Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: A Calculated Coincidence
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That question came up.
A chill ran down my spine.
I tried to cut in, but…
“Th-the President came to find me!”
“Oh! At what age?”
“Wh-when I was seventeen…! I-I… scammed someone in MapleStory…!”
…Jo A-yun was faster.
“?”
“?”
“?”
In the frozen atmosphere, Jo A-yun giggled and said,
“Hehe… I-I scammed him out of an item, and he said if I had a problem, we should meet up and fight…!”
I squeezed my eyes shut.
‘A-yun, A-yun…!’
What in the world are you saying!
***
Jung Jong-cheol, a producer in the QBS entertainment department, was facing the dilemma of a lifetime.
It wasn't a concern he bore alone.
“Producer, what do we do?”
the assistant director asked.
Jong-cheol couldn't answer rashly.
His gaze was fixed on the raw footage, still in the editing phase.
On the screen, Jo A-yun, her hair dyed pink at the tips and dressed in a traditional hanbok, was smiling brightly as she dropped one bombshell after another.
—Th-the President is an idiot…! For falling for that…!
—He said he'd cut my internet cable if I didn't study…!
—M-my mom took his side…!
—Oh! And a ban on drinking…! He said I turn into a monster when I drink…!
Was this truly the kind of talk befitting someone who worked in sensationalist mass media?
Every single word was a potential controversy.
In terms of spiciness, it was fire chicken.
In other words, the content was too intense to be broadcast on public television.
Normally, in a show like this, you had to insert clips of the regular panelists reacting to every word the guest said.
But even that was impossible.
‘Ah, they should’ve controlled their expressions. Then again, could I have done any better?’
The more Jo A-yun spoke, the stranger the panelists’ expressions became as they looked at Yeon-ho.
It was a look you’d give to the world’s biggest scumbag (and Jong-cheol had to admit, there was an element of truth to it).
The recording was already finished.
They couldn't reshoot the show, and if they cut this part out, the holiday special would be far too bland.
‘Let’s see… 20 minutes for the traditional games segment, 3 minutes for the intro… 7 for introductions and small talk… 10 for the awards ceremony story, 10 for CEO Park Yeong-jun…’
That still left them ten minutes short.
But they couldn't just waste ten minutes on filler.
If they wanted the show to have an impact, it was better to include this segment.
But how on earth were they supposed to edit this?!
As his stress mounted, he felt his chronic gastritis flare up.
“Producer?”
“…I know.”
Still, it couldn't be boring.
This was an entertainment show for the whole family to watch during the holidays!
No matter how much public broadcast viewership had fallen with the rise of smartphones, this was a holiday special!
Jong-cheol took a deep breath, collected himself, and spoke.
“Sang-guk.”
“Yes!”
“What is the one and only truth in entertainment?”
“The ratings, of course!”
“That’s right. The ratings.”
And the entertainment department staff were the magicians who made those ratings soar.
“Provocation and fabrication. That’s the essence of broadcasting.”
“You’re a genius, Producer!”
Having worked together for over five years, his assistant director understood him perfectly, no matter how bluntly he spoke.
Jong-cheol and his assistant, Sang-guk, began editing.
Editing was an art form whose meaning changed depending on the artist.
—I’m a graduate of Korea University. I graduated early. My first game was made with what I learned in school.
—Th-the President tutored me…!
—A-yun was a great student. Juggling game development, preparing for her GED, and studying for the college entrance exams. I’m just grateful she worked so hard.
—Hehe…
—You ask if educational background is important? I tend to think so. More than the curriculum, it’s about the atmosphere and the people you meet. After all, Studio Rewind started as a club with my friends from Korea University.
—Wow, hearing it like this, it sounds like a 21st-century IT success story. Oh, speaking of which, CEO Park Yeong-jun also…
—Hahaha! Yes! I’m also a Korea University graduate! Thanks to that, I gained a great friend like this!
The Little Prince said that grown-ups are fond of figures.
However, that wasn't entirely true, at least not for the grown-ups in Korea.
The one thing K-adults loved more than numbers.
Was ‘educational background.’
“We’re going to frame this as the story of the ‘Korea University Daddy-Long-Legs and the High School Dropout.’ Got it?”
“Shall we stir up some trouble?”
“Oh, absolutely.”
There’s one reason why overbearing parents hate games.
They need something to blame for their child’s poor grades.
They need a reason why their child doesn’t like to study.
So, you just had to turn that very reason into a motivation to study.
First, a moment of sincere condolence for all the aspiring developers who would shed tears of blood after watching this broadcast.
‘But that’s not my problem, is it?’
Hoping they would understand the circumstances of an adult who needed to produce results, Jong-cheol finished editing.
It was winter.
***
The holiday arrived, and the problematic broadcast aired.
The public needs idols.
Especially during the holidays, when the whole family gathers to watch TV, the emergence of such an idol was a welcome topic of conversation.
For the older generation, in particular, this new idol was quite a pleasant sight.
A handsome man in his late twenties, running a multi-hundred-billion-won company as a young IT president.
And a game developer, no less.
They couldn't help but imagine it.
*Our child loves games too. Could they become like that man?*
This was no exaggeration.
Fundamentally, parents disliked games for one reason.
They needed something to blame for their child’s poor academic performance.
They needed a reason why their child didn’t enjoy studying.
This broadcast reversed that sentiment.
“It’s okay to like games!”
Every parent dreams of a brilliant future for their child.
They believe, without a doubt, that their child will become even greater than the person on TV.
No, they didn't even have to be that great.
“Son, you have to be smart to make games, too.”
“…”
“You need to study… right?”
It gave them an excuse to make their game-loving children study.
“…Mom, I don’t want to be a developer anymore.”
And so, it was the day the apocalypse came for all the bedroom Cheon Yeon-hos who had stayed up all night gaming, declaring, ‘I’m going to be a game developer when I grow up! Cheon Yeon-ho did it!’
At that moment, as someone’s tears formed a river…
“Wow, our Yeon-ho is on TV.”
“Yeon-ho, dear, about Seong-shim’s daughter.”
Yeon-ho was suffering.
“Hmm? Seong-shim’s daughter was talking all about you. Have you thought about going on a blind date? Gosh, I already told her I’d introduce you, so I have to save face…”
“…A blind date? I’m still in my twenties.”
“Aren’t you thirty this year?”
“…I’m in my twenties by international age.”
“In the Joseon Dynasty, people got married at fifteen! You’re already late!”
“But…”
Yeon-ho thought.
*At this rate, this will never end.*
It seemed he had to use the method he’d hoped to avoid.
“…Alright. I’ll do it.”
“Really? You will?!”
“Of course.”
Ah… it was time for a tour of the gukbap restaurants.
*Rest Period (2)*
I’ll get married someday, but right now, I’m more ambitious about work.
The company is in a major growth phase, and I’ve been planning the next game since before *Identity* was even finished. I have no resources to invest in a relationship.
I agreed for one reason only.
‘I’m a regressor!’
To be honest, I hadn’t really used the advantages of my regression much since returning to the past, so I might as well make use of it now.
The momentary panic from the sudden pressure passed quickly.
Now that the name Jin Yeon-gyeong, Seong-shim’s daughter, had been mentioned, a way to overcome this crisis began to form in my mind.
After all, I had already overcome the crisis of Jin Yeon-gyeong once in my past life.
This life, it would be much easier than the last.
And so, I agreed to the blind date.
“I’m Cheon Yeon-ho.”
“Jin Yeon-gyeong.”
Only I knew how this blind date would end.
“My aunt told me a lot about you.”
“My mother can be quite pushy as well.”
Jin Yeon-gyeong. One year older than me, making her thirty-one.
…No, twenty-nine by international age.
Thick, straight hair, distinct features, tasteful and understated accessories, and elegant makeup.
By any conventional standard, she was a beautiful woman. A woman who knew how to present herself.
A strange feeling washed over me as I met again the woman who had clearly lived a life of being adored, the woman who had been my greatest adversary in my previous life.
—I like men who are passionate about their work. When I heard about you, I thought, *this is the one*. What about you, Yeon-ho?
We met again, but the tension was still there.
But it’s fine.
“I’m sorry. I came straight from work, so I didn’t have time to dress up.”
Today’s outfit: a tracksuit and a long padded jacket.
I hadn’t even dried my hair.
My first impression would surely be a failing grade…
“I like your natural look. It’s nice.”
?
“I heard you’re passionate about your work. I find that attractive in a man.”
Jin Yeon-gyeong smiled, her eyes crinkling.
‘Why?’
Before my regression, she would have been appalled to see me in a T-shirt and shorts!
‘Could it be…?’
Did this woman regress, too?
No, I shouldn’t jump to conclusions.
I still had cards left to play.
“Shall we go get something to eat?”
“Do you have a place in mind?”
“I know an amazing gukbap restaurant.”
Jin Yeon-gyeong’s eye twitched for a split second.
*Good, it’s working…*
“That’s perfect. I was just craving something for my hangover.”
“?!”
“My family’s from Busan, you know? I haven’t had it much since moving to Seoul, so I’ve been missing it.”
Why is she chuckling like that…!
“Should I take this… as you being considerate?”
The possibility that she was a fellow regressor rose.
The tension was palpable. Even at the gukbap restaurant, Jin Yeon-gyeong’s offensive power was relentless.
She was like the master of the Wudang Sect from a martial arts novel I read as a child.
No matter what crude things I did or said, she parried them with the subtlety of Tai Chi; her inner fortitude was formidable.
“Wow, you pour the radish kimchi juice in your soup. I do that, too.”
“Oh? They have seasoning paste here. Did you look this place up beforehand? I’m a little touched.”
“Haha, you must have a big appetite. Boiled pork slices and a taster of blood sausage, too! Looks like I’ll be feasting today.”
I even went so far as to burp.
“*Buuuurp*… Sorry.”
“I like that you’re not pretentious. That kind of thing is just tiring for both people, don’t you think?”
…I can’t believe she even countered that.
There was simply no way to escape.
Jin Yeon-gyeong, who had been a chapter boss, had returned as the final boss.
When was the last time I felt this powerless?
At least, not once in this life.
I had to make a decision.
‘…I can’t continue this relationship.’
I had tried to avoid being direct.
That was just my personality.
It’s easier on the mind to be rejected than to do the rejecting.
I’d forget about being rejected soon enough, and the other person would feel better thinking I was just a loser.
But, since things had come to this, what other choice did I have?
“…Jin Yeon-gyeong.”
“Yes.”
“Actually, about this meeting.”
“You came here to turn me down, didn't you?”
My fingertips froze.
Could she possibly be understanding…
“I thought so. And I came knowing that.”
Suddenly, Jin Yeon-gyeong leaned forward.
“Still, isn’t it a bit too soon? We have to consider our parents. I think it’s best we meet at least three times.”
The thought that this was a rather ruinous conversation to be having in a gukbap restaurant flashed through my mind.
But Jin Yeon-gyeong wasn’t finished.
“Three times. I think I can find some common ground with you in those three meetings. I like you, Yeon-ho.”
‘Well, I don’t really like you…’
…is what I wanted to say, but then I wouldn’t be able to face my aunt.
This is why blind dates involving parents are so uncomfortable.
Three times.
Three times…
“I…”
“Looks like you’re done. Shall we go to a café?”
Jin Yeon-gyeong, who had already tidied herself up, cut me off.
“Dinner’s on me. You can buy me coffee.”
Her inner strength was still off the charts.
Like a small boat caught in a tsunami in the middle of the ocean, I was helplessly swept along and had to leave the restaurant.
It was at that moment.
A saving grace was extended to me.
“President?”
“A-yun?”
Jo A-yun appeared, just passing by.
Ah, how could I possibly describe this feeling of relief?
“Who’s this? Looks like you ate. You smell like gukbap.”
“This is…”
“I was bored. Let’s hang out together!”
…Yes.
‘A regressor’s special privilege.’
Jo A-yun grinned.
Amid that feeling of welcome relief, a thought occurred to me.
‘Come to think of it, she’s not stuttering, even in front of a stranger.’
It was a fleeting thought.
“We’re going to a café, right? People usually go to a café after eating!”
“Um, I was…”
“Older sister? You look older than me. Should I call you that?”
For some reason, a chill ran down my spine.
***
Jin Yeon-gyeong, age 29 (very important), office worker.
She, too, had her romantic ideals.
She’d graduated from a good university and landed a decent job.
She’d enjoyed her life to the fullest, and now it was time to face reality with today’s meeting.
Knowing full well that she had been born with a pretty face, Yeon-gyeong hoped that her dating or marriage partner would not be inferior to her.
In fact, if he was exceptional, all the better.
From that perspective, Yeon-ho was the perfect candidate.
An IT president she’d been hearing about from her mother for five years.
A man who ran a company worth hundreds of billions, not even publicly listed, under his own name.
And he was handsome, too.
Was there any reason to let him go?
If she could just date him and get married, the rest of her life would be easy.
It didn't matter if he was a workaholic.
Yeon-gyeong wasn't the sentimental type who expected love in marriage.
If it was a straightforward arrangement, that would be fine in its own way.
She would have one child, maybe adopt an ugly Persian cat, and live a life of leisure.
Thus, his tracksuit and taking her to a gukbap restaurant on a first date were within her range of tolerance.
He didn't seem to have much experience with women in the first place.
Beyond that, he seemed uninterested in people in general, so she had fully considered the possibility that he might not be interested in her.
She had come here thinking she could win him over if she could just get three chances, but…
“Hehe… President, we’re wearing matching outfits.”
“They’re not matching, A-yun.”
“But they’re both tracksuits…”
“Yours is green, and mine is black.”
“Couples wear different colors, too.”
“The designs are different, too.”
“…You’re supposed to just go along with it.”
An interloper had appeared.
It was a face Yeon-gyeong recognized.
Hair dyed pink only at the tips, a round, baby face that could easily be mistaken for a high schooler’s, and light makeup.
It was the Jo-something who had appeared on the entertainment show with Yeon-ho.
A woman knows a woman.
‘She’s making a move, isn’t she?’
She knew as much as anyone else about the relationship between the two.
Based on the known facts, Yeon-gyeong tried to deduce A-yun’s feelings.
He was the person who pulled her, a shut-in, out into the world, helped her study, got her into college, and even gave her a job.
Her Daddy-Long-Legs was young and capable, so she was probably lost in the sweetness of her first love.
Yeon-gyeong scoffed inwardly.
‘How childish.’
First loves don’t work out.
And she was definitely not saying that just because her own first love had cheated on her.
Yeon-gyeong considered herself a more realistic person than A-yun.
She was confident that such naivety could never win a man over.
Look, wasn't Yeon-ho's attitude toward A-yun that of an older brother toward a younger sister?
Yeon-gyeong raised the corners of her lips and spoke sweetly.
“What a coincidence meeting you here. I saw you on TV. Jo…”
“It’s A-yun. Older sister.”
Yeon-gyeong’s hand tensed.
‘This girl, from the moment she got here…’
*She’s trying to get under my skin, isn’t she?*
“You are my older sister, right? So how old are you? Older than the President?”
*Definitely trying to get a rise out of me.*
“A-yun, it’s rude to say things like…”
“Are you really older?”
A-yun’s eyes widened as she feigned innocence.
“She’s a grown-up…!”
Yeon-gyeong revised her assessment.
‘So she is trying to fend me off?’
She wasn't as thoughtless as she seemed.
Maybe TV really couldn't be trusted.
Beneath the innocence she’d seen on screen lay a cunning nature.
Yeon-gyeong felt a sharp twinge in the back of her head.
‘Ah, nicotine.’
This brat was triggering her craving for a cigarette.
*Endure it. I have to endure it.*
…she told herself, but it wasn't easy.
No, this little thing made enduring it impossible.
*Thud.*
“Oh, whoops.”
Jo A-yun spilled coffee on the table.
It was a rather contrived action, and the spilled coffee flowed onto Yeon-gyeong’s shirt.
“Aaaah!”
“Sorry.”
“A-yun?”
“It was an accident.”
A-yun’s face turned pale a moment later.
Right at the moment Yeon-ho turned his head.
Yeon-gyeong was aghast.
‘Isn’t she a total psychopath?!’
Yeon-gyeong’s and A-yun’s eyes met.
The thought, *Can a person’s eyes really turn that black?* suddenly crossed her mind.
The unsettling gaze and the slight curl of her lips tickled Yeon-gyeong’s survival instincts.
It was then.
“You were all here. Huh, who’s this?”
“Gil-sang? What are you doing here?”
Another interloper Yeon-gyeong didn’t know appeared.
He was a man with a wide forehead, wearing glasses.
Yeon-ho called him Gil-sang. The man tilted his head and looked at A-yun.
“Why am I here? A-yun call—”
“Mister, something came up at the office, right?”
“Huh?”
“It did, didn’t it?”
“Uh…”
Gil-sang froze, then slowly nodded.
Like a herbivore before a predator.
Yeon-gyeong had a gut feeling.
‘Was this all part of the plan…?’
She wasn’t naive.
She wasn’t a fox either.
Yeon-gyeong was certain.
‘Crazy…’
That girl was a crazy, monstrous psychopath.
Meanwhile, A-yun tugged on Yeon-ho’s sleeve and said,
“President, let’s go.”
“But it’s the weekend.”
“You work on weekends, too.”
“…That’s true.”
Yeon-ho’s gaze turned to Yeon-gyeong.
Even then, Yeon-gyeong had to endure A-yun’s silent stare.
She imagined it.
Even if she had three chances, could she defeat that monster?
No, could she even reveal that monster’s true identity?
‘…Is something like that… even possible?’
A shiver ran down her spine.
Above all, there was Yeon-ho’s attitude.
As mentioned before, he treated her like a little sister.
Even if she hinted at A-yun’s true nature, he wouldn’t believe her.
—*My A-yun? Such slander is unpleasant. You have no idea how innocent she is.*
She had already figured out how clueless he was back at the gukbap restaurant.
That future was already set in stone.
“…Yeon-gyeong, I’m sorry, but I have to go now.”
There was only one thing Yeon-gyeong could say to Yeon-ho’s words.
“…I see.”
Yeon-gyeong just wanted a cigarette.
Yeon-ho left with A-yun.
“Mister, please see this lady home.”
“A-yun?”
“See her home.”
“…Okay.”
Now, only an awkward silence with Gil-sang remained.
Yeon-gyeong let out a hollow laugh, and Gil-sang scratched his cheek before speaking.
“Care to go for a smoke?”
“…I don’t smoke.”
“I can see a pack in your bag.”
Startled, Yeon-gyeong looked at her purse.
Peeking through the open flap, just barely visible, was a pack of cigarettes.
Yeon-gyeong let out a deep sigh.
Nothing was going right.
“…Let’s go.”
It seemed like the date was already over. What was the point of pretending now?
Yeon-gyeong left the café and stood next to Gil-sang, putting a cigarette to her lips.
*Flick—*
Gil-sang lit a Zippo lighter and held it to her cigarette.
Yeon-gyeong gave a slight nod of thanks.
As she took a deep drag, she felt some of her stress melt away.
“A-yun’s a bit peculiar, isn’t she?”
Gil-sang said with a chuckle, and Yeon-gyeong couldn’t help but laugh hollowly again.
“Is ‘peculiar’ all you’d call that?”
“She’s a good kid, though.”
“You’re all clearly insane.”
She was utterly fed up.
What kind of fame and fortune was she even chasing to have come this far?
It would be right to call it a moment of clarity.
In that instant, Yeon-gyeong felt as if everything in the world was meaningless.
Sometime later, when her cigarette was about half-smoked, Gil-sang offered her a handkerchief and a 10,000-won bill.
“For now, use this to wipe your shirt. The ten thousand won is for the dry cleaning.”
Yeon-gyeong felt a strange sensation.
“…I can’t believe people who carry handkerchiefs actually exist.”
“It’s just good manners.”
Gil-sang grinned.
Yeon-gyeong looked at him for a moment, then spoke without thinking.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Want to go for a drink with me?”
Maybe it was the cigarette, or the lingering stress, or perhaps the contrast between the preceding storm and the current calm, but she was craving a drink.
*Right, let’s just think of it as making a drinking buddy.*
That was the thought behind her words. Gil-sang shrugged and replied.
“I don’t see why not.”
“Do you know a place where we can smoke inside?”
“I do know a bar like that.”
“My treat, so you lead the way.”
“You’re very straightforward.”
*Sssss—*
The cigarette burned down to the filter.
And so, Yeon-gyeong found herself in a slightly early drinking session at 6 PM, where she vented for quite a long time.
“I’m telling you, she was like a total psycho!”
“A-yun’s a good kid, really.”
“Are you being blackmailed or something?!”
Had there ever been a man she had spoken to so openly, without any pretense?
All in all, it turned out to be a rather enjoyable time.
***
When I got back to the office, there was no work to be done.
Instead, Han Seo-rim was there.
“What’s with the tracksuit?”
“Something came up.”
“It doesn’t suit you. Wear something else next time. I’ve picked out plenty of clothes for you.”
“I wear those all the time.”
“I’ll say it again, your fashion sense is truly atrocious. Just let me dress you.”
“I’m telling you, I’m just ahead of the times.”
“Way too far ahead.”
Chatting like this was relaxing.
The blind date was called off one way or another, so maybe it was all for the best?
My gaze shifted to Jo A-yun.
“P-President, have some chocolate…!”
“Thanks.”
Come to think of it, she was a huge help.
I felt bad for Jin Yeon-gyeong, but Jo A-yun’s clumsiness was a great help today.
I said,
“You did well, A-yun. By the way, why were you over there today?”
“J-just for a walk…!”
Jo A-yun grinned.
As silly as ever.