Chapter 200: Stop at Nothing, By Any Means (6)

TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir

“Sorry!”

Director Oh Hyunkyung made the first move by bowing her head.

“You must be surprised that I suddenly came over without contacting you. Sorry, but I felt this was urgent. I felt like it would take a long time to meet if I contacted you ahead of time. Busy people were normally like this. I’m really, really sorry!”

She gave off a much more cheerful impression than on the phone.

She had short, round, tangerine hair and freckles on her cheeks. Her eyes curved into a slight smile, showing how sorry she was. I felt like there wouldn’t be many who would rebuke her even if she suddenly came over without calling like now.

I pulled a chair and said,

“First, please sit. But I was in the middle of work.”

“Of course, you’re busy! I will explain everything in ten minutes. I’m a master of presentations. I actually came to discuss the scenario we talked about on the phone yesterday.”

Director Oh Hyunkyung raised the scenario slightly before bringing it back down. I barely managed to prevent my eyes from reflexively chasing the scenario and forced them to look forward. Then, in an expression that showed I was neither interested or disinterested, I said,

“Ah, that. City…”

“Jungle! I really wanted to show it to you because you aren’t the type that cares about trivial things like whether it’s being produced by a major or minor production company and whether it’s being directed by a star director or an unknown one.”

“I am?”

“You worked with a debuting writer from a new production company for Cat Guardian Ghost.”

“It had a timeslot with TVL, and Lee Songha was an unverified rookie.”

Rather, Seo Jijoon, who chose Cat Guardian Ghost despite being a public network one-top male lead and having received many love calls for more well-known projects, was the type to only look at projects. Unlike me, Seo Jijoon didn’t have the certainty that it would be a success.

“Ah, is that so? But even the projects you chose afterwards.”

“It would have been disastrous if Royal Family or Alive had flopped. That’s why I was criticized for picking safe investments and accused of being scared of failing.”

Director Oh Hyunkyung crinkled her nose as she laughed,

“I just tried to butter you up a little. Honestly, although all directors would say the same, I am certain that this movie will succeed.”

I was also certain of that.

That is… if the owner changed.

I turned my gaze to the scenario.

The scenario played the biggest role in the success of a movie. Then what was the probability that a scenario, which succeeded under one director’s leadership, would succeed with another director, who hadn’t had a box office hit? Obviously, it was less than 100%.

“I know that you’ll find it hard to believe. I’m not an appealing director. If I’m being honest, I heard similar things from investors. That they would think about investing if I handed the reigns over to another director.”

Huh?

“One failure is the end these days. It really is difficult for a director who failed three times to get any investments.”

“Have you thought about handing it over to another director?”

“No, not at all. It’s my project.”

Director Oh Hyunkyung shook her head firmly. Her eyes shined with passion.

“It’s something I created thinking would be my last movie. I spent a year fixing and polishing the scenario and tirelessly tried to persuade investors. Now, there are investors that I have had positive discussions with.”

Director Oh Hyunkyung revealed a proud smile as she spoke.

I was curious where the scenario came from.

I had initially considered the peaceful possibility that Director Joo Jaechan bought the rights to it from Director Oh Hyunkyung. However, after seeing her reaction on the phone and right now, she didn’t seem like the type of person who would give it up easily.

Director Joo Jaechan from the future had said,

‘I had a hard time getting that scenario in my hands.’

Did he use a high-handed method?

Directors used to be an absolute authority in the past, but that was no longer the case. There were cases where they were chased out when their opinions clashed with production companies, and other cases where they were switched out for another director because they didn’t fit the investors’ preferences. There were even cases where they were rejected by actors. There weren’t uncommon.

Although she said that that she didn’t even think about changing directors… I didn’t know about that. In a time where even mainstay directors were removed for various reasons, I wondered how long an unknown director would last under the pressure of those with investment capital.

My mouth suddenly went dry. Something bothered me.

If the last future vision I saw was trying to say that I passed on City Jungle directed by Director Joo Jaechan despite knowing it would succeed… Then what was my reason behind it? Was it because of Director Oh Hyunkyung?

“The engine’s now running, so all we need to do now is drive. That’s why we are in the process of casting our lead roles. Ms. Lee Songha…”

Seeing my expression, Director Oh Hyunkyung made a hearty laugh.

“I know she’s busy. Of course, I do. Mr. Seo Jijoon and Mr. Im Joowon are busy too. I know that too. To be honest, I was thinking about someone else from the beginning. I think he’ll fit well with the image I’ve thought of.”

Director Oh Hyunkyung pushed the scenario towards me as she said,

“I would like to propose this to Mr. Nam Joyoon. As the male lead.”

Nam Joyoon?

“Please have a look. I am confident I won’t make you regret it.”

After Director Oh Hyunkyung made her leave, I was left with the scenario in my hands.

I somewhat cleared my disorderly mind in the meeting room before getting up. I was about to go down the stairs with the envelope containing the scenario when someone followed me. He had curly hair, which reminded me of squid tentacles. It was Chief Yoon.

He glanced at the scenario and smiled.

“Your meeting seemed to run a little long. Are you perhaps interested in that project?”

“Why? Are you interested in it?”

“No?”

Chief Yoon denied in an exaggerated manner.

“I was simply curious. I know that you have been looking at all sort of scenarios, but I was wondering if you had the leisure to spend time on movies that may or may not even make it to production.”

He coughed before whispering with a smile,

“… I was just wondering if it is really worth your time. People have been whispering about how you are acting like you’re looking for scenarios and are, in fact, delaying making a decision because of the pressure of being a team leader. But who did that scenario come for? Ms. Lee Songha? Don’t tell me it’s Jijoon, right?”

“I also have something I’m curious about.”

“About me? Well, if you have something, ask away.”

“Don’t you have work to do?”

Chief Yoon abruptly stopped in his steps. He blinked.

“I-I am working? I have an audition for Director Kang Minshik’s project in the afternoon?”

“I hope you would spend the time spent on me on preparing for that audition.”

Director Yoon’s face flushed red.

I went down the stairs. No one followed me this time.

I got in my minivan. I glanced at the passenger’s seat multiple time on my way home. It was the City Jungle scenario I had thought about countless times over the past few days. I tapped the steering wheel with the tips of my fingers. The traffic seemed to be especially slow today.

I had thought about slowly reading through it after returning home.

However, I found myself parked in a nearby parking lot.

Exhaling, I picked up the envelope. I took out the scenario, and there was a colorful handout between its pages. It was a casting proposal.

Along with a black-and-white photo of Nam Joyoon, Director Oh Hyunkyung wrote long, detailed, desperate, and embarrassing paragraphs on why she wanted Nam Joyoon as the male lead.

Soon, I put the proposal back into the envelope.

I then flipped over the first page of the scenario.

*

Something shook in front of me. It was thin, curly, and wet with something white.

It was cream pasta.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

Team Leader Park asked as she waved a forkful of pasta in front of me.

“Ah, I was lost in my thoughts for a second.”

“Your eyes are muddled. Maybe you’re still not well? The director said that you could hand urgent matters to others and take a break. Why is someone who fainted and was in the hospital yesterday at work?”

“I had something I had to handle.”

“You lost your way.”

“Pardon?”

“Back when you were a road manager… Back when you were always taking naps in the company sleeping quarters, you said that you would live like a human once you become a chief or a team leader. That you would enjoy your private life and take vacations. But why does it seem like you have less time now?”

I did say that.

As a road manager, whose day started and ended with driving, I had thought that thing would get easier once I became a chief. When I was a chief, I had thought that I would be able to enjoy life more if I became a team leader. How was it that it felt like I was gradually becoming the company poltergeist?

“Still, you reaped the rewards for your investments. Promotion and fame.”

Team Leader Park shrugged as she added,

“And power.”

Power, huh? It sounded so unfamiliar.

“You’ll probably realize it as you work. Though, you probably won’t need to realize any more fame.”

“I want to avoid that now. After going to the hospital, my every move is being watched. I suffered all morning. I think if zombies somehow entered our company, they would receive less attention than me.”

“So that’s why you wanted to talk outside than at work?”

Team Leader Park looked through her eco-bag and took out a green envelope.

“Director Joo Jaechan. He received a mise en scène award at a short film festival not too long ago. Did you meet him then? I guess he left quite an impression?”

“He did.”

“I quietly looked into him, and it seems he’s been receiving some love calls after receiving that award. They are more about commercials and music videos than movies though. However, it seems like Director Joo Jaechan wants to make a movie with his scenario.”

“Really?”

“It’s a historical drama called ‘King’s Warrior’. He’s been going around looking for a company to produce it. He’s been rejected by all the major ones and has been working to persuade smaller companies. Their reactions are lukewarm. I asked a production company he approached, and they say that the numbers just aren’t there.”

Team Leader Park’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

“Don’t tell me you’re interested in that scenario.”

“That’s not it.”

Although I did slowly read through it with some expectations, it wasn’t something that really caught my attention.

“That’s a relief. If you were interested in that, I would have told you to go back to the hospital.”

Team Leader Park seriously seemed relieved as she let out a sigh.

“If not the scenario, are you interested in the director? Or are you interested in the short film that won the award? Do you want him to director Neptune or Pretty Girls’ next music video? It’s not like you’re planning on giving a director who hasn’t even made his debut a movie to direct.”

“It’s actually similar.”

“The more I investigate, the more he doesn’t seem like the kind of director you really want to work with…”

Team Leader Park flinched.

Then, with a face that seemed like pasta was caught in her throat, she stared at me.

“It’s similar? You want to have this director direct a movie? No, wait.”

Her gaze scanned me.

“What kind of project is it? So you’re interested in something? I did think that your expression seemed similar to when you bought Cat Guardian Ghost over. You made others wait in impatience. So what project are you interested in? Huh?”

Team Leader Park asked like she was dying to know.

“I’ll let you know once things are clear. It’s too early to tell.”

“Why? Are you in the middle of tug-of-war with them? Problem with the role? Signing fee?”

Team Leader Park, who kept asking questions, gulped down a cup of cold water as she asked,

“Then let me ask you one question. Who is the project for?”

I was the one who flinched this time.

“Songha? Mr. Nam Joyoon? Jijoon? Mr. Im Joowon? Or Song Inho?”

Team Leader Park’s face approached mine.

“Who is it?”