Comfort

A fleeting shadow of someone familiar flickered in Park Ga-eul’s eyes for just an instant.

Startled, I asked her back at once. "What do you mean, Ga-eul?"

My shout made her shoulders jerk.

After hesitating for a long moment, she took a step back from me and murmured, "Ah, I’m sorry."

"?"

"Ah, seriously, what’s wrong with me... I’m sorry, Director."

Park Ga-eul kept apologizing to me.

She looked like a clockwork mechanism with a missing gear, shuddering and grinding against itself.

Only after a beat did I realize something was off with her, and I narrowed my brow before asking, "Ga-eul, is something wrong?"

"..."

"You don’t look well at all. Did something happen?"

Ga-eul worried her lip before confessing, "I haven’t been sleeping properly lately, so I think stress has been piling up."

"Stress? Why? What are you worrying about?"

"...I’ve been working on songs for the competition show, and I guess things aren’t going the way I want, so I’ve been getting a little on edge."

At her explanation, my eyes widened.

Is she getting mood swings because of songwriting stress?

That was common enough for artists who wrote lyrics and composed music. Sensitive people could get especially volatile when the work wasn’t flowing.

Once I understood the situation, I soothed her slowly. "There’s still some time before the competition show, so take it easy."

"Still, I wanted to prepare in advance. It’s a good opportunity, isn’t it?"

"That’s true. But don’t stress yourself out too much."

Park Ga-eul smiled. It was the faint smile I had always known from her.

"Yes, Director. Sorry for bringing up something strange."

"Then shall we go get coffee?"

"Yes."

We started walking. Fortunately, the temperature between Park Ga-eul and me returned to normal.

After some light chatter, we bought coffee and went back to the editing room.

But in the back of my mind, I kept thinking about the shadow of Lee Ha-eun I had glimpsed in Park Ga-eul’s eyes.

Was that look really just from songwriting stress?

I didn’t know.

I couldn’t be sure.

And yet, I got my answer from Seol Chae-i the next day.

"Ga-eul unnie seems to be under a lot of stress lately."

The youngest, who couldn’t lie to save her life, put my worries to rest.

The day after my meeting with Director Choi Jeong-eun, I took Seol Chae-i with me to Daon Jewelry headquarters.

As soon as we stepped into Daon’s meeting room, Seol Chae-i muttered in disbelief, "...What kind of office has a chandelier?"

As she said, the chandelier hanging from the ceiling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was far too large and extravagant for an office. Normally, I would have made a joke about it too, but I wasn’t really in the mood.

With my arms folded, I kept thinking about the same thing I had been worrying over since last night.

Did Park Ga-eul really say that to me because of songwriting stress?

My thoughts kept looping back on themselves.

Then Seol Chae-i called my name.

"Director."

Snapping out of it, I answered, "Yes, Seol Chae-i."

"...If this meeting goes well today, am I becoming Daon’s brand model?"

"If the negotiations go well, then yes."

Seol Chae-i rolled her eyes and muttered, "Um... it doesn’t really feel real."

"Really? Hmm, once the shoot starts and your commercial comes out, it’ll feel real."

"It’ll feel real when the CF airs, but on the other hand, I think it’ll make me feel pressured too."

She let out a long sigh.

"Wouldn’t it be bad for the company if sales don’t go up because of me?"

There was no way sales wouldn’t go up. This girl was going to be a future CF queen, after all.

I considered how to explain it, then just went straight for the truth. "Chae-i, sometimes you worry too much."

"Huh?"

"The results aren’t even in yet, so why are you already deciding everything for yourself? That’s a bad habit."

"..."

Seol Chae-i watched my expression carefully and apologized. "I’m sorry."

"No, I’m not scolding you."

"...Really? Director, your face makes it look like you are."

"So you’re saying I have a nasty look on my face?"

Seol Chae-i nodded.

"...Can’t exactly say it’s pleasant, can you?"

Ah. So this was what it felt like to get hit with blunt honesty from Seol Chae-i.

With a snort of laughter, I pushed myself up from the chair I’d been leaning back in.

"Chae-i, you really can’t lie."

"It’s not that I can’t. I just try not to."

"Why?"

"Because... I’m afraid it’ll become a habit."

"That’s a good mindset and a good habit."

"The older sisters say that sometimes a white lie is necessary too."

Fair enough. Being too honest could be a problem in itself.

Then a thought brushed through my mind.

After a brief hesitation, I brought it up casually. "Chae-i."

"Yes, Director."

"How’s Ga-eul doing these days?"

At my question, Seol Chae-i tilted her head. "Ga-eul unnie?"

"Yes. I saw her yesterday, and something about her seemed off, so I wanted to know how she looks from your side."

Seol Chae-i chewed lightly on her lip, then let out a long breath. "Ga-eul unnie looks like she’s under a lot of stress."

The corner of my eye twitched.

"Stress?"

"Yeah. That singer-songwriter competition? Since that topic came up, she’s been working on songs every day. But since it’s not going well, her expression has been awful."

"..."

"So I keep telling her to take breaks, but she won’t listen. It’s almost like she’s become obsessed."

"!"

Something that had been lodged tight in my throat slipped away all at once at Seol Chae-i’s explanation.

So she really has been working on songs?

Still, I couldn’t jump to a conclusion yet.

To make sure, I asked one more question. "Does she seem a little sharper than usual?"

"Sharper too, and maybe more emotionally sensitive?"

"..."

"Lately she keeps telling us she loves us and that we’re all she has. Honestly, she seems kind of out of her mind."

"!"

The dark fog in my head cleared right up.

Talking like that every day... yeah, it really does sound like songwriting stress.

An unknown sense of relief washed through my chest.

With my calm restored, I folded my arms and thought, Yeah. This makes sense.

Why would Park Ga-eul suddenly develop feelings for me beyond manager and artist?

But if that’s the case, I should probably check in on her properly later.

Mental illness is a chronic problem in the entertainment world.

Even Hallyu star Kwon Hyeon-bin hadn’t realized he was depressed.

And rookies like Park Ga-eul, who had only a short career in the industry, could fall into that kind of condition far too easily.

Pressure over results, burden, stress. Those things can motivate you, sure, but they’re also major reasons people get mentally wrecked.

I’d need to meet Park Ga-eul alone later and talk to her.

With that, I organized my thoughts and leaned back slowly into the chair.

Maybe the worry had lifted because of Seol Chae-i’s explanation.

Suddenly, my whole body went slack, and I felt oddly good.

When I lifted my head, I stared idly at the chandelier overhead and only then tossed out a remark. "That chandelier looks gaudy no matter how you look at it, doesn’t it?"

"Yes. Honestly, I think it’d be better without it."

"Please say that again when Daon’s people are here, Chae-i."

"Should I really, Director?"

"...No, I was joking, so spare me."

Just then, the closed meeting room door opened, and a woman in her mid-twenties with piercings appeared.

"Ah! I’m sorry! The meeting ran late, so I’m late too! Have you been waiting long?"

It was Kim Hwa-ok, Daon’s project manager, and our lucky girl Lee Ye-ji’s close friend.

Rising from my seat, I smiled brightly and said, "Hello, Manager Kim Hwa-ok. I’m Kwon, Director of Team 5 at Baekhak."

The meeting with Daon began.

Manager Kim Hwa-ok pulled out a file and started explaining. "The To.Any marketing effect was huge. Especially the rings from this quarter’s new Modern Classic line, which was included as a sponsorship item, sold out completely. As you probably know, Director, our jewelry customers are mostly in their teens and twenties, right?"

At Kim Hwa-ok’s explanation, I nodded slowly. "I understand the most influential buyer groups are Gen Z and MZ."

"Yes, exactly. So while it’s unusual for one of these mid-priced models to sell out completely, headquarters was shocked when those numbers came in."

The corner of my mouth lifted.

So this wasn’t just a brand-model proposal thrown out because of her friendship with Lee Ye-ji.

When you have solid data, the discussion becomes easier. I leaned forward.

"Our To.Any also received Daon’s sponsored ads and got very positive feedback. The fandom overlap between To.Any and Daon is fairly significant, after all."

"Oh my, so it’s a win-win situation?"

"You could say that. Of course..."

Letting the sentence trail off, I shrugged.

"The brand model issue is another matter."

"Right, we should be very clear about that part too."

"The conditions I was given in advance were a two-year exclusive model contract with a 100 million won signing fee. Has anything been revised, Manager Kim Hwa-ok?"

"No, nothing has. But if..."

Manager Kim Hwa-ok trailed off and glanced at me cautiously.

"Are our terms very different from what Baekhak had in mind?"

"Hmm, no. If the proposal you gave us is accurate, then it’s actually much better than what we had expected."

That wasn’t flattery; it was the truth.

In the industry, the average signing fee for a rookie idol becoming the face of a brand is around 50 million won.

Daon’s offer was far above what I had expected.

But that was before knowing how much advertising effect Seol Chae-i would bring as a model.

"However, there is one issue."

"Ah, is there another problem besides the contract terms?"

"Not a problem exactly. More of a proposal."

"A proposal? What kind?"

"I’d like to reduce the exclusive period to one year."

"!"

Manager Kim Hwa-ok looked flustered and asked again, "Umm... reduce the exclusive period?"

"Yes, Manager."

"...Wouldn’t that be bad for Baekhak? Usually people extend exclusive periods if anything, not shorten them."

She was right. Normally, when you sign an exclusive model, you extend the contract period, not shorten it. But I already knew Seol Chae-i would become Daon’s flagship model.

If Seol Chae-i becomes the CF queen, this contract isn’t all that satisfying.

With Seol Chae-i alone as their brand model, Daon would make tens of billions.

And yet the signing fee was only 100 million won? Even if she was Lee Ye-ji’s close friend, I’m not the type to do business at a loss.

But asking Kim Hwa-ok to raise the signing fee right now would be a ridiculous demand.

So I came up with lowering the exclusive period instead.

If the exclusive term is shorter, renegotiation comes sooner.

Then, at the next round of talks, I’d be able to ask for terms far better than these.

With my thoughts settled, I began explaining calmly. "As Manager Kim Hwa-ok said, it’s more common to extend the exclusive term, but To.Any is still a rookie group, right?"

"Ah, so because they’re rookies, being tied down to one place feels burdensome?"

"Yes. They’ve only just started getting attention, but if you think about the possibility of music videos and other sponsorships coming in, our side felt in team meetings that a one-year contract was the right call, even if it means taking a bit of a loss."

A tiny twitch appeared at the corner of Kim Hwa-ok’s mouth.

Not letting that opening go, I pressed the advantage. "From Daon’s side too, wouldn’t it be better to reduce the risk of introducing a rookie idol as a brand model from two years to one?"

"...Well, that is true. But Director."

"Yes?"

"Is this maybe... you doing us a favor because of Ye-ji?"

I gave a short laugh. "Well... I won’t say that has nothing to do with it."

"Oh! You really don’t have to do that!"

"I’m only half joking. Ye-ji does have some influence, but the conditions I just proposed are based on the current trend and the numbers. In the end, a contract is a contract."

Kim Hwa-ok’s eyes sparkled with gratitude, making her look almost overwhelmed.

"Oh dear, what am I supposed to do with this? Thank you so much."

"Then shall we go with these contract terms as they are?"

"Let’s do that! Oh, and this is a truly personal question, but... is Ye-ji good at her job? She’s got a bit of a clueless streak, doesn’t she?"

At Kim Hwa-ok’s question, I answered without hesitation.

"She’s not just good at her job."

"Huh? Then... you mean she’s bad at it?"

"She’s a born lucky charm. A lucky charm."

"Huh? That’s her nickname? She was always the type to get into trouble back in school."

"She still causes trouble when she works with me, but lately she’s only been causing the kind of trouble that makes people happy."

At my teasing, Manager Kim Hwa-ok burst out laughing.

"Our Ye-ji really is blessed with work luck."

"You think so?"

"Of course. She got to meet such a good boss, after all. That’s work luck right there."

I shrugged. "It’s the opposite. I’m the one with work luck because I got such a good subordinate like Lee Ye-ji."

The meeting for Seol Chae-i’s brand model deal came to an end.

"Then the photo shoot starts sometime next week?"

"Yes! Baekhak was good enough to give us favorable terms, so we can’t drag our feet either. We’ll move as quickly as possible!"

"Please take care of us, Manager Kim Hwa-ok."

"Oh, no, thank you, Director!"

After leaving Daon headquarters, I dropped Seol Chae-i off at the dorms and then returned to the company.

So that’s it for Seol Chae-i’s part?

It seemed like it.

Once the photo work was done and Daon began full-scale marketing... all I had to do now was wait quietly.

After sorting things out in my head, I rubbed my eyes.

"Ugh, I’m exhausted."

Maybe it was because I had stayed up all night dealing with the unfamiliar situation that had suddenly landed on me. Or maybe it was the relief of finishing a big task.

The moment I got back to the company, sleepiness hit me hard. But today, of all days, I had an unusually heavy load of work to get through.

Just as I could no longer tell whether I was fighting paperwork or fighting off sleep, the manager working overtime with me said, "Director, you look really tired."

"Ah, do I?"

"Yes. Why don’t you close your eyes for a bit?"

After thinking it over, I stood up.

"Then I’ll go out and get some air for a moment."

I headed up to the rooftop of the company.

Since it was after quitting time, there was no one up there.

I collapsed onto the bench at the far end, the one that had become my usual seat, and massaged my stiff shoulders.

"So staying up all night worrying yesterday really did take it out of me..."

Heavy with fatigue and drowsiness, I melted into the bench.

I put a cigarette to my lips in that state. I hadn’t lit it yet when I was staring blankly at the autumn sunset sky.

Then a strange hand snatched the cigarette right out of my mouth.

"An employee skipping work to smoke."

"?"

"I just came from seeing the CEO, and I should’ve reported you for slacking off."

My eyes widened.

"Lee Ha-eun?"

Lee Ha-eun, the top-star actress, appeared against the red sunset.

She took off her hat and said, "You look half dead, Kwon Chan."

Her sharp, distinctive voice drove the sleep right out of me.

What the hell is this woman doing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠here?

Why was she here? No, more important than ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that, how had she found me hiding in the corner of the smoking area?

Lee Ha-eun flopped down beside me and propped her chin on her hand, staring at me intently.

My throat bobbed under that unreadable gaze.

"You came to see the CEO?"

"Yeah."

"...If you’re done with business, go home. Why come looking for me?"

"The Eclat d’Or launch party is next month, right?"

"Right."

"I came to talk about that, and I wanted to check a few things too..."

She let the sentence trail off and reached out to brush my hair back.

"I’m going to do it next time. Today isn’t the only day we have."

Her touch was softer than I expected, and my heart started pounding. At the same time, I thought back to what had happened with Park Ga-eul.

That was a misunderstanding.

But the woman sitting in front of me truly had feelings for me.

I can’t let things get any closer with a woman like that. I can’t leave even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a little room.

Before I knew it, I had grabbed her wrist rather sharply.

Lee Ha-eun’s eyes widened, but the water had already been spilled.

"What are you doing? What if someone sees this?"

"..."

"Don’t you think about your position? It doesn’t matter that we’re at the company. What if rumors start?"

My voice came out sharper than I expected.

Maybe that was why Lee Ha-eun’s brow drew tight.

Watching that change in her expression, I had a bad feeling.

We’re going to have a huge fight.

Lee Ha-eun had changed, but she was still Lee Ha-eun.

I had raised my voice and snapped at her, and with her personality there was no way she’d just back down.

She’s definitely going to fire right back and yell at me too.

The fatigue I’d been holding back surged up at the thought of what was coming.

I was even considering standing up first before I ended up shouting back in exactly the same way when Lee Ha-eun’s lips moved.

"Sorry."

"?"

"Come to think of it, I was careless. Sorry."

My shoulders jolted hard.

"L-Lee Ha-eun?"

"What?"

"...Are you apologizing to me right now?"

"Why? Am I not allowed to apologize?"

"...No, you’re not supposed to apologize!"

I stumbled over my words like an idiot and tried to explain. "This is the moment when you’re supposed to get angry, Lee Ha-eun. So why aren’t you mad? Why are you apologizing?"

At my question, Lee Ha-eun tilted her head.

She kept staring at my face like that before muttering, "Your face looks bad."

"Huh?"

"I said your face looks bad. And it was my fault too."

"!"

My eyes widened.

Lee Ha-eun admitted she was wrong?

But her odd behavior didn’t end there.

Turning her head away again, she muttered, "To be honest, I came here today intending to tease you a little..."

Then she looked at me with eyes full of concern and affection.

"I was going to get annoyed and make you check in with me too..."

Maybe it was because of that look.

What I heard in my ears right then sounded like comfort.

"But I don’t feel like doing any of that anymore. Not after seeing your face today."

At that clumsy attempt to comfort me, the sharp edge in my nerves slowly melted away.