Chapter 24
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Don
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*The characters, events, and places in this story are works of fiction and may differ from reality.*
Scene.24
Don
On the plane back to Korea.
After two days of scouting locations all over Malta, the pair looked quite exhausted.
"Goodness, I must be getting old. Just a little walking around and my whole body aches."
"You're still in your prime, what are you talking about?"
"By the way, how did you know to go find Camu?"
"It was just a coincidence. I found a postcard in a little shop, and it was of Camu's farm in Malta. I fell in love with the scenery and just went there on a whim. I guess I was just lucky."
Yu Han-seong nodded as if to say, *So that's how it was*, then looked at Seong-hui with an expression that said, *Should I tell her this?*
"What is it? If you have something to say, just say it."
After a moment's hesitation, Yu Han-seong brought up Kang Man-dong.
"You heard everyone calling him Don Karman, right?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Do you know what it means to put 'Don' in front of a name in these parts?"
".....?"
"And you call yourself a writer."
"What does that have to do with being a writer?"
"You don't know *The Godfather*?"
"*The Godfather*? You mean *The Godfather* from the movie?"
"Yes. 'Don' is a title for a Mafia boss. Sometimes they're also called 'Capo.' Malta isn't Sicily or Italy, but it's close enough to trip and fall into."
Seong-hui's eyes widened.
"Are you saying... that he's..."
"I'm not sure myself. They use 'Don' for Mafia bosses, but I've also heard it's used as a sign of respect for leaders in the local community."
"Then it must be that. Surely, Mr. Kang isn't a mafioso?"
"It's just... something that's been on my mind."
"But how do you know all this, CP-nim? You didn't even know where Malta was."
"I was a film studies major. And a huge fan of *The Godfather*. In college, I wrote a report on the Corleone family from the movie and Sicily, where the modern Mafia began. I did a bit of research back then."
"So what are you trying to say? That Mr. Kang could be in the Mafia?"
"We're on a plane. Keep your voice down. A writer just needs to write well, no need for such a booming voice."
"Is my voice really the problem right now?"
"Why are you getting so worked up? I'm just saying that's how the title 'Don' is used. It doesn't mean Mr. Kang is in the Mafia. Besides, isn't background research basic? It's more surprising that you, Writer Kim, know nothing about it."
"Do I write action, noir, or historical dramas? I write sweet romances with a nice backdrop. Why would I need to know that? Have you ever seen a romance with historical explanations and a sudden Mafia appearance? You have to make sense for me to listen."
"No. What I mean is..."
"If you're so unhappy with me, then go work with another writer! Ah, that's it. Go get Park Yu-mi to write a historical romance. But you know what? Romance in the Joseon Dynasty? It's not fantasy. Free love in that era? Running away in the middle of the night against their parents' wishes?"
"Wri... Writer Kim. I misspoke..."
"Let's say that happens. If they ran away, they should have hidden in the mountains and had babies. What's with the sudden coup? Is overthrowing a king for the sake of love intellectual, logical, and historical? As long as the ratings are good, it's okay to make a mockery of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, is that it?"
"No. That's not... that's not what I meant."
"Tell me. Is it so wrong for me to write a romance set in Malta without knowing about the Mafia or Mediterranean history? Then what about 'Lovers in Paris' starring Kang Jeong-eun? There's no history in that! And it was a massive ratings hit! If you were right, that drama should have completely bombed!"
Seong-hui spoke with a deep frown. Outwardly, she was raising her voice about their different genres, but her expression looked quite conflicted.
Yu Han-seong, sensing that pushing her further would lead to disaster, decided to back down.
"Hey, don't be so sensitive. I was just saying. And Writer Park's drama? It got torn to shreds for playing fast and loose with history. You're on a completely different level, Writer Kim!"
"......"
"We've known each other for a long time. You know what I mean, right?"
"So what's your point?"
"I'm just saying, I think we've found a truly solid investor."
"That's... a good thing, right?"
"Yes. A very good thing."
"And the thing about Mr. Kang being in the Mafia?"
"Aish, that's not it. You said Mr. Kang Man-dong is an immigrant, right?"
"Yes, that's what I heard. For about 11 or 12 years? Something like that."
Seong-hui looked at her script, recalling Yu-hyeon's words about how her father character was a mess.
*The life of an immigrant is not that easy*, he had said.
"He's not a local, but an Asian immigrant. And the local community calls him 'Don.' If that's the case..."
"...Then?"
"It means his influence is immense. It means he's pushed past all the natives to become the leader of the community."
Yu Han-seong took a deep breath and continued.
"To grow a business that large and gain that much influence... he must have faced crises at least once or twice. No, probably many times. His life might have even been in danger."
"H-His life? No way."
Seong-hui's expression was one of disbelief, as if wondering how things could escalate to life-or-death situations.
"Writer Kim, you're underestimating how territorial people can be. Even in Korea, there are plenty of people who move to the countryside for a quiet life only to be driven out by the local hostility."
"Come on, this is Korea we're talking about."
Seong-hui shook her head as if to say that couldn't be true.
"It's not just Korea; it's the same everywhere. You think things are different just because it's the 21st century? The closer a society is to a clan system, the more closed-off and exclusive it is. The stories about rural Korea were facts reported on the news."
"......"
"They have their own set of rules, so common sense doesn't apply. They have their way of life, and it's either you adapt or you get out."
"That... That's..."
Seong-hui looked quite flustered. Her eyes showed disbelief that such things could happen not in some other country, but in her own, Korea.
"And where are we? The Mediterranean. The very place where the Mafia was born. Writer Kim, you know the word 'family,' right?"
"I do. It means family."
"Tsk, that's not the 'family' I'm talking about. Just like how Korean gangsters call each other 'family members,' over here they say 'so-and-so's family.'"
"Ah..."
"Family, relatives, village... communities like that are incredibly strong here. The Korean countryside is nothing compared to how rough it can be."
"Is it that bad?"
"It is. And racism is just a bonus. These days, with the Korean Wave and K-pop, the younger generation's perception has changed a lot. But the older generation is pretty much set in their ways. They just live the way they've always lived."
She remembered him saying the pension owner in her script was like a fresh army recruit. That such a character could never be the master of Camu.
Honestly, she had little interest or knowledge in such matters, so she hadn't paid much attention to that part. But after hearing Yu Han-seong, she finally understood Yu-hyeon's sharp gaze and his words about her approach being problematic.
-That's why your work lacks depth, Writer-nim. It's just a string of randomly thrown-in characters and events.
At the time, she'd felt he was looking down on her and had flared up. But now that she understood the context, her face burned with belated embarrassment.
*To avoid repeating this mistake*, she thought, *I need to buy and read some books on this topic when I get back to Korea.*
"The term 'Godfather' also implies serving the same father, even if you don't share blood. It's like that in the movie, too. Local people come to the Godfather to air their grievances, and he mediates their disputes."
"It sounds complicated. I thought the Mafia were just like gangsters."
"That's what it means now. But it started as a group of people fighting against landlords or foreign powers."
"I never knew the Mafia had a history like that."
"My point is, that kind of temperament still exists in these parts, so it couldn't have been easy for an Asian like Mr. Kang to establish himself."
"Why explain it in such a complicated way? You're just saying Mr. Kang is incredible. That he's no ordinary man. That's it, right?"
"Exactly. That's why it's a mystery. I just can't figure out how you managed to get someone like that on board, Writer Kim. And that's not all. Co-writing with Urus? How did you connect with him? I still can't believe it. You're a great writer, but you're a total klutz when it comes to social skills. How on earth did you land people like them?"
Seong-hui bristled at being called a social klutz, but she kept her mouth shut about how she met Kang Man-dong.
*There's no way in hell I can tell him I was mistaken for someone trying to commit suicide while I was drunk and stumbling around!*
The day that gets out, I'll be branded a certified crazy bitch, utterly humiliated.
Seong-hui subtly changed the subject.
"The things you say. Forget it. I'm not talking to you anymore, CP-nim."
"What? It's not like I said anything wrong."
"Is hitting people where it hurts with words the new trend? You want to have a brawl on the plane? Get arrested under aviation law?"
"Such a temper. What I'm saying is, let's make sure we don't cause any problems during filming. If we do anything to upset Mr. Kang... you know what I mean, right? You saw how those people with him acted when we signed the contract. One wrong move, and it won't just be the farm we lose. We could get kicked out of Malta."
"Yes. Vaguely."
"And keep this a secret from the staff and actors. If weird rumors start spreading, it could cause all sorts of headaches."
"Of course. He's the one who put our drama on life support."
"Anyway, you're really lucky, Writer Kim. To think the place you stumbled upon from a single postcard turned out to be like this."
"Stop talking nonsense and get some sleep. Once we get back to Korea, we'll be pulling all-nighters like it's our job."
"Right. Dramas are filmed on stamina. You must be tired too, Writer Kim. Get some rest."
*Come to think of it*, she thought, *I forgot to tell him that the co-writer is Mr. Kang's son.*
"About that writer..."
"*Krr-uh-uh-uh. Puu-hhhhh. Krr-uh-uh-uh. Puu-hhhhh.*"
"What the heck? It's only been a few seconds."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Han-seong was fast asleep, snoring. It seemed he wasn't just saying he was tired; he was truly exhausted.
*He'll find out naturally once we're at Camu's, so I'll take it slow. If I tell him now, the CP-nim will just latch on and pester me about doing some PR, and I'll be the one getting all the dirty looks.*
She'd already been chewed out over the script; she didn't want to deal with that on top of it.
*Mr. Kang also preferred not to announce it himself.*
He'd said something about preconceived notions getting in the way of a natural meeting. That the fun between a man and a woman was in discovering things one by one, so please don't spoil the enjoyment.
*Is it because they're father and son? They're alike in the weirdest ways.*
Both the father and the son. They were a peculiar pair, but their care for each other seemed quite admirable.
*
"Should we hire a private investigator?"
"If we get caught, we'll be in real trouble."
Kim Seong-hui looked horrified at Yu Han-seong's words.
"It's because I'm so frustrated! That's why I said it!"
As Yu Han-seong tore at his hair, Producer Park, who had just joined the meeting, cautiously spoke up.
"What about a reporter?"
"A reporter?"
"Yes. Entertainment reporters. They're total experts in this field."
"Hmm. That's true. But wouldn't it be a bit risky?"
"We have to make this drama. If we stay like this, we'll end up with nothing. The schedule has already been moved up, so we're short on time. In this situation, getting information from them will be the fastest and most accurate way."
At Producer Park's words, Seong-hui spoke up.
"Producer Park, do you know any reporters? I'm not really close with any of them."
"I know someone, but it won't be easy. That's how they make their living; they won't just give it to us because we ask. In a way, this is a kind of X-file."
Yu Han-seong chimed in.
"So? What do we have to give them? Money?"
"We'll need some money, and we'll also have to disclose some of our own information about why we're doing this."
"Hey, that's..."
As Yu Han-seong flared up, Seong-hui stepped in.
"Let's make a deal with an embargo."
"You think an embargo will work? Entertainment reporters are the kind of people who make up stories out of thin air."
"Are there any secrets in this industry? This is bound to get out eventually. Wouldn't it be better to work with one reporter for a win-win situation?"
"Hmm. Now that you mention it, that makes sense. Hey, Producer Park."
"Yes, CP-nim."
"So who is this reporter you know? Where do they work?"
"Well. It's a place called Entertainment Algorithm."
"What-gorithm? Isn't that a programming term?"
Yu Han-seong looked incredulous, as if to say, *What kind of name is that?*
"It's a combination of the English word 'realism' and the Korean phrase 'algo sipda,' which means 'I want to know.' Like, *I'll tell you the real story. You want to know the real story, don't you?* Something like that."
Both Kim Seong-hui and Yu Han-seong let out a dry laugh.
"Wow, what a name. So how do you know them?"
"Well, she's my younger cousin."
"You. Don't tell me you're her inside source."
"What? Why would you even say that?"
Producer Park vehemently denied it.
"Look at you. Getting all defensive makes you even more suspicious. Have you been selling our secrets behind our backs for pocket money all this time?"
"Agh, I said it's not like that! Aish! Let's just forget it. I finally offer an opinion, and you treat me like a traitor."
"Forget it? No way. You brought it up, you see it through. Quietly set up a meeting. Let's see if we can make a deal. It's better than dealing with a complete stranger."
"Fine. I'll contact her."
The reporter from Entertainment Algorithm, Hwang Seo-yeon, whom they met through Producer Park, turned out to be surprisingly easy to talk to.
She found the story about the investor with unusual conditions quite interesting and said it would make for a great article after the drama aired. On the condition, of course, that she'd get the exclusive.
"Wow, do these bastards do anything besides dig up dirt on celebrities? They could give the National Intelligence Service a run for its money."
Thanks to Reporter Hwang, the casting process sped up, and after many twists and turns, a fully prepared Yu Han-seong led the actors and film crew to Incheon Airport.
"Writer Kim. Let's give it our all until the very end. A clean sweep at the year-end awards! Let's do it! I need to make department head next year!"
"If I can't make a comeback with this project, I might as well retire. So, even if it kills me! Whatever trials may come!"
"Writer Kim."
"Yes, CP-nim!"
Seong-hui looked at Yu Han-seong with sparkling eyes.
"You're so dense."
"Huh? What's that all of a sudden?"
"Words have power. I'd rather you didn't say things like 'kills me' or 'trials.' Don't jinx us from the start."
"No, I just meant let's work hard."
"Right, but why do you have to use such ominous words in a pep talk? You know how superstitious this industry is. What if you really do almost die or a trial comes our way? Are you going to take responsibility, Writer Kim?"
*Wow. Over something like this.*
*I was just trying to cheer us on.*
*And he's coming at me like he wants to kill me.*
A short while later, the flight to Malta, filled with both anticipation and anxiety, took off from the runway with its 30% D/C customers.
And 15 hours later.
The first trial befell the group upon their arrival in Malta.
"I told you! Words have power! Now what are you going to do!"
"This is ridiculous. You're the one who got pickpocketed, CP-nim, so why are you taking it out on me!"