Chapter 199: |
On the way to the wedding venue.
He gradually slowed down the car as he observed the traffic light changing to orange. Then, looking at Jang Sunho sitting next to him, he spoke with a voice mixed with laughter.
"Manager-nim, it's finally the wedding day."
"…Indeed. How did this day come so quickly?"
Jang Sunho murmured as he looked at the quiet street early in the morning.
It was unfamiliar to see a weak side of him who always presented a confident demeanor. Perhaps the excitement and tension of ‘marriage' were common to everyone, and that might explain it.
"But Manager-nim, how was the experience of dieting for the past month? You tried the same diet and menu as when we filmed before. Three meals of green juice a day."
"Through this experience, I realized that you, Actor-nim, are truly a strict person. You've been doing it for five years already. If it were me, I would have given up long ago. Let's try to take it a bit more leisurely from now on."
"Pfft."
"Oh, and Manager-nim."
"Yes?"
"Thank you for personally driving me to the wedding venue today. You must have been tired from the shoot yesterday."
"Even if I'm tired, I have to do what needs to be done. Besides, the shoot ended quickly yesterday. Director Ha Sarang and the other staff members are coming today, so they wrapped up the shoot early for you."
"Well, that's fortunate, but please don't let your condition deteriorate because of me."
On his wedding day, Jang Sunho was still concerned about me.
"Oh, by the way, Manager-nim."
"Yes?"
"Is it okay if I don't go in with the bride? Usually, don't you enter the venue with the bride?"
"I'm not sure about that either. It's my first time getting married."
"Well, that's true."
"The wedding planner told me to do as I please, so I'm doing it the way they suggested, casually."
Amidst such conversation, we arrived at the wedding venue without realizing it. Perhaps because the wedding was still a long way from starting, the parking lot didn't have many cars.
"Alright, we've arrived."
"Yes, thank you."
"Wait a moment, Manager-nim. I said today I'll be the manager. Please wait. I'll open the door for you."
"…I don't remember asking you to go that far."
"You used to do it for me occasionally when I was tired before."
Saying that I quickly got out of the car and opened Jang Sunho's door. Jang Sunho, seemingly unaware that I would go this far, awkwardly stepped out of the car without responding.
He seemed quite nervous. His expression was never particularly warm, but today it seemed even more rigid than usual.
"Well, I'll go prepare first. If you want to rest in the car or come in at the right time, I'd appreciate it."
"Hey, we should go together. After all, I'm your manager for the day."
"…You're going to help with the wedding preparations too?"
"Yes. Isn't it obvious for a manager?"
Unable to refute my words, Jang Sunho nodded reluctantly.
"Ah, I understand. Then, let's go."
"That line is my line. ‘Let's go, Mr. Jang Sunho.'"
As I used to do during shoots.
This time, I playfully said it to ease his tension somehow.
Well… it didn't seem to have much effect. His movements were as robotic as his expression, jerking awkwardly.
"Are you okay? You seem like you might stumble during the wedding."
Though it was amusing to see Jang Sunho, usually composed and meticulous, in such a state, I couldn't help but worry.
With that thought in mind, I hurriedly went to Jang Sunho's side. I intended to escort him, just as he always did.
***
"Oh… Manager-nim, your makeup is done, and you look completely different. And with your hair down, you look much softer."
I watched Jang Sunho getting his makeup done while holding a green juice. It was the same appearance he had shown during his intense dieting days.
Although I didn't mean to, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction, almost like getting revenge.
"It's my first time wearing makeup, so it feels awkward. I'm a bit embarrassed because it doesn't seem to suit me."
Jang Sunho said with a charming smile.
"Oh no, it suits you. Right, Miss?"
When I casually asked the makeup artist, she was startled and replied, "Yes, yes! It suits him well."
"See, even the makeup artist agrees. We should do this more often—"
Woo-woo-woo-.
Jang Sunho's phone rang.
I intercepted his reaching hand to answer it in a dignified voice.
[From Oh Haneul, the President]
I couldn't bring myself to take this call, so I handed the phone back to Jang Sunho.
***
One hour before the wedding.
Gradually, guests began to enter the wedding venue. I watched Jang Sunho greet the guests, take pictures with them, and even received occasional requests for photos with me.
"Um… H-hyung, could you also take a picture with actor Kang Jinseok?"
Once in a while, I received requests for photos like this. Since everyone came to congratulate Jang Sunho on his marriage, I happily took pictures.
‘It's not easy being an assistant. Manager-nim did it so effortlessly.'
At that moment, I keenly felt Jang Sunho's greatness.
"Hey, our Manager-nim! Maybe it's because he's a newlywed, but he looks so handsome!"
A familiar voice reached my ears. Looking in that direction, I saw the employees from the Warehouse entering the venue.
However, there was a problem…
‘He said he would come as the representative for a few minutes… Why did everyone come?'
Ready to burst suits, hair shining as if coated with oil, and a face that could stop a crying child in its tracks. When a dozen or so of these gentlemen entered the venue simultaneously, the atmosphere quickly became awkward.
I felt the need to quickly lighten the mood, so I approached the gentlemen with a warm smile.
"Have you all arrived?"
As I spoke, Mr. Park Chunsam, who was behind the foreman, extended his head and greeted me.
"Oh, Jinseok, it's been a while."
"What do you mean it's been a while? I saw you the day before yesterday. Jinseok had a shoot near our warehouse."
"The day before yesterday?"
"Don't you remember? This guy drank and passed out, and it seems he lost his memory after that."
As the foreman scolded Mr. Park, Mr. Park grinned and scratched the back of his head.
As I chatted amicably with the gentlemen, the atmosphere somewhat improved. There were casual remarks like, "The men from Kang Jinseok's YouTube," "Oh, those guys worked together before Kang Jinseok became famous," and "He also appeared in ," circulating among them.
I led the gentlemen to the photo zone where Jang Sunho was. There were still many guests waiting to take pictures with Jang Sunho at the photo zone.
After a while,
"Hey, Mr. Kim! Get closer!"
"Oh, Park Chunsam, lower yourself a bit!"
"Don't push!"
Since there were too many people to take individual photos, we decided to take a group photo with Jang Sunho.
The photo with about a dozen men in black suits looked somewhat problematic, but since everyone was smiling brightly, the picture didn't turn out too bad.
After the gentlemen's photo session,
There was a brief lull in the guests. Since Jang Sunho seemed quite tired, I handed him a cup of coffee.
"Haha… Manager-nim, you must be very tired."
"It's okay."
It didn't look okay at all.
"More importantly, Actor-nim."
"Yes?"
"Is it okay if I take a photo with you? We haven't taken a picture together, just the two of us."
"Oh."
Come to think of it, until now, I had been taking pictures with other guests, but I hadn't taken a photo alone with Jang Sunho.
Now that I thought about it, we hadn't taken a picture together all this time while working.
"Yes! Let's take one together."
"Thank you."
"No, thank you."
I took out my phone and stood next to Jang Sunho.
Click!
***
"Jinseok, aren't you getting married?"
A few minutes before the wedding ceremony.
Min Kyungsoo spoke to me from behind as I sat in the front row of the venue.
"Yes?"
"Aren't you getting married?"
"…Married? I don't even have a girlfriend."
In response to my words, Min Kyungsoo looked at me silently. Then, he chuckled and asked Park Woohyun next to him.
"Hey, is Jinseok lying?"
"That's right. Jinseok, if you lie to your seniors, you're in trouble. Is it true that you don't have a girlfriend?"
"Well, yeah. You have a lot of actor friends you're close to. Why don't you mention that, like Director Yeo Jaeyoon's daughter… and even Yeonsoo?"
"And who was that? Someone you worked at a cafe with from your unknown days…"
"Are you talking about actress Yeo Hyemin?"
"Oh, right. Those two. You even leave comments on each other's social media."
I lightly smiled and shook my head.
"I'm not in that kind of relationship with those two. First of all, Yeo Hyemin is busy with a photo shoot in Europe, and Yeonsoo is busy with her recent projects."
"Hey, can't actors date because they're busy shooting? It's part of being an actor, isn't it?"
"Anyway, I'm not in that kind of relationship with those two."
As I waved my hand to emphasize, Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun looked at me with suspicious glances.
At that moment,
"Oh!"
Park Woohyun, as if realizing something, clapped his hands and said, "That friend who's an idol. Right!"
"Yes? An idol?"
"Oh, right. You're close with that friend."
"Are you talking about Park Hayeon?"
"That's it! Park Hayeon!"
Min Kyungsoo shouted as if he had just exclaimed ‘Eureka!' like Archimedes. I tilted my head again.
"No, it's not like that. We occasionally keep in touch, but Park Hayeon is also extremely busy, so there's no time for that."
As I casually spoke, Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun scrutinized my expression and said, "Hm… Something's odd. Your expression seems like you're telling the truth even though you're lying."
"That's right. He acts so well that it's hard to distinguish whether he's telling the truth or lying."
"Haha…"
[Shortly, the wedding ceremony will begin. Guests, please take your seats to congratulate the bride and groom.]
Laughing and chatting with Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun, the MC announced that the wedding would proceed. The one in charge of the socializing was said to be the head of the secretary's office at OS Entertainment. It was the first time I saw her in action.
‘I originally wanted to do this.'
Seeing her handle the socializing, I thought it was a good decision to concede. Perhaps because she was the head of the secretary's office, the atmosphere she exuded was stable and dignified, fitting well with the wedding venue.
A while later,
"Today is a special day to celebrate the new beginning of the bride and groom's life together. Despite your busy schedules, I thank everyone for gathering here…"
With the MC's announcement, the wedding ceremony began.
"Groom, Jang Sunho's entrance."
Jang Sunho entered with confident steps. However, I could tell. I could tell that he was truly nervous.
Others might not have noticed, but having known him for a long time, I could sense it.
As Jang Sunho stood in front of the officiant, the MC spoke again.
"Bride, Go Seoyeong's entrance."
Jang Sunho and Go Seoyeong's wedding proceeded grandly.
***
"Alright, let's end today's class here. There will be a brief exam tomorrow, so please prepare accordingly."
"Ohh…"
Professor Kim Minhan at Hanhyang University.
At his words, students made various groaning sounds. Although Kim Minhan said it would be a ‘brief exam,' the exams he gave were never easy.
However, since the students were medical students used to tough exams, they all quickly accepted it and began to leave the classroom.
Seeing the students, Kim Minhan gave a faint smile.
Suddenly, Kim Minhan thought of Jinseok.
"I wonder how that friend is doing. There was a movie released last week."
Until recently, Kim Minhan had no interest in movies or dramas. He had focused solely on his work, criticizing himself every day.
But after meeting Jinseok, Kim Minhan's life changed. He forgave himself.
‘All thanks to that friend.’
It had been seven years since Kim Minhan got to know Jinseok. Since then, Jinseok occasionally inquired about his well-being through personal contacts, but they had never met separately.
Kim Minhan considered it fortunate not to have seen Jinseok. This was because meeting him, a top star, was an impossible task unless Jinseok was unwell.
As a doctor, Kim Minhan hoped never to meet Jinseok.
‘But still, I'd like to see him at least once… Whenever I get the chance, I should go to a preview or something. It's a bit embarrassing to follow a drama set at this age.'
Kim Minhan briefly thought about Jinseok and faintly smiled, organizing his lecture materials. There were a few lectures left after lunch, so he had to move a bit busily.
Late at night, Kim Minhan returned home. He was so tired that he wanted to collapse into bed right away, but he couldn't. Today was his counseling day.
And it was the ‘last' day.
Kim Minhan pressed a random key on his laptop keyboard and turned on the laptop screen. Then, with familiar gestures, he connected to a video call.
After a short while, the screen showed the gentle face of an elderly doctor.
Kim Minhan greeted him with a light smile and a nod.
"Hello, Doctor."
[Yes, Professor Kim Minhan. It's been a month since we last contacted. How have you been?]
"Yes, thanks to your concern, I've been well."
Kim Minhan smiled again. The elderly doctor across the screen nodded his head and spoke.
[It seems like you don't need my help anymore. You don't resemble Professor Kim Minhan from the past.]
"It's all thanks to you, Doctor. Without you, I would still be that helpless person, knowing nothing but my work."
[Haha, saying that makes me grateful. However, it's not because of me. It's because Professor Kim Minhan overcame it on his own.]
Kim Minhan gave a meaningful smile at the doctor's words.
‘The decisive reason I could change like this was thanks to actor Kang Jinseok.’
But that doesn't mean the doctor who counseled him for over a decade played no role. If the doctor hadn't been there, he might have fallen apart long before meeting Jinseok.
Having such various conversations for a while, the doctor asked.
[By the way, Professor Kim. How about that woman you met at Kang Jinseok's fan club last time?]
"Doctor, it's not a fan club, it's the ‘Kang Jinseok Fan Club.'"
[Oh, I see. Sorry. I'm quite old-fashioned.]
"No problem. And about that woman…"
Kim Minhan blurred out the details but finished with a light laugh.
"She works in a different field than I do, but surprisingly, we found some common ground. Thanks to that, we decided to have dinner together tomorrow."
***
