"Why is Director Shin Dongchun, the square-jawed Director, suddenly tearing up?"
Kang Woojin sat by the café window, looking perfectly calm on the outside.
Inside, however, he was a little flustered as he stared at Director Shin Dongchun across from him.
'Did I say something wrong? I wasn't even trying to act tough just now.'
'Is this man always this emotionally fragile?'
Things were getting awkward.
If the person you were talking to suddenly looked like they were about to cry, anyone would feel uncomfortable.
Especially if that person looked like a man in his late forties.
'If he actually starts crying, what am I supposed to do?'
'Do I keep acting composed?'
'More importantly, why is he acting like this in the first place?'
Even while maintaining his strong front, Kang Woojin fell into serious thought.
Meanwhile, Director Shin Dongchun spoke.
"It's because of affection. Really… thank you, Woojin. Sincerely."
The atmosphere suddenly grew even more emotional.
It felt like a touching scene from a film.
The corners of the Director's eyes were already wet, as if tears might spill at any moment.
When did things turn into this kind of situation?
After arriving at the café, Woojin mentally reviewed everything he had said.
But he couldn't think of anything that would have hurt the man.
In reality, the words affection and obsession had struck Director Shin Dongchun deeply.
Woojin, of course, had no idea.
He also knew nothing about the Director's current life.
'This is getting worse. Should I just stop talking?'
More than anything, Woojin wasn't actually that passionate about The Private Investigator.
The word obsession had simply seemed like the most fitting expression at the time.
The context itself was simple.
Recently, aside from Profiler Hanryang, the only thing that had caught his attention was The Private Investigator.
So he thought describing it as attachment sounded appropriate.
It might have sounded a bit exaggerated, but even while putting on a strong face, he still needed to show respect to the other person.
That attachment had been closer to posturing than genuine sincerity.
Still—
It wasn't exactly a lie.
Woojin did have some genuine interest in The Private Investigator.
Even if he framed that interest as attachment, the other person shouldn't have minded.
So why were there tears in his eyes?
Soon, Woojin lightly cleared his throat and spoke.
"What's with you?"
At that, Director Shin Dongchun wiped the corners of his eyes.
Then he forced himself to calm down.
An actor connected to his work was sitting right in front of him.
It wouldn't be proper to keep behaving emotionally.
"…Kang Woojin."
Director Shin Dongchun spoke again, his voice trembling slightly.
"May I ask what part of The Private Investigator you liked the most?"
What part did he like the most?
Woojin felt mildly annoyed, but calming Director Shin Dongchun came first.
Several people in the café had already begun glancing in their direction.
'I still don't know why he's acting like that.'
'I should just praise the work. Yeah, let's compliment him.'
So Woojin decided to talk about the strengths of The Private Investigator.
Naturally, he kept his usual serious tone.
"First of all, I really liked the detailed portrayal of the protagonist Kim Ryujin's psychological changes. At first he feels somewhat gloomy, but…"
Woojin calmly continued praising the work while watching Director Shin Dongchun's reaction.
"You handled it in a very delicate and meticulous way. Director Shin Dongchun, who wrote the script, wouldn't have been able to personally experience The Private Investigator itself. But Kang Woojin read The Private Investigator from beginning to end."
Because of that, the praise pouring out of Woojin became astonishingly detailed.
It was the kind of analysis only Kang Woojin—the man with the void space—could deliver.
At that moment—
"Ah."
Director Shin Dongchun, whose eyes were still red, was swept up once again by shock and emotion.
He knows all of this in such detail.
It's as if he entered the world of The Private Investigator himself and came back.
Actor Kang Woojin understood every single part of the film perfectly.
From the characters' thoughts and emotions…
To the setting.
The stage.
Even the weather.
He's reminding me of details I didn't even realize myself.
He must have read my script dozens of times.
No—
Even more than that.
It even felt as if he had already completed his analysis and built a full character model.
Soon, Director Shin Dongchun stared intently at Kang Woojin and reproached himself.
Director Shin Dongchun, isn't it incredible that an actor is showing this much affection toward this film?
This, too, was a misunderstanding.
Are you really going to abandon The Private Investigator just to bury the incident?
No matter what happened, Director Shin Dongchun made up his mind at that moment.
His acting skill is already more than enough to be recognized in the film industry.
And if he has analyzed the work this thoroughly, there is nothing left to worry about.
I'm going to flip every table connected to The Private Investigator.
"I'm going to overturn the whole board."
"…Pardon?"
"Woojin."
Now filled with renewed determination, Director Shin Dongchun slowly leaned toward him.
In contrast, Kang Woojin leaned back slightly, his face expressionless.
Even so, Director Shin Dongchun spoke firmly.
"I would like you to play Kim Ryujin, the lead role in the drama The Private Investigator."