Chapter: 35
At six in the morning, the gym buzzed with energy.
Before heading to work, employees often utilized this time for a morning workout.
Today, a newcomer was among them.
His name was Jeong Hyun-woo.
A fresh-faced twenty-five-year-old aspiring actor.
“Ah, morning workouts are where it’s at!”
He had only secured a supporting role in a cable drama so far, but he constantly lived with the hope that someone might recognize him.
That’s just how Jeong Hyun-woo rolled.
Anyway, building a fit physique was essential for an actor.
For male actors, having a “muscular build” had become practically a prerequisite.
“Wow, these gym equipment are really clean!”
The gym might be a bit older, but it was well-maintained.
Since it was close to his home, he chose this gym, and to his surprise, it was much cleaner than he expected.
“Hmm?”
As he wandered around, he noticed something that caught his eye.
It was a woman—no, perhaps a girl—with long black hair tied up high.
Late teens? Somewhere around there, at least.
“Whoa.”
The sight of this girl left him stunned twice.
First, with her jaw-droppingly stunning appearance.
And second, by the immense weights laid out before her.
“What the…?”
With her striking features and calm expression, she appeared beautiful but slight—almost breakable.
As an actor, Jeong Hyun-woo had encountered many pretty actresses and idols during his cable drama shoots.
But this girl effortlessly overshadowed them all.
This made the barbell sitting in front of her all the more shocking.
There was no way someone like her was lifting that weight.
“Is that… roughly 200kg?”
On the internet, one could boast half-heartedly about lifting “two hundred pounds,” but in reality, that weight was no joke.
Even those who worked out regularly found 200kg daunting.
Only someone who had been training diligently could even think of lifting it.
“Please tell me that’s not hers.”
Trying to walk past without making a fuss, he assumed the weights couldn’t possibly belong to her.
But just as the girl grasped the barbell, his protective instincts kicked in.
He opened his mouth to say, “Hey, that’s dangerous! You shouldn’t—”
“Are you new here?”
But just then, someone clapped a hand on his shoulder, halting his thoughts.
“What?”
“I thought you were going to stop her out of shock.”
At first, Jeong Hyun-woo wondered if the stranger recognized him, but his confidence dwindled.
The guy standing there was a towering figure, easily over 190cm, and was built like a tank.
“Uh, yeah! I mean, shouldn’t I stop her?”
“Well, usually. I was in the same boat once.”
The man gestured toward the girl.
Without a hint of hesitation, the girl began her deadlift, taking a slow breath.
“……!”
With what seemed like minimal effort, she lifted the barbell as if it were weightless.
Clank!
And as easily as she lifted it, she set it down gently.
Typically, when people dropped weights like that, it was a disaster waiting to happen. But she released it as if it were just a feather.
“Her strength is unreal.”
“What? How is that even…?”
“I don’t know how; she just is.”
The man was the gym trainer, Bang Yong-sik, who had watched Seoyeon since her first day.
He raised an eyebrow at Jeong Hyun-woo, who was intently watching her with undeniable fascination.
“But hey, you seem to be staring a little too hard, don’t you think?”
“Uh? No! I mean… that’s not what I—”
At first, he had indeed been taken aback by her deadlifting skills and her astonishing beauty.
But Jeong Hyun-woo had been fixated on her for an entirely different reason.
“I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I’ve seen her somewhere…”
He murmured, casting another glance at the girl.
Long black hair, striking and sharp features.
Even though he was certain he had never met her, there was something eerily familiar about her.
“Ah, that makes sense. She used to do child acting.”
“She was a child actor?”
The mention of that made him perk up.
Though he was also a rookie actor, it felt reassuring to know he wasn’t alone in this industry.
“If she’s as cute as she looks, she’s definitely going to excel as an actress.”
If she ever made it as his junior, he’d be thrilled to help her out.
Each day would become much brighter with such company.
I’ll definitely have to come back here every day.
Hyun-woo chuckled to himself as he thought of that.
*
“Phew, phew.”
Seoyeon ran.
The distance from the gym to her high school stretched a challenging 3km.
Without a bus, it could be quite the trek, but Seoyeon made this journey every day.
In any case, she could dash through it in under ten minutes.
Ding-ding!
“Welcome!”
The cheerful bell rang as she entered the convenience store.
The clerk froze, eyes wide upon seeing her.
“She’s here again!”
It was the same student who visited regularly at this hour.
Long black hair with slightly light brown eyes reflected in the bright lights.
At first, it had been hard to maintain eye contact with her.
There was something intimidating about staring at someone that gorgeous.
But after seeing her daily, it became easier to adjust.
“3,000 won, please.”
She ordered two vitamin drinks.
Not exactly your typical high school girl’s choice.
As the clerk bagged her selection, he sensed her steady gaze on him.
“Is… something wrong?”
He stuttered, biting his tongue in surprise.
The girl replied, maintaining her usual poker face.
“No, just thought I’d let you know I’m getting used to this.”
“Yeah? What do you mean?”
He asked, utterly confused, to which she broke into a radiant smile.
“~Just kidding!”
With her usual straight face, her smile suddenly transformed, illuminating the store like a blooming flower.
The clerk was momentarily frozen in astonishment.
Ding-ding!
With another chime, the clerk suddenly slid into his chair.
Not intentionally, of course—his legs just went weak.
“Whoa… How’s this even real?”
Today was another day to realize just how powerful a pretty face could be.
*
In the world of tsundere stories, stopping by a convenience store is practically a rite of passage.
…Well, not that many people show up every day like I do.
But that clerk always worked this shift, so he recognized her presence.
He recalled how he’d startled the clerk with his bewildered expressions, and today he thought maybe he could have a little fun.
“I really made her uncomfortable that time… ”
He sighed, thinking it might be wise to visit a different store for a while.
As he pondered this, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
“Joo Seoyeon!”
Someone from the entrance nearby called out.
A familiar voice echoed from the school.
We went to the same kindergarten, the same elementary school, even attended the same middle school together.
And now, right into high school.
It was Lee Ji-yeon calling out to her.
After over ten years, she hadn’t changed a bit.
“You did something weird at the convenience store again, didn’t you?”
“I did not!”
“What do you mean you didn’t? I was watching!”
What did she mean by that?
And if she saw me, then why didn’t she say anything then and there?
“Only if people knew how much you enjoyed being complimented while pretending to be aloof.”
“I-I’m not!”
Seoyeon awkwardly deflected while looking away.
Of course, Ji-yeon was having none of it, rolling her eyes defiantly.
“Oh, look who’s acting like my mom now?”
“Seoyeon, my sweet child, loves compliments, doesn’t she?”
Her mother used to joke like that, and it seemed Ji-yeon had also picked up on it.
What can I say?
In my past life, I never felt what it was like to bask in those feelings.
Joy or the rush of being praised always felt foreign.
I was extremely weak to that sensation.
On the flip side, despair and sadness struck a deeper chord.
Sure, I could handle pain with my mentally strong grip, but the joys of praise?
That was another story entirely.
That sums up seventeen-year-old Joo Seoyeon.
“…If that’s the case, aren’t you basically returning to acting? Your rebellious phase is over, right?”
“I will!”
Seoyeon said, instinctively reaching into her bag to grab her glasses… only to put them back.
Since entering high school, she hadn’t used them much, but old habits die hard.
Those glasses had once been a shield to obscure her identity.
“All those tumultuous memories in middle school…”
Even though she tried to hide it during her early years in The Sun Hidden by the Moon, many saw through her disguise.
If I hadn’t been a regular kid or didn’t have Ji-yeon by my side, I may have had a tougher schooling experience.
“…Ah, so now you don’t even wear them, huh?”
“I mean, there’s barely anyone who recognizes me anymore.”
Actually, that would be a more accurate statement.
It had been ten years now.
Her appearance had transformed significantly from that of her childhood.
She’d grown into a much more beautiful version of herself.
In school, she certainly felt the eyes on her.
And this wasn’t solely due to her looks.
Ji-yeon’s recent appearance on a drama impacted that too.
Though it was a cable drama, the surge of compelling stories and increased viewership had grabbed attention.
“Hehe.”
As if sensing her gaze, Ji-yeon smirked playfully.
Her cocky attitude annoyed Joo Seoyeon to no end.
“Shame that she’s going to keep acting.”
While that was a good thing, it weighed heavily on Seoyeon’s mind.
But what could she do?
Her thoughts were quite disconcerting…
“Joo Seoyeon!”
Seemingly realizing her uneasy demeanor, Ji-yeon lightly patted her shoulder.
“Feeling wronged? Just dive back in!”
“I will!”
After entering high school, she deemed it was time to return to acting.
Public broadcasts and OTT platforms were booming,
and the rise of internet shows was imminent.
Oh, and not to forget about Virtual YouTubers.
Her deep yearning to dive into the world of Virtual YouTubing hadn’t waned.
“Though, I guess…”
The dilemma loomed: deciding what to do next.
Her comeback project.
Many ideas fluttered through her mind.
“Broadly speaking, maybe two options?”
Well, even if she wanted in, it wouldn’t be easy to audition for opportunities.
It wasn’t the same as before.
She would now have to compete against seasoned adult actors.
Career history was essential for securing roles.
Her stint as the young Princess in The Sun Hidden by the Moon was a solid basis, but with such a long hiatus, things would be tricky.
That title could prove to be valuable, though.
“Two?”
“Yup, but first I have to audition.”
After a decade, there weren’t many roles for a former child actor like her.
“First, I need to show something to climb that ladder.”
“Why not just ask the head of the KMB drama department?”
“No way, that’s a terrible idea!”
She certainly didn’t want to stir up any drama amid the toxic discussion plaguing the industry these days.
There was no doubt that would land her on every senior actor’s bad side.
“Well, alright.”
Ji-yeon nodded enthusiastically in response.
“So what are those two options?”
“Ah, uh…”
As she was about to answer Ji-yeon’s question,
Bing-bong, bing-bong!!
The bell rang, signaling the start of first period.
Students bustling around quickened their pace.
“Oh, I’ll tell you after school.”
“What?”
As Ji-yeon reached for Seoyeon’s sleeve, Seoyeon was already too fast for her.
After being late once, she dreaded the verbal reprimands she’d get for being tardy again.
“Hey, Joo Seoyeon!!!”
Ignoring Ji-yeon’s booming voice behind, she darted into the classroom.
She opened the back door, casually waving to Ji-yeon.
So, maybe if she’d kept quiet about the convenience store antics, none of this would’ve happened.
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