The Crazy Woman Acts Too Well - Chapter 252

EP.252: Thank you so much

Actually, Sua was quite worried.

‘Because of my musician trait, I lost myself and lashed out. I couldn't suppress the urge. Hi-ssi, did I make a mistake?’

—Ahae, shouldn't you have worried about that *before* doing it…?

Even Wi Ji-hye's sharp advice.

However, her worries quickly melted away.

Clap clap clap—!

Belated applause erupted.

“Lee Sua! Lee Sua! Lee Sua!”

“Lee Suaaaaaa—!”

“One more song! One more song!”

Because the cheers of the people told her so.

The reaction to Sua's piano performance was tremendous.

‘It feels good, but also amazing.’

That was Sua’s impression.

Looking back, it's the first time she's played for real people other than the people involved with "Crescendo From Tomorrow."

Sua cautiously asked the host.

“Was my performance just now… okay?”

“Of course! I don't know much about piano, but it sounded really good to me! And I don't think I'm the only one who felt that way, am I? Everyone! How was it!”

The host passed the answer to the audience, and cheers erupted from that side. Sua felt proud.

‘Ugh, no matter how many times I experience it, I can't get used to it.’

The trait. It’s a cheat, all over again.

It's already changed her life this much, so what will happen when she graduates the 'Musician' trait and moves on to the next one? Sua's heart thumped. She’s excited.

In the meantime, the host kept buzzing on.

“…”

The staff, including the main PD, were very quiet.

First, because something so unexpected had happened, and second, because Sua's performance was so excellent.

Frankly, they'd be more than grateful just to have Sua appear on "Celebrity Zoo." Just getting an interview with Sua, who's a hot topic these days, would explode the ratings.

But they managed to appease and send back the uninvited guest who barged into the set? And she even plays the piano well?

Apart from being dumbfounded, they were mentally running the numbers like crazy.

The main PD calculated the situation like a machine.

“…Ah, first of all!”

He suddenly opened his mouth as if something had occurred to him. He went up on stage and took the microphone from the host.

The main PD spoke to the audience.

“Everyone in the audience! Please put your phones away! We will be starting the official filming soon!”

Afterward, the PD stuck close to Sua and asked. His face was full of excitement that he couldn't hide.

“Sua-ssi, you knew how to play the piano?”

Of course! I'm really good!

Sua had those words stuck in her throat, but…

“A little? It's a hobby.”

She’s now mastered the art of uttering humble words. This, in a way, is Sua's humility, Sua's growth.

“A hobby? A hobby, you say? I'd believe you if you said you majored in it! I listen to quite a few piano pieces.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

“There's nothing to thank, Sua-ssi is just amazing…!”

Then the main PD was surprised once again.

“Wait, so Sua-ssi can speak both Korean and Japanese, act well, and play the piano well? Are you some kind of all-purpose machine?”

Actually, it's closer to having an all-purpose trait, but she can't say that, can she? Sua shrugged.

“No, I still have a lot of shortcomings.”

“I don't see any at all! Which is why!”

The main PD continued excitedly.

“Sua-ssi, would it be okay if we used your piano performance for today's filming?”

“A piano performance? For today's filming?”

Exactly how are they planning to use it?

Sua was just wondering and asking again, but did he think it was a refusal? The main PD almost begged.

“Please, I'm begging you! The scene would be so beautiful! With your skill level, to not air it on the broadcast? I don't think I'd be able to sleep. I implore you!”

“Uh, um…”

Well, would it matter? Just as Sua thought that.

“Sua!”

Suddenly, Kim Yi-seo grabbed Sua.

“Sua, just a moment. Let’s talk.”

“Yes?”

As Kim Yi-seo and Sua lowered their posture together, a secret meeting place for just the two of them was created in an instant.

The CEO whispered to Sua.

“First, what are your thoughts, Sua? Is the piano okay?”

“I don’t mind much.”

“Good. Then…”

Kim Yi-seo took a breath.

“…If you're going to play the piano on broadcast, how about 'Maum Jipgi' as the song choice?”

“Is there a reason?”

“Of course. Right now, if you search 'Maum Jipgi' on Mytube, the Sumiho channel comes up at the very top. But if Sua sharply increases the interest in 'Maum Jipgi' through the variety show? The trickle-down effect will naturally go to Sumiho, right?”

“…”

Sua was impressed. Really sincerely.

As expected of the CEO. She's looking at that angle even here.

Sua relayed the content to the main PD.

“Aigo! Whatever you play, I’ll just be grateful if you play the piano! Yes! Do as you wish, Sua-ssi!”

The main PD was simply delighted.

◈◈◈◈◈

Three hours later.

The filming of "Celebrity Zoo" continued in a blazing atmosphere, and it took longer than expected because there were so many prepared segments.

Therefore.

“We’ll take a 20-minute break and then continue filming!”

The main PD announced a break time.

Does Sua also go to the waiting room to rest?

Of course not! Sua actually became even busier.

The reason was simple.

“Um…”

Sua scratched her head.

“Hello…”

Standing before her was none other than the teacher who had tutored Sua in Japanese. Sua was planning to greet her old acquaintances during the break.

“Sua-ssi!”

“It’s been so long!”

“Wow, I guess managing yourself is really tough when you become a celebrity? I thought you were very pretty back then, but now that I see you, you've become incredibly prettier.”

“Haha.”

Sua scratched her head awkwardly.

She pondered for a moment about what to say, but it was a meaningless consideration. Because the person across from her didn't stop talking.

“Sua-ssi, I saw the article about you having alexithymia. I didn’t even know about that! I’m honestly a little upset! You should have told me beforehand!”

“That’s right. I was really surprised.”

Of course. They have every right to be surprised.

Because she doesn't have alexithymia in the first place. Sua's conscience pricked at her. To put it simply, Sua's conscience was on a cushion of thorns.

“I'm sorry. I didn't have the time.”

“I misunderstood for no reason! I thought Sua-ssi was really a little slow. You know, the type who looks perfect on the outside but has an empty head.”

“I thought you were being rebellious! Your face looked scary, and you kept not doing what we told you to do properly.”

“…”

Sua cleared her throat.

“Alright, let's stop talking about the past.”

Sua hurriedly changed the subject.

Instead.

“I have a gift prepared for you all.”

Sua took out the presents she had prepared in advance.

Handwritten letters, snacks and refreshments, and even, though she's really embarrassed, posters of Sua's works, etc. Even Sua's autograph, luxuriously framed!

It was called the Sua Comprehensive Gift Set.

‘Ugh, it’s unnecessarily embarrassing.’

But she has to do it.

Because they are people who sincerely treated the clumsy Sua in the past. And because they are the ones who flew from Japan to Korea for Sua even now.

Sua opened her mouth.

“Thank you so much. I'll be busy working in the future, but I'll never forget you all. I'm sorry if you felt wronged. So…”

Sua carefully lifted up the gifts.

“…Will you accept them?”

Her face was slightly flushed without her realizing it.

“…”

Then there was a moment of silence.

The old acquaintances widened their eyes for a moment.

“Hahahaha!”

“Hahahahaha—!”

Everyone burst into hearty laughter.

“Sua-ssi, your shy acting is no joke? You're practically human now!”

“Don't try so hard in front of us. And what's there to feel wronged about? We should be the ones who are sorry.”

“We also brought gifts! It’s just some drinks though!”

Sua was trying to give them gifts, but instead, only Sua's arms became heavier. That warm atmosphere.

“…It's not acting. Thank you so much.”

Sua gave her sincere thanks.

-Huh? She's crying. Sunbae's got tears in her eyes?

-Ahaes are always crybabies by nature.

-Master! You're not crying, are you?

I'm not crying! Be quiet!

.

.

.

.

.

After finishing her meeting with her acquaintances, Kim Yi-seo stuck to Sua. With a very pleased face.

“Did you have a good reunion with your old acquaintances? The atmosphere was so warm, I kept smiling.”

Not lying, Kim Yi-seo was touching her cheekbones. She was wearing a motherly smile for quite some time, or so she said.

“First of all, your piano performance was so good today. Once this airs, there’s definitely going to be a huge influx of searches for 'Maum Jipgi'. It's a huge benefit for Sumiho.”

“I don’t know if it's okay for Sumiho to benefit. She's my rival, you know.”

“Sua is joking…?”

Kim Yi-seo covered her mouth in shock.

“…Sua, your jokes have really improved, haven't they?”

“Thank you. I acknowledge that.”

Sua boastfully acknowledged it.

But suddenly, Kim Yi-seo seemed to remember something.

“Ah, that's right.”

“Yes?”

“The old man with dementia who barged onto the stage? The grandfather who calmed down when Sua played the piano.”

“Yes, yes. The person who played the wedding congratulatory song.”

“Apparently, he’s from a pretty well-to-do family. I overheard people in suits talking to the staff, and they said they would compensate greatly.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

Sua nodded, thinking that it had been resolved well.

If the story she'd just heard had been about the old man being punished or something, she would have felt quite uncomfortable.

"The strange thing is, the old man was looking for Sua until the very end. As if he had something he wanted to say."

"Something he wanted to say…”

Sua is the type of person who can't stand not knowing something.

No, actually, anyone would be like that! Someone has something they want to say to me? How can I stand not knowing? What are they trying to say!

But.

"Hmm, I'm curious, but it can't be helped."

Sua brushed off her curiosity.

"I won't be seeing him again."

Sua's visit to Japan is short, and the other party is an old man she doesn't even know. There was no way they could meet again.

◈◈◈◈◈

Two days later.

In the conference room of Japanese famous writer Akiko.

Akiko and the Noir contest organizers were in the middle of a conversation. A director wearing a hat bowed politely.

"Thank you for having me. I will do my best to direct this so it doesn't tarnish Akiko-sensei's work."

"Okay. I look forward to working with you too."

The other person wasn't as much of a master as Yusaku-kantoku, but he was still a director who always made commercial hits.

"So, we'll do these things this way…"

Since no one raised an opposing opinion to Akiko, the meeting proceeded smoothly.

Suddenly.

"Now, from now on, the most important agenda item."

Akiko put strength into her voice.

"What are our production costs and investment funds? Why isn't this information being provided to me?"

Then the contest organizer burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, Akiko-nim. Do you think we wouldn't tell you because we have something shady going on? Surely not."

"Then?"

"Rather, it's been going so smoothly that there was no need to tell you. It's an award-winning contest entry, and your name recognition is high, so it's the most luxurious situation possible!"

"Well, I'll take that to mean that we're not short on anything."

Immediately after, Akiko paused as if something had occurred to her.

"By the way, do you happen to know the situation with Yusaku-kantoku's side? I'm curious how many investors have gathered there."

"That is…"

Another official spoke with an attitude that was almost suppressing laughter.

"It's probably very tight there. Most of the people who would invest in that side are putting their money in here instead."

"Well, I guess so."

No matter how high Yusaku-kantoku's name recognition is, it would be difficult to trust Sawako, who is a middle school student, and invest.

"From the start, the high-ranking and wealthy people are hoping that Akiko-sensei will win. A yakuza work with a Korean actor as the lead becoming successful? That can't happen. Those people can't stand seeing that happen, even if it costs them a lot of money."

"That's right. Thanks to that, we're doing well. Investment funds are pouring in with the intention that you must win."

Akiko nodded quietly.

Because what they said was not wrong.

◈◈◈◈◈

At the same time.

The top floor of the Mirai Tower in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

"Are you seriously saying that right now!"

Slap—!

A middle-aged woman wearing a pearl necklace slapped a man in a suit as hard as she could.

The man in the suit showed no sign of resistance even though his cheek was swelling. Rather, he was full of apologetic feelings.

"CEO-nim, I have no excuse. I'm really sorry."

"You're out of your mind! You're not thinking straight! How did a piece of trash like you become a bodyguard?"

"I'm sorry…"

"I sent you to tour the broadcasting station, but you couldn't resist and took your eyes off for a second? How do you think I felt when I received the call from 'Celebrity Zoo'! You damn bastard!"

Slap—! Slap—!

The middle-aged woman, called the CEO, hit the man in the suit a few more times before panting and sitting down on the sofa.

"Haa…. Haa…."

She drank cold water and cooled her head. She is the CEO of Japan's national messenger, 'RINE'.

"My head is throbbing, really."

The RINE CEO passed the bodyguard and visited a special lounge located on the floor below.

There was an old man with the innocence of a child there. He was banging wildly on the piano.

'Father.'

That old man was the RINE CEO's father.

'He's the one who made me who I am today, but why is it that he has to have dementia among all the many illnesses? Why on earth….'

It was only natural for her as a child to have her heart break every time she saw her father, who was suffering from dementia and just banging on the piano.

In the meantime, the secretary greeted her.

"Greetings, CEO Mawakubo-nim."

"Fire all the bodyguards and replace them all. If something like this happens again, you're fired too."

"…I will keep that in mind."

"Leave if you understand. I'm feeling uneasy."

"Yes. There is still one report left."

"What is it?"

CEO Mawakubo glared at the secretary.

It was to intimidate him with the message that she would not let him off if the report was trivial.

But the secretary swallowed hard and took out his cell phone. And he played a video.

"This is a video taken on the set of 'Celebrity Zoo'."

"I've heard everything that happened. I'm already very embarrassed, okay? I don't think I need to see it?"

"Well, do you also know that your father briefly regained his sanity?"

"What?"

The CEO widened her eyes.

"Is that true? He regained his sanity?"

"It was only for a moment, but he definitely did. The cause seems to be the influence of the Korean actor who was with him."

"A Korean actor? What does that mean?"

"Here, please watch the actions of the Korean actor."

It was a video of a woman with snow-white hair helping her father by playing the piano next to him.

"…"

The RINE CEO stared at the video for a long time.

“…!”

She confirmed it with her own eyes.

In an instant, her father's eyes were clear.

"Find all the information about this actor and hand it over to me."

Before she knew it, the CEO had become more serious than anyone else.