episode_0081

“Coming again?!”

“Why?”

I followed the rules strictly as they were prescribed by law, but I didn’t bother to adhere to things that weren’t. I regret not living more uprightly now.

“There was no mention in the contract that I can’t see you every day, right?”

Jung Siwoo is a bad guy. He’s a bad guy, indeed.

And it’s solely my responsibility to control this unruly colt. If I had kept him in check during the ceremony, it would have been different, but I ended up releasing the reins myself, allowing him to frolic freely in the field.

“If you keep poking holes in the contract like this, do you know what I might do next month…?”

I became a wild horse trainer, chasing after him to put a halter around his neck.

“Wow. Are you planning to add a clause that limits our meetings to four times a month next month?”

“Yes.”

“Can you handle it?”

“What, what are you talking about?”

Even though I managed to put the halter around his neck, it was me who was being dragged on the ground, trying not to slip. It’s impossible for a person to control a horse from the start.

“To regain your memory, you say I have to stroke you with my hand.”

A damn nuisance with an incredibly good memory that irritates people. Not only does he use his amazing memorization skills for music sheets, but now he’s using them on me too.

Although I didn’t feel too bad, with no room for retort, I still clung tightly to the halter, rolling on the ground.

Onlookers ask. Hey, that guy. Can you handle it?

No, I don’t think I can handle it. I’m too scared. This guy is crazy.

“In my opinion, you can never add that clause.”

Siwoo gets up from his seat with a chuckle.

“Anyway, see you tomorrow morning.”

As I gasped for breath on the ground, looking at the broken leash, I muttered a curse under my breath to his back.

“Get bitten by Strelka tomorrow….”

“Why are you saying such terrible things?”

“I hope she bites you between the legs….”

“….”

Snap.

“Ouch.”

Siwoo, with a wry smile, muttered with a displeased expression.

“Don’t ruin the image with weird jokes.”

While soothing my throbbing forehead, a glimmer of hope arose that perhaps there might be a breakthrough in the power struggle with Siwoo.

“Oh. Do you like these kinds of jokes?”

Siwoo’s expression in response to the teasing question says it all. If you keep making such jokes, I might start disliking you.

“I don’t like them. Can’t you tell from my expression?”

Well, for me, it’s a great way to maintain distance.

***

Four days later. The day of the operation to separate the white and black horses dawned.

— Siwoo: Have you arrived?

— Me: (Photo)

— Siwoo: Ok

— Siwoo: Leaving soon

Today was a very important day, so I asked Kang Hwi to do his best to dress me up.

Although Siwoo and I still maintain a very friendly relationship, today it was necessary to present a polished appearance in front of him.

Just as an ordinary man shrinks in front of a handsome, wealthy, and capable man, a woman shrinks in front of a beautiful woman who draws everyone’s attention.

Interestingly, this applies even to women who are above average in appearance. No matter how attractive a woman is, when she meets another woman with a different charm, they are drawn to each other.

If you ask how I know this after living as a man for 24 years, there’s no way to explain it other than bringing up an episode from high school.

“It was dizzying back then….”

During Christmas, there was a time when I invited three female students from the same school to a concert simultaneously.

In my opinion, the intention behind singing together was to enjoy music harmoniously. However, in reality, there was an intense invisible battle between the three of us. They all tried their best to stand out and impress me by using every means possible and dressing up to the nines.

I was so focused on playing the music that I didn’t notice this at the time. It wasn’t until much later, close to graduation, that I heard about it through a friend.

According to my friend, they thought we were having some kind of party at school…

Anyway, based on that experience, our Maid Corps is a group of people with an innate talent for dressing me up.

That’s how today’s beautiful me was born.

“…Beautiful.”

As I made my final preparations in the cafe restroom, I saw a goddess in the mirror.

In contrast to Baek Cheong-ha, who prefers adult-like attire for a middle school theme, I deliberately chose a delicate outfit that only girls of high school age could pull off.

A blouse with frills on the collar and a ribbon tied around it. A tennis skirt and shorts that were perfect for the spring weather. It was truly an unbeatable combination.

Although Min Chae-won, with her large chest, looks better in adult-like clothing, she looked even cuter dressed like this. The voluminous and long sleeves, commonly referred to as “moe sleeves,” added to her cuteness.

The phrase “cute face and not-so-great body” suits her perfectly. It’s a harmonious imbalance and the pinnacle of art.

“…Cute.”

I had been staring for so long that I didn’t even realize another customer had entered the restroom. I quickly stepped back from the mirror, aware of their presence.

“If I wait a little longer, they’ll come…”

I should order Si-woo’s favorite drink and wait for him. I purposely chose a seat by the window so Baek Cheong-ha could watch from outside.

This is where the fork in the road comes. Option A is barging into the cafe and sitting next to us to interrogate and question. Option B is going back home and crying loudly.

I hope for Option B, but even if it’s Option A, I’m not too worried. If Baek Cheong-ha sees us without any barriers, he’ll realize, “Oh, Si-woo and I are so distant from each other.”

That’s how little distance there is between me and Si-woo right now. Like the north and south poles of a magnet, we stick together and can’t be easily separated.

“Can I take your order?”

With a sense of triumph, I flashed a bright smile and took out my card.

“Uh, one grande size and one plain yogurt smoothie, please.”

“Order received.”

The posture of the part-time worker, who was previously upright, slightly slouched forward as he fumbled with his words and swiftly took my card from my hand.

He frantically searched for the card reader, looking around in all directions. But no matter how hard he looked, he wouldn’t find it. The card reader was right in front of me, where the customer stands.

“Could you… give me back my card? The reader is right here in front of you.”

“Oh. Sorry, I apologize.”

Another part-time worker who had been watching pushed the fumbling worker aside and stood in front of the counter instead.

This worker seemed a bit more experienced. He looked about the same age as Kang Hwi.

“Please insert it in front.”

“Okay.”

Beep.

As the payment was completed and the card was returned, the part-time worker handed me a vibrating pager.

I nodded and took the pager before returning to my seat where I had left it.

Today, people’s stares felt particularly piercing.

Even though I naturally attracted all kinds of attention from people of all ages and genders when walking down the street, today the intensity of their gazes was on a different level.

I had only put in a little effort to visually outshine Baek Cheong-ha, but based on the reactions of those around me, I could almost predict how Baek Cheong-ha would react.

The operation seems to have been successful. No need to see more.

I waited for the drinks to be ready and glanced at my phone. Since Siwoo was supposed to come with Baek Cheongha, I planned to pass the time by looking at some shorts or something.

However, it didn’t take long for the empty seat in front of me to be filled.

With a sudden sound, as the chair moved, I reflexively raised my head and smirked at the neatly dressed man in front of me.

Despite my cold reaction, the man, who neatly swept his bangs back, pulled out a business card from his wallet and handed it to me.

“Hello. You were surprised when I suddenly sat down, right?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. You’re an honest type. Very good. So… could you please take a look at this business card?”

It was quite an expensive suit. He didn’t seem like a street vendor. Just in case it was a cult, I grabbed the business card ready to chase him away at any moment.

[KJ ENTERTAINMENT]

If it was a classical entertainment planning company. I couldn’t tell if it was a typical entertainment planning company or not.

Of course, whether this company is big or small. I didn’t know if it was famous or not.

But one thing is for sure. I am being street casted right now.

“I heard that street casting is almost extinct these days….”

Yoon Jiyu told me before my past life. She runs her own Instagram, and nowadays even entertainment planning companies contact through DM.

The times have changed, and there are so many aspiring entertainers that there is no need to recruit talent by scouring the streets.

It seems like an era where people who want to become famous can appeal to their charms on their own, and you can easily pick them up through auditions or just by looking through Instagram.

But it seems that it has almost disappeared, but it still exists. Well, if you contact a well-known planning company through DM, you will be ignored, and even if you hold auditions, it will be difficult to find the talent you like.

If I had done nothing, I would have been curious about how street casting works and would have cooperated a little, but unfortunately, I am in a very busy situation right now.

If I don’t quickly chase away this young casting director in front of me, it will cause a delay in the operation.

“Can we talk for a moment? I want to cast a student.”

I muttered half-closed eyes.

“No?”