#002
“Alright, now that the homeowner is here too, let’s start filming! Where’s Dojun-ssi?”
“He’s waiting in the car. Should I call him over?”
“Yes. Oh, Yeonwoo-ssi! Come over here for a moment…”
At the call from the busy-looking PD Han Taegu, he quietly approached. Han Taegu pressed a bundle of papers into Lee Yeonwoo’s hands.
“It’s a lifestyle variety show, and above all, it’s a variety show focused on healing, so there’s no separate script, but the overall schedule and such are written here, so it would be good for you to look it over and use it as reference.”
…Is this for real? In the midst of all this, one staff member said “Excuse me” and attached a microphone to Yeonwoo’s clothes. A camera was even thrust right in front of his face.
“Are you filming right now?”
“Yes, but we’ll be editing mainly around actor Kang Dojun, so you don’t need to feel too pressured.”
“Haa… yes.”
Getting drunk and spilling unnecessary information, and even signing a contract. It was his irreversible karma and a disaster he’d brought upon himself.
Lee Yeonwoo was the type to regret things only after doing them. He knew better than anyone that there was nothing good about just digging into the ground in this kind of reality.
They say humans evolve repeatedly to survive. Lee Yeonwoo had evolved to switch his attitude several times faster than others.
Alright, I need to think positively. He began to console himself.
‘From what I heard, it seems like it’s for ten days, and it’s a special experience living with a celebrity, right? Yeah. Let’s think of it positively, Yeonwoo. Reality won’t change.’
Several people were setting up camp in the yard. Feeling embarrassed to go into the house alone, Yeonwoo threw his fly swatter anywhere and plopped down on the ground with a thud.
Sharp words immediately flew at Yeonwoo like whips.
“Hey! You brat Yeonwoo! There… there. Didn’t I tell you not to just plop down anywhere? People will think you’re a fool!”
“Oh my, grandfather. Calm down. Yeonwoo! Get up quickly. There are even those whatsit cameras there! I don’t know what you’re doing, tsk. Hurry up!”
Under the pouring nagging from the grandfather and grandmother who were watching the filming, Yeonwoo had no choice but to pout and get up from his spot, grumbling.
“Aren’t you all leaving? Are you done watching?”
“…Please sit here.”
“Thank you.”
When a staff member who couldn’t bear to watch brought over a folding chair for Yeonwoo, he settled down and sat in it.
The cameraman was a bit flustered, then crouched down to match Yeonwoo’s eye level and asked a question.
“Are you always like this?”
Yeonwoo looked at the camera that was close to him with displeasure, then answered somewhat curtly.
“What business is it of yours if I want to sit in my own house’s yard?”
“Ah, yes. …I suppose so.”
Currently, to Yeonwoo, the cameraman was classified as being in cahoots with PD Han Taegu, who had scammed him.
Though if you really thought about it, it was more Yeonwoo’s fault for getting drunk and feeling good and just signing any contract.
The cameraman kept his mouth shut while watching Yeonwoo’s mood. Yeonwoo didn’t care and flipped through the bundle of papers the PD had given him.
《Rural Conquest》
Schedule: April 1st ~ April 10th
Overview: A first variety show debut project where actor ‘Kang Dojun’ adapts to living in an innocent rural village for ten days.
April 1st: Check the place to stay, then get acquainted with the homeowner. Tour the village. (Since the homeowner is said to be a beekeeper, experiencing beekeeping wouldn’t be bad either.)
Yeonwoo, who had been reading slowly, paused.
‘Did I drunkenly spill that I’m a beekeeper too?’
He glanced at PD Han Taegu with a glare. He was too busy with filming preparations to notice the look.
He’d have to be careful with his words from now on, sleeping or awake. He was about to turn his gaze back to the papers when he got annoyed no matter how much he thought about it.
‘What? Experience? Do these people look down on beekeeping?’
Well, that was laughable. Fine, I’ll show them a hellish experience. With that determination, sparks flew from Yeonwoo’s eyes.
In the past, Lee Yeonwoo had looked down on deep-sea fishing boats and the military, and had become a beekeeper after being tempted by just one word from a corporal he barely knew, so he had no right to say anything.
But Lee Yeonwoo, who was a perfect example of the saying “a frog forgets it was once a tadpole,” ‘planned’ various harsh experience courses like catching hornets and finding the queen bee among the honeybees.
“Aren’t you going to look at the rest of the schedule?”
At the cameraman’s question, Yeonwoo boldly shared the words of his wise friend who had pierced through his life.
“A plan is worse than having no plan.”
The cameraman’s lips moved as if he had more to say, but he never made a sound.
“Who did you say?”
Yeonwoo suddenly asked the cameraman.
“Pardon?”
“The actor who’s appearing. What’s his name?”
“That… it’s actor Kang Dojun.”
Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Actor, This Year’s Brand Awards Actor of the Year, Asia Artist Awards Grand Prize Actor of the Year, Actor Category Hot Trend Award…
‘He’s won quite a lot.’
‘Well, I’ve lived diligently too.’
After graduating high school, he worked on deep-sea fishing boats, went to the military, then switched careers to become a beekeeper. Currently, he was spending harsh days killing hornets every other day.
“He’s amazing, isn’t he?”
While he was lost in thought, the cameraman spoke to him again. He also asked “Are cameramen allowed to talk this much?” but when the cameraman said “Ah, it’s a healing variety show,” he just accepted it.
“Yes, well.”
Yeah, well. He acknowledged that he was amazing. It seemed like he’d started acting since high school, so he must have lived several times more diligently than himself.
Yeonwoo, who easily agreed, got up from the folding chair and looked around.
“By the way, where is Kang Dojun-ssi?”
“He’s currently getting his microphone attached.”
He was planning to approach the actor who would be staying at his house for a while and at least greet him.
He’d thought he looked handsome in photos, but seeing him in person, his first thought was that the photos couldn’t capture his beauty. His tall height, face the size of a fist, and rich, gorgeous features completely captivated his gaze without any gaps.
‘Wow, so that’s the kind of person who becomes a celebrity.’
Come to think of it, Yeonwoo’s life had been marine science high school, deep-sea fishing boats, the military, and this countryside. Among all that, there had been no outstanding beauties.
To be certain, this was the first day in Yeonwoo’s life that he’d seen a beauty in person.
Thanks to that, he realized an aspect of himself he’d never known before. Regardless of male or female, he seemed to be weak to beautiful faces.
‘Ten days with someone like that… Hmm.’
It seemed like it wouldn’t be as bad as he’d thought.
Plus, they’d said there would be appearance fees too. Since it was a broadcast with a popular actor, wouldn’t the appearance fee be quite substantial?
Before he knew it, his mood that had been down in the negatives was gradually rising and heading toward zero. No, it might have even hit a little bit of positive.
“Yeonwoo-ssi, where are you going?”
“To get alcohol.”
“…Pardon? That… during broadcasting, please refrain from drinking…”
“You said the broadcast would mainly feature Kang Dojun-ssi anyway. Please edit out my parts.”
“Wait a moment, Yeonwoo-ssi? …Yeonwoo-ssi!”
When he was on the deep-sea fishing boat, he drank because the work was hard, drank to commemorate catching hundreds of tons of tuna, drank because of the waves, and just drank.
Initially, Yeonwoo had been displeased about them filming his house, but now his thoughts had changed.
Yeah, if it’s a beauty like that, he’s welcome. Plus money too? This was the icing on the cake. On such a fortunate day, you wouldn’t be human if you didn’t drink.
Brushing off the cameraman’s words, just as he was about to enter the house to get the alcohol he’d put in the refrigerator, someone grabbed Yeonwoo’s wrist.
“Hello. Yeonwoo-ssi.”
The sweet, low, beautiful voice seemed like it would melt his ears. He was a perfect man with both face and voice.
“…Yes, hello.”
Yeonwoo stared intently at Kang Dojun. No, since Kang Dojun was taller than Yeonwoo, it would be more accurate to say he looked up at him.
Embarrassed by Yeonwoo’s gaze, Kang Dojun asked awkwardly.
“Is there something on my face?”
“No, you’re just handsome.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Though it was just a formal thank you, in Yeonwoo’s mind, Kang Dojun’s favorability had already risen at that moment. It was sufficient to plant an even better image.
His personality was also humble and well-mannered. It was even more fortunate.
“Where are you going?”
“Home, to get alcohol.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll just get the alcohol and come right back out. That… Dojun-ssi? Actor-nim? Hyung? What would be good to call you?”
“You can call me comfortably.”
It might seem shallow, but he wanted to get close to a handsome person as quickly as possible. They were only two years apart in age too.
“Yes, hyung can call me Yeonwoo too. You can speak casually too. Should I get some for you too, hyung? Beer? Soju? What would you like?”
“I’m fine. I’ll gradually drop the formal speech. And during filming, alcohol is…”
“If hyung says so, I’ll do that.”
Drop the formal speech? Or the alcohol? Maybe it was both. Since Yeonwoo, who had been going to get alcohol, plopped his butt back down on the folding chair.
The cameraman who had been trying to stop Yeonwoo from the beginning felt momentarily wronged that he sat down with just one word from Kang Dojun.
PD Han Taegu approached the two of them.
“Well, now that you two have met and exchanged greetings, Yeonwoo-ssi, please show Dojun-ssi to his room.”
At his words, Kang Dojun bowed his head toward Yeonwoo.
“I’ll be in your care for ten days. Please take care of me.”
“I should be the one saying please take care of me, hyung.”
By the way, you should call someone by their title frequently so you can get used to each other quickly, and the person listening can feel intimacy more easily… he thought he might have seen that in human psychology, or maybe not. Anyway.
“Hyung, I’ll show you to your room.”
One room was a bedroom, while the other room was a workshop with various beekeeping equipment and a high-performance computer used for gaming.
Since Kang Dojun was coming as a guest, Yeonwoo decided to give up his bedroom and sleep in the workshop for the time being. That’s how tremendous the impact of Kang Dojun’s beauty was.
The other field staff had apparently secured separate places to stay.
Yeonwoo opened the door and let in several cameras and Kang Dojun together.
Then suddenly, an “oh no” feeling settled in Yeonwoo’s mind.
Due to the unexpected situation, dirty clothes that hadn’t been washed were scattered everywhere, and dishes and liquor bottles from yesterday’s meal that hadn’t been cleaned up were rolling around. In a word, it was a pigsty.
Kang Dojun looked at Yeonwoo with a disapproving expression and asked.
“…Do you live like this?”
“…Yes, well.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
