Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 259

Friday morning felt heavy for Woo-jin, like a weight pressing down on him. His face was pale, almost grey.

“Sir,” one of his employees said, looking concerned. “You look a bit pale… or am I just imagining things?”

Woo-jin sighed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you were seeing things.”

“Hmm?” The employee tilted his head. “You’ve seemed strange all morning. And your voice sounds rough.”

Woo-jin’s already poor expression only got worse as the day went on. By the time lunchtime was near, he looked even more strained.

“Sir, are you okay today?” another employee asked, noticing his discomfort.

“Ah, no, I’m fine,” Woo-jin said quickly. “Really, why do you ask?”

“You just seem a bit… off.”

“Ah… It’s nothing,” Woo-jin insisted. “Just a little stomach upset, I think. Don’t worry about it. Please, just get back to your work.”

“Yes, sir,” the employee replied, still looking a little unsure.

He told his employees it was nothing, but in truth, Woo-jin was worried about something today.

Because of ‘that thing,’ he’d been extremely tense ever since he arrived at work.

‘Ah, should I have agreed to do it? No. Still, it’s a chance to get WJ Studio’s name seen by many people for free….’

Woo-jin, who hadn’t even trembled when giving a design presentation in front of countless Seoul citizens, was more nervous today than ever before.

The reason was the bonus episode shoot for scheduled for today.

The shoot was set for 2 PM, but Woo-jin hadn’t been able to eat breakfast properly because of the tension.

“Hey, aren’t you going to lunch, Woo-jin?”

“Go ahead, Seok-gu.”

“You didn’t even eat properly this morning. Are you going on a diet or something?”

“Go with Jin-tae. My stomach’s just a bit off today.”

“Well, alright then.”

The employees knew Woo-jin had a shoot today, but they didn’t think that was why he looked so bad.

After all, no one had ever seen Woo-jin nervous, not even during the design presentation or when he appeared on the TV show.

But contrary to what people thought, in Woo-jin’s mind, TV shows and acting were completely different.

The shoot was essentially a situation where Woo-jin could do what he knew well in a program about things he was good at, but acting was a field he was encountering for the very first time.

Woo-jin was worried about whether he’d even be able to remember his lines, let alone act well.

So, during lunchtime, when most of the employees had gone out, Woo-jin sat alone in his office with a very serious expression, clutching the script tightly in both hands.

‘Ha… I’m especially respectful of actors today.’

He’d already read the script hundreds of times, but Woo-jin needed to hold onto it with both hands to feel calm.

Then, a short while later, someone knocked on Woo-jin’s office door.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

“Wow, so this is the CEO’s office!”

“You’re here early.”

“When else would I get to look around so freely if not on a day like today?”

“Our office?”

“Yes. Or rather, WJ Tower.”

The visitor was Sung Ha-young, the WJ Studio’s new employee (?) who would be working with Woo-jin today.

“Would you like me to make you a cup of coffee?”

“Ooh! Coffee made by the CEO himself, I’m honored.”

“Just wait a moment.”

“But sir, why do you look so pale?”

“I’m not sure myself….”

Ha-young, who was dressed in a luxurious office outfit for a new employee, took the coffee that Woo-jin poured and smiled brightly.

As time passed and lunchtime ended, around 1:30 PM, the filming crew began to gather at WJ Tower.

The lobby on the top floor of WJ Tower, where the CEO’s office was located, was a large space that could accommodate quite a few people.

It was here that the filming team gathered.

The main filming location for today was , the residential complex where ‘WJ Studio CEO Seo Woo-jin’ and ‘male lead Seo-hoo’ lived, but the first scene had to be filmed at the WJ Studio headquarters before moving on.

In the story, ‘In-seo’ was an intern at WJ Studio, and the scene began with her having an interview with the CEO to become a full-time employee.

So, the first filming location for today was Woo-jin’s office.

However, among the people gathered in the lobby, there were a few who didn’t seem to have much to do with the filming.

“Hey, Woo-jin!”

“What? Why are you here?”

“I heard that Woo-jin was appearing in , and Jayden couldn’t just sit still.”

“I wish you would have.”

Having heard the news that Woo-jin was filming today, Jayden burst into the lobby, his face beaming with excitement.

Jayden, with an expression completely opposite to the pale Woo-jin, didn’t seem fazed at all by Woo-jin’s nagging.

“That’s not true, Woo-jin.”

“Why not?”

“It’s Woo-jin’s first time filming a drama, isn’t it?”

“So?”

“Jayden can give you acting coaching.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Woo-jin’s lines are always too dry.”

“……?”

“Woo-jin needs to learn some reaction from Jayden.”

“Reaction, my foot. Be quiet.”

As always, there wasn’t much substance to Jayden’s words.

But regardless, his fuss helped Woo-jin to relax quite a bit.

‘Hoo. There are times when Jayden is helpful.’

While Woo-jin was chatting with Jayden, all the filming equipment was set up.

So, Woo-jin slowly went to talk with the director to prepare for filming, and in the meantime, Min-woo arrived, spotted Jayden, and greeted him happily.

“Oh, Jayden!”

“Min-woo!”

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Jayden is always busy. But I just made some time to coach Woo-jin’s acting today.”

The two, who had first met on Christmas two years ago, had maintained a friendship with Seok-hyun, whom they had met together at that time, and so they were chatting quite amiably despite not having seen each other in a while.

Min-woo didn’t have any scenes to film in the short scene being shot at WJ Studio, so he had some free time among the busy staff.

“Hmm, is filming starting soon?”

“Holy! It’s In-seo!”

“Jayden. Could you lower your voice a little?”

“I’m seeing In-seo right in front of my eyes! Bloody Hell!”

“…….”

“Don’t worry, Min-woo. Jayden will be quiet once filming starts. Jayden is quite perceptive.”

“Filming just started?”

“Okay. I got it.”

Having received a glare from the filming staff, Jayden shut his mouth and sat huddled in a corner of the set.

And a short while later, the filming began.

After a thousand years had passed, ‘Seo-hoo’ made the same choice once again.

Even if he had to spend another thousand years that wouldn’t be any different, he chose In-seo again without a moment’s hesitation.

But even though this was the same choice as a thousand years ago, the result was completely different.

It was still a forbidden love that wasn’t allowed, but both Seo-hoo and In-seo hadn’t lost their memories.

The reason was this: Seo-hoo still had the blood of the Heavenly God as he did a thousand years ago, but the reincarnated In-seo no longer had the blood of the Divine Woman flowing through her veins.

If the love a thousand years ago was between the pureblood of the Heavenly Shrine and the Divine Woman, now it had become a love with a human who was no longer a Divine Woman.

Because of this, In-seo, who was no longer guilty, didn’t need to be punished.

Rather, Seo-hoo, who had taken on In-seo’s karma, received a greater punishment than in the past: the deprivation of divine status, the punishment for someone with divine status choosing love with a human.

Human blood, not divine blood, now flowed through Seo-hoo’s body.

So, Seo-hoo, who had become human, no longer needed to lose his memories.

And this was the ending that Seo-hoo wanted most.

From the moment he first chose In-seo a thousand years ago, Seo-hoo had already chosen love with her over divine status.

So, the side story depicted the two main characters loving each other happily after all these events had passed.

Tap- tap-

So, In-seo was in high spirits from the morning because she was planning to go on a date with Seo-hoo after finishing her interview and leaving work today.

Of course, she was nervous because of the pressure of having to do well in the interview, which was a separate matter.

So, In-seo’s expression as she entered the CEO’s office was slightly frozen.

Knock, knock.

When In-seo knocked on the CEO’s office door, a young man’s voice was heard from inside.

“Come in.”

For some reason (?), the voice was overflowing with awkwardness, as if a robot was reading a textbook.

And the next moment…

“Cut!”

Exactly 10 seconds after filming began, the director’s shout of ‘Cut’ echoed through the set.

It was probably because Woo-jin had messed up his first line.

“No, CEO Seo. I’m telling you, just do it like you normally do?”

“I, I did it like I normally do….”

“Ha……. Still, it’s definitely better than the first time, so let’s just finish it this time. Okay?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Then again, ready……!”

As expected, filming wasn’t easy.

Even though it was a short scene that wouldn’t even take up 3 minutes in the actual drama, there had already been more than ten failed takes.

But the atmosphere on set wasn’t bad.

Most of the staff and actors had expected from the beginning that they would have a hard time like this.

People who were close to Woo-jin were also enjoying the fun of giggling at Woo-jin’s terrible acting.

“Holy! Even if Jayden went in right now, he’d do better than Woo-jin.”

Min-woo, who was next to Jayden, cautiously agreed with Jayden’s words.

“Hmm. Maybe so…….”

Seok-hyun, who was next to him, laughed, choking.

“Still, it seems like we’re making a little progress, right?”

“It seems like we’re filming 5 seconds longer each time there’s a mistake, Min-woo.”

“The fact that there’s improvement is a very positive thing.”

“That’s right. It means that Woo-jin has the ability to learn.”

“Ahem.”

While the three were chatting in small voices, filming had resumed again before they knew it, and perhaps because he had become quite used to it now, filming continued for the first minute or so without any failed takes.

“Hello! I’m Yoo In-seo, recommended by Team Leader Jo this time!”

“Nice to meet you, In-seo. Please, have a seat.”

The two lightly began their conversation, taking sips of the coffee that had been set out in advance.

“In-seo, you interned in the design team, right?”

“Yes, sir!”

“How was it? Was the work manageable?”

“Everyone taught me well……. There was nothing difficult!”

“Haha, don’t be too nervous. Actually, if Team Leader Jo recommended you, you can consider more than half of it already decided.”

“Thank you!”

Woo-jin successfully got through quite a few long lines without any major mistakes, although he was still very stiff.

But the next moment…

“Still, there’s no company in the industry that has as little overtime as our company. Right?”

“Yes! Of course. This is the first time I’ve seen a design team with so little overtime.”

“Ha, haha. I really hate things like overtime. Work is originally something that should be done efficiently within the set time…….”

Before the director’s ‘Cut!’ could be shouted, Woo-jin unknowingly squeezed his eyes shut because he felt a pang of conscience while speaking, and his words momentarily stopped.

‘The design team worked overtime yesterday too…….’

“Cut!”

The director who shouted the cut also had a clueless expression, but some of the people on set knew the reason why Woo-jin’s words had stopped.

“Bloody Hell! Woo-jin is a liar.”

“That’s right. It seems like we need to change the script.”

Those people were one person who had experience working under Woo-jin, the wicked business owner, and another person who had worked overtime with Woo-jin just yesterday.