The Stalker
As usual, Seo Ji-eun said goodbye to her manager after he dropped her off in front of her building, then stopped by the café she always frequented and ordered a coffee.
"Thank you."
She smiled as she took her cup and headed out the door.
The café part-timer stared after her, dazed.
The owner chuckled at the sight and jabbed him in the side with an elbow.
"That young lady really got you that bad, huh? She's a regular. At least answer when she greets you."
"Boss, I'm just gonna run to the convenience store real quick. My mom asked me to pick something up."
"Yeah? No customers right now anyway. Go on, hurry back."
The part-timer peeled off his apron and left the café with a stiff expression.
Meanwhile, Seo Ji-eun had been fretting over her appearance on the field monitor during filming — she thought she'd put on a little weight lately. So instead of her usual café mocha, she'd ordered a plain americano with no syrup today.
Coffee in hand, she reached for the elevator button — then hesitated.
She checked her reflection in the mirror beside the elevator and puffed out her cheeks.
"Maybe I'll take the stairs today. Ugh, why do my cheeks look so puffy?"
In the end, she skipped the elevator and headed up the stairs to her apartment.
Thud, thud—
After climbing for a while, breathing hard, Seo Ji-eun felt something strange. It was as if someone two floors below was matching her steps — climbing when she climbed, stopping when she paused to catch her breath.
It's just the echo off the stairwell, right…?
She started walking again. Footsteps followed behind her.
No matter how she thought about it, this didn't sound like a diffraction of sound.
Ji-eun climbed a few more steps, then abruptly stopped.
Thud, thud—
The footsteps stopped a beat after hers.
Goosebumps prickled across her skin. She bolted up the stairs as fast as she could.
Behind her, the footsteps grew louder, racing up after her.
"Aah—! Mom!"
As she ran, she checked the floor numbers between landings. Just half a flight more and she'd reach the seventh floor — her floor.
She was too terrified to look back, but the footsteps were so close they had to be only half a floor behind.
On trembling legs, Ji-eun burst onto the seventh floor and grabbed the gray steel fire door, yanking it shut.
Rattle, rattle—
She'd made it by a hair's breadth. From the other side, the stranger was pulling just as hard, making the emergency stairwell door shudder.
"Mom! Help me! Please!"
Tears of pure terror streamed down her face as she screamed with every ounce of strength she had left. She didn't care if it was her mother or anyone else — she just needed one of the five households on this floor of the residential-commercial complex to come out.
The stranger on the stairwell side seemed to hear the noise; he let go of the door and fled. But Ji-eun was too scared to loosen her grip.
The commotion in the hallway brought doors swinging open. A neighboring couple and her mother all emerged at once.
"Oh my god, Ji-eun! What happened?!"
Her mother came running barefoot toward her.
The moment she saw her mother's face, the tension drained out of Ji-eun. She released the handle she'd been clinging to with all her might, and the sobs finally broke free.
"Mom!"
Through her tears, she managed to explain what had happened. The neighbor from next door threw open the emergency stairwell door and raced downstairs, but the stranger was already gone — not a trace left behind.
Officers from the local precinct arrived after the report was filed and reviewed the CCTV at the officetel entrance. The footage quality was so poor they could only make out a white T-shirt and jeans; beyond that, identifying features were nearly impossible to distinguish. They said they'd investigate, but it didn't inspire much confidence.
Seo Ji-eun spent the entire night tormented by nightmares. The next morning, she dragged her exhausted body to the set.
After wrapping yesterday's shoot, Jin Yu-han had left the country for overseas location filming. Today's scenes required her to ride a horse in a chase sequence with Yeon-woo.
Chronologically, the action sequence they'd shot yesterday in the bamboo forest of Damyang came later in the story. Today's scene was the earlier moment — spotting the arsonist and setting off in pursuit. Jin Yu-han's overseas schedule had forced them to shoot out of order.
On set, Yeon-woo noticed that Ji-eun looked uncharacteristically drained and approached her.
"Something wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
"Mm, no. I just didn't sleep well."
Telling Yeon-woo wouldn't fix anything, and she didn't want him to worry, so Seo Ji-eun brushed it off.
They were chatting about this and that when a voice called from far across the set — the assistant director.
"All right, we're going into the shot!"
A staff member came over to straighten their costumes, and the two settled into position within the frame.
Director Lee's cue dropped.
"High, cue."
Before she knew it, yesterday's ordeal had been pushed to the back of her mind. Ji-eun sank into the performance and began her lines.
"Young Master Seo, I believe that man is the culprit!"
"If we lose him now, there's no telling how many more homes he'll burn. I'll pursue him at once."
"Wait a moment."
Seo Ji-eun caught Yeon-woo's arm as he prepared to ride off in pursuit.
A sharp, tingling pain shot through her arm. She gritted her teeth against the stinging ache and turned to address Hyang-a, the maidservant standing behind her.
"Hyang-a, go to Lord Yi's residence at once and report what we've just seen to Young Master Yi Ji-baek."
"Yes, my lady."
The actress playing Hyang-a exited the frame. Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun exchanged a look, then rode out of frame together.
"Okay! That was great."
The director's okay came through. Seo Ji-eun rubbed her arm — the residual pain from yesterday's struggle against the stalker through the steel door.
As the morning shoot progressed, Seo Ji-eun seemed to gradually recover her energy. Even so, a shadow lingered on her face, and Yeon-woo tilted his head, puzzled.
She's always so bright. What's going on?
They filmed a few more scenes at the folk village. By afternoon, the staff were preparing for the horseback chase sequence.
Yeon-woo walked over to where Ji-eun was waiting.
"Have you ever ridden a horse?"
Ji-eun shook her head vigorously.
"I asked the director earlier. He said the close-ups of us riding fast will be shot on a mechanical rig, but the departure scene has to be done on a real horse."
"Yeon-woo, do you know how to ride?"
Seeing the flicker of fear in her eyes, Yeon-woo smiled to reassure her.
"Yeah. I'm pretty good, so just leave it to me. The whole take'll be over in about twenty seconds."
"That's a relief."
Ji-eun nodded at his words.
Just then, a handler led a horse in from the side of the set.
"Isn't this the same one from the Taean shoot?"
"People always say horses all look the same, but you recognized him."
The handler smiled as Yeon-woo approached and handed over the reins.
Yeon-woo took the reins and a sugar cube from the handler with practiced ease, then offered the sugar to the horse's mouth.
"They don't all look the same. Not when he's this handsome."
"Are you talking about yourself?"
Ji-eun came over with a laugh, tossing out the joke. Then she approached the horse with genuine interest and stroked its head.
"Wow, he's so cute. Look at those big eyes and no cheek fat at all. I'm so jealous."
"Huh?"
Her criteria for admiring a horse seemed slightly different from his. Still, the fact that she was joking around suggested her condition had improved quite a bit.
"Give me your hand."
"Huh? My hand?"
When Yeon-woo held out his palm, Seo Ji-eun placed her hand on top of it like a puppy. He pressed a sugar cube into her palm.
"This is a horse's favorite treat. Feed him one so you two can get acquainted."
"Really? That's so cool. He likes sugar cubes?"
Ji-eun approached the horse and held out the sugar. The horse flicked its tongue and snatched it up.
"Eek—! It's all slobbery!"
"Hahaha."
Watching the adorable pair, the handler laughed and pulled a wet wipe from his front pocket.
"Here, use this."
"Oh, thank you!"
She wiped her hand and went back to petting the horse. From far across the set, the assistant director called out.
"Actors, please get ready! We're set for the shot!"
Hearing that, Yeon-woo mounted first. The handler rummaged in his front pocket again, pulled out a large blanket, and draped it over his own knees as he sat down.
How does that pocket keep producing things?
Yeon-woo thought of a certain character who pulled endless surprising items from a front pocket, then shook his head to clear the thought.
"Step here, take the male actor's hand, and swing up in one motion."
"Um, step on you? What if I hurt you? I'm heavy."
Looking at her clearly slender frame while she insisted she was heavy — well, the saying that women always think they look fat in the mirror seemed to hold true.
"It's fine. Go ahead and step."
"Then, excuse me."
She stepped onto the handler's thigh. Yeon-woo took her hand and pulled her up.
Gripping Yeon-woo's hand, Ji-eun struggled forward onto the horse.
"Whoa. It's so high up!"
Once she was actually on the horse, Ji-eun marveled at how much taller it felt than it had looked from the ground.
"I'll take us over slowly."
Yeon-woo locked her securely between his arms and guided them into the prepared camera frame.
Director Lee Sang-hun checked the two of them on horseback, gave a thumbs-up, and said,
"The composition looks excellent. We'll shoot the rapid departure scene just like this. No need to go far — about ten meters will do."
Yeon-woo nodded, looking ahead.
"I've got my arms on either side of you, but still — hold the front of the saddle tight so you don't fall."
"Okay!"
At the director's quietly delivered cue — careful not to startle the horse — Yeon-woo pressed his heels into the stirrups.
"Hyah!"
On the signal, the horse surged forward without hesitation.
The bounce was bigger than expected; Seo Ji-eun clutched the front of the saddle. With Yeon-woo's arms wrapped around her, though, the position was quite stable.
Just as the director had said, they covered about ten meters and circled back into frame.
Director Lee reviewed the footage on the field monitor, tilting his head with a faintly dissatisfied look, then asked the handler,
"Hmm. Would it be all right if the actress rode in the back?"
"Well, riding in front is safer, but… plenty of people ride in the back too."
With Ji-eun seated in front and them setting off at a measured pace, it had looked more like a leisurely outing on horseback than a pursuit. The director was conflicted.
Seeing the look on Lee Sang-hun's face, Ji-eun spoke up.
"Should I get down and remount? I'm fine with it."
Director Lee considered, then nodded.
"We're only going a short distance, so it should be fine."
On the spur of the moment, Ji-eun dismounted, climbed back on behind Yeon-woo, and they rode into the camera frame once more.