Chapter 32 : The Manager in Disguise

Taehwan couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of Hyunjae, utterly flustered by his playful glance. 

“Hahaha! Oh, man, that’s hilarious. I just meant let’s do our best!” 

“Oh, got it! I’ll give it my all!” 

He might be even better than I thought. 

When the director mentioned Hyunjae’s name, a flood of fan comments flashed through Taehwan’s mind. 

“Please, just let them meet already ㅠㅠ” 

“I hope this is a chance for the hotties to bond.” 

“Gonna support Hyunjae’s projects out of loyalty now lol.” 

The role was bound to go to some unknown actor anyway.

Why not push for someone the fans already loved, someone with a connection?

So, Taehwan threw his weight behind Hyunjae. 

“Should we follow each other on StarStar?” 

Taehwan knew from his long idol career how much fans adored “relationships” between stars.

With his group disbanded, he figured he might as well lean into it. 

“Uh, my ID is…” 

Hyunjae’s follow list, previously empty, now boasted a single digit: 1. 

“But, hyung, were you the one who recommended me?” 

Hyunjae’s question came cautiously, prompted by something Jiwon had mentioned earlier. 

“Yeah.” 

Taehwan didn’t deny it.

Word would get around the staff anyway—hiding it was pointless. 

“Not because of that thing, right?” 

“Nah, that’s separate. I just thought it’d be a shame for a talented newbie like you to get passed over for lack of experience.” 

Hyunjae knew their positions as rookies were worlds apart, but Taehwan’s reasoning wasn’t entirely unconvincing. 

“And besides, you’re spending the most time with me and Dohwan today. I figured it’d be nice to work with someone I’ve got good chemistry with.” 

“Chemistry? You and me?” 

Hyunjae blinked, the idea of “chemistry” with Taehwan never having crossed his mind.

Taehwan, however, handled it with the sly charm of a seasoned pro. 

“Didn’t you know? Our chemistry’s fire. Even the director and writer think so.” 

Taehwan was strategically tossing out crumbs for the fans, hoping to curb the fallout from his group’s disbandment. 

On the flip side, someone else had their own plans to ride Taehwan’s coattails. 

“Didn’t you just say you weren’t into idols?” 

Jewook’s curiosity piqued as he noticed Jiwon’s attitude shift dramatically before and after Taehwan’s arrival. 

“Hyung! It’s Taehwan. He’s on a whole other level compared to someone like Bora.” 

“What?” 

“I’m so done with web dramas. Time to hitch a ride with someone big and make my way to serious acting.” 

Jiwon’s plan was clear: use Taehwan’s popularity to boost his own profile and transition to mainstream dramas. Web dramas had their limits, and Taehwan was the perfect bus to board. 

“Didn’t you pick this project for the same reason, hyung?” 

“Nah, I came for the script.” 

“Seriously?” 

Jiwon’s jaw dropped at Jewook’s claim, his expression screaming disbelief. 

“I read the original and loved it.” 

“I thought you picked it because of Taehwan. Didn’t know you were into the art of it.” 

“Well, yeah.” 

“I was wondering why you’d take a supporting role with a guy like him. Wow, a true purist.” 

Jiwon didn’t blush or falter at Jewook’s words.

To him, popularity trumped everything—artistic merit included. 

“Purist, my ass… I’m just trying to build a filmography with solid, meaningful projects.” 

Jewook hadn’t planned to spill his intentions, but Jiwon’s bluntness coaxed it out of him.

Might as well lay it all bare. 

“Oh, so you’re aiming for the indie film route?” 

Jewook knew he didn’t have the looks for leading roles.

If he wanted to shine, he’d have to carve his own path—starting with indie films. 

“Yeah.” 

His plan was to build a reputation as a serious, versatile actor through indie projects, then make the leap to commercial films. 

“I heard the director’s from the indie scene…” 

“I know.” 

Jewook had joined the drama knowing the director’s indie roots.

In that world, connections were everything, and this was his calculated move. 

“Wow, I knew you had a plan, hyung. And Taehwan? Seems like he’s shifting to acting now that his group’s been around for a while. Guess the maknae’s the only one here without an agenda.” 

“Maybe. Or maybe not.” 

Jewook wasn’t so sure Hyunjae was as naive as he seemed. 

Innocent?

In this industry?

Yeah, right. 

Having been in the game since his child actor days, Jewook knew better than to trust anyone. 

***

The lukewarm summer that marked the start of Blue Sky Spring had given way to a chilly winter, and filming was nearing its end. 

“Hey there!” 

“Donghyeok, you’re here!” 

“Hey!” 

By now, Donghyeok was chummy with the staff, exchanging warm greetings. 

“You alone today?” 

One staff member noticed he was without his usual shadow, Hyungyu. 

“Oh, my manager’s finally coming a bit later.” 

At long last, Donghyeok had a manager. 

“Finally? That’s awesome!” 

Plenty of resumes had come in, but none passed Hyungyu’s rigorous interviews.

Only now, as filming wrapped, had they found someone. 

“You’re probably the only celebrity whose agency CEO personally tags along.” 

“Yeah, the boss has been through it.” 

“He’s been with you since day one, right? Man, that’s dedication. Not much filming left now, huh?” 

“I’m kinda sad about it.” 

With only a small portion left to shoot, it felt like the end had come too soon. 

“It feels like we just started, and now it’s almost over. Time flies.” 

Filming would wrap soon, with the drama set to air next spring. 

“When your manager gets here, introduce us.” 

“Of course! I’m gonna brag about this hard-won manager to everyone.” 

“Haha, see you in a bit then.” 

The staff member wandered off to work, leaving Donghyeok to his thoughts. 

Still got a while before my scene. 

Peeking into the set, he saw Jaehoon delivering a passionate performance.

His scene had to finish before Donghyeok’s could start, so he loitered outside, amusing himself. 

By now, he was used to navigating sets alone and knew how to kill time. 

“Donghyeok! If you’re free, there’s a coffee truck over there. Grab a drink!” 

A props staffer spotted him lingering and pointed out the coffee truck. 

“Thanks!” 

Thanks to Jaehoon’s popularity and wide network, the set was never short of coffee trucks or snack carts. 

[Beom: Beomwoo’s treating you to coffee! Jun: Drink tons! ♡] 

A mint-colored coffee truck stood at the edge of the set, adorned with witty signage. 

“Hi, can I get a strawberry latte?” 

“Sorry, we’re a bit backed up, so it’ll take a minute…” 

“No worries, take your time.” 

People assumed filming meant constant action, but waiting was the real game.

Time was all Donghyeok had. 

“Okay, we’ll get it to you as fast as we can.” 

While the baristas hustled, Donghyeok browsed the banners and photos nearby. 

“Whose is this?” 

“The director’s!” 

“Oh, then I’ll run it over—” 

“I’ll take it!” 

No sense wasting time when he could deliver coffee and sneak a peek at Jaehoon’s acting. 

Perfect excuse. 

“You sure?” 

“Yeah, I’ll handle it.” 

“Thanks, I owe you one.” 

The busy barista handed over the drink, and Donghyeok slipped quietly into the set. 

Jaehoon was filming a scene in a prosecutor’s office, interrogating a group of gangsters. 

“Spit it out!” 

The gangsters feigned ignorance, ignoring Jaehoon’s command. 

“Fine, playing dumb, huh? Alright, first one to talk gets a sweet deal on their sentence. Last one standing takes the fall.” 

Jaehoon’s performance was smooth, never overdone, effortlessly natural even in tense scenes. 

That’s my friend. 

He had his quirks when acting, but those quirks had become the hallmark of Park Jaehoon’s style, earning him legions of fans. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“Haven’t heard about me yet? Think I’m bluffing? Keep your mouths shut then. I’m not waiting long. One, two…” 

As Jaehoon counted, the gangsters started to panic. 

“Wait! Is this for real?” 

“Hey! You’re gonna rat out the boss?” 

“I only handled the small stuff, it’s not fair!” 

“If we’re talking like that, I just managed the servers!” 

“Liar! You were in on it from the start!” 

The gangsters bickered, spilling their secrets in a frenzy.

The extras were so convincing that Donghyeok watched, thoroughly entertained—until one figure caught his eye. 

What’s that guy doing? 

Amid the chaos, one man stood awkwardly, silent. 

“Cut!” 

Sure enough, Yongseok noticed him too. 

“Hey, you! What’s your deal?” 

The guy was the biggest and meanest-looking of the bunch, yet he stood there, mute and sulky, drawing even more attention. 

“What are you doing? Not gonna act?” 

“Sorry.” 

His apology came in a deep, gravelly voice. 

“Let’s go again. Ready!” 

But the next take was no better. 

“What is this? You here to sightsee? No lines?” 

Junhyung rushed in, flustered. 

“No, I went over everything with him earlier…” 

“Where’d you find this guy?” 

It was a simple scene, but the extra’s repeated mistakes were fraying Yongseok’s patience. 

“Look, we gave you the lines. This isn’t working.” 

“Sorry.” 

“If you keep this up, we’ll have to replace you.” 

“I…” 

Junhyung pleaded with the extra to get it together, and the man muttered something under his breath. 

“…manager.” 

“What?” 

“I’m a manager.” 

“Huh? Say that again?” 

Junhyung couldn’t make it out, but Donghyeok heard it clear as day. 

Manager? 

A thought sparked in his mind. 

“No way…” 

Hyungyu had mentioned the new manager’s name: Hayoon.

It sounded feminine, so Donghyeok assumed it might be a woman.

But could it be…? 

“Speak up, I can’t hear you!” 

Frustration crept into Junhyung’s voice as the man finally mustered the courage to speak clearly. 

“I’m a manager.” 

“A manager?” 

Junhyung echoed the word, and the man nodded slightly. 

“Why’s a manager here? You’re actually a manager?” 

“Yes…” 

“Whose manager?” 

The crew had assumed he was just an extra with camera shyness, not an actual manager. 

Still holding the undelivered coffee, Donghyeok cautiously called out. 

“Uh… Hayoon-ssi?” 

Their eyes met, and beneath that intimidating face, the man’s gaze lit up, sparkling with relief, as if he’d found a lifeline. 

Guess I don’t need to bother with a formal introduction.