episode_0006

The final casting for Seo Yisoo’s “My Manager” was confirmed in the early hours of that day.

The next day, Shin Jihu came out with her early to the filming location.

“You’re a rookie. You should come early and greet the seniors and staff. In this industry, greetings are half the battle.”

Seo Yisoo remained silent.

“Plus, the schedule might suddenly change, and you might have to film first. The original schedule is usually centered around the main actors.”

Seo Yisoo remained silent again.

“Sigh.”

Shin Jihu finally sighed and glanced at Seo Yisoo.

“Are you still upset?”

“You’re quite strict.”

“Why is a 20-year-old girl strict… No, wait. Is it because of that outfit?”

Shin Jihu gestured towards the dress Seo Yisoo was wearing.

A flashy dress.

Although it was a bit attention-grabbing, it was undeniably beautiful.

And it was an expensive dress sponsored by the drama’s costume team.

“Looks pretty.”

Despite her sullen expression, Seo Yisoo looked beautiful in the dress.

She was already a noticeably beautiful actress compared to ordinary people.

And with the subtle change in her appearance recently, she seemed even more charming.

“Why is she like this?”

Shin Jihu couldn’t understand why Seo Yisoo, who suddenly seemed to dislike wearing women’s clothes, was throwing a tantrum.

It was a pretty and expensive dress.

A dress that Seo Yisoo wouldn’t normally wear even if she died and came back to life.

It was a dress she could only wear because of the role she played as the top star Cha Yeon-soo.

“Other people would be proud to wear such a dress, even if it’s sponsored. Why are you like this?”

“Are you talking about other girls?”

Seo Yisoo muttered awkwardly.

She tugged at the hem of the slightly short dress with her fingertips.

Her slightly chubby thighs were visible below the skirt.

She was very conscious of this short skirt.

She couldn’t relax because she felt like her underwear would be exposed if she moved even a little.

Although she was wearing shorts underneath…

She still didn’t quite understand the concept of underwear.

Her grandfather was a Dragon Lord.

Seo Yisoo’s true self, Volkid, was, in a way, a prince of the dragon tribe.

“If other dragons saw me like this… It would be terrible!”

She couldn’t help but think that.

“You’re ridiculous. You troublemaker!”

Naturally, Shin Jihu pushed her into the dressing room and didn’t let her out until she changed.

“I just… I just want to act. What does wearing these airy clothes have to do with what I want?”

Acting for the first time last night.

It was really fun.

It gave her a different kind of joy than just wandering the world for fun.

That’s why Seo Yisoo just wanted to act.

Not wear women’s clothes like this.

Of course, to Shin Jihu, it was nonsense.

“Do you call that a reason…!”

He almost raised his voice without realizing it.

If Seo Yisoo had said this last night…

Shin Jihu would have scolded her without hesitation and made sure his naive and clueless actress learned her lesson.

But the words she heard from KS Entertainment CEO Kang Sung-cheol the day before…

Seo Yisoo’s personal history kept bothering him.

Unfortunate past.

And mental illness.

Both were keywords that made Shin Jihu feel weak.

“Come to think of it, she mentioned amnesia. This one.”

It’s not a completely believable claim.

But he couldn’t just dismiss it as a lie.

Shin Jihu sighed.

“Hmm? What, what are you doing?”

With that, Shin Ji-hoo patted Seo Yisoo’s head.

He locked eyes with her.

And then, he let out a small chuckle.

“Don’t you know when you see it? I’m just petting you.”

“….”

“You said you had amnesia. Honestly, I don’t really believe it.”

He couldn’t trust her.

He said.

But still….

“But well, who knows. Let’s say it’s true. If it is, then you must be feeling quite anxious right now.”

Shin Ji-hoo decided to show some empathy.

He thought about the situation from Seo Yisoo’s perspective.

“Yeah. Suddenly losing your memory, auditioning yesterday, shooting today, being told to wear fancy clothes. You must have been really anxious. Sorry, I didn’t think about that.”

“…Uh, no. It’s not that bad.”

Seo Yisoo stumbled over her words.

Just a moment ago, she was scolding Shin Ji-hoo.

But now, seeing Shin Ji-hoo suddenly become gentle, she was taken aback.

“Why am I acting like this?”

She couldn’t understand why she was so affected by a mere human man’s actions.

In the midst of her confusion, Shin Ji-hoo leaned in closer to her and spoke in a tender voice.

“If you don’t want to do the shoot right now and you’re forcing yourself, just tell me. You don’t have to do it.”

“It’s… what are you saying? Didn’t you say it was important and that you had to do it? You’ll suffer a lot if you refuse.”

“It doesn’t matter. If you’re having a hard time and forcing yourself to do it, just tell me. You don’t have to do it.”

“….”

Seo Yisoo fidgeted with the hem of her dress as she looked up at Shin Ji-hoo.

She still couldn’t calm the turmoil in her heart.

She couldn’t understand why she was feeling this way.

Her face was turning red, and her heart was pounding… as if she was…

“Like a woman in love. No! That can’t be it.”

Seo Yisoo immediately dismissed the fleeting thought.

It was nonsense.

“Fall in love with a human man just because he’s being nice? There’s no such nonsense in the world.”

Seo Yisoo’s true self was a Valkid.

A man.

Above all, a dragon.

According to Seo Yisoo’s knowledge, it was impossible for a human of a different species to fall in love with her.

But then, what was this feeling that was tormenting her?

She couldn’t figure it out.

“Don’t overthink it, just tell me honestly.”

And even now, Shin Ji-hoo was demanding an answer with a warm attitude.

“Well….”

Seo Yisoo’s voice didn’t come out easily because her emotions were still in turmoil.

She continued to fidget with the hem of her dress.

Ahem, she cleared her throat a few times and forced out a sound.

“I, I don’t need to do that. I’m just not used to this skirt.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course.”

The gaze that was fixed on her made her feel embarrassed.

Seo Yisoo lowered her head and avoided the gaze.

In her ear, Shin Ji-hoo’s voice flowed.

“Then, from the next shoot, I’ll ask for more active outfits for you to wear. But since today’s setup is already done, let’s just bear with it for today. How does that sound?”

Not pushing her.

But persuading her.

Seo Yisoo wasn’t used to this kind of speech.

She had no immunity to it.

It was hard to resist.

“Well…. Okay. I’ll do that.”

She nodded quite obediently.

Feeling embarrassed, she still kept her head down.

“Hmm.”

So she didn’t realize that Shin Ji-hoo, who was looking down at her, was smiling meaningfully.

“I guess this kid needs to be handled like this.”

Shin Ji-hoo felt triumphant.

He had finally found a way to tame the actress who had been giving him a headache.

Of course, his words of empathy and concern for her were sincere.

“…I won’t end up like my mother.”

Mentally unstable Seo Yi-soo.

When he looked at her, his mother came to mind.

The mother who abandoned her.

And yet, his mother who suffered from depression and eventually committed suicide.

He wouldn’t let these two women meet the same fate.

“But still, I’m not responsible for her entire life. As an actress, she needs to be able to take care of herself.”

Just make sure Seo Yi-soo can earn a living in the entertainment industry on her own.

Let’s make that happen.

It’s also my job as a manager.

And maybe…

Somehow.

By helping Seo Yi-soo grow, he might come to understand her mother who she resembles.

He had a feeling like that too.

“Shin Ji-hoo.”

At that moment, Seo Yi-soo raised her head.

Shin Ji-hoo quickly changed his expression.

“Yeah? Why did you call me?”

“Hmm.”

Seo Yi-soo hesitated, as if she had something to say.

But for various reasons, she seemed hesitant.

“What’s wrong? It’s okay. Tell me.”

Shin Ji-hoo gently encouraged Seo Yi-soo.

“Well, you.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve felt since yesterday… why are you being so nice to me?”

“Being nice to you?”

“Well, I’m not sure exactly what you’re doing for me, but you seem to be treating me well. Why are you doing that to me?”

With a flushed face, she asked this question.

She bowed her head and mumbled to herself.

Was she really worrying about this?

Why are you treating me well?

A girlish question.

Shin Ji-hoo thought to himself that Seo Yi-soo was just a girl of the same age.

Although it was a misconception.

He said.

To avoid any misunderstandings.

“Well, I’m your manager.”

“Manager?”

“Yeah. Manager. That’s what managers do.”

“Manager…”

Seo Yi-soo rolled the word around in her mouth.

She didn’t know the meaning of the word.

Although she had learned the language through .

She didn’t know the meanings of words that didn’t exist in her original world.

“Hmm.”

It was intriguing.

She wanted to know.

She said.

“Come to think of it, the drama I’m in… the title is .”

“Oh. Right. The male lead is an entertainment manager. An old star who runs out of money becomes a manager or something. Honestly, it’s a fantasy because it’s a drama.”

The two of them started talking about the show.

“Hmm.”

As they conversed.

Seo Yi-soo absentmindedly pressed her finger to her lips.

She seemed lost in thought.

“Why are you doing that again?”

Shin Ji-hoo asked casually.

Seo Yi-soo was strange to begin with.

But since yesterday, she had become even stranger.

Even if this strange girl suddenly did something strange, it wasn’t that strange.

As a manager.

All he had to do was keep an eye on what this strange girl was thinking.

“It’s nothing.”

“Hmm?”

But Seo Yi-soo remained silent.

She kept her thoughts to herself.

And she thought.

‘A manager.’

She was thinking about what a manager was.

‘I see.’

She thought about the relationship between a manager and an actress.

‘So that’s why.’

She seemed to understand why she was so concerned about the actions of this insignificant human man.

‘Because he’s someone who takes care of me.’

An actress acts.

In the entertainment industry, you portray fleeting acting moments in a shining world. Despite that, you must stand out like a flash to leave a lasting impression on people’s minds.

And, on the other hand, the manager.

They are the ones who help actresses focus solely on acting.

To take care of them in such a way.

Care.

“When was it?”

Since receiving care, Seo Yisoo tried to estimate how much time had passed.

Roughly.

It was the time when the moon reached 1027 years, 271 days, 8 hours, 27 minutes, and 25 seconds.

“I see.”

So that’s how it was.

Seo Yisoo thought.

It was a very long time.

For too long, she was alone.

During that long time.

She had become someone unfamiliar with care.

“….”

She kept feeling ticklish.

It was an unfamiliar feeling to Seo Yisoo.

She felt uncomfortable for some reason.

But she couldn’t refuse the warm words and gestures on that subject.

“Hmm.”

Seo Yisoo coolly avoided Shin Jihu’s gaze.

One thing…

A strange feeling crept in.

“Shin Jihu.”

“Yeah?”

“The manager… they must want their actress to succeed, right?”

“Of course. That’s why they’re a manager.”

“I see. I understand.”

She had always loved acting.

But now.

She felt herself moving one step further from there.

She wanted to act well.

So she wanted to make her manager, Shin Jihu, happy.