Payback

I knew that filming takes a few months or more than a year at the longest, but only now did I realize how long it actually took to shoot a single cut. From finding a place suitable for the scene, even after they did, there were many cases where they could not be reserved, and in most cases they had to pay an expensive rental fee. I didn’t even know that ordinary roadways, roads, train stations, bus stops, etc. that usually appear in movies had to be booked in advance and formally approved.

And, of course, there wasn’t much money to spend on location in PD Jung’s low-budget movie. Thanks to that, I started running with heavy equipment from the first day I came. I had to finish all the scenes within a limited time, or we had to sneakily shoot in a place that wasn’t allowed. Thanks to this, I was able to adapt very quickly to the film job, and I also found that the manager’s wish was feasible. 

“Hey, it’s dark, lift up the reflector a little higher!”

At the shout of the director, the staff raised the large reflector a little higher above their heads. It was a small train station on the outskirts of the city. We had to finish filming in a limited time before the start of its operation at dawn, so everyone was rubbing sleepy eyes and installing filming equipment in the dark. Among them, I was responsible for holding the shaking light.

When we first appeared here a few days ago, PD Jung’s expression wasn’t very good. Rather, the grim expression seemed to ask ‘why did you come?’, but I joined the filming thanks to the manager who begged and said we wanted to help out for free along with Hansoo. PD Jung seemed to have fallen for the free service emphasized by the manager, but when we really helped filming, he thanked us a lot later. I didn’t get paid money though.

Actually, the devices were all outdated and old. The lighting that I had to hold on to the pedestal like this, and the microphone and recording equipment for simultaneous recording were barely enduring, so it wasn’t surprising that the lights suddenly went off. 

‘Pa!’

It flashed with a sound and then the other lights went out. In an instant, people’s heads turned to the lights all at once. Suddenly silence fell inside the noisy place, and soon everyone’s eyes turned to PD Jung. Everyone knew It was the last time we were allowed to shoot here today. All the other scenes needed here had already been filmed, so they couldn’t change the location.

In the interior that was as quiet as dawn, PD Jung looked up at the lights that had gone off for a long time. Buying a new light and moving it to this place was of course expensive, but it was a bigger task to book this place again and gather the actors to film. Maybe it’s because the appearance fee was not high, but most of the actors came down for just their screentime and went straight back to Seoul once they had shown their faces.

Those whose faces were even a little known had been helped by PD Jung in the past and participated in this to show their gratitude. That’s why it was a rough filming atmosphere, but as evidence of that, one actor hadn’t arrived yet. Naturally, I was in such a hurry so that he could film as soon as he arrived, but when the lights went out, no one moved. PD Jung, who stared at the lights for such a long time that I thought his neck might ache, walked to the camera director with the same voice as usual.

“How much exposure do you have now?”

“Well, I think 2.8 or so.”

When the camera director checked the exposure meter and answered the assistant director, PD Jung nodded his head.

“That’s enough. Do we have another reflector?” 

At his words, the station interior began to move busily again. Someone ran out and came back with a reflector, and everyone was doing their own thing, so they didn’t realize one thing yet. The actor who hadn’t come yet. While the lighting caused the devices to be moved and PD Jung and the camera director repositioned the camera, the assistant director answered the phone with a serious expression.

“Yes? You only got up just now?”

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The assistant director opened his eyes wide in surprise at PD Jung’s suddenly snatching the ephone, but his following words made the rest of the crew also surprised.

“If you can’t come if you’re busy… Mhm, it’s fine. Well, you don’t have to come now, the appearance fee will be settled right away. You don’t have to film anymore.”

PD Jung hung up the phone without listening to the other person’s answer and then looked around. He was a person who didn’t get angry typically, but I could see that he was fuming now. Although his expression was the same as usual. And his gaze, looking around, squatted down on me, holding the light.

“Taemin, get ready.” 

“Yes?”

I asked in surprise, but he had already turned his head to the others.

“Someone grab that for me!”

——— 

Fortunately, the short scene ended on time. The station staff, who were always annoyed during filming, even said their greetings, saying that they would go watch the film, probably because it was the last day of filming. I should have been delighted with my unexpected added appearance like what the manager had expected, but I felt a bit dazed.

Just, what did I do? I couldn’t remember if I had said the lines properly. Originally, in this scene, the main character meets his best friend in his hometown, so it was not awkward for me to act as one of his friends, but since the best friend would not appear in the future, the content had to be changed a bit. Making me rise to the supporting role.

In fact, I didn’t know yet that this one scene completely changed my role. It was still early in the morning, where the bluish light hadn’t even reached yet. I didn’t even know why the manager and Hansoo, who came next to me when I carefully loaded the equipment into the truck, were making so much noise.

“W- Whoa! How can this really happen!! I was just hoping for something, but there really are more scenes for you!” 

Seems like it. I don’t think it will happen a second time, but he started to overreact.

“Taemin, are you okay? T- Tell me when you’re trembling. I bought a box of c-cheongshimhwan right away…”

In the end, he was trembling and the manager could not finish his speech and stumbled, clutching his heart. Next to him, Hansoo with a similar expression opened his mouth in fear.

“Why am I so scared when I’m not even in front of the camera? What should I do in the future, urghhhh… just looking at Taemin’s scene makes my heart jump… heuheu.” 

Hansoo, who stopped talking because he was crying all over, grabbed the manager and started looking for all kinds of gods. Just as I was about to ask, what the hell was this overreaction, I felt a vibration in the back pocket of my pants. I pulled out my phone automatically, but my face was already frowned. There was only one person texting me. The madman. For the past week, he had been sending texts when he was bored and gave me spelling tests.

Of course, I was sick of hearing him call me a dumbass, so I asked the manager and Hansoo. To the two who were surprised that I had a friend who was asking me such a thing, I emphasized that this punk was just a ‘madman’. However, the two smiled and helped out as they thought it was just a joke from a close friend. However, the problem was that the question that the madman gave was difficult, and the manager and Hansoo who told the answer were wrong. Then the reply came.

— Who’s next to you helping? You are all idiots

When I quietly showed them the text, the two of them stared at each other for a while and opened their mouths at the same time. 

‘Look at this madman!’

‘What? This crazy punk!’

After that, whenever I got a text message, the two of them got even more excited and clamored. Of course, we were always called idiots.

And now when I looked at the text with a frown, the two immediately recognized it. 

“Heuk! Is it the madman again?!”

“Ahh! Did he send another question?”

Excitedly, the manager got a revelation and posed for the Korean dictionary that he had bought in a hurry. I read the text and raised my hand to stop him.

“It’s not a question.” 

“Hm? Not a question? Is not the madman again?”

It was him but… No matter how I look at it this time, it wasn’t a spelling test.

— Go see the building opposite XX bank at OO intersection. Now.

Was it because I was used to this small city? I immediately noticed that the OO intersection was not far from here. So what’s the building opposite XX bank? With this curiosity alone, I led my tired body to the place written in the text. When I arrived, I saw only one building. The only luxury hotel in the city. And I got a text message just in time, as if someone was watching me. 

— Room 1208

———

I rang the doorbell and stared at the white door number. In the hallway where I was standing, there was a suffocating silence as if I should apologize to the hotel if I made even a small noise. It was just a place to sleep. That’s why I don’t care about the cleanliness of the hotel.

Click. 

The madman, who opened the door with his phone in one hand, winked at me to come in. I was wondering who you were calling from early in the morning, but since the content of the conversation was in English, I immediately stopped caring. Instead, I looked around the spacious interior of the hotel and approached the window, where the moonlight streamed in. The only light inside the living room with only a table and a sofa was a small lamp at the entrance, so it was dark inside. Judging by the light leaking out from the slightly opened door, it seemed that the madman had gone in there.

As I pushed the thick curtains to the side, a gap the size of my palm widened an arm’s length. A quiet road with few cars could be seen through the huge glass windows. I felt like I was alone in this city, with most of the lights off. I looked out blankly, and before I realized it, I put my forehead to the window and closed my eyes. It was the first time I felt the cold, and the glass, which had a similar body temperature and temperature, made me forget where I was leaning.

I must have been really tired. Not only did I work all night, but I was also nervous because I had to do an unexpected shoot. So I didn’t notice… It wasn’t until someone’s arm was wrapped around my waist that I realized he was holding me behind my back.

Startled, I tried to turn my head at the strong force that tightened around my waist, but behind my back, he pushed me directly against the window. 

“Hey…”

As I tried to sound out his displeasure, his lips pressed against my ear whispered.

“Be obedient. I’ll make you feel pleasurable.”