"how is the best nephew in the world?" Ha-ru only laughed as he head the soft tone the person on the other end spoke in. He was so drunk it sounded flattering. "now how about my favorite nephew does something for his favorite aunt" she added so softly it was like adding honey.
"sure" he said without hesitation as he let out a laugh.
"I know you don't like when I do this but I need you to fill in for someone" she added.
"sure" he answered once again with a laugh.
""that my favorite nephew and you cant say no later."
"promise."
"I will pick you up tomorrow." with that she hung up
Ha-ru grimaced as he recalled the call. He closed his eyes and slightly bit at his lips. he glared at Alice who was purposefully looking away as she pretended to be looking through her tablet. She stood the furthest away from him as she could because she already knew what he was going to say.
With her sister-in-laws help she had been able to establish an artist management company. Since she was just starting up she didn't have a lot of artists under her belt. She had called in a favour from Ha-ru to fill in twice on production but hadn't involved him in replacing him on screen. As a favour by the director she was asked to provide an artist who was slowly gaining momentum in the industry, to fill in as a supporting character and since this was a major production she didn't want to fumble. She had arranged for everything to be perfect even arranged for drinks for the staff only for the artist she had arranged for not to show up. She had to beg the director to reschedule. This coming from a person with a supporting role was considered rude but nonetheless the director agreed if only she would get the artist by the next day.
The only other person who came in mind on a short notice was her nephew. She thought he wouldn't agree so she purposefully left out some details. And since he was handsome she thought it would make up for his lack of acting.
She had called her sister-in-law the previous day and learnt that they were celebrating. Taking i as an opportunity she called him and to her delight he agreed without hesitation and since she knew her nephew well she recorded it just in case he decided tp back out.
Just as he was about to head towards her the lady from before grabbed him by his arm am started pulling him towards the main set with Alice keeping a safe distance behind. The lady shoved a script at him while still hurrying.
"They changed the script last minute please look through this instead." she stated a bit of annoyance evident in her voice. It was clear this was not the first time this had happened.
Alice also had another artist participating in the project she was playing the support role as the main protagonists close servant.
They finally stopped beside a large crew with cameras. The place was silent and people tiptoed around not wanting to be shouted at by the director for the hundredth time that morning alone.
"cut!" the director finally shouted. everyone let out the suppressed breath they had been holding.
The director looked behind him and spotted Ha-ru his eyebrows furrowed as he sized him up and down.
"Who are you?" he asked his tone clear cut and stern.
"Director Hwan" Alice said popping up from behind Ha-ru with a smile on her face as she waved her hand.
The directors face immediately changed as his eyes landed on her. Blush covered his cheeks as he cleared his throat while looking down before standing.
Everyone around them held their smile at their interaction clearly noticing the change.
Director Hwan was a man in his early thirties with accomplishments that would be considered too much for his age. He had directed and produced award inning shows and earned critical acclaim not just in the asian film industry.
He walked towards her and together they moved to the side.
Ha-ru looked at them and their interaction and immediately concluded that their as something goin on between them. That, or she was blackmailing him, he wouldn't put it past her considering his current position.
After a rather heated conversation with the director mostly holding his head wanting to pull out his hair they finally came back. The director looked at Ha-ru with a sigh before walking away.
Turned out from the gossip Ha-ru heard beside him they had already filmed a few scenes with the previous actor and now they needed to redo the scenes with Ha-ru.
Alice avoided eye contact as they waited for the set to be changed.
"are you going to avoid me the whole day."
"you can't back out." she immediately blurted out,
Alice was known to be a master negotiator but when it came to her nephew she somehow never won and more times than not she ended up compromising.
"why would i do that?"
"according to our contract if either of us agree to something the other party cant back out." she stated pulling out a folded paper.
He snatched it from her and sure enough it had a picture of Ha-ru's ID and his finger print.
He let out a frustrated sigh as he handed the paper back to her.
"fine but only for today." he stated while tightening his belt.
"welllll.....'
"WHAT?" he asked but he knew she was going to drop a bomb on him.
"since they are reshooting the previous actors scenes you won't have the option to back out I already pissed off the director twice" she stated while rubbing the back of her head nervously as she avoided eye contact once again.
Ha- ru felt like a bucket of freezing water had been poured all over his body. He stood rooted to the ground as he stared at her speechless.
"please Ha-ru do this for auntie. This is the last chance i have to gain a stance in the entertainment industry or my company with shut down." She pleaded her voice going soft.
She held his hand in a pleading manner he was left dumbfounded.
He had promised himself he wouldn't go back into the entertainment industry but for whatever reason fate decided to play a cruel trick on him and shove him into the same industry that stripped him off everything.
The industry that was his passion but turned on him.
She was asking him to return to what he considered wolves.
But at the same time this was wasn't his body he had made a promise to keep the original owners family safe.
"okay." she sighed as she let go of his hand." if you agree to do this i will agree to anything you request."
she said looking at him with a satisfied grin.
"even help you get back with Joowan" She added with a smirk.