Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Marbo's Model Offer
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I couldn't hide my shock and gaped wide-mouthed. Thanks to Yu-na giggling and sticking her finger into my mouth, I snapped out of it and cautiously asked.
"That's... Marbo clothing, isn't it? You're not asking me to model for that fashion brand, are you?"
He nodded when I double-checked.
Marbo, the brand famous among men for its clean designs and high-quality fabrics.
'Known as the original boyfriend look.'
I'd impulsively accepted the modeling offer from that clothing brand.
No wonder I was surprised.
"You seem really shocked."
"O-of course I am! I never even dreamed I'd model for that brand. Our CEO will be thrilled and tell me to go for it, and I..."
Tug! Tug!
I felt someone pulling at my clothes. Yu-na blinked her innocent eyes like a bunny and moved her lips.
"Daddy! Daddy! What's Marbo?"
After taking a deep breath to calm my excitement, I slowly explained to Yu-na's question.
"Marbo is... you know that electric car you have? The one we did the CF for..."
A bigger brand than Limited.
I finished with a simple explanation at her eye level, and Yu-na's eyes went wide as saucers.
Her mouth dropped open too.
"Wow! Really? So you'll go play at their place, Daddy? Yu-na too, right? Right, Daddy?"
Play together...
This brand focuses on men's clothing and doesn't handle kids' clothes at all. So unlike the CF shoot, we couldn't film together this time.
Yu-na didn't seem to know that.
I hadn't explained enough.
I had to be straightforward.
"This time, Daddy has to do it alone. Our Yu-na can't wear grown-up men's clothes, right?"
"Nooo? Why!"
That was when it happened.
The door burst open!
Yoon Si-won, finished with the dishes, appeared in the workshop where we were.
"Honey, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, ahaha! I was just bragging to Jun-seo about the photos of our Ha-yul."
"Daddyyy. Yu-na wants to do it too. Pleeease?"
Ignoring Yu-na's whining completely, she shot a suspicious glare at Lee Jong-min.
In times like this...
This man had given me a great opportunity with the Marbo modeling gig. I had to help him avoid getting an earful from his wife...
I naturally pointed to the pile of photos nearby and let out an exclamation, as casually as possible.
"Oh! Ha-yul has talents beyond acting? Where was that maple tree photo taken?"
"R-right? That was when we climbed the mountain in the background. Ahaha."
This guy...
He's terrible at acting.
Because of Lee Jong-min's painfully awkward performance, we couldn't dodge her suspicion and ended up spilling everything we'd discussed.
"Haa."
Flinch! Lee Jong-min flinched, trembling, and hung his head.
"Haa, you know Jun-seo has been running nonstop without a break."
"...I know."
"And you ask him for something right after he wrapped drama filming?"
I didn't mind at all...
The CEO felt the same—why was everyone so worried about me? My chest tickled with a warm feeling, and I didn't hate being fussed over.
But I couldn't let them keep arguing.
I stepped in front of her.
"Calm down. If I really hated it, I would've turned it down flat. And this is a great opportunity for me."
"......"
"So please cool off..."
"Haa, since Jun-seo says it's okay, I'll let it slide this time."
She approached with warm eyes like she'd never been mad, facing the thoroughly deflated Lee Jong-min.
Then she reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around his broad waist.
"...Sorry, honey. It must hurt that I only favor Jun-seo."
"No, what's there to be upset about."
Their loving display.
Uninvited guests know when to leave. I scooped up Yu-na and quietly slipped out of the workshop.
Around lunchtime, I headed to the agency alone and sat face-to-face with the CEO.
Slurp.
His sharp gaze pierced me as he sipped his coffee.
Probably because of the message I sent today.
Most likely.
'Before being summoned to the agency.'
I'd informed the CEO about the Marbo modeling request. And I didn't forget to add that I really wanted to do it.
His reply was...
[Come to the agency. Let's meet briefly.]
Just a message, yet it had the power to make my heart race.
"Um... CEO?"
Gathering my courage to break the silence, he let out a deep sigh.
"You're the first guy to bring work to me when I'm not giving you enough. Do you have a disease where you die if you rest? Why won't you listen."
"...Ahaha."
"Don't laugh. I like you too much. Tsk."
Clicking his tongue, the CEO scanned me from head to toe. His sticky gaze gave me goosebumps.
"What is it?"
"You know doing that means you have to manage your body again, right?"
"...Ah."
I hadn't thought of that at all.
For the drama shoot, I'd worked out like crazy, forcing down chicken breast and eggs even when I was sick of them to stay in shape.
I'd thought it was finally over.
And now he was telling me to do it again...
An uncontrollable sigh escaped me.
"Puhahaha! I knew it."
Bursting into laughter, the CEO choked and coughed. He chugged his coffee to settle down, then said seriously.
"So, what are you going to do?"
"They said they'd schedule the shoot around my availability, so I should do it without delaying too much. There's still time before my fan meeting."
The CEO leaned back and nodded.
"Then handle this with your manager... Oh, that's why I called you. Jun-seo, want to appear on that variety show we did last time, in a week?"
That variety show from before?
I'd only done a few, so it came to mind quickly.
"I Love Dad!", where fans saw my perfect chemistry with Yu-na.
And one more.
"2 Days in the Countryside", with the sitcom family and Yu-na.
Since that was an event special, excluding it... Thinking it over, another one popped into my head.
Right, there was one more!
"Let's Play While Running", which I'd joined on a whim at Park Woo-chan's invitation for a charades quiz.
That was airing in two days, I think?
I'd heard they recorded on Saturdays.
I couldn't quite picture which one...
Finishing my thoughts, I asked the CEO directly.
"Which variety show?"
"You know, the one with Yu-na."
"'I Love Dad!'?"
"That's one, but there's another. The one we filmed on that trip."
Now I got what he meant.
"'Let's Play While Running'?"
He clapped and nodded.
"Yeah, that. The PD called the agency directly to cast you. If you want to bring your daughter, let them know early. You in? Or out?"
Did he still not know me?
At his question giving me options, I smiled.
"Of course I'm in. And... back then, Yu-na accidentally ripped off Yoon Suk-jae sunbaenim's name tag by mistake and got him out? I need to apologize properly when we meet."
"Ahaha! Did that really happen?"
"He was so happy about it being funny... Yu-na will want to do it too, so I'll bring her this time."
"Hmm, that sounds good."
The CEO pulled away from the backrest, crossed his arms, and let out a small groan.
"Oof, my back... Then you're doing 'I Love Dad!' with Yu-na next, so no need to ask about that."
I shrugged.
The talk dragged on until it was time to head home and prep dinner.
"All done talking?"
I stuffed my pockets with Yu-na's favorite snacks from the table and stood brazenly. The CEO chuckled at me.
"Yeah, go on home. Get the schedule from your manager."
"Got it. I'll head home now."
As I turned to leave.
"Ah! Jun-seo. Nothing else today? Then help our kids out before you go."
"...What's that?"
"You'll see in the archive room. You'll help, right? I believe you will."
This wasn't a request—it was pressure.
I wanted to rush home and grill a steak for the first time in ages... I desperately wanted to refuse, but the CEO's gaze was fierce.
In the end, I nodded.
"Go on, check the archive room quick."
"...Yes, got it."
Powerless under his pressure, I headed straight into the archive room.
The staff jumped in surprise at seeing me.
They looked dead-eyed and disheveled, like they hadn't showered in days.
Some even shot me resentful glares.
'Did I do something wrong?'
My curiosity was quickly resolved.
The messy desks were covered with quiz sheets from every participant in the fan cafe event.
So many entered...
Only the fans who got every answer right get the photo book?
That must've been tough.
I bowed sincerely to the staff.
"Ah, you've all worked hard... Is there anything I can help with?"
A male staffer silently handed me answer sheets and participant quizzes.
"Exclude anything with eight or fewer correct. Pick out those with more and pass to that staffer."
"Got it."
Smiling awkwardly, I sat quietly and started grading.
This one's wrong, this one's right...
What? Was this question made to be wrong?
This one felt so contrived it had to be a trick.
Question 17. In "Guard the Pojangmacha!", how many times did actor Lee Jun-seo give Yu-na a honey-dripping gaze.
Even rewinding just my scenes from the long sitcom would be hard. And... would anyone get this right?
And others like it.
There were more surprisingly tricky ones.
Question 20. When actor Lee Jun-seo, as the homeroom teacher, first entered the classroom, which hand did he open the door with?
'Right hand, right?'
Even retracing my memory carefully, I wasn't sure.
Ah, left hand.
Only after checking the answer sheet did I realize it was wrong.
"I wonder if anyone got all these tough ones right..."
Muttering quietly, the female staffer next to me replied.
"There are. Five people, even. If you don't check properly, the perfect scorers might complain, so grade carefully."
I stiffened.
With these hard questions sprinkled in, and they all got them...
Dad Becomes a Top Actor