Big Life

Chapter 213. Laugh, Why Don’t You (1)

“Chae-Rin unni, I’m not sure if I’m really allowed to appear there.” Han Yu-Na hesitated outside the vehicle.

Lee Chae-Rin’s manager in the driver’s seat turned around to ask Lee Chae-Rin, “You guys are heading straight to Mr. Ha’s place, right?”

“Yeah, Oppa. Yu-Na, hurry up.” Lee Chae-Rin grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the vehicle by force. As soon as the door closed, her manager stepped on the accelerator, and they drove off.

“There’s no need to be so awkward about this. We’re just having dinner together.”

“But mixing around with a nobody like me is...”

“And you were singing about wanting to see him earlier.”

“But, but, I’m still a nobody... I've yet to make my debut... Won’t he think that I’m being impudent?”

Lee Chae-Rin turned to face Han Yu-Na, and then she gripped her hands strongly. “Jae-Gun oppa isn’t that kind of person. You’ll learn later when you meet him, but he makes people feel really comfortable around him. He's really considerate.”

“...”

“Now stop worrying. Just talk to him, and once that’s done, remember to treat me to a good one.”

“Of course, unni... I will never forget your help today.”

Their car left Ilsan and had just barely made it through the heavy traffic thanks to the off-work peak timing and entered the Guro neighborhood. Soon, they could finally see Ha Jae-Gun’s place at the end of the street.

“That's his place.”

“Wow, it looks really great.”

“The interior is so much better than the exterior. You’re going to be shocked later.”

Her manager drove into the garage as usual. Moments after he parked the car, the main door opened, and Lee Soo-Hee appeared at the door to welcome them.

“Hello, Team Leader Lee!”

“Why are you still calling me that when we’ve already met a few times? Just use unni with me.” Lee Soo-Hee wiped her wet hands on the apron around her waist.

Lee Chae-Rin grabbed Lee Soo-Hee’s hands and grinned like a young girl. “I’m sorry, unni. Ah, I always find that your skin is so good. You don’t have makeup on today as well, right?”

“How could I when there are guests over? Is there even makeup that'll make me look like I don't have any makeup on?” Lee Soo-Hee and Lee Chae-Rin giggled excitedly as they shook their hands like little girls.

Thanks to Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon, the two ladies managed to meet a few times before; they eventually grew close enough to share shopping or cooking information with each other. In fact, they'd even call each other occasionally.

“Hello, Team Leader Lee.”

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Han Yu-Na.”

Both Lee Chae-Rin’s manager and Han Yu-Na bowed to greet Lee Soo-Hee. Lee Soo-Hee let go of Lee Chae-Rin’s hand and returned with a greeting, “Welcome. Ms. Han Yu-Na, right? I’m Lee Soo-Hee.”

Han Yu-Na was slightly out of her mind. She had seen Ha Jae-Gun's girlfriend, Lee Soo-Hee's face on the internet quite a number of times when she was still famous for being the one-piece girl.

Han Yu-Na thought that Lee Soo-Hee was extremely beautiful. Her mind was then filled with questions such as why someone like her didn't become a celebrity, had her family opposed the idea...

She even wondered if it was because she was quite shy when around others.

‘The photos did not do her justice...!’ Han Yu-Na came to a realization at the moment she met Lee Soo-Hee in the flesh. The beauty in those photos was nothing compared to what she was seeing right now. The Lee Soo-Hee in front of her was so breathtakingly beautiful to her, even as someone of the same gender, making Han Yu-Na’s heart skip a beat.

“Where is Jae-Gun oppa? Is he in?”

“He’s been held back by my father back at my parents and just began to drive back. He was at Yeonhui-dong, so it shouldn’t take him too long to come back. Come in first.” Lee Soo-Hee walked a few steps ahead, but her eyelid suddenly began twitching. A strange feeling overcame her. Wasn’t Park Do-Joon supposed to join them tonight as well?

“Um, Ms. Lee Chae-Rin.” Lee Soo-Hee grabbed Lee Chae-Rin aside and whispered in her ear. “What’s happening?”

“Pardon? What about?”

“I’m talking about Ms. Han Yu-Na. Is the relationship between you and Mr. Park Do-Joon...”

“Ah, you’re referring to that.” Lee Chae-Rin finally understood what Lee Soo-Hee was saying and smiled bitterly. “We’re thinking of announcing our relationship.”

“You’re announcing it? Why?”

“Take a look at this first, unni.” Lee Chae-Rin took out her phone and showed a website to Lee Soo-Hee. It showed rumors and various anonymous sources of Park Do-Joon and Lee Chae-Rin dating each other.

“It’s been quiet for a while, but it’s been getting worse lately. The reporters are also gathering in groups.”

“I see... Where did it start from, I wonder?”

“Their intention wouldn’t be good. Well, it’s fine. We didn’t think that we'd be able to keep our relationship under wraps forever.”

“What did your agency’s CEO say about this?”

“He suggested that we accept things as they come. I thought he would reprimand me quite heavily, but he’s quite a cool person.”

Lee Soo-Hee only nodded, not asking further. She knew that announcing their relationship would not hurt Park Do-Joon in any way. However, what would happen to Lee Chae-Rin, who was an idol star and also the leader of the girl group AppleT?

“You’re not worrying about me, right?” Lee Chae-Rin asked with a smile as if she had read Lee Soo-Hee’s thoughts. “Look at my age; how long can I live as the leader of a girl group? I’m looking to seriously forge my image as a singer, I really want to get recognized as a proper singer.”

“You are really good at singing; look at the OST you sang for Gyeoja Bathhouse. It’s still on the charts. It’s because you're a member of a girl group that your skills aren’t recognized. I believe that you’ll do even better.”

While the two ladies were talking, Han Yu-Na was busy admiring the interior of Ha Jae-Gun’s house. Beyond the spacious and luxurious living room was a room with its door slightly ajar. The size of the room, which could be seen at a glance, was about the size of the four-pax dormitory that Han Yu-Na was living in right now.

‘I must succeed as well...’ Han Yu-Na thought as she looked from afar. She suddenly noticed something moving from the corner of her eyes and finally identified a white cat crawling out from under the blanket.

“How cute...!” Han Yu-Na exclaimed subconsciously. She was extremely fond of pets. The white cat jumped down from the bed and looked at Han Yu-Na for a while before letting out a yawn.

“Ah, looks like Nun-Sol just woke up. He’s a sleepyhead.”

“His name’s Nun-Sol? That’s a cute name.” Lee Chae-Rin added as she stood up from the sofa and approached him.

“His name was originally Chul-Soo, Ha Jae-Gun oppa’s naming sense is atrocious. Nun-Sol, noona is here. Come over.”

“Ah, so they’re siblings. Nun-Sol, why don’t you come to me?”

Nun-Sol rolled up his tail and then walked to both Lee Chae-Rin and Han Yu-Na. The girls patted him gently, and he laid down beside them with the most relaxed expression on his face.

Vroom!

“Ah, Jae-Gun must be back.” Lee Soo-Hee headed to the foyer when she heard the sound of a car engine rolling in. Two vehicles drove in one after the other. Ha Jae-Gun alighted from the car that stopped first with Rika in his arms, while Park Do-Joon and Woo Tae-Bong alighted from the car behind.

“Welcome. How did you guys drive in together?”

“We were surprised as well, Ms. Soo-Hee. The car in front as we drove in looked familiar, and we just realized that it belonged to Jae-Gun.”

“It’s great that you’re just fascinated. I was shocked when I looked at the rearview mirror.”

Han Yu-Na stood straight by the door with her hands gathered in front of her, looking all nervous. As Ha Jae-Gun approached, she bowed politely first and introduced herself, “Hello, Mr. Ha Jae-Gun. I'm Han Yu-Na, and I'm twenty-two years old. I’m preparing for my debut with a girl group called HyperSoda. It’s my honor to meet you, and thanks for inviting me over.”

Han Yu-Na finished her greeting as if they were lines prepared in advance. It was safe to say that it was a self-introduction used commonly at auditions. Han Yu-Na was bound to be nervous and act awkwardly as she hadn’t made her debut.

Meanwhile, Ha Jae-Gun had risen to an unrivaled status after sweeping the novel industry in both the domestic and international markets, along with movies and games. She also realized the impact he had on the broadcasting stations, thanks to Bo-Ra. She was both in awe and fearful of him.

“Hello, I’m Ha Jae-Gun.” Ha Jae-Gun gave a slightly embarrassed smile. He reached his hand out for a handshake and continued. “I enjoyed watching the episode of Real Theater in which you appeared with Lee Chae-Rin. You’re really great at dancing; it makes me envious because I'm not really that good at dancing.”

“Ah, thank you... Mr. Ha. I'm not that good of a dancer...”

“Please don’t call me Mr. Ha. And my arm is hurting. Should I keep holding my arm out?”

“Ah, I’m sorry...! I’m really sorry.” Han Yu-Na apologized profusely and shook Ha Jae-Gun’s hand. Warmth spread through his hand, realizing that he was indeed a warm-hearted person like what Lee Chae-Rin had described.

“Rika, it’s your first time seeing Han Yu-Na unni, so why don’t you say hi, too?” Ha Jae-Gun put Rika down on the floor and continued jokingly. “Rika is good at reading people. She would go to the nice people first and act cute with them.”

Han Yu-Na squatted as she listened to Ha Jae-Gun. Her body shuddered lightly as she met eyes with Rika. However, Rika didn’t seem that happy; her deep blue fur also seemed to be standing on its ends.

“Hello... Rika?” Han Yu-Na carefully extended her hand, but before her fingertips could touch Rika, Rika walked away. The cat walked elegantly arrogantly past Han Yu-Na and headed into the house.

“Ah... It seems like she isn’t in the mood today.” Ha Jae-Gun scratched the back of his head awkwardly, regretting that he shouldn’t have made that joke earlier.

Han Yu-Na turned around and stood up with an embarrassed smile. Meanwhile, Rika had already left her sight.

“I think I finally understand why she wanted to introduce Han Yu-Na to me. She's almost on par with Lee Chae-Rin as a literary girl. She’s good with words, too.”

Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon sat by the terrace, as they enjoyed the cold wind. The group was currently going for round two with drinks at the basement lounge after their dinner earlier.

“I couldn’t stop being impressed by how she used dance to express her feelings after reading my novels. She really read a lot of them, and the purchase dates she showed me through her phone earlier were all from last year.”

“You even looked at her purchase dates during that short period of time? Wow, you’re indeed Ha Jae-Gun. Anyway, she has quite the character. I’ve met her a few times because of Chae-Rin; she’s a nice person.”

Park Do-Joon patted Ha Jae-Gun on his shoulder and said, “Sorry for asking you to do this.”

“Nah, you helped me add more guests to the show that could have turned out to be boring. I should be thankful to you instead.”

“I just thought that it would be better to postpone announcing our relationship as much as possible. I’m appearing on the show, and it’ll be weird to have Lee Chae-Rin appear again later alone.”

“Yeah, it’s best to plan this more naturally. It’s better since Lee Chae-Rin and Ms. Han Yu-Na have known each other since their trainee days; plus, they have the same hobby as well.”

Ha Jae-Gun looked up at the night sky, which was littered with stars. After a moment of silence, Ha Jae-Gun mumbled, “Seems like you’ll have enemies because of me...”

“What? Ah, are you talking about the people who had spread rumors of me and Lee Chae-Rin’s relationship?”

Ha Jae-Gun chuckled with affirmation, making Park Do-Joon burst into laughter. “While I turned a fox into my enemy, I made a lion as a friend. What’s there to worry about?”

“I like being a tiger more than a lion.”

“Aren’t lions stronger? They always say that the lions win when both of them fight.”

“There’s no way they’ll meet since their habitats are different. Anyway, let’s head back. You still have to film Storm and Gale, so you can’t afford to catch a cold.”

“Look at you, worried about your friend’s health just because of your own reputation.” Park Do-Joon chuckled mischievously and jumped onto Ha Jae-Gun’s back. Ha Jae-Gun found his balance and went down the stairs with Park Do-Joon on his back.

***

[The first episode of the drama, Summer in My 20s, hits 17.8%. Moreover, both dramas airing at the same time are doing quite well. This is definitely a great feat. What do you think, Reporter Choi?]

[The original novel written by Writer Ha Jae-Gun is a bestseller. Isn't it still selling like hotcakes? The movie starring Actor Park Do-Joon was also released early.]

[Yes, I have read the book and watched the movie as well.]

[The movie didn't receive good reviews, but it was still a success. Well, in conclusion, I think there were a lot of aspects of the drama that had attracted the viewers’ attention.]

A discussion was ongoing on the live broadcast from a cable channel. Chae Bo-Ra watched the screen with hollow eyes while biting her nails nervously. The apartment she was living in was desolate; empty beer cans and trash were strewn across the floor.

[There were a lot of talks about Director Lee Eun-Ha as well. She had mentioned that she was about to quit and head back to her hometown but was revived from the depths thanks to Writer Ha Jae-Gun's introduction.]

[Yes, I have also met her a few times personally for interviews. As she had said so herself, she had suffered a lot in the past years. It was Writer Ha Jae-Gun who had coincidentally discovered Director Lee who was quite the talent with regards to directing and writing scenarios.]

Bo-Ra reached out for a can of beer. The can became empty before she realized it.

She crushed it with all her might and tossed it away.

Bzzt!

It was a call from her manager—a call she had been waiting for. Chae Bo-Ra answered it in a heartbeat.

“How did it go?!” Chae Bo-Ra yelled into the receiver.

An audible, heavy sigh could be heard from the other side of the line.

— The Healthy White Paper panel retracted your appearance as well.

“What do you mean?”

— They say you don’t match their program concept.

“Again?! Why are all their rejection reasons the same?!”

— My ears are going to burst, Bo-Ra. Lower your voice.

“What about the advertisements? Is Dong-Ah Osaka renewing the contract?”

— We’re still discussing it...

“What’s wrong? Just tell me already! I’m about to lose my mind here!” Bo-Ra couldn’t hold herself back. It had been days since she felt like she was constantly strangled by a pair of invisible hands. Following Five Wheels, Healthy White Paper was the second program that had rejected her. Although she had long asked Director Cho Cheol-Won from See&Good to pull some strings, it didn’t seem to be effective.

“Ah, whatever! I’m hanging up! Don’t call me unless there’s a proper casting call!”

Chae Bo-Ra clenched her teeth and threw her phone aside. The program continued broadcasting as she ruffled her hair in frustration.

[...And something else that we can’t help but bring up is Ms. Shim Yeon-Gyeong, who plays the role of Lee Ye-Ji. She has been getting a lot of attention for her outstanding acting skills lately.]

‘...?!’ Chae Bo-Ra looked up in astonishment. The name Lee Ye-Ji was a nightmare to her. It was the name of the character Chae Bo-Ra had played in the movie adaptation of Summer in My 20s. Afraid of what the host might say afterward, Chae Bo-Ra frantically searched for the remote control.

[Compliments from viewers are pouring in on how immersed they were in her creepy acting skills. Ms. Shim Yeon-Gyeong is currently still a rookie, yet she did a great job taking on the role of such a bright and positive character.]

[That’s right. Ah, Reporter Choi, I saw a lot of posts comparing Chae Bo-Ra and Shim Yeon-Gyeong’s versions of the same character. What do you think about it?]

[That is bound to happen. Chae Bo-Ra was being called out for her bad acting skills back then, and now the two actors are receiving opposite reviews from viewers, so obviously from the viewers’ point of view—]

Pzzt!

Chae Bo-Ra finally found the remote control and turned off the TV. Chae Bo-Ra put on her cardigan and picked up her wallet, leaving the house. She had to grab a few bottles of alcohol, or she wouldn’t be able to survive the long and lonely night.

“Oh? It’s Bo-Ra unni!”

Two customers seemingly university students recognized Chae Bo-Ra in the convenience store located within the residential building. The girls didn’t know what else to do, but they approached her quickly and tried talking to her.

“Bo-Ra unni, I’m a fan of yours.”

“Do you live here? It must be hard on you recently, right?” Chae Bo-Ra only kept her head down and finished paying for her purchases quietly. The two students froze as they saw Chae Bo-Ra turn around with an icy stare.

“...What? She looks totally different from on TV.”

“She looks kinda tired. Doesn’t she reek of alcohol?”

"Yeah... there's a huge difference from when she was crying while helping the disadvantaged?”

Chae Bo-Ra crossed the corridor single-mindedly, not knowing that the girls were discussing herself. She was on the phone, busy looking for Han Yu-Na’s contact number. The call rang for a while; it was only when the elevator arrived that it was connected to the voicemail.

She finally realized that Han Yu-Na hadn't answered her call.