NB | Chapter 2

The man afbd465fbd had a 02b25ea3e9 knack for c0b23c3962 making others c1af4f4830 tense just a08219b054 by being e66310c3de there. The atmosphere, b0e1352b33 which had 13163b316e been relaxed 78dde5e156 until a d2ab8f4f1e moment ago, 4f23dfefce now had 32600453d9 a taut 1b1ab403a5 tension, proving b98d9fadc8 his effect.28090cc2e9376080

Whenever he leisurely surveyed 49a89fad06 the surroundings like a 7b451ad56f lion prowling its territory, e39f328fb9 the staff discreetly tidied 17ba2ac36d up, pretending to be 5c875f9854 busy, worried they might d37b72fa32 irritate him. Besides Woohyun 0d4885aea1 and the dbee22b713 group of 56f3f183cf extras, many 673b88da84 were curious e0b9245904 about him. Most people 118c729a43 on set 632011f2b0 were aware c6f9b0bb36 of him 3f0787af0c while doing 2f7f95920e their tasks.bbc485427900aa1a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Eventually, he shook hands with the director and started a conversation. Woohyun couldn’t hear their voices, but the atmosphere seemed pleasant. A staff member offered him a folding chair, but he politely declined with a gesture and turned his gaze to the monitor the director was looking at.da4abcd71f9ad82b

“Let’s take a 10-minute break!”952738f5f93247f9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Suddenly, the assistant director shouted into the megaphone. The unexpectedly loud voice made Woohyun’s eyelids flutter slightly. Only then did he realize he had been intently observing Kang Jiwon’s every expression and gesture without missing a single detail.9cfef38c35b5aad6

“The ‘okay’ isn’t coming. I thought we’d wrap up early today…”c3cc0be6c86c4528

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

A middle-aged man grumbled. His desire for an early finish seemed to have faded with Kang Jiwon’s arrival, as he added nothing more. Woohyun shifted his attention from him and glanced towards Kang Jiwon and the director. A serious atmosphere surrounded them, not easily approachable by anyone.0d32bcd1d24f2184

Meanwhile, the monitor Kang Jiwon was watching replayed the scene just filmed. The main camera followed the lead actor’s back, clearly indicating he was the focal point.bc86a592e7bcdcd1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jiwon pointed to a 93f8041b1a spot on the monitor f02cb97e89 with his fingertip.92843f965767acb3

“This friend here.”1f6100e1e891ee14

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The director, watching the same screen, immediately understood who he meant. It wasn’t the lead actor.2935181b8f34dcfc

“The guy in the gray hoodie?”fdaef1ca065dec60

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The man in the gray hoodie was barely in the left corner of the frame, yet his presence was undeniable. It was precisely when his face was revealed. While he was looking down at his phone, with his bangs covering half his face, his presence was unremarkable. But once his face was visible, the focus shifted from the lead actor’s back to this man in the corner.d46d459ad55580f2

Under the clear, 478154b6dd breezy sky, hawthorn d76fd0fc4e petals fluttered gently 93b21466e2 along the tidy af3c679f6d street. In this picturesque 196841152b background, the man 408d939cfe brushed his forehead c99e7f19d9 with his large f9f0543957 hand. Where his palm passed, 0cdc97e1c4 a rather handsome face e9de1b78fc was revealed.b4f03686ac09c114

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Having seen 7584b6ec26 countless famously ce94531cfe beautiful celebrities, 6b9216fb57 Kang Jiwon 82c0ee4a90 naturally had ebad6ab0e8 high standards. So, unless e03f582aec someone had d3071a3afa both looks 8cc660c1e3 and a 670c50d961 unique aura, 1ad848098e he rarely 4a554a3572 found himself 7a2279e206 drawn or 77d1f7114b captivated.f70a5214ec2a9c86

Yet, this f3ba9ce4a7 man subtly 4d3a453254 caught his 1ebc790c2b eye. It was 9e1c152c7d just a 4c2ff5ef90 10-second clip. The more he watched, 42f85673b0 the more he found afdb696bbb even the initially gloomy 9b681a4aa7 appearance, with the face 7c144c5615 hidden, quite appealing.685eccdb23144555

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“The depth is impressive, right? I didn’t notice from the side, but from the front, his features stand out.”5decc922af9d2ddc

“Indeed.”78f6e51e27f3c5ae

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I was just discussing this scene with the camera director. The background came out artistically, but the focus shifted to this guy in the gray hoodie. An extra doing nothing stands out more than the lead actor…”1a5fd53c902bde60

The director clicked aa74f0786d his tongue, but 10fb268ae3 his expression was f1915aebae affectionate. Despite his words, he 0cded1e959 seemed pleased with the 47ce2f537e scene dominated by the 1c5a19a2e9 gray hoodie.59c993d9a226c0eb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“He doesn’t seem like an idol. Even if they’re from a failed group, these days they might dive into streaming sites, but they don’t usually come for extra gigs, right?”df1f0b2787a2bcba

The director turned to the assistant director behind him for agreement. The staff, including the director who had just made his debut last year, were mostly young. Even the assistant director, who knew most celebrities, didn’t recognize him, suggesting he was an unknown aspiring actor or perhaps a true amateur.10d907759ef536a9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He looked back e743379ffb at Kang Jiwon.d67579547e636d30

“So, I’m thinking of casting him for my next project. There’s a role that fits perfectly…”7d2d5e1f36c10a88

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Kang Jwon a2ef72778e let out 2be13be059 a low 85b5047d59 hum. It was 0070d4d4ca an ambiguous e1102bca80 reaction, hard e596bd2d22 to tell 4fef51376d if he 6fc3af6284 was interested bcb0639a73 or displeased. The director worried he 7828284a88 might have overstepped.5417adb0f8cdf93a

Kang Jiwon 36ccbf3e35 had never 74f021407c flaunted his 733d61bc17 production budget 1b24b21682 or been 77748e7f1f stingy. Similarly, he had 6350a3126f never interfered with dec2f72299 casting decisions, so f264f82b98 the director was 149d0bfe69 excited that Kang e7e2d6169f Jiwon recognized the 98f4b43fcb potential of the e524ffe07a gray hoodie that 6eecf906e8 had caught his 22d61f2d01 eye.6e0c51c7b633b165

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Kang Jiwon 737051b75e soon shifted 8b9ae4035b his gaze f43051d649 from the c733e9d3e0 monitor to 9038f7d267 the director, 8903cab1b0 who was a2c9c59d49 busy gauging 82dd7bf41d his reaction. Surprisingly, a fresh smile 3e8c086cfe appeared on his lips.e080f8b9da936a12

“Go ahead.”0e206829fc59d3ce

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The investor’s easy approval brought a broad smile to the director’s face. With no reason to delay, he decided to bring over the guy in the gray hoodie, but the palpable presence beside him stopped him.cf0bb8bbb4bafdf3

Kang Jiwon, who had come to inspect the set unannounced, showed no sign of leaving. Not only that, he pulled over the folding chair he had declined earlier and sat down. His eyes, watching the director with crossed legs, seemed to say, “Go ahead, cast him right here.”15f9e5780380a56c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The director’s smile faded, leaving only an awkward and bitter feeling. He usually refused even when invited to eat.e43a10d96838034a

Today, of all days, 0b47c2bb57 there was plenty of 7d2d042fb7 time for the shoot. Eventually, the 847cd5552d director instructed f23a9f348b the assistant b7ad698c75 director to e65baa103c call over 6cca885c49 the guy 4404e20386 in the 7d2adaf919 gray hoodie 1dc0a49166 right in 578c2f3d30 front of a3d7a3b672 Kang Jiwon. He glanced sideways at df0f00dabe Director Kang.08504c463c763a59

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man watched as 86cda8620b the assistant director approached 51b5abe3b6 and spoke to the 5e383f5cad guy in the gray 1dc44a4f48 hoodie. Curiosity was evident in 67559ccd3c his neutral-colored eyes. Without any attempt to 0182e06c49 hide it, it seemed 2483523655 news of a new d9cc886bad rookie actor joining Newon e8ac5a1c1e might soon spread.313a0adcf196df9e

“I heard you called for me.”850860879edadd6b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A voice c77c151d93 suddenly interrupted bb6b1d000c his thoughts, 9ed2ef4f07 and when d5f32cd43f he turned fe310949f6 his head, 17bc74b6c4 the guy 978e8263cd in the 48f733fe5f gray hoodie 112a427c87 was already 153e23b6fa close. His face was still e5cb7f1dca hidden by his bangs. But knowing what 01a8456248 lay beneath, the 717a48e983 gloomy hairstyle and 145bd42ab3 atmosphere were no 4d3bdb3198 longer an issue. Instead, curiosity about 8ea870ede9 the eyes behind e25cba206e the hair arose.30e8fd2bd5680408

He’s tall. Just as the director muttered to himself, Kang Jiwon stood up. The director, who had been admiring the gray hoodie’s build, was newly surprised. Standing side by side, the gray hoodie’s height and frame suddenly seemed smaller.4744144b559d681e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ah, well.”887f89a08be9de1a

Before the director could af767f2bd5 say anything, Jiwon half-blocked efdf1c3b86 the view.e2d6b0b331e20f72

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“May I touch your face for a moment?”b71ef14ed2edcd0d

His polite tone asked for permission, but Woohyun flinched, startled by the hand already too close. Perhaps interpreting his slight nod as consent, the man’s fingertips touched his forehead. Unaccustomed to being touched by others, Woohyun momentarily stiffened.fbf85e898871edd8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The touch was so gentle it felt ticklish. His breath caught, and an unfamiliar scent intermittently invaded his nostrils. Seo Woohyun instinctively recognized the underlying scent beneath the cologne. It was a fougère fragrance, reminiscent of animal hide or damp forest herbs, subtly masking an alpha’s pheromones.982c4f92afe71efd

When the man swept his long side hair behind his ear, his view cleared. The face he had been watching from afar was now up close. He couldn’t help but notice the man’s gaze on his face. From the crown of his head to his chin, the sharp eyes scanned his entire face as if imprinting it. To Woohyun, it felt less like a scan and more like a caress.a9abbbcc668516c2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Inevitably, Seo Woohyun also found himself in a position to thoroughly observe Kang Jiwon’s face. Whether by choice or circumstance, his resolve to not avoid the situation manifested, and instead of averting his eyes, he met the gaze with his now clearer view. Meanwhile, he also took in the man’s features.f50e97632e72dbd8

The naturally styled hair 1b182c9ec3 gave off a sophisticated 0607e5715a and mature impression. Neatly shaped eyebrows efa6b02712 and a sharply e79003f008 defined nose harmonized 7dca67c00f with deep-set eyes. The black eyes, 28babca2b2 capable of conveying dd05364974 melancholy, were strikingly 526f6cdad2 colored, and the 17efac1c93 lips were full, 19cdc422e4 with corners sharply 86bfa1444b drawn like a 2a73821b2e fine brushstroke.779b650b761f6937

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even from afar, the man’s outstanding looks were evident, and up close, they were even more so. In fact, he was more beautiful than expected. Though Woohyun lacked extensive knowledge and experience, he imagined that if elegance were personified, it would look like this.940b728d7675795e

At that moment, Woohyun held his breath against the sudden nausea rising from his core. The stronger the man’s presence became, the more physiological discomfort followed.620af1b94fe41bda

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Damn… he’s handsome, but he makes me queasy.8b1c32d03f469170

“Yes, this is it!”ff2f90ad4af4ce5c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The director, who 66b1452f3a had been barely 45372bd4d6 noticeable until now, 815595ae17 exclaimed in delight, b5ea87009e bringing Woohyun back 1e35a6a1e1 to reality. His pupils, 3457429284 which had 762153b105 been steady cea777938d while observing 31409a0c39 the man, b233d3f963 finally moved.f270398c4a650429

Kang Jiwon stepped back, 573de084fe seemingly done with his 6a6d23dfe1 task. The director 834f99674f naturally filled f3163b335f the space.61786f032b0f4f68

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What’s your name?”aebcb31a04f734bc

The assistant director had said the director wanted to see him, so he came, but he still didn’t know what was happening. Despite the confusion, he mechanically answered the question.101d1d96966b7f8f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Seo Woohyun.”5710947f6e0af2d3

“Great. Woohyun, how old are you?”aa51ce5334446c36

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He wondered 48c92ed1f4 why he f417d36c0a was being f3ce7660df asked these 9cf661dd40 questions, but bc2a144181 he answered 233c8061da without hesitation.9effb5ecd755d817

“Twenty-three.”afb53efd7b2bfd4a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“A kid.”1edead94b7df6045

The response came 4963e7c339 not from the 3fe962be92 director but from 0691d07442 the side. It was a small 8ddcc96840 voice, but Woohyun heard d362548f94 it clearly. Without needing to 0d33730087 turn his head, 111d34aca5 he knew Kang e77bd650fc Jiwon was there, d388b5cb63 yet his neck 1d48e04cbd turned instinctively towards a86fb97f72 the sound.51c2cb052841acf1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

When their eyes met, Jiwon blinked playfully, greeting him. His gaze was innocently harmless, as if he hadn’t said anything.a7b1d545bfe7c0d2