Startled by Hong Hyeyeon's unexpected words, the slim team leader stared at her in confusion for a moment.
"What?"
The reason was simple.
She was one of the top actresses in the country, yet she had never been fond of appearing on variety shows. If anything, she usually avoided them.
It wasn't because she looked down on variety programs.
They simply felt burdensome.
Many celebrities froze up on variety shows because they knew they weren't particularly witty or entertaining.
Hong Hyeyeon was one of them.
Naturally, with her level of fame, offers poured in every year.
But she almost always turned them down.
Even when she did appear, it was usually for one-off specials like Sports Day.
The team leader knew that well, which was why he looked so flustered.
"…You want to go on one of PD Yoon's shows?"
"Yes."
"You don't mean Sports Day, right?"
"No. I mean the new one."
The team leader's eyes widened further.
Hong Hyeyeon avoided his gaze.
He lowered his voice.
"You hardly ever do variety shows. If I remember right, you even turned down Yoon Byungseon PD's offer a year ago."
That was true.
But Hong Hyeyeon, after tying her long hair back again, simply shrugged.
"That one was an outdoor survival program. I'm not good with that. This time is different, isn't it?"
"That's true, but… are you serious? You're not joking?"
"Team Leader, when have you ever seen me joke about work?"
"…No. Of course not."
Thinking of CEO Choi Sunggeon, the team leader nodded quickly.
"Have you talked to the CEO?"
"I just thought of it."
If Hong Hyeyeon agreed, there was no reason for Choi Sunggeon to object.
Her influence inside BW Entertainment was enormous, and with Kang Woojin's recent rise, it had only grown stronger.
The team leader scratched his chin, still baffled.
"Hyeyeon, you can do it if you want, but this is unexpected. Is there a reason you suddenly want to do variety shows?"
Hong Hyeyeon crossed her slender legs and avoided the question.
"Nothing much. Sports Day was fun, and once I finish my current project, I want to take it easy for a bit. Dramas are great when they do well, but they're exhausting in a lot of ways."
"That's true. It was intense. So you're planning to do a variety show before your next drama?"
"I haven't decided yet. PD Yoon might not even pick me."
"There's no way. If you're interested, they wouldn't pass you up."
Hong Hyeyeon smiled faintly.
"For now, set up a meeting."
──────────
Late that night, a little past nine.
A black van was parked in the lot of a large hotel in Seoul.
It was Kang Woojin's team van.
A moment later, Woojin stepped out with his usual indifferent expression.
Bang!
Soon after, CEO Choi Sunggeon got out of the passenger seat.
Looking back at Jang Suhwan and Han Yejung, who were still inside, he spoke.
"This might take a while, so you two go grab dinner."
"Got it!"
"Call us when it's almost done."
As the van drove off, Choi Sunggeon patted Woojin's shoulder.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Woojin wore a white shirt and jeans.
Because of the photoshoot earlier, his makeup was slightly heavier than usual.
With a black mask on, he followed Choi Sunggeon to the elevator.
His steps were calm, and the atmosphere around him felt heavier than usual.
Inside, however, his thoughts were completely different.
'I really want jokbal with soju. And cold soba too. Now that Drug Dealer is done, I should go home and eat everything I want. I wonder what time this will end.'
He swallowed as he stepped into the elevator.
Then—
"Woojin."
Leaning against the mirror, Choi Sunggeon asked,
"Aren't you nervous?"
There was tension in his voice.
"You're about to meet Director Kyotaro and Author Akari. You've met the Director once, but Author Akari is world famous."
Woojin answered simply.
"No. I'm fine."
And he meant it.
He truly wasn't nervous.
'It just feels like I'm meeting some Japanese ahjumma.'
For others, it would have been a heart pounding moment.
Not for him.
If anything, he was more interested in the hotel.
It was his first time in a place like this.
Choi Sunggeon grinned.
"You really are something. You should have gotten famous earlier."
The elevator doors opened.
They stepped out.
Several suited men approached.
"Hello. We've been waiting."
Agency staff.
Woojin followed them into the suite.
The moment he saw inside, he almost lost control.
He barely held it in.
'Wow… is this real?'
The suite was unbelievable.
Not just large.
Everything looked luxurious, from floor to ceiling.
Then a voice spoke in Japanese.
"You're here. Come this way."
Director Kyotaro.
Beside him sat a middle aged woman with glasses.
Woojin narrowed his eyes slightly.
'That ahjumma… Author Akari?'
Choi Sunggeon stepped forward and greeted them in stiff Japanese.
"Hello. I'm CEO Choi Sunggeon. It's an honor."
'He practiced that.'
An interpreter moved beside Woojin.
Then—
Woojin spoke in fluent Japanese.
"Hello. I'm Kang Woojin."
Kyotaro smiled warmly.
"Welcome. You look very different from the Drug Dealer set. I almost didn't recognize you."
"Thank you for coming."
"No, I wanted to. I would have regretted missing it."
Then Akari spoke.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Takikawa Akari."
Woojin answered calmly.
"It's an honor."
"I was deeply impressed by your acting."
"Thank you. I'm a fan of your work as well."
"Your Japanese is excellent. You could start filming immediately."
"I still have a long way to go."
They sat and talked.
Woojin remained expressionless, sipping tea.
'This looks expensive. How much does tea like this cost?'
Akari quietly observed him.
His posture.
His tone.
His stillness.
'Not excessive. Not gloomy. Just restrained. That calmness stands out.'
She studied him out of habit.
'Most rookies show tension. He doesn't. No openings. He must have trained himself for a long time.'
Then—
Kyotaro placed a script on the table.
"Woojin, did you read it?"
Woojin nodded.
"Yes."
He answered calmly.
"The structure was very tight. I was completely immersed. Author Akari's style stood out clearly, and the pacing was excellent."
'That was solid.'
Kyotaro and Akari smiled.
Then Kyotaro grew serious.
"Would you like to join this project?"
Everyone looked at Woojin.
He didn't answer immediately.
He looked down.
Not hesitation.
Excitement.
'If I say yes… this is my Japanese debut?'
Only months after debut, he stood at an international stage.
Something he had only read about—
Now real.
'I'll meet top Japanese actors too.'
It felt unreal.
But he stayed calm.
'It'll be chaotic. But fun.'
He raised his head.
"If you give me the chance, I'd like to do it."
Kyotaro and Akari smiled.
Choi Sunggeon clenched his fist.
It was decided.
"We plan a simultaneous release in Korea and Japan."
Choi Sunggeon stiffened.
'So that's why he came here.'
Kyotaro pushed the script forward.
"We want you to play Kiyoshi."
Woojin's brow twitched.
'That's the lead.'
"If it's Kiyoshi—"
"Yes. The lead drives the story."
Silence.
Akari watched him.
"Did you expect this?"
"…No."
"We will adjust the character to suit you."
Choi Sunggeon froze.
'They're giving him the lead?'
Kyotaro asked,
"Can you take the role?"
Woojin answered firmly.
"Yes."
──────────
The meeting ended with a preliminary agreement.
Details would be finalized later.
Kang Woojin was now officially cast in The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice.
And he was the only Korean actor.
Inside the van, excitement filled the air.
Everyone talked nonstop.
Woojin stared out the window.
Expression dull.
Mind blank.
"…."
He picked up the script and tapped the black square.
The void space opened.
'What happens if I take the lead?'
He checked the white rectangle.
Then—
His eyes widened.
[7/Scenario (Title: The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice), Grade A+]
It had been A.
Now—
A+.
"It went up?"
Nothing had changed.
Except him.
"…Because of me?"
──────────
The next day, Tuesday the 16th.
Lunch time at the design company.
Someone else now sat at Woojin's old desk.
Nearby, employees gathered with coffee.
They were talking about him.
"Did you see Woojin in Episode 3 of Sports Day? He was hilarious."
"What? It's already out?"
"Yeah, he got a lot of screen time."
"It already hit two million views. He's killing it."
"And he landed Director Kwon Gitaek's lead role."
They lowered their voices.
"Don't say this near Toad Boss. He's been upset lately."
A pause.
"But Woojin feels different now, right?"
"Yeah. Kind of gloomy."
"Maybe image management?"
"No. It feels like his personality changed."
Then—
"Oh!"
A woman shouted.
"Looks like Woojin is joining Yoon Byungseon PD's show!"
『[Exclusive] Entertainment heavyweight Yoon Byungseon PD confirms rising star Kang Woojin』
Yoon Byungseon PD's move—
Had begun.