I Returned as a High School Girl

Kim Han-Gyo’s invitation. Kang Ra-Eun had never thought that what she had said jokingly to Team Leader So Ha-Jin would actually come true.

Director Joo Seong-Won asked with a flushed face as he watched Ra-Eun in confusion.

“Huh? You didn’t know about it, Ra-Eun?”

“Of course not. Does he want to meet me alone?”

“From what I’d heard... What was it again? To be more specific, I believe he said that he wanted to invite talents affiliated with GNF and ask about the direction of the entertainment industry, or something like that... It’s a bit blurry.”

Direction of the entertainment industry... It certainly was a good reason, but Ra-Eun knew better than anyone that it was just an excuse.

‘He obviously planned something like this because of me.’

It was obvious that Han-Gyo was suspecting that Ra-Eun was the masked woman and that she was gathering people to go up in arms against him. Han-Gyo was a very perceptive man; there was no way he hadn’t realized that Ra-Eun was connected deeper to this matter than meets the eye.

‘An invitation from my mortal enemy...’

Ra-Eun wondered whether she should accept the invitation or not.

***

Ra-Eun and Shin Yu-Bin headed to GNF to meet Chief Jung on Friday. Like she had expected...

“Congressman Kim Han-Gyo contacted us, saying that he wants to invite our talents. That’s why I’m planning on asking who wants to go and then let his team know.”

Chief Jung mentioned exactly what Director Joo had said two nights ago. Ra-Eun was not surprised because she had already been spoiled regarding the contents of their current conversation. She had been thinking about what to do about this invitation ever since hearing about it from the director. And finally, she had come to a decision.

“What do you want to do, Ra-Eun?” Chief Jung asked.

Ra-Eun answered immediately as if she had been waiting for it, “I’ll participate for sure.”

Running away was not her style. If the opponent drew their sword, it was common courtesy for one to draw their sword as well, at least according to Ra-Eun.

***

Ra-Eun had declared that she would meet Han-Gyo, but her associates thought otherwise.

“I personally think you should’ve refused the invitation,” Ma Yeong-Jun remarked.

Park Seol-Hun, So Ha-Jin, and Director Do Hye-Yeong looked at Yeong-Jun. Ra-Eun asked him why he thought that way, but the reason was fairly obvious.

“He already suspects you, so I don’t think it’s necessary for you to go and raise even more suspicion.”

Yeong-Jun was not wrong; it might be a better idea to stay hidden in situations like this. However, Ra-Eun did not agree.

“He already suspects me, so his suspicions won’t disappear as long as I keep hiding from him. Rather, it might raise his suspicions even more.”

It might cause Han-Gyo to think that Ra-Eun was avoiding him because she had something to hide. Either choice had its risks.

“Now that it’s come to this, I’ll just have to do things my way.”

Hence, she had decided to gladly accept her mortal enemy’s invitation. Even so, Yeong-Jun could not agree with her choice.

Meanwhile, Seol-Hun asked while he was listening to their conversation, “But why do you hate Congressman Kim Han-Gyo so much?”

Seol-Hun and Hye-Yeong had more or less an idea that Ra-Eun had negative feelings for Han-Gyo for a long time. Although they had come to find out much later than Yeong-Jun, they couldn’t not notice since they had worked with her for a very long time. They knew that Ra-Eun hated him, but not why.

Ra-Eun shrugged and answered concisely, “You don’t need to know.”

Seol-Hun and Hye-Yeong then looked toward Yeong-Jun and Ha-Jin, who also did not seem to know either. In any case, Kim Han-Gyo was Ra-Eun’s enemy... No, now that they were all on the same boat, he had become their common enemy. Both Seol-Hun and Hye-Yeong were willing to help Ra-Eun in any way they could.

Ha-Jin then asked Ra-Eun, “When and where is it?”

“Next Thursday evening. We’ll be meeting at Congressman Kim’s home. I’ll be going, but I’m not sure about the other talents.”

She honestly couldn’t care less about who else was coming. The only thing on her mind was her confrontation with Han-Gyo.

Yeong-Jun asked this time, “Does Team Leader So and I have to accompany you?”

“Considering the last incident, you stay put, mister. I’ll just take Team Leader So.”

Yeong-Jun and Park Du-Chil’s covers had almost been blown during the secret meeting between Han-Gyo and Chairman Ji, as they were trying to get closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. They claimed that their faces had not been exposed, but it couldn’t hurt to be too safe. Not only that, it was more comfortable to take just Ha-Jin with her since they were both women.

“And I don’t think there will be any major issues, so don’t worry,” Ra-Eun expressed.

“Mm...”

Yeong-Jun could no longer speak frankly after Ra-Eun was being so adamant. As long as the target for their revenge was Kim Han-Gyo, the mastermind of the plan was Ra-Eun; she was the protagonist, so Yeong-Jun could only do as she said.

“Okay, that’s all for now. Oh right, Mr. Park,” Ra-Eun called out.

“Me?” Seol-Hun asked.

“Yeah. We have the new product launch event in two months, right? Je-Woon sunbae decided to take part in that program, so I’m just letting you know.”

“F-For real?”

Seol-Hun blinked in quick succession. Their sales were guaranteed to skyrocket as long as Je-Woon, a global star as well as the leader of Bex, were to participate in the launch event.

“But how did you recruit him? You were going off last time about losing the climbing bet.”

Seol-Hun could still recall Ra-Eun complaining about it.

“He contacted me after the shoot and told me that he would do it as thanks for coming on the program with him,” Ra-Eun said.

“How kind of him.”

Kind. That word swirled around inside her head.

“He sure is. He’s great.”

In that case, what kind of person was Ra-Eun after turning down the confession of such a kind and great person? She smiled bitterly.

***

GNF employees and the affiliated talents that accepted Han-Gyo’s invitation all set off from different places to his home. Ra-Eun was heading to the congressman’s home in the car that Ha-Jin was driving. She repeatedly held in her sighs as she saw the extremely familiar roads.

They obviously looked familiar since she had been the congressman’s bodyguard for a very long time in her past life. However, Ra-Eun was no longer his bodyguard, but his mortal enemy. She couldn’t help but have extremely mixed feelings about this.

Ha-Jin said to Ra-Eun, who had been looking out the window empty-mindedly, “You’re getting a call, Chairwoman.”

Ra-Eun’s phone had been ringing for a while now. She had been so out of it that she hadn’t even realized it was ringing.

“Sorry.”

She then picked up the phone. The call was from Han Ga-Ae, Ra-Eun’s same-age friend.

“Hello?”

- Hey, Ra-Eun. It’s me. Are you on your way to the congressman’s house right now?

“Yeah, I am. You accepted the invitation too?”

- Yeah. I’m here with Rita sunbae right now. I see some other people from our agency too, but it’s a bit difficult to get along with them since I don’t really know them.

Even if they were in the same agency, not all celebrities knew each other. They sometimes didn’t even realize they were in the same agency. Not only that, the majority of GNF’s talents had always been actors, so there were not many people that Ga-Ae, a singer, could associate with. She was relieved to have at least Rita with her.

Ra-Eun could hear Rita’s voice next to Ga-Ae.

- Kang Ra-Eun! How long are you gonna make your unnie wait? Hurry up and get over here!

Ra-Eun smiled bitterly.

“Sunbae isn’t drunk already, is she?”

- She’s still fine. She’s just throwing a tantrum because she wants to see you so badly.

There was no longer anyone in the country who didn’t know of Rita’s love for Ra-Eun. She had mentioned several times on programs that she liked Ra-Eun the best among her juniors. Rita was now blatantly favoring Ra-Eun, to which Ra-Eun was not sure whether it was a good or bad thing. Just when Ha-Jin was about to check the GPS and tell Ra-Eun how far they were away...

“We’ll be there in about ten minutes, so tell sunbae to wait just a little longer,” Ra-Eun said.

- Yeah, okay.

Ra-Eun knew exactly how long it would take for them to reach their destination without needing Team Leader So to tell her. Like it had already been mentioned, she knew these roads like the back of her hand. Not knowing that, Ha-Jin couldn’t help but be impressed.

“You seem to know more about these roads than me with the GPS,” she commented.

Ra-Eun could only laugh weakly in response.

***

Like Ra-Eun had expected, they had reached Congressman Kim Han-Gyo’s home in exactly ten minutes. Many cars were already in the parking lot, and Ra-Eun noticed Rita and Ga-Ae’s cars as well. It was a fresh feeling to see each of their personal cars after being driven by their managers all the time.

Ra-Eun walked out of the parking lot and took a good look at Han-Gyo’s house. She couldn’t not get any mixed feelings. Ha-Jin, who was following Ra-Eun from behind, asked in worry, “Is there a problem?”

“No. Just nostalgia.”

“Nostalgia?”

Ha-Jin couldn’t understand why Ra-Eun would feel nostalgic from seeing Congressman Kim’s house.

Ra-Eun switched gears and said to Ha-Jin, “Stand by near the area. I’ll enter by myself.”

“Understood.”

She would most definitely be looked at weirdly if she brought a bodyguard into a party venue. A man in a black suit bowed to Ra-Eun once he confirmed her identity.

“Welcome, Miss Kang Ra-Eun. Please, come in.” 𝐛𝗲𝐝𝐧𝗼𝐯𝐞𝐥．𝐜𝐨𝗺

The scenery of Han-Gyo’s home unfurled as Ra-Eun took a single step inside.

‘I never thought I’d come back here.’

She could only think of it as a quirk of fate.