By Zephyria “What did you say, you bastard?”
Seo Jun-yeong, who had been feigning composure, could no longer hold back his anger and revealed it. However, Choi Hong-seo’s expression and demeanor remained completely unfazed.
“The director warned you, didn’t he?”
“……”
“That the Vice President is like an omnipotent demigod in this world. He advised you not to provoke a god and to watch your mouth. Even after the director gave you that advice, you’re still acting carelessly, aren’t you? It seems you’re not grasping the situation.”
By now, others had stopped their conversations and were focused on the tense exchange between the two. Some cast worried, anxious glances, while most of the other gazes conveyed… simple amusement at the spectacle of a fight.
Seo Jun-yeong, arms crossed tightly in front of his chest, smirked mockingly, pulling up one corner of his mouth. His facial muscles twitched uncontrollably from irritation.
“Demigods these days just because they have money and power? Don’t make me laugh. You might live your life groveling, clinging to money and power, but there are still people like me in this world. Isn’t it necessary for someone to speak the truth without yielding to power?”
“Does cursing people with money and power make it all speaking the truth? Even someone as uneducated as me can see that what you say about the Vice President, Seonbae, is at best baseless slander, or at worst, low-quality gossip.”
Pfft. The moment Choi Hong-seo finished speaking, someone broke the brief silence with a burst of laughter. It was actor Kim Yi-jung. It was a sneer directed at Seo Jun-yeong, who had been hit right where it hurt, with no room for rebuttal.
Seo Jun-yeong, glaring as if to stab both Choi Hong-seo and Kim Yi-jung, desperately tried to calm his flushed face.
“Ah… Now I see. So that’s why Lee Hae-sung wanted to delete the subtitles.”
Seo Jun-yeong’s expression, filled with hostility in every syllable, was utterly venomous. His eyes overflowed with a will bordering on madness, determined to inflict pain on his opponent.
It was a truly pathetic face. Choi Hong-seo’s expression contorted as if he had witnessed something repulsive or horrific.
He imagined the people who had gleefully left hateful comments on his articles, without any interest in the truth, must have had faces just like that. The thought made him feel like he was going to vomit.
“Choi Hong-seo was abandoned, and now Lee Hae-sung’s attention has shifted to whom?”
Perhaps taking Choi Hong-seo’s continued silence as surrender, Seo Jun-yeong, having regained his offensive power, chattered away excitedly.
“But Lee Hae-sung’s taste is so… consistent.”
“……”
“They’re all sluts, every single one?”
His eyes and mouth were filled with the triumphant air of having landed a big, solid blow.
Choi Hong-seo, his gaze fixed on Seo Jun-yeong’s face, which was tilted up in a defiant posture as if to say, “How about that? Dizzy yet?”, twisted his lips in anger.
“Take it back.”
“Take back what? Saying a tree is a tree, the Han River is the Han River, and a slut is a slut? I don’t see why I should take it back.”
“I said take back what you said that insulted the Vice President.”
“Ha, it’s okay to call me a slut, but I have to take back calling the Vice President’s taste slutty? Wow… You don’t need to be so loyal even when he’s not here. It seems groveling is etched into your blood, beyond help.”
“It’s better to be groveling than to spout filth based on your own feelings about someone you don’t even know. Is it fun for you to chew people up like that for your own amusement? Take it back. Take it back!”
“……”
Seo Jun-yeong, who Choi Hong-seo expected to lunge at him immediately, didn’t react. His gaze wasn’t even on Choi Hong-seo. He was looking past Choi Hong-seo’s shoulder, higher up. The others around them were also quiet. Choi Hong-seo, who had been raising his voice like a petulant child out of frustration with every word he spoke, was now the only sound, his ragged breaths echoing in the space.
It was then.
Lightly, as if a snowflake had landed, a large hand was placed on his head.
“Crank-in is not far off, is it?”
It was Lee Hae-sung, his voice a soft, rich baritone with a slight edge.
Choi Hong-seo swallowed dryly, unable to turn around or look up. He couldn’t gauge how much he had heard. But judging by the cold, hard core beneath the seemingly cheerful and affectionate tone, he knew he hadn’t heard nothing. While others might not have noticed, Choi Hong-seo knew. He was definitely hiding a sword.
In front of everyone, he placed his hand on ‘Yoon Hye-an’s’ head, ruffling his hair affectionately, and continued speaking, placing his hands on ‘Yoon Hye-an’s’ shoulders.
“It’s really just around the corner now. I have high expectations.”
Everyone else, walking on thin ice, exchanged nervous glances, none daring to readily agree with his words.
“Your previous works have all been so excellent, Director Kang, earning you many awards at various film festivals, but you’ve always seemed to have a strained relationship with Cannes. Of course, you’ve had several films invited to the competition section… but strangely, they never led to an award. While the award itself doesn’t define a film’s value, and you’re not someone who clings to honor, Director… I personally have very high expectations for this film,
Gently pressing ‘Yoon Hye-an’s’ shoulders as if giving a massage, Lee Hae-sung added in a hopeful tone.
“This time, we’re aiming for the Palme d’Or.”
At his bright voice and smile, people slowly began to relax. The atmosphere was one of relief, as they assumed Lee Hae-sung hadn’t heard the recent argument, or if he had, he would let it slide.
“What are you talking about? Vice President, you’re bringing up Cannes again?”
Director Kang Woo-hyun, appearing with the housekeeper from the kitchen, shot Lee Hae-sung a glare.
“I told you not to put pressure on our actors.”
“I’m not trying to pressure them, I’m trying to instill ambition. None of us are making movies as a hobby, are we?”
“What, so now you’re putting pressure on me, not the actors?”
After lightly ruffling ‘Yoon Hye-an’s’ hair once more, Lee Hae-sung moved to the main seats with Director Kang.
As always, wine was brought out for the after-party, according to Director Kang’s preference. Contrary to the tense anticipation of an immediate reprimand, the after-party atmosphere was warm and friendly.
Seo Jun-yeong, who had been pale, gradually regained his color. Glancing at Lee Hae-sung from time to time, it seemed he hadn’t completely shaken off his unease.
“You asked me to postpone the study session last time, saying you had something important to do. Did that important business go well?”
As the gathering reached its peak, Director Kang Woo-hyun asked Lee Hae-sung, as if just remembering. Lee Hae-sung placed his wine glass on the table and smiled with satisfaction.
“Yes, I came back with results beyond my expectations. Thanks to your cooperation.”
“We could have done the study session among ourselves, but you asked to postpone it by a week, saying you really wanted to attend this one. And yet, you only showed up at the after-party today.”
“I’m here to support all of you, and attending the after-party is equivalent to attending the study session, isn’t it?”
Lee Hae-sung parried Kang Woo-hyun’s reproachful remark and asked expansively, looking around at the people gathered at the table.
“That’s right! That’s right!”
No one dared to contradict ARA’s Lee Hae-sung, the film’s biggest investor.
“Isn’t that right?”
“……”
“Yoon Hye-an… sir?”
“Yes?”
As if the agreement from everyone else wasn’t enough, Lee Hae-sung singled out ‘Yoon Hye-an’ and asked again. Choi Hong-seo, who had been hunched over, pulling at the edge of his turtleneck to tuck his chin inside, met Lee Hae-sung’s eyes and nodded hesitantly.
“Yes… That’s right.”
Lee Hae-sung smiled broadly with satisfaction. The meaning of that smile was perhaps something only Choi Hong-seo in that room could understand.
A brief pause between ‘Isn’t that right?’ and ‘Mr. Yoon Hye-an?’. And the tone, which subtly emphasized the name Yoon Hye-an. It was a signal only the two of them could understand, like a game. His voice, calling Yoon Hye-an with emphasis, felt like it was reinforcing the fact that he was actually Choi Hong-seo.
Their secret.
Proof that you are actually Choi Hong-seo, and only the two of us share that secret… From now on, the name Yoon Hye-an felt like a pet name he had given him.
“But is your outfit uncomfortable? You keep pulling at it.”
“No, it’s just… for no reason…”
“Right. It suits you well. The turtleneck.”
Turning his gaze away from Lee Hae-sung, who continued to smile as he brought his wine glass back to his lips, Choi Hong-seo downed the wine he had barely touched. He knew perfectly well why he had no choice but to wear a turtleneck. Of course, the people here couldn’t even guess the meaning of his words… Yet, to Choi Hong-seo, Lee Hae-sung’s remark felt incredibly bold. As if he had left a kiss mark for everyone to see.
Other than that, the after-party atmosphere was no different from usual. It seemed like it would pass without any further incident.
Choi Hong-seo, like Seo Jun-yeong who looked relieved, considered this fortunate. He had no intention of letting Seo Jun-yeong’s insulting remarks go unaddressed. However, he didn’t want Lee Hae-sung to expend his emotions because of Seo Jun-yeong.
As the gathering broke up, some of the more spirited individuals discussed where they would gather for a second round after leaving Director Kang’s house.
A young actor, who was taking the lead in gathering more people, stopped Seo Jun-yeong, who was hurrying to leave.
“Jun-yeong Seonbae, you’re coming to the second round too, right?”
“Ah… Please let me off today.”
“You’re not coming? You’re joking, right? I’m putting you on the list?”
“No, I really need to go home today. I can’t handle any more alcohol. I barely managed at the after-party.”
Among the regulars who enjoyed drinking, Seo Jun-yeong was top-tier. Choi Hong-seo had never stayed until that late, but he had heard that once Seo Jun-yeong started, he wouldn’t go home until he saw the morning sun, finishing with hangover soup and soju.
Yet, Seo Jun-yeong was declining a mere second round. The bravado he had shown, claiming he didn’t kowtow to the chaebols, was nowhere to be seen.
“Mr. Seo Jun-yeong, you’re not going to the second round?”
It was the first time Lee Hae-sung had spoken directly to Seo Jun-yeong at this gathering.
“Ah… Yes, well… I’m not feeling up to drinking today.”
Seo Jun-yeong replied vaguely with a bitter expression. Having boasted in front of everyone, his pride wouldn’t allow him to act subservient now.
“Then, I’ll be heading off. Director, thank you for your hard work.”
With his bag slung over his shoulder, Seo Jun-yeong nodded, offered his greetings, and pushed his way through the crowd towards the exit. His hurried movements, trying to escape the situation as quickly as possible, were evident.
“If you’re not going to the second round, Mr. Seo Jun-yeong, please see me for a moment.”
“……”
Seo Jun-yeong wasn’t the only one who froze in silence. Everyone remaining in the restaurant stopped moving, their expressions conveying that what they expected had finally arrived.
Lee Hae-sung’s expression showed no anger or malice.
“Director, may I borrow the second-floor drawing room?”
Having said that, Lee Hae-sung took out his phone, looked at it, and left the restaurant.
What was he going to say? How much had he heard? Choi Hong-seo found it hard to move his feet. The others seemed to feel the same.
Drrr. A short vibration came from his coat pocket. With the intuition that it was Lee Hae-sung, Choi Hong-seo quickly checked the message.
Carrot Seller: It won’t take long. Go home first. See you at home ^^ (10:28 PM)