Chapter 29: Fingernail Marks on the Script

The script reading session officially began after the actors finished their introductions.

There are two primary purposes for holding a script reading: first, to allow the actors to familiarize themselves with their characters as early as possible; second, to enable the actors to discuss or modify certain plot points from the perspective of their roles.

"Scene five, ready."

Kang Jae-hoon deliberately kept the sound of his script page-turning light, yet it still caused the straw in Krystal Jung's cup to clink against the melting ice at the bottom. This was the scene marking his and Krystal's first appearance in the show.

"Cha Eun-sang walks by carrying a tray in her uniform."

As the stage manager read the narration, Park Shin-hye’s left hand subconsciously mimicked the motion of balancing a tray.

"Remember to use this umbrella after work," Kang Jae-hoon said, his index finger tracing the corner of the paper. "The forecast says it will rain this evening."

Park Shin-hye tapped the edge of the table three times with her fingertips before responding:

"Then what will you do?"

"Bo-na and I can use this to block the rain—"

Kang Jae-hoon suddenly grabbed the baseball jacket Kang Ha-neul had draped over the back of his chair and pulled it over Park Hyung-sik’s head:

"Just like in *Roman Holiday*."

With his head muffled under the jacket, Park Hyung-sik ad-libbed:

"Your Highness, shall we step in the puddles?"

Krystal’s small, round-toed leather shoes suddenly clicked against the floor:

"Cha Eun-sang! How dare you seduce my boyfriend!"

The corner of the script she was clutching had been rolled into a tube, and her cheeks puffed up along with her lines.

Park Shin-hye tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, rolling her eyes with three times the vividness indicated in the script. Kang Ha-neul’s knit sweater was still draped over Park Hyung-sik’s head, and the latter was secretly using his front-facing phone camera to check his hair.

"Bo-na, we’ve just known each other since—"

"Shut up, come with me right now—"

Krystal’s voice suddenly cracked into a high-pitched, childish squeak at the end of her sentence. She hurriedly covered half her face with the script, glancing around nervously.

Kim Ji-won’s shoulders shook as she suppressed a laugh, knocking into Krystal. Most of the others had smiles tugging at the corners of their mouths as they looked down at their scripts.

Park Shin-hye and Kang Jae-hoon, however, remained unaffected, continuing their lines methodically:

"Chan-young, your umbrella..."

"I told you it’s for you!"

Krystal hurriedly chimed back in:

"Yah, Yoon Chan-young! You dare try talking to her again!"

"..."

The coffee shop scene was short, but it precisely captured the personalities of the three characters: the spoiled heiress Lee Bo-na, the sensitive and accommodating Yoon Chan-young, and the impoverished heir Cha Eun-sang.

After the reading of the fifth scene concluded, the actors involved were given the opportunity to discuss with writer Kim Eun-sook whether any parts of the plot needed revision. Although Kim Eun-sook is in a class of her own in the Korean screenwriting industry, she is still human. When faced with shaping dozens of distinct and complex characters, it is inevitable that some minor details might be overlooked.

This, therefore, is the true meaning of the script reading.

A moment later, Krystal raised her hand first:

"Writer-nim, when Bo-na drags Chan-young away, should she slam the door or stomp her feet?"

"Slamming the door would have more visual impact," Lee Min-ho interjected, maintaining the lazy posture of Kim Tan. "But the coffee shop on set uses automatic sliding doors."

The group burst into laughter. This was the advantage of having a young cast. Without any cutthroat competition among them, the atmosphere was exceptionally cheerful. If this had been a reading with those veteran actors from Chungmuro, such an atmosphere would have been impossible.

Kim Eun-sook also smiled as she looked at Krystal, saying, "During the reading phase, let's stick to the script. We can discuss the specific performance details with the director during filming."

"Yes!"

"Chan-young-ssi, do you have any thoughts?"

Hearing Kim Eun-sook call his name, Kang Ha-neul hurriedly kicked Kang Jae-hoon’s ankle under the table to signal him to speak.

"Uh..."

Kang Jae-hoon hesitated for two seconds and shook his head. "Not at the moment."

Usually, rookie actors rarely volunteer suggestions for changes. One reason is their shallow understanding of the role, and the second is that their lack of seniority gives them little say. Kang Jae-hoon’s silence fell into a third category—it was born of caution.

On the day of his audition, he realized deeply that his behavior would directly or indirectly affect Hwang Jung-min. When he voiced suggestions for lines while dubbing for *Despicable Me 2*, it was because he was the lead; when he designed the detail of adding the collection notice on the set of *Man in Love*, it was because he had Hwang Jung-min backing him up on set.

But here...

Trying to steal the spotlight without anyone to protect him clearly went against the workplace survival rules Kim Dae-won had taught him. The correct approach was to discuss changes privately with writer Kim Eun-sook or consult the director during filming.

"Alright then, let's move to the next scene."

The group responded to the writer's instruction with the sound of pages turning in unison.

Two hours flew by. The break signal sounded. Kim Ji-won stood up with her script, which contained the parts she had questions about, and walked toward Kim Eun-sook’s seat. As she passed Kang Jae-hoon’s spot, her peripheral vision swept across his open script—next to Lee Bo-na’s lines, there were triangle symbols and wavy lines drawn all over, and next to "[Yoon Chan-young is a big idiot!]" were notes like [Raise pitch + stomp feet].

A moment later, after writer Kim Eun-sook finished answering Kim Ji-won’s questions about her study-abroad scenes, she caught a glimpse of Kang Jae-hoon’s script annotations again as she returned to her seat.

Krystal was poking at the nearly melted ice in her drink with a straw, listening as her friend leaned in and whispered:

"He even marked up your lines with analytical notes."

"Who?"

"Your Oppa."

In front of the restroom mirror, Park Hyung-sik was fixing his hair.

"I just heard Lee Min-ho fainted yesterday while working out."

"Low blood sugar, probably." Kang Jae-hoon pulled out two paper towels.

"Being the lead is so miserable," Park Hyung-sik said, stuffing his hairspray back into his pocket. "It’s better to be Jo Myung-soo; I only have to be the comic relief."

"..."

Inside the conference room, Krystal was kneeling on her leather chair with one knee, using her half-finished iced Americano as cover, while her right hand held her phone, focusing on Kang Jae-hoon’s script.

"Do you want a refill on that iced Americano?"

The scent of Lee Min-ho’s cologne drifted over from behind her.

Krystal gave a start at the sudden voice, and her phone "clattered" as it hit Kang Jae-hoon’s thermos and tumbled to the floor. Lee Min-ho bent down to pick up the latest iPhone 5s; the screen was still in camera mode.

"Sunbae, why do you walk so quietly!"

Krystal’s earlobes turned crimson as she snatched back her phone, pressing the unlock button three times before entering the correct password.

"It’s because you were too focused on the script."

Park Hyung-sik’s signature loud laughter suddenly echoed from the hallway. Krystal reflexively pressed the burst-shot button. As Kang Ha-neul’s nagging about Park Hyung-sik "tucking his shirt into his pants" grew closer, Krystal quickly returned to her seat.

She moved faster than she ever had during dance rehearsals.

"Did you get it?" Kim Ji-won leaned over to look at her phone.

Krystal looked down at the photos—two of the three were a blurry mess, and the only clear one was one-quarter blocked by her finger.

Kim Ji-won tapped the blurry photo on the screen with her fingertip.

"Why don't you just ask him directly?"

Krystal’s thumb hovered over the delete button for a long time before she finally exited the photo gallery.

"Ask him directly... I’m too embarrassed."

"Then sit next to him at the reading tomorrow; you’ll be able to see everything in your peripheral vision."

"Unnie, you’re talking a lot today."

"..."

When Kang Jae-hoon returned to his seat, Krystal was being playfully choked by Kim Ji-won. As the second half of the script reading began, he noticed a new fingernail mark on the edge of his script.