Complete silence, everyone exchanged uncertain glances.
The atmosphere on set was a little strange—
NG. Still NG.
Filming a movie is definitely not just theory on paper.
Maybe everything is clear in your mind, but the imagined scenes and emotions don't always translate perfectly into performance.
Sometimes, even after the movie is completed and released to the audience, the actors may end up hating their own performances and refuse to watch.
And this isn't uncommon.
Especially when they're still in the middle of filming.
No, it's just not working.
Anson and Kate left the apartment, had a talk, and everything seemed to be back on track. All the external conditions were in place. By all accounts, the filming should be going smoothly, right?
But reality was not so kind.
They returned to the apartment, resumed filming, and the vibe was still off. Three more NGs later, they were still stuck in the same place, running in circles—
No progress at all.
At this point, it was obvious the atmosphere in the apartment was getting weirder.
No one spoke, and the room was filled with an awkward silence that only grew stranger. Meanwhile, the crew exchanged glances—one look, a pursed lip, or a shrug said more than words ever could.
Sarcasm? Contempt? Disdain? Frustration?
All of the above.
By day four of filming, the initial excitement and anticipation had evaporated, replaced by the clumsy weight of reality. One by one, the crew couldn't help but sigh:
All that hope was misplaced in the end.
Originally, they still held onto a glimmer of hope—
Maybe the actors had left the set to find inspiration. Maybe they'd return and deliver stunning performances that would blow everyone away. Maybe they'd show the legendary professionalism and talent that would make these small-time crew members eat their words.
Maybe…
But no.
The classic "slap in the face" moment only happens in movies and novels, after all.
In real life, all you get is endless exhaustion and the ugly mess left behind once the glamour fades. The entertainment industry is just a shiny circus, after all.
Look at Kate, then look at Anson. Whether or not they're great actors is up for debate, but their ability to stir up chaos? Top-tier. The only reason the crew hadn't completely revolted was that the two actors were mostly tormenting themselves, rather than directly torturing the staff.
As for the indirect torment... let's not even go there.
After the fourth NG, the apartment's atmosphere turned entirely cold. The crew looked utterly defeated, arms crossed, and they took on a passive "let's see what else these two actors can mess up" attitude.
The tension was invisible but thick, like a pressure cooker about to explode, suffocating everyone in the room.
Even Michelle was worn out, rubbing his temples as he considered whether it was time to call it quits. There was no point in forcing it any longer. Plus, Kate, who was pregnant, shouldn't be staying up late like this.
The thought made Michelle's headache worse.
"Kate..." Michelle called out.
But Kate didn't turn around. She was back in the kitchen, muttering to herself.
"One more time."
Michelle sighed in frustration. "Kate!"
Kate raised her voice, "One more time!"
Michelle: …
Kate: "I said, one! More! Time!"
Irritable, firm, decisive, leaving no room for argument.
Kate had made her stance clear. Michelle knew there was no point in further debate. His face showed his exhaustion as he glanced at Anson, who was lounging on the living room couch, giving him a questioning—and pleading—look.
Anson, lost in thought, hadn't noticed the tension between Kate and Michelle. When he felt Michelle's gaze, he looked up, confused but gave a quick nod in agreement.
"Sure, I'm ready."
That response was completely off the mark, but it showed Anson was mentally prepared, indirectly answering the question.
Michelle had a lump in his throat but managed to swallow it down.
"Alright, everyone, get ready."
Since Anson had no complaints, there was no way they could refuse Kate's request. Whether it was good or bad, they had to keep going.
But judging by Anson's distracted demeanor, the next take would probably be another disaster. NG seemed inevitable.
Anson didn't agree—
If he knew what Michelle and the crew were thinking, he'd want them to be patient, to give them a little more time and space.
In fact, Anson wasn't worried about more NGs.
Quite the opposite, Anson felt that he and Kate were getting very close to nailing the scene. The recent NGs were totally different from the previous ones.
Before, the NGs were chaotic, like headless chickens running into walls. They knew something was off, but they were crashing around without any sense of direction or strategy. Most of the attempts had been futile.
Now, they were still getting NGs, but both of them had found their direction. They were adjusting, syncing up, and moving closer to where they needed to be.
Same NG, different circumstances.
As far as Anson was concerned, he had been trying to capture a subtle emotion—a feeling of slight excitement that he had to suppress, a panic and fear born from that very excitement. It wasn't a matter of being insecure, but rather like Icarus flying too close to the sun, knowing the outcome yet still unable to resist falling into it.
That feeling, a mix of conflict and richness.
It seemed simple, but it played a crucial role in the script. Charlie's script was complex, with details often buried in scenes like these. The actors had to piece together the puzzle through their performance.
So.
Anson had his challenge, and his chemistry with Kate was another layer of difficulty. It was a test on multiple levels that required time to blend together.
Sigh.
Anson let out a long breath, deciding not to dwell on the performance details in his head—
This kind of acting was about the overall mood. Overthinking the details would make it seem forced and would ruin the natural flow of the performance.
What he needed now was to fully immerse himself in the situation.
Then, wait.
The apartment was completely silent. Everyone was waiting for the director's cue.
But it didn't come. It just didn't. Only endless quiet.
Quietly, Michelle raised his right hand and gave the crew an "OK" sign. Lights, sound, and cameras all started rolling, and the crew fell silent. But Michelle didn't inform the two actors; he just waited patiently—
He didn't want to give them time to prepare, hoping to blur the line between the movie and reality, allowing them to naturally slip into the scene and deliver an instinctive performance.
Film it like a documentary.
No doubt, this was a bold move, but Michelle had sensed something subtle in the air between Anson and Kate. There was no time to second-guess, just a gut feeling. He believed he should follow that instinct.
Michelle wasn't sure if it would work, but he decided to go for it anyway.
The filming hadn't officially started, but in reality, it had already begun.
Both actors were unaware, still lost in their thoughts, adjusting themselves, and slowly falling into the state they were crafting in the quiet.