episode_0192

At that moment.

“Okay, let’s stop the script reading for now.”

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Director Go Tae-min said after making the decision.

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“It seems like problems are arising because we went straight into reading when everyone is a complete stranger. Let’s eat first. Let’s get to know each other before proceeding. And…”

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He looked back and forth between Sua and Kang Hak-man.

“Hak-man-ssi, let’s talk separately.”

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◈◈◈◈◈

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An hour later, an unexpected meal was arranged.

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The script reading had inadvertently turned into a company dinner.

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Of course, they didn’t move to a fancy restaurant. Everyone was a high-profile actor and very busy, so they ended up ordering delivery food and eating together like this.

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Sua recalled the conversation she had with Director Go just now.

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‘He seemed worried that I might call off the shoot or quit, but that’s not going to happen. I have no intention of quitting this project at all.’

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From tomorrow, Crescendo has a high rating.

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Besides, if anyone should quit, it should be Kang Hak-man, not Sua. She didn’t do anything wrong! Sua is annoyed!

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Afterwards.

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Director Go Tae-min told Sua that Kang Hak-man was deeply reflecting, that he had given him a stern warning, and that he usually behaved properly, and so on.

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Along with an apology for being negligent as a director.

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Sua found the situation strange.

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Kang Hak-man wasn’t immediately fired.

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‘It’s because Kang Hak-man’s usual behavior is too good.’

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Come to think of it, he seems like a really nice person on the surface, even to Sua. That’s what makes it even creepier. What is Kang Hak-man? Why is a person who behaves so well like that to me?

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In any case, the problem was that Director Go Tae-min was also a bit confused about the situation. Sua and Hak-man’s opinions were so different that he couldn’t get a grasp on things. The situation became frustrating.

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She had to come up with another plan.

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“Everyone got their food?”

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Director Go Tae-min opened his mouth.

“Since we have gathered only people who have achieved success, there may be ego clashes and misunderstandings can easily arise, which I failed to consider. I think we need a process of thinking of each other as family and becoming close. For the sake of completing the work.”

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He continued with a slight smile.

“Especially the lead actors, please take extra good care of each other. And Sua-ssi, you have a lot of people you’re meeting for the first time, right?”

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Then, several gazes landed on Sua.

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“She’s the monster rookie that you see whenever you turn on the internet these days, and I guarantee her acting skills. I hope everyone gets along well with Sua-ssi. Sua-ssi, say a few words.”

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Sua briefly opened her mouth. She was uncomfortable.

“I’m Lee Sua.”

“…Hehe, I wanted to help you understand Sua-ssi a little better, but it’s difficult. Sua-ssi is the type to focus solely on work. Please understand.”

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In reality, that wasn’t the case.

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Rather, thanks to her short greeting just now, the people around her were understanding what kind of person Sua was in their own way. Even if it was a slightly different understanding from the truth.

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‘Scary. I shouldn’t mess with her rashly.’

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‘Is she a very sensitive person? I guess she could be?’

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‘…The pressure is no joke. She doesn’t seem like someone who would lie? Did Hak-man-ssi really do something weird?’

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Afterwards, Go Tae-min’s explanation continued.

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“‘From Tomorrow, Crescendo’ has only revealed the lead casting so far, and I deliberately saved some other sources. And the postponed script reading date is—”

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After 20 minutes of explanation, Director Go Tae-min left his seat.

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“…”

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Sua fiddled with the seasoned pork hocks.

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It should be delicious, but she couldn’t taste it.

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‘Kang Hak-man, you trash. How should I mess him up?’

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That’s because she was grinding her teeth inwardly.

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To be honest, she was a little doubtful at first, but seeing Kang Hak-man shamelessly lie, she realized it properly. That bastard is a truly irredeemable piece of trash.

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─The problem is that Kang Hak-man is a little different from the guys she’s dealt with before. He’s a disgusting guy.

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─That’s right. Sua sunbae’s enemies have only been people who abused their power or doubted her acting skills. She could just get rid of them by working hard on her acting.

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Kim Yu-han continued calmly.

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─But that bastard is different. He seems to have deliberately managed his reputation a lot. He has taken precautions.

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─We’ll need a different approach to kill him.

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Just as the Sua Association was grinding its teeth, too.

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“Sua-ssi.”

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Out of the blue, Kang Hak-man reached out first.

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“I think Sua-ssi must have been very unpleasant. But I’m married and have a daughter. I’m really not that kind of person… Please believe me.”

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‘Wow, is he going to face it head-on?’

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At that moment, when Sua was at a loss for words.

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The actress Lee Joo-hyun, who played the role of her stepsister, interjected.

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“Sua-ssi, why don’t you just accept it? It seems like a situation caused by a misunderstanding, and Hak-man-ssi keeps apologizing.”

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What? It was nonsense to Sua.

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‘Would you have said that if he had touched your thigh?’

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Sua thought so and opened her mouth. Was it the influence of Gangster Sua? Sua was now having quite violent thoughts.

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“Joo-hyun-ssi, do you just let it go even if you’re sexually harassed?”

“…What?”

“I can’t do that.”

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Lee Joo-hyun scoffed.

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“Sua-ssi, are you trying to gain an advantage here? Don’t you care about the mood or atmosphere around you?”

“I intend to fully commit to the filming, and therefore I will never tolerate anything that interferes with the filming. Like groping my body without permission.”

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After retorting, Sua unconsciously frowned.

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Lee Joo-hyun. Why is this woman so eager to interfere?

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Eventually, Kang Hak-man stepped forward, bowing repeatedly.

“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. Sua-ssi, I’m really sorry, and Joo-hyun-ssi, stop it. I’ll take care of this separately. Everyone, please eat. I’m sorry.”

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After that, the meal continued, but the atmosphere was naturally cold. How much time had passed? Sua got up first.

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“Sua-ssi, are you leaving first?”

“Yes. I have another schedule.”

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Immediately after Sua left.

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Someone puts down their chopsticks with a *thud*.

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“No, isn’t that too much?”

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It was none other than Lee Joo-hyun.

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“She’s trying to gain an advantage on set with just one excuse. This is a place where actors with much higher status than her are gathered. What is she going to do if she acts so recklessly like this?”

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“That’s a bit of an exaggeration.”

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It was Ham Ah-yoon’s answer, who had been silent all along. She neatly straightened her blonde hair and said.

“Anyway, he touched Sua’s body. I would have felt uncomfortable too, but didn’t she say it clearly and leave?”

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“He explained that it was a mistake, right?”

“In the first place.”

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Ham Ah-yoon glanced at Lee Joo-hyun.

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“Why do you keep interfering, Joo-hyun-ssi?”

“W-well, that’s…”

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Lee Joo-hyun’s eyebrows twitched for a moment.

“I’ve worked with Hak-man-ssi on the previous project as well, so that’s why. Hak-man-ssi is definitely not that kind of person.”

“Then are you saying that Sua is someone who would lie? Definitely not. She’s the type of person who just blurts out the truth.”

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At Ham Ah-yoon’s words, several actors nodded.

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“That’s right. Sua-ssi doesn’t seem like someone who would lie…”

“Whether it was a mistake or not, it’s natural for an actress to feel uncomfortable. I don’t think Sua-ssi is at fault.”

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Sua’s credibility that she had built up over time was also not insignificant. Kang Hak-man had such a good reputation, but if he had been an ordinary male actor, he wouldn’t have been surprised if he had been kicked out of this place at Sua’s words.

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“…”

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Lee Joo-hyun narrowed her eyes and glared at Ham Ah-yoon.

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After that, the meal was quiet the whole time.

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Everyone’s opinions were divided over the differences in Sua and Kang Hak-man’s positions. It was like a faction.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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Sua was about to get into the van without thinking when.

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‘Ah…’

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Embarrassingly, she felt a signal in her stomach.

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But isn’t it better to go to the bathroom once than to endure the pain out of embarrassment? In the end, she asked for understanding and turned back. Let’s just go to the bathroom and come back.

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But when she arrived at the bathroom inside the building again.

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‘Huh?’

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Sua discovered an unexpected person.

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At the same time, they were two people who weren’t very welcome. The two people who had made Sua uncomfortable, Kang Hak-man and Lee Joo-hyun, seemed to be having a conversation.

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Sua briefly wondered what kind of expression she should make towards them, but soon, there was no time to wonder. Kang Hak-man greeted Sua first with a somewhat urgent look.

“…Ah! Sua-ssi?”

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He smiled as always.

“Did you come back again? Ah, because of the bathroom?”

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However, Sua noticed Lee Joo-hyun’s face more than Kang Hak-man. It was very red, but it wasn’t a shy redness. It was closer to a face that had been very angry just now?

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“…I’ll go first.”

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Lee Joo-hyun turned around first.

“Ah, okay. I have to go to sort the recycling too. Joo-hyun-ssi! Let’s discuss the role later!”

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“Yes.”

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Sua tilted her head at the entrance of the bathroom.

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The actions of the two just now were awkward even to Sua.

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◈◈◈◈◈

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Two days later. The Netflix Korea headquarters.

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A man with golden proportions, dressed in black from head to toe, appeared holding a girl’s hand.

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Kim Seon-il had visited with his younger sister.

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Yu-jin was very excited.

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“It’s been a long time since I’ve been out and about with oppa!”

“I know. It’s been years.”

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Kim Seon-il’s voice was deep, as if he felt particularly moved.

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“Let’s go out together more often in the future.”

“Yeah. Oppa, but this building is really big.”

“It’s an amazing place, that’s why. Are you hungry?”

“I’m not hungry at all. I like being out and about with oppa.”

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Seon-il opened the door to the VIP lounge. There would be a meeting regarding the joining of ‘Muje’ from now on, and he intended to let his younger sister rest here during that time.

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But.

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Unexpectedly, someone was already inside the VIP lounge.

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“Kim Seon-il?”

“…Lee Seo-jung, huh.”

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The two made faces of disgust at the same time.

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It wasn’t like the expressions of disgust between siblings that Yeon-joo and Kim Seon-il had when they met. Both of them were genuinely disgusted. They were just too incompatible.

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‘Why did Kim Seon-il come here?’

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While Lee Seo-jung was thinking so to herself.

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Yu-jin pulled on Seon-il’s sleeve and asked.

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“Oppa, are you going to the meeting now?”

“Yeah.”

“What kind of role do you have?”

“I’ll find out when I go there.”

“I hope it’s a role that’s close to oppa’s girlfriend.”

“…Yu-jin-ah. Be quiet here.”

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But Lee Seo-jung had already heard Yu-jin’s words.

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Girlfriend? Kim Seon-il has a girlfriend? Does that germaphobe also date a girlfriend? How does he kiss when he has germaphobia? Does that make sense?

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‘I feel sorry for his girlfriend.’

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Lee Seo-jung was thinking so while fiddling with her phone. Her ears were actually tilted towards Yu-jin’s mouth.

“Oppa. A happy role again this time!”

“Okay.”

“And become closer with Sua unnie!”

“Okay. Okay, so…”

“And get closer and get married!”

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Immediately after, Lee Seo-jung’s eyes doubled in size.

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“What?”

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Lee Seo-jung intervened without realizing it.

“Kim Seon-il, what’s with you? Are you dating Lee Sua?”

“Yes.”

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Seon-il’s younger sister answered instead.