Chapter 25: According to Plan (1)

Rita, who had been smiling this whole time, had become expressionless. The members of Hazela had never once seen her like this. And it was not only her face that was different.

“I don’t understand where your confidence to trash talk Ra-Eun in front of me comes from, but you have absolutely nothing going for you that’s better than Ra-Eun. Is Ra-Eun bad at acting? No. Rather, she’s at least better than you, who tried acting and then turned tail back to the music industry because you were terrible, don’t you think?” Rita said.

“S-Sunbae...” So-Jin stuttered.

“Don’t you even dare call me sunbae, it pisses me off.”

“...”

So-Jin was lost for words. Hye-Na spoke in her defense.

“Sunbae, that wasn’t So-Jin’s intention... She was just worried because you might not get the support that you deserve from GNF because of Ra-Eun.”

“Why are you girls worried about that? Isn’t it obvious that an agency would support talents that show potential for success? Also, did I ask you girls to worry about me? Use that time to worry about yourselves instead.”

“W-We’re sorry...”

“And if you bully Ra-Eun in front of me again... I won’t stand for it.”

Rita had practically declared war against them. Most rookie idol girl group members respected Rita as their role model since her success set a good example for them. The same went for So-Jin, Hye-Na and Ju-Eun, but Rita had no intention of taking their side.

Even putting aside the fact that Rita liked Kang Ra-Eun, the Hazela members’ blind criticism of Ra-Eun went against Rita’s principles of the entertainment industry. It was natural that Rita was furious.

“Get the hell out of my sight,” she snapped.

“...Okay.”

Dejected, the Hazela members left the waiting room. Ra-Eun clicked her tongue once they left.

“Impressive of them to pick a fight on our first time meeting.”

The entertainment industry had been showing Ra-Eun all kinds of strange things. That aside, her impression of Rita slightly changed thanks to this incident. She was a sunbae who got things done when it came down to it. Ra-Eun liked this part of Rita very much.

Rita soothed her stomach with some cold water and turned to face Ra-Eun with a bright smile once again.

“What did you think, Ra-Eun? I was cool, right?”

“I would’ve thought that you were cool if you hadn’t just said it yourself. What a shame.”

Her finishing touch needed work.

***

Thanks to Rita’s full support, Ra-Eun’s variety show debut was more grand and splendid than she had expected. If people were asked about which guest celebrity received the most attention, then all of them would name Rita. Discussions on the show naturally focused around Rita because her importance as a celebrity was just that high.

Rita answered with composure any question that the main emcee Kang Han-Do and the other panelists asked her, and often seamlessly handed the baton over to Ra-Eun. Thanks to this, Ra-Eun did not have to go out of her way to bring attention to herself, and her time in the spotlight also naturally rose.

Not only that, but Ra-Eun’s communication skills were fairly impressive. Because she went back-and-forth very well with Rita, the program director and the writers were smiling for the entire recording.

The program director went directly to Ra-Eun as soon as the shoot was over.

“You were great out there, Ra-Eun! Is this really your first time being on a variety show?”

“Yes, this was my first time,” Ra-Eun answered.

She had talked so naturally that one wouldn’t believe that she was a rookie. The program director understood why GNF was backing Ra-Eun so much.

Because she had stood in front of a camera several times in her previous life, Ra-Eun was able to say what she wanted to without freezing in her tracks. But of course, most of it was thanks to Rita. Rita tossed the ball, and Ra-Eun spiked it. Such a combination play would have been impossible without her.

Ra-Eun returned to the waiting room after the shoot was finished, and Shin Yu-Bin headed to the car first with all of their belongings.

“I’ll bring the car around, so take your time coming to the entrance,” she said.

“Okay, Miss Manager.”

Ra-Eun then went out to the hallway after packing all of her personal belongings. There, she encountered Rita. After checking to see if anyone was watching, Rita charged toward Ra-Eun.

“Ra-Eun~!”

She tried to hug Ra-Eun with arms spread wide, but was stopped yet again by Ra-Eun’s forehead flick.

“Are you incapable of learning, sunbae? I told you last time that I would hit you.”

“Can’t you make an exception this one time since I helped you a bunch today?” Rita begged.

“I don’t recall asking for your help,” Ra-Eun expressed.

“You’re so cold.”

Her junior’s firm attitude left Rita wanting more.

***

On a day that he had nothing in his schedule, Ji Han-Seok went to see his grandfather, Chairman Ji Seong-Geum, whom he hadn’t seen in a while. Chairman Ji, who had been waiting for his grandson in his office, greeted him with a smile.

“It’s been a while, Han-Seok. Have you lost even more weight since the last time I saw you?” Chairman Ji asked.

“I’ve been on a diet because a director for an upcoming movie mentioned that a slimmer look for my character would be better,” Han-Seok answered.

His goal was around the low 60’s in kilograms. Chairman Ji couldn’t help but feel sad for his grandson in such a state.

“It must be hard on you,” he expressed.

𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

“Even if it is, it can’t be helped. I love this job, after all.”

Chairman Ji smiled at Han-Seok’s comment, and Han-Seok knew exactly why.

“Didn’t you say you also repeatedly gained and lost weight based on your role back when you acted in the past, Grandpa?”

“I sure did, although it’s been a very long time.”

Before jumping into the world of business, Chairman Ji had also worked as an actor, just like Han-Seok. He had changed his career path to an entrepreneur in the process, but he still had lingering regrets of not having been able to fulfill his acting dream. But regardless, his grandson was fulfilling his dream in his stead, so Chairman Ji had been living vicariously through him.

“Oh right, Grandpa. There’s actually a junior actress who has been interested in meeting you...”

Han-Seok carefully brought up the name of a certain gutsy rookie actress.

“Do you happen to know the actress Kang Ra-Eun?”

“She’s the young lady who starred in

The Devil’s Touch

together with you, is she not?” Chairman Ji confirmed.

“Yes, the actress who also rose to the top in trending searches because she appeared in that talk show not long ago with Rita.”

The name ‘Kang Ra-Eun’ rose to the top in trending searches after the talk show that Ra-Eun appeared in with Rita had aired a few days ago. Not only was Ra-Eun pretty and a good actress, she also expertly talked without shaking in her first variety show appearance. This incident once again engraved Ra-Eun’s name in the minds of the public.

Chairman Ji questioned Han-Seok, “Why does that young lady want to meet me?”

“Apparently, her older brother respects you greatly as an entrepreneur.”

“I see. I don’t mean to brag, but there certainly are many young fellows who say things like that about me.”

“That’s why I thought I’d ask you for a favor,” Han-Seok expressed.

Han-Seok had never once taken such a submissive attitude for the sake of someone else before, so Chairman Ji could realize his grandson’s true feelings at once.

“You must have taken an interest in that young lady.”

Han-Seok laughed in embarrassment.

“Very well. I’d be a pretty terrible grandfather if I couldn’t do something like that for my grandson.”

Chairman Ji already liked to meet celebrities, especially actors, and talk with them, so a conversation with a rookie actress who had been raising her value was tempting enough for Chairman Ji.

“Let’s set up a meeting at a later date.”

“Okay. Thank you, Grandpa!”

Ra-Eun’s plan had been realized.

***

“I understand, sunbae. I’ll text you back once I check my availability.”

Ra-Eun ended the call, and a corner of her mouth curled up. A meeting with Chairman Ji had been established at last.

Now that the stage had been set, she had to prepare. She came out of her room and pounded on Ra-Hyuk’s room door.

“Stop watching porn and come out.”

Ra-Hyuk immediately opened the door and complained with a face full of exasperation.

“You think I’m horny 24/7 or something? You only talk about that day in and day out!”

“Delete all of your porn videos, then.”

“...”

Ra-Hyuk did not have the courage to do so, since he would most definitely regret it.

Ra-Eun sat on Ra-Hyuk’s bed and asked, “Do you have a suit?”

“A suit? Yeah.”

“Show me.”

“Why out of the blue?”

“Just shut up and show me.”

Ra-Hyuk did not understand what his little sister was up to this time, but he took out his suit like Ra-Eun had said. After scanning the suit, Ra-Eun shook her head.

“Make some time tomorrow. I’ll buy you a suit,” she said.

“For me?”

“Yeah.”

“But why?” Ra-Hyuk asked.

“Because we’re gonna go meet Chairman Ji Seong-Geum.”

“...Huh?”

Ra-Hyuk thought he had heard wrong.

“Chairman Ji Seong-Geum? Do you mean Chairman Ji Seong-Geum of Do-Dam Group?” he asked.

“That’s him.”

“What, how...?”

Ra-Hyuk could not comprehend how his little sister had set up that kind of meeting.

Ra-Eun answered the same way she always did.

“Don’t worry about that. Also, you’re going to have to play out a setting that I assign you, so make sure you memorize it.”

“What kind of setting?” Ra-Hyuk asked.

“You’re Kang Ra-Hyuk, a sound man in his twenties dreaming to become a successful young entrepreneur. So, do you like it?”

Ra-Hyuk looked sideways at his little sister. “No, not in the slightest.”

It was the complete opposite of the true Kang Ra-Hyuk.