Chapter 16: Only One Out of 14 Million Futures
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Only One Out of 14 Million Futures
Jung Yoon-ah’s rule for dramas was simple.
Write a fun script and pull in high viewership ratings. That was it.
What more could a writer possibly want from a drama?
She knew Kim Ho-jin was an "actress killer," but since his co-star was Yoon Se-rang—who had already rejected him once—she hadn't seen it as a problem.
In the first place, Kim Ho-jin was the only actor who fit the image of the male lead she had created.
Other actors weren't at his level, and those who were didn't have the time. From the start, Kim Ho-jin had been the only option.
"I didn't take Lee Yu-jin into account."
The reason she hadn't been worried? Lee Yu-jin was only a high school freshman.
To anyone with a shred of common sense, the idea of a scandal was impossible to even imagine.
"Being close 'oppa and dongsaeng' through her senior year and then dating the moment she turns twenty? I could maybe overlook that. But a freshman? You’ve crossed the line, Ho-jin."
Jung Yoon-ah snapped her lens cap shut.
It wasn't her style to drag out such a messy issue by keeping photographic evidence.
"This man is really trying to ruin my drama."
*
I accepted Kim Ho-jin’s apology graciously, told him we’d act like it never happened, and sent him back to focus on his work.
"But Yu-jin, is it really okay like this?"
"It’s fine. I got a recording."
"A recording?"
"Yeah, it’s a habit. Whenever it looks like someone’s about to confess, I turn on the recorder first."
Whenever a man starts talking about 'confession-related' things, I always turn on the recording. I rarely have to use them, but when an 'event' actually occurs, they’re a decisive help.
"Do you really have to live like that just because of your face?"
"It’s insurance. I still laugh myself to sleep thinking about the 'Crazy Woman of Samseong-dong.'"
"The Crazy Woman of Samseong-dong?"
"There was this restaurant I used to frequent in Samseong-dong..."
The food was great and they gave me lots of freebies, so I went often. Then one day, the owner—a man in his early thirties—suddenly confessed his feelings to me.
As it turned out, he was a 'golden spoon' who had opened the shop in his own building. No wonder the prices were so cheap compared to the quality.
I managed to reject him and stayed away for a while, but one day I was passing by and the smell tempted me too much.
The owner wasn't in the dining area, so I figured I’d just grab a quick takeout order and leave. But as soon as I walked in, a young woman I’d never seen before started shrieking at me. I was floored.
—How dare you crawl back in here! You little gold digger! I’ve got you now! Call the police!
That was the day I learned the police in Samseong-dong arrive incredibly fast.
The husband, who came running after being called, was flustered when he saw me and tried to explain to his wife, but she wouldn't listen.
—You said you weren't seeing her anymore! Then why is that bitch here again?!
—I really kept my promise to you! You know I don't even step foot in the shop when you're not here!
Seeing her? What was he talking about?
He confessed once, I rejected him, and that was it. Why was he acting like we’d been seeing each other?
—Then why is that gold digger here?!
—She must have been hungry! Our food is damn delicious, after all!
At that, both the police and I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Anyway, the wife was fuming, pouring all sorts of insults and curses at me until the police, unable to watch any longer, stepped in.
That’s when I played the recording.
The 1-minute and 20-second clip of the owner confessing and me rejecting him on the spot—played at full volume on speaker mode.
The wife’s face turned red and purple with rage, but this time, her fury shifted from me to her husband.
—How could you do this to me! You’ve never said such sweet things to me! But to that gold digger?!
—Anyway, I made my rejection clear back then. Officer, I can go now, right?
—Officer! You can't let her go! My husband spent tens of millions of won trying to seduce that girl!
When I got to that part, Jang Ji-hye looked shocked.
"Whoa, did he really spend tens of millions of won on you?"
"No? I never received anything other than extra meat and side dishes as service."
"Then what was that woman talking about?"
"Who knows? Once I showed them my student ID, the police told her to stop talking nonsense and asked if she wanted to be arrested herself. That was the end of it."
"Student ID?"
"I was in 7th grade back then. I was in civilian clothes, so I guess she didn't realize I was a minor."
I can still vividly remember the looks of utter contempt the police gave the couple the moment they saw my middle school ID.
Later, my mom went there, gave the woman a piece of her mind, and walked away with a very tidy settlement.
"Wait, that makes no sense. Even if you were in civilian clothes, how could anyone mistake a 7th grader for an adult?"
I silently showed her a photo from back then. Jang Ji-hye’s mouth snapped shut, her pupils trembling.
"Hey... how were you this tall in 7th grade? Was this when you reached your full height?"
"No, 2nd grade."
"You hit your current height in 2nd grade?!"
"Yeah. So every time the school year changed and the first parent-teacher event happened, there were always tons of moms and dads who mistook me for a teacher."
"..."
"That was the first time I realized how many dads flirt with teachers..."
"Can I look at your album?"
"Sure, go ahead."
Jang Ji-hye swiped through my phone's gallery.
Her eyes widened, and she let out occasional gasps of admiration, glancing back and forth between the photos and my actual face.
"Your mom forced you to take all of these, didn't she?"
"How did you know?"
"You hate taking pictures. I can feel how much effort your mom put into capturing as much of your childhood as possible."
For some reason, Jang Ji-hye seemed more excited about my old photos than I was.
"Can I have a few of these? I won't post them online; I'll just keep them for myself."
"Why on earth do you want a friend's private photos?"
"Do you need a grand reason to hang art on a wall? You look at it to appreciate it and nourish your soul."
"They're just everyday photos anyway, but please be careful about leaks."
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry."
I’m pretty sure she only asked for "a few," so why is she picking so many?
Leaving my phone to Jang Ji-hye, I focused on the script.
The handmaid warrior doesn't have many lines. But that doesn't mean it's easy.
Because there were few lines, I had to act through atmosphere alone. Since I’d be wearing a veil, the emotions I could project through my expression were limited mostly to my eyes.
Fortunately, I had plenty of experiences from my past life to draw upon.
Commanders, knights, veteran soldiers. And the Japanese warriors...
The aura of the Japanese bodyguards who stood beside their commanders back then served as a great reference.
Back then, I used to grumble that they slathered so much stuff on their faces that only their eyes were visible, but that memory was now helping me with my atmospheric acting.
"But aren't there too few lines? Even for a supporting role."
"She's a taciturn handmaid warrior. Instead, I have more action cues than anyone else."
"Oh, you're right. Still, the writer must be paying a lot of attention to you."
"She said it wasn't supposed to be this significant originally. Apparently, she added a few behind-the-scenes settings separately."
"Behind-the-scenes settings? Like what?"
"I don't know. She said it's a secret even from the actor until filming."
Sensing someone approaching, I turned around. Jung Yoon-ah had been trying to sneak up from a blind spot but got caught.
Giving up, Jung Yoon-ah stood up and smiled, a telephoto camera hanging from her shoulder strap.
"How is your hearing so good? How did you know?"
"I've always had good instincts. What brings you to the set?"
"What do you mean? I came to see you act. Your acting has been the source of my inspiration lately."
The child actors quickly bowed in greeting and then scurried away, sensing the mood.
Is Writer Jung Yoon-ah that intimidating? She seems like such a soft and kind person.
The three of us sat down and chatted.
Well, mostly the two of them chatted while I played the role of the one listening blankly with one ear.
Is being a friend-manager doable, do people at school know, how does it feel to see your dad (the PD) working, doesn't the delivered lunch box taste bad, I wish a snack truck would come every day... and so on.
"By the way, I saw Kim Ho-jin looking for you earlier. What did you talk about? He looked quite serious."
At Jung Yoon-ah’s question, my dazed mind snapped back to attention.
Jang Ji-hye was subtly watching my reaction, her mouth twitching as if she were dying to speak.
The matter is already settled. Why make a big deal out of it? It’ll only make filming take longer.
Wanting to finish my part quickly and retire, I gave a casual excuse.
"Since I'm a rookie, he told me to ask him, as a senior, whenever I have difficulties. It was just a formal gesture of kindness."
"Is that so? I don't think that's it."
"Pardon?"
"Do you know what Kim Ho-jin’s nickname is?"
I’d heard it from Yoon Se-rang...
"A lazy, picky-eater womanizer. An actress killer. You haven't heard that? At all?"
"..."
"To be honest, if the female lead wasn't Yoon Se-rang, I would have opposed Kim Ho-jin. I only tolerated him because he didn't try anything again after being rejected by her. And there was no actor who fit the role better than him."
"..."
"But now that man is trying to throw mud into my drama?"
Writer Jung Yoon-ah’s eyes sparkled coldly.
She seemed to know everything.
"A writer is the first mate of a drama. Practically a co-captain. If there's a problem with the ship, I need to know. Especially if it involves the risk of sinking."
"..."
"So tell me. This isn't about hurting someone; it's about saving people. Everyone whose livelihood depends on this drama."
After a brief moment of organizing my thoughts, I told her simply.
Just the plain facts.
Only then did Jung Yoon-ah break into a beaming smile.
"Ah, I knew it. But I'm glad. I'm relieved to hear Kim Ho-jin apologized and backed off once he realized your age."
"Yes, it's been resolved, so don't worry. It's not the first or second time I've shut something like this down."
"Oh my, you must be exhausted getting hit on every single day. It must be tiring just coming up with rejection lines."
"Actually, that's why I have a few templates I rotate through."
"Goodness, as expected, pretty girls always have their own know-how."
*
Writer Jung Yoon-ah spent a bit more time with Lee Yu-jin and Jang Ji-hye, laughing and chatting before getting up to leave.
The moment she turned her back, the smile that had been on her face vanished, replaced by a cold expression.
Though Lee Yu-jin and Jang Ji-hye couldn't see it.
Kim Ho-jin, you're more persistent than I thought. Look at how he cleanly washed his hands and left, pretending to have completely given up.
Lee Yu-jin thought Kim Ho-jin had backed off for good, but in Jung Yoon-ah’s eyes, that wasn't the case at all.
He had simply cleared the area and stepped back to make a grand re-entry when the time was right. Kim Ho-jin’s radar was still locked onto Lee Yu-jin.
He had shifted into a long-term investment mode of patient waiting.
Jung Yoon-ah recalled Lee Yu-jin’s words.
—He tried to make a move, but he backed off when I blocked him out. Since he's experienced, he probably realized his tricks wouldn't work on me.
Is she just naive because she's young?
Jung Yoon-ah contemplated what to do.
For now, the drama is fine.
Filming would proceed without issues.
Because for at least three years, he wouldn't make a single flirtatious move toward Lee Yu-jin.
During that time, he'll thoroughly plant the image of being a 'good senior.'
Like growing a tree that takes a long time to cultivate, he would be steady and patient.
Lee Yu-jin had zero romantic interest in Kim Ho-jin. In fact, she seemed to have no interest in dating whatsoever.
However, Jung Yoon-ah couldn't shake her unease.
What if, by the time Lee Yu-jin reached adulthood, Kim Ho-jin’s long-term harvest bore fruit?
No! Yu-jin has to become the brightest star in the future. I can't let Kim Ho-jin be the one to extinguish that light!
It might be overstepping.
But Jung Yoon-ah wanted to see how far Lee Yu-jin could grow as an actress.
She wanted to write scripts for her, create roles for her, and grow works together with her.
With the heart of a sculptor standing before the most beautiful raw marble in the world, she was anticipating the light Lee Yu-jin would bring to the world.
So, she went straight to PD Jang Hyun-soo.
"Let's drop Kim Ho-jin."
"Writer Jung? What are you talking about all of a sudden? Why drop a perfectly fine lead?"
"Oops, I was in such a hurry that the wrong words came out. What I meant to say was... does our male lead absolutely have to be Kim Ho-jin?"
"That's the same thing as saying we should drop him."
"This is the only way out of 14 million futures to prevent Lee Yu-jin from becoming a victim of a forced retirement due to a dating scandal the moment she becomes an adult."