Chapter 131: Sunbae’s Proposal (3)
The movie One of a Kind of Girl had already made over twenty billion won in just one week with two million people having come to watch it in cinemas. Kang Ra-Eun’s seven-million promise likely played a part in it. At this rate, the total audience attendance would easily reach over seven million.
Ra-Eun was not the only one basking in the spotlight; Director Yoon Tae-Yoon’s name was also being frequently mentioned by the public. Even the sales of his previous works that had been buried in the rough were skyrocketing.
Greater and greater news continued to be heard the faster One of a Kind of Girl went down its fast track to success. It was being screened in more cinemas, and the overseas release that Vice President Park Hee-Woo had mentioned was also becoming a reality.
Ra-Eun held in her admiration from looking at all these projects progressing one by one.
‘The thing about movies is they absolutely take off once they spread far enough.’
After working in the entertainment industry herself, she could understand why people fantasized over it so much.
“What’s got you so focused?”
As Ra-Eun was at the cafe under her house, checking the movie attendance record that had just been released, Kang Ra-Hyuk, who had joined her, looked over at her smartphone screen. Ra-Eun narrowed her eyes and covered her smartphone so that he couldn’t see the display.
“Don’t you know you shouldn’t look at your little sister’s phone without permission? Where are your manners?” she snapped at Ra-Hyuk while clicking her tongue.
He felt like it had been a while since he had been criticized by his little sister. No, it actually had been a while, since he had been freed from his little sister’s nagging after getting his own place.
“Weren’t you looking at stock trading data?” Ra-Hyuk asked.
That was all that was on his mind these days.
Ra-Eun answered bluntly, “It’s almost time for the market to close anyway, so there’s no need. And I have no time to do stock trading these days.”
“Huh? Then where do you get all your info from?”
Ra-Hyuk was curious about how Ra-Eun was able to gather such excellent data when she was so busy with work. All the info she needed was in her mind, but she made excuses like she always did.
“I just pick up things here and there while I go around. That aside, you still have the stocks of JMTE Entertainment that I told you to buy, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Start selling them around the beginning of next year.”
“Huh? Why? It’s been rising fine. Entertainment stocks have been doing pretty well lately.”
JMTE Entertainment was the place that had offered Ra-Eun an agency transfer through Woo Kang-Hyun. Their stocks couldn’t be considered the best in terms of entertainment stocks, but it was still very well-known. Their stocks would also benefit massively if entertainment stocks were on the rise.
Hence, Ra-Hyuk couldn’t believe why his little sister had made such a decision. Ra-Eun wasn’t doing this for no reason; the decision was made while fully thinking of the future.
‘It’ll take a nosedive soon enough.’
It was best to sell them off while they were still high. Ra-Eun took a sip of her americano and narrowed her eyes at Ra-Hyuk again.
“What did I tell you about stock trading? You should...”
Ra-Eun purposefully did not finish her sentence. She was daring her older brother to finish it for her. Ra-Hyuk sighed.
“...Do whatever I say without question, right?” he replied.
“You’re goddamn right.”
She smiled and sipped her americano once again through a straw. She had emptied her cup in a flash.
“And just to reiterate, don’t ever share the info that I give you with others. Not even to the girls who follow you around because they like you,” Ra-Eun emphasized.
“I know.”
Ra-Hyuk was as popular as always even after getting his own place. Actually, his popularity with the campus ladies could have been amplified because of it instead, since the many restrictions that were once present had been reduced.
However, there was still one problem.
“Are you still scared of dating someone?”
Ra-Hyuk still couldn’t muster up the courage to get into a romantic relationship. His shoulders flinched from Ra-Eun’s dead-on guess, but strongly denied it despite showing such a response.
“Wh-What nonsense are you spouting? Are you saying that I’m scared of women or something?!”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“...”
Knowing he wouldn’t be able to win against Ra-Eun in an argument, he quickly surrendered.
“Yeah, you’re exactly right.”
Ra-Hyuk knew from experience that he would only be teased about it by his little sister if he continued to deny it, so he just decided to just admit it early on. Ra-Eun also knew how deep Ra-Hyuk’s past trauma regarding dating was. However...
“Nothing good will come out of remaining in the past. Didn’t you say you wanted to get married and have a family one day?” Ra-Eun stated.
“Well, yeah...”
“Then you’ve gotta do your best to overcome your trauma. It’s not too late.”
Ra-Hyuk unconsciously nodded at his little sister’s advice, since it was not wrong in the slightest.
“Anyway, I’ll help you in any way that I can. Should I introduce you to some nice girls?” she asked.
“No, forget it.”
“Why not? I know tons of good girls.”
“Because I feel like I’ll be whipped for the rest of my life if I get with one of your acquaintances.”
Ra-Eun clicked her tongue.
***
A large-scale community service group had been made, consisting of the actors and production team of One of a Kind of Girl, and the employees of Do-Dam Group.
They were planning on doing community service at a folk house region where the elderly lived alone. Not only was the region located on a harsh incline, it was hard to get up to by car, so not much help came to them. The community service consisted of delivering coal briquettes and other daily necessities.
The host of the community service, Ji Han-Seok, gathered everyone and remarked, “I know all of you have freed up some of your precious time for today, so I hope we can make some meaningful memories together. Okay then, everyone. Let’s do this!”
“Let’s do this!”
They were divided into groups and each headed to their designated zones. Ra-Eun’s group consisted of herself, Han-Seok, and Kim Yeon-Gyu, one of the supporting actors of One of a Kind of Girl. They and the other volunteers hustled up the steep cliff with the daily necessities to deliver to the elderly at their homes.
The endless slope was so steep that they were out of breath already. Even Han-Seok, who worked out a considerable amount, was panting. However, Ra-Eun was leading the group from the very front. Han-Seok was impressed by her as she tackled the steep slope without any sign of fatigue.
“Ra-Eun is as full of stamina as always,” he mentioned.
Yeon-Gyu said while nodding from behind, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her tired on set. She has amazing endurance. I’m sure you know better than me since you’d worked together with her in the past, sunbae.”
“I sure do.”
Her mentality was just as impressive as her stamina. She was highly recognized by the public and had absolutely no bad rumors about her, but haters were always bound to form. However, Ra-Eun did not even bat an eye at such hate comments. She simply let them slide, not even giving them the time of day. Han-Seok was her senior, but he sometimes admired that side of her.
Meanwhile, Ra-Eun had arrived at the destination first and exclaimed to the two men falling behind, “We don’t have all day, so please hurry up!”
Han-Seok and Yeon-Gyu smiled bitterly.
***
When they arrived at the third house, an old lady waved Ra-Eun, Han-Seok and Yeon-Gyu over.
“Oh, perfect timing! We just made this kimchi yesterday. Come have a taste!”
“K-Kimchi?”
Han-Seok and Yeon-Gyu were momentarily bewildered as the old lady held up a kimchi wrap almost the size of a fist. The male actors didn’t mind, but...
‘Wouldn’t Ra-Eun... not like such a thing?’
Women mostly avoided eating kimchi in front of others since the chili powder would get stuck between their teeth. However, Ra-Eun did not really care much about her image as an actress.
“Thank you very much for the meal.”
She stuffed the massive kimchi wrap into her small mouth. The old lady felt so happy to see Ra-Eun eating so well, and looked at her with loving eyes. Ra-Eun chewed on the kimchi wrap while covering her mouth, and finally managed to swallow it.
“That was delicious, ma’am!”
“Right? Would you like another one?”
“Yes, please! Do you also have some rice? Eating a spoonful of rice with a piece of kimchi on top is absolutely heavenly.”
“Of course I do! Just you wait. I’ll go get you some right away for you, you cute thing.”
“Thank you very much.”
What the elderly needed the most was loving care. Ra-Eun knew this better than anyone else, so she put aside her face as an actress and played along with the old lady, which left a very deep impression on Han-Seok and Yeon-Gyu.
Yeon-Gyu whispered, “Ra-Eun... really is attractive.”
“...”
Han-Seok couldn’t give any sort of reply, since he felt like Yeon-Gyu’s words contained something more than simple companionship.
***
“Urgh...! I’m exhausted.”
The community service was coming to an end. No matter how athletic Ra-Eun was, she was still human. Going up and down steep slopes all day while carrying heavy loads was bound to sap one’s stamina. But fortunately, she had run out of energy right after the community service had come to an end.
While they were packing their things, Yeon-Gyu came up to her.
“Great work, Ra-Eun. Would you like some coffee?”
Ra-Eun thanked him as she gratefully accepted it. She felt her fatigue subsiding as the cold coffee cooled her down.
“Thank you so much, Yeon-Gyu.”
“No problem. That aside, are you busy today, Ra-Eun?”
“Not really. Why do you ask?”
“Nothing special. I just had something I wanted to consult with you.”
Yeon-Gyu got up from his seat and brushed the dirt off from his butt with his hands. His gaze then shifted to Ra-Eun.
“I’ve come to like you, Ra-Eun.”
He made a surprise love confession. Ra-Eun recalled the advice she had given to Ra-Hyuk a few days back.
‘I guess I wasn’t in any position to give love advice.’
It seemed like she had her own fish to fry.
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