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The warm spring sun shone down everywhere. It was no different for the young man occupying the rooftop. Even though he used the script as a shield to cover his face, he couldn’t hide his tall figure. His long arms and legs stood out, and his uniform, alive with stitches along its seams, gave off a refreshing vibe. At that moment, a shadow fell over the young man.
“Jang Yeongguk!”
The young man sneakily lifted the script covering his face. His class president’s mouth was wide open. Naturally, she must have looked all over the school grounds for him. At that moment, the young man naturally straightened his upper body. It was not a position where her underwear could accidentally be seen, yet the girl quickly straightened her fluttering skirt in the spring breeze.
“You’re laughing now! The freshmen and seniors are all looking for you! They even came to the classroom during lunch. It’s not like we’re in a zoo, but everyone kept peering in so much that I almost choked on my lunch!”
“I don’t have any indigestion medicine, but do you want me to pat your back?”
“You’re so cheeky, never mind! Is that article true?”
The class president also seemed quite curious. After all, Jang Yeongguk’s face was plastered all over the entertainment news. At the point when the drama’s pre-production had been completed, it would’ve been impossible to silence the reporters any longer. Because of that, the mass media started discussing everything from who Writer Hwang Sugyeong’s male lead was to his past filmography.
“They say Seo Minhye has been cast as the female lead! The whole school is going crazy right now. The teachers in the staff room are only talking about you. Are you really going to be the male lead and Seo Minhye the female lead?”
Hwang Sugyeong was a popular writer regardless of the viewer’s gender. But among her works, the unique, earnest lines were enough to make the hearts of many women flutter. Moreover, wasn’t the current top high-teen actress cast as the female lead? There were many rumors because of that. Some were saying that the male lead was too subpar compared to her.
“Are you really Writer Hwang Sugyeong’s male lead?”
“No.”
A story is a series of imaginations that unfold in a deprived reality. The more a writer’s beliefs and values interweave with their stories, the more captivating they become. Hwang Sugyeong’s new series, Youth, was one of those stories. Every line and even the most trivial dialogue held meaning. That’s why the young man shook his head.
He wasn’t Hwang Sugyeong’s male lead but the protagonist of that series.
“You’re joking right now!”
The young man smiled casually. His smile, while stretching, was as charming as a field of blooming forsythia flowers. With the school bell ringing, the students on the field below the rooftop reluctantly gathered their things. The class president bellowed towards the retreating figure of the young man.
“Stop smiling like that!”
* * *
Like ants swarming around a sweet fruit, the reporters were incredibly busy anticipating the script reading. Actors and reporters were in an inevitable symbiotic relationship. The reporters shared unknown stories, and they also exaggerated trivial matters.
“Who’s Jang Yeongguk?”
“Didn’t you watch Man of August three years ago? It was the hit KBC miniseries. He starred in that as a child actor. Back then, he caused a big stir by becoming the youngest person to win the Newcomer Award. What were you doing back then, not knowing about this?”
“Three years ago, I was covering current affairs, so there was no way I could’ve known.”
There were various types of reporters. Some delved into news, culture, and social scenes with in-depth coverage, while others focused on celebrities’ diverse events and accidents. In a way, the stories they covered were connected.
The subjects may be different, but the fact that they reported on them remained the same. The only difference was that entertainment reporters didn’t always base their stories on facts. Instead, they sometimes predicted the future, like fortune-tellers.
“Is Hwang Sugyeong’s career going downhill with this work?”
“Reporter Yang, if they thought one failed work would mean the end of their career, all the writers working in the broadcasting industry right now would have to pack up.”
“No, seriously, isn’t this a casting mistake? If they cast Seo Minhye, they should have obviously matched her with a male lead of the same caliber. She’s called the blue chip in the broadcasting world right now. It’s always a huge hit when she’s in a drama. But Jang Yeongguk, he hasn’t appeared in a drama since he was a child actor, right?”
“Well, he’s quite famous in Chungmuro and appeared in a series of cameos in Director Baek Janghun’s films. His nickname is the Ten-million Cameo, the Ten-million Cameo!”
“Cameo and main character aren’t the same thing. If he’s called the Ten-million Cameo just for appearing for about five minutes, what about all those extras who appeared? Should they all be called Ten-million Extras?”
Reporter Yang was already nitpicking. Like a lurking hyena, he tended to pounce on any potential prey. Just then, like a lion emerging from the bushes, a middle-aged reporter appeared and brushed past Reporter Yang’s nose.
“Reporter Yang, if you’re going to nitpick like that, just leave. Why did you even follow us to the script reading anyway?”
“Senior, it’s not like that. I…”
“What’s not like that? You should work harder since you’ve moved from current affairs to entertainment. Are you going to continue writing nonsense articles like before?”
This middle-aged man was well-respected and admired among the broadcasting reporters. He had been devoted to the entertainment industry for a long time, witnessing numerous incidents and accidents. While some became sensational reporters, others wrote articles only with the truth. Kwak Myunghwan was such a deeply committed journalist.
“I once went to KBC to interview people about Jang Yeongguk. PD Yoo told me that the controversy surrounding Hwang Sugyeong’s new work in the media is not even laughable. He said, ‘Why would the saying that Hwang is above the King be floating around in SBC for no reason?’ She has that much confidence and, in my opinion, Jang Yeongguk is still a very attractive actor. Isn’t that a crucial factor in determining whether he becomes a success or failure?”
Reporter Yang clenched his lips.
“Don’t complain about the taste when you haven’t even lifted the lid of the pot yet. There’s a whole truckload of reporters who would love to be here but can’t. So, keep that in mind.”
With that, Kwak Myunghwan walked toward the script reading, adding,
“Even if we can’t be first-class, let’s not be third-class.”
* * *
In the past, script readings were peaceful. Everyone had a cigarette in their mouth, barely spitting out their lines while skimming through the dialogue. However, the current script reading was different. Just looking at the actors, they were all heavily made up despite not having to go to a shoot in the morning.
“Nice to meet you! I’m Hwang Sugyeong, the writer in charge of the script for this drama, Youth!”
A familiar young man and another figure stood up and introduced themselves. After the greetings from the PD, writer, and production staff, the actors followed. Seo Minhye, the so-called star, smiled brightly like a star and bowed her head deeply. In contrast, a modestly dressed young man greeted everyone with a simple and innocent demeanor. Even as they exchanged greetings, there was tension among the actors.
The competition has already begun.
The young man knew. He had partaken in script readings before and after his return. Seo Minhye was an actress who fit well with the word “easygoing.” However, contrary to her usual demeanor, she also could shake men’s hearts.
Of course, he had never even met her in his past life.
The scripts were distributed when all the actors had finished their greetings and the reporters found their seats. The word “Youth” written on the script made it feel like the shooting was really approaching. Soon, the AD stood up and shouted in a booming voice, like a slapstick comedy.
“Let’s start from scene number 37, the basketball court scene!”
Script readings didn’t follow a specific order. Sometimes, they were even read in reverse order. This was because there were many characters, and explaining the connections between them was difficult. Especially in situations like today, with reporters present, it was necessary to showcase the highlights.
The script-reading venue quickly transformed into a basketball court.
“Hey, Dojin! What time is it, and you’re still playing basketball? Look, you’re the only one on the court right now.”
Passion bloomed on the basketball court as if a cold was brought on by the spring breeze. It was no exaggeration to say that Seo Minhye was leading the heat of the script-reading venue. Lines filled with emotion, rather than the usual bland script reading, landed with force.
“You got first place in the midterm exams again, huh? You selfish jerk. Other kids struggle to get first place even once, but you do it as easy as eating. Lucky bastard. And you got a confession today, didn’t you? Yoon Heesu is pretty, isn’t she? She has a nice personality too. You have so many people who like you, but you don’t date anyone. Don’t tell me you have that kind of taste?”
A basketball rolled around with a rumble.
“Is that what’s important?”
A single word stirred up ripples like a droplet of water falling into a calm lake. Contrary to the initial impression, a cold and dry voice came out.
Seo Minhye cautiously raised her head.
“No, never mind then. Why are you being so scary with a voice like that? Can’t friends joke around?”
Emotions carried through each line, spoken in confusion. An inexplicable tension hung in the air on the basketball court.
“Friends?”
Some people said that one’s school days, or the “age of blossoms,” were the most beautiful time in life. But for the young man, it was not. It was a painfully cold season. Just like how others may not recognize the passion of love, he only wished for her to understand.
Amid the intense quietude of the script-reading venue, even the simple act of swallowing seemed a challenge. The reporters watched the confrontation between Seo Minhye and the young man with wide eyes.
“What a joke.”
While a smile lingered at the corner of his mouth, the eyes that resembled a calf grew cold. It was distant and cold as if looking into a dark alleyway. Following the line, Seo Minhye felt as if her breath had stopped.
“Do you still think of me as just a friend?”
Even though the script reading was nearing its end, the reporters had no intention of leaving their seats. They wanted to capture every emotion that radiated in the script-reading venue.
As their hands moved faster, Seo Minhye couldn’t hide her surprise as she looked at the young man opposite her. He showed a simple, bright smile, but she saw the coldness hidden within his calf-like eyes. As she met his gaze, didn’t she feel a chill, like her lungs were about to collapse?
This is amazing.
With that sight, Reporter Kwak Myeonghwan swallowed his admiration. And he had a hunch. That Hwang Sugyeong’s next work would once again cause a syndrome in Korea. And at the center of it would undoubtedly be Jang Yeongguk.
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