Chapter 38

Hanrang (4)

Park Daeri's eyes, which were fixed on Yoo Ji-hyung, were calm. They were like a misty lake at dawn, still and undisturbed. The temperature was ambiguous, lukewarm.

But they were deep and dangerous.

Though not aggressive, they were enough to instill fear. If one were to dip their foot into those deep eyes, they would feel as if they were being endlessly sucked in, the deeper they struggled, the more endless it became.

Such was the gaze of Park Daeri that it changed the atmosphere in the interrogation room.

No words were needed. Just one glance, devoid of any scent, made Park Daeri's character crystal clear. Yoo Ji-hyung, or Ryu Jeong-min, sitting opposite him, almost let out a gasp.

'...No matter how much I peel you, there's no end to you.'

There was even a sense of admiration for the monster sitting in front of him.

'How can you display such a dense gaze in an instant? How long have you honed yourself alone?'

As an A-list actor and as Yoo Ji-hyung, Park Daeri was worthy of veneration. He was impressive, whether as an enemy or a rival actor. And Ryu Jeong-min understood why his opponent was Kang Woo-jin. No, he couldn't help but understand.

This must be the power that only Kang Woo-jin possesses.

He had seen it during the script reading. A performance that swallowed everyone, a vivid and detailed portrayal that went beyond mere dynamism. A versatility that transcended method acting. Unfortunately, these were things that Ryu Jeong-min lacked.

Therefore.

'Pull yourself together and look him straight in the eye.'

Ryu Jeong-min steeled his resolve. It was a silent and soundless war. He couldn't afford to be pushed back now, especially since this was a setup by Yoo Ji-hyung.

'Charge forward.'

Yoo Ji-hyung looked straight into the bizarre eyes of Park Daeri. I'm not impressed by those empty eyes. So, heat up a bit more.

"Ah."

Yoo Ji-hyung let out a short laugh.

"Sorry, this isn't a trivial matter. I made a mistake."

"......"

A tone somewhere between mockery and sincere apology. However, Park Daeri didn't react much. For the first time, he recognized Yoo Ji-hyung as an adversary.

Yeah, you're a bit better. You're not a puppet.

Park Daeri's lips curled up.

"No, it's about my sister who committed suicide. It is trivial."

About 10 seconds of silence followed. Yoo Ji-hyung and Park Daeri just stared at each other. The silence was broken by Song Man-woo PD, who suddenly stood up. He shouted loudly.

"Cut!! Okay!!"

Kang Woo-jin was startled.

'Oh, I almost jumped out of my skin.'

Fortunately, he managed to maintain his composure. Song Man-woo PD, who had no idea, continued.

"Great, nice! No, you killed it!"

He threw the megaphone aside and ran to the interrogation room set.

"What the hell? Both of you went all out from the first shot?!"

Song Man-woo PD enthusiastically gave a thumbs up to the two actors. It was justified. Even to a giant in the drama industry, the scene they just performed was one of the best. It was not a common sight for a director.

"Ha-ha-ha! This is why I can't quit directing!!"

The same went for the dozens of staff members gathered there.

"......Are they both crazy?"

"Yeah. I thought I was going to suffocate and die."

"No, why is the acting level so high from the start of filming?"

The production and camera teams were either covering their mouths or expressing shock. No matter which team, they seemed to disbelieve what they had just seen.

"Did you see Kang Woo-jin's final eye acting? It was really spine-chilling. If it's a close-up, it will really give the viewers a sense of fear, I think."

"Ryu Jeong-min also seemed to be on drugs. The psychological battle between the two was intense, and wow, the script felt so vividly captured."

The excitement of the staff was generally normal. It was the first scene on the first day of filming. The pain and effort they had put in seemed to be washed away by that one scene.

Why?

"This... If the viewers see this, what will they do? They'll be completely sucked in, right??"

It was the anticipation of the incredible result. The dozens of staff members on the set were there for that result.

Meanwhile, the actors' waiting area was also noisy.

Ryu Jeong-min's team was busy praising their actor and Kang Woo-jin. The same was true for Kang Woo-jin's team next to them. Of course, Choi Sung-geun, with his spiky hair, only crossed his arms and smirked.

'Top. Kang Woo-jin will probably become the top in the shortest period of history, and I'll narrow that time even more.'

The newly joined road manager Jang Su-hwan and stylist Han Ye-jung couldn't keep their mouths shut.

"Wow! Crazy! Kang Woo-jin's acting is really terrifying?!! Amazing."

"......Yeah. I've seen a lot of top actors in Hye-yeon's team, but this is the first time I've seen someone like this. Kang Woo-jin's acting is really good."

At this point, Song Man-woo PD was briefing the two actors inside the set. He wanted to maintain this emotion and tension.

"Let's do it again the same way. The scene is great, great, but I'll try to shoot it even better this time. Then let's do solo cuts of the same scene."

In dramas or any production, scenes are shot from multiple angles. A two-shot of a conversation can be shot separately for each character, or from a distance. The scene changes from a two-shot to a close-up of a character, and then back to a two-shot.

To reduce boredom or to create tension, to show the character's expression to the audience.

Anyway, the filming continued.

"Hi- Action!"

Ryu Jeong-min's solo shot.

"Cut! Okay! This time, Kang Woo-jin!"

Kang Woo-jin's solo shot.

Or from slightly above the characters' backs. Perhaps due to Song Man-woo PD's ambition, even shots not in the storyboard were added. Of course, the quality would improve accordingly.

'Wow, they're shooting so much??'

For Kang Woo-jin, who was experiencing a large-scale drama for the first time, it was a taste of death. However,

'When this drama filming is over, I'll be dead, won't I?'

The filming was just beginning.

An hour later.

Inside the interrogation room, Park Daeri and Yoo Ji-hyung were facing each other. Park Daeri's lips were curled up, but he wasn't happy. He was staring at Yoo Ji-hyung, but not just at him.

He was considering everything, including Yoo Ji-hyung.

Park Daeri subtly rolled his deep eyes. Yoo Ji-hyung was holding a pen. It was quite long. Should I stab his throat with it? My hands are free now. Should I smash his head with the chair? Park Daeri's heart cooled with each second, but his brain worked rapidly.

He calmly and coldly unfolded his twisted thoughts.

"......"

Park Daeri's fingertips twitched slightly. Impulse, desire, lust, greed. Whatever the word, these feelings spread throughout Park Daeri's body and reached his lower half. Park Daeri felt an erection.

Excitement from the desire to kill.

Ah- What expression will that man make when death is in front of him? At this moment, Park Daeri's vision was colored. Of course, only in Park Daeri's eyes.

Everything was gray.

The silhouettes of humans were outlined in black, and everything from their expressions to their surroundings was filled with gray. However, Park Daeri had to suppress it. He had to hide it. He just looked at Yoo Ji-hyung.

At this moment, Yoo Ji-hyung smiled and waved his hand.

"No, no, sorry."

"It's okay. It is trivial. After all, humans are the same when cut, right? Whether it's the patty in a hamburger or a human, there's no difference."

"Scary, scary."

"Just kidding."

As if waiting for this, Yoo Ji-hyung leaned forward. Clearly, Park Daeri had changed a bit. So, he had to control the situation.

"You look comfortable. Are you comfortable here in the interrogation room?"

"I'm polite to the detectives. I respect them. I think we can communicate. So, there's no uncomfortable situation."

"Was killing also comfortable?"

In response, Park Daeri clasped his hands. His posture lent credibility to his words. Park Daeri was expressing solemnity through his posture.

"Killing people is difficult. Creating a proper work is not easy. Others don't understand, and they talk as they please. Savage, trash, go to hell, the death penalty is the answer."

"Most of it is true."

"But after two days, they lose interest. What to eat for lunch today? becomes more important. So, while killing itself is tiring, repeating it is comfortable. Is that a satisfactory answer?"

Park Daeri smiled and tapped the thick file in front of Yoo Ji-hyung with his index finger.

"Is my information in that file? What's in there?"

He changed the subject. Yoo Ji-hyung knew Park Daeri's intention. So, he naturally received it and had to give another shock.

"I'm not sure. Everything? Of course, there's a story about your sister."

"Is that information and the current me helping to catch the real culprit?"

Yoo Ji-hyung, who saw Park Daeri regain his composure, sighed deeply and opened the file, looking annoyed. However, he still observed Park Daeri's gaze and posture.

"Psychopath. At first glance, you might be diagnosed as a psychopath, but to me, you seem to be a combination of a sociopath. Impulsive but cold. Do you know how to systematically control your impulses based on the situation and the other person? That's why you have a professional approach to killing."

"Is that so."

"Typically, what is a sociopath? Unlike a psychopath, they often manifest due to the environment they grew up in. So, I carefully checked your life. It was tiring, but I did it."

"......"

Yoo Ji-hyung slowly turned a page.

"Your father was addicted to gambling and alcohol and subjected you to violence every day? Up to this point, it's a common story. The target of your father's violence was your mother and sister. They probably tried to protect you desperately."

"No, attacking the weak is common sense."

"But your sister couldn't endure it. She committed suicide in high school."

Another page turned.

"Your mother died instantly when the car your drunk father was driving hit a utility pole. It was a late night on a deserted road. Given the circumstances, your mother was probably forced to get in the car. Your father didn't die instantly but died there. The case was concluded as an accident."

Despite his life being exposed, Park Daeri still had a faint smile. Yoo Ji-hyung sighed softly and put a cigarette in his mouth.

"But when I looked at the case records in detail, there was something strange. Your mother died instantly in the car, but your father crawled out of the car and died. There were signs of resistance on him."

"......"

"It was an old case with no evidence, so it was concluded as is. But it's strange. What did he resist in that moment of death?"

Suddenly, Yoo Ji-hyung leaned close to Park Daeri.

"Could it be that you, a psychopath from birth, who grew up in a hellish life and developed sociopathic tendencies, were there? What were you doing at that time?"

He pointed at Park Daeri with his index finger.

"Was your father the one who awakened the pleasure of serial killing? The serial killings were not five but six."

Park Daeri's expression had hardened. It was like stone. His deep eyes showed no movement. He just stared straight at Yoo Ji-hyung, who was now close. Park Daeri's erection intensified.

Soon, Park Daeri's eyes dropped.

He saw the pen Yoo Ji-hyung had placed between the pages of the file. After a moment, Park Daeri, who had been looking down at the pen, smiled again and whispered to Yoo Ji-hyung.

"You know, the works of mine that are known to the world. Do you think that's all there is?"

Park Daeri lowered his voice even more.

"Do you not think there are unknown ones?"

Suddenly, he smirked, grabbed Yoo Ji-hyung's collar, and went berserk. It was an intentional act.

"You bastard!!!"

The interrogation room was uncomfortable. He had to get out. It worked; the detectives rushed in, restrained Park Daeri, and re-cuffed him. Park Daeri resisted fiercely until he was dragged out of the interrogation room.

The interesting part was that.

-Swoosh.

As soon as he stepped into the hallway, his resistance stopped abruptly. Park Daeri even apologized to the detectives who were holding him. His voice was calm.

"I'm sorry for causing a disturbance."

"......What?"

At this moment, the main camera zoomed in on Park Daeri's face. Soon, Park Daeri, who was slightly bowing his head and smirking, muttered to himself, thinking of Yoo Ji-hyung.

At that moment, the image of his struggling father flashed in Park Daeri's mind.

"You're thorough, how did you know?"

Meanwhile.

A kind-looking man standing somewhere on the set, watching Park Daeri's performance, was amazed.

"That... actor. Isn't he the newcomer from this morning?"

It was the legendary director Kwon Gi-taek, wearing a mask. He had been curious since the actor playing Park Daeri entered the interrogation room set. The newcomer, who had been looking around the large set in the morning, was preparing to enter the same scene as Ryu Jeong-min, as if he were a supporting actor.

Why? Why was this unknown newcomer cast in the same scene as Ryu Jeong-min?

For Kwon Gi-taek, it was hard to understand. The makeup and costume were well-prepared, and a dedicated camera was assigned. But the newcomer's face was completely unfamiliar.

'Maybe... does he have a powerful agency?'

In the film industry, it was common for agencies to push unknown actors into scenes with top actors. So, Kwon Gi-taek had similar thoughts. However, it didn't take long for his thoughts