Chapter 06
“Yoon Seol, is stalking your hobby?”
At the emotionless question, Seol tensed up.
Oh no, I’ve been caught. What do I do?
“Breathe,” the teacher said calmly, and Seol let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
“Whew… I’m so surprised! Running into you here—it’s such a coincidence!” she blurted, trying to act casual. A nervous laugh followed.
Tae-joo’s eyes narrowed.
What’s with this terrible acting? Didn’t she win multiple awards for this?
“Coincidence? You’ve been following me since the parking lot.”
“F-following? No way! I came here because I had my own business. I actually have a shoot here!” Seol rolled her eyes, trying to come up with an excuse.
Tae-joo couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving laugh.
It wasn’t like he wouldn’t notice someone as conspicuous as her in a hanbok (A hanbok is a traditional Korean outfit characterized by its vibrant colors, simple lines, and unique structure that doesn’t include pockets. It is worn during traditional Korean holidays, celebrations, and special events like weddings or coming-of-age ceremonies.), blending in awkwardly among the staff.
“Oh, you have a shoot here?”
“Yes, exactly. A shoot. That’s right.” Her tone grew confident as if she thought her excuse was brilliant.
“This set’s background is space, though,” Tae-joo said, glancing at her hanbok. It was an odd mismatch.
Seol realized she was caught and quickly shifted her approach.
“Then what about you, teacher? What are you doing here?”
She bit her lip, the sight of Tae-joo with another woman flashing through her mind. She had planned to meet him once she turned 20, but he couldn’t even wait.
“If you really want to know…” Tae-joo trailed off, but it didn’t seem like he intended to satisfy her curiosity.
Seol’s heart felt heavy, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask the question burning inside her.
Teacher, who was that woman? What’s your relationship with her?
Instead, she steeled herself.
No, Grandpa Kang and Uncle Choi said the teacher wasn’t seeing anyone. They were sure of it. Don’t get discouraged, Yoon Seol!
As she tried to regain her composure, footsteps approached from beyond the set corner. Growing louder, they made Seol panic. With no other choice, she reached for Tae-joo and pushed him.
He stumbled back, his shoulders hitting a wooden wall. Behind the set was a dark, narrow space. Seol pressed against him, their bodies close.
“What are you doing?” Tae-joo asked, startled, as he tried to move her off. But Seol leaned in closer, practically pinning him.
“Stay still. What if someone sees us?” she hissed, glancing over her shoulder anxiously.
“This is riskier than just being seen, don’t you think?” Tae-joo teased, earning a sharp glare from her.
“You’re too handsome. You’ll stand out!” she retorted seriously.
Her possessiveness came out so openly, Tae-joo found himself wondering if she even realized what she was saying.
“I don’t want anyone to see you. Not anyone,” she confessed, her voice heavy with emotion.
The sound of a woman’s voice suddenly broke the tension.
“Yoon Seol? She came this way, didn’t she? Does she know anyone on set?”
It was her manager.
Oh no! If she finds me…
Panicking, Seol looked back and forth between Tae-joo and the approaching voices. Just then, Tae-joo grabbed her arm, flipping their positions.
She found herself pressed between Tae-joo and the wall, his arm propped above her.
“Honestly, Yoon Seol,” he muttered under his breath, sounding exasperated.
Their bodies were even closer now, and Tae-joo looked down at her, meeting her wide, starry eyes. Why was it so hard to look away?
In the dark, cramped space, her soft, trembling breaths were the only thing he could hear. Her scent—sweet and familiar—lingered faintly in the air.
“Teacher,” Seol whispered, her lips barely moving. A sweet, warm breath brushed against his face.
“Is that woman earlier your type? What do you like about her? Her face? Her height?” Seol’s quiet words finally pulled him out of his trance.
“Or… is it her body?”
That snapped Tae-joo out of it. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back, flustered.
Seol glared at him, her eyes welling up with tears.
“…You’re such a pervert, teacher.”
“What?!” Tae-joo exclaimed, but Seol had already spun around and dashed off.
From behind, he could only watch, baffled, as her red hair ribbon fluttered tauntingly in the air.
Sitting back in her makeshift kitchen, Seol stared at her failed kimbap, the edges falling apart.
Sigh. You’re a mess, just like me.
She picked up her phone and opened the internet, typing hesitantly:
How to make your chest bigger…
Most of the results were advertisements for plastic surgery clinics.
“Drink lots of milk and cheese?” she muttered, reading a suggestion.
But she sighed again.
Milk makes my stomach hurt, though. Would lactose-free work?
“Yoon Seol, what are you looking at?”
Startled, Seol quickly hid her phone as Sung Hoon peeked over her shoulder.
“What the—don’t sneak up on me!”
“Why so jumpy? Were you looking at something weird?”
“No!” she denied, wrestling to keep her phone away from him.
Suddenly, a sharp voice interrupted them.
“What’s that smell? Don’t you know I’m on a diet?”
It was Seo Ye-rang, the lead actress and national goddess. She always gave Seol dagger-like glares whenever they crossed paths.
“Sorry, I’ll clean it up,” her manager apologized profusely, bowing toward Seol and Sung Hoon as well.
Seo Ye-rang scoffed at Seol before walking away.
“Kids these days have no manners.”
Watching her leave, Sung Hoon turned to Seol, shaking his head.
“What’s her problem? She’s only five years older than us. Besides, aren’t we technically her seniors in the industry?”
But Seol didn’t respond. She was staring at Seo Ye-rang’s back, specifically her chest, looking dazed.
“Hey, Seol, are you okay?” Sung Hoon asked.
“Guys probably like girls like her, right? Pretty and, well… you know.”
“…Huh?”
“She’s the national goddess, after all…” Seol muttered to herself before turning to Sung Hoon with a determined look.
“What do you think of me?”
“W-what?”
“Do I look okay? Or am I not attractive?”
“You’re… you’re… uh…” Sung Hoon stammered before clearing his throat and quickly changing the subject.
Seol let out a heavy sigh.
How can I win my teacher’s heart when there are so many competitors?
In the darkness of his bedroom, Tae-joo bolted upright, his breaths ragged and his body tense.
“What kind of dream was that?” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
The sound of his alarm echoed, pulling him back to reality.
“Ugh,” he groaned, flopping back onto the bed. What a ridiculous nightmare.
