Chapter 112: Suspicious Camera Director
by GideonThe staff and cast had teased him relentlessly, calling him a “water dumpling” for his puffy, tear-swollen face. Though embarrassed, he didn’t mind. He wanted to cherish every bit of their boundless kindness.
With that, they wrapped the final shoot without a single retake.
After returning his costume, he left the lingering regret behind.
“Joo-won, I’m going to wash my face.”
“Okay, go ahead~”
Even after scrubbing away the makeup smudged by tears, the aftereffects of his crying fit left his body feeling weak and drained.
Washing his face in the restroom had left his eyes a bit swollen, but his mind felt clearer.
Sigh… I really do look like a water dumpling.
He pulled his hat down low to hide his puffy eyes.
Just then, he ran into the camera director for the OTT-exclusive shoot, who was wearing a balaclava.
Jubin bowed politely to the man’s reflection in the mirror, fully expecting his greeting to be ignored.
“Good work today, sir.”
The man remained silent.
It wasn’t an uncomfortable gaze, but the lack of response created a strange tension. Just as Jubin was about to excuse himself to give the man some space—
“Actor Cha Jubin.”
The voice that called his name had a strangely familiar cadence. Jubin had been unsure until now, but the scent of the man’s cologne confirmed his suspicions.
“Yes, Director. What can I do for you?”
“Do you have a moment to talk?”
“If you don’t mind my manager being here, perhaps we could speak in my waiting room?”
The director nodded, seemingly indifferent. The two moved to the actor’s dressing room.
Joo-won, who had been packing up, looked bewildered by the stranger’s sudden appearance. He didn’t ask who the man was, choosing instead to observe the situation.
“Please, take a seat.”
Jubin politely guided the mysterious cinematographer to the sofa.
He accepted the invitation and sat down. Jubin took a seat across from him.
“It’s just me and my manager here, so you can take off the balaclava.”
As the mask came off, Joo-won gasped and pressed his lips tight.
Jubin smiled, confirming his suspicion: it was Andrew Jin.
“Did you come to see Zion?”
Andrew ran a hand through his disheveled hair, looking frustrated. “The mask was so stuffy… When did you figure it out?”
“Just now, when you called my name. Your voice and accent gave it away.”
“Ah, my Korean is still so clumsy…”
Jubin didn’t mention that the scent of his perfume had been the deciding factor.
“Zion has already gone home. He’s been filming all night for the past few days.”
“I didn’t come to see Zion,” Andrew said. “I came to see you act, Cha Jubin.”
This was completely unexpected.
“…My acting?”
“I was curious. I’ve seen your old work in videos, but I didn’t know what your acting was like now. I really wanted to see it with my own eyes.”
Jubin bowed his head in gratitude. “Thank you. I should have been the one to seek you out, but thank you for coming all this way to see me.”
The mere fact that he had been curious about Jubin’s acting was enough.
“I’m good at making proposals.”
Is this a sudden brag-fest? Jubin struggled to parse the man’s clumsy Korean.
He’d seemed quite fond of Zion before. No matter how much of a fan Jubin was, he couldn’t just let him steal his boyfriend.
“What kind of proposal are you talking about…?”
“I always get the actors I want. It took me five years to convince Do Zion.”
He clearly took immense pride in the fact that he’d spent years persuading Zion to appear in his project.
“Actors Cha Jubin and Do Zion look great together. I saw their chemistry on set with my own eyes.”
Jubin’s heart pounded, its beat quickening with a faint glimmer of hope.
“Please, please star in Iconic Mood.”
The master director proposed to Jubin once more.
Who am I to be worth all this effort…
“I can’t imagine anyone else but you, Cha Jubin.”
Love, like life, was ultimately a matter of timing and choice. If the inferiority Jubin once felt toward Zion had been the catalyst for him to let everything go, now, his pride in the man served as the nourishment for any challenge he dared to take.
Do Zion is actually great at romance, too.
I want to help him, with everything I have, so the world can finally hear those words.
This is my chance.
“I’ll do it.”
“R-Really? Seriously?”
Andrew’s eyes widened, his gaze darting to Joo-won as if he couldn’t believe Jubin had actually agreed.
“Manager-nim, did you hear that? Cha Jubin is on board!”
Jubin rose from his seat and bowed deeply. This was the third time he’d thanked them, but he didn’t regret it one bit.
“Thank you again for giving me this opportunity.”
At Jubin’s firm commitment, Andrew let out a roar of triumph. Zion was right—the man was an open book, unable to hide a single emotion.
Joo-won, still reeling from the sudden decision to appear, immediately checked his schedule.
Jubin seized the opportunity to ask the question that had been nagging him.
“Director, I’ve been wondering… The set is strictly off-limits to unauthorized personnel. How did you get Director Bae’s permission?”
Andrew shrugged, as if it had been no trouble at all. “CEO Park from SUB Entertainment helped me out.”
“CEO Park?”
“Yeah. We hit it off over drinks.”
Why do I get the feeling he deliberately approached Andrew? Jubin wondered. Well, does it even matter? There was something far more important.
“Director, I have a favor to ask.”
“Anything! As long as it’s not canceling your appearance!”
“Could I… recommend someone for a role?”
After filming wrapped, the crew headed out for the planned after-party. Nearly all the staff from Team 2 showed up, and a few from Team 1 joined in after they’d finished their own shoot.
Naturally, the venue was a Korean BBQ joint.
“Our JubiJubi’s a pro at grilling meat,” Do-won praised as Jubin handed him a perfectly cooked piece. “Ever worked at a place like this?”
“I did the night shift,” Jubin replied. “Scrubbed the grills, lit the charcoal, wiped the tables… did everything except slice the meat.”
“You look like you’ve never broken a sweat in your life. That’s a surprise. What other part-time jobs have you had?”
“I tutored, delivered lunch boxes, worked loading and unloading packages at a courier hub, and did construction labor. Oh, and I worked in the kitchen of a hunting pocha. I took pretty much any job as long as the hours worked for me.”
“You’ve really done it all. I had to work a ton of part-time jobs myself because I couldn’t make a living just from minor roles.”
Everyone goes through a period of instability before they find their footing.
Even if the process is grueling, if you just keep holding on, you’ll eventually survive. And you learn that the one who survives is the strongest.
“The world is so unfair, isn’t it? Do Zion went straight from swimming to acting and is already making a stable living. I guess some people are just born for it.”
“I agree. It’s like Do Zion was born to act.”
I’ve always respected his acting, then and now.
“Right? Do you know why Do Zion’s acting is so terrifying? It’s because while he seems to have already reached his peak in terms of his career, in terms of his value, he’s still at his lowest point.”
Jubin nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Of course he’s amazing. He’s my boyfriend. I smiled to myself, basking in the pride of being Do Zion’s partner.
“But you’re the catalyst for his growth, Jubin.”
I didn’t understand why the attention had suddenly shifted to me. It’s just the alcohol talking, I thought, dismissing the senior actor’s praise as empty flattery. I focused on the grilled meat, serving him a piece as a silent thank-you.
“You know how talented Zion is. He’s the kind of person who will learn anything, from anyone, with relentless determination.”
“But when Do Ji watches you act, he gets a certain look in his eyes. You all see it, don’t you?”
I’d noticed it occasionally, but was it really that obvious?
The staff members exchanged glances, nodding in agreement.
“Jubin, you’re a perfectionist when it comes to acting. You never compromise. I think that’s why Do Ji looks to you—he’s searching for the answers he doesn’t have, the ones you’ve already found.”
Actor Park, who had been listening, chimed in.
“Watching Jubin’s acting… It’s not just the technical brilliance. His balance and commitment to the basics are so flawless it gives me chills sometimes.”
“Exactly! Chan-gyu is spot on. Our JubiJubi, Cha Jubini, is a true actor through and through. I bet people will still be seeking out your performances even when you’re old.”
Jubin felt a flush of embarrassment, still unaccustomed to the praise and attention showered on him during these drinking sessions.
“Since you’re praising me so much, please eat more meat. I grilled it just right.”
He maintained a composed demeanor, replying calmly. As Jubin reached for a piece of grilled meat, Do-won lamented deeply.
“Ah, Do Zion needs to taste this meat grilled by our JubiJubi, Cha Jubini. But he’d never come to a company dinner at a place like this, even if he were dying.”
After comforting the weeping Jubin, Zion had even taken the time to thoughtfully check on the staff before leaving.
That bastard.
What a beast. To have that kind of stamina. And his manners are impeccable, too. And he’s damnably handsome.
He’s probably fast asleep by now, right?
“He spent three whole days on set, just catching naps whenever he could. A normal person wouldn’t even be able to get out of bed.”
“Right? He can’t get up, can he? He’d have to be inhuman to even show his face right now, wouldn’t he?”
After a high-intensity outdoor shoot in this freezing winter weather, it was only natural for him to be bedridden.
A sudden wave of longing washed over Jubin. Zion was so incredibly diligent that even seeing him sleep was a rare treat.
Jubin’s heart fluttered at the thought of ending the company dinner as early as possible and heading home.
Just then, a sharp metallic clang pierced the air.
Silence fell instantly as every head turned toward the entrance where the sound had come from.
“Oh, Do Zion!”
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