“Hong Manager, this room needs to be cleared.”
Seo Tae-seok’s house had seven rooms, including some that were unoccupied. Therefore, it wasn’t necessary to use this particular room. Knowing this, Hong Manager argued back.
“There are empty rooms available. What do you need this one for?”
The room Tae-seok opened was the smallest corner room in the house, used as a storage space without any windows. It was filled with various unused items and clutter.
“It has to be this room. No other.”
“But why exactly?”
“I’m turning it into Writer Choi Yeoreum’s workspace.”
Hong Manager had already heard about Tae-seok provoking Yeoreum to commute daily. He was exasperated by Tae-seok’s persistence.
At this point, even he wondered if Tae-seok really knew what he wanted. To Hong Manager, Tae-seok’s actions seemed far removed from mere revenge.
Offering the smallest and most modest room in the house as revenge seemed laughable.
“Hey, there’s the ‘Room of Yeoreum’ on the other side. You spent millions to set it up as a workspace, and it’s still untouched. Just let her use that.”
Hong Manager, reluctant to engage in physical work, suggested this with a grimace. Then a chill seemed to sweep in. Following the cold air, Hong Manager found Tae-seok’s icy gaze upon him.
“How dare she enter there. What right does she have?”
“Well, then maybe get rid of that room… It seems a waste to leave it as is. That’s why I suggested it.”
Hong Manager averted his eyes and spoke in a subdued voice. He began organizing the clutter in the storage room, moving boxes out one by one.
“That room will remain as it is.”
“Suit yourself.”
Who could really know what’s inside his mind? Hong Manager shook his head but didn’t ask further. He silently carried the boxes to the balcony. The room wasn’t large, so the task was easier than expected.
Hong Manager thought about Yeoreum, who would inevitably be brought to this room. He decided it was time to meet her.
‘My friend, Choi Yeoreum.’
Being a late university entrant, Hong Manager didn’t really have friends from his batch, only juniors. They were all intimidated by him, leaving him to have lunch alone. Then Yeoreum approached him first.
“Senior! Let’s have lunch together from now on.”
“I’m not really a senior. We’re in the same year.”
“Still, you’re older, so I’ll call you senior.”
From then on, they became close friends.
His high school best friend Seo Tae-seok, and his university best friend Choi Yeoreum. Unintentionally, Hong Manager had connected them.
Never did he expect sparks to fly between them at that party. He knew Yeoreum was pretty, but didn’t think she was Tae-seok’s type. Tae-seok’s previous girlfriends were all mature top stars.
‘The dynamics between men and women are truly unpredictable.’
Nevertheless, the two grew close quickly, becoming a cozy couple. Everything was fine until Yeoreum committed an unthinkable act and left. She reported Tae-seok’s tax evasion to the National Tax Service and fled to the U.S. during the investigation. Hong Manager wanted to hear Yeoreum’s side but had no way to find her.
But now, with the situation as it is…
He would have to ask Tae-seok for her contact. Whether he liked it or not, they were bound to run into each other once the shooting started. He had questions to ask and things to say.
“It’s all set.”
Tae-seok, looking satisfied, dusted off his hands, and Hong Manager, having placed the last box down, fervently hoped that the smile on Seo Tae-seok’s face wasn’t one of anticipation.
[Star Icon]Shin Min-cheol, the CEO of Pu Entertainment, called Ji-hyeon Jung.
Despite being divorced, Shin Min-cheol and Ji-hyeon Jung maintained a close relationship, making them famous in the industry as a Hollywood couple.
Ji-hyeon Jung didn’t like the term ‘couple’, but people habitually referred to them as such. Having transitioned from friends to spouses and back to friends, they often met for meals and drinks.
“This time, it looks like you’re buying the drinks, Ji-hyeon Jung.”
[Why?]“Well, because Tae-seok caused trouble, and our Ji-hyuk got really hurt.”
[…I can’t argue with that.]
Ji-hyeon Jung sighed wearily over the phone.
She knew Tae-seok was eagerly awaiting his return but never imagined he would do it in this manner. The scale at which he intruded into an already-cast drama and created an additional lead role was typical of Tae-seok’s occasional madness despite his normal appearance.
“Anyway, I’m consoling Ji-hyuk, so you should talk to Tae-seok as well. After all, Cheon Ji-hyuk was the sole lead before Seo Tae-seok messed it up. Tell him to apologize…”
As Shin Min-cheol was speaking, he suddenly stopped. Tae-seok had entered his office. While it was an unexpected visit, he felt relieved he could now scold Tae-seok directly.
“Never mind, I’ll talk to him. Tae-seok is here.”
[Huh? Tae-seok is there?]“Yeah. Gotta go.”
He hastily ended the call and was about to speak to Tae-seok when Tae-seok beat him to it.
“Hyung, still not making as much money as Hyun-jung noona?”
“Is that how you greet people?”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
