FY 31

Chapter 31

When Yujeong came out after changing her clothes, he got into the van. Standing in front of the van, Yujeong tilted her head as she heard the distant murmur of the staff. It was natural for the set to get a bit noisy when filming was paused, but even from afar, it didn’t feel like that kind of atmosphere.

“Excuse me, is something happening right now?”

She waved to a passing staff member and asked, and the staff, looking as if they were about to collapse from fatigue, gave a slight nod.

“It seems Actor Yoon Iseong didn’t get the proper notice.”
“Notice?”
“The valley scene. He asked why we were filming a scene that comes much later first…”

The staff looked extremely troubled. In Episode 1’s script, Yoon Iseong didn’t have a valley scene, but by Episode 4, the valley scene was clearly included. Since the production was pre-filmed, the scripts were complete, so it seemed he had received the information late.

“I see. Thank you.”

Yujeong nodded lightly, and the staff returned her greeting before leaving. Soon after, Gogeol came out in casual clothes. His expression was far more relaxed than when he had been in hanbok.

“Have you finished filming for today, Gogeol?”

Since it had been communicated in advance that all the valley scenes would be shot today, Gogeol’s filming was expected to conclude with the valley scene.

“Yes.”

Hearing his answer, Yujeong smiled and opened the car door.

“That’s a relief. Looks like Actor Yoon is about to start filming now.”
“Really? The set still seems unprepared.”

He couldn’t take his eyes off the chaotic scene in the distance. Yujeong nodded while organizing a few things inside the car.

“Looks like it. Hopefully, they finish before sunset.”

Gogeol squinted at Yujeong as she held blankets and heat packs inside the car. Those items weren’t really needed anymore. Why was she carrying so much? Yujeong quickly approached a passing staff member, offering the blankets and heat packs. Seeing the confused look of the staff who received them, she glanced toward Yoon Iseong’s manager—also the head of his agency—standing awkwardly in the distance.

“Could you give these to Actor Yoon?”
“Huh? I think it would be better if the representative gave them directly.”
“Please, just hand them over for me. This should be enough for him to film.”

The staff’s expression brightened slightly at Yujeong’s words. Everyone had been working since early morning, so they were eager to finish sooner if possible.

“This should help calm the set a bit. Thanks.”

After the staff left, Gogeol stood beside Yujeong. He leaned back against the car and closed his eyes, staring at her silently.

“Are you usually this kind to anyone?”

Startled by the sudden question, Yujeong shook her head.

“You were just doing your job as an actor.”

When Yujeong smiled, he slowly opened his eyes and stared at her. His expression was unreadable, making Yujeong swallow nervously.

“Let’s head back. You have filming tomorrow, so you must be busy.”

Driving, Yujeong was tense, while Gogeol looked as relaxed as someone on a vacation, staring out the window. His visuals alone were impressive enough to sell photos if someone took them, making Yujeong feel full just from glancing at him.

“When did you find out that my sister would be meeting my niece?”

He leaned his head against the closed window and asked quietly, causing Yujeong to raise an eyebrow.

“Hmm… I heard about the pregnancy first, and not long after, I heard about the marriage.”

He flinched slightly at her words and crossed his arms.

“A niece… huh.”
“She’ll probably be very pretty. Our Seora isn’t an ordinary beauty.”
“My sister wasn’t exactly lacking in looks either.”

He defended his sister, and Yujeong gave him a sharp look, clearly annoyed. Then, smoothly turning the wheel, she said:

“Mr. Baek does have a somewhat cold impression.”
“…”
“Our Seora has a warm, clear aura, so I hope the child resembles her a little more.”

Hearing this, he let out a small laugh.

“Is noon really that bad?”
“I didn’t say it was bad. I just hope the child resembles our Seora. Maybe we could even start a kids’ entertainment agency. If the child looks like Seora, doing advertisements would be easy.”

As Yujeong smiled warmly thinking of Seora, Gogeol’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“If it’s a niece, she could take after me too.”

He muttered softly, making Yujeong gasp and grip the steering wheel tightly.

“Oh, that’s right! I’ve heard people say nieces or nephews sometimes resemble their uncles or aunts. If your niece looks like you, please let her sign an exclusive contract with our Soulmate agency…”
“Sigh… asking favors for a child not even born yet is a bit much. If she grows up wanting to be an actor, I’ll try to persuade her then.”

Gogeol teased lightly, seeming somewhat relieved. Seeing Yujeong happy at the idea of a child resembling him—but not Mr. Baek—made him feel pleased. Yujeong, unaware of his feelings, was left confused.

“By the way, what about meals?”

Yujeong asked, and he gestured toward a rest stop. She hesitated, recalling that he didn’t like eating outside food.

“I can eat products made for the general public.”
“What does that mean…?”

Yujeong gave a wry smile, and he returned a slightly awkward one.

“It means I feel safe eating food I’m sure isn’t targeted at me.”

After his simple explanation, Yujeong nodded. Sure enough, such food would be available at a rest stop. Yet one more concern remained—Gogeol’s appearance was too conspicuous. He was tall, with striking proportions, and it would be difficult to buy food discreetly if the place was crowded.

“Tell me what you want to eat, I’ll get it quickly.”
“No, let’s go together.”
“No… it could cause misunderstandings.”

Before Yujeong could finish, he put on a cap and mask, giving her a quick glance. His height and physique made him noticeable, and even with the mask, it was fairly easy to guess who he was. Seeing her uneasy expression, he frowned slightly.

“This is a technique Senior Kang Jaehun taught me. How’s that?”

With the change, it became harder for people to recognize him immediately.

“If anything happens, Gogeol, you have to run to the van without thinking about anything else.”

Yujeong said this while parking at the rest stop, and he nodded lightly, obediently.

Stepping out of the car, the two walked through the rest stop. Since it was a weekday afternoon, there weren’t many people, though occasional glances were cast their way. Each time, Yujeong’s heart pounded wildly.

‘I feel like a criminal on the run.’

She felt almost like a fugitive trying not to be seen. If she felt this nervous just helping manage him, Gogeol must be even more uneasy. Worried about him, Yujeong glanced up. Their eyes met, and Gogeol smiled gently, eyes curved beautifully.

“What do you like?”

Yujeong looked around. There seemed to be plenty of little snacks available.

“I think I’ll get some walnut pastries. They’re surprisingly tasty while driving.”

Hearing this, he naturally took her hand and led her toward the pastries. Yujeong was embarrassed and looked up at him awkwardly, her hand in his large one.

“Oh my, you two look like a happy couple.”

Startled by the comment from the lady selling the pastries, Yujeong shook her head, and Gogeol stared at her. He leaned close, brushing his face near hers, and whispered:

“Are you doing this on purpose? Pretending I’m Gogeol?”
“No, not really…”

Yujeong’s eyes widened in shock, clearly signaling she didn’t mean that.

“Maybe you’re shy because it feels like newlyweds.”
“Yes, maybe that’s it.”

Gogeol casually handed over cash for the pastries. Yujeong, flustered, protested, saying she didn’t need him to buy them.

“I just wanted to. You’ve worked hard today because of me.”
“It was just part of the job. You don’t have to worry about it every time.”
“Exactly. I know, but I can’t help worrying about you, Yujeong.”

He gently reached out to straighten Yujeong’s hair blown by the wind. Feeling an unfamiliar emotion from him, she awkwardly adjusted her hair and took a big step back. He was the future of Soulmate, and Yujeong’s own future.

‘No matter how many men I love in the world, none can ever compare to Gogeol.’

Fearful of falling into dangerous feelings, Yujeong could only look at him with wary eyes.