Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 109

109. It’s You (2)

2022.02.17.

“No way… Why us, of all people…?” “Right? What are we, anyway…?” “I could understand if they were waiting for our leads or the director, but why would they need us?” No matter how you look at it, even if we’re making a movie, the staff are just regular people. Sure, we get exposed to the media sometimes, but compared to celebrities, it’s practically nothing. But.

“Director Ji Un-jae! Just a word about the new movie!” “……?” A group of reporters, fearless even in the face of Director Ji Un-jae’s imposing size, rushed toward him. That was the beginning. Director Ji Un-jae’s eyes showed clear panic. But the reporters, like hyenas hunting prey, didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe they did, and it only excited them more. The more flustered he was, the more sensational stories they might extract.

“The synopsis says the ending is a tragedy! Is it related to the recent incident?!” “Incident…?”

“There’s a rumor that the cast and crew deliberately got stranded to create a dramatic scene! Any comments on that?!” “……Huh?”

“Were there any serious injuries or injured staff? Are all the staff here the ones who were stranded?!” “Well, yes…”

“What was the situation like back then?!” “Were there really no injuries or deaths?!”

“It would have been difficult for this many people to survive! What’s the secret?!” The staff were on the verge of losing their minds from the relentless barrage of questions. It was the complete opposite of what they had expected.

“Are they just trying to get some attention for the movie?”

“Well, the leads will handle the lead stuff, so we should probably slip away first, right? What do you think, Director?”

“I… agree…”

Domestic movies, especially smaller productions, tend to receive less public attention. If there’s no public interest, there’s no readership for the articles, so reporters are usually indifferent as well.

“If this were Hollywood and we were filming an MCU [Marvel Cinematic Universe] movie, maybe… but it’s not, is it?”

It’s not that we’re not proud of the movie we’re making. But there’s such a thing as being too self-conscious, isn’t there?

“We’ll head over first, so Yeon-woo and Do-hee, take your time and chat. Promote our movie while you’re at it.” The assistant director spoke on behalf of the staff, who had tentatively concluded that the media frenzy was all because of the lead actors. So no one expected the situation to escalate like this.

“Huh? It’s Kang Yeon-woo!”

“Yeon Do-hee’s here too!”

“Are they both okay? Are they hurt anywhere?!”

“Hey! Stop pushing!” Reporters swarmed Yeon-woo and Yeon Do-hee as they emerged from the arrival gate. Nevertheless, the primary focus remained on the staff.

“Yeon Do-hee! Just a word! How does it feel to be stranded in the outback as an actress?!”

“Please tell us how you survived for days!” Yeon Do-hee squinted slightly at the blinding flashes of cameras. Yeon-woo did the same.

‘What’s with these people?’

The acrid smell. This unpleasant odor that he could detect even with a slight brush was something he could never get used to, no matter how many times he encountered it. The chilling sensation on his skin was also familiar.

‘The yin energy [energy associated with the spiritual world and often ghosts] is so thick?’

Half human, half ghost. That’s how Yeon-woo perceived them. That alone was enough to annoy him, but what annoyed him even more were the invasive questions being hurled at Yeon Do-hee.

“Yeon Do-hee! You were in a confined space with the staff! Tell us about that!”

“How did you handle your physiological needs while you were stranded…?” Yeon-woo’s brow furrowed even more.

‘Are they crazy? Why would they even ask that?’

No matter how he analyzed it, their motives weren’t rooted in genuine concern. Yeon-woo’s gaze swept coldly over the reporters.

‘There’s no way people who carry that kind of thing around are normal.’

You could tell just by the way they were openly displaying their base and vulgar interests. Judging by the sheer number of grudges and negative thoughts clinging to them, they must have been accumulating a lot of resentment.

‘How are they going to handle all that verbal karma [the consequences of one’s words, both positive and negative]?’

Verbal karma. Sins committed with the mouth. If they truly understood the repercussions that would eventually come back to them, there’s no way they could carelessly spew out such vulgar words.

This was definitely not the scenario he had envisioned on the plane. A lot of interest in the movie? Sure. It was interest, alright. It’s just that it was all about dirty and vulgar interests.

“What is going on…?”

“No, over here…”

The staff, unaccustomed to this kind of intense scrutiny, looked flustered. They must have realized it too – that the situation was drastically different from what they had anticipated. Their minds must be filled with panic right now.

‘How did they even find out about the stranding?’

A fact that they hadn’t disclosed to anyone. So it was only natural that they would be embarrassed by the revelation of the ‘stranding’ and the vulgar interests and attention that stemmed from it at the arrival gate.

The barrage of dirty questions and unwanted attention directed towards Yeon Do-hee were temporarily blocked by Yeon-woo, but that couldn’t last.

“Yeon-woo. Come this way… I’ll do something about it…” Director Ji approached through the crowd with a determined look on his face. He might be a fragile person on the inside, but his burly physique, which seemed mismatched with his personality, was a great asset in situations like these.

“Oh, what!”

“Ugh!” The reporters were knocked back by Director Ji’s forceful movements. But like cockroaches, other reporters quickly filled their places. Bang! Bang! The reporters were even filming the scene diligently. It was an unavoidable situation, but the director pushing the reporters around was exactly the kind of sensational story they loved to sink their teeth into.

[Movie director assaults reporter covering the story! Respect for the press is needed…]

[Director Mo wields violence, claiming it was a refusal to be interviewed… Is this movie company’s abuse of power okay?]

[What’s with the violence? …Who is the movie director who refused to be interviewed and wielded violence at the airport?]

The headlines practically wrote themselves. Several scandalous articles were already flashing through his mind.

“Yeon-woo, take Do-hee and hurry…” Director Ji said, flustered. If the usually timid Director Ji was resorting to this, it meant the situation was truly serious.

Yeon-woo shook his head. He couldn’t stand to see good people, who were just trying to do their jobs, being manipulated by fake news.

“Right now.”

Yeon-woo was about to speak when… Was it a coincidence? The voices of the tabloid reporters, who were only spouting their own questions without even acknowledging the airport security guards setting up a perimeter, suddenly died down.

The sudden silence in the midst of the chaotic noise had an unexpectedly powerful impact.

“As you know, we’ve just returned from a significant ordeal, so it’s difficult to respond appropriately.”

Yeon-woo’s lips curved into a smooth smile. The reporters who met his gaze nodded almost unconsciously.

“Thank you for showing so much interest… but given the current situation, I would appreciate your understanding.”

A clear, articulate voice that resonated in their ears. There was an undeniable authority in it. It felt like they had to cease all coverage immediately and postpone it for later. They felt an inexplicable urge to comply with what that voice was telling them.

“We will accept requests for coverage regarding the movie after we have recovered our health.”

As if the commotion had never occurred, most of the reporters nodded blankly.

“No, Kang Yeon-woo! How can you say such a thing out of the blue?! We’ve come all the way here and you’re telling us to wait…!” Someone who wasn’t directly in his line of sight bravely spoke up, but,

“Out of the blue? I apologize if it sounded that way. Everyone here is rational and sensible, so I don’t think they would misunderstand me. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, yes!”

“That’s right. We’re not trash!”

“Oh, come on. They said they’re tired from coming all this way!” He was only met with scolding from the reporters nearby who had already been swayed by Yeon-woo. And that wasn’t all.

‘Oh, shit. What is this feeling? I feel like I’m going to be screwed if I say the wrong thing right now?’

A sensation that was completely different from the usual discomfort of being surrounded by people. A very dangerous and precarious feeling. A sense of crisis that felt like he would plummet straight down if he took one wrong step. Every time he moved his lips to say something, that chilling sensation grew even stronger.

“Thank you all for your understanding.”

His brightly smiling face looked strangely intimidating, for some reason. In the ensuing lull,

“Excuse me. Please move aside.”

“We’re going through.” Figures in black suits, with physiques that rivaled even Director Ji’s, began cutting through the reporters who had lost their will to fight.

“Kang Yeon-woo? Are you Kang Yeon-woo?”

“Yes, I am…?”

“We will be providing security from now on. Please come this way.” The men in black suits quickly separated the reporters from the movie team. And then, they skillfully escorted them out of the airport.

“Uh? Uh?!”

“Hey, wait a minute! We need to cover the story!” The reporters, who belatedly came to their senses, tried to follow, but the men in black suits easily shook them off. As if they had never been besieged by reporters and subjected to vulgar questions, the movie team was able to leave the airport very smoothly.

The movie team, who had been rescued in a daze, regained their composure in front of a large black van.

“Are we… being kidnapped?”

“What would they even use us for if they kidnapped us…?”

“Are they going to ask us weird questions like the reporters did…?” Cautious, imaginative conversations were exchanged. Their speculations didn’t last long.

“Oh, it’s the investor?” A familiar figure emerged from the black, large sedan behind the row of vans.

“Would it be okay if I borrowed Yeon-woo for a bit?”

“Of course…?”

“Y-yes, of course…? Director. Is it okay…?”

“That’s a bit…”

“Oh, of course it is! Let’s go to the studio!” The assistant director cut off Director Ji before he could voice his reservations. The door opened in front of Yeon-woo, who was watching him being dragged away with great difficulty.

“Come on, get in.”

“……”

Woo Do-gyeom had personally opened the door for him. He would have refused under normal circumstances, but Yeon-woo readily got into the car. As soon as Woo Do-gyeom got into the car, the heavy sedan began to glide down the road.

“You don’t look well. Was the flight tiring? I told you you should have come back with me.” A deep, low voice asked. A voice that sounded almost gentle at first glance. But Yeon-woo’s reply was cold.

“The thing at the airport. Was that your doing?”

* “My doing?”

“I’m talking about gathering the reporters.”

“To think you would misunderstand me like that. That’s too much.” Woo Do-gyeom tilted his head slightly and said.

“Let’s be more precise.”

Why are you trying to pull a fast one?

“You’re the one who spread the news that would gather those reporters, aren’t you?”