Novel Toon
Chapter 28 - Did Something Happen?
Chapter 28 - Did Something Happen?
Chapter 28: Did Something Happen?
TL: Aniea
“Will the scene you just filmed be used for the poster?”
At Kim Eun-ha’s question, not only I but also Director Kang In-ho and Jung Ha-rin flinched.
Even though she had a bright smile on her face, there was no warmth in her expression.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Kim Eun-ha quickly waved her hand and continued.
“Don’t misunderstand. As I mentioned before, I have no intention of interfering with your authority. I want this drama to be a hit more than anyone else.”
“…Is that so?”
“It’s true. Of course, as a girlfriend, there are some things that concern me, but this is acting and work after all.”
“Haha, right. Isn’t that what the profession of an actor is all about? Later, he’ll have to shoot kissing scenes with actresses too…”
“Director!”
Jung Ha-rin nudged Kang In-ho in the side with her elbow, as if to tell him to be more considerate. Realizing his mistake, the director awkwardly smiled.
Kim Eun-ha also flinched at the mention of a kissing scene. Although it wasn’t obvious on the surface, I could feel her trembling through her arm that was holding mine.
‘…So that’s what it was.’
I understood why she was acting this way. The reason she suddenly revealed our relationship in front of everyone.
‘It’s about the image.’
From Kim Eun-ha’s perspective, she wanted to imprint the idea that we were a couple into people’s minds.
If a heated photo with another actress was released before that image was clearly established.
‘Eun-ha would be overshadowed.’
Even now, there’s a lot of talk about whether we are a couple or not, and after the poster is released, there’s a high chance she’ll be seen as just a ‘female friend’.
– They don’t even have couple rings.
– They hardly talk to each other.
– They seem too distant to be lovers.
The words I heard right before the shoot overlapped in my mind, confirming my suspicions. It was definitely a troublesome situation.
There’s not much I can do here. It’s absurd for an actor to overstep the director or writer’s authority.
So what should I do in this situation? The answer came to me quickly.
“…?”
Taking advantage of the moment when Kim Eun-ha’s grip loosened, I gently pulled my arm out of her hold.
As everyone looked at me in bewilderment, I wrapped my left arm around Kim Eun-ha’s waist and placed my right hand on her chin.
“Gasp!”
“Huh?”
“Whoa…”
Ignoring the different exclamations from the three, I took a pose similar to the one we had during the shoot.
As our noses almost touched, I could feel Kim Eun-ha’s quickened breath on my skin, startled by the sudden situation.
“…”
“…”
Silence fell around us due to my unexpected action. Normally, I wouldn’t be able to do such a thing because of others’ attention. But I was different now.
This is why the image I’ve built up over time is important. To them, I was a character who didn’t care about others’ opinions.
‘It’s the first time I’ve seen her this close.’
Her pupils, seen up close, were a rare light brown for a Korean. In the light, they looked almost golden, creating a mysterious gaze.
I used to think the phrase ‘beautiful like a jewel’ was too cliché, but seeing it up close, it wasn’t entirely wrong.
“You’re pretty.”
The words slipped out before I realized it. I was more surprised by my own words. This wasn’t acting; it was my true feelings.
Maybe that’s why.
The surrounding noise of the filming equipment seemed louder in the silence. I could feel all eyes on us.
Now they will become our spokespersons. Of course, before the official poster goes up, it would be necessary to do similar acts in a more public place.
‘This should be enough.’
If the awkward atmosphere drags on too long, it will be hard to manage. And since it’s not just the two of us, it’s not a situation where I can make a joke either.
Having finished all my calculations, I let go of Kim Eun-ha’s hand. Or, to be precise, I was about to.
“…!?”
Suddenly, Kim Eun-ha grabbed my chin with both hands. Then she began to move towards me as if she were about to kiss me.
I thought this was too much, but at that moment, she brushed past my face and whispered softly in my ear.
“I’ll let it slide just this once.”
Then, slowly.
Very slowly.
So slowly that it looked like slow motion, Kim Eun-ha moved away from me.
Tap-tap-
She then knocked lightly on my lips with her index finger as if knocking on a door. Her previously startled expression was now replaced with a playful smile.
“We’ll finish this at home.”
Hic-!
The response came not from me, but from elsewhere. Director Kang In-ho, who had been watching our actions, was so flustered that he held his breath, but his hiccups continued.
Wow-
Meanwhile, Jung Ha-rin, who was beside us, had her mouth wide open and was looking at Kim Eun-ha with sparkling eyes like a girl in love.
“CEO-nim! Can I use this?”
“Pardon?”
“Seeing you two just now gave me an idea for a scene. I’d like to put it in my script later. Oh! Not with Woo-ju as the target, of course!”
“Then it’s fine.”
“Thank you!”
Bowing-!
Jung Ha-rin bowed her head to Kim Eun-ha in gratitude. Without a moment’s hesitation, she turned and hurriedly left somewhere.
Seeing her pulling out her phone and typing furiously, it seemed she was trying hard not to lose the inspiration that had struck her.
Hic-!
Left alone in an instant was Director Kang In-ho. For a while, the sound of his hiccups echoed loudly around the set.
.
.
.
– I’ll be off so as not to be a hindrance.
After Kim Eun-ha left the set, the remaining shoot proceeded relatively smoothly.
It seemed that Jung Ha-rin wasn’t the only one inspired by us, as the directing team actively presented their ideas to Kang In-ho, most of which were accepted.
As a result, the shoot lasted a bit longer than originally planned, but everyone was satisfied with the outcome.
“You’re here quite late today?”
“I cleared my schedule for the shoot day.”
“That’s a relief. Honestly, I was worried you’d leave abruptly again. I was a bit disappointed last time, you know?”
“I’ll keep that in mind for future scheduling.”
“Alright, let’s have a drink together.”
“It would be an honor.”
Since the poster shoot involved having all the main actors in one place but only one or two stepping out in turn, there was more time for the waiting actors to converse. As a result, I had the chance to have quite a conversation with Senior Kim Young-ho.
“I was half-joking earlier, but it’s good to keep the whole day free on days like this. Sometimes the shoot takes longer than expected, and you end up staying up all night.”
“Does that still happen?”
“Less often than before, but it’s not unheard of. Especially when shooting outdoors, the rental period for locations is limited.”
“I see.”
Although I wasn’t in a position to talk much, Kim Young-ho didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he offered various tips on shooting to me and the other rookie actors, creating a comfortable atmosphere for conversation.
“And I saw your girlfriend again today.”
“What do you mean?”
“The lady who brought this coffee and desserts earlier, isn’t she your girlfriend?”
Kim Young-ho shook the coffee he was holding as he spoke. For a moment, I was uneasy about what might come out of his mouth, but I nodded without showing it.
“…Yes, but?”
“Hoho. Love is truly amazing. At first, I wondered if our junior here was a robot. But you have quite a human side to you.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Playing dumb, are you? I’ve made a living off acting for 30 years. Do you think you can fool me after showing such passion?”
He grinned.
Kim Young-ho lifted the corners of his mouth, looking like a child who found a new toy. His sharp gaze was impressive. It felt as if he was seeing through my iron mask, still in character as [Kang Joo-heon].
I wasn’t sure how much he had figured out, but it was clear he wasn’t an ordinary person. It was best not to say anything rash here.
“Your girlfriend is stunning.”
“Yeah, even from a distance, she has great style. At first, I thought she was an actress who got a special casting.”
“Her choice of coffee and desserts was amazing too.”
“I’ve never had such sweet macarons before!”
Fortunately, other actors shifted the topic. Especially among the female actors, a cheerful atmosphere prevailed, with Park Soo-bin being the most enthusiastic.
“How did you two meet?”
“That’s a secret.”
“How long have you been dating?”
“That’s a secret.”
“Are you a secret agent?”
“That’s a secret.”
Tsk-
Park Soo-bin clicked her tongue but didn’t seem particularly upset. After Kim Eun-ha’s visit, it felt like the psychological distance between us had significantly lessened.
I didn’t feel as tense while filming other couple scenes either. Focusing on the acting relatively calmly made the shooting smoother.
Even the other actors, not just her, seemed to feel much closer to me physically and psychologically.
‘…Is this thanks to Eun-ha?’
It might be because of the “human side” Kim Young-ho mentioned earlier. I’d never shown any vulnerability before.
“But your girlfriend seems to really like you. She came all the way to the set to look after everyone.”
“It’s probably a coincidence. She’s not someone with a lot of free time. As she said, she likely had a nearby schedule and dropped by.”
“Oh my, you’re really in trouble for saying that! She didn’t come because she had time, she made time to come!”
Park Soo-bin scolded me in astonishment. To her, who didn’t know the details of our relationship, it must have seemed that way.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, really! The way she looked at you, her eyes were full of love. But when she looked at me…ugh.”
“Hmm? Did something happen?”
“No! Nothing! Absolutely nothing?”
Brrr-
Contrary to her words, Park Soo-bin rubbed her arms, trembling. If it was acting, her terrified expression was impressive.
I was very curious about what had happened to her, but I didn’t bother to ask.
Surely, it was nothing.
…I wanted to believe that.
******
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