At first, the very concept of sound did not exist.
After Kim Sun-il had finished filming the road scene, everyone fell silent. From the PD and the writer to all the staff, and even the actors who were watching with curiosity, none of them moved their lips.
And so, there was silence.
“….”
It was a long silence indeed.
Everyone had instinctively sensed it. They all immediately realized that Kim Sun-il’s performance had created the perfect climax, and there was no need for any explanation or interpretation regarding it.
After a while of this silence,
when Kim Sun-il rejoined the group after finishing the road scene,
“Mr. Sun-il─! That was absolutely brilliant─!”
PD Choi Hee-won’s loud shout was the first to break the silence.
This became the signal, prompting writer Lee Geum-sook to immediately follow suit. Or, was it just Lee Geum-sook? Actually, everyone.
“Mr. Sun-il…! Incredible…!”
“Mr. Sun-il, were you hiding such an interpretation from us all along?”
“So this is how you express Lee Kang-cheol’s awakening?”
However, Kim Sun-il simply shook his head for now.
“Not yet.”
It wasn’t arrogance, but rather he seemed absorbed in something and hadn’t surfaced from it yet.
Indeed, Kim Sun-il soon unfolded the script and urgently approached the writer and PD Choi.
As if it couldn’t wait a moment longer.
“Mr. Sun-il…?”
“PD sir, writer, isn’t there a little filming left? I have a thought on how to conclude the next scene.”
Kim Sun-il then calmly explained afterward.
The situation after Lee Kang-cheol reaches the warehouse, and his dialogue with Kim Yu-han—all of it was meticulously detailed.
“….”
PD Choi Hee-won and writer Lee Geum-sook didn’t respond with any words. They merely stroked their chins with serious expressions. Then, after exchanging a glance,
“…Alright. Let’s do it now.”
They nodded their heads in approval to Kim Sun-il.
…
…
…
…
…
…
And now.
“Okay─! Perfect─!”
Starting with PD Choi Hee-won’s deafening shout, everyone flooded in like a flock of sheep.
What it implied was clear.
The climax filming had been successfully concluded. However, it didn’t merely end. The results left the entire crew on the set excited, creating a fervent and satisfying conclusion.
“No reshoots! This takes it. No question about it!”
“Mr. Sun-il’s interpretation was amazing. And Sua’s response was equally excellent! This is exactly why I wrote the climax script this way. Yes! I thought you’d pull it off!”
PD Choi Hee-won and writer Lee Geum-sook were completely enraptured.
“Mr. Sun-il is insane….”
“Did you see Sua? Usually, she’d look like a drowned rat, but not this time. She looks like a goddess no matter how much water she gets hit with….”
“The chemistry between them is insane. There’s no other way to describe it. Insane.”
This applied equally to the other staff and actors.
The climax filming.
Of course, this was synonymous with ‘hell’ in the industry.
Naturally so. Since they were capturing the most exciting and tense moments of the story, it required immense effort, with reshoots in the hundreds or thousands being common.
But what they experienced today was not hell.
If anything, it felt more like paradise.
A single take. Yet, it produced results that felt almost redemptive.
Indeed, the staff were freed from an overwhelming workload, and the writer and PD Choi were delivered from an incomplete piece.
And there was yet another person who found redemption.
Kim Sun-il.
He redeemed himself, and simultaneously was redeemed.
“Haa…”
Kim Sun-il heaved a sigh of relief.
A literal sigh of relief.
Free of all sorts of pressures, he felt his younger sister would be satisfied with this. But most importantly, his own heart felt lighter.
He deeply inhaled several times, reflecting on the complex emotions within him.
As he had yet to completely separate himself from Lee Kang-cheol. There were many similarities between Lee Kang-cheol and himself.
Kim Sun-il suddenly looked at Sua.
“….”
Sua, who had already moved beyond Kim Yu-han, was now calmly gazing at the sky. Kim Sun-il quietly approached her, stood nearby, and asked:
“Are you alright?”
The question seemed silly even to Kim Sun-il himself. Sua had clearly moved past Kim Yu-han, and there was no sign of her struggling with filming. He should be worrying about himself, yes.
Sua, of course, nodded.
“Hmm? Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.”
“Are you hurt anywhere? You got thrown around earlier.”
“Don’t worry about it. You didn’t throw me that hard.”
“…It’s good news anyway.”
While checking on her condition was part of the motive, there was another reason Kim Sun-il started a conversation. There was something he wanted to say to Sua.
Difficult. He had never said anything like this before.
But soon he resolved himself.
After all, the favor she had done him was immense.
“Sua.”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
A single word, brimming with sincerity.
Naturally, since Sua felt the sincerity, she was a little flustered.
‘…Thank you? For what? Why?’
As far as Sua was concerned, she couldn’t think otherwise. The interpretation for the final part of the climax was Kim Sun-il’s, and she merely played along effortlessly. Kim Sun-il quietly continued.
“Do you remember our conversation?”
“Hmm?”
“Instead of obsessively recalling things you have to do, try focusing on what you want to do. That helped.”
“Oh, of course. I remember perfectly.”
Sua became even more awkward.
The reason she said that to Sun-il back then was trivial. She had merely voiced something that had come to mind while responding to his queries.
But that’s how enlightenment usually works.
The desperately seeking soul doesn’t always need something grand to reach the next level; often, the smallest spark is enough. For Kim Sun-il, that spark was Sua’s words.
However, their conversation couldn’t continue for long.
The people around them couldn’t leave them alone.
“What are you two talking about so enthusiastically?”
“Join us! It was absolutely incredible, you know!”
Countless voices began to erupt, impossible to handle one by one. Of course, neither Sua nor Kim Sun-il minded. This showed how much everyone cared for this work.
Of course, among them, there were those who worried.
“Maybe you’re hurt somewhere?”
“Why such serious expressions?”
“Well, you two are extremely important actors…!”
It was understandable to think that way. After all, both Kim Sun-il and Sua appeared rather solemn.
At that moment, Kim Sun-il realized something and said,
“PD sir, could you cover Sua with something like a blanket?”
“Got it! Ah, maybe it’s a cold?”
“No, not exactly….”
Kim Sun-il didn’t finish his statement.
But PD Choi Hee-won soon understood the meaning, and the others nearby also grasped why a blanket was necessary. Among the women, there were audible gasps.
The reason was simple…
“Sua… her clothes are soaked and her figure is showing completely.”
“Oh my, how embarrassing. They’re so noticeable….”
“How does her body look like that? Is it genetic?”
“Will this scene be flagged for review?”
Everyone had been so excited about the successful climax filming that they hadn’t noticed initially, but now they saw. Sua’s soaked clothes clearly outlined her every curve.
Seo Yeon-joo was also among them.
“How can water do this? Beautiful face, big chest, big hips… Is that it? Wait, that’s all of it? Ah, I suddenly feel a headache.”
The epitome of purity, yet Seo Yeon-joo had never hoped for that. Her body just naturally had that physique, so sadly…
At any rate,
Sua, realizing the intense stares around her,
“….”
Not fully understanding, simply tilted her chin up confidently.
Sua being her unbothered self.
—
Night.
Thanks to the successful navigation of the climax, the filming site had now turned into a makeshift party venue. Everywhere cups clinked and laughter echoed. There was no shortage of grilled meat either.
However, Sua wasn’t part of the festivities.
She quietly stayed in the rest area inside the barracks.
Of course, it wasn’t that she disliked grilled beef. She was entirely captivated by something else. Her special talent.
[Special Talent]
[Special Talent proficiency has increased.]
[Special Talent now considers you a friend.]
[“Yeoncheon-kyung” has been unlocked.]
“What is this ‘Yeoncheon-kyung’? Give me a proper explanation if it’s unlocked! Do you know how frustrating this is? It’s my special talent, after all! Ugh, I can’t stand this!”
At that moment,
Did the talent hear her grumblings?
[Preparing tailored explanation…]
[Assessing subject’s level…]
[…]
“Uh?”
[Explanation failed.]
[Subject is primitive.]
[Information is being forcibly injected.]
“What?”
Pfft!
“Ow!”
And so, information was forcibly dumped into Sua’s brain.
Yeoncheon-kyung (演天境).
A realm of performance that only reveals itself when the desire to reach the heavens is most intense. Suddenly, Sua understood what “Yeoncheon-kyung” meant.
“So… this is like an ultimate move in a game?”
It seemed that way. Sort of like Sua’s signature skill.
No, and that actually made her a little uneasy.
“…Why didn’t you just explain it was an ultimate move?! Explain things properly. Why force injection?!”
The talent didn’t respond to her. In fact, Sua felt as if she had just been ignored by her talent.
“…”
A window popped up in front of Sua.
[Yeoncheon-kyung Compendium]
[1. Kim Sun-il ─ Yeoncheon-kyung: Reconciliation]
“Huh? Compendium?”
Looking at it wasn’t difficult.
Her talent included a Yeoncheon-kyung compendium, and it appeared Kim Sun-il’s Yeoncheon-kyung had been catalogued. The thought immediately sparked another question in her mind.
“Hold on.”
Sua pointed her index finger at her chin.
“My Yeoncheon-kyung? Why isn’t mine in here?”
Was she not there yet? Would her Yeoncheon-kyung be unlocked later when she met certain conditions?
But the talent offered no answer. Just a silent suggestion to chill and keep going.
In fact, Sua clearly felt the talent shaking its head. It was embarrassing, given the talent’s Arctic Fox face.
“If you’re going to act so rude, don’t use the Arctic Fox image.”
At that moment,
“Sua.”
With a rustle, the barracks entrance swung open, revealing a figure. Sua, who had been muttering, quickly shut her lips and straightened up.
“Ah, Manager Kim.”
As if nothing had happened, Sua reacted calmly, as if she’d just woken up from meditation.
[Sua Bold.]
Then she noticed a new window popping up.
“…Is this possible? Anyway, let’s ignore it for now.”
Unaware of the situation, Kim I-seo spoke.
“I thought you might be hungry, so I brought some.”
Sure enough, Kim I-seo held a plate of perfectly grilled beef. Sua inwardly felt deeply moved. Truly, the one who truly cherished her was only Manager Kim.
But image management was important. Image management.
“…Thank you.”
As Sua nonchalantly took the plate,
“However, Sua, I don’t think you’ll be able to eat right away.”
“Hmm?”
What did that mean? It was then that Sua finally sensed something off. Now looking closely, Kim I-seo wasn’t alone.
There were two men, one with a scruffy beard and the other neatly dressed with glasses.
“This is the CF team from the energy drink Extreme, and this is the new producing PD for Crescendo starting tomorrow.”
“Ah?”
“Both have expressed interest in you. Let’s discuss.”
After Manager Kim’s single sentence, there was a tense atmosphere around the two men.
“…”
Sua instinctively realized.
The big fish Manager Kim had mentioned before was right in front of her eyes.
—
Meanwhile, at the same time, on the film site,
“Is that person __-ssi?”
“Wow, really?”
“Goodness, that __-ssi…”
—
