Chapter 51
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51
Autumn had officially begun, but the chill was only a morning and evening affair. By midday, the air was still thick with summer’s lingering heat.
It was a tricky season to dress for, a time when clothing from different seasons clashed—some people wore short sleeves while others were already in lightweight down jackets. The movie shoot, however, was proceeding smoothly, adhering to a strict, well-structured schedule.
Eun-seong drove his car into the still-deserted parking lot of the film set. He had agreed to meet his manager, Dong-hwan—a notoriously late sleeper—at nine, but he himself had arrived at seven. He kept showing up so much earlier than his call times that bringing his manager along had started to feel like a burden. As a result, Eun-seong found himself driving his own car more and more often.
Pushing open the heavy driver's side door, he stepped out. He was dressed in a simple button-down shirt to make changing later easier. After shutting the door, he glanced toward the entrance of the set. In about an hour, this lot would be packed with cars. Once that happened, the day would run like clockwork, and finding any personal time would be impossible.
He felt the crisp morning breeze slip past his cuffs. Stepping inside, Eun-seong walked down the familiar hallway, heading straight for his waiting room. The hollow click of his shoes echoed in the silence. With clean, confident strides, he soon came to a stop before his door.
If I open this, will you be there? Will you be standing inside?
As if opening a treasure chest, he punched in the passcode and turned the handle. Inside, Yeon-ju, who was in the middle of taking off her coat, turned her head to look at him.
In the chilly, damp air of the unventilated room, she stood frozen like a figure in a still-life painting, her eyes locked on his.
It felt as though time itself had stopped, making him hesitate to step inside. Eun-seong simply stared at her, his hand still resting on the doorknob.
"You're here?"
"You're early."
"And why are you here so early, Actor Im?"
"To see you."
Eun-seong stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The spell broke, and the world resumed its motion. Yeon-ju finished hanging up her coat and casually began to gather her hair.
Watching her hold a hair tie between her lips as she raised both hands, Eun-seong smiled faintly. He was reminded of their college days. Back then, for some inexplicable reason, he could never tear his eyes away whenever she tied her hair. The way her lips puckered around the band was so cute that he used to foolishly wish she would take forever to finish.
"I'm going to air the room out. Are you cold?"
As if following a routine, Yeon-ju opened the window the moment her hair was secured. The stagnant, heavy air began to stir as a fresh breeze drifted in. Only then did she turn to look for a broom.
Eun-seong sat on the sofa, his eyes tracking her every move. Yeon-ju, having found the broom, suddenly flinched and glanced back at him.
"If you're not reading your script, I'm going to sweep up a bit."
Seeing that his hands were empty, she was about to start when Eun-seong stood up.
"How can I help?"
"Just stay right there. That's the best way you can help."
"Look at you. We haven't seen each other in days, and you won't even meet my eyes."
At his playful scolding, Yeon-ju gripped the broom handle tighter. She tried her best to act nonchalant, but she couldn't hide the flush already creeping up her face.
Sweeping with far more force than necessary, she spun around. Her elbow banged hard against a protruding corner, and in the same instant, a stack of plastic boxes on a nearby shelf came crashing down.
"Ah!"
Realizing she couldn't dodge them in time, Yeon-ju squeezed her eyes shut. Eun-seong lunged forward, his arm shooting out to deflect the box plummeting toward her head. The contents scattered across the floor, leaving a complete mess.
Whew. Yeon-ju slowly opened her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. Whew, that scared me," Yeon-ju muttered, looking down at the floor. She set the plastic box—which held miscellaneous props—upright and began gathering the scattered items.
Eun-seong glanced at the back of his hand.
"Looks like I scraped it."
Squatting on the floor, Yeon-ju looked up. "Really? I'm fine, though."
"Of course you are. It was my hand that got hit."
Brushing his hand off, Eun-seong knelt beside her. As she watched him half-heartedly toss items back into the box, Yeon-ju reached out and pulled his hand toward her.
"Let me see. Is it bad?"
"It's nothing. As long as your face is safe, that's all that matters."
"This is why you shouldn't just jump in like that. What if you got hurt right before a shoot? That would be a disaster."
"You're wearing perfume."
Eun-seong murmured it casually, still sorting through the props. Yeon-ju pursed her lips. It was a little embarrassing to have him notice the scent she had spritzed on just a couple of times before leaving home.
"Is it too strong? I only used a little."
"Don't wear it. I'm not a fan of perfume."
"Well, it's not like I wore it for you."
"I just prefer your natural scent."
Placing the last prop in the box, Eun-seong closed the lid and swept his gaze over their surroundings. Then, before Yeon-ju could even blink, he captured her lips with his.
Startled by the sudden kiss, Yeon-ju gasped, her eyes flying wide open. His hands cradled her face, covering her ears and shutting out the rest of the world. In the quiet, suffocating space, the sensation of his mouth on hers intensified. The touch was sweet and intoxicating, like honey, sending a soft shiver down her spine.
He moved his tongue with practiced ease, as if settling a long-overdue debt, before finally pulling away.
"Not a single call or text all this time. Now that I think about it, you've been quite heartless."
"That's because I knew you were busy… No, wait, more importantly, you can't do this here."
"Where should we do it, then?"
She was utterly speechless. Yeon-ju glared at him, her brow furrowing.
"You need to be careful. Are you just going to do whatever you want?"
"When have I ever done whatever I wanted? I'm dying from holding back. Do you really think this is all I want to do?"
"..."
"I'm sure you know perfectly well that 'this' isn't even half of it."
Eun-seong's gaze drifted downward, tracing the line of her collarbone. Feeling the heavy weight of his stare, Yeon-ju practically leaped to her feet to put some distance between them.
"I'm leaving the door open. For… for ventilation. You need a good breeze to air the place out properly."
"Suit yourself."
Eun-seong stood up, watching her bustle about again. But as she neared the door, Yeon-ju suddenly spun around, marched back, and stood directly in front of him. Eun-seong raised an eyebrow.
"Your lips… I need to wipe your lips…"
Stammering, Yeon-ju gently dabbed at his mouth with her fingertips. Seeing the faint trace of lipstick on her finger, she quickly grabbed a wet wipe and began dabbing at his lips again.
"What are you doing after work today?"
"I have plans with Director Jin. She asked to meet."
"Ah. I see."
"Let me finish wiping this. Don't move."
Finding her desperate attempt to hide the evidence both admirable and adorable, Eun-seong stood perfectly still, completely at her mercy.
* * *
A Bad Woman
Around lunchtime, Dr. Ju visited the set. Since there was no reason for him to be there when the Shepherd Rookie wasn't filming, it had been quite a while since anyone had seen him.
Eun-seong, having already finished his first scenes, was waiting for his next shoot. He was studying his script while standing among the staff adjusting cameras and props when Dr. Ju approached him.
Eun-seong glanced sideways at the man before returning his eyes to the script. They had long since moved past the need for polite greetings.
"Did you get your umbrella back?"
At Eun-seong's question, Dr. Ju let out a heavy sigh. A dark shadow hung over his face, as if his naturally calm and patient temperament had been completely shattered.
The gentle smile that usually graced his features was nowhere to be found.
"There's something I want to ask you, Eun-seong."
"I hope it's a question decent enough for me to bother answering."
"Are you the type of person who plans out his life?"
Eun-seong, who had been staring blankly at his script, looked up. He had wondered what kind of serious question the man was gearing up for, only to be met with a philosophical inquiry.
But knowing that no matter how the conversation began, it would inevitably end with Go Yeon-ju, Eun-seong answered calmly.
"My life as an actor is relatively planned, but my personal life is more spontaneous. Things don't always go according to plan, after all."
"Do you have any intention of getting married?"
"Someday, I suppose. Once my career settles down. If not, then so be it."
"Are you a risk-taker?"
"Look, Dr. Ju, even reporters don't ask such disjointed questions. Give me some context instead of beating around the bush."
Eun-seong wasn't one to study the faces of people he had no interest in, but the sheer exhaustion etched into Dr. Ju's features was impossible to ignore.
Anyone who had ever suffered from a broken heart would recognize that look. He knew exactly what that expression meant, what the despair in Dr. Ju's eyes signified.
"To throw yourself into something even when you know it will end in a breakup… isn't that like a moth flying into a flame, knowing it will die?"
His dry voice was hollow. Eun-seong swallowed hard at Dr. Ju's quiet confession. In the distance, his eyes caught sight of Yeon-ju, who was busy adjusting the costumes of some extras.
As if by unspoken agreement, both men locked their gazes on her.
"Eun-seong. I like Go Yeon-ju."
"I didn't ask."
"But… she told me I'm not the one."
His voice was heavy, thick with the pain of a devastating rejection. Eun-seong fell silent, momentarily at a loss for words.
"I've spent days thinking about it. I have to accept that she doesn't want me. But even so, I can't just stand by and watch her get hurt."
"..."
"If there's an inevitable end to this, please make sure she doesn't get hurt too badly. You're too prominent, Eun-seong. You shine too brightly. If she has to sacrifice herself for you to maintain that life, at least make sure the fallout doesn't destroy her."
Dr. Ju's words, flowing like the weary monologue of an old man, grated on Eun-seong's nerves. To show up looking so haggard that even his shadow seemed pale, only to beg him not to hurt her? To ask him to hurt her less?
Even now, his eyes kept drifting back to Yeon-ju. She was so deeply etched into his mind that he could see her even with his eyes closed. After a brief silence, Eun-seong spoke calmly.
"Did she tell you there's an end to our relationship?"
"..."
"I wonder. If she described her relationship with me that way, then I'd say Go Yeon-ju was just stringing you along."
At Eun-seong's words, Dr. Ju snapped his head toward him, his eyes narrowing in confusion and anger.
"Stringing me along?"
"What else would you call it? Go Yeon-ju is far more calculating than you think. It seems she didn't want to let go of either of us. If she told you that she and I will end someday, what could that mean other than telling you to wait for her? You're just another fish on her line."
"Eun-seong. You're crossing the line."
"I'm telling you, she's a bad woman to the bone. She's always had a knack for stabbing people in the back. Don't you agree?"
"You really are a piece of work, Eun-seong. Is that really the only way you can see her?"
"Otherwise, it makes no sense. Because I have absolutely no intention of ever breaking up with Go Yeon-ju."
"..."
"So stop liking her. She's a wicked woman. Why should you let yourself get played and hurt by someone like that?"
Eun-seong closed his script and slipped on the sunglasses he was meant to wear for the scene.
"Since I'm such a piece of work, I'll take that wicked woman off your hands. If I ever come across a good woman, I'll be sure to introduce her to you. We're going to roll around in the mud together, so you should go live a beautiful life."
Dr. Ju pressed his lips into a thin line. He had done everything he could, and now he was acutely aware that he had no right to interfere any further.
He had come to ruin things, but he had only succeeded in confirming her feelings.