"What?"
Sang-Jin cried before standing up and rushing over to Do-Sik. He knelt down then lifted his head off the floor.
"Do-Sik, wake up. Can you hear me? Wake up!"
Sang-Jin shook him vigorously.
Then he noticed eight empty bottles of soju under the table.
"I can't believe they let him drink so much," Sang-Jin criticized
He shook Do-Sik again.
"Please, wake up."
Do-Sik burped and Sang-Jin choked from the smell of alcohol emanating from him.
"Oh God, why did you drink so much?"
Sang-Jin tried to raise Do-Sik up but soon realized he was heavy.
He gathered up all his strength before he could lift him up.
"Good God, he is heavy," Sang-Jin moaned as he tried to catch his breath.
Sang-Jin felt all his energy knocked out if his body. He steadied Do-Sik so that he could stand by himself.
He couldn't and fell on Sang-Jin.
From the standpoint of an on looker, it seemed like they were embracing each other during a romantic moment.
Reporter Kim Yoo-Bin had followed Sang-Jin and he had been hiding in one corner of the restaurant waiting for the right moment.
He realized that his critical moment had arrived. Lifting up his camera, be began snapping away.
Han Yong-Min came to see Sang-Jin the following day.
"We have to talk."
Han Yong-Min said as soon Sang-Jin opened the door.
"Would you like water or tea?"
"Tea."
When Sang-Jin served the tea, the Publisher asked: "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what ?"
"Don't pretend with me."
"What are you talking about?"
"Are you not dating Shin Do-Sik?"
"No, I am not."
Han Yong-Min took out his phone and then pulled up a news article online.
"Take a look."
As soon as Sang-Jin read the headline and looked at the accompanying picture of him and Do-Sik in what look like a passionate embrace, he became horrified.
"Why would they spread such false rumors?"
"If you two are not dating, then why are there pictures of you hugging and being all over each other online?"
"I can explain, in the first picture which was taken at the airport I was trying to hide from Nam Dae-Moon. And in this picture I was just helping him because he was so drunk."
"Is that the honest truth?"
"Yes, it is. In fact he is here as we speak."
"Shin Do-Sik is here?"
"Yes, in my bedroom."
"I want to see with my own eyes," Han Yong-Min stood up from his chair.
Sang-Jin led the way to his bedroom and opened the door. Soon Im Sang-Jin and Han Yong-Min stood over a sleeping Shin Do-Sik.
Sang-Jin turned to his Publisher. "So what are we going to do about the news article?"
Han Yong-Min put both his hands into his pocket as an idea came to him.
"Have you started your boy's love novel?"
"Yes, I have. Why do you ask?"
"This is it. We can use this whole fiasco to our benefit."
"What do you mean?"
Sang-Jin was a little confused.
"We are going to use this non existent relationship with Do-Sik to promote your next book, Han Yong-Min said with a snap of his fingers.
"But I am not in a relationship with Do-Sik?"
Sang-Jin could not see how the idea was going to work.
"I know that you two are not in a relationship and you know that as well, but the world doesn't. As soon as they see this online article they are going to immediately assume you two are a couple."
"Wait a minute! You mean I should pretend we are a couple?"
Sang-Jin asked while pointing to a sleeping Do-Sik with his finger.
"After you have finished the novel and we have done an extensive promotion for it using this fake relationship, you two can now conveniently break up."
"No thank you but this suggestion is not for me."
Sang-Jin turned and left the bedroom.
"Come on, Sang-Jin, listen to me," Han Yong-Min followed his client out the room.
Sang-Jin went back into the living room and sat down.
"Just look at it as a business arrangement."
"But I don't want anything to do with that golfer. He is rude and very arrogant. I would rather stick needles in my eyes than pretend we are a couple."
"Just think about it. You don't have to make a decision right now. And Sang-Jin, you must always think of your self interest first. If you want to get ahead then you must be selfish with your choices."
Sang-Jin was thoughtful for a long moment.
"I hope you have a good day, but I have to leave."
As Han Yong-Min turned to go Sang-Jin called after him.
"Yong-Min," his finger tapping on his lips, "do you really think we can use a fake relationship to promote my next book?"
"Of course we can! And since you have a large female audience it's going to sell like hot cakes."
Sang-Jin was doubtful.
"You think so?"
"Just look at how well your memoir is doing?"
"All right I will do it. Now how are we going to get the golfer to buy in?"
"Leave that to me."
213Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjR0Fv3A60G
