“Isn’t it actually fortunate we’re reshooting this? We almost missed a legendary scene. Our actor must think it was a good idea to do additional filming too, right? Hm?”
“Ah, I don’t know! You said last time that filming was really over.”
“Hey! How could we help it that we couldn’t catch the passerby exposure back then? Come here and check the footage. It’s really incredible, I’m telling you.”
Whether it was because Choi Hwan was a famous actor with a high price tag or because he acted well, even though he grumbled, everyone was completely over the moon. When Choi Hwan checked the footage and was satisfied, the director excitedly shouted.
“Today’s luck is great! Let’s ride this momentum and finish all the additional filming in one go!”
Yeonrok, who had no particular interest in this kind of work, learned for the first time that filming also required quite a bit of luck. First of all, the weather had to be right, and even if the lead acted well, if the supporting actors made NGs, there was no mercy. Props couldn’t break, there couldn’t be noise from outside, and the action had to sync well together. Today they were particularly lucky. As everything sailed smoothly with the wind at their backs, the director got excited.
“Let’s take a short break!”
Only then did Choi Hwan return with a tired face. Because of the outfit that didn’t match the season, he was shivering from the cold, yet his face was beaded with sweat from the heat of the lights. The coordinator quickly ran over to wipe away the sweat and fix his makeup. As he drank from the water bottle Yeonrok handed him, Choi Hwan asked.
“Hey, did Junho hyung come?”
Yeonrok, who had been peeling snacks to hand over since he said he was hungry, checked a text on his phone and answered.
“He says he’ll arrive in an hour?”
“Yeah?”
Actually, the manager work was so surprisingly easy that Yeonrok had been feeling a bit guilty about whether he should really be receiving five million won.
A few times, staff members came looking for Choi Hwan’s manager, and when he went to check, most of them just opened and closed their mouths at the sight of Yeonrok before sending him back. Perhaps because of how he was dressed, it seemed awkward to just order him around freely. Thanks to that, Yeonrok stuffed himself with food from the snack truck fans had sent and got his fill of watching celebrities.
After resting while skimming through the script, Choi Hwan was called out for monitoring. It was when Yeonrok was feeling sleepy and yawning. The coordinator cried out in surprise.
“Oh! Manager-nim, you have a nosebleed!”
“Do I?”
Since it was something he’d experienced quite frequently lately, Yeonrok, who had been watching Choi Hwan’s acting, replied nonchalantly. The coordinator handed him a tissue, worried.
“Is it because the air is dry? A month or two ago, Hwan also had a lot of nosebleeds like that. You don’t look well either. Do you want to rest in the car?”
“But…”
Since he was being paid, he felt a bit awkward about resting while his employer was working hard, so he hesitated, but the coordinator pushed his back, saying that since they were monitoring anyway and there was nothing to do, he should rest for at least 30 minutes. His stamina had dropped sharply and he was cold too, so Yeonrok took the fluffy blanket the coordinator pressed into his hands and crawled into the van.
“Ugh, it’s still cold.”
Even though it was near the end of winter, the wind was cold and chilly. Yeonrok wrapped himself tightly in the blanket and lay down on the seat. He must have been tired even though he hadn’t done much, as his eyelids slowly closed. He learned for the first time how long it took to film a short scene lasting only a few minutes.
‘If they need me later, they’ll call me on their own…’
Once he reclined the seat back, sleep poured over him in no time. How much time had passed like that? Yeonrok, who had been sleeping soundly, lifted his heavy eyelids at the jolting movement.
“…?”
What? Why does it feel like the car is moving? His eyes snapped wide open. It wasn’t a mistake—the car was really running along with the sound of the engine. Startled, Yeonrok bolted upright and looked around, when he heard a voice from the driver’s seat.
“You awake? I thought you were hibernating or something.”
Choi Hwan, sitting in the driver’s seat, spoke in an indifferent voice. Still not fully grasping the situation, Yeonrok asked in bewilderment.
“What? Is filming already over?”
“Of course. Look outside. The sun’s starting to set.”
Just as Choi Hwan said, the evening glow was beginning to spread. However, since the sun sets early in winter, it was difficult to confirm the time just from that. Yeonrok fumbled through his clothes looking for his phone. But no matter how much he searched, his phone didn’t appear. Thinking he might have dropped it on the floor while sleeping, he searched before letting out a sigh.
“Lend me your phone. Let me call mine so I can find it.”
“We don’t have phones.”
“…? What do you mean?”
“I left yours and mine with the coordinator. We can’t have our location tracked, you know. The way I see it, Yeom Cheonho is fully capable of doing that.”
Only after a few seconds did Yeonrok realize what situation this was. Right now, Choi Hwan was in the middle of ditching his manager, coordinator, and even bodyguards to run away. Yeonrok screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Hey, you crazy bastard!”
“Ah, why! Filming ended early so we have time to spare—what’s wrong with going out to have some fun!”
“I don’t care about all that, but why are you dragging me along!”
“Do you think I’m taking you because I want to? Who told you to sleep here? I couldn’t just leave you on the ground and go! We’d get caught right away.”
Incredulous, Yeonrok grabbed the back of his neck. His head spun. He viscerally understood why Choi Hwan’s bodyguards had complained so much. By now, four people must be tearing their hair out since two security subjects had evaporated at once. Having successfully escaped, Choi Hwan hummed a tune while glancing at Yeonrok and spouted this:
“Well, at least they dressed you well so it’s not embarrassing to bring you along.”
This bastard! And I can’t even beat him up because he’s driving! Even as Yeonrok clenched his fists, the car sailed along just fine. Looking at the scenery outside, it seemed they’d already been far from the filming location for a while. Finally giving up, Yeonrok asked.
“So where are we going?”
“The club.”
“Club? A club? Looking like that?”
Yeonrok’s voice rose at the end. And for good reason—right now, Choi Hwan was still wearing the outfit from when they were filming. He hadn’t even removed the makeup from his face, so the scratches were still there. But Choi Hwan only said this shamelessly:
“Why? Everyone likes it more. They say it’s like cosplay.”
I should have just let him call the agency president today. To be blinded by five million won. It seemed he’d face a predicament similar to when he was blinded by three million won last time. While Yeonrok was just clutching his head, interpreting it somehow, Choi Hwan said confidently:
“Don’t worry. Once we actually get there, you’ll have fun too. Hyung will take responsibility and make sure you have a good time.”
“Don’t act like my hyung!”
Perhaps because it was quitting time, when they came into the city center, traffic was a bit backed up. Without his phone or wallet, Yeonrok gave up and just hoped to arrive at the destination. He just wanted to go eat. No, if he was being honest, his condition wasn’t great, so he wanted to go home and collapse. In the midst of that, because he just couldn’t let it pass, Yeonrok asked.
“You have a lover, so is it okay for you to go to clubs?”
“Why? It’s not like I’m cheating there. I’m just hanging out with friends, the location just happens to be a club.”
How could his answer be so shameless and immature!
“So your lover said it’s okay for you to go to clubs?”
Choi Hwan had nothing to say, either deliberately ignoring him or pretending to focus on parking. Fine. Whether they fight or make a fuss at the club, it’s none of my business. What loyalty do I owe to Moon Gyeonwoo that I should interfere…
The place the car arrived at was that same club they’d gone to last time. He’d thought this back then too, but the entry process was really secretive. They approached what looked like an ordinary building’s parking lot at first glance and rolled down the driver’s window slightly. After someone who appeared to be a guard confirmed their faces and let them in, there was a secretive door inside. When they opened the door and entered, an employee who’d been waiting at the entrance hurried over.
“Welcome! I’ll guide you to your seat right away!”
The seat the employee guided them to, bowing deeply at the waist, was different from last time. Last time it had been a somewhat private seat, but this time it was right near the stage. Back then, Choi Hwan had sat in an out-of-the-way spot because he was being mindful of Yeom Cheonho, but today there was no one to be mindful of.
“Oh? Hwan came early today?”
“Hyung, you’re here?”
“There’s still plenty of room here! Come quick.”
The faces he’d seen last time warmly welcomed Choi Hwan. Looking carefully, there were also faces familiar to Yeonrok. Meaning he’d seen them in mass media. Among them, a couple looked around.
“Isn’t that hyung-nim from last time coming?”
“Nah.”
Without much explanation, Choi Hwan curtly replied with a single word, but everyone seemed used to it and just accepted it.
“I’m asking because it’s a shame. He could be a potential advertiser… He clearly looks rich. How nice would it be to make an impression on him.”
“You already shot a shit-ton of ads this year.”
“Lee Minyeong is so greedy.”
After giggling among themselves, they turned their attention to Yeonrok, who had been standing blankly behind Choi Hwan.
“By the way, is he with you? Who is he?”
“Right. It’s the first time seeing his face?”
No one there remembered Yeonrok from last time. Probably because he’d worn a cap back then. Someone asked mischievously.
“Don’t tell me he’s your lover?”
“This thing and me?”
Choi Hwan leaned crookedly against the sofa and spoke delinquently, and the very way he referred to him was so rude.
