Chapter 128

Black tone color.

The white fox fur adorning the end of the hat.

‘…It’s a bit hot.’

Since it was an expensive high-end padded coat, it seemed to have excellent insulation.

However, Ha Eun still had a long way to go before finishing his winter photoshoot.

“Next, shall we try holding the hat with both hands? Don’t wear it completely, just about 70 percent.”

Under the direction of Gong Jae-ho, who was overseeing the winter photoshoot, and at the same time, Gong Hye-yeon’s biological father, he took on a different pose than before.

After a few shutter clicks of the camera, Ha Eun’s photo appeared on the monitor linked to the photographer’s camera.

A moment later, a fleeting exclamation from Gong Hye-yeon, who was watching Ha Eun’s photoshoot.

Because Gong Hye-yeon was a proper fashion model, she instantly recognized that Ha Eun’s photo was just right for a fashion spread.

The photoshoot continued for quite a while.

Ha Eun wore various winter clothes apart from the padded coat and posed in front of the photographer’s camera.

“You did a great job today~.”

Finally, when Ha Eun’s photoshoot was completely over, Gong Jae-ho’s satisfied voice was heard.

He mentioned that it wouldn’t be long before Ha Eun’s photos could be seen in various department stores.

This was a fact that Ha Eun was already aware of thanks to the photoshoot meeting that had taken place a few days before.

However, the idea of Ha Eun’s photo being displayed in places like department stores still didn’t feel real.

Perhaps that was why, when the department stores contracted with Gong Jae-ho’s company began to use Ha Eun’s photos for winter clothing advertisements.

“Hmmm… I think it turned out well, but…”

Ha Eun himself took a step into a somewhat infrequently visited department store to see his photos.

Of course, hiding his face with a black baseball cap and mask.

It was quite an unfamiliar feeling.

It wasn’t very common for many people visiting the department store to come across Ha Eun’s photo.

Strictly speaking, although the new bed advertisements from Sears were seen by many people, the behind-the-scenes videos on Sears’ official YouTube channel also had quite high view counts.

-Ding.

[Park Mi-so (Mail)] – Hey guys, I met Ha Eun

[Park Mi-so (Mail)] – (Selfie with Ha Eun’s photoshoot as the background)

[Park Mi-so (Mail)] – But he didn’t even say hi ㅠㅠㅠ I’m so sad, Ha Eun

[Yena (Yuna)] – Hahahahaha

The type of advertisement that could be encountered in real life was the winter photoshoot for the first time.

It felt strange receiving certification shots from acquaintances like members of Gaze and classmates.

Since the day he first went to see Ha Eun’s photo, he had been stopping by the department store whenever he had the time.

Not just the first department store, but he set off on a kind of journey to find other department stores where Ha Eun’s photos were displayed.

Perhaps it was the first time he could directly feel the fame of the three characters ‘Lee Ha Eun.’

He seemed a bit flustered.

Of course, he couldn’t keep going around various department stores.

It was partly because shopping wasn’t one of Ha Eun’s hobbies.

But more than anything.

“Uh, um…?”

It was decisive that a department store employee recognized that the person looking at the photo on the wall was the same as Ha Eun standing right in front of it.

At that moment, while he was also somewhat dressed in what you might call a celebrity’s secret outing look, trying to hide Ha Eun’s face.

“Could… you take just one picture?”

“Ah… um, yes.”

Ha Eun’s ears turned red upon being recognized and asked for a photo by the department store employee.

There was something very embarrassing about being caught looking at his own picture.

Eventually, he couldn’t visit to see Ha Eun’s photo anymore after that day.

Strictly speaking, he had already been around most places.

Time has now begun to get a bit chilly in early winter.

The streets of Seoul were already starting to reveal the year-end atmosphere.

However, Ha Eun, who was still a high school student.

-Ding-dong─!

“Okay, okay! Everyone put down your pens, the person in the back, please collect the OMR sheets~.”

Instead of a leisurely year-end atmosphere, he had to be enveloped in the rigid and intense atmosphere of final exams.

Perhaps it was because this was the final exam for the second semester of second-year high school, it felt a bit weighty.

In any case, now that the final exams were completely over.

He thought he would be able to spend some time leisurely apart from the filming schedule of [The Sunshine].

“End-of-year trip?”

“Yeah. A friend of Eun-hye’s gifted us ski tickets for Japan.”

Jee Hye-min’s suggestion to go on a year-end trip with other members of Gaze was presented to Ha Eun.

This was a brief rest or year-end party for the members of Gaze who had worked hard in broadcasting.

Although it had been less than six months since he went on a school trip to Japan.

The proposal to join a group trip to Japan with the members of Gaze, whom he could only meet through video in his past life, was impossible for Ha Eun to refuse.

“Hmmm, how do I fill out the experiential learning application…”

He started preparing for the trip with the members of Gaze by filling out the experiential learning application for the first time in his life.

Since the dates didn’t particularly overlap with the filming schedule of [The Sunshine], he just needed to resolve the issue of school attendance.

As one might expect, Ha Eun’s homeroom teacher was perplexed by the fact that the destination for the experiential learning application was Japan.

However, there was no issue with the procedures, so eventually, the teacher stamped his seal at the top right corner of the experiential learning application.

It was right after this that he was asked a question regarding his travel plans.

“By the way, why are we going to Akihabara? To buy a camera?”

However, as a result, Ha Eun’s true purpose, which was mainly related to subculture goods, was not communicated.

For some reason, Ha Eun, who slightly turned his gaze to the side, mumbled that he would buy a camera if he could.

Anyway, now the problem with attendance at the academy was resolved.

All that remained was to create a more detailed travel plan.

Jee Hye-min had mentioned that if there were places Ha Eun personally wanted to visit, he should let her know.

Apart from the ski resort, the decision-making rights for the travel routes were entirely entrusted to the members of Gaze.

However, there’s also the saying that two heads are better than one, so it wasn’t surprising that there were a lot of Noeul fans wondering if Diah would join the group trip posted in Gaze’s official fan cafe.

-Tap tap.

[Travel Planning Broadcast☆]

-Diah

– They say you’re a spirit who came to play in the human world, and you really are always out having fun.

– Damn, another trip… The Noeuls will have to freeze again…

When there was little time left before the Gaze group trip, they held a broadcast themed around their winter travel plans for Japan.

Of course, they didn’t mention specific visiting schedules as the red pills of the Gaze members should not be revealed.

They merely received recommendations from Noeuls on where to go, what to taste, and what to do.

“It’s been my dream to see snow in an onsen, should I go to an outdoor onsen then?”

– ooh ooh

– If you went to Japan in winter, you should see snow in an onsen.

– Ah, how romantic.

– Take me too.

[ User ㅇㅇ has donated 1,000 won! ]

: Is it a mixed bath? (no idea)

“Whether it’s a mixed bath or not, I’m not sure… Wait, I don’t think I asked out of genuine curiosity?”

– Oh my.

– Damn, quick-witted kids…!

– Stayyy! I’m gonna dance with a knife!!

– Save me, save me, save me, save me, save me, save me.

– We’ll meet in the mixed bath. (user has been banned)

– Kyaaah, there’s a person!!

The chatroom became momentarily chaotic.

Not long after, a one-on-one chatroom with the Noeul who had just asked about the mixed bath appeared on Diah’s broadcast screen.

– Oh my, you’re caught!

– I’ll remember it!!!

– Let’s go to the Room of Truth~~

Shortly afterward, Diah’s expression changed.

Diah, who had a youthful smile, transformed into a much more expressionless face.

Perhaps that was why.

[qwieqo118] – I’m sorry.

Noeul, who had been dragged into a one-on-one chat with Diah, immediately began with an apology.

In response, there came Diah’s persistent questioning.

“No, don’t just say sorry~. Tell me why you were curious about whether it’s a mixed bath or not~.”

Thus, sensing that they had reached a point of no return, Noeul steeled himself.

[qwieqo118] – Can I leave one last word before going?

He asked for a moment to say one last thing.

What followed was Diah’s gentle voice urging him to speak up.

So, while the message that the other party was typing appeared in the chatroom.

While other Noeuls were curious about this Noeul’s last words that would soon lead to his execution.

[qwieqo118] – Yuna said Diah is crazy awesome!!!!!

An unexpected watery grave tactic was initiated by Noeul, who entered a new chat.

Consequently, Diah’s avatar fell into a stunned state for a short time.

So, calm times passed, and as time flowed on.

When it was fully understood what the previous message meant.

“Oh, I see. You wanted to see something amazing in the mixed bath~.”

Diah’s avatar returned to a smiling expression and spoke to Noeul in his usual bright voice.

And at the same time, click.

[You have been forcibly removed.]

“Get out!!!!”

In an instant, Diah’s tone of voice changed, and the now-executed Noeul made the broadcasting chat filled with tears of sadness.

Of course, most of the chats were just pretending to be sad.

The Noeul who had just been directly banned by Diah was now packaged as a martyr.

Therefore, Diah once again brought up a one-on-one chat with another Noeul to the broadcasting screen and began questioning why that Noeul was a martyr.

Thus began the reign of fear.

The broadcast chatroom was also filled with real terror this time.

---