"Huh? No, that's not it. I never said anything about going as a group in the first place."
Kang Woojin sensed a misunderstanding in Choi Sunggeon's question. If he left it like this, things would only get worse, so he quickly spoke up.
"No, that's not what I meant."
"It's fine. I don't like being treated as part of a group either."
As if to reassure him, Choi Sunggeon cut him off and continued speaking in a calm, measured tone. He explained that if things went as planned, he would actively push for Woojin to go in solo, adding that moving as a group would not benefit him in the slightest. If handled poorly, it could even result in Woojin being saddled with all the responsibility, something far too heavy to bear. For someone whose career was rising as quickly as his, there was nothing to gain from going in as a group.
Woojin sensed that the conversation was drifting in an unintended direction and tried to respond, but before he could say anything—
"Woojin! Stand by!"
His standby time had come.
──────────
The day had been long, yet it passed with surprising speed.
That was how it felt for Kang Woojin.
His schedule left no room to breathe. Filming followed filming without pause, and although it looked overwhelming to others, Woojin endured it without complaint. Or rather, that was how it appeared from the outside.
"Look at Woojin. Why does he seem so calm?"
"Right? I thought the same. He's been incredibly busy lately, and his shooting schedule is packed, but I've never once seen his expression change."
"And his acting hasn't slipped at all."
"What? Normally he'd be chugging energy drinks just to get through something like this."
In truth, whenever his concept and stamina approached their limits, Woojin would quietly retreat into the void space. There, in that endless darkness, he recovered in his own way.
"Is it already night? It feels like time is dragging, but before I know it, another day's gone. This is strange."
He clicked his tongue at how fleeting time felt. For Woojin, each day was inevitably longer than most, since it included both the hours he spent in reality and the time he spent in the void space. Even so, his days still passed like an arrow.
'Is this what life is like as a popular actor?'
Amid the chaos of his schedule, Woojin remained focused on filming Boy Friend. With Choi Sunggeon's help, he also managed various smaller tasks in between, from additional auditions to advertisement shoots and other filming commitments. Even estimating the full scope of it all was dizzying, but Choi Sunggeon handled everything flawlessly, balancing his role as CEO with his duties as Woojin's manager.
Of course, all of this was only possible because Woojin's condition remained stable.
At the same time, Choi Sunggeon continued to maintain his network, including his connection with Director Shin Dongchun.
"Director Shin, I heard you've already signed your next project. With a major film company, no less?"
"Haha, as expected of you, CEO Choi. Your information network is faster than light."
"If you need any details about that company, let me know. I'll share what I know."
As Boy Friend entered the midpoint of filming, Netflix intensified its promotional efforts. In addition to releasing articles, they began uploading promotional interview videos on YouTube. These videos featured greetings from Kang Woojin and Hwarin, steadily building anticipation among the public.
──────────
[Online reactions]
[they're filming boy friend at our school right now ㅠㅠㅠ i saw kang woojin and hwarin!! they both look insanely good in real life ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
──────────
Word of Boy Friend spread quickly, along with various eyewitness accounts. Unlike before, Netflix Japan also joined the distribution.
『Kang Woojin and Hwarin's Boy Friend expands beyond Netflix Korea to Japan!』
News circulated that Boy Friend would also be released on Netflix Japan.
At the same time—
『Unstoppable momentum, Profiler Hanryang ranks No.1 on Netflix Japan for two consecutive weeks』
Entering its second week, Profiler Hanryang maintained its position at number one on Netflix Japan, demonstrating its steady popularity.
Around this time, Kang Woojin met the team that would manage his YouTube channel.
"I'm the PD. You know Kang Woojin, right?"
"Of course. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you."
The meeting, led by Choi Sunggeon, included a PD, an editor, and several other staff members, about five people in total. They discussed the launch of a new YouTube channel in detail, while Woojin listened quietly, unable to hide his surprise.
'They're actually putting together a full team for my channel?'
The idea that a dedicated team was being assembled for him felt unfamiliar. As he glanced at someone from the design team, he was briefly reminded of his own past.
Unaware of his thoughts, Choi Sunggeon concluded the meeting with a satisfied smile.
"The team's set, and the studio rental is done. We're almost ready."
What had once been a simple discussion was now nearing completion.
"And Woojin, I heard the arrangement and lyric revisions are almost finished. You'll be able to listen to the guide soon."
He was referring to the process of recording, editing, and uploading.
──────────
Later that night, after finishing a late schedule, Kang Woojin stood alone in the underground parking lot, staring at his new car.
"Wow… this is my first car."
It was a foreign model from B company, with a white exterior and brown interior. After the management team left, he remained behind, unable to hide his excitement as he admired it.
"This is incredible. Look at this shine."
For a moment, he abandoned his usual composure and leaned slightly against the car, taking in the scent of new materials as a quiet thrill settled over him.
"I thought I'd live my whole life without owning a car."
Now he had become one of those so-called foreign car owners. He hadn't even taken it out for a drive yet, but that hardly mattered.
"Can I just sleep here tonight?"
In the middle of such a hectic life, this small moment of happiness felt more than deserved. Especially as his bank balance continued to grow day by day.
'At this rate, owning my own place won't just be a dream anymore.'
──────────
A few days later, on the morning of the 30th, in Tokyo, a man exiting a luxury hotel lobby stood out among the crowd. Surrounded by Japanese guests, he carried an unmistakable Korean presence. He wore simple glasses, and fatigue was evident on his face.
He was PD Yoon Byungseon, a well-known figure in the variety industry.
"Hmm… where should I eat breakfast?"
Feeling hungry, he headed toward a nearby restaurant. Recently, he had been extremely busy, managing the Sports Day channel while also producing a new variety show, leaving him with barely any time to rest. One of the reasons he had come to Japan was because of that new program.
After completing his work in Japan, he needed to assemble a team that would head to Europe the following week. Participant recruitment had already been completed, and now his focus was on selecting the best location to highlight their appeal.
After finishing a hearty breakfast, he stepped out of the restaurant.
Hic!
He and his team boarded a van waiting outside the hotel. As the vehicle moved smoothly through the streets, Yoon Byungseon checked his phone and spoke to the writers seated nearby.
"Isn't it about time we moved locations?"
"Yes, you mentioned Osaka wasn't ideal, right?"
"Yeah, it's too noisy."
"Then we can head to Kyoto tomorrow."
"What about the food trucks?"
"Team two is looking into it."
He nodded slowly, lost in thought, before his attention drifted toward the window. His gaze stopped on a large billboard mounted on top of a building, and a hint of surprise appeared on his face.
"Oh… Profiler Hanryang is being advertised here?"
The writers turned to look as well, quickly grasping the situation.
"It's probably because it's really popular in Japan right now."
"Then Woojin and Hye-yeon must be even more popular here."
"Definitely. Hye-yeon was already a top star, but Woojin's popularity has clearly increased. You can tell from the number of Japanese comments on his videos and social media."
Although he couldn't grasp every detail of the situation in Japan, Yoon Byungseon had a clear understanding of current trends, especially when it came to actors involved in his new project. A faint smile crossed his face as he considered it.
"So the most talked-about names right now are Woojin, Hwarin, and Hye-yeon?"
"Yes. Mostly because of Boy Friend and Island of the Missing. They're the hottest topics at the moment."
He took out his phone and opened his schedule, which was filled with appointments.
"Then maybe it's time we start revealing our project as well."
He murmured to himself, his tone quiet but certain.
"Everything's ready. The title, the concept, even the participants."
──────────
Later that same night, at Kang Woojin's apartment, Woojin stepped out of the van after a full day of filming, a backpack full of scripts slung over his shoulder. His face remained expressionless, but inside, he was desperate for rest.
'Bed. Bed. Bed.'
He longed for the comfort of his bed and gave a quiet farewell to the team still inside the vehicle.
"Good work today."
As he turned to leave, the passenger door opened, and Choi Sunggeon stepped out, an unusual sight in itself. He told the other staff to head back first, explaining that he had something to take care of nearby.
Once the van drove off, Choi Sunggeon stood there holding a transparent file, and Woojin couldn't help but notice that something felt different. The atmosphere was not quite the same as usual.
"Is something wrong?"
Choi Sunggeon gave a faint, somewhat bitter smile and brushed it off, suggesting instead that they take a look at Woojin's new car. Woojin led him over, and the moment Choi Sunggeon saw the gleaming white vehicle, he raised his thumb in approval.
"This is seriously impressive. Have you driven it yet?"
"Not yet."
"That figures. But once you do, make sure to drive it regularly."
After briefly inspecting the car, Choi Sunggeon suggested they take it for a spin and climbed into the passenger seat. Woojin followed, settling into the driver's seat as the car responded automatically.
Choi Sunggeon glanced around the interior, chuckling at the untouched protective plastic before casually remarking that Woojin might be driving something far more expensive within a year.
When their eyes met, Woojin's expression remained unchanged, and Choi Sunggeon seemed to take that as his cue. His demeanor shifted slightly as he scratched his head and handed over the file he had been carrying.
"Let's look at this first."
Woojin opened it and found printed posts and comments filling several pages. Some of them were familiar, and as he read through them, he gradually understood what they were.
'Ah… this.'
They were posts from people he barely remembered, including old classmates and former coworkers. The number alone made it clear that this was not something that could be brushed aside.
'…Did they figure it out?'
The outline of what he had been preparing began to take shape, and with it came the realization that the time had finally come.
He had seen similar posts before and had chosen to ignore them, trusting that nothing serious would come of it. But as his popularity grew, it was inevitable that more people who knew his real self would come forward.
The ordinary man behind the persona.
There was a clear gap between Kang Woojin's real self and the image the public saw. It was so large that even his own parents might not recognize him. That was why these posts kept appearing.
He could still ignore them. He could pretend not to know.
That, too, had become second nature to him.
Choi Sunggeon explained that some of the posts had already been deleted while others remained, and that they had gathered everything they could find, ranging from school days to his time at the design company. He emphasized that he was not trying to dig into Woojin's past but needed to confirm the situation since the posts kept resurfacing.
He added that while cases like this were rare, they did happen, and Woojin's situation was somewhat unusual. The idea that Woojin had become a completely different person was absurd, but if the situation were exaggerated, it could still cause problems. Reporters, after all, were skilled at spinning narratives regardless of the truth.
It was not yet enough to cause a scandal, but the situation was sensitive. If mishandled, it could grow into something bigger, and depending on how it developed, they would need to decide whether to respond, ignore it, or take another approach.
Finally, Choi Sunggeon asked if there was any specific reason these posts kept appearing and whether they were likely to continue.
Woojin thought it over carefully. Perhaps it would be better to be honest this time. Until now, he had handled everything on his own, but Choi Sunggeon was firmly on his side, and his ability was undeniable.
Being confronted like this made it difficult to simply brush it aside. He did not need to explain everything, but he could not remain silent either.
'…I don't know.'
'Let's just tell him about the concept act.'
After a quiet breath, Woojin finally spoke.
"CEO… I've been acting this whole time. No… it's more like I've been wearing a mask."
Choi Sunggeon's eyes widened slightly at the confession, and after a brief pause, he asked if that meant Woojin had been pretending to be normal all along. Woojin simply confirmed it.
For a moment, something felt off, and before Woojin could fully process it, Choi Sunggeon covered his face with one hand and let out a long sigh.
"Ha… damn it. So you've basically spent your whole life training as an actor."
A faint question surfaced on Woojin's otherwise expressionless face.
'What?'
His honest confession had been completely misunderstood.