Chapter 7 – Continuous Nightmare (6)

“Thank you.”

As soon as I got out of the taxi, I walked towards the set. A lone black building stood in an empty lot. Only the noisy sounds coming from this unmarked black building hinted that it was an important place.

They told me to come in through the back, right?

As I headed to the back of the building as instructed, I saw a man wearing a black hat. The moment I saw his face, I hesitated. He looked familiar.

Ah! He’s the one who took me to the director last time.

He was a man with a bear-like build. I recalled him roaring loudly, directing the staff at the previous filming site. He approached me with a bright smile.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Actor Kang Junho.”

He extended his large hand. I grasped it. His grip was powerful.

Oh, he’s strong? I’m quite strong myself.

It was a grip befitting his bear-like physique. Does this person work out?

“Your acting last time was really amazing. I’ve been doing this job for over 10 years, but I’ve never seen anyone act like you, Actor Kang Junho. Watching your performance gave me goosebumps.”

I nodded slightly and replied.

“You’re too kind. I still have a lot to learn.”

Inwardly, I was overjoyed, but outwardly, I remained nonchalant. Having been accustomed to sneers and contemptuous looks since childhood, I had developed a habit of restraining my emotional expressions.

“You’re really modest. If I could act like that, I’d be living off my own pride! Haha!”

“It really hasn’t even been a month. How good could I possibly be?”

He looked at me with an expression of disbelief upon hearing my words.

“A month… That’s really amazing.”

He paused for a moment, then took out a pass from his pocket and handed it to me.

“You can go in now. We’ve prepared a spot for you near the costume team, you can blend in and observe from there.”

The pass read “<Continuous Nightmare> Costume Team”. The phrase felt oddly familiar, but I didn’t think much of it. It might have been my imagination.

“By the way, I prepared a mask and hat just in case, but I see you’re wearing sunglasses.”

“Is it too noticeable?”

“No, many people with sensitive eyes wear sunglasses these days. It might catch some attention, but not enough to worry about.”

With those words, I stepped into the set.

Wow…

The interior of the set was overwhelming. From the outside, it looked like just a black brick building, but as soon as I entered, a space recreating a police station unfolded. It was my first time in a police station set, and I was filled with wonder.

“Cut!”

A middle-aged man wearing a familiar red baseball cap lowered his hand and stopped the filming. It was Director Cho Makdun. He was commanding the set with a charismatic expression. Glancing at him, I wondered what kind of performance the actors in this scene had delivered.

It was a scene where the two main characters meet. I heard their appearance fees alone were 300 million won per episode, and the atmosphere on set was indeed different. There were more cameras than usual, making the space look packed.

That one’s almost like a cannon.

As Director Cho Makdun signaled, the actors took a break, and I looked around, observing them. One actress caught my eye. Purple-dyed hair, it was Choi Nahee. She was reading a script, and I tensed up for a moment.

Choi Nahee? Wasn’t she the woman from the costume team?

She was the woman I saw during my first filming. She wasn’t from the costume team, but a lead actress. At that moment, our eyes met. A chill ran down my spine. I unconsciously looked away, then looked back at her.

It must be my imagination.

She just went back to reading her script and stepped onto the stage, with several cameras focused on her.

The filming began. The actors performed, and the cameras captured their movements. On the surface, they seemed separate, but to my eyes, everything seemed connected. At the center of it all was Director Cho Makdun. There were several NGs, but the leads, Choi Nahee and the male actor, performed flawlessly. Their acting was so natural, as if they had become one with the characters in the script.

I was completely immersed in their acting. At that moment, I felt as if the world was changing.

“Huh?”

Looking around, suddenly everything was frozen. The staff, the actors, the cameras. As if time had stopped. I was confused for a moment, then understood the situation.

This is… Character Immersion Syndrome.

It was a phenomenon I had experienced a few weeks ago. A symptom where reality and imagination mix depending on the level of concentration. The world changes according to how immersed I am.

I immediately looked around. In this world that had changed like the world in the script, people’s appearances had changed. But the lead actors and some supporting actors still maintained their appearance.

Everything’s stopped.

I seemed to understand why they had stopped. I just needed to play this world again. Like playing a YouTube video. I started to move the world again in my mind.

“Actor Choi Nahee has bought food for everyone! Come and eat quickly!”

“Ooh!! I was hungry!”

I returned to reality. I stood there blankly for a moment and looked around. I was sure I was inside a police station just a moment ago, but now I was back in the real filming set.

It hurts.

I pinched my cheek to confirm that I had escaped from the Character Immersion Syndrome. The escape method was a bit different this time. In the past, I returned to reality through death, but this time I naturally slipped out.

Is it because the acting stopped?

I felt hungry and clutched my stomach. I hadn’t eaten since lunch and my stomach was empty. As I was about to head towards the food truck, leaving the set behind, suddenly someone put their hand on my shoulder.

“Actor Kang Junho, how was the acting?”

It was Director Cho Makdun.

“It was amazing. It was a feast for the eyes.”

“Right? I made three NGs today. I was captivated by the acting of Actor Nam Gungmin and Actor Choi Nahee.”

He smiled and led the way. An orange food truck came into view. We stood in line and received food. The menu was quite good. There was stir-fried spicy pork, bean paste stew with beef brisket, and various side dishes. I was hungry, so I started eating hastily.

At that moment, someone sat next to me. When I turned my head, Choi Nahee was smiling at me.

For a moment, I almost spit out my food in surprise. Barely maintaining my composure, I asked her.

“Is the food good?”

“Yes, I’m enjoying it, thanks to you.”

“I’m glad.”

I was flustered, but curious about why she sat next to me. Eventually, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere any longer, I spoke up.

“By the way… why did you sit next to me?”

Choi Nahee smiled and answered. That smile exuded an indescribable charm.

“I hope I’m not making you uncomfortable?”

“Ah, no… it’s not uncomfortable… just… you suddenly sat here.”

Why does she want to sit with me of all people? Various thoughts crossed my mind, but outwardly, I tried to maintain a calm attitude.

“How was my acting?”

She asked before I could even open my mouth.

“I don’t think today’s acting was bad, but honestly, I’m curious how it looked to others.”

I stopped my chopsticks and thought for a moment. Her unexpectedly direct question made my head complicated, not knowing how to answer. In the end, I chose a safe answer.

“I may not have such great eyes for it, but it was truly amazing acting. It felt as if the character was really there in front of me.”

“Huh, is that so? But it doesn’t seem like that’s all you want to say.” Choi Nahee smiled meaningfully. Her tone was as if she could see right through my thoughts.

“Pardon?”

I asked back in confusion. She shook her head as if it was nothing and said.

“Ah, just talking to myself.”

I tilted my head. Something was odd. She acted as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. And at that moment, a thought flashed through my mind.

Could it be… a check against a parachute appointment?

I knew that I had unexpectedly been given a big role, and because of this, there were various rumors about me. It seemed that rumors of me being a parachute appointment were circulating among actors and staff, but I didn’t expect someone to react so openly.

Well, I’ve been given a role almost equivalent to a lead, so it’s inevitable that I’ll rub someone the wrong way.

I made an inner promise. That I should focus on acting regardless of such gazes. There was no room for mistakes now. I had to try my best not to feel inadequate.

At that moment, Choi Nahee opened her mouth again.

“The transport scene was really impressive. Especially the way you handled your gaze was very good.”

“Ah, thank you.”

I answered as calmly as possible. However, making eye contact with her somehow became uncomfortable, so I avoided her gaze and put some spicy pork in my mouth.

Then Choi Nahee’s mischievous voice called out to me.

“So…” Her voice paused for a moment, then she added with a small smile.

“Would you like to practice lines at my place after filming?”

At that moment, my hand stopped. The food in my mouth wouldn’t go down. I couldn’t tell if she was being serious or if she was joking.

“Pardon?”

I asked back, feeling something surge up inside me.

Choi Nahee was still looking at me with a playful expression.

“Why? It would be good to practice lines together.”

She said confidently. As if it wasn’t anything special to her at all.

I maintained silence for a moment. My mind was in chaos. What’s the intention behind this? Is she just kindly suggesting we practice lines? Or is there some other intention?

And another thought crossed my mind.

Could this moment also be… within the Character Immersion Syndrome?

For a moment, everything felt unfamiliar and suspicious. Her gaze, her tone, and the strange tension I was feeling. All of this felt somewhat alien to be reality. It felt like I was in another world beyond the set.

There’s no reason for a supporting actor to want to practice acting with me!

“Are you okay?”

Choi Nahee asked, staring at my face.

At that moment, I felt like I had returned to reality again.

“Ah… yes. It’s just… practicing lines, it’s so sudden.”

Choi Nahee said, slightly raising one corner of her mouth.

“Then, think about it and let me know later. I’m fine anytime.”

She left casually. I just stared blankly at her retreating figure. Is it just about practicing lines? Or is there another intention hidden behind those words?

Unable to sort out the confused thoughts in my head, I just stared at the empty bowl for a long time.

“I don’t even have her number. How am I supposed to contact her.”