Chapter 206: As It Is (1)
Chapter 206: As It Is (1)
It was a complete coincidence that Yeo-hee ran into Seo-yeon.
She was on her way back from the restroom after filming a music show. It was never her intention to find Seo-yeon standing right in her path.
I should go somewhere else...
She had made up her mind and was about to slip away quietly. Yet, for some reason, by the time she snapped out of it, she found herself naturally standing right next to Seo-yeon.
Wait, did I do something wrong? It’s perfectly fine to strike up a conversation.
After all, wasn't Seo-yeon her junior in the entertainment industry? Even if she wasn't as an actress, Yeo-hee was a far more senior figure as a singer! Therefore, it wasn't strange at all for her to approach a junior who seemed to be troubled by something.
"Hmm."
However, after they exchanged greetings, Seo-yeon stared at Yeo-hee with a suspicious glint in her eyes. It was a look that said she wanted to ask something but couldn't bring herself to do it.
Was it that?
You still like my dad, don't you? Was that what her eyes were saying?
What do you take me for!
No matter how she felt, acting on it now would be an affair. Yeo-hee had a bit of a wild streak, but even she wouldn't go that far. To think she’d receive such a look from a junior who was young enough to be her daughter.
Anyone else could look at her that way, but not Seo-yeon.
I’m the woman who could have been your mother... well, not really, but still.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?"
As the saying goes, a guilty conscience needs no accuser. Seeing Yeo-hee flinch, Seo-yeon finally snapped out of her thoughts.
Of course, Seo-yeon had no idea what kind of impure thoughts Yeo-hee was harboring. She simply wanted to ask this pro of unrequited love how one could pine for someone so intensely.
But I can't really ask that.
If she were her past self, maybe, but now that she understood emotions, it was a question she couldn't bring herself to ask. Honestly, she was curious about what the reaction would be, but it wasn't a question to be asked lightly.
Above all, she knew the gist of the story from her mother, Sua. It was quite a gripping tale, so she remembered most of it.
To be honest, her impression after hearing the whole thing was:
They were both just spinning their wheels in vain.
The childhood friend, who had the biggest advantage, realized her feelings as a woman too late. And Yeo-hee was too late to confess because of her pride. They had both been easily defeated by Sua, who had charged straight in the moment she realized her heart.
Then again, how many people could resist someone like my mom charging at them?
It was the fault of those two for letting their guard down when such a formidable opponent was nearby. Or perhaps, because Sua looked so fragile on the outside, they never imagined she could be so proactive.
Still...
Seo-yeon looked at Yeo-hee. The past was the past; the Yeo-hee Seo-yeon knew was only the Yeo-hee of the present.
Yeo-hee’s song on Masked Singer—the music that sang of memories—had definitely reached Seo-yeon’s heart. Thanks to that, Seo-yeon had been able to sort out her feelings and move toward her goal step by step. So, if given the chance, she wanted to repay her in some small way.
"Well then."
Seo-yeon gave Yeo-hee a polite bow. Honestly, there was a lot she wanted to ask, but Seo-yeon had tact. Asking those things would be difficult even for someone like Yeo-hee. She had no intention of intentionally poking at an old wound.
"Ju Seo-yeon!!"
Just then, someone came running toward Seo-yeon in a hurry. She turned around to see who it was.
"What are you doing here?"
It was Jo Seo-hee, panting heavily from the run. Had she really gotten exhausted from just that little bit of running? Seo-yeon made a mental note to teach her some exercises later. Her stamina was far too low.
"I'm here for the Gyeongseong Lady matter. Are you here for that too?"
"I'm here for Dream Future."
"Then it's basically the same thing. It's all about the Japanese broadcast, right?"
Ah, come to think of it, they had decided to rush the import of Gyeongseong Lady to Japan as well. They must have been discussing that today.
"But why are you doing that at KMB?"
"Apparently, they're planning to air a documentary about the film's production to coincide with the movie's release. In other words, they're going to film us while we're working and air it as a documentary. It'll be released on OTT in Japan."
"Do they usually do things like that?"
"It's a first for me too, but I guess it's like an expanded version of a making-of film? Well, there's no harm in filming something like this. In the end, more exposure is always a win."
Seo-yeon nodded at Jo Seo-hee's words. She was certainly right. But if Jo Seo-hee was here, did that mean Lee Ji-yeon was here too?
Why didn't she give me a heads-up?
After all, she was one of the lead trio; it felt odd to be left out.
"No, Ji-yeon didn't come. I'm here because my dad is an investor."
"Ah."
If that was the case, there was nothing to be done. Seo-yeon nodded, then looked at Jo Seo-hee with a fresh perspective.
"But didn't the New Like side usually stay out of acting matters?"
"I don't know either. I tried to turn it down... but he said it wasn't because of me."
Seo-hee looked at Seo-yeon as she spoke. Though she didn't say it out loud, the superficial reason her father had cited was 'Seo-yeon.'
"I'm not investing to watch your back. I'm doing it to help your friend."
That's what he had said. Not for Jo Seo-hee, but for that friend. He wanted to help Ju Seo-yeon grow.
"Wouldn't you be happy if your friend succeeded?"
Jo Seo-hee had no choice but to keep her mouth shut at her father's words.
Of course, that's probably not the only reason.
Jo Seo-hee knew her father. He wouldn't have handed out charity like a parent buying hamburgers for the whole class just so people would be nice to his daughter. He strictly believed it would make money. Since he knew she would refuse if he used her as an excuse, he clearly used Seo-yeon as a pretext. He must have known that Jo Seo-hee was particularly soft when it came to Seo-yeon.
"Oh."
Lost in thought, Jo Seo-hee finally noticed Yeo-hee standing awkwardly next to Seo-yeon. One of the representative singers of South Korea. In truth, Jo Seo-hee didn't know much about singers, but she had heard Yeo-hee's songs often while practicing acting with Ji-yeon. Ji-yeon was a huge fan of Yeo-hee.
Thanks to that, Jo Seo-hee had become a fan as well. How surprised she had been to find out Yeo-hee had appeared on Masked Singer! Since her opponent had been Ju Seo-yeon, Jo Seo-hee had found the final stage incredibly entertaining.
"You're the singer Yeo-hee, right? I'm the actress Jo Seo-hee. It's an honor to meet you."
"Ah, r-really?"
Jo Seo-hee's bow was full of grace. Seo-yeon had her own unique aura, but Jo Seo-hee was similar. It wasn't an aura one was born with, but a dignity cultivated through life. It was the kind of feeling that made people say 'a lady from a noble family' for a reason.
To capture the general, shoot his horse.
Anyway, Yeo-hee wanted to get closer to Seo-yeon. She truly had no impure intentions. It was purely because she was her friend's daughter. Her eyes naturally drifted toward her for many reasons.
However, Seo-yeon clearly seemed to be avoiding her. In that case, she would win over her close friend...
"I saw you on Masked Singer. The song you sang there was so romantic."
"W-Was it?"
"Yes. The opening song of the game you all made together in high school. And the romance that unfolded there."
"...Huh?"
"I lost track of time reading the posts online. I heard there was a man you had an unrequited crush on in the game development club?"
"..."
"You made the game together, and he stopped you from quitting music several times. But that man was already with another woman..."
"..."
"But at the graduation ceremony, at the very last moment, you sang a song that was practically a confession!"
Jo Seo-hee spoke with a rare sparkle in her eyes. After all, Jo Seo-hee was a girl her age too. It was only natural for her to get excited when talk of romance came up.
"And I heard you still haven't given up on those feelings and still cherish them."
Above all, Yeo-hee's story was quite dramatic. Leaving for Seoul at the end and becoming a grand success. Jo Seo-hee sincerely thought Yeo-hee was cool.
"To overcome the pain of heartbreak and sublimate it into song... I learned a lot. I'm sure if that person saw the Yeo-hee of today, they would definitely reconsider... Huh?"
As Jo Seo-hee was speaking, Seo-yeon poked her shoulder.
"You looked all that up, but did you miss the most important part?"
"What?"
"That 'crush' is my dad."
"...Eh?"
Was he?
Jo Seo-hee fell into thought for a moment. She had been so focused on Yeo-hee's story that she had forgotten who the other party was. To be honest, the image of Young-bin from Golden Duckling and the image of Young-bin in Yeo-hee's story were so different that she had forgotten they were the same person.
If that was the case, what she just said...
"Ah."
Cold sweat broke out on Jo Seo-hee's forehead. For the record, Yeo-hee was already on her knees on the floor. Jo Seo-hee looked back and forth between Yeo-hee and Seo-yeon for a moment.
Then, she quietly knelt down beside her.
*
Jo Seo-hee seemed extremely flustered, but Seo-yeon wasn't particularly offended. On the contrary, thanks to Jo Seo-hee, an atmosphere had been created where she could naturally talk to Yeo-hee.
"Honestly, I'm a bit interested too."
"In-In what?"
"Stories about romance."
This was so unexpected that Yeo-hee was a bit taken aback. Honestly, Seo-yeon didn't seem like she had anything to do with romance at all.
"Liking someone else, and how to fall in love... I don't even have a clue."
"...Hmm."
She wondered why Seo-yeon was asking her, but it was a concern typical of a girl her age.
So that's what she wanted to ask earlier.
She felt like she finally understood the reason for that subtle look. She could also guess why Seo-yeon hadn't asked.
"Actually, I think she would be better at explaining this than me..."
"She?"
"Young-bin's childhood friend. She's a novelist, so she'd be better at describing this kind of thing than I am."
However, Yeo-hee had no intention of contacting her over something like this. Yeo-hee had already been battered from every direction and was practically in tatters. Feeling bad for Jo Seo-hee, who was awkwardly hovering nearby, she decided to laugh it off instead.
"Let's all make plans to meet up later. Is this because of the movie?"
"How did you know?"
"..."
The fact that Yeo-hee was strangely well-informed about Seo-yeon's schedule was a bit concerning, but they parted ways after making a clean promise to meet. Seo-yeon was curious about the high school stories that Sua hadn't told her, and she also wanted to empathize with the 'romantic' emotions that had Jo Seo-hee so excited.
A few days passed after her encounter with Yeo-hee.
"Ju Seo-yeon."
The day before the next filming began, Jo Seo-hee came to Seo-yeon's school. Today, she had a rather grim expression.
She was wearing a mask and sunglasses to hide her identity, but since she was wearing a school uniform, she stood out even more.
"Did you sell the Mercedes? You're always on a bicycle lately."
"Hmph, you said I didn't have any stamina."
Come to think of it, Seo-yeon had said that when they last parted—that she should exercise because she seemed to lack stamina. Perhaps because they were in a public place, Jo Seo-hee was in full 'Villainess' mode today. Her eyes were sharp, and when she whipped her head around, the kids who were trying to take pictures fled in surprise.
"...Aren't you being too defenseless?"
"I try to leave things be as much as possible at school."
"How generous of you."
After replying, Jo Seo-hee tapped the back of her bicycle seat. Seo-yeon shook her head at the gesture, which clearly meant for her to hop on.
"Why? I can at least carry someone like you."
"It's impossible."
"?"
No, she was being serious. Besides, Seo-yeon running would probably be faster than Jo Seo-hee pedaling.
"But where are we going?"
"I came to tempt you into watching a movie with me."
Jo Seo-hee smiled brightly and pulled two tickets from her pocket. Seo-yeon stared blankly at her. Why a movie all of a sudden?
"It's a romance movie. It's actually quite steamy. Even 15-rated movies are pretty intense these days."
"Did you already see it?"
"Yes. But I don't mind seeing it again."
She said it was an apology for the other day. What she had said to Yeo-hee was quite rude for Seo-yeon to hear.
"I think it'll definitely be helpful for you."
Seo-yeon hesitated for a moment at Seo-hee's words. Honestly, she didn't think Seo-hee needed to apologize. It was something she could have easily not known or forgotten. In the first place, it was something the parties involved would just laugh off. Only Yeo-hee would die of embarrassment.
"...Okay."
Seo-yeon eventually nodded. She acknowledged Jo Seo-hee as an actress. If she was personally recommending a movie, there had to be a reason.
Well, how intense can a 15-rated movie be?
That's what Seo-yeon thought.
And then.
Huh?
Seo-yeon froze at the feast of flesh unfolding on the screen.
Wasn't this 15-rated?
Of course, that wasn't the only thing. The emotional lines were incredibly dense and deep. Glancing to the side, she saw Jo Seo-hee munching on popcorn with a nonchalant face. Her image suggested she would make a fuss over things like this, but when it came to movies or dramas, she was infinitely serious.
Of course, the same went for Seo-yeon.
This is, well...
Seo-yeon curled her toes and fidgeted with her fingers. She felt a very unfamiliar, bashful emotion.