Lee Se-rin Is Not a Tsundere
Hearing someone call my name, I turned around to find Lee Se-rin standing there.
“Kim Doyun! Where do you think you’re running off to like that?”
“Haha… running off?”
I had greeted all the staff, but it was true I had left in a hurry. I had slipped away out of consideration for Lee Se-rin, who had nearly caused an accident on stage. With her pride, she must have felt awkward facing me after showing that side of herself during the live broadcast.
That was what I thought, yet Lee Se-rin came to a stop in front of me, breathing hard.
“You. How could you just leave without saying a word to me? Haah… haah…”
Her voice was strangely different from her usual sharp tongue.
“Why? I said goodbye to the staff. I even got my fill of scolding from the director.”
“What…?”
“I probably won’t be setting foot in KBC Broadcasting Station again. Well, I can always perform on the streets. It’ll be fine.”
When I teased her, Lee Se-rin swallowed hard, looking startled.
“Wait. I’ll go talk to him. I’ll tell him it was my fault…!”
She looked ready to rush back to Director Lee Tae-ryun at any moment. It was amusing. For some reason, teasing Lee Se-rin always felt thrilling and new. Smiling at the thought, I said,
“It was a joke. The ratings were good, so there probably won’t be any disciplinary action.”
“You…!”
Lee Se-rin let out a sigh of relief and glared at me.
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s scary.”
“You…”
Lee Se-rin shook her head as if giving up.
“Forget it. I’m not talking to you anymore.”
“More importantly, what brings the great actress all the way here, out of breath?”
At my joke, Lee Se-rin suddenly thrust her phone toward me.
“How were you planning to contact me?”
“Huh?”
She forced the phone into my hand.
“Put in your number.”
It was a command, yet she avoided my eyes. Caught off guard by her intensity, I typed in my number and handed it back.
“Mm…”
Lee Se-rin checked the number on the screen for a moment, then let out a small breath as if her tension had finally eased.
“Done.”
Lee Se-rin realized she had spat out her usual sharp remarks and bit her lip.
No, that wasn’t what I meant to say…
The moment the stage light had fallen, her entire body had broken out in cold sweat and her vision had gone white. She had regressed to the helpless child she had been ten years ago. That was when someone had stepped into the backlight, their shadow enveloping her. Kim Doyun, looking at her from within that light. He had pulled her back onto the stage from the depths of that terrible memory.
I need to properly thank him.
Kim Doyun smiled and spoke first.
“Call me first, all right? I’ll pick up anytime to match the great actress’s schedule.”
Standing in front of him, no words came out. She opened and closed her mouth, hesitating several times.
“Hm? Got something you want to say?”
Kim Doyun seemed to realize something and struck first.
“You can skip the thank-you.”
He tried to laugh it off with his usual smooth smile, but that wouldn’t do. She couldn’t let him leave like this.
“Wait.”
Lee Se-rin reached out without thinking and grabbed his collar tightly.
“Yeah?”
“…Thank you.”
“What?”
“…Thank you.”
“I can’t hear you.”
…Kim Doyun. He had definitely heard her, but he was doing this on purpose. Whether he realized it or not, he had a nasty hobby of tormenting her. Lee Se-rin let out a small sigh, then looked straight into his eyes with flushed cheeks and spoke clearly.
“Thank you. Really, truly.”
It was the first time in her life that the genius actress, who had never bowed her head to anyone, had confessed her gratitude.
I saw Lee Se-rin smiling for once.
So she can smile like this too.
If she was this grateful, maybe now was the perfect timing! To recruit her as a candidate member for the future independent film.
“If you’re that thankful, can you do me a favor?”
Lee Se-rin looked at me suspiciously.
“Say it.”
Perfect. One step closer to securing the lead role for the independent film!
“Soon, about the movie……”
Just as I was about to continue, Lee Se-rin stared toward the main entrance in surprise.
“Uh… huh?”
A woman in a neatly tailored black suit was walking quickly toward us from the broadcasting station’s main gate. Her sharp gaze and confident stride were anything but ordinary.
What’s this?
For some reason, it felt like she was staring straight at us. She framed us with her hands as if taking a picture, then approached with a satisfied smile.
“My, what a lovely shot! The two-shot is excellent.”
At her words, Lee Se-rin cried out in shock.
“Aunt?!”
Aunt? I had never heard Lee Se-rin mention any relatives besides her mother. The woman Lee Se-rin called her aunt stopped in front of me and looked me up and down as if appraising something.
“As expected, both of you are definitely Cheongram material! That face paired with that kind of acting.”
Cheongram? Wasn’t that Korea’s top actor management agency? She smiled at my reaction.
“I saw your performance. Quite impressive for a rookie.”
“Aunt! What are you doing here?!”
Lee Se-rin grabbed the woman’s arm in alarm. The woman snorted and looked at Se-rin.
“This girl. You spent days pestering me about some actor who gave an incredible performance, and now you’re acting like this?”
“I-I never! I only said there was someone a little unusual…!”
The usually icy Lee Se-rin was now flushed to the tips of her ears, at a complete loss. This was… pretty cute.
“Ah, my apologies. I haven’t introduced myself.”
She pulled a business card from her pocket and handed it to me.
“Actors speak through their work. Cheongram handles the rest.”
— Cheongram Entertainment / Director Go Yun-hui
Cheongram Entertainment’s catchphrase. Only then did the name printed at the bottom of the card register.
Go Yun-hui, the director. In the industry, she was known as the woman with the Midas touch. She had discovered countless top stars and was the very person who had raised Lee Se-rin, the actress who would one day aim beyond Korea for the world stage. She smiled, satisfied with my reaction.
“I can see why our Se-rin couldn’t stop talking about you.”
“Aunt, please…!”
Go Yun-hui ignored the flustered, bright-red Lee Se-rin and continued.
“A talent that fits Cheongram perfectly.”
“A-Aunt?!”
Her intriguing words made me ask,
“I’d like to hear more.”
At that, Director Go Yun-hui smiled.
“Then, shall we head to Cheongram first and discuss the details?”
Not long after riding in Director Go Yun-hui’s car, we arrived in front of Cheongram’s headquarters, a towering building in the heart of Gangnam.
“Here. Get out.”
At Lee Se-rin’s words, I stepped out of the car.
“So this is it.”
It was an incredibly tall building. From the first floor to the top, every level represented the achievements Cheongram had built over the past several decades.
“Whew.”
To think I would one day set foot here, and at the invitation of the famous Director Go Yun-hui herself. She opened the glass door with a smooth motion and smiled.
“Supporting actors so they can focus solely on their craft. That’s the virtue of a management agency, isn’t it?”
“A fine motto.”
Director Go Yun-hui gave a small nod.
“At Cheongram, you won’t have to worry about privacy, at least. Just look at this tight security.”
As she said, the moment we entered the first-floor lobby, security guards in uniform cast sharp glances from every direction.
“It certainly doesn’t look like just anyone could walk in.”
“Exactly. Our company’s security is that strict. Care to test it?”
“Test it?”
“If you try to pass through the gate alone without a pass, you’ll be stopped immediately.”
Lee Se-rin shook her head in embarrassment at Director Go Yun-hui’s proud tone.
“She’s always had a strong sense of loyalty to the company.”
“Impressive.”
At my half-joking remark, Director Go Yun-hui smiled with satisfaction. As she had predicted, when I approached the gate, the result was exactly as expected.
Without an access card, you can’t get through.
At the time, card-key gates like this were only seen at a few major corporations where security was critical. Most places still had guards checking people manually.
She wasn’t exaggerating.
While I was thinking this, a guard stepped in front of me and asked politely,
“Excuse me, where are you from?”
“Ah, I’m……”
“If you have an appointment, we can verify and guide you.”
I smiled harmlessly.
“Ah, actually, Director Go Yun-hui……”
Before I could finish, the guard responded as if he understood.
“So you’re Director Go’s guest! I thought so from the moment I saw you. I’ll escort you right away.”
Just then, Director Go Yun-hui approached, holding her head.
“I believe I told you not to let outsiders in without an employee ID.”
Only then did the guard recognize her and bow hurriedly.
“D-Director Go. My apologies! He looked so distinguished that I assumed he was an actor.”
“He is an actor. Still, rules are rules.”
“Haha……”
Looking slightly embarrassed, Director Go Yun-hui sent the guard away.
“I’m sorry. The system was only recently installed, so it’s still a bit rough around the edges. This won’t happen again.”
“Then why brag about it for no reason, Aunt?”
At Lee Se-rin’s remark, Director Go Yun-hui walked over and gave her a light pinch. In a voice only Lee Se-rin could hear, she whispered,
“Be quiet. I’m trying to make a good impression!”
“Hmm.”
They seemed quite close. Given how comfortably Lee Se-rin acted around her—someone usually so cold— their relationship was clearly more than just agency director and contracted actress. Following Director Go Yun-hui down the hallway, I overheard employees talking nearby.
“Hey, did you see that? The guy with Director Go Yun-hui.”
“Yeah. A rookie?”
“If Director Go is personally escorting him, there must be something to it.”
“His face isn’t bad either.”
“Not the current trend, though. More like the ’90s vibe.”
That was… a compliment, right? As expected, Director Go Yun-hui’s influence within Cheongram was unparalleled. Lee Se-rin tugged lightly on my sleeve.
“What are you looking around for? Just follow me. You’ll get lost.”
“Do you think I’m a five-year-old?”
“Yes.”
Maybe because this was her home ground, Lee Se-rin seemed a little more confident.
It suits her.
Following Director Go Yun-hui, we boarded the elevator. After a long ascent, it came to a smooth stop.
— Ding-dong —
The doors opened to reveal a spacious office with a panoramic view.
Entertainment Business Division
So this is……
Dozens of employees were bustling about. The walls were lined with large posters of Cheongram’s stars.
Lee Se-rin’s is here too.
Director Go Yun-hui spread her arms wide and spoke with a proud smile.
“Welcome. To the heart of Cheongram—the Entertainment Business Division.”