Chapter 41 – Because It’s Acting

If Eom So-yeon had once been like fresh, tangy fruit, she now resembled the luscious, fragrant fruit of late autumn, ripe to perfection.

Just holding her in his arms, doing nothing at all, was enough for Tae Seo-jun. Simply being still with her brought a smile to his face and filled his heart with an overwhelming sense of joy.

Even the breaths that had been hard to take felt easier now. Her soft, tender touch, the freshness reminiscent of an apple, and the subtle scent akin to silver osmanthus intoxicated him to the point where he felt he could live on it alone.

However, seeing her turn away from him in the hotel lobby, avoiding his gaze, felt utterly unfamiliar. Despite how inseparable they had been in Malaga, despite how much he had tried to express his feelings to her while traveling from there to Cadiz, her wariness seemed not to have diminished even a little.

Throughout his life, rejection had always been something he dealt out to others.

But for the first time, he had given his heart to someone, only to be rejected by her. By that small, fragile woman, no less. 

Ha. How could that even make sense?

What was this distance he felt between them?

As Tae Seo-jun continuously pondered over the ever-distant Eom So-yeon, he got up from the bed and moved toward the window.

The moderately spacious room was luxurious. It was nothing new for him to be alone in such places, but today, he couldn’t shake a lingering sense of emptiness.

Perhaps this was the aftereffect of Eom So-yeon on him.

Even after entering the room, his thoughts revolved solely around her. As time passed, day turned into night without him realizing it, and his determination grew stronger and deeper. He was resolute in his stubborn desire to make Eom So-yeon surrender to him.

This night, the passing of time felt excruciatingly slow.

While gazing at the night view, darkened by the shadows of the night, through the wide window, Seo-jun suddenly closed the curtains and turned his back to the window. He had noticed a suspicious flicker of light from the building across the street.

It seemed as though someone was observing him.

With a cynical narrowing of his eyebrows, Seo-jun immediately called Manager Bong.

• Yes, Director.

“I saw something strange. I need you to check it out quickly.”

He had a vague idea of who might have sent the suspicious figure. However, he intended to let them know they’d been caught so they would stop meddling.

After giving instructions regarding the matter, Seo-jun was about to put down his phone when he paused for a moment.

He briefly considered contacting Eom So-yeon with the childish excuse of having dinner together. But Seo-jun quickly dropped the phone from his hand. While the thought of not seeing her immediately felt unbearable, he decided to suppress his impatience.

After all, human psychology was such that when someone approached, others tended to withdraw, and when chased, people wanted to run away.

Especially when it came to Eom So-yeon, it seemed even more so.

***

The next morning.

So-yeon entered the restaurant where the breakfast buffet was served, accompanied by Yeo Do-soon.

As she filled her plate with food, she instinctively bowed slightly in greeting when she came face-to-face with Seo-jun.

“Did you sleep well…?”

“…”

But Seo-jun, as if deliberately ignoring her, simply glanced at her and leisurely returned to his table.

From that moment on, So-yeon’s expression remained heavy. The stark contrast in Tae Seo-jun’s cold demeanor from the day before had left her deeply shaken. Of course, Do-soon had no way of knowing this.

“Hey, are you feeling sick?”

“Me? No, I’m fine.”

“Then why does your face look like that? You’re about to start filming soon, but you look like someone who’s already climbed into a coffin. How can I not ask?”

“Did I really look like that?”

“Yeah.”

“I have to ride a horse for the first scene today. I’ve been feeling a bit nervous about that since yesterday.”

Although she had taken horseback riding as a college elective and practiced diligently, that had been ages ago. So-yeon was extremely tense, worried that she might make a mistake during the first shoot.

And that wasn’t all.

In the afternoon, there was a deep melodrama scene and even a kiss scene. Without her saying a word, Do-soon, who was well aware of the day’s schedule, reached out and patted So-yeon’s head as she spoke.

“Oh dear, but what can you do? A rookie actor can’t exactly demand script changes on the first day. But if it’s really tough, I could step in and…”

“No. Don’t do that. I’ll handle what I need to do. I’ll work harder than anyone else.”

So-yeon felt incredibly fortunate to have someone like Do-soon, who cared for her like a mother hen. She naturally lifted the corners of her lips into a smile. She was thankful she could force herself to smile, pretending nothing was wrong.

But who could possibly understand the ache she was trying so hard to hide? And this was only the beginning.

Even during the meeting with the cast after breakfast, Seo-jun didn’t spare So-yeon a single proper glance. Although his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, his dry demeanor made it clear that she wasn’t even on his radar.

She must have secretly hoped for something, even though she told herself not to expect anything.

In the end, she was nothing to him.

Yes, this was how things were supposed to be.

Still, she told herself to be satisfied with having held him and been held by him. 

That should be enough, Eom So-yeon.

Having confirmed that Seo-jun’s feelings had truly turned away from her, So-yeon bit down hard on her lower lip. Yet, no matter the moment, her heart never strayed from him, not even a step. It only grew more desperate.

And that sharp truth stung her even more.

***

The black horse exhaled warm breaths with a soft snort as her gentle hand patted its side.

“I’m Eom So-yeon. Please take good care of me.”

As So-yeon greeted the horse kindly, it seemed to recognize the beauty of the person before it, gazing at her with large, friendly eyes.

According to the script, the demon Ki Cheon-yul had removed the blindfold from the colt and subjected it to harsh training, creating a beast that obeyed only one master.

Thinking that this horse might be the same one described in the story, So-yeon felt an inexplicable pang in her heart.

‘Could I ever truly care about someone like you? If you want to save your life, get out of my sight as soon as possible.’ 

The cold voice he had delivered during the shoot still lingered in her ears. No matter how much it was just acting, the warmth she had felt from him in Malaga was nowhere to be found. His demeanor and attitude perfectly embodied Ki Cheon-yul. 

No, perhaps Tae Seo-jun himself was as cold as Ki Cheon-yul. That thought crossed Eom So-yeon’s mind, and with it came the realization that hearing his criticism in real life would be more horrifying than any other words. 

The subtle tension between So-yeon and Seo-jun persisted throughout the morning. 

It was midday, with crisp sunlight pouring down. 

At Director Yoon’s call to action, So-yeon stood before the horse and the camera. 

“That horse doesn’t belong to you.” 

The low voice pierced her eardrums like a fierce wind. So-yeon looked up at the man on horseback, his sharp, handsome face sending chills down her spine.  

“You’re going to kill it anyway, aren’t you?” 

Her small voice carried a bold defiance. Seo-jun raised his thick eyebrows high and cast a dry, piercing gaze at her. 

“Your situation isn’t much different from that horse’s. Haven’t you thought about that?” 

His calm, composed voice and expression exuded the confidence and ruthlessness of a demon lord. 

“…” 

It was her turn to mount the horse, but So-yeon hesitated for a moment. 

The pressure of having to nail this scene in one take, without faltering against Seo-jun’s stable performance, weighed heavily on her. 

Finally, she stepped onto the stirrup and climbed onto the horse, gripping the reins tightly with both hands. But her knuckles turned white from the strain, and her complexion paled. 

Whether her terrified expression was part of her acting or genuine fear, it was enough to irritate Seo-jun’s nerves. 

What if she fell off the horse? What if she got hurt? Of all people, if Eom So-yeon were to… 

He couldn’t bear to imagine witnessing such a thing. 

But his worries were unfounded. 

At some point, So-yeon spurred the horse forward, and as she entrusted herself completely to the galloping animal, her long hair streamed behind her in the wind. Ready to call off the shoot if necessary, Seo-jun began riding after her. 

Though they had distanced themselves from the filming crew and cameras, three drones hovering high in the air relentlessly followed Seo-jun and So-yeon. 

Riding alongside her, Seo-jun asked, 

“Are you scared?”  

“Not at all! It feels amazing to ride so fast!” 

“Ha!” 

As she smiled brightly, truly enjoying herself, he couldn’t help but grin as well. 

For a while, the two couldn’t take their eyes off each other’s faces. 

The two horses, knowing their roles well, matched their speeds and raced down the path lined with dense trees. 

***

Five days into filming 

All the actors were on a set that convincingly recreated the era of myths. 

The wide-open sea, the bustling village square filled with merchants. From the royal palace overlooking it all, seasoned actors performed their roles with finesse, surpassing even what was written in the script. 

Not long after, Tae Seo-jun, perfectly embodying the charisma befitting the title <Master of the Sun>, arrived on set. The anticipation for the next scene turned the actors into spectators as they gathered behind the cameras. 

As the sun began to set, the crimson-stained sea became the stage for the tragic prologue. The heart-wrenching love scene between Seo-jun and So-yeon unfolded before the cameras. 

After a passionate sequence, Seo-jun kissed So-yeon’s rounded shoulder, then, shirtless, stepped off the grand, antique bed and moved to the window. 

So-yeon, wrapping a thin sheet around herself, approached him from behind and rested her face gently against his back. 

Seo-jun turned slowly, his hand stroking her tear-streaked face as he gazed at her silently, tenderly, with sorrowful eyes. And then, he leaned in. 

What began as a soft kiss grew more intense. Seo-jun wrapped his strong arms tightly around So-yeon’s slender waist, as if he would never let her go. 

Carrying her back to the bed, Seo-jun laid her down on the silk sheets and propped himself up on one elbow. His impressive back muscles rippled slowly as their faces drew closer together. 

The camera focused on Seo-jun’s back, completely obscuring So-yeon from view. 

“…!” 

So-yeon’s eyes suddenly widened in shock. Her pupils trembled as if caught in a storm, and her chest heaved violently as her heart pounded uncontrollably. 

The kiss, which she had expected to remain superficial, had unexpectedly deepened. His warm breath had invaded her space. 

It was a real kiss. 

Frozen in place, her lips captured by Seo-jun’s, he pulled the blanket over their heads. 

Every movement was exactly as outlined in the storyboard. But what happened under the blanket was a secret known only to the two of them. 

Because it was acting. 

Because, in this moment, she didn’t have to lie to herself. 

Because, right now, it was just her and him, a moment where she could completely have him to herself. 

Tae Seo-jun and Eom So-yeon’s performance was flawless, and the atmosphere on set was electric with excitement. 

“They look so good together, don’t they? Tae Seo-jun is always amazing, but Eom So-yeon is a rookie, and she hasn’t made a single mistake.” 

“Her tearful acting is so endearing that I’m honestly shocked. Where did they even find such a gem?” 

“Right? She must have worked incredibly hard to improve this much since the script reading. I knew from the start that Eom So-yeon would do well.” 

The crew, who had been watching the scene unfold, showered the pair with endless praise for their breathtaking performance. 

“But what about Oh Min-jung? She’s going to see this scene eventually.” 

“With her jealous personality, there’s no way she’ll stay quiet. She’ll definitely lose it.” 

“Well, what can she do now? She read the script and insisted on being the female lead. If the scene turned out better than it was on paper, that’s her problem.” 

“Didn’t she say she’d be arriving in Cadiz today? Let’s just make sure not to provoke her when we see her later.” 

“Of course. I can’t handle her tantrums either.” 

Director Yoon, overhearing the chatter, smirked and raised his megaphone. 

“Cut!”