Chapter 106
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Official Filming Begins
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Company building entrance.
A woman was walking ahead of me.
Holding three cups of coffee in both hands.
She looked somehow precarious.
What if she drops them and they splash my way?
Maybe I should hang back a bit?
A man who had been walking briskly ahead of her pushed open the glass door at the building entrance.
The door swung shut hard from the momentum.
Just as the woman with the coffee was passing through.
"Ah."
Thud.
Right before she collided with the door, she blocked it with her arm, stopping it.
"You okay?"
It was risky to do something like that,
but it was better if even a small mishap didn't happen.
This was my company, after all.
The woman with the coffee turned around.
"Ah, thank you... so... much......"
Time froze.
Round eyes.
Sharp nose.
Playful lips.
A familiar face, a familiar voice.
My first love.
It was Sun-ah.
"Cut! Great! Wow~ Sun-hu's expression was perfect!"
"Thank you."
Yesterday was indoor shooting, today was the first outdoor scene.
The first scene I shot was running into Kim Sun-ah by chance at the company entrance.
It was a crucial reunion scene with my first love, Kim Sun-ah, doubling as coffee product placement and company promo, while also showing that the prickly male lead was actually sweet underneath.
"Sun-hu, you're on fire today. My heart was seriously racing."
The director praised me, followed by actress Shin Ji-hye.
Phew. Seemed like I did okay.
"You too, Sunbae."
"Noona."
"Yes, Ji-hye Noona."
To me, "Noona" meant So-young Noona.
So the term didn't quite fit naturally.
"Look at this. This expression right here. That bittersweet longing for an unfulfilled first love, mixed with awkwardness and joy—exactly this expression."
"Th-thank you."
While monitoring the footage, the director didn't hold back on the praise.
Was he trying to build up a rookie actor with compliments?
I was grateful, but it felt overly exaggerated and embarrassing.
"Alright, let's move straight to the next scene. The rooftop terrace."
Hwang Jin-woo and Kim Sun-ah, who bumped into each other by chance.
The two sit on the terrace and catch up.
It had been over ten years since their first love.
They'd parted on bad terms, but now they could talk and laugh about it.
Because it had been true love.
Because they'd shared the most radiant time of their lives.
But now, Hwang Jin-woo was a project team manager at a major corporation.
And Kim Sun-ah was a sales rep at a small venture firm.
"You're the manager of that team, Jin-woo?"
Sun-ah's surprise was understandable.
She'd met him without knowing he was a chaebol heir.
Kim Sun-ah didn't know Hwang Jin-woo was the company chairman's son.
They'd loved purely as people, as man and woman.
That's why Hwang Jin-woo could never forget Kim Sun-ah.
She was the only woman who loved him as plain old Hwang Jin-woo, not the heir to a corporate empire.
"...Director. I want to reshoot my solo scenes too."
"What? Why?"
Actress Shin Ji-hye, who had been nailing her takes, suddenly dropped a bombshell.
The director looked baffled, of course.
"The person's changed, so the emotions have to change too. The earlier takes were with Joo Jung-hwan, so I want to redo them with Jin Sun-hu."
"...Ji-hye, I get that you want to do your best, but we don't have the luxury. I've told you a hundred times we're short on time."
"Still, let me reshoot."
"Jeez."
Shin Ji-hye was surprisingly stubborn.
The director said no, she insisted yes.
After a long back-and-forth, they finally compromised.
"Not everything. Just a few key scenes."
"Perfect."
It was a clear win for Shin Ji-hye.
And the director's ordeal was only just beginning.
"Director. In that case, I want to reshoot too."
This time, it was Mom.
"Shin-hye too? What's going on?"
The director looked ready to cry.
"My son is really my son now. I can do even better."
"Seriously? You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
"Shin-hye, you know we're tight on time."
"You're rushing because you have to send stuff to China first, right? So edit the earlier takes for China, and the new ones for domestic broadcast."
"Aigoo, Shin-hye. You'll kill the editing team. Give me a break too."
I watched the scene from a distance.
I understood why Mom and Shin Ji-hye wanted to reshoot.
I felt the same.
Even the scenes the director praised didn't sit right with me; I wanted to redo them too.
Hmm. Should I say something?
But a rookie telling the director to reshoot might be too much.
"Um, actor Jin Sun-hu. Have some coffee."
"Oh, sure."
I took the paper cup she offered.
"Hey? It's me, Sun-ha. Why so awkward?"
The one handing me the coffee shyly was Sun-ha, the high school part-timer.
We'd been chatting like oppa and dongsaeng just yesterday.
But in one day, she was acting like strangers.
"I had no idea you were an actor... Sorry about yesterday."
Sun-ha bowed her head.
"Sorry for what? You thought I was the manager then."
"Weren't you always an actor?"
"I've been practicing acting steadily, but this is my first time in front of a camera."
"Oh, I see... I thought you were an actor already and I just didn't recognize you."
Sun-ha smiled bashfully.
"So this is your debut?"
"Yeah. First time ever."
The news about the abused kid didn't count, right?
And playing Spring accompaniment wasn't as actor Jin Sun-hu, so that was out too.
"Whoa! Then starting today, I'm your fan, actor Jin Sun-hu! Does that make me fan number one?"
"Yeah. First one outside family, probably."
"Yesss! Time to start a fan club. Can it be the official one?"
"Why not? Go for it."
"Then, for a memento, one autograph...?"
"Autograph? I haven't even thought about that."
"Just your name is fine."
"Sure~ but no paper or pen."
"I'll get them!"
Sun-ha dashed off and came right back with paper and pen.
My autograph, huh.
Honestly, I was embarrassed and wanted to say no.
But she'd gone and gotten paper and pen; couldn't refuse now.
Hmm. What to write.
Jin Sun-hu
to. Kim Sun-ha
To my #1 fan Sun-ha
Thanks for the support!
Safe and straightforward.
Kim Sun-ha. The name rings a bell for some reason.
Maybe because it's similar to the heroine Kim Sun-ah?
"This okay?"
"Yes! Thank you so much! I'll be a fan for life! No switching teams!"
"Haha. Thanks. I'll work harder for you, Sun-ha."
"Yes!"
I'd gained my first fan.
Feels kinda embarrassing.
She didn't become a fan from my acting.
Still, it felt good.
Gotta become an actor she's proud of.
"Hey, kid! Don't bother the actors!"
"Ah, it's fine. We know each other."
"Yes! Coming! Sun-hu Oppa, gotta get back to work. Aja. Fighting!"
Sun-ha made a little fist pump and ran off.
...Fighting.
Today's shoot was tough too.
Following Shin Ji-hye and Mom, actress Hwang Soo-ah joined in.
All three leads demanded reshoots from the director.
But reshoots were low priority, so they got pushed back while we filled my urgent scenes first.
The reshoot footage would go into the China version if possible.
If not, just the domestic one.
It was a race against time.
I thought I'd get a break while the actresses redid their solos.
But the backlash hit me too.
Same time limit, more footage meant no rest for me.
I had to shoot fast so they'd have time for theirs.
So I was under pressure to nail takes quicker, no mistakes.
No one said anything, but I felt the eyes on me.
Mental fatigue doubled.
"I'm beat......"
Yesterday's shoot fatigue, plus wrap party drinks, plus sex party.
And today's brutal schedule.
Of course I was exhausted.
Worried if I even acted properly.
Did I take acting too lightly?
Running around in dress shoes all day, my soles were killing me.
What if it's like this every day?
No energy left to hug Mom when I get home.
...Can I keep doing this?
I swore to the family this morning, but my resolve was already wavering.
Even promised fighting to my #1 fan Sun-ha.
"Sun-hu, good work."
Today, I rode home in Mom's car again.
For now, her manager noona was doubling as mine.
I only had this shoot anyway.
Plus, riding with Mom was nice.
"Tired? Close your eyes for a bit."
"Yeah......"
I reclined the seat and shut my eyes......
"Sun-hu. We're here."
...Opened them to the apartment parking lot.
For real? Not a hidden camera?
Man. Time machines already exist.
I stumbled out and into the elevator.
"Hang in there one week, even if it's tough. Things will settle into a normal rhythm."
"Yeah......"
I leaned into Mom, blaming drowsiness.
So soft and fluffy.
Her scent was nice too.
"Love you, Mom."
"Silly."
I hugged her the whole elevator ride up.
Tired, but happy.
Being with Mom.
Felt like I could push harder.
Fighting.
"So-young and Mi-so already asleep? Lights are on."
The house was quiet.
Good kids were in bed by now.
"You crash early too, Sun-hu. Shoot tomorrow."
"Yeah. Good night, Mom."
I kissed her cheek and parted.
Rest today.
Confident I'd sleep straight through till morning without waking.
"......"
That confidence shattered the moment I opened my door.
"Oh. Jin Sun-hu. Finally here?"
"Oppa! Save me!"
What the hell was this?
Mi-so was on my bed, hands and feet bound with familiar handcuffs.
Naked, fully exposed in embarrassing spots.
Noona sat cross-legged on the piano chair, watching Mi-so.
"What... the hell...?"
Sleep vanished instantly.