Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Proposal

Monday morning, the doorbell rang.

When Geonwoo opened the door, Hyunsoo stood outside holding a small cake box in one hand and a drink carrier with two coffees in the other.

"Take these first."

Geonwoo accepted the coffees.

Hyunsoo immediately entered.

"Why did you bring cake this early?"

"We have something to celebrate."

He placed the cake on Geonwoo's desk.

Geonwoo moved his laptop aside.

Hyunsoo opened the box and placed a candle shaped like the number three in the middle.

"Third place at the weekend box office."

"You bought cake just for that?"

"That too."

Hyunsoo grinned.

"And I have something else to show you."

He opened a theater reservation page on his phone.

Geonwoo immediately recognized the theater.

They had often gone there to watch movies after classes.

In the middle of its screening schedule was Before the Light Reaches.

"They started showing it here today."

Geonwoo's eyes widened.

"Seriously? The theater in front of our school?"

"Yeah. One daytime screening and two evening screenings."

Hyunsoo scrolled down.

The middle seats for the evening screening were already filling.

"We watched movies here all the time."

"We did."

"And now our movie is playing here."

Even after saying it, Hyunsoo checked the schedule again.

He looked even more excited now than when they'd waited for the weekend ranking the previous night.

Then Geonwoo's phone received another message.

[Director, here's the list of branches receiving additional screenings starting today.]

[After the weekend performance, several theaters contacted us first.]

A long list of theater names and showtimes followed Yoon Jihye's message.

Hyunsoo moved beside Geonwoo and looked at the screen.

"This one increased too."

"This theater is new."

"Yeah."

"Wow. We started with twenty-four."

"We've grown a lot."

Hyunsoo suddenly asked,

"I really was the assistant director on this movie, right?"

Geonwoo laughed.

"Why?"

"It still doesn't feel real."

Geonwoo slowly scrolled through the list.

At first, audience members who wanted to watch the film had needed to travel to other regions.

Now even theaters that had rejected them were contacting Bridge Pictures first.

Hyunsoo picked up the cake knife.

"This is enough reason to eat cake in the morning, right?"

"You didn't just want cake?"

"That too."

He grinned and was about to cut it when a notification appeared in the production team's group chat.

[Kang Taejun: HUGE NEWS!!!]

[Kang Taejun: I got invited to audition for a commercial movie.]

[Kang Taejun: The director watched Before the Light Reaches and specifically told them to call me in.]

Hyunsoo immediately put down the cake knife and picked up his phone.

[Jung Hyunsoo: Really? What movie?]

[Kang Taejun: Haven't heard the title yet. It's for a major role.]

[Kang Taejun: If the director personally asked them to call me, that means I have a pretty good chance, right?]

Han Yura soon replied.

[Han Yura: They're asking you to audition.]

[Kang Taejun: Yura, could you just congratulate me today?]

[Han Yura: Congratulations. Go do well.]

[Kang Taejun: There isn't an ounce of emotion in that...]

Geonwoo laughed as he read.

Then Yura sent another message.

[Han Yura: Actually, I got contacted too.]

[Kang Taejun: You too?]

[Jung Hyunsoo: By who?]

[Han Yura: A drama production company.]

[Han Yura: They watched the film and asked for a meeting.]

Taejun immediately sent several messages.

[Kang Taejun: Why are you only saying this now?]

[Kang Taejun: When did they call?]

[Han Yura: A few days ago.]

[Kang Taejun: THAT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD US IMMEDIATELY!!!]

A little later, Yura replied.

[Han Yura: Nothing is confirmed.]

[Han Yura: I was going to say something if the meeting went well.]

[Kang Taejun: I'm hurt... I told everyone immediately.]

Hyunsoo burst out laughing.

"Taejun hyung is already talking like he got cast."

"That's just how he is."

Geonwoo sent his own message.

[Congratulations to both of you.]

[Go to your meetings and tell us what happens.]

[I hope things work out.]

[Kang Taejun: Yes, Director! If I get it, dinner is on me.]

[Han Yura: Get it first.]

[Kang Taejun: YOU worry about yourselfㅡㅡ]

Hyunsoo watched their argument continue, then placed a slice of cake in front of Geonwoo.

"It's strange."

"What?"

"They both got contacted."

He smiled.

"Our movie really is doing well."

"They're both good actors."

"True."

"But it's still great that people watched the film and went looking for them first."

"Yeah. I hope both get good opportunities."

Geonwoo's phone rang again.

This time it wasn't the group chat.

He checked the saved name and put down his fork.

[TGV Content Business Division - Kim Seongho]

Hyunsoo saw the name too and stopped talking.

Geonwoo answered.

"Yes, this is Baek Geonwoo."

"Director Baek. I saw the weekend numbers. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"I'm calling about the next project we discussed."

Kim Seongho continued.

"You said you'd contact me after organizing the script."

"That's right."

"TS ENM's Investment and Production Division is also curious about your progress."

"When you're ready, please tell me. I'll arrange a meeting with the person in charge."

Geonwoo smiled faintly.

"Thank you for waiting."

"I've been busy lately, so I haven't finished organizing the screenplay yet."

"I'll contact you as soon as I'm done."

"Understood. We'll wait for the good news."

After the call, Hyunsoo asked,

"Was that about your next movie?"

"Yeah."

"They seem very interested."

"They do."

"Didn't you say you already wrote two scripts?"

"That's right."

"Strike while the iron's hot. Our movie is doing well, so you should start preparing the next one too."

Geonwoo smiled.

"I've already been thinking about what to do."

He continued.

"I decided which of the two I want to make next."

Hyunsoo immediately put down his fork.

"Seriously? Can I read it?"

Hyunsoo had a surprisingly good eye for scripts.

Geonwoo was curious how he would react.

"Wait."

He pulled the laptop back toward himself.

Inside the next-project folder were two screenplay files.

Both were works Geonwoo had rewritten in this life from scripts he'd created in his previous one.

Director's Sense had rated them at 97 and 98 points.

Geonwoo opened the 98-point screenplay.

The title appeared.

[The Night the King Died]

Hyunsoo read it aloud.

"The Night the King Died...?"

"Yeah."

"The title is intense. I'm already curious."

"Want to read it now?"

"Yes!"

It was a work that Moon Taeseok had stolen from him in his previous life.

Geonwoo turned the laptop toward Hyunsoo.

Hyunsoo leaned close to the screen.

At first, his finger scrolled quickly.

After several pages, it slowed.

Geonwoo drank the rest of his coffee while waiting.

A little later, Hyunsoo whispered,

"Wow."

His eyes remained on the screen.

"Why?"

"No, this is already incredibly fun from the beginning."

Without waiting for an answer, he kept reading.

One page.

Another.

"Hyung."

"Yeah?"

"Don't talk to me for a second."

"You called me."

"That was an exclamation."

Hyunsoo waved him away and returned to the script.

Several more minutes passed.

His posture gradually changed.

At first, he had been leaning back.

Now his upper body was bent toward the laptop.

Geonwoo silently watched.

Hyunsoo stopped scrolling and opened his mouth.

"This is insane."

He pointed at the screen.

"I'm only reading the script, but I can see every scene in my head."

"It feels like I can even see the actors' expressions."

Hyunsoo continued reading.

For a while, he said nothing.

Finally, he looked up.

"Hyung, this is seriously good."

"Really?"

"Even as a script, it's this entertaining. I think it'll be even better as a movie."

He smiled brightly.

"I already want to watch it in a theater."

That same afternoon.

Moon Taeseok sat in a TS ENM Investment and Production Division meeting room.

The head of the production company preparing his next project sat beside him.

Across from them sat the Investment and Production Division team leader and two working-level employees.

Moon Taeseok's screenplay and a script evaluation report lay on the table.

The team leader spoke first.

"I'll give you the conclusion first."

"We can't proceed with investment based on the current screenplay."

Moon Taeseok looked directly at him.

"Is the production budget the problem?"

"No."

"The screenplay evaluation didn't meet our internal standards."

The team leader pushed the report across the table.

Moon Taeseok opened the first page.

The opening incident attracts attention, but the protagonist's goal appears too late.

Similar conflicts repeat throughout the middle.

Too many scenes explain the situation through dialogue instead of character action.

The ending is too predictable.

The report was written politely.

But its meaning was clear.

The script wasn't entertaining.

Moon Taeseok placed it down.

"We can revise it."

"Most reviewers believe partial revisions won't be enough."

"Is that the opinion of only one or two people?"

"We conducted both an internal screenplay evaluation and production review."

Moon Taeseok's lips tightened.

"And they all reached the same conclusion?"

"The details differed, but the conclusion that investment would be difficult was the same."

The production company representative beside Moon Taeseok carefully interrupted.

"Director, let's hear everything first."

The team leader chose his next words.

"We're still interested in a project directed by you."

"Your name will also attract public attention."

"However, it's difficult for us to proceed under the condition that we use the current screenplay."

"Then what condition would make it possible?"

"If you bring in an outside writer and redevelop the project from the beginning, we can reconsider."

The meeting room became silent.

Moon Taeseok slowly asked,

"You want someone else to rewrite the script I wrote?"

"You would retain the core idea and directing direction."

"The screenplay would be developed together with a professional writer."

"So you're saying my current script isn't good enough."

The team leader didn't deny it.

"Not in its current form."

After leaving the meeting room, the production company representative followed Moon Taeseok into the elevator.

Once the doors closed, he spoke first.

"Director, let's bring in a writer."

"You think they're right too?"

"This isn't about who's right or wrong."

He lowered his voice.

"They said they won't invest in the current script."

"TS ENM isn't the only investor in Korea."

"Even if we meet other investors, they'll raise the screenplay issue again."

Moon Taeseok didn't answer.

The representative continued.

"You said you wanted to make a proper comeback."

"You've already put a lot into developing this film."

"TS ENM says they'll immediately reconsider if the screenplay is fixed."

He looked at Moon Taeseok.

"If you're coming back, you should work on a large scale with the company that has the strongest capital in Korea."

"We'll gather a list of writers experienced in film."

Moon Taeseok thought for a moment.

Eventually he spoke.

"Don't attach just anyone."

"Of course. We'll find someone compatible with you."

The elevator opened.

They walked toward the underground parking garage.

The representative checked his phone.

"I'll have them organize a shortlist today."

At that moment, one person came to Moon Taeseok's mind.

Someone who had arrived in Busan with a film completely different from the student screenplay Moon Taeseok remembered.

Someone who had stopped filming and rewritten a first draft in four days.

Someone whose debut feature had already drawn more than 510,000 viewers.

Moon Taeseok spoke.

"No shortlist."

The representative turned.

"What?"

"I already have someone in mind."

"Who?"

"Baek Geonwoo."

The representative stopped.

"Baek Geonwoo... the director of Before the Light Reaches?"

"He used to be my student."

Moon Taeseok smiled slightly.

"He was always a good writer."

"Director Baek must be receiving many offers for his next project right now."

"I'll talk to him myself."

By evening, the sky outside Geonwoo's small apartment had gone dark.

Hyunsoo had already left for afternoon class.

Geonwoo sat alone at his desk.

The production proposal for The Night the King Died was open on his laptop.

Then his phone rang.

His hand stopped when he saw the name.

[Professor Moon Taeseok]

Geonwoo watched the phone ring several more times before answering.

"Yes, Professor."

"I heard your movie is doing well. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"Passing five hundred thousand with your first movie must feel good."

"Yes. Everyone's happy."

Moon Taeseok laughed quietly.

"Your writing improved a lot since you were a student."

Geonwoo didn't answer.

"I'm preparing my next film too."

"I see."

"I wrote the screenplay, but I've been holding onto it for so long that I think I need another pair of eyes."

Moon Taeseok continued.

"So I have a proposal for you."

"It's something that could help your future career too, so I'd like you to consider it positively."

Geonwoo looked toward the laptop.

The Night the King Died.

Screenplay: Baek Geonwoo.

Director: Baek Geonwoo.

"Are you asking me to review your script?"

"No."

Moon Taeseok paused.

"If necessary, you can rewrite it completely from the beginning."

His voice continued through the phone.

"Would you like to write the screenplay for my next movie?"