Chapter 65

When I entered Photographer Lee’s studio, the first thought that came to my mind was that it was a good idea to bring a manager along. The ones being tested today were me, the good-looking guy, and Hyungseok. I had warned Photographer Lee not to be overly friendly with me, but as soon as he saw me, he came running from a distance with his hand over his heart.

“Ah! Tae… gasp! CEO Choi!”

The manager pushed me aside and stepped forward, raising his hand and saying hello to him.

“Woosh- go away, Photographer Lee. Whoosh, woosh-”

The manager waved his hand like he was chasing a chicken. Photographer Lee’s face distorted for a moment, but when he saw my expressionless face, he smiled shyly and sidled up to me. The manager immediately crossed his arms in front of him and blocked his way. Then, as Photographer Lee was pushed away with a flop, he staggered backwards and glared at the manager with wronged eyes.

“Because of CEO Choi, I went to the Amazon to find Taemin, who wasn’t even there, and the alligators, alligators…”

As he swallowed his tears, he couldn’t properly connect his words, and the manager’s sharp eyes shone.

“Why? Did you even make eye contact with a crocodile?”

“Huh! How did you do that?!”

As much as Photographer Lee, I was also a little surprised. For the first time, my manager really started to look like my manager.

“Photographer Lee, you’re not gonna get through to me, so just give up and go over there and do your thing. Woosh-”

But before backing off, he jerked his head all the way to the side and mouthed some words at me.

‘Everything is set.’

As I watched him run away excitedly again, the manager asked curiously.

“What did he say? Did he buy a pet? No, why is he bragging to you about buying a pet?!”

***

The shooting time per person for the test was not long. Rather, the prep time was several times longer. By the time evening fell, the filming was all finished and all that was left to do was wait. At Photographer Lee’s words that he would make a decision right away, the good-looking guy, Hyungseok and I were left waiting in the same room.

Of course, the two of them sat apart ignoring me, but that didn’t mean they were having a conversation with each other. The reason was simple. Originally, when the two of them were together, Hyungseok usually spoke up, but he kept his mouth shut now. His face was pale, and his body looked tired, as if he had been forced to stand for the entire shoot.

He barely cracked a smile when Photographer Lee shouted, “Is that all you can do,” and his brows were sweating as if it was hard to even sit down. It’s been 40 minutes since the three of us have been in the room without a word. I checked my watch and turned to the two of them. Soon, as promised, Photographer Lee’s assistant would come in to give us a conclusion.

‘Leave the three of us alone and inform us of the conclusion after 50 minutes. With the person I told you about.’

Photographer Lee must be outside drinking coffee while watching the time to keep his promise. And the act begins when ‘he’ noticed my gaze and made a little eye contact with me.

“Are you being cocky?”

Both of them looked at me with surprised eyes at the same time at my sudden snide remark. Hyungseok just frowned as if it was difficult to speak, while the good-looking guy asked in a firm voice.

“What are you talking about?”

“Not you. The guy named Hyungseok next to you.”

When I pointed at him, he struggled to open his mouth.

“What about me?”

“I’m asking if you’re being cocky.”

“What am I… Ha, fuck, what do you mean I’m being cocky?”

I deliberately tilted my head.

“It’s all been decided who will be doing this. Aren’t you trying to be cocky?”

“What? It’s decided?”

He looked back at the good looking guy with a questioning look. Of course, he shook his head with wide-open eyes as if he had heard the story for the first time. After watching the two of them check with each other, I replied to Hyungseok again.

“You’re acting like you don’t know what I’m talking about. Do you think it’s funny that I came here to be tested when I know I’m going to fail?”

“What the hell are you talking about…”

“It’s you, isn’t it.”

“Me?”

I lowered my head and let out an uncontrollable laugh.

“Haha, I’m really pissed off. ‘Me’? Since you won this job from the beginning, what ‘me’? Fuck, stop pretending to play innocent.”

Hyungseok seemed really startled and forgot the pain and got up from his seat.

“I… won? What are you talking about? I know nothing.”

But at my next words, the surprised expression turned cold.

“You don’t know, my ass. You are Song Yoohan’s lackey. Is there anyone in this industry who doesn’t know that Photographer Lee liked and was dumped by Song Yoohan? Besides, he has not forgotten Song Yoohan yet, so he doesn’t even find another lover. So, of course, he will listen to everything Song Yoohan says.”

I sneered at him as he stood up.

“Do you know what the first thing I heard from the staff was after coming here? Photographer Lee is in a great mood today.”

He was actually in a good mood. Probably because he saw me.

“I asked why, and he said, ‘I got a call from Song Yoohan this morning. Why do you think he called? He must have asked to cast you, his lackey. Fuck, are you still trying to evade this?”

I pressed on with irritation, but he only bit his lower lip, stiff and pale. He stood like that for a while, unaware that I and the good-looking guy were openly watching him. Several thoughts must have been going through his mind.

If Song Yoohan called, would he really be doing it for him? But being trampled on by Song Yoohan would disrupt him from thinking like that. He would conclude that he was wary of him and wouldn’t help him. And as his eyebrows were getting more and more furrowed, the door opened with a rattle, and the expected assistant came in.

“Sorry for making you wait so long. Photographer Lee said,”

The assistant looked at each person and smiled.

“He wants you to stay and discuss the actual filming with him. And Lee Taemin as well.”

The assistant looked at me, then back at Hyungseok, who was still standing.

“And Min Hyungseok, you can go back.”

And when the assistant told the good looking guy that he was chosen to follow him, he stood up with a bewildered face.

“Pardon me, but are you mistaken? It shouldn’t be me, it should be Hyungseok…”

The good looking guy’s words trailed off and he looked back at Hyungseok and lightly grabbed his arm.

“Are you okay?”

However, Hyungseok hurriedly pushed his hand away and cursed

“Fuck, get away.”

He turned his face, contorted with rage, toward the wall. So the smiling good-looking guy couldn’t see him. However, he managed to create an apologetic voice.

“Something must be wrong. I’ll find out.”

When he and the assistant left and only the two of us were left, Hyungseok slumped down in his seat as if he had lost his strength. He lowered his head, forgetting I was there. Staring at him, I started the most important line of this performance.

“Did Song Yoohan turn against you?”

His shoulders flinched in response. I slowly waited for him to raise his eyes, matched his gaze, and said the next line.

“Otherwise, there’s no way you, who used to take care of Song Yoohan’s chores, would be left out of this job.”

He just bit his lower lip again till it nearly bled. I changed my voice to a soothing and consoling one.

“It’s obvious why Song Yoohan turned against you. You did something better than Song Yoohan, didn’t you? That bastard, when he finds someone better than himself, he nips them in the bud. Shall I give you some advice?”

“… Shut up.”

He barely uttered but his trembling voice didn’t even sound like resistance to me.

“Get out of there, or step on Song Yoohan.”

I smiled as I watched his head snap up completely. Then I could faintly hear a question.

“… how?”

“Do you know that Song Yoohan is obsessed with cars? It seems that he did a lot of work to change to a new car this time. Maybe Chairman Kim helped him change it easily. But if he has to change cars again soon… Will Chairman Kim easily help this time? No, he would be angry. He already had to spend a lot of money on Dream Project. If Chairman Kim starts to detest him, Song Yoohan is nothing. Then, even you can step on him, isn’t that so?”

I pointed out only the important points to him, who was blank for a moment.

“That is, if Song Yoohan ever needs to buy a new car again.”

When I left him deep in thought and came out, the good looking guy was waiting for me at the entrance of the studio.

“Do you think it will work out?”

I nodded at the concerned question. Before I came out, Hyungseok’s eyes were venomous.

“It’s going to be fine, you just need to do one more thing.”

“What thing?”

“Song Yoohan will need money soon. I need you to introduce him to someone.”

I handed him a business card and left. I apologized to the manager who was waiting for me, but I told him I had a prior appointment and came out to the dark street separately. It’s a very familiar place that I’ve been visiting periodically for 5 years, but it felt strange to visit after a few months. It was time for most offices to close, but I knew it was still within working hours here, so I opened the door without knocking and entered. Inside, the person who was giggling while watching TV smiled happily when he saw me.

“Hey, look who is this? Lee Yoohan, do you need money again?”

The owner of a loan company I hadn’t seen in a while sat and waved at me. It was a signal to sit across from him, but I just stood there and briefly stated my purpose.

“Yes. It’s about money.”

“Really?”

After the laughter disappeared, he questioned as if he was puzzled, and made a sound, hmm.

“It is strange. You’re not the type to borrow money again.”

“It’s not for me.”

Hearing that it wasn’t for me, his eyes suddenly returned to the merchant’s eyes and shone with a greedy light.

“Then who?”

“A celebrity. You will be contacted soon asking for a loan. Then lend them whatever they ask for.”

“A celebrity… It’s fine, but it’s up to me to lend it.”

“His real name is Song Myungshin, and he lived with me five years ago. The guy who disappeared with the money I had collected back then.”

For a moment, the owner’s eyes shone fiercely.

“Oh, that bastard? You mean the bastard who ran off with my money?”

***

The next day I received a phone call from an unexpected person. I didn’t know the number, so I thought of ignoring it at first, but when I answered the phone after the persistent ringing, a familiar voice flowed from the receiver.

[Lee Baekwon, I am the manager of Alice.]

I was a little surprised, took the phone off my ear, checked the unfamiliar number, and finally answered.

“… Yes.”

[It’s been a while since you’ve been to Alice. How about visiting today?]

“I don’t want to.”

[…]

There was such a long silence that I thought the other side had hung up, and then I heard his voice again.

[Please reconsider.]

“What is it? Tell me the truth.”

Needless to say, I wondered if the boss of Alice had ordered it, but his answer was unexpected.

[The boss… is in a very bad mood. He hasn’t had any energy since an unpleasant guest came and went yesterday. It’s sympathetic to see.]

Seeing the manager talk like this, it seemed like something was really going on. But why was he asking me to come?

“Will my presence make him feel any different?”

[Yes.]

“…”

[If Lee Baekwon comes, he will feel much better.]

I was about to ask why again, but the manager understood and explained the reason.

[Until now, I have never seen him laugh as loudly as when he met Lee Baekwon while serving the boss.]

Laughing out loud? One thing came to my mind at the moment. Damn, he was talking about the time when he used to make a fuss all alone about the 200 won thing. However, the curse that was about to come out was frozen by the manager’s sincere words.

[The boss laughed that day and almost called 911 due to breathing difficulties.]

I still don’t know why I didn’t throw the phone away at this point. However, to me it was a moment I cursed, but to the manager, it was hope, so he added with emphasis.

[Would you like to come and cheer our boss up?]

So, you’re telling me to go over there and stick my head out and say, ’50 won came,’ or something?