Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 82

“Stop it, stop!”

At the director’s irritable shout, the actors flinched and looked at him. The staff also looked at the director, but the director was looking at only one person.

“Chase, what’s wrong with you? Why can’t you focus today?!”

At those words, everyone’s gaze now turned to Chase. Chase paused, about to run a hand through his neatly styled hair. His hand, suspended in mid-air, stiffened awkwardly before falling. Seeing that, the director cursed again.

“Damn it! 30-minute break!”

The director turned away in anger, yelling, “I’m going crazy!” He spoke to himself, but the target was clear. But Chase merely turned his head with an expressionless face.

Since returning to filming, Chase’s condition has been a mess. He constantly made bloopers and mistakes. He received all sorts of scolding and persuasion from the director, but nothing changed. In the end, he was given two days off, but the situation only worsened.

“We can’t postpone it any longer.”

The director lamented, clutching his head. Filming had to proceed, but Chase’s attitude remained the same. He seemed somehow detached, unable to focus, constantly forgetting his lines or just stopping blankly.

After a short break, the director resumed filming. But this time, it was even worse. After several bloopers, he finally dropped the magazine he was supposed to hand to Naomi, causing gasps from everywhere.

“This won’t do. Let’s call it a day. …What on earth is wrong? Where is your mind?!”

In the end, the director announced the end of filming and decided to shoot the day’s scenes again the next day. It had been happening for several days already. It was all Chase’s fault, but he didn’t apologize or feel embarrassed. He headed to his trailer as if it were natural, and the director just shook his head in exasperation.

“We can’t replace the actor now.”

He sighed and fell into thought, but there was no solution. Finally, the director cursed and left.

“…so that… shouldn’t… but…”

Laura kept saying something beside him. However, Chase still heard nothing. His mind was filled only with thoughts of Josh. Laura now spoke as if it were natural, seeing Chase looking around.

“I heard Josh is on duty from tonight. He’s probably resting at the accommodation, should I call him?”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Chase immediately turned and headed towards the temporary building where the bodyguards stayed. Laura sighed and followed him. This kind of thing has become a habit. Behind Chase, Laura, Isaac, Seth, and the manager followed in a line.

When they finally arrived at the temporary accommodation where Josh was staying, Chase briefly held his breath. He paused for a moment, then his steps quickened.

But disappointingly, Josh’s accommodation was empty. Chase, frowning, turned and came out, and the group once again rushed to follow him. This too was a frequent sight.

“Even if Josh lied about being a Beta, isn’t he being watched too closely?”

Seth, who had glanced at Isaac muttering in a hushed voice, mumbled to himself.

“How do you live in a world that is so dull…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Seth shook his head at Isaac, who asked innocently.

“Nothing, nothing.”

Suddenly, Laura turned around and asked Seth.

“Could you call Josh? To ask where he is now.”

“Understood.”

Seth took out his phone without another word. After a couple of rings, Josh answered.

“Where are you?”

After exchanging a few words, he immediately relayed the information to Laura.

“He says he’s eating. Probably where the staff eats…”

Before he could finish speaking, Chase abruptly stopped walking.

“Where?”

At his quiet voice, Laura hastily pointed in one direction.

“That way, but Mr. Miller, I’ll contact Josh, so perhaps you should wait in the trailer…”

Laura offered a reasonable suggestion, but Chase, of course, didn’t listen. He immediately changed direction, and a line of people followed him again.

The dining hall, past mealtime, was quite sparse. A few staff members, who had come for a late meal, lingered around the buffet. Chase spotted Josh as soon as he entered the entrance. He was standing in front of the steak cooking station, saying something. Seeing that, Chase’s face brightened.

“Joshua…”

He inadvertently called out his name, then paused. Josh wasn’t alone. The moment he saw the small woman standing beside him, exchanging conversation, Chase’s mind went cold. And that wasn’t the end of it. When Josh said something, the woman burst into laughter.

Chase, clenching and unclenching his fists without realizing it, resumed his halted steps and walked towards Josh at a terrifying speed.

Josh, who had emerged from his accommodation late in the afternoon, ambled towards the staff-only dining hall. He planned to eat and get enough rest in preparation for his night shift.

Because of the dense trees and grass, there were often insect attacks, so the temporary dining hall kept its doors tightly closed and the air conditioner running constantly. Josh glanced at the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, which was running tirelessly even during off-peak hours, then opened the door and went inside.

The dining hall was quiet at this ambiguous time, neither lunch nor dinner. He readily found a plate and put some salad in a corner. Spotting an empty steak cooking station, Josh walked towards it without hesitation.

“Oh my.”

A woman who arrived almost simultaneously uttered a short exclamation. Josh stepped back a pace and extended a hand with a smile.

“Please, go first.”

“Thank you.”

She smiled back and spoke to the waiting staff.

“Well-done, please.”

The staff member placed a large cut of steak on the grill, then looked at Josh. As if asking what he wanted.

“Could I have mine rare, please? Thank you.”

When he added his thanks, the staff member rummaged through the meat chunks and pulled out a large, appetizing piece.

“Oh my, is this discrimination? That one looks better.”

He didn’t laugh at the woman’s joke. Embarrassed, she turned her gaze and met Josh’s eyes. She coughed awkwardly, “Ahem,” then brought up another topic.

“You’re Mr. Miller’s bodyguard, right? How is it? I hear he’s quite difficult.”

The woman, who introduced herself as another actor’s secretary, made a sympathetic expression. Josh answered with his usual smile.

“It’s manageable. He is difficult, but…”

He wanted to add a compliment, but nothing came to mind. Josh reluctantly concluded his sentence.

“When you see his face, you understand everything.”

“Ah, that’s true. I’m always amazed too. I thought I was tired of seeing actors, but Mr. Miller…”

She made a dazed expression as if recalling something, then turned her head and looked up at Josh.

“Did you happen to see the filming where he cross-dressed the other day?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I never thought he’d still look so good. I found myself staring blankly without realizing it.”

Soon after, she subtly added,

“Do you happen to know that commercial?”

Josh narrowed his eyes and meaningfully began.

“Sweet, sweet.”

“My friend, chocolate bar.”

The woman burst into laughter, taking up the song. It was when Josh was smiling back. Suddenly, someone grabbed his shoulder and violently spun him around.

“…Oh.”

Josh gasped in surprise for a moment, but he didn’t throw a punch. He could already guess who it was without looking.

“Chase. …Mr. Miller.”

As expected, Josh inadvertently called out the name when he saw the face in his vision, then quickly corrected himself. Silence followed. Chase’s gaze shifted from Josh to the woman beside him.

The atmosphere was clearly menacing, and she flinched in surprise, then hastily turned her head and looked around. Just then, the staff member placed the cooked meat on her plate, and she left in a hurry, unable to even say thank you, as if fleeing.

Josh glanced at her retreating figure, then looked up at Chase again. Chase, who had also been watching the woman leave, turned his gaze back to Josh.

“Is that woman your sister too?”

To his sarcastic question, Josh honestly answered, “No.”

“We just exchanged a few words while waiting together. …It’s nothing.”

But Chase thought differently. He immediately grabbed Josh’s arm and walked violently. Those waiting rushed to follow, alternately running and walking. Chase walked all the way to the trailer without looking back or stopping once, then pulled Josh inside and closed the door.

With a thud, silence descended upon the quiet open space. The people who had followed them there belatedly clutched their chests and slumped their shoulders.

Laura, breathless, ran a hand across her pale forehead and said,

“Today’s filming is over, so everyone can go home. If Mr. Miller requests anything, please contact me…”

“Understood.”

Seth added,

“I assume Josh will handle it himself since he’s on bodyguard duty starting in two hours.”

“I suppose so.”

Laura, looking at the trailer with a serious expression, turned her gaze to Seth. Seth noticed what Laura was guessing but turned his head away, pretending not to know. Laura fell into thought with a serious expression, then mumbled to herself.

“Surely not.”

Seth thought that “surely not” was probably true. Soon after, Laura and the staff greeted them and left. Isaac, who had remained beside him until then, spoke.

“Shouldn’t we go inside? What if Josh is getting beaten alone?”

“Do you think Josh would just take a beating? Don’t interfere unnecessarily.”

Seth nonchalantly dismissed his opinion. Isaac, embarrassed, scratched his head, then looked back worriedly.

I hope nothing happens.

The interior was silent. After pulling Josh into the trailer, Chase hadn’t said a word. Josh was irritable from hunger, but he decided to focus on the current situation for now.

Just as Josh was about to speak, looking up at Chase, who seemed like he would never open his mouth at this rate, Chase narrowed his eyes and looked down at him.

“What were you doing with that woman?”

Josh answered truthfully.

“I was about to eat. We just ran into each other and exchanged a few words, that’s all.”

As if to prove his words, Josh’s stomach rumbled. Josh, embarrassed, gave an awkward laugh.

“I was incredibly hungry.”

“You were so hungry, but you had time to flirt with a woman, did you?”

“…”

Josh just stared at him for a moment. A jealous lover was cute, but that depended on the timing and the person. He was too hungry right now, and Chase’s jealousy had exceeded the limits of cuteness. With the intensity that made him feel like Chase might run out and do something to that woman at any moment, Josh had to choose his words carefully.

“I won’t do it again.”

“…”

“I won’t talk to anyone, except you.”

Josh smiled as if saying, ‘Is that enough?’ If he didn’t eat something within five minutes, he might try to eat Chase. He truly couldn’t stand being hungry.