Episode 129: Flirting
The laughter thanks to E-GIS lasted only a moment.
As soon as I returned to the empty house and sat there blankly, the issue with Lee Hee-kyung and Starlight quickly filled my head again.
First, let’s list out what’s certain: the cause is definitely “me.”
Earlier I had entertained thoughts about investors or whatever,
‘But if it’s the Lee Hee-kyung I know, she wouldn’t be swayed like that.’
No matter how much money is on the line, she’s not the type to be helplessly dragged along.
If anything, she would have laid out logical reasons why they shouldn’t go and dismantled any opposition.
The hypothesis that she’s trying to break through Polaris’s string of failures with Project Trinity also has too weak a connection.
Once I rule out those possibilities, the only thing left is to circle back to the very first reason that came to mind.
But that’s where it ends.
‘No matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure it out.’
I still have absolutely no sense of what Lee Hee-kyung hopes to gain by throwing Airi and the other Starlight trainees into Project Trinity.
Even Seo Yoon-je, who heard the story from me, said he couldn’t get a read on that part either.
“No matter what, she won’t be able to pull off something like what happened with Jooyul. So don’t worry too much about it, Yujin-ssi.”
Recalling Seo Yoon-je brought back the words he said as he wrapped up our call.
He’s definitely right about that.
Seo Yoon-je could say it so easily because he doesn’t know Kevin Lee’s case, but even taking that into account, it wouldn’t be easy for Lee Hee-kyung to pull any dirty tricks on Project Trinity.
Sunshine, JWY, Overwhelm, and other mid-sized agencies with some recognition.
It’s a program where people from the same industry all gather, and the organizer is Music On Net—one of the true majors in the music industry, so major that even public broadcasters can’t easily get a foot in the door.
If she were stupid enough to turn all of them into enemies, she wouldn’t have reached her current position in the first place, and I wouldn’t be this wary of her either.
‘Moreover, if it’s Airi of all people, not just any trainee…’
Her talent is far too valuable to use as mere bait.
Even Lee Hee-kyung wouldn’t do something that might sweep Airi up in the fallout.
So, just as Seo Yoon-je said, I should stop worrying about it and focus on my own work.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t shake the issue so easily.
‘The more I consciously try not to think about it, the more I become aware of it…’
Because I remembered that Lee Hee-kyung already knew the risks of Project Trinity, that tendency only grew stronger.
In the end, the moment I managed to push Starlight out of my head was
Beep beep beep beep beep beep. Piroriri.
After that mechanical sound echoed through the house.
The sudden sound of the door lock snapped me back to my senses.
‘What? Why is she back already…?’
It was the time when the sun was just starting to set.
It wasn’t exactly late for coming home, but considering how late Zia had been coming back these days, this was definitely early.
‘Oh no, I haven’t prepared dinner yet.’
This is bad.
I had assumed it would be another late night, so I hadn’t even started preparing dinner.
‘Looks like we’ll have to order in today?’
The rule in our couple ever since the rooftop room days is that the first one home prepares dinner.
Since I broke that rule, it seems today’s menu will have to lean toward something spicy.
‘Tteokbokki? Chicken feet? Nakgopsae?’
As I walked toward the entrance to greet Zia, my mind busy debating which of her favorite dishes to order, her figure came into view.
And in that instant,
I couldn’t help but think that whatever happens to Lee Hee-kyung doesn’t matter anymore.
“Yujin-ah…!”
The way she called my name carried a strange sense of déjà vu.
‘Ah.’
The moment I took in her flushed red face, I realized what that déjà vu was.
It looked incredibly similar to the expression she had a year ago when Mrs. Moon Sook-hee told her I had passed the Blind Singer preliminaries.
Of course, realizing that was one thing,
‘But why all of a sudden?’
I had no idea why Zia was so flushed that she reminded me of that moment.
“Zia-ya?”
My lovely lover quickly cleared up my question.
Without even taking off her shoes, she wrapped her soft arms around the back of my neck, clinging to me, and whispered into my ear.
“I’m going into a drama…!”
“Huh?”
Even I think the stupid-sounding voice that leaked out of my mouth was pathetic.
It wasn’t that I didn’t understand what Zia said.
‘A drama, huh.’
It was just that I hadn’t heard a single word about it beforehand, so I had zero context and was purely shocked.
Fortunately, even though my brain had frozen, my body was faithfully doing what needed to be done.
I wrapped my arms around Zia’s waist where she clung to me, lifted her up high, and started doing joyful little steps.
“Kyaa! I’m getting dizzy!”
We spun around a few times while she laughed brightly like that.
At some point I realized her hands, still wrapped around the back of my neck, had interlocked fingers. I gently set her down and faced her.
“What? How did this happen? You never said a word to me. Not even the ‘d’ in drama, and suddenly you’re going into one?”
“I auditioned the day before yesterday, and today they called to say I passed.”
Looking a little shy, Zia finally spilled the details she’d kept secret until now.
“Out of all the scripts that came my way, this was the only one that really felt like they wanted me, not just my sister. Still, they said I had to audition anyway? I practiced hard… but if I failed, it would’ve been so embarrassing… so I didn’t tell you. Sorry.”
If that’s the reason, I can understand it completely.
Of course I can.
‘I’ve secretly auditioned a few times without telling Zia myself.’
It’s a very old story, and unlike the current Zia, I never managed to tell her about those in the end.
But I think I can understand the feelings she must have had going into that audition.
“What kind of drama is it? What’s the genre? What’s your role? When does filming start, and when’s it airing?”
Still, the fact that I can’t help pouring out this waterfall of questions is a separate issue from understanding.
“Ask one at a time. I’m still dizzy.”
Zia gave me a small scolding like that,
But she kept smiling and began answering each of my questions one by one.
“It’s not some huge drama—it’s a one-episode single-act play. Have you heard of ‘Story Inside’?”
“Story Inside? Wow!”
Truthfully, I didn’t really know the name.
But I put my all into the reaction.
No matter what else, the fact that Zia is going to be in it already makes that single-act program valuable.
“Pfft.”
Obviously, that level of reaction couldn’t fool her.
Zia let out a short laugh, immediately caught that I didn’t know “Story Inside,” and added a brief explanation.
“It’s the second program they’re doing on the channel where you were broadcast together.”
“Really?”
Now that changes things.
That cable channel—the one I have a small connection with—is, just like how its affiliate Music On Net dominates the music industry, a channel that holds its own against public broadcasters when it comes to dramas.
For a newbie whose first serious acting role this is, even if it’s just a single-act play, getting cast on a channel like that isn’t an easy opportunity at all.
Zia gave another soft laugh at my slightly different reaction this time, then continued answering my questions.
“The genre… I guess you could call it romance?”
That one sentence made my heart sink.
In K-dramas, doesn’t “romance” basically mean ‘that scene’ is mandatory?
‘I’m not mentally prepared yet…’
Even if it’s just acting, the thought of Zia with another man… it’s so awful I don’t even want to finish the thought.
“Ugh, don’t worry. My role isn’t the female lead—it’s her friend. There’s no love line at all. Purely a supporting helper position.”
She read my mind again.
And because the content of that mind-reading was what it was, this time even I couldn’t play it cool and had to look away. Still, I couldn’t help smiling in satisfaction at her additional explanation,
“If that’s how it’s gonna be, why did you tell me to try acting in the first place? Well… honestly, I actually like this kind of role better.”
Zia muttered that while giving me a slight side-eye, clearly not actually upset at all, then finished answering the rest of my questions.
“Script reading is next week, and they’ll let me know the filming schedule after that’s done. It’s scheduled to air in September this year.”
Her voice had calmed down considerably.
But the way her face was bathed in the evening glow that perfectly matched the current time had already etched itself deeply into my eyes.
Just from that alone, I could feel exactly how much she was looking forward to it.
Without a word, I pulled Zia tightly into my arms.
I didn’t say anything, but I’m sure my true feelings got through to her perfectly.
The rapid heartbeat I could feel through our thin clothes must have carried the message for me.
After sharing each other’s warmth like that for a while, I lightly changed the subject.
“How about we make dinner special tonight? Chicken feet for the first time in a while?”
“Hm? Really?”
Even now, when we’ve gotten so used to ordering delivery for every meal that it doesn’t faze us anymore, Zia still couldn’t shake her ingrained thriftiness and gave me a sideways glance.
I have no idea how someone like her managed to say “Keep the change” to that taxi driver back then.
Of course, if I actually brought that up, the only result would be a smack across my back.
“On a day like today, it’s fine, right?”
“Tch, look at you trying to sneak past like a snake slithering over a wall. Sigh. Fine. Today the menu choice is spot-on, so I’ll give you that. I’m going to shower first.”
Zia shook her head as if she couldn’t win against my nonsense and turned away.
Right when I was about to look up where to order the chicken feet that would make her face melt into ecstasy the moment she took a bite—
“Ah.”
Zia’s footsteps stopped.
“You’re not curious about the content? You don’t really care about spoilers anyway, Yujin.”
Her words made me pause for a second.
‘Of course I’m curious.’
Like she said, I’m not the type to mind spoilers.
That hasn’t really changed even now, after coming back from seeing the entire future.
It’s just that,
‘I want to see it through Zia’s acting.’
The meaning shifts a little when Zia is the one involved.
“There’s a script in my bag. If you’re curious, go ahead and read it.”
But that was all Zia said before she disappeared into the bathroom.
As if she hadn’t noticed my inner thoughts this time.
‘No way that’s true.’
Not long ago, So-young asked me:
How can you two understand each other so perfectly just by meeting eyes?
I answered:
It just happens for no reason.
Because we love each other, we just know.
That’s how it is between Zia and me—it’s natural.
It would actually be weirder if she suddenly couldn’t read me now.
Looking at our conversation from that perspective,
‘This… is her telling me to read it…?’
The words sounded like a casual suggestion, but it was clearly her way of saying “Don’t skip this—read it.”
If she’s going that far, then I have no choice but to read it.
I picked up Zia’s eco bag that had been dropped near the entrance and took out the booklet inside.
The corners were glossy from handling, and except for the spiral binding, every edge—top, bottom, right—had little post-its sticking out here and there. It was, unmistakably, an actor’s working script.
I slowly took in the title.
[1 Hit Lover]
Probably read as “One Hit Lover.”
Sure enough, it was a drama I’d never heard of.
The “1 Hit” part was written in a dynamic font that almost looked like a game combo counter, so for a second I wondered if it was some gaming-related thing.
“…!”
But after reading just a couple of pages, I immediately understood why Zia had told me to read it.
It was to tell me the reason she had no choice but to choose this drama.
‘An unknown male idol as the male lead, his fan as the female lead. And the love between the two of them.’
A situation so familiar that “familiar” doesn’t even cover it.
If it was this, then of course Zia couldn’t just let it pass by.
Especially if this script genuinely wanted her—not just trying to catch Lee Ahjeong’s interest.
‘At this point, Lee Hee-kyung and all that really doesn’t matter anymore…’
The fact that Zia is showing this to me is,
In itself, her completely unguarded way of expressing her feelings toward me—her own version of affection—and anyone could see that clearly.
‘Looks like sleeping early tonight is out of the question.’
How could the fire not ignite when she’s flirting like this?
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TL Note:
Want to read ahead?
Chapters 130–154 are available on My Patreon (Premium Tier) together with 5 other novels.
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[This series is in the “Regressed Idol” collection]
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