My Girlfriend's Fortune: 3,141,592,653,589-Chapter 80: It’s Going According to Plan

TL: Aniea

“Eun-ha ssi?”

“Yes?”

Kim Eun-ha, wearing an innocent expression as if she had never averted her gaze, pretended nothing had happened. Watching her, I shook my head as if admitting defeat.

“Well, fine. But honestly, I’m worried whether I’ll get along well with the kids. I’ve never done volunteer work before.”

This was the truth.

Performing in a play wasn’t difficult for me, given my profession as an actor. The real issue was that I had no idea how to interact with the orphanage children.

“For someone saying that, didn’t you get a perfect score with the kids?”

“Perfect score, huh…”

I sighed, recalling what had just happened. Dealing with the kids had been incredibly challenging.

- Oppa, what are you doing?

- Do you know how to do this!?

- Hyung, give me an airplane ride!

The kids were full of curiosity, both in a good way and in a bad way.

Maybe it was because we were meeting for the first time today, but there were an unusually large number of kids clinging to me.

As a result, I had to become a human jungle gym, running around the orphanage with two kids hanging from my arms and legs.

“Rather than saying I played with them, it would be more accurate to say I became their toy.”

“That’s more than enough. The kids don’t expect much from Woo-ju ssi; just having an adult play along with them is enough to make them happy.”

Kim Eun-ha smiled softly and lifted her teacup again. At that moment, the orphanage director, who had been quietly observing us, took over the conversation.

“Children’s eyes are sharper than you think. If they had sensed any bad vibes from Woo-ju ssi, they wouldn’t have clung to you like that.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. In fact, some of the kids you played with, like Min-ah, are usually very shy. We were quite surprised to see her hanging from your arm… I’m sure you’ll make a great father someday.”

Even though I knew this was just polite flattery, the director’s characteristic kind smile made the corners of my mouth twitch involuntarily.

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I scratched my cheek awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.

Then, I suddenly glanced over at Kim Eun-ha, and for some reason, our eyes met.

“…”

“…”

For a moment, we stared at each other, and then, as if on cue, we both turned our heads away.

Seeing this, the director spoke again.

“For the record, Eun-ha is also very popular with the children.”

“Director-nim! Don’t say weird things.”

“What’s so embarrassing? It’s not like I’m making things up. You’re not planning to become a nun or anything. Sooner or later, you’ll get married and have kids.”

“I don’t have any plans for children!”

“So you’re at least thinking about marriage, then?”

“…”

Kim Eun-ha clamped her mouth shut.

She seemed to be avoiding the conversation altogether, knowing that continuing it would only make things worse.

Considering how she was rarely one to lose in a verbal exchange, this side of her felt refreshingly novel.

“What about you, Woo-ju ssi?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m curious about how far you’ve thought about your future.”

“Ah, I…”

Poke poke!

Just as I was about to speak reflexively, a sharp sensation in my side stopped me.

The culprit, of course, was Kim Eun-ha.

The reason why she hurriedly poked my side was obvious, she wanted me to watch my words.

Although we had never officially confirmed it to the media, rumors about us being a couple were practically taken as fact on social media.

It wasn’t surprising.

After all, the food trucks, coffee trucks, and buses Kim Eun-ha had sent to support the <Peaceful Chaebol Life> team were all plastered with my name and face in large print.

Every time, some of the cast or crew members would take photos and share them on social media.

Usually with tags like #KangWooju #KimEunha #CEOnim #ThankYou.

‘…Some of those photos were suspiciously professional-looking, too.’

There wasn’t any solid evidence, but it was obvious that Kim Eun-ha had gone out of her way to mobilize people to spread the rumors in order to properly utilize the “Kang Woo-ju” shield.

Thanks to that, we had earned the title of [a couple that everyone in the know knows about].

But acknowledging ourselves as an official couple would mean risking too much for both of us.

Even if it didn’t seem like a big deal on the surface, the difference between [we are a couple] and [we could be a couple] was significant.

‘Wasn’t there a saying that humans are animals of possibility?’

Even though the chances of an ordinary person actually being with a celebrity are practically zero, there’s a reason why people get overly immersed.

The human brain can’t fully distinguish between reality and imagination. As long as there’s even a slim chance, people find it hard to let go of hope.

Conversely, as soon as a relationship is confirmed, the potential romantic appeal plummets.

‘Especially for women, it’s even more pronounced.’

In fact, when female YouTubers or streamers reveal their relationships, their subscriber count often drops significantly.

It’s not for nothing that entertainment agencies manage their idols’ private lives to the extent of imposing no-dating clauses.

‘Of course, the orphanage’s director nun isn’t the type to gossip…’

Still, it’s better to be cautious no matter who the other party is. Rumors have a way of spreading from the most unexpected places.

With that in mind, I smiled at Kim Eun-ha, sending her a reassuring signal to not worry.

Leaving her tilting her head in confusion, I turned toward the director and held up three fingers.

“I think three children would be ideal. One daughter who takes after Eun-ha ssi, one son who takes after me, and the youngest could be a mix of both… Ack!” freёweɓnovel_com

A massive blow pierced my side without warning. Judging by the surface area of the hit, it was undoubtedly Kim Eun-ha’s fist.

A flawless one-inch punch without any visible preparation. Admiring her ever-improving martial arts skills, I couldn’t help but close my eyes in defeat.

*

“A play, huh…”

Back home, I sank into the sofa, lost in thought. As sudden as it was, performing a play with the kids wasn’t something I could avoid.

From the start, I didn’t have any solid grounds or reasons to reject Kim Eun-ha’s proposal.

‘The movie filming is still far off.’

After consulting with Kim Eun-ha, I had contacted the director and finalized the casting. But the movie itself was still in the pre-production stage, meaning it would take at least a few months before actual filming began.

‘The problem is the script…’

Hmm-

I let out a groan, staring at the stack of A4 paper on the table. This was supposed to be the script for the play I’d be performing with the kids.

Its origin was the fairy tale Snow White, but the children’s boundless creativity had been added on top of it.

“…This is quite sensational.”

Since it was an event for our enjoyment, it didn’t really matter how much the content deviated.

However, it seemed like the children, lacking professional experience in scriptwriting, had produced something rather lacking.

‘At this rate, the play will be over in three minutes.’

The script was so sparse that it was more like an outline. Without the narration, it would be impossible to even understand the plot.

Even if it was just a private event, it would be hard to conduct proper rehearsals with this script.

‘…I think I’ll need to rewrite it.’

I had written a few play scripts as assignments during my university days, but it wasn’t exactly a field I was confident in.

The ad-libs I had managed to pull off in <Peaceful Chaebol Life> had been possible because there was a clear framework and defined characters.

But now, with the original story transformed beyond recognition by the kids’ creativity, it was difficult to find a clear direction.

I didn’t even know how much of the original story should be kept intact, let alone how to create scenes suitable for the children’s perspective.

“Hmm… This won’t work.”

After agonizing for a while, I finally decided to use a cheat code. In situations like this, it’s always best to leave things to a professional.

Beep beep— Click!

The call connected before even a single dial tone rang. Before I could even say a word, the person on the other end spoke first.

- Woo-ju ssi—!! Hello! How have you been? Have you decided on your next project? I can’t believe you called me first, what an honor…

“Writer-nim, please calm down first.”

- Ah, yes! I’m sorry. I must have gotten carried away. You must have called because you had something important to say. So, what’s the reason for your call?

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

- …From me?

“Yes. At this moment, you’re the only person I can think of. Out of everyone I know, you’re by far the best writer.”

- Hehehe. Oh my, what a flattering thing to say. Just tell me what you need! If you want, I can even put you in the lead role of my next work!

Looks like I almost had her.

This was much easier than I expected.

Now I just needed to deliver the final blow.

After calming the overly excited Jung Ha-rin, I briefly explained the situation to her. The next thing I heard was a high-pitched scream loud enough to shatter the speaker.

- Whaaaat!? Woo-ju ssi and CEO Kim Eun-ha are doing a play together?! I’ll do it! Please let me write the script!

“Writer-nim, don’t you need to consider your schedule…?”

- I’m totally free right now! I just finished my last project, and there’s plenty of time before my next one. Besides, you already have a draft, don’t you!?

“To be honest, it’s embarrassing to even call it a draft. We still need more input from the kids, and above all, I only called today to get some advice. If you were to get involved officially, we’d need CEO Kim Eun-ha’s permission first…”

- Woo-ju ssi. No, Actor-nim! For the sake of our past collaboration, please use some of your influence to pull me in! You need me, don’t you? Right? Right!?

Having just calmed her down, Jung Ha-rin was now excited again. I slightly moved the phone away from my ear and smirked.

‘Everything’s going according to plan.’

From working with her on the last project, I had a solid understanding of Jung Ha-rin’s personality.

She was the type of person who couldn’t rest until she wrote down every idea that caught her interest. In short, she was what people often referred to as a [fanatic].

‘The bait was plenty tempting.’

At one point, she had casually mentioned wanting to collaborate with me on her next project. She had also repeatedly expressed her desire to cast Kim Eun-ha in even a minor or cameo role.

This proposal was something that perfectly fulfilled Jung Ha-rin’s desires, so there was no way she’d refuse. I was certain that she’d jump at the opportunity, even if it wasn’t for a drama.

- If you hire me, I’ll make sure to bring Director Kang In-ho on board, too!

“No, that’s really not necessary…”

- If we’re going to do this, we should do it properly! How about arranging it as a special program? Since it’s for an orphanage, we could frame it as a kind of documentary…

“Wait, wait. You’re going way too far.”

I barely managed to stop Jung Ha-rin, who was charging forward like a car with broken brakes.

“I understand your enthusiasm, writer-nim. But I’ll need some time to coordinate with CEO Kim Eun-ha. I’ll get back to you tomorrow afternoon.”

- You promise? You absolutely must!

Click-

I ended the call, leaving behind Jung Ha-rin’s fervent voice. After all, it was true that I needed Kim Eun-ha’s permission.

Press-

I decisively pressed 0 and called Kim Eun-ha. After a short wait, the call connected.

- That’s an interesting proposal. However…

“However?”

- Call me tomorrow afternoon instead. Actually, it might be better if I handle the negotiations myself. Thanks to you, I might gain an unexpected advantage.

“Uh… Don’t overdo it, okay?”

- Don’t worry about that. In the end, this will be a win-win for everyone.

Hahaha-

Kim Eun-ha’s laughter echoed loudly in my ears, stirring up an inexplicable sense of unease. I tried my best to ignore it.

‘Well, nothing bad will happen.’

It’s just a kids’ event, after all. How big could this really get?

*****

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