Chapter 67. Stalker

Seo Ji-eun greeted the manager who dropped her off at the front of her house as usual and went to the cafe she always visits to order a coffee.

"Thank you."

Smiling, she greeted and took the coffee, then opened the door to leave. The part-time worker at the cafe stared blankly at her.

The cafe owner, seeing this, chuckled and poked the part-time worker's side.

"Is that lady so good? She's a regular customer; you should at least respond when she greets you."

"Manager, I'll be back in a moment. I have to run to the supermarket for my mom."

"Okay? There's no one here anyway, so come back quickly."

The part-time worker, hearing the manager's words, took off his apron and left the cafe with a stiff face.

Meanwhile, Seo Ji-eun, at the scene, was looking at herself on the field monitor and was worried that she had gained a little weight recently.

So, instead of her usual cafe mocha, she ordered an Americano without syrup today.

She was about to press the elevator button when she paused, holding the coffee.

She checked her reflection in the mirror next to the elevator and stretched her cheeks.

"Should I go up the stairs today? Why do my cheeks feel so puffy?"

In the end, she didn't press the elevator button and went up to her apartment by the stairs.

Thud, thud—

After a while, Seo Ji-eun, who had been panting as she climbed, felt something strange.

It seemed that someone was following her from about two floors below, and when she stopped to catch her breath, the footsteps also paused.

'Must be an illusion caused by the echo on the stairs...?'

When she started walking again, the footsteps followed.

No matter how she thought about it, it didn't seem like the sound was just an echo.

Seo Ji-eun, who had climbed a few steps, suddenly stopped.

Thud, thud—

Clearly, the footsteps stopped a beat later than hers.

Suddenly, goosebumps ran down her spine, and she ran up the stairs with all her might.

The footsteps behind her also started to get louder.

"Ah! Mom!"

While running, she looked at the numbers between the floors; she only had to go up half a floor to reach her apartment on the 7th floor.

Though she was too scared to look back, the footsteps seemed to be just half a floor behind her.

With trembling legs, Seo Ji-eun quickly entered the 7th floor, grabbed the gray iron door, and pulled it.

Rattle, rattle—

It seemed that the intruder had just entered from the other side, as the emergency stairs' door shook.

"Mom! Help me! Sob, sob."

Seo Ji-eun, in extreme fear, cried out with all her might, tears streaming down her face.

She hoped that someone from the five households on the same floor of the residential complex would come out.

The intruder on the stairs outside the door seemed to have heard her and was trying to run away, but she was too scared to let go of the door.

The noise in the hallway caused the doors of the apartments to open, and the neighbors, a couple, and her mother came out simultaneously.

"Oh, Ji-eun! What's going on?"

Her mother, running out barefoot, rushed to Seo Ji-eun.

Seeing her mother's face, Seo Ji-eun finally relaxed and let go of the doorknob, bursting into tears.

"Mom!"

While sobbing, Seo Ji-eun explained the situation to the neighbors. The uncle from the next door opened the emergency stairs' door and ran down, but the intruder had already fled, leaving no trace.

The police, who responded to the report, checked the CCTV at the entrance of the office building. Due to the poor quality, they could only identify that the intruder was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans, and they promised to investigate, though it didn't seem very promising.

Seo Ji-eun, who suffered from nightmares all night, dragged her exhausted body to the filming site.

After finishing yesterday's shoot, Jin Yohan had left for an overseas location shoot, and today, she had to film a scene with Yeon Woo, where they ride horses in pursuit.

Chronologically, the scene they shot yesterday in the bamboo forest in Damyang was further along in the story, and today's scene was the start of their pursuit of the arsonist.

Due to Jin Yohan's overseas schedule, they had to shoot the later scenes first.

At the filming site, Yeon Woo, noticing that Seo Ji-eun seemed less energetic than usual, asked her.

"Is something wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?"

"No, I just didn't sleep well."

Seo Ji-eun didn't want to worry Yeon Woo, so she just made an excuse.

While they were chatting, they heard the assistant director's voice from a distance.

"Alright, let's start the shot."

The staff helped them adjust their clothes, and the two of them got into position within the frame.

The director gave the signal.

"Action!"

Seo Ji-eun, having put yesterday's incident aside, immersed herself in the role and started her lines.

"Seonbi, it seems that person is the culprit!"

"If we let him go now, we don't know how many more houses he will burn. I will pursue him immediately."

"Wait a moment."

Seo Ji-eun grabbed Yeon Woo's arm as he was about to leave.

At that moment, she felt a sharp pain in her arm.

Seo Ji-eun, enduring the tingling pain, spoke to Hyang-a, who played the role of a female servant.

"Hyang-a, go to the magistrate's house and quickly inform Seonbi Yi-baek of what you saw."

"Yes, ma'am."

The actor playing Hyang-a left the frame, and Seo Ji-eun and Yeon Woo exchanged glances before leaving the frame together.

"Cut! Good job."

Hearing the director's approval, Seo Ji-eun, still feeling the pain in her arm from yesterday's struggle with the stalker, rubbed her arm.

During the morning shoot, Seo Ji-eun seemed to gradually recover her condition.

However, Yeon Woo, noticing the dark look on her face, tilted his head.

'She's usually so bright. What's wrong?'

After filming a few more scenes at the folk village, it was time to prepare for the horse chase scene in the afternoon.

Yeon Woo approached Seo Ji-eun.

"Have you ridden a horse before?"

Seo Ji-eun shook her head.

"The director said that the close-up shots of the fast ride will be filmed on a model frame, but the starting scene has to be filmed on a real horse."

"Can you ride a horse, Yeon Woo?"

Yeon Woo, trying to reassure Seo Ji-eun, who looked a bit scared, smiled.

"Yes, I can ride quite well, so just leave it to me. It should be over in about twenty seconds."

"Thank goodness."

Seo Ji-eun nodded at Yeon Woo's words.

At that moment, a handler brought a horse into the filming site.

"Is this the same horse we used in Taean?"

"People say all horses look the same, but you can tell them apart."

Smiling at the approaching Yeon Woo, the handler handed him the reins.

Yeon Woo skillfully took the reins and a sugar cube from the handler and placed it in the horse's mouth.

"They don't all look the same. This one is so handsome."

"Is that about you?"

Seo Ji-eun, laughing, approached and joked.

She stroked the horse's head, showing interest.

"Wow, it's really cute. This one has big eyes and no cheeks. I'm so jealous."

"Huh?"

Seo Ji-eun, who seemed to be looking at the horse from a slightly different perspective.

But seeing her make jokes, it seemed her condition had improved.

"Give me your hand."

"Huh? My hand."

Yeon Woo extended his hand, and Seo Ji-eun, like a puppy, placed her hand on top. Yeon Woo put the sugar cube in her hand.

"It's the horse's favorite snack. Give it to him to get acquainted."

"Really? That's interesting. He likes sugar cubes."

Seo Ji-eun approached the horse and offered the sugar cube, which the horse took with its tongue.

"Ah! It's covered in saliva."

"Ha ha ha."

The handler, watching their cute interaction, laughed and took out a wet tissue from his front pocket.

"Use this."

"Ah, thank you!"

Seo Ji-eun wiped her hand with the wet tissue and stroked the horse again.

From a distance, the assistant director called out.

"Actors, please get ready. We're ready to shoot."

Yeon Woo got on the horse first, and the handler, rummaging through his front pocket, pulled out a large blanket and sat on it.

How does he keep pulling things out of that pocket?

Thinking of a character who pulls out all sorts of interesting items from a front pocket, Yeon Woo shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Step on this and hold the male actor's hand to get on in one go."

"Step on it? What if it hurts? I'm heavy."

Looking at her slim figure, it was clear that women always think they are heavier than they actually are.

"It's fine. Step on it."

"Then I'll do so."

Seo Ji-eun stepped on the handler's thigh, and Yeon Woo helped her up.

Holding Yeon Woo's hand, she struggled to get on the horse.

"Wow, it's really high."

Seo Ji-eun, once on the horse, marveled at the height, which was higher than she expected.

"I'll go slowly to that side."

Yeon Woo secured Seo Ji-eun between his arms and entered the frame.

Director Lee Sang-hoon, seeing them on the horse, gave a thumbs up.

"The shot looks great. We'll film the fast departure scene. You don't need to go far, just about ten meters."

Yeon Woo nodded, looking ahead.

"I'll block the sides with my arms, but still, hold the front of the saddle tightly so you don't fall."

"Okay!"

Hearing the director's cue, Yeon Woo put his feet in the stirrups and kicked off.

"Go!"

With a strong jolt, the horse moved forward.

Seo Ji-eun, surprised by the force, gripped the front of the saddle tightly.

Since Yeon Woo was holding her with his arms, she was in a fairly stable position.

Yeon Woo, after going about ten meters as the director said, returned to the frame.

The director, checking the footage on the field monitor, tilted his head, seemingly unsatisfied, and asked the handler.

"Hmm, can the actress ride behind?"

"Well, it's safer to ride in front, but many people ride behind as well."

The director, seeing Seo Ji-eun riding in front, felt it didn't look like a pursuit but more like a leisurely ride, so he was hesitant.

Seeing the director's face, Seo Ji-eun spoke up.

"Should I get off and ride behind? I'm fine with it."

The director, considering Seo Ji-eun's suggestion, nodded.

"Since it's a short distance, it should be fine."

On a spontaneous decision, Seo Ji-eun got off and rode behind Yeon Woo, and they returned to the camera frame.