Right after Su-a’s group left the hair studio, all the staff gathered around Yeon-hwa. Although it was irritating how they had all pretended to be busy earlier, there wasn’t even time now to question them about it.
“Wow, who was that woman? The atmosphere was intense, wasn’t it?”
“I know everyone’s face in the entertainment industry, but I’ve never seen her before.”
“I’ve been reading webtoons lately. She kinda resembled the Northern Duchess. Something like that?”
“What… She had a face that looked like a wolf’s, didn’t she? It felt like she’d tear you apart at the first mistake. I was nervous that she might bite our boss today.”
“Stylists aren’t just stylists for no reason, it seems. Did you see the dramatic difference? How did they find someone who suited her so well to place a request with the salon?”
“But it’s also thanks to the boss’s skills that it was possible.”
No.
Yeon-hwa shook her head quietly.
“…”
She was lost in thought. Her thoughts were slightly different from the employees’. Of course, it was true that the stylists had done thorough research and she herself had given her best effort.
But…
She was certain it wasn’t decisive.
“…No matter what she did, it would have suited her. It was definitely that kind of feeling.”
A face with a thousand expressions. A face that suited everything.
Definitely the kind of face. She’d never had such an impression from a customer before.
That’s when it happened.
Someone rushed upstairs, and soon the door swung open, revealing a very excited man.
He was a regular customer here, the manager of a certain entertainment company, a visitor to a recent mock filming site of Special Unit 808, and the man who had talked about Su-a before.
“Hey! Hey! Yeon-hwa! The customer who just left here…!”
“Huh?”
“Contract! Did you sign a contract? Didn’t you say you’re looking for a model?”
“Um? No, not yet.”
Both Yeon-hwa and the employees’ minds lit up at that moment. It was a brilliant gut feeling—if they could secure that celebrity, it would be more effective than any advertisement.
“Hey, contact her again immediately! Do it now!”
“Uh…?”
The man emphasized his voice.
“Her value will at least double in no time. No, double is nothing! It’ll quintuple! Quintuple! Rather, this is the lowest point to hire her!”
◈◈◈◈◈
Meanwhile, Su-a returned home.
She was still glued to the mirror, unable to look away.
“Wow…”
She liked how she looked.
“Wooow…”
She really, really liked it.
Not only was it her first time presenting herself this way, but she also loved her pure white hair. They said it would get even whiter after a few washes. Goodness.
Su-a quickly pulled out her phone.
Already, quite a few messages were waiting for her.
[Deer: @Su-a]
[Deer: @Su-a]
[Deer: Where’d you go?]
[Deer: I want to strangle you]
[Monkeying: Did I call you again?]
“Ah, right. I didn’t reply after inviting them.”
Indeed, back in the bus, when she tried to show off, Director Park Jun sat next to her, and she quickly put her phone away. But that’s another story. Now Su-a wanted to boast about something else.
[Su-a: Kids,]
[Su-a: They say I look like an Arctic Fox 😄]
[Monkeying: ?]
[Black Bear: ?]
[Deer: ?]
[Saeng-ji: ?]
“…?”
[Deer: You’re just a big-mouthed hippo with a big butt]
With an unexpected reaction, Su-a quickly stuffed her phone back. Of course, she promptly kicked one person out.
“Hmph, what do you guys know? I can’t even show you.”
She wanted to take a picture of herself and show it off, but Su-a decided to control her urge. Rather, this kind of treatment might be even more surprising later.
Instead, Su-a picked up the script she had received.
“Alright, let’s practice first. Practice.”
As soon as she touched it, she immediately entered a hotel interior, a special feature space, and Su-a picked up the phone without hesitation.
[Special Unit 808 – ‘Main Filming’]
▶ Sufficient Presentation Elements
001 – Kim Yu-han
002 – Lee Kang-cheol
003 – Ha Yoon-jin
The training method was the same as before. She would experience every situation and every role without exception. To completely immerse herself in all the possibilities in the world of Special Unit 808.
Sssss—!
Su-a began experiencing the main filming script right away.
No, it was more accurate to say she was absorbing it.
And after a long while…
“Phewww…”
Su-a lay down on the bed with a satisfied expression.
With her proficiency increased, she had completed all the experiences already. There was no sensation of her spirit power being drained or her head feeling like it would explode. It seems she had truly become an expert.
What should she do now? Rest? Play?
“…”
But suddenly, her expression turned serious as she realized she couldn’t just idly spend her time. Indeed, there was a task she had to tackle now.
“…”
Su-a looked at her phone.
[31 Unread Messages]
[CF Casting Interview Schedule Notification!]
[Hello. It’s Director Lee Yeon-hwa who helped with the procedure today. By the way, we’re looking for a model…]
[From SeaActors. Please call us when you’re free]
…
“…”
Even in the time it took to absorb the filming script, this many messages had piled up. Could she handle all these on her own? Su-a knew she couldn’t.
But she knew the solution to solving these issues.
She recalled a moment when she dozed off at the salon, and Author Lee Geum-sook kept talking incessantly, a sentence that stuck particularly in her mind.
─ Today we took the initiative to take care of Su-a ourselves out of enthusiasm for styling, but usually, these things are handled by agencies. Su-a would need to take care of them herself if she set up her own personal agency.
An agency.
That was precisely what she needed—an agency that could work for her.
“…I guess I do need an agency. Really.”
Her task was clear now: find an agency.
Su-a spread out all the business cards she had left lying over the stuffed bunny rabbit. She counted and there were many—fifteen in total.
“Among these, I have to find the agency that will work hardest for me, right? An agency that will work solely for me.”
…But how could she meet them all?
It was very challenging. Just touching the business cards wouldn’t reveal their rank, and Su-a didn’t have the expertise to judge them alone…
That’s when she remembered Director Park Jun’s words.
─Let’s take Mystic as an example.
“Mystic, the kind of agency that a rookie would want to join so much that they might even offer bribes. I distinctly remember him saying that.”
Thinking about it, Mystic wasn’t bad for Su-a either. The people there were familiar, and they’d been friendly from the start.
Additionally, image management!
The mask Su-a had currently equipped made her seem like an expensive woman who wasn’t easy to approach. Trying individual contacts just didn’t fit this image.
Then…
Su-a made a call. She’d made the decision.
◈◈◈◈◈
At a park in Seoul, coffee commercial filming was underway.
The weather was bright, petals were slowly drifting down, and Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-joo were walking side by side. But a woman suddenly appeared and blocked their way.
“…Huh?”
A face of someone who can’t bear to watch such a sight.
The woman smiled wryly and approached Kim Sun-il.
“Brother, your standards have really lowered since we broke up. The person you’re supposed to be dating now is someone like her?”
Seo Yeon-joo nodded subtly in agreement with that remark, but Kim Sun-il responded with a smirk.
“And if you’re just regular coffee, she’s my credit.”
He declared firmly. The woman who had interrupted froze, and right before her, the two exuded a conspicuously affectionate atmosphere.
At that moment, the director yelled loudly.
“Okay! Incredible! This coffee will definitely sell like crazy! Let’s wrap it up this way, no retakes!”
Immediately afterward, Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-joo pushed each other away.
The interaction between the two was like magnets repelling each other strongly, retreating like they’d seen a ghost. Both looked completely startled.
“Cold chills. Don’t grab my wrist again.”
“I’ve done something terrible to my hand. How can I apologize for this?”
Seo Yeon-joo shook her wrist off, while Kim Sun-il frantically cleaned his palms with hand sanitizer. The staff watching couldn’t help but wonder how such a pair could digest the commercial script.
At that moment, someone came toddling along.
“Sun-il, Yeon-joo, both of you did a great job. Outstanding professionalism.”
The representative of Mystic Entertainment—Kim I-seo.
She looked as she always did. Her bangs were adorned with two big hairpins, and her attire reminded one of a professor.
Seo Yeon-joo complained.
“Really, why do I have to do commercials like these? No, actually, it’s not the commercials that bother me. Why him?”
“Accept it. There are too many people who want the chemistry between the two of you. And in the next commercial, there’s even a scene where you embrace.”
“No way. Just so you know, no matter what, I won’t do it.”
Currently, Mystic was busier than ever. Several new ads had been added that weren’t part of the original schedule.
“…Geez, do we really have to this extent?”
Seo Yeon-joo touched her forehead with her palm. Even the three representatives of Mystic sighed deeply, each knowing the reason why they had to stay busy. There was a reason for it.
Money.
Money to bring in a monster rookie.
But then, Seo Yeon-joo fanned herself with her hand and said,
“But, what if they don’t even get back to us after all this? What if we’re left in the lurch? Thinking about it now, it’s kind of amusing, isn’t it? To be worrying about getting left behind at our level?”
That’s when it happened.
—♪♪
Kim I-seo’s phone rang, and without even checking the caller, she answered it. No wasted second was part of her creed.
“Kim I-seo speaking.”
“Hello. This is actress Su-a.”
Instantly, Kim I-seo’s movements froze.
Then she acted quickly.
To Seo Yeon-joo and Kim Sun-il, she flipped her palm, forming a circle with her thumb and index finger.
Our money-making reason, Su-a has called.
“…”
Thereupon, Seo Yeon-joo immediately hugged Kim Sun-il.
They nodded at each other simultaneously. It meant they’d do the next ad too—ready to make more money. Their implicit message was—whatever terms, bring her in.
Kim I-seo, under the intense gaze of both, spoke.
“Su-a, is there something?”
Pretending not to know what was going on.
But her heart was different. Please let it be a contract. Please let it be a contract.
“About the management contract, I think it’s time to discuss it.”
“Great. Please tell me a convenient time. I’ll send a van.”
After discussing a few things, Kim I-seo ended the call.
She then went up to Seo Yeon-joo and Kim Sun-il and hugged them both.
◈◈◈◈◈
Two days later.
The employees of Mystic Entertainment were bustling around since early morning. Though the building is usually meticulously maintained by a cleaning company, the staff was paying extra attention today.
Of course, being a new entertainment agency, they didn’t have many employees.
Their usual routine was quite simple—just handling their tasks at respective stations—but today was different. They were currently busy with different duties.
Dressed neatly, they were to be stationed in various locations.
This was Kim I-seo’s order.
As this was all first-time experience, murmurs kept spreading.
“Is some kind of state guest arriving today?”
“I’ve seen this in dramas. It’s like when the youngest daughter of a rich family enters, isn’t it? Strange.”
“Who exactly is coming that they’re this excited?”
“Just a rookie, coming here to sign a contract.”
At the mention of ‘rookie,’ the employees widened their eyes and checked the person’s profile picture. Once confirmed, reactions burst out from everywhere.
“…Is she really the youngest daughter of some rich family?”
“She looks really fierce.”
“One gets the feeling that she only wears high heels.”
“She probably only takes taxis even to go a hundred meters.”
“You’ll probably get dumped with ice water if you make eye contact, right?”
While they were muttering these things, Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-joo, along with Kim I-seo, appeared first and headed upstairs.
All three were dressed more elaborately than ever, and a new recruit watching them silently asked,
“All three of them are here with such vigor? Aren’t we just signing a contract—not even filming? Is there a reason for doing this?”
“You know nothing, do you?”
Another employee explained,
“Even appearance becomes a weapon during contract negotiations. Sitting there all dressed up can already create some pressure. Even without doing anything, you can gain an advantage in negotiation.”
“Ah, I see.”
For a rookie employee, it was unimaginable.
To use looks as a weapon during negotiation and save or spend tens of millions of won that way. It was nothing short of warfare.
That’s when it happened.
A face came into view that was familiar, even though they’d never met.
“…”
The silence was first.
It felt as if the building’s temperature dropped. Winter had walked in. The lady, with flowing white hair, passed down the hallway casually, not even giving the staff a glance.
—Welcome!
The greeting came late as everyone finally realized who she was. Her changed appearance from the photos was the cause. If it weren’t for her fierce eyes, they might not have recognized her at all.
As everyone bowed their head a bit in unison, the newbie questioned,
“That’s completely different from the photo! She even has a mole under her eye and dyed her hair; what kind of weapon is that?”
“Hmm, a nuclear bomb…?”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…Su-a, welcome.”
Kim I-seo’s eyes were glued to Su-a.
‘Styling, what’s this all about? Did she do this purposefully?’
A lone Arctic Fox walking in the wind, bleak and solitary.
Kim I-seo thought Su-a emitted more coldness than usual.
“Thank you.”
Su-a felt oppressed somehow, more so with Kim I-seo’s representatives Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-joo nearby.
What’s more, all three were impeccably dressed beyond any normal standards. To Su-a, it was quite a pressure to endure.
“Su-a, let’s get straight to the point.”
A brief exploration at the negotiation table.
And then, Kim I-seo’s actual proposal began.
“Previously you said cute, right? Well, I agree. Frankly speaking, the conditions I presented then were quite ordinary.”
“…?”
“Most agencies probably offered you something similar. Right?”
Su-a just nodded. Su-a nods.
“Therefore, I have decided to offer you not cute, but pretty conditions. In simple terms, it’s about what we can do within our agency for you.”
She got right to the point. Su-a thought.
Though feeling a bit restless and nervous, she calmed herself down. Recalling Park Jun’s words.
I’m a very good catch, he said, right? So there’s no need to lose confidence. I haven’t done anything wrong.
And right at that moment,
“Or do you want to go first, Su-a?”
“Huh?”
“Is there anything specific you’d like from us?”
Su-a recalled Director Park Jun’s words again.
The story of a dream car he suggested she mention.
It did sound tempting. She had wanted to try driving ever since her ‘speed violation’ experience.
‘But should I really say it? Am I overstepping?’
What if she comes across as too arrogant and gets disliked?
Contrary to Su-a’s worries, Kim I-seo thought exactly the opposite.
‘No matter what, we have to sign her. If she can motivate Yeon-joo and Sun-il to willingly do ads, she’s like a living totem. Keeping her will definitely make Mystic take off.’
She was confident she could recover whatever she spent on signing her now in the future. Kim I-seo clenched her teeth tightly with that mindset and…
Meanwhile, Su-a was drifting off into unrelated topics.
‘What if they offer me barley tea or green tea cars? Should I report it?’
“Su-a, look at this.”
Kim I-seo broke the silence first.
At her nod, a nearby staff member brought a long rectangular box.
Opening it, it revealed car keys neatly lined up like silkworms. Su-a realized they were car keys only after a close inspection.
Cars Su-a had no idea about. But even for Su-a, who knew nothing, one thing was clear.
These were undoubtedly all extraordinary cars.
Kim I-seo slid the box towards Su-a.
“Let’s say, you can choose one. How does that sound?”
Su-a thought, how conveniently did it turn to the topic of cars?
Is she reading my mind? Mind reading?
“One among these…?”
She echoed back absent-mindedly.
Picking one right here would be a bad move. Having no knowledge of what these cars are, I need to stall for time.
But words wouldn’t come out. She was too shocked, her mouth and tongue frozen stiff.
Really, can I end up owning a sports car in my life? Really? Truly?
Su-a gripped the box tightly to hide her trembling hands.
Kim I-seo carefully watched her expression and then…
“Alright, you can just take them all. Let’s do that.”
