“Then let’s just set it today as if lightly perming and keep makeup light. Should we go with a lively style for clothes that you don’t usually wear?”
“Was it mostly semi-formal in this drama?”
“Uh… probably?”
When he nodded at Section Manager Kim and the shop manager’s question directed at Muyoung, what was thrust at him was a quite generously oversized V-neck knit and white shirt, and black distressed jeans. The top with an image contrasting the skinny fit bottoms was exactly a look that idols these days would enjoy wearing.
“This… me?”
“With this, slightly bright sneakers, or if it looks too young, you can go with walkers.”
“Uh…”
Since it was early autumn, the knit and black jeans weren’t overly much, but even so, he worried if the clothes might look too young. Muyoung was even more so since he’d been planning to quietly go in and secretly leave in the middle anyway, worried about drawing attention.
“I think about this much is fine? Anyone listening would think you’re over forty or something. It’s because it’s you that we’re dressing you like this—if I tried wearing it, I’d get stoned somewhere.”
“Then let’s decide on that. Shall we start preparing now?”
While he hesitated, the two had already made up their minds and moved into action. Soon a large cloth covered Muyoung’s front. Water was sprayed palely around Muyoung’s head to touch up his hair. Soon the hands picking up tools and proceeding were busy.
“That aside, Muyoung-ssi’s hair really is on the thin side, huh? You can’t tell because of the volume. I think light dye would suit you well, but your hair would get really damaged.”
“A bit. Once I dye it, I have to allow a year for recovery.”
“Singers might be one thing, but for actors it’s a bit inconvenient. Still, these days makeup works well too. Don’t you want to dye it?”
“I think it won’t be too late to think about it once a role comes in.”
“Well, that’s true too.”
At Muyoung’s response while laughing, the shop manager also nodded. The sound of scissors going back and forth around rang out lightly as the form was becoming quite neat. It was fortunate that the place he had to go right away was a wrap party—if by any chance it had been a production press conference, it was clear to see that Section Manager Kim’s greed would have made him care even more excessively than this.
“It would be nice if Muyoung-ssi took on a different kind of role and transformed your acting.”
“A different kind?”
“Mm… a role that loves desperately? Or a role that takes revenge extremely viciously?”
“That’s something leads do a lot.”
The shop manager, who’d been parting and dividing hair with hairpins, shrugged at Muyoung’s words and continued speaking.
“Muyoung-ssi has no greed. You could do that much right away! This is how it should be.”
“If you could just say I know my place…”
Muyoung’s face reddened in embarrassment as he unconsciously lowered his gaze. Of course, it wasn’t that he had no greed. He’d thought about how good it would feel when the moment came that he could be the lead. But that said, there had never been a time when he wasn’t satisfied with supporting roles either. He thought it was lucky enough that works steadily came in and he was given roles, even if small, where he could act and act hard.
“But Muyoung-ssi will definitely go all the way to lead. I have that feeling.”
The shop manager, who’d been grabbing hair with his hands and setting it little by little, smiled while making eye contact with Muyoung through the mirror. Though he knew it was something said to make him feel good, it was also true that he gained strength from those somehow firm words, so Muyoung ended up smiling too.
“…Thank you.”
“I’m serious. How many people have I touched up here. People who won’t make it don’t even stand out and I don’t say things like this even more. It just creates unnecessary trouble.”
“Yes, I’ll work harder.”
“Though even now you’re much more charming than the lead. Your lead was Seo Kyungju-ssi, right?”
“Ah… yes, that’s right.”
About to nod unconsciously, he quickly stopped moving at the heat that suddenly approached. He’d felt the heat of the styler. It was Muyoung’s mistake for not seeing the hand in time.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t see for a moment.”
“Oh my, I’m sorry. I should have controlled it well. That was almost a disaster.”
Whether he was really startled, tension appeared on the face shaking his head and readjusting the styler he was holding once more. The manager, who carefully grabbed Muyoung’s hair and continued what he was doing, gave Muyoung an apologetic look through the mirror.
“It’s really fine.”
“Anyway, you’re so nice. Where were we… Right, even just Seo Kyungju-ssi is so sensitive. Even though he doesn’t come to our shop, word gets around. If problems arise, his image will probably drop right away.”
“Mm, on site to that degree…”
“Well, since they’re people who have to keep working face to face. Don’t actors say even this much to each other?”
“Well… I don’t have anyone I’m particularly close to.”
“Muyoung-ssi is a bit taciturn. I’ll set you up to be photographed a hundred times better than Seo Kyungju today.”
Unlike the spirit, the voice that whispered close to Muyoung as if afraid someone would hear was especially cheerful. Muyoung, who smiled awkwardly, just fiddled with the phone held in his hand.
* * *
Section Manager Kim, who had been constantly turning around to look at Muyoung sitting in the back seat, smiled pleasantly. Muyoung found his own appearance unfamiliar and spent a while checking his face reflected in the car window, but he still couldn’t tell what was better than before.
“You look incredibly young like this.”
“Don’t I look too childish? I’ll probably get criticized…”
“What are you talking about, everyone does that much. You’ve just been going around too conservatively.”
His lightly waved hair, styled in a different direction from usual, fluttered as it half-covered his forehead. It was quite a skill to make him look this different with just light grooming without changing the color. Moreover, he looked too much like a student, probably because he was wearing an oversized knit layered over a white shirt. Unable to shake off the lingering awkwardness, Muyoung kept fiddling with his knee showing through the torn fabric with his fingertips.
“It looks like it’ll start soon, so don’t go in right away and walk around the area for a bit. The production team will send a text when it’s time. Let’s go in when we get the message.”
“Okay. But wouldn’t it be fine to go in first?”
“They’re doing it together with the final episode screening, so they want to make it big and show off a bit. To boost ratings too, you know? That’s why the leads are coming in last too.”
Nodding and agreeing with Section Manager Kim’s words, Muyoung leaned back against the seat and exhaled softly. The restaurant where the wrap party was being held came into view. He looked at the restaurant entrance gradually approaching beyond the window. The people packed tightly together were a mix of reporters and fans, making them hard to distinguish from afar. When they got closer, there would probably only be a narrow passageway left, and he thought it would be fortunate if even that was properly organized.
“There really are a lot of people.”
“The leads are coming around the end, so I think even more will show up later. Why did they call so many?”
Section Manager Kim, who had been resting his chin on the steering wheel and looking outside for a while with a puzzled expression, checked his phone. It seemed he’d received a message from the staff telling them to come in. Feeling Section Manager Kim start to move, Muyoung also finished preparing to get out. There was nothing he needed to take except his phone.
“Let’s go.”
Section Manager Kim parked the car across from the restaurant, gave Muyoung’s appearance a final check, nodded, and crossed the street together. Just as they were gradually approaching the entrance—
“There he is! Muyoung-ssi! Please look over here!”
“Muyoung-ssi! Is the article true?”
Section Manager Kim, quite flustered by the sudden barrage of flashes and camera lenses thrust oppressively in front of them, protected Muyoung behind his back and blocked the people constantly obstructing their path. Muyoung was equally bewildered by the excessive approach. But the reporters didn’t care about the two bewildered men. They were just busy pouring out things they needed to get from Muyoung.
“Muyoung-ssi, why did you go to the hospital yesterday? Were you a trait-bearer?”
“What is CEO Han Dowon’s relationship to you that he accompanied you to the hospital?”
Unbelievable questions poured out through the buzzing noise.
When the flustered Muyoung looked toward where he heard the question, a flash went off right in front of him. He wasn’t even given a moment to compose his expression as he flinched at the light that seemed to pierce his corneas.
“We’re passing through. Just a moment!”
Section Manager Kim, who had grasped the situation after hearing the barrage of rough questions, stepped forward. He practically embraced Muyoung and pulled him toward the entrance, going inside while avoiding them. The reporters who couldn’t enter the building interior kept busy photographing Muyoung even from outside the door. Only after hiding his body in a place not visible from outside did Muyoung come to his senses and look at Section Manager Kim.
“What on earth, what’s going on…”
“I have no idea, really… What the hell is this situation right now.”
Section Manager Kim quickly searched for something on his phone and turned pale. He showed Muyoung what appeared on the screen. Muyoung silently took the phone and looked at the screen, which showed articles about him on the portal site.
[<Breaking> Actor Lee Muyoung Visits Hospital with J Ent. CEO Han Dowon]
[J Ent. CEO Han Dowon and Actor Lee Muyoung Spotted Visiting Hospital]
