The Prince on a White Horse
The black van prepared by the Eclat d'Or team was already on its way to the department store in Samseong-dong, and inside the car I turned my head a fraction to glance sideways.
"..."
Lee Ha-eun was leaning against the window, humming under her breath.
There were no lyrics, just the melody, so I couldn't have said what song it was. But one thing was obvious.
What the hell is with this woman...?
Why did she look so pleased to be going to a schedule?
That was strange.
The Lee Ha-eun I knew was not the type to hum on the way to work. If anything, on days like Christmas, when she had a schedule on a holiday, she was the absolute final boss of hysteria.
So of course I was shocked. A top-tier actress like that, humming happily on the way to a schedule, was not something I was prepared for.
Then Lee Ha-eun, who had been humming to herself, snapped her head around.
"Kwon Chan."
"Yes...?"
"You smell funny."
My eyes widened at that.
"Cigarettes?"
"No."
"...Then what smell?"
"You smell like cosmetics. Did you meet a woman before you came to see me?"
A chill crawled up my spine.
In the next instant, Lee Ha-eun's eyes, fixed on me, narrowed lazily.
"Who did you meet that made you jump like that?"
"I met one of my clients..."
"Really? That Choi Go-eun girl?"
"..."
"Or maybe a girl group... what was her name, Park Ga-eul? Was it her?"
Her interrogation lit a fire in me for no good reason, and I shot back, "What does it have to do with you, Ms. Lee Ha-eun?"
"Nothing. So I can ask, can't I?"
"..."
"Well, whatever. A manager can meet actors, right?"
With that, Lee Ha-eun broke into a bright smile.
That was enough to stun me all over again, and I hurriedly asked, "Ms. Lee Ha-eun."
"Yeah?"
"Are you sick today?"
"No. I don't have anything wrong with me."
"...No, think about it. You can't possibly be this happy, Ms. Lee Ha-eun."
Her lips pushed forward in a pout.
"Why, am I not allowed to be happy?"
"You shouldn't be happy when you're going to a schedule."
"Is that so?"
"It is."
Lee Ha-eun let out a snort of laughter, then suddenly took hold of the hem of her dress skirt.
"Pretty dress."
The sight of her small hand grasping the fabric stirred up all kinds of dangerous thoughts.
"Christmas Eve, and a party."
I forced the stray thoughts down and focused on what she was saying.
"And my manager, whom I get to see after so long. Of course I'd be happy."
"...That last reason is a little strange."
Lee Ha-eun giggled.
"More importantly, how do I look?"
"What kind of question is that now?"
"I put some effort into dressing up today. Do I look all right?"
As she spoke, Lee Ha-eun suddenly leaned her head toward me. I reflexively leaned back the same amount, but she wasn't the kind of woman who gave ground easily. Matching my retreat step for step, she came closer and asked teasingly, "You have to look at me up close to check the styling, Manager."
My throat bobbed. The cool, familiar scent coming off Lee Ha-eun tickled my nose. My gaze naturally drifted to the collarbone bared so clearly before me.
For an actress, Lee Ha-eun was extremely wary of showing too much skin. But today she'd chosen a dress that was rather bold by her standards.
Thanks to that, a lethal charm unlike anything usual was spilling all over her.
She gave off the kind of presence that made a man want to turn his head no matter what, the kind of instinctive, hormone-fueled pull that came pouring out of Lee Ha-eun.
But the way she looked down at me with that self-satisfied expression only made me more reluctant to admit it.
"It's the same as usual," I said flatly.
The corner of her mouth lifted.
"So you're saying I'm pretty?"
"How did you even make that connection?"
"Because I'm pretty even on an ordinary day."
I muttered, baffled, "...I'm getting creeped out now, so please go back to normal."
"No."
"Wow, I can't get used to this."
"Get used to it. Just for today."
We were still bickering when the driver spoke carefully.
"We've arrived."
Pulling myself together, I got ready to step out of the car.
"Kwon Chan."
"...What now, Ms. Lee Ha-eun?"
"You should escort me."
My brow twitched. At the same time, she lifted and shook the hem of her dress.
"You want me to walk the red carpet alone like this?"
Her long skirt looked uncomfortable at a glance, and I let out a tired sigh.
"Fine. Get ready. Looks like there are a lot of fans out there."
"Mm."
I straightened my tie and got out of the car.
As if they'd been waiting for it, cheers erupted.
-Waaaaaaah!
Dozens of fans were there waiting for Lee Ha-eun, Eclat d'Or's house star, the reigning face of the world's hottest high-end luxury brand.
Why are there so many?
Dozens of fans were shouting over the red carpet prepared by the Eclat d'Or team. For a simple sponsor event, the turnout was astonishing. Especially on Christmas Eve, it was impossible not to feel just how popular Lee Ha-eun really was.
Feeling a touch of tension, I opened the opposite door to escort her.
The top-tier actress was waiting for me with her usual haughty expression.
Without meaning to, my eyes were drawn to her.
I detested people drunk on themselves, so why didn't I hate this woman's arrogance?
It wasn't even a question worth worrying over.
Lee Ha-eun had earned the right.
She was one of South Korea's representative top-tier actresses.
She had every right to be arrogant.
Collecting myself, I held out my hand to her.
"Shall we, Ms. Lee Ha-eun?"
The top-tier actress took my hand and smiled.
"Yes, Manager."
On Christmas Eve evening, I escorted Lee Ha-eun across the red carpet.
***
The department store in Samseong-dong was holding end-of-year events, so the crowds were far larger than usual.
And in the middle of all that, the appearance of a top-tier actress made not only the fans who had come specifically to see her, but ordinary shoppers too, stop in their tracks.
"Wow... that's Lee Ha-eun."
"She's insane... she's so pretty."
"Her face is tiny! It's like the size of my fist!"
"Whoa, sis! You look way too sexy today!"
"Damn, that's crazy."
"Eeeek! Sis, look over here just once!"
The event hall rang with cheers and applause loud enough to numb the ears.
The reporters who had come to cover Lee Ha-eun kept firing off their flashes without pause.
In the heat of it all, so intense it made one forget the middle of winter, the top-tier actress waved calmly to the screaming fans.
-Waaaaaah!
Just as the cheers grew even louder, the comedian MC Im Seong-geun, who was hosting the event, greeted Lee Ha-eun.
"Hello, actress Lee Ha-eun."
"Oh my, senior?"
"Haha, have you been well?"
"I've been well. How about you, senior?"
"Well, since I'm working on Christmas Eve, I suppose I must be doing fine."
A quiet smile settled on Lee Ha-eun's lips.
"Your wit is as sharp as ever, senior."
Im Seong-geun's eyes went wide.
Why does actress Lee Ha-eun look even prettier than before?
She had been devastatingly beautiful the last time he'd seen her too, but today Lee Ha-eun seemed even more beautiful than then.
Im Seong-geun, who usually treated female celebrities with professional indifference, felt his heart pounding in front of her today.
Stop gawking and do your job.
Shaking off the stray thoughts, he briefly explained the interview process to Lee Ha-eun and then stepped onto the podium.
Bracing his stomach, he shouted loudly, "Hello, everyone! I'm the comedian MC Im Seong-geun!"
The fans who had come to see Lee Ha-eun answered with applause and cheers.
Riding that energy, Im Seong-geun pushed on with more force.
"Christmas Eve! On the world's festival day, the first branch of the world's hottest luxury brand, Eclat d'Or, is opening inside the A Department Store in Samseong-dong!"
After finishing the opening remarks, Im Seong-geun looked at Lee Ha-eun, who sat beside him.
"And to brighten this occasion, we have here actress Lee Ha-eun, Eclat d'Or's first ambassador in Asia! Everyone here, please welcome her with a big round of applause!"
As if they'd been waiting for it, the fans screamed in response.
"Siiis, I love you!!!"
"You're so pretty!"
"Lee Ha-eun is mine!!"
Im Seong-geun burst out laughing and kept the show moving.
"Haha, the person who just shouted 'Lee Ha-eun is mine'? Your girlfriend next to you is glaring at you something fierce. Is this really okay?"
His joke made Lee Ha-eun's fans laugh.
Having loosened the atmosphere with an easy joke, Im Seong-geun looked back at Lee Ha-eun.
"Since this is your first official event in Korea in a long time, the energy is incredible, isn't it, actress Lee Ha-eun?"
A proud smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"It is. The fans are really loving it."
"Then, as ambassador, could you give us a quick word on what kind of luxury brand Eclat d'Or is to you?"
Lee Ha-eun's sweet voice rang through the event hall.
"A luxury brand every woman wants to wear at least once. That's what Eclat d'Or means to me."
And with that, Lee Ha-eun's on-site interview began in earnest.
The fans captured the top-tier actress on camera like mad, and the reporters typed frantically so they wouldn't miss a single word she said.
As the atmosphere reached full heat, Im Seong-geun muttered in a voice colored with amusement, "Hmm... this is a rather troublesome question that made it into the cue sheet."
"What question?"
After shooting a quick glance at the fans filming Lee Ha-eun, Im Seong-geun continued with more force than before.
"If you had a date on a day like today, what kind of man would you want to date, actress Lee Ha-eun?"
"!"
"For the record, I didn't make that up. It's really written on the cue sheet here. If it's too hard to answer, you can skip it, actress Lee Ha-eun."
The fans watching the interview screamed in shock.
"Whaaaaat! No, sis! Don't date!"
"If you're going to, date meeee!"
"We've got a solid man right here!"
"No!! Our Ha-eun has to stay single forever!"
At the fans' fierce reaction, a playful smile appeared on Im Seong-geun's mouth, and an enigmatic one on Lee Ha-eun's.
"Should I just say my ideal type?"
"Oh, of course. Please say whatever you're comfortable with."
Lee Ha-eun crossed her legs.
Through the daring slit at her side, her beautiful legs drew the fans' eyes wide with awe.
Having naturally seized everyone's attention, the top-tier actress parted her lips as if to toy with their anticipation.
The longer she delayed, the more the fans' curiosity grew.
What kind of man would a top-tier actress want to date on Christmas?
Then, without warning, Lee Ha-eun spoke.
"A pure-hearted man who only has eyes for me."
Her expression turned dreamy.
"It would be nice if a man like that appeared like a prince on a white horse and went on a Christmas Eve date with me."
***
Watching Lee Ha-eun's interview, I let out a snort of laughter.
"She's good."
I had to admit it.
Whatever else she might be, Lee Ha-eun was fiercely professional.
Seeing the top-tier actress lead the interview so smoothly, I uncrossed my arms.
"All right, then. I guess it's my turn to move."
The future text message I had received a few days ago surfaced in my mind.
"A drunk barged into the Eclat d'Or launch party and completely ruined actress Lee Ha-eun's mood!"
According to the future head of PR, a drunk would crash today's Eclat d'Or launch party.
At first I couldn't understand how a drunk could even get into a place protected by a security company, but now that I looked at the crowd watching Lee Ha-eun's interview, it made sense.
"Siiis, I love you!"
"Lee Ha-eun, I love you!"
"Holy crap... L-Lee Ha-eun just smiled at me!"
People who had stopped by the department store to celebrate Christmas Eve, fans who had come to see Lee Ha-eun, everyone had gathered to look at one woman.
The atmosphere at the scene felt almost like a concert venue.
Apparently they hadn't expected this many people, because the security staff looked visibly tense.
In a situation like this, a drunk really could slip into the Eclat d'Or launch party.
From Lee Ha-eun's perspective, this Eclat d'Or launch party was a pretty important event.
It was her first official appearance since being appointed Eclat d'Or's Asia ambassador.
There was no reason to hand entertainment reporters a juicy mistake by letting a drunk create a scene on that kind of stage.
I started walking and asked an Eclat d'Or representative to add more security staff.
"We were just about to ask for that ourselves, Team Leader Kwon."
"The crowd's bigger than expected, isn't it?"
"Yes. If we'd known, we would have requested more people from the start. Actress Lee Ha-eun's popularity is really beyond imagination..."
"The interview matters, but please make sure there are more people in the launch party hall too."
The Eclat d'Or representative smiled and replied, "Of course we'll add more people there as well. This party is just the first Eclat d'Or opening event, after all. We absolutely can't have an accident."
At his words, I checked the situation again.
The number of security guards around Lee Ha-eun was steadily increasing.
I also confirmed that more guards had been added to the Eclat d'Or party hall.
At this point, the drunk problem should be handled.
Nodding, I went into the party hall first.
The party had already begun, and the invited VIPs at the Eclat d'Or launch party were enjoying the night of Christmas Eve.
Under dazzling lights, men in expensive suits and women in glamorous dresses laughed as they looked at one another.
Watching that scene, I murmured slowly, We're in the same space, but it feels completely different.
How should I put it... the world of other people?
That was exactly how it felt looking at the Eclat d'Or launch party.
As expected of invited guests to a global luxury brand like Eclat d'Or, the aura and atmosphere they carried were something different from ordinary people.
And special people are drawn to special people.
That tiny upper one percent seemed to know one another already, greeting each other warmly without pause.
Unfortunately, I didn't recognize a single face among them.
Rather than wedge myself into that crowd and suffer through awkward small talk, I decided it would be better to stay by myself and leaned against the most secluded spot.
Quietly observing the party like that, I felt something cold touch my cheek.
Startled, I turned my head, and there was Lee Ha-eun standing behind me with a wine glass in hand.
"What are you doing here?"
My eyes widened.
"Ms. Lee Ha-eun, what about the interview?"
"It just ended."
"Did it go well?"
"Yeah, it went well. But Kwon Chan..."
Lee Ha-eun trailed off and burst out laughing.
"Why are you moping around here all by yourself like some pathetic little thing?"
Her words hit too close to home, and I stammered, "I wasn't moping around."
"Really? It looked that way to me."
The corners of her eyes curved with mischief.
At the same time, she caught my wrist.
"Come on, Kwon Chan."
My eyes flew wide.
"Where to?"
"Where else? If you came to a party, then you should enjoy the party, right?"
Lee Ha-eun led me toward the center of the hall.
At first I was flustered, but before long I found myself staring blankly at her back.
Lee Ha-eun's figure glimmered under the lights, and it felt unexpectedly reassuring.
The Eclat d'Or launch party, which had felt burdensome because it seemed like one of those worlds that existed for other people, began to feel like nothing special at all once I was with her.
When did this woman become someone who could hand me feelings like this?
It felt strange.
That was why my heart was pounding.
Her gradually changing self still wasn't something I could fully adjust to, and yet my eyes kept following her.
Then Lee Ha-eun stopped walking.
When I stopped with her, I belatedly noticed the attention flooding in from all around us.
"..."
The noisy party hall had fallen silent.
The VIPs who had been talking among themselves.
The waiters who had never given me a second glance.
Everyone was staring at us with their mouths hanging open like fools.
"It's Lee Ha-eun."
"But who is that man next to her...?"
"Is he an acquaintance? Who is he?"
At the murmuring of Eclat d'Or's VIPs, the corners of my mouth lifted.
"Who is he, to have Lee Ha-eun smiling like that?"
I had been an uninvited guest, but before I knew it, I'd become the star of the party.
---