By Zephyria Midway up the hill, the man turned right. From here on, it was a narrow alley inaccessible to cars. Because of that, a handcart had to be used when moving in.
If he turned left one more time at the end of the alley ahead, it would be the dormitory.
The man, who had been walking slowly and silently, suddenly stopped. Worried he might get angry, Choi Hong-seo couldn’t help but watch his reaction.
But as he slowly turned and met Choi Hong-seo’s gaze, his face didn’t look angry.
A faint floral scent mixed with the early summer dawn breeze. Shifting his gaze slightly, he saw a branch laden with abundant orange blossoms spilling over a white garden wall, cascading towards the alley.
What flower is that? Was there a flower tree like that in this alley… I hadn’t noticed it even after spending several summers here.
“At Director Kang’s place, and today too… I can’t stand seeing Hong-seo being bullied.”
He brought his gaze back to him, which had been momentarily captivated by the flowering tree. He now wore a slightly pained expression.
“It makes me angry.”
“……”
“Even though I’m not that kind of good person.”
The man, continuing his calm speech, bent his waist to match eye level.
“……Why do you think that is?”
It wasn’t a question. Looking into his confident eyes, one could tell.
He already knew the answer, but his expression suggested, ‘I want you to think about the answer to this question yourself too…’
He didn’t rush Choi Hong-seo, who couldn’t answer. After gazing for a while longer, he smiled and moved away, leading the way once more.
Three or four fans were loitering in front of the dormitory. He didn’t seem surprised, as if he had already known about the existence of sasaeng fans. Rather, he seemed more surprised by the dormitory’s poor condition, though he didn’t express it openly.
“Let’s go in.”
As if he had often escorted him like this, his face at the gate, saying goodbye, looked relaxed and gentle. Was this also the streetlight effect…?
From the second-floor dormitory entrance, the alley was clearly visible. I wanted to look back while entering the door lock code, but for some reason, I didn’t have the courage. It wasn’t like it required courage.
“Who is it? Is it the new manager? He’s so handsome?” — The fans’ whispers, clearly referring to Lee Hae-sung, made me want to laugh. I pressed my lips tightly with the back of my hand and quickly entered the door.
Without turning on the lights, without taking off my shoes, I leaned against the entrance for a while. Being called to a chaebol family party and leaving a club as a ‘companion’ wasn’t ‘entertaining.’ We sat in the back seat of a car, but not even a hand was held, let alone a kiss. I thought the words ‘let’s meet next time’ meant postponing the entertainment, but now I wasn’t even sure about that.
Then… why were we together? Why did he ask me to go out with him?
Lost in thought, I mechanically washed myself, taking twice as long as usual in the shower. I quietly entered the room where the members were sleeping and crawled into my spot on the lower bunk of the top bunk bed.
What should I report to CEO Myeong? After pondering for a long time, I sent a rough message.
《Vice President Lee Hae-sung gave me a ride back to the dormitory. Nothing happened, but he did say he wanted to see me again next time. I’m tired, so I’m going to sleep now.》
As soon as I sent the message, the phone rang. Contrary to my message, I didn’t feel sleepy, but Choi Hong-seo ignored CEO Myeong’s call.
‘……Why do you think that is?’
Recalling the man’s face as he asked that, the floral scent from the alley revived in my senses. But then I realized. What I had perceived as a floral scent was actually his cologne.
■
Choi Hong-seo’s casting in
And the movie’s production has become certain. ARA Electronics’ Vice President Lee Hae-sung has decided to make a substantial investment.
After the movie’s production was decided, before the official press release was even distributed, the first event arranged was a meal.
The attendees were the director and assistant director, three or four of the main actors, the production company’s president, the executive producer, and Lee Hae-sung and his movie investment representatives. In short, it was an informal first gathering for the core members of the movie production to meet and greet each other.
There were also about six or seven co-investors, including Chairman Jo. Although their investment was small compared to Lee Hae-sung’s. They would receive reports on the production process from the investment team, but their participation or approval was not always required. In other words, Lee Hae-sung was the representative of the investors.
Everyone had expected that Lee Hae-sung of ARA Electronics wouldn’t show up for such an event, even if he was investing in the movie himself. However, he defied expectations and expressed his intention to attend, and although a little late, he actually showed up.
Before he arrived at the wine bar, the venue for the dinner, the atmosphere was more excited about meeting Lee Hae-sung than about the movie’s production being decided.
Every time there was a knock on the door of the private room, separated from the outside, people would stop talking, without anyone asking them to. Choi Hong-seo was among them. When the door opened and a bar employee, not Lee Hae-sung, appeared, a sense of relief and disappointment washed over them simultaneously. They were that nervous, and that expectant.
It was Choi Hong-seo’s first movie, and moreover, he had been cast in a leading role in a film by Kang Woo-hyun, who was called a master. Choi Hong-seo thought that was the reason.
But when Lee Hae-sung finally appeared after a knock, he felt his heart pound even harder than before. It was strange. Wasn’t he nervous about the movie?
Their eyes met a few times during the dinner. However, as the youngest of the lead actors, Choi Hong-seo didn’t have many opportunities to converse with Lee Hae-sung, the main investor.
When people introduced themselves one by one, he only felt that Lee Hae-sung’s gaze lingered on him a little longer, a little more intensely, than on others. It was just a guess, perhaps a delusion.
Contrary to expectations, the dinner was boring.
I don’t know what I was expecting.
“We have incredibly talented actors, and the director, well… it’s Director Kang Woo-hyun, so there’s nothing to say! And on top of that, our Vice President is investing. I couldn’t feel more secure!”
The dinner time wasn’t very long, about two hours, but the production company’s president was quite drunk by then. He had drunk too much due to the nervousness of meeting Lee Hae-sung, to the point of crossing the line.
As the gathering was about to break up, the production company’s president grabbed Lee Hae-sung’s hand and bowed so low that his forehead nearly touched the ground. Lee Hae-sung could only smile awkwardly with a troubled expression.
“In my lifetime! To think that I would have a meal with our Vice President Lee Hae-sung, and receive a drink from Vice President Lee Hae-sung… could I have ever imagined it!”
“Hey, President, why are you doing that? You’re making the Vice President uncomfortable. Come on, calm down a bit.”
The executive producer stepped forward to try and pull the production company’s president away, but he was no match for the drunkard’s strength.
“Vice President, how can you be so perfect, even in appearance… The investor looks more like an actor than the actors. How about a cameo appearance in this movie? Then I think we’ll easily break ten million viewers. What do you think? Huh?
This time, he even rubbed Lee Hae-sung’s hand against his own cheek. Everyone watching was horrified, and two more people, besides the executive producer, rushed to separate the president from Lee Hae-sung.
Throughout all this commotion, Choi Hong-seo was talking with other actors from a distance.
Even while waiting in the lobby for the valet-parked car, their eyes had met. But that was all.
When his sedan, driven by his escort, arrived, everyone crowded around the car to see him off. He shook hands with a few people. But he was too popular for the turn to reach Choi Hong-seo.
It was understandable.
To the filmmakers gathered here, a chaebol was a more elusive and fascinating figure than an actor. Moreover, his appearance… as the production company’s president said, he was more dashing than an actor.
He watched the tail of his sedan disappear into the alley without regret. It was the same car that had taken Choi Hong-seo a week ago. Or rather, was it really the same car I had ridden in?
The man who gave me his jacket, walked with me up Namsan, praised my past activities, and said he got angry when Choi Hong-seo was bullied… it was as if I doubted if he was the same person, nothing happened.
It felt foolish to have been so nervous for days after hearing he would attend.
It’s a relief, I guess. No need for entertainment.
And it would be even better if he had changed his mind and lost all interest in me.
A week is enough time for someone to change their mind.
CEO Myeong, along with a road manager for driving, was waiting in Choi Hong-seo’s car.
“The Vice President is waiting. We’re moving there.”
Before even asking if the first dinner for the movie went well, CEO Myeong immediately brought up that topic. As if it were a much more important schedule.
“What? The Vice President?”
“Yes, he contacted me saying he wanted to have coffee with you.”
“He contacted you, CEO? When?”
CEO Myeong, sitting in the passenger seat, slowly turned around.