Chapter 63: The Interview in Tokyo

The most luxurious ryokan in Asakusa, Shourotei.

Its floors, crafted by a tatami master boasting eighty years of tradition, were perfectly complemented by French vintage furniture thoughtfully arranged throughout the space.

Beds, mattresses, nightstands, TV stands—each piece was an expensive item, some worth hundreds, others thousands.

This harmonious blend of splendor and elegance was one of the reasons Shourotei Ryokan was considered the best in Asakusa.

Even among Tokyo’s elite, there were many who gladly paid millions of won per night to stay here; the ryokan itself was a work of art, born from a collaboration between one of Japan’s top architectural firms and a French designer.

Of all its features, the ryokan’s crowning glory was, without a doubt, the hot spring.

Open the veranda door connected to the living room, and a serene onsen appeared, so tranquil it was hard to believe it existed in the heart of the city.

Perhaps it was thanks to the tightly woven bamboo fencing, shielding the outside world completely.

Under gentle lighting, steam rose from the hinoki bath, made of cypress wood and set amidst great stones.

Stone lanterns placed throughout added to the dreamlike atmosphere.

Perhaps that was why—it looked like a scene from an old folktale, where a fairy might emerge from the mist.

And inside the bath, with beauty rivaling any fairy, sat Cheon Nayoung, her hair wrapped in a towel.

Not a single thread covered her.

“Unni. Come on in. The water is just perfect.”

Covering herself with a bath towel, Seo Ji-won emerged from the bathroom door, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment.

“Nayoung, are you really okay? Aren’t you embarrassed?”

“Ah. I’ve always liked going to bathhouses. But if you’re uncomfortable, should I leave?”

With those words, Cheon Nayoung stood up from her seat.

The water that had clung to Cheon Nayoung tumbled down, revealing her silhouette under the moonlight.

“No, that’s not necessary. It’s fine.”

Though Seo Ji-won insisted she was okay, she couldn’t help but avert her gaze out of embarrassment.

She hurriedly tossed her towel over the outdoor hanger and slipped into the bath.

As the pleasantly hot water wrapped around her, she felt her fatigue melt away in an instant.

“I knew you had good skin, Nayoung, but it’s really translucent.”

Seo Ji-won tried not to look below the water’s surface toward Cheon Nayoung’s body as she spoke.

“Ayy, I can’t compare to you, unni. I always thought your proportions looked great with clothes on, but your figure is honestly amazing.”

“Really?”

Seo Ji-won self-consciously rubbed her shoulder with one arm.

Having no sisters and being naturally shy, even during her idol days, Seo Ji-won made sure to keep fully clothed in the dorm.

Her more easygoing friends would wander around in just their underwear—or even just a T-shirt with nothing underneath—but for some reason, even that made her blush and pretend not to notice.

Yet now, sharing a room with her junior in the industry on a trip to Japan, she couldn’t bring herself to say, ‘I’m too embarrassed, let’s not bathe together.’ It didn’t seem right for a senior to lack that confidence.

So in the end, she bravely decided to bathe together.

She’d never imagined she’d ever show her naked body to someone like this, but her gaze kept wandering to the side.

Thinking of Lee Junghyuk, who was probably relaxing without a care, made her cheeks burn even hotter.

“Turn around, unni.”

From behind, Cheon Nayoung started pressing firmly on Seo Ji-won’s neck and shoulders with her long, slender fingers.

“When I went to bathhouses with my mom as a kid, she’d always give me a body-shaping massage. It felt so good, so I loved going to the bathhouse.”

Cheon Nayoung didn’t particularly like her mother, but that didn’t mean all her memories were bad.

She briefly thought of her mother, who was probably in a psychiatric ward, getting treatment and trying to quit drinking, then shook her head to clear the thought.

If her mother saw her now, she would probably be happier than anyone, but thinking of all the things her mother had done, it was not something she could easily forgive.

“But unni, you barely have any dead skin. Your skin is super soft.”

Cheon Nayoung gently stroked Seo Ji-won’s neck and shoulder blades.

Feeling goosebumps rise, Seo Ji-won edged away slightly.

Just thinking that Cheon Nayoung was staring at her neck and back made her feel embarrassed for no reason.

“Ugh. That feels good. That’s enough now. Your arm must be tired. Let me do you.”

Using the excuse that Cheon Nayoung’s arm would get tired, Seo Ji-won massaged Nayoung’s shoulders gently, her cheeks flushed.

It was the first time in her life she’d seen and touched another woman’s bare body, so it felt strange, but as they went on, she felt a subtle bond forming.

She started to understand why people grew closer after bathing together.

Above all, the softness of her skin and the smoothness of her curves—though they were both women—were pleasing to see and touch.

“Sitting here like this, we really seem like sisters.”

“I know, right? I always thought it would be nice to have an older sister. Can I contact you after we go back to Korea?”

“Of course. Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“Well, I just… I thought you didn’t really welcome me.”

Cheon Nayoung was not the type to beat around the bush, so she said it honestly.

Seo Ji-won was momentarily speechless at that honesty, then burst out laughing.

“Why would I dislike you? It’s just that the writer is a bit dense.”

“Right? Sometimes I think he does it on purpose.”

“You heard earlier, right? Before breakfast, he asked if I wanted to go running with him.”

“Who goes jogging on vacation? We should be eating brunch and relaxing!”

“Puhuhu. Exactly.”

Once they started gossiping about Lee Junghyuk, the two kept their conversation flowing effortlessly.

“Writer Lee doesn’t look it, but he really has no idea how women think.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t care to know.”

“That’s the most infuriating part.”

“But it’s not just me who thinks he’s handsome, right? I bet he’s really popular with women. He’s got that actor vibe.”

Seo Ji-won cleared her throat and then quietly agreed, “Yeah, he’s good-looking.”

Seo Ji-won and Cheon Nayoung went on chatting about Lee Junghyuk for a long while. Maybe because of the bath, or maybe because of the venting, by the end, they were completely worn out and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Even after they washed up and left, the steam still lingered in the bath.

It looked just like the feathered robes left behind by fairies.

Meanwhile, in the room across the way, Lee Junghyuk had gone to bed early.

He’d been through a packed schedule since arriving in Japan, but sharing a delicious dinner and relaxing time with friends he trusted and liked had helped him unwind completely.

Even his usually silent nose was softly snoring as he slept soundly.

He kept scratching around his ear in his sleep, as if something itched, but he even dreamed of running, excited about the new jogging route he’d discovered that morning.

***

The next day, at a nameless neighborhood café in Asakusa, Tokyo.

From early morning, the smell of roasting coffee beans filled the alley, making it a cozy gathering spot.

The café wasn’t very big, but people of all ages came and went—elderly folks, young office workers on their way to work, children and their mothers—all stopping by for freshly baked salted bread.

In the innermost seats of the café.

A woman with her hat pulled low and a mask on, and another in thick-rimmed glasses, sat side by side.

They didn’t seem to care much about how they looked, but the Japanese locals of Asakusa were more aware of them than anyone.

‘You can barely see their faces, but they’re obviously pretty.’

‘Aren’t they Korean? Their style is totally Korean.’

‘Could they be… Korean celebrities?’

They whispered among themselves, sneaking glances at the two women.

But Seo Ji-won was satisfied with her perfect disguise, while Cheon Nayoung, wearing glasses Seo Ji-won had brought, wondered if all this was really necessary.

“I’m not even known in Japan yet.”

“Listen to your unni. If you don’t want your clueless face to be snapped and spread all over SNS. You may not be famous here yet, but it’ll happen soon, trust me. Especially in Japan—it’s all about Hallyu. They’re the most sensitive to it.”

As a former idol, Seo Ji-won knew better than anyone how crazy Japan was for K-pop and Korean dramas.

Just four years ago, Seo Ji-won’s face was on a billboard in downtown Osaka.

That year, at the end of the year, she’d had to answer dozens of messages from industry people and friends visiting Japan.

Now in Japan, in both Tokyo and Osaka, you’d see Korean idols and actors on billboards more than Japanese models.

So, whether in Korea or Japan, celebrities had to be careful.

“Okay. Then, since I’m not that famous yet, I’ll go to the restroom.”

As Cheon Nayoung stood, all eyes in the café followed her.

With her tiny face and model-like proportions, anyone—even someone from distant Arabia—would be sure she was a celebrity.

Seo Ji-won’s precautions weren’t entirely over the top.

“But, writer-nim, how long are you going to keep staring at your laptop?”

The women drawing everyone’s attention.

And across from them, one man.

He’d been glued to his laptop, typing away, from the moment they arrived.

To the Japanese onlookers, the two beautiful women—clearly trying to hide their glamour—were fascinating, but the man sitting with them, ignoring them completely and focusing only on his work, was even more mystifying.

‘Is he super rich?’

‘Really? Is that why he has two gorgeous girlfriends?’

Since no one knew they were just an actress and a writer, the locals came to the most obvious conclusion and nodded among themselves.

“Writer-niim?”

Seo Ji-won tapped the table to get Lee Junghyuk’s attention, calling out to him once again.

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I’m supposed to interview a new assistant writer soon, but I haven’t had time. Let me check the documents quickly.”

“You’re doing interviews here?”

“Sorry. Order whatever you and Nayoung want to eat. Wait, where did Nayoung go?”

“Geez. Never mind, just focus on your work. We’ll entertain ourselves.”

Seo Ji-won leaned back and crossed her arms, as if she’d had enough of Lee Junghyuk’s attitude.

But Lee Junghyuk just muttered a quick “Thanks” and buried himself in his work again.

‘See that? Even when a woman is upset, he just does his own thing!’

‘How could anyone do that with such beauties in front of him? That should be a crime!’

Two high school girls, in to buy salted bread before class, chattered in Japanese.

“Sorry, but we’re not like that.”

Returning from the restroom, Cheon Nayoung replied in simple Japanese she’d picked up from years of watching anime.

Ehh! Startled, the high schoolers panicked and hurried out, flustered that they’d been overheard.

“What? What did you say?”

Seo Ji-won asked Cheon Nayoung as she returned to her seat.

Cheon Nayoung simply shrugged, then glanced at Lee Junghyuk, who was still lost in his laptop.

Now with wireless earphones in, eyes fixed on the screen, he finally spoke.

“Alright, let’s begin the interview.”