Page 119 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
‘Hyung, hyungnim, where are you lost?’
‘Nothing, nothing. I’m fine, I’m good. Bro, doesn’t matter how word got out, but now that it is what it is, let’s deal with it, shall we?’
‘I’m going to call the PR team and have them issue a statement.’
‘No, not yet. I don’t need them to intervene on my behalf. I am Rodrigo. International superstar Rodrigo. I am not going to hide anymore. The club will also be distressed by these reports.’
‘Hyungnim, please, let’s take a minute and calm down. Those reporters outside are like a hungry pack of wolves. They will attack you the minute you step out!’
‘Don’t worry about it, brother. I’m a superhero! I’m going to go out and first of all clear the air. Rodrigo is going nowhere!’
Minhyun knows there’s no stopping Rodrigo now. This is the attitude that has won him laurels on the field and the hearts of his fans off it. He’s a hero and he knows it.
Fixing the collar of his flannel shacket, he brushes his hair back, takes a quick look at himself in the oval-shaped gilded mirror that hangs in his living room, clears his throat, opens the door and walks out in giant, confident strides.
Downstairs, the building security is barely managing to hold the newsmongers off. On spotting Rodrigo, they overpower the unarmed security personnel and rush in. Cameras andmicrophones are thrust into his face. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself for the questions he thinks are obvious to follow. But to his utter surprise, nobody wants to know about his future at Seoul Stealers FC.
‘Who is the woman with you in the photos? Who is she?’
Rodrigo is gobsmacked.
‘Is this the woman you came to Korea for? Is she who you spoke of at your unveiling?’
Rodrigo’s head is starting to spin.
‘Tell us, Rodrigo-ssi. Who is this woman? Do you love her?’
‘Yes, this is the woman I love, the woman I came here for.’
His mouth has blurted out the words before his brain can catch up.
Crap! What have I done?
But he feels oddly light after saying it. There’s even a hint of a smile.
‘Are things going well for you? Looks like they are. Are you guys back together?’
Rodrigo is now enjoying it.
I have nothing to lose. Might as well go out with a bang!
Feeling wild and full of a sort of freedom he’s not felt in the longest time, he gestures at the biggest camera of the lot to come closer towards him and hold a steady shot. He then fixes his collar again, smoothens out the creases on his chest, closes his eyes and breathes very deeply.
There’s pin-drop silence all around and all pairs of eyes are on Rodrigo.
When he opens his eyes, he smiles calmly, looks straight into the camera with eyes that he imagines resemble the heart-eye emoji, and lowering his voice, he speaks earnestly.
‘Timira, I love you. Will you marry me?’
Chapter Fifteen
‘Seonbae, gwenchanayo? How did you manage to get in unnoticed?’
News personnel have been camped outside the SecondSkin office and the reception desk has been inundated with calls. Hanee, on her way in, spotted at least a dozen vehicles in the car park and a swarm of reporters buzzing in the main lobby. She had to run inside the lift when a couple of them chased after her. Since Rodrigo’s very public declaration of his love for Timira, it hadn’t taken the media much time to unearth her identity.
Timira, who has been sitting facedown on the table, gets up to reveal dark glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose.
‘This is how.’ She proceeds to take the sunnies off and perches them atop her crown. Dark circles sit under her big eyes, like half-moons.
