Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: That Thing's Doomed
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‘Ajusshi... damn...’
Actor Lee Sung-min froze for a moment, his face going blank at the unexpected ambush.
The three syllables "ajusshi"—something he'd never heard directed at him in his entire life—hit him like a punch to the gut.
"Hmm... Seon-hwa, don't you think calling me oppa would be better?"
"Pfft... Y-yeah, Seon-hwa. Yu-ra unnie and I aren't that far apart in age, so why not call us that?"
Chae Soo-jeong made a troubled face, while Ha Yu-ra was clearly forcing back laughter, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
He'd half-expected something like this on the way over, but it confirmed his suspicion: he and that Ha Yu-ra girl just didn't vibe.
"Hmm... Ajusshi... oppa? Whatever, how old are you?"
The little girl, Chae Seon-hwa, stared at him with wide, sparkling eyes as she fired off her question.
She was undeniably cute, but it also sent a strange wave of discomfort through him. Still, Sung-min answered her first.
"Ahem... Twenty-five."
"What? You really are an ajusshi. You're older than my mom."
"Ah..."
"Uh..."
"Kh! Heh heh..."
"..."
Her words left him speechless, and the people around him nodded as if it all made perfect sense. Amid them, Ha Yu-ra covered her mouth, giggling uncontrollably.
The kid's utterly logical and natural declaration: anyone older than Mom is an ajusshi.
Lee Sung-min realized then that no matter what he did, this little girl would never see him as anything but "ajusshi."
At that moment.
"Mom, I need the bathroom."
"Okay. Excuse me for a moment."
With that, Chae Soo-jeong stepped away briefly, and Chae Seon-hwa glanced back at him before grabbing her mom's hand and disappearing.
Left alone after his attempt to chat had spectacularly failed before it even started, Sung-min felt an indescribable sense of defeat washing over him, making his head spin—even though they hadn't exchanged more than a few words.
However.
‘Ah... no... this isn't the time to mope... I finally made it here, so somehow, I need to strike up a conversation later...’
He knew full well this gathering wasn't the best place for him to insert himself.
It was a celebration of soaring ratings for the drama The Queen Dowager, Sovereign of Deception, so an outsider like him butting in wasn't exactly a flattering picture.
If not for his connection to PD Lee Dong-cheol, even a famous actor like him would have been a major nuisance.
But despite the awkwardness, Sung-min had chosen to attend today.
There were some personal schedule conflicts, but an even more pressing reason.
The thought: If not now, it'll be too late.
Pulling himself together by recalling his original goal.
At that moment.
One person who'd been savoring the scene with delight sidled up to Sung-min.
Ha Yu-ra.
"Don't sweat it, sunbaenim. It's natural for kids to see people our age as ajusshi and ajumma."
"...You seem pretty pleased about being called unnie, though."
"Of course! Unnie sounds way better than ajumma. Objectively speaking, it means I look much younger than you, sunbaenim."
"...Sigh."
Ha Yu-ra, pretending innocence while ruthlessly scraping at his nerves.
Sung-min suddenly felt a genuine urge to just turn around and leave.
At that moment.
"So, what brings our esteemed sunbaenim here? Even using that dubious excuse?"
"No reason to tell you."
"Well... you don't have to. I had a pretty good guess the moment you walked in. Casting, right?"
"...What, you pick up fortune-telling on the side?"
Sung-min raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with irritation and a hint of surprise.
As Yu-ra had guessed,
The reason a top actor like Lee Sung-min—known to everyone who mattered—had come all this way was that woman.
Chae Soo-jeong. To make her one offer.
As soon as possible,
Before things got complicated later.
And this was something Ha Yu-ra knew all too well herself.
"Just one drama so far. But that's more than enough to prove her acting chops. Soon, directors and PDs will start sniffing around. If you want to lock her down, now—before the drama even wraps—is the perfect time."
"...Ahem."
Her words hit the nail on the head, so Sung-min took a swig of beer to wet his suddenly dry throat.
Breaking out in broadcasting was incredibly tough.
But once you seized that one chance and built momentum, you could rocket up without restraint—that was the nature of the industry.
And right now, in Sung-min's eyes, that woman...
The rookie actress Chae Soo-jeong was primed and ready to soar.
Through this drama, she'd solidly proven her monstrous talent.
The heartthrob pretty boy who swayed women's hearts, the final boss Queen Dowager radiating intense presence,
And just the other day, the raw scream of a mother losing her child.
By flawlessly embodying such diverse, complex characters, she'd shown from her debut that she could handle multifaceted roles.
In a world where actors feared typecasting and image burnout as the biggest risks, this was a massive advantage.
Plus, she'd etched her presence vividly into viewers' minds,
And as a rookie, her rates were still affordable.
This setup was ideal for pulling her into the project Sung-min had already committed to.
"So, what masterpiece is so amazing that a busy star like you comes recruiting in person?"
"No reason to tell you."
"Hmph, so prickly. But if you're going this far, you must really like me, right? Something on the level of Director Park Tae-won's work, maybe?"
"..."
Her words made it clear she knew exactly what she was talking about.
Feeling his energy drain in real time, Sung-min clamped his mouth shut.
Damn... how did things end up like this...?
Originally, Sung-min had planned to use this project as a "rival work" to test himself against Chae Soo-jeong.
Even as a rookie, her skills surpassing his own had ignited a competitive fire in him, the acknowledged top actor.
However... now that her true identity was revealed.
In this situation, where "Han-seo" wasn't a fellow pretty-boy powerhouse but simply a highly skilled actress,
Sung-min's view of her had shifted dramatically.
From a rival to beat, to an exceptional actress who could match his breaths perfectly.
At first, I was wary of our overlapping images, but a woman changes everything. A heroine with this talent... she'd elevate the project's quality by at least a notch.
He valued the work itself over fame or money.
If it meant raising the bar for his shoots, he'd personally scout fitting talent without hesitation.
That was actor Lee Sung-min.
And so, even at the cost of some strain, he'd decided to meet Chae Soo-jeong today and talk.
To offer her a role in his upcoming project.
Despite the surprise blow from her presumed "daughter" and Ha Yu-ra's unsettling stares making him uneasy.
But then.
"Sorry, my daughter seems tired, so I should head out."
"Ah, then let me give you a ride. I have some errands too since I came out suddenly..."
"..."
The culprit kid started dozing off right after returning from the bathroom.
Before Sung-min could even broach the topic properly, Soo-jeong stood, and Ha Yu-ra stuck to her side like glue, rising with her.
His casting attempt foiled by these two "interferences."
As the kid, nestled in her mom's arms, cracked her eyes open slyly at the last second—probably just his imagination—Sung-min sipped his unusually bitter beer alone.
Ha Yu-ra, with Chae Soo-jeong and Seon-hwa in the back seat.
She looked normal on the surface, but inwardly, she breathed a sigh of relief.
From the moment Lee Sung-min appeared, she'd been on high alert.
She knew exactly what he wanted—and it directly threatened her own plans to work with Soo-jeong on a follow-up.
But aside from a few pokes, Yu-ra had no real way to stop him.
He was a household name... even if the kid had dissed him... anyway, a mega-star with massive fame in Korea.
With his superior connections and backing, blocking his casting move and "protecting" Soo-jeong seemed daunting.
Especially since, from Soo-jeong's perspective, acting with Sung-min would be a huge opportunity—bad for Yu-ra, but golden for her.
In that sense, Seon-hwa's timely nap and Soo-jeong's exit were pure luck for Yu-ra.
But then...
"You can get up now. Thanks, you did great, my girl."
"Yeah, Mom."
"...Huh?"
The moment the car pulled away, Seon-hwa sat up as if nothing had happened, and Soo-jeong thanked her.
Yu-ra was genuinely stunned.
"W-wait... Seon-hwa wasn't actually sleeping...?"
"No, the vibe felt off... And Mr. Lee Sung-min paying attention to me was a bit much. So I faked it."
Meaning she'd grasped the situation too.
Yu-ra felt oddly puzzled and asked cautiously.
"I-is that okay? He seemed like he was there for casting. Missing a big chance like that..."
"It's fine. I've already gotten offers for my next project, and I prefer acting with comfortable people over burdensome ones anyway."
"Ah..."
In other words, she preferred working with Yu-ra over someone like Sung-min.
Interpreting it that way, Yu-ra felt a strange sense of victory—and more than joy—warming her cheeks without realizing.
I'll check schedules... and definitely pitch it. Not just dramas with Teacher, but movies too...
Drifting in a hazy bliss, Yu-ra plotted their sweet future.
Meanwhile,
Separate from Yu-ra's thoughts, Soo-jeong let out a relieved sigh for entirely different reasons.
Sung-min's offer might seem like a golden opportunity at a glance.
But Chae Soo-jeong knew the truth.
Recalling her past life and timing it out,
That project flopped spectacularly.
Not due to quality issues, but something else entirely.
Lee Sung-min's next gig... Even with two lives, no reason to walk into the slaughterhouse.
With that fact, a certain someone's face flashed in her mind.
Feeling a sudden chill despite herself,
Chae Soo-jeong slowly stroked Seon-hwa's head, clinging close, to calm her nerves.