When a butterfly starts to flap its wings (7)

Goosebumps rose all over.

…Because it was so delicious.

The appetizer was seafood topped with caviar and mushroom soup.

Especially the steak tartare that came out as the main course had a fantastic marriage when paired with champagne.

The dessert is also exquisite.

I bit into a crispy, well-baked financier.

The chewy texture and sweet buttery aroma gently coated my tongue.

But…

It tastes good. It tastes good, but.

I’m not sure if it’s going into my mouth or my nose.

I feel like a zoo monkey.

When I try to put food in my mouth and savor it, people approach.

They either speak to me or ask for a handshake.

“Player Han Yujin. Let me shake your hand too. Let me get some of that youthful energy.”

“Me too. I heard this person has such good intuition?”

“Yeah. They say she picked movies and singers that would do well, and they all hit.”

“Wow, really?”

Or…

“She’s exaggerating too much.”

“Isn’t it just beginner’s luck?”

“Seems like a Cinderella whose timing just happened to be right.”

They whisper.

Various faces. Various professions.

Every time I receive numerous business cards and put them in my clutch bag, I feel infinitely small.

Not quite dust, but…

About the size of a needle?

Well, I guess that’s to be expected. From entrepreneurs who turned small businesses into mid-sized companies worth 500 billion won in market cap to drama writers who churn out hit after hit.

There were so many amazing people that my own success felt shabby in comparison.

Thanks to this, Jang Bongyu beside me was entertaining people with his nose high in the air. Like an employee promoting displayed products.

Only after shaking hands until my hand was worn out did the surroundings calm down.

I still feel the warmth of people’s hands on mine.

…It must be over now, right?

Everyone won’t talk to me anymore, right?

Just as I was about to put the half-eaten financier in my mouth,

“Excuse me, Han Yujin-ssi.”

“…Huh?”

Let me eat now! Please!

The ponytailed man who had been hovering around me like a sack of borrowed barley.

Director Go Sangbin started speaking with a shy expression.

“Could you take a look at this? Just once is enough, really.”

“…What is this?”

A thick stack of papers with staples in it.

It was a movie proposal and script.

Why is he showing this to me?

“It’s a scenario that suddenly came to me while looking at you, Han Yujin-ssi.”

So…

Is this new director who won a big award at Cannes saying he wrote a scenario with me as the persona, right now?

I licked my thumb and opened the first page of the neatly organized stack of papers.

The working title was ‘Transformation Story’.

The lead roles are a young married couple.

While living a lovey-dovey newlywed life, the wife suddenly has an affair with another man and demands a divorce from the protagonist.

The protagonist, fallen into despair that the woman he loves has left, lights charcoal briquettes and attempts suicide.

And when he wakes up,

“Huh?”

He’s become a woman. And an extremely alluring one at that.

Director Go Sangbin fidgeted while watching my reaction.

“It’s a scenario that aesthetically captures loss, revenge, and self-destruction.”

“…Ah, yes.”

Sounds like an art film 1 light-year away from commercial viability.

I turned to the next page.

The protagonist who became a woman decides on revenge. The method is quite interesting.

To return the emotions she felt to her wife intact, the protagonist seduces the man her wife had an affair with.

…Crazy.

A hollow laugh escapes me involuntarily.

This isn’t even ‘Divorce TS Revenge’.

Moreover, the interlude is even more outrageous.

In the process of revenge, the protagonist experiences identity confusion and genuinely falls in love with the other man… Ugh!

I sighed and closed the proposal.

“How is it?”

Go Sangbin asked with an expectant look.

I answered with a white lie.

“It’s good. But why are you showing this to me…”

“You just asked ‘why’, right? That means you’re willing to consider it, right?”

“How did you come to that conclusion!”

The corners of Go Sangbin’s mouth split into a grin. He opened his mouth with a voice full of enthusiasm.

“I know it’s an unreasonable request. But no matter how I think about it, I really want you, Han Yujin-ssi, to take the lead role in this work…”

As soon as I heard the word ‘lead role’, I cut him off and answered immediately.

“I’m sorry. I’m not an actor. Besides, being the lead would be a heavy responsibility, and that’s very burdensome too.”

Go Sangbin waved his hands at my refusal.

“Don’t say that, Yujin-ssi. How can there be only one path for a person? These days, even influencers are appearing on TV and screen, it’s the age of multi-tainers. Why, even Isaac Newton doubled as a detective, right?”

…That was Isaac Newton!

And this path is absolutely not for me. There was sure to be a cliff ahead.

I’m already going crazy with confusion, and if I act on top of that, I felt like I’d be swallowed by the role.

I bowed my head and politely refused.

“I’m about to make my professional debut now. I barely have enough focus for that as it is.”

“We can adjust the filming schedule to fit your schedule, Han Yujin-ssi.”

“I can’t adjust. I’m sorry.”

“Then, lastly, just one script reading…”

If he sees me reading, won’t his obsession get worse?

Because I’m not acting, I’m real.

Only after refusing about five times did Go Sangbin finally back off, licking his lips.

As I watched his retreating figure, many thoughts crossed my mind.

They say opportunities come to those who are prepared… but that sounds like bullshit.

Opening the lid, it seems opportunities come to those who are famous.

Won’t you join a band, won’t you shoot a movie…

At this rate, I might seriously get an offer to debut in a girl group.

“Hey, HaYoo-jjin!”

Turning at the familiar voice, I saw Kim Hwachang and Sung Dojun approaching.

I tilted my head and asked Sung Dojun.

“Did you get a party invitation too?”

Sung Dojun put his hand on Kim Hwachang’s shoulder and answered.

“No. I snuck in using this hyung’s connection.”

Despite grabbing Kim Hwachang’s collar and growling at their first meeting, now they’ve become all buddy-buddy.

Seeing my appearance, Sung Dojun looked me up and down. With a dumbfounded face as if he’d seen a ghost.

“…But what’s with you?”

“What do you mean what, it’s a dress.”

“…I’ve never seen you dressed like this before.”

“I tried it on once. How is it?”

I twirled around once, holding my champagne glass.

Sung Dojun, his gaze fixed on my appearance, licked his lips and hesitated before slowly opening his mouth.

“…You’re pretty.”

“What?!”

That’s not the reaction I was expecting.

“I said you’re pretty.”

“…Okay.”

Instead, I felt embarrassed and just scratched the back of my neck for no reason.

---

The private room of the party venue.

Men and women are sitting mixed together under dim black light illumination.

The table was messily strewn with liquor bottles and ashtrays, like an overturned Go board.

Yeon Sangho, sitting in the seat of honor, spoke to Jeon Gwangmin with a voice tinged with drunkenness.

“Hey, Gwangmin. Go try to book Han Yujin.”

“Hyung. Am I a waiter or something?”

Yeon Sangho, with his arm over the backrest, glared sideways at Jeon Gwangmin.

“Don’t you remember when I covered for you when you made that mistake? Stop grumbling and quickly bring Han Yujin here.”

Jeon Gwangmin bit his lip and went out of the room.

He raised his head like a meerkat and looked around the banquet hall, then spotted Han Yujin.

Han Yujin was smiling and chatting with Cha Jaehee.

And when she was alone for a moment.

Seizing the opportunity, Jeon Gwangmin approached with quick steps and touched Han Yujin’s shoulder.

Seeing Han Yujin turn around, Jeon Gwangmin was momentarily stunned.

With eyes wide open at her captivating appearance mixed with a faint perfume scent, he said,

“Wow, you look insane in person?”

“…”

Disgust flashed in Han Yujin’s eyes.

She shrank back and furrowed her brow.

Jeon Gwangmin said with a grin,

“You know who I am, right, Han Yujin-ssi?”

“No. I don’t know.”

“You don’t know my songs? Wow, that’s disappointing.”

Jeon Gwangmin chuckled and grabbed Han Yujin’s wrist.

“Then let’s get to know each other from now on, shall we?”

“Let go of this.”

“Come on, it’s not like your wrist will wear out just from being held once. We’ll probably see each other often at the broadcasting station, so let’s at least be acquainted.”

“I don’t want to.”

“They say it’s good to be on good terms. Come with me. I’ll introduce you to some successful hyungs.”

Jeon Gwangmin firmly held Han Yujin’s wrist and brought her to the room.

There was disgust in the sound of her high heels tapping on the marble surface.

Jeon Gwangmin opened the door and shouted excitedly.

“Now, enter Han Yujin, number one in brand reputation!”

“Oh, she’s here!”

“Wow, fuck! She’s even prettier than you.”

“Ah, what are you saying.”

The people inside burst into applause and cheers.

“Yujin-ssi. Come sit down for a bit.”

Yeon Sangho whistled and patted the seat next to him, urging her.

“I don’t want to.”

“Hey, don’t worry, we’re not asking you to pay.”

“No. I just don’t want to get involved.”

Han Yujin coldly replied, looking at Yeon Sangho with disdain.

Ah, fuck. This beggar-like bitch is acting so expensive.

Holding back such inner thoughts, Yeon Sangho forced a smile.

“Then just give me your number before you go. Honestly, I’m interested in you, Han Yujin-ssi.”

“Ugh, I hate that even more.”

The atmosphere in the room chilled as if ice for whiskey had been poured in.

Yeon Sangho emptied the whiskey in his glass and handed the bottle to Han Yujin.

“Okay. You don’t have to drink with us, just pour one drink and go.”

Yeon Sangho stood up and spoke to the people, trying to liven up the mood.

“Alright, gentlemen, empty your glasses. Yujin-ssi, please hold the liquor bottle. Don’t hit anyone on the head with it, just pour for one person you like.”

Five male celebrities, including Jeon Gwangmin and Yeon Sangho, covered their eyes and held out their glasses.

And then.

The sound of whiskey trickling was heard.

“Open your eyes.”

Hearing Han Yujin’s voice, the men opened their eyes with a smile.

The men’s expressions hardened as they saw the liquor wetting the room’s floor.

“There’s not a single person I like here. This floor design seemed the best, at least.”

“…”

“Is that enough? I’m leaving.”

The door slammed shut with a bang.

Jeon Gwangmin stuck out his tongue.

“Wow, that crazy bitch. She’s completely nuts, just like the rumors said.”

“Ha, fuck! I can’t believe this.”

Yeon Sangho put his hand on his waist and raised one corner of his mouth viciously. Then he slowly nodded his head.

“My pride is hurt, so I’m definitely getting that bitch’s number today, fuck.”

Dirty bastards…

So that’s how they play at drinking parties.

Yeon Sangho, Jeon Gwangmin, and all the other miscellaneous bastards inside.

They’re the mongrels who will be kicked out of the entertainment industry en masse later due to issues with women.

Fuck, really!

I’ve been living so innocently like an armadillo lately, but for the first time in a while, I feel my spines sharpening like a hedgehog.

Thinking about how they treated me like a bar girl, I just can’t calm down.

What should I do?

I know all about the process of Yeon Sangho’s group’s downfall.

After all, the world was in an uproar over that news for months in the future.

Just…

Should I bury them now?

I shook my head back and forth.

No. Let’s not get involved with such dirty filth.

If I just stay still, their corpses will float down on their own, anyway.

When I downed a cold Moët & Chandon in one shot to cool my rising heat.

Kang Yohan gestured to me.

“Yujin-ssi, come play a round of Texas Hold’em!”

Huh? Hold’em?

“I’m not very good at it.”

“Haha. We’re not betting money anyway. The chips are just given for free by the organizers. It’s just for fun, just for fun.”

After deliberating, I finally refused.

I was already feeling the effects of alcohol and was heated because of Yeon Sangho, so I felt like losing at Hold’em would ruin my mood even more.

It’s Christmas Eve today.

I should go home in a good mood!

“No thanks. I’ll just watch.”

“Aw, Hold’em gets really fun once you get into it…”

That’s when.

“Leave her alone, sunbae. She said she doesn’t want to.”

Jung Suhyuk was resting his chin on his hand with the corners of his mouth raised.

And then.

An article headline I saw a few days ago flashed through my mind.

[Jung Suhyuk, “Kang Yohan’s chances of winning? It’s like a royal straight flush”]

“……”

Royal straight flush…

Royal straight flush…

Royal straight flush…

After muttering it like a spell,

“No. I’ve changed my mind.”

I sat down at the table.

“I’ll participate too.”

“Ooh, great! As expected of Queen Yujin!”

Kang Yohan smiled and gave two thumbs up with both hands.

I chewed on my lip while looking at Jung Suhyuk.

Didn’t you say player Kang Yohan’s chances of winning were like a royal straight flush?

…This is interesting.

I’m going to make it big today.