Life, Once Again!

Chapter 874. Sequence 14

She rummaged through the files on top of the desk in a hurry before finding a patient profile with red tape attached to the corner. The moment she checked the signature of the doctor in charge, she almost froze up. Despite knowing that there was no one in the storage room, she still looked up and around. They say it is darkest under the lampshade, but she did not know that it would be hidden so boldly like this. Placing documents that could not be shredded in a place where every office worker in the hospital could visit was a rather bold move. She recalled professor Park’s mysterious gaze.

She laid out the documents on the floor and shone a flashlight down on them. These papers were undeniable evidence. With this, it would be possible to bring new wind to the doctor’s office. It was when she was taking photos while coming up with plans for the future that she suddenly heard footsteps. There were only two kinds of people who would come to the storage room at 1 a.m. It was either a security guard or someone looking for something in secret, just like her. She turned off the flashlight and gathered the documents before putting them in her arms. There was no way it was a security guard. Mister Park was on duty tonight. He was a guy who would only start moving at around 2, so there was no way he already made a move. The footsteps stopped in front of the storage room. It was when she felt enveloped in a disgust-filled tension that was like hundreds of ants crawling on her body that,

“Very very, good. Yes, very good.”

Gaeul blinked when she heard the voice that woke her up. The nervousness that stifled her body faded away. Her vision, which could only see documents and metal cabinets, became wider until she eventually saw the various lighting equipment and the faces of the staff. Right, she was in a shoot. She stood up. While she wiped her hands on her pants, the director came over.

“You’re becoming better every episode. Are you going to run away to the film industry?”

“I’m getting ready to run away at a moment’s notice. How was I? I don’t think I was that bad.”

“I told you you were very good. I can’t even begin to imagine how I should start editing that. I might as well use the whole scene just like that. Well done.”

“You tell me I’m good every single time, so I’m not sure if I’m actually doing well or not.”

“I always tell you that you’re good because you never did bad. You listened and did everything that I asked you to do. How am I supposed to have any complaints at all?”

The director turned around and told everyone that they should move. The lights were turned off and the staff started packing up the equipment.

“Good work, unni,” Mijoo said as she put a blanket on her.

She caught a cold while dazing out on the veranda because she heard that the night air in November was good. It wasn’t anything serious, and she only had a slight fever. Maybe she should’ve listened to Maru when he told her to come in. It made her worry that Maru, who stood next to her and lent her his shoulder, might have also caught a cold.

“How do you feel? Are you okay?”

“I don’t think you need to worry. The ginger tea you made for me seems to have helped me a lot.”

“I can make you ginger tea a hundred times if you wish, so just don’t get sick. Do you know how startled I was when I saw you coughing when going to the styling shop this morning? Well, I guess it was Chanwoo-oppa who was more surprised than me. I mean, he gets scolded if you get sick.”

“So don’t you go around telling anyone that I’m sick. No one will know about it as long as you stay quiet. It’s not that obvious, is it?”

“You saw how delighted the director was. Who would think that you’re sick? Maybe it’s an actor thing that they all change personalities when they start acting even if they’re sick. I should nurture my concentration like that too.”

While they removed the walls of the set and moved them, Gaeul let Mijoo style her face. While neatening up her skin tone, Mijoo stopped and spoke,

“Unni, put your lips out a little.”

“I don’t think my lips need anything.”

“You got a sponsored product, so you should change it all the time. Also, you know you need to wear that knitted sweater right? The knit was in a braid and looked like it would suit you. Though, I’m sure anything would look good on you.”

“Sometimes, I feel like you’re having more fun than me.”

“Because you doing well is the same as me doing well. You give me pocket money whenever you shoot an advertisement, so don’t you think I should pray that you will do well?”

She checked the pink lipstick spread on her lips through the mirror. The lipstick suited the character’s personality, so she saw no need to change it. The knitted sweater was the same. The looks emphasized cuteness and loveliness, and coincidentally, it was light pink as well.

“You know that our new actress got sponsored accessories and clothes thanks to you, right? The team leader has such good skills. I showed her some clothes that we got sponsored and she was so delighted. She’s such a cute girl.”

“Help her so that she can appear pretty on screen.”

It was rare for even actors of the same agency to become close. They usually heard news about other actors through managers or stylists like this. Gaeul put her hand between her neck and her sweater and took out her hair. Thinking about it, it was rather curious that the people of JA were all so close to each other. She smiled as she thought back to the day they drank together until the sun rose at Maru’s house.

“What are you thinking about? Is it about Maru-oppa?” Mijoo asked while tidying her messy hair.

She just replied that she remembered something interesting. It would be great if they could gather up like that and talk like that again.

“Unni.”

Mijoo called out in a small voice near her ears. Her voice contained wariness. Gaeul looked at Kang Giwoo walking over to her. When they made eye contact, he waved his hand and approached her without hesitation.

“Are you unwell? You don’t look that good.”

“It’s because of the lights.”

Gaeul pointed at the lights shining in the distance. Giwoo looked at the lights. Meanwhile, Gaeul signaled Mijoo to leave this place as this was going to get uncomfortable for her.

“Unni, I’ll go to the car for a bit. I have some clothes I forgot.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

Mijoo turned around at the entrance of the set. Gaeul smiled. Mijoo nodded slightly before leaving.

“I know it’s November, but it’s pretty chilly.”

“I heard that winter is going to be cold this year.”

Gaeul opened her script. It was something she usually did, so Giwoo would probably not be displeased with it either. He had been observing her like a wolf watching a herd of sheep until just a few weeks ago, but starting a while back, he talked to her whenever possible. To be precise, it was from the day after Maru said that the problem had been solved. He said that he followed Kang Giwoo, and after that, Giwoo approached her amicably like the first time they met and no longer raised his guard. She wondered what he was thinking. Kang Giwoo was someone who was pitch black down to his bones. At this point, she could not think of his smile as anything more than a method to enchant other people. Watching him smile right in front of her face was rather stressful too.

“A hot broth is the best on days like this.”

“That, I agree.”

“Then do you wanna go eat something together after the shoot?”

“As much as I want to, it looks like my shoot will end early today. You’ll probably be stuck here for longer, you know?”

It wasn’t necessary to express her displeasure when the opponent was acting amicably. Gaeul suitably mixed in jokes as she continued the conversation. Whether she liked it or not, they were destined to work together until the last episode of the drama. It wasn’t like she could just leave the drama midway for personal reasons when she was getting paid for it. It would be a different story if Giwoo was making a total mess or something, but picking a fight with him while he walked around the set with his smiling face would be a very reckless thing to do.

Gaeul took out her phone and sent Bitna a text message saying that she was with Giwoo and that Bitna should not approach. Today was Bitna’s last shoot, so she would no longer have to see Kang Giwoo after just a few hours. It was possible that they might meet at a different shoot in the future, but she wasn’t that worried because Bitna would have become much more mature by then.

“What a pity.”

“You can’t help it.”

“But there’s something every time I try to invite you. It’s rather disappointing.”

“What can I do about it? Popular actor Mr. Kang Giwoo is always busy. Also, you don’t have to eat with me, do you? You should find a good partner for yourself.”

“I think you’re a good partner too.”

Gaeul tightened her grip on her phone. She turned around to look at Giwoo. What could possibly be behind that innocent-looking smile of his? When she looked at him without a word, he made an even more mysterious expression and changed the topic.

“I saw that Doctors is getting better reviews by the day. I’m watching it with interest these days too. Didn’t you say you watch it as well, Gaeul?”

“I do. Just a little while I’m on the move though, as a form of study.”

“The other actors are good as well, but Maru’s character was really good. Last week’s episode caused an uproar on the internet. The writer’s good at writing and the actor managed to bring it out well.”

“Really? I don’t really pay attention to the internet that much.”

She earnestly watched every single episode, but she did not show it. She had to act like she had broken up with him after all. She put a bit of jealousy, envy, and disappointment in her eyes and words. Having to act after the shoot was over made her really exhausted.

“You’re a friend of his, so you should really look out for him. Someone with Maru’s skills will climb up very quickly. I heard that there are many people on the lookout for him as well. I heard through the team leader at my agency that he was going to shoot a film soon too. I hope Maru does well. The world will be good only when those with skill receive acknowledgment. Don’t you think so too?”

“That’s true.”

Was he probing her out at this point? Or was he convinced after hearing something from a certain someone and was just checking facts? She felt complex. Would she be able to fool a conman who fooled everyone with his smile? She always acted humble and said that she was ordinary no matter how much the people around her praised her acting skills, but for today, she really wanted her own skills to be quite high. After looking at the script without a word for a while, Giwoo stood up.

“Gaeul.”

“What?”

“Please give me some time. Let’s eat out together.”

Gaeul frowned as he looked at Giwoo walking towards the director. Was it a mistake? Just now, Giwoo’s eyes weren’t those directed at a colleague at work. Her woman’s intuition alarmed her. A man who was this obsessed with her clearly had other intentions. The problem was that she couldn’t tell if his intentions were genuine, or if they were just one of the ‘pranks and jokes’ that Maru talked about. Though, regardless of which one it was, it didn’t change the fact that it was unpleasant. Actually, it might be better if he realized that he was being played with and was trying to scheme against her instead. If he was actually feeling attracted to her as a member of the opposite sex….

Gaeul covered her mouth and nose with her palm. She was reminded of an alleyway with food waste littered everywhere.

“Unni, did something happen?” Mijoo asked worriedly after returning.

Gaeul said that it was nothing to relieve Mijoo. There was no need to spread the unease.