Chapter 97. It Burst – The Nylon Patient's True Heart, Half-Dead by Morning After Soju and Trotters on the Herbal Clinic Rooftop
Even if he enjoyed soju and pig's trotters on the rooftop of Hanbang Hospital at night, the moment the insurance agent showed up the next morning, the nylon patient's – that faker milking the system – true heart would turn him into a half-cripple. Euuuuaaaahhh—!
In the midst of Lee Tae-gyu's agonized scream bubbling up from his dantian, the faces of the staff rushing over grew paler by the second.
"Where! Where does it hurt?!"
"Did you hit your head when you fell? Right?!"
"What do we do..."
"Breathe! Try breathing, breathe! Hoo-ha! Hoo-ha!"
"Is it your ribs? Are they broken? Can you move?"
"D-Director!"
Yoon Chang-ho, the director, was on the verge of tears.
'...Fucked.'
He didn't even have the luxury to call cut. As the head of this set,
he dropped everything he was holding and bolted toward Lee Tae-gyu. A whirlwind of thoughts flashed through Yoon Chang-ho's mind.
'...Is it bad? Hand? Arm? Not broken, right? But ribs? Can't breathe? Face, the face can't get hurt! This is driving me insane, for real!'
Pushing through the staff who had gathered like clouds, Yoon Chang-ho burst into the shop. There was Lee Tae-gyu.
Crash! Amid the scattered cafe props from the fall, Lee Tae-gyu thrashed on the floor in convulsions.
His eyes were completely rolled back. His limbs twisted unnaturally as his whole body shuddered.
And the groans leaking out like he was being squeezed dry instilled overwhelming anxiety in everyone hovering nearby.
"Guhhheuk."
Was that drool leaking from the corner of his mouth right now? Yoon Chang-ho was losing his mind.
Tears welled up in the eyes of the director, who wore a devastated expression at this major accident on the very first shoot.
"D-Director! What do we do?!"
"What do you mean what?! Save the guy first! Did you do first aid?!"
"We took basic measures since it seems like he can't breathe..."
"What's the problem right now?"
"We don't know the details. Looks like we need a pro from here..."
"Hoo."
"We'll call 119 right away!"
"Yeah, do th—"
Yoon Chang-ho nodded quickly, but
'Wait.'
In that split second, it unfolded like a panorama.
The ripple effects if word of this incident got out.
[Major Accident on First Shoot: Yoon Chang-ho's New Film!]
[(LIVE) Actor Lee Tae-gyu Rushed to ER]
[It Finally Blew Up: Safety Apathy Plagues Korean Film Industry]
[Is Korean Filmmaking Culture Okay Like This?]
[Why Did Lee Tae-gyu Freak Out on Yoon Chang-ho's Set?]
And countless other article titles popped up instantly.
Clack, clack.
Yoon Chang-ho's lower and upper teeth chattered like he'd plunged into a winter ice bath.
He already had plenty of enemies. He was human too. He knew full well there were more than a few people waiting for him to crash after calling him out for dissing dramas, acting, or being a know-it-all.
'...And there are plenty of idiots gunning for me.'
If, in this situation,
the news broke that the ten-million-won supporting actor turned male lead of this film – the hottest rising star in his age group, getting love calls from the entire industry including himself – had been carted off to the ER from his set?
...Gulp.
The more he imagined the vicious rumors that would spread from there, the paler Yoon Chang-ho's face grew.
'No, but... still... save the guy first...'
A staffer pulled out his phone to dial 119.
With every twitch of that finger, Yoon Chang-ho's heart pounded like it would burst.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Yeah, that's right. He didn't like it, but no one should die.
Thump! Thump!
That's right. That's right, but...
"...J-Just w-wait!"
The sudden voice made not just Yoon Chang-ho but everyone's anxious heads snap around.
"Guhek, j-just... a m-moment...!"
Lee Tae-gyu.
At his voice, midway between groan and scream, the staffer's finger froze mid-air over 119.
"...119... I'm f-fine...!"
At the saving grace of those follow-up words,
thud.
Yoon Chang-ho dropped to one knee on the floor. Staring at Lee Tae-gyu's contorted face, he opened his mouth with trepidation.
"Wh-What are you saying? You need the ER, right?"
"I-I'm... kkh, f-fine!"
"R-Really?"
"Hoo, hoo... kuhk!"
"Y-You're not breathing right now?"
"The... old injury spot... but... no big problem, seems like."
Lee Tae-gyu clutched his ribs, breathing raggedly.
Right. Come to think of it, he'd been hospitalized long-term not long ago.
Yoon Chang-ho sweated bullets, but
"St-Still..."
"First shoot... don't want to jinx it."
"...!"
"No need to worry. Just lie down a bit... it'll... be fine. Really."
For a moment, light seemed to shine from Tae-gyu's face.
Thud.
One hand cradling his ribs, the other trembling hand propping against the floor, Lee Tae-gyu slowly stood.
Groans leaked through gritted teeth, his legs wobbled unsteadily, but a forced smile spread across his face.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Awe at that miraculous professionalism hung in the silent set. Neither Yoon Chang-ho, the actors, nor the crew could bring themselves to speak rashly.
"Really... really okay...?"
"What the—!"
A man shoved through the crowd and barged in.
DK Entertainment's Jung Team Leader. Some crew tensed at the burly man's rough entrance.
"What the hell is this!"
"I'm f-fine..."
"This ain't fine – Tae-gyu here is DK's face now!"
"Just a little twist."
"Where? Here? Ribs?"
"Kuh!"
"What the hell happened! No action scenes today!"
Jeong bellowed in fury. It was natural.
For a film lead like Lee Tae-gyu, his body was his asset. Scenes with injury risk were coordinated with stunt teams from the contract stage, down to the details.
He'd already taken a hit from the Model Detective 3 injury.
"What did you do to a guy whose ribs are popped and can't even sneeze properly!"
"That's not—"
"Was there any part in today's script that could've hurt him like this? Think about the other actor too! Our guy's just out of the hospital – shooting like this is a problem!"
He didn't outright blame Yoon Chang-ho, but everyone there felt it.
He was holding back for face, but his rage was aimed at the set's head honcho.
Then.
"It's clearly stated in the contract too! If he ends up hospitalized again..."
"D-Don't... go too hard."
At Lee Tae-gyu's words, Yoon Chang-ho looked like he'd been revived.
"They're... all... serious about acting too..."
"Who?"
In that instant.
As those squeezed-out words from Tae-gyu ended, dozens of eyes snapped toward them.
Hwang Hyeong-tak and Seon U-hui.
In other words.
"Right now."
Toward the culprits of this mess, huddled white-faced in the cafe corner.
"Did you two do this to our actor?"
Outside the Ikseon-dong cafe.
The situation was still spiraling worse.
Inside, voices clashed loudly over contracts, worth, unauthorized shoots causing injury.
Thump thump!
Seol A-yoon watched in admiration.
Lee Tae-gyu beyond the window.
'...A true pro.'
Grinding his teeth amid the crowd, clutching his ribs and gasping, yet insisting the shoot continue – there was something heart-stirring about it.
"Born actor, tsk."
She turned at the faint words. Cha Jin-tak was heading to the coffee truck, clicking his tongue.
Veteran actor Cha Jin-tak.
He'd seemed a bit wary of Lee Tae-gyu at the script reading, but that grumble felt like recognition of him as a full-fledged actor despite it all.
'Even that picky senior...'
And not just him. The external staff handling sound and cameras outside exchanged glances and tongues wags.
"Whoa, keeps going like that?"
"Gotta be that dedicated to make it big."
"Acting's an extreme job."
"Respect, for real."
"Let's step it up too."
The staff nodded, fired up.
Watching them stirred something in her.
'...Me too.'
The desire for recognition.
The thought that she could do that much too.
So.
Her passion and competitive fire, faintly dimmed lately, began smoldering back to life.
'Lee Tae-gyu.'
Amazing.
After seeing that injury-fueled grit, the stray thoughts from the script reading until recently vanished clean.
'What was I even thinking.'
Stuff like him liking her – she was embarrassed she'd said that to Seol Woong or Han Joo-hyuk.
That wasn't what mattered.
Right now.
After scene 21, she had a shoot with Lee Tae-gyu.
Gulp.
Seol A-yoon reflected on her momentary laziness, rearming her heart.
'Romance scene – lock in the emotions ahead.'
His injury might delay the schedule, but oddly, she didn't think it would.
Lee Tae-gyu.
As long as that man in there fighting through the pain didn't break.
Yeah.
Being around him, whether drama or film, made everything in the industry roll in mysteriously enchanted ways, like dokkaebi magic. Seol A-yoon vaguely sensed it.
Just like the first set they'd crossed paths, the second too.
'Probably today too...'
She had a feeling Lee Tae-gyu's unbelievable "magic" would happen again.
"O-Okay!"
Her prediction hit spot-on.
Jingle!
As the situation wrapped, the assistant director emerged from the cafe, bellowing to the waiting crew and cast outside.
"...Resuming shoot!"
Seol A-yoon nodded with a resolute expression.
- Action!
Honestly, he had no idea how it even went down.
Soul flying, spirit scattering.
Huang Hyeong-tak and Seon U-hui barely wrapped scene 21 after several retakes, feeling like they were being chased by something.
- Cut!
Even after the cut, they couldn't get up easily.
"A... is he really okay?"
"Yess~"
"Before grabbing the arm, that last line – emotions felt off. One more take?"
"He'll get up~"
At the staff's cold words, Hwang Hyeong-tak and Seon U-hui rose hesitantly like guilty kids.
They sensed it.
'Shit.'
'Insane.'
The exact opposite of their plan – now they were the ones walking on eggshells.
And.
They realized.
...Limp!
Lee Tae-gyu rose from the chair, teeth gritted.
"Good work."
Even limping – twisted ankle too? – he bowed politely to them.
This actor had really been injured.
"G-Good work!"
"You okay, T-Tae-gyu?"
They'd doubted at first.
His positioning to snag their pre-scouted spot felt like pro "fixer" work, hard for amateurs like them to read.
But.
It being mere coincidence showed in this actor's face and voice now.
"Kuhp, f-fine!"
They knew from experience. Those raised brows, mix of irritation and anger, voice surging with relief and suppressed rage, that forced-straight mouth...
Couldn't be acting.
No matter how they'd shrunk the scuffle scene or ended it seated, shooting with that level of injury was impossible.
Clap clap clap—!
Lee Tae-gyu soaked up the staff's applause for his injury grit post-scene.
"Man, impressive. I'm actually moved."
"And acting doesn't drop a beat."
"Amazing, amazing."
"Focus like that? Wow."
And yet.
"Hyeong-tak."
"Y-Yes!"
"Mind helping me? Bathroom..."
"Tae-gyu? I'll help."
"It's fine, Manager. We need to talk anyway."
"Still."
"Just a quick bathroom break."
To console his deflated self? Ignoring the agency manager's protest, Lee Tae-gyu shook his head and spoke.
"If you're okay."
"Y-Yeah! Arm on this shoulder."
"Thanks."
Hwang Hyeong-tak shouldered one of Lee Tae-gyu's arms.
Matching steps, they headed to the alley restroom.
Limp, limp.
The heavy weight on his shoulder.
Step by step.
Each move of that sprained leg made it sink in what they'd done.
Still.
After reaching the building with this guy extending forgiveness first – even picking a private moment to avoid embarrassing him in front of everyone –
Click.
Hwang Hyeong-tak entered the restroom with Tae-gyu.
"...Sorry."
His face brimmed with remorse as he apologized again.
Suddenly.
The weight from the arm around his shoulder vanished.
"Huh."
"Do you even know what you're sorry for?"
"...Pardon?"
"Know what you really should be sorry for?"
"What do you—"
"Hoo."
The atmosphere shifted abruptly.
Tap-tap, tap-tap-tap—!
Before witnessing Lee Tae-gyu's madness, tap-dancing expressionlessly.
"...You're fiiiine~."
"...This motherf—?!"