Chapter 22.2
The film set was quite relaxed as the release date could be postponed if filming was delayed. While the production company had to cover the staff salaries for the delay, which they disliked, the company was Halo Media and the majority of the funds came from Yeon Seo's bank account.
Thanks to this, the filming schedule was not rushed. Yoo Yeon Seo also got around 8 hours of sleep per day.
"Or did he seem particularly tense before he collapsed? Intense mental tension can cause this."
"He was deeply immersed in the shoot, so he must have been tense."
"In that case, it might be vasovagal syncope. But…"
Yeon Seo, lost in immersion to the point of losing consciousness? Han Ye Seong couldn't understand it. Even he, who didn't watch dramas or films often, knew Yoo Yeon Seo was a poor actor.
But Lee Tae Gyeom and Lim Seung Hyun were convinced. Such an intense performance could only be possible when pushing oneself to the limit.
"But what?"
"Nothing. Anyway, it's a fairly common symptom. Usually, they wake up quickly… It would be good to get a medical check-up later."
Yoo Yeon Seo would probably have breathed a sigh of relief if he heard this. No one knew that he vomited fake blood, and his collapse was explained away as a common symptom.
"Thanks, senior. You know your way out, right? I won't be able to see you off."
"Sure. Make sure to treat me to a meal later."
After Han Ye Seong left, the house quieted down again. Lee Tae Gyeom, who had been rolling his eyes sarcastically, was suddenly startled by Lim Seung Hyun's words.
"I'm going to sleep here and leave, what about you, Tae Gyeom? Will you stay here?"
"Yes. Well… I'm not comfortable leaving him like this."
"Then do so."
He had been casual earlier, but now he was business-like again… He thought they had gotten closer recently, but it seems they drifted apart again. Perhaps it was because he had used a nonexistent puppy as an excuse. Lee Tae Gyeom looked crestfallen.
* * * * *
In the early hours of the day, Yoo Yeon Seo was able to regain consciousness.
‘…Thankfully, I survived.'
<Master, it's not something to gloss over so lightly.>
Ah, is that so. Seeing him do something he didn't usually do, it seemed like Beta was gradually learning emotions as the memory synchronization progressed.
Yeon Seo strained to sit up. He was only mentally awake, the muscle aches piercing his entire body and the splitting headache hadn't disappeared yet.
‘Wow, the aftermath is no joke.'
<I recommend not performing memory synchronization to the limit in the future.>
‘I wasn't planning on it.'
He really thought he was going to die. Yeon Seo blinked, looking around him. Judging by the familiar room, it seemed like Lim Seung Hyun had listened to him well.
‘It's better if my family doesn't know.'
What if they told him to quit acting because he was in pain and just do chores while he recuperated? Judging by the calls and actions of his family so far, they had a tendency to be overprotective. Yoo Geon Min was a bit… quite intrusive, and Chairman Yoo Chang Ho and Yoo Eun Ho seemed to care a lot behind the scenes, despite pretending otherwise.
‘…Ah.'
Thinking about his family reminded him. The original Yeon Seo suspected his mother's suicide. But…
‘Do I have to solve that? Really?'
Of course, it was true that the two legs he saw during the first memory synchronization were quite intense and unforgettable. But the Yeon Seo of then and the Yeon Seo of now were different. Objectively, she was the biological mother of the original body, not his.
‘I'm not one to meddle.'
Kang Jin Hoo, born from an artificial life incubation device, lived without knowing anything about family affection. It wasn't bothersome or annoying when the Yoo family cared about Yeon Seo.
It's just… he didn't feel anything about it.
If the cause that led Lee Hee Seo to commit suicide involves him, then he might think differently, but he wasn't involved as of yet.
‘But why does this feel so uneasy?'
Yeon Seo frowned. Even though he tried not to care, he had an incomprehensible feeling of unease in the back of his mind.
‘I don't know…'
He would have to try memory synchronization in the future to know more. Yeon Seo laid back down as the ceiling began to spin.
‘What's happening?'
As Yeon Seo was trying to fall back asleep, he finally heard someone's breathing. Not one, but two. He sat up again.
‘Why is Lim Seung Hyun… and why is he here too?'
In the early dawn light, he could see more clearly.
Lim Seung Hyun and Lee Tae Gyeom were sleeping near Yeon Seo's bed. There was a pile of filming costumes in the corner. On the table was a towel that might have been used to wipe him down.
‘Did they take care of me when I was unconscious?'
If they were going to sleep, why didn't they just spread out a blanket and sleep comfortably? Why sleep in such discomfort? And if they were going to do this, why didn't they just go home and sleep, instead of volunteering for overtime at their employer's house? Were they fools?
‘…Huh.'
But he didn't feel that bad.
Yoo Yeon Seo didn't notice that he was smiling.