Chapter 218: An Unexpected Love Call (2)
Chapter 218: An Unexpected Love Call (2)
"Oh my, are these the young lady's friends?"
As they stepped inside the mansion, a middle-aged woman greeted Seo-yeon and Ji-yeon warmly.
Young lady?
The two of them shared the thought and glanced sideways, finding Seo-hee looking deeply flustered.
"J-Just ignore her. If you say things like that, they’ll get the wrong idea."
"Oh, my."
The middle-aged woman chuckled softly, her gaze shifting between the girls.
Knowing Seo-hee’s daily life, she had already figured out who the two were. She knew Ji-yeon had visited often in the past to help Seo-hee with her acting; they simply hadn't crossed paths much.
"I am Han Seo-young. I work as the housekeeper for this estate."
A housekeeper?
Seo-yeon was genuinely surprised. She had thought such things only existed in fiction. Then again, if one thought of it as a live-in domestic service, it made perfect sense. She had heard that wealthy households had not only housekeepers but private chauffeurs as well...
Cleaning a mansion this big would definitely require a housekeeper.
Seo-yeon nodded to herself. Still, having a housekeeper felt novel.
She really is a real-life 'young lady,' isn't she? It explained why Seo-hee’s "Michiko" performance had such high resolution and detail.
"Don't you have a dog?"
"A dog? Why?"
"Usually, houses like this have pets, like a dog."
"What kind of stereotype is that?" Seo-hee grumbled.
She seemed a bit embarrassed by Han Seo-young’s earlier remark. Seeing Seo-hee like this made Han Seo-young smile. She had looked after Jo Seo-hee for a long time, but this was the first time the girl had brought friends over. To be precise, it had happened occasionally in the past, but not recently.
Even back then, Seo-hee hadn't felt quite like this. She had seemed more guarded, as if she were constantly building walls. But now, that stiffness was gone. Though Seo-hee always tried to maintain her dignity, right now, she looked like any other ordinary girl her age.
Is it because they’re fellow actors?
Perhaps they were kindred spirits. However, Han Seo-young also felt a flicker of worry. Working in the same industry meant they could easily drift apart depending on the circumstances. One might find success after success while another faced constant failure.
No, there’s no reason to think of the worst, Han Seo-young thought as she guided the three girls further into the mansion.
Seo-hee insisted it wasn't necessary, but Han Seo-young was simply curious. She had heard about Ji-yeon from the other domestic helpers, but this was her first time seeing her in person. Moreover—though it was unlikely—she worried that Seo-hee might be hanging out with the "wrong crowd."
She couldn't help it. Seo-yeon was currently very famous as an actress, and Ji-yeon’s recognition had risen recently after landing the lead role in Gyeongseong Lady. But regardless of their public images, their raw impressions gave her pause.
They aren't... that kind of crowd, are they?
Surprisingly, it was quite common among celebrities—the "iljin" types or similar delinquent groups. From an adult's perspective, they were the kind of kids you had to be wary of. Seo-yeon had a cold, sharp impression, and Ji-yeon looked a bit like a rebel no matter how you sliced it.
And Ji-yeon was even holding a bag with beer cans in it!
While common for pajama parties, they were all minors. It was bound to weigh on her mind. Of course, she didn't intend to stop them from having fun. To Han Seo-young, Seo-hee was like a daughter she had watched grow since infancy. She couldn't help but care.
If only for Seo-ran’s sake.
Baek Seo-ran. Jo Seo-hee’s biological mother, who had passed away when Seo-hee was five. She was the tragic actress who had once set the entire nation of South Korea ablaze with her talent.
*
Regardless, Seo-yeon was currently feeling very strange. This was her first time hanging out with friends like this since her middle school retreat. To be honest, she hadn't even had proper friends back then. Because of her "reputation," no one had dared to approach her easily.
Except for Ji-yeon, most people kept their distance because of her looks.
Those were my 'storm and stress' years, Seo-yeon thought, nodding.
It was embarrassing, but back then, she was easily swayed by emotions she didn't fully understand, and she hadn't completely grasped the extent of her physical abilities. It was a relief she had started exercising properly and gained some awareness later on.
Back then, she truly knew nothing. She never imagined her strength would reach the levels found in fantasy novels. She knew she had an invincible TS body, but she hadn't realized she would be this physically powerful.
Anyway.
"Do you do this often, Seo-hee?"
"Huh?"
Originally, Seo-yeon didn't call Seo-hee by her name. It wasn't that she used titles like "Ms. Seo-hee" or "Seo-hee-yang"; she just didn't use a form of address at all. However, since they had become close recently, she had started using her name.
Why won't she just use informal speech?
Seo-hee grumbled internally, but since the formal tone felt more like a joke now, she decided to let it slide.
"By 'this,' do you mean pajama parties?"
"Yes."
"H-Hmph. Well, I suppose? I usually have a lot of people around me."
"As expected."
Seo-yeon nodded. Indeed, Seo-hee’s sociability was well-known in the industry. People who knew her generally liked her, regardless of their first impressions.
Of course, aside from Seo-hee’s friendly attitude, I think there are innate reasons for that too.
This was something Seo-yeon had realized recently. Specifically, when the actor Kang Seo-hyuk had visited the set and referred to Seo-hee as "the daughter who carries on her mother's legacy."
Something had clicked in Seo-yeon’s mind then. She remembered a program she had seen in her past life. It wasn't a variety show; it was likely a documentary. A documentary covering the life of a certain actress.
Every movie and drama she appeared in was a hit. She had held every title imaginable: "The Nation's Little Sister," "The Nation's Actress." Her career had lasted only about ten years. Because she was so beloved in Korea, her sudden death had left a massive impact.
And her daughter is...
The reason Seo-yeon hadn't immediately connected Jo Seo-hee to her was simple. In her past life, Jo Seo-hee had experienced a major failure with The Moon That Hides the Sun. Perhaps her confidence had shattered, or perhaps there were other reasons, but she had gone through a very difficult time for a while after that. She eventually established herself, but that was much later.
Even so, she was never at the level she is now.
That was why the documentary hadn't covered her in depth. Perhaps Jo Seo-hee herself had requested not to be mentioned. Her pride likely wouldn't have allowed her to be seen as a daughter completely overshadowed by her mother’s legacy.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing."
"More importantly, where are your pajamas?"
"Ah, here."
Seo-yeon pulled the pajamas she brought from home out of her bag. To be honest, they weren't really "pajamas," just comfortable clothes she wore to sleep. Naturally, from Seo-hee’s perspective...
"...Aren't these men's clothes?"
"The fit is baggy, so it's comfortable."
"No, no. Wait, this is just wrong."
Seo-hee let out a sigh. Seeing Seo-yeon staring blankly at her, Seo-hee turned to Ji-yeon with a flustered face.
"Men's clothes are comfortable," Ji-yeon added.
"That's not the point!"
Seo-hee hurriedly checked Lee Ji-yeon’s pajamas as well. Fortunately, these were women's clothes. To be honest, the design was quite plain. Ji-yeon, who usually wore makeup and dressed up, was surprisingly indifferent to this sort of thing.
There's a reason these two are best friends.
Seo-hee squeezed her eyes shut.
"...I'll lend you some of mine."
"You don't have to."
"The mood is important for things like this, okay? Come here."
With a huff, Jo Seo-hee led them away. Following her, the two realized that several rooms in the mansion were dedicated entirely to clothing.
A whole room just for clothes.
I'm going to do this when I make money later.
Seo-yeon and Ji-yeon each had their own thoughts. Seo-yeon wondered if it was really necessary to have that many clothes. After all, even if she brought every piece of clothing she owned, it wouldn't fill even a quarter of this room.
I should probably call her when I go clothes shopping later.
Seeing Seo-yeon staring blankly at her surroundings, Seo-hee guessed her thoughts. She knew Seo-yeon wasn't very interested in fashion, but she hadn't realized it was to this extent.
What a waste of those looks! Seo-hee thought sincerely.
"Let's see... this one, and this one."
She handed a pink pair of pajamas to Seo-yeon and a blue pair to Ji-yeon. It was a carefully chosen coordination based on the image she had of both of them.
"Why am I pink?"
"Pink looks good on you."
"...Hmm."
Pink pajamas. Seo-yeon felt a bit strange about it. Having memories of her past life, she still perceived pink as a very feminine color. And yet, here she was, being told it suited her. Regardless, the design was clearly high-end.
Wait, isn't this a really famous brand?
Curious, she asked how much they cost.
"Huh? I don't look at price tags when I buy things, so I don't know."
Ah, so she just doesn't look at the price?
Seo-yeon was once again impressed by Jo Seo-hee’s wealth.
I'll have to try saying that line later.
It sounded quite sophisticated. With that thought, she began changing into the clothes.
"It's tight around the chest."
"......You're more impressive than I thought. No, I guess... considering your mother."
Jo Seo-hee had also seen Golden Duckling. She had seen Seo-yeon’s mother, Sua. To be honest, from Seo-hee’s perspective, her looks were so striking she wondered why she wasn't a celebrity. Her beauty easily surpassed most actresses. And her figure was at a level rarely seen even among celebrities. Especially, well... the chest area...
I thought she was more of a slender type.
Like me.
Thinking this, Jo Seo-hee reflexively compared her own chest to Seo-yeon’s.
"Wh-What are you looking at?"
"No, wait. I was just checking the fit."
Seo-hee was flustered by Seo-yeon’s action of crossing her arms to hide her chest. It made it look like she had been doing something perverted. She had just thought, Wow, they're bigger than I expected... and noticed the tight pajamas looked a bit uncomfortable.
"And Lee Ji-yeon’s look a bit loose."
"..."
Ji-yeon’s eyes sharpened. Being glared at like that made Seo-hee flinch for a moment.
It's scary when you look at me like that, you know?
I should have brought a folding fan. Then she could have hidden her face behind it. It was a regrettable mistake to come unarmed.
Anyway, the pajamas didn't come in just one size. Since Jo Seo-hee believed in her own potential for growth, she had bought plenty of sizes ranging from small to large. Seo-yeon had her doubts about Seo-hee’s logic, but she was glad for the variety.
They look expensive, and I don't want to rip them.
If they were too tight, she felt like they might tear if she exerted even a little bit of strength.
"But what exactly do we do at a pajama party?"
"We just talk. Want to watch a movie? Or we could watch the footage from our previous shoot. I begged them to give me the files."
"...I'll watch the previous shoot, but only the beginning."
"Why? You did great in the scenes we shot the next day. The ones with Lee Ji-yeon."
Of course, there were scenes shot with Seo-hee as well. Both were romance-heavy performances. Seo-hee suggested watching those, but Seo-yeon quickly raised her hand to stop her.
"I... I'm not ready to watch that acting properly yet."
Seo-yeon had been quite confident in her romance acting. However, despite her confidence, she felt an indescribable sensation after actually doing it. When she watched the scenes later with other people, her face would flush for no reason.
Will I be able to do this with a male actor later?
As an actress, it was unavoidable. She couldn't just appear in action movies or play villains forever.
"Ju Seo-yeon, is an actress feeling shy?"
Reading Seo-yeon’s thoughts, Lee Ji-yeon smirked. At some point, she had already pulled a beer can out of the bag and was holding it in her hand.
"I'm just not used to it yet."
"I think you were better at it when we were kids..."
"When we were kids? Oh, you mean the play?"
"Back then, you were so shameless about that kind of acting."
Was I?
Thinking back to Snow White, it seemed she was. She had leaned her face in as if she were really going to kiss. She certainly hadn't thought much about it back then.
Is this a change that comes with growing up?
She wondered. As she went through middle school, her emotions had matured. Her once dull feelings had sharpened and shifted into various forms. Seo-yeon herself didn't truly know what shape her heart had taken now.
"...But are you drinking that already?"
"If I leave it like this, it'll get lukewarm."
"That's true, but..."
A beer can. It felt a bit awkward to say, but Jo Seo-hee was essentially a sheltered young lady. Forget beer cans; she had never even touched the wines in the mansion. Her father collected various wines, so she had seen many, but she had never let alcohol touch her lips.
"Ah, come to think of it, Ju Seo-yeon, you've never drank either, right? Not this non-alcoholic stuff, but the real thing?"
"Huh? Have you tried it?"
"It's fine if you're with a guardian. I tried some during the holidays."
Ji-yeon told a slight lie. In truth, her first time was during a school trip with friends. But seeing Seo-hee and Seo-yeon staring blankly at her with the beer can, that was the only way she could put it.
What a pair of genuine 'young ladies.'
"H-Hey, don't be like that. Want to try some? The taste is pretty much the same."
Deciding she had to lure the others in, Ji-yeon subtly offered the cans to them. They were definitely going to get warm if left alone. And as the saying goes, the best way to chat is while eating and drinking.
"Hmm... alright."
Seo-yeon took a can.
Well, it shouldn't matter.
Honestly, she was curious about alcohol. People often said that emotions were easily heightened when drunk. Since Seo-yeon was very interested in various emotions, she wanted to know exactly what that felt like. Even if it was non-alcoholic, it still contained a trace amount of alcohol.
And that was exactly where it all began.