Chapter 12

### Chapter 12: Only Villain Roles

Really die in episode 2? (2)

Jung Se-hoon wiped his face with cold water.

With moisture still on his face, he lifted his head to look at the mirror.

The young man in the mirror was not an ordinary college student but still wore the expression of a blood-soaked soldier.

‘It’s the camera.’

The ‘soldier’ concluded with certainty.

The strange phenomenon that occurred twice.

All the background except the opposite role disappeared, and the surroundings were replaced by a scene filled with the life of a soldier.

It happened both times when the main camera was rolling.

There might be other reasons, but for now, it was the only common factor.

‘It doesn’t seem to happen with just any camera.’

It didn’t happen with the camera that Jung Su-yeon set up to create content, nor with the camera used for the making-of footage.

‘Could it be that it only reacts to the director’s camera?’

Song Jeong-woo PD is the command tower directing the entire drama.

Whether he held the camera himself or not, could this phenomenon only occur when he seriously captured the acting and scenes?

More than being confused, he wanted to know.

Under what conditions did this phenomenon occur, and...

“If I can see it again, over and over...”

The heart of the soldier was larger and stronger within him.

He missed his fallen comrades and wanted to see his living comrades.

Since he was suddenly ejected from ‘reality’ in the middle of a bloody battle, could his comrades be in trouble?

Was he treated as a deserter, or as missing in action during the battle?

Thinking of the young soldier whose left arm was blown off by shelling and who was wailing, his heart ached.

“If I keep acting, and keep encountering that place...”

Could he return to that place someday?

His fingertips trembled slightly.

Who would want to return to such a brutal battlefield?

For Jung Se-hoon, it would be a terrifying prospect.

But the heart of the soldier longed for his comrades, his subordinates, and everything in that place.

“If I keep standing in front of the camera...”

Not just the past in that place.

Could he even reach the reality he had left behind?

Was this an unfounded hope?

He chuckled and calmed his boiling heart.

The heart of the soldier comforted Jung Se-hoon.

“Don’t worry, Se-hoon. I just... want to know what that place is like and see it. Relax.”

Because those times in that place were also a part of his life.

***

When she heard about his drama appearance, his mother reacted more casually than expected.

“Really? An extra?”

“Yes, Mom. I’ll only be in a couple of episodes.”

“You don’t mean...”

“I’m just doing it for fun. And to buy a MacBook with the acting fee. I can’t use an old MacBook when I return to school after the military.”

“Okay, then. Se-hoon, you’ll figure out your life on your own.”

“Mom, you know, your casual words can really sting. You know I’m your precious daughter, right?”

“Precious daughter? After making me worry for years with your acting bug. Don’t put any silly ideas into Se-hoon’s head. Our Se-hoon will become a tenured professor at MIT.”

“Does everyone get into MIT? If I could, I would have gone already. Mom, no matter how pretty your son is, it’s better to have more realistic dreams.”

“What? Dreams are always supposed to be big.”

“Then how about becoming a top star in Asia? Your descendants would never have to worry about money. You know, that famous Hong Kong noir actor has a fortune of 800 billion won.”

“Trying to put more silly ideas into his head again. Go away, I don’t even want to look at you.”

Chased away, Jung Su-yeon didn’t leave alone.

She grabbed Jung Se-hoon’s wrist, dragged him into his room, and closed the door.

“Did the PD say anything today? Like, to improve something or give some direction.”

“No. Why?”

“Well, I heard something strange. That Im Soo teacher. He said you’re not a bad actor, but the role doesn’t suit you.”

Jung Se-hoon recalled the monitoring of his acting shown by the PD.

- Very good. Just keep doing this.

“He just said to keep doing this?”

“Then maybe Im Soo teacher was wrong... Well, he’s getting old, so maybe his judgment has declined.”

Jung Su-yeon doesn’t know that Ji-wook is actually the main villain driving the plot.

Only the PD, the writer, the assistant director, and the cinematography and art directors know.

In the teaser and promotional materials, Ji-wook is shown at the end, among the extras.

Writer Kim Sang-hee was deeply immersed in the delightful imagination of surprising the audience.

- Dies in episode 2, reappears at the end of episode 4, and reveals his true identity in episode 6. From there, the atmosphere of the drama will drastically change.

A role that initially seemed to be a victim to elicit sympathy from housewives turned out to be the main villain involved in all the crimes in the drama.

If he hadn’t met Jung Se-hoon, Ji-wook would have been a minor role, losing his identity in the drama.

“But I have a question.”

“What?”

“About Hwang Ra-hee. She said... since she’s in it until the end, even if you die in episode 2, let’s get along well.”

“Is she trying to mess with me?”

“Seems like it.”

“But Hwang Ra-hee isn’t the type to mess with people. She’s a reasonable person. Just think positively. Maybe she’s trying to get along well, even if it’s for a short time.”

“I’m not worried. I was just curious.”

“Shooting starts tomorrow, so get plenty of rest today. You need to do well. This is the historical moment of the Jung Su-yeon PD team’s first offensive.”

“You’re already acting like a division commander. Why don’t you take a break and come back with more rank?”

“You’re the one who’s a new recruit, Se-hoon. I’m at least an officer. Anyway, get some rest.”

After closing the door, Jung Su-yeon snorted in disbelief.

“Hwang Ra-hei, you little thing. Who do you think you are, wagging your tail at someone, daringly?”

***

He wasn’t particularly excited or nervous about the first shooting day.

There was a slight thrill.

Would he really experience it again when the main camera rolls?

It was time to finally verify the certainty he had in his heart.

Since Jung Su-yeon had to arrive much earlier than the actors, Jung Se-hoon also got up early and went to the set with his sister.

“You should have slept more. Your makeup won’t last if you don’t. How many hours did you sleep?”

“I slept enough. I’m not tired. I feel good.”

“Your makeup will look strange on screen if it doesn’t last. Oh, so you can drive now.”

“Trying to total the car this time, not just the bumper?”

The vehicle had already arrived at the set.

The staff, who had come early, were busily preparing the scene.

Jung Su-yeon quickly blended in with the staff, and Jung Se-hoon found an empty chair.

Voices calling out to each other, the sound of heavy objects being dragged, the crane moving heavy lights... the set smelled of sweat.

As he quietly observed the bustling scene, the image of soldiers working on the deck suddenly came to mind.

With a surge of impulse in his fingertips, Jung Se-hoon unknowingly pulled out his sketchbook.

His hand, holding a pencil, began to quickly sketch the light and shadow.

In an instant, the image of landing troops running around on the deck came to life.

The page flipped, and a new background was filled with another scene.

An officer pointing a pistol at his subordinates, ordering them to go to the front lines.

A demonic expression above the gun in the center of the canvas, forcing obedience.

The page flipped again, and this time, the image of a soldier crying while carrying the bodies of his fallen comrades took its place.

As he sketched his own anguished self-portrait, his fingertips convulsed with trauma.

But Jung Se-hoon didn’t stop.

After quickly filling in the light and shadow, he paused and took in the image of his past self.

“Are you from an art school?”

The scent of an unfamiliar woman finally settled beside him.

He thought she would just pass by, but she had been quietly standing there for a while before finally speaking.

Jung Se-hoon turned to look at her, pretending to just notice her presence.

“You draw well. Were you in the Marine Corps?”

“I served in Seoul.”

“Oh, I thought you were in the Marine Corps. It’s so vivid. Especially this landing scene.”

It was Yoo Jeong-a, the drama’s female lead.

She played a prosecutor who tracks down the culprit and chases the criminal, opposite Cha Do-jin, who played a lawyer.

At 27, she was a top star at the peak of her career, and her value was probably a hundred times that of Jung Se-hoon.

She didn’t know yet.

That the main villain she would chase throughout the drama was right in front of her.

“Do you usually draw to get into character?”

“It’s not about getting into character, just a way to compose my mind.”

“You have the talent to be a writer. By the way, they say writers who look good do better in sales these days. You’re really serious about appearing in episode 2 and dying, aren’t you? You’re here so early.”

Jung Se-hoon thought again.

Is she trying to mess with me, or just passing time out of boredom?

It was quite surprising that a top star and the female lead would speak to an unknown actor first, and he could sense the staff and other low-profile actors whispering about it.

“Are you really going to die in episode 2? You’re not going to keep appearing?”

This guy is the real culprit, right? (1)