LS Ch 3

I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.

Standing in front of a door labeled ‘Script Reading Room for “At the End of That Season,”‘ Jewoo took a deep breath. He had finally succumbed to his manager’s persuasion two weeks ago.

There shouldn’t be any genre prejudice in acting; BL works attract a lot of young female fans, and since he was constantly entangled with Kang Yiwon, he might as well properly establish a connection. He was lured in with all sorts of sweet talk. He didn’t agree with all of it, but as he read the script, he was drawn to the story. Regardless of whether it was about heterosexuality or homosexuality, the way the plot unfolded and the emotions built between the characters made him want to take on the role.

He shouldn’t have even looked at the script.

It was too late for regrets. By the time he had finished reading, his heart was pounding, and he couldn’t put the script down. When he reacted like that, it was already over.

Still, now that he was here for the script reading, he was worried about facing Kang Yiwon. Why did he feel so awkward about meeting a total stranger he’d never even seen? It was all because of SNS. People styled them together, sharpening their rivalry, and now there were even comments asking if they were dating, which made him uncomfortable. Kang Yiwon probably saw similar comments too.

Maybe Kang Yiwon didn’t check all the comments because there were too many on his SNS. While Jewoo’s posts might get around a hundred comments at most, Kang Yiwon’s received thousands each time, so he might not have seen them.

That thought somehow eased his mind. Even if he had seen the comments linking them together, what of it? It wasn’t Jewoo who wrote them; it was the fans making up stories. In fact, if you looked at it, he was the victim here. So, there was no need to be nervous.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked and opened the door.

“Hello, I’m Han Jewoo.”

Greeting with a bright smile, the actors and staff who were already there welcomed him with smiles. Some of them had worked with Jewoo before.

“Jewoo, I accepted because you were coming.”

Among the seasoned actors, one waved at Jewoo, welcoming him. Smiling back, Jewoo looked around and saw some peers he hadn’t met before, still looking stiff and only nodding in acknowledgment. Jewoo bowed to them and took his seat where his name was written.

The seat next to him was still empty. Kang Yiwon. A piece of paper with just his three-letter name lay quietly.

“Kang Yiwon said he might be a bit late due to another schedule he had before deciding to do our project. He can’t cancel it, so please understand.”

One of the staff explained why Kang Yiwon was late.

After brief introductions from the production company, director, and actors, they started the script reading from scenes without Kang Yiwon. There were a few newcomers and actors from idol backgrounds, but surprisingly, there were also many solid veteran actors. His manager had emphasized several times how much effort the production company was putting into this project, and now he understood why.

About an hour in, there was a knock at the door. Everyone looked up from their scripts toward the entrance.

“I’m sorry for being late. I’m Kang Yiwon.”

A tall young man entered and bowed deeply.

“It’s okay. We heard about your situation. Please, take your seat.”

An older actor with a hearty laugh gestured to him, but Kang Yiwon still bowed to everyone once more, apologizing.

“I heard rumors, but you really are very handsome.”

One of the senior actors tried to ease his tension with a playful remark. Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Mr. Yiwon, your seat is over here.”

A staff member guided him to his seat. Jewoo pulled out the chair next to him for Kang Yiwon and bowed slightly. Kang Yiwon returned the gesture.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Han Jewoo.”

Jewoo extended his hand for a shake, and Kang Yiwon’s gaze followed downward. Instead of immediately shaking hands, he just stared for a moment, making Jewoo feel awkward, but then Kang Yiwon finally shook his hand.

“Nice to meet you.”

Looking up at his face, Jewoo saw a smile that seemed almost too professional. Having dealt with all sorts of people since childhood, Jewoo was sensitive to such things. Maybe. The profession of acting was half about maintaining a crafted image. Not that Jewoo was any different, as he was smiling prettily at Kang Yiwon.

“Since Mr. Yiwon is here, can we start reading the scenes with him?”

The director asked as they moved to scenes with Kang Yiwon. With him participating, there were quite a few scenes with just Jewoo and Kang Yiwon.

“You are a hostage from Ming. Every time you try to commit suicide, we will behead and display the body of one loyal minister or royal from Ming.”

As Kang Yiwon began his lines, the room fell silent. Although he had only done modern romance dramas before, his historical drama tone was fitting – his concerns were unnecessary. His voice was lower than expected, giving weight to his lines.

“If you succeed in committing suicide…”

Kang Yiwon looked up from the script to Jewoo beside him, their eyes meeting right as he looked up. Unlike when he entered and apologized, there was a cold look in his eyes now.

“Not a single citizen of your country will survive.”

His voice, though quiet, was clear, making Jewoo’s heart pound. It felt like an invisible sword was pointed at his throat. It wasn’t Kang Yiwon in front of him but his character ‘Geonhwon’ from the story.

A chill ran down his spine, his hair standing on end. The sensation was more than what he had anticipated, sending shivers through his entire body. Simultaneously, Jewoo began to immerse himself in his own role.

As the two exchanged lines, the other actors watched in silence. Jewoo’s acting was beyond doubt, but Kang Yiwon was a surprise. Thought to be just another idol turned actor, his delivery was unexpectedly compelling. One of the middle-aged actors watched with a smile, chin resting on his hand.

“What are you doing here?”

The scene changed. Kang Yiwon appeared before Jewoo’s character, disguised, with a softer tone and expression than when he was threatening his life earlier.

“Are you here to arrest me?”

It was a scene where Kang Yiwon’s character extends a hand to Jewoo’s character, ‘Haeyul,’ who is sitting on the ground. Kang Yiwon actually reached out his hand to Jewoo, but Jewoo rejected it and stood up by himself.

“That’s enough, ouch!”

Although in the script, Kang Yiwon’s character forcefully grabs Jewoo’s arm to pull him up, causing him to be startled, in reality, Jewoo’s voice squeaked when Kang Yiwon grabbed and pulled his real arm.

“The ground is still cold.”

He whispered into Jewoo’s ear, letting go of his arm and smiling gently. Jewoo couldn’t take his eyes off that smile. He felt like he had truly become ‘Haeyul,’ staring at Kang Yiwon with a dazed look.

“Winter must be ending.”

His gentle voice made it feel like a warm breeze was blowing from somewhere.

“Okay. Good! Mr. Yiwon, that was really good just now.”

The director was very pleased. Only then did Jewoo look away from Kang Yiwon and turn his head. Although he was looking at the script, his heart was still pounding.

For a brief moment, he was completely overwhelmed by Kang Yiwon’s acting. Admitting this made him chuckle. His determination not to be outdone in acting grew stronger.

After that, there was a scene where Jewoo sobbed. Seeing Jewoo’s eyes turn red and tears streaming down, the actor sitting opposite him also started to sniffle. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Even after the scene ended, Jewoo couldn’t stop crying, and a veteran actor who had worked with him before let out a wry laugh, saying he was still the same.

“Here.”

When something was pushed toward him, it turned out to be a handkerchief. It was from Kang Yiwon.

“I’m fine though…”

The handkerchief seemed too expensive to use, and it felt awkward to wipe his tears with something Kang Yiwon had given him.

“Here’s some tissue.”

The actress Choi Ji-yu, sitting opposite, pushed an entire pack of tissues toward him. She was the same age as Jewoo and they had met in several projects, so they were quite comfortable with each other.

“Thanks.”

As Jewoo accepted the tissues, Kang Yiwon’s face slightly hardened, but Jewoo didn’t notice because he was busy wiping his tears.

Once Jewoo had calmed down, the director moved on to the next scene. The scene the director chose was, unfortunately, the ‘first night’ between the two characters in the drama. The director explained that ‘Haeyul’ and ‘Geonhwon’ were each hiding complex feelings and thoughts, potentially spending what might be their last night together.

As Jewoo skimmed through the script, the smile gradually disappeared from his face. Their lips meet in a passionate kiss, clothes coming undone, a large hand slipping through the collar to touch his chest…

“Oh my god. Are we really going to film this? Will it be broadcastable?”

When Jewoo pointed at the script and asked, the director and staff assured him they would cut it appropriately, so not to worry.

He was prepared for the kiss but thought the rest would fade out… He glanced at Kang Yiwon sitting beside him. Even he, despite his calm expression, had bright red ears, indicating he hadn’t anticipated this either.

No matter how you looked at it, accepting this seemed like a mistake. A sincere regret began to wash over him.