Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: He's a Dangerous Guy
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“At this point, yeah, I guess I’ve been pretty lucky.”
The boy actor flashed a bright smile.
“Even if it looks that way, what can I do? Still, thank you for the apology. Haejin.”
“Hey!”
Haejin grabbed the boy actor’s sleeve.
“If it was just luck, I wouldn’t have apologized. I mean, your acting was real. Real enough to make me feel ashamed.”
The boy looked at him with clear eyes. Seeing that made Haejin’s face flush even more.
‘I really didn’t live up to my age.’
If there was a mouse hole, he’d hide in it.
“It’s fine. Really. Are you staying here a while?”
“Huh? Oh, I have to go back to shooting in twenty minutes.”
“Then let me bring you some medicine.”
“No, it’s okay.”
Haejin let out a sigh as he spoke.
“The headache thing was just an excuse.”
“Yes. Well, um, Haejin.”
The boy actor bowed his head slightly and then lifted it.
“I’m Cha Dowon.”
Haejin bowed and lifted his head in a daze.
“I’m Haejin?”
“Nice to meet you.”
The boy grinned and turned away. The sight was like a scene from a movie, so Haejin covered his face again.
‘Wow, are all idols these days like this?’
Why is he so pretty? No, he wasn’t. Sure, he’d seen idols occasionally, but not like this! How does a kid like that even exist!
Haejin crouched down right there. His mind was still in turmoil, wondering if it was real.
***
‘He’s really cute.’
Maybe because he expressed his complaints so honestly. Haejin’s grumpiness was kind of adorable.
‘Well, he didn’t badmouth me behind my back like my dear senior trainee Heo Suyong.’
Come to think of it, was Heo Suyong still at Friends Entertainment?
‘Everyone probably thinks I forgot about my senior, but no.’
If our country’s criminal laws weren’t so lax, I wouldn’t have let it slide.
Just you wait. I’ll make you pay.
‘Anyway, maybe because he confronted me so honestly, unlike Heo Suyong—it even felt sincere in his apology.’
‘And the next scene is a romance bit.’
In that case, it’s better if we get along than if he’s growling at me.
As I pondered the best angles, the plump manager appeared as if he’d been waiting.
“Ta-da!”
What, what is it.
“You were waiting for me, right?”
“No.”
“Aww, don’t be like that. You ambitious psycho!”
The manager immediately threw an arm around my shoulders. Then he slyly passed me something.
“Brushed your teeth?”
“Yeah, manners and all.”
“Here’s some breath spray. Fresh mint flavor!”
I let out a small sigh.
‘Well, manners are manners.’
I obediently opened my mouth and sprayed it in. The manager smirked as he watched me.
“Your eyes look weird.”
“Just follow noona’s lead. By the way, psycho ambition boy. Is this your first romance scene?”
I thought about it carefully.
“Would it be better to call it my first romance scene?”
“What?”
“I mean, it might stir up more buzz that way. Which one draws in more fans?”
“Hey! What kind of kid are you, so jaded! No romance in you at all!”
What romance is there in work? What did he even want to hear?
That’s when Executive Director Joo popped up out of nowhere.
“Of course you say it’s your first romance scene! That’s what fans want to hear!”
Whoa, startled me.
Executive Director Joo asked in a creepy tone.
“There was skinship in Yumi sunbaenim’s music video too, right? What answer are you looking for, Executive Director Joo?”
“Some juicy stories about the boy’s experience?”
I furrowed my brow.
“No comment.”
Executive Director Joo’s eyes sparkled. Why is he doing this?
“Oh, the pretty boy’s secret.”
“Nothing much.”
Executive Director Joo smiled like a hawk eyeing prey.
“Sweet and sour. Ooh, delicious.”
What is?
Sweet or bitter, it was annoying as hell.
“I came to help you relax, but you’re boring me. Dowon.”
Not here to tease me?
“Get your heart racing a bit more with a pretty noona’s skinship. You ambitious psycho.”
I chuckled.
“It’s work.”
The fleshy manager made a fuss.
“Wow, you’re dried up. Total desert.”
“What do you expect from work? But I’ll keep that in mind.”
I said while stretching.
“I should follow noona’s lead properly.”
It’s the boy revealing his secret, after all.
“R-right?”
“Gotta stick to the script.”
Executive Director Joo grabbed my shoulder and asked.
“You gonna follow along nicely?”
“Of course?”
Executive Director Joo covered his mouth and shook his head.
‘Why’s he reacting like that?’
The manager patted my other shoulder.
“Pfft, pffft, hahahaha! Yeah, do your best.”
I narrowed my eyes.
‘They think it’s teenage stubbornness or something.’
Oh no.
As I sighed, the two burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs.
“So cute! Adorable!”
“Psycho, psycho. Hahahahahahaha!”
They were so loud. I shook my head. One thing was for sure—these two wouldn’t help with my acting.
Right on cue, a staff member called out.
“Boy actor! Standby, please.”
I’d been waiting for that.
I walked out of the spit-flying hell on my own. The staff looked at them like, what’s with those guys? But I didn’t answer.
Maybe that’s why the director’s question felt like such a relief.
“Boy actor, ready?”
“Yes, Director. Ah…….”
I took off my socks again.
“Ready now.”
“Uh, yeah. Sit down.”
Director Park went over to the camera guy and gave some instructions. I lay barefoot on the huge sofa, recalling my scene.
‘When her hand touches me, I open my eyes, grab her hand as she pulls away, and pull her back.’
That’s when the boy locks eyes with his sister-in-law. They gaze at each other very closely, and eventually, the boy lets go of her hand.
‘No matter how I think about it, it’s total trash drama.’
That’s probably why the views will go up, though.
“Standby!”
I placed the book on my chest and closed my eyes. Soon, the sister-in-law actress’s hand touched me. I opened my eyes in surprise, and Haejin’s flustered face came into view.
I grabbed her hand as she tried to flee and pulled her back.
For some reason, my breathing was rough. Was I too focused on acting? I couldn’t hear the staff.
I locked eyes with Haejin. As her body shifted slightly, I finally let go of her hand.
“Cut!”
I quietly sat up.
“Good work.”
Haejin said nothing. She just covered her mouth with her flushed face.
‘What?’
Was it bad?
Well, it could be. Even if it’s acting, it could totally suck.
“Haejin?”
“W-wait a sec.”
She took a deep breath.
“What the…… kid…….”
Haejin whispered softly.
“Like this…….”
Huh?
She muttered for a while, then suddenly snapped out of it and jumped up. She avoided my eyes and went to the director. I quietly followed.
The director checked the footage and immediately clapped.
Clap clap clap—
The staff followed Director Park’s lead and clapped too.
‘What?’
I looked around, and Executive Director Joo was mouthing something before tugging my sleeve. He dragged me along as he said.
“You ambitious psycho Cha Dowon. Be honest.”
“With what?”
“You had some fun, didn’t you?”
I furrowed my brow.
“What are you talking about?”
“You, you! If you mess around after debuting, you’re done for!”
“Where’s a minor gonna mess around?”
“Try slacking off during your contract period. You’re gonna cause big trouble. Dangerous guy. Argh, seriously!”
What’s his deal?
‘I just acted according to the script.’
Director Park kept clapping, then suddenly threw up a thumbs-up.
‘What the hell is this atmosphere!’
From the music video to now, I couldn’t get a read on anything.
As the director raised his thumb, the staff followed.
In the wave of thumbs-up heaven, Executive Director Joo tore at his hair and kept threatening me.
‘Feels like a black comedy.’
I wasn’t sure what expression to make.
“Thank you.”
So I just smiled.
***
The music video drama shoot wrapped up like that. Executive Director Joo got even more excited afterward, muttering about me being a dangerous guy nonstop.
‘What’s that about.’
Maybe because the shoot was so hectic. I decided not to think about it.
‘Thinking about it means you lose.’
Well, they clapped, so it must’ve gone well.
I nodded and stirred the ladle once. The seaweed soup, with beef brisket added and simmered perfectly, gave off a savory aroma.
“Whoa, seaweed soup out of nowhere? Whose birthday?”
I hadn’t even said to eat, but Jaeyoon plopped down at the table first.
“Yeah, whose birthday is it?”
Hajin said as he pulled out chopsticks. I nodded quietly.
“Minje hyung’s.”
Jaeyoon said, munching on side dishes.
“Didn’t, didn’t know.”
“We don’t really keep track of birthdays…….”
“Well, I wouldn’t have known if we weren’t close before.”
Why is his birthday on such a memorable date? No excuse of forgetting would fly. I sighed softly and said to Hajin.
“Hyung, can you serve some rice?”
“Oh, sure!”
“Jaeyoon, stop hogging the side dishes.”
“Hey! Don’t make me sad over food!”
I pulled out bowls.
“Want me to make you sadder?”
Jaeyoon shut his mouth immediately.
I flipped the frying pan. The kitchen appliances were definitely better than the villa’s.
‘Though I’m probably the only one using them.’
Soon Seungjun and Minje came out. Seungjun looked fine, but I shook my head at Minje.
“Up all night again?”
“The arrangement, this time the more I tweaked it, the better it got.”
I couldn’t tell him to half-ass it.
Minje asked.
“What’s with the seaweed soup? Whose birthday?”
“Oh, it’s Minje hyung’s birthday.”
“Huh? Minje, wait, me?”
Hajin said while serving rice.
“You guys doing comedy?”
Minje rubbed his face dry and groaned.
“Oh, right. It’s my birthday.”
“Happy birthday, hyung.”
As if they’d been waiting, the rest of the members chimed in. Minje scratched his cheek, embarrassed.
“Uh, thanks. Never even thought of seaweed soup…….”
“Had some time left. And most importantly…….”
I scooped a bowl of seaweed soup and pushed it over.
“You’d be in big trouble if you didn’t eat.”
Minje looked utterly exhausted. Dark circles under his eyes, and he seemed skinnier.
No good. Minje.
‘Even if you die young from overwork, die after making the song.’
I smiled brightly and brought over the rolled omelet. Then I whacked Jaeyoon’s back hard as he tried to grab some.
Smack—
His back echoed nicely. He flailed, but that was his problem.
“You’re the one who needs to diet, Jaeyoon, but hyung’s the one getting skinny.”
“Ah, I eat, but maybe not enough?”
“Eat extra today, at least.”
As I sat down, everyone started eating.
Minje said, eating the cheese-filled rolled omelet.
“I didn’t know being in a group meant this.”
What?
“Someone setting a birthday table for you—that’s what a group is.”
No way.
“Yeah. Back when we lived next door, whenever it was your birthday, Dowon’s mom always made seaweed soup.”
Minje’s face flushed a bit as he reminisced.
Damn.
‘Well, you’re the guy who repaid that kindness with enmity.’
Cha Yeonhwa, the famous shaman from Seongnam in Gyeonggi-do. Why’d she feed hot rice to a punk like that?
“Thanks, Dowon. I feel energized.”
I smiled brightly.
‘Now go make some music.’
It was two steps back for a hundred steps forward, but it ground my teeth. Then, Hajin stood up from his seat.