Childhood Friend Who Sees the Future Utters Nonsense

159 – Side Story – The Queen of the Inner and Outer Courtesans (3)

Who am I? Why on earth am I doing this here?

The only bright space in the dark set. It’s a place that seems to be given only to the chosen ones, and somehow I’m there. And I’m face to face with Yuna.

And the dozens of staff members and cameras surrounding us are so tense that just looking at them makes my stomach acid flow back.

“Yuna! Hand the bag to Siyoon as if you were throwing it coldly and turn your head away!”

“Hmm, good! Siyoon is doing well too! Your acting skills are good. You can debut like this!”

By the way, Director, are you usually that talkative?

Of course, I know that the director constantly gives instructions during filming, but for some reason, I feel like he’s just guiding us rather than giving us instructions.

“Hey, by the way, your faces look great together.”

“Who said no, the music video comments section will be a mess.”

Besides that, I can hear the staff members muttering something, but I can’t hear them. I’m so nervous that my shoulders are shaking, so it’s impossible for me to hear someone’s mutterings properly in this situation.

I just hope it’s not just a curse.

“Ms. Yuna! Would you like to smile a little provocatively? And rest your chin on it… . Oh, right! Very good! Please do this cut with that kind of feeling.”

“Yes, Director.”

By the way, I feel this once again, Yuna who is working is really professional.

Of course, I also try to focus as much as possible on my work, but this feels a little different. I guess you could say I feel an aura.

Just as there is an inexplicable force felt from the models walking on stage, the current Yuna also has a similar side. It is quite different from the atmosphere seen off stage or in music videos.

He also has this side to him.

My filming with Yuna was over quickly, so I left the set first. I loosened my tie a little, feeling like the tension was finally easing.

Clank.

“great job.”

“Oh, Seungyeon noona. Thank you.”

On the other hand, while I was silently watching Yuna, who was still in the middle of filming, Seungyeon came over and handed me coffee in a plastic container. Since I was thirsty at the time, I gratefully accepted the coffee and drank it down right away.

Wow, I can live a little now.

“By the way, how is your girlfriend working? This must be the first time you’ve seen her work so closely.”

“That’s right. I’ve seen it offstage a lot, but….”

As Seungyeon noona said, it was the first time I had seen Yuna in so-called ‘work mode’.

Of course, concert stages and broadcast stages are all work modes, but this feels a little different. In any case, it’s closer to communicating with fans while putting on makeup in front of them.

But this is literally a scene under the water surface of a swan swimming diligently, preparing to show something to the fans in a place where there are no fans.

Maybe that’s why it felt so different from what I usually see. It felt like I was seeing the raw, hard-working Han Yu-na.

“It’s kind of cool. To be honest, I thought Yuna would be a bit of a tomboy even in a scene like this.”

“Hahaha, I think I know what you mean. You have such a bright personality.”

Since Yuna herself calls herself a mood maker, I thought that on set, she would be just like the Yuna I knew.

But when I opened the lid, there was Yuna beyond the camera, without an ounce of playfulness. A fresh side that even I, who had been with her for 22 years, had not noticed.

“I think it was a good decision to come. Of course, I didn’t think I would be in a music video….”

Even though I smile and nod, my stomach already starts to hurt when I think about my face appearing in the official music video that will be uploaded on Armo’s official YouTube channel.

I wish the director would just say that it was all hidden camera footage and include the actor’s scenes that were originally supposed to be in the final version. It’s probably a vain hope, though.

“So what, wasn’t it fun anyway?”

I wanted to give a good answer to Seungyeon noona who asked me while tapping my shoulder, but it was hard to say that I was happy even in empty words. I didn’t have time to feel the emotion of happiness.

“I’m too nervous to have fun….”

“Huh, were you nervous? You seemed quite natural for that.”

“Right, right, it looks okay to me.”

In addition to Seungyeon noona expressing her doubts at my words, I heard a familiar voice from behind me. When I turned my head, Yuna was approaching me, waving happily, as if she had already finished filming.

It ended much faster than I thought. Even if I didn’t film much, that’s okay.

“Yuna, you worked hard. Are you done filming today?”

“Yeah, the individual parts are over and after Yerin’s part, there will be another group photo shoot later.”

“Oh, right. I forgot. Now that we’re on the subject, I should go and check the filming schedule again.”

With those words, Seungyeon suddenly left the group and headed somewhere. She probably went to talk to the manager or another staff member.

“By the way, you were nervous? I had no idea.”

“Aren’t you nervous? I’m not a celebrity, and I’ve never had to stand in front of a camera before.”

“You’re doing well for something like that. The staff members just praised you a lot.”

“Really? That’s appreciated.”

I can’t badmouth my boyfriend in front of Yuna, so I don’t know if he’s just saying empty words, but I’m grateful for his words anyway. At least it means that it wasn’t the worst.

“Hehehe, by the way, once the music video comes out, my boyfriend will become popular, right? Won’t he become more popular than me?”

“You’re joking… How can someone like me who is a king of pop music become famous just by appearing in a music video?”

“Of course. Senior Hwang Ji-young also became famous when she appeared in the music video of the best singer of the time when she was still an unknown actress.”

I don’t know who that is, but it has nothing to do with me. Whether unknown or not, that person is definitely an actor, and it’s possible that he will make his name known to the people involved.

But if you take away the title of Armo’s boyfriend, I’m just a college student and office worker with nothing left. I’m just a kingpin who has no intention of becoming famous or anything.

At best, it will start with comments like, “Who is that person that appeared in the music video?” and end with comments like, “Isn’t he just a supporting actor?” or “It seems like they just cast anyone?”

Honestly, if my guess is correct, I don’t think there will even be comments asking questions like this.

“Anyway, don’t make a fuss… Don’t worry, there’s nothing to worry about.”

I patted Yuna on the head as if to stop her from getting too excited about a music video that would just end in her being humiliated.

Then, Yuna, who had been pouting as if she didn’t like something, suddenly grabbed my wrist with her eyes wide open.

“Honey, if you can be so sure, shall we make a bet?”

“What bet?”

When I tilted my head wondering why there was such a sudden bet, Yuna raised her index finger and smiled sinisterly, saying, “Hmm, heh heh.”

“When a music video is uploaded and a lot of people ask the company about you or make guesses in the comments….”

“What if it happens?”

Why am I feeling uneasy?

“Once our contract ends, how about we make a couple YouTube channel that the two of us run? What do you think?”

“… … .”

Yuna, with her cute face, says some of the most horrible lines.

Couple YouTuber, that’s basically like telling me to make a video bragging to everyone in the neighborhood saying ‘I’m Yuna’s boyfriend.’ Is he trying to kill me?

“What if you don’t like it?”

“Shocked?”

“…Okay, I’ll accept that.”

Where did you dare to cast a ‘cowardly’ spell? I thought she was my girlfriend these days, but it didn’t work out, Han Yuna. We should take this opportunity to properly establish discipline.

Okay, call.

***

Time passed so peacefully that I almost forgot that I had made a bet with Yuna, and about three weeks passed by in the blink of an eye.

Today, as usual, I somehow managed to escape from the bed I didn’t want to get out of, arrived at school, and opened the classroom door.

The heavy sound of the door rang out, and my eyes met with those of my juniors, friends, and seniors who had been gathered and chatting in the back of the classroom, and I raised my hand to express my joy.

“high.”

“… … .”

At that moment, silence came.

What the heck, were you talking behind my back? Why does it get so quiet when I come in?

The moment I was about to ask if something was wrong, a thin man in the center of the group suddenly approached me. It was my senior, Yoo Ji-hoon, who was in the same department and also a member of the same club.

“Hey, Siyoon! What’s going on with you? You appeared in the Armo music video!?”

“There was an article this morning saying, were you a trainee or an idol!?”

As questions poured in, I looked over the shoulders of my seniors who approached me with expressions of having been hit in the head.

There was Jeong Mi-ju, looking at me with a pitiful expression and shaking her phone. Oh, shit, I forgot about her.

By the way, what does it mean that an article was published? Why is a king-band member like me in an article? It’s not like it was mentioned indirectly like the last dating rumor.

“Hey, wait a minute, senior. I was in the article?”

“What, didn’t you see? If you look here… .”

“… … !”

On the phone screen that my senior showed me, the search bar had ‘Armo music video man’ written in it, and on the portal site screen below that, there was an article in bold with the title [Who is the man in the new ‘Armo’ music video?]

Fortunately, there weren’t that many articles with similar titles, except for two or three. Most of them seemed to be about Armo’s official music video itself.

But those two or three articles were problematic. Even the text of the articles openly included text speculating about my identity, and even suggested that I was a new trainee at Jane Entertainment.

I think this is kind of fucked up.

Tiring.

As I felt the cold sweat running down my back, I heard a notification sound from my phone in my pocket.

When I opened the screen, the first thing I saw was a message from none other than Yuna. Even the first line contained a link to the article I had just read.

【Girlfriend★ – [Article Link]】

【Girlfriend★ – I think I won?】

【Girlfriend★ – Please take good care of YouTube in 3 years, Editor!】

【Girlfriend★ – (Emoticon laughing as if she’s out of breath)】

Amidst the winner’s brilliant comments, I slowly raised my head, shedding a drop of sweat. There were still eyes pouring down demanding an explanation.

It was only then that I had a gut feeling.

It seems that from now on, I will have to say goodbye to the peaceful college life forever.