Chapter 35: Whispers of Temptation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35: Whispers of Temptation
Yoon Se-rang sat and watched Lee Yu-jin, who was nodding off in front of the mirror.
Behind Yu-jin, Dwayne Jo was meticulously washing away the silver tint from her hair. Every time his hands moved, the jewel-like, brilliant color gradually vanished, revealing her natural black hair.
Half-opening her eyes, Yu-jin spoke in a sleepy voice.
“Teacher, why can’t other people do it like this?”
“The chemicals themselves are easy to get. It’s the color mixing that’s difficult. Specifically, coating silver over black is no simple task.”
“Because the color underneath shows through?”
“Exactly. To coat it in silver so the black doesn’t bleed through, while keeping the layer incredibly thin... it’s quite a feat, wouldn’t you say?”
“Wow, a true pro.”
The hair coating removal was finally finished.
Dwayne Jo gazed at Yu-jin in the mirror with a lingering look of regret before pulling out a business card.
“Would you take this?”
“Oh, thank you.”
“If you ever need difficult stage makeup, please contact me anytime. I will clear my schedule, by force if necessary, to come running. I mean it.”
Yoon Se-rang could see the reluctance to part practically dripping from the muscular giant’s eyes.
“This was the most rewarding work of my career in makeup. Thank you for trusting me with it.”
After a polite bow, Dwayne Jo packed his tools and left. Every step he took, devoid of any hesitation, radiated the spirit of a professional.
Yoon Se-rang crossed her arms and approached Yu-jin from behind, meeting her eyes in the mirror.
“You did well.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you really going to retire after filming this?”
“It’s not so much retirement as it is... I’ve just never seriously considered this path.”
After staring at her for a moment, Yoon Se-rang pulled a 100g gold bar encased in a transparent plastic cover from her handbag.
“Take it.”
“Gasp, is this a real gold bar?”
“Director Jung from the Cheongdam-dong clinic gave it to me as a thank-you for introducing you to him.”
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“Because I only took it to give it to you in the first place.”
“...”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. Director Jung isn’t the type to give gifts just because someone referred a patient. That’s actually illegal under medical law. He said he’s gifting this simply because he’s so grateful for the connection he made with you.”
Yu-jin awkwardly toyed with the gold bar.
Yoon Se-rang continued, her gaze in the mirror haughty.
“Do you know the real reason I’m giving this to you?”
“I don’t know.”
“I want you to know the value of gold.”
“Pardon?”
“From now on, whether it’s appearance fees or CFs, whenever you earn money, buy gold. Don’t do things like crypto. Do you understand?”
“I put everything I had into Envidium, though.”
“The GPU manufacturer? That’s fine too. But remember: gold never loses. It has been with human history since the Stone Age...”
After listening to Yoon Se-rang’s lecture on the virtues of gold for a long while, Yu-jin forcibly changed the subject.
“By the way, I think PD Jang is amazing at acting direction. How does he pierce through a person’s heart with such gravity? A famous veteran really is different.”
“Ah, the PD’s direction?”
When Yoon Se-rang chuckled strangely, Yu-jin tilted her head.
“Senior? Why are you laughing?”
“No, nothing. It’s just... it’s nice to be at that stage where you can worship PD Jang like that. I just laughed.”
“What?”
“Go change and come out. It’s time to go home.”
Yoon Se-rang left the container room, giggling to herself.
She knew the reason for her laughter—the reality behind the direction Jang Hyun-soo provided.
‘The PD is basically just having a free-for-all discussion.’
Jang Hyun-soo was exceptionally eloquent, capable of spouting all sorts of plausible-sounding words to heighten an actor’s emotions.
In his own words, he just pours every ‘sophisticated-sounding’ expression into the actor’s ears and sees what sticks.
Rookies often marvel at how perfectly Jang Hyun-soo captures the character’s emotions, but Jang Hyun-soo usually forgets what he even said the moment the words leave his mouth.
「Anyway, as long as they caught the emotion, isn’t that all that matters?」
Yoon Se-rang still couldn’t forget the shock she felt when Jang Hyun-soo first revealed the truth behind his directing.
“So, you need to be shocked too. Where do you think you’re going after only one project?”
Yoon Se-rang prayed that the 100g gold bar she handed over today would do its job.
Gold was a symbol of desire that had coexisted with humanity.
She believed that if Yu-jin’s materialism was amplified, she would continue down the path of an actress.
*
I left the set in Writer Jung Yoon-ah’s car, just as I had arrived.
“I’ve seen Ferraris in Gangnam occasionally, but this one seems even more unique. Even the shape is different.”
“It’s a limited edition.”
“How much does something like this cost?”
“Let’s see... I think I paid about 1.8 billion won for the car alone.”
For a moment, I scolded myself for not taking off my shoes and hugging them before getting in. I’d heard that star drama writers made good money, but this was truly surprising.
[Mom] Yu-jin, would it be okay if you stayed at Ji-hye’s house tonight?
[Mom] The water was suddenly cut off at the apartment.
[Mom] There seems to be a problem with the water tank.
“Ah...”
“What’s wrong?”
“My mom asked if I could stay at Ji-hye’s because the water is out at home.”
“What does the water being out have to do with—ah, I see. She can’t stand her daughter being even slightly uncomfortable. How sweet.”
I was about to send a KakaoTalk message to Jang Ji-hye when...
“Instead of that, why don’t you stay at my place tonight?”
“Huh? Your house, Writer?”
“I want to show you my working environment and things like that.”
“Thank you. I won’t refuse.”
“Invite Ji-hye too. It’ll be more fun with the three of us.”
“Okay, I’ll contact her.”
I texted my mom saying that both of us were invited by Writer Jung Yoon-ah and would be staying there. Mom replied immediately, saying she understood.
What kind of house does a star drama writer live in?
I waited with half-curiosity and half-anticipation, but the reality dizzyingly exceeded my imagination.
“Is... is this really your house?”
“The view is quite nice, isn’t it?”
“‘Quite nice’ doesn’t even cover it.”
Surprisingly, it was a luxury villa with a Han River view, the kind where star celebrities were said to live. To exaggerate slightly, the living room was big enough to play soccer in.
I don’t know much about real estate, but I felt like a place like this would easily cost over 10 billion won.
“Wow, you must get paid an insane amount for your scripts.”
“What are you talking about? How could someone my age buy a house like this just with script fees?”
“Pardon? Then...?”
“I took the script fees and blew them up through stocks. Even for one project, the script fee is less than a billion won, and after taxes, you can’t save up for a house like this with just that.”
“You definitely said you trade in the domestic market...”
“Because the heart of a beast beats inside here.”
Jung Yoon-ah thumped her chest with her fist and laughed, making me break into a cold sweat.
“Actually, I use the domestic market as an emotional suppressor, and I made all my profits in the US market.”
“Ah, I see.”
“When you get your appearance fees, don’t do anything silly with them—buy Envidium. Don’t just look at AI stocks. During a gold rush, you invest in the jeans company.”
“Oh, actually, I’ve been putting all the pocket money I get from adults into Envidium too.”
“You’re doing well.”
Seeing a house as magnificent as Yoon Se-rang’s, I felt a slight twinge of greed.
As I looked around the house as if possessed, Jung Yoon-ah, who had changed clothes at some point, smirked at me.
“If you keep acting, what’s a house like this? You could probably buy a mansion with an outdoor pool in every country.”
T-this is a bit tempting...
Jung Yoon-ah approached me and whispered in my ear.
“If you become a luxury brand ambassador, just the fixed appearance fees alone can bring in over 10 billion won a year. On top of that, campaigns, pictorials, and commercials bring in hundreds of millions more per contract. And also...”
Sweet words in the ear are the devil’s temptation...
“Actually, domestic commercials are nothing. Being an ambassador for a brand like LVMH is the real deal. From what I see, you’re more than enough...”
Et ne inducas me in tentationem...
(And lead us not into temptation...)
I muttered the phrase to myself, something I had learned long ago while serving under the Heretic Inquisitor.
I’m not good at English, but I haven’t forgotten the Latin I was forced to learn while following the Inquisitor around.
*
“Wow, Writer! Your house is amazing!”
“Ji-hye? Why are you acting like it’s your first time here?”
“I was afraid Yu-jin might feel left out.”
“...Why would I feel left out over something like that?”
“Still, you could.”
“I really can’t understand the hearts of girls. My younger cousins are the same way.”
“Yu-jin, you’re a girl too, why would you say—ah, I get it. ‘A top-tier beauty in the district like me couldn’t possibly understand the hearts of ordinary girls,’ is that it?”
Writer Jung Yoon-ah cut in with a serious face.
“Ji-hye, not top-tier in the province, not even top-tier in the city, but just top-tier in the district? Are you saying Yu-jin is only Yeongdeungpo-gu level? Now I’m the one who’s offended.”
“I didn’t mean ‘gu’ as in Yeongdeungpo-gu, I meant ‘gu’ as in the globe!”
“My mistake. You have talent.”
“...I’m really sorry, so could both of you please stop?”
Jang Ji-hye brought her own pajamas, and Writer Jung Yoon-ah lent me some clothes.
“Yu-jin, your chest feels very constricted, doesn’t it? Just bear with it. What can I do when my mom made me this way?”
“The top is manageable, but the pants are a bit tight. Do you have any loose sweatpants?”
“Your waist is fine, but your hips are tight. I’m jealous.”
“I have leggings, but I thought you might dislike them. Should I bring those?”
“I will gratefully wear these.”
“No, but seriously... I never imagined you were hiding such combat power in your chest. It’s truly incredible.”
“I’m telling you, I was shocked too. I knew her chest was big, but it’s a total glacier, a glacier. You have no idea how much is hidden under that sports bra...”
Aaaargh! Please stop.
Si nunc me spectas,
(If you are watching me now,)
ex hoc voragine eripe me!
(rescue me from this pit!)
Those days when I had to learn Latin by force while being beaten under the Inquisitor were probably better than this.
*
We stayed up late playing at Jung Yoon-ah’s house.
In particular, the various stories about actors in the industry that Jung Yoon-ah shared were incredibly exciting.
“I’m telling you this now, but the PD and I were actually going to kick Kim Ho-jin off the show. It was so obvious he was hitting on you. But before we could do anything, he went and self-destructed on his own.”
“Isn’t it just an inevitable instinct for a moth to be drawn to a UV light and burn to death?”
“...Am I a UV emitter?”
“No, the sun. But moths can’t tell the difference between the sun and a UV light.”
“Ji-hye, I’m telling you, you really have talent. Do you want to work under me?”
“But styling Yu-jin is much more rewarding and fun.”
“I’ll give you that. Then can I work under you, Ji-hye?”
“You’re welcome anytime!”
“...”
We played until dawn, and I was shown to the guest room.
Mostly, the two of them chatted excitedly while I sat next to them on my phone, occasionally giving soulless responses.
I let Jang Ji-hye have the bedroom and just slept on the living room sofa. Since men and women shouldn’t sit together after the age of seven, sharing a room felt a bit much.
*
The next day, and the day after that, the usual routine continued.
I went to school, and if there was a filming schedule, my mom would pick me up in the Carnival. Occasionally, I’d work on group projects at Ji-hye’s house.
On Discord, my gaming friends—pros or pro-hopefuls—would occasionally look for me.
[Rocktten Jupiter Bell] Sry sry, can’t log in today.
Time flew by.
Despite being busy to death, Jang Ji-hye and I managed to finish our group project.
“Yu-jin, is this good enough? I feel like we’re going to come in last.”
“I think coming in last at least once at our age is a good experience.”
“If I had that face, I’d walk around smiling even if I came in last every day.”
“Ji-hye, you said you even tried out to be an idol trainee, why are you so lacking in confidence?”
“I just feel like I become the ugliest person in the world when I stand next to you.”
“...”
Filming also proceeded smoothly.
Occasionally, rumors of a feud between the writer and director broke out at suspicious times, but the atmosphere on set was good. Since filming was going well, everyone was always smiling.
And the most fun shoot for me—the largest-scale group battle scene in our drama—was also filmed without a hitch.
It felt good to jump in among dozens of stuntmen and swing my sword to relieve stress, but when the cameras turned off, I received an unexpected standing ovation.
“As expected, Yu-jin, your fighting is killer.”
“I’m telling you, there’s no need for a double. She’s much, much better than a double.”
“There’s a murderous intent in Yu-jin’s sword. It’s as if she’s possessed by a sword demon who survived countless battlefields...”
“...Ji-hye. Stop it.”
As summer vacation approached, all filming schedules finally came to an end.
That meant my public execution was drawing near.
“Yu-jin, when does it air?”
“I think it’ll be during the vacation. But they said it might be delayed a bit.”
“I’m so looking forward to seeing how pretty and cool my daughter looks. It’s a bit upsetting that you wear a mask until the end, though...”
I wonder how Mom will react when she sees that scene.
I’m both expectant and worried; anyway, my mind has been restless lately.