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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: My Only Deficiency Is You
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Seonghyeok was having lunch with Jisang when he heard something extremely unpleasant.
"I hear you've got yourself a rival?"
"A rival?"
A playful smile tugged at Jisang's lips.
"I'm talking about Seo Jingyo."
"Rival? What nonsense."
Seonghyeok irritably put down his chopsticks.
"They say Actor Seo is being so good to Ms. Yeongin, don't they? If it's reached my ears, that says it all."
"..."
"Many employees are even suspecting something between them. And why wouldn't they? Of all people, Seo Jingyo came looking for her himself, asking to sign a contract."
Jisang kept rambling on, as if determined to get under Seonghyeok's skin.
"Do you know about that?"
"No."
He didn't know what it was, but he didn't want to. It was bound to be something unpleasant to hear.
"You probably don't know that Seo Jingyo is being considered as a replacement for Park Taeho, who was booked for drunk driving."
Park Taeho, the male lead of a drama planned for 16 episodes, with 8 episodes already aired, was under Management Team 5. More specifically, he was an actor Yeongin had managed since her time at Hyesung Entertainment.
When he dropped out of the drama midway due to drunk driving, an urgent replacement was needed. Seonghyeok felt for Yeongin, knowing how difficult this situation was for her. He had already given instructions to quickly secure an actor, even if it meant offering unreasonable terms.
Regardless of that, Jisang's words weren't worth listening to.
"Why would Seo Jingyo be crazy enough to take that on?"
"Who knew there'd be someone as crazy as you."
"What nonsense are you talking?"
"He said he'd do it himself."
"..."
Seonghyeok couldn't help but be flustered.
The day Seo Jingyo came to sign an exclusive contract hadn't been perplexing at all. Seonghyeok had merely found it ridiculous, thinking that SL Entertainment was a decent choice for him, and he was trying to make a show of it for Yeongin.
But this was different. An exclusive contract carried no loss for Seo Jingyo, but joining a drama already halfway through was a huge risk.
At best, he'd only break even. A top actor, inundated with offers from renowned directors, had no reason to take on such a role.
"As the original 'crazy one,' why do you think Seo Jingyo stepped up?"
"..."
Seonghyeok didn't answer. Not because he didn't know, but because he didn't want to say it out loud.
But Jisang spoke up instead.
"It's obviously for Ms. Yeongin."
"Shut up."
"You need to step up your game. You've met a formidable opponent."
"Is this fun for you? Are you excited?"
"Of course, it's fun. How could it not be exciting to watch Cha Seonghyeok doing things he never used to do?"
Seonghyeok, glaring fiercely at Jisang, pulled out his phone and called his assistant.
"Please check Seo Jingyo's schedule and let me know."
He knew Yeongin had gone with Jingyo today as his on-site manager for an advertisement shoot.
As soon as he hung up, Jisang eagerly asked,
"What are you going to do with his schedule?"
"Go see."
"Go see what?"
"I don't know."
Seonghyeok found himself not knowing many things lately. He had no idea how to win Chae Yeongin's heart.
Perhaps that was why he kept doing things he never used to. Like today.
***
Arriving at the set, Seonghyeok approached a luxury van.
He checked the license plate; it matched the number his assistant had given him. It was the van assigned to Seo Jingyo.
Just as he was about to tap on the window, the door swung open.
The person who stepped out of the van was an SL Entertainment stylist.
"...Representative?"
After a moment of surprise, the stylist's face lit up, and she spoke before Seonghyeok could say anything.
"Wow, you came to show your support!"
Seonghyeok, considering the stylist's thoughtfulness in creating an excuse for him, didn't bother to deny it.
"I just stopped by on my way."
Only Jisang knew that he had stubbornly sought them out, not just 'passed by.' Though Yeongin would soon find out too.
"Jingyo Oppa just went out with Team Leader Chae for a walk nearby. Should I call him?"
"No, it's fine. I'll find them myself."
He left the stylist behind and headed towards the river.
As expected, the two were looking at the river. Seeing them standing side by side twisted his gut.
He wondered why he had come to confirm something he knew wouldn't make him feel good. But then, he heard unexpected words.
"Cha Seonghyeok, that's him, isn't it? Your ex-boyfriend."
He decided to listen.
At the words "similar feeling," Seonghyeok's brow furrowed. He and Seo Jingyo were similar? He could never admit that. Being compared to the most famous actor in South Korea was no honor to him.
"What did you like about Representative Cha?"
Yeongin's answer was unexpected: she liked that he had no deficiencies.
Then, a surge of injustice welled up inside him.
"What should I do? Because of you, I've gained a deficiency."
Seonghyeok pushed the responsibility onto Yeongin, who turned around with startled eyes.
"It's because of you, so you have to take responsibility."
"What are you talking about?"
"My only deficiency is you."
"..."
"So, if I have you, I'll be perfect again. Then you'll like me again too."
He knew Jingyo was listening but didn't care. He only thought that he couldn't miss this moment.
"Stop resisting."
"..."
"I'm never giving up on you. If I was going to half-heartedly try and then give up, I wouldn't have even started."
Yeongin silently bit her lip.
At that moment, Jingyo interjected.
"Why would a distinguished person like yourself eavesdrop on others' conversations?"
Seonghyeok cast an expressionless gaze at him.
"I don't recall ever pretending to be distinguished in front of Mr. Seo Jingyo, so I'm not sure why you'd misunderstand."
"..."
Jingyo couldn't argue. He had to admit it wasn't something to say to someone who hadn't even tried to hide his hostility from their first meeting.
"If it concerns Chae Yeongin, I can do more than just eavesdrop."
Seonghyeok finally understood the meaning of the question Jingyo had asked the day he came to sign the contract. He must have heard from Yeongin sometime that her ex-boyfriend went to America and had been trying to confirm it.
"Since Mr. Seo Jingyo knows about Yeongin and my relationship, there's no need to hide it anymore."
"You didn't seem to have much intention of hiding it from the start, though."
"Well, I won't deny it. I never wanted to hide Yeongin and my relationship."
As he spoke, Seonghyeok's gaze shifted to Yeongin.
In his eyes, Yeongin read: *I was never ashamed of you, not once. So don't think of yourself as lacking.*
Of course, she knew. If Cha Seonghyeok had felt even a little ashamed of her, an adopted child, she would have broken up with him that very day. Naturally, she wouldn't have kept him in her heart until now.
Yeongin bit her inner lip tightly and spoke.
"What brings you here?"
"Just to see you."
"You've seen me, so please go. The shoot will start soon."
"I'll wait until the shoot ends."
"Why?"
"To take you home."
Yeongin steadied her wavering heart and tightly clenched her cold hands.
"I'm working right now. And of course, I'll be going with Senior Jingyo after the shoot."
"..."
Seonghyeok's expression hardened and he remained silent, while Jingyo, conversely, spoke with a smile.
"I will make sure Yeongin gets home safely. You don't need to worry at all, Representative."
As Seonghyeok silently turned and walked away, dazzling sunlight poured down on his head.
Yeongin watched him silently, him who shone even in such moments, and whom she, for that very reason, could not desire even more.
***
Yeongin got out of the taxi that had arrived in front of her house.
It was almost midnight.
As she trudged to her gate, she heard a car stop behind her.
Thinking she might have left something in the taxi and it had returned, Yeongin whirled around and froze.
It wasn't a taxi, but a black SUV. And the person who got out of the driver's seat was Seonghyeok.
"Where did the person who said he'd take you home safely and not to worry go? You're alone."
"I said I'd come alone."
"Good for you."
"Were you waiting to see if Senior Jingyo would take me home or not?"
"I don't think I'd be able to sleep until I saw you go inside."
"..."
How long had he been waiting?
It seemed useless, even after she had deliberately embarrassed him in front of another person, hoping to break off their connection.
She shouldn't feel sorry, she should be harsher and colder, but it was so hard to put what she knew into practice.
"I was worried you wouldn't come home."
"Were you worried I might spend the night with Senior Jingyo?"
"Yes."
"..."
Yeongin wanted to say that she and he weren't like that, but she held back. She knew that telling the truth would be like leaving an opening for Seonghyeok.
"Go inside."
Silently, Yeongin turned and took heavy steps, as heavy as the deep-seated darkness, and entered the gate.
It was a night where her heart felt heavier than her body.
***
Yeongin listened to Haeyun, who was chattering away beside her as they walked to the conference room for the team leader's meeting.
The topic was the rumors circulating in the company related to Team 5.
"People are saying the CEO favors Team 5, that they can't believe he'd create an entire team just for them. There's so much talk."
Management Team 5 was still in charge of the actors who had been under Hyesung Entertainment. It was practically just a change of office.
Other company employees who had been absorbed and merged around the same time as Hyesung Entertainment were dispersed among Teams 1 to 4, so it was indeed special treatment.
"It calmed down a bit after Senior Seo Jingyo signed the contract, but you never know when they'll start gossiping behind our backs again."
"She's an outsider, so what can she do? She just has to put up with it..."
It was at that moment that Yeongin stopped dead in her tracks, seeing a middle-aged woman walking towards them from the opposite direction.
She had only seen her once, for a mere few minutes, but she recognized her at a glance.
The matriarch of SL Group and Cha Seonghyeok's mother.
