Vol 5 Ch 14

“Wow. Aren’t you Manager Cha? It’s been a while.”

A passing staff member greeted Manager Cha with a pretense of recognition.

“Yes. Hello.”

“You’re looking good these days. Anything good happening?”

“Good things? Not much. Same old, same old.”

Manager Cha chuckled amiably as he waved his hand.

“Are you here for the filming with Lee Wooyeon today?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“But seriously, how is Lee Wooyeon so good-looking? Even in life, there should be at least one ugly day.”

“Haha, yeah.”

Manager Cha chuckled along with a soulless gaze.

“Seriously, how does he keep getting better looking as time goes by? And why is his body so good? Look at the way the camera crew members are gaping at him.”

“Haha.”

Manager Cha chuckled weakly as he sipped his coffee.

“There’s no actor who takes care of himself as well as Lee Wooyeon. Usually, actors tend to gain weight during breaks in filming.”

“Yes, that’s true. Haha…”

Manager Cha smiled politely as he drank his coffee.

It wasn’t a wrong statement. Lee Wooyeon indeed took care of himself meticulously. He never over ate, maintained a regular exercise routine, received regular skincare treatments, and always paid attention to his hair. His fashion sense was also impeccable. Lee Wooyeon’s casual fashion collection was even featured in a special edition by a magazine. It was indeed true that there wasn’t a single day where he looked unattractive.

“Is Lee Wooyeon seeing anyone these days?”

The staff member’s discreet question made Manager Cha chuckle and reply, “Since then, I haven’t seen him meeting anyone. Maybe he’s just focused on his work.”

“Haha. But honestly, it feels like Lee Wooyeon was wasted about a hundred times over. Who would dare to compare themselves to Lee Wooyeon?”

Manager Cha chuckled without saying anything in response to the staff member’s attempt to support Lee Wooyeon. He wasn’t eager to indulge in such conversations that could lead to gossip articles. With nearly twenty years of experience in the industry, Manager Cha wasn’t easily swayed by such remarks. And above all…

“If Lee Wooyeon is at this level, it’s only natural for him to meet someone better, right? He should have a beautiful romance.”

“Haha. Well, I guess he’ll figure it out on his own.”

Someone better? Give me a break.

Lee Wooyeon was a crazy, dog-like b**t**d of a human being. In comparison to Lee Wooyeon, anyone who got hit by a rock on the street would undoubtedly be better than him. Despite meeting all sorts of people in the entertainment industry, Manager Cha had never encountered anyone crazier than Lee Wooyeon.

Manager Cha couldn’t bring himself to wish that Lee Wooyeon would meet someone better and have a beautiful romance. No, he didn’t even want to.

“Is he just tired of relationships after that one? It’s such a waste. He should meet someone better.”

The staff member looked at Lee Wooyeon, who was conversing with a photographer, with a gaze full of personal interest.

…Tired of relationships? Give me a break. Even if he meets someone good, it would just be a complete mess, a hundredfold…

Manager Cha calmed his rising frustration with a sip of his cold coffee.

A few days ago, after finishing a schedule, Lee Wooyeon asked to go to a department store.

‘A department store? Why there?’

‘To buy some clothes.’

Since he was the type to pick out clothes without a stylist, Manager Cha drove to the department store without much thought. But the clothes Lee Wooyeon chose were all strange. To be precise, they weren’t Lee Wooyeon’s usual style.

‘You’re going to wear that?’

Lee Wooyeon, frowning at a shirt that looked much too small, replied,

‘Are you crazy? I’m not going to wear this. It’s Inseop’s shirt.’

‘…Why did you pick that?’

‘Why? Because I wanted to choose. I wanted to give it to him.’

Lee Wooyeon, with the shirt still on his arm, looked through other clothes as he spoke.

‘Inseop doesn’t buy clothes often, so he needs new ones every quarter.’

‘…Oh. I see.’

Lee Wooyeon then chose a few more pieces of clothing. The crowd around the store was growing.

‘Can’t you just buy them online? Do you have to come to the store?’

After fending off about ten people asking for autographs, Manager Cha asked with a slightly irritated tone.

‘His skin is sensitive.’

‘……’

‘If the fabric is a bit rough, his skin turns red. Please calculate all of this.’

Lee Wooyeon handed all the chosen clothes to the shop assistant.

Seriously, even if he were to pick out clothes for an orphaned child of an unwed mother, he wouldn’t be this picky.

‘Ugh, geez. Spoiled brat.’

Manager Cha grumbled, but Lee Wooyeon didn’t pay any attention and handed over the shopping bag. Shopping ended only after choosing a few more pieces of clothing from other stores. But that wasn’t the end of his pickiness.

Once, while passing through Seoul’s downtown area, Lee Wooyeon asked to stop for a moment. Surprised by the sudden request, Manager Cha asked,

‘Here? Why?’

‘Um. I’ll stop by there..’

The place Lee Wooyeon pointed out was a donut shop that had gained popularity on social media recently.

‘Why there?’

‘I want to buy some donuts. Inseop mentioned wanting some donuts the other day.’

‘…ha.’

Gosh.

Manager Cha swallowed the words he wanted to say and just smiled.

‘Sure.’

Showing his agreement. It was because CEO Kim had recently generously rewarded him with a bonus. Not long after, Lee Wooyeon returned to the car empty-handed.

‘Why did you just come out?’

‘They said I’d have to wait about two hours if I wanted to buy.’

‘What? Two hours? Why would you wait for two hours to eat donuts?’

‘For real. Exactly. It’s not like they’re donuts with gold rims.’

Lee Wooyeon grumbled irritably. Manager Cha grabbed the steering wheel again, ready to start driving.

‘What are you doing?’

A voice came from the back.

‘Huh? We’re going home.’

‘But why? They said we have to wait two hours.’

‘……’

Manager Cha was speechless. Why would you wait two hours just to buy some donuts?

‘…C-couldn’t we just go to a different donut shop? There’s a bakery right over there.’

‘No.’

Lee Wooyeon replied, taking out a book to read. Whenever they had to wait in the car for a while, Lee Wooyeon would either sleep or read.

‘Why not? Why can’t we?’

Manager Cha asked as kindly and politely as possible. He wanted to ask why they had to wait for two hours just for some d**n donuts, but he held back.

‘He said he wanted to eat American donuts. ‘You should eat what you want.’

‘……’

It was like a wife saying she wanted to eat strawberries in the dead of winter. In the end, that day, according to Lee Wooyeon, they had to wait two hours in front of the store to buy the “d**n donuts without gold rims.”

“Since Lee Wooyeon has such a sweet and gentle personality, he must treat his girlfriend well, right?”

“Haha. I don’t know. I don’t know much about his private life either.”

…I know too much about his private life that I don’t want to know. Knowing it, hearing it… Ugh.

Manager Cha quickly erased the dreadful memory that came to mind.

“Lee Wooyeon seems like he’d be really affectionate to his partner.”

It seemed like this staff member had some ulterior motives towards Lee Wooyeon. Manager Cha just smiled and sipped his coffee without saying anything.

Lee Wooyeon wasn’t exactly sweet or gentle, but he was d**n affectionate to his partner. Just listening to his conversations with Choi Inseop made you want to clean out your ears and comb your hair to calm down the rising fur.

When they had schedules in the provinces, Lee Wooyeon always made sure to bring his business cards to visit local restaurants. Manager Cha, who was not completely clueless, wondered who Lee Wooyeon was going to these places with.

The nauseating ordeal didn’t end there. On days off from schedules, Lee Wooyeon traveled domestically with Inseop. After traveling around, they bought a secluded villa in a place they liked. CEO Kim, who was troubled by tax issues, eventually spoke up.

‘Why are you buying houses left and right? Are you going to buy houses all over the country? How many have you bought?’

‘Well, I think it’s more than ten.’

‘Why? Is it for real estate investment? No, if you’re going to invest, you should do it in decent land. Why buy houses in remote countryside areas where no one lives?’

‘Those places are quiet and nice. They don’t attract attention from others.’

‘…You’re not buying them because of Inseop, are you?’

‘Yes, Inseop doesn’t like going to hotels much.’

CEO Kim punched Lee Wooyeon in the chest in response.

‘Are you crazy? Buying them like this will result in a tax bomb. Do you even know how much more complicated tax issues are for foreigners?’

‘I know.’

Lee Wooyeon replied with a smirk.

‘Just stay at a hotel reasonably. You won’t even go to the villa a few times a year. Why are you spending money on it like that?’

Lee Wooyeon closed the script he was reading. A cold smile flickered in his eyes.

‘Only rich people fuss about money. Does that mean poor b**t**ds don’t fuss about money? As for taxes, just pay them, and I’m paying the accountant to deal with the annoying problems.’

‘Well, that’s true but…’

‘Why does the CEO care so much about my money?’

‘It’s not about caring, it’s about worrying. Money is leaking out unnecessarily, so as the company’s CEO, I worry…’

Lee Wooyeon chuckled softly, brushing his hair back. It was always a chilling laugh, no matter when you heard it.

‘Unnecessary? I just suggested having a comfortable chat with Choi Inseop in a nice place with a good view, is money a problem?’

‘…….’

It was a skill to express such innocent words about not regretting spending a penny on one’s lover so crudely.

CEO Kim sighed deeply, then asked Manager Cha as if lamenting, to make a reservation for an esthetic treatment. Then…

‘Wow. What will you do, CEO?’

‘What do you mean, what will I do?’

‘You’re leaking money out of unnecessary places like that.’

Lee Wooyeon glanced up and down at CEO Kim’s face, subtly smiling. Then, as he stood up, he added a comment.

‘It’s worrying.’

…He spoke as if he was talking about something as insignificant as the dust on a fly’s wings.

Since that day, CEO Kim never mentioned Lee Wooyeon’s financial issues again.

“What’s Lee Wooyeon’s ideal type?”

“Well, hmm.”

“He said in the interview that helikes kind people, was that just a comment?”

“No, I think it’s true.”

“Really? Kind people is his ideal type?”

The staff asked, surprised. It seemed like the hurdle had suddenly lowered with just one comment about being kind.

…Being just kind isn’t enough, though.

Instead of saying what he wanted to, Manager Cha just swallowed his coffee as someone called him from behind.