Chapter 18: Wrapping Up and New Roles

May 29th.
Inside a recording studio in Apgujeong.
The final scene for the Korean dub of "Despicable Me 2."

Kang Jae-hoon stared at the monitor, watching the scene where Gru and Lucy rocketed toward the volcano. His Adam's apple bobbed in sync with the countdown numbers.

"Three, two, one, go!"
"Listen, Lucy! We might not make it out of this alive—"
"Cut! You're confessing your feelings, not collecting a debt!"

The director suddenly cut the music. "And your breathing is too heavy. At this moment, Gru is supposed to be resigned and letting it all go!"
"Sorry, Director."
Kang Jae-hoon took a sip of iced Americano to soothe his throat. "I’m ready now."

The seventh take.
"Listen, Lucy! We might not make it out of this alive—"
When Kang Jae-hoon spoke again, his rough voice was tinged with a hint of coaxing sweetness.
"But there’s a question I have to ask you!"
"Now? Well, you’d better ask quickly!"
The pre-recorded voice of the actress dubbing for Lucy came through his headphones.
"If I wanted to go on a date with you, would you be willing?"

Kang Jae-hoon’s final note rose sharply, coinciding with the special effects of the volcano erupting in the film.
"Are you kidding me?" Lucy laughed suddenly. "Of course I would!"
"Cut!"

Kang Jae-hoon pursed his lips, waiting for the director's verdict. A moment later, the director wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Perfect. That’s a wrap!"

The room was silent for two seconds before erupting into cheers. The assistant director aimed a confetti cannon at Kang Jae-hoon, blasting a sky full of glitter.
"Congratulations on wrapping up! You worked hard!"
"Thank you."

Kang Jae-hoon wiped the gold dust from his eyelashes and thanked the staff he had spent the last month with. Amidst the noise of equipment being packed away, the director shoved a crumpled envelope into his hand.
"Not bad, kid. That final vibrato was brilliant."
Kang Jae-hoon held the envelope, which was less than two millimeters thick, and thanked him. "It’s all thanks to your guidance, Director-nim."
"Let’s exchange contact info. Looking forward to working together again."
"Sure."
"By the way."
After exchanging phone numbers, the director patted Kang Jae-hoon on the shoulder and laughed.
"Find time to date more often. That way, you’ll save twenty retakes on romance scenes next time."
"Ah..."
For a split second, Lee Sung-kyung’s cold expression when she called him an idiot flashed before his eyes, only to be replaced by the crescent-moon eyes of Im Yoona smiling during a recording session.

"What are you spacing out for?"
Kim Dae-won hooked his arm around his neck and dragged him outside, not forgetting to give the director a two-finger salute at his forehead.
Kang Jae-hoon stumbled as he was pulled out. A piece of gold dust remained stuck to the studio glass, looking like a star sticker left by a prankster.

...

At an old-fashioned charcoal grilled meat restaurant in Sinchon-dong, Mapo-gu.
Grease dripped onto the charcoal, crackling and popping, mixing with the sound of clinking soju bottles. The script discussion felt more like a gangster meeting.

Han Dong-wook picked up a piece of sizzling pork belly and placed it on the small plate in front of Hwang Jung-min.
"Hyung-nim, the role of Tae-il needs you. There’s a touch of humanity buried under that reckless ruffian exterior; you’re the only one in Chungmuro who can bring it to life."

Hwang Jung-min dipped the meat in chili paste and swallowed it whole.
"Who’s cast as the female lead?"
"I’m thinking of Han Hyo-joo. Her pure image can temper the bloody tone."
"Han Hyo-joo?"
Hwang Jung-min sucked his teeth as he flipped through the script for "Man in Love."
"She just finished filming 'Cold Eyes.' Her brain is currently full of muscle memory for a detective. You want her to play a little rabbit cornered by a loan shark?"

Han Dong-wook paused while tearing a perilla leaf.
"The production team wants a box-office guarantee..."
Hwang Jung-min raised an eyebrow. "Isn't having me enough?"
"Hyung-nim, you’ve agreed to star in it?"
"Ya, you call me hyung, after all. How could I not help with your debut feature?"
"Haha..."
Han Dong-wook hurriedly used both hands to pour soju for Hwang Jung-min. The two clinked glasses and downed the drink.

Just as the soju on the table hit the bottom of the bottle, the restaurant door slammed open. The night breeze brought in by Kang Jae-hoon swept away half the smoke in the room.
"Sorry, there was a traffic jam."
After apologizing, Kang Jae-hoon bowed to the two men.
"Teacher-nim, Director-nim, good evening!"
"This is my protégé, Kang Jae-hoon."
Hwang Jung-min kicked a plastic stool toward him. "Pour a drink for Director Han."
"Yes."
Kang Jae-hoon used both hands to lift his glass and downed it in one go.
"Find a role for my kid."

Han Dong-wook stared at Kang Jae-hoon’s face through the haze of smoke from the grill for a long moment.
"What kind of roles has little Kang played?"
"I’ve played a 60s soldier, a medieval noblewoman, and I dubbed Gru for the animated film 'Despicable Me 2'."
"..."
The range of characters Kang Jae-hoon had played was so vast that even Han Dong-wook was left speechless.
"Gangster thugs are too green, loan shark accountants are too goody-two-shoes..."
He flipped through the character list. "The main problem is the age gap. The youngest thug in the gangster line has to be over 30."
Because the lead was Hwang Jung-min, the ages of the other characters had to be set around his. There really wasn't a suitable role for Kang Jae-hoon.

"You’re the screenwriter, aren't you!"
Hwang Jung-min flicked his cigarette ash. "Open a new line for him."
"Open a new line..."
Han Dong-wook stared at the sizzling beef intestines for two seconds, then suddenly tapped the table.
"Add a real estate agent!"
He immediately pulled out a ballpoint pen and scribbled on a blank space in the script.
"The night Tae-il loses the deposit for the shop, add a scene where a real estate agent is mediating—the landlord is demanding the balance, the female lead is waiting desperately for Tae-il, and little Kang is in the middle, making up lies to stall for time."

Kang Jae-hoon’s Adam’s apple bobbed as the soju he’d just swallowed burned his throat.
"A real estate agent?"
"An expert at telling tall tales while wearing a suit."
Hwang Jung-min stuffed a charred piece of intestine into his bowl. "Go intern at a real estate office tomorrow."

"..."

When Kang Jae-hoon opened his front door, Lee Sung-kyung was on the floor doing a downward-facing dog yoga pose. The curve of her waist and hips outlined by her yoga pants made Kang Jae-hoon hurriedly fix his gaze on the shoe cabinet.
"Did you drink?"
"Yeah, we wrapped up today, but I didn't drink too much."
He pulled out the crumpled "wrap-up" envelope and shook it. "The director said he’d hire me again."
"Congratulations."
"Cough—"
Kang Jae-hoon choked on his own saliva.
The last time this woman had said "congratulations" was last year, when he had become Hwang Jung-min’s apprentice. But this time, the congratulations seemed to be mixed with something else.

"Also..."
"Speak."
"Hwang Jung-min teacher-nim got me a new role—"
He collapsed onto the sofa, picking at a loose thread on the cushion, waiting for a follow-up. But he waited through three beats without a single question.
"Playing a real estate agent!"
He suddenly raised his voice. "The kind that wears a suit to work!"
Lee Sung-kyung rolled over into a bridge pose, her abdominal muscles rising and falling with her breath.
"So?"
"I have a two-minute independent scene this time!"
"Still an extra."
"I’m starting an internship at a real estate agency tomorrow to experience the role."
"Do you want me to praise you for being professional?"
"Not necessarily..."

Before Kang Jae-hoon could finish his sentence, Lee Sung-kyung suddenly sprang up. The breeze from her yoga mat hit his face, smelling of lavender laundry detergent.
"What time do real estate offices open?"
"Eight o'clock."
Lee Sung-kyung glanced at the time. "Then you have seven hours of sleep left. I’ll let you shower first tonight."
"Wow, Sung-kyung, you really are—"
"Before I change my mind."
Kang Jae-hoon instantly fell silent and scrambled into the bathroom.
As the door closed, he heard her mutter:
"Two minutes of acting and he still has to experience the role, what an idiot..."
He suddenly poked his head out through the gap in the door and asked:
"Sung-kyung, did you just praise me?"
"Get lost!"