Chapter 89
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Chaos on the Set
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On the set,
after leaving Mom's waiting room, I went around greeting the other actors, the director, and the writer.
Was it because Seung-hee's impact had been so huge?
Even seeing actors I'd only watched on screen didn't feel all that special.
Some seemed a bit uncomfortable... but most treated me well enough.
I got a fresh sense of just how immense Mom's influence was.
The moment I said I was actress Im Shin-hye's son, people's attitudes shifted completely.
This was Mom's home turf, after all, so that made it even more so.
"It's all just people doing their jobs anyway. No need to overthink it, whether they're actors or staff."
Just like Soo-ah said, actors and crew were all the same people.
There was no need to be scared or tense around them.
On the set, tons of staff were hustling around busily.
Hauling stuff, setting things up.
They were fully focused on prepping for the shoot.
I was basically just a spectator there.
Watching everyone else work while I stood around made my body itch to do something.
"No need for you to jump in, Sun-hu. If you break something, you might have to pay for it. And if you get hurt, that's even worse."
As I scanned around for anything I could help with, Soo-ah spoke up.
She had a point.
An outsider butting in might just annoy them.
Best to leave it to the pros.
Still, I couldn't just ignore a staffer struggling to carry a box bigger than himself.
Plus, I had a bad feeling about it.
"Ah. Thanks."
"No problem. Where to?"
"Over there..."
I quickly hauled the box over and returned to Soo-ah's side.
Her vibe felt kinda chilly.
"...Sun-hu. Were you trying to look good in front of that young kid?"
"Huh?"
The staffer did look like a young part-timer, but that wasn't why.
"I dunno."
Soo-ah turned her head away.
Damn. I'd come to look after her, but ended up hurting her feelings instead.
"Sorry, Soo-ah. I won't butt in anymore."
She'd even warned me not to get involved out of concern.
If I'd messed up trying to help, it could've put everyone else in a tough spot.
And that might've splashed back on Soo-ah, who'd brought me here.
"...No, my bad. Sorry, Sun-hu."
She ended up apologizing instead.
"Ah, no. It was my fault."
"You two lovebirds."
Some guy's voice cut in.
"You dating or what? Come to the set for a date?"
"Jung-hwan, what kinda talk is that?"
It was Joo Jung-hwan, the lead actor playing the male protagonist.
What the hell? Hidden camera?
Someone openly picking a fight like this?
"Save the romance for home. Don't ruin the set's vibe."
"Who's ruining the vibe here?"
Whoa. What was this?
For real? Not acting?
"Sorry. We'll be careful. Soo-ah, drop it."
I bowed my head, and Joo Jung-hwan clicked his tongue and walked off.
"He's just like that for no reason. Takes it out on others when his acting flops. We're doing reshoots today 'cause of him, actually."
"Yeah..."
Awkward. Felt like he'd targeted me.
He'd seemed uncomfortable when I greeted people earlier too.
"You okay, Sun-hu? Feeling uneasy or anything off?"
"I'm good. Not bothered at all."
Why?
Even with him showing outright malice, my mind stayed calm.
Hmm. 'Cause he didn't feel like much of a threat?
"Anyway, try not to stand out. Don't want any splash damage."
"Got it. I'll be careful."
I could just stay low-key, but Soo-ah had to act with him, so she couldn't.
Made sense why she was venting about his attitude.
Having to deal with that edge every shoot must be a headache.
Especially from the lead actor.
"Alright, I'm off to shoot. Watch from there, Sun-hu."
"Yeah. Knock 'em dead."
Soo-ah waved with a smile as she headed into the set, looking like a painting come to life.
Born actress, for sure.
I figured I'd hide in some corner and watch.
Soo-ah in the middle of shooting was on another level from practice—glamorous as hell.
A proper rich housewife.
Even in a home scene, she was decked out in sparkling jewels and designer clothes.
Her co-star Joo Jung-hwan was the same.
Designer suit, watch, tie.
Personality aside, he looked sharp on camera.
"Honey. We need to talk."
"Talk? About what?"
Oh. It was the scene we'd practiced earlier.
Cool to watch the exact scene I'd rehearsed get filmed live.
"A call from Soo-jung's teacher at school. She says Soo-jung's not focusing in class, acting out with classmates. Asked if there's family trouble."
"Soo-jung?"
Hmm. So that's what it was about.
Watching Seung-hee's acting earlier made it click.
But had Dad Hwang Jin-woo's affair spread to his daughter's friends too?
Kids these days are scary.
"Handle that yourself. Do I have to worry about every little thing?"
Hmm?
What?
Something felt off.
The shoot went smoothly.
...Smoothly?
No major NGs, but they shot the same scene four times before the OK.
Soo-ah checked her acting on the camera monitor for a bit, then came back to me.
"Whew."
"Good work, Soo-ah."
She sank into her chair without a word.
Looked kinda drained.
"Actual filming's no joke. Shooting the same scene over and over even without NGs."
"Director wasn't satisfied. Me neither."
"Ah."
I got it.
Joo Jung-hwan's acting... was off.
Hard to pin down.
Like his heart wasn't in it?
Soo-ah's words about him not focusing popped into my head.
Hmm. So that's it.
Fine for an extra, but not for the top male lead.
"Worried if we'll wrap on time today."
With Soo-ah's concern hanging, the shoot continued.
Joo Jung-hwan acted with the dad, Mom, and daughter in turn.
Made sense as the lead—tons of screen time.
He was in almost every shot, and every one was a hassle.
"His backlog's piling up the schedule. Skipped out once before too."
"No-showed?"
Whoa. That okay?
Now I was worried about the drama itself, not just the acting.
Too late to swap leads now.
"Guess I'm out of luck this time too. Came ready for it to be my last shot."
Soo-ah gave a hollow laugh.
Come to think of it, she'd been in a long slump, aiming for a comeback.
Not her fault, but failing over external crap? How unfair.
Glancing around, Joo Jung-hwan was talking with the director.
Why wasn't he focusing?
His past work wasn't that bad.
Personal issues?
Ah. Eye contact.
While staring his way lost in thought, he turned and our eyes met.
He glared right at me.
What? Me again?
What'd I do?
Just do your damn job.
Annoyed at his misplaced anger, I glared back.
Shit. Why was I stooping?
No good starting trouble.
Too late to regret—Joo Jung-hwan stormed over, huffing.
"What're you staring at? Sightseeing?"
What a thug.
Actor picking fights with civilians like this?
"Jung-hwan. Why act so immature?"
Soo-ah jumped in.
I felt wronged but didn't want to escalate.
Messing up would hurt Soo-ah and Mom too.
"Sorry. I'll be careful."
"Ha. Pathetic. Hiding behind a girl."
"Jung-hwan!"
Even after I apologized, he kept at it.
Now insulting Soo-ah too.
She was his senior as an actor.
What the hell? What did he want?
Why pick a fight here?
Causing a scene like this hurts him too, right?
No clue what was going through this guy's head.
"Jung-hwan. Why yell? What'd my son do?"
Mom showed up hearing the commotion.
Surely he wouldn't mouth off to Im Shin-hye.
Or so I thought.
"Senior. This ain't a playground. Bringing your kid to a set? Showing him celebrities?"
"What?"
No way—he snapped at Mom too.
"Am I wrong? Is the set a daycare?"
"You little—!"
Mom grabbed his collar and reared back her right arm.
"No! Sun-hu!"
Soo-ah clung to my arm to stop me.
"Oh yeah? Hit me. Go on, punk."
Joo Jung-hwan egged me on with a gross grin.
If this was acting, he'd win best actor.
Use that skill on camera instead.
In the chaos,
a paper cup full of coffee suddenly flew at Joo Jung-hwan's head.
"Hot!"
He yelped and jumped back, coffee splashing everywhere.
My grip on his collar slipped free.
"Eek! Sorry!"
Ah.
It was that young part-timer from set prep who'd spilled it.
"Sorry! I'll grab something to wipe it!"
"You...!"
Joo Jung-hwan tried to snap, but the kid had bolted.
"Joo Jung-hwan! What the hell?!"
A booming voice like thunder rolled across the set.
Veteran actor Kang Chang-jae.
"Fuck."
Even after yelling at Mom, he didn't dare backtalk the vet.
Shook coffee from his hair and left.
"Whew."
The blood rushing to my head eased.
What the fuck was that guy?
What was his deal?
"You held back well, Sun-hu."
"Yeah. Looked like he wanted you to swing."
Mom and Soo-ah said in unison.
Less me holding back, more stunned by the flying coffee.
But baiting me on purpose?
Why would a lead do that?
"...Mom, sorry. You too, Soo-ah. Should've handled it better."
"What son sits idle while someone talks shit to his mom? Don't sweat it."
After that, I went around apologizing to the director, crew, and other actors one by one.
Joo Jung-hwan had just up and left the set.
The coffee-spiller was really gone too.
Next day, I went to apologize despite the bullshit, but Joo Jung-hwan didn't show.
No-show.
And the day after that. And the one after.
He never came back.
Vanished completely.