Long Grudges (3)

"Producer Park, please get me two copies of the contract."

Director Park said as he threw the paper shreds in his hands away.

Producer Park Sookyung, who had been observing the situation, widened his eyes.

"The contract?"

"Yeah, Mr. Nam Joyoon is going to sign a new contract."

I snorted. Hearing his nonsense was funny.

Stretching his bowed back, Director Park laughed like I did. Then he tapped my arm.

"You did well in ripping this up. I was thinking about increasing his pay and signing a new contract anyways. Producer Park, what are you doing? I told you to print the contract."

"You don't have to."

I said with a smile.

CEO Kim Pansuk, who stood up to jump into the conversation, lost his chance and closed his mouth. Then, faltering, Producer Park Sookyung's gaze alternated between me and Director Park.

"Why would you print a contract without reason? You're just wasting ink."

"Chief Jung Sunwoo. Are you acting like this to gain something? If a director bowed this much, you should at least give him some face. Do you not think of the future? Are you going to keep this unpleasant mood when we're filming?"

"I think you are misunderstanding something."

"Misunderstanding?"

"I believe I properly conveyed my thoughts. We have no plans on continuing with this movie. We aren't trying to gain anything from you either."

Director Park's aura became fierce. He acted like he would give us his kidney just moments ago, but now he looked like he wanted to rip my kidney out and chew on it raw. He approached me with this threatening aura. Nam Joyoon silently took a step forward.

"Di-director, Ace keeps calling us."

The assistant director cut in.

"This is the fifth time. They are texting me to answer the phone, what should I do?"

"I told you not to answer!"

Director Park shouted before glaring at me.

"Chief Jung, you're unexpectedly the type to hold long grudges."

"It seems that way."

"If your grudges last this long, then your life will become tiresome. As a chief, you should be concentrating on managing your contacts, yet what do you hope to gain from acting like this to a director like me? I told you rumors spread quickly in this industry. You should look to the future. Are you not planning on working in this industry for a long time?"

Why were there so many people worrying about my future these days?

"I can't take it anymore, you bastard! Are you threatening someone in front of me?!"

CEO Kim Pansuk cut in, huffing and puffing. His already large body coupled with the scowl on his face gave off a murderous feeling. However, Director Park didn't even look at CEO Kim Pansuk as he mocked,

"I'm not threatening him, just warning, no, giving him advice. As he works in this industry, he'll be faced with worse situations than this, but what is he going to do if he breaks off relationships every time he's faced with situations like this?!"

I turned my gaze from the two arguing men and looked to my side.

Nam Joyoon's face became murkier since Director Park mentioned spreading rumors about me. Table throwing once was enough. Even if there weren't any cameras, there were too many watching eyes here.

"Like you said, it'll be best if not to make enemies if I'm not confident in handling it."

When he heard me, Director Park turned to me with a bright face.

"That's it! There's no need to hate ea-!"

"But I plan on handling it this time no matter what."

"… What did you say?"

"Do you think I would act like this without even that much determination?"

I wondered for a long time.

Should I endure it or not? Should I go all the way or not?

Was this situation one I could handle or not?

Only after wondering and pondering on it did I finally act.

And… Well, I didn't think I would regret this decision.

"You're being reckless! You craz-!"

It seemed he now understood that he was wasting his time trying to change my mind, Director Park's face turned red. His oppressing aura crumbled, and anxiety took its place.

Just then, the nervous assistant director cut in,

"Director! I think you really have to pick up the phone this time. It seems like something happened."

"Hey, do you not understand me? I told you not to pic-!"

A phone abruptly began to ring.

This time, it was mine. Just as I was taking out my phone, another phone began to ring.

"This is the CEO's phone… Huh?"

"What's this?"

The Pan Production employees mumbled with dazed faces. The phones of other employees began to vibrate and ring. The regular phone on the desk even began to ring. It was almost like a choir.

"I know from experience, but this is one of two things."

I said to Director Park, whose eyes were shifting rapidly.

"It's either incredibly good news or incredibly bad news."

I looked at my phone screen. It stopped ringing. Instead, a message icon lit up on the screen.

I checked the message and smiled.

"It seems to be good news for me."

Director Park hastily took out his phone.

Soon, his face distorted with confusion.

***

{'Midas's Hand's new movie was noise marketing to promote a movie?}

{SBE Films' confusion, Jung Sunwoo and Lee Songha's next project is Director Choi Sungwon's new movie}

{Just what is going on? Two movies claiming to be 'Jung Sunwoo's next project', which one is right?}

{Ten-million Director Choi Sungwon's new project! Incredible cast! 30 billion won blockbuster…}

"Good, that's it."

The project producer was satisfied with the articles popping up one after another.

"Ms. Minjeong, keep sending out press releases! Gogo!"

"I'm sending it to all the entertainment reporters I know! They usually take a few days to read press releases like this, but they are checking it instantly. It's heating up!"

The PR coordinator replied as she rapidly typed on her keyboard.

"What about real-time search rankings? It probably made it up there, right?"

"With this momentum, it should be up there soon? The situation is hilarious, and it's not even a comedy! Haa, how is the marketing team at Ace going to handle this? They probably feel like they've been struck by lightning."

She giggled before suddenly asking,

"If we really want to drive a wedge into this, we need Chief Jung Sunwoo to do an interview. Not one where you just add a comment to a press release but an interview with reporters! He'll do it, right?"

"Just wait a bit! Chief Jung told me he'll contact me as soon as he handles some urgent matters!"

The project producer said while tossing his phone up in the air.

The PR coordinator subtly asked,

"But… Apparently, Chief Jung ended things with the other movie on bad terms."

"I don't know the details. It seems that way."

"This situation is one where someone first spread the rumor, articles published, then Ace rushed over in excitement at their luck. Thinking about it now, it's like their people dug their own graves? So I'm just hypothesizing but…"

"What is it that your intro is so long?"

"Those graves, what if Chief Jung set them up? Were there any rumors about it?"

The project producer shook his head.

"No? I mean you must have looked into the source of the rumor yourself."

"I did."

"And?"

"I don't know. If things got this big, usually you'd expect rumors about the source amongst reporters, but it's completely quiet. I asked the reporter Chief Jung Sunwoo is apparently close to, but it's not her either."

The PR coordinator licked her lips like she was going to die from curiosity.

The project producer scratched below his ear.

"Well… I don't think that's the case, but if Chief Jung Sunwoo had a hand in this, let me know."

"Why?"

"If you look at it, there are a lot of people who have the ability to do something like that, but people who actually go through with it are rare. Also, if someone like that becomes successful, nine times out of ten…"

"What the heck? Why is it so loud out here? Did a war break out?"

The mumbling project producer turned around. Director Choi Sungwon was walking out of the waiting room.

"Oh, director. Are you done thinking?"

"Mostly."

"Then let's talk."

"About what?"

The project producer came up close and poked the director's side.

"While I was outside, what did Chief Jung Sunwoo, that unknown actor, and you do? What did you do that you were thinking so hard?"

Director Choi Sungwon didn't reply and simply rubbed his beard.

***

"Yeah, Reporter Kim. Don't publish the article now. I'll call you back later."

"The situation is a bit complicated. I'll call you back once it's settled."

The Pan Production employees were having a hard time as they clung to their phones. CEO Kim Pansuk and the assistant director were also in similar situations. The only ones who weren't on the phone were Nam Joyoon, Director Park, and me.

Director Park tapped his phone furiously with his stubby fingers.

His face turned red, then blue, and was now black.

I could tell what he was seeing.

"Are you..!"

Mumbling, Director Park suddenly turned his gaze.

His hand then clamped on Nam Joyoon's shoulder. Nam Joyoon frowned.

"Mr. Nam Joyoon! Are you going to throw it all away?"

Did he change his target because he couldn't get through to me?

"Are you just going to sit still? You need to persuade Mr. Jung Sunwoo! Having spent 10 years as an unknown actor on the bottom rung, you should know better than anyone else how big of an opportunity this is! Are you just going to kick away this golden opportunity? Isn't it a shame?"

"It is a shame."

Nam Joyoon replied.

"That the scenario met a bad maker."

At his calm words, Director Park's expression crumbled into nothingness.

Nam Joyoon approached me.

"Since the contract is settled, let's go. No need to listen to these harsh words any longer."

As he said this, he secretly pushed my back as if urging me to leave.

However, we were stopped before we could take two steps.

"No, where the hell do you think you're going?! Though I don't know what kind of things Chief Jung Sunwoo told you, you are an unknown rookie in the world of commercial films!"

Director Park shouted frustratedly.

The whites in his eyes reddened in agitation as his eyes rolled nonstop.

"Chief Jung, you shouldn't act like this if you really care about Mr. Joyoon! What are you banking on? For W&U to help you? Give up on trying to use Lee Songha as leverage! Mark my words, W&U will never help Mr. Joyoon regarding this matter!"

"… I have no plans on asking W&U for help."

"Then you know that I, my movie, is the best you can get for Mr. Joyoon! Is he going to go back to independent films and help move luggage around? Or is there someone who can offer the same conditions as me? Is there?"

"Yes."

"Is the- What?"

His ear-piercing shouts halted as his lips simply flapped.

The Pan Production employees who were busy on the phone and even the nervous assistant director stared at me with faces asking me what I meant. I looked down at my vibrating phone again. It was SBE's film project producer.

"If it's Director Choi Sungwon's new 34-billion-won budget project, the conditions are incredible."

With a strange expression on his face, Director Park stuttered,

"Th-that's Lee Songha's film-!"

"Director Choi Sungwon gave us this opportunity. To obtain an opportunity to appear on Director Choi's project is a dream for most actors. I think words like 'golden opportunity' are more suited for things like this."

Director Park's face became even stranger.

Just then, the assistant director paled as he grabbed Director Park's arm.

"Director! Ace said that if you don't answer the phone, they might actually take their hands off our proj-!"

***

For a moment, Director Park's eyes moved furiously as he thought through the situation.

The situation was accelerating to the worst possible. However, it wasn't like there was impossible to turn it around since Jung Sunwoo himself hadn't yet done an interview.

If he could get Nam Joyoon to sign his contract again, the events of today would simply be something in the passing.

The media, which was in an uproar, and even Ace would quiet down.

As long as he persuaded them somehow.

Somehow.

If persuasion, reason, and threats didn't work, there was only one option left. Though he wanted to avoid it, it was his only option. Director Park bit the inside of his lip. His face crumbled.

"Should the assistant director and I kneel and beg? Huh? Would that be enough?"

"Director?"

The assistant director's eyes widened.

Director Park licked his dry lips and said in a slightly heartbreaking voice.

"If you two leave, I don't know what will happen to the film. There are so many people tied to this project. If there's an investment problem because of you two, then what are we to do about all of them? What about the extras who live paycheck to paycheck? Mr. Joyoon, you should be aware of the situation on set, right?"

Director Park looked like he was about to kneel as he clung to us.

"If you want, the assistant director and I will really kneel so please think of the others and continue working on the film. No, could you please continue working with us?"

He begged as he looked in front of him.

Although he wasn't fazed by threats or shouts, Nam Joyoon's eyes now trembled. Director Park inwardly became relieved. Like he expected, Nam Joyoon's heart was wavering.

Maybe it was different in movies, but someone kneeling in real life was rare. Since he added the film staff into the mix, it would be stranger if his heart didn't waver.

While it hurt his pride, it was worth it.

Thinking about this, Director Park looked to his side and was shaken.

Jung Sunwoo was staring directly at him.

"Ah, director, now that I think about it, I have something I want to ask you."

"As… Ask me anything!"

"About what you said just now. How W&U will never help Mr. Joyoon."

He asked in a strangely soft voice.

"What do you know for you to guarantee that?"