chapter 11

Chapter 11. The Teaser Video

Time flew by, and filming began. Yeon-woo quickly became close with Son Jin-wook and Ahn Joon-ho, learning the ropes and getting used to the on-set atmosphere.

Yeon-woo sat on a motorcycle, took off his helmet, and shook his hair.

"Okay. Cut! Perfect!"

The staff, watching the scene on the field monitor, exclaimed in admiration.

It was a slow-motion shot of Yeon-woo taking off his helmet and shaking his hair. Though they were filming scenes from the middle of the drama, Screenwriter Choi, inspired by Yeon-woo's visuals, had added this scene specifically for the early episodes.

"Okay, let's go for a tight shot. Lightly spray some water on his hair. Yeon-woo, after you take off your helmet, hold it with both hands and lower it. And… cue!"

A staff member quickly sprayed some water on Yeon-woo's hair. Another wave of admiration rippled through the set at the cue sign.

Oohs and aahs

The tight shot, with Yeon-woo's hair slightly damp, further amplified his stunning visuals.

"Okay! Cut!"

"Yeon-woo, I'm teaching you acting, so can you spare me some of those looks?"

Hahahaha!!

Ahn Joon-ho's joke, as always, brought laughter to the set.

Time passed, and it was now early December, with final exams approaching.

Considerate of Yeon-woo's status as a minor, LN Media requested the production team to adjust the filming schedule. They rearranged scenes where Yeon-woo didn't appear, pushing them back as much as possible so he could prepare for his exams.

All the staff and actors readily agreed to the changes, happy to accommodate Yeon-woo, the charming and well-mannered youngest member of the cast.

Thanks to their consideration, Yeon-woo could prepare for his finals next week and attend school regularly for the first time in nearly three weeks.

"It's Ryu Yeon-woo!"

As Yeon-woo stepped out of his father's car and entered the school gates, students flocked around him.

"Yeon-woo, why haven't you been at school?"

"The teachers only said you were absent because of filming."

Yeon-woo greeted them cheerfully and walked towards the main building with them.

"Ah, I've been busy filming. I got a lucky break."

His casual response only fueled their curiosity.

"What kind of filming? Are you going to be on TV?"

"Yeah, it's going to air soon. It's a drama."

Whoa!

Awesome!

The students exclaimed in surprise.

"As expected, with those looks, a normal life is impossible! Our Ryu-nim!"

"Yeon-woo, our friendship won't change even if you become a star, right?" Sung-sik and Joon-soo clung to his side.

"Hey, what star? Don't get ahead of yourselves."

He chatted with his friends as they headed to their classroom, and the news of his drama appearance spread like wildfire.

During breaks, Yeon-woo's classroom was packed.

"What role are you playing?" They bombarded him with questions, excited by the unusual event.

"I can't say yet because the teaser hasn't been released. I'm not allowed to talk about it because of the contract."

"Is it a web drama or a real TV drama?"

"It's going to be on TV. You'll all watch it live, right?"

The mention of "watching live" made it real for his friends, and they became even more excited.

"Of course! My entire family will be tuned in!"

"I'll make everyone in my guild watch it!"

After finishing his finals and returning to the set, Yeon-woo was greeted warmly.

"Wow! It's only been a week, but it feels like forever. Did you do well on your exams, Woo-joo?"

"Yes, Yeo-reum noona. I ranked first in my class," Yeon-woo replied, holding up his index finger.

So-hyun was surprised. "Really?"

"So-hyun, he's a good student. I heard Jung Chul-min mention it at a gathering when he visited the set." Son Jin-wook, who had just finished filming his scene, ruffled Yeon-woo's hair.

"Oh no! Please tell me that was before hair! Please!" Jin-wook froze, realizing what he had done.

"Haha, yes, Jin-wook hyung, it was before hair. I just arrived."

"Whew, that's a relief."

"Ah! They're calling me. I have to go get my makeup done!" Yeon-woo scurried towards the hair and makeup team.

"He's so cheerful. So innocent."

"I know, right? I'm falling for Woo-joo."

"Jung Yeo-reum, that's a crime."

"But Yeon-woo will be an adult soon, after the drama airs."

Ahn Joon-ho, who had appeared behind them, responded to Han So-hyun's playful comment, "Noona, you're exactly ten years older than Yeon-woo, so when he's twenty, you'll be…"

"Aaack! Shut up!"

Laughter

Joon-ho ran away, with So-hyun chasing after him.

Director Kim Han-soo smiled, watching the scene unfold.

"The atmosphere on set is great, Director," the assistant director commented.

Kim Han-soo nodded. "Indeed. I knew it would be good having so many young actors, but…"

"It's even better thanks to Yeon-woo, Director."

"You're right."

A staff member rushed over to Yeon-woo as he emerged from the makeup room. "Actor, we're filming a teaser today, so please wait with the other leads."

"Okay."

Yeon-woo walked over to where Ahn Joon-ho and Han So-hyun were playfully arguing.

"We're filming a teaser."

"Yeah, that's why we're waiting," Ahn Joon-ho replied with a smile.

"I'll excuse myself then, Young Master."

"Yes, Manager Hwang. Give my regards to my father." Cha Woo-joo responded with a smile, playing along with the ad-lib.

The staff watching them chuckled.

"We'll be filming a short teaser in that corner over there."

The three leads followed the staff member's instructions.

"We'll show a 52-second clip from the drama, followed by an 8-second promotional message."

"Okay, So-hyun, Yeon-woo, what do you think? I'll go first."

So-hyun responded to Jin-wook's suggestion, "Then I'll follow up with 'Please tune in.'"

Yeon-woo thought for a moment, then sat behind them. "How about I hide behind you two and then pop out, saying 'Stay tuned!' and we all do a finger heart?"

Son Jin-wook and Han So-hyun agreed to his suggestion.

"Okay, let's begin. Ready… cue!"

At the assistant director's cue, Son Jin-wook looked at the camera and spoke, "JNBC's 'Summer's Closet' premieres Wednesday, January 3rd."

"Please tune in!"

As the two of them stepped aside, Ryu Yeon-woo appeared.

"Stay tuned!"

"Cut! Perfect!"

Hong Yu-ri, her college entrance exams behind her, was relaxing on the living room sofa, watching "Fox's Time," a JNBC drama she and her mother were enjoying.

Her mother sighed, looking at Yu-ri, who was wearing horn-rimmed glasses and scratching her bottom. "Christmas is in two days, and you don't even have a boyfriend."

"Mom! Don't hit me where it hurts. I'm already sad that 'Fox's Time' is ending next week!"

"What about that boy from your school, the one you're in the fan club for? Doesn't he like you?" Her mother remembered Yu-ri's constant chatter about Ryu Yeon-woo.

"Mom, be quiet! The drama's about to end."

Yu-ri's mother turned her attention back to the TV.

The drama ended, and a teaser for a new drama, starting in two weeks, appeared.

"Summer's Closet"

"Summer is so far away." Yu-ri, of course, didn't know that the drama was originally planned to air in the spring and end in the summer.

A short montage of scenes from the drama flashed across the screen, and Yu-ri spotted a familiar face.

"Huh? That looked like Yeon-woo."

"You're seeing things now. Are you that obsessed with him?"

Despite her mother's scolding, Yu-ri couldn't take her eyes off the TV.

A campus romantic comedy. It instantly became a must-watch for Hong Yu-ri, who would be starting college soon.

After the introduction, the main actors appeared alongside the broadcasting company's logo.

"JNBC's 'Summer's Closet' premieres Wednesday, January 3rd."

Wow, Son Jin-wook. He's so handsome.

"Please tune in!"

Han So-hyun. She's gorgeous.

Then, as the two of them stepped aside, a man appeared.

"Stay tuned!"

"Aaaaaack!"

"Goodness gracious! Are you crazy?!"

"Mom! Mom! It's Yeon-woo! Waaah!" Yu-ri cried out in surprise.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden?" Her mother was startled and concerned by her daughter's strange behavior.

The next day, the school was in an uproar.

"Yeon-woo, you crazy bastard. That's what you were filming? This is huge!"

"Hey! Don't be disrespectful to our Ryu-nim!" Joon-soo, the high priest of the Infinite Yeon-woo Church, reprimanded Sung-sik for his outburst.

Sung-sik asked Joon-soo, whose reaction was surprisingly playful, "Aren't you surprised?"

"Of course, I'm surprised. I was in the middle of a ranked game, and my phone kept buzzing. I checked, saw the link, and forfeited the game."

"Wow, you forfeited a ranked game? Respect."

Just then, Yong-jae shouted from the corner of the classroom, "Hey! Yeon-woo just posted in our class chat!"

Everyone grabbed their phones.

-Hey guys, surprised? Sorry. I was going to tell you, but I didn't know the teaser would air so soon. We filmed it the day after exams ended. Anyway, promise you'll watch it live? 😉

A smiley emoticon accompanied the message.

– What's with the basic emoticon? Even my parents barely use that.

– But you know what? Since Yeon-woo used it, it looks trendy. I'm only using this from now on.

– Totally agree.

Smiley emoticons began flooding the class chat.

Hahahaha!!!

"What's so funny, Woo-joo?"

"Ah, noona, it's my classmates." Yeon-woo showed So-hyun the chat.

"Ho ho, they're funny."

"Right?"

So-hyun seemed to have an idea. She took out her phone and started downloading an app.

"Yeon-woo, what class are you in?"

"Me? Class 2-3."

"Let's take a selfie. I'll post it in your chat." So-hyun typed "2-3 Fighting!" in large letters on her phone screen, filling the frame, and looked at Yeon-woo.

"That sounds fun."

Click!