Chapter 15: I Didn't Think He Was That Kind of Person
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 15: I Didn't Think He Was That Kind of Person
Kim Ho-jin let out an awkward laugh.
“Ahaha, Eun-bit—I mean, actress Jo Eun-bit hasn't really shown her face in the industry lately. I’m not quite sure what she’s been up to either.”
“I heard her projects performed quite well. I wonder why? Did she perhaps suffer some kind of emotional wound?”
I stared at him with a look that blatantly said I knew everything. I didn't even blink, keeping my gaze fixed squarely on his.
The twitching of his eyebrows began to settle.
The greasy, crescent-moon smile that had frozen on his face regained its vitality.
“Jo Eun-bit won’t be there, but it’s a small social circle that includes many young actors who are very active right now. I’m sure it would be helpful for you, Yu-jin.”
Unless Yoon Se-rang lied to me, Kim Ho-jin was acting right now. But the answer was far too obvious.
I trusted my experience from sixteen years of being dragged through the mud in this industry. I trusted my experience with men from my past lives, which added up to hundreds of years.
There is no man in this world who offers kindness for no reason to someone he isn't even close with.
“If Jo Eun-bit isn't going to be there, then I’m not interested. If you happen to get in touch with her later, please be sure to let me know then.”
I kept my eyes locked on his until the end, effectively burning the bridges behind him.
“I really, really love Jo Eun-bit’s acting, you see. Especially her image in her debut work, where she played your lover, Senior Kim Ho-jin.”
I gave him a choice: either turn around and jump into the river, or surrender.
“Oh, um. I see. If I find out how Eun-bit is doing, I’ll let you know then.”
“Sure.”
In the end, the option Kim Ho-jin chose was surrender.
*
Walking away as if nothing were wrong, Kim Ho-jin maintained his pace while naturally glancing back at Lee Yu-jin.
“Man, she really piques my interest, doesn't she?”
Kim Ho-jin chuckled softly.
It was a first. This was the first time he’d met an actress whose gaze didn't waver even slightly when faced with his looks.
Even Yoon Se-rang’s eyes had flickered minutely when they first met—a detail the sharp-eyed Kim Ho-jin remembered vividly.
Just then, his manager came running up, out of breath.
“Hyung? Why are you running like that? Did the CEO call?”
“Hey, what did you just do to Lee Yu-jin?”
“What did I do? I just greeted her as a senior.”
“You crazy bastard, do you think I don't know you?”
The manager, nearly raising his voice, quickly checked his surroundings. He kept his face and eyes forward, not turning them at all.
Smiling as if nothing were wrong, he walked alongside Kim Ho-jin, pretending to brush something off his shoulder.
He whispered low, careful not to let his lips move too much.
“Don't touch her. Seriously, I’m begging you.”
It was a sincere plea, but Kim Ho-jin just stared at him before saying something completely unexpected.
“Hyung, would it be crazy to get hitched in my twenties?”
“Wha—What? What?!”
“My value would drop, right? Would I have to pay penalty fees to the advertisers for that too? But there’s no ‘no marriage’ clause in the ad contracts, is there? Ah, surely I won’t only get older roles starting next year, right?”
“Hey, hey, hey! Get a grip, you lunatic.”
“Or should we have a secret wedding in the States and delay the Korean marriage registration for a few years? What do you think?”
“You…!”
Speechless and exasperated, the manager bit his lip hard.
“She’s a minor, you crazy bastard.”
Kim Ho-jin flinched for a moment, but soon smirked.
“I can wait. There are only nine months left until the year ends anyway.”
“She’s a high school freshman.”
“…What?”
“She just started 10th grade this year.”
Kim Ho-jin reflexively whipped his head back toward Lee Yu-jin, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“Get it together, man. It’s about time you retired your ‘Actress Killer’ title anyway.”
“Hyung, you’re messing with me, right? How is she a freshman?”
“What are you talking about? She looks exactly like a fresh, pretty 10th grader.”
“Don't lie. Anyone would think she’s in her early twenties.”
*
Filming went smoothly.
The action scenes we were shooting lately were much lower in difficulty compared to the first one. Of course, even that first action scene had been easy for me.
Since I played the maid-warrior for the child actor version of the female lead, Kim Yu-jung, I was always hanging out with the child actors on the film set.
And child actors are a package deal—they always come with a parent.
“Noona, do you want some of this? My mom gave it to me; she says it’s good for recovering from fatigue.”
“…Oh, uh, sure. Thanks.”
The child actor Jang Dong-hyun—this kid keeps forgetting even though I told him to call me Yu-jin instead of Noona.
I’d told him so many times that I’d grown tired and half-given up.
“Noona, how are you so good at swordsmanship? If I practice hard, can I be that good too?”
“This is something you’re born with. You can’t get this good just by practicing.”
“But wouldn't it work if I try really hard?”
I wonder. Would he snap out of it if I showed him push-ups using one hand (three fingers) and one foot?
“Yu-jin Unni-nim. No, no, Yu-jin-nim, could you tell me more about how you take care of your skin?”
My charge, the child actor Kim Yu-jung, asked.
With her round eyes, she was incredibly cute and pretty.
I really wish I could trade her for my younger brother.
She even listened well when I told her to call me by my name instead of Unni.
“Sleep is what’s important, sleep. When a person sleeps, the brain isn't just resting. It’s very busy cleaning out all the blood vessels in the body that got dirty during the day.”
“Ah! So your skin gets better if you sleep a lot?”
“Of course, of course.”
“I get it. I’m going to sleep early starting today.”
It wasn't even that big of a deal, but seeing her diligently note it down on her phone was heartwarming. Can I really not trade her for my brother?
“Yu-jin, Yu-jin, let’s fix your makeup. Follow me.”
“Again?”
“What do you mean ‘again’? For an actress, makeup is a critical security matter where even a one-nanosecond gap cannot be allowed.”
“Alright, alright.”
I was led by Jang Ji-hye into the makeup area. It was a pleasant container space equipped with an air conditioner, and I was using it all by myself.
Just how much money does this drama have that they provide such considerations even for a rookie?
But Jang Ji-hye didn't take out her tools.
“I thought you were fixing my makeup?”
“I don't need to. Your face is perfect right now.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I spotted him. That Kim Ho-jin guy was heading this way.”
“It’s probably a coincidence. Wasn't he going to the parking lot?”
“No way. He was definitely coming to hit on you again.”
Jang Ji-hye huffed.
“So what if he’s a famous, rich, successful, and incredibly handsome Hallyu star in his twenties? He’s almost thirty anyway; how dare he set his sights on our Yu-jin? As your stylist and manager, I cannot stand for this!”
“…I mentioned Jo Eun-bit earlier and sent a clear message, so he must have understood. I’ve dealt with this kind of thing so much that I’m good at it.”
“Then why is he coming toward you again? If he doesn't have any scenes, he should just go home. Why is he loitering here all day?”
I hung out with Ji-hye in the container, pretending to fix my makeup.
I liked that they’d even put my name on the door, so no one but my staff could come in.
“When are you going to tell the school?”
“It’s not like this is a big deal. Why tell the school?”
“Still, shouldn't you tell the kids in advance so they can prepare themselves? What if they see a Short pop up without knowing anything and have a heart attack?”
“Why on earth would they have a heart attack?”
“Because you’re so pretty?”
“…”
It’s suddenly hot in here.
“Oh, right. Starting tomorrow, I’ll bring lunch for two, so don't bring bananas anymore.”
“Don't do that. It’ll be hard on your mom.”
“Why would it be hard on my mom? The housekeeper makes it.”
“…”
“You can’t eat so poorly if you’re going to handle intense action scenes. You’re in your growth period, so you need to eat well to grow more… Hmm, if you get any taller, it might be hard to be an actress in Korea. Then you can just go to Hollywood!”
I tried to decline, saying I was fine, but in the end, I lost to Jang Ji-hye.
It was definitely not because I was defeated by the temptation of the side dishes in her usual lunch boxes.
After killing some time in the container, I stepped out.
I was startled when Kim Ho-jin suddenly approached as if he’d been waiting.
Is this guy really here to see me again? Even after being snubbed like that earlier?
I wondered if I’d been too gentlemanly for the sake of social etiquette, but then—
“I’m sorry.”
Kim Ho-jin suddenly bowed his head and apologized.
Jang Ji-hye and I both wavered for a moment and exchanged glances.
“I’ll be honest. I had dark intentions of acting like a nice senior, building up rapport, and then sliding into a relationship. I admit it.”
It was flustering because he came at me so directly, but the content itself wasn't bad. For a moment, I even wondered if he really needed to apologize.
“Uh, do you really have to confess all that? I think we could have just moved on without any awkwardness.”
“I know. I didn't exactly flirt openly, so if I’d just kept my mouth shut, we could have pretended nothing happened.”
“Then why…?”
“Because I felt too sorry and ashamed. The fact that I felt that way toward a 10th grader.”
“…”
“As a sign of apology, and to show that I’ll never do anything foolish again, I’m confessing everything, even though it’s humiliating. I’m doing this even at the risk of being canceled.”
I’d looked at him through a jaundiced lens because he’d flirted with a nineteen-year-old actress, but I guess he wasn't a total lost cause.
Kim Ho-jin’s attitude as he pleaded with his eyes felt sincere.
“If I’d known your age, I never would have done that. I’m laying everything bare and apologizing so that you’ll believe my sincerity. I am truly sorry.”
“Well, it’s fine now.”
“I’m truly sorry for acting like a lunatic who couldn't act his age. I’m reflecting on it, and I will never bother you personally again. You don't have to forgive me.”
“I said it’s fine, forgiveness or not. This is a workplace, so let’s both just focus on our jobs from now on.”
“I’m really sorry. And thank you.”
“Oh, seriously. I said it’s fine.”
It was true that I’d noticed Kim Ho-jin’s schemes, but they hadn't been explicitly expressed.
He could have just let it slide, but since he’d risked being canceled to confess everything and apologize sincerely, it was actually a bit burdensome.
Still, I was glad that one annoying thing I had to worry about on set was gone.
Now I could focus solely on work.
*
The film set of the drama Hwan's Torch.
Writer Jung Yoon-ah stepped out of her car and moved quickly with a bouncy, excited gait.
For today, she’d brought along the telephoto camera that had been gathering dust.
She planned to take plenty of photos of the maid-warrior Yeon Si-ho in action and hang them all over her studio.
Ah! It would be killer if I added a light touch of romance for Yeon Si-ho in the story.
As writers usually do, Jung Yoon-ah rarely visited the film set.
However, on days when Lee Yu-jin was filming, her feet naturally led her there.
I should try writing my next project with Lee Yu-jin as the female lead. What kind of character would be good? A tragic heroine? I want to try it, but that’s too old-fashioned. Her first lead role should be a standard modern rom-com so she gets lots of CFs and a solid career path…
At that moment, she saw Lee Yu-jin in the distance.
A presence so radiant she stood out even from afar.
Jung Yoon-ah, who had been approaching with a bright smile, suddenly saw her expression turn cold and frozen.
Hiding herself, Jung Yoon-ah raised her telephoto camera.
She didn't aim at Lee Yu-jin, but at the face of Kim Ho-jin, who was smiling like an idiot in front of her.
“…”
She didn't press the shutter.
She simply used the telephoto lens to capture every trace of faint emotion embedded in Kim Ho-jin’s facial muscles.
Jung Yoon-ah finally reached her verdict.
“Ha, look at this…?”
Lowering the camera, Jung Yoon-ah licked her lips.
“Mr. Kim Ho-jin, I really didn't think you were that kind of person.”