Chapter Twenty-Three: Fade to Black

LiYul woke and slowly sat up. His head was better. He looked over at the desk and found SooYun sound asleep. He rose and came around behind the desk and looked at the computer screen. A major news feed was streaming a story about Aquila Studios and Director Jin LiYul. It was trending as one of the top stories. There were thousands of positive comments from all over the world.  Her phone was nearly out of power. He picked it up and put it in his pocket then gathered SooYun up in his arms, carried her to his room, and laid her in bed. He covered her with the duvet.  He placed her phone next to his on the charging mat on the bedside table. 

He glanced at the sofa and rejected it. He had already spent hours on the office sofa! He carefully climbed into bed and turned on his side to admire the woman sleeping soundly next to him. He closed his eyes and was asleep in minutes.   

SooYun woke up. She opened her eyes and sat up. LiYul was just coming from his bathroom. He had a bath towel draped over his shoulders and was using one end to towel dry his hair. "Good morning." He said.

"Good morning," she answered. She looked at her wrist, but her watch was missing. She spotted it on the charging mat next to her phone. 

He pointed to her phone, "You should check your text messages – someone has been trying to reach you."

She flipped over to her text app and jumped to her feet. "Taehwa!"

He frowned. He remembered hearing that conversation between them. He also remembered the affectionate way 'Artie' had addressed her as well. "Who?"

She closed the app and looked at him. "He's the contact from Artie. Ga-Ram owes him quite a lot of money. If Taehwa is in the same business as Artie, then it is gambling." 

"So, the hot pot shops is a front?" LiYul asked.

SooYun shook her head. "No, I suspect those will be completely legitimate restaurants. Just like Artie's restaurants. It's the gambling that is a whole other very lucrative enterprise!"

"How did you ever acquire such a contact?" LiYul wanted to know.

SooYun made a face. "It was through a client of mine. She owed a lot of money to Artie, and he was going to expose her gambling addiction to her congregation if she didn't pay up."

"From what I overheard," LiYul said, "Artie is a friend, not an adversary."  

"We're friendly adversaries," SooYun said. "My client quietly went into rehab and Artie agreed to settle her debt with conditions."

LiYul laughed lightly. "That Artie would become your client?"

She nodded. "Yes, and the public relations campaign I designed saved Artie and his various legitimate business ventures. Part of the payment we agreed upon was I can call on him for information, and he becomes a legitimate businessman." 

"How is his reformation going?" LiYul asked.

SooYun smiled. "Slowly – very slowly!" 

LiYul laughed lightly and winked at SooYun. "Taehwa it seems to be another strange ally of yours."

"Only if I can convince the Director of Aquila Studios to consider his hot pot shops for potential filming locations." SooYun returned.

LiYul grinned and opened his arms, "Come and convince me!"

She smiled and he was filled with sunshine and yearning! He gathered her up close. Her kiss was more convincing than he anticipated. He eased her back and gazed down into her desire-filled grey eyes.  "You had best hurry and dress before Mrs. Hung finds you back in my bed!"

Horror filled her eyes and he laughed. It was a glorious sound to SooYun! Completely natural and filled with the same innocent delight of a child. She hurried off and LiYul continued to smile at the closed door that separated them. 

He went downstairs and found Mrs. Hung preparing breakfast. She smiled happily when he came in and sat at the island watching her as she cooked. It reminded her of when he was a high school boy, always hungry, always in the kitchen watching her cook. 

He smiled. She was forever thinking of his well-being. She and her husband were surrogate parents, they were just at a loss as to how to make him happy. He wondered himself. He did know that having SooYun with him gave him pleasure but she also gave him peace and he felt safe. Thinking of SooYun nestled against his side also aroused him and he quickly put his thoughts to preparing his tea, carefully sipping the hot drink, and focusing on the banter between Mr. and Mrs. Hung.  

The bell at the front door chimed and Mr. Hung went to let Jae-Ho in. He joined LiYul in the kitchen and Mrs. Hung clasped her hands together. "It is just like old times when you were boys!" she cheered happily, "Always hungry!"

Jae-Ho nodded. "We were always bothering you for meals," he said grinning at Mrs. Hung, "We just need Kang and U-Rom fussing over who had the most phone numbers of the girls."

"It was always Kick ass Kang," LiYul aloofly responded.

Mrs. Hung was outraged by the level of disrespect. Jae-Ho started laughing so hard that he was crying tears. "Where did that come from?"

"Mr. Grisham," LiYul said. He finished his tea, set the cup down, and smiled over at Jae-Ho.

It was not like old times, thought LiYul – it was better, and it got even better when SooYun appeared in the kitchen.  Jae-Ho was struck by how LiYul watched her every movement. It was an intimate look! He caught Mrs. Hung's eye, and he ducked his head to hide his pleased grin. "Good morning!" SooYun called to them where she stood at the kitchen door. 

"Come in," Mrs. Hung said, waving her in. "I hope you are hungry! These boys seem to be starving!"

SooYun nodded. "I am very hungry!" she said. "Can I do anything to help?"  She walked in and stood next to Mrs. Hung. 

"Not a thing!" Mrs. Hung said. "Everything is ready!" She began moving dishes to the cart. "Come with me SooYun, we'll set the table together."

Happily, SooYun followed behind Mrs. Hung and her cart. Jae-Ho looked over at LiYul. "Everything that was posted critical of Aquila has disappeared," he said. "When you told me SooYun was going to help – I had no idea she had such abilities. She is incredible!"

"Yes," LiYul responded. "Last night revealed facets I never knew existed." He looked over at Jae-Ho, "What she accomplished last night was only hinted at in her dossier. Let's eat, I'm hungry." He said. 

LiYul ushered SooYun to a chair and she smiled her thanks. LiYul sat next to SooYun and eased his position closer so their shoulders touched. Jae-Ho noted the gesture. Jae-Ho poured green tea into the cups. While he waited for the tea to cool, they began to serve themselves from the variety of dishes. LiYul added several things to SooYun's plate and Jae-Ho paused, the action was an intimate gesture, and he was surprised at how natural they were together. They ate silently for a few minutes then SooYun sipped her tea, brought out her phone, and placed it on the table within easy reach.

"Mr. Lim, you've seen the articles and the comments. The altered surgery photos have been exposed and the original pre-op and post-op images have been circulating on all the social media platforms. This is the number one news feed of the top five trending news items. The positive comments are good. Now it's time to slow the momentum of those comments with a post to all social media from Aquila's legal attorneys. I've prepared a statement for them to review. It's time to have them respond in advance to anything coming from Chairman Chu."

Jae-Ho was impressed, he glanced at LiYul, who nodded his silent consent. "I will attend to it," Lim said.

She nodded. "I would imagine there will be talk of a press conference – perhaps even a joint press conference?"

Lim sputtered on his tea. "How did you know?"

"It's usually what happens in a case like this," SooYun answered. "Both parties are still in a precarious position. Public opinion is one thing, but investors and potential investors need reassurance as well."

"Your recommendation?" LiYul asked. 

"As distasteful as it is, a joint press conference." 

Both LiYul and Mr. Lim reacted with similar reactions of disdain. SooYun smiled. "I know. But let's say Chairman Chu holds a press conference without Aquila. The optics will be an old man trying to save his daughter's career and avoid the embarrassment his son has caused. There will be more than just a legal advisor present with Chairman Chu. We can expect family support and business associates behind him. Likely a corps of biased press and media reporters all very ready with questions crafted to look favorably on the Chairman."

LiYul folded his arms over his chest. Mr. Lim snatched his glasses off and dropped them on the table. "Then what!"

"It looks like we're forced into a joint press conference." LiYul rumbled. 

 "Aquila Studios and Director Jin need to put the word out that there will be a press conference. Set the date now and publicly invite Chairman Chu, all the board of directors, and all the investors. At the same time, you invite all of your board of directors, all of your investors, and as many of the press corps as possible. It should be a media circus. But this can backfire on us if we're not careful how this is laid out before the press corps." 

"How?" Jae-Ho asked. 

"The Chairman will continue to attack Director Jin, he'll go about it differently," SooYun replied. "They will attack the weak point."

"No!" LiYul growled, then shook his head. 

SooYun was silent for several heartbeats. "There will be questions as to why an employee hired to do screenwriting is now running a social media campaign to discredit your ex-wife and her family." She said then angled an odd look at LiYul, "You can be sure queries will be salacious morsels labeled as 'other duties as assigned'."

"Not if I announce our engagement!" LiYul said, his fierce gaze softened as he met SooYun's surprised look. 

Mr. Lim looked as stunned as SooYun. Before anyone could respond, LiYul turned his attention to Jae-Ho and responded in Hangul,  "Contact our major stakeholders," he told Lim, "If they're in the country, they need to be present." 

Lim frowned. "LiYul, the ink on your divorce decree from Min-Ji is not even dry! You can't –" 

SooYun had not understood the last few sentences but from the belligerent frown on LiYul's face and Lim's confused and frustrated look, Jae-Ho had crossed the line, and it did not appear he was backing down. 

LiYul rose from the breakfast table. He gently took SooYun by the hand and drew her up to stand with him.  "SooYun, please wait for me upstairs. I need to talk to Jae-Ho."

SooYun nodded silently. She left the breakfast room and walked into the hall. There she came face to face with Min-Ji! She raised a shiny silver gun in her well-manicured hand. "What a heartbreaking scene it will be! How devastated he will be when you're gone!"

"Killing me isn't going to solve anything," SooYun said, "Get out now, save what's left of your career!"

LiYul stopped mid-sentence and both he and Jae-Ho rushed to the doorway. LiYul felt his world turning black!

"Oh, I have a plan!" Min-Ji said and she pulled the hammer back and pulled the trigger. The lightning flash from the muzzle of the gun and the immediate thunderous explosion sent a shockwave through LiYul and everything went black!