Chapter 50: Just Trust Us

“Call? It’s okay if you don’t.”

Click! Click!

Muyoung kept changing poses as he answered. Even though there was a long line of people next to him, he didn’t seem to feel embarrassed at all, quite naturally. That’s why they say it’s in your nature.

How can he not care about other people’s nerves like that?

“I did mention it to her. I told Hyojung senior to get an allergy test. Why? Because she never ate junk food, but that day she ate Yuna’s snacks. Kong Kong Chips,”

“You told her that?”

“It just happened? It’s not something I need to hide.”

Ko Gyeongmin put down the camera and laughed sarcastically.

It’s something you should hide, right! Especially for Hyojung’s side, even more so!

They were making a big fuss because they thought it was because of cosmetics, but when it turned out to be an allergic reaction, they were in a groggy state. Neither side took a hit, but they swung their fists all the way to each other’s noses.

“They’re going to go to a big hospital and get tested again? But does that change your blood? Does it change your nature? She didn’t used to have a soy allergy, but it seems like she suddenly developed one.”

“Right. Kong Kong Chips.”

“Anyway, so the agency decided to send a formal apology to KonArt and Dr. Martel, and I heard they came to a good agreement. They’ll be back on set next week or as soon as the skin calms down.”

“That’s good.”

Click!

It makes sense that Dr. Martel’s side would call. Of course, we should exchange words of thanks! If it weren’t for Muyoung, they would have had to pay a huge settlement.

“It’s just a simple thing, so accept the thanks. Having connections anywhere will help you. I heard that the CEO there is someone famous in Cheongdam or something?”

“What is that? All the important words are missing.”

He must have heard it somewhere, but either he heard it vaguely or he wasn’t paying attention. But to Ko Gyeongmin, it wasn’t that important. Whatever it was, it would be useful.

“This is enough. I’ll copy and post the Dr. Martel review I wrote last time. And let’s go verify the coffee truck right away. That way, people’s attention won’t be on Enbin.”

Advertising is advertising, after all.

If you post a feed, there will definitely be people who view it negatively. So, the idea is to divert attention to Enbin’s event.

It’s good for Muyoung, good for the people, and the contract is fulfilled! It’s a win-win-win situation.

“Delete this one, this one’s face is a bit……”

Ko Gyeongmin struggled to choose the best photos. Making sure the legs look longer by aligning the toes with the edge of the screen is a must.

“Boss, I’ll have green tea. With ice cubes floating in it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Muyoung stuffed his pockets full of snacks and pressed a cold drink against his face. The cold sensation seemed to wake him up.

“How long will you be doing this?”

“Until all the orders are gone. Three hundred drinks and three hundred cookies. If there’s any left, I’ll be here until 6 p.m.”

“There’s no way the cookies will be left over. So, I can eat slowly. Thank you!”

If worse comes to worst, I’ll take them all home.

Muyoung hummed a tune and handed Ko Gyeongmin a coffee. He, too, washed away the early summer heat with a cool drink.

“Wow! Muyoung! You’re such close friends with Enbin?”

“Really. I didn’t know. Didn’t you just film one episode? That MeTube web drama?”

At that moment, the camera crew and Lee Hijun approached. Everyone seemed very surprised by the unexpected connection.

After all, Enbin was one of the top idols these days.

“Maybe because we’re close in age, we became friends.”

“I’m jealous! Having a superstar as a friend, that’s amazing!”

“Muyoung has such a good personality. That must be why.”

They naturally put down the canned coffee they were holding.

You can eat store-bought food later, but coffee with lots of ice is only good right now.

“Don’t you think so, Hijun?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah, yeah. I do. Even before his official debut…… Wow…… Ha ha.”

Lee Hijun just gave an awkward laugh.

Damn. It’s an embarrassing moment. While rookie Ha Muyoung was receiving a coffee truck from a top idol, established actor Lee Hijun had no one sending him anything!

‘You reap what you sow.’

Hijun’s manager looked at the actor’s back with pity and muttered.

With a personality like that, who would have any celebrity friends left around him? They’re all like him, with stiff necks and a sense of superiority.

“Eat a lot. It’s not my treat, though.”

“Nah. Since it came in Muyoung’s name, it’s Muyoung’s treat.”

“Haha. Then excuse me for a moment. I’ll take a call.”

“Okay! Take your time! Looks like it’s going to be a long wait today, judging by how things are going.”

Louis only appears in three scenes. In terms of running time, it’s probably about five minutes total. But being on set and waiting to film takes almost all day. There’s no more inefficient work than this.

‘Please, just don’t schedule any additional filming later!’

Muyoung prayed silently and searched for Enbin’s number. The ringing tone went on for quite a while. He finally picked up.

-You must have received it, right?

“What the heck! You scared me!”

-Of course, you should be scared. Are you grateful? Hurry up and thank me with a bow.

“Which direction? Should I head towards Seoul?”

The two exchanged silly jokes and laughed. It had been a while since they talked, but there was no distance between them.

Behind him, there was a heavy beat, thumping low.

It couldn’t be a bar in broad daylight. Are they practicing?

“If you’re busy, I’ll call you back later. Anyway, thank you so much. It’s so hot today, and everyone was struggling with the outdoor filming.”

-That’s good. Oh, right. By the way, you said you went to school after taking the college entrance exam, right?

“BV Academy?”

-Do they accept celebrities there? Like private tutoring. We have a maknae named Romin in our team, and he wants to try acting. The company isn’t too keen on it, though.

Enbin knows.

Muyoung’s acting skills are not the result of school or external factors, but of his innate talent.

But recognizing that and guiding him well is also a teacher’s ability, isn’t it? If he can handle someone like that, he must be a teacher worth expecting something from.

“Why? Isn’t it good to have a lot of activities?”

Shouldn’t they welcome it with open arms instead? There would be financial benefits too. It was a decision he couldn’t understand at all, based on his common sense.

-He’s a terrible actor.

“Ahara.”

I see. I understand. If Enbin says he’s a terrible actor, the situation must be serious. The company probably has a dedicated trainer, but it seems like they’re trying to prepare secretly……

“The principal will be really happy. He might even cry. I’ll send you his number in a text. Be sure to contact him.”

-Okay. Thanks. Let’s meet up when you have time.

Looking at Enbin’s blinking name, Muyoung made a promise. When I make a lot of money, I’ll definitely go to a concert. I’ll go to a fan signing too. And someday, he’ll send something like this to Enbin too! That proud, pretty pink coffee truck up there!

“Aja.”

“Scene 86, standby! Get ready!”

While he was making a promise to himself, a staff member’s voice came through the loudspeaker, announcing the start of filming. Scene 86 meant Muyoung had to go in too.

“Scene 86! Gather up!”

Even the site manager, who had been nowhere to be seen, stepped forward. It was proof that the real shoot was about to begin.

They were filming the part of the factory yard that Jin had occupied, so a large number of adult men with weapons gathered. Among them was Woonjeongil.

Wink!

The uncle held up his coffee and smiled brightly. He said it had been 10 years. Working as an extra.

‘It must have been really hard.’

Wasn’t the past even worse than now?

If it’s just to make money, it’s better to do simple day labor. At least there, the working hours are set.

But what about extras?

You never know when you’ll start or finish work, and you have to pay for your own meals. When it’s hot, you’re in a hot place, and when it’s cold, you’re in a cold place, suffering all kinds of hardships.

‘But if you’ve been doing this for 10 years-’

It means that something other than money is more important.

Even though it’s just a role like ‘Pedestrian 1,’ the satisfaction of being part of a work. Individually, it’s insignificant, but as a whole, it’s as important as the lead role. That pride must have sustained him all this time.

‘Fighting-’

Muyoung smiled and greeted him. Yuna wiped the cookie crumbs from her mouth and pulled Louis’s hand.

“Oppa. What are you doing? Let’s sit over there.”

If you sit on the floor, Yuna’s view will show the factory yard in close-up, over her shoulder. The sight of people transformed into a lawless area will unfold. Brutal and desperate.

“Assistant Director! I can’t see ‘Smoker 1.’”

“What? What do you mean?”

“He said he was going to the bathroom, but I don’t know where he went……”

The role of ‘Smoker 1’ referred to the character in Scene 86 who recognizes Louis as the convenience store owner and comes to ask him a question. Very briefly.

-Are you the convenience store owner? Do you have any extra cigarettes?

Then Louis and Jaeni just need to look up at him blankly, without answering.

It’s a very simple role, but it’s also an image extra role, so the director held an audition himself and found the right person.

“Find him within three minutes. This is ridiculous. I told him to wait, so where did he go? Tsk.”

“Assistant Director. Is there a problem?”

“Huh? No. One extra is missing. You guys just sit there. Watch the angle.”

The filming, which had barely started, couldn’t be delayed again just because of one extra.

While the staff came and went looking for ‘Smoker 1,’ Muyoung looked at the extras wandering around in the distance.

“If it’s really not possible, we might have to ask one of them to help, right?”

“An extra? Well. They’re from Broadcast Story, so it’s a hassle to calculate the pay. And they have to deliver the lines.”

Extras and bit parts are different. The pay, the affiliation, the expectations. To them, extras are just ‘background’ brought in from outside. They won’t be good at delivering lines.

“Let’s look for Smoker 1 some more…… If we still can’t find him, there’s nothing we can do.”

The extras checked their movements at the site manager’s instruction. Woonjeongil wandered around the area with a serious expression, acting in his own way.

“Ah, Assistant Director. I’m going crazy. Smoker 1 suddenly had something come up and left?”

“What? Why?”

“He said something came up at home or something.”

“Is he crazy? Ah. Really! Director!”

Muyoung covered Yuna’s ears and watched the situation.

The assistant director talked to the director about something, then approached the extras. The sound wasn’t very clear.

But it was predictable.

“Is there anyone here who can deliver lines? Or someone with a lot of experience?”

“Me, me. I’ve been doing this for about ten years.”

“It’s just one line. Can you deliver this for me?”

Woonjeongil’s surprised expression said it all. With timid movements, he followed the assistant director to stand in front of Muyoung, looking like he was dreaming.

“-So come here and pause for 2 seconds, then look at the camera and deliver the line. The camera is the second one over there. It’s a Louis and Jaeni over-the-shoulder angle, so you can’t deviate from this angle. Bust with low angle, got it?”

This is crazy. The line is simple, but the movement is a bit complicated. He responded mechanically.

“Yes, yes! Ah, ah, I understand.”

“Practice once and get ready. Just a moment.”

The assistant director seemed overwhelmed by the change in the extra. Woonjeongil stood there blankly, looking down at Muyoung and Yuna. The note with the lines on it was trembling.

“W, w, what’s going on here?”

“Don’t worry too much. It’s simple.”

“T, this is the second time in ten years I’ve gotten lines.”

What if I make a mistake? I applied because of my greed, but was it too much? If it causes trouble for the filming and the site manager gets angry……

“Uncle.”

Muyoung squatted down and took his hand.

Woonjeongil, who had been imagining all sorts of worries, looked down at Muyoung.

“Relax, and I’ll help you.”

“That’s right, Uncle. It’s really simple.”

And there’s Yuna, too.

The two adorable people confidently reassured him.

“Just trust us and follow us.”