Monday came again.
Once more, < Scattered People > began Filming.
As previously explained, episodes 11 and 12 depicted the confrontation with the Dan-dan-ge Beomjoe Jojik.
However, Jinseong and Lee Jae-hyun faced far greater difficulties solving the case than usual.
The opponent was formidable, but more than that, the two people who should have been acting as Soul Partners were distrusting each other, so nothing went right.
Even so, the two of them somehow managed to uncover the tail of the Dan-dan-ge Beomjoe Jojik.
Unfortunately, that was a Trap set by the Backer.
[ In the Building Lobby, which had been sunk in silence, all sorts of Evil Spirits suddenly poured out in a rush. Surrounded, Jinseong and Lee Jae-hyun sensed the crisis and pressed their backs together. ]
Normally, both Jinseong and Lee Jae-hyun would have easily noticed it was a Trap, but they were too conscious of each other and failed to pay attention to other details, which was their fatal mistake.
Realizing too late that something had gone wrong, Lee Jae-hyun was the first to make a suggestion to Jinseong.
“Hyung… Should we make peace for a moment? At least until this fight is over.”
Jinseong, who had his back pressed to Lee Jae-hyun as they watched the Evil Spirits, nodded.
“…I suppose we should.”
And then the battle scene continued.
Jinseong and Lee Jae-hyun fought off the Evil Spirits as if they were blowing off steam.
It was a scene that showed just how terrifyingly the two could change when they were in sync.
But then, when two executive-level Evil Spirits appeared, Lee Jae-hyun was placed in danger.
The two Evil Spirits, seeing Lee Jae-hyun as the easier target, decided to take him out first.
Jinseong, seeing this, didn’t hesitate for a moment before rushing in to save Lee Jae-hyun.
He wiped out all of the executive-level Evil Spirits threatening Lee Jae-hyun’s life.
He did it with that signature attack—spreading his hand wide and unleashing an unknown power.
“I don’t know what you’re so upset about… but let’s call it even with this.”
At that moment, Lee Jae-hyun quickly knocked down an executive-level Evil Spirit that appeared behind Jinseong and replied.
“Sorry, but since we’re not a couple, that won’t work.”
Just as the tension between the two eased a bit.
Finally, the one who stepped out from the shadows was the Backer.
The 12th episode’s Ending Scene closed on Jinseong’s stunned face and Lee Jae-hyun’s angry expression.
“Damn it!”
***
With the cut sign, today’s Filming was over, but Taeha couldn’t move from his spot.
“It’s hot… my whole body…”
It was because that burning heat was still enveloping his entire body.
Granted, it was the peak of summer, and the weather was hot.
On top of that, as expected from the early Filming, Taeha’s costume was extremely thick, despite the height of summer.
But the heat Taeha felt wasn’t only due to the weather or his costume.
The heat that had once only warmed his palms from his Immersion Ability was, with each episode, spreading throughout his whole body.
That’s right.
Taeha’s Immersion Ability was now igniting his entire body while acting, just as it did when he wrote.
It felt as though he was draped in flames from head to toe.
And Taeha wasn’t the only one affected by the Immersion Ability.
Everything around Taeha was influenced by it.
The proof of this was that Seon Min-gi, who just filmed the final scene of episode 12 with him, had a similar expression.
As Taeha and Seon Min-gi stood, dazed and unable to return to reality for a while, their eyes met.
“Wow. You two were incredible today! Absolutely incredible!”
Director Lee Hae-ik, who was usually stingy with compliments, raised his voice as he approached them.
Director Lee Hae-ik, too, seemed to have just snapped out of his immersion state, his cheeks flushed red.
Even though he was only wearing short sleeves, sweat was pouring down his face.
Director Lee Hae-ik continued excitedly.
“How is it that your chemistry gets better and better every day? The lines, the movements, the expressions, even the way you breathe—it was all Jinseong and Lee Jae-hyun. It was like you just walked out of the Script!”
His tone was a little exaggerated in his excitement.
But no one present thought Director Lee Hae-ik was overreacting.
In fact, they all nodded in agreement.
That’s how outstanding the performance and chemistry between Taeha and Seon Min-gi had been.
There wasn’t a hint of lacking from either of them.
“Ah, what a shame. It’s such a shame. To think we won’t get to see this fantastic teamwork after episode 13 ends. Maybe I should call Writer Kim right now and ask him to rewrite the Script?”
Director Lee Hae-ik said, half in jest, and only then did Taeha, having regained his composure, smile.
“Come on. Can we really change the Script that Writer Kim has written so perfectly?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Besides, the reason I was able to act so well today was all thanks to you, Min-gi hyung. If you hadn’t led me, would a rookie like me have been able to show this much skill?”
“Haha, you’re right.”
Director Lee Hae-ik agreed with Taeha’s answer, and naturally, both their gazes turned to Seon Min-gi.
But unexpectedly,
Seon Min-gi’s expression wasn’t good.
It was different from when Taeha would joke around and Seon Min-gi would awkwardly stiffen up.
Now, his expression was hard and cold, like he was truly in a bad mood.
Eventually, Seon Min-gi spoke up, belatedly asking Director Lee Hae-ik for permission.
“Thank you for the compliment. But I’m a bit tired. Would it be all right if I head out first, Director?”
It was the kind of atmosphere where you definitely shouldn’t try to stop him.
Because of that, Director Lee Hae-ik nodded, still a bit flustered.
“Ah, of course. You really worked hard today.”
There was no reason to keep Seon Min-gi on set since they had finished filming all the cuts.
And so, Seon Min-gi left the set in silence.
Taeha watched him go, tilting his head.
“What’s up with him all of a sudden?”
Seon Min-gi’s reaction had been so unexpected.
After the first Script reading incident, Taeha and Seon Min-gi’s relationship hadn’t been bad during Filming.
If anything, it was better than ever.
Thanks to Taeha’s active approach, Seon Min-gi had slowly opened his heart.
[ Wow. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen Min-gi hyung get so friendly with someone on set like this. ]
Even Manager Kim Nam-sun, who knew Seon Min-gi best, said this openly.
But just now, Seon Min-gi had acted like he did when they first met.
Cold and stiff.
And it wasn’t just cold and stiff.
There was something else bothering Taeha.
“In Seon Min-gi’s final expression, I saw sadness. Why?”
That’s what he felt.
But Taeha quickly shook his head.
“Sadness, really…”
It was an unbelievable emotion.
Even if he hadn’t seen wrong, Taeha couldn’t figure out what could have made Seon Min-gi feel sad.
In other words, Taeha must have been mistaken.
Director Lee Hae-ik muttered, looking at the spot where Seon Min-gi had disappeared.
“I wonder if something happened to Min-gi?”
That seemed more likely.
There must be something going on with Seon Min-gi that Taeha and Director Lee Hae-ik didn’t know about.
But since he wouldn’t tell them, Taeha and Director Lee Hae-ik’s attention drifted away from Seon Min-gi.
After the excitement had subsided, Director Lee Hae-ik gave Taeha some final words of encouragement.
“Let’s keep up the good work for episode 13 too, Taeha. If you keep doing as you are, there won’t be any problems.”
Taeha pushed thoughts of Seon Min-gi away and thanked Director Lee Hae-ik.
***
“Why am I like this?”
Seon Min-gi thought as he walked toward the parking lot.
He couldn’t help it.
The feeling he had now was, just as Taeha guessed, sadness.
It hadn’t been this way when Filming started.
All he thought about was getting through today’s shoot, which included the crucial episode 12 Ending Scene.
His chemistry with Taeha had grown scarily good every day, so he was confident.
Even after shooting the episode 10 Ending Scene, he’d thought,
He might never find another actor with such perfect chemistry.
It wasn’t an exaggeration.
In fact, just as during the first Script reading, he felt more comfortable acting with Taeha than with Joo Hyo-jin.
It wasn’t just comfort.
When he acted with Taeha, an incredible thrill ran up his spine.
That’s why he’d been sure he would be satisfied with today’s Filming.
But strangely, the more they filmed, the more Seon Min-gi felt not satisfaction, but regret.
Not regret about the acting.
Surprisingly, it was regret that his work with Taeha would soon end.
That regret reached its peak after filming the episode 12 Ending Scene.
A sense of powerlessness hit Seon Min-gi like a wave.
And then.
He overheard Taeha and Director Lee Hae-ik’s conversation.
[ Maybe I should call Writer Kim right now and ask him to rewrite the Script? ]
[ Come on. Can we really change the Script that Writer Kim has written so perfectly? ]
At the same time, Seon Min-gi felt a sadness he couldn’t understand.
“Why?”
No matter how he thought, he couldn’t explain this emotion.
It was sad that the work with Taeha was ending, but for that to turn into sadness like this—
“Hyung, are you all right?”
As Seon Min-gi shook his head in disbelief, Kim Nam-sun, who’d been watching, asked him.
Only then did Seon Min-gi pull himself out of his feelings and recognize Kim Nam-sun’s presence.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s get home.”
Just as he got in the car to head home,
He spotted Taeha walking toward him from the far end of the parking lot.
And at that moment, Seon Min-gi realized.
Why he felt regret and sadness.
“I really have… fully immersed myself in Jinseong.”
The feelings Seon Min-gi was having weren’t his own.
They belonged to Jinseong.
Otherwise, he had no way to explain the emotions he felt now.
As soon as he saw Taeha, his heart ached and a wave of sadness rose within him.
“Haha.”
With the realization of his feelings, Seon Min-gi let out a laugh.
Hearing him laugh, Kim Nam-sun looked puzzled and asked,
“Huh?”
But Seon Min-gi didn’t answer.
He simply stood up quietly and walked toward Taeha.
Taeha, after finishing his conversation with Im Chan-hyung, spotted Seon Min-gi and tilted his head.
“Oh? Min-gi hyung? You haven’t left yet?”
Even though evening was drawing near, the scorching sunlight still beat down on the parking lot.
Amid the blinding glare, Seon Min-gi gazed at Taeha’s brightly shining face for a long time before finally opening his mouth.
“Hard to believe, but… I wish you wouldn’t die.”
It was something that happened on a summer day that felt like it would never end.