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Chapter 25
Even though she had been given a heads-up beforehand and was waiting, Sunae put on an act of being startled. Truly a great actress.
Myeongjo, standing beside her, widened her eyes.
“Oh my, I see. Nice to meet you.”
“Hello. I’m sorry it took so long to properly greet you.”
“She’s very thorough when it comes to work. When she first came onto the set, she didn’t even acknowledge me.”
“She probably didn’t want to interfere with your work.”
“Yeees. Thaaat’s right.”
Ha. Ha. Ha. Trying to act as a normal person among actors was awkward to the point of death.
That was the problem.
Why was he dragging this situation out like this?
Wanting to leave already, she tugged at the back of his clothes. He must have felt the signal, but Geon just kept changing the subject.
“We’re even filming a variety show together next week, but outside we keep things this distant.”
“A variety show?”
“A dating-observation variety show. Just the two of us on an island. I’m really looking forward to it.”
He said they would announce that through an advertisement.
He said it would feel like a secretly filmed, accidental video.
But the camera was right up close, filming everything.
Myeongjo seemed to grasp the situation from the atmosphere and, without being conscious of the camera, expressed concern.
“Will you be okay? Weren’t you going to keep your face private?”
“We decided to do just that one variety show.”
Before Bom could speak, Geon wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him as he answered.
“I want to put a public stamp on her so no other guy takes her away.”
Why are you making things up that aren’t true! How are you planning to clean this up later?!
Bom only moved her lips soundlessly, then forced the corners of her mouth up.
Unaware that one person’s insides were burning up, Sunae looked fondly at the couple.
“Make sure you invite me to the wedding. If you don’t, I’ll storm your newlywed house.”
“Yes, ma’am. Please 꼭 come.”
Myeongjo stared with her eyes wide, as if asking whether they were really that close.
Noooo!
As soon as filming ended, Geon said he had another schedule and ran off.
From a distance, he waved his hand, smiling brightly, and left.
After greeting the PD and writer—who said the footage turned out well and asked her to send a wedding invitation if they ever got married—Bom was driving to take Myeongjo home.
‘Geon! You’re not even answering your phone!’
Why did you have to say unnecessary things!
A wedding!
When we’re going to break up!
When it’s not even a real relationship!
Suppressing the rage boiling inside her, Bom gripped the steering wheel.
“Should I drive?”
Myeongjo, sitting in the passenger seat, asked while holding her seatbelt.
“No, it’s okay.”
“The car’s shaking.”
“……I’m sorry.”
She took a deep breath and tried to drive calmly.
“I didn’t know you and Geon were that intense. You don’t usually seem to talk on the phone that often.”
“He’s a busy person.”
That part had been careless. Bom reflected on herself.
Even if Myeongjo found out the truth, she wasn’t someone who would sell it to reporters as a story, but if it were revealed later that it was a fake relationship, Myeongjo could be criticized for having helped while knowing.
Myeongjo stared blankly ahead. She looked deep in thought.
“When you go to the island to film the variety show, I’ll be your manager. Let’s go together.”
“Wha—? No. You have drama filming schedules too, Myeongjo.”
“I heard the filming dates earlier, and they’re perfect. In the early part of a historical drama, I don’t have many scenes, so it’s fine.”
Having made up her mind, there was no playfulness in Myeongjo’s voice.
But did that make any sense?
An entertainer who should be receiving support instead offering to act as a manager.
“You really don’t have to go that far.”
“It’s something I want to do. That PD is famous, you know. If I leave an impression with the PD and the writer, maybe they’ll call me later. It’s my own kind of networking.”
That made sense.
Bom wavered.
It was a PD whom Geon had readily agreed to appear for.
The filming location was an isolated island, and once there, there wouldn’t actually be much for a manager to do.
If Myeongjo helped the staff here and there, got close to the PD and the filming crew, and later ended up appearing in something—
“Hm.”
Only sweet, positive scenarios floated through her mind.
And even if none of that happened, so what? It was only three nights and four days at most.
“It’s a one-off anyway, and once we spend a few days on the island, filming’s over. You can think of it as a vacation.”
“That’s true. You’ve been busy and haven’t been able to rest properly. Then I’ll be in your care. I’ll adjust my schedule.”
“Okay. Leave it to me. I’ll support you well as your manager.”
After dropping Myeongjo off, she left the car at the company and arrived home completely exhausted.
As she opened the refrigerator, a message came from Geon—the one who had been ignoring her and not answering at all.
She checked the screen, ready to confront him.
[Dating Advice: Geon Edition │ Are You in a One-Sided Crush While Dating? │ Analysis of Geon’s Date Video │ Over-Immersion Warning]
“Dating advice channel?”
He had sent her someone else’s channel.
With a video uploaded on Geon’s channel becoming a hot topic, it looked like an analysis video trying to ride the wave of views.
The latter part of yesterday’s date video had been uploaded.
Geon said there was controversy within the company, so they decided to split it into two parts, but even while watching, Bom couldn’t figure out why.
She deliberately avoided checking SNS reactions.
She doubted there would be anything other than insults.
But had it gone so far that even analysis videos like this were coming out?
“Why does it say one-sided love when they’re dating?”
She played the video and went into the shower.
She planned to just listen while showering.
But—
“Why is this happening!”
Bom collapsed onto the bathroom floor, clutching her phone.
She paused the video and checked the recently uploaded date video on Geon’s channel.
She checked the comments. The most liked comment was—
└ I feel so bad for Geonㅠㅠ Please love Geon a bit more, unni. [Likes: 5k]
└ What’s wrong with our oppa! [Likes: 2.3k]
They were similar to the messages Gukhee had sent.
She had thought it was just a kid getting weird from late-night emotions, but others were reacting the same way.
Swallowing dryly, Bom watched the analysis video Geon had sent.
The public had started interpreting the latter half of the date video in a strange direction.
— I saw the uploaded video, and the response is good. The idea was nice. We should try filming a role-playing video with our actor too. He’s handsome, but I don’t know why he only blows up in comedy.
— Your actor would be me, then.
— ……Actor Yoon Myeongjo.
— Hand over your phone. I need to check how you’ve saved Yoon Myeongjo’s contact.
“Wait! This scene!”
The YouTuber paused the screen at the part where Geon reached out his hand.
“I was watching the videos from the first part, feeling anxious the whole time, like my chest was completely blocked. But at this moment, I knew for sure.”
The YouTuber, who lived in France and had a foreign boyfriend, usually shared dating stories like differences in relationships by country.
“As you all know, in dating, love doesn’t split perfectly 50–50 between two people. One person can like the other more, or vice versa. That’s normal. But in this scene, I could clearly see it. Geon likes the woman more.”
She exclaimed, saying “Wow, that’s unbelievable,” then continued.
“According to Geon’s interview, she’s his first love who dumped him after they dated before. Anyway, they’re publicly dating now. But even if it’s an actor you manage for work, does the phrase ‘our actor’ really come out that naturally? In front of your boyfriend, no less?”
She slammed the table, expressing her emotions.
“You all feel the same as I do, right? I seriously teared up watching this scene. And here—look at the next part. Look. He put a heart after the actor’s name!”
The YouTuber quickly scrolled through her own phone contacts, saying she would never cause misunderstandings like that if she had a boyfriend.
“Some of you might say this is overreacting since it’s work, but if it were just this one thing, Geon wouldn’t be acting like this. Right? We have intuition, don’t we?”
Veins bulging in her neck, she passionately argued as if it were her own situation.
“As you keep seeing someone, data about them builds up subconsciously. But then you see a heart after someone else’s name? And it’s a male actor you have to constantly take care of for work? Wow. I think I’d completely lose it.”
Clutching her head as she spoke on Geon’s behalf, the YouTuber emotionally immersed herself in him, her expression gloomy.
“Geon must be angry and annoyed too. But he can’t say anything. Why? Because Geon loves her more. You know how it is. You’re careful with your words because you’re afraid your boyfriend might get mad and say let’s break up. That’s Geon.”
Perhaps mindful of opposing opinions, she added one more line.
“Sure, the woman might just be dull by nature. Those people exist. But let’s keep watching.”
The video resumed.
When Geon deleted the heart after Myeongjo’s name and looked satisfied, the YouTuber melted too.
— Aren’t you disappointed? You can’t meet.
— ……I-I am. But Geon’s face is everywhere, and if I call, I can hear his voice, right?
— Should we live together? Then when I come home, I can see your face.
“Yes, this scene! From here!”
The video didn’t stop. The part where she rejected living together because of work.
Geon looked at her affectionately.
— Ah, I want to get married soon.
“This is the man giving everything. He wants to live together. He says he wants to get married! Even men these days feel burdened by marriage. But a guy like Geon—despite it hurting his popularity—he says he wants to get married! He expressed everything! Can we really say that letting that comment slide is just because her romantic feelings are dull?”
The scene where Bom teasingly left a kiss mark on his neck passed by quickly.
“She’s such a fox. A woman who understands men well and knows exactly how to handle them so they become desperate and cling to her.”
Then, at the scene where they walked out of the bar, the YouTuber shouted.
“And this scene!”
— I’m sorry
