Young-bin was in an unusually good mood today. The frustration from having to stay at the office for several days had all but disappeared.

“Team leader, you’ve worked hard preparing for the release. The director said you can head home early today and get some rest.”

With that directive from above, he returned home promptly. Plus, they’d pay him for the full day, so there was nothing to worry about.

“I never thought I’d get off work at this time.”

Working at a game company, Young-bin often had a hectic schedule. Late nights were common, and his return times to home were irregular.

Lately, he had been extra busy with preparations for the launch of a new game. So this break felt particularly sweet.

Especially since there was a potential promotion to director on the horizon, he had been pushing himself hard.

“Time to catch up on those games I’ve been missing.”

He wasn’t worried about the company’s game launch. It was a mass-produced title, and while he respected the current director’s capabilities, he wasn’t too sure about the game itself.

“I miss the high school days.”

Back then, he and Soo-ah had even created a game together. They had won an award in a competition, and that was how he landed his job. However, the game he was working on now didn’t align with his personal dreams.

“If I become director, maybe I can change things?”

Should he just go independent? He mused over the thought while looking around the house.

“Huh? Where’s the framed suit?”

The half-torn body armor that his daughter had ripped in half was missing. Seoyeon had vehemently opposed him keeping it, but he had hung it up anyway, thinking it was crazy but also a unique keepsake. He knew his daughter was strong, but he hadn’t realized just how strong.

“But where could it have gone?”

He started poking around the house. As he moved through the rooms, something felt different.

“Huh.”

It was strangely quiet, and the house seemed to be rearranged.

“Did someone do a deep cleaning today?”

Young-bin didn’t think much of it. He was, after all, the only one in the family who didn’t know about their participation in the variety show Golden Ducklings.

He’d been too busy with work recently and hadn't been home when the cameras were installed.

“Is Seoyeon in her room?”

He thought he could hear faint murmuring. He walked over and knocked three times before flinging the door open.

“What are my headbutting dino and mom up to?”

But then—

“Huh?”

He was taken aback. Soo-ah was dressed unusually fancy, to the point where it was suspicious.

She even had makeup on and her hair neatly done.

Her outfit? That was something else entirely.

“Why are you barging in like that?” Seoyeon, who was rarely fazed, said, visibly flustered.

‘What’s going on?’

Young-bin’s instincts told him something was up. Just as he was about to ask—

“L-let’s go outside for now.”

Soo-ah dragged him out, leaving no room for argument. Young-bin had always been weak when it came to Soo-ah.

 

Seoyeon hadn’t expected her dad to come home so suddenly. She thought she’d be safe, considering he was supposed to be working late today.

And now, with the cameras rolling, there was no good time to tell him what was going on. Even though the scene would likely get edited out, his reaction would still be a problem.

Besides, if she told him now…

‘It’ll just get boring again.’

Young-bin, despite his casual attitude, was strangely sensitive to these things. The moment he realized they were filming, he’d start managing his image, no doubt.

So, for now, she decided to let it be.

“I don’t get it.”

Young-bin stood next to Seoyeon, watching her play a game.

“Didn’t my daughter deflect bullets at one point?”

“…”

“Oh, is that why you’re walking into bullets in the game, to see if you can deflect them too?”

Seoyeon’s hand shook as she gripped the mouse. Sure, she had just walked straight into a hail of bullets in the game, but that hadn’t been her intention. She had thought she could at least survive one shot, but who knew it would go straight to her head?

‘This wasn’t what I had planned.’

She hadn’t even wanted to play the game. Esports was supposed to be a last resort; she had planned on doing something else. But with her dad unexpectedly coming home early, she panicked.

‘At least I showed myself studying earlier, so that should soften the blow.’

Just as she was thinking this, a familiar sound chimed.

[Headshot!]

A crisp voice announced her character’s death as she collapsed on screen.

“Do you not understand the concept of cover?”

“…”

Seoyeon’s gaming style was simple: kill a lot, get killed a lot. But with her dad standing next to her, she felt like she was dying even more than usual.

And naturally, her dad’s teasing increased as well.

‘Why isn’t she reacting the way she usually does?’

Normally, Seoyeon would have fired back some ridiculous retort, but today she was unusually quiet.

‘Huh.’

Though he found it strange, Young-bin continued his playful jabs. And with each one, Seoyeon died even more.

“Ah, seriously.”

Frustrated, Seoyeon jabbed her finger into her dad’s side, making him topple over slightly. She didn’t do it with full force—just enough to make him lose balance.

But then she felt something strange under her finger.

“...?”

When she looked at him with a puzzled expression, he gave her a smug look.

“This thing works pretty well, doesn’t it?”

As Seoyeon looked at him in confusion, Young-bin unzipped his hoodie to reveal a half-torn bulletproof vest, which he had been wearing like a vest.

“You hid this from me, didn’t you?”

“…”

“Were you ashamed of your prey?”

“…”

“And next time, switch to melee combat. You’re quite fierce.”

At that, Seoyeon picked up the chair next to her. Along with her dad, of course.

‘Now I kind of understand why Lee Yu-joo wanted to use a chair.’

Though it wasn’t quite the same kind of chair shot.

 

Golden Ducklings was one of the popular variety shows airing on MDC, consistently drawing an average viewership of over 9%. At its peak, it even crossed the 10% mark, putting it in the category of hit shows.

Naturally, many stars wanted to appear on the show, but not everyone could. The production team had been selective, especially over the last six months.

“I heard Ju Seoyeon is appearing for the first time today.”

“Is that going to be okay? Actors are always hit or miss on variety shows.”

In an attempt to revitalize the show’s format, PD Jeon Ha-young had pulled a bold move by casting one of the hottest actors, Ju Seoyeon.

However…

“Hm, I’m not sure.”

“But hasn’t every variety show she’s appeared on been successful? I’ve enjoyed all of Ju Seoyeon’s appearances so far.”

“Oh, I’m not doubting Ju Seoyeon. It’s just that… actors, you know.”

There was a common belief among the Golden Ducklings staff: actors tend to be boring on variety shows.

Since their careers often depended on their image, they had to strike a balance between being down-to-earth and maintaining their mystique. It was a delicate dance, and some actors had failed spectacularly in the past.

One particular actor had brought in huge ratings, but the quality of roles offered to them afterward plummeted. Their carefully crafted public persona had shattered, along with their career prospects.

“PD Jeon, you don’t seem worried at all?”

“Me? I’m completely confident!”

PD Jeon Ha-young was all smiles. Despite the staff's concerns, she didn’t seem to share their worries.

‘She’s been this way ever since that meeting with Ju Seoyeon.’

During the pre-show meeting with Seoyeon and her mother, something had clearly happened to make the PD this confident.

“Honestly, Star Fisher was really fun.”

“Really? I preferred Hyper Action Star…”

The staff's doubts had lessened as they trusted in PD Jeon’s judgment. After all, the success of observational variety shows largely hinged on the PD’s skills.

The editing was crucial—it determined whether the show would be interesting or dull. And that was why Golden Ducklings had lasted so long while other observational shows had come and gone.

“Now I’m starting to look forward to this.”

“I was worried that the show was becoming too focused on image crafting, but maybe this time will be different.”

“I hope it doesn’t just rely on hype.”

Naturally, the broadcasting team began to anticipate the filming day.

“Today, we have a special guest joining us.”

“Wow, I’ve heard! A new golden duckling, right?”

The filming began with the MCs and panelists, who were visibly excited.

In Golden Ducklings, the term "golden duckling" referred to the featured star—a young celebrity whose daily life would be showcased on the screen.

“And now, let’s reveal who it is!”

Main MC Gong Hyeong-man spoke, and everyone leaned in to listen.

“It’s none other than actress Ju Seoyeon!”

As his words echoed, a video clip from The Chaser played on the screen. The panelists gasped in admiration. There was only one young actress in The Chaser, so the reveal wasn’t a surprise.

When clips from Dream Future followed, their assumptions were confirmed.

“Actress Ju Seoyeon!!”

Applause filled the room as Gong Hyeong-man scanned the reactions. Everyone seemed amazed, but there was an undercurrent of worry in their expressions.

After all, the previous actor had tanked the ratings, and they were still trying to recover. Another actor?

‘Wouldn’t it be better to feature someone with a more unique profession?’

But at Ju Seoyeon’s age, what other professions were there? Still, maybe an idol would have been better? That’s what some were thinking.

“And now, let’s bring in the guest’s mother. Don’t be too shocked, everyone.”

“Huh?”

“Is she someone famous?”

“No, she’s not. I mean, Ju Seoyeon isn’t a second-generation star, right?”

Gong Hyeong-man teased with a playful tone, leaving the other panelists confused.

‘What’s with him?’

While the MC had prior knowledge of the guests, the rest of the panel met them for the first time on set. Naturally, they were curious. But what could they expect from a celebrity’s mom? Most of the time, they were pretty average.

At most, they just hoped she had a good sense of humor. Ju Seoyeon’s mother would likely be in her mid-40s, which sometimes meant a strict or difficult personality.

They all hoped she wouldn’t stir up any controversy.

Just as these thoughts were going through everyone’s minds—

Clunk!

The door opened, and Ju Seoyeon’s mother entered. The panelists clapped politely, but as they saw her, they froze.

“What?”

Ju Seoyeon’s mother, Min Soo-ah, had arrived.

Her long hair was tied up in a neat bun, and her slightly drooping eyes twitched nervously. Her pale skin showed not a single wrinkle, and she wore a somewhat awkward smile.

She wasn’t particularly tall, but her proportions were stunning. A narrow waist, wide hips, long legs, and well-toned breasts—all contributing to an incredibly striking figure.

But what stood out the most was…

‘What is that?’

The female panellists were momentarily stunned, while the men quickly averted their eyes, knowing full well that this was a body that could be dangerous if looked at too closely.