11 Is Anyone On Her Side?

October 6th, 2027 (Wednesday)

KI Headquarters

The car screeches to a stop in front of the KI Headquarters Building. A woman dressed in a navy blue dress, climbs out of the car. With her beige wristlet in hand, she makes her way into the building. Once inside though, the woman isn't welcomed. Rather, the woman is slandered and talked about by her employees. They all turn, point, and whisper, thinking that she does not notice. But, the woman notices everything.

She hears one employee say," Isn't it crazy? Our future CEO already has a child? How is that possible? Did she have a one night stand? Probably. She probably didn't want the child, but got stuck with the burden. Serves her right for doing that. I mean, shouldn't you take care of the child? Especially if you were the one who decided to spend a night with that man . . . }

Then another one goes, "I know right. Isn't it strange. She didn't appear before the public eye for almost nine months. And now she has a child?? When did she have him? Maybe while she was out abroad she had him, abandoned him, but then the father brought him to Korea and forced her to take custody. . . "

And another says,"Isn't she ruining KI Group's reputation because she has a child? Especially her family's reputation. I mean, I didn't know that the Jeong family would allow that to happen."

⌠Just ignore them Sujin. Just ignore them. Just ignore them.⌡She thinks.

⌠It's okay. They don't mean it. They don't mean what they are saying. They don't know. It's okay. It will be okay. Just ignore them.⌡

She attempts to hide behind her bag, and the folder she has in her hands. Of course, it does nothing to keep her identity from being found out, rather it allows everyone to know who she is.

They point whispering, "Hey isn't that the future CEO?"

"Hey isn't that the Chairman's daughter?"

"Hey isn't that our future CEO who had a one night stand and now has a kid?"

All the things that they've said repeat themselves in Sujin's head.

⌠Hey isn't that the CEO? One-night stand? Son? I didn't know she was that type of person. I didn't know that she was that type of person.⌡

Sujin grabs her head and sits on the ground, rocking back and forth.

⌠It's okay, it's okay. You'll never be in that place again. It's okay. Everyone here doesn't mean it. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.⌡

Rocking back and forth and muttering to herself, Sujin remains in that position.

"It'll be okay. You'll be okay."

Others pass by Sujin questioning how the future CEO has become so pale, and how the terrified look has come to be on her face. They continue to point and stare at the CEO.

"Why is she like that? Is she scared?"

"That's so weird. . . ."

"Is she mentally unstable? What's wrong with her?"

⌠Deep breaths Sujin. Deep breaths. It's okay. Just get up and it'll all be okay. Get up Sujin. Get up.⌡

Sujin tries to get up, but her legs are locked in place. They won't move.

⌠Come on Sujin get up. Get up.⌡

But, Sujin's legs refuse to budge. It's like she's glued to that very spot.

⌠Come on Sujin. Come on. Get up. GET UP!⌡

Finally, Sujin manages to stand up. Dusting herself off, she gets into an elevator. Pushing the button for the hundredth floor, Sujin glances around the elevator to find herself alone. Sighing with relief, Sujin sinks to the floor. She lays her face on her knees and wraps her arms around her legs.

⌠Why Sujin? Why did you lose control? It's been almost a year now, but you still can't forget that moment can you? Why can't you forget it? Why can't you just move on?⌡

DING! The elevator opens its doors revealing the hundredth floor. Sujin stands up, and walks towards her office. As she walks down the long hallway to her office, she starts to fall into a daze. She opens the door, and sits down at the desk. Almost robotically, Sujin begins to work. She, still a bit dazed, is trying to focus on work, but that memory from a year ago keeps appearing in her mind.

⌠Why?! Why can't you just forget it Sujin? Stop hurting yourself! If you keep beating yourself up over this. . . isn't it a little lame? People will think you're crazy. How can a person be scared of people talking about her? Sujin. Why can't you just get over what people say about you? It's not like that time. It's not like before.⌡

Sujin is still dazedly staring at her computer when someone knocks on the door.

"AHEM!" Someone coughs. "Future CEOOO~ Hello Sujin!! SUJINNN~"

Sujin snaps out of her daze to find her brother JaeSeong waving his arms around like he's a swaying tree in the wind.

"Are you okay brother?" She asks.

JaeSeong stops waving his arms around and almost falls over.

"Yep. I'm totally fine. So, how is work going for you?"

"It's okay." Sujin asks. "Why'd you come here?"

"Just to check on you and make sure you're doing okay. We're all worried about you because of the scandal thing. I asked the PR Department to get on it, but you'll probably have to talk to them yourselves."

"Thanks JaeSeong Oppa."

He smiles, " Anything for my little sister!"

He starts to close he door then says, " Don't worry Sujin-ah it'll be okay."

He then closes the office door leaving Sujin to her work.

Sujin sighs.

⌠I'd better head over to the PR department.⌡

Sujin grabs her laptop, notepad, and a pen and heads to the PR department. When she gets to the Public Relations Department, Sujin is greeted with cold stairs. She shivers and fidgets as she looks around for a place to set her stuff down. She finds and empty desk, and is about to put her stuff down when an employee shouts.

"Hey that desk is taken! You can't put your stuff there! Man, aren't you something thinking your all high and mighty! Just leave already! Why should the PR department help you? I mean take responsibility for your kid and stop causing trouble for KI Group!"

"But—" Sujin begins.

"No buts! You brought this upon yourself and should be the one to fix it! Now leave! We have better things to do than cleaning up your mess!"

The employees get back to their work and one gets up to take Sujin out of the office. The employee grabs Sujin's wrist trying to lead her out of the office.

"WAIT!" Sujin screams. "Wait. I have something to prove that I'm not related to the boy by blood. I really adopted him because he had no parents and I couldn't bear to see such a bright child alone in a orphanage. So, please look at this DNA test and help me. Please?"

An employee snatches the folder out of her hand, and takes out the papers. He looks at the paper bewildered, then hurriedly flips through the rest of the papers in the folder. He sits back in his chair a look of disbelief present on his face.

"The CEO isn't related to the boy. The documents are real. She's not to blame. She really did adopt the kid."

The other employees of the PR department rush over and are shocked when they read the papers!

⌠The CEO really is innocent! She didn't do anything wrong! This boy is not related to her and therefore her adopted son! We've made a huge mistake!⌡

One by one the employees bow, their eyes on the ground, trying to hide their uneasiness and guilt.

"No need to apologize," Sujin says. "If I were you, I wouldn't have believed that what I said was true. Just get to work and this will all be forgotten."

The employees now again showing their gratitude towards the merciful CEO.

"If that's all," Sujin says, "I'll be on my way."

She leaves the office and he employees immediately get to work after she leaves. Everyone's scrambling, tossing papers, and typing furiously on the keyboards. They have to make it up to the CEO and the only way to do so is to get this scandal taken care of as soon as possible. She was merciful enough this time, but who knows about next time!

As the sun begins to set over the city, all is calm. But, in the PR department of KI Group, the employees are hard at work trying to clean up the scandal before the new day.