The Summer Wrap-Up Vlog
It all started at the wrap party for Goodbye, My Summer.
"Honestly! We basically made history with this web drama, so shouldn't we wrap things up in a way that's just as special?"
An idea that spilled out of one staff member's mouth grew bigger and bigger as it passed from mouth to mouth.
"Should we plan a special episode? Behind-the-scenes footage, a blooper reel?"
"Ugh, that's way too obvious. Everyone does that already."
"Then how about this?"
I never found out how that conversation ended, because I had to leave in a hurry that day.
Still, I found it hard to blame myself for receiving the news the way I did.
"...You're telling me I have to film a vlog?"
"Yes. Each actor takes a self-cam, films their daily life, and sends it in. The production team will edit it and upload it as a special episode."
Han Seyeong, who had played Hanna, was barely more than a bit part, so she wasn't even approached. The targets of this vlog were me, singer Kang Sehyun, and a handful of other actors.
Of course, since no separate contract had been drawn up, participation wasn't mandatory.
But Team Leader Woo saw things differently.
"Haa, you have to do this one."
"Even though it's not mandatory?"
"I checked around, and every other actor has agreed to do it. If you're the only one who doesn't, people will talk. Wooyeon's too scary for anyone to pull the stunt of running a spiteful article, but word will definitely get around the industry."
Team Leader Woo scrunched her face like she had a headache coming on.
"Production people always try to squeeze you at the last minute, the nerve of them, no sense of proportion. Still, a vlog isn't exactly difficult. Let's just shoot one and be done with it."
The way she pressed her fingers into her temples radiated pure irritation.
Seeing that, I couldn't bring myself to add anything, so I simply said I understood.
My mood is decidedly not pleasant right now.
I did wonder why they handled things this way. Weren't we all working together on the same project? Surely there were better approaches than a unilateral notification like this.
The world of adults was impossible to figure out, no matter how long I watched it.
It seemed pointless to fuss over something my opinion had never been asked about in the first place.
So I genuinely planned to film my everyday life, plain and simple — at which point Noh Bihyeok had a fit.
"Hey, hey, no matter what, you need at least some kind of direction."
"What kind of direction?"
"The vlog concept is 'how I'm wrapping up my summer,' isn't it?"
To match the drama's title, Goodbye, My Summer, each actor was supposed to film their everyday way of closing out the season.
I'd heard singer Kang Sehyun was going on a beach trip with the SPACE members.
When Noh Bihyeok asked what I was going to do, I answered flatly.
"What would I do. I was going to practice acting."
"......"
Noh Bihyeok's face curdled. Was it really that bad?
"Lee Yeonjae. That's genuinely not okay."
"They told me to film my daily life. That is my daily life."
"Like anyone's going to be entertained watching you practice in your room all day."
I knew it wouldn't be fun. But there was no way around it.
"I'm boring by nature. What do you want me to do about that?"
"...Right. It's good that you can be objective about yourself. It's great, really..."
Noh Bihyeok heaved a sigh and flopped onto the bed.
He looked like he was thinking hard about something, so I ignored him and went back to my script.
How many hours had passed? I'd completely forgotten he was even in my room when he suddenly shot upright and shouted.
"There are only two options!"
That startled me.
"Which are?"
"Option one. You bring in fun people to appear instead of you. Jeonghyun-hyung would be great, or Ijun-hyung, or Nam Inhu."
"You're the most entertaining person I know, though."
He froze for a beat, then flashed a grin.
"Obviously I know that. I am your best friend, after all~. But I can't get time off because of the dorm training, so let's move on to plan B."
"And option two?"
"There's exactly one fun thing you have."
Noh Bihyeok scrambled up off the bed and grabbed something with his huge hand.
"This."
My face.
"......"
"As long as your face fills the whole screen, you're fine. Where else are fans going to see it up close? This alone will make them happy."
"Okay, I get it, so let go of my face."
Noh Bihyeok clowned around for a long while after that, and only headed to the practice room after we'd eaten dinner.
I hadn't been thinking about anything in particular, and now my head hurt thanks to him.
That was why I couldn't focus on our conversation when I met the fog, either.
"—Yeonjae? Yeonjae!"
"Hm?"
"Why are you thinking about something else! You're not listening to me!"
I patted the fog, which was grumbling at me in Baek Seojin's form.
"Sorry. The vlog has me thinking too much."
After stroking its head a few times, I hugged the creature as it snuggled close, cooing happily, and asked:
"What would you want me to do?"
"I love everything Yeonjae does!"
A useless answer, as expected. But that was exactly why I liked it.
Twisting the fog's head this way and that, I sank back into thought.
It's summer, so I should at least do something active.
The beach was already claimed by Kang Sehyun.
The ranch I'd visited with Jeonghyun-hyung a while back crossed my mind, but I couldn't just throw open my hyung's treasured place to the public. If I featured it in the video, people might come flocking.
Which meant I had to go somewhere I didn't usually go.
Then I'll just go there.
My head was starting to ache from all the thinking, so I decided to stop.
If I'd known what a commotion was coming, I would have thought it through a lot more carefully.
The next morning.
Given where I was headed today, I threw myself into practice even harder than usual to strip away my misfortune factors.
After finishing breakfast, I went back to my room.
I fumbled awkwardly with the camcorder I'd received the day before, then pressed the power button.
It was the kind of camcorder that let you preview the shot on its screen before recording.
The moment the button clicked, my own face filled the screen at point-blank range, and I flinched hard.
"Ah, I'm sorry. That must have startled you."
My apology came out on reflex — it must have been jarring for whoever was watching — before I remembered this wasn't a live broadcast, and my thoughts turned over slowly.
"This will get edited, right? Then it startled the editor. I'm sorry for startling you."
I gave a small bow, then faced the screen again. This was extremely...
"......"
Awkward.
Just as I thought — I wasn't cut out to be an entertainer the way Noh Bihyeok was.
Well, it wasn't my fault, either way.
I never asked to film this in the first place.
So there was no need to feel the pressure I did when I was actually working.
There. Once I reached that conclusion, my mind settled.
I realized I'd gone silent for several minutes lost in thought, but I didn't apologize a second time.
"Hello. This is Lee Yeonjae. I'm filming a special vlog today. Honestly, I don't have any special way of spending my summer. But it felt like a waste to just stay home, so I've been thinking about where to go..."
I recited my prepared lines one after another.
"Well then, let's head out" — and with that as my closing line, I pressed the power button firmly.
"Actor-nim! Shall we get going?"
"Yes. Let's head out."
Backpack on, camera in one hand, I stepped out of the house.
After a long drive, the place we arrived at was Mount Gwanak.
I cinched my hiking boots tight and turned on the camera.
"This is Mount Gwanak. Back when I was at the orphanage, we came out here every year."
Though in truth, I'd skipped it every single time, so I'd only properly participated once.
"Back then we mostly stuck to the easy walking trails, but today I'm thinking of taking an actual hiking route up. And if it comes to it, Jinbae-hyung will carry me back down, so no worries there."
"I'm sorry — what?"
"Hyung, I'm talking to the camera right now. Please don't interrupt."
"Ah — yes, of course!"
Manager Ahn Jinbae nodded along in a daze.
Watching those gentle eyes blink made a laugh bubble up on its own. What a shame it was that the camera couldn't capture him like this.
And so we began the slow climb up the mountain.
Perhaps because it was a weekday, there weren't all that many people around.
After about thirty minutes of walking, the sweat started to come.
Sweating, being active. This fits the concept pretty well, doesn't it?
I felt quietly proud of my choice.
Still, the audio felt too empty whenever I paid attention to it, so I made a point of talking to myself each time I noticed.
"I'm sweating now." "This is getting a little tough." "I'll have some water." And so on.
Then Manager Ahn Jinbae, who had been watching me talk to the camera with close attention, spoke up quietly.
"Actor-nim, you can just talk the way you normally do."
"If I did that, there really wouldn't be any footage at all."
"...I don't think that approach is going to get you footage either way."
This man only ever says the correct thing.
I was genuinely a little stung, but I couldn't bring myself to argue, so I climbed the rest of the way in silence.
Once we'd gained some altitude, the scenery around us opened up.
"Wow... Now I understand why people hike."
"Is this your first time?"
"Yes. I've never really had occasion to before. What about you, Actor-nim?"
"This is my first time coming up this far, too."
Manager Ahn Jinbae and I sat side by side on the ground for a long while.
Mount Gwanak wasn't a mountain a hiking novice should be attempting to summit anyway. Since the plan was just to work up a decent sweat and head back, we found a flat spot and settled in.
We demolished the gimbap we'd brought from the entrance, along with the fruit we'd packed separately, in no time at all.
"Oh, right. The camera."
Only when I looked at the camera did I remember I hadn't said a single word while eating.
My footage is going to be an absolute disaster.
As I scratched my head, Manager Ahn Jinbae asked, puzzled.
"I didn't expect you to worry about footage like this. Perhaps you should have brought someone else along instead."
"Well, I did consider it."
Jeonghyun-hyung had nothing but free time these days, and I was sure Ijun or Nam Inhu would have said yes if I'd called. But...
"This is the first time the two of us have ever come out somewhere like this together, isn't it?"
"......"
When else would I ever come to a place like this with Manager Ahn Jinbae? Sure, we'd technically come here for work.
Forget worrying about footage — the moment I remembered this wasn't my problem to solve, it stopped feeling like work at all.
I stared for a moment at the screen filled entirely with my own face, then smiled.
"I'll trust the editor and leave it in your hands. Thank you."
I had done my part.
"Hyung, should we start heading down? They say you have to get off the mountain before dark."
"Yes. Shall I carry your backpack for you?"
"No, I'm fine."
We readjusted our boots one more time and began the descent.
"Haa..."
And then I was left all alone.
I murmured at the camera holding my exhausted face.
"Next time I go hiking with Jinbae-hyung, I'm attaching an anti-lost strap to him."
That way this would never happen again.
Looking up at the slowly darkening sky, a sigh escaped me of its own accord.
An hour earlier, when Manager Ahn Jinbae had quickened his pace with an anxious look on his face, I'd sensed something was off. When I asked why he was stumbling, he answered, looking mortified, that he urgently needed the bathroom.
He told me he'd be right back after a quick trip, and to stay put right here — so I obediently waited.
But no matter how much time passed, Manager Ahn Jinbae didn't come back.
It never once occurred to me to go searching myself, like some dimwitted horror movie protagonist.
It wasn't a dead zone, so I could just call him.
Hyung, where are you?
—Actor-nim, I'm — I'm so sorry, but... I think I'm lost.
The voice on the other end of the phone was so terrified that I calmed him down first.
I told him not to move and to report it to 119. GPS tracking had its limits, I said, but we hadn't gone that deep, so the search shouldn't be difficult.
Sure enough, I got word that he'd met up with the rescue team ten minutes ago.
He said they were heading back toward me now, and that I was not to think about going down alone — so I was waiting quietly right where I was.
Next time I'm just going to the beach...
I came out here to hike, and what is all this commotion.
I was staring blankly up at the pitch-dark sky when it happened.
"......"
Only my eyes moved, silently, toward my side.
I prayed desperately that it was an auditory hallucination.
Rustle—
With an eerie sound, the grass stirred.