Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1044: In Training (4)

“…”

Park Yu-Min was frozen on the spot.

‘How… How did I make it through the other ad shoot, again?’

His poor legs began shaking, and his heart beat erratically when his eyes took in the sight of the filming location. Despite having been involved in that disastrous commercial in the past, Park Yu-Min just couldn't get used to this strange atmosphere.

People said experience would make them less nervous, but not Park Yu-Min. It seemed that logic didn't apply to him. As a matter of fact, it felt like his anxiety level was going through the roof instead!

Was it because of his prior experience? That abominable black mark in his history? Merely being in this space made Park Yu-Min hyperventilate.

‘No! I gotta calm down!’

Everyone on the team raised one hell of a fuss after they learned of Park Yu-Min's upcoming ad shoot. Even though pro gamers often appeared on TV, appearing in commercials was something else altogether.

Appearing once on a public TV broadcast alone was enough to raise an explosive reaction online. But a commercial meant for repeated broadcasts was on another realm altogether!

The fellow team members’ reactions of, “As expected of you, Yu-Min hyung!” only put more pressure on Park Yu-Min's shoulders, however!

‘I better not be so awkward and wooden on camera like the last time!’

Park Yu-Min tightly clenched his fists.

This was no longer a problem involving only him. What if Park Yu-Min did another crappy job in front of the camera today? The ad people might hesitate to hire other pro gamers for commercials from now on.

Park Yu-Min swore to himself to cleanse that black mark from his personal history and open a path for his juniors at the same time today. After all, that was the duty of a senior, no?

“Fuu-woo…!”

Just as Park Yu-Min sucked in a deep breath and tried to look fierce, Oh Jin-Hyeong hurriedly walked up and whispered, “The director is here!”

“Y-yes, sir!” Park Yu-Min urgently replied to his team director, who was acting as his chaperon and a manager today.

A man strutted toward the duo and thrust his hand forward for a shake.

“Are you Park Yu-Min?” The man asked curtly.

“S-sorry? A-ah, yes! I am!”

“Nice to meet you. I'm Choi Jong-Cheol, the director of this commercial.”

“I-I see! I’ll be in your care, sir!” Park Yu-Min bowed ninety degrees to greet the director. However, he couldn’t help but be puzzled after raising his head. That was because the director’s gaze couldn’t exactly be described as friendly.

“Okay, so. You play video games for a living, now do you?”

“Yes. I am a pro gamer.”

“The world sure has gotten easy these days, eh? To think I gotta shoot commercials with a video game addict, of all people… Is this a prank or something?”

“…?”

Just as Park Yu-Min faltered and couldn't find something to reply with, Oh Jin-Hyeong raised his voice while smiling awkwardly. “Hahah… I thought we were here because people trust your directorial abilities, Mister Choi?”

“Mm? You his manager, then?”

“I'm the director of the team this young friend competes for.”

“Khm…" Choi Jong-Cheol narrowed his eyes and scanned Oh Jin-Hyeong from top to bottom. It was as if he had more things to say but wouldn't dare utter them in front of a man with the job title of “team director.”

It would be too risky to treat a professional team’s director the same as a seemingly wet-behind-ears pro gamer, after all!

Choi Jong-Cheol shifted his gaze back at Park Yu-Min. “Have you acted before?”

“I, uh… was in a commercial this one time.”

“In other words, a total newbie?”

“Yes, I am,” Park Yu-Min replied politely.

If a commercial director said Park Yu-Min was a newbie, then he must be. Park Yu-Min decided not to argue.

“Just my luck… The other actor is known for being difficult to work with. So, let’s not do something dumb today and just do as we’re told, okay?”

“Yes, director.”

“Tsk… Very well. Let’s do our best.”

“Understood. I’ll be in your care.”

Choi Jong-Cheol casually brushed aside the two men’s greetings and turned around to walk away in crooked steps.

Once the curt director walked far enough away, Oh Jin-Hyeong gripped Park Yu-Min's shoulder tightly and growled. “What a rude bastard. Don't mind that prat, Yu-Min.”

“I’m fine, sir.”

“To think we still get dumbass boomers like him these days. Does he think he’s someone special or something?”

“I’m really okay, sir,” said Park Yu-Min.

“But I’m not okay with it. I’m seriously pissed off!”

“…” Park Yu-Min could only smile awkwardly. He obviously knew Oh Jin-Hyeong was deliberately getting angrier for his sake. “I’m really okay, sir. I know this will sound strange, but… I’m already used to people looking down on me.”

“...That’s not a good thing, you brat.”

“I know. I know it’s not, but still.”

Park Yu-Min’s hand reflexively began scratching his head.

He wasn’t saying all this to stop Oh Jin-Hyeong from getting high blood pressure. No, Park Yu-Min really was used to people underestimating and looking down on him.

He might have become somewhat of an idol these days after achieving considerable success as a pro gamer, but even now… He still felt more at home with gazes of contempt. After all, the time he had spent under the glares of others was still far longer than the time spent under the shower of everyone's praise and applause.

“Even if I was the director of this commercial, I would never hire me. It’s obvious, after all.”

Oh Jin-Hyeong sighed deeply and stared apologetically at Park Yu-Min. “It's great that you… can objectively view yourself like that.”

Although it was a relief to know that a saintly person like Park Yu-Min existed in the hostile environment of the pro gaming scene where obstinacy and ego ran amok, being a nice guy ultimately didn't seem to help out the person in question.

Park Yu-Min tilted his head. “By the way, what is this thing about the other actor being difficult to work with?”

“Well, you saw the script for the shoot, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I have seen it.”

“It sounds like the actor they hired for this gig is someone super famous. But they haven’t told me anything.”

“...Eh? That means you also don't know who's coming?”

Oh Jin-Hyeong could only pout at that.

‘Even if we aren’t from a major industry like yours, shouldn’t you at least give us a minimum of info beforehand?!’

What were Park Yu-Min and Oh Jin-Hyeong supposed to do when no one told them who was the actor in the commercial? Even though it was the other side that called them here in the first place!

Of course, it wasn't as if Park Yu-Min and Oh Jin-Hyeong were in any position to refuse to partake in the shoot even if the actor turned out to be a literal alien from outer space. Even so, there was a huge difference between knowing and not knowing, now wasn't there!

“Dammit… Yu-Min, just do your best today, okay?”

“Understood, sir.”

Just as Park Yu-Min nodded affirmatively, the crowd by the front of the film set grew unsettled and noisy.

“Get ready! She’s here!”

“Chair! Get the chair first! Hurry up!”

The film set suddenly became rather busy and chaotic.

Did a war break out nearby? Something about this scene seemed disorganized and frantic.

The initial impression the curt director gave off earlier suggested that he'd loathe this kind of environment, yet there he was, also frightened out of his wits rather than yelling at the film crew to quieten down.

Oh Jin-Hyeong and Park Yu-Min could only dazedly stare at this spectacle.

“I guess, uh, someone’s about to arrive?” Oh Jin-Hyeong muttered in stupefaction.

Park Yu-Min nodded slowly. “I think so.”

As the two men stood there dazedly witnessing the spectacle like forgotten scarecrows, the exit to the film set suddenly swung open, and a figure of a woman strode gallantly inside.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

“...Wow.”

“Heol?”

The first thing leaving the two men’s mouths were awed gasps. Despite the distance, they could feel the stunning aura emanating from her demeanor. She seemed sleek, sophisticated, and glamorous, but her smaller-than-expected head size made something about her presence supernatural. Otherworldly.

Oh Jin-Hyeong snapped his slack jaw shut. “Heol! I-isn’t that Choi Yeon-Ha?”

Park Yu-Min blinked his eyes. “Eh? Really? That’s Choi Yeon-Ha?”

“Yeah. It is. The super famous actress.”

“Huh?” Park Yu-Min tilted his head in confusion. “...Huh. It really is her.”

He could only become more dazed while looking at Choi Yeon-Ha in the distance.

‘Wow. For sure, a pro at the top of her game is a different beast altogether…’

Of course this wasn't Park Yu-Min's first time meeting Choi Yeon-Ha. Hadn't he spoken to her many times before while working in Kang Jin-Ho's pizzeria in the past? However, she always showed up in “ordinary” streetwear back then and didn't ooze her current commanding aura.

Park Yu-Min could definitely feel the presence of a consummate professional about to start her work from Choi Yeon-Ha right now.

“...Ah. So the other actor I'll be working alongside was Miss Choi.”

Oh Jin-Hyeong looked nervous. “This is bad, Yu-Min. Real bad!”

Park Yu-Min innocently tilted his head. “Eh? What do you mean, sir?”

“You know how infamous Choi Yeon-Ha is for her short temper. I hear she’s only nice to her fans but a total bully to people in the industry and her costars.”

“E-eii, that can’t be.”

“N-no, Yu-Min! That can’t be a baseless rumor, you know? Look! Look at how scared the crew is!”

“No, that’s not true. Yes, she can get a bit abrasive and assertive, but as far as I know, she’s not a bad person.”

Oh Jin-Hyeong cocked an eyebrow. “And how would you know that?”

“Uh, well… Mm…”

How was Park Yu-Min supposed to explain this situation?

All he could do, at least for now, was smile awkwardly. He realized he’d have to explain far too many things to make his team director understand.

***

“Aigoo~! Miss Choi! It’s great to see you! Welcome!”

Choi Yeon-Ha frowned ever so slightly when this commercial's director approached her with a bright smile plastered all over his face.

‘And who is this loser with a toad-like face?’

This man instantly put Choi Yeon-Ha off with his slimy first impression. With her mood in the pits now, she used a simple flick of her chin to greet back at the director.

Choi Jong-Cheol remained unfazed, however. “It sure was difficult securing your services, Miss Choi. Your fame has shot through the roof recently, you see?”

“Yes, it has,” Choi Yeon-Ha responded curtly.

“...Indeed, it has. Yes.” Choi Jong-Cheol's smile became more cramped as he began groaning inwardly.

‘Gimme a break…!’

Choi Yeon-Ha's crap personality was already a known quantity, but it seemed to have gotten even worse lately. Since she became less active in the scene after wrapping up her last Korean TV show, people like Choi Jong-Cheol started wondering if peace had finally returned to the industry, but alas…!

‘...Why did you have to become famous in China next! Why!’

A celeb with fading clout in South Korea wouldn't influence this neck of the woods much, even if they garnered some acclaim abroad, like the Greater China region. However, that story would change if the celeb was still at the top in Korea, too!

The story that went along the lines of ‘She’s been doing badly here but found a bit of fame in China, eh?’ would morph into ‘After killing it in Korea, she’s conquering China, too?’

Thanks to her popularity in China, Choi Yeon-Ha's stock was on an upward swing with no signs of coming down anytime soon.

At least ten different companies were negotiating with her team to feature her in their commercials. However, commercials featuring mid-tier products would never interest her no matter how much money they threw at her.

Thankfully, this commercial was for a media company currently in vogue with various celebrities. That meant the contract signing for this shoot had been prioritized over the others.

Knowing that didn’t make Choi Jong-Cheol any happier, though!

‘Seriously! Gimme a freaking break!’

In a filming for a commercial like this, the director or the client should have the last say in what went down. However, that was no longer the case when the actor was super-famous. The one holding all the power would be the star of the show, so to speak.

The naked truth was that Choi Yeon-Ha could refuse to film anything and go home because something displeased her, and no one would be able to do anything. She knew other media companies or Chinese production houses would be only too happy to hire her, anyway!

Choi Yeon-Ha's personality and status made her a demanding actor to work with. But now, with momentum added to her cause? Nothing could stop her now.

...Which meant poor souls like Choi Jong-Cheol had no choice but to satisfy her every whim to the best of their abilities!

“Before we start… I’d like to apologize first, Miss Choi.”

“Apologize? For what?” Choi Yeon-Ha scowled slightly.

‘I haven’t said anything yet, you witch!’

Choi Jong-Cheol inwardly swore while trying to sound as polite as possible on the surface.

“It's the script, Miss Choi. It went through a bit of revision. Originally, we wanted to hire another famous actor, but the client interfered a lot during the writing and planning process. We had to settle for a complete newbie for this shoot as a result. I'm sorry.”

Choi Yeon-Ha tilted her head. “A complete newbie?”

“Yes. I'm truly sorry about this. However, I promise you this. I'll do my absolute best to ensure you're not unduly displeased during the shoot. To be honest with you, I've been worrying about how to proceed with this shoot. Even if we're supposed to meet the client's needs, to think they'd insist on a pleb with such a plain face…!”

Choi Jong-Cheol chewed his words out in unhappiness.

“To top it all off, he's got a limp in one of his legs, too. I'm at a loss as to what to do here. However! If you're not happy with this arrangement, I will speak to the client and persuade them so that you can be in this commercial by yourself.”

Choi Yeon-Ha stopped tilting her head. “...He’s got a limp?”

“Yes. He’s a cripple.”

That was when Choi Yeon-Ha’s expression crumpled a bit more. Her anger stemmed from the director’s choice of words, but Choi Jong-Cheol didn’t know that.

As a matter of fact, he mistakenly thought Choi Yeon-Ha was angry about the choice of her co-star and unwisely continued to run his mouth. “He will have to move around during filming, so what were they thinking, getting a kid who can’t even walk properly? If you help me out a bit here, Miss Choi, I can persuade the client to revise the script again, so only you will…”

“Who is this kid you’re talking about?”

“Oh, uh… You don’t have to worry about that, but… There he is. It’s that kid over there. He’s apparently a pro gamer or something…”

Choi Yeon-Ha’s gaze followed the pointing finger of the director and eventually spotted a young man wearing a pro gaming team’s uniform in the distance. That was when her expression completely crumpled.

Meanwhile, Choi Jong-Cheol yelled in delight after witnessing her response. Inwardly, of course. “Miss Choi? Do you want me to phone the client?”

“You. Please stop talking.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I said, keep your piehole shut!”

“…?!” Choi Jong-Cheol was struck numb by the sudden cursing aimed his way and could only stare dazedly at his lead actress.

Choi Yeon-Ha strode hard and fast toward the pro gamer, her steps seemingly trying to destroy the floor.

Stomp, stomp!

She reached Park Yu-Min's position in the proverbial blink of an eye through her power walk before shouting in a high-pitched voice. “Mister Park Yu-Min! How long has it been~!”

When everyone heard how friendly she sounded just then, which was in stark contrast to how she cursed at the director mere seconds ago… Their jaws fell to the floor.

Now the focus of everyone’s undivided attention, Park Yu-Min could only slowly wave his hand at Choi Yeon-Ha, his expression cramped from all the awkwardness.