other peoples problems

Part 1

One should never even attempt to get into the acting field if they're not prepared to spend endless hours waiting and doing nothing. Whether you were the star of the show or a random underpaid extra, everyone needed to wait.

Of course, the comfort one was able to wait in was definitely determined by status. Background actors had to make due with whatever space they could find that was out of the way but within earshot of their organizer while stars had trailers and food catered to their specific tastes.

Even background actors got food though. That was a staple of the industry. Kim Rok Soo chewed on the bagel provided thoughtfully as he watched the scene play out in front of him and waited for his next instructions.

He didn't have even the slightest interest in acting but background acting paid the bills, wasn't difficult, gave him time to study, and his sunbae had connected him with the opportunity.

He'd managed to become a 'regular' background actor for this series, which was an enviable position, and thus he'd become unwillingly privy to some of the drama on set.

He really thought that the drama should be reserved for the absolutely terrible plot of the Drama being filmed. Apparently other people thought otherwise.

Cale Henituse, a skilled actor with a leading role in the series, was somewhat notoriously difficult to work with but Kim Rok Soo thought that this was a bit excessive.

If not for his father, it was certain that Cale would never get work in this industry. Everyone was tired of catering to the prima donna who had yet to show up to work sober.

However there was only one person who actively challenged Cale's bad attitude, and had a tendency to do so with a smile that matched well with his impeccable public reputation as a genuinely nice person.

He seemed like a glib bastard to Kim Rok Soo's eyes but who was he to judge? The man was a professional actor and Kim Rok Soo was just a poor student working a shitty part-time job.

"Everyone has to wait, Mr. Henituse." They were using English again. Kim Rok Soo sometimes wished he didn't have a knack for languages because the arguments always got a bit more personal when they thought the rest of the staff couldn't understand. "I understand that you're impatient to finish your scenes, but your disruptive behavior will only keep us all here longer."

Cale snorted and sneered at Alberu with a thuggish venere. "Why should I give a fuck about others?"

There was a certain twitch to Alberu's expression that Kim Rok Soo was starting to recognize as the telltale sign that he was losing his patience with Cale as well. Of course he always managed to maintain his composure but it felt like everytime Cale got closer and closer to making the otherwise amiable man lose his shit. "I'm not asking you to care about others. I'm merely informing you that should you wish for the shoot to end sooner, it would be best to exhibit some patience."

Cale openly laughed at him. There was a drunken swaying to his movements that let everyone know that the starbucks cup in his hand definitely didn't contain coffee. "Way to fucking say 'shut the fuck up and behave', do you ever fucking change or are you just intolerable as a habit? Oh, let me guess, mommy and daddy didn't hug you enough so now you keel to meaningless fucking rules in hopes of getting their approval."

It looked like Cale had finally hit a nerve because Alberu actually took a moment to respond, his smile stiffening and freezing in place as though if Alberu allowed the muscles on his face to even twitch all of the hidden agitation would finally be exposed.

Kim Rok Soo really didn't want to witness any of this. He wanted to return to his textbooks and ignore the arguing pair but they were loud and he'd forgotten his earbuds and they were right in front of his resting place. Neither of them seemed to have noticed he was there at all as they went at it.