Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 033
Chapter Title: Real-Life Encounter Review
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Of course, Kwon Seong-hyeon smiled often as an entertainer. But a smile this genuine, straight from the heart, felt like it had been ages. And what was even more astonishing was that the recipient was Yeonwoo.
“You don’t have to eat it, seriously? It’s from your fans, Mr. Kwon, so you should have most of it.”
Anyone else, and it wouldn’t have been a big deal. But this was Kwon Seong-hyeon himself. Still, the man in question seemed utterly indifferent.
“No! We prepared this for all the staff to enjoy!”
“Y-Yeah! Our mint choco Frappuccino is seriously delicious. You have to try it!”
The vice president who had once ranted that mint chocolate was toothpaste that shouldn’t exist in this world, an outright insult to the tongue, was now emphatically recommending it, insisting it was tasty.
“It’s fine. I don’t need to have any...”
“Yeonwoo-ssi. Would you mind trying it?”
The production team witnessed it for the first time then. A massive pair of ears flapping above Kwon Seong-hyeon’s head, like an illusion. And a tail wagging furiously back and forth. No matter how you looked at it, it screamed “loyal pup waiting for its owner’s command.”
“Has Seong-hyeon-nim mastered acting to the point of now perfecting animal impressions too?!”
A sigh escaped him.
Kwon Seong-hyeon stared at something above his head for a moment before reluctantly accepting the mint chocolate Frappuccino from Yeonwoo, as if doing him a favor.
“You two... You must really be close.”
Seeing a dynamic impossible in any business relationship, Vice President 2 spoke up.
“Really? Do Yeonwoo-ssi and I look close?”
Kwon Seong-hyeon beamed as he asked back. Vice President 2 later recounted nearly suffering arrhythmia from that smile alone.
“Yeah. Super close!”
Having barely survived that life-or-death peak, Vice President 2 answered vigorously, and Kwon Seong-hyeon replied.
“Phew, what a relief. At least it looks that way.”
“...Why?”
“Well, I was worried it seemed like I was the only one who likes Yeonwoo-ssi too much.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to Yeonwoo.
“Ease up a bit. That’s why I have to rein you in, right?”
“How do you ‘ease up’? It’s Yeonwoo-ssi, of all people.”
The three onlookers could only say one thing.
“Wow... You two really are close.”
It was the first time Kwon Seong-hyeon had openly shown such affection to someone in front of others, and the first time anyone had cheekily called him out without hesitation. Plenty of good people surrounded Kwon Seong-hyeon, but just as many clung to him hoping for scraps.
And yet.
“Chairman... This feels off...?”
“Yeah. The vibe isn’t what we expected.”
“Something’s been weird from the start. From Director Heo to the staff...”
Having known each other so long, they communicated volumes with just eye contact.
And Kwon Seong-hyeon’s praise for Yeonwoo didn’t end there.
“You’re helping Seong-hyeon-nim with his acting?”
“It’s not helping—he’s just showing it off.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“No. It’s not.”
Cool as a knife slicing through butter.
“Whatever I suggest, Yeonwoo-ssi always turns it down. Inviting him to eat, to hang out somewhere...”
“Maybe because weird people are involved?”
“They’re people who’d be helpful if you got to know them. I hand-picked them.”
“No thanks.”
Yeonwoo shrugged it off, clearly uninterested in such connections. Every gesture screamed genuine annoyance and hassle. But just when it seemed Kwon Seong-hyeon might actually be down about it,
“Don’t you get it yet? Even without those guys, you alone are enough, Mr. Kwon.”
He had the savvy to lift Kwon Seong-hyeon’s spirits now and then.
It was only natural. Kwon Seong-hyeon was an excellent lifespan supplier. And his special talents put him in a league of his own.
“If I upset such a prime straw... er, such a great person, I’d be the one in trouble.”
But blindly going along with Kwon Seong-hyeon’s every word was another matter. Lifespan came from him anyway, since he couldn’t hand it out fast enough, plus plenty more from clearing obsessive thoughts on set.
“No choice. Gotta sweet-talk and milk him gently.”
The problem was, that’s not how it sounded to outsiders.
“No way a rookie has that attitude.”
“Look at him playing hard to get. Master-level push-pull.”
“To pull that on Seong-hyeon-nim of all people? Kid’s got natural talent...”
Maybe that’s why the production team’s minds didn’t snap back until Yeonwoo and Kwon Seong-hyeon walked off, hands full of mint choco Frappuccinos.
“Whew. They’re still out of it.”
“I thought I’d faint for real. I’d barely built immunity to Seong-hyeon-nim alone...”
“One of him was tolerable with our tolerance built up. But adding another? Whew...”
“Two was intense, right?”
People often say entertainers have a halo in person. The gap between screen and reality is like heaven and earth. Kwon Seong-hyeon boasted top-tier presence among them. Yet even eyes elevated by him saw Yeonwoo differently.
“I clocked you two rattling along from afar.”
“You were worse than us, Chairman.”
“What was I supposed to do? A guy even more intense than Seong-hyeon-nim’s first encounter shows up.”
“We felt it too.”
The three sighed in unison.
“Anyway, I knew from the photos. Didn’t fade even in pics—walking up in person was next level.”
“Didn’t seem like a bad personality.”
“Less bad, more aloof. First time seeing Seong-hyeon-nim like that.”
“...But didn’t seem like he was just latching on to use him?”
“More like Seong-hyeon-nim clinging, Chairman?”
“Yeah. Far from using him... Seemed kinda annoyed.”
“...You felt that too, Chairman?”
“You?”
“...”
Everyone nodded. The puppy hallucination lingered vividly.
“But Seong-hyeon-nim looked happy, right?”
“Yeah. No business vibe at all. Felt like real friends.”
“Exactly. That’s why I like it more. Hard for someone like him to keep people around. Having one more like that is a blessing.”
Nods all around again.
“So, no red flags on the using front.”
“Seong-hyeon-nim’s the one desperate to please. He’s kind but no pushover—says a lot.”
“Might as well call it discovering a rookie.”
“Right? But treats him closer than a typical rookie.”
“Guess they really are close bros.”
Vice President 2 said.
“So... Nothing to worry about?”
Silence fell briefly.
Then.
“I’m for it.”
“Me too.”
“Me three.”
They spoke in perfect sync, exchanging glances.
“Prime talent at first glance, and Seong-hyeon-nim’s investment means he’ll blow up soon. Great mask, decent personality. Won’t change easy even after fame.”
Vice President 1 said.
“Seong-hyeon-nim’s making-of drops soon. He said it’ll explain everything. Acting’s no issue then, and he wouldn’t hype without reason.”
Vice President 2 added.
“We pave the red carpet wherever Seong-hyeon-nim walks. We all know that, right?”
The vice presidents nodded at the chairman’s words.
“Seong-hyeon-nim’s will is ours. Plus, we all approve. So we do it ‘that way’?”
The chairman sealed it.
“Can’t let anyone snatch Seong-hyeon-nim’s pick.”
Eyes ablaze, they parted that night. A new post went up on Kwon Seong-hyeon’s fan page.
[New Face (feat. by Seong-hyeon-nim’s Mystery Companion) Real-Life Encounter Review.jyp]
Quiet but potent. The start of a sighting tale that would echo endlessly.
***
After landing the Grim Reaper role, shooting ramped up busily. Scenes pushed back by Lee Deok-chun’s flubbed performance now resumed, with new additions and reshoots. From morning, cast and crew buzzed.
“Yeonwoo-ssi, seen this?”
Kwon Seong-hyeon approached Yeonwoo, already nabbed for makeup.
“...What?”
“This. A post on my fan page.”
He grinned, handing over his phone.
Yeonwoo reflexively took it, freezing as he scrolled.
“...”
[New Face (feat. by Seong-hyeon-nim’s Mystery Companion) Real-Life Encounter Review.jyp]
...What the hell is this?
“What’s this?”
“Read it.”
Kwon Seong-hyeon still beamed.
‘Something feels off...’
Just one post, yet so ominous. With reluctant fingers, Yeonwoo tapped the screen.
[New Face (feat. by Seong-hyeon-nim’s Mystery Companion) Real-Life Encounter Review.jyp]
[From the admins. Yesterday, X month X day, we visited the ‘DimaGo’ set with coffee truck support. For raw emotion, title’s casual—bear with us. Straight to the review. (Photo) (Photo) (Photo) See it? The Seong-hyeon-nim Mystery Companion pic that shocked us. Photoshopped? Fake? Brainwashed(?) So much talk. But we admins went ourselves for our comrades! Deep breath if needed. Yes. The pic on Seong-hyeon-nim’s Mystery Companion post was real.]
“...”
Yeonwoo flipped the phone at that point.
No way. Why’s my photo there?
Then he recalled the three “fan club” folks snapping away yesterday.
“For the fans, let’s do this much. Photo together, Yeonwoo-ssi.”
[Harvestable Lifespan: +7 days]
Without that overhead lifespan popup, no way he’d have posed. Plus, he figured:
‘Cameras’ll catch my face everywhere anyway.’
No real aversion. Otherwise, no camera test from the start.
So he snapped a few for free lifespan... but.
‘Never imagined it’d be used like this...’
“Pure praise, right? Told you no issues.”
Come to think of it, yesterday Kwon Seong-hyeon and the writer called it a “test run.”
“My people, my fans—they’re picky. But look. Not one bad word about you, Yeonwoo-ssi.”
“...”
True enough. Weighing pros and cons, the post leaned heavy on praise. But the fawning—golden seedling, must nurture...
‘Why would they raise me? I grow myself fine.’
Bewildering lines for Yeonwoo.
Plus,
[Comrades. Given his bond with Seong-hyeon-nim, we trust his eye. We admins dare say: feel free to stan this budding sprout!]
Stan? Selling my eyeballs or what? Chilling thought.
Blame Kwon Seong-hyeon.
“...”
Yeonwoo’s brow furrowed naturally.
Of course, “Don’t scowl! Face is so pale, makeup’s thin—even a little scrunch shows. Cameras are sharp now. Might as well make that pretty mug prettier, not uglier.”
The Grim Reaper makeup staff scolded him immediately.
“So... You dragged me out yesterday on purpose?”
“Yes. Knew they’d fall for you. Spot on, right? And I wanted you to see it too.”
“See what?”
“My conviction.”
So, that was it.