Come Back

Up until now, as Yoon Hye-an, there had been several chances to be in the same space and brush past him, but this was the first time she had noticed the scent of perfume coming from him.

‘He doesn’t usually wear perfume when he’s in public, but he’d occasionally wear it when meeting Hong-seo. To make a good impression. For Hong-seo.’

After their first night together, while they were both soaking in the bathtub, he had said just that: “For you, to make a good impression on you.” That whisper had felt more dizzying to Choi Hong-seo than the scent of the perfume itself.

So now, was he wearing it to impress someone else?

Since she wasn’t someone who often wore perfume herself, these thoughts filled her mind, and even just watching him talk to Park Dong-ha made her mouth go dry.

She felt an inexplicable relief that he hadn’t introduced his house to others in detail, but now she was wondering why he was wearing perfume, something he rarely used.

She didn’t even have the right to be jealous.

Choi Hong-seo, who had only consumed a little food and water, finally reached for her wine. As she slightly lifted her chin to drink, her eyes met his.

It wasn’t a close distance, but she was sure. He hadn’t acted like he wasn’t looking at her. After their eyes met, he continued to hold her gaze, so it couldn’t have been a mistake.

It was Choi Hong-seo who broke the eye contact first.

It bothered her that he was still looking at her while talking to Park Dong-ha. Had he heard something? Was that why he was looking at her?

Feeling anxious, her heart raced, and she took a larger sip of wine.

She awkwardly turned her gaze to Kim Lee-jung, trying to look less out of place, like a robot that was creaking.

“We’re the same age, and most of the people here are seniors. No matter what the rumors say, right now, I feel more comfortable with Hye-an than with the veteran actors. I’m not saying we should become best friends, but let’s just get along while filming.”

“Yes, I look forward to it as well.”

“And just to let you know in advance, if Hye-an slaps me, I’ll slap her back—twice, maybe three times.”

She said it seriously as if laying down the law, then suggested a toast. Choi Hong-seo smiled faintly and clinked her glass with Kim Lee-jung’s.

Somehow, Kim Lee-jung felt more comfortable than Park Dong-ha, who had been close to Yoon Hye-an. Her direct manner of speaking might be seen as rude by some, but at least she seemed like someone who would speak her mind if she didn’t like something. She didn’t seem like the type to talk behind someone’s back and spread rumors, and that was something Choi Hong-seo appreciated.

At that moment, the lively music in the background slowly lowered in volume. The atmosphere shifted, as if something was about to start. Park Dong-ha, who had been lingering around the grill, returned to the table with a disappointed expression.

Lee Hae-sung, having put down the BBQ tools, moved toward the large screen. Holding a wine glass in a relaxed, unpretentious manner, he stood in front of the guests.

“Well… you don’t have to pay too much attention to me. Please feel free to enjoy your meal,” he began with a lighthearted joke.

“I should probably explain why we’re having this gathering today, though, to make sure you all know.”

Laughter spread around the table, and Lee Hae-sung smiled as well.

“The reason is simple: we plan to include a tribute to Choi Hong-seo in the ending credits of our movie.”

For a moment, there was silence, then a murmur spread across the room. Some immediately showed signs of disapproval, some were simply confused by the unexpected comment, and others, without showing much interest, continued eating. There were various reactions.

Choi Hong-seo dropped her gaze to the table and gripped the napkin tightly in her lap. She was the only one reacting like this.

Lee Hae-sung briefly surveyed the room, then continued without hesitation.

“I’ve already discussed it with the director, but I thought it would be better to let all of you know in advance, so I arranged this meeting.”

Choi Hong-seo couldn’t lift her head. Her heart was pounding in her ears. It felt almost like a crime to even look at Lee Hae-sung, who still held her in such high regard despite the fact that she no longer existed in the world.

She twisted the napkin tightly in her hand. Her heart raced intensely, and the nausea was growing stronger with it.

For a brief moment of chaos, someone raised their voice in a serious and dissatisfied tone.

“If the actor had actually participated in the filming… I can understand that, but isn’t it excessive to dedicate a part of the movie to an actor who didn’t even shoot a single scene with us?”

Several voices, some timidly agreeing with the speaker’s opinion, could be heard. Among them was Seo Jun-young, who was sitting at the table next to them.

“Song Ji-seok.”

Lee Hae-sung’s calm voice followed as he called out to the speaker.

“I know you’ve been investing in films for a long time. But for someone with your investment experience, it seems like your understanding of movies is quite lacking.”

“……”

“Just because an actor didn’t shoot a single scene doesn’t mean it’s excessive. Isn’t pre-production part of the filmmaking process? Is it only the actual shooting that constitutes the entirety of a movie?”

He was suppressing his displeasure, trying not to explode, but the fact that he was clearly displeased was unmistakable.

The person who appeared to be one of the investors of *Cream Mansion* didn’t shrink back and continued to voice his opinion.

“I heard what the vice president said about Choi Hong-seo, and I agree with that. But… to investors like us, this movie is ultimately a business. No matter what the truth is, it’s a fact that the public overwhelmingly remembers Choi Hong-seo in disgrace. Do we really need to add a tribute to him in the movie and give people a reason to gossip about it?”

The investor’s voice grew stiffer as he spoke.

Choi Hong-seo was the only one who lowered her head like a sinner, while most of the others were watching this exchange with interest.

“You’re misunderstanding. The intention is to renew that disgraceful memory,” Lee Hae-sung calmly responded. “Was my explanation so difficult to understand?”

“Maybe the vice president invested based solely on respect for Director Kang’s film, prepared to take a loss. But for investors like me, this is a business that needs to make a profit. I decided to invest in *Cream Mansion* because I believed it would have a certain level of commercial success. Honestly… I feel that the vice president, as the biggest investor, is overstepping his bounds.”

“Overstepping?”

Lee Hae-sung echoed the investor’s words, laughing as if he had heard an amusing joke.

After swallowing dryly a few times, Choi Hong-seo slowly raised her head.

Lee Hae-sung, while placing his wine glass on a nearby table, was staring at the investor.

“Song Ji-seok, you’ve invested in Director Baek Jong-hoon’s films, right?”

“……”

“You’ve directed a few films after your debut, and some of them were hits, but how much did you actually respect Director Baek back then? Not just with casting, but didn’t you make demands to revise the script during filming, causing the director, staff, and actors a lot of trouble? I even heard you were involved in the editing process and gave them unnecessary instructions.”

People’s gazes turned toward the investor, and Lee Hae-sung continued to corner him with his usual calm but firm tone.

“You always say the real owners of the movie are the investors, don’t you? It’s a bitter truth, but that’s capitalism for you. I heard you told Director Baek that. So, I honestly didn’t expect you to fail to understand the decision of the largest investor like this.”

Lee Hae-sung slowly walked toward the investor’s seat, bracing the edge of the table and lowering his body to make eye contact with the investor. There was a faint madness in his smile, and his gaze seemed almost unnerving.

“Song Ji-seok,” he began, his tone calm, “from the start, I told you this was a moment to inform, not to seek approval. It’s bitter, but the principles of capitalism have granted me the authority to act this way, which means approval is unnecessary.”

Only then did the investor completely shut his mouth. His tightly pressed lips and the trembling corners of his eyes betrayed his frustration, but there was no further retort to be found.

When Choi Hong-seo was alive, she had once admired Lee Hae-sung’s ability to silence even CEO Jo with his words. He wasn’t the type to silence his opponents solely with power, and that was what made him all the more impressive.

Even back then, and now, his ability to render his opponents speechless was underpinned by undeniable logic and reasoning. Power wasn’t everything.

Still, it was undeniable that he had become far more sensitive than before.

Whenever something related to Choi Hong-seo arose, he grew cold and terrifying, as if he would tolerate no disturbance, even the smallest hint of it. Just like with ‘Yoon Hye-an.’

It was me who made him this way. My death became his wound. When you touch a wound, anyone becomes incapable of thinking rationally. Without even realizing it, Choi Hong-seo’s trembling eyes were locked onto Lee Hae-sung, her heart racing faster and sweat dripping from her temples.

Straightening his back, Lee Hae-sung walked back to where his wine glass had been set down and continued speaking.

“Choi Hong-seo was active in researching the script and character. She communicated actively with the costume team and offered her opinions. She was dedicated throughout the entire pre-production process.”

Holding the glass, he drained the remaining wine in one go.

“She wasn’t an irrelevant actor because she never filmed a single scene. Rather, it is even more tragic that someone who worked so hard on a film, only to leave without filming a single scene, was taken from us.”

He looked around the table as if composing himself, and his tone grew somewhat calmer.

“As the largest investor, I will not exert any pressure on the director or the production team. Even if there are casting choices or developments I personally do not agree with, I believe the film should be made according to the director’s vision.”

Lee Hae-sung’s gaze, which had been drifting slowly between the guests, suddenly stopped dead on Choi Hong-seo and then on Yoon Hye-an.

His eyes seemed to have a grip around Choi Hong-seo’s throat, and she couldn’t move an inch.

They locked eyes, and Lee Hae-sung’s lips parted.

“However, this issue is different.”

“……”

“I ask that from now on, no one discusses anything related to Choi Hong-seo. As for the rest of the film production, I will fully support the staff and cast so that there are no discomforts.”

He was essentially telling them not to touch Choi Hong-seo. If they ignored the warning, they would pay the price.

His words were even more explicit than at the previous meal. Furthermore, it was also a warning aimed at Yoon Hye-an.

Only after his gaze moved away did Choi Hong-seo quickly gasp for breath. What had felt like manageable seasickness before now felt like the floor and table were melting and warping before her eyes.

But she didn’t want to make any more noticeable moves. She truly didn’t want to attract any more hatred.