Dream (3)
I avoided Lee Ji-yeon's furious glare and checked the time. I'd only dozed off for about ten minutes. It was amazing that I'd had such a vivid dream in that short span.
While I absentmindedly looked around, wondering how to appease her, she spoke first.
"...How was it?"
She must have been talking about the shoot.
...Uh, how was it? If she found out I hadn't watched properly, she might get even angrier. I racked my brain calmly.
The shoot hadn't been going long when it started, but Lee Ji-yeon had been sitting right next to me. Clearly, the director—her fan—had rushed to wrap it up. With nine years as a manager under my belt, I could predict that much.
She liked hearing praise like how pretty and beautiful she was. I picked words that wouldn't rub her the wrong way.
"...You came out pretty again, so it'll turn out great."
I looked at her and realized my response had fallen short.
"..."
Not satisfied, she tilted her head slightly and met my eyes. I couldn't handle being around her when she was this mad, so I chose to flee.
"...You must've done amazing if it's done already... I, uh, I'll go talk to the director for a sec."
"..."
"...Be right back."
She kept staring right through me. I jumped up and headed to Director Kim, who was monitoring the raw footage.
"Whoa~ Check this out! Lee Ji-yeon's got that visual power, so even half-assed shots pack a punch!"
Director Kim was gushing nonstop, clearly blown away by her. It felt a bit awkward to butt in right then, so I cautiously asked a staffer standing nearby.
"How far along is the shoot?"
"We were supposed to do a few more takes and pick the best, but the director's in a great mood today."
"I missed most of it taking a call—did it come out okay?"
"Oh yeah, you know Director Kim doesn't get this hyped for just anyone."
Director Kim noticed me chatting with the staffer and called out.
"Hey! Manager Kim! Come take a look at this."
"...Sure."
He proudly showed me the footage and started explaining.
"The 30-second one's gonna go like this..."
"This is for the TV ad, and it'll run the same on YouTube."
He seemed thrilled with the results.
"Man... Lee Ji-yeon's just stunning, no matter how many times I see her!"
"Look at this—even my rough edit pops. No corrections needed!"
Director Kim kept rattling on, chuckling and cracking jokes.
"Tell President Choi thanks... Nah, I'll do it myself!"
"Ji-yeon said she doesn't need to check it, so I'll send the final to the company."
"Got it, I'll pass it on."
As I talked with the director, Lee Ji-yeon's voice came from behind.
"Director, should we do more takes?"
"Oh! Ji-yeon! Nah, I'd love to shoot more, but you've got that important schedule today! Go on ahead."
...I'd never heard about any other schedule for Lee Ji-yeon. Wrapping this up so fast didn't make sense. Just in case, I tried steering toward more shooting.
"...Director, if you need more, we can..."
"Thanks, Director."
Lee Ji-yeon cut me off, clearly not interested in more.
"Yeah, go ahead if you need to. Hurry off—good work, everyone."
"See you next time."
Starstruck Director Kim waved us off, urging us to go. No choice—we left the studio.
On the way to the parking lot, Lee Ji-yeon's mood seemed better; she even cracked a small smile. Whatever the schedule was, at least she wasn't pissed anymore. I checked her expression.
No matter what it was, she didn't look upset.
"...Shouldn't you take off the makeup before we go?"
Lee Ji-yeon glanced at me and replied.
"I'll have to redo it soon anyway, so it's fine."
...Where are we going that requires makeup?
"...Don't you have no schedule?"
"I do. I'm busy today... You really don't know what day it is?"
I racked my brain, but nothing special came up—no holidays, no birthdays for anyone I knew around her.
"It's Mom and Dad's wedding anniversary, duh?"
"...Ah."
Only when she mentioned "Mom and Dad" did it hit me.
"Wedding anniversary? Then you gotta go—it's not like you have a schedule anyway."
I groaned inwardly at the thought of bringing Lee Ji-yeon home again, but no solutions came. With faint hope, I called Choi Section Chief.
[Wedding anniversary? Then you gotta go—it's not like you have a schedule anyway.]
He brushed it off casually.
"...Is that okay?"
[Pfft, everyone knows you're childhood friends. It's fine—have fun.]
Choi Section Chief hung up, saying he was busy. Watching me, Lee Ji-yeon grinned happily. I sighed.
"Let me at least call my parents first..."
"Already did. They said they'll make something delicious since it's been a while."
Nothing left to say.
Lee Ji-yeon punched in our house code like it was hers, entering first and calling out to the family.
"Mom! Dad! We're here!"
The way she casually addressed my parents screamed "new bride."
"Aigoo, you came all this way despite being busy..."
"Ji-yeon's already here!?"
"Whoa! Sis! Long time no see!"
The family ignored their son standing there like a lump and fawned over her.
"Mom, I'm here too."
"Yeah, close the door and come in."
I tried asserting my presence, but their response was soulless. Mom acknowledged me halfheartedly, then teased about their son who couldn't even remember their anniversary.
...It stung a little.
Lee Ji-yeon, visiting after ages, had prepared gifts out of nowhere—a whole haul. Before dinner, we had gift time amid her barrage.
"This one's... for Dad!"
"Aigoo, what gift... Well, since you brought it, shall we open it?"
Dad said showing up was enough, but his hands were all over the present. Beaming, Lee Ji-yeon handed them out by age.
"Here, for Mom!"
"Mine too!? Goodness... You bring gifts every time, so I can't even tell you not to come..."
Mom's lips wouldn't come down once she spotted the luxury brand bag. Seeing their joy, Lee Ji-yeon grinned and quietly called my sister.
"...Soo-hyun, this is a graduation gift from sis—use it well."
"Gasp! Sis, this is Chanel... Thank you, sis! *sob*..."
Soo-hyun was genuinely touched, hugging the bag with teary eyes.
"Go open it quick—we're eating together, right?"
"Be right back, sis!"
Soo-hyun clutched the bag and dashed to her room. Our eyes met as I watched in disbelief; Lee Ji-yeon sidled up and whispered in my ear.
"Check the car glovebox later~"
"Eek..."
Her ticklish whisper made me pull away. She smirked at me, looking even prettier with her makeup on.
In the warm atmosphere, we finished dinner with the family. I wanted to send Lee Ji-yeon home ASAP, but she stubbornly insisted on staying overnight. Bribed by gifts, the family backed her, forcing me to call Choi Section Chief again.
"Everyone's family anyway, right? Crash there and come in tomorrow morning—it's fine."
I half-expected that answer.
"...I have to pick up the Shining Boys kids tomorrow."
[I'll have Hyeok-jun handle it. Don't worry—just take good care of Ji-yeon.]
"...Yes, sir."
Choi Section Chief let me down again; I fell right into Lee Ji-yeon's trap.
"So that girl comes up to me and says, 'Don't flirt with my man'..."
"Oh my, really?"
"Whoa... The industry's scary."
"...And? What'd you say?"
Gathered in the living room, Lee Ji-yeon spilled entertainment industry gossip to the family. She usually hated this stuff, but she deliberately brought it up to engage them.
"So I go, 'I like someone!' Boom—shut her right up."
"As expected, sis is the queen!"
Watching her like that, I wondered if she was doing it on purpose.