Chapter 6

Translator: Diva

Chapter: 6

Chapter Title: Recognizing Diligence

이번 생엔 남편 말고 오스카상이요

6화

25-year-old Hong Jong-ho.

He had graduated from a vocational college's sports department and was juggling two jobs: a gym trainer by day and a substitute driver by night.

That damn money was always the issue.

It had been that way ever since he left the orphanage.

He finally realized just how insanely difficult it was to scrape together ten million won for a deposit.

With no other choice, he started driving substitutes at night too, and that kicked off the vicious cycle.

After dealing with drunk, obnoxious customers all through the dawn hours, he'd doze off at the gym—blinking sleepily until he got caught and chewed out more times than he could count.

That was why.

"The free trial PT for today's new registrant will be handled by Trainer Hong Jong-ho."

He was the one who always ended up with the money-losing free PT sessions.

But he taught them diligently anyway.

Because if he poured his all into even that, an opportunity might come along someday.

His one and only weapon was his diligence.

"Member-nim, living like this is going to wear your body out. Right now, your body's basically just bones and flesh—no muscle at all. Without any muscle like this, your chances of getting cancer later go way up...!"

And that was when it happened.

"Nag..."

The free PT client who had just signed up for a one-month membership muttered it at him.

Twenty-one years old, she'd said.

A pretty face.

No, honestly...

'The prettiest woman I've ever seen in my life.'

But he shook his head firmly in his mind.

'Still, my Mi-jeong is the best!'

He pictured Yang Mi-jeong, the girl he'd been crushing on for eight years.

Even so, this woman went beyond just being pretty. There was some inexplicable aura about her that overwhelmed anyone in her presence.

"You must hear 'you nag a lot' pretty often, huh?"

"Well... a little...?"

She let out a soft chuckle at his answer, then said to him,

"That's your charm."

"...?"

What?

"Driver, to Guui-dong, please."

That evening, when he got called for a substitute driving gig, he looked back to see that very same member-nim in the backseat—and thought it again.

'What the heck is going on??? '

And get this: right after that free PT wrapped up, she'd paid for ten sessions on her credit card. Six-month installments, no less.

And now here she was again, just a few hours later, as his substitute passenger.

"Um... member-nim. Is this a coincidence?"

He had to ask.

By now, Hong Jong-ho had her name memorized.

Ha Eun-rae.

An unusual name. One that really stuck.

"Fate."

"...!"

Ha Eun-rae poked her face—no trace of booze on her breath—between the front passenger seat and the driver's seat as she told him,

"You drive well."

"I hear that a lot..."

...not!

What the hell kind of situation was this?

"You're diligent."

"I hear that one a lot too..."

...nope, not even that.

He ruffled his hair wildly.

Ha Eun-rae chuckled softly again at the sight.

This woman somehow reminded him of a cat every time she smiled.

"Ah, I'm pretty cute, right? I get told that a lot too."

"Hey."

"Yes?"

"There's a girl I like."

He said it as seriously as he could, and Ha Eun-rae froze for a second.

'Did I... hurt her feelings?'

I mean, a girl that stunning—probably no guy had ever turned her down.

Maybe he should've softened it a bit?

That was when,

"Puhahaha!"

a huge burst of laughter exploded from Ha Eun-rae.

His face twisted up at that.

"Ah, sorry. Sorry... no, but..."

She held out her palm and said,

"Seriously, seriously, no need to worry about that. I'm not interested in you at all? Or wait, maybe I am?"

"Yes?"

What the. This weird woman.

That was when it happened.

Ha Eun-rae's expression suddenly turned dead serious.

The shift brought on that strange aura again. Like getting sucked into an actor's performance during a key scene at the movies.

"I'm an actress."

Maybe that's why.

The words didn't feel all that out of place.

"But I like you, Hong Jong-ho-ssi."

What did her being an actress have to do with liking him?

"I saw you teaching those non-paying clients at the gym with real effort. Working day and night without a break—that's impressive. Honestly, that kind of responsibility at our age? Not easy."

"..."

No question about how she knew even crossed his mind.

Responsibility.

He'd always thought he had none—trauma from being abandoned by parents who lacked any themselves.

But she was saying he did?

"Ah, and you seem like you drive well too? So here's the thing."

She smoothly slid a business card his way.

<Naru Stage>

Ah, was this a casting call?

Like a road manager or something...

Not a face he recognized, but maybe she was a bigger deal actress than he thought. Inviting him to join her agency.

When he asked about it, Ha Eun-rae tilted her head.

"Nah. I haven't joined yet. Can't get my profile pics done. No money coming in. The studio won't do installments."

"...Pardon?"

"But by the time you join, I'll probably be in there too. And when I do—"

Ha Eun-rae’s eyes sparkled.

"Work with me."

Impossible.

His rational side screamed it.

But oddly, his heart gave a subtle flutter.

Like someone had finally recognized his diligence—the desperation no one else had noticed.

The first person to truly see him, after even his parents had tossed him aside.

The fact that it was this woman shook him to the core.

Soon, she got out in Guui-dong and handed him cash, saying,

"Good work..."

Right then, her phone buzzed.

"Ah, time's up."

"What time's up...?"

"This car's a rental."

"...???"

What.

This woman was really...

kinda off.

At that moment, Ha Eun-rae held out her phone.

"Put your number in, and I'll invite you to my movie's preview screening later. Shooting starts next week—you can come check out the set too."

He couldn't give his number to any woman but Mi-jeong...!

But there he was the following week, at the shooting location.

And—

"Cue!"

No sooner had the director's cue sign rung out than Ha Eun-rae launched into her performance in front of the camera.

"Hee hee hee... So exciting... No humans around..."

Transforming completely into an utterly adorable "ghost" with a face he'd never seen before.

His jaw dropped.

Whispers rose from behind him.

"That girl's really got no agency?"

"This is her first role?"

In that instant, he thought maybe this was the opportunity knocking for him.

Hong Jong-ho, who had balked that he didn't have time, showed up right away at the first shooting location for some reason.

'Must've been secretly curious.'

I held back a laugh inside.

The Jong-ho oppa I knew quite liked movie and drama sets.

Even I, an actress, got sick of the endless waiting times sometimes—but he'd chomp on chicken breast like crazy or fiddle with nearby shooting gear, putting up his "muscle-building" act.

And above all—

"I like watching you act. You don't know? Your eyes sparkle like crazy when you're in the zone. So dazzling I can spot it from way back here."

He loved my acting.

I had no idea if Hong Jong-ho would follow my lead right away this time around.

But just planting the name "Naru Stage" in his head was enough.

"Naru Stage" was the company he'd end up moving to down the line—small now, but it would grow far bigger than Kanna later on.

'Especially since the CEO's an honest guy, actors loved working there. Unlike Kanna, which goes under.'

Soon enough, Kanna would come calling with an offer to try managing there.

Since Kanna's president was his senior from back home.

Even if sentiment drew Hong Jong-ho to Kanna again this lifetime, that'd be his choice—nothing I could do.

Still, I wanted to give him a shot.

A chance for the guy who'd always taken pride in his work to keep that pride intact, working somewhere worthy this time around.

And most of all, I wanted to give myself a chance too.

...A chance to work with Hong Jong-ho again.

I always drew so much strength from seeing oppa out there monitoring my scenes instead of chilling in the cool van.