Chapter 18: A Strawberry Latte and Shared Lines

Jaejeong stood in the shade, waiting for his strawberry latte. Meanwhile, Dohoon, having just finished filming, approached the truck and took a photo. He beamed brightly for his manager’s camera, a hint of excitement flickering across his face despite the familiarity of the situation. After checking the photo his manager had taken, he smiled again, clearly satisfied.

“One iced strawberry latte!”

Upon hearing his order, Jaejeong quickly stepped forward.

“Thank you.”

“Enjoy your drink.”

As he turned away with his beverage, Dohoon spotted Jaejeong and called out to him.

“Jaejeong. Enjoy your meal.”

“Yes, I will.”

Dohoon noticed the strawberry drink in Jaejeong’s hand a moment later and chuckled to himself. Jaejeong, standing there blankly, unaware of the reason for the amusement, soon walked past him. He had no way of knowing that he simply didn’t suit a sweet strawberry drink.

****

Filming concluded early that day, allowing them to return to the dorm sooner than usual. The normally quiet dorm was unexpectedly bustling, and it turned out Sejin had come to visit. They had ordered a mountain of delivery food even before Jaejeong arrived, leaving the living room table littered with half-eaten dishes.

Jaejeong, weary from filming, intended to wash up and retreat directly to his bedroom. However, Sejin clung to him, refusing to let go. He made a remark, half-joking, half-serious, about Jaejeong ignoring them now that he was an actor. Unable to resist, Jaejeong playfully nudged his side. Despite the gentle force, the lean Sejin groaned repeatedly.

Yielding to the members’ insistence, Jaejeong finally took a seat and poked at the cold chicken. He had no appetite and no desire to eat.

“Jaejeong hyung.”

“What is it?”

“Do you like acting with Han Dohoon?”

“What?”

Dohoon asked back, surprised by Sejin’s sudden question. Sejin genuinely admired Dohoon and harbored a dream of one day appearing in a project with him. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t jealous that Jaejeong, not he, had joined this production. Jaejeong, knowing Sejin’s feelings, raised an eyebrow.

“Are you jealous?”

“Ha, who said I was jealous?”

Sejin’s face flushed, clearly uncomfortable at being called out so directly.

“If you’re jealous, just say so.”

“No, I asked if you liked it. Why are you deflecting?”

“Yeah. I like it.”

Jaejeong answered indifferently, then pressed his lips together.

“Does he teach you acting and stuff? Han Dohoon is super cool when he acts, isn’t he? Huh? What’s it like acting right in front of him? Do you get nervous?”

“You’re noisy.”

Jaejeong scowled, annoyed by Sejin’s incessant questions, yet he had to admit that Dohoon’s acting, seen up close, was undeniably magnificent. No, perhaps awe-inspiring was a more fitting word. He acted without a single hitch and possessed the ability to make his scene partners comfortable, often making Jaejeong forget his own nervousness by the end of a shoot.

Recalling his filming experiences with Dohoon, Jaejeong felt a peculiar sense of satisfaction. A sudden, childish emotion surged through him, prompting him to harden his expression to conceal his true feelings.

****

Amidst the grueling summer shoot, Dohoon treated the entire production crew to samgyetang, a restorative chicken soup. Everyone was delighted, remarking that it was perfect timing as their energy had been flagging. Dohoon’s decision to provide the samgyetang was largely motivated by Jaejeong.

During outdoor shoots, they often relied on food trucks or nearby restaurants, and Jaejeong’s meager appetite during these meals had consistently bothered him. He couldn’t nag Jaejeong to eat more, so this was the only recourse he could think of.

Dohoon, seated at the same table as Jaejeong, subtly pushed the side dishes towards him. Jaejeong, unwrapping his spoon, glanced at Dohoon across from him.

“The weather’s quite hot, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

“This is your first drama, Jaejeong, and a historical one at that. I imagine it’s even tougher. Even with experience, historical dramas are definitely harder; there are so many outdoor scenes.”

“…Yes.”

Still awkward about conversing casually with Dohoon, Jaejeong offered short answers and nodded repeatedly.

“If you have any questions or difficulties, don’t hesitate to ask. When I first started dramas, I often felt lost with so much I didn’t know. It was always reassuring and helpful when seniors would assist me. Seriously, it’s no trouble at all, so feel free to ask anything.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Dohoon gazed at him with sparkling eyes, hoping Jaejeong would indeed seek his help.

“And if you want to practice lines, just come to my car. Alright?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, I’ve been doing all the talking, haven’t I? Haha, my apologies. Please eat quickly.”

Dohoon, who had leaned in close, belatedly pulled back and offered an awkward laugh.

‘Oh, I think I overdid it again. What if he thinks I’m a weird, talkative senior? Does he dislike me?’

He fretted silently, scanning Jaejeong’s face, but it was difficult to discern his thoughts. Fortunately, the samgyetang seemed to agree with him, as Jaejeong emptied his bowl completely. It made the expense worthwhile.

“Excuse me, sunbaenim.”

“Yes?”

Near the end of the meal, Jaejeong, for once, initiated conversation. Dohoon, flustered, widened his eyes.

“Could you perhaps run lines with me later?”

“Oh, of course! Absolutely. Let’s practice after we finish eating.”

Dohoon clenched his fist beneath the table. Given Jaejeong’s personality, it must have been difficult for him to directly ask for help. Dohoon felt that by setting the stage, he had made it possible for Jaejeong to bring it up. He was glad he had taken the initiative.

Avoiding the bustling crowd preparing for the next shoot, the two found a spot under a tree at the corner of the set, unfolding their chairs to sit facing each other. Fortunately, a cool breeze wafted through, making the heat bearable.

Dohoon had assumed they would be practicing for that afternoon’s shoot, but Jaejeong instead pulled out the script for episode six. It was a part of the story they hadn’t even begun filming yet.

“I’ve read everything that’s been released so far, but there are some parts I don’t quite understand.”

“I don’t have the script for episode six. Can I look with you?”

“Yes.”

Jaejeong quickly flipped through the already well-worn script. Not only had he marked his own scenes, but the margins were densely filled with small handwritten notes.

“Jaejeong, you’re incredibly diligent.”

“Huh? Oh… it’s nothing.”

Because many still viewed idol-turned-actors with prejudice, Jaejeong constantly worried that his mere presence might detract from the drama. Therefore, all he could do was work as hard as possible.

“Here, this part where Haesu gets agitated and raises her voice. I wondered if she should shout, but shouting at the king seems a bit off… yet speaking normally doesn’t feel right either.”

“Ah, I see. Especially with Haesu’s personality, she probably wouldn’t just explode. I think you should interpret it as her voice simply rising in surprise, just as the stage direction implies.”

The two leaned in close, their heads nearly touching as they focused on the script. Dohoon, engrossed in reading, hadn’t realized how near he was to Jaejeong until he felt a sudden warmth and looked up. His finger had brushed against Jaejeong’s hand, which was holding the script. Jaejeong’s face remained impassive, but Dohoon was quite startled.

“This line here.”

Jaejeong’s long finger pointed to Iseon’s dialogue on the script. Dohoon, belatedly regaining his composure, slowly began to speak. Through the gentle breeze, Dohoon’s voice—no, Jihyeong’s, now embodying Iseon—penetrated the air. Jaejeong watched Dohoon, who had instantly shifted his voice, with a sense of wonder.

“I told you repeatedly there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Were you not nearly hurt?!”

“You startled me. I wasn’t hurt. Isn’t that enough?”

Concern mixed with a hint of anger. Haesu’s expression, as she gazed at her still-puzzling lord, was complex. Dohoon looked at Jaejeong, who had completely become Haesu, before lowering his gaze back to the script.

The two exchanged lines for a long time. It was a scene with a lengthy exchange. In fact, most of Jaejeong’s screen time was with Dohoon, making Dohoon his primary scene partner. Practicing lines alone with Dohoon was immensely helpful for him.

After reading through the entirety of episode six, Dohoon belatedly felt a profound thirst. The long monologue in the latter half had left his mouth parched. Though it was just the two of them, with no one watching, the atmosphere was more serious than ever. Jaejeong, who had been watching Dohoon deliver the lengthy monologue flawlessly and fluidly, slowly opened his mouth.

“You’re truly an amazing actor.”

“What?”

Startled by the unexpected compliment, Dohoon asked back. It was the most dryly delivered compliment about his acting he had ever received, yet it felt incredibly sincere. Dohoon’s mood instantly brightened, and he grinned.

“You’re cool.”

However, the compliment that followed was entirely unforeseen, causing him to involuntarily clear his throat. Jaejeong, flustered, looked around for water.

“No, it’s fine. I was just a little surprised. I didn’t expect you to say I was cool.”

“Ah…”

Jaejeong’s expression grew serious, as if he thought Dohoon didn’t believe him. Seeing the fine wrinkles gather between his brows, Dohoon found himself wanting to laugh at his cuteness. A compliment from a celebrity he admired couldn’t help but feel more meaningful than any other words.

“Thank you. Coming from you, Jaejeong, it doesn’t feel like empty praise.”

“I don’t give empty praise.”

Jaejeong replied flatly, then closed his script without lingering. He performed so well while acting, yet in everyday life, his voice was so monotone that it lacked any discernible intonation. Dohoon found that low, calm voice quite appealing.

“Jaejeong, you have a great voice.”

“Huh?”

“You have a good voice. It’s a blessing for an actor.”

In response to Dohoon’s compliment, which seemed to echo his own ‘cool’ remark, Jaejeong blinked, momentarily speechless. Perhaps it was the benefit of having spent days watching only his videos, but Dohoon noticed the subtle shift in Jaejeong’s expression. ‘He’s embarrassed,’ he thought. Dohoon deliberately suppressed the twitch in his lips, then turned his head away.