Call My Name by the Stars

CHAPTER 21- Blooms Past Sun Rise

 "Just make yourself comfortable, Kim Hyojin," Yeonsoo chirped as she picked up a slice of salmon from the bountiful sushi plate, chatting as if nothing happened, "We've been working together for so long, we even knew each other since years ago. Yet you're the hardest one to get close with among the staff. I always wanted to be friends with you, exactly why I'm treating you tonight."

Hyojin chewed on her roll carefully, stiff all over, "Well, yeah, I'll try."

"I hope you're like this with everyone. Then I know you don't just dislike me. Or even better if it's because you're also one of my fans~," Yeonsoo joked, "Even the catering and Actress Hanna's stylist are well acquainted with me."

"Because you're Lim Yeonsoo," Jooah replied nonchalantly at the obvious, but then swallowed when she realized what else it could mean.

Yeonsoo took her words in. She went to a temporary silence, before nodding her head and smiling, "...Right. You're right about that. Because I'm Lim Yeonsoo, that pretty actress."

Hyojin tried to quickly correct her wording, "I don't mean it that way-"

Yeonsoo chuckled, "I know that's not what you mean, relax, I'm just joking with you."

"Oh, I misunderstood then," Jooah replied in caution.

"But it's the truth either way. People can be good to me for either who I am or who I should be. l never know anyone's sincere intentions, because I'm Lim Yeonsoo. That's not surprising. But in the real world, every other person also would experience it at least once."

"People are good to me for who I should be... that sounds awfully familiar," Hyojin scoffed to herself thinking of her old classmates who thought Baek Jooah would stain a big name one day, the same backstabbers.

"Hyojin, have you ever envied me?" she asked suddenly with no pause. Her tone was different from what they were used to, different from the high jolly words she'd form.

Hyojin put down her chopsticks, the question catching her off guard. She broke into an unsure smile, flustered, "Of course. Everyone envies you."

"Then can you tell me what you envy about me?"

"Um... you're pretty, friendly, rich, and a lot of people love and support you. You're a likable person, in short," she meant it while asking herself the outcome of her common answer, to a sudden question.

Yeonsoo continued to eat, giving a different reaction, unlifted, "I still don't believe it," she shrugged, "Maybe because I expected someone to at least say the opposite. It's such a simple reason to envy someone, it's almost burdening."

"Then, in that case, I don't envy you, Actress Lim. I prefer living a life like mine than your tiring star life," Hyojin quickly continued, "It already feels tiring enough to represent the life of the camera's focus, feeling the pressure not to mess up a single frame when we're on live, I don't dare bear to think of your position in the spotlight. It's tough when you try your hardest but can't be completely perfect, instead simply stressed when you realize you might be burdening everyone along the way," she found herself empathizing with the actress more with that small question.

Yeonsoo gawked, before smiling as she put her head down, saying nothing.

"Oh, sorry, did I overstep this time?"

"No. I just... I find it amusing. This situation is. The person I'm getting close to today seems to be the one who gets me the most. Truth be told, I don't even know what my problem is. I care not for the negative remarks of people who know no better. I accept criticisms positively. But getting shouted at in front of everyone... was truthfully embarrassing," she lifted her head up to look at Hyojin seriously as if she was looking into a mirror and seeing herself, "I guess my fear... was being looked down on. That I'm not worthy of all the fancy clothes I wear and the support I receive. The fear of being labeled as something other than Actress Lim Yeonsoo, a replaceable person who means nothing on set."