Chapter 125: Acting
In the end, they decided to use the last resort.
If they couldn’t sleep, they would be made to sleep.
Spilled drinks made a mess on the floor.
Not a single breath could be heard in the silent space.
Have you ever heard the sound of the sun rising?
They would be able to hear it where they lay.
The signs of morning approaching.
“Ah…”
Ha Muyoung’s shoulders lightly heaved.
‘Light number 2, please.’
‘Yes, I’ve checked it.’
They captured as much natural light as possible, but they still needed the power of lighting.
Whoosh-
As the lighting team moved busily, light fell on Muyoung’s white torso.
“Haa- Haa-”
The fine hair caught the light and shone warmly, and he seemed to get hotter, panting and brushing his neck.
‘Tell me.’
The face visible in the viewfinder was a work of art.
Tears flowing along beautifully curved lines. After editing, it would be processed as blood.
More intense than burning red jade, and the beauty of skin whiter than snow would be emphasized.
‘Tell me. What lies beyond the eternal sleep?’
Even with his eyes closed, he could see the light.
Muyoung, continually asking the nameless being that gave him life, became stiff like he was having a nightmare.
“Aah…”
It felt like the sunlight was pressing down on his body.
The grogginess of sleep, and the heat rising from somewhere.
His chest rose and fell greatly, and his breathing also became rough. Muyoung trembled, tossing and turning as if trying to wake up.
“Oh dear. What should I do?”
“Shh. He’s acting.”
“No, that’s too…”
Pitiful.
It was like a puppy whimpering in a nightmare.
All the staff held their clothes tightly, watching Muyoung’s end. If only they could wake him up.
‘I’ll move the camera.’
‘Yes, I’ll go.’
The camera filming Muyoung from the ceiling moved slowly.
Nurse, host, truck driver, thief.
It slowly panned over them, lying sprawled out in turn.
“Muyoung, this way.”
At the staff’s signal, Muyoung rolled and slipped out toward the staff. The camera paused briefly. It would have to be edited together, but the shorter that time, the easier it was.
“Quickly, quickly!”
The clothes he had been wearing and black powder were sprinkled where Muyoung had been lying. Muyoung, wiping his profuse sweat, watched the scene.
“It’s amazing.”
“It’ll be even more amazing when you see the edited version.”
The powder, sprinkled in a roughly human shape.
When the signal that it was done came, the camera moved again.
In the angle that panned over the bodies once, only Muyoung’s burnt powder remained.
“Okay! Cut!”
“Good. Let’s go straight to the next scene.”
“Lighting director! Remove that machine! It’s in the angle.”
At the director’s words, all the actors got up.
And in the place where they had been lying, a mannequin lay, and the camera changed angle from the living room floor to the garden.
“Let’s see Jinrim’s skills.”
“Oh my. Teacher. What are you saying?”
“Has the OST been decided?”
“Yes. Anyway, we’re not putting sound on the video, just combining it with the song, so do you want to listen while you do it?”
“That’s good.”
“Minsu! Bring my phone over here.”
It was the scene right after Muyoung died, spending happy times with his colleagues in the sunlight in his imagination. It was the work’s ending scene.
“Here it is.”
When the director played the song on his phone, the actors listened with their faces close together. Their heads nodded naturally to the soft, pleasant song.
“It’s good.”
“Then I’ll get ready. It looks like the camera setup is all done.”
The director finished organizing.
The large living room window. The bodies lying backlit.
And the garden visible from the living room.
“Everyone out! Stand by!”
“Let’s go!”
Thud!
The window closed, and only five actors remained in the garden.
Teacher Jinrim laughed, looking very awkward.
“How do I do this?”
“I dance a little. Do you want to see?”
Muyoung lightly spun to the song the director had put on. And playfully wiggling, swaying his hips.
“Oh dear. That’s something.”
“Huh? Then you try dancing.”
“Like this, like this.”
“Ohh. You’re pretty good?”
Starting with Muyoung and Bora, a joyful dance party began.
Taeseok also showed off his quite funny movements, loosely moving his muscular body.
Teacher Kang Seongbae shrugged his shoulders! Teacher Jinrim also moved his fingertips lightly, and the five of them naturally mingled.
‘I’ll move!’
The staff wrote instructions on a sketchbook and brought it over.
Then Muyoung moved first, leaving the garden. The camera filming them from inside the living room also came out of the pension, following them on the rails.
Zziiing-
“Hahaha!”
“Oh dear, I’m out of breath!”
“Hurry up! Bora, hand!”
“Okay!”
The five of them ran barefoot out of the pension onto the empty street, as if trying to soak up the sunlight with their whole bodies, arms spread wide.
Zziiing-
Then the helicopter cam waiting outside filmed them. The five gradually became dots and soon only the blue sky was captured.
“Okay. Cut.”
“It’s a cut!”
“Good work.”
“Muyoung! Cut! Cut cut!”
The director, viewing the situation through the viewfinder at the pension. When the cut sign came down, Gyeongmin quickly ran over, shouting. The empty asphalt in the thickly forested area.
“The cut’s up! Teachers!”
“Ohh! Okay!”
In the distance, the five walked barefoot, dragging their feet.
It seemed quite fun, with a blush and natural smile hovering on their faces.
Click-
The still team recorded it.
The managers ran to them holding shoes.
Among them, Gyeongmin had three pairs.
“How was it? Did it film well?”
“Yeah. I think so. Here. Let’s put on shoes.”
“Hmm… I don’t like it!”
“What? Muyoung! Oh dear, why is he like that?”
“Leave him. He seems pretty excited.”
Bora put on slippers and smiled.
It was like a dog trapped in a cage stepping on grass for the first time.
Jumping here and there!
How could he walk around so happily barefoot?
The still photographer called Muyoung.
“Muyoung! Look over here!”
At that sound, Muyoung jumped vigorously.
The sight of him jumping up making a V sign was truly refreshing.
Click!
“Is it because it’s the last scene? He looks so carefree.”
“That may be it. But it’s the scene Muyoung wanted so much. All of us running through the morning streets. Even if it’s just imagination, how good would it be?”
Muyoung whispered to the still photographer.
“And the director says it’s imagination, but I don’t think so. It will definitely be the world of eternity.”
The world of eternity that comes after death.
Muyoung buttoned his shirt, entering the pension.
“Good work!”
“Good work. Now we just need to film the scene where Bora wakes up and touches the powder.”
“Oh yeah! Are we done?”
“Those who are done can go home, but since we came all the way to the pension, it would be a shame to just leave, right? I’m planning to grill some meat to celebrate the production cost increase and ending filming.”
At Director Bae’s words, Muyoung’s eyes sparkled.
Wow. That’s so good! Meat in the morning, meat.
“I’ll grill it! Buy me lots!”
“The staff went shopping at a nearby mart, so wait a little. First, put on shoes. Hahaha.”
Anyway, they came in the same car, so they had to wait for Bora’s filming. Muyoung turned around and asked the teachers.
“You’ll eat and go, right? Teachers! I’ll grill it deliciously for you.”
“I will. It’s a good day.”
“If the two of you teachers are tired, go up to the second floor and rest. There are quite a few rooms.”
“Should we? I am a bit tired after running.”
Kang Seongbae and Jinrim entered the pension with the staff’s guidance, and Muyoung roughly wiped his feet and put on shoes.
“Do you have a grill and charcoal?”
“Yes. I’ll bring it from the back.”
“Wow. I’ve always wanted to do this. Eating grilled meat with the team in a place with good air! Last time I went on an MT…”
Chatter chatter.
Muyoung was truly excited, his tension no joke.
To the point that the people around him completely lost their morning sleepiness.
He set everything up and waited for the meat to come, watching Bora’s acting.
“Oh~ Kang Bora~”
Since he was speaking outside, it probably wouldn’t be heard.
Bora alone rubbed and pressed the black powder, recalling Muyoung’s final traces.
Filming proceeding with various angles and actions.
“Hey. Muyoung. Look at this.”
“Yes? What is it?”
In the midst of that, Gyeongmin discovered something and passed his phone to Muyoung. It was an article on the portal main page. It was Joo Jungdan’s face coming out of the police station… .
“Yikes. What’s this?”
His face was a mess with a nosebleed.
It was because an extreme fan of Cha Ye-sol had waited and thrown a stone. That moment was vividly captured in numerous reporters’ cameras.
“How will this guy’s face be saved?”
‘Was this the mustache smog back then? Ugh. Embarrassing.’
“That chaebol. Joo Jungdan is one thing, but Baekgun is completely done for. One child raised wrong and it’s a total mess. Really.”
“How do you think that movie will turn out? There’s a rumor it was sold unfinished overseas.”
“There’s no precedent, so we’ll have to watch. But personally, I hope it gets released.”
Gyeongmin smiled and took his phone back.
“Why?”
“Because it will be more miserably destroyed! Hehehe! Then won’t our victory shine even more?”
“Yikes. Hyung. You weren’t this kind of character.”
“Who cares about character in front of success. Huh? The meat’s here. Over here! It’s all ready!”
Whatever happened, it was certain that the entertainment industry would be abuzz for a while.
Starting with Cha Ye-sol, most would be swept away. So why play with water dangerously?
“The meat, wow there’s a lot.”
“How many people are there?”
“Once Bora’s filming is finished, it will really be over. Ohh! Beer!”
“In the morning?”
“We’ve been filming this, so our days and nights have been switched for a long time.”
The staff who had finished their work also gathered in threes and fours, full of anticipation. Muyoung rolled up his shirt sleeves and picked up tongs.
“Now! Today I’ll take responsibility!”
“Ohh. Ha Muyoung’s grilled meat~”
“Everyone, good work. Really.”
Putting mushrooms on, putting kimchi on.
Smoke rose softly at the quiet pension. It really felt like they had all gone on a trip together.
“Oh my. It smells so good.”
Teacher Jinrim also came down after changing into comfortable clothes. In the meantime, he seemed to have slept briefly, his hair disheveled.
“Where’s Teacher Kang Seongbae?”
“There was no answer. He was sleeping. What’s that meat? Pork belly?”
So they all grilled and ate meat together, and Muyoung suddenly looked up at the sky. Black meat smoke rose straight up… .
“Huh?”
Smoke also rose faintly from the second floor of the pension.
Rubbing his smoky eyes and blinking hard-
“Why? Muyoung?”
“Eat eat. You don’t have to diet anymore.”
Though everyone around handed him meat, there was no answer. Muyoung blankly thought for a moment, then threw down the tongs and ran up to the second floor.
“Uh? Muyoung!”
“Why is he suddenly like that?”
“I don’t know. Does he need to poop?”
Thud! Thud!
As he ran up two or three stairs at a time, the smoke grew thicker. Muyoung immediately realized it was the room Kang Seongbae had entered.
“Teacher!”
Creak!
As soon as he opened the door, what was visible was the body of an old man lying facing away. And extending from his back were the Black Smog’s wings. Muyoung felt his heart tremble as he approached him.
“S, sir?”
“Uuh…”
Thank goodness! He’s still alive!
Muyoung quickly ran to him and raised his body.
“Everyone, come up quickly! The teacher has collapsed!”
And he shouted, his voice tearing.
Muyoung, holding Kang Seongbae, ran outside. The people coming up at the sound were startled and stuck to the wall.
“What? What happened?”
“Start the car! Start it!”
“Uh. I know. Just a moment!”
Thud thud!
Rumble!
The peaceful atmosphere of eating meat was completely shattered.
Muyoung, not even realizing his slippers had fallen off, got in the car holding him.
“The nearest hospital! Hyung! Quickly!”