episode_0050

The stakes were high in case of failure.

“One member terminating their contract?”

This is ridiculous.

How did we even acquire members like Miju, Yeseul, and Haedayoung?

Are they really going to cancel just because of a failure?

I wanted to resist the system’s tyranny, but…

[Quest refusal is not an option.]

This guy really nailed it.

Make Yuyeong a member no matter what.

No room for negotiation, huh?

Tears welled up in my eyes.

Until when is the deadline?

Without a proper deadline, are we just supposed to divide success and failure?

[3 chances remaining]

I stared at the system message that appeared as if mocking me.

“This is a mess.”

“Are you okay, sunbae? Are you feeling unwell?”

Oh, I forgot Yeseul was right next to me, shocked by the quest’s content.

“Oh, I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

“You’ve been pushing yourself since morning, are you sure you’re not running a fever?”

Yeseul placed her right hand on her forehead and her left hand on mine.

Her touch was warm.

“No fever… Do you have low blood pressure or something?”

“Not really. I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“I can’t help but worry.”

Yeseul seemed unsure of what to do.

She didn’t seem this caring when we first met, but now she often showed a side of herself that cared for others, despite her timid appearance.

Maybe that’s why she could easily cut off people like the main actors who clung to Miju.

“For how long do you plan on keeping your hand on my forehead?”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize.”

She removed her hand from my forehead, taking away the warmth and softness.

Hmm, did I say too much?

It was disappointing to see her hand move away.

If I fail this quest, it could also mean the end of my relationship with Yeseul.

“Miju, or maybe Da-yeong noona, could take your place.”

How did I even get this opportunity?

Absolutely not.

“But I came here to ask about Yeongeun?”

“Oh, that too… Well…”

Yeseul hesitated for a moment before asking me.

“You didn’t tell Miju about… us going to the movies, right?”

“I didn’t have the chance.”

There was no time for that.

So many things had happened.

“Thank goodness.”

Yeseul let out a sigh of relief.

“But why?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just got worried… that Miju might misunderstand. Hehe.”

Yeseul awkwardly changed the subject.

I didn’t pry any further.

“Recently, I haven’t seen Jooyeon around.”

Ah, Yeseul didn’t know.

She wasn’t there at the stalking scene.

Miju must not have told her.

Otherwise, Yeseul, who cares for Miju so much, would have known.

“I guess there’s no time to talk about it.”

“Maybe she’s busy with midterms?”

“Yeah, that could be it. The student council has been making a lot of noise lately…”

The rumors hadn’t spread to the school yet.

It was only a matter of time before the rumors spread, and soon, the talk of the student council president’s impeachment would also circulate.

When that happens, Miju might tell Yeseul.

“It was to ask about that you came here?”

“Oh, yes. But sunbae…”

Yeseul hesitated, biting her lip.

What is she trying to say with this hesitation?

“Could it be that she wants to talk about working out in this crowded place?”

I was a little nervous.

“What was Yeongeun sunbae like in person?”

Yeseul’s eyes sparkled like stars.

She was curious about the appearance of the sunbae she admired.

She awaited my answer eagerly, like a child waiting for Santa’s gift.

Is this the right place?

What should I say?

The senior you admire actually has a bad personality and is pretty, but difficult to work with because of their lack of manners.

…I can’t say that.

“She’s pretty. It seems like she didn’t become an actress for nothing.”

“Really? Every time I see her on TV or the screen, I’m amazed by how beautiful she is.”

“Is that so?”

“She’s a bit strong-willed, probably to survive in the tough entertainment industry, right? I feel the same way these days. It’s really tough in this industry. Even a common SNS star like me feels that way, but Yeongeun senior is…”

If the look in her eyes is like that of a believer seeing the arrival of the Messiah, is it a delusion?

“But if Jaeho senior works with such a big star, it would be a huge help for him too. If he has a work with a famous person, it would greatly benefit his career, right?”

It seems like she wants to work with me too.

Maybe it’s because she thinks Yeongeun and I would both benefit from it.

“And if I secretly follow her while she’s working and take a picture together… hehe.”

Maybe it’s just my imagination that she’s more sincere about it because of my mood.

There’s a fan standing in front of me with starstruck eyes.

Where did the arrogant SNS star go?

“Oh, you’re not going to do it together?”

She asked in a disappointed voice.

The disappointment was visible.

Too visible.

“I don’t know. That’s…”

Now that a new quest has appeared, I have to consider my thoughts.

“Really?”

Yesul was about to ask more, but the class had started, and the professor opened the door and came in.

“Who’s that over there?”

I decided not to mention that Yesul hurriedly left the classroom.

-[Yesul] If you work with Yeongeun senior, you must invite me too!

This message is also a secret.

***

“Please submit your assignment by next week.”

I couldn’t focus on the class in the end.

Because of the new quest to recruit Yeongeun as a member.

‘If you fail within 3 tries, one member will withdraw.’

I couldn’t even refuse, and strange conditions were attached.

If that’s the case, I should have come out before rejecting Yeongeun’s proposal.

‘I can’t work with someone as rude as you.’

…It was just a few hours ago that I rejected her.

No, I got the quest right before rejecting Yeongeun’s proposal, not even 30 minutes had passed.

It was as if I was waiting for her to reject me.

What a joke.

Of course, I’m grateful for the gym and the characteristics the system gave me.

I remember them more than if they hadn’t given me anything at all.

‘If you’re going to do this, don’t give it to me.’

I’ll stop complaining here.

In the end, I had to convince Yeongeun to join our team within 3 proposals.

That means.

‘I have to successfully hypnotize her within those 3 times.’

At my current store level, I have two promotion methods.

Text promotion and multi-level marketing.

‘There’s no one to bring Yeongeun into the MLM, so the only option left is text promotion.’

But that’s not enough.

Even if I do my best to impress her, the probability of convincing her will be terribly low.

To the point where she can’t be persuaded.

That means, of course.

‘I have to raise my store level.’

The only thing I can do right now is raise my store level.

There was no other way.

I looked at my remaining points.

[Health Points (HP) – 2300]

[Sex Points (SP) – 1900]

I need 5000 health points to level up my store.

1 sex point is equal to 1.5 health points.

If I convert SP to HP and buy them.

‘It’s risky.’

I could convert 1900 SP to 2850 HP.

So, combined, it would be 5150 HP.

I had to invest all but 150 HP.

‘I have to do it.’

I had no choice.

I couldn’t afford to lose a member for the guild.

Just.

If I don’t get a new promotion with this level up.

It’s going downhill.

I have to grind quests to level up the gym.

“Please, just…”

I wiped my hands clean and pressed the level up button.

The dice was cast.

All that was left was to wait for the results to be given to me.

[Purchase Shop Level Up.]

[Shop level increases from 2 to 3.]

[Additional items are available – Costume Production.]

[Prices in the shop, excluding promotions, are additionally discounted by 15%.]

[A new promotion is open – Poster Promotion.]

[2 free poster promotions are included.]

Done.

I came out.

A new promotion!

How effective will it be?

With a nervous heart, I opened the poster promotion.

[Poster Promotion – Before & After]

[You can insert a photo with your desired text. You can choose the photo used for the poster promotion! 3 times the effect of text promotion! Apply now! You can also become a beauty!]

The multi-level was 50% more effective than the previous text promotion.

But 3 times?

This was an incredible figure.

“Wow.”

This could work.

I gained confidence that I could succeed within at least 3 tries.

It’s done.

I’m ready, now I have to go find Yeong-eun.

Even though she rejected me first and is now contacting me again.

“Because I’m desperate too.”

I contacted CEO Kim Hosu.

“CEO, I want Yeong-eun’s contact information.”

***

“Wow.”

Beside me, Ye-seul gaped as she looked around the filming location.

This was the filming location of the famous drama “Youth Never Fades.”

It was the filming location of the drama where Yeong-eun played the lead role.

How did I end up here?

When I contacted Yeong-eun, she was too busy to meet, so she suggested meeting at the filming location.

“Why did you contact me again? You rejected me so harshly.”

“Let’s try to find some common ground.”

“Okay. Come to our filming location. It seems like you don’t know much about me. I’ll show you who I am.”

I received an invitation that could be perceived as arrogant.

Ye-seul, who came with me?

Thinking she would enjoy seeing her idol, I brought her along.

“I can’t believe it! That’s Bae Soo-jin! Oh, Hye-sun is here too! And there’s Jun-hyeon… I didn’t know I would see them in person.”

Ye-seul couldn’t contain her admiration for the actors as she saw each one.

Me?

I wasn’t impressed.

I don’t watch much TV, so I don’t know much about celebrities, and even when I see pretty actresses, I don’t feel much excitement.

The reason was simple.

The Ye-seul and Mi-joo next to me were much prettier than those actresses.

That’s all.

Anyway, since coming here, I reconsidered Yeong-eun’s position.

“Choi Jaeho, invited by Yeong-eun, is here.”

I heard that people in broadcasting have no manners.

“Wow! You came because you were invited by actress Yeong-eun? Oh, it’s you. Come this way.”

The staff guided us with unexpectedly kind manners.

Even the head of a high-end restaurant wouldn’t be this kind.

“Thank you.”

We followed the assistant director and arrived at the waiting room.

Yeong-eun, who was sitting with crossed legs in the largest room, looked up at me.

“You’re early. Who’s this next to you… Oh, it’s the friend who took my profile picture? The one who pushed my pictorial and stole the spotlight.”

Yeong-eun looked back and forth between me and Ye-seul before chuckling.

“There’s a reason you said I’m not particularly pretty. You’re carrying such a beautiful flower next to you.”

Ye-seul stood next to me, her mouth agape, unable to even scream, swinging her legs back and forth.

Is this what they call a successful fan?

“Hello. I’m Hwang Ye-seul. I’ve liked you for a long time… I fell in love with you after watching you in a movie… I want to become an actress too…”

Yeongeun silently listened to Yeoseul’s speech-like remarks.

She wondered if this shameless Yeongeun was for real.

Has she changed?

“I’m glad to see you too. I wish I had known I had such a pretty junior beforehand, I would have talked to Roland and Enter earlier. It’s fortunate to meet you now.”

No.

A business-like smile stopped at the corners of her mouth.

Right now, she was acting like a haughty yet polite star in front of her fans.

But is she really an actress?

There was no sense of discomfort at all.

After exchanging brief greetings with Yeoseul, Yeongeun turned to me.

“Nice to see you again. Jaeho, shall we start our conversation again?”