Cheating way through to Stardom chapter 57- Kiss Scene

“At this point, I have to admit I’m pretty lucky.”

The boy actor smiled brightly.

“Even if it seems that way, there’s nothing to be done about it. Still, thank you for apologizing, Actress Lee Haejin.”

“Hey!”

Lee Haejin grabbed the boy actor’s sleeve.

“If it was just luck, I wouldn’t have apologized. The thing is, your acting is the real deal. It’s so good it embarrasses me.”

Dowon looked at her with clear eyes, making Haejin’s face flush even more.

‘I’m acting so immature for my age.’

He wished he could crawl into a hole and hide.

“It’s okay. Really. Are you going to stay here?”

“Huh? Oh, I have to go back to filming in 20 minutes.”

“Then I’ll get you some medicine.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Lee Haejin sighed.

“My headache was just an excuse.”

“I see. Well then, Ms. Lee Haejin.”

The boy actor bowed slightly before straightening up.

“My name is Cha Dowon.”

Lee Haejin found himself bowing reflexively.

“Lee Haejin.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Dowon smiled brightly as he turned away. The sight was like a scene from a movie, and Hajin covered her face with her hands.

‘Wow, are all idols like this these days?’

‘Why is he so pretty? No, really. I’ve seen idols before, but none like him! How can someone like that even exist?’

Lee Haejin crouched on the spot, feeling genuinely confused and conflicted.

***

‘She’s really cute.’

Maybe it was because she expressed her complaints so honestly. Lee Haejin’s grumbling seemed cute.

‘Well, at least she didn’t push me from behind like my dear senior trainee Heo Seoyong.’

Come to think of it, is Heo Seoyong still at Friends Entertainment?

‘People think I’ve forgotten about my senior, but that’s not true.’

If our country’s laws weren’t so lenient, I wouldn’t have let it slide.

Just wait. I’ll get my revenge.

‘Anyway, compared to Heo Seoyong, she’s so honest that I feel sorry for making the comparison.’

Her apology felt sincere.

‘And the next scene is a kiss scene.’

In that case, it’s better to be on good terms than growling at each other.

While pondering the best angle for the kiss scene, my fat manager appeared as if on cue.

“Ta-da!”

What, what now?

“You were waiting for me, right?”

“No.”

“Aww, don’t be so cold. You ambitious nut!”

The manager immediately put his arm around his shoulder and handed something over discreetly.

“Did you brush your teeth?”

“Well, it’s only polite.”

“This is a breath freshener. Minty fresh!”

I sighed lightly.

‘Well, this is also part of etiquette.’

I obediently opened my mouth, and he sprayed it. The manager looked at me with a sly grin.

“Your eyes look strange.”

“Just leave it to your older sister’s lead. By the way, Ya dowon, is this your first kiss?”

I pondered seriously.

“Would it be better if it were my first kiss?”

“What?”

“I mean, it might generate more buzz. Which would attract more fans?”

“Gosh! How can you be so jaded? No romance at all!”

What’s the point of looking for romance in work? What answer did they expect?

Just then, Director Joo appeared suddenly and spoke.

“Of course, you should say it’s your first kiss! That’s what the fans will love!”

I was startled.

Director Joo asked ominously.

“But is it really your first kiss?”

“What answer do you want?”

“A sweet and fresh story about a boy’s experiences?”

I frowned.

“My first kiss was forced.”

Director Joo’s eyes gleamed. Why does he like this kind of story?

“It happened in elementary school. A girl suddenly ran up and kissed me.”

“Oh, the tragedy of a pretty boy.”

“Good-looking guys even have kisses come to them, huh.”

“It wasn’t my choice. It was an accident. I’m the victim here.”

Director Joo smiled like a predator eyeing its prey.

“Sweet and sour. Oh, I love it.”

Whether sweet or bitter, it was all just a hassle.

“I came to loosen you up, but it’s boring, so I’m disappointed. Dowon.”

You didn’t come to tease me?

“Kissing a pretty older sister, you should look more excited, ambitious nut.”

I smirked.

“It’s just work.”

The chubby manager made a fuss.

“Wow. So dry. Completely like a desert.”

“What’s there to expect from work? But I’ll keep that in mind.”

I said as I stretched.

“I have to follow your lead well. But isn’t my character supposed to lead according to the script?”

In the kiss, the boy reveals his true nature, right?

“Y-Yeah?”

“We have to stick to the script.”

Director Joo grabbed my shoulder and asked.

“Are you planning to lead?”

“Rather than leading, I’m just acting, right?”

Director Joo covered her mouth and shook her head.

‘What’s with that reaction?’

The manager patted my other shoulder and laughed.

“P-Pffft. Puhahaha! Alright, give it your best shot.”

I narrowed my eyes.

‘Do they see this as teenage stubbornness?’

Ugh.

As I sighed, both of them doubled over laughing.

“So cute! So cute!”

“You’re such an ambitious nut. Puhahahaha!”

It was incredibly noisy. I shook my head. At least one thing was clear: these two weren’t going to help with the acting.

Just then, a staff member shouted.

“Boy actor! Please stand by.”

I had been waiting for that.

I walked away from the spitting, laughing duo. The staff gave me looks asking what was going on, but I didn’t answer.

Maybe that’s why I was grateful for the director’s question.

“Dowon, are you ready?”

“Yes, director. Ah…”

I started to take off my socks again.

“Now I’m ready.”

“Alright, sit down.”

Director Park approached the camera operator, giving various instructions. I lay barefoot on the large sofa, thinking about the scene I was about to shoot.

‘When our lips touch, and the other actor pulls back, I’ll grab their hand and pull them closer.’

The boy ends up sitting on top of his sister-in-law. As they face each other closely, the boy eventually intertwines his fingers with hers and shares a deep kiss.

“No matter how you look at it, it’s a mess.”

I guess that’s why the views are increasing.

“Stand by!”

I placed the book on my chest and closed my eyes. Soon, the lips of the one playing the sister-in-law’s role touched mine. Startled, I opened my eyes and saw Lee Haejin’s embarrassed face.

I grabbed the hand of my sister-in-law, who was trying to escape, and pulled her back. After a brief tussle, I ended up sitting on top of her.

For some reason, my breathing was heavy. Maybe it was because I was so focused on the acting. I couldn’t hear the staff at all.

I met Lee Haejin’s gaze. As her body slightly moved, I smiled, revealing my desire.

The kiss happened after that. Holding the hand of the one playing the teacher, I pressed my lips against hers.

How long did it last?

“Cut!”

I quietly got up and quickly moved off of her.

“Good job, everyone.”

Lee Haejin didn’t say anything. She just covered her flushed face with her hands.

‘What is this?’

Was it bad?

Well, it could be. Even though it’s just acting, it’s still a kiss scene. It could be uncomfortable, even if it’s for work.

Well, that’s how this industry is.

“Lee Haejin?”

“Just a moment.”

She took a deep breath.

“What… the kid… kisses really well.”

What?

She mumbled for a while, then suddenly seemed to come to her senses and stood up abruptly. Without making eye contact, she approached the director. I followed quietly.

The director checked the screen and immediately clapped his hands.

Clap, clap, clap.

Following Director Park, the staff also started clapping.

‘What is this?’

Looking around, Director Joo opened and closed her mouth several times before grabbing my sleeve.

“Cha Dowon, you ambitious fool. Be honest with me.”

“About what?”

“You’ve been fooling around, haven’t you?”

I frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

“If you mess around after debuting, you’ll be finished!”

“Where would a minor go to mess around?”

“If you mess around during the contract period, you’re in big trouble. You’re a dangerous guy, for real!”

Why is she acting like this?

‘I just acted according to the script.’

Director Park kept clapping and suddenly gave a thumbs-up.

‘What is this atmosphere!’

From the music video to now, I couldn’t make sense of anything.

When the director gave a thumbs-up, the staff followed suit.

In this sea of thumbs-ups, Director Joo continued to pull his hair and threaten me.

‘This feels like a black comedy.’

I didn’t know what expression to make.

“Thank you.”

So, I just smiled.

***

The shooting for the music video drama segment ended like that. Director Joo, even more excited, kept muttering that I was a dangerous guy.

‘What’s going on?’

Was it because the shooting was chaotic? I tried to stop thinking about it.

‘If you think about it, you lose.’

Well, they clapped, so the shoot must have gone well.

Nodding to myself, I stirred the pot. The seaweed soup with beef brisket had a savory smell.

“Wow, seaweed soup all of a sudden? Whose birthday is it?”

Without even being told to eat, Ki Jaeyun was the first to sit at the table.

“Whose birthday is it?”

Yoo Hajin asked as he took out the cutlery. I quietly nodded.

“Minjae hyung’s.”

Ki Jaeyun spoke while grabbing some side dishes.

“I didn’t know.”

“We don’t usually celebrate birthdays.”

“Well, if we weren’t close in the past, I wouldn’t have known either.”

It’s easy to remember the date, so there’s no excuse for forgetting it. I sighed softly and spoke to Yoo Hajin.

“Hyung, can you serve the rice?”

“Oh, yeah!”

“And Ki Jaeyun, stop eating the side dishes.”

“Hey! Why are you being so harsh!”

I took out the bowls.

“Do you want me to be harsher?”

Ki Jaeyun immediately shut his mouth.

I flipped the frying pan. The kitchen appliances were definitely better than those in the villa.

‘I’m probably the only one who uses them, though.’

Soon, Lee Seungjoon and Kang Minjae came out. While Lee Seungjoon looked fine, I shook my head as I looked at Kang Minjae.

“Did you stay up all night again?”

“I was working on an arrangement, and the more I worked on it, the better it got.”

I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to just do it half-heartedly.

Kang Minjae asked.

“Why seaweed soup? Whose birthday is it?”

“Oh, it’s Minjae hyung’s birthday.”

“Oh, Minjae, huh? Mine?”

As Yoo Hajin served him rice, he said.

“Are you guys joking?”

Kang Minjae groaned, rubbing his face.

“Oh, it’s my birthday.”

“Happy birthday, hyung.”

The other members congratulated him as if they were waiting for this moment.

Kang Minjae scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

“Oh, thanks. I didn’t expect seaweed soup.”

“I had some time. Besides…”

I served him a bowl of seaweed soup.

“I felt like I had to make sure you ate this.”

Kang Minjae looked extremely haggard. His dark circles were prominent, and he seemed to have lost weight.

This can’t do, Minjae.

‘Even if you die young, you should at least finish your goal first.’

I smiled brightly as I brought over a rolled omelet. When Ki Jaeyun immediately tried to grab some, I smacked his back hard.

Smack!

It made a sharp sound. He flinched, but I didn’t care.

“Jaeyun should be the one on a diet, but hyung is the one losing weight.”

“Oh, I do eat, but maybe not enough?”

“Just eat more today.”

When I sat down, everyone started eating.

Kang Minjae spoke as he ate the cheese-filled rolled omelet.

“I didn’t know that being in a group was like this.”

What?

“Getting a birthday meal made for you, that’s what being in a group is.”

No way. That can’t be it.

“Right. Come to think of it, back when we lived nearby, Dowon’s mom always made seaweed soup for our birthdays.”

My face slightly darkened as Mijae embarked talked about our memories.

Damn.

‘Well, you’re the one who repaid such kindness with enmity.’

Madame Cha Yeonhwa, famous for her generosity in Yongha, Seongnam, why on earth did you feed such a guy hot rice?

“Thank you, Dowon. I feel energized.”

I grinned.

“Go eat and make some music.”

‘It was two steps back for the sake of a hundred steps forward,’ thinking of this I gritted my teeth.

Then, Yoo Hajin stood up from his seat.