“This is the first time we’ve met in a private setting.”
Robert, dressed in Gyeong Chanhyeon’s clothes, spoke as he watched Philip sit in the chair with a displeased expression.
“Yes. It is the first time.”
“I heard you requested an interview?”
At Robert’s question, Philip gave a lifeless nod.
Then, taking out a recorder and a notebook, he spoke.
“How have you been lately? Good? Very?”
Philip asked with a sneer, notebook in hand.
“Good. Of course. I’m very happy. Thanks to Director Gyeong Chanhyeon, filming is progressing well, and the vibe is great.”
As if Philip’s sarcasm didn’t bother him at all, Robert replied with a relaxed smile.
“Ha, Gyeong Chanhyeon… tsk.”
Philip muttered Gyeong Chanhyeon’s name softly and smacked his lips.
The name seemed quite unpleasant to him, as a deep frown creased his brow.
“This interview isn’t about Gyeong Chanhyeon. We’ll talk about that director in a bit.”
“As you wish.”
Philip’s anxiety stood in stark contrast to Robert’s composure.
That anxiety was so apparent that Robert looked at Philip with a curious gaze.
“Let’s get straight to the point. I gained attention through articles about you, and that’s how I rose to this position.”
“I am aware.”
“I don’t think I should feel sorry about it. Because everything was true.”
Robert frowned slightly at Philip’s words.
“The articles I wrote back then were facts; it was the trash-feeders who added the fluff.”
“Lately, your articles aren’t much different from those trash-feeders.”
As Robert continued coldly, Philip let out a smirk.
“It can’t be helped these days. People’s palates have become accustomed to the taste of tomato ketchup, so the taste of real tomatoes isn’t important in this day and age.”
Robert chuckled at Philip’s answer.
“Are you saying you’ve compromised with reality?”
“Yes. But I’m not ashamed. It’s the path I chose to survive as a journalist in my own way.”
“You seem proud to feel a sense of mission by digging up other people’s dirty laundry.”
“Rather than a sense of mission, let’s call it a clear desire for life.”
Philip now had to make that desire clear in a different sense.
Because he had to focus on reviving Robert Penn, whom he had previously torn apart until he was powder.
“So, what do you want from me with this interview?”
“Hmm…”
To avoid revealing his own weakness, Philip spoke naturally to Robert Penn.
“A real scoop.”
“Pardon?”
“An article capable of bringing you back to the top.”
“…?”
Robert Penn tilted his head, not understanding Philip’s words.
“Why?”
“Director Gyeong Chanhyeon told me. That the time has come for me to pay for my sins.”
Philip began to act, saying things he didn’t actually mean.
“Thinking about it, he seemed right. I saw your drug test results too. You’ve been completely clean for about a year.”
“Ah…?”
“That’s why I wanted to help you.”
“What?”
Robert blinked at Philip’s sudden words.
This man was clearly not the type to do this, yet suddenly he was offering help.
It was an incredibly abrupt turn of events, but looking at Philip’s eyes, he seemed quite desperate.
“You want to help me?”
“Yes.”
While Philip clearly stated he wanted to help, his cheeks trembled as if he were clenching his teeth.
Robert tilted his head at the signal that contradicted his eyes, but soon, as if realizing something, he looked at Philip and spoke.
“It seems Director Gyeong Chanhyeon has some kind of leverage over you.”
“What?”
“I know you’re not the type to act this way unless that’s the case.”
“…”
Robert chuckled and added, “The Director didn’t tell me about that weakness. That’s why you’re moving so passionately, right?”
“…”
Philip exhaled deeply without a word and shook his head.
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is boosting you.”
Robert burst into loud laughter at the unexpected answer.
“Are you done laughing?”
“No. Let me laugh a bit more.”
Seeing Philip clenching his teeth, Robert couldn’t stop laughing.
What on earth had Gyeong Chanhyeon done?
What kind of weakness had he found to make Philip act so subserviently?
He had no idea what the situation was, but the fact that it was an overwhelmingly favorable situation made him grin.
“Do you have a plan?”
“I have dozens of plans.”
Philip began writing methods in his notebook.
“First, I’ll circulate rumors that you’ve started using drugs again.”
“What?”
When Robert asked back, Philip showed his palm as if telling him to calm down.
“First, we inflate the public’s ill will toward you. Then, you personally take another drug test. And you show the negative result to the world. How do you think people will view you then?”
“They’ll see me as pitiful. Because I was slandered.”
“Yes. That’s it. We restart using the people’s sympathy.”
“Sympathy, huh…”
“This is the easiest and most convenient method. Provided you don’t mind being misunderstood.”
Robert nodded.
Seeing this, Philip spoke softly.
“Turning that sympathy back into fandom is up to you. Can you do it?”
“That’s easy. As long as I’m given the chance.”
At Robert’s answer, Philip stood up.
“The rumors will start circulating soon. Throw out some fake evidence around you that suggests you’ve started drugs again. That way, we can make the public’s misunderstanding even bigger. Make sure everyone is fooled—except for your immediate family and Director Gyeong Chanhyeon. Got it?”
“I’ll give it a try.”
Philip packed his bag and held out his hand to Robert.
“Let’s make a blockbuster story.”
“This sounds like a kind of scam.”
“A beautiful lie is always more interesting than a bland reality. I’ll be going now. See you next time.”
Philip bowed and called Gyeong Chanhyeon as he walked out of the cafe.
—Did it go well?
“Who do you think I am? I’m a man who gets the job done perfectly.”
—What are you going to do?
Philip relayed the conversation he had with Robert and added his final thoughts.
—Not bad. That’ll definitely transform his image.
Hearing Gyeong Chanhyeon’s satisfied voice, Philip asked in a hopeful tone, “Once this is resolved, you’ll delete all those photos, right?”
—Hmm. I’ll see. I have to watch the progress of this movie first. Don’t you agree?
“You bastard…”
Hearing the curse, Gyeong Chanhyeon spoke to Philip in a sly voice.
—Wouldn’t it sound more like a lie if I said I’d delete them now? Well, if you want to hear a lie, I can give you one.
“Shut up.”
—Besides, you’re not losing anything with this request, are you? If anything, you might regain your former status.
Philip frowned at Gyeong Chanhyeon’s words.
“What?”
—A righteous Hollywood journalist. Not a righteousness that attacks someone, but a righteousness that protects someone. Do you even remember when you last made a real, proper newspaper instead of one just meant for selling?
“Enough. Hang up.”
Click.
Philip irritably ended the call and tossed his phone carelessly into his bag.
‘Is he a good man, or a crazy man?’
Philip continued to ponder in his car, unable to fully grasp Gyeong Chanhyeon’s intentions.
However, realizing he couldn’t easily find an answer, he started the engine.
A few days later.
Robert arrived at the filming set with a complexion that was unusually poor.
His skin looked greyish and rough.
Seeing this, the production crew whispered.
“Looks like he started again, doesn’t it?”
“100% certain. Isn’t this going to ruin the shoot?”
“No, Director Gyeong Chanhyeon trusted him so much…”
“A degenerate is a degenerate until the end. You have to trust someone trustworthy; it’s Director Gyeong Chanhyeon’s fault for trusting Robert Penn.”
Robert, breaking into a cold sweat, headed toward his trailer. The makeup team waiting there asked upon seeing his face.
“Mr. Robert, is something wrong? Your complexion…”
“What? Oh, yes. I’m fine. I’m great.”
“Could it be… no, right?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Ah, no, there isn’t.”
Robert acted out his expression by imagining how he looked immediately after quitting drugs.
It seemed to work well, as even the surrounding crew appeared completely fooled.
“Mr. Robert. Director Gyeong Chanhyeon is calling for you. He said he has something to tell you specifically before filming…”
“Ah, yes. I’ll go right now.”
After receiving a rough makeup touch-up, Robert went to find Gyeong Chanhyeon.
Gyeong Chanhyeon looked at Robert’s face, checked the surroundings, and spoke quietly.
“Will you be alright?”
“Is this the first or second time I’ve been cursed at? I’ve developed an immunity to insults, so I don’t feel much. My only concern is my wife.”
Robert replied with a playful smile.
“You told your wife, right?”
“Of course. She agreed, saying it couldn’t be helped. She said there’s nothing that would change my image as effectively as this.”
Gyeong Chanhyeon asked cautiously, as Robert truly looked like he was sick.
“But are you actually sick somewhere?”
“A person becomes like this after taking about four laxative pills.”
At Robert’s answer, Gyeong Chanhyeon looked at him with pity.
“You look too painful…”
“If you’re going to deceive, you have to do it thoroughly. That guy Philip said the same thing. The effect will be better if you fool the people around you first.”
Robert smiled brightly with his greyish face.
“Then I’ll go finish my makeup.”
“Okay.”
Gyeong Chanhyeon stared blankly at Robert’s retreating back, still unsure if things were going according to plan.
“Director!”
A sudden, urgent voice called from behind.
Turning around, he saw the cinematography director, Harris.
“Yes?”
“That… the thing is. The filming staff saw Robert today…”
“Yes. I saw him just now too.”
At Gyeong Chanhyeon’s answer, Harris rolled his eyes, seeming to struggle with how to put it.
“Isn’t there something you want to say?”
“Ah, I think you might not know what a drug addict looks like after not using for a few days… that’s exactly what he looks like. That’s withdrawal!”
Despite Harris’s urgent voice, Gyeong Chanhyeon nodded and asked.
“Are you sure?”
“What?”
“I asked if you’re sure. Did you see Mr. Robert doing drugs?”
“No, not that, but…”
“Then you’re assuming he started drugs again based only on fragmentary evidence?”
At Gyeong Chanhyeon’s words, Harris gulped and spoke.
“Robert Penn has always been that kind of person! Do you even know how many necks are on the line here? If this shoot falls through…”
“That won’t happen.”
“What?”
“For now, filming will continue. No matter what rumors circulate, filming will not stop.”
Gyeong Chanhyeon felt sorry for having to lie to Harris.
But to follow Philip’s plan, it was inevitable.
To truly change Robert Penn’s image, they had to make the incident a big deal.
And for that method, they had to deceive even their own team.
‘It can’t be helped.’
Gyeong Chanhyeon spoke to Harris, who was speechless and flustered.
“Mr. Robert Penn has definitely quit drugs. I guarantee it.”
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