CH 3

“Hara-ssi, didn’t you like idols? But you’ve never been to a broadcasting station before?”

That’s because Hara’s favourite idol in high school was a Mang-dol.

Not only did they appear on music shows infrequently, later on, they couldn’t appear on music shows anymore. This was because a member, Kwon Wook, reawakened as an S-class hunter, and several members passed away in the dungeon.

For your information, it wasn’t that she’d stopped liking idols after becoming a civil servant. However, just looking at something similar to an idol poster at home would make her father fed up. He’d experienced the disgrace of his lifetime because of Hara.

So it was very difficult to obviously chase after idols when she was at home. If she went to a public broadcast and her face was captured by the camera, that day would be the day of Kang Hara’s death.

In addition, as with jobs in the civil service, she was flooded with work and when she came to her senses, was involuntarily watching from the front row seats in her room.

[T/N: basically saying that she can’t get concert tickets with a good view, so she watches in her room through the internet.] 

It was a little odd to spill every single thing on this subject. Hara kept her mouth shut.

The FD in front of them laughed and butted in.

“Do you like idols?”

“N, no…” 

Hara shortened her words. Yoojung waved her hand.

“Please don’t mind. Our Hara-ssi is a bit shy.”

“Oh, I see. This way.”

The studio was rather unfamiliar. It seemed like there were dozens of lights present, and there were five large cameras that she was seeing for the first time in her life.

Hara flinched and hid in a corner, but Yoojung pulled Hara out while saying, “Aish, seriously.” 

“I can only work when Hara-ssi is monitoring.”

“I have a phobia of cameras…”

“It’s not like they’re filming you, so what’s wrong? Hm?”

After the scene of her crying was broadcasted across the country during her second year of high school, Hara developed a phobia of cameras. She’d never thought that her crying on a reporter 10 seconds before a live broadcast would end up getting immortalised on X-tube.

The mere thought of it made her dizzy. She’ll never do that again.….

Just then. 

“We’re about to begin camera rehearsals. What about Seheon-ssi?”

Seheon. Hara flinched at that familiar name.

Shortly afterwards, a low and sonorous voice rang out from behind Hara.

“Yes, I’m here.”

“Hiik!”

Startled, Hara jumped up with fright. As a result, the opponent behind her was even more bewildered and grabbed Hara’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Ohhhh yes!”

“……What?”

He was a handsome man made of bold lines. Dressed neatly in a high-end suit, a smile on his face despite the slight surprise in his eyes, and three or four spans taller than Hara.

Korea’s Gal-X survey ‘The No. 1 journalist favoured by Koreans’, and “No. 3 in the Shining Celebrities, General Public category in 202X.”

In any case, a public broadcasting station’s reporter that enjoyed all kinds of fame. The man that was also the main anchor for the 9 o’clock news.

“I’m sorry. It seems like I’ve startled you. Are you alright?”

“Uh, yes, right. I’m, I’m fine. I’m really alright, so please go, no, you may go…!”

And for Hara, the most awkward man for her to encounter.

Yoon Seheon.

He was also the main character in the ‘Wookie-oppa incident’, that is, incident regarding Hara’s dark history.

“……Go, you said?”

The man asked awkwardly. 

It was a low and dulcet voice, but it was close to scary for Hara. Because it was Hara’s trauma button.

With that video immortalised on X-tube, Hara was completely disgraced to the entire country.

Rather, it was a boon for this man.

An intern reporter at a public broadcasting company calmly consoled a high school girl who was crying out of panic, and continued to report in real time while holding her hand. And a handsome man at that. Of course, he could only turn into a national star. 

While Hara was transitioning from a senior in high school to a new civil servant, and lived for 10 years as a ‘just a loser’, the man was on the fast track. Not only did his handsome looks become a hot topic, but the incident where he saved a child from a suddenly widening rift during a broadcast also played a part.

From newbie reporter to morning news anchor, and then a main news anchor.

Although there were ups and downs due to incidents like ‘the Democratic Progressive Party Swearing incident’ and ‘The Confrontation with the Hunter Commissioner incident’, in any case, he was indeed a famous person.

‘……So this kind of promotional video would also be filmed in a broadcasting station.’

For your information, Yoon Seheon had once appeared on a talk show and mentioned about Hara

[She must be doing well by now, right?]

Do you think I can live well?

[In the future, I’d want to look for that student.]

No… I refuse.

For reference, Kwon Wook, who’d become an S-class hunter, also mentioned Hara on his personal X-tube channel.

[Oh, I know her. She comes to my fan signs so often that I remember her face. She was also really good at studying.]

Ah, oppa. Please don’t remember me.

Ordinary people thought that fans would be happy when celebrities remembered their faces. But it was a disaster when you’re in Hara’s shoes. A disaster close to the level of an S-class gate at that.

Of course, it might have ended with her rejoicing if Kwon Wook had stayed as a Mang-dol forever, but isn’t he now one of the eight S-class hunters in Korea?

[I really want to meet that friend again. My friend, I’m at Gwanghwamun, Seoul branch office, so come visit me anytime.]

Ever since she watched that interview, Hara hasn’t been anywhere near Gwanghwamun.

‘Oppa, do you know? I’m also a civil servant, like you…’

Anyways, whether it’s Kwon Wook or Yoon Seheon, they were people that Hara didn’t really want to get involved with.

As such, on the day Yoon Seheon came to Mapo branch office for the filming, Hara hid in the mana stone management’s warehouse. She screamed internally, ‘Why did it have to be him?’ 

According to the original plan, today’s broadcast should have been filmed at the Mana Stone Management Office at the Mapo branch office.

However, the Mana Stone Management Office was scorched by the A-class mana stone that Hara accidentally popped while hiding that day. The filming was obviously cancelled, and it was rescheduled to today.

“Oh, my. Hello, Yoon Seheon-ssi.”

“Ah, hello.”

Just then, Yoojung approached the puzzled Seheon and offered her hand for a handshake. Seheon’s expression changed quickly and he shook hands with Yoojung with a smile.

“You’re Hunter Shim Yoojung, right? It’s nice to see you again.”

“Yes. You must have been very surprised that day, have you been well?”

“I’m alright. About the Mapo branch office…”

As Yoojung greeted Seheon, she secretly hid Hara behind her. Hara thanked Yoojung internally with tears in her eyes.

At the Mapo branch office, Yoojung was the only one that knew that Hara was the main character of the “Wookie-oppa Incident”. It was because Hara’s countenance in the video was originally unclear, and everyone’s memories became blurry as it has been so long. 

As such, Yoojung was the only one that knew Hara didn’t really want to run into Seheon. 

“Erm, but the Hunter-ssi behind, I think I’ve met you somewhere…”

“Oh, my! Anchor Yoon Seheon’s face is stained with seaweed.”

“What? Where…” 

“Handsomeness!”

[T/N: seaweed (김) and handsomeness (잘생김) has the same pronunciation, hence the joke.] 

Astonished, Hara wasn’t hiding. Why was she saying those lines from fan sign events in 1988? Goodness, this is absurd.

An awkward smile appeared on the faces of Yoojung and Seheon. In any case, she’d successfully managed to divert Seheon’s attention.

In the meantime, Hara crept back and completely fled to a corner of the studio.

“Phew.”

Hara rubbed her chest.

But once again, this had to be emphasised. 

Kang Hara. Life isn’t about getting what you want.

Even meeting a constellation.

* * *

The rehearsal has begun.

As expected of the main news anchor, Yoon Seheon carried out the program smoothly, and Yoojung was also doing a proper demonstration with her mana stone out.

“Well, I mean, if you do this…….”

Everything was progressing well…

“Oh, why isn’t it working? Aish.”

Very well… 

The rehearsal was immediately halted. The camera director’s brows were furrowed, and Yoojung had a gloomy face. It was probably because of nervousness.

“After giving birth to a baby, I’ve become forgetful…”

“That’s alright. Shall we try once more? We have plenty of time.”

However, after the rehearsal was suspended for the fifth time, Yoon Seheon could no longer say ‘once more’.

Yoojung looked at Hara with a nauseous expression.

“Hara-ssi…”

Hara felt like throwing up, too.

‘I have a phobia of cameras. Please don’t say that. God, Buddha, Allah. Please save me.’

“Hara-ssi, can you try?”

Her vision went dark. If it was anything else, Hara might have agreed to it hesitantly. It’s because Hara has been managing Mana Stones for 10 years.

But Yoon Seheon is sitting next to her. And this was a video for the public’s interest, which will be aired at the last segment of the 9 o’clock main news. In other words, the whole nation would be watching it.

What if someone with a good eye noticed that the two main characters of ‘Wookie-oppa’s incident’ were seated there and left a comment?

“If you ever do something that stands out and disgrace me one more time!”

Her father’s words seemed to ring in her ears. Hara wanted to avoid that situation at all costs. 

However, Seheon spoke first.

“If that person is capable of doing it, she should give it a try.”

Once again, Hara prayed earnestly. GodBuddhaAllahtheGreekandRomangods. In any case, any god in this world, please help me. Please. Please.

Normally, this sort of prayer wouldn’t receive anything in return.

Hara also didn’t bear any hope in particular. Koreans lived with the faiths while praying millions of times. 

But surprisingly, it was a little different this time.

[An anonymous constellation is listening to you.] 

What?

Just as Hara flinched at the system message that flashed past her eyes.

Kkungkungkung…

She heard the sound of something collapsing. At the same time, the studio shook.

Tong, Kwakwaccck!

“What’s this?”

“Kyahhh—!”

Within seconds, the lights that hung from the studio ceiling fell to the ground with a crash. People screamed. There was the sound of something heavy cracking open in mid-air. 

“What’s this?”

The loud crashes intertwined. As though it was in response to the scream, a vertical rift appeared in the floor with a squelch. It wasn’t the building, but the space. 

Don’t tell me

Hara’s face turned white.

“It’s a gate!”

No, crazy GodBuddhaAllahtheGreekandRomangodsetc. You b*stards

‘I asked you to make it so that I don’t have to shoot the video. Did I ask you to open a gate here?’
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