Chapter 69…
What Could Have Happened? (2)
“This is kind of…”
“Let’s just keep quiet.”
“Haah…”
Jo Gam-dong let out a sigh, feeling like he was spying on someone.
Suhan, however, kept zooming in on the footage.
On screen, actress Yeo Si-yeon was staring at a video with a heavy expression.
“Looks like something’s going on, right?”
“From this alone we can’t tell. If anyone suddenly saw a dead friend they’d forgotten about, they’d have that look too.”
“You said it was weird when Pure Entertainment tried to push Kwon Soo-hyun, right? Like, why bother making the supporting cast audition first?”
“Yeah. Even if his last project flopped, it’s still Kwon Soo-hyun. He’s a name in Asia. When you attach someone like that, it’s natural to bring along one or two supporting actors.”
“Exactly. By the way, have you ever seen Yeo Si-yeon’s manager?”
“Uh… yeah? Maybe… once?”
Thinking about it, he realized he’d only seen them at the press conference and at the very start of filming.
During location shoots, she’d even sometimes ride with the extras’ transport.
“Well, actors who bounce between supporting roles and bit parts don’t usually get a lot of care.”
“Even when I was a nobody, the director personally looked after me.”
“……We’re kind of a special case. And anyway, she’s a lead now.”
“Mhm. If you know, then treat her properly.”
“Oh come on!”
Suhan’s words made Gam-dong flare up.
“Anyway, let’s try to get closer to her today. Uh… let’s do a team dinner.”
“Suddenly?”
“Yeah.”
“Team dinners cost money!”
“We got plenty during the shaman ritual, didn’t we?”
Gam-dong was speechless.
It’s true the money from the ritual (good-luck ceremony) usually went to team dinners.
But with so many people, how many dinners would that actually cover?
And usually you’d save it for tough location shoots or a special reason.
“Forget the money, how does it make sense to plan one out of nowhere? It doesn’t!”
“Then just give me a reason.”
“Excuse me?”
Gam-dong clicked his tongue as Suhan suddenly pulled out his phone.
“A team dinner isn’t like a snack truck. And if a fortune teller says he’s paying, isn’t that even stranger?”
“How did you know I was going to call Mansoo?”
“Obvious. Every time it’s Brother Mansoo. Stop bothering him. During this one-month shoot, you’ve already had him send snack trucks or lunch wagons once a week—four times now.”
“……”
Gam-dong clicked his tongue again.
Sure, from Park Mansoo’s side he probably felt he owed Suhan, but still—
If word got out that a “shaman” was sponsoring their team dinners?
People would start saying the director was neck-deep in superstition.
And if rumors spread like “They even cast the lead actor based on fortune-telling”? Disaster.
Beep!
“I told you not to!”
“I’m not. I think you’re right.”
“Then who are you calling? The company?”
“Yeah.”
“Come on, Director Park is busy today. I already— wait… the old man?”
“Cough!”
Gam-dong choked.
There was only one “old man” this crazy guy knew: Chairman Yang of Baeksan Group—the main investor.
“Old man! Treat us to a team dinner!”
“I’m gonna lose my mind.”
He’d guessed right.
For a while Suhan had been too busy to call, so when Baeksan Group’s Chairman Yang Mansik picked up, he was actually pleased.
“Hey, how’s filming going?”
—“Old man, treat us to a team dinner!”
“What’s with you calling out of the blue just to ask for a dinner?”
Yang raised his voice in disbelief.
After all this time, and the first thing Suhan says is “team dinner.”
But that wasn’t the end of Suhan’s request.
—“Oh, and… I saw something in the movie, your secretary’s been checking stuff out, right?”
“What are you even talking about?”
—“Help me out.”
“What…?”
It was the first time Yang had ever heard Suhan say that.
He’d asked for snack trucks, sure. But “help me”? Never.
And his voice wasn’t joking.
—“You know Yeonju, right?”
“The… the one you’re raising?”
—“Yeah.”
Of course he knew.
Most people adopt a dog or cat. Suhan had basically “picked up” a ghost.
Yang listened quietly and nodded.
“All right.”
—“Okay! On our day off, let’s go fishing with some kimchi stew!”
“Sure… why not.”
After hanging up, Yang chuckled.
“Does he think kimchi stew fixes everything?”
Not that he minded.
He knew this was Suhan’s way of showing gratitude.
“Been a while since I ate properly anyway.”
Then Yang shook his head at the phone.
“Really, this kid and his meddling.”
Suhan was a busybody, not like your typical rising star.
Most actors who start making money run off to do things they’ve never tried before. Not him.
Maybe that’s why Yang liked him enough to meet up occasionally.
He just had a soft spot for people’s stories.
Technically, Suhan helping with Cheongsan Foundation and Park Mansoo’s stuff wasn’t even his business.
But the sincerity he’d shown—it was real.
Yang pressed his intercom.
“Send in Manager Yoo.”
“Tadaaa!”
Gam-dong shook his head.
That man actually did it.
Standing on a box, Suhan waved a black card and shouted:
“Today, our investor—Chairman Yang Mansik of Baeksan Group—is treating us all!”
“Waaaaaah!”
The staff and actors erupted in cheers as Suhan yelled again:
“I really love king crab!”
“Wooo! King crab! King crab! King crab!”
The place shook with excitement.
Even Baeksan Group’s secretary, Yoo Ji-gwang, who’d handed Suhan the card, laughed.
“I’ve booked the venue already, just follow me.”
“Long live the chairman!”
“Woo-hoo!”
It’s not unheard of for an investor to treat the team, though king crab was a bit over the top.
“Well, I like king crab too.”
Just thinking of eating it again made Gam-dong’s mouth water.
“Everyone, thank you for your hard work today!”
Wow… I can’t believe the day has come when I give someone else the king crab claw.
When I first tasted this, I swore I’d never share it—just like chicken neck meat.
Yeonju.
Your big brother’s going this far.
I hope you know.
“Oh, thank you. You’re the one who worked hard, Mr. Suhan.”
“No, no. Here, take this chewy claw!”
“Thanks.”
Huh.
I thought she’d refuse at least once.
Well, she’s an investor too.
We’ve got a day off from filming tomorrow, so the drinks have been flowing.
Her face is nicely flushed.
“I don’t know much about this, but if you’ve been at Pure since trainee days, that’s a long time, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
“They must treat you well?”
…Apparently not.
Her face stiffened.
“They’re just… the only company willing to take someone like me…”
“No way! You act so well!”
Even Gam-dong said she’s good.
She might be too plain-looking for a lead, but as a supporting actress with the right role, she’s not bad at all.
If she widens her acting range, she could outshine a mediocre lead.
“Here, have a drink!”
Down, down, down the alcohol goes.
Drink up, and spill your heart.
“Like this! Like this!”
Wow. As expected from a former trainee—her dance moves are on another level.
From the wave of her body to the tips of her fingers, she’s got something.
Her voice even went a little playful as she danced, clearly in high spirits.
At the second venue Manager Yoo booked, I led the dance floor myself.
I ran over to bring her a cold beer after she performed to the music.
“Here you go! You’re amazing!”
“Thanks! Thanks to Suhan, I’m having so much fun for the first time in ages!”
We were on a first-name, older-sister-younger-brother basis now.
Alcohol is magic.
Another drink and who knows where this goes?
No. Focus.
I can’t get drunk too.
“By the way, why didn’t you become an idol? With moves like that?”
“Eh. It’s not that I didn’t, I couldn’t. To be exact…”
Wait—why do her eyes look so sad?
Did I just step on a landmine?
“When Yeonju died, everything got canceled.”
“Jo Yeonju?”
“Yeah. Yeonju was incredible. Sang well, danced well… she was our main vocal candidate.”
“Ah… you must have been disappointed.”
“Of course. But the saddest thing was…”
She trailed off.
She couldn’t go on.
Because her face twisted up, her eyes reddened, and tears overflowed instantly.
“The company… pushed and pushed until her voice… She worked so hard…”
I quietly handed her a tissue as her words tumbled out, disjointed.
“She kept breaking down but thought if she just tried harder it would be okay, she kept enduring and enduring… huuuh, huhhh!”
I gently patted her shaking shoulders.
She poured out memories like a confession.
“Tadaaa!”
[Wow! Fried chicken!]
Jo Yeonju came running as Suhan walked in.
“I went out of my way to find a chicken place for our promise!” he declared.
[Kyah! Thank you!]
“Of course! Hard to find chicken near a king crab place, though.”
[……King crab?]
“Yeah. We had king crab. But I promised you chicken! That’s the kind of man I am!”
Yeonju froze, then her face fell.
[King crab… I really like king crab.]
“Oh! Nice rhyme!”
[Tchhh!]
“But guess what—I got king crab too!”
[Kyaaaaa!]
Seeing the bag he brought, Yeonju jumped up and down with joy.
As expected, Suhan was the only one who thought of her.
“Ugh!”
My stomach feels like it’s splitting.
Dinner at the team meal, snacks at karaoke, and now chicken and king crab at home.
[Wow! Today was so good! The great thing about being a ghost is I can eat as much as I want!]
“I’m dying over here.”
[Heehee!]
Still.
I’ll let it slide tonight.
She’s so happy.
What could I say?
Watching Yeonju bounce around made me smile, but also bitter.
[Huh? You’re not saying anything?]
She glanced at me.
Maybe because usually I scold her after bingeing like this.
Left alone, she kept watching me.
“Well, today was a team dinner. Let’s say you had one too.”
[Ooh! Such a generous man!]
“Darn right. I’m basically the Pacific Ocean.”
[Not your stomach though?]
“Nope. From now on, my stomach is a tiny soy-sauce dish. Diet time.”
[Ah! S-sorry!]
“Only chicken breast and cherry tomatoes from now on!”
[Aaagh! Nooo!]
She said she hated it but laughed.
She knew I was lying.
So bright.
And yet…
Knowing she struggled for her dream until she wasted away and died—it’s sad.
So sad.
Watching her laugh and jump… it hurt.
