A woman’s humming echoed in a certain hotel suite.

Han Eun-Sol, with his arms crossed, silently watched Choi Yeon-Ha in the distance as she did her makeup. After watching her diligently work on her appearance for over one hour, though... He couldn’t help but feel this sorrow well up in his heart.

Why, oh why! Why was Choi Yeon-Ha being so meticulous with her makeup?!

Han Eun-Sol wouldn’t be this dissatisfied if she actually needed one full hour to complete her makeup. No, really!

What riled him up this time was that... She’d suddenly grow dissatisfied with her makeup and wash everything off to start again! How many times had she done that in the past hour?!

Choi Yeon-Ha was the type of person who would reach her eruption point if a makeup session during filming lasted longer than thirty minutes. Yet here she was, voluntarily subjecting herself to over an hour of makeup!

For some reason, this sight gifted Han Eun-Sol with a hint of clarity on the mysteries of life.

“Hmmmm...? I don’t like this, either.”

Choi Yeon-Ha frowned while staring at her reflection in the mirror.

“Oh, well. I guess this much is fine. Besides, the foundation is already pretty, to begin with, anyway.”

“...Noona?”

Choi Yeon-Ha looked away and glanced at Han Eun-Sol. “Ng? What?”

“Are you having fun?”

“What is it this time? Are you looking for trouble again?”

“No, it’s not that, but...”

“Eun-Sol, listen.”

“Yes, noona?”

Choi Yeon-Ha stared at her manager for a while before sighing deeply.

“People have their own lives, right? Private lives.”

“Sure.”

“You might be my manager, but that doesn’t give you the right to meddle in your talent’s private life.”

Han Eun-Sol nearly threw his hands up in dismay. “Since when did I meddle in your private life? If there’s a manager more hands-off than me, tell them to come out and show themselves!”

“Is that why you tagged along all the way to America?”

“...”

“I seriously gotta wonder, maybe you have some kinda mental illness?”

Han Eun-Sol’s facial muscles ominously twitched. “I! I also wouldn’t be like this if I was managing someone else, noona! It’s all because you keep causing gigantic problems whenever I take my eyes off you!”

“Wha?! You take that back! When did I ever cause problems?!”

“Seriously?! Are you seriously asking me that? You want me to list every single incident you’ve caused over the years?! Should I start reciting the legendary epic poem written about your dastardly antics of the past few years?!”

“No thanks. I’m too busy today.”

Choi Yeon-Ha scoffed derisively while resuming her makeup session.

Han Eun-Sol sighed deeply and loudly. How could anyone be so... morally bankrupt!

If this was not America but some remote island in Southeast Asia, Han Eun-Sol wouldn’t have tagged along. Even if he did, he’d have gone off on his merry way to enjoy the sights and sounds of the area. Indeed, he wouldn’t be sticking so close to Choi Yeon-Ha like this!

Unfortunately, this was America. You couldn’t even take ten steps before running into another Korean on the street in this country.

What made Han Eun-Sol a nervous wreck was the possibility of the over-excited Choi Yeon-Ha not even caring about her surroundings and causing a scene. That was why he barged into her room the first thing in the morning. He was planning to talk sternly to her about the dangers of the...

“...Oh.”

When Han Eun-Sol suddenly frowned, Choi Yeon-Ha stared at him, her brow cocked.

“So, have you finally realized how ridiculous this is, Eun-Sol?”

“I... Sorry.”

“A person should have common sense, okay?”

Choi Yeon-Ha chuckled in bemusement. She didn’t get angry this time, though, because she knew Han Eun-Sol was only doing this out of concern, not out of some malicious intent.

She glanced at him with a slightly surprised face.

Han Eun-Sol grimaced a little. “What’s wrong, noona? Are you going to bite my head off again?”

“No, not this time. It’s just that I had a thought.”

“About what?”

“Well... I was thinking about if I could have come this far without you.”

“Heol...?!”

Two things stunned Han Eun-Sol speechless just then. One, the fact that Choi Yeon-Ha could even think of such stuff! And two, what took her so long to realize that now?!

“Noona, did you eat something funny for breakfast?”

Choi Yeon-Ha yelled at her manager. “I haven't had breakfast yet!”

“Oh... Thank you for your clarification, I guess?”

Choi Yeon-Ha laughed and got up as Han Eun-Sol tilted his head in panic and confusion.

“It’s all thanks to you that I’ve managed to survive this cutthroat business, Eun-Sol.”

“W-well, uh... I didn’t do much, noona. It’s...”

“I mean, my face did 90% of the work, while my acting chops did about 5%? So you were responsible for the last 5%, I guess?”

“...”

Why don’t you just straight up insult me, noona? Geez.

Han Eun-Sol had been wondering why Choi Yeon-Ha was suddenly saying all this stuff, but sure enough!

Then again, Choi Yeon-Ha acknowledging Han Eun-Sol for his 5% contribution? The sun must’ve risen from the west this morning and pigs were flying around in the skies last night!

Choi Yeon-Ha forlornly looked into the distance. “Even though I’m past my prime, and everything will be a downhill from now on.”

Han Eun-Sol faltered. “What the...? Why the sudden bout of depression?”

“Because it’s the truth.”

Despite the contents of her words, Choi Yeon-Ha had a refreshed expression etched on her face.

“I mean, people now know I’m dating someone. And it’s hard to get roles now, too.”

“Sure, but you still have a ton of commercials left to shoot, though?”

“An actor’s career is effectively over if no one casts them in actual productions. Besides, I don’t exclusively shoot commercials, anyway.”

Choi Yeon-Ha casually shrugged.

“But, so what? It’s not like we can do something about it now. I’m a Korean actress, not someone from Hollywood, after all. Who in the Korean entertainment industry would want to hire an actress with a boyfriend?”

Han Eun-Sol chuckled. “Eii~, come on. Times have changed, noona.”

“It’s fine,” Choi Yeon-Ha replied with a dismissive hand wave. “An uphill means there will be a downhill sooner or later, anyway. Insisting that is not the case for me will only make me look more pathetic, okay?”

Han Eun-Sol suddenly got terrified just then. Why was this noona saying all this stuff?

Choi Yeon-Ha’s pride, her unwavering confidence, made her who she was. Han Eun-Sol could swear he had never heard her say something so weak-willed like this before.

Could it be?

He suddenly remembered how often Choi Yeon-Ha would say, “Even if my career tanks, I’m sure Mister Jin-Ho will still keep me afloat,” lately!

Han Eun-Sol instantly freaked out. “N-noona?! Are you thinking of retiring or something?”

“Eh?”

“Y-you are not planning to retire and change your class to ‘housewife’ by marrying Mister Jin-Ho, right? You gotta think this through, noona! Think about it for a sec, okay? And you’ll see how terrible that idea is!”

“Huh? Why is it a terrible idea?”

“Because! You simply can’t switch your job to being a housewife! How can you, when you don’t even know how to cook rice...”

“What the heck?! Wanna die?!”

Choi Yeon-Ha glared murderously at Han Eun-Sol. Her manager was correct, but that only made it more infuriating, didn’t it! That was what fact-based verbal violence was designed to do, after all!

“Who’s switching her job here? Besides, am I your in-game avatar or something?”

“B-but you sounded like...”

“Don’t be ridiculous, okay! Did you forget all that I have done in this industry? Even if I get married, I will never give up on acting, okay?!”

...And she stopped denying the possibility of marriage now. Was this the so-called maturing process of a human being?

“Let’s be realistic, though. I can’t remain as Korea’s top actress forever. The time will come when I must relinquish my crown to someone else. That doesn’t mean I should just sit on my butt and whine about it. There are roles meant for top stars, and there are roles meant for actresses. My aim is to find roles that suit my age as I grow older. And I’m gonna keep doing that till my dying day, okay?”

What an inspirational thing to say, especially by a dedicated actor!

Han Eun-Sol would have unreservedly applauded Choi Yeon-Ha by now... had it not been for the simple fact that she had basically run off to America after creating that scandal, ostensibly for a vacation! And the fact that she was getting ready for a date right now, too!

“Okay, fine. Then why did you say all that, noona?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You were busy saying stuff about your prime and going downhill and whatnot.”

“Oh, that? I was merely speaking the truth, though?”

Choi Yeon-Ha leisurely walked up to Han Eun-Sol, then patted him on the head.

“Listen, Eun-Sol. Eun-Sol, an adult should know how to look at themselves objectively sometimes. People might be cheering for me for being a loyal girlfriend and comment about how the public sentiment has turned in my favor. But remember this. All those people were my fans, to begin with. And my fanbase has fallen off a cliff in recent times. Which makes me a has-been in our industry.”

That... was a self immolation, wasn’t it? She was violating herself with facts.

Han Eun-Sol momentarily couldn’t think of a reply at how frank she was being. However, Choi Yeon-Ha seemed unconcerned as she casually shrugged.

“My public image has improved a lot, which explains why I have so many commercial shoots lined up. But how long will that upswing last? What’s important to me isn’t a momentary fame, but sustained popularity. But I’ve lost so many of my fans who could have done that for me. That, my dear Eun-Sol, is the beginning of my downhill slide.”

Han Eun-Sol faltered, unable to think of a counterargument.

Choi Yeon-Ha stared at him before suddenly asking a question.

“Since that’s the case, what do you think I must do?”

“That, uh... Work even harder?”

“Tsk, tsk...” Choi Yeon-Ha tutted in disapproval. “Tell me. Where are we right now?”

“...? In America, of course.”

“And? If you go outside this hotel? What’s right next to us?”

“Huh? That’s.... Eh? Could it be? You weren’t talking about Hollywood, were you?”

“Aaaand this is exactly why I like you, Eun-Sol. Because you’re so quick on the uptake.”

Han Eun-Sol’s cheeks twitched ominously. How the heck did their discussion arrive here? Was this her intention all along? Did she go on that I’m-on-downhill tangent as a build-up for this moment?!

“Since you’ve tagged along as my manager, it’s time to earn your keep, Eun-Sol. Ask around and find me a role in Hollywood. After all, crises can also be opportunities, right? If my fame in Korea is waning, let’s overcome that by finding success in America instead!”

Han Eun-Sol finally threw his hands up in the air. “Haaaah? Do you think Hollywood is some kinda corner store or something? That I can just pop in whenever I want and find the stuff I’m looking for? No one will offer us roles just because we showed up, you know! Besides, don’t you have roles lined up in China, too? How are you gonna juggle all that work, noona?”

Choi Yeon-Ha smirked triumphantly. “No sweat. Americans usually take their sweet time, after all. Which means my schedule won’t get too crazy. Even if they cast me for a role now, the shoot will only happen next year or something. But the Chinese aren’t like that. They are the types to start shooting immediately or they’ll die of frustration.”

Han Eun-Sol had to admit that his talent was right. But it sounded like she was forgetting about something crucial here.

“Noona! America isn’t like Korea, where the producers send you scripts and offer you roles! You’re a total newbie here, right? If newbies want to get a job, they need to attend auditions, okay?”

Choi Yeon-Ha cocked an eyebrow at Han Eun-Sol. She didn’t look impressed at all. “I know that. So, go and get me a spot.”

“...Sorry? What spot?”

“A spot in the audition, obviously.”

Han Eun-Sol’s jaw fell. “Hah? You serious? You wanna audition for a role?”

Choi Yeon-Ha smirked. “You were the one who brought up the whole audition thing, weren’t you? So what’s the problem?”

“W-well, that’s because I didn’t take you for someone who’d go to auditions for a role, you see?”

“We’re in America, though. Going home empty-handed wouldn’t be fun, right? If there’s an audition I can go to, it might be an eye-opening experience for me. Besides, I’m only famous in Korea, so how dare I try to bypass the audition process? When people here don’t know who I am? Remember, it’s the thirsty people who dig for wells.”

Han Eun-Sol dazedly nodded in silence.

Choi Yeon-Ha leaned closer. “You. You speak English, right?”

“It’s, uh... I’m not an expert or anything, but I guess I can converse, more or less?”

“Great! That means you can check out scripts and stuff, right? Find roles that might suit me. But make sure there aren’t too many lines of dialogue for me to remember.”

“...”

Choi Yeon-Ha grinned brightly and patted Han Eun-Sol’s shoulder. “I’ll leave everything in your capable hands, Chief Han.”

Han Eun-Sol sourly retorted. “Why don’t you just fire me, Director Choi?”

“Eiii~, I would never do that. We’ll be working together for the rest of our lives, you know?”

“Really now? Then you better gimme a raise...”

“Too late! See you later~!”

Choi Yeon-Ha escaped from the hotel suite while cheerily waving her hand.

Han Eun-Sol, now left alone in the room, could only stare at the empty doorway in stupefaction. Eventually, though, a helpless chuckle left his lips.

Well, at least she hasn’t lost her motivation, so that’s a relief.

If he was being honest, he shouldn’t complain or rebuke Choi Yeon-Ha here. After all, she went through a lot recently, didn’t she? All those fans turning their backs on her, and some random morons insulting her online, only for the public to suddenly sing her praises... It wouldn’t be strange for Choi Yeon-Ha to grow disillusioned by the entertainment industry after experiencing that rollercoaster.

Other actors going through something similar might not go as far as retiring outright, but at the very least, might lose their will to continue working for several months.

Then again, this was why Choi Yeon-Ha had attained her legendary status in the Korean entertainment industry, wasn’t it?

Her personality might be problematic, but her attitude toward her work was so exemplary that Han Eun-Sol was tempted to boast about it to other people. This was why the younger actors still signed on to Choi Yeon-Ha’s agency for a chance to work with her, despite knowing all about her rotten personality.

Han Eun-Sol continued to chuckle as he left the room.

“Haaah... The more I think about this, the worse this is making me feel! What does she take me for?”

After all, wasn’t Han Eun-Sol already looking into this matter? His room was already filled with the data on every audition scheduled to take place during her stay. He would need at least one full day to sift through the data and pick the suitable roles for Choi Yeon-Ha. No, maybe one day might not even be enough!

Han Eun-Sol’s goal was to turn Choi Yeon-Ha into Korea’s greatest actress, so he couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity. If she had been uninterested in attending auditions, he would have clung to her legs and pleaded with her to give it a shot, but now...

As a manager, he felt so proud of his motivated actress.

It was just that there was one slight problem, and that was...

“...How good is her English, again?”

Eiiii~, I’m sure it’s passable. It has to be...