Chapter 171

“How do you feel?”

“I feel good.”

“You feel good? You feel about getting rejected by Son Chaeyoung?”

“No, the riding experience.”

I replied while feeling the plush ma.s.sage chair. I had ridden in those commonly known as ‘celebrity vans’ as a manager, but this was the best I’ve been in. It didn’t smell of food or dusty, and it was as comfortable as a cozy loft.

If I had something like this, Lee Songha would be less exhausted during overnight shoots.

I looked around the van before meeting Chief Lee Janghyun’s gaze.

“You seem calm to have to leisure to judge the driving experience on your way to Son Chaeyoung.”

“It’s not like I’m going to die.”

Though it was a disaster area.

Chief Lee Janghyun wrinkled his nose like he was trying not to snort.

“Your head’s going to fly if you approach her like you would Lee Songha. If Lee Songha’s a flowery mountain, Son Chaeyoung’s a minefield. There’s no countdown. She’ll just explode. She wasn’t this bad before, but she’s become crazy after her contract renewal. f.u.c.k, even I’ve become crazy. Suffering this s.h.i.t because I said I could manage her.”

He seemed to have suffered quite the hardship to swear like that. I had heard there was a chief from Team 2 who clung to the Team 2 Leader’s ankles, saying that he couldn’t take it any longer, after volunteering to handle Son Chaeyoung. Was it him?

“Well, anyways. There isn’t anyone who’s gotten used to Son Chaeyoung as quick as me.”

Chief Lee Janghyun shrugged.

“I’ll give you some tips, so remember what I do. Only then will you be able to talk to Son Chaeyoung.”

He acted like he was being very considerate of me with every remark.

What was he planning?

The majority of times people made a move against me p.i.s.sed me off, but occasionally, it was interesting. This was the latter. His gaze was th.o.r.n.y when we met in the outdoor smoking area.

Well, it seemed like he was helping me because he wanted something from me.

He seemed to notice I was examining him as he coughed. Then he checked his pockets. Amongst the miscellaneous items such as cigarettes, lighter, and name card, he took out a piece of gum. He quickly blew a bubble after putting the gum in his mouth.

“Do you want one?”

“I’m fine.”

“People who don’t know think that managers who chew gum look like thugs, but a lot of baseball players chew gum too. It helps release some of your tension. It’ll be helpful if actors had some before a shoot.”

Chief Lee Janghyun glanced at me.

“But about Lee Songha.”

“Songha?”

“You’re busy because you’re already taking care of so many people. Isn’t that why you hastily found a temporary manager for Nam Joyoon? You’ll be even busier with Son Chaeyoung, so I don’t think you’ll be able to handle all of Lee Songha’s schedule by yourself.”

Aha, Lee Songha?

I was wonder what he was aiming for by acting so considerate.

Who he really wanted to make a move on was Lee Songha and I was just the bridge to her?

“Then who usually fills in?”

“I try my best to take care of Songha’s schedule myself. Kwanwoo or Chief Kim Hyunjo fills in when I really can’t make it. If they are both busy, then our team leader fills in sometimes.”

“And what if the Team 3 Leader is busy? Why it seemed like he was busy with Blackout’s overseas concerts.”

“You seem interested in our team.”

“Well, even if we aren’t in the same team, we are all part of the same family.”

“When even the Team 3 Leader can’t fill in, I adjust her schedule…”

“I.”

Chief Lee Janghyun cut in hastily,

“Have some free time. Jungkyun, who I’m managing right now, is going to mandatory military service soon. If you don’t have someone to fill in for you for Lee Songha’s schedule, then I think I can help you out.”

Desire was visible in his voice and on his face.

I covered my smirk with a laugh.

I felt it again. That unpleasant feeling. While it wasn’t as bad as with CEO Baek Hansung, it wasn’t so light that I could simply ignore it. Was a switch flipped? There were countless people who wanted Lee Songha, what was I supposed to do if it made me feel unpleasant?

How troublesome.

I hid my inner thoughts and made a fake business smile.

“I’ll definitely ask when that happens.”

Though it never will.

The van stopped its drive around a luxurious residential area. When thinking about Son Chaeyoung, I imagined a white house on top of a hill, but her real house was a private house like ones you saw in dramas.{1} I didn’t know if it was to protect her private life, but the wall around her house was as tall as a fortress. Ivy covered the red brick wall, and plenty of trees shot up above the wall.

“Wait a little. I’m going to call her. Her phone should be on now.”

Chief Lee Janghyun called her. As he said, Son Chaeyoung’s phone seemed to be on because I could hear it ring. He shrugged as if he was showing off.

10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute. She still didn’t pick up.

Chief Lee Janghyun hung up and called her again.

“She normally answers after five tries.”

“Five tries?”

“Yes, and if you wait in the van for a long while. Ah, she doesn’t let other people into her home. If you wait in the van, she’ll open the door at the exact time we need to leave. Even if she doesn’t care about anything else, she follows her schedule to a tee. That’s why you need to have a schedule if you want to talk to her.”

She didn’t answer the second time. I asked on his third attempt,

“Then why do you come so early? You just need to come at the exact time for her schedule.”

“Now really, that’s not it. Even if she followed her schedule to a tee until yesterday, she might decide not to today. You can’t a.s.sume or predict Son Chaeyoung’s actions. They aren’t correct. You don’t even know this. Without me, you would have had your head against the wall.”

Chief Lee Janghyun clicked his tongue.

This felt like I returned to when I was a new recruit.

“Look here. She’s going to answer now.”

Chief Lee Janghyun made his fifth attempt.

His phone rang… continuously.

Taken aback, he tried to look over the wall.

“Why isn’t she answering? She should be answering.”

“You definitely can’t a.s.sume or predict her actions.”

“f.u.c.k, why is she acting like this on the day I came to get her?!”

She didn’t answer on his sixth and seventh attempt either.

Chief Lee Janghyun rubbed his face and groaned.

“First, wait. I’ll try to ask Chief Jo for help…!”

“I’ll try calling her.”

I said, taking my phone out.

“Who? Chief Jo?”

“No, Ms. Son Chaeyoung.”

Chief Lee Janghyun snorted.

“Sure, go for it.”

While he was on the phone with Chief Jo, I tried calling Son Chaeyoung.

I was waiting for it to ring when I suddenly heard a voice.

-What is it?

What the heck? Was she holding her phone?

I simply flinched because this happened before, but Chief Lee Janghyun turned his head so quickly he almost hit his nose on his headrest.

-What is it? Am I on speaker like last time?

“Nope.”

-Then why did you call me? Did you see someone like me on the street?

“That’s not it. I’m in front of your house right now.”

Her voice paused. When I checked my phone, she had already hung up.

Chief Lee Janghyun asked with a fl.u.s.tered expression,

“What happened? What did she say?”

“She just hung up.”

“Ah, then I’ll try calling her again. She might have picked up because she thought it was me. Well, since she picked up, she’ll probably come out if we wait…”

He was saying with a mix of relief and bitterness when the door suddenly opened.

Son Chaeyoung came out and looked around. This was the only car waiting outside. Son Chaeyoung came over. I checked her hands for a knife or something. That was how murderous her aura was.

Chief Lee Janghyun made weird gestures before almost rolling out of the van. I got off after him. Stopping in her tracks, Son Chaeyoung crossed her arms. Then her gaze alternated between Chief Lee Janghyun and me.

“Ms. Chaeyoung!”

He finally seemed to come to his senses as Chief Lee Janghyun approached her in a friendly manner.

“You’re already done getting ready…”

“Why did you come here?”

“I have some business with you.”

I replied because I thought she was asking me.

“What kind of business?”

“Your next project. This issue has been handed to me, so I was hoping to talk to you.”

“You, fu-!”

Son Chaeyoung stomped the ground. Chief Lee Janghyun quickly two steps away from me like there was a landmine. Son Chaeyoung glared at him before looking back at me.

“Come in. I think it’ll get loud.”

Chief Lee Janghyun suddenly raised his head.

“Huh? In your house?”

“I think the police might come if we talk outside. Are you okay with that?”

“Of course not!”

Chief Lee Janghyun gave me a sympathetic look. He continued,

“Then should I come in..”

“Chief Lee.”

Son Chaeyoung cut him off with a smile.

“I’m dying for some ripe persimmons. Can you buy me some?”

“Ripe persimmons? Persimmons?”

Chief Lee Janghyun’s mouth gaped.

“Don’t persimmons ripen in the fall? How can I find that this early spring?”

“If I knew, I would have already bought some. Do you think I’d be waiting until I’m dying for them?”

“Why do you want to eat them all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s morning sickness.”

The moment I look at Son Chaeyoung’s belly in shock…

“Ms. Chaeyoung! You can’t say stuff like that in public! What if it becomes a rumor…!”

“Why? Do you think I’m joking?”

“If you’re not joking, then…! Do-don’t tell me you’re serious?”

Chief Lee Janghyun’s gaze fell on Son Chaeyoung’s flat belly that was covered by her loose shirt.

“I’m joking. But I’m serious about the ripe persimmons.”

Son Chaeyoung said in a temperamental fashion. After sending Chief Lee Janghyun off did she go back in her house. Her steps were so fierce that I felt like their vibrations could even reach me. I ma.s.saged my neck as I entered behind her. As expected, this wasn’t something I could do for a long time.

Her living room was multiple times bigger than my apartment. Her photos were hung up on the walls. They weren’t from a photoshoot but were rather stills from her projects. From back when she was a child actress to Mermaid out of Water. This place didn’t feel like a home, instead, it was closer to a gallery filled with all of Son Chaeyoung’s acting roles.

My attention focused on them momentarily. Enough that I forgot about Son Chaeyoung.

“Look here. How can you focus on something else in this situation? What are you looking at!”

“The photos.”

“Look at them after we talk! Don’t you remember what I told you before? Are you a goldfish?”

The goldfish were somewhere else.

“I told you to refuse no matter what. I told you to say that you won’t be my manager!”

“I don’t remember answering.”

“What did you say?”

“Why do I have to listen to you?”

“What?”

Son Chaeyoung huffed like this was ridiculous.

I didn’t think she’d offer me a seat, so I leaned against the wall.

“You didn’t give me a proper explanation and it wasn’t a request either. Is there a reason why I should listen to whatever you say? Rather, the CEO offered proper compensation with this request. That’s why I decided to do it.”

“Compensation?”

Son Chaeyoung fiercely came up to me. Her eyes, which emitted sparks, were right in front of me.

“What did the CEO say he’ll give you? How enticing was it for someone as stuck up as you to come see me? When you said that you weren’t interested in me and had no plans of driving me in your van? You acted like someone with a single-minded obsession, yet does your head churn because he wags some compensation in front of you?”

“I think you’re misunderstanding something here.”

“What?!”

“The CEO asked me to persuade you into doing another project. I’m not becoming your manager.”

I would have refused if it was something like that. Why would I want to see more of your unsightly appearance?

It had only been five minutes since we’ve met, yet I’ve already started to regret it. The sweet compensation CEO Baek Hansung offered and the vision I had seen twice began to blur. Staying with Son Chaeyoung made my soul feel like it was growing moldy.

Son Chaeyoung frowned. Her glossy lips twisted.

“Oh, what to do? I’m sorry, no, I’m not sorry, but I have no plans on choosing my next project no matter what you do.”

“Well then, there’s nothing I can do about that. I don’t plan on doing anything.”

I replied with a shrug. Son Chaeyoung’s eyelashes flickered.

“Still, I think I should at least act like it.”

“… Act like what?”

“It hasn’t been half a day since I told the CEO, director, and the Team 2 Leader that I would try to persuade you, so I should at least look like I’m trying. Image what would happen to my image if I gave up right away. Well, if you change your mind and choose your next project in the meantime, that’s better for me.”

“I’m not going to!”

“Okay then.”

“What the h.e.l.l? You…!”

My phone began to ring as Son Chaeyoung yelled.

It was from Lee Songha.

As soon as I checked her name, Son Chaeyoung, who was right in front of me, saw her name as well.

Son Chaeyoung laughed cunningly.

“Does Lee Songha know that you’re here acting like this?”

“No.”

Her outstretched hand aimed for my phone like a hawk striking at its prey. However, she missed. When I raised my phone above my head, Son Chaeyoung huffed,

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“d.a.m.n it, you’re quick.”

“I had quadruplets who acted like that. Even they didn’t act like this since entering elementary school. What are you doing?”

While I was speaking, Son Chaeyoung was staring at my phone. As if it had become my weakness. The phone continued to vibrate. I took two to three steps away from Son Chaeyoung before answering the phone.

“Hey, Songha.”

{1} ‘White house on top of a hill’ usually refers to a psychiatric hospital.