As usual, the moment the company dinner began, Han Jooyoung started drinking quickly.
His face and eyes flushed red with intoxication, he ran around the restaurant like an excited child.
“Finally, crank-in! Finally, finally! Hyunsoo, Hyojin! Aren’t you excited? Huh? Am I the only one who’s excited?”
Han Jooyoung circled the table, slinging an arm over the shoulders of Shin Hyojin and Song Hyunsoo sitting side by side, leaning his face between them. Shin Hyojin burst out laughing.
“Oppa, how many times have you said that today? You’re already drunk, seriously.”
“If I’m not going to get drunk, why drink at all? I’d rather just drink some other tasty beverage!”
Watching Han Jooyoung drag a nearby chair to make space, Song Hyunsoo asked,
“You’re not nervous or anything?”
“Me? I look like I’m not, don’t I?”
“That’s true. I’m jealous.”
“This is my first proper role shooting since coming back to Korea. I’m just super super super excited. It’s not like waiting hours for one cut and then going home—I get to stay on set the whole time and be part of the whole process. I’m even looking forward to the stage greetings later! Do you understand why I’m excited, Hyunsoo?”
“Of course, I get it. Stage greetings were my dream too.”
The two clinked their glasses with a smile. Though Han Jooyoung had been awkward at first, they had come to get along well. Life was unpredictable, a surprisingly mature thought. Back when she spilled soju on Yoon Jooho’s coat sitting right here, she never imagined that the arrogant and prickly Jooho would become someone she could joke around with.
They’d even fought like dogs over various things.
“Look at Jooho sunbae. Even at the dinner, he’s still talking about the script with the director. Over there, they’re so serious we can’t even butt in. It’s such a bore.”
“‘Bore’? Where did you hear that?”
Shin Hyojin laughed at Han Jooyoung’s complaint. Her Korean vocabulary was improving rapidly, mostly with slang and trendy expressions.
“That sunbae isn’t even drinking today. That’s why it’s even more boring than usual.”
Han Jooyoung filled her glass with soju and poured for Shin Hyojin and Song Hyunsoo one by one, pouting her lips.
Her words were true. Yoon Jooho hadn’t touched a drop all evening. Song Hyunsoo, having observed him closely, knew this well. Normally, considering the atmosphere, he’d drink well.
“Yoon sunbae must’ve driven himself here today.”
“Sunbae drove??”
Startled by Song Hyunsoo’s exaggerated reaction, Shin Hyojin paused her chopsticks midair and looked over. Hyunsoo scratched the back of his neck, hesitating.
“Ah… well, it’s just that I always thought he rode in the manager’s car.”
“I heard he drove himself today.”
It wasn’t only that. Including Director Bang, no manager had accompanied Yoon Jooho at the reading today. Even so, no one thought he’d personally drive himself to a work-related schedule.
“Just because he brought his car doesn’t mean he can’t drink. He could just call a designated driver.”
“For someone with Jooho sunbae’s fame, calling a designated driver might be awkward. Even I don’t find that comfortable. I’d rather just take a taxi.”
Shin Hyojin lifted her soju glass, and Han Jooyoung quickly grabbed hers, saying, “No way I’m drinking alone.”
“But we’re starting with the later scenes first, right?”
Han Jooyoung’s question earned a nod from Shin Hyojin.
“That’s because of how long Jooho sunbae and I have to keep our hair.”
Their characters’ hair would gradually grow longer as the story progressed.
Since the shooting period wasn’t long enough to capture that change in real time, they decided to film the later scenes first, then cut their hair little by little to shoot the earlier scenes afterward.
“Do you think you can really get into the emotions if you start with the later scenes?”
“Hmm… After today’s reading, I think it’ll be fine.”
“That’s true.”
Han Jooyoung added,
“To be honest, I almost cried today. Even though I’m playing Jeon Yoojung, I found myself wishing she’d disappear from between them. Hyunsoo, you felt sad too, right?”
Song Hyunsoo, fidgeting with his empty soju glass, nodded.
“I understood both Baekgang and Lee Sol’s feelings. It was good that I couldn’t pick a side.”
“Didn’t you hate Lee Sol?”
Shin Hyojin looked at Song Hyunsoo with surprise.
“If Lee Sol had been shameless, maybe. But she’s torn between her attraction to Jeon Yoojung and overwhelming guilt and self-loathing. In a way, I think Lee Sol is the most human character in . And the sunbae expresses that so well. So, I don’t hate her. The situation itself is painful and heartbreaking, though.”
“Oh… look at Lee San giving such cool words.”
Han Jooyoung, who had been quietly listening, tousled Song Hyunsoo’s hair roughly. The playful gesture made Hyunsoo smile for a moment.
But maybe it was just his imagination. At the instant he turned his face to avoid Han Jooyoung’s playful hand, he thought he finally met Yoon Jooho’s eyes that day. Before he could be sure, Jooho’s gaze had already shifted elsewhere.
“Ah, Hyunsoo, your words mean so much. Thank you. I think it’ll help a lot with playing Lee Sol going forward.”
“If sunbae says that, I’m honored.”
“Lee Sol’s definitely going to get a lot of hate once the movie comes out. Without realizing it, I kept defending Sol while acting. From now on, I’ll think of your words whenever that happens.”
He wished Yoon Jooho was here in this conversation about acting. His gaze kept drifting to him.
Jooho was talking seriously with the director, the Production Company head, and PD Kim Yookyung.
With the crank-in date fast approaching, he looked more serious than ever.
Today, Yoon Jooho and Song Hyunsoo, Baekgang and Lee San, hadn’t exchanged a single word. No one noticed that.
In front of others, Yoon Jooho still addressed Hyunsoo politely as “Hyunsoo-ssi.”
Because of that, not only was their intimate relationship unknown, but even the fact that they got along quite well was a secret.
Only two people in the world really knew: Director Bang and Seo Hae.
Even if things faded away quietly like this, it wouldn’t upset the world’s order.
Although bound by a ten-year contract, it was a part Yoon Jooho didn’t have to manage personally.
Having had a few drinks, Hyunsoo’s mood was hitting rock bottom. Things couldn’t go on like this.
Just then, he spotted Aunt Kurin coming out of the kitchen. He quietly stood up and approached the counter.
“Auntie! Why is it so hard to see you lately? Busy?”
“There’s a lot of orders from your film crew. Why do they all want mussel soup at a meat restaurant?”
“It’s cold, so it’s warm and tasty.”
“Why, what’s up?”
“Just wanted to say hello and was waiting for the right moment.”
“You’re so bland. Like we’re best friends or something.”
Though she said that, the twitch at the corner of Aunt Kurin’s mouth showed she didn’t mind Hyunsoo coming over and hanging around.
“Auntie, want to see photos and videos of Monroe?”
“What’s Munro?”
“Not ‘what’s,’ it’s Monroe. I told you before on KakaoTalk that I named her Marilyn Monroe.”
“Not margarine, but what’s that?”
“An old foreign actress’s name.”
“Making such a fuss over a cat’s name. Jomdori would have been just fine.”
Still, she put on her reading glasses to look closely at the phone screen Hyunsoo held out. The more she scrolled through the pictures, the more a warm smile spread across the wrinkles on her face.
“Oh my, look at this one! She’s really made it big.”
“Right? It’s a complete life turnaround. Auntie, look at this. These are all Monroe’s toys here.”
Moving the video control bar around to show Monroe’s room, Hyunsoo enthusiastically briefed how devoted Yoon Jooho was to Monroe.
“He even feeds her only the best food and snacks.”
“Feeding her nice things doesn’t mean you take good care of her. Anyone with money can do that.”
“No, it’s not just that. He plays with her a lot too… I…”
Hyunsoo’s voice trailed off as his eyes flickered, following Yoon Jooho rising from his seat. Just him standing was enough to send a pang through Hyunsoo’s chest.
Is he going to smoke? Should I quietly follow and talk to him?
The day before yesterday, I overreacted too much. I got upset suddenly, even started pulling off his clothes—it hurt because of that. Should I say that?
Then maybe Yoon Jooho would just brush his bangs back over his forehead and chuckle softly. Maybe he’d whisper, embarrassed, that he’s sorry too.