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“He will do it. He’s very sensitive to fan reactions, after all. Once articles about Oh Munseong’s next project start flooding in, it’ll also help promote the drama.”
“How can you be so self-centered? You should at least show some consideration for others.”
“Actor Oh Munseong loves seeing articles about himself. He’s been on hiatus for over a year, so he must be craving attention by now.”
‘What a terrible bastard.’ Seungjun clicked his tongue in displeasure, then turned his head away.
As they exited the parking lot, the sky outside had already darkened.
He gazed at the heavy, sunken clouds, reflecting on the day’s commotion. He was utterly exhausted, having been on the go without rest for half the day.
All his efforts had been in vain, leaving him with nothing but Nam Yiwon’s luxury shopping and 400,000 won worth of chamomile tea.
“You’re right, sunbae.”
As Seungjun stared at the sky, which was as gloomy as his mood, Nam Yiwon abruptly spoke. Having completely forgotten their previous conversation, Seungjun furrowed his brow.
“What about it?”
Instead of answering, the man simply smiled. His red lips curved into a sharp line, pushing up his flushed cheeks. Under the natural light, his eyes gleamed with a slick sheen.
“I find things boring if I’m too obedient.”
He mumbled, his gaze fixed on some distant point, as if speaking to himself. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes and across his cheekbones.
****
Oh Munseong Confirmed for Next Drama, ‘Have You Been Treated Unfairly?’… Responds to Director Nam Yiwon’s Love Call from ‘Era of Absurdity’
Oh Munseong to Star in Director Nam Yiwon’s Drama… Acting Alongside Jo Seokhwan
“It Had to Be Oh Munseong” — Director Nam Yiwon’s Persistent Efforts Included Visiting a Fan Signing
Skimming through the deluge of articles, Seungjun took a sip of his tea. The fragrant chamomile filled his nostrils, and the warm liquid gently soothed his throat.
As the warmth spread through his stomach, his mind began to calm considerably.
‘Right. This underhanded tactic was entirely Nam Yiwon’s doing, and it has nothing to do with me.’
‘Even if photos of him chasing an actor to a fan signing, begging for a role, have been publicized, it’s not something that should make me lose face to such an extent.’
‘Given that I’ve already agreed to co-direct, getting angry about Nam Yiwon’s actions toward me is utterly pointless.’
‘Focus and get to work.’ Seungjun moistened his lips with the tea and concentrated on his tasks for the day.
‘With this many articles published, Oh Munseong will surely contact me today.’
‘He’ll undoubtedly demand an explanation, so I must apologize politely and quickly cast another actor to issue a correction.’
‘I need to accept that there’s one person who creates the mess and another who cleans it up, and not get worked up over every little thing.’
‘Damn it.’
Another curse almost escaped him, so he poured another cup of hot water and returned to his seat.
The chamomile tea, now twice steeped and fainter in aroma, felt strangely poignant. It was like his own self, simmering with frustration because of Nam Yiwon, then slowly settling, only to be drained dry in the end.
“Damn it!”
“…Sunbae?”
Seungjun, who had been glaring at the utterly ineffective chamomile, opened his eyes. Heeseung flinched, her face startled, as if she’d heard his profanity.
Hoping she had good news, Seungjun gently prompted her.
“Tell me.”
“Actor Oh Munseong said yes! Now that casting is complete, we’ll coordinate the filming schedule to fit the actors’ availability.”
“…Oh Munseong said yes?”
Oh Munseong, who had stubbornly refused until the very end, had apparently agreed.
Seungjun had heard that news about Oh Munseong’s next project had been flooding all communities and social media platforms for the past day. He also knew that Nam Yiwon’s previous box office successes were being discussed everywhere, and that the public’s reaction was generally positive and filled with anticipation.
Even so, it was astonishing that even a top-tier actor like him had ultimately fallen for Nam Yiwon’s underhanded tactics.
‘Of course, what right did he have to think this, having fallen victim to the exact same methods himself?’
“Yes, it’s wonderful! He must have really liked the script after all. A good story never disappoints, you know.”
Unable to bring himself to speak candidly to Heeseung’s bright face, Seungjun simply nodded.
He knew she must already understand, even without him saying a word. He was grateful for Heeseung’s silence, despite her undoubtedly having seen the ridiculous photos of Nam Yiwon at the fan signing.
“Hoo…”
Seungjun placed a new tea bag into his cup. As the tea steeped, a rich aroma wafted up.
Now that casting was complete, they could finally begin principal photography. Once the schedule was finalized, they would need to secure locations and work on the OST.
His emotions were a mix of excitement and apprehension. Having acquired this opportunity with such difficulty, his ambition to succeed was immense.
He had even co-directed with Nam Yiwon, personally planned the project, and written the script; if by some chance the ratings weren’t good, he would be the sole recipient of all the blame.
‘I have to do well. I can do well.’ As he murmured to himself, his nerves on edge, a faint tinnitus began.
It was a high-pitched ringing, similar in intensity to elevator noise, reverberating against his eardrums. The frequency of its unannounced appearances and disappearances was quite high, to the point where he now simply resigned himself to living with it for the rest of his life.
However, the moment his attention was seized by Nam Yiwon’s vibrant voice, the instant he witnessed the man vividly coloring his vision, Seungjun forgot all about the tinnitus.
Seungjun had never seen Nam Yiwon wear the same outfit twice, yet here he was, appearing in the red suit he’d bought at the department store once more.
With a couple of buttons undone and his hair swept back, he was quite a sight today. His gaze swept around the room before settling on Seungjun.
The man grinned, clapping his hands twice.
“Casting is all wrapped up today, and before we dive into full-scale filming, I thought it would be great if we all had a staff dinner together. I’ve rented out a pub with a nice atmosphere, so is everyone free tonight?”
At Nam Yiwon’s offer to treat them all, even renting out an entire pub, everyone buzzed with excitement. ‘Renting out venues must be his everyday routine,’ Seungjun thought, chuckling softly as he sipped his tea.
****
Seungjun quietly observed the others, who ate and drank as if there were no tomorrow.
It was truly a curious sight. Perhaps because they didn’t have to worry about the cost of the dinner, or because they had rented out the entire pub and didn’t need to mind other patrons, everyone was uniformly enjoying the lively atmosphere.
He had attended many staff dinners before, but never one with such an excellent atmosphere. This gathering was meant to boost staff morale before filming began, and it had certainly achieved its purpose, and then some.
Seungjun watched Nam Yiwon, who was seated some distance away. The man, though not drinking, laughed and chatted animatedly with those around him.
Nam Yiwon was neither overbearing nor did he stifle the staff’s energy. He readily laughed at jokes and spun engaging tales, drawing people in. Observing the bustling table where he sat, Seungjun felt a strange sensation.
‘He seemed like a sociopath, yet he clearly knows how to function perfectly well in social settings.’
‘So why is he like that only with me?’
As he mulled over the unresolved questions and refilled his glass, a call came in from his sister. Seungjun sighed, looking down at the name ‘Seungji’ displayed on his phone.
It was a nickname derived from Baek Seungji, given because she was more prone to ‘ssung-jil’ (a play on temper) than just ‘seong-jil’ (temper). The thought of his sister’s impending outburst already left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Seungjun picked up his phone and exited the pub. Since he was already outside, he figured he might as well have a cigarette, and his hand naturally reached for his back pocket.
“Hello?”
–What are you doing right now?
As he answered the phone and stepped out the door, her voice, predictably, was already sharp. Seungjun pressed the phone between his shoulder and cheek, then lit a cigarette.
“I’m at a staff dinner.”
Seungji scoffed in disbelief.
–Are you drinking?
“Yeah.”
–Ha!
“I’m hanging up.”
–Do you know it’s Dad’s birthday today?
Just then, he took a timely drag from his cigarette. After inhaling deeply and slowly exhaling the smoke, his reply came a little more easily.
“I know.”
–You know? Then how come you haven’t shown your face at all?
“You want us to celebrate a birthday among ourselves, with an unconscious man lying there?”
Seungjun said this, knowing it would hurt his sister. Seungji swallowed repeatedly, her voice choked, as if holding back tears.
–Oppa, you always treat Dad like he’s already dead.
He had so much he wanted to say, words overflowing within him. Seungjun disliked that his sister visited the hospital every single day. He hated that she was cooped up in the hospital on such a beautiful day, sitting there to celebrate the birthday of a man who was half-dead.
He wanted to forcibly drag his sister out of that hospital, even though she suffered, believing it was her duty as a child.
Instead, Seungjun changed the subject.
“How’s work?”
–You’re changing the subject again.
“Go out with your friends sometimes. Watch movies, occasionally drink to relieve stress.”
–…Oppa, you’ll be starting filming soon and won’t be able to see me for a while, so come visit before then.
Seungjun lowered his head and nodded. As if his sister could see him, he slowly, repeatedly, assented, then spoke softly.
“Alright. Don’t mope alone in the hospital, go home and get some sleep. Be careful on your way home.”
–Okay. Oppa, don’t drink too much either.
“Do you think I’m an alcoholic or something? I’m hanging up.”
Fortunately, he heard her laughter at the very end. After hanging up, Seungjun clicked his tongue, his mood, which had been buoyed by the alcohol, instantly deflating.
When he returned to his seat, the table was empty. Some had left early, drunk, while others remained, huddled together and chatting. Seungjun, wanting to drink alone, was pleased with the situation and found a corner seat. There was an unopened bottle of soju, so he poured himself a glass and drank it.
The alcohol burned his throat as it went down. The sharp, spreading warmth in his stomach was strangely relieving. As he poured another glass, a burst of loud laughter erupted from the next table.