Chapter 417
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 417
“It’s a crime!”
The once-kind face of the middle-aged man crumpled as a thunderous roar erupted. Jang Seong-sik, the actor playing the police officer, beat his chest in frustration. Then, as if suddenly conscious of their surroundings, he lowered his voice and spoke again.
“…Hey, you’re really going to end up in prison at this rate.”
Shin Hee-chan’s eyes didn't stray from the scene for even a second. This was a golden opportunity to learn the craft.
Despite the whispered delivery, Jang Seong-sik’s tone remained thick with agitation. In response, Seo Ho-yun let out a smirk.
“You should go back and study the penal code, old man. Did I take a bribe? Did I embezzle public funds? I haven’t committed a single crime, so what on earth are you talking about, ‘prison’?”
“No, there’s a limit to being shameless. Kang Ki-young, you! The circumstances are so obvious. Aren't you embarrassed to be digging your heels in just because the evidence hasn't turned up yet?”
To pressure Seo Ho-yun, who was responding nonchalantly without even looking at him, Jang Seong-sik leaned in close, bracing both hands on the desk. Seo Ho-yun chuckled and muttered.
“Evidence…”
In the movie, the two characters had been close since Kang Ki-young’s childhood. This scene depicted the officer, who still saw Ki-young as a mere kid, barging into his office out of concern after hearing rumors that he was involved in corruption.
Seo Ho-yun, who had been flipping through documents as if barely listening, flicked his gaze up to meet Jang Seong-sik’s.
“…Mister, didn’t you say you were so busy lately you didn't even have time to eat? Don’t waste your time here; go back and get to work.”
“I’m trying to handle that ‘busy work’ right now. You—tell me what you were doing with the second daughter of H Group.”
“I got treated to an expensive meal. Happy now?”
He’s good.
Watching Seo Ho-yun lean back into the plush chair and fire back effortlessly, Shin Hee-chan let out a small breath of admiration. His pronunciation was precise yet natural, but more than that, his timing was exquisite.
Upon hearing the line, Jang Seong-sik’s jaw trembled. He then grabbed Seo Ho-yun by the shoulder, speaking in a tone that was half-reproachful and half-pleading.
“…Ki-young, don’t be like this. I truly won’t be able to face your mother in heaven.”
On the monitoring screen, Seo Ho-yun’s face was shown in a close-up. Simultaneously, the corners of his mouth, which had been curled in a slick smirk, twitched. For a fleeting moment, his gaze wavered, and his pupils dilated.
“If your mother knew you were acting like this, she would surely be weeping.”
Seo Ho-yun slowly closed and opened his eyes as if hiding his emotions. He then looked straight up at Jang Seong-sik and replied calmly.
“My mom isn't the type to shed tears over something like this.”
“What?”
“She would’ve told me to be ruthless and squeeze out every penny I could. That’s how I was raised.”
“……”
“Hmm, so if she saw me now…”
Then, his eyes crinkled into a soft curve, and the corners of his lips pulled upward.
“She’d probably praise me. She’d say she doesn't have to worry about her son starving to death anywhere.”
“You little—!”
The scene ended with a frustrated Jang Seong-sik messily clawing at his own hair. Finally, Director Kim Je-hyeok called out, “Cut!”
What was that just now?
Had his acting improved in just the few days they hadn't seen each other?
While Shin Hee-chan tilted his head, replaying the scene in his mind so as not to forget it, the cameras rolled for several more retakes from different angles.
“…Haha, that was great! Really great!”
Once the scene was finished, Jang Seong-sik draped an arm over Seo Ho-yun’s shoulder and let out a boisterous laugh.
“Not at all, sir. This is my first movie, so I’m still very lacking. I’m just grateful you’re leading me so well.”
“Goodness, what did I even do? It’s all because you did well on your own, Ho-yun.”
“No, Senior, you’re being far too modest.”
Seo Ho-yun’s expression turned serious as he looked at Jang Seong-sik, who was playfully slapping his arm as a sign of affection.
“…Why? What is it?”
Jang Seong-sik’s brow furrowed, his voice dropping an octave. The atmosphere shifted so instantly that even Shin Hee-chan, watching from a distance, flinched.
However, Seo Ho-yun simply shook his head with a composed look.
“If a senior I respect so much is this humble, what more is a rookie like me supposed to do?”
“…What? Ha, ahahaha! Hey! You startled me!”
The guy was a born flatterer.
Even if it were a script, it would be difficult to act that naturally on the spot. To pull it off so perfectly and effortlessly in daily life was something else entirely.
He would’ve been angry if any other junior did that…
It felt like only yesterday that another supporting actor had been scolded for making a pointless joke. Yet Jang Seong-sik, who was second to none when it came to being strict, was now being incredibly indulgent, saying, “Our Ho-yun certainly has a knack for surprising his seniors, haha.”
Instead of watching the scene further, Shin Hee-chan stood up quietly and walked off to find a place to practice. After wandering aimlessly without finding a suitable spot, he finally settled down next to a vending machine.
Just then, he heard the voices of staff members who had gathered for a quick smoke break.
“I don’t see Seo Ho-yun.”
“Jang Seong-sik dragged him off again.”
“Ah, I need to give him his next schedule. Anyway, since when were they that close?”
“Hasn't it been like that since the beginning?”
Having missed his chance to cut in, Shin Hee-chan awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.
It wasn't like that from the beginning.
Before the first script reading, rumors had been rampant that the role of ‘Kang Ki-young,’ which was supposed to be cast through auditions, had been decided due to pressure from WH Entertainment. Perhaps because of that, most of the senior actors, who took great pride in their craft, had treated Seo Ho-yun like he was invisible.
That’s how it was, so how on earth did he win them over…
Recalling the recent atmosphere on set, Shin Hee-chan felt a strange chill run down his spine.
“Well, it’s probably because Seo Ho-yun is kind to everyone.”
“Seriously. He’s not sensitive at all! If everyone were like him, life would be so much easier.”
“He filmed with Min Ji-heon before, right? Maybe he learned from him. He should just switch over to acting for good. Idols have short lifespans anyway.”
Shin Hee-chan quickly retreated behind the vending machine, muttering to himself that he should pretend he never heard this conversation. His CEO hadn't told him to watch his mouth for nothing.
“But really, Seo Ho-yun might actually transition to being a full-time actor.”
“Why?”
“You know. There are rumors going around that WH Entertainment has given up on The Dawn. Maybe Seo Ho-yun is getting tired and is ready to drop out too.”
A series of small sighs followed before the staff members left to prepare for the next shoot.
What is going on?
After checking his surroundings, Shin Hee-chan pulled his phone out of his pocket. He searched for ‘Seo Ho-yun’ and ‘WH Entertainment’ together on a portal site. He scrolled past meaningless posts until the title of a community post caught his eye.
[Title: Reposting a Seo Ho-yun sighting pic
Bus_Stop_Seo_Ho-yun_Sighting.jpg
Is this after filming?]
He clicked on it to find a photo of Seo Ho-yun standing at a bus stop in the dead of night, so dark it was hard to tell if it was dawn or evening.
Judging by his clothes, it seemed to have been taken recently.
That day, filming had run late, and everyone from the seniors to Director Kim Je-hyeok had offered him a ride. He had declined them all with a smile, saying his manager was coming to pick him up.
Looking at Seo Ho-yun’s face—expressionless yet with eyes that shone intensely—Hee-chan scanned the comments below.
[└ Is this really a sighting? Why is it so high-def?
└└ Looks like a sasaeng took it.
└ Lmao, his manager won't even give him a ride home?
└ Is he seriously taking the bus?????
└ He probably took a taxi... he’s a famous celebrity.
└ The billboard ads in the background are so triggering...]
Billboards? Why?
Scrolling back up, he saw that the digital billboards on the buildings were plastered with Black Call’s comeback teasers, while the bus stop itself was covered in posters for a new rookie idol group debuting from WH Entertainment.
What about it?
[└ Just imagining Ho-yun seeing all that makes me want to cry...
└ I’m going to kill that trash agency one day, I swear.
└ They can't help it if a new idol group is coming out;;
└ This looks like a sasaeng photo, let’s stop consuming it.]
After clicking ‘view more’ and reading through several other posts, Shin Hee-chan took a deep breath.
Ah, so those stories earlier…
That’s what they meant. That he had fallen out of favor with his agency.
Of course, it was all just speculation, and the truth was unknown. Besides, the man was far more popular than he was; he wasn't in a position to be offering sympathy.
He knew worrying was useless, but he felt a weight in his chest.
Thinking he had done something unnecessary, he shoved his phone back into his pocket and headed back toward the set.
“Shin Hee-chan.”
Just as he was about to reach the entrance, a voice called out from behind, startling him. A slightly tired-looking Seo Ho-yun greeted him with a faint smile.
“What’s wrong? Why are you so surprised?”
“Oh, ahaha… No, it’s nothing…”
Feeling guilty, Shin Hee-chan retreated a step and rolled his eyes with an awkward laugh.
Even though it had been quite a while since Despicable Trial had cranked in, Shin Hee-chan still found Seo Ho-yun difficult to deal with.
They shared the commonality of this being their first film and were among the few cast members in the same age group. He knew Seo Ho-yun was generally kind and there was no reason to feel uncomfortable, yet he always froze up in front of him.
“It’s your turn now, right, Shin Hee-chan?”
“Yes, yes…”
While he was giving stiff, half-hearted responses, the graceful idol in front of him lowered his gaze, his long eyelashes casting shadows.
“That’s a shame. If it weren't for my schedule, I would’ve liked to stay and watch you film for the first time in a while. I get motivated when I see you act.”
Hee-chan felt like he finally understood how the seniors had been so easily won over. His heart began to pound at just those few words.
“Oh, I—I’m also learning a lot from watching you, Ho-yun. And… I really like The Dawn’s music too! The last title track was so dynamic—”
What am I even doing?
He wished someone would stop him from blabbering. Even if they had to hit him over the head.
He was smiling on the outside, but internally, he was screaming.
“…The song was really, really good. I’m looking forward to the next one too.”
He managed to finish, but it felt like a disaster. Who would appreciate a non-expert rambling on with their impressions? He’d be lucky if he didn't come across as arrogant.
However, after staring at Shin Hee-chan for a moment, Seo Ho-yun let out a soft chuckle.
“Is that so?”
Shin Hee-chan was taken aback.
It was hard to put into words, but his expression was definitely different from usual.
“Our member composed it. Maybe that’s why it’s so good.”
“Ah… I see.”
As Hee-chan dizzily played along, Seo Ho-yun leaned in, bringing his face closer.
“Yes. So please, keep looking forward to the next one. A lot.”
“……”
“Well then, see you next week.”
“…Oh, yes, see you.”
While Shin Hee-chan was too stunned to respond immediately, Seo Ho-yun adjusted the bag he had been carrying on his shoulder and walked past him with ease.
Only after hearing Seo Ho-yun greet the staff behind him did Shin Hee-chan snap out of it and blink.
Among the staff’s gossip, there had been an opinion that Seo Ho-yun had seen the writing on the wall and given up.
Him?
No. Absolutely not.
Shin Hee-chan might not be the best speaker, but his observation skills and intuition weren't bad. Recalling Seo Ho-yun just now, a chill ran down his spine once again.
His lips had been curved in a bright smile, but the light in his eyes was more than just intense—
Those are the eyes of someone who’s given up?
…They were gleaming with a predatory madness.