Chapter 2
“This is bad. Our actress Im’s face… it’s a mess. I can barely recognize her.”
Ryu-jin chuckled and pulled her mask back up. Hong-young teased with a sly grin.
“By the way, your acting keeps getting better, huh? You could really be an actress now.”
“I want to. Actors make millions anyway.”
Her cheek still stung. It was already bruised badly, and she wondered how swollen it would be by tomorrow. She barely kept her composure; another hit and she might have completely lost it.
Perhaps reading her thoughts, Hong-young chuckled and threw an arm over Ryu-jin’s shoulder.
“Noona, but you really didn’t sleep with that guy, right? Ack!”
Hong-young jabbed her side with an elbow, feigning pain like a child.
“I told you, I didn’t.”
“Oh, just kidding! Of course not. I know you’ll sell everything else, but never your body!”
“Stop annoying me and let go, alright?”
Ryu-jin trudged forward, dragging her tired body while Hong-young fussed.
The neon lights of the night streets flashed brilliantly. This was the same street she had strolled arm-in-arm with Hogu just yesterday.
Recalling Hogu’s hungry gaze, glancing at her chest as if it were appetizing, gave her goosebumps.
She felt dirty. After completing her task, it was only natural to mentally heal herself from the past two months of intense stress.
“Hey, you go in first.”
“Huh? Why? We should toast. Didn’t the director say he’d forgive us even if we pop a bottle of Dom Pérignon tonight?”
Director Kwak, who once promised lobster but settled for lobster chicken instead, had a sharp tongue.
Ryu-jin shook her head, silently asking if she should believe that.
“I’m not in the mood for that today.”
“Why? Oh! Because you haven’t been paid yet, right? Well, you only act human when there’s money in your account.”
Hong-young cheerfully nudged Ryu-jin’s shoulder, as if to encourage her. When Ryu-jin suddenly grabbed her hand and twisted it, Hong-young squealed, “Ah! Just kidding, just kidding!”
Ryu-jin considered twisting her other arm too but decided it was a waste of time and let go.
“Get lost. Call me if something urgent comes up.”
“Got it, noona. Then I’ll go ahead. Call me if you get bored! I’ll come running!”
Hong-young threw her arms up over her head, forming a heart shape, and Ryu-jin gave her the middle finger. She still giggled like it was fun.
Piercings dangled from both ears, she leaned back laughing loudly—like a proper delinquent thug.
Well, she almost went along that path…
Ryu-jin clicked her tongue and turned around, heading to find a bar for some real relaxation.
“Going alone? Must be boring. Come play. I’ll give you plenty of service!”
The weekend night streets were full of hustlers. Every step, Ryu-jin had to shoo away persistent ones like Hong-young.
Compliments about her beauty poured in at her uncovered face. Ryu-jin covered her ears completely and left the club street.
As she moved down, the noisy crowds gradually disappeared.
The air grew heavy and quiet. The few bars that remained had an unmistakably expensive vibe.
“Oppa has been checking restaurants day and night just to treat Dasom well.”
“Treating her mouth,” Ryu-jin thought bitterly.
Hogu, who kept calling him “oppa,” only visited bars, and very secluded ones at that—places unlikely to encounter anyone they knew.
Ryu-jin’s irritation surged. On impulse, she called a taxi and had it drop her off at a hotel.
Riding the elevator with wealthy people, her thoughts grew tangled.
Overdoing it?
She could have just gone to a decent bar and drunk until she was tipsy.
But well, a large sum would come in tomorrow anyway…
“Noona, you really have no plan sometimes. Your self-control freezes at the most important moments,” Hong-young’s words suddenly popped into her head.
Ryu-jin felt defensive at that thought and fully rationalized her actions as she got off the elevator.
Just before entering the bar, she hesitated at the door. She couldn’t drink with her mask on, so she pulled out sunglasses from her bag.
The odds of being recognized were low, but she always had to be careful in her line of work.
“Ah.”
As Ryu-jin opened the door, she accidentally bumped into someone coming out. It was light contact, barely enough to make a sound.
Still, her eyes met the man’s behind his sunglasses, and he let out an “Ah.”
“…Sorry.”
Ryu-jin bowed slightly, cautious not to cause trouble. Her voice carried a subtle irritation, though, as if the apology were forced.
Apparently, he noticed.
Thunk!
“You don’t look sorry to me.”
Just as Ryu-jin tried to pull the door, the man’s hand, placed higher, pressed down to stop her from opening it further.
A chill ran down her neck.
It would have been better if he had been picking a fight. At least she could have played along and ended it.
But the man was smiling, as if amused that she got caught off guard.
“Woo-tae!”
A woman with him scolded him, signaling to stop and leave it alone.
But the man called Woo-tae ignored her, not even glancing at the woman who tugged his arm.
In that brief moment, Ryu-jin realized—he didn’t want her to accompany him. That’s why he used her as a way out.
Ryu-jin pondered briefly.
Should she help, or not?
Either choice wouldn’t benefit her directly, but helping seemed like it could end the situation faster.
Besides, his appearance was striking enough to make her overlook his sudden rudeness.
“Then report it yourself.”
Ryu-jin stepped out boldly, tilted, and even the woman who had been tugging at his arm flinched.
“You must’ve gotten hurt badly.”
Ryu-jin teased, even though she hadn’t touched him. His eyes flickered with a hint of movement.
He twisted his lips, pretending to suppress a laugh, and then, surprisingly casually, put on an annoyed expression for the woman.
“Go upstairs first.”
“Woo-tae! The chairman told us not to cause a scene…”
“So I’m helping you out. Go upstairs.”
“…Really, I have to go up. If I don’t, I won’t stay quiet.”
The doll-like woman gave a final warning and spun around. Her angry footsteps faded away, and Ryu-jin faced the man.
Soon, ding—the sound of the elevator doors closing echoed.
Ryu-jin raised an eyebrow.
“Done?”
She muttered sharply and pulled the door again. This time he didn’t block it. A low chuckle followed her as the elevator moved.
