Chapter 191: Room Corner Gossip
The atmosphere at Cha Eun-seong’s photoshoot was tense. The prolonged work was starting to fray his temper.
Every time Cha Eun-seong sighed with a stiffened face, the staff flinched.
Zziiing.
“Uh? Eun-seong. You got a text.”
One of the oblivious staff members glanced at Eun-seong’s screen and informed him.
The coordinator, who was fixing his hair, bit her lips tightly and glared. Now’s not the time for that, she thought. Sure enough, Cha Eun-seong, who had his eyes closed, growled softly.
“So what?”
“It’s from Ha Muyoung…”
“……Give it to me.”
At his words, Eun-seong opened one eye and held out his hand. The coordinators, who were doing his makeup, also stopped. Eun-seong’s expression brightened a little as he read the text.
‘Is he calming down?’
‘Looks like it, right?’
Everyone whispered silently, exchanging glances. Just as they were cautiously trying to resume his makeup,
“F**king little sh*t.”
“……???”
Even after hearing it, they wondered what kind of curse that was. Everyone held their breath, their hands frozen in mid-air.
Cha Eun-seong jumped up and looked for his manager.
“Hyung!”
“Uh? Uh, you called me?”
“Which agency is that little sh*t with?”
The manager, who was outside discussing with the staff, rushed in. But there was no way to know who the subject was. The manager tilted his head and asked,
“Who?”
“Gi Hyeon-ho!”
“Well, uh, why all of a sudden?”
With no immediate answer, Cha Eun-seong waved his hand. Clearly frustrated, he gave instructions with a look that said he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“Ask around, including M Company’s PD Lee Eun-hyeong. It seems like Gi Hyeon-ho is spouting nonsense… Find out exactly what he said, down to the last word.”
As he turned, he added,
“And what happened to that Room Corner Gossip we were going to do with Muyoung?”
“The schedule couldn’t be adjusted, so it was postponed indefinitely.”
“Do it within the next week. Make it work.”
Room Corner Gossip was a kind of talk show where everyone sat in a small room and chatted. It wasn’t something he needed to go out of his way for, so he hadn’t thought about it at all… But suddenly? Within the next week?
“Uh, uh…”
But what could he do? If Cha Eun-seong said to do it, he had to.
The manager left the dressing room, his mind racing through his tangled schedule.
Cha Eun-seong typed furiously, his teeth grinding.
“Uh, Eun-seong. Can I fix your hair?”
“Figure it out yourself!”
Zziiing!
Cha Eun-seong’s shout was cut off by his phone’s vibration. He stared intently at the screen, cleared his throat, and pressed the call button.
“Yeah.”
-Hyung! Room Corner Gossip next week? How’s that possible?
“Make it work.”
His voice was calm now. He leaned back in his chair, chatting lazily with Muyoung. Occasionally, he laughed, and the coordinators seized the moment to finish his makeup.
The effect was incredible!
It was a variety show that had been delayed because neither of them had time, but now that they wanted to do it, the schedule was set.
I guess time isn’t something you find, but something you make.
“Hello.”
“Oh! Muyoung! What happened to your hair?”
“It’s for my next project. Is it too noticeable?”
“Wow, so we’re debuting Blonde Muyoung on our show? What a score!”
Muyoung entered the set and greeted the PD.
It was a cozy set. The small room was filled with fluffy cushions and blankets, and the cute props were beautifully arranged.
“Where’s Eun-seong hyung?”
“He’s getting ready. They said we could share the waiting room.”
“Oh, okay. That’s fine. It was the same for Knife Edge. The MCs…”
“They’re in the next room, so go say hi. Anyway, good luck today.”
Following the staff’s guidance, Muyoung greeted the hosts and entered the waiting room. Eun-seong was almost done getting ready.
Squeak-
“Hyung!”
“Huh?”
The two locked eyes in the mirror. Muyoung ran over, excited to see him. Cha Eun-seong’s eyes widened as he examined Muyoung’s hair.
“What’s with your hair?”
“It’s for my next project. Is it weird?”
“……Not really.”
“It’s been a while, so it’s really nice to see you, right?”
At Muyoung’s words, Cha Eun-seong nodded.
Technically, it had been just over a month since Knife Edge ended. But for the two, who had been together every day, it felt like a long gap.
“But why a talk show all of a sudden? You don’t usually do those, hyung.”
Actually, Cha Eun-seong’s agency discouraged them.
He had a reputation for showing his temper whenever he opened his mouth.
“And you suddenly made time for it.”
Muyoung pulled a chair next to Eun-seong and sat down. He leaned on the backrest, swaying left and right, as if trying to figure out his brother’s intentions.
Cha Eun-seong glanced at Muyoung, then turned his gaze to his own reflection in the mirror.
“Gi Hyeon-ho.”
“Yeah?”
“He’s been spreading nonsense, all right.”
“Ohh, I see.”
He was right to schedule the talk show. Without adding anything else, Muyoung guessed what kind of rumors were circulating.
The role of Hong’s brother was originally Gi Hyeon-ho’s, but Muyoung pressured them to replace him with his friend—something like that, right?
“Rumors reach the person they’re about last.”
He hadn’t known, but it had already spread throughout the industry. Whether or not they believed Gi Hyeon-ho’s words didn’t matter. The fact that such ‘words’ were circulating was the problem.
“Wow, so that’s what happened. You’re something else.”
Muyoung nodded repeatedly, thinking of Yuchan. While he was already established, Yuchan was just starting out…
He worried it might cause trouble.
“I’ve been cursed out too. Fking ahole.”
Even without Gi Hyeon-ho… Hyung…
Muyoung stopped himself from speaking carelessly. Cha Eun-seong checked his makeup, turning his chin this way and that.
“F**king die.”
And soon, he muttered a low curse. Among the staff, word got out, and posts appeared online like gossip.
Of course, no one believed them. Who reads gossip to believe it? They read it for fun, as mere chatter.
“What should we do?”
Muyoung tilted his head and asked. Cha Eun-seong smiled and raised his eyebrows.
“What can we do? Just watch.”
Slam!
“Is Muyoung’s makeup done?”
“Not yet. I went to the shop, but my hair…”
“Hurry up. And Eun-seong, just a moment. They want to double-check your pre-interview.”
The door opened, and the staff bustled in. Cha Eun-seong wandered out of the waiting room, and Muyoung began setting up where he had been sitting. Since the show’s concept was simple, there wasn’t much to prepare.
And soon…
“While the MCs do the opening, wait here. We’ll give you a signal. Just press the doorbell then.”
“Okay, got it.”
“We’re going live!”
“Wow, is that chicken? New menu!”
Muyoung and Eun-seong waited, holding branded paper bags.
It was a casual shoot where the two, invited into the small room, would eat and chat. Muyoung sniffed the air, catching the scent of chicken.
“Rolling!”
“Slate!”
Thwack!
The area fell silent as the MCs began their opening remarks. Muyoung pressed his ear to the door, eavesdropping on their conversation. Mostly, it was useless chatter.
“Ugh, I’m hungry. Should we order some chicken?”
“You paying?”
“Let rich Seong-gu pay!”
“Order it!”
As the MCs spoke, the assistant director waved his hands wildly.
It was a signal to press the doorbell. Muyoung pressed the button, and the doorbell rang surprisingly loudly.
Ding-dong! Ding!
“Oh? It’s already here?”
“Lightning delivery!”
“Coming in~!”
Slam-
“Chicken delivery~!”
“Whoaaa!”
“Cha Eun-seong! Ha Muyoung!”
Even after being introduced, they acted completely surprised, welcoming the two with fanfare. A warm spot was prepared for them.
“Have a seat. Oh, dear, such humble folks in such a noble place…”
“Hyung! That’s not it!”
“Sorry, my brother goes crazy whenever he sees a top star.”
“Such noble folks in such a humble place. Have a seat!”
Cha Eun-seong and Ha Muyoung sat side by side, wrapped in blankets.
The first thing mentioned, of course, was Muyoung’s hair color.
“Muyoung, are you preparing to be an idol?”
“Ahaha, no, I dyed it for my next project.”
“Seeing you go from Knife Edge to this blonde look, you’ve got a whole new charm! How have you both been?”
Starting with casual updates, the conversation flowed naturally. As they chatted, one of the MCs held up a panel and asked,
“Did you see the making-of video? It blew up in views.”
“Which one? All our videos blow up in views.”
At Cha Eun-seong’s confident, almost arrogant reply, Muyoung poked his side, telling him to shut up. Though it was hidden by the blanket, it was effective.
“Dried persimmons look so good.”
“They do, Your Majesty.”
The MCs joked, mimicking Muyoung and Eun-seong’s tone.
Eun-seong let out an ‘Ahh-’ in realization.
“The set was a bit chaotic back then, so it was tough.”
“Drama sets are always like that, right?”
“Yeah, but this project had a lot going on.”
Cha Eun-seong answered, munching on pickled radish.
Seizing the moment, the MC’s eyes lit up.
“Eun-seong, you’ve been in so many dramas. Was there something special about Knife Edge compared to your other works?”
“Definitely. With eight episodes added, the later scripts were almost rushed. If it weren’t for my colleagues and staff, it would’ve been a disaster.”
He continued naturally. Thanks to the side poke, his tone was much more humble.
“We even had an actor change mid-shoot, so many things happened. I don’t think I’ll ever experience anything like that again.”
“An actor change?”
“Oh, you wouldn’t know. Hong’s brother, the role wasn’t originally Gi Yu-chan’s.”
“Muyoung’s friend, the so-called ending man?”
“That’s what they call him. Anyway, before Gi Yu-chan, there was another actor, but he didn’t fit the set’s vibe, so he dropped out.”
Muyoung stopped chewing on the chicken leg and rolled his eyes. Cha Eun-seong’s manager looked horrified. Meanwhile, the PD and crew’s eyes sparkled at the unexpected revelation.
“Not the role’s vibe, but the set’s vibe?”
“Yeah. He had a habit of lying, and he kept making up stories, which got him into trouble. It affected the shoot, so he had to leave. With the rushed script, it was already hard to keep up, but he kept causing unnecessary drama.”
“Like what?”
“Too many to remember, but he’d say different things, cause trouble, pretend to spill water on purpose, stuff like that.”
“Wow, and Gi Yu-chan took over?”
“Muyoung recommended him, and the PD loved him, so he was cast right away. It was such a coincidence since they both had the same surname, so everyone thought it was meant to be.”
“Wait, cut!”
At the manager’s insistence, the PD had no choice but to stop.
Please stop him, the manager pleaded, clinging to the PD’s arm.
“Eun-seong, are you okay?”
“What do you mean? The chicken’s good.”
“Not that. I mean, what you just said.”
Cha Eun-seong sucked his fingers and nodded.
“I’m not making it up. How many actors named Gi are there?”
Yeah, there’s only one.
Muyoung thought about adding something but decided against it.
With Cha Eun-seong so determined, what could he do? He figured that when talking about Cha Eun-seong behind his back, it was best to be prepared for him to strike back.
“Don’t edit this out.”
“Eun-seong~”
“Hyung, be quiet during the shoot.”
Cha Eun-seong lightly scolded his manager. Muyoung just watched, sipping his cola. The PD smiled slyly and resumed filming.
“Hyung, are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“You’re starting to sound like the manager. Annoying.”
“What if they come at you even worse?”
At Muyoung’s words, Cha Eun-seong snorted. What could they do? Gi Hyeon-ho was a rising actor, while Cha Eun-seong was an undisputed top star in the industry. He smirked bitterly and muttered,
“I’m even worse.”
-Ha Muyoung’s blonde hair… Why do I only have two eyes… I want to roll out hundreds of eyes and watch without missing a thing..
-I’ve been waiting for thisㅠㅠ Knife Edge behind-the-scenes storyㅠㅠㅠ
-Seeing Cha Eun-seong and Ha Muyoung together makes my tear glands roll front and back, all the way to heaven…
-The story about Hong’s brother is pretty interestingㅋㅋㅋ How far does Cha Eun-seong go on broadcast to throw shade?
-I know someone who works on Knife Edgeㅋㅋ They said it was absolute chaos back then, everything got scrapped, and Gi Yu-chan was cast in just a few days because there was no time.
-That’s the real deal. The real anger shows. How mad must he have been to go that far on broadcast?
-Which Gi actor is there? Gi Yeong-seok, Gi Hyeon-ho… No one else?
-Gi Yeong-seok is fifty-two. Would he play Hong’s brother?
-Then it’s Gi Hyeon-hoㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Wowㅋㅋㅋ Crazy.
-[Cha Eun-seong Official] Gi Hyeon-ho is a liarㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Living through this kind of exposure is something elseㄷㄷ
-Cha Eun-seong seems crazyㅋㅋㅋ He’s lost itㅋㅋㅋ
-Look at Muyoung’s eyes rolling, so cute 슈발 존나 기여웡 존나 동공지진 강도 9.9
-Considering all the bitterness Cha Eun-seong has experienced, if he’s going this far, Gi Hyeon-ho must be something else.
-Has he ever gone this far since his debut? He must be a real mess.
-So Cha Eun-seong took the lead and exposed him?
-Just now, Gi Hyeon-ho posted a statement on SNS saying it wasn’t him.
-Seriouslyㅋㅋㅋㅋ Crazyㅋㅋㅋ Cha Eun-seong also posted on SNS, a song lyric screenshotㅋㅋㅋ
[It’s you_ ZYU]
Actually, it’s you I was talking about Though I spoke indirectly, how could that be hidden? This desperate heart, I hope you know Walking down the street, I hope we meet, but when I think of that, I get so heated I can’t move I miss you, I want to see you But at the same time, I don’t Because if I see you, my head will explode