Chapter 77

Theo stood at the entrance of the classroom, took a deep breath, and tightly held the letter containing secrets that her mother had given her.

In a typical household. As her younger brother passed by after returning from the academy, he casually threw out a remark.

"What's up with you, sis? You always claim to have something to do and go into your room when the evening drama comes on?"

"None of your business."

She wanted to curse, but held back because her mother, who was holding the remote, was right next to her.

If she kept this up, her mother might tell her to go away for being too noisy, making it hard to watch the drama on the big screen.

A step back for the goal.

This was a prime-time drama that consistently held the top ratings. She knew the title, but had never watched it before, so she hurriedly skimmed through a summary of the drama's plot yesterday.

'But she's with Hanul Entertainment. She can't be playing a minor role like a passerby or a nameless office worker, right?'

Familiar scent from a secret you...

The short opening scene with the theme song quickly passed by, and advertisements continued non-stop, reflecting its popularity.

She had heard that an actor from Hanul Entertainment was playing an important supporting role in this drama, so she sat down next to her mother with vague expectations.

"Really, what's up with you? You usually just pretend to watch when Mom is watching dramas, but you even peeled the apples? Do you have something to say? Is your allowance short?"

It's not that. She couldn't bring herself to reveal that her favorite idol was in the drama.

"Why not. I just thought I'd spend some quality time with you and Grandma while watching the drama~."

Just then, her mother and brother, who were coming out of the room, made a gagging gesture. She responded by glaring at them.

"You..."

Her mother, though surprised, seemed unexpectedly pleased. It was partly lip service, but she briefly reflected on her recent lack of attention to her parents.

"It's starting!"

She straightened her posture and checked her phone screen.

– [ON AIR] Let's watch the drama together, Biayu cottage fans!

...

– Thump thump! It's starting now!

– Keep your eyes wide open to see where they appear

– They won't just be a fleeting glimpse, right...?

The drama itself was a revenge story about a wife who seeks revenge on her husband and in-laws, who had been bought off and abandoned her.

The drama didn't forget its "melodrama" roots and was filled with provocative elements from the very first scene.

"Oh my!"

On the screen, the female lead, who had endured all kinds of hardships, suddenly became a millionaire by inheriting the estate of a childless grandmother.

The female lead was busy preparing for her revenge, using her newfound wealth. To regain her health, which had been weakened by her husband's schemes, she visited a fitness center.

'PPL...?'

The camera panned over the exterior of the fitness center and the exercise equipment, clearly showing a slightly altered name. It was an obvious product placement.

The fitness center was packed with customers, and among them, a young trainer guiding the female lead caught her eye.

Even with only his back visible, his broad shoulders, well-defined arms, slim waist, and well-toned buttocks drew her gaze.

'For a trainer, he's not overly muscular. He must be handsome, I bet.'

The male trainer invited the female lead to try out the exercise equipment.

His natural delivery and tone made her wonder if he was a real trainer. The male trainer slowly turned around.

"His features are familiar... Oh, isn't that Seohoon?"

Her mother, who had seen various dramas, recognized Seohoon before she did, shattering her pride as a fan.

'Seohoon isn't my favorite, but my pride is hurt. Who would have thought Seohoon would have such a great body!'

He looked delicate in his costume. Was it because he was the tallest among Theo members, or because his youthful image from his early acting days still lingered?

"Even from a young age, he showed promise, but he's grown up so well~."

In a typical first meeting scene. He had a kind and reliable appearance that would instantly win over adults.

The comments section exploded with posts and replies.

– Seohoon, you were born for me... How do you know my tastes so perfectly...?

– Admirable, I like it

– Eye candy ㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎ

– You shine more without clothes than with them...

– If Seohoon were my PT instructor, I'd live at the gym

– Sorry... I can't focus on the acting, Seohoon-oppa ㅠ

Everyone indirectly praised Seohoon's physique. Some fans seemed to be cautious with their word choices, but occasionally, clueless comments would pop up.

'Seohoon is an adult, but there are more minors in the group, so that might be why.'

In the drama, the female lead continued her revenge preparations. Her sudden wealth attracted people with ulterior motives.

"Huh!"

"What?"

"Nothing, Mom, watch the drama."

She immediately recognized the character playing the courtesan, a flashy young man. He looked like a fresh college student, but his accessories were gaudy and cheap.

'But Parkha is a minor. Is it okay for him to play a courtesan?'

Despite the age gap, it didn't feel awkward.

He looked young but seemed to be an adult. With the help of makeup and Parkha's natural acting, it worked.

Just as the female lead was about to fall for the courtesan Parkha, a new character appeared.

Suddenly, two friends, Hamin and Ora, appeared and put their arms around the female lead. Their in-drama names seemed to be their real names.

"...That kid is a high school student?"

Her mother, who had been enjoying Parkha's charm, was shocked, just like the female lead. The hint of a courtesan was one thing, but the secret of being a minor was on a different level.

The online comments were about to explode. New posts and replies flooded in every time the page refreshed.

– Parkha, you devilish thing,,,, ㅎ

– If I were her, I'd close my eyes at this point!

– A comfortable trash can~

– Who wants to meet at the police station! (1/999)

– Two years, I can wait, Parkha...

– Ora's appearance makes me realize her age, it's a shock

– It's hard to believe that the pink, soft, fluffy baby rabbit is a high school student, she looks like a middle schooler

– ㅇㅈ She looks so young

– Hamin's appearance changes the atmosphere completely ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– What high school do you all go to? I'll do a teaching internship there

– Is it real that they appear with ginseng? Is this PPL? ㄷㄷ

– The writer is raising ratings and doing PPL, lol

"...Mom, that actor is actually a high school student."

"Oh, these kids these days are so mature..."

She worried that knowing the age of the extras might sound strange, but her mother only sighed.

"He looks his age when he's with his peers."

The director must have put in a lot of effort, as the faces of the three Theo members were beautifully captured. Their young, smooth skin stood out.

The female lead, shocked that she almost fell for a minor, reaffirmed her resolve. She decided to manage the inherited business well.

"Right, I need to make money to take revenge!"

To take revenge on her ex-husband and in-laws, who were running a mid-sized company, she needed financial power.

The female lead went to meet a new investor to expand her business. The investor waiting for her was Chorok and Jeton.

'How are they handling this?'

Chorok, dressed in a neat suit, seemed to be the CEO of an investment company, while Jeton appeared to be his secretary.

Chorok, the owner of an international investment company that travels the world looking for investment opportunities, was set up as a benevolent investor who leaves the company's management to the discretion of the invested company, ensuring no further appearances.

Jeton, who was speaking some foreign language into Chorok's ear, fit the image of a black-haired foreigner.

"That's not English? That actor must be a foreigner. His pronunciation is perfect~."

His flawless pronunciation made him seem like a native speaker. The deep, different tone from Korean added a sexy effect.

"These days, all actors are tall and handsome."

Her mother didn't think for a moment that the characters weren't actors.

Even in a short scene with lines, if they had acted poorly, her mother would have been the first to criticize. The pride in Theo's acting skills was evident.

"Mom, the kids who appeared today are idols."

"What...? I thought it was weird that you were watching the living room TV. So it's them?"

"...Yeah."

She mumbled in a cute tone, and her mother, who had expected this, stabbed an apple with a fork.

"Since our daughter peeled the apples, I'll watch it once. But don't neglect your studies, okay?"

"Of course, Mom~."

Her mother, who had once been deeply into idols, supported moderate fandom.

Moderate fandom can have a positive effect by giving life to one's enthusiasm. Her parents didn't discourage her from being a fan, creating the best environment for a happy fandom life, except for her annoying younger brother.

"What, it's changing again? If they're idols, do you just try them out once?"

While her crushes often change, is that a bad thing?

What's good about a one-sided crush is that you can start and end it on your own without hurting anyone.

"That's not it! I'm better than you, who changes girlfriends every few months! Your current girlfriend must be so pitiful, stop it!"

"Mom is watching the drama, why are you fighting here! It's noisy, so both of you go to your rooms and fight or not!"

She quickly pressed her lips together. If she made more noise, she might get a slap.

They engaged in a silent battle, raising their eyebrows, twitching their cheeks, and grinding their teeth, but eventually got tired and lay down on the sofa.

"Just wait and see. This time, I have a feeling it will last longer."

She wanted to hit her smirking brother but held back. Time would tell.

While she had wanted to keep her previous favorite idols to herself, she felt she could genuinely support and celebrate Theo's success.

'Even though I've been a fan of other idols before, this time, I feel more attached... I don't know why...'

Sometimes, even when it's her own heart, she couldn't interpret it. Maybe she would realize it later.

While reading the comments she had missed while watching the drama, one caught her eye.

– The kids are already live streaming!! Everyone, go check it out!