Chapter 23
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 23
The schedule proceeded without a hitch.
The cast and crew were scheduled for a four-day, three-night shoot in Jeonju, the location of the open set. Yeon-ju finished packing for the trip, but since Han-byeol had no scenes, he stayed behind. Hae-young, the rest of the costume team, and Dr. Ju, however, all joined her.
The meeting time was a sharp 7:00 AM, forcing most of the crew to leave their homes while it was still dark.
Eun-seong was a perfectionist with a strict sense of time, always wanting to set an example for others. No, to be precise, he was a man who wanted to show his most exemplary side specifically to Go Yeon-ju. Which was why he had traveled down the day before.
Having set up his chair early to claim a spot, Eun-seong watched as a large tour bus pulled in from a distance. It was likely the one carrying the staff from Seoul.
Ah, they’re finally here.
Eun-seong unconsciously straightened his posture. As the bus came to a halt, the staff began to file out one by one. But even as they streamed out, Go Yeon-ju was nowhere to be seen.
Once the last person had gotten off and the bus drove away, Eun-seong looked bewildered. Where on earth is she? What is she doing?
"Hello, Actor Im!"
"Yes, hello. It was a long trip. Thank you for your hard work."
Eun-seong greeted the crew members who bowed to him, a benevolent, saint-like smile plastered on his face. But a moment later, a flicker of disappointment he couldn't hide crossed his features.
...Am I disappointed because Go Yeon-ju didn't show up? Me?
Me?
"Ha. Ridiculous."
Eun-seong quickly tried to shake off his plummeting mood. But it was no use. His expression lost its energy again, making him look like a puppy with drooping ears.
Just then, Hae-young came into view, and right behind her was Yeon-ju.
An involuntary smile spread across Eun-seong's face. But the moment he spotted Dr. Ju walking behind Yeon-ju, his expression soured faster than milk in the sun.
Seriously, are those two a buy-one-get-one-free deal?
He hated how they were always glued together. He still hadn't figured out the relationship between them, but dark, suspicious doubts were piling up, layer by suffocating layer.
Observing their movements, it was clear that while Yeon-ju walked straight ahead, Dr. Ju was the one constantly leaning in, hovering over her. A person’s body naturally inclines toward where their heart lies. Eun-seong scoffed at the sight.
...Is he her husband?
Ugh, the same damn question kept popping into his head, driving him crazy.
Since he and Dr. Ju had exchanged greetings before, he could theoretically just walk up and ask if he was married. In Korea, it wasn't a huge breach of etiquette for one man to ask another such a question, so it wasn't entirely impossible.
But as curious as he was, his desire not to know was just as strong.
He was terrified that Dr. Ju might actually be her husband. He didn't think he could handle the awkwardness and emotional fallout that would follow.
"Oh? You're here early. Thanks for making the trip, Eun-seong."
As Hae-young approached and greeted him, Eun-seong gave a slight wave.
"I didn't see you get off the bus. Did you travel separately?"
"Yes, we drove. We had some gear to bring, so I came with our team’s youngest."
Ah. So the two of them came alone.
"Must have been tough, driving such a long way."
"Oh, no. Dr. Ju Geon-hui did all the driving, so it was a comfortable trip."
"..."
"Well, I should get going. See you later, Eun-seong."
"You too."
As Hae-young hurried away, Eun-seong threw his head back and let out a low groan.
"I shot myself in the foot... I should have just let her quit when she wanted to..."
Sigh... With every passing moment, his worries only grew heavier.
As he was sighing over his self-inflicted wound, he heard a commotion nearby.
Lowering his head, he saw staff members gathering around Yeon-ju. She seemed to be handing something out. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was gimbap.
He had eaten so much gimbap during his acting career that the very word made him queasy.
Gimbap. That damn gimbap. He never wanted to see it again.
"Wow, Yeon-ju, did you make this yourself?"
"Not all of it. I made it with my mom."
But homemade gimbap... that was a different story.
"Thank you, I'll enjoy it! The sesame oil smells amazing!"
"An acquaintance of my mom's pressed it and sent it over. It's real sesame oil, so it's incredibly fragrant."
Watching Yeon-ju hand out the gimbap she'd made at home, Eun-seong pinched the bridge of his nose. He wondered when she could have possibly slept if she was up rolling gimbap at this ungodly hour. He sighed, baffled by her tendency to create unnecessary work for herself.
"Give it a try. The gimbap is really delicious. You'll be surprised," Dr. Ju chimed in from nearby.
Eun-seong narrowed his eyes and glared at him.
Oh, really? So you've already had some, have you?
Dr. Ju's voice, practically boasting that he’d eaten it before anyone else, sounded incredibly petty to Eun-seong's ears. He pursed his lips tightly. Even though several people had already taken a roll, more and more gimbap kept appearing from her shopping bag, as if she were performing the miracle of the five loaves and two fish.
"Hyung. Do you want some gimbap?"
His manager, Dong-hwan, who had managed to squeeze through the crowd and score a roll, offered him one wrapped in aluminum foil.
"Yeon-ju made it herself. You should try it, Hyung."
"Tell her to bring it to me herself."
"Oh, it looks so delicious... Wait, what?"
When Dong-hwan asked him to repeat himself, Eun-seong jutted out his chin. It was a clear demand for the maker to deliver it personally; he had no intention of accepting Go Yeon-ju's gimbap from his manager.
"I have to thank her, don't I? If you just give it to me, I can't thank her properly."
Then why don't you just go over and get it yourself...?
Dong-hwan swallowed the words that rose to his throat and scratched his head. Right on cue, Yeon-ju walked over.
"Um, Actor Im. Would you like some gimbap?"
"Get me some bottled water."
"Yes, Hyung."
Having sent Dong-hwan on a pointless errand, Eun-seong looked down at the gimbap Yeon-ju was holding out. He took it with a casual, indifferent hand and opened his mouth.
"Why do you go out of your way to make things hard for yourself? We have meal trucks and snack trucks."
"I know. But since it was my first location shoot, my mom prepared a ton of ingredients, so I had no choice but to stay up all night rolling them."
"..."
Left speechless, he just stared down at the gimbap. Seeing this, Yeon-ju pulled a pair of chopsticks from her shopping bag and handed them to him.
"Eating gimbap on the way here made it feel like a picnic. I know that's probably not something you can relate to, but the weather is nice, so please just enjoy it. Think of it as a little outing."
"What do you mean, an outing?"
I'll enjoy it. It looks delicious. You worked hard.
The words he actually wanted to say remained trapped in his mind. After his needless grumbling, he couldn't bring himself to say them.
Looking up at Eun-seong, Yeon-ju glanced around subtly before adding in a quiet voice, "It's Tuna Gimbap, specially for you. Please enjoy it."
As she bowed politely and turned away, Eun-seong's lips parted slightly.
"Ah, wait."
But she didn't hear him, disappearing back into the crowd.
Holding the gimbap in one hand and the chopsticks in the other, Eun-seong slowly closed and opened his eyes. As his heart began to pound, he muttered to himself as if trying to calm it down.
"Hey, I don't eat this anymore. It's been ages since I graduated from this kind of food, and now you bring it..."
Tuna Gimbap.
It was the snack he had loved most during his college days.
* * *
Before the shoot began, Eun-seong met with Dr. Ju.
A German Shepherd, a large working dog, was scheduled to appear alongside the villain in all his scenes. As Germany's national dog, it was a welcome addition that would emphasize the character's unique aura. By nature, the breed was famous for being brave but not vicious. Still, while their obedience was a strength, no one knew how their powerful loyalty might manifest on set.
Even a well-trained dog was still a large animal, and a major accident could happen in the blink of an eye. A professional trainer was essential. Furthermore, there was a confrontation scene between Eun-seong and the German Shepherd that required extensive practice.
That was why Dr. Ju was stationed on set.
They had been sitting across from each other for a while now, but after their brief greetings, a heavy silence had fallen. Feeling uncomfortable under Eun-seong's suspicious gaze, Dr. Ju finally spoke first.
"Do you like pets, Eun-seong?"
Eun-seong replied in a flat voice, "To be honest, no. I was bitten by a dog when I was a child."
"Ah, I see. Do you have a bit of a phobia, then?"
"I haven't been near one since, so I'm not sure. I suppose I'll find out this time."
If someone had been hurt as a child, interacting with dogs was never easy. Even a cute, small puppy would be a challenge, let alone making physical contact with a large dog like a German Shepherd. For someone with trauma, it was a monumental task.
"If you have trauma, the shoot might be quite difficult for you."
"No shoot is easy. I'll just have to get it done."
"I'll do my best to help, but your own will is the most important factor. German Shepherds are particularly smart. They're quite good at reading a person's emotions."
"Then I'll just have to act out my emotions so it can't read them. Don't worry."
Dr. Ju raised his eyebrows at the unusual response.
Is this what they mean when they say an actor is an actor? The man's confidence in his ability to control even his most primal emotions felt foreign.
Eun-seong's expression was dry and his voice even drier, but Dr. Ju found himself distracted by the actor's striking face. It was a blessing, he thought, that such a handsome face kept his tone from sounding too harsh. He wondered if anyone could ever stay angry at a man who looked like that. It was his first time seeing someone so handsome in person.
Their conversation, which had been neither pleasant nor productive, fizzled out under a strange, emotional tension.
Noticing Eun-seong staring off into the distance, Dr. Ju followed his gaze. Ah, it was Yeon-ju, adjusting another actor's costume.
Under the harsh autumn afternoon sun, Eun-seong quietly watched the intense light beating down on the back of her neck and muttered, "It must be hot. There's not a single patch of shade."
It was unclear if he was worrying about her or the other actor, but his gaze seemed fixed solely on Yeon-ju.
Dr. Ju glanced from Eun-seong back to Yeon-ju. Once the actor, his costume now perfectly fitted, walked away, Yeon-ju picked up a steam iron to tidy up the remaining clothes. She moved briskly, as if she had a mountain of work to get through, but then she suddenly flinched and clutched her hand.
It looked like she had burned herself on the iron.
"Ah!"
At her short, sharp cry, Eun-seong shot up from his seat. Before Dr. Ju could even react, he was already striding toward her.
"What happened? Did you get burned?"
"Oh, no, it's nothing."
"What do you mean, nothing? Let me see."
Eun-seong grabbed her hand. Startled, Yeon-ju tried to pull away, but he only tightened his grip, inspecting her reddened finger.
"You did get burned."
"No, no, Actor Im. You need to let go..."
Staring at her index finger, where a white blister was already forming, Eun-seong looked up at her.
She stared back at him with a horrified expression, her eyes screaming, What on earth are you doing? What if someone sees?
"Really, I'm fine. I'm okay."
As she pleaded with him to let her go, Eun-seong let out a long sigh that seemed to rise from the very soles of his feet.
He released her hand, granting the wish she so desperately wanted. The image of the swelling blister lingered in his mind, but there was nothing more he could do.
"Wait here. I'll get you some ointment."
"I'll just accept the kind thought. Thank you."
"Why would you accept my thoughts? Keep dreaming. I'm not giving you my heart."
...He should have known. The moment his heart was knocked senseless by a single roll of Tuna Gimbap.
No, he should have known from the moment he met her again.
That this motion sickness, so familiar yet long forgotten, would start all over again. That his life would become pathetic, ruled entirely by hers.
"I'll have my manager bring it, so make sure you put it on. There should be a first-aid kit in the car."
"...Okay."
"Take care of your hands. They need to be in good shape so you can make me Tuna Gimbap again. Don't get hurt."
That his heart would no longer feel like his own.
Leaving her with those clipped words, Eun-seong turned and walked away. He moved under the pretext of finding his manager, but his mind was already in turmoil.
He kept walking, not even seeing the people he passed. Blinded by his emotions, he finally came to a halt, unable to take another step.
His eyes squeezed shut, and he clenched his fists with all his might.
"Wow... I'm going crazy..."
A single, small cry from her had completely snapped his thread of reason. To think he was losing his mind over a tiny burn, not even the length of a single knuckle.
"Damn it... What am I supposed to do now...?"
Ah. So I hadn't forgotten you.
Was that it... after all this time?