Chapter 158 The First Scene

Entertainment Around You - No Pop-ups
Story Setting Time: April - May 2007
Recommended Song: Stefanie Sun - Meet
Disclaimer: This work is purely fictional. Any resemblance to real persons or events is entirely coincidental!

Making an album was one thing, but Jiang Yihan did not have much spare time to dwell on it now because the television series "It Started with a Kiss" had officially begun filming.

At 8:00 AM, Jiang Yihan was hauled out of bed by Li Ran. Today's opening ceremony required them to arrive early at the styling salon to prepare. When they arrived at the location, reporters and onlookers had already surrounded the venue of the opening ceremony so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through. Jiang Yihan's arrival instantly triggered the loudest wave of cheers.

After meeting up with Xu Le and Jin Xiaoxi, before they even had time to greet the reporters, all the staff members gathered in front of the sacrificial altar to pray for a smooth and successful filming process.

"Good morning, Brother Yihan." Standing beside Jiang Yihan, Jung Il-woo greeted him with a beaming smile.

Jung Il-woo was a rookie actor who debuted just last year, born in 1986. He made his debut through the MBC daily sitcom "Unstoppable High Kick," playing the role of Lee Yoon-ho, which achieved unprecedented success and shot his popularity straight up. Currently, the filming of this hit daily sitcom was nearing its end, wrapping up around June. Meanwhile, several actors whose popularity skyrocketed in the show had received invitations to various new dramas. For instance, this very drama, "It Started with a Kiss," had cast two actors from the series: Jung Il-woo and Park Min-young.

"Il-woo, good morning," Jiang Yihan replied with a smile. During his leisure time, Jiang Yihan had watched a few episodes of "Unstoppable High Kick." It was a very lighthearted family comedy that also contained some life lessons, making it a daily sitcom well worth watching, so he naturally recognized Jung Il-woo.

"I never expected to be able to work with Brother Yihan. I'm really happy," Jung Il-woo laughed somewhat sheepishly. "I really, really love Brother Yihan's songs, so I'm a bit nervous." Jung Il-woo's mix of excitement and unfamiliar shyness made Jiang Yihan chuckle.

Right now, Jiang Yihan's prevailing feeling was that he seemed to encounter people who loved his songs everywhere. That feeling was a very subtle emotion, and such direct affirmation of his work was truly heartwarming.

"Haha, I like you too," Jiang Yihan said, blinking playfully. "When I watched *High Kick*, Lee Yoon-ho was really adorable. Can you tell me what the ending is? Did Yoon-ho's uncle, Min-yong, end up with Teacher Min-jung? Or did Yoon-ho end up with the teacher?"

Jiang Yihan's familiarity with the plot made Jung Il-woo burst into laughter. It was obvious that Jiang Yihan really did watch the show, which was why his questions were so "professional." This reduced Jung Il-woo's sense of unfamiliarity considerably. "Haha, Brother Yihan, that's a secret! If I tell you, what will happen to our future ratings?"

Hearing this, Jiang Yihan deliberately pouted to make a regretful expression, which brought the two of them even closer.

"How is it? Won't you be exhausted taking on two dramas at the same time? Won't your schedule clash?" Jiang Yihan didn't know much about television drama production, so he wasn't very clear about the specific operations.

"It's actually alright. *High Kick* is almost done filming. Normally, we can shoot seven or eight episodes a day, so it gets busy when we're rushing the schedule. Now that it's nearing the end, the pace isn't as frantic; I only need to go film a few days out of the week. I guess I'll have to ask for leave every weekend. Besides, each episode in that daily sitcom has a theme—sometimes I have a lot of scenes, and sometimes basically none. Things aren't busy on that side anymore." Jung Il-woo was much more familiar with television production than Jiang Yihan and explained it clearly.

"Right now, the main focus is shooting our drama. My manager told me our show is scheduled to air in mid-May, and we're just starting filming now. So for the next week or two, we'll probably have to rush to shoot the first four episodes to catch up with the broadcast schedule. That's why we'll probably have to live on set during this period. It's going to be exhausting." Jung Il-woo had a solid grasp of television production and explained things quite clearly.

"Good grief, the schedule is that tight? Then I suppose we'll really be shooting day and night. Sigh!" Jiang Yihan let out a long sigh. The days ahead were going to be terribly, terribly busy.

"Our new drama's press conference seems to be next week. This week, we need to shoot the opening scenes as well as promotional videos and photos, so the first week will be the busiest. There's no helping it; our drama started preparing too late, and everything feels so rushed." Jung Il-woo also looked somewhat worried. After all, having debuted less than a year ago, this was only his second drama, yet he was already facing such a massive challenge.

"Sigh, actually I'm fine with those things; my character is what gives me a headache. The character Ah Kin needs to be very exaggerated. I've been pondering how to act to bring that out, but I always feel like something is missing. That's the troublesome part. If we can't quickly find the character's traits and figure out the acting method right at the start of filming, the shooting pace won't speed up. Even if it does speed up, the quality can't be guaranteed. Sigh, I'm worried."

Jiang Yihan deeply empathized with this; films were the same way. If one's understanding of a character was not profound enough and a method of performance wasn't found, it would be impossible to truly immerse oneself in the role. This was definitely behavior that delayed everyone's schedule and made it impossible to guarantee the quality of the production, which was truly what an actor should worry about.

Jiang Yihan patted Jung Il-woo on the shoulder—they were comrades in misery. Acting wasn't something one could fully grasp overnight.

As they talked, the sacrificial ceremony had already begun. The first to go up was naturally the director, Xu Le, followed by the lead actors, and Jiang Yihan was the first to be pushed forward.

Jiang Yihan accepted the three sticks of incense handed to him by a staff member, bowed to the heavens three times, and after bowing, inserted them into the cooked sacrificial pig's head. Then, he took out the red envelope Li Ran had given him earlier and stuffed it into the pig's mouth, which marked the completion of his part. Throughout this process, photojournalists remained the busiest people on the scene. The onlookers did not stop screaming at the sight of Jiang Yihan, making it extremely lively. Meanwhile, the press photographers had to resist the crowds surging forward from behind to maintain their balance and avoid falling, while still finding time to capture as many photos of Jiang Yihan as possible—clear and handsome ones at that. Only then would they have material for tomorrow's newspaper headlines. However, the photojournalists were seasoned veterans; amidst pushing forward and stepping back, they still managed to capture many brilliant and sharp photographs.

Following that, the lead actors stepped forward one by one to pay their respects, bringing the opening ceremony to a temporary close. Originally, there was supposed to be a media interview session, but due to tight time constraints, a dedicated interview time was not arranged. Instead, all reporters were informed that a special press conference would be held soon, and they would be notified in good time so that everyone could arrive promptly. Immediately afterward, the production crew sealed off the entire shooting location.

"Yihan, Xiaoxi, you two come over here," Xu Le shouted loudly across the grounds.

Jiang Yihan, who was chatting with Jung Il-woo, hurriedly ran over and joined Jin Xiaoxi.

"We'll start our first scene right away. Now, I'll explain the scene to you, and then the stage manager will go over the blocking with the two of you. You two run through a few rehearsals, and once you're ready, we can begin." Xu Le's words startled them both; things were moving really fast, but given how tight time was, there was nothing strange about it.

"The first scene is the very first time you meet," Xu Le explained. "At the opening ceremony, Xiangqin is about to be late and runs toward the auditorium, while Zhishu is heading to the restroom. As a result, your two groups collide at the corner of the hallway. Because of your height difference, your lips directly bump into each other. It is this very kiss that seals your relationship. The title of our drama, *It Started with a Kiss*, originates right here. After the kiss, Xiangqin's expression should be somewhat infatuated and obsessed, running a bit deeper—it's love at first sight. As for Zhishu, he should show no reaction mixed with a hint of dislike, with the emotional color not too strong. Then, he picks up his handkerchief to wipe away the sensation left on his lips and says 'So dirty' to show his displeasure before walking away. That's the kind of scene this is; grasp the emotions well."

What? The first scene and they had to shoot a kiss scene on their very first encounter? Both Jiang Yihan and Jin Xiaoxi felt rather awkward. Although the two of them were already quite familiar with each other, their relationship had always been more like older brother and younger sister. Suddenly having to kiss—and in such a dramatic fashion—felt extremely bizarre.

Jiang Yihan tried to imagine the scenario in his mind: after kissing Jin Xiaoxi, he had to say "So dirty"? Wow, what kind of scene was that? It was simply unimaginable. This made the two of them feel even more awkward.

However, lingering in the awkwardness was not an option because the floor manager immediately stepped forward and pulled the two of them toward the teaching building. The two stole glances at each other, feeling utterly awkward.

The floor manager paid no mind to this and straightaway began explaining the blocking. Temporarily casting aside their awkwardness, they followed the floor manager through the movements: how to run over, where they would collide, what the posture of the kiss would be after the collision, and what the requirements were for shooting from multiple angles. After a round of thorough explanations, the two of them finally gained a basic understanding.

Understanding was one thing, but a rehearsal was still necessary to ensure the smooth progress of the upcoming shoot.

With mixed feelings, Jin Xiaoxi walked to the other end of the hallway. *Oh god, I'm going to kiss Brother Yihan later—kiss him!* Although it was an accidental kiss, the contact of their lips alone was enough to make her nervous.

At the floor manager's shout of "Action," Jin Xiaoxi's mind remained a mess as she simply lowered her head and started running. However, before she even reached the corner, Xu Le yelled "Cut!" Xu Le was sitting in front of the monitor watching the rehearsal to find inspiration for the upcoming shoot.

The reason Xu Le shouted cut was very simple: "Xiaoxi, what are you thinking about? Why is the expression on your face so dazed? You need to look anxious, anxious! Right now, you're running late for the opening ceremony, and you'll get scolded if you're late. Your expression needs to show urgency."

Jin Xiaoxi felt rather embarrassed. Everyone's time was so tight, and she was a professional actress yet she was letting her mind wander during filming—such an un-professional standard! Jin Xiaoxi hurriedly apologized to everyone, walked off to the side, and forced herself to calm down, driving herself to enter the actor's role. *I am working right now, I am working, I am working.* Jin Xiaoxi kept hypnotizing herself. It was only after a great deal of effort that her state improved slightly, and the rehearsal started once more.

Although her expression was a bit better this time, she was called "cut" again because her positioning was wrong—she actually ran right out of the frame. Rehearsals really were troublesome.

Just for the running segment before the encounter, the two of them ran more than ten times. How to run, how to shoot, how to frame the angles—Xu Le kept planning while the floor manager constantly made corrections. As the number of rehearsals increased, the two finally managed to "meet." That running sequence was truly a hassle. However, there was one advantage: once their attention was entirely focused on the blocking, the awkwardness of filming the kiss scene was diluted quite a bit.

After the encounter, the highlight was how the collision should happen so their lips would meet—spatial awareness was crucial. At this point, as the rehearsal deepened, both Jiang Yihan and Jin Xiaoxi cast aside their distracting thoughts and became professional actors, carefully verifying their positions. The two cooperated to find a suitable placement so that their lips could get close enough.

Even though the other person's slightly warm breath and the faint scent on their body made things a bit chaotic and intoxicating, both of them managed to keep their emotions under control, even if their faces remained slightly flushed.

After more than an hour of rehearsal, the blocking and the scenario were finally familiar. Now came the official shoot—the filming that truly required emotional investment.

"Action."

Jin Xiaoxi—no, Yuan Xiangqin—swiftly bounced into a run, while Jiang Zhishu walked leisurely from the other end of the hallway. At the corner, an abrupt brake failed, and the two crashed directly into each other. However, because their positioning was off, they missed the kiss. "Cut!" Both of them burst into laughter because they had collided for real, but failed to complete the required portion, ending up with sore bodies instead.

"Xiaoxi, when you run past the corner, you can slow down a bit. If you crash like this, you might accidentally bounce back from the momentum later, and it won't meet the requirement," Jiang Yihan said with a smile.

Jiang Yihan rubbed his aching chest, re-verified the collision path with Jin Xiaoxi, and continued.

Start running, collide, kiss! This time they made contact. Jiang Yihan's eyes widened abruptly—they really kissed. Jin Xiaoxi was also startled. Before she could carefully process the soft sensation on her lips, the two separated, both smiling sheepishly.

"Hey, you two need to finish acting out the scene before laughing," Xu Le said, standing up helplessly. "It took so much effort to get the positioning right and bump into each other, yet you forgot your facial expressions and acting skills. Really, truly..."

Acting was just like that—filled with uncertainties. When one thing went right, another went wrong. Finding the right point of convergence was an extremely difficult process.

After accidentally kissing five or six times, the shyness of the two diminished significantly. Instead, they became professional, carefully controlling their expressions and trying their best to portray the emotions required by the script. At this point, although the shyness of kissing was still there, it was already minimal, with the main focus remaining on the scene. When you transformed into the character within the story, a kiss was no longer a kiss, but simply an accident.

Start running, turn the corner, collide, kiss!

Jiang Zhishu's eyes widened suddenly, a flash of displeasure revealing itself in his gaze. Who on earth was this in front of him?

Yuan Xiangqin had been panting heavily just a moment ago, but suddenly felt a brief sharp pain on her lips. Before she even had time to process what kind of pain it was, she felt contact with something soft. Once her vision adjusted and focused, she saw the mesmerizing eyes before her. The soft sensation of their lips made Xiangqin's legs go a little weak.

K-kiss... they actually kissed! Yuan Xiangqin discovered that she had actually kissed this complete stranger in front of her.

Pausing for a moment, the two quickly pulled apart. Jiang Zhishu took a step back, fished a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped his lips. His expression was nonchalant, while his gaze carried a trace of dislike and a rejection of the chaotic emotions. "So dirty." Jiang Zhishu dropped those emotionless words, then turned and walked away.

In contrast, Yuan Xiangqin's eyes perceived an undeniable aura radiating from the man before her, while the fragrance left on her lips after the kiss remained intoxicating.

"Cut!"

"Xiaoxi, your expression is great. That's precisely the feeling we want—a bit infatuated, somewhat lingering, and a little reluctant to let go," Xu Le praised. "Yihan, your gaze felt just right just now. When we shoot the close-ups later, maintain that exact feeling."

The wide-angle shots were all complete, but there were still subtle depictions of their faces during the kiss that needed close-ups from multiple angles.

The first scene was finally completed after nearly four hours.

Chattering cat rambling time: I had some matters today so the update was a bit late, apologies!