Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 73

Former Hero is a Million-Viewer Actor – Episode 73 (73/199)

An All-Time Tag Team Match (5)

* * *

“Great job, everyone!”

“You all worked hard, go on in!”

Another cosmetics commercial shoot has ended.

The staff, after exchanging greetings with Team Leader Jung Il-joon, rush towards Jin Ji-yoo, who is standing a short distance away, asking for autographs.

These days, his image keeps getting better as he’s associated with Park Gun, and even though he’s not doing any major projects, high-paying commercials keep coming in.

His value, which had slightly stagnated after the movie’s failure early last year, has actually increased even more.

It’s influential enough to be considered a ‘Park Gun Effect’.

‘I haven’t really had a proper conversation with him though…’

From the few greetings they’ve exchanged in passing, he’s a character unlike anyone else in the entertainment industry.

Judging by his looks alone, he expected him to be more fastidious than Choi Phillip… but he’s completely different. He’s basically kind to people and has good social skills.

It’s like Goo Shin-seung, who has come to his senses, has become more masculine. Team Leader Jung thought, watching Jin Ji-yoo bending at the knees to take selfies with the staff.

Certainly, when imagining them together, this side also suits him quite well. If only he had beaten Baek Ha-ni in that unofficial audition…

While he was thinking, Jin Ji-yoo, who had walked over energetically, tapped him on the arm. Despite his busy schedule since dawn, he doesn’t show a hint of fatigue.

“Oppa [term used by a younger woman to address an older brother or male friend], what are you doing? Shall we grab a bite before heading in?”

“I already grabbed something while monitoring earlier. You must be sleepy, you should go and rest.”

“Still, you worked hard waiting. There’s a good sushi place near here, so let’s get takeout at least.”

His decisiveness is also outstanding, as he already takes out his smartphone and starts making a reservation as he speaks.

Team Leader Jung watched the actor ordering sushi for him and asked with difficulty.

“Ji-yoo, are you okay?”

“Huh? About what?”

“No, I heard you went alone without a road manager back then. I was wondering if you were disappointed afterwards…”

“Ah, the audition… Pfft. The rumors have all spread, haven’t they?”

There were more than ten staff members present at the scene. No matter how much they try to keep it a secret, it’s hard to stop everything.

Jin Ji-yoo said nonchalantly.

“It’s okay, I did it on purpose.”

“On purpose?”

“I did want the role, but how can I overturn what the company has decided? I just went to protest to make Baek Ha-ni a little nervous. The CEO asked me to film it, but I was worried she might slack off on set.”

If that’s the case, then there’s no big problem. Nodding, Team Leader Jung suddenly realized something even scarier.

If he wanted the role, he might do that. But he wasn’t really trying to take it away, and he went to that trouble to make the drama better?

Team Leader Jung made an effort to clear his throat.

“Ji-yoo, just in case… is there something between you and actor Park Gun? Feelings beyond just colleagues…”

Jin Ji-yoo’s fingers, which had been moving busily, stopped.

His cat-like, upturned eyes stared provocatively at him.

“What if there is?”

“…Huh?”

“Just kidding. How could there be? We’ve never even had a drink together.”

Jin Ji-yoo, wrinkling his nose playfully, walked past him.

“Mackerel and mantis shrimp… Ah, great amberjack! Halibut and tuna would be delicious too.”

Judging by the way he’s rattling off what he wants to eat, he’s probably going to pack another load to take to the company.

However… he’s been with the same celebrities for five years since his road manager days.

Unlike the staff who don’t know because Baek Ha-ni always frowns and Jin Ji-yoo always smiles, team leaders and above have a certain amount of intuition.

“Ji-yoo, let’s go together! You didn’t bring your car!”

Chasing after Jin Ji-yoo busily, Team Leader Jung Il-joon sighed inwardly.

‘One is fake, the other is real.’

*

A weekday morning with no filming or schedule.

His parents had gone out, and Park Sun had gone to CVN for a meeting with the parent company’s finance team.

Taking the driver’s seat instead of the back seat of the van for the first time in a while, Gun is deep in thought.

‘A special prescription is needed.’

What should one do to maintain a smooth relationship with party members?

First of all, information.

First, you need to know the other person’s personality, and second, you need to understand what the other person wants.

The last of the ancient dragon clan who had hidden in the volcanic region to avoid the Great Demon, and the absolute ruler of the city deep in the desert, each had their own desires.

―Weak mortal, can you even fathom the long-cherished desire of our race?

―Avenge my father’s grudge. Then I will become your comrade and follow you to the end of the Demon Realm.

―…Even if it means sacrificing our souls and bodies.

So, he had to do sub-quests in every playthrough, even though it wasn’t in his nature. Of course, later on, he would win them over with a few words tailored to their characteristics and make them join.

‘It was a bit of a hassle, especially in the early stages.’

Those with the same goals… the innocent and kind ones are easy to tempt.

The problem is the smart ones, the ones who know everything, and the ones with nasty tempers.

“It’s always those guys who are useful.”

He had hundreds of regressions worth of experience in the Iron Kingdom, but this life on Earth is still his first.

A former hero who doesn’t even know his own past can’t possibly know the past of others.

So now, he was pretending to be an intelligence agent, which was not in his nature.

-How to get close to Baek Ha-ni?

Choi Phillip, who received the call, burst out laughing as soon as he heard the story.

“Yes. There’s a reason for it.”

-I heard you’re going in together this time. But the fact that you’re asking me that… Hehehe, it’s so like Park Gun that it’s making me dizzy.

After chuckling for a while, he gave this tip.

-Just retire.

“Yes?”

-Baek Ha-ni, she just hates people in the entertainment industry to death. Especially the ones with clout. She’ll just let the coordinators or road managers get away with making mistakes. I don’t know why she’s even in this business if that’s the case.

“I see.”

-Anyway, she’s a twisted person, so just think of her as an AI robot and just act. Unless you’re going to verbally beat her up every time you see her, like me.

He wanted to ask why they didn’t get along, but Gun thanked him and hung up, feeling like he knew why.

The next candidate is the company.

As always, Public Relations Team Leader Gong, who was sipping coffee in the public relations office, also let out a hollow laugh.

“Finally, Gun-ssi has come to take on an impossible quest. But what a pity, Baek Ha-ni is the final boss among the Roman Four Heavenly Kings…”

“What should I do?”

“What, were you serious?”

Gun handed the snacks he had bought to the male employee in the public relations office and replied.

“Of course. Still, we’re in the same agency, so we need to work well together on set.”

He left out the part about how he was worried that real discord rumors would spread this time, unlike with Byun Hwi-seung, where they could talk things out.

Team Leader Gong clicked his tongue as if he knew what was going on.

“I can see why you’re worried, but it’s better to just let it go. Just assume she won’t drop out of the drama.”

“Why is that?”

“Because our Baek actress throws a fit whether you treat her well or not. She also strangely hates handsome people.”

“Actor Choi Phillip told me to retire.”

“Ah, there’s that method too. But you still have a lot of goals to achieve, don’t you?”

When Gun nodded, Team Leader Gong pondered for a long time and then came up with a secret plan.

“Don’t talk to her. If there’s no reason to fight, you’ll naturally become friends.”

“……”

The public relations team leader was of no help either.

In the end, Gun went down to the underground parking lot without any gains and started searching for contact information.

Byun Hwi-seung, Goo Shin-seung… After passing the troublemakers with ‘Seung’ in their names, there was only one person left.

The company’s biggest rival sent an immediate reply.

[Jin Ji-yoo]: Ha-ni unnie [term used by a younger woman to address an older sister or female friend]?

[Jin Ji-yoo]: I’ve been close to her since I first came to the company lol I don’t know what she likes…

[Jin Ji-yoo]: But why? Did Baek Ha-ni throw her heel at oppa too?

[Jin Ji-yoo]: If she did, tell me, I’ll bring some tools

[Jin Ji-yoo]: (Picture of a children’s plastic shovel)

[Jin Ji-yoo]: Have you ever heard of Shovel Ji-yoo hehehe

The honorifics were a bit inconsistent, but anyway, he could tell that this person didn’t know the answer either.

‘She’s a real outsider.’

It’s no wonder, since she even threw the mother-of-pearl nameplate in the head of the department’s office and smashed it.

Even though they bought her a more expensive nameplate and a styler as an apology, it’s clearly an anger management issue.

As Park Sun once told him, this industry is a place where all kinds of twisted people gather.

‘But she recently renewed her contract. Does CEO Noh keep her around because she’s at that level?’

It was strange that the people around her were fed up with her, but she didn’t make the news.

Is it because the Roman public relations team is good at covering it up? Or is it because she doesn’t cross the line?

Whether it’s the former or the latter, if she’s going to cause an accident on set, she needs some kind of personality guidance. Even to prepare for the hyena pack that is watching for an opportunity from afar.

“The filming date is probably…”

Due to the nature of the historical drama, it will take some time for the large set to be completed. Now, there are fifteen days until the first filming, and a little less than ten days until the script reading.

Should I go to the CEO’s office? Just as he was wondering and starting the van, his smartphone in his inside pocket rang.

“Yes, Team Leader.”

Team Leader Gong said abruptly without explaining the situation.

-If you’re still filming that Baek Ha-ni taming content, go to Cheongdam Sensorium. I heard she kicked out Director Yoo and went shopping alone.

*

Apgujeong-dong, Dosan-daero.

‘Sensorium’, which he had only passed by a few times, was a luxury department store lined with boutiques.

Park Sun wasn’t there, but he was good at disguises. When he put on the glasses, mask, and earmuffs with bear ears in the trunk, he was perfectly disguised.

‘The name is… Balaclava [a type of close-fitting hood], right? I’m glad I got it from Goo Shin-seung.’

As expected, no one recognized him. Passing by the gazes that looked at him like he was a strange person, he searched through a few floors and quickly found a figure that seemed to be Baek Ha-ni.

“She’s got guts.”

Her disguise was just a scarf and sunglasses. She was wearing a flashy short trench coat and brown suede ankle boots.

Anyone could tell she was a celebrity, but fortunately, there weren’t many people in the luxury department store in the middle of the day.

Baek Ha-ni went straight into a brand store without looking around.

Thinking of whether to talk to her or not, Gun raised his senses to watch for a while.

Soon, a store employee who found Baek Ha-ni approached and bowed.

“Hello, how can I help you… Oh my!”

“It’s me. I just stopped by.”

Baek Ha-ni, who slightly lowered her sunglasses and put them back on, exchanged greetings with the employee familiarly.

“Is there any problem?”

“Oh, no. If you had contacted us, we would have had a shopper waiting, or the VVIP lounge upstairs…”

“It’s okay. I came to see my sister’s face after a long time, but it’s just annoying to go there.”

“Yes… Oh my, you’ve become even prettier since I last saw you, I’m not just saying that!”

“It’s because I spent a lot of money.”

“Aww, Ha-ni-ssi was pretty to begin with.”

The employee laughed and guided Baek Ha-ni inside. A top actress, and even with that bitchy personality, she’s quite friendly.

‘Is she someone she was originally close to?’

The situation was different from what Gun had expected.

They say that actresses’ shopping is so exhausting, but she doesn’t call a shopper or nag her manager.

She just looked through the displayed products, picked out a few, and entrusted the order to the employee.

“Send the delivery to the usual place, and send this and that to this address. I couldn’t give out Lunar New Year gifts.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“If those people pull any power trips, tell me. I’ll go up there and turn things upside down.”

“Ah, no! You’ve been really good to us… By the way, I’ll be cheering for your drama too!”

Even after that, similar scenes were repeated in nearby stores several times.

From his position, who was inwardly waiting for her to cause a scene, he was embarrassed and even felt sorry.

Isn’t this just following someone around and spying on them for no reason?

Gun strode over and stood next to Baek Ha-ni, who was trying to lift a bag.

“Baek Ha-ni-ssi.”

“……”

Instead of an answer, he heard a hiccup.

The bag she was holding also slipped from her arm.

After a while, Baek Ha-ni looked at his appearance with a disgusted expression.

“What is it, are you crazy?”

“No. I’m Park Gun.”

As he slightly lowered his mask, Baek Ha-ni’s eyes widened.

“Why are you here? If Director Yoo told you to bring me back…”

“I just asked. I heard you went to the department store, so I came to see if you wanted to go shopping together.”

Gun shook the alligator leather saddle bag he had bought for his mother as a gift.

“…You’re really kidding me.”

“I’m still standing on my own two feet.”

“Okay, go your way before anyone sees you. I’m not in the mood for those kinds of puns right now…”

Baek Ha-ni, who was lashing out sharply, suddenly covered her mouth. He heard another small hiccup, and it seemed like she had been quite surprised just now.

He kindly recommended.

“Ice and lemon are good for hiccups.”

It was when Baek Ha-ni was trembling with her clenched fist.

Female customers who were looking around the next brand entered the store where they were.

Then, a small but clear voice was heard.

“…Hey, hey, over there, over there. Isn’t that Baek Ha-ni?”

* * *