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

In her third week in Busan, Chae Soo-bin faced a major event.

The script reads: After the protagonist Jung Ah-young's father passed away, she returned to the seaside café for the first time. Previously, someone else had been running it; she hadn't dared to come, afraid that seeing her father's things would break her. But on this day, she finally came. The script's description is brief—"She opened the door, went inside, stood behind the bar, and touched the coffee machine her father had used. No lines, no tears."

When the director spoke to Chae Soo-bin about this scene, his tone was very soft. "You don't need to act. Just stand there and think whatever you want. The camera will film your back."

Cai Xiubin asked, "Isn't a front view necessary?"

"No need. A positive stance is actually unnecessary."

On the day of filming, it was drizzling in Busan. The seaside café set was set up in an old house with a wooden door and a handle worn smooth. Chae Soo-bin stood outside the door and took three deep breaths. The director called "Action," and she pushed open the door and went inside.

The café was small, the bar counter by the window, overlooking the hazy, gray sea. She walked behind the bar and stopped. The coffee machine was an old prop made by the props department, but when she saw it, what came to mind wasn't the prop, but the person from the script—a silent father who stood there every day making coffee, for ten years. She reached out and touched the handle of the coffee machine; it was metal and cool. Her hand remained there, unmoving.

The film set was quiet, with only the sound of rain.

Cai Xiubin stood there, her back straight, her shoulders not trembling, but her fingers were lightly stroking the handle—once, twice, three times. It wasn't in the script; she added it herself. The director didn't call "cut." She stood there for about twenty seconds, then withdrew her hand, turned, and walked out of the coffee shop.

"CUT!" The director's voice was a little hoarse. "Okay! That's a wrap!"

Chae Soo-bin stepped out of the set and saw her assistant hand her a tissue. She paused, and the assistant said, "Unnie, you're crying." She touched her face and realized there were tears. She didn't know when they had fallen—maybe when she touched the coffee machine, maybe when she turned around. She wiped them away and smiled. "It's okay. It'll pass."

The director walked over and looked her in the eyes. "Cai Xiubin, who told you to touch the coffee machine just now?"

"Myself."

"Very good." The director nodded. "Better than the script."

Cai Xiubin smiled, walked over and sat down, then took out her phone and sent a message to Su Yu. "There was a scene today where I cried without realizing it." Su Yu replied a few minutes later: "That means you're in jail." Cai Xiubin looked at the message, her eyes reddening again. She didn't reply, put her phone away, and went to touch up her makeup.

Su Yu came over the weekend. This time he brought a box of strawberries and a bag of gummy candies that Cai Xiubin liked.

The crew members on set already recognized him. Seeing him enter, someone called out, "Representative Su is here!" The director, who was watching the monitor, looked up and greeted him. Su Yu nodded and sat down in a corner. Cai Xiubin was filming a scene where she was talking to a customer and didn't notice him. She was wearing a white shirt and denim apron, her hair tied in a low ponytail, and very light makeup, looking like someone who actually worked in a coffee shop.

Her voice was softer than usual, and her speech was slower. It wasn't intentional; it was a requirement of the role—Zheng Yaying wasn't a talkative person, and when she spoke to guests, she would always pause before answering, as if thinking about what to say. Su Yu looked at the screen, her fingers lightly tapping on her knee.

"Cut!" the director yelled. "That's a wrap!"

Cai Xiubin turned her head and saw Su Yu sitting in the corner; her eyes lit up. She ran over and sat down next to him. "When did you get here?"

"Just now."

"Did you see me taking the picture?"

"I saw it."

"How is it?"

Su Yu thought for a moment. "You're speaking too slowly."

Cai Xiubin was taken aback. "You even noticed that?"

"You usually speak quickly. Zheng Yaying speaks slowly. You acted it right."

Cai Xiubin laughed and leaned on his shoulder. "I'm exhausted today. We filmed seven scenes."

"So, we're done for the day?"

"One more scene. Night scene, to be filmed after dark."

"Then I'll wait for you."

Cai Xiubin looked up at him. "You wait every time you come. Aren't you bored?"

"You wouldn't do that."

Cai Xiubin blushed, kissed him on the cheek, then stood up and went back to prepare for the next round.

The night scene was filmed at the beach. Jung Ah-young sits alone on the sand, looking at the sea. This scene is a turning point in the script—she decides to sell the café, leave Busan, and start a new life in Seoul. There are no lines, no expressions, just a silhouette of her back, sitting on the beach, with the dark sea in front of her.

The director told Chae Soo-bin, "Just sit there and think whatever you want. The camera is behind you; it won't show your face."

Cai Xiubin took off her shoes and walked barefoot on the beach. The sand was cool, and the sea breeze was strong, making her hair fly wildly. She sat down and looked at the distant horizon. It was completely dark, and she couldn't tell where the sea ended and the sky began. She sat for a while, her mind starting to think about Zheng Yaying—after her father passed away, she had run that shop alone for a year, making coffee, watching the sea, and just spacing out every day. It wasn't that she didn't want to leave, but that she was afraid to leave. Because if she left, her father would truly be gone.

Cai Xiubin's eyes reddened, but she didn't cry. She remembered something Su Yu had said—"A true farewell doesn't need tears, it only needs to turn around." She sat there, looking at the sea, her eyes reddening.

The director didn't call "cut." The camera kept rolling. She sat for about thirty seconds, then stood up, dusted herself off, and turned to leave.

"CUT!" the director said softly. "That's a wrap."

Cai Xiubin returned, and her assistant handed her a blanket. She wrapped herself in the blanket and walked up to Su Yu.

Did you see that?

"I saw it."

"How is it?"

Su Yu reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Before you stood up, you hesitated. That hesitation was heavier than any tear."

Cai Xiubin stared at him for a few seconds, then threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

The two walked back to the hotel in silence. The sea breeze was strong, and Cai Xiubin nestled in Su Yu's arms, their feet rustling on the sand. The streetlights were dim, allowing them to see only a dozen meters ahead.

"Su Yu".

"Um."

"What do you think will happen to Jung Ah-young after she goes to Seoul?"

"I will meet new people. I will open new shops. I will live a better life."

Cai Xiubin stopped and looked at him. "Are you scared?"

"What are you afraid of?"

"Fear of losing."

Su Yu looked into her eyes. "You won't lose me."

Cai Xiubin's eyes reddened again, but this time she smiled. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. "Mmm. I know."