Free Web Novel"Mr. Park, are you aware that Assistant Team Leader Yoon left the company without notice?"
"Yes. You're probably worried about it, Team Leader."
"This is a headache. Why don't you cover Mr. Yoon's work for the time being?"
"Of course, we have to share the workload in situations like this. However, covering everything by myself might be difficult since the lines I manage are already operating at full capacity. If I divide the work appropriately, could you help coordinate it, Team Leader?"
"Alright."
Park Joo-won smiled.
Unfazed by the team leader's unreasonable request, he quickly proposed an alternative.
"What? Why is that shipment going there? You need to bring it back. Redirect the other shipments? Haha. I'd like to help with that, but the department head has been paying close attention to logistics lately. If we get caught, both of us will have to report to him. Yes, please sort it out and call me back."
Even the way he handled another team leader's mistake in the earlier scene was different.
It was a polite refusal.
Although he was smiling, there was an unmistakable firmness to it.
After hanging up the phone, he let out a small sigh while maintaining the smile, then turned back to his monitor.
It wasn't a real smile, but a default one. An artificial one.
Seeing that expression, Park Jinhee was reminded of a team leader from another department.
There were always people like that in every company. Always smiling, never raising their voice, yet somehow managing to get everything done smoothly and on schedule—a so-called competent employee.
Smiling, yet never seeming happy.
That person didn't appear harmless or easy to approach.
How did a twenty-five-year-old know how to wear such a businesslike smile?
Then came the final scene of the Mask phase.
"Deputy Manager, I don't understand this."
"It's in the manual. Page three, item fifteen."
"Oh no, the program froze!"
"If you don't touch it for more than five minutes, you'll need to reauthenticate for security purposes."
"We've got a call from the Daejeon factory!"
"If I'm already on another call, ask for their department and name, then send me a message. I explained this yesterday as well. That's the protocol when related departments call during work."
"Oh..."
The new employee backed off at his stern look.
For someone who was always smiling, switching to a blank expression had far more impact than an ordinary person's anger.
As the new employee fell silent, Park Joo-won removed his hand from the receiver and continued his call.
This concluded the third scene of the Mask phase.
When Yoomyeong hung up the phone with a click, the tension in the studio dissipated.
"How was it, Director?"
"Uh... Good. It's like seeing the epitome of a business smile. Have you worked in an office before?"
"No, haha. The image of an office worker is a pretty common cliché."
Of course, he had never worked in an office.
But Yoomyeong, who had played countless office workers as an extra, used to spend entire days observing bank employees at work in order to understand the essence of being an office worker.
And when he took delivery jobs to make ends meet, he would keenly observe the offices he passed by.
That was the first virtue of an actor.
Observation.
The ability to take an interest in all kinds of people, to contemplate their actions and the emotions that motivated them.
"The concept of a business smile feels relatable, but the key is whether it'll look distinctly different from a real smile on camera. We'll have to see."
"Let's give it a try."
And so the hours-long Mask phase shoot came to an end.
What remained was the scene where Park Joo-won transitioned from office worker to after-hours self.
"Set up for the transition scene!"
At the director's command, a large prop was rolled into the center of the office set.
Dominating the middle of the expansive office set was Hyunseong's new car, the .
They filmed a close-up of the clock's second hand as it ticked forward.
17:59:58
17:59:59
18:00:00
The hand clicked into place exactly at six o'clock.
Deputy Manager Park Joo-won stood up precisely at 6 PM and picked up his bag.
At that moment, everyone else in the office froze.
In the final version, everything except Park Joo-won would be desaturated, showing that the office after work was no longer his reality.
Beep.
When he pressed the remote in his hand, the Crude's headlights blinked once, as though the car had opened its eyes.
In the final edit, it would appear as though the Crude had been summoned into the office the moment he pressed the button.
Standing before the car that now dominated the center of the office, Park Joo-won underwent a subtle transformation.
He casually loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, briefly revealing a dark green lining beneath.
Then he unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves twice, exposing more of the green lining and changing the impression of his previously immaculate appearance.
Waah, he loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves!
Park Jinhee's face turned red, but fortunately no one noticed. Everyone's attention was fixed on Yoomyeong's every movement.
Swoosh.
He ran a hand through his neatly combed hair, deliberately mussing it.
The carefully styled hair fell loosely across his forehead as the wax lost its hold.
And then—
He removed his glasses.
The moment the glasses, which seemed to complete the mask, came off, his expression changed dramatically.
His previously rigid eyes came alive.
Then the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
Even that small change brightened his face, like the final piece of a puzzle clicking into place and revealing a genuine smile.
Incredible...
Seeing that brief transformation, Jinhee leaned against the wall beside her.
It felt as though her legs might give out.
Even for a fan, it was a moving sight.
At the same time, she could tell that this advertisement would be a huge success—and that it would elevate her career along with it.
Click.
Wearing an anticipatory, joyful smile, he embodied the relaxed ease of an adult man as he opened the car door.
After stretching his neck, he leaned deeply into the driver's seat and started the engine.
The dashboard, inspired by aircraft design and tailored to the analog sensibilities of adult men, lit up brilliantly as he smoothly operated the gearshift.
"Cut!"
Everyone fell silent after the director called the cut and turned back toward the monitor.
Then he looked at Yoomyeong and silently gave him a thumbs-up.
Park Jinhee raised hers as well.
Ordinary compliments couldn't express what they were feeling.
The office set occupied only a portion of the enormous studio.
A considerable amount of space had been reserved outside the office, and the back wall was meticulously covered in green fabric.
This was a scene Park Jinhee had insisted on including despite the cost and effort required.
"Let's do a final check to make sure we haven't missed any office cuts."
The director sat down with the assistant director and carefully reviewed the script and storyboard, making sure the office scene that would appear at the end of the three-minute version had been fully completed.
Not a single Mask-phase shot could be missed, because the next scene would destroy the office itself beyond repair.
"Everything's checked. We've secured the close-up insert of the clock, and nothing's missing."
"Good. Let's move on to the scene where he leaves work."
Leaving Work.
Compared to what was actually about to be filmed, the next scene had a remarkably ordinary name.
"Mr. Yoomyeong, safety won't be an issue. We've made the wall easy to break, and any props the car might hit are made of Styrofoam. This scene can't be reshot, so don't be startled by the vibration or impact. Just accelerate quickly, then slow down at the designated point. The distance is short, so you won't be going very fast even at full acceleration."
"Understood."
At 6 PM, Park Joo-won made the switch as the entire office background turned gray.
His stifling work attire transformed with a few simple adjustments, and a bright red sedan appeared in the middle of the office.
He would casually get into the car and literally drive through the office before disappearing.
Ah... I wish I could film that scene myself.
Every office worker watching the shoot probably felt the same.
Was there any office worker who had never fantasized about blowing up the office and escaping? freeweɓnovel.cøm
Even though it was only a set, that fantasy was about to unfold right before their eyes.
Park Jinhee clasped her hands together.
Blow it all away with a bang...
"Let's go!"
The jib camera rose with a whir.
The camera needed to capture Yoomyeong's expression just before the car broke through the wall, and a crane couldn't be used for safety reasons.
With only one chance to get the shot, the cinematographer operating the jib gripped the remote tightly, his face tense with concentration.
As the camera zoomed in on Yoomyeong, he revved the engine.
A smooth yet lively sound filled the air.
Then—
Yoomyeong stepped on the accelerator.
The engine roared as the car surged forward, its power unfurling.
Without lifting his foot, he pressed steadily and firmly on the pedal.
The short distance between the center of the office and the wall disappeared in an instant.
Boom!
The lightweight wall exploded outward in a shower of debris.
The onlookers swallowed their cheers.
The sight of office walls shattering delivered a vicarious thrill to people who spent their lives confined within such walls.
Yoomyeong then hit the brakes after reaching the area where the green screen stood, which would later be composited into a breathtaking sky and an open, traffic-free road.
"Great! That's a wrap for today!"
"Thank you for your hard work!"
As Park Jinhee saw him off after the shoot, she found herself slipping back into fan mode.
"Wow... I really realized today that it's possible to become a fan all over again, even when you already are one."
"Was it okay?"
"Okay? That's an understatement! You can't undersell yourself even in front of me, Mr. Yoomyeong!"
"Haha."
Embarrassed by Jinhee's enthusiastic praise, Yoomyeong changed the subject.
"But Team Leader, about the Unmask scene we're shooting in three days..."
"Yes? Is there something you're concerned about?"
"Well, Deputy Manager Park Joo-won enjoys playing billiards after work, but..."
"Yes. Oh, do you not know how to play billiards? Are you worried about the posture?"
"It's not that. I was wondering what you'd think about using Korean traditional archery instead."
"You know how to shoot a bow?!"
Surprised by the suggestion, Park ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) Jinhee immediately imagined Yoomyeong drawing a bowstring with a cold gaze.
Oh my God, that's a must-see!
"I learned it for a scene in <The Late Goryeo Dynasty & the Early Joseon Dynasty>. I can't guarantee I'll hit the center of the target, but I can manage the posture."
"Wait, so there's a scene where you shoot a bow in <The Late Goryeo Dynasty & the Early Joseon Dynasty>?"
"Yes. It's a brief but important scene that sets the story in motion."
"Oh my goodness. That's valuable information. Thank you so much, Mr. Yoomyeong."
"Not at all, Team Leader."
Korean traditional archery was rarely seen.
Combined with its visual beauty and the contrast with office worker Park Joo-won's character, it would surely create buzz—especially with its appearance in <The Late Goryeo Dynasty & the Early Joseon Dynasty> as well.
Park Jinhee was thrilled by the idea—or rather, by the opportunity Yoomyeong had handed her.
"Then please. I'm counting on you."
"I'm sorry for the trouble of changing the shooting location." frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
"Oh, that's not a problem at all if it means getting better material."
Then Jinhee looked at her actor once more.
It was almost unbelievable that they were talking so casually.
His humble and considerate nature seemed almost too good to be true.
After all, people said rising stars were usually arrogant.
"Mr. Yoomyeong, I'll be your fan for life."
Jinhee smiled brightly—a smile she rarely showed at work.
The outdoor archery range selected for the Unmask phase had become the filming location three days later.
The concept of the Unmask phase was a bright and energetic life after work.
However, Yoomyeong had no intention of portraying Park Joo-won's life after work as merely bright.
It would vary slightly from location to location, but every version would be unmistakably alive.
He wanted to show Park Joo-won, who appeared gray during work hours, wearing different colors in each scene.
And the colors he would wear at the archery range were wildness and restraint.
"Ready..."
Yoomyeong firmly gripped the bow with his left hand and held an arrow in his right.
Then the camera began rolling.
"Action!"
