Modern Cinderella (2)
Modern Cinderella (Part 2)
Selena Kim.
Lately, she had been realizing just how enjoyable life could be.
Normally, she would have reacted indifferently to expensive meals that cost as much as an average office worker's monthly salary, dismissing them as mere acts for health and longevity. But these days, a smile would form on her face as she remembered the "not-like-ordinary-food" meal that man had made for her a few days ago. Watching his broadcasts every night from 7 to 11 PM before falling asleep had become her hobby and the meaning of her life.
And when unpleasant business matters arose, she would retaliate decisively as always, but now she would recall his image - looking at her with a bright smile saying "Let's be friends!" - and cool her anger.
She had created several situations that surprised the security chief who had been assisting her for 15 years.
"How enjoyable~"
Compared to her 35 years of empty existence, this life where she could think of that man was incredibly beautiful and joyful.
And then came news that made her life even more enjoyable.
"These days, there's a couple heating up the world as the 'Modern Cinderella,' right?"
"Yes, that's right! The protagonists are none other than the famously perfect woman Selena Kim - both known as a chaebol heir and someone who rose to become CEO of Paprika TV through her own abilities - and the angel Kang Cheol-nim, the male streamer who recently set the world abuzz~! Let's look at the footage?"
"Wow~ A combination of a blonde beauty and a black-haired pretty boy? This is truly something else!"
"Exactly. Plus, with Selena Kim-nim coming from a chaebol family and Kang Cheol-nim's situation where he couldn't even afford proper clothes until recently, they're receiving public support as the 'real-life Cinderella couple'~!"
She smiled brightly at the conversation between the two MCs on the entertainment news program.
She knew that the meaning of "friend" that man had proposed to her wasn't that kind of relationship the world commonly assumes.
Moreover, though the security chief hadn't told her, Selena Kim knew everything about Kang Cheol dating Kim Ye-rim, an FPS game specialist streamer on her Paprika TV.
"But what does that matter? I'll just take him away~ Huhu."
She wasn't a fool.
No, quite the opposite - she was a genius.
Before, she had been ignorant about emotions and made ridiculous misconceptions like thinking she was having a heart attack, but now she had realized that her feelings for Kang Cheol were love.
Just thinking of him made her black-and-white world shine brightly with rainbow colors, and she wanted to have that man who was her only light.
Plus, even if they meant different things by it, didn't that man also have some feelings for her since he proposed being friends?
Actually, this was Selena Kim's misconception.
Kang Cheol had thought of his friend from the previous world and became friends with her with the intention of sincerely saving someone, not romantic feelings. Unaware of this, Selena Kim was greatly misunderstanding his call to meet today as a sort of date!
And so the two people with different emotions met...
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"Selena... no, Selena Kim-ssi. What exactly are you trying to do with me?"
I'm not a genius, but I'm not a fool either.
My issue, which should concern ordinary people, hasn't died down even after almost a week, and on top of that, dating rumors with Selena Kim, a chaebol heir, are burning hotter without any refutation articles?
The "Modern Cinderella" that people are talking about is just a nice way of saying Cinderella - it was a story as disconnected from reality as a fairy tale.
Maybe if I were the child of some chaebol family like Selena Kim or a famous celebrity, it would be different.
But my current position is merely that of an ordinary person who became famous by chance and will disappear soon.
And they're linking someone like me with a woman who's both a chaebol heir and rose to become CEO of Paprika TV through her own abilities?
'For a day or two, it might be interesting and mutually beneficial for marketing, but this has been going on for five days?'
Who do they think I am, an idiot?
There's only one possibility in a case like this.
'Someone wants this situation and is continuously fueling it to drive the issue.'
And the woman before me definitely has the capability to do exactly that!
Moreover, Selena Kim knew exactly what "friends between a man and woman" means, yet she didn't refuse my friendship proposal but accepted it.
Even though she must have known from the situation and my tone that I didn't mean it in that way.
That's why.
When I called to meet, she didn't come in a sports car that might expose her identity but drove a huge SUB vehicle, and the moment I got in her car, I immediately confronted her.
"What do you mean all of a sudden, Kang Cheol-ah? And you said we should speak casually, so why are you using formal speech?"
She was about to drive somewhere but frowned at my aggressive questioning tone, forced a smile, and parked on a deserted roadside.
"Friends can joke around, but this has gone too far, Selena-ssi. Who said anything about being 'friends between a man and woman'? I just wanted to help you with your pitiful situation by being friends. I didn't propose friendship to create dating rumors like this! And I already have a girlfriend!"
Selena-ssi's smile gradually faded as I got straight to the point without answering her question.
But I couldn't stop here.
Last night.
Ye-rim, who showed a rough side she never would have without being drunk or mutual consent, then became filled with self-loathing, cried, and ran away - her image flashed before my eyes.
No matter how much I wanted to help Selena Kim because she reminded me of my friend from the previous world, I had no intention of helping her at the cost of hurting Ye-rim.
"I'm... p-pitiful...?"
"Yes. I enjoy this world. No matter how harsh and difficult things get, overcoming them is enjoyable, and taking pride in yourself for doing so is also a form of enjoyment. But you look down on and ignore this enjoyable world from your own limited perspective, ultimately feeling empty inside - that's why you seemed pitiful and I wanted to help you."
Selena Kim's smile had completely disappeared, replaced by a stiff, hardened expression.
"But you ignored my goodwill and made my lover cry. I'm sorry for proposing friendship first and then breaking it off unilaterally like this, but please put an end to these dating rumors about us."
Well, I've said everything I needed to say.
As I said 'Well then...' and tried to open the passenger door...
>
Click!
"...What are you doing right now?"
Whether it was a specially manufactured vehicle or not, when she locked it from the driver's seat, the passenger door wouldn't open.
In the chillingly tense situation, I turned my gaze from the passenger door and looked at Selena Kim sitting in the driver's seat.
"No need to apologize~ We're 'friends,' aren't we?"
A smile.
But the sticky, dark emotion contained within that bright smile sent chills down my spine.
"No, I mean. We're not friends anymore... Mmph?!"
A suddenly approaching hand forced my mouth open, and soft lips covered mine.
Simultaneously, her snake-like tongue forced its way into my mouth, violently teasing my teeth and tongue that had retreated as far back as possible, moving around freely as if it owned the place.
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'It hurts.'
It hurt too much.
As his words continued, my heart that had been excited like a child's grew cold, and a terrible sense of loss I had never experienced in my life tore at my chest.
Why is he doing this?
Why is he saying such harsh things to me?
'When he smiled brightly at me while saying let's be friends!'
He didn't feel the same way?
This was all my misconception?
If this was going to happen, he shouldn't have approached me in the first place.
If this was going to happen, he shouldn't have messed with my emotions so recklessly!
"Well then..."
As he finished his last words and tried to step outside, the swirling emotions suddenly stopped, and another emotion began to rise in their place.
Obsession and possessiveness.
The first emotions she had ever experienced since being born with everything, and she knew exactly how to relieve these feelings.
>
Click!
"...What are you doing right now?"
This SUB vehicle had been specially made from the beginning for her dark hobbies.
All control of the vehicle was from the driver's seat, and the tinting was so dark that the interior couldn't be seen even in broad daylight.
At the same time, the soundproofing was better than most vocal training recording studios.
Which meant...
'Whatever happens inside this vehicle won't be known to the outside world.'
The whirlwind of emotions that had been hurting her stopped, and as the new emotion settled in, her disappeared smile began to bloom again.
Right, since when did she ever hesitate or worry about obtaining what she wanted?
'If I wanted something, I just took it!'
What couldn't be obtained with money was taken by force, and what couldn't be taken by force was obtained through schemes.
This was her life, and she would make Kang Cheol hers too!
"No need to apologize~ We're 'friends,' aren't we?"
She could see the man's expression hardening stiffly as he looked at her newly formed smile.
The captivating black hair that could enchant everything contrasting with her, those fairy-like eyes that seemed too large for that small face.
The gracefully curved inner eyebrows that gently covered those eyes accentuated his beauty even more.
Finally, those small, seductive cherry-like lips without any makeup filled her vision.
"No, I mean. We're not friends anymore... Mmph?!"
Her body was already moving...