Deok-su is Picky
“…Deok-su hyung is surprisingly picky.”
Jang Hyeok-geon, who had casually had breakfast with him, hurried through his morning routine.
After carefully applying BB cream and finishing his blow-dry, he headed up to the second treasure, Avanti, and toward the shop.
“…What kind of person is this eager?”
As soon as he stepped into the shop, Jang Hyeok-geon spotted Deok-su already seated and grumbled.
It was still early morning, barely dawn.
“He’s late. What was I supposed to do if the real manager was slower than an idol?”
“I’m such a precious man.”
Hearing the two of them bickering, Mun A-rim giggled.
Actually, Jang Hyeok-geon hadn’t been late at all.
It was just that Deok-su had shown up twenty minutes before his appointment and was far too diligent.
“Manager-nim. Deok-su hyung doesn’t have any schedules lately? He’s overflowing with energy.”
“After working out, his stamina is especially good. Ah, hello? Yes, Director-nim. Right now…”
Lee Hui-yeong left her seat briefly to take the call.
Looking at her, Mun A-rim grumbled unnecessarily.
“Honestly, the one with the most drive is her. Right, Deok-su?”
“Exactly. I wonder if he won’t get sick from working so hard.”
“But, Deok-su, aren’t you worried about me?”
Jang Hyeok-geon jumped in at Mun A-rim’s teasing.
“Who’s going to worry about my sister, who looks like she’d eat insects?”
“What did you say? Where do you find a fragile stylist like me?”
“Don’t waste your time on useless things from dawn.”
Mun A-rim reached for Jang Hyeok-geon as if she wanted to devour him.
Meanwhile, as the hair was being styled, Deok-su transformed into the beautiful Lee Jung-won from the university.
His lion’s mane hair split 6-4 and looked perfectly neat, and Jang Hyeok-geon applied wax and spray so that not a single strand protruded.
“Done. The rest will be handled by the other real manager.”
“By the way, this hair looks like a village boy’s style, but on you it suits you oddly. My touch is…”
“Narcissism is no good…”
Even after Mun A-rim’s slap, Jang Hyeok-geon didn’t flinch.
As he turned his head to look in the mirror, Deok-su said, “Are you still turning down other idol bookings?”
“Why…?”
“It’s fine for me, but your skill is lacking. I’m afraid you’ll become just a waste if you’re too careful.”
Jang Hyeok-geon placed his hands on Deok-su’s shoulders.
“There’s no way you’ll turn into a waste because of anyone. No need to worry, okay?”
While Deok-su had his hair done, Lee Hui-yeong, who had finished her call, was happily smiling while reading the news.
The promotion was average, but the acting of Deok-su and Mun Ji-won, who drew in the audience, had doubled the rating in episode two.
Adding the other actors’ performances and direction, the expectations continued to rise.
Just as Lee Hui-yeong was about to close her phone, Deok-su, who had finished his hair, came out of the shop.
“See you later.”
A short while after Deok-su’s group left, the shop received a call.
The female employee, receiving the call with a worried face, said to Jang Hyeok-geon,
“Real manager. It seems like you should take it yourself…”
Jang Hyeok-geon sighed.
He already knew what it would be about.
Sure enough, the voice on the phone was quite high-handed.
— Jang Hyeok-geon, the scene?
“Who is this?”
— It’s me, Im Jung-hyuk. Contacting you was really hard.
Jang Hyeok-geon sighed again.
Im Jung-hyuk was one of the top actors that most of the nation knew.
“…I believe I already explained it thoroughly at the time.”
— No, I’m not some nobody. Why are you charging so much for a single endorsement? Honestly, that L’Vyu guy who steals his sister’s money, how can he charge us? Instead of that, why don’t you…
“Ah, yes. No problem.”
Thunk.
Jang Hyeok-geon cut off the call.
The phone rang again, but he unplugged the line entirely.
“Don’t plug the phone line back in until opening time. I’m going to sleep, so wake me up thirty minutes before opening.”
“Yes, Director.”
With an unconcerned face, Jang Hyeok-geon walked into the room.
***
“I, I, I’m supposed to get punished? Hah…! It was you who pushed my child into the gutter.”
“W-what?! I’ll tear you apart…”
Deok-su and Yu Tae-seon’s gazes clashed sharply, and cameras mounted on rails circled around them.
Watching the two of them exchange intense glances on the monitor, CP Kim Mun-seong raised the megaphone with a satisfied look.
“Okay. Take a short break.”
“…”
Deok-su relaxed the tension in his eyes, and Yu Tae-seon slumped limply.
“Hey, Kim Deok-su. Are you getting hives just because a guy holds you?”
“Even the senior is a woman… it’s not right to touch my body so casually.”
“T-that’s true, but…”
Only now did Deok-su extend his hand, and Yu Tae-seon, with a pouty face, took it and stood up.
‘…Deok-su senior handles Yu Tae-seon teacher surprisingly well. Right?’
‘No matter how you look at it, the tail-wagging is obvious, but Deok-su oppa draws the line subtly. And it doesn’t even seem bad.’
‘He’s such a good socialite, why did he get called a delinquent?’
The young actors, Song A-yeong and Ju Ha-na, tilted their heads while looking at Deok-su.
After seating Yu Tae-seon on the actor’s chair, Deok-su sat on a nearby chair to rest.
Writer Shin Yu-mi approached.
Deok-su was about to stand, but she waved her hand.
“Stay seated. On set, actors are the most precious beings.”
“Even the writer is making me feel burdened.”
“Hehe. It’s true, though. Ah, if you have time, shall we have a short coffee break?”
Deok-su headed to his car with her.
Once she confirmed no one was around, Shin Yu-mi finally let out a long sigh.
“Actually, I came to talk to you, Deok-su. I should apologize first.”
“That means a sudden acting offer came in, or PPL?”
“You’re quick on the uptake. The story’s quick too. You know our production company is small? NBS is also suffering from funding issues.”
Deok-su nodded.
Production costs were always a problem for the production company.
The largest portion came from the broadcasting station that commissioned the production, but NBS was even stricter than that.
“If you’re talking money with the actors, is it PPL?”
“If it were, I would have danced. Deok-su. Do you know Honeycomy?”
Honeycomy was a girl group from The Sun Entertainment, one of the four major agencies, an eyesore.
All the members had model-like figures, but they failed to build a fandom and were called a bare cart.
“The Honeycomy planning company was The Sun, right? Did they send investment money?”
“Correct. The investment condition included putting in a Honeycomy member. The friend I know is Lina, whose real name is Park Min-a. She’s a tall, skinny friend.”
Writer Shin Yu-mi handed Deok-su a profile photo.
“She’s really tall. If she’s 175 cm…”
“But why are you showing me this…?”
“I was thinking of casting her as Deok-su’s secretary.”
Deok-su was puzzled.
There was no reason for the writer to intervene so kindly if all she had to do was send a notification.
“If it’s too much for you, tell me. I’ll think of another role. I can’t let you troll us when Deok-su is helping us soar.”
At the word troll, Deok-su chuckled and looked over the profile again.
“Do you have a role in mind?”
“Just a manager or school teacher. It feels like stuffing a useless person in, but…”
“I think the most natural thing would be for you to be the secretary.”
It was the most natural thing in Deok-su’s mind too.
After some thought, Deok-su finally agreed.
At first glance he looked like a fool, but thinking ahead, it was good to owe the writer.
“Thank you. I didn’t expect much, but since Deok-su has been so immersed in the situation, I was ready to refuse.”
“We’ll work together again later.”
“Hahaha! True. Then I’ll do it without any of this.”
After that, Deok-su received Park Min-a’s contact from Shin Yu-mi.
That same day, Deok-su made an appointment with Park Min-a and went to The Sun Entertainment two days later.
Upon entering the lobby, a man in a spotless suit was waiting for him.
“Welcome. We’ve been waiting.”
Deok-su followed his guidance to the practice room on the seventh floor.
The guide was Real Manager Joon-rak, a level manager.
“…I understand you have a few months left on your contract with L’Vyu.”
“Ah, it was a one-year contract, so soon. You have quick information.”
“We live off this kind of thing.”
Real Manager Joon-rak handed Deok-su a business card.
“From now on, you’ll receive many good offers from various places, but I hope you’ll make time to talk with us once.”
Deok-su simply smiled.
After Joon-rak’s guidance, they entered the practice room.
Besides Park Min-a, other Honeycomy members were waiting for Deok-su.
“Hello!”
The tall women bent their waists ninety degrees, and Deok-su raised his hand skillfully.
“Hello.”
“Please feel at ease, senior.”
It wasn’t awkward to receive the greetings of girl group members as usual.
Of course, he felt good.
After a short conversation with them, Deok-su headed to another practice room with Park Min-a.
While walking the hallway, Deok-su asked,
“Did you receive the script?”
“Ah, yes. M-make it comfortable, senior.”
Park Min-a was tense.
Since the day Deok-su called her directly, her heart had been racing.
For her, this broadcast was like a lifeline to survive in this world.
Unaware of her desperation, Deok-su stood facing her in the practice room.
“First, loosen your throat and let’s practice.”
“Throat? Ah, yes…”
Deok-su took out the cork cap and put it in his mouth, and Park Min-a blinked awkwardly.
“…Acknowledging the search… in the Swiss seafood transport process…”
Whether she stood stiffly or fidgeted, Deok-su warmed up by loosening his mouth and throat.
“Aaa-ah- aaa.”
Park Min-a, who had been standing awkwardly, started to produce sounds as if she felt she had to do something.
‘Didn’t she learn acting?’
After the warm-up, Deok-su turned to her.
“Throat’s loose? Let’s sync up.”
“…What? Ah, yes!”
Park Min-a quickly took out her script.
Her script had no gaps like Deok-su’s, with various marginal notes.
‘…She practiced a lot.’
As Deok-su flipped between Park Min-a and her script, he began to immerse himself in his role.
“It’s the life chosen by the kids. We don’t have much time, but we’ll take responsibility for the rest of the life.”
“T-teacher. You don’t have to go that far…”
“Kim Bi-seon, the scene is rare… it seems we need more time.”
Park Min-a was pushed back by Deok-su’s acting.
It wasn’t just the voice.
Even her expression and the atmosphere he emitted were unmistakably Lee Jung-won.
After syncing up, Deok-su said to her, who was tense,
“Whew, that’s a relief.”
“What?”
“I was worried when you arrived. What if the breathing doesn’t match… But you seem to have practiced a lot.”
Park Min-a’s voice rose slightly.
“I got the script last night! From dinner yesterday to the bathroom when I had to go…”
“TMI is a bit much…”
“Ahaha… Jiseong-yeo.”
After that, the awkward atmosphere became much more relaxed.
Deok-su synced up with her while monitoring with his phone.
“Habitually don’t look at the camera.”
“Sorry. I keep getting into the habit of watching the stage…”
“It happens naturally. Let’s try again.”
As Deok-su practiced with her, some awkwardness left her acting little by little.
After that, Park Min-a came to JMT whenever she had time to sync up with Deok-su’s practice.
Acting professor Kim Hyeok-jung helped Park Min-a too.
“…Little girl, you should practice your expressions in front of the mirror when you have time. Here, eyes and lips. You have to watch this side carefully.”
Park Min-a followed Kim Hyeok-jung’s advice.
A week passed like that, and the filming day arrived.
“Deok-su. Please do your best today. Hah, I get a lot of NG when I work with a rookie…”
PD Cho Woo-seok shook his head while looking at the preparing Park Min-a.
The staff suffered the most when NG happened.
NG meant the ear time was delayed.
“It should be fine.”
On the other hand, Deok-su was confident.
After a quick rehearsal, Deok-su sat in a chair and Park Min-a stood beside him.
“Let’s go. Ready, action.”
With the slate sound, Deok-su looked back at Park Min-a standing beside him.