Chapter 3: The Time-Slip Script and a Peculiar Fascination

#3

It would have been overwhelming to scrutinize every single detail from the outset, so Dohoon began by sifting through the options, first assessing each work’s genre and general atmosphere. He immediately excluded any genres that overlapped with his previous crime thriller film.

While Dohoon himself was quite fond of the crime thriller genre, the public tended to grow weary or withdraw their interest if an actor appeared in similar roles consecutively. This tendency was even more pronounced when the choice of a next project garnered significant public attention.

“Perhaps a drama would be better.”

Subtly, the company seemed to hope Dohoon would choose a drama. Even if the filming schedule for a drama was incomparably more demanding than a movie, it was undeniably the most effective way to swiftly boost one’s recognition and popularity.

Conversely, dramas also carried the risk of severe backlash if the outcome was unfavorable.

Surprisingly, there weren’t many projects that truly appealed to him. After dedicating time to narrow the selection down to three, Dohoon earnestly opened the scripts, much like one would delve into a book. Though a drama script typically only covered about two episodes, it took a considerable amount of concentration to read thoroughly.

Having settled on the sofa since noon, Dohoon finally set down the script and took a deep breath as evening deepened. His gaze drifted towards the now-darkened sky visible through the living room window.

“Ah, it’s already night.”

It would be a lie to say that Face A hadn’t crossed his mind while reading the scripts. The lingering aftermath of the previous night meant their songs had been replaying in his ears constantly, but he had steeled himself and pushed through it. Staying up all night felt like an act of sheer madness.

He had missed meals and was beginning to feel hungry, yet there was something he needed to do first. Dohoon fumbled for his phone, which he had carelessly tossed onto the table, and picked it up. He found Youngsoo’s number, the head of the management team, in his contacts and placed a call. The line didn’t ring for long.

–Oh, Dohoon.

“Hyung, I called to ask you something. Are you busy?”

–Busy? What would I be busy with? What’s up?

“It’s about Shim Juhyun’s script. The Joseon-era time-slip one.”

–Ah, that one. Have you read it?

“Yeah. It’s interesting, actually.”

Though it was only the initial part of the script, the story maintained a compelling tension without feeling childish, despite its fantastical elements. Among all the scripts he’d reviewed today, this one had captured his interest the most.

–That’s the writer’s debut work. But the director is Im Taehan, you know him, right? And PictureCon is the production company.

Dohoon understood why a rookie writer’s debut piece had been included in the selection. Im Taehan was a renowned director whose name alone could generate significant buzz. Dohoon himself had never worked with him before.

“So, it probably hasn’t even been scheduled for broadcast yet.”

–They probably haven’t even finished casting. If you join now, you’d have to wait at least a few months until filming begins. Do you like it?

Since he wasn’t in a hurry, waiting a long time wouldn’t be an issue. His fans would be reassured just by the news of his casting. Dohoon tapped the table thoughtfully, then adjusted his grip on the phone.

–Shall I set up a meeting?

As if sensing Dohoon’s deliberation, Youngsoo initiated the suggestion.

“Hmm, maybe next week?”

Dohoon replied indifferently, feigning a lack of eagerness. It was a matter of pride; he didn’t want to reveal his true enthusiasm. Youngsoo, who clearly understood Dohoon’s true feelings, simply agreed without further comment.

–I’ll let you know once the schedule is set. Did you read all the scripts I sent you?

“I skimmed through them and picked a few to read. There are a lot of interesting ones.”

Truthfully, most of the scripts hadn’t impressed him, but there was no need to complain about their quality. As expected, Youngsoo’s pleasant laughter resonated from the other end of the line.

–Do you think we’d send you just any old script? Anyway, good job. Thanks for deciding so quickly, Dohoon.

“I haven’t decided yet.”

–Anyway. Oh, and we sent out press releases for your fan meeting yesterday and today. I also sent the photos to your email, so please post them on your social media when you have time.

“Got it.”

After ending the call, Dohoon immediately headed to the kitchen. Even during the conversation, his stomach had rumbled several times, distracting him greatly.

He quickly prepared a simple dinner with whatever was available and sat down at the dining table, fiddling with his phone. Though no one was watching, Dohoon furtively glanced around before cautiously searching for ‘Face A.’

Having watched their videos all night, there was barely anything he hadn’t seen. He eventually delved into their debut-era content, playing a cable variety show featuring the fresh-faced idols enthusiastically running around.

“They’re absolute babies.”

Dohoon unconsciously mumbled, then flinched, clamping a hand over his mouth. No matter how young they appeared, these were boys who likely concealed stubble beneath their makeup. He felt utterly embarrassed to have uttered such a comment, knowing their situation.

His face flushed instantly, and Dohoon quickly lowered his head. His appetite suddenly vanished. Would this peculiar feeling have been less intense if he had been captivated by a female idol group? No, even then, a different kind of guilt would have weighed heavily on his heart.

He tried to reassure himself that it was a perfectly normal thing, but finding seven boisterous boys ‘cute’ was unbearable. He felt good, yet simultaneously as if he was doing something he shouldn’t.

Stopping the video, Dohoon pondered for a long time before beginning to type into the portal’s search bar.

[‘Is it weird for a man to like male idols?’]

As expected, many others shared Dohoon’s dilemma. Most posts indicated that people quietly searched for such information alone, unable to speak about it elsewhere. However, these posts primarily focused on others’ perceptions rather than the individual’s feelings about liking idols, which differed from Dohoon’s situation. He still hadn’t defined what his obsessive search for their videos meant to him.

The replies to the question ranged from mischievous and rude to genuinely thoughtful.

[Gender has no place in being a fan. Be proud of what you like! Go to fan signs, attend their offline events!

If someone insults you, they’re the weird one. If a woman likes female idols, they ask if she’s a lesbian; if a man likes male idols, they ask if he’s gay. Those are all prejudices created by narrow-minded people. What matters is a heart that genuinely supports them. Let’s be happy fans. You got this!]

“What’s ‘be happy fans’?”

Dohoon paused mid-read, then nodded. The anonymous comfort somehow eased his mind. A man could feel good watching male idols, and he could even become a fan. He realized he might have been overreacting.

While he wondered if becoming a fan happened so suddenly, recalling the events of the past day, his actions could only be described as ‘fangirling,’ just as the comment suggested.

It wasn’t that he had never admired celebrities. As an aspiring actor, he had watched every film by famous foreign actors, and as a rookie, his heart would pound with excitement if he chanced upon a popular senior, hoping for an autograph. But that was the extent of it. They never appeared in his dreams; he merely smiled while watching them, and never once felt the urge to seek out more content.

This was Dohoon’s first experience with being a fan. The fact that it was for a seven-member male idol group still felt incongruous, but Dohoon soon relaxed and replayed Face A’s videos. He found himself humming Face A’s songs repeatedly.

“…Cute.”

Just then, a scene played in the video where one of the members stumbled clumsily and fell. Dohoon chuckled softly, his gaze then shifting to Jaejeong, who helped the fallen member up and checked if they were alright.

Jaejeong was a member who captured his attention in a bizarre way. His handsome face and tall stature certainly contributed, but it was how he consistently stood hidden in less visible spots that bothered him, drawing his concern.

“Why doesn’t he step forward a bit?”

He was frustrated because he couldn’t get a clear look at Jaejeong’s face, no matter how much he wanted to. He even wondered if it wouldn’t be better for the camera to focus on Jaejeong’s handsome face instead of some other member’s unfunny jokes.

****

Having watched so many Face A videos, he could roughly discern the group’s dynamic in a short time. Typically, the three or four members in the center did most of the talking. During group interviews, the microphone was always held by Sejin, the member who stood in the center. There was a separate leader, but Sejin seemed to have better speaking skills. He was the member who had impersonated Dohoon on a broadcast recently.

Jaejeong, being tall, always stood at the end, and since he rarely held the microphone, hearing his voice was like trying to catch a star. Sometimes, he wouldn’t even get a single close-up shot. Despite such situations, he always wore an indifferent expression, as if he felt no regret. Or rather, his face was generally inscrutable, making it impossible to know what he was thinking.

“Ha… this is a bit strange.”

After watching videos for a while, a question arose. Compared to some other members, the number of individual fancams of Jaejeong uploaded by broadcast stations was significantly lower. For the song they had promoted earlier in the year, videos were only uploaded during the first week of their comeback; from the second week onwards, only select members’ videos appeared. Feeling frustrated, he specifically searched for ‘[Face A CODE BLUE Jaejeong Fancam]’ but only found videos he had already seen.

“Why?”

The stage outfit they wore for Music Park in the second week was particularly beautiful, and he really wanted to see a fancam from that day. But since he couldn’t find it, it felt like a huge lump was stuck in his chest. There was something that group fancams simply couldn’t satisfy.