A Convenient Excuse
A pleasant, breathy laugh escaped him.
Park Yu-hyeon, the division head, looked startled and asked, "Lee Ha-eun got a call from Hollywood?"
"Oh, did I forget to mention that?"
"..."
Baek Ji-won smiled with innocent ease.
Park Yu-hyeon shook his head.
"Sometimes... Representative, you really make my heart jump."
"Sorry."
"So what exactly happened?"
Baek Ji-won shrugged.
"Exactly what I said. After Queen of Joseon wrapped, Universal contacted us and said they wanted Ha-eun for their next project."
"And Lee Ha-eun turned it down?"
"Yes."
Park Yu-hyeon's brow furrowed.
"That movie Universal is producing this time... isn't it a $150 million film just in production costs?"
"That's right. A quarter-blockbuster, basically."
Park Yu-hyeon's expression soured.
"She turned down a movie like that? Don't tell me she said no because it wasn't the lead?"
"Do you think she's a child? She wouldn't reject a project for that reason."
"Then why did she turn it down?"
Baek Ji-won let out a snort of laughter.
"She said bugs were swarming around her."
"...Bugs?"
"Yes. It's summer, so bugs are everywhere, and she said she couldn't go to Hollywood right now."
"..."
A question mark seemed to float over Park Yu-hyun's face.
She turned down Universal because there were bugs in the summer?
For a film with a $150 million budget?
...By Park Yu-hyun's standards, it was an excuse that was impossible to take seriously.
Baek Ji-won, who had been watching him closely, turned her head again.
With her hands clasped behind her back, she stared out the window for a long moment before muttering, "Maybe I should just leave her be. What do you think?"
Park Yu-hyun blurted out in shock, "Representative? Leave her be? This is a Universal offer."
"The actress says she doesn't want to do it."
"Then this time, we should push her hard, even if we have to force it."
"If she were the kind of kid who listened, she'd have done it already."
"..."
Park Yu-hyun fell silent.
Baek Ji-won took that silence as agreement and lifted the corners of her mouth.
"Now I'm curious."
The curve of Baek Ji-won's lips deepened into something unreadable.
"What wind blew through the head of a girl who never had any lingering attachment to Korea, and made her decide to stay?"
***
I parked the car and headed for a nearby smoking area.
The heavy, humid air scraped against my skin.
With July drawing near, the temperature had gone from merely hot to outright suffocating.
With a cigarette between my lips, I muttered, "So that's why I'm so on edge."
That seemed about right.
My condition was fine, but because it was so hot, every nerve in my body felt oddly sharpened.
Should I get an IV or something?
Rubbing my chin, I pulled out my smartphone.
After skimming today's headlines, I opened the music chart.
My mouth lifted before I even realized it.
- [HOT Chart] Rookie girl group "To.Any" becoming the next shockwave in K-pop? Double title tracks continue their climb as they crack the Top 10...
- [No. 5: Attention] [Artist: To.Any], [No. 6: Youth Travel] [Artist: To.Any]
To.Any's chart ranking had gone up again.
"That's way too good."
What was even more encouraging was that it wasn't just their streaming numbers that were rising.
Clips of To.Any had started circulating on SNS and communities, and their songs were playing in coffee shops as background music.
Which meant public interest was starting to tilt toward To.Any.
If no songs below them suddenly surge upward, they might hit No. 1 this month...
Of course, I couldn't be certain.
A heavyweight singer or idol could announce a comeback out of nowhere, or some unknown track could start climbing from the bottom.
Anything can happen in this business.
But this time...
I felt like I could afford a little confidence.
According to the future-text article, To.Any's "Youth Travel" was going to reach No. 1 on the chart sooner or later.
Just as my lifted mouth was curving higher, I'd suddenly remembered a schedule I'd nearly forgotten.
"Oh, right. Star Observation! The meeting was this week, wasn't it?"
After the call with PD Park, To.Any's first variety appearance had been narrowed down to Star Observation!
Because of the show's concept, the girls wouldn't be appearing as panelists. They'd be active participants on the program itself.
That meant they'd have more room than on most other variety shows to show different sides of themselves.
If it turns out the way I expect, this could be the decisive blow.
If that happened, their ranking would climb again, steeply.
Do it right, and they might grab the top spot faster than I'd predicted.
Naturally, my bet with Baek Ji-won came to mind.
"Last time she gave me a car. What is she going to give me this time?"
It didn't seem like a house... Profit sharing? A bonus, maybe?
I couldn't get a read on it, but one thing was certain.
As expected of Baek Ji-won, a legend in this industry, she was going to give me something that exceeded my expectations.
With a low sigh, I muttered, "Why do I keep getting lucky whenever it's something involving To.Any?"
Maybe those girls were lucky charms.
Otherwise, it didn't make sense.
Letting out a useless little laugh, I stubbed out my cigarette.
Then I headed toward the Chinese restaurant where Seo Tae-jun and I were supposed to meet.
To.Any is pretty much wrapped up, and what's left is Black Bride...
That side was more or less taking shape too.
I felt sure of that after seeing the finished quality of Black Bride.
Director Park Jun-seo's Black Bride is the occult 5-million-viewer film.
The problem was that the director, Park Jun-seo, didn't seem to like Seo Tae-jun as the lead.
Well, that's understandable.
In an occult film, atmosphere mattered above all else.
And Seo Tae-jun's image, no matter how generously you looked at it, wasn't heavy.
"So this is the fork in the road."
Do I push Seo Tae-jun into Black Bride or not?
Of course, I still wanted to see Seo Tae-jun acting in it.
But if you asked whether Black Bride was Seo Tae-jun's project, the answer was no.
He can be replaced by another actor just fine.
Depending on Seo Tae-jun's attitude today, my handling of Black Bride would probably change.
Having finished my thoughts, I opened the door of the upscale Chinese restaurant Seo Tae-jun had reserved.
The handsome man with sharp, striking features flashed a bright grin.
"It's been a while, Manager Kwon."
"You've been well, Tae-jun?"
"Nope. I haven't been well at all."
"?"
Seo Tae-jun, who had been leaning back in his chair, straightened up and said, "Seriously, isn't this too much? I told you myself to call me once you found a project, but this wasn't the kind of neglect play I wanted."
Ah... that was what he meant?
I couldn't help letting out a snort of laughter.
"You're old enough to know better. Why are you acting like a kid?"
"People like me will wither and die if you don't pay attention to us."
With easy charm, Seo Tae-jun handed me a glass of cold water.
"Should we eat first?"
"Should we just order and talk business right away?"
Seo Tae-jun's eyes turned challenging.
My own eyes twitched in response.
"Sounds good. I was curious anyway. The eye for talent that led our Manager Kwon to pick Queen of Joseon, I mean."
Look at him.
I had come here to test Seo Tae-jun today, but it looked like he had come here to test Kwon Chan too.
Feeling the atmosphere heat up at once, I pulled out the Black Bride script.
"Hm? Is this the only script you brought?"
"Yes."
"When recommending scripts to an actor, don't people usually bring two or three?"
Instead of answering, I just smiled in silence.
Seo Tae-jun's lips curved nicely at the sight of it.
"Looks like you're confident. Fine. Let's talk after I read it."
Seo Tae-jun took off the glasses from his clutch bag and put them on.
Then he began reading Black Bride carefully, line by line.
Not wanting to break his concentration, I quietly sipped my water and stayed silent.
How much time passed like that?
Eventually, Seo Tae-jun set down the script in his hands and muttered, "I don't get it."
"!"
My shoulder jolted.
The Black Bride script doesn't make sense?
I was a little thrown off.
Meanwhile, Seo Tae-jun murmured with a serious expression, "This is the first time I've ever seen a script this uninteresting."
...Huh?
This... had gotten difficult fast.
As my brow tightened, sensing the situation beginning to knot up in a complicated way, words I had never expected burst out of Seo Tae-jun's mouth.
"So I guess this project will do well."
"?"
"That's usually how it goes. The scripts I think are fun flop hard, and the ones I find boring... weirdly enough, they end up doing great."
My eyes widened.
What the hell kind of nonsense is that?
But after thinking about it carefully, it wasn't nonsense at all.
Come to think of it, he said something like this at our first meeting too, didn't he?
Seo Tae-jun himself had said it.
He had no eye for scripts.
That was why he wanted to work with me, the guy who chose Queen of Joseon.
And now Seo Tae-jun found Black Bride boring.
If Seo Tae-jun, who had no sense for scripts, found Black Bride boring...
That means it's good??
In the meantime, Seo Tae-jun's eyes were sparkling.
"The script itself is really boring, but I do like this Kang Ji-hoo character."
Before I knew it, I let out a laugh.
Really...
Seo Tae-jun the actor.
He was too entertaining.
"What do you like about him?"
"His contradictions are appealing."
There was a faint excitement in Seo Tae-jun's voice.
"A bride who follows God while not believing in Him. Someone who's afraid of demons but more passionate than anyone else about exorcising them. He's twisted in the best possible way. It makes me want to act."
Seo Tae-jun snapped the script shut.
"What about you, Manager Kwon?"
"What about me?"
"Do you think this movie will do well?"
Would it do well?
Absolutely.
At the very least, 5 million.
If the board was set up properly, it could go far beyond that.
I said exactly what I thought, without softening it.
"Yes. I think it'll do well."
"Then it's decided."
Seo Tae-jun shrugged.
"My next project will be Black Bride. I'll take it. Give it to me."
It was a decision as blunt and direct as his personality.
So blunt, in fact, that I almost blurted out that I'd hand it over right away.
Swallowing my amusement, I said, "That's a little difficult."
Seo Tae-jun's eyebrows twitched.
"Difficult?"
"Yes. I'm glad you like the script, Tae-jun, but Director of Black Bride is..."
Letting the sentence trail off, I shrugged with deliberate irritation.
"He says you're not quite good enough. So I can't just hand it over the way I want."
***
Seo Tae-jun's expression stiffened.
For all his arrogance and lightness, he'd never once frowned after meeting me.
And yet now Seo Tae-jun's face...
had twisted like a deranged killer who had just finished murdering someone!
A small exclamation escaped my lips.
That's really a sight, huh?
The gap between his usual manner and this was devastating.
It was enough to send a chill down my spine.
In that moment, I found myself thinking without meaning to:
Maybe this thriller-occult project the Romance Prince was about to shoot... might actually suit Seo Tae-jun better than I expected.
Then Seo Tae-jun let out a dry laugh.
"This is a little embarrassing."
He smiled and asked, "How so?"
"Aren't you basically telling me to audition right now?"
An audition?
To be honest, yes.
I wanted Seo Tae-jun to study and rehearse the role of Kang Ji-hoo until he won over Director Park's heart with pure skill.
But for the Romance Prince, that would sting his pride, wouldn't it?
The prediction hit dead on.
"Man, my pride just took a hit. I'm not at the level where I should be auditioning, am I?"
"If you don't want to, you don't have to."
"If you were going to give up this easily, then why show me this script at all? You're just putting pressure on me to audition, aren't you? Isn't that right?"
Seo Tae-jun's voice turned rough with anger.
That reaction, too, had been expected.
Yeah. It would feel disgusting.
The Romance Prince, who had never experienced failure or hardship, was being tested now.
Knowing Seo Tae-jun's personality, it'd be no surprise if he shoved his chair back and stormed out.
But I had no intention of stopping him.
To put it bluntly, there were plenty of actors with fierce passion for acting besides Seo Tae-jun.
If he can't even stand this much and just follows his temper...
There'd be no reason to hold him back.
An actor should run wild only when acting, not in real life like some spoiled brat.
One untamable wild horse was enough, and Lee Ha-eun already filled that role.
In the meantime, Seo Tae-jun ran a hand through his hair in agitation and muttered, "Manager Kwon."
"Yes."
"Let me ask you one thing."
I nodded.
Seo Tae-jun shot me a sharpened glare and said, "If I walk out of here, are things between us over?"
Sharp one.
I answered honestly.
"You're still in Team 5, so it's not like our relationship is over. But..."
"But?"
"I won't be recommending you any more projects."
Seo Tae-jun let out a sneer.
"You're a frightening man, Manager Kwon."
Me, frightening?
Maybe my nerves had just been sharpened over the past few days, and that's why it came off that way.
Seo Tae-jun swallowed the cold water irritably and said, "Honestly, I'd like to turn this whole thing over."
"You can if you want."
"But once I do, what's left?"
"Your pride, Tae-jun?"
"Pride doesn't put food on the table."
Seo Tae-jun leaned forward.
"Fine. I'll audition."
"!"
"But I want you to know one thing. This situation is seriously... annoying."
Sparks flashed in Seo Tae-jun's eyes.
A thrill shot up from my toes.
"The director telling me I have to audition, and our Manager Kwon subtly needling me while casually recommending this script, they're both annoying."
I felt it again.
Seo Tae-jun the actor.
He was too entertaining.
"So now you want to convince me even more? That I'm not the kind of actor who should be treated like this?"
I hadn't expected him to take it like this and have his stubbornness flare up.
That other side of Seo Tae-jun's appeal shook my heart hard.
Who could resist the charm of an A-list actor whose pride had been properly wounded, laying his cards on the table and swearing revenge?
Then Seo Tae-jun declared, "Give me a week."
The Romance Prince, Seo Tae-jun, had a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"I'll build Kang Ji-hoo from Black Bride in one week, so just wait."
***
After that, the meal went by with surprisingly nothing happening.
Back in his usual form, Seo Tae-jun tossed out meaningless jokes, and I gave half-hearted reactions, letting the two of us create the illusion of a proper meal.
"Then I'll see you next week, Manager Kwon."
Seo Tae-jun put on his sunglasses and drove off in a sports car.
Watching his back, I muttered, "He's really pissed."
He was trying to hide it, but I could feel it all the same.
The real feeling underneath, the way he was grinding his teeth and promising revenge.
That left me a little stuck.
Looks like he'll prepare for the audition the way I planned... but I really did poke at his pride too much.
I was a little worried.
At the same time, my anticipation was exploding.
I wondered what kind of performance Seo Tae-jun would show once he'd really been heated up.
With the corners of my mouth lifting, I put another cigarette between my lips.
"Anyway, Seo Tae-jun's situation with Black Bride is sorted out..."
If he came back next week with a fully formed character, I could schedule a meeting with Director Park right away.
All right.
One tangled thread had been untied. Now I just had to pull the next one loose.
I took out my smartphone and made a call.
- Beep... beep...
Instead of a ringtone, a mechanical tone reached my ear.
While I waited for the call to connect... I felt, strangely enough, completely at ease.
It would be funny if anyone knew who I was calling right now.
Then a languid, sweet voice slipped into my ear.
"Hello?"
My heart started to pound.
Not with fear, but with anticipation and curiosity.
"Lee Ha-eun, let's eat together next week."
The time had come to deal with the problem I had been avoiding.