Chapter 2

47. December

The filming of Melody had been proceeding smoothly without any issues. Fortunately, most of the scenes were set-based. While the summer had been scorching hot, it seemed the winter would be just as cold. Even though there was still plenty of time before the end of the year, the wind was already cold and biting.

Tae-ju was quite immersed in sentimentality as the filming was nearing its end. He was already feeling the sense of loss and regret that comes with the completion of a film or drama, even before the final scene was shot.

After Director Lee Jae-young collapsed, Kim Yun-seon and Tae-ju poured their hearts into the filming. They delivered flawless performances, scene by scene, like artisans meticulously crafting pottery. People around them, who watched them tire out as if they had just run a marathon after each shooting, even tried to stop them.

"Like a car with broken brakes, the two of them threw themselves into it, and Director Lee Jae-young, unable to bear it, had to stop them."

Now, the overall filming schedule for Melody was almost complete. Tae-ju had already shot several emotionally intense scenes, such as convincing the fallen maestro and performing outside the hospital room for the maestro. The most challenging scene, the orchestra collaboration, had also been filmed. In his previous life, the film mostly featured solo performances, so he didn't realize how difficult it was to film an orchestra collaboration.

Without the help of a violin teacher who had performed with famous orchestras overseas for several years, they might not have been able to complete the filming. At that time, Tae-ju received a lot of help from the violin teacher.

The remaining scenes were mostly Kim Yun-seon's. Tae-ju had only one more scene left to shoot.

"I'm worried about how much weight Senior Kim Yun-seon has lost."

Kim Yun-seon, who played a sick character, continued to lose weight throughout the filming. Since the filming followed the passage of time, she had to keep losing weight throughout the process. Although she consulted with a trainer to avoid overexerting her body, Tae-ju sometimes saw her struggling with fatigue. After noticing this a few times, Tae-ju secretly gave her a juice mixed with a recovery potion.

Director Lee Jae-young was the same. Despite Tae-ju playing guitar pieces imbued with the Fragment of the Sun, making herbal tea, and other efforts, his stamina visibly declined as the filming progressed. So, Tae-ju also gave him a juice mixed with a recovery potion.

Throughout the filming, the two of them frequently drank the beverages Tae-ju provided. He secretly added recovery potions to their drinks, whether they were juice or tea. Sensing the effects, they sometimes took the initiative to seek out Tae-ju's beverages.

Moreover, the guitar's effects were continuous, and Tae-ju played at regular intervals. As a result, the sound of the guitar filled the set every day, even though the film was about a violin. Everyone enjoyed it so much that they would gather around Tae-ju as lunchtime approached.

"I need to make sure to prepare some herbal tea before the filming ends."

The herbs in the garden were much more effective than those in the real world. The herbal tea Tae-ju blended himself could alleviate mild headaches, insomnia, and fatigue without the need for medication.

Because of this, many people sought out Tae-ju's herbal tea, especially female staff members. Occasionally, someone would even express a desire to buy the herbal tea he brought.

Of course, he didn't sell the herbal tea. He occasionally brought large glass bottles from the garden and shared small amounts with those who needed it. When high-quality herbs were cultivated, he would gift them to grateful people like Director Lee Jae-young or Team Leader Wu.

*

"Meow."

As soon as he entered the house, Taesan let out a sharp cry. He seemed upset because Tae-woo had said he would be home all afternoon, but Tae-ju had left him behind.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm sorry for leaving you. Big brother will take you for a walk later."

Upon hearing the word "walk," Taesan's sharp cry subsided. He quickly circled around Tae-ju, who found him adorable. Although Taesan sometimes caused trouble with his honest displays of annoyance and happiness, he had become an indispensable part of the family.

Most of Melody's filming took place in the outskirts of Seoul. On weekends with filming or when Yeon-woo had a day off, Tae-ju would leave Taesan at home. However, on days like today when he had to leave Taesan at home, Tae-ju felt quite nostalgic.

Taesan's affection and physical contact during the wait for filming provided a great source of strength. Just seeing him made Tae-ju's tense nerves relax. Yeon-woo and Min-a also felt the same way, often looking disappointed when Tae-ju mentioned leaving Taesan at home.

Occasionally, a staff member assigned to another actor would send a message saying they missed Taesan. Tae-ju would then send them a picture of Taesan.

"Cute guy. But aren't you getting a bit chubby lately? Huh?"

"Meow."

"No, you've really gotten heavier lately."

Tae-woo and Yeon-woo were extremely indulgent with Taesan. Even though they were also quite lenient, they never refused Taesan when he asked for something.

They made all sorts of snacks for Taesan every day. Recently, they were even building a large cat tower, connecting shelves and stairs above the living room sofa with tunnels on the floor.

Taesan, with his strong front paws, often broke the cat tower. Despite not being a cat, he loved it so much that he would cry all day until it was fixed. Seeing this, Tae-woo ordered wood and decided to build it himself, making it sturdy and heavy so that it wouldn't break easily under Taesan's paws.

"Taesan has so many snacks, no wonder he's gaining weight. What kind of snacks do you have so many of?"

While trying to take a bottle of water from the fridge, Tae-ju grumbled upon seeing a shelf full of Taesan's snacks. Another shelf was filled with raw meat, all prepared for Taesan.

Shaking his head, Tae-ju thought about how Taesan was treated like royalty every day and briefly considered switching all the meat to feed. However, he knew Taesan's temper would be unbearable if he did, so he only imagined it.

After putting a leash on Taesan and getting ready to go out, Tae-woo, who had been quietly studying in his room, came down the stairs noisily.

"Brother, it's snowing!"

"Snow?"

"Yeah, it's the first snow."

Tae-ju looked out the window and saw large snowflakes falling from the dark sky. The sky was overcast, and the snowflakes were thick, suggesting it would continue for a while.

"Looks like we can't go for a walk."

"Meow."

"Ha. Taesan is pouting. He really understands everything we say."

Taesan lay down in front of the door, looking at it, as if protesting. He seemed upset that he had put on a leash but couldn't go for a walk. Seeing this, Tae-woo brought Taesan's raincoat.

With Taesan in a raincoat, Tae-ju and Tae-woo, holding umbrellas, went out for a walk and to pick up Yeon-woo. They planned to buy snacks and magazines while waiting for her to return.

*

The entrance to the subway station was crowded with people waiting for buses. Since the entrance was attached to a bus stop, it was busy and chaotic. Tae-ju, worried that Taesan might be stepped on, carried him to a convenience store near the station.

Without a weather forecast, not many people had umbrellas. Inside the convenience store, people were lining up to buy umbrellas. Tae-ju pushed through the crowd, picked out snacks, drinks, and magazines.

"Should we buy a cake from the bakery?"

"Cake?"

"Yeah, to celebrate the first snow."

They bought a cake from the bakery next to the convenience store and looked at the puppies in the pet shop while waiting for Yeon-woo. During the wait, they chatted about various topics, such as the upcoming final exams and plans to go on a trip somewhere at the end of the year.

"Yeon-woo!"

"Huh?"

As Yeon-woo emerged from the crowd, Tae-woo called out to her. She had been about to walk past, but she stopped when she heard her name called from the side of the road.

"Brother and Taesan are here."

"Here, take this."

Tae-woo handed the umbrella he had been holding to Yeon-woo. The snow was still falling heavily, despite being the first snow.

"Use it quickly. You're all wet."

Worried that Yeon-woo was holding the umbrella without opening it, Tae-woo used his own umbrella to shield her. However, Yeon-woo still held the umbrella without opening it.

"What's wrong?"

"Sniff. No, thank you."

There was a hint of tears in Yeon-woo's voice. Tae-ju and Tae-woo didn't know why, but they comforted her and returned home together.

The short walk was accompanied by Taesan's whining, but the roads were too wet to continue walking.

"Let's have a first snow party."

"Let's take a few pictures before we eat."

Chicken, cake, and fruit salad. A small party was held at Tae-ju's house. Yeon-woo, who had been crying earlier, was now smiling happily. Tae-woo also enjoyed the party, forgetting about his final exam studies.

Although it wasn't Christmas or New Year's, the three of them and a white tiger had a joyful party.

*

Tae-ju visited the office for the first time in a while. Unlike usual, he drove himself today, using an SUV he had obtained through Gyeon-woo.

The car, bought by actor Han Jeong-min for leisure, was almost new since it had never been used. The spacious interior was perfect for Tae-ju, who often carried a lot of luggage.

"It's quite chaotic because it's the end of the year."

"Yes, there are many invitations for various events, not just award ceremonies."

"Many invitations have also been sent to actor Lee Tae-ju. I've declined them for now since there's no need to attend such events yet. If you want to attend Christmas parties or New Year's parties, let me know."

"No, that's fine."

The end of the year is a busy season for entertainment agencies. Even though they joke about working 24 hours a day, the end of the year is even busier.

Seeing people frantically working on the phones, Tae-ju decided to leave the gifts he had brought and return.

"The street performance and independent film festival reviews are good. There's also an invitation to attend the award ceremony. You should attend this one."

"Yes, it's next week, right?"

"Yes."

The street performance, directed by Jeong Han-seon, was invited to several independent film festivals, including Busan and a small, unknown festival in a rural area.

Among these, it made it to the main competition at an independent film festival in Seoul.

Team Leader Wu and the manager expected to win at least an excellence award or a jury selection award. They also believed Tae-ju would win the star award. Tae-ju felt embarrassed hearing this, but they were confident he would win.

"If you win, we'll release a news article. There will probably be interviews, but since it's the end of the year, there will be many written interviews."

"Yes, do I have any other schedules?"

"No, I'll let you know if there are any new updates."

Team Leader Wu seemed very busy. Even with Taesan looking up at him, he continued working. Normally, he would give Taesan a toy and play with him for a while.

"Meow."

"Ah."

After watching Team Leader Wu flinch, Tae-ju took Taesan and left. He felt bad for causing more trouble. He noticed Gyeon-woo's shoulders shaking, probably aware that Team Leader Wu was holding back.

"There are no other schedules until mid-January. I didn't expect the Melody filming to wrap up almost a month early."

"But Senior Kim Yun-seon still has scenes to shoot."

"Still, the overall schedule is wrapping up quickly."

The two lead actors had been filming like a runaway train. There were almost no NGs in scenes with Kim Yun-seon and Tae-ju, and the director rarely asked for retakes. The filming period was shortened by almost a month, largely due to their efforts.

"Then, let's practice the exorcist role."

"Ha ha ha."

The exorcist filming, originally scheduled for mid-January, was slightly delayed. It was pushed back by about ten days to late January. As a result, Tae-ju had over a month free.

With only the independent film festival award ceremony and a healing interview on the schedule, he planned to take a break, practice for his next role, and enjoy his time.

He had thought the submission of the street performance to the independent film festival was a stretch. Despite the filming finishing earlier than expected, he had thought it wouldn't meet the deadline in early September.

However, contrary to Tae-ju's expectations, it was submitted on time and made it to the main competition. The reviews were also good, so there was a chance of winning.

"The street performance's unexpected success makes me feel good. Ha ha."

"It's a natural result."

"Come on, Manager, you're always saying such nice things."

"Ha ha. Rather, do you have any plans for your vacation?"

"I'll go on a trip and rest. I'll also practice."

This year had been busy. He had done unexpected interviews, variety shows, and OSTs, a year very different from his previous life. It was busy but enjoyable.

He planned to use the vacation period to recharge. He would go on a trip with Tae-woo, who would be a senior in high school next year, and enjoy watching movies and plays.

Of course, he would also focus on garden maintenance. Adding a few decorations would make the garden level 3. At level 3, more activities would be available. He could open a café, expand the cabin, and even register Zephir as an official pet.

And the most important fact: at level 3, he could modify part of the garden's terrain. Although it would require a lot of DP, he could change part of the garden into a river or a mountain.

'A river flowing through one side of the garden.'

Looking at photos of famous gardens overseas, many had walking paths along rivers. He had always envied them, but at level 3, he could make such changes.

Although Tae-ju's garden wasn't as large as those in the photos, it was bigger than most farms. Creating a river on one side would still leave plenty of space.

'If I don't open the box, I can make the changes. Let's try.'

Tae-ju hadn't opened the tab with the red box for months. Recently, he had been tempted to open it again. However, he was holding back, thinking about the garden level 3.

It was hard to tell if the box was lucky or unlucky. Out of ten, one might be very good, but the rest would be duds.

"If there was a way to improve my luck, opening the box would be worth it."

Tae-ju, who couldn't forget the thrill of opening the box.