If I Don’t Earn 1 Trillion Won, My Regression Ends - Chapter 46

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 46

 

Having spent so many years together, his friends weren’t unaware of Bae Tae-ak’s nature.

 

Bae Tae-ak seemed easy to get along with, but he was actually a typical arrogant young master.

 

He absolutely refused to do anything he didn’t want to do, and never bothered to save face for anyone out of courtesy.

 

Whenever Bae Tae-ak spouted unfiltered harsh words, the teachers would click their tongues, saying he was exactly like his sharp-tongued uncle.

 

And they were attaching a kid who was six years younger, not just one or two years, to such a guy?

 

Acting classes were different from regular classes.

 

Since 99% was practical work, if there was only one other person taking lessons together, they automatically became partners.

 

His friends even made secret bets about how long Bae Tae-ak would tolerate his little partner.

 

But as days passed and passed, it had already been a month.

 

Everyone had enough time to gradually notice that something was different.

 

“How did you end up taking classes with her?”

 

‘How did I end up…’

 

Bae Tae-ak’s expression became wistful as he recalled a month ago.

 

It was right after his third uncle had returned from a drive with Seosing-a. When they ran into each other on the stairs, his uncle made a strange expression upon seeing him.

 

“Oh? Uncle! You’re back now? How did it go, did things work out well? That kid goes to Yewon?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Oh~ Great! What’s with that kid? If I knew one drive would be enough, I would have taken her around ages ago. I was the only one struggling for nothing. This is all your nephew’s achievement, Uncle. Remember that! Make sure you do!”

 

“1 billion won.”

 

“What?”

 

“It cost 1 billion won, that drive.”

 

“…?”

 

“I’ll never forget it, nephew.”

 

“…What? No, wait- You’re joking, right?”

 

“Does it sound like a joke?”

 

“Ah, no…”

 

“Sing-a’s classes will be just you two together. Always remember this uncle’s 1 billion won that was spent thanks to your achievement. If you waste it, this petty uncle might want to kick out the family member who can’t earn a single won.”

 

“…!”

 

Bae Tae-ak wasn’t completely stupid either.

 

His uncle’s purpose in attaching Seosing-a to him was crystal clear.

 

Using ‘Bae Seo-nyeok’s nephew’ as a shield to hide Seosing-a, and using him, who resembled Bae Seo-nyeok, as a whetstone to make Seosing-a familiar with her future co-star.

 

A shield and a whetstone.

 

It was a highly calculated move, and considering the care Bae Seo-nyeok was putting into this, it might really be worth more than 1 billion won.

 

Being used as a chess piece in this expensive and dizzying grand game, Bae Tae-ak couldn’t help but have complicated feelings whenever he saw Seosing-a.

 

“Your uncle is really too much. How could he attach a clueless rookie kid to Tae-ak?”

 

“That CF was a huge hit. Anyway, she’s debuted, so she’s different from unknown nobodies like us.”

 

Bae Tae-ak snapped back to attention.

 

While he was briefly lost in other thoughts, his friends’ conversation had drifted far away.

 

“Then she’ll just keep doing CFs. Why would she want to act and cause trouble for poor Tae-ak too?”

 

“Director Ham Gyeong-seok and Senior Bae Seo-nyeok are close. Maybe Senior had no choice but to do it for the director’s sake?”

 

“The two of them are close?”

 

“Tae-ak mentioned it. Director Ham Gyeong-seok used to be Director Haemun’s assistant director. So the three of them are close.”

 

“So she’s grabbing onto Ham Gyeong-seok’s connection to climb up to Senior Bae Seo-nyeok and even Director Haemun?”

 

“Why Director Haemun?”

 

“Haven’t you heard the rumors? The female lead in Director Haemun’s next project is a child role. The male lead is already confirmed to be Senior Bae Seo-nyeok. At this timing, she’s clinging to Tae-ak for lessons – isn’t her aim obvious?”

 

“No way. Is she really that shameless?”

 

Just because they’re male doesn’t mean they don’t get jealous.

 

Even if she wasn’t a direct competitor due to different gender, weren’t they all struggling aspiring actors at the bottom?

 

If someone clearly seemed to be climbing up above them, it was human psychology to want to pull them down.

 

Bae Tae-ak was used to such topics.

 

Listening to rumors, mocking someone, chattering like chewing on snacks – these were utterly routine activities at Yewon. But.

 

“Stop chattering, damn it. You’re noisy.”

 

Why was it so irritating today?

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

His flustered friends exchanged glances among themselves.

 

Bae Tae-ak became even more annoyed at their pathetic behavior. He even thought these guys really weren’t acting their age.

 

This young master had completely forgotten that he had similarly badmouthed Seosing-a in front of his uncle last year, and they just looked like petty people jealous of a child.

 

“If a kid is learning, just think ‘good for her’ and ‘how admirable.’ What’s all this talk about being shameless and having ulterior motives? Where would a nine-year-old get such scheming brains?”

 

“No, we were just-”

 

“Enough. Stop talking. Seosing-a was just forcibly brought here by my uncle. She had no intention of acting. To Bae Seo-nyeok, she’s a more important niece than me, so what would you guys know?”

 

When Bae Tae-ak grumbled in displeasure, his friends tactfully laughed and lightened the mood.

 

“He treats her like a niece? We didn’t know that, man!”

 

“You should have said so~ Who knows better than us how much Senior cherishes his nephew? So she’s in the same situation as you.”

 

“Right. If he’s taking care of her the way he treats Tae-ak…”

 

His friend trailed off, but everyone understood.

 

She probably isn’t serious about it either.

 

Another Bae Tae-ak.

 

“…”

 

Of course, Bae Tae-ak understood too.

 

There was nothing to clarify. Rather, he had somewhat encouraged this perception to spread.

 

Unlike his uncle Bae Seo-nyeok, who was called a natural acting genius, Bae Tae-ak lacked talent in this area.

 

So contrary to his ambitious inner feelings, he always acted as if he lacked enthusiasm, and behaved as if he could quit anytime in front of others.

 

“…She’s different.”

 

“What? What did you say, Tae-ak?”

 

“Nothing. Never mind.”

 

Bae Tae-ak had no way to relieve his frustrated feelings.

 

That kid didn’t even know why she was receiving lessons. The fact that Director Haemun and his uncle had their eyes on her was still confidential.

 

But Seosing-a was different from him.

 

Watching Seosing-a from the closest distance over the past month, he was vaguely beginning to understand why the adults had to lead her down this path.

 

While knowing nothing, Seosing-a learned in 10 minutes what took him 100 minutes to learn, and while he practiced for 10 minutes, she stayed behind alone to practice for 100 minutes.

 

Terrible talent, and a terribly diligent practice bug.

 

Bae Tae-ak often found himself staring blankly at the child he had thought was ordinary except for being pretty, and had even looked down upon.

 

He sometimes suspected and subtly tested whether she was working so hard because she had caught onto something…

 

“Why are you working so hard?”

 

“Just because. Wouldn’t you feel anxious otherwise?”

 

“Anxious about what? Is someone chasing you? Be honest. Seosing-a. Do you know something?”

 

“Know what?”

 

“Really not? You’re just working hard?”

 

Seosing-a smiled. It was a mysterious expression.

 

“I’m always like this. I’ve always lived diligently. It’s just that before, no one knew about it like you do now, oppa.”

 

Bae Tae-ak later learned through his uncle that Seosing-a read five different newspapers every morning without missing a single day, analyzed two economic magazines weekly, and attended ballet academy and essay-type reading groups.

 

She’s just nine years old!

 

‘What was I doing at that age?’

 

Shield and whetstone? Bae Seo-nyeok and Haemun?

 

Would she even care about such things? Would she even have time for that?

 

Seosing-a was just a kid living fiercely and intensely like crazy.

 

Bae Tae-ak didn’t even have the energy left to hate her.

 

Watching Seosing-a next to him, soaked in sweat and exhausted, he found himself being convinced more and more…

 

His feelings were truly complicated.

 

“Huh? Isn’t that Namihee over there?”

 

“She’s coming this way. Shh.”

 

His friends’ voices cut off.

 

The fact that Namihee was following Bae Tae-ak around, targeting Director Haemun’s next project, wasn’t a secret at Yewon.

 

Though it seemed like it was becoming a non-issue since Seosing-a arrived and Bae Tae-ak only hung around with Seosing-a.

 

“Senior. Hello. Have you seen Sing-a by any chance?”

 

“Why are you asking me about her?”

 

Namihee smiled good-naturedly and engaged earnestly in conversation, but Bae Tae-ak remained consistently sullen throughout.

 

When the cold treatment of not even looking at her continued, Namihee finally couldn’t stand it anymore and left first.

 

As she walked away, his friends smiled meaningfully.

 

“Oh~ Bae Tae-ja~. I didn’t know you had a sister complex?”

 

“I heard Senior Seo-nyeok treats her like a niece, but what’s this? Are you really planning to become siblings with Seosing-a? You’re really looking out for her.”

 

“What are you talking about.”

 

“Don’t play dumb. You didn’t originally dislike Namihee this much. Even when she was chasing you around, you just ran away.”

 

“Right. You’re doing this because Namihee is messing with Seosing-a, aren’t you?”

 

Bae Tae-ak suddenly frowned deeply. Disgust welled up inside him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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