Chapter 110: Back to the Set
by GideonThe memories of that day came flooding back.
He remembered how Seo-rim would always appear at the most inconvenient moments, thwarting his attempts to ask Auntie Cha who had paid for the coffee truck.
And the way he’d been so certain they had Einspänner when Actor Seo mentioned wanting one. Everyone had just assumed his eyesight was that good, but it turned out he was the one who’d ordered it.
Only then did Seo-rim seem to realize his mistake, belatedly covering his mouth with both hands.
“I thought you already knew, Teacher… Was this a secret?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think it needed to be a secret, but since I, the person involved, didn’t even know, I guess it was one?”
“Please keep pretending you don’t know. I don’t want to cause any trouble for CEO Moon.”
CEO Moon Woo-jin had helped Seo-rim a lot during this incident.
He had heard that CEO Moon, feeling sorry for Seo-rim because he had no agency and would find it hard to resolve the situation, had covered almost all the financial costs.
“Alright, I’ll keep it a secret.”
“If we get the chance next time, it would be fun to be in the same project together—maybe as someone from your past or your twin.”
“Sure. I hope you recover quickly so we can meet on set.”
Though it was a shame, Jubin and Seo-rim looked forward to the next time.
Fully recovered, Jubin returned to the set.
“Cha Jubin is back!”
The staff, who had heard he collapsed from malnutrition due to overwork and an extreme diet, cheered wildly at his safe return.
Or maybe they were just relieved the production wasn’t ruined, Jubin thought.
Time flew by, leaving no room to even notice the changing season.
He was constantly on the move, swept up in the whirlwind of events and drawn by Zion, shuttling only between Zion’s place and the set. He had tried to convince Zion to let him stay in his own apartment, but Zion had adamantly refused to leave him alone. In the end, they moved in together, combining their households amidst the chaos.
After the Lee Seo-rim incident, all eyes turned to Zion, and the drama itself exploded in popularity.
[ National Hero, Ready to Debut as the Supreme Master in Leaf on the Snow. “Anticipation for the Premiere” ]
[ Do Zion, He Nailed It. The Epitome of an Obsessive Madman. Who is the Imperial Concubine He Loves? ]
[ Do Zion, Seo Ji-soo, Cha Jubin… An Unprecedented Encounter… Actors Picked by Director Bae Eun-hye ]
Thanks to the unexpected viral buzz, a simultaneous streaming deal was secured.
The schedule, which had only needed to align with the original broadcast, was moved up significantly to accommodate the OTT platform’s release date.
Director Bae Eun-hye even formed an additional filming crew to ensure a perfect production within the timeframe.
This wasn’t just adding another camera; it was a decision that sent the production budget skyrocketing.
While the staff were well-rested thanks to the extra manpower, the director and actors—irreplaceable and essential—were pushed to their limits in a relentless march.
Zion, the lead actor, had practically been living on set. Even though he and Jubin had started living together, their schedules were so completely out of sync that they rarely saw each other.
The seasons blurred past, and before he knew it, the final day of filming—a day that had once seemed so distant—had arrived.
“Joo-won, you haven’t heard anything from Director Andrew, have you?” Jubin asked, the question slipping out as he pored over his script on the way to the set.
“No, sir. Nothing yet. I’ll let you know the moment I hear anything.”
Rumors were swirling through the industry that the rest of the supporting cast had already been finalized. Only one role remained vacant: the one opposite Do Zion. The word was that the director had already returned to Korea, yet the part was still uncast.
If they’d just cast someone else, I could finally put this to rest, Jubin thought. He knew the role was never meant for him, but he couldn’t stop the lingering ache in his heart.
“Hyung, did you see the news?”
“The news? What news?”
“There are rumors that CEO Park and Actor Do are fighting.”
With the company’s IPO just around the corner and still no word on a contract renewal, rumors were swirling that CEO Park Ji-bun and Do Zion had already crossed the point of no return.
Perhaps it was because Zion was driving him crazy, but CEO Park had practically kidnapped CEO Moon Woo-jin on his way home, dragging him out for a forced drinking session.
CEO Moon Woo-jin was wasting away day by day. Occasionally, when he ran into Zion, he’d even pretend to beg on his knees.
“Zion, please. Just renew your contract with CEO Park. I think he’s going to drag me into the Han River at this rate. Please, okay?”
Jubin sighed softly and closed his script.
“Yeah, it seems like the fans are getting even more anxious because neither side is making a definitive statement.”
I deliberately avoided asking about the contract renewal. I was waiting for him to tell me himself.
At the same time, a nagging worry gnawed at me—what if this incident made him quit acting altogether?
“Ah, Hyung. What do I do? I took a wrong turn. I don’t know this way.”
Joo-won’s voice was laced with despair, his tension palpable.
“The makeup artist said to arrive ten minutes early today since it’s the final shoot…”
He ran his hand through his hair in frustration, his movements frantic.
“It’s okay. We’ll find a way to turn around soon.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“It happens when you’re chatting while driving. Let’s just turn right here.”
Joo-won rarely made mistakes, but the exhaustion of working around the clock on set seemed to have finally caught up with him.
“I’ll grab the costumes and head in first,” Jubin said, his voice calm and reassuring. “You can take your time with the rest.”
They had taken a slightly longer route, arriving just in time for their tight schedule.
“Hyung, I’m sorry! I’ll park and be right there!”
“Take your time. Just park carefully.”
Jubin grabbed the extra outfit he needed to change into immediately and sprinted toward the set.
Thanks to his desperate dash, he arrived just in the nick of time.
“Oh, Jubin-oppa! Did you run here? Look at all that sweat.”
“I’m so sorry. I should have been here sooner.”
“You’re not late. I was just getting some fresh air.”
A handheld fan in early winter?
Jubin took the fan from her and sat in his designated chair.
“Here, drink some water, oppa.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
The breeze gradually cooled his cold sweat. The makeup artist, who had been focused on her work for a while, tapped the base onto his cheek, her expression tinged with regret.
“Your skin is so good, oppa. It was a pleasure working on you. I’m sad this is over.”
The biggest regret when working on a project was always the emptiness that came with knowing he wouldn’t see these people on set anymore.
He knew the end was coming from the start, but the reality always hit him late.
“I’m sad too. This project means a lot to me in many ways.”
“You’re definitely going to make it, oppa. I can just tell. You have that kind of vibe.”
“Hmm, what kind of vibe?”
“Consistency, I guess? The feeling that you’ll go all the way. Zion oppa has a similar vibe.”
“Compared to Zion, I’m pretty ordinary.”
“Oh, come on. No way.”
She shook her head vehemently.
“You really think you’re ordinary, don’t you?”
Jubin had never considered himself special. He was curious about how others saw him—what an objective perspective would be.
“Yeah. I’ve always felt pretty average.”
“People who are obsessed with their work, the kind who dive in headfirst, they usually give it their all at the most critical moments. I’ve never seen you hold back on a shoot, not once.”
Well, I do give it my all every time. He couldn’t help feeling a lingering sense of dissatisfaction, but he refused to leave any room for regret.
“I wish the viewers would see me the way you do.”
“I actually went to a really gifted shaman, and she told me our show’s premiere is going to blow up.”
“Really?”
“Hold on,” she said, pulling out her phone to show him her social media feed.
“Look at this.”
“Aren’t these all celebrities?”
“You have to look at the upload dates,” she explained. “Everyone who gets a reading from Shaman Lee ends up famous. It’s like she has a knack for finding hidden gems.”
Then, Jubin spotted his own name on the list of upcoming stars.
“Is that… me?”
“You really didn’t know?”
“How did she get my personal information?”
“Everyone’s birthdates are public knowledge these days, especially for actors.”
Since a celebrity’s fame had to reach a certain level before their fortune could be turned into content, these readings were considered a measure of popularity among actors.
“Once you’re posted here, you’re going to become a real star.”
“I’m actually getting a little nervous. I’ll have to check it out when it’s uploaded.”
She resumed her focus on his makeup as she continued.
“You know, during the first shoot, you were so pale I thought you’d gotten your makeup done somewhere else on purpose.”
Jubin gave a short laugh and nodded. “I was in terrible shape back then. It’s my fault for not taking better care of myself.”
“When you collapsed, Zion-oppa flew over to catch you. I seriously thought he was Iron Man for a second.”
The image of Zion rushing to his side, still shouting “Sunbae!” in desperation, remained vivid in his mind.
“…Yeah, I know. If it weren’t for Zion, I would’ve cracked my head open somewhere. I need to stay healthy so I don’t keep causing trouble.”
The long preparation was finally over. With his hair and costume complete, he looked every bit the part of Hyeonseo.
“Hyung, they’re calling for you to standby.”
Right on cue, Joo-won arrived to pick him up.
“I’m ready. Let’s go.”
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