Chapter 66….
The Start of Filming (1)
“…Who are you?”
“Cut! Good!”
All I said was “Who are you?” and they’re already saying it’s good.
I might have started casually, but the weight of being the lead actor felt heavier than I’d thought.
Especially when I had to play a dual role in front of the green screen—it felt really awkward.
Just a moment ago, I had to shoot a scene where I looked shocked, said “Who are you?” and then flipped around to give a crooked grin while responding.
“Are you curious about me?”
“Cut! Flip it around!”
Assistant Director Gam was running around busily, directing the set.
Instead of feeling proud watching this energetic scene, I felt a strange sense of discomfort.
Gam? Sure, he’s working hard.
But today, for some reason…
“Heh heh heh.”
Ah, it must be because of that old geezer.
Chairman Yang was sitting on one side, chuckling endlessly with a satisfied expression as he watched the set.
It was like he was some kind of stim pack—the staff were running around more energetically than usual.
Slaves to capitalism.
Or maybe, more like soldiers being inspected by their division commander.
Well, maybe both.
“Old man, got a lot of free time today?”
“These days, all I have is free time. Thanks to you, the company stock price went up a lot. And since my vice-chairman is running things well, I’ve got plenty of spare time.”
“Guess your family doesn’t have the typical spoiled chaebol youngest son, huh?”
“Not all second-generation chaebols are brats. Even the third generation gets a strict education. Tsk. It’s dramas that ruined the image of chaebol families…”
I was talking about web novels, not dramas.
“Anyway, better not have anyone storm out of the house like a certain someone I know.”
“You brat!”
“Ack!”
This old man grabbed me by the collar on set…
Hey, Director! Shouldn’t you be filming this?
We need evidence!
But in that moment, all the cameras on set turned away, as if on cue.
“Don’t worry, it’s fine! They’re just close like that!”
…Gam, even you?
Oh Joo-hwan was standing nervously opposite Su-han.
Right now, he had to play the role of Su-han’s boss.
Unlike before, this time he had to scold Su-han.
“Mr. Woo Su-han. You can’t just do your work like this. Do it again.”
“Cut! Let’s go again. Joo-hwan, you need to look more annoyed. But I can still see your nervousness.”
At Director Jo’s words, Joo-hwan let out a heavy breath.
He knew himself that he looked nervous.
“Hey. Try it the way you first treated me.”
At Su-han’s words, Joo-hwan grimaced.
Back then, he didn’t know this guy.
Now, he knew him too well—so that kind of expression didn’t come easily.
The reason his “victim roles” came out so naturally in Spirit was because he really did live under constant pressure.
Not just because Su-han looked like a jerk.
Even now, watching Su-han casually joke around with Chairman Yang, Joo-hwan felt a kind of distance.
Like Su-han had some social standing he couldn’t touch.
Which only made Joo-hwan feel smaller.
“Hoo… I need to, but it’s hard…”
“This guy really bullied you that much?”
“…”
Yeah. He really did.
Always telling him to lower his eyes, accusing him of disrespect, and so on.
So whenever he stood in front of Su-han, he shrank.
Joo-hwan wondered if this was a kind of PTSD.
Thinking back, he realized how brave his past self had been to even stand up to him.
Just then, Director Jo passed by and threw a line to Su-han.
“Hey, Su-han. Put a little pressure on him. Make him look like someone you’d want to scold.”
“I’ve never done that before.”
“Try it!”
At that, Su-han grumbled.
Joo-hwan clenched his resolve.
“Let’s go again! Everyone ready?”
Once he heard the staff’s confirmation, the director called it.
“Action!”
Joo-hwan steadied himself and looked at Su-han.
And in that moment, Su-han’s expression… looked like someone just begging to be bullied.
Shrinking, nervous, uneasy.
It made him look weak.
And something suppressed inside Joo-hwan started to rise.
“Mr. Woo Su-han. You really can’t just work like this…”
The line came out slightly different.
His tone shifted on its own, his posture turning arrogant.
He tossed the documents down with a shake of his head.
“Do it again.”
“Yes…”
“Why are you mumbling? Are you annoyed?”
“N-no, sir.”
“If you don’t like it, say so. I’ll make sure you don’t have to do it again.”
For the first time in a while, Joo-hwan felt like the acting flowed naturally.
Like he was finally in the superior’s position.
And then came the satisfying voice.
“Cut! Perfect! Let’s get a tight shot this time!”
The director’s energetic praise left Joo-hwan stunned, staring at Su-han.
“Not bad at all.”
Gone was the pitiful look—Su-han now stood there with a smug half-smile.
“Uh… th-thank you.”
Only then did Joo-hwan realize—Su-han had carried him again.
Damn it.
Maybe this is why, despite hesitating, he kept choosing to film with this guy.
Because the acting just came out better.
For Joo-hwan, Su-han was like a swamp.
No matter how much he wanted out, he couldn’t escape…
But maybe, for now, it was better to stay in.
Sure enough, Joo-hwan’s awareness had grown.
The way he glanced at me right after finishing the scene.
But of course, right now it was just the “frustration arc.”
The protagonist gets crushed at work, crushed on the street, crushed in daily life.
At the café set, we shot a humiliating scene.
“You’re beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“Uh, so… what do you do for a living?”
“Just work. But you… weren’t you at a big company? Turns out you’re just contract staff?”
“Yes, but if my evaluations are good, there’s a high chance of being made permanent—”
“Pfft…”
This girl.
Is this acting, or real?
During the meeting, she’d been saying “I’m such a fan!” nonstop. But once filming started, she didn’t even look at me—just kept staring at her phone, giving half-hearted answers.
That’s right.
I was now shooting a cringy blind date scene.
“Cut! Perfect!”
“Really? Ugh, that was tough. Thank you so much, Su-han, you’re amazing!”
“…Yeah.”
I felt like my soul had been shaken out of me.
“I’ve never lived like this before… but if I had to, I’d probably not just shake hands with the devil—I’d hug his grandpa too.”
“Ha ha ha. You did fine though.”
“Fine, my ass. No wonder people call these ‘sweet potato scenes’.”
Assistant Director Jo smiled nonstop watching Su-han grumble.
The filming was going more smoothly than expected.
Seeing the actors bring his script to life, Jo felt proud, like his dreams were being realized one by one.
And the one who made it possible was none other than Su-han, the guy now whining in front of him.
Meeting Su-han felt like a stroke of luck in his life.
Of course, at first, it had been terrifying.
Seeing ghosts—who wouldn’t be scared?
But he couldn’t stay afraid forever.
Especially since he’d realized it when his grandmother passed away.
After that bittersweet farewell, he finally understood: this guy really does see ghosts.
And since Su-han was such a whirlwind of a person, he adapted before he realized it.
Sure, it was still awkward sometimes, especially with the ghost living in their house…
But even so, he felt grateful. Almost thankful to Kwon Soo-hyun for bringing them together.
Though Su-han hated him.
Wasn’t the thing he hated most “leechers”?
Well, it’s not like anyone likes them.
Still, sometimes Su-han did bring it on himself.
Getting his collar grabbed by Chairman Yang, for instance.
By now, even the staff just assumed that was normal banter.
Some even whispered maybe Su-han was his illegitimate son—so Jo had to run around correcting people.
Why?
Because a huge chunk of the budget came from that side. They couldn’t afford to upset him.
Anyway, Jo wanted to encourage Su-han with a word of thanks.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s do our best!”
“Of course! Gotta earn those guaranteed residuals!”
“…”
And that’s when Jo realized why Su-han often ended up getting his collar grabbed.
[I want to come too.]
“The film set?”
[Yes.]
Now that I thought about it, I’d never really seen her go out.
Since we first met in the hallway, she’d been living like a total homebody.
At most, she’d gone to the playground once or twice. That was it.
Not like a “bound ghost,” but still.
“You want to?”
[Can I?]
“Why not? No—make sure you come!”
Come to think of it, it’d actually be good if she came.
[Really?]
She beamed.
And I smiled back.
“They say if a ghost shows up on set, the project’s guaranteed to be a hit. So definitely come, okay?”
[…Do you really just want the hit?]
“Heeey, it’s both! You get to watch filming, and we get the hit. Win-win!”
[Ehehe! Okay!]
Yeah. Her bright innocence was always refreshing.
A sleek black van started rolling.
One of those so-called “celebrity vans.”
“Let’s go on a trip~!”
[Waaah! I’ve never ridden in a van like this!]
“Cool, right? I ride it sometimes! It’s Daesung hyung’s car, I just borrowed it.”
“Uh…”
A tense voice came from the driver’s seat.
It was Manager Park.
“What is it?”
“Who… exactly are you talking to…?”
I couldn’t see his face since he was driving, but I could hear the nervous sweat in his voice.
“That… didn’t I mention it before? I’ve got a girl ghost living at my place.”
“…”
“She wanted to visit the set, so I brought her along. Why? Is that a problem?”
“Uh…”
Manager Park froze up like his brain was buffering, unable to respond.
Hmm… maybe he’s afraid that if he says no, the ghost will take revenge?
“Wouldn’t it be… a bit inappropriate?”
“We’re already on the way.”
“Uh…”
“What, should I dump her here?”
[D-don’t abandon meee!]
She panicked. Poor thing.
She even packed kimbap for today. Well, technically she made it—using my hands.
I had to help her out. Poor girl.
“She might even follow you around, Manager.”
[That guy’s not my type though.]
She’s seriously talking about her type right now.
Then Manager Park’s voice came again, stiff and uneasy.
“Actually, since I can’t see her anyway… I guess there’s no problem.”
“Right?”
“Just… maybe keep the talking down. It looks weird.”
“Ah, don’t worry.”
[Waaah!]
She was so happy.
So with his reluctant permission, we headed to the set.
But another obstacle awaited.
“Are you crazy?”
“What now?”
“Do you even realize where you are?!”
When I told Gam that Yeon-joo was here, he went ballistic.
“What do you mean, where? The set. Don’t you know? If a ghost shows up on set or in a recording booth, it means guaranteed success.”
“…”
“That’s why I specially invited her.”
“…”
Huh?
Gam touched his chin, then slowly nodded.
“As expected. Always with a plan.”
Wait, that actually worked?
That smile on his face—capitalism at its finest.
“Miss Yeon-joo, please look around and give us your support!”
He was even asking her for help.
Gam, she’s not in front of you—she’s behind you.
[Yes, sirrr!]
Yeon-joo was thrilled.
