Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Scenario
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People stared with eyes wide open and mouths agape at the sight.
Director Son Tae-min shouted in a trembling voice.
"A-anyone hurt? Shin Eun-ha! Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay!"
Shin Eun-ha, still clinging tightly to Na Gang-in, replied.
"Huh? Y-yes! I'm not hurt. But I don't know if I'm okay. My mind's completely blank right now!"
Na Gang-in said.
"You're safe now, so you can let go of my hand."
"Huh? Oh. My hand..."
Na Gang-in had already removed his hand from her waist.
Shin Eun-ha hadn't let go. She was still holding onto his waist.
"W-well, I'm just so scared that my hands won't let go. Wow. But your abs are seriously rock-hard..."
"It's safe now, though?"
"I know. I know! Ah! Thank you!"
She finally released her grip and bowed deeply.
Lead actor Kim Yu-chan approached Na Gang-in and said.
"Whoa. When you suddenly chucked me away like that, I thought you had some grudge against me. Haha."
"I just met you today. No reason for that."
"But why'd you toss me aside so roughly while protecting Eun-ha so carefully? I'm the lead actor here—shouldn't you have shown me a little more care?"
"I had to make a choice."
Kim Yu-chan understood immediately.
"Ah. Right. It'd be tough to protect two people at once in that situation. So you threw me to keep Eun-ha safe... Wow. Grateful, but somehow it stings..."
Director Son Tae-min's heart was still pounding.
'If we hadn't gotten out and it all collapsed on the set?'
Shin Eun-ha could have been seriously injured. In the worst case, she might have died.
Rushing extra shots leading to a shoddy set collapse killing an actor? With the movie already in hot water over a supporting actor's drug scandal, it'd be scrapped even if they finished filming. As the on-site director, he could end up in prison.
Son Tae-min wiped his chest in relief.
"Phew. Today, including me, so many people's lives nearly ended."
The assistant director asked from beside him.
"Director, what about that set? Should we repair it?"
"Are you crazy? Why fix that thing?"
"But we still have scenes to shoot there. And you said skipping it would hurt the quality. We don't have time for CG either."
"What if we patch it up quick and another accident happens mid-shoot? We're done for then."
The assistant director smacked his lips.
"That action scene where the food truck guy fought three actors was so cool. Skipping it'd be such a waste."
Son Tae-min's eyes widened.
"Huh? Why skip it?"
"Pardon?"
"Of course we keep it!"
"The set collapsed—we can't shoot the rest."
"Luckily, we got the dialogue. Make that the final shot and cut to the next scene."
The assistant director recalled the last lines.
- I'm here to save you.
- Y-you're going to let me live, right?
"Pardon? That's Na Gang-in's line."
"Just dub it with Kim Yu-chan's voice. Use the rest as is."
"Shin Eun-ha flubbed her line, though."
"Rewrite the script to fit. We'll tweak the follow-up scenes too."
Son Tae-min had written the screenplay himself. If he wanted changes, he could make them.
"What direction are you thinking for the revisions?"
Son Tae-min scratched his head vigorously.
"That's the issue. Need to revise it well to flow naturally into the next scene..."
The cinematographer approached and said.
"Son, the camera's still rolling."
"Huh? What? Why?"
"Started filming when Kim Yu-chan was about to swap in, for behind-the-scenes footage. From outside the set, of course. Think we got some gold—wanna see?"
"Obviously!"
The director, assistant director, and cinematographer gathered around the monitor to review the footage.
The video showed Na Gang-in hurling Kim Yu-chan out of the set.
Son Tae-min said.
"Can't use that. Can't have two protagonists in one frame."
Right after, Na Gang-in swung a steel pipe to knock away the falling metal lighting rig, shielding Shin Eun-ha. The exploding lights scattered like fireworks, looking just like a special effect.
Then Na Gang-in scooped her waist with his left arm and escaped the set. She wrapped both arms around his waist in return.
Before they fully cleared the set, the collapse restarted. Only after they were completely out did the upper structure crumble dramatically, as if on cue.
Dust billowed spectacularly behind the pair as they walked away.
Son Tae-min gaped at the scene.
"Did I just film this?"
The cinematographer said.
"I did."
The assistant director chimed in.
"You didn't know it'd turn out like this."
"Does that matter now?"
"No."
The cinematographer added.
"If we can use this in the movie, it'd be perfect. Too good to waste."
Son Tae-min's eyes lit up.
"Then use it. No—we have to."
"Huh?"
"Was stressing over linking to the next scene without the set. This solves it in one go."
Son Tae-min's screenplay revised itself in real-time in his mind.
"The guy rescues the kidnapped woman. But the kidnapper set one more trap to bury his men and erase evidence completely."
"Wait, so the collapse was part of the villain's plan from the start?"
"Exactly. Hero breaks through the trap with her. It collapses right after they escape. No need for the set to reappear."
"To revise like that, we'd have to cut some existing footage."
Son Tae-min got excited.
"Who cares? We can save this scene!"
The cinematographer nodded.
"Yeah. I want to keep this too."
Ideas flooded Son Tae-min's mind. He scribbled the revised plot on his notepad with a pen and declared.
"I know how to rework the story! No need to reshoot that druggie bastard's scenes! Axe 'em all and add action! That plugs every hole from the scandal!"
Son Tae-min waved his pen wildly, yelling.
"This isn't a patch job! It'll make a better film!"
The cinematographer asked.
"Don't we lack time to shoot it all?"
Son Tae-min's scribbling hand froze. His eyes wavered intensely.
"If we had just one more month..."
"A month's delay loses all our theater slots and bankrupts us. Can't postpone with our messy situation."
Son Tae-min stared gloomily at his notepad plot.
"Such a waste..."
"Save it for another movie. Sequel maybe."
"Sequel? Y-yeah?"
"Gotta wrap extra shooting and editing in a week. Or we're sunk."
Son Tae-min closed his notepad.
"F-fine. Save it for the sequel... Ugh. Still a waste."
The assistant director spoke cautiously from the side.
"Um... Director."
"What? Got a good idea? Spill it."
"Not that. Can we really use this accident footage?"
"We have to. It fixes the set collapse and elevates the movie."
"But it's not staged—it's real accident footage."
"Oh. R-right..."
Son Tae-min realized the issue late.
"Using it... would cause problems?"
"We'd get slammed."
Son Tae-min pondered briefly, then shifted blame.
"Marketing can handle it. THO Entertainment's got the chops."
"Could be legal issues too. It's a genuine accident."
"No one got hurt. They'll lawyer up and sort it."
"You're really pushing this?"
Director Son Tae-min steeled his resolve.
"Have to. Can't let this go."
"But it's not just you and the studio okaying it."
"Why not?"
"What about Na Gang-in? It's footage of a real accident, not acting. If he says no?"
"Gah!"
Son Tae-min jumped up from the monitor, shouting.
"N-Na Gang-in!"
He immediately searched for him. Na Gang-in was with Shin Eun-ha.
Son Tae-min ran over.
"Na Gang-in!"
Na Gang-in asked.
"What's up?"
"That... the accident just now."
Son Tae-min bowed deeply first.
"Thank you. You saved our lives—Eun-ha, Yu-chan, and me."
The AI Jeon Ji-in spoke.
- Civilian rescue is a core Earth Union duty. Earth Union and Nature Robotics prioritize citizen safety...
"Just doing what needed doing."
"Hahaha. Noble. Anyway..."
Son Tae-min asked cautiously.
"The footage of you rescuing Eun-ha as the set collapsed. We got it on camera—can we use it in the movie?"
"Hmm... My face in the film..."
The AI Jeon Ji-in reported.
- Your physical feats during filming stayed within human limits. Face was covered by sunglasses and mask.
As his response delayed, a desperate Son Tae-min added.
"Of course we'll pay extra! Put your name in the credits too! And..."
"Use it."
"Pardon? Oh, yes! Thank you. Haha. You saved us, Na Gang-in."
Son Tae-min returned to his spot, elated.
Beside Na Gang-in, Shin Eun-ha beamed and clapped.
"Yay! Perfect. Our actor's debut in a scene with me?"
"I'm not an actor."
"Huh?"
"Just a one-day gig."
"What kind of gig is this intense?"
"Should've half-assed it?"
Shin Eun-ha waved her hands frantically.
"N-no! Absolutely not! Half-assed and I'd be dead."
Na Gang-in chuckled and turned toward the food truck.
Shin Eun-ha watched his back. His shirt was torn.
"Huh? Your shirt..."
She realized he'd taken a hit to the back while carrying her out. Yet she was unscathed.
"Na Gang-in! Wound on your back..."
Na Gang-in shrugged.
"Just a shirt tear."
True to his word, no injury. The debris had merely grazed his prop costume.
Shin Eun-ha stared blankly at the rip, then suddenly bowed deeply, shouting.
"Thank you!"
Na Gang-in walked toward the food truck, raising his left hand in a casual wave.
Shin Eun-ha watched him go, then scurried to Director Son Tae-min.
"Director! Director! Food truck coming tomorrow too?"
"Has to! Absolutely! Without it, shooting tomorrow..."
Filming here wrapped today.
"Wait. Tomorrow we shoot in Seoul?"
"Huh?"
"Mountain scenes done here today. Seoul from tomorrow. So the food truck..."
No need to call it.
Shin Eun-ha grew anxious.
"That won't do... We need the food truck..."
Son Tae-min panicked too.
"Right. Can't do without. Call it for Seoul shoots?"
The assistant director said from the side.
"Director. Na Gang-in's just a one-day fill-in 'cause the food truck guy's wrist is sprained. Even if we call tomorrow, he won't come."
"Oh yeah. Special guest chef today."
Shin Eun-ha asked.
"Where's he usually work? Some restaurant?"
The assistant director answered.
"PC bang, apparently."
"Huh?"
"Asked the food truck guy earlier. Na Gang-in sells food at a PC bang in Seoul. It's that guy's regular spot, but with his wrist hurt yesterday, he brought Na Gang-in special for today."
Shin Eun-ha recalled Na Gang-in batting away the falling rig with a pipe.
"Wait, I don't get it. Why sell food at a PC bang with skills like that?"
"Beats me..."
Son Tae-min said.
"I don't get it either."
Na Gang-in had nailed the fight with three actors, minding all three camera angles for perfect action acting.
The set collapse? He escaped delivering footage like a special effects extravaganza.
The fight was improvised without choreography; the collapse pure improv.
Yet the footage was flawless.
Son Tae-min asked the assistant director.
"With skills like that, why sell food at a PC bang?"
"Beats me..."
Son Tae-min eyed his notepad of revised plot.
Filming that with other actors would need stunt doubles, prep time, and CG.
No time for that on this film.
"Hold on..."
A solution dawned on Son Tae-min.
"If Na Gang-in helps, we could shoot it all in a week."
Shin Eun-ha jumped in eagerly.
"Right? Have him keep going? Shoot the extra scenes with him... Wait."
She realized a key issue, asking with a panicked face.
"Director. This isn't an action flick, right? Our movie's a rom-com."