Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Company Dinner
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"...Sorry about what happened earlier."
"...?"
What was she talking about? I had no idea.
I racked my brain trying to think if Geum Yuna had messed up with me somehow, but nothing came to mind.
"...I overheard you talking with Executive Manager Joo Sang-wook."
"Ah..."
Only then did I realize what she was apologizing for.
But why was she the one apologizing for that?
I also wondered how she'd even heard about it.
Was she close with CEO Kim Seul-ong or something?
"It's fine. It was nothing."
"..."
Even when I smiled and brushed it off as no big deal, her serious expression didn't soften.
Everyone gets chewed out by some boomer or Karen now and then. It wasn't something to get this worked up over.
"Really, it's okay! You didn't do anything wrong to begin with, sunbae."
"..."
I'd gotten my hopes up that we might actually have a conversation, but silence fell again.
This was all the gorilla's fault.
Even my own cowardice around her stemmed from that damn gorilla.
Anyway.
The awkward silence had turned into something downright weird when Junseung and Geum Yuna's manager returned to the table together.
The guy who'd gone to grab coffee had come back with a whole person instead.
Thankfully, the managers seemed to know each other and started chatting away.
I could kill some time by chiming in here and there.
Disaster averted—no date with Time-Waster YouTube guy at the café.
Before I knew it, we were ten minutes from the dinner.
We all got up from our seats.
"I'm gonna swing by the convenience store real quick!"
"We're headed that way anyway. Come with us."
"Sure thing."
Executive Manager Kim Gyu-jin, who'd been glued to his phone, suddenly pocketed it the moment dinner time hit. Was he that hyped for free meat and booze?
Who knew there'd be another one just like me here.
"...You sure you're not tired? If it's because of me, you can really head out."
"Nah, I'm good. Skipping a spot like this just means feeling lonely on set later."
Maybe I should've tried sending my managers off like Geum Yuna did.
Kim Gyu-jin and Yoo Jun-seung. My managers' eyes weren't full of care for me—they were the hungry glint of carnivores eyeing meat.
We hit the convenience store and bought hangover pills—one pack per person.
The maknae's pro tip for dinner parties: Stock up on hangover relief before heading in.
Everyone who took the pills I'd handed out would think of me at some point while drinking or nursing a hangover the next day.
'Man, that kid's got some real class.'
Hangover pills were light, didn't take up space, and if someone passed, you could save them for later. Total win.
"Charge this to the company card too. I was gonna grab 'em myself, but you beat me to it."
"...Nah, stuff like this has to come out of pocket. Personal expense, personal."
Kim Gyu-jin had climbed from roadie to team lead to executive manager and clearly lost his roots along the way.
Paying out of pocket adds up, and eventually someone notices.
Wait—you bought all of this yourself?! Cue double the emotional impact.
But company card? Lame.
'Still got some growing to do.'
Hell, maybe I'd make a better mentor for Manager Yoo Jun-seung.
I figured Geum Yuna and her manager had come in to grab something too.
But nope—they'd just tagged along, wandering around like they were sightseeing.
Like baby ducklings trailing after mama duck.
Kinda cute, actually.
But you gotta raise ducklings tough.
No treats from me, ever.
I stuffed the hangover pills in my pocket and headed to the dinner spot.
(Secret: There were way more than I needed, so I shoved half in Junseung's pocket too.)
"Whoa! How'd you two end up coming in together?"
"Ran into each other at the café. Sunbae took good care of me."
"Hell yeah! Our drama's visual powerhouses bonding already? Love it!"
Took good care? We'd barely exchanged words.
But banter like this is part of the game.
That said.
PD Yoon Jong-pil. Why're you already wasted?
We'd arrived right on time, five minutes early. But the grill already looked like a few rounds of meat had gone down.
I double-checked the time, but Geum Yuna had shown up on schedule too. So we were normal. They were the weird ones.
"Come on in, quick!"
The crowd broke down into four main groups.
Center table: PD and screenwriter's spot. Basically reserved for leads.
Mid-tier actors already hunkered in a corner together.
Supporting and side characters clustered in their own groups too.
Rookies like us don't crash those.
Standard move: Mix in with production staff.
Things'd get messy with booze soon anyway. But start proper.
Hit the other tables for greetings later. I headed for the production crew's table when—
Geum Yuna grabbed my wrist.
"...Where you going?"
"...Pardon?"
I was just trying to find my seat.
I nodded toward the production table, but she shook her head slightly. She clearly needed me there.
I'm not some love-struck fool who gets butterflies from that. I'm a corpse without street smarts.
Quick scan: Why'd she need me?
PD Yoon Jong-pil was already sloshed. Screenwriter had her laptop out, editing away.
Lead actor Kang Min-hyuk (our Kim Doo-han) sat tall, mixing somaek like a boss.
Perfect table with just Geum Yuna... so why call me?
'...No one's grilling the meat!'
That's why I'd dressed comfy. Foresight at its finest. Experience pays off.
I sat with Geum Yuna and snatched the tongs right away.
"...Why the tongs?"
"...?"
You called me to grill, then question the tongs?
Chopsticks? Bare hands?
Bare hands sounds nuts, but the staffing agency boss (for extras) once made me do it.
Said the frantic flailing without burns was a sight to behold or some crap.
Anyway.
'Is this... actress hazing?'
She'd skipped the power play at the reading, but here it came.
She'd been chill at the café—maybe my greeting won her over temporarily.
I nodded, grabbed chopsticks instead. She finally cracked a faint smile, satisfied.
Chopsticks it was. Don't bite—good is good.
Past life, I'd snapped before bending. Mess with a lead or their agency, and your life's ruined.
Not hands, just chopsticks? I can grin and bear it.
Pan looked freshly cleaned from right before I arrived.
I laid the meat on the sizzling hot plate.
Sizzle—
Geum Yuna snatched my hand again.
"...Don't grill. Eat. I'll do it instead."
"...Pardon?"
Something was off.
Should've gone bare-handed?
First time for this—I was flustered when...
People started crowding from nearby tables.
"No one grilling here? I got it!"
"What the—Min-hyuk, can't even grill? Two actresses battling over tongs and you just watch?"
"I'm innocent! I was grilling 'til now and was about to again... Gimme those tongs. I ain't no punk."
...?
They swarmed like grilling was a crisis.
Geum Yuna finally smiled, satisfied, and fed me a perfectly cooked piece.
'...Actress big-picture strat?'
She'd used me to set the hook, then swooped in. One line, and she'd snagged three grill slaves.
Showbiz... Never let your guard down.
Geum Yuna might be scarier than CEO Kim Seul-ong.
"Oh right, got hangover pills. Everyone, take one!"
"Whoa... Class act!"
"Thanks! Cheers!"
I stepped up, and Junseung jumped in like he'd been waiting.
(Not 'cause I was too lazy to solo it. For real...)
We passed them out to everyone. Now I was the rookie actor with perfect manners.
Mission accomplished. I returned to my seat satisfied.
"...Why didn't I get one?"
"...Pardon?"
...You don't drink...
Actress power play far from over.
"Gimme one too."
"Of course I saved sunbae's! Here."
"Thanks."
No choice—I handed over mine.
Step one: Pretend not to drink, make me short one pill on purpose. Call me out as a bad hoobae.
She'd probably anticipated me handing it over.
Step two: Watch me drink without mine and get wasted.
And sure enough.
Downed the somaek in front of me, passed the pills, came back—glass refilled.
I eyed the glass, and Geum Yuna nodded.
That nod meant... Chug again.
'...I think I picked the wrong fight.'