Hobbyist VTuber-Chapter 254

What Ju Jung-yoon had said—that it wasn’t just one or two offers coming Ha-eun’s way—wasn’t just talk.

Beyond the usual commercial endorsements, there were several other proposals too.

For example, the renewal of contracts from brands that had cast Ha-eun as their exclusive model.

“Sears and Rev both want to renew. What do you think?”

“Hmm... I don’t really have a reason to cancel, so I think it’s fine to renew.”

Both companies had greatly benefited from Ha-eun’s rising fame and were eager to sign with her again.

The proposed model fee in the renewed contracts had gone up significantly as well.

Since both companies had treated Ha-eun exceptionally well, she had no reason to terminate the contracts. And even if she had to shoot new commercials, it wasn’t such a big deal.

“So, shall we go ahead and seal it?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

And just like that, it was decided—she’d continue working with the companies she had already partnered with next year as well.

After that was settled, they moved on to discussing casting offers that had come in for Ha-eun as an actress.

“I pulled together all the scripts for you.”

“So, this is everything?”

“These are all the ones that came in for you. You don’t have to read them all—just look at the ones that catch your interest.”

Then, Ju Jung-yoon briefly explained the projects that had sent offers to cast Ha-eun.

There were historical dramas like The Moonlight That Parts the Clouds.

There were also romantic comedies and zombie apocalypse flicks like To Busan, which starred Da-yeon.

On top of those, all kinds of genres were reaching out to Ha-eun.

Some were even projects she remembered as major hits.

“You don’t need to decide right away. You can take your time and read through them at home.”

Either way, Ha-eun was already filming God and the Goblin and Parasite Family.

All the casting offers she’d received so far were just efforts to secure her in advance.

Actual filming wouldn’t begin until next year.

However, there was one casting offer in particular that stood out.

Because of that, Ju Jung-yoon carefully suggested they consider that one first.

“The Chairman’s Youngest Grandson. It’s a drama proposed directly by SL Group.”

Not by the drama’s director or production company—but by the investment firm backing it.

And not just any firm, but SL Group, the major conglomerate that practically runs Korea’s media industry.

There was also a meeting request from SL Group, so they had to proceed with extra caution.

This wasn’t just any ordinary meeting—it was on an entirely different scale.

But for some reason—

“...Ha.”

Ha-eun let out a short, hollow laugh.

From the look on her face, there was no trace of surprise or confusion.

Not even curiosity.

“Ha-eun...?”

Instead, it was Ju Jung-yoon who found herself flustered.

Understandably so—Ha-eun’s whole demeanor had shifted.

Her gaze had turned noticeably colder.

But in contrast, her breathing was slightly uneven.

A swirl of muddled emotions in her eyes.

“SL Group asked to see me in person?”

“Y-yeah. They said they’d like to meet with you once...”

It was a side of Ha-eun that had only surfaced twice before, during her adolescent years.

Once, when she secretly visited a large hospital without her parents’ knowledge.

And once, when something happened to Da-yeon.

Since then, she’d never shown that face again.

In other words, something about SL Group had shaken Ha-eun’s calm.

But as far as anyone knew, Ha-eun had no ties to SL Group.

“Why...? Is it too much pressure? If it’s overwhelming, it’s okay to say no—”

“No, it’s not overwhelming. It’s too late for that now.”

Why was she this stirred up?

Because of what?

“Please tell them I’ll take the meeting.”

“Are you... really okay with it?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not like I’ve done anything wrong.”

The guilt lies with the other side.

Ha-eun’s quiet murmur made Ju Jung-yoon’s expression darken with concern.

‘Why is she... like this?’

At the moment, Ha-eun’s face was colder than ever.

And it wasn’t even for a scene.

Still, Jung-yoon didn’t say anything more—because she knew Ha-eun’s mind was made up.

No matter what she said, it felt like Ha-eun was set on meeting SL Group.

But that didn’t mean she was going to just let it slide.

From an objective standpoint, the meeting with SL Group was a golden opportunity.

But for Ha-eun personally, it might be a completely different story.

“Hello? Ma’am?”

[ Oh, hello, Jung-yoon. What’s the matter? ]

She called Na-yeon while Ha-eun had stepped out for a bit—for that exact reason.

Even if she couldn’t talk it through with her, maybe Ha-eun could speak openly with her parents.

Having spent over ten years by Ha-eun’s side, Ju Jung-yoon could sense it.

Something was going on between Ha-eun and SL Group.

Something that neither Ju Jung-yoon nor Luna Entertainment knew about—something only Ha-eun herself carried.

“If I bring it up right away, she definitely won’t say anything. So maybe after some time passes...”

[ Yes, yes. I understand, Jung-yoon. I’ll make sure to talk with her later. Thank you for letting me know. ]

***

“...Cut! Great work, everyone!”

It was right after the very first shoot of Parasite Family had wrapped up.

Ha-eun, who had been acting as Yoo Ye-rim until the very last second, finally relaxed her expression once she heard the okay signal.

Only after Ha-eun stood up was Da-yeon able to get up as well.

“Lee Ha-eun, you were actually trying to kill me, weren’t you.”

“N-no, I wasn’t.”

“I seriously thought I was gonna suffocate.”

“...Sorry.”

They had just filmed the scene in the second half of the film where Yoo Ye-rim and Kim Ji-min get into a physical fight, so their outfits were a mess.

Da-yeon, who’d been pinned beneath Ha-eun getting choked moments earlier, had her hair completely tangled.

Still, since it was all acting, they didn’t think too much of it.

The only thing Da-yeon cared about was going head-to-head with Ha-eun’s portrayal of Yoo Ye-rim.

‘Honestly, I kind of want to shoot it again... Should I talk to the director?’

Since the scene they’d just filmed was the highlight of Parasite Family, it lingered in her mind.

During the short break that followed, she couldn’t stop debating whether to ask for a retake.

But unlike Da-yeon—

“Da-yeon, are you free on Christmas Eve? After our collab stream?”

Sitting beside her as usual, Ha-eun seemed far more interested in something else than the idea of reshooting.

The scene they had just filmed got bumped down her list of priorities.

“A bunch of us are having a party on Christmas Eve, and I wanted you to come.”

“A party?”

“Yeah. We’re doing a pajama party at Hye-yeon’s place.”

From what Ha-eun had heard, they were going all-out.

They’d booked professional catering services, and there’d even be a small gift exchange.

True to the name, the pajama party would go on late into the night with movies and dramas, and Ha-eun genuinely hoped Da-yeon would join them.

After all, Da-yeon was still her friend.

And on top of that, Ha-eun wanted to talk to her privately about the meeting with SL Group.

“Come with me. I’ll pick you up from your place after our stream.”

“...Are you sure it’s okay for me to go?”

“Of course it is. They’re nice people—you’ll get along with them in no time.”

“Hmm...”

Da-yeon didn’t have any particular schedule that day.

It was just that the party guests, including Gong Hye-yeon, had little to no connection with her.

Still, if it was with Ha-eun, it wasn’t the kind of party she couldn’t attend.

To be honest, she didn’t feel great about letting Ha-eun go alone, either.

“No doubt you’re going to end up drinking again. How could I let you go by yourself?”

“W-why would I drink? It’s just a house party.”

“Exactly. That’s when people drink. Who’s to say what’s in those glasses—grape juice or wine?”

The party was only a week before Ha-eun officially became a legal adult.

She didn’t mind if soon-to-be adults were sipping wine at a party.

But there was one exception.

She absolutely could not let Ha-eun drink alcohol.

“If you’re going to drink wine or whatever, only do it when you’re alone. Or with me.”

“That—That’s not fair.”

“Ha. Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten what happened in Japan?”

“...I don’t remember.”

Da-yeon had already experienced Ha-eun’s drunken antics—ones that were memorable in many ways.

Ha-eun, when drunk, would cling to Da-yeon like a squid and shower her with praise in a lazy, syrupy voice.

It was something Da-yeon never wanted to deal with again.

“That’s it. I’m calling your mom and telling her you plan to drink at the party—”

“I was wrong!”

“Touch even a drop of beer or wine.”

“Yes ma’am. I’ll drink water only.”

“You’re all talk, you know that?”

And just like that, Da-yeon decided to go to the house party—strictly to keep an eye on Ha-eun.

More precisely—

“Let’s shoot S#90 again.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I think the lines got buried. My voice didn’t come through right.”

After convincing Ha-eun to agree to a reshoot of S#90—the mansion scene they had just filmed—Da-yeon stood up from the folding chair on set and headed toward Director Sung Chan-wook.

About ten minutes later, the reshoot of S#90 began.

“Alright, let’s begin. ...Action!”

With Director Sung Chan-wook’s cue, Da-yeon stumbled out from the corner of the set.

And then came Kim Ji-min’s line.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Why... did you do that. We’re friends... We’re friends, Ye-rim...”

The vast living room of the mansion.

The marble floor, usually pristine, was now littered with debris. A shattered family photo frame lay discarded on the ground.

In the middle of the chaos stood Yoo Ye-rim.

Motionless, without any visible emotion.

That very stillness only made Kim Ji-min’s emotions explode even more.

“How could you do this to me? What did I ever do to you...?!”

Kim Ji-min had truly believed they were friends.

She never imagined that the person she trusted would dig up her parents’ darkest secrets and bring ruin to her family.

She never imagined her younger brother would be dragged into it and pushed down a path of no return.

She really had no idea.

—Step.

—Step.

—CRACK!

“Hey, Yoo Ye-rim. Say something. Was I that easy to fool? Were you using me from the start?”

Her hands clutched Yoo Ye-rim’s collar.

But Ye-rim’s face still wore that bitter smirk, and Ji-min’s eyes began to redden.

And finally—slap.

“Ow.”

“...You disgusting bitch.”

Kim Ji-min slapped Yoo Ye-rim across the face and continued in a trembling voice.

She asked how long it had all been an act.

At what point Ye-rim had decided to drive her family to ruin.

“If it weren’t for you, everyone would’ve been happy. Mom, Dad, Ji-hoon...”

“No, Ji-min. That’s not true.”

A voice barely above a whisper.

Eyes still cold as ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) ice.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. The ones who were wrong were your family.”

She was just the one who dragged their buried secrets into the open.

If anything, Ji-min should be angry at her own family for hiding the truth.

“I just... wanted to live happily with your family. But they kept ignoring me. Kept trying to kick me out.”

Ye-rim revealed she’d only exposed their secrets to protect herself.

If Ji-min’s family hadn’t come after her, none of this would’ve happened. She smiled faintly, as if provoking her.

“You think I leached off your family? But they were already broken. They were rotten from the start.”

“If I’d known the state they were in, I’d have picked a cleaner house. Do you think I’m crazy enough to grab onto a sinking rope?”

That sickening smile of Ye-rim’s pushed Ji-min over the edge, and she raised her hand again.

But this time, Ye-rim had no intention of just taking it.

—CRASH!

“You and I were never friends to begin with. I was just living my life. You were playing around in your fantasy. You dumb bitch, Kim Ji-min.”

She knocked Ji-min to the floor and began strangling her.

Her voice now thick with emotion.

“I’m not the one who owes an apology. That’s you. Maybe you should’ve had better parents.”

“You... You... You devil!!!”

“Devil? Me? What a fucking joke...”

Ragged breathing. Desperate flailing.

Choking in pain, Ji-min tried to pry Ye-rim’s hands off her neck.

But Ye-rim just stared down with a blank expression—and tightened her grip even more.

“Hard to breathe? That’s how I felt every day around your family. Like my head was going to explode from trying to figure out what to do with those bastards.”

“Let... go...!”

“Must be nice, Ji-min. You’ve got so much to lose. Me? I’ve got nothing left.”

Kim Ji-min’s face was a mess of tears, a mix of rage and regret.

Meanwhile, Yoo Ye-rim’s face looked... oddly hollow.

Just before Kim Ji-min was on the verge of losing consciousness, Yoo Ye-rim loosened her grip and let out a chuckle.

On the other hand, Kim Ji-min, who had been strangled by Yoo Ye-rim, looked utterly battered.

Cough, hack...

Hah, hah...

“...Now you’re finally looking a little better.”

Yoo Ye-rim mocked Kim Ji-min with a bitter smile, almost as if the whole situation were amusing.

“Did you ever notice my expression whenever I ate at your house? Did you hear what your parents said about me every time they saw me?”

Things Kim Ji-min hadn’t known.

Or, perhaps, things she had chosen to ignore, brought up now from deep within Yoo Ye-rim’s heart.

“I’ve been an outsider in that house from the start. They treated me like a parasite. To your family, I was never even a person.”

Yoo Ye-rim mocked the reality of their situation, her shoulders shaking slightly as she did.

Heh heh.

“You’re the one who brought me into your house, Ji-min.”

“Kill me. Just kill me...”

“Hah... Should I? Should we just die together?”

Yoo Ye-rim’s face, hollowed out as if she had given up on everything, met Kim Ji-min’s tear-filled gaze.

In Kim Ji-min’s trembling hand, a shard of glass dripped with bright red blood.

The bitter sensation spread through her fingers.

But more than the pain, it was the anger and betrayal aimed at Yoo Ye-rim that surged through her.

Thud.

“...Die. Die!!”

With the sharp glass shard, Kim Ji-min stabbed and stabbed at Yoo Ye-rim’s neck.

The complete loss of reason meant that Kim Ji-min no longer knew what she was doing.

Then, with a soft snap, Yoo Ye-rim’s head twisted.

At nearly the same moment, Yoo Ye-rim’s body collapsed, crashing down on top of Kim Ji-min.

Hah... hah...

Completely alone now, Kim Ji-min quietly laughed, her sanity slipping away.

Yoo Ye-rim, still sprawled on top of Kim Ji-min, didn’t move at all.

Cut.

“Got it.”

With the okay signal from across the set, Ha-eun’s eyes snapped open.

After getting up from atop Da-yeon, Ha-eun stood and spoke.

“I think we did a better job this time. What do you think, Da-yeon?”

Ha-eun, with her usual calm expression, spoke as she helped Da-yeon to her feet.

Da-yeon, too, shared the same opinion.

“Well, we’ll have to see the footage, but I think we did alright.”

In the end, the filming of S#90 was perfectly completed. Da-yeon felt satisfied with the take as well.

She couldn’t imagine improving her performance any further.

It was her best effort.

Acting to a point where she felt no regret.

Thanks to that, Da-yeon felt she could bring up something other than the shoot.

Like, for example, the home party Ha-eun had planned to attend.

“By the way, that Hye-yeon... how big is her house to invite seven people all at once?”

“She said it’s not an apartment, but a detached house. Three stories.”

“...A three-story house?”

“Yeah.”

Da-yeon then started asking Ha-eun more detailed questions.

What kind of people would be at the party?

What kind of food would they have at the home party?

“I don’t think they’ll be ordering wine or beer.”

“Oh, she has a separate wine cellar.”

“...Ha-eun.”

“I’m not drinking. I said I won’t.”

“You’re just going to watch me, right? The whole time.”

In the end, Da-yeon succeeded in preventing Ha-eun from drinking at the party.

Thanks to Da-yeon’s watchful eye, Ha-eun couldn’t drink wine or beer at the home party.

If there was a problem, it was—

“...Black knight.”

“Huh? Again?”

“Da-yeon, you’re a drinker, huh?”

“Ha-eun won’t let me drink even once.”

It turned out that whenever Ha-eun needed to drink, Da-yeon would end up drinking it all herself.

At some point, Da-yeon’s eyes started to glaze over, and she didn’t even realize why she had developed this strange drinking habit toward Ha-eun.

“D-Da-yeon’s probably drunk. I’ll lay her down and be back, guys.”

“...I’m not drunk, you know?”

Swish.

“How many fingers is this?”

“...Huh? Ha-eun, why do you have six fingers...?”

“You’re drunk. Come on, get on my back, Da-yeon.”

“...I’m not drunk...”