"The Actor who got slapped by seaweed"
She seemed to have seen the online buzz about him; it was a minor hot topic, quite funny and made people laugh.
Yoo Jimin retrieved the memory from her mind, then quickly dismissed it, not taking it to heart.
Because Kwon Hyuk was far superior to him, and being with him was very comfortable, very… captivating. Why would she choose something bad when she had something good? That would just be asking for trouble.
"Actually, each of us should focus on the important things in life, and that applies to both you and me."
"My way of doing things is quite straightforward, so if I made you uncomfortable, that's my fault, and I apologize for it here."
Kwon Hyuk still had some conscience; he knew Yoo Jimin cared about these things because she had developed genuine feelings. For anyone else, in such a situation, once the ambiguity ended, both parties would clearly understand and not get entangled.
Moreover, it was very common in the industry to fall in love at inappropriate times. The phenomenon of finding someone to alleviate loneliness was ubiquitous, regardless of whether they were big or small stars, or whether they were popular or controversial.
"You're going to join the debut group by the end of the year at the latest. People around us, more or less, know about our situation. What if someone with ill intentions leaks this to the company and delays your future?"
He wasn't being overly sensitive; handling it this way would prevent major problems.
Who doesn't want to relax and date a pretty girl? The key is that the timing isn't right. It's perfectly fine to wait until one's career has started before getting involved in romance.
"Ultimately, I'm not from S.M. Entertainment, so it doesn't matter to me. What about you?"
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone, only faint breathing sounds.
Would you say Yoo Jimin was so deeply in love with Kwon Hyuk that she couldn't bear to part? It hadn't reached that point. She was just bothered by the situation and wanted a resolution.
If she had to say, her falling in love with Kwon Hyuk at first sight wasn't without some reason.
"If you had said all this earlier, it wouldn't have turned out this way."
Yoo Jimin's slightly resentful voice came through. Her lightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed, showing much relief, but her expression was somewhat downcast, with a hint of melancholy.
"Mm… so now it's clear."
Kwon Hyuk felt the atmosphere was a bit awkward, an atmosphere that made him uncomfortable.
"We can still be friends in the future; it doesn't have to be lovers." He was very open-minded about this, not seeing things in black and white.
"How is that possible… alright."
Yoo Jimin mumbled softly. She wasn't the type of person who could act naturally after a relationship ended; she found it embarrassing and awkward.
However, she felt it was shameful and passive to be the only one still immersed and unable to extricate herself, so she raised her voice and agreed.
Kwon Hyuk faintly heard her subconscious mumble but roughly guessed what she meant.
He pretended not to hear.
"I still have to film, so I'll hang up now."
"Okay, go film well."
Yoo Jimin wasn't entirely aggressive in confronting him, so she still gave him a kind instruction.
She was very angry at first, but after seeing Kwon Hyuk almost fail to be selected in the final round of the audition program, her anger subsided considerably. She felt he was already unlucky enough and didn't need to be too pushy.
Kwon Hyuk hung up the phone, stood up, and hurried off to film.
He wasn't making excuses; he was genuinely going to film.
Upon arriving at the set, Kwon Hyuk's scenes for the day were with Kim Hye-yoon.
It was a plot where the second male lead pursued the female lead, a 'chasing-wife crematorium' scenario. The second male lead's popularity sometimes surpassed the first male lead, often due to a well-written character that girls liked; everyone wanted to be pursued.
After these two months, Kwon Hyuk now felt that acting in such campus idol dramas was no longer difficult; it was simply effortless.
They were currently filming some intimate scenes with Kim Hye-yoon.
Actors have a higher acceptance and lower sensitivity to so-called intimate contact due to belief and desensitization.
Kissing and touching, frolicking like real couples, while being watched by dozens of people on set—no matter how thin-skinned you are, you get used to it after a few times. Over time, this carries over into their personal lives as well.
The acceptance level between men and women increases, and in turn, the threshold gets higher and higher. This is also why some actors cheat, engage in various illicit behaviors, and even get involved with gambling or even drugs.
In simple terms, what we consider thrilling is mundane to them. If they want to feel a thrill, it has to be something more outrageous. If they can't control themselves, they end up in jail, skirting the edge of the law. This isn't just true for celebrities; it's true for the upper class as well.
Kwon Hyuk believed he was capable of controlling his desires, at least for now.
Kim Hye-yoon was a very nice girl, also lively and cute, but unfortunately, her appearance wasn't quite there. If she were willing to get plastic surgery to conform to the mainstream, her future might be better.
"Cut!"
As soon as the director called cut, Kwon Hyuk released his hand, and Kim Hye-yoon also pulled away from his arm.
Of course, there's another possibility for actors: falling in love on set. It's not uncommon for actors to continue hugging and kissing after an emotional scene is called cut, as clearly seen in behind-the-scenes footage from some dramas.
This is too common to count. Producers are delighted by it, as it helps hype the drama, promote the couple, and increase fan loyalty.
Kwon Hyuk clearly intended to pursue a path of both popularity and critical acclaim. Popularity would naturally involve learning from his predecessors by starring in popular idol dramas, and then stirring up scandals with currently popular idols.
Furthermore, even revealing a relationship was acceptable. He was an actor, unlike an idol for whom relationships are taboo. Actors could even use it to gain publicity and increase their visibility.
His deliberate contact with some idols also stemmed from this reason; a relationship would not harm him and could even be a tool for generating buzz.
For idols, when a relationship is exposed, besides potentially hurting fans, everyone else is simply there to gossip.
Filming isn't just about acting; both on and off screen, it's a performance. After the director called cut, crew members stood by with handheld cameras, filming them for behind-the-scenes content.
When filming wrapped up for the night, Kwon Hyuk proactively invited Kim Ro-woon, Kim Hye-yoon, and other main cast members to a group dinner.
He was sociable and knew that having many friends could come in handy later for various matters.
And the cast readily accepted Kwon Hyuk's invitation. Firstly, after spending some time together, they all enjoyed his company; his social graces made everyone comfortable. Secondly, they all knew he had a strong background, and in the entertainment industry, where people often fawn over the powerful, they were naturally willing to join him.
The group chatted and laughed as they left the set and headed to a nearby restaurant.
...
Yoo Jimin was, in fact, a bit distressed and discouraged. This was unavoidable; if she could truly let go with just a few words, then she would be an impossible, cold, and indifferent person.
A slight melancholy and emptiness permeated her heart. Yoo Jimin shook her head, wanting to shake off these unnecessary emotions, but it was still difficult; they lingered in her mind, refusing to dissipate immediately.
This would probably only fade gradually with time.
As for interacting as friends in the future…
She certainly wouldn't seek out Kwon Hyuk again.