Chapter 72: When Secrets Go Public

“They… aren’t dating?”

I was so shocked by Taewoon’s words that I froze, blinking in disbelief.

What? 

They said it was a secret relationship, that no one knew!

And she even vented to me about it. 

So how does Taewoon know?

I was dumbfounded, trying to wrap my head around the situation, when Taewoon, noticing my expression, immediately caught on.

“What? You knew too!”

“How did you find out?”

“I just heard it around.”

If Taewoon, who’s been jet-setting overseas for his tour, knows about it, how far has this rumor spread?

“Who’d you hear it from?”

I was curious just how widespread this gossip was.

“Who was it… I think I heard it at a drinking party?”

“Think harder!”

At my urging, he racked his brain and then exclaimed as if he’d remembered something.

“Oh, I got it! I heard it from a reporter at my fan meeting.”

“A reporter?”

“Yeah.”

If even a reporter knows, can this still be called a secret relationship?

“That reporter and I are close. It came up while talking about dramas.”

“If a reporter knows… why hasn’t an article come out?”

If it’s gotten to that point, you’d expect an article by now—so why hasn’t one surfaced?

“You think reporters publish everything they hear?”

“Then what?”

I thought dating rumors just popped up out of nowhere, but are they planned?

“Sometimes they let smaller names slide if it’s not big news. And they need solid proof, like a clear two-shot, to write anything.”

Oh, a two-shot. From what Hayoon said, they were super careful, so maybe that’s why no rumors have surfaced yet.

“Even with a two-shot, agencies often negotiate, or they give a heads-up to prepare for the fallout.”

So it’s not just thrown out there randomly.

“But how do they dare join the same drama while dating? Talk about gutsy~”

Taewoon, amused by the situation, kept asking questions with curiosity.

“Are they all lovey-dovey? How’s it going? And how’d you end up stuck between them?”

“No one else knows except me.”

“What? I know too—how’s that ‘no one’?”

That was the part driving me crazy.

“Exactly! What’s going on here…”

***

[So I went to Phuket recently and saw JSJ and JHW lolol crazy lolol]

└ What nonsense is this?

└ For real?

└ Don’t come here with baseless gossip and no proof.

└ There’ve been sightings for a while now.

At first, it was posted on a small community site that not many people checked. 

A few comments popped up, but with no evidence and low traffic, most people just scrolled past. 

Then, shortly after, Love Some’s production company released casting articles.

[Ji Seojin, transforming into a mysterious first love for his next project? Love Some in the works.]

[Love Some webtoon set to be reborn as a drama!]

[Jung Hayoon, the ultimate webtoon girl? Positively considering Love Some adaptation.]

└ Ji Seojin 😭😭😭 Already excited.

└ Lee Kangha as Ji Seojin? Perfect sync.

└ Ji Seojin and Jung Hayoon? That’s a guaranteed hit combo!

└ Isn’t Jung Hayoon a bit off? She’s cute, but not leading lady material.

└ └ She’s been a great lead so far—what are you talking about?

└ └ └ Look at your own face before talking.

└ Ji Seojin keeps doing these kinds of projects. Can’t he do something with more depth?

└ └ Agreed. Feels like he only picks roles that make him look good.

└ └ └ What can he do about being handsome?

└ Saw their photoshoot together and hoped they’d do a project—dream come true!

There were mixed reactions to the casting, but that was typical. Most people were excited about the fresh, youthful chemistry between the two.

Until that post appeared.

[What do you think about a couple doing the same project?]

└ What? They’re not dating because of the project—they’re already together? For real?

└ That’s just manipulation. They’re using the shoot as an excuse to date while fooling fans.

└ That’s bold. No way they’d do something that crazy, right?

└ └ Isn’t this about JSJ and JHW?

└ └ └ Who’re they?

└ └ └ └ What? Really?

└ └ └ └ └ Are they dating?

└ └ └ └ └ I saw an article about JHW and was like, what?

└ Check this out. (Photo) Posted a month ago.

└ └ Crazy.

Someone posted about their relationship, and with the casting news, the post spread like wildfire.

[Everyone in the know already knows. And they still dropped the casting article? lol Treating fans like idiots.]

└ Basically announcing they’re dating, huh?

└ └ Must be nice, getting paid to date lol

└ Their chemistry will be great since they’re a real couple lol

└ Nothing’s confirmed yet—why the fuss? What if it’s not true?

└ └ Exactly.

└ └ └ (Photo), (Photo) This isn’t solid proof? Stop defending them.

└ └ Could be a coincidence.

└ └ └ That’s some hardcore denial.

The fact that Seojin, a soccer fanatic, had a jersey number matching Hayoon’s birthday, and Hayoon’s ideal type from an interview sounded exactly like Seojin, sent the community into a frenzy.

The very next day, articles about their relationship dropped.

[Ji Seojin ♥ Jung Hayoon, dating for a year… Bonded over an outdoor photoshoot.]

[Ji Seojin’s heart emojis on SNS—a love signal for Jung Hayoon?]

[Love Some made with real love. Fans buzzing over real-life couple’s casting!]

“What the hell is this?!”

The drama’s production company was thrown into chaos by the morning articles.

“They’re dating?”

“I don’t know…”

“How does it make sense that we’re the only ones who didn’t know when articles are out?!”

The Love Some director was losing it.

“What’s Seojin and Hayoon’s side saying?”

“They’re not answering—seems like they’re in a frenzy too.”

“Ugh! If they’re dating, they should’ve at least given us a heads-up!”

Just days ago, they acted awkward and unfamiliar during our meeting—dating, really?!

“Director! Seojin’s side released a statement!”

“What? What’s it say?”

Ignoring their calls but dropping an article? Seeing it felt like a punch to the back of the head.

[(Official) Ji Seojin: “Not dating! Also, not doing the drama!”]

“Not doing the drama? What’s that supposed to mean?!”

With filming so close, how could he drop out? Costumes, props—everything was ready.

“Probably because of fan backlash…”

“I get watching fan reactions, but this isn’t right!”

They’d secured investments under Seojin’s name, and changing plans like this was beyond rude.

“Give me Seojin’s manager’s number. I’ll handle it.”

“Here.”

The assistant director handed over the number, but the manager didn’t pick up.

“These people… What about Hayoon?!”

“No contact there either.”

“They date however they want and ghost us however they want.”

If they’d at least answer, they could figure out a plan or damage control, but dropping articles and disappearing? The director was fuming.

“Director, the PPL sponsor says if Seojin’s out, they’re pulling their product too…”

“Ha… Why is this happening to me?!”

***

The director clutched his head, shouting, while the staff quietly slipped away.

“For real?”

After talking with Taewoon, I saw the dating articles the next day, along with news of Seojin’s withdrawal.

“Yeah, Seojin’s already out, but it seems like Hayoon’s side is still on board.”

With the drama making headlines, we couldn’t sit still and started making calls.

“Filming’s soon—how can the male lead just drop out?”

“They’re scrambling to find a replacement, but who’d join a project this messy?”

Hyungkyu predicted few actors would want to fill a spot vacated over a dating scandal.

“So filming might get delayed?”

“Probably. We’re keeping an eye on it, but we need to prepare for the worst.”

“The worst?”

The worst would be…

“The project might fall apart.”