Song Soo-yeon was secretly sending a ssage to Stella.
[Stella. Is my alibi getting ready?]
The words Jung-gyeom had said earlier kept echoing in her head.
'I hate them. Villains.'
She knew it, but hearing it directly sent a chill through her heart that she hadn't anticipated.
It was the first ti she'd seen him, who was always warm, use such words.
Hate.
For a mont, it felt as if those words weren't his.
It might be premature to guess, but perhaps he has so unpleasant mories related to villains?
Then, the expression he wore when looking at Solace began to make so sense.
And, she realized once again that she must never let him find out she's a villain.
Of course, the risk of being discovered wasn't very high.
Once the alibi was prepared, everything would be perfect.
Soon, she would start to have a lot of money.
It ant she couldn't pretend to be poor forever.
If she wanted to give Jung-gyeom expensive gifts, she needed an excuse for all that money.
Stella replied.
[Yes. It's almost done. But you should take a day off too, Luna. We agreed to take pictures, rember? Speaking of which, are you free tomorrow?]
Soo-yeon glanced at Jung-gyeom.
"Mister, what are you doing tomorrow?"
"? I'm volunteering."
"..."
Why did the thought of him going sowhere she didn't know make her so uneasy?
She was afraid he might et another woman without her knowledge.
But she knew that anything more would be obsession.
Acknowledging that he had plans, she nodded.
Then, she replied to Stella.
[I'm free tomorrow.]
[Then co to the hideout by 3 PM. Don't worry. The other mbers won't be there.]
After confirming the ssage, Soo-yeon put away her phone.
Then, as she stood up, she said,
"Mister, let's go see the studio apartnt now."
I whispered into Soo-yeon's ear, as if persuading her.
"...Soo-yeon-ah, this isn't right. Why insist on this place? The first place you showed was much better."
However, she firmly shook her head.
It was rare to see her so resolute.
"No. I've decided on this place."
"But the deposit and rent are expensive. The transportation isn't great either... it's between dark alleys... how will you co ho at night?"
"I'll go with Mister. It's close."
"Let's not do that and choose the first place we saw. The deposit is cheaper, the rent is cheaper, and if you walk for just 5 minutes, there are shopping districts... oh, there's also a convenience store nearby."
Soo-yeon sighed deeply and looked up at sharply.
"Why do you keep making a fuss when I've already decided to live here?"
"..."
I stroked my chin and straightened up.
We had been arguing back and forth inside the real estate agency for a while.
After narrowing down the choices, there were two options, but no matter how I looked at it, Soo-yeon's choice was wrong.
Of course, we'd have to visit the place in person to make a more accurate comparison, but there were things evident even from the docunts.
One place was significantly better than the others, a fact even the real estate agent admitted.
However, Song Soo-yeon was insistent, throwing a fit that it wasn't the one.
The reason was clear.
"....Excuse , are there really no other properties? Sothing closer?"
Soo-yeon asked the real estate agent, who shook his head with a troubled look.
Soo-yeon wanted a studio apartnt closer to my house.
She argued it would be fun, having gotten used to the area, and stubbornly wanted to live close to for that reason.
The reason she dismissed the recomndations from and the real estate agent was the sa: they were too far from my house.
Honestly, it was a bit cute... but I hoped she wouldn't regret her decision.
"Soo-yeon-"
"-It's okay. Then, I'll take this room."
Before I could argue further, Soo-yeon ignored and spoke directly to the real estate agent.
The agent brightened up and asked Soo-yeon.
"Then, shall we go see the room once-"
"-No need. I'll sign."
"...."
I twitched my mouth from behind, then let out a big sigh.
It seed she had made up her mind, so I couldn't say anything more.
The real estate agent glanced at , then turned around to prepare the paperwork.
Soo-yeon then looked at and stood up.
"What's bothering you so much, mister?"
"..."
"Do you wish I wasn't around? Want to go far away?"
"...That's not it. I just want you to live more comfortably."
I replied with mixed feelings.
I only wished for her to live a bit more comfortably, as she was precious to .
"It's hard when all the money you earn goes to rent."
"..."
Soo-yeon's expression hardened as if she was contemplating, then she blinked and looked around aimlessly before speaking to in a small voice.
"...I earn good money now."
".........What?"
I raised my eyebrows in confusion.
"What are you talking about? The pay is the sa for loading and unloading."
Soo-yeon brushed her hair back.
The scent of the sa shampoo we used wafted to .
"...I quit the loading and unloading job. I'm doing sothing else now."
"Doing sothing else? Like what? No, why haven't you told until now?"
"..."
She remained silent for a long ti.
"Soo-yeon?"
At my call, Soo-yeon turned her head and replied.
".....I was embarrassed."
Now I was a bit worried.
"...What's there to be embarrassed about? Just tell ."
She sighed deeply as if making a decision and said.
"I'm working as a model, a model. For an online shopping mall...."
"...What?"
"...That's why I've been coming ho late recently.......that's why."
She was so embarrassed that even this explanation ca out in bits and pieces.
The sound was so soft it was hard to hear if you weren't paying attention.
"....You're working as a model?"
I struggled for a while to understand her words.
"....Modeling?"
I asked her repeatedly.
Song Soo-yeon nodded.
"...So don't worry. I earn a lot of money."
"You, showing your appearance..."
"Ah, I have to make money! Just like Solace unni..."
I couldn't understand why she suddenly brought up Solace.
Soo-yeon grabbed my sleeve in a mont, bit her lip, and said,
"......I don't want to do it either, okay?"
The atmosphere changed instantly. I placed my hand over hers, which was holding my sleeve, and asked,
"...Then why are you doing it?"
"But the money... it's really easy to earn."
She looked straight into my eyes, as if trying to convince ,
"It's not physically demanding, there's no stress, and it pays incredibly well."
"..."
"Shouldn't I endure it a bit if I dislike it? As much as I dislike it, there are many benefits... that's why I'm doing it...right?"
I sighed.
Why did she talk as if she had committed a cri?
"...You don't need to make excuses to like this. If the benefits outweigh the drawbacks after comparing them, then go ahead. I'm just worried. You have... a complex about your appearance. You always wrap yourself up before going out."
"Even though I don’t like it...I’ll make a lot of money and repay your kindness, mister. I’ll buy you expensive things, take you to fun places..."
I shook my head.
"I appreciate the thought, but I don't need that."
"Why? You said it before, Mister. To buy happiness with money."
"I didn't say to buy happiness with money, but when you can, to do so. Having a lot of money doesn't an you can buy happiness."
"That you wouldn't know. You've never had a lot of money. The more you have, the better money is."
"Soo-yeon-"
"-Ah, forget it."
Song Soo-yeon cuts off irritably.
"...Can't you just be happy for , mister? I'm making a lot of money...?"
After a mont of contemplation, I sighed and nodded.
Yes.
It's sothing to be celebrated.
Was it because she said she disliked the job itself?
I had reacted sowhat negatively.
Anyway, if she's doing it, she must have weighed her options.
I pulled her into a hug.
Partly because I felt sorry for not being purely happy for her, and partly because I wanted to do it.
I enjoyed the happiness this gesture brought.
"Yes. You're right. My response was a bit off."
Soo-yeon hugged back reflexively.
Despite her anger, her body didn't reject .
After a brief hug, I detached from her.
To change the atmosphere, I said,
"Then, show the site. If the clothes are nice, I might buy so too."
"...They only sell won's clothes."
"Still, let's see your photos."
Soo-yeon hesitated for a mont, then spoke while rubbing the back of her neck.
"I'll bring you the photo book the day after tomorrow. You can look at it then."
"Really? That would be even better."
I smiled.
She too, finally relaxed her crumpled expression and smiled for .
A few days later.
Song Soo-yeon observed all of Jung-gyeom's reactions in his studio apartnt.
"Wow...."
Every ti he expressed admiration, a smile spread across Soo-yeon's face.
She was covering that smile with one hand, but there was no stopping her eyes from curling up too.
"You're beautiful, really."
Complints about her appearance, which he seldom voiced, were endless.
Jung-gyeom looked through the fake photo book Soo-yeon had given him with astonished eyes.
Soo-yeon had to admit it too.
The results were astonishing, perhaps because Stella had hired a female photographer who had put in an unprecedented amount of effort, taking the photos with such dedication.
Makeup she had never worn before.
The lighting and clothes.
The composition and poses.
Even Soo-yeon thought she looked beautiful.
She even dared to think arrogantly,
'Who would he date if not ?'
"...Pretty, right?"
She begged for the explicit praise she wouldn't usually seek.
But Jung-gyeom, lost in his thoughts, endlessly complied with her wishes without resistance.
"Yeah, really pretty. So beautiful, really."
As Jung-gyeom was absorbed in the photo book, Soo-yeon bit her fingers.
She was too happy.
Thrilled.
If she could just endure the guilt of deceiving him, everything was fine.
"Better than Bom unni?"
"...."
"Mister, better than Bom unni?"
"...Both are pretty, why compete?"
A childish rivalry flared up instantly.
"...I put so much effort into dressing up and taking these photos, and you say it's similar to Bom unni?"
"...You're prettier."
Eventually, Jung-gyeom gives.
Soo-yeon smiled again.
Though it felt like she had won a reluctant concession, she was still satisfied.
"You could earn a lot of money looking like this."
"........."
"This photo is my favorite, Soo-yeon."
Jung-gyeom showed her a photo.
It was a photo of her wearing a black tank top and baggy pants, sitting on a wooden stool with one arm seductively placed on her head.
Pressured by Stella, and with the thought of making a photo book just for Jung-gyeom, she had put in so effort, but now looking at it like this, she felt embarrassed.
The fact that that one armpit was fully exposed made her feel suddenly embarrassed.
"..."
But since Jung-gyeom liked it, Soo-yeon kept quiet.
Then he went one step further.
"I should cut this out and hang it in my room."
"What??"
"Because... I really like it..."
Soo-yeon was startled and raised her voice, causing Jung-gyeom to shrink back and glance around nervously.
"...Is that not okay?"
"..."
Soo-yeon pondered for a long while.
After all, the photo book was ant for Jung-gyeom.
The sexy expressions she usually didn't show, or the seductive, cute expressions were all efforts to reveal herself through the excuse of a photo book for him.
Even when taking photos, Soo-yeon made an effort, thinking of how Jung-gyeom would see her.
....Thus, eventually, Soo-yeon nodded.
"...Go ahead and hang it."
Only then did Jung-gyeom look through the rest of the photo book with a bright, beaming expression.
Soo-yeon watched him for a long ti.
Soo-yeon entered her new studio apartnt.
It was less than a 5-minute walk from Jung-gyeom's place.
Soo-yeon looked around her room from the entrance.
It was her own space she had always wanted, yet for so reason, it felt much more desolate than Jung-gyeom's studio apartnt.
She took a shower and lay down on the bed.
Then, as usual, she turned on her phone and looked at photos of Jung-gyeom.
The photos had beco so nurous she wondered if she needed to change her phone.
The storage space was disappearing.
Jung-gyeom's photos were becoming essential to Soo-yeon.
She rembered the events of earlier, replaying Jung-gyeom's complints and his expressions.
And even the way he carefully cut out and attached the photo to the wall.
Soo-yeon burst into laughter.
She couldn't help but laugh.
Jung-gyeom, now entering his room, would always see her.
Could there be anything more joyful than this?
It was her, not Solace.
She felt a bit ahead of her, sohow.
Lately, Solace had been too busy, unable to spend much ti with Jung-gyeom.
There was a ti it seed like they might start sothing, but now it seed to have fizzled out.
....And even if it hadn't fizzled out, she could keep Solace busy through her villain activities in the future.
"....Sigh."
Soo-yeon sighed.
Looking at Jung-gyeom's photos, she suddenly thought.
What if she filled this desolate room with photos, just like Jung-gyeom did?
Printing out the photos of Jung-gyeom she had taken over ti and sticking them in this room.
"....That sounds good."
She murmured.
Then, a ssage arrived.
It was from Stella.
[Luna. The next plan is set. It's this weekend. Is that okay?]
Soo-yeon nodded.
She felt much better than when she was passively watching Min-bom take Jung-gyeom away.
She felt it was an improvent and that she would continue to move forward.
Also, there would co a ti when the villains of the alliance would join forces to grant her wish.
Soo-yeon could easily imagine that things would go even better then.
[Okay.]
She replied.
Dreaming of a future with Jung-gyeom.
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