Chapter 65
“― What kind of people do your parents dislike?”
“― What do you mean?”
“― You know, types of personalities they can’t stand. Like rude ones, for example.”
“― Hmm. More than that… my mom doesn’t like people who are overly cheerful and clueless about social cues. And my dad hates people who are weak or cry easily.”
“― Weak?”
“― He can’t stand people who can’t do anything on their own and just depend on others for everything.”
“…Oh. I thought you meant to avoid acting that way.”
“Why would I avoid it? The goal is to piss your mom off, remember? I even waved on purpose so she’d get a good look at the ring.”
“You did that on purpose?”
“Of course. And if I acted like my real self and your parents actually ended up liking me, then what? What would we do then?”
Sara looked serious when she said it.
“What if your dad likes me so much he insists you marry me?”
“That’s not going to—”
“Don’t be so sure. It’s possible, you know?”
She sounded so certain that Seungtae couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“What? Why are you laughing? You think this is funny? I’m being serious!”
Just then, his phone buzzed shortly.
While the vibration stopped, he glanced at the message.
“…Mission accomplished.”
“What is it?”
“My mom throws vases when she’s mad. Apparently, three of them just got smashed.”
“Oh…”
Sara wasn’t sure whether to congratulate him or feel sorry.
After an awkward pause, she changed the subject.
“What about your dad? Did he swing any golf clubs around? He looked really angry.”
“Don’t worry about him. He’ll grumble, but he won’t actually do anything. It’s my mom you should watch out for — she might try to contact you behind my back.”
“You mean, like handing me an envelope full of cash and telling me to break up with you?”
“My mom’s more the whip than carrot type. She doesn’t bribe — she hits where it hurts. Like getting your family or friends in trouble. Having someone fired, that sort of thing.”
“…Huh?”
Sara, who had been slumped in the passenger seat, suddenly sat up straight like a spring.
That was not something she’d prepared for.
“Don’t worry. I’ve already made arrangements for that.”
“Really? Because if anyone gets hurt because of me — Eunyeong, or anyone else — I won’t forgive myself.”
“Of course not. This is our issue, not theirs.”
He said it with such conviction that her anxiety eased a little.
By the time they finished talking, they had arrived.
“Thanks for the ride.”
“You’re starting filming soon, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You’ll be busy then. But it’s the movie you wanted to do, so give it your all.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Investor. I’ll work hard!”
“I’m off.”
Sara waved until his car disappeared from sight.
“Director Choi.”
“Oh, Sara! You’re here? Hot day, huh? Sit, sit. Byungjoo! Bring a fan over!”
“It’s fine. Don’t bother. I’ll go change and get my makeup done.”
“Ah, alright. See you in a bit.”
The first day of shooting was pure chaos.
Not just Eunyeong — even the staff were running around, unsure where to go. Just setting up the camera took more than two hours.
“The wait’s longer than I thought.”
“It’s the first day. Always like this.”
“Want me to grab some coffee?”
“Yeah, please. Thanks, Jooyoung.”
Sara stayed seated, eyes still fixed on her script.
It was already covered in highlighter and underlines. She murmured lines quietly — until someone sat beside her.
Assuming it was Jooyoung returning, she reached out her hand.
Instead of a cup of coffee, she felt someone clasp it — for a handshake.
“Long time no see.”
“Wha—”
“How have you been? You look even prettier.”
“I thought you didn’t have any scenes scheduled today, Mr. Kang Hanseong.”
Her voice was cold, sharper than a freshly honed blade.
She yanked her hand away instantly.
But Hanseong only smiled with infuriating ease.
“First day of shooting — I should drop by, say hello. And I wanted to see you too.”
“…”
Sara already knew — reason didn’t work with this man.
So she chose her usual strategy: ignore him.
She turned back to her script.
“How have you been? I was really worried when I heard from the news you were hospitalized. You could’ve at least told me.”
“…”
“When I was in England, I thought about you a lot. Things I should’ve done for you kept coming back to me.”
“…”
“You’re not even looking at me. That hurts, you know. Don’t you miss me, Sara?”
When she still didn’t respond, he leaned closer, whispering near her ear.
The fine hairs on her neck stood on end.
She clenched her teeth, turned, and glared at him.
“There you go. Finally looking at me.”
“Hey.”
“Hey?”
“Do you not remember what I told you last time? I said don’t talk to me in private. What, did your brain reset already?”
“Come on, I’m still your oppa. Isn’t ‘hey’ a bit rude?”
“And you think it’s not rude calling your senior by name without honorifics?”
“…This is why I like you, Sara. You always say exactly what you think.”
“Want me to show you how far that goes, Kang Hanseong? I’m warning you — don’t talk to me off camera. Don’t even look at me. Unless you want to end up at the police station. Got it?”
“Your temper’s gotten worse since I last saw you.”
Sadly, the warning didn’t faze him at all.
He even laughed.
“Nunaaa, I brought the cof— oh…”
Jooyoung came running, coffee in both hands, but froze when she saw him.
“The new road manager? Guess Mirae went back to the office.”
“Ah, hello! I’m Lee Jooyoung.”
“Oh, Jooyoung. Nice to meet you. You know who I am, right?”
Hanseong stood and patted her shoulder.
Jooyoung bowed awkwardly.
“Yes, you’re actor Kang Hanseong…”
“Wrong. I’m Sara’s ex-boyfriend.”
“That son of a—”
“Nuna! Coffee! Please, drink your coffee!”
Jooyoung quickly shoved a cup into Sara’s hands, sensing the explosion coming.
Hanseong smirked. “Oof, scary. I’ll run before I get hit.”
Then he strolled off leisurely.
“Jooyoung.”
“Yes?”
“You put the golf club in the van, right?”
“…”
“Make sure you do. I’ll be needing it soon.”
She wanted to say, Please don’t joke like that, but Sara’s expression was so cold she just kept her mouth shut.
“So you’re wondering why Sara hates Kang Hanseong so much?”
Mirae opened her lunch box, the food already cold.
Jooyoung, sitting across from her, quickly handed her a pair of chopsticks.
“Yes. I mean, sure, most people don’t stay friends with their exes, but she really hates him. You can feel it — like, even when he’s just breathing nearby.”
“Well, she has her reasons. When they were dating, he was seeing two other women at the same time.”
“What? He cheated? On Sara?”
Jooyoung couldn’t even fathom it.
Cheating — on someone like Sara, a top star?
“Yeah. He already had a bad reputation with women from the start. But before dating Sara, he acted like the perfect gentleman — cut off other women, drove her home every night. But then…”
“Then what?”
“Old habits die hard. Two months in, she caught him messaging another woman. She forgave him, but six months later, she found out he was seeing two more girls simultaneously.”
Mirae shuddered at the memory.
She could still remember Sara’s face when she found out — that look could’ve come straight from the psycho killer she played in Emergency Exit.
“Wow…”
“Oh, we’re not done yet.”
“There’s more?”
“When Sara broke up with him, he went completely nuts. Called and texted nonstop, showed up at her apartment, saying stuff like, ‘You’re my first love,’ and ‘I can’t live without you.’ He even called me dozens of times when she stopped answering.”
“Wow…”
Jooyoung had no other words.
Now she completely understood why Sara couldn’t stand the sight of him.
“He did that for three whole months, you know. Got drunk, showed up at her door in the middle of the night banging until the cops came — twice.”
