Chapter 115
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: After the Shoot with Su-ah
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"Great work, everyone!"
The seventh day of shooting had finally wrapped up.
This hellish schedule was finally over.
Thankfully, we'd made it through without any major incidents.
Safely... right?
What happened with Su-ah hardly even counted as trouble. It was more embarrassing than anything.
"Alright, everyone, great job. Take tomorrow off to rest and recharge, and we'll see you the day after."
"Yes!"
We'd finished filming all eight pre-produced episodes.
Everything left—editing, sound, and so on—was up to the production crew.
The actors had a full day off tomorrow.
Which meant I had a day off, and so did Mom.
Tomorrow, I'd spend the whole day at home getting cozy with her.
Heh heh heh.
"Sun-hu, you haven't forgotten our promise, have you?"
Actress Shin Ji-hye slung her arm over my shoulder and asked.
"What promise?"
I hadn't forgotten any promises because we hadn't made any.
Shin Ji-hye gave me a look like she couldn't believe it.
"You were gonna buy me a drink!"
"I never said when I'd do it."
"You're really gonna play it like that?"
"I'll buy you one later, for sure. I've got prior plans tonight."
"Prior plans? With who?"
"With Senior Su-ah."
Su-ah, who'd been glancing our way and eavesdropping, suddenly lit up.
Truth be told, we hadn't really made plans...
But with her peeking over like that, even I could pick up on it.
Honestly, Su-ah had probably wanted to ask me first, before Ji-hye noona.
Since tomorrow was a day off, she wanted to spend the night together.
She'd been timing it just right with those glances, but Ji-hye noona beat her to the punch.
The three of us had this subtle love triangle dynamic going, like an extension of the drama.
Not a real one, but not entirely fake either—just this delicate tension.
If I went off with Ji-hye noona like this, Su-ah might actually cry.
"Tch. Fine, we'll see about that."
She left with a line straight out of a villain defeated by the hero.
"See you the day after tomorrow."
Su-ah was Ji-hye noona's senior, after all.
A big senior with 21 years in the industry.
No matter how bold Shin Ji-hye was, she couldn't touch anything outside of acting.
"Su-ah, let's head out together tonight. I'll tell Mom and meet you at the car."
"Okay!"
Ugh.
Seeing her so thrilled like that made me feel guilty instead.
What did she see in a trash guy like me?
Love is blind, they say, but Su-ah really needed to work on her taste in men.
"Mom, I'm heading back with Su-ah tonight."
"I heard. Have fun."
Mom saw me off with a smile.
She seemed to be rooting for things to work out between Su-ah and me.
If she got jealous like Su-ah, that'd be a problem, but this cheering felt weird too.
Mom was always my number one.
I got into Su-ah's car with mixed feelings.
Whether it was drinks or dinner, eating out alone together was too risky.
We decided to keep it simple at Su-ah's place.
"Hello."
"Come on in."
We stopped at a convenience store to grab booze and snacks.
For Su-ah, that plum wine from the restaurant last time should do.
Girls probably prefer something like that, right?
I'd go with canned beer.
Considering how I messed up last time when I got wasted, better avoid the hard stuff.
I picked out plum wine, canned beer, and a few microwaveable snacks.
"Checking out."
The clerk, glued to his phone, looked up at my voice.
"Huh? Sun-ha, isn't it?"
It was a familiar face.
Sun-ha, the high school senior who'd worked at the broadcast station set.
Kim Sun-ha, who'd sworn to be my number one fan.
What a coincidence.
She couldn't have been staking out this store expecting me, right?
But Sun-ha seemed even more shocked than me.
And not in a happy way.
"No, wrong person."
She looked mortified, pulled her cap lower, and bowed her head.
Huh?
"It's Sun-ha, right? I wondered why I hadn't seen you at the set lately. Changed jobs?"
"I said it's not me!"
She snapped when I tried to play it friendly again.
I was left speechless, like I'd swallowed honey.
"...Sorry. Let me ring you up."
I didn't know why, but she clearly didn't want anything to do with me.
She scanned the items mechanically.
...It kinda hurt.
Even though no one was watching.
Something must've happened, but getting shut down like this left no room to ask.
She'd talked about starting a fan club, swore she'd never jump ship...
"Have a good night."
"...Thanks."
I mumbled a response and headed out.
I made it to the door but couldn't bring myself to leave.
What was this?
Why did it bother me so much?
Lately, everything—work, relationships—had been going great.
Maybe that's why even something this small hit hard.
I liked Sun-ha fine, but nothing special there.
Not family, not work-related.
Just fan and celebrity. Brother-sister vibes at best.
Turn around and walk away—that's all it was.
So why was I dwelling on it?
Weird.
I had to at least hear her out.
"Ah."
I turned back, but she was gone from the register.
Probably ducked into the staff room in the back.
Avoiding me?
"..."
I had no choice but to leave.
"Sun-hu, everything okay?"
"Huh? Yeah?"
On the way back to her apartment.
Su-ah noticed me driving in silence and asked.
My mood was definitely down.
Even I could feel it was weird.
"If something's bothering you, drown it in booze and shake it off!"
"...Maybe."
While I was down, Su-ah was super hyped.
No mystery why.
Hah.
Here I was with someone who adored me, thinking about another girl.
I really was hopeless.
Not that there was anything between Sun-ha and me...
No, forget Sun-ha for now.
I could talk to her later.
"Um, uh, Sun-hu."
"Yeah?"
Su-ah hesitated before calling me.
This felt ominous.
Why the waffling?
"That."
"Yeah."
"...You know, from last time."
"Last time?"
"The... condoms."
"..."
Ugh.
Here it comes.
"We could use them tonight, but, ah! If you're tired, we don't have to! I'm not saying we have to!"
Su-ah babbled incoherently.
She probably didn't even know what she was saying.
"Su-ah."
I stopped at a red light and leaned over to the passenger seat.
I kissed her lips.
Gently, sweetly.
Tailored for a newbie like Su-ah.
"Mmm..."
A short kiss, then pulled back.
Su-ah's face flushed crimson as she bowed her head.
"Thanks, Su-ah. Looking forward to tonight."
"Y-yeah..."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
I reached out and took her slender hand.
Trembling from nerves.
I could almost feel her heartbeat racing through to me.
So Su-ah ends up giving her body and heart to a guy like me...
At least, I'd make her first time one she'd never regret.
I went home first for a shower, then we'd meet up.
Time for me to clean up, and give her space too.
We'd both been out shooting all day.
I could've skipped it for some rustic charm, but not for her first time.
Every little thing mattered.
I showered and headed to Su-ah's.
In comfy pajamas, none of that sharp edge from earlier lingered.
Her being so relaxed around me meant a lot. She was opening up.
"Cheers!"
We set out the convenience store haul.
Plum wine for her, canned beer for me.
Simple, but enough.
Tonight's main course was something else.
"Great work on the shoot, Sun-hu."
"You too, Su-ah."
"And congrats on the audition and debut."
Come to think of it, I hadn't properly celebrated with her.
Right after the audition, filming started.
That night at home was with family... ahem.
She'd helped me the most during the audition.
Then I got too busy and forgot.
"Thanks. I couldn't have done it without you."
"Nah, it was your talent."
Prepare and seize opportunity, right?
I might've been ready, but I wasn't looking to grab it.
"If you hadn't pushed me then, I'd have let that chance slip."
I refilled her glass and thanked her again.
She smiled humbly.
"I'm more grateful to you. Without you, this drama would've flopped, and I'd be just another forgotten actress."
"That's your skill. Just bad luck with projects till now."
This time, that drunkard Joo Jeong-hwan nearly ruined it, but Su-ah's acting was 120 out of 100.
Not just her—Ji-hye, Mom, me too.
Even the supporting cast was flawless.
What kind of reception would this get?
Having cleared the hurdle, excitement outweighed worry now.
"Su-ah, let's make this one a huge hit."
"Yes!"
We shared drinks in high spirits.
A bit of food, a bit of booze, good talk.
Su-ah was straight-laced, and we clicked on acting topics.
A pleasant night.
Suddenly, she asked.
"Sun-hu, why do you only pour half glasses?"
"The drinks?"
Yeah, her glass was only half full from my last pour.
"Oh, sorry. Wasn't intentional."
"No, just curious. Any meaning behind it?"
"Not really deep. Subconsciously... didn't want you drinking too much?"
Su-ah smiled softly and shared.
"My parents were theater actors. Not all in that world, but their generation partied with booze every day, money or no."
Her folks were from way back.
No entertainment then, probably.
"They met at a drinking party. Mom fell for Dad always pouring just half glasses."
"Huh?"
Fell for that?
I'd done it unconsciously too, but it sounded odd.
"Other guys forced drinks to get a shot. Dad only cared about Mom, so he held back."
"Ah."
Made sense hearing it that way.
But probably not the main reason.
Her parents must've been a hot couple, seeing Su-ah.
Just one spark among many.
"Mom said, 'Beware guys who pour a lot. The ones who pour little really care about you.'"
Like that...?
I had been thinking of her, sure.
But not that profoundly.
"Didn't get it till I was an adult. At work drinks, every guy tried to get me wasted."
Not all had bad intentions, but that's how she felt.
Especially hearing it from her parents young.
"Then you poured halves even then."
"Me?"
First time we met, with Mom?
Had I?
"Mom was there too..."
"No impure motives, right?"
"Well... yeah."
Back then, I had no business having impure thoughts about Su-ah.
My dirty mind was all on Mom.
Su-ah was more like an obstacle...
Just 'Don't want to drag her drunk ass home.'
Naturally poured less.
And it landed as a good guy image. Go figure.
"Might be natural for you, but first time for me. Understood why Mom fell for Dad."
"Su-ah..."
"Woke up hungover next day thinking, 'Gotta lock this guy down.' Got dumped anyway."
She shrugged with a laugh, but couldn't hide the loneliness.
Ugh.
Who the hell?
Dumping a gem like Su-ah.
That great, huh?
"Sorry."
"Why you? I should be sorry for putting you in a spot."
Su-ah propped her chin, smiling seductively tonight more than ever.