“Hello. Am I late?”
“You’re not late, Senior!”
“I wanted to come early, but the traffic was terrible. I’m sorry, everyone.”
But.
‘Are my eyes playing tricks on me?’
The elegant and graceful voice made me feel like there was a halo shining behind Senior Tae Jin-hwa.
“Hello, Senior. I’m Ryu Byeol…!”
“Hello, I’m Tae Jin-hwa.”
“Please, Senior, feel free to speak comfortably.”
“Shall I?”
Senior Tae Jin-hwa, having taken her seat, moved her bag behind her and winked at me. As if to say I didn’t need to greet her.
‘I’ll greet her later.’
Soon, the drama reading filming time was approaching.
“It seems everyone’s here except for Im Hoon, who hasn’t arrived yet….”
Im Hoon hadn’t even come. Was he trying to start with a bad impression?
“Hello…!”
One minute late. Im Hoon calmly greeted everyone and naturally sat next to me.
‘What’s with him being so calm?’
“Hey, what are you looking at?”
I glared at him, annoyed that he was picking a fight with me in a small voice. I was wondering if I should tell him to come early when.
Senior Tae Jin-hwa placed the script on the table with a thud and stared at Im Hoon.
And then, her refined voice rang out.
“I hope you won’t be late next time.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Offer your apologies to the staff first.”
It was refreshing, like she had said what I wanted to say and cleared my blocked chest.
I knew that she had gained a lot of fans from her popularity in <Youth 2015>. She had even been ranked in the top 10 rising new male actors….
‘Is that guy suffering from celebrity disease or something?’
His reaction felt a bit strange.
“Im Hoon, do well.”
“Whose side are you on?”
‘How childish. What side? Of course, I’m on the side of our pretty Jin-hwa Senior.’
“Okay, okay, it seems like everyone has arrived now. I’ll start by introducing myself. I’m Yeom Hae-jin, the director in charge of the <Eternity> drama…! I’ll pour my heart and soul into this project!”
Everyone enthusiastically applauded the rookie director’s ambition. It was the first project of the new broadcasting station, and the first historical drama, so the drama staff who came were probably very nervous.
“…Oh, hello. I’m Son Ju-ah, the writer.”
Son Ju-ah, the rookie writer of <Eternity>, was a former assistant writer to writer Lee Mina.
“I, I, I… I’ll work hard.”
She greeted everyone and then drank water with trembling hands, probably nervous.
Now it was time for the lead actors.
“Hello. I’m Ryu Byeol, the female lead in this drama. I’ll do my best not to cause any trouble to the staff.”
“I’m Im Hoon, the male lead in this drama. Please take good care of me.”
After the leads’ neat greetings, it was my turn.
“I’ll work hard to portray the character Yeon-woo in a way that people won’t hate…!”
Next was….
“Hello. I’m the child actor for Yeon-woo.”
Most of the child actors didn’t come, and they were told in advance that they didn’t have to come because the script reading was also being filmed, and they didn’t want the children to get stressed.
The only child actor who attended.
“Da-young, you have to say your name.”
“My name?”
“That’s right. Your name.”
The woman, who seemed to be her mother, was telling her to say her name. And the child looking at her had a pale and soft face, making her look like a cute dumpling character.
Yeom Hae-jin smiled and held up the microphone while looking at the child actor for Yeon-woo.
“You have to say your name to make an impression for the next drama, right?”
As she spoke soothingly like a kindergarten teacher, the child actor raised her chin and said in a clear voice.
“I’m sorry. Hello, I’m Han Da-young. Please take gooood care of me!”
After Han Da-young’s turn.
“Hello. I’m Tae Jin-hwa, and I’m playing the role of Yeon-woo’s mother in this Eternity drama. I’m nervous because it’s my first drama in five years, but I’ll do my best to act with sincerity so as not to cause any trouble.”
I was the only one who applauded like a seal at Senior Tae Jin-hwa’s simple remarks.
Clap clap clap clap.
Her lower lip was tightly bitten at the sound of my applause filling the space.
“Bada, stop it.”
“Ah, yes!”
After that, the greetings of several supporting actors continued, and as soon as it was over, the atmosphere suddenly became heavy, as if the friendly atmosphere had never existed.
I had only attended a few script readings, but something about the atmosphere was different. What should I say? Was it because it was a drama that was betting on a gamble with no guaranteed future?
‘It’s a tension like standing on thin ice.’
If it had been composed only of actors with years of experience, the atmosphere wouldn’t have been like this. It seemed better because Senior Tae Jin-hwa was there.
“Now, let’s start the script reading. Ryu Byeol, please prepare, and Assistant Director, please take care of it.”
Yeom Hae-jin announced the start in a stiff voice. I gently raised my gaze and looked at Ryu Byeol.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen her act in person.’
How will she act?
The acting I saw at Yeom Hae-jin’s house felt like the acting and the character were separate because her understanding of the character was low.
But she had worked so hard for three days.
…She’ll do well, right?’
“Ahem, let’s begin! I’ll read the scene directions. Please understand that it may not be fully immersive!”
The assistant director bowed and began to read slowly.
“The first scene is….”
The first scene was on the day of the author’s exhibition for writer Lee Anna, who wrote the book ‘Joseon Dynasty, The Vanished Crown Prince.’
Ryu Byeol took a breath and spoke her lines.
“…No, how many times have I told you not to put this book here?”
“Aren’t you curious as to why this crown prince disappeared?”
Writer Lee Anna swept over the old book covered on the table and suddenly threw strange words at So-hyun.
Ryu Byeol frowned slightly for a moment, as if contemplating, and then answered in a plain voice, as if it were nothing.
“…Oh, I don’t know. Maybe he was killed in a common palace power struggle, or maybe he was dethroned and quietly disappeared because he lacked ability?”
“There’s a record that he ran away with the woman he loved.”
“…Why?”
“I don’t know. I guess the crown prince loved her enough to throw away the position of king.”
At the same time as those words, the author’s exhibition was postponed indefinitely due to sudden news of rain and the author’s difficulty in breathing.
Left alone in the library, she discovers an old book that is open while tidying up.
“Who touched this? Why is it open? Oh? Why is this….”
She realizes that the page is torn, and at that moment, she time-warps to the Joseon Dynasty.
Clap-
Hae-jin clapped her hands and naturally continued the progress.
“Okay! Ryu Byeol, good job. Let’s move on to the next scene. Im Hoon, please start as soon as you’re ready.”
From this point on, the drama’s background was the Joseon Dynasty.
‘……What is that sound of swallowing saliva?’
I could hear the sound of him swallowing saliva so much that I wondered how nervous he was. He had told me in a message that he had gone to acting school to learn, but I had never actually seen him act, so I wondered if he would do well.
The lines of the royal guard Cheong-rip, who was telling the Crown Prince about Kim So-hyun’s death, ended.
I raised my gaze from the script and stared at him, who was concentrating. His cheeks were twitching, and his lips slowly parted.
Finally.
‘It’s Im Hoon’s timing to say his lines….’
I was even getting nervous.
“……Kim So-hyun is dead, you say?”
Huh?
‘What… what is going on?’
Something subtle in between a historical drama tone and a modern drama tone.
The actors, as well as the staff, couldn’t hide their surprised expressions with their eyes wide open, and Ryu Byeol, who was drinking water, was forcibly swallowing her cough as if she had choked.
But Im Hoon didn’t have time to look around and continued to say his lines.
“I see…. Thank you for letting me know.”
“Your Highness, the daughter of Chief Secretary Choi is here. Shall I let her in?”
Cheong-rip informed him that Yeon-woo had come.
“Tell her to leave….I don’t want to see anyone right now.”
A voice grumbling as if complaining.
He had to speak with a nonchalant tone here, as if warning. He was thinking that ‘Yeon-woo’ was behind Kim So-hyun’s death.
Even in that short time of saying those lines, Im Hoon’s acting was shaking more and more. As if to prove it, a dry, scratching sound was mixed in his voice.
“Ugh……!”
…This is bad. As expected, he put too much strength into his throat, and his voice didn’t come out, so his lines were cut off.
Senior Tae Jin-hwa, who had been quietly watching, became more and more sharp, and rubbed her eyes with her hand.
Im Hoon continued to act stubbornly, but he was out of breath. How pathetic would it be if the male lead had nothing to show but his face?
…Yeom Hae-jin’s complexion isn’t very good either.’
“Yes, you’ve worked hard. Shall we stop here and take a break?”
Yeom Hae-jin cut it off at an appropriate point.
While everyone was leaving the scene, saying they needed to get some fresh air, Senior Tae Jin-hwa approached Im Hoon and me.
“Bada.”
“Yes?”
“If you give more strength to your stomach, you’ll get a more stable tone.”
Senior Tae Jin-hwa gave me advice even though I hadn’t even acted yet. Feeling something strange, I followed Senior Tae Jin-hwa’s gaze, and at the end of it was Im Hoon.
‘Ah, it wasn’t advice sent to me.’
“Ah, like this? Is it okay?”
I matched her tone and answered with a little more strength in my abdomen as advised.
“Yes, it’s much better.”
Next time, I’ll have to record it and listen to it in my ear.
“You’ve practiced a lot?”
“I practiced hard as Senior taught me.”
“I did teach you harshly, but I didn’t know you’d do this well.”
You did scold me so much that my soul left my body. I was scolded so much that I almost cried.
I learned everything to the point where I would go to Senior’s house whenever I had time and learn things like the postures and greetings that would come out in the Joseon Dynasty.
I felt it every time. How nice would it be if I could do well at once like the overpowered main characters in movies or dramas?
“It’s good to see someone who works hard.”
I completely understood the senior’s compliment that came in like a surprise after glancing at Im Hoon. I only knew this after spending a few weeks with Senior, but she was more stingy with compliments than I thought.
“Do you want an Americano?”
“Oh, yes?”
“I’ll get it.”
I should be the one getting it…. Senior Tae Jin-hwa got up from her chair first.
“Must be nice?”
This quarrelsome tone.
“What.”
It was Im Hoon.
“No, getting compliments. Must be nice.”
Again, again, that disease came back. A disease of being trapped in inferiority. When will that disease be cured?
This idiot can’t even act, but he doesn’t even have any sense.
…I really worked hard, you know.’
“What?”
“I told you. I went to acting school and grew my hair out.”
I didn’t know because he was wearing a hat, but Im Hoon had his hair tied up. When I looked closely, his face was more innocent than any male actor.
“But what’s the problem?”
He didn’t know that. This is a big problem?
Ryu Byeol, who was just listening next to him, didn’t seem to care and was just looking at the script.
‘Ignore that side.’
“Can I hit you once?”
Fortunately, the filming camera was turned off, so it would be okay to hit him. I raised the script towards Im Hoon, who was sitting on the left.
Thwack.
I hit the top of his head.
“Hey, you clueless…. Don’t you understand why Senior came to me, who hasn’t even acted yet, to give me advice?”
“What are you talking about? That’s.”
I thought he would understand by now, but seeing Im Hoon looking at me with a face that still said, ‘I don’t know anything,’ I couldn’t help but sigh.
What should I do with this idiot?