Episode 44. Unknown Number (1)
At this time, Kang Dae-oh and his daughters were going from strength to strength, having newly opened a store in Uijeongbu with a rural cafe concept.
Min Seung-yeon swallowed a deep sigh while looking at the related articles.
Perhaps Min Seung-yeon’s appearance was bothering her, as Yeon Seong-hwa, the co-CEO who runs the apparel brand with her, quietly approached.
“What are you doing?”
Min Seung-yeon’s small shoulders flinched greatly.
“You startled me! Unnie, you scared me!”
“Sorry. I never thought you’d be this surprised. But what are you looking at that makes you sigh as if the ground is collapsing? Were you looking at a sales report?”
Min Seung-yeon made an exasperated expression.
“If I were looking at a sales report, I’d be smiling, not sighing.”
The apparel brand MSH, which the two of them operated jointly, was currently recording significant sales for what could be considered a new company.
Due to the company’s growing size day by day, they were constantly struggling to hire new personnel.
Min Seung-yeon was repeating the same early trend that Kang Dae-oh had experienced while growing Amare.
Of course, it wasn’t growing as rapidly as Kang Dae-oh’s, but it was undeniable that she was getting busier.
Because of this, Min Seung-yeon couldn’t join her husband and daughters in the rural cafe videos they appeared in together.
This was why she sighed.
Yeon Seong-hwa, who now understood the true nature of the sigh – a mix of envy and regret for not being able to join them – belatedly gave a bitter smile.
“Well, it can’t be helped. If you suddenly left in our current situation, the company wouldn’t be able to function at all.”
“That’s true.”
“And you, you have a fitting shoot scheduled this week, don’t you?”
“It’s tomorrow.”
“Oh, really?”
Along with her company work, she had also continuously been doing model-related work, which she had done for a long time.
At first, she thought about focusing solely on company work.
The opinion emerged that it would be better for the company’s brand value if Min Seung-yeon, who could be considered the symbol of MSH, continued to expose herself to customers through fitting model work, rather than doing nothing.
Min Seung-yeon agreed with this to some extent.
And for good reason. Most of the customers who bought clothes produced by MSH bought them because of Min Seung-yeon.
Some of them followed Min Seung-yeon from a fan’s perspective, not just as customers.
It was something a celebrity boasting idol-level popularity should not do to push away fans who liked them.
This was why Min Seung-yeon continued to do modeling work.
“You must be tired, kid.”
“It’s okay. This isn’t even difficult. And I do it because I enjoy it.”
Despite her age, Min Seung-yeon still liked standing in front of the camera.
In fact, when she had just given birth to her children, she was afraid of standing in front of the camera.
There was even a time when she asked Kang Yeyoung to be careful not to show her face, even if she wanted to film a vlog.
It was due to a vague fear that she might seem to have lost her charm as a woman.
However, thanks to her daughters and her husband, Min Seung-yeon gradually began to regain her confidence.
And eventually, she was able to return as a model more splendidly than anyone else.
For her now, being a model had become an important means of building and proving her self-esteem.
Since her husband and daughters had helped her return with difficulty.
Min Seung-yeon intended to do her best in her modeling work, as much as she could.
Fortunately, the model named Min Seung-yeon was still proving her marketability.
The clothes Min Seung-yeon wore.
Most of the accessories Min Seung-yeon wore would sell out within a week every time they were uploaded to the sales page.
The new seasonal product planned this time, a pink cardigan designed by Min Seung-yeon herself, also sold out completely today.
Tomorrow, she was scheduled to go shoot other colors of this cardigan.
Yeon Seong-hwa handed her a cup of coffee.
“Drink this. I just got it from the vending machine, and it’s sweet and delicious.”
“Vending machine coffee is meant to be enjoyed for that taste. But I can’t drink much. I’ll just drink half.”
“Oh, why? You like mixed coffee.”
“Because I have to manage my body for modeling work these days.”
Mixed coffee is surprisingly high in calories, contrary to what it seems.
When she was younger, she could lose weight quickly even with a diet.
Now it was different.
“It seems like ‘age weight’ really exists. These days, once I gain weight, it’s so hard to lose it.”
“It can’t be helped. Anyway, you’re so determined. If it were me, I would have given up on dieting and everything else.”
“Then our company would go bankrupt.”
“Right, it would.”
Yeon Seong-hwa gave a bitter smile and briefly apologized to her dongsaeng, saying ‘Sorry.’
This was because Yeon Seong-hwa, who was right in front of her, was one of the people who strongly recommended Min Seung-yeon to continue modeling.
She didn’t want Min Seung-yeon to give up her dream of being a model because of her business proposal.
However, there were times when she felt sorry, wondering if she had given Min Seung-yeon too much work.
“If something like this happens again, tell me anytime. I’ll let you rest from work.”
“It’s okay, unnie. If I’m not here, you’ll have a hard time.”
“I can manage by myself for a day or two. And by then, we’ll be able to hire more people too.”
Earning money is important, but living one’s own life is also important.
Especially in Min Seung-yeon’s case, she thought a lot about her family, just like Kang Dae-oh.
Yeon Seong-hwa wanted to be considerate of her dongsaeng so that she could spend as much time as possible with her family.
“Should I go with you to the shoot tomorrow?”
“Will you be okay? It’s an early morning shoot.”
“It doesn’t matter. I wanted to see you shoot on set for the first time in a while anyway.”
It was also because she wanted to give strength to her disappointed dongsaeng.
Even without hearing it directly, Min Seung-yeon immediately understood Yeon Seong-hwa’s warm intentions.
“Thank you, unnie.”
“You’re welcome.”
Although there was regret about not being able to be with her family.
Still, it was a relief that Yeon Seong-hwa filled that emptiness to some extent.
Min Seung-yeon, who woke up early in the morning, hurried to prepare to go to the studio, just as she had discussed with Yeon Seong-hwa yesterday.
It was good to maintain a fasted state when a shoot was scheduled.
However, she couldn’t let her family go hungry.
As she was preparing a meal, Kang Dae-oh’s voice was heard from behind.
“Honey. Didn’t you say you have a shoot today?”
“Yeah. I’m leaving later.”
“Leave the kids’ meal prep to me. You should rest a bit. Shoots don’t usually end early. You should get as much rest as possible when you can.”
Kang Dae-oh also knew very well how hard models worked during shoots, having seen his daughters and other celebrities.
So he wanted to ensure his wife’s rest as much as possible.
Min Seung-yeon showed her gratitude to her husband with a faint smile.
Kang Dae-oh shook his head at his wife’s reaction.
“It’s just natural as a husband, what’s there to thank? So, what time are you coming home today?”
“I should be able to come home before dinner.”
“Oh, really? That’s good. Myung-woon recommended a nice place he found. Should we go have a cozy dinner, just the two of us, for the first time in a while?”
“What about the kids?”
Being a mother, she couldn’t help but think of her daughters.
Kang Dae-oh pointed to the second floor where his daughters were and said.
“Yera and Yebin said they have a shoot together today. Yeyoung said she’s going to have a meeting with the production team about the final editing direction for the rural cafe video, eat with them, and then come home.”
“I see.”
Kang Dae-oh and Min Seung-yeon. They had to figure out dinner by themselves.
Living with their children, it wasn’t easy for the couple to find time for themselves.
Because they were raising not just one, but three children.
The years felt like they had passed by too quickly.
Sometimes, they needed to slow down the passage of time a bit.
“Okay. I’ll do that.”
“Okay. I’ll make a reservation under my name, so if it looks like there will be a delay, let me know in advance.”
“Okay.”
Just before Min Seung-yeon, realizing it was time to leave, took a step towards the front door.
“……”
As if she remembered something, she suddenly changed direction and approached the kitchen where Kang Dae-oh was.
Kang Dae-oh looked at Min Seung-yeon’s actions and asked with curiosity.
“Did you forget something?”
Smartphone? Wristwatch? Or handbag?
But all of these were already in Min Seung-yeon’s hand.
Min Seung-yeon pointed to her own lips, letting her loving husband know what the forgotten item was.
“This, after a long time.”
At first, Kang Dae-oh gave an awkward smile and felt shy.
But because his wife stood on her tiptoes and urged him to do it quickly, Kang Dae-oh forced himself to be brave.
Smooch.
Only then, as if her mood had brightened, a wide smile spread across Min Seung-yeon’s face.
“I’ll be back.”
Thanks to her husband, she was able to work with renewed energy today.
The moment Kang Dae-oh, who had seen Min Seung-yeon off to the front door, was about to walk back to the kitchen.
“Eugh!”
A scream burst from Kang Dae-oh’s mouth.
It was because someone was secretly looking down at Kang Dae-oh from the stairs, with their long hair hanging down.
At first, he thought it was a ghost.
And not just one, but two.
But soon, Kang Dae-oh realized that the faces were too familiar to be ghosts.
“……What are you doing there?”
Kang Yera and Kang Yeyoung made a sheepish expression.
“We were secretly hiding and watching Appa and Eomma.”
“What were you…… No, never mind.”
Kang Dae-oh almost asked what they were watching without realizing it, but then stopped himself.
It was because he felt a very embarrassing answer would come back.
Kang Yera said with a peculiar smile.
“Do you want to hear it, Appa?”
“Not at all.”
Judging by that reaction.
It seemed better not to hear it after all.
As Min Seung-yeon had expected, a hectic photoshoot continued from the morning.
Not only were the new colored cardigans she designed being shot, but new outfits were also included in the fitting shoot.
“It’s a somewhat revealing outfit, but I didn’t expect the CEO to pull it off so well!”
The staff didn’t spare any compliments on Min Seung-yeon’s attire.
Min Seung-yeon gave an awkward smile towards them and said.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to force yourselves to compliment me.”
“No, CEO! It really suits you well! Anyone would think you’re in your late 20s!”
Min Seung-yeon’s ears turned red, wondering why the word “20s” felt so embarrassing.
After barely finishing the shoot, Min Seung-yeon was finally able to safely escape from the “compliment hell (?).”
“You worked hard, Seung-yeon.”
“You too, unnie.”
“The shoot ended well. Shall we have dinner together?”
“No, I have plans with my husband today… Oh my?”
Min Seung-yeon rummaged through her handbag again and again.
“What’s wrong?”
Yeon Seong-hwa asked why she was acting this way.
A look of panic appeared on Min Seung-yeon’s face.
“Oh no. I think I lost my smartphone.”
