Chapter 022
A week after filming ended, the office cleanup was finally finished.
With all the furniture and equipment removed, the office had returned to its original form as a garage.
And that evening, all the staff, including the actors, gathered at a nearby Korean barbecue restaurant for the wrap party.
After finally finishing the war-like filming, we were all in high spirits as we enjoyed drinks and meat without any pressure for the first time in a long while.
Having the wrap party made it finally sink in that the movie was over.
The staff and actors gathered in small groups, talking about the various incidents that had happened on set, laughing and crying as they reminisced.
On another side, some people were having heated discussions about how sad it was to part ways and about their uncertain and unstable futures, which were too difficult to bear simply under the name of youth.
At that moment, Director Song stood up from his seat and drew everyone's attention.
“Everyone, you’ve all worked incredibly hard!”
“Without all of you silently giving your best despite the difficult filming, this movie could never have been made.”
“I’ll make sure to finish the remaining post-production work properly so that all your hard work won’t be in vain.”
For a moment, Director Song became emotional.
Then someone shouted toward him.
“Let’s go to Cannes~!”
“Yeah, Director!”
“Let’s go to Cannes!! Hahaha.”
At the staff’s encouragement, a huge smile spread across Director Song’s face.
“Yes, let’s all hold hands and go to the Cannes Film Festival together!”
“Come on, everyone, fill your glasses!”
“To Home Sweet Home!”
Director Song raised both arms as he shouted, and everyone raised their glasses.
“Cheers!”
“Home Sweet Home! Let’s make it a huge hit!!”
Everyone clinked their glasses and cheered.
As Director Song and I clinked our glasses, our eyes met pleasantly.
Holding his glass, Director Song came over to me.
“Gibaek, you worked really hard.”
“Thanks to you, we were able to finish this movie safely.”
“No, it wasn’t because of me.”
“We all worked hard together.”
“Of course, that’s true.”
“But I’m not just saying this to be polite.”
“If it weren’t for you, I might have made a decision that I would have regretted for the rest of my life.”
Ah, he was talking about casting Yoo Haein.
I would have regretted it too.
“And even though we faced countless crises, we were able to get through them because you always suggested smart alternatives.”
“Thank you. Really.”
His praise felt far too generous, so I awkwardly smiled.
“Gibaek, I don’t know when it will be, but if I make another movie someday, let’s work together again.”
“No.”
“This time, I want you to become my producer.”
“You absolutely cannot refuse my request.”
“Got it?”
“Hahaha.”
Hearing Director Song ask me to join his next project as a producer made me feel strangely proud that he recognized my abilities.
In this industry, where connections were practically everything, what greater gift or reward could there be for a producer than an opportunity like this?
Just as I was calming down from the emotions welling up inside me, someone suddenly spoke.
“This movie was truly the greatest movie of my life!”
“I sincerely want to thank Director and every single member of the staff!”
Drunk on alcohol, Moon Hyunbin suddenly stood up and expressed his gratitude, seemingly unable to control his emotions.
“Hey, Hyunbin.”
“You’re someone whose future is going to be even brighter.”
“If you’re already calling this your best movie, isn’t that a little too soon?”
“Hahaha.”
Producer Jung said this with a laugh, but Moon Hyunbin shook his head.
“No.”
“I really mean it.”
“There’s something different about this movie.”
“I have this feeling that it’s going to become something incredibly successful!”
Yeah.
There was definitely something different about this movie.
I already knew that Song Jaehyun’s movie would achieve surprisingly big success for an independent film.
Of course, that was when the lead actor was Yoo Haein.
But when I came to the office for the last time that morning, Director Song had shown me the rough cut.
After watching it, I couldn’t shake the vague feeling that this movie might achieve an even greater result than the future I remembered.
If that actually happened…
“Gibaek~.”
“Gibaek~.”
While I was lost in thought, I heard a cute voice from behind me, filled with a heavy nasal tone.
Then Gil Boyoung suddenly stuck her face in front of me.
“Bo, Boyoung noona?”
Gil Boyoung was completely drunk.
Her face was bright red as she plopped down in the empty seat beside me.
Then she moved her face extremely close to mine.
“Gibaekaaa~ Why are you sitting so far away?”
“Come sit right next to me.”
I became aware of the staff watching Gil Boyoung with amused expressions, so I tried to remain calm and gently spoke to her.
“Noona, have you been drinking a lot?”
“Nooo~.”
“Boyoung didn’t drink that much~.”
“Boyoung wants to drink more~.”
Whoa… this is incredibly burdensome.
But she’s also incredibly cute.
Gil Boyoung was normally calm and professional.
Seeing her puff out her cheeks and act spoiled like this felt unfamiliar.
Yet somehow, I didn’t dislike it.
“Gibaek, give noona some alcohol.”
“Give me alcohol.”
“Please.”
Just then—
“Ah, seriously!”
“Who is that?!”
“Who left half their tongue at home?!”
From behind us, Scriptwriter Jung In suddenly shouted.
Apparently, she couldn’t stand Gil Boyoung’s childish, slurred speech.
I quickly handed Gil Boyoung some water.
“Noona, drink some water first.”
“Try to sober up a little.”
For a moment, Gil Boyoung stared at me with hazy eyes.
“Gibaek…”
“Thank you so much for looking after me in so many little ways all this time…”
“No, it’s nothing.”
