Chapter 178: Unknown Past (2)
They could see Green Diamond's building in the distance while driving. In the center of the building was a green garden. It was their signature.
'Wow... as expected of Green Diamond...'
'I wonder how much it would cost to build that in the middle of Seoul. It would be at least...'
The two had different thoughts, but their jaws dropped at once. As they approached the building, the garden escaped their sight.
"Over here!"
Someone from the entrance of the building came over while waving. The man running toward them showed his employee ID and greeted them.
"Ah, hello. You're Almond, right? Here for the shoot."
He appeared to be the typical male assistant in a large corporation, skillfully putting on a smile. Behind him were two young men who seemed to have followed along somewhat belatedly. They, too, resembled someone familiar as if they were copy-pasted. Sang-Hyeon couldn't help but wonder if he looked just the same as them.
"Let me park the car for you."
"Ah, you really don't have to."
"That's alright. The parking lot for this place is more complicated than it looks."
It was a white lie. There was no way the parking lot for a building like this would be inconvenient. It was a response crafted to make the other person feel at ease without feeling burdened by their kindness. Once again, Sang-Hyeon couldn't help but feel impressed by their skill.
"Ah, then. Thank you very much."
Ju-Hyeok gave him his car keys and walked inside the building with Sang-Hyeon. The two employees stuck right beside them and grabbed an elevator for them.
"Do you have experience with these kinds of video shoots?"
"Yes. The other day, we did a video shoot for a mobile game called Lazy Soldier..."
"Ah, Fantasia's. I think I saw a teaser for it..."
While they were discussing, they arrived at their floor.
'They really care.'
Sang-Hyeon couldn't help but recall the scenes often portrayed in dramas with successful celebrities being treated with special care and attention. While he wasn't being treated as lavishly as that, being someone who spent his entire life as a company employee, he found it rather peculiar that the advertisers seemed more attentive and considerate towards him.
"Ah, Almond! Welcome!"
"Almond's here! Let's get ready!"
"You haven't done your makeup yet, right? Perfect, come over here."
"You probably got a rundown already. The shoot's going to be at our central garden."
The makeup team, the summary team, and the planning team all approached him at once.
'The last time wasn't too different.'
During Fantasia's shoot, he thought he was a nuisance because he was added at the last minute. It turned out that studios were always hectic.
"The plan for today's shoot is like this. You don't have to make this exact pose, but just use it as a reference."
"We'll shoot it 360 degrees at once, so we won't take too much of your time. Technology has gotten much better."
"However, if the director doesn't like it, the shoot might get extended."
Sang-Hyeon nodded and tried to reply, but the makeup team turned and fixed his head straight again.
"You can't move."
"Ah... Okay."
"Alright. The explanation is over. Do you have any questions?"
"Hmm..."
Sang-Hyeon thought momentarily and asked because of the previous shoot.
"Do I have to use a bow?"
The staff tilted his head with a confused look.
"... Sorry?" he replied, confused by the question.
"A bow? What are you talking about? Like the thing you use while hunting?"
"Yes."
"No, nothing like that at all. It's just a product commercial. Just think of it as like an old TV commercial."
"Ah, alright."
Shooting a bow for a nature-friendly almond advertisement did sound weird. It would be understandable if the commercial concept was a Mongolian mountain theme, but such a thing was unlikely to happen. Sang-Hyeon's face turned slightly red in embarrassment.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
His makeup was applied on top.
The makeup artist in charge smiled and initiated a conversation, "Almond, you've heard this a lot, I bet."
"?"
"That you don't really need makeup."
He did hear that a lot.
"What that means is your skin is naturally glowing without makeup. Do you have some kind of diet plan? Or exercise? Or are you just born with it?"
Sang-Hyeon seriously answered the question about his diet, "I eat a lot of almonds."
"Sorry...?"
The makeup artist stopped their hand for a second.
"I normally eat a lot of almonds."
"Ah, really? Almonds... maybe I should try some too... haha..."
"You don't? But you work at Green Diamond."
"Sorry?" the girl burst out laughing. "I'm not an employee here. Of course, there's no makeup team or camera team in a food company no matter how big they are."
"Ah... You're right."
Fantasia had a camera crew because they often did various shoots, but not for a food company.
"Green Diamond contracts with another company called Great Enterprise to help them out. The makeup team I'm working for is currently working with them. Even so, I'm still a freelancer."
Her hands started quickly moving again.
"I see."
‘Green Diamond > Great Enterprise > Makeup team > Freelancer.’
Sang-Hyeon pictured the chain of command in his head.
"Great Enterprise... that's under Ahsung's branch, no?"
"Oh yeah, that's right! Our team works with them often."
Great Enterprise was one of the companies made by a rich family member of the Ahsung corporation. Normally, Ahsung's sub-companies were in charge of commercials. They were notorious for only working with big contracts.
"I used to work at Ahsung. That's why."
"Ah, right. I heard that too! Do you know people from this department?"
"No, I was in the product department..."
Even though it was a branch of Ahsung, it was still a completely different company. They had a different legal name and the CEO was also different. The product department had its own version of PR and marketing.
"You must've been popular. You're good-looking and had a good job. Well, I bet you're more popular now, haha..."
Popular? Sang-Hyeon made a bittersweet laugh.
'No way.'
Being employed by a large corporation was not merely about having a good-looking face. It involved much more than that. Sang-Hyeon was not someone who enjoyed popularity within that environment. He never heard compliments about his good looks, which now seemed to come effortlessly. People often forget how cunning human perception was.
"Alright! All finished! We're done with the makeup over here! I didn't even have to do much!"
***
The filming began. The poses and actions required were nothing particularly extraordinary compared to fantasy-themed shoots in the past. Sang-Hyeon simply had to portray himself biting into an almond while standing in the refreshing forest of a grand courtyard adorned with shining diamonds.
"Alright, we're shooting now."
A red light lit up on the cameras surrounding him 360 degrees.
'Wow.'
Ju-Hyeok thought it looked like a sniper laser pointer aimed at a terrorist. That was how impressive the camera setup was.
'Great Enterprise sure is on another level.'
Fantasia had set up its filming team, but this advertisement was outsourced to a professional advertising production company. Therefore, it was natural to expect some differences in quality. While Fantasia excelled in special effects, they seemed to fall behind in this analog media shoot.
"Alright, on to the next sequence."
As directed by the director, Sang-Hyeon began performing the predetermined actions. Once again, the cameras followed him closely. This time, it was a scene of running across a field. It seemed like they had come up with this concept based on Sang-Hyeon's aristocratic appearance.
In truth, this concept didn't really suit Sang-Hyeon. It seemed they were aiming for a pure boy-next-door image, which he definitely was not. He was more of a rough and tough guy. Of course, Ju-Hyeok thought that even that appearance suited him quite well. Well, at least in terms of his external appearance.
'Anyways, it should be over soon.'
Ju-Hyeok was thinking about what to eat for their first company dinner.
[Ji-Ah: What's today's menu?]
[Ju-Hyeok: Sashimi?]
[Ji-Ah: Oh ho! Is the oldest buying?]
[Ju-Hyeok: Are you insane?]
[Ji-Ah: Haha. Oppa~ can you buy dinner~]
[Ju-Hyeok: LOL]
[Ji-Ah: What's so funny?]
[Ju-Hyeok: ...Anyways, there's a famous sashimi place near here. It's called Nakamura, or there's another place called Panda, a Chinese bar-style restaurant. They sell stuff like mala shrimp and stir-fried eggplant. You know things like that?]
[Ji-Ah: Ew, eggplants!]
[Ju-Hyeok: Let's go to Panda.]
[Ji-Ah: ?]
[Ju-Hyeok: So sashimi?]
[Ji-Ah: Let's go to Panda.]
Panda was the restaurant they chose to go to. Sang-Hyeon had no say in the matter because all he liked was almonds anyway. Ju-Hyeok made sure to leave him out of the matter.
"Alright~"
The camera director made an okay sign and lifted his head from the camera.
"Alright, we finished the take for now. Let's take a break while we check it out."
It was a quick shoot.
"Phew. This is faster than I thought."
Sang-Hyeon said the same thing as he sat beside Ju-Hyeok.
"Yeah. Is this the power of professionals?"
"Maybe."
Just as Sang-Hyeon finished the shoot, he popped the remaining almond into his mouth. Meanwhile, Ju-Hyeok thought it would be over soon and was about to tell Ji-Ah to start getting ready to leave.
"Ah... I think we need to redo this one."
There was some bad news.
"It's... not bad, but."
"It's not alive, right?"
"I mean, he's not a professional model after all. He'll inevitably be a little awkward."
"We can lean into the awkward concept..."
"Green Diamond doesn't want that."
"Do we need to edit the storyboard?"
Oh no, they were even considering editing the storyboard. Sang-Hyeon and Ju-Hyeok made eye contact.
'What's going on?'
The two slowly approached the directors.
"Is there a problem?"
"N-No. I just wish Sang-Hyeon was more integrated into this scene."
The scene of Sang-Hyeon biting into the almond against the backdrop of a refreshing garden made them freeze with widened eyes.
'It looks so awkward...'
'Something's off.'
They couldn't explain it, but he seemed disconnected from reality.
"Let's do it one more time."
Sang-Hyeon confidently stepped back in front of the camera, and the expressions of the directors brightened. They were relieved he took the initiative and knew exactly what to do instead of them having to ask.
"Alright, that's the spirit. Let's start from the top."
***
Two hours passed.
"Phew. Damn..."
Sang-Hyeon had his head down sitting on the bench. His eyes, covered by his hair, were glaring at the poor garden.
'What the...'
He realized something.
'Modeling is hard.'
Fantasia consisted entirely of streamers, so their shoots were usually game-related and tailored to Sang-Hyeon's strengths. That was why it was easy for him. On the other hand, Green Diamond's concept required a professional model, and Sang-Hyeon felt out of his element.
'I'm shooting a commercial that should be done by someone as pure and bright as Ran. It's impossible for me to pull it off.'
Sang-Hyeon couldn't figure out how to naturally exude a nature-friendly, vibrant, warm smile like they wanted.
"... Hey, what should we do? I think it's going to drag on. Should we cancel the dinner?" Ju-Hyeok worriedly asked.
Sang-Hyeon shook his head.
"What are you talking about? It's our first dinner. It's only 5 P.M."
Just then, a staff with a sorry look approached them.
"Umm... The sun is about to set..."
Ju-Hyeok and Sang-Hyeon got goosebumps as they realized something.
"Since we need the natural sunlight... we need to push the shoot next time if we don't finish today."
They needed the sun to finish their commercial shoot.
'I have to do this again...?'
He didn't want to reschedule.
"We're thinking of setting another date or changing the storyboard. Is that okay?"
"... I guess there's no choice."
Earning money wasn't easy.
"Sigh. It's not easy."
Sang-Hyeon devoured the remaining almonds.
Crunch, crunch.
He consumed them greedily as if seeking revenge for the bites he had to endure during the shoot. He stuffed them into his mouth with determination, resembling a squirrel preparing for hibernation.
Ju-Hyeok looked at him bewilderedly and asked, "Hey, is it that good?"
"Yeah."
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"Give me one too."
Sang-Hyeon poured the rest of the almonds into his mouth until none were left.
"... You're not going to give me any?"
"You think I will?"
"You ate my tofu stew?!"
"That's different."
"What...!"
The two started bickering. Hearing the noise, the director turned around.
'Huh...?'
The director framed them with his hands and captured the scene. The rooftop garden with the setting sun, their familiar expressions, the act of devouring almonds as a stress reliever, and the petty argument...
'This is a better shot?!'
What stood out the most was how Almond seamlessly blended into everyday life, appealing as a product much more than orchestrated brightness and freshness. Above all else...
'Why does it look so delicious when he eats it?'
Sang-Hyeon was deliciously eating the almonds. The director passed the staff and approached them.
"Do you want to try one last time? And this time, with the guy beside you as well?
"... Sorry?"
Ju-Hyeok, who was frowning, suddenly became surprised.