Chapter 88…
If You’re Nice, That’s Strange (1):
Even though she was young, she was the child everyone relied on.
But when that child faced her hardest time, nobody could help her.
Back then, everyone was weak too… but still, sometimes I wonder if that was really the best we could do.
The truth was, it was me who opened the door and discovered her first—lying in bed, looking as if she had simply fallen asleep forever.
That’s why I was more afraid.
I lost the courage to leave this company.
Because I feared I might end up like Yeonju too.
The CEO said he was giving me an opportunity.
He said the other two only had looks, half-decent at best, and then tossed me some photos, saying he introduced them to the “right jobs.”
Photos of them wearing heavy makeup and pouring drinks.
That scared me even more.
That fear was one of the reasons I couldn’t even think about leaving this company.
Later, I found out the truth.
The two of them hadn’t really been forced—it was more like resignation.
They just wanted to make money and leave Korea, so they chose that path themselves.
But the CEO was the kind of person who could even twist that into another way to manipulate people.
Knowing that didn’t matter, though.
Because the will to break free by my own strength was already gone.
But now, at this moment, for the first time—I wanted to leave this company, this prison.
While filming, I realized I hadn’t felt this kind of happiness since my very first trainee days.
That must be why I thought of Yeonju.
I looked back at Suhan.
When our eyes met, he forced a crooked grin.
That made me burst out laughing.
Right now, I was unworthy.
Unworthy of having a feeling as excessive as love.
My heart pounded, but maybe it couldn’t become love—probably because of this sense of inferiority.
At least when I was absorbed in my role, I could love freely.
Especially that kiss scene earlier—the first time, outside of the film set, that felt real.
Escaping from the dinner gathering, just the two of us.
That kiss felt like a gift, even to me.
Maybe this film was like my life.
Like the protagonist, in a dream, I could at least live out what I wanted to do.
But that dream ended with the director’s shout of “Cut!”
Now I was back in reality…
Yet my heart was still left behind on that set.
Greed arose.
The greed of wanting to feel love.
Maybe that’s too much to call it greed, but…
Just.
I wanted to stop suppressing my emotions, and live them out however I pleased.
And for the first time, I felt the desire to escape the company beginning to stir inside me.
Of course, it wasn’t the first time I’d thought of leaving.
But before, it was just escape for the sake of escape.
Flight.
Now, though, I wanted to run in order to begin something new.
The thought of “If…”
If.
If I had met Suhan in freedom, could I have truly fallen into love with all my heart?
That thought was growing stronger.
“Suhan! Hurry up! The meat’s getting cold!”
“Yes, noona! Coming!”
And so I decided.
I would end this cursed tie with the company.
Coming home after so long—it felt like I could breathe again.
Maybe this is why people always say “home is best.”
[Oppa! It’s been forever! Seriously, how could they keep you stuck on filming like that? Where’s Director Gam? Open your body for me, I’ve got a few words to say to him!]
What’s with glaring at the bag in my hand like that?
Just say it honestly.
“Gamdong’s at the studio. He said he had work, so he went back. I came after the dinner. This is chicken feet. You like it, right? Grilled with the bone and everything.”
[Chi-chicken feet? Hmph, I didn’t think Director Gam was that kind of man…]
Her nagging made it really feel like home.
“Why’d you stop talking mid-sentence?”
[Uuugh…]
She suddenly circled around me. What’s with this tension?
“You’re not eating? I even saved my stomach for this.”
[Oppa.]
“Hm?”
Why… why that chilling stare?
You—did you turn into an evil spirit or something?
[Are you dating?]
“……”
My face sank instantly.
What kind of nonsense is this?
“Would I?”
[You are! Suspicious! Look at that mark on your neck! That’s lipstick!]
“Yeah right. I had spicy pork—must be that.”
[Do you take me for a fool? Look in the mirror! The mirror!]
“I said it’s not.”
But when I checked—huh? That’s not chili paste.
“…You’re right. Lipstick? Tint? Something like that?”
[Ha! You shameless man!]
Hmm. For some reason this feels educational.
Like watching a suspicious wife confronting her cheating husband.
I should remember this—it’s all acting practice.
“Shameless? Pfft. Hehehe. It was a kiss scene today.”
[What?! Didn’t you say you already did one? You did it again? With who? Who did you kiss?!]
“Curious? Give up the chicken feet and I’ll tell you.”
[Wha—what?!]
Her eyes went wide like saucers.
So that’s why the expression “eyes like saucers” exists.
No meaningless expressions, huh. But look at her…
“Why are you hesitating?”
[I… I’m not hesitating. I want the chicken feet, but I also really want to know…]
“Click. Someone you know.”
[Miyun unni?]
“Yep. Kiss scene with Siyeon sunbae. Last time I bit her lip and got smacked, but this time it was a success. But damn it, Gamdong the idiot gave the OK on the first take!”
…What the hell.
Why is she giving me that thin, judging stare, like one of those squinty-eyed characters?
[Tsk. Just admit it, you’re enjoying yourself. What’s so great about a stupid kiss scene that you keep messing up just to rub lips? How indecent.]
“I—indecent?!”
[Tch. I’ll just eat the chicken feet.]
“…Huh?”
Now she’s helping herself.
Well, I guess I did let her in, but still.
“Nom! Delicious! Chicken feet are… the best!”
[Ugh. Can you not do that with my body? Just eat normally.]
“Why not! It’s fun!”
[It’s torture for me. Imagine if I possessed your body and went, ‘Yum yum, so tasty, so good~’ Would you like that?]
“No. That’d be awful. And your rhymes suck. Feels like an old playground chant.”
[…]
My heart hurts.
That tiny ghost really lands direct hits sometimes.
Still, she’s eating well.
Well, she’s been waiting—last time she even sat at the top of the playground slide, hoping we’d come home.
[Drink some Coolpis with it.]
“Oh! Awesome!”
[See, this proves you’re an old ghost. Who says ‘awesome’ these days?]
Watching younger kids lately, I could tell Yeonju was definitely an old-school ghost.
“Then what should I say?”
[‘So good!’ ‘Insanely tasty!’ ‘God-tier!’]
“…That last one’s weird.”
[Eh? It isn’t?]
“It is. You sound like a creepy old man.”
[Why am I suddenly a creep?!]
Where did she even pick that up?
Ugh, so unfair.
CEO Jang Sangsoo wore an incredulous look.
“What’s she looking for?”
“A law office.”
“Has she gone mad?”
That was the news from his men tailing Ye Siyeon, reported by Chief Gu.
“She’s almost done with her contract, is that it?”
“Seems that way.”
“Tch.”
With a short, dismissive laugh, Jang leaned back into the sofa.
“No wonder I had a bad feeling.”
“As expected, sir—your instincts are sharp.”
“Forget that.”
He waved his hand dismissively.
Chief Gu cautiously asked:
“Should we bring her in now? Get her to stamp the papers again…?”
“Leave it for now.”
“…Sir? What about the matter with Woo, the actor…?”
“I’m already preparing something else. My gut’s off about this.”
Chief Gu faltered, then bowed.
“My apologies. I didn’t handle it properly—”
“Tsk. I said it’s fine. I was the one who said to loosen the leash. Stirring up rumors won’t do us any good. If she’s already thinking of leaving, half-hearted measures won’t work.”
Chief Gu’s eyes asked: So are we just letting her go?
“…Then…?”
“We’ll tie her down again, through that beggar she’s working with.”
“Ah, understood.”
This time Chief Gu grinned knowingly, showing his teeth.
Jang gestured.
“Yeah. After filming ends, set something up. Don’t push too hard—keep it just like now. And as for Siyeon… treat her well.”
“…Excuse me?”
Chief Gu blinked.
“I said treat her well. Make her think things might finally turn out okay. I told you last time—lower her guard.”
“Ahh, yes! Understood!”
“Same as always. Make her look like just another clueless fool. That’s when they let their guard down.”
“Yes, sir!”
Now Chief Gu bowed deeply, finally understanding.
After getting a call from Chief Yoo, my mind grew restless.
I glanced to the side.
A senior actress, halfway through makeup, waved at me.
Jeez, this girl… careless as ever.
I strolled over and greeted the road manager behind her.
“Manager Gu hasn’t been around lately, huh?”
“Yeah, he’s been busy. But he said he’ll definitely come for the final shoot.”
“Ah, I see.”
As expected, something felt off.
Soon after, I got the manager to leave under the pretext of running lines, so it was just me and her.
“Noona.”
“Hm?”
“You met with a lawyer?”
“…What?”
Her reaction was about 0.3 seconds too slow.
“Haa…”
At my sigh, her face went pale.
“W-what’s wrong?”
“Remember in Baeksan, they said for safety’s sake they’d assign someone to you?”
“Y-yeah.”
“On your day off, when you went to the law office, Pure Entertainment’s people followed you. Confirmed it myself.”
“That…”
She looked stunned, speechless.
Why go see a lawyer now, of all times? Why suddenly act brave…
“I didn’t check at the scene, but their routes overlapped. When I looked closer, it was their people.”
“Ahh…”
“Nothing strange happened, did it?”
At my question, she thought carefully despite her trembling.
“…Something did.”
“What?”
I knew it.
“He… he was nice.”
“…What?”
“Manager Gu… treated me kindly.”
“……”
Yeah. That’s strange.
If it were normal, they’d already be strong-arming her.
Being “kind” is what’s suspicious.
“Maybe… they’re treating you well to get you to re-sign?”
“I should be the one asking that.”
“Guess not, then.”
Of course not.
But why are you suddenly looking so defeated?
