Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 283

283. Whose Fault? (2)

“If you want to accuse me, go ahead and do it.”

“No. I didn’t set aside time and go to meet Kim Seon-woo to accuse him.”

Do Gang-hoon was like a drug.

It was slightly different in that it was unwanted.

No matter how it started, once you were exposed, you were inevitably drawn in.

“You say you’re not going to accuse me, so tell me why you showed me that photo.”

“Well, I suppose you could say I want a small favor?”

It was Do Gang-hoon’s tactic.

He made you anxious but didn’t readily give you the answer.

“A favor? Does a star prosecutor like you have a favor to ask of me?”

“Why wouldn’t I? Of course, I do.”

When Kim Seon-woo first properly learned about Do Gang-hoon.

Even with his cold rationality, he couldn’t find a reason.

Do Gang-hoon, despite being a prosecutor, had a following due to his unconventional actions.

‘The only hope to reform the corrupt prosecution.’

That was Do Gang-hoon.

‘Why is this kind of person looking for me? It’s definitely not to catch a serial killer.’

The reason was soon revealed.

Under the guise of a favor, Do Gang-hoon began to make strange and extremely unconventional demands.

“What? Are you crazy?”

“I’m not crazy. I’m perfectly sane.”

“Ha… and a star prosecutor is saying that to me right now? You expect me to believe that?”

“Why can’t you believe it?”

“A prosecutor is telling someone to kill someone. You think that’s a believable story?”

“Why? Isn’t a prosecutor a person? They might want to kill someone too.”

Do Gang-hoon said nonchalantly.

He found it strange that Kim Seon-woo was so taken aback.

“Why are you making that face? I thought you, of all people, would understand? You’ve always killed someone, haven’t you? At least I haven’t killed anyone yet.”

He just hadn’t done it directly.

Do Gang-hoon already had the mindset of a perfect killer.

From the start, what he was trying to do was no different from commissioning a murder.

‘What’s the possibility that this isn’t a trap?’

At first, Kim Seon-woo suspected a trap.

‘To raid the murder scene on purpose and promote himself more dramatically?’

Catching a murderer in the act of committing murder.

What a dramatic show that would be!

It was bound to be an incident that would further enhance the prestige of the star prosecutor.

As if he had noticed Kim Seon-woo’s thoughts, Do Gang-hoon said.

“Listen, Kim Seon-woo. If you think about it with that well-functioning brain of yours, you’ll know. If I wanted to catch you, I would have caught you ‘that day.’ Why would I bother making things so troublesome for each other?”

That was true.

“What you have to do is simple. It’s what you always do, isn’t it? Besides, I’ll be backing you up this time. There’s nothing difficult about it, so what are you worrying about so much?”

“If you’re so confident, why don’t you do it yourself?”

Kim Seon-woo’s words had become shorter, but no one cared.

“I can’t have any flaws.”

Do Gang-hoon shrugged.

“I have to go perfectly flawless, so it can’t be helped.”

Do Gang-hoon’s eyes gleamed with ambition.

“It won’t be a losing deal. You keep the secret, and I get rid of a thorn in my side.”

Do Gang-hoon, mentioning Baek Ha-yan, was very relaxed.

He had already gained the upper hand by perfectly grasping Kim Seon-woo’s weakness.

“I’ll promise you sufficient compensation too.”

Do Gang-hoon stared at Kim Seon-woo with an expression that seemed to say, ‘Isn’t this a pretty tempting offer?’

And.

“I refuse.”

Kim Seon-woo refused.

“Not a losing deal? Prosecutor Do Gang-hoon. Are you looking at me like I’m too much of an idiot? Fine. Let’s say I grant your request. That would be another shackle for me. There’s no guarantee that this ‘favor’ will end with just this once. You’ll probably keep asking me to kill someone or do something equivalent. Where’s the side that doesn’t lose out? It doesn’t seem like it’s me, at least.”

Kim Seon-woo was never foolish.

He was just a little off from the typical, ordinary standards.

The quid pro quo [something for something; a reciprocal exchange] that Do Gang-hoon offered in exchange for the secret was nothing more than poison disguised as sweetness.

‘Murder…’

At some point, Kim Seon-woo no longer felt as pleased with murder as before.

That was probably because a strange and unfamiliar new stimulus had been added to Kim Seon-woo’s otherwise bland life.

The murders he had always committed in a perfectly prepared state were like a discipline.

However, that discipline collapsed while dealing with Baek Ha-yan’s stalker.

It was the first murder he had committed since meeting Baek Ha-yan.

“Well, I didn’t expect you to accept it easily. I’ll see you again soon.”

Surprisingly, Do Gang-hoon retreated willingly.

But that wasn’t the case afterward either.

Do Gang-hoon persistently contacted Kim Seon-woo.

It wasn’t just good words that were exchanged.

Threats disguised as favors were frequent.

Do Gang-hoon was one step ahead with his threats delivered with a smiling face.

Because he spoke with Baek Ha-yan on the line, Kim Seon-woo’s mask was being peeled off even faster.

Eventually,

“Ah. You really don’t understand what I’m saying.”

After murdering the stalker.

It was the second time he had decided to kill for a purpose other than the original reason.

He didn’t particularly realize it.

Just… just being negligent.

At this moment, it felt as if someone was whispering like this.

-You’re a murderer. You’re a criminal who killed dozens of people. Did you think your end would be different? Did you think you could become normal? Don’t be ridiculous. Hell is the only place for you.

“It’s not over when you kill me. Huh? Can’t you understand? I’m telling you to kill someone else instead of killing me. It’s the same murder, so what’s so difficult about it? Huh?”

Do Gang-hoon, who had been smirking at Kim Seon-woo’s outstretched hand, suddenly contorted his face and gritted his teeth.

And…

“Cut!”

A thunderous voice that instantly melted the tension that had filled the set rang out.

*

“Oh my, Jung-hyuk. Here. Here’s water. Drink it quickly.”

With Gil Sang-joon’s shout of ‘Cut,’ someone fussed over Do Gang-hoon, or rather, Park Jung-hyuk, who played Do Gang-hoon, and rushed to him.

“Oh my. Look at your hands shaking. Jung-hyuk. Should I give you some calming medicine? No. Come here. Massaging you is the best in times like these. Put out your arm. I’ll massage it for you. You must be low on sugar, so eat this too.”

He busily circled around Park Jung-hyuk, who was panting as if he had run a marathon, and took out a handful of snacks from his bag.

He gave him a generous amount, enough to make a decent meal, and began to massage Park Jung-hyuk’s entire body, telling him to calm down.

“Ah, hyung… no, wait a minute. I’m perfectly fine, you know?”

“What do you mean you’re fine! You’ve turned completely white! Oh my. Look at this face.”

“No, hyung. If you say that, it makes me look really incompetent… It’s embarrassing, so please stop.”

Park Jung-hyuk, who seemed to have belatedly returned from a brief mental vacation, tried to stop him, but everyone in the studio had already witnessed the scene.

Everyone was busy doing their jobs, pretending not to see the scene, but only one person was different.

“Wow, I’m jealous. His manager even takes care of his food like that…”

It was none other than Kim Si-hyuk, who was fixated on the food.

While Kim Si-hyuk’s eyes were sparkling, Park Jung-hyuk, who had shaken off the fussing manager, approached awkwardly.

“Um… do you want to eat this?”

He had a handful of food.

Looking closely, there were all kinds of chocolates that looked sweet just by looking at them, starting with red ginseng jelly and red ginseng sweets.

There were also two boxes of donuts, which were an invincible combination of sugar and carbohydrates.

“Wow, amazing. There’s only delicious stuff. But can I eat it? Ah, I’d love it if you gave it to me, but your manager gave it to you, so is it okay if I eat it…?”

“Of course. Why are you asking? Just eat it. You can eat it. Eat it all. My manager hyung is just being over the top.”

Park Jung-hyuk’s manager, who was said to cherish Park Jung-hyuk more than his own flesh and blood, ruthlessly slandered his manager.

“Was it a bit noisy…? That hyung always gets more dramatic when he films a scene with you, Yeon-woo. It’s not like he’s riding on my coattails at this age…”

Park Jung-hyuk muttered awkwardly.

Actor Park Jung-hyuk.

The actor who played Prosecutor Do Gang-hoon was one of the few who survived in the drought of male actors in their 30s.

Even among actors whose appearances quickly deteriorated after gaining a little fame, he was considered to have managed himself well.

You can tell by the fact that he’s now in his late 30s but still plays characters in their early 30s.

His acting isn’t incredibly good, but it’s not bad enough to be ashamed of anywhere.

Unlike the young actors who seem like they’re about to fly away these days, he also had a serious side.

Thanks to that, he was able to take on the main villain in the second part.

A drama made with determination and a luxurious cast of talented actors.

And even staff burning with passion.

What a drama with such good conditions!

Park Jung-hyuk recalled the joy he felt when he was first cast.

He didn’t know that joy would be so difficult.

“You know, Yeon-woo. Um…”

“Yes, please speak.”

“This is a very sorry thing to say…”

Park Jung-hyuk hesitated, unlike his usual self.

Park Jung-hyuk, who had been walking a relatively smooth path.

In fact, he hadn’t had many opportunities to ask someone for a favor.

The drought of actors always put Park Jung-hyuk in a superior position.

Park Jung-hyuk also had the skills and physique to readily accept the situation where he could be in that superior position.

“What is it that you’re beating around the bush so much, hyung [older brother or male friend]?”

Kim Si-hyuk, who was munching on the snacks he had received, asked instead.

“Judging by the way you’re acting like a puppy who needs to pee… did you perhaps… take out a private loan?”

“What? Hey! Why are you saying such terrible things? Why would I take out a private loan?”

“Then why are you beating around the bush so much? Like someone who’s committed a crime.”

“That’s… sigh. It’s because it’s hard to say.”

Yeon-woo intervened appropriately.

“Why don’t you just tell us.”

“Hmm. Then, um… that’s, about that scene just now.”

“Yes.”

“…Can we film it again?”

The scene from just now.

Do Gang-hoon, who had expected Kim Seon-woo to give in easily, was sensitive to the situation where he didn’t.

Kim Seon-woo, for his part, had come to find Do Gang-hoon, contemplating another murder due to the increasingly intense threats.

It was a scene where the two’s interests were sharply opposed, and a heavy and sticky feeling was the main focus.

It was the most intense part where the relationship between the two, who could never have mixed in the first place, was gradually heading towards destruction.

‘In short, it’s a scene that drains your energy.’

There was a reason why everyone quietly pretended not to know even when Park Jung-hyuk’s manager was making a fuss.

“Film it again? Are you talking about the scene just now?”

“Uh, uh. Yeah. Ugh… the director said okay, but I’m a little bothered by it.”

Re-shooting is always a labor-intensive task.

It involves the labor of not only the actors but also the PD [Production Director] who directs it and the staff in charge of various equipment and props.

It’s natural for the schedule to be pushed back after that.

In fact, if too many retakes are taken, the filming for that day is often put on hold.

This is because people’s concentration and labor are not infinite but limited.

‘Certainly. It did feel like I lacked screen presence.’

But that wasn’t Park Jung-hyuk’s fault.

The fault was none other than Yeon-woo, himself.