Chapter 2.2 

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Arriving at the drama set, I noticed Jung Hwanwoo was practicing his lines with others in the area. There seemed to be some slight tension between him and the actors. I thought about retreating back to my office, but right as I was about to leave, Jung Hwanwoo looked up in my direction. This was according to his script, unlike what came next. He stared at me and let out a sigh. 

“You’re here early,” I said.

He didn’t reply, silence stilled in the air.

‘.... I want to beat some into him.’

Just a few hours ago, we were embracing in an intimate position, biting and kissing each other like animals. Of course, this occurred in my dreams. The scenario of our s.e.xual encounter remained vivid in my memory. At the thought of his deep thrusts and low groans, a twinge of excitement electrified my body. 

As the memory of my dream continued, I noticed what Jung Hwanwoo wore today. His cobalt blue s.h.i.+rt fit him perfectly, emphasizing his muscular body. Slowly his current image merged with his nude version in the dream. Realizing the time and place were inappropriate, I shook my head to erase these lewd thoughts.

‘Are you crazy, Seo Kyujin!’ I thought, ‘If I get aroused here, then I’ll really lose face! I might even get killed!” 

Immediately, I rushed to a seat far away from Jung Hwanwoo and let out a sigh. I opened my water bottle, took a sip, and stealthily glanced at him. Oh, what a surprise, he was still watching me. 

With another sigh, I placed the bottle on the table and glanced down at the script on my lap. Reading over the script was my preparation for the upcoming war of words with Jung Hwanwoo. 

‘Let’s see… Min Jungseok’s line….’

“...I’m going crazy”

Right when I got ready to jot down notes, I could hear someone mumbling these words nearby. Despite the distance between us, his words infiltrated my ears, triggering my curiosity. The discomfort layered within his tone caused me to antic.i.p.ate another possible quarrel with him. I raised my head and turned towards him. Our eyes met and a thought came to my mind. Within the dreams, his pa.s.sionate eyes seduced me until we satisfied ourselves. But now, his stare made me uncomfortable, bringing s.h.i.+vers down my spine. The difference between the two gazes is something I need to get used to. Suddenly, my chest began to ache.

‘Why is this happening? Why is my heart throbbing in pain?’

I glanced back up and sighed once more. He was still watching me.

“What is it now?”

“I just can’t seem to get used to it. This method of treatment isn’t working.”

Although his voice was low, his words still trickled into my ears. In shock, my eyes widened and I grew speechless. Slowly, my expression morphed into indifference.

Personally, I do not like having conflicts with others. If I am able to avoid a fight then I will proceed with that route. But, this does not mean I can’t stubbornly defend my opinions. My preference is to resolve an issue without causing trouble. Despite the ongoing war between Jung Hwanwoo and me, due to my illness and exhaustion I did not want to argue today. My stomach has been sore and I haven’t had much of an appet.i.te since yesterday evening. Due to my physically exhausting dream, I’ve been subdued to a mindless zombie. I could only rudely ask for some rest from our banters today.

“If you want…”

“I’ll make it as concise as possible. Just two sentences, alright?”

Today, the scene of Min Jungseok’s argument with his family would ensue. Jung Hwanwoo must want to ‘discuss’ this right now. I marked on the location of this scene on the script and prepared for his remarks. In the past, I would’ve retorted his statements and argued until I ran out of spit. I may have even threatened to remove his lines if he argued too much. However, due to my current lack of energy and confusing emotions for him, I did not have the will to put up a fight. The difference between my dreams and reality was beginning to overwhelm me. 

Jung Hwanwoo noticed my actions and seemed surprised by my lack of hostility. Unlike our previous interactions, I am more willing to take note of his criticisms. He acted as if this was some incredible event. The moment of peace between us was nice, tempting me to yield again for more moments like this. 

“You-”

“Huh? Hwanwoo! You’re already here!”

Right as I was about to converse with him in a soft manner, an actress opened the door and walked in. Although my reputation among the actors is poor, this didn’t deter my confidence as a writer. In fact, if they provoked me in any way, then I may or may not include a scene of them undergoing a.n.a.l surgery for hemorrhoids.

Slowly, more actors and actresses began to gather in the room and were surprised to see Jung Hwanwoo and me sitting near each other. Annoyed by the interruptions, I resumed marking off areas that needed editing for Min Junseok’s scenes. From the side, I could feel a heated stare watching me work. I glanced up and noticed that Jung Hwanwoo was the one staring at me. Surprised, I clicked my tongue and wondered why he was watching me. Suddenly, he broke eye contact with me and turned his head away. 

‘What in the world is he doing?’

I shook my head in confusion and resumed my edits. Five minutes later, I felt his gaze upon me once more. 

‘Why is he doing this?’

In the second half of the script, the plot develops at a more rapid pace. This allows the director and me to evaluate what changes are needed in the script. It allows us to fill in obvious plot holes and identify areas needing more clarification. Despite our precautions, there is still a possibility of failure. For example, for the scene being currently discussed.

“It’s an important scene.”

“I don’t think the drama flows smoothly with it included.”

‘Ahhh, what are you saying, you idiot?!’ I thought. ‘You’re not a newly debuted actor, so how can you say this? In his previous film, the actor had no lines which resulted in having only his back shown during the scenes. This is to ensure that it doesn’t happen again!’

Although there has not been much mistreatment towards them, some actors, like the veteran actor who played the father in the drama, gave nonsensical suggestions. Even if some of his points were valid, the majority of his statements were incorrect and did not seem to correlate with the current scene being discussed. 

“Indeed, I do not want to do it so I’m thankful for your input. Instead, please add in a heart fluttering kiss scene to replace the current one.”

‘Incredible!’

In amazement, I wanted to leap and clap at his statement. But at the sight of Jung Hwanwoo’s frown and furrowed eyebrows, I held in my actions and could only laugh inwardly. 

“However, this scene does seem a little weird. Doesn’t it seem like your character is overexaggerated? Am I right, Hwanwoo-ssi?~” [1]

s.h.i.+n Minhee, an actress, replied in our discussion. Her flirtatious tone towards Jung Hwanwoo was obvious, irritating me with her behavior. I glanced at her and noticed her eyes sparkling in his direction. She looked back towards me and slightly smirked. 

Oh. My. G.o.d. 

Her provocation stimulated my temper. The combination of the current discussion and my previous ailments increased the pain in my stomach. A sharp burst of pain stabbed my abdomen, causing me to feel weak. I started to breathe deeply and cold sweat ran down my spine. I was reaching the limit of my endurance. Clenching the right side of my waist, a slight groan slipped out of my lips. The others at the table did not notice my distress, and the producer continued on with the script discussion. 

“Anyways… to make the character come to life and seem more realistic…. Because it is the job of the actor…. How are you going to portray the character? This seems to be a problem…”

My fingers began to tremble and the world began to spin. Clutching the table, I attempted to distract myself from the pain, but my wishes did not follow through. I could feel my body bending over. Only now did the others notice my affliction.  

“Kyujin-ssi? You seem pale… oh my G.o.d, you’re sweating so much!”

Choi Soo Hyung, who was sitting next to me, glanced towards me and noticed my strange behavior. He gripped onto my shoulder and tried to help me stand up. A surge of pain rippled down my stomach. Unable to tolerate it, I flung his arm off and tumbled down to the floor. In agony, I curled up and tried to withstand the pain. My hands clenched into two fists, white marks bloomed around my knuckles[2]. Suddenly, I heard someone hurriedly get up from their chair and rush towards me. 

“I’m sorry but… First of all, w.a.n.g Ho will speak for me for the rest of the meeting…”

My throat p.r.i.c.kled from dehydration, I felt as if I was swallowing a thorn as I gasped for air. The sharp sensation stabbed my stomach, scratching its surroundings. I clenched my teeth as the pain increased when suddenly I felt someone wrap their arms around my waist. 

“Are you alright?”

Hearing his worried voice, I wearily opened my eyes to look at the helper. Recognizing who was carrying me, I pointed towards his anxious face in slight shock. 

“It-It is all because of you that I am like this. You evil buffoon…”

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Translator's Notes:

[1] Calling someone’s name with the suffix “-ssi” indicates that you’re addressing them with respect. In English, we do this with “Mr.”

[2] MC’s fists were clenched too tightly, causing for there to be a lack of blood circulation there. Without much blood, his knuckles began to turn white.