Chapter 217: An Unexpected Love Call (1)
Chapter 217: An Unexpected Love Call (1)
The YHJ broadcasting station fell as silent as if it had been doused with cold water.
It was only natural.
The person the director had just pointed out was none other than a Korean actress.
Reika’s passionate performance—which everyone had thought was amazing just moments ago—continued to play on the screen, but the director’s eyes were already fixed on the woman who had exited the scene.
'What should we do, Producer Nanjo?'
'This is... truly unexpected.'
Producer Nanjo Katsuo, who had gone through great lengths to invite Seo-yeon to Japan, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
He had no choice.
How much effort had they poured into inviting him to Japan this time?
To move a man who rarely budged, money alone wasn't enough. The film production committee had to pull every string and mobilize every connection they had just to finally bring him over.
"Um, Mr. Baldwin."
In the end, Producer Nanjo, whose English was the most proficient among them, had to speak up.
Asher Baldwin.
A director who had built his reputation in the U.S. by filming indie movies across various genres. As soon as he received major investment, he directed a breathtaking fantasy film that won him a Best Director award.
He followed that up with a string of biographical films that swept various awards. His career was at a level that was far too immense to be summarized by the word 'great.'
However, his path of success had hit a snag a few years ago.
For about five years now, he hadn't been able to produce any notable results. Of course, it was only a slump relative to his name value; it was by no means a level that could be called a failure.
'More importantly, it was only because of that situation that we were able to bring him to Japan at all.'
Nanjo sighed inwardly as he looked at Asher Baldwin, who was staring back at him with a bored expression.
The filming environments in Japan and overseas differed significantly in many ways. The behavior of a foreign master like him was usually something the production committee wouldn't tolerate. Even from the perspective of a broadcasting station PD, it was a very foreign experience.
In Japan, directors were often treated as little more than ordinary salarymen.
"I made a request."
"Are you asking who that actress is?"
"Yes, that actress. The one blended in with the other extras."
Asher Baldwin gestured with his hand, asking them to rewind the footage.
His face showed not a shred of interest in the acting of Goto Reika, the actress Japan took such pride in. Consequently, the broadcasting station officials, who had been pushing Reika heavily, couldn't help but feel a bitter taste in their mouths.
"May I ask why?"
At Producer Nanjo’s question, Asher’s elegant eyebrows twitched.
He glared as if to confirm if the question was genuine. It was a look that seemed to ask, Do you people not even have the eyes to see what's right in front of you?
'I know.'
Of course, Producer Nanjo knew.
In fact, most of the people in this room probably knew. Even those who tried to ignore and dismiss her because she was a Korean actress couldn't tear their eyes away when the footage actually played.
A video lasting barely a minute.
Simple gestures and a few lines of dialogue.
The kaleidoscope of facial expressions that shifted in between.
There were many impressive elements, but two things stood out the most.
'Her looks.'
In that one minute, that was likely what hit the hardest.
And secondly.
'Presence.'
He hated to admit it, but in that short clip, no one else was visible. Even though the male lead, Kento, was clearly in the frame, one's eyes naturally drifted toward the nameless extra.
A certain manga he had read in the past came to mind.
Unfortunately, it had been discontinued, but there was a line in it that stuck with him.
'The extra is devouring the entire scene.'
It was a phrase so absurd it almost made him laugh, but this scene made him understand it.
"You know, then," Asher said, reading Nanjo’s expression.
He knew exactly why he had pointed out that actress in that scene.
"Capturing the eyes of others is a more important talent for an actor than anything else. No... I phrased that wrong."
He paused to choose his words before speaking again.
"To be precise, I should say it is a quality required of a lead actor."
Unfit to be an extra.
It sounded like he was saying that, but not quite. Looking at the scene, it was clear the composition was intended to be eye-catching from the start.
'The director has good sense,' Asher thought.
Of course, that was assuming the director knew the extent of that actress's talent. To be honest, he tended to look down on movies and dramas made in Japan. Well, he still felt that way now.
However, there were things he could tell from a composition of barely a minute.
It could have been a fluke, but if it was intentional...
"So, this actress."
"What do you mean?"
"Hah."
Asher shook his head.
He felt he had said enough for them to understand, but they just stood there with blank expressions.
"I’m saying if I’m going to film a movie, I want to use this actress."
It was exactly what Nanjo had expected.
Producer Nanjo felt like he might collapse from the sheer horror of the situation. No, should he be relieved that the director didn't just storm out saying all Japanese actors were trash? At least the worst had been avoided.
Whenever they had shown him materials for other actors, he had looked like he wanted to leave immediately.
In fact, Asher Baldwin was famous for his eccentric personality. He was the type of man who would say what was on his mind even if it meant never setting foot on Japanese soil again.
"That actress might be... a bit difficult."
"What? Didn't you show me this video to introduce her? You said her name was Goto Reika."
It seemed Asher was under a massive misunderstanding.
Well, that explained why he hadn't given Reika’s acting a second glance. From the beginning, he had treated her as just another extra.
"The actress you are referring to is a Korean actress."
To the bewildered Asher, Producer Nanjo spoke the name of the actress who had visited this very station not long ago.
Just the previous week, the interview variety show she filmed had aired, and she was an actress YHJ was paying close attention to because of the Gyeongseong Lady deal.
That name.
And.
That Korean actress was...
"Wait, wait, Seo-yeon, wait!! Seo-hee, get her off me! I said get her off! Why are you looking at me like that!"
...currently clinging tightly to her close friend.
*
Seo-yeon had become a Romance Master.
It had taken a long time. After hearing the stories of the past from Yeo-hee and getting a feel for it, she had watched several related movies. Recently, she had even finished reading a few female-oriented romance fantasies to get a general sense of the vibe.
'There are still many parts of female-oriented fantasy that I don't understand, though.'
However, even though she wanted to practice that acting, Seo-yeon’s romance parts were pushed quite far back in the schedule. It was mostly to film the important scenes first before moving on to the romance.
[Well, that’s only natural.]
A cool male voice echoed in her ear.
For the record, Seo-yeon wasn't exactly on a phone call with him.
Discord.
In other words, she was playing a game while using voice chat.
And there was only one person around Seo-yeon who would have such a conversation with her. Among the people she knew, he was the only one who was worse at games than she was.
Park Jung-woo.
[The character Yuina you mentioned is a villainess before she's a romantic interest, right? Showing her villainous side first before doing the romance parts makes for fewer emotional fluctuations, so it's easier.]
"It’s less about that and more because the later parts are being filmed in Japan."
[Ah, because there wasn't a suitable building for Michiko's Mansion?]
"Yes."
Seo-yeon busily clicked her mouse, throwing mushrooms. Seeing the opponent step on a mushroom and suffer made her feel quite good.
[I’ve heard things about Director Baek Min-chan, but he’s really something. He’s going all the way to Japan just for that?]
"Besides that, I think the right scenery and landscapes were mostly in Japan."
[Are there a lot of snowy scenes?]
"Yes."
[Then it makes sense. Japan is about the only place nearby to film stuff like that. CG costs too much money. Ah!]
The moment he said that, Park Jung-woo’s character died.
Since it was the Howling Abyss, dying didn't cause any major setbacks, but usually, when someone died like that...
"You’re dying way too much. I thought you were a head-butting dinosaur for a second."
[Don't try to stick that meme on me.]
"But your death count is higher than mine?"
Hearing Seo-yeon’s smug voice, Jung-woo felt the veins in his forehead throb.
Actually, Jung-woo usually only played games occasionally when he was resting. But because he was constantly being provoked by Seo-yeon like this, he found himself practicing alone.
He realized anew that nothing gets under a man's skin quite like being told he's bad at games.
[My tier is already Plat, though?]
"..."
Seo-yeon was momentarily speechless. While she practically flew around in the Howling Abyss where mechanics were everything, Summoner's Rift was different.
Of course, Seo-yeon was also Plat.
She was Plat, but Jung-woo had reached it in fewer games. Seo-yeon, who hadn't been able to raise her tier because she was focused on the Howling Abyss, felt a sense of crisis. Or rather, she was just getting a bit bored of the Rift.
"People who lead with their tier look pathetic."
[...Didn't you say that to me before?]
"And high schoolers these days don't play League that much."
[Then what do they play, Valorant?]
"Something like that..."
Actually, she felt like they didn't play PC games much in general.
Anyway, as Seo-yeon said that, she suddenly thought of Young-bin. Because of the Yeo-hee situation, she knew he had various concerns regarding Masked Singer.
Whether to make his own game.
Or whether to stay at a large corporation.
But even if he did make a game, she was worried in many ways.
'I have to fulfill Yeo-hee unni’s request, too.'
Since Yeo-hee had helped her with her acting, Seo-yeon had to listen to what she had to say.
What was it again?
Probably...
'Um, you don't have to do it if it's too much. But later, could you please tell Sua that I really want to meet her once? I-I told you, it's Sua, not Young-bin, okay? Seriously. But you don't have to push yourself. Really.'
No matter how she looked at it, those weren't the words of an adult telling her not to push herself. The moment the word 'please' was included, it was a contradiction.
Besides, calling out the mother first?
Wasn't that a strangely suspicious intention?
'I hope I’m not starting a soap opera about an affair by passing this message along.'
Seo-yeon was starting to get a little worried. Had she underestimated Yeo-hee’s lingering feelings? She thought it had just remained as a fond memory, but she might have been mistaken.
Lost in thought, Seo-yeon suddenly checked the time.
"Ah, I think I have to log off. I have an appointment."
[You? An appointment?]
"...You make it sound like I have no one to meet. I’m a busy person."
[I know, I know. Actress Ju Seo-yeon. You’re doing well.]
"If I ran to where you are right now, I could get there in five minutes. Want to go a round of sparring?"
[Huh? I’m in Gangnam, though?]
"That’s why I said five minutes."
[What are you, a plane?]
Even though he thought it was impossible, Jung-woo felt confused about whether she was joking or not.
Of course, it was a lie. No matter how fast Seo-yeon was, there was no way she could run to Gangnam in five minutes. As he said, only a plane could do that.
But Jung-woo couldn't immediately dismiss Seo-yeon’s words as a joke. Somehow, he felt like if it was Seo-yeon, she might actually be able to do it.
"It’s a joke, obviously. You actually believed that?"
[...No. Hah, forget it.]
Jung-woo sighed. More than that, he was curious about the appointment Seo-yeon mentioned. When she didn't have work, Seo-yeon spent most of her time playing games. Even if she wasn't playing with Jung-woo, she spent a lot of time on console games.
"I’m going to a friend-on-probation's house."
[A friend-on-probation?]
"She’s actually a friend, but I just call her that because it’s fun."
[Ah, Jo Seo-hee...]
Thinking of the junior actress who would carry the original sin of being a 'parachute' for the rest of her life, Park Jung-woo let out a sigh.
'I must never give her a reason to tease me like that.'
Seo-yeon thought of herself as quite generous, but Jung-woo knew. While she was indeed generous about most things...
She became incredibly petty if you touched her pride.
*
In truth, Seo-yeon had never really felt the fact that Seo-hee was wealthy. The nice cars she used to show off had changed to a nice bicycle at some point. Other than that, she didn't wear particularly expensive clothes.
She had taken Seo-yeon to Mirinae Park before, but honestly, it hadn't sunk in. From Seo-yeon's perspective, it just felt like she was doing a job for the company and participating in an event. It was nothing more, nothing less.
But that’s how people are.
"How is it?"
Seo-yeon looked up and said, "It’s... big."
To think this massive detached house with a huge garden was Seo-hee’s home. Seo-yeon, who lived in a normal house, was momentarily speechless. It wasn't that Seo-yeon’s family was poor, but this was... how should she put it?
It felt like a completely different world.
"Land prices are cheap here because it’s a bit far from the center."
Even if she said that, it was hard to just nod and say, "Oh, I see."
"See, Ji-yeon doesn't even care."
"I’ve been here often. And you, why are you grinning like that?"
"Huh? No, I’m not."
Jo Seo-hee rubbed her smiling face with both hands. It had been a very long time since a friend had visited her house.
Moreover!
Hadn't Seo-yeon been the one to say she wanted to visit first?
'Am I finally graduating from being a self-proclaimed friend?'
Seo-hee knew she was treated as something like a half-friend, a friend-on-probation, or a self-proclaimed friend. So, Seo-yeon visiting her house was a very special event.
"But Lee Ji-yeon, what’s that?"
"Huh? This? It’s beer."
"?"
"It’s non-alcoholic. Non-alcoholic."
Wait, even non-alcoholic beer can't be bought by minors, can it? When Seo-hee looked at Lee Ji-yeon with those eyes...
"It was just at home, so I brought it. Isn't this how it usually is?"
At Ji-yeon’s words, Seo-hee narrowed her eyes again.
Is she really a delinquent after all?
Seo-hee couldn't shake that suspicion.