Chapter 30: CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

The press conference was held under the Winner building. The space was packed with reporters and fans, but the atmosphere was tense. On the stage, a press table was set up with dozens of microphones crammed together, and logos from multiple news agencies filled the background.

Hia Mick led the five members of Mars to the table prepared for them. They sat in a row, with Ming acting as the moderator for the conference.

“Good afternoon to all members of the media. Thank you for being here today to listen to the clarification regarding the current issue—specifically, the leaked photo of Pepper, a member of Mars. This has sparked rumors suggesting that Pepper is in a romantic relationship with the woman in the photo…”

Pepper sat motionless, his face expressionless as flashes from cameras fired nonstop.

“To address this matter, we’ll let Pepper speak for himself.”

Pepper leaned closer to the microphone.

“Hello, I’m Pepper from Mars,” he began, pausing for a moment. Thame glanced at Nano, who reached out to hold Pepper’s hand under the table.

Thame placed a supportive hand on Pepper’s back, prompting him to continue.

“First of all, I want to apologize for everything that has happened and assure everyone that I am no longer in a relationship with the person in the photo.”

The room erupted into murmurs of surprise.

Earlier, Pepper had met Kaem at the same secluded spot where she had once assured him they would face everything together, unafraid.

But this time, Kaem had said something that shook him.

“Let’s break up.”

Pepper couldn’t believe his ears. He tried to convince himself he’d misunderstood.

“Do you mean... pretend to break up for now? Is that your new plan?”

“No, Pepper. I mean, let’s truly break up.”

Her words left him more confused than ever.

“Why? Is it because of the leaked photo? But you said it wouldn’t matter even if it came out.”

“At the time, I thought it wouldn’t. But it does, Pepper.”

“Wait a second. You told me we wouldn’t let go of each other, and I’ve been doing everything I can…”

“Pepper,” Kaem interrupted firmly, “do you know how hard I worked to get to where I am today? Do you think I deserve to be torn apart online, as if I’ve committed some unforgivable crime?”

“Phi Kaem, don’t listen to those comments. They’re just random people saying whatever they want. Some of them might not even be real.”

Pepper gripped her hand tightly, but she pulled away.

“But when those comments start affecting my job, my workplace, and the credibility of the company I represent, I can’t ignore them. I have to ask myself—what kind of leader would I be if I did?”

It hit Pepper then: their relationship was never just about the two of them. It was about a celebrity and a public figure who was the face of a company.

Kaem had her professional reputation to uphold, employees to lead, and products to promote.

“You have things you need to protect, Pepper. And so do I.”

Pepper looked up at her, his chest tight with emotion.

“I’ve worked so hard to get here, and I can’t afford to lose it. I’m sorry, but I can’t take the backlash anymore.”

Kaem gently pushed his hands away and walked off.

They both had things they needed to protect—but those things were no longer each other.

—

Back at the press conference, Pepper remained seated before the media. His bandmates already knew the full story and had chosen to face the situation together. Pepper continued speaking.

“The person in the photo... I admit that we were once in a relationship. But that’s in the past. Now, we’re nothing more than good colleagues. For some time now, our band has been working with a different team from her company. The leaked photo circulating online is from late last year. As for the event photos from three months ago, those were taken long after our relationship had ended.”

He lied—but it was a necessary lie.

“I would like to ask everyone not to drag her into this any further. She isn’t a public figure like I am, and most importantly, we’re no longer connected.”

A reporter raised a hand and asked, “It’s unfortunate that this news came out right during your comeback.”

Pepper shook his head and forced a smile.

“I’m not too concerned about myself. But I know this has shocked our fans.”

For a brief moment, Khun Pemika’s gaze met Pepper’s, prompting him to add, “Consider our latest single both a comfort and a love letter from me. I hope everyone will accept it.”

The press conference ended with Pepper bowing his head in apology—not for the scandal, but for daring to let someone make him happy. His tears almost fell, but he reminded himself that he had broken up with Kaem three months ago—not just now.

The flashes continued as the Mars members left the stage. On their way back to the waiting room, Thame noticed a message from Po on his phone.

Po:

What’s going on? This can’t be true, right?

Thame didn’t reply directly. Instead, he wrote:

Thame:

Even if Phi Kaem has let go, please don’t do the same.

—

Po was sitting in a café, waiting anxiously. He was uneasy about everything that had happened and unsure if the person he was hoping to see would actually show up. But soon enough, he heard the door open, and Phi Kaem walked in, sitting down beside him.

“I thought you wouldn’t come,” Po admitted.

“You wanted to talk, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Go on, then. Ask what you want to ask.”

“I don’t understand why things turned out this way. I heard you had already prepared for the backlash and had calculated how it might affect your work.”

“I had. I knew everything, and I even told Thame that his plan might work.”

“Then why…” “Because Thame’s plan needs time,” she replied simply, clasping her hands around her cup of tea. “And that time would cost him his chance to reach number one on every chart.” Kaem spoke matter-of-factly.

“Dragging me along with him would only hold him back.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she added, “Like I told you, I had prepared myself for all of this. I was ready for the backlash. But in the end, I had to lie to Pepper and tell him I cared more about my career than him, even though I care about him the most.”

So everything Kaem had told Pepper—it had all been a lie?

“All the while that social media was dragging me, I wasn’t looking at what people were saying about me. I was watching the charts to see if they were falling. I was looking to see if they were still on track to achieve their dreams. And I realized I was holding them back.”

Po stared at her in disbelief.

“That’s why I had to step away as quickly as I could—to let Pepper return to being an idol with his bandmates. I did it so he would truly understand how important he is to the group, not feel like he’s a burden.”

“But in that case, you didn’t have to break up for real,” Po argued.

“Do you want Pepper to lie to his fans?” Kaem countered, leaving Po speechless. “That would’ve been even worse.”

Kaem was meticulous and thoughtful—exactly what one would expect from someone with her level of professional experience. She had calculated every outcome to determine what was best for Pepper.

“The world isn’t kind enough to give us everything. And sometimes, time doesn’t solve everything. But I know what I can give to Mars.”

“What do you mean…” “Po, do you know what’s going to happen next?”

He froze as Kaem handed him her phone to show him the latest social media trends.

“Watch this… my story will change the game.”

Social media sentiment had shifted drastically. Tweets with hashtags like

#SavePepperMars

were being shared widely. Many posts accused the leak of being an intentional smear campaign to sabotage Mars’s success. Likes and retweets were skyrocketing, and sympathy for the group—and their music—was flooding in.

“This is the kind of love I wanted to give Pepper. I wanted to give him back his dreams.”

Kaem smiled as tears streamed down her face. At that very moment, Mars achieved a

PAK.

Po glanced out the window. The words “MARS” and “PAK” were lit up on billboards across the city. The glow of the lights fell on Kaem’s and Po’s faces. Kaem smiled softly, holding Po’s hand as she said:

“But Po… you and Thame aren’t like me. You might have more time than I do. And I hope you two can do better than I did.”

TO BE CONTINUED.