“Hmm…”
Kim Minseok stirred, drawn by the savory scent lingering around his nose.
The room was completely dark, not a single ray of light penetrating the blackout curtains.
With eyes that wouldn’t easily open, he finally managed to lift his upper body and looked around blankly.
For some reason, the door he had firmly closed was now open, and the savory scent was wafting in through the gap.
‘Seongtae must have come.’
Getting out of bed, Kim Minseok turned on his smartphone screen to check the time.
He had come in during the afternoon, but now the time was already approaching night.
“Ah… Damn.”
He had so much to do today, yet he’d slept way too long.
Kim Minseok sighed and scratched his head vigorously.
“Hey, if you’re here, wake me up.”
Stepping out of the room, he called out to Han Seongtae, who must be somewhere in the house.
But there was no response to his words.
“Hey, why aren’t you answering? Are you in the bathroom?”
Feeling something was off, Kim Minseok wandered around the house, flinging open doors.
Han Seongtae was nowhere to be seen.
Wait, did he go out somewhere?
Tilting his head, he moved toward the kitchen.
“…?”
On the kitchen table was an unfamiliar envelope.
The source of that savory smell he’d been noticing.
―I didn’t want to wake you since you were sleeping. If the chicken seems cold, heat it up in the microwave and eat it. I’m going home. Call me when you wake up.
A Post-it note was stuck to the envelope.
Reading the note Han Seongtae had left behind, he let out a hollow laugh.
“I’ll just wake him up.”
Kim Minseok sat down at the table, unwrapped the packaging, and picked up a drumstick.
Munch, munch.
Taking a bite, he quietly chewed.
“It’s soggy.”
The chicken, bought who knows when, was cold and soggy.
‘It’s still tasty.’
Even soggy, the chicken was still delicious.
After filling his stomach adequately with chicken, Kim Minseok got up and immediately called Han Seongtae.
―Oh, you’re up?
Han Seongtae’s voice brought a faint smile to Kim Minseok’s lips.
“Hey, wake me up! Why’d you just leave?”
―How could I wake someone sleeping so soundly?
“Just wake me next time. When did we start caring about that? Ah. The chicken was good. A bit soggy, but tasty.”
―Is that what you say to the person who bought you chicken?
“That’s why I said it was tasty.”
Han Seongtae let out a sigh.
Kim Minseok chuckled softly at that reaction.
―Fine. Looks like I’ll be buying next time.
“Why, are you sulking?”
―I’m not sulking. It’d be weird to sulk over something like this. What are you gonna do now? You just woke up, you probably can’t sleep yet.
“I gotta study. I’ve got a ton of studying to catch up on. Even staying up all night might not be enough to finish it all.”
There were assignments he’d received from Yeon Jaehoon.
Assignments of an immense volume, incomparable to university assignments.
To finish them all by the deadline, even cutting back on sleep wouldn’t be enough.
―You mean the ones Director Yeon gave you?
“Yeah.”
―You’re doing well. Director Yeon Jaehoon is such an amazing person, you’ll learn so much. Keep at it.
“Hmm… Yeah, I should.”
Kim Minseok knew that fact all too well.
The assignments Yeon Jaehoon gave were tough, but they were definitely helpful.
He was also certain that completing them would help him grow as a person.
‘But usually, when you say something like this, wouldn’t you be worried?’
―Don’t drink too many energy drinks just because you’re pulling an all-nighter. If you’re really struggling, try chewing gum. It actually helps surprisingly well.
“Yeah…”
―I chew gum or stuff like that when I practice too. Putting ointment or toothpaste under your nose keeps you awake. There are lots of ways. If you really can’t manage, tell me. I’ll show you a good method.
Kim Minseok had momentarily forgotten.
That Han Seongtae was a man obsessed with practice.
For him, not sleeping was as routine as eating.
‘Well, that’s probably why he succeeds.’
Kim Minseok had seen Han Seongtae shoot his work and witnessed the results.
They started from the same starting line, yet Han Seongtae was already far ahead.
‘I can’t just keep watching his back forever.’
Ending the call with Han Seongtae, Kim Minseok poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at his workbench.
Kim Minseok had no intention of just watching his friend’s back.
He planned to walk beside him, side by side, not behind.
To do that, he had to work harder than ever before.
Work and work some more.
Hmm.
―Yeon Jaehoon: Netflix meeting date set.
He would never, ever miss this chance to advance alongside Han Seongtae.
[‘The One with a Thousand Faces’ says today is a very important shoot.]
Messages from the gods were appearing in Han Seongtae’s field of vision as he was being made up.
His makeup, reflecting his agreement with their words, felt very different from usual.
A form covered in wounds.
His clothes were torn, drenched in fake blood.
Even now, the makeup team was swarming around Han Seongtae, carving wounds into his face.
‘Because we have to shoot the scene showing why Ji Yeonwoo became Yoo Yena’s guardian angel.’
It was a crucial day of filming for Han Seongtae, who played Ji Yeonwoo.
A scene showing why he stays by Yoo Yena’s side.
Therefore, Han Seongtae was immersed in his role more than ever before.
[‘The One Who Made Laughter from Tragedy’ marvels at how much better makeup techniques have become these days.]
[‘The Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ urges you to warm up beforehand since it’s a day with many action scenes.]
After finishing his makeup, Han Seongtae looked around while warming up before filming.
“Check the wires again!”
“Raise the jetterator!”
“Is the mimic done? Please confirm!”
He saw the staff moving busily.
They were checking the filming equipment for the shoot.
“Seongtae, this is the costume for the next shoot. Want to check it out beforehand?”
“Sure, hyung.”
Han Seongtae, who had been stretching, nodded at Jung Dusik’s words as he approached right beside him and started walking alongside him.
The clothes Ji Yeonwoo had worn during his school days to be with Yoo Yena.
‘I never thought I’d wear a school uniform again.’
A uniform you could only wear after becoming an adult.
He thought, becoming young again really makes you experience all sorts of things.
“Why are you looking at it so wistfully?”
“I didn’t know I’d wear a uniform again after graduating.”
“It’s only been two years since you graduated.”
“It just feels like time flew by. This is a size 105, right?”
“Uh, I checked it earlier.”
Han Seongtae, who had momentarily recalled memories from a past life, chuckled and changed the subject.
Jung Dusik nodded and was seen checking the uniform size once more.
After setting the uniform aside, Jung Dusik examined Han Seongtae’s appearance.
“Wow, but the makeup is seriously realistic. Is all this fake blood?”
“Yes.”
“The makeup these days is no joke. How can you even tell this is fake?”
Alongside the impressed Jung Dusik, Han Seongtae found a spot on set and sat down.
Not knowing when filming would start, he pulled out the script to review today’s scenes.
How long had he been reading the script?
“Seongtae, filming’s starting.”
At Jung Dusik’s words, Han Seongtae looked up from his script and saw the actors had already moved onto the set.
Yoo Yena and the supporting actors.
Seeing them filming scenes depicting their school days, Han Seongtae also stood up.
“Mr. Seongtae, you can go up now.”
“Yes.”
And so, it was Han Seongtae’s turn.
Ji Yeonwoo in ‘Baeknyeoncho’ was the mountain god of Jirisan.
The strongest mountain god among all mountain gods.
He possessed power that even monsters dared not approach, yet even he had a time of weakness.
A time when he was just a Sapsaree dog with feeble divine power.
Even as he trained to become a mountain god, crisis struck.
―If I eat the liver of a spirit creature, I can become strong too!
―Just give me one of your legs!
Attacks from monsters craving strength.
Even he, as powerful as he was, found it hard to defeat so many.
He couldn’t help but get wounded and had no choice but to flee.
―Hey, look over there. The dog’s hurt!
―Jiji, Jiji. Don’t go near it. You’ll catch something.
Humans looked at him and clicked their tongues.
No one offered to treat his injuries.
―What the hell is that filthy thing?
―Damn it, why is that thing even walking around?
Ji Yeonwoo couldn’t help but be disappointed in humans.
They were the same living beings, yet how could they look at him with such contempt-filled eyes?
As his disappointment grew, his footsteps inevitably led him away from where humans were.
―Oh my, why are you so badly hurt?
Just as his strength reached its limit, a voice reached him like a ray of light in the darkness.
Unlike the other humans who spat in disgust, a girl embraced him with warm eyes.
―Doctor! I’ll get better, right?
She took him to the hospital and stayed by his side, nursing him.
The more time he spent with her, the more Ji Yeonwoo’s heart changed.
He wished this time with her could last forever.
He wanted to be with her, to stay by her side and protect her.
So he became her guardian.
He gave up the benefits he could gain as a mountain spirit and stayed by her side.
‘It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t remember me.’
Even if she didn’t look at him, it didn’t matter.
Just being able to protect her was enough to satisfy him.
“Yeonwoo?”
Lost in memories of the past, Ji Yeonwoo reflexively turned his head at the voice beside him.
There stood Yoo Yena.
His benefactor, and the woman he loved.
A soft curve formed on Han Seongtae’s lips as he watched her.
‘Happy.’
Ji Yeonwoo was happy in every moment he spent with her.
“Cut!”
Hwang Gyeol’s voice snapped Han Seongtae out of his concentration.
“Good work.”
“You too, Seongtae.”
After exchanging greetings with Cheon Yeji, Han Seongtae stepped off the set and approached Jung Dusik.
Jung Dusik smiled, patted him on the back, and struck up a conversation.
Han Seongtae sat down on the chair beside him and let out a faint sigh.
‘This is a bit tough.’
With so many action scenes, the physical exhaustion was unavoidable.
[‘The One Who Defined an Era’ pats your shoulder, saying you worked hard.]
[‘The One Who Lives and Dies by Speed’ gives you a thumbs up, praising your performance.]
“Seongtae, you worked hard.”
Kim Mucheol approached him as he was reading the messages from the gods and spoke.
“Shooting ended early today too. If you don’t have plans tonight, let’s hang out.”
Under normal circumstances, he would have accepted his offer immediately.
But unfortunately, this time he couldn’t.
“Ah, sorry. I have a prior commitment. Next time, I’ll treat you!”
“No worries. If you have plans, it can’t be helped.”
Watching Kim Mucheol shake his head, Han Seongtae gave a faint smile.
Han Seongtae had one commitment.
A junior’s request.
He had to help Kim Rina with her practice.
Thud.
The loud sound from above made Lee Yeeun tilt her head and move closer.
Her daughter’s room.
Kim Rina was bustling about inside.
“Rina.”
“Yes?”
Kim Rina, who had been examining her reflection in the mirror, turned her head at her mother’s voice.
“It’s nighttime. Where are you going?”
“Ah…”
In response to her mother’s question, she applied lipstick and opened her mouth.
“I have an appointment.”
“Who are you meeting that our Rina has dressed up so beautifully? Is it a man?”
At the question about whether it was a man, Kim Rina faltered.
A faint smile touched the corners of her lips as she looked at her mother.
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