Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity
Chapter 108
It all started at the final dinner party for “Goodbye, My Summer.”
“Honestly! We made history with this web drama, shouldn’t we do something special to wrap it up?”
An idea from one of the staff grew in scale as it passed through several mouths.
“Should we plan a special episode? Maybe some behind-the-scenes or blooper reels?”
“Ah, that’s too predictable. Everyone’s already doing that.”
“Then how about this?”
I didn’t get to hear the conclusion of the story that day because I had to leave in a hurry.
But that didn’t mean it was my fault to be informed like this.
“…You want me to shoot a vlog?”
“Yes. Each actor will film their daily life with a self-camera, then edit it themselves for a special episode.”
Han Se-young, who played Hanna, was practically a minor role, so she wasn’t even asked, and the vlog targets included me, Kang Se-hyun, and a few other actors.
Of course, since no contract was written, participation wasn’t mandatory.
But Team Leader Woo had a different opinion.
“Sigh, you need to do this.”
“Even though it’s not mandatory?”
“From what I heard, all the other actors agreed to do it. If you’re the only one who doesn’t, it’ll definitely become an issue. Even if Woo-yeon is too scared to publish an article, rumors will definitely spread in the industry.”
Team Leader Woo grimaced as if he had a headache.
“These production guys always pull something like this at the last minute. They don’t know their place. Still, shooting a vlog isn’t that difficult, so let’s just get it over with.”
I could feel his frustration in the way he pressed his temples.
Seeing him like that, I couldn’t bring myself to say more and just agreed.
‘I don’t feel very cheerful about this.’
I wondered why they handled things this way.
Aren’t we working together anyway? There must be better ways to communicate than this.
I couldn’t understand the world of adults.
I didn’t feel the need to worry about something I wasn’t involved in deciding.
So, without much thought, I intended to purely capture my daily life, but Noh Bi-hyuk was appalled.
“Hey, hey, you need to add some direction to it.”
“What direction?”
“The vlog’s concept is ‘How I End My Summer,’ right?”
In line with the drama title “Goodbye, My Summer,” each actor was supposed to film their daily life wrapping up the summer.
I heard that Kang Se-hyun was going on a beach trip with the Space members.
When Noh Bi-hyuk asked what I was going to do, I replied casually.
“What would I do? I planned to practice acting.”
“…….”
Noh Bi-hyuk’s expression soured. Was it that bad?
“Lee Yeon-jae. That’s really not it.”
“They said to film my daily life. That’s my daily life.”
“Filming yourself practicing at home all day is going to be so boring.”
I knew it wouldn’t be interesting.
But I had no other choice.
“I’m naturally boring, what can I do.”
“…Right. It’s good that you’re self-aware. But still….”
Noh Bi-hyuk sighed and sprawled out on the bed.
I ignored him and continued reading my script since he seemed deep in thought.
A few hours passed. I had forgotten he was even in my room when he suddenly jumped up and shouted.
“There are only two ways!”
Geez.
“What are they?”
“First, feature interesting people in your vlog. Jung-hyun hyung, Lee-jun hyung, or even Nam In-hoo would be good choices.”
“Out of everyone around me, you’re the most interesting.”
He paused for a moment, then grinned.
“Of course, I know that. Because Bi-hyuk is the best friend~. But since I can’t take time off because of our training, let’s consider the second option.”
“What’s the second option?”
“There’s one thing about you that’s interesting.”
Noh Bi-hyuk got up from the bed and grabbed something with his big hand.
“This.”
My face.
“…….”
“If your face fills the screen, where would people look? Fans would love it just for that.”
“Okay, now let go of my face.”
Noh Bi-hyuk kept goofing around until dinner, and then he left for the practice room.
Even though I hadn’t been thinking much, Noh Bi-hyuk made my head hurt.
So, when I met Mist, I couldn’t concentrate on our conversation.
“―Yeon-jae? Yeon-jae!”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you thinking about something else! You’re not paying attention to me!”
I patted Mist, who grumbled in Baek Seo-jin’s form.
“Sorry. I’ve been thinking a lot because of the vlog.”
When I patted his head a few times, he clung to me, looking pleased.
“What do you think I should do?”
“I love everything you do, Yeon-jae!”
It was an unhelpful answer, as expected. But that’s why I liked it.
I twisted Mist’s hair around my fingers and thought again.
‘Since it’s summer, I should do something active.’
The sea was already taken by Kang Se-hyun.
I thought of the ranch I visited with Jung-hyun hyung, but I couldn’t open his precious place to the public.
If I featured it in the video, it might attract a crowd.
In the end, I had to go somewhere I don’t usually visit.
‘Then I’ll just go there.’
Thinking about it more was giving me a headache, so I decided to stop.
If I had known the chaos that would follow, I would have thought more carefully.
* * *
The next morning.
Given the location I planned to visit, I practiced extra hard to rid myself of misfortune.
After finishing breakfast, I went back to my room.
I awkwardly fiddled with the camcorder I received the day before and pressed the power button.
It was a camcorder where you could check how the recording was going on the screen.
But as soon as I pressed the button, my face appeared so close on the screen that I was startled.
“Oh, sorry. I must have startled you.”
Thinking it might be overwhelming, I apologized first, then remembered it wasn’t live.
“This will be edited, right? Then the editor must have been startled. Sorry for startling you.”
After bowing my head, I looked at the screen again. It felt very…
“…….”
Awkward.
I definitely wasn’t cut out to be a celebrity like Noh Bi-hyuk.
Well, not that it was my fault.
‘I didn’t ask to film this.’
So there was no need to feel burdened like it was work.
Alright. I felt at ease after reaching that conclusion.
I realized I hadn’t said anything for a few minutes while lost in thought, but I didn’t apologize again.
“Hello. This is Lee Yeon-jae. Today, I’m filming a special vlog. I don’t have a special way to spend the summer, but I thought it wouldn’t be right to stay at home. So I thought about where to go….”
I said what I had prepared.
Finishing with a statement about heading out, I firmly pressed the power button.
“Actor, shall we head out now?”
“Yes, I’ll be out.”
With a backpack on and a camera in hand, I left the house.
And after a long drive, I arrived at Gwanaksan.
After tightening the laces of my hiking boots, I turned on the camera.
“This is Gwanaksan. When I was in the orphanage, we used to come here every year.”
Though I rarely joined and only participated properly once.
“At that time, we mostly walked the trails, but today, I plan to take the hiking route. If it gets too tough, Manager Jin-bae will carry me down, so I’m not worried.”
“Huh?”
“Hyung, I’m talking to the camera. Please don’t interrupt.”
“Oh, sorry!”
Manager An Jin-bae nodded his head in surprise.
Seeing his innocent eyes blink made me smile automatically. It was a shame I couldn’t capture that on camera.
So, we started climbing the mountain slowly.
Since it was a weekday, there weren’t many people.
After about thirty minutes, I started to sweat.
‘I’m sweating, being active. This matches the concept well.’
I felt proud of my choice.
Still, the audio felt too empty, so I spoke to the camera whenever I noticed.
“I’m sweating.”, “It’s a bit tough.”, “I’ll drink some water,” and so on.
But Manager An Jin-bae, who was watching me talk to the camera intently, spoke quietly.
“Actor. You can just walk as you usually do.”
“I think there won’t be enough footage if I do that.”
“…Saying things like that probably won’t make much footage either.”
This person only speaks the truth.
I was a bit annoyed, but I couldn’t argue, so I climbed quietly after that.
After climbing for a while, the scenery around us became beautiful.
“Wow…. I see why people hike.”
“Is this your first time hiking?”
“Yes. I never had the chance before. How about you?”
“This is my first time climbing this high.”
Manager An Jin-bae and I sat side by side for a long time.
Anyway, Gwanaksan wasn’t a mountain for a beginner to reach the summit.
I planned to just sweat a bit and then leave, so I found a flat spot and settled down.
We quickly devoured the kimbap and fruits we bought at the entrance.
“Oh, right. The camera.”
I realized I hadn’t said anything while eating, looking at the blinking camera.
The footage would be terrible.
As I scratched my head, Manager An Jin-bae asked curiously.
“I didn’t know you’d be so concerned about the footage. Maybe we should’ve brought others.”
“Well, I did think about it.”
Jung-hyun hyung had plenty of time these days, and Sung Lee-jun or Nam In-hoo would probably respond positively if I contacted them. But….
“This is our first time hanging out like this.”
“…….”
When else would I come to a place like this with Manager An Jin-bae? Of course, we were here for work, but still.
After briefly worrying about the footage, I remembered that it wasn’t my concern and felt at ease.
I looked at the screen showing my face filling it and smiled.
“I’ll leave it to the editor. Thank you.”
I did my part.
“Hyung, shall we start heading down? They say we should descend before it gets dark.”
“Okay. Should I carry your backpack?”
“No, it’s fine.”
After readjusting my shoes, we began our descent.
* * *
“Sigh….”
And then I was left alone.
I looked at the camera capturing my tired face and muttered.
“Next time I go hiking with Jin-bae hyung, I should attach an anti-lost strap.”
That way, this won’t happen again.
Looking at the gradually darkening sky, I sighed.
An hour ago, when Manager An Jin-bae quickened his pace with a worried face, I felt something was off.
He said he was about to trip when I asked why, and then, with an embarrassed face, he said he urgently needed the bathroom.
He told me to stay put and that he’d be quick, so I waited obediently.
But no matter how much time passed, Manager An Jin-bae didn’t return.
Like a dumb protagonist in a horror movie, I didn’t think of moving to find him.
It wasn’t like we were in a place with no cell service, so I could just call him.
‘Hyung, where are you?’
―Actor, I’m really sorry… I think I’m lost.
His voice over the phone was so scared that I calmed him down first.
I told him not to move and to call 119.
There were limits to GPS tracking, but since we hadn’t gone that deep, the search wouldn’t be difficult.
As expected, I got a call ten minutes ago saying he met the search team.
They told me not to descend alone and that they would come to me, so I was waiting patiently.
‘I’ll just go to the beach next time….’
What a mess this hike had turned into.
As I was staring blankly at the darkening sky.
“…….”
I quietly turned my eyes to the side.
I desperately hoped it was just my imagination.
Rustle―.
The grass moved with an eerie sound.