Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: That Man's Way of Apologizing (1)
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The source of all that unease was right there. Even from a distance, Yeonwoo could tell the menu was outrageously luxurious. It felt several levels above the catering trucks that had come to the set before. The buffet was so extravagant that chefs stood by, ready to cook on the spot.
But something was off. Both the people serving the food and those receiving it had these subtle expressions.
‘Why do they all look like they’re at a funeral?’
Intent Discernment made it crystal clear, even without trying. One side fidgeted restlessly, completely on edge. The other...
“Are you guys eating food laced with poison or something?”
They took their portions one by one, faces like they’d just swallowed something sour, forcing it down.
‘Is it bad? Nah, that wouldn’t make sense for begging to stay alive.’
When Yeonwoo asked, the assistant director whispered cautiously.
“We’re... being fattened up right now...”
“Fattened... up?”
Yeonwoo blinked at the random word. Was he joking? But the guy looked deadly serious.
“We’re gonna burst if this keeps up. I swear, it feels like they’ve been feeding us non-stop for 24 hours straight.”
“Feeding you? Who?”
“You asked about Woo Do-gyeom earlier, right...?”
“Yeah.”
“And I told you to look over there.”
“You did.”
“It’s from the investor.”
“So... isn’t that good?”
Woo Do-gyeom wasn’t the type to skimp on money. If anything, he spent lavishly. Food sent with his full commitment couldn’t possibly taste bad. So why the funeral faces?
“I know it sounds ungrateful, and I feel bad even asking, but... we really feel like we’re being fattened up. What if we actually burst?”
[Truth]
Intent Discernment confirmed the assistant director wasn’t lying.
“It’s been days since the investor called in chefs from five-star hotels for the catering.”
He added that calling this spread a “catering truck” felt underselling it.
“At first, we were super grateful. This is what the investor said.”
[ I heard you all suffered a lot on that island. I heard Yeonwoo did great, but everyone else looks rough. You should have some nourishing food. ]
Naturally, the staff had welcomed the fancy chef lineup and Woo Do-gyeom’s visit.
-You didn’t have to go this far, investor-nim...
-No, no. It’s my responsibility—you went to that island because of me and got into trouble.
-Wasn’t that just the weather? You can’t control that, investor-nim!
-It would’ve been a great spot if not for the accident!
-Haha... I see.
Woo Do-gyeom’s smile had seemed a bit off as he replied. How to put it—like he was gazing at pitiful lambs caught in a trap, oblivious to who set it, thrilled just to be rescued.
‘Nah, why would the investor look at us like that...?’
The assistant director was sharp. He’d survived the cutthroat film industry, dragging his bear-like director around like a clever hyena. He sensed something fishy but couldn’t pinpoint it.
Of course he couldn’t. How would a regular person know there’d been some shamanic ritual involved? Or that Yeonwoo had been sent for it, dragging the crew along and getting them caught in the crossfire?
-You all need to stay healthy for my investment to pay off, right?
-We’re giving it our all.
-I have high expectations in every way. And I feel like I haven’t paid enough attention as an investor, so I’m making up for it now.
-No, really, we’re fine...
Something felt off. His sharp instincts, honed from years of navigating on eggshells, screamed it.
But alas.
-I’m not fine with it. So please, let me make it up to you.
Who could argue with an investor basically footing the whole bill? And it wasn’t abuse—it was him insisting on treating them well.
‘They say Cheongwang’s chairman has a bad personality, but maybe not entirely...’
His crushing presence and icy gaze made your shoulders shrink even when you’d done nothing wrong.
-I’ll take care of you all personally. Don’t worry.
They should’ve caught that word—“personally.” Shouldn’t have brushed it off.
“And from that day on, he started showing up... personally...”
“...Personally?”
“Yeah. The investor himself.”
The assistant director emphasized “personally.”
“He came in person, checking on each of us. Top-grade food, and he replaced almost all our gear with brand-new stuff. Couldn’t touch the director’s custom computer, but for regular staff... Newer equipment means better performance, shorter render times. Great.”
That wasn’t all.
“He even gave the shooting staff extra performance bonuses. We got them too. What investor bonuses the crew for hard work? Usually, they grill you on spending and nitpick budgets... That’s normal. But suddenly he’s sorry, throwing money, food, new gear our way. Felt amazing. But...”
It didn’t end there.
“After that, he kept coming... every single day, ‘personally’...”
The shiny gear stayed, the money wasn’t clawed back. The hotel-beating meals kept coming, and the investor personally told them not to overwork, to eat well, rest up—warm, human words.
- Feels like all the crap we took is healing.
- Jackpot. No team has an investor like this. Who looks out like that?
That optimism didn’t last. They overlooked one thing: an investor dropping by daily “personally” wasn’t light.
No matter how nice, he was the investor. Not boss-subordinate, but not equals either.
As Woo Do-gyeom’s visits dragged on, everyone thought:
‘Feels like the company chairman parading into the rank-and-file workspace every day.’
Not wrong. He was Cheongwang’s chairman, after all.
-Ugh... I’m gonna get indigestion...
-No way. Eat up! Those chefs said last time—they have quotas too. If we don’t finish, they’re in trouble!
-We can’t stuff ourselves till we burst!
-Are we... being fattened for slaughter...? How do they keep feeding us like this?
Even the best food gets old with 24/7 meals. Then his crisp-suited entourage would glide over:
-Doesn’t suit your taste?
Super awkward. Their vibe screamed they’d throttle the chefs any second, unsettling regular folks.
‘No, we’re full—what’d the chefs do wrong...?’
But that wouldn’t fly.
Another issue:
-Assistant director... I’m sleepy...
-Full belly, warm back... Just a nap and it’d be perfect...
Full stomach pulls blood downward for digestion, leaving the brain sluggish. Food coma.
But.
-Investor’s here—you can’t sleep! Snap out of it!
-So... sleepy...
-Why won’t the investor leave?
-No clue. Cheongwang building’s all shiny—why hang here...?
Woo Do-gyeom even set up a corner in the studio for work.
Staff whispered as he visited daily:
-Maybe he wants a specific edit direction?
-Trying to meddle in the film’s vision?
Nope. When someone mustered courage to ask:
-I need to be close to know what you need right away, right?
-...I see.
Hard to agree, but he was the boss. No retort.
No abuse either. Just quietly doing his thing in the corner.
-Might as well boss us around!
-Meddling in direction would feel less weird!
-Why come and just... work silently...?
-Is he really here for us...?
-Ugh. Can’t relax with investor watching...
-Sleepy to death... Can I nap in the break room?
-Think your desk’ll still be here if you do...?
-Worse than the boss breathing down your neck!
Anyone who’s worked knows: that feeling of your superior parked right behind you. Not yelling, not nitpicking. Just that unique, maddening discomfort.
Breaks? Awkward as hell. Forced to grind.
Stuffed, sleepy, but no rest.
-We’re not being sold off, right?
-Yeah, like in fairy tales! Fatten us up, then sell!
-What about the art team kid? Rushed to hospital with overeating.
-Him...? Investor’s aide took him. Private room...
-Kid freaked, asking what he did wrong, why imprisoned in hospital?
-Ah... Overwhelmed by the big leagues. Calm him—not like that. Tell him to nap there...
They were basically on forced all-nighters. Couldn’t leave first with Woo Do-gyeom lingering.
Ji Director had it worse. He and Woo Do-gyeom clashed types, and a slump hit right then. Crisis loomed.
“We might actually die! What if this becomes our last work?!”
[Truth] floated above the assistant director’s head again.
‘Seemed so rational... Must’ve been rough.’
Hearing it out, their fear wasn’t baseless.
‘Unexplained kindness feels sinister by default.’
A straight reason would be better, but no. Yeonwoo knew why; clueless staff just panicked.
‘Told him to take responsibility and clean it up properly back then.’
Didn’t expect his atonement to rebound like this. He meant well with the staff...
‘Dude has no sense of proportion.’
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: That Man's Way of Apologizing (1)
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But yeah, their terror made sense up close.
‘Motive-less favors always creep people out.’
Wish he’d just explain bluntly. Yeonwoo knew the reason; the oblivious staff found it baffling.
‘Told him to own it and fix it for real back then.’
Didn’t foresee Woo Do-gyeom’s brand of penance bouncing back like this. He’d thought it through for the crew’s sake, sure...
‘But no chill on the dosage.’