay?"
Just hearing his voice, so familiar and comforting, was enough to break down the walls she'd been trying so hard to keep up. All the emotions she had been holding back—the fear, the anxiety, the shame—came rushing to the surface.
"Dad, I…" Her voice cracked, and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "I don't know what to do. Everything is falling apart."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, and when her father spoke again, his voice was soft, filled with empathy. "Min-ah, I'm so sorry you're going through this. I wish I could be there with you."
She choked back a sob, the words spilling out of her like a dam had burst. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have been there, I shouldn't have… but now everyone's talking, and they think I'm just using him to boost my career. I didn't mean for any of this to happen!"
"Min-ah, slow down," her father said gently. "Take a deep breath. None of this is your fault. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all."
"But now I'm stuck in this fake relationship with Moon Taewoo," she continued, her voice trembling. "It's the only way to control the story, but I feel like I'm losing myself in the process. I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."
Her father sighed, and she could almost picture him rubbing his temples, a gesture she had seen countless times growing up. "Min-ah, you're stronger than you think. I know this is hard, but you'll get through it. You always do. Keep your head up, don't let their words get to you, this is what you love doing the most, now it's your turn to fight for it."
"I just don't know what to do, Dad," she whispered, her voice small. "I feel so alone."
"You're not alone, sweetheart," he reassured her. "I'm here, and your mother is too… even if things didn't work out between us. We both love you, and we're proud of you. Don't let this situation define who you are."
Mingwa wiped her tears with the back of her hand, his words a balm to her aching heart. "Mum isn't proud of me, she hates that I'm an actress, we barely speak, we haven't spoken to each other in two years. Whatever happens to me is none of her business."
"…"
"Mingwa what do you mean…why didn't you tell me all of this sooner" her father said softly. "You lied to me for two whole years even to my face, that you and your mother were in good terms!."
"I'm sorry dad, if I'd told you, you and mum would get into a huge fight again…I didn't want that.."
Kim Haechul sighed as he swept his hair back, all of this was inevitably his fault.
"I understand Min-ah, I will speak to you mother. Right now, you listen to whatever manager Jihoon tells you to do. And remember your efforts will always pay off and even if they don't. I'll still be proud of you."
Mingwa nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Thank you, Dad. I really needed to hear that."
"I'm always here for you, Min-ah," he said, his voice full of warmth.
For the first time since the scandal broke, Mingwa felt a small flicker of hope after have a conversation of with father.
"I'll be okay," she said, more to herself than to him. "I'll figure it out."
"I know you will," he replied. "Take care of yourself, and don't hesitate to call if you need to talk, alright?"
"Alright," she agreed, her voice steadier now. "I love you, Dad."
"I love you too, Min-ah," he said, and with that, the call ended.
Mingwa smiled, feeling hopeful, maybe the situation wasn't as bad as she thought.
Moon Taewoo also wasn't as bad as the media portrayed him to be.
Maybe she would really salvage all of this.
****************************
Moon Taewoo leaned back as he closed the the laptop, slightly. He had a lot of work to do but he just wouldn't focus, he felt there was something at the back of mind, that just kept pulling his attention away.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. His younger brother, Moon Taemin, walked in, his casual demeanor contrasting with Taewoo's usually intense presence.
"Hyung, got a minute?" Taemin asked, taking a seat across from Taewoo.
"Sure," Taewoo replied, leaning back in his leather chair. "What's on your mind?"
Taemin's expression was serious. "I've been hearing about your situation with Mingwa. I just wanted to give you a heads-up."
Taewoo raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Mingwa? It seems you two are close, and a heads-up? About what?"
"You need to be careful with how you handle her," Taemin said firmly. "She's hardworking and honest. Don't treat her like just another call girl or use her in this media circus."
A glint of mischief sparked in Taewoo's eyes. "So, you're saying I should tread carefully?. Taemin, after all these years you still don't know your Hyung. Do you think I'm someone who would use her for attention and a call girl? I have my preferences Taemin and even if I want to play around with her, who can stop me?"
"Hyung[1]," Taemin said, his tone calm but insistent. "This isn't a game. Don't play with her emotions or treat her like she's disposable. That's all, it shouldn't be hard for you to do."
Taewoo's smirk widened slightly. "Well, now you've made it all the more interesting. I wonder why you care about her well being so much, do you have a crush?"
"…"
"It's not like that between us, Mingwa noona[1] is a good friend of mine.."
Taemin sighed, his brother was even more dangerous than the media. He could control every possible outcome of Mingwa's career. "Hyung, don't let this turn into something it shouldn't be. There are real consequences to your actions, for both her and you."
Taewoo's smirk didn't fade. "I understand. I'll keep that in mind."