Chapter 16 : I’m a Living Actor (16)

A long corridor.

A boy strides forward with large steps.

Behind him, a girl huffs and chases after him.

“Hyuk-ah, Lee Hyuk!”

Today again, the girl calls out the boy’s name.

Each time she calls, emotions swell uncontrollably within her.

Love and hate, longing and resentment—all tangled into a feeling so unclear that tears begin to fall.

She knows the boy would hate it if she cried, but she can’t stop the tears.

The boy keeps walking without stopping.

He doesn’t look back.

Because the boy neither stops nor looks back, the girl can’t stop either.

If he moves ahead, she follows.

Even though she knows she can’t reach him.

This has been their dynamic for years, now almost the rule of their relationship—and everything it has become.

Then, suddenly, the girl’s steps come to a halt.

Her eyes still brimming with tears, but her gaze has changed.

The tenderness and resentment are gone, replaced only by irritation.

The irony was that, unlike the blurry eyes from before when she blindly chased after the boy, her eyes now sparkled brightly.

As if this was the girl’s true self at last.

“Aww, seriously…!”

Irritated, the girl ruffles her hair and punches the air.

Then, without looking back, she turns around decisively.

Someone appears in her line of sight.

It’s another boy she had known all along but had pretended not to notice.

The girl had always known about this other boy’s presence but chose to ignore it.

Perhaps it was natural.

Whether this other boy chased her or not, the girl’s focus was always elsewhere.

Just as the girl chased after the boy, this other boy chased after the girl.

Unlike the girl who never gave up, the other boy had learned resignation, yet still followed her.

The reason was simple.

He couldn’t bear to see her cry alone when she was exhausted.

When the girl stopped, so did the other boy.

The girl smiled brightly at the startled other boy.

The irritation that once filled her face had completely vanished.

Her eyes shone with brilliant affection, and her pale cheeks flushed red.

She raised her hand and shouted.

“Jihwa!!”

Not the usual boy’s name she called, but the other boy’s.

At that moment, the boy walking ahead stopped.

His face turned as he looked back, filled strangely with betrayal.

He should have been happy to finally have lost the girl, but all he could feel was that something was wrong.

In truth, he had felt the girl was slowly changing.

But he thought it was just a new ploy to get his attention.

Even though she would grimace and act disgusted, she always chased after him as if nothing happened.

Yet, after repeating this a few times, it became bothersome.

The repeated irritation unsettled the boy.

Having always walked a predetermined path with clear answers, this phenomenon was clearly an error.

And now, the girl called out a different name instead of his.

“I can’t let this go,” his instincts shouted. He had to fix this.

“Jihwa…!” “Hey.”

So the boy, Lee Hyuk, roughly grabbed the girl, Han Yeoreum’s wrist.

Even as he did, he pulled harder, hating that her gaze and body still faced Yoon Jihwa.

“Ah! Hey, will you let go?”

Han Yeoreum cried out in pain but held her ground firmly.

Her entire focus was not on Lee Hyuk in front of her, but on Yoon Jihwa.

Whenever she was alone with Lee Hyuk, Yoon Jihwa always quietly disappeared.

In truth, Han Yeoreum had been waiting for a moment like this for a long time.

Because of coercion, she hadn’t been able to act on her own will until the set scene was over.

But today, for the first time, the coercion ended just before the scene completely finished.

It was the perfect chance to show her sincerity to Jihwa, who didn’t believe her confession.

But this clueless Lee Hyuk was getting in the way, and Han Yeoreum grew frustrated.

“Ah, let go! Jihwa! Come here! Let’s hang out!”

“Sigh…”

Clearly ignored, Lee Hyuk’s frustration twisted inside him.

He grabbed Han Yeoreum again, more roughly.

Han Yeoreum nearly stumbled but managed to steady herself and stand upright.

“It really hurts! Just let go! I’m willing to disappear on my own—why are you like this!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You think I don’t know you’re just trying to get my attention?”

“No… you seriously have a problem, you know. Well, I understand since I did something first. But I’m being serious now! I’m going to Jihwa, so let go!”

Han Yeoreum’s demand made Lee Hyuk tighten his grip on her wrist.

Her face contorted in pain.

At that moment, someone grabbed Yoon Jihwa’s shoulder.

It was Yoon Jihwa, anxiously watching the situation.

“What’s going on?”

Lee Hyuk shot a fierce look at Yoon Jihwa.

Yoon Jihwa smiled awkwardly before quickly dropping his expression to a serious one.

“Hyuk-ah, let go of Yeoreum’s hand and let’s talk.”

Lee Hyuk’s eyes narrowed.

He couldn’t believe this situation, shifting his gaze between his friend and the girl who had a crush on both of them.

For some reason, the way those two looked at him felt completely different from before.

He couldn’t accept this.

His lips twisted, jaw tensed and relaxed, then he chuckled quietly.

He finally loosened his grip on Han Yeoreum’s wrist.

“Enough, right?”

Showing his open palm in front of Yoon Jihwa, Yoon Jihwa’s expression softened as he smiled.

“Yeah. You two, why do you always have to fight like this? You could get along just fine.”

That was always what Yoon Jihwa said.

As soon as those words escaped, Lee Hyuk felt some of the turmoil inside him calm.

He’d never liked how Yoon Jihwa said things like that, but somehow this time, it felt satisfying.

This was right.

This was Yoon Jihwa’s role.

But he still felt uneasy leaving it like this.

Maybe because Han Yeoreum kept looking only at Yoon Jihwa, even with him right there.

Or maybe because Yoon Jihwa’s eyes were filled with affection for Han Yeoreum.

If he disappeared, Yoon Jihwa would comfort the upset Han Yeoreum.

Even though this cycle had repeated many times before, this time he didn’t want to just leave it be.

No, was that all?

Han Yeoreum would cling happily to Yoon Jihwa.

Treating him like he never existed from the start, smiling only at Yoon Jihwa and toward him.

“…She’s changed.”

He didn’t want to admit it, but it was the truth.

Lee Hyuk’s Adam’s apple moved greatly.

Wearing a smile that didn’t suit him, he looked at Han Yeoreum.

Han Yeoreum, who should have been happiest to see his smile, stared at him like he was crazy.

Lee Hyuk’s smile deepened.

“Let’s go, Yeoreum.”

“Ugh. What’s wrong with your head…”

Lee Hyuk grabbed Han Yeoreum’s hand tightly.

This time it was her whole hand, not just her wrist.

Wearing the smile of a victor, he looked at Yoon Jihwa.

“You okay?”

The question held many meanings.

Yoon Jihwa frowned painfully, but then smiled ruefully.

“…Yeah. Be careful.”

His voice carried familiar resignation.

Not just Han Yeoreum, but from a very young age, Yoon Jihwa had always been the one to yield and understand.

He gave away his most treasured toys, his late mother’s belongings, whenever Lee Hyuk wanted them.

Though their relationship was unbalanced from the start, the adults tied the two boys together under the name of friendship.

The two boys naturally accepted this contradictory relationship.

“Alright. See you later.”

Lee Hyuk smirked and forcibly dragged Han Yeoreum away.

She glanced back at Yoon Jihwa but had no choice but to follow Lee Hyuk.

This relationship would never change.

Lee Hyuk believed that as he unknowingly ground his teeth.

Director Choi Younghwan, watching the three’s acting through the camera, let out a deep sigh.

It wasn’t one of regret or complaint, but relief.

“Cut! Okay!”

His voice was full of strength for the first time in a while.

The filming ended well.

Director Choi Younghwan’s slightly brighter face was proof.

‘At least it wasn’t a meaningless attempt.’

Though they moved as planned, the results were uncertain.

From Seo Sangwoo’s point of view, it was a move he could twist as he wished.

Of course, he hadn’t approached blindly without confidence.

If Seo Sangwoo hadn’t been observing me all this time, he wouldn’t have approached to practice lines with me.

‘Though he might have tried a different approach otherwise.’

Anyway, it was a relief.

Thanks to rehearsing lines with Seo Sangwoo beforehand and exchanging feedback, today’s scene came alive.

The gaze of ‘Lee Hyuk,’ who had always looked at me with hostility, became more nuanced.

‘I guess that’s why my acting seemed better too.’

Honestly, it wasn’t because my skills had improved.

The previously mismatched gears had started to mesh, stabilizing the overall picture.

Sigh…

It was tiring.

I sighed inwardly and greeted the staff and production crew who had worked hard alongside me.

‘Where is Lee Choi?’

Choi always stayed until the end to say goodbye with her mother, but she wasn’t around.

‘Has something happened? Some change of heart?’

It was a needless worry, but I couldn’t help feeling concerned.

I slowly looked around the filming area and spotted Choi standing by the window at the end of the corridor.

Watching her from behind, lost in thought, I quietly stepped back.

‘Now’s not the time to bother her.’

I reminded myself that unnecessary interference could cause bigger problems.

As I retraced my steps down the corridor, I ran into Choi’s mother.

She recognized me and asked.

“Have you seen Choi? She left the car, but there’s no one waiting outside as usual.”

Her face, faintly lined, was full of worry for her daughter.

Seeing that expression reminded me of Choi’s solitary figure staring out the window in the dark.

After a brief hesitation, I shook my head.

“Sorry, I don’t think I’ve seen her… Have you tried calling her?”

“Oh, I see. Yes, I’ve been calling, but she’s not picking up. Where on earth could she have gone…”

I felt a twinge of guilt but didn’t correct my words.

After greeting Choi’s mother, I moved on.

Soon, I heard Choi’s voice from behind.

“Uh, Mom.”

“Hey, Choi! Where have you been? We looked everywhere. Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

“Sorry. Just… for a moment, I just…”

Her voice trailed off.

I quickened my pace and thankfully didn’t hear any more of their conversation.

‘My manager… of course, he’s nowhere to be seen.’

He’s probably smoking in the van right now, cursing me for not coming.

Sigh.

I slung the bag, which the manager hadn’t taken care of, over my shoulder.

At that moment, someone tapped my shoulder.

When I turned, Seo Sangwoo was there.