Chapter 41: Gossip
“Hello.”
It was a few days later, just after sunrise. Hyojung was the first to arrive at the set with her manager. Warehouse number 8, which had a sign that read ‘Jaeni’s house.’
“You’re early.”
“My schedule ended early in the morning, so I came straight here and there wasn’t any traffic. Am I the first one here?”
She was dressed simply and had no makeup on, but she was still an actress. How could she look so pure despite being exhausted? The staff felt like they were waking up from a half-sleep.
“Yes. But the set isn’t fully prepared yet.”
“I heard about it roughly. I heard there was some problem last time? Was it resolved well?”
She asked, covering her yawn with her hand.
Three hours until filming began. Even excluding the time for makeup, she would be able to get about an hour of sleep.
“I don’t know if it was resolved well. We did an extra safety check on the warehouse at the director’s instruction. Thanks to that, Yuna’s personal scene was pushed back.”
“So Yuna’s coming this afternoon?”
“Yes. She’ll probably come on time. Today, or at the latest tomorrow, we’ll have to push back warehouse number 8 and rebuild the set. The assistant director told me to clear my schedule for tomorrow, right?”
Oh. Damn. It’s definitely going to be an all-nighter. That means we have to perfectly film the scenes with Jaeni’s room as the background before the set is torn down.
“If we don’t want it to be pushed back any further—”
Hyojung replied with a forced smile. She thought she could rest a bit tomorrow because it was going to rain.
“We’ll have to work hard. Oppa, coffee for me.”
The ‘we’ she was referring to were Lee Hijun and Muyoung. At the actress’s request, the manager went outside again. Hyojung sat on a makeshift chair for makeup and stared blankly at the makeup tools.
“Unnie. Are you going to do your makeup now?”
“Yeah. Go to the car and take a nap after you’re done. You’ll have to do Hijun and Muyoung’s makeup when they arrive.”
The youngest member of the makeup team awkwardly smiled and prepared to work. Muyoung was one thing, but Hijun was much older.
Was it because she thought of herself as easy to work with, or because she thought of Hijun as easy to work with……?
“Ah. Director.”
Hyojung was sipping coffee with her chin resting on her hand when she spotted Jin Gyeongmun. The two smiled and waved at each other.
“You’re here?”
“Yes. Why are you here so early?”
“I had some work to do. Oh, by the way, this is Lee Taegyeong, the lighting director.”
“……Hello?”
Hyojung greeted him, hiding her confusion.
The lighting director I saw last time was definitely someone else. The man with a beanie and a thick beard on his chin only nodded his head and remained silent. Jin Gyeongmun patted him on the back and said,
“He’s a very quiet person, so it’ll be hard to hear his voice. But he’s great at lighting.”
“Nice to meet you. But did we meet before?”
“There were some circumstances. Today is just a site visit. I’ll join soon.”
“……Oh? Okay.”
“Then get your makeup done. Director, come this way for a moment.”
Jin Gyeongmun took Lee Taegyeong and disappeared. Hyojung, who was sipping her coffee, raised her eyebrows in confusion.
“What’s going on?”
“Wow. We really have a new director.”
“Why did the lighting director suddenly change?”
The youngest member of the makeup team made a fuss as she soaked a cotton pad with skin toner. Then she glanced at the staff coming and going and whispered quietly.
“There was a big fuss because of what almost happened last time. I heard rumors that he was going to be replaced, but I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.”
Fortunately, the staff remained the same. For a team leader change, the loss was very minimal.
It was only after hearing that that Hyojung realized the lighting team’s atmosphere was strange. She just thought they were tired because it was morning.
“But what’s that?”
“Ah. It’s the new skin toner from Doctor Martel. Why? Do you want me to bring the one you use separately, unnie? Is it in the car?”
“No. It’s okay. I’ve never seen it before.”
She did have one that she used personally, but she wasn’t sensitive enough to bring it to the set. The youngest member smoothed out Hyojung’s facial texture while chattering.
“This is actually pretty good. It’s refreshing and made of natural ingredients, so it’s gentle.”
“Hmm. Really? By the way, how was the set?”
“The shoot? Yuna and Muyoung?”
Since she hadn’t seen it herself, she could only hear about it from the staff. Yuna had a previous work and was known as a prodigy in the industry, so that much was understandable. But what Hyojung was curious about was Muyoung.
“Was he good?”
She couldn’t forget the fresh shock she felt when she saw him at the reading. Just sitting and reciting the script like that…… How much energy would he exude on set?
“He was insane.”
The youngest member, who was applying foundation, hesitated and expressed her admiration. Her eyes, as if trying to recall those few days on set, were directed not at Hyojung but beyond her.
“The chemistry between the two of them was so good. Yuna really looks up to Muyoung, and since she’s a good actress, the synergy effect was huge. They were so well-prepared that there were no NGs due to mistakes. There were times when the director gave new directions, though.”
“That much?”
“Really. You’ll know when you work with him today, unnie.”
Today was the first time another actor would be working with Yuna and Muyoung. Hyojung pondered for a moment and rummaged through her bag.
“You’re not going to do heavy makeup, right?”
“No. I’ll apply the dirt and dust before we start shooting. You can read the script. Did you take off your nail polish?”
“Yeah. It’s a shame. I just got it done recently.”
They had to use brown shadow to express even their fingernails. They were roles struggling to survive in a closed area, so no one looked neat except for the staff.
Chak-
“But Muyoung hasn’t been acting for long, yet I don’t know how he’s so good. He’s also a nice person. Kind.”
“……You seem to have a very good impression of him?”
“Ah, is that so? Not just me, but all the staff probably think the same.”
A person who spreads freshness just by being nearby. And what about his looks? Just looking at him makes you smile involuntarily.
“So that’s why he pushed out Hijun and got Louis.”
“What?”
Hyojung stared at the script and muttered. And nonchalantly—
“You didn’t know?”
She started badmouthing Hijun. No matter how many auditions he had, the agency’s involvement was certain. His skills must have had some additives.
The man who snatched her lover’s position. That was Hyojung’s evaluation of Hijun.
“Louis was originally Hijun’s role.”
“Was it?”
“But Muyoung was more suitable, so the director changed it.”
“Hijun would have suited it too.”
“He would have. I’m sick of it, though. He keeps reusing the same image. I don’t know if he’s not giving acting variations or if he can’t.”
“Ah…….”
The youngest member closed her mouth at the blunt words.
There’s one thing she knows for sure. When people talk behind someone’s back, you should act like you have no ears or eyes and ignore it. Getting involved would only make things annoying, or rather, difficult.
“Unnie. I’ll close my eyes.”
“This is the first time you’ve seen Hijun act today, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Look forward to it. I’m honestly not sure. If you look at his previous works’ performance, the size is obvious.”
Pfft, laugh and chew and taste and enjoy!
Hyojung felt her fatigue disappear. Compared to his reputation, he was definitely overrated. He just became famous because his debut work was good.
“Since there’s no outdoor shooting, apply only a little sunscreen. I don’t want to feel stuffy.”
Hyojung smiled brightly and focused on the script. The youngest staff member worked hard on the foundation. She thought there were only two of them in the makeshift dressing room, but……
‘Oh. That’s what it was.’
Outside the tent, another staff member who was about to come in missed the timing because it sounded like they were gossiping. Quite interesting stuff she heard before she decided to come in after they finished.
“What are you doing?”
“Huh? No. But did you know? Louis’ role was originally Hijun’s.”
“Really? Why did it change if it suited him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because Muyoung acts better?”
“That guy was crazy. Really.”
“I know, right? I thought he was possessed.”
The staff’s chatter, trying to shake off the morning fatigue, gradually spread across the set.
“Wow. So Muyoung knocked out Hijun?”
“A rookie? That’s amazing.”
“Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone as impactful on set as Muyoung. I could see that happening. Hijun, well, he’s a soft romance sub-male lead specialist.”
“Huh? Didn’t he only play lead roles after
“So that’s why his performance is like that.”
“Ahh. Right, right.”
And eventually, the gossip went beyond the warehouse.
The staff were smoking next to the warehouse and chatting about gossip. In fact, they didn’t just talk about Hijun and Muyoung. They also talked about the new lighting director, the soccer game from the day before, and what to eat for dinner.
“Aigoo, it’s starting again today!”
“Yeah. Let’s go in now.”
Just one of the many gossips.
But to the person involved, only that part seemed amplified and stuck in his ear. Hijun, who was smoking in the corner, exhaled smoke.
“Fuck, first thing in the morning.”
An annoyed sigh. The manager was fidgeting, watching his reaction.
“I’ll step in.”
“It’s okay. Don’t you know it’ll just make things more ridiculous? Do you have to ruin the atmosphere from the first shoot?”
He roughly ground out the cigarette butt. The manager looked around and said,
“Do you think that guy’s been talking about it?”
“Who? Ha Muyoung?”
“Yeah. Otherwise, how would the staff know? I don’t think the director would have said anything.”
Ha Muyoung? He doesn’t seem like that kind of person.
No. In the entertainment industry, there are plenty of people who are different on the inside and outside. You shouldn’t be fooled by appearances. Hijun shook his head and took out a new cigarette.
“Let’s just ignore it and do our job well, okay, Hijun? Yeah? Then those kinds of words will disappear.”
“I don’t know. Fuck.”
It was at that moment that he started rummaging through his pockets again.
“Why are you following me?”
“It’s no fun smoking alone.”
“What’s so good about this smoke?”
Muyoung and Ko Gyeongmin, who had just arrived, approached the smoking area. Muyoung, who was determined to follow the manager who was going to smoke one before going in. He spotted Hijun and greeted him cheerfully.
“Hello! Senior!”
“Ah. Hello. I’m Muyoung’s manager, Ko Gyeongmin.”
“It’s the first time since the ritual after that. I’ll do my best today. Nice to meet you, senior!”
He smiled brightly and bowed 90 degrees again.
Hijun looked at him, crumpling the unlit cigarette. When the tiger talks about someone, that person appears. What kind of timing is this?
“Senior?”
Hijun, who responded with a frown instead of a greeting. Muyoung tilted his head, looking confused. Is he sick?
“……Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Be quiet. Before it gets unfunny.”
“Be quiet? In what way? Ah, do you not like being greeted?”
What a strange person. He doesn’t like being greeted.
While Muyoung thought it was no big deal, Ko Gyeongmin sensed his unusual atmosphere. What’s going on? He seems very hostile.
“……Did we make some mistake, by any chance?”
“Don’t talk behind my back. Do you think getting the role of Louis is because of your skills? If I had said I wouldn’t play the role of Jin, you would have been out too. Know your place and talk.”
“……?”
He just blinked his eyes. Muyoung looked completely confused, as if he couldn’t understand what was being said in Korean. He had no idea.
“Senior? I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Did you tell the staff that you took the role of Louis after criticizing me?”
“What? Me? Me?”
He was startled and pointed at himself with his hand.
What kind of nonsense is this while he’s asleep?
“I didn’t—I’ve never said anything like that. I’ve never thought that way either. It’s just, it’s all the director’s choice, right?”
“That’s right. Muyoung isn’t that kind of person, and we keep a close eye on him. I don’t know what’s going on, but it seems like a misunderstanding.”
The two men vehemently denied it.
Hijun and his manager hesitated for a moment.
Ha Muyoung could lie because he’s an actor, but the manager’s sincerity felt too clear.
“Is it true?”
“Yes! It’s true!”
Muyoung asserted his innocence, waving both hands. Hijun laughed as if he had thought of something interesting.
“Then we have scenes to shoot together today, right?”
“Yes. There are two scenes.”
“Make some consecutive mistakes in those scenes, like a beginner.”
Shaking like a novice. Then Hijun could pretend to take care of him and show his seniority.
While he was feeling quite pleased with this great plan,
“I don’t like that.”
Muyoung’s firm response came back.
“What?”
“If there’s an NG, the staff will have a hard time.”