By Zephyria 
In May, during the ripened spring days, Lee A-gon’s final shooting for “Reaching Love” took place. It was the scene implying Kim Jae-hyun’s death, also the last scene where Kim Jae-hyun and Lee Yun-hee would be together.
As water sprinklers simulated rain, pale-faced Kim Jae-hyun staggered, startling Lee Yun-hee who pulled him into her arms. The two quickly huddled in a spot sheltered from the rain.
Though it was May, the day was as hot as early summer. With the added humidity from the sprinklers, even Park Hae-jun sweated in his thin anorak. To match the late autumn setting of the film, Lee A-gon wore a black turtleneck with a rather thick jacket. Despite what must have been uncomfortable heat, both Lee A-gon and Ji Eun-young trembled slightly, acting as if they were cold.
“Kim Jae-hyun. You’re bleeding.”
Lee Yun-hee was terrified seeing the blood Kim Jae-hyun had coughed up.
“Have you been this sick? Why didn’t you tell me? What should we do? I need to report this right now…”
“Noona, it’s okay. Look at me.”
“But!”
“Don’t call anyone. It’s… too late anyway.”
Kim Jae-hyun took Lee Yun-hee’s hand and pressed it against his face. The blood on Lee Yun-hee’s fingers smeared across Kim Jae-hyun’s forehead.
“Noona, remember? I’ll definitely come find you again.”
“Don’t say that.”
“It’s okay. This isn’t goodbye. Because I will… meet you again for sure.”
After a faint smile, Kim Jae-hyun’s head slowly bowed down.
Lee Yun-hee screamed, “No!”
In a back alley of the rainy city. People gather after hearing Lee Yun-hee’s sorrowful cries, and soon an ambulance arrives.
“Cut, okay.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Thank you for your efforts.”
The two actors quickly stood up and bowed to each other. With this, Lee A-gon’s filming was complete.
Though Lee A-gon appeared for only about 20 minutes in the film, the director struggled to capture him in the most beautiful way possible each time he appeared. Whenever Lee A-gon was on screen, they used diffusers (equipment that spreads light to brighten the scene) and captured his smiling and crying faces with a high-speed camera at 2000 frames per second.
The director gave his best until the end. When the disheveled black hair, the blood on the forehead, and Lee A-gon’s long eyelashes slowly lowering appeared on the monitor, it truly looked beautiful. It was almost impossible to recall what Lee A-gon looked like in real life. The director had captured him in a completely different light.
“At this level, my actor’s name should be in the opening credits, right?”
“Why are you asking something so obvious?”
The assistant director gave Park Hae-jun an incredulous look at his question.
Good. Park Hae-jun secretly clenched his fist. Getting listed in the opening credits as a supporting actor, the goal had been achieved.
Although the movie hadn’t been released yet, Lee A-gon had indeed become a supporting actor, so Park Hae-jun asked if they could end the test early. However, the response was a firm rejection. They said they would make their judgment after seeing the film.
—We can’t have him appear poorly on screen.
In other words, they needed to see the content and filming quality of the movie. Park Hae-jun threw down his phone, complaining that nothing ever came easily.
It usually takes seven to eight months after filming wraps before a movie is released. Sometimes with more auteur-oriented directors, it could take a year. Even then, it was fortunate if the film actually made it to theaters. With declining movie audiences, even well-made films could end up shelved with bad luck.
“Reaching Love” hadn’t even finished filming yet. A second option was needed. Park Hae-jun had no intention of putting all his eggs in one basket and waiting anxiously.
That’s when the posting caught his eye.
* * *
Recruiting lead actors for an independent feature film
Production: Galaxy Film
Title: Painkiller (working title)
Director: Lim Myung-soo
Character: Early 20s rookie male actor
Filming period: Estimated 7 sessions
Appearance fee: Individual negotiation
Number of recruits: 2
Recruiting: Males in their 20s
* * *
An independent film.
Park Hae-jun tapped his fingers. It was an option he hadn’t considered until now. Independent film productions move faster than commercial ones. With less footage to shoot, there’s less to edit. This meant a quicker release was possible.
The filming schedule of 7 sessions was also reasonable. At this rate, the film could be out within a month. Park Hae-jun clicked on the contact person’s email address and sent Lee A-gon’s profile.
∞ ∞ ∞
The audition venue for “Painkiller” was a third-floor seminar room in the Young Filmmakers Support Center building in Yeonnam-dong. When they opened the door, about twenty young men simultaneously looked at Park Hae-jun and Lee A-gon, then almost simultaneously turned their heads away.
Park Hae-jun took Lee A-gon’s hand and headed for the empty seats in the back row. It felt like being late moviegoers finding seats in the middle row. Park Hae-jun muttered apologies as he squeezed between the men.
The remaining space was barely enough for two people to sit. As Park Hae-jun twisted his body to make room for Lee A-gon, who was taller than him, Lee A-gon simply picked Park Hae-jun up and placed him on his lap.
Park Hae-jun slapped Lee A-gon’s back and got down. “What are you doing?”
“You looked uncomfortable. I thought you could sit comfortably on my lap.”
When Park Hae-jun scolded him in a small voice, Lee A-gon made a face that seemed to ask why that wasn’t allowed. Park Hae-jun explained that one doesn’t sit on another’s lap in public places, to which Lee A-gon asked why, and Park Hae-jun ended the conversation by saying “That’s just how it is, so shut up and remember it.”
Lee A-gon grumbled that there were too many rules he had to follow just because “that’s how it is.”
He can’t interlock fingers in front of others, can’t embrace, can’t hug or back-hug, and now he can’t even put hyung on his lap, what’s he supposed to do then, just sit quietly next to him?
Park Hae-jun snapped back, telling him to stop stating the obvious. Why did he have to explain these things one by one? It was really tiring.
Just then, the man sitting next to them who had been watching their bickering asked Lee A-gon, “Excuse me… are you Lee A-gon…?”
Park Hae-jun and Lee A-gon looked at the man.
Park Hae-jun, being more sociable, responded, “Ah, yes. That’s right. Lee A-gon, do you know this person?”
“No.” Lee A-gon shook his head firmly at Park Hae-jun’s question.
The man next to them looked incredulous.
“What are you talking about? Don’t you remember me? I’m Seo Ji-hun.”
It was Park Hae-jun, not Lee A-gon, who recalled the man’s identity upon hearing the name. His eyes widened.
“Seo Ji-hun, as in ‘Dawn’s First Light’?”
“Yes, that’s right. But who are you…?”
“I’m Park Hae-jun. Park Park Hae-jun. I also appeared in that production.”
“Ah, you!”
It was an unexpected reunion. Park Hae-jun and Seo Ji-hun shook hands with Lee A-gon between them.
“It’s been so long. Are you here for the audition too?”
“Yeah. You too?”
“No, I just came with him.”
“Oh, I see.”
While the two conversed, Lee A-gon took Park Hae-jun’s right hand and vigorously wiped it on his clothes.
“Hey, stop that. You’ll ruin your clothes.” Park Hae-jun said as he tried to pull his hand away, but Lee A-gon took it back and rubbed it again.
When Park Hae-jun gritted his teeth and said, “I said stop it!”
Lee A-gon retorted, “Why? Is this also something I have to remember because ‘that’s just how it is’?”
“Yes, so stop taking my hand.”
“No. It’s dirty. You touched someone else.”
“…Didn’t I tell you not to say others are dirty in front of people?”
After watching this exchange repeat about four times, Seo Ji-hun interjected in an amazed tone, “You two seem very close.”
Park Hae-jun, who had been squabbling, suddenly remembered Seo Ji-hun’s presence and quickly pushed Lee A-gon away.
“Lee A-gon seems like a completely different person when he’s with you.”
“Haha, I guess time has passed. When was the last time we saw each other? It was when we were filming ‘Dawn’s First Light,’ so when we were eleven?”
“No, I saw Lee A-gon until high school.”
“What?” Park Hae-jun was surprised by this unexpected statement.
“I was with him for about a year from when he was in middle school. I was Lee A-gon’s play friend.”
“Play friend? What’s that?”
“It means I was hired to play with and take care of him. Lee A-gon is Woo Eum-yeong’s son, you know.”
Park Hae-jun’s mouth fell open in shock.
Belatedly, Seo Ji-hun said with a dismayed expression, “You didn’t know?”
“No, I knew that, but…”
A play friend? To think there were actually people in our country who hired such a thing.’ This thought was followed by the question, ‘Was he really just a play friend?
“Number 27, Seo Ji-hun.”
Just then, a bespectacled woman entered and called Seo Ji-hun’s name.
As Seo Ji-hun rose from his seat, he whispered in Park Hae-jun’s ear, “I’ll wait outside. Let’s talk after.”
Park Hae-jun nodded reflexively.
Lee A-gon persistently asked, “Hyung, what did that bastard just say to you?”
But Park Hae-jun didn’t answer.
When Lee A-gon’s audition began, Park Hae-jun went outside. Seo Ji-hun was waiting for him, leaning against the outer wall of the building.
“Seo Ji-hun, it’s really great to see you aga—”
“You’re an assistant, right?”
As Park Hae-jun was about to open the conversation with pleasantries like “It’s good to see you again” and “How have you been?” Seo Ji-hun fired a direct question.
When Park Hae-jun froze with his eyes wide open, Seo Ji-hun calmly continued, “It’s okay. I’m an assistant too. And I was one of the candidates to be Lee A-gon’s assistant.”
“An assistant candidate?”
“Yes. Lee A-gon is an ability user, and I’m an assistant. I lived with Lee A-gon for a year under the pretense of being his play friend, trying to assist him. But I couldn’t assist Lee A-gon. You know why, right?”
“……”
“Right?”
To Seo Ji-hun, who seemed to be asking something he already knew the answer to, Park Hae-jun nodded, no longer trying to hide.
“How did you end up becoming Lee A-gon’s assistant?”