Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Rosanne the Unemployed (3)
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In the pitch-black room,
only the glow from my smartphone lit up my face.
[I miss you, Seonghyeon ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
I'd opened KakaoTalk hoping that thinking about Dahye might help me fall asleep.
Big mistake.
One simple line saying she missed me, and now my head was a tangled mess.
We'd only known each other for four days.
All we'd done together was eat, play games, go on dates, and sleep.
Well, when I thought about it, we'd done quite a bit.
Still, did it make sense to miss someone this soon?
It'd only been eight hours since I left home.
How starved for affection did she have to be to get separation anxiety after just eight hours?
Would Dahye say she missed someone else if she were apart from them too?
Were these thoughts a little pathetic?
Who was I to judge?
As dawn crept in, every stupid idea flooded my mind.
I stared at my phone for ages, unsure how to reply,
then suddenly reflected on what I'd been doing just moments ago.
I'd thought about Dahye too.
I'd wondered if picturing her might help me sleep.
Maybe my thoughts about her were a form of missing her as well.
In that case, her message might just be...
Her sharing the same feeling as always, nothing special.
Yeah, that made sense.
I miss Dahye too.
[Me: Why aren't you asleep?]
[Park Dahye: The house feels too big and scary ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Me: You're a grown adult. Quit talking nonsense and go to sleep.]
[Park Dahye: Can I call you?]
[Me: Right now? What for? Something to say?]
[Park Dahye: No... just...]
I didn't have a reason to call either, but she'd brought it up first.
Might as well check if she's still alive.
We were both in bed anyway, even if far apart.
Think of it as a party chat. One call wouldn't hurt.
I dialed, and before the first ringtone even finished, Dahye's voice burst through.
[Seonghyeon!]
Just hearing her voice conjured up the image of Park Dahye from yesterday, scampering to the front door.
My imagination must be running wild—her tail was even wagging.
Like a puppy.
"Park Dahye, what'd you do today? Report."
[Um... Watered the herbs. Ate, did the dishes...]
"No gaming?"
[Of course I did! Farmed 10 million gold! Hehe.]
"That's peanuts. Turning into a slacker while I'm gone?"
[It wasn't fun today... So I just drew some pictures. What about you?? How's game show prep?]
"Naturally. Who do you think I am?"
[Did you carry hard?]
"Yeah. Everyone was slacking, so I cracked the whip, dropped some savage one-liners. They were totally checked out..."
[Whoa! Seonghyeon's the boss man! What's the vibe like? Any statues or anything?]
"You bet. Our booth has one too. Tons of demo areas. Oh, right—top secret, but I heard Billion Saga's showing up."
[No way!? For real?? Sounds fun... Take me...]
"No tickets anyway. If we'd met a week earlier, I could've hooked you up."
[Ughhhh...]
My insomnia was brutal tonight, but it had its perks.
I forgot all about sleep and spent ages telling Dahye about the venue.
New game booths, character statues, famous streamers and celebs I'd spotted.
And speculating what might go down at the Billion Saga booth.
We chatted for over an hour.
But as time passed, her quick replies slowed,
until finally, no responses—just Dahye's deep breaths.
Snore... snore...
'Scary my ass. She's out cold.'
Some of us can't sleep.
I lay on my side, phone propped on my cheek, listening to her breathing.
With my eyes closed, the warming phone felt like Dahye's body heat.
Not that it helped me sleep.
The sky outside was already turning blue.
Dawn.
Managing your condition is skill too, so today's me was the world's biggest scrub.
Whatever, it'll work out.
Time to head in.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I ended up not sleeping a wink and got up at 6 for work prep.
My hands were tingling unpleasantly, but four days? It'll be fine.
A nap during the day should get me through.
Grabbed a quick breakfast and checked the external staff schedule on my way to the venue.
Coffee in both hands, kimbap snacks loaded up.
But as I neared the venue,
my phone started blowing up.
KakaoTalk!
KakaoTalk!
KakaoTalk!
She spams me all the time, nothing new,
but this felt different. Way more urgent.
Events are chaos nonstop—how you handle it is what counts. But something felt seriously wrong this time.
Why? Because I'm HR.
Venue mishaps? Marketing handles them.
I shouldn't even hear about most stuff.
Morning KakaoTalk frenzy from the start meant...
Something Marketing couldn't contain.
[Marketing Kwak Section Chief: Agent Kwon! Big trouble! Can you come to the venue NOW?]
[Me: Morning, Chief. I'm right outside. Heading in.]
Whew, no sleep and rushing—vision's spinning.
Opening was still two hours off, but our booth was swarmed.
All four Marketing members huddled, strangers with Busan Convention Center support badges milling about.
"Team lead, what's going on?"
"Agent Kwon... what do we do? Cosplay team just arrived, but one has a high fever. Can't enter."
"Ah..."
Classic variable I'd anticipated. Most common one.
That flu again.
Biggest worry prepping this event.
HR even prepped backups fearing infected staff or guides.
But even with all that prep, the anxiety stemmed from...
Marketing's gimmick this time.
User-voted cosplayers on stage.
If—even a dust-speck chance—an infected one slipped through? No replacements.
"Timing's a killer."
"Right? If yesterday, we could've managed... Not on the day of... Ugh..."
No sleep for him either—Kwak Chief's lips looked purple.
Team just pacing helplessly.
Lucky part: I'd scouted Busan modeling agencies ahead.
As long as not worst-case, swap with a body match.
Unless...
The one with the thickest fandom.
"Cos team's at the hospital now?"
"Yeah... Other four asymptomatic, all waiting tests."
"Who's symptomatic?"
But...
Chief's face said it all. No need to ask.
Jackpot worst-case.
Damn.
"Dalnyangnyang... the Rosanne one..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Phone calls flew nonstop—hours vanished.
Three model agencies in Busan, Seoul cos team—all contacted. No dice.
A few body matches, but pros didn't capture Rosanne's vibe.
"Chief, checked the model profiles?"
"Yes... Won't work. Let me think..."
His head must be spinning.
That's all I could do.
Four cosplayers tested negative, back at venue. Dalnyangnyang positive—headed to Seoul.
Petite build, fair skin, striking eyes—like Rosanne. Fans loved her.
Famous for Rosanne cosplay pre-event.
Main act bails—Marketing wrestling HQ for hours.
Flu excuse? Users might get it, but...
Hype for months, then no payoff at show? Rage incoming.
1 PM now.
One hour to reveal.
New chapter dropped smooth, demo event fine.
Update reactions good. Crowd packed booth for new avatar reveal.
Wonder how it'll go.
I monitored homepage for Marketing's response.
Finally, new avatar time.
MC hyping, cosplayers hitting stage one by one.
Cheers drowning nearby booths.
But post-show, models down for fan pics,
vibe shifted.
"Where's Rosanne? Why no Dalnyangnyang?"
Faces said it all.
Event bombed. Guaranteed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 6 PM.
Event wrapped.
Demo drew crowds, no major flubs.
Avatar reveal meh, but users still enjoyed.
Marketing? Heads down like Tomorrow's Joe after burning out,
Chief worst off.
"Agent, seen community reactions?"
"Yeah."
"How bad?"
"Shitstorm, mostly. Update feedback's solid though."
"Should've posted apology. Director said no."
"Last payment fiasco apology backfired hard. Probably wary."
"Turned into worse than nothing. At G-Fex of all places."
Want to say no, but...
Spot on.
Random cosplayers sans event? Fine.
Tried hypebaiting, became liars, botched response.
Event's just day one though.
Buck up, Chief.
"Put up another model. Dalnyangnyang tweeted—users'll understand."
"Won't that get more hate? No good lookalikes."
"Hate comes, but we gotta act."
"True. Did zilch today—better do something..."
"Pick from profiles, I'll book 'em."
"Ah, yeah... For tomorrow..."
But Chief's eyes were unfocused.
Looking at me? Behind me?
Staring into space, then...
Snap. Focus returned.
He spoke to me.
"Hey, Agent."
"Yes?"
"That lady over there... Doesn't she look just like Rosanne? Uh... Can we recruit civilians!?"
Sudden energy in his voice, eyes lit with excitement.
What'd he see? Civilian out of nowhere.
Followed his finger back...
A woman stood there.
Beige dress, straw hat pulled low.
Our eyes met—she ducked behind the banner.
Weird.
No sleep?
Or too much Dahye on my mind yesterday.
That glimpse... looked like Dahye. Hallucination?