Chapter 93
Chapter 93
Demon (4)
“Yes.”
On the day he was confirmed for the role of Kim Leo in Demon, Seo Ha-jun nodded at his manager’s words.
He had been a trainee since he was eight. At first, he was even considered one of the aces at one of the top three agencies. But after being cut from the debut lineup and bouncing between several agencies, he barely managed to debut at the age of twenty.
The group he debuted in after such a struggle, ‘Envy,’ was labeled an export-oriented idol group. Of course, that didn’t mean they were poor. His bank account was flush with profits from overseas album sales and tours.
-Who’s the lead in Demon?
└The lead is Yu Yeon-seo. Who is Seo Ha-jun? Never heard of him.
└└He’s an idol. Seems he’s famous overseas.
└Well, the distribution rights will sell well, lol.
└Wonder if international fans will buy the Blu-ray?
└└Nah, Blu-rays are mostly domestic sales, maybe Japan at best?
└Hong Min-a is famous. She’s the queen of the indie film scene, yeah.
But Seo Ha-jun always thirsted for recognition in his home country. Even his close relatives had initially said, “Envy? What’s that?” and his name was only ever mentioned in a few small idol communities. He was desperate for the kind of recognition that would allow his family to proudly say, “That’s my son, my brother, on TV.”
I heard you’re in Yu Yeon-seo’s drama?
Yu Yeon-seo? That’s huge, congratulations.
Wow, freaking Yu Yeon-seo’s drama?? The ratings are guaranteed. Congrats, congrats.
Of course, even the news of his first leading role in a drama was inseparable from Yu Yeon-seo’s name, but he was actually fine with it. To him, Demon was an opportunity. He was filled with the determination to make his own name known through this chance.
“Especially Yu Yeon-seo. You have to make a good impression on him. You know full well who this drama is being made for, right?”
“Yes.”
“You saw how Lee Han-gyeol blew up, right? He’s doing really well these days. I heard a rumor that Yu Yeon-seo connected him with investors. They were even photographed having a meal together with a big shot from the film industry.”
Seo Ha-jun silently nodded at his manager’s earnest advice.
He knew by now that personal effort was no longer the sole measure of popularity. Luck and connections were always a plus. He had belatedly learned that he was dropped from the major agency’s debut group because he was pushed out by a trainee who had connections at a broadcasting station.
‘But how am I supposed to get close to him?’
He had attended middle school, but his attendance was a mess due to his trainee life, and he had passed high school with a qualification exam. As someone who only ever went back and forth between home and the company, his only friends were former trainees or members of other groups who debuted around the same time.
‘First, I just need to make sure I don’t seem rude.’
Seeing him in person for the first time, Yu Yeon-seo was just as the rumors described. A presence that matched his unparalleled looks. Everyone at the script reading was focused on him.
“You’re Kim Leo?”
“Hello, sunbae-nim. My name is Seo Ha-jun.”
“Right. Let’s work well together.”
He didn’t even introduce himself. It was a confidence that seemed to say, ‘You know who I am without me having to tell you, right?’
If Seo Ha-jun had to sum up the Yu Yeon-seo he’d experienced firsthand in one phrase…
‘He has it all.’
That was it. The rumors about him had been quite vicious, but that was all in the past now. And honestly, he had the kind of background that would let him get away with acting just like the rumors said. In a country jokingly called the ‘Republic of Juseong,’ a third-generation chaebol heir was someone nobody could afford to ignore, right?
‘Why would someone like that bother with acting when he has so much?’
He felt a mix of envy and wonder.
“Okay, cut!”
It was also surprising how different he was on and off camera. In the scene where Father Raphael agonized over the people he couldn’t save in Africa, his eyes were glistening with moisture.
“Yeon-seo, that felt great!”
At the director’s shout, Yu Yeon-seo casually wiped away a tear rolling down his cheek and walked over to the monitor. His expression hadn’t changed, but you could feel a distinct shift in his aura.
‘How does he change so quickly?’
The Yu Yeon-seo on camera had clearly melted into the character of Raphael, yet the time it took him to immerse himself and then pull himself out was extremely short.
‘That must have taken a lot of effort to be able to do that.’
Just two years ago, he was famous for his terrible acting. Feeling his skill firsthand now, it made one wonder just how hard he must have worked. A sense of awe washed over him, along with a tinge of envy. He had so much, yet he also had the talent to back it up with hard work.
“Cut! Hold on, Ha-jun.”
“Yes.”
In contrast, he could count on one hand the number of scenes he had finished in a single take. The director encouraged him, saying he was doing really well for his first lead role, but Seo Ha-jun himself felt acutely aware of his shortcomings.
‘I want to be as good as him.’
How could he become like that man? Though Seo Ha-jun himself hadn’t noticed, he found himself constantly watching Yu Yeon-seo’s back.
“Being an idol was so easy.”
And at that deliberately provocative and obnoxious response, Seo Ha-jun felt a surge of anger.
‘I’m… a little pissed.’
He had only ever felt envious of Yu Yeon-seo, drawing a line that they were born different, so he hadn’t really felt an explosion of inferiority. But hearing something like that so blatantly made him angry.
“H-Hey, Yeon-seo. It’s not easy at all.”
“Why not? It’s not like I said anything wrong.”
Hong Min-a, not sensing Yu Yeon-seo’s intention, glanced at Seo Ha-jun and tried to smooth things over. Just then, the assistant director called for them to resume filming.
“Ah, was that hard for you to hear, Ha-jun?”
“…No, sir.”
“Sorry, but some things just can’t be helped, right?”
Yu Yeon-seo smirked, seeing Seo Ha-jun take the bait. In his eyes, Seo Ha-jun had quite a bit of talent. He just seemed to be holding back for some reason, unable to unleash his full potential. The proof was that he didn’t get overshadowed when acting with Ryu Chang-hoon, who played Father Peter.
‘But whenever he’s with me, he seems to get nervous…’
If anything, Ryu Chang-hoon had far more experience than Yu Yeon-seo. Yet, strangely, their chemistry was off.
Is this all because I’m so great? Yu Yeon-seo thought idly as he handed the script in his hand to Lee Tae-gyeom.
“You can do this, right?”
“…Yes.”
It’s working well. I can see him gritting his teeth.
The scene Yu Yeon-seo and Seo Ha-jun were about to film was the first time the two priests raised their voices and argued.
A student who was being bullied decides to take their own life. But a member of the Black Night Cult witnesses this and instigates the student into performing a demonic ritual. Possessed by a demon, the student begins to secretly take revenge on their bullies.
However, as a side effect of the ritual, the student is on the verge of spontaneous combustion. The two priests deliberate over how to handle the student.
“I mean, if we perform the exorcism in secret, how would the Vatican ever find out?”
“That’s not the protocol. You know why these rules were established, Father Leo.”
Kim Leo approaches menacingly, but Raphael doesn’t back down and retorts.
“It can’t be helped.”
Kim Leo—no, Seo Ha-jun—flinches.
[Sorry, but some things just can’t be helped, right?]
At that moment, he had been a little angry, so he hadn’t had time to think about the out-of-context remark. But thinking about it now… Seo Ha-jun’s gaze changed. He channeled the anger he felt when he heard Yu Yeon-seo’s words into his lines.
“Even if it can’t be helped, I’m going to do it.”
“Father Leo.”
Gritting his teeth, Kim Leo clenched his fists. He took a deep breath and pointed at the student tied to the bed.
“So you’re saying we should just sit on our hands and wait for the Vatican’s permission while this kid is dying?”
He spat out the words. Father Raphael’s eyes wavered. Even as he said it, he knew it didn’t make sense. But rules were rules.
Seeing Raphael’s conflict, Kim Leo delivered the final blow.
“Just let the kid burn to death? Is that what you want, Father?”
“…”
“We have to save the kid to even have a chance to find out how that weird cult tricked him.”
Should he prioritize the life before him? Or break the rules he had so carefully followed until now? It didn’t take long to make a decision.
“…Fine.”
He couldn’t just leave the poor child like this, nor could he leave Kim Leo, who didn’t know the proper exorcism rites, to his own devices. Father Raphael ran a hand through his hair and let out a deep sigh. Kim Leo grinned broadly.
‘Hoh…’
Director Choi’s eyes lit up as he watched Seo Ha-jun’s expression change.
“Cut, okay!”
At the director’s shout, Seo Ha-jun blinked in surprise.
‘Ah… I was acting.’
A moment of immersion. It was the first time he had finished a scene with Yu Yeon-seo in a single take.
“Let’s go check the monitor.”
“Ah, yes.”
Yu Yeon-seo patted Seo Ha-jun on the shoulder and smiled. It was as if to say, ‘See? You’re good when you try.’
Seo Ha-jun stared blankly at his back for a moment before joining him at the monitor a beat later.
“Wow, the tension is great.”
Director Choi clapped a few times. Two handsome men in neat clerical clothing, facing off against each other. It was a scene no one could fail to react to. The director’s mood lifted at the thought of using it for the trailer.
“Ha-jun, your gaze is good. Just keep it up like this for the next scene.”
“Yes.”
After replying, Seo Ha-jun approached Yu Yeon-seo, who was standing a little way off.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For what you did earlier. You were helping me, weren’t you?”
Seo Ha-jun bowed his head deeply.
‘This is why I like quick-witted kids…’
Looking at the top of his head, Yu Yeon-seo clicked his tongue.
‘Well, I don’t mind.’
The thought that acting would be easier from now on put his mind at ease.
“You can speak casually. Call me hyung.”
“Uh…”
“What, is it uncomfortable?”
“No!”
“Follow me. Let’s run lines.”
Seo Ha-jun trotted after Yu Yeon-seo. Director Choi, who was watching, let his jaw drop.
‘Amazing, simply amazing.’
Was this really that brat Yu Yeon-seo? Director Choi found it hard to reconcile the Yu Yeon-seo from The Doll with the one before him now.
Normally, the director should have been the one to guide Seo Ha-jun. But no matter how he directed him, it wasn’t enough. They had to shoot the next scene immediately, so there was no time, and the actor seemed so intimidated by Yu Yeon-seo himself that he didn’t know where to even begin.
‘I never thought I’d see the qualities of a senior actor in Yu Yeon-seo.’
For Yu Yeon-seo, who was famous for being immature on set, to not only come up with a perfect character interpretation that required no direction but also to elevate his co-star’s performance…
“That might not be Yu Yeon-seo.”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Maybe something happened when he got into that car accident? What if he swapped souls with the person who caused the accident?”
“Yes, yes, Director. We need to move to the next location.”
The assistant director was just as surprised, but he brushed it off, as this wasn’t the first time the director had said something like this.
“Is that it?”
“It’s perfect.”
“But don’t we need to light it?”
“Oh, right! Does anyone have a lighter?”
Im Seung-hyeon appeared from somewhere and handed over a lighter.
“Here you go.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Seo Ha-jun took it without thinking and was about to light the candle when he saw Im Seung-hyeon’s back and tilted his head. He looked familiar…
‘Where did everyone go?’
Meanwhile, Yu Yeon-seo, left alone on the set, frowned. What, is this that workplace ostracism thing? Just as he was thinking that, the lights on the set went out with a click.
“What the.”
“Happy birthday to you!”
Actors and staff appeared from nowhere, surrounding Yu Yeon-seo and singing the birthday song.
“What are you doing, hyung? Hurry up and blow them out.”
At Seo Ha-jun’s words, Yu Yeon-seo snapped to his senses and blew out the candles on the cake. People cheered.
“Alright! Let’s hear a few words from the birthday boy!”
One of the staff members shouted loudly. Seeing a separate camera filming, it was clear this was a planned event meant for a behind-the-scenes video.
“Ah, it’s my birthday.”
The crowd, which had been anticipating what Yu Yeon-seo would say, booed.
“What kind of speech is that?”
“We worked so hard to keep it a secret!”
“What’s wrong with you, did you forget your own birthday?”
At Hong Min-a’s chiding, Yu Yeon-seo pouted as if wronged.
‘No, I really didn’t know.’
He even wondered why he himself hadn’t known. Especially since his narcissistic home passcode was 0821… Yu Yeon-seo scratched the back of his head and spoke softly.
“Anyway, thank you for the congratulations. This is the first time I’ve received something like this.”
“He’s getting embarrassed!”
“Feels good, right?”
The others, sensing an opportunity, teased him loudly. Unaccustomed to this kind of atmosphere, Yu Yeon-seo pursed his lips into a sulk. But this situation didn’t last long. There was other good news.
“Everyone, Yeon-seo’s family sent something else to celebrate his birthday!”
“Ah, again…”
At the now-daily rush of food trucks, Yu Yeon-seo sighed.