TUW | CHAPTER 53

 Chapter 53

You Don’t Falter at All

As the youngest PD shouted that filming was about to start, Jung Heera hurriedly looked for her stylist, Sujin.

“Sujin! Over here.”

“Yes! Unni.”

Sujin, flustered by the last-minute rush, ran over.

“I feel like my outfit is too plain. What about the mermaid dress I tried earlier? Wouldn’t that stand out more?”

To everyone except Jisoo, Jung Heera was endlessly warm.

Apologetically, as if sorry for pretending to be so kind, she spoke.

“The mermaid dress was taken away because the neckline was too low, remember?

Unni, you shine so brightly right now it’s blinding. Look at the lobby!

Everyone’s eyes are on you.”

Calling Sujin to change her outfit right before filming was unlike Jung Heera.

Usually composed and unshaken, she seemed unexpectedly rattled seeing her beautiful colleague.

“Really?”

Sujin nodded vigorously.

Even if Sujin’s words were flattery or sincere, Jung Heera felt somewhat reassured.

With that, the oddly tense and uneasy filming began.

In the lobby, three hosts opened the segment by introducing the Wuseong Card.

After a brief exchange, the hosts cheered at the appearance of guest Jung heera.

“We never imagined we’d have actress Jung heera with us!

She’s such a hot name right now. It’s said she’s nearly impossible to book.”

“Seeing her in person was shocking. Her face is the size of my fist. I can’t stand here! Switch my spot!”

One host raised his fist beside Jung heera’s face to show how small she was.

After praising Jung heera, the main MC cleared his throat to shift the topic.

“Now!

Let’s meet the Wuseong Card employee guiding us today.

Wow, I’ve never seen such a beautiful staff member during an internal welfare shoot.”

“At first, I thought she might be an aspiring celebrity and almost looked her up online.”

‘Searching… really?’

The introduction dragged on.

Standing behind, Yoo Lee Yeon let out a small sigh, feeling the pressure mounting.

Regret bubbled up, and she wanted to hide behind Do Hyun’s broad back.

“Shall we bring her out now?”

Shaking off her brief longing for Do Hyun, Lee Yeon stepped lightly to the spot the hosts indicated.

It placed her directly next to Jung heera, unintentionally side by side.

“You’re not faltering at all next to Jung heera.”

“Until now, many from the department explained, but I wondered why a secretary from Wuseong is here. Now I see the answer.”

As the hosts tried to lift Lee Yeon’s spirits, Jung heera’s brows twitched subtly.

“She seems a bit nervous,” th,e PD observing clo,sely noted.

Jisoo, standing nearby watching Jung heera, perked up to catch their conversation.

“Sometimes her expression stiffens, but isn’t it fine? First time on variety shows, right? The secretary next to her is way better on camera.”

The cameraman capturing Lee Yeon’s image admired her flawless, angular face.

A smile crept across his lips.

“Her features are so defined she actually stands out more than Jung heera.

Small face, perfect proportions.

She knows how to look good on camera.

I’d love a shot with Vice President Do Hyun too.”

“Then no worries about ratings! Their love story is trending on SNS anyway.”

“But the VP asked us not to mention marriage at all.”

“To avoid making Lee Yeon uncomfortable, we have nothing to say.

But this episode might circulate videos comparing Jung heera and Lee Yeon.”

An ordinary employee outshining a celebrity.

Sujin, listening to the side conversation, regretted not suggesting Jung heera change outfits earlier.

“The Wuseong Card cafeteria is on a high floor with a great view.

You can enjoy a delicious lunch and the cityscape, healing your tired mind. Shall we go now?”

Despite herself, Sujin admired how articulate Jung heera looked speaking with precise, bold enunciation.

But Sujin also felt frustrated that her idol seemed less prominent.

‘Should I tell her what the PDs said?’

Just then, filming in the lobby ended, and Jung heera walked over to Sujin.

“Time to head to the cafeteria.”

Seeing her bright smile, Sujin decided she should tell her.

“Unni, actually, the PDs earlier…”

Sujin quietly relayed what she had heard.

“So you think I looked nervous? That woman… I mean, next to the secretary, I looked dead?”

Jung heera’s eyes went wide in disbelief.

She felt on the verge of exploding.

Watching Lee Yeon, calm and precise despite her first variety show, irritated her to the limit.

Now the staff compared her to Lee Yeon, fueling her frustration.

Biting her lips, Jung heera tried not to reveal her emotions.

“Yes, yes!

Unni, it’s normal to be nervous with your first variety show… but I was more upset seeing it.

Changing your outfit might help. Want to switch now?”

Change now?

Doing so would openly show her competitive feelings toward Lee Yeon.

Her pride wouldn’t allow it.

After a brief thought, Jung heera shook her head.

“No, no need to change.”

A subtle smirk lifted one corner of her lips.

“This elevator is really a problem.”

As they waited, Lee Yeon noticed movement beside her.

Turning, she saw Jung heera standing next to her.

“Thought you went up earlier.”

“Had to visit the restroom.”

“Secretary, you seem good on camera. No nerves at all.”

Jung heera’s smile hinted she wanted Lee Yeon to feel nervous.

The elevator was normally crowded, but with filming blocking one side, only the two of them stood there.

“I just realized, standing in front of the camera, I wasn’t nervous. You seemed a little tense. First variety show?”

Lee Yeon ignored the sneering tone.

In the brief silence, she watched the elevator numbers, irritated it wasn’t moving on the same floor.

“They said the docile cat gets on first.”

Jung heera broke the silence again, crossing her arms and glaring.

“You seemed sly. When you were relieved that your secretary was me, I wonder how much you laughed inside without me knowing.”

“What do you mean?”

“You heard it all. Secretary Yoo is smart, right? So you disguised yourself to charm a man not interested in you, didn’t you?”

“…”

“If you weren’t a Wuseong Card model, I wouldn’t have let it slide.”

Lee Yeon realized Jung heera’s true personality—spirited and unrestrained.

She glanced around; the staff were still busy elsewhere.

No one was witnessing Jung heera venting like this.

“Impressive.”

Jung heera looked confused.

“I see you’re disguised too. Hiding your real self to charm the public, right? Normally you’re a bit reckless.”

“What… what did you say?”

“You heard me.”

The elevator arrived, packed with filming equipment.

Ah, that’s why it came late, but perfect timing.

“You’re not getting on?”

Lee Yeon asked, as Jung heera gaped, still standing.

“You’ll take the next one, right?”

Without waiting for an answer, Lee Yeon pressed the close button.

She didn’t want both of them in the small elevator together, unsure what might happen.