Chapter 75…
A Flirt?
After clearing up the misunderstanding, I tried to create a more natural atmosphere.
We’re close, but not dating.
Somewhere in between.
A flirt.
I put all my effort into acting it out, using every bit of skill I’d honed.
But Gam-dong’s eyes looked… odd.
“What?”
“I feel relieved.”
“Ohhh!”
As expected—I’m a born actor.
If you work hard enough, nothing is impossible.
Even the director himself, Gam-dong, praised me.
He smiled smartly and said:
“This project isn’t a romance, you know.”
“……”
“If it were a romance, you’d probably have given up and half-assed it.”
Shock.
“That bad?”
“Yeah.”
“Still feel like I’m a stalker?”
“More like just some guy pestering her.”
Didn’t he tell me not to overdo it?
Didn’t he say to tease—just a little—like flirting but not flirting?
“Tsk.”
Gam-dong clicked his tongue, turned around, and shouted:
“Let’s just eat first!”
At his call, the staff bustled into motion.
Everyone seemed relieved—it was mealtime, after all.
Their tired faces lit up with energy.
Watching them, I turned back to the senior actress I’d just been working with and quietly asked:
“Noona.”
“Mm?”
“Did I look like I was pestering you?”
“……”
“Forget it. Don’t answer. I’ll try harder.”
So much effort, and my performance just crumbled like that.
How am I supposed to fool Deputy Director Gu, who’s watching us like a hawk over there?
What if he suspects something?
Just then, the man himself, Deputy Gu, strode toward me.
His eyes looked fierce…
Was he angry that I was “pestering”?
“Let’s talk.”
“Uh… yes.”
Or worse—what if I’d been caught?
I noticed the senior actress looking this way nervously.
Her gaze was like watching a cow being led to slaughter.
Surely, he wouldn’t hit me?
Soon, I was dragged to a quiet spot.
Deputy Gu stopped, his shoulders heaving as he let out a long sigh.
“Haaaa.”
“Um… did something upset you…?”
If there is, please… calm down.
The words stuck in my throat.
“Mr. Su-han.”
“Yes.”
“What are you doing right now?”
“I… I’m sorry.”
Apologize first.
I don’t know what it is, but an apology can’t hurt.
Deputy Gu squinted at me.
His expression was complicated, almost inscrutable.
“So, is that how you’re going to woo a woman?”
“Eh?”
“It’s frustrating, that’s why I’m asking.”
Wait—he wasn’t angry?
“Listen, a man needs to go bam! Bam! Be bold! You get me?”
“Uh… does it look weird?”
“It’s like a kid’s game, all this poking around. Women will run away.”
“Sorry.”
I never thought I’d get dating advice from this guy.
One look at him and you’d think he’s never even dated, let alone married.
“What’s with the nose twitching?”
“……Winking felt too obvious, so I did this instead. People do it in dramas all the time lately.”
“Dramas… ha…”
He looked like he was holding back a curse.
Then, staring at the ground, he sighed again.
“So that ‘taking a photo and saving it to my heart’ thing—you got that from a soccer player’s ceremony?”
“An idol did it once and everyone went crazy over it.”
“Crazy, alright.”
I’m the one going crazy here.
“Have you… ever been married?”
“Of course. Twice.”
“T-Twice?!”
What the hell—this unfair world!
Even a guy this scary-looking has been married twice?
“Listen to me carefully. I speak from experience.”
“Yes, sir! I’ll listen attentively!”
Alright, new strategy.
If I act like I’m learning from him, I gain his trust.
Half the battle is already won.
Life lessons aren’t just in books—they come from experience.
Learn from the enemy to win!
Beautiful, isn’t it?
“Normally I’d just protect our actress from scandal, but since you’re so pitiful, I’ll explain as someone experienced.”
“Yes, I’m ready!”
“A man shouldn’t just poke around. Even in a ‘flirt,’ you’ve got to be bold.”
“Oh! Bold flirting?”
“Exactly! On a sunny day like this, open up a parasol, extend your arm—bam!”
“Parasol! Then arm—bam!”
“Pull her in. Say, ‘Step into my shade!’”
“‘Step… into my shade?’”
This is starting to sound… sketchy.
“You do it strong, like a man! Then if she walks by, you say this—bam!”
“What do I say?”
“‘Why are you wandering around like that? It’s hard for my eyes to keep up!’ Then set down a chair, stretch out your arm—bam!”
More arms?
At this point, isn’t this kidnapping?
“You pull her down to sit. Then deliver one cool line.”
“O-one cool line?”
“‘From now on, your seat is here. Got it?’ Like a man!”
Well, he’s a man, sure. But “manly”… not so sure.
He gave a few more lines, then clapped me on the shoulder and stuck out a fist.
Wait—was this a setup? A fight?
“Fighting.”
“…F-Fighting.”
And… oh my eyes. He just winked at me.
Did he seriously teach me that so I’d do it too?
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Actress Yeo Si-yeon’s bright laughter echoed.
Or was it mocking?
“Oh! Actor Woo Su-han, such great sense! Changing the concept every time we film the making-of—you really live up to your nickname, the ‘master of transformation!’”
“Ah… yes.”
Assistant director Jo marveled, nodding along with the making-of cameraman.
From their point of view, Su-han’s behavior did look like that.
Earlier: stalker mode.
This morning: creepy harasser mode.
Now: tossing out cheesy gangster lines from the 80s.
“At least the sun’s gone now.”
The sun had slipped behind the clouds, yet here was Su-han with a parasol.
The only saving grace—the actress under it with him was genuinely laughing.
Gam-dong smiled at the cameraman, relieved.
He was the director. He’d handle editing.
He could spin this.
Besides, Su-han’s constant changes kept people guessing.
And the important part—the actual real scenes—were being filmed properly.
Still, one thing worried him.
Deputy Director Gu Bong-han was watching from the side.
And his expression? Beaming with satisfaction.
“Does he… think this is working?”
His eyes practically said, “Good job. It’s going well.”
Gam-dong could only laugh bitterly.
“Well… as long as we reach the destination, the path doesn’t matter.”
“Sir?”
“No, I mean… it looks good. Entertaining.”
“Right?”
Gam-dong forced a smile and nodded.
“Bend over.”
Deputy Gu Bong-han was in trouble.
Whack! Whack! Whack!
Representative Jang Sang-soo’s bat came down on his broad backside.
Bong-han held back his groans.
But what hurt more than his butt was his heart—resentment that the boss hadn’t even let him explain properly.
“What were you teaching him?”
“H-how to woo women…”
“Ass up again.”
Whack! Whack! Crack!
The signed baseball bat snapped in two.
Bong-han decided his butt had triumphed.
“Why’d you do it?”
“I-I was just so frustrated.”
You?
“I thought… as someone experienced, I could share my know-how…”
He explained as quickly as he could.
And truthfully, the results weren’t bad—the set had been lively, the mood good.
He was sure the wall between them had lowered.
Jang, tossing aside the broken bat handle, sat on the sofa.
“‘Experienced’? Both your marriages were just dragging in trainees, half by force.”
“…Sorry.”
“When your first wife ran away, I had to cover it up so people wouldn’t think abductions were trending in this company, remember?”
Bong-han flinched.
“And the second one—you forget I stopped her from jumping off the roof and forced a divorce?”
“We really loved each other—”
“One more word and I’ll throw this ashtray.”
Bong-han swallowed his protest.
In his heart, he still believed there’d been love—at least until she ran.
“And that’s the guy giving lessons? Now people probably think we’re plotting some stunt! Who’d even follow that nonsense?”
Bong-han’s face brightened.
He understood the concern.
“I followed it.”
“…What?”
“The parasol, pulling her in—he nailed it. Both.”
“……”
Bong-han beamed, proud.
“Even the actress laughed, and later Woo Su-han said he’d buy me a meal!”
“…Fine. Get out.”
Jang waved him away with a weary face.
Bong-han, though disappointed not to be praised, felt relieved—at least the misunderstanding was cleared.
“….”
Alone, Jang sat with an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips.
“Woo Su-han…”
Murmuring the name, his expression grew heavy.
“…Is it really right to recruit this guy in three years?”
He worried Su-han couldn’t even tell advice from nonsense.
“Damn it. You need to at least tell crap from bean paste…”
He dragged deep on the cigarette.
“Well done. Why don’t you just woo Deputy Gu instead of the actress?”
“…That was real laughter.”
“Sure. If you were a comedian, I’d applaud. But acting like you’re flirting?”
“Hey! He taught me! He’s been married twice!”
I felt wronged.
The mood had been great today.
Sure, it was staged—but the senior actress had smiled, and Deputy Gu had totally bought it.
“And you let him ‘teach’ you? Married twice? Where’s his wife now?”
“I never said I believed him! I just… followed along!”
“Are you stupid? Just doing what he says?”
“You’ve got to keep your enemies close. He looked like a thug, spouting advice—I had to at least pretend to listen, right?”
“If only you could act it better.”
“He even gave me a thumbs-up! That guy was completely fooled!”
“…Yeah, yeah. I’m ascending to nirvana over here.”
Damn it, Gam-dong.
I told you I was only pretending, but you don’t believe me…
Was it that obvious?
