Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Episode 15. New Role (6)
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Staring at the retreating figures of Ahn Seo-min and Han Mi-jin, Oh Min-tae gave a wry smile and murmured his thoughts in a quiet voice.
“You two are really dating, huh.”
“What, you thought otherwise?”
“People are creatures who keep doubting until they see it with their own eyes.”
“Well, yeah.”
Kang Han-do conceded that point.
Anyway, with time running short, they exchanged brief greetings with Ahn Seo-min. Then, figuring he might as well run lines until Ahn Seo-min finished makeup, Kang Han-do started moving to another spot.
Just then, a familiar voice tickled his ear.
“Excuse me. Sorry, but do you know where PD Yoo Tae-hwan is?”
“……?”
Turning around, he checked out the woman who had approached him. A smile spread across Kang Han-do’s face.
“A-rin ssi. What brings you here?”
“Ah, Han-do ssi!”
Only now realizing the man she’d spoken to was Kang Han-do, Min A-rin looked at him with eyes full of surprise.
“Are you recording 4 PM News Table today?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So the guest is Ahn Seo-min ssi?”
“No, it’s Han Mi-jin ssi.”
“……???”
Kang Han-do’s answer only confused her more.
If Han Mi-jin was the guest, why was Ahn Seo-min here in the studio?
“Could it be…….”
An article about a scandal between Han Mi-jin and Ahn Seo-min, two top actors, flashed into A-rin’s mind.
At her meaningful words, Yoo Tae-hwan PD leaned in and whispered.
“You’re PD Jo Woo-kim’s niece, right?”
“Yes, but…….”
“Don’t spread it around. About Mi-jin ssi and Seo-min ssi’s scandal—it looks like the article was true.”
“What?! R-Really?!”
“Haha, it’ll come out on air anyway when today’s recording broadcasts, so keep it secret until then.”
Kang Han-do wondered for a moment if he should be telling Min A-rin this ahead of time.
But Yoo Tae-hwan PD seemed fine with it.
Meanwhile.
“No way! Seo-min ssi…….”
Min A-rin, who had secretly admired Seo-min for so long.
She trailed off in shock, prompting Kang Han-do to give an awkward smile.
“You’re a fan of Seo-min ssi, I take it.”
“Yeah. I had my suspicions, but I never thought the article was true…….”
She’d come here on an errand, but the shock was too much. Clutching the file folder she needed to deliver to Yoo Tae-hwan PD tightly to her chest, she was at a loss for words.
* * *
PD Yoo Tae-hwan and PD Jo Woo-kim shared a fairly close friendship.
It made sense—they were both top PDs in variety at BLT Broadcasting Station.
Connections, planning, directing—they excelled in every area.
Maybe because they had so much in common, Yoo Tae-hwan PD and Jo Woo-kim PD interacted more with each other than with other PDs.
That’s how Yoo Tae-hwan PD learned one of Jo Woo-kim PD’s secrets.
Despite often barking at A-rin on the surface, deep down he thought of Min A-rin like his own daughter.
Jo Woo-kim PD was the head of a household with two sons and no daughters. So having a cute, aegyo-filled girl like a daughter nearby made him want to dote on her and take care of her.
Of course, he didn’t show it much outwardly.
Not long ago, at a private drinking party, Jo Woo-kim PD had gotten drunk and openly told Yoo Tae-hwan PD that Min A-rin was actually capable and promising, and though she had a boyish side, she was cute once you got to know her.
One thing that still stuck with Yoo Tae-hwan PD was that Min A-rin was actually a huge fan of Ahn Seo-min.
Not long ago, when Choi Ye-hee turned out to be a fan of Jang Han-seon, Kang Han-do had brought her here himself for a studio tour.
Since there was already precedent once, a second time should be fine. Yoo Tae-hwan PD slyly suggested to her.
“If you’d like, you could stick around and watch the recording.”
“R-Really?! But my uncle…….”
“I’ll handle it with PD Jo, so don’t worry.”
Min A-rin’s eyes sparkled at Yoo Tae-hwan PD’s offer.
She really did have that cute side, just like Jo Woo-kim PD said.
Meanwhile, Kang Han-do, who had been quietly listening, borrowed a chair from a staff member.
“The recording might run long, so have a seat here and watch.”
“You don’t have to go this far for me.”
A cast member looking out for staff—it was rare.
“It’s fine. In a way, you’re a guest, A-rin ssi.”
“…….”
With no choice, Min A-rin quietly sat in the chair.
All the while, the studio buzzed with busy activity.
After finishing his chat with Min A-rin, Kang Han-do returned to his spot.
Oh Min-tae, who had been checking the script beside him, jabbed his side hard with an elbow and asked.
“Who’s that girl? Don’t tell me your second?”
“Watch what you say—could cause misunderstandings. She’s neither second nor third.”
“Then who is she?”
“PD Jo Woo-kim’s niece.”
“Seriously?!”
Oh Min-tae let out a shrill yelp without realizing it at the mention of that famous PD Jo Woo-kim’s niece.
Some staff glanced over in surprise. Oh Min-tae made an apologetic face and gestured for them to ignore it.
Narrowing his eyes, Oh Min-tae looked at Min A-rin.
She was prettier than expected.
When she first entered the studio, right after Ahn Seo-min, he’d unconsciously assumed she might be Seo-min’s junior actress.
Min A-rin boasted top-tier looks and figure.
But PD Jo Woo-kim’s niece?
“If I had a niece that pretty, I’d be worried sick.”
Kang Han-do shot back right away.
“Worried about what?”
“Guys hitting on her for no reason.”
“Yeah, it’d be a headache if creeps like you came sniffing around.”
“Hey! Look at this guy? Where else you gonna find a high-class gentleman like me?”
“What, all the gentlemen in the world dead? Hard to believe coming from you.”
As they bantered, Han Mi-jin appeared in the studio.
At her entrance, Yoo Tae-hwan PD raised his voice to the staff.
“Alright, recording starts! Everyone get ready!”
* * *
The recording itself was going smoothly.
Kang Han-do led the conversation while Jeon Yoo-hyeon skillfully tossed in bait about Han Mi-jin’s scandal article.
“Who could sweep off a woman like Han Mi-jin ssi? At least a strong Superman type, or maybe a rich, handsome Iron Man sort.”
“Find that in a movie.”
Right after Jeon Yoo-hyeon’s line, Han Mi-jin tackled it head-on. Kang Han-do jumped in like he’d been waiting.
“A guy like me would do just fine.”
“Cut the nonsense and move to the next news.”
Han Mi-jin nailed the laugh point with a quick cut.
Having stood on stage as a comedian before, Mi-jin seamlessly caught the men’s ad-libs mixed with scripted lines.
‘Mi-jin ssi’s no joke.’
As the recording progressed, Oh Min-tae couldn’t help inwardly marveling at her verbal skills.
Meanwhile, as the shoot continued, Jeon Yoo-hyeon finally delivered the key line that kicked off the heavily revised script.
“Knowing this would come up, we scouted three candidates for the ideal man that suits Mi-jin ssi perfectly.”
“Oh, really?”
Han Mi-jin blushed with a shy expression.
As an actress, her facial acting was top-notch.
“I’d love to hear who these candidates are.”
“Two of them are already here.”
“Who are they?”
Han Mi-jin put on a stern face and pressed Jeon Yoo-hyeon.
Jeon Yoo-hyeon pointed at Kang Han-do and Oh Min-tae.
At the same moment they were singled out, Kang Han-do and Oh Min-tae struck cool poses.
Kang Han-do suddenly grabbed handfuls of prepped gels from the table, slathering them on like lotion and spiking his hair straight up.
Meanwhile, Oh Min-tae undid a button to show off his chest hair to the camera, emphasizing his wild side.
As the thick chest hair peeked through his shirt, Han Mi-jin sprayed the water she was holding right in Oh Min-tae’s face.
“Keok keok!”
Coughing but keeping a deadpan expression, Oh Min-tae shook water off the fake chest hair stuck to his chest.
In the meantime, Kang Han-do put on a shocked face.
“Aren’t these low-quality rejects instead of husband candidates?”
The moment Han Mi-jin finished speaking.
Drurrrrrr!!
The wall at the back of the studio split open to both sides.
A man emerged from between them.
The third candidate—and Han Mi-jin’s real lover, Ahn Seo-min.
“Darling, I’m here!”
“Oh my……!”
Spotting Ahn Seo-min, Han Mi-jin hurried over on quick steps and cried out.
“This is my destined one……!”
With those words, their lips met.
The script did call for a real kiss scene……
But seeing it up close, Kang Han-do could feel that Han Mi-jin and Ahn Seo-min truly loved each other.
It wasn’t some forced act for the cameras.
It was a kiss filled with love, pure and simple.
* * *
Han Mi-jin and Ahn Seo-min’s kiss.
Kang Han-do, Oh Min-tae, and Jeon Yoo-hyeon acted shocked, as if they were learning about the relationship for the first time.
But inwardly, they cheered for the couple’s happiness.
The two had made a bold choice, and it was dazzling—and a bit enviable.
‘Someday, if Ye-hee ssi and I could own our scandal this openly…….’
But first off, they weren’t even dating. Kang Han-do knew that was wishful thinking.
As the kiss ended, Yoo Tae-hwan PD called the shoot.
“Cut! Good work, everyone.”
“You too!”
Clap clap clap!
The staff applauded Han Mi-jin and Ahn Seo-min en masse. The pair bowed sheepishly to each one. Even amid this, A-rin couldn’t hide her complicated feelings.
Ahn Seo-min, whom she’d admired, had boldly declared he was dating Han Mi-jin.
As a fan, she had no grounds to complain.
She wasn’t personally close to Ahn Seo-min—it was just fan and celebrity.
Still, seeing Seo-min look so happy, Min A-rin smiled.
If this was the path to their happiness, supporting them as a fan was the best she could do.