小火星

Lim Sang-moon, a reporter, was furiously clicking his mouse at his desk. Just by his rough hand movements, you could feel his urgency.

-Click! Click! Click!

He moved his mouse relentlessly. His complexion was still dark, and his eyes and expression were full of irritation and impatience.

“Damn it! Seriously, where did this even come from?”

He grumbled but didn’t stop his hands. He didn’t have time for that. The original plan was to break the news in July, and he hadn’t even drafted the article he was going to write. He had just roughly sorted the collected evidence photos and other materials, and it was still all over the place.

“Damn it – just the key points, focus on the key points.”

Reporter Lim sifted through hundreds of photos. It was an exclusive, giant scoop. He needed to select the most provocative ones for his exclusive scoop worthy of the story. All the while, he continued to grumble, or rather, curse.

“This isn’t something to be rushed out, damn.”

It felt like, after doing a splendid interior design, it got all messed up at the end. Lim was immensely frustrated. Of course, revealing it now would still cause a domestic uproar, but the more seeds – by Seo Chae-eun getting involved in more works – that were planted, the greater the impact would be.

‘There was a rumor about her meeting with director Kwon Ki-taek, if that was true, this would be the scoop of a lifetime! Damn it!’

The timing wasn’t ripe yet. But that timing was only privy to Lim, and now that it’s making rounds to the extent of reaching the editor and even the ears of Choi Sung-gun, so it was clear that things were getting out of hand now. Whether it’s an exclusive scoop or anything else, if it becomes too stale, it won’t even spark interest.”

-Click! Click!

If somehow a rumor or piece about Seo Chae-eun gets out from somewhere else, all the time he spent following her would be wasted. So, Reporter Lim decided,

“Damn- Whatever. I don’t know.”

He decided to stop overthinking. He focused solely on releasing the article in the shortest time possible. Selecting the materials, writing the article.

‘Even if I postpone the editing.’

It would take more than 3 hours. Reporter Lim checked the time. It was past 1:40 PM, around late lunchtime. So, the deadline was 4 PM. Thanks to this, his clicking became even faster.

“Hey, move faster, you bastard. Quicker! Huh? I can see your fingers.”

Even the editor, who had come close, interfered. Reporter Lim was already in a hurry, and being poked at by someone next to him made his irritation explode.

“Ah! Can you just-! Stay still for a moment! I can’t focus!!”

Bursting out in anger, Reporter Lim moved his fingers quickly again. They say haste makes waste, but Reporter Lim’s perspective was very narrow at the moment.

Unaware whether it was an intentional provocation or not.

“First, the title! How about this for the title?!”

“Uh, uh, good, good. I like it, like it. Just do it quickly!”

He began to hit the keyboard keys as if he would break it.

Meanwhile, in Yeonnam-dong.

A spacious apartment living room. The interior was predominantly black-toned, and the furniture also exuded elegance. Above all, a large poster was hanging on the wall in front of the living room.

A pictorial of Ha Yu-ra holding cosmetics.

The reason was simple. This was the house of top star Ha Yu-ra. Then, a woman in blue pajamas, top and bottom, came out of the bathroom. She had slightly wavy long hair fastened with a hairband, and her face was covered with a white pack. It was, of course, Ha Yu-ra.

“Ah- I drank too much yesterday. My skin is all messed up.”

She whined and sat down on the plush sofa. Then, she immediately picked up a stack of papers on the table. It was the ‘Island of the Missing’ script she received from director Kwon Ki-taek a few days ago, and she had already read more than half of it.

-Flip.

Then, Ha Yura, crossing her legs, focused on reading the script. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes. Then she paused. Ha Yu-ra, turning the pages, let out a long sigh.

“Ah- It’s such a waste. It’s frustratingly good. It’s so well-written, isn’t it?”

The more she read, the more she wanted to do it. Not only was the story interesting, but the scale was quite large, and each character felt alive and breathing.

‘This… I can’t lose this to Seo Chae-eun. Ah, I should have gotten involved earlier. This is a film worth fighting for with my acting.’

Although Ha Yu-ra didn’t like Seo Chae-eun, she acknowledged her acting. Still, she thought the situation might have been different if she had fiercely competed with her acting skills. But now it was too late.

Anyway.

-Flip.

Ha Yu-ra, biting her lip in frustration, flipped through the script again, stopping her hand as she came across a certain character.

“This role- it’s been given to that rookie, Kang Woojin.”

She thought of Kang Woojin, the newcomer who had recently turned the domestic scene upside down. The role he was supposed to play was undeniably challenging.

“Just by looking, I can tell it will take months just to analyze the character. I wonder how he’s going to pull it off.”

Suddenly, Ha Yu-ra recalled the words of Director Kwon Ki-taek she had met. That he used a method similar to hers, something about being in the wild, and that despite being nonchalant, his acting was overwhelming, and so on.

“No way. Even if he analyzes this role to death, if it’s done carelessly, the quality won’t be good. I don’t know for sure, but he must be freaking out right now.”

At that moment,

-Brrrr, Brrrrrr.

Ha Yu-ra’s phone, adorned with several cubic zirconias, rang on the desk. Without taking her eyes off the script, she picked it up. It was her agency’s CEO.

“Yes, CEO.”

From the other end of the phone, a slightly husky female voice could be heard.

“Yu-ra, are you having fun?”

“Not at all. Could you please refer to it as a resting period?”

“Whatever. How was your meeting with Director Kwon Ki-taek?”

“I met him. I’ve received the script too.”

“Really? Do you think you can get a role? Well, I don’t have high hopes considering the timing.”

“That’s correct. The casting is almost complete. More importantly, CEO, what about Kang Woojin? The rookie. He’s with the same agency as Hong Hye-yeon, so he’s with CEO Choi of bw Entertainment, right?”

“Yes. Ah, right? Weren’t you with CEO Choi for about a year when you were young?”

“Yes.”

Ha Yu-ra, shifting her crossed legs, asked back.

“How’s Kang Woojin doing in the market?”

“I just came back to Korea, so I’m not sure about the details, but he’s hot right now. Not just hot, but like a nuclear bomb. Have you seen the articles? He’s the darling of star writers, Director Kwon Ki-taek, PD Yoon Byung-seon. I wonder where he suddenly popped up from?”

“But if he’s that big, he must have had some rumors before his debut.”

“I find that strange too, he appeared out of nowhere. He might be someone CEO Choi has been raising in secret. That guy’s radar is just incredible, you know.”

“He uses the same method as me.”

“Is that so? Did Director Kwon Ki-taek say that? Well, looking at Kang Woojin’s acting, it feels exactly like that. The expressions, the looks in his eyes.”

“What did he meant by ‘tempered in the wild’? After all, acting should be whittled down bit by bit through training.”

“What?”

“No, never mind.”

Ha Yu-ra, slightly lowering her head, quickly changed the topic.

“By the way, I’m thinking of making a brief friendly appearance.”

“In ‘Island of the Missing’? Oh- that’s good. You were planning to take half a year off anyway.”

“Your words seem a bit prickly.”

“Not at all. Whatever it is, joining Director Kwon Ki-taek’s site even for a few days is a jackpot. While you’re at it, you can check out that rookie.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Murmuring, Ha Yu-ra recited like she was talking to herself.

“I don’t know what this ‘wild’ is, but it boosts my fighting spirit a bit.”

The same day, early afternoon, at a salon in Cheongdam-dong.

It was past 3:30 PM. Given the time, the large salon was crowded. While regular customers were scattered on the first floor, celebrities could mainly be seen from the second to the third floor. Therefore, there were two entrances. In the middle of the third floor, Hong Hye-yeon was seated.

“Hmm-”

She looked down at her phone with her legs crossed. She had long natural hair, and though it wasn’t clear what she had applied, a beauty device was warming her head. Plus, after full makeup, she was probably tweaking her overall look for an afternoon schedule after completing the morning one.

Occasionally greeting celebrities she knew, she said,

“It seems the fan-signing event went well.”

She was thoroughly reading an article about Kang Woojin’s fan-signing event that had taken place a few days earlier. It was at that moment.

“What the heck.”

A female voice intruded from the right side of Hong Hye-yeon, slightly aggressive in tone.

“Hong Hye-yeon, you come here too?”

This made her shift her gaze from her phone, and her expression instantly hardened. Why? Because the person speaking was Seo Chae-eun with short hair. Seeing her wearing a hat, Seo Chae-eun seemed to be starting her schedule, and Hong Hye-yeon let out a long sigh as if she had stepped in poop.

“Ah- I was feeling good, but now it’s all gone.”

“What are you talking about? I’m more displeased. Why are you here?”

“That’s a weird question. I’ve been coming here since before.”

“Tsk, I just changed to this place, now I’ll have to change again.”

“Please do.”

Of the two who had been arguing, Seo Chae-eun took off her hat and sat next to Hong Hye-yeon. Then she grinned with a mischievous look.

“No, why should I change? If you’re really annoyed, you change. I’ll keep coming here. I like it, it’s more spacious than the previous place.”

“Whatever.”

No matter how one looked at it, the two didn’t seem close. Seo Chae-eun glanced at Hong Hye-yeon’s face and bit her lower lip.

‘Why does her skin look better every time I see her? Is she taking care of it more diligently than I am? What clinic is she going to?’

Feeling a pang of jealousy, Seo Chae-eun, just like Hong Hye-yeon, pulled out her phone.

“But what are you going to do now? I heard your ‘Hanryang’ shooting is over, but there’s no news about your next project?”

“You’re overly concerned.”

“Ha, it’s ridiculous. No, were you pushed aside by someone in your company? Kang Woojin, was it? Is the game not working in your favor internally? In the past, as soon as you finished a project, all the directors and producers would have flocked to you.”

“They are still flocking.”

“But it’s too quiet, isn’t it? I’m preparing to shoot with Director Kwon Ki-taek now.”

For a moment, Hong Hye-yeon’s hand paused.

“…You’re doing a project with Director Kwon Ki-taek?”

“Yes.”

Seo Chae-eun, who had been grinning, suddenly slapped her mouth.

“Ouch, my bad. Right, I shouldn’t have said that yet. Sorry, can you keep it a secret?”

Her smile deepened, the smile of a victor. On the other hand, the space between Hong Hye-yeon’s eyebrows narrowed slightly. It was quite shocking news, after all. So, she and Kang Woojin are doing the same movie? However, Hong Hye-yeon always maintained a dignified appearance in front of Seo Chae-eun, so she had to remain composed.

“Sure, I’ll keep it a secret. I’m also busy because of ‘Hanryang,’ which hit a 25% viewership rating. Oh, sorry, you wouldn’t know how that feels. What was your last drama’s rating? 5%? Was it 4%?”

Seo Chae-eun squirmed.

“It was 5.9%, okay??”

“It’s all the same. It’s still a single-digit figure.”

“Ugh, whatever. Hey, since we’re on the subject, teach that Kang Woojin guy some manners. He’s been getting too arrogant lately. I wondered where he learned to talk back? He rebuts every word. Acts like he’s some big shot.”

This time, Hong Hye-yeon flinched.

“Mind your own business. Compared to your rudeness, Woojin is nice.”

“Nice my foot. What, do you two have something going on?”

“What would there be? You should worry about removing the botox from your face.”

“······Is that so? Fine. Then I’ll personally teach Kang Woojin some manners. Slowly, throughout the movie shooting.”

Watching Seo Chae-eun’s snide remark, Hong Hye-yeon laughed dismissively. She doesn’t know Kang Woojin at all.

“You, teaching Woojin? Go ahead, try a hundred times. It would be like throwing an egg at a rock. Shouldn’t you be focusing on your acting?”

“That’s enough!”

“Watch it. Seriously, if you keep going on like this, you’ll plummet with one mistake.”

“Look who’s talking about plummeting. I’ll be an actress my whole life-”

Just then.

“HEY!! SEO CHAE-EUN!!!”

There was a loud scream from the entrance on the second floor. A man with a smart look was running haphazardly. It was Seo Chae-eun’s manager. But there was a strange urgency in his face and demeanor. The funny thing was,

“What the fuck is this!!”

Behind him, Seo Chae-eun’s management team was hurrying. Soon, Seo Chae-eun stood up as if asking why there was such a fuss.

“Ah, my ears. What is it, oppa? What’s all the commotion about?”

The manager grabbed Seo Chae-eun’s arm, flustered.

“Ow! That hurts!”

“Shut up. Look at this. What the hell is this!!”

The team leader passed the cell phone to Seo Chae-eun, who, because of the pain, scrunched up her face as she checked the phone screen.

“It hurts. Let go and talk…huh?”

What was displayed on the screen was an article. Seo Chae-eun’s expression changed instantly. The irritation disappeared, replaced by deep confusion. Naturally, it was because of the article she had just seen.

『[Exclusive] ‘Habitual Propofol Abuse Scandal’, The addicted life hidden behind the mask of top actress Seo Chae-eun/ Photo』 PowerPatch – Reporter Lim Sang-moon

What? Seo Chae-eun couldn’t say anything while looking at the article. Her mind had stopped working. On the other hand, the manager team leader grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her vigorously.

“Don’t stay silent!! What is this!! Snap out of it. Answer me. Is this real? Huh? Hey, Seo Chae-eun!!”

But Seo Chae-eun was just spacing out.

“…No- no. It’s not me. Huh? No, what?”

She seemed to have gone crazy. Both of her hands holding the phone were trembling slightly. At this point, Hong Hye-yeon, sensing the odd atmosphere, stuck by Seo Chae-eun’s side and checked the phone screen with her.

Hong Hye-yeon snorted and laughed at the rather bizarre article content.

-Swish.

She called Seo Chae-eun, whose trembling had spread throughout her body.

“Hey, Seo Chae-eun.”

“……”

Then, by her ear, Hong Hye-yeon whispered softly.

“Look, they said you’re going to fall. Turns out that’s today?”

Several tens of minutes later, in the CEO’s office of bw Entertainment.

Choi Sung-gun, who had a busy schedule planned for the day, was in the company instead of sticking with Kang Woojin. He had to act immediately if something happened. So, sitting by the window, Choi Sung-gun had been clicking away, monitoring various contacts related to the breadcrumbs he had spread. Then, about 30 minutes ago.

“It was ‘PowerPatch’ after all.”

The conclusion was out. The one who picked up the breadcrumbs he had scattered was ‘PowerPatch’.

“Habitual propofol, huh- whether to call it familiar or unexpected.”

It was by no means a small matter. Naturally, ‘PowerPatch’ would be prepared with multiple follow-up blows, including evidence and witnesses. With this size of a scandal, Seo Chae-eun could be entirely ruined.

“If it goes like this, there will definitely be an investigation by the prosecutors, and if other drugs are revealed there… Seo Chae-eun’s career as an actress is over.”

At the same time.

-♬♪

The cell phone on Choi Sung-gun’s desk rang. The caller was Director Kwon Ki-taek, a call Choi Sung-gun had been expecting. There was no need for him to make the call himself since their roles had now changed.

Anyway.

“Yes, Director.”

Director Kwon Ki-taek’s calm yet serious voice came from the other side of the phone.

“I saw the article. I was surprised, this kind of thing- this is undoubtedly your work, CEO Choi.”

Choi Sung-gun slightly bowed his head.

“No. If you get down to it, it’s Woojin’s work.”

There was a moment of silence from Director Kwon Ki-taek on the other side of the phone, then he asked.

“······Woojin’s work?”

*****