Chapter 628
As they entered the hotel, the T-fany team drew everyone’s attention at once. Even for a high-end brand, hiring armed guards was rare.
“Where is it?”
“Why is T-fany...?”
“Wait. That was actually true?”
Staff members heading down to the parking lot to pick up express deliveries and managers rushing around the lobby all stopped in their tracks.
Even people who had been running around as though every minute and every second mattered forgot what they were supposed to be doing.
“Target floor confirmed.”
“All clear.”
They communicated over their radios. Team 1 took the elevator first and went to the floor where Han Yeoreum was staying to check the situation. Then Team 2, carrying the necklace, went up, while Team 3 covered the rear.
“I told you. It’s true, really! T-fany made a move!”
Several people quickly passed the news along to reporters they knew. Right now, New York Fashion Week was in the middle of an all-out war for views.
“Okay. We can’t miss this!”
The New York reporters who got wind of LMVH’s unprecedented move immediately began churning out provocative headlines.
It took no time at all for the three syllables of Han Yeoreum’s name to practically plaster the American media.
[T-fany’s Princess? Han Yeoreum of , Who Devoured Netholics... Receives a $5 Million Diamond]
[“Who the Hell Is That Asian Woman?” Hollywood’s Top Stars Humiliated After Losing Out on a $5 Million Diamond]
[Exclusive⎮Six Armed Guards Deployed... The Identity of the $5 Million Necklace That Has Thrown All of New York Fashion Week into a Frenzy]
[“The Pride of the Luxury Empire Is Dead” LMVH Bows Its Head to Asian Capital... T-fany’s Most Reckless {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Gamble in History?]
[Korean TV Star Takes Her Shining First Step at New York Fashion Week... K-Drama Leads the Trends]
“This is completely insane!”
“And it’s not even Paris, but New York Fashion Week. Erno must have finally lost his mind too.”
Some were angry, some still couldn’t believe it, and some were amazed.
Because the LMVH name carried that much weight.
“So. When exactly is T-fany’s princess getting here?”
In an instant, Han Yeoreum had every reporter in New York waiting for her.
This was New York, a place where ordinary incidents weren’t enough to make anyone’s heart race.
But one fresh actress from Korea had set their hearts on fire.
T-fany’s princess. LMVH’s unprecedented move. Erno’s mistake. New phrases describing Han Yeoreum were already being born.
Whether they were positive or negative.
One thing was certain: she had carved herself impossibly deep into their minds.
-Who the hell is Han Yeoreum anyway?
-T-fany is finished now :( I can’t think of it as a luxury brand at all anymore!
-I’ll blast anyone who insults my ddal Jihwa with a shotgun!!! Come at me, you fucking bastards!!!
-There are seriously still this many idiots who haven’t watched ? God. You people are good for nothing but producing carbon dioxide
-If Erno chose her, she must be an incredible actress! This is Erno we’re talking about
As articles poured out one after another, the public moved with them. In an instant, Han Yeoreum became the most talked-about mystery at New York Fashion Week.
“We’ll put it on now.”
At that moment, on the top floor of the hotel, Han Yeoreum stood in the suite wearing a champagne-gold dress, waiting for T-fany’s velvet box to open.
Click.
Bathed in the New York morning sunlight streaming through the window, T-fany’s Blue Book sparkled exceptionally brightly. The pale, clear pink diamond glowed softly.
A man wearing white gloves carefully fastened the necklace around T-fany’s princess’s neck. With the weighty jewelry resting on her, she looked like a trophy from some film festival.
Han Yeoreum took a deep breath while looking in the mirror and rose from her seat. T-fany’s armed guards took their positions beside her.
“We’ll move out now.”
The suite door opened, and Team 1 went ahead to the hotel lobby to check that everything was clear.
Team 2 walked in step with Han Yeoreum. They extended their arms, keeping watch on the surroundings as they escorted her.
Finally, Team 3 followed after receiving word that the elevator carrying Han Yeoreum had reached the first floor.
A black limousine reached the main entrance of Aman New York, with T-fany’s New York flagship store and its vivid mint-colored lights behind it.
To pick up Han Yeoreum.
To unveil her at New York Fashion Week.
At last, the car carrying Han Yeoreum began to move. Guard vehicles immediately pulled alongside it on both sides.
It was a more spectacular departure than anyone else’s.
* * *
At last, we arrived at New York Fashion Week. Even through the heavily tinted windows, I could see the flashes going off outside.
‘Wow... seriously....’
There were even more people than at the Critics Choice Awards. Since this was a place where everyone from influencers to stars gathered together, the scale was completely different.
I could almost hear my heart pounding in my ears.
When I turned around, I could see another car through the window behind us. It was probably carrying Myeong Jeha.
‘Unlike me, he’s probably completely calm.’
I started to grab the hem of my dress with my trembling hand, then realized I would wrinkle it and simply curled my hand inward instead.
The tips of my nails dug sharply into the lines of my palm. Sweat seeped between them.
The T-fany guard sitting beside me spoke.
“We’ll accompany you all the way inside the show venue, so you don’t need to worry too much.”
“Ah... yes... thank you.”
It was almost time to get out. I looked through the blackened window at the crowd gathered outside.
Quite a few people seemed to be broadcasting live. They looked like influencers streaming through Intube and Tintok.
‘Do I look okay?’
After , there must be people here who know me now. What would I look like to them? An inexplicable sense of anticipation and nervousness existed inside me at the same time. My mouth kept growing hot and dry.
“Straighten your back.”
The T-fany guard spoke to me.
“Our jewelry is given only to lovely, confident ladies. Have confidence.”
He was wearing sunglasses, so I couldn’t see his eyes. But even without seeing them, I could feel a certain sincerity in his words.
“It suits you perfectly. You look wonderful.”
“....”
I silently nodded.
The door opened.
Murmurs crashed into me without warning from every direction along with a barrage of flashes.
I stepped out after the guard. Back straight, completely confident.
My ears rang as I walked down the red carpet toward the photo wall. There were more people than I could have imagined at an event as enormous as Fashion Week, and there were even more cameras than people.
Facing them head-on made that enormous anxiety surge over me again.
How was I supposed to smile? When was I supposed to wave? Things I normally did without a second thought suddenly felt difficult.
It was as though my mind had been bleached completely white. All I could do was barely hold the hem of my dress and keep walking forward.
“You told me to look forward to it. You weren’t kidding.”
At last, I reached the photo wall. Myeong Jeha, who had somehow come right up beside me, quietly whispered.
It was so noisy in every direction that my ears were practically ringing, yet only Myeong Jeha’s low voice came through clearly.
“You’re beautiful.”
As always, Myeong Jeha raised the corners of his lips.
And strangely enough, all my anxiety seemed to disappear.
I remembered how I was supposed to smile.
Only then could I smile the way I normally did in front of the countless cameras of New York.
The pouring sound of shutters seemed like applause. The people moving beyond them looked like waves.
As though they might crash all the way over here at any moment.
And yet, strangely, I wasn’t afraid at all.
* * *
Aetami nearly lost consciousness for a moment.
‘No, what the hell is this....’
[The True Class of Netholics’ Global No. 1... Who Is the Korean Actress Chosen by the Chairman of LMVH?]
[“This Is the Class of a K-Actress”... Han Yeoreum’s Jaw-Dropping Beauty Takes Over New York Fashion Week]
[StarCutCut ⎮ “Beyond Asia and Into the World”... Paralyzes All of Fifth Avenue in New York]
[The Price of the Necklace Han Yeoreum Wore at New York Fashion Week... A Staggering 7 Billion Won? The Story Behind Her Nickname ]
Every headline on Korean portal sites was covered with Han Yeoreum’s name. Aetami, who had been desperately waiting for photographs from American articles to appear, grew dizzy. Her head spun.
Aetami quickly clicked the article at the very top, and her eyes grew moist.
The article explained why LMVH had chosen Han Yeoreum.
◆ The Power of K-Content Proven by Netholics’ Global No. 1
It is the result of the capitalist calculation that most swiftly recognized Han Yeoreum’s explosive media power, which has kept her at No. 1 on Netholics’ worldwide chart for more than a month, as well as the rising status of K-content, which has begun dominating global popular culture.
How had K-Drama begun attracting serious attention in the United States?
It was thanks to , which had delivered an enormous dose of dopamine to local audiences.
People who encountered the genre of Korean dramas for the first time through went on to watch another Han Yeoreum project, , and from there, their tastes split into different genres.
-Seoryeong and Myungdo didn’t kiss even once until the final episode, but they’re better than any couple I’ve ever seen! You can really feel how much they love each other :D
Those deeply moved by Seoryeong and Myungdo’s love line went on to watch romance,
-Oh damn, it felt like a nightmare the whole time I was watching! Humans really are more horrifying than demons... But the episodes are definitely structured well. Pretty damn interesting.
while those who focused on the storyline moved on to thrillers or action.
-I completely fell in love with the scenery of Korea. Who is the director of this perfect drama? I want to travel to Korea someday♥︎
And there were also quite a few people who fell in love with the historical setting itself. They all went on to watch historical dramas, which meant that once someone stepped into K-Drama through , there was no escaping it.
Genres they had never encountered before.
Fresh actors and stories already proven by ratings.
It was only natural for Korean dramas to gradually claim more and more spots on the Netholics chart.
‘My baby has completely lost her mind....’
Aetami swallowed her tears. She was overwhelmingly proud of Han Yeoreum for drawing far more attention and recognition than she had expected.
Whenever circumstances and public opinion drove Han Yeoreum into a corner, she always turned everything around through sheer ability, as though daring everyone to watch.
Only a short while ago, before the release of , Han Yeoreum had been subjected to absurd criticism calling her stale.
Now, as though that had never happened, she was being showered with praise.
[HOT/ American Reactions Going Absolutely Crazy Right Now LOL (New York Fashion Week Seoul Metropolitan City Team.jpg)]
[Issue Board/ Han Yeoreum Sponsored with a 7 Billion Won Necklace from T-fany.jpg]
[Today’s BEST/ Today’s Han Yeoreum Somehow Survived Betty Images.jpg]
[DramaFilmActor TALK/ If You Wrote a Setup Like This Even in a Web Novel You’d Get Cursed Out Fuck LOL This Is Insane]
Han Yeoreum’s buzz had done more than completely line up the rankings on portal sites.
TightenYourHeartforYeoreum (MyWomanArchive) @yeomisae
(Han Yeoreum Betty Images.jpg)
fuck her face is the first thing i see even before the 7 billion won necklace
Retreats 2234 Likes 4561
˪This is what bringing glory to the nation looks like
˪Goddess...
View (@fromyoureyes)
(Han Yeoreum and Myeong Jeha two-shot.jpg)
the Taeseok-Huijae fandom never dies
Retreats 3412 Likes 6511
˪NEVER DIE...
˪ah i’m going insane fr isn’t this literally Taeseok taking Huijae to America
˪Sokhwan thank you so much for feeding us this insane CP so we can still savor it to this day!^^
Aetami’s heart swelled because Han Yeoreum had given her news like this the moment she arrived in America.
Deep down, she regretted not being able to follow Yeoreum to her first New York Fashion Week, but she decided to cleanly let go of that lingering regret.
Because there would undoubtedly be a next time for Han Yeoreum.
And another time after that.