Chapter 58
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 58
“Hello.”
“Yes, hello.”
A drinking session had eventually broken out at the black pork restaurant. I had stepped outside for a breath of fresh air when I ran into Min Ji-heon. I checked to see if he was smoking, but he wasn't.
After an awkward greeting, I started tapping away at my phone, but I could feel a piercing gaze on me. Rolling my eyes to the side, I saw Min Ji-heon staring at me in-tents-ly.
It was as if he were looking at some strange animal.
...What is wrong with this guy?
If a rumor started among the staff that "I saw Seo Ho-yun in person and he was incredibly rude to his seniors"... well, I didn't actually care. But since it felt like he’d keep staring unless I said something, I decided to make the first move.
“Is there something you want to say?”
“No... I just find you fascinating.”
“What is?”
“Hmm...”
“...”
“You’re just really unique and fascinating.”
Min Ji-heon simply shrugged. Then, as if he possessed at least a modicum of social skills despite his vacant expression, he introduced himself first.
“I’m Min Ji-heon. We haven't properly introduced ourselves yet.”
“Yes, I’m Seo Ho-yun. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Right... I think this really is the first time we've met. If I’d seen you before, I would have remembered you immediately because of how fascinating you are.”
“...”
Because of what exactly...?
I looked at Min Ji-heon with a slight frown.
Min Ji-heon was an actor who had spent years solely in the theater scene before being cast as the second male lead in a drama by chance. That drama became a massive hit, catapulting him into the ranks of Hallyu stars.
He was a figure who existed even before I transmigrated into the game, but unfortunately, I had never crossed paths with him during my time as a PD. If I had known him, I would have had at least some information, but Min Ji-heon was a "mystery actor" who rarely did interviews, let alone variety shows.
He only held fan meetings very occasionally, so there was almost no public information about him.
I think I know why they’re pushing the mystery angle.
If someone this spacey showed his true self, it would ruin his image...
I was mentally preparing myself, waiting for the dialogue selection window that usually popped up whenever I met someone new.
However, for some reason, it remained strangely quiet.
Hmm...?
This shouldn't be happening. While I stood there with a slight scowl, Min Ji-heon tilted his head and carefully examined my face.
“So... you’re an idol, right? In the same group as Jeong Da-jun... I think I remember seeing you on TV.”
“Yes. It hasn't been long since I debuted.”
“Is that so? It probably won't last long, though...”
What?
“...”
Is this... hazing?
I let out a hollow laugh, dumbfounded. Just as I was about to rake a hand through my hair and ask him what the hell he meant, a man rushed out of the restaurant—it was Kim Seong-cheol, the manager who was supposedly in charge of Min Ji-heon.
“Hey! Min Ji-heon, where did you go?!”
“I’m full.”
“Are you finally full? Should we stop ordering now?”
“No! I think I can eat five more servings.”
“You gluttonous pig...”
“Hmph, I’m human too, you know. My feelings get hurt.”
Min Ji-heon muttered dejectedly, his eyebrows drooping. However, Kim Seong-cheol seemed used to it; he didn't pay it any mind as he greeted me and pulled Ji-heon away, telling him they had to go.
“Hey, let’s go, hurry up.”
“Mmm.”
Fine. It was better to get rid of this unsettling, unreadable bastard anyway.
“Ah, Seo Ho-yun, give me your phone for a second.”
Min Ji-heon, who was being dragged away by his manager, suddenly whipped his head around and spoke. Beside him, Kim Seong-cheol stared at him with a look that said, ‘Why is he suddenly acting like this when he never does?’
“...Sure. Here.”
When I obediently handed it over, Min Ji-heon tapped in a phone number.
“This is my number. Later... yeah, contact me when you get back to Seoul. You look like you’re in a bit of a hurry.”
“...Wha-what?”
“Huh?”
“Ji-heon. Do you have indigestion? Did you eat something wrong? Why are you doing things you never do?”
“Aww, Seong-cheol hyung. I have social skills too.”
“Did you drink too much? Should we go to the hospital?”
Confused, Kim Seong-cheol grabbed Min Ji-heon’s shoulders and shook him. Min Ji-heon pouted, grumbling about what his manager took him for, before handing the phone back to me.
“Anyway, contact me later.”
“...Okay.”
“Seo Ho-yun, sorry! We’ll be going now!”
Min Ji-heon was eventually dragged away by Kim Seong-cheol. Watching that vacant-looking figure depart, I quietly stared at the number saved on my phone.
“...Why do I feel so uneasy?”
I didn't even need big data for this. Min Ji-heon was unsettling. My intuition was screaming at me to stay away from him.
Setting aside the fact that I had already added Min Ji-heon’s name to my mental blacklist, I saved the number properly and then called Kim Jae-yeon.
[Hello?]
“Kim Jae-yeon, do you have a moment?”
It was never a bad idea to have an insurance policy.
“Check one thing for me.”
* * *
“Oh! Seo Ho-yun! The Dawn! It’s been a while!”
“Hello, Director Jeong.”
I greeted Director Jeong, whom I hadn't seen since the Second Chance shoot. He gave me a friendly smile and patted my shoulder warmly.
“I really enjoyed watching the ‘Over-immersion Master’ variety show this time. It was hilarious.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“My daughter is a fan of Kim Seong-hyeon, but she says her second favorite is Seo Ho-yun... She told me if the music video doesn't turn out pretty, I should consider myself kicked out of the house...”
“...I see.”
Director Jeong welcomed us with obvious enthusiasm, joking around.
After exchanging a few more words, I looked around. The turquoise waves sparkled as they reflected the sunlight.
The MV shoot was scheduled to take place primarily at the sea. Our song was already playing across the beach.
“The song is good. It’s Blue Tiger again, right?”
“Yes, we asked her again.”
“That prideful Blue Tiger is famous for refusing to compose even if you bring her piles of cash. How on earth do you get songs from her as a top priority?”
By blackmailing her.
“We were just lucky.”
Director Jeong chuckled and turned his gaze toward the beach.
“Wow, the weather is great today. Perfect for a refreshing concept, right?”
“It is.”
“We’re going into the water later.”
“Yes... wait, what?”
“I want to be able to go home, too.”
I asked for clarification, but Director Jeong just walked away humming. I wanted to ignore it and pretend I’d misheard, but beside me, Jeong Da-jun was gently rubbing his arms.
“The water still feels cold...”
“It’s the perfect weather to catch a cold...”
“...Did we bring a hairdryer?”
“We can just dry off in the sun,” Seong Ji-won said nonchalantly as he passed by.
“...Sometimes I think he’s the most fearless person among us.”
“Agreed.”
“Seong-hyeon hyung, is the sandwich good?”
“Yeah, totally.”
Jeong Da-jun plopped down next to Kim Seong-hyeon, who was biting into a delicious-looking sandwich. Da-jun then rested his chin on both fists.
“Getting that autograph yesterday still feels like a dream.”
“Whose? Min Ji-heon sunbae-nim’s?”
Min Ji-heon?
Even though I didn't want to hear it, my ears perked up reflexively. Jeong Da-jun’s plump cheeks turned red.
I had realized this after living in the dorm: Jeong Da-jun was a drama fanatic... a total drama otaku. Because of that, his level of adoration for actors with good acting skills was exceptionally high.
“Do you like him that much?”
“Of course! He’s such an amazing actor!”
“Really?”
Everyone else was indifferent, trying to move on with a "Is that so?" in a tone that clearly showed they weren't interested. But Jeong Da-jun got even more excited and started chattering away like crazy.
“I watch a lot of dramas and I thought I knew most of the trending actors, but Min Ji-heon sunbae-nim is on a different level... When he’s actually acting, the only way to describe it is that he’s possessed!”
“Uh-huh, sure...”
“You should have seen him when he was doing theater! He’s mainstream now, but back then he played a lot of experimental roles. For example, a mad scientist who fell in love with a frog...!!”
“...Right.”
He even did stuff like that?
Despite the increasingly weary reactions, Jeong Da-jun continued to list Min Ji-heon’s great qualities. Just as I was about to cover my ears in annoyance, Seong Ji-won suddenly spoke up.
“Ho-yun, didn't you talk to him yesterday?”
“Yeah.”
I narrowed my eyes, and suddenly Jeong Da-jun leaned in close.
“How?! Why didn't you tell me?!”
“...Hmm? We just said hello.”
“Hyung... could it be!”
What now.
Jeong Da-jun suddenly jumped to his feet.
“Are you also a fan of ‘Please Give Me Cider,’ the drama Min Ji-heon sunbae-nim is in?!”
“Sit back down.”
I was an idiot for paying attention, thinking Jeong Da-jun might have known or noticed something.
Jeong Da-jun continued to whine and gush, saying, "Min Ji-heon is undeniably the pinnacle of Korean actors, and his acting range, spanning from romance to thrillers, makes him a literal god."
I stuffed a sandwich into Jeong Da-jun’s mouth to tell him to shut up.
...But Min Ji-heon is strange.
My gut was telling me that guy was suspicious. It was best to avoid crossing paths with him as much as possible. After my call with Kim Jae-yeon yesterday, he had called me back at the crack of dawn, having apparently investigated all night.
However, even when I thought back to our conversation, there wasn't much to gain.
“What a load of crap.”
I gulped down some sports drink.
There’s no way a human being doesn't have a skeleton in their closet. There’s no way such a person exists in this world...
“Wh-what? Did I say something stupid?”
...Then again, maybe there is.
I turned my head away from Jeong Da-jun, who looked spotlessly innocent.
Anyway, that wasn't what was important... I needed to start my conquest soon.
“Yi-chae! This looks so good on you!”
“Really?”
Kang Yi-chae had his hair pushed back, slicked with pomade as he ran a comb through it. Two stylists were standing beside him, murmuring.
“I want to give Yi-chae a bit of a delinquent vibe.”
“How so?”
“Since the dye in Yi-chae’s hair is fading, it has that sort of raw, beautiful summer delinquent look...”
“Haha, do I look like a delinquent?”
Kang Yi-chae smiled thinly, his eyes crinkling as if he found it amusing. The makeup artist called out to me.
“Ho-yun! Come over here.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Ho-yun, you’ve always gone for a sharp, sexy look, so I want to change the concept this time. Since it’s summer, how about a ‘Nation’s First Love’ vibe?”
“Wait! But it’s such a waste to miss out on the half-exposed forehead!”
“Sexy or pure?!”
Even as the hair and clothing staff crowded around me, debating heatedly over my look, the sun remained scorching and the waves rolled in refreshingly. Watching the members playing and bickering in the midst of it all, I kept thinking.
I just need to conquer three more of them and reach the 1st-tier, then it’s mission complete.
Everything was being laid out according to my intentions. Even if a variable like Min Ji-heon entered the fray, the ending was already decided.
I’ll escape this game, go back home, and return to my life.
It was the obvious thing to do.
“—What do you think?”
...And there were things I needed to confirm.
“Ho-yun!”
“...Yes?”
“What’s wrong? You’re spacing out, which isn't like you.”
The attention suddenly shifted to me. Feeling guilty for being distracted, I gave an awkward smile.
“Ah, sorry.”
“...”
“...”
A brief silence followed. The staff members tilted their heads and whispered among themselves.
“Ho-yun, what did you do before becoming an idol? I’m genuinely curious.”
“Why on earth did you join Daepasung... No, I’m sure you received plenty of business cards from other places.”
“Pardon?”
Then, as if they had reached a consensus in an instant, they started bustling around me.
“We have no choice but to go with ‘Pure-Sexy’!”
“Agreed. It’s a waste to give up on either with that face. We’ll leave the bangs down but apply wax for a slightly wet look.”
They rattled off their plans and finished the styling quickly. Looking in the mirror, it seemed decent enough.
After thanking them and joining the members, the MV shoot began shortly after.
“Oh! That’s good! A bit more energetic!”
Director Jeong continued to give vague orders, and even within that, I kept steadying my heart. Even for a scene just walking along the beach with the gentle waves reaching our ankles, the "OK" only came after several retakes.
“Break time!”
“Thank you.”
“Ho-yun, the camera really loves you today. Your aura is insane~.”
Aura or whatever, there was no need to keep coming to my own conclusions and moping around. There was no need to make things complicated.
Let’s just catch one.
I looked around.
Alright, someone just needs to have one serious conversation. Everyone was currently doing their individual shots... and the only person who was free was Kang Yi-chae.
“What is he doing?”
Ding!
[...Building a sandcastle?]
Right, he looks happy, so that’s good...
I walked over to Kang Yi-chae, who was happily building a sandcastle by himself, and tapped him.
“Elementary schooler.”
“Whoa, you startled me.”
Because of my outfit, I crouched down primly next to Kang Yi-chae and asked with a serious expression.
“Do you have any worries?”
“What are you talking about?”
“If you do, spill them all. Hyung will give you some counseling.”
Ding!
[What exactly are you doing right now?]
Since it worked with Kim Seong-hyeon, right? If I coaxed Kang Yi-chae gently, he might spill all his worries too, right?
Ding!
[...I think I know what you’re thinking, but it doesn't work like that!]
You never know. I might as well try.
Kang Yi-chae looked me up and down with a gaze that said, ‘Why is he suddenly like this?’
“...What?”
“Ah, never mind that. Just say anything for now.”
“Hmm...”
Kang Yi-chae brushed the sand off his hands and smirked. Then, he lowered his voice and spoke.
“Ho-yun hyung, actually, I do have a worry. I haven't been able to sleep well lately because of it.”
Oh!
“What is it?”
“Will you listen?”
“Of course.”
I put on a trustworthy smile. It was my so-called ‘Charming Participant-Seducing Smile.’ Even participants who cursed me behind my back for being a "trashy PD" or a "devilish editor" would spill their guts the moment they saw this smile. I was known as a genius at getting interviews. I cheered inwardly.
Ding!
[Is this... is this actually working?]
Even the system seemed flustered.
But my opponent was Kang Yi-chae.
“I want to be better at acting cute.”
“...”
“I want to do it for the fans. I’ve been worrying about how I can be as good at it as you, Ho-yun hyung... Ow! Hyung!!”
Infuriated, I kicked down the sandcastle and stomped away. I could hear Kang Yi-chae faking loud sobs behind me, but I ignored him. Sure enough, Kang Yi-chae soon came running up and hovered around me.
“What’s the matter? You know you’ve been a bit weird since yesterday, right?”
“None of your business.”
“We’re all the way in Jeju Island, so turn that frown upside down.”
Kang Yi-chae continued to needle me. After I gave him a light smack on the head, he finally quieted down. As I was walking around a building where the first floor was set up as a cafe, I heard voices from inside.
“Honestly, The Dawn isn't really a group that should have made it this big, right?”
“Ah, agreed.”
It was the staff badmouthing us.