Chapter 44: The Phantom’s Return

The pre-production filming concluded with a happy ending for the protagonists.

After taking a commemorative group photo, everyone headed to a nearby barbecue restaurant for a celebratory dinner.

The entire restaurant had been rented out, so the only patrons were the film crew and the actors. The lead actors and the director, having arrived first, took the central seats, with the rest of the team filling in around them.

Having arrived a little late to the restaurant because my manager had gotten lost, I struggled to find a suitable place to sit.

My gaze briefly flickered to where Seon Woo-jung was seated, but that spot was already tightly packed.

‘Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t go there.’

Beside Seon Woo-jung sat the director, and on his other side was Jung Woo-hyun, the actor playing Jung Hee-soo, another lead character.

They seemed to be engrossed in conversation, their laughter echoing continuously. Seon Woo-jung, meanwhile, still hadn’t glanced my way.

“Joon-hee, over here!”

I dreaded being squeezed between uncomfortable people, but, thankfully, the assistant director, with whom I’d grown quite close during filming, called out to me.

“Joon-hee, you can sit there.”

Just then, my manager entered the restaurant and immediately headed towards the assistant director. After a fleeting glance at the seat next to Seon Woo-jung, which was already occupied, I followed my manager.

“What took you so long?”

“Because you got lost, hyung.”

“No, I’m telling you, the navigation system was acting up!”

Even as I listened to my manager’s aggrieved excuses, my eyes kept drifting toward Seon Woo-jung.

Despite being close enough for our eyes to meet, Seon Woo-jung showed no interest in my direction. I was the only one unilaterally observing him.

“Everyone, attention!”

As the director stood and shouted, the boisterous restaurant fell silent. Capturing everyone’s gaze, the director began to share his thoughts on the completed filming.

I was concentrating on the director’s words, reflecting on the challenging yet mostly joyful filming period, when I suddenly felt a gaze upon me.

‘What was that?’

I followed the uncomfortable sensation, but my eyes met no one’s. Perhaps my lack of sleep lately had made me overly sensitive.

In the interim, the director concluded his lengthy speech and raised his glass. Everyone in the restaurant followed suit.

“May our drama be a huge success!”

“To success!”

With a resounding toast, everyone drank the alcohol in their glasses. Swallowing the bitter liquid, I tried to smooth out the frown that threatened to crease my brow. It seemed today wasn’t a day for drinking.

“Joon-hee, are you a good drinker?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure. I’ve never drunk enough to get truly intoxicated.”

“You must be the type who exercises good self-control.”

“Perhaps, I don’t really know.”

In truth, I was quite shy and didn’t particularly enjoy such gatherings, so I never had occasion to drink until I was plastered.

However, since it sounded better to be someone who exercised self-control, I offered a vague affirmation to the assistant director’s remark.

The dinner continued, and the number of empty bottles on the table steadily grew. Feeling a growing stuffiness from the rising alcohol, I decided to step outside for some fresh air.

“Where are you going?”

My manager, who had been enthusiastically drinking with the assistant director, grabbed me as I tried to move without a word. Instead of answering, I simply gestured towards the exit with my chin, and he released me, only telling me not to go far.

I roughly slipped on my shoes and exited the restaurant. A cool breeze swept over me, instantly clearing the stifling air.

‘I can breathe again.’

I wanted to stay in an open space until the slight buzz subsided. I also felt that the stuffiness would return if I went back inside the restaurant.

As I searched for a suitable place to sit, I suddenly recalled a bench located near the path to the parking lot.

‘I’ll go there.’

However, it seemed I wasn’t the only one with that idea; disappointingly, someone was already there.

With their back to the lamplight, their face wasn’t clearly visible, but the sight of them holding a cigarette felt strangely familiar.

“……”

“…Ah.”

As I drew a little closer, they sensed my presence and turned around. Our eyes met, and we recognized each other instantly, even in the darkness, yet neither of us spoke.

Only after the cigarette, dangling between his fingers, had completely burned down did he finally avert his gaze.

Feeling awkward, I rubbed the back of my neck and sat down on the bench as originally intended. He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and, seemingly to break the tense silence, spoke first.

“Did you come out for some fresh air?”

Perhaps due to the sheer unexpectedness of our conversation, I merely nodded like an idiot. Unsurprisingly, the conversation stalled.

Seon Woo-jung used to talk endlessly, to the point where my ears would grow tired, but now, it dawned on me again that we had become so distant that I couldn’t even hear that anymore.

‘This isn’t what I wanted.’

I knew I couldn’t be the kind of relationship he desired, but I hadn’t wanted this awkward distance either.

Was it too much to ask to occasionally exchange messages, share meals when time allowed, and simply chat about trivial things?

“Well then, I’ll head back inside first.”

He bowed deeply and walked past me. My heart urged me to stop him as he walked away, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

If I stopped him, what would I even say? *’I can’t accept your confession, but let’s still be friends?’* That would only wound Seon Woo-jung twice over.

‘I just have to give up.’

I had merely been swayed for a moment by his easy approach after living so long and lonely without a single close friend.

Even if it was difficult now, with time, I would grow accustomed to it again. The cowardly part of me chose to endure alone rather than bravely reach out.

‘I should probably go back in soon.’

The faint buzz of alcohol had long since vanished after encountering Seon Woo-jung. Perhaps it was due to my complicated feelings, but the breeze that had felt so refreshing moments ago now felt hollow.

At times like this, it was better to simply blend in with the crowd, letting the noise fill my mind so I couldn’t think at all.

As I listlessly stood up to head back to the restaurant, someone suddenly seized my wrist. Startled, I turned around to see a loathsome phantom standing before me.

The last time I had seen him was at the trial, I think. He looked a little thinner than he had then, but he wasn’t in bad shape. He still seemed to cling to his unsuitable obsession with luxury brands.

‘But why is this man here?’

The restaurant was not somewhere one could simply stumble upon by chance. Even if there were other customers, today the entire establishment was rented by the drama crew, so the man couldn’t have just shown up.

This meant he had come here knowing I would be here, and it seemed he had now stooped to stalking. How much more pathetic could he get?

“Joon-hee.”

His odious lips called my name with a feigned familiarity. Even seeing my face contorted with uncontrollable disgust, the man smiled artlessly.

I roughly shook off the hand that held me. He stumbled back powerlessly, then anxiously stomped his feet, as if afraid I might leave.

“I kept calling, but you didn’t answer, so I came to find you myself.”

The man sugarcoated his words, making it sound as if he had come because he missed me. Did he not realize I was far too old to fall for such transparent lies?

‘Of course not.’

It was astounding that there was still room for me to be more disappointed. I let out a cynical laugh and started to walk towards where the others were. But the man grabbed me again, forcing me to stop.

“Let go of me—”

“Joon-hee, our family is in a bit of trouble.”

The man, abandoning all pretense, finally got to the point. I had expected it, but knowing his motive was money made him appear utterly contemptible.

“So?”

“‘So’? We’re family, aren’t we?”

To me, ‘family’ was an utterly repulsive word. They had treated me like a money-making machine, then later, claiming I was no longer profitable, even forced me into sponsorship deals.

“I hear you’re doing well again these days, so you must be earning good money, right?”

“……”

“So, just a little, just a tiny bit, please help us.”

I didn’t know how much he meant by ‘a little,’ but one thing was certain: I didn’t want to give him even a hundred won of my money.

“There’s no reason for me to.”

“Do you want to see the rest of your family suffer because of you?”

“Why is that my fault?!”

“You little brat, I’ve been patient for too long—”

As the argument escalated, the man’s fiery temper flared. I saw his right hand raised high and knew I could easily dodge it, but I remained still.

Even if it hurt a little, I decided it was better to take the hit squarely and finally secure a restraining order against him this time.

With a perfect plan solidified, I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impending pain. *Smack!* A fierce striking sound rang out, but, strangely, my cheek was unharmed.

“Aargh!”

Hearing a scream filled with agony, I opened my eyes and saw a large wall blocking me. He, whom I had thought had left long ago, was twisting the man’s wrist as if to break it.