Chapter 94

Villain Only Acting 094

Uncle's Affection (3)

It was only to create a strong atmosphere at the beginning for better practice, but it seemed to unintentionally overwhelm the opponent.

Yun Jin-won started with an NG.

He momentarily forgot his lines and could only stammer.

The Lens Ability didn't even have a chance to exert its power to draw him into Jeong Se-hoon's atmosphere before the cut signal was given.

"Sorry, I'll look at the script one more time."

"If your mind goes blank, it can happen. I also can't think of my name when I'm too surprised. Take a break and read it comfortably."

"Thank you!"

Sitting down, Yun Jin-won quickly spread out the script and read it as if burying his nose in it.

It was a script he had already memorized, and forgetting lines wasn't a frequent occurrence.

But just now...

'Too scary.'

His heart was still pounding, and his stomach felt queasy.

The words that he had to suppress the urge to strangle and kill him immediately still lingered in his mind.

Yun Jin-won cursed his weak resolve.

His fear wasn't limited to horror genres.

He was also afraid of needles and being hated by people.

That's why he acted more brightly and diligently on set to avoid being disliked.

If he overheard someone whispering negative things about him, his heart would sink.

In severe cases, he would even experience symptoms similar to arrhythmia.

'When acting, it was fine. Everyone knows it's just acting.'

He knew that what Jeong Se-hoon said earlier was part of the performance, but the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if it was real, and his heart kept racing.

That's why he made a mistake as soon as they started the main scene.

"Cut."

"Cut. Again."

"Cut. Let's take a break."

"Cut. Try to focus a bit more."

"Cut..."

The more the cut signals repeated, the more Yun Jin-won's shoulders hunched. If he could, he would have hidden in a mouse hole.

Jeong Se-hoon, the PD, and the assistant director seemed calm, but...

'They must be cursing me inside. What should I do?'

Imagining the finger-pointing under their calm faces made his heart race even more.

"Nephew."

The moment Jeong Se-hoon spoke, the atmosphere changed completely.

His voice was so deep and heavy that it didn't seem to come from the same person.

His heart raced faster than his admiration for the sudden change in atmosphere.

"How could you so coldly reject this uncle's gift?"

And those eyes.

The eyes filled with intense hatred made Yun Jin-won feel suffocated.

He knew it was just acting, but his weak nature, which feared being hated, kept screaming.

He had never felt this way when acting with others, but why was it only with this person?

"Don't worry. It won't be that painful. Curse me and blame the late king for dying too soon."

The moment his hands gripped his neck, an absurd thought came to mind.

The ridiculous notion that this person might really strangle him to death.

How could he not think that, seeing those eyes filled with murderous intent?

'Ugh...'

The moment the fingers tightened around his neck, Yun Jin-won fainted and slumped over.

"Oh no. PD, Actor Yun Jin-won has fainted."

"What?"

The surprised PD hurried over, and the manager and mother quickly brought out a wet towel to place on his forehead.

"Oh, Jin-won. If you can't handle it and faint again, what will we do?"

"Ma'am, does Actor Yun often faint?"

"Well, he's just very easily scared and often faints. Once, something fell from a tree onto his head, and it turned out to be a cockroach, and he fainted."

"Ah, I would faint too if that happened. I still scream and get scared when I see cockroaches."

A while later, Yun Jin-won woke up.

Seeing the people around him, he felt embarrassed and apologetic.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay."

Jang Seung-won waved his hand.

"I've worked with Jeong Se-hoon before, and the atmosphere on set is really intense. I even fainted for real, not as part of the act."

"Really?"

"Do you know? In 'Illegals,' when Yoo Jeong-a had to forcibly kiss Se-hoon, she was so scared that she ended up biting him. But it looked so good that they used it as if it was planned."

"Ah! There was such a story behind it?"

The quick-witted assistant director chimed in to support, trying to boost Yun Jin-won's confidence.

"Thank you! I'll try harder! PD!"

"Still, since you fainted today, it might not be good to push too hard. We have plenty of time, so let's call it a day."

***

Before parting, Jang Seung-won invited Jeong Se-hoon to have dinner together.

Jeong Se-hoon readily accepted and joined Jang Seung-won at a regular restaurant in Apgujeong.

"How are things going lately?"

"Things are better now."

Jeong Se-hoon answered calmly, and Jang Seung-won looked at him with a hint of sympathy.

"Are you just pretending to be okay?"

"No, I'm not."

"Maybe because I've been watching actors for over twenty years, but why does it seem like you're just pretending to be okay?"

"Maybe my acting skills are lacking."

Jang Seung-won, who was thinking about the meaning, chuckled as if hit by a sudden realization.

"Anyway, Jeong Se-hoon, you have a way of subtly pulling people in with seemingly casual remarks."

While eating, Jang Seung-won continued as if it was nothing.

"I talked to Writer Kim, and he's worried. He's considering making some adjustments to the later parts."

"He said the same to me. I told him I'd prefer not to."

"I'm a director who likes to push for the best, but I don't want to ruin an actor's mental health for ratings. I'm sure the writer feels the same."

"It doesn't seem like you're just worried about me."

"Ha, you're so perceptive... But I am worried about you. I believe you when you say you're okay. You're a big star, and worrying about every little thing might hurt your pride."

Jeong Se-hoon put down his chopsticks and looked at Jang Seung-won straight.

"Are you considering replacing the actor?"

"If it's necessary, I will."

"Not a complete replacement, right?"

"Of course not. The young king is deposed and dies two years later. We can say his face changed due to aging and suffering during those two years."

The young king, deposed by the army, meets his end in Yeongwol, Gangwon-do.

It meant that for the final scene, another actor could replace Yun Jin-won.

"Yun Jin-won is young but talented and hardworking. I don't want to replace him at the last minute. But if my acting or directing ambitions might ruin a young actor, it's better to replace him. It's just one scene, after all."

"Yun Jin-won might be the most eager for that one scene."

"True. It's the scene where the young king leaves the strongest impression on the audience. Death is like that."

They didn't order any alcohol.

Jang Seung-won focused on eating.

"Let's give it a try, and if it doesn't work, we'll find another actor for that scene. If you think it's not working, let me know later. I'll make the decision alone."

"Understood."

"Ha, I thought you'd say something like, 'Keep practicing, and you'll do well later,' but you're surprisingly realistic."

"Not every piece of clothing fits perfectly. It's not bad to take off a suit that doesn't fit early."

"And this is just a word of caution..."

Jang Seung-won hesitated before speaking.

"Feel free to ignore it if you think it's unnecessary."

"Go ahead."

"For your next project, I hope you can take on a bright and cheerful character. It doesn't have to be a hero, just something bright and lively."

"..."

"It's just a word of caution. After all, it's not good for your image to be typecast as a villain. Taking a break might not be bad, and..."

Jang Seung-won laughed awkwardly to diffuse the tension.

***

'A bright and cheerful character.'

On the way home in the van, Jeong Se-hoon calmly thought about Jang Seung-won's words.

While it seemed like a suggestion to broaden his image, there was also a concern that he might suffer emotional damage by immersing himself too deeply in his roles.

Being an actor requires a strong sense of self.

Worrying about an actor's mental health can sometimes be seen as an affront to their pride.

That's why Jang Seung-won had carefully and indirectly advised him.

'Lee Jin-wook, Kim Chan, Daegun, and Rashid... They all have deep connections to my life.'

Lee Jin-wook, the lone serial killer, was similar to a common soldier who followed orders.

Kim Chan, the squad leader, was like a lieutenant leading his men to clear out the remnants of the enemy.

Daegun, who slaughtered his kin and bled to pursue the throne, was much like a brigadier general who advanced to the rank of general after sacrificing countless lives.

'There