After roughly washing his face and moving sluggishly, he took out water from the kitchen and drank it. After receiving cold water and it also went inside, he came to his senses a bit. After organizing the mail neatly placed on the dining table, he sat on the living room sofa and habitually turned on the TV.
A program was showing where several panels were laughing, enjoying, and talking together while laying out quite delicious-looking food on a large table. The faces of people sharing exotic menus and well-grilled steak deliciously as if ecstatic while talking about each other’s recent situations and interesting things these days looked happy.
‘Here.’
He ultimately couldn’t refuse Dowon, who called a substitute with the excuse of making Muyoung drink alcohol the previous night and took him to his house entrance with his own car. Even after arriving in the neighborhood, his stubbornness in taking him all the way to the building entrance, ignoring his words that he would get off nearby, was considerable too.
He ultimately left his number in the hand that boldly held out a phone. He couldn’t help it. Although the point that he had already received his business card was caught, there was also a self-abandoning feeling of what did a phone number matter when he already knew even his house.
Above all, he had been completely exhausted. Although it didn’t cross the line of courtesy, he couldn’t endure Dowon’s skill and subtle pressure of endlessly demanding something from Muyoung and receiving it. It was his first time with such a difficult person to deal with.
‘Then let’s meet again soon.’
Since he had never anticipated at all that he would become entangled like this with a subject he had had no connection with for his entire life, he was still in a dazed mood. Nevertheless, he also thought that to the person named Han Dowon, he himself was probably closer to mere interest or amusement encountered by chance, something like that.
Were people who have things all like that? Stopping the thoughts for which he couldn’t seek answers immediately, Muyoung turned his gaze to the screen that continued to be on.
The program’s topic seemed to be about hobbies, so the talk bounced to various things and eventually the topic gathered on food. It was diverse, from the story that visiting new restaurants and making and eating directly were different, to complaints mixed with worry that they started cooking to minimize leftover food after starting to live alone, but ended up definitely accompanying drinks with meals. When they pressed saying as a joke wasn’t the refrigerator just full of alcohol bottles, even the voice arguing back that they wouldn’t make snacks unless there were ingredients mixed in and created big laughter.
The moment recalled his own refrigerator that was extremely meager. No matter what efforts were made, if there were no ingredients from the beginning, nothing could be made.
At the same time, the face of the man who had been smiling and tempting him also came to mind. No matter how great a position someone was in, even if they were a figure leading the industry’s best company, there would be things they couldn’t do. Just as delicious cooking couldn’t suddenly come from his refrigerator that had no ingredients at all, wouldn’t there be nothing that could be taken from a person who had become completely empty?
But why did Dowon’s business card that he hadn’t even taken out of his jacket keep bothering him? Muyoung absolutely couldn’t tell.
#03
Buoy
It had been hectic from the time he saw Section Manager Kim turning the van completely inside out in front of his house where he came out according to departure time. Even when Muyoung got in the car, he rummaged here and there for a while, then probably thinking they couldn’t be late for filming time, departed first. Muyoung, who looked around inside the car together then sat in his seat, fastened his belt and asked Section Manager Kim.
“But are you looking for documents? If they’re not here, they’ll be at the company.”
“Originally I’m a bit forgetful, you know. I searched in case I brought them out here and dropped them.”
“Has anyone else used this car?”
“I dropped you off on Friday and left it at the company as is, so who would have used it? Work at the company has decreased these days anyway…… No, no. Don’t worry, just think about filming well first.”
I need to remember where on earth I put it. From Section Manager Kim’s grumbling, Muyoung sensed it wasn’t that urgent a matter and finally lost interest. Instead, he quietly closed then opened his eyes while holding the script that would start filming immediately.
These days, even when memorizing short lines, there were times when they didn’t immediately come to mind at the scene or there was a little dizziness when trying to remember. He recalled the already familiar script again and rolled them one by one inside his mouth, then repeatedly checked again if there were suspicious parts. After repeating several times and memorizing it all, they could safely arrive at the filming site.
“I have to move to the studio later and immediately go pick up again.”
Section Manager Kim looked at Muyoung with a worried voice. Muyoung, who made eye contact through the rearview mirror, nodded insignificantly. It seemed that Section Manager Kim’s unprecedented bustle earlier was also a mistake that occurred because the schedule was tight.
“I’ll be alone at the studio. It’s okay.”
“Right, don’t come out of the waiting room. It’s really fiercely hot today.”
Today’s schedule was to quickly take cuts needed outdoors and immediately move to the studio. Since it wasn’t common to conduct both outdoor and studio all in one day, the staff’s movements were also unprecedentedly busy. While Section Manager Kim parked the car, he gathered only the script and necessary personal items and headed to a place where he could wait.
“Muyoung-ah, give me the luggage.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll carry it.”
“Something keeps ringing on you. Answer your phone first.”
Only then feeling the vibration that had been ringing in his pocket, Muyoung hurriedly handed over the luggage to Section Manager Kim, then took out his phone from his pocket. Feeling puzzled at the unsaved numbers that appeared on the screen, he answered the phone.
“Yes, this is Lee Muyoung.”
─ Do you usually answer the phone like this?
He should have rather not answered. The moment the low voice tinged with laughter came through his ear, he had no choice but to know who it was. It was Han Dowon.
“……That’s.”
Because he hadn’t expected him to call first, he couldn’t hide his confusion. Was it a mistake to have forgotten with the complacent speculation that it was just light interest and a joke?
─ It’s okay. Even if Muyoung-ssi didn’t save my number, it seems you haven’t forgotten who I am.
“……I’m sorry.”
At the words tossed out without weight, Muyoung narrowed his brow. Although the speculation wasn’t wrong, he first thought wasn’t it not something to be pointed out like this? It wasn’t like he had committed some sin against the other person. Anyway, in a relationship where they had only met once, was there a corner to save or not save the number? Along with light sorry feelings, he somehow felt wronged. Even so, when directly pointed out with words, a discomfort similar to guilt entered, so he gently rubbed around his solar plexus.
─ If you show me the saved name next time we meet, I’ll let this one slide.
“What? Next, time?”
Without realizing it, he reacted too honestly. Although it was too late even if he realized it now. Finally stopping the steps he had been walking and gesturing to Section Manager Kim that he would finish the call and go, only then did he have the presence of mind to properly handle it.
─ ……This reaction really hurts my feelings.
“I, it’s not that, I’m on my way to filming right now……”
It was an excuse that stretched out quite pitifully even to his own feelings. Still, the man listening wasn’t bad, as small laughter flowed out through the receiver. Laughter that seemed pleased like at the drinking session on Saturday.
─ Then can I understand on my own that you’re looking forward to next time?
“Ah……”
Like that day, today too he wondered if he was lacking somewhere. It was to the extent that he couldn’t respond even when the sound that started laughing outright was heard through the phone. Was this something to show such a dumbfounded reaction to?
Normally, he casually just greeted others in passing or at least praised colleagues with just words. No matter how shy he was, he thought he had enough sociability to have ordinary polite conversations. But in conversations with Dowon, Muyoung couldn’t understand why that didn’t work. At this rate, couldn’t he say the man who said all his thoughts were read at a glance was wrong?
─ Since I can tell this actor can’t lie, let’s stop at this level.
“……Yes, thank you.”
Finally, signs that the conversation would wrap up appeared. If they went a little more, he really might become a person who only told obvious lies like Dowon’s words. At least right now, he wasn’t grateful to him at all.
Then he saw Section Manager Kim gesturing at him from afar.
─ Then have a good filming. See you later.
“Ah, yes. Then… what?”
The moment he hurriedly greeted to finish the call, Dowon’s added words caught him. The moment he tried to ask what he meant, the call ended. Did he mean he would contact him again? No way he really meant let’s meet… Nah, that can’t be.
“Muyoung-ah! They say we need to prepare right now.”
“Yes, coming!”
Muyoung, who had been thinking of it insignificantly, quickly approached Section Manager Kim who was urging. The call wasn’t the problem—he had to focus on the filming he was entering now. Muyoung, who had been greeting the people busily starting preparations one by one, soon forgot Dowon’s suspicious words.
* * *
After finishing filming outdoors, they moved locations to the studio. Because the harmony didn’t match as much as the director wanted, they continuously went for takes one after another, so they could barely finish. Although it felt like the overall expected end time in the schedule had increased a lot, the studio filming right away wasn’t canceled.
In the afternoon, Section Manager Kim left the filming site. Since they could use the waiting room at the studio, he checked his lines and waited for filming. Since the agency was small, the manager couldn’t unconditionally only stick to Muyoung, so there were often cases of managing multiple schedules in one day. Although he left his seat feeling sorry to him, Muyoung rather felt CEO Choi and Section Manager Kim who accomplished all that were amazing.
