An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 174

174. #31 – Opportunity Like Destiny (6)

“Hello.”

“Yes, you’re here?”

An empty film set.

One by one, the staff began to fill the vacant set.

The lighting crew arrived earlier than any other team.

Because there had been a lighting accident just the day before.

“You checked the lights properly, right?”

The lighting director shook the light stand with his hand and questioned the staff member below.

He nodded, his face radiating confidence.

“Yes, I’ve checked it several times.”

The lighting director bit his lip and said, “You know we almost had a major accident yesterday, right? No, it *was* a big deal. If it weren’t for Hee-sung, it could have fallen on Yuna’s head.”

The staff member had already been scolded by the lighting director multiple times.

“If that had happened… ha… I can’t even imagine it.”

He shook his head, his head bowed in shame.

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I should have checked it one more time, but I didn’t. Take it down; I’ll take another look.”

“You’re going to check it again?”

“Of course. If something like that happens again, neither you nor I will ever work in this industry again.”

At the lighting director’s stern words, the staff member quickly lowered the stand.

“Yes, I’ll take it down right away.”

“Be especially careful today. Got it?”

“Yes, I’ll pay more attention.”

The directing team passed by the lighting team.

Two members of the directing team quickly glanced at the lighting team and walked past them.

“Ugh, all I heard about until I fell asleep last night was the lighting and Hee-sung.”

“Right. We would have been in big trouble if it weren’t for Hee-sung.”

They lowered their voices so the lighting team wouldn’t overhear.

“It’s a relief Hee-sung wasn’t seriously hurt. If he had been… ugh, I don’t even want to imagine it.”

“More than that, if it had fallen on Yuna’s head, wouldn’t that have been an even bigger deal?”

“That’s right. With Yuna’s personality, imagine if she had gotten hurt.”

They shook their heads, thinking of Song Yuna.

“Oh, right. Did you see Yuna’s acting yesterday?”

“Of course. We had so many NGs [no good takes] yesterday because of Yuna.”

After Jin Hee-sung left for the hospital the day before, filming was suspended.

And filming only resumed after Jin Hee-sung regained consciousness.

But the filming took much longer than expected.

After the lighting accident, Song Yuna continued acting.

She had a strangely dazed face and a frozen tone.

Naturally, Director Hong had no choice but to call NG repeatedly.

The reason Song Yuna acted as if she were spaced out was because all her attention was on Jin Hee-sung.

Because Jin Hee-sung had thrown himself to save her.

Song Yuna’s mind was at the hospital, worried about Jin Hee-sung, but the questions thrown at her were not.

The staff and people around her dismissed it as just being surprised and unable to calm down.

Song Yuna just pretended to agree and turned away.

“Yuna must have been shocked.”

“Yeah, I think I would have been spaced out the whole time if it were me.”

“Yes, it happened so suddenly.”

They tilted their heads and continued the conversation.

“But does Yuna feel grateful or sorry to Hee-sung for saving her?”

Because of the cold side she usually showed, everyone was only worried about Jin Hee-sung.

“Well… even if she’s a cold person, he threw himself to save her. Wouldn’t she feel something?”

“It’s like you could stab Yuna and not get a drop of blood.”

He nodded in agreement without answering.

***

Song Yuna arrived at the set with a still stiff face.

Her expression and tone were no different from the day before.

“Oppa [term for older brother or male friend], I’m getting out first.”

“Okay, I’ll grab your luggage and be right there.”

Song Yuna walked to the set, leaving Chief Choi behind.

In the distance, she spotted Director Hong and Jin Hee-sung talking.

She hurried her steps towards Jin Hee-sung.

Director Hong and Jin Hee-sung noticed her.

“You’re here?”

“Hello, Yuna.”

At their greetings, Song Yuna nodded stiffly.

“Yes, hello.”

After the greetings, Jin Hee-sung and Director Hong continued their conversation without any further remarks.

“So, in this scene, I have to support Yuna with one hand; is that okay?”

At Director Hong’s words, Jin Hee-sung nodded as if it were obvious.

“Yes, of course.”

“No, Hee-sung, you hurt your shoulder yesterday. Or should we try with the other arm?”

At his words, Jin Hee-sung seemed to hesitate for a moment but then shook his head.

“But if we shoot from the other side, like you said, Director, the angle won’t look good. My shoulder is really okay.”

Director Hong smiled with a pleased expression at Jin Hee-sung’s passion, but there was a subtle worry rising in that smile.

“I’m grateful that Hee-sung is suffering a little for the sake of filming, but I can’t help but worry because he injured his shoulder just yesterday.”

At Director Hong’s words, Jin Hee-sung patted his shoulder with his hand and replied.

“See? I went to the hospital yesterday and put a compress on it at night, so it’s all better. Haha.”

At Jin Hee-sung’s words, Director Hong clicked his tongue with a defeated expression.

“Ugh, I can’t win with Hee-sung. Hahaha.”

Then, he carefully touched Jin Hee-sung’s shoulder and continued, “Then let’s film, and if it seems too much, tell me right away.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Director Hong turned to Song Yuna, who was standing next to him, and said, “Yuna, when you lean on Hee-sung in this scene, brace yourself a little. Hee-sung’s shoulder hurts.”

At his words, Song Yuna nodded.

“Yes, I will.”

“Then let’s get ready and start filming right away.”

Director Hong moved to prepare for filming.

Jin Hee-sung also moved towards his manager.

Song Yuna swallowed hard as she watched Jin Hee-sung walk away from her.

“Is he really okay…?”

Her voice, murmuring softly, was overflowing with worry for Jin Hee-sung.

Song Yuna couldn’t take her eyes off Jin Hee-sung.

She bit her lip and opened the script in her hand.

“He says he’s okay, but it can’t *not* hurt. Let’s focus and act today.”

Song Yuna read through the script, vowing to herself.

A little later.

“Ready, action!”

Jin Hee-sung and Song Yuna stood facing each other in front of the camera.

The red light came on on the camera at Director Hong’s signal.

Having vaguely confirmed their feelings for each other, they exchanged glances with affectionate eyes.

“Then, the reason you came to the hospital room yesterday was because of me?”

Jin Hee-sung asked Song Yuna with moist eyes.

She smiled shyly and nodded.

“Of course. Why else would I have gone to that ward?”

At that moment.

Bang!

The sound of the emergency exit door opening was heard through sound effects.

Startled that she might be caught by other hospital staff, Song Yuna lost her footing at the end of the stairs.

“Oh my!”

Song Yuna waved her hands in the air and took a posture as if she were about to fall.

Immediately, Jin Hee-sung snatched Song Yuna’s body.

He wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her from falling.

With his other hand, he gently grabbed her shoulder.

The distance between them became so close that they could hear each other’s breath.

“Are you… okay?”

Jin Hee-sung said in a very small voice, close to Song Yuna’s face.

Song Yuna blinked, looking straight into Jin Hee-sung’s eyes.

Song Yuna had to say her line.

She bit her lip and opened her mouth.

“So, what I’m… saying is, in the hospital room…. I mean….”

“Cut, NG!”

It was Song Yuna’s mistake in the line.

As Director Hong’s sign fell, Jin Hee-sung slowly released his hand that was holding Song Yuna.

Song Yuna lowered her head and said.

“I’m sorry.”

She stumbled over her lines without realizing it.

Song Yuna took a deep breath and pressed her flushed cheeks with the back of her hand.

‘What… is it because we’re facing each other too closely? Why is my face red? Why… am I like this?’

Director Hong got up from his seat and shouted at Song Yuna.

“Yuna, your emotions were really good just now. You’ve never made a mistake like this before; why are you doing this today?”

“I’ll do it again.”

Song Yuna took a deep breath in and out to regain her composure.

Then, she glanced at Jin Hee-sung, who was standing next to her, and bit her lip.

***

At the same time, in a room in a pension [small hotel or guesthouse].

The minor actors who didn’t have filming today were gathered in one room, chatting.

“So, Min-gyu, do you have filming tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I have filming yesterday and tomorrow. Today is my day off.”

“Did anyone monitor the drama that started?”

They spent time sharing their stories.

At that moment.

Park Cheol-min came in, opening the door and shouting.

“Why didn’t you call me!”

He rushed over and took a seat next to Kim Min-gyu.

“Come on, Cheol-min.”

Park Cheol-min’s somewhat excited voice instantly captured the attention of all the minor actors.

“Who was on set yesterday, raise your hand?”

At his words, Kim Min-gyu and a few others raised their hands.

Confirming that there were more people who didn’t raise their hands, Park Cheol-min knelt down and raised his waist, opening his mouth.

“Keu, so the rest of you weren’t there for that amazing moment yesterday?”

At his words, the minor actors who didn’t raise their hands said with sparkling eyes.

“What is it?”

“Yesterday was amazing, but it’s too precious to talk about without getting something in return.”

Park Cheol-min continued, his voice excited, as if he were the main character of the story.

“Yesterday, our Hee-sung senior and Yuna senior were filming.”

At his words, Son Seong-jin burst into laughter and cut him off.

“Our Hee-sung senior? Haha, are you close enough to Hee-sung senior to use the word ‘our’?”

As soon as Son Seong-jin finished speaking, Park Cheol-min closed his eyes tightly and shouted.

“Of course. Hee-sung senior is my role model. When I go to the set, I greet Hee-sung senior first.”

Everyone burst into laughter at his words.

Park Cheol-min clapped his hands and said.

“That’s not important, everyone. So, our Hee-sung senior was acting wonderfully…!”

He got up from his seat and reenacted the scene as if he were unfolding his heroic tale.

“Right, Min-gyu was there yesterday, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Stand up. You play the role of Yuna senior.”

“You’re going to reenact it to that extent?”

Kim Min-gyu had a face that he didn’t understand, but he got up without realizing it and headed to Park Cheol-min’s side.

“The light fell from here, pak!”

The minor actors sitting in front like an audience looked at them with full concentration.

“But our Hee-sung senior is like Iron Man. Pababak! He ran and hugged Yuna senior!”

“Wow… really?”

“That’s right. Really… it was freaking awesome.”

Park Cheol-min’s extreme reaction.

But Kim Min-gyu nodded as if to add that there was no lie in his words at all.

“That’s right. Hee-sung senior was really amazing.”

Kim Min-gyu jumped up from his seat and said.

“Do you want me to tell you something even more amazing?”

At his words, everyone’s eyes moved to Kim Min-gyu.

“When he was catching Yuna senior’s head, Hee-sung senior covered her head with his palm so her head wouldn’t hit the ground.”

“In that urgent moment?”

Kim Min-gyu nodded his head vigorously and replied.

“Yeah, and his palm was so big. I really fell for him.”

They continued the conversation with stories about Jin Hee-sung without taking a break.

“That’s awesome. If the making-of film comes out later, it’ll be a hit?”

“That’s right. The camera must have been rolling the whole time.”

“Wow, I hope it comes out. I want to see Hee-sung senior too?”

They continued the conversation with eyes that had fallen for Jin Hee-sung.

“But is Yuna senior okay?”

At Son Seong-jin’s question, Park Cheol-min waved his hand in the air and replied.

“Hey, don’t even talk about it. You know Yuna senior’s personality…”

At his words, Son Seong-jin nodded as if he immediately understood the intention of the words.

“That’s right. But still, he saved her, so there’s no reason to be angry.”

“No. As soon as Hee-sung senior went to the hospital, she complained to her manager that her hair was messed up.”

At Park Cheol-min’s words, everyone was surprised and clicked their tongues.

“Hee-sung senior saved her from getting hurt, but she’s still annoyed. She has a really consistent personality.”

They went back to talking about Jin Hee-sung and started exchanging conversations.