Chapter 62. Beyond the River, the Stars - Reading (2)

"Ah, Actor Jin."

Director Lee, who looks as stiff as when Ryu Yeon-woo entered, seems to be in the same state.

Jin Yohan greeted the director and then approached Ryu Yeon-woo to greet him.

"Yeon-woo. How have you been?"

"Yes, I took a rare vacation during the break. How about you, Yohan?"

Though it was only a short while, they had competed for the same role, making the atmosphere a bit awkward.

Ryu Yeon-woo, who always seems more mature than his age, and Jin Yohan, who doesn't feel like a twenty-year-old young man due to his early social life, stood there.

"Um, shall we drop the formalities? We're the same age, and our characters are friends."

Ryu Yeon-woo suggested, and Jin Yohan nodded readily.

"Sure, I'm fine with that."

Initially, when Ryu Yeon-woo heard that Jin Yohan had been given the role of Seo Hee and joined as Lee Jibae, he was somewhat puzzled.

Of course, it wasn't just Ryu Yeon-woo; most of the broadcasting station staff were also puzzled.

At first, he thought Jin Yohan, being a young and spirited twenty-year-old, might have tried to sabotage things, but upon meeting him, he found him to be more straightforward than expected.

Jin Yohan, smiling and speaking beside Ryu Yeon-woo, said, "When I heard the audition results, I felt a bit happy and curious. I really wanted to see your acting. Acting is my only hobby."

Yeon-woo smiled, sensing no malice in his words.

"Probably not because of acting skills. I like to analyze scripts meticulously and in detail. My analysis must have pleased the writer."

From then on, they fell into a smooth conversation about the project.

Director Lee Sang-hoon watched them and smiled contentedly.

"Capture it well. Don't miss a moment."

At that moment, a high-pitched greeting came from the other side of the door.

"Hello! Oh, hello, seniors!"

Seo Ji-eun, who bowed 90 degrees to everyone around her, entered energetically.

After greeting the director and the writer, she approached Ryu Yeon-woo and Jin Yohan.

"Hello! I'm Seo Ji-eun."

Seo Ji-eun, who is younger than them, bowed 90 degrees as she would to other seniors.

"Both of you are my idols!"

Seo Ji-eun confessed her fandom, looking at Ryu Yeon-woo and Jin Yohan with bright eyes and clasped hands.

"Ah, thank you. I also enjoyed watching your works, Ji-eun."

Ryu Yeon-woo smiled and responded, while Jin Yohan, who seemed less interested in anything other than acting, smiled politely and looked away.

"Ugh, calling you Ji-eun feels a bit awkward... Since we're friends in the drama, let's be friends, okay?"

Although Seo Ji-eun is two years older than Ryu Yeon-woo and Jin Yohan, she didn't seem to mind.

"Ahaha, sure."

Yeon-woo laughed slightly awkwardly and scratched his head.

'This girl is just like a little Han So-hyun.'

After that, many veteran and senior actors joined the historical drama, and the lead actors, being the youngest on set, were busy greeting everyone.

"Oh, Yohan, you've grown so much? I can't even recognize you anymore."

Many senior actors recognized Jin Yohan, who had appeared in many works since his childhood.

Naturally, the attention of the senior actors turned to Ryu Yeon-woo, who, being the same age, had taken the lead role.

"Alright, everyone seems to be here, so let's start."

The meeting room quieted down as Director Lee Sang-hoon, sitting at the head of the table, stood up and spoke.

"I'm Director Lee Sang-hoon, in charge of the production of 'Beyond the River, the Stars.' Let's make this a memorable drama."

Clap, clap, clap—

Following Director Lee, the production staff and actors began introducing themselves.

Ryu Yeon-woo, who had a cameo in 'Spring Lovers' and didn't participate in the reading, and who had a minor role in 'Summer Wardrobe' and a supporting role in 'Master Plan,' was now taking on his first lead role in 'Beyond the River, the Stars' and was the first to introduce himself.

"Hello, I'm Ryu Yeon-woo, playing the role of Seo Hee in 'Beyond the River, the Stars.' It's an honor to work with such distinguished senior actors."

Feeling the eyes of all the senior and veteran actors on him, Yeon-woo spoke humbly.

"I've heard that learning is the essence of being an actor. I will learn a lot from this project. Thank you."

The veteran actors smiled at Yeon-woo's mature and serious voice, which didn't seem typical of a twenty-year-old.

After that, other actors shared their thoughts, and it was time to start the script reading.

"Let's start the reading. We'll skip the early scenes and start with the third page, where Dalyeong appears."

The actors immersed themselves in the script as the director spoke.

Dalyeong, busy moving between the gates of the Seo family's mansion, gathered the love letters sent by the daughters of prominent families in Kaesong through their maids.

"Every morning, it's such a hassle."

Actor Moon Jeong-yeol, playing Dalyeong, delivered his line.

Ryu Yeon-woo, who was supposed to open the door, knocked lightly on the table and delivered his line as he entered.

"Why are you collecting all these?"

The veteran actors nodded at Yeon-woo's natural and fitting delivery for a historical drama.

"Ah, young master. How can I refuse the love letters the young ladies have written for you?"

"I don't need them. From tomorrow, lock the gate and don't open it."

"Then the maids will line up all morning waiting."

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, stroked his chin, agreeing with Dalyeong.

"True. You're right. They haven't done anything wrong. This is good. Give them to me."

Dalyeong, unusually excited by the young master's willingness to accept the letters, handed them over.

"Here they are, young master. This one is from the second daughter of a high-ranking official, and the yellow one is..."

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, took the letters and walked to a corner of the yard.

"Hey, young master, where are you going? That's where we burn firewood."

"Isn't there plenty of firewood in my hands?"

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, threw the letters into the fire pit without hesitation.

Yeon-woo smiled, as if the fire was visibly burning.

"They burn well. From tomorrow, we can reduce the amount of firewood. They bring it every morning."

"Ah, young master."

After completing the first scene with Yeon-woo, a few more scenes followed, and then the first scene with Yeon-woo and Ji-eun appeared.

"Ah!"

Hong Eun-yeon, holding the hem of her skirt, was running frantically through the market when she bumped into Seo Hee.

Hong Eun-yeon, about to fall, saw a puddle of dirty water in front of her.

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, stood with his hands behind his back, watching her for a moment, then pushed her up with his foot to prevent her from falling.

Although men and women should be separate, it was better than falling into the dirty water.

Yeon-woo, imagining the situation described in the script, pushed with his toes and delivered his line.

"Are you alright?"

"Ah, my bottom!? No, how can you be so disrespectful to a woman?"

"Me?"

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, tilted his head and asked playfully. Hong Eun-yeon, smoothing out her skirt, glared at him, but her face was hidden by a black veil.

"I was standing still, and you ran into me. Of course, I, a man of manners, helped you not to fall in the market."

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, looked at her steadily. Hong Eun-yeon, unable to argue with his logical response, was silent.

At that moment, a maid who had been following Hong Eun-yeon ran up.

"Miss! Stop! If you don't go today, you'll really get a big scolding from the lady."

Hong Eun-yeon, frowning, started running again, holding her skirt to avoid the chasing maid.

After the woman left, Dalyeong approached and asked Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, if he was alright.

"Are you alright, young master?"

"How could I be hurt by bumping into a woman? Still, it was quite reckless of her to run through the market like that."

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, clicked his tongue and started to walk away but stepped on something.

"Hmm? It seems the woman dropped this."

"It's a sachet, young master."

The sachet that Hong Eun-yeon had dropped when they bumped into each other.

"If you want to be respectful, you should pick it up first."

"Ah, the ground is dirty. I'll pick it up."

Dalyeong, picking up the sachet, called out to the maid who was about to leave.

"Hey, here's your mistress's sachet..."

The maid, ignoring them, walked away.

"Like mistress, like maid."

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, clicked his tongue again and continued walking, arriving at the house of his teacher, Wang Ham-yun.

Wang Ham-yun, a cousin of King Taejo Wang Geon and the son of the founding minister Wang Sik-ryeom, was a member of the Goryeo royal family.

"You're late, aren't you?"

Seo Hee, who was usually punctual, was a bit late, making his teacher curious.

"I was delayed because I was being respectful."

Wang Ham-yun, puzzled by the explanation but nodding, watched as Seo Hee's friend, Lee Jibae, who had been waiting to study, looked at him curiously.

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, waved his hand, indicating it was nothing.

The study session continued until a commotion outside interrupted them.

"Didn't I say I don't want to go? Didn't you see what happened in Seogyeong? Ignoring women like that."

One side was a maid they had seen before, and the other was a different servant, dragging a woman into the room.

Wang Ham-yun, watching the scene, spoke.

"You must be Hong Eun-yeon."

The daughter of a local noble who had moved from Seogyeong to Kaesong.

No matter how unruly she was, she couldn't be disrespectful in the house of a distant relative of the Goryeo emperor.

"I greet you. I am the daughter of the Hong family."

"I forgive your rudeness. The study is in progress, so come in and sit down."

Unlike in the Joseon era, women in early Goryeo could receive equal education if their parents wished, even though they couldn't hold official positions.

Hong Eun-yeon, ordered by the royal family member Wang Ham-yun, quietly entered and sat down.

"I heard your voice from over the wall, but I don't discriminate against women. Don't worry."

Seo Hee and Lee Jibae, played by Yeon-woo, smiled at their teacher's words, while Hong Eun-yeon's face turned red.

After the study session ended and a break was taken, Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, called Dalyeong, who was waiting outside, and gave him the sachet to return to Hong Eun-yeon.

"Miss, please take this."

Hong Eun-yeon, played by Seo Ji-eun, finally looked at Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, as she took the sachet.

"Ah! Did you tease me with your foot earlier?"

"Tease? With my foot?"

Lee Jibae, played by the actor, looked at Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo.

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, shook his head firmly.

"Not at all."

As Lee Jibae, played by the actor, looked at him again, Hong Eun-yeon, played by Seo Ji-eun, blushed and muttered to herself.

"Before I'm even married, you... with your foot..."

"It's not true."

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, looked at Lee Jibae, played by the actor.

"My foot... inside your skirt..."

"It's not like that at all."

Lee Jibae, played by the actor, looked back and forth between Hong Eun-yeon and Seo Hee, his expression changing.

"Friend, what are you up to?"

Seo Hee, played by Yeon-woo, just shook his head, as if it was a headache.

The chemistry between Ryu Yeon-woo and Seo Ji-eun, like gears meshing, brought laughter to the set.

'The assistant writer was right. They fit perfectly.'

Watching them sit side by side and deliver their lines, their voices, breathing, and appearances seemed to match well.