episode_0043

Immediately after Sua and her group left the hair studio, all the employees gathered around Yeonhwa. Though their pretense of minding their own business from earlier was infuriating, there was no time to dwell on it now.

“Wow, who was that woman? Her aura was something else, right?”

“I know all the celebrities’ faces, but I’ve never seen her before.”

“I’ve been reading webtoons lately. She looked like the Duchess of the North or something.”

“What’s that supposed to mean… Didn’t she just have a wolfish face? It felt like she would bite if you made even one mistake; I was on pins and needles thinking she might bite the director today.”

“Stylists aren’t stylists for nothing, I guess. Did you see the before-and-after difference? How did they find a look that suits her so well and commission it to a beauty salon?”

“But that’s only possible because the director’s skill backs it up.”

No.

Lee Yeonhwa quietly shook her head.

“….”

She quietly sank into thought. Her thoughts were a little different from the employees’. Of course, it was true that the stylists had researched well, and it was also true that she had displayed her best skills.

But.

She was convinced that that wasn’t the decisive factor.

‘…Anything would have suited her. It definitely felt that way.’

A face of a thousand masks. A face that would suit anything.

It was definitely that kind of face. She had never felt this way about a customer before.

It was then.

The sound of someone hurriedly climbing the stairs could be heard, and soon the door burst open. A man with a very excited face.

He was a regular here, the manager of an entertainment company, a spectator who had visited the special forces 808 simulated filming set, and the man who had talked about Sua here before.

“Hey, hey! Yeonhwa! That customer who just left…!”

“Huh?”

“A contract! Did you sign a contract? You said you were looking for a model!”

“Huh? No, not yet.”

Only then did lightbulbs go off in the heads of both Lee Yeonhwa and the employees. It was a very bright hunch. A hunch that if they just held onto that celebrity, they could see more effective publicity than any promotion.

“Hey, contact her again right away! Do it now, no matter what!”

“Uh, uh…?”

The man put strength into his voice.

“Her value will double in a little while. No, not double. It’ll be five times! Five times! It’s better to grab her now when it’s low!”

◈◈◈◈◈

Meanwhile, Sua returned home.

Sticking to the mirror, she wouldn’t come off.

“Wow….”

She liked her appearance.

“Waaaaaaah….”

She likes it. She really, really likes it.

It was the first time she had styled herself so much, and she loved her snow-white hair. She heard it would get even whiter after washing her hair a few more times in a few days. Wow.

Sua immediately took out her cell phone.

Looking at it now, there were already quite a few messages looking for her.

[ Deer: @Sua ]

[ Deer: @Sua ]

[ Deer: Where’d this one go? ]

[ Deer: I want to strangle her ]

[ Monkeying Around: Getting fooled again ]

‘That’s right. I called them but didn’t say anything.’

Just then, on the bus, Park Jun Director sat down next to her, so she put her phone away. But that’s that. Sua now wanted to brag about something else.

[ Sua: Hey guys ]

[ Sua: They said I look like an arctic fox lol ]

[ Monkeying Around: ? ]

[ Black Bear: ? ]

[ Deer: ? ]

[ Little Mouse: ? ]

“…?”

[ Deer: You’re just a hippo with a big mouth and a big butt ]

With a reaction different from what she expected, Sua put her cell phone back in. Of course, it was at the same time as quickly kicking out one person.

“Tsk, what do you know. I can’t even show it to you.”

She wanted to take a picture of herself and brag about it, but Sua decided to be patient. Wouldn’t she be able to surprise them even more later if she was treated like this?

Instead, Sua picked up the script she had received first.

“Okay, let’s practice first. Practice.”

As soon as she put her hand on it, she entered the special training space inside the hotel, and Sua picked up the receiver without a moment’s hesitation.

[ Special Forces 808 ─ ‘Main Filming’ ]

▶ Sufficient Implementation Elements

001 ─ Kim Yuhan

002 ─ Lee Gangcheol

003 ─ Ha Yoonjin

The training method is the same as last time. Experience every situation and every role without exception. So that all the possibilities that exist in the Special Forces 808 world are absorbed into your body.

Whoosh─!

Sua immediately began experiencing the main filming script.

No, now it was right to use the expression ‘absorption’.

And a long time later.

“Whoaaaa….”

Sua lay down on the bed with a proud expression.

Perhaps because her proficiency had increased, she had already finished all the experiences. There was no sensation of her head about to explode from mental exhaustion or anything. She was really a master now.

What to do now. Rest? Play?

“….”

But suddenly her expression became serious.

She realized that she couldn’t just idly spend her time. Yes, the current her had a task that she absolutely had to solve.

“….”

Sua looked at her cell phone.

[ 31 Unconfirmed Messages ]

[ CF Appearance Interview Schedule Information! ]

[ Hello. This is Director Lee Yeonhwa, who helped with the procedure today. Actually, we are looking for a model, so… ]

[ This is Bada Actors. Please contact us when you have time ]

.

.

.

“….”

This much had accumulated not just over a few days, but only while absorbing the main filming script. The confidence to handle this many things directly? Sua didn’t have it in the slightest.

But she knew the answer to solving these problems.

There were moments when she had dozed off at the beauty salon. Even in the meantime, writer Lee Geumsuk was constantly talking, and among them, one word remained especially memorable in her mind.

─Today, we took care of Sua-ssi directly out of the desire to style her, but usually, agencies take care of these things. If Sua-ssi sets up a one-person agency, she’ll have to do it herself.

Agency. That’s exactly what it is. An agency to work in her place.

“…An agency, I guess it’s necessary. Really.”

Her task became clear. Find an agency.

Sua spread out all the business cards she had covered the rabbit doll with like a blanket. When she counted them, there were many. A whopping fifteen.

“So, I have to pick an agency that will work the hardest among these? An agency that will only work for me.”

…But how am I supposed to meet them all?

It was difficult in many ways. Touching the business card didn’t make a grade appear, and it wasn’t like Sua had the discernment to make her own judgments…

Then Park Jun Director’s words came to mind.

─Let’s take Mystic as an example?

‘Mystic, he said that it’s an agency that rookies would want to get into even if they had to pay someone off. He definitely said that.’

Come to think of it, Mystic wasn’t bad from Sua’s point of view either. They were people she knew, so their faces were quite familiar, and they had been showing a friendly attitude from before.

Plus, image management!

The mask that Sua is currently wearing is that of an expensive woman that others cannot easily approach. To maintain that image, it wouldn’t be right to contact each place one by one.

Then…

Sua made a call. Because she made a decision.

◈◈◈◈◈

A coffee commercial is in full swing in a park in Seoul.

On a sunny day, with flower petals slowly falling, Kim Seonil and Seo Yeonju walk side by side. But a woman suddenly appears and blocks the two.

“…Huh?”

With a face as if she had seen something she couldn’t bear to see.

The woman let out a hollow laugh and approached Kim Seonil.

“Oppa, your standards have dropped a lot while I haven’t seen you. The person you’re meeting after breaking up with me is just a woman like this?”

Seo Yeonju humbly lowered her head as if agreeing with the words, but Kim Seonil smiled as if it were ridiculous.

And while seizing Seo Yeonju’s wrist as she tries to run away.

“If you’re just coffee, she’s my credit.”

He declared as if driving in a nail. The woman who interrupted froze, and the two created a friendly atmosphere in front of her for all to see.

It was then that the filming director shouted loudly.

“Okay! Awesome! Awesome! This Credit Coffee is going to sell like hotcakes! Let’s finish it as is without reshooting!”

Immediately after, Kim Seonil and Seo Yeonju pushed each other away.

A strong movement as if like poles of a magnet were repelling each other, a scene of retreating as if they had seen a ghost. Both had terrified expressions on their faces.

“I got goosebumps all over. Don’t grab my wrist again.”

“I did something terrible to my hand. How can I apologize?”

Seo Yeonju shook her wrist, and Kim Seonil frantically washed his palms with hand sanitizer. It was a scene that made the staff wonder how those two could have digested the commercial script.

Then, someone toddled along and appeared.

“Seonil, Yeonju. You both worked hard. Great professionalism.”

It was the CEO of Mystic Entertainment. Kim Iseo.

She looked the same as always. Two large hairpins on her forehead, and an outfit reminiscent of a professor.

Seo Yeonju complained.

“Really, why do I have to do commercials like this? No, actually, the commercial isn’t the problem. Why does it have to be with this guy?”

“Accept it. There are so many people who want the two of your chemistry. Plus, there’s a hugging scene in the next commercial.”

“I’m not doing it. I’m telling you in advance, I won’t do that no matter what.”

Currently, Mystic has become busy beyond its normal pace. Several commercials that were not included in the existing schedule have been added.

“…Ugh, do I really have to go this far.”

Seo Yeonju put her hand on her forehead.

The three of Mystic sighed at the same time, but in fact, they themselves were aware of the reason why they had to move so busily. There was a good reason.

Money.

Money to bring in the monster rookie.

Seo Yeonju said, fanning herself with her hand.

“But what if we’ve gone this far and she doesn’t contact us? What if we just get thrown away? It’s a little absurd when you say it, isn’t it? To have to worry about being thrown away at our size…?”

It was then.

─♩♪♬

Kim Iseo’s cell phone rang, and she answered it without even checking the caller. Not wasting a second in all her work. It was Kim Iseo’s creed.

“This is CEO Kim Iseo.”

“Hello. This is actress Sua.”

Instantly, Kim Iseo’s actions froze.

After that, she moved quickly.

She turned one palm towards Seo Yeonju and Kim Seonil, then put her thumb and index finger together to make a circle.

The reason why we’re making money, it means Sua called.

“…!”

Then Seo Yeonju immediately hugged Kim Seonil.

The two nodded at the same time. It means they’ll just film the next commercial too. It means they’ll somehow earn more money no matter what. It means to bring her in no matter the conditions.

Kim Iseo opened her mouth while enduring the two people’s gaze like rays of light.

“Sua, what’s going on?”

She pretended not to know anything.

But her heart was different. Please let it be a contract. Please, a contract.

“It seems like it’s time to talk about the agency contract.”

“Great. Tell me a convenient time. I’ll send a van.”

Kim Iseo discussed a few things and then ended the call.

Soon, she also went to Seo Yeonju and Kim Seonil and hugged them.

◈◈◈◈◈

Two days later.

The employees of Mystic Entertainment were busy moving around from morning. It’s a building that a cleaning company meticulously manages, but today, the employees are also paying close attention to it.

Of course, since it’s a new entertainment company, there aren’t many employees.

The work they normally see is also simple. All they do is handle office work in their respective positions, but today was different. They were currently engaged in different work than usual.

To stand neatly dressed in various places.

That was Kim Iseo’s order.

Because it was the first time doing something like this, there was constant whispering.

“Is some kind of state guest coming today?”

“I’ve seen this in a drama. Isn’t this how they greet the youngest daughter of a conglomerate when she comes in? It’s amazing.”

“Who exactly is coming that you’re doing this?”

“She’s just a rookie, and she’s coming to sign a contract.”

At the word ‘rookie,’ the employees’ eyes widened as they checked the subject’s personal information. After checking the photo, reactions immediately burst out here and there.

“…Is she really the youngest daughter of a conglomerate?”

“She looks really fierce.”

“It feels like she won’t wear anything but high heels.”

“It feels like she’ll take a taxi even for 1 meter.”

“Won’t we get splashed with water if we make eye contact?”

While they were muttering like that, Kim Seonil, Seo Yeonju, and Kim Iseo appeared first and went upstairs.

All three were dressed up more than ever, and a new employee who was silently watching asked.

“All three of you came with a lot of effort? Isn’t it just signing a contract, not filming? Is there a reason to go this far?”

“You don’t know anything at all.”

Another employee said.

“Even appearances become weapons in a contract. If you sit there looking as powerful as possible, it’s intimidating just by itself, right? You can be at an advantage in negotiations without doing anything in particular.”

“Ah, I see.”

It was a world that the new employee couldn’t even imagine.

Using dressing up as a weapon to gain an advantage in negotiations, and saving or spending tens of millions of won with it. It was truly a war.

It was then.

A familiar face appeared, though it was the first time seeing her.

“….”

First, there was silence.

She felt the illusion of the building becoming cooler. It was because winter had walked in. The woman slowly passed through the hallway, fluttering her snow-white hair. Without even giving the employees a glance.

─Welcome!

The greeting was quite late. It was because everyone belatedly guessed the identity of the other person. The reason was that her appearance had changed so much from the photo. If it hadn’t been for her fierce eyes, they probably wouldn’t have recognized her until the end.

While they were all slightly bowing their heads, the new employee asked.

“She’s so different from the photo! She put a mole under her eyes and even dyed her hair completely? How much is that worth if we count it as a weapon?”

“Well, a nuclear bomb…?”

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“…Sua, welcome.”

Kim Iseo couldn’t take her eyes off Sua.

‘What’s with the styling? Did she plan it?’

A solitary arctic fox with a chilling wind blowing.

Kim Iseo thought that Sua was exuding an even greater coldness than usual.

“Thank you.”

In fact, Sua was just feeling intimidated. It was even more so because Kim Seonil and Seo Yeonju were next to CEO Kim Iseo.

Moreover, all three of them were dressed up to an extent that couldn’t even be compared to usual. It was a rather unbearable pressure for Sua.

“Sua, let’s get straight to the point.”

The exploration in front of the negotiation table was brief.

Kim Iseo’s full-fledged proposal began.

“Sua said she was cute last time. Well, it makes sense. Looking at it now, the conditions I presented were extremely ordinary.”

“…?”

“I don’t think other entertainment companies didn’t contact you, but I think most of their conditions were also cute. Right?”

Sua just nodded. Sua nodded.

“So, I thought I wanted to propose pretty conditions to Sua, not cute ones. Well, to put it simply, it’s a matter of what our Mystic can do for Sua.”

You’re really only talking about the main point. Sua thought.

She was a little dizzy and nervous, but she steadied her mind. She repeated Park Jun’s words.

I told you I’m a very good product, right? So there’s no need to feel intimidated. I’m not some criminal.

It was right then.

“Or would you like to speak first, Sua?”

“Yes?”

“Is there anything else you want?”

Sua thought of Park Jun Director’s words.

The story about telling her to say something if she had a dream car.

It was an enticing story. After experiencing ‘Speeding,’ she wanted to try driving.

‘But is it right to say this? Really?’

What if I come off as too arrogant and become unlikeable?

Contrary to Sua’s worries, Kim Iseo’s thoughts were the opposite.

‘I have to catch her no matter what. She gives Seo Yeonju and Seonil the motivation to volunteer for commercials. She’s just a living totem. If I keep her, she’ll definitely make Mystic fly.’

She was confident that she would recover whatever she spent on recruitment now later. Kim Iseo clenched her teeth with that mindset.

Sua, who had no way of knowing that feeling, was digressing.

‘What if the car they buy is barley tea or green tea? Report them?’

“Sua. Look at this.”

It was Kim Iseo who broke the silence first.

At her nod, an employee who was standing by brought a long box.

When she opened it, car keys were lying in a row like pupae. She barely knew they were car keys after looking at them carefully.

Vehicles that Sua didn’t even know what they were. But even Sua, who didn’t know at all, could definitely guess one thing.

They must all be amazing cars.

Kim Iseo slid the box towards Sua.

“I’ll let you pick one. How about it.”

Sua thought. How could they talk about cars at just the right time?

Did she read my mind? Telepathy?

“One of these…?”

Sua asked blankly.

It’s a bad move to pick one right here. She doesn’t know which car is which. She has to buy time.

But the words wouldn’t come out. Her mouth and tongue had stiffened because she was so surprised.

No, is the day I’ll really have a sports car in my life coming? Really? Really?

Sua, who was holding the box tightly so that her trembling hands wouldn’t be obvious.

Kim Iseo watched the sight carefully.

“I understand. Just take them all. Let’s do that.”