249 Shady Stranger (2/2)
”Yes~”
Yeo Ri carefully came down from the wall with the help of several staff members, then landed safely on the prepared mattress.
After the take, Yeo Ri was ushered to the break area while they tidied up the set. They removed the safety mattress, placing a slightly steep platform against the wall, where Yeo Ri would have to jump off from. Although it was not as tall as the wall, it was still risky, thus the crew had to make sure it was safe for the girl before attempting the jump.
While they fixed up the new setup, Yeo Ri waited by the side as a makeup artist touched up her face, wiping away her perspiration.
Sticking closely to her was Secretary Kwon, who had a deep, irritated frown on his face. His watchful eyes roamed around the area, scanning for any suspicious figures.
His intimidating look caused a few of the crew to squirm uncomfortably, and even Yeo Ri noticed that he was far more serious than usual.
”What's wrong with you?” she asked as the makeup artist left to tend to other matters.
”Nothing, miss. I'm just being careful.”
”That 'Ji' person hasn't sent anyone after me as of late, has he?”
”None who's actively trying to go after you, miss, though I've taken notice of some shady people watching you every now and then. Still, it's not good to be lax since we don't know who's watching and when.” On top of that, there was an internet-troll-possible-stalker he had to look out for. The threats were just endless with this girl.
”Okay,” she briefly replied. Yeo Ri didn't care much about her safety, but it was nice to have someone watching out for her. Yeo Ri found herself thinking of how regrettable she would feel when Secretary Kwon returns to his original duties one day. She would miss his presence, especially since she had begun to warm up to him and got used to his company.
Yeo Ri kept to her thoughts and sighed.
”Miss? Are you tired?” Secretary Kwon momentarily turned his gaze towards her. The girl had multiple ongoing projects she was working in, and he was worried that she might be feeling the pressure of her busy schedule.
”Not really,” Yeo Ri shook her head.
”Alright, break's over! Let's start again with Scene 6,” the assistant director called out, and Yeo Ri immediately reacted at her cue. She moved to her position as she got ready for the next scene, leaving the man to his vigilant self.
As the girl got into her element, Kwon Tae Yang fell back, making sure that he was far enough to be able to survey the crowd fully. It was hard to pinpoint who was a staff member and who was not, since many had dressed up in similar monotone, nondescript clothing and wore face masks and caps despite the increasingly hot weather.
His eyes narrowed as he noticed a certain figure skulking behind the sound technicians. The person had worn a hooded jacket with the hood pulled up, his face hidden under a face mask and a cap pulled so low that it hid their eyes. From the physique of the person, Kwon Tae Yang deduced that he was a man, age unknown.
The man stood out to him, as he had his hands hidden within his pockets, and he didn't seem like he was part of the crew due to his lack of actions. He carried no props, documents, backpacks, or lanyard that some of the other people had, seeming as if he came to the set empty-handed.
As if realising the secretary-cum-manager-cum-bodyguard's gaze, the man raised his head to look back at him, then slowly slunked away, disappearing behind the school building.
Secretary Kwon was immediately alarmed. He looked towards Yeo Ri, who was still absorbed in her acting. He debated whether he should stay and watch over the girl or chase after the other guy. The guy was suspicious, yes, but mere suspicion didn't mean that he was a threat. Perhaps he was a student who came to see what was going on, he reasoned weakly.
In the end, Kwon Tae Yang decided against following after the shady stranger.