It's True Things Are Too Lopsided

The deal went smoothly.

It was bound to. Once the important points had been locked down early, the details wouldn't be a problem as long as nobody dug in their heels.

Which meant our counterpart across the table was a decent person. Even with everything discussed in advance, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠people who walk into the restroom as one person and come out as another aren't exactly rare.

He didn't go back on his word. That was the kind of man Director Yoon Hyunbae was.

"We'll take the male lead. I'm thinking of Actor Bong Tae-soo."

"Actor Bong Tae-soo... I like it. Especially given the current situation. His guarantee will be reasonable, and his presence is roughly in line with the male lead."

"...Is that so?"

Choi Yoona answered with an awkward smile, and Director Yoon Hyunbae replied as if it were nothing at all.

"It's a good thing. When an actor's image actually fits the role. Not just anyone can pull off a pathetic character. Put them in clothes that don't fit and it looks awkward in its own way. I'm not putting him down."

"Yes."

And so, of the two leads, the man would come from our side. Director Yoon Hyunbae had said we were welcome to fill as many supporting roles as we wanted, but our talent pool wasn't nearly wide enough to take him up on that.

Still, you take what you can get. Director Choi Yoona secured one more seat.

"We'll just add Actor Kim Hyunjun. Among the parts available... something like the female lead's younger brother should be fine."

"Let's do that. I'll make sure he gets plenty of scenes in the script. Then... we'll put a team together on our end and lock down the rest of the casting as fast as we can."

"Thank you."

"I'm the one who should be thanking you. Honestly, being the director meant I was stuck cleaning up the mess that splashed onto me, and it wasn't any fun. But getting back in the director's chair after so long, and with a project I actually want to do — even the fun I didn't have comes back. I appreciate it."

The Ghost had gone cow-eyed again, staring at Director Choi Yoona for a long stretch, but I decided to ignore it. It wasn't as if I had anything useful to say back in a situation like this.

I did have the sense that Director Choi Yoona had come far more prepared than I'd expected. Part of why I hadn't stepped in was that the picture wouldn't look right if I did — but there hadn't really been a moment to step in anyway. Choi Yoona was handling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it smoothly, and well.

"Let's get the articles out fast. We've got bad news to bury and not enough time to promote, so we'll think on our feet as we go."

"Yes. We'll push the articles out by tomorrow as well."

"Good. Let's make this work."

The meeting ended with a handshake between Director Choi Yoona and Director Yoon Hyunbae.

Writer Na Malchul... the name still didn't sit quite right in my mouth. But for as long as we were doing this, she wasn't Secretary Na Yoonjeong. She was Writer Na Malchul.

At any rate, Writer Na Malchul had said she'd take a taxi ahead of us, so we put her in one and sent her off.

Then Director Choi Yoona opened her mouth.

"Team Leader."

"Yes, Director."

I looked down at her as I answered, and her eyes were packed full of question marks. But Choi Yoona seemed to be growing, even if only a little. The fact that a greeting came before the questions said as much.

"Um...... thank you."

"Yes."

At my short reply, a smile gathered on Choi Yoona's face. I hadn't done anything to be funny. I had no idea what she'd found amusing.

Putting off the question she actually needed to ask, Choi Yoona spoke.

"You're a strange person, Team Leader. You know that, right?"

"I'll take that to mean 'exceptional.'"

"Nooo. That's true too. But I mean strange. Literally, exactly that."

"Well... I do hear that from time to time."

She laughed again. I didn't go so far as to wonder whether I'd somehow developed a sense of humor I never had. I didn't understand it, but if something was funny, it was funny.

The Ghost, standing between the two of us, narrowed his eyes and looked from Choi Yoona to me and back again. I'd gotten used to him enough by now that he no longer stole my gaze.

I met Choi Yoona's eyes as if I hadn't noticed a thing. She shrugged, her face full of a smile.

"I don't understand, but I won't ask you to explain. Asking you to walk me through every little thing would be ridiculous, wouldn't it? I don't even do anything properly, and you just handle it all on your own. Who am I to interrogate you about every detail? I don't have the nerve."

"Yes."

"I will say thank you, though. Earnestly."

"Understood."

My answer must have satisfied her, because Choi Yoona turned away first. Then she glanced back and added something she didn't need to say.

"......"

"That's how I'll think of it. Keep the surprise events coming, just like now. So I can keep thanking you as hard as I can!"

Choi Yoona thrust both fists forward in a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fighting pose, like the heroine of some youth drama — the kind they used to make around the nineties. I looked at her steadily.

A bright, fresh smile. A pose held still, as if she were waiting for something. It felt right. It suited Choi Yoona. A women's suit, the way she was dressed now, actually clashed with how young she still seemed.

Had I just stared at her like that for a good ten seconds? Choi Yoona quietly lowered her hands and whirled around again.

"...I'll go ahead. My car's in the parking garage......"

"Yes. Take care."

I answered, then followed after Choi Yoona as she walked away. Then it occurred to me, and I spoke a little louder.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner."

"Ahp?! What?"

Choi Yoona's shoulders jumped; she was more startled than I'd expected.

"I did meet with them yesterday, but I couldn't be sure the investment would actually come through. Whether it would be today. How much. Whether it was even an investment, or what form it would take. I didn't have a clear enough picture, so I couldn't say anything. Next time I'll tell you in advance. So we don't both get caught off guard like today."

At that, Choi Yoona snuck a look behind her and then walked even faster. As if she were about to break into a run. She was wearing a suit skirt and heeled pumps, so she couldn't openly sprint — but it was fair to say she was already running, more or less.

In any case, she answered as she hurried along.

"It's fine. I told you I'm okay? I'm the one who can't keep up with your level, that's all — I'm really fine!"

"Yes. Still, next time I'll report whatever I can, as much as possible."

"Okay! And I'm sorry, but could you maybe not follow me?!"

Hm......

After a brief consideration, I walked faster and overtook Choi Yoona. As I passed her, another question mark escaped her face, along with a small sound.

"Ah...?!"

"My car's this way too."

I left Choi Yoona behind — her face so red it looked ready to burst — and got in the car first. The Ghost whooshed into the passenger seat and let out a deep sigh.

"I've never done anything like that in my life."

"I know. But no still means no."

I drove out of the parking garage first, passing Choi Yoona as she stood there looking utterly lost.

The following afternoon. The Nine Entertainment office.

PR Manager Kim Nakyung hung up the phone and worked her mouth, making a fluttering sound.

"Augh... my throat's raw."

"My fingers hurt."

At the pained noise from Assistant Manager Kwak Eunji in the next seat, Manager Kim Nakyung snorted.

"But it's fun, right?"

"Yes. Community reactions aren't bad either."

At Kwak Eunji's words, Kim Nakyung dragged her chair over and turned her eyes to Kwak Eunji's monitor.

Kim Nakyung, who'd been reading the comments one by one, swiped at her nose.

"That's a solid save."

"Right? With them wrapping everything up so neatly up front, we've got it easy."

"Yeah. Expectations were basically on the floor anyway."

In that instant, their eyes met. They'd had the same thought.

"Ah... we're not going to flop even harder and get twice the hate, are we?"

"Ptoo ptoo ptoo. Don't jinx it."

"Ptoo ptoo ptoo. But you thought the same thing, Manager. I read it in your eyes."

"Ptoo ptoo ptoo."

The two of them spat into the air a few more times, then turned their eyes toward an empty desk.

"Still, things have definitely changed since Team Leader Lee came in."

"That's true too."

Even knowing where he sat, it wasn't easy to feel his presence when he was actually at his desk. But Nine Entertainment had been sinking so badly for so long that the newcomer's presence was painfully clear.

Assistant Manager Kwak Eunji opened her mouth, looking unconvinced.

"But... is he really a gaming shut-in? That doesn't make any sense."

"Dunno. Just enjoy it."

What kind of game could you play that would give you that level of ability in real life? Thinking she'd like to try a game like that herself, Kwak Eunji went back to posting viral material on the communities.

If you look at old movies and dramas, you can see people jumping off a train that's already left the station — or climbing aboard one that's already moving.

Maybe this drama was like that, right now.

I lowered the phone from my hand.

The title was odd, that much was true. Secretary Na Yoonjeong had said her younger brother had come up with the pen name Na Malchul. But the title, she'd chosen herself.

Looking at things like this, there was clearly a gap in literary sensibility between the siblings — though the direction they pointed in didn't seem all that different.

At any rate. They hadn't loaded much of anything properly, but the train had left the station all the same.

That aside.

Why was this person acting like this? I resented myself for already knowing the answer, but I asked anyway. If I didn't, he was going to keep doing it.

"Why are you doing this?"

I looked at Team Leader Park Munsu, who had been vigorously rubbing his shoulder against mine.

The Melancholy Romance set. Team Leader Park Munsu had come all the way out to the location. Only when I spoke first did he peel himself off me and dip his head lightly.

"Tae-soo was over the moon. Thank you."

Hm......

This had been getting a little uncomfortable lately. People in politics had plenty of feeling, and they expressed it — but there was still something more mechanical about the way they worked. The people on this side, though, were like dogs in heat to show how they felt.

The comparison was harsh, but that was genuinely how it felt. Like I'd been working with cats and had suddenly been dropped among dogs, and it was a lot.

I answered Team Leader Park Munsu, who was more faithfully expressive than anyone — and therefore the most dog-like of the lot.

"You don't have to thank me for every little thing."

"Ah, well... if you're grateful, you say thanks."

"I'm just doing my job."

At that, Team Leader Park Munsu gave a crumbling laugh.

"...Is it that easy? Stuff a guy like me couldn't do after years at this company, and Team Leader Lee just knocks it out one after another."

I took a moment to choose my words, then spoke.

"Holding hands. Hugging. Shedding tears. Don't expect that from me."

"What?"

"I've been feeling those kinds of expectations lately. I don't do that."

At my words, Park Munsu's laugh shifted into something more genuinely amused.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Anyway, Team Leader Lee, you really are a strange one."

"The people here are far stranger. Do one thing and they get all emotional and excited, then one bad thing happens and they completely deflate. That's what's actually strange."

"Grateful is grateful, though. I've been with Tae-soo for years and I've never seen him that happy. And it's not like he's stingy with his feelings. I had to yell at him to stop bouncing around. If he got hurt, we'd be in real trouble."

I answered as we walked slowly around the set.

"I'm already aware Actor Bong Tae-soo isn't stingy with his feelings. Grabbing each other by the collar, cursing each other out. If you can watch that and still say he doesn't express himself, that doesn't make any sense."

"...You remember the weirdest things."

Was that really something to call weird? I paused to pick a reply, then just went to the point. If I left him alone, he was only going to keep circling through more unnecessary talk.

"I'll take Actor Bong Tae-soo. For this project."

At that, Team Leader Park Munsu grinned.

"I should've known you'd pick up on it."

"Actor Ha's wrapping filming, and if Team 1 has Actor Bong Tae-soo resuming activity on top of that, you'll be stretched thin. That's obvious."

There was another reason. Two people on Team 1 covering four actors would be chaos. Of course, not all four actors assigned to Team 1 were currently active. Even so, even if a few of them were in a slow season, the things a team leader had to look after didn't shrink by much.

Would a man like that have come all the way out to a filming set just to say thank you?

He'd come because he had a favor too awkward to ask over the phone.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Let's talk properly about team assignments soon. It's true that things are too lopsided."

While I was talking with Team Leader Park Munsu, a car pulled up and stopped where the two of us stood.

...It was a familiar car.