Chapter 370 (1/2)
Dongwook hung up and sighed. One of the most frequent occurrences when doing interviews was delaying the interview just before the appointed time. In cases like this, it was always money that was the problem. The interviewee was probably undergoing an interview with another journalist at a different coffee shop right now.
“I guess it’s no good.”
Since it was clear that it was a scam, the social journalists would rush to get a piece of the pie as well, not just entertainment journalists.
“Hello? It’s been a long time. You haven’t changed your number, huh. I was just going to ask something. Did you guys put some people on Number 8? So you are moving after all. How about the other TV stations? They look like they’re busy as well? Alright, that’s how it is huh. Hey, do you have any useful news? Don’t be so cold. Hey, Hey.”
He had called a junior of his who still worked at a TV station but he got nothing. The guy that always followed him, calling him ‘senior’ had disappeared.
“Did you really have to cut off the lifeline of a freelancer like me?”
He scratched his head and got in his car. He messaged the person he was going to interview to cancel their interview. When he did, he immediately got a reply back saying that the person was available right now, but he simply ignored that text.
“You shouldn’t try to double-time me.”
He drove his car to Daechi-dong in Gangnam-gu. The president of Number 8 and his family lived there. When he turned into the street with villas lined up on the side, he realized that he was too late. There were many people that seemed to be journalists. Dongwook got out of his car and joined them.
“Is there any news?”
“News? Do you think we’d be here if we got any?”
He handed over a vitamin drink that he always carried with him in secret. The journalist thanked him. The fact that he received it meant that he had some intentions of telling him what happened here.
“Are there any people inside?”
“I don’t think so. There are teams that have been staying here since yesterday, but they never even saw a shadow.”
The journalist opened the drink and drank it in one gulp.
“They’re quite daring, thinking about hoggin more than 10 billion won to themselves.”
“You tell me. Thanks to this incident, I think there will be some chaos in Chungmuro. The entertainer’s labor union will probably rise as well. Geez, the actors have it better at least. At least some of them received some money beforehand. There are probably those that received absolutely nothing among the staff. It’s always the people that clean up after others that die out.”
He took out his phone and pressed the number he didn’t want to press.
-Yes, senior.
“Let’s meet today.”
-What?
“Let’s meet today. It’s today or nothing. Do you have the time?”
-What’s up with you all of a sudden?
“Nah, it’s fine. Let’s not meet. I’m sure I’ll get into something troublesome if I get involved with you.”
-No. I’m going to meet you. Where are you now?
“Aren’t you busy? Don’t you have work to do?”
-You’re the one who called me, senior, why are you taking back your words now? Oh wait, you have a car, don’t you? Then come to my company, I’ll be waiting for you outside.
He hung up and threw his phone on the passenger seat.
“Alright, let’s act like a journalist once in a while.”
He smiled bitterly as he started the car.
He thought that he’d probably regret his decision.
* * *
After separating from Daemyung, he got a call from Suyeon. He asked what it was about so late at night, and she told him to free up some time tomorrow.
“Time?”
-Yeah. You remember the drama you shot with me last time, right?
“Yeah.”
-I think you need to appear once more.
“Me?”
-Yeah. The madam appointed you.
“The madam?”
The three characters Lee Miyoon appeared in his head.
“Why would she want me?”
-Looks like she’s taken a fancy for you. She wants you as the youngest member of the restaurant. Apparently, she would like ‘the affable kid from last time’. She told me directly as well. It’s not like you have something to do, right? You guys didn’t advance into the nationals.
“Your words are quite direct despite being our instructor.”
-It’s not like packaging it well right now would do anything. Anyway, you’re coming, right?
“I am. It’s not like I have something better to do.
-Okay, then come to Yeoksam station tomorrow. We’ll be shooting at the Korean restaurant there. As for clothes, we’ll be giving you a uniform, so don’t mind that. Then see you tomorrow.
* * *
Just as he was thinking about what Suyeon said last night, the buzzer rang. The door opened and some people got off. Maru had a look at the outside scenery. Since she told him that it was exactly 10 stops away from the train station by bus, he had to get off at the next bus stop.
The bus drove for a while before stopping at the next bus stop. Maru put on his backpack and went out the back door. There were tall buildings as far as his eyes could see. There wasn’t a single low-story building in the vicinity. Even the one that was being built seemed to be at least 20 stories tall.
He started walking. Suyeon had told him that he should go to the left from the bus stop and turn around at the convenience store, and he’d see it immediately.
“I guess I did see it immediately.”
It was a mansion with a tiled roof. It was only 4 stories tall. It was a traditional Korean restaurant that overwhelmed the glass buildings around it. He’d probably be able to fool a foreigner if he told him that it was a historic monument.
In front of the restaurant were some cars from TV stations. He walked towards the sign that said ‘Soo-ryeo-jae’ in hanja. The automatic doors opened and as soon as he walked inside, a lady approached him. She was wearing a neat hanbok that was not too colorful.
“Welcome.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Did you make a reservation?”
“No, I came here because I heard there was a shoot here today.”
“Oh, if that’s the case, the drama is being shot on the 2nd floor. The third and fourth floors still have normal customers eating, so please be considerate.”
“Understood.”
It seemed that the management had prepared the staff to say that line beforehand. Maru walked up the stairs to the 2nd floor. People were walking around installing cameras and lights. It seemed that the shoot hadn’t begun yet.
“What brings you here?”
He turned around when someone tapped him and he saw the camera director Kim Jangsoo. Maru smiled and greeted him.
“I’m here as a minor actor again today.”
“Is that so? That’s good. You should make a good impression since you’re here.”
“Yes.”
“Then see you later.”
Jangsoo walked towards the rest of the staff. Maru greeted everyone he came across. There were some that greeted him with a bit of confusion, and there were some that just nodded back at him.
“You’ve become a yes-man.”
Suyeon waved her hand while smiling like a devious fox. Next to her was a lady that seemed to be her stylist.