Chapter 27: Unexpected Encounters with a Rising Star

“Don’t worry about it. If anything, I should be the one apologizing. You didn’t even get a chance to wash up while waiting for me.”

“Um, I’ll roll down the window for a moment.”

“Sure, do whatever makes you comfortable.”

Gayun started the car and drove out of the apartment complex.

I made a quick call to the rice cake shop to check if the order was ready.

The 50 packs of sirutteok I ordered were done.

All that was left was to stop by the shop and pick them up.

“Should I park here?”

“Yes, I’ll be back in a moment.”

The rice cake shop was located in a relatively quiet neighborhood, far from the bustling main streets.

After parking in an alley, I got out of the car and scanned my surroundings.

The shop’s name, Jeonginneung Tteok, caught my eye immediately.

Spotting the signboard, I quickly slipped on my mask and jogged over to the shop.

“Hello, I’m here to pick up the 50 packs of sirutteok I ordered.”

“Yes, here you go. Everything’s packed.”

I paid 200,000 won for the 50 packs, each priced at 4,000 won, and left the shop carrying two bags filled to the brim.

Balancing the bags in both hands, I ran back to Gayun’s car.

“Fifty packs seemed manageable in theory, but it’s quite a lot. I’m already worried about how I’m going to hand them all out.”

“Right…”

“Sorry, what?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Even the short run left me feeling warm.

I grabbed the collar of my T-shirt and fanned myself to cool down.

Then, I felt it—a blatant stare.

Turning my head, I caught Gayun intently staring at my collarbone.

Could this be the preference Dajang mentioned?

I didn’t think she was that type, but what an interesting person she turned out to be.

It’s a little unsettling.

Well, it’s not like staring at me will wear me out.

I don’t really mind.

However, Gayun seemed embarrassed when our eyes met.

She cleared her throat awkwardly and stammered.

“If you can’t hand them all out, it’s fine, isn’t it? Just save some for yourself and eat them later.”

“Hmm, you’re right. There’s no need to distribute them all. Where should we eat lunch?”

“Let’s head back to Luxury The Hill first and decide on the menu there.”

“That makes sense. I’ll just follow your lead.”

Honestly, I’d prefer to go to a better restaurant.

But that’s easier said than done.

Both of us are public figures whose faces are widely recognized.

On top of that, this is an especially sensitive time for Gayun.

It can’t be helped.

The possibility of rumors spreading is too high, and we can’t exactly eat with masks covering our faces.

I agreed with Gayun’s suggestion.

The security at Luxury The Hill is excellent, with strict controls on non-residents and a culture of respecting privacy among its residents.

Having a meal there seems like the safest option.

“Let’s meet on the first floor in an hour and a half. How does that sound?”

“Sure. See you then.”

It was just past 11 a.m., giving Gayun plenty of time.

She’d need it to freshen up and get ready.

Meanwhile, I had to tackle the moving-in rice cake distribution.

I stopped by a convenience store to buy a pack of sticky notes and a pen before heading back home.

As soon as I entered the front door, I dashed to the living room and set down the rice cakes.

Whew, they’re heavy.

The plastic bag handles had left red marks on my fingers.

I laid out the rice cakes one by one on the living room floor.

[Hello! I’m your new neighbor from unit 502. I’ve prepared some rice cakes as a small token. I look forward to getting along with you!]

I scribbled the message on sticky notes and stuck one on each pack of rice cakes.

Even though I tried to work quickly, 20 minutes had already flown by.

I had about an hour left. Time was tight.

I needed to start delivering them now. Dajang was waiting, so I had to hurry and send the video to her by email.

“Hello, subscribers! As you all know, I moved on Wednesday. So today, Sunday, I’m going to hand out moving-in rice cakes to my neighbors, even though it’s a little late.”

I filmed the rice cakes arranged in the living room with my phone and zoomed in to show the freshly made, steaming sirutteok.

Should I start with the fifth floor? I decided to take out 10 packs.

No, let’s take more—it’s a bit heavy, but I’ll carry 20 packs in a bag and head to the hallway.

Starting with the apartment next door, I rang the doorbell.

It’s been four days since I moved in, and I haven’t even seen my neighbors’ faces. I don’t know who lives here.

“This is a YouCube content shoot, so I won’t be mentioning apartment numbers in detail. Also, residents won’t appear in the video. Alright, let’s get started!”

Ding-dong!

I rang the doorbell, but there was no response.

Thinking they might not have heard, I rang it again. Still no answer.

Strike one. I couldn’t afford to waste time, so I moved to the next unit.

[Who is it?]

Oh! This time, there was an immediate response—a deep, middle-aged man’s voice. That’s different.

In this world, how many times have I spoken with a man other than my father? I can’t really think of any.

“Hello, I’ve just moved in, so I’m handing out moving-in rice cakes.”

Click—! The door opened, and a balding man greeted me. I handed him the rice cake and exchanged pleasantries.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Sure, I look forward to getting along with you.”

Great, one success.

I was worried because his voice sounded a bit gruff, but he turned out to be very friendly.

If only every neighbor were like this.

It’s funny, but I’m getting increasingly nervous.

My heart’s pounding—who will greet me next? With a mix of excitement and anxiety, I walked toward the next unit.

“Do you not know who I am?”

I had gone down to the 3rd floor and now found myself on the 7th.

Since there wasn’t much time left, I decided to visit just one more household.

That’s when I struck gold.

Luxury The Hill is home to many celebrities, and I felt it firsthand as I handed out rice cakes.

I had already encountered two celebrities earlier, exchanged greetings, and even received permission to upload their appearances on my video.

Now, this was the third. Judging by the delicate features, it had to be another celebrity.

But I had no idea who they were.

As someone who never pays attention to celebrities, this was utterly daunting.

How was I supposed to guess the name of someone I’d never met before?

What should I say?

Mentioning another celebrity’s name could be a massive faux pas.

I decided to just be honest.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a gamer who stays holed up in my room, so I don’t really know who you are.”

“Wow! That’s disappointing. I watch your streams often, you know.”

“My apologies.”

“Oh, never mind.”

The woman held out her hand. Right, this was much simpler.

Why not start with introductions instead of springing a quiz on someone you’ve just met?

We shook hands.

“I’m Lee Juhee. I’m an actress. Do you happen to watch Your Shackles? It’s super popular right now. Don’t tell me you don’t know that either?”

“Oh! I know it. I read about it in the news.”

“Yes, I play the protagonist’s younger sister in that drama.”

“Wow! That’s incredible. It’s truly an honor.”

Though I hadn’t watched it, I had at least heard of Your Shackles.

Didn’t they say it was close to breaking the highest viewership record?

Given her prominent role in such a popular drama, she must be a well-loved actress.

“Once again, I’m sorry. If I watched TV even a little more, I would’ve recognized you right away.”

“Well, it happens. So… did you come to give moving-in rice cakes?”

“Yes, here you go. I look forward to getting along with you.”

“I look forward to it, too.”

“By the way… I’m currently filming a YouCube video.

Could you say a greeting to my subscribers?”

I couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.

Since she was a famous actress, I wanted her to appear in my content.

“Running into a famous actress while handing out moving-in rice cakes.” I could already see the soaring views this title would bring.

I decided to propose the idea.

If she declined, so be it—I had already recruited two people, which was more than satisfactory.

“Sure, but I’m not wearing makeup, so I can’t show my face.”

Juhee readily agreed.

She took a few steps back, cleared her throat, then stepped forward again to speak.

“Hi, everyone! This is actress Lee Juhee.

I’ve been watching Shin yuseong TV frequently, and I’m so happy to meet him as a neighbor.

Please give him lots of love and support. Thank you!”

Wow.

Her greeting was polished and to the point.

As expected of a famous actress, her experience with interviews was evident.

“Juhee, thank you so much.”

I expressed my gratitude while subtly checking the time on my phone.

The promised time was almost up.

I’d spent quite a bit of time here.

How many minutes were left? Ten?

It was time to wrap up the shoot.

I hate being late for appointments. Who knows?

Gayun might already be there, waiting for me.

“Wow, thank you for your kind words, Juhee! And everyone, please continue to show lots of love for Your Shackles.

That concludes my moving-in rice cake content. Thank you to all the residents for warmly welcoming me!”

I wrapped up my closing statement and pressed the stop button on my phone’s recording.

“Is the shoot over?”

“Yes. Thanks to your help, I think this will turn out to be a great video.”

“Aren’t we neighbors? Helping each other out when needed is what neighbors do. Would you like to come in for some tea?”

There it was again—the inevitable tea invitation.

I’d already lost count of how many such offers I had politely turned down while handing out rice cakes today.

But this time, I couldn’t outright refuse.

She had helped me out with a potentially awkward request.

“Well… I actually have a lunch appointment in five minutes. What should I do?”

“Then… could we take a picture together instead? My sister is a big fan of yours, and I’d love to tease her with it.”

“Your sister?”

“Oh, don’t worry! She’s not some weirdo. She’s also an actress—much more famous than me. I bet even you know her.”

“Really? Alright, let’s take a photo together.”

This was a win for me, too.

I had been wondering how I could repay her kindness, but a photo shoot settled that neatly.

Considering her stature as a famous actress, this was an incredibly cheap way to express my gratitude.

“One, two, three!”

Juhee moved close, leaning against me with one hand resting on my shoulder. Click!

“Wow! Yuseong, you look amazing in photos. Isn’t this totally unfair? I look so bad in comparison—it’s humiliating!”

To be honest, I did look much better in the photo.

But then again, Juhee wasn’t wearing makeup.

Comparing myself to a woman’s bare face was meaningless.

There was no need to dwell on trivialities like this.

Instead, I offered a compliment. Flattery can work wonders, after all.

“No way. You look beautiful, Juhee.”

“Thanks for saying that.”

“Well, I’ll be on my way now.”

“Oh, right! You mentioned you had an appointment. You should get going.”

How many minutes were left? Just two.

Thankfully, I was on track to make it on time.

I emailed the video to Dajang and gave her a call.