Chapter 40

Villain Only Acting Chapter 40

Big Topic? Big Fire? (4)

Yoon Hyung-sik had an average build.

He wasn't ugly, but his face wasn't one that could be called handsome, even as a compliment.

If someone were to praise him as handsome, he would likely feel annoyed, thinking they were insulting him.

Complimenting something that exists can be flattery, but praising something that doesn't exist is just mockery.

“Actor Chae Ji-hyun is here too. I'm not sure if I should join in. Haha.”

“Of course it's fine. Who could dislike Senior Yoon Hyung-sik?”

“Oh, I feel so honored that a top star like Actor Chae Ji-hyun is treating me so kindly. Just call me Hyung-sik.”

“But you're a senior actor. How can I call you by your name? That's not right.”

“Anyway, our Actor Chae Ji-hyun is such a kind person. Haha.”

Yoon Hyung-sik had excellent social skills.

He would infiltrate without the other party noticing and plant his flag, much like a special forces operation on the battlefield.

“I'm Jung Su-yeon. I work as a drama staff member. I also worked on the production team for 'Illegible.'”

“Oh, I thought you were an actor because you're so pretty. Isn't it a waste to be a staff member?”

“Ah, Actor Chae Ji-hyun, if you say that in front of me, what am I supposed to be? Stop it, stop it.”

While saying this, Jung Su-yeon didn't seem to mind the compliments.

His words weren't particularly impressive.

If you read them just by the characters, they would only feel like flattery.

But his strangely soothing baritone voice masked the flattery and instead wrapped it in sincerity.

That deep voice and his slightly ordinary, unattractive face created a contrast that easily broke down others' guard and made them feel close.

If his words, actions, and appearance were all good, he might have become a top actor.

By now, the beer had run out, and Jung Se-hoon got up from his seat.

‘If he came here at this hour, even lying, he must really like her.’

“I'll go buy more.”

“Hey, come with me.”

“No, you're the guest. Stay here. I'll go buy it.”

As Director Hwang In-joon tried to stagger up, Jung Su-yeon quickly stopped him.

“Oh, Director. We'll go buy it. I have to make a quick call home anyway.”

“Oh, thank you then.”

“Let us know if you need anything.”

Jung Su-yeon took orders and jotted them down on her phone before leaving the office with her brother.

As they rode the elevator down, Jung Se-hoon casually mentioned,

“Yoon Hyung-sik seems to have a thing for Chae Ji-hyun.”

“Huh? No, that's not true.”

“Didn't you see? Forget it.”

Jung Su-yeon added, sounding incredulous,

“He's always praised for being friendly. He's a famous flatterer, but in a positive way. I don't know what you saw, but no.”

“It's a survival skill to hide himself.”

“No, really, he's not. He's married.”

“...Married?”

“Yes. How famous is he as a sweet husband and father? He often appears on variety shows. He's quite well-known.”

Jung Se-hoon's steps paused, and when the gap widened, Jung Su-yeon stopped and turned back.

“What are you doing? Aren't you coming?”

Jung Se-hoon thought of a common line to use in such a situation to avoid awkwardness.

“That guy seems a bit strange. Is it okay for married men in the film industry to do that?”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought he had feelings for Chae Ji-hyun.”

“No way. What makes you think that?”

“He was lying.”

“Lying?”

Only then did Jung Su-yeon start to feel puzzled and tilt her head.

“He said he was just passing by this area, but that's strange.”

“But he said he met a friend earlier...”

“Why did he call from the hallway of the office floor, pretending he saw the lights on from outside the building?”

“...What?”

Jung Su-yeon's eyes narrowed as the alcohol seemed to wear off.

“What do you mean?”

“He was in the hallway when he called.”

“How do you know?”

“I heard everything.”

“...I didn't hear anything.”

“Maybe your ears are clogged with fat.”

“Hey! Anyway, keep talking.”

Jung Su-yeon, who had been casually flipping through channels, suddenly became as engrossed as someone watching a love and war program.

“You saw him come in with a convenience store bag full of snacks, right? He must have bought them outside and then called from the hallway.”

“So he knew the Director was having a drinking session? How... Oh! Chae Ji-hyun's Instagram!”

Jung Su-yeon gasped and clapped her hands.

Chae Ji-hyun had posted a group photo on Instagram, saying they were taking a certification shot.

Anyone who had visited the office often would have recognized the location from the photo.

“Hey, I'm sobering up. Wait, wait.”

Jung Su-yeon immediately started searching on her phone.

“Let's see. Yoon Hyung-sik lives at xx in Shinsha-dong... If he took a taxi, it would take about 15 minutes to get here. How many minutes after Chae Ji-hyun posted on Instagram did he call?”

“25 minutes.”

“Damn, you remember all that. Is the engineering department at Korea University a den of monsters?”

While grumbling, Jung Su-yeon traced the timeline in her head.

“So if he got dressed, rushed out, stopped by a convenience store, and then called from the hallway, the timing fits, right?”

“Right.”

“Then was he waiting in the hallway for 10 minutes?”

“He was pacing back and forth.”

Jung Su-yeon's mouth dropped open.

“Wow, how did you know all that while being with us?”

“I guess I have good ears. Anyway, he was in the hallway when he called. I heard it clearly.”

“What, what? Do you think they have something going on? No, that's impossible. He's not a pretty boy but a character actor, and a perennial supporting actor at that. Why would Chae Ji-hyun be interested? It would only make sense if it was blackmail.”

Jung Se-hoon shrugged.

“I only met Chae Ji-hyun today, but I could tell she doesn't have any feelings for Yoon Hyung-sik. Just a good colleague.”

“I'm a woman too. Do you think I wouldn't notice? So Yoon Hyung-sik is secretly in love with Chae Ji-hyun while being married? No, no, maybe he came to meet Director Hwang? But why would he follow Chae Ji-hyun's Instagram? He could just call the Director.”

“Not everything is as it seems.”

Jung Su-yeon shivered.

“I know. I've been in this industry for a few years. But this is really shocking. The sweet husband Yoon Hyung-sik secretly had a crush on Chae Ji-hyun.”

“It might not just be Chae Ji-hyun. He could just really like women.”

“Are they teaching physiognomy as a general course at Korea University now?”

Jung Su-yeon, quite shocked, kept talking about it from the convenience store to the elevator.

According to her sister, Yoon Hyung-sik was a flawless model student in the film industry.

A character actor who had climbed as high as he could.

He always had good things to say about him among producers, directors, fans, colleagues, and writers.

“It's chilling to think that all of that was just thorough self-management.”

“Chilling? There are plenty of people like that.”

“You act so indifferent, but you have a young kid.”

“Well, maybe he's being cautious after his first big hit.”

“Why are you talking about him like he's someone else? Hey, let's be quiet now. Quiet. Oh, but can I hide my surprise?”

Jung Su-yeon composed her expression and pressed the doorbell.

Yoon Hyung-sik opened the door with a friendly face, and Jung Su-yeon tried hard to suppress her laughter, her cheeks turning red.

Hwang In-joon and Chae Ji-hyun welcomed the beer and snacks they brought, and the drinking session continued.

The sky was already beginning to lighten in the distance.

“Oh, it's been so long since I've had such a good night of drinking.”

“Director, why are you lying? You boasted about drinking until noon three days ago.”

“Really, Director, I admire your liver. I want to learn from you.”

“How do you learn to have a good liver? It's just something you're born with.”

In the warm atmosphere, Jung Su-yeon secretly sent a text to her brother.

[Hey, now that I think about it, you might be right. He seems to be aware of Chae Ji-hyun the whole time?]

[You seem perceptive. Just play it cool.]

[OK]

“Director, will the editing be finished this week?”

“Yes. We'll also have an internal screening and start the publicity. The theater setup is already prepared by the distributor.”

“I hope it surpasses ten million viewers.”

“Chae Ji-hyun's acting was great, and the director's script, shooting, and editing are all highly praised. Ten million is a given. The question is how quickly we can achieve it.”

Jung Su-yeon muttered to herself, ‘Wow, look at that honey-coated tongue.’

After fiddling with her phone for a moment, Jung Su-yeon suddenly screamed.

“Oh, what is it?”

“Su-yeon? What's wrong?”

“Oh, nothing...”

Jung Su-yeon clamped her mouth shut in shock, but everyone's attention was already on her.

“What's going on?”

“It, it's... There's an article now...”

“An article?”

As soon as Hwang In-joon heard the word 'article,' he immediately searched on his phone.

There was no need to search hard.

It was prominently displayed at the top of the entertainment section, and follow-up articles were popping up one after another.

[Character Actor Y's Affair Allegations!]

[Will 'Illegible' Face a Crisis Before the Screening?]

[The Hidden Shadow of a Model Character Actor]

[The Shameless Double Life of a Sweet Husband]

Jung Su-yeon involuntarily glanced at her brother.

The casual comment he had made earlier echoed in her mind.

‘He might just really like women.’

[Will a Boycott Begin for Hwang In-joon's Ambitious Work 'Illegible'?]

“These bastards! What the hell are they saying!”