Chapter 56: Runway Encounters

“Ah~ Dobby…”

Dobby is Free—that Dobby? Sure, sticking in the public’s memory is important, but isn’t this stage name a little too random?

“An idol?”

“A–ah, no. I’m acting. And you, Mr. Dobby…?”

I just couldn’t get the name “Dobby” to sit right on my tongue.

“Haha, you really don’t know me at all, do you?”

For a name you could never forget once you’d heard it, it felt completely foreign.

This had to be someone I genuinely didn’t know.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know much about idols.”

“Idol? Do I look like one?”

At that, Dobby burst out laughing.

“I–isn’t it so?”

“I’m a YouTuber.”

“YouTuber?”

With heavy makeup and striking features, I’d assumed he was a carefully managed idol.

“Even if they offered, I’d never do the idol thing. Right?”

The way he dismissed it rubbed me the wrong way—especially coming from someone who’d once advertised an idol survival program.

“Having to tiptoe around fans, the grueling schedule…ugh, just thinking about it makes me hate it. If you’ve got that kind of ability, you’d be better off as an actor or BJ.”

Even though it was our first meeting, he blurted out his thoughts without restraint.

“There’s no job that gets more love from fans than an idol.”

“I have fans too. I’m on both American TV and YouTube. You wouldn’t believe how many fans drop tens of millions of won on me in a single day.”

“Ah, I see…”

“BJ work pays really well.”

What exactly does a BJ do? Not knowing, I couldn’t even react.

“Some people look at BJs with weird prejudice, but we’re nothing like that. We’re all sensitive, good-hearted people.”

“Ah, I see.”

I began to think it must be a job with a lot of stories behind it.

“You’re still new, right?”

He pegged me as a rookie instantly—probably because my face wasn’t familiar and I still looked like this was my first event.

“You seem like you’d be popular as a BJ. If it doesn’t work out, give me a call. This is fate, so I’ll take special care of you.”

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

“Aw, come on~ If you’re good at it, a hundred million won a month is nothing.”

A hundred million? BJs earn that much?

“You’ve got the looks, but you don’t seem to have that spark. I run a BJ agency myself, so my eye’s pretty sharp.”

No spark? That was a first.

“I’m serious. Acting’s a career where only one percent make it big. Everyone else is starving.”

“Is that so?”

“I really see you like a younger brother. It’s a shame when you could live an easier life.”

“I appreciate it, but I’m fine.”

I politely turned him down—money wasn’t my goal, and I’d never even thought about anything else. Even so, he handed me his StarGram ID, telling me to reach out anytime.

“Contact me if you’re interested.”

“Ah, yes.”

His StarGram was plastered with luxury goods, foreign cars, hotel pools, and club shots.

Even a fool could see what’s going on.

The whole feed reeked of someone desperate to show off wealth. The only safe response was to steer clear.

“Hello.”

“Ah, over here?”

More and more people were filing in to watch the show, and among them were plenty of celebrities I recognized by face alone.

“Oh, it’s Taewoon.”

“Wow~ he’s handsome.”

And there was Taewoon too. While I sat in the very back, he had a prime seat dead center at the front. It was too far to approach him.

I’ll say hi later.

Even after filming ended, we stayed in touch, but it wasn’t like I was longing for him or anything.

“Hahaha. Thank you.”

Even with several cameras trained on him, Taewoon smiled into the lenses as if nothing fazed him.

Now that’s a real entertainer.

Soon the lights focused on the runway and the show began. A deep drumbeat echoed as the models started walking.

Ah…so this is the true world of fashion.

I could hardly make sense of what I was seeing—horns strapped to their heads, giant beads dangling from shoes.

If I’d been alone, I might have burst out laughing at the bizarre parade of outfits.

Everyone’s such a pro.

But no one here so much as blinked; everyone watched seriously. Determined not to be outdone, I kept my poker face too. The show ran about forty minutes, and when the designer came out at the end, everyone rose to applaud.

“There’s light catering prepared just next door, so please move over.”

As staff guided people to the catering area, I thought, I just want to go home.

I ached for the day to end, but I remembered the promise I’d made to Hyungkyu to give every schedule my best, and dragged my feet along.

At the catering space, Hayoon was already waiting for me.

“Hyung! I missed you. Did you see the show too?”

“I did.”

“The world of fashion is so profound.”

“I think so too.”

We whispered quietly so no staff would overhear. It felt good to have an ally who thought like me.

“But…what exactly are we supposed to do here?”

“Let’s wait a little.”

“Okay.”

This was the kind of place where people held champagne glasses and made small talk after the show. Not wanting to stand empty-handed, I picked up a glass myself.

Where’s Taewoon?

I wasn’t the type to mingle with strangers, so my plan was just to greet Taewoon and leave.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

While waiting for Taewoon, a few people struck up conversations with me, but they quickly lost interest and drifted away.

After the third time, I finally realized why.

“Hyung, were follower counts always this important?”

At first, they smiled and seemed interested when I said I was an actor, but once they saw my much lower follower count and obvious rookie aura, they turned and walked off without a backward glance.

“I didn’t think it would be this bad…!!”

“So this is why the agency kept nagging me to post more pictures.”

In an instant I understood why the staff had been so obsessed with StarGram.

Of course, that didn’t mean I had any intention of working hard just to earn these people’s approval.

“Hyung, can’t we go now?”

We’d mingled enough for appearances’ sake. I just wanted to go home. I could always text Taewoon on the way out.

“Let’s go. I’ll tell them we’re leaving first.”

Hayoon seemed to think we’d done enough too.

He went to say goodbye to the brand reps, setting down his untouched champagne on a nearby table.

“I poured so much money into this place, and this is the seat they give me?”

The man who went by the nickname BJ Dobby seethed.

He’d spent hundreds of millions of won on this luxury brand, only to be shoved up into the nosebleeds.

Still, there was one thing he liked—the man sitting next to him.

Hmm…if I reel him in, he could be useful.

Good-looking, but naïve and clueless—perfect material to manipulate.

One of Dobby’s recent cash-cow BJs was lying low after a crypto scandal, and he needed a replacement fast.

This guy looked like just the ticket.

“Ah, thank you.”

So awkward, so withdrawn—ideal for gaslighting and putting to use.

Taking advantage of the moment when the manager had stepped away, Dobby leaned in again.

“Celebrities and their obsession with status are exhausting, aren’t they?”

“Sorry?”

“Don’t you get it? They’re ignoring you because you’re an unknown rookie.”

Seeing the man called Hyunjae react with surprise and agitation made Dobby even more excited. He felt like he had him on the hook.

“Actors never make it. The money’s pitiful. Such a waste of a handsome face.”

“Ah, yes…”

“People think the glamor’s real, but we’re the genuine article. Look at us—VIP invites to events like this.”

He flashed his watch and kept bragging about how his was the real lucrative job.

“Oh, Taewoon…”

Then Hyunjae let Taewoon’s name slip.

“Taewoon? Look at him—constantly harassed by stalkers, can’t even date properly, living all cramped up!”

“I guess that might be true…”

“Of course it is!”

At last, Dobby thought, he was making progress.

“So?”

But the hesitant tone from before suddenly turned cold—icy enough to sting.

“What?”

BJ Dobby looked up at Hyunjae and saw an expression that was openly uncomfortable.

What’s with that look?

Was he upset at being lumped in with another celebrity? Dobby had no choice but to gauge his mood—anyone would, after seeing that expression.

“I mean…”

“What are you doing?”

Before Dobby could explain, Taewoon himself—someone who normally wouldn’t even glance at him—walked over and spoke.

He’s talking to me? Holy crap. Taewoon? Has he seen my streams? I’ve got to tell this story on stream later.

Assuming from the friendly tone that Taewoon must be a subscriber, Dobby hurried to choose a suitably chummy greeting—but then noticed Taewoon’s eyes.

“Uh, hyung…”

“Hyung?”

What was that? Suddenly calling someone “hyung”?

“You don’t even come over to greet me, but you’ve got plenty to say to someone else.”

“This person kept trying to push me toward another job.”

“What?”

Ah, he’d blown it. The “idiot” wasn’t an idiot at all—he’d just been playing dumb. And now his eyes showed his true self.

“Haha, hello. I’m a fan~”

He’d always prided himself on his quick tongue and sharp instincts from years of live streaming, but this time he’d slipped up, blinded by appearances.

“Hello.”

“I didn’t know you two were close.”

The rose-colored filter fell from his eyes, and his crazy-radar kicked in hard. The alarm bells were deafening.

He had one personal rule: mess with anyone you want, but never, ever get tangled with a lunatic.

Those eyes. Run.

They said you couldn’t fake a gaze. Even if there was big money to be had, this wasn’t worth it—he’d be the one getting devoured.

“Well, enjoy your conversation. I’ll be going.”

He executed a perfect retreat, fleeing the scene.

“What on earth did you do to make him run off like that?”

“He ran off because of you, hyung.”

“What are you talking about? He bolted because of you.”

All that swagger, and he couldn’t handle this?

“What kind of person tries to talk you into changing jobs?”

“He does YouTube and BJ work…”

“In places like this, it’s best to steer clear of anyone with an unclear background.”

Taewoon shook his head. YouTuber or BJ weren’t bad jobs per se, but that guy had been nothing but shady.

“By the way, what is a BJ?”

“You don’t know?”

“No.”

“Then don’t worry about it. Anyway, where were you just now?”

“I was in the back.”

“I kept seeing your manager hyung, but not you. I was looking everywhere.”

“Ah! Hayoon hyung! He went to greet the staff, but why isn’t he back yet?”

Given how little he liked talking, Hayoon should have been back right after saying his hellos. It was strange he hadn’t returned.

“Greeting them? I saw him outside, talking to some guy.”

“Some guy?”