Chapter 204 : Surrounded by a Pack of Dogs
Chapter 204: Surrounded by a Pack of Dogs
Oh Seungju stood up from the director's monitor and shouted,
“Cut! Let's take a short break.”
The filming set, which had been running like clockwork, temporarily settled down.
Oh Seungju folded his arms and thought for a moment.
The protagonists were clearly the dog playing Coco and the lead actor.
Yet somehow...
Everyone's attention kept drifting somewhere else.
All of the dogs in the cast were professional canine actors.
They had already rehearsed extensively with the actors playing their owners.
So why couldn't everyone stay focused?
The problem...
Lay elsewhere.
“Why does my attention keep going over there?”
“We can't exactly ask the composer, who came to watch the first day of filming, to go home...”
“It does look nice, though.”
“He looks great on camera.”
The reason was Taeyoon, whom they'd only asked to fill the far end of the grassy field as an extra.
Every time Taeyoon moved, everyone's eyes unconsciously followed him.
Some staff members and actors who didn't know he was the composer whispered among themselves.
“I can't tell if this is helping or getting in the way.”
“...Who's that actor?
Didn't know the film industry had someone like him.”
“He looks like he'd be a good actor too.
He's got a great face.”
“He's not overwhelmingly handsome, but he's got this strange charm.”
“Come on.
At that level, he's definitely very handsome.”
In short...
The picture looked remarkably good.
The ability to draw people's attention with nothing more than small movements.
Taeyoon had that.
The kind of presence that made people stare without realizing it.
Even top actors found that difficult.
While everyone was frustrated that filming had been delayed,
one staff member quietly approached and spoke as though revealing an incredible secret.
“Whoa.
You all didn't know?
I thought everyone already knew.”
“What?
What is it?
Who's that actor?”
“He's not an actor.”
“...Not an actor?
With acting like that?
No way.
Even without seeing him perform, he just feels like an actor.”
In this industry, the person with even slightly more information was always the winner.
The staff member wearing a cap confidently lifted his chin.
“Stay.”
“S-...What?”
“The composer.
The one who made the OST.
The hottest composer around these days.
Was I really the only one who knew?”
“Wait.
...A composer?”
Everyone's heads turned toward Taeyoon at once.
Then they all looked back at the staff member and blurted out the same thing.
“Oh, come on!”
“No way.”
“Who'd believe that?”
The composer who wrote the music played the most important role in this movie.
So naturally, he should participate in the safety ceremony.
There was nothing strange about that.
But a composer giving off an aura like that?
That was definitely strange.
Stay = Blackhole.
Only Kim Minsoo, who knew that fact, quietly accepted the situation.
Why was Taeyoon attracting so much attention?
It wasn't because of his tall height.
Nor because of his neat appearance.
'If he didn't have the ability to draw people in, he couldn't have done commercials or performances.'
How many performances had he done already?
He didn't have to try.
He didn't have to show off.
It was simply an occupational habit that had naturally become part of him.
As the noisy atmosphere continued,
the lighting director, who stood a head taller than everyone else, waved his hand dismissively.
“There you all go again, gathering together and talking nonsense.
Honestly, movie people really can't help themselves.
The moment they see a fresh face...”
“Not paying attention to a face like that would be negligence.”
“If he just trimmed his hair a little, he'd look even better.”
Clicking their tongues, everyone dispersed back to their positions.
Watching them, Assistant Director Kim Seongyong covered his mouth with the side of his hand and whispered into Oh Seungju's ear.
“He's better than most supporting actors, isn't he?”
Oh Seungju simply nodded.
His eyes remained fixed on Taeyoon, who was rolling around on the grass with one of the dogs.
By now, Taeyoon's T-shirt and hair were covered in blades of grass.
Tiny muddy paw prints dotted his white shirt.
Just then, the owner of Doongsil, one of the dogs faithfully following Taeyoon everywhere, quietly approached Oh Seungju.
Tilting her head, she folded her arms.
“This is so strange.”
“What is?”
“Doongsil is usually shy.”
“Huh?
He's shy?”
Surely this was his first time meeting Taeyoon.
How could he be playing with him so comfortably without his handler?
As Oh Seungju questioned it,
the owner tilted her head just as much.
“He never plays with strangers like that.
Never.
But with him...
They're so close I'm honestly getting jealous.
He's usually such an obedient little guy, but no matter how many times I call him, he won't come.
Maybe I should just let him go live with that big brother.”
She complained,
but she couldn't hide the huge smile on her face.
No matter how experienced a professional canine actor was,
they always became nervous on a new filming set.
Seeing someone treat her dog as though they'd already been friends for years gave the owner tremendous peace of mind.
Once the topic came up,
the other dog owners gradually gathered around and joined the conversation.
“We had such a hard time calming Jjanga down too.”
“Oh, right.
Same here.”
“Dogs can instantly tell who's genuinely affectionate toward them.”
“He acts really well.
Should I ask for his autograph?
I've been on plenty of film sets, and people who stand out like that always become huge stars within a few years.”
Oh Seungju stroked his chin.
Everyone kept praising Taeyoon's acting.
But Oh Seungju alone knew the truth.
Why did Taeyoon seem so natural?
Simple.
'Because he isn't acting.'
After observing him with hawk-like eyes,
he'd reached that conclusion.
There was no forced energy.
No carefully calculated movement.
“Alright!
Let's continue!”
Oh Seungju's voice echoed across the set.
Yet oddly enough,
nobody looked at him.
Everyone's gaze remained fixed on the middle of the grassy field.
“Huh?”
Only then did Taeyoon stand up.
Still wearing the black paw prints on his white T-shirt.
Still with blades of grass stuck in his hair.
“Oh.
Sorry.
I'll get up now.
Bye, Doongsil.
Do a good job acting.
I'll be watching.”
Smiling innocently, Taeyoon waved enthusiastically.
Just then, the cinematographer spoke.
“Director Oh.”
“What?”
“It'd be a shame to throw that scene away.”
Apparently, he'd secretly kept the camera rolling.
Showing the recorded footage, he continued.
Of course...
Oh Seungju had been thinking exactly the same thing.
“Sss...
I feel the same way.
But obviously, this scene isn't in the script.”
“Then why does it feel even more like a movie than before?”
Looking back,
the director saw Taeyoon once again.
This time, surrounded by an entire pack of dogs.
The image of him sitting there with dogs gathered on his lap and around his back.
If this wasn't art...
Then what was?
Still...
What could he do?
He couldn't suddenly cast the composer in the movie.
Swallowing his regret, Oh Seungju called out,
“Please prepare Scene 25!”
Taeyoon stepped outside the frame.
Yet everyone's eyes remained on him.
I acted calm, but honestly...
'...Did I mess something up?'
I was incredibly nervous.
Why was everyone staring at me?
I'd thought losing myself completely was something that only happened while composing music.
Apparently not.
Warm bellies.
Soft fur.
Wet tongues I'd never experienced before.
I couldn't gather my senses at all.
I quickly escaped to a bench at the corner of the grassy field.
The fluffy little furballs still followed right behind me.
What was I supposed to do?
There was no way I could ignore them.
“Guys, hurry and go film.
You're professional actors too.
I'll play with you later.”
The dogs continued panting and begging me to play.
Exhausted, I leaned back against the bench and quietly watched the filming.
I'd always imagined movie sets would feel stiff and intimidating.
Maybe it was because of the fluffy little furballs.
The atmosphere felt surprisingly gentle.
Just like them, I sat there panting slightly as I watched everything unfold.
When another break came,
Oh Seungju approached carrying a cold sports drink.
“Mind if I sit here?”
“Of course.”
Oh...
But...
Why are you sitting so close?
I awkwardly lifted myself a little and scooted farther to the side.
Well...
People always said you shouldn't just sit there in moments like this.
So I did my best to make small talk.
“The atmosphere on set is really nice.”
“Does it seem that way?”
“Yes.
Everyone on the staff has been so kind.
And Director...”
Meeting his eyes, I smiled brightly before continuing.
“You're incredibly kind too.
Thank you so, so much for letting me participate in such a wonderful movie.
I really think I'm a lucky person.”
I stood up and bowed deeply.
That feeling was completely genuine.
Just having my name attached to such a warm, comforting, wonderful movie...
Made me incredibly fortunate.
It was an honor.
Then—
“Uwah...!”
Did I overdo it?
The director looked flustered and hurriedly stood up as well.
It was the first time we'd stood face-to-face like this.
We were about the same height.
We remained standing beneath the shade of the tree for quite a while.
I didn't know what to say.
The director seemed to be gathering his own thoughts.
A moment later, he finally spoke.
“Um...
Writer Stay.”
“Yes?”
“Would it be alright...
If I hugged you just once?”
“...Huh?”
Perhaps he interpreted my “Huh?” as “Yes.”
Director Oh Seungju suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.
The faint smell of cigarettes.
His thick hand patting my back.
The breeze brushing softly across my cheek.
Everything felt warm.
Just like a father.
The director smelled like my dad used to.
As he repeatedly patted my back, he finally let out emotions he'd never been able to express.
Buried deep inside his heart.
Old.
Painful.
Yet now...
Ready to be completely released.
Those kinds of words.
“Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm so grateful...
But I don't even know how to express it.”
“Ah...”
“The beautiful heart you showed by investing after reading nothing but the screenplay.
The wonderful music you wrote that's absolutely perfect for this film...
Anyway...
Thank you.
Thank you for everything.”
The area around my shoulder grew warm.
If someone could lean on my shoulder and let go of old pain...
If my insignificant shoulder could help carry someone else's heavy burden...
Then I could lend it to them as many times as needed.
The regrets of a middle-aged man...
Were this deep.
This heavy.
Today, though...
That was alright.
Tomorrow, he'd return to being that cheerful, lively director again.
“I'm sorry.”
“It's alright.”
“I guess I've gotten old.
Anyway...
I'll work as hard as I can so I won't disgrace the music you created.”
“You're already doing more than enough.”
Whoooosh—
Sitting together beneath the breezy tree, we talked about many different things.
I liked listening to adults tell their stories.
Even if every conversation began with,
“Back in my day...”
There were always sparkling gems hidden inside their words.
Just like now.
“Do you know why the atmosphere on this set is so good?”
“Because you're a wonderful person, Director?”
“Haha.
I'd love to say that's the reason, but...”
Taking a sip of his drink, the director looked elsewhere.
At the end of his gaze stood CEO Kim Minsoo.
Standing beneath the blazing sun.
Wearing a perfectly pressed suit without a single wrinkle.
His expression never changing.
Every bit the dignified CEO.
“An atmosphere like this comes from deep pockets.”
“Ah...”
“CEO Kim treats you well, doesn't he?”
That one, I could answer confidently.
“Absolutely.”
“Usually, when investors come to the set, everyone feels uncomfortable.
They wonder whether the investor will nitpick every little thing or make the staff miserable by interfering.
But...
CEO Kim isn't just an investor.”
“Then what is he?”
“Someone who walks alongside us?”
“...A companion.”
My favorite word.
Walking together.
It seemed that expression applied to both music and film.
“Look over there.”
Piles upon piles of snacks.
Comfortable chairs.
Shade canopies.
And beside them...
Dogs lying on their backs with their bellies exposed.
“Our CEO is truly an amazing person.
Sometimes I wonder if working with him is all just a dream.”
“You're a wonderful person too, Writer Stay.
That's why you met someone wonderful.”
The director continued with words befitting a filmmaker.
You couldn't buy people's hearts with money.
But money could ease those hearts.
And from peaceful hearts came good stories.
This wasn't merely a filming set.
It was a small world created by people dreaming together.
If the atmosphere on set was warm,
the screen would become warm as well.
In the end,
a movie was made from the footprints of people walking together.
“That's true.”
“Oh dear.
I've been rambling to a young person.
What do you like?
Once filming wraps up, let's go eat something delicious together.”
“I'd like that.”
Watching Oh Seungju's back as he walked away,
I quietly repeated his words.
The footprints of people walking together.
No matter how many times I thought about it...
It was such a beautiful phrase.
The movie <Footprints That Became a Star> was finally completed.
Editing was finished.
The music was outstanding.
The actors' performances were excellent as well.
The problem was distribution.
Making a movie and getting it into theaters were two entirely different games.
And that game had its own rules.
Because of countless adult circumstances...
“...OTT?”
“At the moment, that seems to be the best option.
The distributor is having a bit of...”
<Footprints That Became a Star> was on the verge of being released on OTT instead of in theaters.
However...
“Who says so?”
If the investor was Kim Minsoo...
Then things were very different.