Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 012
Chapter Title: Drama Filming Begins! (1)
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“First time ever taking photos, and a beginner pulls off shots like this? I might as well quit photography altogether……”
Park couldn’t help muttering. There was no way Yeonwoo could straight-up say, ‘It’s thanks to the stats I got from you.’
‘If a pro photographer is saying that much, it’s legit solid.’
No wonder it felt like a breakout moment was brewing.
“Seriously, wanna try working photoshoots with me?”
“Park, you can’t steal Yeonwoo away from us.”
“Nooo, Seonghyeon. That’s not what I meaaan…… Ugh, seriously. What a shame.”
“Clingy guys have zero charm.”
“……Fine. Take care. We’ll meet again, right? Promise? I’ll let you go for today……”
Park waved them off with a wistful look, somehow deflated.
“Seems like you liked the gig. How was it?”
“Not bad. Kinda fascinating, and intriguing too.”
“Good to hear.”
Kwon Seonghyeon slid into the driver’s seat, turned the key, and flashed a grin.
“Starting out strong like that is plenty for a first go.”
“First go?”
“You’re gonna keep at this, right? That’s the vibe I’m getting.”
Yeonwoo knew he wouldn’t quit. Kwon Seonghyeon’s words carried that exact nuance.
He was spot on. The entertainment world he’d first glimpsed through Kwon Seonghyeon—it was too captivating to turn his back on, chained to past regrets.
“Yeah. Think I will.”
Yeonwoo replied.
‘No way I’m passing up a goldmine I just struck.’
The scales had tipped completely.
***
Days had passed since unearthing the vein. He’d gotten a taste, but full-on mining hadn’t even started. Yeonwoo had no reason to set foot in a broadcasting station.
Yet.
“A drama?”
Opportunity knocked sooner than expected.
“Yeah. Got a few scripts a couple days back, been reviewing them. Planning to take one on if it fits. Seonghyeon’s pictorial dropped, so time to rev the engine properly. Got a few in the mix now—probably landing Min Suji’s. Seonghyeon’s super into it.”
The manager, there to pick up Yeonwoo, rattled it off casually.
The Child Spirit lost it.
[No way! Min Suji? Our actor in a Min Suji drama?! Ask what it’s about! Hurry! Come on, ask!]
“Big deal?”
[You kidding? Oh right, you don’t watch TV. End of last year, that smash hit broadcast drama pulling 25% ratings. ‘Fairy Sent by God’—the one with the heroine running a fortune-telling shop?]
“Never heard of it.”
[Live a little, culture-wise. Me and Yeonhwa cracked up watching it! They tried researching, but slipped up in weird spots. Serve up gods like that, they’d have ditched ages ago. Drama magic, so we let it slide.]
So, like that vibe? Doctors watching medical dramas…… Or lawyers eyeing legal shows……?
[Anyway, Min Suji’s a ratings guarantee—tight plots that hook you right in. Our guy starring? Total jackpot.]
“Good thing?”
[No duh! Already hyped. Min Suji and our actor? Chemistry off the charts. She crafts characters that pop, launches most of ’em. He’s already top-tier, but even more fame? Yes please!]
Anyone’d think he was Kwon Seonghyeon’s manager. The actual manager, though?
“That hamster…… It’s alive, right? Squeaking like crazy……?”
He glanced at Yeonwoo in the rearview, sweating bullets.
He already knew Yeonwoo as a shaman type. He’d heard the stories, gotten the stern warnings from Kwon Seonghyeon himself. Yeonwoo’s mutterings? He could brainwash himself: ‘He’s just rehearsing lines solo. Not talking to ghosts. Lines. Rehearsing.’
But showing up with random animals lately? No adapting to that!
‘Pigeon last time……? Hamster today……? Why’s it climbing his shoulder so chill, squeaking away……?!’
Mutterings were one thing, but this animal bonding? Alien even for a manager.
Yeonwoo’s response hit like a bomb.
“Probably…… counts as alive? Not fully, but the body’s still kicking……”
“……?!”
Alive? Or not?!
He couldn’t bring himself to ask. The dread of an even creepier answer crushed him.
The car just sped up instead.
***
“Seonghyeon’s waiting……”
Somehow, the manager looked drained and beat, muttering like a last will before stumbling off to the guest room.
Sure enough, Kwon Seonghyeon was inside waiting.
“You’re here? Something happen on the way? Manager hyung looked off……”
“Dunno? Nothing went down. Dongja. Anything ring a bell?”
[Nope? Smooth ride, no issues.]
“……He must be under the weather. Dongja’s a hamster this time, huh?”
[Pigeon was too conspicuous, so switched it up. Cute, right?]
A hamster half the size of a palm spun laps on his shoulder.
“Yeah. Adorable. Pocket-sized perfection.”
[Exactly! That’s the point! Yeonwoo’s head has the view, but ride’s bumpy—motion sickness hit. Body makes it worse.]
“I see. Must’ve sucked.”
[Actor, wanna die for real? Go light, feels great.]
“Hmm. Then I couldn’t see Yeonwoo anymore? Not sold.”
[Nah, stay like me……]
Time to cut in. Seducing a living guy to off himself?
“Crazy talk? Kwon Seonghyeon ditches his body, no more actor for you?”
[Oh……! Right……!]
The Child Spirit’s eyes widened in realization. Hamster form killed the impact—made it stupid cute instead.
Even Yeonwoo, knowing what lurked inside, got briefly charmed.
“Think we’ve got nuts at home. Hang on, Dongja. Grabbing some.”
[What a sweet actor!]
Kwon Seonghyeon bolted to the kitchen like it was his job.
Only when the Child Spirit chomped greedily on the handful of walnuts did they snap out.
“Hold up, Yeonwoo. Lemme snap a pic.”
Not fully snapped out, though.
Click-click!
Rat-tat-tat-click-click!
Kwon Seonghyeon even burst-shot it.
“Heard on the way—you’re doing a drama?”
“Yeah. Airs next quarter. Synopsis hooked me. Writer sent full early scripts—solid stuff. Thinking of going for it. Wanna peek?”
Kwon Seonghyeon handed over the stack on the table.
‘Title…… Dear My Ghost?’
Yeonwoo skimmed the synopsis, marked ‘working title.’
‘Guy who sees spirits, gal whose soul swapped with another woman’s……?’
As the title hinted, male lead saw souls. Female lead died in an accident, couldn’t pass on, possessed some woman—lost her memories. Instinct screamed ‘wrong body,’ so she fought to reclaim hers. Hilariously misguided.
‘Shaman boots her, so she dives into a waterfall……?’
Water purification ain’t for that.
‘That’s for cleansing body and soul……?’
Her antics didn’t stop.
‘……This is nuts.’
Jumping off buildings.
Dodging cars.
Tumbling down stairs.
Etc. She figured shock like her death would eject her. Total mayhem.
‘What’d witnesses ever do? Hit-and-run victims?!’
Yup. First victim: soul-seeing male lead.
‘Ice-cold guy thaws for quirky girl, opens up……’
Soul-sight was the hook. Possessed girl rejects him over it; he flips it to convince her.
[What I see ain’t that flimsy shell. I see your soul. The woman I want ain’t the haughty, icy facade—it’s you: timid, quirky, pure.]
‘Drama’s drama, alright.’
Illegal soul in wrong body? Face blurs from mismatch. Talisman might yank it, but male lead ain’t equipped……
‘Look like a magic-eye glitch. How’s romance bloom?’
Joints jerking out of sync, gaze wonky? Soul-body discord turns folks mad usually.
‘Old folks calling crazies “possessed” for a reason.’
But he got it. Nitpick accuracy, it’d be docu, not drama.
Their rocky romance didn’t end. Death Registry messed with? Grim Reaper hunts her. Then tug-of-war: Reaper vs. male lead.
“Twist at the end, apparently. Not locked in yet.”
As Kwon said, script cut off at climax.
“What’s your take, Yeonwoo?”
“Not bad. Drama noob here, can’t call box office……”
[Sounds fun, actor!]
The Child Spirit, cheeks ballooned with walnut, shot up a paw. It came out as an adorable squeak.
“But…… this rings a bell……?”
Skimming synopsis and early script stirred an image. Soul in wrong body, wandering……
“Ah, you caught it? Hit me too—‘Aha!’ the second I read.”
Exactly one month back. Kwon Seonghyeon’s real ordeal.
No possession for him, though.
“No way that’s why……?”
“Partly, but not all. Gut hit post-read: this’ll kill.”
Kwon Seonghyeon’s famed instinct. His deep-set eyes gleamed.
Puppy-dog pure one sec, top-star aura next.
“So, need your help, Yeonwoo. Been through it, but memories fuzzy……. You know this stuff—acting’ll feel realer.”
Back to good boy quick, but Yeonwoo glimpsed the ‘top star.’
[Yeonwoo, do it. Must! Destiny!]
Squeak-crackle!