An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 171

171. #31 – Opportunity Like Destiny (3)

“Cut! Okay!”

Director Hong gave the signal, and I bowed to the staff.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Let’s take a short break and continue with the next scene.”

“Yes.”

As I stepped off the set, Manager Kim handed me a bottle of water.

“Is it tough?” he asked.

“No, I’m okay.”

“That last scene had really long lines, but you nailed it without many NGs [no-good takes]. Good job.”

I smiled at his words and took a sip of water.

I had practiced that long monologue dozens of times to avoid mistakes.

“That’s a relief.”

I barely managed to quench the burning sensation in my throat with the water.

While resting off-camera, I looked for the script to practice the next lines.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], where’s my script?”

“Oh, right, I left it behind when I went to get water. I’ll go get it for you right away.”

“Let’s go together.”

He shook his head.

“No, you have to get ready for the next scene soon anyway. Let’s practice here. I’ll bring it right away.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Manager Kim left to retrieve the script.

I fiddled with the water bottle in my hand and looked around.

I could hear the voices of the lighting team nearby.

Sensing their busy atmosphere, I took a step to the side.

Since each piece of equipment is incredibly expensive, it would be a disaster if I tripped over a cable and caused a light to fall.

I moved away from them, but because the surroundings were relatively quiet, their conversation still reached my ears.

“Did you check the support for this?”

One staff member asked, and the staff member next to him responded.

“Yeah, but doesn’t it seem a bit unstable?”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

Hearing their words, I, who had been standing idly, perked up my ears.

“It’s still a little wobbly.”

I frowned and glanced slightly in their direction.

Another staff member shook the light support with his hand.

“Eh, this is enough.”

“Oh, really?”

“Of course. They said they’re replacing the equipment entirely this weekend. It’s okay since we only have to use it until then.”

“Not much time left.”

They took out a toolbox and continued talking.

“Tighten the screws a bit more at the end there. We just need it to hold until the weekend.”

“Okay. I’ll take a look before we go into the scene.”

“Let’s take a look together.”

They lowered the tall support and started tightening the screws.

At that moment, Manager Kim approached me and handed me the script.

“Hee-sung, here’s the script.”

“Ah… thanks, hyung.”

“I’ve already checked the next scene here.”

Manager Kim held out the opened script in front of me.

I smiled and looked over the script.

After a few minutes.

“We’re going to start filming!”

At the staff’s announcement, I pushed myself off the wall and headed to the set.

Next to me, the staff who had been examining the light support were still working, tightening the screws.

Seeing them sweating, I quickly averted my gaze.

If I kept staring at them, Director Hong would surely come over.

If I told the director about these minor things, the lighting team wouldn’t appreciate it.

I hurried away.

The light support, seemingly stable again, remained where it was as I headed towards the set.

“Okay, let’s start filming right away. Are you ready?”

The assistant director asked me.

I nodded and replied.

“Yes, I’m ready.”

At my signal, Director Hong shouted into the megaphone.

“Ready, action!”

***

The delicious smell of food wafted towards me.

I sniffed and looked around.

“Smells good, right?”

Manager Kim asked, looking at me.

“Yeah, did the catering truck already arrive?”

“Of course.”

“It’s here a bit early today?”

Manager Kim raised his eyebrows.

“The morning shoot finished earlier than scheduled today, so they’re starting the afternoon shoot right after the meal.”

I smiled.

“Oh, so does that mean the shoot will end early today?”

“Yeah, I think it’ll probably end a few hours early.”

Manager Kim pointed to the catering truck with his chin.

“Shall we go eat now?”

“Sure.”

We quickly moved towards the catering truck, where the aroma of Korean food was strongest.

After getting my food, Kim Min-gyu and Park Cheol-min, who were sitting in front, jumped up from their seats and greeted me.

“Senior, you’ve arrived?”

I waved my hand in acknowledgment.

Holding my tray, I headed towards them.

“Can I sit here?”

The playful Park Cheol-min immediately swept the chair with his palm.

“Of course, it’s an honor to have you dine with us.”

Manager Kim and I burst into laughter.

“Haha, I can’t handle Cheol-min.”

Park Cheol-min laughed heartily and looked at me.

I asked them.

“Are you guys done shooting today?”

Kim Min-gyu shook his head.

“I have one more scene left, and Cheol-min just finished shooting.”

“Finished early.”

“Yes, Senior, you’re working late, right?”

I shook my head.

“But I heard the shoot might end a bit early overall today?”

Kim Min-gyu and Park Cheol-min exchanged glances.

Then they looked at me and carefully spoke.

“Senior, what are you doing after we finish today?”

“Me… I don’t have anything planned. Just going back to the hotel.”

They smiled.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Why, are you going to ask me to go bowling again?”

“No. We went bowling a few days ago. We’re planning to do something else today, would you like to come with us?”

“What is it?”

Park Cheol-min put down his spoon and stretched out both hands, making a fishing gesture.

“We found a fishing spot.”

“Do you have fishing rods?”

“Of course, we’ve also prepared fishing rods. I bought them last time because they were selling them nearby. When it comes to preparedness, it’s Park Cheol-min, isn’t it? Haha.”

I chuckled.

“Okay, let’s go if the shoot ends early.”

Knowing that the shoot would end early, I figured I wouldn’t have much to do at the hotel after work.

It was always like that.

Moreover, since my juniors were brave enough to ask, I had no intention of refusing without any plans.

At that moment, Song Yu-na passed by with Manager Choi, holding a tray.

I quickly called out to her.

“Yu-na ssi [Ms. Yu-na]!”

She looked at me, surprised.

“You startled me.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I saw you passing by quickly, so I called out loudly.”

Song Yu-na smiled and shook her head.

“It’s okay. What is it?”

After talking for a few hours at the hotel cocktail bar last time, I felt a little closer to her.

She acted aloof and cold, but it wasn’t because she disliked me.

I knew that was just her personality.

Moreover, I also knew that her true feelings were not like that.

I looked at Kim Min-gyu and Park Cheol-min and raised my eyebrows.

“Yu-na ssi can come fishing with us too, right?”

Hearing my suggestion, they nodded vigorously without hesitation.

“Ah, of course!”

I turned to Song Yu-na.

“Yu-na ssi, would you like to go fishing with us after the shoot today?”

She frowned deeply.

“What fishing?”

“Why? It seems like it would be fun.”

Despite my persuasion, she shook her head.

“Let’s go together. I’m just at the hotel, so I’m bored….”

She shrugged.

“Fishing is not my thing….”

Song Yu-na headed to a table with Manager Choi.

Several hours later, after the shoot ended, I arrived at the fishing spot that the supporting actors had mentioned.

“Wow….”

The sight made me exclaim involuntarily.

The sun was setting, painting the sea red.

The gentle waves seemed to welcome us.

“Senior, if you fish here, you’ll catch something really quickly.”

We stood side by side and cast our fishing rods.

Kim Min-gyu, Park Cheol-min, Son Seong-jin (who is always with them), and even Song Yu-na…!

We started fishing quietly.

Casting and reeling in the fishing rods repeatedly, until finally…

“Kyaa!”

Song Yu-na, who had refused as if she didn’t want to go, raised her fishing rod like a delighted child.

“Look at this! I caught a fish!”

Song Yu-na smiled and held out her fishing rod to me.

“Reel it in quickly.”

I said, looking at her fishing rod.

“I… I can’t touch fish…?”

Her big eyes looked at me, blinking repeatedly.

I burst out laughing.

“You looked like a master angler when you were casting the fishing rod, but you can’t touch fish?”

She pouted.

“Touching them is gross. Hurry up and take this off.”

She pushed the fish on the end of the fishing rod towards me.

“Ah… okay. If you push it this way, it’ll touch my face.”

I was horrified by the fish near my face and got up from my seat.

She burst into laughter.

“Haha, so hurry up and take it off.”

I quickly took the fish off her fishing rod.

Song Yu-na, with a relaxed expression again, pointed to the bait.

“What are you doing? You have to put on the bait to cast it.”

I shook my head and replied, putting on the bait.

“It seems like I’m doing everything, not Yu-na ssi, right?”

“Hey, Hee-sung ssi can’t even catch a fish, right?”

Kim Min-gyu, Park Cheol-min, and Son Seong-jin smiled.

“I’ll just fish, so Hee-sung ssi can take off the fish.”

Park Cheol-min said with a smile.

“You two are like the perfect fishing partners?”

At his words, Song Yu-na erased her smile as if she had never laughed, and cast the fishing rod far away.

Splash-!

Park Cheol-min, with an embarrassed smile, looked at his own fishing rod.

We concentrated on fishing again as if it had never been noisy.

The sky was gradually darkening.

I asked Kim Min-gyu.

“Min-gyu, isn’t it dangerous to fish here at night?”

The supporting actors stood up from their seats in a hurry.

“That’s right. There’s no light here. Shall we clean up?”

“Let’s do that.”

Song Yu-na, who hadn’t wanted to come fishing, looked very disappointed at the suggestion to clean up.

I smiled as I looked at her.

The supporting actors quickly ran towards me and Song Yu-na.

“Um… Hee-sung senior, can we take a picture before we fold up our fishing rods?”

“What picture?”

“We want to upload a picture of us fishing with Yu-na senior and Hee-sung senior on SNS [social networking service].”

Kim Min-gyu said with sparkling eyes.

“We want to brag on our SNS that we spent time with our seniors… Can we upload pictures with your faces on them?”

I nodded immediately.

“Of course, you can.”

Then I turned my head and asked Song Yu-na.

“Yu-na ssi, are you okay with it?”

Song Yu-na shrugged.

“Well… I don’t mind. But make sure my face looks good.”

“Of course. Song Yu-na senior’s beauty is so outstanding, you’ll stand out even more if we take pictures next to you, right? Haha.”

Park Cheol-min joked and opened the phone camera.

We stood with the sea in the background and posed with our fishing rods.

Click-!

Several shutter sounds rang out, and Park Cheol-min quickly showed the taken pictures to me and Song Yu-na.

“Oh, it turned out well?”

“It did.”

Park Cheol-min bowed his head.

“Since you said it’s okay to upload it on SNS, I’ll upload it with this picture. Thank you!”

He shared the pictures with the supporting actors on the spot and quickly uploaded the pictures to SNS.