Haha... I've Been Eating Once a Day
On the second day of training, the entrance to the action school grew noisy in the afternoon.
"Hello~ You must be working hard, right?"
A woman entered, her hands full of coffee and snacks. It was Kim Na-yeon.
With a bare-faced, simple look—jeans and a cardigan—she still couldn't hide her actress aura.
"Huh? What brings you here, Na-yeon?"
Park Jang-su asked in surprise. Kim Na-yeon had almost no action scenes, so she didn't really need to come.
"Ah~ We have filming tomorrow. I figured I'd come cheer you on and practice our chemistry with Eun-seong in advance."
Kim Na-yeon smiled brightly, brushing it off. But her gaze was already fixed on Seo Eun-seong up on the ring.
"Eun-seong! Hi!"
"Oh? Senior, you're here?"
Seo Eun-seong stopped punching the sandbag and greeted her. His sleeveless t-shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to his body, and his pumped-up muscles writhed like they were angry.
"Hah..."
Kim Na-yeon sucked in a breath. Up close, sweat-drenched Seo Eun-seong's physique was nothing short of a beast.
She urgently whispered to her manager sister behind her.
"Unnie. Take a picture. Quick. High quality. Record a video too."
"Na-yeon-ah? Wipe your drool... okay...?"
Her manager shook her head.
"Perfect timing. Since Na-yeon's here, let's run the scene once. The one where Eun-seong rescues and they escape."
At Park Jang-su's instruction, Seo Eun-seong and Kim Na-yeon faced each other on the ring.
"Excuse me, Senior."
"Sure~ Be casual~ And I told you to call me Na-yeon noona?"
"Haha... Later. We're working now, right? Anyway."
Seo Eun-seong took his stance as trained. It was the scene where he fends off imaginary enemies and supports the collapsing heroine to escape.
"Starting now."
Pop!
Seo Eun-seong threw a punch into the air, pretending to take down an enemy, then swiftly approached Kim Na-yeon. He wrapped one arm firmly around her waist.
His arm encircled her waist, which seemed narrower than a handspan.
"Let's go."
Seo Eun-seong pulled her close. Her body pressed against his solid chest.
"Hoo..."
His rough breathing brushed her ear.
"Ah...!"
Kim Na-yeon's face turned beet red in an instant. It wasn't acting. The firm forearm, the manly scent mixed with sweat. And the intense gaze looking down at her. Her heart felt like it would burst.
"Senior? You okay?"
Seo Eun-seong asked worriedly. Her face was burning hot.
"Are you feeling unwell? You seem feverish."
"N-no! It's just hot! So hot!"
Kim Na-yeon fanned herself frantically, flustered. But her hand on his waist didn't let go.
"Shall we do it once more? Closer contact this time?"
Park Jang-su suggested anew.
"Yes! Great! Keep going! More!"
Kim Na-yeon shouted, full of ulterior motives.
"Huh?"
Park Jang-su clicked his tongue at the sight. That fox-like actress didn't seem to be here for acting practice—she looked like she came for a date.
But innocent Seo Eun-seong noticed nothing. He just marveled at how passionate his senior was and matched her even harder.
Three days passed as promised, and the day of reckoning dawned.
Macau club set. Psychedelic lights spun dazzlingly, and ear-shattering EDM music blared.
Dozens of rough-looking extras (gang members) waited with steel pipes and bats.
"Alright! Standby!"
Choi Do-hyun grabbed the megaphone.
"....."
Tension hung over the set. Today's scene was one of the movie's highlights: the club action sequence. A high-difficulty one-take shot.
"Eun-seong. Ready?"
"Yes. Ready."
Seo Eun-seong was dressed in a black suit.
"Eun-seong-ah. This'll look better."
The makeup team rolled up his shirt sleeves, veins bulging on his forearms. They added fake blood to his face too.
"Eun-seong-ah? You'll do great. Yeah? Don't be nervous?"
A female staffer from makeup, now close to him, tried to ease his tension.
"Gotta be. But noona... I'm shaking like crazy."
Her efforts were in vain as tension overwhelmed him more.
But a filming set wouldn't wait for a rookie actor.
"Ready! Action!"
With Choi Do-hyun's call, the club's music swelled.
"What are you doing? Grab her!"
"Kyaa!"
The gang members started grabbing and threatening Kim Na-yeon.
That's when it happened. Seo Eun-seong appeared in Macau's back alley, flooded with colorful lights from the club outside.
"Krr... Nice."
Choi Do-hyun let out an immediate exclamation.
Empty eyes, emotionless expression. Combined with his sculpted looks, he exuded the vibe of a lone wolf.
Indeed. Just like the first shoot, Seo Eun-seong devoured the Macau nightlife alley the moment he appeared.
Screech.
And that casual door-opening entrance.
"Where's the lady?"
Even his low baritone voice dripped indifference.
And the action scene veered far from typical noir film fights.
"....."
Seo Eun-seong didn't run or make big moves. He walked quietly, lightly shoulder-checking the lead gang member.
No wires, no CG. Pure physical clash.
"Urk!"
But the stuntman flew back three meters for real, crying out.
"Grab that bastard!"
The gang swarmed him. Seo Eun-seong moved as trained. No flashy kicks or tricks. Concise. Indifferent. But thorough.
Punch to the solar plexus, judo throw to the mat, elbow chop. Practical, emotionless strikes.
Thud! Thud! Crash!
Unlike him, the set turned into pandemonium in seconds.
"Park Jang-su's one thing... but how does Seo Eun-seong grasp Seong-hyun's intent that well?"
Choi Do-hyun couldn't shut his mouth staring at the monitor.
Kim Seong-hyun the screenwriter hadn't wanted flashy, impactful cliché action. He wanted a real fight. One prioritizing survival over enemy-killing flair.
As if he knew that?
"....."
Seo Eun-seong's eyes had changed. That 'survival instinct' from Nepal's snowy mountains. On screen, it perfectly morphed into a lone male wolf's feral wildness.
"Don't cut! Keep rolling!"
Choi finally yelled. They should've cut here, but the flow was too good.
"Haa... haa..."
Seo Eun-seong panted roughly, subduing the last foe.
"Miss."
He approached Kim Na-yeon trembling in the corner.
"Can you stand?"
One line, but his eyes were deep.
"....."
Seo Eun-seong wiped his bloody hand on his clothes and extended it to her.
"You... came?"
Kim Na-yeon looked up dazedly. Messy hair, sweat- and blood-streaked face. But above all, those profoundly deep eyes.
"Let's go. Out of here."
Kim Na-yeon took his hand like enchanted.
"This way."
Seo Eun-seong helped her up, wrapping one arm around her, and started walking toward the back alley. The camera raced after them on rails.
"There he is!"
"Block 'em no matter what! Don't let 'em escape!"
Shouts from pursuing enemies echoed behind.
"....."
Seo Eun-seong shielded Kim Na-yeon and kicked the door open roughly. Cold night air slapped his face.
"....."
No lines. Just doing his bodyguard duty.
Only at the alley's end did Seo Eun-seong stop.
"Haa... haa..."
Rough breaths.
"....."
He slowly turned, staring at the camera. Eyes devoid of emotion... holding only 'survival instinct'.
With that final gaze, Choi yelled.
"Cut! Okay!"
Woooaaah!
The set erupted in cheers that shook the rafters. Watching staff gave standing ovations.
"See that? That guy's my protégé, I tell ya!"
Park Jang-su beamed, shrugging proudly.
"Insane... this is insane...!"
Choi excitedly replayed the monitor. No NG, perfect execution of that long take. Beyond a rookie's realm.
"Eun-seong! You okay?"
Kim Na-yeon cupped his face, asking. Not acting. Real worry and affection dripping through.
"Yeah... I'm fine..."
Seo Eun-seong caught his breath. Tension released, strength drained from his body. An unbearable sensation surged.
"......"
Kim Na-yeon and staff stared at him. He stood blankly.
Meanwhile, Choi rushed over, grabbing his shoulder.
"Eun-seong! Amazing! Perfect! How do you feel? Still immersed? Method acting hangover, right?"
Choi thought Seo Eun-seong hadn't snapped out of his role yet.
But Seo Eun-seong smiled brightly.
"Director... can I eat now? I'm starving after the action."
Grrrooowl.
His stomach rumbled like thunder on cue.
"Ah... haha... I've been doing one meal a day."
Seo Eun-seong clutched his belly, face flushing.
"......"
Choi and everyone on set felt deflated. So not method acting—just hungry?
"Eun-seong. You're... hungry?"
Wahahaha!
Laughter exploded across the set with Choi's words.
"Our actor's hungry!"
"Action makes you famished, huh?"
Staff clutched their stomachs laughing. The lone wolf warrior had turned into a whiny bear cub begging for food.
"Come on, Eun-seong. I'll treat you to something delicious. Super expensive stuff."
Kim Na-yeon burst out laughing, linking arms with him.
"Sure, Noona."
Seo Eun-seong was simply happy at the thought of food.
And... at that moment, he had no inkling of the aftermath that scene would unleash.