episode_0138

“I didn’t realize you wanted me that much…haha…”

Listening to the effort she put in to find me, I felt a bit…

“Touched?”

“No, it gives me goosebumps.”

“Pfft!”

Kim Taehyun spat out the alcohol without drinking it.

“Ah, you’re something else.”

I quickly grabbed a few tissues and wiped the alcohol that had dripped down his chin and neck. Although he was usually sharp-tongued, when he was with me, he seemed vulnerable, almost like looking at Davin, so I couldn’t help but take care of him.

“I-I’ll do it!”

“Shh! Just stay still!”

After wiping away the alcohol he spat out, I focused on her story again.

“Expressing my love for Doyeon in that way is a bit disappointing, but well, we met, so it’s fine. Hehe.”

“So, does that mean…?”

“Yeah, be a model for me.”

A model…again?

Already busy with my project, suddenly becoming a promotional model for the company’s products, I was overwhelmed. Just managing the project I was working on would require me to work non-stop for a month…

“Oh, no, think about it. Money is good to have, but it’s frustrating when you need it and don’t have it. So, earn it while you can. This advice is not just about the work I’m proposing, it’s life advice from a senior.”

Well, I do think that way too, but what can I do if I physically don’t have the time.

Just looking at the project I’m currently working on, I have to stick to it and finish it in a month…

“Oh, we can do it a month later, it’s fine.”

“Was it urgent?”

“It wasn’t urgent, but it wasn’t something we could just ignore. Besides, I have no intention of doing it if it’s not Doyeon.”

“Why does it have to be you?”

“Why does it have to be you?”

It seemed like she wouldn’t let me go until I said, “I’ll do it.”

“I’m not doing this for no reason, just wait a moment.”

Saying that, she took out her laptop from her bag, placed it on the table, turned it on, and sent the photos she took earlier from her phone to the editing program.

“It might take a while, so let’s chat while I work.”

She looked cool focusing on her editing work.

“Um…Team Leader.”

“Yes?”

“If we push a little harder, we could finish our project in about 20 days, right? Then, accepting that offer…”

Oh, I didn’t tell Kim Taehyun about it. The fact that I had been chosen as the promotional model for our project’s product.

“Oh, about that.”

I briefly explained the process of accepting the promotional model job and why I was hesitant to accept Hyemin’s offer, finally understanding why.

“Wow…so you’re saying that Team Leader will not only create our product but also promote it?”

“That’s the idea. That’s why I really don’t have time. I already have to attend the necessary meetings in the sales department.”

The model asked why she had to attend the sales department meeting, and when she asked if they were going to ask Goeun to attend the meeting even if she used her as a model.

“Not only as a model but also as the person who developed the product, experiencing the sales department meeting wouldn’t be a bad idea. You must have a perspective as the person who created the product on how it should be promoted. If it’s not going to end at the team leader level, you’ll have to go up to the director or even the vice president. The higher you go, the farther you have to see, so I don’t think it’s a bad experience.”

I couldn’t say anything in response to Manager Yook’s answer. His words were absolutely right. Therefore, I eventually agreed to participate in all necessary meetings of the sales department, if not all, and accordingly, we agreed that I would attend meetings twice a week.

“Haa, still, the taste of mom. The taste of a wife. Isn’t this too explicit?”

“Wh-what taste?”

“Oh, the slogan is good, isn’t it?”

Even in the midst of work, Cheolsu came back and forth to our table, joining the conversation.

“No, it’s a food company, not a food product, and they’re using such a vulgar appeal to attract attention. Isn’t that a bit too much?”

“Hey, whether it’s food or drinks, or even adult products, they need to be promoted so that people can buy and evaluate them. In the first place, they have to be sold before they can be evaluated, and something simple like this is the best. It’s intuitive. The taste of mom, the taste of a wife. Hah…I don’t know who came up with the idea, but aren’t they a genius?”

It was Manager Yook who came up with this idea.

“Phew, anyway, I accepted it because I thought it would sell, but thinking about doing that poster shoot myself makes me feel endlessly depressed. Sex appeal is an important element of marketing, but when it comes to actually acting it out, it feels burdensome…”

“Think of it lightly, man. The experts will direct you.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Get a grip. Isn’t that a job? You’ll get paid for modeling. How much are they offering?”

I held up one finger to show.

“Ten million won? Hey, if I could get ten million won for a photo shoot, I would…I would bow down and worship.”

I shook my head and added another zero with my other hand.

“W-what? One hundred million?!”

Even Kim Taehyun next to me looked astonished.

“It’s roughly in line with the fees for the actors we were considering, but for an amateur like me…well, not exactly. It makes me wonder if it’s okay for an inexperienced person to receive such a large sum of money for work.”

“Wow…this guy hit the jackpot, huh? Hey…I’m really…wow…”

Cheolsu kept muttering in envy, unable to speak.

Kim Taehyun also seemed lost in thought.

I regretted saying anything unnecessary.

The awkward silence continued.

“That’s it!”

Joo Hyemin exclaimed loudly, turning towards us.

“Is it done?”

Cheolsu leaned over to look at her laptop screen as if asking where to look.

“….”

No one said anything.

“Why, what’s going on?”

Unable to contain his curiosity, Kim Taehyun got up from his seat and went behind Joo Hyemin to look at the laptop screen.

“….”

“What’s going on? Why are both of you so quiet?”

I also turned my head to the laptop screen, wondering how the editing had been done to make it so quiet.

“….”

“Wow…”

“How is it? Impressive, right? Now you understand why I insisted on only Do Yeon for this, right?”

On the laptop screen was a magazine cover-like…no, it was actually the work of the chief editor of a magazine company, so it was more like a magazine cover.

Anyway, following the magazine cover format, they had put my picture just taken and blended it well, and it was really…

“Wow, what kind of company are you guys? You were trying to recruit a model for just 100 million won? You guys are crazy. So when is this being released?”

“That’s right. Even if they offered me 10 billion instead of 1 billion… Oh, I’ll subscribe for 1, 1 year. No, 10 years!”

Cheolsu and Kim Taehyun each said.

I just sat there with my mouth hanging open, staring blankly at the laptop screen.

“Wow… amazing.”

As she said. It was really amazing.

Is this… me?

I don’t know. It’s the same picture and I didn’t even do much with my hands. I just edited it like a magazine cover, but it made me feel like a celebrity.

“Oh, and you’re going to be a product promotional model at work? Is that all you’re going to do?”

While working, she mentioned the promotional model job we were going to do.

“Our filming team will take care of that. Cheaply. So, help me out a bit.”

“Well, we need to get the company’s approval for that part.”

“Whatever, it’s fine.”

With just a few words, she showed me what she was going to do, turned my mind around, considered my circumstances enough, and smoothly let go of the small things to quickly move forward with what she wanted to do.

Oh, I might be falling for this person.

“Y-yes. I respect you!”

I blurted out without realizing it.

Ah, Kim Taehyun. So this is how you feel! (Not at all. Just bit my tongue)

“Anyway, Doyeon. You’ve accepted the cover model offer, right?”

Unable to deny her words, I just nodded.