Chapter 18: The First Table Read

Even Han-geon, who didn’t know much about celebrities, recognized many of the faces here.

Seeing people he’d only ever watched on screen casually pass by him made his body freeze for a moment, but he forced himself to take a deep breath and pull it together.

He was no longer just an ordinary person—or an event security guard—who could simply admire celebrities from afar.

Every actor and staff member in this room was likely connected to Eun-gyul in some way.

“I’m going to go say hello.

Stay here.”

“Mm.”

Eun-gyul nodded toward the chair labeled ‘Cha Eun-gyul – Role: Cha Kang-woo’, then strode toward the front.

He seemed to be going to greet the director and writer seated near the screen, along with the senior veteran actors sitting in the front row.

With a gentle expression, Eun-gyul bowed deeply.

At the same time, the director and writer stood up with bright smiles.

Since Han-geon was seated not far from the main actor’s spot, he could hear their conversation clearly.

“Hello.”

“Oh, Eun-gyul!

You’re here?”

“Yes, Director.

I look forward to working with you.”

“Haha, how is it that you get even more handsome every time I see you?

Let’s do well together.”

“Thank you.”

As the handshake with the director ended, the writer beside him extended her hand.

The petite female writer looked up at the much taller Eun-gyul and covered her mouth with both hands.

“Oh my… really, the director wasn’t exaggerating.

You have become even more handsome.

This is our second time, right?”

“Yes.

Thank you for calling me again.”

“Of course.

The main character’s surname is Cha, you know.

I wrote it while thinking of you, Eun-gyul.

When we were casting, I was so stubborn about it—kept insisting it had to be you.”

Warm laughter spread around them.

With his gentle face and the affectionate way he held the writer’s hand, Eun-gyul looked kind and impeccably polite to anyone watching.

Han-geon couldn’t help smiling proudly to himself as he watched.

He really was good at social interaction—just as good as he was at acting.

Come to think of it, there were cameras set up: one pointed at Eun-gyul, another capturing the conference room as a whole.

They were probably recording footage for a teaser or behind-the-scenes promotional video to release later.

When the video comes out on YouTube, I’ll have to watch it over and over.

This is the first official day I came to work as Eun-gyul’s manager—a truly special day.

Thinking that, Han-geon secretly felt his heart flutter with excitement as he smiled.

Left alone for the moment, Han-geon quietly looked around.

Nearby, several staff members were chatting casually.

He considered approaching them to greet them and start building some rapport—when suddenly, one name mentioned in their conversation snapped his focus toward them.

“What?

So it was just a rumor?”

“What was?”

“You know Cha Eun-gyul’s reputation is really good, right?

But apparently he’s actually super rude.”

Startled, Han-geon instinctively listened more closely.

They were speaking somewhat quietly, but from right beside them, he could hear everything distinctly.

“Really?

No way.

I can’t imagine that…?

With a face like that—like an angel?”

“Yeah.

Who was it that said it?

Something like… he gives off that weird vibe.

Like he smiles while he talks, but it’s kind of scary.”

“Oh, come on.

Isn’t that just because his image is naturally a bit chic?”

“And then there’s that other rumor.

You know—the one about how his managers keep changing.”

“Oh, I’ve heard that rumor too.

They say while others change managers once, Cha Eun-gyul changes five times.”

Their whispered words pierced Han-geon’s ears like needles.

Without realizing it, his eyes narrowed coldly.

Even if any of it were true, as a friend—and now as Eun-gyul’s manager—he absolutely did not want to hear such things.

He cleared his throat, ahem.

The staff who had been talking with their backs almost completely turned to him reflexively looked over their shoulders.

Han-geon offered them a gentle smile as he greeted them.

“Hello.”

“Ah—yes.

Hello…”

Their eyes widened when they noticed the name tag hanging around his neck.

Seeing the words Cha Eun-gyul’s Manager, they quickly averted their gazes and closed their mouths.

No more conversation followed.

…Don’t pay attention to it.

Han-geon’s face, which had worn a friendly smile just moments before, hardened again.

He didn’t need to be swayed by silly rumors like that.

In fact, he felt even more determined.

If he stayed by Eun-gyul’s side and took good care of him—if they worked together for a long time—those rumors would eventually disappear.

At the very least, that particular rumor about “his temper being so bad his manager changes every day” would.

“We will begin in three minutes.”

The director’s voice came through the microphone.

People who’d been walking around chatting hurried back to their seats.

Once the room was fully settled, the director stood up and began the greeting.

“Hello, everyone.

I’m Lee Sung-young, director of the drama Heart for Love.

It is truly an honor to meet all the actors here and to be working with you.”

Applause broke out.

Han-geon, seated, clapped enthusiastically.

From right behind him, Eun-gyul’s applause came twice as loud as anyone else’s, making Han-geon flinch.

Eun-gyul glanced back at him with a stifled laugh.

Embarrassed, Han-geon quickly lowered his hands.

“…Heart for Love, as you all know, is a medical drama dealing with life and death—specifically the struggles of thoracic surgeons.

Through this story, I wanted to portray the intensity and realistic concerns of the younger generation.

And of course, the romance that grows from that is also very important.

I must admit, I put quite a bit of my personal affection into it.

Our Eun-gyul and Joo-won—just look at them.

Their visuals are already perfect together, aren’t they?”

Laughter spread at the writer’s good-natured, half-joking introduction.

Han-geon glanced sideways at the actress sitting right next to Eun-gyul.

The female lead of this drama was Lee Joo-won, the same woman they had run into at the café previously.

At the writer’s words, Joo-won lifted her head and flashed a bright smile at everyone.

Even with light makeup and a simple outfit, she was dazzling.

Sitting side by side with Eun-gyul, they looked every bit the perfect handsome man and beautiful woman.

“Well then, let’s begin the script reading.”

At the director’s cue, silence fell over the room.

A thin tension spread through the air.

Han-geon swallowed dryly and opened the script carefully, making sure not to make any noise.

His heart pounded when he saw the character name “Cha Kang-woo”—the role assigned to Cha Eun-gyul.

As expected of the male lead, he had an overwhelming number of lines.

The very first scene was about to begin.

“Help!

Is anyone here?!”

With the desperate cry of one of the supporting actors, the first scene finally started.

In it, a husband in his fifties suddenly collapses from cardiac arrest while eating at a restaurant, and Eun-gyul and his colleague rush to perform emergency aid.

“Please save him!

Please save my husband!”

The supporting actress’s wailing was raw and heart-rending—far too intense to feel like a first scene.

Everyone held their breath at her desperate cries.

No one in the scene stepped forward to help.

Then, with a calm expression, Eun-gyul opened his mouth.

“Please step back.”

Eun-gyul’s low, steady voice seized control of the entire conference room in an instant.

“Sir, please call 119.

I’m starting CPR!

Jo-young, secure the airway first.”

“Yes, sunbae-nim!”

“O-okay!”

At his charismatic command, both the supporting actor playing the restaurant owner and Lee Joo-won, who played the fellow doctor, answered at the same time.

One, two, three, four—he counted quietly as he performed chest compressions, each interval perfectly steady.

In Eun-gyul’s voice and eyes was a taut tension, as if there truly were a patient collapsed right in front of him.

Everyone held their breath, completely immersed in the script.

Whether it was because only top-tier actors were gathered or because of the scene itself, the atmosphere felt vividly real.

The heaviness of it all was almost solemn, and even the staff seated in the back barely dared to breathe.

Silently, they followed the flow of the script, turning pages with care.

The scene progressed swiftly.

About thirty minutes passed, yet Eun-gyul remained in perfect posture, his back straight, never once breaking concentration.

His focus was frighteningly sharp.

“Vitals secured?

What’s the blood pressure?”

“Seventy over fifty.”

“Establish an IV line and hang N/S.

Administer one milligram of epinephrine IV and recheck the BP.

We’re intubating immediately, so position the patient supine.

Prepare a 7.5 tube.”

“Yes, understood!”

Medical terminology spilled out in a rapid stream—half of it was hard to follow.

His commands were cool-headed, precise, and absolutely unhesitating.

Even among a room full of veteran actors, Eun-gyul didn’t shrink in the slightest; instead, he shone with the unmistakable presence of a leading actor.

As he read through the script, his voice carried unwavering focus—and beneath that, a simmering, intense passion.

‘…He’s really amazing.’

Eun-gyul was beautiful even when doing nothing but breathing, but he always shone the brightest when he was working.

Just like a few days ago, when Han-geon watched him singing on stage—his heart pounded violently.

Han-geon found himself newly relieved that he had taken off his smartwatch beforehand.