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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Baek Huiran's Scheme
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The Jeju Island shoot concluded smoothly.
For Yeongin, the biggest takeaway was becoming much more comfortable with Seo Jingyo. So much so that she regretted the moment she stopped him from confessing and potentially getting rejected.
She could say she'd also grown more comfortable with Seonghyeok. Even though it was somewhat forced, not avoiding his calls made her feel less uneasy.
However, Baek Huiran's intense irritation had caused her to frown more times than she could count.
While it was clear that Cha Seonghyeok was the source of her irritation, Yeongin couldn't be sure what the two had discussed. She could only vaguely guess.
Back in Seoul, Yeongin spent the weekend trying her best not to think about anything.
Then, on Monday afternoon.
Yeongin left the office with Haeyun. They were heading to a film set where their assigned actor was shooting. But in front of the elevator, she ran into someone she was far from pleased to see.
Inside the elevator, which had ascended from below and stopped on the 5th floor, was Baek Huiran.
Yeongin and Haeyun silently bowed to Baek Huiran, who stood with her arms crossed.
Baek Huiran stepped out of the elevator with a smile and stood before Yeongin.
“I came to see Chae Yeongin, and it seems I’ve found you at just the right time.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Yeongin’s eyes.
“Me?”
“I have a favor to ask.”
Judging by her expression and tone, Yeongin had a hunch it wasn't a favor but rather a directive or even an order, but she decided to hear her out first.
“Go ahead.”
“Jo Hyeonsim is off until the end of this week. Until she’s back, could you accompany me for my schedule, Chae Yeongin?”
“It would be best to speak with the Team 2 Assistant Manager.”
“Are you refusing my request right now?”
“Yes.”
“It’s okay for Seo Jingyo, but not for me?”
Haeyun, who had been quietly listening, couldn't hold back and stepped forward.
“No, you should argue what’s arguable. Seo Jingyo is from Team 5, and Baek Huiran is from Team 2.”
Baek Huiran’s gaze snapped to Haeyun. Her face clearly showed annoyance.
“Even if the teams are different, we’re all in the same company. Do we really need to be so inflexible and divide into 'my team' and 'your team'? You’re being so rigid, honestly.”
Haeyun couldn’t help but let out a scoff.
“You know what they call this, right? The pot calling the kettle black. It’s not like Team 2 is understaffed, so why are you doing this to our Team Leader?”
Baek Huiran raised an eyebrow.
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Ahn Haeyun. Why?!”
Yeongin couldn't just stand by and watch the situation escalate.
“I’ll take over Baek Huiran’s schedule until Jo Hyeonsim returns to work.”
Both women turned to look at Yeongin simultaneously.
“Check my schedule with the Assistant Manager.”
Baek Huiran didn't even offer a thank you, instead glaring fiercely at Haeyun before leaving.
Haeyun let out a heavy sigh.
“Team Leader, don’t you see Baek Huiran’s scheme? She’s definitely going to pick fights over ridiculous things.”
“I know.”
Unless she was a fool, how could she not know?
“If you knew, why did you agree to it?”
“Because I don’t like things getting loud.”
“Perhaps… because of me…?”
Yeongin smiled gently at Haeyun, who was watching her carefully.
“Haeyun, didn’t you tell the CEO that I wouldn’t just keep taking it? Were you worried I’d readily agree even though I could have easily refused?”
She had quickly intervened to prevent it from escalating into a fight between Baek Huiran and Haeyun.
“I just got so heated in the moment…”
The truth was, she had been worried.
Haeyun remembered once again how Yeongin had put everything back in order after Baek Huiran had thrown things into disarray.
“I’m sorry for interfering, Team Leader.”
“It’s okay. Honestly, I was a little touched.”
Yeongin gently patted Haeyun’s disheartened back.
***
Two days later, three people gathered in front of Baek Huiran's house.
Yeongin quietly watched Baek Huiran’s road manager nervously press the doorbell before speaking.
“Do you know the door lock code?”
“No, I don’t…”
When Yeongin’s gaze fell on her, the stylist frantically shook her head.
“I don’t know either.”
The three of them had come up from the parking lot to the house because Baek Huiran wasn't answering her phone, no matter how many times they called. The doorbell was no different.
“Then who knows it?”
“Jo Hyeonsim knows it.”
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you calling her quickly to ask?”
“Oh, right.”
The stylist frantically called Jo Hyeonsim, got the door lock code, and then opened the door.
Yeongin let the two of them go in first, then followed behind.
After passing through the silent hallway, they arrived in the living room, where the homeowner was sprawled out on the rug beneath the sofa. The coffee table was cluttered with empty liquor bottles.
The road manager and stylist were speechless at the unbelievable sight.
Yeongin, who had been silently looking down at Baek Huiran, who was fast asleep, gave instructions to the two others.
“Turn on the living room lights and wake up Baek Huiran.”
“Yes.”
The road manager quickly came to his senses and turned on the living room lights, while the stylist woke Baek Huiran.
Only after a long time of shouting and shaking did Baek Huiran open her eyes. Her blurry eyes were heavy with intoxication.
Calm words flowed from Yeongin’s lips.
“Did you forget about today’s commercial shoot? I said I’d pick you up by 6 AM.”
Baek Huiran, who had barely managed to sit up, stared blankly at Yeongin standing before her, then gasped.
“Ah…”
As her mind slowly cleared, she remembered receiving a summons from the prosecutor’s office yesterday.
Fear, distress, and a sense of injustice had led her to drink one glass after another until she lost control, ultimately getting completely drunk and forgetting about today’s commercial shoot.
“Do you have a cold pack at home?”
“...?”
“Look in the mirror.”
Baek Huiran picked up the hand mirror next to the liquor bottles and held it to her face. It was unsightly swollen.
Her condition was so severe that if she tried to go to the commercial shoot looking like this, the client might curse her out.
However, now was not the time to worry about the commercial shoot. Her stomach felt so bad she thought she might die.
“I feel nauseous…”
Baek Huiran, who had been leaning against the sofa, flopped back down onto the rug.
Yeongin turned to the road manager, who stood beside her, looking helpless.
“I saw a pharmacy nearby on the way here. Go buy some hangover medicine and wait in the car. We’ll be down shortly.”
After the road manager quickly disappeared, the stylist quietly went to the kitchen and found a cold pack.
Receiving the cold pack, Yeongin urged Baek Huiran, who was groaning.
“There’s no time for this. Get up quickly.”
“I feel like I’m going to throw up…”
“Are you going to bail on the shoot?”
“I really can’t get up…”
Yeongin hesitated for a moment, then turned to the stylist.
“Minju, call Jihun and tell him to come back.”
“Yes, Team Leader.”
While the stylist called the road manager and relayed Yeongin’s words, Yeongin also took out her cell phone.
“Siljang-nim, it’s Chae Yeongin. I urgently need an IV drip. Do you have a bed available? It’s for a hangover. About 15 minutes if I leave now? Yes, I’ll see you soon.”
Just as she finished the call, the road manager returned.
“There’s a 24-hour hospital. We’re going there. Can you carry Baek Huiran?”
The road manager grimly nodded and approached Baek Huiran, while Yeongin shifted her gaze to the stylist.
“Do you have a hooded jacket or something?”
“Just a moment.”
Yeongin took the hooded jacket the stylist brought from the dressing room and draped it over Baek Huiran’s shoulders, who was now on the road manager’s back, pulling the hood over her face to conceal it.
“Let’s go.”
The four of them went down to the underground parking lot and got into the van.
Baek Huiran, who had been continuously dry heaving, whined that she didn't care about the commercial shoot or anything else, she just needed to lie down, and demanded to be taken back home.
“You’ll regret it when you feel better in a little while. Can you handle the repercussions?”
“…”
Yeongin placed the cold pack on Baek Huiran’s now quiet face.
As the road manager, who had been watching them from the driver’s seat, subtly started the car, the stylist, sitting in the third row, leaned forward and whispered to Yeongin, who was seated next to Baek Huiran in the second row.
“Team Leader, what about the salon then? If we need to be ready by 8 AM, we don’t have much time…”
The original plan was to go to the salon for hair and makeup before heading to the set.
“Call Baek Huiran’s regular stylist and ask if they can come to the set.”
The stylist immediately called the salon and relayed Yeongin’s words, her expression darkening.
“Team Leader, Baek Huiran’s director is her regular stylist, but they have an immediate appointment right after Baek Huiran. They said it’s an important client, so they can’t reschedule with another stylist. What should we do?”
“Ask them to send someone else, even if it’s not her.”
“They said there isn’t anyone suitable…”
“Alright. I’ll arrange for someone else.”
The stylist, who had hung up, looked worriedly at Yeongin as she took out her phone.
She was anxious that Yeongin might contact someone inexperienced or unknown.
Her mouth was itching to tell Yeongin that when the director she had just spoken to said there was no one suitable, what they really meant was there was no one who could handle Baek Huiran’s difficult temperament.
A moment later, a calm voice echoed through the quiet car.
“Director, it’s Yeongin. I need your help.”
Yeongin explained the general situation, omitting the fact that Baek Huiran had been heavily drinking. She then asked her to come directly to the set and hung up.
As if she had been waiting, the stylist immediately asked.
“Who was that?”
“Director Shin Gyeong-ah.”
“What? Director Shin Gyeong-ah?”
The stylist’s eyes widened dramatically.
“Director Shin is famous for not taking just anyone. And that meticulous person agreed to come out for a sudden on-site visit like this?”
Baek Huiran, who had been quietly listening, intending to see who Yeongin would contact, suddenly chimed in.
“She’s famous for not taking just anyone, so of course she’d readily take me.”
Even while feeling so nauseous she thought she might vomit, Baek Huiran didn’t forget to boast.
“Team Leader, you didn’t mention her name during the call. You only said ‘our actress.’ She agreed because Team Leader Chae asked, without even knowing who it was, didn’t she?”
“…”
Baek Huiran, who had needlessly jumped in and gained nothing, furrowed her brow and closed her eyes again.
