Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 333

The silence that had weighed down on the set after Jeffrey’s cut was still there.

Everyone was watching Davis Garrett and Seo-jun.

Especially, they were worried about Seo-jun.

They hadn’t thought much about it when the two actors’ improvisation had passed by like a storm, but they wondered if that state was not real fear rather than acting.

Then, Seo-jun, who had been crouching, slowly got up from his seat. 

Everyone blinked their eyes and watched Seo-jun’s movements closely.

“Did I work too hard?”

Seo-jun smiled softly as he moved his slightly stiff body and got up from his seat. But it was also the most thrilling performance he had ever done.

Seo-jun was about to walk away with an excited face when he tilted his head at the quiet set even after the shooting was over.

“Are we not going to monitor?”

Andrew Walker, who had widened his eyes at Seo-jun’s appearance, which looked not only fine but also radiant, quickly ran over and hugged Seo-jun tightly.

“Jun is the best in the world! Awesome! Amazing!”

He felt more than that when he watched the improvisation. 

He was frustrated that he could only express it with these words, but Andrew Walker did his best to show Seo-jun’s greatness.

“Andy. Am I not great too?”

Davis Garrett, who had started the improvisation, asked with a smile.

“Davis is great too!”

“…It feels like the modifier has been reduced by half compared to Jun’s…”

Milan Chellen and Vanessa Olsen laughed.

When the staffs were admiring the atmosphere that was so warm and friendly that they couldn’t tell where the storm had gone,

“First of all.”

Jeffrey, who wrote and directed this movie, opened his mouth.

“Let’s talk.”

Someone swallowed their saliva.

***

The actors, the planning team leader, and Jeffrey sat around a monitor and watched the footage that had not yet been decided whether it was NG or OK.

The actors’ expressions did not show any signs of breaking immersion even though it was shot in full shot. 

No, they didn’t have time to pay attention to that because they were captivated by Seo-jun and Davis Garrett.

Jeffrey’s eyes kept going to Seo-jun and Davis Garrett’s faces on the screen.

He wanted to film their faces right away. 

The light reflected in their eyes, the shaking hair, the breathing, the changing complexion, and the sweat.

That’s why he didn’t want to give up this scene.

“Trauma…”

Jeffrey nodded at Davis Garrett’s words.

“Then in the previous shootings too…?”

Jeffrey recalled the actions and lines that had been modified occasionally. 

It wasn’t a big difference, but it made sense when he heard the reason and thought about it.

“Yes. I was going to act alone with the setting that Raymond Wish had ‘a little’ trauma left if Jun didn’t accept it…”

Davis Garrett smiled as he looked at Seo-jun and stopped talking.

“But after shooting today, I think it’s okay to be a more ‘risky’ retired soldier.”

At Davis Garrett’s words, Jeffrey fell into thought.

“I get it roughly.”

“So do I.”

Seo-jun and the two actors also understood Raymond Wish’s behavior.

‘Well, I’ll have to act like I don’t know that when I act.’

At least they got the direction.

Andrew Walker looked at the actors and director who were talking with sparkling eyes. 

The first movie shooting he tried after only doing plays with his friends was full of wonders.

The big and cool set. 

The amazing shooting equipment. 

The professional staffs. 

There were so many amazing things, but the most shining ones were the actors.

“Davis. Do you have any more thoughts?”

At Jeffrey’s question, Davis Garrett scratched his chin.

“Well, I have some settings in mind…”

Everyone listened carefully to Davis Garrett’s words.

“I think it would be good to have a control device because trauma can make your eyes go crazy.”

“A control device?”

Seo-jun asked and Davis Garrett answered with a smile.

“The reason why Raymond Wish has to endure his trauma and escape. Honestly, if Raymond goes crazy because of his trauma, everyone will die.”

Oh.

Everyone nodded at Davis Garrett’s words.

“Have you thought of what to use as a control device?”

At Jeffrey’s question, Davis Garrett smiled as he looked at Seo-jun.

No, it was Lee Hyun Woo who was across from him that he looked at.

“Family. How about that?”

Everyone looked at Seo-jun once and then at Davis Garrett again at his words.

“Raymond Wish’s family escapes early thanks to Raymond in the original script. Raymond gets isolated while trying to save someone else.”

The actors nodded at Davis Garrett’s words.

Jeffrey, who understood Davis Garrett’s words first, opened his eyes wide.

“Let’s isolate his family. Not completely save them, but make them like Lee Hyun Woo’s family, who don’t know if they are alive or dead, and give Raymond Wish a reason to escape as soon as possible.”

Jeffrey’s head spun at Davis Garrett’s words.

Not bad.

No.

Good.

The anxiety of his family being in danger and the confusion caused by the trauma.

And the urgency of having to suppress all that and go to save his family.

‘If that’s the case, Lee Hyun Woo, who triggers his trauma, will keep bothering him.’

Will they keep clashing like that?

‘Or…’

Itchy.

He felt like he could think of a development that would come up with a little more thought. 

Jeffrey scratched his head hard.

“…Then we’ll have to shoot again.”

The planning team leader said with a groan and Jeffrey nodded and said.

“I think we only need to reshoot the part where Wish’s family gets isolated.”

“…For now…”

There was no word more terrifying than that to the planning team leader right now.

***

“Ready, action!”

He didn’t know how long he had been underground.

The survivors had found a fairly large place to rest for a while during their move.

The old compass in Ian Weaver’s watch that Raymond Wish held in his hand spun around and pointed north.

Raymond Wish was examining the corridor where he had to go with the flashlight, while Cynthia Lindberg’s eyes were busy looking at the products buried in the wall. 

Among the products that were broken beyond recognition, there was a brand that appeared frequently.

Cynthia Lindberg, who used to be a guide at the Galleria Mall, recalled the location of the store of that brand.

“This brand is on the third floor in the center.”

“…So we’re still in the center.”

Raymond Wish sighed heavily.

Jackson Miller was speechless that the products from the third floor were here. 

He unconsciously looked up at the ceiling. 

He had no idea how much it had collapsed.

Ian Weaver, who was next to Cynthia Lindberg, cautiously moved to Hyunwoo Lee’s side.

Jackson Miller followed the others, but every time he stopped for a moment, he was Hyunwoo Lee, who was crouching in the most cornered place.

“Brother. Do you want to eat this?”

Everyone had shared some snacks from Ian Weaver’s bag to replenish their strength, but Hyunwoo Lee didn’t eat alone.

“…”

“This is delicious…”

Ian Weaver came to Hyunwoo Lee over and over again, despite his cold reaction.

In the darkness.

Hyunwoo Lee tried to breathe normally. 

He didn’t want to bother them because they were all nice people, but his broken body didn’t listen to him.

Ian Weaver looked at Hyunwoo Lee, who was crouching.

He leaned his body on Hyunwoo Lee softly, who looked like his mother.

A warm heat stuck to Hyunwoo Lee’s side.

Hyunwoo Lee felt like crying because of the small body and warm heat.

***

Raymond Wish breathed in and out several times as if he was suffocating.

He didn’t know how deep Hyunwoo Lee’s trauma was, which happened just a few hours ago, or how deep Raymond Wish’s trauma was, which had been for several years.

But.

Raymond Wish overcame it several times.

So… he could endure this time as well.

He ignored his trembling hands and closed his eyes tightly.

He tried not to look at Hyunwoo Lee, who would be the trigger of his trauma.

He didn’t want to cause trouble in such a narrow and dangerous place because he would lose his mind. 

He had a family in the restaurant district… he had to go and save them…!

The desperate voice of Raymond Wish seemed to reach Hyunwoo Lee’s ears faintly.

“Please… please shut up! It keeps ringing in my head and I feel like I’m going crazy!”

Raymond Wish spewed out anger and irritation with his whole body.

But he was still holding back.

The first day he retired and returned home.

He remembered turning his house upside down because of his trauma and swallowed the blood that rose inside him. 

He didn’t know what would happen if he lost his mind and made a fuss in such a narrow and dangerous place.

“We don’t have time… to do this…!”

Raymond Wish tore his hair as if he was having a seizure. 

There was no trace of the reliable look he had when they first met in that painful appearance.

The three people who were watching Raymond Wish nervously blocked him in front of him. 

Ian Weaver quickly covered Hyunwoo Lee, who was having a seizure, as if hugging him.

In front of them, Raymond Wish shouted with a voice that seemed to tear apart, ignoring the three people who were not even visible.

“There’s a family in the restaurant district… I have to go and save them…!”

***

Director Jeffrey scratched his head hard.

“I thought it would explode…”

“Haha.”

Davis Garrett laughed and avoided Jeffrey’s eyes.

“I thought he would have a seizure…”

“…Haha.”

Seo-jun also smiled awkwardly and avoided Jeffrey’s eyes. It was a clumsy evasion compared to Davis Garrett, who had experienced this several times.

“I planned that Ian would stick to Hyunwoo and Hyunwoo would have a seizure and Raymond would make a fuss again…”

Jeffrey tapped his forehead.

“It doesn’t go as planned.”

“If it goes as planned, it wouldn’t be improvisation.”

“You’re good at talking.”

Jeffrey laughed sarcastically at Davis Garrett’s brazen words. 

Seo-jun and the actors opened their eyes wide at Jeffrey’s appearance. 

They thought he was a weak and timid director who accepted Davis Garrett’s revision without his own opinion, but now he showed his own personality.

The planning team leader, who had been watching Jeffrey’s weak appearance, opened his mouth in disbelief. 

Jeffrey also seemed surprised by what he said and opened his eyes wide.

Milan Chellen and Davis Garrett burst into laughter.

“Our director. You have a personality!”

“Good! Feel free to speak your mind!”

They felt somewhat comfortable and embarrassed by their teasing remarks. Seo-jun, Andrew, and Vanessa Olson also giggled.

Jeffrey coughed awkwardly.

“Ahem. So what’s next?”

“…Well?”

Jeffrey looked at Davis Garrett and Seo-jun, who scratched their cheeks at his words. 

Milan Chellen and Vanessa Olson laughed again, and the planning team leader tapped his forehead.

“First of all…”

Jeffrey opened the script and checked the scenes to be filmed today. 

Jeffrey’s eyes and the pen in his hand moved faster than ever. 

It was very different from the passive attitude he had shown so far, just accepting Davis Garrett’s opinion.

“Without touching the lines or actions of other characters too much… let’s delete this part to this part. And move this line over here…”

Davis Garrett and Seo-jun also put their heads together.

“I think it’s okay to leave our lines blank.”

“Rather than leaving them blank, how about setting a direction? Like strong-strong-strong or strong-weak-weak.”

Everyone nodded at Seo-jun’s words, and then,

“…But it still seems like it will collapse.”

They laughed at the worried words of the planning team leader, who was full of anxiety.

Andaho, who was watching the situation from afar, scratched his cheek.

“I didn’t expect to see a revised script in America…”

***

In the dark, blocked space.

They only relied on the flashlight, so Hyunwoo Lee’s condition got worse and worse.

Not only the big shakes, but now he had seizures even when they moved the stones to make a passage.

“Ahh!”

The sharp scream that was the only sound in the heavy silence ate away at Raymond Wish’s nerves. 

It felt like a bug was buzzing around his ear.

Tick tock.

The three people who were watching Raymond Wish nervously raised their guard. 

Even Ian Weaver, who was stuck to Hyunwoo Lee, held his breath.

In front of them, Raymond Wish ignored the three people who were not even visible and shouted with a voice that seemed to tear apart.

“Please… please shut up! It keeps ringing in my head and I feel like I’m going crazy!”

Raymond Wish spewed out anger and irritation with his whole body.

But he was still holding back.

The first day he retired and returned home.

He remembered turning his house upside down because of his trauma and swallowed the blood that rose inside him. He didn’t know what would happen if he lost his mind and made a fuss in such a narrow and dangerous place.

“We don’t have time… to do this…!”

Raymond Wish tore his hair as if he was having a seizure. 

There was no trace of the reliable look he had when they first met in that painful appearance.

The three people who were watching Raymond Wish nervously blocked him in front of him. 

Ian Weaver quickly covered Hyunwoo Lee, who was having a seizure, as if hugging him.

In front of them, Raymond Wish shouted with a voice that seemed to tear apart, ignoring the three people who were not even visible.

“There’s a family in the restaurant district… I have to go and save them…!”

Family.

Lee Hyun-woo’s breath stopped.

His ears popped as he felt the warm body of the child covering him.

“Please… please…”

Raymond Wish, the most threatening survivor, cowered next to Lee Hyun-woo, the weakest one.

Raymond Wish didn’t care about the stone shards on the floor that cut his skin as he curled up.

“…Be quiet…!”

Silence fell.

Only the sobbing of Raymond Wish and Lee Hyun-woo could be heard.

Ian Weaver realized that his brother’s trembling had subsided.

He heard a murmuring voice.

“…I’m… I’m sorry… I’m sorry… Really… I’m sorry… Sorry… I’m sorry…”

Lee Hyun-woo, whose black eyes regained some light, apologized over and over. He apologized and apologized and apologized until he finally managed to spit out what he wanted to say.

“I’m sorry… It’s not… not my fault… I’m really sorry… I’m sorry…”

Hoo… hoo…

Someone’s whimpering made Jackson Miller and Cynthia Lindberg close their eyes tightly.

It was nobody’s fault.

***

“Cut, okay!”

The director Jeffrey, who had been staring at the monitor with sparkling eyes, shouted. 

The actors who had been acting passionately stretched their stiff bodies and prepared for the next shot.

The planning team leader, who had been watching the monitor with Jeffrey, sighed. 

He didn’t want to discard any of the scenes, but they had changed too much from the original.

“I can’t even guess how it will end now. Do you have any idea, director? I feel like my head is going to explode.”

Jeffrey smiled at the planning team leader’s words.

“Yes. I feel like my mind is clear and full of ideas.”

The planning team leader looked at Jeffrey, who spoke in a bright voice.

Jeffrey’s eyes sparkled as he smiled brightly with a cheerful expression.

He was so bright that it was scary.

He shouldn’t think like this, but

‘…Has he gone crazy?’

The planning team leader watched Jeffrey walk out of the set with a very light step.

‘Nah. It must be my imagination.’