Chapter 93: Evil Spirit (4)
Chapter 93 < Evil Spirit (4) >
“We’ve worked hard for this. You can do it, right, Hajun?”
“Yes.”
On the day he was confirmed for the role of Kim Leo in ‘Evil Spirit’, Seo Hajun nodded at his manager’s words.
He had been a trainee since he was eight years old. He was once considered an ace in one of the three major agencies. But he was pushed out of the debut group and moved from one company to another until he finally debuted at the age of twenty.
The group he debuted with, ‘NV’, was labeled as an export idol. Of course, that didn’t mean they were poor. They had a wealthy bank account from overseas album sales and tours.
-Who’s the lead role in Evil Spirit?
└The lead role is Yoo Yeon Seo. Who’s Seo Hajun? Never heard of him.
└└He’s an idol. He’s famous overseas, I think.
└The rights must have sold well, lol.
└Will the foreign fans buy him a Bentley?
└└No way. Bentley is only for domestic fans, maybe Japan at most.
└Hong Mina is famous. She’s the queen of indie films.
But Seo Hajun always had a thirst for domestic recognition. Even his close relatives would say ‘NV? What’s that?’ at first, and his name was only mentioned in a few idol communities. He wanted to have a level of popularity that would make his family proud and say ‘That’s my son, brother’ when he appeared on TV.
You’re in Yoo Yeon Seo’s drama, right?
That’s awesome. Congratulations.
Wow, crazy. Yoo Yeon Seo’s drama?? Guaranteed ratings. Congrats.
Of course, even the news of his first drama lead role was overshadowed by Yoo Yeon Seo’s name, but he didn’t mind. For him, ‘Evil Spirit’ was an opportunity. He was determined to make his name known through this opportunity.
“Especially Yoo Yeon Seo, you have to impress her. You know who’s making this drama happen, right?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see Lee Hangeul’s hit? He’s doing well these days. I heard a rumor that Yoo Yeon Seo connected him with an investor. He had dinner with a big shot in the film industry and took a picture.”
Seo Hajun silently nodded at his manager’s earnest advice.
He realized that personal effort was not the measure of popularity anymore. Luck and connections mattered more. He found out too late that he was dropped from the debut group of a big agency because of another trainee who had a broadcasting network connection.
‘But how do I get close to him?’
He went to middle school, but his attendance was a mess because of his trainee life. He skipped high school and took the GED. The only friends he had were fellow trainees or other groups who debuted around the same time.
‘I have to be polite, at least.’
Yoo Yeon Seo, whom he met in person for the first time, was as rumored. He had a presence that matched his unrivaled appearance. Everyone on the reading site was paying attention to him.
“Is this Kim Leo?”
“Hello, senior. I’m Seo Hajun.”
“Yes, let’s do our best.”
He didn’t even introduce himself. He had a confidence that said ‘You know who I am, don’t you?’
If Seo Hajun had to summarize Yoo Yeon Seo in one word…
‘He has it all.’
That was it. The rumors were pretty bad, but that was a long time ago, and honestly, he had a background that no one could criticize even if he acted as the rumors said. It was a joke that Korea was ‘Juseong Republic’, but if he was the third generation of that place, who could ignore him?
‘Why does he want to be an actor when he has everything?’
He felt envy and curiosity.
“Okay, cut!”
He was amazed by the on-off switch when the camera was rolling. In the scene where Raphael, the priest, agonized over the people he couldn’t save in Africa, his eyes were moist.
“Yeon Seo, you’re doing great.”
At the director’s shout, he wiped the tears that rolled down his cheeks and headed to the monitor. His expression didn’t change, but he could feel the atmosphere change drastically.
‘How does he change so fast?’
He was sure that Yoo Yeon Seo in the camera was immersed in Raphael’s character, but the time to get into and out of the immersion was extremely short.
‘He must have worked hard to do that.’
He was famous for his bad acting until two years ago, but how much effort did he put in to have the acting skills that he felt now? He felt awe and a bit of jealousy. He had everything and talent that followed his effort.
“Cut, just a moment, Hajun.”
“Yes.”
In contrast, he could count the scenes that ended in one take on his fingers. The director praised him for doing really well for his first lead role, but Seo Hajun himself felt a lot of lack.
‘I want to be as good as him.’
How can I be like him? Seo Hajun didn’t realize it, but he was only looking at Yoo Yeon Seo’s back.
“Being an idol is so easy, right?”
And he was choked by the provocative and rude answer.
‘A little… pissed off.’
He only thought he was envious of Yoo Yeon Seo, but he drew a line between them, saying they were different from birth, so he didn’t explode with inferiority. But he was angry when he heard that.
“Hey, hey, Yeon Seo. How is that easy?”
“Why? I didn’t say anything wrong.”
Hong Min-ah, who didn’t catch Yoo Yeon-seo’s intention, tried to smooth things over with Seo Ha-joon, who was looking at her. And then they heard the assistant director’s shout to resume shooting.
“Ah, was it hard for you to hear, Ha-joon?”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Sorry, but there are some things that can’t be helped, right?”
Yoo Yeon-seo smiled faintly as he watched Seo Ha-joon, who was provoked by him. He thought Seo Ha-joon had some talent. He just seemed to be repressed and unable to show his full potential. The fact that he didn’t lose to Ryu Chang-hoon, who played the role of Father Pedro, was proof of that.
‘But why does he seem so nervous when he’s with me?’
Actually, Ryu Chang-hoon had much more experience than Yoo Yeon-seo. But strangely, they didn’t have good chemistry.
Is it because I’m too good? Yoo Yeon-seo thought casually and handed the script to Itaekyeom.
“You can do well, right?”
“Yes.”
It works well, right? I can see that he’s scared.
The scene that Yoo Yeon-seo and Seo Ha-joon were going to shoot was the first time the two priests raised their voices and argued.
A student who was bullied decides to make a drastic choice. But one of the followers of the Black Night Church, who saw this, lures the student into a demonic ritual, and the student who is possessed by the demon secretly takes revenge on the students who tormented him.
But the student’s spontaneous combustion is imminent due to the side effects of the demonic ritual, and the two priests are worried about the student’s fate.
“What do you mean, how would the Vatican know if we secretly perform an exorcism?”
“That’s the principle. You know why we have these rules, Father Leo.”
Father Leo approached him threateningly, but Father Raphael didn’t back down and confronted him.
“It’s an inevitable situation.”
Father Leo clenched his fists as he spat out his words. He pointed at the student who was tied to the bed.
“So you’re going to let the kid burn to death while waiting for the Vatican’s permission? Is that what you want, Father?”
He vomited out the words. Father Raphael’s eyes wavered. He knew that this didn’t make sense, but the rules were the rules.
Father Leo took advantage of Father Raphael’s hesitation.
“Can’t you save the kid? Maybe we can find out why he joined that weird cult.”
To save the life in front of him or to break the rules he had followed well. It didn’t take long for him to make a decision.
“Fine.”
He felt sorry for the poor child and he couldn’t leave Father Leo alone, who didn’t know how to properly perform an exorcism. Father Raphael brushed his hair back and sighed deeply. Father Leo smiled broadly.
‘Wow.’
Director Choi’s eyes sparkled as he saw Seo Ha-joon’s changed expression.
“Cut, okay!”
Seo Ha-joon blinked in surprise at the director’s shout.
‘Ah, I was acting.’
A moment of immersion. It was the first time he finished the scene with Yoo Yeon-seo in one take.
“Let’s go see the monitor.”
“Ah, yes.”
Yoo Yeon-seo tapped Seo Ha-joon’s shoulder and smiled. It was like saying, ‘What, you’re good when you do it.’
Seo Ha-joon stared at his back and then stood in front of the monitor a beat late.
“Wow, the tension is good.”
Director Choi clapped his hands a few times. Two handsome men in neat priest robes facing each other in a confrontation. Anyone would react to that. The director was happy to think about using it for the trailer.
“Ha-joon, your eyes are good. Just do it like this for the next scene.”
“Yes.”
He answered and approached Yoo Yeon-seo, who was far away.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For that. You helped me, right?”
Seo Ha-joon bowed his head slightly.
‘That’s why they say he’s quick-witted.’
He looked at his head and Yoo Yeon-seo clicked his tongue.
‘Well, I don’t mind.’
He felt relieved to think that the acting would be easier from now on.
“Speak comfortably. Call me hyung.”
“Uh…”
“Why, are you uncomfortable?”
“No!”
He works well, right? I can see that he’s afraid.
Yoo Yeon-seo and Seo Ha-joon’s scene was the first time the two priests raised their voices and argued.
“Follow me. Let’s practice our lines.”
Seo Hajoon followed Yoo Yeon Seo obediently. Choi, the director who was watching them, opened his mouth in astonishment.
‘Amazing. Unbelievable.’
Was that really Yoo Yeon Seo, the troublemaker? Choi couldn’t match the Yoo Yeon Seo he saw in ‘Doll’ with the one he saw now.
Normally, it was the director’s job to guide Seo Hajoon. But no matter how he directed him, it wasn’t enough. They had to shoot the next scene soon, and he didn’t have time. Besides, Yoo Yeon Seo looked so lifeless that he didn’t know how to handle him.
‘I never expected to see Yoo Yeon Seo act like a senior actor.’
Yoo Yeon Seo, who was notorious for being reckless on the set, had created a perfect character without needing any direction. He even helped improve the skills of his co-star.
“Maybe that’s not Yoo Yeon Seo.”
“What are you talking about?”
“What if something happened when he had a car accident? What if his soul switched with the person who caused the accident?”
“Yeah, yeah, director, we have to move to the next location.”
The assistant director was also surprised, but he ignored the director’s words since he had heard them more than once.
***
“Is that good?”
“It’s perfect.”
“But don’t we have to light the candles?”
“Oh, right! Who has a lighter?”
Lim Seunghyun, who appeared out of nowhere, handed him a lighter.
“Here you go.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Seo Hajoon took the lighter without thinking and lit the candles. Then he tilted his head as he saw Lim Seunghyun’s back. He felt like he had seen him somewhere before…
‘Where did everyone go?’
Meanwhile, Yoo Yeon Seo, who was left alone on the set, frowned. What was this, some kind of workplace bullying? He thought, when the lights on the set suddenly went out.
“What the hell.”
“Happy birthday!”
The actors and staff who appeared from somewhere surrounded Yoo Yeon Seo and sang him a birthday song.
“What are you doing, bro? Blow out the candles.”
Seo Hajoon’s words snapped Yoo Yeon Seo out of his daze. He blew out the candles on the cake. The people cheered.
“Come on! Let’s hear a word of gratitude!”
One of the staff shouted loudly. There was a camera filming, so it was obvious that they had planned to make a behind-the-scenes video.
“Oh, it’s my birthday.”
What would Yoo Yeon Seo say? The people who were looking forward to it booed.
“What kind of gratitude is that?”
“Do you know how hard we worked to keep this a secret?”
“What do you mean, you forgot your own birthday?”
Yoo Yeon Seo pouted slightly at Hong Mina’s nagging.
‘I really didn’t know.’
He didn’t even know why he didn’t know. Besides, his house password was 0821, which showed how much he loved himself… Yoo Yeon Seo scratched the back of his head and said softly.
“Anyway, thank you for the celebration. This is the first time I’ve received something like this.”
“He’s shy!”
“Don’t you feel good?”
The people who caught him off guard teased him, and Yoo Yeon Seo clenched his mouth with a grumpy face. He wasn’t used to this kind of atmosphere. But this situation didn’t last long. There was another happy news.
“Everyone, Yoo Yeon Seo’s family sent something again to celebrate his birthday!”
“Ah, not again…”
Yoo Yeon Seo sighed at the food truck rush that had become a routine.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel