Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Be My Boyfriend
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"Humming humming~"
Oh Young-ae was humming a cheerful tune.
These days, she was truly savoring every single day.
The Soccer Girl live stream she'd done not long ago.
Honestly, soccer was far from her interests, so she'd started with a bit of regret in the early stages. But throughout the broadcast, she found herself cheering excitedly without realizing it multiple times.
Chae Soo-jeong's utterly astonishing performance, beyond anyone's expectations.
Especially that picture-perfect moment of piercing through the enemy lines and shaking the net—it had become an unforgettable scene for Oh Young-ae and her subscribers.
Her momentum back then had been so ferocious,
people were even saying Chae Soo-jeong wasn't just Joseon's Greatest Swordsman in the drama setting, but actually the Sword Immortal in real life too.
Of course, since it was women's soccer, anyone even slightly skilled would stand out relatively more, and most people, including Oh Young-ae, knew it wasn't actually that level. Still, a fair number seemed to be pushing that theory(?).
Anyway, thanks to Chae Soo-jeong's Soccer Girl stream hitting the jackpot beyond expectations,
and then uploading edited clips to hoover up even more subscribers and views, Oh Young-ae's subscriber count was now at 730,000.
At the same time, her faith(?) in Chae Soo-jeong had grown just as massively as her soaring subscribers and views.
"Then, that'll wrap up today's review~! Thanks for watching, and see you next…"
Oh Young-ae declared the end of the stream in a lively voice.
Having been a bit tired from the last few days, she was about to call it a day, rest up, and reach for the mouse.
That's when it happened.
"Huh?"
As she was giving her closing remarks, the chat suddenly started flooding rapidly.
Learning that the long-awaited ZTBC new drama had finally been announced, Oh Young-ae forgot her fatigue and immediately grabbed her mouse and keyboard.
She'd been checking broadcast stations at least twice a day for ZTBC dramas or Chae Soo-jeong appearances.
Now that the news had hit, she sprang into action.
Just like last time, her trademark diligence had reeled in a big catch, and she expected the same this time.
In just a few seconds, Oh Young-ae accessed the ZTBC site.
That's when.
"! Th-this…!"
A poster prominently displayed on the ZTBC homepage main screen.
Oh Young-ae's eyes widened as she spotted it.
It wasn't a fusion historical drama like Tears of the Queen Consort or The Queen Dowager, Sovereign of Deception.
What she saw were youthful men and women in bright outfits, smiles playing on their lips.
But they were all familiar faces to Oh Young-ae.
From Park Chan-su, steadily appearing on ZTBC,
to Ha Yu-ra, still her ultimate bias.
Since she enjoyed variety shows too, Yeo Hyo-min, who felt more like a big sister than her cousin in the countryside.
The superstar Lee Sung-min, whom even spies would know after a month in Korea.
And…
smiling haughtily alongside them,
Chae Soo-jeong.
Gazing at the ZTBC new drama page, which boasted an extraordinary cast from the start,
Oh Young-ae was seized by overwhelming excitement, her eyes practically rolling back, as she dove into the details.
"Youth romance, huh…"
Like Ulsan snatching Day-Gang-Du...
ㄴ Nah, not that level.
ㄴㄴ Pretty similar? Got sold as nuclear slave recently.
There was quite a bit of talk since Lee Sung-min seemed a bit above the level for this.
But with the fire incident—relatively downplayed in reports—having hit hard, people felt some doubt but mostly accepted it.
Plus, there was something even more attention-grabbing than Lee Sung-min.
The drama's completely different genre from her previous works,
and casting none other than Yeo Hyo-min and Lee Sung-min brought massive surprise to Oh Young-ae and the ongoing stream viewers.
Especially Yeo Hyo-min, whose tough-guy(?) look only fit action flicks, doing this drama was pure shock value in itself.
However,
regardless of the chat reactions, Oh Young-ae's focus right now was on one person among the star-studded cast.
Chae Soo-jeong.
Someone she'd only seen in historicals, either disguised as a man or in the heavy role of the Queen Dowager.
Seeing her as a fresh-faced college girl was shocking in itself.
Plus, as someone rarely exposed to the media, her casual clothes felt precious on their own.
The impact of her Queen Dowager days was so huge she hadn't shaken the image yet.
But regardless, it was clearly sparking plenty of interest from viewers.
With curiosity and anticipation, people began counting down the days to the premiere of this new drama,
Reply 1989.
Oh Young-ae wasn't the only one benefiting from Chae Soo-jeong's exploits.
Venaris cosmetics brand.
Thanks to the massive hit CF tied to The Queen Dowager, Sovereign of Deception recently, their sales—which had been plummeting—had successfully rebounded.
And at the center of that success was the woman who'd led the project,
Han Jung-hwa.
"Haha! I knew it'd be like this. As expected of Jung-hwa, worth entrusting it to you!"
"Thank you, President."
"Keep it up like this. Good news coming soon."
"Yes! I'll do my best!"
Han Jung-hwa expressed her gratitude with a polished, professional smile.
Not long ago, talks of her head rolling had vanished, and now promotion whispers were in the air.
After wrapping up with the president and returning to her office,
she slowly plugged earphones into both ears.
-"You are mine forever... Han Jung-hwa."
"Heeeng..."
A sweet voice that never got old, no matter how many times she listened.
Despite the good vibes, dealing with higher-ups always drained her mentally.
As Han-seo Big Brother's jade voice soothed her weary body and mind, Han Jung-hwa trembled slightly with a blissed-out, relaxed face.
"Haa... Th-this... for now..."
After a dose of 'Han-seo powder' like she'd taken some drug, Han Jung-hwa straightened her expression.
During her remaining break, she casually started web surfing.
That's when.
"Huh? What's this?"
The ZTBC homepage main screen she'd clicked absentmindedly.
Spotting a familiar face there, Han Jung-hwa focused her half-drifting mind.
"Han-seo Big Brother... in romance? Who's the partner?"
Though the Chae Soo-jeong on screen was clearly a college girl,
to Han Jung-hwa, she was still 'Han-seo Big Brother.'
The fact that he(she) was doing romance was thrilling in itself.
Plus, with a new product CF coming up, she needed to update Han-seo Big Brother's current image in real time.
"Partner's Lee Sung-min... or The Beasts' Chan-su? Gotta check the plot first..."
This work brimmed with the vibrant energy of youth, unlike the heavy tone of the previous one.
So, the ads should match—light and low-pressure.
Of course, she'd see once the lid was off.
'Either way, hope the drama succeeds first... And maybe update the voice files with a new one on this occasion...'
With cold commercial instincts mixed with sticky personal bias, Han Jung-hwa eyed the upcoming drama with keen interest.
Seasoned actors develop their own acting philosophy.
In that regard, Yeo Hyo-min's was simple.
Acting is POWER.
Push any scene with force, and it'll work somehow.
Not just action, but emotional clashes too—overwhelm with strong momentum and seize the mood.
Her muscular build, tough impression, and intense aura made her performances unforgettable, key to her projects' success.
The recent Crime Village 2, surpassing 8 million viewers and ending triumphantly, owed much to this image.
And this philosophy applied to her 'romance acting' here too.
-Be my boyfriend.
Yeo Hyo-min pinned the man to the wall, delivering her lines with sturdy momentum.
Amid her flushed face and surprisingly bubbly vibe,
there was a stark disconnect, yet an unstoppable flow.
And the target of this confession.
The soccer team vice-captain Yeo Hyo-min crushes on—an extra with lots of screen time but few lines.
He replied in a trembling voice, hard to tell if real or acting.
"Y...Yes."
-Cut!
The scene wrapped.
Watching the extra slump down as if his legs gave out, Yeo Hyo-min chuckled lightly and offered a hand.
"Hey, what's with the guy lacking stamina?"
"S-sorry, Senior."
"Chin up. You're 'my man' at least. Time to raise your name value, right?"
"Y-yes. I'll do my best."
Like a big bro... no, big sis patting the junior's back reassuringly.
Then, her manager, who'd been watching, rushed over.
"Great work, sis. Protein shake here."
"Ah, thanks."
Yeo Hyo-min chugged the protein, maintaining her steadfast aura as always.
Watching her, the manager blushed faintly.
Not just a manager, she was Yeo Hyo-min's true fan too.
"Sis's acting is always so powerful and refreshing. Like a knot untying with a snap? No one matches your intensity."
"Hmm... You think? Doesn't feel that way to me."
"Huh?"
An unexpected response from Yeo Hyo-min.
As the manager blinked in confusion, Yeo Hyo-min smiled reliably and handed back the empty bottle.
"There's someone like that. Anyway, that's a wrap today. Let's prep to head out."
"Ah... Okay."
Yeo Hyo-min left with her manager.
In the final moment, her gaze turned to her over there, preparing similarly.
Chae Soo-jeong.
The one who'd pulled her into this drama.
The woman who'd overwhelmed her in pure presence.
'Tomorrow already? Looking forward to it. Wonder what reaction Soo-jeong's acting will draw.'
That's when.
"Ung…"
"Hm?"
A cute voice suddenly from beside her.
Turning, Yeo Hyo-min spotted a familiar little creature.
Small and adorable, naturally bringing a smile to Yeo Hyo-min's lips.
"What's up, Seon-hwa?"
"Ung... Well, you see..."