CH 328

“Whew-woo!”

Humans sometimes suffer from distracting thoughts. Just like how a maiden starts feeling excited as the Spring's winds come in, humans would get caught up in strange thoughts and emotions that were influenced by little intimate moments or situations. Once that happened, they would longer be able to maintain their 'normal' lifestyle.

When faced with such an obstacle, some people would choose to take an extended break from everything. However, some others couldn't afford to do that, so they would desperately resort to their own methods to overcome such moments in their lives. Some would go on trips, while some others would hang out with their friends and have fun.

Meanwhile, Choi Yeon-Ha was the type to choose sports. She already exercised daily as a way to maintain her figure. And in times like this, the intensity of her exercise routine would shoot up.

A round of heavy sweating would always result in an immense feeling of refreshment in her system. By taking advantage of the momentum and getting a deep sleep afterward, all her distracting thoughts would be washed away, and her concentration level would improve drastically.

That was the story up until now. Unfortunately...

“Gimme a break...!” Choi Yeon-Ha climbed down from her spinning bike and plopped on her butt on the floor. A loud groan escaped from her mouth.

What a sad thing this was since she had already finished today's exercise quota before coming home. Not with some amateur home exercise equipment, oh no, but with proper equipment found in the gym where she usually received her daily dose of PT.

Choi Yeon-Ha even demanded her trainer not go easy on her since she was dead serious about it this time. She said she wanted to be in a state where she could only crawl back home. And her trainer fulfilled her wishes commendably well.

Even then, her mind remained complicated and entangled, necessitating her to exercise some more at home.

“How pathetic you are, Choi Yeon-Ha...”

Choi Yeon-Ha sighed under her breath again and again. She wasn't a teenager going through puberty, so what nonsense was this?

She wasn't a little girl anymore. She shouldn't be fidgeting nervously, unable to decide or act like this! She was too old for that!

“Don't forget that you've been acting all high and mighty all this time, too!”

Choi Yeon-Ha eventually laid down flat on the floor.

Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

'Argh, why am I keep thinking about him?!'

Things were fine when she remained oblivious to it. Choi Yeon-Ha might have thought about that guy every now and then, but that much was tolerable. Especially compared to now, when she just couldn't stop thinking about that hateful guy!

Their last meeting, however, was the decisive blow.

It was supposed to be a tiny little emotion hidden away, yet the meeting made her face it square on. Choi Yeon-Ha had no idea until then, but the moment she confirmed the burgeoning feeling in her heart, it was too late to stop. It was snowballing explosively in size. And now, there was nothing she could do about it.

“How can you get so unlucky, Choi Yeon-Ha!”

Why did it have to be that man, of all people!

Of course, she didn't mean to imply that something was wrong with that 'man'. If he was a weirdo, a real wackjob, Choi Yeon-Ha definitely wouldn't be like this. So, when she said 'wrong', it didn't mean that way, but as in 'He's too curt and insensitive!'

To put it bluntly... Didn't Choi Yeon-Ha have good looks? And what about her physique? And wealth? And her personality... Well, a person's personality wasn't visible on the surface, so that should be fine, no?

In any case! Choi Yeon-Ha exceeded the mean average of Korean females by a huge margin in practically every category. Ninety-nine percent of men would jump around in joy and raise one hell of a fuss if she decided to show even a little bit of interest in their way.

Unfortunately, Kang Jin-Ho belonged to the other one percent, and that was the root of her problem.

'Still, it's a relief that I didn't get humiliated back then...!'

She was sure that blindly trying her luck with Kang Jin-Ho would rip her insides to shreds in no time at all, thanks to his stone-Buddha-like unresponsiveness. Despite not having any dating experience, Choi Yeon-Ha was confident about this. She believed being a witness to many 'things' happening around her and reading various scripts had given her enough knowledge on the subject matter.

“Just how did I...”

Choi Yeon-Ha rolled around on the floor before she began kicking the imaginary duvet off her. She did this for a while, only to be interrupted by a phone call.

She rolled on the floor to reach her phone and tapped on the call icon. “Hello?”

-Mm? Hey, you finally answered! It's me, Yeon-Ha!

“Yes, President.”

-I'm calling you because... Listen, Yeon-Ha.

“...Yes, I'm listening.”

-We just got our hands on a really great script. Even I think this is gonna be a big hit, Yeon-Ha. And you're spot-on for the female lead! I'm not making this up, you know! You really are perfect for this role!

“I see...” Choi Yeon-Ha replied without much energy in her voice.

-I won't force you to do it. However, at the very least, won't you take a gander at the script once? Even if you don't sign on for the role, it'll still be worth your time to go through it once. That's why...

“Okay, got it.”

-That's why don't pressure yourself and... Eh? What? You'll take a look?

“Yes, I will. Have it couriered to me.”

-R-right! I'll get to it right now! I'll send it through your manager by tomorrow morning.

“Okay, please do that.”

-Oh, and by the way...

“Yes?”

-I know it's weird of me to ask this, but... What's gotten into you lately? You wouldn't even normally bother to read a script you aren't gonna sign on to, right? You'd have already hung up on me by now.

“Oh, that?” Choi Yeon-Ha chuckled weakly.

-Yeah, that.

“I was just... I just had this thought, you see?”

-A thought? What kind?

“How annoying would it be for the person trying so hard to make something happen when the other party is unwilling to listen...? And how tragic it is for them, too...”

-Heol...

“When I thought about how you'd be the only one chewing your nails in anxiety while the other party doesn't give a damn... I realized how terrible my behavior had been all this time. So, yes, please send the script to me. I'll take a good look, and if it's as good as you say, I'll sign on.”

-R-really?

“Yes. However, the script really better be good. And the director attached to it needs to be excellent, too!”

-Of course! Of course! I wouldn't choose any random moron to direct it when it involves you! I assure you, I paid the utmost attention on that part of the equation! Still, you might never know, so... Do you mind if I send you a few more scripts, too?

“...Sure, why not.”

-Got it! You better not change your mind come tomorrow, though!

“...President, my patience is about to run out.”

-N-no, wait! My bad! I'm hanging up now. Get some rest, okay?

Beep!

The phone finally went silent, giving Choi Yeon-Ha an opportunity to lie down spreadeagled on the floor and stare at the ceiling. “I shouldn't have done that…”

People apparently needed to be on the receiving end to understand certain things. And that assertion seemed to be true. Choi Yeon-Ha finally knew how much of a headache and heartburn she must've been to the people around her.

'But, I... I didn't want to know about all this!'

Choi Yeon-Ha angrily shot up to her feet only to fall back on her butt. Over-exercising meant she couldn't even stand straight from how badly her legs spasmed.

“Eiii! Damn it!” Choi Yeon-Ha exploded in irritation while staggering her way to the bathroom.

Splashing cold water on her body helped her feel somewhat refreshed. After changing into new clothes, Choi Yeon-Ha sat in front of her vanity table and began applying simple makeup. These familiar actions seemed to finally calm her down.

“Right, I need to get a hold of myself.”

Honestly speaking, this was an incredibly embarrassing situation for her. Just who was she, anyway? Wasn't she Choi Yeon-Ha?

She limited her public exposure to prolong her acting career, but had she not done that and appeared in variety programs and shows when her popularity was at its peak, Choi Yeon-Ha would've earned the title of People's Goddess without too much difficulty.

To think that someone like her was acting this pathetically over a man! Choi Yeon-Ha must not behave like this in consideration of her fans throughout the country who were waiting patiently for her next project even now!

That should be the case, but then...

“Heol?! What the hell!” Choi Yeon-Ha nearly freaked out at her own reflection in the mirror.

She was distracted only for a bit, yet her hands had gone beyond applying only the night cream and into the realm of full-on makeup for going out! Considering that she usually only applied BB cream before going out, subconsciously applying full makeup was something that should not have happened.

“You insane...! Where were you thinking of going?!” Choi Yeon-Ha tried to talk to herself as panic took over her. She sneakily turned her head and glanced at the wall clock. It was a couple of minutes after half past ten at night.

'...It's the pizzeria's closing time.'

That thought suddenly popped up in her head all on its own. Choi Yeon-Ha hurriedly shielded her face.

'I really am hopeless, aren't I!'

A sense of shame washed over Choi Yeon-Ha. She suddenly fell to the floor and began kicking the air like crazy.

“Uwaaaaaaaah! Ten years' worth of duvet kiiiiick! Seriously now!”

What a good thing it was that no one was around to witness this spectacle! If her manager happened to stumble upon this sight, he'd be seriously pondering which bridge Choi Yeon-Ha should jump off from in order to kill herself in the least publicly embarrassing way.

“This is not the image I wanted for myself, you know!”

Choi Yeon-Ha spent the last twenty years of her life projecting and protecting the image of a cold, aloof woman, yet...! To think that all her hard work would go flying out the window in just a blink of an eye!

She pulled at her hair while sensing that her life's genre had switched from a drama to a sitcom.

“No, no! Calm down, me! I should take this makeup off before going to bed...”

Choi Yeon-Ha thought getting a good night's sleep would make her feel better.

Since she had never experienced a roller coaster of emotions like this before, she naturally lacked the natural resistance to endure it. Thankfully, though, Choi Yeon-Ha knew the exceedingly-simple truth: no matter how intense a person's emotions were, they wouldn't remain at full blast forever.

For instance, humans might fall into a deep well of sorrow and become numb, unable to do anything. Given enough time, though, they would grow hungry and have to eat something.

Choi Yeon-Ha might be rattling around noisily right now, but in ten days, it'd all be...!

She glanced at the wall clock again, and her whole body froze up stiff on the spot. Then, her brain began kicking into gear.

'Weeell... Since I've already put on the makeup and everything, it'd be a total waste to take it all off and go to bed now...'

It wasn't like she wanted to do something this late at night, but... But hadn't she helped out a lot in the past? Wouldn't that be enough to get her a cup of coffee, then?

Kang Jin-Ho was supposed to buy her dinner, but Choi Yeon-Ha had to flee in haste, which meant that that free meal never materialized, so...

So, didn't she have enough excuses to...

“Kkyaaaaaahk!”

Choi Yeon-Ha finally caught herself trying to craft a pretext to visit Kang Jin-Ho this late at night. Unsurprisingly, she began rolling around on the floor again.

“I must be insane! Just how? Why!”

Choi Yeon-Ha panted and wheezed heavily for a while before slowly forcing herself to sit upright.

'...No. Let's just go there and see!'

This thing called human emotion could be rather mysterious. Once a person finally acquired what they desperately wished for, they would get overwhelmed by indescribable happiness. On the other hand, one's desperate need would vanish, too.

If Choi Yeon-Ha stayed here all alone and continued to daydream all this nonsense, the presence of Kang Jin-Ho would only get bigger and more uncontrollable in her heart. Even she could see that. Didn't such a plot happen often in TV dramas? When a handsome male lead gets a face full of cold water from the female lead, he'd be left flabbergasted initially. But, as he recalled that encounter more and more, he'd develop feelings of friendship with her, which would eventually blossom into something more intense.

The thing was, though... None of this would even happen if they got to see each other more frequently!

“That's right. That's why I'm going there.”

No matter how much she thought about it, this seemed like the 'normal' response to her situation. Seeing Kang Jin-Ho could potentially calm her down.

As such thoughts swam in her head, Choi Yeon-Ha shot up to her feet and hurriedly ran inside the walk-in closet.

Of course, she was doing this to organize and control this weird feeling. Surely, talking to Kang Jin-Ho face-to-face would do that! And no, she wasn't in a hurry because she was worried about Kang Jin-Ho closing the pizzeria for the day and going home. Definitely not!

Unfortunately, life had a way of messing up one's plans.

“...Why don't I have anything to wear?!”

Choi Yeon-Ha cried out loudly enough for all the closets in this large room to feel shame while messily digging into all the clothes hanging on their racks.

“This? No, that's too over the top! If I put this on and show up in front of him this late at night, he might get the wrong idea! How about this one? No, wait! If I go outside wearing this tracksuit, my image will be...!”

She went through all the clothes in her wardrobe until finally completing the look that said, 'She still looks pretty even if she's wearing whatever!' Others would never believe that Choi Yeon-Ha had spent so much time creating this look. However, it still boasted this subtle yet unmistakable fashion sense.

“Nice!”

Choi Yeon-Ha stared at her reflection and grinned in satisfaction. Just as she was about to rush outside, though, her phone began ringing again.

“Hello?” Choi Yeon-Ha unhappily snatched up her phone and answered. A familiar voice came out from the device's speaker.

-Ah, Yeon-Ha, it's me again. I've sent the script now. One of our gophers should arrive at your place soon.

“No, that won't do. Please tell that person to come tomorrow.”

-But you might have a change of heart tomorrow, you know? For now, just wait until the script arrives at your place. You can always take a look at it tomorrow, right?

“I'm going out now, though?”

-W-what? Yeon-Ha, where are you going at this late hour! I thought you finally had sobered up not too long ago?

“I don't know how to explain it. Anyway, I have to go, so tell that person to come tomorrow morning. No, wait. I think I might probably be sleeping in late tomorrow, so tell them to come the day after. Okay, bye!”

-No, wait! Yeon-Ha! Choi Yeon-Haaaa!

Choi Yeon-Ha put the tragic cry of her agency's president behind her and stepped outside her home. Her new destination was that grotesque pizzeria.

She headed to her parked car with a firm determination burning in her heart. Right now, she felt more determined than ever, even compared to when she was heading to the stage to receive the Korean film industry's top acting award!