Chapter 64
Chapter 64
It’s Really Bothering Me
“Ah, I wanted to go to the beach too.”
“You seem to be mistaken. We’re going there to work, you know?”
“Still, if there’s time left over, we could rest a little, couldn’t we?”
For a show like ‘Welcome to the Guest House’ that films abroad, it was up to the celebrity’s discretion whether to bring their manager along.
Yu Yeon-seo was leaving everyone behind. With so many production staff members, a medical team, and even a local guide, was there really a need to bring a manager?
“Everyone else is going without their managers. Are you going to be the only one following me?”
“I guess so.”
I’ve never even been to a resort… Lee Tae-gyeom licked his lips in disappointment. Seeing him harbor such futile dreams, I must have gotten too soft on him. Yu Yeon-seo resolved to think about how to work Lee Tae-gyeom to the bone when he returned.
“Young Master, are you sure I don’t need to go either?”
“Just take a vacation while I’m gone.”
Im Seung-hyeon also got a vacation out of this. In any case, there wouldn’t be much for him to do over there.
“Young Master, you’re not planning on doing everything the production crew tells you to, are you?”
“Me?”
Yu Yeon-seo smirked. For acting, maybe, but for a variety show? Why would he need to? The production crew was the one in a bind, anyway. He’d heard that production funding had more than doubled since he joined, so it would be fine to act a little selfishly.
Im Seung-hyeon had probably guessed Yu Yeon-seo’s thoughts and asked the question.
“Wouldn’t it be more entertaining for them if I do something unexpected?”
“I see.”
Im Seung-hyeon smiled meaningfully.
“I will find a way to assist you, even if I am not there.”
Yu Yeon-seo didn’t stop him. Honestly, it was convenient to have someone take care of everything behind the scenes.
And this was the result.
While the cast, exhausted from the previous day, was sleeping in, a truck pulled up in front of the guest house.
“...Didn’t you hear something outside?”
Two locals got out of the truck’s driver seat and began neatly stacking items in front of the guest house. The production crew, who had been sleeping in nearby accommodations, gathered one by one. The cast members, now awake, did the same.
“What is all this?”
“Ah, it’s here.”
While everyone stood there staring blankly at the pile of goods in front of the guest house, Yu Yeon-seo, who had been at the back, gently pushed past Kim I-jun’s shoulder and walked toward the items.
“Here are the items you requested.”
“You brought them. Thank you.”
“Not at all. If you’re satisfied, could you put in a good word for us with the higher-ups?”
“Of course.”
Yu Yeon-seo inspected the items and nodded in satisfaction. They had brought more than he had instructed.
Park Seung-hwan, who was right behind him, asked.
“Hey, Yeon-seo. What is all this?”
“The things we couldn’t get yesterday.”
“How did you...?”
“There are ways.”
A slow smile spread across the faces of the cast members, who had been dazed from sleep. ‘Young Master’ Yu Yeon-seo had done something!
The person Yu Yeon-seo had texted yesterday was, of course, Im Seung-hyeon.
(Me) Is it possible?
(Im Seung-hyeon) I will have it delivered by 9 AM tomorrow.
Im Seung-hyeon had already finished his research on the island Yu Yeon-seo was visiting. As it turned out, one of the construction companies developing the area had ties to Juseong Group, and he had procured the goods through them.
‘His influence is greater than I thought.’
Judging by the way they even asked him to put in a good word… Yu Yeon-seo was struck anew by the power of his background.
“Let’s get this inside before they take it away.”
“Yes, sir.”
At Park Seung-hwan’s direction, the cast members naturally started carrying the items into the guest house. PD Lee let out a hollow laugh.
“Yeon-seo, I told you using personal funds wasn’t allowed.”
“But this is a gift.”
“What?”
“I didn’t use my own money. I received it as a gift.”
Yu Yeon-seo gestured with his chin toward the locals who had brought the items. They waved brightly and said in English, “Gift! Gift!”
PD Lee let out another hollow laugh. A quick glance revealed that some of the items weren’t even sold on this island but on the mainland. With this much, they could open for business without any of the things they had shopped for yesterday.
“Where in the world did all this come from...?”
“It just worked out. With one phone call.”
Watching Yu Yeon-seo shamelessly wave his phone, PD Lee nearly clutched the back of his neck. No wonder CEO Han Jun-o had warned him to ‘watch out for that kid’… He shouldn’t have taken those words so lightly.
PD Lee looked at Yu Yeon-seo, his eyebrows drooping in a troubled expression. The look was so similar to CEO Han’s that Yu Yeon-seo burst out laughing.
“Yeon-seo…”
“Didn’t you say you’d let me off the hook once?”
He had expected him to ask for something trivial, like a day-off pass or an exemption from labor. After all, in the pre-interview, Yu Yeon-seo had seemed completely devoid of any life skills.
But he never imagined he would use it for this. Seeing him completely upend the show’s plans, PD Lee sighed.
“So, are you going to take all this away?”
“You can’t do that. PD-nim, I’m disappointed.”
Jin Su-ho sidled up and added a word. Coming from Jin Su-ho, the epitome of an upright man who couldn’t say a harsh word to anyone, the other cast members also came forward to protest.
“Hah… Just this once.”
“Okay.”
PD Lee had been feeling guilty about setting the budget too low anyway, and Yu Yeon-seo probably wouldn’t completely ruin the production team’s plans. Probably.
“Instead, since you have all the items for the opening, let’s open for business tomorrow. Does everyone agree?”
“Yes!”
The cast cheered excitedly, and the crew bustled around, preparing for the guest house’s early opening. The cast members lightly patted Yu Yeon-seo’s back, whispering that he did a good job.
Yu Yeon-seo didn’t unfold his arms. Was it just his imagination, or did he look quite arrogant? PD Lee let out a deep sigh.
“So we don’t have to go out and buy anything?”
“That’s right.”
“Then we can play today, right?”
Park Seung-hwan pointed at the ocean stretching out before them. For someone who didn’t look like he enjoyed physical activities, he seemed to really like them.
‘…We didn’t get to have much fun yesterday.’
Yu Yeon-seo also stared at the sea, momentarily mesmerized. Even though they were filming, this was the first real vacation he’d had in this body.
‘But why do I feel so unimpressed?’
For Kang Jin-hu of the year 2207, the white sandy beach and clear sea under the warm sun were a first, but thanks to the memory sync, it didn’t feel all that new.
“Just a moment, before you go… please give the guest house a name.”
“A name? Does anyone have any ideas?”
“I’m really terrible at naming things…”
“How about our Yeon-seo names it?”
‘Our Yeon-seo’… The sudden, drastic change in address made Yu Yeon-seo chuckle. It was better than being treated like a nuisance during the pre-meeting…
He looked at the people filled with anticipation and spoke without much thought.
“Let’s just call it… ‘Oneul.’ The Korean pronunciation, not the English word.”
“Oneul? That’s nice.”
“I like it too.”
Choi Jun-yeong, the self-proclaimed master calligrapher, wrote the guest house’s name on a wooden sign. Then he hung the sign in front of the entrance.
“Now it really feels like our place.”
“Let’s work hard starting tomorrow. Today, we play.”
“But don’t you think PD Lee has another trick up his sleeve?”
At Kim I-jun’s words, everyone glanced at PD Lee’s back.
“No way…”
Only Yu Yeon-seo stood with his arms crossed, perfectly at ease. Well, he’d probably give them a meager amount of money to buy ingredients for breakfast again.
PD Lee suddenly felt a shiver run down his arm and whipped around. His eyes met Yu Yeon-seo’s.
Yu Yeon-seo was grinning, waving his right hand as if in greeting. Turning back to the front, PD Lee sighed. Yu Yeon-seo would probably be the cause of most of his sighs in 2019.
“Writer Seo… I think I’ve let a sly fox into the henhouse.”
“What does it matter, as long as it’s fun? Wouldn’t it be entertaining to do a special feature on you getting outsmarted by Yeon-seo?”
“You too?”
“Still, it’s better than him suddenly throwing a tantrum like the rumors said, isn’t it?”
“That… is true.”
His personality really had improved. He’d been relieved about that, but in a different way, the kid was still making his heart pound.
Everyone seemed determined to have a proper vacation, changing into swimsuits and heading into the ocean. Lee Yun-jeong even brought an inner tube and floated on the water.
Since they were going in the water, they weren’t wearing their lavalier mics. Yu Yeon-seo took this opportunity to sidle up to Kim I-jun.
“Hey, Kim I-jun.”
Kim I-jun flinched, as he had just splashed water on Yu Yeon-seo.
“What. If you’re mad, you can splash me back.”
“No, that’s not it… I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?”
Now that he was face to face with Kim I-jun, Yu Yeon-seo scratched the back of his head. How should he put this?
“Back when I was living in the dorm with you guys… was there anything strange?”
“Strange?”
After learning that his original body saw hallucinations of Lee Hui-seo, Yu Yeon-seo found his own image in the memory sync to be dissonant.
[Hey, get rid of that thing.]
[I said get rid of it!]
He would suddenly fly into a rage and throw things. At the time, he had just thought his original self was a considerable psycho… but could there have been another reason?
“Why are you asking about that now?”
“Just answer the question if I ask.”
“Well… since we got all that stuff thanks to you…”
Kim I-jun muttered to himself, then furrowed his brow as he tried to recall the past.
“I don’t know… I don’t think there was anything particularly strange.”
“Are you a goldfish? You can’t even remember something from just seven or eight years ago? Think harder.”
“I’m not a genius young master like you, you know.”
Why is he asking about this? he wondered, but he knew the Yu Yeon-seo he was familiar with wouldn’t give him the details. He’d just persistently follow him around and be a nuisance until he got an answer, so it was better to just tell him and get him off his back.
“Do you sleep well on your own these days?”
“What are you talking about?”
“We were stuck at the company because we hadn’t finished our vocal practice, and you waited for us because you hated being in the dorm alone.”
Yu Yeon-seo’s face scrunched into a deep frown.
“I did?”
“Well… you didn’t say it directly, but it was written all over your face.”
“How would you know if I didn’t say it?”
“Back then, Yu-chan hyung noticed and said, ‘Isn’t he scared of being alone?’ You know how incredibly perceptive Yu-chan hyung is, right?”
Yoon Yu-chan was the leader of One Seven and the same age as Lee Han-gyeol.
“Then it’s not true.”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it’s not.”
Yu Yeon-seo didn’t smooth out the frown on his forehead. Even though it wasn’t his own action, his pride was hurt. Seeing this, Kim I-jun chuckled.
“And… the sudden fits of rage?”
“…”
“That was just a daily thing for you.”
“Was it?”
It was common enough to be a daily occurrence? If so…
‘What if the theory is that he genuinely went crazy and had a seizure every time he saw the hallucination?’
It was plausible. There were memories of him staring into empty space even when he was young and in his school uniform. The thought he had been trying to ignore was now becoming a reality, and a sense of frustration welled up inside him.
“But seriously, why are you asking?”
“It’s nothing.”
Kim I-jun kept asking, but seeing him clam up, he finally gave up.
“What secret are you two talking about?”
“Come play with us!”
Kim I-jun excitedly ran toward them, leaving Yu Yeon-seo behind. He alternately looked up at the clear sky and the clear sea, then sighed.
‘Why did I come all this way to…’
Dig up the past? This was the kind of resort under a clear sky he had always dreamed of back in 2207.
‘It’s really bothering me.’
No matter how hard he tried not to care, his heart couldn’t help but be swayed. It seemed the influence of his original body was significant.
He should have never started the memory sync in the first place… He ran a hand roughly through his hair and shook his head from side to side.