Chapter 215: Forms of Love (1)
Chapter 215: Forms of Love (1)
When Ju Seo-yeon finished her preparations and stepped out, she saw Lee Ji-yeon standing there in a long padded coat.
Seo-yeon tilted her head in confusion. Today wasn't a filming day for Ji-yeon.
"Is something wrong?"
"Like what?"
"It’s your day off, but you’re here."
At Seo-yeon’s words, Lee Ji-yeon buried her mouth in her scarf and stared at her flatly.
"It’s Ju Seo-yeon’s filming day. I’m here to watch."
What did her filming day have to do with Ji-yeon watching?
Though the question crossed her mind, Seo-yeon simply nodded.
"Seo-yeon, we’re about to head in. Oh, wow, you look incredible today too."
"Pardon?"
"It’s nothing. Let’s go."
At the staff member's call, Seo-yeon bowed politely and moved to the set.
A kimono adorned with red butterflies. A long pipe held in her hand, and black hair decorated with extravagant ornaments. Every single detail was striking.
Lee Ji-yeon watched her, hands tucked deep into the pockets of her long coat. Her presence at the set today wasn't a mere whim.
‘She’s been agonizing over it lately.’
Ji-yeon knew that Seo-yeon had been struggling with her acting. Although Seo-yeon always produced remarkable results, she was always sincere about her craft and never spared any effort.
To put it bluntly, most of her life was consumed by thoughts of acting. No matter what she did, her criteria for thinking was always based on whether it would help her performance.
"Seo-yeon looks a bit more confident today."
Jo Seo-hee approached and spoke to Ji-yeon.
"Yeah."
Ji-yeon gave a short reply and watched Seo-yeon, who was receiving direction from Director Baek Min on the set.
There were two major scenes to be filmed today.
One was a scene featuring actor Lee Sang-soo—playing Goto Isamu—and Kasugayama Yuina together. The other was a scene where she faced Michiko head-on.
Neither was an action-packed or dramatic spectacle. If anything, they were scenes driven primarily by dialogue.
‘That’s why the acting is even more important.’
If it became a mere recitation of lines, it would feel monotonous. When speaking to Goto Isamu, she had to portray the fragile Yuina who wavered before him. And when speaking to Michiko, she had to unconsciously reveal her feelings for Yeon Seon-ye.
In other words, jealousy. The shape of unrequited love.
‘I guess she’s finally getting used to it.’
Ji-yeon thought to herself. It had been that way since they were children. Seo-yeon had a tendency to not properly recognize emotions—as if she were learning things late that other people were born knowing. Back in middle school, her reactions were more intense, but she wasn't like that anymore.
"But why are you here on your day off?" Seo-hee asked curiously.
"Because it’s the day Ju Seo-yeon acts."
"……Hmm."
At Ji-yeon’s answer, Seo-hee’s expression shifted to one of slight understanding. Ji-yeon didn't bother responding to that look. She wasn't the type to seek validation or empathy from others regarding her own sentiments.
‘Ju Seo-yeon.’
Honestly, Ji-yeon was curious about how Seo-yeon felt about filming the same movie as her. Well, there was a high probability she didn't think much of it. She’d probably just think, ‘It’s nice to be filming together~,’ or something like that.
But Ji-yeon was different. It was only natural. Since they were young, Seo-yeon had been a benchmark for her. Even during Seo-yeon's long hiatus, that hadn't changed. Ji-yeon had been certain that if Seo-yeon ever started acting again, she would rise to the top in no time.
And just as Ji-yeon expected, Seo-yeon had achieved incredible things over the past year.
‘If...’
If Seo-yeon hadn't returned to acting, Ji-yeon might have quit as well. While acting was a vital part of Lee Ji-yeon’s life, it wasn't everything. More than anything, she knew she wouldn't have been able to forget Seo-yeon’s acting, which would have haunted her like a lingering afterimage for the rest of her life.
Ever since they were children. From the very first moment they acted together. From the time they stood on stage as Snow White and the Prince.
"Hmph..."
Ji-yeon pulled her scarf up to her cheeks and glared at Seo-yeon.
You’d better not give a mediocre performance after getting my hopes up.
As she watched with that thought in mind, Seo-yeon caught her eye and gave her a small, crinkly-eyed smile. Ji-yeon thought that compared to when they were kids, Seo-yeon smiled quite a lot now.
"First, let me introduce actor Lee Sang-soo, who plays Goto Isamu. I'm sure some of you are seeing him for the first time today."
Before the filming officially began, Director Baek Min spoke while standing next to Lee Sang-soo, who had emerged in full costume.
At the appearance of the man they had only heard rumors about, the set buzzed with excitement. It finally felt real—that the legendary actor was actually participating in this film.
"Wait, didn't they say Lee Sang-soo wasn't taking any more projects?"
"I heard Ju Seo-yeon personally brought him on board."
"But how...?"
"I wouldn't know that."
Whispers drifted among the staff. Lee Sang-soo merely offered a faint smile in response to their reactions.
"Now, let me go over today’s shoot again."
Director Baek Min’s voice, slightly more animated than usual, rang out across the set. Though he was always good at controlling his emotions, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying today’s shoot.
"This is the scene where Yuina reminisces about her past with Goto Isamu. At the same time, it’s the first moment it’s revealed that Goto Isamu is the mastermind pulling Yuina’s strings."
Up until this point, Goto Isamu had appeared as a figure supporting the protagonist, Yeon Seon-ye. He was the male servant who had initially commissioned her and brought her there, supposedly on Yuina’s orders. But here, it would be revealed that he was no mere servant.
"Until now, Yuina has mostly shown her sharp side as a villainess, but here, she must reveal herself in a more complex way."
Director Baek Min spoke while looking at Seo-yeon.
Yuina was a character who had lost her way. In the first place, she didn't particularly desire anything. She was simply reclaiming the fortune held by Michiko—wealth that should have originally belonged to the Kasugayama family.
The relationship between Michiko’s family, the Amanabi, and Yuina’s family, the Kasugayama, was complicated. Originally, the Amanabi family was far weaker in both legitimacy and power compared to the Kasugayama. However, a problem arose when the younger sister of the previous Kasugayama head married the previous head of the Amanabi family.
The previous Kasugayama head cherished his younger sister dearly. He doted on her daughter, Michiko, even more than his own child. This was because the Kasugayama head’s wife—Yuina’s mother—had been a mere political marriage. Consequently, he treated Michiko more like a daughter than he did Yuina. He went so far as to transfer a significant portion of the Kasugayama inheritance to the Amanabi family.
"The complex emotions they feel toward each other... that needs to be clearly expressed."
After finishing his brief explanation, Director Baek Min clapped his hands.
"Then, let’s begin. Everyone, to your positions."
At his command, the staff members took their places. Among them were those who had come from Japan.
"Korean film sets are actually very similar to the Hollywood style."
"Oh, really?"
"The filming methods, the atmosphere on set... they say it’s like that in many ways."
"Ooh..."
Tanaka Hiroshi of YHJ Broadcasting nodded at his colleague’s words.
‘Is that why?’
Recently, winds of change had been blowing through the Japanese film industry. They were paying attention to various aspects to improve costs and the environment on set.
‘Is that also why they brought in a Hollywood director?’
There was a film that YHJ was recently preparing as part of a production committee. Because of that, there were many opportunities to encounter various actors and directors, and he knew Seo-yeon’s case was part of that process.
Of course, Seo-yeon wasn't specifically related to that upcoming film. In her case, it was purely about evaluating her high value as an actress. It was more about building a connection just in case.
The real focus was the director recently brought in through the YHJ president’s connections. A grand director who had won an Academy Award for Best Director. Given the massive sum paid to bring him in, it was clear how much YHJ valued this project.
‘I believe the meeting is tomorrow.’
Thinking he should ask about it when he reported back tomorrow after today’s shoot, Tanaka began to focus on the filming that was about to start.
Against the backdrop of an antique mansion, two characters were engaged in conversation.
Kasugayama Yuina and Goto Isamu.
*
Yuina gazed at her father’s portrait. Her gaze held neither longing nor love for him. Her face, looking at the portrait with utter indifference, seemed merely stoic.
Hatred and anger. And a complex emotion different from contempt was revealed in that gaze.
「My Lady.」
The one who quietly approached and spoke to her was Goto Isamu. The man who oversaw all the servants in this vast Kasugayama mansion. And the man who had remained by Yuina’s side the longest. The only one who had reached out to her when she was left in lonely isolation.
「We are merely reclaiming what should have been yours from the start.」
At those words, Yuina’s gaze shifted toward Isamu. Isamu had initially been standing behind Yuina with his head bowed.
「The Amanabi family. To begin with, those people are low-borns who don't even deserve to stand in our presence.」
Yuina did not answer. Recently, there was someone who had been shaking her heart. Even though she was looking at her father’s portrait to fuel her hatred, her heart did not move as easily as before.
「Amanabi Michiko has snatched away many things that you should have enjoyed.」
Slowly, Isamu raised his gaze. He looked toward Yuina, who had undergone some change, as she remained silent.
Goto Isamu had always been a man with a benevolent smile. Even Yeon Seon-ye had been fooled by his impression; he had the kind of appearance that anyone would call a "good person."
However, those glistening eyes were stained with madness. A crack had formed in the mask he always wore.
「And yet, why? What is it that makes you hesitate?」
He strode toward Yuina and grabbed her collar.
「Do not forget. That girl is merely bowing to us because she is greedy for money. Her true nature is that of street trash. She is nothing more than a common riff-raff.」
「Isamu.」
「Remember, My Lady.」
Ignoring Yuina’s attempt to stop him, Isamu continued.
「Kasugayama Rihito is a traitor.」
Isamu spoke the name of the previous head of the family.
「Despite being the head of the house, he lived not for the Kasugayama, but for the Amanabi.」
Strength entered the hand gripping Yuina’s collar. His wide-open eyes were filled with Yuina’s reflection.
「He left the inheritance to his sister’s daughter, not his own. He turned a blind eye even as his own daughter reached out to him.」
He spoke as if spitting out his breath.
「He threw away everything of the Kasugayama. The family, and his own daughter.」
Yuina bit her lower lip at those words. Yes, he was right. The previous head, Kasugayama Rihito, had abandoned Yuina. Therefore, destroying the Amanabi family was only natural. She was merely taking back what she should have owned, what she should have enjoyed.
But.
Yuina took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
The surroundings fell silent in an instant. Everyone watching the sequence held their breath. Ji-yeon, who would eventually act alongside them, unconsciously gripped her own sleeve.
Goto Isamu. Lee Sang-soo’s acting was truly astonishing. It was enough to make her wonder if she could perform properly in front of him when her turn came.
「Isamu.」
Yuina opened her mouth. Unlike her usual sharp voice, there was a small sense of resignation within it. A voice that could no longer contain hatred as it once did.
「You’re right. I’ve always been the one things were taken from. And this is finally my chance to take back what’s mine.」
Those words, whispered softly, seemed directed not at Isamu, but at herself. No, they were indeed directed at herself.
Honestly, Seo-yeon hadn't fully understood this emotion at first. From her perspective, she couldn't completely grasp why Yuina, who had only ever been robbed, would feel resignation here—why she was wavering.
But after hearing Yeo-hee’s story, she had come to understand a little.
It wasn't resignation. It wasn't giving up, either.
She simply couldn't do it. Because she knew what would happen as a result of her actions. Because she could clearly see that someone would get hurt.
She wanted to hate, but she had become unable to hate.
「But.」
Yuina tightly gripped her own collar. After meeting Yeon Seon-ye. And after encountering Michiko several times through her.
「I don’t think I can do it.」
Looking at Isamu, Yuina smiled. It was Yuina’s first sincere smile in the entire story.
A smile so sorrowful. The smile of a woman who chose the happiness of others over her own.
At that smile, even Goto Isamu was left speechless.