After returning to the hotel, Kwon Hyun Hyuk didn't rest. He wrote and drew in his notebook, occasionally adding details based on fragmented information in his mind.
He might need some time to carefully consider what to do next and how to maximize his benefits as an actor during this period.
Kwon Hyun Hyuk frowned in contemplation.
Not just the entertainment industry, but the future entertainment industry will affect all aspects.
As for himself, he didn't want to think too much; he could only put in his best effort to do well.
His thoughts were numerous and complex, and he couldn't figure them out for a while. Kwon Hyun Hyuk finally jotted down a few keywords on paper in a way only he could understand, then drifted off to sleep.
He didn't spend much time in Korea during his formative years, so he hadn't developed a habit of staying up late. Instead, he needed ample sleep and rest; staying up too much made him uncomfortable and out of sorts.
On the other side.
Park Ji-hyo returned to the dorm after parting ways with Minnie.
She was still busy chatting on the phone with Kang Daniel. After a quick greeting to her teammate Mina upon returning to the dorm, she went off to tidy up on her own.
"You're back so early?"
Yoo Jeong-yeon looked at the nimble and quick Park Ji-hyo and asked curiously.
"They have to film tomorrow, so they came back early."
Park Ji-hyo said, her head tilted, holding the phone against her ear.
"Who were you with?"
Yoo Jeong-yeon looked at the busy Park Ji-hyo, then turned to ask Mina, who was sitting nearby playing on her phone.
"Kim Ro-woon and..."
"Kwon Hyun Hyuk, I think. That trainee who didn't make it in the previous audition program."
Mina was relatively attentive to these happenings, as she had liked K-pop since she first came to Korea.
"Ah... that one."
Yoo Jeong-yeon looked as if she had suddenly realized something.
"Kim Ro-woon introduced them; they're filming in the same drama."
Mina remembered what Park Ji-hyo had told her when she left and relayed it to her exactly, her voice soft and clear.
"I see."
Yoo Jeong-yeon nodded in understanding.
Mina, standing by, looked at Yoo Jeong-yeon, then turned her head to look at Park Ji-hyo, who was moving quickly and efficiently around the dorm.
If nothing had gone wrong, she would most likely have been dragged along with Park Ji-hyo, but her mental state wasn't very good, and at the moment, she wasn't interested in this kind of initial social interaction with strangers, so she didn't go.
The conversation ended there. Yoo Jeong-yeon looked at Park Ji-hyo, who was immersed in her two-person world with her boyfriend, pursed her lips, and didn't disturb her.
Dating is quite normal, there's no problem, but if it's exposed, there will be big problems.
A self-fulfilling prophecy.
The next day, August 5, 2019, D Agency broke explosive news: Park Ji-hyo and Kang Daniel began dating early in the year.
They were introduced by a senior idol last year, developed feelings for each other, and officially started dating early this year. Their dating frequency was very high, confirming that their relationship had transitioned from ambiguous to a passionate stage. During this time, they shared hardships and encouraged each other in their careers.
They also maintained a very high frequency of dates; they spent time together before and after TWICE's tour, and before and after Kang Daniel's debut. Soon, Park Ji-hyo's agency, JYP Entertainment, responded, admitting that the two were currently in a relationship with mutual affection.
When this news broke, Kwon Hyun Hyuk was still filming and hadn't even looked at his phone.
He was filming a scene that involved showing his body.
At a villa by the sea, Kwon Hyun Hyuk was by the swimming pool on the top floor of the villa, shirtless, revealing his tall, broad upper body with smooth muscle lines.
The camera crane rose, and the camera shot downwards from an oblique angle. Within the frame, Kwon Hyun Hyuk, sitting by the pool, looked down with disdain at the infatuated people surrounding the villa below, then stood up and walked away from the poolside.
"Cut!"
Fortunately, it was still mid-summer, not yet autumn, so filming was quite cool.
They re-shot several times afterwards, from multiple angles, to save material for editing, and this part of the scene was finished.
Kwon Hyun Hyuk wrapped himself in a towel, wiped himself, and sat by the set.
Today's filming was inside a villa, so the resting room was also a room found within the villa, with comfortable conditions.
He lowered his head, reviewing the script for the later scenes, and everything matched his memories, which deepened his belief in the reality of his sixth sense.
The script was written as they filmed; how could he predict the later plot? From the information he had, there were no errors at all.
"Let's go over the later scenes."
Kim Ro-woon held up the script to him, and Kwon Hyun Hyuk nodded. The two then rehearsed their lines for the later scenes.
Although Kwon Hyun Hyuk only started acting when he became a trainee and didn't put much effort into it, focusing his energy on singing and dancing at the time, his growth rate has been incredibly fast since he shifted his focus to acting.
Firstly, he has great talent, and secondly, he has a cheat.
In contrast, Kim Ro-woon felt even greater pressure. He started as an idol and later ventured into the film and television industry, mostly acting in roles that lacked substance.
His facial expressions were not flexible due to plastic surgery, and his acting could only be said to be barely sufficient for idol dramas. Even so, his expressions were not lively enough in some key scenes; they were stiff and emotionless.
Although it was partly due to his character's persona, his weaknesses in acting were still obvious, especially when overshadowed by Kwon Hyun Hyuk's rapid improvement.
The two rehearsed the upcoming scenes, and Kim Ro-woon stopped when he felt it was good enough.
"Did you see the news?"
"What's wrong? Did something big happen?"
Seeing him say that, Kwon Hyun Hyuk knew something must have happened. He pulled out his phone and checked the trending topics online.
When he saw some familiar names, he was momentarily surprised and looked up at Kim Ro-woon.
"I just met her yesterday, and today her relationship is exposed."
Kwon Hyun Hyuk said, expressing his feelings, clicking his tongue in admiration.
He wasn't overly surprised by this so-called relationship exposure. If it's exposed, it's exposed. He didn't truly like her; he just used the excuse of being a fan to start a conversation.
Perhaps if he saw a fragrant, bright, and eye-catching flower like Tzuyu or Sana not being placed on him, there might be some emotional fluctuation.
Should he congratulate Park Ji-hyo now or what?
"Did you message her?"
Kwon Hyun Hyuk asked him casually.
"Just did."
Kim Ro-woon said, feeling a bit emotional seeing a colleague's relationship exposed.
"I really should congratulate her properly."
He had only added her on Kakao yesterday and hadn't chatted yet. So, the first thing he'd say to her was a congratulation.
Why congratulate?
Because that's how everyone in the industry is. A relationship is a beautiful thing, and aside from those with vested interests, friends in the industry view it as a good thing.
"Congratulations, Ji Hyo. I hope you continue to be happy together."
Then, after a pause, Kwon Hyun Hyuk sent another message.
"I didn't expect the first thing I'd chat with you about would be this."
The way Koreans chat sometimes felt strange to him; they liked to use some pinyin, which are strokes in Korean. He preferred to use emojis to express closeness and cheerfulness.
The message was read quickly, and then he received Park Ji-hyo's reply.
"Thank you, Hyuk~ (heart emoji)"
"Right? I didn't expect it to be so sudden either..."
"Anyway, I'm so happy to receive your blessing!!!"
When a relationship is exposed, does the idol themselves feel like they're caught and anxious?
Fans might have negative emotions.
But idols actually experience emotional collapse when they see the mountain of negative comments and unfollows online.
In reality, they don't feel guilty about being in a relationship; perhaps they were already prepared for it if they dared to date.
Park Ji-hyo had some worries, but after the relationship was exposed, she actually felt a sense of relief, constantly monitoring her fans' reactions and activities.
"This is Kwon Hyun Hyuk, I really should introduce you to him. He's really handsome, and his personality is good too."
Looking at the relatively positive comments about her online, Park Ji-hyo's tension eased considerably. She found the group photo of the four of them from last night and showed it to Mina, who was beside her.
In the photo, Kwon Hyun Hyuk's eyes were clear and bright, clean and radiant, strikingly handsome.
Mina felt a bit flustered and obediently glanced at the photo a couple more times.
Just as she was about to say something, the phone she was looking at was taken back, accompanied by Park Ji-hyo's mumbling words.
"But he seems to be Tzuyu's fan, I think."
Mina pursed her lips, and the words she was about to say were also taken back.
She didn't mean to say anything, really.