Chapter 53: Stop It.
by GideonHuh, again?
Just now, Zion’s gaze had wavered for a split second. His reaction seemed to shift strangely the moment the word hyung was mentioned…
“Ah, nice to meet you, Manager-nim.”
Do-won welcomed Joo-won with open arms.
“You’re a lucky guy, Manager-nim. Our BiniBini-JuBini is a great drinker, has a wonderful personality, acts his heart out, and is so handsome. And the way he gets so flustered when I shower him with all this praise is just too cute.”
As expected, he’s always too much.
The relentless attention was draining Joo-won’s energy in real-time.
“Shall we head inside now?”
He deliberately steered the conversation toward the reading room. On the table, nameplates for the cast members were already laid out.
“Sunbae, you’re sitting next to me.”
Zion smiled as he pulled out a chair for Jubin.
The nameplates on the table weren’t arranged by age. Instead, the seating was designed so that actors whose characters shared a lot of chemistry could face each other. That was why Zion was seated right next to Jubin.
“Is everyone here?”
Director Bae Eun-hye arrived. Following her lead, the assistant director, lighting director, and camera director all exchanged brief greetings.
Thanks to Zion, Jubin was able to introduce himself to the other staff members and production crew. Even after they’d settled in, the greetings continued, and it took a while before Jubin finally sat in the chair Zion had offered him.
As he sat down, Jubin muttered under his breath, “Ah, this is so chaotic…”
When Jubin habitually tried to pull his chair in, Zion stepped in with a polite gesture.
“You’ll get used to it in time,” he said.
“Thanks.”
Others might have just taken Zion’s courtesy for granted, but Jubin could tell his attention was focused entirely on him.
Zion had pulled his chair closer to Jubin’s as if it were the most natural thing in the world. This small gesture only heightened Jubin’s tension, for it was a direct expression of Zion’s affection.
Jubin tried to ignore the attention, mentally reviewing his script. He smoothed his clothes and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart.
Sensing Jubin’s nervousness, Zion would occasionally pause his greetings with the other actors to offer him a bottle of water.
“Drink some.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Perhaps it was because their eyes and gestures were so perfectly in sync, but the shared rhythm between them felt like a private bubble, separating them from the rest of the room. It made Jubin’s heart flutter strangely.
“Um…”
Jubin glanced around before tentatively speaking up.
Zion leaned in naturally, closing the distance between them. Jubin was relieved to find that the heavy scent of pheromones that had always clung to him had faded. Until now, he’d been tossed around by the pheromones Zion released, but now he could finally maintain his composure.
Jubin deliberately moved even closer.
“…Is it obvious? That I’m nervous.”
Zion shook his head with a smile.
“Not really.”
“Oh, really?”
Thank goodness, Jubin thought. He’d been worried that if Zion could tell, everyone else would notice too and feel uncomfortable.
“Everyone’s going to be just as awkward,” Zion offered, his simple words of comfort meant to reassure him. The warmth of their proximity, though they were trying not to make it obvious, felt comforting.
After a careful scan of their surroundings, Cha Jubin spotted two cameras set up for a making-of video. Fortunately, they were still off.
Historical dramas always had a large cast, even before adding the extras. But even without the main and supporting actors, the story’s episodic nature—with its myriad of subplots layered in like ingredients—meant there were plenty of cameo appearances by friends of the production.
With the entire cast and crew present, the air conditioning was cranked to its maximum setting, yet it still struggled to keep up with the collective heat of the crowd.
Once everyone was seated, the director took the microphone right on schedule. The red light on the making-of camera flickered on.
“Nice to meet you all. I’m PD Bae Eun-hye, the director and screenwriter of Leaf on the Snow.”
Before the reading began, the director personally introduced each actor and their role, starting with the eldest. With such a large cast, the introductions took a considerable amount of time.
After seven years of preparation, Leaf Resting on the Snow had finally taken its first step.
As the full script reading began, the actors instantly immersed themselves in their roles. Their chemistry was electric, making the reading feel like a live performance. Everyone held their breath, listening intently to Zion’s lines.
Soft gasps of admiration rippled through the room each time he finished speaking. The director and lead actors were already familiar with his voice, but for the production company representatives and staff, this was their first time hearing it live.
The reading was slightly delayed at times due to the nerves of the inexperienced rookie actors, but it was their first time—anyone would have made the same mistakes. Even without the director magnifying their errors, the rookies were already mortified by their own shortcomings.
This was exactly why they held full-cast and partial readings—to minimize mistakes on set.
Director Bae Eun-hye stepped in, reassuring everyone that it was fine. She offered a few pointers on how to adjust the scene next time before moving on.
Overall, the atmosphere remained cheerful and the rehearsal proceeded smoothly.
Cha Jubin had several crucial scenes to tackle. There was the physical altercation between Segyeom and Hyeonseo, the scene where he got slapped by Actor Seo, who played the legal wife, the underwater sequence where he fell into the water, and finally, the taffy-eating scene between Segyeom and Hyeonseo.
The taffy scene, in particular, was a key moment Director Bae Eun-hye had meticulously planned. It was a kiss scene, blending a uniquely sensual atmosphere with suggestive dialogue. In the story, the characters’ feelings for each other had fully ripened, and this scene served as the confirmation of their love, requiring a vast range of emotions.
“Do you carry a burden in your heart?”
As Zion recited his line, Jubin picked up the flow, delivering his own line in a low, breathy voice.
“I dared to harbor secret feelings for His Majesty. I tried every effort to hide this deep affection, but I simply could not…”
“Could not…?”
Cha Jubin deliberately added a ragged breath at the perfect moment.
“…hide it any longer.”
His voice, moist with emotion, combined with the slightly labored breathing and the slight quiver of his lips as if holding something back, melted the hearts of all who listened.
He glanced down at the final stage direction.
[ Segyeom and Hyeonseo kiss passionately. ]
Thank goodness, he thought, I won’t have to kiss in front of all these people. After all, this wasn’t the actual filming.
A thunderous round of applause erupted. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Jubin bowed his head and clapped along with the audience.
Opposite him, Do-won wrapped his arms around himself, pretending to kiss someone.
“Mwah! Mwah! I love you, Your Highness. I love you too. Mwah!”
Knowing the making-of video was being filmed, Kim Do-won had gone all out with his reaction to liven up the atmosphere.
The attention shifted to him, allowing Cha Jubin to escape his embarrassment.
“A huge thank you to actor Kim Do-won for that masterclass in acting,” Director Bae Eun-hye joked.
Do-won cleared his throat, deliberately winking at Cha Jubin. Thanks to his antics, the mood remained light and cheerful.
“I’d like to thank all the cast, crew, and staff who graced us with their presence today,” Director Bae Eun-hye said, glancing at her watch and realizing they were running a bit behind schedule.
“I know you’re all starving since we’ve gone past lunchtime, but trust me—the catering truck outside is incredible.”
A thunderous cheer erupted.
There were easily over eighty people here, including those waiting in the hallway. When it came to feeding a crowd this size, nothing beat a catering truck.
Jubin absolutely loved the warm, home-style meals they served. Just the thought of it made his mouth water—perfect timing, since he was starving.
“We’ve set up the catering truck in the first-floor lobby,” the announcement came. “Tables and chairs are ready. Please make sure to eat and gather back here in one hour.”
With a final round of applause, the cameras for the making-of video were shut off. Jubin was the first one on his feet, ready to head downstairs.
“Yeon—I mean, Actor Cha Jubin!”
Director Bae Eun-hye stopped him as he was about to leave for the food.
“Yes, Director?”
“So? It’s been a while. How does it feel? Managing?”
Jubin let out a soft sigh and complained.
“It’s hard. I wish it were easier.”
“Stop whining. Your chemistry with the other actors was great. Especially with Do Zion—your tones matched perfectly. Your timing was spot on, too.”
Director Bae Eun-hye gave a knowing smile as she glanced at Zion, who was greeting the other actors.
“It’s so obvious you love the real royal concubine more than the queen. That’s what I love about your performance.”
The phrase so obvious struck a chord in Jubin’s heart.
It sounded as if she wasn’t talking about Hyeonseo, but about me.
But that couldn’t be…
“Do Zion is just a great actor,” Jubin said.
“Right? I’m so glad I cast you two together.”
Zion must have hit the mark for Director Bae Eun-hye’s tastes and intentions.
“Your voice has gotten much deeper than before. Have you been practicing your projection?”
He hadn’t even considered that, so he just shook his head with a smile.
“No, not really…”
Before leaving the conference room, Zion quickly called out to Jubin.
“Sunbae, come here.”
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