After three days of celebrating the Lunar New Year, everyone returned to the film set, ready to get back to work.
The mood was cheerful but focused—there was one final push left.
After more than ten days of filming since the holidays, they had finally reached the last scene.
Once the final shot was done and the camera stopped rolling, Jihoon checked the monitor carefully.
He nodded in satisfaction, then picked up the loudspeaker and made an announcement to the entire crew.
"Everyone," he said with a proud smile, "I officially announce that filming for Sunny is complete! The wrap-up banquet is scheduled, so start packing up and get ready for it!"
A wave of cheers broke out.
"Yeah!! We can eat delicious food again!!"
A bunch of girls and crew members jumped around, excited like kids after a school play.
For many of the young actresses, this was their very first film.
Their first wrap.
Their first time attending a wrap party.
Jihoon knew how important this moment was, and he didn't hold back.
He booked a banquet at a five-star hotel, just like he did before.
Even though the production schedule had been relatively smooth, without stress or yelling on set, Jihoon knew there was still pressure behind the scenes—deadlines, long hours, early mornings.
This banquet was his way of saying thank you.
A way to make up for all the moments when the crew had to push through without rest.
The film's producer, Jaehyun, took over from there.
With filming done, Jihoon handed the reins to him to supervise the post-production process.
Jihoon trusted Jaehyun completely.
After all, both the pre- and post-production teams had been trained under Jihoon's guidance.
They followed clear systems, kept things organized, and communicated well.
It was one of the easiest crews Jihoon had ever worked with.
Of course, mistakes might still happen—that's just part of filmmaking—but Jihoon believed they could handle it.
He didn't have to oversee every single detail himself. He had learned to let go when it was safe to do so.
The next morning, Jihoon slowly opened his eyes in his suite at the Shilla Hotel.
He let out a low groan as he lay there, staring at the ceiling.
His head felt heavy, like someone had stuffed it with cotton.
His limbs were sore, and his whole body seemed drained of energy.
"Ugh... never drinking like that again," he muttered to himself.
He was thirsty. He was hungry. And most of all, he regretted how much he'd drunk at the wrap party the night before.
Reaching over to the bedside table, Jihoon grabbed the hotel phone and ordered breakfast—a full meal with warm soup, eggs, and something sweet to soothe his poor stomach.
After some hot food and a strong drink, the fog in his mind finally began to clear.
Bit by bit, Jihoon started to feel alive again.
Later that day, he arrived at JH Picture.
It was the first official workday of the new year, and Jihoon wasted no time diving back into work.
Things had changed quite a bit since Jaehyun took over the daily operations.
The company now ran more smoothly, with each department aligned to a clear, organized system—just the way Jihoon had envisioned.
With that in place, he could finally shift more of his energy to what he truly loved: creating.
As for the film Sunny, its distribution and promotion were still being handled by CJ Entertainment.
Despite the past tensions between them, Jihoon had chosen to stick with the agreement.
It wasn't about giving in or trying to please them—it was just practical.
According to the contract, CJ would distribute all of Jihoon's Korean films.
For international releases—especially those made in Hollywood—distribution would be managed by FOX.
Simple, efficient, and clear.
But work wasn't the only thing demanding his attention. To his dismay, he also had to return to school.
Professor Kim had called him out personally.
"What kind of student skips school on the first day of the year?" he had said.
"Come back and breathe in some academic air!—remember, you're still a student!"
So, that morning, Jihoon found himself walking across the campus of Seoul National University, hands in his coat pockets, headphones slung around his neck.
In the distance, he saw a familiar figure walking toward him. It was Choi Yoonjung.
Since the school's performance event, they hadn't seen much of each other.
Jihoon had been swamped with film projects, and the two of them only exchanged the occasional New Year's message—short, formal, and, on Jihoon's part, always a little cold.
It wasn't that he disliked her.
But given who they were—her, the heiress of SK Group, and him, part of the powerful Lee family from Samseong—their relationship could easily be misunderstood.
The last thing Jihoon wanted was unnecessary drama or rumors.
Still, with her walking right toward him, he had no reason to dodge her.
"Yoonjung!" Jihoon greeted her with a crooked smile as they met.
"Jihoon! Long time no see," she said brightly, her expression warm."You've barely been at school lately."
"Yeah," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I was busy finishing a new movie."
"I saw the news—it's been everywhere!"
"Ah... yeah. Honestly, my manager handles most of the pressing stuff. I try to stay behind the scenes."
She nodded, then casually added, "By the way, I applied to JH as a producer. Haven't heard anything back yet, though."
That caught Jihoon off guard.
"Eh? Really?" he blinked, surprised.
"I didn't know... Jaehyun's been in charge of recruitment. I don't see all the applications."
He scratched his head awkwardly. Truth be told, the idea of having someone like Yoonjung—essentially corporate royalty—in his company made him uneasy.
It felt like inviting an ancestor into the workplace. The politics, the expectations, the unspoken pressures... it was too much.
Noticing Jihoon's hesitation, Yoonjungsmiled politely and changed the subject.
"So, what are you up to now?"
Jihoon gave a small sigh and smiled.
"Back to work. The company's pretty busy these days. What about you? How's everything going?"
"Not bad!" she replied cheerfully, her voice light.
"Trying new things here and there, just exploring my options."
They walked side by side down the quiet street, their steps light, breath visible in the chilly winter air.
The cold breeze brushed past them, but the mood was easy and relaxed. For a moment, it felt like time slowed—just two people from different backgrounds, trying to enjoy a simple conversation in a world that rarely made anything simple.
As they neared the school gate, a natural pause came over them. It was almost time to part ways.
But just as Jihoon took a few steps forward, he suddenly heard someone call out behind him.
"Wait a minute!"
He turned around and saw Choi Yoonjung standing there, looking like she was caught between saying something and holding it in.
Her face was tense, as if she was wrestling with her thoughts.
"Is something wrong?" Jihoon asked, tilting his head slightly, trying to read her expression.
Yoonjung hesitated, eyes darting away for a second before meeting his again. It was clear she had something on her mind.
"If everything's okay, I'll go now?" Jihoon said cautiously, unsure whether to leave or stay.
There was a beat of silence.
Then Yoonjung finally spoke, voice quiet but clear.
"Actually… I wanted to ask you for a favor."
Jihoon blinked, then smiled. "Of course. You helped me a lot during that performance, so I'm happy to return the favor."
Yoonjung gave a small nod, relieved. "Alright. Then… just go back and wait for my call. I'll let you know the time and place later."
"Got it," Jihoon replied with a thumbs-up. "Anything else?"
She shook her head, already turning to leave. "Nope. That's all for now."
"Okay then. See you!" Jihoon said, giving her a small wave before continuing on his way.
Behind him, Yoonjung walked in the opposite direction, her hands tucked into her coat pockets.
[Author's Note: Heartfelt thanks to Wandererlithe, JiangXiu, BigBoobs, Daoist098135 and Daoistadj for bestowing the power stone!]