Chapter 38：That Kind Of Friendship?

"Maybe I'll go for Nike."

Athena supports her head using his hand, staring at Aslan.

"And why is that?" she asks. She thought that Aslan will choose Jye Yin. They have been friends for years. So why did he choose 'her' than Jye Yin?

Aslan frowned a bit. Trying to find a reason behind it.

"Maybe because I want to see how she do her work. How she do her painting. I want to know more."

"Mm..wow..you sound like real fans." she giggles. She's happy. Well, who wouldn't be happy if you just been praised by the one you love.

Aslan touches her cheek and stares her eyes lovingly.

"You look happy with this topic huh?"

Athena immediately stops her smiling and that makes Aslan also chuckles. He brings her closer to his face and kisses her lips again.

"I like seeing you this happy. You've been gloomy since you watch the news."

Athena diverts her eyes. She thought that she acts normal, but actually, she already been gloomy since that day.

"Hey.." he touches her hair and brings it to his lips.

Athena turns to look at him again.

"I announce my marital status tomorrow. Don't be sad, okay?"

"But, Aslan..announcing that you married to me will cause trouble and once my information leak out, we will have not enough hand to handle the storm."

"It's okay. I just say that I'm married. But I will not reveal who my wife is..so it should be okay."

"But.."

"Trust me."

…

The next morning, both of them went to King Corp tower. Athena wears her gray formal dress. She uses big round sunglasses and she uses a wig to cover up her real identity.

Aslan also wears his three-piece retro gray suit. When he arrived a lot of reporter swarming in front of the tower entrance. With his bodyguard line up to make a way, both of them get inside the tower safely.

Once he arrives at his office, he held a meeting with his board of director together with a few of his business partner.

His market share has been plummeting below the red line. This is not good for his business though.

After they finish their meeting, he calls his public relation director to come to his office. Instructing to release a statement regarding his status and discussing his private press conference in the afternoon.

Athena stayed at his office and she also did her tour to all the department with Aslan assistant. The one who handles his regular work while he was away.

…

"President Aslan, the conference will start in 5 minutes." one of his worker informing him when he was in the private lounge with his wife, Athena.

Looked at Athena who is currently watching the Moon City view from the glass window, he went closer to her and hug her from behind.

"Do you want to go with me?" he whispers.

Athena inhales and shakes her head after that.

She caresses his hand which is wrapped around her waist.

"I'll be waiting here." She said.

Kiss her top of the head, he let go of his hand and went to the conference room.

Once Aslan walks out from the room, she turns on the screen and sits back at the luxurious leather sofa waiting to watch the show.

…

Aslan walks into the room with only three full rows of the reporter. All of them is an international and high ranking media only. All the giant media company from all over the state.

He takes a seat at the table which is full of the microphone and facing all the reporter.

"Good afternoon, I am Aslan Smith, President of King Corporation. Today as everyone knows, I have been releasing a statement regarding my marital status and the scandal that have been storming all the media industries these past two days. I call everyone out here today is to make an open apology to all of the people who are involved directly and indirectly. It was my fault that I admit I was careless and engrossed that night. I take the blame and hoping for everyone to understand my circumstance."

He then stood up firmly and bow down to all of the group media. The light from the flash and a loud voice coming from down the stage start to fill the room.

After Aslan stand up again, he sits back and let his public relation director start to open the turn for the reporter to asks him a question.

One man from the left of the first bench asks him.

"Mr. Aslan, in your statement this morning, you said that you have married for almost half a year now, but in a half of year, we never heard about your wedding or seeing you with any woman except with Miss Jye Yin. Is there any reason why you hide your wife for half a year?"

Aslan looks at the reporter and he said to him.

"It's true that in this half of year, I never post anything about my wife and never mention about her before. My wedding ceremony is held in my wife hometown and it only attends by a few important people. I have no reason to hide my wife's identity, however, my wife is not someone who wants to be known by the public. Thus, I respect her privacy and decision."

Another reporter takes a turn to ask.

"Mr. Aslan, as we all know that Miss Jye Yin is the closest person with you since you both still young, and there is a lot of your picture with Miss Jye Yin which looks like you both in relationship, is there any possibility that your wife is actually Miss Jye Yin, but due to her career and reputation, you hide the marriage between you two?"

Aslan scrunches his eyebrow. "No. My wife is not Miss Jye Yin."

The question continues to the third person.

"Mr. Aslan, if we remember correctly, Miss Jye Yin had a concert in Imperial city 3 months ago and you happen to court her by giving the roses and there is also an event in Imperial city where you've been spotted together with Miss Jye Yin in one art exhibition two months ago. Within this period, you held a title as a husband. Is your wife that time knowing all of these issues? And how does she react when she knew about your scandal?"

Athena in the private lounge starts to feel nervous. How does Aslan plan on answering this question?

Aslan smile to the reporter.

"My dear fellow reporter, its true during that period I am my wife husband. However, I never state anything about my relationship with Miss Jye Yin more than a friend and she also didn't state anything either. As you may know, I treat my friend, Miss Jye Yin as my best friend. All the picture, all the rumor is made by yourself. About how my wife reacts, I must say...I too got my punishment from my wife and we settle this with calm and trust. I was very lucky because my wife is a very understanding and considerate person."

Aslan gives a cue to his public relation director.

"Okay, our dear fellow reporter. That's it for today. Any further information will be posted by our team. Thank you very much for attending this conference."

Aslan and a few his crew stand up and bow to the media before they leave the room.

Aslan went to the lounge where Athena was there. Once he entered the room, he hugs her tightly.

"Let's go home." He said to her and Athena nod.

Inside the car, Athena secretly looks at him.

"Are you really okay announcing that you married to me and not Jye Yin? What will her fan say about you? You will be the one who got a bad name."

"It's okay. I don't wanna fame. I just want to live my life with you and protect you with what I have.

"What about her? What are you gonna do about her?"

"As...I really don't mind with you being friend with her. But..you should know that you have a wife. Every time you wanna go and meet her, you can bring me or you can invite her to our house."

"You suggesting that I do the same thing like you and Zoro?"

Athena tilts her head a bit and scrunches her eyebrow.

"You mean?"

"I always see you with him in front of my eyes telling the joke and chatting to each other. He gives you a call whenever he wants to come over, and only get inside the house if one of us invite him and he never stays at your house after 10 pm. That kind of friendship?"

"...yeah.."

"Hmm... I'll think about it."