Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 417

While walking along the central path of the amusement park, Beomseok and Karen found themselves surrounded by fans. Determined to stir up a scandal, they removed their sunglasses and hats, revealing their faces to the crowd.

This attracted attention, which was a bit annoying, but it also led to some interesting situations. They rode the attractions with their pursuing fans and even treated everyone to a meal at a nearby restaurant.

Occasionally, the fans’ jokes and playful antics presented Beomseok with unexpected opportunities.

“Oh my gosh, Karen! Are you really dating Oh Beomseok?” one female fan asked.

“Yes, that’s right,” Karen replied. “We often meet up like this for dates. Please give us your support.”

The fan giggled and playfully suggested, “Then, as proof, you should kiss!”

Immediately, Karen embraced Beomseok, gently closed her eyes, and tilted her chin upward, signaling her willingness to be kissed.

Whether it was a bold act or a genuine desire, Beomseok couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered. Kissing in front of a crowd of fans felt awkward. However, he leaned in and gave her a light kiss.

Karen was taking the initiative, and Beomseok, driven by his pride as a man, couldn’t simply stand there passively.

The air filled with the screams of excited female fans, and Beomseok scratched his head, feigning embarrassment. He nudged Karen and whispered, “Karen, aren’t you being a little too bold?”

“Hehe, what do you mean?” she replied. “It’s just like acting. Besides, I’ve been filming a melodrama recently, so I’m used to it.”

Beomseok sighed. Even if it was part of her job, becoming *too* comfortable with this sort of thing wasn’t ideal.

“Oh? What’s the movie about?”

“It’s called ‘Heavenly Scenery.’ It’s a love story about a couple struggling with the world’s perception of their relationship.”

“Really? I doubt male audiences will be interested.”

“Probably not. It’s definitely geared towards female viewers.”

Beomseok glanced at his watch. It was almost 10 p.m. Time to head back.

“Karen, it’s getting late. Shouldn’t we go?”

Karen nodded with a hint of regret. If she stayed out too late, her grandfather would scold her. The problem was the persistent group of fans who showed no signs of leaving.

“You’re right, but what about the fans? They don’t seem like they’re going to let us go.”

“Hmm, I guess not.”

Karen gazed at the night sky. Her eyes landed on the giant Ferris wheel. With its massive 440-meter diameter, a single ride offered at least an hour of panoramic views. Perhaps by the time they finished, the fans would have dispersed.

“Oppa [Korean term for ‘older brother,’ used by a female to address an older male friend or romantic interest], what do you think about riding that? Maybe the fans will leave while we’re up there.”

Beomseok looked at the Ferris wheel reaching high into the sky and nodded. A long ride seemed promising, and with the light snow turning heavier, it might be enough to send the fans home.

“That’s not a bad idea. Okay, let’s go.”

He walked towards the Ferris wheel with Karen. The fans continued to follow and chatter, but he politely answered their questions, wanting to end things on a good note. Reaching the Ferris wheel, Karen waved to the crowd and announced, “Everyone, we’re going to ride the Ferris wheel for a bit. It’s a must-do for couples at the amusement park!”

“Let us ride with you!” the fans clamored.

Karen skillfully deflected their request. The Ferris wheel cars were spacious, but sharing the ride wouldn’t achieve her goal.

“I’m sorry, we’d like some alone time.”

Reluctantly, the fans conceded. It was, after all, a bit rude to intrude on a couple’s date.

“Okay, we understand. Have a good time!”

With the fans’ understanding, Beomseok and Karen approached the Ferris wheel entrance, stood in line, and approached the elf manager assigning the rides. The manager seemed to recognize them and exclaimed with excitement, “Oh my! Aren’t you Oh Beomseok and Karen?”

“Oh, yeah,” Beomseok confirmed.

“Are you here to ride the Ferris wheel?”

“Yes.”

“Are you planning to stay overnight, or just do one rotation? If you stay overnight, there’s an additional charge of 3,000 krang [fictional currency], even with a free pass.”

A flicker of concern crossed Beomseok’s face. The words ‘one night’ hung heavy in the air. Karen subtly pinched his arm and quietly told the manager, “Just one rotation, please.”

“Alright. Take the next car. I’ll program it for one rotation. If you decide to stay overnight, you can change it through the home network. Customers can adjust it at any time.”

“Okay.”

Karen led Beomseok, who looked slightly disappointed, into the Ferris wheel car.

As expected of the world’s best amusement park, the Ferris wheel car was incredibly spacious. It featured a table and chairs for four, a comfortable sofa-bed offering views of Senoside city center, a large refrigerator, and even a small toilet and bathroom. The interior was almost motel-like.

Still dwelling on the ‘one night’ option, Beomseok hung up their coats and muttered, “You can actually stay overnight in this Ferris wheel?”

“Yes,” Karen explained. “The one-rotation cars go around the outside, but the one-night cars switch to the inside track when they reach the top and stay there until morning.”

“Really? That’s amazing.”

Beomseok nodded and walked towards the refrigerator, grabbing the handle. He was thirsty and wanted a drink, but the door wouldn’t budge, as if locked.

Karen, who was admiring the snowy scenery, said, “You have to pay to unlock it. Use your electronic notepad.”

Beomseok retrieved his notepad and held it to the refrigerator. He heard a mechanical click, indicating the lock had disengaged. He opened the door to find it stocked with alcoholic beverages and various drinks, including wine.

Beomseok grabbed a bottle of wine and chuckled. “Karen, have you been here before? You seem to know the inside well.”

“Yes, I’ve been here a few times for filming. This amusement park is a popular location. We film here at the Ferris wheel quite often.”

“Ah, you mean for the movie ‘Heavenly Scenery’?”

“Yes.”

Beomseok took out two glasses from the dish rack and approached Karen.

“Really? Is filming movies fun?”

“It’s fun, but filming is so hard.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know if it’s because it’s my first time filming a movie, but it seems like they’re asking for a higher level of acting than in dramas. Even when I think I’ve done well, they call for a retake, so it’s not easy.”

Beomseok, who was watching the scenery outside as it receded, agreed with her. Although he wasn’t involved in the entertainment industry, he had heard that movies often demanded more nuanced and profound acting skills.

“Well, it can’t be helped since it’s a movie.”

“That’s true, but it’s a bit frustrating. I’m confident in my singing, but I don’t seem to have any talent for acting.”

It was obvious. She possessed qualities that made it easy for her to succeed as a singer, but not necessarily as an actress.

Of course, she had the advantage of being able to connect with the public easily due to her existing fame, but it was difficult to expect exceptional acting from her compared to actors with formal training or natural talent. However, it couldn’t be said that she had no potential at all. Even though she might not have a specific gift for it, her overall capabilities were high enough that she could become an above-average actress. He couldn’t bring himself to bluntly tell her she was talentless.

In the end, Beomseok decided to gloss over it with a general comment.

“Well, it’s probably just because you don’t have much experience yet.”

Karen, with a slightly sulky expression, sat down on the sofa.

“Yes, the director said the same thing. He said I’m very good at acting poor, but I’m terrible at acting love.”

Beomseok chuckled. He thought the director could set up a fortune-telling booth and be successful. Karen had lived almost like a homeless person in the past, so she understood poverty intimately, but she had little to no experience with romantic love.

“Hehe. That director is amazing. He sees right through people.”

“Yes, so I can’t really argue with him.”

“Hehehe. Still, it’s a good thing. If you learn from a director like that, you’ll develop into a good actress.”

Karen glanced at Beomseok, who was sitting on the sofa next to her and pouring wine. He had a lot of dating experience, which she lacked. She thought getting advice from him might be helpful.

“Oppa [term used to address an older brother or male friend], you have a lot of dating experience, right?”

“Yeah, I do. But why are you asking?”

“No, I just wanted to get some advice. What does it feel like to be in love?”

Beomseok took a sip of wine and tilted his head. Countless dating experiences flashed through his mind, but he couldn’t quite articulate it. And men and women often had completely different perspectives on love.

He tended to focus on the physical aspect, while he couldn’t quite grasp what women truly wanted or were interested in. They would fixate on completely unexpected things, so he often found them incomprehensible.

“Well, I don’t think I can give you the answer you’re looking for. They say men and women have different perspectives. That’s why they often misunderstand each other and end up disappointed. I actually get nagged a lot because I don’t understand women.”

“Sigh~ I guess so.”

“But it’s not like there’s no hope at all, right?”

“How?”

Beomseok stared at her intently and said,

“What do you think of me?”

Karen’s cheeks flushed instantly. In fact, she had felt a deep attraction to Beomseok from the day they first met.

The day she first met Beomseok was on a rainy autumn day six years ago. At the time, she was barely making a living by singing in a small cafe, but her grandfather had secured a significant opportunity for her after a long period, and she was filled with anticipation.

Although it was just an extra role, she was going to appear in a commercial. But her joy was short-lived. While heading to the filming location, her car broke down, and she was almost an hour late, which led to her being dismissed. But an unexpected savior appeared. Beomseok, a well-known gladiator [a type of fighter] in the area and a major cast member, offered a helping hand.

He persuaded the CF [commercial film] director, who was furious at a mere extra, and she was barely able to participate in the filming. She hadn’t been able to fully express her gratitude at the time.

Usually, other actors would have stepped forward and had her removed themselves, but he generously defended her even though it also inconvenienced him.

In addition, he invested in her so that her grandfather could recover financially, and he even helped her get on a famous TV show so that she could develop into a well-known celebrity. And even though he was busy with his gladiator career, he always called to check on her and offered warm words of comfort and encouragement. That was the reason why Karen had rejected advances and scandal opportunities from other male celebrities.

Dating was almost a cultural norm for celebrities, but for some reason, Beomseok’s face kept appearing in her mind, and she didn’t feel comfortable with it.

‘Oppa is really a lovable man who makes my heart flutter…’

Karen had feelings for him, but there was one major drawback that made it difficult for her to open her heart easily: his excessive affection for women, which bordered on womanizing.

Every time scandals involving him and other women appeared in the newspapers, she felt jealous and furious. Because of that, she had known Beomseok for six years without ever revealing her true feelings.

“Well, you’re a playboy and a womanizer.”

Beomseok grumbled in an annoyed tone at her blunt assessment.

“If you talk like that, the next part of the story won’t progress.”

“What do you mean, the next part of the story?”

“I was going to say that if you like me, you should internalize that feeling and use it in your acting.”

“Ha, but I don’t see you as a man.”

Beomseok narrowed his eyes and glared at her. He could clearly see how much she liked him, so he was annoyed that she was lying.

He drank the remaining wine and crossed his arms.

“Then that’s it. How can you understand love if you don’t have a man you’re attracted to?”

At that sight, Karen smiled bashfully and stuck out her tongue slightly. It was quite a clear hint. All she had to do was treat the other actor the way she felt about Beomseok.

“Well, I can just find another man. There are actually a lot of male celebrities who are interested in me.”

Beomseok immediately clicked his tongue. It was difficult for deeply ingrained ideas to change easily. Those men were likely just approaching her for their own benefit. Unlike women, male celebrities often benefited in various ways from being perceived as heterosexual. Many female fans harbored fantasies about those male celebrities.

“Tsk. As if. They’re all wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

“But you’re a wolf too. Why are you blaming anyone when you have so many women?”

“Hey. At least I don’t look at women with predatory intentions. I see them as objects of affection. How dare you compare me to those bastards!”

That was true. Beomseok certainly had affection for women. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had so many affairs with so many women. Honestly, even Karen thought that he was better than other male actors if she were to share deep affection with someone. She not only had feelings for him, but he would genuinely treat her like a woman.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

Hehehe. Korea’s Olympic team has reached the semi-finals. I watched it with bloodshot eyes at dawn, but I don’t regret it. The game was close to dominance, and the victory was even more thrilling because it overcame the unfavorable home advantage and refereeing.

Ah. But those two penalty kicks. Of course, the referee could have awarded a penalty kick at his discretion, but they usually don’t call it at that point. Honestly, what referee awards a penalty kick for such minor movements? Especially in a tournament like this. I guess it’s because we were playing the home team, England.

Well, everyone have a good day. I’ll see you again tomorrow.