Chapter 63
Chapter 63
You Owe Me One
“Writer Seo, our grand opening is in three days, right?”
“Yes.”
“Should we just dip our feet in for a bit?”
At the words of the eldest, Park Seung-hwan, Choi Jun-yeong and Kim I-jun ran toward the sea. Jin Su-ho followed leisurely behind them.
“Looking at them now, doesn’t Uncle Seung-hwan seem more like a kid?”
“He does, doesn’t he.”
From a shady spot, Yu Yeon-seo and Lee Yun-jeong watched the four men splashing around and playing in the water.
“But we all call him ‘hyung,’ why do you call him ‘uncle’?”
Since their initial meeting, the cast had met a few more times at Park Seung-hwan’s initiative and had grown quite close, addressing each other comfortably. They were all friendly people, so Yu Yeon-seo was able to blend in easily.
With the exception of Kim I-jun, they were all good connections to have. Especially Park Seung-hwan.
“I think it was five years ago, we were in a weekend drama together as a young uncle and his niece. After that, ‘Uncle’ just felt more natural.”
“Ah…”
The cameras didn’t miss a beat, capturing the two of them. Lee Yun-jeong, known for having explosive chemistry with any actor, and Yu Yeon-seo, whose looks were unparalleled even in an entertainment industry full of beautiful people. Just standing side by side, they created a heart-fluttering atmosphere, like a scene from a painting.
“You didn’t look so good earlier.”
“Ah… maybe it was motion sickness?”
She noticed? Yu Yeon-seo lied coolly. Lee Yun-jeong didn’t seem to suspect anything. It made sense they’d be tired after using every mode of transport—land, sea, and air—to get here.
“Are you always so... observant of your surroundings?”
Lee Yun-jeong gave a philosophical smile.
“I started as a child actor when I was four.”
“Yes.”
“People used to say things. ‘She’s not very childlike.’ ‘Why is this kid so mature?’”
“What kind of... ridiculous...”
“It’s funny, isn’t it?”
She had shed the label of a former child actor and established herself as a successful actress. Now, she was a star known by the entire nation, her face instantly recognizable by her name alone.
Lee Yun-jeong was 34 now, wasn’t she... which meant she’d been active for 30 years.
‘Incredible.’
Even in the memories of Kang Jin-hu from the future, Lee Yun-jeong had consistently appeared in the media and remained an active performer even in her seventies.
What would it be like to dedicate one’s entire life to acting?
“Maybe that’s why... I ended up being so conscious of the people around me. It’s a habit.”
Showing the cast’s chemistry and sharing their inner stories was the concept of ‘Welcome to the Guest House’.
A few staff members who were listening felt a pang of sympathy for Lee Yun-jeong, but Yu Yeon-seo slightly revised his assessment. The person to be most wary of was Lee Yun-jeong.
“Aren’t you going, Yun-jeong? Kim I-jun is calling for you.”
“I’m going to put on some sunscreen first. What about you?”
“I have something I need to check.”
Yu Yeon-seo turned in the opposite direction. Lee Yun-jeong glanced at his retreating back before spotting Kim I-jun approaching, trying to splash her. The distance was so great that the seawater he had carefully cupped in his hands quickly drained away. Seeing him look as bewildered as a raccoon washing cotton candy, she burst out laughing.
“Were you just trying to splash me with seawater?”
“Seung-hwan made me do it!”
“I-jun! Why would you say that!”
Beyond the commotion, there was an outdoor bar set up for Choi Jun-yeong, whose hobby was making cocktails, and in front of it was a space for a campfire.
‘There’s one here too...’
While everyone else was captivated by the sea, Yu Yeon-seo was alone, observing every nook and cranny of the guest house, searching for camera blind spots.
The production crew, having arrived earlier, had already installed cameras throughout the guest house. He glanced at a camera with an indifferent expression before heading inside.
‘None in the bathroom, of course... one in the bedroom.’
Since the bedrooms wouldn’t be used by a single person anyway, there was no guarantee of privacy.
In any case, there were enough blind spots. But it wasn’t just the cameras; the audio was also an issue... Should I check outside more thoroughly?
‘Ah, surely... it’ll be fine.’
I’m not planning on synchronizing memories while I’m here anyway.
In truth, he hadn’t seen any visions of Lee Hui-seo since the screening room incident. Wondering if he was overreacting, Yu Yeon-seo decided to join the other cast members by the sea.
“Huh?”
But something was strange.
“They’re calling for you from outside. You should go dip your feet in the water too, Yeon-seo.”
“Just after I check this.”
Yu Yeon-seo searched the house persistently. To viewers unaware of the situation, he might have seemed meticulous, earning their favor, but the production crew was on edge. He glanced back at the anxious VJ following him.
“There’s not much here, is there?”
After he opened closets and checked the bathroom, he concluded that the house was severely lacking in supplies to run a guest house. Moreover, even in the cast’s living quarters, things like blankets and pillows were missing.
“Why does it feel so... empty? Right, Producer?”
Yu Yeon-seo muttered to himself, loud enough for the production crew to hear. Producer Lee Jae-hak, sensing something was amiss, had followed him. When their eyes met, the producer flinched.
“You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”
“Well...”
Yu Yeon-seo turned his head, trying to meet the eyes of Producer Lee, who was avoiding his gaze. Writer Seo, who was watching, burst out laughing.
No wonder Lee Tae-gyeom had said not to trust the ‘broadcast station bastards.’ It seemed they had a trick up their sleeves, hidden from the cast.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to give us money to buy the missing items, but the amount will be ridiculously small, and our ability to furnish the guest house will depend on how well we can haggle. Something like that?”
“Wow... Yeon-seo, this isn’t your first time as a regular on a variety show, is it?”
“There aren’t even any towels? What are the people who went in the sea supposed to do?”
Producer Lee broke out in a sweat. Yu Yeon-seo crossed his arms and stared at him.
“Should I pretend I don’t know for now?”
“That would be great.”
Producer Lee’s expression brightened as he quickly replied. Yu Yeon-seo grinned. To the producer, it looked like the smile of a devil.
“Producer Lee, you owe me one.”
“Owe you? ...The others would have found out soon enough anyway.”
“Regardless, I figured out your plan first. So you’ll look the other way just once, no matter what I do. How about it?”
“Just once.”
Lee Tae-gyeom had called them vicious network bastards, but well... I heard Producer Lee and CEO Han were close from their university days, and their personalities seem similar.
And since CEO Han was easy enough to win over, it seemed Producer Lee could probably be handled just as well.
“Really?”
“How could you!”
The cast members protested mildly after hearing Producer Lee’s plan. Only Yu Yeon-seo, who already knew, stood with his arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. The camera didn’t fail to capture it.
“What are we supposed to do without towels?”
“I guess we’ll just dry off in the sun and get changed.”
“We’ll get sunburnt. That won’t look good on camera.”
Unlike Jin Su-ho and Lee Yun-jeong, who had only dipped their feet in, Park Seung-hwan, Choi Jun-yeong, and Kim I-jun—who had enjoyed a proper water fight—trudged into the house.
“Hello.”
Once the situation was more or less settled, Producer Lee brought in a local guide, someone who had been living on the island for two years.
“There are even some Korean expats here who are fans of One Seven.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I’ll have to ask for a photo with you all later.”
The guide seemed thrilled to be seeing in person the celebrities he’d only ever watched on screen. As they followed the guide toward the main street, Yu Yeon-seo habitually scanned his surroundings.
“The public safety here doesn’t seem that great, does it?”
“This area used to have a lot of slums, but it became a popular tourist destination, which sparked a development boom.”
“That explains it...”
Yu Yeon-seo stopped and moved to the back of the group. It was because of a stranger he kept seeing behind them.
“So, as I mentioned earlier, you have to be careful of pickpockets.”
“Aaaah!”
As the guide finished speaking, a scream rang out, causing the cast and crew to turn around. Yu Yeon-seo had a firm grip on a white man’s wrist and wasn’t letting go.
“Hey! My phone!”
And in the man’s hand was Kim I-jun’s phone. Kim I-jun hurriedly snatched his phone back and tucked it away safely. Yu Yeon-seo gave him a look as if to say he was pathetic.
“I told you to be careful, and you already got robbed.”
“Thanks. But... don’t you think you should let him go?”
The pickpocket struggled to break free from Yu Yeon-seo’s grasp, but Yu Yeon-seo remained perfectly still and calm. While his strength was a far cry from what he had in Kang Jin-hu’s body, his grip was still far too powerful for an ordinary person to handle.
“It hurts! You broke my arm! What are you going to do! You crazy Asian!”
“Next time, should I grab your neck instead of your wrist? Get lost, you bastard.”
Broke his arm? He was just playing the victim because the circulation was cut off a bit. The words came out of Yu Yeon-seo’s mouth automatically. Huh? But why do I understand this?
The guide’s eyes widened as he stared at him.
“You speak Spanish too?”
“More or less.”
I don’t really know it myself, though. Yu Yeon-seo pretended he knew what he was doing.
<The 2018 Basic Life Manual I synchronized with includes all languages, excluding those of minority language groups.>
No wonder my head hurt so much back then... Anyway, this is great. I won’t have to worry about any language barriers. Park Seung-hwan came up beside Yu Yeon-seo.
“Do you know any other languages?”
“I can handle most of them.”
“That’s a relief. Yeon-seo, you can be our interpreter.”
The cast members’ faces lit up. The local guide would only be with them for about two days; after that, they’d have to manage on their own, and it would have been difficult without a common language.
“That works out well.”
Yu Yeon-seo nodded slightly, as if it were someone else’s business.
“They say this is cheaper than the shop next door. Should we buy it?”
“Yeah, buy it.”
Yu Yeon-seo navigated the market, haggling with more skill than the guide, while the rest of the cast watched his back with pleased smiles.
“Hey! You can’t use your own money!”
“Busted.”
I thought he’d be clueless like CEO Han, but this producer is different. Yu Yeon-seo closed his wallet with a look of disappointment.
“To be honest, I was really worried right up until we left the country...”
“But he’s the one doing the best.”
“And our I-jun, let’s keep a better eye on your phone.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kim I-jun quickly tucked his tail between his legs. Looks like I’m the designated target here, too.
The nickname Yu Yeon-seo had earned from his pre-show interview was ‘Young Master.’ With an unexpected person taking the lead, a new energy filled the cast.
“There! That’s the guy!”
There was a brief incident where the pickpocket brought back a local police officer, but...
“Is there a problem?”
“...I hope you have a peaceful vacation.”
Yu Yeon-seo shut him up with a banknote he held out. As expected, you can do anything with money.
“I’m allowed to use my own money for this, right?”
Seeing him ask for permission after the fact, Producer Lee nodded as if to say he was helpless. He had just planned to ride on Yu Yeon-seo’s fame, but it seemed he had picked the wrong person to mess with.
“Wow, we walked around so much, and we still haven’t even gotten half of what we need.”
“Su-ho, how’s the budget?”
“It’s a little tight.”
“But we bought everything we need for ourselves, right?”
While everyone was lamenting their situation, it was Park Seung-hwan, as always, who took charge.
“Producer Lee, give us more money.”
“You have to solve this within the given budget. That’s the rule.”
“But you didn’t even tell us beforehand...”
Yu Yeon-seo’s haggling had been so perfect that even the guide called it relentless. It was simply that Producer Lee had calculated the budget to be just on the edge of what was possible.
“Let’s just rest for today. We still have time tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Glancing at their trudging backs as they headed to their rooms, Yu Yeon-seo sent a text message to someone.
And the next morning, they stood with their mouths agape at an unexpected sight.
“What is all this?”
Seeing the dumbfounded Producer Lee, Writer Seo crossed out the phrase ‘Young Master’ on her script. And above it, she wrote in small letters: Above the running PD, there is a flying Yu Yeon-seo.