It is a part of job

The set was buzzing with activity. Stylists darted back and forth, makeup artists adjusted their brushes, and cameras clicked incessantly under the bright studio lights.

Sungjun sat alone in a corner, his mask and cap obscuring most of his face as he scanned the contract sent by the management. The figures were impressive—68 million won a year, an amount closer to that of a mid-level talent manager rather than a road manager. Well, he expected that much, considering how the CEO treated him later on.

A shadow then fell over him.

"Sungjun-ssi?"

He looked up, eyes meeting a young woman in her 20s standing before him. She had sharp yet pleasant features, her hair tied back into a neat ponytail.

"I'm Kim Yuna," she introduced herself with a polite bow. "A fellow road manager."

Sungjun gave a small nod. "Hello."

"Sae-ri-nim wants to treat everyone," Yuna continued, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Iced Americanos and snacks. I was told to bring you along."

Sungjun hesitated for a moment before pocketing his phone and standing up. "Alright. Let's go."

The café they stopped at was modern and sleek, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. Yuna placed the order—eight iced Americanos, five lattes, two cappuccinos, and two mochas. The cashier moved swiftly, preparing the drinks while Yuna wandered over to the pastry display.

She stared at the selection, her brows slightly furrowed.

"What's wrong?" Sungjun asked, noticing her hesitation.

Yuna sighed, biting her lip. "I, uh… forgot to ask exactly what kind of snacks to get. I was supposed to get croissants for Sae-ri-nim, but they aren't available? And I didn't ask Sangwoo-oppa what to substitute them with, in case they weren't available."

She glanced at her phone and dialed the manager's number, but the line was busy.

Sungjun observed her for a moment before replying. "Give me a second." He held up a hand, signaling Yuna to wait. With his other hand, he slipped his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.

"Hmm?"

Yuna watched, curious. His demeanor remained calm as he called someone.

"Noona," Sungjun spoke as soon as the call connected. "They don't have croissants. What do you want instead?"

On the other end, Sae-ri's voice came through, casual but firm. "Bagels."

Sungjun nodded. "Got it." He ended the call and turned to Yuna. "Get bagels."

Yuna's eyes widened slightly. "Wait… was that Sae-ri-nim just now?"

"Yeah."

Yuna stared at him as if she were trying to process something. "You have her number?"

Sungjun merely nodded again, unfazed. "Yes."

Yuna hesitated before giving a small, intrigued smile. "Huh… interesting."

Sungjun raised a brow. "Just buy the bagels."

She chuckled and nodded, adding bagels to the order along with a few packs of rice cakes.

Back at the set, the two returned with a large coffee carrier, each cup neatly placed in its slot, along with bags of snacks. Yuna took charge of distribution, checking the list as she handed out drinks—iced Americanos, lattes, cappuccinos, and mochas.

Sungjun, without a word, helped distribute the snacks. It was a simple, repetitive task—something he had never done in his life. Yet, he did it without hesitation, efficiently moving from one person to another, handing them their orders with a calm demeanor.

From a distance, Sae-ri observed him. Her arms were crossed, her expression unreadable.

Finally, she turned to Manager Sangwoo and pulled him aside.

"Don't give my brother menial tasks like this," she said, her tone sharp but quiet enough that only he could hear.

Sangwoo sighed, rubbing his temple. "Sae-ri-nim, this is part of a road manager's job. If I start giving him preferential treatment, the higher-ups might not like it."

Sae-ri's eyes narrowed. "Do you really think my brother needs this job?"

Sangwoo hesitated. "Uhh…"

Sae-ri stepped closer, her voice lowering. "Or have you forgotten who my father was?"

Sangwoo stiffened.

"Let me tell you one secret," she continued, her tone turning icy. "This entire Genesis Entertainment Town was given to my brother as a part of inheritance. If he decides to issue a vacation notice, half of those 'higher-ups' will be jobless just for the fact that they were displeased at him."

Sangwoo swallowed.

Sae-ri leaned back slightly, exhaling as she regained her composure. "I don't want him doing assistant-level errands just to 'survive' in this field. Give him proper road manager work. Understand?"

Sangwoo nodded slowly. "…Understood." He was absolutely stumped by the change in this actress' attitude. Originally, she was this jovial person one could get along with but when she got angry, he didn't know how to react and can only follow her orders.

Sae-ri gave one last glance toward Sungjun, who continued working with the same composed expression, oblivious to the conversation happening behind his back.

Her grip on her phone tightened.

He doesn't need this job at all.

So why was he doing it and basically lowering himself like this?

She couldn't help but wonder again.

Meanwhile, Manager Sangwoo swallowed hard, nodding repeatedly like a nervous chicken in front of Sae-ri's piercing gaze. Without wasting a second, he hurried over to Sungjun, who was in the middle of handing a coffee cup to a cameraman.

Sungjun raised an eyebrow as Sangwoo grabbed his arm, pulling him aside with an awkward smile. "Sungjun-ssi, you don't have to do this."

Sungjun looked at him blankly. "Why not? I'm a road manager. This is part of the job."

Sangwoo gulped, stealing a glance at Sae-ri, who stood at a distance with a composed smile that somehow felt dangerous. "Just… please don't." Sangwoo pleaded. "Sae-ri-nim will tear me apart if you keep doing this."

Sungjun followed his gaze and locked eyes with Sae-ri. She didn't say anything, just smiled.

He sighed, shaking his head slightly. "I'll talk to her later." He patted Sangwoo's shoulder. "For now, let me do my job."

Before Sangwoo could protest further, Sungjun turned away and continued distributing the coffee, bowing slightly in courtesy as he handed each cup to staff members.

Sae-ri's smile faded as she watched. Her face darkened, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her arm.

Sangwoo returned to her side, wiping nonexistent sweat from his forehead. "He said he'll talk to you later."

Sae-ri sighed. "It's fine. I understand that he wants to do it."

Once the photoshoot wrapped up, the team packed their equipment, and Sae-ri, Sungjun, and Manager Sangwoo left the studio, heading toward their vehicle.

As soon as Sangwoo started the car, his phone suddenly rang. "Excuse me—" he muttered, answering the call. "Hello?"

A few seconds passed, and his expression quickly shifted from casual to tense. "What? When?" He listened intently before sighing. "I understand. I'll be there soon."

He ended the call and turned to face Sae-ri. "Something happened at home. I have to go."

Sae-ri frowned slightly. "Is it serious?"

Sangwoo didn't elaborate, but his urgency was evident. He looked over at Yuna. "You'll have to drive them."

Yuna blinked. "Me?"

"You have a Class 2 license, don't you? You're a road manager—you should be able to drive."

Yuna hesitated for a second but nodded. "Yeah, of course." She stepped out of the passenger seat and moved to the driver's side.

Sangwoo quickly bid farewell to Sae-ri and Sungjun before rushing off.

As Yuna adjusted the seat and started the engine, she glanced at Sae-ri through the rearview mirror. "Fasten your seatbelts, ma'am."

Sae-ri sighed beside him, still brooding over what had happened earlier. But for now, she let it go as the car moved forward.

As the vehicle cruised down the road, Sae-ri turned to Sungjun. "You don't have to wear the mask anymore."

Sungjun nodded and pulled it off.

Yuna, glancing at him through the corner of her eyes, nearly did a double take. She could already see that he had good looks even when he had a mask all along, but his sharp features and well-defined jawline made her pause. He wasn't just handsome—he had a striking presence that wasn't common among road managers.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally asked, "If you don't mind me asking… Sungjun-ssi, why were you wearing a mask?"

Sungjun shrugged, his voice calm. "I can't handle crowds properly. Wearing a mask helps reduce my anxiety."

Sae-ri, who had been watching him from the back, shook her head slightly. 'That lie is actually pretty believable.'

Instead of pressing further, she leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and put on her headphones, immersing herself in music.

Meanwhile, Yuna couldn't shake her curiosity. "So, Sungjun-ssi, have you worked as a road manager before?"

"No. I'm a rookie."

Yuna's eyebrows raised. "A rookie? But… rookies aren't usually assigned to top actresses like Sae-ri-nim."

Sungjun didn't react much. "I guess I got lucky."

Yuna remained silent for a moment before pressing on. "What were you doing before this?"

Sungjun leaned back, looking out the window. "I was part of a legal team back in Russia."

Yuna blinked. "Legal? Like a lawyer?"

"Something like that."

"Then why the sudden career change?"

"The war and sanctions hit the economy hard. Russia went into recession and many companies were forced to lay off their employees. I had to return home."

Yuna nodded slowly, processing the information.

Then something else clicked in her head. He had called Sae-ri "noona." He had her personal number. Manager Sangwoo, who was usually strict, was acting far too polite around him. Sungjun sat in the front seat. It would be common sense for the manager to give the job to a male road manager who sat beside him to drive in his place. But instead, he gave the job to her. And back at the studio, she had witnessed how Sae-ri got visibly angry when Sungjun was made to do menial tasks and the manager almost forced him not to serve the staff.

Something didn't add up.

Yuna wanted to ask how he knew Sae-ri personally, but she held back as the actress sat right behind them. Sae-ri might look like she was listening to music but who knows. Why should she unnecessarily risk it?

Instead, Yuna kept her thoughts to herself and continued driving, her curiosity about Sungjun's relationship with Sae-ri growing even more.