Chapter 185 - The 'Meet and Greet'

On this rainy afternoon, Eun Ha and Ye Rim were taking pictures of each other in the beautiful living room of Shin Hye Seong's house, having fun like they hadn't in a long time.

Ye Rim's agency was handling the bureaucratic part of her participation in the drama, while Eun Ha had agreed to direct the new youth fashion line for Park & ​​Zhang. The financial proposal had been, as Don Corleone would say, 'irrecusable'.

Apparently, turning 27 had totally changed their lives, which seemed to have crystallized in unsuccessful attempts so far.

In front of a beautifully framed full-length mirror, Ye Rim looked at the new look that Eun Ha had just created with the use of her magic. Straight black hair with soft makeup and a romantic and well-behaved look, full of frills and bows.

"Wow!" she could hardly believe the wonderful uses of magic that Eun Ha said she learned recently. Posing for photos in that beautiful and sophisticated environment, with any look they wanted, and without taking hours to do their hair and makeup, was amazing! 

Eun Ha has also changed her own look a few times, with hints from Ye Rim.

"Dr. Flam ... Did Kim have the test results yet?" Eun Ha asked. Ye Rim had been concerned about his health for the past few days, and he underwent a series of medical tests. Chang Mi's interference created a little discomfort. Eun Ha was sure that the doctor had become suspicious not only of Chang Mi, but of all of them. Ye Rim had said she would tell him the truth when he said the tests were all right.

"He asked me for a little patience, since I ask him every day," replied Ye Rim thoughtfully, looking at herself in the mirror in a beautiful green silk dress with a mermaid tail style, bare shoulders, and a high collar. 

Eun Ha nodded, and twirled her magic wand and Ye Rim's makeup and hair changed to match the dress perfectly.

"This could be your dress for tomorrow!" she suggested. "And as for Dr. Kim, he looks just as cranky as when you met him ... I hope I'm wrong and it's just a phase."

"It's stressful for him, but… unnie. I don't think I can wait long to tell him. I just don't know how to do that!" Ye Rim complained, taking a selfie with her cell phone and sending it to Jun Hyeon. "We aren't officially dating yet, should I be doing it?" she pointed to the photo she had just sent.

"I am not the best person to advise you on this. The right time to tell, I mean. Do you want me to ask Shin to tell him? Their bromance is a real deal and they exchange a lot of messages," Eun Ha spoke with a slight hint of humor. "But I say that, regarding him not having officially proposed… tsk, tsk. If he is listening to his new hyung's love advice ... This could take LONG!"

They laughed, but Ye Rim exclaimed, looking at the phone,

"Unnie! We will be late for the Duk Mi Fan Meeting!"

"Omo! I thought you guys changed your mind about that! After that famous singer sent word that she would greet Duk Mi at the event!" the fairy expressed her concerns. And with another wave of her wand, she dressed her friend in a beautiful peach-colored classy outfit, keeping in with the rainy weather. Matching makeup and hair. After exclaiming her approval of the visual, Ye Rim explained,

"It would have been impossible to cancel without revealing the reason for Ms. Cha! She was so excited that she took the whole organization into her hands!"

"But ... did Mr. Duk Mi accept to be part of it?" Eun Ha asked intrigued. If he was an imposter, and had passed for the real Duk Mi until then, why would he be exposed to this risk?!

"He only found out this week, and I think he was cornered, too. However, I was informed that the singer Seol Im Ja didn't confirm her presence, she just said that if she had a free schedule, she would come to the 'Greet and Meet Duk Mi'. So her special feature will be a surprise. It may not happen, and I hope so! But we have to be there, to help minimize the damage!"

They quickly went to the hotel where the event was taking place. To their surprise, there was a bus stopped across the street, with a banner on the side announcing that they were from the hometown of the real Duk Mi.

"Daebak! They traveled for hours here! Mrs. Cha is fantastic!" Ye Rim spoke, delighted, but then she seemed to remember, "I just hope her memories are a little bit erased, don't you?!"

Eun Ha agreed with her. They reached the lobby and already saw a banner pointing to the location of the 'Greet and Meet Duk Mi, The Trot Legend'. A photo of Duk Mi quite retouched in Photoshop, Eun Ha thought, received his fans right at the entrance to the auditorium. Men and women of the singer's own age group, some accompanied by younger people, circulated near the entrance to the auditorium. Several of them carried vinyls with time-worn covers with them, waiting for the opportunity to win an autograph.

"And isn't that the 'Trot Legend' fame really true?!" Eun Ha exclaimed, impressed. There were more people than she dared dream there, and more were arriving. 

Ye Rim put her hand on her chest, looking moved. At least, Eun Ha saw her friend's watery eyes. "Unnie, see how beautiful it is! To have been part of people's memory!"

"But…" Eun Ha whispered, "If our Duk Mi is not the real Duk Mi, it's wrong, don't you think? He should tell it himself."

Naturally, the fairy could understand everything that was involved there. How many people would be hurt, not to mention the financial loss. And how an excellent singer with a bad personality could lose everything. But she was once in his place with a huge secret, and it was up to him to decide what to do with it.

Ye Rim seemed to think the same way, from the way she sighed, "It would be the end of him ... Although Sunbaenim is a difficult old man, I know he must be brooding over it right now, behind the scenes."

The auditorium door opened, allowing fans to enter, and the two went to the reserved seats near the stage. The Pearl band was there, ready, and according to the schedule, there would be a chat with reminiscences of Duk Mi's career, intermixed with songs, in the pocket show format. After the event, there would be a time for autograph and photos.

Mrs. Song sat down next to them, with a sigh. After greeting them, she said,

"I am so scared that I already took two tranquilizers and my heart is still racing. It is impossible to go back now!"

"And how is he?"

"Totally within the character! Happy with the flowers and bragging. He made a chronology of his career that had him glued to the floor in front of him. As if he could see without his glasses! That crazy man! "

"Don't you think it's better to warn him of Seol Im Ja's possible appearance?" Ye Rim asked, but before Mrs. Song answered her, the lights went out and the emcee started the event with a beautiful speech. 

Mrs. Cha was completely fanatical about the singer Duk Mi and had spared no effort in making a very professional event!

Duk Mi appeared on stage in his blue sequined suit, and was applauded by the audience. Eun Ha saw that the house was not crowded, but there were a good number of people present. 

He started the event with a song that Eun Ha had heard him sing several times at Pearl, and she had to admit that with good acoustics, the singer really had a powerful voice, albeit harsh with age.

After about half an hour of questions and answers, in which Duk Mi told anecdotes about his career, the emcee interrupted him for one more question.

As usual, everyone turned to look at the illuminated spot in the audience that would ask the next question. But this time, the spotlight illuminated the auditorium door, where Seol Im Ja, the famous trot singer, was standing there smiling and looking very emotional.

"OMO! She came!" Ye Rim and Ms. Song exclaimed with their mouths open beside Eun Ha.

Seol Im Ja came down, and started singing a song, accompanied by the band. Even Eun Ha, who had never had much sympathy for the narcissistic singer, felt the heat of emotion rise in her chest. She saw Duk Mi, stunned and also very emotional, with tears in his eyes, get up from the stool and go to meet her on the stage ladder, to help her up. They did a duet and embraced with clear happiness for the reunion.

"But ... he passed the test!" Said Eun Ha, dumbfounded.

"What if…" Mrs. Song was in tears, "is that idiot really the real Duk Mi?"

"DAEKBAK!!!" the two friends exclaimed in unison, hoping this was true. The audience was ecstatic, with the reunion of the two singers. They talked for a while, and Seol Im Ja told the audience that in the past, when she started her career with him on the same label, she had a secret crush on Duk Mi!

"If only I knew that at the time!" Duk Mi said, wiping his eyes, "I think we would have gotten married and abandoned the music!"

Their encounter was very emotional, but both realized that Mrs. Song was suddenly agitated, beside them. She left for a moment, and Ye Rim told her unnie that she was going to check what had happened. Eun Ha didn't have a good feeling about this, and her suspicions were confirmed when Ye Rim returned, whispering a little upset,

"Pearl's new sign! There was a storm near Pearl and the facade is in chaos. The backlight sign is destroyed! Just today! Tomorrow is my show! The neighbors sent photos to Mrs. Song, who is quite distressed! She is again covered in debt, and even if she had the money, there would be no time to fix the sign until tomorrow. Anyway, I offered money for the repair. But she is very upset. And me too!" she made a face. 

"Okay, we can fix this. Stay here, I'll go there! Tell her I have a friend who can do this. Everything will be perfect by tomorrow," Eun Ha winked at her.