Chapter 493: Agonizing (3)

Chapter 493: Agonizing (3)

“I'm home,” said Kang Jin-Ho as he stepped through the front door.

Kang Eun-Yeong in hot pants came rushing toward him. “Orabiii! You're finally home!”

She jumped into his embrace even before Kang Jin-Ho had time to respond. He gently patted her back before slowly pushing her away. “So... Nothing happened, right?”

Kang Eun-Yeong nodded. “Obviously. What could happen at home, anyway?”

“Indeed...” Kang Jin-Ho sneakily scanned his sister from top to bottom, then asked her another question while taking his shoes off. “Why does it feel like you're at home every day lately?”

“I got some free time after the festival season ended, you see? In a little while, though, I'll enter a new album cycle, so things will get se-ri-ously busy for me. You could say this is my last supper?”

“Is that right?” Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head while stepping into the living room. He settled down on the couch and looked around. “Where is Mother?”

“She's out on a date.”

“A date?” Kang Jin-Ho's eyes opened a little wider.

“Yeah. She said dad was taking her out on a drive.”

“...O-oh, I see.”

Kang Eun-Yeong smirked a little at the flustered look on her brother's face. “What are you getting shocked about? Both you and I are adults now, aren't we? In that case, it's about time our parents start enjoying their marriage again.”

“Yes, you have a point.”

“We both make good money, anyway. They have nothing to worry about in that regard. So... They want to reclaim their lost youth. Something like that?” Kang Eun-Yeong suddenly began giggling excitedly like a little girl.

Kang Jin-Ho groaned softly under his breath. “Okay. What about you, though? Any problems at work?”

“Ng? What problems?”

“I heard it's very stressful in the entertainment industry.”

“Stressful?” Kang Eun-Yeong tilted her head in confusion. She seemed to ponder something before a smirk spread on her face. “Yeah, it can be stressful, but quitting because of stress? Isn't that, like, way too entitled and immature? Remember how hard I had to work back then as a trainee to become an idol, oppa? I'm finally living my dream, so how dare I say something so immature like that?”

“Mm...” Kang Jin-Ho weightily nodded.

“Sure, when I was so busy I couldn't even breathe... I did think about quitting this whole thing. But doesn't everyone with a job think about that at least once?”

“Mm. That's true.”

“Trying to make other people part with their hard-earned money can't be that simple, am I right? Even if it can be tough sometimes, it's all a part of my job description. Besides, how can I call it 'work' if it's not tough?”

Kang Jin-Ho silently nodded. Was it because Kang Eun-Yeong went through a lot of hardship as an idol hopeful? Her thoughts on this topic seemed quite mature. “In that case, no real problems, then?”

“Of course~!” Kang Eun-Yeong made a V sign with her fingers. “Except for my tummy getting larger, no problemo!”

Kang Jin-Ho tutted at that. “How about cutting down on snacks...?”

“Tell me to jump in a lake, why don'tcha!”

That confirmed it. Kang Eun-Yeong was hopeless.

Kang Jin-Ho faltered slightly, words stuck in his throat. Eventually, though, he shook his head. “Okay, got it. I'm gonna wash up.”

Kang Eun-Yeong looked dismayed. “Eh? I thought you wanted to ask me something, though?”

“Don't worry about it.”

“Eiii~. Don't sweat it, and just ask me, orabi. If you're dying to know more about your cute-as-buttons little sister's love life, I'm an open book, you know? You're curious, aren't you? Right? Right? You can't get a good night's sleep while worrying about your little sister dating some random punk, riiiight~?”

“...Who would want to date you?”

“Heeeeool...”

Kang Jin-Ho earnestly prayed for the souls of potential brother-in-law candidates. This little brat loved to parade around on TV screens as a pure, down-to-earth girl next door, yet in reality, she was like an old uncle with snack crumbs around her mouth who loved to lounge the whole day while scratching her exposed bulging tummy!

After tutting softly in dissatisfaction, Kang Jin-Ho asked another question. “What about your acting career, then?”

“Mm? I got another part in a TV show that's gonna go into production in the second half of the year. Aaaand it's another supporting role. Eh-whew... When will I get a lead role, I wonder?”

-Mister Jin-Ho, the time difference is only one hour, okay? Do you think I'm on the other side of the world?

“Oh, uh... I see.”

What a weird thing this was. The usual response when listening to such an irritating, attitude-giving voice was to get irritated himself. No one during Kang Jin-Ho's second life dared to give him an attitude like this, after all.

Even so, Kang Jin-Ho didn't feel unhappy. Actually, genial laughter was threatening to break out on his lips instead.

Kang Jin-Ho couldn't really tell why, though. Was it because he knew Choi Yeon-Ha always had been like this? Or because he knew she had no ill intentions behind her shrill words?

What he could tell, though... was that her cranky voice was comforting him a little bit right now.

“How is it over there? Are you still hanging on?”

-Over here, you say?

“Yes. In China.”

-It's the... woooooooorst!

“...”

-It's shocking! Disgusting! I can't think of any other place on Earth that's as shocking as this place! It's hot. It's humid. And all the bugs buzzing around, too! And the hygiene? It's so disgusting! And why does the filming location have to be so far away?! It takes ages to travel there. And all these pig-tailed idiots reeking of body odor are constantly trying to chat me up and, and...! Uwaaaaaah!

“...Oh.” Kang Jin-Ho grimaced slightly. It seemed he had stirred a hornet's nest just now.

He should try to calm the situation down somehow, but Choi Yeon-Ha didn't leave an opening to do that.

-Please shoot me dead if I want to join another overseas production, okay! None of the foods here suits me, and... What the freaking hell! Why do people on this side stuff their food with weird spices?! Every time I try something, I almost throw up from how unpalatable it is, so I tell Eun-Sol to go and buy me a burger or something from the nearest fast food outlet, but! But... Even a freaking burger tastes terrible here! What kind of nonsense is this?!

Kang Jin-Ho silently expressed his condolences to Han Eun-Sol. Since Choi Yeon-Ha was expressing her dissatisfaction this viscerally over the phone, Han Eun-Sol as her manager must be half-dead by now.

“Yes, that sounds tough,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

-Is that all you have to say?!

“Sorry?”

-I'm calling you to whine about how difficult it's been for me, yet that's all you can say to comfort me?! I know you're a character from the Joseon era, okay? I might not have seen your family genealogy, but your actions tell me you're from an upstanding and historic noble family, okay?! Even so! Can't you be more intense, ng?! Be more caring, okay!

Kang Jin-Ho nearly fell off his bed, his mind almost thrown into panic. He barely managed to grab hold of his fading consciousness and chuckled hollowly. “I, uh... I'm not sure what to say, actually.”

-Argh, it's fine! It's my fault for expecting something from you, anyway!

That kind of sounded like a thinly veiled insult, but Kang Jin-Ho didn't feel irritated by it. What a mystery that was.

Kang Jin-Ho coughed to clear his throat and tried again. "Okay, so... Is the going that tough?"

-Yes, it is.

“You're going through a lot, Miss Yeon-Ha.”

-Yes, I am going through a ton of stuff. And I would have felt a bit better if only you sounded a little more compassionate, you know?!

“I, uh, I'll do better next time.”

-Hmm... I'll believe in your lies this time.

Kang Jin-Ho clamped his mouth shut. Now that he thought about it, wasn't Choi Yeon-Ha yelling at him through the phone... someone he should learn the most from?

After all, she flew to a foreign country and took on all this hardship so that she could continue chasing after her dream, now didn't she?

“Excuse me, Miss Yeon-Ha?”

-Yes?

“I wanted to ask you about something...”

-Okay? I'm listening.

Kang Jin-Ho carefully wet his lips. How should he frame his question to accurately convey his thoughts to Choi Yeon-Ha? Since he didn't have the gift of gab, finding the right words proved to be difficult.

In the end, Kang Jin-Ho chose to be direct. “Miss Yeon-Ha, why are you willing to go so far?”

-I'm sorry?

Choi Yeon-Ha's dismayed—maybe flabbergasted—question jumped out of the phone's speaker.