Managing the Korean entertainment industry: I have superpowers, but I won't say.

The day after Chae Soo-bin went to Busan, the fifth episode of "Goblin" aired.

When the ratings came out, Kim Dong-wook posted a screenshot in the group chat; the number was 16.3. Yoon Shi-yoon replied with a long string of exclamation marks, Kim Go-eun sent a crying face, and Yoo In-na said, "There's going to be a long line at the fried chicken shop."

Su Yu didn't speak in the group chat, but sent Cai Xiubin a message: "Episode 5, 16.3." Cai Xiubin replied ten minutes later, posting a selfie in the apron from the show, holding a cup of coffee, with the caption: "I'm learning to make a latte. Latte art is so hard." Su Yu looked at the photo, her lips twitched slightly, and typed: "Learn slowly."

Cai Xiubin replied with a smiley face.

Su Yu put down her phone and continued reading the script A24 had sent her. The film, titled "The Last Song," tells the story of a Korean immigrant family in America. The father is a taxi driver, the mother works at a laundromat, and the daughter wants to sing a song at her high school graduation party, but the family can't afford a piano.

The story is simple, but the emotions are profound. Su Yu stopped on page 30 and lit a cigarette. There was a scene in the script where the father found a crumpled twenty-dollar bill in the parking lot, held it in his hand, and stood there for a long time. No lines, no expression, just a silhouette.

He thought of his father. Not like the one in the script, but someone else entirely. He stubbed out his cigarette and continued reading.

The weekend came quickly. Su Yu finished his work at the company on Friday afternoon and boarded the high-speed train to Busan. Kim Dong-wook saw him off at the ticket gate and asked him, "Do you want to bring anything with you?" Su Yu said, "I did." He was carrying a bag containing strawberries that Cai Xiubin liked and two boxes of Korean beef.

The high-speed train journey took two and a half hours, during which Su Yu slept for a while. When he woke up, the view outside the window was of the Busan sea, hazy and blending seamlessly with the sky. He took out his phone and texted Cai Xiubin, "Arrived." Cai Xiubin replied instantly, "I'm on set. Just come straight here; I've sent you the address."

The taxi drove for twenty minutes before stopping in front of the cinema. Su Yu got out and saw an abandoned factory building with a sign that read "Seaside Cafe" hanging at the entrance. He went inside and found a cafe set set up—a wooden bar, a few small round tables, black and white photos on the walls, and a painted view of the sea outside the window. Cai Xiubin, wearing a white shirt and denim apron, stood behind the bar, holding a latte art cup and pouring milk into a coffee.

The director yelled "CUT," then turned around and saw Su Yu, and paused for a moment.

"Representative Su?"

"Hello." Su Yu walked over and shook hands with him. "I'm here to visit the set."

The director seemed a little nervous, rubbing his hands together. "Please have a seat, and feel free to look around."

Su Yu sat down next to him. Cai Xiubin peeked out from behind the bar, smiled at him, and didn't say anything. The director continued filming the next take. This scene was about the female lead making coffee for a customer, an elderly woman who came every Friday and always ordered the same latte.

Cai Xiubin's coffee-making skills have improved significantly. When pouring milk, she gently twists her wrist, and the milk foam draws a leaf on the coffee.

"Okay!" the director called out. "Cut! Ten-minute break."

Cai Xiubin came out from behind the bar and ran up to Su Yu. "When did you get here?"

"Just now."

"Did you see my latte art?"

"I saw it."

"How is it?"

Su Yu thought for a moment. "It's alright."

Cai Xiubin pouted. "What do you mean by 'not bad'? I practiced for a week."

"That's good."

Cai Xiubin smiled, took his hand, and walked outside. "Come on, let me show you the sea in Busan."

The two walked out of the film set and along a path to the seaside. The winter sea breeze was strong, and Cai Xiubin wrapped her scarf tighter around herself, nestled in Su Yu's arms. The waves crashed, seagulls cried in the sky, and a fishing boat slowly passed by in the distance.

"It's so quiet here," Cai Xiubin said. "It's like another world."

"So, do you like it?"

"I like it as soon as you come."

Su Yu didn't say anything, but hugged her tighter.

The two stood on the beach for a while, and Cai Xiubin said, "I'm hungry." Su Yu said, "I brought Korean beef," and Cai Xiubin's eyes lit up. "Really? Where?" "In a bag at the entrance of the film set." "Then let's grill it when we get back."

Near the film set was a small barbecue restaurant. The owner, a woman in her sixties, smiled and said, "The actors from the filming are here," when she saw Cai Xiubin come in. Cai Xiubin greeted her and ordered two portions of Korean beef, one portion of pork belly, and a bottle of soju. Su Yu grilled the meat and put it in Cai Xiubin's bowl. She ate with gusto, her cheeks bulging like a hamster.

"Eat slowly," Su Yu said.

"I filmed all day and didn't even have a proper lunch," Cai Xiubin said, chewing on some meat. "The director was too strict; we filmed over ten takes with just one cup of coffee."

That's because you're not skilled enough.

"You've got a way with words." Cai Xiubin glared at him, then laughed.

After finishing the barbecue, Su Yu escorted Cai Xiubin back to her hotel. Her room wasn't large, but the window faced the sea, offering a view of the distant lighthouse twinkling. Su Yu washed the strawberries, arranged them on a plate, and brought them over. Cai Xiubin nestled on the sofa, eating strawberries while reviewing tomorrow's script.

"Su Yu".

"Um."

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

"The high-speed train this afternoon."

"Then come with me tomorrow morning."

"it is good."

Cai Xiubin put down the script and leaned on his shoulder. "This week has been exhausting. I get up at six every day and finish work at ten at night. The director is a very nice person, but his standards are too high. There was one scene where I cried more than ten times, and he said 'not enough,' and I don't know what I didn't do right."

Su Yu looked at her profile. "You're not acting like you're crying, you're acting like you're feeling wronged. You don't need to shed tears to feel wronged."

Cai Xiubin paused for a moment, then looked up at him. "How come you can talk to the director about the scene even better than he can?"

"I've seen too much of it."

Cai Xiubin stared at him for a few seconds, then smiled. "Then you should visit the set more often. With you here, I'll know how to act."

The next morning, Su Yu went to the set again. Cai Xiubin was filming a scene with a guest; she didn't have many lines, but her emotions were very subtle. Su Yu stood behind the monitor watching, and the director leaned over and whispered, "She's improved a lot since last week." Su Yu said, "Yeah." The director said, "She's more focused when you're not around," and Su Yu glanced at him. The director smiled, "That's not what I meant."

After Cai Xiubin finished filming that scene, she ran over to watch the playback. After watching it, she turned to Su Yu and asked, "How was it?" Su Yu said, "It's good." She smiled and went back to continue filming.

At 2 PM, Su Yu had to catch the high-speed train. Cai Xiubin saw him off at the cinema entrance, holding his hand tightly.

"Will you come again next week?"

"Come."

"You said it."

"Um."

Cai Xiubin tiptoed and kissed him on the corner of the mouth, then turned and ran. As she reached the door, she glanced back at him and waved. Su Yu stood there, watching her run inside, then turned and left.

The taxi drove towards the high-speed rail station. Su Yu took out his phone and saw a message from Cai Xiubin. "Did you get in the car?" He replied, "Yes." Cai Xiubin said, "I'm at the film set too." After a few seconds, she sent another message: "The strawberries are delicious. I'll buy more next week." Su Yu looked at that line and typed, "Okay."

The streetscape of Busan receded outside the window, the sea still there, hazy and gray, merging with the sky. Su Yu leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and his mind drifted to Cai Xiubin making latte art—clumsy, earnest, and improving little by little. He remembered her saying, "I like it as soon as you come," and "I'll buy it next week." These little things made him feel more grounded than the company's valuation exceeding one trillion.

The phone vibrated again. It was a message from Kim Dong-wook: "A24 asked for your opinion on the script. What's your response?" Su Yu opened her eyes and typed: "The script is great. I'll invest. Three million US dollars, half for each." Kim Dong-wook replied with "Received."

The high-speed train started moving, and the scenery outside the window began to rush by. Su Yu looked at the sea outside the window, thinking that he would come back next week.