“What on earth possessed you to go to the filming site? It’s not even your scene.”
At Seonghyeok’s grumbling voice, Haesung said nothing. His gaze watching the outside with his chin propped up was dry and emotionless.
“It’s the first shoot. I want to see the atmosphere.”
“Is that all? Really, there’s no other reason at all?”
He didn’t answer that either.
It’s strange. Normally, he wouldn’t have hidden it from Seonghyeok and would have told him his true feelings. But today, his mouth was shut tight and wouldn’t open.
Because he was anxious about what kind of reaction would come.
‘Are you crazy?’
He could fly into a rage and turn the car around.
‘You should have treated him well when you had the chance.’
He could sneer and condemn his wrongdoings.
‘That’s so like you.’
He might feel even more upset and stop talking.
Right now, he didn’t want to reveal the true reason. Because even he couldn’t find the reason for going to see Dohyeong.
I want to see him. That emotion needed an answer to follow. Why do I want to see him, why does my body move first with these feelings.
I want to check if he’s digesting the acting well. That was also an emotion that needed an answer. What will you do after checking, when they’re things you already saw at the script reading anyway, and who are you to say anything.
Just, because I wanted to cheer him on? That was the most nonsensical reason.
Because one phone call would be enough to cheer him on without having to chase him all the way to the filming site.
“Hyung. Who did you say Dohyeong is with today?”
“Actor Choi Yuchan.”
Right, let’s use this as the reason. Because it’s none other than Choi Yuchan.
Haesung, who had been looking outside with his chin propped up, let out a short sigh. The closer they got to the observatory, the more complicated his mind became.
What expression should he wear when greeting them, what conversation would allow him to talk without it being awkward.
Countless thoughts pile up layer upon layer to become a tall tower. Once he gets through them one by one, they too will disappear.
Before long, they arrived at the filming location.
When Haesung got out of the car, several staff members who recognized him greeted him.
“Oh? What brings you all the way here? You don’t have filming today.”
“I was curious. It’s been a while since I’ve returned, so I thought it’d be good to come early and see the atmosphere.”
“Ah, I see. The director is doing a rehearsal over there!”
Haesung gave a brief nod and started walking. He heard Seonghyeok calling from behind, but he didn’t stop.
Arriving at the monitor where Director Na was, Haesung sat on the folding chair placed beside it and crossed his legs.
“Oh, Haesung-ssi. What’s going on? You don’t have filming today, do you?”
“Just curious.”
It was a brief response, but Director Na could understand the hidden meaning within it. It wasn’t simply that he was curious about the filming method or atmosphere.
You could tell by looking at him staring at the monitor that clearly showed Yuchan and Dohyeong doing their rehearsal.
Director Na, who had been smiling silently, leaned back in his chair and quietly watched the monitor.
“He’s improved a lot, hasn’t he?”
When Haesung glanced over, he also looked at Haesung and smiled cheekily.
“I’m talking about Dohyeong-ssi.”
No answer came back. Haesung, who had been silently turning his head to look at the monitor, nodded and crossed his arms.
“Actually, even before, his understanding of the script was good. He just struggled because he didn’t know how to express it.”
“I know.”
“I was hoping someone would be there to guide him on that…”
Hm? Director Na leaned closer to Haesung as if asking a question, and Haesung smiled awkwardly and rubbed his cheek with one hand.
It meant that the role of guiding him should have been his. He was the one who missed it, and he was the one who let it go.
So now, it must be telling him not to say anything about Dohyeong’s acting skills. He knew. He knew that he shouldn’t be commenting on Dohyeong anymore.
“Anyway, the feeling is very good. The chemistry with Yuchan-ssi is good too.”
“…We’ll have to keep watching to know who has better chemistry with whom.”
It was something he blurted out without realizing it. Director Na’s surprised gaze turned to him, but Haesung deliberately looked away.
Dohyeong in the monitor had grown a lot, just as Director Na said.
Vocalization, pronunciation, emotional expression—there wasn’t a single thing to criticize. Of course, it could be that what Dohyeong had been building up over a long time was finally shining now.
He felt pleased for no reason. He tried to hide his smile by covering his mouth with his hand, but his already raised corners refused to come down.
“Cut! The rehearsal was very good. But Dohyeong-ssi, the emotion is too heavy. Let’s go a little lighter, friendlier. Yuchan-ssi, I think it’d be good if you could be a bit more sly too.”
“Yes, understood!”
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
At Yuchan and Dohyeong’s answers, Director Na sat down looking satisfied.
Since the rehearsal was over, preparations to start filming in earnest continued. Dohyeong and Yuchan sat side by side getting their makeup touched up, looking at their scripts and talking to each other.
Haesung quietly watched Dohyeong and Yuchan like that.
If he approached them, what expression would Dohyeong make? What would he say to him?
After thinking for a moment, Haesung took out his phone and stared at something for a while. It should be coming soon. Muttering, he turned his head toward the filming site entrance.
What was slowly coming in was a coffee catering truck for the people at the filming site.
“Oh my, what’s this!”
When Director Na made a fuss and stood up from his seat, Haesung smiled faintly and shoved both hands in his pockets.
“It’s the first shoot, so I’m treating.”
“Hey, if you’re going to treat, you should buy an expensive lunch!”
“Yes. I did that too.”
“As expected, Haesung-ssi definitely has a different sense!”
Haha! At Director Na’s loud laughter, Haesung also smiled faintly.
Shortly after, the coffee truck fully entered the filming site. Director Na took Haesung in front of it.
“Everyone! Our filming site’s first coffee truck is courtesy of Jung Haesung-ssi! Everyone enjoy it and let’s do our best!”
He announced it in a loud voice as if spreading rumors throughout the neighborhood.
Standing upright in front of the coffee truck, Haesung stared intently at Dohyeong standing in the back.
The staff members first received their drinks one by one and returned to their places, and finally Yuchan approached the coffee truck.
“I’ll enjoy this. Sunbae-nim.”
The appearance of Yuchan from the group reading had completely disappeared. Even the sunbae-nim title that he hadn’t been able to hear from him at some point was attached.
Probably because of Kim Dohyeong, who had exploded emotionally at the script reading.
At his cheeky smile, Haesung showed no reaction whatsoever.
“Yes. Good luck with today’s filming.”
He only threw out an answer like empty formality.
Yuchan was the same. After smiling at Haesung once, he turned his head and pulled Dohyeong over.
“What do you want to drink? Coffee would be better, right?”
Next to Yuchan, who was scanning the coffee menu, Dohyeong slowly looked over the menu one by one. At that sight, Haesung took a short breath.
“Job’s tears tea.”
It might have been natural for their eyes to meet with both of them looking flustered.
But Haesung shrugged his shoulders as if asking what the problem was.
“This place makes delicious job’s tears tea.”
“Still, let’s have coffee to wake up too. Dohyeong-ah.”
“He’s probably on an empty stomach. Pouring coffee on top of that… isn’t that telling him to drop dead?”
Yuchan glared at Haesung with sharp eyes. He was full of dissatisfaction at him picking apart everything one by one.
Whatever. He wasn’t particularly moved. And Haesung wasn’t someone who would cower in fear at those eyes either.
When Haesung was about to retort with something, Dohyeong shook his head and stepped forward.
“I’ll have milk tea, please.”
And he ordered a completely different drink from what the two of them had recommended.
“I’ll have the same.”
When Haesung followed Dohyeong’s order, Yuchan wasn’t to be outdone and also called out for milk tea.
In the end, Haesung and Yuchan glared sharply at each other. They didn’t say more since Dohyeong had a history of getting angry once.
Dohyeong, who had been watching the two of them for a while, received the milk tea that came out first and subtly stepped back.
Was it because they were too absorbed? Haesung and Yuchan didn’t notice Dohyeong moving away. They just glared at each other for quite a long time, pouring out with their eyes the complaints they couldn’t voice.
***
Dohyeong, who returned to the waiting area drinking his milk tea, let out a deep sigh.
Then, Wootae sat down next to Dohyeong with coffee and cookies in both hands.
“As expected, Jung Haesung is Jung Haesung. Didn’t he prepare something like this last time too?”
“Did he? I don’t remember.”
At Dohyeong’s indifferent answer, Wootae’s eyes widened in surprise. It was a markedly different reaction from usual.
Perhaps it was the appearance everyone around him had been hoping for.
“What, Kim Dohyeong. You suddenly became a different person.”
“…What do you mean?”
“You used to remember everything about Jung Haesung. You’d either answer excitedly or wistfully, one of the two. But now what. It seems like you have no interest at all?”
Dohyeong silently sipped his milk tea.
“What, what is it? Did something happen? Maybe with Yuchan…”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what is it. Hey, hyung is dying of curiosity. Hm?”
Dohyeong, who had been deep in thought organizing his feelings for a while, opened his mouth slightly. The paper cup containing the milk tea was warm. The warmth transmitted through his palm felt like it was gently melting even his heart.
“I feel relieved.”
That’s all. There were still things about Haesung he couldn’t understand, but there was definitely a difference between when his heart was complicated and when it wasn’t.
“At first… just seeing his face would bring back old memories. I felt like that version of me would crawl out again. I was scared that person would think of me the same as before…”
Wootae listened to Dohyeong’s story without saying anything. Without nodding or adding interjections.
“Suddenly I thought, we met as actor to actor, so why was I viewing us as Jung Haesung and Kim Dohyeong?”
A bitter smile hung on Dohyeong’s lips. He shrugged his shoulders, then gently stroked the very top of the paper cup with his fingertips.
“Not as Jung Haesung-ssi. When I think of him as an industry senior, as an actor working together, my mind feels at ease. I feel relieved.”
I won’t care anymore.
The moment he resolved that, a staff member came to inform them that filming preparations were almost complete. Dohyeong nodded and stood up from his seat.
“Still, there’s just one thing I couldn’t convey that keeps staying on my mind.”
“To who?”
“To Jung Haesung-ssi.”
What it was—he chose his words and kept his mouth shut. Wootae didn’t necessarily bring it up out loud either, but he seemed curious.
It was just when Dohyeong finally opened his mouth.
“What is it, that?”
Startled by the voice from behind, he turned his head.
“You said it’s something you couldn’t convey to me, so I’m getting curious.”
He faced Haesung, who was quietly looking at him.
They say time solves everything. It seems it’s no different for him.
“That I’m grateful.”
He could convey it more easily than expected. It was such an easy and concise phrase, so much so that it was strange he had been crawling on the ground until now.
“Thanks to sunbae-nim, I learned how to endure time alone. I realized what kind of actor I need to become going forward. I was able to know how much the people around me cherish and love me. When you’re grateful, you have to say you’re grateful.”
Wootae, who was just as surprised as Haesung, dropped the coffee cup he was holding with a thud.
But even at that noise, Dohyeong continued speaking indifferently.
“Since sunbae-nim spoke honestly to me, I was able to be honest too. Thank you. I think I can do that now. Being people who cheer for each other’s futures.”
