Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Moving
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My light, my love, my goddess.
CEO Kim Seulgi sent a coffee truck.
She seemed too busy to pick up the phone, so I sent her a text thanking her.
After that, I heard from Executive Kim Gyu-jin about the dorms.
And then Geum Yuna dropped the bombshell suggestion that we live together, but that felt more like a threat to get me to move into the dorms quietly.
I thought it over from every angle, but she didn't have a point wrong.
No matter how much CEO Kim Seul-ong liked me, a company was built on business at its core. This was capitalist society.
There was no such thing as unmotivated favors.
'That said, they're all way too nice to a nobody like me who has jack squat...'
Anyway, they were doing this much because they had expectations of me.
So all I had to do was take everything they offered and meet those expectations.
I'd told myself over and over to build up my self-esteem.
But maybe because I'd thrown away those agency business cards I'd been carrying around as self-esteem totems early on, worried they'd cause misunderstandings...
It seemed like the one always dragging my self-esteem down was me.
I wasn't the no-name actress Jeong Gyeowol who'd wasted 12 years anymore.
I was the rising star, the face genius Jeong Gyeowol.
'I'm not slinking off to the dorms like a loser—the company is escorting me to the dorms.'
I asked Executive Kim Gyu-jin to handle the dorm arrangements and thanked Geum Yuna.
I wrapped up the rest of the shoot without incident and headed home.
Compared to the two-room place Executive Kim Gyu-jin had shown me, my current place was truly pathetic.
I'd lived here 12 years, but I didn't feel any particular attachment.
I'd just been surviving, nothing more.
Suddenly, the mold caught my eye.
It was the friend who'd stuck by my side endlessly for those 12 years.
A steadfast companion with unyielding integrity that no amount of pushing could budge.
And it wasn't just that friend.
This place had occasional visitors like Teacher Bar, who dropped by for home visits, and Teacher Grima, who bore a grudge against Teacher Bar.
Whenever I met the teachers, we'd bicker.
They'd use up a whole roll of tissue to cover me in case I got cold, or dunk me in the full toilet in case I got thirsty... We got along so well.
But now it was time to part ways.
'...We're breaking off our friendship starting today.'
So when exactly was I supposed to move?
This body belonged to none other than the top rookie Jeong Gyeowol. I didn't show it, but I was pretty damn busy.
The drama shoot showed no signs of ending.
What kind of supporting role had a schedule this packed? It was all thanks to Screenwriter Cha Joo-eun's efforts.
-Helena was originally supposed to get murdered by the serial killer in the mid-season... but I'll change her into the protagonist's sturdiest ally.
Thanks to that, Helena—who'd been short and intense in the early episodes—now had as much screen time as the Violent Crimes Unit 2 detectives.
In other words, I had a grueling shoot schedule rivaling Geum Yuna's, the lead.
And on the rare days the drama shoot had a break, Atelier shoots filled the gap.
That wasn't all. After drama or Atelier shoots, action school was waiting for me.
Lately, I'd been drilling techniques to disarm guns aimed at the back of my head, forehead, back, torso—anywhere—with a swift whoosh! smack!
They stressed it was impossible in real life and not to try it...
Not that the advice was any good, since it assumed guns even existed in Korea to begin with.
On top of that, I was learning knife fighting...
And that wasn't something you picked up in a day or two.
'Looking at it like this, I really am swamped...'
The conclusion? No time to prep for a move from morning till night.
Was I supposed to pack during sleep hours? That was a fast track to ruining my skin.
I crashed at 10 PM sharp.
The pinnacle of skincare was self-regeneration, hands down.
From 10 PM to 2 AM was magic hour for skin repair.
So sleep was non-negotiable.
I wasn't being lazy. Really...
Anyway, on the way to action school, I discussed the issue with the managers.
"Why bother packing your stuff?"
"But we're moving..."
"Did my dorm application get rejected or something?"
Had the company changed their minds?
They'd told me to move, and now they were asking why I was packing.
"Jeong Gyeowol's dorm is guaranteed thanks to the CEO... Never mind that. Just get a packing service."
"...Do you know how much that costs? What, you think I'm some chaebol heir?"
"Depends on the place, but for a one-room, around 30-40 man won, right?"
"Oh... You know. And you know that and still—! I don't have steady income. I have to save for taxes and all..."
So far, I had the KS Entertainment signing bonus, Atelier modeling fees, and drama pay.
The bonus and drama payments were sitting untouched in my account.
I covered living expenses with Atelier fees.
Taxes would hit hard, and the new place would need all sorts of stuff.
Who knew when gigs would dry up? Couldn't spend wildly.
"Whatever the moving costs, the company covers it."
"...Even the moving fees?"
"It's KS."
"..."
Long live KS! Long live the CEO!
Kim Seul-ong to the National Assembly! -
...
...
...
-But I'd probably end up in hell first before hitting send.
"Huff... huff..."
My breathing was ragged.
Of course, only mine.
The FM Coach wasn't even breaking a sweat.
Was that guy human or robot?
"Here it comes."
"...No! I don't want to! Don't do it!"
I clearly voiced my refusal, but it felt like my refusal was being refused.
The FM Coach strode toward me with utter confidence.
Soon, that knife in his hand would start carving me up.
But me, Jeong Gyeowol, wasn't an easy mark.
Tap-
'First strike wins!'
I'd pretended to be too exhausted to move, then charged at the FM Coach.
He halted, shifting to defense...
Even a plastic knife radiated insane intimidation.
I fought the urge to backpedal and swung.
Whoosh!
Faked a face stab with paint.
Swoosh!
Aimed for his defending arm.
The knife sliced through the air toward him.
Smack!
Without flinching, he parried perfectly.
"Too slow."
With an infuriating quip.
And then.
Whoosh-
"Throat."
Whoom-
"Armpit."
Swing- whoosh- swoosh-
"Abdomen, thigh, ear."
Arm and torso slices were a given now.
He even went for the ear.
And that wasn't all—he dropped low, slashing my calf and Achilles tendon.
The FM Coach was merciless, carving up this actress without hesitation.
It hurt.
This plastic crap hurt like hell.
He'd just name the spot and ravage me solo.
Did that guy actually use real blades...?
The hits and slices hurt so bad in the moment I couldn't react properly.
I was just getting pummeled everywhere.
This felt less like guided sparring and more like a grudge-fueled deathmatch.
"Coach! At least explain while you stab!"
"Ah... Got too focused. I'll explain from now on."
I thought great, he'd finally teach properly...
Swoosh! Swing! Tap! Swoosh!
With his flashy footwork and knife trails—
"Left arm. Tendon severed. Can't use it now."
"Fingers. Three gone. Handle it with the other hand."
"Carotid. Instant death. Never let it happen."
—I kept getting death sentences.
"...Coach, you don't like me, do you."
"Pardon? No way—a diligent student like you? What coach would dislike that."
"..."
No matter how I thought about it, I must've done something wrong.
Otherwise, no reason for this brutality.
You bastard.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ For days, I looped house-shoot-house-action school-house endlessly.
I picked one of the rare free days to handle the move.
Executive handled meeting packers and quotes.
I wanted to watch over my precious stuff—
"...Mind if I just head to the company?"
"Huh? This is my place... Gotta oversee the move..."
"Yeah, not anymore."
"Right, Jun-seung. Take her to the company."
"Got it."
—And got kicked out.
They convinced me celeb addresses had leaked via packers before, so always be cautious.
It made sense, so I headed to the company without argument.
Spending this sweet holiday at the office? Kinda sad.
Manager Yoo Jun-seung dropped me at the main entrance, promising to pick me up post-move.
Something big must've been happening—crowds jammed the entrance.
Security was holding them back.
"Kyaa!"
"Oppa! Look over here!"
"Lake Oppa!"
"Kang-chan's so cool! Kyaa!"
Oppars this, oppas that, kyaas everywhere—an idol group was there.
'How am I supposed to get through this...'
I hovered awkwardly by the screeching fans.
Then a few security guys came out... and headed straight for me.
Were they mistaking me for a sasaeng fan and about to boot me?
"Please come in. We'll escort you."
"...Pardon?"
Like VIP treatment, they shielded me flawlessly through the main gate.
The fangirls glaring "who the hell is that bitch?" didn't faze me.
Fan service vibes surged.
Someone must've recognized me and let me in.
They remembered the face of a rookie who'd visited once.
Touching.
Come to think of it, I'd planned to eat, drink coffee, and gym here.
Never guessed after the contract visit, I wouldn't return.
I should drop by the company more when free.
...Not for the free food, coffee, or gym. Totally.
Anyway.
To soothe my guilty conscience with an iced Americano, I headed to the lobby cafe.
"Huh? Winter noona? You're with KS!"
"...Huh? Lake?"
The Violent Crimes Unit 2 maknae from Psychometry Her. Kang Ho-soo, playing Kang Ho-soo.
That beagle-puppy guy.
His group was... Concent, right?
Concent? What kind of group name was that?
Hm, maybe for that "shocking" vibe.
Or maybe not...