Chapter 40: An Invitation to Stardom

“Hello, Inha-ya?”

[Oppa! What are you doing right now?]

“Ah, I just finished filming and was about to go hang out.”

[What? Hang out? Where?!]

At the words “hang out,” Jung Inha’s voice instantly shot up with excitement.  

Myungwoo answered without hiding his slightly flustered tone.

“Uh, Jeon Siho sunbae’s house…”

[Whaaat? Jeon Siho sunbae’s house?!]

Whoa, her reaction is way more explosive than I expected.

Hearing her voice brimming with excitement, Myungwoo replied in a dazed tone.

“Yeah, yeah. Inha, do you like Jeon Siho sunbae that much?”

[Of course! He’s one of the absolute top actors in our country!]

Well, Jeon Siho was indeed a massive top star on the same level as Lee Yoohee.  

When people listed the best actors in Korea, the women’s side was Lee Yoohee, and the men’s side was Jeon Siho.

[But how did you end up going to Jeon Siho sunbae’s house? No, wait—how did you even meet him?]

“Well, I’m appearing in Director Jo Jaesik’s new film this time, and there I…”

[Whaaat? Oppa, you’re in a Jo Jaesik film?!]

An even more shocked voice than before exploded from Jung Inha.

Ah, right. I never actually told her.

“Yeah. The director liked me and gave me the chance.”

[Ughhh, I’m so jealous. Appearing in a Jo Jaesik film and even getting close enough with Jeon Siho sunbae to visit his house…!]

“Myungwoo-ya, what are you doing?”

Lee Yoohee, who had finished talking with the manager, walked over with a curious expression when she saw Myungwoo standing still on the phone.  

Myungwoo signaled to Inha that he’d be a second and answered Yoohee.

“Ah, nothing big—just a call from an actor junior I know.”

“An actor? Who?”

“Jung Inha. Uh, do you know her? She was my co-star in both <Black and White Mask> and <Alley Childhood Friends>.”

“Ah, little Inha? Of course I know her. Wait—so you two got close enough to call each other?”

At Myungwoo’s words, Yoohee put on a teasing face.  

Seeing how thrilled she looked, Myungwoo laughed.

“Haha, yeah, somehow.”

“Hmm~ Really?”

[Hey? Who is it, oppa?]

“Ah, yeah. It’s Yoohee sunbae.”

[Heok—Yoohee sunbae? So you’re with both Yoohee sunbae and Jeon Siho sunbae right now?!]

“Yep.”

[Waa… I’m so jealous… Oppa, how did you get close to such top stars?]

“Haha, I know, right?”

“Hm? What did Inha say?”

“Ah, she says she’s jealous that I got close to you and Siho sunbae.”

“What? Ahaha, what a cute kid.”

Yoohee burst out laughing at Myungwoo’s words.  

Myungwoo smiled back at her warm, friendly gaze.

“Hmm, Inha is close with Myungwoo?”

“Yeah, pretty close.”

“Then shall we invite her too? It’ll be more fun for you to have someone your age, and—oh, only if Inha isn’t busy, of course.”

“Uh, that’s okay?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?”

Yoohee smiled brightly.

If she was being that considerate, Myungwoo was only grateful.  

He nodded lightly and spoke to Inha.

“Inha-ya, are you busy right now?”

[Nope! School just ended, and I’ve got nothing to do. No filming for a while either.]

“Then… do you want to come with me and Yoohee sunbae to Jeon Siho sunbae’s house?”

[Wha—what?]

Kyaaaaa—!  

Jung Inha screamed so loudly on the other side of the phone that Myungwoo instinctively pulled it away from his ear and rubbed the ringing one.

Ow, a pterodactyl just landed.

[Is—is this for real? Can I really come too?]

“Yeah. They said let’s all hang out—if you’re free.”

[I’m free! Totally free!]

Where do I go?!  

At the even more excited voice, Myungwoo looked at Yoohee with a bewildered expression.

“What’d she say?”

“She says she’s completely free. Where should she come?”

“Wait a sec—hmm, I’ll send the address. Can you forward it to Inha?”

“Ah, yes.”

“By the way, can Inha come alone? She’s a year younger than you, right?”

“Yeah, she just turned ten.”

“Hmm, then should I go pick her up?”

“Oh, you’d do that?”

Myungwoo’s eyes widened slightly.

He had been worried about letting a ten-year-old come alone anyway—if Yoohee offered to pick her up, that was perfect.

“Yeah. It’d be better, right? It’s weird to have a ten-year-old girl come by herself.”

“I’d really appreciate that. I’ll ask Inha.”

“Okay.”

[Ask me what?]

“Ah, Inha-ya—Yoohee sunbae says she’ll come pick you up. Where should she go?”

[Huh? P-pick me up? Yoohee sunbae is coming to get me?!]

Kyaa—! So awesome—!  

Another pterodactyl appeared. 

Myungwoo covered the ear closest to the phone.

Wow, she’s completely hyped.

[I’ll send you my address! Gotta hang up, oppa! See you later!]

“Ah, okay, okay.”

The whirlwind conversation with Jung Inha ended, and Myungwoo hung up with a slightly dazed face.

I never knew Inha could get this excited. First time seeing it.

“Ahaha, Inha must be super excited—she was loud enough for me to hear everything over here.”

“Right? She’s totally losing it over meeting Siho sunbae and Yoohee sunbae.”

“Fufu, what an adorable junior.”

Yoohee smiled warmly. Myungwoo rubbed his still-tingling ear and smiled back.

“Come to think of it—if we’re calling Inha, aren’t we calling that other kid too?”

“Hm? Who?”

“The sub-male-lead child actor from <Alley Childhood Friends>, Jo Seungha. I heard you two got close while filming.”

“Ah.”

Right, there was Jo Seungha.

Myungwoo nodded at Yoohee’s words.

But with Yoohee here… calling Jo Seungha might be a bit…

“But… is that okay?”

“Hm? What?”

“I heard that the one who scrapped Jo Seungha’s casting in <Black and White Mask> was you, Yoohee sunbae…”

“Ah, that?”

Yoohee shrugged nonchalantly.

“Back then his acting was terrible, so I scrapped it. But after watching <Alley Childhood Friends>, the kid has improved a ton.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“Your work, right?”

Yoohee gave him a knowing smile. 

Myungwoo grinned and nodded.

“It’s not exactly my work… but I did help him a bit.”

“Fufu, I knew it. That kid had the basics, but without some kind of trigger, he wouldn’t have changed that fast. If it was you who changed him, everything makes sense.”

“Haha, I’m just grateful you see it that way.”

“So humble.”

Yoohee laughed and ruffled Myungwoo’s hair. Myungwoo laughed sheepishly.

“Anyway—if it’s not awkward for him, I’m totally fine. Want to invite him?”

“Hmm, sure.”

He already owed Chairman Jo Beomgyu a favor anyway—it would’ve been awkward to leave Jo Seungha out. 

Myungwoo nodded.

“And I’m pretty sure he won’t feel awkward at all.”

“Hm?”

“Fufu, you’ll see.”

Yoohee smiled mischievously. 

Myungwoo tilted his head and called Jo Seungha.

[Uh, what is it, Kang Myungwoo?]

“Hey, hyung—are you busy right now?”

[Nah, I’m free. Why?]

“Nothing big—just wondering if you want to come with me, Inha, and Yoohee sunbae to Jeon Siho sunbae’s house?”

[…What?]

Jo Seungha went silent for a moment.  

Uh-oh, maybe it’s a bit much? 

Myungwoo was about to speak when—

[Yoohee sunbae—as in Lee Yoohee sunbae? And Jeon Siho sunbae is that Jeon Siho sunbae?!]

Jo Seungha shouted even louder than Inha had earlier.

“Y-Yeah… Lee Yoohee sunbae and Jeon Siho sunbae.”

[Holy… no, how the hell do you even know them?!]

“Ah, we’re in the same movie this time.”

[What—what? Same movie?]

Wow, Myungwoo, you’re seriously…  

Jo Seungha’s voice sounded half awed, half defeated.

“Yeah, it just happened. So, coming?”

[Me? To Jeon Siho sunbae’s house? With Lee Yoohee sunbae?]

“Yeah.”

[I… I can go? Like, actually go?]

His voice was trembling with nervousness, but also overflowing with excitement. 

Myungwoo nodded with a smile.

“Of course. Yoohee sunbae was the one who suggested it first.”

[What? Lee Yoohee sunbae did?]

“Yeah.”

[She… doesn’t hate me, right?]

“Huh?”

At that, Myungwoo stared straight at Yoohee.  

She tilted her head curiously at the sudden stare.

“No, Seungha hyung just asked if you hated him.”

[What?! She’s right there right now?!]

“Yeah? Of course she doesn’t hate you. Back then she just didn’t like your acting. Not anymore.”

Yoohee’s clear, loud voice carried through the phone.  

Jo Seungha fell silent for a moment.

Crash—

Then suddenly there was a loud thud, like something falling over. 

Myungwoo asked in alarm,

“Hyung, you okay? What happened?”

[N-No, I’m fine! I was just… so shocked and happy…]

Jo Seungha was stammering so badly from shock. Myungwoo asked in a slightly dumbfounded tone,

“Was it really that shocking?”

[I… I really thought she hated me…]

His voice was shaking like he was about to cry. Myungwoo scratched his head.

“Anyway, looks like she doesn’t. So, coming?”

[Y-Yeah! Send the address! I’ll call the driver right now!]

“Driver? Oh right, hyung, you’re rich.”

[Send it fast! I’m heading there now! Hanging up!]

Click. The call ended abruptly. 

Myungwoo stared at his phone with a bewildered expression.

“What’d he say?”

“He wants the address. Says he’s coming right away.”

“Ahaha, wait a sec. I’ll make a group chat—you invite them, and I’ll post the address there.”

“Okay.”

Myungwoo created the group chat as instructed and added Jung Inha and Jo Seungha. 

Yoohee added Jeon Siho.

[Jeon Siho: ? What is this?]

[Lee Yoohee: Extra guests. Post your home address here.]

[Jeon Siho: Wait, what about my opinion?]

[Lee Yoohee: Haha, does that matter?]

[Jeon Siho: Yoohee, you really…]

Jeon Siho went speechless at her brazen attitude.  

A moment later, his home address appeared.

[Jeon Siho: Come here.]

[Jung Inha: Thank you so much!]

[Jo Seungha: Thnk you. Coming right now!]

Jo Seungha was so shocked he even typed with typos. Myungwoo chuckled at the message.

Seungha hyung must be totally freaking out.

But this wasn’t bad at all.  

Lee Yoohee, her newly befriended boyfriend Jeon Siho, plus Jung Inha and Jo Seungha—an absolutely dazzling lineup.

“Um…”

At that moment, a familiar voice called out to Myungwoo.