Chapter 14: Closer Than a Friend (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 14: Closer Than a Friend (2)
“Yu-jin, you really don’t know anything about this industry, do you?”
“No. Before I was cast, I lived my life completely oblivious to the entertainment world.”
“Then what about being my fan? Was that a lie?”
“You’re in commercials all the time.”
“Being a fan just because of CFs is a bit weak. Have you even seen any of my work?”
“I... I have.”
“Then name three of my major works.”
“...”
“Or even just one.”
I’d seen Yoon Se-rang’s face plenty of times on TV while passing through the living room, but I had no idea what the dramas were called. It wasn’t like I had the hobby of sitting down and actually watching a series.
I was usually too busy defending the Rift during that time.
“I’m not very bright, so I have a hard time remembering drama titles.”
“I wonder if I should even count someone like this as a fan...”
Yoon Se-rang crossed her arms and stared at me intently before giving a slight tilt of her chin.
“Let’s go. My car is in the parking lot.”
“Excuse me?”
“This talk about Kim Ho-jin isn’t something we should discuss here. You never know who might be listening.”
She was right; this wasn't a conversation for the middle of a crowded area, and I was curious about the rest of the story. However...
“My mother is waiting for me right now.”
“Tell her I invited you. You’re going to be bumping into Kim Ho-jin throughout the entire shoot. You need to know what kind of person he is so your acting career doesn't get tangled up from the start, right? You won't get another opportunity like this, Yu-jin.”
I’ve already achieved my goal the moment I debuted, so I’m going to announce my retirement as soon as this airs. And whether that Kim Ho-jin guy hits on me or not, I’m a veteran at drawing lines with men...
That was the long-winded, pedantic excuse I had ready, but looking at her face, I got the feeling it wouldn't work.
“Yu-jin, why aren't you coming... Oh my, aren't you the actress Yoon Se-rang?”
“Se-rang Unnie? Wow, it’s so good to meet you! I’m a huge fan!”
My mom and Jang Ji-hye appeared, making a huge fuss the moment they saw Yoon Se-rang.
For a split second, Yoon Se-rang smirked at me. In that beautiful smile, I suddenly felt a faint sense of impending defeat.
“Ma’am, would it be alright if I invited Yu-jin and her friend here for a short while?”
“What? Really?”
Her voice was soft and melodic, enough to melt anyone's ears. My mom’s eyes were already overflowing with hearts.
“Starting from Episode 3, she’ll be working closely with me as my warrior-maid. As her senior in the industry, I want to give her some advice. I received a lot of help from my seniors when I was a rookie, so I should pay it forward.”
“Oh, we’d be so grateful! Yu-jin, go with the great Se-rang and listen to her advice. You can come home late.”
“I’ll have my manager drop them both off at home, so don’t worry at all.”
“Of course I’m not worried! Look who’s inviting them!”
Excited, my mom encouraged us to have a good time and left on her own. Jang Ji-hye was so thrilled about being invited by Yoon Se-rang that she didn't look like she’d be much help.
What is this woman up to?
The memory of her pleading with the PD and writer about how she couldn't possibly do a two-shot with me was still vivid. Was this really just pure kindness from a senior?
“Follow me.”
After a brief moment of hesitation, I decided to go along. If I forced my way out of this situation, it would be an insult to Yoon Se-rang, and things would be awkward for the rest of the filming period.
I am a bit curious about what kind of history she has with Kim Ho-jin, too.
We followed her, only to freeze in our tracks when we saw her car.
“Wait inside. My manager will be here soon.”
My wariness vanished in an instant. Unfounded kindness? Who cares about that right now?
I can’t believe I actually get to ride in a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
The ride quality itself was on another level. I bet the "prestige of stepping out" would be even better.
*
The place Yoon Se-rang took us to was a high-end Korean restaurant in Cheongdam-dong.
We were led to a cozy private room. We didn't encounter a single other guest or staff member on the way. Even Jang Ji-hye, who came from a wealthy family, seemed impressed by the place. Yoon Se-rang naturally placed the order while chatting with her manager.
Perhaps because I’d died with my guts spilling out more than a few times, I wasn't particularly overwhelmed by the luxurious space itself.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom was the exception—that was truly spectacular when getting out. I usually don't like it when strangers stare at me, but stepping out of that Phantom was actually thrilling.
We did some light ice-breaking while waiting for the food.
“Oh, are you really PD Jang’s daughter? Now that I look at you, you do resemble him.”
“Actually, the most upsetting thing anyone can say to me is that I look like my dad.”
“Oh, the PD would be so hurt if he heard that. He made you so pretty.”
“Unnie, you know that sounds like a total humblebrag when it comes from you, right?”
With her great social skills, Jang Ji-hye was already laughing and calling Yoon Se-rang "Unnie." If I left them alone, they’d gossip forever, so I quietly interjected.
“So, Sunbae, you said you had something to tell me about Kim Ho-jin?”
“I think your friend/manager should know too, so I’ll start from the beginning.”
Friend/manager? Ji-hye?
“It’s not well-known to the public, but Ho-jin Oppa always ends up in a relationship with his female co-star whenever he does a project. Some are known, some aren't.”
“I knew that! But are you saying he’s done it with every single one?”
“Except for one project.”
When Yoon Se-rang pointed to herself, Jang Ji-hye laughed silently and clapped her hands.
“He’s set his sights on Yu-jin now. You have to be careful.”
“But our Yu-jin is a minor?”
“One of his co-stars was nineteen. He confessed and started dating her the moment she turned twenty. Until then, he maintained his 'kind older brother' persona perfectly while penning her in so other men couldn't get close.”
Jang Ji-hye covered her mouth with her hand.
“He confessed and they dated?”
“He never confesses first. He makes the other person so confused and conflicted that they eventually confess to him.”
Yoon Se-rang looked me straight in the eye.
“He’ll approach you as a pure, kind senior without showing a hint of 'manliness,' and before you know it, he’ll have built a transparent wall around you. For a rookie, the best thing is to avoid even the slightest involvement. That is, if you don't want your future acting career to get tangled up.”
“That’s not a big deal.”
“What?”
I thought he was the type to create some kind of brainwashing, blackmailing debt-shackle to hang over people. But he’s just a guy who relies solely on his own charm to enjoy a simple siege.
“It’s not easy for a junior actress to escape when a legendary senior—a top star, no less—is being kindly attentive. Especially when he looks like that...”
“If I tell him he’s being a nuisance because I want to be friends with everyone else but he’s getting in the way, does he still keep pestering?”
Yoon Se-rang’s eyes widened as if she were shocked. What?
“Don't tell me you've never drawn a line like that before?”
“How can you be so blunt when the other person hasn't even shown their true intentions yet...?”
“You can still tell him to move aside because you want to be friendly with others.”
“That’s a bit too harsh...”
Yoon Se-rang floundered in her shock. She must have suffered quite a bit, realizing too late that she was trapped in Kim Ho-jin’s enclosure and trying to find the gentlest way out. Maybe it was because he was a much more senior actor and someone she’d have to see in this industry for the rest of her life.
But I wasn't going to let that happen.
“If he tries to pen me in, I’ll break his wrists. And if I find myself already trapped without knowing it, I’ll tear through it and land a punch right in his solar plexus. So don’t worry, Sunbae.”
“...”
Yoon Se-rang stared at me for a long moment before her eyes crinkled into a quiet smile.
“Yu-jin, you look so gentle and quiet that I thought you’d be easily swayed by a handsome type like Kim Ho-jin...”
“I know better than anyone in the world how to effectively dump a man.”
“That’s a relief. At least the atmosphere on set won't get awkward.”
“Is that what you were worried about?”
“When the leads start a secret romance on set, it usually doesn't end well.”
Jang Ji-hye clapped her hands.
“Wait, was there a time when one of Kim Ho-jin’s projects tanked inexplicably hard because...?”
“It was a case where they dated during filming. The atmosphere on set was a total mess. No one knew.”
“But if no one knew, how did it become a mess?”
“Because they broke up before filming ended. That made the atmosphere on set a disaster, too.”
“...”
To think he’s still active as an actor with that kind of professional ethics... I guess it’s because he has such a large fan base?
“I like this project. I figured Ho-jin Sunbae wouldn't hit on me again, so I thought things would go smoothly, but when I saw the way he was looking at you, I felt like I couldn't just stay quiet.”
“I feel like a place like this is a bit much just to tell me that.”
Yoon Se-rang spoke immediately, without wavering.
“I felt threatened that you might quickly overtake me. Honestly, that was a big part of it.”
I’m leaving as soon as I finish this, though.
“I also want to be friends. That’s why I set this up—to warn you about Kim Ho-jin and to get to know you.”
“Thank you. I’ll work hard.”
“Right, let’s do a good job on our project. Don’t let that Kim Ho-jin guy mess up your career.”
We finished our meal in a more relaxed atmosphere. Jang Ji-hye was greatly disappointed to learn what kind of guy Kim Ho-jin was and asked all sorts of questions, leading to some unimaginable behind-the-scenes stories.
“Unnie, why don't the three of us take a selfie to commemorate this? Just for our personal collections!”
“Shall we?”
I ended up being pulled into a group selfie.
“I’ll sacrifice myself. I’ll stand in the middle.”
As if standing in the center was some great feat, Jang Ji-hye made a solemn declaration. It was exhausting as she made all sorts of fusses to try and match our face sizes. I stood at the very front, Yoon Se-rang behind me, and finally Jang Ji-hye at the very back, barely managing to make our faces look the same size.
The photo was taken on Jang Ji-hye’s phone. She claimed she was the most confident in taking selfies.
She dropped us off at home in her car, but before we parted...
“Are you really going to keep wearing the veil and mask? It’s such a waste to hide a face like yours until the end.”
“I’m a shadow warrior protecting the Crown Prince. What does it matter what my face looks like?”
“...”
It was an ad-lib I came up with on the spot, but even I thought it sounded plausible—especially seeing the slight flicker in Yoon Se-rang’s eyes as she looked at me.
*
Inside the Rolls-Royce Phantom, on the national highway heading home.
Buzz.
It was a KakaoTalk message from Jang Ji-hye. It was the selfie the three of them had taken together at the restaurant.
“...”
Yoon Se-rang stared at it for a long time. Because of Lee Yu-jin on the left, her own fair skin looked as if she had a slight tan.
[Jang Ji-hye]: I tried to edit it as much as I could, but it just looked too weird. T_T
Yoon Se-rang nodded. If she had edited it based on Lee Yu-jin’s skin tone, she and Jang Ji-hye would have come out looking unnervingly white.
Yoon Se-rang chuckled and saved the photo.
“I definitely can’t post this on SNS.”
After staring at the selfie for a long while, Yoon Se-rang put down her phone and looked at her reflection in the car window.
“Closer than a friend, even more intimate.”
*
I thought Kim Ho-jin would take his time and wait a bit before making his move.
But contrary to my expectations, Kim Ho-jin aggressively closed the distance during the very next shoot. It was completely different from the pattern Yoon Se-rang had described.
Was he feeling anxious? Is that why he’s rushing?
“There’s an acting study group I regularly attend with some close colleagues, and we happen to be meeting today. Would you like to come, Yu-jin? It’ll be a big help to your career.”
“Will the actress Jo Eun-bit be there? I’m a fan of hers, so I’d love to get to know her.”
“Jo... Jo Eun-bit...?”
His constant crescent-moon smile stiffened.
Jo Eun-bit. She had been Kim Ho-jin’s co-star when she was nineteen, started dating him as soon as she turned twenty, and was now essentially retired with no news of her whereabouts.
“I heard you two were in the same project and were very close. Will she be at the meeting?”
Acting like I knew nothing would be amateur. I deliberately gave off a blatant look and nuance, as if I knew everything.
Fortunately, Kim Ho-jin caught my drift.
I could tell by the slight twitch of his eyebrow.