By Zephyria Song Hyun-soo learned about Yoon Joo-ho’s past related to Jung Ji-in.
Only then did Director Bang understand the cause of the fight and couldn’t speak readily. It was a big enough issue to warrant running away from home.
“Did you beg him to forgive you?”
“Why should I?”
Director Bang was speechless again at Yoon Joo-ho’s retort.
“Why should I?”
“Did I know I would meet Song Hyun-soo? Did I meet Jung Ji-in knowing that? I hid it because it was a past I couldn’t change. Would finding out only cause shock? Is that wrong?”
Here we go again with his sophistry.
Director Bang, who let out a disbelieving snort, suddenly strode across the kitchen. Then, he forcefully smacked Yoon Joo-ho’s bare back, who was stubbornly standing in front of the coffee machine. Since he wasn’t wearing a shirt, a sharp sound echoed as his skin stuck to his flesh.
“Ah, fuck, why are you hitting me!”
Yoon Joo-ho, hunching his broad shoulders, clutched his bruised shoulder blades and raised his voice indignantly.
“You should have brought that up from the start. Now that you’ve found out, how can you not be shocked?”
“Do you know about the Nam Se-yeon senior incident?”
“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”
“You don’t know what Song Hyun-soo said after hearing about that senior.”
Yoon Joo-ho, holding a mug, walked past Director Bang’s shoulder. Director Bang almost shouted after his retreating back.
“What did he say?”
“…”
Yoon Joo-ho didn’t answer easily. The large and small muscles covering his back twitched slowly, indicating his hesitation. Placing the mug on the island counter, Yoon Joo-ho put one hand in the pocket of his pajama pants and looked out at the large window at the far end of the living room.
“He said the past doesn’t matter.”
“Then why.”
“As long as it’s not connected to someone he knows.”
Director Bang watched Yoon Joo-ho’s side profile as he shrugged and took a sip of coffee, feeling a sense of defeat. However, he didn’t think Song Hyun-soo’s feelings for Yoon Joo-ho would disappear over something like that.
“That’s… when it’s someone else’s business. It can change when it becomes your own story…”
Yoon Joo-ho cut off Director Bang’s words by placing his mug down with a loud clatter.
“I don’t know what dream you’re having, Director Bang. It happened. Something similar.”
“Ah…”
“He said he couldn’t even kiss after finding that out.”
“…”
“He said it felt uncomfortable, like the three of us were dating.”
Recalling Song Hyun-soo’s tone and expression at the time, Yoon Joo-ho narrowed his eyes and fell silent. He looked pained.
“So. You just let him go without even trying to hold on?”
“I tried to hold on.”
“You?”
“He said it was over the moment he left the house, but he chose that. It was Song Hyun-soo.”
To calm his anger, Director Bang had to close his eyes for a moment and take a breath. Even Song Hyun-soo, who understood Yoon Joo-ho’s way of speaking better than anyone, couldn’t have considered it in a moment of hurt and shock. The deep breaths were useless. Director Bang opened his eyes and raised his voice.
“Is that what you call holding on? When you should be begging, saying you can’t live without him, is that holding on?”
Yoon Joo-ho looked back at him with a look of exasperation.
“If he found out, it’s over. Don’t you get it? Every time he looks at me, he’ll think of Jung Ji-in, and eventually, he’ll say it won’t work!”
“That’s Hyun-soo’s perspective. Then what about you?”
“What about me?”
“Your feelings?”
“…”
Leaving the mug, Yoon Joo-ho walked away with large strides towards the hallway, as if running away, or like a child who had been scolded severely and felt wronged and sad.
Director Bang knew this look well.
Yoon Joo-ho, who retreats first out of fear of being hurt more deeply.
It won’t work, expecting more or clinging on here will only lead to greater disappointment. As if he wasn’t precious, as if he didn’t want it.
Until now, Yoon Joo-ho’s method had worked to some extent. He never got close enough to others to be hurt in the first place. So, retreating or turning away wasn’t that difficult.
But would it work this time too?
He seemed to have already allowed Song Hyun-soo into too deep a place?
Director Bang took a sip or two of the coffee Yoon Joo-ho left behind and followed him. He was tending to his morning routine in Monroe’s room. Stroking Monroe’s back as it ate its food, he felt a presence behind him and said in a firm voice without turning around.
“Tell him to take out the rest of his things as soon as he finds a place.”
“Are you really going to send Hyun-soo off like this?”
Yoon Joo-ho stroked between Monroe’s ears and stood up. He let out a sigh and placed a hand on Director Bang’s shoulder.
“Hyung.”
“…”
“There’s nothing special about Song Hyun-soo. We just need to go back to how things were. Don’t worry.”
That’s what I’m worried about, you idiot. You going back to your old self.
■■■
Late afternoon, a fishing village. Yoon Joo-ho and Han Joo-young, Baek Kang and Jeon Yu-jeong walk slowly along a road beside empty fields during the off-season, talking.
“I heard you’re making a movie.”
“Does that pose a problem?”
“No, not at all.”
Yoon Joo-ho stroked his chin and smiled sheepishly, then continued.
“Our Sori likes movies too. You might already know…”
Although not expressed directly, Yoon Joo-ho’s gaze, expression, and the rhythm of his speech implied it. He might have already noticed the relationship between Lee Sol and Jeon Yu-jeong.
“Yes, I know. Sori-ssi has an astonishing amount of knowledge about movies. Not just knowledge. Her unique fresh interpretations and ideas are enough to make one jealous. She’s too good to be wasted in a place like this rural village…!”
“Jeon Yu-jeong-ssi.”
Baek Kang stopped walking, which had been side-by-side. Baek Kang called out to Jeon Yu-jeong from a few steps behind. Tension had to be conveyed in just four syllables. Those watching the scene from behind the cameras also held their breath. Jung-ho, mixed in with the crowd, slowly scanned his surroundings. The film set, which he was experiencing for the first time, was more interesting and vibrant than any movie.
“…”
Jung-ho’s gaze fixed on Song Hyun-soo’s profile, standing a step ahead. Song Hyun-soo, who had finished his makeup for the next scene, was among the staff, meticulously monitoring Yoon Joo-ho’s performance. As far as Jung-ho knew, this was the first time he had seen Song Hyun-soo exhibit such serious, almost frightening concentration.
“I’m grateful that you think highly of Sol.”
Baek Kang spoke with a gentle smile. Jeon Yu-jeong slowly turned to look at him.
“But don’t you think it’s a bit… presumptuous?”
“…”
“Whether she’s wilting or blooming. That’s not for you to judge.”
Baek Kang approached Jeon Yu-jeong, who seemed to feel a hint of fear, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“I will be waiting, expecting you to accept the dinner invitation.”
Then Baek Kang completely stepped out of the camera’s frame. Jeon Yu-jeong, shouting resolutely from behind Baek Kang’s retreating back.
“I accept the invitation!”
“…”
“But it’s true that Sol’s flower isn’t here! Hey! Are you listening to me!”
The camera focused on Jeon Yu-jeong, who bravely shouted at Baek Kang’s receding back. The set remained silent.
“Cut, okay.”
When the assistant director, who was communicating with the director in the monitor room, relayed the director’s signal, the taut tension on set finally broke, and vitality returned.
Yoon Joo-ho and Han Joo-young greeted the staff. They had just finished filming for the day. From now until night, it would be a two-shot filming of Song Hyun-soo and Shin Hyo-jin. For that reason, Song Hyun-soo had arrived about an hour earlier, finished his makeup, and was observing the filming.
“You’ve worked hard.”
As he slipped his arms into the padding his manager immediately handed him, Yoon Joo-ho greeted them and passed through the staff. He was getting closer and closer to Song Hyun-soo. The closer he got, the drier Jung-ho’s lips became. Jung-ho also saw Yoon Joo-ho’s gaze, which had been approaching, land on Song Hyun-soo. Until they closed the distance of about 5 meters and finally stood before Song Hyun-soo, Yoon Joo-ho didn’t take his eyes off him. However, his expression was not soft.
“You worked hard, sunbae-nim.”
Song Hyun-soo bowed his head first, and Yoon Joo-ho gave a very brief nod.
“Good luck with the night scene.”
That was all.
There was nothing between them, to the point where it was frightening to look at Song Hyun-soo’s face.
“Moving to the same location! Filming scene number 57! Actors, please don’t leave, be ready!”
At the assistant director’s shout, the filming and lighting teams became busy. Since there was no need to make major changes to the camera and lighting positions, another scene with the same background was scheduled to be filmed.
To encourage Song Hyun-soo, Jung-ho spoke with an intentionally cheerful tone.
“Wow, I finally get to see you act, hyung!”
“You saw me in the play.”
“Plays and movies are different. Aren’t you cold, hyung? Do you want more hot packs, more hot packs?”
“I’m fine, Jung-ho-ya.”
“Yes?”
Song Hyun-soo glared in the direction Yoon Joo-ho had disappeared and said in a low voice, grinding his teeth.
“Does he think someone will cry if he acts like that? Tell him I’m fine too!”
“Hyung, you need to focus on your emotions. I’ll get more hot packs.”
Jung-ho, who had calmed Song Hyun-soo down, ran towards one of the vehicles lined up on the side of the road.
“Hot packs, hot packs, hot packs… three should be enough, right?”
As he closed the trunk and was about to turn, Jung-ho nearly collided with someone standing right in front of him.
“Jung-ho-ssi.”
It was Yoon Joo-ho.
“Yes, sunbae-nim.”
“It’s your first day today, how is it? Is the work manageable?”
“Yes, it’s fun so far! The set is much more fun than watching movies…”
“That’s enough.”
As if he had asked himself and then lost interest, Yoon Joo-ho cut him off with a frown, clicking his tongue.
“…Yes.”
“Let’s talk in my car for a bit.”
“Me, me?”
Jung-ho instinctively took a step back and asked. Yoon Joo-ho, with his hands in the pockets of his long padding, leaned his upper body forward and stared intently at Jung-ho’s face.
“Why, is there something you’re guilty about?”
“No, it’s not that… it’s just a nice day, we can talk here…”
“The perceived temperature is 0 degrees, Jung-ho-ssi.”
As if telling him to follow without further ado, Yoon Joo-ho turned and led the way.