Chapter 2: The First Day on Set

Sung Minjang stepped onto the drama set with his usual confidence, the cool morning air filled with the hum of crew members setting up cameras and lights.

He inhaled deeply, the familiar smell of fresh coffee and crisp scripts in the air.

It was the first day of shooting, and he was ready to dive into the role—until he remembered who else would be joining him.

The set was abuzz with excitement, and Minjang could already hear the whispers about **Lee Jang**.

People were drawn to him like moths to a flame, and Minjang wasn't surprised to see a small group of crew members laughing at something Jang had said.

It grated on him more than it should.

He made his way to the dressing room, where his manager, **Park Minwoo**, was waiting, scrolling through his phone.

"You're late," Minwoo muttered without looking up.

"And Jang's already making friends. You might want to—"

"I don't care about that," Minjang interrupted as he sat down.

"We're here to work, not make friends."

Minwoo sighed. "You know, some friendly camaraderie wouldn't kill you. Especially with your co-star."

Minjang shot him a look. "I'll be professional. Isn't that enough?"

The conversation ended there, and as Minjang changed into his costume—a fitted black suit for the character's first scene—he mentally prepared himself.

He wasn't going to let Jang's presence bother him.

This was his job, and he wasn't about to let some rookie steal his focus.

When he stepped onto the set, it felt like everyone paused, their eyes flickering between him and Jang.

The director, **Han Yura**, called for silence, her sharp voice cutting through the air.

She didn't tolerate nonsense, and that was something Minjang appreciated about her.

"Alright, everyone! This is the first scene between our leads.

We'll be starting with the office confrontation scene.

I want intensity, tension—don't hold back," Yura commanded, her eyes darting between Minjang and Jang.

Minjang's heart rate picked up as he glanced at Jang, who was standing across from him, looking effortlessly relaxed.

The younger actor was dressed in a light blue button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up casually, giving off an aura of confidence and ease.

He seemed completely unbothered by the gravity of the scene they were about to shoot.

Minjang straightened his posture, his mind shifting into professional mode.

He had been doing this for years—he knew how to own a scene, and he wasn't about to let Jang outshine him. This was his moment.

"Places, everyone!" Yura called out, and the crew moved into position.

The cameras rolled, and the clapperboard snapped shut with a sharp "Action!"

In the scene, Minjang's character, **Seo Jisoo**, was confronting Jang's character, **Yoon Taehyun**, for undermining him at work.

It was a high-stakes argument, the first real interaction between the two characters, and the tension between them needed to be palpable.

Minjang launched into his lines, his voice sharp and commanding.

"You think you can just walk in here and take over? This isn't some playground where you get to play boss, Yoon Taehyun."

Jang met his gaze, his eyes narrowing. His response was cool, almost dismissive, as if the entire confrontation didn't faze him. "Maybe if you did your job properly, I wouldn't have to step in."

There it was again—that casual arrogance. It wasn't just in the script; it was in Jang's entire demeanor.

He was playing the role perfectly, but Minjang couldn't shake the feeling that there was more behind the lines.

Was Jang using this scene to mock him? To show him up?

The anger that Minjang had been holding back started to seep into his performance, his lines becoming sharper, more intense.

"You don't know anything about running a company, kid. You're in way over your head."

Jang didn't miss a beat, stepping closer, his voice dropping to a low, taunting tone.

"Maybe, or maybe you're just afraid that someone younger, smarter, and better is going to replace you."

The words hit Minjang harder than he expected, and for a split second, he felt his professionalism slip.

The line felt too real, too close to the truth he was trying to ignore.

But he quickly regained control, his face a mask of cold fury.

The scene ended with Minjang glaring down at Jang, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife.

As soon as Yura yelled, "Cut!" the atmosphere shifted, but the energy between them lingered.

The crew started murmuring in approval, clearly impressed by the intensity of the scene.

Yura approached them, nodding in satisfaction. "That was good. Really good. I could feel the tension—let's keep that up for the rest of the shoot."

Minjang gave a polite nod, but as soon as Yura walked away, he turned to Jang. "You were pushing it."

Jang raised an eyebrow, pretending not to understand. "Pushing what?"

"That line about being replaced," Minjang said through gritted teeth. "You were getting too personal."

Jang's lips curled into a playful smirk. "I was just acting. Don't tell me you can't handle a little competition, hyung."

There it was again—that casual disrespect disguised as playfulness.

Minjang clenched his fists but forced himself to stay calm. "Just remember that you're still new here. Don't get too comfortable."

Jang laughed softly. "I'm always comfortable, Minjang-ssi."

With that, Jang walked away, leaving Minjang standing there, seething in silence.

The rivalry had only just begun, but it was already starting to get under his skin. This was going to be a long shoot.