Chapter 18

Translator: Diva

Chapter: 18

Chapter Title: In This Life, It's the Oscar, Not My Husband

I'm really so damn tired.

After wrapping up a grueling thirty-hour shoot, I dragged myself home, soul utterly spent.

Wow, but my body held up.

'Must be the power of my twenties, at least.'

If I were thirty-three, I'd have keeled over already, but right now, I've even got the energy to wipe off my makeup and slap on a sheet mask.

'Gotta take care of my skin...'

Tomorrow's the sixth shoot for Living with a Ghost.

Living with a Ghost has a total of fifteen shoots.

'In other words, I've got a marathon ahead.'

But if I start showing fatigue now, those hard-earned twenty thousand viewers will vanish into thin air.

"Ha Eun-rae, you look fucking wiped out. You alive?"

Ye-reum, just as beat from prepping her assignments, stuck a cooling pack on my feet—raw from shooting all day—and said that.

She slapped one on her own feet too.

"I'm... alive."

"Looks like you're just clinging to life by a thread."

Ye-reum giggled and flopped down beside me.

"Gotta hustle even if it shaves years off my life. Can't waste this shot."

"Oh ho. Pretty passionate, huh? Didn't peg you for someone this into acting."

Ye-reum said it like she was genuinely surprised.

Truth be told, this shift in me probably felt a little off to her.

'Time to explain.'

I thought it over for a second, then spoke up.

"...Becoming someone else? It's fun. I've always hated my own life, but slipping into another person's shoes shows you their joys... their sorrows. All unique."

"...".

A beat of silence.

Ye-reum broke it.

"Hope acting shakes up your life too. Feels like it could."

I gave her a soft smile.

Kang Ye-reum.

That's you, alright.

A friend way too good for the likes of me.

"But I like your life. Easy living's boring, friend."

"Jeez."

I let out a wry chuckle and handed Ye-reum her phone from beside me, slipping it into her hand.

"Check it out."

"What?"

"That... bank account."

"...?"

"Made a deposit. Back rent and a little deposit money?"

"What? Where'd you even get money...?"

Ye-reum checked her phone, eyes going wide.

"Ten million won?!"

"Not that mu..."

Kang Ye-reum shot upright and smacked my shoulder.

"You didn't go do some shady photoshoot, did you?!"

"What?"

Why'd her mind jump there?

"How else does a huge sum like this just appear!"

Oh boy.

I grabbed my stinging shoulder—courtesy of Kang Ye-reum—and shot back.

"When a freeloading friend finally pays up, aren't you supposed to be thrilled?"

"Thrilled my ass! If it's dirty money from some sketchy deal, march back and return it! Tell 'em no!"

"...".

Kang Ye-reum, you're one steadfast soul.

I gave a hollow laugh and pulled up my banking app.

"Here, look. Fifteen million won. From Naru Stage. Plus five million MV fee."

MV fee... they paid big.

Ten million upfront, even.

Naru Stage skimmed their fifty percent cut before depositing.

'Clauses galore, though.'

No spoilers, no personal SNS pics with the members, that sort of thing.

And Naru Stage shelled out fifteen million for the contract.

Heo Kyung-hoe's got a nose for gold, alright.

Rookies usually kiss the ring for one million.

"Whoa... You're actually making it big, huh?"

Kang Ye-reum stared at me, wide-eyed.

"Thought the MV was just a bit part..."

"Not exactly."

The sole female cast—basically the girl lead!

"Sorry. Wanted to send more, but you know that overdraft I had? Cleared it first. Once I get paid for this movie, I'll wire extra."

"But why the deposit? Mom and Dad were covering that anyway."

"Come on, no way. Lived here over a year, didn't pay a cent in rent. Anyway..."

I cleared my throat and met Kang Ye-reum's eyes straight on.

"Sorry, but... mind if I crash here a bit longer? Kinda tough hunting for a new place right now..."

I mumbled it out.

Even at thirty-three, begging like this was brutal.

Past life, I never appreciated how huge it was that she'd taken in a random drop-in like me. Now that I knew? Hit harder.

My face twisted hers up too.

Figured. Staying longer was pushing it.

But then—

Her face bloomed like a flower in full burst, and she cracked up laughing.

"Hey, that's your big ask? Like you'd live anywhere else?"

"...Huh?"

"You're one of a kind. I said come over—of course you stay here. Mom and Dad stuff our fridge with banchan so you eat well."

All that food was for us to share?

I bit my lip tight.

The family I'd craved so bad—ditching acting, picking Kim Do-woon.

Tighter bonds had been right here. How'd I miss it?

Stupid Ha Eun-rae.

Eyes stinging before I knew it—

My phone buzzed.

And on the screen—

Fucking Bastard

Oppa

"Can't even do this much for your big bro now that you're playing little sis?"

"Won't. So you're stepping up this time."

"Hey, what?"

A massive hand swinging wild.

My body, shaking like violence was old hat.

"Fuck, seriously. Talking back makes me look like a joke now, huh? Ugh, can't even smack you 'cause you live off that face. Ten mil? Just snag a sugar daddy once, it's yours. Entertainer's trash either way."

"Entertainer trash? You think what I do is a joke, Oppa?"

"What do you even do? Smile and cry for the camera? Big deal—can't even help family?"

Family.

That word chained me down for years.

Past life, their debts ate every won I made.

Even got dragged around by the agency.

Forced into gigs I hated...

"Don't pick up."

Ye-reum grabbed my hand right then.

"...?"

"That's your brother, right?"

"Ah, yeah..."

But—

"I get you can't cut family loose, but—"

I hit reject with my free hand.

Casual as could be.

"...?"

"Wasn't gonna answer."

"Huh?"

"Why should I? Never picking up again. Came here to cut ties—family my ass."

Ha Kyung-soo.

You dumb fuck.

Smile and cry on camera?

Watch with your own eyes what an actor really does.

"You... really Ha Eun-rae?"

Kang Ye-reum asked, voice dazed.

So I flashed a bright grin.

"Yup. Your friend Ha Eun-rae. What were we talking about? Oh, right—staying here? Thanks. Won't miss rent or bills from now on!"

I'm my own family now.

I'll handle myself.