Enjoyable Life (1)
The film club mostly just watched movies. 'I get why it's so popular.' Clubs that don't require brainpower and are all about fun are the best kind. The president seemed to try his best to do something productive... but, well, whatever.
"Whoa... this is the first time I've seen you up close like this, miss."
A petite senior sparkled with excitement as she chattered away.
"'In the flesh'? That's a funny way to put it, Seo-hye sunbae. It's like treating me like a celebrity, which kinda feels good."
I smirked at her, and she tilted her head curiously.
"Huh? Oh... yeah, you're right. But haven't you had your picture taken a ton? There are photos of you all over the school."
...Had I? Oh, right, probably. I was student rep, and I modeled for the uniform samples. Everyone who got fitted must've seen my face.
Lee Seo-hye clapped her hands to liven things up.
"Anyway! Welcome to the film club! What role are you gonna take, miss? Actress? Director?"
She didn't even consider the audience role. Fair enough—I hadn't joined to watch movies either.
I glanced around. The movie, which had been playing fine, was paused. My arrival as the school celeb had stolen everyone's attention.
'Yes, this is it.'
"Director, obviously."
"...Okay, got it. I'll write that down."
The senior looked a bit deflated as she bowed her head and jotted my name on the roster.
"Who was director before? You, sunbae?"
"Huh? Oh, no. Sun-woo was."
Director is a solo role, naturally. The club president, with the most authority, usually took it. But who am I? The top power player at Daeha Middle School. I could make or break a club on a whim. Petty authority like that was worth less than straw to me.
Of course, logically, I had reason to take it. No one here knew movies better than me.
Jung Sun-woo, the film club president, flashed his usual kind smile in agreement.
"If you'll direct, miss, that's great for me."
"Well... if that's what you say, Sun-woo."
Seo-hye sunbae muttered like a kicked puppy. She seemed a tad upset at losing her spot.
"I'm not just doing director, though. That'd feel kinda unfair, right? Might as well get in front of the camera too. Haven't you thought about it, Sun-woo sunbae? Like, not showing off this handsome face of mine on screen would be a cinematic loss—"
"N-no, I haven't."
Pfft, liar. I think about it all the time.
"...I see."
But Lee Seo-hye nodded, convinced—or enchanted—by my words. What an easy mark, that sunbae.
Once the signup wrapped up, I sat down and finished the paused movie. It was a pretty popular Korean flick, but seeing my mom in it soured my mood a bit.
Hong Ha-ryeon. That's my mom's name. She took it from Ji Ha-ryeon, a female novelist from the Japanese colonial era.
And Yoo Jin-cheol apparently didn't put much thought into his daughter's name. Mine looks just like hers at a glance.
And... he hardly ever called me by it. He'd named me so similarly, but said hearing it reminded him of his wife.
But that's not Yoo Jin-cheol's fault. Like he always said, it was mine.
That wasn't gaslighting—it was fact. Before my reincarnation, Yoo Jin-cheol, Hong Ha-ryeon, the nanny, and even her kid were all fine.
Yoo Jin-cheol, running his business smoothly, died out of nowhere in a car crash. His original wife, the nanny, had her life trajectory stolen wholesale and became my nanny. Her son, who should've grown up as young master, died before elementary school.
And my mom? Right at the peak of her career, God's prank made her pregnant with me. Probably to boost my looks a notch.
I'm a being that thrives by hijacking others' lives.
So it's my fault.
That's why... I work harder than anyone...
...
"..."
My mood tanked.
Sigh. Why dwell on the dead? Let's have fun. Live enjoyably.
Am I slaving away because someone forced me? Freud overanalyzed everything as penis envy from dreams. My desires are mine, plain and simple.
-Hoo.
I let out a long sigh and fixed my hair. It was wet from washing my face in the bathroom.
"Ji-yeon... come here and hug me."
"Huh? Oh, sure, miss."
Seo Ji-yeon scurried over and let me use her lap as a pillow. Her gentle pats and nice perfume scent calmed me down.
'...She's so small.'
Though I'm on the bigger side.
"What clubs did you join, Ji-yeon?"
"Uh... game club and board games club."
"Not game club—software development club."
"But you only play games there, miss."
"..."
What a cheeky fact-check.
Ahem.
I cleared my throat and asked carefully.
"Ever thought about joining another? Like swimming club...?"
Seo Ji-yeon waved her hands in horror.
"I-I'd get kicked out of the house!"
How the hell did my rumors spread like that? And how did Director Seo raise his kid to boot her for wearing a swimsuit? The school one is revealing, sure, but way less than mine.
"Don't worry. I'll talk to your dad."
"N-no, it's fine! Please, miss, just... not my parents..."
What?
Her folks work at my company, but it's not like they did anything extreme. A director-level job should be fine even with heavy workload, right?
"...Running short on cash?"
"No! Not at all!"
Just that her parents are my subordinates... Ugh, getting close is harder than I thought.
Seo Ji-yeon's issue made me realize my shortcomings. Befriending someone whose parents' lives I hold in my hands? Tougher than expected.
"Fair enough. Normal friends don't use formal speech, huh."
"...You just figured that out?"
Seo Ji-yeon grumbled, hands full with shopping bags—including mine—after school. I'd stopped by my department store, Myeongil, to buy her gifts.
Hmm.
"Ji-yeon."
"Yes?"
"Wouldn't it be better for you if I treated you like a friend?"
"..."
Her face froze cold. Her soft eyes blinked rapidly, then her slender limbs trembled like aspen leaves.
Whoops, overdid it.
"Ahaha, kidding, kidding. Someone like you is totally friend material."
Yeah, yeah. Friends. I even give her vending machine bread money. Wouldn't do that for non-friends.
"...Miss."
"Yeah? What."
"S-so... can I date a guy too?"
...?
Weird question.
"Of course. Why wouldn't you? It's not like I control that. Though if he keeps you from seeing me, that's a problem."
If my subordinates don't marry and have kids, I'm the one in trouble. Kids born now are the ones who can chat with 21st-century me.
Strictly speaking, Seo Ji-yeon is "old-school" by my standards.
Sure, breaking up couples by charming people is fun as hell, but that's just "play." Real love doesn't crumble to petty pranks. Like those film club kids I just met.
"Why ask?"
"Well... I don't know what kind of guys you like, miss. Losing someone I like to you... it'd be awkward. Might even shake my unwavering loyalty."
"Ah, curious about my type?"
Seo Ji-yeon fidgeted, twisting her body. Under the department store's bright lights, she looked surprisingly cute.
"I-I didn't say it like that..."
Her words said no, but her eyes sparkled. Young folks are curious about that stuff.
I propped my chin, pondered briefly, then answered. The answer was obvious.
"Just, y'know... handsome face, great body, tall, smart, good personality... Oh, and above all, filthy rich with tons of power."
"...Where's a guy like that in the world?"
She tilted her head.
Why not?
"Right here."
I pointed at myself, spun around, and admired my reflection in the mirror.
Yep. I perfectly match my ideal type.
"..."
Seo Ji-yeon froze, mouth working silently.
"What? Spit it out."
She squeezed her eyes shut and blurted it.
"Th-that... miss, even empty words wouldn't call your personality 'good.' H-honestly..."
"..."
Shock.