A K-pop Idol 80.1

The next day...

When Kim Hana entered the press room, she was bombarded by flashes. There were dozens of reporters present and all of them seemed excited, sensing they would have a good story to write later. She then sat down, surrounded by executives from the record label, and faced the people who were eager to hear what she had to say. 

Kim Hana was soberly dressed, with a red blouse, simple jeans, and black heels. Her makeup was soft, and her hair was tied in a ponytail. The only adornment she was wearing was a nude bracelet. Her bandmates weren't there, probably because they had not been allowed to go. She didn't like it. Without their support, she felt even more nervous and intimidated. 

A little later, the Sweet Dolls’ manager announced that the press conference had been called so Kim Hana could clear up the incident involving Lee Si-won, the army sergeant with whom she had been photographed. Then, when all eyes were on her again, Kim Hana began to talk… 

At first, she followed the script to the letter. She said she had been at the sergeant's house a few times just because of his sister, who was a big fan of her group. She stated that she had never had any intimate involvement with Lee Si-won. 

Then, it was time for the difficult part. She said that, although her acts were completely devoid of any malicious intent, she would like to apologize to Byun Sehun for what had happened. 

"You don't seem so assertive about it, Miss Kim Hara" said a reporter sitting in the first row. "Is there something else about Byun Sehun, your boyfriend – or ex-boyfriend, perhaps? – that you would like to share? Maybe something you're hiding?" 

This question was followed by many others. Countless reporters started talking at the same time, and the place became chaotic. Kim Hana's first impulse was to keep her narrative. That was what she needed to do, after all. All the record company executives told her that she needed to convince the public that she was deeply sorry for what had happened, even though she believed she hadn't done anything wrong. 

But then, she realized she just couldn't. Involuntarily, she remembered what Park Hara had told her the day before…

“However much I've tried, I've never been able to be as famous as you. That’s because you've been sincere all the way long. Now I see people can feel it. And no matter what, Sweet Dolls’ fans will always be with you because you're honest with them.  Just like Ye-rin, all of them love you.” 

Kim Hana was not being able to think straight at that moment. She was too stressed for that. Thus, she was overwhelmed by her emotions, and Park Hara's speech began to make more and more sense in her troubled mind. Before she could control herself, she said: 

"Well, actually there is indeed something else about Byun Sehun that I would like to share…”