༺ Requesting Cloud Support from a Shooting Star – 15 ༻
Eun-sung, who had been tense and stiff, instantly brightened at the words ‘both of you’ and looked back at Hee-wook.
On the contrary, Hee-wook froze when the unexpected situation was confirmed. He had followed Eun-sung hoping for an opportunity, but as he waited, he realized it was a vain hope, so he was taken aback by the sudden casting.
One by one, those sitting in the place began to rise. The director also got up, grabbing his coat.
“I will work hard!”
Eun-sung bowed deeply towards the director, shouting loudly. Startled, Hee-wook also bent his body following him. The director raised his hand and waved it in response.
Hee-wook shifted his gaze from the director to Kyung Seo, who was sitting next to him. He was still sitting, resting his chin and looking down at something. As he was about to greet him, licking his lips, Eun-sung grabbed Hee-wook’s arm.
“Let’s go, bro.”
“Ah… okay.”
Eun-sung turned around, beaming. Hee-wook walked, almost being pulled, in an awkward position.
Just before leaving the audition venue, they left their contact information with the staff and rushed out together. Eun-sung, who had hurriedly walked out, shook Hee-wook’s arm up and down, which he had been holding all along.
“Bro! Just a moment! I need to use the restroom!”
Looking at the slightly embarrassed Eun-sung, Hee-wook gave a resigned smile.
“No wonder you were in such a hurry to get out.”
“Ah! Think about it! I’ve been frozen from before and now my tension has completely melted.”
Eun-sung, frowning deeply, looked around. As soon as he found the restroom sign, he started moving quickly.
“I’ll be back quickly! Please wait!”
“Take your time.”
Hee-wook scratched his head as he watched Eun-sung running off. The reality of the situation began to sink in late.
The role, according to the director, was closer to a bit part than a supporting role, but still, being the protagonist’s friend was a pretty good position.
Although the protagonist’s expression wasn’t great.
“…Haa.”
He regretted following him unnecessarily but his chest swelled with the thought that he did well in gathering the courage to come. After leaning against the wall for a moment, he sensed people moving inside the studio. Fearing that it would be awkward if he met them here, Hee-wook moved his steps.
[I’ll be at the vending machine.]
Deciding he should go back to where he was waiting for Eun-sung earlier, he left a message and moved. He plopped down on the leisure chair placed in front of the vending machine.
The harsh sunlight had waned. He blankly stared at the window where the slackened afternoon sunlight streamed in and pulled out his phone. He hadn’t checked his face in a long time. He wasn’t in his best condition for sure, but the fact that the director had briefly scanned him and cast him made him curious about his state.
Hee-wook, who had plugged in his earphones and started playing music, lowered his mask slightly. He checked his face with the front camera.
He looked at his facial features by rotating the angles back and forth. Since he was accompanying as a manager anyway, he felt the makeup was too much, so he came with a bare face, having applied only sunscreen. As time passed and he felt tired, it seemed especially dull.
‘Do I not look like an uncle?’
Hee-wook, who had dissed himself internally, lifted one corner of his mouth.
Already twenty-nine. His own age suddenly felt a lot. He had vowed to work hard in any role earlier, but he suddenly worried and doubted whether it would be okay to play the role of Kyung Seo’s friend, who was twenty years old. He was checking his facial features more carefully while stroking his chin.
He heard footsteps. Thinking that Eun-sung had returned, Hee-wook turned his head while leaning on the chair.
“I’m back…….”
However, Hee-wook froze with his mouth slightly open. The man standing there was not Eun-sung. A large man with fierce eyes was looking down at Hee-wook. Hee-wook hastily pulled his mask up.
“Kyung Seo?”
Cheon Kyung Seo moved his head, his arms crossed.
“Continue taking your picture?”
His tone sounded dry and unenthusiastic. Hee-wook blankly looked at Kyung Seo, then blushed when he saw his phone still switched on to the camera. He had been caught checking his face in selfie mode. Embarrassment washed over him. He hurriedly put his phone in his pocket.
“No, it’s not like that.”
“You’re not taking it?”
“Yes.”
“……Why?”
Hee-wook, who had been looking down, raised his head. Kyung Seo was asking him with wide-open eyes. Why wasn’t he taking a selfie? Unable to understand the question, Hee-wook’s mouth twisted.
“Pardon?”
Thinking that being cast on the spot while accompanying a friend would naturally excite him enough to take pictures. When Hee-wook made a baffled expression, Kyung Seo lowered his head, saying “Ah.”
“I was just asking. Weren’t you leaving earlier?”
“I was waiting because the friend I came with stepped away for a moment.”
“Ah…… Lee Eun-sung.”
Despite being a successful actor, Hee-wook frowned as Kyung Seo carelessly called an older person’s name.
“……You mean, Mr. Lee.”
Fortunately, Kyung Seo added the honorific before Hee-wook could get annoyed. Hee-wook guessed that Kyung Seo must have been uncertain about the name, so he once again quietly looked down. He saw his black shoes.
He had nothing to say to a stranger he’d just met, and wished Kyung Seo would leave, but his feet didn’t budge. He could feel the piercing gaze of Kyung Seo on his crown. It was extremely uncomfortable.
‘When is Eun-sung coming?’
Just as his dissatisfaction towards the yet to arrive Eun-sung was growing inside him, Kyung Seo spoke again.
“You’re acting for the first time, right?”
Hee-wook raised his head. Kyung Seo still wore an impassive face.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Work hard.”
To the straightforward reply, Hee-wook put more intensity into his gaze. The face of Kyung Seo, who had been frowning heavily beside the director earlier, came to mind.
‘It seems I’m indeed not pleasing to him.’
Hee-wook clenched his teeth, then tried hard to compose his expression.
“Yes, I will.”
“Sung Hee-wook.”
Even against his firmly resolved words, Kyung Seo did not bat an eyelash. Instead, it was Hee-wook who was surprised when Kyung Seo pronounced his name with a low and deep voice. Just before, the director and the staff did not call his name. He hadn’t even mentioned it.
“Do you know my name?”
“Yes, of course.”
Hee-wook stared at Kyung Seo with wide eyes. Before he could verify how Kyung Seo knew his name, he abruptly asked.
“I’ve been wondering since earlier, why do you speak like that?”
At the sharp tone that seemed to run up his spine, Hee-wook wore a perplexed expression.
“My speaking style?”
“You usually are a bit more…….”
Kyung Seo avoided his eyes and pulled his mask a little higher.
“Weren’t you softer before?”
Hee-wook frowned at the unexpected remark. This was not a matter of feeling, but it felt like an obvious provocation. Anyone could see that the young top actor’s tone was far from ‘soft’. It even sounded arrogant and haughty, beyond stiffness. Moreover, ‘usually’, as if they had met before.
“…What do you mean?”
“You were an idol.”
“Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?”
“As the situation gets tough, your expression and tone become stiff… Is it something like that?”
Hee-wook, who was rigid, sized up Kyung Seo. The fatigue-laden tone, the furrowed brows. Faced with the cold questions pouring like a sudden rain, he temporarily lost his words. The words presuming Hee-wook’s state at will were close to rude. Emotions boiled up.
Just as he was about to make an excuse or a rebuttal, one cheek of Kyung Seo, who had been glaring with wide eyes as if to devour his opponent, trembled slightly.
“I wish you would smile a bit.”
The last remark was almost inaudible as it was quieter than the previous words.
‘What does he want?’
Hee-wook stared at Kyung Seo with a confused look. He did not immediately understand the intention behind the remarks.
No matter how positively he tried to interpret it, such a question between strangers seemed like nothing more than a provocation.
‘Because I’m an idol, I should smile? Does he think I’m a machine?’
A vein popped in his forehead. He wanted to shout out in anger. However, recalling the hard-earned drama opportunity, he held back his temper and barely managed to speak.
“I have a cold face, regardless of my profession.”
Kyung Seo opened his eyes slightly.
“And I’m also rather curt in my speech.”
He tried to smile, but his lips trembled. For the first time that day, Hee-wook was thankful for wearing a mask.
“…Still, I’ll do my best to act according to the character. Please look favorably upon me, senior.”
Regardless of when Two Planet debuted or what their ages were, Kyung Seo was naturally a senior in acting. So he intentionally used the term ‘senior’, but at that moment, wrinkles formed on Kyung Seo’s smooth forehead.
Wondering if he had made a mistake, Hee-wook was checking the atmosphere when Eun-sung appeared from the distant restroom. Hee-wook’s eyes widened. He had never been so glad to see Eun-sung.
“My friend just came out, so I’ll be leaving.”
Hee-wook bowed toward Kyung Seo. Eager to escape this uncomfortable situation as soon as possible, he quickly stepped away. Just as he was about to pass by Kyung Seo, who was as large as a door.
“Just a moment.”
At the faint voice, Hee-wook stopped in his tracks. He turned his head. Kyung Seo looked even larger from this close. As he dumbly continued thoughts like, ‘What did he eat to grow so tall? Are all kids growing so well these days?’, Kyung Seo suddenly held out his phone.
“Leave your contact information.”
Without even making eye contact, he extended his hand. Hee-wook stared wide-eyed at Kyung Seo’s phone.
“My number?”
“…Communication via DM would be difficult.”
Kyung Seo clicked his phone, shaking it. As Hee-wook just stood still, he added,
“You’re appearing as my friend’s role, right? We’re bound to need to contact each other.”
“Ah, yes……”
Hee-wook side-eyed Kyung Seo’s face and took the phone. It was intimidating, as if not a senior actor asking for his number, but a gangster demanding money.
‘Why don’t you speak a bit softer? Anyone would think I refused to give my number.’ In a situation where the protagonist is asking for a contact number, a minor role has no choice but to agree. Complaining inwardly, Hee-wook pressed the eleven-digit number.
He felt oddly nervous as if Kyung Seo’s gaze was glued to his fingers. After entering all the numbers, Hee-wook handed the phone back to Kyung Seo and bowed.
“Then I’ll really get going now.”
Kyung Seo took the phone. He immediately pressed the call button. Hee-wook felt his own phone vibrate in his pocket, but without checking it, he hurriedly moved his feet. He practically ran past Kyung Seo. As Eun-sung was standing with his mouth agape, looking his way, he quickly ran up and grabbed his arm.
“What’s up? Did you talk to Cheon Kyung Seo?”
“Uh-uh, let’s go quickly.”
Eun-sung pressed the elevator button. As it was already at the 8th floor, the doors immediately opened. As soon as Hee-wook entered and the doors closed, he let out a deep sigh and relaxed his shoulders.
“Hey, Cheon Kyung Seo’s personality is weird.”
“Why?”
“He’s rude.”
Half out of it, Hee-wook spat out these words, causing Eun-sung to flinch and then chuckle.
“Ah, he does look like that.”
“And he’s odd.”
“Huh? What’s odd?”
Hee-wook, furrowing his brows, tried to recall his conversation with Kyung Seo. He was truly puzzled as to why he suddenly mentioned DM while asking for his contact number. He pressed his knitted brow with his finger.
“While asking for my contact number, he said it would be a bit difficult to communicate via DM. Suddenly, why DM? Was he trying to find me and talk to me on SNS?”
“Really? Well, these days, kids don’t use text or chat, they communicate through SNS messages.”
“Really?”
At Eun-sung’s casual response, Hee-wook widened his eyes. He didn’t know that was the trend these days.
“These days… I see.”
He felt embarrassed, thinking he was an old man who couldn’t keep up with the times, and smiled awkwardly.
“It seems like I’m stuck in the past.”
Hee-wook took out his phone from his pocket. There was one missed call. He stared at the unfamiliar number and pressed the screen with his thumb.
[Cheon Kyung Seo]
A new number was added to his contacts.
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