Pen and Paper Translations

After we finished eating, Junseong and I went back to Seonghyeon Productions.

Seeing me not say a single word the whole way back, the moment we stepped into the office, Junseong watched me warily and said,

“Hey, are you mad I palmed Kim Mujin off on you?”

“No. I’m not mad.”

He studied my face, then seemed relieved.

“Then what did Kim Mujin say?”

“……”

“Talk. Come on. Don’t just sit there sulking.”

I deliberately dragged out my answer.

And just when he was about to get annoyed, I told him what I’d talked about with Kim Mujin, seasoning it with a little “MSG.” His eyes practically spun.

“A guy who goes around lobbying and the like said that to you?”

“Huh? Yeah…”

“Even if his numbers are good, since he’s an outcast dumbass in the film world, he’ll do you a favor?”

“He didn’t swear like that…”

“It’s the nuance that matters! It wasn’t enough that he came begging us to please, please use Lee Seobin, and the bastard of a CEO talks like that?”

Bang!

Maybe I’d added too much MSG—the effect was almost too good. He slammed his fist on the desk, that mad.

“And you! You just took that? You should’ve at least ripped into him!”

“You told me to be careful…”

“I didn’t mean you should sit there and take that crap, idiot! We’re the ones with leverage. Why are we getting pushed around by the other side?”

I couldn’t tell whether I was supposed to appreciate him getting mad on my behalf or how I should react.

When I only blinked, as if he still couldn’t calm down, he muttered more curses to himself.

“For vermin like that, a beating is the cure. As if they had no one else to mess with… if they’d poked at Kwak Yeonji I might let it slide, but they touch our side? Nobodies…”

“Calm down. I’m the one who got cussed at; why are you the one this angry?”

“I’d rather my kid came back after doing the beating. Wouldn’t I be mad if they came home having been beaten?”

“I’m your kid now?”

“It’s a figure of speech!”

A laugh slipped out of me at the sight of him.

Like Kim Mujin said, I don’t have many people on my side.

But everyone who is on my side is someone who’ll fight for me.

Like Junseong, who’s angry in my place.

“You—whatever it takes. Make it so she can do, anytime, the acting she showed at Kwak Yeonji’s audition. Will two weeks be enough? Or just ditch Lee Seobin and lock her down for a month.”

“Two weeks is enough. And if by any chance Kwak Yeonji can’t show it, then what? If you dump even Lee Seobin, we might have to give up this film entirely.”

“Sigh…”

“Don’t act like you’re going to change your tune tomorrow—think coolly. We have to consider the worst. For her age, even you have to admit Lee Seobin is a top-tier actor in both skill and popularity.”

Only after he drained a big glass of water did his fury seem to ebb, his eyes returning to normal.

“Make sure this succeeds. I really don’t want to use anyone from Kim Mujin’s side.”

“……”

I nodded silently.

I couldn’t give him a firm answer.

Because I didn’t know whether what Kwak Yeonji showed at the audition was a fluke or real skill…

Just then, while I was mulling it over, he suddenly clutched his head and let out a yell loud enough to shake the office.

“Arrrgh! If I’d known it’d turn out like this, we shouldn’t have held a public audition! If Kwak Yeonji doesn’t work out, it’s going to be a total mess! Money down the drain, time down the drain! I really don’t want to use Hyeum Entertainment’s side!”

Leaving him behind, I carefully opened the door and stepped out of the office.

The staff outside looked at me, gauging my expression.

“Haha… It’s fine. You’re all working hard. We just have one deranged CEO… haha…”

---

After hearing that only she and Lee Seobin had been given an extra audition, Kwak Yeonji didn’t set a foot outside.

Worried she’d just be used for marketing and then thrown away, she couldn’t get her hands on anything.

Especially since the opponent was Hyeum Entertainment’s Lee Seobin. Thinking there was no way to beat her, Kwak Yeonji sank into utter lethargy.

“Haa…”

When she kept her eyes open, the events of audition day came back.

Whether it was the smell or not, Go Sang-woo immediately noticed she’d had a drink before the audition.

But he didn’t get mad.

He said it had been an unavoidable choice and tried to put it nicely, and that only made Kwak Yeonji snap at him.

Otherwise, she felt like she’d burst into tears right there.

Even in that chilled atmosphere, Go Sang-woo drove her home.

But without so much as a thank you, she got out of the car and ran nonstop all the way to her place.

She just wanted to cry freely at home where no one would see.

Beep-beep—.

At the phone’s alert, she sighed and, without even checking who it was, turned it off.

It was obviously her manager.

She turned the TV up loud even though she had no intention of watching it, then closed her eyes.

Burying herself in the noise pouring from the TV and lying on the sofa, she felt like she might be able to survive.

A sudden drop straight down.

That feeling, if anything, put her at ease.

Because it was better to think there was no such thing as hope.

Bang bang!

Someone knocked on the door then.

“Hey! Kwak Yeonji! Open up!”

It was Go Sang-woo’s voice.

She kept her eyes closed and ignored him.

Right now, this was what she wanted.

If she didn’t, the endless thoughts would start tormenting her again.

“Come out! You’ve got the TV blaring and you’re wallowing again, aren’t you!”

At the way his voice hit the bull’s-eye, she opened her eyes.

And with that, all sorts of thoughts flooded back in.

If I failed this time… do I really have to quit acting?

If I quit acting, what do I even do now?

Why did I start this in the first place?

Because people kept telling me I was pretty when I was little? If that’s all… and I chose this path…

She wanted to turn back time right this instant.

She squeezed her eyes shut, begging that when she opened them she’d be back in childhood, swearing she’d never choose this path even if she died.

“Hey! Come out! Or at least pick up the phone!”

But it was the door next door that opened.

A woman with half-finished makeup stepped out and shouted at Go Sang-woo.

“Why so much commotion! You think you live in this building alone? Go away before I call the police!”

“I… I’m sorry.”

“Looks like you got dumped—give it up! Don’t you know women hate it when you come to their house!”

“I’m her manager… no… whatever it is, I’m sorry…”

Creak—.

“It’s open! For heaven’s sake, try living quietly! And the young lady living there, too! If you don’t want the man, call the police or something!”

Bang!

After that loud proclamation, the neighbor slammed her door.

Bowing to the neighbor, Go Sang-woo went into Yeonji’s place.

The first thing he did, as if used to this, was turn down the deafening TV.

“Knew it. Lying there moping again, aren’t you?”

He shot at the blank-faced Yeonji sitting on the sofa.

“Why won’t you answer your phone!”

“…”

When she said nothing, he turned on the light and peered at her face.

Then, sounding worried, he said,

“What’s with your eyes? Did you put something in your lids? Why are they so puffy?”

“I don’t know. So what’s so urgent?”

When she asked coolly, he suddenly grinned and said to her,

“Didn’t Director Gyeong Chanhyeon contact you?”

“What are you talking about?”

Despite the swelling, she blinked her big eyes and asked.

Seeing she showed not a hint of excitement, he looked momentarily taken aback.

“Director Gyeong called me himself, you know? Said you weren’t picking up! Check your phone right now!”

“Huh…?”

She hurried to the corner, dug out her phone, and powered it on.

When she checked the missed calls, her hands shook.

There were far more calls labeled “Gyeong Chanhyeon” than “Manager.”

“What is this…?”

“Director Gyeong said he liked your acting.”

She slumped onto the sofa and barely managed to steady her trembling hands.

“But he said that for the next audition, you need to be able to show the performance you showed—anytime.”

“…”

“You can do that, right? Director Gyeong said he’ll help you personally. You know the story, right? Park Junsik said on that he got help too.”

Jeong Jisu’s .

One of her dreams was to succeed someday and go on that talk show.

But Park Junsik got there first.

Thanks to him, he’d become hugely popular, and they even said the ratings for that episode were the highest ever.

She’d enjoyed watching that episode too—until Gyeong Chanhyeon’s face appeared.

After that, she didn’t know. The moment she saw Gyeong, she turned it off.

“Uh…”

“You’re a fan of that show. You didn’t see it then?”

“Well…”

“Never mind. That’s not the point right now. If you pull this off, you can go on too! Park Junsik made his variety debut there!”

At his words, her eyes sparkled, and she sprang up from the sofa where she’d practically been lying.

Then, with her slender arms, she tugged the sofa out.

He just watched her for a second, like he had no idea what she was doing.

“Oppa. Don’t just stand there—help me toss this.”

“Finally getting rid of the miserable sofa?”

“Hey! Don’t ask anything, just help.”

With his help, the sofa came out of the corner with a yank.

They dumped it by the door for now.

Along with throwing the sofa away, she seemed to shake off some of her negative thoughts; a natural smile spread across her lips.

“Feel lighter now that it’s gone? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile like that.”

“This is just the start. I’m going to keep smiling like this.”

“Yeah. That’s better. Don’t cry.”

“I only cry when I’m sad, okay?”

“So you were sad because you thought you failed the audition?”

“You jerk…”

When he teased her, she playfully smacked the back of his head.

“Ow! Kwak Yeonji beats up her manager!”

“People in this neighborhood don’t even know who Kwak Yeonji is, you know?”

“They’ll all know soon enough. Want to get changed and head out?”

“Yeah. I’ll pack and come down. Give me about fifteen minutes.”

“Pack? Why the luggage all of a sudden?”

Ignoring his question as if she hadn’t heard, she slipped on her slippers and dashed upstairs to her place.

She still hadn’t come back down even after more than thirty minutes.

He was about to go inside to see if something had happened when she burst out of the entrance.

“Whoa. What is that?”

The sight of her was shocking.

Grunting as she dragged a suitcase that looked heavier than she was, he hurried to snatch it from her.

“Weren’t you just going to change clothes? It’s not like you’re moving…”

“I’m going to live in the agency practice room for two weeks.”

“I love the grit, but… how did you even haul this? It’s crazy heavy.”

Thud!

When the hefty suitcase went into the car, it made a booming sound.

He glanced at it and smirked.

She’d stuffed in too much; the door wouldn’t even close right, and things inside were poking out.

“Oppa, hurry up! I need to practice!”

“Huh? Oh… right. Let’s go.”