In Any Case, You Have to Open the Lid to Know (1)

This damn mouth is always my enemy.

I should just rip it off!

“…”

“…”

Both I who spoke and Sung Dojun who heard fell silent.

The shame felt like it was burrowing through the floor to reach the Earth’s inner core. I felt as embarrassed as if I had shown my bare face and innermost self that I had kept tightly hidden.

Isn’t there a device that gives an electric shock every time you make a slip of the tongue?

If there were, I’d like to wear it all over my body.

…Then I’d probably be electrocuted within a few hours.

“Han Suho and Han Sumin got them after receiving sex education at school!”

I don’t know why I’m explaining this.

And I don’t know why this guy is accepting it.

“R-right! I’ve never heard or seen you dating anyone since you were young. But there’s no need to explain so explicitly about sexual intercourse…”

I, who had been maintaining a poker face, dashed to the kitchen in one breath.

I rinsed a white towel in cold water, wrung it out, and brought it back.

“Lie down.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Lie down.”

“What are you trying to…”

“Do you want to get hit and then lie down?”

Sung Dojun lay down on the bed reluctantly. He had an expression that said, “What is she trying to do now?”

I covered Sung Dojun with the cold white towel. Not just his forehead, but his entire face.

With the white towel covering him, Sung Dojun looked like a corpse laid out in a mortuary.

Good. Now to strangle him…

“Ah, you b-! It’s cold!”

The quick-witted Sung Dojun sat up abruptly.

What a shame. If he had stayed still a little longer, it could have been the perfect crime.

…This is a joke, of course.

“Ah, okay. I’ll take responsibility for this and take it to my grave, so please calm down.”

“Keep your mouth shut. If you go around talking nonsense…”

I made a throat-slitting gesture while clicking my tongue.

“…Yes.”

The corners of Sung Dojun’s mouth, which had been drooping, now turned up like a rooster’s comb.

He was even humming, pleased about something. His complexion looked better too, as if his cold symptoms had flown away.

But this guy…

Something’s off.

I’ve felt it for a while, but his attitude towards me is completely different from before.

I asked in a suspicious voice:

“Hey, do you perhaps…”

“Hm?”

Should I ask, or not?

Then I shook my head.

“…Never mind.”

“Why? What is it?”

Sometimes it’s better not to know the truth.

Even in my busy days, my time flowed relentlessly.

[SUC, Stock Price Staggers from Han Yujin Shockwave]

[SUC Alone Faces ‘Black Tuesday’]

[Downward Trend Continues for 4 Trading Days, SUC Market Cap Drops 15 Trillion Won]

[“I Invested Everything I Had”.. SUC Retail Investors in ‘Panic’]

SUC’s stock price turned blue as expected.

The retail investors who had dreamed of a flower path while shouting “heave-ho” were gone, replaced by the wailing of shareholders and the sneers of mischievous people mocking them gleefully.

In contrast to SUC, which had fire under its feet, ELF was dripping with honey.

With a smooth sailing trend without any headwinds, the stock price was dyed red like a rose. There were even moves to revise performance guidance upwards.

On one side, the Han Yujin shock.

On the other side, the Han Yujin effect.

The two teams showed a stark contrast.

As expected…

As expected, stocks are not something to be messed with. Even if you do, you should never touch the national stocks.

The stock price fluctuates this much just because of me? Because of one 20-year-old girl? Did I have this much impact?

Well, there’s an idiom about a whole country being ruined because of one woman, so what’s a mere stock price.

…Not that I’m saying I’m that pretty.

But what was it called again?

I heard that in economics, they call an unpredictable, irrational event a black swan.

Promising rookie, rising hope, supernova, rising star, blue chip…

It seems “black swan” will be added to my many labels.

And.

[SUC, Relations with ELF Deteriorating?]

[(Weekly Focus) Two Teams that Went from Rivals to Enemies]

[SUC Cries, ELF Laughs]

The relationship between SUC and ELF, who had fiercely competed to recruit me, began to deteriorate. Now they really seemed ready to poison each other’s food.

From what I heard from Hyun Junho, there were even rumors going around saying not to greet each other or practice together.

It’s amazing that all this happened because of me.

In any case, my daily life remained the same.

As always, I helped Kang Yohan practice whenever I had free time.

Fortunately, Kang Yohan settled into Group D, which was said to be full of the weakest players.

Looking at the players in the same group, there didn’t seem to be any dark horses that could hold Kang Yohan back.

And, ahead of the official start of the pro league, I also attended ELF’s ritual ceremony.

In front of a folding screen written in cursive script, table settings were neatly arranged.

Steamed rice cakes and a pig’s head.

Red candles to the east, white candles to the west, and jujubes and chestnuts.

It was the largest scale ritual ceremony with everyone from the board of directors to executives in attendance.

“We pray for safety and ELF team’s victory.”

The players and team officials inserted envelopes of money into the pig’s head and bowed. I heard from an official that the inserted money alone amounted to millions of won.

Looking at the eyes of the team people, there was a determined resolve that if they don’t win this time, they’ll really quit the gaming team.

Then,

“Player Han Yujin! Please bring us just five trophies!”

“No, even one is fine. Let us decorate a trophy room that’s not just full of cobwebs!”

Suddenly, everyone’s gaze converged on me like magnets.

Before I knew it, the pig’s head was forgotten and everyone started praying to my head.

I’m not some goddess of victory…

And!

If you’re going to pray, put a white envelope of money in my mouth too!

Though I said that, I prayed earnestly too.

This time! Please! May the runner-up demon retreat!

May our Kang Yohan and Hyun Junho players win too!

While we’re at it, me too!

…Please.

What I devoted the most time to was “I Am a Soldier,” which was starting its first filming in just a few days.

Strictly speaking, I was an actress who wasn’t in the production team’s original plans. I came in as a replacement when one actress dropped out due to injury.

So I had to shoot new pre-interviews, teaser videos, and individual posters.

After all the filming was done.

The PD, whom I had already met a couple of times in pre-meetings, said:

“Honestly, we don’t have any big expectations for Han Yujin-ssi.”

The PD continued, pushing up his large horn-rimmed glasses:

“Just show us that you can’t do it well.”

Before turning on the broadcast, I thought deeply.

What kind of program was “I Am a Soldier” again?

It was a program that gathered controversial female singers, actresses, and streamers and made them experience military life.

In the process, the cast members roll and roll and roll again. The selling point of “I Am a Soldier” wasn’t growth, but entertainment.

The purpose was for the cast members, who usually received criticism from the public, to do so-called foolish things and become fodder for viewers to chew on.

So…

To put the PD’s words simply:

‘Just roll around carelessly, get cursed at carelessly, and comfortably take the money.’

In reality, the ripple effect was good.

Even though the cast members were cursed at, it’s true that they enjoyed greater popularity than before.

And I know well too.

That if I just do as the PD says without complaint, money and popularity will snowball.

That if I try to open a different lid unnecessarily, I might end up in trouble.

But, I…

Have no intention of not doing well at all.

[Private Han! Yu! Jin!]

[62,451 viewers]

[HaYoo]

“Have you arrived?”

I greeted brightly, wearing a mottled camouflage pattern non-standard combat uniform.

[Comments react to Han Yujin’s appearance and military greeting]

I stood up from my seat and saluted awkwardly. With my left hand.

“Loyalty! As of today, I have been ordered to be assigned to the 1st Platoon of Streamers! I report this!”

[Comments point out mistakes in Han Yujin’s salute and military etiquette]

As expected, talking about the military brought life to the chat.

‘Man of the Nose’ donated 1,000 won!

-By the way, what cup size are you?

“Sergeant Man of the Nose… Th-that’s a bit…”

‘Man of the Nose’ donated 1,000 won!

-I’m joking, kid. This kid is really into it haha. Anyway, do you have an older or younger sister?

“Yes, I have a younger sister!”

I showed pictures of Han Sejin and Han Sieun.

[Comments react to the sisters’ photos]

I fidgeted with my fingers and took out a tumbler from my duffel bag.

“…Um, I have OCD, so can I use a Starbucks tumbler instead of a canteen?”

The chat went wild.

Comments about how I brought it, if my head was for increasing height, hitting my head with the tumbler lid.

Everyone pounced on military-related topics with veins popping in their necks. As if they could tolerate everything else but not this.

Well, I’m glad if they get immersed.

“F-first, don’t get excited.”

[Comments mock Han Yujin’s speech]

“Uwaa! I’m sorry!”

I tapped my lips and corrected my speech.

“First, don’t get excited, sir. Since I’m going to the military tomorrow, I prepared some side dishes and food often eaten in the military. I’ll try eating them, sir.”

[Comments continue to mock Han Yujin’s speech and actions]

I poured hot water into the rice noodles I took out of the duffel bag and waited. I put rice in a prepared plastic bag and added MSG. Just the right amount, since it gets too salty if you add too much.

[Comments express surprise at Han Yujin’s knowledge of military food]

“Ah, that’s right! I also made mackerel fillet stew and dried pollack gangjeong. I heard these are so infamous? I’ll try eating these too.”

I put the mackerel stew and dried pollack gangjeong I had prepared earlier on the desk.

“Enjoy your meal!”

I ate the military food I had prepared, munching away. Eating it after a long time brings back old memories and makes me feel goo… not good.

Still, the mackerel stew and dried pollack gangjeong I made are really delicious.

“But I heard people hate croaker fry too? Croaker fry is delicious, why do they hate it?”

‘Daddy Bird’ donated 10,000 won!

-There’s no time or energy to pick out the bones haha

I tilted my head.

“Can’t you just ask your junior to pick them out for you?”

[Comments react with shock and amusement to Han Yujin’s suggestion]

I finished my meal and made a satisfied expression.

“This is so delicious though? Why do people dislike it? It’s just a rice thief. Soldiers must be happy. Eating such delicious food.”

The chat burned crispy at my words.

[Comments criticize Han Yujin’s ignorance about military life]

As expected, talking about the military is a double-edged sword.

It’s such a sensitive topic that if I make one wrong slip of the tongue, I might be immortalized in the community and torn apart to pieces for life.

I followed links sent by viewers and read military-related comics and posts.

When I showed the military oath or calisthenics, donations exploded.

And,

‘Ammo Squad Leader’ donated 1,000 won!

-(link) This is a video of pitching a tent, I almost died doing this.

I clicked the link. It was a video about how to pitch a 24-person tent.

After watching the video, I asked quietly:

“By the way, how many people pitch this?”

[Comments give various answers about the number of people needed]

“Hmm…”

After watching the video several times, I said:

“With some skill, it seems like one adult man could pitch it alone?”

Then, the chat went wild.

[Comments express disbelief and criticism at Han Yujin’s statement]

‘Daddy Bird’ donated 10,000 won!

-I’m worried Yujin-ah, I think it would be better to apologize for this right away;;; Aren’t you going to be immortalized in the community?ㅠㅠ

I shook my head firmly.

“No. I think an adult man could pitch it alone.”

Like weather that starts as a light shower and ends as a downpour, the level of swearing gradually intensified. The speed of the chat increased just as much.

Just then, for the first time, a donation in agreement with my claim rang out loudly.

‘Lv99’ donated 10,000 won!

-Yeah you can pitch it alone because I’ve done it by myself HaYoo really has good insight and work sense it’s chilling really ㄷㄷ

And…

My chat turned into a battlefield.