Chapter 126: Kang Seongbae
Kang Seongbae
“Is Kang Seongbae’s guardian here?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
Kang Seongbae’s manager raised his hand at the doctor’s call. Next to him, Ko Gyeongmin and the barefoot Ha Muyoung stood up and approached the doctor.
“He had a pre-existing condition, right?”
“Yes, he was undergoing outpatient treatment.”
“If we’d been a little later, it would’ve been tough. We’ve done emergency procedures, so let’s transfer him to this hospital once he’s stable. As you can see, this isn’t a surgery this hospital can handle. What about his family?”
“They’re coming from Seoul.”
“How long will they take?”
“About an hour and a half.”
“Let’s proceed with the paperwork when they arrive.”
The doctor nodded, glancing at his watch.
Ko Gyeongmin took off his shoes and handed them to Ha Muyoung.
“Just wear mine for now.”
“It’s fine. They’re already dirty.”
“It’s not about them being dirty, I’m worried you’ll hurt yourself. If you injure your feet, it’ll mess up your schedule. Come on.”
At Ko Gyeongmin’s words, Ha Muyoung reluctantly put on the shoes.
On the bed, Kang Seongbae lay with a strange hose-like tube in his mouth. For Ha Muyoung, who had rarely been to a hospital, it was a strange and frightening sight.
“Uh-oh—”
“Sir, are you coming to?”
Kang Seongbae slowly opened his eyes and smiled. From his breathing, it seemed like he was smiling, but—how could he be smiling now?
Ha Muyoung made a terrified expression and muttered. Still, to the teacher, he’d probably just look like an adorable kid.
“Sir, don’t smile, just rest some more. This hose thing looks like it’s about to come out.”
“Uh-huh—”
“……Are you feeling a bit better?”
Ha Muyoung leaned over the bed and asked gently.
On set, the teacher had been more radiant and resilient than anyone, but lying here in this hospital room, he was just an ordinary grandfather. So this is how sad aging is.
“I’m okay.”
His pronunciation was a bit slurred, but Kang Seongbae answered clearly. He swept Ha Muyoung’s hair back with his bony hand.
“Thank you.”
“No, it’s my fault. I think I ran too fast earlier. I’m sorry, sir.”
That scene where they ran out into the street.
He must have overdone it because he was having too much fun.
The directing called for it, but as an actor working in sync with him, he should have paid more attention to his partner’s condition. Ha Muyoung teared up and kept apologizing.
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“It’s not… because of that.”
You silly kid, crying like that.
Kang Seongbae’s silently smiling expression seemed to say.
“It’s because it’s the last one.”
“What?”
“I made a promise. I told myself, if I just finish this shoot well, if I can wrap this up without any issues, I’ll have no regrets. But as soon as I pulled it off, I relaxed—and crumbled.”
Thinking this could be his last work, he had always been on edge. Each day that passed safely was so deeply grateful.
“My part’s done, so… I’m relieved.”
“What’s done? Sir, we still have to do promotional interviews, screenings, and GV sessions together.”
Like a whiny grandchild, Ha Muyoung rubbed his cheek against Kang Seongbae’s hand.
But they both knew.
That might be a little difficult. Like running through the streets with a vampire, it was only possible in their imagination.
“His family’s on their way.”
“Thank you. If it wasn’t for Ha Muyoung, I might not have even said goodbye.”
“If you keep saying that, I’ll draw on your face.”
“Hahaha, you’re too much for an old man. I’m sleepy, but I can’t sleep. I’m too scared.”
Kang Seongbae laughed, gasping for breath.
After a brief silence, he spoke calmly.
“You know I started in theater, right?”
“Yes, you’re famous.”
Famous was actually limited to actors.
A life spent decades in theater. As fierce as his passion was, his life bore deep scars.
‘His family suffered as much as he did.’
Just one film, the one he shot two years ago, had given him a turning point in life before he ended up like this.
“I’m really envious of you, Ha Muyoung. You’re young.”
“My body’s weak, sir.”
At Ha Muyoung’s reply, Kang Seongbae laughed.
“Being young means your future is long.”
What people call a life’s work.
He wanted to create one.
Even in death, he wanted his name etched there forever.
It’s an actor’s natural ambition, and the fleeting nature of theater, lost to time, was so regrettable.
“You’ve barely started, but you’re already showing incredible results. You’ll definitely meet many great works in the future. I’m so envious of that.”
But for him, this was the end.
Whether it was commercial success or personal satisfaction, it didn’t matter.
He just wanted to leave behind one work he could be happy with, but with his condition, he might not even see the final cut.
“Sir, what do you wish for?”
Had he read his desperate wish?
Ha Muyoung grasped Kang Seongbae’s hand and whispered.
To share the secret only he knew.
“With this work, you can get everything you desire.”
He didn’t mention the sparkle, but his firm voice was filled with sincerity.
Kang Seongbae smiled slyly. His breathing seemed to grow rougher.
“And after the eternal sleep, there will be the world you desire.”
Just like the vampire strolling through the morning streets.
Kang Seongbae, too, would achieve everything there.
With those words, Kang Seongbae closed his eyes.
Ssssss—
Only his rough breathing remained as Kang Seongbae fell asleep.
Ha Muyoung lay face down next to him, listening to his breath.
Soon, Kang Seongbae’s family arrived, and Ko Gyeongmin and Ha Muyoung headed to the pension by car.
Vroom—
“How’s it over there?”
“Chaos. They cleared everything out.”
“Is it just Bora and Taeseok?”
“The staff and the director too. Luckily, today’s shoot is done, and all that’s left is additional filming and ADR. The rest is up to the editing team.”
Ha Muyoung listened to him and just stared out the window.
Just like Kang Seongbae crumbled when he relaxed, Ha Muyoung felt the same. As things wrapped up, all the tension drained from his body.
“But how did you know?”
“What?”
“That the teacher collapsed.”
Even Jinrim just thought he was sleeping. But when Ha Muyoung, who was grilling meat, suddenly ran over and carried him out, it was surprising.
“I’ve got a good instinct.”
“Yeah, you’re like a fortune teller. Sometimes it’s shocking.”
At Ko Gyeongmin’s words, Ha Muyoung smirked.
“But which part needs ADR? The director loves live sound.”
The natural atmosphere on set.
Director Bae loved that.
Unless the dialogue was completely drowned out by the environment, he’d keep everyday noise in.
The film wasn’t even action-heavy, and the group scenes only had five people.
“We’re reviewing the footage, but for now, it’s scene 85. Remember?”
“The one shot on the set, with the phone call?”
As soon as he said the number, Ha Muyoung answered.
That meant he had the script memorized.
“The mic was acting up then.”
“Right, there was something wrong with the equipment. We’re checking all the footage shot with it, but luckily, only yours has issues. There’s a lot of static.”
“Ah, I did a lot of ad-libs then.”
In other words, dubbing.
Adding sound to the footage, but if the lip-sync is off, it looks awkward and kills the atmosphere.
And re-recording ad-libs?
The charm of ad-libs is their spontaneity, so of course, it’d be lost.
‘I was drunk and mumbling to myself, so I don’t even remember what I said.’
Ha Muyoung sighed and ran his hand through his hair.
This is going to be tough, tough!
If I mess it up, the voice acting will sound awkward, and it’ll really suck.
“I just want to reshoot it.”
“The set’s already torn down, so that’s not possible. The lines themselves are short, so we scheduled it for next Wednesday night. They’ll send the footage, so you can practice.”
“Wednesday? Got it. One week left.”
So the only way is to practice!
In the distance, Ha Muyoung spotted Taeseok and Bora waiting in front of the pension.
Squeak!
“Hey~”
“How is he? The teacher?”
“They did emergency treatment, and he’ll be transferred to a Seoul hospital to rest. Luckily, he’s talking well and even joking. Is everything wrapped up?”
“Yeah, the director just left for the hospital. He’s going to see the teacher and then head to Seoul. Here’s your stuff.”
“Ah, thanks.”
Bora and Taeseok got in the car and handed over the luggage.
Ha Muyoung turned to Ko Gyeongmin and asked,
“Are they completely done with Street Sunlight now?”
“Yeah, just you left.”
About three or four shots.
Including the reshoots.
It was truly reaching the final stages.
“They’ll be going to meetings for their next projects.”
“Got it.”
“Be prepared. When opportunity knocks, you’ve got to grab it, right?”
“Yes, yes, of course. I won’t let go.”
The roles Cha Yesol passed on weren’t just any roles.
Being a popular actor, they were all major works.
Ha Muyoung, too, had to prepare for the Sole Landlord audition after wrapping up.
‘I want to visit the teacher often… I wonder if I can.’
He wanted to spend as many days as possible together.
‘If possible,’ he wanted to chase away the smoke, even if it was impossible.
Of course, it had never been possible before.
In a studio in Gangnam.
It was a space mainly used for sound work, so the atmosphere was calm. The walls were filled with autographs from actors and singers.
“Hello, Director.”
“Good evening—!”
As he opened the door and entered, the sound director and Director Bae were eating dinner together. It was about time to eat.
“You’re early? You said you’d come at night.”
“My schedule ended early. Can I listen to the sound effects?”
“Of course. Try these.”
The director handed over the headset and clicked the mouse.
From his unshaven face and the way he was shoveling food, he must have been insanely busy the past few days.
-Static.
-Hello? Ah, it’s me. Static— Can you hear me?
-No, I mean… I was just, last time I was too static—
-Drunk. Yeah, yeah, I didn’t mean it like that. Static—
“This has my voice in it?”
“Huh? Oh, I played the wrong one. Just a sec.”
The inexplicable static was grating.
The sound director laughed and apologized.
“On set, it wasn’t noticeable, but it kept picking up subtly. Sorry about that, Ha Muyoung. Here’s the one with effects.”
In the background, there was the sound of a phone being placed, a screen being tapped, and the other person’s voice. All that was left was to add Ha Muyoung’s lines.
“Should we eat and then start?”
“Huh? No, it’s fine. Let’s go right in.”
“Okay, it’s not much.”
“Got it.”
Ha Muyoung took off his coat and looked at the paper on the table.
It was filled with scene numbers and notes to check, but one part caught his eye.
“Director?”
“Huh? No coat rack here.”
“No, I mean, scene 66 is also checked? That’s Kang Seongbae’s part, right?”
“Oh, right. That.”
The director laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.
“It’s his solo scene, just one line, ‘It was good!’ But it picked up a motorcycle sound at the same time.”
“I heard he’s going into surgery today.”
“Yeah, I heard too. I’m not sure if we can leave it as is, so I kept it just in case. Let’s start recording.”
The director quickly wiped his mouth, and Ha Muyoung entered the booth. On the small screen, scene 85 was playing. All he had to do was match his lines to the lip movements.
-Starting now.
“Yes.”
Ha Muyoung put on the headset and focused on the recording.
To sync perfectly, he repeated the same lines for thirty minutes straight.
-Should we take a break? I’ll get some water.
“Okay.”
Ha Muyoung sighed and turned his head, spotting a familiar face through the glass. Kang Seongbae was waving from outside the hallway.
“Teacher…!”
In that exhausted moment, seeing his teacher’s face filled him with joy. Just as he was about to smile brightly, Ha Muyoung froze.
“……Teacher?”