-To be honest, I was unsure when I received a call from Director Joo.
Director Joo. Joo Jaechan. So they knew each other.
-City Jungle isnât a very common title, and I had only come up with it recently after thinking about it for the past few months. I also heard you mentioned the noir genre, which is what my project is. It all fit perfectly, so I was just wonderingâŚ
Thatâs right.
The pieces all fit together, but the final picture was very odd.
-If I was mistaken then Iâm really sorry. Please excus-!
âNo.â
I said calmly so that I wouldnât have too high hopes or be too disappointed.
âWe talked while having a few drinks so my memory is hazy. The project came up while we were discussing minor genres. Hmm, I didnât know that it was your work.â
-Pardon?
Her excited breaths suddenly stiffened.
-⌠Did Director Joo Jaechan say it was his?
She reacted in a sensitive manner, like her precious egg was being threatened.
Without waiting for my reply, Director Oh Hyunkyung hastily said.
-Then youâve been tricked. City Jungle. Maybe not in the past, but now itâs my work.
Now?
-I bought it.
*
I twirled my phone in my hand before tossing it aside. Thunder rumbled outside.
I dragged the IV stand over and opened the window. A fresh breeze and raindrops blew in, accompanied by the pitter-patter of rain. It was refreshing. I looked up at the sky, which seemed to want to wash the earth away, before sticking my head out the window.
She bought the scenario.
If Director Joo Jaechan sold her his scenario and gave up all rights to the work, then there would be no problems with the law. Director Joo Jaechan would not be able to claim his right on the work either.
However, why was it back in Director Joo Jaechanâs possession in the future?
Did Director Joo Jaechan buy it back?
OrâŚ
âWhat are you doing? Thatâs dangerous.â
Someone grabbed the back of my neck.
âYouâll die if you fall from here.â
Looking back, I saw a face covered with a black face mask. It was Seo Jijoon. While he pulled me away from the window from the back of my neck, Chief Lee Bongjoon closed the window. Just what outrageous thoughts were they thinking right now?
âI was just taking in the breeze. Why would I fall?â
At my words, Seo Jijoon tilted his head.
âOut of impulse?â
âAm I crazy?â
I asked laughing, but there was no reply. Rather, Seo Jijoonâs eyes turned slightly misty.
I told him the exact same words I told Im Joowon as I sat back down on my bed.
âthere was no need for you to come.â
âI came because it was a rare opportunity for me to go out. I wanted to feel the breeze too.â
He took off his mask and handed me a basket.
It was a basket of roses. I wasnât even surprised.
âItâs bigger than last time. And redder.â
âI paid special attention because it was a hospital visit. Ah, apparently, they donât gift flowers for hospital visits these days. It wasnât good for the patient. Allergies and such.â
âIf you know that, then why?â
âThose are fake.â
Ah.
âThey are soap flowers. You can pick one out and use it when youâre taking a bubble bath.â
â⌠Iâll use it well.â
I placed the flowers on top of the cabinet shelf. Chief Lee Bongjoon clicked his tongue as he said,
âDo you know how shocked I was when I heard that you fainted after going to get water and had to be brought out by an ambulance?â
âProbably less than me.â
âIf you were suffering mentally, you should have let us know.â
âIâm telling you thatâs not it.â
While I did have various symptoms for mental illnesses, I didnât have a panic disorder.
However, Chief Lee Bongjoon and Seo Jijoon didnât look like they believed me. I had initially thought that those rumors were spread by those who didnât like me.
âDoes it really look like thereâs something wrong with me?â
âNo.â
Chief Lee Bongjoon rubbed the bridge of his nose.
âYou look fine on the outside. If I were you, I would probably have a panic disorder, loss of appetite, and a mental breakdown? But you looked extremely normal even who the situation changed drastically after the Team 2 Leader left. I would have continued to think that if you didnât faint.â
âThis was simply exhaustion and sleep deprivationâŚâ
âItâs not âsimplyâ. Whether itâs exhaustion or sleep deprivation.â
Saying this, Chief Lee Bongjoon patted my arm.
âIt could be that youâve been accumulating a lot of burden without you realizing.â
âTeam leader.â
Seo Jijoon said while scratching his neck,
âAlthough I said I wanted to work with you, it wasnât because I had hopes that all my projects would be successes if I did. Iâm not smart, but Iâm not that senseless.â
âI donât know about that.â
Chief Lee Bongjoon smirked. Seo Jijoon added,
âWell, I did think youâd have a better eye for projects than Bongjoon hyung.â
âHey.â
âI came to tell you that you donât need to worry about it in case you felt burdened because of that.â
Seo Jijoon looked at me.
âItâs not like Iâm going to retire after one or two projects. Itâs normal for there to be bad times and good times. Iâll do what I can and leave the rest to the heavens. Also, above allâŚâ
His sharp eyes curved in a joking manner,
âThe reason why I wanted to work with you is simply because I thought it would be fun.â
So many people came to visit me even though I was only there for a day.
After Seo Jijoon and Chief Lee Bongjoon left, Nam Joyoon and Kim Hyunsup came to visit. Even Im Joowon visited after finishing his entertainment show schedule. Pretty Girls and Chief Lee Taeshin visited at night after coming all the way from Busan.
The rain calmed in the morning, and I looked back on the past few days.
Although everything happened before I could even catch my breath. My relationship with the Team 2 Leader sharply deteriorated, and because he left the company, I was able to bring in people into my team faster and without any big obstacles.
Did I have no free time?
It seemed like it. Receiving the duties of a team leader, the number of meetings and discussions increased. There was a lot more I had to organize. On top of all that, I was absorbed in thinking about my actorâs next projects and my future visions that there were a few days where I didnât sleep a wink.
Burden.
I recalled Seo Jijoonâs words. Kim Hyunjo had said it before too. That if I failed once, I could just succeed the next time. That my life wasnât over because I failed. I had thought that I had put down some pressure to succeed after that.
The uncertain future visions kept tugging at my mind.
Just in case I saw a vision where the project I chose failed.
In case I saw a vision where the project I rejected became a hit.
In case I would regret my decision like this time.
*
âTeam Leader Jung!â
âIâm fine.â
âAre you ok-!â
âIâm fine.â
âTeam leader, you have a guest?â
âIâm fin⌠A guest?â
An employee nodded.
âShe said her name was Director Oh Hyunkyung.â
Director Oh Hyunkyung?
I thought I ended yesterdayâs call quite well, but why did she suddenly show up here?
When I frowned, the employee looked taken aback and said,
âI brought her to a meeting room because she said she brought a movie scenario. I had thought that you had set up a meeting with her since she mentioned that she had talked to you on the phone yesterday. Was that not the case?â
âShe brought a scenario?â
âShould I say you have another meeting and send her back? Ah, but because the director came to see you, Chief Park and Chief Yoon went over to greet her.â
They were the chiefs under Team 2. They were the prime suspects for spreading rumors about my panic disorder. They probably went over because they were interested than to greet her. In case it was a scenario I was interested in.
This was complicated.
The events where Director Oh Hyunkyung came to see me and where she meets other chiefs were probably not in the original future. I had planned on walking the path and waiting for the project to come into my hands, but hiccups have already begun to appear.
If things were headed in a direction I couldnât predictâŚ
I made my decision and asked the employee,
âWhere is she?â
The meeting room was full. I saw Chief Park and Chief Yoonâs bitter faces through the window. Chief Lee Bongjoon sat his round body right between them.
âOh, youâve come.â
Chief Lee Bongjoon got up when he saw me.
âThen weâll be on our way. Please enjoy your meeting.â
The other chiefs reluctantly got up with even more bitter expressions under Chief Lee Bongjoonâs prodding. Chief Parkâs gaze landed on the scenario on top of the table for a moment, but he left without much regret. After sending those two off first, Chief Lee Bongjoon whispered,
âIt seems sheâs here to promote her scenario. Why there are investors who pay attention if itâs a scenario youâre interested in. There are a lot of people who come to meet you with those motives.â
âDid you see what kind of project it is?â
âI heard from her.â
He looked back at the meeting room as he clicked his tongue.
âItâs a stylish action noir. Iâll have to read the scenario to know for sure, but from what I heard, it seems like itâll cost a lot to produce. A director who had numerous flops in the past and a small-scale production company. I donât know if theyâll receive enough investments. I wonder if itâll even be produced.â
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I sent Chief Lee Bongjoon off and entered the meeting room.
The woman, who had been standing for a while now, was looking at me with a nervous smile. Her hands were tightly clutching her scenario. My gaze focused on the title page for a moment. Below the title âCity Jungleâ was a clearly printed name.