A slight breath, and bam! It’s December, where breath appears instantly.
The atmosphere of caroling is slowly spreading.
The shooting set of [Hydream] seems determined to overcome that cold.
The staff were sipping their mixed coffee, blowing on it.
“What is everyone doing for Christmas?”
“What can the staff even do then? If we’re unlucky, some may actually have to come to work.”
“Eh?!”
“Why are you so surprised? The airing date for Hydream is early January, so are we really taking off on Christmas?”
“The PD and the director probably decided to work on that day.”
A light-hearted chat before starting work, passing a few minutes with casual small talk.
Naturally, their conversation shifted to today’s filming.
“Is today Lee Jae-yi’s last shoot?”
“What’s this nonsense about ‘last shoot’? Aren’t you a part of the current generation? You should call it the final shoot.”
“Nowadays, even five-letter words are being shortened.”
“Goodness, what a world we live in.”
A glance around.
The staff looked around.
Though there were no reporters, there was a crowd filling the space taking their place.
“Did we break any school property?”
“Nope.”
“But why are there so many preview officials here?”
“Do you really not know? Oh, right. You were sick and missed out, huh?”
“Huh? Missed what?”
“Lee Jae-yi, no, I mean, Kim Donghu acting on the piano.”
“Yeah, I missed it.”
The senior staff slurped down the remaining mixed coffee and continued.
“All the people who saw it last time are here to catch a glimpse of Kim Donghu playing again.”
“Is he really that good?”
Is there an actor who plays the piano so well that even preview people show up?
The senior staff chuckled and shrugged.
“You’ll see.”
+++++
At the same time.
Edward Park, the principal of the arts school, had his eyes glued to the school gate.
“Principal, do you really think staring like that will make the actor come faster? He’ll bolt before he arrives.”
“Was my gaze that obvious?”
“Yeah, honestly it gives off a bit of a pervy raccoon vibe.”
“Pfft!”
At such a frank remark from the vice-principal, the piano majors behind him couldn’t help but spit out their coffee.
Ever since Edward Park witnessed Kim Donghu’s performance, he had been making a fuss about a promising student that must be recommended for admission.
As a result, quite a few teachers had gathered here.
Despite being a pervy raccoon of a principal.
His eye for talent was sharper than anyone else’s.
Such a glowing recommendation from this pervy raccoon, I mean, principal, naturally piqued curiosity.
“But is it really right to wait here two hours before filming starts?”
Nodding at the vice-principal’s question, Edward Park replied.
“Kim Donghu is incredibly diligent. Apparently, he usually arrives two hours early.”
“Wow, really? Is he that dedicated?”
“And let me tell you, it’s not something you guys can see, but he’s incredibly handsome.”
“I think he’s the most handsome person in the world.”
At that moment, everyone laughed at Edward Park’s antics.
A food cart just rolled in by the school gate.
A vehicle that wasn’t planned in advance.
The staff and crew, curious about what was happening, hurried over.
The food cart driver, realizing people were coming, quickly rolled down the window.
“We’ve got fish cake soup! It’s from Kim Donghu! Is this the Hydream filming location?”
It was a cold and chilly winter filming day.
The arrival of Kim Donghu’s fish cake cart.
“Just as I thought, Kim Donghu! I recognized your character from when you were in ‘Kya-rrkuk’!”
An unexpected praise for Kim Donghu began.
And then a black van pulled in behind it.
As everyone wondered who it was,
“Hello! I’m Kim Donghu, playing the role of Lee Jae-yi!”
Just like the first time he came.
The actor Kim Donghu, who always keeps his beginner’s spirit, appeared.
“Donghu! Donghu! Oh my gosh, you’re seriously so pretty!”
Kim Youngmo, the PD, ran over to greet him as if he had been waiting.
No one thought it was strange.
Because the fish cakes were incredibly warm.
+++++
Starting with Kim Donghu, the actors began arriving one by one at the filming location.
Members of Hydream, Jang Geonho, who played the principal Wang Ho, and Kim Yu-ryun, who played the director Maria, among others.
All the main and supporting actors of Hydream gathered in one place.
Today was the filming day for Hydream’s main stage, the Mirinae performance.
The bold stage start of Hydream, known as the underdog group.
Thanks to the schemes of principal Wang Ho and Lee Jae-yi, they got to start the performance first.
After the grand performance ended with Lee Jae-yi’s final act,
The audience continuously requested an encore from Hydream, eventually concluding with Hydream truly closing the show in style.
Because of this, Hydream members had to perform twice.
So they were diligently tuning their instruments.
“Did you all practice a lot?”
At the words of Jin Su-hyuk, who was the leader and played the role of Song Cheolsu, everyone nodded.
“It was really so hard.”
“I almost felt like I wasn’t an actor but a band member, you know?”
“This is the first time I’ve put in this much effort to immerse myself in a project.”
“Exactly!”
Everyone chimed in to express just how hard it had been for them.
They also recalled in their minds why they had worked so hard.
‘Kim Donghu.’
That day.
The day Kim Donghu became Lee Jae-yi and started tapping on the piano keys.
A note laced with disgust shocked everyone.
And at the same time, they realized.
That they had to overcome that.
“Is that seriously Lee Jae-yi?”
“So I practiced like crazy.”
“To protect ‘Hydream’, for even better performances.”
“Those feelings started to deepen from the rehearsals.”
“The more I performed, the more emotionally invested I became in the role of ‘Hydream’.”
“Why did I desperately want to win, and why is Lee Jae-yi the last one?”
“Whether they should show something in the first round or not, and so on.”
“A whirlwind of emotions.”
“By the time I came to my senses, cameras were watching us.”
“Action!!!!”
“The director’s signal announced the start of filming.”
“Tap, tap, tap, tap!”
“To the beat of the drumsticks announcing the beginning.”
“Boom, boom, boom.”
“The bass and guitar started moving.”
“The keyboard added sweetness on top.”
“And then came the vocals, aiming for perfection after months of practice.”
♪♩♪♩♬♩♪
“A song celebrating youth.”
“A song cheering that you shouldn’t lose your dreams, you can achieve anything.”
“Hydream! Unfold your dreams!”
“A small opera house not fitting for the band.”
“A song spreading toward dreams and hope.”
“It’s the theme of Hydream, the core of the drama presented at a high level.”
“You really practiced a lot.”
“Yeah, it’s really impressive.”
“PD Kim Youngmo and writer Lee Minha smiled warmly as they watched.”
“Maybe it was due to a huge stimulus because it was truly the best performance.”
“Cut!”
“When the director’s OK sign dropped, everyone clapped in unison.”
“So cool!”
“Whew! So handsome!”
“Hydream is the best!”
Amidst the applause of the staff, the actors from Hydream came down from the stage with proud smiles.
Afterwards, the stage continued with performances from external extras.
Finally, the curtain fell.
To regroup and run toward the end.
Suuuuck.
The curtain rises again.
For the umpteenth time.
But the weight felt different from other stages.
“What kind of band sings about youth?”
“What kind of free spirit are you?”
“You guys are just props to make my talent shine more.”
It seemed to say that.
In everyone’s view, a black grand piano appeared.
+++++
“I won’t keep up if I don’t work hard.”
Jang Geonho, who played the role of King Ho in Eunha High School, said, and Kim Yu-ryun chuckled softly.
“Right? He acts so well, and preparing for the band for the role too.”
Kim Yu-ryun, who played the role of Maria, also spoke in a tone of deep agreement.
Doing both at once wouldn’t be easy at all.
While continuing to praise the members of Hydream.
The black grand piano caught Jang Geonho’s eye, instantly transforming him into King Ho, and Kim Yu-ryun into Maria.
‘… Is it coming?’
‘I heard they changed the song after separate discussion.’
Originally, he was supposed to play the Moonlight Sonata on stage, just like during practice.
But I heard Kim Donghu suggested they do something new because he found it better.
However, this came with a condition: he wanted to do it without a rehearsal.
Normally, that would be ridiculous, but writer Lee Minha enthusiastically agreed.
Everyone thought skipping the rehearsal wouldn’t hurt, and so they all sat there, hearing Kim Donghu’s performance for the first time.
“Alright, let’s get started. Cue!!!”
As if waiting for the director’s sign, Kim Donghu, or rather Lee Jae-yi, appears from behind the stage.
Dressed in a neat suit meant for competitions, hair slicked back.
His overwhelmingly handsome looks even make him appear like a nobleman.
But there’s a deep disgust painted across that nobleman’s face.
As if just stepping onto this stage was shameful.
It seems he hates proving his talent.
The twisted nobleman approaches the grand piano.
Swish.
A brief bow to the audience before playing.
Everyone holds their breath, waiting for Jae-yi’s performance.
The first play spreads disgust everywhere, announcing his talent.
What could the second play possibly show?
At that moment, everyone in the filming location even forgot to swallow their saliva as they waited.
Dun dun dun, ding ding ding.
The sound of a bell rings out.
Not the kind you hear in carols.
No, it’s the bell heralding the end for the inferior.
With every movement of Jae-yi’s fingers, emotions seep out.
And now, there is no disgust.
Only disdain.
To no longer even be considered on the same level is a displeasure.
It’s 1838.
From the performance of the violinist who made a pact with the devil, a score is born.
Revered as a study in extreme technique,
the pinnacle of performance skill,
brilliant genius,
and the grave for the talentless.
“La Campanella…”
In the midst of someone’s admiration, Jae-yi asks,
Do you really think those things deserve a chance?
Do you believe the worthless should win?
Die.
Don’t even dream; just die.
He whispers to everyone.
Change the story,
Don’t waste time giving the inferior a chance,
Don’t imagine me losing,
A flower nourished by disgust blooms beautifully.
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