Chapter 43: Understood.

As soon as Sua’s group left the hair studio, all the employees gathered around Yeonhwa. Though their earlier indifference annoyed her, there was no time to dwell on it now.

“Wow, who was that woman? Her aura was insane, right?”

“I know all the celebrities’ faces, but I’ve never seen her before.”

“I’ve been reading webtoons lately. She looked like a character from The Northern Duchess or something.”

“What are you talking about? She just had this wolf-like vibe, right? Like if you made one mistake, she’d bite you instantly. I was so nervous the boss was going to get her neck bitten today.”

“Stylists are stylists for a reason. Did you see the transformation? How do they figure out such perfect looks and then bring them to the salon?”

“Yeah, but that also depends on the boss’s skills to execute it.”

No.

Yeonhwa quietly shook her head.

She fell into deep thought. Her perspective was a little different from her staff. Sure, the stylists had done their research, and she had delivered her best performance.

But.

She was sure that wasn’t the decisive factor.

…Anything would’ve suited her. It definitely felt that way.

A face that could wear a thousand expressions. A face that would suit anything.

She had never felt such a thing from a client before.

At that moment, someone’s hurried footsteps echoed up the stairs, and soon the door burst open. A man entered, looking extremely excited.

He was a regular at the salon, a manager from an entertainment company, a spectator at the mock shoot for Special Task Force 808, and the same person who had previously mentioned Sua.

“Hey, hey! Yeonhwa! That customer who just left…!”

“Huh?”

“Did you make a deal? You said you were looking for a model!”

“What? No, not yet.”

Yeonhwa and her staff suddenly felt a lightbulb switch on in their minds. It was a dazzling realization—a gut feeling that securing that celebrity would be more effective than any form of advertising.

“Call her back right now! Immediately!”

“Uh… okay?”

The man raised his voice with urgency.

“Her value is going to double soon. No, what am I saying—triple! Five times! This is the lowest her value will ever be!”

Meanwhile, Sua had returned home.

She stood glued to her mirror, unable to tear herself away.

“Wow…”

She was completely in love with her new look.

“Wowww…”

She was absolutely thrilled. She loved it—loved it so much.

It was her first time ever being this styled, and her white hair delighted her. She’d heard that in a few days, after a couple more washes, it would become even whiter. Amazing.

Sua immediately grabbed her phone.

She noticed there were already several messages looking for her.

[Deer: @Sua]
[Deer: @Sua]
[Deer: Where’d you go?]
[Deer: I want to strangle you.]
[Monkey: Got fooled again?]

‘Right. I forgot to tell them.’

On the bus earlier, Sua had been about to boast when Director Park Jun sat next to her, forcing her to put her phone away. But that was then. Now Sua had something else she wanted to brag about.

[Sua: Guys]
[Sua: They said I look like an arctic fox lol]
[Monkey:?]
[Black Bear:?]
[Deer:?]
[Mouse:?]

…?

[Deer: Nah, you just have a big mouth and big hips. You’re totally a hippo.]

The reaction wasn’t what she expected, so Sua put her phone away. Of course, she also swiftly kicked one person out of the chat.

“Ugh, what do you guys know? Not like I can show you anyway.”

She was itching to take a picture of herself and show off, but Sua decided to hold back. Being underestimated like this would only make it more fun to surprise them later.

Instead, she grabbed the script she’d received.

“Alright, let’s start with practice. Practice.”

The moment her hands touched the script, she entered the special set inside the hotel. Without hesitation, Sua picked up the phone.

[Special Task Force 808 — ‘Main Shoot’]

• Fully implemented features

001 – Kim Yuhan
002 – Lee Kang-cheol
003 – Ha Yoon-jin

The training method is the same as before. Experience every situation and every role thoroughly. Absorb all possible scenarios within the world of Special Task Force 808.

Sua began diving into the main shoot script immediately.

No, by now, the word “absorb” was more accurate.

After a long while.

“Phew…”

Sua flopped onto the bed with a satisfied expression.

Thanks to her improved skills, she had already completed all the exercises. She didn’t feel the mental exhaustion that made her head feel like it would explode anymore. She really was a pro now.

What should she do next? Rest? Play?

But suddenly, her expression turned serious.

She realized she couldn’t waste her time idly. There was an important task she had to address right now.

Sua picked up her phone.

[31 Unread Messages]
[CF Appearance Interview Schedule Notification!]
[Hello, this is Yeonhwa, the stylist who assisted you earlier. By the way, we’re looking for a model….]
[This is Bada Actors. Please contact us when you’re free.]

These messages hadn’t piled up over several days; this was just how many she’d received while absorbing the main shoot script.

Did she feel capable of handling all this herself?

Not even a little.

However, Sua knew the solution to handle all this.

She recalled moments from the salon, even when she had dozed off. During that time, Lee Geum-sook had been relentlessly talking, and one particular comment stuck in Sua’s mind.

─“Today, we took care of Sua ourselves because we wanted to dress her up. But usually, these things are handled by an agency. If Sua starts a one-person agency, she’ll have to do everything herself.”

An agency.

Yes, an agency that could handle things for her.

“…I guess I do need an agency. For real.”

Her goal became clear. Find an agency.

Sua spread out all the business cards she had tucked under her rabbit doll like a blanket. When she counted, there were as many as fifteen.

“So I need to choose the agency that will work the hardest for me? One that will work exclusively for me.”

…But how was she supposed to meet with all of them?

It wasn’t an easy task. Simply touching the cards wouldn’t make their rankings appear, nor did Sua have the sharp insight needed to judge them on her own…

That’s when she recalled something Director Park Jun had said.

─“Let’s take Mystic as an example.”

‘Mystic. He said it’s the kind of agency rookies would want to bribe their way into, no matter what. That’s exactly what he said.’

Thinking about it, Mystic wasn’t a bad choice for Sua either. She was already somewhat familiar with the people there, and they had shown her kindness in the past.

On top of that, image management!

The mask Sua wore now projected the image of an unattainable, expensive woman. Maintaining that image didn’t align with contacting multiple agencies one by one.

With that settled…

Sua made the call. She had made her decision.

***

In a park somewhere in Seoul, a coffee commercial shoot was underway.

The weather was bright and sunny, and flower petals gently floated down as Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-ju walked side by side. But suddenly, a woman appeared and blocked their path.

She glared at them with a look that screamed disbelief, as if she had just witnessed something she couldn’t bear.

The woman let out a sarcastic laugh and approached Kim Sun-il.

“Oppa, your standards have really dropped since I last saw you. The best you could do after breaking up with me is this girl?”

Seo Yeon-ju lowered her head timidly, as though agreeing with the insult. But Kim Sun-il, on the other hand, smirked with disdain.

Grabbing Seo Yeon-ju’s wrist just as she was about to retreat, he declared firmly,

“If you’re just coffee, she’s my credit.”

The interjecting woman froze, speechless, while the two radiated an exaggeratedly affectionate vibe in front of her.

That’s when the director shouted loudly.

“Okay! Perfect! This is amazing! Credit Coffee is going to sell like crazy! Let’s wrap it up without any reshoots!”

Right after, Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-ju immediately pushed each other away.

Strong movements, like magnets of the same polarity repelling each other, and a scene where both of them seemed to retreat in shock, as if they had seen a ghost. Both wore expressions of complete surprise.

“Chills are running down my spine. Don’t ever grab my wrist again.”

“You’ve done something horrible to my hand. How should I apologize?”

Seo Yeon-ju shook her wrist, and Kim Sun-il frantically wiped his palm with hand sanitizer. The staff members were left wondering how these two had managed to handle the commercial script.

Just then, someone waddled over and appeared.

“Sun-il, Yeon-ju. You both did well. Excellent work ethic.”

It was Kim Yi-seo, the CEO of Mystic Entertainment.

She looked just like usual. Two large hairpins in her bangs, and a outfit reminiscent of a professor.

Seo Yeon-ju complained bitterly.

“Really, why do I have to do commercials like this? No, the commercial isn’t the problem. Why did it have to be this guy?”

“Just accept it. There are so many people who want your chemistry together. Plus, the next commercial has a hugging scene.”

“No.”

“I’m telling you now, I will never do that.”

Currently, Mystic was busier than ever. Several new commercials had been added to the schedule that weren’t part of the original plan.

“…Ugh, do we really have to go this far?”

Seo Yeon-ju placed her palm on her forehead.

The three of them at Mystic sighed deeply at the same time, fully aware of the reasons they had to move quickly. There was a reason behind it.

Money.

Money to bring in a monster rookie.

Seo Yeon-ju fanned herself with her hand and spoke.

“But what if we go through all this and still don’t get contacted? What if we just get left behind? Now that I’m saying it, it sounds ridiculous. How are we worried about getting left behind at our level…?”

Just then, Kim Yi-seo’s phone rang, and she answered without even checking the caller ID. She wasted no time in handling things. It was her creed.

“This is CEO Kim Yi-seo.”

“Hello, this is actress Sua.”

For a moment, Kim Yi-seo froze in place.

Then, she moved quickly.

She turned her hand toward Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il, showing them a circle made with her thumb and forefinger.

This meant the reason we’re making money, Sua just called.

“…!”

Immediately, Seo Yeon-ju hugged Kim Sun-il.

They both nodded in agreement. It meant they would go ahead with the next commercial. They would do whatever it took to make more money. They were willing to accept any conditions as long as they could bring her in.

Kim Yi-seo, receiving their intense gazes, spoke up.

“Sua, what’s the matter?”

She pretended not to know anything and played it cool.

But her heart was different. Please let it be a contract. Please let it be a contract.

“The agency contract, I think it’s time to discuss it.”

“Okay. Let me know a convenient time, I’ll send you a calendar invite.”

Kim Yi-seo ended the call after discussing a few things.

Two days later.

The Mystic Entertainment staff had been moving since early morning.

Although the cleaning company usually takes care of the building thoroughly, the staff were also paying close attention to the details today.

Of course, as a new entertainment company, there weren’t many staff members.

Normally, their tasks were simple. They would each do their work from their respective positions, but today was different.

They were now performing tasks that were different from their usual duties.

They were all positioned neatly and standing around the building.

This was Kim Yi-seo’s order.

Since this was their first time handling something like this, there was a constant hum of gossip.

“Is a VIP coming today?”

“I’ve seen this in a drama. Doesn’t it look like how they welcome the youngest daughter of a chaebol family? This is interesting.”

“Who exactly is coming?”

“They’re just a rookie, coming to sign a contract.”

At the mention of a rookie, the staff members’ eyes widened as they checked the individual’s information.

After confirming the photo, reactions began to pop up everywhere.

“…Is she really the youngest daughter of a chaebol family?”

“She looks really fierce.”

“She looks like she wouldn’t wear anything but high heels.”

“She seems like she’d take a taxi even for a one-meter distance.”

“If you make eye contact with her, will you get splashed with water?”

While they were muttering like this, Kim Sun-il, Seo Yeon-ju, and Kim Yi-seo appeared first and went upstairs.

All three were dressed up more than usual, and the new employee, who had been watching them, asked.

“You three are really putting in a lot of effort, aren’t you? Isn’t it just for the contract, not a shoot? Is there a reason for dressing like this?”

“You really don’t understand anything.”

Another employee responded.

“Even appearance can be a weapon in a contract. If you sit there looking powerful, that alone can create pressure, right? You don’t even need to do anything. It could give you an advantage in negotiations.”

“Oh, I see.”

For a new employee, it was a world they could hardly imagine.

Using appearance as a weapon to gain an advantage in negotiations and either saving or spending millions. It was like a war, not just business.

Just then, a familiar face appeared, though it was their first meeting.

First, there was silence.

The interior of the building felt static.

It was because winter had walked in.

The woman slowly passed through the long hallway, her white hair fluttering.

She didn’t acknowledge the staff at all.

Her steps were silent.

“Welcome!”

It was a misunderstanding.

The reason was the drastic change from the photo.

She looked completely different now.

Had her gaze not been so sharp, no one would have recognized her at all.

She kept her head slightly lowered in a group, and the new employee asked,

“She’s completely different from the photo! She has a beauty mark under her eye and even dyed her hair? How much of a weapon would that be?”

“Well… maybe a nuclear bomb…?”

“…Sua, welcome.”

Kim Yi-seo couldn’t take her eyes off Sua.

‘What’s up with the styling? Did she really prepare for this?’

A lonely fox from the Arctic, with the cold wind blowing fiercely.

Kim Yi-seo thought that Sua exuded an even colder aura than usual.

“Thank you.”

In reality, Sua was just overwhelmed, especially since Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-ju were by Kim Yi-seo’s side.

All three of them were dressed up far beyond what was normal, which created an oppressive atmosphere for Sua.

“Sua, let’s get to the point.”

There was a brief moment of exploration at the negotiation table.

Then Kim Yi-seo’s proposal began in earnest.

“Sua, you mentioned before that I was cute. Well, I understand. But looking at it now, the conditions I suggested were quite ordinary.”

“…?”

“I don’t think other agencies hadn’t contacted you, but their conditions were probably just as cute, right?”

Sua simply nodded.

“I was thinking, instead of cute, I want to offer you something beautiful. So, I want to suggest something that Mystic can offer you.”

She was really getting to the point now, Sua thought.

It was a bit chaotic and shaky, but she collected her thoughts.

She repeated Park Jun’s words in her head.

I’m a really good asset, right? So there’s no need to be intimidated. I’m not a criminal.

It was then.

“Or, Sua, would you like to speak first?”

“Huh?”

“Is there something specific that Sua wants?”

Sua recalled Park Jun’s words.

The story about asking for a dream car if she ever had the chance.

It was an intriguing offer. After the ‘speeding violation’ experience, she had become curious about driving.

‘But is it okay to say this? Really?’

What if it comes off as arrogant and people dislike her?

Despite Sua’s worries, Kim Yi-seo’s thoughts were the complete opposite.

‘I have to secure her. She’s the kind of person who can motivate Yeon-ju and Sun-il to take charge of an advertisement. She’s a living totem; if we capture her, Mystic will soar.’

No matter how much money is spent on the recruitment now, Kim Yi-seo was confident she could recover it later.

With that mindset, Kim Yi-seo clenched her teeth.

Unaware of this, Sua’s thoughts wandered off.

‘What if the car they give me is a barley tea or green tea car? Should I report it?’

“Sua. Look at this.”

Kim Yi-seo broke the silence first.

With a nod, she signaled one of the staff members to bring a long box.

When it was opened, car keys were lined up neatly like cocoons.

They were car keys, but it took a close look to realize it.

For Sua, these cars were unfamiliar. However, even though she didn’t know what they were, one thing was certain.

They must all be extraordinary cars.

Kim Yi-seo slid the box toward Sua.

“I’ll let you pick one. How about it?”

Sua thought for a moment. How did they happen to bring up cars?

Did they read my mind? Mind reading?

“Out of these, one…?”

Sua asked, still in a daze.

Picking right away would be a bad move. She didn’t even know what cars were in the box. She needed more time to think.

But the words just wouldn’t come out. She was so shocked that her mouth and tongue had frozen.

No, is this really happening? Is a sports car actually going to be a part of my life? Really?

Her trembling hands gripped the box tightly, trying to hide the fact that they were shaking.

Kim Yi-seo watched her closely.

“I got it. Just take them all. Let’s do that.”