Chapter 11

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Jung Ki-shi remained silent for a few seconds, then turned his gaze toward the window, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "What kind of joke is that?" he murmured. "How could I possibly like her?" He paused before adding, "Yoon Hee-woo… to me, she’s just a kid."

Ten years younger, exaggerating slightly wasn’t too much. Kwon Hyuk-woo smirked but didn’t argue. There’s a saying in China, what was it again? "No need to hide silver in this place," or something like that.

Did Jung Ki-shi really not understand?

He wasn’t some inexperienced young man; of course, he knew. But... let’s say he was just an older man having a moment of conscience. Someone as simple and pure as Yoon Hee-woo—how could he possibly be worthy of her?

The older he got, the more timid he became in matters of the heart. Jung Ki-shi lacked the confidence to be the one who could give her happiness.

On the day of recording “Transfer 2,” to fit the image for the soon-to-air drama “One Day,” Yoon Hee-woo chose a very schoolgirl-like light blue square-neck dress. Her mid-length hair fell softly over her shoulders, and she wore a light apricot cardigan over it. She looked gentle and fresh, a striking contrast to the vivid, retro style she’d worn on the previous show.

This episode featured the ex of Female Guest No. 6, joined by Male Guest No. 6, Jung Hyun-gyu. Unlike the previous amateur male guests, this top student from Seoul National University was a handsome flower boy. However, his overly simple styling and hairstyle lent him an almost endearingly clueless air.

The guest seats in the studio remained in the same order as the last episode. Jung Ki-shi and Yoon Hee-woo sat together on the central sofa. Coincidentally, the guest fly-in this time was Loco, whom they had both met the day before.

After work last night, Yoon Hee-woo had deliberately searched for Loco online and learned that both he and Jung Ki-shi were artists under AOMG. Since they had already met, when they saw Loco again today, she nodded and smiled slightly at him, nearly sending Kwon Hyuk-woo, who was secretly a fan, into a frenzy.

Jung Ki-shi’s gaze briefly and discreetly swept over her before quickly retracting. Yoon Hee-woo didn’t get a chance to say much more to him before the producer’s call to start was heard. She sat down reluctantly.

Jung Ki-shi had a strong sense of variety show dynamics, which was why his previous show “I Alone” had achieved great success. He was also good at creating moments on “Transfer,” like when the newly introduced Male Guest No. 6, Jung Hyun-gyu, boldly approached Female Guest No. 5, Chae Ha-eun.

"Just so you know… I remember your name," he said.

"Um… Ha-eun unnie," he added.

The amateur guests on screen cheered excitedly at Jung Hyun-gyu’s straightforward approach. The studio audience echoed the excitement. Jung Ki-shi, in a girlish manner, covered both sides of his cheeks with his hands, his cheekbones rising. “Wow… what’s this?”

Yoon Hee-woo’s eyes widened with excitement. She had always liked Female Guest No. 5, Ha-eun, and had even been annoyed with Male Guest No. 1, Kwi-min, for making her cry so often. This had become a source of amusement for viewers. Luckily, everyone seemed to share her perspective; otherwise, her reactions on the show might have drawn harsh criticism from haters.

On TV, Jung Hyun-gyu’s direct quote continued: “See you tomorrow, noona.”

"Wow... that look and smile, and he said ‘see you tomorrow’," Jung Ki-shi’s fondness and fluttering heart didn’t seem feigned; he even asked, “Shall we watch it again?”

Yoon Hee-woo, sitting nearby, was happy but not particularly impressed. She glanced at him curiously. Did he really like this style?

After the recording ended, Lim Hye-jin drove over first. When Yoon Hee-woo received the call, she obediently said goodbye with the others. Jung Ki-shi stood a little away from the group. She looked around but didn’t see Loco, who had come with him.

Hesitating for a moment, Yoon Hee-woo slung her backpack over her shoulders and trotted over. To match her outfit today, she carried a schoolgirl-style backpack, looking every bit like a high school student.

“Ki-shi oppa!”

Jung Ki-shi seemed lost in thought. When he heard her voice, his eyes briefly unfocused but quickly sharpened as he looked back, softly murmuring, “Hmm.”

Yoon Hee-woo felt her intuition wasn’t wrong. She was very clear about whether he liked her; she just didn’t understand why he hesitated.

“See you next time, oppa.”

She waved, beaming broadly without reserve, then turned and ran off swiftly.

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Jung Ki-shi stared blankly at her retreating figure, only realizing after a long moment that she seemed to be mimicking Jung Hyun-gyu. Upon this realization, a reluctant yet amused smile pulled at his lips.

“See you next time, oppa~~” a voice teasingly rang in his ears, half-pitched.

Jung Ki-shi’s smile vanished instantly, and he made a disgusted retching gesture. “Do you want to die?”

Kwon Hyuk-woo shook the water from his hand and said softly, “Bro, the fact that Hee-woo likes you is even harder for me to accept than you liking her.”

“So?”

“Then it’s a showdown!”

Jung Ki-shi mercilessly rapped the back of his head. “Showdown my foot...”

He muttered under his breath as he turned and walked quickly, as if trying to hide the increasingly loud pounding of his heart.

Hee-woo likes him?

Impossible.

Yet, she seemed unusually proactive toward him. Jung Ki-shi was suspicious, then immediately dismissed the thought. This kid smiled at everyone like it was free. But she had deliberately learned to say things like Hyun-gyu did. Surely she wasn’t just joking? Besides, she often messaged him and sent selfies. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed likely.

Perhaps she really did have a little something for him…?

By now, Jung Ki-shi had completely forgotten that just the day before, he had firmly resolved never to trouble this fresh little cabbage named Yoon Hee-woo.

This episode of “Transfer” also sparked heated discussions online. If the initial buzz was partly due to the previous season’s good reputation and the addition of new guest Yoon Hee-woo, then as viewership climbed, Female Guest No. 5, Chae Ha-eun, was undoubtedly the biggest contributor.

She may not have been the most beautiful female lead in all romance variety shows, but every sincere gesture and every tear she shed deeply moved the audience. This was also why Male Guest No. 1, Kwi-min, drew so much criticism and even landed on trending searches.

Her struggle to decisively let go of her ex was made dramatically poignant by the appearance of Male Guest No. 6, Jung Hyun-gyu, who played the part of the younger savior straight out of a romantic drama. His bold moves struck a chord with Jung Ki-shi and millions of viewers alike.

[Male Guest No. 6, Hyun-gyu? Isn’t he a little too handsome?]

[When he said “See you tomorrow, noona,” my expression was exactly like Saemongdi’s.]

[Aaaaaah, so heart-fluttering! But... could it be scripted? Ha-eun was so pitiful when this younger guy came to save her.]

[Even if it’s scripted, I’m here for it. So ship-worthy.]

[Did anyone notice Hee-woo’s expression? Hilarious. When 3D screamed, she looked like she was thinking, “What’s there to get excited about?” I died laughing.]

[Because Hee-woo is a straightforward puppy, she’s not surprised. She even smiled when Hyun-gyu chose Ha-eun.]

[Hee-woo’s look this episode is so pretty—pure and gentle.]

[It must be styled for the new drama “One Day,” which is about to air. Everyone, let’s go support Hee-woo’s first leading role.]

In early October, “One Day” premiered. School dramas usually don’t draw high ratings—there’s no helping that since different genres attract different age groups. The most loyal viewers of TV dramas tend to be housewives in their thirties and beyond, and perhaps older middle-aged viewers as well. That’s one reason “Sky Castle” was such a hit.

Thus, the first two episodes of “One Day” didn’t achieve outstanding ratings, falling short of “Crash Landing on You.” Nevertheless, it quickly rose to second place among its contemporaries, and several trending topics related to the show appeared on Naver.

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[I’m dying from how cute Eun Dan-wu is TT. Haven’t seen such a lively female lead character in a long time. The director’s shots, especially the slow-motion ones, are gorgeous—perfect for wallpapers.]

[I’m absolutely sure Hee-woo is the best actress I’ve ever seen for playing a high school student!]

[Her little expressions never feel awkward; they’re actually quite interesting.]

[Where’s Kim Ro-yoon?? Our male lead is so big, but I’ve never seen him appear two episodes in.]

[Actually, I wouldn’t mind Dan-wu x Nam-joo, hehe.]

[Does no one think Dan-wu and Joo-da are also a great ship?]

[Then I choose all Dan-wu ships~]

[Haru, hurry up and come back, or your wife will be gone.]

With the boost from trending topics, episodes 3 and 4, aired the next day, saw a significant ratings increase, reaching 8.74%. At the end of episode 4, Haru, played by Kim Ro-yoon, finally made his long-awaited appearance. The scene was exactly as shown in the trailer: Eun Dan-wu falls down the stairs and is suddenly caught on his back by a mysterious young man. They lock eyes as the screen freezes, and the ending theme begins.

[That’s it???]

[So cruel TT, I waited for so long.]

[Have to wait another week; my heart is broken.]

[Dan-wu and Haru only met briefly in episode 4. At this pace, no kiss by episode 8. Sigh.]

[But Hee-woo and Kim Ro-yoon have such strong chemistry! Just from their eye contact, I’m already overwhelmed with sweetness. School dramas really need handsome leads to be perfect~]

[Hee-woo’s height makes it hard to pull off that chemistry, but thankfully Kim Ro-yoon is tall enough.]

Jung Ki-shi, having just finished watching four episodes, scrolled through online comments. The more he read, the darker his expression grew. How did fans come to only care about shipping couples? Was the drama’s focus really about pairing? What a lack of appreciation.

His gaze stopped on the latest comment, and he ground his teeth.

Meanwhile, at the gym where CEO Park was lifting weights, a message arrived.

[Is it possible to have a second growth spurt at 35?]

Park Jae-beom, with the expression of an old man on the subway staring at his phone, pondered for a while before replying with a question mark.

Jung Ki-shi: [I mean, if I work hard at fitness and exercise now, is there a chance I can still grow taller?]

Park Jae-beom stroked his chin, firmly believing there was no boss in the world easier to talk to than himself.

[Why don’t you take a look at me?]