Superstar 838
by Cristae“Cut! Okay!”
The very first take of the very first shoot wrapped in one go.
“We’ll move on to the bust shot!”
While the bust and close-up shots still remained, the momentum was high.
The New Age production staff, observing from a distance, silently applauded at the scene that looked like it had come straight out of the novel Eclipse.
‘The writer should’ve seen this!’
Seo-jun Lee’s suspicious and unsettling aura was flawless, and Hailey Lodge’s startled reaction and dash away were equally impressive.
Even the staffer had to admit—if a stranger told them, “You’re a wizard,” or, “You’re a werewolf,” they too would’ve bolted, no questions asked.
*‘I don’t know what the first *Eclipse* filming was like…’*
Though the rumors were that it had been chaotic from day one.
The New Age staffer grinned brightly.
It was a perfect start.
“Moving to the next set!”
After filming the intense first meeting of the protagonists, the two lead actors, the director, and the crew moved to the next location.
This time, it was an indoor set—Claire’s house, and the surrounding sidewalk and street.
‘I saw it earlier, but…’
Seo-jun turned his head toward the set.
Huge green chroma key screens were set up on both sides, and in the middle sat a two-story house.
Only the front of it.
The back was completely hollow.
Just the façade, built solely for filming (indoor scenes would be filmed elsewhere), but it looked like someone had physically ripped the front off a real house.
Seo-jun asked with a grin in his voice:
“You didn’t actually rip this off somewhere, did you, Director?”
Hailey laughed too.
It really did feel like something Director Wilma might do, all in the name of “realism” and “lived-in atmosphere.”
“Haha. No. The New Age team asked me the same thing, you know.”
Director Wilma rolled her eyes.
Seo-jun and Hailey burst out laughing.
Between the wolfdogs and the neural-reactive wolf ears, it seemed New Age was thinking just like them.
“Director, Lily and her handler are here.”
“Oh, really?”
At the staffer’s words, Wilma, Seo-jun, and Hailey turned toward the entrance with bright faces.
The familiar handler entered the studio, carrying Lily’s carrier.
“Close all doors and windows. Double-check any potential exits.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Wilma gave swift orders to ensure no frightened cat could bolt during filming.
“Welcome!”
Seo-jun and Hailey greeted the slightly nervous handler warmly. She visibly relaxed and smiled back.
“Has Lily been well?”
Meow!
Lily, the assigned cat for today’s shoot, answered energetically from the carrier.
“She must be in a good mood.”
“She’s not just in a good mood—she’s been wired since dawn…”
The handler looked exhausted, and Seo-jun and Hailey chuckled sympathetically.
“May I let her out? She should start acclimating to the set.”
“Of course.”
At Wilma’s nod, the handler opened the cage and brought out the sleek black cat.
Ohhh…
Even busy crew members paused to admire Lily’s cuteness. Hailey clutched her heart.
Seo-jun, smiling, gently surrounded Lily in warm, soothing energy.
Though Lily already looked curious and unfazed, Seo-jun wanted to help her feel even more at ease.
Snuggled in her handler’s arms, Lily peered around. Then, like liquid shadow, she slipped free and leapt onto a nearby table.
Meow! Meow!
“So cute! What do you think she’s saying?”
To ease future filming, Seo-jun activated an ability from the Library of Life.
[(Select) Catsee’s Whiskers – Low Grade activated.]
(Select) Catsee’s Whiskers – Low Grade
Allows the user to read basic thoughts of feline creatures.
Also enables sending simple thoughts to them.
Reading Lily’s thoughts, Seo-jun chuckled.
“She’s probably saying ‘Look at me.’”
The handler’s eyes widened, then nodded.
“That sounds right. Lily loves attention and talking. Once she’s comfortable, she’ll meow until everyone notices her. She adjusted quickly today.”
Everyone turned to the table.
Meow!
Look at me!
Lily stood tall, perfectly poised, from perked ears to floofy tail.
Groans of adoration came from all directions.
It seemed New Eclipse had just found its mascot.
“Lodge! You’re up!”
“Yes!”
Hailey reluctantly tore her gaze from Lily and stood up.
Meow!
“I don’t want her to go…”
“Haha. Go ahead.”
“Okay…”
As Hailey shuffled off, Seo-jun resumed petting Lily.
He felt a strong gaze beside him. It was Lily’s handler.
“I’m her owner, you know.”
“Haha.”
Since jumping down from the table, Lily had stayed in Seo-jun’s arms.
Seo-jun looked down at her fondly.
He understood why Lily was such a chatterbox.
Her owner clearly responded to her every meow.
But there was a catch: their conversations never aligned.
“You know I’m the one who feeds you.”
Meow! (This place is amazing!)
“Do you like Jun that much?”
Meow meow! (That shelf looks fun!)
“You little traitor.”
Mew! (Let’s climb it!)
Seo-jun, trying not to laugh, barely managed to stop Lily from launching off toward a light rig.
“Ready, action!”
Claire, carrying heavy bags, looked over her shoulder. She hadn’t run far, but she had looped through side streets. He wouldn’t have kept up.
‘He did help me, but…’
Having just stepped into society, Claire wasn’t ready to talk to someone who’d blurted out, “You’re a witch.”
Sigh.
She exhaled deeply and kept walking.
Not far ahead was her house.
Her own house.
Just the thought lightened her steps.
She arrived soon after.
Red bricks, ivy-covered walls, a wooden gate just below shoulder height, and a small yard with a few stone pavers.
An old, cozy two-story house straight out of the countryside—smack in the middle of a dense city.
Towering buildings loomed on either side, 5 or 6 stories tall.
It stood out.
But for Claire, who had no car, it was perfect.
She pushed open the gate and stepped inside.
“Where’s my key…”
Setting down her bag, she rifled through her pockets.
The scuffed bag reminded her of the strange man from earlier.
What a weirdo.
“I mean, seriously…”
As she straightened the bag, she muttered:
“It’s the 21st century. People take flights around the world, call across continents, even go to space if they can afford it…”
She didn’t notice the shadow moving along the wall behind her.
At last, she found her key and moved to unlock the door.
“A witch? Really—”
–Arf!
“…Huh?”
Claire froze.
Whoosh—
Rain poured from the sky.
Okay. Rain was normal.
But not this.
The bustling city around her had vanished.
In its place stood a forest.
“Wh-where am I?”
The brick wall now looked out onto a field of grass. Beyond it, thick trees loomed.
Nothing but trees. Everywhere.
Her mind went blank.
“Am… am I unconscious?”
Maybe she had fainted earlier. Maybe this was a dream.
She convinced herself it had to be a dream.
“Claire. This isn’t real. It can’t be.”
Shhhhhh…
But the sound of rain was too clear. The chill in the air too real.
She reached past the awning and caught a drop on her hand.
Cold. Sharp. Real.
“This is… real rain?”
She stared ahead in disbelief.
Sniff sniff.
Hood pulled low, a man moved swiftly down the street, following a faint trace.
Beside a first-floor boutique, a red-brick wall covered in ivy came into view.
On it walked a black cat.
The man’s lips curved.
He peered over the wall.
The woman stood at her door, fiddling with her key.
Then—
Flicker—
A tiny pulse of energy sparked from the house.
The cat leapt—and was instantly repelled, tumbling back with a yowl.
The man, unfazed, kept his eyes on the door.
Empty.
The woman—and her bags—were gone.
“What the…”
He lifted his hood.
In the sunlight, his features became visible.
Rugged black hair. Gleaming dark eyes. Sharp nose. Confident smile.
A pale but strikingly handsome face.
He laughed.
“She is a witch.”