ATGRA 60

From the moment I heard about this drama from my mom, my only thought was that I had to extract some product placement from them.

I don’t care if you call me a snob. But this isn’t because I’m crazy about money. It’s just that they grabbed my hair first, so I’m just trying to grab their hair back.

Writer Seo Eunyoung is a pro, anyway. A pro at plagiarism. It was clear that she didn’t even think she needed to get permission to use someone else’s life story as material for a drama.

How arrogant must she be, having been found not guilty even when she went to court for plagiarism? Thinking, ‘Oh, I don’t get punished for doing this,’ she must have gone around merrily copying other things.

How could I possibly stop someone like that?

So, I decided to just take some money from the wallet of someone who backstabs others. If I can’t get righteous judgment, I’ll resort to extortion.

“PD, please listen.”

PD Lee Minsoo seemed flabbergasted by my proposal. Of course, he would be. PPL is usually all selected and finalized during the drama’s production stage, so he must be dumbfounded that I’m suddenly asking for free advertising.

But how do you think I feel, having my patented Gongjindan used without permission in someone else’s drama, and even changed to a Western medicine at that? And what about Jung Pureum, who probably still doesn’t even know his life story has been turned into a drama?

If we were to have a dumbfoundedness competition, this side would be the overwhelming victor.

“I know very well how much money and time go into producing a single drama. I also know that it’s difficult to suddenly insert an advertisement in the middle, and that all the products are selected during the production budget preparation stage.”

“If you know that so well, then why…”

“But you guys knew it was plagiarism and just went ahead with it, didn’t you.”

“…”

“Since you people who know everything are acting this way, I’m just going to lie down and throw a little tantrum myself.”

“…Are you threatening me right now?”

“I’m negotiating, aren’t I?”

Lee Minsoo must be troubled too. If he had a bit more experience, he would have beaten around the bush and evaded the issue, but since he’s a parachute appointment with a short career, it seemed he was finding it very difficult to make a decision on his own.

“I don’t think this is a matter I can decide on my own.”

I was wondering when he would say that.

“I will discuss it with the others.”

Lee Minsoo was currently spamming the escape button. Unless he’s an idiot, who would say okay right here and now?

I decided to let Lee Minsoo go coolly. The higher-ups probably won’t approve the payment for the use of the source material, but they will likely okay the free product placement.

That would just be a few seconds of screen time and it’s over. Or, they might not even put it in the drama at all and just insert it once or twice in the ending credits like a Cafe ×ene sponsorship.

Instead, if the drama doesn’t perform well enough, they’ll hesitate to use writer Seo Eunyoung again. The broadcasting station wouldn’t want these kinds of issues to be repeated either.

Unless <The Alpha Who Used to Be a Beta Is Too Much!> becomes a massive hit, if these trivial and annoying things keep happening, Seo Eunyoung’s standing will gradually narrow.

That was the bare minimum of a jerk move I could pull right now. Since I can’t stop anything at the moment, I have no choice but to look to the distant future and screw them over then.

And according to my prediction, <The Alpha Who Used to Be a Beta Is Too Much!> can never succeed. Because the male lead’s face was just so-so. If you’re going to steal Jung Pureum’s life story, shouldn’t you cast someone more handsome than Jung Pureum?

Jung Pureum’s national team selection trial was one day away.

I was still keeping my distance from Jung Pureum, but this time, I couldn’t help it. The selection trial is just a day away, so of course I have to go and cheer for him. How many years have we known each other? How could I just shut my mouth and pretend I don’t know him?

Worried that my pheromones might have a negative effect on Jung Pureum again, I sprayed pheromone deodorant like a madman. The comments Jung Saebom and Lee Seolwoo made about my pheromones were only now starting to bother me.

Having skipped my heat cycle by drinking herbal medicine dozens of times instead of going through it normally, it was a luxury to expect my pheromones to be normal. Thanks to Jung Pureum, my erratic cycle had stabilized, but… seeing as Jung Pureum, in turn, had become unstable, I just have to live like this for the rest of my life.

Just in case, I also started consistently taking the herbal medicine that suppresses the heat cycle since yesterday. I was still a long way from my heat cycle, but I had a lot of work these days, so my physical condition was not great.

Whatever else, I had to avoid exerting a bad influence on Jung Pureum when I went to cheer for him as much as possible. Thinking about the trouble I caused him last time by unnecessarily going to the university still made me feel bad.

“hyung!”

When I visited next door with the Gyeongokgo my mom had sent by courier, Jung Pureum greeted me with a bright, smiling face.

It looks like there’s a halo shining from behind him. Indeed, this kid’s face is much better than the lead actor of <The Alpha Who Used to Be a Beta Is Too Much!>.

“Take this.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s not for you, give it to your father. It probably won’t suit an alpha. It’s called Gyeongokgo… it’s good for a beta’s body. Where is your mother?”

“Ah, my mom just stepped out for a bit. She went grocery shopping with noona.”

As it happened, only Jung Pureum was home next door. The timing was good. I’ll just quickly give Jung Pureum the gift and leave.

I searched my pocket and took out the cheering gift I had prepared a few days ago. It was a bracelet I bought when I went down to my parents’ house. I hesitated because it’s not easy to give an accessory to someone who swims, but the seller said it was a ‘wish-granting bracelet,’ so I bought it as if possessed.

It was probably a sales tactic on the same level as a magic ring that changes color with body temperature or an anion bracelet that infuses you with healthy energy.

But what does it matter if it’s a sales tactic? The feeling is what’s important in these things. The reason students waste money on good luck charms for exams is probably the same as mine.

“Take this. This one’s not for your dad, it’s yours.”

When I held out the nicely packaged bracelet, Jung Pureum asked with a sparkling face if he could open it. Of course he can. I swallowed dryly and watched for Jung Pureum’s reaction.

Will he be disappointed that I bought a cheap, no-brand bracelet? Ever since I gave him a children’s Lego building set, my heart pounds whenever I give Jung Pureum something. What if he cries again?

“It’s a cheering gift. For you to do well.”

“I really like it.”

“That’s a relief. They say it’s a wish-granting bracelet.”

“Really?”

“Of course it’s a sales tactic.”

The real gift is the beef I’ll buy him after the selection trial.

For some reason, the broadcasting station generously paid for the use of the source material. It was a paltry sum, but it was enough for two people to have a meal of beef. I’ll use that money to feed Jung Pureum two servings.

Of course, I couldn’t buy him anything else now, a day before the competition. He would be on a restricted diet for doping tests and condition management.

“Still, make a wish. You never know, it might come true.”

“I’m going to.”

“…What wish are you going to make? To win a gold medal?”

“That seems like your wish, hyung.”

Seeing his cheerful, smiling face after a long time lifted my spirits as well. When I said that winning a gold medal was indeed my wish, Jung Pureum tilted his head slightly.

“I’ll grant your wish for you, hyung.”

“What a commendable kid…”

“So, if I really bring home a gold medal, you have to grant my wish too, hyung.”

“What’s your wish?”

Jung Pureum strode toward me.

Since I had become aware that I liked this guy, my heart started to race like a runaway locomotive as he got closer. Don’t do this! I don’t want to win the award for failing to act my age!

My reason resisted with all its might, but my heart, regardless, pounded steadily. If someone were to take my pulse right now, it would surely be very erratic.

“For you to like me, hyung.”

Looking back, Jung Pureum had always acted like a full-throttle, 8-ton truck with broken brakes. It’s just that I had always been avoiding it, saying, ‘Life is not Crazyracing Kartrider!’

Because he says such blush-inducing and embarrassing things so casually, I kept failing to notice. This isn’t because of my lack of perceptiveness; it’s 80 percent Jung Pureum’s fault for being consistently the same for eight years.

However, the words ‘I like you’ and ‘like me’ that I had heard for eight years now sounded a little different. Because I now know that it really is that kind of feeling.

Heat automatically rose to my face and the tips of my ears grew hot. It wasn’t just my heart acting up; my entire body was losing control.

“The bracelet, can’t you put it on for me, hyung?”

Jung Pureum lowered his head slightly and held out the bracelet and his left wrist to me.

I only now noticed how he was deliberately looking up at me pitifully with his eyes wide and pretty. This must be what people call being foxy.

With trembling hands, I fastened the bracelet onto Jung Pureum’s wrist. I was incredibly nervous over something so simple. How had I been able to act so nonchalant in front of him until now? I was newly amazed by my past self.

“hyung.”

“Huh? Uh…”

“You’ve sprayed deodorant.”

Even though he knew I was trembling, Jung Pureum didn’t ask me any particular questions. Instead, he subtly leaned his forehead against the space between my shoulder and neck with a thud.

“It’s because of the selection trial, right? That’s a shame…”

“What, what’s a shame. Get away. Don’t get influenced by my pheromones again.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been this close to you, hyung, but now I can’t smell anything again.”

Jung Pureum lightly rubbed his head against my shoulder as if he were whining. It wasn’t like before when he couldn’t control himself and rubbed his pheromones on me, but I felt a sense of crisis.

If we got any closer here, the atmosphere would become strange again.

I hastily grabbed the back of Jung Pureum’s head. My intention was to push him as far away as possible. It’s fine in my house, but in Jung Pureum’s house, you never know when his family might come home…

“What are you two… doing?”

Why are bad premonitions never wrong?

The sudden return of Jung Saebom was faster than my operation to separate myself from Jung Pureum. Jung Saebom, who must have had a fantastic grocery run, was holding a fruit box and scowled fiercely.

The bigger problem was that the lady from next door was standing behind Jung Saebom.

I looked at the reliable face of the lady, who was holding grocery bags in both hands, and thought. I’m in big trouble. In the end, I’m going to get slammed onto this living room floor too…