Kang Rojun’s heart had been pounding like mad even before he arrived at the preliminary meeting place for “Rental Lover.” By the time he got into the elevator, it was twice as bad.
‘Ugh, why am I so nervous?’
Was it because acting was only his side job? Or because he was about to meet so many actors? Maybe it was because this would be the first time he revealed his identity after “Geubaekpeu” and “Rental Lover” had become connected. It wasn’t just trembling; there was a faint thrill mixed in as well.
What kind of faces will everyone make when they see me?
Following PD Jeong Suryeong’s guidance, he arrived at a conference room.
‘Whoa—’
Looking at the actors gathered in the conference room, Kang Rojun widened his eyes without letting it show. There were many key staff members, and quite a few actors he had seen on TV or in movies, including Choi Rina. Just as Rojun’s sense of wonder was growing stronger—
“This is the writer who wrote ‘Rental Lover,’ Writer Kang Cheolsu.”
At PD Jeong Suryeong’s introduction, all the actors’ gazes focused on Kang Rojun. After taking a small breath, he removed the things covering his face.
“Hello. I’m Writer Kang Cheolsu.”
Kang Rojun somehow maintained his composure and managed his first greeting. Fortunately, now that the moment had actually arrived, his heart had become relatively calm. Then, the instant Rojun’s face was revealed, the conference room filled with dozens of people was swept into silence.
“……”
It was so quiet that the car horns outside the window could be heard clearly. The one to break the silence was top actress Choi Rina.
“……N-Number 1?”
Yes, I’m Number 1. The characters currently assigned to Kang Rojun were “Number 1,” “Writer Kang Cheolsu,” and “Lover No. 4.” Among them, Choi Rina chose “Number 1.” She was so shocked that her already large eyes became twice as wide.
“Number 1… right? It is you, right? Huh? But why… are you here?”
Staring fixedly at Kang Rojun, Choi Rina broke down. Bewilderment and shock had taken over her head and body. The male actor sitting to Choi Rina’s right, equally shocked, thought—
‘Huh?’
At the same time as his surprise, he turned to look at Choi Rina.
‘Didn’t she say she didn’t watch “Geubaekpeu”?’
She said she didn’t watch it, so how did she know that man was “Number 1”? However, the other actors and key staff had no room to worry about that. Some tilted their heads, some furrowed their brows, some opened their mouths, some rubbed their eyes. Their reactions were all different, but in their hearts they were all screaming something similar.
‘Why is Number 1 here??!!!’
Just moments ago, they had definitely been enthusiastically talking about “Geubaekpeu” and excitedly discussing contestant Number 1, and now that very same Number 1 had appeared before their eyes, saying he was “Writer Kang Cheolsu.” Anyone would be flustered.
From there, a few of the key staff also began stammering and adding their voices.
“Wait a minute. PD? That person is… the writer?”
“……But he’s Number 1? He’s definitely the Number 1 we saw on ‘Geubaekpeu.’”
“Wow—what is this? What on earth?”
What was happening? Everyone, including Choi Rina, was reacting as if they couldn’t believe it even while seeing it with their own eyes. Above all, for the actors, the appearance of Number 1 was astonishing enough, but—
‘A writer? That Number 1 is a writer?? No, but… what’s with him in person? TV didn’t even capture half of it?!’
‘Seriously, what kind of face is that…… It’s absurdly unreal. He’s not handsome; he’s just beautiful. Beautiful.’
‘Seeing him in person, the destructive power of his face is……’
They were dazed by Rojun’s ridiculous visuals. At that moment, Choi Rina—
‘Ah!’
—recalled when she had met PD Jeong Suryeong in the past. Back then too, there had been Writer Kang Cheolsu with his face hidden.
‘Th-Then! I’d already seen Number 1??!’
Goosebumps spread over her without her realizing it. Soon, PD Jeong Suryeong stepped in to organize the mood.
“Everyone’s surprised, right? Well, as you can see, he’s someone like this, so it was difficult to reveal him carelessly.”
When she gave Rojun a look, Kang Rojun understood what she meant and greeted them again.
“Hello. I’m Writer Kang Cheolsu.”
PD Jeong Suryeong followed up.
“Yes, Writer Kang Cheolsu of our ‘Rental Lover.’ But as you all know now, he’s also Number 1 from ‘Geubaekpeu.’”
Top actress Choi Rina was the fastest to ask a question.
“What happened??”
“Uh—it’s a little long to explain.”
With her arms crossed, PD Jeong Suryeong roughly explained the story of Number 1 and Writer Kang Cheolsu. Not everything—she hid what needed to be hidden and gave only the key points. The actors and key staff who heard the story became even more shocked.
“Th-Then, Number 1. No, Writer-nim has been filming ‘Geubaekpeu’ while also working on ‘Rental Lover’ this whole time??”
“Ah! PD! Then when we were watching ‘Geubaekpeu’ together, that meaningful smile was because of this!!”
“This is seriously the biggest shock I’ve had this year!”
Meanwhile, PD Jeong Suryeong led Rojun toward the head of the U-shaped table, then cut into the bustling atmosphere and spoke.
“He’s already a rising star as ‘Number 1,’ but his writing chops as a writer are good too. He’s very versatile. You all know because you’ve seen the script, right?”
“We know! We know that too well! But wow—even while looking at him, I can’t believe it!”
“What is this? With that face, Writer-nim is crushing ‘Geubaekpeu’ with skill, and on top of that he has writing chops, so he’s debuting as a writer at the same time??!”
“Huh—if this gets out to the media, a typhoon’s going to hit, isn’t it?”
“It’ll be chaos! Beyond words!!”
The actors and key staff were worked up. PD Jeong Suryeong calmed them down.
“I’m sure everyone has noticed, but anything about our writer is top secret among top secrets. You remember the confidentiality clause when you signed the contract, right? We’re coordinating the timing with the PD on the ‘Geubaekpeu’ side, so until then, you have to be careful, then careful again.”
“Of course! It’s not like we’ve only worked on one or two productions!”
Soon, Kang Rojun formally introduced himself.
“I’m Writer Kang Cheolsu, who wrote ‘Rental Lover.’ I’m happy that such wonderful actors and staff members have gathered for such an insufficient work. I look forward to working with you.”
A burst of intense applause poured out.
—Clap clap clap clap clap clap!!
Because it was noisy, Kang Rojun did not notice the vibration ringing near his wrist. The “AI Simulation” app had displayed a notification.
After that came a barrage of questions from the gathered people. It was only natural they had a lot to be curious about.
“Writer-nim! You must be suuuper busy with ‘Geubaekpeu,’ so how can you write too?? Even if it’s already written, there must be a lot to revise and so on.”
“It was manageable.”
“M-Manageable??”
“Oh! Wait! Then that writing scene in episode 5 of ‘Geubaekpeu’!!”
“Yes, I was revising ‘Rental Lover.’”
“Amazing!”
One of the key staff shouted to Jeong Suryeong.
“PD! I have a feeling ‘Rental Lover’ is going to be a mega-hit! Choi-star! Writer-nim! The hook is unbelievable, isn’t it??”
For some reason, Choi Rina had fallen silent and was merely staring at Kang Rojun. Not openly, but furtively. Then, by chance, her eyes met Rojun’s. Choi Rina quickly avoided his gaze.
‘D-Don’t get flustered. Ha, my face didn’t turn red, did it? Ugh—I never thought I’d see Number 1 this soon, right in front of me.’
Choi Rina had been secretly digging into “Geubaekpeu” or Number 1 without anyone knowing. PD Jeong Suryeong, who had no way of knowing this, pulled out the chair at the head of the table.
“Now, now, let’s stop talking about ‘Geubaekpeu.’ Let’s talk about our project.”
The actors tilted their heads and threw out question marks.
“Hm? PD, the actor playing ‘Lover No. 4’ hasn’t arrived yet, has he? But who is the actor??”
PD Jeong Suryeong’s smile deepened as she answered simply.
“He’s here, isn’t he?”
“……Pardon??”
When she looked at Rojun and nodded, Kang Rojun moved with a calm expression. He stood in the seat where the nameplate for the “Lover No. 4” role had been placed. At the same time, PD Jeong Suryeong introduced him once more.
“He’s Writer Kang Cheolsu, Number 1 from ‘Geubaekpeu,’ and the actor playing ‘Lover No. 4’ in ‘Rental Lover.’ He’s here.”
Soon, the gazes of everyone gathered in the conference room focused on Kang Rojun again. He greeted them once more.
“I’ll be playing ‘Lover No. 4.’ I look forward to working with you.”
The dozens of people—
“Huh??”
“Pardon???”
“……??”
“What does that mean?”
—their thoughts came to a stop again. Above all, top actress Choi Rina was the worst.
‘The actor for L-Lover No. 4 is Writer-nim??! What is this supposed to mean now!!’
About two hours later.
The preliminary meeting conference room for “Rental Lover.” The preliminary meeting for “Rental Lover,” which had become no different from a chaotic marketplace after Kang Rojun’s appearance, was now in its final stage. The actors and key staff, who had been out of their minds at first, seemed to have calmed down somewhat.
“Number 1! Ah, no. Actor-nim? Writer-nim! See you at the script reading!”
“I’m enjoying ‘Geubaekpeu’! By the time ‘Rental Lover’ airs, will ‘Geubaekpeu’ be over too??”
“Writer-nim will definitely win!”
“Hahaha, next time we see you, you’ll be an idol.”
“No, no, he might be a drama writer or actor.”
“That’s true.”
They readily threw greetings at Kang Rojun, who was sitting in his seat. This preliminary meeting for “Rental Lover” openly felt like Rojun’s fan meeting. The conversation topics were almost all about him, and Kang Rojun was never left out of the flow.
Thanks to that, Rojun was—
‘Whew—this is hectic. I don’t even know how two hours passed.’
—utterly exhausted. Even while answering the flood of questions, he couldn’t let down his guard.
‘Well, anyway, it’s been wrapped up well, right??’
At first, he too had found the actors fascinating, but now he seemed to have adapted a lot.
Just as everyone was about to get up from their seats, PD Jeong Suryeong spoke.
“The script reading is on the 25th next week, so prepare well—”
Her gaze, which had been looking at everyone, fixed on Kang Rojun.
“The first filming day may shift a few days forward or back, but it will almost certainly be the 29th.”
Rojun calculated in his head.
‘If the script reading is on the 25th, there’s exactly one week left? And then four days later, on the 29th, is the first filming. Wow—shit.’
Now that his work as a writer was over, his work as an actor had arrived. Of course, even though he had already learned “Lover No. 4,” Kang Rojun’s nervousness rose at the thought of experiencing drama filming for the first time. Behind him, the key staff and actors filling the conference room began to leave.
Choi Rina, who had been glancing at Rojun repeatedly, also stood up.
Just then—
“Uh, Choi-star.”
PD Jeong Suryeong called out to top actress Choi Rina.
“Choi-star, stay for a moment. I have something to say.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Writer-nim too.”
“Ah, yes.”
Exactly ten minutes later, in the conference room where almost everyone had left, only Kang Rojun, PD Jeong Suryeong, Choi Rina, the cinematographer, and about two staff members remained. Rojun wondered what this was about, but for now he waited.
Soon, PD Jeong Suryeong, who had been discussing something with the cinematographer, took out the script for “Rental Lover” and said,
“Before the script reading, I want to check the two-shot between the female lead and ‘Lover No. 4.’ Also to check acting and dialogue tone. Since the role of ‘Lover No. 4’ is a newly created role, and because of the circumstances, we’ve never matched the female lead and Writer-nim in a two-shot before.”
She made a request of Kang Rojun and Choi Rina.
“I think I need to see this to get a sense of the directing angles at the script reading. Please act out a short bit, you two. Since it needs to be a two-shot, this scene would be good. The cut where ‘Lover No. 4’ gazes at her intently, then brushes her hair back, and the female lead falls for him.”
“……”
Without answering, top actress Choi Rina turned her gaze and met Kang Rojun’s eyes across from her.
‘S-So suddenly??!’
For some reason, her excessive heartbeat would not stop.
Top actress Choi Rina had a great desire and passion for acting. Of course, as an actress, she also readily did advertisements, pictorials, and other work to maintain her popularity. In her tenth year since debut, there was nothing that intimidated her.
When acting, no matter what actor became her counterpart, she never shrank back.
That was true for actors with similar years of experience, of course, and even when she was facing a veteran commonly called a great actor, she simply observed proper manners; her mindset was no different. The moment she heard “action,” the real Choi Rina immediately became another person. Thus, reality and acting were separate.
At least, she thought so.
However—
‘Number 1. Ah, no, I have to act with Writer-nim all of a sudden?? I haven’t even organized my thoughts yet!’
At this moment, the greatest crisis had struck that very Choi Rina. To think reality and acting were separate, the presence of Kang Rojun standing before her was far too immense. It was difficult even to properly ignite the starting point for catching her emotions.
Why? Why was that?
So what if a popular person from a program she had watched a few times out of boredom had appeared? Why am I this nervous? Choi Rina began self-hypnosis. This was a very natural process. It was self-hypnosis and, at the same time, a defense.
‘That’s right, you’re Choi Rina, Choi Rina. What’s with this panic you’ve never experienced before? Just like always. Yes, like yourself.’
The result was not bad. Her heart, which had been racing frantically, calmed down quite a bit. In that gap, Choi Rina looked at PD Jeong Suryeong with a relaxed smile.
“Yes. I can start right away.”
PD Jeong Suryeong gave her a thumbs-up.
“Oh—as expected of Choi-star.”
Next, Kang Rojun also nodded plainly.
“I’m ready as well.”
“Good, good. Then shall we try it over there in the back?”
—Sssrk.
Rojun was the first to rise from his seat. As he walked to the back, he was relatively calm. Of course, he was bound to be nervous about acting opposite that top actress Choi Rina for the first time.
However—
‘Is it because I’ve seen her a few times? I’m not as nervous as I thought.’
He felt surprisingly capable of handling it. Perhaps it was also because he had already learned “Lover No. 4,” but one could also say that his nerve had grown quite a bit through experiencing “Geubaekpeu.” Kang Rojun arrived first near the entrance, the widest space in the conference room, and Choi Rina stood before him, sweeping back her long hair.
Choi Rina smiled with her eyes.
“Don’t feel pressured. Just do it comfortably.”
She showed the composure of a senior. Rojun admired her inwardly.
‘She really is pretty. Not just pretty, but somehow—her aura is different too.’
He answered with a small smile.
“Yes, understood.”
For some reason, Choi Rina flinched. PD Jeong Suryeong exchanged a few words with the cinematographer, and the cinematographer took out the camera he had brought. He intended to do a test shoot too. The monitor attached to the camera captured a two-shot of Kang Rojun and Choi Rina.
PD Jeong Suryeong slowly nodded.
“The image is good. When I give the signal, start right away.”
Looking at the monitor, she spoke.
“Action.”
As soon as the starting shot was fired, Kang Rojun immediately transformed into “Lover No. 4.” This time, his counterpart was not PD Jeong Suryeong, but the real female lead of “Rental Lover.” Rojun first adjusted the way he looked at her. He cherished the female lead. Infinite affection filled his eyes. A faint smile. Emotion strong enough to pull her into an embrace at any moment.
“……”
Without a word, Rojun took one step closer to Choi Rina. This was a scene led more by “Lover No. 4” than by the female lead. Therefore, Choi Rina had to wait, and Kang Rojun, now close to her, slowly raised his right hand. The destination of that hand was the hair covering Choi Rina’s left cheek.
—Sssrk.
It was around the time the fingertips of “Lover No. 4” touched Choi Rina’s hair. All of a sudden, Choi Rina let out a strange sound.
“Eek.”
And jerked her head away.