Free Web NovelThe legendary Ja Sokhwan Kids everyone had only heard rumors about had gathered around Jo Eunnara before anyone noticed.
[Of course!!!
We’re all working hard together.]
Scratch scratch scratch scratch—
‘This person... is a director...?’
A great power standing beside the defeated nation that was Jo Eunnara’s nickname.
Seeing that man only twisted Jo Eunnara’s already warped feelings even further. Oblivious to it, Galdaeguk quickly wrote more words.
[Don’t be anxious.
Just follow us!!!]
The letters were so huge that they completely filled the sketchbook. Looking at Director Gal with his pure, unwrinkled smile, Jo Eunnara sneered inwardly.
‘You people have nothing to be anxious about since I’m the one who’ll get cursed out.’
If things went well, it was everyone else’s credit.
If things failed, it would be Jo Eunnara’s fault.
She was beyond familiar with this situation. She was sick of it.
“In a few hours, the still cuts will be uploaded, so this dating rumor will be dealt with in a fun direction. I wouldn’t know, though? But apparently everyone who’s seen the still cuts says they already feel heartache and tears from that classic melodrama vibe. People ask me how I can immediately come up with such a story from a single still cut and call me a genius? Though I really don’t know.”
“The still cuts? I wasn’t given anything separately. What kind of—”
“The dating rumor between those two. That picture taken at the church has official cuts, you see. So there’s no problem.”
At Ma Eungyo’s words, Jo Eunnara sharpened her senses once more.
‘The fact that she’s emphasizing there are still cuts...’
The dating rumor could be escaped for now, but it also meant they really were dating.
If they weren’t, someone should have told Jo Eunnara that.
‘Fine. I’ll just use you people too.’
This was the entertainment industry, where everyone killed each other.
She felt it down to her bones.
All the normal people had already left.
“Since our senior is here, should we do a fighting chant before we go?”
“Shall we...?”
“Well. I don’t know, but after doing another reading with my newly revised script, perhaps I suddenly wanted to do something embarrassing like that? Well, fine.”
Scratch scratch scratch scratch—
[We are...]
Director Gal wrote only three huge characters and raised the sketchbook.
Immediately, the surrounding staff shouted.
“One!!!”
Jo Eunnara failed to control her expression for a moment.
“Life!!!”
Among the lunatics dropping to their knees, Jo Eunnara realized once again.
This was the entertainment industry, where people killed each other.
All the sane people had already left....
* * *
“Did you see earlier? Jo Eunnara’s face is seriously... a face.”
“She seemed so flustered she couldn’t even talk properly... but the moment I saw her, I just thought, wow, a face really is a face.”
“What are you all saying? But I know exactly what you mean. I also thought, damn, that’s a face.”
Jo Eunnara’s gloomy, rebellious beauty completely destroyed the staff’s ability to speak.
Yet everyone was smiling.
These were the staff who had been filming outdoors right up until Jo Eunnara arrived, but there wasn’t a trace of exhaustion on their faces.
Galdaeguk on the left, Ma Eungyo on the right.
And the reassuring presence of Han Yeoreum and Han Yohan was incomparable.
Besides, today’s filming had been an enormous success.
“And with someone like Jo Eunnara joining too? Damn, it already feels good.”
“Our drama won’t flop! Hahaha!”
Relieved that the drama would not fail, everyone became united as one.
Gathered in the lighting director’s room, the staff drank warm milk, and even their hearts felt warm.
“I heard Jo Eunnara has a bit of a temper, but that doesn’t seem true.”
“Why?”
“She smiled and told me she’d work hard.”
“Mmm... she must’ve been nervous too when she came....”
“She’s kind despite looking like that.”
Because of that, the <Code Name: Time Seven> team’s acceptance of Jo Eunnara was beyond imagination.
“The writer asked me what scene she had written so quickly. She wanted to know what scene from the still cuts had inspired such an amazing story. She said she especially wanted to see that part seriously before reading the script.”
“So?”
“It was just Yeoreum going on a night walk, and Mini caught the moment. But the quality of the picture was soooo good that the writer connected it immediately.”
“Jo Eunnara’s going to be so amazed by our set!”
“Exactly. Creating an entire story because it’d be a waste to throw away a still cut—that’s genius.”
Someone quietly listening asked,
“But did anyone tell Jo Eunnara that the dating rumor really wasn’t true? If she only heard that much, it would sound like we’re covering it up.”
Silence briefly fell.
But soon laughter returned.
“She asked because it’s not true! Surely she wasn’t trying to lead me with questions!”
“Ah, right right! Since she knows it’s a fake rumor, she’s approaching it sincerely. For script analysis.”
“And besides! Who would believe such ridiculous fake news! Anyone who believes it is a traitor! We’re one!”
“That’s right! Come to think of it, I clearly remember the writer saying it wasn’t true! Crystal clear. She definitely said all the dating rumors were fake.”
“I remember too! She definitely said that.”
She had never said such a thing.
But the <Code Name: Time Seven> staff had spent days in a sleep-deprived panic state.
As a result, not a single one of them was sane.
“Should we sleep now? We have to prepare for filming tomorrow!”
“I’ll finish this and go sleep for a hopeful and bright tomorrow!”
Their milk glasses clinked together.
Along with the wonderful toast that had somehow become a habit.
“We are...!”
“One...!”
* * *
“What do you mean one? What the hell is wrong with these people?”
Jo Eunnara sat on the sofa and sighed.
“I really don’t think they’re dating. I talked to Han Yeoreum earlier. The kid’s really kind. Cute, too. The lighting director worked with her since debut, and apparently Yeoreum even gave everyone milk as gifts...”
“Fuck! Hyung, that’s your problem. How long are you going to keep getting fooled?”
Jo Eunnara brushed her hair back with one hand.
“Didn’t you all see their wallpapers earlier? Han Yohan’s crazy ass definitely made everyone use the same wallpaper so he wouldn’t get caught being the only one with Han Yeoreum’s picture.”
“I heard from the assistant director that it brings good luck. He said he originally didn’t want to change it from Mongsil.”
“Mongsil? What’s that? Anyway, it’s one hundred percent. They’re dating.”
Jo Eunnara shoved the shared schedule in front of her manager.
“Can’t you see this? Han Yohan staying behind to clean up the leftovers?”
Ever since subtly leading the staff into answering her questions, she had become certain.
The answer was obvious.
The two had secretly gone on an impromptu date to the church, gotten photographed, and had no choice but to force a scene into the script under the excuse of still cuts.
Management Glory’s influence, headed by a man who was clearly a former gangster.
And JC ENM, the school bully in charge of pop culture.
That pressure must have naturally forced even ordinary writer Ma Eungyo to act out the lie.
“What lunatic gives up being a special presenter at a film awards ceremony just to adjust schedules?”
The proof was Han Yohan’s hellish schedule.
To let Han Yeoreum smoothly attend the MBS Awards and the <Seoul Metropolitan City> promotions, Han Yohan had sacrificed himself.
The schedule that compressed several physically demanding action scenes into a few days was absurd.
“Who’s first billing here?”
“Han Yohan....”
“Have you ever seen first billing adjusting themselves for second billing?”
“No....”
“People throw tantrums over name order in this industry, and you expect me to believe someone adjusted their schedule? At least make the lie believable.”
Jo Eunnara narrowed her eyes.
“But maybe it’s not a dating rumor, and he’s just kind... don’t be like this, Nara.”
“Bullshit. I still grind my teeth thinking about all the backstabbing I got after trusting people who looked kind.”
“No. Nara, Oha Asa’s been ranking high lately. Trust your hyung.”
“Who believes that crap! Fuck!”
* * *
Shin Seojin was moved.
“The presenter is me.... I haven’t even made a movie.... Haha. Seriously, thank you, thank you.”
Han Yohan, who had secured a special presenter position at the Baekryong Film Awards thanks to <Faster Than the Law 2>, had suddenly vacated the spot.
As a result, it became Shin Seojin’s turn.
“I knew being number one on Oha Asa today meant good news was coming.”
At Shin Seojin’s reaction, Glory’s CEO, dressed in a full orange suit, muttered,
“That crazy bastard. He recovered all at once... wasting away like a chick that ate rat poison....”
* * *
I lay on my bed, waiting for the still cuts that would be released soon.
‘Things are going even better than I expected.’
I had wondered if Eun Baekhap’s cousin might have a similar personality, but perhaps I had been too prejudiced.
‘Come to think of it, she’s similar to the old Han Yeoreum....’
I remembered my own past, when I had been such an icon of bad luck that it seemed impossible for someone to be that unfortunate.
Messages about changed audition locations disappearing.
Being kicked out by actors who got in through connections.
Roles being deleted entirely because of script revisions.
‘Thinking about it again... it was hard.’
The feelings of someone with no place to stand and someone forced to collapse over and over were similar.
I decided to treat Jo Eunnara as well as I could.
‘Of course, if I appear with Jo Eunnara in behind-the-scenes videos, any remaining sparks of the Han Yohan dating rumor might disappear.’
Han Yeoreum’s vulgar little calculator started spinning.
Based on her face alone, Jo Eunnara had the potential to become one of the next generation among the three legendary actors.
Just appearing together in thumbnails would attract views.
Especially tomorrow, when she’d be in her agent uniform. I should stick close to her.
‘And since Jo Eunnara has a good personality, she must be close with Eun Baekhap too, right?’
Despite collapsing again and again, she still stubbornly continued acting.
And even though she’d only come as a replacement second male lead, she was already analyzing the script.
She seemed like a truly good person.
‘Before she enters the category of people deserving death... I should arrange for the three of us to meet.’
Later, when <Code Name> became successful, if Eun Baekhap found out that I had quietly looked after Jo Eunnara on set...
You little brat, I’ve changed my opinion of you? I knew you could act, but I didn’t realize you weren’t spiteful? Yes, even though you still call me that brat and only think about stealing Writer Ahn’s scripts, I treated your cousin well, told Writer Ahn I wanted to work with you, respected your acting, and I’m such a good junior that you can call me your favorite junior in interviews. Who said you could? Hahaha, hohoho, hahaha, hohoho....
‘Anyway, it’s good. No one dislikes someone who treats their family well.’
And if I managed Jo Eunnara’s condition properly on set, there might be a chance to reshoot that regrettable kiss scene from the first day despite the tight schedule.
“I’m never giving up.”
I’ll become the perfect Im Ria.
I’ll make sure there’s not a single throwaway moment.
Someday, when I become first billing, everyone will acknowledge me.
Bzzzt—
[Manager Ma: The still cuts are up, so share them on your story later, cutie.]
“Ah, they’re up!”
Finally, it was time for the public to become interested in <Code Name: Time Seven>’s story.
