Chapter 288
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: First Love
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Kang Taeyoung, who had stopped by for a moment despite not having a shoot today, exclaimed in admiration at Seojun's acting. The same Lee Hyunsung who had been laughing so much just yesterday was now sitting next to Kim Seoyeon with a stiff, hardened expression.
“He definitely looks just like Lee Hyunsung, especially after we filmed the scenes set in the present.”
Park Dohun nodded at Kang Taeyoung's words.
“He does.”
“That’s our Seojun! He did a great job filming yesterday, and he’s amazing today too!”
Park Dohun shook his head at the sight of Kang Taeyoung, who was watching the set with an expression so excited he looked as if he’d be furiously waving a light stick if he had one. He seemed to restrain himself, at least somewhat, in front of Seojun, but when Seojun wasn't around, Kang Taeyoung made his adoration obvious.
“Well, even the fans know about it, so…”
There probably wasn't a single staff member who didn't know, either.
“Cut, okay!”
Just then, the first scene wrapped up.
Seojun, having turned back from Yoo Seongjin into Lee Seojun, spotted Kang Taeyoung and Park Dohun standing off to one side and waved. Park Dohun gave a small wave, while Kang Taeyoung waved his hand so enthusiastically it was like he was swinging his entire arm.
As Seojun burst into laughter, his friends looked to where he was gazing.
“Oh, it’s Park Dohun!”
“Kang Taeyoung is here too!”
“Come to think of it, I heard Kang Taeyoung is a fan of Seojun, right?”
“They say he’s been a fan since he was in elementary school.”
Seojun scratched his cheek, looking a little embarrassed.
As ‘Spring Has Returned’ became a hot topic, details about the actors began to surface one by one.
Reporters, desperate to increase their click counts, were hunting for stories with fire in their eyes, and a topic they’d previously ignored had suddenly appeared.
It wasn't that big of a deal, since several of the younger or newer actors had been fans of ‘Hollywood Star, Lee Seojun’ back when they were ordinary citizens.
“But it became huge news because a fan got to film with Seojun.”
Everyone nodded at Yang Joohee's words.
Countless articles had been published with headlines about "Kang Taeyoung, the Successful Fan."
Along with that, a list of celebrities who had revealed in interviews that they were fans of Seojun also started trending.
“We’ll begin filming!”
Seojun and the other kids, who had been chatting, prepared for the next take at the assistant director's shout.
* * *
There were many scenes to be filmed in the classroom, so there was still quite a bit left to shoot for the day. Writer Yoo Cheonga had sent over a large chunk of the script, allowing them to shoot everything at once instead of setting up the location multiple times.
‘Usually, actors can get lost because the emotional arcs of the first and second halves are different.’
PD Gong Heechan smiled broadly as he reviewed the footage. Since Seojun and Jung Boram were doing so well, he knew he could film intensively and then focus all his energy on editing.
“Alright, let’s move on to the next scene!”
At Kim Danbi's words, the staff moved briskly. The actors also took their places on set again. Seojun sat down in the seat next to Jung Boram.
After confirming that everyone was ready, PD Gong Heechan raised his voice.
“Ready, action!”
Yoo Seongjin sat down next to the class president, Kim Seoyeon, and the homeroom teacher left the classroom. As soon as the door closed, students from the seats in front and behind, and even those from farther away, approached Yoo Seongjin with curious faces.
“Where in America are you from?”
“Are you good at English?”
“He lived in America, of course he’s good at English!”
“Have you been to Hollywood?”
A flood of questions poured out at the news of a transfer student from America. But not a single answer came from Yoo Seongjin. Just as the silence was about to stretch on, Kim Seoyeon quickly spoke up.
“It’s his first day, so he must be nervous. Even I’d be scared if everyone crowded around like this!”
The other students nodded at Kim Seoyeon’s words and headed back to their seats.
Watching them, Kim Seoyeon sighed inwardly and looked at Yoo Seongjin, who was sitting with a blank expression. His expressionless face wasn't much different from when he had first walked into the classroom.
‘Somehow, I don’t think we’ll get very close.’
Still, she felt she should treat him well until he adjusted.
Sighing inwardly again, Kim Seoyeon was about to pull a textbook from her desk drawer to prepare for the first class when she happened to see Yoo Seongjin’s trembling hand.
“Cut! Okay!”
* * *
A few days later.
The outdoor scenes were scheduled to be filmed at the high school that writer Yoo Cheonga had used as a model. Fortunately, the school readily granted permission. However, since some high schoolers attended classes even during the break, they decided to film on the weekend when students weren't on campus.
“It’s Lee Seojun!”
“I know. Wow. I never thought I’d actually get to see him…!”
It seemed the teachers had heard about the filming and come to watch.
While the staff cleared the area, Seojun, Jung Boram, and the other young actors began preparing for the shoot.
“Ready, action!”
Kim Seoyeon, who was heading to the cafeteria with her friends as usual, stopped in her tracks.
“Um… I’m going to eat with Seongjin.”
“Seongjin? The new kid?”
“He doesn’t really talk much…”
“True, he just transferred today, so he probably doesn't have anyone to eat with.”
Her friends nodded at her words.
After parting with her friends, Kim Seoyeon led Yoo Seongjin to the cafeteria. As Yoo Seongjin awkwardly followed her and got his lunch, Kim Seoyeon began to chatter.
“First time having school lunch like this? What’s it like in American schools? Do they really serve pizza? Or hamburgers?”
“……”
“Our school has good stuff on Wednesdays, but the other days are just so-so.”
After sitting down with her tray, Kim Seoyeon smiled and pointed to one of the side dishes. Yoo Seongjin’s gaze followed downwards.
“But this one is delicious, so you should try it.”
Yoo Seongjin stared silently for a moment at the spicy stir-fried pork Kim Seoyeon was pointing to, then picked up his chopsticks.
She thought he wouldn't know how to use chopsticks since he was from America, but the way he held them, perfectly parallel, looked practiced.
‘His fingers are pretty, too.’
For some reason, her eyes were drawn to his hands.
Kim Seoyeon glanced at her own hands, then held her breath as Yoo Seongjin put a piece of the stir-fried pork into his mouth.
Maybe it was because she’d been paying attention to him all morning. She felt like she could now read his expressionless face, just a little.
Seeing his face brighten, even if only slightly, Kim Seoyeon grinned.
“Cut, okay!”
* * *
The next scene was at the school's sports field. The staff bustled about, moving and setting up the filming equipment from the cafeteria to the outdoor location.
Seojun and Jung Boram read their scripts, tracing the emotional lines of their respective characters. They quickly set aside their emotions from the cafeteria scene and drew out the feelings appropriate for the current one.
The scene they were filming now was from a time when the awkwardness between Kim Seoyeon and Yoo Seongjin had faded, and Yoo Seongjin had started getting along with his classmates.
“Seojun. Boram. Are you ready?”
PD Gong Heechan asked, seeing that preparations were nearly complete.
“Yes.”
“Me too.”
Seojun and Jung Boram replied to PD Gong Heechan. The PD nodded at the two actors’ response.
“Ready, action!”
Yoo Seongjin approached Kim Seoyeon, who was sitting alone.
“Here, have this.”
“Oh! Thanks.”
Kim Seoyeon beamed at the drink Yoo Seongjin handed her. It was a peach drink, her favorite. Kim Seoyeon and Yoo Seongjin sat side by side on the bleachers, looking out at the field.
It was lunchtime, so they could see students who had taken over the field and others sitting around chatting. A few kids from Class 2-1, who were taking a walk to aid their digestion, spotted Yoo Seongjin and Kim Seoyeon sitting together.
“Ooh. Kim Seoyeon. Yoo Seongjin.”
“Don’t tell me you two are dating?”
Kim Seoyeon shrugged at her classmates, who were teasing them with mischievous eyes.
“Why? Are you jealous?”
“Aww. Guess not.”
Disappointed by her reaction, the friends started walking away again.
“They always ask that whenever I’m with a guy.”
“You’re one to talk.”
“Of course! Is there anything more fun than talking about romance?”
Yoo Seongjin chuckled at her words.
Kim Seoyeon couldn't help but burst out laughing too.
The sight of the boy and girl laughing while looking at each other naturally brought a smile to one's face. It even felt as if a faint, pinkish atmosphere was blooming between them.
The staff marveled at the two actors' performance.
“They were so awkward in the cafeteria, but the mood changed so quickly.”
“I know. I can't believe they can act like that with everyone watching…”
“That’s why they’re actors.”
The staff members quietly shared their thoughts, careful not to be picked up by the audio equipment. Everyone nearby nodded in agreement.
“Cut, okay!”
PD Gong Heechan, who had been watching the monitor without even blinking, shouted.
* * *
“The next shoot is in the library.”
Seojun, who was drinking water, nodded at Jung Boram’s words.
Watching the staff carry equipment toward the library, Jung Boram let out a light sigh.
Seojun, having screwed the cap back on his water bottle, tilted his head.
“What’s wrong? Are you tired?”
“Mm. Yeah. A little.”
After debating whether to deny it, Jung Boram decided to be honest. She figured it would be better to get some advice, since Seojun was far more experienced with filming.
Jung Boram hesitated before speaking.
“The number of shoots is less than other projects, but there are so many emotional shifts in the same location.”
“That’s true. Since the setting is a school, they tend to film a lot at once.”
Plus, since the past scenes were being told through Kim Seoyeon’s flashbacks, they were often shot in shorter, more fragmented takes than usual.
“Going from awkward to really liking him, then to liking him just a little. It’s hard to control. I’m not even sure if I’m doing it right.”
Seojun smiled at Jung Boram's words as she sighed once more.
“You’re doing great, so don’t worry.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. We haven’t had any NGs, and our chemistry is perfect.”
Jung Boram’s face brightened at Seojun’s words.
“Hearing that from the great Lee Seojun is a relief.”
Seojun burst out laughing at the sight of Jung Boram letting out an exaggerated sigh of relief.
* * *
“Ready, action!”
One day, with final exams just around the corner.
Because the classes in America were so different from those here, Yoo Seongjin decided to study with the class president, Kim Seoyeon.
Yoo Seongjin’s eyes darted around before he spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
Kim Seoyeon had mentioned she was planning to apply to college through early admission, so Yoo Seongjin was worried that helping him might cause her grades to drop.
“It’s fine.”
Would he mind if she thought his dejected look was cute?
Kim Seoyeon smiled faintly and continued.
“The exam covers up to here, so if there’s anything you don’t know, just ask.”
Kim Seoyeon opened a textbook and showed Yoo Seongjin the scope of the exam. Seeing Yoo Seongjin's serious face, as if he wouldn't miss a single word, she found it hard to hold back her chuckles.
“These are my notes. I’ll ask you if I have any English questions. And just so you know, I’m terrible at math, so don’t bother asking me for help with that.”
Yoo Seongjin, who had been staring blankly for a moment at Kim Seoyeon’s mock-serious tone, smiled and nodded.
“I’m good at math, so it’s fine.”
“Really? Then you can teach me.”
The library, which they had borrowed after asking a teacher for permission.
Kim Seoyeon and Yoo Seongjin sat facing each other and began to study for their exams.
*Scratch, scratch.*
The sound of mechanical pencil lead on paper filled the air, and warm sunlight streamed through the window.
Yoo Seongjin lifted his head and looked forward.
He watched Kim Seoyeon studying with a serious expression, a soft smile on his face, before lowering his head again.
Kim Seoyeon lifted her head and looked forward.
She watched Yoo Seongjin lightly run a hand through his hair, as if struggling with a difficult problem, and smiled before lowering her head again.
They continued to watch each other, each unaware of the other’s gaze, until,
finally, their eyes met.
It felt as if time had stopped.
It felt as if their hearts had plummeted.
They stopped breathing, able to do nothing but gaze at each other.
Ah.
It was first love.
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