“Elder sister!”

A thin, high-pitched voice leaked through the suddenly opened door. There’s no way it couldn’t be heard in the living room, but the one called didn’t answer.

Yoo In, forgetting it was late at night, called out even louder.

“Nam Yoo Jin!”

“Ah, what!”

“What’s this again?”

“What.”

With an annoyed reply and approaching footsteps, a face clearly showing irritation peeked out.

Yoo In frowned deeply and nudged a fallen paper bag.

“I told you to stop buying things.”

“I didn’t buy it? I brought some because the dressing room at home is about to burst.”

“What about all those spare rooms? What nonsense are you talking about, living alone in a place bigger than this?”

Yoo Jin stood crookedly, arms folded, and said disapprovingly.

“Can’t you just accept it when I’m giving it? It’s troublesome to take it back.”

“Then just don’t bring it, Actress Nam Yoo Jin. Please come to your senses. And fix your wasteful habits! Do you think you’ll be able to earn well forever as an elder sister?”

“Yeah. I think I will. And money should be spent by those who earn well. Like me.”

Yoo In watched Yoo Jin, who was smiling brightly while twirling her index finger, with a weary look.

It wasn’t the first time Yoo Jin had been sweeping up things she couldn’t wear or use since becoming an actress and earning more money, but now it was really unacceptable. The closet and shoe rack were about to burst open.

Moreover, was it even appropriate for a college student to receive these things bought with such an enormous amount of money?

“I understand your feelings, but do it in moderation. If you want to spend money, buy things for yourself, please.”

Despite speaking with sincerity, Yoo Jin snorted as if hearing a dog bark and plopped down on Yoo In’s bed.

“Always being so boring, making it not worth spending money.”

“Didn’t Mom say anything?”

“Of course she did. So just do the first verse, little sister. There’s a chance you won’t get tuition for the second semester~.”

Yoo In closed her mouth with a suddenly submissive expression. Yoo Jin giggled as she flopped back on the bed.

Since comfortable studying without being obsessed with scholarships was possible thanks to Yoo Jin’s support, the string of nagging that was about to come out had to be swallowed back.

“You talk about needing to spend money, but now you’re being so petty and mean.”

“That’s how the world is. No chance. No money, no skills? Then you’re immediately obsolete.”

Yoo In nodded halfheartedly to Yoo Jin, who was talking as if she had become a great adult, while organizing the lined-up shopping bags. Suddenly, Yoo Jin made an “Ah-” sound mid-sentence.

As Yoo In tilted her head slightly, Yoo Jin half-raised her upper body and asked.

“What’s that on you?”

“What?”

“The thing glittering on your wrist.”

Yoo Jin pointed with her chin at the dangling bracelet.

Yoo In reflexively covered the dangling bracelet with her left hand. But she immediately regretted it. She should have responded naturally, but being too conscious, she ended up hiding it.

Nam Yoo Jin’s next reaction was as predictable as seeing fire.

She would relentlessly pursue until she got a satisfying answer. And not just pursue. She would torment to her heart’s content. Ah, really stupid. What excuse should I make?

Just as she was starting to have the bad thought of why her elder sister had to come home today of all days, Yoo Jin blurted out something completely unexpected.

“Oh… What? Did Yoon Ji Han give it to you?”

When Yoo In blinked with wide eyes as if to say what nonsense is this, Yoo Jin casually shrugged her shoulders.

It was an attitude that somehow smelled artificial.

“If not, never mind.”

“Why did Yoon Ji Han suddenly come up?”

“He could give it to you since you’re friends, right?”

When Yoo In, who had become rather suspicious, looked at her strangely, Yoo Jin waved her bony hand as if to brush it off and changed the subject.

“He contacted me recently saying he wants to join an agency.”

“Who?”

“Yoon Ji Han, who else?”

What is this now? Agency? Yoon Ji Han? Suddenly? Endless question marks filled her head.

“What? You didn’t know?”

“…No. He didn’t say anything to me. When did he contact you? Recently?”

“Yeah. Last week, I think. He called me but then stubbornly said he won’t accept my help. I wonder if he can survive in this field being so naive?”

It didn’t seem to be particularly secret given how casually her elder sister mentioned it, but why didn’t he tell her?

He must have known it was only a matter of time before Yoo In found out that he had consulted with Yoo Jin. Yet he covered it up without saying a word to Yoo In.

Moreover, suddenly the entertainment industry when he had no intention or interest in debuting before? This was like a colleague living on the same planet moving to a different star.

Did Yoon Ji Han really want to grow distant from her like this? Really?

“Looks like you two are keeping secrets from each other now. Like that bracelet?”

Yoo In didn’t react to her elder sister’s playful provocation. Yoo Jin, quickly losing interest in her silent sister, added:

“Well. It’s past time for the three of you to become independent. You’ve been stuck together long enough. Even I’m tired of seeing it from the side.”

This time she really had nothing to say, so she bit her lip tightly.

Yes, she thought, that could be the case. In just half a year, Yoo In and Jae Hee would no longer be students, and Ji Han must have had to think about his future too.

The childish days of meeting at school every time they opened their eyes, even without promising, were already over.

It seemed possible that Ji Han had also decided to find his own path on this occasion.

“Anyway, so I gave Director Do a heads up, but I’m not sure how it’ll turn out.”

Director Do. The man her elder sister pronounced hit Yoo In’s head a beat late. She turned to Yoo Jin with a motion that seemed like it would make a creaking rusty sound.

Then, Yoo Jin, who had hit the nail right on the head, giggled like a mischievous child ruling the neighborhood.

“Why, afraid your friend will be sent to his doom? Hey, no matter how terrible Director Do is, he won’t do that if you just do your job well. He’s an extremely realistic performance-oriented person. Someone like Yoon Ji Han has a decent look and can act reasonably well. I don’t think Ilang would have any reason to turn him down.”

“…Really? What did the Director say?”

Her elder sister’s expression seemed to ask why she was curious about the Director first rather than her friend, but when Yoo In stared blankly on purpose to appear indifferent, she soon abandoned her suspicion and answered.

“The Director was indifferent. He just said, ‘Is that so?’ without much interest. Even though I said he was my most cherished younger brother. He’s probably distracted dealing with the aftermath of recent incidents.”

“Incidents? What incidents happened at Ilang?”

Yoo In pushed aside the short-sleeved dress she was just taking out of the shopping bag. She turned her body completely to face Yoo Jin, showing an active posture to listen, and Yoo Jin, excited by this, recited continuously.

“That crazy Kim Sun Young is causing all sorts of trouble. You know her too, right? The one I really hate.”

Yoo In nodded glumly.

Kim Sun Young. A former Blue Sunset member like her elder sister. A former idol who turned to acting like her elder sister. And, an arrogant person who was so jealous of Nam Yoo Jin that she eventually led to the team’s destruction.

She was an unforgettable figure.

“Slapping a staff member at an advertising shoot and ruining the filming is just an everyday occurrence. I heard she caused a scene at some club while drunk. Broke and smashed all the facilities. The Director must have struggled quite a bit to suppress that article. And also, I think I heard she damaged Director Do’s car too.”

“What? The car? Why the Director’s car?”

“Ah. They said it wasn’t her directly. There was an actor who was suddenly cut from a drama the Director invested in, and while drinking with him, Kim Sun Young apparently told him about the Director’s car. Why she even knew that. Anyway, hearing that, that man splashed bright red paint on the car and the underground parking lot of the company building.”

“…”

“So there was a commotion with the police coming to investigate. The parking lot couldn’t be used for days while they cleaned up, and the Director’s car was probably scrapped. Phew, I wonder why the Director renewed her contract. She seems like she should go to a mental hospital first. Don’t you think?”

“…Yeah. She’s really not in her right mind.”

Throughout listening to her elder sister’s story, Yoo In’s throat felt sore and her mouth dried up.

Ki Yeon’s image in another world, which was not at all visible or felt in front of her, seemed too unfamiliar. She was even confused whether the man who had just hugged her gently with a soft smile earlier was the same person in this series of episodes.

She felt that perhaps she was the one without conscience, just going with the flow of the gentle waves he created.

Is it okay to know nothing like this? Is it right to hear about it like this from my elder sister?

Even if Ki Yeon had mentioned the incidents, she had no words or comfort to offer, but she couldn’t help the bitter taste spreading in her mouth.

“You know what’s even funnier? She’s really coveting my commercials? Even beauty and outdoor ones.”

“Isn’t that too shameless? Who was it that broke up a successful team?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I heard she’s been kicked out several times for complaining to Director Do~ Seeing that she still can’t come to her senses, she seems to have failed as a celebrity.”

Watching Yoo Jin click her tongue and sneer sharply, Yoo In anticipated that she would probably hate Kim Sun Young more from this moment on.

She had been treated as an outcast since her girl group days, but she wasn’t a complete ruffian. Moreover, being the main cause of Ki Yeon’s troubles gave Yoo In a very good reason to hate her.

As she chewed on her anger, the tip of her tongue, which had been anxiously drying up, became too bitter. Yoo In, who had been organizing the clothes she had pushed aside, suddenly put them down and stood up.

Her chest felt so tight and stuffy that she felt she needed to drink some cold water to quench her thirst.

“Where are you going?”

“To drink water.”

“Get me some too. With lots of ice.”

“…Ugh.”

Yoo In sighed deeply at Yoo Jin, who was rolling around on the bed like an immature elementary school student, and was about to leave the room when a vibration sound she had forgotten about rang from inside her bag.

Woo-woong- Woo-woong-.

The long vibration indicated an incoming call.

Yoo In, who checked the caller after rummaging through the bag at her feet, gripped it tightly so that the screen wasn’t visible.

And immediately, she moved on to the next task.

“Elder sister, get out.”

“Huh? Why? Weren’t you going to drink water? What about my water?”

“You go get it yourself.”

“What, why are you suddenly like this? Ah, hey! What are you doing!”

The skinny body with no fat was quickly pushed out by Yoo In’s insignificant strength. There was some resistance, but it didn’t take long for Yoo In to drive Yoo Jin out and slam the door shut, locking it.

Her elder sister, who knew nothing of privacy, was the type to barge in even during a phone call.

“Hey, Nam Yoo In! What is it!”

Yoo Jin, who had been kicked out without knowing why, pounded on the door, but for Yoo In, the vibration felt in her hand was more urgent.