By Zephyria 
On the monitor screen, Yoon Joo-ho’s expression softened into a professional filming look. It was the face of actor Yoon Joo-ho that Song Hyun-soo knew very well.
“Hello. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I am actor Yoon Joo-ho, working hard on the film
Yoon Joo-ho made a V-sign with both hands, then mimed cutting something out, glancing behind the camera, which elicited a light laugh from the onlookers.
But Song Hyun-soo couldn’t even laugh.
He’s good… he’s really good…
Alternating his gaze between Yoon Joo-ho on the monitor screen over people’s shoulders and the real Yoon Joo-ho, he was too busy marveling to have the leisure to laugh at his joke.
“Wow… experience really doesn’t lie. How can he be so good? Is it a bit of a cheat?”
It seemed Song Hyun-soo wasn’t the only one thinking this.
He turned his head when he heard voices filled with admiration and saw Han Joo-young watching Yoon Joo-ho with a visibly tense expression. He then quickly excused himself, saying he needed more practice, and left.
“As this is my first film, I will do my best to deliver a good performance and a moving experience in the remaining time. I hope you all look forward to it as well.”
As he approached his closing remarks, Yoon Joo-ho subtly changed his tone and expression.
“And the weather has been very cold lately. I’ve heard a lot about snow. Be careful on icy roads, dress warmly, and have a healthy and safe winter. I’ll be working hard on
On screen, Yoon Joo-ho waved with a warm smile, like a beige cashmere scarf.
Ooooh—
A murmur of admiration, not a boo or a cheer, filled the room, and a few people waved back at him from behind the camera. Smiles, shyness, excitement, and contentment flickered across the faces of those who had watched Yoon Joo-ho’s shoot. The power of a top star to instantly make people happy was astonishing.
Even more astonishing was his skill.
Despite his low, calm voice, his diction was excellent, and it harmonized perfectly with his tone and expressions. There was nothing to fault.
Most importantly, it felt comfortable and natural, yet each word conveyed sincerity. Because of this, even though the content could have sounded cliché, it held the power to draw people in.
Now that he was in a position to do the same task himself, he understood Yoon Joo-ho’s skill and concentration very well.
To the viewers, it might seem like a short and simple video, but it was not easy to express it so smoothly and sincerely. Given his experience and popularity, he could have easily approached such a shoot half-heartedly.
“Was it okay?”
Yoon Joo-ho walked out from in front of the camera and approached the director and PD Kim Yoo-kyung.
Production company office workers, who didn’t often see him, and staff on business trips for the shoot followed Yoon Joo-ho’s movements. As if it were a regular occurrence, Yoon Joo-ho showed no discomfort with the intense attention directed at him.
PD Kim showed Yoon Joo-ho the monitor screen and patted his back.
“Of course, it was great. Ah, I want to show off the full-body shots, the profile shots, and the walking shots!”
“Show off?”
Yoon Joo-ho, with his hands on his hips, looked at the monitor and chuckled, turning to PD Kim.
“I understand how parents feel when they want to show off their beautiful children. Your parents must have felt this way too, Joo-ho-ssi?”
“Hmm… I’m not sure.”
Yoon Joo-ho answered vaguely and turned his gaze back to the monitor.
PD Kim seemed to realize his mistake and briefly showed a look of regret from behind him.
Song Hyun-soo was pushed back from his original spot by the crowd trying to get a closer look at Yoon Joo-ho.
“Look at his proportions. Is he even human? Is he a Brachiosaurus?”
“He said he was bulking up, but that makes his head look even smaller.”
People who appeared to be production company office workers were whispering as they looked at Yoon Joo-ho. Song Hyun-soo suppressed the urge to join their conversation, his lips itching to speak. He held his breath and held back.
The feeling of parents wanting to show off their beautiful children.
He felt like he understood it a little.
Of course, that didn’t mean he could forgive Yoon Joo-ho’s parents’ actions.
“You’re making that strange face again, all by yourself?”
Yoon Joo-ho, who had appeared beside him without him noticing, tilted his head and peered at Song Hyun-soo’s face.
Song Hyun-soo flinched and took half a step back, unconsciously touching his own face. He must have looked grim while thinking about Yoon Joo-ho’s parents.
“I-I’m nervous.”
“How is it? Seeing me do it, it’s not a big deal, right?”
Song Hyun-soo shook his head in despair.
“Seeing Senior do it so well had the opposite effect. I can never do that. Never.”
Tsk, Yoon Joo-ho clicked his tongue and grabbed Song Hyun-soo’s elbow, pulling him towards the exit.
“Come over here.”
It was a better arrangement than him grabbing Song Hyun-soo’s wrist, but he was still conscious of the surrounding gazes. Indeed, several people were watching them with curious eyes.
“Where are we going?”
“Practice.”
“It’ll be my turn soon, I can’t go.”
“There’s a problem with the audio. It’s going to be delayed by about 20 to 30 minutes, so we have time.”
Yoon Joo-ho led Song Hyun-soo to a supply room at the end of the second-floor corridor. The narrow, long room was lined with tall shelves on both sides, stacked with boxes labeled with items like A4 paper, packing tape, and binders.
When did he even find out a place like this existed? As Song Hyun-soo looked around, Yoon Joo-ho snatched the script from his hand.
“First, let’s fix the script.”
“Fix it? How? I’m not good at writing.”
“Who said to create something new? Just change it to sound more like your own words and thoughts. That way, it won’t sound memorized and will sound natural. It will also make it more persuasive.”
Ah, so that’s why Senior’s lines sounded so natural earlier. I thought he only got a well-written script for himself.
Yoon Joo-ho, perched on a stack of boxes in the corner, picked up a stray pen.
“Parts like this are too cliché. They won’t stick in the viewer’s memory.”
Yoon Joo-ho pointed to a section of the script and looked up at Song Hyun-soo, who stood opposite him.
“How would you say it?”
“Um…”
“As actor Song Hyun-soo, you must have something you want to say to the people who will see your performance in
Hearing him say it that way, it suddenly resonated.
Song Hyun-soo took the script and pen from Yoon Joo-ho and began to revise the script himself.
“How about this?”
“Hmm, that’s better. But this word needs to be changed.”
Looking down at Yoon Joo-ho’s long eyelashes as he wrote, Song Hyun-soo rubbed the back of his neck and muttered to himself.
“But… only giving me this kind of attention… isn’t that favoritism?”
Without looking up, Yoon Joo-ho continued to move his pen and said, as if it were absurd.
“Who’s showing favoritism? It’s for the good of the movie.”
“…Yes.”
Yes, yes, it’s for the movie, not for me. Let’s go with that. I’m used to Senior being a tsundere anyway.
Just then, the supply room door suddenly burst open. Both of them reflexively turned towards the door simultaneously. A woman stood there, holding the doorknob, looking more surprised than either of them. She looked back and forth between Yoon Joo-ho, sitting on the boxes, and Song Hyun-soo, standing opposite him.
If you open the company supply room door and suddenly find something this handsome inside, it’s understandable to be surprised. I get it.
As Song Hyun-soo nodded inwardly, Yoon Joo-ho put on a smile and launched his charm offensive.
“Is there something you need? Should I move so you can get by?”
“No! I just… I heard voices…”
“The rookie actor was very nervous about today’s video shoot. I was just helping him practice.”
“Oh, I see. I must have interrupted. Please… continue your practice.”
Stepping back, she closed the door completely, her eyes darting between the two men. Song Hyun-soo offered her an awkward smile and bowed his head. Then, he looked down at Yoon Joo-ho with a bewildered expression.
“Is there anything else I can fix?” Yoon Joo-ho, who had been tapping his lips with a pen while leaning the back of his head against the shelf, noticed the gaze and looked up.
“What.”
“You’re almost like a split personality.”
“It’s something I’ve done since I was young.”
“A split personality?”
“Being kind to the public as much as possible.”
“Ah…”
“They’re potential viewers.”
“That’s impressive, that way of thinking.”
“It’s not thinking. I just do as I’ve been trained.”
“When people see you, they all look so happy.”
Even the aunt at ‘Honey’s place’.
“One of the staff members who came for filming earlier seemed to like the rookie actor?”
“There’s no need to tell lies for no reason.”
“What benefit do I get from telling such a lie?”
“…”
“‘That actor is cute. He looks so pure, he’s my type.’ That’s what he said?”
“Is that true?”
“Do you like it?”
“I-I do, of course.”
“Hmm.”
What was he displeased about now? Yoon Joo-ho narrowed his eyes, pursed his lips, and fidgeted. Then he stood up and approached. With his hands shoved into his pants pockets, he bent slightly to meet Song Hyun-soo’s eye level.
“What if they found out you’re not pure at all, but a BB gun enjoying 69 in a senior actor’s bed?”
“You’re a complete fraud in front of the camera too, though.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Yoon Joo-ho chuckled lowly and nodded.
“But the people outside that door don’t need to know what happens in my bed.”
He pulled his right hand from his pants pocket and firmly gripped the metal pillar of the shelf behind Song Hyun-soo. The distance closed further. His right chest seemed about to touch Song Hyun-soo’s shoulder.
“Though rookie actor Song Hyun-soo found out.”
His breath, smelling of madeleines, carried a sweet vanilla scent. Amidst the intoxicating aroma of his usual strong cologne.
It felt as if their lips would soon meet and become tangled in a mess. Just like at his birthday party.
Song Hyun-soo knew what kind of kiss those cold, thin lips delivered. Perhaps that’s why he looked at him with expectant eyes.
Yoon Joo-ho’s thumb approached and gently pressed against Song Hyun-soo’s lower lip.
“I’ll give it to you if you finish filming well.”
Song Hyun-soo’s eyes widened as he looked up at the man standing before him.
“Give it to me? Did you just say ‘give it to me’?”
“What’s your complaint?”
“Why do you talk about your kiss as if it’s a reward?”
Yoon Joo-ho tilted his head and blinked slowly, as if puzzled.
“…It’s not?”
It’s not… not exactly… but… that is, it’s not, but…
Damn it, that face attack.
Yoon Joo-ho let out a chuckle, watching Song Hyun-soo’s conflict, unable to deny it or admit it. He buried his forehead in Song Hyun-soo’s shoulder.
Every time his bulked-up, broad shoulders and back trembled with laughter, the vibration was transmitted directly to Song Hyun-soo. Song Hyun-soo gripped the shelf pillar behind him tightly and looked up at the ceiling.
Excuse me, could you move? If I stay in this position any longer, I think I’ll suffocate before any filming, rewards, or kisses.