Chapter 96
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 96
In the end, Ju Woo-seong even gave up on the kimchi fried rice he loved so much and stormed off. Hearing him mutter something about a passport, it seemed he was heading abroad… Not that I wanted to know. I just hoped the bastard wouldn't become B.F.F.s with Im Hyeon-su or, heaven forbid, Kim Hee-yeong.
“Hello~.”
“Ah! Seo Ho-yun-ssi.”
Meanwhile, filming was proceeding smoothly. Aside from that, nothing was going my way, so I was heading to the set in a foul mood when a staff member greeted me warmly.
“You’re here again! Don’t you have no scenes today?”
“Haha, I have one. I came a bit early to study the set…. That looks heavy, let me take some of that.”
When I took half of the equipment the staff member was carrying, their face lit up with pure joy. Yeah, I’ve moved these cases plenty of times myself, so I know…. They’re damn heavy.
“Is there anything else I can help with?”
“Ho-yun-ssi, just having your face here is a form of welfare….”
“…Ahaha.”
Sensing that the staff had opened up a bit since I’d been showing my face on set so often, I slipped in a question.
“Senior Min Ji-heon is filming today, right?”
By now, it was about time I heard some gossip from the staff. Something like a star’s power trip would be perfect.
I cast the bait with a perfectly innocent expression, pretending to have no ulterior motive, but the staff member simply gave me a bright thumbs-up.
“Yep! He’s amazing today, too! Sweet Min is being Sweet Min.”
“…Sweet Min?”
“He’s so kind that he got that nickname! You should have seen how he treated the staff during the last shoot…”
The rest was unproductive chatter, so I’ll cut it there.
Ding!
[He’s annoying, isn’t he?]
‘I’ll give you that.’
Ignoring the system, I set down the equipment and was about to leave when Min Ji-heon walked toward me with an unusually radiant expression.
“Oh ho!”
“…….”
I had a bad feeling and tried to dodge him quickly, but I failed. Dammit.
Ding!
[Have an agile day!]
I get it, shut up.
The system window, which couldn't even squeak when Min Ji-heon was around, was more than happy to snark at me.
Since the staff member I’d helped had already scurried off to their next task, there was no one else around. I spoke bluntly, but Min Ji-heon just kept beaming. It almost felt like there were sparkles shimmering around him; I didn't know why, but I could tell he was in the best mood possible.
“Why are you so cheerful today? It’s annoying.”
“Mmm…. Well, you see.”
He was holding five hot dogs—one of every variety—neatly in one hand and a coffee in the other.
As I stared at him, annoyed, Min Ji-heon scanned me from head to toe before spouting some nonsense.
“Are you a rabbit, Hyung??”
“…What the fuck did you just say?”
I asked back, dumbfounded, but Min Ji-heon just took a huge bite of a hot dog and continued his bullshit, wondering aloud, “Do they look alike?” Feeling the urge to shove him, I strode toward the crowd instead, where the manager greeted me with a huge fuss.
“Ho-yun, surprise~!!”
“……?”
“Here! Take this!”
“Manager. What on earth is this?”
“Quick, quick, stand here!”
Confused, I took the coffee he handed me. Looking down, I saw my face plastered across the cup holder in a massive print, with a sentence written below it.
“Please take care of our rabbit…?”
And in a tiny corner at the very bottom, it said: ‘From, the babies.’ I muttered with a sour taste in my mouth.
“I don’t recall getting married and having kids.”
“The members pooled their settlement money to send a coffee truck! Isn’t it amazing!”
Before any other sentiment could form, my brain reflexively calculated the cost of a coffee truck.
Well, if they split it, it might not have been that much… but still, why bother sending this?
“You should’ve let the company send something like this.”
“The kids begged and begged. They insisted on using their own money.”
“Good grief. They really don't know how the world works…. In times like this, you’re supposed to use the company’s money with your head held high.”
“Hey, you already look pleased.”
Embarrassed by the manager’s comment, I touched the corners of my mouth.
Well, it is touching, I guess.
I took a photo in front of the coffee truck and sent it to the group chat.
[Me: Why’d you guys do all this?]
A reply came almost immediately.
[Kang Yi-chae: LOL Seo Ho-yun-ssi, you’re embarrassed, aren’t you…?]
[Kang Yi-chae: Still can’t be honest today, can you…?]
[Jeong Da-jun: TTTT Hyung… at times like this, we have to use “money” to boost your ego! T]
[Kang Yi-chae: We might lack pride, but we don’t lack money~~]
[Jeong Da-jun: ↑ We lack both T]
[Kang Yi-chae: Dammit]
[Kang Yi-chae: Unique Yi-chae will wire (transfer) you some money T]
I ignored the two of them bickering. Soon, a more productive message came from the same-age line.
[Seong Ji-won: We split the cost, so it didn't cost much!!]
[Seong Ji-won: Is the coffee okay? Does it taste good?]
[Kim Seong-hyeon: LOL just say thank you.]
I sent a brief reply saying it was good. After a moment’s hesitation, I added a thank-you emoticon and closed my phone.
Well, I suppose it’s fine to receive something like this once. It’s only one day of food support, and a coffee truck probably only costs a few hundred thousand won.
…Or so I thought.
I stood speechless, staring at the coffee truck that was now showing up every other day.
* * *
[Omg guys, Seo Ho-yun got a food truck.]
[(Photo of Seo Ho-yun holding coffee in front of a food truck)]
[(Photo of Seo Ho-yun intentionally scowling at the cup holder)]
[(Cup holder caption: Please take care of our rabbit. From, the babies < LOL)]
[The post on Starstagram about this is hilarious T
>>‘I’m not a baby’<<
Is he okay with being a rabbit then~!!!
└ Seems like Seo Ho-yun has already given up.]
At first, it was just heartwarming. The members sending food trucks to each other’s drama sets meant our boys were close.
The Snowflakes retweeted the posts with warm smiles.
[Aww, our bunny looks so proud, haha.]
[The fact that he’s posting this on the official Starstagram… it’s that ‘Manager-style’ way of subtly bragging about his kids.
‘I got a food truck yesterday’ = Showing off how much they care
‘Why’d these broke kids do this’ = They must’ve gotten a decent settlement
‘I’m not a baby’ = (Kang Yi-chae definitely wrote that) They’re close enough to bicker
└ LOL why does Twitter only have likes and no thumbs up?]
But the real drama started after that.
[Food truck sent by Ju-seong - Giving the hateful guy one more serving of Kimchi Fried Rice]
[Hot dog truck sent by Cheong-beom - I can’t believe I’m actually sending a food truck. Eat well, you food-obsessed bastard.]
[Seo Ho-yun Bashing Group (Anonymous) - We’re here every day, good luck.]
[Hoo-ing?]
The Snowflakes were shocked to see trucks sent by such an unlikely duo. While they thanked them for taking care of their idol, they couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.
[Ju Woo-seong and Seo Ho-yun are actually best friends... I thought maybe that guy who never cared about anyone else started socializing/mentoring juniors? But no.
He’s only like that with Seo Ho-yun.
└ How they know each other is the mystery of the century.
└└ Something about being neighborhood friends... It’s still unbelievable.]
He was blackmailed.
[I never thought I’d see the day Cheong-beom sends a food truck.
└ Where did our prickly queen go? T_T Unnie... your prickliness was your charm.
└└ She’s still prickly as hell, don’t worry.
└└ No, but seriously, how do they know each other??? She’s always holed up in her studio.]
She was blackmailed. (2)
No one knew what the ‘Seo Ho-yun Bashing Group’ was or how it worked, but most people brushed it off, figuring that no one would publicly send a food truck like that if they were actually talking behind his back and weren't close.
Besides, those weren't even posted on Starstagram; they were just photos taken like eyewitness accounts, so people assumed they were just non-celebrity acquaintances and moved on.
[Wow, I thought with Seo Ho-yun’s personality he’d be a loner with no friends…. He actually has more friends than I thought.
└ But the people he hangs out with are always the same. He’s definitely a loner.
└└ I like that about him, though.
└└ Plus, everyone he hangs out with is also a loner.
└└ I like it even more now.]
Everyone tried to laugh it off.
However, the members… kept sending food trucks every other day.
Seo Ho-yun eventually gave up on posting every truck on Starstagram and instead uploaded a short vlog to the official Nutube.
[(Video of Seo Ho-yun making a phone call)
Seo Ho-yun: Are you guys really going to keep this up?
The other side: (Zero remorse) Yep~!
Seo Ho-yun: Save your money…. Don’t spend it on stuff like this.
The other side: (Still zero remorse)(Cheerful) Yeeep~!
Seo Ho-yun: …….
The manager zooms in on his face while laughing like a boiling teakettle, lol.
Manager: You got played! Hahaha!
Seo Ho-yun: LOL fine…. Whatever.]
[Are they really family?
└ Yeah, they swore a blood oath under a cherry blossom tree.
└└ LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL]
[It used to be fun watching Seo Ho-yun boss the other members around…. But lately, the members have gotten so bold that it doesn't work anymore.
└ Exactly, Ho-yun has kind of given up now, lol.
└└ I wonder who they learned that from?]
[Title: My friend is a staff member on the Kabu set.
She says Seo Ho-yun’s nickname is the King of Food Trucks.
└ He must absolutely hate that nickname.
└└ Apparently, he really does.
└└ LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
└└ Ah, I choked from laughing too hard, lolololol.]
* * *
“Hey, I told you guys to stop sending them!”
I scolded Jeong Da-jun as I walked toward the set.
Since it had become a common sight lately, the staff members who overheard me and guessed the situation sent me strangely heartwarming looks.
What… what’s with those looks?
“Then what’s that food truck standing over there?”
[Seo Ho-yun, we really didn't send that one. Is it Ju Woo-seong sunbae-nim?]
“No. He already sent one.”
[Hey, where did the ‘sunbae-nim’ go?]
Kim Seong-hyeon sounded indignant, but I ignored him and looked around. Eventually, Seong Ji-won confessed that he was the one who sent it and laughed softly, but I really wanted them to stop now.
Tsk. I clicked my tongue and headed up, when I heard a strange voice.
“Sunbaeniiiiiiims!”
It sounded like a warped cassette tape; for a moment, I didn't even know what was being said.
Recognizing the voice from somewhere, I turned my head to see someone scurrying toward Min Ji-heon, who was chatting with Yoo Ji-ah.
“I had no idea our filming locations would overlap like this! I heard about it a few days ago and was so moved by what an incredible coincidence it was!”
It was Lee Kang-seok, still working hard as ever.
“I heard you like carrot cake, Sunbae-nim, so I tried making some myself. You too, Yoo Ji-ah sunbae-nim! Your first broadcast is coming up soon, right?”
“…Uh, yeah, thanks. But you didn't have to do this.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s only natural between fellow actors.”
His tone was still smooth and gentle with everyone except me. Lee Kang-seok had even brought separate, expensive-looking spoons.
‘Wow… this guy is something else.’
Is a supporting actor from a competing drama allowed to suck up to the leads of the rival drama like this?
It wasn't even a food truck. The fact that Lee Kang-seok had personally baked a cake with Min Ji-heon in mind was the most chilling part.
I couldn't help but sigh at the impressive inscription: ‘To my respected seniors, from your ever-respectful junior, Lee Kang-seok.’
Even back when I was desperately sucking up to the bureau chief day and night because I had a program I wanted to make, I wasn't this extreme.
Min Ji-heon wore a very awkward smile as he watched Lee Kang-seok carefully hold out a spoon. Yoo Ji-ah, having spent enough time in the industry to have seen it all, looked indifferent, as if she’d dealt with plenty of guys like this.
“Um….”
‘Min Ji-heon must be creeped out….’
It was quite pleasant to see that Min Ji-heon, who rarely failed to irritate me, was in a bind. But being a natural-born troublemaker, I strode toward them with delight the moment I spotted him.
“I’m not sure if it’ll taste good, but…. Oh, Yoo Ji-ah sunbae-nim, would you like to try some too?”
“…Ah, well.”
The target shifted to Yoo Ji-ah. Just as she was scratching her cheek with a look that was outwardly awkward but fundamentally dismissive,
“Chomp.”
I snatched the spoon Lee Kang-seok was holding out to Yoo Ji-ah and took an exaggerated bite. The sweet taste of the cake spread through my mouth.
It’s actually good. Creepily so.
“……!!”
Lee Kang-seok’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. Regardless, I chewed the cake and complimented him.
“Good job~, it’s delicious.”
“Seo, Seo, Seo Ho-yun-ssi, why are you eating that….”
“But there’s a bit too much carrot texture. Did you put in more than the proper amount?”
“…….”
I even threw in some unsolicited criticism!
The ‘respected seniors’ beside me stared blankly. Ignoring them, I scraped up the last of the heavy cream with the spoon and ate it all.
“I made this for the sunbae-nims….”
“Yeah, you said it was for your fellow actors.”
I set the spoon down and said,
“I’m a junior too… and my first broadcast is coming up soon… I’ll be expecting great things?”
“…….”
“Oh, for the record, I prefer plain whipped cream cake.”
When I said that with a slight wink, Lee Kang-seok’s face turned pale, and he began to tremble. As I stood there with a calm smile, he vanished without a word.
Min Ji-heon looked back and forth between the direction Lee Kang-seok had disappeared and me, his mouth agape, before finally speaking.
“Is there… an academy in Korea that teaches you how to be this snide?”
“He’s a man who earned his Master’s and Ph.D. in being snide through an accelerated course.”
It wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear from Min Ji-heon, but I played along, and he let out an incredulous laugh. Beside him, Yoo Ji-ah chuckled before clutching her forehead, shaking with laughter.
“Seo Ho-yun-ssi, seriously… wow, this is a talent….”
“…….”
“I can see why the composer likes you, really.”
“The composer told me to get lost, actually.”
“Ahahaha!!”
I was just stating a fact, but Yoo Ji-ah found it so hilarious she was now howling and wiping away tears. Just then, a staff member called her, saying they needed to touch up her makeup for the next scene.
“Ah, that was funny. Anyway, thanks, Seo Ho-yun-ssi~.”
“For what.”
I replied nonchalantly to her thanks for getting rid of a nuisance, and she walked away with a slight smirk. Meanwhile, Min Ji-heon crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.
“…Why did you even come over? I thought you hated running into me?”
“I just wanted to ruin Lee Kang-seok’s mood for once.”
“Wow…. You’d rather face me just to get a dig in at Lee Kang-seok?”
Whether I raised an eyebrow back or not, Min Ji-heon let out a sound of genuine admiration.
“Sometimes, Hyung, you truly amaze me. You’re a type of human I’ve never encountered before.”
“I feel the same way about you, you lunatic.”