Chapter 37
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: What Must Be Done First
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The characters, events, and locations in this story are works of fiction and may differ from reality.
Scene 37
What Must Be Done First.
At Yu Han-seong’s shout, Kim Seong-hui’s face filled with horror.
*‘CP-nim! This is wrong! You've gone too far! If you do things here like you do in Korea, you'll be in big trouble!’*
Just as Kim Seong-hui was about to rush forward, Yu Han-seong turned around and shouted again.
“Kiss! We have to go for a kiss scene here. What do you think? Writer Kim agrees, right?”
Not just Kim Seong-hui, but everyone else stared at Yu Han-seong with grim expressions.
Damn it…!
Kim Seong-hui couldn't hold it in any longer, and a curse slipped from her lips.
Yu Han-seong might have just been shouting about the idea of a kiss scene, but Lee Ha-na, who was deep in character, had actually leaned in for a real kiss at his cry.
Whether it was fortunate or not, it didn't lead to a kiss.
That's because Yu-hyeon, who already looked displeased, tilted his head back and thrust the wine cask on his shoulder forward.
From the motion, it looked less like he was intentionally pushing the cask at Lee Ha-na and more like an unforeseen accident that happened while setting it down. But from her perspective, moving the cask in that situation was clearly deliberate.
So, what happened?
Lee Ha-na found herself kissing the wine cask, her face turning deathly pale.
Yu-hyeon turned the stone-faced Lee Ha-na to the side and strode up behind Yu Han-seong.
Having experienced Yu-hyeon's sharp, uncompromising nature several times, Kim Seong-hui felt a sense of dread. His expression appeared calm, but something in his eyes clearly said he was angry.
He had been intentionally acting laid-back because of Yeon Jeong-suk and Han Mi-ra, but when something crossed the line, he was the type to speak with cutting words.
She didn't know what Yu-hyeon would say in this situation, but judging by his serious expression, he definitely wasn't going to let it slide.
*‘Why does trouble keep finding us!’*
Seong-hui subtly tugged on Kang Man-dong’s arm, silently pleading for him to do something.
*‘Are you just going to stand there and watch?’*
Despite Seong-hui's plea, Kang Man-dong kept his lips sealed and just watched.
*‘President-nim!’*
*‘Sorry. When Yu-hyeon has that look on his face, it's best to stay out of it. I have a pretty good idea of what he's going to say.’*
*‘An idea?’*
*‘Don't just jump in and make things worse. Just wait and see.’*
Yu Han-seong, noticing a shadow fall behind him, turned his head with a curious look.
“CP-nim.”
“Oh? Ah. Mr. Camu.”
"You seem to have gotten excited. Have you calmed down a bit?"
"Ah. Well. Haha. I guess I was a bit worked up, wasn't I? Haha."
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a quick word.”
“...?”
Yu Han-seong tilted his head.
"About what?"
“I’ll take that as permission to speak.”
“Ah. Yes.”
“Putting everything else aside for a moment. Someone could have been hurt.”
“...”
“What would have happened if Ms. Lee Ha-na had fallen on that slope?”
“Thanks to you, Mr. Camu…”
“Yes. Luckily, she wasn't hurt, but the position I was holding her in wasn't very stable. On top of that, I was carrying a wine cask.”
"..."
"I was startled, but Ms. Lee Ha-na must have been truly terrified. I understand the professional nature of those in broadcasting, but this was a clear mistake.”
Yu-hyeon paused for a moment before continuing.
“I was told you're the chief producer for this drama, CP-nim.”
“...”
“Filming is important, and finding a good shot is necessary. But in that situation, instead of shouting directions, wouldn't it have been better to first move to a safe location and consider Ms. Lee Ha-na's startled state? That’s what I think. You were all standing at a distance, so you might not know, but Ms. Lee Ha-na was extremely frightened. Her heartbeat had even become irregular.”
His tone was flat and even, but the words hit home as if he were whispering them directly into one's ear.
Yu Han-seong looked as though he’d been struck several times by words he hadn't considered.
He had simply been captivated by the scene, by the beautiful light pouring down on the two of them.
The moment he saw Camu holding Lee Ha-na, he hadn't wanted to miss that instant, even if it lasted only a few seconds. He hadn't been able to think of anything else.
"And I am not part of the broadcast team; I work at this farm. Therefore, I have no obligation to follow your demands. Your behavior earlier, frankly, was 'very' unpleasant."
"..."
"Before it's too late, perhaps you should do what needs to be done now. You are the one in charge, after all.”
Yu Han-seong snapped to his senses at Yu-hyeon's words.
“Ahem. Yes. Mr. Camu. You're right. I let my thoughts get ahead of me and I believe I made a big mistake. No, I did make a mistake.”
Yu Han-seong corrected himself, then turned around sheepishly. He spoke politely to Lee Ha-na.
“Ha-na. I'm sorry. I was shortsighted. I should have been looking out for you before anyone else. It's very late to be asking, but… are you alright?”
Bae Cheol-su also stood next to Yu Han-seong and offered his apology to Lee Ha-na.
“Ha-na. I’m sorry, too. It’s become a professional hazard. I got carried away.”
Lee Ha-na was flustered, unsure how to respond.
“No, it's fine. It's understandable. You were just trying to make the drama better, right? And thanks to him, I wasn't hurt.”
“Mr. Camu said your heart was beating irregularly…”
“No! It’s not like that. I’m really fine. I was just a little surprised. I’m okay now.”
Lee Ha-na accepted Yu Han-seong’s apology with a compromise. Manager Park, standing behind Lee Ha-na, looked slightly disappointed by their apologies.
Because big or small, incidents like this could be collected and used in various ways.
“As the one in charge, I should have known my priorities and taken care of them.”
Yu Han-seong addressed not only Lee Ha-na but the entire cast.
“I will be more careful to ensure this doesn't happen again. I made a huge mistake. I apologize to Mr. Camu as well.”
Yu Han-seong also apologized to Yu-hyeon.
“As an outsider, I may have overstepped. My words might have been uncomfortable to hear. Thank you for handling it with maturity and composure.”
When Yu-hyeon bowed in return, Yu Han-seong quickly waved his hands.
Kim Seong-hui, seeing the situation resolve smoothly contrary to her expectations, felt a sense of relief mixed with injustice.
"What the hell. He knows how to talk so gently. Why does he only ever hit me with brutal honesty?"
Seong-hui had unknowingly spoken her inner thoughts aloud.
"That's probably because he's more comfortable with you, Writer Kim. Besides, raising his voice or picking a fight in a situation like that isn't Yu-hyeon's style."
"What?"
"Yu-hyeon tends to speak more bluntly the more comfortable he is with someone. Ah, but don't misunderstand—being comfortable doesn't mean he's disrespecting them."
"...Is that so?"
She had always found Yu-hyeon difficult, but it seemed he had treated her more casually than she thought.
*‘Come to think of it, he did grumble a lot, but he also helped me with this and that, so maybe that's true.’*
“Anyway, what do you think? I was right, wasn't I? I told you he'd handle it himself if we just left him alone.”
“Yes. You were right, President-nim. But did you know Mr. Yu-hyeon would say something like that?”
“Well, it’s not just today. I’ve seen it a few times. That kid getting angry.”
“You call that getting angry?”
“I do. CP Yu and Director Bae understood the situation and backed down. If, by some chance, they had responded with ‘So what?’…”
“Then what?”
“You have to ask? Everyone would be packing their bags and heading back to Korea. That kid may look laid-back, but once he draws a line, he’s merciless. He usually grumbles but follows instructions, but if he decides to be difficult, even I can't do anything. I told you, didn't I? He was stubborn as a bull when it came to studying and going to college. So, make sure you keep your people in line so nothing ridiculous happens. I don't want that either. It would be a shame if the agreement we made ended before we even started."
“I certainly hope nothing like that happens. No, it can’t happen.”
Seong-hui prayed that nothing like this would happen again until the drama was finished.
It wasn't as if they were cursed, but with the pickpocketing at the airport and what just happened, it felt like problems were piling up before filming had even begun.
*‘God, Buddha, Allah. All the gods of the world. Please watch over us so we can have a peaceful shoot in Malta.’*
“If you ever see that kid Yu-hyeon speaking so calmly again, don't be mistaken. It means he's truly angry, and for whatever reason, it means you've made a big mistake, Writer Kim. At that point, I'd advise you to listen to what he has to say until the end rather than getting angry.”
"Yes. I'll keep that in mind."
“Anyway, what a shame.”
“Huh? What is?”
“The kiss. If that had happened, we would have captured Yu-hyeon's first kiss on camera. I could have teased him about it for years.”
Seong-hui gave him a look that said, *‘Huh? You can't be serious. He's never even been kissed at his age?’*
“Tsk. I know, right? It’s pathetic. It got so bad I had to roll up my sleeves and step in.”
Kang Man-dong clicked his tongue lightly and strode forward.
“Alright, now that everything seems to be settled, let's all go eat. You, Yu-hyeon, bring that cask over here.”
As Yu-hyeon picked up the cask he had set down, Lee Ha-na brushed past him and said a word.
“Thank you.”
“It was nothing.”
As Yu-hyeon was about to pass with a shrug, Lee Ha-na quickly added another comment.
“And I wasn't really trying to kiss you. I hope you don't get any strange ideas.”
“Right. I won’t. If anything, I’m the one who unintentionally lowered the cask and…”
“Let's not talk about that.”
At the mention of the wine cask, Lee Ha-na’s expression immediately hardened.
Others might not have known, but facing the situation up close, she couldn't possibly have been unaware of why the cask had moved forward.
“Understood. I won’t.”
At Yu-hyeon’s calm reply, Lee Ha-na nodded, but her expression showed she was still displeased about something.
*‘Does he not know who I am because he lives abroad? No. Even so, this reaction is just too dry.’*
Lee Ha-na couldn't get the final moments of that situation out of her head.
*‘If he didn't want to do it, he should have just pushed me away! Why did he have to shove a cask in my face? Ugh, so humiliating!’*
It wasn't that she liked kissing, or that she wanted to kiss Yu-hyeon. Absolutely not. It was just that she was acting in the moment, and it had happened naturally, but now she was the only one who looked ridiculous.
*‘Although, thanks to that, I got a chance for a good solo shot that wasn't planned, so it's not all bad.’*
Lee Ha-na looked like she had more to say, but at the call of Manager Park, she immediately headed in his direction.
As Lee Ha-na disappeared, Director Bae Cheol-su took her place.
“You’re Camu, right?”
“Yes, Director-nim.”
“The sunset, the scenery… it was all so picturesque. I thought I couldn't miss the shot, and in the process, I made a mistake. Plus, you’re a civilian, Mr. Camu. We were being shortsighted. I apologize again.”
“I understand that capturing even one good shot is your job. However, I hope something like this doesn't happen a second time."
"Aigo. You've got a sharp tongue. You look young, but you're no ordinary guy."
Yu-hyeon's expression turned serious, as if to say he wasn't joking.
"It means I could persuade my father to shut down this entire shoot."
This statement from Yu-hyeon was less for Bae Cheol-su and more of a warning to Yu Han-seong and the entire production team. Bae Cheol-su, seeming to understand Yu-hyeon’s intent, briefly hardened his expression.
He looked young and was said to be here helping his father while on a break from school, but his way of speaking and acting was completely different.
He got the feeling that underestimating him and treating him lightly could lead to serious trouble.
He’d come to test the waters but ended up stirring a hornet's nest.
“And this is just for your reference.”
“Ahem. What is?”
“Malta has more sunny days than cloudy ones. The sunsets aren't a one-time thing today, either; they'll be consistent. So even if not today, you'll be able to capture even more wonderful scenes in the future. I hope you won't feel too disappointed.”
“Ah, right. If I had known that earlier, I wouldn't have made such a mistake. This is quite embarrassing.”
Director Bae Cheol-su laughed in his characteristically sharp voice.
“I wasn’t trying to listen in, but I happened to overhear, you see?”
“...?”
As Yu-hyeon tilted his head, Bae Cheol-su grinned and held out his handycam.
When he pressed the play button, the small LCD screen showed Yu-hyeon and Lee Ha-na. Yu Han-seong’s voice shouting for a kiss played, and the scene of Lee Ha-na leaning in appeared.
“If we pause here and play it in slow motion… like this.”
Director Bae Cheol-su held out the screen again with a mischievous look.
The scene of Yu-hyeon turning his neck and blocking Lee Ha-na’s deeply penetrating lips with the cask played in slow motion.
The video ended with a stunned Lee Ha-na staring blankly at Yu-hyeon.
The screen was small, so it was hard to see every detail of her expression, but Lee Ha-na’s face, as she looked at Yu-hyeon, was a complex mix of shock, anger, and bewilderment.
“Not all of them, but young actresses, especially the popular ones, have a strange habit of tormenting people. Ah, it's not something they're born with, more like a species-specific trait of actresses? You could call it that. Since you lived abroad, you might not know what that means, huh?”
“I get the gist. You're probably referring to something like a species-specific trait.”
“Actresses of a certain class, especially female ones, live and die by their pride.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Come on. From the way you spoke earlier, you're incredibly perceptive. Why pretend you don't know? Anyway, if Lee Ha-na gives you a hard time over the cask incident or keeps saying strange things, tell me. If I show her this, she'll be too busy avoiding you to even think about bothering you.”
At Bae Cheol-su's words, Yu-hyeon let out a small laugh.
“Surely, that won’t happen.”
“I started as a gopher and have been in this industry for over twenty years. I’m one hundred percent sure it will. You might not think so since you’re not familiar with this world, Mr. Camu, but it’s a guarantee.”
“Even if something like that happens, I’ll talk to her and sort it out.”
“Haha. You’re an interesting one. Talk to an actress? If she were the type to listen to reason, she wouldn't be an actress in the first place.”
Bae Cheol-su scoffed as if it were a ridiculous notion.
“Wouldn't it be better to delete the video? It wouldn't be good if it leaked out by mistake. As you said, if this is a matter of pride, deleting such a record would be better for everyone, don't you think?”
At Yu-hyeon’s words, Bae Cheol-su looked surprised. Usually, people who saw such a unique scene would be desperate to get their hands on it.
“You’re unusual.”
“Will you do it?”
When Yu-hyeon requested the video be deleted, Bae Cheol-su scratched his head with a troubled expression.
“First, I’ll have to talk to CP Yu. I have a lot of say in what gets filmed, but I can’t just do whatever I want with what’s already been shot.”
“Then could you relay this message for me?”
“What is it?”
“It’s an infringement of my portrait rights.”
“What? Hahaha!”
“I seem to have unintentionally bruised Ms. Lee Ha-na’s pride. I’m asking you a favor. If it becomes known that you have that video, it could cause even more problems.”
“Is that so? Well. I suppose it could. I filmed it for archival purposes, so deleting the whole thing is a bit much, but I’ll talk to CP Yu about deleting that specific part.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s not me you should be thanking, but Lee Ha-na. See you around.”
As Bae Cheol-su walked away, muttering, “Interesting. Very interesting,” Yu-hyeon was finally able to put the wine cask in its proper place.
Just then, through a gap in the main house’s wall, a familiar face he hadn't seen in a while and a few new faces appeared.