Dongja-ryeong (the child spirit) howled ferociously, seemingly intent on forcing Yeonwoo to agree.
“You do realize that in that body, you’re not intimidating at all?”
[Ack…!]
Seeing a hamster trying to threaten him by squeaking while raising its tiny forepaws – obviously no one would find that scary. Moreover, its cheeks were so stuffed with walnuts that they sagged on both sides, leaving not even a shred of dignity.
“All right, I understand.”
“Really? You mean it? You’ll help me, right?”
“Yes.”
This was essentially another opportunity for Yeonwoo. He would have accepted even without the child spirit’s nagging or Kwon Sunghyun’s “wagging tail” begging for help.
It was Yeonwoo’s first real taste of the entertainment industry since finishing the job with Photographer Park.
Why say no when I’ll be able to observe properly?
‘Know your enemy, know yourself, and you will not be defeated.’
Because he’d decided to shift directions and dip into this field, he needed to grasp its general flow and atmosphere. Jumping in blind was bound to go poorly.
[So, I get to watch our star’s shoot in person?! Live?! This is my dream come true! Who said a fan can’t make it happen?!]
A fan-what now? For a centuries-old ghost, it sometimes acted more like a modern person than Yeonwoo did.
“Thank you, Yeonwoo. Thank you for helping me.”
“No… it’s nothing…”
Anyway, Yeonwoo intended to gain plenty from it, too – not that Kwon Sunghyun could have known. Sighing with relief, Sunghyun beamed, his eyes arching into a smile.
“I’ll be sure… to work even harder.”
“…Huh?”
“No worries, Yeonwoo-ssi. I will definitely…”
“…?”
He seemed to mumble something too softly for Yeonwoo to hear. “Whatever—probably not important.”
What could the star possibly do for him, anyway?
Right. He’s always been a bit weird.
Those who reach the very top of any field tend to have quirks. Perhaps that quirk let him climb so high, or maybe he changed after tasting success. In any case, the conclusion was that Kwon Sunghyun was still out of his mind.
I can make allowances.
He was, after all, a walking “lifespan dispenser” who had even guided Yeonwoo to a mother lode of ghost energy. It’d be too great a loss to abandon such a helpful “VIP pass” just because he was a bit odd.
Then:
–Yeonwoo-ssi, the date for the drama’s first shoot has been set.
The day to tap that gold vein was at hand.
Yeonwoo was assigned a temporary assistant-manager role.
“A drama set is somewhat off-limits for outsiders. Even though it’s just a formality, we need you registered as a manager. Sunghyun said to give you every courtesy, so you won’t have much actual work.”
“Really?”
“Well… He does rely on you, so simply being there is enough. Hahaha…”
Yet the manager’s gaze kept drifting to the hamster perched on Yeonwoo’s shoulder.
[Why does he keep staring? Maybe I’m just too cute? Yeonwoo, am I cute in your eyes?]
“Cut the nonsense.”
“…Excuse me?!”
“Oh, sorry. I was talking to this little guy, not you.”
“The ham… hamster… you mean?”
“Yes.”
The round hamster squeaked threateningly. The manager’s pupils trembled wildly.
“Um… okay…”
“Is something wrong?”
The manager’s lips twitched, but he quickly changed the subject:
“Oh, yes—just wanted to mention something. As you probably know, even though people see Sunghyun’s name and back off, not everyone will. The director this time is pretty finicky, and many of the supporting actors are less famous than Sunghyun but are still his seniors. Their standing outranks his.”
So Kwon Sunghyun’s power didn’t necessarily overshadow them. No problem for Yeonwoo—he had no interest in wielding that authority anyway.
“Don’t worry. I know how to behave. I won’t cause any trouble.”
“Ah… I’m sorry. I know you wouldn’t, but I had to warn you. You know… I feel awkward telling you this.”
“I understand.”
“Thank you.”
The manager looked relieved.
“Today’s just a script reading. Lucky for us, Director Heo is sensitive about that. There won’t be any actual shooting yet, so it should be easy to watch. Sunghyun and his driver will get here soon; we got word they’re close. You could wait in the van if you like – we have a take-out meal Sunghyun wanted you to enjoy.”
But Yeonwoo had zero intention of waiting. The broadcasting station was right there in front of him.
Time to check out my gold mine.
Yeonwoo’s eyes gleamed.
It feels heavy.
That was Yeonwoo’s first impression upon entering the station building – not because the trays of coffee in both hands weighed him down, but because the air felt heavy.
He scanned the surroundings sharply. Here was the mother lode he’d been anticipating, yet his expression remained blank.
It’s strange. The air’s heavy, but I don’t see many ghosts.
From the moment he stepped into the station, he sensed a thick, almost tangible aura. Normal people might not think air could have “weight,” but Yeonwoo wasn’t normal.
[Wow, the vibes here are no joke…] squeaked the hamster from Yeonwoo’s shirt pocket, poking its head out. [This place’s vibe is stronger than many graveyards.]
That made sense to the ghostly hamster. A location jam-packed with negative or raw ambition was a paradise for spirits, so it was excited.
“I’m not the only one sensing it, then?”
[Yep! So this is a TV station, huh? Hearing about it was one thing, but experiencing it is crazy…]
Like strolling through Hongdae or Myeongdong, but for spirits.
The hamster’s eyes sparkled like someone encountering gourmet food.
“Exactly. But if that’s so, how come I see so few ghosts?”
[Maybe they went off somewhere else? With an aura this dense, I’d have expected the place to be half full. Could it be that it’s overshadowed by something bigger? A territorial boss? That might keep lesser ghosts away.]
It was cyclical: strong negative energies gather in places of raw ambition, attracting ghosts, intensifying negative energies more, and so on. Yet no ghosts were visible.
“Then maybe the petty ones got eaten by bigger ones.”
[It’s like a lure, roping in prey…]
“Could be. If not that, maybe there’s some specific hot-spot they’ve all gathered to. Or a person carrying around huge negative spirits. Anyway, it’s definitely a gold mine. I was right.”
If a large spirit was devouring smaller ghosts, presumably it harbored intense grudges or ambitions – precisely the type to yield a lot of harvestable lifespan. Or at least that was Yeonwoo’s guess.
He’d turned from disliking “worst-case scenario shaman life” to choosing the “lesser evil” of showbiz. But in the end:
Whatever. I can get lifespan from them, so I’ll handle it. Surviving is priority #1.
He basically had a “funnel” here. This TV station was a gold mine, and all those who roamed it were mobile gold deposits.
[Hey, Yeonwoo… you’re not going to track them down now, right?]
Both knew exactly what “them” meant.
“I was about to.”
[I knew it! Don’t! You can’t just bail on the star’s big script reading. I need to watch that, c’mon! We have to see it live!]
Squeak, squeak, squeak! The hamster squealed, and:
“Um… that hamster, it’s… safe, right?” asked the manager leading them, glancing back. Yet he didn’t seem all that frightened. Perhaps it’s the same manager who’d resigned himself to Yeonwoo’s supernatural weirdness.
“It’s not rabid, if that’s what you’re worried about. It won’t bite. I’ll keep it quiet, too.”
“Ah… well, it’s not that… I’m only worried about some reaction from the drama staff… They’re pretty conservative, after all.”
“I’ll be careful. I have no wish to cause trouble.”
He might as well make a good impression – no reason to butt heads. Dongja-ryeong was old enough and wise enough not to escalate issues. Even if it looked like a hamster, it was actually a centuries-old spirit.
“Thanks, Yeonwoo-ssi! You do everything so well…”
He cut himself short, probably worried about hearing a scary answer if he pressed further. The manager just walked faster.
“Sunghyun’s inside, probably waiting…”
“He’s no ordinary man. More like a tiger,” Yeonwoo mused.
“Huh?” Up ahead, someone strode toward him with a commanding aura.
[Ahhh, Yeonwoo, I can’t breathe! Give me CPR…!] the hamster squeaked.
With professional styling, the already-handsome star seemed to shine even more.
He’s not the same as usual – maybe it’s the top star factor.
He was playing an icy chaebol heir, so the crisp, sophisticated styling enhanced that vibe. A meticulously fitted three-piece suit clung perfectly to his frame. A brand that allegedly never offered sponsorship had insisted on sponsoring this drama, purely because it was Kwon Sunghyun.
So indeed, he looked different than usual.
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