Episode 17
On the day Kim Doyun graduated at the top of his academy class, Hwang Changsoo had attended the after-party and exchanged greetings with him.
“From that day on, Hwang Changsoo had a lot of resentment toward me.”
While Hwang Changsoo was working on the field as a broadcasting FD, getting his hands dirty, Doyun had already been pre-appointed as a PD for an outsourced drama production company even before his graduation.
And that company’s president was none other than Jeong Woon-young, whom Hwang Changsoo served as his superior.
The fact that a junior far younger than him was joining Jeong Woon-young’s company as the youngest PD seemed to have deeply irked Hwang Changsoo, who offered Doyun a “shoe drink.”
He had taken off his dirty sneakers, poured soju, makgeolli, and beer into them, and even floated some snacks on top, presenting it as if it were a joke.
The image of Hwang Changsoo gleefully offering that concoction was still vivid in Doyun’s mind.
Of course, that sneaker had flown straight into Hwang Changsoo’s face.
Infuriated, Hwang Changsoo grabbed Doyun by the collar and dragged him out of the bar. But much to his dismay—Doyun turned out to be far stronger than expected.
And when his classmates, including the burly Go Dongsoo and the judo team member Park Yunho, rushed out to back Doyun, Hwang Changsoo had no choice but to slink home with his wet sneakers in tow.
Now, as if none of that had ever happened, but with resentment still brewing, Hwang Changsoo was grinning slyly.
***
“You seem reluctant to introduce yourself? Are you the shy type?”
“…”
“I’m Hwang Changsoo. Planning PD for the Production Team 1. Were you offended because I spoke informally? Nah, that can’t be it, right?”
“Kim Doyun.”
“Oh, Kim Doyun. My junior from the academy!”
Then why even ask?
“I’m part of Production Team 1.”
“Oh, we’re in the same department! The youngest member, I presume?”
“Yes.”
“So that makes you my errand boy, doesn’t it? You’ll have to do as I say.”
As Hwang Changsoo began revealing his true nature, Doyun simply shrugged as if he had expected it.
“Well, that’s one way to look at it, depending on your perspective.”
“Oh, so you think you’re special because you graduated at the top of the academy? Ha, this kid is cheeky, huh?”
Hwang Changsoo lightly tapped Doyun on the cheek.
“Don’t cross the line. Let’s keep it professional. We’re at work, after all.”
Doyun gripped Hwang Changsoo’s wrist firmly and twisted it.
“Urgh!”
“Get back to your work.”
Ignoring Hwang Changsoo, Doyun continued distributing the scripts to the various departments.
***
“Damn kid!”
Looking down at the bright red mark on his wrist, Hwang Changsoo ground his teeth.
“That brat provoked me, didn’t he? Little bastard.”
Muttering to himself, Hwang Changsoo walked to the pantry and started showing off his strength by attempting to lift a water dispenser bottle without first removing the empty one.
He glanced around and shouted at the most vulnerable-looking female PD nearby.
“Hey! Get rid of this empty bottle, now!”
“Excuse me?”
The woman he pointed to, Do Suyeong, had been with H Entertainment for over three years after passing the company’s entrance exam. She had no reason to meekly comply with an order from an unknown replacement like Hwang Changsoo.
Moreover, they weren’t even in the same department.
“Why don’t you put it down and do it yourself?”
“Don’t you drink water?”
“Not from the bottle you touch. That good enough for you?”
“The way you talk!”
“Argh!”
In a rage, Hwang Changsoo poured the water from the bottle onto Do Suyeong, drenching her completely.
Stunned, she screamed as if it were a scene straight out of a soap opera.
“Oops, my bad. You should’ve just helped me out.”
“‘Oops’? You did it on purpose and now you say it was an accident?”
“Your tone! How old are you? Do you think you can just talk back to me like that?”
Placing his hands on his hips, Hwang Changsoo yelled at her with exaggerated gestures.
Shocked and frozen in place, Do Suyeong looked around, hoping someone would step in to help.
But no one dared to interfere.
After all, a mad dog isn’t called a mad dog for nothing. It bites anyone in sight indiscriminately. And no one wanted to be bitten.
Seeing this, Hwang Changsoo became even more emboldened.
“Don’t talk down to me ever again! Got it?”
Raising his hand as if to strike her, Hwang Changsoo threatened further.
“Wow, seriously?”
At that moment, a mocking voice filled with disdain echoed. Turning his head sharply, Hwang Changsoo locked eyes with Doyun.
“Hey, you’re just in time.”
“…”
“Come clean this up. PD Do needs to get back to work.”
“…”
“What? Can’t hear me? Should I smack you upside the head to clear your ears?”
People don’t change easily, and that included Doyun.
By his own admission, he had a fiery temper and couldn’t tolerate injustice.
Having grown up witnessing his widowed mother being mistreated, Doyun had learned that enduring unfairness only led to being trampled on further.
He had bitten the legs of adults who bullied his mother and beaten up kids who dared to pick on his younger siblings.
In his rural hometown, fists spoke louder than words. And when brute strength wasn’t enough, sheer grit had to make up for it.
But entering society, he had learned to fight with skill and wit instead.
“Hey, Kim Doyun! Are you coming to clean this up or not?”
But this time, things were different.
“So consistent. How considerate of you, Hwang PD.”
Doyun smiled wryly, savoring the opportunity to deliver well-deserved retribution.
“What? Hwang PD? Hwang P-D-EEE?”
Meanwhile, on the first floor, just before chaos erupted.
Han Jiseon sat cross-legged, flipping through the photos of Seo Dongjin and Cho Sangwoo absentmindedly.
“Even with heavy photo retouching, they still look less appealing than Kang Hoon.”
Despite the heavily edited photos, neither Seo Dongjin nor Cho Sangwoo stood out to Han Jiseon. Her displeased expression didn’t go unnoticed by Jeong Woon-Young, who spoke up in an excited tone.
“So, who should we call first?”
Cho Sangwoo had agreed to match his appearance fee with Seo Dongjin’s, which led Jeong Woon-Young to firmly lean toward casting Cho Sangwoo.
“I bet Writer Han wants to see Cho Sangwoo first, right?”
Han Jiseon glanced at Cho Sangwoo’s photo before quickly turning her head away.
“I’m not impressed.”
“Wait, didn’t you say on the phone that you liked Cho Sangwoo?”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
Her curt reply made Jeong Woon-Young tremble with frustration.
“Then… let’s start with Seo Dongjin.”
At that moment, Lee Beom-un interjected loudly.
“Are we really comparing Cho Sangwoo and Seo Dongjin? Their levels of fame aren’t even close!”
“Maybe that’s true.”
Han Jiseon responded indifferently, unfazed by his argument.
“You’ll see the difference in their acting skills soon enough.”
Lee Beom-un turned to Jeong Woon-Young.
“Let’s call them both in and have them act out a scene.”
“What’s the point of pitting them against each other? Cho Sangwoo and Seo Dongjin are on entirely different levels!”
“Exactly! That’s why we need to go with Cho Sangwoo. Seo Dongjin is just starting to gain recognition, and he’s too green to carry this role.”
Although Han Jiseon wasn’t particularly advocating for Seo Dongjin, Jeong Woon-Young and Lee Beom-un began bickering back and forth.
“Ugh, seriously! His freshness is an advantage.”
“Are we buying eggs here? Are we grocery shopping or something?”
Watching their squabble in silence, Han Jiseon picked up her bag.
“Neither of them is good enough.”
“What?”
“Wait, what did you say?”
Both Jeong Woon-Young and Lee Beom-un were taken aback, their jaws dropping at her unexpected statement.
Feeling desperate, Jeong Woon-Young broke out in a cold sweat.
“You’re aware there aren’t many actors who are available to film right now, right?”
Lee Beom-un eagerly chimed in to back him up.
“If we’re not careful, we might lose them both. Writer Han, you might have the luxury of waiting until next year to air the drama, but I’m tied to the company schedule. I also have to film the Lunar New Year special in January.”
“What? You didn’t mention that before.”
“The director ordered it—what else could I do?”
“Ugh, this is driving me crazy.”
The prospect of possibly needing to bring in a new director made Jeong Woon-Young’s head throb.
However, Han Jiseon couldn’t care less about their circumstances. Even if Lee Beom-un returned to the broadcasting station, it wouldn’t be her loss.
“Road Money is attaching Kang Hoon to a rookie’s project, and we’re stuck with Seo Dongjin and Cho Sangwoo? What am I supposed to do with this?”
“That’s an action drama, though.”
“Did the CEO know Kang Hoon was cast? And yet, we’re being handed these options?”
“Well, uh…”
As Jeong Woon-Young fumbled for an excuse, a loud crash came from the first floor.
“Ugh, I’d bet my life it’s Changsoo causing trouble.”
Jeong Woon-Young was certain Hwang Changsoo had stirred up trouble again, as he often did on set to instill discipline among the staff.
While such antics might have worked in field settings, they were entirely inappropriate for office work, especially with guests like Han Jiseon and Lee Beom-un present.
Realizing he may have given Hwang Changsoo too much leeway during the negotiation for Cho Sangwoo’s fee, Jeong Woon-Young hastily bolted from his seat. Lee Beom-un, Han Jiseon, and the two assistant writers followed closely behind.
As they descended to the first floor, they were met with an unbelievable sight.
“Floating in mid-air?”
Kim Doyun loved both watching and creating dramas.
To him, dramas were about taking realistic themes and dramatizing them to stir emotions and deliver cathartic satisfaction.
Creating heartwarming stories of love and success for kind-hearted characters was a mission he had dedicated his life to.
Whether it was for the viewers laughing and crying in front of their small screens, or for his mother who had never left Jeongdongjin, his goal was the same.
In his eyes, villains facing retribution and falling into despair was a natural part of storytelling.
But why should such poetic justice be confined to dramas?
If a villain wanted to experience hell in reality, why deny them the opportunity?
“Are you deaf? Should I smack you on the back of the head to clear your ears?”
Hwang Changsoo, who had just poured water over a junior female PD and was now threatening her with violence, was the embodiment of everything Doyun despised.
While Hwang Changsoo wasn’t significant enough to have obstructed Doyun’s success in his previous life, his behavior now was practically begging for punishment.
“Kim Doyun! Are you going to clean this up or not?”
Doyun smirked.
“…Thanks, Hwang PD.”
“What? Hwang PD? Hwang P-D-EEE?”
“Yeah, you.”
“Youuuuu? This bastard!”
Splashing through the spilled water, Hwang Changsoo charged at Doyun.
But instead of confronting him head-on, Doyun casually nudged a golf ball across the floor with his foot.
There were always a couple of golf balls lying around under desks because Jeong Woon-Young often practiced putting in the sunroom connected to the first floor.
Who knew they’d come in handy like this?
“Youuuuuu… today, I’ll—”
Hwang Changsoo’s foot landed squarely on the golf ball, and he momentarily became airborne before landing flat on his back with a tremendous crash.
“Now that’s drama!”
Nice shot!
—
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