Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: The Nameless Demon Awakens
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The staff member who had been meticulously checking my safety harness stepped back a pace.
"Jun-seo-ssi. They're saying to start."
"Ah, already?"
"If you're not ready, should I ask the director for a bit more time?"
"No, it's fine."
After the staff member walked away, I placed my hand on my chest. Feeling the steady thump of my heart, I let out a deep breath.
I'd learned this while practicing my lines alone. It made it much easier to get into character.
"Hoo. Hoo."
The weight of the lead role pressed down on my shoulders. This sensation, which I hadn't felt in so long, excited me.
Ziiing!
Suddenly, the wire connected to my body grew taut, and my feet left the ground.
My body swayed slightly.
The swaying stopped once I reached a great height. It was around the time I fully grasped the emotions of the nameless demon.
Yoon So-hee's voice, filled with fury, cut through the sound of the rain without being drowned out.
I slowly opened my eyes, and with my new vantage point, everything looked utterly insignificant below. As if I could reach out, grab it, and it would crumble to dust in my fist.
'...What's that smell?'
Being up in the air, the stench of all sorts of garbage assaulted my senses.
Lee Jun-seo's atmosphere changed completely as he hung suspended in midair on the wire.
'As expected, he's the real deal... Impressive.'
How long had it been since he started acting? Han Mun-jin crossed his arms, unable to tear his eyes away from Lee Jun-seo.
No, he couldn't look away.
There was some inexplicable allure to Lee Jun-seo. From the perspective of someone who'd watched him for a long time, Jun-seo was a genius actor.
What rookie could be that natural in front of all those cameras?
Ziiing!
Before long, Lee Jun-seo descended rapidly on the wire, but an unexpected variable arose. Landing in a puddle, he furrowed his brow.
It wasn't in the script.
'Do we have to reshoot from the top?'
Lee Jun-seo took a step forward and shook off his wet shoes in irritation. It was an incredibly natural action.
'Quick on his feet with improvisation...'
Han Mun-jin watched it all the way through, and the corner of his mouth lifted involuntarily.
He definitely felt like Jun-seo's acting had improved since before.
Step. Step.
Yoon So-hee, startled by the footsteps, appeared on the laptop screen just as she was.
Han Mun-jin immediately grabbed the walkie-talkie.
"Don't just close-up on her face—show her upper body."
-Roger that.
After giving the order, he scrutinized the footage on the laptop.
Lee Jun-seo looking down on something pathetic, and Yoon So-hee's disheveled state.
Wary of the man before her, she groped along the floor. Then she picked up a safe soju bottle made of sugar syrup, her hands trembling.
"W-Who are you!"
Lee Jun-seo, who had been staring blankly, slowly opened his mouth.
"You're quite the amusing human."
Life began to flicker in Lee Jun-seo's hollow, emotionless eyes.
His lips curled up bit by bit.
A chill ran down his spine.
'Yes! That's exactly what I wanted!'
He immediately grabbed the walkie-talkie to instruct the camera director to capture Lee Jun-seo's expression.
"Camera 3! Close-up on Lee Jun-seo's face right now! Camera 4! Low-angle shot on actress Yoon So-hee... Yeah. Perfect."
Even as the gimbal camera approached right up to his face, he didn't bat an eye.
He was completely immersed in the role, focused solely on the actress in front of him.
'It's not just his acting that's improved. His concentration has gotten better too.'
The kid might not realize it, but he had a habit of becoming aware of the cameras and focusing too much on facial expressions.
It wasn't a bad thing by any means, but Han Mun-jin thought it might not suit this project.
'The opposite of his natural personality.'
Since the role was the antithesis of his real self, being conscious of the camera would break his focus and let his usual personality slip through.
That's why he'd been on guard...
'There's nothing to nitpick.'
Lee Jun-seo was delivering acting way beyond expectations right now.
Han Mun-jin leaned back in his chair with a relieved expression, arms crossed, watching the scene comfortably.
"Where is this place?"
"This is..."
This was the scene where Lee Jun-seo used his power to extract the information he wanted. Yoon So-hee's dazed voice was ice-cold.
Just like someone truly possessed.
"Is that so?"
He snapped his fingers, and Yoon So-hee shuddered, her face filling with wariness.
Finally, the end of the first scene.
"Earth... You summoning me was mere coincidence. Fine. Do you want revenge on that human? Since this is fate, I'll help you. The price is half your lifespan."
"......"
"You don't trust me? Allow me to show you my power."
Lee Jun-seo boldly raised his hand.
'How should I make that moment pop?'
When the surrounding glass windows shatter dramatically, should he add a slow-motion effect?
Or...
"Director, that's a wrap."
"It's done. Do we need to do more?"
Snapping out of it at Lee Jun-seo and Yoon So-hee's words, Han Mun-jin crumpled his script and jumped to his feet.
"Cut! Haha! Perfect! That's the thrill of being the chief director! On to the next! What are you waiting for? Fix her makeup quick! Move it!"
"......"
"......"
No one budged.
They just stood there, mouths agape, staring at Lee Jun-seo and Yoon So-hee.
"Hey! Snap out of it, everyone!"
Only then did the staff jolt to life and start moving. Han Mun-jin didn't get mad, understanding their feelings.
I wonder how much more he'll grow.
Yoon So-hee, sitting on the wet floor, looked up at me blankly.
I could feel her intense gaze.
"Junior, your acting is killer. Were you holding back during the reading?"
"Ah, yeah... Pretty much."
Some people had hurried inside and tossed us towels as we were soaked through. As soon as we wiped off the water, they started applying some unnamed makeup to my face.
And my body too.
"Just bear with it a little. It'll be quick."
The ticklish patting with the cotton swab made my body tremble.
As the lingering emotions from the scene faded, my stiff expression relaxed.
"Um... That's really ticklish."
"Pfft. Hang in there even if it is. Your body's pretty cold, though. Aren't you freezing? You might catch a cold like this."
"Haha... I'm fine. Just a few more takes and we're done. And..."
"Ugh, all set."
She cut me off.
With the makeup done quickly, the young female staffer stepped back. I waited obediently for the next shoot.
Even then.
I kept feeling Senior Yoon So-hee's intense gaze.
"...Junior? Getting wet like this makes your muscles look even more impressive."
"Yeah? Thanks for the compliment."
I gave a short reply and closed my eyes to get back into character.
After that, Senior didn't speak to me anymore.
Soon, filming resumed.
"If I can get revenge... I'll give my lifespan, anything. Just make sure he never appears before me again."
I faced her, her eyes blazing with phosphorescent fury. Seeing her, my lips curled up involuntarily.
"Very well. The contract is sealed."
"Cut! Jun-seo. That part needs a sly smile, like you've got ulterior motives."
"Got it."
"And Yoon actress."
"Yes?"
This time, the director gave instructions to Senior Yoon So-hee, who had been doing well.
"Your eyes lack intensity. Show some real venom that makes goosebumps rise all over. It's not as fierce as Jun-seo's gaze."
"More than this? Won't that look like I'm glaring at the nameless demon like I want to kill him? Is that okay?"
"Are you saying I'm wrong?"
The director's instructions were piling up.
He hadn't nitpicked this much before... What's gotten into him?
Twice. Three times.
Seven times.
Irritation started to creep up.
I shot Han Mun-jin director a glare without thinking.
Then, our eyes met. I snapped out of it and schooled my expression.
That was close. Really close this time.
I'd immersed myself in the demon role longer than usual, and its twisted personality had nearly bled through.
'Method acting.'
Merging with the character to elevate the performance quality.
Even after the shoot, remnants of the role's personality lingered, like now.
But if it improved the acting...
This discomfort was a necessary trade-off.
Still, no room for mistakes.
'I need to be extra careful.'
As I muttered to myself.
Suddenly, the director pointed at me excitedly.
"Ooh! That! That's the gaze I wanted. Jun-seo, give Yoon So-hee actress the same look you just gave me!"
"Huh?"
"The glare you shot me."
He knew I glared at him, yet wasn't mad?
It was rude behavior for sure...
Shaking off the unease, I replicated the glare I'd given Director Han Mun-jin on Senior.
"Whoa... That gaze is brutal."
"Is it?"
"I wonder if she can match it."
"Come on! Let's go! Start it up!"
At the director's excited command, the staff moved like clockwork.
We got back into position, focusing on our expressions differently this time.
Please let this be the last one...
The shoot flowed smoothly, like water.
Perfectly natural.
"If I can get revenge... I'll give my lifespan, anything. Just make sure he never appears before me again."
It really was brutal.
Senior's gaze had definitely sharpened.
Her venom was so intense it gave goosebumps on my arms.
I smirked.
"Very well. The contract is sealed."
The heavy rain stopped.
"If I'm to help, I suppose I need to get used to the human world. This should be fun."
To cap it off, I turned my back. The slack wire immediately tightened, lifting me up.
Ziiing!
"Cut! Clear this set! Prep the next one right beside us!"
Finally, the first scene wrapped.
It was my first time shooting a single scene for so long, and I was mentally drained and exhausted.
Landing lightly on the mock building platform, I roughly unbuckled and tossed aside the safety harness around my waist.
My scenes were done.
Now I had nothing to do.
Since it was an omnibus drama, they had to film Senior's story right next door.
And hers had more screen time than mine.
Her next shoot was underway in the warehouse adjacent, which I'd peeked into—it was decked out like a company office.
They said my scenes would start in the afternoon...
"What to do until then..."
Warming my chilled body outside in the sweltering heat, my manager strode up from afar.
In his hand were dumbbells.
"......"
"...Why do you have dumbbells?"
"I watched your shoot from afar, and it looked like you skipped pumping."
I flinched at his words.
Oh right. I forgot.
"It's break time now, right? Let's do the gym workout you missed."
"N-Now?"
"When's a bad time for working out? You hate doing it where people can see, so let's go to the corner."
I was dragged to the corner by the manager's hand. Like a punk being hauled off by thugs.
"We already finished the shirtless scenes. No need for pumping anymore."
"You do. It'll make your shoulders look broader and the clothes hang better."
Ah, this fitness ghost...
Dad Becomes a Top Actor