Chapter 377
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 377
[What, a cameo?]
I finally got in touch with Min Ji-heon on the day I was scheduled for a pre-meeting with the production team of Before the Moon Wanes.
It had been quite a while since the casting offer for the special appearance had come through his manager and I’d sent him a separate text.
I wanted to get it over with quickly since I was busy preparing for year-end special stages and collaborations, but Min Ji-heon’s reaction was remarkably indifferent.
[Do I have to act with an idol again?]
“…….”
You did just fine filming with me when I was a total rookie, so why the hell are you acting up now?
[…It’s just a cameo anyway, so there won’t be much merit in it. Why don’t you just turn it down?]
With a faint sigh, Min Ji-heon continued to spout nonsense that didn't sound like him at all.
I glanced at the blue quest window hovering in the corner of my vision and replied flatly.
“I’m already scheduled to meet them today.”
[Sigh… Of course you are. As if you’d listen to me trying to stop you… I have to go film now, so I’m hanging up.]
“What?”
[The life of a top star is a busy one.]
Click.
And he actually hung up.
“What’s wrong with this guy?”
I muttered to myself, staring blankly at the phone screen as it returned to the standby display.
Something’s fishy.
Normally, he would have dragged out the end of his sentences and pestered me about when I was coming to the set, but today he was excessively dry. While Min Ji-heon had hidden things and brushed them off many times before, this felt different.
I was packing my bags to head to the pre-meeting, wondering if I should dig for info when I saw him, when—
Slam!
The practice room door flew open with incredible force.
Jeong Da-jun burst inside, his cheeks flushed red as he panted for breath.
“THE—!!!!”
The?
“—SCRIPT! GIVE IT TO ME!!!!”
“No, I don’t want to.”
The moment I tried to ignore him and pick up my bag, Jeong Da-jun performed a full-body slide across the floor and clung to my pant leg.
“Before the Moon Wanes! A Korean fantasy drama based on exorcism that solves mysterious cases!! Written by the legendary Writer Kim Suk-hee and starring Senior Min Ji-heon!! It’s the hottest drama right now! Filming has started and it’s airing soon, but that’s still all the info I have!”
“No spoilers allowed.”
“Hyung, hyung! Ho-yun hyung! Please! Don’t you feel sorry for me? I ran all the way up the stairs from the first floor the moment I heard from the road manager that you were doing a cameo! I even abandoned Seong-hyeon hyung!”
“You could have just taken the elevator.”
“Who has time to wait for the elevator?!”
Good grief. So he ditched the leader and came running all by himself?
I tried to pull my leg away, but our "Puppy" was surprisingly strong; he wouldn't budge. I could see his ironclad determination not to move until he got his hands on that script.
It wasn't like I could actually kick him, though.
“…Hey, I don’t have the script.”
“Wh-what?!”
“They said it’s taking some time because of urgent revisions. I’m going to the meeting today to pick it up.”
“Can you show it to me once you get it?”
“Depends on how you behave.”
“Ha!”
Only then did Jeong Da-jun let go of my pants. He carefully smoothed out the wrinkles he’d made and gave me a wide grin.
“Da-junnie will wait like a mature adult!”
I didn't bother responding and walked out. Jeong Da-jun followed a step behind, chattering away.
“Hyung, hyung, hyung! But did you really agree to do it without even seeing the script? That’s so unlike you! What’s gotten into you?!”
“It’s just a role that appears for a few seconds anyway.”
“Hooo~.”
Besides, I’m basically just background scenery.
From what I heard, they were gathering every high-profile celebrity who had ever acted with Min Ji-heon to boost the drama’s recognition. I was just one of them.
There would be several cameos, all intended to highlight the spiritual powers of the character ‘Won Jae-wook,’ played by Min Ji-heon.
“We’re busy too. I can only invest a few days into this.”
“Eeeh?! Then hyung, won’t it be hard because you won’t have time to practice? What if people bash you for 'foot acting'?!”
“Ahem. Which little mouth is that nonsense coming from?”
“Uwaaa, don’t squeeze my cheeks! I’m just worried…. So is it really okay like this?? What kind of role is it?”
“Want me to tell you?”
“Yes!! Please—uwaaak!”
The maknae, having his cheek pinched once more, cupped his face and glared at me with a pouting expression.
“PD Lee Jeong-hun, who is possessed by a ghost.”
Jeong Da-jun’s jaw dropped.
*
After shoving Jeong Da-jun—who was wailing that he was going to go re-watch Please Take Care of the Camera right this second—back into the practice room, I headed to the parking lot and climbed into the van to attend the pre-meeting for Before the Moon Wanes.
“The overall schedule probably won't be too tight. Today, you’ll just receive the revised script and do some simple schedule coordination.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I thanked the road manager for the brief explanation and looked out the window. Since it was Studio Olio, a production company I had visited during my time in Unknown Actor Tycoon, I believed the business would be concluded quickly and dryly, just as the road manager described.
However, reality differed from my prediction.
When we arrived at the designated building, three staff members were already downstairs in the lobby waiting for me.
“Seo Ho-yun-ssi, hello!”
“Ahaha… Welcome!”
“…Ah, nice to meet you.”
“Wow~, you’re even more handsome in person!”
More than anything, a stinging gaze radiated from one of them.
What’s his deal?
It clearly wasn't a look of goodwill.
I kept my expression neutral as if I hadn't noticed a thing and followed them into the conference room.
As we sat across from each other at a long rectangular table, the staff member with the gentlest impression spoke up cautiously.
“Thank you for accepting our proposal. You’ve heard the general synopsis, right? Here is the revised script, so please look it over here first and let us know if you have any feedback.”
“Yes, I understand.”
I took the script he handed me.
[Before the Moon Wanes]
After glancing at the title, I flipped the pages and saw sticky notes attached to every scene I appeared in.
The setting was Seong Dong-hyeong’s funeral. Since his parents had long since passed and he had no children, his nephew, PD Lee Jeong-hun, was serving as the chief mourner.
“The first scene is at a funeral home?”
“…Hahaha, yes. The, uh, screen time isn't much, but because of the location, the acting atmosphere might be a bit heavy.”
So the ghost attached to me was my dead uncle?
I narrowed my eyes and flipped another page.
PD Lee Jeong-hun, wearing the mourner’s armband and bowing to visitors; a guest offers him condolences.
Lee Jeong-hun, dropping his head as tears stream down his face.
There’s even a crying scene?
“…Is, is it okay?”
I quietly reviewed the content.
The part where I actually face Min Ji-heon was just a brief exchange as we passed each other, and the lines weren't anything special either.
The only sound in the quiet conference room was the staff member swallowing nervously. Closing the last page, I smiled.
“Yes, it’s fine.”
“Oh!”
It seemed like a role that required more acting skill than expected, but this much was manageable.
When I responded casually as if it were no big deal, the anxious faces of the officials brightened instantly.
“Wow, Seo Ho-yun-ssi is so cool. Good, good.”
They all looked relieved, as if a weight had been lifted.
I scanned their faces.
Strangely, from the moment we met until now, they seemed to be excessively walking on eggshells around me.
Even after the meeting ended, they showered me with hollow, soulless compliments, saying how much they enjoyed Please Take Care of the Camera.
“Ah! We actually rented a nearby restaurant for the staff to gather for a light drink. Would you like to join us, Seo Ho-yun-ssi?”
“Oh, come on. Seo Ho-yun-ssi must be very busy. Especially at the end of the year.”
The man who had been glaring at me unpleasantly tried to cut in with a smirk to answer for me, but since my schedule was clear afterward, I exchanged a look with the road manager, nodded, and spoke.
“I’d love to, if you’ll have me.”
For a moment, the man’s expression soured as if he wanted to say something, but another staff member quickly stepped forward and blocked him.
Following their lead to a nearby pub, I found the place already packed with the production crew, including the director. There were about fifteen people in total.
Some of them were familiar faces I had worked with during Please Take Care of the Camera, Dead after Hope from my Unknown Actor Tycoon days, and Shining Star.
“A staff member I know told me that Seo Ho-yun-ssi is quite the heavy drinker.”
“Ahaha, I get drunk just from the smell of alcohol.”
“Oops, then should we skip it today?”
“Still, if it’s a drink offered by the director, I will gladly accept.”
After having just one drink for politeness and matching the atmosphere, people’s tongues began to loosen.
And naturally, the most frequent topic of conversation was Min Ji-heon.
“How can Min Ji-heon-ssi be so perfect?! Not a single bad rumor!!”
“He really is amazing. I don’t think there’s anyone in his age group who can match his acting.”
“Weren't his movie results a bit lackluster at one point?”
“Even so, he’s never been criticized for his acting. If anything, he only gets praised for taking on experimental roles.”
I let the blunt conversation slide, pretending not to hear.
Every time I witnessed something like this, I could truly feel the weight of Min Ji-heon’s public recognition.
Just then, a surly voice cut through the chatter.
“But don’t you think Min Ji-heon-ssi is a bit chilling sometimes?”
It was that same man who had been making his displeasure obvious.
The startled gazes of the nearby staff members shifted toward him, but since he was quite drunk, he didn't notice and was busy sneering.
“Maybe it’s because he knows exactly how great he is. He interferes way too much, telling people to do this or that. Sometimes he even oversteps his authority. Recently, he even told the writer to change the script settings.”
The lighting director, wearing an awkward smile, poured some beer for the grumbling man and patted his back as if telling him to get a grip.
“Hey now, what are you saying? Think about how long Min Ji-heon-ssi and Writer Kim Suk-hee have worked together. Writer Kim likes proactive actors too~. And it’s only right for an actor to voice their opinion.”
“Even so, he went too far this time.”
However, the man seemed completely oblivious to the atmosphere. He raised his voice and turned his eyes toward me.
“He even suggested canceling Seo Ho-yun-ssi’s casting. Are you two not that close?”
“Ah, ahaha, haha, hey, they even did a variety show together. The whole world knows they’re close.”
“Is that so? Then why did he do that? He even touched every single detail of the setting.”
He continued to mutter complaints, failing to read the room. When I didn't show much of a reaction, he sipped his beer and spoke up again.
“Oh, right. Speaking of which, did you know it was originally supposed to be a parents' funeral, not an uncle's? It was changed because Min Ji-heon-ssi said it would be better to change it to a relative.”
“Huh? Really?”
Most people seemed unaware of this fact, as everyone looked surprised.
“Even Seo Ho-yun-ssi’s agency told them to cut things out, so the writer ended up trimming a lot.”
“Ah, is that so.”
“Between Min Ji-heon-ssi and WH Entertainment, there were so many cooks in the kitchen for just one Seo Ho-yun that I couldn't tell where the ship was heading. We, the staff, were the only ones dying while trying to coordinate everything.”
Aha. So that’s why they were walking on eggshells earlier.
The person in front of me seemed to have reached a breaking point. His resentment and dissatisfaction had piled up due to the excessive interference from various sides over a minor special appearance, and it exploded upon meeting me.
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Hmph.”
I replied concisely, not wanting to clash.
The man poured soju into my beer glass, which I had intentionally left unfilled, and grinned.
“Aah, but no matter how much I think about it, I don’t get it. Why did they scrap the funeral? Because of that, nearly ten pages of the script were thrown away for nothing. Is it because he’s an idol? Or because Seo Ho-yun-ssi is young? Have you just never experienced a funeral before? Is that it?”
“…Ugh, Hyeong-ju. You’re drunk.”
“No, I’m not! I’m perfectly fine. I’m not drunk yet.”
The place that had been buzzing with various topics gradually fell silent, until it was so quiet you could hear an ant’s footsteps.
Except for the man who held up his index finger like a drunkard, everyone else—aware of my widely publicized family history—looked horrified and sent signals for him to please shut up. Of course, the message wasn't received properly.
“So, how old is Seo Ho-yun-ssi again? Twenty-two? Twenty-three?”
I slowly lifted the beer glass and drained it in one go. Then, I calmly answered his question.
“I am twenty-five.”
“Ah, I was close enough. Anyway, you have experience, right?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, that’s a relie—”
“When my parents passed away.”
The man just blinked blankly, as if he’d been given a word he couldn't translate.
I opened a new bottle of soju, poured it into his glass, and added in a soft tone.
“I appreciate the concern, but I’m fine. I’ll do my best in the role I’ve been given.”
“…….”
“Shall we have a toast, then?”
I refilled my own glass and held it up, but my counterpart was frozen stiff, unable to take any action. I shrugged and finished the drink by myself.
I could feel the surrounding gazes fixed on me, unable to look away.
“Drinking soju out of a beer glass like that….”
“Haha.”
I then picked up my coat and, placing a hand on my cheek which wasn't even flushed, I spoke.
“Ah… I’m feeling a bit tipsy. I’ll go get some fresh air.”
“…Sure, take your time! Relax! Enjoy the outside air, haha… ha.”
As soon as I stepped out the door, I heard the sound of the others scolding the man for being a nuisance.
He’ll probably keep his mouth shut during filming.
He had been getting on my nerves from the start.
Now that I’d established dominance, I figured we could get along reasonably well during the short filming period.
I stood in a shadowed spot in the alley next to the restaurant and pulled out my phone. A new message had popped up in The Dawn’s group chat.
[Jeong Da-jun: Hyung, why is the meeting taking so long?]
[Jeong Da-jun: Come back quickly... I’ve turned into a giraffe waiting for Writer Kim Suk-hee’s script.......]
[Seong Ji-won: Good luck, Ho-yun!! (Smiling emoticon)]
[Jeong Da-jun: Hyung, also, don’t let them intimidate you.]
[Jeong Da-jun: If they do, I’ll run over there right now and do a butt-shaking dance.]
[Kang Yi-chae: I’m coming too.]
[Jeong Da-jun: (Butt-wiggling emoticon)]
[Kim Seong-hyeon: That would actually be more intimidating...]
I let out a chuckle as I read the messages.
I was about to reply that I didn't need that kind of support when a sweet citrus scent wafted over, followed by someone’s shadow falling at my feet.
“Seo Ho-yun-ssi.”
At the familiar voice, I looked up to see Min Ji-heon, his long eyes curving into a smile.
“Did you come out to smoke?”
How did this guy, who claimed to be so busy, know I was here? I clicked my tongue and kindly corrected Min Ji-heon’s nonsense.
“Piss off. I’m an idol.”