Chapter 128: The Time of the Living
“The teacher was really amazing. The doctor was surprised. How could you film in this condition? And with the day and night switched.”
“They were such a good person…”
“Oh, by the way, did you hear that? The Siling kids. They’ve all hit the FA market.”
“The company’s about to dissolve. Tsk tsk.”
“But to sign them, you’d have to do a doping test first. Hah. Crazy, right? Who’d sign them out of fear?”
“Want a drink?”
“Soju. I should’ve had a drink with the teacher.”
“Yeah, the teacher had been through a lot, so they said drinking with them was really fun. You’ve had a drink with them, right?”
The wake was quite noisy.
It wasn’t like Muyoung thought, with everyone crying and suffering as if the world was ending.
“Are you done?” Gyeongmin asked.
Muyoung just nodded.
The half-eaten yukgaejang had gone cold.
“Let’s just stay here for a bit.”
“Huh? Taeseok.”
“Oh, Taeseok.”
Since they’d spent their whole lives acting, the mourners seemed to recognize each other. Especially those who’d done some theater, they all seemed to come.
“I’ll just go get some fresh air.”
“Watch out for reporters.”
“Yeah. Want me to get you something?”
“I’m good.”
“Bora?”
“Me too.”
Taeseok seemed busy greeting his colleagues.
The teacher’s memorial photo was placed at the wake. It looked like it was taken at the theater, with a wine-colored curtain in the background.
“Muyoung.”
“Yeah?”
The teacher’s son stopped Muyoung, who was about to go outside.
“Are you leaving? I’ve been so busy I couldn’t even greet you properly.”
As the chief mourner, he had to greet every guest and sit and talk. Plus, there was a lot to take care of. It was only natural he was frazzled.
“I’m just going to get some air. My friend hasn’t finished eating yet. Can I get you something?”
“No, it’s fine. Just coming is enough.”
Besides, Muyoung was the one who saved the fallen Seongbae.
He passed away during surgery, but he’s still a benefactor. The benefactor who gave him a chance to say goodbye.
“Then.”
Muyoung bowed briefly and went outside.
There were a lot of people in the basement, but more than anything, there were too many ghosts.
“Ahh—”
He looked carefully to see if Seongbae was among them, but the more he looked, the more malevolent spirits clung to him, making his body stiff.
“What are you doing here?”
As he sat on a chair in the backyard of the funeral home, lost in thought, a familiar voice called out. It was Enbin.
“Huh? What brings you here?”
“If we haven’t seen each other in a while, you should say, ‘Long time no see!’ Jerk.”
“Seongbae? How?”
“An acquaintance of an acquaintance. I was hesitating whether to come or not, but I didn’t know you were filming a movie with him. I had something to say, so I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone.”
In the back, Enbin’s manager was busy on the phone.
Muyoung waved and took a can of drink from him.
“How’s the filming going?”
“The teacher’s part is done. Now they just need to edit it.”
“Really? That’s good.”
“How have you been? Are you still good with Ciwon?”
“Don’t even mention Romin. He keeps coming over whenever I’m practicing, picking fights. Bro, that’s not how you do it. It’s like this. Blah blah blah. I’m the Best New Actor, blah blah blah.”
Enbin exaggerated Romin’s expression.
Still, since they were family, he captured the nuances perfectly.
“It’s all because of you. Our youngest wasn’t like this before. Ahh—”
“Why’s it my fault? That’s funny. So, what did you want to say?”
Muyoung laughed and opened the can.
If it was something he could’ve said on SNS, he wouldn’t have come in person. It must be something important.
But Enbin seemed at a loss for words, just scratching his head. He looked like he was struggling to find the right words.
“Enbin?”
“Bin, let’s go in now. Muyoung’s here.”
The manager, finished with his call, approached Enbin.
“What is it?”
“I didn’t tell you yet? Enbin’s preparing a solo concert and fan meeting, and we were wondering if you could be a guest.”
“Wow. A solo concert? That’s amazing.”
“Amazing? I do it every year.”
Then it’s even more amazing.
Muyoung smiled and nodded. It was great. He’d wanted to repay Enbin ever since he sent the coffee truck! To be able to appear as a guest, things were working out.
“Of course, I’m free.”
“Aren’t you busy these days?”
“Filming for Street Sunlight is almost done, so I have time. I’m going back to auditioning.”
“Auditioning for your next project? You?”
Enbin asked, surprised.
Someone like Ha Muyoung should be able to choose his roles by now.
“Yeah, so I think I’ll have time. When is it?”
“Late October to early September.”
“Okay. I’ll tell my manager. What’s the big deal?”
Muyoung’s cheerful response should’ve made Enbin happy, but he felt uneasy.
It wasn’t the request that was difficult, but bringing it up at a wake. Asking someone grieving a loss to be a guest.
‘Bro, really.’
Enbin glared at his manager, but he seemed too busy with his ringing phone to notice.
“So, what do I do as a guest?”
“Just chat a bit, take some photos with the fans.”
“Do I have to sing and dance too?”
At Muyoung’s fan meeting, Romin performed on stage as a guest. So, at Enbin’s concert, he’d have to…?
“That’s a bit much.”
Enbin, being a singer, wouldn’t want to see his dancing and singing.
Enbin burst out laughing and waved his hands.
“Dude, I’ve seen you sing.”
“Don’t laugh. I’m good now.”
“Sure, sure.”
Oh, tears are welling up.
Enbin cleared his throat and gestured to him.
“Staying here? Coming in?”
“Yeah, let’s go in.”
Muyoung followed Enbin back downstairs.
Taeseok was at another table, his face bright red, downing soju, with two directors joining him.
“You’re here?”
The sound director and Director Bae.
They greeted him with somber expressions.
They’d received the news together but arrived separately due to their schedules.
“Yeah, sit down.”
“I still can’t believe it.”
“Was it a medical accident?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything like that.”
Since he didn’t pass away during recovery, his departure felt so sudden. The sound director picked up a peanut and said,
“At least he finished his last shoot, so he must’ve been at peace. He seemed quite burdened.”
Right. He even did ADR as a ghost.
He snapped his fingers, catching Muyoung’s attention.
“Oh, that ADR for scene 66, we’re using your take. I didn’t ask for permission, but I told the bereaved family, and I think the teacher would’ve wanted a complete version.”
“Yeah, it’s fine with me.”
Seongbae’s last recording wouldn’t go to waste. Muyoung felt a little relieved.
“Wow, so many mourners.”
“Yeah.”
As evening approached, more people arrived.
The two directors and the Big Win Entertainment team stood up to give their seats to newcomers, except for Taeseok, who was surrounded by people.
“Bro, I’m heading out.”
“Huh? Yeah, okay.”
“Call a driver when you leave. See you tomorrow.”
Muyoung caught Enbin’s eye in the corner and they exchanged signals to stay in touch.
As he left the wake, Muyoung hesitated.
‘Did he really leave just like that?’
The fleeting image in the booth.
They’d said their goodbyes, but he hadn’t seen him disappear…?
“Let’s go, Muyoung.”
“Ah, just a moment.”
Muyoung lit another incense and clasped his hands.
Teacher, if you’re still around, please wander for a bit and then go to a good place. And if you’ve already left, rest in peace there. You’ve worked so hard.
His nose tingled again.
His eyes welled up, and his manager patted his back. Muyoung greeted the teacher’s family and left the hospital.
The time of the living continued to flow.
The filming schedule for Street Sunlight was completely over, and without the teacher, the noisy wrap party was also skipped. Muyoung got out of the car and looked up at the dazzling Nepflix headquarters.
“Wow, this company is amazing.”
“They just moved to a new building. Money’s nice, huh?”
“Yeah.”
The dozens of floors of glass reflected the Seoul sky. Muyoung entered the building with Gyeongmin and spotted Ok-kyung waiting for them.
“Muyoung.”
“Hi, Manager.”
Her outfit was still impeccable.
“Welcome. It must’ve been a long trip.”
She swiped her ID card at the entrance and guided them. Their destination was the 15th-floor meeting room. In the elevator going up, they exchanged greetings.
“How have you been?”
“I’m a salaryman, so it’s the same. You’re done with your movie shoot, right? You must have some free time now?”
“Yes. If you give me the Only Landlord role, I’ll stake my life on it!”
Muyoung clenched his fists, full of enthusiasm. Ok-kyung just smiled at the boyish Muyoung.
“I’d like to, but the other managers brought actors who are no pushovers.”
“Are the other participants here already?”
Ok-kyung smiled apologetically and nodded. It wasn’t a public audition, and bundling established actor auditions like this was rare.
“The company’s like that. I don’t like it either.”
Since it was a Nepflix Original, everything was company-centric.
The executives’ tastes mattered, but the problem was that there were so many departments, making it hard to gather them all at once.
“Including me, there are four investment managers.”
“Wow, it’s a big company.”
“Of course, the assistant managers are attending too, along with the Business Director, Executive Producer, Resource Support Team Leader, New Content Division 2 Manager, and the subcontracting production company CEO…”
As they walked down the long corridor, the titles of the attendees kept coming. He couldn’t even remember them all.
“So, the audition dates overlap.”
“I see. That’s unusual.”
“After this, there’ll be second and third rounds based on the review. Just for the male lead, it’s like this, so for the company… you know?”
The female lead and other main roles would require even more time and effort.
But since it involved a lot of money, it couldn’t be helped.
Moreover, Nepflix was an American-rooted company, not Korean, so the whole process was unique.
“This way.”
As they turned the corner at the end of the corridor, they gradually heard voices. Ok-kyung whispered to him,
“Still, I tried to make it as convenient as possible. Your turn is second, and if you want, you can use a separate waiting room. There’s an empty meeting room.”
And the scene that came into view.
Ah, this feels familiar.
It reminded him of the web drama Late Night Pocha.
People sitting in a row along the long corridor. Some familiar faces, some new. The difference from back then was… the atmosphere was more subdued and serious?
“No, I’m fine. You said I’m second.”
At that moment, the meeting room door opened, and two men came out.
It was the popular actor, Cha Seunghyun. Late twenties, an actor Muyoung knew well. Everyone glanced over, but only Muyoung bowed deeply.
“Senior, hello.”
“You’re Ha Muyoung, right? Hello. Well, good luck.”
He slipped away like an eel. Muyoung was disappointed, but to Seunghyun, he was a competitor, so he didn’t want to get too involved.
“Seunghyun’s good, but there’s a rumor he’s enlisting next year. That’s a shame.”
Ok-kyung gestured to a staff member and guided Muyoung.
“How about you? Are you confident?”
Confident about passing the audition.
Muyoung smiled as he entered the door she opened.
Even if you’re not confident, you have to act like you are.
“I’ve never failed an audition, Manager.”