NOVEL NEXT Chapter 523
After accepting Lee Seok-hyun’s meal invitation.
“You like meat, right?”
“Of course, I can’t live without it.”
The place Lee Seok-hyun and I came to was none other than a barbecue restaurant near the broadcasting station.
“Manager, please eat a lot too.”
“Ah, yes, thank you.”
With both managers included, the four of us sat down.
“By the way, it’s quite unexpected.”
“Why?”
“I heard that juniors don’t usually join such private gatherings.”
“Did that rumor spread?”
“A little?”
Hmm… Have I been rejecting too much?
It seems like the rumor has spread quickly in the small entertainment industry.
“Well… It’s not like I particularly go around rejecting people.”
To be honest, even if it were Lee Seok-hyun, if he had asked to meet separately on weekends or days off, I probably would have declined.
But since we’ve already had a meeting together, and it’s a restaurant near the broadcasting station, I just came to have a meal.
In cases like this, dating rumors don’t even come up.
Journalists don’t pay much attention to just having a meal together after a schedule.
As long as you don’t meet separately outside like Moon Chang-sik, who had dating rumors before.
“Do you drink?”
“Ah, I’m currently abstaining from alcohol.”
“That’s good. I don’t drink at all.”
“Ah, really?”
“Yes, it’s always so awkward during company dinners.”
Hmm, that’s unexpected.
I thought he liked alcohol since his texting style is like an old man’s.
“You look surprised? Do I look like someone who drinks a lot?”
“…It’s not that.”
“Haha, actually, I can’t metabolize alcohol, so I just don’t drink.”
“Ah, I see.”
There are people like that.
People who don’t drink because they can’t handle alcohol.
I guess Lee Seok-hyun is one of those cases.
Anyway.
Since neither Lee Seok-hyun nor I were drinking, it naturally turned into a meal where we just grilled meat.
As expected of a famous restaurant, the meat was really delicious.
“Manager, you’re really good at grilling meat.”
“Thank you.”
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Park Kang-seok.”
Park Kang-seok was mainly the one grilling the meat.
Lee Seok-hyun seemed very interested in Park Kang-seok.
“Every time I see you, I can’t help but notice how fit you are.”
“Thank you.”
“Being Soo-hyun’s manager must keep you busy, right? How do you manage to stay in such good shape…?”
This is something.
Isn’t Park Kang-seok really an alpha male?
Wherever he goes, he attracts a lot of attention.
Indeed, it’s good for people to exercise.
“Soo-hyun junior is lucky. To have such a reliable manager.”
“Well, I think of him as a bodyguard too.”
“Hahaha! That could work.”
It’s not an exaggeration; I really think of him as half a bodyguard.
With that physique and wrestling skills.
Isn’t he practically the strongest among ordinary people?
I can’t imagine anyone but an athlete beating Park Kang-seok.
“I actually watched the variety show. I saw that Kang-seok teaches exercise there, right?”
“Ah, you saw that?”
“Yes, I was a bit envious. Our manager doesn’t exercise at all.”
“…Seok-hyun oppa, why do you have to say that?”
Lee Seok-hyun’s manager, who looked about my age, glared at him when he jokingly said that.
“Right? Let’s go to the gym together.”
“Ugh, I’m too tired for that.”
Seeing them talk like that, they seemed quite close.
Well, celebrities and their managers spend a lot of time together every day.
It’s natural for them to become close.
Anyway, like that.
“You saw the actors gathered at the meeting this time, right? They all seem so impressive…”
“Ah, I saw them too. Earlier…”
After that, we chatted about the drama while eating meat.
“We ate well, so I’ll head back now.”
“Yes, thank you for the meal today.”
We parted ways in front of the restaurant without being too late.
Hmm, I think we built a good rapport at an appropriate level.
“Shall we head home now?”
“You should go exercise now.”
“Exercising right after eating isn’t good.”
“Let’s start with a slow walk. Not exercising is worse.”
“You’re really something…!”
…The price of building rapport was that I got home late.
I should have just drank alcohol.
*
After the meeting at the broadcasting station last time.
Now that the drama has mostly finished casting, it has moved into full-scale set construction and script work.
So, I’ve been focusing almost entirely on filming “Credit Season 2,” paying little attention to the drama.
“Here, when I stretch my arm like this…”
“Ah, yes, I’ll tilt my head.”
Now that Jisoo’s action scenes are increasing, we’re having some difficulties with filming.
It’s fun but a bit tricky.
Since I have almost no experience using my body like this, it takes time to get everything right.
“Ugh, I should have learned this earlier.”
“There wasn’t time, so it couldn’t be helped.”
“Let me try one more time.”
“Sure, as many times as you need.”
So, whenever I’m on set, I keep practicing in between takes.
Moon Chang-sik, who has many overlapping scenes, is a good practice partner.
Thud!
“Oops! Are you okay?”
“This much is fine.”
…Sometimes my mistakes turn into actual assaults.
I mean, he didn’t even look hurt after taking my punch.
Or maybe he was just pretending not to be?
I feel bad for Moon Chang-sik, but personally, I hope it’s the latter.
I’ve been working out, so if it’s the former, that’d be too sad.
“By the way, do you still keep in touch with Seok-hyun these days?”
“Yeah, but not as much lately.”
“Oh, really?”
“I heard he’s been busy too.”
Since I’m filming credits, Lee Seok-hyun also has a movie he’s working on.
In fact, he’s the lead, so he’s probably super busy these days.
“I heard he’s filming a movie.”
“Do you keep in touch with him often?”
“We exchange greetings now and then.”
“Well, of course…”
With Lee Seok-hyun’s personality, he probably exchanges greetings with like 100 people.
Isn’t he the real networking king of the entertainment industry?
Honestly, no one else could build such a network purely based on their own charm.
“We had a meal together last time, and his charm is really something. He even got our manager’s number.”
“You had a meal together?”
“Yeah, after a meeting when we had no schedules.”
Come to think of it, that was almost the last time we met.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.
“…Hmm, I see.”
“Why? Do you want to have a meal with me later?”
“I have another schedule, so I’ll pass.”
“Wow, you’re so high and mighty. I have a schedule too, you know?”
Who thinks I don’t have a schedule?
I was just asking out of courtesy. Just courtesy.
“Oh, right. How’s the movie doing?”
“Have you seen it?”
“Not yet, but I saw the reviews. I’ll go watch it soon.”
The zombie movie Moon Chang-sik filmed finally premiered last week.
I heard it’s getting rave reviews.
Since I usually like that genre, I really want to make time to go see it.
“You should’ve come to the premiere.”
“I was too busy back then.”
Actually, Moon Chang-sik offered me a ticket to the premiere, but I was too busy and turned it down.
Looking back now, I should’ve made time to go.
These days, as soon as a popular work comes out, spoilers are everywhere.
It’s become a world where latecomers naturally lose out.
“By the way, you’re getting really good at this technique.”
“Oh, really?”
Anyway, as we talked and practiced, I started to get the hang of the technique Moon Chang-sik taught me.
It’s a bizarre self-defense move where you twist the wrist and flip the arm behind the back.
“But is this actually useful in real life? Like, if a robber shows up, can I take them down?”
“In that case, just call for help.”
As he said that, Moon Chang-sik easily broke free from the hold.
“Oh.”
“Size matters in most cases.”
“…This feels kind of pointless.”
It was a proper technique, but seeing it undone without any resistance makes me question the point of self-defense.
“Well, it’s because of our size difference.”
“I’m pretty tall, though.”
I mean, I’m tall for a woman.
It’s just that Moon Chang-sik is even taller.
“Self-defense is good, but if that’s your goal, you’re better off carrying pepper spray.”
“I actually have my manager with me, so I’m fine.”
“…That’s the best self-defense.”
Still, what if the technique doesn’t work?
Park Kang-seok can just step in and handle it.
I imagined Park Kang-seok using wrestling moves on a grown man.
…He’s like a bull.
I hope I never have to use self-defense.
“Anyway, since you’re good at the technique now, let’s do a rehearsal.”
“Oh, right, we’re filming today, aren’t we?”
“We’re starting soon, so let’s hurry.”
“Oh, already?”
Anyway.
With so much to practice on set and the filming itself taking so long, I’ve been cutting back on ads and variety shows to focus solely on filming Season 2 of Credits.
Coming to the studio every day like it’s a job and dedicating myself to filming, time just flew by.
Now it’s not even early in the year anymore, and the weather’s getting warmer.
[The trailer will be out soon.]
“Already?”
[Well, the release is a bit later, but still…]
I heard the trailer for the zombie drama I filmed as Yeon-ah is coming out.
Come to think of it, that’s still out there.
After such a busy year last year, there’s still more to reap.