Tuesday, September 29, late morning.

The location was a large hall on the fifth floor of a major hotel in Samseong-dong. At a glance, the hall was quite large.

At the front was a platform, and on it, about eight chairs were arranged. The eye-catching detail was the giant poster attached to the wall behind the chairs. A haggard-looking Choi Rina sat in a messy room. She wore a strange expression, and in both hands, she held several photographs.

Photos of the faces of rented lovers. A total of four.

Anyone could tell it was the poster for 'Rental Lover'. The large title at the bottom of the poster was proof.

-Rental Lover.

Of course. This was the venue for the production presentation of 'Rental Lover'.

The reporters’ seating area facing the poster was set up to comfortably accommodate over a hundred people. There were four rows of tables. However, a central aisle between the two sets of rows was left wide enough for two people to pass through. Although there were still about 40 minutes until the production presentation began, more than 50 reporters had already taken their seats.

On top of the desks were laptops and cameras.

“I’ve been in the entertainment department for a while, but this is my first time attending a one-act drama production presentation.”

“It’s pretty unique. Same for me, it’s my first. But you can’t treat ‘Rental Lover’ like an ordinary case, can you?”

“Right. In terms of buzz, it’s on a higher level than most mini-series with top stars.”

“With top actress Choi Rina as the female lead and No. 1 as the writer. Wait, we should call him Rojun now. I bet a lot of reporters came today just to see Rojun. Honestly, even for me, it’s more about Rojun than Choi Rina.”

“Same. Other than ‘Produce That 100!’, this is Rojun’s first outside activity, right? Can’t miss it.”

Dozens of reporters were busy chatting at their seats. Kang Rojun’s name kept popping up in the conversations.

“An idol who’s a writer, has there ever been one like that?”

“Nope. Rojun’s entire path is unconventional, totally out there.”

“An idol who debuts as a writer before officially debuting as an idol trainee? Never heard of that before.”

“To be precise, he’s not even a trainee yet. But he’s more popular right now than most active idols.”

“Honestly, even the fact that a one-act drama is holding a production presentation, that it’s being directed by Jung Soo-ryeong, and Choi Rina is the female lead, it all makes no sense.”

Then, a few reporters glanced at the real-time live broadcast team stationed in the back and sides.

“The live broadcast team is big too.”

“There were originally supposed to be over 300 reporters crowding in today, but they reduced it to about 100.”

“Why?”

“There’s a clear sign they’re focusing more on the livestream than on press coverage. They pushed a big promo campaign too, so viewers watching the livestream are going to flood in.”

“Well, if public buzz explodes, the media will naturally follow. Looks like ‘Writer Rojun’ is in charge of both the issue and the promotion.”

Around this time, among the reporters browsing the presentation proposal provided by the 'Rental Lover' team, talk about the role of 'Lover No. 4' came up.

“But why is the actor’s name for ‘Lover No. 4’ missing??”

“Beats me. Maybe it’s a mistake?”

“They distributed a proposal with an error to the press attending the production event? No way.”

“Hm- it is odd. Looking at it, the role of ‘Lover No. 4’ seems like a supporting or semi-main character. Or maybe only the main leads are attending today, so they left the name out.”

“No, look. The list of attending cast members today includes ‘Lover No. 4’.”

“You’re right?? What’s going on here.”

Like that, the number of reporters gradually increased. From 50, the number grew to over 100 in just a few dozen minutes. The gender ratio was about half and half. And the real-time live broadcast team for platforms like YouTube was also on standby.

-[LIVE] 'Rental Lover' Production Presentation! Live Streaming!!

-8,745 viewers watching

Even before the official opening, nearly ten thousand viewers were already waiting. Once the livestream began in earnest, tens of thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands of viewers were expected to pour in.

Soon, a female reporter wearing glasses, seated near the front stage, clicked her tongue after listening to the nearby reporters’ conversations.

“Definitely, the interest in Writer Rojun is huge.”

Then her colleague shrugged his shoulders.

“Understandable. He’s one of the hottest and most rising stars these days. I’m really looking forward to seeing Rojun in person today. From the fan reviews I read, people said he’s unbelievably good-looking.”

“Well, I’ll give him that. He’s good-looking. But you know? When you put idols who are considered handsome next to top actors, somehow, there’s this aura thing they just can’t match. They look great on their own, but next to actors, they start to seem like regular people.”

“There’s definitely something to that.”

“I specialize in the idol scene, so I’ve seen it often. Idols definitely can’t compete with actors. That’s why people say, actors are in a class of their own.”

At that moment, a man holding a handheld microphone stepped up to the stage at the front. It was the famous comedian Hwang Seok-gu, who was hosting today’s production presentation.

“We’ll begin the production presentation for ‘Rental Lover’ shortly. Everyone, please take your seats.”

After Hwang Seok-gu repeated the same announcement a couple of times, the hundred or so reporters all focused, and five minutes later, as the livestream began, Hwang Seok-gu raised his voice with emphasis.

“Then! Let’s begin the production presentation for ‘Rental Lover’!! First, let me invite the main cast!”

Hwang Seok-gu pointed toward the back of the central aisle, between the rows of reporters’ seats, and all one hundred reporters turned their bodies, cameras in hand.

The first to appear from the back door.

“Hello-”

Was PD Jung Soo-ryeong, with her rough long hair tied back. She brightly greeted the reporters while walking down the central aisle between the reporter rows. It was the only choice, given the structure of the hall.

-Pababababak!

The sound of shutters and camera flashes erupted toward PD Jung Soo-ryeong. And behind her.

“Choi Rina! Rina-ssi!!”

“Hello, Rina-ssi!!”

Came Choi Rina with her long straight hair, dressed elegantly in a beige one-piece dress. As expected of an S-Class top actress, she exuded poise. Amid the flurry of flashing lights, the male actors playing Lovers No. 1 through No. 3 appeared next.

They crossed through the hundred or so reporters.

At that moment.

-Step, step.

The last to enter the hall was a black-haired man.

“...He-”

“Wow, he’s here.”

"That's him-"

His hair was slicked back in a pomade style, and he wore a navy blazer, pants, and dress shoes. Though it resembled a suit, the overall look had a more relaxed tone, Kang Rojun had arrived.

Rojun’s expression was calm.

“......”

A composed attitude. Blinding flashes struck at him, but unbothered, Kang Rojun calmly walked down the central aisle, surrounded by reporters.

Before long.

-Swish.

Rojun had reached the front area of the reporter section, and he cast a glance at a female reporter. An accidental eye contact. It was the glasses-wearing reporter who earlier had said she specialized in the idol industry.

“......??”

She didn't realize that she was currently intimidated. She just floundered, caught in Rojun's gaze. Suddenly, in her ears.

‘...Wh-what is this? I keep hearing something.’

A classical piece was playing. Something grand, like a cello. Of course, it wasn’t real. In addition, Kang Rojun’s movements appeared in slow motion.

The word “fantastic” surfaced automatically. Or rather, a person who embodied the word fantastic.

As the female reporter’s soul was gradually slipping away, whether intentional or not, Kang Rojun gave her a faint smile. Her heart jolted, and as if possessed, she spoke.

Fantastic?

“No. Maybe it’s just a fantasy.”

*****

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