Chapter 84: Gratitude and Wrath

After Chen Zhe turned around to speak with Eunji, the others in the room, though still chatting among themselves, had started to focus some of their attention on the pair. It seemed as if they were watching to see what kind of sparks might fly between these two young leads. Indeed, the two did create a stir, giving the others plenty to gossip about. But what truly caught everyone off guard was when Eunji reached out and tapped Chen Zhe on the forehead with her finger. This unexpected gesture stunned not only the onlookers but also the two involved.

Feeling the touch and warmth on his forehead, Chen Zhe was struck by a sense of déjà vu. After a moment’s thought, he realized it reminded him of scenes from his own childhood—his older sister would often press a finger to his forehead, imitating a moment from an anime, and call him her “foolish little brother.”

As these memories resurfaced, Chen Zhe also recalled other antics from his mischievous, sharp-witted sister. She had once tried to force him into a princess dress when he was five or six, and had even pinned the blame on him when their mother’s cup was broken. Thinking back on these episodes now, Chen Zhe couldn’t help but grit his teeth at the memories.

“Sorry about that, Chen Zhe, I instinctively treated you like our youngest or like my own little brother just now!” Eunji, despite her usual breezy and straightforward demeanor, was unexpectedly considerate and thoughtful. As soon as she realized what she’d done, she began to ponder how to smooth over the awkwardness. Noticing Chen Zhe’s stunned expression, she quickly apologized and explained her impulsive action.

“So that’s it—Eunji, you saw me as your own brother!” Chen Zhe snapped out of his reverie at her words, scratching his cheek sheepishly and echoing her explanation. He tried to mimic the bashful look of a little brother, and, remembering how Eunji had winked at him earlier, gave her a sly wink in return.

Seeing the two already working through the awkwardness, Eun Ji-won, who had been about to step in and help, simply shook his head with a smile. He looked on with interest, curious to see how they would resolve this themselves.

“Haha, well, you and Hayoung are the same age and close friends, and since Hayoung is my little sister, I naturally saw you as someone I should look after!” Eunji caught Chen Zhe’s wink and, piecing together his words and actions, immediately understood his meaning. With a knowing glance, she continued the light-hearted exchange.

“Of course! Then I’ll be counting on you to take care of this little brother from now on!” Chen Zhe responded eagerly, playing the role of the obedient younger brother who has met his match, polite and respectful.

By handling things this way, not only did Chen Zhe and Eunji dissolve the awkwardness, but they also drew closer together, shifting from a typical senior-junior relationship to one more like siblings. The others watching could not help but nod in approval.

“Of course, Ah Zhe! From now on, your big sister will look after you!” Seeing Chen Zhe act so meekly, Eunji seemed to see her own brother and their youngest group member in him. Smiling, she shook her head to dismiss the thought, then used the same affectionate nickname her group’s youngest used for this new “little brother.”

Watching the pair deftly resolve the situation and grow closer, the director Shin Won-ho and writer Lee Yoo-jung exchanged satisfied glances, each recognizing the other’s approval. Chen Zhe and Eunji had demonstrated great composure and adaptability, reaffirming the confidence placed in them.

With the incident behind them, the atmosphere among the group became even more relaxed. Though this was his first acting experience and his first time as a lead, Chen Zhe, along with Eunji, seemed well-versed in the unwritten rules of the industry. Both were proactive in building connections with the rest of the cast, displaying impressive social skills.

The gathering lasted until after nine in the evening. By then, only Chen Zhe and Eunji, both minors, remained sober; the adults had all left, either driven home by designated drivers or their managers. As the youngest members of the crew, it fell to Chen Zhe and Eunji to see their seniors off.

“Eunji, thank you so much for earlier. If not for you, I would have made quite a fool of myself!” After watching Ji-won’s car drive off, Chen Zhe let out a small sigh of relief and bowed to Eunji, expressing his gratitude for her help that afternoon.

He also reverted to calling her “senior,” feeling that his earlier use of “big sister” hadn’t been agreed upon and had been a bit presumptuous. Now that it was just the two of them, he felt too embarrassed to use the more familiar form of address.

“Oh? Not calling me big sister anymore? How heartbreaking! Just this afternoon you were my little brother, and now we’re strangers again!” Eunji’s lips curled into a slight smile as she teased him, her tone feigning disappointment. She found herself liking this quick-witted and polite young man all the more.

From her words, Chen Zhe could have interpreted a number of things. Although she spoke in a wounded tone, he couldn’t help but feel something was off. He instinctively looked up at Eunji, catching the playful smile at the corner of her lips.

“Um, Eunji—oh, no, Eunji big sister, thank you so much for looking after me today!” Realizing she was teasing him, Chen Zhe sighed in exasperation and started to address her formally. But before he could finish calling her “senior,” her pointed look, tinged with mock severity, prompted him to swallow the word and obediently switch to “big sister.”

“No worries, it was nothing, really. Since you’re calling me big sister now, isn’t it only right that I look after you?” Seeing him change his address, Eunji dropped her stern expression and smiled with satisfaction. She reached up to pat his shoulder with a hearty, generous laugh.