Ghost-seeing actor

Taesu was flustered when Yoonido handed him the script.

The neatly opened page introduced a new character.

“Hohweimusa Seong Gyewoon?”

“He’s a warrior serving the queen. This role was created considering the storyline. Reha, come over here. I have something to explain to you.”

Over there, Kang Jaeha quickly stood next to Taesu.

The friendly pat on Taesu’s back showed the closeness between them.

Yoonido quickly began explaining.

“As the guard repeatedly watches over the king’s chambers at night, the queen begins to suspect that the king is different between night and day. She also realizes someone secretly watches over her during the day. Meanwhile, the king’s insanity grows as he becomes convinced the queen is trying to kill him. Upon returning from a personal journey, the king sends assassins to murder the queen.”

“So, in this scene where they confront the assassins, does the queen’s guard seek help from the secret guard who has been trailing them?”

“Exactly. Taesu, your understanding is quick.”

Yoonido glanced alternately at Kang Jaeha and Taesu.

“In this scene, Hohweimusa Min Jungho first appears in front of the queen. Seong Gyewoon, wounded fatally under the intense assault of assassins, entrusts the queen to Min Jungho before heroically dying.”

Taesu flipped the script.

The characters and dialogues are created on-site.

The amount of lines, which was thought to be just a single line, turned out to be much longer.

The sole protagonist of this scene—this was the role Taesu was assigned.

“Wow…”

“Can you do it?”

Taesu, receiving Yoonido’s intense gaze, tightly held onto the script as if not wanting to let go.

“Yes. I’ll do my very best.”

***

About an hour was given.

Taesu was busy memorizing the lines and syncing action lines.

But he had to do it.

This was his first role with a name.

Taesu wanted to perform his precious on-screen role perfectly.

So, he memorized the lines over and over, ensuring there were no mistakes when working with the stunt team.

Above all, he rehearsed repeatedly with the actors playing opposite him.

Up until now, his acting had been solo performances without emotional exchanges with others.

In ‘Last Stand’, Myunghyeon was struggling alone.

In ‘Shadow Warrior’, he handled only the body double and action scenes.

But now, it was different.

As the queen’s guard, he had to protect the queen and entrust her to the shadow warrior.

Translating accurately:

Conveying one’s emotions solely to another—
That was the task Taesu had to demonstrate in this scene.

“Alright, let’s shoot now. Take your positions.”

Following Yoonido’s call, Taesu stood beside the palanquin carrying Yoon Suan.
He took a deep breath.

“As a guard protecting the queen, let’s perform without regrets by fully showcasing Master Choi Mubaek’s swordsmanship.”

“Ready, action!”

***

A tranquil evening.
At this moment, the sunset gently faded.

The palanquin carrying the queen moved slowly through a quiet alley.
It was her first trip to her parents’ home in a long time, returning to the palace now.

The palanquin turned through deserted paths, not taking the shortest route.

The guard approached the palanquin.

“Your Majesty, the sun is setting. If you wish to reach the palace, you should go faster.”

“I don’t want to rush. I prefer delaying my return to the palace as much as possible—please understand.”

The weak voice of the queen from within the palanquin.

The guard sighed and looked up at the sky.
There was only about an hour until the sun fully set.

Suddenly, a rustling sound.

From somewhere in the alley, a group of assassins appeared.

“If you want a graceful death, stay still.”

Without warning, they swung their swords fiercely.

The guard quickly opened the palanquin and pulled out the trembling queen.

“What’s going on? Who are those men?”

“Don’t worry, I will protect you with my life.”

Turning back, the guard shouted to someone hiding nearby:

“If you want to protect the queen, come out and help me!”

Then, from the shadows, the shadow warrior emerged.

“I will handle the assassins. Hurry and take the queen away! Quickly, Your Majesty, follow the shadow warrior.”

The shadow warrior swiftly escorted the queen away.

The guard was left alone, desperately defending against the incoming wave of assassins.

“You can never harm Her Majesty!”

Countless blades rained down like a storm of knives.

Taesu swiftly swung his sword.

The movement of the blade was as swift as a flash of lightning.

In an instant, he struck down the enemies before him, then quickly moved to deflect the descending blade from behind.

He did not miss the assassins trying to slip away.

Facing dozens of opponents like this was exhausting.

His breath became ragged, and his chest felt as though it would burst.

Blood poured from his deeply gashing arm, making it difficult to even hold the sword.

This was his limit now.

“Damn it…”

When the last remaining enemy tried to flee, the guard moved to chase after him.

But with no strength left, he collapsed onto the ground.

Then, from somewhere, the queen appeared and embraced him in her arms.

Taesu’s blood-soaked body didn’t matter.

The queen’s face was drowned in tears.

“Wake up, Seong Warrior! Wake up! You cannot die!”

“Why are you here…? That warrior…”

“I’m here.”

The shadow warrior stood silently beside her with a serious expression.

Taesu barely opened his eyes.

“You’re a lonely soul without a place to lean on. Please protect Queen Consort Min from the madness of the king. Can you do that…?”

Even with the king’s face staring back at him, he recognized the guard.

“H-How do you know…?”

“The way you look at her… it was just like mine… cough.”

Taesu spat out a mouthful of crimson blood.

The queen shook him desperately.

“Seong Warrior, you can’t leave like this. Seong Warrior!”

“It’s enough… to die while protecting Her Majesty…”

Gradually, his consciousness faded.

Taesu tightly grasped the hand of the guard beside him.

With a voice barely squeezing out.

“Take… care of Her Majesty…”

His hand fell limply.

***

The face fills the screen.

It was Taesu’s pale, ghostly face.

His eyes were bloodshot, veins bursting red.

He appeared to be dying, yet simultaneously exuded a dynamic energy.

Yoonido smiled in satisfaction.

Truthfully, he had been worried.

Wondering if Han Taesu would falter against Kang Jaeha and Yoon Suan’s experience.

Han Taesu was still a rookie, and despite his stunts and action scenes, they were all solo performances.

He lacked experience in emotionally exchanging with other actors.

Whether he could dominate or be overwhelmed in this scene entirely depended on him.

Yet, the worry was unnecessary.

Taesu performed the warrior protecting the queen with utter conviction.

Beside him, Jung Gyu-beom was watching in a daze and quietly murmured,

“Set up the stage for him, and he shines like this. Taesu, will we see you in the next project too?”

“Of course.”

Yoonido added,

“We should give him a bigger role next time.”

***

After successfully finishing the shoot, Taesu attended the group dinner.

“We’ve spent nearly a month together, creating this piece. Taesu, you’ve grown on me, you stoic guy. So, let’s have a drink!”

Typically, Taesu didn’t join group dinners and went home alone.

However, today, he wanted to unwind with his fellow actors.

More accurately, he wanted to feel the camaraderie he had experienced while syncing his performance with them.

For Taesu, who had always acted alone, this bustling set filled with fellow actors felt wonderfully new.

Sharing dreams and discussing acting philosophies meant everything to him.

And honestly, today, he felt a little excited.

‘Today was my scene.’

He had delivered his lines and captured his expression perfectly.

Could there be a greater joy?

It was recognition from the director himself.

“Han Taesu, come here.”

At that moment, Yoonido called him.

As Taesu nervously approached, Yoonido gave him a small, approving smile.

“You did well today.”

At those words, Taesu’s eyes softened, a genuine smile forming on his face.

He had wanted to hear those words.

He had wanted to be acknowledged.

It felt like all the hard work and effort he had put in was finally recognized by him.

Yoonido chuckled, a slight smile playing on his lips.

“What’s with that reaction? I give you praise, and you barely seem happy. Are we done here? Are we strangers now?”

“No, not at all. Thank you for the compliment.”

“I’ll make sure to invite you to the movie’s press conference. So, make sure to answer my calls. You didn’t just save Kang Jaeha’s number, did you?”

“No, I have your number saved as number one.”

“You sure know how to tease.”

Yoonido sent him a warm yet firm look.

In every way, he was a proud lad.

At first, he stepped onto the set as just a stunt double for back shots.

Even without lines and not appearing on screen, his dedication and performance were commendable.

Then, when the stunt team faced a sudden gap, he showcased overwhelming martial arts skills, dazzling everyone with his presence.

His effort, sincerity, and talent caught everyone’s attention.

Even Yoonido, a strict adherent to filming principles, began to waver.

“You deserve more screen time in the next project.”

Yoonido, who had been coveting Taesu, noticed Kang Jaeha surrounding him as he moved seats.

“It seems I’m not the only one who recognizes his true potential.”

***

“Remember the suggestion I gave you last time? Our company is quite promising.”

In front of Taesu was Team Leader Kwon Gido, his eyes sparkling.

The table where Jaeha had been pouring drinks had now become a discussion on a contract with Artista Company.

Taesu answered with the utmost courtesy.

“Sorry, but I haven’t been thinking about any company offers yet.”

“No worries. Once you join, I’ll take good care of you.”

Although he had considered the proposal many times before, his answer remained the same.

“Thank you for your kindness, but I truly have no thoughts on it.”

Seeing Taesu politely yet firmly reject him, Kwon Gido licked his lips in slight disappointment.

“Hm… how about this, Taesu. Our company is investing in a drama production right now. It’s based on a webtoon called ‘The Vampire’s First Love.’ You’d fit perfectly for the role of the second male lead.”

‘The Vampire’s First Love?’

Taesu had seen it once while visiting his aunt.

It was a popular webtoon, consistently ranking within the top 3 on portal sites with a strong fan base.

“Is that being adapted into a drama?”

“We started production six months ago. It’s a 200 billion investment, and the casting is top-notch. Im Kanghyun is set as the lead. You and Kanghyun’s faces would match well, and your acting skills are solid. What do you think? Opportunities like this don’t come often.”

Taesu paused for a moment, deep in thought.

Beside him, Kang Jaeha muttered to the overly enthusiastic Kwon Gido.

“Hyung, you’ve never been this proactive before. When I got recruited, you weren’t this intense.”

“That’s because it’s worth it.”

Kwon Gido licked his lips once more.

“There are plenty of good-looking actors, but not many can deliver their acting this well.”

***

Kwon Gido’s relentless pursuit.

Taesu requested a moment to think and stepped outside.

The cool air calmed his flushed cheeks.

“Phew…”

It was an incredible opportunity.

A 200 billion drama production by Artista Company with a webtoon that had an overwhelming fanbase.

“Somehow, I get the feeling Kwon Gido likes me. Does that mean the audition will be easier?”

“Hello. Are you Han Taesu?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Suddenly, a man approached him from the side, breaking his train of thought.

His round glasses and pale face seemed familiar.

‘Where have I seen him before?’

Maybe on set during previous shoots.

“Didn’t you work on the movie ‘Pigeon Chick’ years ago? Around 10 years ago, as Young Woohyun’s child actor.”

“Yes…”

‘How does he know?’

Before Taesu could hide his surprise, the man suddenly hugged him tightly.

“Wow, I was having my doubts, but you’re Han Taesu! It’s been so long! I’m really glad to see you again.”

“Who are you…?”

“It’s me, Hwang Cheolsu. During ‘Pigeon Chick,’ we used to hang out a lot. Don’t you remember? You used to stay over at our house all the time.”

Only then did Taesu’s eyes brighten in recognition.

“Hwang Cheolsu hyung?”

The forgotten connection resurfaced, linking him again to Im Kanghyun and memories from his childhood acting days.