Summer's Closet Script Reading (2)
"It's wonderful to see everyone already getting along so well."
With a collective rustle of chairs, everyone rose and bowed with their hands clasped together.
"Ah, please, sit down. Why is everyone standing? You're making me look ancient. Haha."
The writer and director exchanged greetings with the cast and settled into their seats.
"So, So-hyun, I've been so happy watching you do well lately. I've been following that historical drama of yours."
"Oh, Writer-nim, thank you so much. The moment I received your script, I knew I had to do this one."
"Hyung, are you getting used to the script format this time? It's laid out sideways like a book — I just can't adjust."
"I know, right? But the more I read it, the more comfortable it starts to feel."
Writer Choi Mi-hyeon and Han So-hyun clasped hands as they chatted, while the other actors struck up conversations of their own. The countless cameras and lights stationed around the room whirred nonstop, determined to capture every scrap of the actors' interactions for the making-of footage.
Then the assistant director closed the conference room door and stepped inside.
"Director, it looks like everyone is here — from the actors to the production staff."
"Good. Shall we begin, then?"
Director Kim Han-su rose from his seat.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Kim Han-su, the PD directing Summer's Closet."
A wave of cheers and applause erupted from the staff, production personnel, and cast alike. Starting with Writer Choi, they rose one by one to introduce themselves.
After Kang Seo-jun and Jeong Yeo-reum came the turn of Cha Woo-joo — Ryu Yeon-woo's role.
Yeon-woo stood.
"Looking good! Our Woo-joo!"
Laughter filled the script-reading room as An Jun-ho, who had already broken the ice with Yeon-woo at the audition, called out from across the table. Yeon-woo smiled, recognizing An Jun-ho's deliberate attempt to ease the nerves of a rookie.
"Hello. I'm Ryu Yeon-woo, playing Cha Woo-joo. As a newcomer, there's a lot I don't know. Please teach me — I'll soak it all up like a sponge. I look forward to working with you!"
He delivered the greeting in a clear, strong voice and bowed a full ninety degrees in every direction. Every person in the room smiled.
Applause followed. Once the remaining introductions were finished, the director and writer presented the drama's concept and creative vision, and the reading began in earnest.
"Scene number one. Let's begin."
At the assistant director's cue, everyone flipped open their scripts with a rustle of pages.
"Our parents and your parents are really something else. Making me drag this walking disaster around with me?"
"Hmph! I should be the one saying that. Why did you even follow me to university just to keep bugging me?"
"What are you talking about, Jeong Yeo-reum? We went to elementary, middle, and high school together — hell, even kindergarten. I was the one who refused to show you where I was applying so we could finally go to different colleges."
As expected of proven top-tier actors, Son Jin-uk's Kang Seo-jun and Han So-hyun's Jeong Yeo-reum locked into their banter with the seamless precision of meshing gears.
Several scenes later, Cha Woo-joo's turn arrived.
"Father, times have changed. An entertainer? You always said your dream was to let me do what I wanted — to live differently from the way you did."
In contrast to Yeon-woo's almost pretty, delicately handsome appearance, the solid, weighty resonance of his delivery drew low murmurs of admiration from the room.
"Director?"
"Ah — is that me?"
Laughter broke out. Director Kim Han-su, who had agreed beforehand to read the lines of mid-career actor cast as Chairman Cha — Cha Woo-joo's father, who couldn't attend due to scheduling conflicts — had missed his cue, shattering the solemn atmosphere.
"I'm sorry about that. Yeon-woo, could you do that once more?"
Yeon-woo gathered his breath again.
"Father, times have changed. An entertainer? You always said your dream was to let me do what I wanted — to live differently from the way you did."
Not a single syllable out of place — as if the first take had been cloned. The weight of his delivery drew another round of quiet gasps.
"When I said do what you want, I meant something meaningful — not becoming some damn entertainer. Even if you'd said you were going into the entertainment business, I'd have hated it. And now you want to put on scraps of clothing and parade around in front of people?"
Being Jeong Cheol-min's senior meant that PD Kim Han-su had majored in acting in his younger days. The heavy fury of Chairman Cha came through with real force.
"Is that why you treated Mother that way right up until the day she died? Because she used to sing in front of people — just another entertainer?"
"What did you just say, you little bastard?"
"That little bastard is your son, Chairman."
Cha Woo-joo's venomous voice, thick with defiance, struck straight at Chairman Cha's raw nerve. In place of the stage direction calling for an ashtray to be hurled against the wall, PD Kim Han-su slammed the table.
A sharp crack rang out.
"Get out, you bastard! Get out of my house right now. Not a single thing under this roof was earned by you, so don't even think about taking anything with you!"
"Fine. Oh — the bike was bought with the allowance Mother gave me while she was still alive, so I'm taking that."
And then the next scene. An Jun-ho entered as Hwang Jae-il, the character who had been trying to put Yeon-woo at ease.
"You called for me, Chairman."
"Jae-il. I threw that bastard out in a fit of temper, but I want you to follow him and keep an eye on him. He's still my son. I can't just let him get hurt out there."
"Yes, Chairman."
They continued the script reading for several more hours before wrapping up.
"Thank you, everyone, for your hard work. Watching the actors' outstanding performances, I have a good feeling about this production."
Cheers erupted from the staff and cast at Director Kim Han-su's words.
"Ah — I know you're tired, but I'll need the three leads and Hwang Jae-il to stay for individual making-of interviews. All right, that concludes today's session. Thank you for your hard work."
Applause filled the room.
"Thank you for your hard work."
"Everyone, great job today."
People exchanged farewells and began filing out.
"Woo-joo, your acting was incredible. Is this really your first project? And you're actually a minor?"
Han So-hyun approached, lightly tapping his arm with a smile. She was calling him Cha Woo-joo outright, not Ryu Yeon-woo.
"Yes, So-hyun noona. It feels a little strange."
"I feel strange? I've got this whole internal sense of closeness going on over here."
"It's not that — like I mentioned earlier, my little sister has the same name, so calling you So-hyun noona is..."
Han So-hyun clapped her hands as it came back to her.
"Right! You did say that earlier. Hmm, then just call me 'Yeo-reum.' We're the same age for the duration of this project, aren't we?"
"Ahaha."
Yeon-woo laughed with a faintly awkward expression.
"So-hyun, trying to sneak into the friend zone with an eighteen-year-old boy?"
Jin-uk, who had been greeting familiar staff members, approached from a distance and teased her.
"Caught me. Hehe. Well then, I'm off to get my makeup touched up first. Women are busy, you know."
She waved to Yeon-woo and Jin-uk and headed off.
"Yeon-woo, I'm a full twelve years older than you, but just call me hyung for now."
"Yes, Jin-uk hyung. It's an honor to have a top-star hyung."
"Come on, top star? If anything, I'm the one who just gained a future top-star dongsaeng."
Jin-uk waved the compliment off.
"All right, let's go get our makeup done too."
"Yes, hyung."
Guided by a staff member, Yeon-woo entered the makeup room.
Meanwhile, inside the makeup room, Ju-hui was practically bouncing on her feet. She had planned to take the day off because she wasn't feeling well, but when an outside gig came in from the new drama's reading set, she had dragged her aching body to work. Famous among her friends as a hopeless face-obsessed fangirl, Ju-hui had come hoping the drama would feature a handsome male actor — and then a sculpted, breathtakingly good-looking rookie had walked right up and greeted her with genuine kindness. She was completely hooked.
The door opened, and Ryu Yeon-woo stepped in.
"Kyaa! He's here, he's here!"
"Yes!"
The makeup team in the room Yeon-woo had entered threw their hands up in celebration.
"Hello, noonas."
Closing the door behind him, Yeon-woo greeted them with a smiling crinkle of his eyes.
"Ah, I'm melting. I'm so glad I came on this assignment today."
"Ahem. Actor-nim, please have a seat over here."
"Yes, thank you."
The makeup team was in full meltdown mode while a staff member cleared her throat and guided Yeon-woo over.
"I look forward to working with you."
Yeon-woo sat down and met the makeup artists' eyes. Ju-hui's cheeks flushed pink almost instantly.
"I overheard something while looking around the set earlier — are you really a high school student, Actor-nim?"
Ju-hui asked as she reinforced his skin tone.
"Yes. Next year I'll be a senior."
"Wow. Is it because of that baby skin? I have no idea what kind of makeup I'm even supposed to do for you."
Even as she fretted, Ju-hui's hand never stopped moving the brush, refining an already near-perfect face into something just a touch more beautiful. Behind Yeon-woo, another hair artist tidied his hair into a cleaner, dandier style.
The makeup and hair were finished in under five minutes. With that soft baby skin and those finely balanced features, there simply wasn't much to touch.
"I don't even know if I should be getting paid for this little work."
"But Ju-hui, he was already so perfect that touching him any more would probably just make it worse, right?"
"That's the absolute truth."
At the sound of conversation that suggested they were done, Yeon-woo opened his closed eyes and smiled.
"Thank you. I look so polished thanks to you."
"Ah, no, not at all. Hehe. You were already perfect the moment you walked in."
"Ahaha."
With Ju-hui's flushed face laying the praise on so thick, even Yeon-woo felt a little bashful.
"Well then, I'll head out for the interview."
"Actor-nim, fighting! I'm joining your fan club!"
"I don't have a fan club yet, but thank you!"
Yeon-woo laughed brightly, said his goodbyes, and stepped out.
After that, he completed an individual interview following the prepared Q&A, then joined the other leads for a cheerful group message urging viewers to tune in live and watch in large numbers — wrapping up the making-of film shoot.
Meanwhile, the clock turned back — to the morning of the day Ryu Yeon-woo had called the House of Love and Hope to ask whether his assets had been donated.
Han Hae-un: "So you're confirming that there is a donation record on file."
Facility Staff: "Yes. But why is the prosecution calling...? We publish everything transparently online."
Han Hae-un: "Ah, I'm not contacting you because there's a problem with the donation. It's simply information needed for an ongoing investigation. In any case, thank you for your cooperation."
Facility Staff: "Yes, of course."
Conducting the investigation in secret — using his personal phone and personal PC, without his superiors' knowledge — Han Hae-un grew more certain with every lead he chased: the man from his dreams, "Team Leader Jeon Su-hwan," had been an agent of the National Intelligence Service. A fallen one, at that.
Hae-un had even traced the welfare organization the man kept mentioning in his dreams to the facility where Jeon Su-hwan had been placed as a child. What still eluded him entirely was why this particular person kept appearing in his dreams at all.