Page 7 of Public Image, Private Heart (K-Drama Love Story #1)

I snuggled into my sofa with a cup of tea in hand and switched the YouTube channel to watch something—anything—other than Ji-yong’s content.

Glancing at the clock above my TV, I realized it was almost 10 PM, and I had done almost nothing today except practice my lines for the upcoming play, squeeze in a bit of exercise, and take care of my skin.

I don’t mind, though; I’m the type of person who could stay home for a whole month like a hermit if needed, as long as I have my game console and a fridge full of food.

I sighed as my phone buzzed. Ignoring it, I mindlessly flipped through channels, landing on a cooking show. The phone buzzed again.

Curious, I picked it up to see what the commotion was. My heart did a backflip when I saw Ji-yong’s name appear. We hadn’t texted in a few days, and I reminded myself that this was normal... because why should we? We were just former coworkers.

“Hi Yumi, what are you up to?” the text read. “If you’re free, let’s meet at this address!”

He texted me the location of an upscale karaoke place downtown.

“And when you arrive there, just tell the guy at reception you want a room with fried chicken and beer,” he added, with a winking emoji. “Remember, those are the secret code words.”

I could feel my heart racing.

Tossing the remote on the sofa, I dashed to my wardrobe, barely suppressing a squeal. I didn’t want to reply too quickly and seem too eager. Flipping through my outfit choices, I held them against me, looking for something casual but not too casual.

Was this... a date? Or something else entirely? And at a... karaoke place?

I assumed he knew what he was doing, taking precautions against paparazzi and such, given the emphasis on the fried chicken and beer code.

Deciding on a soft lavender chiffon dress with lace accents and a belted waist, paired with faux leather ankle boots, I thought, “This is it.” An effortlessly chic look for early spring (even though nothing about it was effortless, obviously).

As I started applying makeup, I typed a reply, “Sure, be there in 20 minutes!”

Another squeal escaped me; I couldn’t contain my excitement to meet Ji-yong.

I hopped in my car and drove with anticipation until I reached the venue.

These days, with masks being the norm, celebrities could hide their faces more easily.

I wasn’t quite at that level of fame yet, but I covered my face with a mask anyway.

Once I reached the receptionist, I removed it and said, “I’d like a room with fried chicken and beer, please. ”

He nodded knowingly and guided me to the designated room. As we neared it, I could hear the sounds of giggles, chatter, and off-key singing coming from behind the door, which masked the thumping of my racing heart.

As I held my breath, the door swung open to reveal what felt like a portal to another world, with around twenty faces turning to look at me. I scanned the room until I spotted Ji-yong standing behind the microphone.

“Hey, Yumi! You made it!” He announced enthusiastically, a hint of tipsiness evident. He waved at me and continued singing with a group of people.

The rest of the group nodded to acknowledge my arrival before diving back into their activities. Some sang along with Ji-yong, others clinked glasses of soju and beer, and a few attempted conversations over the booming karaoke.

I found a quiet corner to settle in and awkwardly waved to the smaller group nearby, all stunningly good-looking and clearly high-profile.

Among them, I noticed Seo-yeon and some famous models.

Jun-ho, who played a minor role in Princess of Cosmos for two episodes, was also there.

It dawned on me that Ji-yong had invited Yoon Min-hee, his co-lead actress from an upcoming romantic drama, as well.

Okay, so this was definitely not a date.

In fact, it was as far from a date as one could get.

As a song ended, Ji-yong made his way over with a fresh beer in hand.

“Hey, where’s your cup?” he asked casually, presenting me with a choice between a large beer cup or a smaller one for soju. He raised his expressive eyebrows, awaiting my decision. I weakly pointed to the smaller one. Tonight called for stronger spirits.

He nodded understandingly and poured me a cup of soju.

“By the way, if you’re feeling too tipsy to drive later, I’ve got a chauffeur on standby for everyone,” he said with a wide grin.

As an introvert navigating the social seas past 10 PM, I was starting to question if this outing was worth the effort. Small talk with strangers, especially the high-profile kind, was not exactly my forte.

My brain raced for a polite exit strategy after the obligatory amount of time had passed.

“Let me guess,” Ji-yong interjected, scanning my face with a smirk before leaning in to whisper, “you’re already plotting your escape strategy.”

I nearly choked on my soju, surprised by his accurate insight. “No, not at all,” I replied, attempting to save face. “Actually, I was hoping you could introduce me to your friends here. Are they close to you?” I raised an eyebrow, challenging him a bit.

“Let’s see... there’s Tae-hyun and Hyun-ki, both models. My manager Sangwook, and then Seo-yeon and Jun-ho—you already know them. We even shared a few classes in university. By the way, Jun-ho is also cast in my new drama, Hometown Whispers , along with Chungho and Min-hee over there.”

After introducing the crowd, Ji-yong gestured towards me. Some heads turned in my direction, met with a few waves and I gave a small wave back, trying to play it cool amidst the sudden spotlight.

In that moment, it felt like I was seeing a different version of Ji-yong, shattering the image of the carefree and sweet Ji-yong from the Princess of Cosmos set.

“So...” I took a small sip of soju, trying to break the sudden awkwardness, “Am I finally getting to meet THE real Ryu Ji-yong tonight? The guy every woman in Korea swoons over? The party animal and all?”

He put down his beer and looked a bit more serious. “Well... sometimes I like to throw parties like this; otherwise, life as a celebrity can get pretty darn lonely, you know?” Ji-yong remarked, rubbing his thumb on his jaw.

“Hmm, I see,” I added weakly. The words ‘Then, why don’t you find yourself a girlfriend?’ were on the tip of my tongue, but instead—fueled by a bit of soju—they transformed into: “Then, why don’t you get yourself a cat?”

There was a moment of silence before Ji-yong burst into laughter.

“A... cat?” he choked out between laughs. “Well, I’m more of a dog person myself, but a cat... why not? They’re low maintenance and good company. I’ll think about it.” He winked mischievously.

Embarrassment washed over me as I realized the absurdity of my suggestion. What was I thinking, telling one of Korea’s most eligible bachelors to adopt a cat to cure his loneliness? I hastily took another sip of my drink, hoping the alcohol would somehow erase my verbal misstep.

“It must be exciting, living the high life with famous friends like this...” I murmured, trying to steer the conversation away from my blunder.

Ji-yong took another swig of his beer before answering, “Sure, being famous and having famous friends is nice, but at the end of the day, I’m just a regular guy, I suppose.

” He shrugged. “I’d love to travel the world, visit amusement parks, or go to the movies without drawing attention.

And, well, it would be wonderful to meet someone who sees me for who I am, not just as the celebrity Ryu Ji-yong. ” He offered a brief, hopeful smile.

I nodded, trying to keep a straight face, but couldn’t resist teasing him a little. “So, basically, you’re a lonely superstar in need of a feline companion and a partner for covert theme park adventures?”

He chuckled, and I couldn’t help but join in, the tension easing as we shared a laugh over the bizarre turn our conversation had taken.

Suddenly, across the room Min-hee’s voice rose above the chatter, calling Ji-yong over for a group photo. Ji-yong excused himself with an apologetic look, leaving me alone amidst his friends.

I watched as they jostled together in front of the flashbulbs, laughing with their arms thrown over each other’s shoulders. I noticed how easily Ji-yong let down his guard around them—his booming laugh mingling with theirs. It’d be nice to be part of that world, I thought.

Checking my phone, I saw it was almost midnight.

Cinderella needed to go home, and the obligatory polite time at the gathering had been fulfilled.

I gulped some water and let more time pass to let the alcohol in my system subside.

Not feeling the least bit tipsy, I was confident I could drive myself home safely.

Saying goodbye to a room full of strangers always made me feel a bit awkward, so I wanted to make it quick. I nodded to Seo-yeon, bidding her farewell, and said my goodbye to those within earshot.

Scanning the room for Ji-yong, I waved goodbye to him and headed towards the exit.

A few steps outside, I heard the door open behind me and someone catching up.

“Yumi, wait!” Ji-yong’s voice called out, slightly out of breath.

I turned to see him approaching, feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity.

“When can we see each other again?” he asked eagerly.

My heart did a little somersault, and I struggled to compose a response. “I don’t know... soon, maybe?” I replied, my voice tinged with uncertainty.

A broad smile spread across his face. “Soon, I hope.” He then extended his pinky finger, a gesture reminiscent of childhood promises.

He’s so silly sometimes, I thought, a small laugh escaping my lips as I wrapped my pinky around his.