A Whole Different Scale
Seorim Arts High School, where active celebrities flock, has several unofficial fan clubs. It's the perfect environment for fanning over your fave when they're right next door.
As soon as Yeo Eun-seo enrolled, her followers swiftly formed a fan club, and word spread like wildfire, drawing tons of students. Rumor has it, it was threatening the membership numbers of Seo Yu-na's fan club, the undisputed top dog among the third-years.
Old school auditorium—the president and vice-president stand on stage, with club members seated below.
"We're kicking off the Eundae's 3rd regular meeting and emergency strategy session!"
At the president's declaration, a boy in the back row tilts his head.
"Eundae?"
He was attending for the first time.
Eundae was the fan club name decided at the launch event.
"Eunseo Love Squad."
The kid next to him fills him in.
"Shouldn't it be Eunsadan, then? That's too abbreviated."
"Eunsadan got shot down 'cause it sounded like a church group."
I thought Eunsadan was better than Eundae, but the mood was too solemn to nitpick. The president and VP up on stage had eyes like they were heading into battle.
After the opening declaration, the secretary took the mic and continued.
"The duel between the president and VP ended in a draw. Neither backed down despite their faces looking like that. We've decided to go with the members' vote, so pull out your phones. Sending the link."
"What're you talking about?"
The newbie was still lost.
"They dueled with boxing, but no winner. So we're voting."
Here's the story: A week ago, the pride of the first-years' fan club—worshipping the prettiest girl in their grade as their goddess—shattered to pieces. A girl who'd been absent for a month showed up, and turns out she was the black-haired elf.
"The VP's faction wants to switch goddesses. Sujin's face is a cut above, right?"
"Yeah."
"But the president says absolutely not. He can't betray Eunseo. So his faction formed to defend the goddess."
"And they settled it with a duel?"
"Yep."
They must have nothing better to do, I thought, eyeing the stage. The president's eyes were swollen shut, and the VP was plastered in bandages.
"Can't they both be goddesses?"
"The sky doesn't have two suns."
"Split the fan club?"
"They wanna be Seorim Arts' biggest, so no splitting."
"Then what?"
"We decide the goddess. Oh, link's here."
Tap the link the secretary posted in the group chat, and the voting page pops up.
"Whoa, check the design. Why's it so pro? Looks like a company made it."
"A company did make it."
"What?"
"Eunseo thought it'd be fun and had them make the voting page."
Yeo Eun-seo is Gold Young Group royalty. If she made it, the group pulled strings.
"Why would Eunseo...?"
"She chats with the execs sometimes? Last meeting, she even sprang for snacks."
The boy couldn't fathom why Eunseo would back a vote to dethrone herself as goddess.
Is chaebol thinking just like that?
"Vote now if you haven't. Closing in one minute."
Urged by the secretary, the two boys hurriedly voted. Results auto-displayed on their screens.
Yeo Eun-seo: 43 votes
Choi Sujin: 61 votes
Even combining second- and third-years, there are more members, but this emergency meeting was first-years only—the core group. Still over a hundred showed, nearly half the grade crammed in here.
"As expected!! Sujin's our goddess now, right?"
The VP faction cheered, but the mood on stage was icy.
"That's not a majority! Revote."
"What? Majority rules, obviously."
President and VP bickered over the criteria, with the secretary trying to pull them apart.
"They voted without clear rules?"
"Apparently."
Acting classroom—Yeo Eun-seo grins at her phone screen. The voting results are up.
"Still, lots voted for me."
"Vote for what?"
Choi Sujin, munching the Baumkuchen Eun-seo gave her, chimes in.
"Nothing. Here, have more."
The goddess flashes a seductive smile, feeding the innocent elf another piece.
"Ah~ Healing."
"Like a mom bird feeding her chick."
"Sujin's bigger, though?"
"Read the room. Is that the point right now?"
The teacher walking in for class smiles warmly at the pair. It was straight out of a photoshoot.
Saturday lunch, heading to her place—Eun-seo pulls up to pick me up.
"Sujin!"
She hops out of the car, beaming and waving. I wave back, but my eyes lock on the ride.
A Bentley.
The Flying Spur, hugely popular in Korea. Late 300-million-won range—not as ostentatious as Rolls or Maybach, perfect for young celebs.
How's a high school girl know that? 'Cause it was 36-year-old me's dream car.
A lowly salesman like me couldn't afford one, but dreaming's free.
Mom follows me to the parking lot, hehing at Eun-seo. Guess this is why she wanted to see her off.
"Oh my gosh, what do we have here. It's really Eun-seo. You're so pretty."
Mom, the one who called her a masterpiece, has her right here.
Eun-seo approaches with model-walk flair and bows politely to Mom.
"Hello, ma'am. I'm Sujin's friend, Eun-seo. Thank you so much for giving birth to such a beautiful Sujin."
The greeting's a bit off-kilter, emphasizing "friend." Mom grabs Eun-seo's hand, fan-girling hard—reciting her child-actor dramas like a true stan. Eun-seo smiles and chats her up perfectly.
They'd go all day, so I pry Mom off and hop in the car. The dream ride's interior? Beyond imagination. Butt-melting cushions—I gawk around, feeling eyes on me.
"Like the car?"
"Yeah. Love it."
36-year-old Choi Suho's answer slips out. I start rattling off the Flying Spur's specs, pros and cons—unasked. Even the driver looks shocked.
"So the Spur Speed from last September..."
When I finally bought a house after 15 years grinding (heavy loans), I eyed a dream car. Another decade, maybe a used Bentley? Maintenance's 500k a month, so I quit—but watched endless YouTube reviews.
Salesman flair plus that knowledge? No wonder Eun-seo and the driver are stunned.
"A masterpiece is different. First kid I've seen who knows cars this well."
"Right? The young miss's friend is no joke."
The driver chimes in. My excitement ramped up—I got carried away.
"Nah, not that much..."
Too much? I try to dial back, but Eun-seo drops a bomb.
"This car's yours from today."
Gasp! I gawk at her. A car? A Bentley? What do I even say?
"Hngh, that look—I can't hold back. Want another one?"
She squeezes my hand.
"Just keep looking at me like that. Drive this starting tomorrow. Till you get your license, driver's yours. Wait, no—masterpieces don't drive. He'll shadow you forever. No worries, got it?"
"What'll you drive then?"
Somehow that's what came out. Naive to think chaebols have just one car.
"Got over ten at home. Wanna pick one yourself?"
Even sticking with Eun-seo, this scale's unadaptable.
*
Carrying the cookie box gift, we exit. Manicured gardens lead to a museum-like mansion. Straight out of movies—properly researched chaebol pad.
"No one's home. Mom and Dad are abroad."
Dad's in the US for a joint venture, Mom in France shooting. Just us two in this massive place, servants aside.
"Two more coming later."
"Friends?"
"Yeah. Not you-level, but friends. Colleagues too."
Colleagues mean biz ties—guess broadcasting hooks you up early. Figured gifts first, so I hand over the cookies.
"Here. Baked 'em to share."
"What's this?"
"Cookies. Fresh this morning."
Now her eyes go wide. Don't expect too much.
"You made these yourself?"
"Yeah. Hope they suit your taste. Try one."
Sales pitch slips again. Hard habit to break.
"Our Sujin made these... cookies for me... thinking of me..."
That's a chant. She cradles the box like treasure, eyes weird.
Cautiously bites one—crunch. Her pretty chewing? Ad material as-is.
"Delicious! So, so good! Insane! Haaaa..."
Last moan's a glitch, but rave reviews. Chaebol tastes ain't special. She's begging for the recipe—wants Gold Young Hotel bakeries to launch "Sujin Special" sets nationwide.
Black history for all Korea? I rein in her hype when the door opens.
Turn—mountain of a guy and glasses girl enter. Her "friends," I guess.
"Gyaack!!"
The guy spots me, screams, charges. Gorilla? Bear? Intimidating as hell.
Instinctively guard up—but he halts right before me.
"Yo, Eun-seo! Camera, where's the camera?"
"Second floor."
He bolts upstairs. Gorilla to cheetah now.
What the heck?