Chapter 110
Chapter 110
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Cheongpyeong Lake
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Yi Yeon-ji ordered a jjolmyeon set from the street food stall. The set came with tteokbokki and pork cutlets too.
"Dad usually tells me not to eat stuff like this. But I love it."
Na Gang-in ordered ramen, dumplings, and kimbap for himself.
Yi Yeon-ji paused midway through her meal and grinned broadly.
"Mister, are the dumplings good?"
"Here, have some."
"Thank you!"
Na Gang-in watched her devour the food at lightning speed and commented.
"I've noticed before, but you really pack it away."
"Heehee. I'm in high school."
"Yeah, high school. Prime time for eating like there's no tomorrow."
After finishing their meal, they left the stall.
Yi Yeon-ji called out loudly.
"Thanks for the great food! Next time I see you at the hospital, I'll treat you to the cafeteria."
"You think I'd take lunch money from a kid with a runny nose?"
"Then coffee from the hospital convenience store."
"Fine, whatever. See you later."
Na Gang-in waved as he walked off.
Yi Yeon-ji turned to head the other way. But after just a few steps, she ran into someone she knew.
"Oh? It's Jung-seok oppa."
Surgeon Kim Jung-seok spotted Yi Yeon-ji as he passed by.
"Hey? Yeon-ji. What are you doing here?"
"Just had some food."
Kim Jung-seok glanced back at the stall.
"Hey, you know eating that stuff is... "
Yi Yeon-ji waved it off.
"Nah, it's fine. All my friends eat tons of this."
"Well... Huh? What's wrong with your sleeve?"
"Heehee. It ripped while I was holding something heavy."
Kim Jung-seok checked her hand with a flustered look.
"You hurt?"
"Of course not."
Kim Jung-seok let out a sigh of relief.
"Good."
"Eating the jjolmyeon set's okay too, right?"
"Uh... sure. Eat what you want. But no more after this."
"Heehee."
"You don't make promises you can't keep, huh?"
"Hee. But Jung-seok oppa, you look worried. Your face is all pale."
Kim Jung-seok gazed off into the distance. He spotted Na Gang-in's back far away but didn't recognize him.
"I'm looking for someone, and I had no clue where he's been. Finally got a lead."
"Isn't that good news?"
"Yeah, but the lead's so thin it's hard to follow."
"There are places now that find people for a fee. They say they're really good. Why not hire them?"
"He's not someone they could find."
That night, surgeon Kim Jung-seok and surgical director Lee Jung-ho hit up a bar.
After a few drinks, Kim Jung-seok asked.
"Director, how much time does Yeon-ji have left?"
"Kaitiger syndrome's a rare disease only identified two years ago. Not enough clinical data to predict. Could be a month, two months, or even today. No way to know when it'll hit. But one thing's certain."
Lee Jung-ho downed a shot of strong liquor and sighed deeply.
"Less than a hundred days."
Kim Jung-seok looked at the gloomy Lee Jung-ho and thought.
'Better not mention Yeon-ji eating street food today. He'd worry even more.'
Na Gang-in received an invitation.
"A party?"
Shin Eun-ha explained.
"Our movie's ten-million-viewer celebration got cut short when the drone exploded and the director got hurt."
"They're doing it again?"
"Not exactly. THO Entertainment's hosting one at Cheongpyeong Lake. A chance to make up for what we missed."
"On the lake?"
"That'd be awesome, but no. There's a great spot right by the lake."
"Can anyone go?"
"Mostly actors from the movie, but if others want in, they probably won't turn them away. Oh, and no reporters—it's just for us."
"Do they serve food?"
Na Gang-in perked up. Shin Eun-ha eagerly pitched the perks.
"Of course! Delicious food and drinks with a lake view. Sounds good, right? Right?"
"Not bad."
AI Jeon Ji-in chimed in too.
Shin Eun-ha beamed.
"Yes! Let's go together in one car that day."
"We can take mine."
Lee Bo-ra's manager said to her.
"Heard THO Entertainment's throwing a party. Why go all the way to Cheongpyeong for that?"
"Huh? Cheongpyeong? Who's gonna trek out there from Seoul? Is it important?"
"Nah, just a casual get-together for the cast on a sunny day."
"Wait a sec."
Lee Bo-ra racked her brain.
'If it's that kind of party, Gang-in oppa might show up?'
She pumped her fist lightly.
"Alright, decided. I'm going too."
"Hey, you need an invite."
Lee Bo-ra thought some more.
"Director Son Tae-min will be there, right?"
"Uh... probably?"
"I want in on his next film."
"You can't just get into Son's movies because you want to."
"That's why I need to meet him early and say hi."
"Fair point?"
"I really wanna go. Get me an invite. THO isn't that stingy—they can hook us up."
Surgeon Kim Jung-seok went to see Lee Bo-ra.
"Bo-ra, this is serious. Help me meet Director Son Tae-min."
"I'm not big-time enough. He doesn't come just 'cause I say so."
"Of course we'll go to him."
"Huh? We?"
"It's our director who wants to meet him. It's life-or-death."
The moment "life" came up, Lee Bo-ra waved her hands.
"No details! I said I don't wanna get involved!"
"Hey, come on!"
"Instead!"
"Yeah?"
"Since it's life-or-death, I'll give you one tip. Pay me back later."
"Let's hear it first."
"There's a party at Cheongpyeong Lake this Saturday. Hosted by THO Entertainment—key people on a sunny day. High chance Director Son Tae-min shows."
Kim Jung-seok's face lit up.
"Bo-ra! You're an angel... no, a genius!"
"Don't you go, oppa."
"Huh?"
"If anyone finds out you're connected to me later, I'm the one in trouble."
"Don't worry. Our director's going himself."
"Tell him firmly not to mention me."
"Obviously. But since you're helping, Bo-ra..."
"Yeah?"
Kim Jung-seok grinned and asked.
"Could you get our director an invite?"
"Jung-seok oppa."
"Yeah."
Lee Bo-ra snapped.
"I can't even get my own invite—how am I supposed to snag one for someone else?!"
"Huh? What?"
"I asked my agency, and they haven't gotten mine yet! I told you the spot—figure out the rest!"
Surgical director Lee Jung-ho was thrilled.
"So if what you say is right, the people from the drone explosion will be at this party too. That doctor might come?"
"Good chance."
"Problem is crashing the party..."
"No invite, but we know the location. How about staking it out nearby?"
"Stakeout?"
Kim Jung-seok pulled up a map.
"There's a pension a short walk away. Book it, then pretend you wandered over while strolling."
"Will they buy it?"
"If not, just snap pics of attendees and spot the doctor later."
Lee Jung-ho grinned.
"Man, Jung-seok. My star pupil—brain's always working."
"You always say I only use it for tricks."
"Uh... Book that pension. Best room. Family trip vibe sells it."
"Why pretend? Make it a real family trip. You've been busy hunting treatments lately."
The pension Lee Jung-ho rented was about 500 meters from the party spot.
His wife, Son Mi-yeon, praised it.
"Great view here. Pension's cute too."
Lee Jung-ho boasted.
"Took a lot of work finding it."
"Wasn't it Kim Jung-seok who found it?"
"Huh? That blabbermouth said that?"
Yi Yeon-ji was already excited.
"Dad! There's a dog here!"
"Don't get close. Strangers might bite."
"If the pension dog bit every stranger, this place would've shut down ages ago."
"True? Still, be careful."
"Okay!"
"I'm going for a short walk. You two rest."
Yi Yeon-ji latched on.
"Me too!"
"Why you?"
"Just 'cause. Heehee."
Lee Jung-ho planned to scout the film company's party from now on.
'Not like we're fighting. Bringing her should be fine.'
They walked about 500 meters. The now-friendly dog trailed Yi Yeon-ji.
Lee Jung-ho reached the party spot.
Yi Yeon-ji said.
"Whoa, tons of celebrities at that party!"
"Right?"
'Now to find the doctor. Pick a spot, pretend to photo Yeon-ji, snap pics of people...'
Shin Eun-ha at the party spotted Yi Yeon-ji.
"Oh my! Yeon-ji!"
Yi Yeon-ji beamed and bowed.
"Hi!"
Na Gang-in was with Shin Eun-ha.
"We keep running into each other?"
"Heehee. Hi, mister!"
"What brings you here?"
"Family trip. Dad brought me. Isn't he the best family man?"
Lee Jung-ho felt a pang of guilt. That wasn't why.
Shin Eun-ha recognized Lee Jung-ho and lit up.
"Oh? You're the director from the hospital where Bo-ra was admitted?"
"Yeah. That's my dad."
Lee Jung-ho didn't know Na Gang-in but knew Shin Eun-ha's face.
"Yeon-ji, you know Shin Eun-ha?"
"Yeah, met her when I visited Bo-ra unnie."
Lee Jung-ho felt a twinge of regret.
'Thought I could use her connection to scout inside, but it's just a quick hello.'
Yi Yeon-ji dreamed of acting.
Not set on it, but she loved that world. Family opposition kept her from pursuing it seriously.
She wanted a close-up look at her dream world.
"Unnie, can I peek at the party? Curious how celebs have fun."
Lee Jung-ho cheered inwardly.
'Atta girl!'
Shin Eun-ha turned.
"Hold on. I'll ask the host."
Moments later, Lee Tae-ho came out.
"A friend of Gang-in's? Of course you're welcome. But we're drinking inside..."
Yi Yeon-ji pointed at Lee Jung-ho.
"It's fine. I'm with my dad."
"Your father..."
Shin Eun-ha added.
"He's the surgical director at our neighborhood hospital. Super famous doctor."
Lee Tae-ho's face brightened.
"Ah! Really? Haha. I was hoping for a doctor around—welcome aboard! Hahaha."
Lee Jung-ho felt relieved.
'Thanks to my girl, infiltration success!'
But he had a question.
"Need a doctor? Someone hurt?"
Lee Tae-ho waved it off.
"No, just had some rough patches this year. Hearing 'surgeon' made me happy. Nothing'll happen today anyway. Hahaha."
Lee Jung-ho didn't quite get it but was glad.
"Excuse me then."
He entered the crowd area.
Not just actors—managers too. Many didn't know each other, so no one batted an eye at Lee Jung-ho and Yi Yeon-ji joining.
Lee Jung-ho scanned faces.
'Skip actors, look for unknowns. Find the doctor among...'
He froze.
'They just said they needed a doctor? Means no doctor's here.'
Big letdown.
'That doctor's not coming.'
But he didn't quit.
'Approach Director Son Tae-min then. He might know something.'
Yi Yeon-ji munched party food busily and asked Na Gang-in.
"So, mister, you here as martial arts director?"
"Nah, just to eat good food by the lake."
"You know what's up. Food's the real win."
Yi Yeon-ji was thrilled—invited to a celeb party with great eats.
Then the pension dog that followed her bolted outside.
"Hey? Where you going? Wait up!"
The dog was fast, but Yi Yeon-ji was a good runner too. They dashed around the lake happily.
Moments later, Na Gang-in asked AI Jeon Ji-in.
"Where'd Yeon-ji go?"