Chapter 146

*Dream Future* had been off the air for almost two months now.

Thus, Seoyeon felt somewhat perplexed about this abrupt fan meeting.

Moreover, it seemed that this fan meeting wasn’t just for fans but also included representatives from a Japanese broadcasting station.

‘There’s no way that overseas entities would request a domestic fan meeting.’

She had heard that the broadcasting rights for *Dream Future* had recently been sold to Japan.

Perhaps, with the show set to air in Japan, they were here to confirm details.

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

As she pondered these thoughts, she noticed Park Jung-woo, impeccably dressed in a suit, glancing her way.

Standing next to him, somewhat inexplicably, was Yeon-woo Ma. The pair was an unlikely combination in every sense.

‘They’re certainly eye-catching.’

Indeed, whenever the two stood together, the female staff walking by would invariably pause.

On one hand, an up-and-coming young star on the level of a top actor, and on the other, a member of the renowned domestic idol group Just X.

It would be odd if they *didn’t* grab attention.

And speaking of which…

“I wasn’t expecting much anyway.”

Seoyeon replied calmly. Her impeccable poker face and near-perfect emotional control allowed her to conceal her thoughts completely.

At this, Park Jung-woo smiled faintly.

“You’re excited. About it airing in Japan.”

“…How did you know that?”

Honestly, it was true.

Seoyeon was indeed somewhat excited.

Would Japanese VTubers also watch it if it aired on Japanese TV? Who would live-stream the episodes?

She had a strong feeling that it would evoke some new emotions in her.

Even if she didn’t personally watch it, perhaps famous clips of the show would emerge as it gained popularity. Given *Dream Future*’s strikingly vivid qualities, it seemed like a matter of time until the public noticed it.

‘Indeed.’

Park Jung-woo nodded after observing her.

As it seemed, his initial thought was correct.

‘If you look closely, it’s obvious.’

While it was difficult to gauge her feelings just from her face, observing her actions yielded plenty of insights.

Her unusually light steps, her body subtly trembling in anticipation.

And above all, the sparkle returning to her eyes.

Her eyes, in many ways, spoke for her. Sometimes, they even glimmered red, giving off a slightly intimidating vibe.

Incidentally, when she was younger, they’d pop up in dreams—usually in a terrifying manner.

“Let’s prepare for the meeting.”

With the staff’s call, the celebrities who had gathered for the day’s fan meeting began naturally moving to their assigned places.

The fan meeting was scheduled to take place at the Seoul Jangchung Gymnasium.

The venue was spacious, with ample seating, leading to a significant number of attendees.

‘This is more serious than I thought.’

Actually, it was Seoyeon’s first time attending a fan meeting, so there was a certain level of excitement.

The thrill wasn’t so much because *Dream Future* was airing in Japan but because it was her first experience of this particular kind of event.

Though she’d been active in the industry since childhood, this was her first official fan meeting. Sure, she’d participated in something similar during the premiere of *The Moon That Hid the Sun*, but this felt vastly different.

“Seoyeon! Over here!”

As she was wandering around, pondering where exactly she should be, Cha Na-hee signaled towards her.

She seemed relaxed, leaning back as if this were second nature to her.

Looking at her behavior, it was clear: idols were indeed professionals when it came to interacting with fans. They excelled in that area more than actors.

“What kind of magic are you pulling off?”

“Huh?”

“Things have been so peaceful recently.”

Cha Na-hee had many questions she wanted to ask upon seeing Seoyeon after a while.

‘Summer Girls,’ the group she was part of, had its fair share of issues.

Even this latest soundtrack for *Sky Garden*, where Cha Na-hee was involved due to her participation in the drama, had started out with a lot of tension.

However, recently it had all turned around. Everyone was working incredibly hard and responsibly.

With absolutely no discord or disharmony.

“Maybe she just wants to work hard?”

“Is that so?”

Cha Na-hee still harbored some doubt. Upon asking So-eun, one of the more approachable members of the group:

“She’s done magic.”

“Huh?”

“She’s even met a wizard.”

“????”

While So-eun didn’t often engage in deep conversations with members other than Rabin, she did not have a habit of lying.

So, had Seoyeon really performed some form of magic and met a wizard?

“No, no. That’s absurd.”

Still, Cha Na-hee couldn’t shake off this strange inkling, thanks partly to Seoyeon’s character being so vividly portrayed in *Hyper Action Star* that it almost felt like she could fly.

‘Seoyeon is just unusually fit.’

Though Seoyeon had a somewhat bovine-like nature, Na-hee simply found her endearing and adorable. She didn’t worry much about any negative remarks made about her.

“I’m not sure.”

Thanks to this, Seoyeon flinched under Cha Na-hee’s curious gaze but composedly replied:

“I just wanted to get closer, so I showed them a magic trick, that’s all.”

“Magic? Did you know Seoyeon could do magic?”

“Yes.”

“Really? Can you show it to me sometime?”

“Uh, there’s quite a bit of preparation involved.”

“Ah, I see.”

What kind of magic required so much preparation? Cha Na-hee wondered, but Seoyeon had a reason: she couldn’t fold coins anymore.

She’d been caught by Sua.

“Seoyeon, you don’t fold coins, dear.”

“…”

It wasn’t easy to argue when her half-folded coins were spilling out of her childish, mother-approved bag. Sua herself looked utterly baffled.

“Is she psychologically unstable?”

“It… I just really like handling them.”

“Currency shouldn’t be damaged. Please flatten them and put them back in the piggy bank.”

Rarely serious, Sua’s command left Seoyeon sulking as she flattened one coin at a time.

At least, she hadn’t been caught by her father. If that had happened, he probably would’ve teased her for years.

Recalling that, Seoyeon turned her attention back to Cha Na-hee.

“I’ll show you if you get me something to perform with.”

“Something?”

Cha Na-hee was puzzled by this.

Maybe it was a prop-reliant magic trick. As she thought this, the staff signaled that preparations for the fan meeting were complete, and they began calling the stars, including Seoyeon.

The *Dream Future* actors lined up and slowly moved toward the prepared location.

“The protagonists of this year’s hottest hit, Dream Future!”

As the host-like man loudly announced, a thunderous applause and cheering filled the air.

“Kyaaaaa, Oppa Jung-woo!”

“Let me see Yeon-woo Ma’s abs!”

“Na-hee, I love you like crazy!”

The most recognizable among the actors were frequently called out, and next in popularity was Seoyeon.

“Princess Seoyeon, too beautiful!”

“Red light Joo Seoyeon!”

“When’s Seoyeon joining UFC?”

Listening to these, Seoyeon occasionally flinched.

“…I need to fix my image ASAP.”

Why red light? It was scary. And the UFC talk seemed serious.

Because around the man who cheered that, there were a row of muscle-bound men. Their banner read ‘Seoul Mixed Martial Arts Group,’ clearly indicating the authenticity of the matter.

“Seoyeon!!! Mixed martial arts will be fun!!!”

“I’m not doing it.”

An irritated Seoyeon turned away from them. Fortunately, no overly harsh internet memes appeared.

Had there been a gorilla banner, she might have torn it apart in an instant, but luckily that didn’t happen.

Anyway, while others had a plethora of gentle fans, Seoyeon’s group seemed intense.

Why was that?

“I look this pretty, and yet…”

“Oh.”

A familiar face appeared.

There was a woman in familiar attire, waving at Seoyeon. Han Sun-a, a journalist who often wrote flattering articles about her and Seoyeon’s number one fan. She waved back, and with that, the fan meeting began.

“That scene gave me such a vibe… Like Actor Joo Seoyeon’s subtle provocation.”

“Yes, something like that.”

“No, it didn’t.”

The conversation was generally straightforward. The host engaged the actors with various questions, unearthing anecdotes from the making of *Dream Future*.

Each actor was given appropriate emphasis during the interviews, and it seemed like the fans were pleased. After a few hours, interviews wrapped up along with some games, and the signing session commenced.

Initially, there were plans to exclude this segment, but with the inclusion of idols, it went ahead.

“Wow, what a line!”

Ma Yeon-woo was taken aback by the massive queue of people.

Once seated at the prepared tables, actors sat in a row, and a line began forming in front of them.

Actually, Ma Yeon-woo wasn’t just impressed by the sheer number of fans.

The revelation was that Park Jung-woo’s line was astonishingly long.

‘Naturally, I assumed it would be the most.’

Who was this person after all?

The top-tier idol Just X, now more popular thanks to *Dream Future.*

Thus Ma Yeon-woo was under the impression he would surely take the lead.

Though, Park Jung-woo’s line was the longest.

Sensing Ma Yeon-woo’s gaze, Park Jung-woo chuckled and said,

“Scarcity.”

“……!!”

Ma Yeon-woo realized.

Thinking about it, Just X held numerous signing events, so obtaining a signature wasn’t particularly rare.

However, Park Jung-woo was an actor. Typically, signing events weren’t the norm for actors. He might give signatures casually on the streets, but organized events like these were different.

“And there’s another long line that rivals mine.”

Turning to where Park Jung-woo was pointing, Ma Yeon-woo noticed yet another long row. It was Seoyeon’s line.

‘Isn’t she this popular too?’

The term ‘recent favorite’ wasn’t a fluke, as evident from this.

Ma Yeon-woo could only whistle in astonishment.

Even Cha Na-hee had a significantly long queue.

Was it possible he might even be third?

Strange, considering how much popularity he thought he carried…

Regardless, Ma Yeon-woo greeted the nearest fan with a smile. Regardless of queue lengths, each fan was indeed precious.

“Fewer people means you should keep your signatures simple.”

Watching Seoyeon’s signing, Cha Na-hee offered some advice in a low voice. The sheer number of people would make complex signatures time-consuming and could cause significant hand fatigue.

“I’ll be fine.”

Though she replied thus, Seoyeon was brimming with enthusiasm. Excluding Han Sun-a, this was her first opportunity to show her signature to the public.

She had practiced diligently at home, and now the moment to unveil it had finally arrived.

Back at school, she’d carried around notebooks hoping to showcase her signature, but no one had approached her.

At that, her schoolmates had strangely recoiled with the thought,

‘What’s she planning to do with that pen?’

They had only sent her such skeptical glances, so Seoyeon had quietly tucked her favorite pen case back to keep it safe.

‘Wow, it’s quick.’

Watching Seoyeon sign, Cha Na-hee was taken aback.

Firstly, Seoyeon’s signature was incredibly adorable.

It was a carefully crafted one that screamed effort.

Cha Na-hee assumed Seoyeon would tire quickly from making multiple signatures, but…

‘Like a printer.’

Every sign was swiftly created with just a fluent movement of her hand.

Though signatures generally appear similar, Seoyeon’s was unusually elaborate and stylish.

It sparked an almost magical feeling each time it appeared, suggesting it wasn’t mere casual practice.

Moreover, her arms didn’t even ache despite already signing a significant number. She exuded a refreshing energy that somehow transferred to Cha Na-hee, who was feeling a touch of fatigue.

Thus, Cha Na-hee managed to regain her vigor.

“Hmm?”

In the midst of the ongoing signings, Cha Na-hee noticed something.

A mother and daughter duo standing before Seoyeon.

The adorable young girl looked like she was in elementary school.

They had a slightly weary look from waiting in the crowd, but seeing Seoyeon seemed to brighten their faces.

“My daughter absolutely adores you. I found the drama very entertaining too.”

Her voice was refined, almost giving off the vibe of a teacher.

Indeed, her demeanor matched her sophisticated tone.

The reason Cha Na-hee was drawn to their presence wasn’t merely due to the charming young girl or the poised woman—it was Seoyeon’s reaction.

Seoyeon, previously busy signing without pause, suddenly halted.

Her eyes widened a little.

Upon closer inspection, hints of a reddish hue could be seen in her irises.

But,

“Thank you for enjoying the show. Your daughter is truly adorable!”

“Hehe.”

The little girl smiled brightly, and Seoyeon, uncommonly, also beamed while signing for her.

Unlike most fans who tried to shake her hand, this pair didn’t.

“Actresses shouldn’t be bothered.”

“But~!”

“It’s alright.”

Seoyeon gently held the little girl’s hand and smiled.

“Shouldn’t you avoid causing stress to your mother?”

“Yes!”

With that, the mother smiled wistfully and stepped back, while Seoyeon lightly waved at them.

“Everyone, thank you so much!”

After this interaction, the signing session concluded without further incidents. Seoyeon appeared unremarkably normal.

She greeted everyone kindly and parted with a smile.

At least, that’s how it seemed from Cha Na-hee’s perspective.

Though, there was something slightly nagging in the back of her mind.

“…”

After parting ways from the group, Seoyeon lingered for a moment, lost in thought.

In front of the vending machine.

She had intended to grab a cold drink before leaving, but…

“I don’t have any coins.”

All her coins had been confiscated, and none remained.

Most vending machines nowadays accepted cards, so why wasn’t this one functioning with a card?

“Here.”

Suddenly, Park Jung-woo appeared, holding a cold can of coffee.

“…Why are you here?”

“Well, isn’t this where all the staff would walk by? Isn’t it natural?”

Considering she left first, it was understandable that Seoyeon was a little taken aback.

Given that this was a restricted area for public access, the vending machines were likely outdated.

“Hmm.”

Park Jung-woo crossed his arms and briefly scrutinized Seoyeon’s face.

“Fine.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Seoyeon to ponder.

“…Did I give anything away?”

She wiped her face. The brief disturbance in her demeanor had been noticeable, it seemed.

The coffee Park Jung-woo handed her was not bought from the vending machine in front of them but fetched beforehand, meaning he came here specifically for her.

So, his solo arrival without his manager was deliberate.

“Sun-a keeps worrying about me too.”

Actually, Seoyeon hadn’t thought much of it. She was merely surprised at the moment.

They hadn’t exchanged more than a few words anyway.

Although, had the conversation dragged on longer…

“Hmm.”

There was something else brought to mind by their brief meeting today.

It was an idea she’d been considering for a while now but felt more compelled to pursue after today’s event.

“I should probably discuss this with writer Min Se-hee.”

Seoyeon sipped the cold coffee thoughtfully. The chilled beverage seemed to soothe her temporarily unsettled emotions.

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