Reading
My eyes snapped open.
After getting out of bed, I rinsed the stale taste from my mouth with cold water first.
Feeling my head clear, I headed straight into the shower.
After shaving cleanly and fixing my hair, I bit into an apple I’d bought a few days earlier when I went grocery shopping.
People say an apple in the morning is good for you, but I wasn’t so sure.
Still, it was better than an empty stomach, so I chewed and swallowed it stubbornly.
With my right hand, I turned on my smartphone, fully charged at 100 percent. After quickly replying only to the messages that needed an immediate response, I packed a portable battery.
Today, in more ways than one, my phone was going to be working overtime.
Then I put on the carefully saved summer semi-formal suit and left the house.
A cool breeze brushed through my hair.
It’s autumn.
And autumn was the season of harvest.
I got into the car and headed straight for Baekhak headquarters.
Today was the script reading for Black Bride.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After parking, I made my way to the headquarters lobby.
I picked up the head of the public relations team, who was standing around with coffee in hand, and said, “Ready to head out, Chief?”
“What’s with you? Why are you in such a rush, Manager Kwon?”
“I’ve got a few other people to pick up besides you.”
“Huh? Who else are you taking?”
“I told you before. I invited a reporter.”
“...Oh. That reporter you said you knew?”
“Yeah. He was on the way, so I figured I’d pick him up. And...”
Letting the sentence trail off, I shrugged.
“I also need to pick up actor Seo Tae-jun.”
“Huh? Seo Tae-jun?”
“Yeah. He still doesn’t have a personal manager.”
The PR chief’s eyes went wide.
“Seo Tae-jun’s been at our company for a while now. He still doesn’t have a personal manager?”
The PR chief stared at my face for a moment, then tapped my shoulder lightly.
“Looks like Seo’s taken a liking to you, Manager Kwon.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Why else wouldn’t Seo Tae-jun ask for a manager? He must want to keep working with you, so he’s staying quiet.”
I let out a snort.
“Please don’t launch me into the air before breakfast, Chief.”
“Heh... Did I make that obvious?”
“Obvious enough. So let’s move. We’re really busy today.”
After dropping the PR chief into the back seat, I headed straight to Gangnam Station. Reporter Seo was there, yawning and standing with one leg crossed over the other.
I rolled down the window and shouted, “Reporter Seo!”
“...Oh, Manager Kwon!”
“Get in quick. There’s a car coming up behind you.”
Reporter Seo hurriedly opened the back door.
The PR chief gave an awkward smile and introduced herself.
“Hello. I’m Seo Joo-hye, head of marketing public relations at Baekhak.”
“Ah... I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Seo Ji-hoon from TP Entertainment News.”
The PR chief and Reporter Seo exchanged cards while gauging each other’s expressions.
Watching them in the rearview mirror, I tossed out a joke to ease the mood.
“You’re both Seos and both reporters, huh? Do people with the surname Seo just like paperwork?”
“... ”
Damn it. I really should stop making jokes.
Thanks to my joke, the atmosphere only got more awkward as we headed toward the Cheongdam-dong salon.
Seo Tae-jun, wearing sunglasses, recognized my car at once and lifted the corners of his mouth.
“You arrived right on time, Manager Kwon.”
“Save the greetings for later. Just get in.”
“Aren’t you a little sharp first thing in the morning?”
“Sharp? Please. Stop talking and get in.”
Seo Tae-jun shrugged and opened the passenger door.
The PR chief greeted him with familiarity.
“Hello, Actor Seo. We met briefly at the last meeting, remember?”
“Ah, the PR chief? Of course I remember. And this person next to you?”
“He’s Seo Ji-hoon, head of TP Entertainment News. Here’s my card...”
Thanks to Seo Tae-jun joining us, the awkwardness eased considerably.
That let me focus on driving, and I arrived at the large cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the Black Bride script reading was being held, earlier than scheduled.
After parking, I bowed to Reporter Seo and the PR chief.
“See you later, Reporter Seo, Chief.”
“Sure. See you later, Manager Kwon.”
Reporter Seo and the PR chief went into the cafe’s meeting room first. While they were doing that, Seo Tae-jun got out of the car and stretched, muttering, “Ah, I’m nervous.”
I snorted.
“Your face looks pretty confident to me.”
“Ever heard of a poker face? We’re about to walk into a lion’s den. I can’t exactly advertise that I’m scared.”
Fair enough.
I hated people who put on airs, but in life there were times when you had to do exactly that.
For Seo Tae-jun, this was probably one of those times.
The director’s skill makes the work, but it’s the lead actor’s skill that carries it forward.
This reading would be a test, one that would have to plant in Seo Tae-jun the belief that he could carry the project well as a lead actor.
I gave his slightly tense shoulder a light pat.
“Seo Tae-jun, your specialty is putting on airs, isn’t it? Just do what you always do.”
“Is that an insult or a compliment?”
Seo Tae-jun gave a low laugh and gestured forward.
“Shall we?”
I nodded and walked after him.
Since this was a closed reading, the entrance to the cafe meeting room was quiet.
With his poker face firmly in place, Seo Tae-jun swung the door wide open.
“.................”
The eyes of everyone who had already arrived in the room turned on me and Seo Tae-jun.
Actors seated at the waiting area, watching this side.
Carefully invited reporters.
The Black Bride production team.
Just as a faint chill ran down my spine under all that concentrated attention, Director Park Jun-seo appeared.
“Oh, Manager Kwon! You’re here!”
Director Park Jun-seo beamed and grabbed my hand with both of his.
“You came with Actor Seo Tae-jun too. Have you both been well?”
I raised the corners of my mouth and greeted him.
“I’ve been well. Are you feeling a little better today, Director?”
“Don’t even ask. I was so nervous I stayed up all night.”
Seo Tae-jun, standing beside me, shrugged.
“I was nervous enough to stay up all night too. What if I mess this reading up, Director?”
“Haha! Our Seo actor doesn’t look nervous at all.”
After patting Seo Tae-jun’s shoulder gently, Director Park gestured us forward.
“All right, both of you, head to your seats first.”
Seo Tae-jun went to the actor area for Black Bride, while I headed toward the production team and the actors’ managers.
Director Park personally stepped in and introduced me to the Black Bride production staff.
A few of the staff members acted like they knew me already.
“Oh, you’re the one? The one who brought in Lee Ha-eun and Seo Tae-jun?”
“I’ve heard a lot about you from Director Park. You pulled this whole project together by yourself, right?”
“Director Park talks about you so much over drinks that even though this is our first time meeting, you somehow feel familiar.”
Hmm. Our Director Park really had polished my image when I wasn’t around, hadn’t he?
Thanks to that, the attention landing on me felt pretty heavy.
Judging by the reactions alone, it looked less like a manager had arrived and more like a department head.
But if I got rattled here, that would make me an amateur.
I put my business smile on and said, “Director Park is exaggerating. It’s not that much. Right, here’s my card. If you need anything or want to get in touch for any reason...”
I handed out the business cards I had prepared in advance to the production team.
Honestly, for a manager of my size, there was no need to hand out cards to ordinary staff members.
But still.
The assistant directors, assistant camera operators, and FDs I was talking to now would one day become main directors and chief camera directors.
Thinking that far ahead, there was no harm in making a good impression now.
And becoming friendly with the production team had its own practical advantages, too.
After wrapping up those warm, easy conversations with the production team, I headed toward the reporters’ section.
I’d been scrambling since morning, but once the eyes around me moved off, I finally had a little breathing room.
Running a hand along the back of my neck, I muttered, “All right, now the board’s set...”
My gaze shifted to the actors.
Veteran actor Park Tae-sik.
Go Joo-eun, the woman nicknamed Chungmuro’s Cinderella.
Kim Nam-seong, famous for being a top-tier supporting actor.
Kwon Ho-jun, an idol actor whose skills were acknowledged despite his background.
With the supporting quartet and lead Seo Tae-jun, all the actors cast in Black Bride were gathered for the first reading.
So the suspects are all here, too.
Then I should start looking.
Today’s reading was supposed to be a gathering to check the acting abilities of the Black Bride cast. But my purpose was different.
From here on, Reporter Seo and I were going to catch the trail of the drug addict hiding inside Black Bride.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Seo Tae-jun approached the actors seated around the long rectangular table. Before arriving, he had already roughly learned which actors had joined Black Bride.
Second seat to the right of the director’s chair.
Seo Tae-jun gave a short greeting to actor Park Tae-sik, the most experienced among the Black Bride cast.
“Hello, senior.”
“Oh ho, Seo actor, you’re here?”
“How have you been? I think this is the first time we’ve seen each other since the Baeksang Awards.”
“I’ve been doing fine. But...”
Park Tae-sik trailed off, and his eyes widened.
“What happened to your hair? Don’t tell me you shaved it all off for the project?”
“Yes. The character’s key visual is a buzz cut.”
“Wow... Even so, you went with a buzz cut? There’s special makeup too, you know?”
“It just turned out that way.”
After a light conversation with Park Tae-sik, Seo Tae-jun turned his head. A woman with fox-like features, her eyes slightly upturned, was smiling at him with her eyes.
“Hello, senior. I’m actress Go Joo-eun.”
“Yes, hello, Joo-eun.”
“I’ve heard so much about you! Please take good care of me!”
Seo Tae-jun dipped his head and thought, She’s a fox.
A woman used to men. He could tell that much, because he was a man used to women.
Turning away from Go Joo-eun, Seo Tae-jun looked across the table.
A man with dyed-blond hair stood up from his seat and greeted him.
“Good to meet you, senior! I’m Kwon Ho-jun!”
He’d heard the name a few times before, but this was his first time meeting him.
An actor who came up through idol work, Kwon Ho-jun was a skilled performer with a reputation for real acting ability in the industry.
In that moment, the fool he’d seen a few days ago flashed through Seo Tae-jun’s mind.
Someone kind of like Lee Seung-jun?
But he seemed better than Lee Seung-jun. His face was cute, and his personality seemed mild enough too.
Finally, Seo Tae-jun’s gaze landed on Kim Nam-seong, the veteran supporting actor from theater.
“Hello, Actor Seo.”
“Yes, hello, Actor Kim Nam-seong.”
“This is our second time meeting, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I hope we work well together again this time.”
“That’s my line.”
Unlike the first two, Seo Tae-jun already knew Kim Nam-seong.
They had once worked together on a lead role in a KBN drama.
His dark circles are just as bad as ever.
He looked exhausted.
And his personality, matching that face, was a little prickly too.
But when it came to acting alone, he was a true veteran supporting actor, fully deserving of that title.
After naturally greeting the supporting actors who carried weight close to lead-level importance, Seo Tae-jun folded his arms.
Then Go Joo-eun, sitting opposite him, spoke with a strange nasal sweetness.
“Now that even Seo Tae-jun sunbae has arrived, there’s only one person left, isn’t there?”
At her words, everyone’s eyes turned to the remaining empty seat.
Lee Ha-eun, the top-star actress and this reading’s lead.
Her seat was still empty.
Looking at that seat, Go Joo-eun let out a little snort.
“I know she’s the lead, but isn’t this a little too right on time?”
Go Joo-eun pointed toward the clock hanging on the wall.
“We’re about to start the script reading, so at this rate, won’t Lee Ha-eun be late?”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
As I watched the actors seated in the reading area, I turned my head to check the time.
Five minutes.
That was what remained until the reading began. And the most important lead still hadn’t shown up.
The PR chief beside me muttered uneasily, “What on earth is she doing to be this late? Is she going to be tardy at this rate?”
After thinking for a moment, I answered, “She won’t be late.”
“Still, just in case, shouldn’t we call to check, Manager Kwon?”
A check-in call... Well, yes.
If it looked like she’d be late, I’d have called already, given my personality.
But I knew Lee Ha-eun better than anyone else as her manager.
She’ll show up right on the dot on purpose.
Even if she arrived early at the reading venue, she was the kind of woman who’d deliberately make her entrance at the exact right second.
Projecting presence, establishing psychological dominance.
For Lee Ha-eun, who had to lead the mood on set as the lead actress, this script reading would be a perfect opportunity to show off her presence.
So she was probably dragging things out on purpose.
Because she’s a woman who lives like the world belongs to her.
...But what if she really was late, against all expectations?
The thought made a nervous itch start to build in my chest.
One minute before the script reading began.
Just as voices were starting to rise, looking for Lee Ha-eun, the reading room door opened like a lie made real.
All eyes snapped toward the entrance.
One staff member let out a breathless exclamation.
“.................Lee Ha-eun!”
The lead of this reading.
Top-star actress Lee Ha-eun.
She had finally appeared.
Everyone’s gaze moved from the entrance to her face.
Sealed with red lipstick and a touch of gloss, her lips looked dangerously alluring.
Drop earrings and a lavish necklace.
A dress in a red-wine tone that looked like expensive luxury from head to toe.
The styling and makeup were like a peacock with its wings fully spread.
Gasps spilled from all around the room.
“Wow... Can a person really look that refined?”
“She’s seriously beautiful.”
“Isn’t she a doll? Her face is way too small.”
“No, look at her skin! Is that even human skin? Fine, I can accept the blemishes, but how does she not have a single wrinkle?”
Watching those reactions, I let out a long sigh a beat too late.
I figured as much, but she really did show up at the exact second.
She was... impressive in a number of ways.
But since she’d arrived on time, I supposed I should call it a relief?
Just as I let my guard down with that lazy thought, the top-star actress Lee Ha-eun, who had pulled everyone’s attention in with a single appearance, started walking forward.
But...
The direction she was walking was strange.
Where Lee Ha-eun was heading now, neither Director Park Jun-seo nor veteran actor Park Tae-sik was standing!
My mouth fell open like an idiot, and the staff watching Lee Ha-eun started murmuring.
“...Huh?”
“Where is Lee Ha-eun going?”
“Isn’t she going to greet the director?”
“Huh? Why is she going to the reporters’ section?”
The tension started crawling back up my spine.
My heart, too, began pumping hard again.
Maybe that was why.
As a warm breath slipped between my lips, Lee Ha-eun stopped in front of me and smiled brightly.
“Hi.”
At her greeting, every gaze that had been fixed on Lee Ha-eun turned to me all at once.
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