Chapter 228: Appearance of a Fairy (2)
Chapter 228: Appearance of a Fairy (2)
"Are you going to Japan again?"
Sua watched with a worried expression as Seo-yeon stuffed her belongings haphazardly into her suitcase.
What kind of girl packs so... manlily?
"What about your makeup?"
"There are people who take care of that for me, even if I don't."
"Did you pack underwear?"
"..."
Honestly, it wasn't like she was a child. Of course she’d pack the basics.
As Seo-yeon subtly averted her gaze, Sua flinched.
"But Seo-yeon, you can be surprisingly clumsy when it comes to traveling. For example, last time, your per—"
"Wait a second."
Seriously, how far is she going to take this?
In the end, Seo-yeon grumbled and began repacking everything from scratch, one item at a time.
Well, I guess there’s no harm in being thorough.
She did feel it was a bit much to leave absolutely everything to her manager, Park Eun-ha.
As she packed, her hand brushed against the Jirai-kei outfit she had bought in Japan last time. She hesitated for a moment.
I probably won't have any reason to wear this in Korea.
Ah, is that why people wear these things in Japan? The thought suddenly occurred to her.
However, since she wasn't going on a personal trip this time, Seo-yeon hung it back up in her closet. She’d save it for the next time she went just for fun.
"Come to think of it, it'll be time for final exams by the time you get back from Japan, right? Sweetie, have you been studying?"
"O-Of course."
It wasn't a lie. Seo-yeon had been studying hard in her spare moments this time. Of course, it wasn't exactly by choice.
"Sky Garden was such a massive hit. We can't have the lead actress, Lee Yu-ju, getting disastrous grades, can we?"
Jo Seo-hee and Lee Ji-yeon had insisted on this, forcing her to study with them during every break in filming.
I just want to play games.
Her heart was full of that desire, but even Seo-yeon couldn't bring herself to refuse their offer to help. Thanks to them, she had—uncharacteristically—cleared most of the exam material.
Of course, she couldn't expect grades as good as Ji-yeon’s, but she had a vague hope that they would at least be the best she’d ever received.
Anyway, with her packing finished, Seo-yeon simply waited for the day of the shoot.
Among the three main characters in Gyeongseong Lady, Seo-yeon’s screen time was relatively low. After all, her character was the villainess. Furthermore, Director Baek Min-chan had been considerate enough to schedule her shoots in blocks, so it was only natural that she had some free time.
Should I set up a meeting with éclat Étoile or Adiz?
Those two brands had been in constant contact since Sky Garden. However, éclat Étoile seemed to find it tricky to utilize the 'student' concept of Sky Garden. They had only recently filmed an ad targeting minors, and they likely felt it was too early for her to do adult-oriented ads given her age and the lingering image of Lee Yu-ju.
On the other hand, as soon as Adiz heard Seo-yeon was filming Gyeongseong Lady...
"We saw your appearance on that Japanese variety show! The reaction in Japan was absolutely explosive, wasn't it? As it happens, our company has been targeting the overseas market lately. And who else would be our first target but Japan? We've actually already established a local branch, but we haven't been able to film a suitable commercial yet."
They were apparently selling through various online malls and websites. Aside from that, however, they had zero TV presence.
In the midst of that, Seo-yeon had not only become a hot topic in Japan but was also appearing in Gyeongseong Lady, so it was only natural that they contacted her immediately. The amount they offered was so staggering it nearly made her nod in agreement without thinking.
But the amount of money isn't what's important right now.
To begin with, Seo-yeon wasn't particularly desperate for cash. She had worked incredibly hard all year. Her bank account already held enough for her to be fine even if she didn't film a single CF for a while.
Of course, she noticed the greed glinting in Young-bin's eyes when he saw her balance. With her mother, Sua, watching him like a hawk, he didn't dare touch it, but he had been subtly making all sorts of requests.
"You know, your dad has a game he really wants to play lately..."
"I heard UMPCs are all the rage these days. As you know, your dad works at a game company. I need to keep up with the trends..."
Well, it wasn't like he was asking for anything extravagant. If only he hadn't shown up fully armored as if expecting to be hit while saying it.
Of course, before Seo-yeon could even think of striking him, he was dragged away by Sua. Seo-yeon wouldn't actually hit her parents, regardless of what anyone thought. She just wondered what on earth they took her for. Sometimes she couldn't tell if they were joking or being serious.
Come to think of it.
While retracing her busy schedule, Seo-yeon suddenly realized she hadn't visited the KMB broadcasting station in quite a while.
Drama Bureau 2 opened recently.
After Sky Garden ended and Grand Game finished its run, KMB had opened Drama Bureau 2. Naturally, the head of the second bureau was Baek Tae-soo. Even though he had been crushed by Sky Garden, Grand Game had still been a decent hit.
Hmm.
Jo Seo-hee had mentioned that since the drama was a hit, it would be a good idea to drop by and say hello. If she went to Japan now, the timing would get awkward again...
Should I just drop by for a bit?
It was just a passing thought.
*
But...
By the time she nearly reached the KMB station, Seo-yeon realized one thing.
Is it okay to just visit the station like this?
Thinking about it, this was the first time she was visiting without a specific reason. Moreover, since Park Eun-ha usually handled the scheduling, this was the first time Seo-yeon had just wandered over by herself.
Of course, she knew several PDs. But even Seo-yeon wasn't in a position to just summon a PD whenever she felt like it. In a broadcasting station, PDs were essentially the ones with absolute power—the ones who held the leashes of ordinary celebrities.
Ummm.
Just as she was considering calling Manager Park Eun-ha to ask for help, she reached the entrance of the station.
Someone caught her eye.
A girl in a white dress.
From behind, her golden hair was cut into a bob that lightly brushed her shoulders. It didn't look dyed; it shimmered like pure gold under the sunlight. She was roughly a bit shorter than Seo-yeon.
...A foreigner?
A tourist? That was her first thought.
However, the way she stood there, swaying slightly as she looked up at the station, was anything but ordinary. Her appearance was far beyond that of a commoner. Even though Seo-yeon had only seen her back, she felt a powerful presence.
"Hm?"
Perhaps sensing Seo-yeon’s gaze, the girl who had been wandering around the station spun around.
And then.
"Ah, found you."
She suddenly pointed at Seo-yeon and spoke.
For the record, Seo-yeon didn't understand a word the girl said.
English? Well, she's a foreigner, so of course she'd use English.
Even if she didn't understand the words, she could infer the meaning from the girl's gesture. Her attitude was as if she had been looking for Seo-yeon.
Wait, if that was the case...
How did she know it was me?
Since Sky Garden, Seo-yeon made an effort to disguise herself when going out. She wore a hat and a black mask. Usually, most people didn't realize it was her.
She must have mistaken me for someone else.
Just as Seo-yeon was about to wave her hand to say no, the girl strode forward. She stopped right in front of Seo-yeon, looking up at her from a distance where their breaths could almost touch.
"Ahaha, I was right. That's my luck for you. I just came to the station without a plan and was wondering how to get inside, you know?"
What is she even saying?
Finals were still a bit away, but it already felt like she was taking a listening comprehension test. Seo-yeon understood almost nothing of what she said. She just thought the girl was incredibly pretty.
Somehow, she looks familiar.
She wasn't a Korean celebrity. If she were, there was no way Seo-yeon wouldn't know her. That meant she was from overseas.
But was there anyone overseas who would know Seo-yeon? Seo-yeon had hardly done any international work yet. At most, she’d only been to Japan. None of the movies or dramas Seo-yeon had appeared in had officially entered the global market yet. In other words, there shouldn't be any work a foreign girl like this would know.
"Hmph?"
Seo-yeon stared blankly at the girl. In response to Seo-yeon’s reaction, the girl suddenly wore a peculiar smile.
"Hello? You're Ju Seo-yeon, right? Your eyes looked redder in the videos. Are those contacts? You have unique taste."
Her tone was strangely sarcastic. Of course, Seo-yeon didn't understand. Seeing Seo-yeon’s blank expression, the girl nodded as if she had expected it.
"You can't speak English?"
"Huh?"
"What, did you not know I could speak Korean?"
The girl took another step forward. Now, they were so close their breath really did touch. Seo-yeon’s face was reflected clearly in the girl's pupils.
"It's nothing special. I can speak about four other languages besides Korean."
It was fluent Korean, without even a hint of an accent. Honestly, it felt surreal. Her appearance was one thing, but her colors were so vivid that she felt different from an ordinary person.
But being impressed was one thing. Seo-yeon tilted her head at the girl who was grinning at her.
"But who are you?"
"...Huh?"
The girl froze, her eyes widening as if she never imagined Seo-yeon wouldn't know her.
"You don't know me?"
Of course she didn't. Sensing Seo-yeon’s genuine confusion, the girl let out a hollow laugh.
"Good grief, you're not joking? I'm shocked. You really have zero interest in anything outside of Korea, don't you?"
It was a casual remark, but the nuance was strange. It was an arrogant, almost haughty tone. Yet, it somehow suited her airy, melodic voice.
"Well, fine."
The girl raised both hands and took a couple of steps back from Seo-yeon.
"I flew to Korea on an impulse."
"Ah, I see."
"Because I was curious about who you were. Alone."
Since Seo-yeon was also getting curious about who she was, it was a relatable sentiment. She was mostly curious about where she had flown in from.
"But, I came here with absolutely nothing, so I'm in a bit of a bind."
"Pardon?"
"I mean, I'm a lost child."
"...?"
"You asked who I am. I'm a lost child who only has a passport."
Despite being told she wasn't recognized, the girl's attitude remained quite peculiar. It was as if she were testing Seo-yeon’s reaction. Her posture was a bit cocky, and there was a nuance of looking down on the other person at the root of her words.
"If you don't mind, could you help me out a bit?"
"Sure."
Since she had nothing else to do anyway, Seo-yeon nodded. She had intended to go into the KMB station, but she was secretly curious about who this girl was.
But before that.
"I have one thing I'm curious about. Can I ask?"
"Sure, what is it?"
The girl spoke with a grin, looking ready to reveal her identity at any moment. She likely expected Seo-yeon to ask who she was. Of course, she was curious about that too, but Seo-yeon was more curious about something else right now.
"Why are you speaking so informally to me?"
"..."
Naturally, the girl had no answer to that.
*
"You're saying Miss Stella went to Korea?"
Amaya Hiroki, a PD who had been planning to interview the 'Fairy of the Century,' Stella, during her visit to Japan, couldn't believe his ears.
It was only natural. An actress who had been wandering around the Japanese broadcasting station just yesterday had suddenly vanished. No one at YHJ Broadcasting Station could stop her from treating the station like her own home.
She was high-handed. That was certainly her attitude, but for Stella, it somehow worked. She walked a fine line, hovering somewhere between being rude and not rude.
If she were just a star from a single country, someone at the Japanese station might have said something. But Stella was no ordinary big shot. She had no rivals in her age group, and even if you looked at those ten years older, there would be at most five stars who could even be compared to her.
Most of all, she's the one and only actress to win the Best Actress Award at the Berlin International Film Festival at the age of eight.
The youngest winner in the history of the Berlin International Film Festival. It had even been her debut work. She hadn't won an Academy Award yet, but many suspected it was only because of a bias against the mixed-race Stella. Even so, it was only a matter of time.
That was the kind of actress Stella was. A person who wasn't called the 'Fairy of the Century' for nothing. An actress who hadn't experienced a single failure from her debut year until now.
That was why they had tolerated her acting however she pleased—just to get a single interview.
And yet, she had just up and left for Korea?
"Even if you say that, there's nothing I can do."
At Asher Baldwin's words as he shrugged his shoulders, PD Amaya Hiroki stammered out in English.
"Nothing you can do? More importantly, did you let your daughter go to Korea all by herself?"
"She was gone when I woke up this morning. Stella has always been a child who acts on her whims, so there's no helping it."
"What if an accident happens?"
"Just like Japan, Korea isn't that dangerous of a country."
Well, that was true. Korea's public safety was certainly good enough by global standards. But still, there was always the possibility of 'what if.' Of course, now that it had already happened, there wasn't much they could say.
"Sigh... So, why did she go to Korea?"
"Well, I don't know for sure, but... I have one guess."
A guess? Amaya Hiroki narrowed his eyes at Asher's cryptic words.
"I suspect she went to meet that actress, Ju Seo-yeon."
"Pardon?"
Amaya Hiroki couldn't help but be bewildered. He never expected Ju Seo-yeon’s name to be mentioned here.
And at that same time.
"Polite speech."
"Well, English doesn't really have polite speech."
"I know it does."
"Oh? What, you know about that? Ahat, but I don't have any. I'm absolutely not going to use it."
Seeing Stella stick her tongue out at her, Seo-yeon began to understand Jo Seo-hee’s feelings a little bit. Though it felt like their positions were completely reversed.