Chapter 55: Temporary Manager
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 55: Temporary Manager
He saw the article?
The sudden remark left me momentarily stunned.
It took a few seconds for my brain to catch up and realize exactly which article he was talking about.
The scandal with Yeong-eun.
"Father, it’s not what you think."
—Not what I think?
"Yes."
—Hmm, is that so?
"Is that why you called?"
—Of course. When the family’s black sheep is finally doing his part, shouldn't I reach out? I know exactly who that celebrity is...
As expected.
I knew it.
I knew he wasn't the type to call out of concern for his son.
Was I expecting too much to hope that he might have changed even a little?
"Do you even know I was discharged from the military a few months ago?"
—...
"No, did you even know I went to the military? You never visited once, never even called."
—Every man must serve in the military. Don't go making a fuss over something so trivial.
"The man who didn't bother to call when I went to the army is calling now because I’m in a scandal with a third-generation chaebol."
—You certainly have a lot to say to your father.
His voice came back cold.
It was a voice devoid of any emotion.
So chilling it felt like my ears would freeze just listening to it.
"Did you really hate me going into the Computer Engineering Department that much?"
—What can you possibly achieve by learning a bit about computers? If you had entered law school, I wouldn't be saying this.
This again.
—I’ve told you time and again, with your brains, becoming a prosecutor would have been beneficial for my business...
"I’m not doing it."
—...And here I thought you had finally come to your senses.
"I told you before. I am not a tool for your business."
—Have you no gratitude for the man who raised you?
"I am grateful."
But that didn't mean I would agree to let him turn my life into that of a puppet.
—You are still foolish. You don't know how the world works. I designed your life so that you could live comfortably...
There was no getting through to him.
No, he wasn't even trying to listen to me.
It felt like talking to a brick wall.
I felt like my head would spin if I kept listening to him.
This was a gap that could never be bridged.
It was the very reason I had moved out as if escaping from home.
—I thought a fellow like you had finally found his own way, but to call it a false rumor... A third-generation chaebol is a connection you must hold onto at all costs. You wouldn't know because you don't run a business, but...
"The thing you’re hoping for isn't going to happen."
I meant that the granddaughter of Jeil Group would never become his daughter-in-law.
—Stupid brat.
My father hung up.
It was always like this.
A father who forced his ways upon me.
And me, who rebelled because I hated it.
Because of that, our conversations always ran in parallel lines, never meeting.
"Sigh."
If my father knew, it was safe to assume everyone at school knew as well.
"This is going to get complicated."
*
As soon as I arrived at school, countless eyes were fixed on me.
"That's him, right?"
"I heard he was alone with Yeong-eun at a cafe."
"Someone said he got down on one knee and proposed to her at the cafe."
"From what I heard, Yeong-eun was the one clinging to him, crying and making a scene."
All sorts of distorted rumors were being passed from mouth to mouth.
There was no way I couldn't hear the whispering behind my back.
Every word pierced my ears.
And every single one of them was unpleasant.
There were even ridiculous rumors claiming Yeong-eun and I were step-siblings.
Human imagination truly knows no bounds.
Even after the professor arrived, I couldn't completely ignore the lingering stares.
When the uncomfortable class finally ended and I stepped outside...
Chief Park’s car was waiting right in front of me.
"How does it feel to feed on public attention?"
Yeong-eun, sitting in the back, asked.
How did it feel?
It certainly wasn't a good feeling.
Perhaps my expression gave it away.
Yeong-eun let out a smirk.
"That's the life of a celebrity. It’s hard to endure those stares filled with jealousy and anger without a very strong mental state."
"I can imagine."
There wasn't a single moment I could feel at ease.
Even when I went to eat with Miju and Ye-seul, the stares were stinging.
"Do I look a bit more impressive now? It’s not common to find someone who stays so consistent even under this kind of scrutiny."
Yeong-eun boasted.
"I suppose so. I’m starting to think celebrities are quite amazing."
"I see."
Was my reaction too dull?
Yeong-eun smacked her lips at my nonchalant response.
"By the way, did you see the correction article?"
"Yes, I saw it."
Starting with the rebuttal issued by Yeong-eun’s agency.
—Yeong-eun was casting a photographer for a pictorial. They are not in a relationship.
—Malicious articles harassing a non-celebrity civilian must stop.
Several articles were posted in succession.
Yeong-eun had even gone as far as to boldly reveal her name in an article that had previously only referred to her as 'Famous Celebrity A' and posted a rebuttal.
It was her way of showing she had nothing to hide.
It seemed to be quite effective, as the comments were overwhelmingly positive.
On top of that, perhaps Jeil Group had applied some pressure?
The article about Yeong-eun that had been plastered on the Dream Daily homepage had vanished without a trace.
Of course, that didn't mean the rumors at school would disappear instantly.
"If you just ignore it and stay quiet for a while, people will forget on their own."
That was a problem only time could solve.
The reason I got into Yeong-eun’s car today...
"Follow my schedule all day and see for yourself what kind of person the actress Yoo Yeong-eun is."
...was because of Yeong-eun’s request.
Yeong-eun added that to take a perfect photograph, one needs to understand the model.
She wasn't wrong.
It is a necessary process if I want to photograph Yeong-eun properly.
But I didn't expect her to suggest it first.
It was unexpected, to say the least.
It wasn't a bad deal for me.
My classes were over anyway.
Tomorrow was a day off with no classes, so even if we finished late, I could sleep until late afternoon.
And she was even paying me a daily wage.
There’s no reason to refuse.
Yeong-eun handed me an ID card.
"Take this."
"What is this?"
"It’s an employee ID for our agency. People tend to look down on regular road managers, so I specially prepared a Team Leader level ID. I hate it when my people are looked down upon. Well, I doubt anyone would dare look down on my person, but you never know."
I took the ID card she held out.
—Dia Entertainment, Team Leader Choi Jae-ho.
Unexpectedly, I had become a Team Leader at a company I had never even stepped foot in.
"But why are you giving me this?"
"People in the broadcasting industry can be a bit... difficult. If someone tries to pick a fight for no reason, just show them that."
"I’ll make good use of it."
Just then, Chief Park, who was driving, spoke up.
"We have arrived."
"Ah, good work."
The place we arrived at was a filming set filled with cameras.
Over ten cameras and dozens of staff members were moving about busily.
"Ah, you’re here?"
An FD came running toward Yeong-eun in a hurry.
"Am I a bit early?"
Yeong-eun asked.
"Not at all! We’re about to start. Would you like to come over and briefly go over today’s filming concept?"
The FD, bowing so low his head almost touched the ground, answered politely.
But what kind of filming was this?
It definitely wasn't for the drama Invincible Youth.
Was it a variety show?
My question was quickly answered.
The moment I saw the 'National MC' Kim Seok-jae having a meeting with the PD while looking at a cue sheet, I realized what they were filming today.
What Do You Do When You Rest?
It was a famous variety show.
I figured it was only natural since it was a flagship show for WBS.
"Watch closely."
Yeong-eun gave me a bright smile.
It was that same confident smile she always wore.
*
Yeong-eun stood before the camera, and the variety show naturally began.
The concept for this episode of What Do You Do When You Rest? was Kim Seok-jae coming to learn acting.
And Yoo Yeong-eun was the one teaching him.
"Hello. Wow, I’m working with Yeong-eun today, one of the pillars of Invincible Youth’s popularity. It’s an honor."
"Hoho, the honor is all mine. It’s a privilege to be able to act alongside the National MC."
A beautiful smile.
It was a perfect smile with not a single flaw to be found.
Yes, that was the look.
The top actress Yoo Yeong-eun as seen by the public outside the TV screen.
Even Kim Seok-jae, the National MC, caught his breath at the beautiful smile that enchanted men.
"Ooh, did you hear that? The staff are buzzing. I think they just fell for Yeong-eun’s smile."
"You flatter me."
She laughed, covering her mouth.
Standing there was not the arrogant daughter of a chaebol family, but the professional actress Yoo Yeong-eun.
So that’s why she’s an actress.
She was truly perfect.
Humble, praising others, acknowledging her own shortcomings, and even playfully going along with Seok-jae’s jokes.
"Aren't you being too humble?"
"Not at all. There are so many actors who are much better at acting than I am."
"Then, may we see a bit of that acting?"
"Of course. But I’m a bit shy, so could I keep it short?"
"Ah, that’s perfectly fine!"
After a brief laugh, Yeong-eun looked up.
"Then I’ll begin. The scene will be looking lovingly at the male lead after not seeing him for a long time."
"Great!"
And then, her gaze turned toward me, hidden among the staff.
I briefly looked around.
I was standing alone; there was no one else nearby.
Could she be acting while looking at me?
It seemed so.
But why me?
However, my thoughts didn't last long.
"Whew."
As Yeong-eun let out a breath, the air around her changed.
A heavy atmosphere enveloped her.
"Do you know?"
In an instant, her expression shifted.
It wasn't Yeong-eun standing there, but Hwa-rin.
Yeong-eun’s eyes, looking at me, sparkled brilliantly.
The light reflecting in her pupils was innocent and gave the viewer a sense of security.
It naturally made one want to be held by this person.
It was a moment where I felt I understood why the drama’s male lead fell for Hwa-rin.
"I... I love you. Because I haven't seen you for so long... Look. My heart is beating so fast."
She continued her acting as if she were speaking directly to me.
Even though I knew it was just acting.
This is incredible.
My heart skipped a beat.
The fluttering of a first love.
That fresh, sweet, and soft excitement tickled my chest.
"I was feeling down until just a moment ago. To be honest, I didn't even want to come to work today, but seeing you now, I’m so glad I did. You know what I mean, right?"
I think I know exactly what you mean.
As if I had become her co-star, I almost answered without realizing it.
I was under the illusion that only she and I existed in the world she had created.
The immersion was immense.
So this is a top-tier actress...
She was definitely a professional.
Until now, the Yoo Yeong-eun I knew was a woman with very little manners and a self-centered attitude.
She might have had talent, but she felt more like a third-generation chaebol than a celebrity.
She couldn't even act properly on the drama set.
Her acting takes were short.
Maybe thirty seconds?
But now.
For over three minutes, she had become the perfect Hwa-rin and continued her performance.
Even Kim Seok-jae couldn't even think of interrupting her.
My evaluation of Yeong-eun changed in my head.
I focused on her, not wanting to miss a single moment of the actress Yeong-eun playing Hwa-rin.
"I love you."
The final line ended.
...
A brief silence fell over the filming set.
"...Wow, that was amazing."
MC Kim Seok-jae clapped belatedly.
Everyone on site realized it.
Exactly why she was called the top actress.
I was no different.
That was insane.
The recording continued for about another hour.
Just as my legs were starting to ache from standing for so long...
"Good work, everyone!"
The filming for What Do You Do When You Rest? came to an end.
"How was it?"
Yeong-eun asked me.
"An actress really is different."
"Will it help with the photography?"
"Of course."
It would help a lot.
I was certain of it.
How could it not, after seeing a performance like that?
I already had the entire concept for her photos in my head.
The masks of a third-generation chaebol and an actress would be the main concept.
"Do you have any more schedules after this?"
"Probably not. Why?"
"You still need to get your PT today."