Chapter 34: Rising Stakes

The Z Milk Chocolate ad exploded in popularity on YouTube and TV, largely thanks to Im Bada’s “cheek sticker” gifs.

[Milk Chocolate Ad is Cute]

Already going viral?

–That ad’s celeb is worth looking up.

–Seems inspired by the match-selling girl. The cheek stickers scream cuteness haha.

–Munching chocolate so cutely lol.

–So delicious-looking, it’s double the cute.

–Too cute to skip? This ad works hahaha.

[(Im Bada) Wow, nails 80s Seoul dialect]

Especially: “Of course, it’s Z Chocolate!”

Shocked by the 80s Seoul dialect lol.

Played it for my mom, she said it’s spot-on and asked who the actor is.

–That, and it feels like an old film reel. Concept’s honestly dated, but the actor saved it lol.

–Yup, super old concept, but the actor’s performance is top-tier.

–Honestly, the chocolate ad owes the actor a bow for nailing the vibe hahaha.

–This ad lives because of Im Bada.

[Who’s the celeb in this chocolate ad?]

–Im Bada.

–Im Ba.

–Im.

–Comment unity LOL.

(OP) Thanks!

[(Im Bada) Pics of Bada loving chocolate bouquet!]

(Chocolate_Bouquet_Surprised_Bada_Photo_1.jpg)
(Chocolate_Bouquet_Winking_While_Eating_Photo_2.jpg)

Hello.
I must be the person who’s received the most chocolate in the world.
Probably?
Everyone, try a bite of milk chocolate! It’s delicious!

–LOL “Probably?” is hilarious.

–Cool face with unstoppable moe haha.

–Our unnie is so cute…

–Genuinely, an adult woman this cute kills me, and I’m an adult too.

–So cute it feels illegal…

[(Im Bada) Can’t wait for her next project, YoungYoung]

This cute creature as a poignant sub-lead in YoungYoung? Makes sense.

–Don’t want to fangirl, but Bada spoon-feeds the cuteness.

–Crazy…

–Bada-ya ᅲᅲᅲᅲᅲᅲ.

★★★

Thanks to Z Chocolate sending a chocolate bouquet, I visited the agency. After taking proof shots, I went to the CEO’s office, where the lights were off.

‘Why no lights?’

I turned them on.

“Oh… Bada-ya, you’re here.”

I was startled by CEO Min Ja-young’s exhausted expression.

“You look tired?”

“Yeah, a lot. Thanks to someone.”

“Who?”

“Who do you think?”

I haven’t caused trouble, so not me.

“Cheon Ian sunbae-nim?”

“…Why him?”

“I don’t cause trouble.”

Min Ja-young swept back her bangs, propping her chin.

“After the chocolate ad, other companies have been calling.”

“Oh? Me?”

I didn’t expect the ad to blow up like this…

“Great, right…?”

“Not amazed?”

“…It’s cool, but…”

It didn’t fully sink in, so I was calm.

“Oh, and…”

Her vibe shifted suddenly.

“Not sure if it’s good news.”

“What’s with the suspense?”

“YoungYoung’s timeslot is set.”

“…Wasn’t it 8:50 PM?”

The drama division head said YoungYoung wouldn’t draw viewers, setting it at 8:50 PM.

“That’s what we thought.”

“Thought?”

“It’s now 9:50 PM.”

A timeslot change from 8:50 to 9:50 PM is huge. The 9:50 slot has different ad rates, and everyone fights for it.

“Why the change?”

“The drama in that slot got pushed back.”

A drama cancellation isn’t common. Divine luck?

“Do you know about Director Kim Jin’s project?”

“9:50 PM. It’ll overlap.”

What’s with Kim Jin’s projects always clashing with mine?

“I heard Kim Jin’s been hysterical.”

“Hysterical?”

“Fighting with Jo Jang-hee a lot.”

Those two? My changed future shifted things again. I remember Kim Jin and Jo Jang-hee having great synergy.

“Fighting a lot?”

No way. But hearing it made me feel good—like washing away a decade of grime.

“Why?”

“Rumor has it Jo Jang-hee and Kim Jung-woo growl at each other. Probably bad blood with Kim Jin too.”

Jo Jang-hee, a narcissist, didn’t like her co-stars. Kim Jung-woo disliking an actress? He’s got taste.

“Jo Jang-hee kept nitpicking Kim Jung-woo’s acting. Didn’t like it. Caused a shoot cancellation once.”

“Cancellation?”

“Huge mess. Everything was set, but the actor didn’t show. Staff were pissed.”

Just hearing it stressed me out. A lead canceling a shoot? That going public would be chaos.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Min Ja-young kept going.

“Bada-ya, did you know Tae Jin-hwa and Jo Jang-hee don’t get along?”

“…They don’t?”

I vaguely knew from my past life, but had to play dumb now.

“Oh, you didn’t know. Thought you’d know since you’re close to Tae Jin-hwa.”

“Why would she tell a rookie good stuff?”

“True.”

I don’t know the details, just bits and pieces.

“In Atonement: Scent of a Woman, Tae Jin-hwa and Jo Jang-hee fought.”

“In Atonement?”

“Yeah. Staff said they clashed over acting constantly. Not fists, but glares and arguments.”

“Why?”

Not my sunbae-nim’s style.

“Tae Jin-hwa was shedding her child actor label and rising, while Jo Jang-hee was unknown. When the drama aired, Tae Jin-hwa faced acting criticism.”

“That happened?”

I was too young to know the rumors. To me, her acting was dazzling.

“Yeah, but it died down fast, so few remember.”

“How’s that related to their fight?”

“Jo Jang-hee, getting noticed as the villain, kept picking on Tae Jin-hwa’s acting.”

That explains…

‘The “Tough” in her script.’

Pages and pages marked “Tough.” I thought it was the historical drama’s intensity.

“I was surprised when Tae Jin-hwa joined YoungYoung after avoiding historical dramas.”

Would I have rushed to persuade her if I knew?

‘Probably wouldn’t have gone.’

“It’s her first project in five years. Everyone’s expecting a lot. So…”

“…..”

“You know you have to do well, right?”

She pivoted to me.

“Not the lead, but a key supporting role.”

Yeonwoo’s role, though not the lead, is major. I have to nail it.

Min Ja-young strode over, slamming scripts and screenplays on the table.

Boom.

A massive weight.

“Bada-ya, you’re trending, so these poured in.”

“This many?”

“Yup, this many.”

Over 20 by my count.

“You’re rising, so scripts keep coming. But…”

She pushed the pile aside.

“No matter how good your acting, lose your初心, and these scripts? Gone. You won’t act what you love.”

Nagging out of care. Her affection warmed me into a smile.

“Seeing you, it’s not just acting—the ad made you memorable.”

“Yes.”

“Worried you’ll catch celebrity disease.”

Celebrity disease—the phase stars go through. Me, though?

“…That guy caught it.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Cheon Ian. He had it and tormented me for a year. Don’t do that.”

Good to have a bad example. I’ll avoid his path.

“Got it, Bada-ya?”

“Yes, I understand.”

As I nodded to her words, Seo-eun unnie burst in, glasses on, hugging me.

“Holding my kid?”

“My kid?”

“My actor, my kid. Someone else’s?”

“Thought you adopted her.”

“I’d love to.”

“What?”

Caught in their banter, I sipped my iced Americano alone. Caffeine cleared my head.

“Bada-ya, what’d you talk about?”

“Got nagged.”

“Nagged?! Unnie!”

I waved her off. “Good nagging. Advice.”

“Advice?”

She glared at Min Ja-young, disbelieving.

“Really.”

“For real?”

I nodded. It was true.

“Been a while since I got nagged. Felt good.”

“What’s this kid saying? Our CEO’s nagging needs 10 hours of sitting.”

“I like nagging…”

Seo-eun unnie’s jaw dropped, speechless.

Some hate nagging, but not me. For 12 years, I was alone—deciding, pushing myself. My parents stepped back, saying it was hard to comment on my path.

You think you live alone, but you need someone to push you. Nagging’s rooted in care.

Snapping out of it, Seo-eun unnie asked, curious, “You… into that?”

“Unnie! What’re you saying!”

She rubbed her chin, eyeing the CEO. “Fine, we both have a stake.”

“Am I the mom?”

“……”

My opinion ignored, Seo-eun unnie concluded, and the CEO cracked weird jokes. I sipped my coffee, zoning out as they battled over praising me.

“Oh, right,” I said.

They focused on me.

“Didn’t you say you had something to ask, CEO?”