Chapter 20
The hot lights poured down on me once again. [I'm definitely made for the stage.] Director Kwak began checking the members of 'Just' and me, going over the storyboard and the blocking for each scene.
"Lucas, you're going to hold Sung-guk and play with him, and then accidentally knock over the stack of Legos. When you look down, it's a mess. Tae-hyung spills his drink, and Jae-hyun comes out of the kitchen with food, getting all angry. He's like, 'How can we eat in this mess?'"
Director Kwak looked at me. "Sung-guk, you're going to give your signature pose when you see the messy living room." Director Kwak mimicked my signature pose. I nodded, understanding.
"Then, when Sung-guk strikes that serious pose, Beom-seon comes in with the Samjeon Electronics Hurricane vacuum cleaner, shouting, 'Don't worry!' and sweeps the entire floor in one go."
"Yes!" The members of 'Just' responded confidently. Without Michael, who was always complaining and causing trouble, they were more united than ever.
"Alright, let's do a rehearsal."
"Yes, Director."
"Sung-guk, you ready too?"
"Yeah!" I raised my hand quickly.
Everyone around us laughed at my reaction. "That kid's such a mood maker."
The director positioned himself behind the camera. Lucas picked me up and entered the set. The rehearsal began in a set designed to look like a typical apartment living room. The rehearsal was over in one take.
"Great! Let's shoot it just like this!"
"Cut!" Director Kwak's voice was sharp. The handsome Jae-hyun kept making mistakes. Jae-hyun's line was just one sentence. "How can we eat in this mess? When are we going to clean this up?" He kept messing up this easy line. Lucas, who was lifting me up, even though I was getting heavier, was starting to get tired.
"Hyung, please. Sung-guk's really heavy now."
Director Kwak stood up. "Jae-hyun, let's go over your line again."
"Director, I'm sorry. I practiced a lot, why is this happening?" Jae-hyun bowed repeatedly, looking anxious. He had played the mother role in 'Five Men and a Baby Basket,' and his kind personality made him the most popular member. But acting wasn't his strong suit. I looked at Beom-seon. Beom-seon's line was just one word. "Don't worry!" As Michael's rivalry with me faded and his screen time decreased, Beom-seon's role increased in the later episodes. Beom-seon's tsundere-like personality, which had made our relationship awkward, attracted female fans.
[Beom-seon is a better actor...]
After 'Just' disbanded, Jae-hyun tried acting a few times, but didn't receive good reviews. He simply didn't have a natural talent for it. On the other hand, Beom-seon built his filmography, starting with supporting roles and eventually landing lead roles, even winning a Best Actor award at a film festival.
Jae-hyun was practicing his line with Director Kwak. I toddled over to them. "Jae-hyun, it's not the right diction."
"Director, I'm sorry. Why is this so difficult?" Jae-hyun's biggest problem was his overly cute way of speaking. It was charming during reality shows like 'Five Men and a Baby Basket,' but it had the opposite effect in commercials, making even angry scenes sound playful. Director Kwak held his head.
"What should we do? It needs to be serious here..."
"Director, I'll try again." Jae-hyun read the line over and over, but his voice was still filled with nasal tones. I looked at Beom-seon. Beom-seon was holding the vacuum cleaner and trying different tones and actions for his single line. I toddled over to Beom-seon.
"Sung-guk, do you want to play with me?" I grabbed Beom-seon's hand and pulled him towards the director. "Sung-guk, the director and Jae-hyun are busy over there. Let's play here."
[Yeah, that's why I'm going. Come on.]
People don't realize how strong babies can be, and the fact that they don't understand words can be useful at times like this. Beom-seon had no choice but to follow me. Director Kwak glanced at Beom-seon.
"Did you memorize your line?"
"Director, can you take a look at mine too?"
"Alright. Jae-hyun, keep practicing."
"Okay." Jae-hyun answered with a sulky face. Beom-seon naturally delivered his single line, holding the vacuum cleaner.
"Don't worry!" He then looked at the director for feedback.
"How was it, Director?"
"Natural. You have good pronunciation. Did you originally want to act?"
"Not really. I learned acting when I was training before debut."
"Oh?" Director Kwak looked at Jae-hyun for a moment, then handed Beom-seon Jae-hyun's line. "Try saying this."
"But this is Jae-hyun's line, Director."
"Just read it." Beom-seon glanced at Jae-hyun. Jae-hyun looked unhappy, but he couldn't ignore the director's words. Beom-seon looked at the line for a moment, then looked at Director Kwak.
"Director, Jae-hyun's character is like a mom in the commercial, but I don't have that. Can I do it my way?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"Okay." Beom-seon quietly recited the line a few times, then looked at me. I made eye contact with him on purpose.
[Okay, say it while looking at me.]
"How can we eat in this mess? When are we going to clean this up..." Beom-seon said the line lightly, in a complaining tone.
Director Kwak seemed to like that part. "Beom-seon, can you do it again?"
"In this tone?"
"Yeah." Beom-seon said the line in the same tone as before. Director Kwak looked at Jae-hyun.
"Jae-hyun, you try it again." Jae-hyun, a little nervous, put a lot of force into his voice.
"How can we eat in this mess? When are we going to clean this up!" As a result, his voice sounded like an evil stepmother. "Wait, I think we need to revise the storyboard." Director Kwak called the assistant director and started revising the storyboard. Then he gathered the members.
"Let's switch roles and shoot again." Everyone looked at Director Kwak with puzzled expressions.
"I was trying to bring out the characters from 'Five Men and a Baby Basket,' but after watching the shoot, you all seem to have different personalities. Lucas, keep carrying Sung-guk, and Jae-hyun, try playing Tae-hyung's role."
"What?" Jae-hyun looked at Director Kwak, confused. Tae-hyung's role was to lie on the couch and eat snacks.
"Beom-seon, you say Jae-hyun's line, and Tae-hyung, you come in with the vacuum cleaner at the end. It seems fitting since you're the leader."
"Ah, okay, Director." Tae-hyung quickly answered.
[Finally, the shoot will end early...]
The assistant director started rearranging the set. "Alright, let's start shooting again!" I quickly fixed my hair and let Lucas pick me up. Lucas picked me up and knocked over the Legos again, and Jae-hyun spilled snacks on the floor. Finally, it was Beom-seon's turn. Beom-seon, wearing an apron, delivered his line in a complaining tone. Beom-seon, who was manly, looked even funnier wearing an apron.
"Don't worry!" Tae-hyung, as the leader, finished it off perfectly.
"Cut!" A short, concise voice. Director Kwak seemed satisfied. He called the production team and asked for their opinions. Then he shouted towards the set.
"I think this is better. Let's do one more take!"
"Yes!"
"Yeah!" I joined in with the answer.
[Alright, let's finish this shoot quickly!]
After two more takes, the shoot was finally over. Director Kwak walked over to Jae-hyun and patted his shoulder.
"Jae-hyun, you seem to fit roles with a lot of aegyo. We'll write the storyboard that way next time."
"Director, I'm sorry."
"You can do better next time. Don't be discouraged."
"Okay." Director Kwak comforted Jae-hyun and went to Beom-seon.
"How did you come up with the apron?"
"It was among the props, so I tried it. I thought I might look too manly for home appliances."
"Good idea, Beom-seon."
"Thank you."
"You have good looks, but also good diction and voice. Voice is the most important thing for actors. Keep doing well with 'Just,' and consider acting too."
"Ah, okay... Thank you." Beom-seon nodded, looking dazed. Then he picked me up.
"Sung-guk, is this all thanks to you?"
[Beom-seon, it's not just a feeling, I led you here.]
"Anyway, I'm happy to get compliments. What do you want me to buy you?"
[I can't eat much right now. Buy me something delicious when I'm older.]
"What are you saying? Alright. I'll buy you a big bowl of jajangmyeon on your kindergarten graduation day!"
[Only if it's from the Samjeon Hotel.]
Mom walked over. Her lips looked a little redder than usual, or was it just me? She also seemed shy. Mom was a woman too, after all.
"What are you two talking about?"
"Thanks to this little guy, the shoot went well. I promised to buy him something delicious when he grows up."
"Beom-seon, you worked hard." Mom was shy, like a young girl.
[This won't do.] I quickly hugged Mom. Then I buried my face in her shoulder and yawned loudly.
"Sung-guk, are you sleepy?"
"Yeah!"
"Alright, let's go." I turned my head slightly and waved to the 'Just' members.
[Don't cause trouble and ruin my reputation.]
Kim Mi-young quickly opened the car door. Mom put me in the back seat and sat next to me.
"Sung-guk, you must be tired from the shoot today, but you held up well."
"Manager, it's amazing. Kids at this age sleep a lot, but Sung-guk doesn't even nap during shoots."
[Mom, I'm a professional. Time is money for a professional, and that's how we finish shoots early and rest.] Mom gently pressed my forehead.
"The air in the studio isn't good, you worked hard, Sung-guk."
Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the car window. Kim Mi-young rolled down the window, and Shin Sung-joong's greasy face appeared.
"Did you come for the shoot?"
[Shin Sung-joong, you knew we were here.] I tapped Mom's arm, annoyed.
[Ugh, I'm sleepy! I don't want to talk to this guy.] Kim Mi-young had no choice but to answer.
"Yes, what do you need?"
"An actor from my agency is shooting here, so I came to support them and ran into you guys again. I was going to contact you anyway, how about we have coffee? Or even better, dinner. There's a really good Korean restaurant nearby."
[What kind of crap is this?] I whined, and Mom looked at Shin Sung-joong.
"I'm sorry. Sung-guk is tired from the long shoot today."
[That's right. Blame the baby who can't talk properly.]
"Oh, is that so?" Shin Sung-joong smiled awkwardly, but there was displeasure in his smile.
"Director, I'm sorry. I left my second child with someone else. Please make an appointment next time."
"Ah, okay. I'm sorry. I'll make sure to make an appointment next time. Goodbye." Shin Sung-joong bowed politely, unlike their first meeting. Kim Mi-young rolled up the window and started the car. Then she glanced at Mom in the rearview mirror.
"Sung-guk's mom, did you do that on purpose?"
"Manager, did you notice?" Mom smiled.
[Mom's getting good at this.] I snuggled into Mom's arms and closed my eyes.