“This is the first time I’ve seen anything like this. That is, having an actor take part directly in storyboarding of the movie. Not to mention feedback from the author himself… I wouldn’t have even thought about taking on this project if it wasn’t for you, sir.”

Director Yang left after speaking, Moonjoong sat back down after sending the man off. In his hands were the completed script and a storyboard, the dialogue was powerful and the story was very well-fleshed out. This was bound to be a big hit for sure.

“So this is the beginning.”

It’d been a very long time since his last movie, he’d get really busy once they worked up a real schedule. Famous actors would receive the scripts all over and the extras would audition for their roles, the locations for filming were almost finished as well. Things were moving very quickly thanks to Junmin. Moonjoong’s talented junior honestly just made things so much easier. With this, the only thing he needed to focus on, was simply, success.

Before starting, like most people, Moonjoong didn’t feel much passion for the movie. But after receiving the script, Moonjoong felt an enormous wave of enthusiasm surging out of himself. A perfect movie was an ideal that was almost impossible in comparison to anything else, but he still wanted to make one despite knowing that. Moonjoong was a veteran, he was used to fueling his motivation with pure passion. He was good at taking care of his health and he had a good grasp of what his character would be like, the only thing left for him now was to put his soul into it. Junmin told him that things would take a little longer, as the man was focused on recruiting only the best. Sound, camera work, lighting, CG, editing, etc. Moonjoong was sure that the man was recruiting only the best in all these fields.

As a matter of fact, that knowledge became a burden to him. That burden, however, almost instantly transformed into a motivational pressure. This was it, this was the reason he stepped out of retirement. Moonjoong opened the script, internally thanking his friend for providing him with such an opportunity.

* * *

“My head still hurts a lot,” Daemyung said, putting a hand over his forehead.

As a matter of fact, it felt like he had a small bug crawling in his head. He had no idea alcohol could be this dangerous.

“You drank more than two bottles of soju along with beer in just two hours. It only makes sense you’d be hungover. I honestly didn’t know that you of all people would drink like this.”

Maru responded as he flipped a page in a novel. Daemyung smiled, he liked how tipsy he got when he drank beer a while ago. He thought this would be similar, so he just drank whatever Suyeon gave him at the time.

“Well, this is an experience.”

“Hah, yeah. Sure. I guess so. Dowook, you feeling alright?”

“Of course I am. Hungover after so little alcohol? Daemyung’s the weird one here.”

“I don’t think you have the right to say that. After all, you were the one who was in the bathroom for the longest.”

Dowook glared at Maru, making Daemyung smile a little. Dowook got mad very easily, but the boy often stayed quiet around Maru. Daemyung felt like he was looking at a bulldog and its trainer whenever he looked at the two.

“What the hell? Did you three do something without me?”

Dojin jumped into the group, looking at Maru for an explanation. Maru responded ‘we had alcohol with a sexy lady’ with a bored tone.

“What? Why didn’t you call me?!”

Dojin called them all sorts of names in mock anger. Daemyung tried to explain that it was the instructor, but Maru shook his head. Instead, the boy typed something into his phone. Shortly after, Iseul appeared with a smile, urging Dojin to step outside the classroom.

“....You’re evil.”

Maru did a high five with Iseul. Once Dojin was gone, Maru opened his mouth.

“You know practice starts today, right?”

“Am I included?”

Dowook asked with clear annoyance on his face, Maru firmly responded with an “of course”.

“Why?”

“For an off chance when someone gets sick. The end.”

“What?”

Dowook looked incredulous. Then again, the boy joined to be part of the support staff. It seemed like a complete waste to use him as a support member when they had so few club members though.

“Just do something. I think you could do really well, Dowook.”

“Shush. I hate doing annoying stuff. I’m not doing it.”

Dowook glared, prompting Daemyung to look at Maru. He was still finding the boy a little bit difficult.

“Big sis Soojin was a fan, she loved that you were in the club.”

“Why the hell does that woman have such a light mouth?”

“Hey, she’s your sister. You shouldn’t refer to her like that.”

Maru smiled teasingly. Dowook frowned and threw an eraser, which Maru dodged with a slight tilt of his head. Maru was too much, the boy liked teasing other people really subtly all the time. Thankfully, that tease was just enough to make Dowook take back his annoyance a bit.

“...Did she really like it that much?”

“She was so excited that I almost got excited with her. She was in this club in the past, you know. Of course, she’d like it.”

Maru closed the book with a smile, Dowook had a complex look as he stared at Maru. Daemyung realized how close the boy was to being won over with just that. Dowook was a very direct kid, so hesitancy like that was a good answer in itself.

“Just try it. If you don’t like it, you can always quit.”

Daemyung noticed Dowook’s flinch a little bit, Maru was truly a genius at toying at people like this. There was no way Dowook was going to let this go. This was it, the boy was going to act. Right then, Dowook stood up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“School store.”

Daemyung waved the boy goodbye.

“Alright, that’s one person.”

Maru smiled proudly.

“Jesus, what if he got mad?”

“I would’ve apologized. Looks like he’s pretty close with his sister now. That’s good.”

“Oh, right. Did you see it?”

“See what?”

Daemyung double-checked that Dowook was gone before opening the boy’s bag, the empty bag had a little cat doll inside it.

“He said his sister gave him this.”

“I’m surprised he’s carrying it around everywhere like that.”

“He is surprisingly kind.”

“How did you know it was from his sister though?”

“I dropped some money on the way back home with him at night. Dowook took this flashlight out for me. The cat didn’t fit him at all, so I asked him about it.”

Dowook’s response was casual at the time, but his voice was more gentle compared to usual.

“Mm, so that’s his weakness.”

Maru looked at the doll with an interested look, Daemyung shook his head and put the doll back inside the bag.

“Don’t talk about this. He might actually get mad.”

“I’ll just remember it for the future.”

“...You sound like a gang leader.”

“Hey, you aren’t going to find a person nicer than me out here. Speaking of which, how’s that thing with big bro Mintae going? Got a good script going yet?”

Daemyung shook his head.

“Nope. It’s hard. I don’t even know where to start.”

“Aren’t you setting your sights too large of a scale? Go easy. Start small.”

“It’s not that easy. Just how do people write? It’s incredible. It’s not like big bro Mintae can help me either.”

Daemyung was full of motivation when he first started, he wanted to create a vibrant scenario that Mintae would decorate the stage with. What he didn’t expect was that taking the first step was incredibly difficult, Daemyung didn’t even know what topic he wanted the play to be about. Love? He didn’t even know it. Political satire? Too difficult. Revenge? Sure, but it didn’t feel like enough.

Looking at other scripts that different writers wrote filled him with confidence, the words used weren’t that difficult and the story wasn’t too complex. Once he grabbed his pen though, he realized he had no idea where to go. Daemyung was the one who came up with the idea to start a play, too. He would take care of the writing, Maru the acting, and Mintae the staging.

To Daemyung, this was his first project. It will also become the first “result” he could show Junmin. He had no intentions of starting poorly, he wanted to create something wonderful. Perhaps that was why he was met with sighs when he looked at the blank sheet of paper before him.

“Writing, huh? I do know two people you could get advice from.”

“Really? I’ll try visiting them.”

Once, Daemyung thought the words “motivated” couldn’t be used to describe him at all, but he realized last year that he wouldn’t be able to change if he didn’t jump into something. Even acting gave him an answer once he turned desperate. Human relationships were the same, he’d be rewarded one way or the other as long as he pushed through.

Maru smiled mysteriously.

“You’re very motivated.”

“Yeah? ...Yeah.”

“Here are their phone numbers. One is an author named Gwak Joon. The other’s my girlfriend’s mom, she’s an author as well. I don’t know if she’s done anything related to plays, but… she’s a writer, so I’m sure she can offer some advice.”

Daemyung saved the two phone numbers on his phone.

“I’ll ask them for permission. I’ll tell you their answers tomorrow, so try calling them then. If they refuse...”

“It’s a bit rude, but I’ll try texting them.”

“Good.”

Daemyung balled up his fists tightly. Maru gave him this chance, he would be the one to make full use of it. In every script and autobiographies he’d read, he always found one line they had in common. A line that he had saved on his phone.

- Inspiration is everywhere. We call those who catch it ‘authors’. Authors aren’t anyone special, they just make use of the inspirations around them.

“Good luck.”

“Yeap, thanks.”

Daemyung’s dream was slowly starting to take form.