Chapter 64
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Approach
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Following the white hand clutching a white paper cup, I lifted my head to find a somewhat familiar woman standing there, beaming at me.
"Here, have this. They were handing them out."
I took the paper cup from her with a polite bow. She looked familiar. Where had I seen her before?
The thought had barely crossed my mind when it hit me.
"Ah! Today's shoot..."
Before I could finish, she jumped in.
"Yes, exactly. You remember me?"
She nodded toward the cup she'd handed me, flashing a bright smile.
"Drink up quick. The ice is gonna melt."
Inside was iced mix coffee. I glanced around and saw others holding similar paper cups.
"The sudden rain startled me."
"Tell me about it."
A floral scent lingered nearby, carried on the heavy, rain-soaked air. It must have been her perfume.
The unfamiliar fragrance so close up made my shoulders tense. Instinctively, I scanned the surroundings.
'Everyone's huddled together.'
With shelter so limited, people were packed in tight. Staff members were crowding in on my left, too.
Yeah, in a situation like this, just sharing the same awning to dodge the rain wouldn't spark any misunderstandings. Only then did the tension ease a bit.
'They've drilled "be careful" into me so much.'
No smoke without fire is the baseline in this industry—sometimes they even light the chimney themselves.
You never knew when or where rumors might start, so caution was the only way.
Unaware or perhaps uncaring of my inner turmoil, she looked up at me with an innocent expression.
"Can I ask you just one thing?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
"How do you act so well?"
"Pfft!"
I nearly spat out the sip of coffee I'd just taken. She just laughed.
I'd grown somewhat used to the praise by now, but hearing it from a stranger made it mortifying.
"The seniors are way better at it than me."
"Hahaha! Why are you so humble?"
She giggled and playfully swatted my arm.
What was this? Zero personal space, total naturalness. Anyone watching would think we were old pals.
But telling her, "Sorry, could you back off a little...?" might come off as me putting on airs.
'This is tricky.'
I was finally getting how hard it was to navigate these situations properly. No wonder the company hammered it home—not just a few times, but dozens.
I subtly shifted my body away without making it obvious and replied.
"It's just the truth."
I figured that would wrap up the chat politely, but she didn't pick up on my hint at all and kept going.
"Were you training to be an actor originally? How'd you end up as an idol?"
No, come on...
She was being so direct that ignoring her felt impossible. And moving away under the narrow awning wasn't easy either.
'If only she were staff, I'd feel more at ease...'
It might just be genuine friendliness, but I couldn't help being wary. Talk about awkward.
Her questions kept coming, and I gave curt replies. Even I felt a little bad for how clipped they were, but she pressed on regardless.
And then...
'...Is she even closer now?'
The floral scent tickling my nose felt stronger than before.
"Even in early summer, the rain makes it chilly, right?"
She inched subtly closer. Strands of her hair brushed my arm.
Ah, this was getting dangerous.
"Yeah. It's cold here—why don't you find somewhere warmer? I've gotta head out anyway."
I stepped sideways and bowed my head.
"Huh? It's still raining, though?"
"I'm good."
You can come in however you want, but I'm leaving my way.
"Excuse me, just passing through."
I apologized to the line of staff crammed under the awning and slipped through the crowd.
"Wait a sec!"
I felt a tug at my clothes from behind but ignored it.
Spotting a group of familiar faces nearby, I bolted straight for them.
Lee Seon-jeong and the other acquaintances greeted me, and relief washed over me.
"Phew."
It would've been nice if Lee Jun-hyung had been that friendly instead.
'Then I could just focus on the shoot.'
After waiting a bit under the awning, the rain finally let up. I immediately tracked down Kim Han-soo and gave him the full rundown of what happened.
I didn't forget to add my honest take.
"It might just be me being overly sensitive."
"No harm in tapping the bridge before crossing."
He listened, then headed off right away to talk to the extra coordinator.
Kim Han-soo returned after I'd fixed my rain-mussed hair and makeup. For some reason, his face was grim.
"We need to be even more careful."
"Pardon?"
"The extra you mentioned—she said Lee Jun-hyung's manager introduced her."
"So she's with Danggeun Entertainment?"
She'd claimed to be shoehorned in via Park Min-ha, but looks like they actually do insert people.
'Even for an extra role.'
But Kim Han-soo shook his head firmly.
"No agency. She said she's personally acquainted with the manager and he asked a favor."
"Ah..."
I nodded at first, but something felt off upon hearing it.
"Is that legit?"
"Extras aren't unheard of that way, but there's no real reason for it. Doesn't do the manager's client or company any favors..."
The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
An actress with no agency gets introduced specifically by Lee Jun-hyung's manager for an extra spot, and on her first day, she approaches me like that?
'Not impossible if you break it down.'
But nitpick anything enough, and nothing's impossible. Suspicion was warranted.
What the hell were these guys up to?
No, their motives were obvious. But wasn't this a bit too juvenile?
"Just in case, don't go anywhere alone from now on. If it's unavoidable, always check if someone's nearby."
"Got it. And anyway, I'm never really alone."
I answered confidently.
Ignorance is one thing, but knowing full well? No way I'd fall for it.
Plus, Kim Han-soo rarely strayed far from my side.
"Alright, back to shooting!"
The gear had been reset in the meantime.
At the assistant director's call, I shoved the incident aside and plunged back into the forest of lights and cameras.
"So, I hope everyone else stays cautious too. Even beyond stuff like this, idols have to watch out around women. It's a promise to the fans."
The moment Kim Han-soo finished, Kim Ha-woon shot to his feet and yelled.
"That's way too messed up. Unbelievable."
Park Tae-hoo nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Lee Jun-hyung had such a great image. Celebs are always different from their public personas. Like with Arena last time."
"Seriously, you can't trust entertainers."
...Thanks for having my back, guys.
'We're entertainers too.'
Ignoring their back-and-forth like a comedy duo, Lee Jae-ha asked worriedly.
"Is there anything we can do to help?"
"Nah, I'm good."
"For real?"
I nodded.
Honestly, nothing. They couldn't shadow me as bodyguards all day.
"Nope, not having it! We'll go cheer you on! Then no one can get near you!"
"Sounds good!"
"Huh?"
What was this now? Coming to the set?
"No, it's tough enough already—no need."
They had events without me, plus individual schedules and practice. Busy and exhausted as is.
"Nonsense! We gotta show our faces."
"Yeah, yeah."
"We'll roll up with a coffee truck, looking cool!"
Bringing up the idea they'd deflated over before made me chuckle despite myself. I teased.
"You got the cash?"
"Ah... Get famous quick and rake it in, us!"
"Alright! Let's grind for Do-jun hyung!"
"Aja!"
...Guys. Logically, won't the drama wrap before then?
Still, their enthusiasm for me was heartwarming, so I just laughed it off.
But the warm vibes didn't last.
During a break from practicing the event choreography, Kim Ha-woon groaned dramatically.
"Ugh, I'm gonna die. I give up."
He flopped straight onto the practice room floor like his sweat-soaked clothes were too heavy.
Park Tae-hoo chugged an ion drink and tsked, messing with him.
"Hey! You're soaking the floor! Sit and rest!"
He grabbed the drenched shirt collar with his index finger and yanked. Kim Ha-woon flailed, choking.
"Argh! Tae-hoo hyung's murdering me!"
"Get up if you don't wanna die!"
"Won't die if not tired!"
"Oh yeah?"
Park Tae-hoo released the collar and plopped right onto Kim Ha-woon's waist.
Crack!
"Gah! Ow!"
Slipping his arms through and yanking the waist back in a ground technique, Ha-woon tapped out frantically.
"I'm dying! Hyungs, the maknae's dying!"
Where'd those brothers vowing to grind for me an hour ago go?
'What? Give me back my little bros.'
"Argh! I surrender! Arm snapping!"
"Hahaha! I'm the hyung!"
...Fine. Gratitude all the same.
I'd wrapped night shooting and barely gotten three hours of sleep when the alarm blared mercilessly to wake me.
Worried it'd rouse Jae-ha, I quickly silenced it and staggered out of bed. Had to hustle for the morning shoot.
If allowed, I could've dozed off standing right there.
So sleepy the shower hose's spray felt like a plush waterbed.
This wasn't a dream, right? Sometimes I "woke up" post-shower actually in bed.
Beep, beep-beep.
Good, not a dream—the door lock chimed as someone entered.
Kim Han-soo appeared, impeccably neat and sharp as ever. Not a trace of exhaustion on his face.
He'd driven me back to the dorm, then come all the way here again—surely less sleep than me. Wasn't he tired?
Truly impressive. Was he secretly running on detachable batteries like an old phone?
Lost in such nonsense with half-lidded eyes, he chuckled.
"Do-jun, if you're ready, let's head out."
A car idled lonely out front, engine still running.
I hopped into the back seat familiarly and shut the door. He grabbed a cup from the front holder and passed it over.
"Drink this."
Coffee. When the heck did he get this?
I slurped the straw; cold Americano slid down my throat.
"Fuu."
Finally feeling a bit awake.
Seeing him fetch even this after what felt like two hours' sleep, I couldn't complain about fatigue. Time to learn from the pro.
At the set, staff buzzed even outside, prepping. Plenty of faces I'd seen just hours ago at the other location.
'Seriously impressive.'
No way they skipped sleep entirely to wait here, right?
My hypothesis gained traction—some assistant director and staff wore the same outfits as yesterday. At least a few had changed.
Lucky them, they got some shut-eye.
We decided to wait in the car until prep wrapped up.