Two hours ago.
New cars arrived at the village where the filming crew of [Title: Travel] was shooting.
âLooks like someone got here before us.â
Lee Ji-seok looked out the window and saw vehicles similar to the ones used by the staff parked nearby.
His manager, Yoon Seong-oh, who was driving, answered him.
âThey said there's another movie crew overlapping with us. But they adjusted it so there won't be any problem with our evening shoot.â
âReally? What movie is it?â
Yoon Seong-oh parked the car on one side and said.
âI don't know⦠Do you want me to find out, hyung?â
âNo. It's fine. We can go check it out later. Jong-ho hyung. Weâre here.â
Lee Ji-seok turned his head and woke up Kim Jong-ho, who was wearing an eye mask.
âHmm. Really?â
Kim Jong-ho got up after tossing and turning for a moment and took off his eye mask.
His sleepy face was revealed.
âYou're getting old, hyung. Can you handle the shoot?â
âTry shooting all night and see if youâre tired or not.â
Lee Ji-seok teased him with a worried tone.
Kim Jong-ho stretched his neck and answered.
Kim Jong-ho and his manager, who had been with him all night, were planning to come down to Busan later because they were afraid of falling asleep while driving.
So instead of calling another manager, they borrowed Lee Ji-seok's car, but they felt like they came for nothing.
Lee Ji-seok, who was giggling, and Kim Jong-ho, who was grumbling, got out of the car and headed to the set.
While Kim Jong-ho and Lee Ji-seok were getting ready for the shooting of their movie [One Shot], Kim Jong-ho changed into a black suit and Lee Ji-seok changed into a shabby baseball jacket and started their makeup.
âThe chase scene will be filmed tomorrow evening, you know that right? We don't know how much weâll have to run tomorrow, so weâll shoot briefly today and finish.â
That's how the shooting of [One Shot] began.
Manager Yoon Seong-oh glanced at the two actors who were shooting for a moment and moved his steps.
He said it was okay, but he was curious what kind of shooting it was.
Besides, if he met an actor who didn't get along well with him, his condition might get worse, so it was better to find out in advance.
âCome to think of it, seo-jun said he was in Busan too. Is Seo-jun here?â
He thought that for a moment and chuckled.
He heard that Seo-jun was shooting a movie in Busan, but he didn't hear where he was shooting.
In this wide Busan, of course there were only certain places where you could shoot, but Yoon Seong-oh didn't even think that Seo-jun's shooting location would overlap with his.
âAre they shooting here?â
A quiet neighborhood.
There was a place where people's voices could be heard.
Yoon Seong-oh moved his steps.
He couldn't enter the set, so he just wanted to take a quick look and come back.
If he knew who the actor was, he could roughly guess what movie they were shooting and who else was starring in it.
But there was a familiar face there.
âManager Ahn?â
âOh, Manager Yoon.â
It was Ahn Da Ho, the manager of actor Lee Seo-jun.
Yoon Seong-oh approached Ahn Da Ho in surprise.
Ahn Da Ho also stepped back a little so as not to disturb the shooting.
âWhat are you doing here?â
âJi-seok hyung is shooting over there.â
At Yoon Seong-oh's words, Ahn Da Ho also looked surprised.
He heard that there was another shooting crew coming, but it turned out to be Lee Ji-seok's movie.
âIs actor Kim Jong-ho also here?â
âYes. He's shooting with him. Is Seo-jun shooting right now?â
Ahn Da Ho nodded and smiled slightly.
âIt's not easy to meet like this. I guess fate is fate.â
Yoon Seong-oh also smiled and said.
âIâll tell Ji-seok hyung right away. Heâll come over soon. Weâre going to finish shooting early today, so we have plenty of time.â
âSeo-jun's shooting is almost over too.â
Yoon Seong-oh nodded and hurried back to the set of [One Shot].
While Kim Jong-ho was shooting, Lee Ji-seok was resting.
He was sitting on a chair and looking at the next scene he was going to shoot when Yoon Seong-oh came up to him.
âWhere did you go?â
âOver there at the set.â
âYeah? What are they shooting?â
Lee Ji-seok took his eyes off the script and looked at Yoon Seong-oh. Yoon Seong-oh smiled sheepishly and opened his mouth.
âIt's Seo-jun.â
ââ¦Seo-jun?â
âYes. He said he was shooting a movie in Busan, but I guess he's shooting here.â
At that, Lee Ji-seok's eyes widened and he chuckled.
He felt his face brighten up.
If there was someone who could ruin an actor's condition, there was also someone who could make it better than usual.
âLet's go see him when weâre done shooting.â
âOkay. But youâre not going to tell Jong-ho hyung?â
âNo.â
It was such a quick answer that Yoon Seong-oh thought he heard it wrong. But he realized it wasn't when he saw Lee Ji-seok's face full of mischief.
âHehehe.â
Lee Ji-seok laughed like a villain.
***
He thought he saw it wrong.
âHuh? Ji-seok hyung?â
Lee Ji-seok, who was waving one hand with the other hand in his pocket like a neighborhood uncle passing by, appeared.
The staffs discreetly moved aside, so it seemed like it wasn't a mistake.
Kim Han-seok, who was lying down, also got up in surprise at Lee Ji-seok's appearance.
Seo-jun smiled brightly and approached Lee Ji-seok.
âWhat are you doing here, hyung?â
âI was shooting nearby.â
âOh. That's why youâre dressed like this.â
That's why.
He thought his outfit was too different from usual.
âWow. There are two actors here.â
The shooting director came up with a smiling face.
He was the shooting director who had worked with them on [Rebellion], so he knew Lee Ji-seok as well. Lee Ji-seok smiled and reached out his hand.
âLong time no see, Director.â
âThat's right. Is this the actor team that's shooting here today?â
âYes. Jong-ho sunbae is shooting with me.â
The shooting director and Lee Ji-seok chatted while Min Hee-kyung, the director, stared at them with wide eyes.
She knew that there was another shooting crew coming today or tomorrow, but she didn't expect Lee Ji-seok to come all the way here.
Min Hee-kyung looked back and forth between Seo-jun and Lee Ji-seok.
She knew they were close from various articles, but they really looked close.
âWell, there's a reason why they call it the Lee Seo-jun faction.â
Lee Ji-seok greeted the shooting director and then greeted Min Hee-kyung as well.
Seo-jun was relaxed because he had been through various incidents (with a half-detached feeling), but Lee Ji-seok felt a little nervous.
âDid uncle Jong-ho come too? But why can't I see him?â
Seo-jun looked around and Lee Ji-seok giggled.
âAre you filming right now? Let's surprise him when youâre done.â
âHa ha. Should we?â
Seo-jun, who was laughing happily with the two people, felt a presence behind him.
It was Kim Han-seok.
âHyung. This is Kim Han-seok, the actor who is filming with me this time.â
Actor!
Kim Han-seok suppressed his smile that was about to rise at Seo-jun's words. But Seo-jun and Lee Ji-seok did not miss it.
Lee Ji-seok smiled and reached out his hand.
âNice to meet you. I enjoyed watching âBluebirdâ.â
âBluebirdâ was the title of an independent film that Kim Han-seok starred in last year.
Most people would mention âOne Stepâ when they heard Kim Han-seok's name, but Lee Ji-seok did not.
âAs expected of my hyung.â
It was nice to be recognized, but it felt like he had not made any progress if it was a work from his elementary school days.
It was not a good thing for an actor.
Seo-jun smiled slightly at Kim Han-seok's happy face.
âJust speak comfortably! Senior!â
âThen should I? I liked âBluebirdâ. You did well.â
âThank you!â
Lee Ji-seok smiled at Kim Han-seok and turned his gaze to Seo-jun.
He stared at Seo-jun's face and looked him up and down.
Seo-jun tilted his head, and he opened his mouth with a serious expression.
âSeo-jun. Why did you lose so much weight? You look like half of yourself.â
Seo-jun touched his cheeks. Kim Han-seok also tilted his head. He did lose some weight, but not half.
But to Lee Ji-seok's eyes, he looked very thin. He had not seen Seo-jun for a while, and he felt that way when he saw him with less weight.
âI just lost a little bit. Not half.â
âI heard you were playing a terminally ill character and I was worried⦠Hmm. Well, you have Team Leader Ahn, so you'll be fine.â
At Lee Ji-seok's words, seo-jun blinked.
***
âCut, okay!â
At the director's words, Kim Jong-ho closed his eyes tiredly.
âI need to rest well until tomorrow's filming.â
He agreed to make a cameo appearance at Park Do-hoon's request, but he did not expect it to be so exhausting.
He turned his stiff neck and saw Seo-jun waving his hand brightly among the staff.
âHuh? Seo-jun?â
But he looked thinner than usual, and his face was pale unlike his usual healthy complexion. He looked like an illusion. He felt dizzy for a moment.
âDo I really need to restâ¦?â
Kim Jong-ho had been sleeping and did not hear that there was another film crew. He washed his face briefly.
âUncle Jong-ho!â
Then he heard a voice calling him. It was as cheerful as usual, unlike the illusion-like appearance.
Kim Jong-ho lowered his hand that covered his face.
He looked at Seo-jun with shaky eyes and found Lee Ji-seok laughing behind him.
ââ¦Seo-jun? â¦Why are you here?â
Seo-jun and Lee Ji-seok burst into laughter at Kim Jong-ho's surprised face.
***
After Kim Jong-ho finished filming and did not even change his clothes or makeup, the actors gathered in the house next to âKwon Yoon-chan's Houseâ.
âWhy did you lose so much weight? I thought I saw wrong.â
Kim Jong-ho, who looked at Seo-jun like a worried grandmother, peeled an orange that Ahn Da-ho brought and handed it to Seo-jun.
âJi-seok hyung said the same thing earlier.â
Seo-jun put an orange slice in his mouth with a full smile on his face.
âI lost some weight because my character is terminally ill.â
âI heard that story, but⦠You have no color in your face.â
âOh, this is makeup.â
At Seo-jun's words, Lee Ji-seok laughed out loud. Kim Jong-ho coughed awkwardly.
Well, he sounded just like usual. Kim Han-seok was quietly looking at the two actors with sparkling eyes.
âWell. You have Team Leader Ahn, so you'll be fine.â
âJi-seok hyung said that too.â
Ahn Da-ho, who was talking with the managers in one corner of the room, coughed with a shy expression.
âHow much do you think You're going to lose?â
ââ¦Well.â
Lee Ji-seok and Kim Jong-ho rolled their eyes.
Seo-jun seemed to know what they were thinking. He probably looked like a mummy to them.
âWhat kind of image do people have of me in their heads?â
Seo-jun sighed exaggeratedly and said.
âI won't lose weight to the point of harming my body.â
He had to live long and healthy as an actor.
âBut youâre unusually strong, seo-jun. You think youâre fine, but it's not to us.â
âYeah. Yeah. It's more worrying because youâve never been sick.â
That was true.
Seo-jun, who was stronger than normal people and even more than what the two actors thought, had nothing to say and closed his mouth.
He was actually planning to lose more weight than now.
Seo-jun, who only pouted his lips, made Lee Ji-seok and Kim Jong-ho chuckle. They got along well at times like this.
âAre you resting tomorrow?â
âYes. I've been filming continuously, so I'm taking a day off.â
Seo-jun's hand was full of oranges that Lee Ji-seok and Kim Jong-ho peeled for him. He put one in his mouth and spoke.
âDo you want to come and watch the filming tomorrow?â
At that, seo-jun nodded.
He was curious about the other film sets.
He wanted to see how different images would come out in the same place.
âCan I go too?â
âOf course.â
Kim Han-seok asked and Kim Jong-ho answered with a smile.
***
The next day.
Seo-jun and Kim Han-seok headed to the set of âOne Shotâ.
It was not completely dark at night, but evening when the sun was setting.
When they arrived at the set, the staff were preparing for filming.
There were extras in black suits who would appear as Kim Jong-ho's subordinates, but they all looked surprised at Seo-jun.
Why is Lee Seo-jun here?
âUncle Jong-ho seems to have gained weight from eating too much.â
âHe looks the same to me?â
âReally?â
Lee Ji-seok and Kim Jong-ho went to do their makeup, and Seo-jun and Kim Han-seok sat on the prepared chairs and chatted.
The director of âOne Shotâ looked at Seo-jun and Kim Han-seok with a pitying expression.
âCan't we change the script?â
âWe can't. Do you want to put high school students in the scene where gangsters appear?â
âWhat about neighborhood residents 1 or 2 passing by?â
âDo you think that would work?â
The director sighed with regret at the realistic words of the assistant director.
âIt would be nice if we could put Lee Seo-jun as a cameoâ¦â
âWe can't put him as a cameo, but we have something to promote.â
âHuh?â
The assistant director smiled and handed his phone.
On the phone screen, there were two characters from âWorking Title: Travelâ and two characters from âOne Shotâ talking.
Two men in baseball jackets and suits, and two boys in casual clothes.
They did not remove their makeup, so it looked like characters from different styles met.
âIâll ask the managers later if we can use it.â
The director's face brightened at the reliable words of the assistant director.