TBM Vol 2 Part 21

Just before anyone else could step in, Sa Seung-yeon unleashed his pheromones to their limit and strode toward Bae Tak-soo. The smirk on his face had vanished, replaced by a chilling expression, lethal in its intent.

“…”

Bae Tak-soo made a choking sound, and even other Alphas nearby covered their mouths. The Betas on set widened their eyes in confusion. The set became restless as the pheromones spread far enough to be felt by other Alpha actors at a distance.

Amid the confusion, Sa Seung-yeon, the only one maintaining composure, spoke without changing his expression.

“Let’s stop wasting time. Shall we film?”

Sa Seung-yeon suppressed his pheromones and smiled with his eyes. Dazed, Bae Tak-soo belatedly gasped for breath before finally moving at his manager’s plea, while Director Chae Geum-soo sighed, holding his forehead.

Staring at Bae Tak-soo’s retreating back, Sa Seung-yeon returned to his chair without changing his expression and opened his script.

The silence on set didn’t easily subside. People began their tasks again discreetly, but no one approached Sa Seung-yeon, as if an invisible barrier surrounded him.

Hwan, the only one staying by Sa Seung-yeon’s side, kept glancing at him nervously. Sa Seung-yeon slowly turned a page and asked without looking at Hwan.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t tell the company.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hwan bit his lip, watching Sa Seung-yeon cross his legs and continue reading like a statue.

Hwan wouldn’t say anything, but the industry was fast. Word would reach the company soon. Not that Hwan was worried for Sa Seung-yeon; it was clearly Bae Tak-soo’s fault. Frankly, after the way Bae Tak-soo had snubbed Lee Il-seo’s greeting and thrown him sharp looks, it was satisfying to see someone put him in his place.

What surprised Hwan was how unfamiliar Sa Seung-yeon seemed. Sa Seung-yeon, who rarely showed emotions in public, always acted like a figure in a painting. He smiled when appropriate, stayed quiet when necessary, and appeared when needed. Hwan had considered it fortunate to manage Sa Seung-yeon, an actor who was always well-liked due to his quick judgment and social skills.

That’s why Hwan thought Sa Seung-yeon would simply ignore Bae Tak-soo’s outburst. Though  Lee Il-seo was a lead actor, he didn’t seem particularly close to Sa Seung-yeon, so there was no reason for Sa Seung-yeon to defend him and create friction with his sunbae Bae Tak-soo.

But Sa Seung-yeon had shown anger on set for the first time. When Sa Seung-yeon, whom Hwan considered more dedicated to his work than any actor in Korea, pressured Bae Tak-soo by even mentioning his withdrawal from the project, Hwan was so shocked he struggled to maintain his composure.

‘Does he have a personal relationship with actor Lee Il-seo?’

Sa Seung-yeon had taken the intoxicated Lee Il-seo home before. It was surprising that he’d gone to a place even Gu Dong-yeong didn’t know about.

As Hwan’s thoughts wandered, a familiar figure approached, timidly peeking from behind the corner. As if summoned by his thoughts, Lee Il-seo appeared. Hwan stepped aside with practiced tact, and Lee Il-seo bowed gratefully.

 Lee Il-seo approached Sa Seung-yeon and bowed again.

“Sunbaenim… I’m sorry.”

“For what? How’s the injury?”

Sa Seung-yeon turned to meet his eyes, and Lee Il-seo pressed his lips together before answering bravely.

“I’m fine.”

Sa Seung-yeon’s eyes flicked briefly to the side of his face—ear, cheek—then back to the script.

“I feel bad for causing problems.”

“That’s for Bae Tak-soo to say. Don’t worry and focus on filming.”

“Yes.”

“Come to my place after we’re done.”

“Pardon?”

“There’s something we need to check.”

Sa Seung-yeon spoke without changing his voice or gaze while turning a page, and  Lee Il-seo curled his fingers at the sudden change of subject. Then he remembered the test results. After a brief pause in his breathing, Lee Il-seo nodded a beat late.

Twenty minutes later, filming resumed. Composed after some time in the car with Kyung-hyun, Lee Il-seo took his place, careful to avoid drawing Bae Tak-soo’s attention. When Bae Tak-soo appeared across from him, he seemed more focused on hitting his marks than starting anything new.

“Action!”

Kneeling at the designated moment, Bae Tak-soo managed to shed tears, though it seemed forced. Director Chae Geum-soo wasn’t entirely satisfied but gave the okay signal.

“Let’s move to the next scene. Jang Tae-hyun standby, and let’s rehearse the action coordination.”

Lee Il-seo swallowed dryly. The next scene happened to be even more intense. Sa Seung-yeon, who had been waiting behind the camera, walked up to Bae Tak-soo and spoke first.

“Sunbaenim, let’s coordinate.”

Bae Tak-soo didn’t answer but turned slightly and raised his head halfheartedly. Facing him, Sa Seung-yeon extended his hand appropriately.

“I’ll aim for here when you turn your head.”

It was the scene where Jang Tae-hyun was supposed to slap Han Beom-jae. With the right angle, it didn’t require actual contact. They adjusted their positions in silence. The subdued rehearsal ended, and filming began immediately without any further conversation.

“Action!”

Sa Seung-yeon walked steadily toward Bae Tak-soo, who was kneeling and crying, grabbed his collar, and pulled him up. Then his large hand rose and came down swiftly toward Bae Tak-soo’s face, creating a sound as it cut through the air.

“Ack?!”

Startled, Bae Tak-soo cried out and raised his arm to shield his face. Sa Seung-yeon’s hand stopped with just a paper-thin gap, and simultaneously, Director Chae Geum-soo stood up.

“Cut, what’s going on?”

“…”

“You—were you seriously about to hit me?!”

Bae Tak-soo’s eyes widened in disbelief. Sa Seung-yeon remained calm.Tak-soo

“What are you talking about?”

“Y-you clearly-“

Sa Seung-yeon cut off Bae Tak-soo, sighed deeply, and swept back his bangs.

“We coordinated everything, but if you suddenly move dangerously, what am I supposed to do, sunbaenim?”

His tone feigned concern, his eyes glancing at his palm. ‘I really might’ve hit him’, he seemed to say. Bae Tak-soo clenched his jaw, unable to argue.

Lee Il-seo also looked at Sa Seung-yeon with a bewildered expression before lowering his gaze. Having seen them up close, Sa Seung-yeon clearly seemed intent on hitting. And with that speed and force, Bae Tak-soo’s face would likely have been broken or burst open somewhere if he’d been hit. Director Chae Geum-soo, who simply thought the coordination was off, shouted from behind the camera.

“Let’s go again quickly. We need to finish before sunset.”

Grudgingly, they returned to their positions. Sa Seung-yeon gave a small bow, light and insincere, then took his place again. Bae Tak-soo knelt, visibly tenser than before. As Sa Seung-yeon raised his hand again, Bae Tak-soo clenched his hidden fist.

“Okay!”

Fortunately, this time Sa Seung-yeon’s hand merely grazed Bae Tak-soo’s cheekbone. As discussed beforehand, Bae Tak-soo fell to the ground, breathing heavily and blinking his eyes. Director Chae Geium-soo, taking the terrified expression as method acting, smiled brightly and gave the okay signal loudly.

Sa Seung-yeon extended his hand to the fallen Bae Tak-soo, but he ignored it and quickly left the set. Sa Seung-yeon withdrew his hand without erasing his subtle smile and completed the monitoring.

Lee Il-seo, who was monitoring alongside him, glanced at Sa Seung-yeon. With his hand on his waist, he was watching the screen with his usual composed expression and relaxed posture. He looked exactly like someone who hadn’t experienced any disturbance earlier.

Bae Tak-soo’s threatening voice and gestures had reminded Lee Il-seo of his stepfather Kang Hyung-won’s violence. A paralyzing fear had swept over him, and if Choi Kyung-hyun hadn’t intervened and pulled him away, he would have panicked.

He couldn’t express how grateful he was for Sa Seung-yeon’s words telling Choi Kyung-hyun to take him away quickly. Afterward, he had taken refuge in the car with Choi Kyung-hyun, so he didn’t know how Bae Tak-soo had managed to calm down and return to filming. He was also worried about whether Sa Seung-yeon had faced any backlash.

‘But just now…’

Bae Tak-soo, who participated in filming without complaint, seemed afraid of Sa Seung-yeon. Lee Il-seo finished monitoring without being unaware of everything that had transpired during his absence..

***

The location shifted again, and filming didn’t wrap until long past midnight. In the quiet car, Sa Seung-yeon rubbed his aching neck, slid in his earphones, and played a soft track song by a young voice. Staring out the window, his mind returned to the confrontation with Bae Tak-soo.

Why did I get so angry? 

Sa Seung-yeon understood himself at that moment less than anyone else. But at the time, it felt like he couldn’t see anything else.

When that hand struck Lee Il-seo, when the verbal abuse started, Lee Il-seo had just stood there, shaking, silent. No defense. No escape.

Unable to think of asking anyone for help, unable to offer even a single excuse to defuse the situation, he had just stood there blankly. Without realizing it, Sa Seung-yeon hadn’t thought. He had simply moved. If left alone, Lee Il-seo might—though it was unlikely—disappear, and that seemed worryingly precarious.

“Fuck…”

Feeling confused about this strange emotion, Sa Seung-yeon ended a long sigh with a curse, and he sensed Hwan flinching and glancing at the rearview mirror. Sa Seung-yeon kept his gaze toward the window. The soft, beautiful voice of the song layered over the afterimages of the passing scenery.

If he arrived home like this, Lee Il-seo would arrive shortly after. After checking the test results, he planned to propose regular intimate encounters with him.

Physical involvement with Lee Il-seo had many advantages. He wouldn’t have to maintain the tiresome friendliness with Gu Dong-yeong, nor waste time trying to quickly gain favor with strangers. Being a Beta, there was no worry about pregnancy, and Lee Il-seo clearly wouldn’t carelessly spread word of their relationship since he had much to lose if it became known.