#05
Cut (2)
Things smoothed over with Section Manager Kim, who had briefly come by to check the filming schedule until the drama’s finale. Muyoung had worried it would be uncomfortable since they had to work together constantly, but fortunately it ended with just Muyoung’s concerns. Even on set or going back and forth to the studio, he tried to stay close to Muyoung. There were more phone calls with CEO Choi than before. The drama was approaching its finale soon, so Muyoung agreed with the explanation that they should just be a little more careful and keep watching.
The set wasn’t as bad as he’d thought. There was also the fact that he deliberately tried not to listen to the whispering. Fortunately, the worst-case scenario he’d imagined didn’t happen. He couldn’t know what was said when he wasn’t around, but if this atmosphere could make it like nothing had happened at all, he couldn’t ask for more.
Sometimes when he felt eyes on him, or when the position of his belongings left in the clearly locked van was slightly different, he did get chills, but there was no theft or problems with the car. Still, he immediately told Section Manager Kim to check for small cameras or listening devices installed in the car, and fortunately there was nothing.
‘Actually, I was too embarrassed to even bring it up with you… I just had a lot on my mind. I wondered if I was that untrustworthy to you…’
‘No, it’s not like that, Section Manager. I just didn’t think of it.’
While helping Section Manager Kim, who couldn’t entrust it to anyone else just in case and had parked the car in the office parking lot, thoroughly searching the interior under the pretense of cleaning, Muyoung finally brought up the conversation they’d postponed. As Muyoung lit up dark spots with a flashlight, he was a bit surprised by Section Manager Kim’s casually dropped words. It was truly just slight surprise rather than embarrassment or feeling sorry.
He’d always been grateful to the people working for him, and his heart had been heavy knowing he was deceiving those people, even briefly. So he was rather relieved it had come out like this. It wasn’t that he was grateful for the tabloid, but it felt like he could at least maintain minimal courtesy toward people he’d been with for a long time.
He’d thought he was the only one feeling guilty about this. The words that Section Manager Kim had reflected on himself because of Muyoung gave him a strange feeling.
‘I already got thoroughly scolded by CEO Choi. He said you’d definitely be digging a hole and told me to watch carefully.’
‘…I wasn’t even digging a hole.’
‘That’s a relief, at least. Honestly, I was worried you might get involved with the wrong person somewhere.’
‘Do I have that little credibility…’
‘Hey, there you go talking nonsense again. It’s not that I don’t trust you, I don’t trust the people in this industry. I don’t trust that bastard Han Dowon either, but at least he doesn’t seem like the type to run off with money or commit fraud.’
For some reason, Section Manager Kim’s evaluation of his predicted partner was seriously low, but he didn’t bother pointing it out. He just thought that’s how much they worried and cared, so Muyoung actually felt good. It felt like they weren’t just people who met through work but a relationship where they cared for each other. At a crossroads of choice, he’d readily contracted just because it happened to be enjoyable, and time had passed without results good enough to be scouted by other companies, but wasn’t this lucky enough? Just being with people like these.
“Muyoung-ah, answer the phone.”
“Me?”
“CEO Choi says he has something to ask.”
Section Manager Kim’s hand suddenly entered Muyoung’s field of vision as he sat in the van waiting. He climbed into the driver’s seat, having briefly gone to check on the situation, and handed over his phone.
─ Muyoung-ah?
“Yes, CEO-nim.”
─ I was talking with Section Manager Kim and something seemed off, so I’m asking. Did something happen with Seo Kyungju on set?
“Seo Kyungju sunbae-nim? No, nothing happened…”
─ Right? Ugh, my head’s about to explode because that bastard Reporter Choi is spreading weird rumors. No. Never mind if it’s not true.
“Why…? What’s he saying?”
On set, he only briefly greeted the actors including Seo Kyungju and didn’t even have common conversations. But when Seo Kyungju’s name suddenly came up from CEO Choi, who must have been swamped because of the tabloid, it felt ominous.
─ No, he’s saying stuff like did you do something wrong to Seo Kyungju on set, or Seo Kyungju finds you troublesome.
“Ah… No. Even today when we ran into each other on set, we just briefly greeted each other… He’s probably just testing you, CEO-nim.”
─ Right, just forget it. I’ll look into it separately. Were you resting? Do you need anything?
Section Manager Kim’s warnings about Seo Kyungju from before suddenly came to mind, but he didn’t bother mentioning it. Before Muyoung answered the phone, he could clearly hear the worry in CEO Choi’s voice about what had been said. He was probably on edge worried that another problem might pile on. He didn’t know exactly what the reporter had said, but in the process of checking, Muyoung felt both agitation and concern directed at him.
“I’m fine. If there was anything like that, I’d tell Section Manager Kim or someone.”
Ask for vacation, vacation. Seeing Section Manager Kim strongly insisting through the rearview mirror with his mouth, Muyoung smiled slightly and relayed the message that Section Manager Kim is asking for vacation. How about taking permanent vacation while you’re at it, came the grumbling voice before it became vigorous again, so even if he’d heard bad things, it didn’t seem to have much impact.
─ Got it. After you finish today, get plenty of sleep. Eat something too.
“Yes, don’t worry.”
─ Okay, I’ll contact you if I find out anything. Hanging up.
Even while hurriedly ending the call, Muyoung’s doubts about what CEO Choi had just said hadn’t completely faded. Why would Seo Kyungju’s name reach his ears, not about the drama they were filming together, but especially when something like a tabloid had broken? He shook his head to clear his complicated thoughts and returned the phone to Section Manager Kim.
“Seo Kyungju was talking nonsense, right?”
“I know. He’s saying strange things.”
“There’s been nothing on set lately either. I wonder if that reporter is talking nonsense or if Seo Kyungju ate something wrong…”
Section Manager Kim’s grumbling intensified, his feelings about Seo Kyungju still not good. Muyoung lightly laughed and pretended not to hear, but inwardly he couldn’t help thinking things were flowing strangely. It felt like someone with no connection suddenly appeared before him claiming to be his enemy. Still, since it was a place with lots of talk, he figured being careful wasn’t bad.
Contrary to the noisy-minded Section Manager Kim and worried CEO Choi’s concerns, filming continued smoothly until the very end. The filming site always seemed peaceful but was also a place where a unique sensitivity coexisted. Now there weren’t many episodes left to air, and finishing filming without major noise was better for everyone than an actor’s personal circumstances. That’s probably why his company was more worried and everyone on set pretended not to know. No one wanted to be in a position of causing damage, and even if such a thing happened, they desperately hoped it would be after filming was completely over.
As filming reached the final stages, the uncomfortable point was that the intervals between receiving scripts were getting increasingly narrow. Not all drama sets were like this, but sometimes before the finale like this, filming would stop and they’d have to wait because of unprepared scripts.
Situations where filming time kept getting pushed back until all staff were on standby waiting for the script were common. It was no different for actors. Succumbing to the writer’s earnest request and the production team’s circumstances, they had to stay in accommodations arranged by the production team and wait for filming that could suddenly start. The unfortunate thing was that Muyoung was one of the actors who had to wait.
“So we got a call today saying the script isn’t ready again?”
─ Yeah. The directing team is already going crazy. The youngest staff seem like they haven’t been home for a week already.
“…The writer must be struggling too, but this time is a bit severe.”
─ If it were up to me, I’d want to go press them. I’m worried we might get broadcast blackouts at this rate.
“No way. That won’t happen.”
─ They might arrange accommodations near the Paju filming site. They say they’ll accommodate as much as possible, but from how they’re bringing it up, I think they’re planning to arrange it and let us know?
“Oh, that’s…”
─ I did say it would be uncomfortable if it’s not home. But Dr. Seo said it’s fine, so I couldn’t push back hard.
“Dr. Seo… Then there’s no choice.”
When even a senior veteran actor much older was willing to wait like that, what objection could he make? Actually, Muyoung also thought it would be better to be on standby somewhere close to the filming site rather than killing time on the road going back and forth. He didn’t have other schedules overlapping like the lead actors, and it seemed not bad to just not move from the filming site rather than holding his breath and being careful of his surroundings while traveling.
The problem was Dowon, who frequently came to his apartment…
─ You’ll probably get a call within a day or two, so just pack some bags in advance. If you’re going to stay for several days, it shouldn’t be uncomfortable.
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
It seemed like they’d meet within the next day or so, so maybe he should talk about it in person then. He needed to go to the hospital too, but decided to postpone it a bit more since he had medicine.
Now that things had turned out this way, his body had gotten more comfortable and symptoms like dizziness or stomach discomfort had improved quite a bit. It wasn’t painful, just slightly bothersome, so at this level it didn’t seem much different from how he’d been sensitive during regular filming.
Inwardly, he even thought it was fortunate to be apart from Dowon for a bit, even if it was an excuse close to a filming delay accident. Of course, having someone who listened to all his circumstances and always cheered him on was very reassuring and strengthening, but there were moments when he was chilled by the thought that he was leaning on them too much. It was a comfortable, warm, peaceful place, but sometimes he felt like he was falling into a place he could never return from. Someone might say this was complaining on a full stomach.
He was already vaguely aware of it. Unlike the man who said he liked him, Muyoung knew this relationship would have an end someday. After the limited ten meetings, he would convey appropriate words of refusal. He thought if they parted ways like that, he could have a smooth separation without leaving any lingering attachment to Dowon.
