-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Suffocating Space (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I looked up at the building marked "Hanbi High School." The Hanbi High we were shooting our music video at was famous for its beautiful campus.
It featured medieval-style towers based on Western school architecture, sparkling glass decorations, and red rose vines wrapping around the outer walls, all adding to the school's enchanting atmosphere.
Gazing up at the school building, I thought to myself.
*The visuals are going to be killer.*
I changed into the school uniform concept outfit for the music video shoot and stepped outside.
A navy jacket with a red tie. It was a uniform that felt too flashy to pass as a standard one.
The members emerged from the building, adjusting their outfits as they walked over.
"It's been ages since I wore a uniform."
At Song Yu-bin's words, Cha Jae-hyun looked down at his own uniform, turning this way and that.
"Hmm. Can you even call this a uniform? Back in my day, if you wore something like this, the student supervisor would've dragged you off..."
"Jae-hyun hyung, enough with the 'back in my day' talk."
Cha Jae-hyun's energy was unusually high today. Probably trying to loosen everyone up ahead of this important schedule.
Thanks to him, the members, who seemed relaxed now, started chatting in playful tones.
That's when Baek Si-woo nudged Song Yu-bin and asked.
"What was your highest score in school?"
"Hyung, I was good at studying."
"Yeah? So, what was it?"
Song Yu-bin mumbled under his breath.
"40 points."
"Hahaha!"
Baek Si-woo burst into uncontrollable laughter at the answer.
As Song Yu-bin made an embarrassed face and went to swat his arm,
A camera suddenly popped up.
*That's...*
It was the behind-the-scenes camera filming the music video process.
*We're finally doing behind-the-scenes footage too.*
Song Yu-bin, who had been messing around just moments ago, switched to an awkward expression now that the camera was shoved in his face. He didn't seem used to it yet.
The staff held the camera, filming the two alternately, and asked.
"How are you feeling right now?"
Song Yu-bin cleared his throat with a 'hem' and turned to face the camera.
His face had turned tomato-red.
"I'm... a bit nervous."
Baek Si-woo, standing beside him, cracked up hysterically.
"Haha! Look at his face turning red."
The staff swung the camera toward Baek Si-woo.
"I'm nervous too. I just hope the music video shoot goes well today."
Then the camera came to me. I steeled myself, looking into it.
*Make the most appealing expression possible...*
The moment I opened my mouth with a bright smile.
"Fir↗st... ah. Sorry."
My voice cracked.
"Pfft!"
The members next to me exploded in laughter. When I turned, Eun Hae-sol was there, stifling his chuckles.
*How embarrassing.*
I cleared my throat and tried to play it cool as I continued.
"It's my first time filming a music video, so I'm really tense, but I'll do my absolute best."
No sooner had I finished than the members lined up beside me and started clapping.
Baek Si-woo was clapping right by my ear.
"My first behind-the-scenes footage and my voice cracks~ But I'll do my absolute best~"
It was obviously an exaggerated reaction to add some variety show flair for the behind-the-scenes. But...
*You don't have to tease me this much!*
I chugged from a water bottle on the ground.
*Voice cracking on my first behind-the-scenes. This is a disgrace after seven years as a trainee.*
As I lifted my head with that thought, I saw Cha Jae-hyun being interviewed in front of the camera.
"It's cold out, but I'm doing my best not to catch a cold. You all stay healthy too."
True to form as leader, he wrapped up his interview with smooth, practiced eloquence.
And next up...
*Eun Hae-sol's turn.*
Everyone looked at Eun Hae-sol with worried expressions.
What would come out of the mouth of this guy who handled everything with annoyance and reluctance? We were anxious yet curiously expectant.
Eun Hae-sol slowly opened his mouth. Under everyone's gaze, what he said was...
"I'm so happy to be shooting a music video like this."
What? Everyone's faces turned to question marks.
The members exchanged looks like, *Did I hear that wrong?*
"Blue Sky Below. I hope everyone watching this music video feels happy throughout."
Eun Hae-sol, like he'd become a different person in front of the camera, finished his interview brightly and passionately.
The members gawked at him in shock. Seeing us like that, Eun Hae-sol passed by with a *What?* expression.
Watching him snap back to his usual face the instant the camera turned away, I couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
*This guy's impossible to figure out. What even is he?*
After several more behind-the-scenes interviews like that, we finally started the music video shoot.
The director stepped forward.
"Alright, everyone ready? Let's roll."
Into the schoolyard packed with cameras, the members took their choreography formation.
The music video shoot began, and we started dancing to the song. True to the title, it was a dance under the blue sky.
After filming the first choreography scene, we gathered around the camera monitor to review it.
Even in the cold winter, sweat beaded on the members' foreheads.
"..."
After monitoring, the members looked surprised. Eun Hae-sol, the weak link in choreography, hadn't made a single mistake.
"Not bad?"
"Yeah. He nailed the timing too."
Truth be told, everyone had expected him to mess up.
He always botched the same moves in practice, so he'd probably do the same on set.
We'd braced for dozens of NG takes with that in mind, but...
"Did you practice behind our backs?"
Baek Si-woo said to Eun Hae-sol.
Eun Hae-sol glanced at me, chewing his lip. It was a clear *Don't say anything* look.
Ignoring him, I replied.
"Hae-sol was practicing late at night."
The members whipped their heads around in shock.
Eun Hae-sol, burdened by the stares, just gazed blankly into space without a word.
Baek Si-woo stifled a hollow laugh.
"Eun Hae-sol practiced?"
"Yeah. He stayed back in the practice room, practicing in secret."
"When?"
"That time I went to get my watch."
"Wow. Didn't you hear the practice room ghost story? Once you do, you never practice late at night..."
Ignoring Baek Si-woo's chatter, Cha Jae-hyun asked Eun Hae-sol.
"Hae-sol, did you stay and practice?"
"..."
"No wonder you nailed it without mistakes this time. You're a crammer, huh."
Ha...
*Is he serious?*
It was obvious bullshit to anyone watching. Eun Hae-sol's dancing was still unnatural.
The only improvement was that he'd matched the beat?
But matching the beat was dance basics.
For Cha Jae-hyun to call that dancing "good" meant he was either crazy or blind...
But the guy in question was Eun Hae-sol.
*You've really lowered the bar, Jae-hyun hyung.*
Eun Hae-sol, unaccustomed to praise, stuck out his lips in a weird expression.
After a few more takes, the choreography scenes wrapped.
"Alright! Now let's get those individual shots."
The solo cuts for the music video. We headed inside the school to film them.
* * *
It had been a while since I'd been in a school.
Returning as an adult, it felt strangely unfamiliar. Maybe that's why the hallways, crammed with filming gear and staff, struck me as so out of place.
"Alright! Let's move."
The staff grabbed their equipment and headed out, and we followed.
We'd just reached the second-floor hallway. I must've stood there blankly for a while.
*It's beautiful.*
Warm sunlight spilling onto the hallway floor. Curtains swaying lazily in the breeze. It was an atmosphere no CG or studio could replicate.
*We should film something here.*
But was I the only one thinking that? Everyone else was bustling toward the shooting location.
*Should I say something?*
Lost in thought, admiring the hallway scenery,
The music video director stopped, perhaps thinking it odd that I was standing still while everyone moved.
"Jeong Eun-ho-ssi. Hurry up!"
I blanked for a second. I needed to go, but my feet wouldn't move.
We're really just going to leave this prime spot and head into some musty classroom where the sunlight barely reaches?
My mouth itched to speak.
But the other guy was a veteran director with a stacked resume.
A rookie like me was just supposed to do what's assigned and go home. So why did I feel this lingering regret?
*Just go for it. Worst case, it flops.*
I spoke up.
"How about we film something here?"
The staff started murmuring at my words. The director scanned the hallway after hearing me.
"Here?"
Truth be told, I'd braced for a scolding. It was basically suggesting an unplanned scene.
The director tilted his head, smirking with one corner of his mouth.
"Hmm... So, you want to shoot something here?"
The members shot me *Why'd you do that?* looks. I was regretting it as a rash move and about to backpedal when,
"What do you want to shoot here, Jeong Eun-ho-ssi?"
Caught off guard by the sudden question, I quickly organized the idea in my head and answered.
"How about sitting by the window for our individual shots?"
The director's gaze shifted to the window.
"There? Hmm, care to elaborate?"
"Well, filming there would give it this... emotional vibe."
*What am I even saying?* I nearly lost my train of thought but clung on and kept going.
"Our music video's theme is emotional, right? It could homage that scene from the movie Love Letter, shooting through the fluttering curtains. I think it'd work."
"Ah, that scene from Love Letter."
Love Letter.
In the movie, the male lead sits behind wind-swept curtains reading a book, and the hallway curtains here were the exact same white.
I'd mentioned it figuring a director would appreciate film and art references.
"Sorry for the hassle, but the scenery here's so gorgeous, I couldn't just pass it by."
The director stared straight at me and asked.
"Jeong Eun-ho-ssi, you know the storyboard's already all mapped out, right?"
"I know it's too much for the main video, so maybe for a teaser or behind-the-scenes..."
Before I could finish, the director nodded.
"Got it. Let's try shooting there."
My eyes widened involuntarily.
I'd thrown it out there without really expecting it to fly.
The director patted my shoulder.
"Honestly, first time seeing a rookie pipe up like this. Most just do what's on the slate and bounce. Is this what they call rookie spirit? Haha."
I gave an awkward smile, and he added,
"Your name's Jeong Eun-ho, right?"
"Yes."
"Alright. Let's nail it today."
And so we got into position, climbed onto the windowsills, and filmed our solos one by one. I don't really remember how it went down.
One thing that stood out, though: the director's expression was something else.
Anyone could tell he thought the footage turned out amazing.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Read 172 more chapters ahead on NovelDex!
https://noveldex.io/series/i-made-it-with-a-click-but-i-love-it-so-much
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━