The world of showbiz is a cruel one.
It’s the kind of world where the saying “70% luck, 30% skill” fits perfectly. No matter how talented or good-looking you are, if luck isn’t on your side, you’ll just fade into obscurity.
Those who dare to challenge the entertainment industry already have to meet high standards for looks and talent. Sure, there are some mediocre ones who join, but the entertainment industry has a surprisingly low percentage of those.
In that world, Lee Ha-neul could be considered lucky. She had a decent appearance, the charm to keep people’s attention for an hour on TV, and decent acting skills. She was an all-rounder, a jack-of-all-trades.
Of course, her talents weren’t top-tier, but they were solidly A-grade. She could’ve easily become one of those people with ambiguous skills, but she managed to survive the cutthroat competition and grueling auditions. Though she didn’t land a lead role, a supporting role in a movie that hit 10 million viewers gave her a solid boost in recognition.
And it wasn’t just any supporting role—it was one that even spawned a catchphrase. This meant she could smoothly cement herself as a familiar face in the public eye. She was reaping the rewards too, enjoying the luxury of appearing as a guest on popular variety shows. Something she couldn’t even dream of before the movie’s success.
Lee Ha-neul was in the dressing room, finishing her makeup and fiddling with her mobile phone. She knew her fame was entirely thanks to the public, so she made sure never to do anything that could tarnish her image.
Just then, her manager walked into the room.
“Oppa, what’s up?”
It was rare for her manager to come into the dressing room, so she asked with a mix of curiosity and concern. When the manager showed up like this, it usually meant there was some special news. Half anticipation, half anxiety. She hoped it was good news.
“I brought strawberries for our 10-million-view actress to eat.”
The manager handed her a transparent box filled with fresh strawberries. But she frowned and said,
“Oppa! You know I’m on a diet right now!”
“I know, I know. But eating a few strawberries won’t hurt. Plus, these are from an advertiser. You gotta eat them and leave a review.”
“Which advertiser?”
She was currently endorsing three brands. Considering she had no ads before the movie, her prime time was definitely now.
“You know the Starlight Food ad you’re shooting? The boss sent these.”
“Oh… if it’s from them, I’ll eat it!”
Lee Ha-neul was a big fan of Starlight Food. As a coffee addict, discovering Starlight Coffee felt like a divine revelation. It was the perfect coffee for her picky taste buds, so she made sure to drink 1-2 cups a day.
And green tea? She used to not care for it, but now, with back-to-back schedules, it was perfect for recovering from fatigue. One cup of green tea, and she could shoot in full condition for a whole day.
Lastly, cherry tomatoes! Sure, they’re a bit high in calories, but they were her go-to snack when she didn’t have time for a proper meal. Just one bite, and she could power through the day. In fact, they were so filling she couldn’t even think about eating other snacks.
Lee Ha-neul opened the box the manager handed her. Inside were strawberries so fresh they might as well have been picked that morning. Just opening the lid filled the dressing room with their sweet aroma.
She gazed at the strawberries with a dazed look. The smell, the freshness—everything was perfect. And the vibrant, translucent color was the cherry on top! They looked like fruits blessed by the gods, and her mouth was watering just looking at them.
If just looking at them made her this hungry, how good would they taste? Her slender fingers picked up one strawberry. The stem was already removed, so all she had to do was pop it into her mouth.
Maybe it was because she was on a diet, but the strawberry’s scent was intoxicating. They say when you’re hungry, you could even eat dirt—and she totally understood that feeling now.
*Munch.*
Without hesitation, she popped the strawberry into her mouth. Before she even chewed a few times, the burst of juice made her eyes widen. Covering her mouth, she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of strawberry she was eating.
Strawberries usually have a pretty standard taste, but the ones grown by Starlight Food were on a whole other level. They were so delicious that she couldn’t even call the strawberries she’d eaten before “strawberries.”
Chewing it like gum, with every chew, sweet juice spread in my mouth.
Lee Ha-neul’s smile wasn’t from acting for the first time in a while, but a genuine happy smile from eating something delicious. Lee Ha-neul thought it was fortunate that the manager oppa handed over the strawberries and left right away. She could have these delicious strawberries all to herself.
“No… how do they grow strawberries this delicious…”
Lee Ha-neul suddenly realized that all the products from Starlight Food perfectly matched her taste. Even people with picky tastes wouldn’t be able to resist Starlight Food’s offerings. The quality of the food was just that outstanding.
At that moment, the senior actor opened the door and entered the dressing room. He was the actor who would be participating in the variety show with her today. Lee Ha-neul immediately stood up from her chair and bowed at a 90-degree angle like a flip phone. Even though she was a supporting actor—albeit a popular one—she had no intention of being arrogant.
Lee Ha-neul had no intention of being a rude junior and wanted to remain a respectful junior. Seeing her polite bow, the senior actor smiled contentedly and accepted her greeting. Then he looked at Lee Ha-neul and said,
“Ha-neul~ What’s that sweet smell?”
“Ah, these are strawberries from the advertiser. Would you like to try one, senior?”
Seeing that the senior seemed interested, Lee Ha-neul quickly offered him a strawberry. The senior, who seemed to have been hoping for this, skillfully took one and ate it.
“!!!”
The senior couldn’t speak and kept chewing the strawberry. It was understandable—this was the kind of reaction you’d expect from someone tasting these strawberries for the first time. It was clear that an incredible amount of effort had gone into growing them. To achieve this level of sweetness, who knows how much sunlight they must have absorbed.
“Hey, Ha-neul… can I buy these strawberries somewhere?”
Lee Ha-neul had heard that the senior was very disciplined about his diet, but today he didn’t seem that way at all. He was eagerly asking where he could get these strawberries. Lee Ha-neul, who also wanted to buy some, said,
“I’ll ask the manager oppa. He’s the one who brought them.”
“Really? Then let me know! These are the most delicious strawberries I’ve ever had in my life.”
“Okay!”
However, when she called the manager oppa and found out that the strawberries weren’t for sale, Lee Ha-neul couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
—
“It seems like it takes a lot of effort to grow these…”
The boss said while looking at the strawberries I was growing. I corrected his mistaken assumption.
“It’s not that hard, boss. You just plant the seeds and give them enough water, and they grow like crazy!”
“Really? That can’t be…”
But then the boss looked at me and nodded.
“If it’s Hana’s ability, then it’s definitely possible.”
As expected, the boss truly understood my abilities. Only the boss and one other person in the office knew how I grew plants. If farmers saw how I grew plants, they’d be shocked and furious.
I just plant the seeds in the ground, then water them with water that has my melted hair in it as fertilizer. The next day, sprouts appear. The plants that grow are incredibly resilient, unaffected by weeds or pests.
Even when growing delicate peppers, I just gave them water, and they grew like crazy. When I showed the boss how I farmed, he scratched his head and said,
“There’s probably no one in the world who can grow plants as well as Hana. That’s for sure.”
Out of all the farmers in the world, I was number one. I couldn’t help but feel proud, my shoulders lifting with pride. If possible, I didn’t just want to be number one—I wanted to be the king of plants on Earth. Wouldn’t that be cool?
