There Are Four Top Idol Uncles - Chapter 249

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Part 2, Episode 75
* * *
“…I can’t believe that limousine bus was actually ours. This is unreal……. I rode for four straight hours and I’m not even tired…. Everything I’ve ridden before was a fake…. What was the point of wasting all that time on public transport? This is fraud…. They need to introduce limousine buses nationwide…. Limousine subways too…..”
“Get a grip, Ju Chaejeong.”
Sung Jiwon watched Chaejeong mutter to herself and shook her head with disapproval.
She shouldn’t be getting a taste of capitalism already. Without Yewon, they wouldn’t know the sweetness of capitalism but only the bitterness of the world.
“But you feel the same way, don’t you, Sung Jiwon? I thought making films was just hard work. But this—”
“?”
Chaejeong stopped mid-sentence, stood frozen, and stared blankly at something in the distance.
Sung Jiwon tilted her head in confusion and turned to follow Chaejeong’s gaze.
And then….
“My eyes are deceiving me, right? Tell me they’re wrong. No, wait—tell me they’re not wrong. Tell me this is all real!!!!!!!”
While Chaejeong nearly wept, Sung Jiwon stared in bewilderment at several water trucks and wind machines standing perfectly intact before them.
Where on earth did those come from?
Sung Jiwon instinctively sought out the Film Club’s oil reserve, the Film Club’s goldmine.
“Yewon?”
“…….”
“Ye…won…?”
But this situation seemed to have caught even Yewon off guard; she too wore an expression of considerable alarm.
“You called those, right? Please tell me you did. Because we definitely don’t have the budget for that….”
“Yes, yes, I think I did call them…!”
At Sung Jiwon’s despairing tone, Yewon answered quickly. She was flustered, yes, but she couldn’t let her senior be left in shock.
“Right…. Um…… thank you. Thanks to you, we’re really living large….”
“No, I’m sorry for the surprise….”
“Don’t be. I think the world would be perfect if it only held surprises like this.”
“Or like winning the lottery.”
Chaejeong appeared at Sung Jiwon’s side and added without hesitation.
She gazed at Yewon intently, then smiled with a capitalism-stained warmth unlike any before. (Yewon always felt unnerved whenever Chaejeong smiled like this)
“Thank you… really, thank you, junior. What good deeds did our Yoo Eun-o accumulate in a past life to gain a junior like this…? Could I earn that same merit and get a junior too…?”
“Ju Chaejeong, shut your mouth.”
“Ha ha….”
“Check the weather forecast, Sung Jiwon. See if there’s any chance we can salvage anything. There might not be a water truck next shoot.”
‘That won’t happen….’
‘Given my father’s nature, “I won’t send it” isn’t even an option….’
Yewon couldn’t bring herself to speak the truth.
The fact that Yusong had the ability to dispatch multiple water trucks wasn’t really that surprising. What was truly astonishing was….
‘I never even mentioned that our set needed water trucks. How did he know…?’
That was it….
‘Could he have planted a spy on our set…?’
If that were really the case, she’d have to give her father a serious piece of her mind, Yewon resolved once more.
No matter how good the intentions and results, this crossed a line!
* * *
And so, the Summer’s Proof team, suddenly equipped with all necessary gear, plunged into an emergency meeting.
Before long, they reached the conclusion that it would be best to film the typhoon scene first, given that they had so many water trucks on hand.
“…So we’re filming that scene first. Is that alright?”
“Yes!”
Yewon nodded readily. She had been prepared for a while now. What was worrying her instead….
“But do you think Seoa is ready? She came without knowing there’d be shooting today….”
“We’ll just have to tell her now.”
That was it.
This scene was the one Seoa had to anchor.
The role of “Chae Seojin’s twin sibling” that should have gone to Seoa had disappeared, and instead Yoo Eun-o had assigned her a different role.
She’d appear only briefly, but the role packed impact.
The role of Heekyung—the village’s trauma, the crux of Seojin’s dilemma.
In the film’s early scenes, she was the friend of Seojin who dies by misadventure when a typhoon sweeps through the village.
‘It’s almost like the starting point of the entire film.’
As an opening scene, it couldn’t be better.
The problem was….
‘Is Seoa prepared for this?’
Seoa had come today without knowing she’d be filming this scene. She’d come to help with production assistance, and now suddenly she was being thrust in front of the camera—no wonder she’d be confused.
In the distance, Yoo Eun-o and Sung Jiwon were explaining the situation to Kang Seoa. Though she couldn’t make out the details, Yewon caught glimpses of Seoa’s confused face.
Yewon was beginning to sense what her “problem” might be.
“Something wrong, Yewon?”
“!”
Just then, Hyuk appeared beside her—she hadn’t even noticed him approach.
“Is it because of the scene change for today’s shoot? Want to run through it once?”
“No, I’m fine. It’s just….”
When Yewon glanced toward Seoa, Hyuk studied her with questioning eyes.
“What?”
Yewon almost told him, then stopped herself. It wasn’t her own problem, and she couldn’t go around discussing other people’s troubles.
“Nothing. Let’s just get ready to shoot. Seoa will handle it fine on her own. Don’t you need to get your makeup done?”
“Oh, yeah. Yoo Eun-o said I need to tone down my complexion a bit.”
Hyuk said it with some embarrassment. Tone down his complexion—well, that made sense.
Yewon couldn’t help but smile at his bright, striking features. Right, Tae-jun would definitely need to look a bit less radiant than that….
“Okay, so get your makeup done and I’ll see you later!”
“Yeah. See you later.”
Hyuk smiled gently as he sent her off.
But he noticed: Yewon’s eyes were still cast toward Seoa with concern.
* * *
Yewon stood at some distance, watching the filming set. Thanks to the water truck, the area around the lighthouse was being battered by what looked almost like a typhoon—torrential rain pouring down with terrifying force.
Along the breakwater that stretched all the way to the white lighthouse.
Seoa was there—or rather, she was Heekyung now.
Not to fight against the typhoon, but to welcome it.
Heekyung stood motionless in front of the lighthouse without even an umbrella, staring out at the sea.
She watches the wave that approaches with its mouth open wide, threatening to swallow her whole, and closes her eyes.
And finally….
[Heekyung!]
She turns around, thinking she’s heard Chae Seojin’s voice—impossible as that is.
In that instant, the wave swallows Heekyung whole.
“Cut.”
Yoo Eun-o, watching the monitor, let out a sharp sigh.
“Eye contact. You need to look at the lens like you’re making eye contact with Seojin. I told you that.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“So you can’t meet someone’s eyes in person, and now you can’t meet the camera’s either? That won’t work if you’re going to be an actor.”
“…….”
Seoa remained composed despite Yoo Eun-o’s cold tone, as if she’d expected it.
After all, she’d known what she was agreeing to when she’d asked for this role.
“If you don’t think you can do it, tell me now. There are plenty of girls waiting in line behind you who’d love to take your place.”
“I can do it.”
“Then do it right. The water truck doesn’t have unlimited supply.”
Seoa nodded at his words and returned to her position.
She took a deep breath. It worked yesterday, at least. Even if meeting someone’s eyes was difficult, she’d managed to look straight at the lens….
She’d practiced and practiced.
Seoa clenched her fists and forced herself to stare at the lens that seemed to be watching her.
That lens can’t judge you. That lens can’t judge you. That lens….
But the people behind it are judging you right now.
The moment that thought crossed her mind, her gaze drifted away of its own accord.
“Cut!”
She thought she’d only glanced away barely perceptibly, but the uncanny Yoo Eun-o had caught it immediately and called cut.
Seoa bit the inside of her mouth hard.
“Kang Seoa.”
“…I’m sorry. I was—”
“You think that won’t show? Go look at the monitor yourself.”
“!”
Yoo Eun-o gestured toward the monitor, telling her to come see.
At his words, Seoa watched the scene they’d just filmed.
At first it was fine. She was making eye contact with Chae Seojin. But then her eyes, which should have been fixed on the camera, suddenly….
broke.
Seoa suddenly became aware of the taste of blood in her mouth from biting too hard. She’d bitten down far too fiercely.
“Ju Chaejeong, go check how much water we have left in the tank.”
“The next scene won’t take much—maybe two, three more shots with her, if that…?”
At those words, Seoa’s expression hardened further.
“Did you hear me?”
“…Yes.”
“Knowing when to say no takes courage too. Even if you do, no one will blame you. Decide quickly.”
……
Eun-o was right. Her own mind was saying the same thing. There was nothing to feel bitter about. It was perfectly reasonable.
But….
Just as Seoa was about to nod and say she couldn’t go on.
“Seoa.”
!
“Wait, could I—could I talk to Seoa for a moment?”
Someone wrapped a large towel around Seoa, who was dripping wet.
“…Yewon?”
“Talk with me for a second, okay?”
At Yewon’s sudden appearance, Seoa nodded blankly.
And in that grey afternoon, her eyes shone with unmistakable clarity.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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