RACA 118

“What is all this?”

Eunsol asked in a daze. The babies were simply thrilled that he was home, squealing in high pitches, while Jaebeom wore a broad smile, pleased with the success of the surprise.

“It’s a surprise party for Lee Eunsol, who just finished his first day of filming today.”

“We already had one yesterday.”

Even as he said that, a smile slowly spread across Eunsol’s face. As he mentioned, they had done something small yesterday.

To celebrate his return as an actor, they had a nice dinner and even shared an intimate moment, keeping things light.

Actually, it wasn’t just yesterday, they had celebrated when the drama role was confirmed, and they found excuses to do so whenever there was a chance.

“That’s different. That was encouragement to do well, and this is congratulations for finishing safely.”

In other words, he just wanted to create an occasion for any reason. Eunsol finally let out a chuckle.

When Eunsol laughed, the twins, who had been tilting their heads awkwardly because of the uncomfortable party hats, burst into giggles too.

“Kya!”

“Kkyaaa!”

The rattle in Beomwoo’s hand made a cheerful sound. The long balloon Eunwoo held also buzzed loudly.

Excited by the noises, the twins babbled incomprehensibly at each other while waving their arms enthusiastically.

Thanks to that, Eunsol quickly shook off his bemused feeling and headed to the bathroom first. After a quick wash and change of clothes, he finally pressed his lips to Jaebeom’s cheek, who had been waiting patiently.

“Thank you for celebrating.”

Even though he was only now saying what he should have first, Jaebeom beamed. In the meantime, the twins had escaped their party hats and were now on their bellies on the floor, flailing their limbs like they were swimming.

With toys still in hand, squeaking away, they looked so adorable that Eunsol couldn’t stop smiling.

“By the way, Beomwoo, I heard you caused trouble earlier? What did you do?”

If he had checked the home cam, would he have caught Jaebeom setting up the party? With that silly thought, Eunsol poked Beomwoo’s cheek with his index finger as the baby shook the rattle.

“Eubbu…! Ppu! Pa!”

“That’s not praise, you know?”

Even as he teased, Eunsol’s laughter couldn’t stop laughing. Thanks to that, the unpleasant incident from the set completely vanished from his mind.

“Let’s eat. You must be hungry.”

“Yeah.”

The celebration party was kept short for the twins’ sake, and after handing the two off to the helpers, they enjoyed a leisurely dinner.

The conversation naturally turned to what happened on set. Even though they had talked about it once on the phone, it strangely felt like there was never enough to say.

“Actress Im Seolye is really amazing. Her voice projection and expressions are great, but even without lines, she conveys so much with her eyes and face, it’s impressive.”

Especially as Eunsol’s eyes sparkled brighter than stars while describing the actors’ traits and strengths he observed, Jaebeom had no intention of stopping him.

No, in fact, it was to see this lively side of him that Jaebeom had encouraged Eunsol to debut as an actor again, so he watched with a content expression.

“Plus, she guides her co-stars smoothly and skillfully, so before you know it, you’re moving in sync with her.”

“There are people like that.”

Eunsol paused, then closed his mouth again. He couldn’t bring himself to say that Jaebeom was the same. Jaebeom had said he didn’t need to be an actor, but was that really true?

“Yeah. You were like that too, hyung.”

As he said it, Eunsol carefully studied his face, wondering if there was any lingering regret.

“I was pretty good at acting.”

“Then…”

“And I’m good at what I do now.”

Jaebeom cut in as if he knew what was coming next. His playful tone made it harder to bring up the original point.

“Yes. You’re good at everything.”

“Right?”

“Uh-huh. Leading the set atmosphere naturally isn’t easy.”

The alpha actor he met on set came to mind.

With popularity, it’s understandable to act confident. But using seniority to subtly pressure others was distasteful.

Not just because of what happened to him, the overall rudeness during filming nearly tensed up the atmosphere, but Actress Im Seolye handled it well, and they got through it.

“There are bound to be some discords at first. That’ll settle over time, and with an actor like the one you mentioned, it’ll get better faster.”

“I suppose so?”

Even as he spoke, he wasn’t fully reassured. The worst case in times like this is a fight on set or an actor dropping out.

If it’s a minor supporting role, it’s okay, but if it’s a lead, it doesn’t just complicate things, it disrupts the schedule.

“Don’t worry too much. You must have been tense all day, so relax in the tub. I’ll give you a massage too.”

Jaebeom wrapped up the conversation appropriately. Indeed, no need to fret over something that hasn’t happened yet.

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Contrary to Eunsol’s thoughts, the situation didn’t improve. From the first day, there were petty provocations, and as scenes together increased, Park Seunghyun’s attitude became more overt.

He’d cleverly intercept Eunsol’s lines or disrupt the flow with unnecessary actions, messing up the blocking.

“Ah, wouldn’t this line sound more natural if I said it? Since you’re the maknae, just reacting from the side should be enough. Right?”

It sounded like a joke on the surface, but for Eunsol, it was unwelcome meddling. Yet if he retorted seriously, he’d look like an oversensitive rookie.

The manager, watching from the sidelines, seemed to notice the precariousness.

“You’re upset about earlier, right? But don’t confront him.”

During a short break, the manager advised worriedly.

“Yes, I won’t.”

Eunsol knew why he said that. Causing trouble with a well-known actor would only hurt the newcomer.

Plus, Park Seunghyun’s agency was a major one. Even the drama staff looked uncomfortable but couldn’t complain, showing the company’s influence.

“Instead, I’ll keep an eye out and speak up if needed. You just focus on acting.”

Seeing the manager apologize when he hadn’t done anything wrong made Eunsol’s heart heavy. Anyway, his role wasn’t that big.

After the talk, as he headed back to set, Im Seolye, returning from touch-ups, beckoned him.

“Eunsol-ssi, can I have a moment?”

“Yes, sunbae-nim!”

With no immediate scenes, Eunsol replied energetically and hurried over. Im Seolye had a grandmotherly vibe that made him feel inwardly close and want to be more friendly.

“I won’t keep you long. This is something you can’t always avoid even if careful, so it’s concerning. But try to avoid being alone with my ‘son.’ You know what I mean?”

Her “son” referred to the alpha male lead. Though they hadn’t crossed paths much, it meant she had easily noticed the situation.

“Yes, sunbae-nim.”

Since Park Seunghyun had gone to change costumes, Im Seolye shook her head as if it was no big deal after delivering the unspoken advice.

“I’m an omega too, so I know how tricky it can be. If you need help, just say so, okay?”

“Thank you.”

Even as he replied, Eunsol hoped she wouldn’t have to get involved. If Park Seunghyun had any sense, he wouldn’t act out in front of a senior.

But that too seemed to be just Eunsol’s wish. The incident happened when filming resumed after a 30-minute break.

After finishing a scene with another actor, Park Seunghyun’s hand brushed Eunsol’s waist lightly.

“Oh? Sorry, mistake. Did that bother you?”

He turned with an exaggerated expression, offering something like an apology. The undertone at the end felt like a test.

“Huh? Why? Did something happen?”

Eunsol’s eyes like an innocent maknae, he even parted his lips slightly, putting on a naive face.

“No, just. I think I touched you a bit.”

Park Seunghyun tried to play it cool, but with Eunsol feigning ignorance calmly, he seemed flustered instead.

“Oh, I see. It’s fine, sunbae-nim. It was a mistake.”

Smiling brightly, Eunsol made sure Park Seunghyun realized he had caught on. His eyes flashed for a moment.

“…Smarter than you look?”

“As a rookie, I’m always trying hard to learn and show my best.”

So, hopefully, he got the message to just do his senior role properly.

Eunsol smiled once more for emphasis and moved to his assigned spot.