NOVEL WEB Chapter 8 - Excuse me, but who are you?
Chapter 8: Excuse me, but who are you?
TL: Aniea
“…Who is this?”
Kang In-ho’s mind raced.
The suit was of high-quality material at first glance. Its wearer seemed to carry it effortlessly, exuding a natural grace.
Definitely not a staff member.
And didn’t seem to be an actor either.
After all, he practically had every notable actor in his head, so it was impossible to forget someone with such a presence if they existed.
“Could it be an investor?”
Just by the aura, they reminded him of the chaebol third generation he met recently. Of course, this person seemed much more finicky and had a colder image.
Since they clearly weren’t just an ordinary person, Director Kang thought they might be here to invest in the production and quickly stood up.
“…Excuse me, but who are you?”
Twitch-
The person’s eyebrows twitched at this reaction. Their eyes seemed to say, ‘Dare you not know who I am?’ which made Director Kang shrink a bit.
“I’m sure I arrived right on the scheduled time.”
A scheduled appointment?
A question mark popped up in Director Kang’s head. He glanced at Writer Jung for answers, but she too looked clueless.
“…This is bad.”
Investors could be so fussy. Many of them acted like they owned the place even before putting in any money.
But as the production team needing investment, they couldn’t afford to upset these investors and had to appease them somehow.
“Ah! Yes, that’s right! Ahaha… We’ve been so busy that we completely forgot. Please, have a seat here! I’ll call someone right away.”
“I’ll get some coffee!”
Both Director Kang In-ho and Writer Jung Ha-rin, veterans who had survived years in this field, handled the situation very skillfully.
It was as if they had rehearsed this, getting up from their seats in unison.
But just when they were about to do so,
The man raised a hand, stopping them both.
“Let’s proceed with the audition.”
“Excuse me?”
“What?”
The two froze at the man’s unexpected remark.
Like broken machines, they stiffly turned their heads, only to see Kang Woo-ju sitting calmly, crossing his legs.
“…What did you just say?”
“I said let’s start with the audition. The scheduled time has already passed. If we delay further, it might cause problems for the subsequent schedule.”
“Excuse me, but may I know your name?”
“Kang Woo-ju.”
Kang Woo-ju.
Their mouths fell open at the familiar name. It was the name of the parachuted candidate they had just been discussing.
Tap, tap.
Unaware or indifferent to their astonished reaction, Kang Woo-ju tapped his wristwatch nonchalantly and spoke.
“Are you not going to start?”
“……”
His attitude was unbelievable for someone who was supposedly an audition participant. Finally understanding the whole situation, Director Kang In-ho let out a bitter laugh.
“This is totally crazy…”
“Director, wait a moment.”
“Huh?”
Confused by her restraining voice, Kang In-ho looked at Jung Ha-rin with a puzzled expression. However, she was too busy observing Kang Woo-ju.
“Um… Kang Woo-ju ssi?”
“Speak.”
“So, you mean, you are the Kang Woo-ju who was decided to play the role of [Kang Joo-heon]? The one scheduled for today’s audition… Huh!”
Swoosh-
Instead of a reply, a sharp gaze flew towards Jung Ha-rin, making her gasp for air.
She was a veteran who had survived the ups and downs of this industry, but such a piercing gaze was truly rare.
‘The look in someone’s eyes can be…’
Titter-
Feeling like she had locked eyes with a wild beast, Jung Ha-rin felt the hairs on her body stand on end, and at the same time, her intuition, which had been her bread and butter till now, kicked in.
“Ahaha! Right, you are? Please wait here for a moment! Since a guest has arrived, I should at least serve a cup of coffee.”
“Writer Jung, what are you suddenly…?”
“Oh, right! Director, where did we put those premium coffee beans we bought last time? I can’t quite remember, could you come with me?”
“…Uh?”
“Come on, the actor is waiting, let’s quickly go and return!”
Jung Ha-rin pushed the bewildered director out of the room. Perhaps due to the mention of premium beans, this time Kang Woo-ju didn’t stop them.
As they left the meeting room, Jung Ha-rin’s thoughts went back a few days. To the moment she encountered the beautiful woman who introduced herself as the CEO of Mirae Department Store.
– Are you serious?
– Of course.
– Isn’t it impolite to ask, but aren’t you sponsoring to secure a role? What we’re talking about isn’t a mere formality but a real…
– You seem to have a misunderstanding.
– Pardon?
Kim Eun-ha’s expression, which had been businesslike throughout, turned even colder. She spoke in a stiff tone to the flinching Jung Ha-rin.
– I’m ‘investing’ in this project. I want its success more than anyone. If Kang Woo-ju’s acting doesn’t satisfy you, you should naturally bring in another actor.
– Even if you say so…
– If you wish, I can have it notarized in a contract.
At that moment, Jung Ha-rin became curious.
The person before her was far beyond the category of an ordinary individual. What kind of person would someone so confident recommend as an actor?
– Are you curious why I’m pushing this so much?
– Yes, honestly.
– There’s no special reason. Just…
– Just?
– I trust my eyes.
Smile-
Kim Eun-ha showed a soft smile for the first time. So beautiful that it stunned Jung Ha-rin, who had encountered countless actors, making her momentarily lose her thoughts.
‘She seemed like a noble lady from a novel…’
If she wasn’t an investor, Jung would have liked to suggest she try acting.
But now, looking at Kang Woo-ju in front of her, she had a similar thought. While Kim Eun-ha gave off a noble lady’s vibe, he seemed more like a count.
‘Is he really an actor?’
That thought came to her naturally.
What kind of actor comes to an audition and behaves so rudely towards the director and writer? Even if it’s a concept, it’s too much.
But the funny thing was that it felt so natural. Even Director Kang In-ho, who had seen it all, stood up to vacate his seat, as if it was a matter of course.
‘We both instinctively judged him as a superior.’
Kang Woo-ju’s aura was exceptional.
It wasn’t just because of the designer clothes he wore. It was the momentum he radiated in his gestures, stride, and confident demeanor.
Especially those emotionless eyes seemed insane, making it hard for ordinary people to even make eye contact with Kang Woo-ju.
“Writer Jung. What are you thinking?”
“How does he look to you, Director?”
“What do you mean? Are you talking about that rude…?”
“Please keep your voice down!”
Jung Ha-rin quickly covered Kang In-ho’s mouth. This guy had sharp instincts when shooting dramas, but sometimes he could be so clueless.
“Does he look like an ordinary person to you?”
“What, is he an alien or something?”
“Cool your head and think about it calmly! He’s someone the CEO of Mirae Department Store personally came to ask for!”
“Uhmm…”
Kang Woo-ju’s behavior was clearly alien. This meant that he had grown up in an environment where acting like that was not a problem.
“…Now that I think about it, the watch he was wearing. It looked like a ‘Patek Philippe’ no matter how I look at it.”
“What is that?”
“It’s a super high-end watch brand, esteemed even among the rich. It has the most ‘first’ and ‘best’ titles in its hundreds of years of history.”
“It looked just ordinary from the outside?”
“That’s the point. It’s a brand that epitomizes ‘ordinary’.”
“…You really know your watches. Anyway, it’s clear that Kang Woo-ju ssi is no ordinary person. We agree on that, right?”
“For now.”
As he nodded, Kang In-ho’s mood sharpened. After a moment of serious expression, he spoke.
“…I’m screwed, aren’t I?”
“Probably.”
“Damn. If I knew it would end this hopelessly, I should have spat in that department head’s face.”
“It’s too early to give up.”
“Should I go spit now?”
“No, it’s about Kang Woo-ju ssi!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Kang In-ho turned around, but Jung Ha-rin quickly grabbed him and cautiously peeked into the meeting room before continuing.
“Doesn’t he seem surprisingly suitable?”
“What, for the role of Kang Joo-heon?”
“Yes. At first, I was too shocked to react properly. But looking at him now, isn’t it like he just stepped out of the script?”
“Hmm-”
At her words, Kang In-ho stroked his chin, deep in thought. He spoke again after quite some time had passed.
“Definitely. The way he glared at you earlier was extraordinary. It reminded me of scene #048 from the script.”
“The scene where the protagonist orders to bury all the employees who opposed him?”
“Right. The subtle annoyance hidden in his emotionless eyes. Just that alone seemed enough to kill someone with cold brutality.”
“And you left me alone with him!?”
“Sorry. To be honest, I was a bit scared too.”
“…Even though you’re a director.”
“Yeah, directors are humans too.”
Watching him not back down, Jung Ha-rin sighed deeply. However, it was only for a moment. They soon started putting their heads together to gather opinions.
“We originally thought of Lim Sang-hoon for the role of Kang Joo-heon, right? When we saw him last time, I thought he was perfect.”
“Me too. But after seeing Kang Woo-ju ssi, it feels like something is missing? It doesn’t seem like he’s acting at all.”
“Should we try having him read the script?”
“Let’s do that. Just in case, I’ll go to the coffee shop and get something to drink. Meanwhile, please talk to him, Director.”
“…Can’t we switch roles?”
“Be reasonable!”
Chided by Jung Ha-rin, Kang In-ho wore a long face but to no avail.
Eventually resigning, Kang In-ho entered the meeting room with a face like someone being led to slaughter. Jung Ha-rin quickly grabbed her coat and wallet.
‘Somehow, I have a good feeling about this.’
Of course, they hadn’t done the script reading yet, and premature judgment in this industry is taboo. But perhaps because her expectations for a parachute candidate were low, she felt quite positive.
If they could capture Kang Woo-ju’s current aura on camera, they could complete the project without having to cater to Kim Eun-ha, the major investor.
Jung Ha-rin’s steps to the coffee shop were lighter than ever.
.
.
.
“…Why are you alone, Director?”
“…I don’t even know.”
“Director! You didn’t say anything to Woo-ju ssi, did you!? Like about being a parachute, or having a bad attitude!?”
“Is that the image I have to Writer Jung!?”
“Don’t change the subject!”
Jung Ha-rin, who had returned from the coffee shop, seemed completely fixated on casting Kang Woo-ju for the role, her eyes wild with determination.
Sigh-
At that, Kang In-ho let out a long sigh and gestured towards one side of the wall. When Jung Ha-rin turned her gaze, she saw a clock there.
“…Why the clock all of a sudden?”
“He left because it was time.”
“What?”
“Exactly as I said. While talking, he glanced at his watch, and then he just got up and walked out of the meeting room. Said that his scheduled time was over and he had to leave.”
“When was that scheduled… Oh?”
The strength drained from Jung Ha-rin’s hand, which had been gripping Kang In-ho’s collar without realizing it. She recalled the conversation she had previously with Kim Eun-ha.
– I’ll set the schedule from 1:00 PM sharp to 1:20 PM.
At that time, she had agreed without much thought. But what kind of actor leaves an audition simply because the allotted time has passed?
‘…There is one person that comes to mind.’
She remembered someone who valued their time above all else, someone who would call off any deal if the other party was even a second late to a scheduled meeting.
The two of them, left alone, looked at the empty space Kang Woo-ju had left and let out a hollow laugh.
“…It’s Kang Joo-heon.”
“…It is Kang Joo-heon.”
They wondered whether they had just auditioned someone.
Or if they were the ones who had been evaluated.
They couldn’t quite figure it out.