Chapter 117
Chapter 117
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: School Uniform CF
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The first CF came to mind. Come to think of it, I wondered if that guy had overcome his temper issues.
"Ah, Director Han successfully had his hemorrhoid surgery."
"That's a relief."
"But he decided to retire because the mental shock was so severe."
Oh.
'Not pitiful at all.'
Compared to what he did, it was like he went gently in his later years.
'Well, still gotta pretend to be nice.'
I replied with a regretful expression.
"I see. I hope he overcomes it quickly."
Though I doubt he will.
"Actually, what happened after with Director Han was even more of a problem. After that incident, his wife suddenly demanded a divorce. His kids sided with her too because of all the conflict. He's pretty lonely now."
Who cares. It was truly valuable information. I smiled brightly.
"Director Yi must be having a tough time."
"Yeah. So I just changed my number. He was cursing nonstop."
"Good call."
Lee Hakje smiled as if truly delighted.
"Anyway, it's great to see you again."
"Likewise. Looking forward to working with you."
"I should be saying that. Alright, let's get to standby."
I nodded and took position in the center. I looked around to check the camera placements.
'That angle would make this look even better, huh?'
The CF was short and simple.
Idol Cha Dowon lies down in a place full of flowers. The camera pans around, and my voiceover narrates.
[The boy's time is short.]
Then I look straight at the camera and say,
[So you can't just wear anything.]
It was concise but effective.
'This might be better than saying a lot.'
Plus, GG Uniform always hired female and male idols separately.
'They're probably going with [The girl's time is short] for the girls.'
Whatever, not my concern.
I leaned against the studio wall covered in flowers. The camera started moving soon after.
'For the lying-on-the-floor scene, you usually stand against the wall.'
They rotate the footage to make it look like lying down. It prevents your flesh from getting squished on the floor.
"Cue!"
The camera moved slightly from left to right. I quietly followed with my gaze.
"Cut! OK! Now from bottom to top."
"Yes."
"Cue!"
The camera moved from bottom to top. I calculated its path and lowered my eyes slightly.
"Cut! Good!"
The director beckoned me over. I quietly went to check the monitor.
The footage looked perfect.
"What do you think, Dowon?"
"Hmm, Director. I smiled because you said to smile in the CF. But how should I smile?"
I smiled fresh and cute first.
"Like this? Or..."
I lowered my eyes and smirked arrogantly.
"Like this? Or..."
This time, I smiled brightly like seeing a girlfriend.
"Like this?"
The director stared at me blankly. I finished with a polite service smile.
"Which one do you like?"
"Uh..."
The director took off his cap and rubbed his dry face.
"Give me a sec. That caught me off guard. You're even more amazing than I thought, Dowon."
What, praising me for this?
'It's basic acting.'
I picked up the prop flower again.
"Ah, go with the arrogant one for now. It fits the concept. Ah! That's why you lowered your eyes and smiled earlier."
"Yes. Because of the 'So you can't just wear anything' narration."
"But since we're at it, let's shoot the cute one once more."
"Yes. I'll get ready."
The director put his cap back on.
"You're not the trendsetter for nothing, Dowon."
"Well, I slipped once."
"You'll bounce right back."
Oh.
'He caught on.'
I flashed a capitalist smile and returned to the studio.
The camera approached again. This time, I smiled cute like an idol.
"Cut! Wow."
Director Lee Hakje smiled in satisfaction.
"As expected from someone who debuted with me."
I bowed my head then lifted it.
"I owe you a lot from back then."
"Nah. I owe you from just now."
You know it.
We shook hands again, and the CF wrapped. The assistant director made a fuss about how it ended so quickly.
"The director's picky, but I've never seen it wrap this fast since I started!"
"Well, it must've been good enough."
Right after me was Leader Hyung's turn. I grinned at Hajin Hyung. Zenith's leader in the awkward uniform hung his head.
"Don't stare like that."
"Well, it doesn't look that bad."
Slightly mismatched, sure.
"You don't get the pain of looking old."
Oh no. He's too down.
"You're handsome, Hyung. It's just a bit of a disconnect."
Yoo Hajin stared at me then sighed.
"Thanks for the cheer-up, but it means nothing coming from someone everything suits... Whatever, forget it."
Yoo Hajin stepped right into the studio set.
"Standby! Cue!"
I watched Hajin Hyung's shoot from an inconspicuous spot.
'The storyboard was pretty fun.'
Yoo Hajin, who didn't suit the uniform, looks at the camera and says it himself.
-The boy's time is... short.
With a reluctant expression, he then stands and yells.
-You there! Stop laughing!
Then the narration comes in.
[So you can't just wear anything.]
Of course, using Yoo Hajin's embarrassed voice.
I crossed my arms.
'But acting like this is harder than it seems.'
Posing cool is easy even for beginners. Idols do it all the time, so it's familiar.
'This needs everyday realism, though.'
Honestly, a bit worrying.
The director called out right away.
"Standby, cue!"
The camera panned from right to left. Hajin Hyung said cautiously.
"The boy's time is... short?"
Oh.
'The nuance changed.'
Sure enough, the director called NG immediately.
"Hajin! That's a question."
"Sorry."
"Don't look at the camera, just do it."
"The boy's time is... um..."
The director sighed. I realized right away.
'This is gonna take a while.'
Oh.
"Yoo Hajin. Let's go once more."
Should I use a cheat? I put my hand in my pocket and realized—no phone because of the outfit.
'Get it from inside?'
As I pondered, another NG rang out.
Oh.
"Hajin! That's not it."
"Sorry, Director."
"If you were the type to get it together from scolding, I'd yell. But you're not that type."
Yelling? From the guy who shat himself?
'Right, he got rumors as a ghost director a few years later.'
Shitting yourself doesn't mean you have to stay soft forever.
Then, Director Lee Hakje looked at me watching from the corner.
"Dowon. Can you guide the line?"
Huh.
'I could, but...'
Would Leader Hyung mind?
I glanced at Yoo Hajin and smiled faintly. Leader Hyung looked at me with desperate eyes.
Oh.
'He won't mind.'
I acted it out right away.
"The boy's time is... short."
The point was turning my eyes slightly sorrowful.
The director praised immediately.
"Good."
"Ah, that's how it's done."
"Hajin, want to follow along?"
Yoo Hajin caught on quick.
"The boy's time is... short."
Much better.
I grinned. Honestly, this was our leader's strength. He doesn't get offended easily, cares for others, and learns fast.
'Amazing, but he doesn't know it.'
Seeing this made me proud of pulling Yoo Hajin from the guarantee beast's clutches.
"Standby! Cue!"
Leader Hyung nailed it just like practice.
"The boy's time is... short."
Even the reluctant end was perfect.
"OK! Good job, Hajin. Next scene."
I quietly eyed the director. Reading my look, Lee Hakje nodded right away.
I stood nearby with arms crossed. Yoo Hajin asked.
"Dowon, what're you doing there?"
"I'll make you act sincerely, Hyung."
Hajin Hyung's eyes shook.
"Trust me."
"I always do, but..."
Oh.
'He weirdly misunderstood being trusted.'
I exchanged looks with the director again. Lee Hakje nodded and called.
"Standby! Cue!"
No need to watch more. I grinned widely right away.
Leader Hyung reacted instantly.
"-You there! Stop laughing!"
"OK! Cut! Perfect!"
I composed my face. Yoo Hajin said with a reluctant expression.
"Ah, so that's what it meant."
"Very natural acting."
Well, not really acting.
'Just drew out the reaction.'
I shrugged and turned. Leader Hyung called from behind.
"Thanks! Maknae!"
A chuckle escaped. Expressing gratitude on the spot was another of Yoo Hajin's strengths, though he probably doesn't realize.
'Great personality.'
I quietly headed to the waiting room. Time for some ab workout.
***
TJ: Idol. Whatcha doing?
Cha Dowon: Shooting school uniform CF.
TJ: I'm on second snacks. Not coming to school?
Cha Dowon: Feels like I'll just graduate anyway?
TJ: Hard to see your face. You went quiet after that incident, now back?
Cha Dowon: Gotta come back, obviously.
TJ: True. But come to school. Ah, second snacks done. Third snacks starting.
'Amazing.'
Truly great guy.
'Wonder why future eating show emperor Lee Taejin is nagging me to come to school.'
Staring at the screen, suddenly a face poked over my shoulder.
"Friend?"
Ah, startled me. What's his deal.
I glanced at him.
"Yeah."
"You barely go to school but still have friends. Makes sense, you make 'em easy."
Picking a fight?
"Well, one of my strengths. But this guy's nagging me to come to school."
Half our chats with Lee Taejin were about school.
'More worried about my grades than Noona.'
I closed the app window. Kang Minje still shoved his face closer.
"Hmm, sounds like he misses you?"
My brow furrowed on its own. Kinda creepy.
'Well, could be.'
Haven't seen his face in a while. Maybe visit the future mukbang emperor with snacks sometime.
"Probably only for graduation."
I pondered deeply.
'Time flies.'
Even if graduation isn't big, maybe special for fans.
"Make some content at graduation? Directing could make it fun."
"Use your one-and-only graduation like that?"
"Graduation's no big deal."
I edged away from Kang Minje.
"If it's once, all the more reason to give it to the fans."
Kang Minje shook his head.
"Yeah. Right."
"How's your body, Hyung?"
"Fine, but Manager Hyung chewed me out."
"You deserved it. Don't get sick again, Hyung."
Yeah. Don't pull that shit again, Kang Minje.
"You fed him the fever meds?"
"Kinda happened."
"Thanks."
Damn. I forced a smile.
"No biggie. We're a team."
Messenger alert blared. As I checked the screen, Kang Minje said.
"By your graduation, we'll be on our second house."
"Ah, yeah. Busier then."
"You think we'll be busy?"
"Yeah. Good reactions, running everywhere."
Kang Minje approached again.
"You assume it'll succeed?"
What the hell, this guy.
'Thinks the song'll flop?'
Ridiculous. Even the genius thinks that?
"Hyung, you don't trust your own song?"
I backed away from Kang Minje.
"I do."
Why else would I join Zenith?
'Out of 100 debuts, barely 3 get face and name recognition here.'
Without the fox kid's monstrous talent, Friends would've fizzled quick.
Irritated, I almost snapped more. But Kang Minje had a weird expression.
"Hyung?"
He covered his mouth with his hand.
"Y-Yeah."
Kang Minje's voice trembled. I narrowed my eyes.
'Sick?'
No, mental?
As I debated cheat use, Kang Minje put a hand on my shoulder and bowed his head.
"Hahahahaha!"
Why burst out laughing suddenly?
"Hyung?"
"Yeah! Hahahahaha!"
High-pitched laugh fitting his soft voice. No clue what's happening.
"If it was anyone else, but you saying that..."
Kang Minje wiped tears from laughing.