Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 125

The Apology (1)

125. The Apology (1)

2022.03.05.

That very location was the source of the strangeness. Even from a distance, I could tell they were serving an incredibly luxurious menu. It felt several levels above the food trucks that used to visit the filming set. The buffet was so extravagant that chefs were stationed in front of it, seemingly cooking dishes to order. But what was strange was the subtle expressions on the faces of both the cooks and the people receiving the food. ‘Why do they both look like they’re in mourning?’ It was easy to discern, even without trying to analyze it. One side was restless, completely fidgety. And the other side was….

“Are you perhaps eating food with poison in it?”

Everyone was eating well, but they received their portions with expressions of indigestion and ate with difficulty. ‘Is it not tasty? No, I don’t think they would ask to be saved over something like that.’ When Yeon-woo asked, the assistant director cautiously whispered.

“We’re… being fattened up right now….”

“Fattened… up?” Yeon-woo repeated, surprised by the unexpected word. Was he joking? But the assistant director was very serious and earnest.

“We’re going to die of bursting stomachs at this rate. I think they’re feeding us for 24 hours straight, with only a slight exaggeration.”

“Feeding you? Who is?”

“You asked about Woo Do-gyeom earlier…?”

“Yes.”

“I told you to look over there then.”

“You did.”

“The investor sent it.”

“Then… isn’t that a good thing?” Woo Do-gyeom wasn’t the type to save money. Rather, he tended to overspend. If Woo Do-gyeom had sent the meal with such determination, there was no way it wouldn’t be delicious. Why did they look so mournful?

“I know this sounds like a privileged complaint, and I’m embarrassed to ask for this favor… but we really feel like we’re being fattened up. What if we die of bursting stomachs like this?”

[Truth] confirmed that the assistant director’s words were not a lie.

“It’s been several days since the investor invited even 5-star hotel chefs to bring food trucks.” The assistant director added that it was debatable whether this luxurious buffet could even be called a food truck.

“At first, we were very grateful. The investor said this:”

[I heard you all suffered a lot on the island. I heard that Yeon-woo was active, but everyone still seems to be in bad shape. You should probably eat some health food.]

Of course, the staff at the time welcomed the fancy chefs and Woo Do-gyeom who came.

-Investor, you really didn’t have to do this….

-No. You went to that island because of me and suffered, so it’s also my responsibility.

-Isn’t that because of the weather? It’s not like the investor controls the weather, so how can you be responsible? If it weren’t for the accident, it would have been a very nice place!

-Haha. Is that so….

The look on Woo Do-gyeom’s face as he answered with a smile was a bit strange. What should I say? It was like looking at a pitiful little lamb caught in a trap. It was like looking at a lamb who didn’t know who set the trap and was just happy to be saved.

‘Hey, why would the investor look at us like that…?’

He was an assistant director who was quick-witted and had cleverly survived in the movie industry, which was full of hyenas, with a bear-like director. He noticed that something was strange, but unfortunately, he didn’t know what it was. It was only natural. To ordinary people, there was actually something magical there. And because Yeon-woo was sent there for that reason, the filming team was sent along with her and got hit together.

How could the assistant director have known?

-But you all need to be healthy for the movie I invested in to do well, right?

-We’re doing our best.

-I have high expectations in many ways. And as an investor, I feel like I haven’t taken care of you enough, so I’m trying to make up for it with this opportunity.

-Yes? We’re really okay, but….

Something felt strange. The assistant director’s sharp senses, honed over the years, told him so. But unfortunately.

-Unfortunately, I’m not okay. So please allow me to make up for it to you.

There was no way to refuse the words of an investor who was practically a one-person investment. And it wasn’t some strange abuse of power, but rather a way of saying that he would treat them well. How could they refuse?

‘I heard that the chairman of Cheongwang [a large corporation] has a bad personality, but it seems that’s not entirely true….’ Whenever I looked at his oppressive aura and cold eyes, I felt like my shoulders were shrinking for no reason.

-I will take care of you personally. Don’t worry.

They shouldn’t have taken those words lightly. They should have at least paid attention to the word ‘personally’!

“But from that day on, he came… in person….”

“…In person?”

“Yes. The investor in person.” The assistant director emphasized the words ‘in person.’

“He came in person to take care of each and every staff member. The food is top-notch, and almost all the equipment here has been replaced with new ones. He couldn’t touch Director Ji’s computer, but he replaced the equipment for the general staff… Well, the newer the equipment, the better the performance, so the rendering time was reduced, which was good.”

That wasn’t all.

“He also gave all the filming staff additional performance bonuses. Of course, we received them too. I mean, what investor gives bonuses for hard work? They don’t. Usually, they grill us about where we spent the money and are strict about budget allocation… That’s usually the case, right? But suddenly, he apologizes and gives us money, takes care of the food, and replaces all the equipment, which was great. But….”

The assistant director’s words weren’t over.

“After that, he really… came to visit ‘in person’ every day….”

The fancy equipment was still there, and he didn’t take back the money he had given. The meals, which were better than those at a hotel, were also very good, and the investor gave them very warm and human words, telling them not to work too hard, to take it easy, and to take care of their bodies first.

-It feels like all the mistreatment we’ve suffered so far is being healed.

-Awesome. There’s no way there’s a team that meets an investor like us. Who else would take care of us like this?

They thought that for a moment. They overlooked one thing. The meaning of the investor coming to the studio every day to take care of them was not so light. No matter how well they treated you, the other party was an investor. It wasn’t a superior-inferior relationship, but it wasn’t a completely equal relationship either.

As Woo Do-gyeom’s visits continued, everyone thought.

‘It feels like the company president is visiting the workplace of ordinary employees every day.’

That wasn’t wrong either. In fact, Woo Do-gyeom was the president of Cheongwang.

-Cough… I’m getting indigestion….

-No. Eat quickly! Those chefs told me last time that they have a quota and can’t *not* feed us all this!

-But we can’t eat it all until we burst!

-Aren’t we… being fattened up…? How can they keep feeding us like this? No matter how delicious the top-quality food is, you get tired of eating it three meals a day, 24 hours a day. Moreover, when the sharply dressed men accompanying Woo Do-hyeon approach and ask,

-Doesn’t it suit your taste?

…it becomes very difficult. The force that seemed like they would grab the chefs by the collar at any moment made the hearts of ordinary citizens very uncomfortable.

‘No, we’re full, but what did those people do wrong….’

But it didn’t seem like those words would work. There was another problem.

-Assistant Director… I’m sleepy….

-Full stomach and warm back… Now, if I could just take a nap, it would be really nice….

When the stomach is full, blood flow is concentrated downwards for digestion, naturally reducing the workload on the head. In other words, they were experiencing postprandial sleepiness [the sleepiness experienced after a meal]. But.

-We can’t sleep because the investor is here, so wake up!

-I’m really… sleepy… Why isn’t the investor leaving?

-I don’t know. I heard the Cheongwang building is fancy, so I don’t know why he’s doing this here….

Woo Do-gyeom even set up a place on one side of the studio and started working. Seeing Woo Do-gyeom visiting every day, the staff members.

-Could it be that he wants a certain editing direction from us?

-Did he come to interfere with the direction of the movie?

…had these concerns, but that wasn’t the case either. When they mustered the courage to ask why, they received this answer.

-I need to be close by to know what our production staff needs right away, right?

-…I see.

It was a reason that was difficult to agree with, but there was nothing to say since the boss said so. But he wasn’t abusing his power either. He was just quietly doing his own thing on one side.

-I’d rather he abuse his power!

-It would be more comfortable if he interfered with the direction!

-No, why is he coming and not saying anything and just doing his own work…? Why…? Really for our sake…?!

-Ugh.

-I can’t even rest because the investor is watching….

-I’m going to die of sleepiness… Can I just go to the overnight room and sleep for a bit?

-When you come back, will your desk still be there…?!

-This is worse than working with the president sitting behind me!

What kind of disaster is this!

Anyone who has worked in a company knows that feeling of having your boss sitting behind you. It’s not like the boss is harassing you or saying anything, but that unique uncomfortable feeling is incredibly 신경 쓰이는 [nerve-wracking]. Rest? Of course, you’re conscious of it. I had no choice but to work hard. My stomach is full, I’m sleepy. But I can’t rest.

-We’re not going to be sold off somewhere like this, are we?

-That’s right. It’s in fairy tales too! They feed you well and fatten you up and then sell you off somewhere!

-Come to think of it, what happened to the youngest member of the art team? I heard he was taken away after suffering from acute indigestion.

-Ah, him… One of the investor’s staff members followed him and had him hospitalized. In a private room… He asked what he had done wrong and why he was being imprisoned in the hospital?

-Ah… It seems like the kid was surprised to go to such a big place. It’s not like that, so comfort him a bit. Since he’s there, tell him to sleep there….

This side was almost forced to work all night. Because Woo Do-gyeom didn’t leave until late, they were very conscious of getting up first. Director Ji’s case was even more serious. He wasn’t the type to get along with Woo Do-gyeom in the first place, and to make matters worse, he was going through a slump at this time. A sense of crisis that something big would happen enveloped everyone.

“We might die like this! What if this becomes our last work?!” This time again, the status window [Truth] was floating above the assistant director’s head.

‘He seemed like a very rational person to look at… He must have been very tired.’

But after listening to him, it wasn’t unreasonable to be caught up in such fears.

‘Kindness for an unknown reason is always unsettling.’

I wish he would just tell us the reason for this, but he doesn’t. Yeon-woo knew the reason, but the staff who didn’t know anything would be embarrassed by this situation.

‘I told him to take responsibility and clean up the mess properly back then.’

I didn’t know that what I said to Woo Do-gyeom, who asked for punishment, would come back like this. But he seems to have taken care of the staff with some thought….

‘He doesn’t know the limit, the limit.’