The morning acting class ended quickly.

The instructor clapped her hands, speaking kindly:
“Class dismissed, everyone. Practice well at home, okay? The day after tomorrow we’ll have a pop test, so don’t be as shy as today. Thicken up your skin a little, alright?”

“Yes, teacher!”

The trainees clapped and bowed politely, the atmosphere brightening again.

One male trainee, about the same age as Baek Soo-kyung, patted both him and Qi Huai on the shoulders:
“Hyung, Soo-kyung, want to grab lunch? There’s a pork soup rice place nearby—it’s really good! The green onion kimchi is super refreshing.”

He was about to continue, grinning, when a female trainee from their cohort dragged him away:
“Yah, don’t you have any sense? Don’t disturb them. That’s not a vibe you can just step into.”

The boy froze, then bowed apologetically:
“Ah, sorry! That was rude of me. I’ll keep it a secret!”

He scampered off in a rush.

---

Qi Huai asked the system in his mind: “What was that about?”

The system giggled cheekily:
[The protagonist shou blushes every time he talks to you—of course people will misunderstand. But, Oppa, I have a brilliant idea!]

It flitted around him mischievously:
[Think about it—the protagonist shou is pure, gentle, and really cute. Don’t you feel anything, Oppa? You know, agents like you can choose to stay in worlds you like… For the happiness of humanity, what do you think of him? Hehe.]

If the host and the protagonist shou ended up together, the “pure love redemption 1v1” mission target would be cleared instantly. The system’s performance ratings would shoot up too.

Qi Huai: “…”

What nonsense.

Meanwhile, Baek Soo-kyung, having noticed the other trainees’ teasing, froze in place. A peach-blossom flush spread from his pale neck up to his face and ears.

He glanced shyly at Qi Huai and asked nervously:
“I think people misunderstood, Hyung. Sorry… did I sit too close to you?”

Qi Huai brushed it off:
“It’s fine. We can explain later if needed.”

Soo-kyung nodded, still red faced.

Qi Huai studied his fragile, easily-flustered look:
“…Want to eat together?”

For someone this timid, maybe Soo-kyung first needed to strengthen his mentality. Getting closer over meals would make adjustment easier—and help persuasion.

But Soo-kyung stammered, hesitant:
“I…”

Beep beep—

A sleek black BMW pulled up across the street. The window lowered to reveal Choi Min-jun’s sharp, polished face. He nodded and smiled at Qi Huai.

Qi Huai nodded back, then looked at Soo-kyung:
“Do you have something with Manager Choi this afternoon?”

“Ah… yes.” Soo-kyung’s eyes shifted, voice halting:
“My skills aren’t very good, so Min-jun hyung said I need to work harder. Some film scenes still need retakes, so he told me to practice… Sorry, Hyung, another time for our meal.”

Qi Huai just said lightly:
“It’s fine. Go ahead.”

Soo-kyung bobbed his head quickly:
“Then… should we connect through IG?”

Qi Huai paused:
“…Let’s use KakaoTalk. I might need to make a new IG account. I’ll give it to you later.”

“New account?” Soo-kyung blinked in surprise. With Qi Huai’s background, maybe he didn’t want fans digging into his past—makes sense.

So I’ll be the only one who has Qi Huai-hyung’s IG, Soo-kyung thought, lips curving in a shy smile:
“Okay, Hyung. Send it to me first then. I want to be your very first follower.”

Blushing, he bowed and hurried over to Choi Min-jun’s car.

Qi Huai watched him leave, frowning slightly. How did such a timid Soo-kyung become “acquainted” with Park Seok-jin in just ten minutes?

---

In the car.

Choi Min-jun watched Soo-kyung catch his breath from running, and smiled:
“You seem to get along well with him?”

Soo-kyung blinked, then answered carefully:
“Qi Huai-hyung… he was very kind. He gave me advice during class. I really learned a lot—I’m grateful.”

Min-jun chuckled:
“Remember what I told you? There are lots of charming people in this industry. But only one person is worth your effort.”

Soo-kyung lowered his gaze:
“I know, Min-jun hyung. I didn’t mean anything else. I just… want to improve faster, audition more, take more projects. That way, your income will grow too. It’s the only way I can repay you…”

“Mm, our Soo-kyung has ambition,” Min-jun cut him off smoothly. “But this isn’t the time to use it. Got it?”

Soo-kyung froze with surprise.

Min-jun’s fingertip traced the corner of his eye, then tapped his lips:
“Soo-kyung-ah, the company may give you teachers, but you already have a much better sunbae. Don’t forget that.”

“…You mean Seok-jin sunbae?”

“Of course. A sunbae who’s experienced the real entertainment battlefield is far better than some classroom teacher. You should know who your teacher is, where to direct that admiration. If you learn everything from class, how disappointed would Park Seok-jin sunbae be? He’d lose all the fun of teaching you, wouldn’t he?”

Min-jun smirked, sliding his hand through Soo-kyung’s shirt buttons, watching that doll-like face shift from panic to teary pleading.

“Innocence—real innocence—is far more alluring than fake purity. Experiencing everything for the first time… that’s what makes it worthwhile. Understand?”

Soo-kyung’s voice broke with a sob:
“I… I understand, Min-jun hyung. Don’t… I get it.”

Min-jun suddenly withdrew his hand, wiped his fingers clean with a tissue, his face back to cold professionalism. If not for Soo-kyung’s shaky breathing, the earlier intimacy might’ve been a hallucination.

“Alright,” he said calmly, “let’s get our future top star to Park Seok-jin sunbae’s acting lesson. Okay?”

Soo-kyung lowered his head, voice soft:
“Yes, Min-jun hyung. I’ll do well.”

---

Park Seok-jin lived in a high-rise with absolute privacy. Not quite Hannam-dong’s UN Village, but still one of Seoul’s top luxury residences.

The lobby had tall security guards and a concierge ready for residents’ needs.

Above were grand European murals, below, polished marble floors patterned in stone. Wine-red velvet sofas lined the hall; every painting had a famous signature. Fresh tulips, white roses, and lisianthus filled the vases.

The staff greeted Soo-kyung courteously, even handing him tissues for the snow on his cheap down jacket.

Probably because of Seok-jin sunbae, Soo-kyung thought.

From the moment he entered, he was dazzled. In the elevator he still felt overwhelmed, immersed in the luxurious atmosphere.

So this is money? The life of the rich?

How much work will it take to live like this? I heard Seok-jin sunbae also didn’t come from wealth. Could it be… he started like me?

Desire surged, ambition replacing steady patience. By the time the door opened, Soo-kyung was burning with restless hope. He bowed deeply:
“Seok-jin sunbae, I’m Baek Soo-kyung. Sorry to disturb you.”

His pale neck and red ears stood out against his worn coat, unbearably youthful.

Seok-jin smiled gently:
“How did you get here? Isn’t it too cold?”

Soo-kyung smiled shyly:
“I came by bike. It wasn’t bad.”

“So cold, and you biked? No wonder your ears are so red. You worked hard, Soo-kyung.”

Growl—

His stomach betrayed him, having skipped lunch. Seok-jin laughed aloud:
“So eager to see me that you didn’t even eat? How about shrimp avocado salad, with whole wheat bread and banana milk?”

Blushing, Soo-kyung shook his head:
“Ah, sunbae, no need. Ramen is enough for me.”

Seok-jin chuckled:
“You wanted ramen? Sorry, I don’t keep that at home. Let’s eat salad.”

“Ah… I see. Then sorry for troubling you, sunbae.”

He thought gloomily: even a pork cutlet sandwich, which felt like a luxury to him, would probably be tossed aside as greasy trash here.

…I’m so envious.

Having everything, yet dismissing it easily—what an elite way of living.

Taking off his shoes politely, Soo-kyung asked:
“Um… sunbae, do you drink banana milk too?”

Seok-jin grinned:
“Of course not. I bought it especially for you. A reward for your hard work. Come in.”

“Ah… thank you, sunbae.”

The carved Italian door closed behind him, enclosing Baek Soo-kyung’s slim figure in his shabby coat inside the luxurious space.