Chapter 17: Secretly Sexy, What Is This?
Under PD Jung Yeonhee’s direction, the first day of filming for TVM’s new drama, ‘Pygmalion Effect,’ commenced without a hitch.
Episode 1 focused on the childhood of Sichang—a boy gifted with a genius talent for sculpting, yet forced to seal his heart away due to his parents’ suffocating expectations and the bitter jealousy of those around him. A child actor, selected through rigorous auditions, carried this burden.
Starting from Episode 2, Kyuha and Jung Seola would take the stage, their scenes interweaving to highlight the stark contrast between Sichang and Nayeon’s lives.
Sichang severed all ties with the world, isolating himself. He found fleeting happiness only when hiding from the eyes of others to sculpt in secret. In stark contrast, Nayeon grew up bathed in her family’s affection, blossoming into a radiant woman who shared that love with everyone she met.
Today marked a pivotal moment: the filming of the very first encounter between Sichang and Nayeon.
The outdoor shoot was scheduled at a secluded beach near Eurwangni, Incheon.
Inside the van driven by her manager, Choi Chungil, Jung Seola pored over a script she had already read dozens of times, its pages worn and frayed.
A thought striking him, Choi Chungil tapped the steering wheel. “Ah! Seola, after I drop you off at the resort tonight, I need to run an errand.”
“Understood. We are wrapping up late today anyway, so I plan to head straight to my room and rest.”
“By the way, your co-star… Song Kyuha? Have you gotten close to him? You two are partners, after all.”
“No… I want to, but we’ve only filmed our solo scenes so far. We haven’t had a chance to properly speak. Today is our first scene together, so I should make an effort.”
“I probably shouldn’t say this, but doesn’t he seem a bit plain for a lead actor? Other actors usually radiate this intense aura, but his looks are just… flat…”
“Chungil! How could you say that! The head writer personally cast him. She must have seen something in Actor Song Kyuha to give him the role. Ugh, seriously! Do not voice that opinion anywhere else.”
Chastised by Seola’s fierce defense, Choi Chungil rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “S-Sorry. I wasn’t trying to badmouth him, it just felt that way… Haha. Writer Park Jung-a definitely had her reasons. What do I know?”
“Hmph. Whatever. I will just listen to music until we arrive.”
“Y-Yeah. Get some rest.”
Pulling earphones from her bag, Jung Seola loaded her playlist.
Closing her eyes, she let the melody wash over her before letting out a soft gasp of admiration.
“Wow… This song gets better every time I hear it.”
She was listening to an unreleased audio file of the ‘Pygmalion Effect’ OST.
She had begged PD Jung Yeonhee for the track, swearing herself to absolute secrecy in exchange for the file.
The piece, titled ‘Song of Yearning,’ left a heavy, lingering ache in her chest with every listen.
The singer’s crystal-clear timbre, the lyrical verses dripping with longing, and the sorrowful wail of the grass leaf flute blended into a masterpiece that refused to let the listener go.
Jung Seola had already looped the Song of Yearning five times today alone.
“To think a song like this is our drama’s OST! Is our show going to be a massive hit? Ah! Don’t get ahead of yourself! Pull it together, Jung Seola. Stay on edge and give it your all.”
Lost in her thoughts and the music, she barely noticed the van pulling into the set.
“Hello! PD Jung! Good morning.”
“Seola, you’re here? You arrived early.”
“Yes. Since it’s an outdoor shoot, I wanted to walk the set beforehand.”
“You are always so diligent. It is wonderful to see. Hoho.”
“Oh, come on, Director! It is only natural!”
As the actress and director exchanged pleasantries, a black Starex van pulled up in the distance. Kyuha stepped out.
“Hello, Director Jung. Seola is here too? Good to see you.”
“Hello! Today is finally our first scene together. I look forward to working with you.”
“I look forward to it as well.”
Following brief greetings, Kyuha and Seola headed to their respective dressing rooms.
Today’s sequence captured a university MT, requiring a fresh, collegiate atmosphere. Jung Seola donned an ivory dress that radiated pure innocence. Kyuha wore a crisp white shirt layered under a thin trench coat, pulling off the neat, reserved look of a university student.
Soon, the Assistant Director called for the shoot to begin.
“Standby!!”
***
[Pygmalion Effect]
Sichang dragged himself to the MT in a desperate bid for a ‘normal’ college life, yet adapting to the rowdy atmosphere proved impossible.
Strangers pretending to be close friends and striking up conversations felt like torture. Splitting into teams for pointless icebreaker games only weighed heavier on his mind.
He forced polite responses and mingled just enough to maintain the illusion of normality, but inside, his skin crawled with discomfort.
‘Haa… I shouldn’t have come. I wish night would just fall.’
Night finally arrived, bringing with it the highlight of the MT: the barbecue and drinking party.
Like-minded students gathered in small circles, their conversations blooming over drinks. Sichang sat in the most inconspicuous spot he could find, pretending to listen while counting the minutes.
“Sichang, you have this really mature vibe about you.”
A female student, who had been watching him intently for a while, leaned in with sparkling eyes.
“Haha… Mature? Not at all… I am just not good with words and tend to stay quiet. Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”
Feeling the unwanted weight of attention, Sichang used the restroom as a shield and bolted from the table.
Time flowed. The night deepened.
Students passed out from alcohol left and right. Those who managed to stay somewhat sober cleaned up the mess before crawling into bed.
Around 2 AM, when the entire resort had sunk into a deep slumber, Sichang’s eyes snapped open.
He scanned the dark room, silently grabbed his bag, and slipped out of the lodge.
He made his way toward the lone streetlight he had scouted on the beach earlier that day.
Dropping his bag beneath the amber glow, Sichang rummaged inside and pulled out a folding shovel and a pair of wooden chopsticks.
“I finally get to try sand sculpting.”
A recluse by nature, Sichang rarely left his house, let alone visited a beach. Finding himself by the ocean, he resolved to attempt the sand sculpting he had always wanted to try.
He swept his gaze across the shoreline one last time. Confirming the beach was deserted, he set to work.
Finding a slope with the right incline, he piled sand with the shovel.
He molded the rough shape with his bare hands before utilizing the wooden chopsticks to carve out the intricate details.
*Scrape, scrape, scrape.*
*Crash~ Crash~ Crash~*
Under the moonlight, the rhythmic crashing of the waves and the soft scraping of sand were the only sounds gracing the beach.
It felt as though the entire world had paused to watch Sichang sculpt.
His focus burned so intensely he had yet to straighten his back even once. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
After four unbroken hours of carving, Sichang finally stood up, massaging his cramped legs.
“Ugh… Did I focus too hard?”
He stood frozen, his eyes locked onto the completed sand sculpture.
“Ah… Beautiful…”
Though his hands moved unconsciously, the figure of the woman kneeling in the sand perfectly embodied his ideal type.
As he stood mesmerized by his own creation, a voice pierced the silence.
“Excuse me… did you make this?”
*Flinch!*
The unexpected voice jolted Sichang. He whipped his head around, finding a woman staring at him with wide, round eyes.
She possessed the exact same face as the woman he had just sculpted.
Like a man possessed by a ghost, Sichang stared blankly at her.
Getting no response, Nayeon waved a hand in front of his face.
“Hello~? Excuse me? Are you listening? I asked if you made this. Can you hear me?”
‘Why is there a person here at this hour?’
“Ah, I am an early riser, so I came out for a walk. You’re a business major, right? Anyway, nice to meet you. I am Jung Nayeon, a freshman in the Korean Literature department…”
Before Nayeon could finish her sentence, Sichang’s boot came crashing down on his masterpiece. He stomped the sand sculpture into an unrecognizable mound, snatched his bag, and scrambled away.
“I scared you, didn’t I? I’m sorry. Forget what you saw today!”
Nayeon stood dumbfounded as Sichang vanished into the dark. A strange intuition told her they would cross paths again on campus, so she didn’t bother chasing him.
Her mind drifted back to the mysterious sight she had witnessed.
Taking an early morning walk along the beach, Nayeon had initially been spooked by the sight of a man shoveling under a streetlight.
Though dawn approached, the sky remained dark. There was no sane reason for a man to be digging holes at this hour.
Yet, catching a glimpse of his silhouette, she realized he was around her age. Curiosity overwhelmed her fear, drawing her closer.
Sure enough, a boy her age was gathering sand to build something.
‘Phew… That scared me… What a weird kid. What is he doing out here alone at this hour?’
Nayeon had intended to turn back, but found her gaze irresistibly pulled toward Sichang.
His razor-sharp eyes locked onto the sculpture. His unbuttoned white shirt fluttering in the ocean breeze. The faint glisten of sweat on his skin. A quiet, raw sexuality radiated from his intense focus, causing Nayeon’s face to flush red as she watched him from the shadows.
She had only spoken up because he seemed finished. She never expected him to react with such terror and flee.
“I will have to say hello again if I see him on campus.”
Nayeon cast a regretful glance at the ruined sculpture before turning back the way she came.
***
“Great work, everyone! See you tomorrow.”
PD Jung Yeonhee called an end to the day’s shoot. The crew dispersed to their assigned rooms at a small but pristine resort nearby.
As a courtesy to the lead actress, Jung Seola received Room 402, a suite boasting the finest ocean view.
Drained from the grueling, all-day shoot, Jung Seola took a quick shower, slipped into her pajamas, and collapsed onto the bed.
“Ugh… I’m exhausted.”
Yet, a smile crept across her lips.
“But I feel fulfilled. Acting is so fun. Ah~ I love acting.”
Her mind drifted to Song Kyuha’s performance earlier that day.
“I suppose a true actor really is different… How does he transform the second the cameras roll?”
Truthfully, she had harbored a sliver of agreement with her manager’s assessment earlier that morning.
But the moment the slate clapped, Kyuha became Sichang.
His suffocating, dark aura and empty eyes inexplicably tugged at a woman’s maternal instincts.
“And that quiet, hidden sex appeal…”
Seola recalled the sculpting scene.
His pale face bathed in moonlight, his piercing gaze, his sweat-drenched shirt—everything fused together to create an entity radiating overwhelming magnetism.
“Haa… Pull yourself together, Jung Seola. You cannot afford to drag the scene down with bad acting! You can do this! Let’s crush it tomorrow too.”
Stimulated by Kyuha’s masterful performance, Jung Seola vowed to push her limits. Exhaustion soon claimed her, pulling her into a deep sleep.
And then, around 3 AM.
A sinister trail of smoke began creeping up from the second floor of the resort, spreading its lethal fingers through the hallways.
No one noticed.
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