Chapter 28
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Everyone Has Their Own Plan
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Scene.28
Everyone Has Their Own Plan.
After slowly making their way out of the city center, they had been driving for about twenty minutes. Yu-hyeon had the car pull over for a moment.
“Why…?”
As Seong-hui tilted her head in confusion, Yu-hyeon spoke to Yeon Jeong-suk and Han Mi-ra.
“Instead of just sitting in the car the whole way, how about we get some fresh air while we travel?”
“Shall we?”
“Yes. Our destination, Camu, is wonderful, but the scenery outside is quite nice too. We can stretch our legs and get some fresh air. No matter the car, sitting in one spot for too long is bad for your back.”
At Yu-hyeon’s suggestion, everyone nodded as if it wasn’t a bad idea.
While Yeon Jeong-suk and Han Mi-ra were traveling in relative comfort, the posture of the others could hardly be called comfortable.
When the limousine stopped, the cars following behind it also pulled over one by one.
Seong-hui glanced around at the others, then gestured to Yu-hyeon.
“Hey. Mr. Yu-hyeon. Can we talk for a moment?”
Moving a short distance away from the car, Seong-hui spoke with a frustrated expression.
“Aren’t you being a little too obvious? At the airport, and now this. You’re not like that, Professor. Why are you acting so childishly impatient…?”
Inside the car, Yu-hyeon had been all smiles, but now that they were alone, his usual expression returned.
“Did it look that way to you too, Writer Kim?”
“Pardon?”
“That’s good.”
“What… what do you mean…?”
“I was a bit surprised by how cheerful you were, more than I expected, but your reaction actually put me at ease. People with experience truly are different.”
“Huh?”
Seong-hui tilted her head, confused by his words.
“If I had spoken to them politely, as if I were deep in thought, making the situation feel heavy and difficult, how do you think the atmosphere would have been?”
“...”
“Anyone would have felt incredibly burdened in that kind of atmosphere. That’s why sometimes, depending on the need, you have to appear a bit clumsy. It works better that way.”
What? What! What did you say?
So, you mean…
That awkward behavior in the limousine was…
“Then, the way you acted was…”
“They both called me cute, didn’t they?”
“Cu…te?”
“The character of a devoted son who cares deeply for his father. I don’t think it’s a bad angle. It might even stir up a bit of their maternal instincts. What do you think, Writer Kim? Did I establish the character well? To be honest, it’s a bit difficult since the words and actions aren’t familiar to me, but I’m trying my best.”
Oh, for heaven’s sake.
Character? An angle? You were acting?
Good grief!
Did you write a script for your father’s blind date?
“Being a widower with a grown son is already a disadvantage. But if that son seems too smart, or is so overly polite and rigid that he’s hard to connect with, it just makes him more difficult to approach. Sometimes, you have to seem a bit average, whether it’s age-inappropriate or age-appropriate, to make the other person feel at ease.”
“Then… what about the cars? You, who wants to seem like an ordinary son… with a Lamborghini and a limousine.”
“The Lamborghini… sigh, that wasn’t my choice. And the limousine… it was an unavoidable choice given the circumstances. Each has its pros and cons, but at the very least, it showed we don’t have any financial difficulties. I think that wasn’t a bad thing in its own way. While a man’s wealth isn’t everything to a woman, it’s certainly not a factor that can be ignored.”
Right. I’ll give him that. A man’s wealth isn’t everything, but it’s definitely not something you can ignore.
“It might look sloppy and rushed to you, Writer Kim, but I’ve put a lot of thought into this. Above all, we only have one month here. It’s better to try and fail than to weigh the options endlessly and end up with nothing.”
It didn’t sound bad, but he seemed somewhat precarious, like a man on the run. Still, it was hard to argue with him.
“You’re really something else, in many ways.”
“Does investing 3.3 billion in a blind date look like a joke to you, Writer Kim?”
No. The fact that you pushed that money in for a blind date in the first place is what’s ridiculous!
And that money… it’s not even yours, Professor. Why do you keep talking like it’s your money, confusing people?
“In any case, they seem like good people. I’m looking forward to what comes next.”
No. With the son already acting like this, I’m more worried about what the father is going to pull!
It had only been about an hour since they’d arrived in Malta, but Seong-hui’s head was already throbbing.
First and foremost, I should be thinking about the drama and making sure it succeeds. Why do I have to worry about someone else’s love life!
After another hour’s drive, they finally arrived at Camu.
*
Kang Man-dong went out to the entrance of the farm and paced around.
“Hmph, they should be here by now.”
Habitually checking his wristwatch, Kang Man-dong spotted a small plume of dust rising in the distance and nodded.
“Right. They’re coming.”
Rubbing his palms together with an expectant look, Kang Man-dong crossed the farm and waited in front of the pension.
A moment later, a limousine boasting a massive frame came to a stop, followed by a Lamborghini and a line of taxis.
‘What’s this? Why a limousine?’
He glanced at the Lamborghini, but Yu-hyeon was nowhere to be seen. Instead, some other guy got out and greeted him.
“Hey? Isn’t that Liong?”
“Don Karman. It’s been a while, sir.”
Liong hurried over and bowed his head to Kang Man-dong.
“Yeah, yeah. But.”
Kang Man-dong pointed at the limousine.
“Camu contacted me, saying he needed to escort some VIP guests.”
“Ah, is that so? Good job. Good job.”
“Hehe. Yes, sir.”
Pleased by Kang Man-dong’s praise, Liong let out a silly grin.
Just then, the limousine door opened, and a single foot emerged gracefully.
Kang Man-dong quickly approached and extended his hand.
“Allow me to assist you. Welcome to Camu… hmm?”
Kang Man-dong recognized the person getting out of the car and tilted his head.
‘She looks a bit old.’
Yeon Jeong-suk, who was exiting the car, bowed her head gratefully at Kang Man-dong for offering his hand. After a quick glance at his face, she took the tip of his hand and stepped out.
“Thank you for the warm welcome.”
“Ah. Yes.”
Kang Man-dong was momentarily bewildered by the unexpected situation, but he hid his true feelings and waited for the next person.
But then.
‘Huh? Not her either.’
Though she was quite beautiful, the next woman to get out also looked too old to be the drama’s lead actress.
‘What is this? Are there no young ladies?’
Thinking, ‘What is going on?’, Kang Man-dong extended his hand to Han Mi-ra as well. He couldn’t just help the first person and ignore the second.
Han Mi-ra also gave a slight bow, looked at Kang Man-dong’s face, and then stepped aside.
Kang Man-dong bent down slightly to peer inside the limousine.
“Son?”
“Father?”
Kang Man-dong checked to see if anyone else was next to Yu-hyeon.
‘Writer Kim and CP Yu? What the hell is going on?’
As people completely different from his expectations appeared, Kang Man-dong’s gaze shifted to the taxis.
‘That damn kid. I washed and waxed that car by hand, and he should’ve picked one he liked and brought her back sitting right next to him. What is he doing!’
He had worked his back to the bone dislocating the front wheels of perfectly fine cars, and his son shows up after some pointless shenanigans, making him secretly furious.
As Kim Seong-hui, who was getting out next, reached for a hand, Kang Man-dong’s attention was no longer on the limousine.
‘Mr. Kang! My hand!’
Kim Seong-hui was left with an unexpectedly awkward expression.
Kang Man-dong was about to leave, thinking the actresses must be in the taxis, when he caught a glimpse of a woman’s figure behind CP Yu.
‘Oh, so he did bring someone after all.’
Kang Man-dong returned to the limousine entrance and politely offered his hand.
“Welcome to Camu.”
‘Is this Mr. Camu’s father?’
She had heard so much praise about his father on the way here that her eyes were naturally drawn to him.
Neatly styled hair, a sturdy-looking frame. On top of that, his expression and tone of voice were warm.
Seong Ye-rim carefully took his hand and stepped outside.
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. No need for thanks. I’m the one who should be thankful that you came all the way to this remote place. Oh, there’s one more?”
Only after helping Lee Ha-na with his hand did Kang Man-dong finish his welcome.
Watching this from behind, Kim Seong-hui almost blurted out something in a fit of anger.
‘Seriously, this pair of father and son! Can you two just stop!’
Now she saw it clearly. Kang Man-dong and Kang Yu-hyeon couldn’t care less if the drama failed.
*
Kang Man-dong, along with the pension staff, began assigning rooms.
The production team was given five two-story buildings, while the acting team was assigned ten single-story buildings.
There were no issues with the production team, as they stayed together by department, but a small complaint arose from the acting team.
“Sir. I’m Park Sang-do, a manager from UN Entertainment.”
Kang Man-dong accepted the business card Park Sang-do offered him.
“Yes. What is it?”
“I’d like to request a separate villa for Ms. Lee Ha-na.”
Kang Man-dong recalled the second young lady who had gotten out of the limousine.
“Ah, Ms. Lee Ha-na.”
“Yes. She’s the lead in this drama, and…”
“These are all separate villas.”
“Pardon?”
Kang Man-dong pointed at the pensions and repeated himself.
“Single-story, separate villas.”
“Ah, that’s not what I meant. I mean, so she can stay separately from the other actors…”
“And why should I do that?”
“Pardon?”
“Have you even been inside one?”
“No, not yet. But, as she is an actress, being close to other people can be…”
“Are you criticizing my pension without even looking inside?”
Park Sang-do let out a slight scoff at Kang Man-dong’s prickly attitude.
“Sir, you don’t seem to understand. A lead actress…”
“It seems you’re the one who doesn’t understand. I asked if you’ve even been inside.”
“Ahem. Sir. I understand you’re older than me, but I am actress Lee Ha-na’s manager. Please watch your words.”
Kang Man-dong let out a scoff, just as Park Sang-do had.
Just then, someone approached Kang Man-dong’s side and offered a business card, just as Park Sang-do had done.
“I’m Choi Pil-yeon, a director from TNT Entertainment.”
“Ah. Yes. And what is your business?”
“I’d like to request a separate villa for Ms. Seong Ye-rim…”
“Have you been inside?”
“Not yet, but. As Ms. Seong Ye-rim is the lead actress of the drama…”
“Listen here, you two.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If you don’t like it, you can go somewhere else. You’re spouting strange nonsense, demanding separate villas. Are you both blind? All ten of these buildings are separate villas. Villas! And what is this, without even looking inside? Do those two need to be ten thousand kilometers apart to get some sleep? You have to say something that makes sense for me to listen.”
As Kang Man-dong raised his voice, both Park Sang-do and Choi Pil-yeon looked quite flustered.
All they had asked for was a space where their actress could stay alone, away from the others. They couldn’t understand why it was something to get so angry about.
“Sir. I think there’s a misunderstanding. The lead actress…”
“Ah, let me speak first.”
“Yes, please do.”
“Room assignments are solely my authority. That means no one can tell me what to do.”
“What does that…”
“CP Yu! Where’s CP Yu!”
When Kang Man-dong suddenly called for Yu Han-seong, the two men let out a small smirk. This wasn’t something a CP could interfere with; even the network director wouldn’t have a say.
“If this is about money, we’ll pay extra. It’s not a difficult request.”
As Park Sang-do started to speak again, CP Yu came running over from the other side.
“Yes, sir.”
“Didn’t you tell these people?”
“What seems to be the problem?”
“I made it perfectly clear when I offered Camu that room assignments are my authority, and no one can tell me what to do.”
As Kang Man-dong’s voice grew louder, the actors and their staff, who had been unpacking in the pensions, began to poke their heads out one by one.
“Tsk. There they go again. They’re doing that to get their rooms changed, right?”
“They should know when to stop. Honestly, they try to protect their pride in the strangest ways. To be honest, I was completely shocked when I got here. You call this a pension? It puts a five-star hotel to shame. This is the first time in my life I’ve filmed a drama in accommodations like these.”
“It started when UN and TNT teamed up in the first place. The smoke started rising when they were cast as co-leads, not solo.”
Yu Han-seong looked at Park Sang-do and Choi Pil-yeon and let out a sigh so deep it felt like the ground would collapse. He had thought the day was finally winding down.
“You two, over here for a moment.”
The two men followed Yu Han-seong and, before he could even speak, began to lay out their own positions.
Yu Han-seong listened to them in silence and then said just one thing.
“About Mr. Kang Man-dong, he’s an investor in our drama.”
“...?”
“What do you mean? This place was just scouted as a filming location…”
“You all have eyes, you must have seen it. It’s a pension in name only. In reality, it’s on par with a five-star hotel. You can’t even make a reservation here.”
“...”
“Writer Kim and I got this location on our knees until our cartilage wore out. Let’s just stop. All this talk about an actress’s pride. Yes, I get it. If we were anywhere else, I would have stepped in to help. But not here. The moment we slip up, we’ll all be kicked out.”
“Is… is that so.”
“1.1 billion. That’s how much the owner of Camu invested. On top of that, our plane tickets, cooperation for filming in Malta, and so on. He supported everything. All told, it’s well over 2 billion. I’m warning you, if his mood sours for any reason and this whole thing falls apart, I will file for damages against both of your agencies. If you’re confident, go ahead and keep asking to change rooms.”
At Yu Han-seong’s words, the expressions of the two men changed instantly. They then rushed over to Kang Man-dong, one after the other, and immediately bowed their heads.
“Sir. We were very rude.”
“We apologize. If we’ve offended you, please forgive us. I simply didn’t know any better. Ah, and I did this on my own accord. Ms. Lee Ha-na knows nothing about this.”
“Ahem. Well, I wasn’t angry. If you had said that after seeing the inside of the pension, I would have understood.”
“You’re right, sir. We were hasty.”
“I’ve heard the general story from the writer. The actors, the managers, even the companies are rivals, right?”
“Haha… It just turned out that way.”
Park Sang-do rubbed his hands together, looking embarrassed.
“Let’s do this.”
“...?”
“The actors who film well and behave nicely will get their rooms upgraded first. Not here, but to the premium villas over there. For the record, I can’t stand people with twisted personalities and bad attitudes. So, let’s not have any unnecessary misunderstandings between us.”
He wanted to add, ‘Actors who get friendly with my Yu-hyeon will get bonus points!’ but he kept that thought to himself.
‘This is a score only I need to keep track of. No need to say it out loud.’
"CP Yu, once everyone’s done unpacking, bring them all out front. We have guests from far away, so we should at least have a meal together to welcome them."
"Yes, sir!"
Kang Man-dong cleared his throat with a ‘harrumph’ and strode away.
Yu Han-seong grinned. So that’s why he insisted that his authority over room assignments not be touched. He had a plan all along.
Well, considering how much he invested…
Of course, he’d have to take an interest in our drama’s success! Yes, of course.
These guys. If you want to protect your pride, do your jobs properly! Who do they think they are, trying to pull rank on Don Karman. They’re the type to wake up screaming with a horse’s head in their bed.
‘Anyway, if the standard villas are this nice, I wonder how good the premium ones are? I’d like to see one myself.’