บท 5: The wolves are waiting

"The press is waiting outside demanding an answer. What are we going to do? Tell me?!" The irate manager shouted while gesturing with his cigarette held hand. "All this trouble because of this whore who couldn't stop and think before-"

"I don't know about you people but I'm leaving," Ji-ho said as she stood up. "As you've mentioned, manager Choi, the press is waiting."

"Jessica, sit down," the sensible woman told her. "We haven't decided what we're going to tell them."

"Of course, we have," the other woman butted in. "This bitch will apologise to the public for her behaviour. She's a disgrace-!"

"Do we have a lawyer under company payroll?" Ji-ho asked the group of people.

"We don't need a lawyer."

"It's far too late for that!"

The two loudest people in the room gave their opinions and it was the turning moment that Ji-ho realised company Y was being run by a bunch of idiots.

Without saying another word, Ji-ho began walking out of the office. She was wasting her time bickering with these fools. Jessica was the victim in this scenario but they couldn't see past their noses to realise that. Money, profit, reputation, was all that mattered to them.

"Where do you think you're going?!" The loud woman screeched.

Calls of "Jessica" and "Get back here" were ignored by Ji-ho. The longer they kept the press waiting, the guiltier they would appear. She had already decided to sever her ties with the company so it served her no purpose to act under their direction.

Along the way back to her room, Jessica met Jina and another trainee. The young fourteen-year-old girl stared daggers at her but she smiled and made a motion with her finger. "Come here, Jina. We need to talk about something that might get you into trouble."

"What nonsense?!" Jina replied. The fear in her eyes betrayed the bravado she was putting up. It was like Jessica had a contagious disease and everyone was afraid to get infected by her.

"I'll just need two minutes of your time. I promise you this will save you a lot of trouble."

The young girl exchanged a look with her friend and walked up to Jessica. She folded her arms and waited with a grim look on her face. "What?"

"Have you told anyone about the person who leaked my pictures?" Jessica asked in a low voice.

Jina shook her head. "I don't even believe you. Why would Blue have your pictures? He's such a popular artist while you're nothing! There are hotter more successful girls he can have."

"Ya! if you don't learn some tact-" Ji-ho saw the sensible woman from the office walking towards her. There was no time for this. "Jina," she urgently whispered to the young girl, "don't tell anyone about it or you'll find yourself being targeted by important people. They won't hesitate to hurt you if you become a threat to them. Do you understand?"

Jina's eyes were wide with fear. She nodded at Ji-ho. Blue was a heavyweight in the industry. Jina and Jessica would both get crushed if they provoked him and the big company that he was signed under.

"Take care of yourself."

Ji-ho then faced the woman who had just reached them.

"Jessica, what are you going to do?" The woman was the head of the department of press relations. She was very familiar with the group member's dynamics, personalities, and scandals as it was her job to keep the wolves away from their company. She was here talking to Jessica because the stupid girl she had known had changed. How could someone become so poised, smart, and mature in one night?

"I'm going to clean up my own mess," Ji-ho answered. "What time is the press conference?" For such a tiny company and a group so new, the press was giving them the same amount of attention that the much bigger groups were getting. Why? Because Genesis was good for causing scandals and making sensational headlines.

"In twenty minutes," the woman replied. "We'll have a speech ready for you to read out. That is all we expect from you."

Ji-ho nodded. "Excuse me while I make myself presentable."

____

Twenty to thirty members of the press were standing outside the company headquarters. They were all led inside a conference room and made to wait for the company spokesperson and the infamous Jessica.

Dong-Hyun, a middle-aged photographer from a popular gossip website was in the audience, wiping away the sweat that was beading on his forehead. After taking a sip of water from a small bottle, he took out his phone and began reading the comments that netizens were leaving on their explosive article about Jessica.

~can't we just drag her out and send her to jail for psychologically shocking us? Ah, my poor eyes! I wish I didnt see her ugly naked pictures!!!!

~Here is a link for all the people who haven't heard about Jessica's crimes. I'm not surprised this has happened. Homewreckers are SLUTS!

~To the one who claims Jessica's pics are ugly, are you blind?? You must either be a straight girl or a gay man. Come fight me.

~I'm thankful to the person who released those pictures. _/\_

~SHAME ON JESSICA!! THE PUBLIC DEMANDS AN APOLOGY!! SHE IS RUINING THE MINDS OF IMPRESSIONABLE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY WHO LOOK UP TO IDOLS LIKE HER! SEND HER TO PRISON!

~I heard there's going to be a press release happening soon. I can't wait to see what excuses they'll come up with for Jessica XD

~This bitch should just drop her pretences and sell her body since she's already doing it. I don't mind paying for a piece of that.

Dong-Hyun snickered at some of the more colourful comments. Even he couldn't wait to hear Jessica's apology. Now that her pictures were all over the place, there was no way for her company to take them all down. What an interesting time to be alive, he thought.

The man put his phone away and stood up with the others. They all rushed over to the stage and began taking pictures when the company's spokesperson arrived with Jessica.

Wearing a modest cream-coloured dress and dark sunglasses that hid her eyes, Jessica was a picture of calm when she arrived before the wolves.

This conference was being played live on several sites, and there were many people from the industry watching her with schadenfreude. When it happened to them, it was a disaster, when it happened to others, it was entertainment. Amongst those watching was the twin sister of the most popular young actor in the country.

Seung-ho had been trying to relax after a long night of filming. He was sitting in the sunroom of his luxurious hillside home and having breakfast. It would have been a relaxing morning if his sister wasn't watching a video with the volume turned up so high.

"Aera, what are you watching?" He asked her.

"The trial of the whore!" His sister declared excitedly.

The handsome actor raised his distinguished brows at his sister. "Whore?" He felt strange saying the word. It wasn't a part of their regular vernacular.

"Jessica. Haven't you heard about her?"

Seung-ho had been filming out of the country and had only returned last night to resume filming a short final scene. The actor hadn't had the opportunity to hear any gossip. The name Jessica though rang a bell. "Genesis?" He asked. Even the great Seung-ho had heard something about them before, showing how infamous the group was.

"Exactly! Jessica's nudes were leaked and now there's a press conference she's about to address!"