Chapter 763. Sequence 2

Park Hoon remembered that day had pretty good weather for winter. December of 2007, they had finished casting the main actors for ‘Flaming Lady’, had gotten a slot in the TV timeline, and only had the shoot left. The drama was going unhindered without any obstructions like an express train from preparations, to casting, and even time allocation. The reason the train stopped abruptly was due to the refusal of a support actor.

“I will not do it.”

It wasn’t ‘I can’t do it’. Maru was clearly expressing his refusal. It wasn’t an attempt to raise his own value nor was he showing any signs of doing that. Park Hoon put a cigarette in his mouth before reminding himself that he was inside a café. He had gotten so confused that he forgot where he was. He didn’t have a problem casting a main actor who he expected to have a hard time casting. That was the power of Choi Haesoo’s script. Park Hoon expected success when all the actors he gave the scenario to gave him a call back. Successfully casting popular actors directly led to more funding from the company. The TV station’s president, who said he wasn’t sure about the success of this drama, inserted his drama into a good slot with the help of the scheduling producer. The only thing left was to drive smoothly towards the destination, but a speed bump suddenly appeared mid way; a speed bump that was high and sturdy.

“Why?” Park Hoon asked as though he was screaming.

He couldn’t think of anything else to say other than ‘why’. He was trying to insert this guy into the YBS mini-series with guaranteed views; he was saying that he would let this guy eat out of the same pot as the popular actors, so he wanted to know why he was refusing it.

“Is it because you got another schedule? It is possible since New Semester is over.”

“I don’t have any dramas to do for the foreseeable future.”

“Then what is it? A film?”

“I don’t have that either.”

“Then why?”

After going round and round, it came back to ‘why’. He wasn’t cast in another drama or a film. He didn’t become a college student, so he wasn’t studying either. He was twenty, an age where it was natural to challenge various things and fail. He didn’t understand why Maru was refusing this drama, which was like a path to success laid out for him.

“I’m planning to study more about basic acting. On a play stage.”

To him, that sounded more absurd than ‘I’m going to be hiking the Himalayas tomorrow’. In fact, if Maru said he was going to the Himalayas, he would be less confused right now. Going back to doing plays? And the objective is to study?

“You can study while doing the drama. No, you aren’t at a stage where you should be learning the basics anymore. You’ve already proved yourself in Pojang-macha that aired this time last year. New Semester was the same. Not only that, while you didn’t make yourself known through the dramas you shot before, you always received good evaluations. Both I and my senior producers remember the impressive acting you showed us. The reason I’m offering you this role is because you have that foundation. You’re doing plenty well. What you need right now isn’t the basics, it’s depth. And depth is something you gain from experience.”

Park Hoon thought that the situation was going pretty strangely. For a producer to be persuading the actor, the actor had to be a popular one. He never imagined that he would be playing power games with an actor who had just entered the drama scene. He decided to become calm. He believed that Maru was not genuinely refusing this offer. He had faith that Maru would eventually accept if he kept advising him, and he thought that there was a different reason he was doing this now.

“I’m sorry.”

The moment he saw Maru lower his head and say those words, Park Hoon had to admit that he was clearly wrong. Those eyes weren’t those belonging to a man who could be negotiated with. Those unshaking pupils were proof of his firm decision. Park Hoon intuitively felt that Maru would refuse even if he promised he would be the main actor.

Park Hoon gulped the cooled coffee in one go and went over to the counter to ask for a cup of cold water. He had never considered Maru refusing this offer. He believed that it was as easy as scooping out a fish from a fish tank, but it turned out to be more difficult than catching a yellowtail fish in the vast seas barehanded. He sat down and drank a sip of cold water again before looking at Maru’s eyes. Forget yellowtail, this boy was a shark.

“You really don’t have any intentions of doing this, huh.”

“Yes. I really appreciate you offering this role to me. If you want to use me again in the future, I will set aside everything and participate.”

“You have quite the confidence huh. Do you know how I feel right now? I feel like I proposed to the woman I promised my life to but had my cheek slapped instead. Didn’t I tell you that I want to shoot my next piece with you throughout the whole of New Semester?”

“You did.”

“Then why did you suddenly change your mind? I usually don’t say this because it’s embarrassing, but I have a really good hunch about this piece. The scenario has proved itself already. All the actors who received the script, and I’m talking about those picky ones, gave the okay sign in just one go. Some even said that they were willing to lower their pays. You’re just kicking away the opportunity to appear in such a drama. You know that?”

I know – Maru replied without hesitation. There wasn’t a shred of doubt in his words. Park Hoon found him despicable even. He took out the script for the 1st episode.

“Have a look.”

“It’s okay.”

“I won’t force you to do it. Just have a look.”

Maru politely accepted the script with both hands. He slowly turned over the pages as though he was appreciating a bowl of rice that was just cooked. The more Park Hoon looked at him, the more pity he felt. That script had a role that was based on the human known as Han Maru. If Maru said he didn’t want to do it, he would have no choice but to give it to someone else. A custom suit would become nothing more than a mass-produced one.

“It’s good. I really mean it.”

Park Hoon saw that thing known as desire appearing in Maru’s eyes. That was an expression of emotion that would never happen if he did not like the drama. Perhaps it wasn’t all over right now.

“That’s precisely why I think that someone else has to do it. I don’t think I can focus on work right now.”

Maru, who had only expressed his refusal until now, finally mentioned a reason for the first time, as vague as it might be.

“If it’s something I can help with, I can help you as much as I can. Is it money?”

“I’ve earned enough to make a living.”

“I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but is it because a member of your family has become ill and….”

“Both of my parents are healthy. If it was about that, I would have told you about it. The reason I’m not doing the drama is because of personal emotions. It’s not that there’s an inevitable reason for it.”

“Emotions?”

“Yes. You might say that doing work might make things okay, and I agree with that to some extent, but this time, I don’t think that’s plausible. I need time to collect myself. Studying acting is just on the side. It’s not anything grand, so I found it awkward to tell you about it.”

“Yes, now that I heard what you said, I feel like getting angry. You have the audacity to kick away such a good opp….”

Park Hoon stopped midway and drank some water. He had already stuffed the script on the table into his bag.

“I’m no one to direct your life. I’m not sure about anyone else, but if it’s you, you’ll definitely do well by yourself. If you made such a decision, you must have a clear reason for doing so.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“I’m not understanding anything. I’m just letting it be. Honestly, I want to nag you right now. I want to tell you about how good this opportunity is for a whole day. I’m the producer here, so you must know how tragic it is for me to have such thoughts towards a support actor.”

“If you ever need me for later work, then I will definitely participate.”

“You’re deplorable for having the confidence to reject me now yet also telling me that there will be a next time. At the same time, I find myself foolish for thinking that I will definitely use you next time.”

Park Hoon got ready to stand up. As the casting didn’t happen, there was no need for him to continue being here.

“Uhm, director,” Maru spoke just as he was about to stand up.

Park Hoon looked at Maru expectantly. Maybe he had a change of heart? Was he going to do this after all?

“I know I’m shameless for saying this, but may I recommend an actor?”

“Recommend?”

Park Hoon sat back down again, thinking about how serious he was when he read the script.

“Have you watched the movie ‘Building’ that was released this fall?”

“That disaster movie?”

“Yes.”

“Movies that get more than 10 million views, I have to watch, even if it’s for work.”

“Do you remember a girl who played the role of a high school girl there? She gets crushed under the debris and dies.”

“Oh, you mean the girl that appears with a big dog?”

There was no need to probe his memories. She was an actress who left a deep impression on him after all. When he watched that scene, the first thing he thought was that it must have been hard to shoot a scene with an animal, and the second was about who that girl was to be able to express the reality of being crushed to death so vividly. After watching it, he forgot about it due to being busy with drama work, but when he heard Maru talk about it, that memory became vivid again in an instant.

“Don’t you think she suits the obsessive girl that appears at the beginning of the drama? Of course, you don’t need to think about it if you have someone for that role already but seeing that you were here to offer me a place in the lineup, I was wondering if some of the supporting and minor roles are open.”

“You’re right. We’ve only procured the main roles because of the advertising. The casting is still in progress. Though, it will probably be finished.”

“Have you cast someone for that role already?”

Park Hoon leaned back on the backrest. A new actor who rejected his own cast but was recommending someone else, huh.

“No. I did get a list through some connections, but nothing is set in stone yet.”

“She will definitely digest this role well.”

“Do you know her?”

“I do know her. Of course, I’m not telling you that you have to use her. I’m only telling you that a girl like her exists.”

“She’s not bad. It’s true that I’ve taken note of her. Though, I forgot about her due to work.”

“If you’re okay with time, you should have a look at her. You will definitely not feel disappointed. She’s a good one after all.”

If it was an absurd request, he would have refused, but the girl in that movie definitely possessed the skills worth meeting.

“If you do meet her, I hope you don’t talk about me to her.”

“Why that all of a sudden?”

“Please.”

Please, without mentioning the reason huh. Park Hoon accepted his request.

“But you owe me for this, okay? You can’t change your words later. I’m not saying that I will definitely use her, but I will have a look at her for sure. But in turn, you have to work with me later, okay? After you deal with whatever emotions of yours.”

At that time, Maru deeply nodded and thanked him. A sense of satisfaction that couldn’t be seen when he asked him to take up a role could be seen on that face. He was curious about the relationship between the two, but he didn’t ask. He promised after all.

It was a week later when he met the girl, found out the girl’s name was Han Gaeul, and that she was the daughter of the writer Choi Haesoo who wrote the scenario for the drama. During this time, he had not mentioned Maru’s name even once.

“Director, the meat is getting burnt.”

Maru grabbed some pieces of meat and put them on a plate. The expression he had at the café four years ago overlapped with his smiling face right now.

“Since you’re coming back to dramas, I can assume that you have resolved that reason of yours, correct?”

“Yes, to some extent. I think I’m at the point where I don’t have to run away anymore.”

“You’re not going to reply if I ask from what, are you?”

“Director, your glass is empty.”

Maru raised the beer bottle and switched the topic. He looked like he had zero intentions of replying.

“Hey, what was your relationship with Han Gaeul? Why did you recommend her?”

“She’s just a friend. I wanted to see a friend of mine doing well.”

“Did you know that the writer for ‘Flaming Lady’ was Gaeul’s mom?”

“No, at least not back then. I found out later. I’m sure the writer must have been overjoyed when you recommended Gaeul to her.”

“Like hell she was. She instead convinced me to think about it rationally. If she’s someone who would be joyous because she got to use her daughter, she wouldn’t be able to write something like that. She’s a woman who can make jokes, but she’s firm when it comes to certain things.”

“That, I have to agree.”

Park Hoon glanced at Maru while drinking beer. From the way he talked, he looked like he knew her well. That was the attitude of someone who had experienced such a thing to death.

“Let’s toast.”

Park Hoon raised his glass.

“To the arrogant new actor.”