Chapter 36
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Scene 36: The Vivian Shot
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Lee Jae-eun began walking down the narrow path, with Manager Park and Assistant Manager Kim leading the way.
“Are you sure this is the right path?”
*Executive Director, this is our first time here too. What are we supposed to say when you ask us that?*
Manager Park and Assistant Manager Kim wore uneasy expressions at the unanswerable question.
“Well… I suppose we’ll find out when we get there.”
“You can’t seem to do a single thing right. I’m not asking you to find a needle in a desert. How can we be in this situation, unable to find a single farm in tiny little Malta?”
“.....”
“Those men. Are you sure they’re okay?”
This time, Lee Jae-eun’s complaint wasn’t about the path but about the large men walking ahead.
*Executive Director, we just met them today, too. If you ask us that… Ugh, this is so frustrating. Why does she keep asking?*
Manager Park himself was uncertain, and the constant stream of unanswerable questions made him sigh.
Of course, it wasn’t a sigh loud enough for Lee Jae-eun to notice. He managed his frustration with a long, thin exhale through slightly pursed lips.
After walking for about two or three minutes, they crossed a low hill and started down a slope. The view suddenly opened up, revealing a landscape completely different from what they had seen before.
“Manager.”
“Yeah. I think this is it.”
Manager Park and Assistant Manager Kim let out sighs not of frustration, but of relief. They wouldn't have to listen to any more unanswerable questions.
“But the farm is… enormous. And the sunset. It’s just—wow.”
Assistant Manager Kim let out a small gasp as he gazed at the sprawling sunset. Manager Park, equally surprised, nodded repeatedly.
Lee Jae-eun, who had been following behind, also looked quite startled.
While walking along the winding, nondescript path, her only thought had been whether they were going the right way. She never imagined such a magnificent view would be waiting at the end.
As a gentle breeze blew, her mood seemed to lift, and the frown on her face softened into a bright expression.
“Somehow… I have a feeling things are going to work out.”
*
“Ji-eun. You’re recording this, right?”
FD Lee Ji-eun was always carrying a 6mm handycam, not for broadcast, but for on-site documentation or location scouting.
“Yes. I’ve been recording everything since we left the pension.”
“Good. Well done. Very well done.”
Yu Han-seong nodded repeatedly, praising her.
Lee Ha-na took a step, and then another, to get a better look at the encroaching sunset.
As the blazing sun began to sink below the horizon where the farm met the sea, the surrounding colors shifted to a vermilion hue, and the world started to dim.
Feeling a sense of regret, Lee Ha-na walked further forward.
And in that moment.
Something unexpected happened.
One of the heels she had worn to look stylish dug into the soft earth, throwing her off balance.
“Oh?”
As her body tilted to one side, Lee Ha-na quickly tried to regain her balance. On any other day, it would have been a minor stumble.
But her heel had gotten stuck right on the border between the farm and the yard—an inclined spot that, while not steep, definitely had a change in elevation.
Moving her other foot to steady herself was a good choice, but the sloped ground only made her position more precarious.
“Ah!”
She stumbled twice more, trying to right herself, but ended up flailing as if caught in a swamp. Finally, she lost her balance completely.
“Aack!”
A scream finally burst from Lee Ha-na’s lips.
“Oh… my goodness!”
“Ha-na!”
“No!”
The people who saw what was happening belatedly jumped to their feet and rushed toward her.
At that exact moment, Yu-hyeon, who was coincidentally entering the yard carrying a cask, came face-to-face with the falling Lee Ha-na.
Lee Ha-na flailed her arms, desperately trying not to fall, and her left hand snagged the front of Yu-hyeon's shirt.
She grabbed him by the chest, right where a couple of buttons were undone, and her full force and weight were transferred to his shirt.
*Rip!*
The force of her pull and his resistance met at a single point, and the buttons, unable to withstand the strain, tore off and flew away.
Lee Ha-na’s eyes met Yu-hyeon’s, her gaze a desperate plea.
*Please!*
The moment she hit the ground, it would become an embarrassing memory she’d never live down.
*Help… no, save me!*
Yu-hyeon quickly shifted the oak cask to his left shoulder and swiftly wrapped his right arm around Lee Ha-na’s waist.
The wide-brimmed hat she was wearing flew off, and her long, silky hair fanned out in an arc.
After a graceful spin driven by centrifugal force, the two of them finally found a stable, albeit breathtaking, position.
The people rushing to help her, and those who had been covering their mouths in shock, all froze in place.
Lee Ha-na, who had squeezed her eyes shut in fear, cautiously opened them when she felt something tapping her cheek.
*Gasp!*
She involuntarily sucked in a breath.
It wasn't just her position in his arms, but Yu-hyeon's face looking down at her, so close it felt as if it were magnified.
And his breath, tickling her forehead…
Lee Ha-na stared up at Yu-hyeon with a dazed expression, as if in a trance.
Just then, a drop of sweat that had clung to the corner of his eye, traced a path across his cheek, and hung at the tip of his chin, fell.
*Plink.* The feeling of something tapping her cheek.
*Ah…!*
Realizing the sensation she’d felt with her eyes closed was a drop of his sweat, Lee Ha-na’s face flushed a deep crimson, as if it were about to burst.
“Are you okay?”
A voice, both gentle and deep, resonated in her ear.
“...Huh? Oh. Yes. I’m… I’m okay.”
As she looked at Yu-hyeon, whose eyes were filled with concern for her…
Her heart began to pound.
Whether he knew of her predicament or not, Yu-hyeon simply looked worried.
Ha-na felt too shy and overwhelmed to meet his gaze, so she lowered her eyes slightly. But as she did, her glance fell upon his torn shirt.
*Hnngh!*
She held her breath once more.
The sight of his sculpted chest revealed through the ripped fabric, and the beads of sweat that trickled down the valley between his pectoral muscles, was seared into her vision.
*
Cinematographer Bae Cheol-su, who had been discussing the sunset shot with Yu Han-seong, unceremoniously snatched the handycam from FD Lee Ji-eun.
“Oh, Director.”
“Let me use this for a second.”
“Uh, yes.”
Bae Cheol-su pressed his eye to the small, unimpressive viewfinder and roughly shoved aside the onlookers blocking his view.
“Hey.”
“Director?”
“Move. Move! Don’t block the shot!”
At Director Bae Cheol-su’s sharp, resonant voice, those who had been approaching Lee Ha-na backed away.
Lee Ha-na’s manager, Manager Park, tried to stop the director, wondering what on earth he was doing, but was intercepted by Yu Han-seong, who had hurried over.
“Manager Park. If you stop this now, you’ll definitely regret it.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“Don’t you know Director Bae? He’s the kind of guy who can make a palace maid look like a queen if he likes the actor. It looks like something’s just clicked for him. The moment you interfere, Lee Ha-na will be treated like a maid, not the lead, for the rest of the drama.”
“.....”
At Yu Han-seong’s words, Manager Park quickly shut his mouth. He didn’t understand what was happening, but there was no reason to stop someone who wanted to make his actress look good.
Yu Han-seong took his place beside Director Bae Cheol-su.
“First the Axe Man, now the Cask Man?”
As CP Yu Han-seong mused about the male lead’s new image, Writer Kim, who had procured a palm-sized notebook from somewhere, was already scribbling furiously.
*
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No…”
“Should we get up, then? People are coming this way.”
At Yu-hyeon’s words, Lee Ha-na gave a small nod. As the arm gently wrapped around her waist tensed, she could feel the muscles in his arm ripple through the thin fabric of her dress.
Her heart, which had started beating erratically at some point, now pounded violently, skipping a beat.
Lee Ha-na worried that Yu-hyeon might feel how flustered she was.
Overcome with another wave of embarrassment, she squeezed her eyes shut. But that only made his gaze, his fierce chest, and the rippling muscles of his strong arm feel more vivid, more real.
“No. Not yet! Ha-na. Don’t close your eyes.”
A sharp voice rang out unexpectedly, and both Yu-hyeon and Lee Ha-na turned their heads toward the yard.
“Not like that. You have to face each other like before. What are you doing! The sun’s setting! Quickly!”
Both Yu-hyeon and Lee Ha-na were taken aback by the sight of Bae Cheol-su charging over like a bull, a wild look in his eyes.
Seeing that the two were staring at him instead of following his direction, Bae Cheol-su’s anger flared, and he bellowed.
“I said, face each other! We can’t lose this light! Now!”
At Bae Cheol-su’s explosive command, Yu-hyeon and Lee Ha-na turned back to look at each other. They didn’t know what was going on, but from the atmosphere, it seemed he had envisioned a scene for the drama.
Just then, Yu Han-seong, who was standing right next to Director Bae with sparkling eyes, gave an additional instruction.
“Yes, that’s it. Now, a little closer. Camu. Pull your arm in a bit tighter. That’s it. Lift Ha-na up a little more. Yes. That’s it. Perfect!”
Yu-hyeon wasn’t thrilled with the situation, but he decided to tolerate it for now. If he made a fuss, it would ruin the mood for everyone, and Lee Ha-na, still in his arms, would be even more embarrassed.
Yu Han-seong gazed regretfully at the sun disappearing into the sea. If only they had managed to create this scene a little sooner. There were so many things he could have tried!
Though the moment had arisen from an unplanned accident, Yu Han-seong, his mind consumed by the shot, could only express his disappointment.
As Yu Han-seong wore his regretful expression, Bae Cheol-su nudged him in the side.
“CP Yu. Are you going to end it like this? Do some directing before the sun goes down. The mood is great, isn’t it? If we film this as a test shot, it’ll be easier to frame the angles for the actual shoot.”
At Bae Cheol-su’s words, Yu Han-seong’s eyes widened, and he began to issue commands.
“Ha-na. You’re a pro. You should be able to get into character whenever a camera is rolling.”
Yu Han-seong’s voice cut through Lee Ha-na’s dazed state.
“Gaze into Camu’s eyes. Yes. That’s it! With the look of someone in love. It’s now or never. If you miss this chance, everything will scatter like the morning mist. A more resolute look! Yes. A look like that!”
Lee Ha-na wondered what this was all about, but as soon as the direction was given, her professionalism as an actress kicked in. Though it wasn't in the script, she sensed that this scene could become a killer shot in the drama. If she handled it poorly and the shot went to Seong Ye-rim, she would regret it for a long, long time.
Yu-hyeon showed his bewilderment at the unexpected turn of events.
“CP-nim. I’m not an actor…”
Yu Han-seong waved his hand as if possessed.
“I know. I know. Camu, you just stay still. I’ll take care of the rest. Ah, no, you can’t just stay still. Camu. Lift Ha-na up. Not all the way, but like you’re about to. You know what I mean?”
With his gentle features and easygoing demeanor, Yu-hyeon had thought he was just a nice person. But now, revealing his true professional self, Yu Han-seong became a completely different man, as if asking them to forget everything they knew about him.
Yu-hyeon frowned for a moment at the continued demands, but since he was about to help her up anyway, he nodded and lifted her by the waist.
“Stop! Right there. Ha-na. If you stand up just like that, this electrifying moment will just vanish. You know what I’m saying, right?”
*These people are really…*
Just as Yu-hyeon, feeling this was going too far, was about to say something, Lee Ha-na gave a small nod. She then gave him a look that pleaded for his cooperation.
*This is awkward.*
“Good. Camu, lift her up again. Ha-na, as you rise, you embrace Camu!”
Lee Ha-na, who had been in a reclining position with her back arched, slowly rose. Following Yu Han-seong’s direction, she wrapped her arms around Yu-hyeon’s neck.
Yu-hyeon looked at her as if to ask why they were going this far, but Lee Ha-na was a completely different person from moments ago.
With a fiery intensity, as if fixated on something, she gazed at Yu-hyeon, her eyes seeming to pierce right through him.
As her lips drew so close they almost touched, her breath tickled the tip of his nose.
Yu-hyeon turned his head with a flustered expression.
As if waiting for that very moment, Yu Han-seong shouted like a madman.
“Kiss! Kiiiiiiiss!”