Luna’s comeback concert had successfully concluded.
In the dead of night, after all the lively office drinking parties involving every staff member had finally wrapped up, inside one corner of Flame Enter’s lounge, two female artists, who could arguably be considered the best in Korea, stared at each other silently.
Even though two actresses so stunning that they seemed to glow with radiant beauty sat together, the mood wasn’t light—it was heavy and gloomy.
“It seems you’ve regained your memories.”
“That’s right. Suddenly… I remembered the day I first met Siwoo at Yongbong Branch. I was dancing with two large fans. It was like today, with so many people watching just me. In the back, Siwoo was playing the seven-stringed zither…”
“…So that was the trigger, huh.”
“That’s right. After that one dance, everything came rushing back, even though it startled me.”
I had a feeling this might happen, but still, to have it come to this…
It appears the story of Baek Siu’s d*ath was the trigger for her, just like the day she met Baek Siu was the trigger for this girl.
The trigger wasn’t activated during the award ceremony because the number of spectators wasn’t that high.
What kind of sorcery is this? If possible, I’d like nothing more than to capture that lama from back then and beat him senseless.
“So, Lord Heavenly Demon?”
“…Please call me Heavenly Yuah.”
“I go by Moon Suyeon.”
After this unusual re-introduction between the two women, an awkward silence hung in the air.
Neither knew how to start a conversation.
Heavenly Yuah felt burdened by the incredible love story between Siwu and Wolyeon.
Moon Suyeon was wary, as well, knowing that after her d*ath, the Heavenly Demon spent an incredible thirty years with him.
Neither could easily open their mouths.
“Perhaps we should start with a thank you.”
“For what?”
“I’ve heard that you helped me regain my memories, Miss Yoo-a.”
“…It happened accidentally.”
“And you also took good care of our Siwoo when I wasn’t around.”
It was Moon Suyeon who delivered the first preemptive strike.
Out of gratitude for helping her regain her memories, implying that her 30-year relationship with the Heavenly Demon was just a time without her presence, thus diminishing its significance.
The fact that her counterpart was once the Heavenly Demon presented no issue.
Because just because she was the Heavenly Demon back then doesn’t mean she still is now.
Though an eerie shiver ran down her spine at the infamous reputation of the evil Heavenly Demon, she gritted her teeth and charged forward.
This attitude gradually stimulated Heavenly Yuah’s fighting instincts.
“Rather an odd way to express it. I merely passed by temporarily with you. Siwoo’s place has always been by the side of New Religion, by my side.”
“Hmm… but…”
“What?”
“That word ‘place’ is troublesome, isn’t it? What on earth did you do during those 30 years at your so-called place? As far as I heard…”
“…”
“…Nothing at all, right? You were just doing things like camping all this time. What did you actually do?”
“…That…”
“Is this some sort of children’s play?”
“What do you mean ‘children’s play’?”
“No, maybe it’s like a family camp? Indeed, after 30 years, it’s almost like a family, isn’t it? But, you know, families don’t usually do that.”
“…”
A rather effective strike landed.
If you were together for 30 years without me, what exactly did you do during that time?
If it’s to that extent, you have no answer. So, please, politely step back.
The impeccable attack was none other than emphasizing her status as the only woman who spent nights with Siwoo.
But Heavenly Yuah wasn’t one to be underestimated either.
“That’s true. But…you escaped, right? By committing s*icide. In my place, I would’ve done anything if I were you.”
“…That…”
“Think about it logically. Old lover that escaped by committing s*icide, and an old friend who has been by his side for the past 30 years after that. Do you really think they’re even contenders?”
“But Miss Yoo-a wasn’t even lovers, right?”
“True. You were a lover, thirty years ago.”
“…Thirty years ago…”
“Looks like you’re under some misconception. Siwoo has spent thirty years without you by his side. You’re just a first love memory to him, nothing more.”
Moon Suyeon carries a fundamental flaw.
By triggering her avoidance of d*ath during their most fervent period, what was once a burning story between them has now become a mere tale of the past.
To now boldly step forth seeking to reclaim what was hers was a move that Heavenly Yuah found entirely unacceptable.
Of course, she must repeatedly reflect on her past for not securing her position all those years, but compared to the lover who threw her life away, she believed she had the upper hand.
However, Moon Suyeon thought differently.
Admittedly, she had made a mistake, but in this lifetime, her plan was to commit everything she had to him until her last breath.
Fortunately, Siwoo didn’t seem to reject her, which confirmed her far more advantageous position in this matter.
Plainly speaking, if you’ve eaten something once, you’re bound to be better at eating it again.
After 30 years of failing to secure anything in his life, how could the Heavenly Yuah of now stand a chance?
“Afterall, Miss Yoo-a, you can’t let go either, can you? After lingering around for 30 years?”
“And you, Miss Suyeon, cannot either? Given your past actions were so reckless.”
“This way, there is no resolution.”
“That’s true. There is no resolution.”
The negotiation between the two ended without any results.
Or rather, it wasn’t really a negotiation from the beginning.
With but one piece of prey, it was akin to two female lions simultaneously charging at it – impossible for a compromise to happen.
The choice ultimately fell on Baek Siwoo’s shoulders.
And as the two anxiously awaited, Baek Siwoo was…
“…Hm, it seems it’s time to dive into the next project. What on earth is Senior Nam Hyun-ho up to these days?”
He was searching for Nam Hyun-ho, quite desperately, for the next project.
Right now, artistic activity was a more pressing need for Baek Siwoo than any tumultuous romance.
*
The ratings battle tied to my next work saw Nam Hyun-ho emerge victorious, hence it was decided that my next work would be with him.
Thus, in order to choose a work, I had to place priority on negotiations with Nam Hyun-ho.
Of course, biting my lip and pretending ignorance could also be an approach, but it seems rather silly when we’re all team players in the same company.
Even though I may not have the most outstanding personality, I’m certainly not devious enough to stab allies in the back.
If it wasn’t for Nam Hyun-ho, I would’ve been completely stuck, so a little consideration might be in order, right?
So, for this work, I plan on collaborating with Nam Hyun-ho.
“Come to think of it, Senior Hyun-ho seems to have fallen into some trouble, huh.”
Nam Hyun-ho had narrowly missed becoming the first ‘ten-million’ view actor by the hairline mark of 9.6 million and had gone into self-imposed silence since.
The massive drug scandal that had driven the rise in the ratings for the drama KTD had continued to burn long after, causing chaos within the entertainment industry due to the tremendous number of people linked to the scandal.
Nam Hyun-ho, who had numerous connections to those involved, had carefully tread thin ice until the dust settled with the scandal.
Though he had cut ties with his acquaintances and had no involvement with drugs, past photos with them made it imprudent not to be cautious.
Some might ask why he was in seclusion when he had done nothing wrong, but the world of entertainment is notorious for unfair situations.
When something seems off, initiating a period of silence is one of the tips for longevity.
Both the company and Nam Hyun-ho himself knew this was a bit too extreme a situation, so until the scandal ended, he remained completely silent and out of the spotlight.
“But now that the issue has settled here, he must be moving soon.”
Though I momentarily lost my mind thanks to the unexpected awakening of Heavenly Demon and Yeon’s activation, things here have mostly settled down.
The drug scandal has been neatly wrapped up, and the time has come for him to start moving again.
Nam Hyun-ho knew this well and had already begun preparing by exploring scripts.
And this was true for me as well.
Though it’s correct that I decided to do the next project with Nam Hyun-ho, it doesn’t mean I intend to hand everything over to him, so I am focusing on script exploration.
Despite the problematic circumstances due to my opposing party’s incompetence, the drama “Restaurant, Fromage” was indeed a successful work in terms of ratings.
Having successfully helmed two projects in a row: “Gold Rush,” “Joseon” and “Restaurant, Fromage,” I am now recognized as a promising actor among the relevant circles.
Even more so, I even won the rookie award at the year-end ceremony, didn’t I?
At this point, it’s fair to say I’m a prime catch among the young male actors, despite still having a relatively thin resume compared to my role model, Yoon Ju-won.
“Yo, you dumbass! Did you wait long?”
“I did wait a bit. How about you, Senior?”
“Ah, actually, I came here for that very reason…”
“…What is it?”
As I was deeply concentrating on script exploration.
The problematic Nam Hyun-ho decided to visit me.
Just at a glance, one could tell he had a lot to say.
And, as is often the case, when someone looks like they have a lot to say, they tend to drop a bomb first.
So, I decided to hear just what sort of issue he intended to drive me crazy with this time.
“Ah, it’s not a big deal.”
“A ‘not a big deal’ from you usually translates to ‘a huge deal.’ Your tongue seems unusually long for some reason.”
“Hmph. Alright, the thing is… well, actually…”
Nam Hyun-ho’s words roughly came down to this:
There is a director he knows, and it seems he will need to collaborate with that director to film a movie.
Since he is entering the project, he wants to know my thoughts because, naturally, I need to follow suit.
Surprisingly, the story wasn’t as complicated as expected.
Though it’s true the next project has been confirmed to be a movie, it was about time I ventured into the world of cinema anyway.
But I understood why Nam Hyun-ho looked so troubled as the story progressed.
“So, the director…”
“Nam Hyun-a Director.”
“That’s the director who did the ‘Brothers,’ right?”
“Yeah, she is also my twin sister.”
“…A twin sister?”
The situation goes as follows:
Nam Hyun-ho had uncovered issues with ‘Brothers,’ efficiently securing the screenplay, leading to the original director disappearing, and thus creating a need for a new director for this movie.
However, things got complicated as it proved challenging to find a suitable director.
Enter Nam Hyun-a Director as a potential solution.
Nam Hyun-a Director requested the privilege to use Nam Hyun-ho whenever she pleased in return for her participation in ‘Brothers’.
“What the heck is this, some sort of food chain?”
It seems our agreement overlapped, resulting in me also becoming entangled in this so-called ‘coupon.’
“But why did you hesitate for so long?”
“Ah, well… Hyun-a is good at filming, but there’s also something…”
“Something?”
“She doesn’t particularly have a good eye for scripts, and she isn’t good at writing.”
“…Is that so? Then, perhaps this work too?”
“Yeah, Hyun-a wrote it.”
“…Ah, so that’s why.”
Indeed, that’s how the situation stands.
Soon after the drama ended, I watched ‘Brothers’ at the theater.
Not just me, but Moon Suyeon and Heavenly Yuah were also there.
Even the discerning Heavenly Yuah acknowledged the cinematographic beauty of ‘Brothers.’
It was a well-crafted work by all means.
Moreover, Nam Hyun-a is a promising director who has won awards at Sundance.
At this point, Nam Hyun-ho had every reason to proudly declare that he’d hooked a good director.
Regrettably, it seems her eye for works is rather lacking.
Worse still, in this case, the screenplay was written entirely by her.
“Let’s review the screenplay first.”
“Yeah, here.”
Decisions based solely on hearsay can be tough.
So, I asked to review the screenplay prepared by Nam Hyun-ho first.
Upon receiving and thoroughly checking the screenplay, all I could release was a frustrated sigh.
Director Nam Hyun-a’s writing was worse than I could have imagined.
Is this supposed to be my first movie?
Nam Hyun-ho was definitely trying to sell me a lottery ticket that is guaranteed to lose.
