Chapter 48: Soo-jung’s Short-Legged Counterattack
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A highly private café in Hannam-dong.
The chandelier in the private room illuminated Jung Soo-yeon’s resentment with no place to hide.
Choi Soo-young scooped a spoonful of tiramisu and put it into her mouth.
“So you got so insulted by that model that you slammed the door and ran off?”
“I have nothing to say to such a rude woman!”
Choi Soo-young didn’t expose her.
“From this, it seems that model isn’t simple either. Her logic is way stronger than yours.”
Jung Soo-yeon pressed her hands on the table. “Which side are you on?!”
“I’m just telling the truth.”
“Hey! I asked you to help me come up with a strategy, not to award the other side!”
“The first step to defeating an enemy is to acknowledge their strength.”
“Her? Hmph…”
Though she verbally denied it, Jung Soo-yeon’s later review session with Choi Soo-young proved that she hadn’t handled the argument well.
“You’re too impatient. You know the ‘Romeo and Juliet effect,’ right? The more you oppose it, the more Soo-jung feels this love is tragic and sacred.”
“So you want to let her jump into the fire pit?”
“Fire pit?” Choi Soo-young raised an eyebrow. “With Jung Jung-min as the master’s disciple, loyal reserve of Chungmu-ro, the fire here probably burns agarwood.”
“Did you take money from him?!”
“A fledgling bird has to crash into a few glass windows to realize the sky isn’t a touchscreen.”
“What if she crashes and gets hurt badly?”
“Then be ready with band-aids and soju.”
Choi Soo-young raised her coffee cup and clinked it against hers. “And mercilessly mock her taste in men.”
Light scattered into tiny specks on the rim of the cup. Suddenly, Jung Soo-yeon recalled the dusk when Soo-jung first learned to ride a bicycle—
Seven-year-old Crystal fell into a puddle, cursing her clumsiness while wrapping her bleeding younger sister’s knee with her school uniform. Even now, the palm still seemed to hold the dampness of that rain-soaked cotton.
“…At most, observe for three months.”
“Wise choice.”
Choi Soo-young pressed the service bell. “To celebrate President Jessica’s first concession, this meal’s on you?”
“Ah!”
…
East Beach International High School.
On the set of The Heirs.
“I never expected your sister to use honorifics even when arguing—”
Park Hyung-sik mimicked Jung Soo-yeon’s crossed arms and raised eyebrow. “Jang Jae-hoon, understand?”
Jung Soo-jung grabbed the script, pretending to slap him. “You didn’t send the location like I told you!”
“I was busy eating popcorn—uh, no,” Park Hyung-sik ducked behind Kim Ji-won, “I was busy gathering strategic intel! Besides, you couldn’t make it to the set at that time…”
Kim Ji-won paused the video.
“According to Hyung-sik oppa, originally Teacher Jang and Model Lee had a rift because of Jung Seok oppa…but your sister’s assist not only cleared up the misunderstanding but even pushed things further.”
“Sigh…”
Jung Soo-jung slumped into a plastic chair, covering her face with the script.
“Poor Bo-na’s love story was crushed before it even sprouted—”
Kim Ji-won kicked his shin.
“If you can’t talk, just shut up.”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing!”
Park Hyung-sik rubbed his leg and hopped away.
“They haven’t even exchanged KakaoTalk IDs.”
“Adding KakaoTalk is easy—just add them in the work group.”
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“Who cares!”
A muffled groan came from under the script.
Park Hyung-sik shrugged.
“But the problem isn’t KakaoTalk now. Bo-na is still being tsundere.”
Kim Ji-won tapped her nails “tat-tat” on the folding table.
“Tsundere is out of fashion. Even Senior Jun Ji-hyun’s new drama is going straightforward.”
“That’s sci-fi!”
Jung Soo-jung’s script slid down to her collarbone.
“In reality, who would…”
“In reality, Model Lee dares to assert her claim in front of your sister.”
Kim Ji-won pierced her last defense.
“And you’re still hesitating about adding KakaoTalk.”
Jung Soo-jung’s nails started absentmindedly picking at the script’s corner.
Memories looped like a broken old projector: Jang Jae-hoon’s tense forearm when hugging her, the touch of his hand brushing her back when handing her an orange.
“Your sister interferes in your feelings because she’s afraid you’ll get hurt—”
Kim Ji-won suddenly leaned close to her ear.
“But getting hurt is a required course for growing up.”
An early autumn breeze swept through the memory—when she was fifteen, she fractured her ankle in a stage mishap.
When Jung Soo-yeon carried her through the emergency corridor, the scent of disinfectant mixed with the jasmine in her sister’s hair filled her nose.
“If it hurts, bite my shoulder, but don’t cry.”
Pain and courage had long been etched into her genes.
Jung Soo-jung suddenly pulled out her phone, found the tricolor cat avatar in the group chat she had stared at countless times.
Clicked, added, locked the screen—all in one go.
“Added.”
She stiffly shoved the phone into her back pocket. “Satisfied?”
“Buzz—”
Her phone vibrated in her pocket.
It was a friend of Jang Jae-hoon sending a notification.
“Adding is useless if you don’t talk!”
Jung Soo-jung stared hard at the tricolor cat’s chat window. “What do I say?”
Park Hyung-sik leaned over.
“Jae-hoon oppa went to the hospital. You can ask about the situation there first.”
“Went to the hospital?!”
Jung Soo-jung clenched her phone tightly. “What happened?”
“You ask him!”
“...”
Her thumb hovered over the keyboard for three minutes, typing and deleting messages in the chat box:
[Heard you went to the hospital?] → [Don’t slow down the shooting schedule] → [Are you dead yet?]
Kim Ji-won’s urging formed sweat drops on her forehead.
“Bo-na, if you don’t finish typing this, Jang teacher’s wound will have healed.”
“Shut up!”
Jung Soo-jung’s index finger spasmed as she pressed send.
Park Hyung-sik immediately read the atmosphere.
“Countdown starts now—”
“Three!”
Kim Ji-won tapped the table in sync.
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“Two!”
Jung Soo-jung’s nails dug into her palm.
“One!”
“Ding—”
[Jang Jae-hoon]: Just a small injury, a scrape on the back of the head. Took the chance for a checkup.
[Jang Jae-hoon]: How did Bo-na know?
Jung Soo-jung’s shoulders dropped two centimeters at once, looking at Kim Ji-won for help.
“And then?”
“Oh, Jang teacher used honorifics.”
Kim Ji-won leaned over, brows slightly furrowed after reading the message.
“Reply with [My sister troubled you; please let me treat you to a meal as an apology!]”
Jung Soo-jung’s fingertips sparked on the keyboard.
[Jung Soo-jung]: Hyung-sik said so.
[Jung Soo-jung]: I apologize for my sister’s rudeness.
“Read!”
Park Hyung-sik pointed at the screen and shouted, “Typing—”
The three heads instantly stacked like a human tower, staring at the “Opponent is typing…” prompt blinking for ten seconds before Jang Jae-hoon’s message popped up:
[Jang Jae-hoon]: No worries, senior is great.
[Jang Jae-hoon]: If I had a beautiful sister like you, I’d be way more extreme in my behavior.
As Jung Soo-jung stared dazedly at the words “beautiful sister,” Kim Ji-won snatched the phone from her.
“He already said he understands your sister and is giving you an opening. Stop spacing out!”
“Give it back!”
She reached for it, but Kim Ji-won had already sent [Please let me treat you to a meal as an apology].
The “typing…” prompt lit up again, and the three stiffened like plaster statues.
Jang Jae-hoon’s new message appeared:
[The crew’s boxed lunches are pretty good, no need to trouble yourself.]
Kim Ji-won slapped the phone back into Jung Soo-jung’s palm.
“Tactical retreat, move to Plan B!”
“What’s Plan B?”
“Play the pity card.”
Park Hyung-sik suddenly clutched his stomach.
“Ouch, my acute gastroenteritis flared up. Need someone to accompany me to the hospital—”
“Crazy… I’ll say it myself!”
She rapidly typed:
[Jung Soo-jung]: Apologizing is basic etiquette. I’m sending you the address.
“Big move!”
Park Hyung-sik and Kim Ji-won exchanged surprised looks.
“Bo-na finally moved up to A!”
“A what A! This is workplace socializing!”
“Ding—”
[Jang Jae-hoon]: Okay, I’ll contact you after filming tomorrow.
“…”
The round mirror in the makeup room reflected her wildly upturned lips. Jung Soo-jung pinched her cheek hard.
“Jung Soo-jung! No smiling!”
Yet the dimpled smile remained stubbornly on her cheek like two illicitly smuggled chocolate-covered cherries.