Chapter 9
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Scenario 2: Premium
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U Dayoung.
She had met her boyfriend at twenty, and they had been dating for seven years now.
In all that time, neither had ever cheated, their eyes only for each other, hearts filled solely with their lover.
That was why, when Kim Woohyun said he was starting a new company, she could believe in him and cheer him on.
"I tried it with Siu, but the views didn't come in that high..."
He spoke glumly, and Kim Woohyun gently comforted her.
"It's okay, Dayoung. We've already signed with one company, and I've got five personal contracts on top of that, so money won't be an issue for a while. You don't have to push yourself~."
Kim Woohyun took her pale hand and soothed her.
His soft voice had a way of putting her mind at ease.
After seven years together, just being in the same space was enough to calm her heart anyway.
"I feel bad for Siu for no reason."
"Siu's been helping out a ton though..."
"Really? The teaser looked pretty fun to me."
"Huh? You watched it?"
She had thought he was too busy, but apparently not.
"Yeah, Siu showed it to me. It was more fun than I expected?"
"Really? Heh."
In his studio apartment, with the cool air conditioning blowing, she gazed up at him from his embrace, her eyes full of love.
"You can keep going if you want, but don't overdo it. Got it, Dayoung?"
"Yeah, I will. Heh."
Thanks to him, the heavy weight on her heart lightened considerably.
She caressed her lovely boyfriend's cheek, then sent him a sticky, longing look.
"Wanna do it? It's been a while."
"Huh? Now?"
Words weren't necessary. Their lips met, and as always, their straightforward intimacy followed.
He wasn't particularly skilled or anything, but just connecting with him filled her heart to the brim.
They lay in bed together, drifting off to end the day.
A few hours later.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes and headed to the kitchen for water, only to see the glow of a laptop from the living room.
"Woohyun?"
After a sip of water, she went to the living room and found Kim Woohyun asleep on the sofa bed, his laptop open in front of him.
She glanced at his screen—his schedule was packed, likely from all his commitments.
Looking closer, it was crammed with funding details for projects with various contractors.
"......"
A Post-it note beside it.
[We can hold out until next month......]
The scribbled writing was legible enough.
He had told her everything was fine, but it seemed the pressure was getting to him a bit.
"......"
She couldn't exactly wake him up and ask why he lied.
She knew he was trying to shoulder it all alone so she wouldn't worry.
She lifted the half-fallen blanket and covered pitiful Kim Woohyun completely.
U Dayoung.
The Post-it from last night kept circling in her mind.
Sitting at her desk, she watched Kim Woohyun constantly on calls with someone.
"Yes, yes. Oh, then I'll come in person tomorrow. Yes, I've got all the contract forms ready. Yes. Sure. Ah~. Yes, thank you."
At his old company, he just did what was assigned, but now he was bending over backward to accommodate clients—it looked so pitiful and exhausting.
Still, since he was chasing the dream he wanted, his face shone brightly.
"Hoo..."
He might not realize how tough it was, but his girlfriend watching from the side felt worn out.
Click.
Knowing his efforts, U Dayoung endured.
In the meantime, she checked the [Neulsom Studio] channel, but the teaser had barely surpassed 200 views.
And it had been almost a week already.
"Even if we upload today, the views won't be great..."
Nam Siu had said views pick up once content builds up, so just wait patiently, but she couldn't hide her frustration and anxiety.
"Hoo... Isn't there some good idea...?"
With a sigh, she pondered if there was any decent content.
Clatter.
As she racked her brain for ways to help, Kim Woohyun grabbed his things and stood.
"I'm heading to Seoul for a bit. Should be back by evening, so head home after work~."
"Again?"
He seemed to spend more time in Seoul than at the office.
Despite her worry, Kim Woohyun smiled brighter than anyone.
"Sorry~. Once things settle, I'll stick with you even if you tell me not to~."
"Hoo~, okay~. Drive safe. Got it, honey?"
"Of course~."
Nam Siu, sitting by the window at his desk, gave a thumbs-down and jeered at their PDA.
"Eww, I hope that couple breaks up~. Eww~."
"Ugh, you wanna die?"
U Dayoung swung her hand, but all three knew it wasn't serious.
Just their usual banter.
With Kim Woohyun gone, only the two of them remained in the office.
She finished the sound editing in the quiet and rested her chin, spotting Nam Siu across from her.
"Hmm... maybe he knows something."
She hauled her heavy butt over to him.
"Hey, Siu."
Nam Siu, deep in work, looked up at her peering down.
"You don't time everything down to the exact second."
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
"There's this thing, y'know. Why? What's up."
She hesitated telling her worries to his blank stare, but soon opened up.
"It's not anything big... Do you know how the company's finances are?"
Nam Siu flinched at that. He definitely knew something.
"I don't really."
He played dumb, but he was a friend she'd known as long as Kim Woohyun.
"Ugh. Spill it while I'm asking nicely."
She pretended to grab his collar. Still, he shook his head.
"No, really, I don't?"
"I can read your face. Tell me quick."
"......No, really no."
He definitely knew.
"Agh, come on. Really. I'm part of the company too—why do only you and Woohyun know?"
"......"
Nam Siu relented with a sigh and stood, letting go of her hand.
"Grab a chair. This'll take a bit."
"......Okay."
The usually carefree guy seemed serious for the first time.
She fetched a chair and sat beside him.
"Don't tell anyone I said this?"
"Obviously."
Nam Siu glanced at the ceiling, then sighed deeply.
"Haa~, really shouldn't..."
"Agh, hurry up."
She figured as his girlfriend, she couldn't be left out of this.
"Truth is... the office and everything, we did it with the money we scraped together."
"......Yeah."
"But we were a bit short on cash. So we took out loans too..."
He explained the details slowly, and U Dayoung's face hardened.
Gyeonggi Province or not, renting this big an office wasn't cheap.
"That's why all the Seoul trips are to snag outsourcing gigs."
"Ah..."
"He vented to me lately about how tough it is. Guess he didn't wanna burden his girlfriend..."
Now the scattered puzzle pieces clicked together.
"Haa..."
"He's still landing deals left and right, so it'll stabilize soon. Don't worry."
Nam Siu tried to reassure her too, but she knew it wasn't that simple.
After a moment's thought, U Dayoung met his eyes squarely.
"......It's all about money, right? Waiting for content to grow takes too long?"
"......It's all about money, right? Waiting for content to grow takes too long?"
I bit my lip hard to stifle the laugh bubbling up.
It made me look like I was seriously pondering and worrying.
"Probably..."
"Isn't there something good we could do...?"
"Only way is to tough it out. Or... nah, forget it."
I trailed off, implying it was a total no-go.
"Agh, what? You got a method?"
"......Since I already spilled the secret, might as well."
"Yeah, yeah."
U Dayoung perked up her ears, listening intently.
"It's a site from the US—great exchange rates, super reasonable fees?"
"What is it? Gambling?"
"Pfft, you think I'd tell you that? Anyway, you upload the same kinda content videos."
I'd racked my brain for days inventing a fake site.
Seeing it finally pay off had me thrilled to the core.
"But it's got a bit of a 19+ label..."
"You talking porn site?"
She furrowed her brows, face screaming 'absolutely not.' But this was scripted in the scenario book, so no sweat.
I'd poured my heart into the details.
"Nah, it's our guy-friend girl-friend stuff, just more direct."
"......"
She still didn't get it.
"Like, how far can you go with a guy-friend or girl-friend? Or adult toy reviews, y'know. Normal adult talk?"
"But why 19+?"
"'Cause you do it hands-on."
U Dayoung froze, lips twitching like cognitive dissonance hit.
Proof discomfort was rising.
But we had to push past. A little discomfort was tolerable for now.
[Discomfort: 20]
"That's why I hesitated to say. Money rolls in big though. Sigh, forget I mentioned it. Just letting it pass."
I waved it off like no big deal.
"Y-yeah, kinda iffy."
"Only said it 'cause you were stressing. Don't mind it."
I patted her shoulder.
"Just putting it out there. If we ever did, we'd keep it from Woohyun, obviously. Anyway~. Pointless talk."
I skirted around, stirring her mind into chaos to make her choose it herself.