"Have you eaten yet?"
"No, not yet."
"Then may I treat you to a meal?"
"Ah, yes. Yes."
Being addressed with such extreme honorifics by someone who was decades older than me made me feel more burdened than respected.
Anyway, following this conversation, I ended up riding in Team Leader Chae Jin-won's car heading to a restaurant.
But with a rather strange companion tagging along.
"Unni, don't you know it's proper etiquette to sit in the passenger seat when riding in someone else's car? If you sit in the back when they're not a taxi driver, they'll be offended."
The fourth-generation heiress Tae Yeon-hee followed me into the backseat and offered this ridiculous advice.
"Young Lady, please refrain from saying such things. It's only natural for Su-a to sit in the back since she's our guest."
I just realized I had very naturally acted like the superior party.
Is it common sense to sit in the passenger seat when riding in someone else's car?
I wouldn't know since I've only ridden in taxis, buses, or my mom's car.
Mom never complained when I sat in the backseat.
And taxi drivers certainly wouldn't say anything about it either.
But hearing this from a fourth-generation heiress who probably had her own chauffeur gave me a strange feeling.
...I didn't want to simply admit "I didn't know that," so I made up an excuse.
"I know, but I thought you might be lonely sitting in the back by yourself."
"Oh, are you hitting on me?"
"What are you talking about? We're both women."
"Are you completely denying the existence of homosexuals right now?"
She was clearly talking nonsense, so I just stared at her with an incredulous expression.
"You always have to watch what you say no matter where you go. Being famous is exhausting. Especially when you have an image to maintain."
Yeon-hee then started complaining about some hardship.
Does she have experience being harassed by the public?
But she's not even the head of a conglomerate—why would the public pay attention to the child of a child of a child?
Even I didn't know she existed until meeting her here. Of course, I roughly knew how big TN Group was.
And for someone who claims to have an image to maintain, aren't you tagging along to an advertising contract meeting that has nothing to do with you?
Is it okay to follow someone to their workplace like it's some kind of playground? Isn't that incredibly inconsiderate? Even Team Leader Chae Jin-won seems uncomfortable.
Don't you have the social awareness to notice that?
*If I say all this, it would sound confrontational, wouldn't it?*
I had many thoughts I wanted to express, but for the sake of world peace, I decided against it.
Surprisingly, Tae Yeon-hee didn't bring up topics like my abilities or interdimensional invasions. Instead, she asked questions about everyday life, which was actually a much more difficult subject for me.
I don't have the conversational skills to discuss daily life with a woman I just met!
However, despite my short answers and occasional refusals to respond, the conversation somehow continued.
She seemed quite skilled at leading conversations.
"We've arrived."
The car, which I thought was heading to a restaurant, had somehow arrived at a hotel parking lot.
The Koryo Hotel, one of the most well-known 5-star hotels!
Of course, I have no connection to such expensive-looking places.
I've just heard the name mentioned a few times here and there.
Given that they specifically brought me here, I'm guessing this hotel is also part of the TN Group.
*Why a hotel?*
That question was answered shortly.
Our destination was Bodam, a Korean restaurant on the 34th floor of the hotel.
"Hmm, why Korean food? I prefer Western cuisine."
At the fourth-generation heiress's tactless complaint, I could almost hear Team Leader Chae Jin-won's professional mask crack for a moment.
But she quickly recovered her smile like the professional she was.
"Would Korean food be alright with you, Su-a?"
"Yes, that's fine with me."
When I agreed, Tae Yeon-hee gave me a look signaling that I should say no.
I can't tell if she's trying to act like an adult or pretending to be childish.
But how could I possibly say "I'd prefer Western food too" in this situation?
Besides, I genuinely don't care whether it's Korean or Western food.
So we were guided to a private room in the Korean restaurant Bodam.
The chef personally came out to ask if I had any allergies or foods I couldn't eat, and I answered that I didn't have any.
"They'll be preparing a special menu that isn't offered to regular customers."
After the chef left, Team Leader Chae Jin-won said this with a smile.
No, I'd be much more comfortable just going to a simple restaurant and having a bowl of soup!
Everything you do makes me feel pressured! Can't we just sign the contract and go home?
Of course, I couldn't say any of that out loud.
I'm the type who has trouble saying unpleasant things to others.
*The view is nice.*
The 34th floor might not be that high, but the area must be on elevated ground because the view of Seoul through the window was quite impressive.
It felt like the kind of place where I should say something like, "Ah, humans are such garbage."
Of course, I didn't actually say that out loud.
Through another window, I could see mountains. The green scenery gave me a sense of peace.
There might be a placebo effect from sitting in an expensive seat in an expensive restaurant in an expensive hotel, but good is good, right?
Seeing how much effort they were putting in, I wondered if Team Leader Chae Jin-won was expecting a lot from me.
*Am I really worth all this?*
I questioned myself briefly.
I mean, I am at the center of attention in South Korea, and there's quite a bit of interest from overseas too.
And yes, I am unrealistically pretty and unimaginably strong.
Maybe I am actually an amazing person?
It's clear that whatever I do will definitely attract attention.
As evidence, the Instagram account I created yesterday already has 700,000 followers.
It's an unbelievable number for just one day, but I did create quite a stir, so it's possible.
*I'm the best, I'm a genius, I'm invincible!*
While I was busy praising myself, the first dish arrived.
But can this even be called food?
I was visually shocked!
I knew about the existence of fine dining restaurants, though I'd never been to one.
I'd never had a course meal before, but I couldn't help but know the concept from hearing about it so much.
So the appetizer placed before us was, surprisingly...
*Fried lotus root?*
I should have agreed to go for Western food when Tae Yeon-hee suggested it.
Of course, this "fried" dish was quite different from something simply coated in batter and deep-fried.
It was more like they had turned lotus root into some kind of snack.
Being a cooking novice, I have no idea what technique would transform lotus root like this...
But when I carefully picked it up and put it in my mouth, the taste was nothing like what I expected from its appearance!
Of course, there was no impact! It's lotus root after all!
It was just lotus root, with perhaps a slightly healthier and more complex flavor.
Right, an appetizer is meant to stimulate the appetite.
It can't be incredibly delicious on its own.
Telling myself this, I moved on to the next dish, only to be shocked again.
This one! That one! The other one too!
Every single dish had a taste that was too subtle to be called amazing.
It wasn't that they tasted bad, but the experience was too ambiguous to be called a revelation.
A taste that makes you think, "Thank goodness I'm not paying for this myself!"
When the main dish of braised Korean beef short ribs arrived, it was quite enjoyable, but everything else left me with question marks.
The decisive factor was the seasoning... the seasoning... something was off about the seasoning.
Has my palate been so corrupted by stimulating delivery food that I can't properly taste quality cuisine?
But my body changed to Han Su-a's not long ago!
That's right! It's not my fault! It's Han Su-a's body that's the problem!
After living a life of endless struggle and eating only tasteless things, her body has become unable to understand flavor!
As the meal finally ended in confusion, I was at last able to hear about the contract.
"We would like to offer you 1 billion won to appear in a commercial for our company's product."
"What?"
I've heard that popular influencers these days get paid tens of millions of won per advertisement.
And that A-list celebrities receive hundreds of millions for appearing in commercials.
But I'm not a celebrity. I'm just someone who's a little—or perhaps much—more famous.
*Come to think of it, maybe I am worth that much?*
First become famous, then do whatever you want.
There's a saying that even your excrement can be sold at a high price if you're famous.
In today's world, being famous is the most important thing.
And this body belongs to someone who became world-famous from the Gwanghwamun Square incident!
*I'm the best, I'm at my peak, am I a god?*
I can't stop praising myself!
"And if you agree to an exclusive one-year contract, we'll offer you 10 billion won as a signing bonus. This is separate from the per-appearance fee."
"What?"
For a moment, my brain stopped functioning properly.
"The currency isn't Mesos, right?"
"It's won."
Oh right! She did say 10 billion won earlier!
"What's an exclusive contract? Do I have to be confined somewhere for a year?"
Is this like one of those "survive in an empty room for a year and get 10 billion" challenges?
"As you'll see when you read the contract, you just need to refrain from advertising for other companies during that period."
Just that condition for 10 billion? Is that even possible?
I read the contract. I was half out of my mind, seeing white letters on black paper, but somehow I managed to focus and read it.
10 billion won plus 1 billion per appearance!
They say don't advertise for other companies, but with a 10 billion signing bonus, who needs other advertisements!
This was absolutely a contract I had to sign!
"Don't sign it. You'll regret it."
"Whoa!"
I was startled by the breath on my ear!
And I was even more surprised that it was the fourth-generation heiress Tae Yeon-hee who said it!
Her company's marketing team leader is desperately trying to convince me, and she's telling me not to sign?
"Unni, your value is much higher than you think. So don't sign the contract."
What nonsense is she talking about now?