Chapter 10

"Everyone, let's take a short break~"

While the staff were reorganizing, Yui headed to the restroom.

Park Jun-ki, Lee Jong-soon, and Min So-hee were still sitting in their spots.

They were all lost in thought.

"Wow, that's impressive."

Park Jun-ki was the first to speak.

"Indeed."

Lee Jong-soon nodded in agreement, and Min So-hee genuinely concurred.

They were actors with age differences ranging from 15 to 50 years compared to Yui. When they first met on the first day of filming, they had found the young Yui endearing.

That was until they acted with him.

"Once, a senior actor who has passed away now said something like this."

Min So-hee continued softly.

"A truly great actor is not just someone who acts well, but someone who brings out the best in their co-actors."

Lee Jong-soon nodded.

"That's true."

They, too, were passionate and experienced actors who could hold their own against famous actors. However, sadly, there was a wall of talent in acting.

There are many good actors in the world, and there are also many lucky and good-looking ones.

Min So-hee, Park Jun-ki, and Lee Jong-soon all wanted to stand out in their field and not fall behind in their passion for acting. However, standing out through acting was harder than picking stars from the sky. Most of their days were spent being extras to the lead actors. They had spent decades struggling with such sadness and alienation.

"I've met quite a few actors while acting."

However, among them, actors with talent and effort, let alone more, were truly rare.

"Yui is a good actor."

Lee Jong-soon and Park Jun-ki nodded in agreement with Min So-hee's words.

"He's going to be big."

"By the way, do you think participating in this project will be a great portfolio for us?"

Lee Jong-soon said, chuckling.

"Of course, if we're still alive by then."

"Excuse me, what do you mean, senior?"

The three turned their heads at the voice from behind. Yui was standing there with wide eyes.

"You should live long. It's the era of longevity. You still have a long way to go."

Hearing Yui's words, Min So-hee burst into laughter. Even Park Jun-ki, who had been making strange faces to avoid laughing, burst out laughing, leaving Yui looking bewildered.

'...Was I the topic of conversation?'

【If the conversation was about Yui, there's a 38% chance it was praise and a 47% chance it was gossip...】

'Stop.'

*

The short break was over. Voices signaling the resumption of filming were heard here and there.

"Filming will start soon~!"

Hearing the voice, Yui slowly got up from his seat.

'Finally, we're shooting this scene.'

The scene they were about to shoot was the one Yui had practiced the most for in this movie. It was a challenging scene, but the preparation process was also enjoyable.

A pleasant tension flowed through Yui's veins, energizing him. With a faint look of anticipation, Yui slowly got up from his seat.

'I have to do this right.'

And he was confident he would.

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For the Last Food Place (4)

"Action!"

With a cheerful signal, Yui slowly opened his eyes.

At that moment, Yui once again became 'Yui' in the story.

"..."

Sohui, who had just returned from the restroom, collapsed in front of their car.

In front of him, calmly drinking banana milk, he saw Sohui fall helplessly.

"..."

"Big sister?"

The banana milk slipped from Yui's hand. He bent his knees toward the fallen Sohui,

"Big sister...!"

He began to shake Sohui.

Shocked, his slightly open mouth and eyes began to tremble.

'No way.'

He slowly leaned down and placed his hand on Sohui's nose.

Breathing... it's there.

His blurry eyes slowly regained their light.

'Oh...'

The camera director, capturing Yui's face from a low angle, quietly marveled.

'Impressive.'

To be able to create such a realistic tremble that even the camera could capture it.

'Even if I told him to do it on purpose, he couldn't.'

Other faces appeared on the screen.

Behind Yui, Jun-ki and Jong-soon approached, pale-faced.

Jong-soon squatted down, pushing away Jun-ki, who was muttering curses.

After checking Sohui's pulse and opening her eyelids to examine her pupils, she whispered,

"No way..."

"Why?"

Jong-soon didn't answer easily. Irritation began to show on Jun-ki's face, and frustration on Yui's,

"Why is this happening?"

"Damn, again?!"

Finally, Jong-soon spoke.

"Poison."

Hearing this, Yui slowly blinked.

"What do you mean... Grandma?"

"Call 119 immediately."

Yui stared blankly at Jong-soon.

Poison?

...Why?

He genuinely couldn't understand.

They had all eaten together. Why...

"Hurry up!"

Fire flashed in Lee Jong-soon's eyes. Only after the stern command did Yui start to blink.

Was it from shock? His vision kept blurring.

Surely she won't die like this, right? To die like this...

"Right... Emergency room! Emergency room!"

Hearing Jun-ki's shout, Yui dialed the phone with trembling hands.

But with 119 displayed on the screen, Yui's finger hesitated over the call button.

"What are you doing, not calling yet!"

"Are we sure it's okay to go to the hospital?"

At this, Jong-soon and Jun-ki looked at Yui.

"..."

"Are you sure it's okay?"

Her eyes, empty and terrifying, moved.

They scanned Sohui's designer coat and bag, and the faces of the elderly woman and the shabby middle-aged man.

Eyes filled with the fear that the person they were with might die, and the cruel selfishness that they might be held responsible for this situation.

"I..."

Jun-ki's mouth opened and then closed.

The strength in Yui's hand gradually faded.

And in the next moment,

Jong-soon snatched Yui's phone.

"!"

And instantly pressed the call button.

"Cut!"

Silence filled the set.

The actors also stood still in their spots.

Then, Yoo Jae-ho, who had been staring at the monitor as if frozen, suddenly stood up. He approached the actors with quick steps, his face slightly angry.

All the staff watched him, holding their breath.

Standing in front of the actors, Yoo Jae-ho spoke.

"Thank you."

"!"

Seeing Yoo Jae-ho's face, Yui was a bit surprised. His eyes were moist.

At that moment, Bwin's voice echoed in his head.

【Stage 1 goal 93% achieved.】

'What?'

But Bwin didn't respond to Yui's thoughts.

【Your body temperature is dropping due to the external temperature. I recommend going indoors or using a hand warmer.】

He just changed the subject.

*

At the same time, in the practice room of NVB's headquarters in Seongsu-dong.

A blonde man in a white T-shirt and black joggers was dancing.

His hat and scarf were lying in the corner of the practice room.

The man, with Bluetooth earphones in his ears, was warming up.

One, two... three, four.

One and two, three and four.

He counted the beats out loud and moved his feet. He hadn't missed a single day of practice since he joined the agency through dance.

With each dance move, the lines of his toned body were revealed.

"Hey, Kim Hara."

The man looked up. The practice room door opened, and a man in a black cap and gray tracksuit set walked in. It was Jang Woosin, his colleague and a member of Black C.

"Long time no see."

"Long time no see, hyung!"

Black C had recently finished various event and promotional shooting schedules and had each taken short vacations. This was the first time they had met in the practice room in a few days.

"Hey, Kim Hara. Didn't you go to Wolmyeong University a few days ago? That's what your manager said."

"Yep."

"Why did you go without Eun-ho hyung?"

"Ah, I didn't go to see that hyung!"

Hara answered Woosin's question lightly and then focused on his dance again. Woosin didn't ask any more questions.

Indeed, he was a simple and easy person to be around. Hara thought this as he changed the music.

Hara had gone to Wolmyeong University that day for his sister, who was a graduate student.

'Although, I ended up spending more time with someone else...'

The man at the convenience store who helped him and the man practicing acting on the rooftop café.

– What do you mean, grandma?

At that moment, the man's fingertips were trembling.

If he had earphones in, one might think he was on a call.

He was acting.

His concentration was so intense that it was hard to believe he was acting without a co-actor or even a prop. The man remained focused until Hara approached him.

He was a unique person.

And most importantly... he was good.

'Maybe he's a new actor.'

After taking a sip of water and momentarily daydreaming, Hara started practicing his dance again.

Not long after, another member entered the practice room.

"Hello, hyung!"

"Long time no see."

It was Yoo Yeon-ho, the main vocalist of Black C. Yeon-ho had light brown hair and wore glasses. As the three of them warmed up separately, the practice room door opened again. This time, it wasn't a member.

"Hello, director~!"

"Hello!"

A woman with long hair tied up high. She was the director who had been with Black C since their planning stage.

"Oh, everyone's here except Eun-ho and Min-oh?"

The director looked at the members who had returned to the practice room even on the last day of their vacation, satisfied.

What is the most important thing for an idol? Of course, talent, looks, singing, and dancing are all important. But the most fundamental thing is perseverance.

Maintaining a high position in the entertainment industry, which moves at a rapid pace, for more than four years is harder than walking a tightrope.

'It's because of kids like these that they've come this far.'

Black C was her first and biggest career achievement.

"Did you rest well?"

"Yep, I rested really well~"

"Jang Woosin, I can tell just by looking at your face. Did you even use sunscreen? What happened to your face? How could you get so tanned?"

The director rained down rapid-fire scolding on Jang Woosin and then pointed at Kim Hara.

"By the way, Hara, you need to take additional acting classes starting tomorrow."

"Acting classes?"

"You're going to be in a web drama."

"Really?"

Hara's eyes widened in surprise, and the director shrugged.

"The director likes your image. He's a director that J.M. Studio is pushing these days. It will be released on OTube and then on Newlix a month later."

Newlix was a global OTT platform that had been hitting record-high stock prices for several weeks.

"Wow, Kim Hara!"

Jang Woosin playfully nudged Hara, but Hara looked bewildered.

"Eun-ho is also in it, so ask him about everything. Hara, you should start acting now."

"Director, director! What about me?"

Jang Woosin's eyes lit up, and the director smiled slightly.

"Jang Woosin... focus on variety shows."

"Tch."

Jang Woosin pretended to be upset, but Hara chuckled. Everyone knew he had no interest in acting whatsoever.

"Director."

"Uh-huh?"

"What's the drama about?"

Hara asked, and Yoo Yeon-ho, who had pretended not to care but was secretly curious, perked up his ears. After a brief moment of thought, the director said,

"High school."

"High school?"

"Yep. It's a high school musical drama."

"Wow! I love high school musicals!"

The director ignored the excited Jang Woosin and continued.

"It's about a group of students who can dance, sing, can't sing but can dance, and can't dance but can sing, putting on a stage... something like that. Read the script when it comes out."

"Got it."

"By the way, Hara."

"Director!"

The director smiled at Hara.

"You're the one who can't sing but can dance."

*

Meanwhile, the filming was nearing its final stages.

The filming continued late into the night, and everyone was eating dinner. However, Yoo Jae-ho didn't even notice if the food was going into his mouth or his nose.

"Ah..."

"Director, you're spilling it."

He was laughing to himself, oblivious to the kimchi broth staining his pants.

"Amazing."

Yoo Jae-ho was watching the cuts that the on-set editor had quickly put together. Despite the lack of proper editing, the result was surprisingly well-done.

Eighty percent of the credit goes to the actors.

'The casting was perfect.'

Yoo Jae-ho felt like doing a celebratory dance. If there were no people around, he would have done it already.

"Is there anything else we need to reshoot?"

"No. The remaining scenes are from here to here."

He nodded in satisfaction. Only one more day of filming remained.

"I'm already feeling nostalgic~"

Min So-hee smiled wistfully.

"Only the final shoot is left."

"Indeed."

Yui nodded in agreement. He, too, felt nostalgic about the filming coming to an end.

"I learned a lot from you, Yui."

"Senior, you're too kind. I learned more from you."

When Yui said this with wide eyes, Min So-hee laughed and shook her head.

There was nothing more to say to such genuine words...

'He's a special friend.'

She wouldn't have been able to perform well in this movie without the actor Han Yui.

Lee Jong-soon, looking at Yui warmly, added,

"I felt like I got younger thanks to you. When will I get to act with such a young actor again?"

"Everyone will do even better in the future."

"Yui, you have a good face and a good personality! You're going to be a big star~"