“What?”
What did he just hear? Yeonrok asked back in a puzzled voice. President Yeom did what? Choi Hwan’s way of speaking was so cheap like a teenage high schooler that he was briefly confused.
“Look at this.”
“Look at what, you crazy bastard. You’re driving. Just read it to me.”
“You’re my manager for the day today, you know? Do this, do that—you don’t know your place!”
Though he said that, perhaps really wanting to tell him, Choi Hwan began reciting the title of an article from last week.
“You remember Hwang Siyeon, right? The guy who gave me that concentration medicine before, listen. Famous idol A, caught possessing drugs at home. Investigation results in controversy as acquaintances also get entangled one after another…….”
Yeonrok, who had been quietly listening to the article content, turned left according to the signal and replied.
“So that friend really did do drugs?”
“He’s not my friend anymore.”
“The President didn’t snitch or anything. It probably just exploded on its own. You should be more careful choosing friends. And don’t just call the President by name.”
“I said he’s not my friend anymore!”
Though he said that, Yeonrok couldn’t help but think. Could the timing really be this good? Would it be strange to think that Yeom Cheonho cleared that acquaintance out of the vicinity before he could pull more tricks? Choi Hwan, who finished reading the article, muttered in a somewhat sullen voice.
“Well, I was a little reckless…….”
Since it seemed he was actually reflecting for once, Yeonrok glanced at him once and said.
“Aren’t you good at acting?”
“What! Where would you find someone as good at acting as me!”
“Then why are you buying medicine to help you concentrate on acting?”
At Yeonrok’s question, Choi Hwan frowned his straight brow. Unexpectedly, it was closer to expressing difficulty than displeasure. He propped his chin and looked out the window, grumbling sullenly.
“Whatever it is, it’s good if I act better than now, right?”
Instead of asking more, Yeonrok just shrugged his shoulders. He seems sincere about acting in his own way.
On the way there, they picked up the stylist at the location he told them. Yeonrok arrived at the cafe having a friendly conversation with the stylist who showed curiosity, asking if he was an aspiring actor. Choi Hwan poured out his order as if he’d been waiting.
“I want a signature dolce latte, one extra shot, syrup twice on the whipped cream, and add coconut powder and java chips…….”
Yeonrok nodded and asked the stylist what they wanted to drink too. A moment later, the coffee he brought was just an iced americano. Choi Hwan jumped.
“Hey! Why did the signature dolce latte become an americano!”
“Junho hyung said you’re managing your weight these days so sweet things are completely forbidden. He said you only drink americanos normally anyway?”
Choi Hwan, whose lips jutted out about five feet, bit the straw with an annoyed face. After sucking and drinking once, he said in a voice full of spite.
“It’s too cold! Go buy a hot americano again.”
Instead of getting out of the car, Yeonrok held out the hot americano that had been stuck in the drink carrier. Choi Hwan’s eyes widened. He only pretended to drink the hot americano, then threw another tantrum.
“……It’s too hot! Give me something less hot!”
Yeonrok snatched Choi Hwan’s americano and plopped in a few ice cubes from the iced americano. Then he handed the americano to Choi Hwan and threatened.
“Shut up and just drink it quietly before I cancel now and call your CEO.”
At Yeonrok’s threat, Choi Hwan couldn’t make a peep and quietly bit the straw, making the stylist bite their lips hard to hold back laughter.
After neutralizing Choi Hwan like that, they headed to the filming location in the outskirts of Seoul. Upon arrival, numerous people were already preparing for filming. Yeonrok, who was visiting a filming site for the first time, followed Choi Hwan while looking around with curious eyes.
“Director! Hello!”
Choi Hwan surprisingly greeted loudly, pretending to be polite. Anyway, Yeonrok, who was assigned the role of manager for the day, also bowed following Choi Hwan.
“Oh, Hwan came.”
The director, who seemed busy checking footage and just waved his hand carelessly, suddenly raised his head. The end of that gaze was pinned on Yeonrok.
“Huh? That’s an unfamiliar face……. Assistant director. There was no talk of package deal casting¹, right?”
While Yeonrok was bewildered about what package deal meant, Choi Hwan quickly answered.
“What package deal? Today my manager hyung had something to do in the morning, so this is a substitute manager for the day.”
“A manager with that face? And dressed like this? Isn’t it too wasteful? Did you bring a rookie to make a face impression? ……That’s not it either?”
Yeonrok unconsciously looked down at his clothes. Since Choi Hwan had been nagging this morning, he’d worn them without much thought, but looking now, it was expensive clothing with many ‘0’s that Yeom Cheonho had bought. When told he wasn’t an aspiring actor, the director looked at Yeonrok with the kind of gaze that said ‘So you brought some young master who threw a fit wanting to come play.’ But that was only brief, and as he got busy with work, he soon lost interest.
“I don’t care, just don’t interfere with filming.”
“Ah, of course! When have I ever interfered with filming?”
Then listening to the conversation next to Choi Hwan as he peeked around here and there, there were really many directors on set. Yeonrok, who didn’t know much about the various key staff like the cinematographer, lighting director, art director, just found it fascinating.
After quickly finishing greetings like that, makeup started soon. The stylist and makeup team stuck to him, drawing something on Choi Hwan’s face for a long time, patting and applying. Even amid the somewhat hectic situation, Choi Hwan was just staring intently at the script.
Yeonrok, as Jo Junho had told him, punched a hole in the water bottle cap with a punch and stuck in a straw, and also brought a thermos with warm water to protect his throat. Since it was still a chilly season, he shoved hot packs into Choi Hwan’s pockets, but was a bit surprised at the unexpected side of him being so focused on the script that he didn’t even notice. After about an hour like that, someone ran over and shouted.
“Actor Choi Hwan, please stand by!”
Choi Hwan handed Yeonrok the worn and shabby script he’d been cherishing. Looking now, there was realistic wound makeup on his face. Along with scratches and abrasions on his forehead and cheeks, a wild atmosphere already emanated from his expressionless face as he caught the emotion.
The person who’d been throwing childish tantrums over coffee was nowhere to be found. Now he felt like a completely different person. While Yeonrok felt unfamiliar, he walked confidently with big strides toward the camera. Clutching the script to his chest, Yeonrok stretched his neck and watched from next to the stylist.
“Shot going in!”
Tilting his head wondering what that meant, the stylist whispered in his ear that filming was starting now so he mustn’t make any sound. Yeonrok unknowingly even held his breath. That was also because of Choi Hwan’s atmosphere, completely different from his usual self.
With all camera lenses watching and lights pouring down, Choi Hwan staggered as he moved. This wasn’t because he was injured. A fist clenched so tightly from being unable to contain intense emotion, eyes that were the only thing blazing fiercely amid an expressionless face. His boiling breath could almost be heard.
Rattle!
The door of an unused abandoned warehouse opened. The person hiding inside screamed. Before anyone knew it, Choi Hwan had pulled out a pistol and aimed it. He exuded murderous intent throughout his body to kill the other person. The other person shouted with a face drenched in cold sweat.
“You! You’re a police officer! To a citizen, a citizen! You, you can’t! Do this!”
“Ha, I…… heard this story from my senior.”
An eerie voice flowed out. Click. The merciless gun muzzle pointed at the other person’s chest. The terrified one just flailed their limbs, frozen and unable to do anything in the face of a life-threatening situation.
“Everyone is equal before death.”
Rough breathing sounds. The spotlight seemed to pour especially on Choi Hwan. Every single drop of sweat beaded on his straight forehead was receiving attention.
“Looking at it like this, it really seems right, doesn’t it? ……Gwangchul, you son of a bitch.”
Bang! Bang! As he kept shooting, the other person convulsed and screamed. Choi Hwan, who smiled showing his teeth, said.
“Up to here are blanks. From now on, live rounds. You know well, right?”
“Ahhh! I was wrong, please spare me! I’ll do anything……!”
Choi Hwan’s finger, staring intently at the other person begging desperately, moved slowly. Finally, bang! A gunshot rang out amid the tightly continuing tension. The other person spat blood and collapsed. Soon the director shouted “Cut!” Only then did Yeonrok exhale the breath he’d been holding. And he thought.
‘……What kind of story is it?’
A revenge drama of a junior police officer who lost his senior? Is it an early story, a later story? Is it a movie, a drama……. For the first time, Yeonrok became curious about such things.
“Cut! This time let’s build the atmosphere a bit more and go once more.”
He thought it was filmed really well so why film again, but this time the feeling was definitely different. If the previous one was mainly emotional acting of excitement right before revenge, this time it was acting like a cold judge who abandoned professional ethics. After finishing filming, the director shouted again.
“Cut! Keu, our Actor Choi takes directing and nails it in one go, very good? Huh?”
As if he hadn’t just mercilessly pulled the trigger, Choi Hwan listened to the director’s praise with a smug face. Only then did he seem a bit like his usual self.
Footnote
1) When entertainment agencies cast unknown rookies or supporting actors together with popular actors
