Chapter 184
Chapter 184
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 184
Chapter Title: Visiting the Film Set
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"NG!"
A hoarse voice rang out.
Must be the director.
Kang Su-ho slowly got to his feet as if it were no big deal, brushing the dust off his clothes.
"You here to watch the shoot?"
"Sorry. I didn't mean to disrupt the filming."
I was apologizing sincerely, but he just scanned me up and down.
Utterly nonchalant.
"Hmm, Jun-seo. You really sorry?"
"...Pardon? Oh, yeah. Of course I am."
"If you're sorry, mind doing me one little favor?"
His meaningful smile sent a creeping unease through me.
"...What's that?"
"Oh, it's super simple. The schedule's been packed tight, and I've been exhausted lately... So, here's the thing..."
Kang Su-ho trailed off, glancing back and forth between Yu-na and me.
After a moment.
His mouth opened again.
"How about I crash at your place just for tonight? It's farther to my house from here than I thought. Haha. I'm beat."
Oh, that's it? Really simple.
"...Sure, if that's it."
Kang Su-ho suddenly leaned in close, poking Yu-na's chubby cheek as she clung to my back.
"Yu-na. Mind if Uncle Su-ho stays over one night?"
"Ugh! Uncle Su-ho, you smell weird. Don't poke Yu-na's cheek."
I couldn't see her face from my angle, but somehow I could picture her scrunched-up expression perfectly.
"Haha! That's not a weird smell—it's cologne. Guess Yu-na's still too little to know about this stuff?"
"Yu-na's not little anymore! I'm starting elementary school soon."
"Still a little kid in Uncle's eyes."
But seriously, is it okay to keep chatting here?
Right then.
A staff member hurried over toward us, glaring at Yu-na and me with clear annoyance.
"Hey, excuse me. The shoot's on hold because of you guys. What do you think you're doing?"
The onlookers had backed away from me.
The staff waved at them, raising his voice.
"Everyone! Don't stand so far back. Come closer."
But the onlookers just eyed the situation warily, not daring to approach me.
Like there was an invisible wall blocking them.
I let out a deep sigh.
"Yu-na, let's head home."
"Huh? Why? Can't we watch more? We're being quiet now..."
"Let's wait for Uncle Su-ho at home till he wraps up. Dad'll play with you all you want till then, okay?"
As I gently coaxed her, Kang Su-ho tapped my shoulder.
"Jun-seo? Why not just watch from inside? We're almost done for today."
"...Inside where?"
He pointed toward the staff area.
"Over there, nice and comfy. I'll wrap it up quick. Got it?"
The space cluttered with filming gear.
Looked like we could watch quietly without bothering anyone.
"Got it, hyung. But first..."
I slowly removed my mask and bowed politely to the staff.
"Excuse me, sorry. I was just trying to watch quietly. Didn't mean to cause trouble."
The staff's eyes shook wildly upon recognizing my face.
Kang Su-ho burst out laughing at the stunned man's reaction.
"Haha! Come on in with me first."
"It really will be quick, right?"
"Yeah, I'll make it snappy. Watch close."
"Action! Hehehe."
We left the frozen staff behind and headed inside.
Why am I even here right now...
The unfamiliar actors deep in rehearsal, Kang Su-ho, and Yu-na and me sitting quietly beside the director, watching.
"Haa."
A sigh escaped me.
The staff had escorted us from the quiet corner Kang Su-ho had shown us to...
Here.
'Watch comfortably,' he'd said?
My folding chair looked nicer than the one the director was using.
Intimidating enough as it was...
But the director, who should be focused on the actors rehearsing, was staring at me with sparkling eyes.
"Um... Director Ha Dong-gyu?"
"Yes! You remember my name."
Right. Ha Dong-gyu, the director.
Chubby build, warm neighborhood-uncle vibe—a famous figure.
Of course, he'd introduced himself when we came over here.
But I remembered him from my past life, too, when we'd worked together once.
He hadn't been this overwhelmingly intense back then...
"Jun-seo, you cold? Want some hot coffee?"
"...No, I'm fine."
"Yu-na likes hot chocolate!"
"Haha! I'll tell the maknae, then. One sec."
"Director Ha Dong-gyu? Shouldn't you focus on the actors first?"
"Haha. It's fine. They're rehearsing the next scene. We've got plenty of time left on this location."
He laughed it off and grabbed his walkie-talkie. Sighs kept pouring out of me.
If only Director Ha Dong-gyu took after our Yu-na...
My daughter, utterly absorbed in the actors' rehearsal, watching quietly.
She looked extra pretty today.
Anyway...
Leaving Director Ha Dong-gyu and Yu-na behind, I focused intently on Kang Su-ho and the actors rehearsing.
Kang Su-ho grabbing a young man's collar, eyes blazing with fury.
He shoved the young man away and turned his back, shaking off his hands like he'd touched something filthy—such detail...
'As expected of Su-ho hyung.'
Even from afar, I could feel the emotions he poured in.
Vengeance and rage.
But... what about that young actor he just shoved?
Something felt off about the young man's smirking grin.
Like a forced smile.
'If that's acting, it's terrible...'
After watching the rehearsal to the end, my conclusion was that everyone except Su-ho hyung was awful.
The expressions when delivering lines.
The vibe they gave off.
All amateur-level.
How did they even become actors...
"Ahem!"
A sudden cough startled me into whipping my head around. Director Ha Dong-gyu was staring straight at me.
"Rehearsal's over. What do you think, Jun-seo?"
"......"
Should I be honest?
Tell him the acting sucked except for Su-ho hyung, and I sighed the whole time?
After agonizing a bit, I steeled myself and spoke slowly.
"...Everyone except Su-ho hyung needs more practice."
Honesty lit up the director's face with a grin ear to ear.
"Exactly... You nailed it. Watch Kang Su-ho closely later—you'll be shocked."
With that, the director shot to his feet.
"Let's shoot right now!"
They finished the scene interrupted by us earlier, then moved to the next.
Kang Su-ho's insane acting as he grabbed the rehearsing actors by the collar and dragged them along. I was speechless.
Su-ho hyung's skills had reached this level?
He's improved so much.
Way beyond what he showed on the sitcom shoot—dozens of times better.
Maybe that's why he looked cooler than usual.
"Wow! Uncle Su-ho is so cool."
Yu-na felt the same.
I gently ruffled her hair.
"Yeah? Uncle's super cool."
"But Dad's cooler."
I turned my eyes forward again.
Nailing the emotions better than in rehearsal, pressuring his co-stars to draw out better performances.
"Cut! Good take. That's it! Just one more scene—keep it up."
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Applause erupted around us.
Meanwhile, Director Ha Dong-gyu reviewed the footage.
"Hehehe. That was so fun."
"What was, sweetie?"
"Watching Dad and TV at home isn't even half as fun."
"Hmm, yeah?"
A presence loomed right in front of us.
A large shadow fell.
"Jun-seo. Enjoy the show?"
Looking up, there was Kang Su-ho, wiping sweat despite the winter chill.
"Looks rough. Good work."
"Good work, my ass."
"Dragging those other actors by the collar and pushing their acting to the limit, huh?"
He shrugged weakly.
"What can a senior do with such green juniors? That's why it's been tough lately. If they were even half as good as you, it'd be a breeze."
His sincerity shone through.
"Anyway... Su-ho hyung?"
"Yeah?"
"Introduce me to the seniors first..."
His wide eyes blinked, then he burst into laughter.
What's so funny?
"...Why the laugh?"
"Haha! Nothing. Really."
"Nothing, and you laugh like that?"
"You seem different from the old days."
"Huh?"
"Back then, you'd boldly go around greeting everyone with Yu-na. Don't you remember?"
Yeah, I remember.
No one knew me then, so I'd made the rounds myself.
But.
Things are different now.
With a close senior hyung here.
Better to have him introduce me, then greet the seniors naturally.
That's why I asked...
What changed?
"Anyway, you gonna introduce me or not?"
"Heh. Why would you go greet them? The juniors should come to you."
Right then.
Three hesitant men approached and bowed in unison. Scars galore in their makeup, dragon tattoo on one's right arm.
And they were huge.
"Hello, sunbae-nim! I'm Oh Se-hoon!"
"Sunbae-nim! I'm Park Jae-hyuk, debuting with this project!"
"I'm Kang Woo-jin, debuted two years ago! And congrats on the Daesang, Lee Jun-seo sunbae-nim!"
They hadn't seemed that big from afar, but up close, their presence was intimidating.
"What're you doing? Greet 'em back."
"Oh..."
Snapping to at Su-ho hyung's playful grin, I nodded.
"Nice to meet you. But..."
I trailed off, scanning the juniors up and down.
Freezing weather, and they're in just t-shirts, nothing over them.
Gives me shivers just looking...
Shivering, I spoke.
"Won't you freeze like that? At least wear a puffer jacket on break."
"No, not cold at all!"
"Move around a bit, and it's fine."
"Same here!"
Suddenly, a small head popped in front of me.
"Hold on! Yu-na's a sunbae-nim too!"
Yu-na, who'd been stuck to Director Ha Dong-gyu like glue, now stood boldly before the burly gangster-lookalike juniors.
"Yu-na's a sunbae-nim too."
Her cuteness, calling them sunbae-nim again to the big guys.
The juniors' tough facades crumbled.
"Nice to meet you, Yu-na sunbae-nim."
"I'm Kang Woo-jin. Yu-na sunbae-nim, remember me, okay?"
"Same here. Oh Se-hoon."
Their tones were worlds softer than when greeting me.
Arms crossed, Yu-na cleared her throat and nodded.
"Ahem! Good. Junior uncles."
"Really?"
"Thank you, sunbae-nim."
"Please keep your promise."
"Yu-na... I mean, this sunbae-nim will remember. But! You gotta act as good as Uncle Su-ho. Got it?"