Chapter 1
"So, did you shoot?"
Danbi glared at the TV screen, mashing the joystick buttons mercilessly. On the screen, colorful monsters burst into pieces with loud *pop, pop* sounds as they were struck by bullets.
"So, what happened? Well?"
"Ugh, what do you mean, what happened?"
Pushing away the pestering face with her arm, Danbi gritted her teeth. The memory from earlier still vivid, her lips twisted involuntarily.
"I killed them all."
So, that was, in its own way, a declaration of war.
***
*Thump, thump.*
Danbi walked across the stage to the rhythm of the grand music pounding in her head. Among the fashions that reinterpreted Eastern beauty with a trendy twist, her black sunglasses and intense red twin suit stood out.
"What is that?"
"Who is that?"
A low murmur spread through the audience. It was a natural reaction. She wasn't a model for this show.
Pushing past the models standing in two lines, her red high heels marched back up the runway without hesitation, capturing everyone's gaze.
*Click.*
Just as the hem of her short skirt disappeared into the distance, the flashy music and lights cut out in unison.
The silence that fell, as quiet as a grave, was shattered instantly by a thunderous roar from behind the curtain.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!"
Inside the backstage area, as soon as Danbi stepped in, Manager Kang strode toward her.
With his promotion at 'Neon Beauty,' the brand currently leading the fashion industry, looming ahead, this show was a more important stage for him than ever before.
And yet, that promotion had flown away right before his eyes in an instant. All because of some brat like her.
"Where on earth did you learn such business ethics—"
"Business ethics are for those who are prepared to receive them."
"What?"
Without even sparing him a glance, Danbi walked straight toward the lined-up models.
To be precise, toward the ridiculous rags they were wearing.
She slowly scanned the models' looks from top to bottom. Yellow, pink, red, ...neon?
A scoff escaped her lips at the crudeness, as if they had poured every color in the world into the mix. It would have been better if they had just turned over a trash can.
"Hoo..."
Barely suppressing her boiling temper, she flicked her finger at the clothes.
"Take them off."
The flustered models looked to Manager Kang for guidance. Danbi grabbed the collar of the shirt worn by the model closest to her.
"I said, take off my clothes."
Only then did Manager Kang seem to grasp the situation, bowing his head obsequiously. The corners of his mouth, forced upward, trembled pitifully.
"Team Leader Yeo, I'm sorry. If you could just hold on until this show is over..."
"Manager. There is exactly one thing I cannot tolerate, no matter what. Do you know what that is?"
At Neon Beauty, they called her 'Team Leader Yeo.'
She had entered the fashion industry at a young age. Through rapid promotions, she became the youngest team leader, and she was the top-tier talent in the industry.
Danbi always thought:
The reason she was able to climb to these heights in one breath was none other than this foul temper of hers.
"Anything tacky. I can put up with anything else, but I can't stand anything tacky."
Wherever her red high heels passed, her sharp fingertips grazed the fabric.
"Fits that don't match the body, accessories that kill the style, and on top of that, colors that defy the season."
When the clicking sound stopped, the surroundings became as quiet as a grave.
"People came to see a luxury show, who said they came to see a knockoff show?"
"Hey!!"
Just then, a sharp voice rang out from afar. It was Harin, running over frantically with her face flushed red.
"What? A knockoff show? Did you just—!"
"Do you know why luxury goods are luxury goods? They're luxury because they aren't easy to possess."
Danbi's gaze slowly swept down over Harin.
"Though someone as common as you would never know."
"You...!"
Before she could even open her mouth, Danbi made a small gap with her thumb and index finger as if measuring something.
"Talent is something that comes from this tiny margin."
Harin's pupils wavered aimlessly through that gap, filled with panic.
"Go ahead and steal my designs and draw lines all you want. Do you really think a knockoff like you will become a luxury item just by doing that?"
Watching Harin, who couldn't even retort and was trembling with clenched fists, Danbi adjusted her sunglasses and turned away without a shred of regret.
"The show is over. Well, it never really started in the first place."
The people gathered around parted like the Red Sea as she walked. Then, Harin ran over and grabbed Danbi's shoulder roughly.
"Hey, aren't you going to stand there?!"
Danbi reached deep into her clutch bag. Something with a good grip caught her hand.
She pulled it out in one motion and aimed it at Harin.
A colorful plastic object in her hand.
It was a water gun.
As she pulled the trigger without hesitation, the water that shot out hit Harin's face with perfect accuracy.
That was only a few hours ago.
***
"Hahaha! Hey, the game is totally over, isn't it?"
Danbi let out a self-deprecating sigh as she watched Som, who was laughing hysterically on the sofa.
"Over, my foot. You work at a game company, and you don't even know that?"
"Know what?"
Just then, a massive monster appeared on the TV screen. At its magnificent appearance, covered in every color imaginable, Danbi gripped the joystick tightly.
"There's still one left."
—Kill the King
A new mission in blood-red font appeared on the screen. Danbi glared at the monster with tense eyes.
"It's not over until the King is dead."
***
Just as Danbi was excitedly shaking her water gun, someone grabbed her shoulder from behind.
Turning her head, she saw a familiar face looking down at her quietly. Even with this situation unfolding, that indifferent look in his eyes remained the same.
"Team Leader Yeo. Let's talk for a moment."
Hyun, the man she once believed would always be on her side.
Danbi followed him to the corner of the backstage and opened the door with the 'Staff Room' sign.
Hyun stood facing her, both hands in his pockets.
His gaze was as cold as ice. That chilling energy made the back of her neck stiffen involuntarily.
"Is the game over?"
"What, game? Do you think this is a game right now?"
"Doesn't it look like a game to anyone?"
Following his gaze, she looked down and saw the colorful water gun in her hand. Danbi hurriedly hid it behind her back.
I can't lose this psychological battle. I didn't do anything wrong here!
"You know it too. How hard I've prepared for this show. And yet, to have it all in an instant—"
"I agreed to it, too."
"...What?"
"I said I agreed to it. To taking your name off."
It felt like her heart was plummeting to her toes.
"Is that true?"
There was no answer from Hyun after that. In his silence, Danbi sensed that the words were true.
How could you...!
Danbi went straight up to Hyun and grabbed his collar. A large diamond sparkled on the ring finger of his left hand.
"I asked if that's true! Answer me!"
Leaving Hyun, who still offered no response, Danbi slowly lowered her hands.
"Do you even know what day it is today?"
As she dropped her head, teardrops began to pool on the floor one by one.
"It's our 8th anniversary. You said we'd go somewhere nice after the show. But, was it really you who took my name off?"
Danbi lifted her head sharply.
She aimed the gun at him in one motion. And the moment she pulled the trigger with a trembling hand,
*Squeak.*
The water traveled forward only to drip down.
Danbi pulled the trigger again with a flustered face. But the water only continued to leak out of the muzzle.
"Ha."
Her entire body stiffened at the familiar sigh. Danbi couldn't bring herself to look up and slowly lowered the gun.
Hyun walked past her quietly.
"I suppose this settles the score for today?"
*Bang.* The sound of the door closing echoed loudly through the room.
***
—Game Over
"Uwaaaaaah!"
Danbi let out a scream and collapsed onto the sofa.
On the screen, the triumphant-looking Great King monster was mercilessly crushing her character.
Som glared at Danbi and clicked her tongue. It was a look dripping with pity.
"You really don't know how to play the game. Games, by nature, all have strategies."
"Strategy?"
"Yeah. Every character has a weakness. You have to focus on that, so why did you go and show them only your own weaknesses?"
Som slowly gripped Danbi's shoulder. Weight was added to the touch, which was hard to tell if it was comfort or a lecture.
"Why did you bring up the 8th anniversary there? Does it look like anything other than whining, saying, 'Your girlfriend is hurt'?"
"Weakness? What is that?"
"You're the one who knows that. You've been dating for 8 years, and you don't even know that much?"
"...I don't know."
"What?"
"I don't know, I really don't know! Why he's acting like this to me all of a sudden."
Som shook her head and put on her bag.
"Don't burn yourself out. Do you think he did that for no reason? You guys didn't just spend 8 years for nothing."
Danbi started to say something, then closed her mouth. She felt unexpectedly grateful for the endless nagging that was meant to be comfort.
"I'll send you the new game when it comes out, so play that and relieve your stress."
She waved her hand at Som, who was soon heading out the front door. As the sound of footsteps faded down the hallway, a familiar voice brushed past her ears.
"I said I agreed to it. To taking your name off."
Without realizing it, she pressed the keypad on her phone. Eleven digits of Lee Hyun's phone number were already on the screen.
Should she press it, or not? Her fingertips, hovering over the call button, trembled.
Just as she was agonizing over it for a long time,
*Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!*
She lifted her head sharply at the sound of someone pounding on the front door violently.
'What is that sound...'
*Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!*
Before she could even grasp the situation, the fierce knocking shook the door. Danbi stood up awkwardly.
"Wh, who is it?"
Then, a face suddenly came to mind.
"You guys didn't just spend 8 years for nothing."
"Don't tell me... Lee Hyun? Is that you?"
Danbi hurried toward the door. With the force of pushing the handle forward, the door began to open slowly.
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