Chapter 54

EP.54

The filming set was enveloped in complete silence.

Just a moment ago, there had been rustling sounds here and there, but now it was utterly quiet.

“Jinseok, it has to be you, no one else. You know that.”

Yoo Hana tightly clung to the male actor. She was practically trembling, as if the feeling could be sensed even from a distance.

With tear-brimmed eyes, she buried her face in the male actor’s chest.

“I’m sorry… please come back…”

“O… okay!!!!”

The director, visibly excited, yelled out the okay signal with a tremor in his voice.

“Oh… no… Yoo Hana!!!”

Then, in a rush, he sprinted towards her.

“Yoo Hana, are you going crazy? Why are you acting so well all of a sudden? Wow, just a moment ago, I unconsciously thought I should take back that wicked Cha Ji-hye! Wow~”

The atmosphere was electric with excitement.

“What was that just now? Are you insane?”

“Wow, I’ve been working as a filming staff for ten years, and that just gave me chills.”

“I seriously thought you deserved an honest apology and regret. That was phenomenal!”

The staff were all expressing their astonishment, whispering to one another.

‘What’s going on? Is this actually working?’

I too couldn’t help but feel startled.

I had only made slight adjustments, yet the results were completely different.

“No, seriously. Yoo Hana, I’m not joking; with just that one scene, you might win the Best Actress award this year! Wow… I might need to ask the writer to tweak the ending a bit.”

I could see the director clapping his hands, trailing after Yoo Hana with excitement.

“Really…?”

Yoo Hana was gently wiping away the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She seemed to be getting herself together for the next shot.

“I mean it! That Best Actress award you’ve always wanted? This time it might actually be possible. See, I told you that playing a villain would bring out your best performance. My judgment is spot on!”

The mood shifted dramatically. What had felt dull just a moment ago suddenly transformed into something vibrant.

“Phew~ Yoo Hana, take a little break, and let’s get ready for the next scene.”

She wore a beaming smile.

“Baek Jihoon?”

“Yes?”

“Follow me.”

“Yes.”

Yoo Hana pulled me along to the makeup room.

“Ha… Baek Jihoon?”

“Yes?”

“How was my acting just now?”

“Um… it was absolutely amazing!”

It was clear.

If Chae Suhyeon had clung to me like that, I might have been tempted to fall for her without realizing it.

‘No, that little b*tch shouldn’t be let off the hook.’

Of course, I regained my composure.

“Really?”

“Yes. Was that your usual acting?”

I spoke nonchalantly.

It was evident that the results were a consequence of my adjustments, but that wasn’t what mattered.

“I’m not usually this good, you know?”

“Yes.”

“But ever since you came, it’s suddenly changed?”

“Uh.”

I was momentarily at a loss for words.

‘Ha… You know, Yoo Hana is really perceptive. So Jihoon, be careful. Don’t give her any reason to catch you off guard with anything. Just do your best not to give her a reason to pick at you~’

I recalled what Lee Sooah had cautioned me about.

‘Has she figured it out?’

“I’m just asking this just in case, but…”

“Yes?”

“You don’t have any traits of manipulating others, do you?”

A very keen observation.

No one had approached me so closely before.

‘Is it because she’s S-Rank? No, that can’t be right. Thinking that, what about Lee Sooah…’

Clearly, Lee Sooah had just seemed a little off.

“Hmm… that’s right.”

After a moment of contemplation, I decided to admit it.

Of course, based on past patterns, I knew that no one would have believed me regardless of what I said, so I just decided to go for it.

“Just as I thought. That makes sense.”

‘Huh?’

Yoo Hana nodded and looked at me.

‘Did she just acknowledge my trait?’

No one had ever understood my capabilities like that before.

It had felt as if explaining it was completely forbidden, but she was the first to show that kind of understanding, aside from Chae Suhyeon.

“So, could it be… that you did something just now?”

She started to glare at me intently.

It seemed she was having quite a perplexed thought process.

“Yes… yes… the director was saying a lot, so…”

“Hmm…”

There was no choice but to come clean.

I didn’t want to stay late today either.

The biggest downside of being a celebrity’s manager is that if filming drags on, you’re stuck working late too.

What should have wrapped up at 3 PM would end up extending to 8 PM; it could be maddening.

“Well, that was good. Very well done. I liked it. I think I’m starting to like you, Baek Jihoon.”
EP.54

“Uh….”

The manager, cautiously opening the door to enter, was startled by the last comment.

“Ha… Hana, how could you say something like that…”

“Ah, Oppa. It’s not like that, so you should step outside. I’m talking with Baek Jihoon.”

“Uh… Okay…”

He quickly closed the door and dashed out.

“Jihoon, remember what I mentioned yesterday?”

“Yes?”

“About whether you’d consider being a manager.”

“Oh. Well, no, I’m not interested.”

“Why not?”

“I’m planning to become an S-Rank Hunter.”

“Pfft.”

She suddenly burst out laughing.

“No, Jihoon, you’re an E-Rank Hunter. Isn’t it hopeless to be E-Rank by that age?”

Of course, it made sense.

I had wasted so much time on Chae Suhyeon.

To others, I would appear as if I had been unemployed for years.

But they didn’t know I had a ton of Points saved up.

‘Sigh. I really need to sort out all my Points this weekend.’

It seemed the only way was to quickly rise to S-Rank.

“Hunter, give up. How about coming to work for me? I’ll pay you very well. I really like you, Jihoon. I don’t know what that power of yours is, but I’d love for you to use it for me. It means I want you to stay by my side.”

Yoo Hana spoke earnestly and at length. It seemed she was really pleased with her acting just moments ago.

“Well, I have things I need to do first.”

‘Being a celebrity’s manager? That’s preposterous. I need to become an S-Rank first, achieve my original goals… and definitely give Chae Suhyeon a taste of her own medicine…’

The deeply moving performance Yoo Hana had just delivered was something I had to extract from Chae Suhyeon.

I couldn’t just let that slide and become a celebrity manager, no matter how good the offer was.

“Ugh… it’s frustrating. What’s it to you? Becoming an S-Rank Hunter? What use is that? I’m an S-Rank Hunter, you know? Yet here I am, doing this celebrity work. All it does is give me headaches. I’m just being used here and there.”

She spoke as if she really despised being an S-Rank Hunter.

“What conditions do you want? I’ll meet all your wishes. If you want to be my manager, what do I need to do?”

Yoo Hana seemed to adopt a very submissive posture.

It was a completely different situation from what I had known so far.

She was said to be capable of being labeled a tyrant.

After all, she was an S-Rank Hunter and also an S-Rank celebrity.

No one could stop her.

“I’ll say it again, I’m not interested in being a manager. Once this project is finished, I plan to go to the Blue Guild and work as an S-Rank Hunter.”

“Ha… you’re really a frustrating person. Could it be… because of Lee Sooah?”

She asked in a sharp voice.

‘Why is she bringing up Lee Sooah here?’

“Are you seeing her? Is that it? You’re dating Sooah, right? She wouldn’t act like that otherwise. She’s come here twice now!”

“No, it’s not like that. Hunter Lee Sooah just came to visit.”

Though I knew that explaining wouldn’t help.

“Don’t give me that nonsense. Well, saying you’re dating Sooah doesn’t make sense either. She wouldn’t obsess over anyone like that. She’s very tough to get through to.”

I shook my head.

“Ha ha… I get it.”

“Anyway, I’m open to accepting all conditions. Once you’ve thought about it and come up with your terms, let me know.”

*

“Hmmhm~”

Lee Sooah, dressed in a white dress, was diligently tackling her backlog of work.

Seemingly in a good mood, she hummed while completing paperwork at an almost invisible speed.

Knock, knock.

“Yes~~”

“Uh, Hunter Lee Sooah?”

“Yes, Manager Cha~”

“Is there something good happening today?”

“Oh, not really~”

“Hmm… then could you please approve this?”

“Yes~~”

In an instant, she read the document and stamped it vigorously.

‘What? Did that get resolved this quickly?’

Manager Cha felt both pleased and perplexed.

‘Is she expecting something today… should I just wait until the end of work to see what’s going on…?’

“What are you doing just standing there? I’ve already approved that!”

“Ah, yes. But are you really sure nothing’s going on?”

“Would you like me to create something for you?”

Lee Sooah’s expression turned ominous.

“Eek. No, it’s fine.”

Manager Cha quickly closed the door and exited.

‘Hmm… how suspicious… Her outfit and mood seem like she’s about to go on a date with Baek Jihoon!’