I was Thrown into an Unfamiliar Manga

Visiting the drama set turned out to be way more fun than I expected.
Maybe it was because this was a drama being shot by Japan’s national broadcaster NHK, but the amount of capital invested in a single drama was staggering.

Not only the classroom and hallways, but even the main character Agito the hot-blooded teacher’s one-room apartment and the students’ homes had been recreated with incredible realism.
I had heard that filming technology had improved a lot lately, but I didn’t expect the entire thing to be a set.
Naturally, I assumed they had just rented similar locations to shoot.

When I headed over to the area stacked with various props, the production staff—probably already informed by the director—handed me a few and told me to try them out: a rubber pipe, a sugar-glass bottle, even a wooden club that would shatter on impact. They had everything.
While walking around the set like that, I got to see the main and supporting actors performing in front of the camera.
As expected of a youth drama airing nationwide, all the actors were either popular idols, incredibly handsome or pretty, or seasoned middle-aged performers.

From an older man I felt like I’d seen somewhere before, to a refined actress who always seemed to play rich wives, to an idol who was currently at the peak of her fame.
And standing out brightly among them all was none other than Minato Naoya.
“You don’t know anything about me, Sensei! So stop acting like you do!”

“Satou!”
Minato dashed down the hallway with tears in her eyes, while the handsome actor playing the teacher watched her go with a pained look on his face.
“Cut! That was great!”

The director gave the signal, waving the rolled-up script, and Minato came running back from the far end of the hallway with a bright smile.
“How was my acting?”
“Miss Minato, your acting is always great~”

Apparently, they were close—she and the actor playing the hot-blooded teacher Agito exchanged playful feedback while joking around.
Good-looking people looked even better on screen when paired together. I was sure the director thought the same, watching them through the camera lens.
Standing in a spot where I wouldn’t get in the way, I watched them with my arms crossed, until my stomach let out a loud growl. I checked the time on my smartphone.

I’d been so distracted by the tour that it was already 2 PM.
Normally, I’d have eaten lunch by now.
I looked around, unsure how meals worked here, and just then, someone who looked like production staff shouted toward the director and actors.
“Meal truck’s ready! Everyone, take your lunch break!”

The atmosphere on set immediately brightened.
Whether actors or crew, they had probably all skipped meals since morning to focus on filming. They must’ve been starving.
Since I had been watching the shoot from a distance to avoid getting in the way, I turned my gaze toward where people were now flocking.

The meal truck must be over there.
I decided to follow them, get some food, and then slowly head back to the waiting room.
I’d heard my scene would be filmed in the afternoon anyway.

***
The meal truck was parked in an open space outside the set.
A huge crowd had already formed in line, making it look like a sea of people.

I quietly joined the very back of the line.
That’s when curious stares started boring into the back of my head.
“That’s the guy who was walking around the set earlier.”

“I heard he’s the extra actor the director personally cast this time.”
“His vibe is insane. Are we sure he’s not a real gangster?”
“Look at those muscles. Even with clothes on, they’re showing.”

“His chest might be bigger than yours.”
“Hey! You wanna die?!”
Hearing that, I instinctively pulled my collar tighter.

Regardless, the murmurs behind me didn’t die down.
I debated what to do, then finally decided to speak up.
“Could you please be a little quieter?”

The moment I said that and turned around, everyone in line behind me fell silent all at once.
As if they had rehearsed it.
Only then could I finally eat in peace, and I let out a quiet sigh as I turned to face forward.

‘Finally, I can breathe.’
About fifteen minutes passed like that.
The people behind me, who had been whispering to each other, didn’t «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» say another word after my single comment.

***
The meal truck’s offerings were basically buffet-style.
That meant I could load my tray with as much as I wanted, and after piling up my food, I quietly looked around for a place to eat—and spotted a corner table that no one was using.

I went over, sat down, and was about to take my first bite when I heard a familiar voice.
“Ah! Senpai! There you are!”
“……”

Why can’t I even eat in peace?
I glanced over to see Minato smiling brightly, holding a tray of food—and with her stood the handsome actor I’d seen earlier.
He was clearly the one playing the lead role of Agito, the passionate teacher in this drama.

“Hello.”
When I greeted them with a slight bow, the male actor returned a gentle smile and asked,
“What’s your name?”

“I’m Kim Yu-seong.”
“Oh, you must be Korean?”
“Yes. I’m second-generation Korean-Japanese.”

After that brief exchange of introductions, I tried to resume eating, but the two of them naturally sat down beside me.
“Judging by your costume, you’re probably appearing in the scene where Minato gets captured by delinquents?”
“Yes. I somehow ended up cast as an extra.”

“Then it looks like we’ll be working together today. Let’s give it our best!”
He said that and extended his right hand to me.
It seemed like he wanted to shake hands, so I accepted it lightly.

After that, the two of them chatted about this and that, mostly drama-related stuff.
Not that I could follow it anyway, so I just quietly focused on eating.
I emptied my tray in no time and was about to leave the awkward situation when Minato gasped in surprise.

“Huh? Senpai? You’re already done eating?”
“I had an early breakfast, so I was kind of hungry.”
“Then let’s go together! I’m on a diet lately, so I don’t have much of an appetite.”

Saying that, Minato tried to stand up with a tray that was barely half-finished, but I waved her off.
“You should eat properly if you want to stay healthy. You don’t even have any weight to lose, so don’t push yourself too hard. Eat what you can.”
At that, Minato suddenly looked up at me with a moved expression.

“Senpai…”
Realizing I might’ve said something unnecessary, I immediately regretted it. I pulled my cap down over my face and said,
“I’m going. Eat slowly.”

“Okay! I’ll finish everything!”
I gave a quick bow to the actor playing Agito and headed back to return my empty tray.
***

After lunch, I returned to the container and began waiting indefinitely.
I had already seen everything worth seeing in the morning, and it would’ve felt awkward to keep wandering around.
Thankfully, not long after that, a staff member came to call us.

“Actors playing the delinquent roles today, please get ready!”
“Yes!”
At the staff member’s call, actors dressed in black gakuran uniforms like me began standing up one by one.

Unlike my heavily modified gakuran that looked like it came out of a delinquent manga from the ‘80s or ‘90s, everyone else wore regular uniforms.
Seeing them side by side, it felt kind of unfair, but I figured it was intentional to make it easy to identify the gang leader.
We followed the staff’s guidance to the filming location.

It was a warehouse-like place with dim lighting. Drums were placed all around, and inside them, flames roared—wood and newspaper were burning.
Graffiti covered the walls in bright colors, making the place unmistakably feel like a delinquent gang’s hideout.
After a short wait, the other actors, staff, and the director arrived one by one, presumably from finishing another shoot.

Minato spotted me and waved cheerfully, but the heavy atmosphere of the filming site made me return the greeting with only a slight nod.
Soon, the shooting staff began explaining the situation to each actor.
As for me, the director approached personally.

“Kim-kun, just standing still is enough to create an atmosphere, so once filming starts, sit on that box over there, lean against the wall, and wait. When I give you the signal, stand up slowly.”
“What do I do after that?”
“When the hype man’s done shouting, just say one line—‘Let her go.’ That’s it.”

“…Understood. I’ll give it a try.”
Once all explanations were complete, the drama shoot began in earnest.
Minato, likely playing the girl kidnapped by this character’s underlings, was tied up with rope and thrown to the floor. Then the actor playing Agito burst in, his face full of rage.

“What do you think you’re doing?! She’s my student!”
As the main actor and the extras grabbed each other by the collars and began struggling, the director gave his signal—waving the script in his hand.
In response, I slowly stood up from the wooden box, one hand tucked in my pocket.

The moment everyone in the warehouse turned their eyes toward me, I delivered the single line the director had asked for.
“Let her go.”