Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1099. Taking Care of Things (4)

A few minutes earlier...

“Unnie! Please stop moving! We gotta put mascara on you again!”

“Mister Eun-Sol, please drive more carefully! We can’t work on unnie while the van’s shaking around! Be still, unnie!”

Han Eun-Sol sneakily lifted his foot off the accelerator while making the saddest expression a man could make.

‘I'm not a wizard, so what the hell do you want from me...!'

What was he supposed to do to stop the speeding van from shaking around? Expecting Han Eun-Sol to pull off a miracle that not even M. Schumacher could was being way too unreasonable, no?

Top automobile manufacturers in the world invested astronomical sums of money in R&D but still failed to stop the shaking of moving vehicles. In that case, what could a single man even do here?

Unfortunately, Han Eun-Sol couldn't mutter a single word of grievance in the open. That was because...

He sneakily glanced at the rearview mirror and spotted Choi Yeon-Ha’s murderous glare.

She venomously spat out, “That f*cking useless trash of a director! I swear, I’m gonna kill him!”

“...”

Han Eun-Sol silently resumed staring at the road, his tail firmly tucked between his legs.

This was the current situation. Today was supposed to be an off day for Choi Yeon-Ha. However, the footage for a commercial she filmed yesterday inexplicably went missing, forcing her into an emergency reshoot that lasted the whole day.

Even though her reputation as a tyrant on a film set was well-earned, Choi Yeon-Ha never once wrecked a production out of anger.

A professional must know when to lash out and when to hold it. Those who couldn't do that would not enjoy a long career in this industry.

Human trash who always showed up late to filming and acted like entitled kings and queens on set could still enjoy people's adulation as long as they could guarantee healthy box office returns. But those who willfully messed up filming schedules and acted as they pleased were inevitably shunned by the industry and would get booted out sooner or later.

Choi Yeon-Ha was very strict about this facet of her career.

Despite enduring the hellish filming environment in China, she never once deliberately screwed up the production.

Even when she was forced to be on standby for almost twenty-four hours inside a van after no one told her about the day's schedule, she still obstinately stayed put. Of course, she did swear plenty of times, but the important thing to note was that she did not leave the filming location.

Work and personal feelings should be kept separate. That was her mantra.

...But that meant she had no choice today.

Despite hurling unprintable language at a speed that even a rapper auditioning for a spot in a TV talent show couldn't match, Choi Yeon-Ha still went to the film set and shot her part again. However, the problem with that was...

“He dares to change the commercial's concept?! At the last freaking minute, too?! It's their bloody fault for losing the footage, so why should I shoot everything from the beginning again?! Why not just shoot the missing bits instead! Since he wants to change concepts, I'm gonna tear his head off and install new concepts in his brain!”

Choi Yeon-Ha spat more flames out of her mouth. The coordinator hurriedly admonished her.

“Unnie! Please don’t speak!”

The makeup artist yelled at Han Eun-Sol next. “Come on, Mister Eun-Sol! Please drive slower! Be more careful, will you!”

Han Eun-Sol gripped the steering wheel tighter as his soul threatened to leave his body. Here was a great advertisement for why people needed education.

How could that makeup artist fail to understand that her demand to drive slower and more carefully was in stark contrast to Choi Yeon-Ha’s demand to drive as quickly as possible because they were late?

However... Han Eun-Sol was prepared to overlook that. Not only that, but almost everything taking place inside this van, too! Except for one thing, that was.

“Noona?” Han Eun-Sol cautiously asked, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“What!” Choi Yeon-Ha unhappily shot back.

Han Eun-Sol flinched and didn’t say anything. Was she saying it was okay to ask? Or was she warning him to keep his trap shut? Which was it?

“Hey, why aren’t you saying anything? Are you trying to mess with me?!” Choi Yeon-Ha yelled again.

“No, of course not...” Han Eun-Sol groaned softly. “You’re applying hwajang, aren’t you?”[1]

The makeup artist replied instead. “Please call it makeup, Mister Eun-Sol!”

“Huh? What’s the difference?”

“It’s how it feels.”

“Oh, sure thing.” Han Eun-Sol swiftly moved on from this topic as he didn't want to know what that even meant. “Anyways. We're coming from the film set, right? That means you already have makeup on. So why are you redoing your makeup in this chaos?”

“Oh my gosh...!”

“Mister Eun-Sol, I didn't know you were this clueless! How could a manager say something like that?”

“Huh?” Han Eun-Sol blinked his eyes when the makeup artist and wardrobe coordinator responded first before Choi Yeon-Ha could.

And it was the coordinator who shouted instead of the actress in her care. “Isn't it obvious that the makeup for the film shoot is different from the one you would normally put on?! What will people say when Yeon-Ha unnie shows up with makeup that's specifically overdone to stand out in the bright spotlights during the filming?”

“They'll say she's got makeup on.”

“Tsk, tsk...”

Han Eun-Sol belatedly realized that one glare could make a person even more miserable than hundreds of insults. Especially when that glare contained all sorts of contempt and irritation!

He shrank into the driver’s seat after the criticizing glares sharply dug into his face.

“Don’t you know the one on TV and the real deal don’t look the same?!”

“Imagine what will happen when a natural beauty on the level of Yeon-Ha unnie shows up with full makeup on! People will start gossiping that her looks were all thanks to the wonders of modern cosmetics!”

“Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t! That is what we’re aiming to achieve! A face without makeup that looks like it had some makeup on! Yes! The natural-looking makeup that makes people go, oh, wow! Choi Yeon-Ha’s real face is actually like that! Don’t you understand that!”

Han Eun-Sol slowly nodded. So, that was the aim. To make it seem like it was Choi Yeon-Ha’s real face all along.

Real face, was it?

“If that’s the aim, why put makeup on in the first place?”

“What did he say?”

“Did Mister Eun-Sol lose his mind?”

“...!”

Choi Yeon-Ha, who had been silently listening to this lecture, finally broke her silence. “Eun-Sol?”

“Yes, noona?”

“How about you just focus on what you're good at? Like driving? I'm this close to blowing my top while listening to you yapping on and on, you see? So much so that I'm tempted to blow you up instead!”

“My sincerest apologies, ma’am.” Han Eun-Sol sensed the bone-chilling killing intent in Choi Yeon-Ha’s voice and whimpered like a scared little puppy.

“And you two,” Choi Yeon-Ha glanced at the coordinator and the makeup artist.

“Yes, unnie!”

“Focus.”

“We’re doing our best, unnie!”

“I dunno why, but the makeup is working so well for you today! Seriously!”

Choi Yeon-Ha glared at the mirror with the eyes of a serial killer stalking her prey. “I think it's a little too much on this side?”

“It's nighttime, unnie! We considered the low lighting conditions. You'll look even better when you're outside the car.”

Choi Yeon-Ha continued to confirm her appearance through the mirror from various angles. “A little more on the eyebrow.”

“Unnie, any more on that side and it'll be too much!"

“Trust us, unnie! Yes, you can! You know what we’re capable of.”

“Mmm...!” Choi Yeon-Ha furrowed her brow deeply before nodding in acceptance. “Okay, got it.”

“Juuust a little more touch-up here. To make you look more lively!”

“Got it.”

While eavesdropping on this conversation, Han Eun-Sol dazedly stared at the road ahead.

‘I’m pretty sure they are speaking in Korean, but...’

But he couldn't understand a single thing they said! Even though he thought working as a manager had improved his knowledge of the entertainment industry's lingo! As it turned out, he was deluding himself. His knowledge was superficial!

“We’re almost there,” said Han Eun-Sol.

“Unnie! We’re almost there! Let’s quickly wrap this up!”

The makeup artist frowned. “I wanted to touch up her hair a bit more, though...”

“No, no. This is good. It’ll be an overkill if we do more. Let’s keep it au naturale, okay? As if unnie had just knocked off from work. No need to go too OTT.”

Han Eun-Sol almost blurted out, This is already pretty over the top, though?!

Of course, he wisely kept his mouth shut. Knowing when to stay silent was quite important in living a healthy, productive life, after all!

Besides, his experience told him that the other side wouldn’t respond kindly no matter what he said, anyway!

“By the way, don’t you think we’re showing up a little too early?” Han Eun-Sol asked Choi Yeon-Ha.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, maybe we could let things marinate a bit before...”

Choi Yeon-Ha cocked an eyebrow. “Oh? What if we marinate for too long and the steak becomes too mushy?”

“Well, we certainly can’t afford that, now can we?”

Even though Han Eun-Sol thought this particular slab of steak was too tough to become mushy, anyway! Was there really a need to go this far?

He just couldn’t figure it out.

‘Eiii, whatever, man. Let’s just do as she tells me...’

Since the very beginning of this seismic (?) event, Han Eun-Sol never had the qualifications to voice his opinion. Right now, he was nothing more than a chauffeur.

“If only it hadn’t been for that damn director dragging things out and wasting my bloody time!” Choi Yeon-Ha gritted her teeth. “My preparations could have been even more perfect!”

Han Eun-Sol grimaced.

‘Noo-nim, you look plenty prepared in my book. So, please do it in moderation. Please! Please!’

He subtly shook his head before spotting the familiar storefront of the pizzeria in the distance.

“We’re here.”

Choi Yeon-Ha sat up in her seat. “Park the van in front.”

“Will you go inside right away?”

“Yeah. Park the van elsewhere and wait. Come get me when I send you a DM.”

“Yes, ma’am. As you command.”

Han Eun-Sol smartly parked the van in front of the pizzeria.

Choi Yeon-Ha got up halfway while declaring, “Wish me luck!”

“Unnie! Do your best!”

“Go break a leg! You got this!”

Choi Yeon-Ha sucked in a deep breath. And then, a confident and bright smile suddenly bloomed on her face. She pressed the automatic door button to open the sliding door.

The coordinator and makeup artist continued to offer their support and advice.

“Unnie! Be natural! As natural as possible!”

“And stand tall and proud, too!”

The door slid shut after Choi Yeon-Ha emerged outside. Han Eun-Sol carefully drove the van away, his eyes half-glued to the side mirror reflecting the scene of Choi Yeon-Ha entering the pizzeria.

‘Just what the heck am I doing? What am I doing here?!’

He was acutely aware of his role as an accomplice to... whatever this was. That didn't mean he could get over his flabbergast, though!

Meanwhile, the coordinator and the makeup artist whispered to each other.

“It’s gonna be fine, right?”

“Of course it will be. Why wouldn’t it? Let's be real, our unnie doesn't even need makeup done in the first place. Everyone will be arrested by her looks even if she just shows up and doesn't say anything. But we've made as many preparations as possible, so she'll definitely kill it in there.”

Han Eun-Sol silently eavesdropped on their conversation before butting in. “By the way...?”

The two women shot back.

“What now?”

“What is it?”

Han Eun-Sol ruefully licked his lips, thinking that these two people were unusually uncooperative today for some reason. “Do you even know what noona is about to do in there?”

“Of course we do. Isn’t she going to meet her boyfriend’s ex?”

“Eh?”

Han Eun-Sol’s eyes powerfully quaked. Why did these two know that?

“W-who told you that?”

“Unnie told us herself.”

Of course. Why wouldn’t she?

Han Eun-Sol chuckled hollowly. Choi Yeon-Ha might as well walk around advertising what she was up to at this rate!

If her goal was to tell everyone she was dating Kang Jin-Ho, taking out a front-page ad in a popular newspaper would get the job done in three days or less. Since that was the case, why was she approaching this goal in such a roundabout way?!

Han Eun-Sol blinked his eyes. “Hang on a minute. You two knew? And still raised so much fuss like this?”

The glares of the coordinator and the makeup artist became even more severe.

“What do you mean, raising a fuss?”

“Are you suggesting this issue isn’t worth raising a fuss?”

Their ultra-pointed glares continued to stab into the poor man in the driver’s seat.

Han Eun-Sol stammered ungainly. “N-no, I mean, uh... I thought you were going a bit overboard, you see?”

“And that’s exactly why you are still single, Mister Eun-Sol.”

“And you’ll continue to be single for the foreseeable future, too.”

‘Please stop with fact-based violence, ladies. An involuntary solo player can die from a carelessly thrown fact bomb, you know!’

The coordinator glared sharply despite Han Eun-Sol making a sorrowful face. “Do you know what’s the most important thing to a woman?”

“Of course I don’t know that.”

Why bother answering that when she’d say he was wrong regardless of the answer!

“It’s pride, Mister Eun-Sol!”

Nope, he was wrong. He did think about saying that. Maybe he should have said something, after all!

“This is about a woman’s pride, okay! How dare that rude woman try her luck with someone else’s man!”

“...!”

“Unnie better bury that b*tch alive. Teach her a lesson she won’t forget, unnie!”

“Right, right!” The makeup artist chimed in. “Unnie better crush that rude woman so she won’t even think about sending a DM to unnie’s boyfriend! People should have business ethics, you know!”

Han Eun-Sol slowly shook his head. He finally gave up trying to comprehend these people.

***

“Oh, my? What~ a~ coincidence!”

That was so awkward. Easily the most awkward thing Ju Yeong-Gi had ever heard in this world! His face instantly flushed red.

‘What the hell! Couldn’t you have delivered that line more convincingly?!’

Choi Yeon-Ha was supposed to be an actor! Was this really the best she could do?

Didn’t one of the reviews for her last show praise her acting prowess as unparalleled, like her looks?! So what was up with this school-play level of rubbish acting?!

However, that probably didn’t matter at the end of the day, since everyone’s attention was focused on Choi Yeon-Ha the moment she stepped through that doorway anyway.

What a mystifying spectacle that was.

This was a pizzeria. As such, it was common to see people constantly coming in and going while diners enjoyed their meals. No one would think about turning their heads to look if someone new entered the shop.

However, that wasn't the case this time.

As if everyone was in on the joke from the get-go, they all simultaneously turned to look when Choi Yeon-Ha opened that door and stepped inside.

A truly mystifying spectacle indeed!

‘Is this that aura thing or whatever it’s called?’

Click, clack!

Choi Yeon-Ha leisurely approached the counter, her high heels clicking noisily against the floor.

By now, some of the diners must've recognized her. However, they still stared in utter silence and stupefaction.

She reached the counter and smiled coolly at Ju Yeong-Gi.

He could only grimace a little at that. Because he couldn’t help but think about how unfairly...

...Beautiful this woman was!

He had seen her several times already and had a general idea on what her usual vibe was like, but today’s Choi Yeon-Ha exuded a... different level of class than before. A much higher level of sophistication.

It seemed a halo of light shone brightly from behind her head to nearly blind Ju Yeong-Gi.

He might have lost himself like the rest of the diners had it not been for the burning glare from the kitchen stabbing him painfully in his back.

Choi Yeon-Ha asked first. “How have you been, Mister Ju?”

Did she really ask him that? Really?

Ju Yeong-Gi reflexively looked behind Choi Yeon-Ha to confirm something. He half-expected to find nine fox tails swaying enticingly behind her! Her actions basically proved she was no mere yokai, but a grand yokai, instead!

Ju Yeong-Gi somehow managed to say something. “W-what brings you here, Miss Choi?”

“Eii~,” Choi Yeon-Ha grinned affably back. “Why would I be in a pizzeria, Mister Ju? To buy pizzas, of course.”

“Aha. Yes, of course. To buy pizzas. Yes, pizzas.”

“Yup. That’s why I’m here, but...”

Choi Yeon-Ha’s head slowly, oh-so-slowly, turned toward a specific table inside the dining area. Her movement was shockingly elegant and practiced, too!

“...I didn't think I'd run into familiar faces tonight. Such. A. Coincidence. Don’t you think?”

Cold sweat began trickling down Ju Yeong-Gi’s forehead.

1. “Hwajang” is the Hangul for makeup. I’ll be honest, I tried but couldn't make this Konglish joke work in English. Sorry. ☜