"I'm! Fine!"
Yeon Chae startled and grabbed at Moo-young's clothes. A sudden still shoot? She couldn't even press the shutter properly—how was she supposed to manage that? It was a relief she hadn't gotten in the way.
"Don't you want to?"
"I don't... hate it."
Of course she did. Of course she wanted to. She'd chosen university for this career, after all. These little moments on set were assets, opportunities building up.
But impossible was impossible.
"I don't even have my camera right now. Left it in the car."
The CEO shrugged from afar, asking what was going on. Passing staff glanced over busily but didn't interfere.
"Just use your phone. It's for my personal account anyway, so blurry's fine. Ah! Right, personal upload—no problem at all!"
Moo-young realized as he spoke. He drew an X in the air toward the CEO—don't worry about it. Then he rummaged through his scattered bag and pulled out his own phone.
"If 'still cut' feels too pressuring—"
A basic camera app, no filters. Yeon Chae took it blankly in both hands. She didn't even notice her trembling had stopped, too flustered.
"Take a commemorative shot for me. My first pictorial shoot. I want to keep it."
"Uh... okay."
"Make me look good, alright?"
Moo-young patted her shoulder playfully, lightly. Like a request from a passing stranger—no pressure.
Then Jun-ho called, waving a coat.
"Moo-young! Put this on!"
"Don't I need to change?"
"Bora went to try on that skirt. Want one too?"
"Pass."
He grinned and left Yeon Chae behind. She stared blankly at his back, clutching the beat-up old phone. The dirty lens blurred the screen. Guess she doesn't take photos much.
"What're you doing?"
"Ah! Writer-nim!"
The photographer's call made her jump and turn. She explained awkwardly.
"Ha Moo-young asked me to take some photos..."
"For stills?"
"Is that okay?"
"What choice do we have? As long as she doesn't kill the lights again."
Her face flushed bright red. She'd brought her along as an assistant, but all she'd done was odd jobs for staff—and even killed the lights midway!
"S-sorry."
"Forget it. Finish prepping. We're going back in soon."
She was an assistant introduced through a alumni connection. Lacking boldness but with good instincts, he'd been asked to give her a shot... Tsk tsk. Tremors like Parkinson's. Worse than expected. How's she gonna make a living like that?
The photographer grumbled inwardly and kept setting up.
"Ready."
"Alright. Shooting!"
The two stood back-to-back on set. Moo-young and Bora instinctively nailed the angles.
The CEO peered through the viewfinder and asked Jun-ho.
"Aren't they both newbies?"
"Moo-young definitely, but Bora's a former child actress—maybe some experience? Camera brats anyway."
Jun-ho grinned at his new friend. He hadn't noticed in the same uniform, but up close? Different breed. This is what they mean by born for showbiz.
"Cool! Ha Moo-young!"
Jun-ho yelled; Moo-young just smiled. Mostly at the photographer's camera, but occasionally toward Yeon Chae—phone in hand, frozen.
"Hold on. Fixing hair."
"Sure."
Mid-shoot, the stylist spoke; the photographer lowered his camera. Moo-young stood still for touch-ups, then grinned.
"Bora. Look over there."
"Huh?"
Click! First shot. Yeon Chae finally pressed the button.
Her hands shook visibly from afar. Bora shot her a you good? look.
"Stills?"
"Yeah. Smile."
Moo-young leaned cozily against Bora, flashing a V. Then he waved, playfully glared—natural behind-the-scenes vibes.
Click! Click!
Yeon Chae met his eyes through the screen. First time shooting someone with her phone in a strange place. And the subject shifting colors with lights and angles—multicolored magic.
"Going again!"
Click!
Even as shooting resumed, her hands didn't stop. Entranced, she circled the set, capturing Moo-young.
Huh? Indescribable—the shutter felt perfect in her grip. DSLR and phone sounds harmonized, filling the studio.
"Great!"
"Wrapping up!"
"Good work."
Moo-young nailed the final pose, bowing to staff. The CEO, photographer, and manager huddled over the viewfinder, selecting shots.
Swish—
"Um..."
"Ah, thanks. You went hard earlier."
Changed and curtain drawn, flushed Yeon Chae waited for Moo-young. Battery nearly dead, phone hot.
"Th-thank you."
"Huh? For what? Shouldn't I be saying that?"
"Helping with the light mistake, asking me to shoot—you did it to give me experience."
She spoke softly but surely.
"...And it was fun."
"Fun? Taking photos?"
"Yes. You're so captivating. Ah! As a model. Haven't felt this joy shooting in forever. Smiling as a kid turned work, and I lost the fun..."
Her eyes sparkled behind thick glasses. Unbelievable she'd forgotten this sensation, this passion.
"Anyway, thank you. Might be overstepping, but Moo-young, you'll make it big."
"Hahaha! For real? You'll succeed too, Yeon Chae Writer-nim. You've got the golden touch!"
Writer-nim? First time ever! Yeon Chae nodded tearfully, moved.
"I'll work hard. Next time we meet, personal shoot. No—let me shoot you!"
Next time. Might be today at university if things went well. But Moo-young offered a handshake instead.
"Yes! Looking forward."
Short farewell.
At the studio entrance, the group waited.
"Hurry up, Ha Moo-young."
"I'm starving—!"
"Manager hyung, send me those preview shots. For SNS."
Bora, Jun-ho, manager beckoning. Lunch together, probably. Moo-young dashed over, squeezing in.
Yeon Chae watched, clenching fists. Alright. Let's try again.
Her dropout escape, aimless days unable to quit this path—over now.
"Yeon Chae. Coming next time?"
The photographer packed, half-hoping she'd bail.
Hopeful Yeon Chae missed the hint.
"No. Thanks for everything."
"Then what now?"
"Re-enrolling."
Back to school, study more. The photography she loved.
Plans swirled in her head.
"If you need an assistant, call. I'll make time. Thanks for taking me on."
"You look like you'll be crazy busy."
"Probably. I want to be."
"Re-enrolling means quitting Seoyeondae side?"
She paused.
"Guess so. Too hard to juggle."
* * *
"Lunch?"
"Dunno. Hyung's buying—go fancy."
"Not 'CEO-nim'?"
"Work's done. Oh. That assistant shot your stuff. Check it."
The manager had shots too. Shaky, bad angles, no vibe—but whatever.
Moo-young paused at the gallery.
"Huh?"
Lots shot, but only a dozen left. Yeon Chae had culled the rest.
"Whoa, what?"
"Boyfriend material?"
"Looks good."
Street cred, SNS bait. Warm gaze from the shooter. Everyone crowded in.
"Even Bora looks pretty!"
"Can I post?"
"Yeah. Tag my ID."
"What's that?"
"...Gimme."
Bora snatched the phone, tapping away. His account still just Big Win Enter logo. 5,100 followers.
Why so many? Moo-young ignored SNS, but one photo netting that? Rare.
M@hamuyoung_officialJust nowHello, it's Ha Moo-young. Did a pictorial with Bonturi today. The new shirts are so pretty. Posting more photos soon. ?(´?`?) #Bonturi♥ 1.2k↻ 450💬 320"Tag Enbin too, everything—!"
Jun-ho's words; Bora nodded. Post up—likes and comments flooded.
Ding. Ding.
— BeenWaitingWaited forever. Thought it was private.— RealFanHoly. Pro shots fr.— EnbinLoverBonturi? Enbin's ad? What's the connection? Let's chat~— HappyVibesBoyfriend pic bliss. Bowing N/S/E/W. Love you oppa.— PhotoFanWho shot this? Staff? Insane skills.— GrandmaFanMoo-young... granny... cheering you onYouTube migrants, sappy comments eternal. Moo-young burst out laughing as the manager took a roadside call.
"Why's everyone so funny?"
"They like you. Bonturi official'll post edits in a week. Hyung seemed picky—over ten cuts probably."
"For real?"
Whispers. Jun-ho leaked intel.
Too-good selects; CEO and photographer couldn't choose—all in.
Vroom! Honk!
SNS distracted, Jun-ho's brother pulled up, interior tidied.
"Hop in! Lunch!"
"Whoa, ugly hyung treating!"
"Im Jun-ho out. Just Moo-young and Bora."
Moo-young chuckled at their banter, turning to the manager.
"Hyung eat too?"
"Sure. Oh, Mongnett called—readings a week before shoot."
"A week?"
"Casting done."
Reality sinking in. Shooting a movie he'd only watched!
Go Kyung-min relayed details.
"Lee Ji-in role: Yi Hi-jun from before."
"See him again."
"Sung Hye-jun, Hyo-jeong, Jin-su..."
Familiar names. Only true rookie: Moo-young.
Go Kyung-min gripped his shoulder, tense grin.
"Huge, right?"
"Legs shaking."
"Practice lines before reading? Me and boss can watch if you're game."
Perfect! Moo-young nodded vigorously.
Jun-ho leaned from the car window.
"Hurry! Leaving you!"
"Coming—"
Tense-excited steps. Backseat, Moo-young gazed out.
Studio fading. We'll meet again?
Flower pollen linking via Seoyeondae. Whether she'd handle his profile—or something else—who knew.
Excited. Wish time flew.
Whatever, it'd sparkle. Especially first crank-in!
Moo-young counted days on fingers, smiling.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Read 145 more chapters ahead on NovelDex!
https://noveldex.io/series/rookie-but-one-in-a-million-actor
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━