Chapter 42: Unpredictable Encounters and Lingering Emotions

[Dajang, are you awake?]

If everything goes as planned, this could turn out to be great content.

However, I can’t film it alone—I need a cameraman.

I know Dajang is hesitant to meet me, but I had no one else to ask, so I sent a text.

[No, I was working.]

Dajang replied right away.

Working? Editing, perhaps? It must be editing the livestream videos.

Staying up late to work like this, huh.

On payday, I need to give them a proper incentive bonus.

[Would you be able to go out tomorrow? I’m planning to create some content and need someone to help with filming.]

[Sorry. I’m in a situation where going out is difficult. Is there really no one else you could ask?]

As expected, they refused.

Now what? They’re right; there’s no one else I can contact besides Dajang.

Moonhwa was right about everything.

I’m a lonely person with no friends.

I’ll have to hire an additional filming staff member soon.

[I’ll try to find a short-term hire somehow. Don’t worry; I’ll handle it. I’m sorry for asking something so inconvenient.]

[No problem.]

It can’t be helped. I’ll try to find someone, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll have to shoot it selfie-style.

That might not be so bad.

After all, the housewarming rice cake video I filmed alone before received good reactions.

“Yuseong, she’s all clean now!”

“Coming!”

Hearing the manager’s voice, I headed to the bathroom.

Seolhyun sat there with her head tilted back and her mouth slightly open.

What a sight.

She’s evolving into something new every time.

I wanted to laugh but held it back since the manager was present.

Still, her skin is flawless.

Clean and clear, not a blemish in sight.

Without makeup, her natural beauty really shines through.

Truly, beautiful people look stunning no matter what.

“Could you give me a hand here?”

I couldn’t just keep staring.

I carried Seolhyun on my back and walked to my room.

She’s incredibly light.

Does she eat properly?

Actors may gain fame and wealth, but their endless self-discipline makes it a tough profession.

I laid Seolhyun on the bed and covered her with a blanket.

This bed sure has had its share of female guests.

Moonhwa slept here before, too.

It’s fortunate to have such a kind owner.

“Sorry for letting her use the bed. Where are you going to sleep, Yuseong?”

“I’ll sleep on the sofa. What about you?”

“I’ll stay by her side. I’ll lay a blanket on the floor and sleep here.”

I felt uneasy letting a guest sleep on the floor, but I didn’t stop them.

I need a soft and comfortable place to sleep too.

I need to recharge so I can work hard again starting tomorrow.

Sorry, but I have no choice.

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes. I had a sandwich and milk from a convenience store.”

Being a manager is a tough job.

While I was feasting on premium cuts like skirt steak, top blade steak, and chuck tenderloin at a gathering, they had a sandwich in the car. That’s a bit sad.

“Wait a moment. I’ll make you a proper meal.”

“Oh?! You really don’t have to.”

“I want to treat you.”

The sleeping arrangements might be inadequate, but at least they should eat well.

There’s some leftover japchae and meat patties from the housewarming party in the freezer.

That should do.

I went to the kitchen, placed the food in a frying pan, and heated it.

Then I set the table with side dishes.

“Sorry, there’s no soup.”

“Wow! That’s fine. I love meat patties. Thank you so much!”

“Enjoy. I’m going to bed since I’m tired.”

The manager began eating eagerly.

Seeing them enjoy the meal made me feel satisfied.

I’m glad I prepared the food.

Maybe it’s because they’re also a man, but I feel more attached to them.

I took out a blanket from the closet, headed to the sofa in the living room, and laid down.

Finally, I can sleep.

Feeling the warmth of the blanket, I closed my eyes.

Ding!

Who could it be at this hour?

Hearing the notification, I opened my eyes.

It was a message from Dajang.

I tapped the screen to check.

[Looks like I can make time tomorrow. What time and where should we meet?]

I made a big decision to send that message.

It wasn’t out of responsibility as an editor.

I just wanted to go out.

It’s been nearly a month since I’ve been holed up indoors.

I want to get some fresh air.

Yeah, it should be fine this once.

As long as I’m cautious, there shouldn’t be any issues.

[Really? I wasn’t expecting that—thank you! Let’s meet at the entrance of the Gangnam Shinwa Department Store at 11 a.m.]

The meeting was set.

Finally, I can see Yuseong.

It’s something I didn’t think much of before, but as the moment approaches, my heart is racing. Am I excited?

Feelings like this are a luxury.

I’ve discarded all emotions except for hatred, sadness, and the fuel for revenge.

Yet, when it comes to Yuseong, my resolve falters.

I opened my desk drawer and took out a mirror for the first time in ages.

I checked my face. Surprisingly, I looked decent.

I’ll go to the hair salon early tomorrow to tidy up my hair.

What should I wear? I got up and walked to the wardrobe in the corner of the room.

Oh no, all I have are casual clothes.

But it’s my taste—what can I do?

I’ll just dress as usual.

It’s not like it’s a date.

I changed into a plain white T-shirt and black jeans.

I grabbed a brown autumn jacket and a hat before heading toward the door.

The doorknob in front of me—it’s just a doorknob, yet I hesitated to touch it.

After a long moment, I closed my eyes and reached out.

Click!

The door opened, and bright light greeted me.

“Miss?”

“I’m heading out. Prepare for my departure.”

Chief Secretary nodded and hurried away.

Before long, about ten people gathered near me.

Most of them wore black suits, dressed like bodyguards.

Only one, with long hair, wore a red dress.

Is that the new double?

They do somewhat resemble me.

“Please follow me.”

We descended to the underground parking lot.

Three cars were parked in the spot where we stopped.

Chief Secretary approached the first car and opened the trunk.

“Apologies for the inconvenience, but please bear with it for a while.”

“It’s fine. I’m used to dark and cramped spaces.”

I stepped up, climbed into the trunk, and lay down, curling my body.

Looking up, I saw Chief Secretary’s sorrowful expression.

“Close it. Don’t worry.”

“Understood. See you soon.”

Thud!

The trunk closed, enveloping me in complete darkness.

I slowly closed my eyes.

The car started, its engine roaring as it left the mansion.

[The substitute got out in front of the Kingdom Palace Hotel. They’ll turn their attention along with five bodyguards.]

Did I doze off?

Perhaps because I’ve been lacking sleep, it often feels like a long time has passed when I close my eyes for just a moment.

I rubbed my eyes with my fingers and pulled out my phone to check the text message.

[There are still a few pursuit vehicles tailing us. Driving may get rough, so we ask for your understanding.]
[It’s fine.]

I replied and put on a jumper, preparing myself.

Soon, the car started moving roughly.

Thud, thud! My body was flung around, colliding with every side from the impact.

Thankfully, the trunk had shock-absorbing pads.

Otherwise, my entire body would’ve been covered in bruises.

Though it didn’t make the pain any better.

I gritted my teeth and endured the agony.

This is why the outside world is dangerous.

Why did I even come out?

A tinge of regret crept in.

“Please step out. We’ve arrived.”

After some chaos and a period of calm, the car came to a stop, and the trunk opened.

“Song Hyunah, Lee Songhyun. Bring me some water.”

“Huh? You’re awake, noona?”

Ugh, my head hurts like it’s going to split.

How much did I drink? I remember up to three glasses.

Yuseong had been acting all tough before blacking out completely.

I didn’t do anything embarrassing while I was drunk, did I? I can’t remember anything.

My memory is a complete blank.

It’s okay. Don’t worry.

There’s no one in this world like me who doesn’t cause a scene when drunk.

At worst, I probably just passed out and slept.

“Noona, here’s your water.”

He should’ve had it ready the moment I drank! What was he doing until now?

My headache is killing me, and he’s playing games?

My irritation flared up.

“What’s taking you so long? Bring it quickly!”

“Shh. This is Yuseong house. Keep your voice down; you’ll wake him up.”

“What?”

Now that I think about it, this is an unfamiliar room.

The bed, the blanket I was using—they’re all strange.

I was sleeping in Yuseong’s room. What on earth happened?

“Hey, can’t you do your job properly? Why am I sleeping here?”

“What else was I supposed to do? You were completely out of it, and leaving you in the car overnight wasn’t an option.”

“This is just… Forget it. What can I even expect from you?”

I couldn’t get mad.

If I raised my voice, I might wake up Yuseong.

I decided not to cause any trouble and quietly got out of bed, tidying my appearance.

I never imagined things would turn out like this.

I must look terrible.

Did Yuseong see me like this?

I took out a mirror from my handbag to check.

What the hell? I’m barefaced? Why is all my makeup gone? This is a nightmare.

“Did you wipe off my makeup? In front of Yuseong?”

“Yeah, I did well, right? You hate sleeping with makeup on, don’t you?”

Grit.

I clenched my teeth in frustration.

Everything was exposed.

It’s over.

Now he’s going to think of me as someone who relies entirely on makeup.

Do you know how much effort I put into looking good in front of Yuseong? And you wiped it all off right before his eyes?

“Let’s talk when we get home. Pack up your stuff quickly.”

“Yeah, I’ve got everything. Just a sec.”

I stepped out of the room.

Songhyun was darting to the dining table and grabbing something to eat.

What is he doing? Why is he eating someone else’s side dishes with his bare hands? He really does all sorts of things.

“Songhyun.”

“Mm, yeah. I’m coming.”

I called out to him and motioned for him to hurry.

Only then did he snap out of it and come running in a panic.

Honestly, he’s so clueless.

From start to finish, nothing about him is likable.

I’ll give him an earful when we get home.

“Noona, shouldn’t we at least say goodbye to Yuseong before we go?”

I glanced at Yuseong. He was sleeping deeply on the sofa.

He must be exhausted, especially since he’s recovering from a cold and went through the official broadcast.

Let’s just let him rest.

I shook my head at Songhyun.

“No, let him sleep.”

I looked at Yuseong again.

Who knows when I’ll see him again?

I wanted to take in as much of him as I could.

This should be enough, right?

Satisfied, I turned around and opened the front door to step outside.

“Noona.”

“What?”

As we walked down the hallway, Songhyun called me.

He’s probably going to say something unnecessary again.

Just prepare yourself to get scolded at home. I responded indifferently.

“Do you like Yuseong?”

“What?”

I turned around in surprise, caught off guard by his unexpected question.

He was looking at me with a serious expression.

His directness left me speechless.

I didn’t know how to respond.

As I opened and closed my mouth like a fish, Songhyun spoke again.

“I won’t object. I like Yuseong too—no, I mean, Yuseong hyung.”

“What nonsense are you spouting? Are you still half-asleep?”

We’ve barely even started seeing each other’s faces, and he’s already jumping ahead.

You startled me.

He may lack tact, but his intuition is strangely sharp in this area.

Still, I didn’t feel bad.

What a cute kid.

It’s been a while since he said something nice.

“Songhyun.”

“Yeah?”

“When we get home, shall I make you some ramen?”

“Yeah, with dumplings in it.”

“Okay, got it.”

I got out of the taxi and checked the time. 10:50 a.m.

I was worried I’d be late after oversleeping, but luckily, I arrived on time.

I sat on a bench in front of the main entrance of Shinhwa Department Store and waited for Dajang.

Where are they now?

I should call. Beep-beep—! The ringing tone soon connected.

“Hello?”

[Yes, I’m almost there now. Are you worried I’m running late?]

“No, I was just curious where you are. I just arrived, so take your time and come slowly.”

I hung up and kept waiting for Dajang.

It’s been ten days since we first got to know each other, and we’re finally meeting for the first time.

What do they look like?

Judging from their texts, they seem young, but their calm voice feels mature.

It’s hard to predict.

“Hello, Yuseong.”

I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

I quickly turned my head.