The Season of Prettiest You (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 2
“Choi Yeoreum—another rival just popped up.”
Gangyeol grumbled.
“Didn’t you say you had no interest?”
Seokjin added, throwing cold water on him.
A dull ache welled up somewhere near his solar plexus. He still hadn’t built up any immunity. The moment that name forced its way in without warning, his heart throbbed painfully.
Choi Yeoreum.
His heartbeat quickened.
‘I must’ve heard wrong. It’s probably just someone with the same name. Surely not her.’
“…Who’s the writer?”
“A newcomer named Choi Yeoreum. She handled casting herself and seems really passionate. She’s petite and fair—kind of cute, actually.”
Gangyeol, clearly reluctant to admit it, hesitated before finally blurting out the word “cute.” Apparently, getting passed over for casting had stung his pride quite a bit.
Petite and cute.
“What’s the drama’s title?”
“‘Hold My Hand.’ It’s a love triangle story—pretty interesting.”
“Yeoreum, what’s the working title of your script?”
“It’s provisional for now—‘Hold My Hand.’ What do you think?”
“Nice. It suits it well.”
…Those focused eyes tracing along his fingertips, that bright, tinkling laugh, their lips gently meeting.
It was a piece they’d completed together during the season they were lovers.
Right. Choi Yeoreum.
There couldn’t possibly be another person with that name. There was no way another petite, cute drama writer named Choi Yeoreum existed.
His fist tightened. At the same time, a weak, hollow laugh escaped him. He couldn’t even tell whether he was angry or just stunned.
The girl who’d been an aspiring writer two years ago had now become an actual drama writer. It was entirely plausible—something he should’ve anticipated. He’d been naive to think she’d give up on her dream if she had even a shred of conscience. He blamed himself first.
It was utterly ridiculous how she’d dared toy with a top star on a whim and then casually kept writing scripts all this time.
“So the writer’s getting good reviews, huh?”
“Yeah. Popular with both viewers and actors. The script’s apparently really solid.”
His heart, searing hot, twitched as if it might burst out of his chest. His mind rang like a gong. Taeseok couldn’t calm down—he downed a shot of liquor and shook his head. Choi Yeoreum again. He was sick of her.
If he could, he’d rip the entire memory out of his mind. Especially today. He’d run out just to avoid her birthday, yet she’d tracked him down all the way here, shoving her name into his ears.
He pressed hard against his temples.
“Got a headache?”
Someone asked with concern, but he waved his hand dismissively, brushing it off.
What should he do? Taeseok repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist lightly.
He thought it through carefully. Choi Yeoreum had definitely been in the U.S. Had she come back just temporarily for the drama, or was she planning to settle back permanently? No—first, he needed to know exactly when she’d returned. If she was going to come back so casually, why had she hidden away so thoroughly before?
He let out a bitter laugh at the realization that she’d been openly active all this time while he’d known nothing. He’d spent two years with his eyes shut and ears closed. Right. Even if he’d chosen to live like that, he had to check whether Manager Hong—their manager—had really been unaware. It was highly likely Hong had known and deliberately kept it from him.
She must’ve decided it didn’t matter if they ran into each other—hence her return. His chest felt tight, as if a burning rock were pressing down on it. How could Seo Taeseok possibly be easy to forget? Her return footsteps were just as spineless and light as when she’d left.
His palm tightened around the liquor glass. The tendons on his hand bulged, twitching as if ready to shatter the cup.
If she’d left like that, she shouldn’t have come back at all. Her name was never supposed to reach his ears again.
‘What the hell does she think I’ll do?’
All the days he’d struggled not to think of her—she was mocking them with just three syllables of her name. Taeseok’s twisted reflection shimmered in the liquor glass.
It was right at the moment he’d resolved to forget her and live well.
“Taeseok. You okay?”
Noticing his stiff expression, Wonwoo spoke up.
“…Yeah.”
He wasn’t okay at all. Like a fool, his whole body was boiling over at just those three letters of her name.
If he’d known it would come to this, he should’ve introduced Yeoreum to at least one person at these gatherings.
Instead of continually putting it off while waiting for Eunho’s discharge, he should’ve made sure at least a couple of people knew her face and name. Then someone surely would’ve warned him, and he wouldn’t have been blindsided like this.
“Look into some recent projects. It’s time you got back to work, Taeseok.”
Wonwoo offered another comforting word, feeling sorry for Taeseok—who clearly had no idea what was going on in the industry. Taeseok didn’t hear a word.
“Get me a copy of that script.”
He planned to summon Manager Hong first thing tomorrow and demand answers.
Living properly? Like hell.
It finally felt like round two was beginning.
The next day, Taeseok calling his manager early in the morning was practically inevitable. His manager was the first person he needed to confront about this absurd situation—Manager Hong Minwoo, who also happened to be his high school classmate.
He was also Yeoreum’s senior in college. Though unintentional, he’d been the one who originally connected Taeseok and Yeoreum.
While waiting for him, Taeseok stared at the script lying on the table: ‘Hold My Hand.’
It was the same script he’d tossed aside carelessly after last night’s drinking session—bearing the name ‘Written by Choi Yeoreum.’
That formidable writer.
Taeseok fixed his gaze straight onto the name, his eyes blazing with undisguised anger and resentment. If it had been a person, they’d have shuddered under that glare. He snatched up the script as if ripping it away.
“I’m going to star in the drama based on this script.”
He flipped through it carelessly.
He didn’t need to read it to know. Damn it—he already knew the male lead was Kim Minjun and the female lead was Lee Seol. He knew about the unrequited love subplots involving Bora and Hyunjun. He even knew the two leads, separated by misunderstanding, would reunite years later, fall in love again, and end the story with a seaside wedding!
Thud! The script slammed onto the table.
“Damn it. How dare she use the exact same names without changing a thing? Who gave her the right to make a drama out of this script?”
How little must she think of him to pull off something like this? But this time, he had no intention of letting her have her way.
Just then, Manager Hong arrived.
As always, he was dressed casually in sweatpants and holding a shopping bag—likely filled with lunch: kimbap, sushi, a bento box, or maybe even hangover soup. He never failed to bring at least one meal a day, driven by sheer stubbornness.
Humming an old, outdated song, he strolled into the living room. Taeseok glared at his relaxed gait, his eyes dark and stormy.
Seeing the script on the table in front of Taeseok, Manager Hong’s expression brightened.
“Seo Taeseok—have you decided to get back to work?”
He tossed the shopping bag aside carelessly and plopped down heavily across from Taeseok. Only then did he notice Taeseok’s icy expression.
“Why did you hide this from me?”
“Hide what?”
The script flew toward Manager Hong—more accurately, it was practically thrown. As Hong scrambled to pick it up, the problematic name stared right back at him.
“Choi Yeoreum. When did she come back?”
The smile vanished from his face.
‘It finally blew up. Ever since Yeoreum debuted with that one-act play early this year, I’ve been worried this would happen.’
Manager Hong quietly placed the script back on the table.
“Don’t say you didn’t know. You two were that close—you couldn’t possibly not know.”
“That closeness is ancient history! You know you and Yeoreum broke up, so I stopped contacting her separately.”
Manager Hong tried to explain, but Taeseok wasn’t listening. Whether Hong kept in touch or not, Taeseok was certain Hong knew about their close-knit alumni gatherings and would’ve heard news through them.
“You must’ve sought it out. She’s like an adopted little sister you’ve always doted on.”
“…I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react like this. You’d have found out eventually anyway—even if not from me. And it’s not like knowing would’ve done you any good.”
“Just tell me—when exactly did she return?”
“Seems like she debuted with that one-act play in January.”
Since it was now July, that meant roughly half a year had passed. To Taeseok, half a year felt like an eternity.
He’d spent exactly half a year frantically searching for Yeoreum—throwing every resource he had at it, spending money and time as if they were infinite. Yet he’d found nothing. How had she hidden so completely?
And now, she’d walked right back in and found success.
While he’d been barely holding himself together with anti-anxiety meds, she’d seized a sparkling, radiant life. The thought made his heart boil.
“So after leaving like that, she decided she needed to earn money in this industry after all.”
“….”
“That’s bold thinking, Choi Yeoreum. Then again, if this is her true nature, it’s entirely believable. What do you think?”
“What about?”
Manager Hong responded defensively.
“She must’ve planned this all along—dropping the innocent act the moment she left. You’d need an elaborate scheme like this to pull off such a scam, right?”
He asked the question but didn’t wait for an answer.
“I’m starring in Choi Yeoreum’s drama.”
He’d tolerated watching her strut around long enough. A deep furrow formed between Taeseok’s brows. Now it was his turn to ruin her.
Manager Hong was dumbfounded.
“It’s an easy world—easy to meet, easy to part. You used to treat relationships casually. Just forget her. Women are all the same—what makes Choi Yeoreum so special?”
Panicking, he blurted out whatever came to mind—despite knowing how uniquely special they’d been to each other and that once Taeseok made up his mind, nothing could change it.
If it meant turning Taeseok’s heart, he’d say anything.
“Don’t get tangled up again. You two are each other’s wounds.”
“You know that. Choi Yeoreum was my everything. Not anymore, of course.”
A hot lump scraped down his esophagus, tearing up his insides. Right. He’d been the one to make her “not everything” anymore.
“What do you plan to do now? After all this time?”
“Make her pay. The price for daring to toy with Seo Taeseok.”
Taeseok stated his conclusion cleanly. The fog that had clouded his mind finally cleared. Right—he just had to make her pay. Now he had an outlet for this furious, twisted feeling.
“Let’s go see Representative Kim.”
“Bye, sister. I’m heading out.”
Yeoreum greeted her Alocasia plant. She’d been overwatering it without realizing the bulb was rotting. The leaves had wilted and lost all vigor, so she’d taken it to the local nursery, where they’d cut out the rotten parts in a circle and repotted it in fresh soil.
It was, in a way, surgery. That’s why she was extra attentive now. She kept shifting its position, unable to figure out exactly where offered indirect sunlight, good airflow, and coolness. How could she best help the plant thrive?
She just hoped no one else in this house would fall ill again.
She still didn’t know how much water was the right amount—terrified her excessive care might rot its roots.
“Okay! Bye, sister!”
The reply didn’t come from Alocasia but from her housemate Yoo Young, who was in the shower. Young apparently thought the greeting had been meant for her. Yeoreum gave a small smile.
“Got it. I’ll be back soon.”
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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