A meaningless week had passed.
For a whole week, I had mastered all the facilities within the broadcasting station.
I even knew the types of bread that came into the convenience store.
"PD Jang, can you buy me some mocha bread from the convenience store?"
"Excuse me."
"Yes?"
"The mocha bread comes in the afternoon, so please have the chocolate bread."
"???"
Over the past week, I had checked all the public facilities except for private offices.
In particular, I had wandered every nook and cranny, centering on the drama department.
I think I had checked every place my temporary pass, issued by the broadcasting station, allowed.
'The system is really crazy.'
This kind of brute-force method was no longer meaningful.
I had even visited Director Bang's office with Director Sung's help.
"Is it really a private office?"
I had been to all the other public facilities besides the drama department, and it wasn't there.
The white light flaunted its presence even in broad daylight, so there's no way I could have missed it.
If not that, what if it's the private office of an executive-level figure?
"Come on, that's just ridiculous."
What if, for the sake of argument, it told me to go to the president's office?
Then by what means could I enter and write?
"Do I have to give up for the first time...?"
At that moment, a small commotion arose in the wide-open lobby of the broadcasting station.
Someone entered my field of vision as I sat idly in a corner.
"Ji Seongho?"
That's new. Seeing actor Ji here. Seeing him from the outside, he has the aura of an actor, he's got flair. Just then, he spotted me and slowly walked over.
"Writer-nim, what are you doing here?"
Ji Seongho, smiling brightly as he spoke to me.
Next to him was a manager with a familiar face.
"I'm spacing out."
"Pardon?"
The mocha bread enthusiast who was watching from the side stared at me with the eyes of a startled rabbit.
He had thought I was a neighborhood bum, but I was showing off my friendship with a rising star.
"What brings you here, Seongho-ssi...?"
"I was just called by writer Lee Sooyeon and I'm on my way to discuss a variety show appearance."
Variety shows are good.
If it's writer Lee Sooyeon, it must be for "Knowing Neighborhood Hyungnim."
While you're at it, do a good job promoting the drama.
"Writer Lee Sooyeon must be happy."
She's a sucker for pretty faces, so she likes all the male idols and actors.
"Would you like to come with me, Writer-nim?"
"Why would I need to... I have to go. I'll go twice."
Who knows, the light of salvation might be in the variety department, not the drama department.And among those places, there are some I can never enter on my own.
"Are you, by any chance, scheduled to meet in the department head's office?"
"That's not it, but..."
"Please try asking Writer Lee Sooyeon."
"Hmm? Suddenly?"
"Hey, there's an order to everything. Reporting to the department head comes first."
"My casting isn't even confirmed yet..."
Glare—
Seeing my unusually firm attitude, Ji Seongho reluctantly nodded.
"Ah... I shouldn't have run into him."
"I can hear you."
"..."
Hmm, I think there might actually be a way?If I ride these connections and enter all the offices.'But when will I ever visit them all.'
Writer Lee Sooyeon frowned and looked at me.
She must have been completely focused on the thought of meeting with Ji Seongho.
"No, why did you bring this person..."
"Ah, well..."
I spoke in place of Ji Seongho, who was trailing off.
"Writer-nim, aren't you trying to cast Mr. Ji Seongho for a drama special?"
"It's not a drama special; Mr. Ji Seongho will be appearing alone."
Seeing her speak so firmly, I was at a loss for words.
"I thought you were casting him to promote the drama, am I wrong...?"
"At first, I was."
"Pardon?"
"The original concept was to cast all three lead actors."
I had just thrown it out there, but I was grateful that she took the bait.
"Jaejun probably doesn't have a schedule anyway."
"I heard that Semi-ssi can't attend because of her group activities."
"Ah, Semi-ssi..."
So close. It would be great if they could promote the drama on a variety show from the same station.
"Well, Seongho-ssi will take care of the promotion, so you don't have to worry, Writer Kim..."
"Should I have a word with her?"
"???"
"With Semi-ssi."
"Hey, it's not like it'll work just because you say so..."
I know too.
There's no way this will work.
In fact, as I was sending the message to her manager, I thought this was a bit much and was about to take it back.
It's rude for a writer to ask again when she said she couldn't make it due to her group's schedule.
That's what I thought, but,
"It's working?"
"So it seems."
Writer Lee Sooyeon had a puzzled expression at the news that was hastily delivered from Rainbow Entertainment.
"It seems the actors trust and follow you a lot, Writer Kim."
"Ahaha, it's not like that."
At that moment, the producer of "Knowing Neighborhood Hyungnim" slowly approached and spoke.
"Oh, Writer-nim! I'm PD Jin Jaehoon."
"Ah, yes. Hello."
"Haha, we were having trouble with the casting, but I hear you solved it easily..."
"I just asked, that's all."
"I heard that Semi-ssi is on her way here right now."
"Here, in person?"
Why so fast? Seeing that she's coming as soon as she heard the casting news, it seems she really wanted to be on the show. The previous rejection due to group activities must have been cut by the company.
"You've helped us so much, but there's nothing I can do for you. I'll take responsibility for the drama promotion..."
"No. You can help me."
"Pardon?"
"You can help me, PD Jin."
"???"
The place he followed me into was none other than,
the private office of Han Youngok, the department head who was a pillar of the variety world and had made her name as a 1st-generation star PD.
A person who had left her mark on the variety world with her uniquely female PD sensibility.
'...So it was here.'
The noble grace of the system that I couldn't find for the past week.
I've been searching for so long, why do you only appear now? The absurd choice of location, the variety department head's office. No matter how I look at it, it seems like a ploy to screw me over. But the system is the boss and I'm the subordinate, so I'll just shut up and write.
In the awkward atmosphere, the one who broke the silence was the variety department head.
"Writer Kim, what brings you here...?"
It was a relief that she at least recognized my face.
"Director Han Youngok, I'm a really big fan."
"Pardon?"
"I've become your hardcore fan by watching 'Let's Go Play', 'Radio Style', 'Just Between Us'... every day."
"...Ah, is that so."
I think she omitted the words 'and so what.'
"Just a moment."
"???"
Director Han had a dumbfounded expression as she watched me suddenly open my laptop.
Ji Seongho, who was watching from the side, as well as PD Jin and Writer Lee, were the same.
Clack-clack, clack—
The drama had already started playing in my head.
I already 'remembered' all the contents of this 14th part in my head.
But just standing up with the memory wouldn't produce a good script.
"Please don't mind me, and just talk comfortably amongst yourselves."
"D-director-nim. What happened was..."
PD Jin Jaehoon broke out in a sweat and made an excuse.
"The guest we were trying to cast for our show this time was cast by Writer Kim instead."
"...So?"
"I thought it would be good to discuss the casting together... haha."
"Hmm..."
She spoke to Director Jin Jaehoon in a solemn tone.
"Director Jin, if we cast Semi-ssi this time... what about the original guests?"
"Ah, yes! We plan to group them together and broadcast them in the following week's episode!"
"Really? Actress Yeo Minseo has a bit of a prickly temper, though."
Yeo Minseo? I stopped typing for a moment upon hearing a familiar name.
"Actress Yeo will understand too. Since they're from the same Tempest family, shouldn't the drama promotion come first?"
I don't think so. The actress I first met in Manager Jung Saerom's office a while ago. I remember she was very upset about losing the lead role to Semi.
'She also picked a fight with me at the Tempest cafe.'
If her variety show filming is pushed back a week because of the drama promotion, with her personality, she might not stay quiet.
'Ah, screw it.'
Jaejun is also with Tempest Entertainment now.
It's only normal for her to be understanding since she's eating from the same pot as the two lead actors, Ji Seongho and Im Jaejun.
"By the way..."
Director Han tilted her head slightly and looked at me.
Clack-clack, clack-clack-clack—
Watching me, who had already started writing Part 14 in this unfamiliar environment.
"What has the writer been writing so diligently since a while ago?"
"A script."
What's the point of lying when I'm writing so openly like this?
"Wr-writer-nim! What are you doing writing a script here...!"
"I'm sorry. Inspiration suddenly struck."
Clack-clack-clack—
PD Jin was flustered and tried to stop me, but I had no intention of stopping.
"You're an interesting person."
Director Han looked at me like a child who had discovered an interesting toy.
She no longer seemed interested in guest casting or broadcast scheduling.
About 30 minutes before that,
Semi had checked the slightly strange message from writer Kim Jinwoo.
No, rather than strange, his messages seemed somewhat frivolous.
"Hmm, Writer Kim... what is this message?"
"Oppa, what did you just say?"
"Huh? No, it's nothing."
"No, you just said Writer Kim."
"Ah... he just sent a meaningless message."
"Show me, show me."
［This message has been deleted.］ ［This message has been deleted.］ ［This message has been deleted.］
The deleted messages from writer Kim Jinwoo, seen on the smartphone her manager handed her.
Ring, ring, ring, ring—
Semi immediately called Jinwoo.
-Ah, yes. Manager-nim, it was nothing...
"Writer-nim, it's me."
-Semi-ssi?
"Yes! You've been well for the past week, right?"
-Me? Well...
'The first time since the script reading...'
The times she had wanted to contact him so much but couldn't, afraid she would be a bother.
In the meantime, she had focused only on acting to be acknowledged by writer Kim Jinwoo.
But this time, she was the one who had received the call first.
Hearing his voice for the first time in a long while felt healing.
"What were the deleted messages about? You could have sent them to me instead of my manager oppa."
-Ah, it's nothing much... It's about the casting for 'Knowing Neighborhood Hyungnim.'
"Pardon?"
-The variety show writer asked me to ask one more time, but... don't worry about it. I'll just make up an excuse...
"I'll do it."
-Ah, no. If it interferes with your group activities...
"No. I'll do it. I want to do it."
The purpose must have been to promote the drama.
It's more effective when the lead actors promote it together.
With his kind personality, it must have been difficult for him to ask directly.
"Are you by any chance at the variety department right now?"
-Yes. I am, but...
"I'll go right now. Wait for me!"
-What?
"I'll get ready quickly and go!"
-Ah, yes. Well. Okay. Then...
Click.
"Ah, I still have more to say."
She had hung up in a hurry, but his voice still lingered.
It seemed writer Kim Jinwoo also had a lot to say.
"S-Semi-ya... are you really going on 'Knowing Neighborhood Hyungnim'?"
"Ah, yeah! The drama is the most important thing."
"That's true, but it's something we decided after talking it over. If you suddenly change it..."
"Hmm, I'll talk to the unnis. Oppa, can you talk to the CEO for me?"
"Ah... right. The CEO was in favor of you going on variety shows anyway."
Honestly, it was true that she had been neglecting her group activities lately.
Once filming started in earnest, group activities would definitely take a backseat.
And there would often be cases where other schedules were suddenly set up like this.
'I feel sorry for the unnis...'
Especially since the cameo appearance in Writer Lee Minjoo's work had fallen through.
Jae-eun unni, who had been looking forward to it so much, was beyond disappointed.
'I should buy some tteokbokki on my way later.'
Then for now,
"Oppa, let's go to the JTBS broadcasting station."
"You're not going to the practice room?"
"Nope. I have to go right away and confirm my appearance."
"Ah, right. For now, let's go and talk."
"Thanks. Hehe."
Of the past week, Semi's expression right now seemed brighter than at any other time.