EVEN THOUGH Park Seoham had seen Joo Woori's living condition with his own eyes, he still couldn't believe it.
Hence, he asked for the help of CEO Kim Yisook.
She's the boss of my agency.
Park Seoham, who didn't have any filming schedule that day, went to their office to meet Kim Yisook.
The things you make me do, Joo Woori.
"I asked Woori-ssi to send me her resume, and this is what she sent me," CEO Kim Yisook said while handing Park Seoham a single piece of paper. "That's all we got from her."
Park Seoham scanned the resume.
He felt a pang in his heart when he realized that Joo Woori didn't even finish high school.
I shouldn't be surprised since she dropped out of school before our graduation.
But Park Seoham fully expected Joo Woori to finish her education overseas since her whole family flew to the US back then.
However, Joo Woori's resume showed she got her high school diploma through taking GED. Moreover, Joo Woori didn't go to college either. So, Joo Woori's GED certificate was the highest level of education that she got.
I can't believe this…
"I've already verified all the information that Woori-ssi put on her resume," Kim Yisook said, sipping her coffee. "And I found out a little bit of her past. You said she fled to the US with her family before your high school graduation, right?"
"Yes, that's what I remember."
"Well, I found out that Woori-ssi actually returned to Korea when she was twenty years old— two years after she left the country. That was when she took the GED."
"She came back alone?"
"Yes, alone," Kim Yisook said while nodding. "She has been living alone ever since she returned to the country. And she's been working different part-time jobs since her return."
Part-time jobs?
Joo Woori?
"How about painting?" Park Seoham asked curiously. "Her part-time jobs must have been related to painting. That's all she knows, after all."
"You're being a little harsh towards Woori-ssi," Kim Yisook scolded him. "No, Woori-ssi's previous part-time jobs had nothing to do with painting. She worked in different cafés as a barista, a cashier in convenience stores, a bartender, a lunch lady in an elementary school, a promodiser in a grocery store, a waitress in a family restaurant, and she even worked as a female diver in Jeju Island."
Park Seoham shut his eyes tight.
Why did you have to do all those exhausting jobs, Joo Woori?
"Woori-ssi's work experience is impressive— she never stopped working ever since she returned to Korea."
Park Seoham opened his eyes, scoffing. "Her life would have been easier had she used her pretty face. If she didn't want to be an actress, she could have become a model. Or, at least, an influencer. That way, she could have earned money easily."
"Seoham-ssi, don't forget that Woori-ssi is the daughter of two notorious scammers who earned the wrath of the entire country at the time. She was already a young adult when the scandal happened. I'm sure people would have recognized her had she decided to become a celebrity just two years after her family fled the country."
Oh, right.
Now Park Seoham felt silly for even thinking that.
Even so, he still felt annoyed.
Those jobs don't suit Joo Woori.
"Woori-ssi stopped doing those odd jobs when she became Artist Jeans' assistant," Kim Yisook said, putting down the cup on the table. "Are you worried about Woori-ssi?"
"I'm not worried about Joo Woori," Park Seoham said firmly. "I was just curious about her lifestyle. And I see that she has rightfully fallen from grace."
"Are you happy about Woori-ssi's downfall?"
"Why wouldn't I be happy? She deserved that."
"I see," Kim Yisook said, pausing for a moment. "I don't agree with punishing the daughter for her parents' sins, but I don't have the right to stop you from exacting your revenge. I just hope you don't regret it in the end, Seoham-ssi."
"Why would I regret it?" Park Seoham scoffed again. "I want to see Joo Woori suffer until I'm satisfied."
***
AS EXPECTED, you haven't changed at all, Joo Woori— you're still as tardy as ever.
That was Park Seoham was thinking when he saw Joo Woori leave the village thirty minutes before his 'call time.'
Last night, he called Joo Woori to tell her to come to the office at 9AM sharp.
But it was already 8:30AM, and it would take forty minutes to get to the Blue Diamond Agency from there via bus.
And it seems like she isn't in a hurry.
Park Seoham, driving an average car on his own, followed Joo Woori.
Instead of going to the bus stop, she actually went to the convenience store first. There was one outside the village.
Yep— she's totally not in a hurry.
Fortunately, there was a parking space right across the convenience store.
Park Seoham watched Joo Woori walk around inside, grabbing an onigiri and a banana milk from the shelves.
What?
She knows how to eat onigiri now?
After paying, Joo Woori came out of the convenience store. And then she sat at the table outside, the one with an umbrella.
Then she began unwrapping her onigiri perfectly.
"Did she practice?!" Park Seoham asked in disbelief, even though he was talking to no one. "She's good at unwrapping onigiri now."
He remembered it was him who introduced Joo Woori to convenience stores.
Back then, she wasn't good at unwrapping onigiris.
But, now, Joo Woori looked like she had only been eating onigiris all her life.
Moreover…
"Slow down. You're eating like someone is going to snatch your food from you," Park Seoham scolded Joo Woori. "And you used to be a slow eater…"
Not only was Joo Woori used to be a slow eater, but she was also picky.
I used to eat all her leftovers.
But, now, Joo Woori wolfed down three onigiris in under five minutes.
Aigoo.
And then Joo Woori gulped down the banana milk in just one go.
You're eating well.
Park Seoham let out a frustrated sigh.
It was frustrating how he couldn't celebrate Joo Woori's downfall properly.
Moreover…
Why does she still make me worry about her?
***
I'M LATE.
Woori was all smiles when she arrived at the office late.
Park Seoham called last night and told her to come at 9AM sharp.
However, it was already 9:30AM by the time she came.
I bet Park Seoham is mad as hell now.
"You're late, Joo Woori."
Ahem.
Woori put on a serious face when she entered the conference room where Park Seoham was waiting for her.
Of course, she tried to look sorry.
But she wasn't confident in acting, so she bowed her head politely.
"I'm sorry for being late, sir. If this tardiness is unacceptable, then I'll take responsibility by quitting—"
"Drop the act, Joo Woori— I'm not firing you just because you're late."
Tsk.
"Raise your head."
Woori rolled her eyes before lifting her head.
"I know what you're doing, and I'm telling you now that it won't work," Park Seoham said coldly. "You can't make me fire you, Joo Woori."
Tsk.
Woori thought she was going crazy.
Why does Park Seoham know me so well?
***
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