Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Clinging Yu-na and Variety Show Buzz
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Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!
It was a morning filled with the chirping of birds.
The noise disturbed my deep sleep, waking me early. I groggily sat up.
'Why does my body feel so heavy?'
Glancing down, I saw something huge stuck to my chest.
Snore. Snore.
It was Yu-na, fast asleep with tiny breaths, clinging to me like a cicada.
Lately, she did this every day.
Even the slightest movement, and her little hand would grab my clothes. I could feel her determination not to let go of me.
"Isn't she hot...?"
I carefully tried to peel her off, and she started flailing her hands in the air.
She seemed to be searching for me.
Smiling, I tucked a pillow into her arms. She hugged it tight, smiling blissfully.
'She's so cute when she stays put.'
But...
When did she devour all the snacks?
Crumbs were stuck all around Yu-na's adorable lips.
She must have woken up late at night and eaten them quietly.
Who cleaned up the snack bags?
It sure wasn't Yu-na.
'As a dad, I'm sorry, but...'
I could vouch for that.
The neatly arranged yellow floor and the small trash bin full of snack wrappers.
Dong-hyun must have woken up early with Brother Su-ho and tidied everything.
'Sigh, what a troublemaker.'
Poking her cheeks and watching her expressions change by the second, I heard a commotion from the next room.
"Sis, got any lotion?"
"Yeah, I do. Want to borrow mine?"
"Thanks. I just ran out. Nice scent. What brand is it?"
From the voices, the seniors in the next room were up too.
Just eat breakfast and lunch here, and filming's done?
It really felt like a vacation.
Stepping outside, a gentle earthy scent wafted through the air.
Must have rained while I slept.
The yard was damp with small puddles, and water droplets hung from the long clothesline.
"Nice air, nice weather."
The sky was clear and bright, as if asking when it had rained.
And then.
Looking ahead, the staff who hadn't washed up properly gaped with mouths wide open as they prepped for filming.
The PD was the same.
"Hey, Jun-seo. You're up?"
Kang Su-ho approached me, breathing heavily. A towel was around his neck, and his clothes were soaked with sweat.
"You woke up early? What were you up to this morning, bro?"
"Took a walk around. Great air, perfect for exercise."
"Can't see Dong-hyun... Do you know where he is?"
At my question, Kang Su-ho let out a deep sigh.
"I don't know that embarrassing guy."
"Huh?"
He seemed to know something.
"Jun-seo. Mind if I wash up first?"
"Oh, sure. Go ahead."
Not long after he started washing at the yard faucet, Shin Dong-hyun staggered in, panting.
His white shirt was drenched in sweat, revealing his skin blatantly.
"...What the hell happened to you?"
"Don't know. Don't know..."
Shin Dong-hyun collapsed weakly onto the porch, breathing raggedly over and over.
"Did you work out with bro? How far did you run to get soaked like that?"
"Haa. Just two laps around the area?"
"...Just two laps around?"
This was a small village midway up the mountain.
"Going around" meant along the walking path. Even Yu-na could toddle around it without tiring. Was it normal to be this exhausted after two laps?
Narrowing my eyes and glaring, Shin Dong-hyun flinched.
"Don't underestimate this place. That grandpa down the hill... He's a stamina monster... I lost to him."
"What? What happened?"
"What happened was..."
Dong-hyun's story went like this.
He was jogging lightly for a walk when he ran into the village head. The confident grandpa challenged them to a race...
So they sprinted full speed along the path.
Kang Su-ho finished first and beat the grandpa.
Of course, Shin Dong-hyun lost to the village head...
"What? So you lost to the grandpa?"
"...Yeah. Stamina monster."
I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What, you really are a weakling."
"You wouldn't say that if you saw him. That grandpa's seriously weird..."
Right then.
Kang Su-ho, washing his hair vigorously at the faucet, raised his voice.
"Weird my ass! Hey, Jun-seo! Ignore the weakling and grab the toothbrush and toothpaste from my bag."
Suddenly, Dong-hyun was quiet as a mouse.
I shrugged and stood up.
"Bro, you should've grabbed that stuff earlier."
"Help me out. My little bro!"
As I headed to get the toothbrush and toothpaste, I glanced at Shin Dong-hyun.
He clenched his fists tightly, muttering something under his breath.
"Just you wait... Starting today, I'm signing up for the gym and working out."
Yeah, escape weakling status.
I patted Shin Dong-hyun's shoulder and headed to the room.
The variety show filming ended so quickly that life snapped back to normal.
Exactly two weeks passed.
On my way to the drama set with my manager, I checked the reactions to last night's variety episode.
'Two Days in the Countryside.'
Just aired yesterday, but scrolling through the articles, everyone praised it as super fun.
I watched it with Yu-na last night too, and it was a blast.
Everyone was shocked by Yoon Mi-jeong's warm new side, caring for her junior on day one.
Then Yu-na stealthily munching snacks at night became a viral GIF.
Plus, Shin Dong-hyun's hilarious loss to the village head in stamina.
I didn't believe it, but the village head really matched a fit adult in endurance.
'And more.'
There was plenty of funny footage not aired.
They said at the end they'd upload unaired clips to MeTube.
Those were fun too, but...
'Brother Su-ho's story from day one.'
It aired as-is, and MeTube comments were blowing up with viewers begging to know.
Yu-na's embarrassing dark history.
No matter how much they begged, it could never be revealed.
For our Yu-na's future.
"You seem in a good mood. Something good happen?"
At my driving manager's call, I put down my phone and shrugged.
"Maybe 'cause the first omnibus shoot's almost wrapped."
"Jun-seo, don't get complacent. Got it?"
"Got it, so stop nagging, yeah? Oh, right. In-cheol. When are you gonna drop the formal talk?"
"I'm good like this."
"Come on, even managers and celebs speak casually. Wait, casual during workouts."
"...Understood. I'll go casual during workouts."
Hearing that put me at ease.
He's gym-obsessed now, but a good guy. Want to stick with him long-term.
Yoon Mi-jeong noona... no, senior said titles matter.
Guess I'll ease into it too.
"You checked the full script?"
"Yeah, it's fine. All in my head."
"Still, review it now and then? Oh! We're almost there."
The familiar set loomed ahead.
Safety checks again? How long till we wrap the first scene?
Screech!
In-cheol parked behind the warehouse and picked up his phone.
"Gotta call the rep quick. Go ahead; I'll catch up."
"Sure."
I unbuckled and stepped out, shielding my eyes from the blazing sun as I entered the set.
Staff eyes burned with intense safety checks, as expected.
Gotta not get in the way.
Carefully.
Dodging those inspecting temp walls and ceilings, I spotted Director Han Mun-jin far off.
Amid scattered gear, he dozed alone. Sallow skin, dark circles under his eyes.
Felt bad waking him just to say hi.
'...Greet him later?'
Decision made, I turned toward the exit door.
Clunk!
'Whoa, almost tripped.'
A taut cable on the floor nearly snagged my leg.
Glancing back, the staff sorting it panicked and bowed deeply.
Accident, no biggie.
No injury.
I smiled, waved it off, and headed out for a breather.
"Guess I'll wait in the car first."
"Senior! Good morning again today!"
Startled by the booming voice, I turned. A peer-aged woman bowed 90 degrees to me.
Kang Ju-hee, the new debut actress.
Playing Yoon So-hee's revenge target, always super formal since day one.
Can't get used to it.
"Y-yeah. Let's have a good day."
"Then, I'll go greet the other seniors."
"Sure, go ahead."
Sending off the junior, I headed to where the manager parked, only to run into Yoon So-hee practicing lines in the warehouse alley.
"Oh? Hi, senior."
"Oh? Jun-seo. You here?"
Yoon So-hee's expression was off from usual. Her excessive distance felt weird too.
Normally, she'd drag me for line runs.
Didn't like my greeting?
Or did I mess up?
"Were you practicing alone in this alley, senior? Call Dong-hyun senior or someone."
Step. Step.
As I moved, she backed away slyly.
Weird, so I stopped. She stopped too.
An odd silence fell.
Then Kwon In-ju strode up behind Yoon So-hee.
"Senior! Good morning. Jun-seo, you here too? Practicing? Let me join."
"Ah, I'm heading out."
Yoon So-hee fled like we had cooties.
Definitely not her usual self.
I asked the stiffened Kwon In-ju senior, puzzled.
"Senior, any idea why Yoon So-hee senior's avoiding us?"
"No clue. But... still calling me senior? You were casual on yesterday's variety."
Wants "bro" in this mess? I sighed softly and said to the senior,
"...Bro. That work?"
His face finally lit up.
"Yeah, bro. 'Senior' is too stiff. Call me that from now on. Casual talk too."
"Haha. Casual's tough."
He chuckled and shrugged.
"Fine, fine. Getting 'bro' from a stubborn kid is enough."