Autumn. A brief season that prepares for winter. From a purely climatic perspective, that was true, but in terms of passing days, autumn was also a short stretch where one could already feel the closing temperatures of the year ahead.
What was once cool began to turn cold.
The latter half of the year—what people called year-end. From September to December, it was only four months at most, yet countless events were waiting to unfold.
Or perhaps, destructive bombs waiting to explode.
This story was about Kang Woojin. There had never been a quiet day in his life all year, but as the end of the year approached, events surrounding him began erupting one after another. At this very moment, countless dates were tangled inside his head.
'October release in Japan, November release in Korea.'
That was the future of The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice. It was overwhelming. Last year and this year—Woojin's daily life and surroundings had changed dramatically. Even last year alone had been astonishing when one considered how many achievements he had piled up in his debut year.
But this year, Kang Woojin was even more aggressive.
From January all the way to December, there wasn't a single month he could rest. Inside the booth, he kept a calm expression as he held his phone to his ear, but his thoughts were moving rapidly beneath the surface.
This was right after receiving a call from Director Kyotaro.
"...This month, filming for Beneficial Evil begins, and at the end of the month, I'm heading to Cannes. In October, The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice opens in Japan, and in November, in Korea. Ah… I'm not sure, but Miley Cara's new album should be coming out around then too."
Even listing only the major works made it feel like this. There were several projects he hadn't even mentioned, such as Boy Friend: Remake, which was currently in production.
In other words, the number of bombs set to go off before the end of the year was overwhelming.
'Wow… this is completely packed. Way too packed.'
Woojin clicked his tongue inwardly, yet his expression did not change at all. If another actor saw this schedule, it wouldn't be strange if they felt sick just imagining it. Only someone like Kang Woojin—someone with that strange emptiness inside—could endure something like this.
A monster. Maybe. No—definitely.
Only Kang Woojin could create a reality and future like this. He slowly lifted his gaze.
Outside the booth, Choi Seonggeon and the team were tilting their heads, clearly curious about who he was speaking to. Ignoring them, Woojin lowered his voice and spoke into the phone.
"I understand."
Director Kyotaro's slightly hoarse voice came through immediately.
"If editing is completed by the end of this month, the October or November release schedule won't change significantly. You can consider it confirmed."
"Yes."
"As discussed beforehand, we will strengthen pre-release promotions and marketing several times more than usual. The same applies to the preview screenings. We plan to increase the scale, frequency, and number of screenings."
"Will the previews begin around mid-October?"
"Most likely."
The previews would gather journalists, critics, directors, actors, and even general audiences. That meant the scale had been significantly expanded to build anticipation before release.
Considering how much attention Woojin had already drawn at the production presentation, it was only natural.
Then—
"Woojin."
Director Kyotaro spoke again.
"Will you really not be able to attend the preview?"
Woojin remained silent for a moment, his face unchanged, before giving a small nod.
"I'm sorry."
If editing finished by the end of September, the preview would likely take place that same week. At that time, Woojin would either be filming overseas for Beneficial Evil or preparing to attend the Cannes Film Festival.
There was no room in his schedule.
"I don't think I'll be able to attend."
Kyotaro let out a quiet laugh. There was a trace of disappointment in his voice, but acceptance seemed stronger.
"Alright. That's fine. You've already made a strong impression at the production meeting. Just make sure to attend the stage greeting when the film releases."
"Yes, I've been informed."
"You're heading to Cannes soon, right?"
"Yes."
"I'd like to go as well, but I'll be cheering from here."
"Thank you, Director."
Woojin answered quietly, and Kyotaro spoke again.
"I really wanted to see the moment you lift a trophy."
A trophy? Isn't that getting ahead of things?
Woojin let out a faint chuckle inwardly. It was difficult for him to imagine himself holding a trophy at an international film festival.
But if he—or even Leech—won something at Cannes, the impact of everything waiting ahead would multiply several times over.
That alone would create enormous publicity.
Kyotaro, who understood this well, murmured softly.
"It would be the first time. No Asian actor has ever won Best Actor at Cannes."
His sincerity was clear.
"I'm looking forward to it."
──────────
Meanwhile, in LA.
The sky shifted from night to morning as a new day began. Inside a spacious conference room at a major entertainment agency, a global superstar sat across from a group of Koreans.
Miley Cara and PD Song Manwoo.
"I still can't believe this… I never imagined I'd meet Miley Cara in person."
'Miley Cara… even Netflix couldn't land her despite constant offers, yet because of Kang Woojin, this meeting happened so easily? Just how close are they?'
'Oh my god… that's really Miley Cara. Wow. She's unbelievably beautiful.'
Executive Director Kim Sohyang of Netflix Korea, writer Choi Nana, and the production manager of Beneficial Evil were all present. They tried to hide it, but inwardly, they were all excited. Cara, on the other hand, remained completely calm, as if she had gone through meetings like this countless times.
Then she reached out her hand first to PD Song Manwoo, greeting him in a slightly cool tone.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Miley Cara."
"Haha, of course I know. No—everyone in the world knows."
"That's a bit generous from the start."
"Did I go too far?"
Song Manwoo looked slightly tense, but he was still a veteran in the drama industry. His English wasn't perfect, yet the conversation flowed naturally enough.
Soon, Cara shifted her gaze to Kim Sohyang.
"Hello."
"Nice to meet you, Miley. I'm Kim Sohyang, Executive Director of Netflix Korea."
"I see."
"It's an honor."
"Likewise."
As expected from a global company, Kim Sohyang's English was flawless.
Next was writer Choi Nana.
"Ah, hello!"
Extremely nervous, she greeted Cara in English before introducing herself in Korean.
"Hello, I'm writer Choi Nana."
Kim Sohyang naturally stepped in to interpret, and at the mention of "writer," Cara's blue eyes lit up slightly.
"I see. It's nice to meet you. I'm looking forward to the script."
"Thank you!"
"Hm?"
"What?"
Choi Nana's flustered reaction quickly eased the atmosphere in the room. Soon, everyone took their seats.
Song Manwoo spoke first, adjusting his jacket before finally unbuttoning it.
"First of all, thank you for agreeing to appear in Beneficial Evil*."*
Though Cara still carried a cool presence, she gave a faint smile and brushed her blonde hair aside.
"I'm looking forward to the project, but it was also something I had to do. Probably because of Kang Woojin."
"Of course."
"May I look at the script first?"
Song Manwoo nodded and glanced toward Choi Nana.
She picked up a transparent file and handed it to Cara, her hand trembling slightly. Cara noticed and smiled faintly to herself.
'She's really nervous. She looks young… maybe a rookie. Still, if she wrote something Kang Woojin is starring in, she must be talented. And… she's kind of cute.'
Cara opened the file immediately.
Inside were thin stacks of paper—the scripts for episodes one and two of Beneficial Evil, including her scenes. Most of it had been edited for overseas filming.
She didn't need to read everything. The synopsis and her parts were enough, and everything had already been translated into English.
She flipped to the first page, and as she read, her blue eyes widened slightly.
'A long take? They're starting with something this important, overseas in Bangkok?'
For about fifteen minutes, she continued reading without a word. No one interrupted her.
Soon, she fully understood her role.
"I play a former colleague of Jang Yeonwoo, the male lead, who is played by Kang Woojin. More specifically, I'm the trigger that sets the central incident involving him into motion."
Her role included action, combat, and close-quarters scenes. Most of the heavier action belonged to Woojin, but she still had her share of movement and gunfight sequences, along with a significant amount of dialogue that required solid acting.
As she continued reading, her curiosity deepened.
'Not just the acting… the pacing, the tension, the impact. Close combat, gunfights, hand-to-hand, even knife work. What is this? The action direction looks… incredibly fun. Kang Woojin's performance is going to be something else.'
She had read countless scripts in Hollywood, yet from her perspective, Beneficial Evil did not fall short at all. The fact that it began with a long-take action sequence alone proved that.
Then she remembered that Ethan Smith's Hollywood stunt team was involved.
'Ah… so that's why the action design is this detailed.'
Her thoughts naturally turned to Woojin. The script was grand and intense, and she wondered how he would bring it to life.
She recalled the bold movements he had shown when he saved her during filming before. That alone had already felt cinematic.
But that was reality. The character in this script was far more intense.
Cara brushed her blonde hair back and let out a quiet breath, her excitement steadily building.
'I'm really looking forward to this. I would've regretted it if I passed.'
She was especially drawn to the close-quarters combat scenes. Having seen countless Hollywood actors perform similar action, she could already visualize the sequences clearly just from the storyboard.
But for some reason, Kang Woojin remained unpredictable.
That uncertainty only heightened her anticipation, even stirring a faint sense of impatience.
After about ten more minutes, she closed the script and allowed a small smile to form on her lips.
"It's an interesting script. And it's very well done."
Song Manwoo, Kim Sohyang, and Choi Nana all widened their eyes, clearly not expecting such high praise.
Cara, still composed, continued speaking.
"I'm really looking forward to it. I'll focus and do my best so I don't become a burden to the project."
It was her way of saying she would thoroughly prepare for her role.
"However, about the script reading—"
"That's fine!"
Song Manwoo quickly waved his hand, sensing her hesitation.
"It's completely fine if you can't attend. We can adjust everything on set. This happens quite often."
"Really?"
"Of course. Please don't worry."
If they could secure Miley Cara, nothing else mattered. With visible excitement, Song Manwoo handed her another file containing the CQC action storyboards developed with Ethan Smith's stunt team, along with the Bangkok filming schedule.
"If you look at the storyboard, it'll help you understand the script better. And as you can see, filming starts on the 20th. It would be best if you arrive the day before, but even if you're a bit late, that's fine."
"Hmm, understood."
Today was the 11th, leaving about ten days. It was tight, but manageable.
"The total shoot is about two weeks, right?"
"Yes. If everything goes smoothly, we'll wrap within two weeks."
"It has to. My next schedule is important."
She was referring to Cannes.
Song Manwoo nodded and added one more thing.
"And until filming begins, your involvement will remain confidential. No one will know—not the cast or staff. Except for Kang Woojin."
"Understood."
Cara crossed her legs and smiled faintly.
"They're all going to be very surprised when they see me."
──────────
At the same time, elsewhere in LA.
While Cara was in a meeting about an hour away from her agency, another man sat alone in an office halfway up one of the tallest buildings in the city.
Joseph Felton, a well-known Hollywood producer.
Dressed in a white shirt and tie with his sleeves rolled up, he sat at a thick glass desk cluttered with documents and a laptop.
In front of him lay four thin stacks of paper—scripts from a project he was handling at Universal Movies, one of Hollywood's Big Five studios.
It was the same project discussed in the previous meeting, the one where they had decided to bring Kang Woojin in.
Four writers had been commissioned, and now four distinct synopses lay before him, each with its own style and direction.
This was the moment of decision.
Joseph stared at them for a long moment before quietly muttering to himself.
"Hmm… they're all so different. It's hard to choose."