“Well, still, if the author can take on the role. It would be nice if the pretty actor I’ve always wanted to meet does it.”
The nuance of Director Kang’s words seemed to expect a rather positive response, but I just wore a vague expression, saying only, “Well, I don’t know.”
I had never really thought about it. The excitement and tension of meeting a twenty-year-old me were unrelated to such worldly standards.
Not knowing my thoughts, Jun chuckled and added a few words.
“Seeing you here, this author. You have a look on your face, as if you’re thinking where to find an actor as handsome as me.”
I suppressed my anger a bit and said, “Is that so?”
“Just be honest. You’re asking for an actor as handsome as me.”
“No, really not.”
I finished my sentence and, feeling a bit scary, used the shoe-clad foot under the table to press against Jun’s foot with force. The pain seemed considerable as Jun momentarily narrowed one eye, holding his breath. Since there were people around, I couldn’t show my feelings. Eventually, finding this situation somewhat amusing, I let out a sigh-like laugh.
Director Kang, unaware of this situation, calmly began to organize the situation.
“I heard that as soon as Director Jo announced the casting notice, profile pictures flooded in at an unprecedented level. There should be almost 3,000, and Director Jo has arbitrarily selected about 500. Since the shooting schedule isn’t very flexible, we plan to proceed with the casting audition scheduled for the day after tomorrow without any changes.”
Even for a screenplay writer, it was generally uncommon to be involved in the movie production process. However, I ended up participating as a judge in this casting audition.
There were quite plausible reasons for the real-life figures in this movie. Above all, Director Kim Jun’s active recommendation seemed to have a significant effect.
For these reasons, I was diligently preparing to review the piled-up profile pictures.
“Author.”
“Yes?”
I turned my head at the polite voice calling me. Jun, tapping his empty seat beside him, said, “Come over here and review together. You’re probably the one who knows the characters of this movie the best.”
Kim Jun, in front of everyone. It wasn’t something that could be said abruptly here. The eyes looking at Jun were just intensified.
“No, it’s okay.”
“No, it’s not about whether it’s okay or not. If we discuss and review together, the work will be much smoother since you probably know the characters of this movie the best.”
It was quite audacious. In my eyes, sitting directly across from Jun, I could see the mischievousness filled in his eyes. I observed Jun, who was using his skills as a film director in such a place.
“No, it’s fine.”
“No, it’s not about whether it’s fine or not. I just think it would be easier to work if we discuss and review together.”
It was a fairly shameless tone. It was noticeable in Jun’s eyes, filled with mischief. Even so, it was a situation where outright refusal would be more noticeable.
At that moment, Jeongeun, sensing Jun’s intention, coolly spoke up.
“Author, please go and see. You are the one who understands the characters in this movie the best, and you love them. I think it would be good to review together.”
Even though I could understand the part about understanding the characters well, the intentional addition of “loving them” was clear.
Jeongeun already knew about Jun and my relationship. Just like Hyunsoo, who was sitting in the corner of this conference room, laughing awkwardly.
“Oh, then shall we?”
Despite the carefully crafted smile and tone, my heart felt uneasy. Even if there weren’t people looking at Jun and me with suspicious glances, my position had a different perspective. As I walked towards the empty seat Jun pointed out around the central table, there was a dry sensation in my mouth.
Approaching, Jun didn’t give me a glance but simply pulled the chair placed next to mine slightly backward as I sat down. Once seated, I looked towards Jun. The corners of Jun’s lips were slightly lifted.
Kim Jun, are you really going to be like this? I tried biting my lower lip, but Jun, who glanced at me once, just chuckled. Anyway, since he achieved what he wanted, he seemed to willingly accept this level of resentment.
I was a bit resentful earlier. Still, Jun turned the time that could only exist in a spacious place into a time we could spend close to each other. The time Jun created using his position for me.
Both the moment my heart sharpened and the moment it gently loosened were fleeting.
“Well then. If you see an actor you like, let me know.”
A smile appeared on Jun’s face, which I had glanced at a moment ago. Perhaps he got the message to tell me by looking at my face, and my heart fluttered a bit.
“I’ll do that. It would be nice to discuss and review while looking at you each time.”
Got it.
Looking at Jun’s face, which had risen, I replied brightly. Jun’s head, still staring at the profile pictures, nodded slightly.
Leaning on the back of the chair, I took the profile pictures, written with dreams soaked in ink for self-introductions and hopes, and handed them over.
Among them were male actors who had dyed their hair with a subtle natural brown shade like Jun, with loose curls. It was inevitable that my gaze lingered longer on the pictures of those who resembled Jun to some extent.
However, the image they exuded was as important as their appearance. Since voice tone couldn’t be gauged through photos, it was even more challenging. With the silent hope of meeting an actor who resembled Jun both in appearance and charm, I flipped through the profile pictures.
At that moment, as if lying, my hand stopped on one photo.
It was a photo that might have been swept away by a seemingly random gesture of flipping through pictures. It was a photo taken in a natural state, as if it hadn’t received any retouching or help from lighting.
However, thanks to that, the charm of the photo’s owner was transparently illuminated. Even though it strangely resembled the cute impression of Jun, resembling a puppy despite its large build.
My gaze continued. Despite the lack of any effort to decorate oneself more handsomely or impressively than the actual self, the person showed the courage and confidence to reveal themselves as they were.
If he’s that kind of person, it seemed he could be honest even in front of the camera. It seemed like he could effortlessly reveal himself, fully immersed in that character. Just with this one photo, I felt I could trust him as an actor.
So, there I was, staring at that one photo for a long time, looking like someone who might be sucked into the photo if someone else saw me.
The fact that Jun was sitting right next to me was completely forgotten, at least until Jun snatched and took away my photo.
The table where the photos were just placed was now empty. I turned my head in the direction where my hand had reached. Jun was holding the photo and had a somewhat displeased expression. If Jun felt my gaze, he looked at me with that expression. I asked with the shape of my mouth.
“Why?”
“Lee Haru.”
“Huh?”
For some reason, Jun seemed a bit angry. Until then, I couldn’t figure out the reason.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
