Chapter 163: Celebrities Live Off their Image (6)
TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir
Lee Songha opened her mouth before closing it firmly. Her cheeks flinched like she was doing her best to stop herself from saying something. The lighting was the same, yet her face turned brighter and darker.
Our eyes met.
Her eyes were tinted with the orange light as well, making them seem like the ocean at sunset. Like hell, they were like the ocean with blowing winds and crashing waves, you crazy bastard.
The light turned off again. Only about three seconds seemed to have passed, but it was a relief. I used the darkness as cover to frown.
Her breathing quickened.
This was perturbing. It felt like I poured malt and water in rice, let it ferment, and even boiled it down.
Meaning I was smoothly screwing myself over.{1}
“Let’s go in now-“
Her hand shot out like lightning and grasped my arm. Her hand, which I had seen and touched countless times before, had always been slender and supple. Where did she get this strength from? I felt like a salmon caught by a bear.
“Why? Do you have something else to ask?”
She asked between her quickened breaths,
“Why don’t you date, oppa?”
“Have a conscience. Whenever there’s a hint like that, you girls stick to me like sister ghosts, trying to take me along with you.”
“Still, you could if you really wanted to.”
Of course, I could if I really wanted to.
In the darkness, which I couldn’t even see her outline, I turned my gaze towards her as I could clearly sense her perking her ears for my reply.
“Just. I don’t plan to for a while.”
“Why?”
“I plan on fueling my ambition without losing focus.”
“Ambition …!”
She buzzed next to me. When the light turned on, Lee Songha’s face was right in front of me. She looked so worried that her eyelashes were trembling. Her gloomy demeanor, caused by Jung Jae, had long since disappeared.
Lee Songha grabbed my other arm with her empty hand.
“Ambition is important! I will support, no, I’ll push you from the back and pull you from the front.”
“Yeah, okay. Thanks.”
“I also have an ambition.”
Lee Songha said proudly.
“I think my plans have been proceeding well since last year.”
“Did you make a 10-year plan or something?”
“No!”
She jumped up and down. Her expression was as serious as ever.
“Ten years is too long.”
Maybe five years.
Lee Songha mumbled as she looked down at the floor. She placed her hand on her waist before letting go. She also slid her toe on the floor. I didn’t know what she was thinking, but the corners of her lips slowly curled up. Because she didn’t keep still, the light stayed on.
“But, oppa, if you keep working passionately, you’ll be single past your marriageable age, and most the women around you will be married. Then, I guess you have no choice but to set a threshold…”
“Let’s go inside now.”
I said while keying in the code.
“Why are you thinking about my marriageable age? Also, there are plenty of men and women in this industry who marry late.”
“Pardon?”
“Even Team Leader Park said she had no plans on marrying before forty.”
“… Team Leader Park?”
Lee Songha blinked.
“It’s just an example. Let’s go in. Quickly. The girls must be wondering what we are doing.”
I opened the door and pushed Lee Songha’s back. I almost had to stuff her back in the house.
Then I gulped dryly a few times.
My tongue tingled.
I was definitely screwing myself over, but the taffy was just too sweet.{2}
***
There was a drizzle this morning.
Pretty Girls, including Jung Jae, were gathered in W&U’s lounge. To be exact, Jung Jae, the big goldfish, was surrounded by the smaller goldfish as they held both her arms.
Their eyes were particularly more swollen, seemingly having cried all night.
“They look like unwelcomed princesses. People will think I scolded them or something.”{3}
The team 3 leader laughed as he rubbed his scruffy beard.
“You do look like a principal who would scold them.”
“What are you talking about? I’m more like the tall mister.”
“That’s Mr. Sunwoo’s role. You are just a mister.”
Team Leader Park and Kim Hyunjo chuckled. Even as they joked, their gazes were on Pretty Girls. The reason why the members, who were waiting for Chief Lee Taeshin and Jung Sunwoo, were so nervous was because of these three’s sudden interest in them.
“Is she the one Lucky Charm personally rushed to find?”
The team 3 leader closely examined Jung Jae.
“Her gaze is odd.”
“Looking at her, she gives off a certain aura. It’s girls like her who gain core fans.”
“We’ll have to wait to know for sure, but the team’s image is clear now that the center is back.”
The team 3 leader and Team Leader Park conversed while Kim Hyunjo bought some sports drinks from the vending machine and handed them out to the girls. He handed the two team leaders a coffee and requested,
“Neptune will be here soon, so let’s not bring up how Sunwoo ran around and all that to find her. They’ll probably be concerned about it without us bringing it up.”
“That’s true. Especially Songha.”
Team Leader Park made a meaningful smile.
Then she called Jung Jae, who was looking after the others, over.
“Even if Songha acts cold or stares at you or acts unusually, don’t pay it any mind. It’s just she follows Mr. Sunwoo more than the others. You know how first-borns get nervous when their mother’s attention focuses on their little sibling.”
“She so curt with everything but explodes with emotions when it has to do with Lucky Charm.”
The team 3 leader laughed. Just then, the elevator opened, and Lee Kwanwoo and Neptune got off. The team leaders, who welcomed the girls, flinched. Lee Songha suddenly popped out and quickly walked over with steadfast steps.
Her expression looked normal. However, the team leaders and Kim Hyunjo could immediately tell her emotions were in disarray. It was strange that she was rushing over like she was speed-walking when Jung Sunwoo and Son Chaeyoung weren’t here.
“Umm, my inept expression translator says her expression reads, ‘Great catching you here.’”
“I know, right?”
The two team leaders whispered to each other. During this time, Lee Songha stood in front of Pretty Girls. The smaller goldfish looked up at her with admiration like fans at a signing event. This wasn’t their first time meeting, yet this seemed to get more and more severe.
Lee Songha said,
“Hi.”
“Ah, hello, sunbae!”
“It’s good if you put spoons on your eyes.”
“Spoons!”
“Cold ones. Or green tea bags.”
This didn’t really qualify as a tip, but the smaller goldfish opened and closed their mouths in happiness. They looked like they would completely believe her even if she said that pain relief creams were great for swollen eyes.
Lee Songha nodded and turned to look at Jung Jae this time.
The two team leaders and Kim Hyunjo watched with bated breaths. The other Neptune members stood in place as they watched her actions. Im Seoyoung and LJ were whispering to each other next to Lee Taehee. Lee Kwanwoo looked like he was searching for Jung Sunwoo.
Under everyone’s gazes, Lee Songha said,
“Hello.”
Nothing more or less. Just a simple greeting.
It was so normal that their worries were for naught. In fact, Lee Songha was even smiling faintly. She even looked composed as they talked about their first meeting.
The two team leaders and Kim Hyunjo looked at this with odd, but proud eyes.
The more famous a celebrity was, the more closed in they were, so there were many cases where their personalities grew more peculiar. It was the case for Seo Jijoon, who acted like a child in front of Chief Lee Bongjoon, and Son Chaeyoung, who caused trouble for chiefs and team leaders alike.
So even if Lee Songha acted or said something unusual, they only hoped she wouldn’t grow more peculiar than that. Yet, for some reason, she seemed more mature overnight. The two team leaders exchanged glances, asking whether the sun rose from the west today.{4}
Lee Songha went over to Team Leader Park.
Then she stared at her.
“Team leader.”
“Hmm?”
“I thought about it, and I think you are really beautiful.”
The team 3 leader promptly spurted his coffee. No one swore at him. If they were drinking something, they would have spurted it out as well. Quickly regaining her composure thanks to her experience, Team Leader Park asked,
“Why did you suddenly think that? Or what made you think…”
“Also, I think you both would be great together.”
Her regained composure shattered.
Lee Songha was referring to Team Leader Park and the team 3 leader. The team 3 leader’s coffee seemed to flow in reverse as he started coughing noisily. Kim Hyunjo systematically patted his back.
Team Leader Park’s dazed gaze alternated between Lee Songha and the team 3 leader before looked at Neptune. They were busy talking about their lives with Pretty Girls. They were so passionate, it looked like they were at a politician’s election campaign event.
Team Leader Park’s gaze returned to Lee Songha.
“Songha, why are you doing this to me?”
“I just wanted to let you know that I will always be willing to sing, catch the bouquet, hand out tickets, or even hold your dress as you walk down the aisle for your wedding. You might be in urgent need of an extra hand.”
Team Leader Park couldn’t hold back any longer and laughed.
“I’m really grateful, but you know that you’ll never get married if you don’t marry in 6 months after catching the bouquet?”
“Then I take that back. I can do anything else.”
Surprised, Lee Songha corrected herself.
With a face one couldn’t tell was laughing or crying, Team Leader Park patted the team 3 leader’s shoulder. The team 3 leader had long since been coughing and laughing. He poked Kim Hyunjo’s side.
“Where are her parents?”
***
After a long conversation with Producer Ferret at his office, I hastily went over to the fourth floor. The team 3 leader had urgently called for me. I was worried that something might have happened between Neptune and Pretty Girls considering I got his text after Lee Kwanwoo texted me that they arrived.
When I arrived, the two teams seemed to be getting along. Even Jung Jae, who was a later addition, was talking amongst them. Chief Lee Taeshin, who came with me, looked relieved at this sight.
Then what was it?
I turned my gaze to see the team 3 leader and Team Leader Park holding their bellies in laughter.
I finally understood what was going on after I heard the details from Kim Hyunjo. Lee Songha slowly backed out when she saw me and was now standing in front of the wall. The puppy we kept at home in the past also acted like that when he did something wrong.
“I don’t think I can tell you anything anymore.”
I said in a quiet voice. Lee Songha stuck to the wall even closer. She looked like she was about to go through it. At least she seemed embarrassed about it. If she wanted to do something, she should at least not get caught by me.
I was dumbfounded by how she occasionally glanced at me, but I also found it funny.
When I smiled, she raised her head slightly and slowly smiled as well.
“Don’t smile.”
“Yes.”
She was good at answering.
I sent Lee Songha over to the other members and beat around the bush when talking to Team Leader Park and the team 3 leader. Team Leader Park waved her hand, mentioning that, although she didn’t know why she said it, it was cute and that it had been a long time since she laughed that hard.
“Is the project proceeding smoothly?”
The team 3 leader suddenly asked. His gaze fell on the girls.
“Sending you out like this when I used to always receive updates makes it so I have no idea how things are going. Putting my frustration aside, I’m so curious I could die. IBC’s film crew and Pretty Girls have been around the company, so it seems you are busy.”
He licked his dry lips.
“The reality show, Making Film. How is it? That’s the key.”
“I think it’ll be okay.”
“Do you think that it’ll go according to your plan once the show airs?”
‘Yes.”
I smiled when I replied.
Team Leader Park, who attended a few Making Film meetings, nodded her head with a smile.
It had to do well. I ran around all day to obtain everything I could from this project. It wasn’t just me, countless people were involved.
Kim Hyunjo looked at the calendar on his phone and asked,
“Did you say the show will air two months from now?”
“Yes, it’ll air in Good Friends’ timeslot then.”
The team 3 leader licked his lips.
“I guess we should wait two months and watch it like everyone else. Two months. It’s so far away.”
“No, it isn’t. Two months go by in a flash. The first episode will air in the blink of an eye.”
I replied while looking at the date on the calendar.
Then, as I said, two months really went by in a flash.
{1} The above is the process for making 엿 or taffy, this is also used to say ‘screwed over’.
{2} Again, referring to the whole taffy point mentioned above
{3} Reference to the novel, Little Princess
{4} A phrase describing an impossible event, similar to ‘when hell freezes over’.
