A black-toned outfit.
The edge of the hat adorned with soft white fox fur.
‘...It’s a bit warm.’
It seemed to be a high-end padded coat, offering excellent insulation.
However, there was still a long way to go before Ha-eun's winter photoshoot would be over.
“Next, let’s have you hold the hat with both hands. Don’t put it on all the way—just about 70%.”
The person giving directions was Gong Jae-ho, the overall director of this winter photoshoot and, coincidentally, Gong Hye-yeon’s father. Following his instructions, Ha-eun struck a new pose different from before.
The sound of the camera shutter clicking multiple times soon filled the air.
The monitor linked to the photographer’s camera displayed Ha-eun’s photos once again.
From the sidelines, where Gong Hye-yeon had been watching the shoot, came a brief sound of admiration.
As a full-fledged fashion model, Gong Hye-yeon instantly recognized that Ha-eun’s pictures were perfect for a fashion magazine.
The photoshoot continued for quite some time.
Ha-eun wore various winter outfits beyond just the padded coat, capturing an array of poses for the photographer.
“You’ve worked hard today~.”
At last, when Ha-eun’s photoshoot was completed, Gong Jae-ho’s satisfied voice resonated.
He mentioned that it wouldn’t be long before Ha-eun’s pictures appeared in various department stores.
This was something Ha-eun already knew, thanks to the photoshoot meeting held a few days prior.
Still, the thought of her photos being displayed in department stores didn’t quite feel real yet.
Perhaps that’s why, when the department stores contracted with Gong Jae-ho’s company began using Ha-eun’s photos for winter clothing advertisements...
‘Hmm… It looks pretty good, I guess….’
Ha-eun found herself visiting a department store she didn’t frequent often, just to see her own pictures.
Of course, she disguised her appearance with a black baseball cap and mask.
Somehow, it felt incredibly strange.
The idea that countless shoppers would come across her photos in department stores was unfamiliar territory.
If she thought about it, her Sears advertisement for their new mattress was also seen by many people.
[Park Mi-so (Mile)] - Guys, I met Ha-eun!
[Park Mi-so (Mile)] - (Selfie with Ha-eun’s photoshoot in the background)
[Park Mi-so (Mile)] - But she didn’t even say hi. I’m so hurt, Ha-eun TT_TT.
[Lee Ye-na (Yuna)] - LOL
But encountering her own photos in real life through advertisements was a first.
The messages from friends, classmates, and other acquaintances who sent proof shots of her ads felt foreign.
Because of that, Ha-eun began visiting department stores whenever she had time after that first outing.
She even embarked on a sort of “tour,” seeking out department stores where her photos were displayed beyond the first one she visited.
It was the first time she directly felt the fame of her name, “Lee Ha-eun,” so tangibly.
Naturally, she seemed a little excited.
Of course, she couldn’t keep roaming around department stores endlessly.
Ha-eun’s hobbies didn’t particularly include shopping, either.
It was a department store employee who ultimately recognized her as the same person depicted in the photo on the wall she was admiring.
Despite her discreet “celebrity incognito” look, meant to hide her identity...
“C-could you take a photo with me?”
The employee’s request left her cheeks flushing red.
Getting caught admiring her own picture felt strangely embarrassing.
After that incident, Ha-eun stopped visiting department stores to see her photos.
Then again, she had already made her rounds to most of the prominent locations.
It was early winter, the chill beginning to settle in.
The streets of Seoul were gradually revealing their end-of-year festive atmosphere.
Still, as a high school student, Ha-eun had to...
“Okay, everyone! Put down your pens. The person at the back, collect the OMR sheets~.”
…Swap the relaxed end-of-year vibes for the stiff, high-pressure atmosphere of final exams.
Since this was the second semester finals of her second year, there was an added sense of weight.
At any rate, now that finals were over, she expected to enjoy some downtime aside from her The Sunshine filming schedule.
“Yep. Eun-hye’s acquaintance gifted her tickets to a ski resort in Japan.”
Ji Hye-min proposed a year-end trip with the other Illusionary Realm members.
It was meant as a brief break or end-of-year gathering for the hardworking group.
While it hadn’t even been half a year since their school trip to Japan, the idea of a group trip with the Illusionary Realm members—
an opportunity Ha-eun couldn’t have imagined in her past life, except through videos—
…was nearly impossible for Ha-eun to refuse.
“Hmm, how do you even write a field trip request form...?”
For the first time in her life, she began filling out a field trip request form, preparing for the trip with the group.
The trip didn’t conflict with her The Sunshine filming schedule, so all she had to resolve was the school attendance issue.
Understandably, her homeroom teacher was baffled by the field trip request to Japan.
Nevertheless, since there were no procedural issues, the teacher stamped her approval.
“What’s in Akihabara? Are you buying a camera?”
However, Ha-eun evaded answering truthfully about her main objective—mostly related to subculture merchandise.
She turned her gaze slightly and vaguely mentioned that she might pick up a camera if she had the chance.
With school attendance sorted out, all that remained was to finalize the travel itinerary.
Ji Hye-min had mentioned that Ha-eun could share any specific places she wanted to visit.
Outside of the ski resort, the other travel decisions were left to the Illusionary Realm members.
Naturally, the group considered their fanbase’s curiosity about whether Diah would join the trip, as shared in the official fan café announcement:
[Travel Planning Broadcast☆]
- A spirit venturing into the human world, constantly on trips, huh?
- Damn it, another trip. Meanwhile, we Sunsets are freezing to death…
They hosted a livestream focused on planning their Japan winter trip shortly before departure.
To avoid revealing red-pill details, they refrained from discussing exact schedules.
The broadcast was primarily to gather recommendations from Sunsets—places to visit, food to try, and activities to do.
“Catching snow while soaking in an onsen has always been a dream of mine. Should I go to an outdoor hot spring?”
- If you’re going to Japan in winter, you need to experience an onsen while it’s snowing.
- Pure romance. Amazing.
[ㅇㅇ has d 1,000 KRW!]
“Is it a mixed-gender bath? (Genuinely curious)”
“I’m not sure if it’s mixed or not... …Wait, that didn’t seem like a genuine question, did it?”
- Damn, smart kid saw through us!
- Violation! Emergency blade dance incoming!
- Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!
- We’ll meet in the mixed bath (This user has been banned).
- Ahhhh, someone’s been killed!!!
The chat grew chaotic for a moment. Soon after, Diah’s avatar displayed a stark shift in expression, going from playful to almost neutral.
“Now, don’t just apologize. Tell me—why were you curious about whether it’s mixed?”
The user who had asked the question finally confessed their intent, only to face...
“You just wanted to see something ‘amazing’ in the mixed bath, huh? Out you go~.”
[The user has been forcibly removed.]
Diah’s voice tone shifted dramatically, and the banned Sunset’s fate left the broadcast chatroom awash in mock sorrow.
Of course, the majority of the chat was simply pretending to be sad.
The recently banned Sunset was quickly elevated to the status of a “martyr.”
In response, Diah pulled up another one-on-one chat with a different Sunset on her stream screen, questioning why the previous Sunset was being celebrated as a martyr.
Thus began an era of terror.
This time, the broadcast chat was genuinely filled with fear.