Their Final Measure
They eventually decided to use their last resort for the acting. If sleep wouldn't come, they'd force it.
Empty bottles littered the floor, turning it into a mess. The silence was so profound not even a breath could be heard. Have you ever heard the sun rising? In the place where they lay sprawled, they just might.
The faint stirrings of morning.
“Ah……”
The vampire's shoulder twitched lightly.
‘Light number two, please.’
‘Got it. Confirmed.’
They captured as much natural light as possible, but lights were still essential.
Swoosh—the lighting team bustled about, and beams fell across the vampire's pale torso.
“Haa—haa—”
His fine hairs glowed warmly in the light, and as it grew hotter, he panted, wiping at his neck.
‘Tell me.’
His face in the viewfinder was a work of art. Tears traced the beautifully curved lines of his features. Post-editing would turn them to blood.
Intense as burning rubies, his snow-white skin's beauty would be emphasized.
‘Tell me. What's beyond eternal slumber?’
Even with eyes closed, the light pierced through. The vampire kept questioning the nameless being that birthed him.
His body stiffened as if scissors had snipped something inside.
“Aaah……”
Sunlight seemed to crush his body. A drowsy haze mingled with rising heat from somewhere deep.
His chest heaved dramatically, breaths growing ragged. The vampire trembled, twisting as if trying to wake.
“Aigoo. What a sight.”
“Shh. He's acting.”
“No, that's just too……”
Pitiful. Like a puppy whimpering in a nightmare. The entire staff clutched their clothes, watching the vampire's end.
If only they could wake him.
‘Moving the camera.’
‘Okay. Going now.’
The camera filming Moo-young from above shifted slowly.
Nurse, host, truck driver, thief. It swept slowly over each sprawled body in turn.
“Moo-young-ah. Over here.”
At the staff's signal, Moo-young rolled out toward them.
The camera paused briefly. Editing would connect it seamlessly—the shorter the gap, the easier.
“Quick, quick!”
Where the vampire had lain, his clothes and black powder were scattered. Moo-young wiped his dripping sweat, watching.
“Amazing.”
“Wait till you see the edit.”
The powder was sprinkled into a rough human shape. The all-clear came, and the camera moved again.
The angle swept over the corpses—now just ash where the vampire had burned.
“Okay! Cut!”
“Good. Next scene right away.”
“Lighting director! Remove that machine! It's in the shot.”
At the director's call, the actors rose. Dummy dolls now lay in their places, and the camera panned from the living room floor to the garden.
“Let's see Jin-lim's skills.”
“Oh my. Teacher, what are you saying?”
“OST set?”
“Yes. No sound on the footage anyway—just syncing the song. Want to listen while we do it?”
“Sounds good.”
“Min-soo! Grab my phone over there.”
This was right after the vampire's death: in his imagination, enjoying sunny times with comrades. The ending scene.
“Here.”
The director played the song from his phone, and the actors huddled to listen. Heads bobbed naturally to the soft, joyful melody.
“Nice.”
“Then let's prep. Camera's set.”
The director wrapped up.
Large living room window. Backlit corpses lying there. The garden visible from inside.
“Everyone out! Stand by!”
“Coming!”
Clack! Windows shut, leaving five actors in the garden. Jin-lim teacher smiled awkwardly.
“How do we do this?”
“I can dance a bit. Wanna see?”
To the song the director had left playing, Moo-young spun lightly, then playfully shook his hips.
“Whoa. Kinda weird?”
“Huh? Then you try.”
“Like this, like this.”
“Ooh, not bad.”
Starting with Moo-young and Bora, a joyful dance party erupted. Tae-seok wiggled his muscular frame hilariously. Kang Seong-bae shrugged his shoulders! Jin-lim fluttered her fingertips lightly, and the five blended naturally.
‘Moving!’
A staffer noted directions on a sketchpad. Moo-young led, exiting the garden. The camera inside followed on rails.
Whirr—
“Hahaha!”
“Aigoo, outta breath!”
“Hurry! Bora-ya, hand!”
“Yeah!”
Barefoot, the five dashed from the pension into the empty street, arms flung wide to embrace the sunlight.
Whirr—
The heli-cam waiting outside captured them, dwindling to dots against the blue sky.
“Okay. Cut.”
“Cut!”
“Good work.”
“Moo-young-ah! Cut! Cut-cut!”
The director watched via viewfinder from the pension. At the cut sign, Kyung-min rushed out yelling.
Thick woods, empty asphalt.
“Cut! Teachers!”
“Ooh! Great!”
Far off, the five trudged back barefoot, faces flushed with natural smiles from the fun.
Click—
Stills team snapped it. Managers ran with shoes. Kyung-min carried three pairs.
“How was it? Good take?”
“Yeah, seems so. Shoes on.”
“Nah…… I don't wanna!”
“What? Moo-young-ah! Aigoo, what's with him.”
“Let him be. He's hyped.”
Bora slipped on slippers, chuckling. Like a caged dog first touching grass—hopping here, there!
How joyful barefoot?
The stills guy called Moo-young.
“Moo-young-ssi! Look here!”
Moo-young leaped energetically, flashing a V—vibrant youth.
Click!
“Last scene vibe? Looks so free.”
“That too. It's the scene the vampire craved—running morning streets together. Even imagined, how great.”
Moo-young whispered to the stills guy.
“And director says imagined, but I don't think so. It's surely the eternal world.”
The world after death.
Moo-young buttoned his shirt, heading inside.
“Good work!”
“You too. Just Bora waking and touching the ash left.”
“Woohoo! Off early?”
“Whoever wants to go, go. But we're here at the pension—can't just leave? Budget bump celebration and ending shoot: grilling meat.”
Bae director's words lit Moo-young's eyes.
Meat in the morning? Perfect!
“I'll grill! Buy lots!”
“Staff's at the mart. Wait a bit. Shoes first. Haha.”
Anyway, same ride, so wait for Bora's shoot. Moo-young turned to the teachers.
“Eat before you go? Teachers! I'll grill tasty.”
“Sure, good day.”
“You two tired? Rest upstairs. Lots of rooms.”
“Maybe. Kinda wiped after running.”
Kang Seong-bae and Jin-lim followed staff inside. Moo-young wiped his feet roughly, slipped on shoes.
“Got grill and charcoal?”
“Yes. Bringing from back.”
“Wow. Always wanted this. Grilling with team in fresh air! Last MT……”
Chattering excitedly. Moo-young was sky-high, waking everyone.
He set up, watched Bora act till meat arrived.
“O~ Kang Bora~”
Outside, inaudible. Bora alone rubbed, pressed the black ash, reliving the vampire's last trace.
Multiple angles, actions.
“Hey, Moo-young-ah. Look at this.”
“Yes? What?”
Meanwhile, Kyung-min spotted something, passed his phone.
Portal main page article. Joo Jeong-dan's face exiting the station……
Nose gushing blood, face a wreck. Extreme fan hurled a brick, captured live by reporters' cameras.
“Whoa. What a mess.”
Double nosebleed disaster.
‘That mustache smog back then? Ugh. Humiliating.’
“Chaebol talk. Joo Jeong-dan aside, Baekgoon’s done. One bad kid ruins it all.”
“Their movie? Rumors of unfinished overseas sale.”
“No precedent. Watch and see. Personally, hope it releases.”
Kyung-min grinned, taking the phone.
“Why?”
“Bigger smash means more pathetic! Muahaha! Our win shines brighter, right?”
“Whoa. Bro, not your character.”
“Success trumps character. Huh? Meat's here! Over here! Ready!”
Whatever, entertainment world would buzz awhile. Starting with Cha Ye-sol, most would get swept.
Who plays dangerous water games?
“Meat, wow so much.”
“For this many people.”
“Bora's shoot ends it. Ooh! Beer!”
“Morning?”
“Nights and days flipped forever.”
Done staff gathered eagerly. Moo-young rolled sleeves, grabbed tongs.
“Alright! I'm in charge today!”
“Ooh, Ha Moo-young grilling~”
“Everyone, great job.”
Mushrooms, kimchi on. Smoke puffed lazily from the quiet pension.
Felt like a group trip.
“Oh my. Smells amazing.”
Jin-lim descended in comfy clothes, hair tousled from a nap.
“Kang Seong-bae teacher?”
“No answer. Sleeping. What's this? Samgyeopsal?”
Grilling together, Moo-young glanced skyward.
Thick meat smoke rising straight……
“Huh?”
From pension second floor, faint smoke too. Rubbing stinging eyes, blinking wide—
“What's up? Moo-young-ah?”
“Eat. No diet now.”
They offered bites, but no reply.
Moo-young spaced out, then dropped tongs, bolted upstairs.
“Huh? Moo-young-ah!”
“What's sudden?”
“Dunno. Needs to poop?”
Thud! Thud! Skipping stairs two-three at a time, smoke thickened.
Moo-young spotted Kang Seong-bae's room instantly.
“Teacher!”
Screech! Door open: elderly man face-down. Black smog wings sprouting from his back.
Heart pounding, Moo-young approached.
“T-teacher?”
“Uh-uh……”
Relief! Still alive!
Moo-young rushed, propped him up.
“Everyone up! Teacher collapsed!”
Screaming throat raw.
Hugging Kang Seong-bae, Moo-young dashed out. Hearing it, others upstairs jumped aside.
“What? What's happening?”
“Car! Start it!”
“Uh, got it. Hold on!”
Thud thud! Rumble!
Peaceful BBQ shattered.
Moo-young, oblivious to lost slipper, boarded car clutching him.
“Nearest hospital! Bro! Hurry!”