Taeseok emphasized the words ‘if you have a conscience.’ He actually wanted to say something else.
He wanted to shout at her for planning to go to a man’s house with her blouse unbuttoned, but fortunately, he hadn’t completely lost his senses.
“You can’t just leave with the script in such a mess.”
“What do you mean?”
Summer’s expression twisted.
“We need to check the character Hyunjun again, so please sit down.”
Taeseok sat on the nearest chair arrogantly. Then, with a jerk of his chin rather than his hand, he gestured for her to sit next to him. Finally, Ji-hyeok stepped in.
“Hyung. What are you doing?”
Ji-hyeok stepped forward, defending Summer.
“Stay out of this.”
Taeseok ignored him and continued to address Summer.
“The first appearance of Hyunjun. Is this really the best you can do?”
“…”
“Writer Choi Summer.”
“…”
“Are you sure this is the best?”
Summer looked at Taeseok growling at her, perplexed. Had he been preparing to vent his frustrations at the reading session after days of silence?
What answer does he want?
The first appearance of Hyunjun was a scene he had okayed himself.
Summer swallowed her words. Some staff members were still around doing clean-up. There was no need to reveal that they were working at Taeseok’s house.
“Wouldn’t it be cooler to have him appear at the airport? Returning as a successful businessman.”
“…”
“What do you think?”
What’s gotten into him? Asking what I think?
It was Taeseok himself who had decided to replace the airport scene with the school scene. He said airport shooting was too much hassle.
As Summer stood speechless with her mouth agape, he smiled.
“Let’s fix it.”
“Fix it.”
“What are you doing? Sit down.”
“Hyung!”
Ji-hyeok intervened again, grabbing Summer’s wrist and pulling her behind him as he shouted.
“Show some respect to the writer! Just because you’re a top star doesn’t mean you can do anything!”
Flames flickered in Taeseok’s eyes.
“The script is the writer’s prerogative. What right do you have to dictate things?”
Regardless of what Ji-hyeok said, all Taeseok saw was Ji-hyeok’s hand gripping Summer’s wrist. He felt a surge of anger, almost wanting to snap it off.
“Show some manners yourself.”
“What?”
“What are you doing holding the writer’s wrist? Let go right now.”
Taeseok stood up from his chair and stepped forward. Summer was now trapped between Taeseok and Ji-hyeok. She was pondering whom to calm down first when Manager Hong entered the meeting room with a calm stride and widened his eyes in surprise.
“What’s this picture you three are making?”
He looked at Taeseok, Summer, and Ji-hyeok in turn, frowning deeply.
“Seo Taeseok. I came down to fetch you since you weren’t coming, and here you are causing trouble.”
“Trouble?”
Taeseok snapped back sharply, to which Manager Hong nonchalantly waved his hand.
“Yeah. If you haven’t already, you’re about to. I can tell from your eyes.”
Then he stepped in suddenly and stood next to Summer.
“Summer, explain the situation.”
From behind, Ji-hyeok murmured in surprise. ‘Wow. Is Min-woo hyung and Summer noona acquainted?’
“It’s nothing. I was just on my way out with Ji-hyeok.”
“Ah. I have plans with Summer noona.”
“Where do you think you’re going? You’re supposed to fix the script.”
Taeseok growled and approached again. Manager Hong, touching his forehead, said,
“Calm down. So, both of you need Choi Summer right now?”
Then he gave Summer a knowing wink.
“Both of you give up on Choi Summer. Actually, Summer has a prior engagement with me today. Right, Summer?”
Summer hesitantly nodded, as if caught off guard.
“Ah, right. I forgot.”
“You heard that, Seo Taeseok. I’ll call the junior to pick you up, so take that car. Ji-hyeok, make another appointment later.”
Manager Hong neatly settled the situation.
Holding a bottle of green liquor with dew on it, Manager Hong grinned.
“It’s a hastily arranged meeting, but cheers.”
Two transparent glasses were filled with clear liquor. He placed one of them in front of Summer and spoke again.
“We were supposed to have a drink together soon. Here we are, making it happen.”
“Is it okay to ignore Taeseok oppa like this?”
Summer took the glass, still wary.
“Of course. I was about to warn him anyway. Seo Taeseok.”
“What warning?”
“About him taking liberties with you. From what I heard, it was outrageous.”
The clink of the glasses echoed as they each took a sip. The alcohol’s trail was so vivid that Summer grimaced slightly.
“Yeah. He’s been a bit of a bother. Was he always so childish? I don’t remember him being like that.”
“He completely changed after you broke up.”
The mention of the past made Summer slightly uncomfortable.
She wasn’t used to being the bad person. Even if it was a fabricated misunderstanding, it wasn’t easy to maintain a brazen expression in front of someone who believed it as truth.
“It’s okay, Choi Summer. It’s all in the past.”
But Manager Hong spoke casually.
“If you keep trying to hide it, you won’t overcome it.”
He poured another round of drinks.
“Everyone has their own reasons. You must have had yours. I chose to believe that.”
The time had passed 7 PM.
As the sun began to set, the pub filled up with no empty seats left. The chatter drowned in the music, creating the typical bar noise. The owner turned up the volume, and the patrons raised their voices.
Manager Hong also raised his voice.
“Still, once the shooting starts, your long association with them will finally end.”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”