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"Cut! That's it!" The director's scream raised the tension on set.

The previously quiet surroundings quickly became noisy as the crew began packing up gear and talking. The director finally called Naomi, and she left her place to take her seat. Then Chase got up too.

During filming, Josh had been standing at a distance, observing the scene. The moment the shoot ended, he immediately took a step forward. He had to stay with Chase until he returned to the trailer.

His secretary, Laura, was already waiting. She followed Chase faster than Josh did. Chase took a sip from his water bottle, then immediately screwed up his face. Josh and everyone nearby tensed. A second later, Chase threw the bottle away, despite more than half of the water remaining. The bottle hit the ground, splashing water in all directions, but no one dared complain. Laura cautiously asked why.

"If you don't like it… if the brand is the problem, I'll get you a different one."

Chase shot her a terrifying look. He opened his mouth, startling Laura.

"It smells like omega."

"What?" Laura blinked in confusion.

Josh was equally shocked but knew he was innocent—he hadn't even been near the bottled water. Chase had been irritable and upset over trivial matters throughout the filming period, so Josh tried to brush it off. Still, he couldn't help but be surprised.

After a brief silence, Laura spoke hastily. "I'm sorry for what happened… I'll be more careful from now on. One of the staff members is an omega, but they made it clear that she wasn't involved in anything related to Mr. Miller. How could this have happened…?" Frustrated, she ran after Chase, who was storming off with larger strides than usual, clearly irritated. "I'm sorry, Mr. Miller, but I'd like you to review this."

Chase glared at her and unexpectedly locked eyes with Josh. Josh instinctively smiled, but Chase turned away, completely ignoring him with a blank expression. Embarrassed by the cold response, Josh scratched his head. Just then, a passing staff member greeted him with a smile, and he responded in kind. When he looked back at Chase, the actor was already walking away, focused straight ahead.

Since that day, they had barely made eye contact, let alone had a conversation. Josh took it as a given. What had happened in the garden that day had only made him laugh at himself, yet he still felt a lingering bitterness in his heart.

Nearly ten days passed. Filming had started, and Josh was getting used to his black hair. The movie was based on a novel that had been around for over a decade. It had a massive fan following, and this was its first adaptation to film. The casting of Chase as Dr. Plame had caused a sensation. His character was an antihero throughout the series—an incredibly charismatic figure in opposition to the protagonist. While he had a strong fan base, those fans were also very dramatic. Before the transformation photos were released, they had protested: No to Chase Miller! When his dyed black hair was finally revealed, they protested again: No, Chase Miller! It looked good on him, but somehow, it still wasn't right in their eyes. Their motives kept shifting, but the conclusion remained the same. Ultimately, people found reasons to hate others.

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For every fan Chase had, he had just as many detractors. The controversy had been expected, and the backlash spread from the production company to Keith Pittman, the casting director. Pittman, of course, remained indifferent. Filming had finally begun, and Josh believed that once the movie was released, all the criticism would fade away. His own role in the film was minor, mostly involving brief appearances in the background. Yet, whenever Chase spoke on set, even the crew listened with bated breath. In those moments, he was Dr. Plame.

But as soon as the director called "cut," Chase immediately reverted to being Chase Miller. Everyone avoided him, and he accepted it as the norm. Even now, he walked in a straight line to his trailer. The momentary attention on him vanished in an instant, dispersing to other places. Josh, who had been on edge during the shoot, finally let out a breath of relief. Nothing had changed. Now, he could rest until the next scene. He turned to Isaac and headed off for coffee.

"Hi, Josh." A voice called out to him. He turned to see a short woman who barely reached his shoulders. She was the secretary of another actor. He tried to remember her name, but fortunately, she wore a name tag. Josh smiled and greeted her.

"Hi, Heather."

She blushed slightly before continuing. "Did you finish filming for Mr. Miller today?"

"No, there's one more scene in the afternoon. Another member will be coming in. I just want to drink this coffee and take a break."

"It must be tough protecting him, huh? Mr. Miller seems to be receiving a lot of threats, too."

"It's my job, so I can't complain."

Heather chuckled softly.

They exchanged a few more words, but as soon as they parted, Josh realized he couldn't remember much of the conversation. He had more meaningless small talk as he made his way to the trailers where the bodyguards stayed. Once he reached his quarters, he took a quick shower, dried off, and collapsed onto his bed. The other men were already snoring. He tossed and turned for a while before finally drifting off.

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"Then I'll take care of it that way. Can I notify you when I have two free hours?" Laura asked in her usual professional tone.

"No," Chase replied without even looking at her.

"Understood. If you need anything, please call me."

She quickly stepped back and left the trailer. Chase removed his stiff disguise, tossing it carelessly onto a chair before lying down on the bed. He wasn't actually sleepy. As he turned over, his gaze fell upon the medicine bottle on the desk. Laura had prepared it in advance. He sat up slowly, staring blankly at the label.

The temptation to down the entire bottle surged in him. But there was only a single dose left. Ever since his shocking overdose incident, Laura had only given him measured amounts. Even so, it was more than the usual dose, and Chase always took the highest prescribed amount. During filming, he often exceeded even that. Today was no different. Tilting the bottle, he poured the pills into his palm, staring at them before tossing them into his mouth. He drained the rest of his water bottle before leaning back against the wall.

Outside, the sound of laughter and conversation trickled in faintly. But inside the trailer, there was only an eerie, suffocating silence. Even breathing felt burdensome.

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Since the filming scheduled for that day involved a bomb scene, tension had been high among the staff since the day before. It was a scene where a building was burned, making it difficult to execute perfectly. Finishing scenes in one take was always a challenge, but stunts added even more responsibility. While the professional crew recalculated the weight of the explosives several times and conducted repeated safety checks, Josh kept his distance, glaring at Chase as usual. Standing next to the director with Naomi, he listened to an explanation of the scene.

"There's going to be an explosion, so we have to run over there. Safety comes first, so be careful. Let's rehearse first."

There was a lot of preparation involved, starting with the installation of safeguards. Naomi laughed and joked as usual.

"If everything goes well, we'll be prepared," she said with a smile, prompting chuckles from the rest of the crew.

"Will there be steak for dinner?" someone quipped.

"Oh, I'm really looking forward to it. I just hope I'm not the one on the plate."

Naomi, clasping her hands as if in prayer, glanced at Chase. She seemed to want them to at least stay on the same page, but that didn't happen. Naomi shook her head with a bitter smile, already expecting his indifference. That was when Josh noticed something unusual. There was an indescribable sense of unease about Chase. His expressionless face, tight lips, and habit of ignoring others were the same as always, yet something felt off.

"Isn't Chase acting a little weird?" Josh muttered, glancing at Mark.

Mark, who had also been observing Chase, turned his gaze to Josh before looking back at him.

"Where?"

"I don't know, but…"

Mark responded casually, dismissing Josh's uncertainty. "He's the same as always. What exactly do you notice that's different?"

Josh had no answer. He just fell silent. There was no way to persuade Mark.

Meanwhile, preparations were completed.

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The process went smoothly. After a perfect rehearsal, the director immediately began filming.

"Come on, let's focus and get this done."

Although the director was widely recognized for his excellent sense of action and story composition, he still appeared nervous in moments like these. Seeing his usually smiling face grow rigid, Josh reasoned that the alienation he felt might be due to the tension on set. Chase and Naomi entered the building. The interior scenes had been completed the day before; today, they only needed to film the escape.

"Don't they do all this with CGI nowadays?" Mark whispered under his breath.

Josh answered just as quietly. "Not in every movie."

"It's been a long time since I've watched a movie. Funny, huh?"

Mark smiled at the thought of returning home to share adventure stories with his daughters. After filming, he planned to ask some crew members for a photo and autographs. Chase, of course, was an exception.

The crew members who had exited the building twirled their arms to signal that everything was ready. As they quickly moved out of the frame, the director took a deep breath and called out:

"Action!"

After five seconds of silence, a loud explosion erupted in a section of the building. Even though it was expected, the force was enough to make everyone momentarily freeze. The ground vibrated slightly beneath them. The demolition had begun. Starting from one end of the building, the explosives detonated in a chain reaction, each going off within a few seconds of the last. Thick smoke and the sharp smell of gunpowder stung Josh's eyes.

Josh kept his gaze locked on the building, blinking repeatedly. Large and small explosions followed in sequence. Everything appeared to be going according to plan.

Any moment now, Chase and Naomi should emerge from the building.

Josh checked his watch. About five minutes had passed since the explosions started. Still, there was no sign of them amidst the thick, black smoke. This time, he wasn't the only one who felt uneasy.

"…Aren't they late?" Mark murmured.

Josh had been thinking the same thing. When he turned his head, Mark was looking at him too. Instinctively, Josh planned his route—where Chase might be, how long it would take to get there, and how quickly he could pull him out. He regretted the necessity of such thoughts. Mark, sensing his concern, muttered,

"I'll take the other side."

"Got it."

"Okay. There's still time, right? They just need to hold on until we get to them."

"You told Chase, didn't you?"

"Yes. No actor films a scene like this twice."

The crew member in charge of the stunts nodded in agreement. Mark, glancing at Josh, shook his head and urged patience. Josh reluctantly held his ground, anxiously clenching and unclenching his fists. Meanwhile, the explosions continued, and half of the building had already collapsed.

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"Chase!" Naomi's scream, drowned by the explosions, snapped him back to reality. When he turned to her, her face was filled with panic.

"Are you okay? What's wrong? Can't you hear me?"

It was normal to lose hearing and become momentarily disoriented while filming explosion scenes. That wasn't unusual. But this time, something felt different. Chase looked at her in confusion. There was a clear sense of unease.

"We have to run after the next explosion," Naomi urged, her face unusually tense.

He knew that. He had been waiting for the right moment. But why…

"Chase!" Naomi screamed again, suddenly grabbing his arm and shaking him violently. Chase hesitated.

…Huh?

He froze. In an instant, the landscape changed. Only a second or two had passed, but more than half of the building had disappeared. He blinked in disbelief.

"We can't wait any longer! We have to go now!" Naomi shouted, gripping his arm and pulling him forward.

It was a mistake. Chase swayed, feeling lightheaded. His vision blurred, and then—

He collapsed.

"CHASE!"

Naomi's scream rang out as another explosion rocked the building. Black smoke rushed in like a living entity. Naomi looked around frantically, trying to figure out what to do. Should she run alone? But she had to get him out. And what about the film? Then, suddenly, an image flashed through her mind—her puppy waiting at home. Her husband had left, but she still had someone to return to… She couldn't die here.

"Mickey…"

Calling out her dog's name, Naomi remembered why she had to survive. Just then, Chase stirred and stood up. The smoke was right behind them. Any moment now, another explosion would go off, consuming everything in flames.

At that moment, Chase grabbed Naomi's waist and held on tight.

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An eerie murmur spread through the crowd. The smoke rose hideously, and the explosions continued, but for a time, there was no movement in the building. A sense of agitation filled the air. Only the director and the demolition personnel remained focused, their eyes locked on the scene ahead. Perhaps they didn't have the right timing to intervene either.

"Mark."

Josh couldn't bear it any longer and called out to the team leader. Mark opened his mouth, frowning as if embarrassed, but soon shut it again.

How will you be held accountable if you jump in and mess up the scene? Of course, Josh didn't care about that. But he also wasn't inexperienced when it came to explosions. Rather, he had undergone extensive training and real-life combat situations over the years. It was obvious that something was wrong. When another explosion erupted, Mark made up his mind. He ignored the thought of ruining the scene and facing a hefty compensation demand.

Saving them was the priority now.

"Let's go in, Josh."

"Yes." Josh responded immediately.

Just as they were about to rush toward the designated route, a sudden scream startled everyone.

"Aah!"

The two hesitated, their attention snapping to the figure emerging from the black smoke. Was it an illusion? But there was no time to dwell on it. In that moment, the last explosive detonated. The world turned white for a brief instant before someone burst through the smoke and flames.

It was Naomi, screaming as she jumped. And then, Chase appeared right behind her. A collective sigh of relief rippled through the crew. Naomi landed safely on the floor mat, followed closely by Chase, who hit the ground with his entire body. Above them, the building erupted into a final, fiery collapse.

"Cut!" The director's sharp command rang out, and the staff rushed to extinguish the flames. Secretaries and managers swarmed in to tend to the actors.

"Naomi, are you okay? Why did you come out so late? Are you hurt?"

"Oh my God, I was so worried. But still, I think the scene turned out great."

Words of comfort and encouragement surrounded Naomi, but she only stood there, blinking in a daze. Her soot-covered face and tousled hair made her look even more disoriented. Suddenly, she turned around. Chase was dusting himself off, his face as unreadable as ever.

"Naomi?" her secretary called softly, watching her hesitation. Naomi snapped back to reality and quickly excused herself.

"Wait a minute," she murmured before rushing toward Chase. He was about to leave when Naomi suddenly blocked his path, forcing him to stop.

"I'd like to talk to you. Is that okay?"

She forced a smile and glanced around. Everyone was watching, waiting to see what Chase would do. He barely looked at her before giving a brief nod. The onlookers took a few steps back. Naomi lowered her voice so their conversation wouldn't carry.

"What happened? Did you know I almost died back there?" Her voice trembled with restrained anger. Chase remained silent, his face unreadable. Naomi's frustration deepened.

"I don't know what's going on in your head, but you need to focus when we're filming. Don't put others in danger. You almost got me killed."

A shudder passed through her as she recalled the thick, suffocating smoke that had nearly consumed them. Yet, Chase didn't flinch. His continued indifference made Naomi feel sick.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You're insane." With a heavy sigh, she pushed her hair back. "We made it through this time, but if you ever pull something like that again, I won't let it slide. Got it?"

"…"

"…Ah."

In the end, Naomi was the first to break. Frustrated, she turned away, muttering insults under her breath.

"Are you okay, Mr. Miller?" Laura approached as soon as Naomi left. She had been waiting, curious about their conversation, but that was all she dared to ask. As expected, Chase didn't respond. Normally, he would have ignored her and walked away, but this time, he didn't move at all. Laura felt a growing unease.

"Mr. Miller…?" she called again, more cautiously.

That's when she noticed something was off. His face was unnaturally pale, almost blue. A bad feeling crept up her spine. Instinctively, she reached out but hesitated, her hand hovering in midair as she studied him.

"Mr. Miller, are you okay?" she asked again.

Suddenly, Chase gasped, his pupils dilating. Laura's eyes widened in shock. The rest of the crew, including Josh, turned toward him in alarm.

"Mr. Miller, are you alright? Mr. Miller!"

"Somebody get medical help!"

Panic erupted as Chase clutched his chest, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Josh pushed through the crowd, reaching out—only for Chase to suddenly stop breathing.

Josh's heart pounded. "Mr. Miller…!"

"Ahhh!"

Josh caught Chase just as his knees buckled. At that moment, Chase lost consciousness completely, his body collapsing into Josh's arms.

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"…Yes. Yes, I understand."

Josh watched Chase closely as Laura ended the call. Chase had yet to regain consciousness, even after being carried to the trailer and laid on the bed. Mark had insisted on rushing him to the hospital, but Laura had refused.

"We need to contact his doctor first. You know it would be a problem if word got out that Mr. Miller is taking medication."

Her warning left the bodyguards speechless. They had no choice but to follow orders, keeping Chase in the trailer and waiting for further instructions. Josh sat nearby, staring at Chase's unnaturally pale face. After a short conversation, Laura hung up the phone.

"It's an overdose."

Josh frowned. "Overdose?"

Laura nodded. "Yes. These symptoms occur when the medication dose is too high. I checked with Naomi just in case, and she said he seemed out of it during filming. He almost caused an accident because he was so out of it… I didn't tell her the details, just asked if anything unusual happened. We need to be careful about how this is handled."

She let out a deep sigh before continuing. "According to Steward—his doctor—he's been warned not to take excessive doses. They were supposed to lower or adjust his medication after some trials, but Chase is an exception. With the amount he's taken, a normal person would've died ten times over."

"Are the side effects related to nerve stimulation? That would explain why he seemed more anxious than usual during the explosion scene."

Laura thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't think so. I think he's just completely burned out. Like a blown fuse."

Josh exhaled. "So it just… happened."

Laura nodded. "Yes, so don't feel responsible."

Josh didn't respond. Seeing his expression, Laura glanced at the time and spoke quickly.

"I need to discuss this with the manager. Can I leave him with you? Call me if anything changes."

"Of course."

"Thanks. I'll be back soon."

Laura smiled once more before stepping out of the trailer, leaving only Josh and Chase inside. In the heavy silence, Josh sighed and turned away, but when his eyes landed on Chase's face, he stopped. His breathing was slow and shallow, and his pale complexion made him look almost lifeless—like a corpse.

The doctor would be arriving soon. All that was left was for him to perform a check-up and ensure everything was fine. As soon as that was over, things could return to normal. Josh pulled up a chair, sat down, and studied Chase's face. He remained still, unresponsive.

The trailer was eerily quiet, as if the rest of the world had disappeared, leaving only the two of them. Josh couldn't recall the last time he'd seen Chase's face so peaceful. Now that he thought about it, a bitter smile formed on his lips. The only time he ever saw Chase like this was when he was unconscious.

Josh sighed, watching him in silence, then murmured, "Why is your hair always such a mess?"

The man, rumored to be a mad dog, sometimes reminded him more of a cat—a prickly cat with fur bristled, ready to claw at anyone who got too close. Josh reached out and gently brushed Chase's tousled hair back. The soft strands slipped through his fingers, making him pause and chuckle softly.

"Do you want to kiss me?"

The whisper echoed in his mind.

His laughter faded.

Josh's eyes flickered to Chase's lips. His expression was unreadable, as always. A man he couldn't even properly look at unless moments like this forced him to. Josh frowned slightly and slowly leaned in. The cool touch of Chase's temple brushed against his lips.

Then he pulled away.

Still no response.

Josh exhaled heavily and slumped into the chair, rubbing his temples.

"What the hell am I doing?"

He sighed again, but the stillness remained unbroken. It was only after an entire day had passed that Chase finally woke up.

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The car ride to the hospital was silent. It usually was, but today, the atmosphere was even heavier. Chase's mood was impossible to read, but everyone treaded carefully, making sure to speak only when necessary to avoid provoking him.

It had only been a day since Chase regained consciousness, but everyone remained on edge, wary of his unpredictable temper. Even Mark hesitated before approaching.

"Are you really going to see the doctor?" Mark asked.

Chase nodded.

"…I see," Josh murmured, relieved yet unsettled.

The next morning, the entire staff was busy, anxiously waiting for Chase to appear. Josh, too, couldn't shake a nagging unease. The last time he'd seen him, Chase had been pale, weak, struggling for breath. His knees had buckled, and he had collapsed like a lifeless doll. Would he be in the same state today?

As the door finally opened, Chase stepped out.

Josh froze.

Unlike usual, Chase's appearance was slightly disheveled. He wore a simple two-button jacket over his shirt, and his hair—normally styled with precision—was loosely tousled. It was clear he'd left his room without much care for his appearance.

And yet, no one could take their eyes off him.

This man would be admired across generations. Josh was reminded of that fact once again.

Today, Chase looked younger, perhaps because of his relaxed attire. He would've looked perfect—if not for the exhaustion written across his face, the furrowed brows, and the deep weariness in his eyes.

"He barely slept last night," Laura whispered beside Josh. "Since he stopped taking his medication, it's been rough. He'll feel better once the doctor prescribes him something new."

Just then, Chase sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Josh felt his breath hitch.

His long lashes drooped slightly, casting delicate shadows over his cheeks. His lips, slightly parted, were pale but still retained a natural flush.

Josh found himself unable to look away.

Then, without warning, Chase turned his head.

Their eyes met.

For a brief second, neither of them moved.

Josh stared, wide-eyed, as Chase studied him with a sharp gaze. His lips parted as if about to say something, but in the end, he remained silent. Without another word, Chase turned away and got into the car.

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Josh, snapping out of his daze, hurried to the driver's seat.

As he started the engine, Chase hesitated for a brief moment upon realizing Josh was the one driving. However, he quickly looked away, pretending not to care.

"Come on, everyone, get in," Mark called from behind.

Josh glanced at the rearview mirror. Chase was looking out the window, uninterested in everything around him. Meanwhile, Laura occasionally spoke about his schedule and upcoming work, but Chase barely responded. Eventually, even she gave up, allowing silence to take over once more.

After three long hours, they finally arrived at their destination—the hospital.