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Turning adversity into opportunity.

No other words were needed to express Hwang Ji-hyeok’s current situation.

“Wow… you really sing well.”

“Who taught you?”

Even though it was the first time seeing the sheet music and lyrics today, there were no hiccups. Just by listening to the guide recording a few times, Ha-eun flawlessly handled her featuring part.

“Ji-hyeok, do you want feedback or something?”

“I’m too busy enjoying this. Honestly, I don’t think there’s much to give feedback on.”

At this point, it was somewhat puzzling. Why didn’t the talented vocalist like Ha-eun even consider recruiting her?

If only he had introduced Ha-eun a bit earlier, he wouldn’t have had to go through all that mental turmoil.

Unbeknownst to Hwang Ji-hyeok, who was unaware that Ha-eun had been reluctant about her singer activities, this was just a letdown.

However, as the night grew darker, even Hwang Ji-hyeok couldn’t hold onto Ha-eun any longer.

“I’ll finish recording the remaining parts next time. Is that okay?”

“Oh, yes! See you next time!”

And just like that, clank.

The heavy iron door of the studio, where he had just said goodbye to Ha-eun, lightly closed.

It was right after that he started replaying the recording of the final song featuring Ha-eun. He imagined her standing on stage as he envisioned the performance for the finals, which included the ‘singer Pinocchio.’

Anyway, the stage performance was also part of the evaluation.

Just the plot twist of the rookie singer Pinocchio being a famous actress was probably enough for a stellar performance, but…

“Trying to win just by the featuring singer’s popularity is quite the theft mentality.”

As the main character in this final, Hwang Ji-hyeok was determined to do his very best. He could easily slip into being ‘feat. Hwang Ji-hyeok’ instead of ‘feat. Pinocchio.’

Ultimately, Hwang Ji-hyeok left Doubly’s studio around 4 AM.

Still, he wasn’t tired at all.

“I’m so excited I could burst!”

He couldn’t stop imagining the final stage he would share with Ha-eun. Just a day before, worries and concerns that had filled his head had vanished in an instant.

***

With Ha-eun featuring on Hwang Ji-hyeok’s <SIT ON THE MONEY> final song, her schedule got a bit busier. There was a lot more to do than just recording the featuring part.

This was Ha-eun’s first time performing on stage as a singer.

Though she didn’t have to prepare choreography, she needed to practice her stage movements in advance.

“A live debut stage on a broadcast…”

Mistakes in a live broadcast like the finals of <SIT ON THE MONEY> could lead to disaster. The impact of a mistake during a drama shoot was on a different level.

In a drama shoot like “Moonlight Cutting Through the Clouds,” if something went wrong, you could just start from the top again.

However, an NG in a live broadcast could result in a broadcast accident.

The moment a broadcast accident occurs, it would likely be forever preserved on the internet as screenshots or gifs.

In other words, the image of ‘Lee Ha-eun’ would plunge into the abyss.

Thus, practicing synchronizing with the dancers who would share the final stage with Ha-eun was absolutely necessary. There must not be a mix-up in Ha-eun and the dancers’ movements on the day of the <SIT ON THE MONEY> finals.

However, somehow, the number of people who realized that Pinocchio was Ha-eun had risen to nearly a dozen.

– Glance.

– Glance, glance.

“…This is stressful.”

She had to keep facing bewildered and half-surprised gazes.

No one was openly revealing Pinocchio’s real identity, but the curious stares towards Ha-eun’s existence were hard to get used to.

Still, overall, things were going smoothly.

The meeting with the <SIT ON THE MONEY> PD for Ha-eun’s appearance as a featuring singer on the finals went well.

Though, there was a constant concern in her mind about Ha-eun’s ‘voice’ being more exposed due to this final appearance.

“Still, I should at least… say something.”

To the people from Fantasy Town.

Especially to Ji Hye-min, she decided to inform in advance about Ha-eun’s participation in the <SIT ON THE MONEY> finals.

To be precise, the contract with Ji Hye-min was for the virtual YouTuber Dia.

Legally speaking, actress Lee Ha-eun had no connection to Ji Hye-min.

However, since Ha-eun’s appearance in the finals could affect Dia, it was only right to seek prior understanding from Ji Hye-min, the overall manager of Fantasy Town.

Setting up the meeting with Ji Hye-min was a natural extension of that thought.

Well, although it was called a meeting,

In reality, it just meant chatting for two or three hours at Ji Hye-min’s house.

Time passed, and finally, the day of the meeting with Ji Hye-min arrived.

Ha-eun said,

“Huh? What’s this?”

“Oh, it’s just that I felt weird coming empty-handed…”

She brought a fruit gift set, one you’d more likely exchange during the holidays.

Of course, Ha-eun’s gift was appreciated, though it caught Ji Hye-min off guard because it seemed not to match Ha-eun’s young age.

Anyway, since they promised to talk, he thought he should first ask Ha-eun what she wanted to discuss.

“Is it a serious topic?”

“Well… it’s a bit ambiguous.”

“?”

Right after, Ha-eun took her phone out of her pocket.

She seemed to be searching for something.

“───♪ ──♪─♪”

She began playing a song that sounded familiar.

For some reason, she had a cautious expression, as if gauging Ji Hye-min’s reaction.

“Hey? Isn’t this a song by Doubly?”

The moment Ji Hye-min figured out what the song Ha-eun played was.

“So, do you happen to know who featured in it…?”

Was a question that Ha-eun posed, not really understanding its meaning.

In response, Ji Hye-min honestly answered that while he remembered the voice, he didn’t know whose voice it was.

And just a few seconds later, for some reason, Ha-eun, whose expression had suddenly grown serious, said.

“It’s me.”

“Uh? What do you mean?”

“I’m the one who featured in this song.”

“…Huh?”

She revealed that the ‘Pinocchio’ who featured in Doubly’s 10th album title track “Tunnel” was the same as Ha-eun.

Honestly, at first, Ji Hye-min thought it was a joke.

However, due to the lack of any mischievousness in Ha-eun’s expression or voice, it dawned on him.

“I’m also going to be on the finals of <SIT ON THE MONEY>. As a featuring artist for a rapper named Hwang Ji-hyeok.”

The news about her participation in the well-known hip-hop survival show was also serious.

But he still didn’t understand why she was telling Ji Hye-min about this.

“Ah, uh… Congratulations! <SIT ON THE MONEY> is a super famous program.”

“…Thank you.”

Her calm voice was just like any other day. But the shadow on her face was something he had never seen before.

Without meaning to, he spoke up.

“Uh, Ha-eun. Do you perhaps have any worries…?”

He directly asked why she looked so gloomy.

“Well, the thing is…”

What followed was Ha-eun’s cautious voice about how her participation in the finals might affect ‘virtual YouTuber Dia’.

And she sincerely apologized for the possibility that it might affect activities in Fantasy Town.

Truthfully, Ji Hye-min also agreed there was a chance Dia’s identity could get exposed.

However, thinking it wasn’t that serious of a matter, he said.

“Uh, Ha-eun. I understand your concerns, but… I don’t think you need to feel this sorry.”

He began to comfort her.

Then he added a few suggestions of how to further keep Pinocchio’s identity concealed.

“If you’re really worried about your identity being revealed, can’t you wear a mask or something?”

“I’ve thought about it, but… if I hide my identity even on a live stage, it might draw more attention.”

The situation where singer Pinocchio was going to be on the finals of <SIT ON THE MONEY> was set.

This meant that Pinocchio would once more become a topic of attention.

Instead of continuing to hide Pinocchio’s identity, it would be better to reveal it properly.

Otherwise, it could backfire.

The only clue to guessing the identity of a ‘faceless singer’ like Pinocchio was her voice.

In other words, the more people tried to pry into Pinocchio’s identity, the more attention Ha-eun’s voice would receive.

Thus, he aimed to ensure that there would be no reason for Ha-eun’s voice to remain in the spotlight.

“It’s better for me as a person to be the center of attention than my voice.”

“…Now that you mention it, it makes sense.”

Regardless, he had no intention of interfering with Ha-eun’s activities as a singer, even a little bit.

He continued to comfort her, advising her not to worry too much about her appearance in <SIT ON THE MONEY>.

He also added he was looking forward to her singing.

“Ha-eun, your featuring part sounded really great. Don’t waste such a beautiful voice. That would be a shame.”

“…Yes.”

About ten minutes after that, the black van belonging to Joo Jung-yoon arrived near Ji Hye-min’s house.

Ha-eun waved lightly as she vanished beyond the front door, preparing to leave.

However, Ji Hye-min was quite surprised to find out that Ha-eun was indeed Pinocchio.

“───♪ ──♪─♪”

He began to enjoy Ha-eun’s song again through the Bluetooth speaker placed in the living room.

Knowing it was her voice, it sounded even better.

***

It was just under a week until the finals of <SIT ON THE MONEY>.

At the same time, it was August on the day of the third highlight shooting for <Moonlight Cutting Through the Clouds>.

“Please bear with the ticklish feeling for a moment~.”

As usual, Ha-eun walked towards the makeup room but found herself doing a slightly unfamiliar type of makeup today.

This was because the scene she was going to shoot today was not of a warrior, but of a ‘dancer.’

Instead of the rough appearance of a bodyguard, she was to show her feminine side as a dancer.

With delicate makeup enhancing her eyes, she radiated subtle elegance.

Her outfit wasn’t the black attire of the warrior, but rather a cherry blossom colored jeogori and skirt.

Her hair, which she had been letting down, was neatly tied up, creating an aura of grace reflected in the mirror.

Thus, at that moment, she was fully prepared to reveal the beautiful image of Yeo-wol from <Moonlight Cutting Through the Clouds>.

– Knock knock.

A few knocks echoed in Ha-eun’s ears.

When she turned, it was Kim Jin-soo, Dayun’s manager.

“Hey, Ha-eun. Could you spare me a moment? It wouldn’t take long.”

“Oh, sure.”

There was still quite a bit of time left before shooting began.

Having stuck around Dayun for a long time, she had grown familiar with Dayun’s manager, Kim Jin-soo, and readily accepted his request.

However, the conversation that followed from Kim Jin-soo wasn’t that light.

“It seems like Dayun isn’t feeling too well. She’s not telling me what’s wrong.”

It wasn’t too light, causing concern.

“Since today’s Dayun’s birthday… please talk to her and wish her a happy birthday after the shoot.”

He couldn’t mention that Ha-eun had been intentionally avoiding Dayun.

In return,

“Then could you get a cake? And please keep it a secret from Dayun.”

“Sure.”

She requested a small cake for a surprise birthday party.

She had a foreboding feeling that leaving Dayun alone any longer might not be a good idea.