At the stylist’s question, Song Hyunsoo nodded.
“Yes. Sunbae-nim takes good care of me.”
“Yoon Jooho?”
“Yes.”
That Yoon Jooho looked after a junior like this— there had always been a hint of suspicion in her eyes, but now a smile flickered across her face.
“He must think you’re a hardworking actor?”
“…Excuse me?”
“I’m talking about Yoon Jooho. He’s the kind of person who might wait for someone who isn’t good at acting, but if they’re not putting in the effort, he won’t even treat them like a person. Whether they’re a junior, a colleague, or a senior. No exceptions.”
Having said that, she picked up a small appetizer from the table and popped it into her mouth.
Her expression now showed that she finally understood why Yoon Jooho was looking out for a no-name rookie like Song Hyunsoo.
Even if someone wasn’t the best actor, Yoon Jooho would wait for them— as long as they worked hard. That line stuck with Hyunsoo.
So that’s it. In Yoon Jooho’s eyes, I must’ve looked like I was working hard.
Someone had recognized his efforts and the fact that it was Yoon Jooho made it even more meaningful.
More reassuring than hearing that Jooho treated him well because he was a skilled actor. Strangely so.
“Hyunsoo-ssi, once the film wraps, you have to shoot a <Once> pictorial with our magazine first. No other offers have come in yet, right?”
Pulled from his thoughts by the editor-in-chief’s voice, Hyunsoo lifted his head.
“No, not yet.”
“Perfect. You’re doing it with us first. It’s a promise, okay?”
“R-Really? Editor-nim, that would be such an honor!”
Hyunsoo bit his lip and tightened his grip on his champagne glass.
Unless you were a top-tier celebrity or a breakout star getting all the attention, it was nearly impossible to land a spread in Once magazine.
There was no way he could contain his excitement.
“Looks like the editor’s already moving behind the scenes because she senses you’re going to blow up soon. She’s always quick like that.”
A designer chuckled while sipping champagne, shaking her head.
The editor-in-chief, as if struck by inspiration, snapped her fingers several times and said,
“Mm! A shoot with Jooho and Hyunsoo together would be perfect. Bromance concepts are still trending, right?”
A photo shoot with Yoon Jooho for Once magazine— it made Hyunsoo’s lips itch with the urge to run and tell him right away.
But seriously, where was that sunbae? Why hadn’t he come back yet?
“Sunbaes! I’ve been looking everywhere for you, didn’t know you were here.”
Just as Hyunsoo was turning his head to look for Jooho, a new voice called out from behind.
The three people on the couch looked up over Hyunsoo’s head with bright expressions.
“Oh, Won-ie. You’re here? Come sit.”
The new arrival sat down in the spot Yoon Jooho had vacated earlier.
Whoa… Actor Jung Sungwon.
Sitting on the backless ottoman across from the sofa, Hyunsoo didn’t show it outwardly, but he was shocked inside.
Jung Sungwon was probably the second most famous person at this party— right after Yoon Jooho.
“I swear, you’re on TV every time I turn it on. I saw an article saying your drama broke 20% in ratings.”
“Thank you. I just got lucky with the director, writer, and cast.”
“Oh, come on, Jung Sungwon! Don’t be such a model student even off set. If you’re too well-behaved all the time, you’ll be bored.”
At the others’ teasing, Jung Sungwon gave an embarrassed smile and then gestured toward Hyunsoo.
“But who’s this handsome guy?”
“Oh, he’s a rookie actor. Hyunsoo-ssi. Jooho’s been personally introducing him around, you know?”
“Jooho sunbae?”
Sungwon reacted similarly.
And just like the others, he gave Hyunsoo a careful once-over.
His curious gaze— trying to see what kind of person warranted special treatment from a prince like Yoon Jooho— felt a bit overwhelming for Hyunsoo.
After all, he’d never been treated like someone special before… let alone by someone like that special.
“Hello, sunbae-nim. I’m rookie actor Song Hyunsoo.”
“Nice to meet you, Hyunsoo-ssi. I’m Jung Sungwon.”
Song Hyunsoo was instantly elevated to the status of “the junior actor Yoon Jooho is especially fond of.”
As long as someone introduced him that way, people treated him warmly without hesitation.
No one looked down on or ignored Song Hyunsoo, despite him being an unknown rookie.
For Hyunsoo, whose only memories of the film industry involved being brushed off by even low-level staff while desperately attending networking gatherings to land a role, this felt unreal.
He could now feel, firsthand, the weight Yoon Jooho’s name carried in this industry— beyond just popularity, it was real power.
The music, which had been playing at a moderate volume, gradually softened as the evening’s MC stepped onto the stage.
It was a well-known host currently riding a wave of popularity.
The crowd stopped chatting and turned their attention to the stage.
“You’re all looking forward to it, right? The highly anticipated film debut of actor Yoon Jooho as the lead— Dissolve!”
Cheers, whistles, and applause erupted from all corners.
“And we’re joined tonight by several cast members from Dissolve! Actress Shin Hyojin, you look stunning as always.”
He gestured toward Shin Hyojin, who was standing not far from the stage, and bowed slightly.
His casual humor brought a wave of light laughter from the crowd.
From his seat on the couch, Song Hyunsoo stood up, craning his neck on tiptoes to see better.
He spotted Shin Hyojin chatting with Han Jooyoung.
He didn’t even know they had arrived, and it made him happy to see familiar faces in a place like this— even the usually annoying Han Jooyoung.
He raised his arm high and waved, but they were focused on the stage and didn’t notice him.
“And one more member of the Dissolve team is here with us. Rookie actor Song Hyunsoo is treating everyone to a special cocktail to celebrate Yoon Jooho’s birthday! It’s a limited-time event, just for the next hour— so don’t miss out!
Where are you, Hyunsoo-ssi?”
A long pin spotlight scanned the room, finally landing on Song Hyunsoo.
The sudden burst of white light made him squint and blink.
“Ah, there he is! Look at that face— our actor here will be a star the moment the film premieres, right?”
Amid the attention, applause, and curiosity from the crowd, Hyunsoo walked toward the bar.
The spotlight followed him like a magnet, making him feel like he’d just won Best New Actor at an awards show.
Just recently, his life had been about choosing between canned coffee or steamed buns with Yoon Jooho’s face on the wrapper.
And now here he was— dressed in a designer suit, groomed to perfection, at Yoon Jooho’s birthday party, under the gaze of industry heavyweights.
He felt like he’d been swept here by a rushing current, not fully aware of how he’d arrived.
Realizing that, his palms began to sweat.
Standing behind the bar, he looked around, trying to spot Yoon Jooho.
But the spotlight on him was too bright— he couldn’t see anything beyond it.
Just as planned in rehearsal, the music started back up the moment he bowed behind the bar.
The volume was louder than before, and the lighting dimmed, transforming the bar into a sleek, high-end club.
Once the spotlight faded, he could gradually make out the room again— but Yoon Jooho was still nowhere to be seen.
Instead, he saw a long line of people already forming in front of the bar.
Hyunsoo had worried up until the rehearsal— would these high-profile party guests even care about cocktails made by some unknown rookie?
But apparently, being a rookie who “Yoon Jooho personally introduces to everyone” was an entirely different matter.
Film directors, TV producers, screenwriters, magazine editors, photographers, stylists…
Hyunsoo wasn’t just bartending tonight.
He was meeting industry names, shaking hands, introducing himself— this was his chance to make an impression.
It didn’t feel like a bar.
It felt like a stage that Yoon Jooho had prepared just for him.
A place to be seen, to shine.
As his nerves settled and his usual cocktail-making rhythm returned, he even managed to crack a few light jokes with the guests.
That’s when Shin Hyojin and Han Jooyoung approached.
“Hyunsoo-ssi, what the heck—you look amazing tonight!”
Wearing a simple black dress with a jacket draped over her shoulders, Shin Hyojin drummed her fingers excitedly on the bar.
Hyunsoo tapped the bar back in response, matching her energy.
“You too, sunbae-nim! So chic and classy!”
“I seriously didn’t recognize you at first. I only realized it was you because Hyojin told me.”
Even Han Jooyoung, wide-eyed, gave him a once-over in disbelief.
“That tux looks really good on you.”
“Of course you’d notice, hyung. I went all out since it’s Jooho sunbae’s birthday today.”
Hyunsoo smoothed the lapel of his tux with exaggerated flair, jokingly puffing himself up.
“You always dressed like a college student before, so I never noticed. But all dressed up like this— you really do look like a proper actor. You should put more effort into your looks more often.”
For someone who wasn’t even trying to be mean, Han Jooyoung could still be annoyingly blunt.
But seeing that stunned look on his face was more than enough to wash away all the pent-up frustration Hyunsoo had felt around him.