Chapter 40 : Behind the Spotlight

“Can I make my wish first, then?” 

The outcome of this bet was already decided by Jibin’s earlier reaction. 

“Whoa, you sneaky jerk! You knew all along and still pulled this?” 

“Explain what’s going on.” 

Unlike Jibin, who asked with a playful grin, Jeuk’s face was taut with irritation, demanding answers. 

“I’ll take care of the explanation.” 

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Taehwan stepped forward. 

“Huh? Wait, what…” 

Jibin’s face betrayed his surprise at Taehwan’s entrance, but Jeuk’s expression remained unchanged, cold and unreadable. 

“Someone chewed me out. Said my acting was a mess.” 

I didn’t chew him out.

It was just… advice, wasn’t it? 

Taehwan said “someone,” but both of them knew he meant me. 

“So, I reflected on it. Practiced a bit.” 

“Haha, no wonder! Your acting’s gotten so good, it blew me away!” 

Quick on his feet, Jibin seamlessly switched gears, showering Taehwan with praise. 

“I knew you’d pull it off, hyung!” 

“But… did you guys make a bet about me or something?” 

“Haha, just a little fun, you know? Right?” 

Jibin shot me a glance, seeking backup, but I couldn’t care less whether Taehwan knew or not.

Right now, something else mattered more. 

“My wish.” 

Three pairs of eyes snapped to me. 

“I want this drama to wrap up smoothly, without a hitch.” 

My wish was simple, but Jibin and Jeuk exchanged skeptical looks, as if they’d expected something grander. 

“Wait, that’s it?” 

“Just that?” 

What did they think I’d wish for?

Did they imagine I’d use this silly bet to cash in on something big? 

“What, trying to play the saint or something?” 

Jeuk’s sharp gaze cut into me, though I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed about being played or about Taehwan’s improvement. 

“Hyung, it’s not about image. I’ve got a long way to go, and I’m in a hurry.” 

“A long way?” 

“Yeah, let’s just get along and make this project work. No distractions.” 

In other words, focus on the job and cut the nonsense.

Whether Jeuk disliked Taehwan or Jibin wanted to buddy up, I didn’t care—unless it messed with the production. 

This project is too important. 

For an actor, shooting schedules drag on, and it’s anyone’s guess when a project will air.

For a rookie like me, breaking out could take years. Every single project was precious. 

“You’re practically radiating ambition,” Taehwan teased, catching the fire in my eyes. 

“Yep, so let’s make this a success.” 

“I thought you’d say something wilder. Fine, I’m in—I’ll give it my all. They say web dramas dry up once you hit a certain age.” 

“No worries there. I don’t play games with my work.” 

Music to my ears. 

“Alright, shall we get back to shooting?” 

From then on, the set ran like a well-oiled machine.

Taehwan’s acting sharpened with every take, Jeuk kept to himself and shot his scenes quietly, and Jibin, as always, brought his chaotic energy, keeping the atmosphere lively. 

***

“What? An accident? Are they hurt badly? Okay, got it.” 

Dohwan’s voice was heavy as he hung up the phone, and Hoje approached cautiously. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“The owner of the apple shop slipped in the bathroom and got hurt.” 

“What? But we’ve got all those orders from last week!” 

With the holiday season looming, they’d secured a flood of pre-orders. 

“We’re screwed. It’s just the owner and his wife running that orchard. Should we start calling to cancel?” 

“Why bother?” 

“Huh?” 

“Leave that loudmouth behind and come with me.” 

“Where to?” 

“If the owner’s hurt, we’ll go pick the apples ourselves.” 

Hoje grabbed the car keys from the table, shooting Dohwan a knowing glance. 

“Cut! That’s a wrap! Next scene!” 

“Alright, moving to the next scene!” 

As the crew bustled to the next setup, I snapped back to reality from Dohwan’s headspace.

Spotting Taehwan flipping through his script, I asked, “Hyung, it’s tomorrow, right?” 

His fan meeting was scheduled for the next day. 

“Yeah, don’t be late.” 

“It’s not a concert, just a fan meeting. Do I really have to… Fine, I’ll go.” 

I wasn’t thrilled about attending, but the look in his eyes told me he’d skin me alive if I bailed. 

“I worked my butt off preparing for this. You better not skip it.” 

“I’m going, I’m going.” 

“Tickets sold out, and they’re even reselling at a premium. So show up and appreciate it.” 

“Got it.” 

With Taehwan’s stern reminder ringing in my ears, I headed to the fan meeting the next day. 

“There he is! It’s Jung Jaehyun!” 

“Where? Oh my gosh, he’s gorgeous!” 

“He must be super close with our boy to show up at his fan meeting.” 

Thanks to a recent incident, Taehwan’s fans recognized me the moment I stepped into the venue, their whispers buzzing around me. 

“Popular much?”

Jibin teased. 

Jeuk had a scheduling conflict and couldn’t make it, so it was just Jibin, who’d insisted on coming, by my side. 

“Haha, hi everyone.” 

I flashed an awkward smile, waving at the fans.

A few nearby snapped photos with their phones. 

“This way, please.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Wow, these light sticks are pretty cool.” 

A staff member from Taehwan’s agency handed us each a light stick and guided us to our seats. 

“We’ll come get you when the show’s over.” 

“Alright.” 

The staff disappeared, and I settled in, taking in the scene. 

“Man, he really has a lot of fans.” 

I knew Taehwan was popular, but seeing the venue packed to the brim hit differently.

To fill a place this big… 

“You’re acting like this is news. It’s Taehwan.” 

“Still, seeing it in person is wild.” 

“Such a newbie…” 

Suddenly, a wave of screams erupted, drowning out our conversation.

The energy was on another level compared to when we’d entered. 

“Who is it? What’s going on?” 

“What the—? No way!” 

Curious, Jibin and I craned our necks, and the fans in the front rows clued us in. 

“It’s Iron!” 

“The oldest member came to see the youngest!” 

“All those rumors about a feud—people need to see this and shut up.” 

Iron? I wasn’t sure who that was, but I gathered he was part of Taehwan’s group. 

“Must be because Iron showed up.” 

“Same team, right?” 

“Yeah.” 

All eyes were on him as he took a seat behind us, his cap pulled low.

He gave a subtle nod to the fans around him, exuding effortless celebrity charisma. 

He’s the real deal. 

It wasn’t just his face—it was the way he carried himself, like he was born for the spotlight.

Moments later, the lights dimmed, and Taehwan’s fan meeting kicked off. 

The intro music blared, and the venue exploded with cheers. 

“Wow…” 

I wasn’t a fan of noisy crowds, but the sea of glowing light sticks twinkling like stars in the dark was a sight to behold.

Then, Taehwan burst onto the stage in a blaze of light. 

He definitely belongs up there. 

The Taehwan I knew from the set was a different beast here.

He owned the stage, riding the wave of screams and leading the crowd with ease. 

“This is insane.” 

“Wow!” 

No wonder they say he was born to be an idol. 

It was clear why Taehwan was so loved. 

“I love you, my babies!” 

Ugh… 

Okay, the aegyo from a strapping twenty-six-year-old was a bit much. 

Between the dancing, singing, and cringeworthy fan service, three hours flew by. 

“Let’s head out before the encore.” 

Taehwan’s staff came to fetch us, leading us to the waiting room. 

“He’ll come down after the encore. Wait here for a bit.” 

“Got it.” 

The waiting room was a chaotic mix of staff, Taehwan’s acquaintances, and people there to congratulate him. 

“Hyung, it’s too much for me. I’m stepping out for a sec.” 

The energy from the concert had already drained me, and I couldn’t handle the crowded room. 

“Alright.” 

Jibin, glued to a monitor showing the encore, nodded and let me go. 

God, it’s overwhelming. 

I slipped into the hallway, heading toward a quieter corner.

With the concert winding down, no one was lingering this far back. 

“…Is it really that expensive? Can we even trust that place?” 

A voice broke the silence, serious and low. Thinking I was alone, I instinctively quieted my steps. 

“Han Jungwoo too?” 

The name hit me like a bolt. 

Han Jungwoo? 

“It sounds fine, I guess…” 

It could be a different Han Jungwoo, but my senses sharpened, every nerve on edge. 

“Ugh, let me think about it. Don’t mess with me like that.” 

I couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, just the man’s voice, low and masculine. 

“Alright, I’m outside. We’ll talk later.” 

Sensing the call was ending, I ducked into a nearby waiting room, peering through the slightly open door to catch a glimpse of the speaker. 

Iron? 

It was him—Taehwan’s group member. 

Does he know Han Jungwoo? 

Thankfully, he didn’t spot me.

I cautiously followed him as he headed to a waiting room, where Taehwan had just arrived after his encore. 

“Our maknae! Congrats on the fan meeting!” 

Iron wrapped Taehwan in a bear hug, and Taehwan clapped him on the back, returning the embrace.

To anyone watching, they were the picture of perfect group camaraderie. 

“Thanks for coming. I didn’t expect you to show up for my fan meeting.” 

“Of course I’d come for you.” 

This from the guy who threatened to kill me if I didn’t show, yet he was all smiles and gratitude for Iron. 

“Hyung, let’s take a picture!” 

“Sure thing.” 

Iron held up what looked like a gift bouquet, and the two posed warmly for photos.

Once the cameras stopped, they stepped apart, exchanging quick goodbyes. 

“Alright, good work.” 

“See ya.” 

Wait, what?

Watching this in real-time, I couldn’t make sense of their dynamic.

Iron left the waiting room, and Taehwan turned to Jibin and me. 

“Thanks for coming!” 

“Hyung, you were amazing!” 

Jibin gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up, his sincerity shining through for once. 

“Thanks. So, what’d you think?” 

“You were awesome,” I said. 

“What’s with that half-hearted reaction?” 

Taehwan crossed his arms, glaring at me, clearly unimpressed with my lack of enthusiasm. 

“I mean it! But the aegyo… maybe tone it down.” 

“You gotta do that stuff to keep the fans happy. It’s the basics.” 

“Let me take a picture of you three!” 

Taehwan’s staff raised a camera, and we lined up side by side. 

“Oh, can you take one with my phone too?” 

Jibin handed his phone to the staff, who happily snapped a few shots. 

“Wow, these came out great!” 

While Jibin was engrossed in the photos, I leaned in and quietly asked Taehwan, “Hyung, are you close with that member from earlier?” 

“Oh, Iron hyung? Yeah, we’re tight. I’m the bomb defuser in the group, you know.” 

Bomb defuser?