Han Minyeong (7)

"I don't know a ton about it, just poking around out of interest. That 'Sunset at Raollo' hanging over there? It's one of my favorites too."

My words seemed to hit home with Choi Heemin's wife, who clapped her hands delightedly.

"Honey, I love this guy. Let's be friends."

"Because he's hot?"

"Yeah. I wanna peel ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his face off and hang it in our house. Oh! Sorry if that offends you. I just love beautiful things. And sure, looks are part of it, but we click, you know? I think you'd make a great friend for my hubby."

Their dynamic was hilarious. It didn't feel one-sided or tilted toward either of them. What was clear was that they were genuinely in love.

"Our home cooking's amazing, so eat up before you go."

"Sure."

"If you need a good woman, just tell me. I know plenty who could help a guy like you out."

"Haha, it's 'cause I'm an idol."

"So what? The best women are the ones you snag before someone else does. They might tell you not to date now, but grab one keeper early, and no one can touch her later."

I'd heard that before. Some idols got into the game just to get their faces out there and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hook up with elite women. Catch one, and they bail on the industry without a second thought.

But me? I'd never seen being an idol as a means to meet women.

'If anything, it's gotten in the way of dating, not helped.'

She was probably just trying to hook me up with some upper-crust connections out of kindness. But I had no intention of taking her up on it.

"Sorry, but I'm doing this idol thing for the music. I'll handle finding the right woman myself. I appreciate the offer, but I wanna focus on what I really want right now."

She didn't take my refusal personally. If anything, my answer seemed to make her even happier.

"When you're ready for a good match, you better come to me. Connecting great people is the best feeling."

Great people with great people. That meant she saw me as one of the great ones.

"Thanks for thinking so highly of me."

"Honey, stop inflating my lead actor's ego and get out. We still have work to discuss."

"Did I upset you?"

"How could I not be annoyed when you're tempting my perfect actor away? If he meets some girl and quits acting, I'm the one screwed. This face has a duty to be seen by as many people as possible, for as long as possible."

Choi Heemin's whining made her backpedal fast.

"Sorry, honey. I wasn't thinking about your side. Truth is, the second word got out that Jin Haesol was cast in the drama I'm investing in, requests started pouring in. 'Hook me up with him,' they said."

"Really?"

"It's only natural for women to chase a guy as charming as Haesol."

"Fair point."

"Among them, there was this one girl—good reputation, solid personality. I thought she might be a match, so I floated the idea. Sorry if it bothered you. My bad."

"No worries. I'm used to it."

Women with money throwing themselves at me just because of my looks, without knowing who I even was? That wasn't new. Gifts piling up at the agency every other day was the norm.

Her offer was just business as usual.

"Impressive, Haesol. No wonder you're so confident."

Choi Heemin sounded genuinely awed. From my attitude, it was obvious I could have any upper-class woman I wanted.

"Doesn't matter my personality or my circle—some women don't care."

"...Yeah, there are always those who see men as accessories, not people."

"Not me, honey."

"I know. That's why I married you."

Mwah! Smooch!

They didn't hold back on the PDA, even with a guest around. She finally pulled away from the kiss, full of regret.

"Should I have stepped out?"

"Don't worry—we'll go a round once you're gone."

"......"

She really had no filter. Sharing her sex life so casually with near-strangers.

"I've got one thing on my mind. About casting for your sister Yoo Eunjin—it's a new character, not in the original plan. Should we recast, or... do you know anyone who looks similar? Like a sibling or something?"

"I'm an only child."

"Aw, too bad. If we cast just anyone, we'll get roasted for the visual mismatch. I'm torn—cast someone or cover it with directing? What do you think works better?"

"If directing can handle it, no need to cast. Keeps her face hidden and builds mystery for the viewers."

"Perfect. Directing it is!"

"You sure it's okay to poll actors on this?"

I didn't know the industry inside out, but writers consulting actors like this seemed rare.

"I'm a newbie writer experimenting. Don't judge. There's no rule saying writers can't talk to actors."

"True enough."

She was spot on. From then on, I dove into script discussions more proactively. My acting knowledge helped shape the writing, and Choi Heemin actually listened intently, without brushing people off.

At first, her over-friendliness put me off, but it was just needless caution.

That day, I stuffed myself with dinner at their place before heading back to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dorm.

Yang Areum sighed, shaking her head after hanging up.

"Tsk tsk. How's she such a total loser? Decent girl, but guy problems turn her into a walking simp. Pathetic."

She'd seen her trail after guys, fawning, more than five times. With her money and looks, she should've been a femme fatale. But nope.

'In reality, she's a virgin simp.'

She blew cash, got played by men, dragged around until another woman stole them. She knew her body was her biggest asset, so she didn't sleep around easily. And she lacked the skills to bed a guy who played hard to get.

'If this one's another hand-me-down breakup, she might swear off men forever. Or not—gold-digger fatalist that she is.'

Once she started dating, she'd flaunt him at elite parties instead of keeping him hidden. Cue theft by rivals. She'd been warned, but insisted it was fate, her true love hadn't shown up yet.

Now, her pride was all she had left. Yang Areum had wanted to set her up with a good guy out of pity, but Haesol's firm no killed it. And ironically, her friend's latest ex was a Jin Haesol lookalike—perfect timing.

'Gotta tell Heemin to keep an eye on him. If he's the type to dump for an upgrade, better not start at all.'

From what she'd seen, her friend needed someone bold who took charge. Haesol seemed straightforward, not the type to dither and get swept away.

Matching great people and watching love bloom? Pure joy for her.

Yang Areum hoped her dear friend found real love like she had.

"Who knew fixing a simp friend would be this tough. Eyes too damn high."

Lower ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her standards a bit, and she'd have snagged a cute hubby, living happily ever after. That was her dream: adorable husband, love-filled marriage.

Growing up in a broken home made her family-obsessed.

'Zero eye for men, though.'

Without her simp forcefield, she'd be divorced three times over. Every guy she picked was trash.

And that's why Yang Areum didn't fully trust Jin Haesol.

"Worry 'cause it's a guy picked by someone with no taste in men."

Looks fine on the outside, probably rotten inside. Her husband liking him made her hesitate. And truth be told, her own impression wasn't bad.

'Did she finally back into a good one by accident?'

Maybe this was her first real catch, gearing up for marriage.

Worried for her friend, Yang Areum headed to the wine cellar. A well-paired bottle would liven up dinner.