《Possessed 10 Million Actors》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 [This station is Seongsu, Seongsu Station. The door to get off is¡­] ¡°Whoa¡­¡± I sighed softly and got off the subway. Wooooow. At that time, I received a text message on my cell phone, which usually doesn¡¯t ring. It was the audition results text I had been waiting for so desperately. ¡ª¡ª Hello. This is the casting team for . Thank you for applying to this audition. Unfortunately, Jinseok Kang¡­ ¡ª¡ª ¡®I failed again this time. ¡®When will the audition take ce?¡¯ I¡¯ve already failed dozens of auditions. But I couldn¡¯t get used to that feeling of loss. [Door opens] I got off the subway among office workers leaving work. As I was going down the stairs as weak as usual, I saw the old woman with her back bent. An old woman sitting on the stairs and gesturing to people. Do you need help? The grandmother beckoned to people passing by, but no one tried to help her. As if the grandmother was invisible. ¡®Should I help the grandmother¡­?¡¯ But I didn¡¯t feel like it right now. Maybe it was because I failed the audition, and I was so mentally and physically exhausted. While I was thinking about that, I was suddenly passing by the grandmother. By the time I came down the stairs like that. ¡°ha¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I couldn¡¯t bear to pretend not to know. It was because of my earnest desire to get at least a one-line part in the grandmother¡¯s hand gestures as she anxiously called out to people passing by ovepped. I went up the stairs again and asked the grandmother. ¡°Grandma, may I help you?¡± He asked cautiously and the grandmother lifted her head. The wrinkles on her face were full of worry. In contrast, the white clothes she was wearing were surprisingly wrinkle-free and clean. As I stared at her, the grandmother held out her hand to me. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry, but can you help me?¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°I have to go home, but I can¡¯t go alone¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but can you take me with you?¡± What should you usually do in this situation? Perhaps the best way would be to report it to a station employee. But for some reason, I wanted to help in person today. ¡°Yes. ¡°Hold my hand and stand up.¡± ¡°Thank you. thank you so much.¡± I slowly helped the grandmother. *** After passing through alleys and alleys, I crossed the main street and arrived at the grandmother¡¯s house. Even I, a Seongsu-dong native, had no idea a ce like this existed. ¡°After¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Is it over there?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± I carried the grandmother all the way to her house. He didn¡¯t really know because it was his first time carrying an old person, but the grandmother was quite heavy. He says these days he only reads scripts and maybe it¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t exercise. ¡®Even if I have to cut back on my part-time job, I have to set aside time to exercise¡­¡¯ While I was thinking about this and that, I arrived in front of the house that the grandmother pointed to. It was a fairly old vi. When he opened the old, rusty iron door at the entrance to the vi, there was a scraping sound of metal that he hated to hear. When I opened the front door, I saw an old staircase that was suitable for an old vi. The grandmother pointed to the stairs. ¡°I have to go to the second floor.¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°You have family at home, right?¡± ¡°Then. ¡°I came to see my son¡­¡± Carried the grandmother up the stairs. His legs were shaking, but he held on as best as he could, knowing that they would arrive soon. He went up to the second floor and the grandmother pointed somewhere with her hand. ¡°There¡¯s a big crock pot over there. ¡°Please open that.¡± ¡°Yes¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± To be honest, I wanted to open it quickly. Every day, I worked part-time, practiced acting, and even auditioned. I was extremely tired. ¡®But now that I¡¯ve started¡­ I have to see the end of this.¡¯ ¡°This one?¡± I stood in front of a particrlyrge crock pot and asked. Then the grandmother came down from my back. ¡°Please open this for me. And what¡¯s inside is inside the house¡­ ¡°Please tell this to my son.¡± ¡°Yes? Me? should you do it yourself?¡­¡± It was then. ¡°What are doing!! ¡°Who are you to mess around in someone else¡¯s house?!¡± A sharp and harsh voice was heard from behind. A voice that surprised even me, who has worked a lot in the construction industry. I spoke without showing any signs of guilt as much as possible. ¡°Yes? Ah, that¡­ This olddy says this is her home¡­¡± ¡°What? Old Lady? Are you kidding me? What kind of grandmother is she when she just leaves you here alone?!¡± ¡°Yes? No, She is here¡­¡± I urgently looked to the side. But the grandmother, with whom he had been talking just a moment ago, was nowhere to be seen. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤What?¡¯ Did I go crazy because I lived so hard? But It was too realistic to dismiss it like that. His legs hurt a lot from carrying the grandmother all the way here, and his arms were still numb. As I stood there nkly, the man shouted again. ¡°You, you bastard! you are a thief and because you look decent you think you can just get away with this?! ¡°How could you think of burgling a house like this?!¡± ¡°Oh, no. ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth I was only helping the grandmother¡­¡± At that time, I suddenly remembered what the grandmother had asked me to do. -Please open this. And what¡¯s inside is inside the house¡­ Please pass that on to my son. ¡®I won¡¯t believe you.¡¯ ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave right now?! ¡°Do I look easy?!¡± The man was still pointing and shouting at him. Then the man opened the jar in front of him. Inside the jar was a piece of paper, a bankbook, and a stamp. ¡®What is this¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ As if possessed by something, he took out a note from the jar. Meanwhile, the man shouted more excitedly than before. ¡°Isn¡¯t thispletely crazy? Hey man!!¡± But for some reason, I felt like I had to read the note. When I opened the neatly folded note, there was a letter written on it. ¡ª¡ª Son. It¡¯s mom. This is the money you saved up to pay for Mom¡¯s surgery, but it was so precious that I had to hide it. How can I spend this money? I had a fight with you about this money, and I feel so sorry about this my son. Still, I couldn¡¯t possibly spend this money. When you can find this note with my bankbook, you can study the course you always wanted and you want to eat well right eat as much as you like. Sorry. And I always love you. A truly wonderful and ugly mother. ¡ª¡ª A letter written in crooked handwriting. But she was conveying her feelings better that way. While I was reading the letter, a man walked up to me, grinning. He seemed very angry. I handed the letter to him without saying a word. ¡°Try reading this, please. I think your mother left it.¡± ¡°What? Did this kid turn around? ¡°How do you know my mother¡­¡± ¡°Read it first.¡± The manughed as if he was dumbfounded by my firm words. Then he took it away as if stealing a note. Widely! ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? ¡°What did mom leave behind?¡± The man started reading the letter while muttering. And soon he started reading the notes tears kept falling from his eyes. ¡°Ah, it really is the old woman¡­¡± The man could not speak properly. Tears were streaming down his face as if his harsh words just now were a lie. ¡°Ha¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± A man sighed deeply. I could feel a thousand different emotions from his expression. Sadness, regret, gratitude, resentment, and longing. If I had to portray those emotions all at once, I thought I could imitate that man. After a while, the man spoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t know this either¡­ How can I¡­ .¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°What is your rtionship?¡± ¡°With my mom¡­ How should I answer this? No, if I say something, will this man believe it? Even I can¡¯t believe how I got here. I knew what happened. I came all the way here with your grandmother¡¯s. ¡®Even if I say that, he won¡¯t believe me.¡¯ After thinking for a while, he decided to answer like this. ¡°I knew your mother by chance. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to give details.¡± The man who heard my answer looked at me nkly. Then he nodded his head as if he understood. ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m sorry about earlier. ¡°I¡¯m a bit impatient.¡± ¡°No. it¡¯s okay. The bankbook is in the jar. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just leave¡­¡± Since he wasn¡¯t particrly angry at the man, he spoke lightly and tried to leave. He slowly turned around and was about to go down the stairs when the man stopped him. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go and eat at least.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It was fate that we met like this.¡± *** ¡°After¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± After returning home tired, I took a quick shower andy down on the bed. Then, suddenly, I remembered the story I had with the man when we were eating. The man was originally studying for a doctorate in the United States, but his mother was in critical condition, so he gave up everything and came back. In a hurry, he borrowed money from various sources to pay for his mother¡¯s surgery, but his mother stubbornly refused the surgery. He said, ¡®he tried to get surgery and life-sustaining treatment for her mom, but she refused to the end and even hid her bank ount.¡¯ He briefly recalled his conversation with the man and then quickly went to sleep. He had to sleep in a little longer to go to his part-time job early in the morning and then audition for a small role. ¡®I hope I go to the audition tomorrow.¡¯ I fell asleep not long after I closed my eyes. However. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Why am Iing to my senses?¡¯ Obviously, I fell asleep. But my memory was fine. When I looked around, I found myself floating in some white space. ¡®Are you saying this is a lucid dream where you can move at will in your dream?¡¯ At that time, a familiar voice was heard from behind. When he looked behind him, he saw the same olddy he had seen during the day. ¡°Thank you so much earlier. Did the meal suit your taste? ¡°These are the side dishes I taught Jinsu.¡± Although he was a little startled by the grandmother suddenly appearing behind him, he quickly calmed down. ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤. yes. It was really delicious. ¡°Your son cried a lot.¡± ¡°I guess so. Even though Jinsu looks strong on the outside, he is really a soft kid. ¡°I know everything.¡± ¡°Yes¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Anyway, I really owe the young man a lot. So it¡¯s not a big deal, but I¡¯d like to help. ¡°Is it okay?¡± ¡®I¡¯m in debt¡­¡¯ I didn¡¯t do anything great to deserve these words. I don¡¯t know what kind of help she was trying to give me, but I shook my head because I had no intention of receiving excessivepensation. ¡°It¡¯s okay. ¡°I just did what I could.¡± ¡°Not many people do what they can. ¡°I really want to help such a young man, so why not just ept mypensation?¡± It was difficult for me to refuse when she said it that way. When I slightly nodded my head, the grandmother smiled. ¡°Yes. If grandmother says so, I will gratefully ept it.¡± ¡°Thank you. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can give you, but it looks like the young man wants to be an actor, so I¡¯ll help him with that.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Helps me be an actor? Are you saying you teach acting?¡± ¡°Okay. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m teaching you how to act. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I can introduce you to my friends instead. First of all¡­ is that your friend?¡± The grandmother looked behind her as she spoke. Then she waved her hand as if telling someone toe. A little whileter, a boy who appeared to be around middle school appeared. As I quietly looked at the child, the child greeted me first. ¡°Hello. I heard a lot from grandmother. ¡°My name is Minsu Kim.¡± ¡°Oh yeah. No, yes.¡± He looked younger than me, but I treated him with respect because he was deceased. Minsu smiled brightly, probably because he found my reaction funny. ¡°It¡¯s okay to speakfortably. ¡°When I was alive, I was younger than you brother.¡± The phrase ¡®when I was alive¡¯ was really sad. How could such a young child die so young? While I was lost in thought, the grandmother said. ¡°The audition you¡¯re seeing tomorrow, ¡®The younger sister who was supposed to receive a kidney transnt from her mother gives the kidney to his older brother who suffers from the same disease,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Yes. however¡­ ¡± After blurting out her words, he asked cautiously. ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°Dead people know everything. Rather, it¡¯s Minsu. Don¡¯t you have something to say to that brother too?¡± ¡°Ah yes! ¡°I heard from grandmother that my brother has a very kind heart!¡± ¡°Not nice, just ordinary.¡± ¡°No way! Among all the people at the subway station, my older brother was the only one who helped grandmother, and he was very kind! So please help me too. ¡°In return, I will help my brother.¡± I asked back, a little hesitant at Minsu¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re helping me with my acting¡­?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Minsu smiled confidently at my question. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Kang Jinseok, 22 years old, Freeter, military service. The ce where I grew up is ¡®Cheonman Orphanage.¡¯ It is a small orphanage in the countryside. ording to the director of the orphanage, one day I was left in front of the door. When I first heard that, I cried so much. I was jealous when I saw other children at school holding hands with their parents. Was it when I was in my first year of high school? I wanted to find my parents. But no one wanted to find my ordinary parents who had nothing. I made a promise back then. I want to be famous. As someone who appeared every day on TV and social media, I tried to find my parents somewhere. While thinking about how to be famous, I don¡¯t remember why, but I came to the conclusion that there was no other way to be famous than as an actor. At that time, I probably couldn¡¯t be an idol trainee anymore, and I honestly didn¡¯t have enough confidence in my singing ability to go on a singing audition program. Because I decided to take a slightly different path than others, I dropped out of high school. Still, I felt like I needed to have a high school diploma, so I took the qualification exam, fortunately, my brain wasn¡¯t that bad, so I passed the test on the first attempt. From then on, I focused on studying acting in earnest. Since I couldn¡¯t afford to go to a private academy, I just picked up scripts avable on the Inte, memorized whatever I could, and looked for free lectures. It was fun every time I memorized the script, and I thought I could quickly be an actor. But the wall of reality was too high. I was just an ordinary aspiring actor full of hard work and passion. Was it the day when I failed about 30 auditions? I decided to enlist. I was exempt because my parents weren¡¯t there, but I needed some time to gather my thoughts. Of course, nothing much changed just because I served in the military. Because my passion and earnestness only increased and my skills stayed the same. But now, an opportunity appeared in front of me. *** Minsu smiled brightly and said. ¡°The role my brother will y tomorrow is something I experienced.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°My brother and I had very bad kidneys since we were born. Even if he runs around just a little bit, he gets sick all day long. So he decided to get a kidney transnt from his mom.¡± ¡°A kidney from your mother?¡± ¡°Yes. Originally, I was supposed to receive the transnt, but my brother¡¯s condition suddenly worsened, so he received it first. ¡°I died because I couldn¡¯t find a donor.¡± Minsu speaks brightly. It was such a pity that someone could easily say something like that in the form of a child. But I didn¡¯t bother to show it. Because it must be the most painful memory for Minsu. Minsu continued his speech. ¡°I will help you when you postpone tomorrow. Instead, please tell my brotherter.¡± ¡°To your brother?¡± ¡°Yes! They had a hard time because of me their whole life. The living has to live, so now I ask you to live happily and happily. Oh, and don¡¯t feel sorry for me.¡± As I said before, I am a busy person. But I wasn¡¯t cold-blooded enough to ignore this story. ¡°So, do you know where your brother lives?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. If I possessed you, you would know everything I know. Ugh, it¡¯s already time¡­¡± ¡°Okay. Wait a minute, Minsu! ¡°I don¡¯t know your brother¡­¡± Purr. I woke up before I could ask anything. *** ¡°Hey, Kang Jinseok. ¡°Why do I feel so weak today?¡± While working part-time in a warehouse, a co-worker asked. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing special. It¡¯s just that my mind is a bitplicated¡­ sorry.¡± ¡°What are you sorry about? Is it because of the audition I saw yesterday? Failed again¡­ Huh! done. Let¡¯s concentrate and work. ¡°If you get hurt, it¡¯s a big problem.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I am quite a celebrity at the ¡®Seongsu Warehouse¡¯ where I work. That¡¯s because I¡¯m the only one in my 20s here in Seongsu Warehouse, and even excluding age, ¡®aspiring actors¡¯ are notmon. So, everyone is asking. When did you debut, how did the audition go, who did you see, etc? Every time I shake my head with a wry smile, everyone says this. ¡°I failed again¡­ no. sorry.¡± Just like that guy said earlier, it feels like that. ¡®At first, I was frustrated when I heard things like that, but now I can just ignore it.¡¯ As I started moving the luggage again, the foreman came and said, ¡°Jinseok. Are you auditioning today too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hey, then go early today and get some rest. ¡°I don¡¯t have as much work as I thought, so I guess I won¡¯t need you.¡± ¡°No. But there are still four hours left¡­¡± ¡°Hey. Go and rest. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll cover all your part-time work expenses. Hey Mr. Kim! ¡°Can I send him away?!¡± The work foreman spoke to the man who spoke a little while ago. Then the man called ¡®Mr. Kim¡¯ waved his hand as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Look at that. They say go. Jinseok, if you don¡¯t n on continuing to work here, make sure to do well at the audition today. ¡°It¡¯s an important role today.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°And before you go, don¡¯t just take a quick shower, go to the sauna in front and take a quick soak. Oh, and this.¡± The work foreman handed me a thick envelope. Even at a nce, it is quite arge amount. ¡°This¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something the guys have been thinking about for a long time. ¡°You work so hard, shouldn¡¯t we at least help you?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I didn¡¯t want to receive it. No, it would be correct to say that I couldn¡¯t receive it. Because I know how hard these men work and live. The foreman must have noticed that I was thinking that way, and he stuffed an envelope into my pocket. ¡°You get what an adult gives you. If you be famouster, at least give me an autograph. ¡°Please let me bring my daughter also.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤All right. thank you.¡± ¡°Go in carefully.¡± I didn¡¯t realize it because I was talking to the work foreman, but other men around me were listening closely to the conversation. As soon as the conversation ended, everyone went about their business as if nothing had happened. ¡°Guys! Let¡¯s finish quickly and go have apany dinner!!¡± ¡°Oh! ¡°Did the foreman leader go insane?¡± ¡°You¡¯re criticizing me. ¡°The trend these days is en-bread.¡± ¡°What is en-bread?¡± ¡°It will be divided ording to the number of people.¡± ¡°Is that Dutch Pay?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤You¡¯re pretty smart. ¡°I know all those words.¡± Same as yesterday and today. For some reason, it felt like the world was trying to help me. For the first time in my life. *** With a plop- ¡°Whoa¡­ ¡°It¡¯s been a really long time since I¡¯ve been in a sauna.¡± I was the only one in the sauna at 9 a.m. This was my first timeing to the sauna at this time, so I wasn¡¯t sure if there were usually no people around at this time. Anyway, being able to take a quiet bath alone was the best. The money the men gave me was 1 million won. It may not be a lot of money to some, but to me, it is a lot of money. ¡®I must seed and repay it. It must have been a lot of money for the guys too¡­¡¯ As I was soaking in the warm water while thinking about various things, I felt drowsy. There are about six hours left until the audition. Since I haven¡¯t been able to sleep welltely, I thought it would be a good idea to get some sleep. ¡°Hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°I wonder if I can sleep here.¡± On one side of the sauna, there was arge chair that looked like it would be at a swimming pool or beach. When I sat down, it was a little hard, but it was quitefortable. ¡®Also¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Here we are.¡¯ I must have fallen asleep already, but when I opened my eyes I was in the white space where I met the grandmother and Minsu yesterday. As I looked around, someone appeared with a bright ray of light. ¡°Brother! I¡¯m d you came first. ¡°If you hadn¡¯te, I should have called you.¡± Just like yesterday, Minsu spoke with a bright smile and a bright voice. In fact, it feels brighter than yesterday. Although I had only known Minsu for a short time, I felt a sense of familiarity with him, as if I had known him for a long time. I smiled slightly at Minsu and answered. ¡°Huh. ¡°After some time, I fell asleep and found myself here.¡± ¡°Yes! Oh. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to say everything yesterday, but I must tell you now how can I help you with your acting.¡± After finishing speaking, Minsu thought for a moment and continued speaking again. ¡°When you act, I will possess my brother. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯mpletely taking over my brother¡¯s body, I¡¯m just sharing experiences.¡± ¡°Sharing your experience? ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°How should I say this?¡± Minsu crossed his arms and pondered for a moment. It was so cute to see the little child worrying with his arms crossed, and I almost smiled happily without even realizing it. But I came to my senses and focused on Minsu. ¡°Ah! If I share my experience, you will be able to know what I went through, how I felt at the time, and everything I thought until now. ¡°You can use that to act.¡± After listening to this point, I understand a little. ¡°Aha¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± When I first heard the word ¡®possession,¡¯ I was a little confused. No matter how good of a child Minsu is, I am reluctant to let anyone else enter my body. But I thought it would be okay to ept Minsu¡¯s experiences, emotions, and thoughts. ¡®Will I be able to act properly with those memories and emotions?¡¯ As I was thinking to myself, Minsu smiled and said. ¡°Actually, there are a few ghosts other than me that I would like to ask for a favor! Among them, there was an older sister who acted¡­ This is the method that the older sister taught me. ¡°Good idea, right?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Are you a ghost who wants to ask me a favor?¡± ¡°You will find out little by little. ¡°There isn¡¯t much yet¡­ but there will be more in the future!¡± After finishing speaking, Minsu looked somewhere for a moment. ¡°And grandmother went to a good ce. ¡°She said she had no regrets anymore and told me to tell brother that she was really grateful.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a good ce¡­¡¯ Still, it would have been nice to say my final goodbye. While I was thinking that, Minsu¡¯s body was slowly disappearing. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to wake up! Please take care of me, brother. ¡°I¡¯ll try really hard!¡± ¡°Oh, yes! Minsu, we can meet again¡­¡± *** ¡°You have arrived, sir.¡± ¡°Ah yes. thank you.¡± It¡¯s been a long time since I took a taxi. I originally didn¡¯t n on taking a taxi, but the problem was that I fell asleep in the sauna. ¡®It would have been better than saving money and beingte for the audition.¡¯ I entered the audition room. When I arrived at the waiting room, I saw several people meditating with their eyes closed. The remaining few were muttering and practicing their PR. It was a familiar sight. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± About 15 minutester, an audition agent came into the waiting room and called me. ¡°Applicant number 1, Jinseok Kang.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I answered and approached the staff. Since I had auditioned nearly 100 times so far, I didn¡¯t think I would be this nervous am I nervous? My heart was pounding just like when I first auditioned. It wasn¡¯t because of tension or nervousness. However, it wasn¡¯t excitement. My heart is pounding right now¡­ ¡®For some reason¡­ I think I¡¯ll pass this audition.¡¯ It was because of the confidence I felt for the first time. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 An audition hall in Gangnam, Seoul. Three people are sitting in a simple audition room. One woman and two men. Although they were dressed infortable clothes, they were people with an aura to them. ¡°Assistant director¡­ no. ¡°You¡¯re a PD now, right?¡± The man sitting in the middle said with a smile. In front of him was a namete that read, ¡®Judge Representative Gayeon Yoon.¡¯ ¡°CEO Ai. If you keep calling me an assistant director, I¡¯ll get upset. ¡°This is my debut work, but I¡¯m going to deny it.¡± ¡°Again, you are saying something unlucky. What do you get for cheating? ¡°I personally help, and this project is sure to be a hit.¡± PD Kim Mansoo muttered in response to CEO Gayeon Yoon¡¯s words. ¡°You said that, but you didn¡¯t support a single actor from yourpany¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Seokhyun and Minjun said they don¡¯t like you. You also put pressure on the broadcasting station, so it doesn¡¯t help a lot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ And Lee Seokhyun and Kang Minjun kept saying that they didn¡¯t like this role, but they kept appealing to me.¡± ¡°Ugh, fuck. Yuna, can PD Kim Mansoo really take charge of the project? ¡°I don¡¯t have eyes to see like this?¡± Writer Lee Yuna, who was sitting next to him and quietly smiling, answered. ¡°But PD Kim Mansoo, all the works you¡¯ve worked on so far have had good grades, right? ¡°I guess I have a good sense of it in my own way, right?¡± In response to writer Lee Yuna¡¯s words, CEO Yoon Gayeon spoke as if that was not the case at all. ¡°What a persimmon! They¡¯re all actors. And that work was done well by the main producer, but what did the assistant director do¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, Mr. President. Please save my face. ¡°What should I do if you openly curse at me?¡± ¡°Hey. I¡¯m saying this because Yuna is the author. Is Yuna someone who looks down on PD? All you have to do is justugh it off¡­ Ugh.¡± People who don¡¯t know much about their rtionship might think they¡¯re fighting. However, the three of them got along well enough to talkfortably like this. After a while, the three started a pre-audition meeting. The first to speak out was CEO Gayeon Yoon. ¡°Producer Kim. How many people have we seen now? ¡°Have we seen about 200 people?¡± ¡°Yes. To be exact, 214 people. But there isn¡¯t an actor I really like¡­¡± ¡°Originally, if you use it for your own work, no one will like it. ¡°It¡¯s all aboutpromise.¡± Gayeon Yoon is an actress and CEO of a managementpany. He achieved some sess as an actor and produced his own movies, which was a bit disappointing, but he eventually changed his career path to management. As a result, he was treated as a senior among directors, and his actors were also well-received for their personality and skills. ¡°After¡¤¡¤¡¤. That¡¯s true though. ¡°I see about 40 people today, and I¡¯m worried about what I¡¯ll do if no one passes the audition because of me.¡± ¡°What are you worrying about? Are you telling me to use Seokhyun and Minjun? ¡°I like my babies¡¯ masks, they¡¯re perfect!¡± There was one reason why CEO Gayeon Yoon continued to appeal to his actors. This is because he knew that this work would be a huge hit or at least a medium hit. He¡¯s seen a lot of scripts, but none have stuck with him like this one. Moreover, the production team members were all very talented. Since he has also put his influence into the broadcasting station, publicity and promotions will be great. A work that cannot fail. ¡®If you go into the first episode or the most important scene of a drama like that, it will definitely pop up.¡¯ Lee Seokhyun and Kang Minjun, promoted by the CEO, are new actors. Although they have not yet appeared in a drama properly, CEO Gayeon Yoon believes in their potential. While CEO Gayeon Yoon was lost in thought, producer Mansoo Kim spoke. ¡°Oh, really. You¡¯re making a huge appeal because you don¡¯t think anyone would be a representative who cares about his actors. ¡°Those auditioners don¡¯t feel it.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Okay, okay! PD, do whatever you want. So, is there an auditioner you¡¯re interested in today?¡± In response to the CEO¡¯s words, Mansu Kim handed over a profile. At the top was written ¡®Kang Jinseok¡¯. ¡°This one.¡± ¡°Kang Jinseok? ¡°His profile picture came out really well.¡± It was an honest assessment as an industry worker. ¡°But is this all about Pilmo? Two web dramas? ¡°He has no drama experience at all?¡± While listening to CEO Gayeon Yoon, producer Mansoo Kim poured water into the cup in front of him. Producer Kim Mansoo drank the water, thought for a moment, and then opened his mouth. ¡°But since the profile picture is no joke, I¡¯m going to give it a try. The CEO just admitted it too. ¡°The photo came out good.¡± ¡°It could be Photoshop.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that much with Photoshop, right?¡± As Kim Mansoo spoke with a smile, Yoon Gayeon spoke in a passing tone, as if he had no expectations. ¡°I think it¡¯s just a waste of time. I¡¯d rather just have my babies¡­ .¡± ¡°It¡¯s starting again, again. all right. ¡°If I don¡¯t find an actor I like after the audition today, I¡¯ll go with the one the CEO praises so much.¡± ¡°Did you just say that? Is that a verbal contract?¡± ¡°Yes yes. All right.¡± When they¡¯re talking like that. Someone knocked on the door. ¡°I will evaluate the audition for 4-01.¡± Producer Kim Mansu spoke his words to the staff outside. *** The door opened slowly. The atmosphere in the audition room also became cold in an instant. Applicant¡¯s steps. posture. The gaze upon entering. expression. atmosphere, etc. This is because the audition begins from the moment the applicant enters. Gayeon Yoon said while observing Jinseok. ¡°You had a hard timeing. ¡°You¡¯re Jinseok Kang, right?¡± ¡°Yes, representative. ¡°I was able to take a taxi today, so I came right on time¡± In response to the short answer, the three judges quickly looked at each other and exchanged opinions with their eyes. ¡®Voice¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ ¡®Out of 10¡­¡¯ ¡®10 points.¡¯ A manly voice that is neither low nor high. However, it was not a macho strong voice, but rather a soft one. Above all, I felt a confidence that was unusual for a rookie actor. If you¡¯ve never appeared in a drama before, you might be nervous during a drama audition, but I didn¡¯t feel that way at all. ¡®In order to be confident like this, you have to have something to believe in, such as outstanding skills, a good agency, or whatever. what?¡¯ While Gayeon Yoon thought to himself as if it was strange, PD Mansoo Kim asked this time. In his hand was Jinseok¡¯s profile. ¡°Mr. Kang Jinseok¡­ You don¡¯t have any drama skills. ¡°Did you not even have a small role?¡± ¡°I filmed a few web dramas. ¡°You can probably see the list of works at the end of the profile.¡± ¡°Ah, here it is. sorry. ¡°I¡¯m looking at your profile now.¡± It was a lie. It is the natural role of the PD to familiarize himself with the profiles of all applicants in advance. The reason I said this was to show off. ¡®Let¡¯s see how they react.¡¯ From an actor¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s quite a blow to his pride that the audition judge didn¡¯t even look at his profile. However, new actors sometimes experience even more humiliation on set. Not only the abuse of power by established actors but also the subtle disregard of the staff. ¡®If my mentality is shaken at that time, I won¡¯t be able to act.¡¯ But Jinseok was different. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Expressionless. No, maybe it felt like I didn¡¯t care at all. It seemed natural to have such an attitude toward oneself, but it did not appear that self-esteem had diminished. Producer Kim Mansoo pretended to look at the profile and spoke again. ¡°Hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤. All right. ¡°You appeared in a web drama here, how many views did it get?¡± ¡° was released about 52,000 times. ¡°Pretty Woman¡± has about 61,000 views.¡± 52,000 and 61,000 times. For a low-budget web drama, it¡¯s not a very low score. The general public only sees famous web dramas and thinks that other web dramas will receive tens or millions of views, but the majority of them receive less than 100,000 views. However, from the perspective of casting actors for public broadcast dramas, this is a disappointing figure. ¡®What¡¤¡¤¡¤. I wasn¡¯t even expecting it in the first ce.¡¯ ¡°All right. Then, let¡¯s see the acting. Just look at the camera in front of you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In a way, the actor selected in this audition can be said to y the most important role in the entire drama. Although it is a role that appears briefly at the beginning of episode 1 and then leaves, it is the role that creates the biggest opportunity for the main character ¡®brother¡¯ to be a doctor. In order to win such a role, what the applicant must show at this audition is a younger brother suffering from end-stage renal disease. ¡®He attempted to receive a kidney transnt from his mother, but gave the kidney to his older brother, who was suffering from the same disease.¡¯ is the act of the scene. There aren¡¯t many lines. But that¡¯s why it¡¯s difficult. The most difficult thing for actors is to convey their emotions in short-acting and dialogue. The reason why a new actor was used rather than a proven actor for such an important role is because producer Kim Mansoo wanted to show off his directing and casting skills. ¡®I want to seed in my debut film with my skills, not just as an actor. And if you seed by using a rookie, there will be no better sess than that.¡¯ When PD Kim Mansoo was thinking like that. Jinseok said. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡± *** An applicant who has nothing special about him other than his appearance. I didn¡¯t have much expectations as to whether the sentiments of CEO Gayeon Yoon and artist Yuna Lee were simr. Producer Kim Mansoo casually turned his gaze back to look at Jinseok. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤What?¡¯ Suddenly, actor Kang Jinseok, who was sitting in front of him, looked different. Since the features of his face have not changed, it would be more urate to say that the atmosphere has changed. His expression earlier was full of joy. But it was not joy anymore. His eyes were full of tears, but they didn¡¯t flow. That may be because there was no sadness in Jinseok¡¯s acting. A younger brother who decided to give up his kidney for his beloved older brother. What feelings does the younger brother have? In response to this question, PD Kim Mansoo said that this younger brother thought, ¡®It is sad to lose hope for a kidney transnt, but he will think that there is nothing he can do to save his brother.¡¯ He guessed intuitively that he was right. However, as if he were ridiculing PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s thoughts, Jinseok was showingpletely different emotions. This thought crossed Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯s head after seeing his acting. ¡®The younger brother who sacrificed himself for his beloved older brother¡­ ¡®I¡¯m d!¡¯ Usually, when I¡¯m at the auditioning, I focus on the actor¡¯s performance and then look at the expressions of the other judges next to me. This is because you can tell by looking at their facial expressions whether your thoughts are the same as theirs, even without asking. But PD Kim Mansoo couldn¡¯t afford to do that right now. Because the ¡®younger brother¡¯ in front of him was eagerly waiting for something to say to his mother. After a while. It was a short time, but when there was silence that felt like years had passed, Jinseok¡¯s mouth opened. ¡°Mom¡­ ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°I hope my brother is healthy.¡± At the low line that flowed from Jinseok¡¯s mouth. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤This is crazy.¡¯ Producer Kim Mansoo was so immersed in Jinseok¡¯s acting that he even forgot to breathe. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Just before the audition, a staff member with long straight hair took me to the audition room. I didn¡¯t look around, but someone would probably look at me and make a brief evaluation in their mind. After a while, the staff and I arrived at the audition room. The staff knocked on the door. ¡°I will apply for 4-01.¡± An answer was heard from inside the room. ¡°Yes. Come on in.¡± The staff opened the door and I went into the room. In the past, when entering the audition room, I first scanned the judges in front of me. To find out what kind of personality they have, what kind of person they are, and whether they are judges I have seen before. But not now. I calmly sat down on the chair with confidence even though my heart was pounding. Before long, CEO Gayeon Yoon spoke. He said, ¡°Have you had a hard timeing here? ¡°You¡¯re actor Kang Jinseok, right?¡± ¡®CEO Gayeon Yoon. He is the CEO of Yoon Entertainment, and today a huge figure is judging¡­¡¯ Yoon Entertainment is a dream agency for new actors. A managementpany with goodpany evaluations and many external connections. It is one of the fewpanies that does business for actors rather than money. I answered calmly. ¡°No, CEO. ¡°I came today on time because I could take a taxi.¡± After that, we exchanged stories that we often shared at auditions. I felt like he was testing me, but he didn¡¯t really care and answered. After talking for some time, producer Kim Mansoo spoke in a somewhat indifferent voice. ¡°All right. Then, let¡¯s look at the performance you have prepared. ¡°You can start by looking at the camera in front of you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As I slowly looked at the camera, my vision became blurry. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ My blurry vision slowly became clearer, and I began to see something. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Brother! Shall we eat ice cream?¡± ¡°What is an ice puzzle? ¡°I guess it¡¯s ice cream!¡± ¡°Ah~ Grandma calls me Ice Skkeki?¡± ¡°You idiot. That¡¯s what grandmother called it! ¡°It¡¯s a bad thing to say, so don¡¯t repeat it!¡± ¡°Huh!¡± ¡ª¡ª I was confused at first, but I quickly realized what it was. ¡®This is Minsu¡¯s memory.¡¯ Minsu¡¯s memories came to mind like a movie. No, more urately, I should say that I gained Minsu¡¯s memories. ¡®Is this the possession Minsu was talking about?¡¯ Although it was my first time seeing this scene, I could tell that it was a memory of Minsu and his older brother. A time when his older brother and younger brother were so happy when they were young. It was like brothers running barefoot through an alley and sharing ice cream. After a while, the scene changed. White walls and old wooden floor. It is an old hospital with an awkwardly drawn green cross. There, Minsu and her mother were sharing a sad story. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Mom¡­ Brother, are you in a lot of pain? ¡°More than me?¡± ¡°More than you¡­ ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I heard you talking with the doctor and mom earlier. ¡°Brother¡¯s kidneys are much worse than mine.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°Originally, I was supposed to receive mom¡¯s kidney, but you said my brother needed it?¡± ¡ª¡ª His mother made aplicated expression at Minsu¡¯s words. It seems so painful to her as a mother that she can only help one of her two sons. Did he read her mother¡¯s mind? Minsu spoke before her mother with a bright expression and voice. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Mom! I want my brother to get surgery. ¡°I like it better when my brother is healthy!¡± ¡°¡­ Really? Really though¡­ ¡°Are you okay with that?¡± ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡ª¡ª His mother couldn¡¯t say anything to Minsu¡¯s words. Faced with the fact that she could only help one of her two sons, she could only swallow her tears. The mother didn¡¯t want her young son to see her weakness, so she hugged Minsu. Although he couldn¡¯t see her expression, the way her shoulders were shaking made it seem like she was barely holding back sad tears. Minsu also wanted to cry. I was happy to think that I could possibly be liberated from the pain that continued every day, but I ended up losing that. But I didn¡¯t mind the pain if I could save my brother. Minsu was sad, but he was as happy as he was sad. At least my brother will be able to escape this terrible pain. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Minsu¡­. I¡¯m sorry son¡­ I¡¯m so sorry¡­ .¡± ¡ª¡ª As the mother¡¯s crying voice passed through my ears. Woe! I returned to the audition room. ¡°¡­ .¡± What I see in front of me are three judges and a camera. There was a monitor above the camera, which showed the shooting scene in real-time. Of course, the face on the monitor screen was me. But something was different. ¡®Right now my face is Minsu¡¯s¡­ Resembles.¡¯ Tears were flowing from my eyes. But I didn¡¯t cry or cry sadly. There was a smile on his face and a hint of mischief in his eyes. It¡¯s not a feeling I forced. It wasn¡¯t a feeling that came from being immersed in Minsu. I was showing Minsu exactly what he was feeling right now. ¡®Bingpletely that person¡­. ¡®This is possession.¡¯ He was using emotions that only Minsu, who was in that situation, could express. The subtle tremors of my voice, my breathing, my voice, my eyes, and even something I couldn¡¯t feel were changing me and leading me. Although it was my first time using this ability, I was able to change my appearance as if I were changing into clothes I had been wearing for a long time. This is not acting or imitation that anyone can do. It¡¯s something that goes far beyond that. Now there¡¯s one thing I have to do. ¡®When I gave up to my brother, that sad but happy feeling. Just show it. It hurts me too, but the way I cared for my brother more than for myself¡­ .¡¯ Recalling that moment, I slowly opened my mouth. Then the tears that he had barely been able to hold flowed down from the corners of his eyes. At the same time, I smiled brightly, like Minsu always did. ¡°Mom¡­. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°I hope my brother is healthy.¡± Simr to Minsu. However, in keeping with the role, he spoke clearly in a somewhat adult yet foolish manner. Like Minsu, who was very mature at a young age and tried to ease the burden on her mother. Originally, this line was a conversation with the actor who yed the role of ¡®mother¡¯, but since it was an audition, it was expressed as a monologue. ¡°Why are you crying, Mom? I¡¯m not dead yet. ¡°It¡¯s not as serious as my brother or father, so if I wait, I might be able to find another donor someday.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°Instead, Mom, just make one promise with me. When my older brotherter asked you why he received the transnt and not me, just said it was because I was incapable of receiving my mother¡¯s kidney. ¡°You should definitely ask the doctor to tell him that too.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t give in. got it?¡± After saying thest line, I forced myself to smile so much that my gums showed. It was because I felt like if I didn¡¯t smile like this, I would end up crying unsightly due to the many emotions that were surging over me. Ha. He let out a sigh so soft that the judges couldn¡¯t hear him, gathering his emotions. Then he wiped away his tears and spoke. ¡°¡­ That is all. thank you.¡± I showed everything I could in the short time that was allotted to me. Now all that was left was the judges¡¯ evaluation. ¡°¡­ .¡± From the moment I started acting until now, the audition room was strangely quiet. Usually, after finishing an act, the judges p their hands. Regardless of whether you did well or not, thank you for your hard work, and for your encouragement to do better in the future. But now no one even moved. At that time, the woman sitting behind the namete that said ¡®Author Lee Yuna¡¯ spoke. I had heard her name before, but this was my first time seeing her face. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤And.¡± The silence was broken by the exmation of author Lee Yuna. After that, it was producer Kim Mansoo who spoke first. ¡°That¡¤¡¤¡¤. uh¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°I need to organize my thoughts, so I¡¯ll evaluate the CEO first¡­¡± When PD Kim Mansoo handed it over, CEO Gayeon Yoon said in embarrassment. ¡°Me? ¡°You want me to review first?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡­ ¡°I started thinking a lot¡­¡± The judges were dying their evaluations. ¡®Wasn¡¯t this the kind of acting the PD wanted?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, no matter how good the acting is, it¡¯s difficult to get good reviews. The PD has to consider the overall flow of the work and select actors. I was a little anxious. ¡®If that¡¯s the case¡­ it¡¯s unfortunate, but there¡¯s nothing we can do. Still, I have no regrets.¡¯ I didn¡¯t think I could act any better than this. No, no one will be able to do it. I showed ¡®Minsu¡¯ who was in the same situation as the script, so how could I do better than this? The CEO cleared his throat and looked at me. ¡°Hmm! Um¡­ then I¡¯ll do it first. Jinseok Kang, first of all, I really enjoyed your acting. But it¡¯s really difficult for me to evaluate it.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°To be honest, the three of us talked about this while looking at Jinseok¡¯s profile. ¡°You don¡¯t have any drama credits, I don¡¯t have high expectations, things like that.¡± ¡°Representative, I didn¡¯t say that¡­ .¡± ¡°Try to be quiet. ¡°I¡¯m talking about me.¡± Gayeon Yoon continued his words, lightly stopping producer Kim Mansoo from interrupting. ¡°But now I think a little differently.¡± What has changed? ¡°What do you mean by that¡­?¡± When I asked him carefully, Gayeon Yoon said firmly. ¡°The reason Jinseok has not been able to debut until now is not because he iscking. ¡°I¡¯m sure the producers who auditioned gave up because they were afraid of using Jinseok.¡± I do not get what it means. They gave up because they were afraid of using me. Why on earth? But it seemed like I was the only one in the room who didn¡¯t understand what the CEO was saying. Producer Kim Mansoo and writer Lee Yeona were nodding their heads repeatedly to CEO Gayeon Yoon¡¯s words. Even PD Kim Mansoo muttered, ¡®That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡¯ Gayeon Yoon continued speaking. He said, ¡°The performance I just showed felt like something different. Oh, in a good way, of course.¡± ¡°Yes¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°But what happens if you select a rookie with that type of acting and the work doesn¡¯t do well?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°The PD must be very stressed. ¡°It¡¯s clear that the acting will be good, but the directing iscking, and that is what the producers hate the most.¡± CEO Gayeon Yoon is smiling and looking at PD Kim Mansoo. ¡°How is it? PD Kim. ¡°Can you afford it?¡± Producer Kim Mansoo scratched the back of his head and said. ¡°Ha¡­ To be honest, I feel burdened¡­¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°But if I lose Jinseok, I think I¡¯ll regret it for the rest of my life.¡± CEO Gayeon Yoonughed at PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s words. After a while, PD Kim Mansoo spoke. ¡°It¡¯s strange to say something like this at an audition, and it shouldn¡¯t be said¡­ Jinseok, we may start filming soon.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°So, I keep having that feeling. ¡°Okay?¡± In fact, it meant passing. For the first time, I got a role in a proper drama. What should I answer? thank you. I will do my best. I will do my best. I do not know. At that time, something suddenly urred to me that I thought I would have to say if I got the role. ¡°Thank you for the opportunity. ¡°I will definitely be famous.¡± *** The audition room where Jinseok left. The atmosphere filled with Jinseok¡¯s acting had not yet gone away. Meanwhile, Kim Mansoo pondered Jinseok¡¯sst words. ¡®I¡¯m going to be famous¡­¡¯ ¡®With that guy¡¯s skills, it would be possible.¡¯ I¡¯ve seen a lot of actors so far, but none of them have shown acting like that. ¡®No. No one will be able to copy it. Acting like that.¡¯ While working as an assistant director for numerous works, Producer Kim Mansoo saw many actors who were said to be the best. Producer Kim Mansoo was making this kind of evaluation. In all honesty, he wanted to do the casting all over again. He wanted Jinseok to be the main character. ¡®But if that happens, there will be an uproar.¡¯ I was that greedy. ¡®I really need to use him for my next project as well. ¡®I discovered this talent, so I should nurture it and use it well.¡¯ While I was thinking that, someone knocked outside. Hello. ¡°Applicant 4-02e with me now.¡± No one can beat Jinseok¡¯s acting, but the audition isn¡¯t over yet. ¡°Yes. Come on in.¡± Although his heart was already set on Jinseok, Kim Mansoo nned to respect his remaining applicants until the end. *** It stuck. It stuck. The whole time as I was leaving the audition room, this was all I could think of. I had a lot of imagination about how I would feel if I passed, but when I actually got epted, I was just stunned. I haven¡¯t received an eptance letter yet¡­ Still, even though the PD and judges said so much, I won¡¯t drop it. ¡®I got the audition thanks to Minsu¡­ Now it¡¯s my turn to listen to Minsu¡¯s request.¡¯ I was happy for a moment, but my excited heart sank again at the thought of having to listen to Minsu¡¯s request. ¡®What Minsu asked for was¡­ ¡®He asked him to tell his brother that he should live happily and not feel sorry for his brother.¡¯ It¡¯s not a very difficult request. However, if he suddenly goes to see him and tells him that he got Minsu¡¯s memories and to tell him that Minsu is okay, he will be treated like a crazy person. ¡®What do we do? ah!¡¯ After thinking about it for a while, I came up with a good idea. I saw it in a movie and thought it would be a good idea to try imitating it. ¡®Okay. Let¡¯s do that.¡¯ As soon as I gathered my thoughts, I caught a taxi passing by on the street and headed to Minsu¡¯s house. TN: I always making a pause while tranting my tears, can¡¯t help it. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 A dark studio with all the lights off. Inside, Minhan Kim was looking at theptop screen with his nk eyes. On the screen, an old doctor with gray hair is seen. ¡°Hello Doctor. Can you hear me well?¡± He spoke into theptop, and the doctor on the screen responded. [Yes, Mr. Minhan. how have you been doing?] ¡°It was as usual.¡± [As usual¡­ . thank god. Because it hasn¡¯t gotten any worse.] ¡°Yes.¡± Minhan Kim has been receiving psychiatric counseling through video conferences for several years. A long time ago, he wanted to relieve himself of the guilt that his younger brother had died because of him. [It just so happens that the consultation date coincides with the anniversary of my younger brother¡¯s death. Is there anything you would like to tell me about anything special that is different from usual?] ¡°Nothing in particr.¡± [Okay. Is what you are doing okay? Are you sure you don¡¯t work too hard every day, except when you¡¯re giving online consultations?] ¡°It¡¯s business as usual.¡± [As usual, you are overdoing it.] ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± [I¡¯ll say it again, it¡¯s really dangerous. It is inevitable to me yourself out of guilt toward your younger brother, but punishing yourself through ¡®work¡¯ is really dangerous.] ¡°¡­ .¡± [No matter how talented a doctor Minhan is, if he works without resting, he will inevitably make mistakes. Then Minhan wille to hate himself so much that he can¡¯t turn back. Should I contact Hanhyang University Hospital? Doctor Minhan Kim, are you saying you still wanna perform the surgery?] Kim Minhan smiled bitterly at the consulting doctor¡¯s reprimand. ¡®I know very well what you are saying. But I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ Even if everyone in the world says it is not his fault, Kim Minhan has already condemned himself as ¡®a criminal who killed his younger brother.¡¯ That¡¯s why Kim Minhan couldn¡¯t live without punishing himself. So he went into the operating room every day without a break. That was my punishment. ¡®Unless I die and meet my brother and ask for forgiveness¡­ There is no forgiveness for me.¡¯ The long consultation ended like that. [Then let¡¯s end it for today. And Mr. Minhan, please make sure not to over work in the operating room. I will call Hanhyang University Hospital to check.] ¡°All right. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just leave.¡± [Yes. I will send you the schedule for the next consultation by email.] Minhan Kim turned off hisptop. As the brightptop light disappeared, the moonlighting through the window illuminated the room particrly brightly today. Kim Minhan fell into while looking at the moonlight. ¡®Do I need more counseling? ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be of any use anyway.¡¯ ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Minhan Kim sighed and leaned back deeply on his sofa. Then he looked at the ceiling and remembered the day his brother died. ¡®It was exactly 30 years ago today.¡¯ His younger brother died because of him. It¡¯s because his younger brother foolishly gave up the kidney to him. ¡®Because of that disease¡­ shit.¡¯ Nowadays, I could survive with medication and dialysis and wait for a transnt, but at that time, I was in a situation where I would die if I didn¡¯t get a transnt right away. My brother and myself. ¡®If only I had died then¡­¡¯ I¡¯ve thought about this countless times. But that wasn¡¯t possible. Because I felt sorry for my dead brother because of me. So Kim Minhan lived like crazy. He studied to death while caring for his mother who lost her husband and his son. As a result, he was epted to medical school and became a surgeon. A doctor who specializes in organ transntation, something everyone avoids and finds difficult. Someone said that Kim Minhan¡¯s grades and efforts were not worth it, and rmended a field where it is easy and convenient to make money. But Kim Minhan couldn¡¯t do that. Because he felt too sorry for his younger brother who should be alive and livedfortably and happily. ¡®Shit¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ He took the day off today because it was his younger brother¡¯s death anniversary. I tried to somehow smile and stay cheerful today, but I couldn¡¯t. Eventually, he started drinking alone in the morning, and his room became full of empty liquor bottles and cigarette butts. If he drank this much, he could get drunk, but Kim Minhan kept his cool, perhaps because it was the anniversary of his younger brother¡¯s death. Squeak¡­ ¡°Have we run out?¡± I don¡¯t smoke or drink alcohol at all. So the alcohol I bought this morning was all I had at home. ¡®This is myst bottle. ¡®I¡¯ll have to get some from the convenience store.¡¯ Kim Minhan put on his clothes and came out. [It is on the 1st floor.] ¡®It¡¯s Minsu¡¯s death anniversary. Should I buy some ice cream? ¡®With the taste that Minsu liked.¡¯ Kim Minhan, who thought about his younger brother for a moment, came out of themon entrance. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± At that time, someone called ¡®brother¡¯ from behind. But there was no one around him except himself. ¡®It¡¯s a familiar voice¡­ no,I¡¯m just hearing things¡­?¡¯ Normally, I would have just continued on my way. Because there was no one in this world worthy of calling me ¡®brother¡¯. But maybe it¡¯s because today is his younger brother¡¯s death anniversary. For some reason, the word ¡®brother¡¯ stuck in Kim Minhan¡¯s ears. Kim Minhan¡¯s heart and mind, which had not wavered even after drinking a lot of alcohol, responded. The voice he called ¡®brother¡¯ resembled the voice of his younger brother in his memories. Although it was definitely a different voice. Minhan Kim slowly looked back. It¡¯s unlikely, but it¡¯s possible that miraculously, I have a younger sibling. ¡®It¡¯s okay to be crazy. If only I could see Minsu even just once.¡¯ But perhaps miracles don¡¯t happen that easily? Standing behind Kim Minhan was a handsome man. I looked at his face, but I didn¡¯t know him. ¡®Okay¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®That can¡¯t be possible.¡¯ The moment he ignored it and headed back to the convenience store, Minhan Kim stopped when he heard the man¡¯s next words. ¡°Why do you keep drinking alcohol every year on my birthday! ¡°A person who he doesn¡¯t know well.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°Is it okay for someone who has had a kidney transnt to drink like that? you became a doctor you should know that. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that?¡± My hands were shaking. What on earth is this man talking about? I could understand the meaning of the man¡¯s words. But I did not understand this situation itself. Because the first man he met knew about his past and was nagging him like he was his ¡®younger brother¡¯. ¡®What is this man¡­?¡¯ The man continued talking as if he would not give Minhan Kim time to think. ¡°And why don¡¯t you eat ice cream again! You liked it so much, bro. So I bought one. ¡°It¡¯s simr to the taste my brother used to like.¡± Even the younger brother¡¯s unique expression of ¡®ice puzzle¡¯. These words would nevere out of the mouth of a young friend like this. The man slowly approached and shook an ice cream. Long melon-vored ice cream. Although it was dark, I could tell exactly what kind of ice cream it was. When I was young, I couldn¡¯t eat it a lot because it was expensive, but it tasted simr to the ice cream I picked every time I ate it. ¡®What on earth¡­?¡¯ Kim Minhan didn¡¯t say anything. It doesn¡¯t matter whether the man in front of him is a crazy person, a possessed shaman, or anything else. He didn¡¯t mind anything, he just wanted to keep listening to the man. Kim Minhan stood still in his ce. This is because he felt that if he approached him for no reason and the man would walked away, he would regret it for the rest of his life. ¡°I remember? ¡°My brother got better right away after the surgery, but I didn¡¯t live long and died.¡± How could I forget? That was the driving force and shackle of my life until now. ¡°My brother cried and said that at that time. I¡¯m sorry. ¡°Do you remember?¡± A man who still speaks brightly like his younger brother. Kim Minhan nodded slightly to that man. ¡°At that time, there was something I really wanted to say!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine! So, please live happily to your full extent don¡¯t worry about me!¡± As soon as he heard the man¡¯s words, tears formed in Kim Minhan¡¯s eyes. ¡®Okay.¡¯ This is what I wanted to hear when I meet my younger brother again someday. But because he couldn¡¯t understand his brother¡¯s feelings, he was afraid for his whole life that he might resent him. ¡®But¡­ it¡¯s okay.¡¯ It felt like something was falling apart. The regret, fear, and regret toward his younger brother that had built up all his life copsed all at once and poured out on Kim Minhan. ¡°ck¡­ Hehehe¡­¡± After the death of his father and younger brother, he vowed never to cry again, but Minhan Kim could not hold back his tears. Tears continued to flow down on my cheeks, as if my tear ducts were broken. A man came up to him. ¡°Brother! This is what I give you. Ice cream¡­ no. These were bad words that grandmother used to say. ice cream skeiski! I¡¯ll give this to you, so be sure to eat it. Understand?¡± After saying this, Kim Minhan had no choice but to admit it. That this man is not a crazy guy, but his brother. Even if he wasn¡¯t his brother, he had at least met his brother for a long time. ¡°Wow¡­ ck¡­ okay. I¡¯ll eat. ¡°I will eat a lot.¡± Kim Minhan cried and epted the ice cream the man gave him. He then looked up and he saw the man¡¯s face. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go! Let¡¯s meetter someday! ¡°We have to get along!¡± The man¡¯s face bore the yful smile of his younger brother. *** Rattling. [This station is Seongsu, Seongsu Station. The door to get off is¡­] ¡°ha¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± I met Minsu¡¯s older brother a little while ago. I became Minsu in front of him and told him what I had to say. Minsu continued to watch over his brother after his death. At first, he was grateful that everyone mourned his death, but it became increasingly difficult to see him like that. I knew all of Minsu¡¯s thoughts and feelings. ¡®I did well, right?¡¯ It was the first time for him to immerse himself in and worry about acting like he did just now. ¡®Is what I¡¯m saying right? Can I use this tone? Where should I look? What kind of expression should I make? Should Iugh? Wouldn¡¯t it be right to cry? Shall I approach? Should I just stand there?¡¯ These thoughts came and went constantly. Of course, I always worried about this when acting. But this time, it was a moment that really needed perfect acting. Because I had to go beyond words and sentences and convey ¡®Minsu¡¯s¡¯ feelings to his older brother. Fortunately, the emotions and experiences I felt during the previous possession helped my acting and this time as well, and I was able to act exactly what Minsu wanted to say. Actually, I was really worried when I first called Minsu¡¯s brother. Normally they would think I was crazy. It was not strange to be angry. ¡®But is the truth conveyed somehow?¡¯ Minsu hopes that his brother will no longer have a hard time because of him. Because I knew that, I performed a perfect performance. No, it would be correct to say that it was more than just acting, it was possession. Something felt good. ¡®Today, I¡¯ll have to eat pork belly¡­ no, I¡¯ll have to eat chicken at least.¡¯ *** I got the part, but I still had to work part-time. So today, like yesterday, I was carrying heavy loads. ¡°Hey~ Top star!!¡± The work foreman called me in a sly voice. Yesterday, I was asked about the results of the audition and the result was, ¡®The PD gave me an extremely favorable review.¡¯ ¡®I guess I¡¯ll just say It that way rather than not saying anything¡­¡¯ However, I wanted to share my joy with those who each saved 1 million won. So for now I was just thinking about doing it. ¡°Yes, captain.¡± ¡°They said they are going to vacate Sector A today, so I think I need to prepare in advance. ¡°Let¡¯s go after lunch.¡± ¡°All right.¡± After cleaning up, I came to eat. The restaurant is a Baekban restaurant that I have always loved. It was a ce where many office workers came, so there were a lot of customers. ¡°Mr. Kim, what are you going to eat?¡± ¡°Um, half a dozen.¡± ¡°No, since it is a Baekban restaurant, it must be Baekban. ¡°But what kind of white spot is this?¡± ¡°Um, what I ate yesterday.¡± ¡°No, what is that?¡± It wasn¡¯t a small restaurant, but it was noisy because there were so many customers. The customers at the other tables nced at me, amazed that I was sitting among the men. It was then. Wooooow. ¡°??¡± My cell phone rang. It is notmon for my cell phone to ring because I have no one to contact. Is this a call from the audition? A thought suddenly urred to me. And when I checked-. [ Audition Manager] ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± It was really that phone call. His heart started pounding hard. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± He took a deep breath and carefully answered the phone. ¡°Hello?¡± [hi¡¤¡¤¡¤. Jinseok¡­ fit¡¤¡¤¡¤?] The surroundings were so noisy that I couldn¡¯t hear what was being said. However, it was too burdensome to ask him to say it again. The foreman, who was arguing with Mr. Kim next to me, asked if I was bothered by the fact that I answered the phone in a restless manner. ¡°What? ¡°Are you sure the youngest is getting a call from the audition?¡± When I nodded slightly, the man got up from his seat. p p! ¡°Okay, everyone be quiet for a moment! ¡°Please be kwayat!!¡± The work foreman¡¯s deep voice echoed throughout the restaurant. Other customers responded by asking ¡®What is it?¡¯ and ¡®Why should you shout like that?¡¯, but the man didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Oh my, sorry while I¡¯m eating! ¡°My youngest made a very important phone call¡­¡± Some of the guests ignored the man¡¯s words and continued to talk noisily, but they soon became quiet due to the fierce looks in the other men¡¯s eyes. Thanks to this, I started hearing calls better. [Are you Jinseok Kang? Are you having a hard time making a phone call?] ¡°Oh, no! ¡°It was a bit noisy for a moment.¡± [Ah yes. It was none other than a call to say that you passed the audition for the role of ¡®Minho.¡¯] Daebak¡­! ¡°Yes Yes!¡± [We need to adjust your schedule for filming, but since you don¡¯t seem to have an agency, we will contact you directly.] ¡°Well, what? ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Did you got it?¡± I nodded slightly and said. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± After hearing PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s words on set, I had a strong belief that I would seed. But receiving confirmation like this in person was a different feeling. The guys pped me on the back. It hurt a little, but it felt so good that it didn¡¯t really matter. ¡°Okay! What did I say! ¡°Didn¡¯t I say you¡¯d be a top star someday?!¡± ¡°Hey! Kang Jinseok! Order whatever you want today! Do you want to eat beef?!¡± ¡°Okay, okay! ¡°The guys are shooting today!¡± ¡°No! ¡°It¡¯s not the ¡®old men¡¯, it¡¯s the foreman president who shoots!¡± ¡°Shall I shoot you?! ¡°Why are you fucking with my money?¡± Now, people telling me that I will be a ¡®top star¡¯ even though I only got one small role. He seemed happier than me. At that time, a text message arrived. ¡ª¡ª Hello, Jinseok Kang. This is Kang Heeyeon AD of . We will share the shooting schedule with you. August 27th¡­ ¡ª¡ª It has finally begun. The life of the actor. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Filming a dramargely goes through three stages. Pre-production, which prepares for video production, Production, which involves actual filming, and Post-production, which carries out post-production work on the video. Among them, I came to the broadcasting station to do a ¡®reading¡¯, which can be said to be the final preparation before starting full-scale production. ¡°It¡¯s so big¡­¡± This is my first time visiting a BDD broadcasting station. I didn¡¯t know it was this big when I saw it on TV, but when I actually got here, it was huge. What is a BDD broadcasting station? It is a broadcasting station that presents Korea¡¯s best dramas to the public every year. A ce where not only the PD and production crew are highly skilled, but also actors who win roles through fiercepetition. I still couldn¡¯t believe that I was making my drama debut here. ¡°Hehe¡­ let¡¯s do well.¡± There isn¡¯t much for me to do at today¡¯s script reading. In fact, it may be true that there is nothing. My lines are at the level of a short role, so if it was originally a different work, I wouldn¡¯t have been invited to this position. However, perhaps because this is Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯s debut work, he invited as many actors as possible to the reading. Thanks to him, I also had the opportunity toe here. Anyway. ¡®You asked me to call you when I arrived, right?¡¯ I picked up my cell phone and called AD Kang Heeyeon. The phone got connected after a while. [Hello?] A loud female voice was heard. This is my first time hearing her voice on the phone, as we have onlymunicated with her through text messages so far. ¡°Hello, AD! ¡°This is Kang Jinseok!¡± [Ah yes! Have you arrived?] ¡°Yes. I¡¯m at the entrance of the broadcasting station. ¡°Where should I go?¡± [It¡¯s the 14th floor¡­ You probably won¡¯t be able to get in or out. I will go to the entrance. wait a minute!] After hanging up the phone and waiting for a while, someone came running in from afar, panting. A woman with shoulder-length short hair tied tightly. The employee ID card hanging around her neck was shaking back and forth. Although it was my first time seeing her, for some reason she seemed to be Kang Heeyeon AD. As I expected, the woman looked at me and waved her hand. ¡°Jinseok Kang!¡± ¡°Oh, yes, hello. nice to see you. ¡°I¡¯m Kang Jinseok.¡± Nod. I bowed more than 90 degrees, but closer to 100 degrees. It was ¡®how to make a good first impression¡¯ that the guys at my part-time job taught me. ¡®They said that even if they have a scary face like old men if you greet them like this, everyone will look at you kindly.¡¯ The wisdom of life gained while living in this peaceful society with those menacing faces was credible enough. However, AD Kang Heeyeon, who saw me greeting, spoke urgently with a quite embarrassed expression. ¡°Go on, Jinseok Kang, you don¡¯t have to greet me like that. ¡°I¡¯m also the youngest member who just joined thepany.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°And these days, producers and directors don¡¯t receive such harsh greetings.¡± The whole time she was speaking, Kang Heeyeon was observing her surroundings. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside first!¡± *** I followed Kang Heeyeon, who was leading the way and entered the broadcasting station. Kang Heeyeon, who had been walking in silence, suddenly spoke. ¡°Oh, by the way, I watched the actor¡¯s audition video earlier. ¡°You are really good at acting.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah yes. thank you.¡± ¡®Audition video¡­ ¡®I guess everyone has seen it.¡¯ Maybe it¡¯s natural. Because we need to know the level of skill of the ¡®neer¡¯ who will appear in the work. Kang Heeyeon continued speaking. ¡°Yes. And I also watched all the web dramas you appeared in before. You acted well there too, right? The story is fun too.¡± It is not unusual for the production team to look into other works of actors. However, it is difficult to watch a video of a rookie, even one that has only about 60,000 views, without some level of passion. As I said, Kang Heeyeon, the ¡®youngest¡¯, you will have a lot of work to do. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Oh my! You don¡¯t have to be too polite. ¡°I¡¯m really the youngest.¡± Although Kang Heeyeon spoke as if she felt burdened, her voice sounded quite pleasant. A short whileter we arrived at the conference room. There was a sign on the door that said, ¡°Dream of the Sun Rising.¡± ¡°Come on in!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± When I opened the door and entered, several people were sitting inside. Someone was looking at the script, someone was fiddling with the camera. It would have been awkward if I didn¡¯t know anyone, but luckily there were some faces I recognized. ¡°Hello! PD!¡± ¡°Oh! you came¡± This time too, I gave a 100-degree greeting. Producer Kim Mansoo put down the script and approached me smiling. ¡°You came early. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say you have toe on time?¡± Producer Kim Mansoo looked at Kang Heeyeon behind him and asked. Then Kang Heeyeon answered in her nervous voice. ¡°Yes, I was told toe on time just like you said!¡± ¡°Hey, why are you so nervous, Heeyeon? ¡°If Jinseok sees me, he¡¯ll think I¡¯m a very scary person.¡± Producer Kim Mansoo said with a kind smile. ¡°Mr. Jinseok, there is some time left until the reading, so I will introduce you to other directors. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Ah yes. thank you!¡± Producer Mansoo Kim introduced me to a group of people. ¡°Now, this is the filming team. Let¡¯s say hello to each other. ¡°This is new actor Kang Jinseok!¡± ¡°Hello! ¡°This is Kang Jinseok!¡± As I bowed deeply, a woman came up to me and held out her hand. ¡°This is the director of photography Eom Hyeryeong.¡± Although she was short, her strength was no joke. The atmosphere is like a veteran as if he has tasted sweet, bitter, and even shit in the field. The grayish short hair gave off a dignified elegance. ¡°I will do my best!¡± He said as he held Eom Hyeryeong¡¯s hand and shook her hand. Then Eom Hyeryeong spoke in her serious voice. ¡°It¡¯s natural to work hard, and you have to do it well.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah yes!¡± ¡°I watched Kang Jinseok¡¯s audition video before. If he doesn¡¯t think he¡¯ll do well, then. ¡°I¡¯ll take the picture myself.¡± The voice was cold. I looked back to see if I had made a mistake, but I hadn¡¯t even had a chance to make a mistake yet. ¡®What? Do I resemble the person the cinematographer dislikes?¡¯ At that time, PD Kim Mansoo said with a smile. ¡°Hey, Eom Hyeryeong. Why are we doing this again? ¡°When you saw the audition video before, you were anxious you wanted to bring him here quickly.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤PD. ¡°When did I do that?¡± ¡°Huh? What and when did you do that? Even earlier this morning, You kept asking when was Jinseok Kanging.¡± When producer Kim Mansooughed and teased Eom Hyeryeong, she suddenly turned around. Then she walked out of the conference room and mmed the door. Bang! ¡°Ah~ Eom Hyeryeong, you must be embarrassed.¡± Ha ha ha ha ha! ¡°haha¡­ .¡± It was my first time visiting a drama filming site, but the good atmosphere eased my nerves a bit. ¡°Now, everyone, please say hello to each other.¡± ¡°Hello. ¡°I¡¯m Park Ho.¡± ¡°My name is Kim Duseok.¡± ¡°I am¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Kang Jinseok! I am looking forward to this!¡± After greeting the members of the filming crew, I also greeted the lighting crew. As we exchanged greetings for a while, quite some time passed. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello~!¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Park Woohyun, Min Kyungsoo, Lee Narin¡­! When you dream of bing an actor, actors you never knewe into the reading room. I knew that I would be filming with them, but I was so excited to meet them in person. I have to go and say hello first¡­ I was reluctant to talk to them because they were great actors. However, I had to say hello to them, so when I finally mustered up the courage to speak, Min Kyungsoo came over and spoke to me. ¡°Oh? ¡°Is this the first time you have seen me?¡± I heard somewhere that it is easier for juniors if seniors talk to them first. I didn¡¯t know much about it then, but it was great to actually experience it. He bowed his head and greeted me cheerfully. ¡°Hello, Senior Min Kyungsoo. My name is Kang Jinseok. ¡°It is an honor to be filming with you this time!¡± ¡°Oh, you are full of spirit, aren¡¯t you? Good, good. This is my junior. ¡°Woohyun used to be so fresh and polite, but these days he¡¯s not so rude anymore¡­¡± Park Woohyun sighed at Min Kyungsoo¡¯s words. ¡°Ah, that guy is talking nonsense with a rookie again. Did you say it was Kang Jineok? I¡¯m Park Woohyun. I will leave it up to you.¡± Park Woohyun is an actor who ys the lead role and the older brother, ¡®Minjun¡¯ in . I am the only actor he has to work with in this drama. ¡°Hello! ¡°I¡¯m Kang Jinseok!¡± ¡°Yes. And you can just ignore this guy¡¯s nonsense. ¡°I¡¯m excited to meet a new person after a long time¡­¡± ¡°Look at what he¡¯s saying. Mr. Jinseok, just ignore that guy. A senior who is like the sky is doing well these days¡­¡± The two spoke without hesitation, wondering if their rtionship was good. Lee Narin, who was quietly listening to the conversation between the two, sighed and shook her head as if she felt pathetic. ¡°Aren¡¯t you embarrassed, seniors? How can you both act like that in front of a rookie?¡± Sheined to me. ¡°I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t treat me like the same person as those idiots because I came with them. I¡¯m Lee Narin. Please take good care of me.¡± Lee Narin. She is an actress who debuted about 5 years ago. She has a unique aristocratic air, and her dry but soft voice is attractive. That¡¯s why she is the first choice formercials¡­ Now that I¡¯ve actually heard it, you really have a nice voice¡­ ¡°I¡¯m Kang Jin-seok! I will do my best!¡± Meeting the actors I had only seen on screen in real life made me realize that filming was about to begin. After a while, more actors came in and the reading room started to get crowded. I went up to each of them and said hello. The first time it was difficult to say hello, but the second time it was easy. Fortunately, they all seem to be good people. At that time, producer Kim Mansoo took the microphone at the front of the conference room. ¡°Ahh, mic test hut two three four. ¡°That sounds good.¡± Then he looked around at the people and continued speaking. ¡°As you all know, I would like to formally wee you. ¡°This is PD Kim Mansoo.¡± p p p. ¡°First of all, I would like to thank everyone for willingly participating in this work. ¡°It is only my debut work, but I am both excited and burdened by the gathering of such great people.¡± Producer Kim Mansoo first introduced the crew. From cinematographer Eom Hyeryeong, who left the conference room earlier, to the youngest AD, Kang Heeyeon. Producer Mansoo Kim continued. ¡°This time, when casting the actors and forming the production team, there was one condition.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Skill is natural. But at the same time, I saw passion for the work. And we recruited people with good character as much as possible.¡± Several people nodded at PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s words. I don¡¯t know, but maybe people in the industry recognize and treat each other well. ¡°Creating good work is like running a machine. Even if just one part breaks, the whole thing stops. ¡°I¡¯m sure you all know that, but I hope you always keep that in mind and do your best.¡± After a rather long introduction, this time the actors were introduced. ¡°Hello. ¡°I¡¯m Min Kyungsoo. ¡°I¡¯m Park Woohyun. I will be fine.¡± ¡°This is Lee Narin. I will do my best.¡± ¡°Hello. Kim Seong¡­¡± Soon it was my turn to sit at the end. ¡°Hello! I¡¯m the new actor Kang Jinseok. I will work hard and do well. I am looking forward to it!¡± As I bowed loudly, the other actors pped their hands. Among them, Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun, whom I had met earlier, pped especially loudly. After a while, the reading began with Lee Narin¡¯s narration. ¡°The driving force that makes people move. I don¡¯t know what it is, but¡­¡± She was also a professional. Even though it was only a reading, Lee Narin and the other actors were in control of their emotions. Everyone had an attitude as if they wouldn¡¯t make the slightest mistake and as if they knew everything. As producer Kim Mansoo said, it seemed that only actors with both talent and personality were gathered for this work. While I was concentrating on the other actors¡¯ acting, it was my turn before I knew it. ¡°Minho¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡± Right before my line, the sad line from the actor ying the role of ¡®Mom¡¯ came out. Even though it was just a reading, the acting was perfect. Whoa¡­ This is no joke. I was really intimidated by the level of acting, which was higher than that of any other actor I had met before. However, I couldn¡¯t give a sloppy performance just because I was intimidated. Now is an important moment where I can show everything, including my acting, my attitude, and my passion. Maybe this one line can change my future life as an actor. So¡­ I have to do well no matter what. It wasn¡¯t a question of whether I could do it or not. I had to do it well. After organizing my thoughts, I captured my emotions for about 5 seconds, as written in the script. Then I slowly opened my mouth. Just as I had said to Minsu¡¯s brother before in Minsu¡¯s name, and just as I had said to Minsu¡¯s mother. ¡°Mom¡­ ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°I hope my brother will be healthy. Even if I die.¡± Tuk. The sound of someone dropping a script filled the reading room. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Producer Kim Mansoo sat in silence, his expression nk as he quietly listened to the actors¡¯ reading. At first nce, he may have appeared indifferent, but deep down, he was filled with concern. Now, his entire attention was fixated on Jinseok. ¡°I have to do well¡­¡± Jinseok thought to himself. On the day of Jinseok¡¯s audition, producer Kim Mansoo felt a deep sense of worry. When he witnessed Jinseok¡¯s acting for the first time, he was utterly captivated and dered that he had passed. However, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if such an exceptional performance was a mere stroke of luck or a coincidence. ¡°If that acting was a fluke, I¡¯m out of here,¡± he thought to himself. Although he kept his restlessness hidden, PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s inner turmoil was palpable. ¡°Please, show at least half of the emotion you disyed during the audition,¡± PD Kim Mansoo requested. ¡°Minho¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Son. I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡± The lines of the actor portraying ¡®Minho¡¯s¡¯ mother resonated in the room. As expected, the performance was steady. Now, it was Jinseok¡¯s turn. ¡°Please¡­ please¡­¡± Irrespective of the sess or failure of this project, it served as a tform for Jinseok to showcase his acting skills. Naturally, the oue of his act might be influenced by his performance. In light of this, Producer Kim Mansoo harbored both expectations and concerns for Jinseok. At that moment, Jinseok finally spoke. ¡°Mom¡­ I¡¯m really okay.¡± ¡°I hope my brother stays healthy. Even if I don¡¯t make it.¡± Two brief lines of dialogue had a profound impact. The reading room fell into an abrupt, hushed silence. Producer Kim Mansoo quietly clenched his fists, internally cheering, ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s done. It really worked!¡± The memory of that unforgettable expression lingered in his mind, and just the recollection sent shivers down his spine. When the drama finally airs, Jinseok¡¯s short scene will undoubtedly be a hot topic. ¡°Good!¡± Kim Mansoo eximed. From the corner of his eye, Kim Mansoo nced at Eom Hyeryeong. She was feigning indifference, but a subtle smile was beginning to appear on her lips. ¡°Probably because she¡¯s eager to capture the moment in photographs,¡± he thought. Eom Hyeryeong was a professional among professionals. If Eom Hyeryeong could act with such brilliance and wear that genuine smile, it would be a testament to the sess of casting Jinseok. Then, there was the sound of something falling to the floor. As heads turned in the direction of the sound, Park Woohyun, who appeared embarrassed, hurriedly picked up the script and spoke in a fluster. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I was quite embarrassed¡­ I mistimed it. I¡¯m truly sorry!¡± It was not umon for the flow to be disrupted during a reading. Nevertheless, Park Woohyun feltpelled to apologize, as it could be perceived as ack of preparation. However, everyone in the room, especially the actors, understood Park Woohyun¡¯s momentarypse. This understanding was because everyone had been captivated by Jinseok¡¯s previous line. The atmosphere had deteriorated to the point where it was challenging to continue reading. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Min Kyungsoo spoke with a wide smile. ¡°Ah, Woohyun, were you perhaps caught up in mentoring a rookie? Is this going to be headline news?¡± Sitting beside him, Narin Lee offered support to Kyungsoo Min. ¡°I know, right? But Woohyun sunbae, you can¡¯t afford to repeat this on set. You know how sensitive Producer Kim Mansoo is, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°True, but we also have to understand PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s personality,¡± another person chimed in. ¡°If a rookie acts like that on set and we look at the number of NG takes, will you be throwing the script away right away?¡± A burst ofughter filled the room. The atmosphere was reinvigorated by the words of Min Kyungsoo and Lee Narin, who had lightened the mood with their banter. Thanks to this, the reading resumed, and after making various adjustments, it concluded in about four hours. ¡°Everyone, thank you for your hard work today,¡± Producer Mansoo Kim expressed with a satisfied smile. ¡°After witnessing this reading, I¡¯m confident that this project is destined for sess.¡± ¡°Today¡¯s reading session will conclude here,¡± he continued. ¡°It¡¯s a bit early, but if any of you n to have apany dinner or evening ns and have no conflicting schedules, we¡¯d appreciate your participation.¡± When Min Kyungsoo heard the mention of a pany dinner,¡± he inquired subtly, ¡°Is PD Kim Mansoo joining us?¡± The response was affirmative. ¡°The director approved it. Let¡¯s go.¡± Upon hearing the mention of ¡°Beopka,¡± the staff reacted enthusiastically. ¡°Beopka? Great!¡± ¡°Director, is it unlimited? How much can we use?¡± TN: Beopka ¨C a type of meat in KR. ¡°I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s eat first and figure it outter!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Not only the employees but also several actors cheered upon learning that the director¡¯s corporate card would be used. Among them was a well-established, mid-career actor like Min Kyungsoo. Producer Kim Mansoo chuckled as he observed the scene. Then, he noticed Jinseok packing his belongings at the far end of the reading room. ¡°Will your friend be joining us too?¡± ¡°Actor Kang Jinseok, is there anything in particr you¡¯d like to eat?¡± Producer Kim Mansoo approached Jinseok and inquired. *** ¡°It¡¯s apany dinner¡­¡± Excitement welled up within him. While he asionally dined out with part-time workers, sharing a meal with actors of this caliber felt entirely different. ¡°Are they going to drink a lot? When I dined with the crew, it always ended up being a big drinking session.¡± Given that everyone worked diligently,pany dinners often turned into massive drinking gatherings. Fortunately or unfortunately, he was a strong drinker, and as a result, he often found himself looking after his colleagues during such asions. ¡°Jinseok, is there anything specific you¡¯d like to eat?¡± Producer Mansoo Kim approached with a friendly smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like that. Typically, the youngest person gets to decide,¡± Jinseok replied. As he nced around, he noticed that quite a few people were observing him. ¡°What should I suggest for the menu¡­¡± Typically, duringpany dinners with the crew, it was always pork belly. Specifically, it was the crispy, frozen, imported pork belly. The taste wasn¡¯t exceptional, but it was a ce he frequented due to its affordability. However, if he proposed dining on something like that with the director¡¯s corporate card, he feared facing criticism. He pondered for a while, but no restaurant rmendations came to mind. In fact, he was unfamiliar with the dining options in the area. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything. I¡¯ll just be honest about what I want to eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to have beef,¡± he dered. Upon hearing his words, the surroundings fell into momentary silence. Then, after a brief pause, the silence transformed into enthusiastic cheers. ¡°Nice!¡± ¡°The actor wants beef!¡± ¡°Hey, let¡¯s make a reservation before he changes his mind! Hurry!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Let¡¯s order first and then search for a ce!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The staff¡¯s cleaning efforts in the aftermath of the meal became more brisk. ¡°Exorcism.¡± PD Kim Mansoo and Min Kyungsoo yfully pped him on the back. *** ¡°Director, can I order some more?¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead! I¡¯ve got the director¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Excuse me, could you please bring us five more servings of sirloin?¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s sirloin? I mean,salchisal!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to report everything to the director. Junho told me to order like there¡¯s no tomorrow.¡± TN: salchisal ¨C a type of beef The atmosphere at thepany¡¯s party remained as vibrant as it had been during the reading. People were continuously indulging in meat and enjoying each other¡¯spany in small groups. ¡°Sizzle¡ª¡± ¡°Wow, Jinseok, you¡¯re great at grilling meat.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Jinseok responded with gratitude. Senior Min Kyungsoo was genuinely impressed. This was the moment when his previous experience working part-time at a beef restaurant truly shone. ¡°I suppose I just need to grill it a bit longer.¡± It was akin to a sculptor putting the final touches on their masterpiece, the moment he flipped the meat for thest time. Senior Park Woohyun expertly gathered the grilled meat from the grill. ¡°Enjoy your meal, Jinseok. You should eat plenty.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes! Bon app¨¦tit!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but think that one more flip and it would have been perfect. I felt disappointed. Perhaps sensing my frustration, Senior Min Kyungsoo offered encouragement to Senior Park Woohyun. ¡°Hey, Park Woohyun. If the person handling the tongs wants to eat it, they should eat it. Enjoy it when it¡¯s slightly rare. When it¡¯s at its best.¡± ¡°You can even eat beef raw. Doesn¡¯t your brother know aboutTataki?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t handle raw fish, but you enjoyTataki?¡± TN: Two methods of preparing fish or meat in Japanese cuisine are calledtatakior tosa-mi. Observing the yful banter between the two seniors, Lee Narin shook her head in apparent embarrassment. ¡°But Senior Lee Narin doesn¡¯t even consume meat, and some others abstain from alcohol altogether.¡± Could it be due to the filming season? The actors refrained from drinking alcohol, and even the actresses showed little interest in meat. Meanwhile, the staff indulged in eating and drinking as if they were celebrating the end of the world. Senior Min Kyungsoomented after taking a bite of the meat. ¡°Jinseok, how long have you been in the acting profession?¡± Since we were seated at the same table, we had grown quite close, and now both Senior Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun referred to me as ¡®Jinseok.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s been about five years since I started studying on my own, and this is my first experience working on a drama.¡± ¡°Alone? Didn¡¯t you study at school or an academy?¡± ¡°Yes, I graduated from high school with a GED, and I wasn¡¯t in a position to attend an academy. So I had to self-study.¡± Senior Park Woohyun, upon hearing this, expressed amazement. ¡°You taught yourself acting and you¡¯re performing like this? How¡¯s that even possible?¡± Then Senior Min Kyungsoo let out a snort and scolded Senior Park Woohyun. ¡°Hmph. If you can excel through self-study, why are you so surprised? True actinges from the heart, not just theory. Look at Jinseok. You¡¯re talented even without formal training, right?¡± ¡°My brother studied acting at school and doesn¡¯t act that well. He even has a master¡¯s degree.¡± ¡°I only got it because it happened to be given to me.¡± Listening to this conversation, I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the actors¡¯ performances earlier. ¡°Their acting was definitely on a different level than mine. Is it because they all received formal training¡­?¡± Not only were their breath control and stability impressive, but they also delivered lengthy lines with precise diction. It was clear that my foundational knowledge wascking. ¡°He¡¯s on apletely different level than me. Maybe I should at least consider enrolling in an academy to learn the basics¡­¡± For the past five years, I had scoured the inte and acquired professional books for self-study, but my shorings were too apparent. As I contemted my situation, Senior Lee Narin voiced her thoughts. ¡°If the opportunity arises, I¡¯d like to attend college and study acting professionally. Despite my current skills, formal training could still enhance my performance.¡± Lee Narin had been rtively quiet throughout the dinner, but her advice at this moment sounded earnest. She remarked, ¡°Considering joining an agency for training isn¡¯t a bad idea. However, I¡¯d advise against it because Jinseok¡¯s acting might be overly stereotypical.¡± ¡°Stereotypical?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes. In a positive sense, it can be marketable acting, but negatively, it maye across as characterless. Many agencies focus on teaching such acting, especially to neers. Yet, that style of acting is often formic.¡± I didn¡¯t fully grasp all she was saying, but after listening to Lee Narin¡¯s insights, I started to reconsider the idea of joining an agency at this point. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s university¡­¡± I hadn¡¯t even considered it before. There seemed to be nopelling reason to attend college thus far, and the financial aspect weighed heavily on my mind. Senior Park Woohyun chimed in beside me. ¡°Hmm¡­ Various actors hold different views on this, but going to college, even if it¡¯s not necessarily for acting, isn¡¯t a bad idea. Gaining diverse experiences can be beneficial for your future acting career.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°In simple terms, if your sole goal is to learn acting, going to college may not be necessary. Frankly, your reading earlier gave me chills.¡± Then Senior Min Kyungsoo yfully teased Senior Park Woohyun once more. He said, ¡°I was taken aback by rookie Park Woohyun,¡± and added, ¡°Honestly, I was quite impressed.¡± Leaving the two of them behind, Senior Lee Narin spoke to me. ¡°My younger brother is nning to enroll in Seokuk University¡¯s Department of Theater. If you¡¯re interested, you should look into it. However, keep in mind that you can only apply to that university with a letter of rmendation from a high school teacher or someone in the industry.¡± ¡°A letter of rmendation¡­ Did you write one for your younger brother?¡± I inquired. ¡°No, to be honest, my youngest brother doesn¡¯t have the necessary skills to earn it,¡± she replied with a resolute tone. It made me contemte the concept of protecting what truly mattered. When you thought about it, it seemed natural. A ¡®letter of rmendation¡¯ was something that should only be given if you genuinely believed in the individual you were endorsing. ¡°It must be strange to just write something like that,¡± I mused. After pondering for a moment, Senior Lee Narin spoke in a rxed manner. ¡°If you genuinely want to learn acting properly, there are many paths to choose from. As I mentioned earlier, my personal rmendation is college. As Senior Woohyun pointed out, you can gain various valuable experiences, even if you¡¯re not necessarily focused on academics.¡± Normally, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to the idea of college, or rather, I hadn¡¯t given it any thought at all. But after witnessing the skills of the other actors today, I felt a growing need to learn something more. Ultimately, the choices boiled down to attending an academy, enrolling in college, or joining an agency. One of these paths needed to be selected in order to strengthen my foundational skills. Among these options, college appeared to be the most favorable. Just as Senior Park Woohyun had pointed out, attending college would not only enhance acting skills but also provide a broader education. Truthfully, I didn¡¯t rule out the idea of an agency¡­ I had dismissed it mainly because it seemed unattainable at my current level of awareness. Amidst my contemtion, Senior Lee Narin shared her perspective. ¡°If Jinseok decides to attend college, I hope he chooses Seoguk University. I¡¯m an alumnus of Seoguk University myself.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯d love to attend a prestigious university like Seoguk, but I don¡¯t have anyone to provide a letter of rmendation for me¡­ I¡¯ll have to explore other options.¡± He said this with a modest, slightly awkward smile. In truth, his statement was more realistic than humble. However, the three people sitting at the table appeared puzzled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have anyone to write a letter of rmendation?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I simply write you a letter of rmendation?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll provide a letter of rmendation for you as well.¡± Three renowned actors stepped up to offer their rmendations. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°It¡¯s about college¡­¡± After the dinner party concluded, I returned home and reclined on my bed, contemting. ¡°If I utilize the money my friends chipped in this time and the savings I¡¯ve umted, I should be able to cover my initial college tuition. But¡­¡± The real challengey ahead. In the early morning, I spent time organizing the warehouse with my friends, and in the afternoons, I continued my part-time job at a cafe. However, if I were to enroll in college, I wouldn¡¯t be able to continue with my afternoon cafe job. I could live without auditions or formal acting study, but it felt like the wrong choice for me, so I eliminated that option. Furthermore,mitting to four years of college was a significant endeavor. In my situation, as an ordinary person in my twenties, I couldn¡¯t afford to take such a risk. As I pondered the advice offered by senior actors during the dinner party, it became evident that going to college was the right path for me. Nevertheless, a practical issue loomed ahead. For your reference, I received a 300,000 won appearance fee for my role in ¡°Dream of the Sun Rising.¡± Considering that smaller roles typically earn between 50,000 won and 150,000 won, this amount was considerably generous. It was evident that PD Kim Mansoo attached great importance to this appearance fee. ¡°Since it urred to me, I should at least express my gratitude before calling it a night.¡± The time was a little past midnight. Although it was quitete, I didn¡¯t want to forget to do it the following day, so I decided to reach out now. Just as I was reaching for my phone, it began to ring. Wooooow. The mobile phone screen disyed ¡°Producer Kim Mansoo.¡± I hurriedly rose from my bed and answered the call with politeness. ¡°Yes, PD Kim. This is Kang Jinseok.¡± [Ah, Mr. Jinseok. I apologize for calling at such ate hour. I meant to tell you earlier, but there¡¯s something I forgot to mention.] The voice on the other end sounded slightly slurred. There had been no sign of inebriation when we were at the dinner party earlier, so it seemed like the staff members had gone on for a second round of celebrations separately. However, the more pressing issue was the reason behind the PD¡¯s sudden call. ¡°What do you mean? Is there a problem with my performance?¡± I asked cautiously, wondering if my acting hadn¡¯t met his expectations. [Oh, your acting was excellent. Keep it up. But that¡¯s not what I wanted to discuss¡­ Jinseok, what are your ns after this project ends?] ¡°Yes? Uh¡­ I haven¡¯t made any concrete ns yet. I¡¯m considering continuing to audition.¡± I breathed a sigh of relief, realizing my acting had met his expectations. With an upbeat tone, PD Kim Mansoo continued, [Great! Then, consider auditioning for a project my close friend is working on. It¡¯s set in the Japanese colonial period, and they¡¯re specifically looking for a tall, handsome rookie!] ¡°A tall, handsome rookie?¡± Under such conditions, you could likely fill more than a hundred trucks in Korea. However, the reason for this special mention was probably meant to assist me. [I¡¯ll send you a contact number. This individual is a member of the team working on my colleague¡¯s senior project. I¡¯ve informed them in advance, so if you reach out, they¡¯ll assist you.] ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, thank you! Thank you!¡± [What¡¯s there to be thankful for? I¡¯m doing this because Jinseok is a kind person and a talented actor. Did you get home safely?] PD Kim Mansoo went on to express the director of photography¡¯s eagerness for the project and suggested having a drink separately after the work was finished. ¡°PD, thank you very much for the appearance fee. I appreciate the 300,000 won¡­¡± [Jinseok will earn much moreter on. So, don¡¯t worry about that and focus on your acting. You understand, right?] ¡°Yes!¡± [Very well. See you on the shooting day. Get some rest.] Shortly after my phone call with PD Kim Mansoo, I received a text message. ¡ª¡ª Contact Information:
  • Kim Cheol AD: 010-5532-XXXX
Audition Details:
  • Title of Work: Undisclosed
  • Casting: Japanese police officer and 1 other
  • Audition Content: Free acting / No script
¡ª¡ª ¡°The name of the project hasn¡¯t been disclosed, and they¡¯re looking for roles like Japanese police officers and others?¡± It¡¯s not umon for the title of a drama to be kept confidential during auditions. However, it¡¯s typically expected to have a detailed description of the roles. ¡°Why name it ¡®Japanese Pure Temple¡¯ if it¡¯s about Japanese police officers?¡± Nevertheless, this wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on such matters. I needed to collect a script for a drama set in the Japanese colonial period and start practicing right away. I felt quite exhausted, likely due to thepany dinner, but I relied on my mental strength to push through. ¡°It must have been like that¡­¡± Before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep. *** I found myself in a familiar white space. Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m in a dream, but I had a sensation of floating in the air. ¡°Who called me again?¡± After a while, two figures emerged from a distance. One was an elderly man. Despite his unruly gray hair, his posture was upright, and he walked with confidence, reminiscent of a soldier. The other person was a high school-age girl. One might assume she was the elderly man¡¯s granddaughter, but she had a notably distinct aurapared to the other two. ¡°Hello. My name is Yeonmi Kim.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a formidable god.¡± Kim Yeonmi was amicable, but Kang Hoshin greeted him with a somewhat imposing demeanor. ¡°Hello. This is Kang Jinseok.¡± As she respectfully bowed, Kang Hoshin introduced me. ¡°I was rmended by Minsu.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Minsu, huh¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gone to a good ce. I¡¯m very appreciative of you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®It seems like those who have passed away depart once their wishes have been fulfilled¡­¡¯ As I contemted this silently, Yeonmi Kim spoke once again. ¡°I apologize for insisting on calling you like this, but I believe this can be of assistance to Jinseok oppa.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. On the contrary, I¡¯m thankful.¡± I replied with a faint smile, and Kim Yeonmi¡¯s face brightened. Next to Kim Yeonmi, Kang Hoshin spoke to me in a hushed tone. ¡°Forgive me¡­ you¡¯re a different individual. He is an actor. This time, he¡¯s portraying a Japanese police officer.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t taken charge of the role yet. I¡¯ll need to audition first, and only after that can I consider taking charge¡­¡± ¡°Alright. Regardless, isn¡¯t the role supposed to be that of a Japanese police officer?¡± Kang Hoshin interrupted me as if he were growing impatient. He seemed to be a man of older age who often steered the conversation towards himself. He gazed at me quietly and spoke in a resigned tone. ¡°First, let me introduce myself briefly¡­ To my shame, I was once an enforcer for the Japanese Empire, wielding guns and swords against my own people. It wasn¡¯t untilter that I realized my mistake and sought redemption, but I still couldn¡¯t cleanse the sins I hadmitted. I never even properly apologized.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Just as Minsu assisted you, I¡¯m going to lend you a hand this time. With my support, you¡¯ll be able to authentically portray what a ¡®genuine¡¯ Japanese police officer was like.¡± Kang Hoshin spoke with confidence, but there was a hint of hesitation in his demeanor, likely stemming from his difort with his pro-Japanese past. Kang Hoshin went on to say, ¡°Instead, you should offer an apology on my behalf.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s an apology¡­ to whom?¡± When I inquired, Kang Hoshin promptly responded. ¡°to Insook.¡± ¡°to Insook¡­?¡± ¡°You might not be familiar. Lim Insook was an independence activist who left no trace of his name. He was like most independence activists.¡± Kang Hoshin gazed into space for a moment with distant, unfocused eyes. Then, he refocused on me and continued speaking. ¡°I¡¯ll exin the details to youter. We don¡¯t have much time, so for now, pay attention to what this gentleman has to say.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± I shifted my attention to Kim Yeonmi, who spoke with a cheerful smile. ¡°Jinseok oppa, you¡¯ve been contemting whether to attend college or not these days.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s a bit of a dilemma.¡± ¡°Just speak freely. I passed away when I was neen.¡± Minsu was simr, but did all ghosts behave this way? Kim Yeonmi also appeared to be unconcerned about her own death. It might be appropriate to consider them as quite well-informed. In that case, it would likely be best for me to engage with them like I would with any other person. ¡°So, let¡¯s chat openly. As I mentioned, I¡¯m contemting going to college¡­ There¡¯s a practical issue though. Money is a concern, as well as the circumstances of my life.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. I apologize for making such a request¡­ Can you at least consider taking the entrance exam?¡± ¡°Do you want me to consider taking the entrance exam?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Kim Yeonmi paused, nced at me, and then resumed her narrative. ¡°To be honest, my dream was to be an actor like my brother. That¡¯s why I had ns to attend college to study acting.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°But on the day of the practical exam, she was involved in a car ident and passed away¡­ In the end, I couldn¡¯t pass the exam. I was so devastated by that, which is why I¡¯vee to ask this of my elder brother who is still contemting whether to attend college or not¡­ Even so, there was no other option but to turn to my brother. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yeonmi Kim bowed her head as if making a request. Then she gently raised her head, looking at me with earnest eyes, glimpsed through her neatly arranged hair. ¡°University¡­ I¡¯m still undecided about whether to attend or not, but if it¡¯s like this, I suppose I¡¯ll have to at least consider taking the exam.¡± As I pondered the decision of whether to attend college or not, this request came my way. Even if I decided not to attend college, it felt like I should, at the very least, take the exam to help ease this girl¡¯s sense of regret. ¡°Alright. I will take the exam for you.¡± With his decision made, she replied calmly. ¡°Thank you! Oh, but can I make one more request?¡± ¡°What kind of request?¡± ¡°You can apply to other universities, but please be sure to take the entrance exam for Seoguk University. My father is a professor there. He will likely be present during the interview as well.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I want to showcase my acting to my father. Please!¡± Yeonmi Kim bowed her head once more. ¡®I guess her desire isn¡¯t just about attending college¡­ she wants to demonstrate her acting skills to his father?¡¯ Nevertheless, there¡¯s only one thing for me to do. ¡°Alright. I will certainly take the entrance exam at Seoguk University.¡± ¡°Thank you! And don¡¯t worry about the entrance exam. After I passed away, I spent about 10 years preparing for the entrance exam.¡± ¡°You dedicated 10 years to preparing for the entrance exam¡­?¡± ¡°Yes! I continued to refine my fundamentals, just in case an opportunity like this ever arose. Thank you foring!¡± After expressing her gratitude, Kim Yeonmi nced somewhere. Then, with a hint of regret, she pouted and said, ¡°Our time is up. I¡¯ll see you again when I can visit your dreams.¡± ¡°Make sure it¡¯s a challenging one.¡± ¡°Of course, then untilter¡­¡± As we were conversing, I heard an rm sounding from somewhere. *** Rumbling! I woke up as soon as I heard their final words. I had felt it before, but after encountering the ghosts in my dream, my body felt unusually refreshed. I wasn¡¯t sure if the ghosts were aiding me or if it was just my mood, but good things are good things, so I had no reason toin. ¡°Now, I should start by applying for the audition.¡± I reached for my phone and dialed the contact number for ¡®Kim Cheol AD¡¯ that I had received the previous day. Turrrrrrr¡­ ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Jinseok Kang, a new actor. I received your contact information from PD Kim Mansoo.¡± AD Kim Cheol¡¯s cheerful voice came through the receiver. ¡°Oh, this is the actor rmended by Producer Kim Mansoo. Thank you for reaching out to us. You¡¯re contacting us regarding the audition, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± [Yes, yes. We have a full audition schedule today¡­ I¡¯m a little busy next week, so I think I¡¯ll only have time on the weekend. Is that okay?] ¡°Of course. Anytime is okay.¡± Actually, it wasn¡¯t always okay because part-time jobs were already full. But that¡¯s something that can be adjusted. [All right. Then, I will check the schedule and send you a text message.] ¡°Yes, thank you!¡± As soon as I hung up the phone, I immediately sent a text message to Senior Lee Narin, to her personal contact information, not her manager¡¯s. ¡®Did you go home safely yesterday? Please provide a letter of rmendation for Seoguk University¡­ This should be enough.¡¯ I edited the long, carefully written text several times. Wooooow. ¡°Why is this person calling?¡± About 5 minutes after sending the text, the name ¡®Senior Min Kyungsoo¡¯ appeared on my phone. ¡°Yes, Senior. This is Kang Jinseok.¡± As soon as I answered the phone, what I heard was Senior Min Kyungsoo¡¯s calm voice, as if he was truly sad. [Hey, Jinseok! I¡¯m really disappointed.] Chapter 9 Chapter 9 The filming site of SKC Broadcasting Station¡¯s representative entertainment show, . Preparations for recording were in full swing. ¡°Recording will start soon!¡± ¡°Hey! Are you going to use the lighting as is?¡± ¡°The PD told me to put it first!¡± is an entertainment program that presents brief current affairs talks and small talent shows. The program is usually recordedte in the evening, but today it was filmed early in the morning due to the cast¡¯s schedule. This time¡¯s guests are Lee Narin and Min Kyungsoo, who appeared on to promote . After a while, the host announced the start of recording. ¡°Today, we featured a rising star and an established star of Korean dramas. Min Kyungsoo! And this is Lee Narin!¡± ¡°Hello! ¡°This is Min Kyungsoo!¡± ¡°Hello. ¡°This is Lee Narin.¡± Min Kyungsoo, who spoke in a yful yet cool way, true to his personality, and Lee Narin, who spoke in a noble manner, true to her image, greeted them. ¡°There¡¯s no need for an introduction, right? They are very famous people.¡± As the host spoke in a subdued voice, Min Kyungsoo spoke as if he were fussing. ¡°Ah, please introduce me anyway. When other peoplee out, they show us their works and albums.¡± ¡°Haha, just kidding. Now then, you two will be on the highlight list!¡± The recording continued for a long time after that. Since they were very veteran broadcasters, the proceedings were smooth. Perhaps that¡¯s why both the PD and writers were smiling with satisfaction. After the recording continued for about two hours, the PD shouted. ¡°Okay, Take a 15-minute break and then we¡¯ll resume!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a rest!¡± ¡°Ah, no matter how I look at that light, it¡¯s strange. Can¡¯t I change it?¡± When the camera stopped, Min Kyungsoo spoke to Lee Narinfortably as usual. ¡°Hey, Lee Narin. What are you going to talk about when you promote your workter? I¡¯m going to do exactly what the author wrote.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about doing as the author wrote. I brought up something else for no reason¡­¡± Wooooow. At that time, Lee Narin¡¯s cell phone rang. ¡®There is no particr ce where I can contact you¡­ Who is it?¡¯ When I took a quick look, it said ¡®Junior Kang Jinseok.¡¯ ¡®Kang Jinseok? Why did Jinseok send a text message¡­¡¯ Since there was a lot of break time left anyway, Lee Narin checked the text message. ¡ª¡ª Hello, senior. This is Kang Jinseok. You got home without any trouble yesterday, right? I made it back home¡­ ¡ª¡ª ¡®Heh¡­ ¡®This sounds like Jinseok.¡¯ Narin Lee could sense Jinseok¡¯s personality even from the text. He seemed polite and very upright, different from today¡¯s new actors who only act formally on the outside. ¡®I like it, but¡­ ¡®Why did he send such a long text message?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª ¡¤¡¤¡¤The reason I contacted you like this is that I wanted to ask for a letter of rmendation for Seoguk University. Since you mentioned it yesterday, I¡¯ve been thinking about it personally, and I decided to follow your advice and go to college¡­ ¡ª¡ª As Narin looked at her cell phone closely, Min Kyungsoo asked from next to her. ¡°Why are you so serious? ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing serious. Jinseok asked for a letter of rmendation for Seoguk University.¡± Narin Lee spoke calmly as if it was no big deal. However, there was a sense of satisfaction in her voice, as if someone had asked for something from her. Min Kyungsoo, who couldn¡¯t have known that, spoke in a slightly disappointed voice. ¡°He didn¡¯t contact me? Hey! ¡°I have it too, so why is he asking only you? I can do it too?¡± ¡°Honestly, if you were a senior, would you ask someone like you to write a letter of rmendation? ¡°Rmendations start with the image, just like mine¡­¡± Min Kyungsoo held the back of his neck as if he was dumbfounded by Narin¡¯s words. He then called his manager, who was talking to the staff from afar. ¡°No, that¡¯s ridiculous. Hey, Donghoon! Give me my phone!¡± ¡°Yes, brother!¡± When the manager handed over the cell phone, Min Kyungsoo immediately called someone. [Yes, senior. This is Kang Jinseok.] ¡°Hey, Jinseok! I¡¯m really disappointed.¡± ¡®Why did you call me¡­?¡¯ [Hey! Jinseok! I¡¯m really disappointed.] What a sudden disappointment. Did I make some mistakes yesterday? ¡®That can¡¯t be possible.¡¯ ¡°Seniors. What do you mean by that?¡± When I asked again, senior Min Kyungsoo sounded genuinely sad. [I heard that you asked Narin to write a letter of rmendation for Seoguk University! Why did I leave it alone!] ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it¡­¡± ¡®How did you know that?¡¯ While I hesitated for a moment, I suddenly heard a loud noise. I couldn¡¯t hear exactly what he was saying, but it seemed to roughly mean something like, ¡®Why are you bothering the child?¡¯ or, ¡®No, I¡¯m not bullying him, I¡¯m asking!¡¯ ¡®More than that, that is Narin senior¡¯s voice? Are you two together?¡¯ Since they are so famous, they could have been on schedule together. It was early, but they could film at any time. After a while, senior Min Kyungsoo spoke again. [Hey! I¡¯m currently recording right now. You know , right?] ¡°Ah yes! I know.¡± is an entertainment show that all celebrities who are popr, likely to be sessful, or who could be sessful go through at least once. There was no way I didn¡¯t know. [I was going to bring up your storyter when I was promoting my work, but if this happens, will you be disappointed or not?] ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤My story?¡± ¡®Are you trying to say my name on ?¡¯ While I was thinking alone, I heard a loud noise again on the other side of the phone. This time, ¡®Lies! you said earlier that you are speaking just as the author wrote!¡¯, ¡®When did I!¡¯ ¡®I was going to tell them that Jinseok is a good actor!¡¯ What should I answer? I do not know. ¡®hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®The guys said that if you¡¯re not sure, it¡¯s best to apologize quickly.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, senior.¡± When I apologized, senior Min Kyungsoo spoke in a shaken voice. [No. If you suddenly say sorry, I be a narrow-minded person. These days, I¡¯ve only dealt with scoundrels like Park Woohyun, but now that I¡¯m meeting such an upright junior, I can¡¯t get my head around it.] [It¡¯s not about being a narrow-minded person; I am actually narrow-minded. I¡¯m frustrated because I can¡¯t catch my junior¡­] [Oh, you be quiet!] Senior Min Kyungsoo, who shouted loudly, immediately spoke. [Recording begins. Hey, anyway, Jinseok. It¡¯s okay, and Narin said that multiple people can write letters of rmendation. I will write it for you too, so prepare well. Okay?] ¡°Yes, senior! All right. Thank you¡­¡± Ddu- The phone hung up before I could finish speaking. ¡°I guess it¡¯s okay¡­?¡± Min Kyungsoo was a good person and seemed like a senior, but he had an unpredictable personality. What¡¯s surprising is that such a person bes serious when acting. ¡®So I guess I¡¯ll be an actor for a long time.¡¯ Leaving aside thoughts about Min Kyungsoo and Lee Narin, I got dressed. Because it was already time to go to my part-time job. ¡°So, the work we are appearing in this time, ¡­¡± Min Kyungsoo was inwardly impressed by Lee Narin¡¯sment calmly promoting their work. ¡®As expected, Narin speaks really well. Even though she says the same thing, she is definitely different.¡¯ When Narin finished her speech, the host smiled brightly and said, ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so excited! ¡°Then, this time, I would like to ask actor Min Kyungsoo to say something about the work!¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°I think Narin Lee has told us everything we can say about the plot and development of the drama, so I¡¯ll tell you a slightly different story.¡± ¡°Something else?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, we had a script reading yesterday. ¡°Something interesting happened there.¡± What Min Kyungsoo is saying now is not what the writers previously wrote. So the writers behind the camera started discussing something, and the producer listened even more as if he was curious. ¡°Is this something fun?¡± ¡°Yes. Woohyun¡­ no, Park Woohyun also appears in our work. ¡°But that friend couldn¡¯t read the script properly yesterday because he was overwhelmed by the acting of a new actor.¡± The host asked in a surprised voice. ¡°Woohyun Park couldn¡¯t read the script?¡± ¡°Yes. Since the new actor recited his lines first, Park Woohyun was so surprised that he couldn¡¯t say his lines. But honestly, I was very surprised because it was my first time seeing acting like that.¡± While Min Kyungsoo was speaking, the writers hastily wrote something on the whiteboard. It was a message to be sent to the host. Although it was not a live broadcast, the writers conveyed the content on a whiteboard to avoid interrupting the recording flow. The host also checked the contents and asked Min Kyungsoo if he was familiar with this type of thing. ¡°Is this someone whose name everyone will know?¡± ¡°You probably don¡¯t know. He¡¯s really a rookie who just debuted. Yes?¡± Min Kyungsoo naturally handed over the speaking role to Lee Narin. Then Narin nodded and continued her words. ¡°Yes. His name is Kang Jin-seok, and this is his first TV drama. But he is a really attractive actor.¡± The host spoke in an admiring voice at Narin¡¯s words. ¡°And¡­ he¡¯s a rookie, but I can¡¯t believe he was cast in this work. It looks like his skills are great.¡± ¡°Yes. Our work is the debut work of producer Kim Mansoo, and his skills are good enough to be used boldly in such a work.¡± The writers gave a thumbs up to Narin Lee¡¯s clearments as if she were reading a script. But this was not the end of Narin¡¯s praise. ¡°He¡¯s still a rookie, so he¡¯s acting while working part-time. In the meantime, he works really hard at acting. He is also very polite.¡± ¡°After listening to what you say, it seems like you care a lot about your junior.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And he is a junior that I would like to work with in the future. I guess he¡¯s a talented actor.¡± For a long time after that, stories about ¡®new actor¡¯ Kang Jinseok blossomed. Min Kyungsoo and Lee Narin are waiting for their respective vans in the parking lot after finishing recording. Min Kyungsoo stretched loudly and said. ¡°Ugh~ I¡¯m tired. Narin, are you going home?¡± ¡°Yes. What about you senior?¡± ¡°Me too. I haven¡¯t slept a wink since yesterday and I feel like I¡¯m dying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m old. You can¡¯t hide your age.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Let¡¯s see if you don¡¯t get old.¡± ¡°I manage myself, so even when I grow old, I¡¯m different from my seniors. Senior drinks every day when he¡¯s not filming.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s unlucky. Live like that for the rest of your life.¡± While the two were bickering, their respective vans arrived. Min Kyungsoo said as he got into the van first. ¡°Go in carefully. You worked hard~.¡± ¡°Yes. Oh right. Senior, did you hear what the PD said earlier?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s recording was originally supposed to be broadcast next week. But they say it¡¯sing out this week.¡± ¡°Is that possible? I guess there was something they originally wanted to broadcast?¡± ¡°They said it was terribly boring and needed more editing. Anyway, I think it would be good for you to know. This will probably be arranged separately by the manager. Still, he said it because he cared about me, so I waved my hand to say thank you. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just leave you to it.¡± ¡°Uh, yes!¡± After answering briefly, Min Kyungsoo got into the van and took out his cell phone. ¡®I have to tell Jinseok to definitely watch this week¡¯s broadcast. ¡®I would be disappointed if he missed the live broadcast while his story was being talked about.¡¯ In SKC¡¯s signature program, two established actors mention a new actor. This is a huge honor and something to be grateful for as a new actor. ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll enjoy it, right?¡¯ Min Kyungsoo sent a text message to Jinseok with a happy feeling. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°Guys! The break is over! Let¡¯s start again!¡± At the work leader¡¯smand, the other men rose one by one. Some of them had already awakened from their naps. Despite physical fatigue, my mind remained remarkably clear, much like yours. Thanks to Senior Min Kyungsoo¡¯s text message, ¡°My name is going to be featured on !¡± While I won¡¯t physically appear, my story will be shared for about 5 minutes. That, too, is a good story. Though I don¡¯t expect it to elevate my status as an actor, the smile doesn¡¯t leave my face at the prospect of sharing the name ¡®Kang Jinseok¡¯ with viewers. ¡°Let¡¯s work even harder.¡± As I pledged to myself, thoughts of the uing audition filled my mind. ¡°In addition to the role of the Japanese police officer¡­¡± Confidence surged within me. I believed I could embody the appearance and demeanor of a ¡®real¡¯ police officer from the Japanese colonial period. Yet, there were concerns. ¡°What about the other role? It doesn¡¯t seem likely they¡¯d assign two roles to a single actor.¡± This role, rmended by producer Kim Mansoo, undoubtedly promises to be a significant one. However, despite navigating through numerous auditions, encountering a rolebeled as ¡®Other 1¡ä was a first for me. After pondering for a moment, I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. It¡¯s absurd to fret over a role just because I cleared one audition. Snap out of it, Kang Jinseok. Be grateful for any opportunity, even if it means ying a minor role. Let¡¯s focus on the task at hand and give it our all.¡± With renewed determination, I gathered my courage and took another step forward. *** Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, the day of the audition had arrived. Standing in front of the audition studio, I took a deep breath. ¡°Whoop¡­ Puha!¡± ¡°Do your best, Kang Jinseok! This is truly a golden opportunity.¡± Upon entering the studio, as expected, there were numerous applicants. Among them, some would be mypetitors, while others aimed for different roles. Most of them seemed to be auditioning for minor or supporting roles. ¡®I need to let them know that I¡¯m here for the audition, but where are the staff? Oh, is that him?¡¯ Upon ncing around, I noticed a group of people gathered inside the audition room. As I approached, I saw someone wearing a ¡®STAFF¡¯ ne. Let¡¯s approach the staff- ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤uh?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤uh? Jinseok Kang? What¡¯s going on here¡­ Oh, do you want to audition for this one too?¡± It was Kang Heeyeon AD. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m here, but seeing a familiar face eased my tension a little. ¡°Ah, yes. ¡°I also came to audition.¡± ¡°Hey¡­ Will you do it in parallel with Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯s work?¡± ¡°Rather than parallel¡­ Actually, Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯s work is a short role, so it¡¯s over after filming it once. So, producer Kim Mansoo rmended that I look into this role as well.¡± Kang Heeyeon pped her hands and nodded her head. ¡°Got it. I see. All right. ¡°I¡¯ll check the list.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After finishing the conversation with Kang Hee-yeon, I went to an empty chair and sat down. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Everyone is staring.¡¯ In fact, he deserved it. If a guy came and talked to the staff in a friendly way and said, ¡®The PD rmended it,¡¯ everyone couldn¡¯t help but get nervous. ¡®I wasn¡¯t particrly trying to attract attention¡­¡¯ It¡¯s good to get attention, but this kind of attention is not good. Because the looks that are pouring in on me now are eyes full of envy and jealousy. No matter how good I was at putting steel tes on my face, I felt ufortable with these looks. At that time. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤uh?!¡± Someone¡¯s voice was heard in surprise. People¡¯s eyes were naturally drawn to that voice. ¡°It¡¯s Lee Homin¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true. Is he here for an audition?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see him very often in dramas these days¡­ Still, isn¡¯t he on a very different level?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s at least the main and supporting characters, right?¡± ¡®Lee Homin¡­¡¯ Homin Lee. 21 years old. He is a veteran actor, having appeared in several dramas since he was a child. He has over 10 years of acting experience. However, after he became an adult, he was unable to participate in many works. When he was a child, his acting was eptable, but as he got closer to adulthood, he couldn¡¯t win in the fiercerpetition. Still, he seems to have constantly appeared on TV. While I was staring nkly, Lee Homin walked towards the staff. Then the other actors murmured. ¡°I heard that if he loses his role, he¡¯ll be angry with the producer¡­ Will it happen again this time?¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying shit to the PD? ¡°Oh, no way.¡± ¡°No way. That¡¯s his agency, KL Entertainment. How much do you invest in production there? ¡°KL Entertainment can do that.¡± ¡°Other person¡¤¡¤¡¤. But how did you get into KL? ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard to get in there?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a gold digger. he¡¯s been KL since he was a child. ¡°His dad is the CEO of KL Entertainment.¡± ¡®Hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ I don¡¯t really believe in rumors. Rather than evaluating someone after hearing someone else¡¯s story, I evaluate them after experiencing it myself. This is because rumors cannot be trusted. Of course, there must be a good reason for these bad rumors. However, whether rumors are good or bad, they tend to be exaggerated. If you think about it deeply, it¡¯s only me who loses. When you ignore the conversations going on around you and focus on yourself instead. ¡°Are you Kang Jinseok?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± I looked up when I heard a voice calling me. Lee Homin, whom I had seen a moment ago, stood in front of me. I felt a little embarrassed because he started speaking informally to me, but I answered politely first. ¡°Yes, senior. I¡¯m Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Lee Homin looked closely at my face. Then, he asked the manager standing next to him. ¡°Have you seen him before?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I didn¡¯t. I haven¡¯t even heard his name¡­¡± ¡°Right. But why is he auditioning for the same role as me?¡± At Lee Homin¡¯s words, the applicants around him began to murmur. ¡°If it were Lee Homin, he would be a main or supporting actor¡­ I guess that person ys the same role.¡± ¡°The staff recognized him earlier. Even though he¡¯s a rookie, he seems to have quite a few connections.¡± ¡°I envy you¡¤¡¤¡¤. I should have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth.¡± ¡°These days, for a rookie to rise, it¡¯s more about connections than skills.¡± It seemed like the other actors treated me and Lee Homin as the same type. But now was not the time to leisurely resolve such misunderstandings. Because right now, in front of me, was a once-popr child actor-turned-actor who seemed to be in quite a bad mood. ¡®I don¡¯t like it when you start speaking informally, but¡­ Still, you¡¯re a senior, so I¡¯ll leave it at that.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t very happy, but I wasn¡¯t angry. I felt like a child for getting angry over just speaking informally, and more than anything, with the auditioning up, I had to keep my mind as calm as possible. While I was thinking about that, Lee Homin¡¯s manager started looking for something on his phone. Looking at the atmosphere, it seemed like they were searching for my name. Lee Homin¡¯s manager said, ¡°Brother, I searched on the Inte, but I couldn¡¯t find anything with the name Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Okay? But how did you audition for this role? Did your agency support you?¡± Homin Lee asked me again. As I looked around, the atmosphere became even stranger, and applicants were watching me and Lee Homin with nervous eyes. ¡°It hurts my pride, why are they putting me together with an unknown rookie? It¡¯s absurd.¡± At those words, I frowned without realizing it. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤I¡¯m the one who finds it absurd.¡¯ This is the audition room. For actors, an audition center is the same as a CSAT exam center for test-takers, and for people taking a certification exam, it is the same as a certification exam center. In a ce like that, it would be impossible to look down on another actor so openly. Even famous, established actors act as cautiously as possible when auditioning. Rather, I quietly go through the audition for fear of disturbing other actors. ¡®Okay, let¡¯s just ignore it. If you step out for no reason, themotion could only get bigger.¡¯ Poop is dirty, so avoiding it is the answer. If I hit it, I¡¯ll get dirty too. But Lee Homin seems to have been more of an embarrassment than poop. ¡°Hey, why aren¡¯t you talking? Are you ignoring me? I know you very well as a senior. Why are kids these days so rude? It¡¯s absurd.¡± It bothered me that every word I said was considered ridiculous. I thought that if I stayed still, they would get tired of the fuss and stop, but it looks like they will keep talking if I leave them alone. ¡®If I keep doing this, other people will also suffer.¡¯ I felt like I needed to say something. I didn¡¯t mean to look cool. I just wanted to create an ordinary audition hall so that everyone could show off their skills at today¡¯s audition. He stood up and said, ¡°Seniors. You keep saying it¡¯s absurd, but I¡¯m the one who is absurd.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Lee Homin looked quite embarrassed, probably not expecting to say something so boldly. ¡°An audition is a truly precious and desperate opportunity for someone. It¡¯s not polite to behave like this.¡± When I stated my point, Lee Homin this time held his tongue and trailed off. ¡°What, bad luck? Are you saying I¡¯m being rude now?!¡± ¡°Then what else is it other than bad luck? It¡¯s distracting other applicants from concentrating on their acting.¡± ¡°What, what? Are you trying to teach your senior now? You said everything?!¡± ¡°No. I still have a lot to say.¡± When I spoke strongly without being pushed back, Lee Homin made an even more absurd expression. So far, I¡¯ve only met good seniors, so no matter what industry I go into, there will be people like this. I had no intention of treating this person like my senior. ¡°To put it bluntly, isn¡¯t the reason ¡®Mr.¡¯ Lee Homin is here now because he¡¯s on the same level as us. If anything had been a little better, the producer or writer would have requested it separately.¡± Lee Homin¡¯s face turned bright red at the word ¡®same level¡¯. The manager next to him was looking at me and Lee Homin back and forth, not knowing what to do. He continued speaking in a cold tone. ¡°If you want to be treated like a senior, act like one.¡± ¡°This person¡¤¡¤¡¤!!!¡± Lee Homin was speechless, perhaps because he could not ovee his anger. He said that was thest thing he wanted to say to him. Something that could silence Lee Homin. ¡°And you said earlier that it would hurt your pride to audition for the same role as me, but if you are that confident in your acting¡­¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s audition. If you get the role, I will treat you like a senior.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡®Oh, what should I do? Should I stop them?¡¯ From the moment Lee Homin started an argument with Jinseok, Kang Heeyeon became restless. ¡®For no reason did I say that I was auditioning for the same role¡­ I¡¯m such an idiot.¡¯ It was Kang Heeyeon who informed Lee Homin of Jinseok¡¯s existence, but she couldn¡¯t help it either. This is because Lee Homin, a well-known actor, asked about hispetitors. And very high-handedly. As Kang Heeyeon, a junior staff member, I had no choice but to tell him. ¡®Originally, I would have to say that I cannot tell him in principle¡­ I don¡¯t have that courage yet¡­¡¯ However, if Lee Homin had talked that way to Jinseok, Kang Heeyeon would never have told him. Meanwhile, Homin Lee put more pressure on Jinseok. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤How did you audition for this role? Did your agency support you?¡± Lee Homin even says things that should never be said among actors. As the atmosphere became increasingly serious, Kang Heeyeon became restless. ¡®What do I do¡¤¡¤¡¤? Should I tell other seniors? ¡®I¡¯m in big trouble?¡¯ However, because today was the weekend, there were only the minimum number of people in the audition room. So everyone was busy walking around without even a moment¡¯s notice. Still, such a big problem could not be left unattended, so Kang Heeyeon reported the situation in the group chat room. No one read it. It seemed like everyone was so busy that they didn¡¯t have time to check the messenger. Lee Homin continued toin. ¡°To hurt my pride, why are you tying me with Anonymous? It¡¯s absurd.¡± Kang Heeyeon, who could no longer watch, stood up. ¡®I have to step forward. Because it happened because of my mistake¡­!¡¯ Kang Heeyeon squeezed her slightly trembling hand and approached Lee Homin and Jinseok. And just as she was about to say something, Jinseok responded coldly. ¡°Senior Lee Homin. You keep saying it¡¯s absurd, but I¡¯m the one who is absurd.¡± Kang Heeyeon was surprised that Jinseok could speak with such a voice. She said, ¡®When I saw you before, you seemed very gentle¡­ and kind. Was that just an illusion?¡¯ Kang Heeyeon decided to quietly observe first. *** ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤What?¡± ¡°An audition is a truly precious and desperate opportunity for someone. It¡¯s rude for you to behave like this.¡± Jinseok spoke clearly while looking into Homin Lee¡¯s eyes, as if a junior were throwing cider on a senior in a drama. Homin Lee, perhaps pushed back by Jinseok¡¯s bold spirit, kept his mouth shut. Then he spoke in a questioning tone with a slightly red face. ¡°What, bad luck? Are you saying I¡¯m being rude now?!¡± ¡°Then what else is it other than bad luck? It¡¯s distracting other applicants from concentrating on their acting.¡± ¡°What, what? Are you trying to teach your senior now? You said everything?!¡± It was easy to cringe at the word ¡®senior,¡¯ but Jinseok pushed back harder as if he didn¡¯t care about that at all. ¡°No. There¡¯s still a lot to say. To put it bluntly, isn¡¯t the reason Lee Homin is here now because he is in the same ss as us? If anything was a little better¡­¡± ¡°If you want to be treated like a senior, first act like a senior.¡± Kang Heeyeon looked at Jinseok with surprised eyes. ¡®When I saw you before, you were extremely considerate to your seniors¡­. You have the personality to say what you have to say¡­¡¯ But it didn¡¯t seem excessive. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m at least polite and don¡¯t speak emotionally. ¡®It¡¯s cool¡­¡¯ The reason I can say that is because I am confident. An acting skill that PD Kim Mansoo recognizes and rmends to other close PDs. And a personality worthy of recognition from senior actors in the industry. The actor who has it all is Kang Jinseok, whom Kang Heeyeon has seen so far. The argument between the two continued for a long time, but it was too one-sided to be called a fight. After a while, Jinseok¡¯s decisive words filled the audition waiting room. ¡°If you are that confident in your acting skills, go for an audition. If you get the role, I will treat you like a senior.¡± This was a perfect provocation, an invitation for those who were confident. Lee Homin, who couldn¡¯t have known that, trembled and shouted. ¡°A shameless bastard¡­ hey! How much acting have you done so far? You were lucky enough to get a chance to audition, but is there anything you can do? This bastard is really¡­¡± At that moment, Homin Lee tried to push Jinseok¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Mr. Lee Homin. Why is it so loud?¡± The author of this work, Jo Seokwon, appeared. *** When I asked Lee Homin, ¡®Are you confident in your acting?¡¯, Lee Homin seemed to have lost his temper a bit. And losing your temper in an argument is the same as losing. ¡®What¡­ I didn¡¯t argue with Lee Homin to try to beat him, but¡­¡¯ It felt like we were fighting over something trivial. ¡®No. Still, I have to say what I have to say.¡¯ It was then. ¡°Mr. Lee Homin. Why is it so loud?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the powerful voice that pierced the waiting room. ¡°Hey¡­ Isn¡¯t that writer Jo Seokwon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy. Was this audition work by writer Seokwon Jo?¡± ¡°Someone did it because only the PD was made public. It was a real big deal.¡± ¡°If the writer had been revealed, we wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to audition.¡± ¡®Writer Jo Seokwon¡­¡¯ Like other actors, I was honestly surprised. Jo Seokwon is a star writer who has covered everything from musicals to dramas and movies. He is a man who has sessfully produced over ten dramas, and he is known to receive a script fee of over 80 million won per episode. As a result, not only his agency but also most PDs give him two, or even three, movies. Jo Seokwon said this to Lee Homin. ¡°I was quietly listening in the room, Mr. Lee Homin. The friend in front of you is right. Making such a fuss at an audition is out of character.¡± Lee Homin responded to writer Jo Seokwon¡¯s reprimand in a crawling voice. ¡°Ah¡­ Well, that author¡­ That¡¯s it. That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s done. As this friend said, just show it with your skills. I am skilled enough to say that to my juniors.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°The roles that the two of you are auditioning for are ones that you created with great care, so I will be auditioning with the producer myself. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± After finishing his speech, writer Jo Seokwon gave me a quick nce and then went straight back to his room. Lee Homin gritted his teeth and said as if he couldn¡¯t make a fuss anymore after hearing those words. ¡°You¡­ remember me. Just wait and see.¡± Lee Homin spoke like a typical viin and walked away. His manager sighed slightly, perhaps because he was worried about Lee Homin, or just tired. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Then he spoke quietly in a voice that only I could hear. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Well then, good luck with your audition.¡± Before I could respond, the manager ran to Lee Homin. ¡®He looks a little sloppy, but he seems like a person who is trying his best to clean up after his actor¡¯s mess.¡¯ He didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. Once themotion was over, the audition room came back to its senses. Some people were reciting lines they had prepared, while others were acting without saying a word, just using facial expressions and gestures. Seeing their earnest looks made me focus even more. After a while, Kang Heeyeon spoke hesitantly. ¡°Well¡­ Mr. Lee Homin and Mr. Kang Jinseok. Let¡¯s go to the audition room.¡± I slowly got up and went to Kang Heeyeon. Then Kang Heeyeon apologized. ¡°I should have stopped him earlier, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Kang Heeyeon speaks with a very sorry expression. He smiled slightly at her and said. ¡°It was okay, I¡¯m fine though¡± Kang Heeyeon¡¯s expression brightened as usual when I said that it was okay. ¡°Then! Let¡¯s move.¡± Unlike what I saw in the waiting room, the audition room was quite spacious. There were several rooms in the passage and every time I passed by, I could hear someone acting. ¡®It looks like there are quite a few people in charge of casting. Going to multiple auditions at once.¡¯ Not all auditions are attended by producers and writers. Although it is a small role with no importance, if acting skills are needed, directors with some experience may look at it. In most cases, there is no audition for extras or it is very simple. I knew it well because I had auditioned countless times. The audition room arrived shortly after. Kang Heeyeon carefully knocked on the door. Hello. ¡°Lee Homin and Kang Jinseok areing in.¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± *** A middle-aged man¡¯s voice was heard. As I entered the audition room, I saw two men. One is writer Jo Seokwon, whom I saw a while ago. The other is PD Na Jinho, who produced this work. As I sat down on the chair, PD Na Jinho spoke quietly. ¡°Hmm¡­ First of all, we will be auditioning two people at the same time today. So that we can check each other¡¯s skills and ept whoever gets the role.¡± As soon as PD Na Jinho finished speaking, writer Jo Seokwon continued. ¡°I don¡¯t care about investors or agencies. I¡¯m just a person who uses the actors I want to use in my work. You know it well, right?¡± Writer Jo Seokwon said in a stern voice. Then Lee Homin nodded his head with a nervous face. An audition room full of tension. Okay! Producer Na Jinho and Lee Homin looked at my profile and mmed it down on the desk. ¡°I won¡¯t look at what I¡¯ve filmed so far and what roles I¡¯ve yed. What¡¯s important is your skills ¡®now¡¯. And¡­¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Before the actual audition, let me tell you why I brought you two here.¡± PD Na Jinho said as he poured water into a cup. ¡°For this work, we needed a new face that is not well known to the public. Still, you had to have skills. So, I received rmendations from various ces.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°KL Entertainment ¡®strongly¡¯ rmended Mr. Lee Homin. He doesn¡¯t appear in dramas often these days, so he feels like a new face, and his acting skills are outstanding.¡± PD Na Jinho particrly emphasizes ¡®strongly.¡¯ The tone didn¡¯t seem to mean anything good, but Lee Homin didn¡¯t seem to notice that. ¡°Thank you!¡± PD Na Jinho shook his head in disapproval at Lee Homin¡¯s bright voice. ¡°¡­You can thank the agency. And that person, Jinseok Kang, was selected as my junior¡¯s debut film, so I invited him here. I received rmendations from about 40 people other than those two, but I filtered them all out.¡± ¡®Forty people.¡¯ Auditions have apetition rate of 100 to 1 for one role, and up to 2,000 to 1 at most. Considering that, if there are around 40 people, you may not think that thepetition rate is high. ¡®But if there were 40 actors who received rmendations, the story would bepletely different¡­¡¯ Rmendation means putting your name and skills on the line to introduce someone to someone else. In other words, those 40 people are actors who can easily pass most auditions. ¡®What kind of role was it that they had to skip all those actors?¡¯ While I was thinking about that, writer Jo Seokwon gave me a piece of A4 paper and said, ¡°Today¡¯s audition is free acting. Instead, please keep this in mind.¡± I carefully handed over the paper given by writer Jo Seokwon. ¡®This¡­¡¯ This was written on the piece of paper given by writer Jo Seokwon: ¡ª¡ª Casting: Japanese police officer and 1 other Ambassador: Freedom Role 1: Japanese police officer loyal to Japan (police during the Japanese colonial period) Role 2: A Japanese police officer who realized Japan¡¯s true nature and decided to help the Korean people (police during the Japanese colonial period) Important 1. Realism of characters Important 2. Realism of dialogue ¡ª¡ª When I read this, I suddenly remembered my conversation with Kang Hoshin. ¡°I was shamefully a stooge of the Japanese Empire who pointed guns and swords at mypatriots. Later, I realized my mistake and tried to be liberated¡­¡± ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Could it be that Kang Hosin was a police officer who was loyal to Japan but then turned toJoseon?¡¯ TN: Joseon ¨C before Korea, it was called Joseon or Joseon Dynasty. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 I checked the paper that writer Cho Seokwon gave me again. ¡ª¡ª Role 1: Japanese police officer loyal to Japan (police during the Japanese colonial period) Role 2: A Japanese police officer who realized Japan¡¯s true nature and decided to help the Korean people (police during the Japanese colonial period) Important 1. Realism of characters Important 2. Realism of dialogue Ambassador: Freedom ¡ª¡ª In free acting, it is important to know how skillfully the applicant demonstrates the prepared script. However, this free performance was a bit unique. ¡®No. Rather than being unique¡­ It¡¯s a bit different. Because it¡¯s half free acting and half improvisation.¡¯ There was even a difficult condition called ¡®realism¡¯ attached to it. It¡¯s a very challenging audition. ¡®But for me, there is no easier acting.¡¯ Under these conditions, I am confident that I can work with any actor. Still, there was something that bothered me. ¡®Role 2, Japanese Sunsara who decided to help the Korean people¡­¡¯ If Kang Hoshin was a person who was loyal to Japan from beginning to end, I would have to y role 2 myself. However, if Kang Hoshin was a police officer who was loyal to Japan and then returned to Joseon. I wasn¡¯t confident that I would mess up this audition. ¡°As you know, I attach great importance to historical research. Of course, when creating a work, there are some aspects that have to be given up due to factors such as poprity or production costs¡­¡± Author Jo Seokwon thought for a moment and then continued his words. ¡°Anyway, the ¡®Japanese police officer¡¯ was a supporting role that I paid quite a lot of attention to. So I brought these conditions. I hope you two have studied a lot.¡± After he finished speaking, writer Jo Seokwon looked at Lee Homin, sping his hand. ¡°First, let¡¯s look at Lee Homin¡¯s acting.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, yes¡­¡± Lee Homin spoke in a somewhat unconfident voice. However, Lee Homin is also an actor of 10 years. He soon began to skillfully perform the act he had prepared. ¡°Great Japanese Empire! Under orders from His Majesty the Emperor¡­!¡± Lee Homin shouted loudly, his neck bloodshot. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± However, as soon as he saw Lee Homin¡¯s acting, writer Jo Seokwon sighed. It was a sigh so small that normally no one would have heard it. However, in this small room with only four people, the sighs were louder than expected. Lee Homin smiled awkwardly and asked writer Jo Seokwon. ¡°Now, writer. If there¡¯s any problem¡­¡± Writer Jo Seokwon waved his hand. ¡°Just give it a try. I¡¯ll take a look and see what you¡¯ve prepared.¡± ¡°¡­ yes.¡± After a while, Lee Homin¡¯s acting started again. This time, the acting is a bit exaggerated and somewhat burdensome. ¡°The death of the Japanese Empire!! It isw and tradition!!! The Koreans who don¡¯t listen to me¡­!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did something like this¡­¡± Lee Homin was ying a typical Japanese police officer. To be honest, by my standards, Lee Homin¡¯s acting was ¡®okay.¡¯ ¡®But¡­ something feels awkward. No, should I say it¡¯s a bitcking¡­?¡¯ Suddenly, the acting of other actors I saw during the reading of came to mind. The acting of the actors I saw at that time was ¡®their own acting.¡¯ It was a performance that brought out his own feelings that no one could imitate. However, there was nothing special about Lee Homin¡¯s acting. Is that the stereotypical acting that seniors talked about atpany dinners? ¡°Evaluate first¡­ Should we do it now, PD?¡± After a while, when Lee Homin¡¯s performance was over, writer Jo Seokwon asked producer Na Jinho in a voice full of disappointment. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Producer Na Jinho pondered for a moment, then looked at Lee Homin with a slight frown. It seemed like he was just staring at me without much effort, but his eyes were quite harsh. ¡®As expected, a PD with 20 years of experience has a different force.¡¯ It was apletely different feeling from when I saw PD Kim Mansoo. If PD Kim Mansoo felt like the handsome guy next door, then PD Na Jinho felt like a scary detective. Producer Na Jinho looked at Lee Homin in silence for a while, then pointed at me and said. ¡°I will even look at itter let¡¯s evaluate Kang Jinseok¡¯s acting first. If we do the evaluation first, it may interfere with the acting. What do you think, author?¡± ¡°I guess so. All right. Then, Mr. Kang Jinseok, let¡¯s take a look at the performance you prepared right away.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand!¡± After answering confidently, he closed his eyes slightly and collected his emotions. And he slowly tries to y a ¡®real¡¯ Japanese police officer. My vision became blurry and a scene began to appear. ¡ª¡ª ¡°My son. Do you understand? I was born and raised in Joseon, but you were born and raised in Japan. So always remember that you are Japanese.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Soon, Joseon will be a Japanese colony. Then, you go there and be a military police officer. I¡¯ll tell people I know in advance.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Okay. And always think. Your grandfather in Joseon called you ¡®Kang Hoshin¡¯, but you are ¡®Nakamura Chisuke¡¯. I say it again. Born in Japan, you are ¡®Chisuke Nakamura.¡¯¡± ¡ª¡ª In a typical Japanese garden, Kang Hoshin and his father, both wearing military uniforms, are sitting across from each other. At first nce, the garden, which had a pond and small pine trees, looked like a fairly wealthy house. What was surprising was that I could understand them even though they were speaking in Japanese. ¡®By the way¡­ Kang Hoshin was originally Japanese. He was originally a soldier too.¡¯ Of course, I thought he was Korean, but it seems I was wrong. After a while, another scene appeared. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Hey, Nakamura. I heard you beat up more than 30 Koreans today?¡± ¡°You lost. I just trained the Koreans. For uncivilized Koreans, training is more important than education.¡± ¡°You really think the same as Japanese people.¡± ¡°What are you saying? I am purely Japanese.¡± ¡°Hey, your father is Korean. What if I was born in Japan and my father is Korean?¡± ¡°¡­He is just as loyal to His Majesty the Emperor as we are. Father too.¡± ¡ª¡ª The next scene was a conversation between Kang Hoshin and another Japanese soldier who came to Joseon. ¡®The emotions felt in this scene¡­ are nothing. ¡®Are you exactly proud of it?¡¯ It was somehow different from the Japanese police officer I had vaguely imagined. Until now, I knew that Japanese police officers during the Japanese colonial period harassed Koreans to kill time or for their pleasure. But Kang Hoshin was different. To Kang Hosin, Joseon people were just lowly and uncivilized people. And he thought it was his ¡®fate¡¯ to change those Koreans. Of course, he is not destined for himself. It was all just fate for the glory of Japan. Because of that, he was able to treat Koreans more cruelly and ruthlessly. What Kang Hoshin said, how he moved, and what expressions he made were all engraved in my mind. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Father. Why did you move from Japan to Joseon? What should I do with all that money?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I just left it all behind. As I got older, I wanted toe to your side.¡± ¡°¡­Did something happen in Japan? Just say the word. I am a member of the Imperial Army!¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t worry about it, just do what you¡¯re doing now, raise Japan¡¯s status by being loyal. Everything will be fine with you.¡± ¡ª¡ª Kang Hoshin is seen wearing a much more colorful military uniform than before. In contrast, Kang Hoshin¡¯s father was much thinner than when he first saw him. He is not thin because he has not been able to eat, but rather looks like he is sick. Currently, Kang Hoshin doesn¡¯t feel anything other than concern for his father. After a while. The possession gradually reached its climax. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Oh, no, what do you mean? You can¡¯t heal my father?¡± ¡°Hey Nakamura. Your father is Korean. How can we treat someone like that here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! My father is Japanese. I¡¯m Japanese too! And your father¡¯s illness can¡¯t be cured just by giving him medicine!!¡± ¡°Nakamura! That¡¯s bullshit, how dare you say such nonsense to me?! I will hand you over to a military court for contempt of superiors! If it were a wartime situation, you would be summarily executed for insulting your superiors! so consider yourself lucky!¡± ¡°Kawasaki! I served in the Imperial Army for over 20 years. I also made a contribution to the war against Russia!! How could you do that to my father!¡± ¡°Are you just mentioning your major? I am the one who received the title of Baron directly from His Majesty the Emperor! How dare an uncivilized child born from the seeds of Joseon people dare to challenge me¡­!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤You bastard!¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡®This¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡¯ The situation has be very urgent. Kang Hoshin came to the hospital, carrying his father on his back, lost in thought. Although his father¡¯s face was not visible, his condition seemed serious as his arms were drooping. In front of Kang Hoshin was a man who appeared to be a Japanese doctor. The doctor ridiculed and insulted Kang Hoshin¡¯s father, pointing a point at Kang Hoshin and screaming. In the end, Kang Hoshin, who could not control his anger, hit the doctor on the chin with his fist. The scene changed again. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Nakamura. Come back again.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°My father passed away two years ago. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°And as you may know from rumors, there will be a movement of troops due to the recent March 1 incident. It looks like the governor will probably change. So that you know.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prison uniforms, thick iron bars, and the dark and damp atmosphere indicated that this was a prison. There was no significant change in Kang Hoshin¡¯s expression as he came out of prison. But his mind was a mess ofplicated emotions. He was so angry at Japan for abandoning him and his father, who had been loyal to Japan. Disgust for his past, when he risked his life and went into battle for Japan. The mixed emotions gradually turned into a sense of betrayal toward Japan. At the same time, I felt sorry for Joseon. ¡ª¡ª ¡°I heard that the locals held my father¡¯s funeral on their behalf. These are funeral expenses, please ept them.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t take your money. Even if you chew on it, it won¡¯t hurt. go away.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to take it, I¡¯ll leave it here. And although I¡¯mte¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤No matter how much of a Japanese stooge you are, your father was our friend. I just did the bare minimum. Well, he was also on the Japanese side, but he was a Korean after all.¡± ¡°Thank you for calling my father a Korean.¡± I¡¯m serious. And I would be grateful if you told me that I am also Korean. ¡°It may be difficult to forgive, but.¡± ¡°¡­If you want to thank Insook, say it to Insook rather than to us. Because he continued to nurse your father.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Insook¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lim Insook, you don¡¯t know him. ¡°I¡¯ve never met him before.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see. Then where is that child named Lim Insook? ¡°he owes him a thank you.¡± ¡°He went to the March 1st Movement and was arrested.¡± ¡°He was arrested while participating in the independence movement?! Well, so what happened? Insook!¡± ¡°You know best. Isn¡¯t arresting independence activists your specialty?!¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡®Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Now I could understand everything. From why Kang Hoshin became a Japanese police officer to why he wanted to apologize to someone named Lim Insook. And why, despite being loyal to Japan to the core, he initially introduced himself not as ¡®Nakamura¡¯ but as ¡®Kang Hoshin.¡¯ ¡®In the end, he became a Korean¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ I realized that now. Woe! The possession haspletely ended. It felt like I had been possessed for quite some time, but in reality, the time that passed was only a moment. ¡°Whoa¡­ ¡± I took a deep breath andposed my mind. Despite that, the mixed feelings of ¡®Kang Hoshin¡¯ still lingered in my heart. He closed his eyes gently and took a few more deep breaths before he finally calmed down. ¡®What writer Jo Seokwon demanded was realism. However, that doesn¡¯t mean you can only act 100% realistically. ¡®I need to mix in some drama-like acting to satisfy the producer.¡¯ Now I could y any Japanese police officer. From a police officer who viciously treated the Korean people to a police officer who was disappointed in Japan and decided to help the Korean people. He looked at producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon in turn. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± My voice now resembled that of Kang Hoshin, who first arrived in Joseon. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°You guys are trash.¡± Producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon flinched, perhaps embarrassed by the sudden onset of the acting. But I didn¡¯t care. I was alreadypletely immersed in acting, and Kang Hoshin was also ustomed to uttering such remarks. I initiated the performance, and now I have transformed into a formidable hero. ¡°I came to thisnd in ordance with the orders of His Majesty the Emperor to liberate Joseon from ignorance and develop it. You must live your whole life in gratitude for His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s grace.¡± When Kang Hoshin first arrived in Joseon, he used to convey this message to the Koreans. I repeated those words to Producer Na Jinho and Writer Jo Seokwon, much like Kang Hoshin, with eyes fixed on them as though observing trash strewn by the side of the road. Then, I continued speaking in an indifferent tone, devoid of the slightest hint of emotion. ¡°The Empire of Japan is very merciful. So, you Koreans will have no problem living as long as you do what the empire tells you to do and what the empire wants. And my order to be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor is truly the order of the Empire of Japan.¡± ¡®Indifference¡¯ can sometimes resemble ¡®annoyance¡¯. However, Kang Hoshin did not bother with dealing with Koreans. Instead, he viewed it as the fate of a soldier who receives orders, and he undertook them passionately and seriously. And he never judged himself. Just follow orders. ¡®That¡¯s why Kang Hoshin could speak more coldly and calmly than any other Japanese police officer.¡¯ He continued to maintain a cold gaze and gathered his resolve to portray another Japanese police officer. This performance is ¡®Japanese police officer angry at Koreans¡¯. Recalling the time when Kang Hoshin was angered by the Korean people, he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t salute even when you see the Imperial Military Police, so your indoctrination has not yet progressed. Take him away and give him tenshes.¡± Isn¡¯t there someone like that? A person who is clearly very angry, but there is no change in his or her voice or expression. When such a person gets angry, the surroundings be cold, and the atmosphere freezes. Sometimes you get goosebumps. I was just that kind of person now. I was as angry as ice. Cold and ruthless. Moreover, Kang Hoshin had an aura that instilled fear in his opponents. When I brought it to the audition room, the once quiet audition room was no longer even heard. The more I immersed myself in acting, the more I became assimted into Kang Hoshin¡¯s memories and emotions, and I spat out the lines exactly as he did. ¡°You still harbor foolish delusions of independence. What on earth do you think of His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s consideration and grace? I can¡¯t forgive. Execute him summarily.¡± An order to kill someone. ¡°The entire family is punished ording to the guilt-by-association system. Send the kids who can¡¯t decide what¡¯s right yet to the imperial army. To be rehabilitated there.¡± An order that tears a family apart. ¡°I¡¯m sure they would have told me to report something like this, but no one reported it. It¡¯s clear that everyone is on the same page. Burn the vige!¡± He could have easily given a ruthless order to burn down a vige. I, no, Kang Hoshin did not consider Koreans who did not follow his words as human beings. He felt like he had seen enough of the ¡®Japanese police officer who was angry at the Koreans¡¯ and took a moment to catch his breath. It¡¯s clear that I¡¯m the one breathing, but for some reason, I feel a sense of strangeness. In the next act, before the tension dropped, he began ¡®A Japanese police officer is disappointed in Japan¡¯. Dump. He lowered his knees to the floor. When my knees hit the stone floor, I heard a rather unpleasant sound. When people kneel like this, everyone prefers to kneel gently. The reason is simple. Because it hurts if you kneel hard. But people who are truly despairing and disappointed don¡¯t care about that. To a person whose entire body feels weak, whose heart is filled with unbearable difort, and who only has anger and betrayal in his head. The pain of hitting your knee on the floor is nothing. Now I did that. I knelt down like a formidable deity who had just learned about my father¡¯s death in prison. And he red at my hand with the same fierce gaze he used to fix on Koreans. ¡®Why on earth have I been living like this?¡¯ His hands are shaking. I shook so hard that my strength began to strain. The joints in my fingers ached. With that ¡®trembling,¡¯ I expressed a variety of emotions without a single line of dialogue. Then, suddenly, I remembered the moments when I was loyal to Japan. The moments when I volunteered to go to war, overcame hundreds of near-death crises, polished the medals I earned with other people¡¯s blood every day, and bowed every day to the Emperor of Japan who did not even know of my existence. It was a moment full of glory that turned ¡®Kang Hoshin¡¯ into ¡®Nakamura¡¯ until now. But all of that was no longer glory. Now it¡¯s just disgust. When Kang Hoshin realized that, he screamed. ¡°Aaaahhh!¡± Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! He struck his head on the floor like a person consumed by madness beyond anger. At that moment, Kang Hoshin pounded his head until it bled, and he fainted. But I didn¡¯t go that far. That¡¯s because acting is ¡®too¡¯ realistic. I woke up slowly. There was venom in his eyes, but they didn¡¯t feel as cold as before. Of course, there were no tears. Because right now in front of me were two judges pretending to be ¡®Koreans who held my father¡¯s funeral on my behalf.¡¯ In front of them, I yed the role of a ¡®Japanese police officer who decided to dedicate himself to Joseon.¡¯ He uttered thest line in a somber voice. ¡°Thank you.¡± There were so many emotions contained in one short word. ¡®Gratitude¡¯ as it is meant to be, ¡®sorry¡¯ for what I have done so far, ¡®desperation¡¯ to know that I am reflecting, etc. When I finished acting, there was silence. p, p, p¡­ PD Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon pped their hands like people possessed by something. *** ¡°You guys¡­ ¡°It¡¯s trash.¡± ¡®Hey¡­ ¡®What the hell?¡¯ It doesn¡¯t take a long time to understand an actor¡¯s acting skills. You can tell more than 70% just by looking at the first line, first gesture, and first breath. Though he is not bragging, PD Na Jinho was confident that, with his level of experience, he could discern even more details than that. ¡®What is this? ¡®Is this acting?¡¯ However, I couldn¡¯t understand Jinseok¡¯s acting. Everyone has their own vibe. That cannot be easily erased, no matter how great an actor is. ¡®But¡­ he seems like apletely different person?¡¯ The more Jinseok acted, the more these thoughts grew in his head. ¡°The entire family is punished ording to the guilt-by-association system. Send the kids who can¡¯t decide what¡¯s right yet to the imperial army. To be rehabilitated there.¡± I got goosebumps when I heard this line. Not only was the acting skill great, but it was almost identical to the script written by writer Jo Seokwon. Producer Na Jinho was moved to tears while watching Jinseok¡¯s acting without knowing why. Watching Jinseok¡¯s acting, he felt like he was a Korean living during the Japanese colonial period. ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve seen acting that makes me angry like this¡­¡¯ Producer Na Jinho was moved to tears by the realistic acting, but at the same time, he could not hide his joy. Because this great actor was auditioning for his own work. After a while, Jinseok screamed and hit his head on the floor. ¡°Aaaahhh!!!¡± Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Writer Jo Seokwon saw that and urgently spoke to producer Na Jinho. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to stop him? Is that smoke?¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take a look, Writer.¡± After about 5 seconds of screaming, Jinseok stood up. I took a deep sigh and spoke quietly to producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon. ¡°Thank you.¡± A short but heavy word. The two judges thought the same thing about those heavy words that seemed to touch their hearts. ¡®done.¡¯ ¡®This is it.¡¯ Jinseok was the perfect actor they both wanted. He is a new face, free from the public¡¯s preconceptions, and is an actor who can portray a Japanese police officer who goes back and forth between hope and despair. An actor who can sincerely act disappointed in Japan and sorry for Joseon. After Jinseok¡¯s performance ended, PD Na Jinho smiled broadly. *** The evaluation started as soon as my performance was over. And of course, it was not a happy time for Lee Homin. Author Jo Seokwon evaluated it first. ¡°Mr. Lee Homin. What did you feel when you saw Kang Jinseok¡¯s acting?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡­since you don¡¯t seem to know, let me tell you what I should have felt.¡± Writer Jo Seokwon said to Lee Homin, who was looking at him without saying a word, with his arms crossed. ¡°I¡¯m talking about a Japanese police officer. At that time, Koreans, or Joseon people, were not viewed as human beings.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that they ignored it, it¡¯s that they didn¡¯t treat them like people at all. He thought like a dog. Now, here¡¯s the question.¡± Writer Jo Seokwon looked at me and smiled slightly, then looked at Lee Homin again. ¡°For example, a passing dog urinated on you. Then how are you going to get angry?¡± Lee Homin had no answer to his question this time. Jo Seokwon continued speaking in a serious voice. ¡°I¡¯m not Lee Homin, so I don¡¯t know for sure. But one thing is for sure, he won¡¯t scream and go crazy like before.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s funny that I say this to an actor with 10 years of experience, but¡­ Lee Homin, when ites to acting, you really have to study a lot. By the way, Lee Homin, how much research did you do on the role of a Japanese police officer before auditioning?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Have you ever looked for books or documentaries, much less novels or dramas?¡± Lee Homin opened his mouth to say something in response to the sharp criticism directed at him. But he soon closed his mouth again. ¡°Phew¡­ If you take on a role, you just have to act as written in the script. But now, Homin Lee didn¡¯t take on the role, he just came to pick it up and act without prior knowledge, right? Then next time get down to the basics of acting. Do you understand?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤yes.¡± ¡°First of all, thank you for your hard work. Now, it¡¯s Kang Jinseok¡¯s turn. Kang Jinseok¡¯s acting¡­ .¡± Writer Jo Seok-won looked at me and said. Although I was nervous about what kind of evaluation I would receive, I hoped for good reviews. ¡°Honestly, I liked Kang Jinseok¡¯s acting a bit too.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± But it was somethingpletely unexpected. Was Kang Hoshin, not the character you thought he was? ¡°ah¡¤¡¤¡¤. yes. If you tell me what part I amcking, I will work hard to learn.¡± When I spoke in a nervous voice, writer Jo Seokwon waved his hand andughed. ¡°No no. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s that I was surprised because it was so realistic.¡± At those words, my worries from before melted away in an instant. ¡®Thank god¡­¡¯ Author Jo Seokwon took out a thick notebook from his bag. ¡°This is a notebook in which I wrote down the research I did to create a Japanese police officer. But the acting that Jinseok Kang just showed is very simr to the Japanese police officers shown here.¡± It was such high praise that I might never hear it again. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°I should be the one to thank you. I really enjoyed the good acting. Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I would rate it this way. Now, let¡¯s listen to the PD¡¯s evaluation.¡± PD Na Jinho spoke immediately. ¡°If you look at the acting just now, you can¡¯t tell who has 10 years of experience and who is a rookie.¡± This was also a greatpliment to me, and quite a humiliating evaluation to Lee Homin. ¡°Mr. Lee Homin. I directed a lot of drama, right? As that kind of person, I¡¯m telling you to do well, Lee Homin, so don¡¯t be offended and listen.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no longer a ce that treats you just because you spend a lot of time like before. Nowadays, scary rookies areing up like crazy. Like Kang Jinseok.¡± Producer Na Jinho pointed at me. Then Lee Homin red at me slightly. ¡®Even in this situation, you build up your pride¡­¡¯ Unfortunately or fortunately, PD Na Jinho did not see that. He continued to give advice in a sincere voice. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean there is a unique image that you have created so far. When the public looks at you now, is there an image thates to mind when they think of ¡®actor Lee Homin¡¯?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Yes? But why didn¡¯t you prepare?¡± Lee Homin said in a somewhat unfair voice. ¡°I prepared a lot! Isn¡¯t it just that the character is different from what the writer had in mind?¡± PD Na Jinho, who heard his words, hung himself. He seemed to be suppressing his anger considerably. Producer Na Jinho took a deep breath, gathered his emotions, and spoke. ¡°Lee Homin, I have held the megaphone for 20 years. I¡¯ve seen hundreds or thousands of people perform during that time. But your acting was not prepared at all it¡¯scking.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°If you could truly put your hand on your heart and say that you worked hard¡­ Then you need to stop acting. This isn¡¯t really for you Mr. Lee Homin.¡± Producer Na Jinho, who poured out a barrage of criticism toward Lee Homin, spoke to writer Jo Seokwon. ¡°Writer. I think Kang Jinseok will be fine, what do you think?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m also happy because it seems like Kang Jinseok has studied a lot.¡± At those words, a smile appeared on my face without me knowing. But my joy now was bad news for Lee Homin, so I didn¡¯t show it as much as possible. I don¡¯t like Lee Homin, but I thought it was the minimum courtesy as an actor. ¡°Then it looks like he¡¯s got the part, so I¡¯ll go out. I hope the drama does well.¡± However, Lee Homin spoke as if he was shooting at the two people. Not only the way he spoke, but even his voice was rude. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Tsk.¡± Then he nced at me, clicked his tongue, and left the audition room. Bang! ¡°Huh, really¡­¡± ¡°That person is really¡­ It¡¯s absurd.¡± Producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon simultaneously expressed their astonishment at Lee Homin¡¯s unexpected behavior. ¡®hmm¡­¡¯ What would it have been like if Lee Homin had put aside his pride and listened to the advice of writer Seokwon Jo and the advice of the producer? ¡®I guess I felt a little sorry.¡¯ That¡¯s because I acted as a ¡®possession¡¯. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t try. Honestly, I can confidently say that I live a more intense life than any other actor. Nevertheless, I must have felt sorry because I took a test called an audition with the answer sheet called possession. ¡®But there¡¯s no need to feel sorry for someone like that.¡¯ As I looked nkly at the door where Lee Homin left, PD Na Jinho smiled and said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Lee Homin, let¡¯s talk about the important stuff first.¡± ¡°yes? Ah, yes!¡± ¡®It¡¯s an important matter¡­ ¡®What is that?¡¯ While I was wondering, PD Na Jinho took out his cell phone. And after checking something, he looked straight at me. ¡°Because there isn¡¯t much left until filming.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s set the appearance fee first.¡± It was literally an ¡®important matter¡¯. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¡°Are you talking about the appearance fee?¡± If you appear in a work, you naturally receive an appearance fee. However, this was the first time I had negotiated an appearance fee like this. Before, I was always notified in this way: ¡®@@ role / minor role/filming time 10 hours (2 days) / 80,000 won (per episode).¡¯ ¡®The appearance fee for was originally 300,000 won. This time, the volume is muchrger, so can I say it at a simr level?¡¯ While I was happily thinking about it, PD Na Jinho said in an apologetic voice. ¡°Normally, you have to talk about this with your agency, but when I looked at his profile, Jinseok Kang doesn¡¯t have an agency. So he ended up talking to me directly, which doesn¡¯t make me feelfortable.¡± ¡°Ah yes.¡± I answered, but honestly, I didn¡¯t really listen to PD Na Jinho¡¯s words. It was because the word ¡®appearance fee¡¯ kept lingering in my mind. ¡®It would be great if it was around 300,000 to 400,000 won per episode.¡¯ 300,000 to 400,000 won per episode was an appearance fee that I had only dreamed of until now. I usually film for about 10 hours a day, so wouldn¡¯t that be 30,000 to 40,000 won per hour? ¡®Ultra high-quality human resources.¡¯ When I was alone with my imagination, writer Jo Seokwon spoke. ¡°We invested a lot in the set and other production aspects, so there isn¡¯t a lot of budget left. Still, it¡¯s an opportunity to work with really great actors, so please ept it generously.¡± Writer Jo Seokwon¡¯s words made my mind more confused. ¡®300,000 to 400,000 won might be too much. Let¡¯s just be satisfied and focus on appearing if it¡¯s simr to previous small roles. Even if it is a bitcking, I am happy to receive it.¡¯ It was then. ¡°All we can give is 1 million won. Still, I hope Kang Jinseok takes on this role. It may not be a satisfactory appearance fee.¡± Producer Na Jinho said somewhat apologetically. Of course, I didn¡¯t understand PD Na Jinho like that. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Why are you sorry?¡¯ I had noints. Because 1 million won was more than I expected. The moment you want to participate in the work, Producer Na Jinho spoke to writer Jo Seokwon. ¡°Writer. If this project goes well, you can take care of Kang Jinseok in the future, right?¡± ¡°Sure. Not only can I rmend my own work, but I can also rmend it to writers I know. I have a widework of people.¡± ¡°Thank you. Thanks to the author, I also have some face-to-face. Now then, Jinseok Kang. Let¡¯s set it at 1 million won this time, and let¡¯s collect the appearance fee properly next time. how is it?¡± Writer Jo Seokwon will continue to take care of me. This was apletely unexpected bonus. Since I had no reason to refuse, I immediately nodded my head sharply. ¡°Yes! Thank you! Honestly, it¡¯s more than I thought¡­ It¡¯s really okay. thank you!¡± Producer Jinho Naughed along with writer Seokwon Jo, as if he was d. ¡°Haha¡¤¡¤¡¤. thank god. Then, I will calcte the appearance fee as 1 million won per episode.¡± The conversation stopped for a moment at PD Na Jinho¡¯s words. ¡®Could it be 1 million won¡­ 1 million won per episode?¡¯ I ordered a bowl of Jjajangmyeon, but it felt like I was served fried dumplings or rather sweet and sour pork. As I was blinking with joy and embarrassment, PD Na Jinho said with a big smile. ¡°Today¡¯s audition is over. Shall we go get something to eat? If Jinseok is not busy, let¡¯s go together. I¡¯ll go.¡± I looked at the clock on the wall. There was still a lot of time left until my part-time job. In my current mood, I felt like I would be full even without eating, but I couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. ¡°Yes, I am grateful that you invited me.¡± *** ¡®How can I be full even if I don¡¯t eat¡­¡¯ After sharing a meal with producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon, I found myself en route to my part-time job. The chosen fare was sushi, a departure from my usual culinary choices. Perhaps it was the unfamiliarity of the menu, but the vors were so exquisite that they left an indelible impression. Indeed, fine dininges with a hefty price tag. ¡®By the way¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®You probably didn¡¯t eat too much, did you?¡¯ The delectable taste led me to devour the dish without a second thought about its cost. Reflecting on it, I realized I had single-handedly polished off five servings. ¡®I suddenly feel a little sorry for the PD. ¡®It must have cost quite a bit.¡¯ I took a moment to silently contemte the state of the producer¡¯s wallet. Amidst bites of sushi, conversations flowed freely about acting and the intricacies of our respective work. The title of the work is . Set against the backdrop of the Japanese colonial period, this drama seamlessly weaves together elements of romance and alternative history. My character is ¡®Nakamura,¡¯ a Japanese police officer. Despite his Korean heritage, Nakamura is a former soldier and police officer who was born and raised in Japan. ¡®I was surprised when I first heard about it because the settings were so simr that it wouldn¡¯t be strange at all to say that the character was modeled after Kang Hoshin.¡¯ In the initial 1 to 3 episodes, ¡®Nakamura¡¯ relentlessly harasses the main character, only to undergo a significant transformation by the end of episode 3, bing a character who aids the main character. Tragically, in episode 6, he sumbs to a gunshot wound while trying to protect the main character. His role is pivotal in shaping the early development of the drama, leaving asting impact. ¡®It¡¯s a bit disappointing that I left early, but¡­¡¯ As I strolled and contemted various thoughts, I reached the cafe where I held my part-time job. The cafe, situated in the renowned Seongsu-dong, upies a converted warehouse, attracting a steady stream of visitors daily drawn by its picturesque ambiance. As I stepped into the cafe, the owner and the part-timer, who had arrived earlier, greeted me. ¡°Oh, is Jinseok here?¡± ¡°Oppa, didn¡¯t you say you might be a littlete today?¡± I approached them, offering a bright smile. ¡°Yes, store manager. Hello! The audition wrapped up sooner than expected, so I grabbed dinner.¡± ¡°Oh right! You mentioned auditioning for your brother today. How did it go?¡± Seo Yeonsoo, an aspiring actress like myself, inquired. She¡¯s a first-year student at Seoguk University, having just entered this year. Her appearance epitomizes the ¡®younger sister¡¯ character seen inmercials and dramas. Yet, when she¡¯s at work, she exudes liveliness and carries herself with a boss-like personality. She insists that she isn¡¯t that type of person. ¡®Now that I think about it, if I go to Seoguk University, Yeonsu will be my senior.¡¯ As I was lost in thought for a moment, Seo Yeonsoo approached, inquiring once more. ¡°How did the audition go? Did it leave an impression?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. My mind wandered for a moment. It went well today. I guess I got lucky.¡± Upon hearing this, Seo Yeonsoo sped her hands together, a joyous expression on her face. ¡°Really? That¡¯s amazing! Great news. It seems like it went exceptionally well. So, are you juggling two dramas now?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ Even the seniors at my school can¡¯tnd roles so quickly. Your acting is trulymendable. Why are the directors only discovering it now?¡± Given our shared aspirations in the acting world, Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s initial envy and jealousy transformed into genuine happiness for me. During our conversation, the store manager interjected with a smile. ¡°Okay, enough chatting. Jinseok, let¡¯s quickly change into our uniforms. Yeonsu, could you please wipe the tables first?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Yes~¡± In the employee lounge where we changed, I noticed the distinctiveness of our cafe uniforms. They resembled suits, a stylemonly found in hotels. ¡®The quality is on par with a department store suit, so I decided to take a profile photo wearing it.¡¯ Most of the clothes in my wardrobe leaned towardsfort and coziness. Moreover, their quality wasn¡¯t great, making them unsuitable for profile pictures. Hence, I opted for a profile photo session in the sleek and stylish cafe uniform. While studio rentals were an option, there was an undeniable allure to the cafe uniform. ¡®Come to think of it, this outfit was tailor-made for me, courtesy of the store manager¡¯s suggestion for a profile photo.¡¯ They hadn¡¯t disclosed the cost of customization, but clothing of this caliber likely came with a hefty price tag. ¡®I¡¯ll have to settle the bill once I receive the appearance fee for this project.¡¯ Emerging from the lounge, I encountered a bustling cafe. Numerous customers had arrived while I was changing. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± I addressed the manager, who was engrossed in coffee-making. ¡°Uh, okay. We have a lot of customers right now, so let¡¯s make it quick.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Without dy, I checked the order receipt. ¡®Caf¨¦tte, withtte art shaped like a rosetta?¡¯ As soon as the order was confirmed, the espresso machine hummed to life. Pouring milk in, I expertly crafted a leaf design, and it was ready. ¡°Here you go, store manager.¡± Handing over the finished coffee, the manager nodded in admiration. ¡°Wow¡­ Jinseok, you¡¯ve got quite a talent. There¡¯s nothing more to teach you. Keep it up.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Thanks to your guidance, store manager.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just saying this, but I think you¡¯re as skilled as most baristas. Honestly, you¡¯re even better than me.¡± The store manager grinned with satisfaction. ¡°¡­You two are a delight to serve. Some customers can be a bit challenging to handle.¡± At that moment, Seo Yeonsu, appearing a bit weary, chimed in with refreshing energy. ¡°Manager, please don¡¯t distract Jinseok. Let¡¯s take orders quickly. Brother, enough ying around¡ªmake the coffee.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, right. My apologies.¡± Subsequently, customers continued to trickle in. I found myself immersed in the rhythm of preparing coffee and drinks, and before I knew it, closing time was approaching rapidly. The cafe remained bustling with numerous customers, leaving little space for new orders. The boss turned to me and suggested, ¡°Jinseok, let¡¯s get a head start on cleaning during the downtime. There aren¡¯t many customers in front of the TV over there, so start from that area.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± I headed towards the sizable TV in the corner, carrying cleaning supplies. As I casually went about my task, customers began pointing and whispering. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Perplexed, I offered an awkward smile and nced around. The murmurs from the guests grew louder, making it challenging to discern their words. ¡°Isn¡¯t that him? Right?¡± ¡°No wonder. Hey, didn¡¯t I tell you? If a handsome person like that isn¡¯t a celebrity, then who else would?¡± ¡°Really? Is that truly my brother?¡± ¡°OMG¡­ Oh my god. I¡¯m posting it on Instagram right now.¡± Guests took turns ncing at the TV alongside me. ¡®What¡¯s ying on TV¡­¡¯ I turned my head and directed my attention to the screen. [¡¤¡¤¡¤Since he is still a rookie, he is acting while working part-time. In the meantime, I work really hard at acting. He is also very polite.] The television showcased an episode of , featuring seniors Narin Lee and Kyungsoo Min. On the screen, my profile picture upied half the frame, prominently disying me in the ¡®cafe part-time job uniform¡¯ I was currently wearing. ¡®Really¡­ Now that I think about it, today was the broadcast day.¡¯ In a daze, I halted in front of the TV. Click! Click! Customers promptly started taking pictures of me. It felt like encountering a celebrity. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 ¡°Ha¡­ it¡¯s tough.¡± After finishing my part-time job, I returned home. My entire body felt like it weighed a ton. The fatigue was so overwhelming that even washing up seemed like an insurmountable task, and I copsed onto the bed. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be this exhausted, even after a demanding day of work. However, working under the constant, enthusiastic gaze and attention of customers proved to be more challenging than I anticipated. ¡®Nevertheless¡­ I don¡¯t feel bad. Actually, I feel good.¡¯ A weary smile graced my face. It was just a fleeting moment, but it truly felt like I had stepped into the shoes of an actor. I could grasp, even if just a little, what celebrities might talk about, and what it feels like to thrive on the love of fans. ¡®Maybe, someday, I can be like that too, right?¡¯ Even though it felt like I had already savored aforting bowl of kimchi soup, the thought lingered in my mind. That¡¯s how good it felt. Wooooow. Just then, my phone rang. ncing at it, I saw a text message from senior Lee Narin. ¡ª¡ª Jinseok, did you catch today¡¯s broadcast? I¡¯m dropping a message because I thought it might catch you off guard a bit. I didn¡¯t expect them to put so much emphasis on you in the editing¡­ I apologize if it took you by surprise. Nevertheless, it¡¯s a positive turn, so try to see it in a good light. Oh, and I¡¯ve attached the rmendation letter for you. Alright then, look forward to seeing you on the day of shooting. P.S. I¡¯ve also enclosed a letter of rmendation from senior Kyungsoo. P.P.S. Producer Kim Mansoo and Woohyun sunbae mentioned they would write letters of rmendation too, so I¡¯ve included them for you as well. ¡ª¡ª It was quite a lengthy message. I promptly replied with a thank-you text. ¡®By the way¡­ others wrote letters of rmendation too.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t requested rmendations from anyone else. However, somehow you knew, and I¡¯m sincerely grateful that you took the time to write one for me. I examined the rmendation letter. Even with a cursory nce, it was evident that it wasposed with great care. I went through it meticulously and saved the rmendation letter to my email. ¡®Now, the remaining schedule¡­¡¯ I checked the calendar on my desk, aprehensive nner for crucial dates such as part-time jobs and photo shoots. Usually filled with part-time jobs and audition schedules, this month, there was the addition of an actual filming schedule. It filled me with pride. ¡®Applications for Seoguk University are due in two weeks on Monday¡­ ¡®Dream of the Sun Rising¡¯ is set to start filming soon.¡¯ Fortunately, I had adjusted my part-time job schedule, so there were no shes. ¡®Oh right, I need to address Kang Hoshin¡¯s request as well. It¡¯s probably best to do it as soon as possible¡­ Maybe tomorrow?¡¯ Despite feeling a bit tired, I drifted into afortable sleep. *** ¡°May I enter?¡± Early in the morning, I found myself at the Seodaemun Prison History Museum. The purpose was to address Kang Hoshin¡¯s request: ¡®Please apologize to Lim Insook.¡¯ The challengey in the fact that Lim Insook was an unrecorded independence activist. If he had a resting ce, I would have gone there to convey my apology. After careful consideration, I chose Seodaemun Prison, the ce where Insook passed away and Kang Hoshin served. Here, representing Kang Hoshin, my intention was to extend apologies to Lim Insook and the countless independence activists he had apprehended. [Are you an adult? Admission is 3,000 won.] I paid the fee and entered. Though I merely stepped over a threshold, the atmosphere inside was unexpectedly weighty. ¡°Hmm.¡± Maybe it was the early hour, or perhaps it was the scarcity of visitors, but a profound silence enveloped the Seodaemun Prison History Museum. After thoroughly exploring the museum, I made my way to the ¡®memorial space,¡¯ my final destination. A bouquet of flowers adorned the lectern in the memorial area. Even though it was an outdoor memorial, it was meticulously maintained, giving the impression of regr care. ¡°How remarkable. A young man making the journey here.¡± At that moment, a voice reached me from behind. Turning around, I encountered a man who seemed to be an employee, offering a friendly smile. ¡°Usually, even those whoe to visit don¡¯t venture all the way here. Most initial visitors are students on educational field trips. I spotted a young man strolling around with a bouquet of flowers early in the morning, so I followed out of curiosity.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes. I hope it¡¯s permissible to leave flowers here.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s absolutely fine. If anything, I appreciate it.¡± The employee approached with a warm smile. He then surveyed the memorial space with a silent gaze and chuckled sadly. ¡°In the past, during the peak of dramas and movies depicting the Japanese colonial period, there used to be a considerable number of people here. But over time, those productions dwindled, and so did the visitors. Perhaps, as public interest shifted away from history, it naturally became less of a subject for creative works.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In truth, such changes are not unique to Korea but rather a global trend. Still, it¡¯s a bit disheartening. Despite the fervor surrounding the ¡®Korea-Japan War,¡¯ this ce remains quiet. I wish more people woulde¡­¡± The employee, speaking with a tinge of disappointment, turned away, smiling awkwardly. ¡°Haha, sorry. I rambled on a bit. You¡¯re a cherished visitor.¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s appreciated.¡± We lingered in front of the memorial space a bit longer. After a while, the employee addressed me. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡± With a slight bow, the employee turned away. Watching him go, I made my way towards the exit at a leisurely pace. ¡®I hope more peoplee.¡¯ The employee¡¯s words flowed effortlessly, yet their sincerity resonated. Perhaps, he mused, it might be the unspoken desire of those who had perished there. ¡®If , the drama I¡¯m in does well, that could be a reality. The staff member mentioned earlier that during the poprity of Japanese colonial era dramas, there were many visitors.¡¯ Originally, I had nned to give my all to this project, but now it felt like I had a purpose to strive for. Lost in my thoughts, I found myself at the exit. Perhaps influenced by my mood, the air around me felt lighter and warmer than when I had first arrived. *** ¡°Create an ID here and recharge your time. If you don¡¯t know anything else, look for help there.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ yes.¡± I offered a hesitant nod at the somewhat annoyed voice of the PC room part-time worker. Scratching his stomach, he ambled back to the counter. It wasn¡¯t my first time in a PC room, but it had been a really long time, and the ce was different from what I remembered. ¡®In the past, you¡¯d give money to the boss, and he¡¯d hand you a PC room card¡­ ¡®The system has changed.¡¯ Even during vacations or military stays, I rarely frequented PC rooms. It seemed like a waste of money, time better spent honing my acting skills. I found myself in a PC room now to apply for admission to Seoguk University. Due to my homeptop¡¯s low specifications, it kept shutting down while I filled out the application form, leaving me with no other option. Lost in contemtion, I navigated to the Seoguk University website. ¡°Brother? Jinseok oppa, what are you doing here?¡± A clear female voice cut through the din of gaming noise at that moment. ¡°Uh? Yeonsu. Why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°I came to y a game. Do you y games too?¡± Yeonsoo¡¯s voice held both surprise and anticipation. ¡°No, I don¡¯t y games. I just came here to do something.¡± Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s expression dimmed a bit at my response, but she quickly regained her usual bright demeanor. ¡°What did youe to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nning to apply to Seoguk University¡¯s theater department. I feel the need to deepen my understanding of acting.¡± Seo Yeonsoo responded in astonishment, ¡°Oppa, you¡¯re using our college?¡± ¡°Huh? Huh. Why? Is there an issue?¡± ¡°An issue? No, I¡¯m thrilled that my brother ising to my school¡­! Actually, my school is really great!¡± Seo Yeonsoo continued, somewhat hesitantly, a rare urrence for her. ¡°But why school? you can audition for dramas, so do you need to learn acting again?¡± ¡°Oh, just¡­ for personal reasons.¡± ¡°Personal reasons?¡± ¡°Huh. The seniors I met during readings also mentioned that it would be good for me to go to college.¡± Unable to reveal the true reason involving a dream and a ghostly request, I fabricated some excuses. Fortunately, Seo Yeonsoo didn¡¯t seem to detect anything unusual in my exnation. She smiled and remarked, ¡°Hey¡­ I¡¯m actually learning acting in college, but I don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m learning. Lol.¡± Seo Yeonsoo leaned on my shoulder, gazing at the monitor. We weren¡¯t this friendly when I was working part-time, but things felt a bit different when we met outside. ¡®Is it because we¡¯re outside¡­?¡¯ After a while, Seo Yeonsu, who had been observing the screen, spoke up. ¡°Want some help with the application? Our school¡¯s application is quiteplicated. There¡¯s a lot to write.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that? Weren¡¯t you ying a game?¡± ¡°Is the game more important than algebra? My older brother might join as a junior. Plus, I can y the gameter.¡± Without asking, Yeonsu grabbed a chair and settled down next to me. ¡°Ahem!¡± she began with an uncharacteristic cough. ¡°First of all, you have to fill in your personal information. You know that, right? Have you considered how to introduce yourself?¡± ¡°About Me?¡± ¡°Yes. You talk about your motivation for applying, what you want to learn when youe to school, etc. For your information, our school requires a video submission.¡± I was oblivious. Due to my recent hectic schedule, I haven¡¯t been able to devote proper attention to college matters. ¡°And? Is that all?¡± ¡°No. You also need to film a free-acting piece and submit it.¡± There was more to this process than I had initially thought. ¡®It¡¯s like any other audition¡­¡¯ Surveying the screen with a slight frown, Seo Yeonsoo reassured me with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t look too serious. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Then, as if she had almost forgotten, she pped his hands¡ª ¡°Oh, right. Did you find someone to write a letter of rmendation? I usually ask my school teacher, but who should my brother ask?¡± ¡°Oh, the rmendation letter is sorted. At least four people wrote one.¡± ¡°Wow, really? Who is it?¡± To Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s inquisitive question, I responded nonchntly. ¡°Senior Lee Narin, Senior Min Kyungsoo. And senior Park Woohyun and producer Kim Mansoo.¡± Speaking casually, I noticed Seo Yeonsoo tilting her head. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤To?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Could it be that current actors wrote letters of rmendation?¡± ¡°Uh. And the PD too.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Seo Yeonsoo nced at me and mumbled to herself. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤That¡¯s too much of a cheat.¡± ¡°Cheat?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤It¡¯s no big deal. Never mind.¡± Seo Yeonsoo muttered and began searching for an ¡®entrance exam filming studio¡¯ on the Inte. Various studio homepages popped up on the screen. ¡°Self-introductions and free acting are usually filmed in the studio. It¡¯s pricey, but the videos turn out pretty good.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°If you go to an academy, you can get it done there. Since my brother doesn¡¯t go to an academy, you have to use a studio. You can¡¯t enroll in an academy just for this, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Well, it¡¯s studio rental¡­¡¯ Of course, there¡¯s a vast difference between the quality of a video shot in a studio and one shot at home. I was aware of that, so I began the search for a studio to film my entrance exam video. ¡®Why is it so expensive¡­?¡¯ The basic cost for studio rental included filming, recording, and editing, totaling 1 million won. In the cutthroatpetition for college entrance exams, the expense of renting a studio might be a bold but necessary investment. Still, for me, it was a significantly burdensome amount. ¡®Are reservations nearly full?¡¯ However, the real issue wasn¡¯t the cost. Perhaps due to the ongoing entrance exam season, most studios were fully booked and unavable. The few remaining options were either exorbitantly expensive or unable to amodate my entrance exam schedule. ¡®Hmm¡­ What should I do?¡¯ While I was contemting alone, Seo Yeonsoo spoke cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s expensive, right? That¡¯s why I felt really sorry for my mom and dad when I was filming it. I¡¯m d I passed.¡± ¡°But even so¡­ Reservations are almost full. Is it because it¡¯s entrance exam season?¡± ¡°To? The studios are fully booked?¡± Seo Yeonsoo asked again and peered at the screen together with me. ¡°And¡­ It¡¯s true. When I filmedst year, it was tough to secure reservations at well-known studios, but even the others weren¡¯t this full.¡± ¡°Is it particrly bad this year?¡± ¡°I think so. Were there many N students this year?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll search a bit more. It seems like all the studios are fully booked.¡± After hearing my words, Seo Yeonsoo responded as she returned to herputer. ¡°Then I¡¯ll look too. I was quite close with the owner of the ce where I filmedst year, so I¡¯ll try contacting him.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯ve already helped a lot but do your own thing. You said you came here to y a game.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve assisted you this far, I¡¯ll help you until the end. Plus, it¡¯s more enjoyable for me to help my brother than to y games.¡± ¡°In that case¡­ thank you. I¡¯ll treat you to something deliciouster.¡± ¡°Tteokbokki, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°All right! Isn¡¯t it the best?¡± Seo Yeonsoo spoke with confidence, immediately making a call, while I searched the portal site for any potential studios. After a bit of searching, Seo Yeonsoo wore a dejected expression. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m really sorry for sounding so confident earlier¡­ All the good ces are fully booked.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t worry. Why are you sorry? But it¡¯s true, there really doesn¡¯t seem to be any avability. Is the studio you usedst year fully booked?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Seo Yeonsoo sighed, sinking into the chair. ¡°Times like these make me wish I knew someone who owns a studio or is a photographer. If it¡¯s someone I know, they might even shootte into the night.¡± ¡°I agree. Or, maybe if you know someone, you could ask for an introduction to another studio¡­ Ah!¡± ¡®¡­Why didn¡¯t I think of him?¡¯ As I casually responded to Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s words, a person suddenly crossed my mind. ¡®He probably knows a lot of filming studios and directors¡­ Shall I ask him?¡¯ With that thought, I pulled out my phone. ¡°Yeonsu. I know someone; let me ask him a question.¡± ¡°Do you know someone?¡± ¡°Yes. I was given a phone number at apany dinner¡­ it¡¯s this one.¡± But when I actually attempted to press the call button, I hesitated. No matter how kindly she might think of me, honestly, I was a little apprehensive about contacting this person. ¡®¡­What if she scolds me for reaching out without a good reason?¡¯ After contemting it for a moment, I pressed the call button. [This is Eom Hyeryeong, the director of photography.] ¡°Hello, Director Eom Hyeryeong! It¡¯s Kang Jinseok. Have you had dinner? The weather is really nice today. I apologize for reaching out on the weekend¡­¡± It was Eom Hyeryeong, one of the top cinematographers in Korea. TN: Errors such as he/she and his/her aremon in TL so please be more understanding I¡¯m also trying my best to avoid errors. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 In a studio at BDD Broadcasting Station, numerous veteran staff members hurriedly went about their tasks. Some were adjusting lights, while others maneuvered cameras. Among them, a woman, though petite, disyed an unusual strength as she stood with her arms crossed, a furrowed brow entuating her frustration. Consulting her wristwatch, she mumbled under her breath. ¡°7 minutes 26 seconds¡­¡± After a moment of contemtion, she scrutinized her staff and addressed them with authority: The staff, visibly tense under the oppressive atmosphere, listened intently. ¡°It took 7 minutes and 26 seconds to arrange the camera, set the lightings, coordinate the lines, and position the microphone in the studio.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Are we shooting anything today? Will the sunset rise before we¡¯re ready?¡± Despite her calm tone, the mere sound of her voice sent a chill down the spines of the staff. ¡°S-sorry! Director!¡± ¡°Excuse me, does the camera operate itself?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°So is this inside or outside?¡± The cold voice belonged to Eom Hyeryeong, the director of cinematography. She always initiated this routine before themencement of any shoot. The staff¡¯s efficient coboration had a purpose, primarily to sustain a high level of tension. In the unpredictable environment of a film set, a momentarypse in focus could lead to serious idents. Eom Hyeryeong¡¯smitment to maintaining tension was well-known among the staff. However, acknowledging the necessity of tension didn¡¯t make it any less challenging. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Humans can achieve anything if they work hard. And the pyramids were indeed created by humans.¡± ¡°Lord, I feel like I¡¯m going to die. Was the camera originally this heavy?¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m back when I was a freshman¡­¡± ¡®Please. Someone, please save me. Anything is fine, just let me do something other than this¡­¡¯ The continuous rehearsals seemed to be driving the staff to the edge. Observing their struggle, Eom Hyeryeong exuded an air of dissatisfaction. ¡°Tsk¡­¡± Nevertheless, even she thought to herself, ¡®This isn¡¯t that bad.¡¯ She found satisfaction in acknowledging, ¡°The skill level of this staff is high.¡± Suddenly, Jinseok came to her mind, catching Eom Hyeryeong¡¯s attention. ¡®How should I capture the feeling when filming him on the first day of shooting?¡¯ Despite having detailed ns for filming Jinseok, those were just setups. No matter how meticulously you n, the actual footage may diverge significantly from your expectations once the lights and camera are on the actor¡¯s face. ¡®The other actors are more seasoned, so I can gauge their general demeanor¡­ but he¡¯s a neer.¡¯ Jinseok, with an audition video that sparked anticipation, possessed a distinctive quality in his acting that set him apart. Eom Hyeryeong eagerly awaited Jinseok¡¯s first day of shooting. ¡®With his good looks and acting skills, even a rough shot would turn out well, but that¡¯s not an option.¡¯ There was an actor Eom Hyeryeong coveted, one whose image she couldn¡¯t afford to tarnish with casual filming. Despite the desire to video a shot before the shoot, it was an unrealistic wish. Even as a seasoned cinematographer, she couldn¡¯t summon actors at will. Despite being a rookie with no debut, she had something she needed to safeguard. ¡®I¡¯ll have to exert extra effort that day, no matter how challenging it may be. There¡¯s no other choice.¡¯ The moment when regret was sinking in for Eom Hyeryeong, about to dismiss the staff once more, a distinctive ringtone echoed. ¡®Who could it be?¡¯ Eom Hyeryeong reached for her pocket to retrieve her phone. The caller ID disyed ¡®Kang Jinseok.¡¯ *** [This is the Director of cinematography] A familiar, low voice emanated from the phone. Eom Hyeryeong took a deep breath to ease her tension,posed herself, and spoke with politeness. ¡°Ah, Director Eom Hyeryeong! Hello! This is Kang Jinseok! Did you have dinner? The weather is nice today! Sorry for contacting you on the weekend!¡± [Is everything okay? Does something happened?] Eom Hyeryeong¡¯s voice sounded gentler than anticipated, granting Jinseok a bit of courage. He responded even more politely. ¡°I have a personal video I need to shoot, but when I looked for a studio, all the good ones were fully booked¡­ ¡°I reached out to the director to see if she knows anyone who could help!¡± [¡¤¡¤¡¤.] Eom Hyeryeong, upon hearing my exnation, remained silent. Though only a few seconds passed, my nervousness had me sweating profusely. Her image was so formidable in my memory. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Is she upset?¡¯ Bracing myself for an apology, I received an unexpected response. [If that¡¯s the case, why go to a studio? I can take the videos. We¡¯re at a broadcasting station now, soe over.] ¡°I apologize¡­ really?¡± [I¡¯ll take the videos for you. Juste. You said it¡¯s something that needs to be filmed.] It was apletely unforeseen reply. I initially asked for a studio rmendation, and here she was offering to take the videos herself. But if it worked, it worked. ¡°Yes! ¡°I¡¯m on my way!¡± [How long until you arrive?] ¡°To¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°I think I can make it in about an hour.¡± [Great. I wille back after eating with the staff, so pleasee to Studio A-1 on the 6th floor. You know where it is, right?] ¡°Yes, I know, but¡­¡± What about the staff? This was also unexpected. ¡°¡­But the staff? Are you with the staff right now?¡± [Then should I film alone? Of course, I have to take videos with the staff. Anyway, see you in the studio.] ¡°Oh, yes! Of course! ¡°I¡¯ll leave right now!¡± As soon as he answered, Eom Hyeryeong hung up. I held onto the phone for a long time even after the call ended. In a daze, Seo Yeonsoo asked, ¡°Oppa, who were you talking to? Who is the director of cinematography, Eom Hyeryeong?¡± Only then did Ie to my senses. ¡°Uh? Uh, that¡­ Director of cinematography for . ¡°I asked just in case¡­ so you¡¯re saying that the college entrance exam video will be filmed by a drama cinematographer¡­?¡± ¡°Uh¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°How did it happen that way¡­?¡± Seo Yeonsoo muttered quietly. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤It¡¯s a munchkin. The rmendation is from a current actor and a producer, and the video shoot is from a drama cinematographer¡­ ¡°There¡¯s no way I can help.¡± Seo Yeonsoo said something at quite a length. However, I couldn¡¯t hear it well because of the surrounding game sounds. ¡± A Zombies Iing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Ah! Can I go with you? I will tour the broadcasting station and give you advice on how to introduce yourself as you go. ¡°Even though I look like this, I¡¯m still a student at Seonguk University.¡± Seo Yeonsoo said, squeezing her hands tightly. With more earnest eyes than usual. ¡®I guess you want to go to the broadcasting station¡­ Well, I was really excited the first time I went.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯ll probably be okay. The director of cinematography is scary, but she¡¯s also kind. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll allow it.¡± Seo Yeonsoo smiled brightly at my words and stood up from her seat. ¡°Go quickly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. ¡°I think we can leave right now.¡± ¡°But where are we going?¡± In response to her question, I turned off theputer, put a chair in her ce, and said, ¡°BDD Broadcasting Station.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Seo Yeonsoo muttered again inaudibly. ¡°Even a studio¡­ a broadcasting station. Complete bnce copse¡­¡± *** Seo Yeonsoo and I arrived a little earlier than our scheduled time and were looking around the studio that Eom Hyeryeong had mentioned. Seo Yeonsoo was amazed as she looked at the camera ced in the studio. ¡°And¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of filming equipment.¡± ¡°I know. ¡°What on earth are they filming so that it needed this much filming equipment?¡± At that time, the studio door opened, and numerous staff members came in. There were many familiar faces. These were the staff members I had previously seen during the reading of . ¡®I knew there were staff, but I didn¡¯t know there would be this many.¡¯ Among them, cinematographer Eom Hyeryeong quickly approached. She exudes a presence that cannot be ignored. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Yes! First of all, thank you so much for helping me with the filming!¡± ¡°Hello. ¡°I wanted to take your videos anyway.¡± ¡°Yes? ¡°What does that mean¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. So what are you filming? Settings vary depending on the type of videos being shot. So please exin in as much detail as possible.¡± When Eom Hyeryeong asked, the staff around her focused on me. They all were looking at me with sparkling eyes. I don¡¯t know if it was my mood, but everyone was very weing to me. ¡®Is it because we¡¯re filming this weekend¡­ ¡®As expected, they are very kind people.¡¯ When I saw their bright expressions, I gained a little confidence. So I spoke in a slightly brighter voice. ¡°I¡¯m nning to go to college this year. So, I have to video my self-introduction and free performance.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, the surroundings became quiet for a moment. Everyone seemed a little perplexed. Even Eom Hyeryeong, who had been expressionless the entire time, looked dumbfounded. ¡°Well, so. Do you want me to film a video for your college entrance exam? Is that it? Could it be that the video you had to personally film was for a university entrance exam?¡± Her voice trembled. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem angry, although a bit embarrassed. ¡°Yes! You¡¯re right!¡± As I confirmed it again, Eom Hyeryeong covered her face. ¡°Under¡­ No, I said I would take the videos, so I will take the videos¡­¡± Unlike Eom Hyeryeong¡¯s initial reaction, the other staff members continued to have bright expressions. It seemed like she didn¡¯t mind filming anything. After a while, cinematographer Eom Hyeryeong, who had returned to her usual expression, shrugged her shoulders and said. ¡°Well, okay. Anyway, I wanted to capture various aspects of Jinseok. No rough shots. ¡°I will take care of everything from filming to editing, so be prepared.¡± Then, she immediately turned around and instructed the staff to do something. The staff moved quickly ording to Eom Hyeryeong¡¯s instructions. They looked like soldiers preparing for battle. ¡®It¡¯s really neat.¡¯ While observing the staff, Eom Hyeryeong inquired, ¡°So, how are you nning to introduce yourself?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s it¡­¡± She continued by gesturing towards Seo Yeonsoo, who stood a step behind, looking anxious. ¡°I was discussing it with this friend earlier, and I wanted to talk about why I started acting and how I have lived my life so far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ordinary, but it¡¯s okay. ¡°Is there anything written separately?¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°Here it is.¡± I retrieved a piece of paper from my bag. It was a self-introduction script carefully ced to avoid wrinkles. ¡°I¡¯ll read it.¡± Eom Hyeryeong took the script, nced over it, and then tilted her head as if something was missing. ¡°Hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have much impact, does it?¡± Seo Yeonsoo flinched at her words. The self-introduction script that cinematographer Eom Hyeryeong was reading had been edited by Seo Yeonsoo. She inquired, looking at Seo Yeonsoo, who stood behind her, ¡°Who are you? ¡°He¡¯s a pretty friend, but is she your girlfriend?¡± ¡°No. she¡¯s a friend who works part-time with me. My friend is majoring in acting at Seoguk University, and she said she wanted to check out the broadcasting station, so I brought her here. sorry.¡± Eom Hyeryeong took turns looking at me and Seo Yeonsoo. Then she smiled slightly and addressed Seo Yeonsoo. ¡°Are you okay? ¡°More than that, did you write this?¡± ¡°Oh, no. Jinseok oppa writes it all and I just¡­ ¡°I just edited it a little bit.¡± Eom Hyeryeong nodded and responded. ¡°Okay. It was well written, but something was a little disappointing. ¡°I¡¯m not the right person to evaluate the writing, though.¡± At Eom Hyeryeong¡¯s words, Seo Yeonsoo gave me an apologetic look. Of course, I didn¡¯t mind it at all. ¡°Are you okay? ¡°I appreciate your effort.¡± ¡°Still¡¤¡¤¡¤. Sorry. We have to fix it again¡­¡± At that moment, a disheartened Seo Yeonsoo hesitated to speak. ¡°Well then, can I take a look? ¡°I¡¯m pretty good at editing, too.¡± A familiar voice came from behind me. ¡°Uh? Writer? ¡°What¡¯s going on here¡­?¡± ¡°I stopped by because I had some business to run, and when I heard that Jinseok was here, I came to say hello. Long time no see. ¡°How have you been?¡± He looked back and found that Lee Yuna, the rising star writer of , had stepped forward to offer help. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 A skyscraper in Gangnam, Seoul. Two men sat in a conference room on the top floor of an elegant building. One was wearing an expensive suit made by a world-renowned master, and the other was wearing tattered sweatpants. Despite their very different outfits, they seemed to have no reservations about interacting with each other, probably due to their close friendship. ¡°I¡¯m d you came to your senses, Jinsu. Will you finish the rest of your research in Korea?¡± ¡°Well, since you can do your research in Korea anyway. ¡°I have to go back to the U.S. to get my Ph.D.¡± Jinsu Park. He is the man who received his mother¡¯s letters and bank book from Jinseok in the past. After receiving his mother¡¯s letter and bank book, he decided toplete his unfinished research. It was the release of a burden that had been in his heart for a long time. He immediately contacted friends he had studied with in the past, and they all weed him. Among them was Oh Haneul, Park Jinsu¡¯s closest friend. ¡°Yes, your mother would like that too. If you need anything for your research, please let me know. ¡°I am a bigger person than you thought.¡± ¡°Thank you. Ah, more than that, the reason I asked to meet you today¡­¡± Park Jinsu took out his cell phone. He searched for ¡®The Talk Show Kang Jinseok¡¯ on his phone and showed it to Oh Haneul. ¡°Please take a good look at this actor. ¡°I was really blessed.¡± Oh Haneul looked closely at Park Jinsu¡¯s cell phone. Then he expressed his surprise. ¡°Jinsu, who was just a student, was also interested in celebrities? ¡°He¡¯s more dignified than that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask for details. ¡°This guy is a really good friend.¡± Oh Haneul thought for a moment, then shrugged and said it was no problem at all. ¡°Of course. Because I can do that much. ¡°Anything else besides that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all. ¡°I¡¯ll finish the research myself.¡± ¡°I thought you were asking me for a really big favor when you said let¡¯s meet separately, but it turned out to be nd.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay; just take care of your friend.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. ¡°You know that once I touch something, I¡¯m the kind of person who takes responsibility until the end.¡± Oh Haneul thumped his chest as if to tell people to trust him, then checked the time and said. ¡°It¡¯s almost noon. Shall we get something to eat?¡± ¡°Uh, okay. I will buy the food. ¡°Is there anything delicious nearby?¡± ¡°Ourpany cafeteria is delicious. And executives and employees eat for free. No matter how much you are the CEO, you have to take advantage of thepany perks. Besides, the coffee is free, so let¡¯s go eat and drink.¡± Oh Haneul said with a broad smile. Park Jinsu shook his head and gave Oh Haneul a sharp rebuke. ¡°A guy with a lot of money went bald because he likes free stuff so much.¡± *** When Lee Yuna entered the studio, Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s sigh deepened. ¡°Ha¡ª.¡± There is no room to fit in. Seo Yeonsoo wanted to help Jinseok. More precisely, ¡®I wanted to impress Jinseok¡¯ would be the correct expression. Seo Yeonsoo liked Jinseok. Not because he was handsome, but because of his personality and demeanor. He learned a lot from him because he lived hard and never gave up. Even though he failed dozens and hundreds of auditions, Seo Yeonsoo fell in love with his passion for acting until the end. When Jinseok told her that he was applying to Seoguk University, she was very happy. She thought she could get closer to Jinseok by helping him with the entrance exam. But¡­ Jinseok¡¯s oppa changed a lot without me knowing it. It¡¯s not that Jinseok has changed. It means that his environment has changed. He became a great actor in just a few weeks. It¡¯s been a while since he was cast by a famous producer, and he was immediately chosen to y an important supporting role in a famous writer¡¯s new work. In addition, although he has not yet appeared in television or movies, his skills have been recognized enough to be mentioned by mid-level actors in entertainment shows. Also, the staff seems to be very fond of having an older brother? Jinseok called Eom Hyeryeong a ¡®scary person¡¯, but Seo Yeonsoo felt that Eom Hyeryeong cared for Jinseok. She didn¡¯t know that these people might also know the true side of Jinseok that she thought only she knew. While thinking about this, Seo Yeonsoo looked at writer Lee Yuna. I can¡¯t believe that a writer even showed up to edit it. Seo Yeonsoo was a little depressed that something was not as helpful as she thought. But just for a moment. Close! There are a lot of things I can help with besides this shooting. There is a practical testing up. Seo Yeonsoo, let¡¯s do well then. Seo Yeonsoo clenched his fist and looked at Jinseok. *** As expected, pro writers were different. ¡°I think it would be better to just continue this part. And Jinseok emphasizes the reason why he wanted to be an actor¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good to show off, but it¡¯s good to at least say that you¡¯ve recently been cast in a drama. ¡°Because it shows that you are capable.¡± ¡°We have to emphasize that part-time work is not just a part-time job, but a really hard part-time job. ¡°If you say it¡¯s just a part-time job, it doesn¡¯t really feel like one. ¡°There¡¯s no additional thing that needs to be added, right? ¡°Values that are important in life, life quotes, things like that.¡± As soon as Lee Yuna saw my introductory script, she immediately finished editing it. Although her edited text was clearly written by me, it certainly looked polished. The most amazing thing about it was: It was very easy to memorize. I had the same feeling when I read Yuna Lee¡¯s script for Dreams of the Rising Sun, but her writing was strangely understandable. It was easy for the actors to immerse themselves in their acting and memorize their lines because it was easy to understand. ¡°What do you think? If this is enough, we can start filming right away, right?¡± ¡°Yes! Thanks a lot, writer.¡± ¡°What is the need for thanks for such a thing? Please reward me with acting if you are truly grateful. ¡°That¡¯s the scene I focused on the most.¡± Hearing Lee Yuna¡¯s words, he smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. At that moment, one of the crew members shouted loudly. ¡°Director, the filming is ready!¡± ¡°Hmm¡ª¡± Eom Hyeryeong crossed her arms and looked around the studio. Like a hawk looking for prey, she quickly scanned every ce. Eom Hyeryeong, who was checking her studio without a word, had a frown on her face and pointed to a corner of the studio. ¡°The green is behind there.¡± Then one of the employees flinched. It was only a small flinch, but it was noticeable because the rest of the staff members did not make a single flinch. In short, you can make people cringe¡­ your powers are not to be taken lightly. Um Hyeryeong said in a serious voice. ¡°What are those green tapes? ¡°Fluttering stuff. ¡°S-sorry!¡± ¡°Is that what you are in need of? Are you out of your mind? Hurry up, why don¡¯t you run? Remove the tape without leaving a trace.¡± The staff member who was pointed out rushed over and removed the light. To be honest, I didn¡¯t notice any difference. But Eom Hyeryeong seemed satisfied. It looks a little more square now,¡± she said. Mr. Kang Jinseok stands over there. Let¡¯s see how it turns out.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The crew went straight to the location that Eom Hyeryeong had pointed out. There are so many cameras. It¡¯s a self-introduction video, but the scale seems too big¡­¡¯ Apparently, she had an ordinary studio in mind when she made her request, but when she came to her senses, she had a monopoly on the station¡¯s studio. And that too with dozens of employees. I felt something big was happening. At that moment, Eom Hyeryeong looked at the monitor connected to the camera and spoke. She said, ¡°I¡¯m going to start filming. Just keep doing what you have prepared. As she spoke, the studio became extremely quiet. The moment when everyone was watching me. I wasn¡¯t acting, but I was a little nervous. I guess that¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t used to having so many people looking at me. Phew. The moment I took a deep breath and was about to introduce myself, my vision became blurred, like fog rising. ¡®¡ªThis time too? ¡°Dad! ¡°Are youing to watch me perform today?¡± ¡°Uh¡ª. ¡°Is our Yeonmi having a performance today?¡± ¡°You muste! ¡°I practiced a lot!¡± ¡°That¡­ Yeonmi, I¡¯m sorry. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m so busy today¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª This¡­ This is Yeonmi¡¯s memory from her childhood. Kim Yeonmi said that her wish was to try her acting in front of her father, who is a professor in the theater department. Kim Yeonmi holds an invitation to a self-made y in her hands. She looks about five or six years old. She noticed the nted letters on the invitation, ¡°Raon Nursery School Closing Ceremony, Dad¡¯s¡±. But her father never came to see her y. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Dad! ¡°I¡¯m preparing for the entrance exam to the Calligraphy and Painting Arts High School today, so can you watch my acting?¡± ¡°Do you want me to watch the performance?¡± ¡°Huh! ¡°Can¡¯t I ask the teacher at the Academy toe and watch? ¡°Dad, I¡¯m a little tired¡­¡± Kim Yeonmi was wearing a school uniform. She seems to be around the middle school level, as she is preparing to take the entrance exam for a high school for the arts. This time too, she asked her father to watch her performance, but her father did not see her performance. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Daddy! I got into Seoguk University in the first round! ¡°Dad, you know, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh? Uh, I know. ¡°You sent me a picture.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Since I got into the first round, should I take advantage of the father of the Seoguk University professor? ¡°How can I be a good actor and have good grades?¡± ¡°Yeonmi. No matter how much of a daughter you are, you still have to be fair¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t watch the acting.¡± ¡ª¡ª Kim Yeonmi is still bright and happy. Kim Yeonmi is now a high school student. She is just like the one I saw in my dream. This time she asked her father toe and watch her perform one more time. But her father refused again. I don¡¯t know the details, but at that point it seemed like her father was deliberately trying to avoid seeing Kim Yeonmi¡¯s performance. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Wow¡­ honey. Our daughter¡­ She is old enough to go to college now. ¡°She is so beautiful, just like you.¡± Dad? ¡°She really likes acting, maybe because she looks like you. Is she good at that? I have no idea if she is. ¡°I can¡¯t stand watching my daughter acting.¡± ¡°You always appear on top of each other when Yeonmiughs, cries, or gets angry. ¡°If I see Yeonmi acting like this, I will cry for sure.¡± ¡°Just as I promised you when you died, I will never show weakness in front of Yeonmi. ¡°May you always grow up to be as bright and self-confident as you are right now. ¡°Please help me. ¡°I won¡¯t cry when Yeonmi acts as a student before me¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª Kim Yeonmi looked at her father through the crack in the door. Her father was crying and holding a framed photo of her mother. It was only when Kim Yeonmi saw her father crying that she realized. The reason why his father didn¡¯t watch his acting. Is it over now? ¡ª¡ª ¡°Daughter! Daughter! It¡¯s me, dad! ¡°Wake up!¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Yeonmi! Wake up! I told you that I will see you today, today! Yeonmi is acting!¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Now I finally have the courage to see my daughter acting! Why in the world!!!¡± ¡ª¡ª Yeonmi was lying on the ground in the street. Her vision was blurred and her eyes were red. And most of all, her whole body was in pain. In the distance, though faint, a banner could be seen that read, ¡®Seoguk University Theatre Department Practical Test Center¡¯. Outside Seoguk University¡­ Could it be that this is where she died? Kim Yeonmi, who was on the ground helplessly, had her father¡¯s arms around her. Her consciousness gradually faded away. Then, the moment when even thest thread-like sensation was about to vanish. Woe! My vision returned to the studio. It was a scene that passed in an instant. It was like a fast-forward video. But even in the fast-moving scenes, I was able to see something. In that split second, Kim Yeonmi was trying to somehow make her father smile through ¡®acting¡¯, even in such a painful moment. So Yeonmi wanted to act in front of her father. I always felt this, but it wasn¡¯t easy to ept the history and emotions of a dead person. But that makes me want to act. I closed my eyes for a moment. I sorted out my emotions. I want to show it to you. Yeonmi¡¯s intention was to show her father and the performance of Yeonmi, who had been on the run from her father all his life. In order to do this, I had to make the perfect video right now. First of all, I have to pass the first test before I can do it in front of Yeonmi¡¯s father. Make it good. Kang Jinseok. He regained hisposure. He called out confidently. ¡°Hello! I am Kang Jinseok and I am applying to the drama department of Seoguk University! jin! three! no see! The reason why I started acting¡­!¡± I felt a bit sad. But I began to introduce myself in a more cheerful manner than anyone else. Just as Yeonmi Kim did her best to put a smile on her father¡¯s face before her death. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 When Jinseok first appeared on camera, Eom Hyeryeong couldn¡¯t hide how disappointed she felt. ¡°I can¡¯t capture the camera as well as I thought I could, huh?¡± During filming, some actors are at the center of the screen with their presence. Eom Hyeryeong uses the term ¡°capturing the camera,¡± but Jinseok never gave off that feeling. ¡°I had the feeling that he was not only a camera-snapper, but a crusher of audition videos. What a shame.¡± However, the video came out clean, perhaps because the original work was so good. Then it was that moment. ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Kang Jinseok. I applied to the drama department at Seoguk University! The reason why I started acting is¡­¡± Eom Hyeryeong felt a chill as Jinseok began to introduce himself. ¡°What is this¡­? It¡¯s like someone has changed all of a sudden?¡± There was no change in the lighting. The position of the camera remained the same. Not to mention: No special effects were added. However, the entire screen was filled with Jinseok¡¯s presence as he began to introduce himself. It wasn¡¯t just a feeling that was limited to himself; even the staff members who were operating other cameras on the side seemed to be startled. Seeing this, Eom Hyeryeong began to smile. ¡°I was right about him. This one is an actor.¡± An actor capable of showing his presence in front of the camera at any moment. Capturing such an actor was the most gratifying thing as a director in charge of the shoot. ¡°But¡­ if they¡¯re so overwhelming, it can overshadow the other roles.¡± This may seem like a trivial point, but it¡¯s an important one. Jinseok should not overshadow the feeling of the main character, even if he is in a supporting role. After all, chemistry with your co-stars is the most important aspect of acting. While he was pondering over such thoughts, Jinseok¡¯s attitude changed once again. ¡°I¡­ want to be famous. But the reason why I want to be famous is not because of the money or the fame¡±. At the time of Jinseok¡¯s first greeting, his aura could be categorized as ¡®brightness¡¯, ¡®cheerfulness¡¯, and ¡®liveliness¡¯. However, the current aura of Jinseok was one of ¡®sadness¡¯ and ¡®seriousness. ¡°I¡¯ve got no parents. I started acting with the thought of finding those whose names and faces I didn¡¯t know. ¡°It feels subtle and touching again?¡± An average person might not be able to perceive the atmosphere changing in real-time like this. Even someone with a certain level of insight might only be able to feel a vague sense of, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? There is something different about it. However, Eom Hyeryeong was one of the best in South Korea, and there was no way that she was going to miss out on such changes. ¡°Could it be that Kang Jinseok is trying to act emotional while introducing himself?¡± He was truly an impressive actor if that was the case. Eom Hyeryeong also received many audition videos judged by PDs and other writers. She also received many introductory videos. ¡°But usually, a self-introduction video can only show one concept¡­¡± However, Jinseok was able to pull it off. ¡°In the beginning, I started to act with this thought in mind, but now it¡¯s different. Of course, the desire to find your parents is strong. But now I feel passionate about working with good people and wanting to do good! The subtle feeling that had been there before disappeared. Now, the enthusiasm of a passionate neer was felt. After introducing himself for about two minutes, a single bead of sweat began to run down Eom Hyeryeong¡¯s back. ¡°He showed joy and sadness in just 2 minutes. The four basic emotions that makeup acting¡­¡± If I were a professor, I would have given Jinseok a high score. Even if he went on and on. But this one was perfect. Not only did he show that he was passionate about acting, but he also had a clear reason for wanting to pursue it. He overcame them all despite many realistic difficulties. As a result, he secured a role in a drama. He even promised to work even harder in the future. ¡°It would be wasted not to cast him.¡± With a self-presentation like this, if someone were to fail in an audition, it would be a testament to a terrible filming and editing job. Eom Hyeryeong could not tolerate such a shame. ¡°Filming and editing¡­ I need to improve my game. Although it had been a long time since the end of the self-introduction, the studio was silent. With a slightly worried voice, Jinseok then spoke. ¡°Is there a problem with the self-introduction? If it did, then I can do it again!¡± Eom Hyeryeong was on the verge of giving a satisfied smile, but then she realized something and quickly adjusted the expression on her face. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s do a couple more takes. It¡¯s an opportunity that doesn¡¯te along very often.¡± As a filmmaker, she was intrigued and intrigued to shoot. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad. But you need to work a little more on your diction and keep looking at the camera. You¡¯ve got good posture now, but I¡¯d like to see you look more rxed.¡± Eom Hyeryeong was embarrassed to point out something so insignificant. However, she could endure this kind of embarrassment hundreds of times if it meant she could see Jinseok¡¯s acting once again. ¡°Ahh!¡± Jinseok sighed as if he hade to a profound realization, whether he took herment seriously or not. Then he bowed his head deeply and apologized. ¡°My apologies! I¡¯ll do things right again!¡± As seen during the reading, Jinseok¡¯s characteristic 100-degree bow. When Eom Hyeryeong received such a greeting, she felt even more embarrassed, but she kept her poker face on. After watching a lot of dramas, Eom Hyeryeong might have be quite good at acting herself. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s time for another try. You can start whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The atmosphere was simr to before, but it was obvious that Jinseok¡¯s self-introduction had been an improvement. ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Kang Jinseok, who applied to Seoguk University¡¯s drama department!¡± *** I felt that something had changed in me when I began to introduce myself on camera. In the past, when I would act, I would just immerse myself in the act itself. I didn¡¯t pay a lot of attention to the basics, such as pronunciation or where to look with my eyes. To be precise, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to. It¡¯s that I couldn¡¯t. Expressing the possessed emotions was also a challenge. And because I hadn¡¯t learned those basic aspects, I couldn¡¯t pay attention to them. ¡°But that¡¯s different now. Kim Yeon-mi was a talented actress in her own right. Despite having such a great talent, she didn¡¯t neglect to keep practicing. She continued to hone her skills both during her lifetime and even after her death. And now, by possessing her, I easily gained all she worked for. ¡°I am a bit sorry for the fact that I have so easily acquired Yeonmi¡¯s efforts, but¡­ it¡¯s out of my hands. If I feel sorry, I canpensate by showing Kim Yeonmi even more effort. Show her: ¡°This is the way your talent and hard work can shine through. I know she must be watching me from somewhere. ¡°Why is there not any reaction? It had been a long time since the end of the self-introduction. However, not only did Eom Hyeryeong show no reaction, but the other staff members did as well. Since this was an unprecedented reaction, I asked with a slightly worried voice: ¡°Did something go wrong? If so, can I do it one more time?¡± Then Eom Hyeryeong immediately gave me sincere feedback. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad. However, you need to pay more attention to your diction and keep looking at the camera. You¡¯ve got good posture now, but I¡¯d like to see you look more rxed. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± She was indeed a professional of professionals. In Eom Hyeryeong¡¯s eyes, even though I thought my acting was good, there might have been a few things missing. ¡°My apologies! I¡¯ll do things right again!¡± As I replied, Eom Hyeryeong looked at the camera and spoke in a calm voice. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s try again. You can start whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± I continued to introduce myself for about two hours. Eom Hyeryeong, the director, had different requests each time I finished. ¡°In your first greeting, try to make your gaze more animated. ¡°It might be easier to listen if you pause in the middle. ¡°What if this time you did the greeting in a sitting position? Focus the camera that way.¡± Later on, even physiological aspects began to be considered. ¡°You¡¯re sounding a little strained. Have a drink of water.¡± ¡°Maybe you drank too much water. Go take a break in the bathroom.¡± ¡°Your eyes look a little tired from being in front of the light for so long. Close them for a moment.¡± ¡°Hi, Junhyeon. Go help Jinseok stretch. He has a bit of a stiff look.¡± I didn¡¯t know what was going on, but something must have gone wrong for them to ask like that. I kept doing as Eom Hyeryeong said. ¡°Hmm¡­ This one has a good look. We¡¯re going to get this edited. Now, shall we move on to the free-acting part?¡± Finally, the long introduction ended. Hearing that, they sighed with relief. They too must have been tired from shooting for almost two hours straight. I was tired too. But I couldn¡¯t show it. ¡°Even though it¡¯s not their job, they help me like this. I couldn¡¯t let them see I was exhausted. So I replied with an even more enthusiastic response. ¡°Yes! Please continue to shoot free acting!¡± ¡°All right then. We¡¯ll take a 10-minute break. ¡± Then all of the staff started to move around. It wasn¡¯t to smoke or go to the bathroom. ¡°Yo, Junhyeon! Move the light to the back!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to lower the intensity of the light now that it¡¯s free-acting?¡± ¡°Maybe we should just leave it at the same level?¡± ¡°Hey, there¡¯s that annoying ck smudge where the tape used to be. Wipe it off. It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡± ¡°Hey, floor sweeper! Howe it is so dirty?¡± It was resting for the actor, but not for the crew. In the pursuit of making the best video, they had to make fine adjustments even when others were resting. ¡°They must have been incredibly tired.¡± However, they didn¡¯t seem to want to stop working. Even the director of the shoot, Eom Hyeryeong, continued to work and gave various instructions. ¡°Even so, it would be good to take a break.¡± After watching the crew, I turned to Eom Hyeryeong and said, ¡°Director. I¡¯m going to buy some drinks from the grocery store. Do you want anything?¡± ¡°Me? Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Yes. While I¡¯m doing that, I¡¯m going to get something to drink for the Director and everyone else.¡± Director Eom Hyeryeong looked at me and smiled a little. Then sheughed and said: ¡°Then please get me ¡®Sol¡¯s Tears.''¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Sol¡¯s Tears? Does anybody drink that out of their own will? ¡°Really, ¡®Sol¡¯s Tears¡¯?¡± I asked cautiously, thinking I might have misheard. ¡°Yes. Why?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no. I just wanted to double-check. It was quite a unique taste. Eom Hyeryeong shouted. ¡°Youngest, go get something to drink with Kang Jinseok. We have another 20-minute break!¡± ¡°Great!¡± ¡°Oof, my back was hurting. This is a relief.¡± ¡°Cigarette break?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the restroom first.¡± The staff cheered and left the studio at her words. I made my way to the convenience store with the youngest members of the staff. ¡°By the way, there really is a ¡®Sol¡¯s Tears¡¯ fan.¡± I said with this new insight. *** ¡°He does have a sense of humor. Make the break longer.¡± Eom Hyeryeong smiled contentedly. She saw Jinseok leaving the studio with the youngest staff members. Eom Hyeryeong then nced at herptop as she quietly looked at the door through which Jinseok had left. There, the video of Jinseok introducing himself, recorded only moments ago, was already loaded. ¡°I might as well start the preliminary editing until they return from the grocery store. Detailed editing can be der in the editing room or at home. But it would be better to show a draft. It¡¯s obvious. But just like shooting, Eom Hyeryeong is a pro at editing. She already had a clear idea in her mind of how she would do the editing of the video. Eom Hyeryeong checked the video. She did this by tapping the keyboard and moving the mouse. ¡°Put this in here¡­ Let¡¯s not add any effects. The focus is on the face. Insert the third camera here.¡± Clicking. Tap tap tap. Click, click, tap, tap. The editing had begun on a video that seemed too big for a college admissions video. It involved multiple lights and cameras. And all of this was taking ce under the skilled hands of the Midas of the BDD Broadcasting Station. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°Wow¡­ I¡¯m tired.¡± Six hours to film self-introductions and free performances. It took about two hours to edit. I was in the studio for a total of eight hours. ¡®I¡¯m sorry to the staff.¡¯ The good news is that I was able to take breaks while performing freely. If I hadn¡¯t taken a break like I did during my self-introduction, not only I but also the staff might have copsed from exhaustion. ¡®If you think about it, Director Eom Hyeryeong had the best physical strength.¡¯ What was so funny about her was that she was smiling all the time while filming. When she introduced herself, she didn¡¯t really show that side of herself, but when she did, she definitely looked bright. ¡®She filmed at a level that satisfied the director of the school, so he¡¯ll get epted, right?¡¯ Actually, I was really worried about what to do with free acting. I knew a lot of scripts, but when it came time to choose one, there wasn¡¯t one I really liked. In the end, after much deliberation, Kim Yeonmi chose her favorite drama, My Love from the Moon. It is a drama about the romance between Oh Minjun, an alien who fell to Earth hundreds of years ago, and Man Songi, a bad-tempered Korean Wave star. It was so popr that it was said to be a syndrome when it aired. In that work, I chose to freely act out some of the lines of the female protagonist, ¡®Man Songi¡¯. ¡®It wasn¡¯t easy for me, a man, to y a female role¡­ Still, I decided to show Yeonmi¡¯s acting.¡¯ Kim Yeonmi was a huge fan of Jeon Hyeonji, the actress who yed the role of ¡®Man Songi¡¯. Did I say that if you like something, you will resemble it? In my memory, Kim Yeonmi closely resembled Jeon Hyeonji. ¡®Their acting was really simr.¡¯ ying a female role was a new challenge for me as well. However, when Kim Yeonmi acted based on what she had practiced so far, she was able to act naturally. ¡®It was a lot worse than when I possessed Minsu or Kang Hoshin, but cinematographer Eom Hyeryeong passed it, so it should be okay.¡¯ I transferred the temporarily edited video to my phone and left the house. The destination is a warehouse not far from my house. It was soon time for my part-time job. *** ¡°Hello.¡± When I arrived at the warehouse and said hello, several men greeted me. ¡°Oh! Come! Top star!¡± ¡°Hey, being a top star is tacky. ¡°Call me a ¡®Korean Wave¡¯ star.¡± ¡°Will it be the Korean Wave? ¡°Let¡¯s just call him ¡®Wald¡¯ Star.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Old¡¯, not Wald, you idiot.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Wee! ¡®Old¡¯ star!¡± ¡®Old¡¯ means old¡­ Brothers. The guys weed me cheerfully, as usual. What¡¯s a little different is that it¡¯s a bit more lively than usual. At that time, the work foreman sighed and said. ¡°Ugh¡­ Ignorant bastards. It is not ¡®old¡¯ but ¡®world¡¯. ¡®World¡¯ star!¡± As expected, the work crew chief. He was knowledgeable as a leader. The work foreman who gave advice to other men said. ¡°I enjoyed watching . ¡°Kang Jinseok, you came out looking really cool, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh, did you see it? I was surprised to see it too. ¡°I never thought it woulde out that big.¡± ¡°By the way, my daughter wants me to get your autograph first. Do you have an autograph?¡± Other men also agreed with what the work leader said. They slowly gathered together, as if they had forgotten something. ¡°Oh right. ¡°can you also sign for my wife.¡± ¡°I am your older brother.¡± ¡°I am your younger brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just trying to get it.¡± He said with a shy smile. ¡°I don¡¯t have an autograph yet. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even debut¡­¡± ¡°Ah~ What does it matter if you debut or not? ¡°Just write your name with your hand and that¡¯s your signature.¡± Immediately, other men joined in with the work leader¡¯s words. ¡°Okay, okay. ¡°Park Chunsam also has an autograph here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But his autograph was in English. ¡°I don¡¯t even know the alphabet, but he can write his name in English.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Amazing?¡± These guys are especially good together today. Mr. Park Chunsam, who was pointed out, came out with a proud expression. ¡°Hey, Jinseok. When this hyung sees you, you will definitely stand out. So, make a sign in advance. ¡°You can sign to mine.¡± Uncle Park Chunsam took out a notebook and a pen from his pocket. ¡®Do you usually carry something like that around?¡¯ He wrote something in his notebook for a while and then showed it to me. -PARK SPRING THREE. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡®Why is Chun a SPRING¡­? Is it really spring?¡¯ As I quietly looked at the notebook, other men came to see Park Chunsam¡¯s autograph. ¡°What? Chunsam, why do you have spring in your name? ¡°Aren¡¯t springs supposed to bounce?¡± ¡°Do you know how to read English?¡± ¡°It¡¯s among the items in our warehouse. spring.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What is three again?¡± Park Chunsam, who was looking at those men with pitiful eyes, clicked his tongue and said. ¡°Tsk tsk. These ignorant bastards. PARK is Park! SPRING is spring! THREE is three! ¡°Writing my Chinese characters in English is an English name, you idiots.¡± Then the men shook their heads in admiration. ¡°Oh¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Park Chunsam is more knowledgeable than I thought.¡± ¡°I had no idea.¡± ¡°Then what is Jinseok¡¯s name? Thest name must be KANG, and if it is Jin, it is REAL of Jin, and if it is Seok, it is Stone of Stone?¡± My English name that the guys wrote down was ¡®KANG REAL STONE¡¯. It was a very powerful name. ¡®If you trante it literally¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a real stone.¡¯ The work foreman shook his head. Then he gave me arge sketchbook and a marker. ¡°Just sign your name. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to those idiots.¡± I smiled slightly at his words and clearly wrote ¡®Kang Jinseok¡¯ in the sketchbook. ¡®Now that I¡¯ve written it all down.¡¯ I wrote down all my names on the paper left behind. Then the work foreman smiled and said. ¡°Haha! Later, when you be known, I will have to brag about it. ¡°that I worked with you!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± The man¡¯sughter was strange. Unlike usual, hisughter felt artificial. ¡®It seems like you are watching me for some reason¡­?¡¯ As he looked around him while thinking that, he saw bitter smiles on the other men¡¯s faces as well. As I looked around, the foreman smiled bitterly and said, ¡°Actually¡­ I talked to other guys before you came. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll have to quit this job soon.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It will be difficult to work early in the morning once filming starts, so today may be yourst day with us.¡± He didn¡¯t think of that. One day, I might have to quit my part-time job when my schedule gets busier, but I didn¡¯t think that was the case yet. ¡°Then the atmosphere died¡­ so I prepared some jokes on purpose, but I don¡¯t know if they liked it.¡± The atmosphere in the warehouse calmed down even more at his words. My rtionship with the guys was quite deep. We¡¯ve been working together ever since I passed the high school qualification exam. ¡®We always worked together except when we were in the military. They also came to visit me.¡¯ I also received a lot of help. Every holiday, we received pocket money and shared food. I attended the weddings of their daughters and sons, and one man even used me as an officiant at his own wedding. I learned about alcohol and life from these people. Although I was single since birth, I also learned about dating from a guy who was good at theory. ¡®They all look rough, but they are really nice people.¡¯ Anyway, what should I say when they say things like this? I didn¡¯t want to feel sad in this calm atmosphere. ¡°Oh, what are you saying? Will I be a different person just because I debut? ¡°I¡¯lle and say hello when I¡¯m not busy, and help with work when I¡¯m free, and that¡¯s it!¡± The work foreman who heard me hesitated a little. It wasn¡¯t behavior suitable for someone as big as a bear, but it wasn¡¯t strange. But sincerity prevails. The man said with a big smile. ¡°Fuhahaha! That¡¯s right! We took it too seriously. Are actors always busy? isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, right! Oh, and I took Jinseok as my son-inw, so he can¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°Huh? What does that mean? ¡°Jinseok is my daughter¡¯s husband?¡± ¡°Have you guys heard of it?¡± But it didn¡¯t feel as awkward as before. As usual, the atmosphere is bright and lively. He said, holding out his cell phone to them. ¡°I filmed a video introducing myself and acting yesterday. Would you like to watch it? There¡¯s still some time left before work starts. ¡°I also included stories about men.¡± Then the men rushed in like a swarm of bees. ¡°What? ¡°Jinseok mentions us in his self-introduction?¡± ¡°Yes. You said you were going to college, right? This is a college entrance exam video. ¡°These days, you have to submit an application like this.¡± The guys sat right next to me and started watching the video. [Hello! I¡¯m Kang Jinseok applied to the Department of Theater at Seoguk University! jin! three! no see! The reason I started acting¡­!] As soon as the video started, Mr. Park Chunsam was impressed. ¡°Hey~ Our Jinseok is handsome¡­!¡± Then, fiercements came back right away. ¡°Ah! ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Take a look first and then tell me!¡± ¡°Park Chunsam, get out!!¡± ¡°Hey, get the box tape. With a stick. Shut up Park Chunsam.¡± ¡°So sorry¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Due to themotion that continued for a long time, the video was eventually reyed from the beginning. As the self-introduction was finished, the story the men had been waiting for is now being yed. [¡¤¡¤¡¤It was a really difficult time. The people who gave me strength at that time were the men I worked with. These are people whom I am truly grateful for.] [¡¤¡¤¡¤If I be a great actor someday, I definitely want to repay them. And until then, I will not give up and work hard like I do now.] After that, we talked a little bit about other things and the self-introduction video ended. Video of about 2 minutes. Although it was a short video, the guys seemed to be quite impressed. ¡°Wow, sir¡­ Did dust get into your eyes? ¡°I¡¯m crying.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this again. Sometimes I cry even when nothing is going on. ¡°It¡¯s even worse as I get older.¡± ¡°Sniff¡­ Wow, it¡¯s still summer, why is it so cold? This isn¡¯t a runny nose from crying. ¡°I guess I have a cold.¡± ¡°Hey! ¡°Jinseok¡¯s acting is being shown now.¡± The men, who were showing different reactions, stared at the cell phone screens again after hearing a word from the work crew leader. [What¡¯s going on¡­? Now? What time is it? Is it a little after 10 o¡¯clock?] [I was on a diet today, so I ate an apple and cabbage all day¡­] Mr. Park Chunsam gaped after watching the video of my free acting. ¡°Uh? Isn¡¯t this it? ¡°It came from the moon¡­¡± This time too, countless looks of criticism poured into Mr. Park Chunsam couldn¡¯t bear it either, so he smiled awkwardly and gestured that he was sorry. The guys couldn¡¯t take their eyes off my phone. ¡®But¡­ I¡¯m more embarrassed than I thought.¡¯ Other people can see my acting through video. It was a different feeling from an audition. *** p¡­ p¡­ A small apuse was heard from behind. p p p! ¡°Wow, Jinseok is no joke! ¡°You can be an actor!¡± ¡°he¡¯s an actor¡± ¡°Idiot!¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing! ¡°Our Jinseok!¡± The men who watched the video to the end were happy and patted me on the shoulder. It was only a clip of my acting, but I felt like I had done something great. Mr. Kim, who was right next to me, said. ¡°Hey! Jinseok. ¡°Are you really good at acting?¡± ¡°Yes? ah¡¤¡¤¡¤. thank you.¡± ¡°No really! When did you film it? No, more than that, when is it going to air?¡± ¡°Filming will be next week, and the broadcast will probably be in a few months.¡± Then the men each shouted in irritated voices. ¡°Does filming take that long? ¡°Isn¡¯t each drama one hour?¡± ¡°You idiot. Just because one episode is one hour, are you going to film it for just one hour? Anyway, Park Chunsam always shows his stupidity.¡± ¡°I want to see you act¡­ ¡°Jinseok, can¡¯t you just steal what you took?¡± In the midst of themotion, the work foreman shouted loudly. ¡°Everyone be quiet! ¡°I had something to ask you!¡± The men all became quiet. Then the work foreman asked me in a solemn voice. ¡°Ahem. Jinseok. ¡°You said you were going to college, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s not confirmed yet. ¡°You have to stick together to go¡­¡± ¡°It will stick. clearly! ¡°Don¡¯t be so lucky, but what I, or rather we, are curious about is¡­.¡± The work foreman asked with a proud voice. ¡°How much does college tuition cost per semester? ¡°That guy says it costs 400 to 500 million won, is that right?¡± He said, pointing to Mr. Kim, who was watching my video again next to me. ¡°Yes. It will be a little over 4 million won. But why is that?¡± ¡°Why, why? ¡°We want to give a schrship to you from ¡®Seongsu Warehouse.¡¯¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°My son, Jinseok, is going to college. He should pay the first tuition fee. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± After speaking, the foreman took out a thick envelope from his pocket. The envelope was much thicker than the ones he had received before. From the looks of it, this money also looked like it saved them. Of course, I couldn¡¯t receive it. This kind of money. ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m really fine. ¡°I received an appearance fee, and the money I saved¡­¡± ¡°Sheesh! If an adult gives you alcohol and money, you definitely ept it. So ¡°Just ept it okay.¡± The work foreman forced an envelope into my hand. Then he gave me sincere advice and support. ¡°Keep working hard and be humble like you are now. Then you will definitely achieve your dreams. Got it? ¡°These guys will support you until the end no matter what happens to you.¡± Suddenly, the words ¡®our son, Jinseok¡¯ came to mind a little while ago. For some reason, my heart sank. I never cried except when acting, but strangely, I cried. Suddenly, tears filled my eyes. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Why are you crying over something like this? You not a child anymore¡­¡¯ I lowered my head so as not to be caught crying. But I couldn¡¯tpletely suppress my crying. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ck.¡± Then the men gathered together one by one and patted me on the shoulder. ¡°Good luck with your filming tomorrow. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that we are always behind you.¡± ¡°Okay. If a strict guy bothers you, tell the guys. ¡°I will chase after them right away.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything else, just work hard, work hard. ¡°Be Healthy.¡± I couldn¡¯t raise my head. So I just nodded. And I thought to myself. ¡®For my first shoot, I¡¯ll have to work really hard¡­¡¯ Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Time passed quickly and before I knew it, it was filming day. My debut work is Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯s debut work. The title of the work is . The brief synopsis of the drama is as follows. Brothers ¡®Minjun¡¯ and ¡®Minho¡¯ had poor kidney function since birth. The younger brother, ¡®Minho,¡¯ has more severe symptoms than his older brother, ¡®Minjun,¡¯ so he decides to receive his mother¡¯s kidney. Then one day. The mother of two brothers hears from the doctor that his older brother ¡®Minjun¡¯s¡¯ kidneys are rapidly deteriorating. They were even told that he might die if he didn¡¯t get a transnt quickly. His younger brother ¡®Minjun¡¯, who overheard the story, decides to give up his own transnt and give his kidney to his brother. Although it was difficult and painful enough to kill him, he decided to sacrifice himself for his brother. In the end, ¡®Minjun¡¯ receives her mother¡¯s kidney, but ¡®Minho¡¯ passes away not long after that. Due to that influence, ¡®Minjun¡¯ decided to be a doctor, started studyingte, and entered medical school, to be top of his ss. Afterward, Minjunpletes all courses with utmost passion and is epted into a famous university hospital. ¡®The problem is that the university hospital where he got a job is the hospital where he had surgery and where his younger brother died.¡¯ The real drama begins from here. While working at the hospital, ¡®Minjun¡¯ identally sees the contents of his younger brother¡¯s and his own checkups from long ago. However, the record was a little strange. It seemed like his and his brother¡¯s test results before the transnt had changed. In other words, there was a possibility that it was a medical ident caused by a doctor¡¯s ridiculous mistake. ¡®Minjun¡¯ begins to suspect that it may have been his younger brother who needed a kidney transnt, not him. And as I hear the suspicious testimony of a nurse who remembers that day, my suspicions grow. ¡®But the doctor who operated at that time is now very close to the hospital director. So he couldn¡¯t investigate easily and after that¡­¡¯ That¡¯s when I tried to think about the next scenario. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Why are there so many hills at school?¡± I saw a tall, long hill. Today, I was going to the filming location, ¡®Hanhyang University Hospital¡¯. It was about two subway stops from my house, so I walked to brace myself. However, no matter how much I tried to arm myself mentally, this hill was a bit difficult. ¡®It¡¯s a bit wet with sweat before filming, but¡­¡¯ I had already walked a long way and my body was hot. If you walk up a hill like this in this situation, your whole body will definitely be wet with sweat. ¡®Hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®Should I take a taxi?¡¯ ¡°Hey¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Look at that oppa.¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy. But why do you call people oppa?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re handsome, then they¡¯re my brother. But I think I¡¯ve seen him somewhere¡­¡± ¡°Hey, girl. You say you¡¯ve seen that handsome man somewhere? ¡°I¡¯m going to try to put some words into it so don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°No no. really. ¡°I think I saw it on TV.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, bitch.¡± Someone next to me was whispering, but I was too tired to have to climb this steep hill to pay attention. I looked around. Everyone was climbing the hill like it was nothing. Still, just in case, I asked the students who were just talking earlier. ¡°I¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to ask you for directions.¡± Then the students watching me were surprised. ¡°Yes yes!¡± ¡°I need to go to Hanhyang University Hospital, is this the only way?¡± The students looked at each other and said. ¡°Uh¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°If it¡¯s a hospital, it¡¯s behind our ssroom.¡± ¡°We will guide you to the entrance of the hospital. ¡°My name is Ha Seonwoo, ss of ¡®21¡­!¡± ¡°Me too! I will also guide you. ¡°My name is Nayeon Kim!¡± Students who are very enthusiastic about giving directions. ¡®They are very kind¡­¡¯ While they spoke, they smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you. ¡°Then can I ask you a favor?.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± *** ¡®It¡¯s fortunate that there is a shortcut that only students know about.¡¯ Thanks to the friendly students, I arrived at Hanhyang University Hospitalfortably. I heard on the way here that those students are medical students. So, they know the way to the hospital well. ¡®AD Kang Heeyeon said I coulde by 4 o¡¯clock¡­ There¡¯s still time.¡¯ Anyway, I arrived two hours early. I tried toe early to go to the filming set in advance, say hello to the other staff members, and rx, but I felt like I came too early. It¡¯s not a problem that I came early, just making sure that there won¡¯t be any problem. ¡®Let¡¯s do well.¡¯ I went into the hospital after repeating the promise I had made thousands and thousands of times since yesterday. ¡°Uh? Jinseok Kang! ¡°You came really early?¡± At that time, AD Kang Heeyeon¡¯s voice was heard from behind. AD Kang Heeyeon still carries around a lot of things like the youngest. It was quite a burden. The amount was such that it was impossible to tell whether Kang Heeyeon was carrying the luggage or whether the luggage was carrying Kang Heeyeon. ¡®It looks very heavy. ¡®She doesn¡¯t give off any signs of being heavied.¡¯ Without thinking, I walked up to her and helped her carry some of her luggage. He then smiled brightly and said. ¡°Hello, AD. ¡°Maybe because it was my first shoot, I was nervous so I came a little early.¡± ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤. yes.¡± Kang Heeyeon looked at me nkly and took the luggage. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Load! Give me that! ¡°If someone sees the actor carrying luggage, I¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡± Then he pped his arms with a startled expression and said, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! ¡°Please give it to me quickly.¡± AD Kang Heeyeon was embarrassed and tried to take the luggage I had. But seeing her sweating profusely made me feel uneasy. ¡°Anyway, since it¡¯s in this building, I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Still¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± Kang Heeyeon pursed her lips as if she was trying to say something. ¡°Are you okay? ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to carry luggage.¡± When I said it, she sighed slightly. ¡°All right. Thank you so much¡­¡± Carrying luggage in both hands, I followed AD Kang Heeyeon to the waiting room. He didn¡¯t know where the waiting room was, so if it weren¡¯t for Kang Heeyeon, he would have gotten lost again. ¡®I¡¯ll have to go to a lot of other filming locations in the future¡­ I guess I¡¯ll get used to it if I go to the filming set a lot.¡¯ I was thinking about that. Kang Heeyeon stopped in front of a room and said. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Kang Heeyeon pointed to the door. On the door was written ¡®Actor Kang Jinseok¡¯s waiting room.¡¯ I was embarrassed. Usually, minor roles do not receive private waiting rooms. This is obvious, but what drama producer in the world would dedicate a waiting room to a minor role? In particr, outdoor shooting is always a busy ce, so every space is precious. Moreover, today¡¯s filming location is not a studio, but an ordinary university hospital. There is no way the facilities arefortable. ¡®But why does it have my name on it?¡¯ As I stood nkly looking at the door, AD Kang Heeyeon smiled and said. ¡°When filming today, the producer deliberately left the room for you so that you could film in the best conditions!¡± ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Something felt strange. This is what it feels like to be recognized as an ¡®actor¡¯. ¡®Let¡¯s do well.¡¯ While I was making another promise to myself, AD Kang Heeyeon asked me a question. ¡°Really. ¡°Then, since you came early, I think it would be a good idea to get your makeup done in advance. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Ah yes! it¡¯s okay!¡± ¡°Yes. Then please wait for a moment~.¡± I said hello to AD Kang Heeyeon and entered ¡®my¡¯ waiting room. Really, there was nothing missing. ¡®Simple chairs, water, beverages, spare scripts, snacks, and even a full-fledged air conditioner¡­¡¯ Until now, I had always waited on the street or next to a building. It wasn¡¯t just me, it was most of the extras and supporting actors. There were times when there was a waiting room for supporting actors, but at that time, it was notfortable because so many people were crowded into a small space. Inparison, this was a hotel, a 5-star hotel at that. What¡¤¡¤¡¤. Although I have never been to a 5-star hotel. Anyway, I was looking at the script for about 10 minutes when someone knocked on the door. Knock Knock. ¡°Yes, pleasee in!¡± As soon as I answered, the door opened, and PD Kim Mansoo and the makeup artist came in. He jumped up from his seat and bowed deeply. ¡°Hello! I will do my best in the filming today! I look forward to it!¡± Then PD Kim Mansoo smiled and nodded his head. ¡°I have to ask you nicely. AD Kang Heeyeon told me that you came early. So I came to say hello.¡± The PD came just to say hello. That can¡¯t be possible. Filming, no matter how big or small, is always so busy that it resembles war. Moreover, this work is the debut work of ¡®Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯. We must pay close attention to every detail, and we will continue to do so in the future. The reason why he came and said hello even though he was so busy¡­ ¡®Maybe he¡¯s trying to relieve my tension.¡¯ While I was thinking about this and that, producer Kim Mansoo sat on a simple chair next to me. ¡°Let¡¯s talk for a moment. ¡°Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± While getting my makeup done, We talked about various things with producer Kim Mansoo. From being nervous about being filmed for the first time to being cast in PD Na Jinho¡¯s work. ¡°Senior Na Jinho really likes Kang Jinseok. The same goes for writer Jo Seokwon. ¡°I guess my eyes were right after all.¡± ¡°Thank you. Thank you for giving me such a great opportunity. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the PD.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just wishing ¡°I just wanted to wish the talented and hard-working actors well.¡± When the makeup was finished, PD Kim Mansoo looked at the clock and asked. ¡°I¡¯m about to go back to the filming set. Would you like toe with me? Or you can rest here.¡± ¡°Oh, I want to go too. This was my first time doing such arge-scale shoot, so I decided to take a tour in advance. But wouldn¡¯t it be a hindrance if I followed?¡± He asked cautiously. Although he is an actor who is not well-known at all, the staff may be concerned. Producer Kim Mansoo responded to my words with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be fine. And our staff likes you so much that everyone will want to say hello.¡± ¡°Yes? ¡°Me?¡± When I asked as if I didn¡¯t understand the meaning, PD Kim Mansoo asked back. ¡°I heard that Director Eom Hyeryeong was there over the weekend and that she was the benefactor who saved you from there. ¡°She filmed your entrance exam video.¡± ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡®That¡¯s why so many staff members gathered together on the weekend.¡¯ Now that I understood the situation at that time, I smiled sheepishly. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s go to the filming location.¡± After finishing speaking, PD Kim Mansoo opened the door and left, and I immediately followed him. ¡®But today is a weekday, how did you get cooperation for filming?¡¯ When filming in a general building like this, rather than a set or studio, you must receive filming cooperation. Of course, getting cooperation for filming is more difficult than you might think. From the perspective of the people working or living in the building, having film crews crowding around doesn¡¯t look good. This is especially difficult in the case of specialized facilities such as hospitals. Because there is a lot of work and it is a very crowded ce, permits are not often granted in the first ce. ¡®Even if they allow it, it would be normal to just take a quick film on Sunday.¡¯ I quietly asked PD Kim Mansoo, who was walking in front of me. ¡°But it was a weekday and you received cooperation for filming? ¡°Don¡¯t they usually do this on weekdays?¡± When I asked, PD Kim Mansoo said as if he had forgotten. ¡°Oh right. I was going to ask that too. Originally, we were going to film on Sunday. However, there was a problem with the schedule, so I asked for cooperation in filming on weekdays.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I thought it wouldn¡¯t work, but a Doctor helped me a lot.¡± Producer Mansoo Kim continued. ¡°I heard you know him very well. What was his name? Was it Kim Minhan? ¡°I don¡¯t remember exactly.¡± ¡°Minhan Kim?¡± ¡®If it¡¯s Kim Minhan¡­ does it have the same name as Minsu¡¯s older brother?¡¯ It was then. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s him. You said you wereing to see the filming, and you actually came. Hello Doc!¡± Producer Kim Mansoo pointed to one side and greeted. Then I heard a familiar voice. ¡°Yes, hello. PD. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to an interesting piece of work.¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°And¡¤¡¤¡¤. hello. long time no see. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡®This person is¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ It was Kim Minhan, a neat-looking doctor who had lost the gaunt face and dirty beard I had seen before. I spoke in a trembling voice without realizing it. ¡°Minsu¡­ Brother?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. This is my first time greeting you officially. My name is Doctor Minhan Kim. I enjoyed watching . ¡°As expected, you look much better in person than in the photos.¡± Minsu¡¯s older brother offered to shake my hand with a bright smile. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t recognized it, I would have been in big trouble. Because I am the type of person who has to repay favors somehow. ¡°If you need my help in the future, I wille forward at any time.¡± Minsu¡¯s image ovepped with his bright smile. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 With a dazed feeling, I shook hands with Minhan Kim. Then PD Kim Mansoo asked as if he was curious. ¡°Mr. Jinseok, how do you know Professor Minhan Kim? ¡°You have great connections, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, that¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say. Because I can¡¯t say, ¡®I met his dead brother in a dream, and I conveyed his heart to him on my behalf.¡¯ ¡®What should I say¡­?¡¯ While I was thinking, Minhan Kim smiled and said. ¡°He is my brother¡¯s friend. And he was the one who helped me when I was really having a hard time.¡± ¡°Aha, I see.¡± My brother¡¯s friend. It was an unexpected answer. However, Producer Kim Mansoo nodded as if it was the answer he was looking forward to. Producer Kim Mansoo looked at me and said. ¡°The filming schedule went well thanks to the doctor¡¯s help. That¡¯s also thanks to Jinseok, so I¡¯m really grateful.¡± ¡°Oh, no. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything¡­¡± When I waved my hands and spoke awkwardly, Kim Minhan spoke politely to producer Kim Mansoo this time. ¡°PD. I¡¯m sorry, but I need to talk to Jinseok for a moment. ¡°Can I please talk to him?¡± ¡°Oh, of course. I also have to get back to work now¡­ then.¡± When PD Kim Mansoo left, Kim Minhan looked at me. Then he slowly opened his mouth. ¡°I won¡¯t ask how you met Minsu. In any case, I received great grace from you Jinseok.¡± Kim Minhan continued speaking quietly. ¡°That grace¡­ Someday, when you need my help, I will definitely repay you. ¡°Actually, as a doctor, it would be best if I had to help rted to health and surgeries.¡± Minhan Kim took out a business card from his pocket and gave it to me. The business card was written as ¡®Kim Minhan, doctor of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery at Hanhyang University Hospital.¡¯ As I epted his business card with slightly trembling hands, Minhan Kim held my hand tightly and said, ¡°Thank you so much again. ¡°I will always support you.¡± Kim Minhan, who held my hand for a few seconds, bowed lightly and headed off somewhere. Unlike before, I walked lighter than anyone else. I was so embarrassed that I couldn¡¯t even answer properly, but I felt proud to see Kim Minhan¡¯s brightened appearance and his voice. ¡®Minsu¡¯s request¡­. Fortunately, I think I aplished correctly.¡¯ Actually, I was a little worried after listening to Minsu¡¯s request. This is because I didn¡¯t know if I had properly conveyed Minsu¡¯s feelings to his brother. But hearing those words eased the worry in my heart. ¡°Hehe!¡± He sighed heavily and collected his thoughts. Now all that was left was my first shoot. *** At around 3:30, the actors began to arrive one by one. The first to arrive was senior Park Woohyun. ¡°Oh, Jinseok. it¡¯s been a long time. ¡°How have you been?¡± I bowed deeply and said hello. ¡°Hello, senior. I had a good time. Thank you so much for the rmendation. I think it will be of great help.¡± ¡°Why are you so thankful for something like that? Let¡¯s do a good job filming today. ¡°I feel this every time I read the script, you are really important in .¡± He spoke in a serious voice to his words. ¡°Yes. ¡°I will do much better than I practiced.¡± ¡°Haha! Don¡¯t apply too much force. Because I might be speechless again. Anyway, I like that attitude. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter then.¡± Senior Park Woohyun tries to ease the tension with a light joke. After a short conversation with him, I headed to the filming set. The filming location was much more crowded than before. However, it looked much more stable, perhaps because the lighting and camera were in ce properly. ¡°All the actors are here!¡± When one of the staff members shouted loudly, PD Kim Mansoo pped his hands and said, ¡°Before we start filming, let me nag you one more time. ¡°During the first shoot, silly mistakes often happen that wouldn¡¯t normally happen.¡± Several staff members nodded at PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s words. It might be like a jinx that exists on all filming sets. ¡°There are situations like a microphone cord being unplugged or aptop battery being low. ¡°Also, lights that were fine may suddenly turn off.¡± Check the microphone wire,ptop battery, and lighting. This is the basic of all basics that the staff gathered here can never make a mistake. However, there was not a single staff member who ignored PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s words. ¡°Now, 30 minutes before filming starts. Please check if there is anything wrong in that area. ¡°I will check again.¡± ¡°All right!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check!¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s focus!¡± After hearing PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s words, the staff members began checking their equipment. Watching them like that, Iy down on the hospital bed in the middle of the filming set. In this scene, I appear lying down in this hospital bed and exit after about 30 seconds. If you only look at the entrance and exit scenes, the role is worse than that of an ordinary extra. ¡®But as senior Park Woohyun said earlier, it is not a small part.¡¯ The death of my younger brother ¡®Minho¡¯, the role I yed, ys a decisive role in the main character ¡®Minjun¡¯ bing a doctor. If Minho dies normally, viewers will not be able to empathize with Minjun¡¯s hard work. ¡®So¡¤¡¤¡¤. As others have said, I am the most important in this work.¡¯ While I was mentally arming myself for thest time. ¡°Let¡¯s start filming!¡± I heard the staff¡¯s voice. *** Although he was acting calm on the outside, PD Kim Mansoo was now in a state of extreme tension. ¡®I guess everything is ready, right? The camera won¡¯t suddenly turn off or something like that, right? ¡®There won¡¯t be any sudden deletion of the saved copy, right?¡¯ If it were a normal shoot, he wouldn¡¯t have been this nervous. However, today¡¯s filming is the first filming of his debut film. His future life as a producer depended on this work. ¡®I have seen countless times what happened to seniors who ruined their debut work. ¡®I have to do well no matter what.¡¯ The reason those seniors ruined their work was never because of their skills. They were also professionals who had worked for many years and created several works. However, skill and effort alone are not enough to seed. ¡®Especially in broadcasting, you definitely need luck to seed. So, please¡­ Good luck.¡¯ Knowing that excessive tension is poison, producer Kim Mansoo tried to force himself to rx. He took deep breaths and drank water often. However, the human mind does not work as one thinks. His legs, which normally don¡¯t tremble, were shaking, and he was biting his nails, which he didn¡¯t normally do. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he ended up chain-smoking even though he had quit for the past five years. ¡®I¡¯m at the hospital. Should I ask for Cheongsimhwan? I don¡¯t know if something like that exists at the university hospital or not.¡¯ Producer Kim Mansoo saw Jinseok lyingfortably on the bed with eyes full of tension. ¡®I believe it. Let¡¯s do something big. Jinseok Kang!¡¯ I wasn¡¯t worried about Jinseok¡¯s acting. He was already an actor himself, confirmed several times, and recognized by his seniors Na Jinho and the famously picky Eom Hyeryeong. ¡®Even so¡­ ¡®Maybe we¡¯ve put too much of a burden on a rookie.¡¯ He¡¯s clearly had no worries until yesterday. But when the day arrived, PD Kim Mansoo was worried about a thousand things. ¡®I guess this is why other seniors act so sensitive when filming begins.¡¯ It was only after I reached a simr position that I understood my seniors. ¡®After¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®I have to start now.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s start filming.¡± Producer Kim Mansoo spoke calmly, and the assistant director who heard it shouted loudly. ¡°Let¡¯s start filming!¡± The monster has been cast. *** The camera started rolling with the words, ¡®I¡¯m going into scene number one!¡¯ After knowing that, I was immediately immersed in acting. ¡®It has begun.¡¯ The camera started rolling. After seeing that, I was immediately immersed in acting. Then my vision became blurry. ¡ª¨C ¡°Hmm¡­ Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Minsu¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry mom¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª As Minsu, I was lying in a hospital bed. I couldn¡¯t see clearly in front of me, and I could hear my mother sobbing next to me. I wanted to see his mother¡¯s face, but I couldn¡¯t get a good look. To be precise, it would be urate to say that it was very difficult to open my eyes. ¡ª¡ª Grumble. Bang! ¡°Ui¡­ Min¡­ han?¡± ¡ª¡ª Minsu¡¯s older brother, Kim Minhan, roughly opened the hospital room door and entered. I still couldn¡¯t open my eyes, so I couldn¡¯t see him. I could barely tell he hade in just by his voice. Kim Minhan¡¯s voice is heard interrupted. ¡ª¡ª ¡°No! This is¡­ silence! ¡¤¡¤¡¤ I am¡­ fine¡­! Min¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡¤¡¤¡¤ han! ¡°Get your mind together!¡± ¡ª¡ª It was difficult to understand what was being said because the speech was interrupted. But I could tell that Kim Minhan was angry. Minsu, no, ¡®I¡¯ wanted to talk to Kim Minhan from the moment I first entered the hospital room. ¡®It¡¯s okay.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t speak. I had no strength in my entire body, and my only surviving sense was hearing. I cried. But I wasn¡¯t sad. My older brother, who was sick, became healthy enough to get angry like that. I was so happy about it that tears of joy welled up. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Brother¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª I muster up all my strength and raise my hand. To beckon my brother. But there was no way. I know that this body is already dead. I try to move my head as much as I can¡­ ¡ª¡ª ¡®How can I keep my brother from getting angry?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª But lying still like a dead person was all I could do right now. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Now I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª Even though he was young, he realized that he would die soon. So he wanted to see his family onest time. But his body, which was so weak, couldn¡¯t even allow that. Then he felt someone grab his arm tightly. ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Hey! ¡°Spirit¡­ Ryo this bar¡­ hey¡­¡± ¡°Isk¡­ I did it¡­ ah¡­¡± ¡°Do it¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª Speech sounds more broken. I barely realized that it was my brother who was holding my arm and yelling at me. Now my mind is so blurred that it¡¯s difficult to even hear my brother¡¯s voice. ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡ª¡ª Do your best to move your facial muscles. It wasn¡¯t an easy task, but I didn¡¯t want to leave my final appearance in this sad state. So, I did my best to hold back the tears and smile. ¡ª¡ª Beep-. ¡ª¡ª At that time, a ¡®beep¡¯ sound was heard from somewhere. That was the sound you often hear in dramas when someone dies. It was then. My vision returned to normal, and now I was surrounded by numerous cameras and lights. ¡®I¡¯m back at the filming site.¡¯ While I was thinking that, someone opened the door hard. Grumble. bang! ¡°Okay, doctor. Minho, why are you doing that? ¡°Am I okay?¡± It may have been a passing line for senior Park Woohyun, but for Kim Minhan and ¡®Minsu¡¯, it actually happened. And I will make this performance a reality based on my experience of being possessed. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Producer Kim Mansoo was watching the filming scene while swallowing his dry saliva. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Hmm.¡¯ Multiple cameras are used in drama filming. This is because you cannot create rich images with just one camera. Also, when multiple actors appear in a scene, each camera must film a different actor. Therefore, no matter how talented a producer is, he cannot check every actor¡¯s performance in real-time. ¡®Therefore¡¤¡¤¡¤. First, let¡¯s look at Park Woohyun¡¯s acting. After cutting, I can check Kang Jinseok¡¯s acting.¡¯ As soon as Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯s mind was organized, filming began. Grumble. Bang! ¡°Okay, doctor. Minho, why are you doing that? ¡°Am I okay?¡± The door to the hospital room opened and Park Woohyun came in and said. ¡®Okay¡­ first of all, the first is stable.¡¯ Min Kyungsoo¡¯s line follows immediately. ¡°Minho¡­ sorry. My symptoms suddenly got worse¡­ Obviously, the test results were okay until a few days ago¡­ .¡± A serious voice that makes it hard to believe that Min Kyungsoo is always full of fun. Park Woohyun got angry and took the line back. ¡°No, my symptoms suddenly got worse¡­ ¡°What do you mean!¡± ¡°¡­ .¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the doctor says! really?!¡± ¡°¡­ Sorry.¡± ¡°Fuck¡­ Minho! hey! Minho Kim! ¡°Come to your senses!¡± Park Woohyun gets angry at the doctor and approaches his younger brother ¡®Minho¡¯. He acted like he really had the experience of losing his younger brother. After getting angry for a while, he started crying when he saw his brother who was motionless. A hospital room filled with only Park Woohyun crying. Kim Mansoo did not take his eyes off the camera and waited for Jinseok¡¯s line. ¡°Are you okay¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± At that time, a voice filled with indescribable emotions flowed from Jinseok¡¯s mouth. As soon as he heard that voice, a smile appeared on Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯s face. ¡®The voice really kills me.¡¯ ¡°Cut!¡± Usually, when the PD shouts ¡®cut¡¯, other staff members repeat words. Saying things like ¡®I¡¯ll take a break!¡¯ or ¡®I¡¯ll check before leaving!¡¯ But now the filming site waspletely silent. ¡®What?¡¯ Producer Kim Mansoo nced at the actors. While focusing only on Park Woohyun¡¯s screen, he may have missed something. Then, what PD Kim Mansoo saw was ¡®Min Kyungsoo¡¯, a doctor who killed a patient due to his own ridiculous mistake. The older brother, ¡®Park Woohyun¡¯, mes himself for the fact that his younger brother died because of him. Finally, The younger brother, ¡®Kang Jinseok¡¯, leaves everything behind and tries tofort his older brother. He was showing himself. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Oh my god.¡¯ Except for himself, who was only watching Park Woohyun, everyone on set was fascinated by Jinseok¡¯s acting. Jinseok¡¯s acting made the filming a reality. *** ¡°Thank you for your hard work filming!¡± ¡°Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤. yes AD Kang Heeyeon, thank you for your hard work!¡± Unfortunately or fortunately, the filming ended in one go. Of course,ter we will film the ¡®telling his mother that he was giving up the kidney for his older brother¡¯ scene, so my filming is notpletely over, but¡­ ¡®I guess it¡¯s okay¡­? Because it went well, it must have been over in one take.¡¯ My first performance in real life using possession. I was very curious how the acting came out. ¡®I wish I could see the footage¡­ ¡®It might be difficult because I¡¯m busy with other scenes.¡¯ My shoot was over in less than 5 minutes, but there were still plenty of other shots left. I heard that there are a lot of scenes to be filmed at the hospital today, so they might film untilte at night. While I was regretting not being able to see the footage, AD Kang Heeyeon said to me. ¡°I¡­ Mr. Jinseok.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The acting was really good earlier. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the staff so mesmerized on that filming set.¡± When filming, I tried to show Minsu. Minsu, who was trying tofort his older brother even though he couldn¡¯t even lift a finger, was portrayed as is. ¡®Fortunately, I guess it was conveyed well.¡¯ AD Kang Heeyeon was always smiling, but her current expression showed that she looked up to me. The look in her eyes is like a fan looking at a star. Maybe it was my imagination, but it felt good. ¡°Senior Park Woohyun¡¯s acting was so good that I was able to easily immerse myself in it. Senior Min Kyungsoo also treated him very well.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I heard a familiar voice behind me. ¡°Jinseok, you worked hard. It was really great! today.¡± When I looked back, I saw senior Park Woohyun. It seemed like he had some free time and came to say hello. ¡°Senior, thank you for your hard work. First of all, you created a good atmosphere so I was able to actfortably. Senior Park Woohyun smiled slightly at my words and tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°What are you talking about? ¡°I got help.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes?¡± ¡°When I opened the door and saw you, I was immediately immersed in it. ¡°How can you act like lying still so realistically?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I kept crying because I felt like my brother who didn¡¯t even exist was dying. Even though the PD cut, you couldn¡¯t move.¡± Now that I think about it, I think it was like that. Producer Kim Mansoo clearly shouted ¡®cut¡¯, but no one moved. ¡®It was as if time had stopped.¡¯ As I was reminiscing about my first acting, senior Park Woohyun told me. ¡°I have to go again. Anyway, Jinseok, today was really nice. If you keep doing that in the future, you will rise really quickly. Let¡¯s work together on the next project as well.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s do this together in the next project too¡­¡¯ It was the highestpliment for his junior. ¡°Thank you!¡± Senior Park Woohyun, who received my greeting, immediately returned to the filming set. Looking at the Mulkkeureomi filming set, I can see Producer Kim Mansoo filming with a smile on his face. I felt even more reassured when I saw PD Kim Mansoo smiling. If the filming didn¡¯t go well producer, and director Kim Mansoo shouldn¡¯t be smiling like that. ¡®Then, should I go now?¡¯ There was a lot to do. I had to read the scripts of producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon¡¯s work, and also practice my college entrance exam skills. ¡®Well, I guess I have to go to a part-time job too.¡¯ ¡°Then, AD Kang Heeyeon. ¡°I¡¯ll just go in now.¡± ¡°Ah yes! Thank you for your hard work! then¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Are we not going to be able to see each other for a while?¡± AD Kang Heeyeon speaks a little regretfully. I smiled and said to her. ¡°I will work harder and be cast in many works. Then I will be able to see you again anytime soon¡­¡± -Hey Heeyeon! You¡¯re so busy, what are you doing there?! Come quickly and help!! At that time, someone from afar called AD Kang Heeyeon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, senior! I¡¯m going now!! Well then, Jinseok, I¡¯ll see youter!¡± AD Kang Heeyeon quickly said goodbye and ran to the staff member who had called her. Kang Heeyeon disappears far away before I can answer. As soon as he disappeared, it felt like today¡¯s filming for him was over. ¡®I need to go home quickly and get ready to go to my part-time job.¡¯ *** ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤So! ¡°For our school¡¯s second exam, we have to say ¡®same-day lines¡¯!¡± ¡°Same-day ambassador?¡± ¡°Yes! You chose a short script on test day, right? ¡°You analyze it on the spot and act it out.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Isn¡¯t it too difficult?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. What is the type of practical test? How do I do it? ¡°If you tell me to do it, I have to do it.¡± I was currently finishing up my part-time job at a cafe with Seo Yeonsoo. For your information, after aired, our cafe became even more famous and is now called a Seongsu-dong specialty. I didn¡¯t know much about it because I don¡¯t use SNS, but Seo Yeonsoo said that my photos are also posted frequently. ¡®I was slightly offended and it was a vition of portrait rights.¡¯ Anyway, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now. ¡°Are you going to test your lines on the day using a movie or drama script?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different every time. Sometimes a movie or drama scriptes out, and sometimes aedy scriptes out. There are also scripts written by professors themselves. ah! ¡°Sometimes si scriptse out, too.¡± There was a lot of variety. The level is virtually impossible to predict. ¡°But they even write si scripts for college entrance exams?¡± ¡°Yes. Even if it¡¯s a si, acting is acting. But you shouldn¡¯t just watch sis lightly. It¡¯s quite difficult to do sis because if you do it wrong, it can seem like you¡¯re overdoing it. Or it¡¯s not fun at all.¡± My head nodded at Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s words. Sis are a genre where you can¡¯t act properly unless you fully understand the situation. ¡°In the end, luck is also important. ¡°If a script I knowes out, it¡¯s a big hit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why a lot of people say that it¡¯s too much about luck. But because professors skip famous dramas and movies, there are almost no scripts that students can understand.¡± ¡°But. ¡°Professors all have their own thoughts, too.¡± Seo Yeonsoo, who was exining the lines of the day, said one more thing as if she had forgotten. ¡°Oh, and you also need to prepare special skills and improvisation. His specialty is literally. ¡°For improvisation, you just have to act out the situation presented by the professor.¡± ¡°The situation the professor presents?¡± ¡°Yes. For example, if you ask me to act like a son who meets his family for the first time in 10 years, I will act ording to the situation. Oh, I heard that my seniors once told me to express ¡®falling leaves¡¯?¡± It was a different test from the ambassador that day. It was definitely not an easy test. ¡°Why are there so many exams?¡± ¡°Hey. ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s such a good school.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but¡­ after.¡± Having said this, I was quite confident. I had worked hard on my acting in the meantime, and I also had memories of Yeonmi preparing for the entrance exam for ten years. ¡®While acting as Minsu and Kang Hoshin, expressing emotions became more natural.¡¯ I felt like I could pass at this level. ¡®The second practical session is next Monday. There wasn¡¯t much left. I need to practice whenever I have time. ¡®What special skills should I prepare for?¡¯ At that time, I was thinking about how to prepare for the entrance exam. Before we knew it, the store manager approached the two of us and said teasingly. ¡°Guys! It¡¯s good for the two of you to tease each other, but just do your job and quit messing around. Especially when it¡¯s time to close¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re making fun of us! ¡°We¡¯re talking about something very important right now!¡± Seo Yeonsoo shouted, interrupting the store manager. Her face was quite red. ¡°That¡¯s just teasing. Yeonsoo, you quickly go and wipe the table, and Jinseok, you quickly sweep from here to there.¡± The store manager spoke calmly and patted my back and Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s back. ¡°When you¡¯re done with that, get off work. ¡°I¡¯m going first~¡± ¡°Go quickly!¡± Seo Yeonsoo fired at the store manager, who was walking away with his back turned. Her face was still red. After cleaning up after about 30 minutes, I had roughly finished what the manager had ordered. ¡°I¡¤¡¤¡¤. brother.¡± Seo Yeonsoo, who finished the work first and changed clothes, came out of the locker room and said. ¡°Uh?¡± ¡°That¡¤¡¤¡¤. There¡¯s not much time left until the school practical exam. so¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°?¡± Seo Yeonsoo is strangely hesitant, unlike usual. Then she suddenly continued speaking rapidly, as if rambling. ¡°Well, can I watch your acting? Of course! I know you¡¯re good at acting but acting for entrance exams and dramas is different. Even though I¡¯m like this, I¡¯m still an active college student at Seoguk University! So I can help you well!¡± ¡°You¡¯re helping me? Are you not tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired! ¡°I¡¯mpletely refreshed.¡± Seo Yeonsoo said, waving her arms as if to show that she was alive and well. One-on-one lectures by active Seoguk University students. He had no reason to refuse. ¡°I would really appreciate it if you said yes. wait for a second. I will change my clothes ande out. Shall we go to Byuldabang?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just do it here without having to go somewhere else? If we go somewhere else, there will be people¡­ It would only interfere with the acting. ¡°I think it would be easier if it were just the two of us.¡± That¡¯s what I heard and saw. ¡°I see. Then let me ask you a favor. Then, let¡¯s drink without the manager knowing. ¡°I will make it for you.¡± Seo Yeonsoo brightly responded to my words. ¡°Yes!¡± *** BDD broadcasting station conference room. Producer Na Jinho, writer Jo Seokwon, and the staff were having a meeting with serious faces. ¡°I think we got a really good actor for the role of Nakamura, producer. ¡°He is exactly the kind of actor we wanted.¡± The assistant director was impressed while watching Jinseok¡¯s audition video. Producer Na Jinho said those words, pounding his chest. ¡°This is it. ¡°This is the talent I discovered!¡± Writer Jo Seokwon spoke to him in a sour voice. ¡°What kind of talent did I, PD, discover? ¡°He was an actor rmended by a junior.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Oh my, writer. ¡°There¡¯s no need to say that.¡± Ha ha ha ha ha! When PD Na Jinho spoke in a hushed voice, the other staff membersughed out loud. Na Jinho red at those staff members. ¡°These kids¡­ Funny?¡± Na Jinho¡¯s harsh voice and eyes made the staff clear their throats and avoid his gaze. Na Jinho red at the staff again and said while looking at the documents. ¡°Now that the casting has beenpleted and the script has been revised, can we just schedule a reading?¡± ¡°Yes. Ah, PD. They say they have arranged the filming location, but they need to adjust the time. ¡°How can we help that?¡± ¡°The assistant director takes care of that and only reports the results to me. But don¡¯t set your schedule too tightly.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± After that, various things were talked about for a while. ¡°I¡¯m a director!¡± At that time, someone kicked in the conference room door. It was Choi Hoon, drama director at BDD broadcasting station. Jinho Na tilted his head and asked. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Director? ¡°What are you doing at this hour?¡± The current time is 2 am. Although the PD and staff may not know, it is notmon for the director to remain until this hour. ¡®Is something wrong?¡¯ Otherwise, there was no way the director would have entered the conference room at this time. When Na Jinho was feeling uneasy for some reason, the director distorted his face and said, ¡°Fuck you¡­ ¡°You¡¯re in big trouble.¡± ¡°Yes? What do you mean? ¡°Is it a big deal?¡± When Producer Na Jinho asked nervously, the director spoke even more excitedly. ¡°I just got a call from KL Entertainment, and they said these bastards won¡¯t invest in this project. Since filming hasn¡¯t started yet, they say they will charge a 50% penalty and withdraw the investment as per the contract?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes? Ah, no, what is that all of a sudden¡­¡± Now, the set and filming locations have already been arranged, and the casting of the cast has already beenpleted. It was like a thunderbolt of news that arrived just before filming. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Producer Na Jinho asked the director again in a trembling voice. ¡°Huh, what do you mean, withdrawing investment? No, more than that. Theiring for me and doing that? Even having to pay a penalty?¡± ¡°Yes¡¤¡¤¡¤. Fuck you. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Sudden investment stoppage. It¡¯s not something that doesn¡¯t happen in the industry, but it¡¯s a very ¡®boyish¡¯ thing to do. The director sighed and said. ¡°They say that it has suddenly be difficult to invest due to thepany situation, or something like that.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Really.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ridiculous excuse. You guessed it too, right? KL Entertainment, those scoundrels are acting like a brat because we didn¡¯t cast Lee Homin!¡± The staff sighed at the director¡¯s words. Among them, there was one person who mouthed, ¡®What a bastard really¡­.¡¯ Writer Jo Seokwon even put a cigarette in his mouth in a non-smoking conference room and asked the director harshly. ¡°Even though it¡¯s my work, ites out like that? Then KL Entertainment won¡¯t work with me from now on?¡± ¡°I looked into it too and it looks like they¡¯re going to with break off from us and work with KSC Broadcasting Station. KL Entertainment, I never liked those bastards, but they throw bombs.¡± The director scratches his head and speaks. The voice was full of frustration and irritation. Jo Seokwon touched the back of his neck and asked. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤What do other broadcasting stations say? ¡°On TV?¡± ¡°First of all, I think they¡¯re watching us. It would be good for them. ¡°If we and KSC fight and both fail, it¡¯s an opportunity for them.¡± As the conversation between the two continued, the atmosphere in the conference room calmed down. Producer Na Jinho said with a deep sigh. ¡°Shit¡­ ¡°I think we need to resolve the situation first.¡± It was a voice that clearly showed that he was angry. Nevertheless, Producer Na Jinho tries to handle the work calmly. It¡¯s not for nothing that I¡¯ve been a producer for 20 years. ¡°We have already recruited all the actors and almost built the set. I¡¯ve also made arrangements for the filming location. ¡°I already waste a lot of money, and I also need to pay the bnce soon. Is there somewhere I can borrow money urgently?¡± The director, who was thinking deeply, shook his head. ¡°There is no money in broadcasting stations. It would be the fastest to find another investor. But if there is a rumor that an existing investor suddenly withdrew their money, there is no way the bank or anywhere else would invest in us.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤That¡¯s right.¡± Producer Na Jinho muttered, clenching his mrs. ¡°Lee Homin, you son of a bitch¡­ ¡°The reason I gave that bastard an audition was because KL Entertainment invest their money and they gave me a shitty actor. Are they ming me for failing that bastard?¡± Producer Na Jinho usually had a fairly gentle personality, but now he couldn¡¯t hold back his swearing. That¡¯s how angry Na Jinho was at Lee Homin and KL Entertainment. The silence continued for a moment. The director waited for Na Jinho to calm down and then spoke quietly. ¡°Rather than that¡­ ¡°Those KSC bastards are even worse.¡± ¡°Really? ¡°Why KSC?¡± ¡°I heard that KSC Broadcasting Station, films are set during the Japanese colonial period like us. Arge number of KL Entertainment actors were brought in. ¡°For some reason, I feel like this incident wasn¡¯t done by KL Entertainment alone.¡± Jo Seokwon, who had been listening quietly for a while, threw down his pen and said as if he could not stand it any longer. Shut Up! ¡°Who is that writer? ¡°What kind of empty-headed bastard would give credit for something I wrote myself?¡± ¡°I know writer Jo.¡± ¡°It¡¯s writer Kwon¡± Writer Jo Seokwon said with a puzzled expression. ¡°If it¡¯s writer Kwon, no way¡­. ¡°Chaeyoon Kwon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. From KSC¡¯s perspective, they must have thought, ¡®What the heck!¡¯ ¡°If we sell our work and other people¡¯s work, we will eat up the basic viewership ratings.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Honestly, Kwon Chaeyoon also has skills.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ whew. Chaeyoon Kwon, you going too far.¡± Kwon Chaeyoon is a writer who has written many hit worksparable to Jo Seokwon. He dabbled in a variety of genres, including romanticedy, alternate history, generaledy, and fantasy drama. As a result, although he was recognized in the industry for his skills, few people wanted to work with him. The reason was simple. ¡®Because his personality is trash.¡¯ Jo Seokwon recalled Kwon Chaeyoon¡¯s past evil deeds. Kwon Chaeyoon is a viin who makes it a point to get rid of roles for actors he doesn¡¯t like during filming and even gives them ridiculously difficult roles to make them voluntarily withdraw from them. He is also very strict when ites to filming and editing, which are the powers of the PD. The fact that he treats the production crew like hisckeys is at the level of hell. He is even famous for his bad drinking habits atpany dinners. He makes everyone, be it actors or his staff, very ufortable with him. ¡®He is especially harsh towards small agencies and rookies. ¡®Because he knows he has no strength.¡¯ Even knowing this, many neers want to enter his work. Because his work sells well. Kwon Chaeyoon is a viiness who takes advantage of the desperation of people who want to be in front of the camera at least once. However, he was an ironic person who had excellent skills and created hits every year. Jo Seokwon thought as he touched his throbbing forehead. ¡®Kwon Chaeyoon¡­ I thought he would just make silly pranks, but it feels like we¡¯re going to war! There are factions andpetition even among writers. This was a clear deration of war. It meant that he would use this opportunity to pressure himself somehow. ¡®After¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Jo Seokwon was also angry, but there was no suitable solution. If he acts so tantly, it means that he will push other writers no matter what. Like Jo Seokwon, Na Jinho also had aplicated idea. ¡®This work is set during the Japanese colonial period, so it is difficult to include PPL. However, you can¡¯t force a PPL that doesn¡¯t match. I¡¯m going crazy, really.¡¯ The only way to easily make money right now is through PPL, which involves promoting products within dramas. However, even if the setting is modern times, it is not possible to include a lot of PPL in the background during the Japanese colonial period. It would be impossible to suddenly introduce smartphones or thetest electronic products into the Joseon Dynasty setting. ¡®Then should we reduce production costs? no. That¡¯s no different from doing what KL Entertainment wants.¡¯ If the production costs already set are reduced, there is no way the work can be produced properly. It ismon sense that if a drama is pushed too far, it will inevitably be ruined. ¡®If the drama is ruined, either KL Entertainment or KSC will attack us like crazy. shit¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ The more I think about it, the more frustrating it bes. At that time, a staff member who was quietly observing said. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤PD. Look at this. ¡°There was an article about it?¡± ¡°This morning?¡± ¡°Yes. however¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The PD¡¯s least favorite word is ¡®There was an article.¡¯ Of course, there can be good content as well. But looking at the employee¡¯s tone, it was clear that the content was bad. PD Na Jinho confirmed the article. ¡®B Broadcasting Station PD suspected of proceeding with auditions even though there was already a nominee.¡¯ ¡®The abuse of power by a producer with 20 years of experience tramples on the dreams of an actor with 10 years of experience who wants to take another leap forward.¡¯ ¡®A senior PD who was rmended by a junior PD. ¡®Where is the fairness that PD N was shouting for?¡¯ ¡®KL Enter. Paying arge penalty and withdrawing investment from a certain drama. The reason is?¡¯ Although the exact contents were not written, Na Jinho was able to understand the meaning of these articles. ¡®KL Enter, these bastards¡­ ¡®Are they spreading fake news like this?¡¯ Since an article like this came out, I could see what was going to happen without even looking at it. ¡®I¡¯m sure Lee Homin will be interviewed soon. ¡°I was bullied during the audition¡±. If KL Entertainment announces an official position and cancels the investment at the right time, we will end up being the bad guys.¡¯ In the broadcasting and entertainment industry, the yer who beats the yer wins most of the time, or virtually always. This is because it is much more difficult to exin something than to create a controversy. In other words, even though it was Na Jinho who was abused like now, if the other person spreads fake news first, he bes a bad guy himself. Na Jinho suddenly remembered what he said at the audition. ¨D¡¤¡¤¡¤I invited Kang Jinseok because I heard he was selected for my junior¡¯s debut film. ¡®If only I hadn¡¯t said that back then.¡¯ One thoughtless word caused the work to fall apart. While Na Jinho was regretting, the director, who was carefully reading the article with the staff, spoke in a serious voice. ¡°First, I¡¯ll tell you to write a rebuttal article. I¡¯ll try to save as much money as I can, so I, the producer, will do my best too. This work, BDD, also risked its life. know?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± ¡°I will save this work. Make it right and use the viewership ratings to kill KSC, KL Entertainment, and all these bastards. Okay?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤All right.¡± He answered, but Na Jinho¡¯s voice was weak. Normally, I would have said to Na Jinho, ¡®Frown up, man. I was the director who would say, ¡®Is your life over?¡¯, but I couldn¡¯t bear to say that now. That¡¯s why the current atmosphere is not good. The director said as he left the conference room. ¡°If this is resolved well and the project bes a hit, I will be appointed as the next director.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Anyway, I will help as much as I can, so please do your best, PD. ¡°It¡¯ste, please leave work early.¡± Thud! After speaking, the director left the conference room. But no one could think of ¡®getting off work¡¯. Because this was an emergency. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± When the director left, Na Jinho sighed as if the ground was gone. The assistant director carefully asked Na Jinho. ¡°I¡¤¡¤¡¤. PD. Shouldn¡¯t we first contact the actors¡¯ agencies? ¡°They must be making guesses just by reading articles.¡± ¡°Hmm¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Na Jinho thought for a moment. ¡®The assistant director is right. First of all, I need to let them know exactly what the situation is. but¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡¯ Just reporting the situation without providing a proper solution is not a good choice. If you¡¯re not careful, it may seem like you¡¯re asking the agency and actors for help. ¡®You probably know the BDD broadcasting station itself.¡¯ Of course, they were able to throw away their pride as much as they wanted. The problem is that the broadcasting station¡¯s image is being ruined. ¡®BDD broadcasting station that cannot properly respond to pranks from other broadcasting stations. A story like this might spread.¡¯ If such rumors spread, it will be difficult for BDD broadcasting stations to cast good actors in the future. However, even if I knew that fact, I was not rxed enough not to react. ¡®I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ After thinking about it, Na Jinho spoke to the assistant director. ¡°First, let¡¯s do as the assistant director said. Contact the agencies. If they don¡¯t have an agency, put it directly with the actor. ¡°Should I inform the extras too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell them anyway, I think I should tell them everything. ¡°It would be better than suddenly contacting them a few days before filming.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Okay. ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Once permission was given, the staff began to contact the agency at once. Na Jinho, looking at that scene, suddenly thought of Jinseok. ¡®I guess I should contact that friend too.¡¯ This work was an opportunity for Jinseok to make a big ssh. However, if production costs could not be found, producer Na Jinho did not intend to have Kang Jinseok appear. This is because if a new actor appears and the work fails, it will not be that big of a blow. If it had been any other actor, I wouldn¡¯t have cared this much. But Na Jinho wanted to take special care of Jinseok. The Jinseok he knows is a passionate actor who did not give up on acting even though he had a really difficult life. An actor with both talent and personality. ¡®An actor like that¡­ ¡®You can¡¯t destroy old people by fighting.¡¯ Na Jinho, who had been thinking for a while, began sending a long text message to Jinseok. ¡®I don¡¯t want to give up on this work because of something like this. ¡®Is there any way?¡¯ I thought this rather depressingly. *** ¡°KL Entertainment is doing something interesting. I didn¡¯t realize it when I wasn¡¯t interested, but the entertainment industry is a really messy ce.¡± A man muttered while reading an Inte article. ¡®B Broadcasting Station PD, even though there was already a nominee¡­¡¯ ¡®The abuse of power by a producer with 20 years of experience, the dream of an actor with 10 years of experience trying to leap forward again¡­¡¯ ¡®A senior PD who was rmended by a junior PD. The fairness that N PD was shouting for¡­ ¡®KL Enter. Pay arge penalty and withdraw investment from a certain drama¡­¡¯ The article the man is reading. Those were all articles published by KL Entertainment and KSC broadcasting stations early in the morning. He thought as he pounded on the desk. He said, ¡®Jinsu asked me to do something, and I was nning to start an entertainment business. The timing isn¡¯t bad. ¡®It would be nice if we could make the BDD broadcasting station on our side.¡¯ After closing his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts, the man pressed a button attached to his desk. Beep-. The voice of Misung¡¯s secretary is heard along with the button beep. [Yes, CEO. Did you call me?] ¡°Yes. ¡°Please call the chief secretary.¡± [All right.] The identity of the man who called the chief secretary. It is a globalpany that was asked to lead Jinseok by his close friend, ¡®Jinsu Park¡¯. CEO of OS International. It was oh heaven. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 ¡°Afterpleting my shift at the cafe and while juggling part-time work at a warehouse, I received a text message bearing unfortunate news. ¡ª¡ª It¡¯s been a while, Jinseok Kang. This is PD Na Jinho. KSC Broadcasting Station and KL Entertainment¡¯s film writer, Kwon Chaeyoon, has produced a work with content simr to ours. Consequently, there have been someplications with investment.¡± ¡°Nothing has been decided yet, but in the worst-case scenario, there is a possibility that filming will be canceled. Alternatively, even if filming proceeds, Jinseok may not be included. A promising rookie like Jinseok should never appear in a drama with an insufficient production budget. I will contact you when there is new information to share.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but judging by the content of the text, it didn¡¯t seem like I was dropped because of dissatisfaction. ¡®Then is it really because of investment¡­?¡¯ I continued to sigh out of concern and disappointment regarding the project. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Mr. Kim beside me inquired. ¡°Hey~ Actor Kang Jinseok. Why are you sighing again? Hasn¡¯t everything been going well these days?¡± When Mr. Kim asked, the other guys turned their attention to me, indicating that perhaps they were curious too. ¡°Ah¡­ yes. It was going well, but suddenly the project might be canceled.¡± ¡°Hmm? The work is canceled?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but I think it¡¯s a money issue. The investor canceled the investment.¡± Then each of the men added a word of support. ¡°Why is that? they gave it to you, and now they will take it away?¡± ¡°They are trash.¡± ¡°Those guys are worse than Park Chunsam!¡± ¡°Therefore! Even I couldn¡¯t do it¡­ Not this! What! What about you!¡± If I was feeling disappointed about the work, the men were bing angry at the investor. These guys were angry on my behalf for a while, but they couldn¡¯te up with a proper solution. ¡°Don¡¯t be too angry. The producer and writer are great people, so it will be resolved quickly.¡± I spoke with a forced smile, but the men still seemed unable to shake off their anger. At that moment, the work foreman spoke. ¡°Hey, Jinseok. Don¡¯t be too discouraged. It¡¯s not your fault. You will be fine.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± He responded in a subdued voice. Normally, I would have replied with enthusiasm, but today I didn¡¯t have the strength to do so. The work foreman sighed loudly and eximed, ¡°Hey! Let¡¯s work hard today and finish it quickly! And let¡¯s go sing a song!¡± It was a tradition in our warehouse to go to karaoke or have a drink whenever something bad happened. However, I haven¡¯t gone out for a drink since I got the role. The reason was that when I drink alcohol, I get a stomach ache like old men. The work foreman looked at me and said, ¡°Jinseok, do you want to go too? You¡¯re the most annoyed, so just go and sing one song together.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I probably would have left with a smile, but honestly, I didn¡¯t feel like going to a karaoke bar right now. Since I had to prepare for the entrance exam, I didn¡¯t have much time. ¡®But they say they¡¯re going because of me¡­ I can¡¯t not go.¡¯ Even if I go to a karaoke bar, I don¡¯t stay long anyway. There might be time to sing just one song. ¡°All right. Then I¡¯ll just sing one song.¡± When I told them I was joining, the guys moved faster. Since I have something to do today, I have to finish it all before I can go to karaoke. *** ¡°Crossing the moonlit street.¡± ¡°Ah~nothing~! Ah, nothing! Your lonely apartment.¡± ¡°Ussssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss! Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!¡± ¡®They say they came here to help me cheer up, but they¡¯re having a lot of fun.¡¯ I arrived at the karaoke bar I used to frequent. As soon as they arrived, the men started singing with great enthusiasm. I don¡¯t know if everyone wanted to sing, or if they just suddenly got excited. But today the tension was higher than usual. As I listened to the exhrating song, my depressed mood seemed to lift. Of course, I was still worried. At that moment, after finishing their song, Mr. Park Chunsam spoke into the microphone. ¡°Guys! Then what¡¯s next? Actor Kang Jinseok!¡± ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°Come out! Kang Jinseok!¡± ¡°Jinseok, what are you going to sing?¡± He took the microphone amid enthusiastic cheers. ¡®What should I sing today?¡¯ Karaoke has always been associated with old men. Because I didn¡¯t have time or leisure to go to karaoke alone. So the songs I often sang were almost the same as the songs they liked. Most of them were trot songs or emotional bads that were hits in the 90s and 2000s. ¡°Today¡­¡± The moment I grabbed the karaoke remote control and tried to choose a trot song that everyone knew, my vision started to blur. ¡®¡­Suddenly?¡¯ ¡°Streetlight fire¡­ passing by on a cloudy night¡­ your scent¡­¡± ¡°Mom! I like this song!¡± ¡°Right? This is the song my dad sang when he proposed to my mom!¡± ¡°Really?! I guess Dad sang well!¡± ¡°Okay~! Mom fell in love with Dad because he sang this song!¡± ¡°This¡­¡± It was Kim Yeonmi¡¯s memory. When she was young, it seemed like it was still a memory of her mother before she died. Yeonmi¡¯s mother sits cross-legged on the floor, ys an old acoustic guitar, and sings. She looked at her mother with a bright smile. Ding ding¡­ ding¡­ ¡°Streetlight fire¡­ passing by on a cloudy night¡­ your scent¡­¡± Kim Yeonmi, who looked like a middle school student. She was practicing her guitar, sitting on the floor in the same position as her mother. She must not have practiced much yet, and she was awkward at ying the guitar and singing. However, Yeonmi continued to practice while reminiscing about her memories with her mother. ¡ª ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Yeonmi¡­¡¯ ¡ª Yeonmi¡¯s father secretly watched this. Yeonmi¡¯s father could barely hold back his tears. Ding ding~ ding~! ¡°The light of the streetlight~ Your scent passing by on a cloudy night~¡± ¡ª Kim Yeonmi, wearing a high school uniform. She was sitting on the floor in the same position as before, ying her guitar. I guess I¡¯m quite used to it now, but the ying was perfect. The singing was also of a high standard. So much so that I was amazed when I heard it. ¡ª ¡°I want to convey my feelings! Uh¡­!¡± ¡°Hmph! I keep getting annoyed at this part¡­ I think my mom was like that too¡­¡± ¡ª Yeonmi cleared her throat and sang her song again. ¡ª ¡°I want to sit down! Her¡­!¡± ¡°Why do I keep making mistakes here?¡± ¡ª Kim Yeonmi keeps getting the same part wrong. What¡¯s surprising is that once you get past that part, the song continues so smoothly. ¡ª ¡°Dad! I will sing as my specialty when I take the practical exam at Seoguk University tomorrow, is that okay?¡± ¡°¡­Do you really have to sing? It¡¯s hard to stand out in singing unless you¡¯re good at it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at singing! I practiced for a very long time! You¡¯re exactly like your mom!¡± ¡°¡­Okay. But you keep making mistakes in the same lyrics¡­ are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lot better these days! Uh? But how did you know that I kept making mistakes?¡± ¡ª Yeonmi Kim was holding her guitar in front of her father. She smiles and looks at her father. The father couldn¡¯t look at Yeonmi properly like that. He didn¡¯t drop her head, but he continued to avoid her gaze. On the other hand, Yeonmi continued to smile brightly and say, ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to do it.¡¯ Kim Yeonmi was into ¡®acting¡¯ from this point on. She acts like a childish person who doesn¡¯t know her father¡¯s feelings. It was an ironic performance that showed a sad yet bright side. With her acting, Kim Yeonmi hoped that her father would no longer be sad and that he would be happy. Her performance was so perfect that it almost went unnoticed. But I could tell that I could feel her emotions. Now he knows that when Yeonmi smiles, she doesn¡¯t smile. Let¡¯s think like that. I returned to the karaoke room again. ¡°Hey Jinseok! What are you going to sing?¡± ¡°The ¡®Tiger Butterfly¡¯ you always sing?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything, I¡¯ll select first?¡± ¡®Sharing these memories¡­ Maybe Yeonmi is asking me for a favor.¡¯ She asked me to sing the song she intended to perform in front of her father during the entrance exam. After thinking about it, I yed the song using the karaoke remote control. The name of the song was ¡°Holding You in My Arms.¡± *** Oh Haneul, who called the chief secretary, was lost in thought. ¡®I was nning to start a business in the entertainment industry¡­ Not bad timing.¡¯ Oh Haneul is the CEO of ¡®OS International¡¯, an affiliate of ¡®OS Group¡¯, one of the top 10 groups in Korea, and one of the three sons of the chairman of ¡®OS Group¡¯. As the chairman has recently aged rapidly, Oh Haneul is also being mentioned as a candidate for the next chairman. However, he was significantly pushed out by his other two older brothers. There is only one reason. ¡®It¡¯s because he¡¯s ater and came to workte¡­¡¯ Just because he was bornte doesn¡¯t mean hecked ability. However, he was not raised with much care. Rather, he grew up much more difficult than his other brothers, and his abilities were also full. When Oh Haneul was growing up, he was going through the IMF crisis when hispany was on the verge of copse. As a result, unlike his older brothers raised as chaebols from a young age, he did not enjoy the life of a chaebol. Instead, the experience at that time proved to be helpful. Thanks to it, he quickly opened his eyes to the way the world works. ¡®So, My father wants to give me apany. The problem is that there is no way the brothers can stay still.¡¯ Although Oh Haneul is more capable than his other brothers, he holds the lowest rank. If thepany is handed over to Oh Haneul, the lowest-ranking person, it is natural that thepany will split up. Nevertheless, the chairman of OS Group, who wanted to hand over thepany to Oh Haneul, ended up putting forward these conditions as the next best option. ¡°I will give thepany to the son who achieves the best results.¡± To fulfill this condition, Oh Haneul thought of the ¡®entertainment business.¡¯ Entertainment is a business area that OS Group has not yet touched. If he seeds greatly in that field, no one will be able to oppose Oh Haneul bing the group¡¯s chairman. Now, Oh Haneul was about to take the first step. ¡°Come on in,¡± he responded to the Chief Secretary. Immediately, the door opened, and a man wearing sses came in. ¡°Did you call me, representative?¡± ¡°Yes, manager. I¡¯m sorry; you must be busy.¡± ¡°No.¡± Oh Haneul corrected his posture and spoke as he sat down. ¡°Did you know that KL Entertainment and KSC broadcasting stations keep BDD broadcasting stations in check?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Recently, Oh Haneul has been showing interest in the entertainment industry. Oh Haneul¡¯s chief of staff couldn¡¯t have been unaware of the most important concerns in the entertainment industry today. After hearing the chief secretary¡¯s answer, Oh Haneul spoke quietly. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re ying with money¡­ We will provide that money. Wouldn¡¯t it be easy for OS Entertainment to establish itself then? How is it?¡± The secretary thought for a moment, then smiled and said. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea to start an entertainment business while investing in their work.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But is there a reason you are investing in this work? I¡¯m sure there are many other works.¡± Oh Haneul smiled at the secretary¡¯s words. It was the smile of a businessman harboring a typicalpetitive spirit. ¡°Of course, there is a special reason.¡± Oh Haneul continued speaking calmly. ¡°First of all, it is the work of PD Na Jinho, who is being mentioned as a candidate for the next director of BDD. This is an opportunity to owe a big debt to a man who might be the next director.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°At the same time, it is the work of artist Cho Seokwon. If we help us this time, won¡¯t it be advantageous for our actors to get roles in the future?¡± The chief secretary nodded. Oh Haneul noticed that and continued speaking. ¡°As a result of my personal research, the actors at the BDD broadcasting station were much better than those at the KSC broadcasting station.¡± Oh Haneul said that and took a moment to catch his breath and think of Jinseok. ¡°And¡¤¡¤¡¤. There is one more reason, but it may be too early.¡± The chief secretary, who had been quietly listening to Oh Haneul for a while, pondered for a moment and then lowered his head. ¡°If we can win the hearts of the next director and star writer by investing in their work, it seems like it would work cheaply. There¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it, but if there¡¯s one more reason, I think it¡¯s an investment that must be made.¡± Oh Haneul smiled with satisfaction at the secretary¡¯s positive words. The chief secretary bowed his head and said. ¡°Then, I assume you understand-.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± A big hand began to move from a ce no one expected. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Now, a big storm is about to blow in the entertainment industry. It was a time when universities were preupied with the significant issue of ¡®entrance exams.¡¯ College entrance exams are a battleground for both applicants and the professors responsible for grading them. This is because applicants pay constant attention to the previous year¡¯spetition rate, and professors struggle to select students who stand out even slightly. In particr, arts-rted faculties are busier because the basicpetition rate exceeds dozens to one. Moreover, a prestigious school like Seoguk University is genuinely bustling. But now, the atmosphere among the professors of the Department of Theater at Seoguk University was a bit peculiar. They were all engrossed in watching the video of one applicant. ¡°Hello! Kang Jinseok applied to the Department of Theater at Seoguk University! Jin! Three! No, see!¡± During the hectic admission period, professors watched Jinseok¡¯s entrance exam video more than ten times, each giving their own evaluation. ¡°The pronunciation is also urate¡­ He has a captivating power. Should I say that my emotions are melting?¡± ¡°I know, right? It¡¯s an entrance exam video¡­ It was captured very attractively, this guy.¡± ¡°He also yed a female role in free acting, but it was a very difficult script for a man to digest.¡± ¡°The attitude towards acting is also very serious¡­ I really want to see it.¡± There are also professors who praise Jinseok¡¯s self-introduction and acting. ¡°Which studio was it filmed in?¡± ¡°I told them to send me a self-introduction video, and they sent me a PR video of thepany representative.¡± ¡°How many cameras did they use? There are at least four?¡± ¡°It looks like he put a lot of effort into editing, right? It must have cost a lot of money.¡± There were also professors who admired the directing, filming, and editing aspects. This reaction was seen because each person has a different area of ??expertise. But their judgment was the same. ¡°Let¡¯s pick this one.¡± ¡°Yes. Letters of rmendation are no joke.¡± ¡°I see you¡¯ve been cast in writer Jo Seokwon¡¯s work.¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, I heard that writer Jo is working on a project with him and the producer. If those picky people choose him, it means he¡¯s talented enough.¡± Everyone was giving Jinseok not only good evaluations but also the best evaluations. The reason for this evaluation is not just because Jinseok¡¯s video is good, or because the people who wrote letters of rmendation are great, or because Jinseok was cast in a drama. Because Jinseok had it all. The most important thing that professors consider when selecting students for college entrance exams is ¡®fairness.¡¯ This ¡®fairness¡¯ is the same as the idea that ¡®no matter who looks at it, this student deserves to be selected.¡¯ Therefore, the applicants that professors like the most are students like Jinseok. A student who will not have any problems if you select him without much thought. While the professors were absorbed in the video for a while, a man who came into the room spoke. ¡°But he still has to take the practical exam properly. We¡¯ll have to see what the acting actually looks like.¡± The professors turned around when they heard a solemn voiceing from behind them. Professor Seung-Hyeon Kim, Dean of the Department of Theater at Seoguk University, was there. The excited atmosphere subsided at his appearance. This is because the Dean of the Department, Professor Seung-Hyeon Kim, bes very sensitive during the entrance exam season. The professor sitting in the far corner thought while looking at Professor Kim Seung-hyun¡¯s eyes. ¡®I guess there¡¯s nothing we can do as his daughter¡¯s anniversary is approaching.¡¯ Although it was quite a long time ago, there was no professor who did not know about the ident. It was a very serious ident that urred at the crosswalk in front of the school. Meanwhile, Jinseok¡¯s audition video continued to y. Professor Seung-hyun Kim stared at Jinseok¡¯s video. ¡®You¡¯re good at it. It seems like a lot of effort was put into the video.¡¯ Although I have watched thousands of students¡¯ videos, this was the first time I had seen an applicant with this quality of video and skills. ¡®And something¡­ It feels familiar. No, I feel nostalgic.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t like I saw a face or heard a voice somewhere. But clearly, I felt an unknown familiarity from Jinseok. Professor Seung-hyun Kim, who was lost in thought for a moment, spoke to the other professors. ¡°This student will be selected. If you have any objections, please let me know.¡± When no one objected, Professor Seung-hyun Kim spoke. ¡°Well then, please keep up the good work. There are still many applicants left to grade.¡± The professors quickly dispersed after Professor Kim Seung-hyun¡¯s words. Professor Seung-hyun Kim thought as he looked at that. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to take this practical evaluation too. I need to find out what this feeling is.¡¯ Ten years after his daughter¡¯s death, Professor Seung-Hyun Kim decided to enter the practical exam evaluation. *** ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous.¡± On the day of the practical exam for the Department of Theater at Seoguk University. I was currently on my way to the practical exam center for the Department of Theater at Seoguk University. I covered my face with thick horn-rimmed sses and a mask in case someone recognized me. Because other test-takers might feel ufortable for no reason. ¡®It seems unlikely.¡¯ People don¡¯t recognize me just because I appeared on once. It¡¯s a very rare case that Minsu¡¯s older brother recognizes me. ¡®There are so many people.¡¯ At the front gate of the school, parents and friends were gathered in groups of twos and threes. It seemed like I was the only one who came alone. In fact, I said that some men woulde with me to the exam room today. However, it was obvious that if men gathered in groups, the atmosphere of the exam room would change from a tense and exciting youth campus to a service office atmosphere like something out of a noir movie. Doing so will definitely disturb other test-takers. I couldn¡¯t cause that kind of damage just because I liked it. ¡®The guys were a little disappointed, but¡­¡¯ After watching people for a while, I stood at the end of the long crosswalk in front of the school. ¡®Yeonmi died at this crosswalk¡­¡¯ He ced a small bouquet of flowers he had bought from a nearby flower shop at the end of the crosswalk. It wasn¡¯t something Yeonmi specifically asked for, but since he was here, he brought flowers as a gift. When I put down the flowers, other people looked at me strangely, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®I should go now too.¡¯ The closer I got to the testing site, the heavier the atmosphere became. That would have to be the case. Because this was a ce to see the results of my efforts over the past few years. ¡®Maybe the college entrance exam is the cruelest audition¡­¡¯ It was then. In the practical exam center building, people wearing nes that said ¡®Department of Theater Practical¡¯ came out and spoke to the applicants. ¡°I will enter the applicant waiting room!¡± ¡°Family and friends are not permitted to enter the waiting room!¡± ¡°You will need to verify your identity when youe in, so please take out your admission ticket and ID card in advance!¡± Then the surroundings became somewhat noisy. ¡°Fighting, my daughter!¡± ¡°Best Actor School! Alright! Let¡¯s go to Seoguk University!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to be good! ¡°Let¡¯s just try to pass!¡± Most of the students were shouting to fight with their friends. It was like this when I took the qualification exam in the past. An atmosphere where you can hang out with acquaintances or friends. Even there, the test-takers, except me, entered the testing room while receiving encouragement and support from those around them. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± It¡¯s not a big deal¡­ It was obviously nothing, but it felt strangely bitter. ¡°Student. ¡°You must enter the testing room.¡± At that moment, a familiar voice reached my ears. It was low, a bit yful, and pretending to be solemn. I turned around. ¡°Uh? Soft water?¡± ¡°Hehe. What are you doing here, brother? ¡°I have to get in quickly.¡± ¡°Why are you here? ¡°Originally, I was in charge of conducting practical exams at the student council. ¡°That¡¯s the student council.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Now that I think about it, I remember hearing something about her before. Seo Yeonsoo is active in the student council. ¡°And-.¡± While I was contemting, Seo Yeonsoo smiled and said. ¡°All the other students entered with support, but I was worried that my brother would enter alone, so I applied on purpose because I wanted to support you. How about it, thank you?¡± Seo Yeonsoo ced her hands on her waist proudly pushed out her chest and said. It¡¯s the usual bright voice. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± He said it honestly, with a slight smile. ¡°No way. ¡°I came here like this, but that¡¯s all the reaction?¡± ¡°Sorry. I really didn¡¯t even think about it. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°And what is that guitar? ¡°Did you bring this to use in today¡¯s practical exam?¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°I¡¯ll y the guitar.¡± ¡°Hey¡­ I thought you couldn¡¯t y a guitar. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± Seo Yeonsoo looked at the guitar I was carrying on my back as if it were fascinating. Then, she pointed to the practical exam room and said. ¡°Alright! Then, applicant Kang Jinseok, please quickly move to the waiting room. ¡°Follow the guide¡¯s instructions and take out your admission ticket and ID card in advance.¡± Seo Yeonsoo spoke again as solemnly as before. She was probably ying around to ease the tension. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Great. ¡°Take this too.¡± What Seo Yeonsoo offered was ¡®taffy¡¯. ¡°Taffy? ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give it to you so you can take the test without any problems. ¡°You¡¯re not asking because you really don¡¯t know, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± I took the taffy and put it in my mouth. He said as he headed toward the exam room. ¡°Thank you for your support. Are youing to work part-time today?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Okay. See you then. After the exam, if we have time, we can grab a meal together.¡± ¡°Yes! Good luck with your exam! Let¡¯s eat together!¡± *** After checking my admission ticket on the first floor, I proceeded to the waiting room. Some were meditating with their eyes closed, while others were stretching. At the same time, students were secretly observing one another. ¡®It¡¯s no different from an audition room.¡¯ What¡¯s different is that entrance exams only take ce once a year. Perhaps that¡¯s why there was a different tension in the audition room. At that moment, someone entered through the door and spoke loudly enough for the entire waiting room to hear. ¡°I will first guide everyone here. The test starts in 25 minutes. The order of the practical test is based on the number you received when checking your admission ticket. Okay, I¡¯ll see you in 25 minutes.¡± After finishing his sentence, the man closed the door and quietly left. ¡®I will be extremely nervous when I enter the exam room for the first time. There won¡¯t be any time to rx.¡¯ It may be different for each person, but I felt a bit nervous the first time I did anything. I searched for the paper I had received, hoping that it was not in the previous order. ¡®I put it in my pocket¡­ Here it is.¡¯ My number te was stored deep in my pocket. As soon as I received it, I stashed it away and couldn¡¯t check the number. I pulled out a number ticket from my pocket and repeated a spell in my mind. ¡®It must be number 1. It¡¯s probably about 15 times.¡¯ Unless an evil god is ying a trick, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m number 1. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡¯ I checked the number te¡­ ¡®Number 1¡¯ I was number 1. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¡®Why on earth am I number 1?¡¯ Of course, someone will have to take the test first. But knowing that someone was me was another story. ¡°Number 1, is there any applicant Kang Jinseok?¡± At that time, the staff member who opened the door called my name. ¡°Even though I felt a bit embarrassed being number 1, I responded cheerfully, concealing any signs of it.¡± ¡°Yes, here it is.¡± ¡°Yes, I will head to the exam room now.¡± ¡°As I walked slowly toward the door, I felt the gaze of other students.¡± ¡°There was a mix of relief among those who weren¡¯t number one and nervousness among those eager to start faster.¡± ¡°I¡¯m even more nervous than during auditions¡­¡± ¡°Some might find it strange that someone like me, ustomed to auditions, is nervous in the entrance exam hall.¡± The feelings of the many auditions I had seen so far and the university exam center I attended for the first time werepletely different. With my heart pounding, I followed the staff to the exam room. As we walked down the long hallway, the staff member who guided us smiled and said, ¡°Are you nervous because you¡¯re number 1?¡± I replied, ¡°Yes? Ah, yes. I¡¯m a little nervous. I never thought I would be number 1¡­¡± The host nodded in understanding, saying, ¡°Actually, I also took the test the first time. So I know what it feels like.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to do well on the exam before I enroll and then have a drink. The people who took the exam number 1 are quite close. There are many great people among those who graduated.¡± While we were chatting about small things, we arrived at the practical exam center. The exam center was on the first floor, and outside the window, numerous students were walking around with their bags on their backs. Everyone looked like high school students, not college students. ¡°Then, fighting!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After receiving the support of the staff member, I took a deep breath, opened the door to the examination room, and said loudly. ¡°Hello! ¡°I¡¯m majoring in acting my number is one!¡± I said hello and gently ced the guitar I was carrying on my back on the floor. Then I looked up and saw the professors. But the eyes of the professors were too intense. Did I do something wrong? I didn¡¯t get that kind of look even at the audition. Rather, they talk to the applicant first so that they can see everything about the applicant and relieve the tension. But there was nothing like that in the examination hall. Fierce eyes that seemed to see through everything about me. They were like the eyes of an eagle looking at its prey. They said that going to college was like reaching the stars in the sky, and it was true. But strangely enough, I felt morefortable as this atmosphere continued. Without knowing why, I remembered the first time I went to an audition. I was really nervous then¡­ but now I¡¯m rtively calm. I have grown up. I thought about it that way. It gave me confidence. I looked carefully at the faces of the professors again. The professor in the middle is Yeonmi¡¯s father. A slightly older face than the one I saw in my memory. His hair was white in ces. Unlike the other professors who were staring at me, Yeonmi Kim¡¯s father was looking at documents. It was then that the professor on the far left spoke. ¡°Pleasee forward and select the script for the day.¡± Ambassador of the Day. It is literally an ¡°ambassador¡± given ¡°on the day¡± to find out the applicant¡¯s true capabilities. ¡°Yes!¡± He replied vigorously and walked forward. Keep your back straight and your eyes straight ahead. Since he believed that every gesture would be judged, he was able to show Kim Yeonmi what he had practiced. Standing in front of his desk, he thought for a moment about which script to choose. But it was upside down, so there was no point in worrying about it. Let¡¯s not waste our energy on something like this, let¡¯s just pick the closest one. I picked the script right in front of me. Then I turned around and went back to where I was originally standing. The professor who had just spoken spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ll give you 10 minutes. ¡°You can read the script, analyze it, and then start acting.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I unfolded the script. It said ¡®Si #1¡¯ at the top. I already knew that a si script could be produced, so I wasn¡¯t embarrassed. Is this really going toe out? No, instead of being embarrassed, I could barely contain myughter. Because this script¡­ ¡ª¡ª Hey, new recruit. Say it straight. Do you have a girlfriend? Then not the person you¡¯re dating, but the woman among your friends. doesn¡¯t exist? Close your eyes. What do you see? It¡¯s dark. I don¡¯t know what it is. This is your military life from now on. It¡¯s yourst chance. My elder sister or younger sister. Oh yes, sister. Are you pretty? I don¡¯t believe in words. Photos, bring photos. Family photos or whatever. ¡ª¡ª This¡­ That¡¯s it. . As soon as I saw it, my heart pounded. If you served in the Korean military, you probably watched the military si once or even dozens of times. It was a great piece of work where you could hear the ace sound of military life just by watching this si before enlisting. And¡­ unlike other test takers, I hadpleted my military service. To my shame, the unit I was in used to imitate when new recruits arrived. It was a kind of unit tradition, but eventually, the new recruits found out that it was a joke. Because of that, the unit traditions were dying, and that was the biggest worry for the seniors. So I had to be more realistic so the recruits wouldn¡¯t think it was a joke. Even though it was half a joke, I¡¯ve done it dozens of times in earnest. Even in the actual military. I never thought that military experience would be helpful. I kept looking at the script while thinking about trivial things. The more I looked at the script, the more memories of that time unfolded in front of my eyes. Just like when he possessed Minsu, Kang Hoshin, and Yeonmi. I wondered what it would have been like if someone else had received this script. I¡¯m sure he was just imitating something he saw on a si. As with most acting, imitating what someone else has done is not only inappropriate but also neither funny nor touching. In particr, it is literally absurd for someone who has notpleted his military service to imitate his military record. But I am different. Even without anyone¡¯s help, I was confident that I could do this act better than any other actor. A smile escaped my lips without even realizing it. I can¡¯t believe I got to say this line that I thought I¡¯d never have to say again after being discharged. The preparation time the professor mentioned was 10 minutes. But I didn¡¯t need to see any more lines. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± The professors looked at their watches for a moment and then looked at me with puzzled eyes. ¡°You still have some time left, is that okay? ¡°It would be good for candidate Kang Jinseok to use all of his time.¡± The voice sounded a little concerned, but also a little offended. The professor¡¯s voice had a hint of ¡®Are you ignoring the lines we gave earlier today? I replied calmly. ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s an image that just came to mind. ¡°If I think about it, my head will get moreplicated and I won¡¯t be able to show it as it is.¡± After hearing my answer, the professor nodded as if he understood. ¡°Great. Then tell me the name of the script written on the script and start acting. Oh, by the way, you can do it while reading the script.¡± ¡°Yes! The script title is . Let¡¯s start acting!¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I crumpled up the script. Because I didn¡¯t need to see the script. I approached the professors. I started acting while thinking of ¡®Sergeant Kang Jinseok¡¯ in the Republic of Korea Army, where time passes so slowly. ¡°Hey, new recruit.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Say it bluntly.¡± A voice that seemed to be saying something very serious. His eyes sent countless signals that ¡®nothing is more important than this¡¯. The expression of the professor with the wide forehead in front of me changed. He looked quite surprised. I spoke immediately without giving him time toe to his senses. ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?¡± The testing room fell silent. In a solemn atmosphere, the professor shook his head slightly. ¡°Then not the person you¡¯re dating, but the women among your friends.¡± A slightly disappointed voice. But the nuance is: ¡°There is still hope for you. Now I waspletely immersed in those times. When the professor shook his head slightly again, my performance reached its peak. ¡°¡ªdoesn¡¯t exist?¡± Cracked. A question that goes beyond disappointment and seems absurd. He said, clenching his mrs. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± A voice that was half air and half sound. Then the professors closed their eyes. I don¡¯t know why, but there was a female professor, too. *** ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Jinseok speaks with a long sigh. The professors closed their eyes without noticing when they heard Jinseok¡¯s voice. There was no special reason. I just felt like I had to close my eyes because I was told to. ¡°What do you see?¡± Jinseok asked, and the professors answered in their minds. I can¡¯t see anything. ¡°Isn¡¯t it dark?¡± ¡°Yes! ¡°Do you know what that is?¡± ¡®¡ª.¡¯ ¡°This will be your military service from now on.¡± It was like lightning. This is an exam room where the professor is ¡®A¡¯ and Jinseok is ¡®B¡¯, but the professors couldn¡¯t think of such a thing. The acting was so realistic that I was transported back decades without even realizing it. ¡°This is yourst chance!¡± ¡°¡ª!¡± ¡°My older or younger sister!!¡± Jinseok¡¯s voice can be heard, not as calm as now, but full of excitement. From that point on, everyone could tell it was a joke, but the professors had already empathized with the ¡®new soldier¡¯. One of the professors remembered his older sister. It had been a while since she had been married, and her child had an older sister who was Jinseok¡¯s age. Maybe he read the professor¡¯s expression, or maybe it was just good timing, but Jinseok spoke into the professor¡¯s face with his eyes wide open. ¡°Uh, okay. sister. ¡°Are you pretty?¡± Jinseok¡¯s voice was full of anticipation. As soon as the professor heard these words, he thought of his older sister. The question ¡°Is she pretty?¡± brought a face to his mind that made it impossible for him to nod his head. But he felt that he shouldn¡¯t shake his head here, so he nodded. Bang! Then Jinseok hit the table where the professors were sitting. The professors were startled and jumped back at the sound. Before I could calm my heart, Jinseok¡¯s line continued. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in words!!! Picture!!! Bring a picture!!! ¡°Family photos or something!!!¡± Jinseok¡¯s eyes were so wide that they seemed to jump out of his head, and he spoke so fiercely that spit sttered on his face. But none of the professors could say anything to Jinseok. Because Jinseok¡¯s acting is not acting¡­ Reminds me of that guy from 20 years ago. This is not a level that can be achieved through practice. Even active soldiers can¡¯t do better than this. It is the kind of acting that seems toe with experience and countless rehearsals. Because it felt real. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 About a minute had passed since the end of the day¡¯s speech. I returned to where I had originally stood and remembered the performance from a while ago. Was it too real? The acting I did earlier was based on my experience. It was like ying a harmless prank on new recruits. The reason sis are fun is because of the realistic settings and acting. This is probably the right way to act this time. While I was thinking about it, one of the professors said with a slight smile. ¡°to¡ª. hmm. uh¡ª. Thanks for your hard work. ¡°I saw a good performance.¡± This was the professor I acted on by spouting in his face. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t seem to be in a bad mood. Though he did look a little tired. The professor sitting next to him said. ¡°Hmm! Before I look at the applicant¡¯s specialties, I would like to ask you a few questions. ¡°Please feel free to say whatever you think.¡± ¡°All right.¡± It is a practical test, but of course, there is also an interview. I did as Yeonmi had practiced, straightened my back, and looked at the professors with a slight smile. the professor asked. ¡°Why did you apply to our school? ¡°There are many other good schools.¡± He thought for about 5 seconds before answering calmly. ¡°Because it was rmended by the best actors.¡± Perhaps because it was an unexpected answer, the professor who asked the question was taken aback for a moment. Then he smiled slightly and said. ¡°Rmended by the best actors?¡± His voice was definitely more pleasant than before. After all, professors are human beings, so it felt good to hear praise from them. ¡°Yes. After the first reading of , I had the opportunity to have dinner with other senior actors. Naturally, the topic of universities came up, and he rmended Seoguk University.¡± Slight smiles appeared on the faces of the other professors as well. Only Kim Yeonmi¡¯s father, Professor Kim Seunghyun, remained expressionless the whole time. ¡°Is this the story of choosing our school because a senior rmended it? ¡°Is there any other reason? ¡°That¡¯s not all. Seoguk University aims to cultivate professional acting and directing talents from the very first year.¡± ¡°Also, when I work as an actor in the future, I know that the rtionship between seniors and juniors is solid¡­¡± ¡°The practice room, which is open 24 hours a day, is really well equipped¡­¡± I recited the pride of the school that Seo Yeonsoo had told me in advance and the characteristics of the school that I had personally discovered. The more I talked, the brighter the faces of the professors became. It is said thatpliments make even whales dance¡­ Several questions followed. ¡°Which actor do you think is a great actor?¡± ¡°He is an actor who can possess a role rather than imitate it.¡± ¡°There will be many difficulties when you be an actor in the future. How will you ovee them? ¡°I will grit my teeth and persevere, just as I have done so far. ¡°I persevered and passed the drama audition by myself. ¡°What will you do if you fail? ¡°I will improve my skills and try again next year. But I want to pass on the first try if possible!¡± The professors smiled at my answer. Looking at the reaction, it didn¡¯t seem bad. I was worried, but in my opinion, I did better than I thought. Perhaps the reason I was able to answer confidently without being nervous was because I had gained Kim Yeonmi¡¯s memory. The professor said after a while, pointing his pen at his guitar lying on the floor. ¡°I see you brought a guitar. Is singing your specialty?¡± ¡°Oh, yes! ¡°I have prepared a song.¡± ¡°Great. ¡°Can I see it now?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I carefully picked up the guitar that was lying on the floor. A guitar with a simr design to the one Yeonmi used before. It was a guitar that I finally found after wandering around a shopping mall in Paradise for a while. I took the guitar out and sat cross-legged on the floor like Yeonmi. There was a chair next to me, but I didn¡¯t sit on it on purpose. Then Professor Seung-hyun Kim spoke with a slightly embarrassed voice. ¡°It¡¯s okay to sit on the chair next to you.¡± ¡°No. I feelfortable in this position.¡± Professor Seung-hyun Kim frowned slightly at my answer. It didn¡¯t seem like he was in a bad mood. Rather, it was because he wanted to concentrate and watch. ¡°Let me see what you have prepared.¡± Professor Kim Seung-hyun spoke with a more serious look in his eyes than other professors. He looked at me more seriously than when I was acting. Probably because Yeonmi and his wife were sitting while ying the guitar and singing. It might be a sad, unpleasant sight for him. Nevertheless, I had to y the guitar that way. The test room was quiet again. I closed my eyes and surrendered to Yeonmi¡¯s memories. Ding-Tidi- Ding¡ª Ding¡ª. The song I¡¯m ying now is Yeonmi¡¯s mother¡¯s favorite song, ¡°Holding You in My Arms,¡± which Yeonmi practiced so hard. *** Jinseok insists on sitting on the floor and ying the guitar. Looking at Jinseok like that, Professor Seung-hyun Kim thought. You y the guitar in a very unique way. When he saw Jinseok, his wife and daughter vaguely appeared in his mind. Professor Seung-hyun Kim immediately shook his head and erased such thoughts from his mind. Personal feelings should not be included in the evaluation of applicants. My wife and daughter are probably not the only ones sitting on the floor ying guitar. Ding-Tidi- Ding¡ª Ding¡ª. What kind of song is that? However, when Jinseok started to y the guitar, Professor Seung-hyun Kim clenched his fists without realizing it. How could this song be¡­ Why is it in that position¡­ Humans are simple animals. When you smell a fragrance simr to someone you loved, you think of that person, and when you eat food simr to the home-cooked food you ate as a child, you think of your parents who cooked it for you. The same goes for music, of course. Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-dong. As the beautiful melody flowed from Jinseok¡¯s guitar, Professor Seung-hyun Kim couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart pound. This is the song he sang to his wife when he asked her to marry him. A guitar that his wife yed in the same position every day until she died. Putting it all together, the song their daughter said she would sing in front of them. He said he would also invite Yeonmi to his examination room¡­ Now I realized that the guitar was simr to the one Yeonmi used. The person in front of me is a man named Kang Jinseok, whom I met for the first time today. But¡­ Professor Kim Seung-Hyun could not get rid of the thoughts of his wife and daughter that kept popping into his head. That song and that attitude at that time. Even the ce. Everything reminded me of my daughter and my wife. It went on for a long time. Jinseok began to sing. ¡°Streetlight light~ Your scent passing by on a cloudy night~¡± Professor Seung-hyun Kim is not a musician. So I don¡¯t know if he can y the guitar or sing well. Of course, I could tell that Jinseok¡¯s breathing and posture were good when he sang. Professor Kim Seung-hyun was also well aware of the importance of breathing and posture in acting. But Professor Kim Seung-hyun did not have time to worry about that right now. Professor Kim Seung-hyun was now immersed in happy memories. ¡°I want to express my feelings! uh¡ª!¡± Well, it¡¯s off. Themonly known Jeepsari. When Jinseok made a mistake while singing a beautiful melody, the other professors started to write something on their evaluation sheets. On the other hand, Professor Seung-hyun Kim was ovee with emotion. ¡°¡ª.¡± As time passed, I wiped the tears from my eyes with my now rough hands. Tears slowly but surely filled his eyes. My wife¡­ His daughter always made mistakes here¡­ How, no. Why is even this part wrong? As soon as he thought that, several scenes shed through his mind. Memories of his wife making mistakes and being embarrassed while singing him songs. And the moment when their daughter smiled brightly next to him. ¡®Honey¡­ Yeonmi¡­¡¯ After his wife died, his daughter practiced singing on a guitar that was much bigger than her body. She kept repeating the same mistakes in the same ces, ming herself. He didn¡¯t avoid Yeonmi¡¯s eyes at that time¡­ In the end, he imagined his daughter ying the guitar and singing in front of him, which he had not seen. If Yeonmi had taken the test¡­ Yeonmi must have made the same mistake. Professor Kim Seung-Hyun had never shed a tear since the death of his wife and daughter. No matter how sad a work he saw or how sad a song he heard, he was unimpressed. Because he was never sadder than when he lost his wife and daughter. Holy shit¡­ What is this? Kim Seung-hyun was sadder than anyone else and shed tears. I tried to rub my eyes roughly, but the action actually brought out more tears. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± When coincidences ovep three times, it is said to be fate. The first time Jinseok sat on the floor and yed the guitar, Professor Seung-hyun Kim thought it was a coincidence. He also thought it was a coincidence that his wife liked it and that their daughter chose the song she wanted to sing. But when the mistakes he made were always the same, it could no longer be dismissed as a coincidence. Is there some kind of connection? ¡°Share your dreams¡­¡± When the song ended, the professors stopped writing on the evaluation paper and looked up at Jinseok. ¡°Great. Thank you for your hard work¡­¡± Just as one of the professors was about to say something, Professor Kim Seung-hyun stood up and interrupted the other professor. ¡°Mr. Kang Jinseok.¡± Jinseok looked at Professor Seung-hyun Kim and replied softly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Just one impromptu act¡­ ¡°No, please.¡± When my daughter died in my arms in a car ident, her hot blood soaked my shirt. Just like that time, my shirt was soaked. But not with blood, but with tears. Professor Seung-hyun Kim said, forgetting that his clothes were wet. ¡°A daughter dying in his father¡¯s arms ¡­ No, it¡¯s okay if it¡¯s a son. ¡°Try to act out that person¡¯s emotions.¡± What if Jinseok is rted to Professor Seung-hyun Kim? It might give him the answer he¡¯s been curious about all his life. ¡°Is it okay to y a child who dies in his father¡¯s arms?¡± When Jinseok asked again, Professor Seung-hyun Kim nodded. The professors next to him were embarrassed by the tears that continued to flow, but no one objected, knowing his sense of loss. ¡°All right.¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Yeonmi¡¯s father, Professor Seung-hyun Kim, looked at me with tears in his eyes. After a while. Professor Seung-hyun Kim spoke to me with a voice that seemed to contain his emotions as much as possible. ¡°A daughter dying in her father¡¯s arms¡­ no, it could be a son. ¡°Try to act out that person¡¯s emotions.¡± Anyone who was asked to do an improvisation like that would be embarrassed. Because it would be an improvisation that I had never thought of. But¡­ I already know the answer. The same act Yeonmi tried to perform for her father before she died. There is no need to analyze, exaggerate, or force it. All I have to do is show the fleeting emotions that Yeonmi was unable to show in the end. ¡°All right.¡± When I answered, Professor Seung-hyun Kim leaned his body against the desk. His arm leaning against the desk was shaking as if he had lost his strength. He wiped his eyes with a shaking hand. The eyes, blurred with tears, were clearly visible. Then you can see me clearly now. After entering the examination room, I continued to y Kim Yeonmi. Not only the tone of voice, walking, and gaze but also ying the guitar and singing. Yeonmi showed me everything she had prepared. Now it is time for Yeonmi to show her father thest act she wanted to do. Before Yeonmi died, she tried to smile at her father. I just have to show it. The scene and the emotion were already engraved in his heart. I slowly approached Professor Kim Seung-hyun. Every time he took a step, his expression changed. The first thing to change was his eyebrows. I can¡¯t help but furrow my eyebrows because they are full of pain, suffering, and regret. I try to straighten my expression somehow, but it doesn¡¯t work. I take another step closer. Only one thing has changed now. Tears fill my eyes. At the same time, I tried to smile somehow, so my eyes opened in a small crescent shape. Murmuring. Then tears welled up and flowed down my cheeks. But his eyes are still smiling, wondering if his father, left alone, will be worried. Take a step closer. ¡°¡ª.¡± Now I was standing in front of Yeonmi¡¯s father. Thest thing to change was my smile. I force myself to smile so hard that my gums are visible. Since it is the easiest part of the face to move, I somehow do my best to fake a ¡®smile¡¯. A somewhat, no, very forced smile. At the same time, I bite my lower lip so as not to show that I am sad or in pain. Because of the pain, he came to his senses at the end and barely looked into his father¡¯s eyes. The most forced smile in the world was painted on my face. A smile so awkward that it couldn¡¯t even be called acting. But that smile was full of satisfaction. It was the smile Yeonmi wanted to show her father in herst moments. He made eye contact with Yeonmi¡¯s father. His face is blurred and full of tears. There are probably tears in his eyes as well. ¡°¡ª.¡± He smiles so hard that his facial movements tremble. But this is also one of Yeonmi¡¯s appearances. There was silence and the other professors took turns looking at Professor Kim Seung-hyun and me. The professors who opened their mouths to say something ended up saying nothing. *** Professor Seung-hyun Kim, who had managed to control his emotions, sat down weakly in his chair. He covered his face with his hands and said to me. ¡°Thank you. Something I had never seen in my dreams¡­ No, I wanted to see it even in my dreams¡­¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°For showing me a smile¡­¡± His voice was full of sadness, but it was more reassuring than ever. The eventful Seoguk University entrance exam was over. *** Yeonmi¡¯s emotions, which did not go away even after the test was over, overwhelmed his heart. So, without even realizing it, tears continued to flow. Uh puh puh. I washed my face with cold water in the bathroom to sort out my emotions as quickly as possible, but it didn¡¯t really help. It¡¯s really not easy¡­ I once saw an inte article like this. It was an interview with a movie actor, and he said that when he works on a project, he gets so immersed in his role that his personality changes for a while. At that time I didn¡¯t understand what that meant. However, when I yed Minsu, Kang Hoshin, and Yeonmi, I was able to understand exactly what he was saying. Is that why good actors stay at home when they¡¯re not working? I try to manage my mentality¡­ Squeaking, I turned off the faucet, walked out, and went to the elevator. I saw my reflection in the iron door of the elevator. The eyeball was swollen from crying too much and his eyes were red like a rabbit. If anyone sees me, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m crying because I failed the exam. While I was thinking this, the elevator opened. ¡°Huh? Have you finished your exam? But¡­ what¡¯s going on¡­? Seo Yeonsoo stepped out of the elevator. Her voice was weing at first, but when he saw my face, he became worried. I was a little surprised by Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s sudden appearance, but she smiled and said it was no big deal. ¡°Oh, I was so absorbed in the test that I ended up crying. It¡¯s no big deal. Shall we get something to eat? Oh, you can¡¯t leave because the test isn¡¯t over yet?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± At my words, Seo Yeonsoo seemed to want to ask something. But she spoke with her usual bright smile. ¡°Just say you¡¯ll be back after a quick meal. Anyway, we decided to take turns eating. By the way¡­¡± Seo Yeonsoo blurted out a bit. Then she continued speaking. ¡°¨C It wasn¡¯t just an act, you were really immersed in the test to the point of crying?¡± ¡± Ah. ¡°It just happened that way.¡± ¡°Hey, I see. I thought you were crying because you failed the test. ¡°I was surprised.¡± It must have looked that way. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m d you did well on the test! Then let¡¯s go eat. ¡°I, the ¡®senior,¡¯ will live today.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a senior if you haven¡¯t passed the exam yet.¡± ¡°Ah, if you¡¯re at least as good as your brother, you¡¯ll probably pass.¡± Yeonsoo sticks out her tongue slightly and speaks yfully. Then she said as she got back on the elevator. ¡°Anyway, I wish an actor as good as my brother cried during the practical exam¡­ ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll be a senior?¡± The word ¡®chief¡¯, which I had never thought of, came out of Yeonsoo¡¯s mouth. *** A bar in Gangnam, Seoul. The gleaming marble table was filled with alcohol and snacks. At the table, a man is smiling and drinking. Next to him, a man with a mischievous smile was pouring drinks and flirting. The man who poured the drink said with a smile. ¡°Director, thank you very much for giving us something big this time. The man who just spoke is Moon Jong-seo, drama director at KSC Broadcasting. ¡°Oh my! Director, why are you doing this? ¡°I just wanted to do a mutually beneficial deal.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so?¡± The man he was talking to was the director of KL Entertainment. Moon Jong-seo spoke carefully. ¡°But you even paid a fine to BDD. The amount must be quiterge¡­¡± ¡°Director. As I said before, that kind of money is not a big burden for us at KL Entertainment.¡± The director immediately added in a subdued voice. ¡°You know that we have a lot of money. Please just make this drama good. ¡°That is all.¡± Director Moon Jong-seo clenched his fist and said his words. ¡°Of course! KL Entertainment even supported the production costs and the actors, so we have to make it good! KL Entertainment is one of the top three actor managementpanies in Korea. He is also a giant in the entertainment industry, having recently sessfullyunched an ambitious idol group. Moon Jong-seo was full of confidence because he was producing a drama that was fully supported by such apany. Since it is the work of writer Kwon Chaeyoon, box office sess is guaranteed. And thepeting BDD channel has already gone out of business. You can¡¯t fail if you want to fail. The only thing I was worried about was writer Kwon Chaeyoon¡¯s shitty personality, but it wasn¡¯t a problem for this work. Since most of the actors are from KL Entertainment¡­ Since many of the actors are from KL Entertainment, thergest investor in the production, any minor disputes that arise during the filming will be resolved by KL Entertainment. I just have to organize it. A job that has nopetition and any problems that arise during production are handled by otherpanies. It was like blowing your nose without touching it. ¡°Then, director. Let¡¯s have another drink! KL Entertainment and KSC Broadcasting¡­¡± The two exchanged sinister smiles and drank their drinks. *** ¡°¡ªAh, brother! Please, how can I not?¡± [Jinho. Sorry. I talked to my superiors, but they are very skeptical about the investment.] ¡°So you ask your brother directly. ¡°This work is sure to be a hit, right?¡± A conference room at the BDD broadcasting station. Producer Na Jinho and the other production staff look haggard as if they hadn¡¯t been home for several days. Their clothes reeked of stale cigarette smoke, but no one cared. It had to be like this. Now they had to use their personal connections as much as possible to find an investment site as quickly as possible. [I¡¯m sorry. I think that¡¯s all I can do. I¡¯m really sorry.] ¡°Ah, brother! Really¡­¡± ddu- ¡°Fuck¡­ Phew¡­¡± Producer Na Jinho cursed and tried to throw his cell phone, but barely stopped himself. He then used his pen to roughly scribble and erase a contact number written in his notebook. ¡°When I helped you in the past, I told you to ask for anything¡­ ¡°You bastards.¡± While working as a producer for the past 20 years, PD Na Jinho has built up connections in various fields. From executives of medium-sizedpanies to vige chiefs. He contacted everyone he thought could invest in the project. However, no one reached out to PD Na Jinho. Have KL Entertainment and KSC already agreed to this? This is a work in which existing investors withdrew their investment and paid a penalty. You are either a fool or a crazy person to invest in such a work. Even a rich man with a lot of money would not invest in such a work. Honestly¡­ there¡¯s no way I would invest in my work under those circumstances. Buck Buck. While Na Jinho was nervously scratching his head, the door to the conference room opened and BDD drama director Choi Hoon walked in. He was holding a lunch box and a drink. ¡°How are you feeling? Did you get something?¡± Choi Hoon said with a small sigh in the quiet atmosphere. ¡°Sorry. ¡°I¡¯m trying my best¡­¡± As Na Jinho spoke, the atmosphere in the conference room became calmer. An atmosphere of defeat and disappointment. Choi Hoon wanted to say something, but he closed his mouth again. No matter what I say now, it won¡¯t make you feel better. ¡°Hey,e to your senses and eat something first. And then go home for a while. Mr. Jesu will be worried.¡± Choi Hoon said as he ced lunch boxes in front of the employees one by one. The lunch box was warm as if it had been heated somewhere. ¡°Thank you for this food.¡± ¡°I will enjoy it.¡± Choi Hoon stared nkly at the ceiling as the helpless employees greeted him. After¡­ This is the first time I have felt so helpless. I have been through a lot since BDD Broadcasting Station was new¡­ There is no answer like this. Choi Hoon also tried to find money through his personal connections. But he couldn¡¯t find the right investors. Should I finally go to the bank? Banks don¡¯t really give you money either. Shit. What? While I was thinking that, the director¡¯s cell phone rang. 010-XXXX-XXXX Who is this? Even though it was a number I didn¡¯t know, I answered without thinking too much. If it¡¯s spam, I¡¯m ready to curse and hang up just to vent my anger. ¡°Hello.¡± [Hello. Is this the contact information for the drama director of BDD Broadcasting Station, Director Choi Hoon?] This is the first time I¡¯ve heard this voice¡­ The person on the other end knew exactly who he was because of his deep, deep voice that was easy to hear. Perhaps thinking that this was not a matter to be taken lightly, he replied calmly without losing his politeness. ¡°Yes, but who are you?¡± [Nice to meet you. My name is Kang Kyeongsik, and I am the chief secretary to CEO Oh Haneul of OS International]. A phone call from an unexpected person. Normally, I would have thought it was spam or voice phishing, but the other person¡¯s mood was too unusual to say. [I would like to meet the director and PD Na Jinho, when would be a good time? I would like to meet them in person and talk about investing in a drama]. ¡°¡ªYes? Investment?¡± The director¡¯s embarrassed voice made everyone in the room look at him. TN: I HAVE RECEIVED COMPLAINS ABOUT THE NOVEL THAT THE TN IS UNREADABLE IF YOU GUYS HAVE COMPLAINS PLEASE DO CHAT IN THE DISCORD AND WHAT CHAPTERS IS IT AND I WILL TRY TO TRANSLATE THE ENTIRE CHAPTER AGAIN. FOR CLARITY SOME PEOPLES HAVE LOW READING COMPREHENSION IF I DON¡¯T SEE ANY PROBLEM THEN I WON¡¯T TN THE CHAPTER AGAIN. LOVELUTS Chapter 29 Chapter 29 While Director Choi Hoon was talking on the phone with a puzzled expression on his face, PD Na Jinho asked. ¡°Why, Director? ¡°What is going on?¡± Choi Hoon put his index finger over his mouth. He meant to be quiet. If it¡¯s an OS group, is it the OS group I know¡­? While Choi Hoon was racking his brain, the chief secretary spoke again. [Originally, I was supposed to contact you using ourpany number, but the CEO instructed me directly, so I contacted you personally]. ¡°Ah yes¡­¡± Choi Hoon¡¯s voice was slightly shaky because he had not fully grasped the situation. [I hope we can schedule it as soon as possible, but the director and producer must be very busy, right?] Hearing the secretary general¡¯s words, Choi Hoon looked at his cell phone and said. ¡°Oh, no! Our¡­ No, I¡¯m really busy, but still! It is possible right now. Uh, where should I meet you?¡± [You cane to the OS International headquarters¡­ I will send you thepany address. Please contact us when you arrive]. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The call ended with these words. The conference room was filled with curiosity and subtle anticipation. As everyone looked at him quietly, Choi Hoon spoke with a slightly shaking voice. ¡°Hey, Jinho¡­¡± Choi Hoon just called his name like he would if he met him privately. That¡¯s how confused he was. ¡°Yes, Director.¡± ¡°You quickly go home, take a shower, and change your clothes¡­ no. As for the clothes, let¡¯s go buy a dress shirt and a pair of jeans in front of here. ¡°Go to the sauna first.¡± Na Jinho looked confused at Choi Hoon¡¯s words. ¡°Why? Wait¡­ did you just call¡­ an investor?¡± ¡°Uh¨C. Investments are probablying in. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried, but first you have to get the investment.¡± The employees clenched their fists at the director¡¯s words. Their haggard faces began toe to life. Nothing is certain yet, but where is even a glimmer of hope? ¡°Done¡­¡± ¡°As expected, Director! ¡°I believed it.¡± ¡°I have to go to the sauna and get some sleep.¡± Na Jinho asked again as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Someone is investing in my work? Really?¡± I called around the clock for several days, but no one was willing to help. So Na Jinho couldn¡¯t believe that an investor hade forward. ¡± Where? Could it be¡­ a bank? ¡°Are you sure they will give us the money?¡± Choi Hoon scratched the back of his head and said. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t even know what happened to me¡­¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°The OS Group is investing. To be precise, it is OS International¡­ Does it matter now? ¡°First of all, wash up quickly!¡± ¡°OS Group This was an investor that no one in the room could have imagined. *** ¡°W-where, is it?¡± ¡°Uh. ¡°The address they texted is right here.¡± After hearing that they had found an investor, Na Jinho and Choi Hoon went to the meeting ce as soon as they finished their preparations. The ce they arrived at was the headquarters building of ¡®OS INTERNATIONAL¡¯, which is said to be the most popr of the OS Group¡¯s subsidiaries. Na Jinho and Choi Hoon looked around at the entrance of the building where many office workers came and went. ¡°Where should we go?¡± ¡°He asked me to contact him when we arrive.¡± Choi Hoon called again from the number he had just called. [Hello? Director, have you arrived yet?] ¡°Oh yes! ¡°We are at the entrance now. Choi Hoon held the phone with both hands and spoke politely. He looked more like a new employee than a director. [Please wait a moment. I will send someone now.] ¡°All right!¡± Soon after, a woman in a neat suit came out of the building and looked around. Making eye contact with the two people who were waiting anxiously, the woman approached with her attendants. ¡°Hello. My name is Jooyoung Han from the representative secretary¡¯s office. ¡°You are director Choi Hoon and producer Na Jinho, right?¡± Choi Hoon and Na Jinho also greeted Han Jooyoung politely. ¡°I¡¯m Choi Hoon¡­¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­ ¡°I¡¯m Na Jinho.¡± ¡°Yes. Nice to meet you ¡°The manager is getting ready to wee you two, so we will take you to the conference room first.¡± ¡°Ah yes¡­¡± The two people didn¡¯t know that they would be treated like VIPs, so they were even more embarrassed than when they first heard that OS Group was investing. When we entered the headquarters building, we were shocked. This is because the executive-only elevator was waiting. ¡°You reserved the elevator in advance? Director, what kind of rtionship do you have with OS Group? ¡°You can get on.¡± Han Jooyoung spoke to them as they stood there nkly. Choi Hoon and Na Jinho straightened their hair, adjusted their ties, and got on the elevator. While the elevator was going up, Choi Hoon had many things he wanted to ask Han Jooyoung. Why did they suddenly decide to invest in our drama? Before that, why is OS Group suddenly interested in broadcasting and is it nning to enter the entertainment business this time? It would be obvious to answer that I don¡¯t know. I will have to ask the chief secretaryter. Choi Hoon and Na Jinho arrived at the conference room under Han Jooyoung¡¯s guidance. ¡°Boss. This is Han Jooyoung. Choi Hoon and Na Jinho have arrived. ¡°Come in.¡± When permission was given, Han Jooyoung opened the door. ¡°Hello. Nice to see you two. I¡¯m the Chief Secretary Kang Kyeongsik. ¡°Pleasee in first.¡± At the door, a middle-aged man with handsome white hair smiled and handed Choi Hoon a business card. ¡°Thank you. ¡°I¡¯m Choi Hoon, drama director at BDD Broadcasting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m PD Na Jinho.¡± After exchanging business cards, Chief of Staff Kang Kyeongsik spoke first. ¡°First of all, thank you for taking the time to do this. ¡°I should have done it quickly because it was an order from the CEO, but I¡¯m d.¡± ¡°Oh, no. We really appreciate it, but¡­ ¡°Is it true that you guys are investing in our work?¡± Choi Hoon first confirmed the most important thing. ¡°Of course. ¡°We are nning to invest more than the amount we decided to invest in KL Entertainment. When the words ¡®KL Enter¡¯ came out, Choi Hoon swallowed dryly. If you know that KL Entertainment withdrew its investment, it seems like you know most of the circumstances. This time, Na Jinho asked cautiously in response to the secretary¡¯s words. ¡°If it¡¯s more than KL Enter¡­ How much exactly?¡± ¡°We are thinking of up to double the amount that KL Entertainment decided to invest.¡± Double. As soon as they heard these words, Na Jinho and Choi Hoon looked at each other. ¡°¡®Twice¡­¡¯ This person¡­ No, does this person know how much it is? Chief Secretary Kang Kyeongsik, seeing the look in their eyes, smiled slightly and handed the documents to them. ¡°This is a contract made in our format. ¡°We have already signed it. All you have to do is sign it.¡± Hearing that the contract had already been prepared, Choi Hoon hurriedly checked the contract. ¡°¡ª!¡± Seeing Choi Hoon¡¯s unusual reaction, Na Jinho quickly checked the contract and covered his mouth. Oh my God. It¡¯s really double. After a while, Choi Hoon, who had carefully read the contract from beginning to end, spoke up. ¡°The contract seems really good. One thing that worries me is that I don¡¯t think this contract is very beneficial to the OS Group¡­¡± While Choi Hoon spoke cautiously, the chief secretary gestured as if to continue. ¡°So I would like to ask if there are any requirements that would be difficult to write into a contract.¡± A requirement that would be difficult to write into a contract. It often means content that would be socially criticized if it were made into a document. For example, it starts with asking certain actors to go out for drinks, and when the ratings of a drama exceed a certain level, some of the actors who appear in it ¡°have to¡± filmmercials for investmentpanies at a low price, and so on. Most of these things are rted to the actors, and they happen often, knowingly or unknowingly. Of course, since the station does not have the authority to move the actors, each agency has to be persuaded or pressured first. Of course, this is very embarrassing for the station. ¡°We don¡¯t want that. If we wanted that, we would have gone directly to the agency. ¡°With so much money, anything is possible.¡± In response to Choi Hoon¡¯s question, the chief secretary smiled and shook his head. ¡°And our CEO is not the right person for that.¡± Choi Hoon nodded as the secretary general spoke calmly while drinking tea. The chief secretary saw this and said, handing over a bundle of documents. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re just investing for the sake of it. We are also apany. ¡°Please take a look at this. Choi Hoon read the document given by the Chief of Staff. OS Entertainment Business n¡ªD. Is the OS Group nning to enter the entertainment industry? It would be a big deal if OS Group entered the entertainment industry. Although I was quite surprised inside, I didn¡¯t show it and quickly skimmed through the documents. It looks like you have put a lot of thought into this. Since it was an establishedrgepany, the business n was well organized. On thest page of the business n, something very important to Choi Hoon was written. -Actively include celebrities in BDD¡¯s dramas and entertainment shows. -Subsequently, OS Entertainment¡¯s own nned program utilizing awareness was aired on BDD Broadcasting Station. Etc. Several projects to be carried out with the BDD Broadcasting Station were nned in great detail. As Choi Hoon read the page carefully, the chief secretary said. ¡°As you can see, this time we are nning to invest heavily in such coborations,¡± he said. ¡°This is to quickly grow the entertainers we will create in the future.¡± Choi Hoon swallowed dryly at the chief secretary¡¯s words. ¡°Also¡­ The OS group is not normal. If the BDD channels do not have this money, they will have to abandon the work they have been preparing for a long time. And in the meantime, theirpetitors will benefit enormously. But if I just eat this money¡­ BDD can put OS Entertainment on a leash. This money is a very tasty medicine. Only time will tell if it is poison or great medicine. While Choi Hoon was thinking, the chief secretary smiled and said. ¡°Then please take your time and think about it. ¡°You two need to discuss this, so I will take your ce.¡± As soon as the secretary left the room, Na Jinho wrote his name on the contract without hesitation. Choi Hoon saw this and yelled at Na Jinho. ¡°Hey, Na Jinho! Are you crazy? No matter how much you want to receive investment, it¡¯s apletely nk check condition¡­!¡± ¡°Director. ¡°Look at the list of recruited actors over there.¡± Na Jinho interrupted Choi Hoon¡¯s worried conversation and pointed to the OS Entertainment business n. Choi Hoon checked the list. ¡ª¡ª 1. Kang Jinseok 2. A new actor who fits the image of the OS group Group¡¯s image. After recruiting more than 5 actors including Kang Jinseok, the idol business began. ¡ª¡ª It was a very bad list. So much so that it put to shame the dozens of pages of detailed business ns I had read before. However, Director Choi Hoon could not take his eyes off the name written at the top. Kang Jinseok? Wait, where did I hear that¡­ ah? This time, it was the name of the neer that Na Jinho was most looking forward to. Na Jinho spoke softly to Choi Hoon. ¡°He¡¯s really talented, but he¡¯s an actor who hasn¡¯t even debuted yet. ¡°I met him after Mansu introduced him to me.¡± ¡°Anyway?¡± ¡°I, the person who ate jjambap at the station until I threw up, also a newly discovered actor. But if apany that hasn¡¯t even been founded knows about such an actor¡­¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Either OS Entertainment¡¯s intelligence is not average, or that friend¡¯s sponsor. It will be one of those two things. ¡°This guy will definitely be a big hit.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Having an entertainment agency like this first will be beneficial to us, but it will definitely not be a loss.¡± Na Jinho gave Choi Hoon a pen and said. ¡°And anyway, if this drama is sessful, will I be the next director? ¡°I will take the responsibility, so please sign.¡± Choi Hoon sighed at Na Jinho¡¯s confident voice. Choi Hoon thought for a while. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay? ¡°I¡¯ll be retiring soon, but you¡¯ll have to stay at BDD for a long time, right?¡± ¡°Older brother. I¡¯m sure. Anyway, if I can¡¯t film this drama, I¡¯ll leave too. ¡°Even my brother didn¡¯t get any apuse when he left.¡± When Na Jinho said this, Choi Hoon could not stop him. Whoa¡­ I can¡¯t believe I have to decide something like this in myter years. My arms are really strange too. Choi Hoon shrugged his shoulders and signed the contract as if everything would be fine. ¡°Okay, do what you want. If you need helpter, let me know. ¡°I will report directly to the president regarding the investment in this project.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Drama investment. An alliance was formed between OS Entertainment and BDD Broadcasting Station. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chief of Staff Kang Kyeongsik has returned. ¡°Have you made your decision?¡± Na Jinho said as he handed the contract to the smiling chief secretary. ¡°Yes. I understand your intention to invest in our work and we will proceed in this manner.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the. ¡°Our CEO will be very happy to hear that the contract has been signed.¡± ¡°Yes. Ah, now that we have signed the contract, I would like to exin the work¡­¡± As Na Jinho spoke and took the script out of his pocket, the chief secretary waved his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to exin. ¡°I know what it¡¯s about.¡± Na Jinho swallowed dry saliva at these words. ¡°Did you hear what we exined to the other investors? Whatever it was, the information power of the OS group was amazing. Hagiya. So they must have prepared the contract in advance like this. There is no way that such arge amount of money would be invested in such a rigorous job. Chief of Staff Kang Kyeongsik spoke at that time. ¡°Instead, I have a request. ¡°I wish we could change the script a little. If you want to change the script¡­ Are we going to do it live? Dramas are usually divided into ¡®pre-production¡¯ and ¡®side script¡¯. Pre-production literally means filming and broadcasting everything from start to finish after the script has beenpleted. Side scripts are alsomonly referred to as ¡®live¡¯ because the script is not properly prepared before filming, but only as much as is needed to be filmed is done right before filming. Are we trying to overturn the script that has already been written? Na Jinho thought as he drank water. Since this is BDD¡¯s own production and not outsourced, there will be no dys in the shooting schedule due to external factors. Also, since the script was already written, there was no need to rush into production. Of course, there is the advantage of being able to make changes in the meantime while watching the reactions of the viewers¡­ If possible, I didn¡¯t want it to be live. Because it is really no different from war. However, if the investor who invested such arge amount of money wanted it, no matter how much Na Jinho did, there was nothing he could do. ¡°Hmm¡ª. ¡°Do you think the manager doesn¡¯t like the script right now?¡± When Na Jinho asked cautiously, the chief secretary smiled and said as if to tell him not to worry. ¡°Haha, no. I really enjoyed it. And OS Group is not an unprecedentedpany.¡± At this, Director Choi Hoon, who was quietly listening to the story next to him, breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Huh, then what do you mean you want to change the script?¡± ¡°We felt that episode 6 was a turning point in the work. ¡°What do you think, PD and Director?¡± ¡°Hmm¡ª¡± Na Jinho thought deeply while holding water in his mouth. Episode 6¡­ This is the episode where Nakamura gets shot. Nakamura¡± harasses the Koreans from episode 1 and confronts the main characters of the story. Nakamura decides to help Joseon and does so in episode 4 or 5, and dies in episode 7. Therefore, Episode 6 is a very important moment in the development of the work. In a way, this episode can be said to be the biggest turning point in the work. This is because the lives of the main characters change significantly with Nakamura¡¯s death. There is no need to point out and change ¡®Episode 6¡¯¡­ I never thought I¡¯d get the script. I had reasonable doubts. Maybe one of the actors had connections with OS Group and showed them the script and asked for investment. Probably not the production crew. If he had that kind of connection, he would have told the producer himself in advance. Han Jehoon? Lee Hyeonah?¡ª¡®. The main characters came to mind first. Then Jinseok suddenly came to mind. Yes, it wouldn¡¯t make sense if it wasn¡¯t him. If the OS group and Jinseok knew each other, his doubts would be understandable. Jinseok¡¯s name is on the recruitment list and the chief secretary knows exactly what the drama is about. And they even wanted to change the content from before and after the episode where Jinseok dies. It all fit together perfectly. But that won¡¯t be it. If he had connections with the OS group, actor Kang Jinseok wouldn¡¯t have had such a hard time. If Jinseok had connections with the OS Group executives, it would be something that only happens in novels. I don¡¯t know. There was nothing to be sure of. Rather, what we have to do now is decide whether to film ¡®live¡¯ from episode 7 on. But this is not something I can decide alone. ording to the current script, Nakamura will die and the main characters will have to ovee the crisis on their own. If Nakamura doesn¡¯t die, you can still get help from Nakamura. Even if he is the general manager, the PD cannot decide such important work settings on his own. Na Jinho, who had been thinking for a while, folded his hands and said. ¡°Chief. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t give you a definite answer right now. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to ask the writer Jo Seokwon who wrote the script.¡± ¡°Oh, I guess so. Could you please contact him now? ¡°I¡¯m also in a position where I have to report to the CEO.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Na Jinho immediately called the writer, Jo Seokwon. [Yes, PD.] A very tired voicees from the other end of the phone. Maybe writer Jo Seokwon was also looking for investors. PD Na Jinho said with a smile. ¡°Writer. There is good news. ¡°I found an investor.¡± [¡ª.] ¡°Writer?¡± When nothing was said, PD Na Jinho called writer Jo Seokwon. After a while, writer Jo Seokwon¡¯s voice, almost a roar, was heard through the cell phone. [Is it true? Really? That¡¯s it. And¡­ I really thought it would go away. I lost a lot of hair in the meantime. Because of stress.] My hair is falling out. For some reason, it didn¡¯t seem like anybody cared. ¡°Haha. Yes, that¡¯s right. ¡°But there is something I need to discuss with the writer.¡± [Top?] ¡°Yes. That¡­ ¡°The investor wants us to go into pre-production until episode 6 and change the script from episode 7 on.¡± [Hmm. Live from episode 7. Episode 6 is the episode where Nakamura gets shot. Right?] ¡°Yes.¡± [hmm¡ª] Jo Seokwon thought for a moment and then spoke in his characteristic rxed voice. [PD. Just go ahead. It¡¯s okay.] Jo Seokwon seemed to be making a decision too easily, so Na Jinho asked with a worried voice. ¡°¡ªAre you sure you¡¯re okay? ¡°If it¡¯s because of the investment¡­¡± [It¡¯s okay. This is Jo Seokwon.] ¡°¡ª.¡± [There is no problem, please continue. You can change the script based on the audience¡¯s reactions. The actors and crew are having a hard time, well¡­] Na Jinho thought for a moment and spoke after hearing Jo Seokwon¡¯s confident voice. ¡°I understand, writer. Then we will do it.¡± When Na Jinho hung up the phone, the chief secretary asked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Ah, the writer said he would try his best. ¡°It might be a bit difficult, but we have to listen to the suggestions of the OS Group that invested in us.¡± The chief secretary smiled brightly at Na Jinho¡¯s positive words. ¡°It must have been a difficult decision, but thank you. For now, I think this is all I need to tell you. ¡°Shall we end the meeting here and go for a meal?¡± ¡°Great.¡± Na Jinho smiled faintly as he walked to the restaurant with his chief secretary. I told the other actors to contact the assistant director and the AD¡­ ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to contact Jinseok Kang directly. Since he was the one who broke the news that the filming might be ruined, it was Na Jinho who tried to find an investor himself. *** ¡°Wow¡­ ¡°I¡¯m especially tired today.¡± After taking the college practical exam and having a quick meal with Seo Yeonsoo, I returned home after working part-time at a cafe. After some sleep, I¡¯m on my way to my part-time job at the warehouse. Even today, some guys came first. The first person to greet me was Mr. Kim. ¡°Oh, Jinseok is here. Today was college exam day, right? ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Yes. I think I did well. ¡°I was a little nervous, but it was okay.¡± When I said this with a smile, Mr. Kim said with a mischievous expression. ¡°Wow, you got a lot of confidence after a few auditions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. ¡°I just got a little lucky¡­¡± That time when I talked to Mr. Kim about little things. Wooooow. ¡°Oh, wait a minute.¡± My pocket vibrated. A person calling? ¡®Producer Na Jinho¡¯ appeared on the screen. As soon as I confirmed his name, I quickly answered the phone. ¡°Yes, PD! ¡°This is Kang Jinseok.¡± [Ah~ Actor Kang! Sorry. I didn¡¯t call you at the crack of dawn and wake you up while you were sleeping, did I?] Producer Na Jinho¡¯s voice sounds like it¡¯s soaked in alcohol. But it didn¡¯t seem like he made the call without thinking while under the influence of alcohol. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m doing a part-time job right now. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± [Aruvite? No way¡ª. You¡¯re going to be a star now, but I need to sleep right now!!!] Star? ¡°Yes? What was that¡­¡± [What do you mean? I said I found investors for our filming. Production costs have also increased significantly, so we can do better! Ah~ Mata! I have a question! Are you going out with the CEO of OS Group?] ¡°OS Group? ¡°What does that mean¡­¡± At this time, someone was changing the call of PD Na Jinho. On the other side of the cell phone, ¡°Ah! Writer! I hear voices like, ¡®I¡¯m going to tell you!¡¯ and ¡®Do you know how disgusting it is to call someone while drunk? [Oh, hello? Jinseok Kang?] ¡°Yes! This is Kang Jinseok. [Long time no see. Oh man, I told him to call you in the morning because it waste, but the producer said I really have to tell you now¡­ sorry. He calledte at night]. It didn¡¯t matter at all. I am not in a position to receive calls from the producer or the writer, and that kind of contact is always good, no matter who it is. ¡°No! In fact¡­ are we really able to film?¡± I asked again with a shaking voice. Then writer Jo Seokwon smiled and said. [Haha¡­ That¡¯s right. I¡¯m so happy. I listened to it this afternoon too, and now the producer invited me out for a drink¡­ It feels so good.] As soon as I heard the confirmation, I clenched my fists. At the same time, it felt like something that had been in my heart for a while had been swept away. Ha. A small sigh escaped my mouth without me knowing it. It was a sigh of relief and joy. [And, I think it may change a little from the script I gave you before. There is an investor¡¯s request]. Writer Jo Seokwon continued. [Oh, I¡¯m just saying this in case, so don¡¯t worry. If Jinseok¡¯s share increases, it will increase, not decrease]. It doesn¡¯t matter if the amount is reduced. Right now, I feel grateful even if they only ask me to y Passerby 1. ¡°Thank you!¡± I bowed several times while talking on the phone. Of course, writer Jo Seokwon probably doesn¡¯t know that I do that. [Oh, by the way, the production costs have increased significantly, so I think we can use a lot of sets, equipment, and even extras. Anyway, it looks like it¡¯s going to be really good work, so let¡¯s do our best]. ¡°Yes!¡± [Okay, I¡¯ll see you at the reading then¡­] Just as writer Jo Seokwon was about to hang up, producer Na Jinho¡¯s voice was heard on the other end of the phone. [¡ªThat¡¯s right! I need to get a lot of extras¡­ Wow. I have a lot of work to do, but Jo Jakkka keeps drinking me¡­] [Let¡¯s quickly rescue Joko and his scary-looking extras¡­] [These days it is a big deal to find such extras¡­ In my time I had an assistant director who took care of everything¡­] [Jaka! Let¡¯s go find Extratra¡­ I have to work!] [Oh really. I¡¯m PD! If you¡¯re drunk, go home and sleep quickly!] ddu-. The phone was disconnected. It was a slightly loud call, but that didn¡¯t matter. Rather¡­ I¡¯m so d I got to film it. My legs went weak and I almost copsed. That¡¯s how much tension I felt in my body from the phone call I just had. A smile appeared on his lips without noticing. I was happy, really. But I think the PD said we have to get ¡®extras¡¯ at the end¡­ There are a lot of ¡®big¡¯ and ¡®tough¡¯ looking extras. Finding extras with such qualifications is not as easy as you might think. Even if you get a profile, you have to meet each person one by one to understand them properly, which is annoying. ¡°Jinseok, what kind of transition is this?¡± But now, there were ¡®big¡¯ and ¡®tough-looking¡¯ men in front of me. The men are extras¡­ ¡®Isn¡¯t it okay to write it? Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon¡¯s work . The lead actor of this work, Han Jehoon, was reading the script alone in his room. ¡°Hmm¡ª. As expected, the script is really good.¡± Han Jehoon muttered as he closed the script and put it on his desk. It was a project that was almost guaranteed to be canceled, but I¡¯m d it went ahead. Production costs also increased Think positive thoughts for a moment. I felt a mixture of doubt and worry. In the end, actor Kang Jinseok will be with you until the end. The reason was Kang Jinseok. When the production of the drama was confirmed, Han Jehoon decided not to pay attention to the previous incident of the investment withdrawal. It was all in the past anyway. Kang Jinseok, a new actor, was harassed. There were rumors that he used his personal connections to get a role. There¡¯s no way such a kid can act well, what should I do? This was the thought of most of the actors in Spring Without Flowers as well as Han Jehoon. Among them, Han Jehoon was particrly worried about Jinseok¡¯s ability. After all, this was the first time in 10 years that the movie received an award for its leading actor. If this opportunity is ruined by another actor¡¯s bad performance¡­¡¯. I thought I¡¯d be really angry. ¡± Whoa.¡± But there was nothing Han Jehoon could do now. I¡¯m just trying to remove my doubts as much as possible and praying that Jinseok has excellent skills. He can¡¯t possibly be good at acting. However, the negative thoughts that once came to my mind were not easy to get out of my head. *** I thought so. Han Jehoon was now reading the script for In Spring Without Flowers. But he couldn¡¯t concentrate on acting properly. It was all because of Jinseok. ¡°I am Chisuke Nakamura.¡± Jinseok spoke with a voice that seemed to flow with cold air. The acting in every line or word was unusual. ¡°You¡¯re so good.¡± No, I¡¯m not good at it. It¡¯s ¡­..¡± Han Jehoon was drawn to Jinseok¡¯s voice, tone, and eyes. No, to be exact, he was being eaten. Not only Han Jehoon, but all the actors in the room look at Jinseok with surprised eyes. Even the staff who knew Jinseok¡¯s acting skills fell in love with Jinseok¡¯s acting. I shouldn¡¯t have misunderstood. This friend is not a parachute. Han Jehoon¡¯s first ¡°Kang Jinseok¡± was just such a handsome new actor. And I think he¡¯s very polite. So Han Jehoon had no choice but to doubt Jinseok¡¯s ability even more. Jinseok looked so nice and gentle to y Nakamura. But it was all unfounded. ¡°Let me exin some things that you trashy Koreans should keep in your lives.¡± Whenever Jinseok said his lines, Han Jehoon seemed to stand on his head. So Jinseok¡¯s acting was cold and cold. And even bigger. . . . No, the scary thing is¡­¡± Jinseok acted sofortably. Without any effort, it seemed as if he really took ¡°Nakamura¡± out of the script. I was wrong. Kang Jinseok is¡­¡¯. He was a real actor. *** The first day of shooting ¡°In Spring Without Flowers. The pre-shoot inspection was in full swing. ¡°Please make sure that this shoot ends safely and without anyone getting hurt!¡± ¡°Please!¡± As producer Na Jinho bowed loudly, other crew members followed suit and bowed as well. Producer Na Jinho, who had finished bowing, looked around at the crew and said. ¡°If you want to bow now, do it, and we¡¯ll clean up and start filming.¡± Then some actors stepped forward. ¡°Laugh!¡± ¡°Come on!¡± Among them were men in tight suits with exaggerated coughs. Men whose suits were about to burst as they kneeled and bowed. They were the guys from Seongsu Warehouse. ¡°Just dressfortably. I have to change all my clothes anyway. There¡¯s only one reason why they came all the way to the distant set on the weekend. Because they were cast as extras. ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt!¡± ¡°The ratings are 10,000%!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go!¡± Old men bowing with a strange spirit. Producer Na Jinho couldn¡¯t stopughing either, because he was the first one to do such extras. Of course, I was so embarrassed that my face turned red when I rmended them. I didn¡¯t expect them to be cast. The day I went to the station to read, I showed producer Na Jinho pictures of the men and asked him carefully. ¡°If you haven¡¯t found an extras yet, what about them?¡± Producer Na Jinho did not show much interest at first. However, producer Na Jinho, who was skeptical, cast the men as soon as he saw them in real life. The reason was that men with ¡°acting skills¡± in their faces were superior to those with moderate acting skills. However, other staff members were reluctant. It was inevitable. Even though they were extras, they had never acted before. But. ¡°Ah! How can such a softdy use it when she moves her luggage? There are guys like us. Hey, Park Chunsam! Don¡¯t y around and help me with this!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it! Camera teacher! That¡¯s no way to carry a bag! When you¡¯re 40, your back will go out! Do you want to give all the money you earned from your work to the doctor?¡± ¡°Carrying things. It¡¯s the trick, not the strength. Look at this. Ugh-cha. How does it sound, isn¡¯t it?¡± As you can see, the men volunteered to help the staff. At the same time, I was getting closer and closer to the staff, and I was melting into the set. ¡°Wow, thank you. People who came to shoot don¡¯t have to help me with this.¡± ¡°Laughing. What do you mean, thank you! We¡¯re the same colleagues, but it¡¯s natural. By the way, see that handsome guy over there? That¡¯s our Jinseok! Please take care of him, because his a wild one.¡± Of course, the shame was still on my face. *** The preparations for the filming continued quickly, and the filming began earlier than expected. Now we¡¯re in the middle of the first episode. This scene shows Koreans living peacefully in a marketce. It was nothing special, but it was very special to me. ¡°Oh, the soup is amazing. Jumo! One more bowl!¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you came without food. Another bowl for me too!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh! You guys. I haven¡¯t even paid myst loan, do you have any money?¡± ¡°Ah~ Jumo. Why are you so harsh? I¡¯ll pay you back double next week!¡± Because it was a scene where the men appeared. ¡°Mrs. . . . There¡¯s no sense of ipatibility at all. It was a lot of dialog for an extra. Still, the men delivered their lines perfectly. Maybe it¡¯s because they always said when you changed ¡°master¡± to ¡°auntie¡± in your lines. ¡°Cut! Oh, that¡¯s great! Let¡¯s go with number 7!¡± With a satisfied scream from PD Na Jinho, the next take began immediately. Whether they practiced a lot or were just lucky, the filming went off almost immediately. My turn has finallye. ¡°Actors, please prepare for the scene 14 times!¡± ¡°Extras 13 to 26, please skip the scene, and everyone else, please go inside!¡± ¡°Male number 12! Put the rice soup down ande out quickly! ¡°There¡¯s a lot left, so eat it after the shooting!¡± A noisy scene ensued. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. ¡°Wow.¡± The climax of the first episode is scene 14. ¡°Nakamura¡± appears for the first time and changes the peaceful everyday life of the vige. I skimmed the script I had in my hand. I already knew it perfectly, but I felt like I had to do it because I was nervous. It¡¯s like reading a book before an exam. Then someone tapped me on the shoulder and said. ¡°Jinseok! Are you nervous?¡± It was Han Jehoon. ¡°Oh, yes, sir. I haven¡¯t filmed much, so¡­¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be nervous. ¡°Jinseok will definitely do well.¡± I saw Han Jehoon for the first time at a drama reading. It hadn¡¯t been long since we had met, but we were already quite close. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯m telling you just in case.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you want to ad-lib, feel free. I like to ad-lib when I¡¯m acting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ad-lib.¡± Ad-libbing is the flower of acting and one of the most difficult techniques. It is alsomonly called ¡°instant acting. Many of the best scenes in drama and movies have been created through improvised ad-libs by actors. Ad-libs are a double-edged sword. Natural ad-libs create new famous scenes or act as a lubricant for filming, but clumsy ad-libs can disrupt the flow of the filming or embarrass the other actors. So don¡¯t try it if you¡¯ve worked together before or if you¡¯re not sure the other person can handle the situation. ¡°But as a neer, I¡¯m allowed to improvise¡­¡± Does that mean he¡¯s that confident in his acting? Or do you believe in my abilities? Looking at Han Jehoon¡¯s expression, I don¡¯t think he said that to put pressure on me. Rather, he seemed like a person who wanted to do a good job, so he wanted to do everything he could. So I said with a slight smile. ¡°Yes, sir. If there¡¯s anything thates to mind while I¡¯m acting, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°All right. Oh, and the action is just relentless. Don¡¯t let it go just because you¡¯re a senior. I¡¯m really going to do it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hyuna told me to do this, so don¡¯t let up!¡± Han Jehoon said with a smile and went back to the set. After a while, the crew who had finished setting up for the shoot called out. ¡°I¡¯m going to start filming!¡± I handed the script to the crew nearby and walked toward the camera. There were so many cameras on the set, and one of them was just me. It felt strange because I felt like I was bing a real actor. ¡°Scene 14 times!¡± Just like that! The sound of te and actors from the Japanese Imperial Army ran into the marketce. ¡°Turn around!!!¡± ¡°Stay still!¡± ¡°Nakamura is here!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me tell you to stay still?¡± A marketce that quickly became chaotic. The Japanese actors were beating the Koreans mercilessly ording to the script. ¡°What, what!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The performance of the best supporting actors conveys fear and embarrassment. There was a lot of excitement and it was my turn. *** Ryosuke Sato. As a Japanese actor, he longed for Korean dramas and came to Korea with blood in his veins. Although he has been recognized for his acting skills by ying supporting roles in several works in Japan, he has yet to establish himself in Korea. ¡°This is a chance to establish myself in Korea!¡± Sato¡¯s role is ¡°Nakamura¡¯s Right Man¡±. It was a licorice role that would add to the reality of the drama in perfect Japanese. ¡°Nakamura can¡¯t speak Japanese, so there are only a few lines.¡± Nevertheless, Sato was looking forward to filming the drama. He thought it would be his first real drama to be filmed in Korea, and most importantly, he would be able to show off his acting skills to the fullest. ¡°It was really great in the previous reading¡­¡± And in real filming? Sato stared at Jinseok¡¯s back. The career of the actor he knew, Kang Jinseok, was not much to see. To be honest, he was worse than himself. So at first, he was a little disappointed with Jinseok, who shared the most lines with him. However, Jinseok¡¯s performance during the reading was the first time that he had ever seen such a performance in his acting career. Since then, Sato has seen Jinseok differently. ¡°If you just follow the flow of this actor¡¯s acting, you¡¯ll get a good performance. When I was looking forward to it, Jinseok, who was standing in front of me, said quietly. ¡°¡ª?¡± ¡°¡ª?¡± ¡°Is this¡­?¡± ¨C Sato. It¡¯s his name and the name of his character in the y. He only said his name, but Sato was surprised by Jinseok¡¯s words. ¡°Can you speak Japanese?¡± This is because even the same ¡°Sato¡± has a slight difference in pronunciation and ent between what Japanese say and what Koreans say. It must be a misunderstanding. I¡¯m sure the director said Nakamura doesn¡¯t speak Japanese. But it wasn¡¯t an illusion. ¡¸ÖФòƬ¸¶¤±¤í¡£ÕûÀí¤µ¤ì¤¿¤éˆó¸æ¤¹¤ë¤è¤¦¤Ë¡£ (¡°Clean up the inside. I¡¯ll report back once it¡¯s sorted.) ¡°¤Ï¡¢¤Ï¤¤¤Ã£¡(?, ?!) ¡¹ (¡°Ha, yes! (?, ?!) Sato, pressed by his acting skills and perfect Japanese, replied with sincerity without realizing it. As a result, the answer created a perfect scene. ¡°Cut!¡± With the cut signal, Sato opened his eyes wide in surprise. Sato wasn¡¯t the only one who was surprised. Another Japanese actor was standing next to me. The ugly-looking Korean extra is sitting in the right corner. Producer Na Jinho, the director of the drama, who was sitting across from me, also had his mouth wide open. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Kang Hoshin¡¯s emotions, actions, and memories were embedded in his body, but for some reason, I felt that it was not enough. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no problem with the connotation¡­¡¯. I acted under the guise of Kang Hoshin during the audition and the reading, but I didn¡¯t feel enough at that time. Rather, it was a satisfactory performance. But when I tried to act on the set, I felt a little awkward. Even now, Kang Hoshin¡¯s eyes, gestures, actions, and speech were able to convey everything, but I didn¡¯t think it was his true self. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I didn¡¯t feel this way when I was possessed by Minsu before. I could be proud that I really showed ¡®Minsoo¡¯ himself. ¡°Why?¡± Even if you start acting like this, you will definitely be able to give a satisfactory and admirable performance. But I didn¡¯t think I could be satisfied. That was it. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Stand up!¡± ¡°Drag him! ¡°If you rebel, you can kill him! ¡°Koreans, act like Koreans!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let go because you¡¯re a baby!¡± ¡ª¡ª At that time, some Japanese imperial troops who could speak Joseon could be heard shouting. Obviously, ¡°meaning¡± was being conveyed, but it sounded silly to me, who knew both Korean and Japanese perfectly. ¡°Wait, you know Japanese?¡± Looking back, most of Kang Hoshin¡¯s memories were in Japanese. Not only words but also writing. When I got Yeonmi¡¯s memory before, I could copy everything about Yeonmi. Then, of course, Kang Hoshin can also speak Japanese. It was a fact that I had forgotten before because I didn¡¯t have to use Japanese. But now that I remembered it, my problems were solved. Yes, it was thenguage that was missing. Language is really remarkable. This is because even if you say the same ¡°meaning,¡± the feeling is different depending on thenguage. For example, which of the two expressions can move the Korean heart more, ¡°I love you¡± or ¡°I love you¡±? Unless you have lived in the English-speaking world for a long time, it will be difficult for you to feel more in the words ¡°I love you¡± than ¡°I love you. This is because thenguage contains the history of the people of that country. Just as the weight and echo of words formed by decades and hundreds of years of exchanging words of love move the heart. Toplete Nakamura, to move the hearts of the viewers. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The moment I realized, my vision came back to the set. *** ¡°Stay still!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you stand up straight?¡± ¡°You can kill anyone who resists!¡± Supporting actors ying Japanese soldiers are running wild in the marketce. They beat the Koreans mercilessly as they had practiced and prepared in advance. Producer Na Jinho, sitting across from me, gestured to me. ¡°I have a good feeling right now!¡± It seemed to mean, ¡°Get in line! He started acting right after producer Na Jinho signed him on. ¡¸×ôÌÙ¡£ÖФòƬ¸¶¤±¤í¡£ÕûÀí¤µ¤ì¤¿¤éˆó¸æ¤¹¤ë¤è¤¦¤Ë¡£(??. ?? ????. ¡°Clean up the inside. I¡¯ll report back once it¡¯s sorted..) Kang Hoshin¡¯s unique voice makes his surroundings freeze. Unlike before, this time it was Japanese. Yes, yes, yes. As expected, it was. There was a clear difference between speaking Korean and Japanese. This is the real ¡°Japanese martyr without blood and tears. After reciting the lines, I waited for Sato¡¯s next line. ¡°Ha, hi!¡± Sato pronounced the line with a slightly different feeling from the script, which seemed a little surprised. Is that why? Producer Na Jinho shouted. ¡°Cut!¡± *** ¡°Okay! Then let¡¯s call again and go!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go again, number 14!¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting ready for number 14!¡± ¡°Oh, man, there! Pleasee out! Why are you eating rice cakes again?¡± Producer Na Jinho¡¯s words kept the crew and actors busy. Among them was Jinseok. Looking at Jinseok, Na Jinho was constantly admiring him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you can even speak Japanese¡­¡± After casting Jinseok, Na Jinho and Jo Seokwon wanted to do Jinseok¡¯s lines in Japanese. This was because they wanted to express Nakamura more realistically. But he couldn¡¯t speak because he was afraid it would interfere with the actor¡¯s performance. ¡°So I was really disappointed¡­ However, Jinseok scratched the itch himself. Even with a fluent pronunciation that was recognized by the Japanese as ¡°Sato. He wouldn¡¯t have learned Japanese separately. ¡°Did you prepare it alone for this drama?¡± Nowadays, actors are looking for overseas expansion, so most of them study foreignnguages from an early age. However, Jinseok was not an actor who grew up under the care of his agency from an early age like those actors. Yes, I think I studied Japanese for this job. When this thought came to mind, Na Jinho looked at Jinseok with more loving eyes. ¡°You¡¯re good at acting too.¡± He¡¯s strong-willed. He¡¯s handsome, too. His personality is also good. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m trying this little thing on top of it. He¡¯s the best actor that all producers and directors want to take. Jinseok was a perfect actor who could hardly be seen in novels. Jinseok¡¯s acting began in earnest when Na Jinho admired him alone. ¡°I am Nakamura. You will live your life looking at me, so remember me well.¡± ¡°Joseon, where you will live in the future, is different from the past. ¡°You must obey His Majesty the Emperor absolutely and obey us who carry out his orders. ¡°You are the best. I¡¯ve been making dramas for 20 years, but I¡¯ve never seen such a performance. It was smoke as if my eyes were being washed clean. After a while, the climax of the scene began. Jinseok slowly approached Lee Hyunah who was staring at him from the corner of the marketce. Some extras and supporting actors tried to block such a real stone. However, when Jinseok approached Lee Hyunah, she hesitated and stepped back as if someone was pushing her away. Their expressions on screen seemed to be really afraid of Jinseok. It was a scripted scene, but Na Jinho didn¡¯t think it was a scene made by extras who acted well. ¡°There¡¯s no way the extras can act so naturally.¡± They were probably attracted by actor Jinseok¡¯s acting. Then Jinseok stopped. In front of her, Lee Hyunah was staring at Jin-seok with a double wick in her eyes. ¡°¡ª.¡± Jinseok stared at Lee Hyunah without saying a word. Then Jinseok¡¯s face appeared for the first time. ¡°Gyejip. I won¡¯t let Koreans see me with those eyes.¡± If he had been perfectly expressive before, he was now clearly angry and stunned. ¡°Good for you atst. I will use your years as an example and teach you manners.¡± Jinseok grabbed Lee Hyunah¡¯s hair as if he wanted to pull it out after he finished speaking. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think this is acting either¡­¡± Even if it¡¯s a shooting, it¡¯s hard to hold a woman¡¯s hair in a bad way with a normal mindset. However, as if Jinseok didn¡¯t care at all, he grabbed Lee Hyunah¡¯s hair and dragged her out. Oh my God. While Na Jinho hesitated whether to stop or just watch, Han Jehoon ran up to Jinseok with a voice that forced him to be brave. ¡°Hey, hey, you punk!¡± a rather dangerous-looking radical move. I was surprised and tried to stop it, but it was unfortunate to miss the picturesque scenes on the screen. It still goes ording to script. No, if this friend gets hurt at this rate¡­¡±. Contrary to fears, however, it was Han Jehoon who fell down, not Jinseok. Whoo! ¡°Oh, my!¡± Jinseok kicked Han Jehoon in the stomach without hesitation. No, the correct expression would be to kick him with his feet. Han Jehoon¡¯s face was distorted by the pain he felt for the first time. It must have been difficult to breathe, so he opened his mouth wide and breathed heavily. But that was not the end of Han Jehoon¡¯s pain. Bang! Jinseok kicked Han Jehoon¡¯s leg while still holding Lee Hyunah¡¯s head. It didn¡¯t even seem like he kicked that hard. But he lost bnce and fell badly. It was like a professional action actor, but not only Han Jehoon but also Jinseok are not professional action actors. Then it wasn¡¯t acting, it was ¡°real¡±. Jinseok threw Lee Hyunah as if he were throwing garbage at the Japanese soldiers. ¡°Argh!¡± Not only the actors who saw it but also the production crew flinched. Na Jinho did the same. But as the filming continued, no one could go inside. ¡°Take all the guys who were with that guy.¡± The Japanese actors, who were watching Jinseok in a daze, were surprised. They saluted with discipline as if they had actually be military police. ¡°Ha, hi!¡± Jinseok looked at the scene. In a room full of yelling and screaming, Jinseok looked very calm. Even though he was the one who created this situation, he didn¡¯t seem to feel any emotions. If you have to feel something. I feel satisfied because I did what I had to do. Jinseok looked at Han Jehoon who was lying on the ground. Then he said to him with a cheeky smile. ¡°Not only this woman but all the men here have been killed by you. You¡¯re going to die now that you¡¯ve turned against me, okay? Let¡¯s live our lives regretting today¡¯s decision. Like a Korean.¡± A mocking smile. The smile contained the meaning of looking forward to a gray future in which ¡°Han Jehoon¡± will live in the future. Han Jehoon shed tears when he heard this. ¡°¡ª- LOL.¡± Originally, Jinseok¡¯sst line was ¡°Take all the guys who were with that guy. However, Jinseok added a meaningful line. With this line, Han Jehoon had a reason to make a desperate effort to save Lee Hyunah and other Koreans from the second inning. Na Jinho, who was watching the scene on the monitor, remembered the conversation between Jinseok and Han Jehoon that he overheard just before filming. If you want to ad-lib, go ahead. I like ad-libs when I act. Oh, and he just acts relentlessly. Don¡¯t let it go because you¡¯re a senior. I¡¯m really going to do it. Maybe it was an ad-lib to pull Lee Hyunah¡¯s head mercilessly and kick Han Jehoon. ¡°This is the acting of a new actor?¡± When all the acting in scene 14 was over, Na Jinho said, swallowing his dry saliva. ¡°Cut! Cut!¡± As Na Jinho shouted, the crew and managers ran onto the set. ¡°Hey, are you okay? Didn¡¯t you break a bone?!¡± ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Contrary to the managers¡¯ concerns, Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah were smiling. ¡°¡ª-Haha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay.¡± A smile of confidence that a scene he was happy with himself came out. Na Jinho breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this. Thus, the first filming of ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± ended perfectly with everyone satisfied. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Drama director of the KSC broadcasting station. Director Moon Jong-seo shouted and threw a pen at the PD¡¯s chest. ¡°BDD got an investor and went all the way to filming?! Who the hell paid for it?¡± ¡°That, that. I can¡¯t believe it either. ¨C.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t hold back and speak quickly. Who is it?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the subsidiaries of OS Group. But this is the first time OS Group has invested in dramas, so I¡¯m not sure. ¡± Moon Jong-seo stroked his forehead as if he wasughing at the producer¡¯s words. ¡°What? OS Group?¡± Hey, does that make sense to you too?¡± ¡°It does, but the investment is double what it was before. If it¡¯s apany that can afford that kind of money alone, it could really be an OS group. Moon Jong-seo asked back with a confused voice at the unexpected amount. ¡°What, what? Double the investment?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why we increased the number of outside filming personnel and expanded the set.¡± Director, if this is true, we should be a little nervous. ¡ª.¡± ¡°Hey, you punk! Can I be nervous? I managed to hold out this year, but if I¡¯m behind BDD in the first half of next year, you and I will have to take off our clothes together!¡± In fact, it was not just a scare when Moon Jong-seo said this. ¡°If you y like this and don¡¯t make a big hit¡­¡± Not only KL Entertainment but also other agencies will not be willing to enter the works of the KSC channels. Especially top actors who are sensitive to ratings. ¡°If that happens, I¡¯ll have to take Eojung and Ddeojung to make a work, and then I¡¯ll ruin it for at least a few years.¡± Of course, KL Entertainment and Kwon Chaeyoon were the first to do so. But it was KSC that made it possible. Most of the viewers me the broadcasters, not the investors and writers. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be so messy.¡± It is said that the hard-earned tower does not fall easily, but it is an exception in the broadcasting world. You can be a star or bepletely buried by a single minor issue. If we¡¯re pushed back in the first half of next year¡­ I¡¯m sure BDD will bite us from head to toe. Then I¡¯ll be fine. The PD who doesn¡¯t know what to do in front of him may end up being demoted to a single position, but he will definitely end up there. ¡°I¡¯m so tired of this.¡± But we cannot stop the production of the drama now. It¡¯s not thest choice, it¡¯s thest choice you should never make. What should I do then? ¡°Should I get ratings?¡± BDD wille out with clenched teeth¡­¡± Moon Jong-seo, like a veteran of decades, quickly looked for a solution. ¡°I need to talk to writer Kwon.¡± ¡°Hey. Ask the writer Kwon toe to the station. If he can¡¯te, I¡¯ll go, so make a schedule somehow.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± After hearing the answer, Moon Jong-seo leaned deeply into his chair. ¡°What are you doing?! Hurry up and move!! Do you still have time?¡± ¡°Oh, no!¡± Moon Jong-seo, who once kicked a frustrated PD¡¯s tongue, stroked his forehead. ¡°Ha, ha. No wonder things are so easy.¡±I should have thought about it once¡­¨C¡°. When writer Kwon Chaeyoon and KL Entertainment first proposed the drama, it was too easy to think. At that time, everyone had no choice but to receive it with the thought, ¡°What a rice cake! ¡°First I¡¯ll continue the drama and make a hole to get out of it.¡± At that moment, the closed door of the director¡¯s office opened and the producer who had just left came in. ¡°Gu, Commissioner.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°An article just came out. Have you seen it?¡± Moon Jong-seo turned on the monitor with a frown on his face at the PD¡¯s words. When I entered the portal page, it was filled with articles about the production of dramas by BDD channels. [Expected production of in the first half of next year]. It¡¯s on now!] [BDD station that solved the investment problem. [Is the investor a partner in the business world?] [Star Writer Jo Seokwon] ¡°The most dedicated piece of my work. You can look forward to it.¡±] Among them, this was the article that offended Moon Jong-seo. [KSC, BDD. [Fight against the backdrop of ¡°Japanese Strength¡± in the first half of next year!] [Producer Na Jinho] ¡°There were a lot of checks outside of work, but we¡¯re confident. The extra is also the best.¡±] As if the most interesting thing in the world was watching the fight, mediapanies were scrambling to create a rivalry between BDD and KSC stations. It must be the BDD station that broke the article. It was clear that the level of articles would rise as the airing date approached. Moon Jong-seo, who had been biting his lips for a long time while looking at the article, said. Excited, ¨C. Are you publishing such an article? Choi Hoon, does this punk have no manners? Director Moon Jong-seopletely forgot what he was doing. I clenched my fist and told the producer again. ¡°Hey, what are you looking at? Hurry up and contact writer Kwon!¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The producer who replied immediately left the room. Since this is the situation¡­ I¡¯ll have to survive on my own. Despite thinking this, Moon could not hide his anxious feelings. *** Even after the first episode aired, the filming of ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± continued every day. ¡°I¡¯ll start with episode 2, scene 18!¡± ¡°Scene 3 again!¡± ¡°Cut! What are you doing with the supporting role? Why don¡¯t you pull yourself together?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it. Hey, let¡¯s skip it! Start with number 8 ¡°Is that why you can¡¯t keep the date of the show?¡± And today. It¡¯s the day of the filming of the long-awaited sixth episode. The reaction of the viewers who have seen the sixth episode will determine whether or not I will appear in the future. ¡°Well, well, well. Whoo.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nervous¡­¡± I inhaled and exhaled enough to make my chest swell considerably. I didn¡¯t have a habit of doing this when I was filming, but somehow I got into it. Maybe it¡¯s what we call ¡°routine. That was then. ¡°Jinseok! How¡¯s your condition?¡± Can I look forward to it again today?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here. Sir.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Bannim~?¡± How long are you going to be so hard? Take it easy.¡± It was Han Jehoon. Since we met on the set almost every day, we got close enough to y pranks on me. ¡°Because of my personality¡­¡± I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sorry again. I can¡¯t say anything. Anyway, how are you? This is a very important day.¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha, ha. Yes, it is. It¡¯s a big day.¡± But there was nothing special I could do. I just try my best to act like I am now. While I was thinking about it, Lee Hyunah said from behind me. ¡°Jehoon, don¡¯t bother Jinseok. ¡°Jinseok is feeding our drama. Can I interrupt you?¡± ¡°Oh, right. Actor Kang Jinseok, I¡¯m sorry. Please act great again today.¡± Han Jehoon said with a yful voice. Then he patted my shoulder. ¡°Jinseok, there¡¯s another action today. Will you do it like you did back then?¡± ¡°What if it was like then?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± You grabbed my hair and pulled it.¡± ¡°Sin, I¡¯m sorry. ¡°I was so absorbed in acting that I stopped¡­¡± Han Jehoon also helped me to see if something bad happened. ¡°That¡¯s right. Jinseok beat me like a dog. I thought my bone was broken. I watched thest episode and fell down. Everyone would think it was great acting. ¡°Oppa, I thought you looked so ugly¡­¡± Han Jehoon scratched the back of his head at Lee Hyunah¡¯s words. Kang Hoshin was really good at fighting, and he did not hesitate to hit Koreans. Since they acted the same way as Kang Hoshin, they could have said that. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter because we¡¯re not the opponent you¡¯re going to fight today anyway.¡± Lee Hyunah helped Han Jehoon with his words. ¡°Back then, my manager managed to stop me from cursing at you. I¡¯m acting.¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha.¡± ¡°Whatever! Please act like that again today. Let¡¯s make it fancy. Okay?!¡± *** ¡°Why did you help us?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°You were a terrible Japanese more than anyone else. Why did you help us? It doesn¡¯t make sense!!¡± Na Jinho held his hands tightly as he watched Han Jehoon¡¯s performance. ¡°Good, good!¡± As the filming went on, Han Jehoon¡¯s acting skills continued to improve. Not only him but also Lee Hyunah and other actors. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my friend Kang Jinseok.¡± Although he was a supporting actor, Jinseok¡¯s presence was enormous. Jinseok¡¯s acting was so bad that he changed the set to ¡°the set. Since he was able to act in such a ce, the acting skills of other actors could not havee out. ¡°Why did I help you? That means you want to know why I changed, right?¡± Jinseok said in a deep voice. His voice seemed to have lost everything. Therefore, it was a voice that had nothing to hope for and nothing to fear. ¡°Yes, you punk! Because of you. . . . Because of you!!¡± Unlike Jinseok, Han was very angry. Han Jehoon rushed to Jinseok and grabbed him by the cor. ¡°There is no need for opportunity or reason for people to change. There is only determination.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I hope you understand that. I¡¯m not worth an excuse.¡± As Jinseok spoke calmly, Han Jehoon¡¯s hands rxed. It was an answer I couldn¡¯t understand, but when I heard it in Jinseok¡¯s voice, I just epted it. It was the same for Lee Hyunah, who looked at Jinseok from the side. It¡¯s unbelievable, really¡­¡¯. This line was made up by Jinseok and Jo Seokwon just before today¡¯s shooting. Today might be Jinseok¡¯sst day of filming, so Jo Seokwon asked Jinseok to put in the lines he wanted. But I didn¡¯t know that it would remain the best line in this drama. It was then. ¡°Over there, grab it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order to catch a traitor first!¡± The Japanese troops shouted at Han Jehoon, Lee Hyunah, and Nakamura. In a very urgent moment, Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah were shocked, but Jin-seok was calm. ¡°You can leave Joseon with the ID card and boat ticket I prepared for you. Get off now.¡± As Jinseok spoke, Han Jehoon climbed onto the horse and said. ¡°¡ª Don¡¯t pretend to be cool. You suck.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Follow me to the harbor. And if you¡¯re freedter, you¡¯ll get paid for it.¡± Han Jehoon learned the true intention of Nakamura, whom he considered a terrible enemy. I couldn¡¯t bear to leave Nakamura alone. But Nakamura knew. If someone wants to escape, someone has to buy time to escape. So from the beginning, Nakamura prepared only one horse. ¡°If I wanted to run away, I would have prepared two horses.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that. ¡°Their target is me, a traitor. If I run away, they¡¯ll chase me to the end. So go ahead. ¡°¡ª- Did you want to die from the beginning?¡± Jinseok looked at Han Jehoon who was sitting on a horse looking at him with sad eyes and said. ¡°When I realized that I was neither Japanese nor Korean, I was already dead.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°So forget it and go.¡± At Jinseok¡¯s words, Han Jehoon said again. ¡°Pretend to be cool until the end¡­¡± Then. Let¡¯s go! There was onest sound of gunfire. TN: Ghaddd a horse can carry two people why not join in duhhh? Chapter 34 Chapter 34 It¡¯s wet. I can feel the pre-prepared fake blood spread across my back with the sound of the gun. ¡°Acting shot¡­¡± The highlight of this episode. ¡°Nakamura,¡± who I thought was a terrible viin. In the end, Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah were shot while escaping. Let¡¯s do it the way Kang Hoshin was shot. When the atmosphere was moderately ripe, Kang Hoshin began to show his feelings and pain with his whole body. ¡ª¡ª I was shot. It hurts. It really hurts. His body kept getting hot and cold, and the ce where he was shot hurt as if his skin had been torn. Last will and testament? How could you think of that? It hurts so much. All the wonderful acting of being shot by others in the y is delusional. Thud! My whole body loses strength and falls down. My face is stuck to the ground, but I can¡¯t do anything. I don¡¯t have any strength in my arm. I can¡¯t even cry. I hope this pain will stop in a second. But I¡¯m a little relieved. The evil I¡¯ve done, the hellish time when I was disgusted by it, is over now. I felt a little better thinking about it. ¡°Nakamura!¡± Then I heard someone calling my name. Ten minutes ago, it was a Korean who looked at me as if he wanted to kill me. But now I felt as if I was considered a ¡®colleague¡¯. ¡°In many battles, no one cared about me like this¡­¡± When I thought of that, I wanted to show something. It¡¯s not that you die unexpectedly, but that you die proudly. I thought it was polite. I tried to put on a cool smile, something I¡¯d never done in my life. I shouted with all my strength with my palms outstretched to say not to worry. ¡°It¡¯s okay, go!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t forgive you, but forgive me!¡± But. ¡°¡ª!¡± I cannot speak. In the end, only an unseemly end is allowed to the gray people. Yes. This is the death that suits me. . . .¡¯ My eyes are blurred. It¡¯s finally over in this pain. ¡ª¡ª *** ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Hey, what do you think? It¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s no joke, right?¡± Producer Na Jinho said with a reckless gesture to PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s hypnotic admiration. Kim Mansoo said to Na Jinho with a disappointed expression. ¡°Ha, ha, ha. Kang Jinseok is the actor I found. ¡°Why did you use him like that?¡± ¡°What do you mean why, dude? It¡¯s because a good and talented junior rmended it.¡± ¡°¡ª But that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Okay, dude.¡± Laughing out loud! Na Jinho ps Kim Mansoo¡¯s back and smiles. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Now the two of them watched a simple edited version of ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡±. It¡¯s thest scene of episode 6 where Jinseok is shot. ¡°I thought it was good work, but this is too different.¡± Although what Kim Mansoo watched was about thest 20 minutes of episode 6, he could see that ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± was a hit. Kim Mansoo said, looking back at the scene where Jinseok was shot. ¡°When did the first episode air?¡± ¡°Three weeks after your first show.¡± At Na Jinho¡¯s words, Kim Mansoo looked at the calendar and said. ¡°The first week of March?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wow, man. You¡¯re going to bepared to a madman. Do you have to ruin your junior debut like that?¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re a Monday-Tuesday drama anyway, and I¡¯m a Friday-Saturday drama.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re going to steal all the articles!¡± Na Jinho said with a smile. ¡°Hey. Yours came out good too. We¡¯repatible.¡± ¡°Ha, ha. That¡¯s true. But this is too much.¡± Kim Mansoo¡¯s ¡°Dream Journey to the Rise of the Sun¡± was alsoing out very well. Filming was going faster than nned and editing was going smoothly. ¡°So I thought it would be the representative work of the first half of the year for our station¡­¡± It was not even apetitor, but apetition came out on the same station. ¡°Is it a relief?¡± As the filming got faster, the final program was moved up by two weeks. I was forced to change it because another show fell through, but now that I think about it, I think it was a good move to move it up. I would have beenpletely ruined if I had gone on schedule. ¡°I was almost buried in Jinho¡¯s work.¡± It was lucky that it even aired two weeks early. We have time to build up our audience. ¡°By the way, actor Kang Jinseok, how do you do it?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No, in your work, you die in the first episode, and in mine, you die in the middle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he the only one who dies?¡± It was Na Jinho who spoke with a smile, but his voice also contained some worry. That¡¯s because there were actors like that. Actors who are famous for being good at certain kinds of actinge to mind when you think of ¡®that acting¡¯. Of course, it¡¯s good to consolidate one¡¯s domain like that, but it was a matter of caution that the image of a new actor would harden. ¡°Maybe so.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing, but¡­¡± He¡¯s a neer who just made his debut.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I may not be able to y other roles at all.¡± What you don¡¯t get except for a certain role. That¡¯s the power and fear of ¡®image. Na Jinho, organizing his thoughts, told Mansoo. ¡°If you hear that you have a good roleter, let¡¯s let him know. I think you should do that much.¡± ¡°¡ª- Brother. What if a ridiculous agency like KL Entertainmentes out again?¡± When Kim Mansoo spoke with a worried voice, Na Jinho smiled softly and said. ¡°Well, well. This time, KL Entertainment went crazy because they don¡¯t have an agency and they¡¯re not famous.¡± ¡°¡ª?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to do that from now on.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I think that friend OS Group¡­¡­. No! Never mind. Because it¡¯s not safe.¡± Na Jinho talked and hung up in the middle, arousing Kim Mansoo¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Brother, what is it? Tell me too! Did they invest in your work because you had a connection with Kang Jinseok?¡± ¡°Hey. It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just my reasoning, so don¡¯t think strange things for nothing.¡± ¡°No, then don¡¯t bring it up at all! I¡¯m curious about people!¡± Na Jinho smiled and told Kim Mansoo, who was beating his chest, that he was frustrated. ¡°Okay, man. It¡¯s very annoying. I¡¯m telling you. But this is really just what I think. You¡¯re not sure? So where can I not say it?¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Then what is it?¡± ¡°When OS Group had a meeting with a person named Chief of Staff before¡­¡± Na Jinho slowly started to talk about what happened. ¡°There was an actor named Kang Jinseok on thepany¡¯s hiring list.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The OS Group is trying to enter the entertainment industry and its top recruitment target is Kang Jinseok. *** Click! Click! Click! ¡°Today has finallye Today is the day of the production presentation for ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising¡±. Although it was a small role, I was able to attend in the name of being a hot topic thanks to Min Kyungsoo and Lee Narin¡¯sments on The Talk Show. ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Min Kyungsoo!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Lee Na-rin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Park Woo Hyun!¡± Next to him, the cast of Dreams of the Sun Rising greeted each other happily. When the supporting actors finished their greetings, it was my turn. ¡°Go, I¡¯m Kang Jinseok!¡± He stood up stiffly and bowed deeply. A 110-degree greeting over 100 degrees. After a long time, he looked up and smiled as if he was cute when he saw his seniors. After a while, the production presentation began in earnest. ¡°First of all, the reporters who attended the production presentation while you were busy, and the guests¡­¡± ¡°This is a medical drama with psychological warfare and tension between the main characters¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a line that was directly consulted by a professor at Hankook University Hospital. ¨C.¡± As Kim Mansoo, the lead producer of the work, exined the work, the reporters started tapping on their respectiveptops. Since then, he has been talking about this and that, but I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t hear him. It was because I was so nervous. Even though I was sitting at the very end, I was very nervous to be on the podium. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve never been here before. After PD Kim Mansoo¡¯s exnation, the reporters began to ask questions in earnest. ¡°Minkyungsoo! Can you tell us about your role in this drama?¡± ¡°Mrs. Lee Narin! Previously, she was always the second and third generation of chaebols, but in this work, she was from an ordinary family¡­¡± ¡°Park Woohyun, you are overwhelmed by the new actor¡¯s acting skills¡­¡± The main actors were mainly asked questions because they had already said everything they wanted to know about the production. With all the attention on the lead actor, I was a little less nervous. Yes, who attended the production presentation? Then a journalist stood up with his hand raised, a small but imposing journalist. ¡°I¡¯m Ahn Mingu from ! I want to interview all the actors!¡± The host pointed at reporter Ahn Mingu and said. ¡°Yes, reporter Ahn Mingu. Say it.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. In every work, there is always the most important person in the story. So who is the main character in this y?¡± The supporting actors exchanged nces at the words of reporter Ahn Mingu, but the main actors stared calmly forward. ¡°The most important person?¡± Min Kyungsoo is a bad doctor who pretends to be good on the outside, but is actually harsh and covers up his mistakes. Park Woohyun, is a genius doctor whose emotions have died due to the death of his younger brother. Lee Narin is an ordinary nurse who knows the secret behind the death of Park Woohyun¡¯s younger brother. It seemed that it was not easy to decide because they were the main characters who could not be left out. ¡°Actually, we have prepared something for this question!¡± At the host¡¯s words, the staff hurriedly came on stage with a bundle of papers and handed them out to the cast. Fortunately, my profile picture was among them. ¡°Please listen to the profile of ¡®The most important actor in this movie¡¯ that Ahn Mingu just said!¡± If you choose another actor alone here for no reason, you might be a tactless person. However, it was a little strange to hear all three main characters. After thinking about it for a while, I chose Lee Narin¡¯s profile. ¡°Since Lee Narin is ying the role that knows all the secrets of this drama¡­¡± The host said, looking at the other actors who were still torn. ¡°Listen on the count of three!¡± One, two, three! I immediately heard Lee Narin¡¯s profile. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± ¡°I thought it was him.¡± ¡°I never imagined this!¡± Click, click, click, click! However, the camera¡¯s sh started to explode in apletely unexpected situation. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 After the production presentation of ¡°Dreams Of The Rising Sun¡±, several articles appeared. [BDD Broadcasting Station¡¯s first new song of the year ] [Producer Kim Mansoo¡¯s debut movie]. With so many high-end actors] [Lee Yeonah¡¯s ¡°Dreams Of The Rising Sun¡±] [Will it be a hit again?] Most of the articles were about what PD Kim Mansoo and writer Lee Yeonah said at the production presentation. Of course, there was also an article about the results of the ¡®main character¡¯ voting at the end of the production presentation. [The main character chosen by the cast is Lee Narin?] [Minkyungsoo 6 votes, Lee Narin 7 votes, Park Woohyun 6 votes. Is it a perfectbination of the main characters?] Most of the seniors who starred were the trend, but there was also something about me in thest line of each article. The main characters of all choose a new ¡®Kang Jinseok¡¯ actor.¡ª¡® Min Kyungsoo, Lee Narin, and Park Woohyun chose Kang Jinseok. It is unusual for the lead actors to choose small roles. ¡°Actor Park Woohyun.¡± You¡¯ll know when you watch the drama. I was happy to film with a great neer,¡± he said with a smile. It felt strange to have my picture and name floating around on the website. There were some bad articles. It was mainly about this. ¡°Rookie ¡®Kang Jinseok¡¯ and actor ¡®K¡¯ who got the role through his friendship with the producer?¡± *** The Dream of the Sun Rising, the training, stuck during the part-time job at a cafe after the first broadcast. ¡°Did you really study acting on your own?¡± ¡°I cried, but it didn¡¯t flow. It was so sad.¡± ¡°But you look much better in person. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m ugly on screen. ¨C.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you use the background music on purpose?¡± I think it¡¯s really one of the gods.¡± ¡°The articlements were really good, too. As soon as you start, you¡¯re immersed.¡± Yeonsoo, who doesn¡¯t stop talking as if she¡¯s more excited than me. She seemed to be interested in acting because she was an actress. ¡°But Oppa. How do you feel? ¡°It¡¯s your debut movie!¡± ¡°Well, well. Good.¡± ¡°¡ª What is this, this sour reaction? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very good.¡± No, it was really good. After watching yesterday¡¯s episode, I couldn¡¯t believe it, so I don¡¯t know how many times I ran around the neighborhood. ¡°You¡¯re so jealous.¡± However, the reason why I spoke so sourly was because of Seo Yeonsoo who was staring at me. It had been a long time since I¡¯d met Yeonsoo. So I could tell what she was thinking by her expression. Now she was congratting me from the bottom of her heart and was jealous. If I had been in training, I would have been jealous. You can¡¯t be happy in front of such a person. Yeonsoo is not a child to think like that, but he could havee across as arrogant or annoying. Yeonsoo isn¡¯t the type to think like that. Yeonsoo, who had been asking how he felt about his debut for a long time, said. ¡°By the way, brother.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How did school go? ¡°It must have been announced¡± I replied with a smile to Yeonsoo who asked carefully. ¡°It stuck.¡± Seo Yeonsoo smiled brightly and stared at him. ¡°That¡¯s so unfortunate. ¡°It¡¯s stuck. Aren¡¯t you overconfident? ¡°Our school recognizes the drama team. ¡°Because so many people helped me. And¡­¡± ¡°Because you did well in the test.¡± Seo Yeonsoo tilted her head when I blurted out the background. Then she shrugged. ¡°No way. It¡¯s natural for you to stick together. The director of the drama filmed it, and so did the writer. ¡± ¡°The writer too?¡± ¡°¡ª- No. Anyway, that¡¯s great. You paid for the tuition, right? If you don¡¯t pay for it, you¡¯ll get canceled.¡± If you don¡¯t pay the tuition fee, your admission will be canceled. I didn¡¯t know that at all. It¡¯s true that I couldn¡¯t pay attention to it after I confirmed my eptance. While I was sitting still, Yeonsoo asked with her eyes wide open. ¡°Haven¡¯t you submitted it yet?¡± ¡°¡ª Yes.¡± ¡°Pay it quickly. The initiation ceremony is next week, but how can you still not submit it?¡± At her words, I took out my cell phone and entered the school¡¯s website. When I entered the test number, the ¡°Admission Information¡± window appeared. Then Yeonsoo pointed at the screen and said. ¡°Here, go to ¡®Enrollment and Tuition Payment¡¯. The amount and date should be there.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait. My phone is a little slow because it¡¯s an old model.¡± After a long wait, the screen Yeonsoo was talking about came up. ¡ª¡ª Name: Kang Jinseok Department: Department of Theatre Screening: Early Admission Combined payment: epted Tuition fee: 4,290,000 won Schrship: KRW 4,290,000 (Senior Schrship / 4 years full) Actual payment: 0 won *Full Schrship and Senior Entrance students should pay ¡®1 won¡¯ in their name to indicate their intention to enroll. *Tuition is due in February. ¡ª¡ª They looked at the same screen, but their reactions were different. ¡°Sue, Chief?¡± ¡°Full schrship for 4 years?¡± ¡°About 4.3 million won per semester. Since you have to go through eight semesters, you earn about 35 million won. I swallowed. Even if you do a rough calction, you havepleted 3,500 hours of part-time work. ¡°Sue, chief. No, I was so absorbed in the test that I cried, so I didn¡¯t think so. It¡¯s crazy. Really.¡± Yeonsoo, on the other hand, was obsessed with the word ¡°senior. She took my cell phone and checked it several times. Then she spoke with round eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get a call?¡± ¡°Call me?¡± ¡°Yeah. Well, call or text, whatever. There¡¯s no way you didn¡¯t.¡± At her words, I checked the list of calls and texts. ¡°Out of office calls: 52.¡± ¡°Unchecked texts: 842¡ä There were a lot of missed calls because I didn¡¯t answer numbers I normally don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not good at checking texts, so there were a lot of unchecked texts. But Seo Yeonsoo seemed a little different. ¡°Give me your phone. Look at this. There are many calls from the school. There are ten texts.¡± Seo Yeonsoo opened one text and showed it to me. ¡ª¡ª Guidance for students in their senior year. Sincerely, ¡ª that I have be the subject of senior admission to the Department of Theatre at Seoguk University in 20XX. ¡ªWe n to receive an admission certificate on behalf of the undergraduates and new students at themencement ceremony. Please refer to the dress code ¡°must¡± and arrive at 11:00 a.m. on the day of the entrance ceremony. ¡ª¡ª Below, the location of the Commencement Ceremony and the dress code were written. ¡°Every year, our school alternates between the head of the department and Cha Seok as the representative. Last year, I majored in an engineering department. And¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡ª- This year is our department.¡± *** The auditorium of the University of Korea. Banners with the names of the faculty and department were hung on the ceiling. A lot of freshmen were standing under the banners with the names of the faculty and the department. ¡°Mechanical engineering freshman¡­¡± ¡°Come here, Pseudomonas!¡± ¡°This way, government students!¡± Each department¡¯s student council was busy lining up new students. Whoooooooooooooooooooooooo. I¡¯m nervous. Jinseok stood and looked ahead nonchntly, but inside he was sighing several times. However, the other students did not know how Jinseok felt. After the atmosphere had calmed down for a while, a sound came from the loudspeaker on the stage. [The entrance ceremony is about to begin. All guests are seated [First, there¡¯s an entrance certificate ceremony.] The two freshman representatives¡­] [Next, the freshman representative will say hello] *** Director of the drama department of KSC Broadcasting. Director Moon Jong-seo, producer Chang, and writer Kwon Chaeyoon sat around the conference table. It was director Moon Jong-seo who spoke first in a subdued atmosphere. ¡°Next week¡¯s show, are you going to go as is?¡± ¡°The same time as ¡®Spring Without Flowers¡¯?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Hey, PD Jang. I¡¯m asking you.¡± Producer Jang, who was sitting in front of him drinking water, was surprised. Producer Jang, who was in a hurry, replied with a cough when he was suddenly pointed out. ¡°Suddenly. Huh! Do you mean the airtime?¡± ¡°Yes. You mean the airtime. Don¡¯t ask me again. Do you want to go like this?¡± Producer Jang said, looking at writer Kwon Chaeyoon sitting next to him. ¡°Oh, otherworks are making dramas with the same theme, but at the same time¡­¡± ¡°Okay. The producer wants to run away. Writer Kwon said. Producer Jang immediately lowered his eyes when he stopped talking as if he had be Moon Jong-seo. Then PD Jang sipped the water again. He looked a bit pitiful. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. Mr. Commissioner.¡± Kwon Chaeyoon said with an irritated look on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t know why we are having such a meeting. Before, you changed the script to much more stimting and close to the level because you said you would lose ratings, right?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± But why do I have to change the airtime of ¡°My¡± because I¡¯m afraid of other works? Writer Kwon Chaeyoon speaks with minimal politeness. There was no way that Moon Jong-seo could see such a Kwon Chaeyoon well. ¡°Without a cold shoulder¡­¡± Young people talk back to me without respect. Also, the broadcast is originally at the discretion of the director. You don¡¯t have to call a writer like that to talk. However, Kwon Chaeyoon¡¯s ability was too great to change the schedule arbitrarily. Moon Jong-seo, who couldn¡¯t bring himself to show his inner feelings, forced himself to smile and said. ¡°Ha ha, ha ha. Yes, writer Kwon did a great job. But listen. From what I¡¯ve heard, the actors in Springtime Without Flowers are really good. ¡°What about the actors?¡± ¡°They say they¡¯re pretty good. No, I heard that they¡¯re pretty good.¡± Kwon Chaeyoon said in a stunned manner. ¡°Did you say that to KL Entertainment? Do you want me to change the time because your actors are not good enough? No way. Of course not. In a previous meeting with KL Enter, we asked them to change the time because of the quality of their work. Thanks to that, I was able to convince KL Entertainment. However, it was not easy to convince Kwon Chaeyoon. ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I said, instead of a g. I just turned it around and said: ¡°¡ª¡°. Kwon Chaeyoon jumped out of his seat when Moon Jong-seo whispered. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t like it. I joined this work because I heard that it would be organized in prime time.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°And Mr. Commissioner. I¡¯m Kwon Chaeyoon. Kwon Chaeyoon, who gets 15% of the ratings when you write it, is funny.¡± ¡°If you eat my work ande out like this, won¡¯t it be funny from now on?¡± As soon as the words were over, writer Kwon Chaeyoon stood up. ¡°Anyway, just change it. I will never work with KSC again.¡± Bang! ¡°That chew¡­¡± Moon Jong-seo sighed as he tried to curse at the closed door. Then he looked at Producer Jang in front of him with pathetic eyes and said. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s burn twice as manymercials this time until the first episode airs.¡± ¡°Two or two times? Money¡­¡± ¡°Oh, you can do it if you want. Why are you talking so much? I¡¯ll borrow it from somewhere or steal it, so burn it twice.¡± Producer Jang swallowed his dry saliva at Moon Jong-seo¡¯s words. I am grateful to receive a lot of investment in my work. But if you¡¯re behind other dramas, even though you¡¯re hitting themercials like crazy¡­¨C. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll tell me to take responsibility¡­¡± Whether you promote more or not, it¡¯s over if you¡¯re behind . If so, it would have been better to burn a lot of ads and increase the chance of winning at least a little. ¡°Since the ratings went up as much as we advertised¡­¡± Producer Jang, who had been agonizing for a while, nodded. So the air date is here. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 The first broadcast of the BDD station¡¯s ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± was aired. At the same time, KSC Broadcasting Station¡¯s ¡°Hard Written Poems¡± also aired simultaneously. [¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± 1 episode highest ratings of 18.3% per minute, ¡°A Hard Written Poem¡± ratings of 11%]. [New actor Kang Jinseok¡¯s ¡°Nakamura¡± overwhelmed ¡°Utsushi¡± in ¡°In Spring Without Flowers.] Viewers¡¯ interest in ¡°A Hard-Written Poem¡± was also high. However, due to the forced action and frowning sensational scenes shown in the first episode, ¡°A Hardly Written Poem¡± was quickly shunned by viewers. The difference between the two works was especially evident in thements of viewers. If it¡¯s a coffee shop with a lot of cream, it¡¯s a Byul Cafe without flowers. Watch ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± live and watch ¡°Utsushi¡± rerun. The content is simr, but the ss is different. ¨C Ushi frowned while watching Q: First of all, the casting of ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± seems crazy, especially Nakamura. -Nakamura bad guy, really bad guy, ¨C. JN: Among the extras, is there an old man who eats rice soup deliciously? Get a solo shot Lol Academics say you were hungry during the filming. Some people experienced joy and others experienced despair in response to these viewer reactions. *** Conference room of the BDD station. The production team of ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡± was in a festive mood. ¡°Let¡¯s go! ¡°Nice!¡± ¡°Look at this article! ¡°I heard KSC got 6 percent.¡± ¡°What? 6 percent? You must have turned on the documentary wrong!¡± ¡°Producer Na, you did a great job.¡± ¡°It is all thanks to the writer¡¯s good writing. Please continue to take good care of us.¡± There is still a long way to go, but with the current momentum, I was not confident of losing to the KSC station until the end of the show. On the other hand, the KSC station was like a portrait house. ¡°Six percent¡­¡± X-Ball, PD Jang. What are you doing?¡± Moon Jong-seo said angrily to PD Jang. ¡°Crime, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Even if I just take a picture of a passing puppy and record the show, 8% woulde out. You¡¯re not good enough!¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I told you to double themercial this time because it¡¯s unusual.¡± I was told to watch the final version again. If it¡¯s that much money, even if you y the documentary, you¡¯ll get 6 percent!¡± Moon Jong-seo pressed producer Jang. ¡°I did everything I was told, but how can I do this?¡± When I first took charge of this work, I thought it was amazing. But at some point, the atmosphere became strange, and in the end, a disastrous result of 18 to 6 came out. That wasn¡¯t the point. ¡°Hey, PD Jang. You said you were confident when you took over this job.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I brought in KL Entertainment and Kwon Chaeyoon, what if you do it this way?¡± For some reason, all the responsibility came to him now. There were already rumors in the KSC station that producer Jang was the one who first suggested this work to KL Entertainment. Maybe Moon Jong-seo, it¡¯s a rumor spread by that guy. ¡ª¡® Rumor after rumor bes true when it goes through many people. Producer Jang couldn¡¯t say anything even though he swore to himself. Whoooooooooooooooo. Then Moon¡¯s cell phone rang. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± A voice that suddenly became polite and bright. A contrary voice came out of the cell phone. [You bastard!] I told you not to do that!] [You¡¯ve been raving like this, do you really want to die?] What will you do with the money?] [You should write a letter of apology first. [And I¡¯ll be embarrassed and search, so you take care of everything] [From now on, let¡¯s see how it went from the nning stage and what you¡¯re going to do and upload it. Got it?] Moon Jong-seo swore at the stormy president only with the shape of his mouth and spoke in a sweet voice as if to soothe him. ¡°Mr. President, I was actually in a meeting with the person in charge. I wanted to leave as the boss said, but he kept asking me to leave. Oh, yes, yes. Of course. Yes, yes, yes. Okay. I¡¯ll send it up now. Haha, of course.¡± ¡°¡ª?¡± Moon Jong-seo, who put down his cell phone as if the call was over, sighed. Then he drew a line as if it had nothing to do with him. ¡°Hey, producer Jang. Write your apology and go to the boss¡¯s office in 30 minutes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? Write an apology letter and go upstairs. ¡°From why you invited KL Entertainment to n such a program that goes against the grain, everything will be done in the future!¡± ¡°Oh no. What is this?¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that?¡± You¡¯re the responsible producer. Then you should be responsible!¡± Producer Jang¡¯s face was distorted by Moon Jong-seo¡¯s words. *** The production team was not the only one who was ufortable with the drama¡¯s failure. ¡°Ha, ha, ha. It¡¯s really annoying.¡± Lee Homin drastically emptied his ss. Seo Inhyuk, who was pouring alcohol next to him, looked at Lee Homin¡¯s face and said. ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you drinking too much?¡± I¡¯ve already had two bottles. ¡°I don¡¯t care. The drama is ruined anyway. X shot.¡± Lee Homin lost his role in ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡± to Jinseok and appeared in ¡°A Hard-Written Poem¡±. The result is a crushing defeat. Lee even yed Kawasaki, a role simr to Jinseok¡¯s Nakamura. Naturally, viewerspared their acting, and Lee Homin was criticized for being a day behind. I heard that the difference in their skills would determine the sess or failure of the drama. ¡°I¡¯m so tired of it.¡± The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I became. ¡°Kang Jinseok, son of a bitch¡­¡± It was because of hisck of skills, but Lee Homin med it all on Jinseok. Seo Inhyuk¡¯s eyes changed when Lee Homin mentioned Jinseok directly. ¡°Shall we talk about it now?¡± Like Lee Homin, Seo Inhyuk hated Jinseok. The reason was simr to Lee Homin¡¯s. Because I missed the president of Seoguk University because of Jinseok. Although he was not deprived of his role like Lee Homin, Jinseok was the one who stole the most attention from Seo Inhyuk. Since ¡°Nakamura¡± was going well, Jinseok¡¯s entrance into the university was also a hot topic on SNS, so Seo Inhyuk¡¯s jealousy was now sky-high. However, Seo Inhyuk could do nothing about Jinseok. He was definitely a small character until the entrance ceremony¡­ Now, he has be an actor who attracts public attention to the point that he¡¯s on the real-time search list. Of course, Jinseok did not be a big actor just because he was on the real-time search list for a while. But he¡¯s actually way ahead of Seo Inhyuk. His agency MAJOR 77 also said that Jinseok should be recruited. I can¡¯t leave it like this. So Seo Inhyuk tried to get Lee Homin¡¯s help. To send amon enemy, Jinseok, to the abyss. Seo Inhyuk filled Lee Homin¡¯s ss and said. ¡°Brother, that Kang Jinseok thing.¡± ¡°¡ª What. Are you teasing me too? He¡¯s better than me?¡± ¡°No way. It¡¯s not that, but I don¡¯t like Kang Jinseok very much. Lee Homin wondered and asked. ¡°Why is that? Do you know him?¡± ¡°I know everything~¡± I recently entered Seoguk University. But¡­¡± Seo Inhyuk said that Jinseok has taken his senior position. He doesn¡¯t even greet himself as a senior, and he¡¯s a rude guy. Then Lee Homin said with an expression that he didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Ha! Did he do that to you too? He talked back to me at the audition. You¡¯re such bad luck anyway.¡± Lee Homin continued to talk with an annoyed face. ¡°I think he got the role through the PD¡¯s connections, but maybe the boss got it through the professor¡¯s connections, too. He¡¯s a man who will stay.¡± ¡°Yes! I think so too. I know he¡¯s good at it because he¡¯s doing ¡®Nakamura,¡¯ but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s better than me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You and I have been rolling on the floor since we were kids, and does it make sense to be pushed back by a guy like that? He must have something.¡± Enthusiasm for Jinseok began to fill the drinking party. When the atmosphere was moderately ripe, Seo Inhyuk seduced Lee Homin in a low voice. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve been thinking about it.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t treat a senior well and act with personal connections. You can¡¯t do well, right? ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°So is there a way to undermine him?¡± I don¡¯t want to look at him.¡± Lee Homin nodded. Then, after thinking for a while, he smiled meanly and said. ¡°Hey, do you know what¡¯s the biggest reason why male actors go to the abyss?¡± ¡°Are you a girl? ¡°That¡¯s right too. But not that one.¡± ¡°Um, uh, gambling? Drugs?¡± ¡°No, idiot. Something more realistic than what the kids of your agency are doing.¡± Seo Inhyuk was surprised by Lee Homin¡¯s words. The ce where they were now was Seo Inhyuk¡¯s house, but that¡¯s not something to say openly. ¡°Your tongue, brother. You¡¯ll get into trouble if you say that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. What else is there besides women, gambling, and drugs?¡± Seo Inhyuk said after thinking for a while. ¡°Um, uh, alcohol ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s alcohol! And don¡¯t you know what college students do the most?¡± ¡°¡ª-Alcohol?¡± ¡°Now we¡¯re talking a little.¡± Lee Homin leaned on the table. Then he looked into Seo Inhyuk¡¯s eyes and said. ¡°Since the drama is on the air now, the filming is probably over. Then he¡¯lle out of school, right? That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the beginning of the semester. Then we¡¯ll have a wee party for freshmen, OT or MT, but let¡¯s drink X there.¡± ¡°And?¡± Lee Homin spoke with a more insidious voice than before. ¡°Then Kang Jinseok will make a mistake because he is drunk. Get into a fight or drive drunk.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°When you see him acting like Nakamura, he¡¯s not a nice guy by nature. How can a good guy act like that? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make a mistake.¡± Seo Inhyuk nodded at Lee Homin¡¯s words. ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ Make a mistake by drinking?¡± ¡°Yes, and take a picture of it and send it to me. I¡¯ll send it to all the reporters I know.¡± Although the movie went bankrupt, Lee Homin¡¯s father is the president of KL Enter, a big agency. With their connections, it would be easy to bury a new actor. ¡°Homin would be much better than me, right?¡± Seo Inhyuk replied with a cheeky smile. ¡°All right, brother. I¡¯ll try to drink a lot by pretending to be close or a fan.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. But you shouldn¡¯t try to drink too openly. You should also drink in moderation. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± An image of Jinseok covering his face with a worried expression came to mind. ¡°Now! I think something¡¯s going to work out. Right?¡± ¡°Yes, brother! That¡¯s why I like Homin!¡± After turning the happy circle for a moment, the twoughed and bumped into each other. *** Meanwhile, Jinseok didn¡¯t even know that there was such a plot against him. A Gamjatang restaurant in Seongsu-dong ordered soju with a calm voice. ¡°Auntie, please give me another bottle of soju.¡± Jinseok¡¯s table was upied by Mr. Kim and Park Chunsam. Around the table, other people were watching Jinseok and the three of them drinking with excited expressions on their faces. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Mr. Kim! I leave my back to you. ¨C. Make sure you knock Jinseok down this time. ¨C.¡± At that time, the men shouted as the foreman fell on the table with his eyes open. ¡°Hey, ss president, you died with your eyes open!¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Kim. Don¡¯t overdo it and pay for it! You can¡¯t beat Jinseok with alcohol!¡± ¡°Park Chunsam, don¡¯t change your ss for a ss president. To celebrate the sess of the drama, Jinseok and the aunts went out for dinner and had a masterpiece drinking session after a long time. With a drinking contest to add to the excitement. ¡°Before opening a new soju.¡± Jinseok held up a beer ss full of soju. ¡°There¡¯s one drink left.¡± In response to Jinseok¡¯s voice, which became calmer as he drank, Mr. Kim spoke with a twisted tongue. ¡°Ha, Hang Bo-ok.¡± Then Park Chunsam rushed out after Mr. Kim. The other menughed and said. ¡°Why are you drinking at Jinseok?¡± ¡°It¡¯s stupid. ¡°When I see you always lose, but you¡¯. ¡°Maybe I can¡¯t remember because the film is cut off every time.¡± Their chirping voices rang through the Gamjatang restaurant. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 OS Group¡¯s affiliatedpany, OS International Headquarters Representative Office. Representative Oh Haneul and Chief of Staff Kang Kyeongsik watched ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡±. ¡°As expected, the CEO has a really good eye. The work of the BDD station overwhelmed the work of the KSC.¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha, ha. You¡¯re painting my face gold. It¡¯s good luck, luck.¡± Representative Oh Haneul spoke modestly, but he was quite happy inside. Good, good, good After the drama, Oh Haneul said with a satisfied smile. ¡°I saw your report today, and you¡¯re almost ready to establish OS Entertainment.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Now we just need to fill the staff, but there are some problems with the supply and demand of professional staff.¡± ¡°What part are you having trouble with?¡± ¡°Yes. If you look at this¡­¡± Kang Kyeongsik gave Oh Haneul the data he had prepared. ¡°Finance, management, and human resources can be filled within thepany today. But. The problem is that there are no specialized managers on the corporate side.¡± The data Kang Kyeongsik handed over included internal organization charts for each department and team. Most of them had nominees, but the positions of vice presidents and prominent managers were empty. Oh Haneul, who carefully examined the data from beginning to end, muttered. ¡°Hmm¡­ The most urgent thing is that we don¡¯t have a vice president to run thepany on my behalf.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. People who are fluent in this field have private businesses or are already treated more than executives.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But I can¡¯t let anyone sit down.¡± Meanwhile, Oh Haneul continued to scan the data. Then, as if I didn¡¯t understand it well, I asked Kang Kyeongsik. ¡°But why aren¡¯t there any managers? I¡¯m not ignoring the position of a manager, but isn¡¯t a manager easy to find?¡± ¡°It is easy to find ordinary road managers and managers. However, it is not easy to find ¡®real¡¯ managers who are suitable for ourpany level, as you have previously instructed.¡± Oh Haneul, listening to Kang Kyeongsik, put the data on his desk. Then he leaned back in his chair and said. ¡°Then let¡¯s get the vice president first. And I think you¡¯d better find a manager. Because the eyes of the expert may be different.¡± Oh Haneul, who was instructing Kang Kyeongsik, suddenly remembered apany in his head. Stay still. . . I heard that the CEO of thatpany came out as if he had been kicked out. ¡°Chief, Yoon Entertainment. Please check the situation here as well.¡± *** ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ming to college¡­¡± I never imagined that I would drop out of high school and go to college. But now that I was standing in front of the main gate of Seoguk University, I was among a crowd of students. Mostly, I didn¡¯t dare to go because the tuition was so high, but a full schrship from the chief¡­ While I was thinking about this and that, a story I had with writer Jo Seokwon at a dinner party came to mind. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Jinseok, I heard the news. ¡°I heard you entered college this time?¡± ¡°Ah yes. ¡°I somehow ended up goingte.¡± ¡°Hey, you made a good choice. Being a student is the happiest time in my life. Do you know anything else? I wonder if I will film a piece with a university backgroundter. ¡°Someday, the ¡®college student experience¡¯ will help me with my acting.¡± ¡ª¡ª He also told me that it must have been difficult because of the recent filming, so I should rest well while going to school. ¡®Okay. Let¡¯s rest in peace until the next project.¡¯ I entered the school while looking around. The campus was quite crowded. ¡®Where is the art school?¡¯ After wandering around for a while, I finally found the ssroom. When I opened the door and entered, students were already gathered in groups of twos and threes. At that time, I made eye contact with a student. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Uh?¡± It was a short word, but it was enough to attract the attention of other students. ¡°¡­It¡¯s him, right?¡± ¡°Okay, what did I say? ¡°I said he was Nakamura, the head of our department.¡± ¡°Oh my god. ¡°If I ask you to take a picture, will you take it?¡± ¡°But he¡¯s really handsome¡­¡± In fact, even on the way to school, people would look at me and whisper like this. At times like that, I felt really happy that people recognized me as an ¡®actor¡¯. Because I felt like I was a little closer to my goals and dreams. ¡®What¡¤¡¤¡¤. It would have been better if they had said Kang Jinseok instead of Nakamura.¡¯ Iughed at myself for bing more greedy in that short period of time. As I sit in an empty seat at the front of the ssroom, I can feel the students¡¯ passionate gaze on the back of my head. ¡®I¡¯m a little excited¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because of the students¡¯ gaze. Rather, it was the excitement of my first college lecture, something I had never even dreamed of, no, I had never been able to do before. After a while, the lecture began. *** ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Then today¡¯s lecture ends here. ¡°You can submit individual and group assignments in lieu of the midterm and final exams whenever they arepleted.¡± ¡®For sure¡­ professors are different.¡¯ The first lecture was a subject called ¡®Acting 1¡¯. Should I say that it is a lecture that summarizes what I learned through physical encounters? It wasn¡¯t a huge enlightenment. However, it was definitely a useful lecture as it exined the basics step by step. ¡®The other kids didn¡¯t seem to have much fun.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re teaching on OT day¡­¡¯ I kept hearing it in the background. While I was thinking that, someone came up to me and spoke to me. ¡°Excuse me¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°?¡± Four students. There were two boys and two girls. ¡°Hello. My name is Hyeongju Park, ss of ¡¯18. that¡¤¡¤¡¤. Jinseok Kang¡­ ¡°Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes. you¡¯re right. hello? Seniors.¡± I got up from my seat and greeted him politely, and Park Hyeongju also greeted me. Park Hyeongju speaks with a nervous smile. ¡°Wow¡­ There is no need to greet me like that. ¡°It¡¯s no different, there is a wee party for new students today.¡± ¡°Ah yes.¡± ¡°I posted my vote in the group chat room, but no one said anything. ¡°I don¡¯t think you even confirmed it¡­¡± At his words, I quickly turned on my phone. ¡®I need to get into the habit of checking messages¡­¡¯ As he said, we voted on participation in the freshmen group chat room, and everyone except mepleted it. ¡°Sorry. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it.¡± ¡°Oh, no. it¡¯s okay. Because you must be very busy. But could you possiblye today?¡± As Park Hyeongju hesitated to ask, the eyes of the other students next to him sparkled and they helped each other out. ¡°The professor ising too! ¡°A lot of student council members and other seniors areing too!¡± ¡°It will be fun! Plus, it¡¯s free for new students!¡± ¡®What¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®I said I¡¯d take the day off from my part-time job today, so it¡¯ll be okay.¡¯ Since I didn¡¯t have any ns, I scratched my cheek and said, ¡°Yes, I will go.¡± Park Hyeongju smiled brightly after hearing what I said. *** A new student wee party was held in an entire bar in front of the school. It was awkward at first, but soon the freshmen were ying in groups and groups with like-minded people. ¡°Can you take a picture with me just once?¡± ¡°Oh, just shake hands once¡­¡± ¡°I heard that you were selected for this drama through an audition. Is it true? ¡°How was the atmosphere?¡± ¡°I¡¯m releasing a web drama I filmed next week. Would it be okay if I promoted it on social media just once? ah¡¤¡¤¡¤. You don¡¯t do social media? So why not make it now? ¡°I¡¯ll make it for you!!¡± Of course, the ce where the most students gathered was Jinseok¡¯s table. That¡¯s because most of the students in the theater department wanted to be actors, so they couldn¡¯t help but be interested in Jinseok, a new actor. Although he was a supporting actor, Jinseok, who appeared in a terrestrial drama, was an object of envy among theater students. Many students felt attracted to Jinseok, who was friendly and not condescending despite his position. ¡°In the drama, he was very scary and charismatic. ¡°He¡¯s actually very nice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But we can¡¯t take pictures together. ¡°It¡¯s too much of aparison.¡± ¡°I just covered my face with an emoticon.¡± Someone was sitting far away and ring at Jinseok. ¡®You have be a very big star.¡¯ It was Seo Inhyuk, who was pushed to second ce due to Jinseok. Seo Inhyuk, who chewed Jinseok once, took the drink and went to Jinseok¡¯s table. To destroy Jinseok¡¯s perfect appearance. Seo Inhyuk said to Jinseok, gently shaking his ss. ¡°Instead of just taking pictures, why don¡¯t you have a drink? ¡°It¡¯s a wee party for new students.¡± *** A legendary boxer said this: ¡°Everyone has a good n. ¡°Until you get hit.¡± Seo Inhyuk was in exactly that situation. ¡®What is this guy?¡¯ At first, everything went ording to n. Jinseok gulped down the drink he gave him, and he just joined in. One ss bes two, and those sses be several bottles¡­ Seo Inhyuk, who prided himself on being a leader, was reaching his limits. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤I lost because of drinking? To a guy who looks like a gisaeng brother like that?¡¯ Even though he drank enough to fill one side of the table with bottles, Jinseok did not waver at all. ¡°It looks difficult¡­¡± No, rather, Jinseok poured a drink for Seo Inhyuk and said as if he was worried. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± Jinseok¡¯s words certainly sounded like he was worried, but they contained something like a subtle warning. It could have been Seo Inhyuk¡¯s illusion. ¡®Unlucky child¡­¡¯ Then other students at the same table spoke to Jinseok. ¡°Aren¡¯t you pushing yourself too hard? ¡°The other kids took a break and drank in moderation.¡± ¡°Jinseok, are you okay? Would you like me to buy you some ice cream?¡± ¡°Jinseok oppa is more macho than he seems¡­? As expected, it¡¯s my style¡­ greatness!¡± ¡®This guy and that girl, it¡¯s all Jinseok, Jinseok¡­¡¯ Jinseok greets each and every student who passes by, and when his seniors go home, he sees them off without anyone asking him to. Even his polite attitude of paying attention to even the smallest details was a thorn in Seo Inhyuk¡¯s eyes. ¡®Shit¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡®I need to go to the bathroom.¡¯ Seo Inhyuk got up from his seat, feeling annoyed inside. Stumbling. ¡®Ah-oh. It¡¯s really embarrassing.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t bad at drinking, but he seemed to have drunk too much in his attempts to get Jinseok drunk. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± ¡°Inhyuk¡­¡± ¡°Someonee together¡­¡± The surroundings were noisy, and because I drank so much, I couldn¡¯t hear the students¡¯ worriedments. ¡°It¡¯s okay! I¡¯ll go alone¡­ su! ¡°This!¡± I roughly shook off the students who offered to help me and went to the bathroom. ¡®Ah¡­ why does this bar have a bathroom outside¡­¡¯ Perhaps because he woke up suddenly, his eyes were very dizzy. Tuk¡­ As I was stumbling into the bathroom building, I bumped into someone passing by. If he had been sober, he would have apologized and moved on, but Seo Inhyuk, who was drunk, was not at the level where he could make a sound judgment. Seo Inhyuk nced at the person he had bumped into without realizing it and headed to the bathroom. Then, Seo Inhyuk¡¯s body flinched as he was pped on the back of the head. ¡°Hey!!¡± The man approached like an angry bull and violently pulled Seo Inhyuk by the shoulder. ¡°Eww¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± When I managed to focus, I could see straight ahead. ¡®W-what is this?¡¯ The person who turned himself around was the so-called ¡®muscle pig¡¯. It¡¯s also an ¡®evil¡¯ attribute muscle pig. This is the type of person you should never get into a fight with at a bar. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Seo Inhyuk looked at the man with open eyes. The problem was that when I looked at him with open eyes, it seemed as if he was ncing at the other person. Perhaps because he felt bad, the man grabbed Seo Inhyuk by the cor. ¡°If I bump into you, you should apologize, why are you looking at me like that?!¡± ¡°Sin¡­ sorry¡­¡± Seo Inhyuk apologized in a hurry. Unfortunately, the apology made in a crawling voice did not reach the muscle pig. ¡°Ok?! What is he saying now!!¡± The atmosphere gradually became more hostile, and crowds of people were gathering around. It was then. ¡°Sorry. ¡°I¡¯ll just pass by.¡± Someone pushed through the crowd and came forward. Seo Inhyuk nced behind him while still being held by the cor. ¡®Kang Jinseok¡­?¡¯ Jinseok was there, smiling. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 I was a little worried when I saw Seo Inhyuk staggering to the bathroom. Don¡¯t bother. In fact, I could see that Seo Inhyuk was ufortable with me while he was drinking. The eyes that looked at me from the beginning were hostile, and when someone who isn¡¯t very close to you gives you a drink, it¡¯s one of those two things. Either you really want to be close to them or you want to screw them. Seo was thetter. So I scolded him with a moderate amount of alcohol. There is no reason to avoid a fight. It is a world these days where people rush more, thinking that they are weak if they avoid it. ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± After thinking for a while, I got up from my seat and followed Seo Inhyuk. He¡¯s an ugly guy, but isn¡¯t his famous name ¡®Dongki¡¯? He brought it on himself, but he couldn¡¯t let someone who was so drunk go alone anyway. When I came out, I could see the back of Seo Inhyuk¡¯s head from a distance. But the problem is that Seo Inhyuk is surrounded by people. ¡°You should apologize if you bumped into me, why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Sin, sorry.¡± ¡°What? Say something, dude!¡± As expected, bad premonitions have never been wrong. Still, I think I arrived before something big happened, so it would be a relief if it was a relief. I watched the flow and broke through the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll pass by.¡± Seo Inhyuk looked back at me with tearful eyes as if he heard my voice. After smiling slightly and telling Seo Inhyuk not to worry, he said to the muscle pig. ¡°Ha ha, ha ha. I think my friend made a mistake because he drank a lot. I apologize instead.¡± I wanted to resolve the matter smoothly, so I spoke politely. But the muscle pig didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of doing so. ¡°What? Apples instead because you¡¯re really? Ha, me. You really are. What movie are you making?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Once you get out of bread, you¡¯re like a beggar¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s bread, are you talking about prison?¡± I don¡¯t think this is something to be proud of. While looking at the muscle pig pitifully, the muscle pig threw Seo Inhyuk and yelled. ¡°I¡¯ll help you soon, so stay still.¡± Thud! ¡°Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.¡± Seo Inhyuk groaned in pain, whether because he was sick or ashamed. ¡°Do I have to do this?¡± Then the muscle pig grabbed me by the cor this time. ¡°The baby that lost his head. Do you know who I am?!¡± The atmosphere had be much more violent than before, and I could hear the onlookers swallowing their saliva as well. I wasn¡¯t really impressed as a party. That¡¯s becausepared to the ¡°Catch the Neck¡± the warehouse guys taught me self-defense, this was cute. ¡ª- You don¡¯t grab it by the neck like that. There seemed to be no strength in the back or lower body. I didn¡¯t feel any threat to the crude level that only gave me strength in my hand. Besides, I was angry. Right now, this muscle pig is holding onto the clothes. Because it was a pretty precious dress for me. When I got into college, the boys said, ¡°Jinseok, you should get married with a girlfriend! They bought him a department store card saying, ¡°Men are clothes!¡± It¡¯s not a very expensive piece of clothing, but it¡¯s definitely not something that a pathetic guy would touch carelessly. ¡°This is not something you would touch carelessly.¡± The muscle pig grabbed his wrist. ¡°Take your hands off.¡± ¡°What, what? Take your hands off? Hey, Dorai, what is this?¡± Finally, as Uncle Park Chunsam told me, he grabbed the part sticking out of the wrist bone. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Then the muscle pig crossed his body and fell to his knees, spitting out words one by one to the panicked voices of the onlookers. ¡± Huh, what? ¡°I think you just caught something¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± I pretended to be calm but to be honest, I was a little surprised. Park Chunsam said, ¡°If someone grabs you by the cor, use it. I didn¡¯t know that the technique he taught me with a big smile would be so effective. ¡°I forgot because he¡¯s always yful¡­¡± Suddenly, I remembered Uncle Park Chunsam¡¯s identity. Park Chunsam, age unknown. Former homicide detective, now a chocte bar thief at the Seongsu warehouse. ¡°I should thank him next time.¡± ¡°Wake up.¡± The people around me looked at me in amazement as if I were a hero. I felt a little ufortable, but I told Seo Inhyuk as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°Let¡¯s go get a hangover.¡± *** The muscle pig ran away and Jinseok took Seo Inhyuk to the grocery store. This was because Seo Inhyuk¡¯s eyes were swollen to return to the wee party immediately. ¡°Here, ready.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Seo Inhyuk asked with a nasal voice. ¡°Special hangover ramen, taught by the men I work with at my part-time job. It guarantees both taste and calories. If you eat it, you can get up to 2 kilograms a day in no time. Seo Inhyukughed in amazement when he saw the cup noodles, which cost 15,000 won just for the ingredients. ¡°If you¡¯re in such good shape eating something like that¡­¡± ¡°How long do you exercise?¡± ¡°Exercise?¡± ¡°Yes. Since you were ying with that pig earlier, I think you do it a lot.¡± ¡°What about exercise?¡± I guess I gained some strength just by working hard.¡± ¡°Working hard? Do you work hard?¡± Seo Inhyuk asked in a slightly surprised voice. Jinseok replied in a calm voice. ¡°Uh. If you work hard, you can get real muscles that you can¡¯t get by exercising. That¡¯s the secret of strength¡­¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it fun?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡ª I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s eat before it gets cold.¡± Seo Inhyuk nodded slightly and ate ramen. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± After making an open impression, Seo Inhyuk asked. ¡°Why did you help me?¡± Jinseok blew and cooled down the ramen, swallowed it, and replied. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± ¡°¡ª Are you nice or stupid?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°You somehow noticed. That I was trying to screw you up. No. ¡°How can you not know? I¡¯m trying to give you a drink by making it so obvious.¡± Jinseok took a smoked egg out of the ramen and put it in his mouth. ¡°I heard what the kids said earlier, and you¡¯re pretty famous too, so it would be a big deal if you got into trouble. With the school or with you.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°And I told you earlier. I helped you because you are a friend from the same department. That¡¯s all.¡± After that, Jinseok drank the soup. Seo Inhyuk looked at the scene and thought. ¡°You helped me because I was in the same department?¡± Seo Inhyuk was embarrassed by Jinseok¡¯s action of helping him without thinking, even though he knew everything. So I tried to apologize. With the words of thanks for your help. ¡°Until the end, you unlucky boy.¡± In the end, it was Seo Inhyuk who was not honest. *** I tried to act like an ordinary college student, but when ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡± became a hot topic, more and more people recognized it. When I went to a restaurant to eat. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Nakamura.¡± ¡°Crazy. Crazy.¡± ¡°Hey, can I eat next to you?¡± When I go to the library to study. ¡°Student, I¡¯m sorry. Please leave.¡± ¡°What? Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. There are so many other students walking around to see you. It¡¯s too noisy.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± When I go into the ssroom. ¡°You¡¯re good at acting and you have a good attitude to listen to lectures.¡± ¡°¡ª- Thank you.¡± ¡°You can make good eye contact with me even when you sit behind me. We can see each other better if we sit in front of each other. Hahaha!! Is my lecture so useful?¡± ¡°Ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha.¡± Since that day, Seo Inhyuk and I have be quite close. When we run into each other, He asks me how I am, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± and if I say I haven¡¯t, we go to the restaurant together. For a while, I reminisced about those quiet days and searched for ¡°Weekly Drama Ratings¡± on my phone. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± waspletely overwhelming, ¡°A Hard Written Poem. During the fourth episode, it maintained an average audience rating of 19% and ranked first in rey and Inte viewing. It is quite popr at this time when over-the-air dramas are facing a crisis due to the growth of cable TV. Therefore, of course, drama-rted articles were stered with . [High ratings for ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡±] [If you haven¡¯t seen it yet, it¡¯s a drama you should watch]. In ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡±] [BDD¡¯s ratings for other dramas have increased day by day]. They were all nice knights. The only works I appeared in were the acimed articles. Some articles were recorded and saved. ¡°And¡­¡± Not long after the fourth episode aired, there were some really important articles. [Nakamura¡¯s true intention]. [Nakamura Became a Charming Viin] [Kang Jinseok Nakamura, the new actor¡¯s acting] [The traitor Nakamura]. Where is he going?] Among these articles, the one that bothers me the most is ¡­¡­. [Betrayer Nakamura]. It was an article about his future articles. Won¡¯t Nakamura die? If Nakamura dies, the BDD website will be a real terror. Anonymous exists. Would Jo Seokwon kill Nakamura without knowing it? I¡¯m from the future, Nakamura is porridge¡­ Oh my God! I was so sad to die in my dream. I hope I can live for a long time this time. Is Nakamura Hat even in your dreams? HJ: Yes. Half of them wish ¡°Nakamura¡±, who changed from a viin to a helper, well. Honestly, I don¡¯t know who the main character is. I¡¯m good at acting, but I can¡¯t help but die. Lee X Chi also died for SARSX, and Lee X Maru Gindorangiku died for Rangiku. What is this, ? Duck? Half of the audience said that I should leave beautifully for work. ¡°More than I thought¡­¡± There are so many people watching. I didn¡¯t know when I was filming, but when I saw so many articles andments, I realized it. Then, all of a sudden, countless Kakao Talk messages poured in. ¨C 22nd grade Woo Hyungseok: Jinseok! Have you seen the news? Is Nakamura really going to die? Kim Soochul, ss 22: Just be honest with me. Are you going to die? Are you going to live? -Yeonsoo: Oppa!! You can¡¯t die! But death? Just tell me. -President Park Hyungjoo: Hey, Jinseok. Your acting is crazy. By the way. Are you going to die? -Seoyeon: Are you looking for Kang Jinseok? *** BDD station, conference room in ¡°In Spring Without Flowers It was way past the time to leave work, but no one left the team for ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡±. The reason, of course, was Nakamura. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°I want to save Nakamura, but when I see the edited version, I can¡¯t¡­¡± The staff spoke with a voice filled with anguish. But their faces were very cheerful. Aside from the good ratings, it was breaking records every day. Now they were thinking about whether to save Nakamura in Episode 7. Producer Na Jinho, who was agonizing with his team members, scratched his head and muttered. ¡°This is driving me crazy. This has to die, this has to die! How can you save it?¡± Writer Jo Seokwon, who was agonizing like Na Jinho, sighed and asked. ¡°Sigh, PD. Will you be able to save it again over there?¡± ¡°Half and half. No, there will be more reactions that it is forced. Everyone would think he was shot.¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. It¡¯s also a problem to act too good.¡± Jo Seokwon sighed again at Na Jinho¡¯s words. Then I put two simr-looking scripts on my desk. Na Jinho knows what this script is. One is a scenario where Nakamura dies. The other one is a living scenario. These scripts have been read dozens of times in advance. Both were interesting to evaluate from the point of view of having read both. The ending was simr. It is a happy ending with the main characters living peacefully in Joseon where they were liberated. The same goes for Nakamura. He doesn¡¯t marry someone like the main characters, but he lives happily with other Koreans. Of course, that was when Nakamura was alive. At that time, a staff member said. ¡°Producer, any further dy may disrupt the shooting.¡± ¡°I know! That¡¯s why we killed him? To save me?¡± ¡°That, that, that.¡± It was a really important point, but it didn¡¯t help at all in the current situation. The more you think about it, the more the conference roomes back to square one. At that moment, the door of the conference room burst open and Director Choi Hoon came in. ¡°Oh, Commissioner! Please decide. Save it. While Na Jinho was talking with a beaming face, he stopped talking and said to Director Choi Hoon. ¡°Hey, you guys! Are you going to kill me? Are you going to save me? The boss told me to hurry up and decide!¡± Then I immediately told Na Jinho. ¡°Hey, Jinho. You have to make a good decision. For your information, the boss checked the final version and said, ¡®Kill him. ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill him. What the boss says is thew. ¡ª-.¡± ¡°But the boss said it again. My wife wants to keep seeing Nakamura.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Boss, you know you¡¯re being held by your wife, right?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Just mention it. Please take note.¡± At Choi Hoon¡¯s words, Na Jinho threw a pen on theptop screen. Let¡¯s do it! ¡°Oh my God! What should I do then?¡± ¡°Hey, why are you mad at me? It¡¯s all because you¡¯re such a good artist!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault?!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s my fault?! You did it all!¡± It was a friendly meeting disguised as a fight, but it was not easy to make important decisions. Meanwhile, night had fallen, and the clock showed three in the morning. As time passed, the yfulness in the conference room disappeared, leaving only silence. It was an employee who broke the long silence. ¡°Producer, why don¡¯t you shoot two versions and check the ratings and reactions for episode 6?¡± At the employee¡¯s words, writer Jo Seokwon touched his neck and said. ¡°Producer. Is this opinion realistically possible? I think it would be nice if it were possible. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. That¡¯s impossible. We started shooting on the premise that we could change the script, right? I can¡¯t afford to do two versions. And¡­¡± ¡°You died so well.¡± ¡°Yes. I died that way, but I can¡¯t think of a direction to save it. The viewers won¡¯t understand it either.¡± Producer Na Jinho¡¯s voice is still full of worry. At that time, director Choi Hoon, who drank six cups of coffee, said. ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t help it. Let¡¯s do it. ¨C.¡± Everyone looked at Choi Hoon. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Everyone listened to director Choi Hoon¡¯s deep words. ¡°No matter how I look at it, ¡®Nakamura¡¯ should die in episode 6. Even if you look at the reactions so far, you say that Kang Jinseok looks more like the main character than Han Jehoon¡±. The staff nodded with a deep sigh at his words. That¡¯s because they vaguely thought the same thing. ¡°The benefit of killing is greater than the benefit of saving. I¡¯m sorry for the friend who¡¯s looking forward to it, but I can¡¯t help it.¡± Director Choi Hoon sipped the remaining coffee and said. His expression showed signs of deep distress. At that time, Jo Seokwon also expressed his opinion. ¡°Well, I agree with you. I only know how to write, but I think it would be a little strange for the viewer to see ¡®Nakamura¡¯e back to life.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding, writer. I think you¡¯ve almost finished writing the script for when Nakamura was alive ¡ª¡± ¡°Haha. That¡¯s okay. It was fun writing it too.¡± Producer Na Jinho sighed deeply as if he was sorry. ¡°All right. Then let¡¯s say ¡°Nakamura¡± dies and I¡¯ll go with the first script.¡± After a short talk with Choi Hoon and Jo Seokwon, Na Jinho instructed the staff. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Kang Jinseok so you can contact the other actors. The filming is running well.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Instead, viewers might be disappointed if Nakamura doesn¡¯t appear at all in the next episode¡­¡± Let¡¯s show Nakamura¡¯s face as if the main characters were reminiscing. ¡°Okay!¡± In the end, a long agony was ended. *** ¡°Let¡¯s go y?¡± [Yes. You said you didn¡¯t have a shoot today, right? My close friends are supposed to go out together, but youe with me. Is that what Jo Seokwon said? I was looking forward to it because I had never gone out with friends my own age. ¡°Yes, where to?¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I heard cheers. [Wow!] [Nisa!!] [College life with Nakamura!] ¡°But what are we going to do?¡± [We decided to go to the baseball stadium. But I¡¯m eating right now. [Wait, I¡¯ll give you the address, soe there] Because it¡¯s a baseball stadium. I had never been there, and I didn¡¯t know anything about it. But I thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to go with all my colleagues. ¡°Okay. Send me the address.¡± *** ¡°Seoul¡¯s pride! LJ doubles!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Bba! Bba! Bba, bba~ ¡°It¡¯s really big¡­¡± The baseball stadium I went to for the first time was really big. I didn¡¯t know it was that big when I saw it on the subway. While watching the yers warm up, Seo Inhyuk said from the side. ¡°Here we go! To the victory of LJ Doubles, cheers!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m angry. I¡¯m a fan of Doksu Liz¡± ¡°Are you crazy? You did that difficult thing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ignore it. This year is really different.¡± ¡°You guys are doing this every year.¡± There were seven people with me. ¡°By the way, you must really like baseball.¡± Seo Inhyuk cheered passionately even though the game hadn¡¯t started yet. Then the announcer said. [Today¡¯s first pitch will be thrown by the idol group Red Liz¡¯s Park Ha Yeon¡­] Then the stadium became noisy in an instant. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Park Hayeon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d I came here today.¡± I don¡¯t know much about idols, but I have heard the name Park Hayeon. I don¡¯t know how I am now, but I was a popr idol when I was in the military. I was still looking at the baseball stadium when Seo Inhyuk said, ¡°Laughing. ¡°A junior from ourpany came out.¡± ¡°Your junior at work?¡± ¡°Oh, Red Liz and I are at the same agency.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Yes. Come to think of it, the MAJOR77 idols are pretty good too.¡± ¡°Yeah. But technically, he¡¯s not a junior. I¡¯m learning and he¡¯s an idol.¡± You¡¯re a pretty clear guy, aren¡¯t you? ¡°But we¡¯re in the samepany, so if he¡¯s a junior, he¡¯s a junior. He¡¯s the mark of our idol¡¯s part. Red Liz.¡± He seemed to be proud of his way of speaking, but there was something different in his eyes. While Park Hayeon was throwing out the first pitch, Seo Inhyuk suddenly emptied a beer. ¡°I¡¯ll throw out the first pitch when I¡¯m famous.¡± It¡¯s like a boy in a dream. ¡°If it¡¯s simple, it¡¯s simple, and if it¡¯s big, it¡¯s a big dream. Sess as an actor and then watching on your favorite baseball stage. That seemed like a pretty cool dream. I thought about it and Seo Inhyuk said with a sly smile. ¡°I should y the ball well and be cast in a baseball movie or dramater. Sports dramas and movies are quite popr in the United States, so if I go to Hollywood¡­¡± *** The game was quite fun. ¡°LJ Doubles¡± scored first, and then the opponent ¡°Fire Doksu-riz¡± immediately turned the tables. After theeback, Seo Inhyuk began to cheer, his voice breaking as he cursed, something he wasn¡¯t usually good at. I don¡¯t know much about baseball. But it¡¯s fun. Let¡¯s finish episode five right now. A person who looked like a show host came up to the cheering section and said. ¡°All right, everybody. We¡¯ve finished the 5th inning, and we¡¯re down by one. You can win! And event time that came back without fail! ¡± ¡°Today¡¯s event is to drink beer quickly! Contestants, please stand up and dance!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he heard music ying on the ball field. ¡°Wow!¡± Then all my colleagues, except me, started dancing like crazy. As if I¡¯ve been waiting for this. Come to think of it¡­ I said there were a lot of kids who danced in the practical test. Since it was a drama department, there were a lot of talented kids. Especially Seo Inhyuk, who was standing next to him, danced like he was possessed. Such a picture of us appeared on the screen of the baseball field. Seven people were dancing like crazy, and I was sitting alone in the middle. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s that? Everybody,e down. Stop dancing. When the host pointed to us and called us out, everyone got down in unison. I didn¡¯t want to stand out, so I just sat down. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Nakamura?¡± ¡°Park Hayeon came and Nakamura came today?!¡± ¡°What day is today?¡± My face, sitting idly, filled the giant screen. The host also pointed at the screen to see if he had found me. ¡°Oh! Nakamura!¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Everyone else ising down, what are you doing? Hurry up ande down!¡± I had no choice but to do the same at the sound of his words. I followed my other friends to the cheering stage. As I climbed up to the podium, I could feel thousands, maybe more than 10,000 people staring at me. Then the moderator gave me a microphone and asked. ¡°How did you get here?¡± ¡°I took the subway.¡± ¡°What?¡± The host looked at me with a stupid expression. Next to him, Seo Inhyuk wiped his face and mumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t go to entertainment shows and just act, please¡­¡± The sober host said suddenly. ¡°I see. The subway. Yes! I¡¯m sure other people were like that too!¡± When the host was embarrassed, Seo Inhyuk poked me in the side and whispered. ¡°¡ª Just say hello. No more nonsense. Because I¡¯m embarrassed.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh yeah.¡± I fixed the microphone and bowed. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Kang, Jinseok, who ys Nakamura in ¡®Spring Without Flowers¡¯. I came with my schoolmates.¡± I emphasized my name on purpose. It¡¯s an honor for the public to recognize Nakamura, but I wanted to make my name known. Luckily, it worked, ¡°Your name is Kang Jinseok,¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why it said Nakamura Kang Jinseok¡± on the real-time search list, ¡°But what does the subway mean? ¡°Is it a joke?¡± ¡°No way. With that face, stories like ¡°That ridiculous gag¡­¡± and so on were ying. ¡°Oh, are you in the same ss? ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a freshman in the drama department at Seoguk University.¡± And here and there they say, ¡°Wow. So I heard people saying, ¡°Everyone must be handsome,¡± or, ¡°No wonder, everyone was handsome. ¡°The uniform you¡¯re wearing is also a legendary LJ Doubles uniform, you must be a big fan. There¡¯s also an autograph!¡± Of course, that wasn¡¯t the case. The uniform I¡¯m wearing is the one that Seo Inhyuk had given me. The host admired the uniform for a moment and spoke to the stands. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great! Let¡¯s start the event!¡± ¡°In one minute, the person who drinks the most beer will get a ticket for 3 nights and 4 days at Taemyung Resort!¡± ¡°Amodation ticket for Taemyung Resort.¡± I¡¯m not sure about anything else, but I¡¯m a bit coveted. ¡°Before, the ss president said he wanted to go on a resort trip with his family.¡± It¡¯s been a while, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it if I give it to you. ¡°Go!¡± At the same time as the host signaled, I repeatedly brushed the beer on the table into my mouth and put down the empty cup. After a while, the host, who was checking the number of empty cups, shouted again. ¡°Wow, how many drinks have you had? I think it¡¯s a record for this event. I didn¡¯t count, but at first nce, it seemed like I drank the most. The admiring voice of the host can be heard along with the sound of people being surprised. ¡°Well, all right. You can go down and get the prize, and before you go, please say ¡°LJ Doubles fighting!¡± As I was handed the microphone, Seo Inhyuk smiled and sang. ¡°One, two, three!¡± ¡°LJ Doubles, fighting!¡± I returned to my seat after the event. Everyone said they were d they came to the baseball stadium today, and friends who came for the first time like me were so excited that they said they shoulde from time to time in the future. ¡°Kang Jinseok?¡± Suddenly, men in ck suits approached me and spoke to me from somewhere. ¡°Yes, yes. But?¡± The man at the front answered cautiously. ¡°The LJ Club upgraded the seat to a table seat because they said there might be a problem with the actor¡¯s personal life for security reasons.¡± ¡°A seat at the table?¡± ¡°Yes. I ask for your safety, even if it is ufortable.¡± *** After the game, I returned home, leaving my regrets behind. ¡°So many things happened.¡± There was a lot going on at the ballpark where I went without thinking. I was introduced to a baseball stadium filled with more than 10,000 spectators, I participated in a beer-drinking event, and I received a ticket to a resort. When I went to the table seat, I even greeted the star idol of MAJOR 77 that Seo Inhyuk boasted about. I didn¡¯t know that the table I was assigned to was next door. ording to the suit brothers who guided me, when celebritiese, they usually ask them to sit at that table. That¡¯s why they assigned me to that side. Am I a little famous now? I didn¡¯t feel bad. With that in mind, I briefly remembered a conversation with the Red Liz members. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Hi, I really enjoy your drama!¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you very much. I¡¯m listening to the song as well.¡± ¡°Wow, really?! Thank you!¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯re a fan of LJ Doubles! I¡¯m a big fan too! We¡¯re LJ Doubles fans too!¡± ¡°Hahaha. Yes.¡± ¡°Would you like some of the PPL we have? I can¡¯t eat because I¡¯m on a diet!¡± ¡ª¡ª Maybe that¡¯s how I was supposed to be, the members of Red Liz treated me quite warmly. So did I. I reacted in an appropriate manner. Anyway, what can I say? Today was a pretty weird day, full of fun. Whoooooooooooooooo. [Seoyeon: Hey, what¡¯s this?] [Seoyeon: You¡¯re so excited!] At that time, Seo Inhyuk sent me a link to an article on KakaoTalk. Looking at the content of the article, it seemed that today, which was full of strange things, was not over yet. ¡°This¡­?¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 There were a total of three links sent by Seo Inhyuk. A video, an SNS post, and an article. I watched the video first. The title is ¡®You can¡¯t move me with so much mu-jik. Kids. I was nervous just from the title. I don¡¯t know what kind of video it is, but I pressed the y button first. [Wow!] When I pressed the y button, I saw people dancing like crazy on the ball field. People danced brilliantly in groups as if they had been preparing. It was a video of me and my friends. Seo Inhyuk was the best, and his brilliant dance moves attracted everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°And I¡­¡± I don¡¯t know why it was photographed like that but with an extravagant expression in the middle of the extravagant dance. I looked at the camera with the feeling, ¡°Can you see it? This is our skill. It was humiliating. To make an excuse, I crossed my arms because I didn¡¯t know what to do. The expression of arrogance was just the expression of watching the children dance. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m looking at the camera. I didn¡¯t even know where the camera was. Thements were even more spectacr. The title is crazy lol You didn¡¯t go to watch baseball. You went to dance. No, but lol He¡¯s dancing next to me like this. What¡¯s with his cool expression? It¡¯s a cool video when we all dance together. It¡¯s a joke because he¡¯s doing it alone in the middle. Once I covered my face in shame, and this time I clicked on the link to the SNS post. The title is ¡°Kang Jinseok. This is how it tastes!¡± I was also nervous about the title. When I looked down at the screen and saw the article, I saw a picture of me holding a cup of beer and saying, ¡°Yay! There were moderate residual bubbles underneath the beer ss, with a slight ssh of beer in the air. Beermercials often use photos that look like they were made with CG. But there is no way that a reporter can even mobilize CG to write a single article like that. This will be the original. To exin this, it wasn¡¯t a reaction that came out because the beer was delicious. I was just happy that I could get a prize because the first ce was guaranteed. Those who didn¡¯t know it interpreted the picture as they saw it. -Baekwonnyam: I ordered chicken after seeing it. ©»I like pizza ©»I like jokbal ©»I like hamburger ©»I¡­ Below that werements with more than 100te-night snack menus. There were ovepping menus, but it was a scene where you could see the unity of the Korean people. The most important thing was the ¡°bestment¡± that received the most rmendations. ¨C Eat THE: This guy¡­ You know how to drink. Please contact me. Let¡¯s go to the ensemble. LJ doubles, fighting. ©»I What are you doing here? ©»I If you have time to leave ament, please upload a video. ©»I But you won¡¯t look like a person when you stand next to Kang Jinseok? I¡¯m already ugly ©»I Writer: I look like my father. What did I tell him? ©»I J and S This person¡­ He was one of those famous eating YouTubers that I¡¯ve heard of, even though I don¡¯t watch YouTube that much. A former athlete, as you can see in thements, is an older influencer. Although he looked fierce, he was a likable YouTuber, so the stories of people he actually met became a story. ¡°Well, you¡¯re just leavingments for fun.¡± Smiling, I clicked on thest link. The picture I took without much thought came out big. ¡°Is this the news?¡± *** ¡°What are you doing, Park Hayeon?¡± Ha Minah, a member of Red Liz, asked. Ha Minah was quite tired after pretending to enjoy the boring baseball game after thepany¡¯s ¡°y Ball¡± event. Park Hayeon looked at Ha Minah with a smile. Ha Minah¡¯s eyebrows raised when Park Hayeon smiled at her. ¡°Why is sheughing at me?¡± Contrary to what the fans knew, the members of Red Liz did not get along well with each other. It wasn¡¯t enough for them to fight each other by holding each other¡¯s heads, they often came close to doing so. So Ha Minah was not very happy to see Park Hayeon smiling at her. Park Hayeon spoke to Ha Minah with a satisfied voice. ¡°Hehe. I gave my manager the picture I took with Kang Jinseok earlier. Please write an article quickly.¡± ¡°What? Was there a picture of you two?¡± ¡°Ugh. The article is already up.¡± While Park Hayeon was bragging, she showed Ha Minah an inte article. There was a picture of Park Hayeon and Jinseok smiling brightly in the article. As if they had been close for a long time. ¡°There is no way that Park Hayeon and Kang Jinseok know each other¡­¡± That is how the article was published. Of course, Ha Minah did not like the article. Park Hayeon continued to say with a smile. ¡°Kang Jinseok, you¡¯re so popr these days.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I was lucky to have this opportunity, so I have to drink through a straw. ¡°I can¡¯t be an idol forever, so it would be good to build awork in the acting industry beforehand.¡± Park Hayeon said with a determined smile. ¡°If pictures of both of us go viral, we can be cast together in entertainment shows. Entertainment writers are good at using such scenarios.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°If you start filming together once or twice, you¡¯ll get to know each other quickly, and you know what? I might even be able to y a small role in the drama. Then Park Hayeon slightly stuck out her tongue and made a cute expression. Everyone looked excited, but Ha Minah was rather annoyed. ¡°Is that why you posted an article by yourself, ignoring all the other members?¡± Are you bragging about it again?¡± Ha Minah said with a fierce look, but Park Hayeon didn¡¯t care if she was familiar with this situation. ¡°Hey, Minah. You¡¯re so ridiculous.¡± In fact, she smiled like she was being ridiculous and looked directly at Ha Minah. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that. You secretly asked Kang Jinseok for his number before the game ended.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯de to watch baseball with meter. You don¡¯t even like baseball. Why are you doing this?¡± Park Hayeon started to shoot at Ha Minah. ¡°I think you¡¯re better than the guy you¡¯re dating now, so didn¡¯t you want to transfer right away?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What? What?¡± You¡¯ve switched like that several times. If you see a guy who looks like he¡¯s going to be better, you can get a number and contact him.¡± Ha Minah¡¯s expression hardened at Park Hayeon¡¯s words. Only she knew if she was angry to hear this or if she was embarrassed by the fact that she thought she had beenpletely deceived. But it was clear to everyone that she felt bad. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you get a number or if you meetter, but right now I need a ticket. Park Hayeon dealt Ha Minah a decisive blow. ¡°I mean, don¡¯t talk nonsense. If you bother me, I won¡¯t let you.¡± Ha Minah and Park Hayeon stared at each other, and that day, the thin ice of Red Liz¡¯s peace began to crack. *** I came home and looked at the links Seo Inhyuk sent me. ¡°It¡¯s tiring to y, too¡­¡± Maybe because there were so many things going on, my body was full. But today is the day we decided to watch the rerun of ¡°No Flowers¡±. I had to do what I had to do even though I was tired, so I washed up and turned on the TV. [I am neither Japanese nor Korean¡­] I watched the rerun that had just started. ¡°When you¡¯re obsessed, your acting is perfect. But the more I do, the more I have to pay attention to the basics. Even though everyone praised my performance, I couldn¡¯t be satisfied until I achieved my goal. Then the cell phone rang. Whoooooooooooooooo. ¡°Hello.¡± [If you had trouble reading the link, you should have answered something. What if you just read it and ignored it? [Please give me an emoticon.] It was Seo Inhyuk with a slightly grumpy voice. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± [You don¡¯t have to be sorry] Seo Inhyuk said with a smile. [By the way, did you see the article?] ¡°What article? ¡°The one you wanted to eat with THE EATING?¡± [Would I be curious about such an old man?] Seo Inhyuk said with a subdued voice. [The article about the selfie with Park Hayeon.] Did you see it?] ¡°I saw it. It¡¯s nothing special.¡± I meant it. I didn¡¯t read the article very carefully, but it was just the truth. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. There were other things. I met Park Hayeon for the first time today, but the article said that Park Hayeon and I have known each other for a long time. ¡°That is nothing. In this world where ¡®Devil¡¯s Editing¡¯ is so popr, it¡¯s a cute thing. After a moment of silence, Seo Inhyuk¡¯s worried voice could be heard on the cell phone. [I¡¯m telling you this because we¡¯re friends.] [Don¡¯t talk about it anywhere else]. ¡°Huh? What?¡± Seo Inhyuk hesitated a bit and continued talking. [¡ª- I know Park Hayeon. I¡¯m not a very nice person. [I used to say good things at the ball field, but stay away from it if possible. Suddenly, I remembered what Seo Inhyuk said while looking at Park Hayeon at the baseball stadium. ¡°I saw you with ufortable eyes back then. I guess it wasn¡¯t Kiwoo. [I only heard it because I¡¯m an actor, but Red Liz members don¡¯t have good reviews]. ¡°Hmm,¡­¡± [If the manager changes often, it doesn¡¯t look like there¡¯s smokeing out of the chimney] The atmosphere was a little different from Seo Inhyuk, who usually talks casually. Maybe you¡¯re giving me this advice because you¡¯re worried that I might be involved with Park Hayeon. ¡°All right. If Ie to cast a program with Park Hayeon or Red Liz, I¡¯ll refuse it if I can.¡± I had just made my debut, but I didn¡¯t want to appear on any show or program. Especially on a show that made me feel ufortable. Of course, if it¡¯s good work, I¡¯m happy to y a supporting role. Seo Inhyuk said with a satisfied voice. [That is a good idea. [I thought you¡¯d be tactless because you seemed to be studying acting all the time, but your brain must be working well.] ¡°¡ª- Yes. Thanks for thepliment.¡± Then they talked for a while. ¡°Your face is so pretty. ¡°But the youngest one is so beautiful. While they were talking about something very trivial, Seo Inhyuk said as if he had forgotten. [I should have said something else.] ¡°What for?¡± [Even with today¡¯s work, you might have a lot of problems in the future.] So¡­ Should I say a safety measure? to make some suggestions] After finishing his speech, Seo Inhyuk paused for a moment and said with a serious voice. [Would you like to join ourpany?] Chapter 41 Chapter 41 What do you mean, ¡°Would you like to join ourpany?¡± ¡°Be my colleague!¡± from some pirate cartoon It was the same thing. It wasn¡¯t as impressive or touching as in the cartoons. ¡°Yourpany?¡± [Yes. Actually, the manager called me because of the video you sent me earlier. They asked me if I was close to you, so I said I would check in with you from time to time. [He asked me to tell him.] ¡°It¡¯s MAJOR 77.¡± It¡¯s not a badpany. No, it¡¯s a goodpany, to be honest. So much so that anyone who dreams of bing an actor would be tempted. But as a new actor, I didn¡¯t think it would help me in my future career. ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t have much intention of joining the agency yet. And¡­¡± He blurted out the background and thought about how to say it for a while before continuing. ¡°Apany with too many actors in it is like that. Yourpany isn¡¯t bad, but I don¡¯t want to be the center of attention.¡± Seo Inhyuk, who had been listening to me for a long time, said. [Yes. If that¡¯s how you feel, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. [It¡¯s not a big deal!] Let me know if you change your mindter. I¡¯ll let you know.¡±] ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± [What do you mean, thank you?] I hang up] The phone call with Seo Inhyuk, which was not short, ended. *** A room with a somewhat solemn atmosphere, bright but not fancy. There was a woman, Lee Minyoung, staring over the ss. She had a short bob with piercing eyes. Her tight lips showed her serious personality. Next to Lee Minyoung, a man leaned against the ss. He looked at Lee Minyoung with a sad look as if he was looking at an untouchable treasure. The thin ss does not seem unreasonable even though the man is leaning against it. As if a man has no weight. The woman, looking nkly into the ss, spoke to the ss. ¡°I got an award today. I caught a lot of gangsters. Thanks to that, I¡¯ll be promoted next month. There are a few above me now.¡± Lee Minyoung continued. ¡°The president asked me at the award ceremony. Why is this prosecutor working so hard? ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Do you know what I answered?¡± Of course, Lee Manseok knew what Lee Minyoung replied to the president. Because I was there. However, Lee Manseok waited for Lee Minyoung to speak without saying anything. I wanted to ask, ¡°Why did you be a gangster when you caught a gangster?¡± My brother was a gangster. In the end, he died in a gang. ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°So I wanted to catch the gangsters and ask them. Why did you be a gangster? I answered.¡± Lee Minyoung continued shaking her head. ¡°But actually¡­¡± I¡¯ve known for a long time. Why did my brother be a gangster?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°The reason why you had to be a gangster, no, no.¡± Lee Manseok spoke with an urgent voice at Lee Minyoung¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s not the reason you think. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not good enough. . . .¡± However, Lee Minyoung did not hear Lee Manseok¡¯s words and continued to say what he had to say. ¡°Do you remember? When I was in middle school, my brother came to pick me up and ignored me?¡± There was no way I couldn¡¯t remember. Lee Minyoung¡¯s expression broke her heart that day. ¡°And¡­ My brother gave me a gift the day before the college entrance exam. ¡°I don¡¯t want to use it. Remember how you threw it awayining?¡± There was no way that I didn¡¯t remember that as well. That was thest time I saw her before we broke up. ¡°If I had known it would be yourst performance, I wouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± I¡¯ve heard these words countless times over the past ten years, but every time I hear them, Lee Manseok¡¯s heart breaks. Lee Minyoung, who had been wiping away tears for a while, struggled to speak again. ¡°It is time to go. I¡¯ll ask you one more question.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I, who was a fool who knew nothing¡­¡± Can you forgive me?¡± When Lee Minyoung asked hesitantly, Lee Manseok said frustratedly, as if wondering why he was asking for such a natural thing. ¡°What about forgiveness?¡± You have always been my greatest pride. It was the reason I lived. Lee Manseok spoke vehemently, but Lee Minyoung still did not respond much. She smiled bitterly and muttered to herself. ¡°What do you have in mind all the time? You¡¯re all old, right?¡± Lee Minyoung sighed deeply and bit her lips slightly. Then she left the room as if it was difficult to be there. Thud! The door closes. Lee Manseok stared at where Lee Minyoung was. ¡°Laughing out loud.¡± Lee Manseok shed tears that covered his face. Then he looked into the ss that Lee Minyoung had seen for a long time. [Live 1967¡­] [Graduation (×ä) 2003¡ª] Thete Lee Manseok There was an urn with his bone powder and a picture taken with Lee Minyoung. Even after his death, Lee Manseok continued to wait for Lee Minyoung in this small room. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you,¡± he said to his self-inflicted. You were always a proud person. to convey the words. However, Lee Minyoung could not hear Lee Manseok even though he was right next to her. Lee Manseok was a ghost and Lee Minyoung was a person. Lee Manseok, who had been sad for a long time, remembered the most famous ghost actor these days. It might be possible with him. No, it should be possible. Lee Manseok left the charnel house for the first time in decades. To enter Jinseok¡¯s dream and make his wishe true. *** Several men were scuffling at the entrance to the BDD station. ¡°Oh, really! Please call producer Na Jinho!¡± ¡°I wrote a great work, really!¡± ¡°What a strange young man. I can¡¯t do it! Do you think anyone can enter the station?! Make a formal appointment¡­¨C¡± ¡°What do you mean, a strange young man? I¡¯m a writer! And anyone! You talk too much! The man who wants to call out producer Na Jinho and the guards who want to throw him out. ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. ¡°I heard that he wanted to see producer Na Jinho. ¡°I¡¯ve seen someone ask to meet a celebrity, but I¡¯ve never seen someone ask to meet a producer. He¡¯s a new guy. The employees of the station each said a word while looking at the man who was struggling. That was it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Writer Jo Seokwon, who came to the station to meet Na Jinho for a meeting in Spring Without Flowers, asked the security guard. He had a subtle smile on his face as if he was enjoying a skit-like scene he had not seen in a long time. One of the guards recognized him and said, scratching his head. ¡°Oh, writer. It¡¯s no big deal. What a crazy¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean, crazy? ¡°How can you say such harsh words to an aspiring writer who has brought great work?¡± ¡°Oh, my God. Hey! Get him out!¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t go! I¡¯m not going! Please call producer Na Jinho! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I¡¯m going to hit people here! I¡¯m going to die!¡± Writer Jo Seokwon was still watching. Trying to make his work known somehow, he held on with his whole body while several guards tried to pull him out. Although he was stubborn and uncouth, he was affectionate as a ¡°writer. I feel like I¡¯m looking at what I used to be. When no one recognized his work, Jo Seokwon sold it himself like this man. In my time, the guards really beat me and threw me out. Jo Seokwon, remembering the past for a while, smiled and said. ¡°Can I have a look?¡± The guards paused as the man spoke. Not missing this opportunity, the man approached Jo Seokwon and asked. ¡°Who are you? Are you a producer? I¡¯m not the one who shows my baby to anyone.¡± Jo Seokwon smiled as if he was enjoying the man¡¯s bold words. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Jo Seokwon.¡± ¡°Jo seokwon? You have the same name as the writer I respect the most. It¡¯s not amon name. In response to the man¡¯s unexpectedpliment, Jo Seokwon said with a shameless face. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the writer who wrote ¡®In Spring Without Flowers,¡¯ which Jo Seokwon is currently broadcasting.¡± ¡°¡ª?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very happy that such a passionate neer says that about me.¡± *** ¡°Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.¡± The cafe at the BDD station. Jo Seokwon was reading a man¡¯s work. In front of him, the man moved back and forth between heaven and hell at the sound of Jo Seokwon¡¯s small breath, like a student being graded. Please.. . .You think it¡¯s funny. When he brought the work he had been preparing for two years to the station, the man was determined. This is thest challenge, and if I fail, I won¡¯t write again. Let¡¯s do it! Jo Seokwon tapped his finger on the script. When I saw it, I thought of 50,000 things in my head. ¡°What? Is my handwriting light enough to bounce with my fingers? Or are you going to hit me like that? A second seemed to pass as slowly as a year in front of Jo Seokwon. Jo Seokwon asked, carefully cing the script on the table. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°A, it¡¯s Kang Hyunjin. But why is that?¡± ¡°I heard that you wanted to meet producer Na Jinho.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°You have to know your name if you want to introduce yourself. Kang Hyunjin asked with a trembling voice. ¡°Well then¡­¡± ¡°The script is really funny. By the way, why do you want to meet producer Na Jinho? There are many other drama producers as well.¡± Kang Hyunjin said in a crawling voice while scratching his ball. ¡°I am a big fan of . So I really want to leave my work to the director like this¡­¡± ¡°Ha ha! You¡¯re such a brave guy. Okay. I don¡¯t know what the producer will say, but I will introduce you first. I wouldn¡¯t be ashamed of this kind of work.¡± ¡°Go, thank you. Thank you very much!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. I had something to do with the producer. ¡°Can Ie with you?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! It¡¯s totally okay! Let¡¯s go!¡± Kang Hyunjin said, bending his back all the time. Jo Seokwon went to the conference room where he was supposed to meet Na Jinho. Soon after, Na Jinho entered the conference room. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte. Huh? Writer Jo, who is this?¡± Na Jinho found Kang Hyunjin and asked Jo Seokwon. ¡°Oh, I met him outside and he said he wanted to meet the producer. His name is Kang Hyunjin.¡± ¡°Me? Why?¡± ¡°Producer Na Jinho I want my work to be made by you.¡± Na Jinho looked embarrassed at Jo Seokwon¡¯s. I¡¯ve never seen him before. ¡°But I can¡¯t ignore it because writer Jo brought him here.¡± Na Jinho asked Jo Seokwon with a skeptical look. ¡°How much did you work to get him toe here?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯d better see for yourself.¡± Jo Seokwon said and put his hand on Kang Hyunjin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well, writer Kang Hyunjin. I¡¯m producer Na Jinho who really wanted to meet.¡± ¡°Oh, hello! Producer Na Jinho! I¡¯m a huge fan!¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you very much. You wrote a piece of art?¡± ¡°Yes, this is it! Please take care of my baby!¡± With a deep bow, Kang Hyunjin handed over the script he had written. This was the first time for Na Jinho, who has been a producer for a long time. ¡°Huh. . . by the way. Well, I see.¡± However, I couldn¡¯t ignore the work of the person Jo Seokwon himself, so I decided to read the script first. *** ¡°Wow, wow, wow Momentster, Na Jinho gave the script back to Kang Hyunjin with an unknown sigh. The sound of Kang Hyunjin swallowing dry saliva filled the quiet conference room. ¡°This is¡­¡± A tense moment. Kang Hyunjin hoped that a positive word woulde out of Na Jinho¡¯s mouth. But. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not saying I can¡¯t because I¡¯m busy. I just can¡¯t.¡± Kang Hyunjin woke up from his disappointing words. ¡°Why, why! What¡¯s the problem? ¡°Jo Seokwon said it would be fun!¡± Na Jinho crossed his arms and spoke in a calm voice to Kang Hyunjin who shouted in a raised voice. ¡°It¡¯s fun. The work is solid and the characters are alive. The story is good too. ¡°But why¡­¡± ¡°Well, well.¡± Na Jinho, who thought for a while, exined the reason. ¡°It¡¯s a gangster drama. How can you do that on terrestrial? ¡°These days, terrestrialworks are going crazy making things like this.¡± Kang Hyunjin shouted while spitting at PD Na Jinho¡¯s words. ¡°This is not an obvious gangster drama!¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Even if my fathers had nothing for their families when they were young! Even if you¡¯re bluffing! I sacrificed for my family by giving everything I could!¡± As Kang Hyunjin spoke with an excited voice, Jo Seokwon patted Kang Hyunjin on the back and said. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Writer Kang. Listen carefully. What did the producer say? ¡°He said you couldn¡¯t make it because it¡¯s a gangster drama! It¡¯s not that kind of drama!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a gangster drama, so I said I can¡¯t do it on ¡®Terrestrial¡¯. On terrestrial broadcasts.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Hyunjin put a question mark on his face as if he still did not understand what he meant. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I have a friend who can do this much better than I can. Really well.¡± Na Jinho said while looking at his cell phone number. ¡°Netflix. It¡¯s okay, right? Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Let¡¯s get it. Over The Top (OTT) tform vying with YouTube for first and second ce in global video content consumption. If YouTube is a world of one-person creators, Netflix is a world of professional content creators. Kang Hyunjin, who can¡¯t help but know this, asked in a shaky voice. ¡°My work on Netflix¡­¡± ¡°Yes. When Netflix came to Korea a long time ago, my friend moved there.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°I thought it was crazy at the time, but now that I think about it, I should have gone with her. Anyway, that friend is in a pretty high position now.¡± Na Jinho spoke in a serious tone as if he had made up his mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do it or not, but I¡¯ll give her this job. Because of her personality, if she likes this work, she can cut through all theplicated procedures and sign a contract right away.¡± ¡°Well, are you sure? Is my work on Netflix? ¡°As I said before.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do it or not. So don¡¯t expect too much. It¡¯s really hard to put a piece on Netflix.¡± It was a bit negative, but Kang Hyunjin didn¡¯t care. Whether it was true or not, he was very grateful that he had a ¡°chance¡±. ¡°I see. Thank you!¡± Kang Hyunjin bent his waist so low that he hit his head on the table. Jo Seokwon, who was standing next to him, said with a smile. ¡°But, Producer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why do you look stiff from before?¡± You should be happy to see good work.¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. . . . It¡¯s a waste. I think I could do really well if I wasn¡¯t a part of BDD.¡± Na Jinho thought as he looked at the script. ¡°What¡¯s so beautiful that the enemy would think of giving it to me?¡± Na Jinho asked, remembering his best friend and enemy. But I couldn¡¯t even bite into it. I¡¯ve already said it, and the new writer in front of me was running around with joy. Na Jinho looked out of the window and said. ¡°I had a lot to talk about with writer Jo Seokwon, but it¡¯s been so long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. What I have left is time.¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha ha. Thank you. Then let¡¯s have dinner first. We¡¯re trying to make ends meet.¡± When Na Jinho got up from his seat with his luggage, Jo Seokwon said to Kang Hyunjin. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Writer Kang Hyunjin. I had something to say as well.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can I rmend a character named ¡®Oh Manho¡¯ among the roles? If you don¡¯t mind, can I rmend an actor to you?¡± There¡¯s an actor who came to my mind when I read the script. When Jo Seokwon said this with a smile, Na Jinho asked with a flick of his finger. ¡°Writer, are you thinking of Jinseok?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Na Jinho said with a smile on his face. ¡°I knew it.¡± ¡°Yes. I think the action scene from the script is really important, but his action is¡­ Needless to say. His charisma is also A-list.¡± ¡°Well, he was too good-looking to y a gangster¡­¡± ¡°But in this work, if the mask is too strong, it¡¯s more like poison. The message that the work is trying to convey is tarnished, and it just bes a violent gangster drama. Both of them spoke at length about their works. Meanwhile, Kang Hyunjin intervened in their conversation with a shady voice. ¡°If it¡¯s Kang Jinseok, . . . Are you talking about Nakamura¡¯s acting?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I was going to tell Jinseok a littleter that Nakamura is going to die.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk about this work then.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a rmendation, but I¡¯ll just say, ¡®There¡¯s a work like this, so think about it.''¡± Kang Hyunjin¡¯s eyes widened at Na Jinho¡¯s words. No, it¡¯s a reaction of surprise. ¡°Are you surprised to hear that we are going to rmend it for your work?¡± Well, everyone would do that if such an actor was acting in his work. But that wasn¡¯t the only reason why Kang Hyunjin was surprised. Kang Hyunjin opened his mouth with a trembling expression. ¡°Nakamura¡­ Are you going to die?¡± The reason why Kang Hyunjin was surprised. It was because I was unintentionally given a huge spoiler. At the same time, the writer and producer are in charge. *** I¡¯m on my way home from work after finishing my first part-time job at a warehouse. Producer Na Jinho called me. [Thus, Nakamura chose death]. [The drama director and the owner thought about it together, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything I can do about it.] ¡°Oh, I see. I see.¡± ¡°Nakamura ends up here after all.¡± It was too bad. I still have a lot of acting to show you as Nakamura. Na Jinho¡¯s voice was heard over the cell phone again. [Jinseok, do you have an idea for the next movie?] The next one? ¡°There is nothing special. I¡¯ve thought about looking for some auditions starting tomorrow.¡± [Well, can you wait a week or two?] ¡°If it¡¯s a week or two, then¡­¡± What is it about?¡± [Oh, it¡¯s no big deal] It¡¯s no big deal. It¡¯s a big deal.] It¡¯s a big deal. In that short period of time, one thought or another crossed my mind. ¡°Is this the next BDD drama?¡± Is there a role you can rmend? I really wish it was¡­ However, Na Jinho¡¯s next words were beyond my imagination. [I put a y that I found out about on Netflix, and it could be auditioned, so wait a bit]. What do you mean, Netflix? I thought for a moment that I had misheard. ¡°Ne, will you let me audition for Netflix?¡± [Yes, I read the script and I thought it would be perfect for you] ¡°¡ª.¡± [But the production hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet]. So don¡¯t be too much of a kimchi soup, okay?] ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Since then, I have been talking to Na Jinho about this and that. At the end of the conversation, I asked what I had been curious about during the whole conversation. ¡°Mr. PD.¡± [What?] ¡°Can I get a synopsis of what kind of work it is first?¡± I¡¯m so curious.¡ª¡± [Sinob?] ¡°Yes.¡± [Wait] From behind the cell phone, I heard Na Jinho¡¯s voice talking to someone. [Kang Hyun, Jin Seok, Nopsis, Nopsis, Nopsis, Nopsis¡­] [Yes!]! [Of course¡­] After a while, Na Jinho said with a smile. [I¡¯m with the writer who wrote this work, but he says it¡¯s okay. [But he wants us to sign it when we meetter.] I can give you as much as you want now. ¡°Of course.¡± [Laughing!] I see. Then I¡¯ll put it in through Kakao Talk right now. I have to go to the meeting now, so good luck.] ¡°Yes! PD, thank you!¡± [Yes~] When I returned home after talking to Na Jinho, I received a file via KakaoTalk. [The Path They Chose_Synopsis_hwp] [Please be careful not to leak it!] ¡°It was rmended by producer Na Jinho, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a good work.¡± Even before I switched, I opened the synopsis file. *** Jongno, where all the worries of office workers are gathered. The office workers were drinking to soothe the end of the week and celebrate the uing weekend. Among them were Na Jinho and her friend Ha Sarang. There is only one reason why the two of them met during this busy time. It was because of Kang Hyunjin¡¯s work, ¡°The Way They Chose¡±. Ha Sarang said while taking a big bite out of the raw beef in front of her. ¡°I read the script you sent me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It was fun.¡± At Ha Sarang¡¯s words, Na Jinho said with a smile. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Say that what I sent you is funny.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ttered. It¡¯s more fun than that love letter you wrote me.¡± Na Jinho kicked his tongue at the dark story that was suddenly brought up. ¡°I¡¯m bringing it up from 20 years ago, for no reason. Tsk.¡± ¡°I still have it. I¡¯ll copy it and spread it on when you get married.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not getting married.¡± ¡°I guess I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ll have a de on your tongue until you¡¯re old-looking.¡± After a conversation between two friends I saw for the first time in a long time, Ha Sarang started talking about the body. ¡°I want to do this job. I like the smell of work. I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m getting money. ¡°This is written by a new writer, right?¡± ¡°You smell it well. As expected, it¡¯s Crazy Dog. I¡¯m not dead yet.¡± Ha Sarang stared at Na Jinho when he said ¡°Crazy Dog¡±. That look was fierce, so Na Jinho said, coughing in vain. ¡°Hmm! By the way, when will it be produced?¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s like usual, it¡¯s a long and boring process, so it¡¯ll take some time.¡± When Ha Sarang reacted loudly with an exaggerated gesture, Na Jinho asked, pouring soju into his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯s normal, right? So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s another way?¡± ¡°Of course, of course, I do.¡± Ha Sarang said, blinking. ¡°Whether it¡¯s Netflix or a TV drama, the most important thing in production is ¡®money¡¯. Money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If I can get the production cost, I can start working on it even next week.¡± And the most important thing to get the production cost is¡­¡± ¡°Who is producing the work? If it¡¯s you, investors would pack money and bring it.¡± When Ha Sarang slurred her back and rested her chin on it, Na Jinho immediately received the words. But what she said was not the right answer, he snapped back with a sharp look. ¡°Who is the actor who will be responsible for the sess?¡± Ha Sarang shrugged when he saw Na Jinho scratching his back hair. ¡°Ha, you¡¯re like that. Don¡¯t worry about it. The productionpany I trust so much doesn¡¯t have any work. I also want to produce after a long time.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about if you¡¯re in charge of the work.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s been a while since you said the right thing.¡± ¡°What are you saying? Anyway, all I¡¯m saying is¡­¡± Contrary to what she had pushed for a while ago, Ha Sarang started to look at Na Jinho¡¯s attention. ¡°Something. . . . I think you¡¯re taking a moment. I don¡¯t lengthen my words or turn them around with Na Jinho who knows. But I hesitate like this. You must have something you want from me. Ha Sarang spoke with a serious voice, as she expected. ¡°I want to ask you a favor.¡± ¡°What kind of favor?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for this work and go in ASAP and pick it out.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Please contact an actor. I have a desirable actor.¡± As soon as she heard this, Na Jinho looked at Ha Sarang with a meaningful look. ¡°Hey, I think I know what kind of actor you want.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it. I think I¡¯d feel bad if I thought the same as you.¡± ¡°Yeah, then just listen. All you want is a river¡­¡± When Na Jinho was about to say someone¡¯s name. Ha Sarang¡¯s words were faster. ¡°Kang Jinseok, please contact him.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I want to try this actor.¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 When Ha Sarang said that she wanted to use Jinseok, Na Jinho asked with a slight smile. ¡°You mean, you want to take Jinseok. That is it, right? ¡°Jinseok? Are you close enough with this actor?¡± ¡°We are very close. I¡¯m the one who discovered him and brought him up.¡± Ha Sarang snorted at Na Jinho¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s harsh. Before his work, he appeared in ¡®Dreams of the Sum Rising¡¯ and also in a web drama.¡± ¡°¡ªJust because it¡¯s a bit like that. ¡°Can¡¯t you save my friend¡¯s face?¡± ¡°There is no way.¡± Ha Sarang suddenly held out her hand and said. ¡°Give me your contact number. If the production is confirmed, I¡¯ll ask for an audition myself.¡± This time Na Jinho snorted and shook off Ha Sarang¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you when the production is confirmed.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know before then, do you? I can¡¯t give you someone else¡¯s contact information.¡± Na Jinho spoke quickly and immediately added in a subtle voice. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡± ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to get contact information as a producer or¡­¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s about your self-interest? ¡°You¡¯re a fan of Jinseok, right?¡± ¡°¡ª!¡± Perhaps Na Jinho¡¯s words hit the nail on the head, Ha Sarang¡¯s rxed expression was broken. ¡°You¡¯ve be quick-witted.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re that old, you deserve to be quicker.¡± ¡°Okay. But will you feel sad?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°In the past, when you were so quick-witted.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°It could have been like the love letter you wrote me.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I pushed you because you were frustrated.¡± Ha Sarang, who had finished speaking,ughed. Na Jinho had no choice but to bow to the dark history between them forever. *** About three weeks after I spoke with producer Na Jinho on the phone. The long-awaited Kakaotalk was finally here. [Producer Na Jinho: Jinseok!] [Producer Na Jinho: This is the link to the article I was talking about] [Producer Na Jinho: I gave the contact information to the person in charge, so he¡¯lle up with an audition proposal soon] [Producer Na Jinho: The role I will give you to audition for is the role of ¡°Omanho¡±. Then fighting ^^] I immediately clicked on the link that producer Na Jinho sent. The title of the article is ¡®Korea Noir Master, Ha Sarang PD. After a long break, they return to . ¡ª¡ª Producer Ha Sarang from Redcat Culture House Studio is working with Redcat Culture House again. Producer Ha Sarang, who was responsible for ¡°The Eternal Carousel¡±, ¡°The Night of Eden¡± and ¡°The Moonflower¡±, is currently on Netflix. The production of this work was confirmed unusually quickly. In response to such concerns, Ha Sarang said, ¡°It¡¯s not something to worry about, it¡¯s something to be happy about. This is because we can present good works as soon as possible,¡± she said. ¡°K-drama is recognized worldwide, but it has not yet been recognized as much as K-noir. I will break this prejudice with this work,¡± she said. ¡ª¡ª ¡°As producer Na Jinho said, the Netflix production has been confirmed. I was a little nervous because I hadn¡¯t heard from him in a while, but I thought it was good to listen to producer Na Jinho. Although the casting was not confirmed, at least I had a chance to audition. ¡°If I had auditioned again and gotten in, I would have just had to watch this work. If you got another audition, you were worried about what you would do. Honestly, I was worried that I would be exhausted. ¡°By the way, the producer¡¯s background¡­¡± It was all work I found impressive. Especially ¡°Moonflower¡± is one of the masterpieces that some Korean men have not seen. But no one has seen it just once. What an honor it would be to participate in a new work by the producer who created such a work. I calmed my pounding heart and reread the synopsis of this work that producer Na Jinho had sent me. ¡ª¡ª 1979, Busan. ¡°Omanho lived with his younger sister, who was no different from his daughter and ran a small shop inherited from his parents. However, his parents also left him with a huge debt along with the small shop, and the gang¡¯s violence to pay off the debt increased day by day. Then, to make matters worse, his wife gets into a car ident and he ends up paying her hospital bill with the money to pay off the debt. When the thugs notice this, theye to the store and make a fuss. He then threatens Oh Minyoung, Oh Manho¡¯s younger brother. Oh Minyoung was an arrogant man who didn¡¯t resist anything, but he couldn¡¯t forgive the thugs for threatening his sister, so he knocked them all out. ¡°Ma Jungwoo,¡± the boss of the gangsters who saw Omanho¡¯s skills, suggested that Omanho join the organization instead of paying off his debt. Omanho was a man of honor who had lived with honesty all his life, but he couldn¡¯t resist the offer. Eventually, Omanho became a gangster, paid off his debt, and lived a rich life. I thought I¡¯d be able to live a happy life like that. The younger sister stays away from the gangster-turned-Haman, and even his wife dies in a fight. To make matters worse, the ¡°War on Crime¡± was dered in 1990, and the organization¡¯s heavyweight, Omanho, was arrested. However, it was none other than his childhood friend, prosecutor Song Kyunghoon, who was in charge of Omanho¡¯s case, whether it was a joke of fate or not. Song Kyunghoon says that he can reduce Omanho¡¯s sentence if he tells him that he was forced to be a gangster because of his wife and sister. However, if he does this, his wife and sister will be the ones who turn themselves into ¡°thugs¡±. In a trial that can carry the maximum death penalty, what choice will the Omanis make? The end. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. . . . I really want to do this.¡± Producer Na Jinho gave me a chance to audition, but there was one thing I was worried about. ¡°Can I act as well as Nakamura?¡± Maybe it won¡¯t be easy. Of course, because I continued to study acting, I would have improved a lotpared to the past. It was not as good as producer Na Jinho and others expected. I might be able to draw ink on the face of the man who rmended me with my current skills. ¡°That¡¯s not what I was thinking¡­¡± The ability to meet ghosts in dreams and act upon them instead of doing them a favor. Although it is the ability to perform perfectly, there was a risk that there might not be any ghosts that fit the role. ¡°My bone hurts. Perhaps because I was thinking too deeply, I quickly became tired. I fell asleep. I tried to wake up somehow, but in the end, I couldn¡¯t get over it and went to bed to sleep. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep and wake up¡­¡± *** ¡°This is¡­¡± It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a white room in my dreams. I looked around to see who was calling me, but I couldn¡¯t see anyone. Then a man approached me from a distance. He was wearing a fluffy ck suit that would have been popr in the 1980s. The appearance was considerable, but he didn¡¯t feel fat at all. ¡°Hello. My name is Lee Manseok. ¡°I am Kang Jinseok. I felt it when I saw it from a distance, but it was even more frightening when I saw it up close. Lee Manseok spoke with a serious voice. ¡°It¡¯s such an honor to meet the most famous actor in our world.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes, yes.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so let me start with the main story. The character named ¡®Oh Manho¡¯ in the work you¡¯re about to enter is very simr to me.¡± Lee Manseok took a deep breath and continued. ¡°Oh Manho became a gangster under the pretext of being a family member, and he hurt his family a lot. Just like me. Throughout Lee Manseok¡¯s speech, his voice was full of regret. Why did a person with so much regret be a gangster? ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Just as he was about to ask why he became a gangster, Lee Manseok said with an urgent voice. ¡°There really isn¡¯t much time left. I¡¯m sure you have a lot of questions, but can I ask you a favor first?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Go ahead. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± I was very nervous because I thought he was going to ask for difficult things like revenge or a blood feud. ¡°Please write a letter to my brother.¡± ¡°Letter?¡± ¡°Please include in the letter what I wanted to say and what I need to say.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough.¡± But what he wanted was a simple and heartwarming task: to deliver a letter to the family left behind. Like ¡°Faithful Manho,¡± the natural nature of being forced to be a gangster appears to be a good person. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll make sure it happens.¡± ¡°Thank you. Thank you very much.¡± Lee Manseok, who was smiling brightly like a child who received a gift, looked into the air for a moment and said with a serious face. ¡°Actor.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Actually, I took a look at the concerns of the actor in the human world earlier. You¡¯re worried about what will happen if you don¡¯t get help from ¡®us¡¯ when you act.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes.¡± ¡°Can you even know what I¡¯m worried about?¡± It suddenly reminded me of my grandmother who once said, ¡°Spirits know everything. ¡°That¡¯s what It meant. . . ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that in the future. No matter what your role is, ¡°we¡± are always getting ready for waiting tickets. I¡¯m more worried that we won¡¯t get a chance.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°There are ghosts who have lived that kind of life in every role. So choose the work you want to do in the future. Then a spirit that fits the story wille.¡± With that, I woke up. *** The conference room at the KL Entertainment headquarters. Staff members in suits were sitting there. With a long round table between them, they seemed to have little interest in each other, but they were unconsciously keeping each other in check. Perhaps because of such a fight, even the air in the conference room felt heavy. There¡¯s an ufortable silence right now. Breaking the silence in the conference room, the director of ¡°Actor¡¯s Room 4¡± said. ¡°The head of department 5. BDD has put ourpany on the ¡®cklist¡¯ because of our coboration with Lee Homin and KSC this time. Other stations don¡¯t like us either. The same goes for KSC.¡± The 5th chief frowned and growled at the words of the 4th chief, who seemed to be arguing. ¡°So what are you saying?¡± Director Four asked. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I¡¯m just telling you to take responsibility. It doesn¡¯t matter if the actor¡¯s room 5 copses, but it causes damage to rooms 4 and 3.¡± ¡°Responsibility? That¡¯s ridiculous. Did I do it alone? The 4th chief also agreed at that time!¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡°yes¡±? I just approve of it. First of all, I was careful not to touch producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon. They¡¯re not easy people either. In response to the voice of the 4th boss, who was full ofughter, the 5th boss hit the round table hard. Thump! The moment he tried to shout something, the man who was listening with his eyes closed said to the 3rd chief. ¡°Stop it.¡± The 5th Chief coughed in vain and straightened his clothes. Director 2 watched the scene with interest. I asked, pointing to her empty spot where a dark red lipstick stood out. ¡°Huh? But are you working outside the office again today?¡± The staff member who was attending the meeting on behalf of the head of the second division calmly answered the head of the second division¡¯s question. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m the only one who attended the meeting because he¡¯s very busy these days.¡± The second manager said, ¡°Huh, it must be nice to have someone busy,¡± said the subordinate next to him, ¡°We¡¯re busy too, so didn¡¯t youe because you said ¡®Pilcham¡¯? That¡¯s right,¡± he said sarcastically. Then the door to the conference room opened and a man walked in. A man with his half-white hairpletelybed back, a thick wrinkle full of forehead, and eyes that seemed to illustrate his career. As the man entered, the chiefs stared nervously forward. ¡°You worked hard to make time while you were busy.¡± The man spoke indifferently and tossed a script onto the round table. ¡°This time, it¡¯s a script for , which Ha Sarang and PD are in charge of on Netflix.¡± The man¡¯s words caught the eyes of some of the employees. Most of them were the employees of the 4th and 5th rooms. ¡°It¡¯s still being revised, but they say that the big framework won¡¯t change. And the sergeant and the producer told me that.¡± The man went on, looking at his notebook. ¡°It is said that there is no actor in mind yet except for the main character, ¡®Oh Manho¡¯. Let¡¯s say we¡¯re going to audition for ¡°Fan ID. ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Who will be in charge of this work?¡± As soon as the man finished speaking, the 4th and 5th chiefs raised their hands. The man who was staring at them asked the head of the 3rd office. ¡°Are you not confident about it room 3?¡± ¡°No, sir. It turned out to be a noir written by a new artist. I don¡¯t think it fits the image of our actors in the third room.¡± ¡°Okay. Then, four or five rooms, you two should prepare properly this time and proceed without any problems.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The man stood up as if he had nothing more to say. Then he said as if something had urred to him. ¡°Oh, by the way. Chief five.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is Lee Homin doing these days?¡± Chief Five hesitated for a moment. ¡°If it¡¯s Lee Homin¡ª¡°The filming of has just finished. It¡¯s about to end, and these days, His doing some introspection and practicing his acting.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± ¡°Yes, but what brings you here, Lee Homin?¡± The head of the 5th division asked, looking at the man¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I just thought of Kang Jinseok because he said he wanted to audition for this role.¡± ¡°Kang Jinseok is a friend who had a conflict with Lee Homin before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The man gave a short answer and then his eyes shed. When I saw that look, the head of the 5th section was worried because he didn¡¯t know why. Maybe his fear was unfounded because the man told the fifth chief a troubling story. ¡°Five chiefs.¡± ¡°¡ª- Yes.¡± ¡°Let Lee Homin participate in this audition.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a revenge match with Kang Jinseok. Don¡¯t you think it will be fun?¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 5 KL Entertainment actors. Director 5 recalled a story in the conference room. ¡ª¡ª ¡°You mean a revenge match?¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding. I was just saying it for fun, whatever.¡± ¡°¡ª- I see.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡°Lee Homin and Kang Jinseok¡¯s Revenge Match.¡± He told me not to bother because it was ¡®fun¡¯, but¡­ I couldn¡¯t hear it right away. He was a man who couldn¡¯t understand what he was thinking. Joking or not, you must not make a mistake this time. What I learned when I became the director of KL Entertainment. It¡¯s ¡®one mistake, two failures, three job losses¡¯. He was already the head of the 5th office who made a mistake once, so he knew very well that if he made a mistake again this time, his position in thepany would be at stake. ¡°Lee Homin¡¯s best scenario is to pressure Kang Jinseok in the audition¡­¡± Objectively speaking, Lee Homin is no match for Kang Jinseok. Therefore, Director 5 did not want to create a situation in which Jinseok wouldpete in the first ce. The problem is that I don¡¯t know what role Kang Jinseok is applying for. (Singing ¡°Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo¡±). While I was thinking about it, the cell phone of the head of the 5th office rang. On the screen, it said, ¡°Actor Lee Homin. ¡°Why did he call all of a sudden?¡± The head of the 5th department answered the phone. Before I could say anything, Lee Homin snapped back. [Director, I¡¯m Lee Homin]. [I heard that Kang Jinseok mighte to the audition for The Way They Chose.] ¡°¡ªKang Jinseok?¡± [Yes] Whoo. The fifth chief said, sighing inaudibly to Lee Homin. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s just¡­¡± [I heard there was a lot of talk about him in the conference room]? [I heard it from the 4th manager.] ¡°Four heads, you loach poop-like punk¡­¡± The 4th chief probably told Lee Homin the news to feed him. However, even though he was angry now, he was the only one who lost, so he calmed his anger inside and said in a calm voice. ¡°Yes, there was such a story.¡± [Yes]. [So please let me audition]. Hearing Lee Homin¡¯s words, the head of the 5th section swept his face roughly. Then I rubbed my forehead for a long time and said. ¡°What role? ¡°Is the script avable?¡± [Yes]. I haven¡¯t watched all of them, but there¡¯s one character I¡¯m addicted to]. Lee Homin said while the head of the 5th office paused. [I will audition for the role of Omanho.] I¡¯ll make sure to prepare for the role until the audition. Please support me]. *** ¡°Have you checked your Lux Entertainment profile?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done that yet! The producer said there were no actors there to look at.¡± ¡°Burma, then you checked! Get rid of them all!¡± Studio Redcat staff in charge of the production of ¡°The Way They Chose¡±. Everyone was busy with the sudden big project. Of course, Sergeant and PD are the busiest among them. Ha Sarang, who wasted time smoking, was constantly handing out documents with a smoking cigarette. ¡°I¡¯ll choose the location from the ces I¡¯ve listed in the past, leave the poster concept to the photo, and only confirm itter.¡± Since I left the script revision to writer Lee Yeonah, the first withdrawal will be released next week, and the OST will be directed by director Yoon Shinjong¡ª. Staff Sergeant, who handles a lot of things at once, making most veteran producers stand out. She put down the cigarette she had in her mouth and said. ¡°Can someone give me a profile box number 9?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A clerk with dark circles up to his chin got up from his seat. Then he grumbled and brought the boxes stacked beside him to Ha Sarang. ¡°Wow. Here they are. Producer, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s convenient to just look at the profile on a tablet? ¡°Because I¡¯m analog.¡± After giving the crew a rough answer, Ha Sarang looked at the profile at the top of the box. ¡°This, this, this¡­¡± ¡°4 KL Entertainment Actors Room.¡± ¡°5 KL Entertainment Actors Room.¡± It was a list of actors sent by KL Entertainment. ¡°Come on.¡± KL didn¡¯t even want to get a profile. I wanted to reject Rajinho¡¯s work because I wanted to ruin it. I had no choice but to get a profile because the head of KL Entertainment made a direct request. It was difficult for Ha Sarang to refuse such a big man¡¯s request without hesitation. ¡°Kwon Youngsun, Kim Sejun, Moon Jongchul, Rachel, Mingyu Ri.¡± Ha Sarang¡¯s eyes were astonished at the list. ¡°You¡¯ve taken apletely different route than Room 5 and Room 4. I don¡¯t think the two managers are very close. While the five actors were mainly aiming for supporting roles, the four of them were openly aiming for leading roles. At that time, she saw a profile that was shocking to her eyes. ¡°Homin, did you send me your profile?¡± Hmm. Should I let him through or not? It wasn¡¯t a bad choice considering his image and age. However, it was questionable whether he could show enough acting skills to attract attention. Ha Sarang, who had been thinking about it for a while, finally put Lee Homin¡¯s profile in a container with a ¡°pass¡± sticker on it. Fewer actors than expected applied for the role of ¡°Arrogance,¡± so it was decided that it would be no problem to add another person. Moon Jongchul wants to give the highest score among the ¡°Actress 5 Room¡± profiles. Moon Jongchul, who knows Ha Sarang, is an actor who likes to discipline his juniors. To put it simply, he is an old man. His usual performance was also ¡°Gangster Boss¡±. ¡°Moon Jongchul passed.¡± Ha Sarang, who was checking the five-room profile, looked at the four-room profile this time. I wasn¡¯t expecting him. Among the applicants for the fourth room was a ¡°quite¡± great actor even by her standards. *** A few dayster, the long-awaited text arrived. ¡ª¡ª Hello, I¡¯m Sasa and PD of , who received the contact information from producer Na Jinho. Since the schedule is a little tight, it would be good if you could audition as soon as possible. I¡¯m sending you the contact information of our staff, so please ask here. ¡ª¡ª There was a lot of talk, but the important thing is that I want to audition as soon as possible. ¡°It¡¯s better.¡± Just debuting, my face and name are starting to be known to people. So now is the time to run. There was no time to rest. I¡¯ve been resting for a few weeks and my body has be very fierce. I immediately made a schedule and went to the audition. This audition is held at the headquarters of Studio Redcat. When I arrived near the headquarters, I saw some people who seemed to havee to audition. -??????????????????????????? * Bread! -Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb!!!! ¡ª- Just go. Fat vans like ¡°celebrity cars¡±, always seen near the station, were fighting each other¡¯s nerves. I don¡¯t know if the actor inside ordered it or if the road manager did it voluntarily to show loyalty. But because of this war of nerves, actors like me seemed to be more nervous. They didn¡¯t even care. When I entered the first floor of the Red Cat studio, it was even more crowded. I was proud that I had been to most of the auditions, but this was the first time it had been so crowded. ¡°I¡¯ll have to check to see if I get in first.¡± It was then. ¡°Kang Jinseok?¡± When I looked back at the voice calling me, there was a man standing there with a ¡®STAFF¡¯ ne. ¡°Oh yes, who?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the staff member I used tomunicate with by text message!¡± ¡°Oh! Hello!¡± ¡°Yes, yes! What are you doing here?¡± When asked by the staff, I asked as if I was curious. ¡°What? I was waiting in line to check my participation in the audition. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the ce?¡± When I spoke bluntly, the staff member said with an apologetic face. ¡°Didn¡¯t I contact you?¡± ¡°You cane up to the 26th floor right now for the audition for the supporting role. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t hear a thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. You almost missed the audition.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Can I go up now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Please follow me first.¡± I took the elevator to the residential area. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Nakamura?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Are you auditioning for this drama?¡± There was a slight buzz around me as if someone recognized me. As the attention was drawn to me, my footsteps towards the elevator quickened without me noticing. *** ¡°This is the waiting room. There are other actors in there, so when it¡¯s your turn, I¡¯ll call you.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll go.¡± Good luck with your audition.¡± There was a lot of activity somewhere, and I went into the waiting room. I see long tables and neatly arranged office chairs. So far, it¡¯s a normal audition waiting room that I¡¯ve seen many times before. However, the ¡°level¡± was different from the auditions I¡¯ve seen before. There were many actors who seemed to have appeared on TV at least once, and most importantly, they all seemed confident. I wasn¡¯t very nervous before entering the waiting room, but when I saw them, I suddenly became nervous. Let¡¯s go to the bathroom first. I felt a little less nervous when I came out after doing my business. I was still a little excited. ¡°You¡¯re Kang Jinseok, right?¡± ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± as Nakamura. Then I heard a middle-aged man¡¯s voice from behind me. When I turned around, I saw three men. ¡°Is this person¡­ Moon Jongchul?¡± He is a middle-aged actor who appears not only in historical dramas but also in dramas set in modern times. After that, Lee Homin, who had long forgotten in his memory, smiled wickedly at what was so interesting. I think I saw the other person somewhere, but I can¡¯t remember. In addition to Lee Homin, Moon Jongchul. Jinseok bowed deeply because he was a senior. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Kang Jinseok!¡± But even though I said hello, Moon Jongchul red at me with his eyebrows. ¡°I heard you used to be very mad at Lee Homin. ¡°Are you managing your image because you are more famous these days?¡± It¡¯s Lee Homin again. In my short career, I¡¯ve alreadye across this twice. You can¡¯t do this without having a bad rtionship with someone. ¡°What should I do? If the other person was Lee Homin, he would have yed moderately as before. But the opponent is not Lee Homin, but a senior named Moon Jongchul. In terms of age and career, I¡¯m not the type of person to treat carelessly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer? I¡¯m just asking.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Or are you ignoring me too?¡± Moon Jongchul seemed to be quite close to Lee Homin. So it was clear that no matter what I was going to say, I wouldn¡¯t be heard. There is nothing I can do about it. At the time when I wanted to bow down and apologize, there was no other way. ¡°Hey, Moon Jongchul. ¡°Why are you defending your girlfriend and scolding Jinseok unnecessarily?¡± I heard a familiar voice behind me, full of mischief and years. I slowly looked back and there it was. ¡°Hey, Jinseok. ¡°Are you here for an audition?¡± Min Kyungsoo waved his hands happily. TN: GF? HAHAHA IDK LEE HOMIN X MOON JONGCHUL Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Fine dining at a luxury hotel in Gangnam, Seoul. There was one person who chartered this ce, whose basic course cost hundreds of thousands of won. It was Oh Haneul, CEO of OS International. In front of Oh Haneul sat a woman with an ancient air. ¡°It is an honor to meet you like this, CEO Yoon Gayeon.¡± An antique woman sitting in front of heaven. It is Yoon Gayeon, the former CEO of Yoon Entertainment. She spoke with a slightly nervous voice. ¡°This is an honor for me. That¡¯s why. Why did you want to meet me?¡± ¡°Before we talk, let¡¯s eat. Today¡¯s configuration is quite good.¡± Oh Haneul holds up the tableware with a nice smile. However, Yoon Gayeon said politely again, as if she wanted to talk first. ¡°If it¡¯s about advertising for actors, I can¡¯t help you. As you know, I¡¯m no longer the representative of Yoon Entertainment.¡± ¡°I know. You came out of Yoon Entertainment as if you were being chased.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I heard that you also refused the severance pay and gag money.¡± Oh Haneul calmly finished a rather ufortable story. Before Yoon Gayeon even said anything, Oh Haneul added. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner first. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a matter of life and death for you to have food?¡± ¡°¡ª- I see.¡± Oh Haneul, who finished his meal without much conversation, opened his mouth. ¡°In the near future, I¡¯m going to make my business in entertainment.¡± ¡°When you say entertainment, do you mean idols?¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯m thinking of actor management. I¡¯m nning an idol or my own program, but nothing has been decided yet.¡± Rumors about OS International¡¯s entry into the entertainment industry have been circting quietly. That¡¯s because he made a huge investment in ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡±. I guess that was true. Well, it has nothing to do with me anymore. In fact, it is Yoon Gayeon who is already retired. Now she didn¡¯t have to care who entered the entertainment industry. ¡°With CEO Oh¡¯s skills, you will be able to get results.¡± I replied politely, but that was not Yoon Gayeon¡¯s sincerity. ¡°No matter how representative Oh Haneul is, the entertainment industry shouldn¡¯t be considered easy.¡± It could be a candle for someone who wants to start a business. ¡°Thank you for judging me like this. But I think it¡¯s a little different. I¡¯ve done several businesses, but the business of business is difficult. There¡¯s a lot to take care of.¡± Yoon Gayeon opened her eyes wide at Oh Haneul¡¯s words, who seemed to have read her thoughts. ¡°There is enough money. We also bought a building next to our headquarters. We also have the best vans for our artists.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°The hardware is perfect, but the software iscking. Not only the entertainment industry but also the entertainment business needs bright talent.¡± ¡°Talent? Isn¡¯t that good enough for OS International?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But I don¡¯t just want talent, I want the ¡®best¡¯ talent. After finishing his speech, Oh Haneul spoke to Kang Kyungsik, the Chief of Staff, who was sitting next to him. ¡°Chief, please give me the contract I prepared.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Chief of Staff Kang Kyungsik took the tablet out of his pocket. The ¡°OS Entertainment Vice President Contract¡± was disyed on the tablet¡¯s screen. ¡°This is the reason why I invited CEO Yoon ¡®Gayeon¡¯ today.¡± Oh Haneul handed the contracting tablet to Yoon Gayeon. ¡°Please ept the position of vice president of ourpany. Well, she¡¯s the vice president, and she¡¯s practically the CEO. Please take a look at the practical work for me.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°We set the terms and conditions beyond the highest standards in the industry. Please let me know if it¡¯s not enough.¡± After finishing his speech, Oh Haneul poured wine into Yoon Gayeon¡¯s ss. However, Yoon Gayeon could not see the contents of the contract. ¡°For me. . . . You¡¯re giving me this opportunity. Yoon Gayeon¡¯s heart was pounding in contrast to her seemingly nonchnt demeanor. ¡°Why are you offering me this?¡± ¡°The CEO who got kicked out of thepany.¡± ¡°The CEO who turned down severance pay because she had something going on.¡± ¡°The representative who couldn¡¯t bring the actors she trained.¡± It was iprehensible given the current public perception of herself. Her ¡°passion¡± began to burn again in her chest to say no. The entertainment industry was forced out of the CEO position and vowed never to look at it again. But she was given a chance to go back there. ¡°Can you believe this?¡± Yoon Gayeon was worried. Like the employees she believed, she was afraid that Oh Haneul would sell thepany for money. If you lose thepany you built from nothing again like that, you¡¯ll surely copse. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just asking out of curiosity.¡± At that time, Oh Haneul said with a meaningful smile as if to ease Yoon Gayeon¡¯s worries. ¡°I heard that Yoon Entertainment was sold for 45 billion won this time, right? I heard it roughly, but I wanted to get confirmation from the official.¡± ¡°As expected, ¡ª. Were you going to sell it after you built it up? Yoon Gayeon looked at the sky coldly. Then Oh Haneul shook his hand and said as if not to be misunderstood. ¡°Don¡¯t look so scary. I don¡¯t want to make money by breaking the rules.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°And if thepany I founded was really worth that much¡­¡± Oh Haneul said with a confident look. ¡°I¡¯d rather have paid for it, but I¡¯m not going to sell it just to make a few more dors.¡± It¡¯s apany created by ¡®me¡¯, not by anyone else. Oh Haneul seemed to read all of her thoughts as she had just done. Otherwise, there is no way for you to tell me what you are worried about first. It doesn¡¯t matter. There is enough money, and thepany¡¯s vision is clear. With such a person in the CEO¡¯s seat, all he or she has to do is run thepany right. Apany that finds and nurtures actors with talent, skill, and personality. Yoon Gayeon picked up a tablet and checked the ¡°sry¡± written at the bottom of the contract. The alertness that had been on her face before had disappeared, and she was full of interest instead. ¡°Definitely the best in the business, more than that if it¡¯s that kind of sry.¡± ¡°I told you before, but if it¡¯s not enough, let me know. I¡¯ll try to match it as best I can.¡± ¡°No, there is no shortage. Rather, I would like to propose something from my side.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a counter-proposal. It¡¯s fun. Tell me.¡± ¡°Yes, I have made enough money to spend until I grow old and die. So I don¡¯t need much money.¡± Unlike before, Yoon Gayeon¡¯s voice was confident. Oh Haneul said with a smile as if he liked the momentum. ¡°Then what do you need if not money?¡± ¡°What I need is authority. Please delegate all practice and responsibility. Yoon Gayeon marked the amount with her fingers. The amount was half of the amount written in the contract. ¡°Then I¡¯ll work with this sry.¡± Oh Haneul looked at Yoon Gayeon¡¯s face and took out a tablet. ¡°That was my original n, but this is great. I want to save money.¡± ¡°What? What is this¡­¡± ¡°I told you earlier. Actually, Vice President Yoon Gayeon is the ¡®CEO¡¯. Should we go with it then?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Did you really mean what you said earlier? Do you really want me to y the representative role? ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not a punter with this kind of thing.¡± ¡°¡ª You ate a shot.¡± ¡°Wow. A verbal contract is still a contract, so please sign it. Vice President. She was the representative of Oh Haneul who yed on Yoon Gayeon¡¯s head all the time. *** ¡°Did youe to audition?¡± ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t expect you to take this audition too!¡± ¡°Uh, uh, yeah. That¡¯s how it happened.¡± ¡°Wow, this drama is going to be great? Jinseok, you have a 100% sess rate. I have to go to this job!¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha ha.¡± Even with a 100% sess rate, I only entered two works. Min Kyungsoo, who had been talking about this for a long time, suddenly spoke to Moon Jongchul with a straight face. ¡°Hey, Moon Jongchul. Why don¡¯t you answer me? Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± Apletely different face and voice than when you talk to me. It feels quite cold, if not to the extent of openly expressing hostility. ¡°Seo, Senior. ¡°Did you know Kang Jinseok?¡± ¡°Why? Can¡¯t I know?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not true!¡± ¡°Enough, just answer what you asked earlier. Why did you do that earlier? I was just passing by. And you started the fight.¡± Moon Jongchul rolled his eyes. Leaving him behind, Min Kyungsoo said to Lee Homin, who had a poop-chewing look on his face. ¡°Who are you?¡± I¡¯ve never seen you before. I think I¡¯ve seen the friend next to you somewhere before. Lee Homin and the actor standing next to him bowed their heads. ¡°My name is Lee Homin. ¡°Senior.¡± ¡°I am Kwon Youngsun.¡± ¡°Kwon Youngsun? Oh, he was in ¡®Zero to Base¡¯ before. It¡¯s directed by Ha Seokchan.¡± Kwon Youngsun replied with a big smile as if he was happy to recognize him. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right!¡± But Min Kyungsoo¡¯s words were cold. ¡°If you¡¯re here for an audition today, you¡¯ll have to do better than that.¡± ¡°¡ª- Yes.¡± Min Kyungsoo said to Lee Homin this time. ¡°Lee Homin. Um. ¡°Oh, the friend who got the right shot in the BDD?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I heard that producer Na Jinho and writer Jo Seokwon threw a tantrum at the audition for Nakamura¡¯s Broadcasting.¡± Lee Homin managed to control his expression, but he answered with a sharp attitude when he could not kill his temper. ¡°¡ª That¡¯s right. But this time it will be different.¡± Min Kyungsoo looked at Lee Homin slowly. As if you were thinking of something. ¡°I guess you¡¯re confident now that you say that.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Okay. Then it¡¯s fate that we meet like this, so I¡¯ll give you some advice.¡± Min Kyungsoo pointed at Moon Jongchul and said. ¡°No matter how hard you try, you can¡¯t hide behind someone like that and strike forward. Moon Jongchul, who was pointed out, had a hard face, but Min Kyungsoo didn¡¯t seem to mind and finished talking. ¡°The only thing you can trust on this floor is your skill. As long as you have skills, someone will recognize you and people wille together. Like this one.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Of course, skills also include acting skills and personality. Do you understand?¡± Min Kyungsoo felt like the ¡°idiot brother next door¡± who always talked to Park Woohyun and received Lee Narin¡¯s pitiful eyes. But look at you now. ¡°Is this a veteran?¡± Whether it¡¯s because you¡¯re confident in your skills or because you have a solid career. Listening to his advice, the words were powerful enough to make him nod automatically. ¡°Then I¡¯m done with what I have to say, so I¡¯m going to go. I think everyone is here for an audition, so prepare well.¡± Min Kyungsoo said as he led me into the waiting room. ¡°Hey, Jinseok.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You, man. I think there¡¯s a lot of waves.¡± Waves? ¡°What do you mean, ¡­ ?¡± ¡°You know what they say. ¡°When a man goes out the gate, seven enemies are waiting for him.¡± I¡¯ve never heard that. But you don¡¯t have to say you don¡¯t know. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But you seem to have many enemies. I think it¡¯s about 77 people. Ha ha!¡± A little while ago, the crowd disappeared and Min Kyungsoo, whom I know, returned. ¡°Today¡¯s audition. You¡¯re ying the role of ¡®Omanho¡¯, right?¡± ¡°Yes, how did you know?¡± ¡°How did you know? I just know.¡± Then he spoke again with a subdued voice. ¡°This audition is¡­¡± You have to be a little nervous. In many ways. TN: kindly leave a review on Novel Update. Thank you! Chapter 46 Chapter 46 What do you mean, you have to be nervous? As if it was nothing, Min Kyungsoo said, ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. LOL!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! You can just do what you¡¯ve been doing,¡± he said. I kept thinking about what he said at the end. ¡°What does that mean?¡± There were more people in the audition waiting room than before. Someone was nodding at the paper the manager gave them, and someone was doing facial stretches. I went to the empty seat in the corner where I was standing before and tried meditation. I closed my eyes for about 5 minutes. I slowly awoke to the appearance of someone approaching me. ¡°You are Kang Jinseok, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± A woman I had never seen before smiled softly at me. It must have been my first time, but there was something familiar about it. ¡°My name is Lee Nayeon. Lee Narin¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± I remembered that Lee Narin once said that she had a younger sister who was a year older than me. But I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. ¡°You definitely look like Lee Narin.¡± Perhaps because it seemed to ovep with Lee Narin, I jumped up and greeted her at a 90-degree angle. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Yes. Nice to meet you.¡± Lee Nayeon sat next to him and sat cross-legged. ¡°It¡¯s just like you said. It¡¯s at the right angle.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a bit of a shame. I think they¡¯re all great people.¡± Lee Nayeon smiled, opened her eyes like a crescent, and spoke to me. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that the actor who gets the most attention in this waiting room has to say.¡± ¡°¨CWhat?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know when you see it?¡± Everyone looks at Actor Kang Jinseok from the side. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all hoping that it won¡¯t interfere with their auditions. I listened to Lee Nayeon and looked around, but I have no idea. Lee Nayeon smiled and whispered as if she had read my mind. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll give you good information. Oh, is it information that will confuse your head? What do you think? Do you want to hear it?¡± Min Kyungsoo¡¯s words about being nervous were already confusing me. So I didn¡¯t want to hear it. But I was too curious to let it go. What kind of information would you intentionallye to me and let me know about? ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to hear it.¡± ¡°There were four judges at the audition today. Ha Sarang, PD, scriptwriter, acting coach Kwak Jinwook, and outside judges.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ha Sarang, the producer, or the screenwriter will just do a normal audition. But the acting coach is something else.¡± Lee Nayeon looked around and spoke softly with a more serious voice. ¡°He¡¯s not very fond of new actors. First of all, he¡¯s trying to get rid of Actor Kang Jinseok.¡± What do you mean? He doesn¡¯t like new actors. As Lee Na-yeon said: He will start with a deduction even before the audition. ¡°This is the second one, and the person who is most likely to be a problem is ¡ª.¡± Lee Nayeon was on the verge of saying something. All of a sudden, there was a shadow in front of the two of us. ¡°The two of you. Please keep it down in the waiting room.¡± When I looked up, Lee Taesik was standing there. He was an actor who, in dark noir works, was mainly responsible for the ¡®visual¡¯. His acting skills are outstanding. Most importantly, he is well known. I was very familiar with him as he was an actor I once had a lot of admiration for. ¡°I have seen you more often as a supporting actor than as a lead actor in the past. ¡°Are you going to do an audition for this one?¡± Lee Taesik bowed slightly, looked at my face, and said. Low, whispering. ¡°I heard you say that to Lee Homin a long time ago. You should be ¡®quiet¡¯ during the audition. Is it Lee Homin again? Come to think of it, Lee Taesik was also an actor from KL. ¡°Then you have to be quiet as well, no?¡± Lee Taesik didn¡¯t even listen to my answer and told Lee Nayeon. ¡°Lee Nayeon, please be as careful as possible, okay? It¡¯s not even certain yet. ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t something that was told to the actor before the audition.¡± Lee Nayeon stared at Lee Taesik and shrugged as if she understood. ¡°But isn¡¯t it better for you to know if you¡¯re sure about it or not?¡± I looked at myself and wondered if Lee Nayeon could say that. Then she thought she had decided. She said with a slight sigh. ¡°Fine, you¡¯ll figure it out anyway, but I needn¡¯t tell you. It might be more trouble for you in vain.¡± Lee Nayeon smiled like a cat and whispered in my ear again. ¡°I heard about Min Kyungsoo earlier. I heard that you¡¯re auditioning for the role of Oh Manho. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lee Nayeon said with a slight sideways nce at Lee Taesik. ¡°I have a feeling that Lee Taesik will have the same character.¡± I had an idea that it was for some reason. If you are an actor like Lee Taesik, you will be able to y the role of ¡°Faithful Manho¡±. ¡°I¡¯ve auditioned for ¡®Shin Jiyeon¡¯, ying Oman¡¯s Wife.¡± ¡°Really? Oh, yes.¡± ¡°So make sure that you win it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Because I want to work with actor Kang Jinseok instead of Lee Taesik.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take my leave!¡± When Lee Nayeon left, Lee Taesik, who seemed a little angry for some reason, approached me and said. ¡°I heard you don¡¯t have many connections because you¡¯re a rookie and don¡¯t have an agency.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°With Nayeon ¡­¡± No, I think you¡¯re pretty close to Lee Nayeon. Lee Taesik¡¯s words became shorter as soon as Lee Nayeon left. He¡¯s older than me, so I can move on. The look in his eyes was too strong for me to let it go easily. I stood there without saying anything. Lee Taesik kept asking me. ¡°What kind of rtionship do you have with Nayeon?¡± ¡°I had my first meeting with her today in this audition hall.¡± ¡°¡ª- You saw her for the first time?¡± Maybe he didn¡¯t like the answer I gave him. Or maybe I was just in touch with some counter-intelligence I had no idea about. Lee Taesik made a big impression. ¡°There is no way. He brags like that. To me, ¡°¡ª Chet.¡± ¡°¡ª?¡± ¡°If I see you flirting with Lee Nayeon again, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± I think it sounded like he was trying to intimidate me, but it wasn¡¯t a lot of pressure at all. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with Lee Taesik anyway. Then all of a sudden this thought came to me. ¡± Is Lee Taesik like Lee Nayeon? Iughed in vain when I had this thought. ¡°You¡¯re not a 14-year-old kid, and you can¡¯t do that when you are talking to someone that you like.¡± However, the next thing that I said was something that I couldn¡¯t justugh at. ¡°Hey, Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t a fan of mypany in ¡®No Flower¡¯. At this audition, I didn¡¯t like the fact that the neer had the audacity to cross the lead. For the time being, I was just a listener. ¡°And now Lee Nayeon¡­¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of the drama. It just happened to be a hit. This floor is not as easy as that. If you¡¯re a beginner, just crawl on your own like a beginner. Don¡¯t be so annoying that you have to push in, okay?¡± Lee Taesik poured out everything he wanted to say, so his expression was much softer than before. Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s satisfied that I didn¡¯t say anything because I was scared. ¡°Lee Taesik.¡± ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°Yes, I have a lot of things to say. But I think the other actors are starting to feel ufortable. So I¡¯ll tell you briefly so as not to disturb you.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Are KL Entertainment actors usually this mean?¡± ¡°¡ª- What do you mean?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re a rookie, stay organized. Don¡¯t be mean.¡± In my opinion, KL Entertainment¡¯s actors are really into that kind of thing. Lee Homin used to be like that as well.¡± ¡°You¡­now¡­¡± I stood up first before Lee Taesik said anything. Lee Taesik had looked down at me earlier, but now I was looking down at him. ¡°But in my opinion, Lee Taesik is a bit better than Lee Homin.¡± ¡°¡ª¡± ¡°At least he doesn¡¯t make a fuss.¡± Topare the two, Lee Taesik shook his lips. ¡°It¡¯s a mouth with an open baby¡­¡± Then the moment when he looked me in the eye and had the urge to say something. ¡°Actor Kang Jinseok! Please go to the audition room!¡± Before I knew it, it was my turn. *** Director 5 of KL Entertainment, has been wearing long dark circles under his eyes for the past few days. I sat on it as if I was lying down. My office chair was tilted back. Then there was a knock at the door. ¡°This is Team Manager Nam.¡± ¡°Pleasee on in.¡± Team leader Nam, who came into the room, handed a bundle of documents to the head of the 5th office and said. ¡°This is the profile of the applicant for the new actor¡¯s audition, which was your request. I also emailed it to you. Please check it.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Yes, there has been a decline in the number of applicants. The number of applicants has been on the decline.¡± The head of the 5th Division nodded his head. He turned his profile roughly. ¡°I suppose so. More than that, how¡¯s casting for ¡°The Way They Chose¡± going?¡± ¡°Yes. Lee Taesik in Room 4 just finished auditioning, and I heard it¡¯s Kang Jinseok¡¯s turn to go in. Lee Homin said that it will be his turn after Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°And the audition for the supporting roles will take a long time.¡± The head of the 5th division nodded. As if he knew. With a rather worried voice, team leader Nam said. ¡°But, sir.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Lee Homin and Kang Jinseok are going to y the same role again this time.¡± Just like the previous role of Nakamura.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡± The head of the 5th division asked with a dry voice. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s going to be okay. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What will the top people think of our 5th division if Kang Jinseok wins the role, the actor in the 5th division will be drinking water again¡­¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Honestly, Kang Jinseok is better at acting than Lee Homin. I¡¯m worried.¡± Team leader Nam speaks carefully. However, the head of the five departments swept his hair with a rxed gesture despite Nam¡¯s concern. Not at all, as if there were nothing wrong with it at all. ¡°Team leader Nam. You don¡¯t need to worry about this.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Kang Jinseok will never get a role this time. I think the role of ¡®Oh Manho¡¯ will go to Lee Taesik in the 4th room.¡± Team leader Nam asked curiously. It was as if he still didn¡¯t understand. ¡°How can you be so sure of that?¡± ¡°How can you be that certain?¡± The head of the 5th office said in a calm manner. ¡°There is someone among the judges who is on our side.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Team leader Nam asked. He swallowed dry saliva in response to the 5th Division chief¡¯s words. ¡°Mr. Chief, what does that mean? Are you saying: Ourpany is directly involved in the audition?¡± Nam asked in a worried voice. The head of the 5th Division replied as if he was wondering what he was so worried about. ¡°Uh. ¡®Ronald Jang,¡¯ he¡¯s one of the judges we¡¯re working with. Why, is there a problem?¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s a little difficult to directly intervene in the audition, rather than a problem. ¡°Isn¡¯t it againstmercial morality?¡± team leader Nam wanted to say. But when he couldn¡¯t ask that much and blurted out his back. The 5th chief sighed as if frustrated. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. . . . ¡°Team leader Nam, how long have you been working for thepany?¡± ¡°This is only the 11th year of service.¡± ¡°It has already been 11 years. ¡°You are the senior team leader Joo Minhyun in room 4.¡± ¡°¡ª- That¡¯s right.¡± Team leader Nam¡¯s expression hardened a bit when he heard the name ¡°Joo Minhyun¡±. He was junior but better than him. The head of the 5th division continued: ¡°Whether he knew it or not. ¡°Six new rooms for actors will be in ce next month. You know that he¡¯s going to be promoted to head the Department, right? ¡°¡ª- Yes, I know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re senior, and you¡¯ve got more to perform. Do you have any idea why there was a dy in your promotion?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re so behind, man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s soft,¡± Team Leader Nam said, bowing his head. The head of the 5th division continued to speak calmly. ¡°You have 30 skills, 30 luck, and 30 connections if you want to seed in this ce, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then do you have any idea what the other 10 are?¡± Team leader Nam shook his head. After thinking for a while, he said. ¡°I have no idea.¡± ¡°It¡¯s loyalty. Loyalty!¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°That ¡®loyalty¡¯ that understands what the superiors want and somehow gets things done.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± ¡°You have to do it. No matter how dirty and cheap it is. Bribing a judge at the audition? It¡¯s no big deal. For example, the crazy guy in the second director of the acting department is ¡­.¡± The 5th chief was about to say something. He sighed and shook his head. ¡°Phew, that¡¯s the end of it. What¡¯s the point of my talk about other managers? In any case, live a strong life. If you want to stay on this team.¡± Thinking about the words of the 5th division, team leader Nam nodded his head. ¡°Still.¡± In a casual voice, the head of the 5th division said. ¡°Sometimes there are people who are really over the top with their skills. Those kids should have no part in this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to try to remember that.¡± ¡°Yes, I am telling you this because I have a good feeling about you. This is a very expensive tip that no one will tell you about.¡± The director of the 5th department got up from his seat. He wanted to leave the room. It was at this time that Nam, with a very serious face, asked the head of the 5th department. ¡°Mr. Director.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You bribed the judge to let Kang Jinseok drop the hook this time.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°But like you say, you use what you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s going to y ¡®Ohmanho¡¯ when he auditions like he did when he yed ¡®Nakamura¡¯¡­¡± The head of the 5th division interrupted while the team leader was talking. ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± ¡°No, but the only thing is if¡­¡± ¡°Hey, do you think that Kang Jinseok is able to act like that?¡± ¡°A rookie who just had his debut?¡± Without even thinking about it, Team Leader Nam shook his head. It didn¡¯t matter how good you were, but that didn¡¯t mean that you could do well in other roles as well. ¡°In my opinion, it would be difficult.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s lucky enough to get cast. You¡¯ve seen a lot of actors like that, haven¡¯t you? Glittering kids in one piece.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, never mind about that. Nakamura and Omanho arepletely different roles. The head of the 5th division walked out of the room after finishing his talk. He was confident and calm as he walked to leave. However, the feeling of something ufortable could not be erased by Team Leader Nam. *** Auditions are in full swing in the audition hall of Studio Redcat Headquarters. Ronald Chang, who had received money back from KL Entertainment, looked at his profile. Kang Jinseok is the next applicant. Jinseok, who was known to Ronald, was that kind of actor. An actor who appeared for a few seconds as a supporting character in ¡°Dreaming of the Sun Rising¡± and appeared in an instant as ¡°Nakamura¡± in ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡±. And the poor rookie who was the target of KL Entertainment¡¯s hatred. Well, no matter what. I just need to get paid. Why KL Entertainment wanted to drop Jinseok, I didn¡¯t know. But he had no regrets about dropping Jinseok. Failing an audition is asmon as eating for an actor. And it was the same with getting a deal for a big project like The Way They Chose. ¡°Ha Sarang, PD, and the writer, I don¡¯t think you have to pay much attention to him. Is he the variable? Ronald had a look at the man with the thick sses. ¡°Kwak Jinwook¡­¡± I¡¯ve heard many anecdotes about him, but today is the first time I¡¯ve seen him. This is because Kwak Jinwook used to be quite famous in the Korean entertainment industry, especially in acting. When ites to new actors, he¡¯s very strict. At the same time, he was fair enough to be called a ¡®principal¡¯. So the public¡¯s evaluation was not bad. When Ronald looked at himself in silence for a long time, Kwak Jinwook asked him while fixing his sses. ¡°Is there something wrong with my face?¡± Ronald¡¯s reaction to the sudden question was one of anger. ¡°Oh! No, no, no, no. Just¡­¡± ¡°Just?¡± ¡°Mr. Kwak¡¯s question was what he thought of the next contestant, actor Kang Jinseok, yo.¡± Kwak Jinwook said after thinking for a while. ¡°You have to see the details.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°So far, he¡¯s an actor who is good at watching films. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Hearing Kwak Jinwook¡¯s answer, Ronaldughed. As expected, the rumor goes: You seem to hate new actors. Kwak Jinwook is not going to give Kang Jinseok a good grade. *** When I went to the audition hall, I didn¡¯t think about unraveling aplicated thread in my head. It was because of the words Min Kyungsoo said, ¡°Be nervous,¡± and Lee Nayeon said, ¡°Acting coach who doesn¡¯t like new actors. ¡°The thing that has me the most on edge is¡­¡± They said: ¡°There is someone who is the most problematic. It was at this time that Joo Minggu, the staff member who took me to the audition hall, said. ¡°Was there a problem with Lee Taesik earlier? Lee Taesik? ¡°What? Nothing happened.¡± ¡°Just in case something happened. You had a serious look on your face. It was because of the words of Min Kyungsoo and Lee Nayeon, but I think that Joo Minggu thought about it because of Lee Taesik. Soon after that, he stopped in front of a door. It looked like an audition room. Knock, knock. ¡°Actor Kang Jinseok is entering.¡± ¡°Pleasee in.¡± The resident opened the door. He said a few words of encouragement. ¡°Good luck with your performance.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± There were four judges in the audition room and a chair in front of them. He walked up to the chair in the middle and got the attention of the judges. ¡°Hello everyone! I¡¯m Kang Jinseok who auditioned for the role of Fan ID. After saying hello, I sat on a chair and made eye contact with each of the judges. ¡°Photographer Kang Hyunjin, Producer Ha Sarang, Ronald Jang, and Acting Coach Kwak Jinwook.¡± There was a sign in front of the judges so I could tell who was who. The writer and producer said: ¡°This is a normal audition. The acting coach I don¡¯t really like new actors. Dunny, it really seemed that way. The way he was lookin¡¯ at me, he was really fierce. ¡°So this is the judge who can be the most problematic one?¡± A judge named ¡°Ronald Jang¡± looked at me with a smooth smile. ¡°Nice to meet you. Actor Kang Jinseok. I¡¯m Ha Sarang, who contacted you a few times by text.¡± ¡°Yes! Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Kang Jinseok. ¡°Ho-ho, I know it¡¯s Kang Jinseok, so I¡¯m going to ask you a few quick questions before I start watching you act.¡± Let¡¯s focus on the audition first. Don¡¯t have any regrets if you mess up after your worries about other things. Before the acting began, the sergeant and the PD asked one or two questions. Omanho¡¯ thinks of a person who is so thin that he can lose so much weight. If it is possible to digest the rough actions without stunts, etc. Of course, my answer was ¡®possible¡¯. Ha Sarang said with a satisfied smile. ¡°Good. Then you can have a look at the envelopes on my table. Ha Sarang pointed at three envelopes. They were all the same kind of envelopes. I thought about it for a while. I chose the one in the middle. At the same time as I opened the envelope, my vision became blurred. ¡°This, this, this¡­¡± This is the memory of Lee Manseok. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Manseok¡­¡± Let¡¯s go meet our Mom.¡± ¡°Mom, ¡ª¡ª-¡± ¡°You should always be honest and kind to people. And this is my younger brother, Minyoung. You have to be my protector, Oppa. ¡°OK?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, no, no, no, no, no.¡± ¡°Yeah, even without mom. Brave¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª It was a stunningly cold room. In it, a young Lee Manseok is seen nursing his mother. Lee Manseok is now about 10 years old. It was so cold. The mother was sweating profusely. There were several sheets of cloth around a baby next to her. It was Lee Minyoung, the younger brother of Lee Manseok. The scene had changed. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Oppa! I won an award at school today!¡± ¡°Really? As expected, Minyoung! Good job! Shall we eat Jajangmyeon today? ¡°Yes!! Oh, brother! I¡¯ming to visit Mom and Dad at school next week, can youe?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll go with Jiyeon! That¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Woong! You¡¯re the best!¡± Jiyeon, you¡¯re the best! ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok, a 22-year-old man with a stupid smile. He raised his younger brother by running a small shop inherited from his parents. With his wife Kim Jiyeon. On the surface and in practice, it was a harmonious and well-adjusted family. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Hey, Lee Manseok. If you inherited your parents¡¯ shop, you should pay off the debt.¡± ¡°I warn you. Don¡¯t even think about spending money on anything else until you pay off your debt. Do you understand?¡± ¡ª¡ª It was a short scene. There were several gangsters in the dark shop and one of them threatened Lee Manseok. But Lee Manseok was in a state of relief. This was because his younger brother, Lee Minyoung, did not know that he had debts at home. Lee Manseok didn¡¯t care what happened as long as Lee Minyoung was okay. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Your guardian. The situation is not so good.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Patient Kim Jiyeon, you need an operation as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Doctor. I¡¯ll give you the moneyter, so proceed with the surgery first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. That¡¯s impossible ording to the hospital policy.¡± ¡ª¡ª Inside an old hospital full of rustic green letters. My wife,ing back from shopping, was hit by a car. The doctor said he needed an operation immediately, but all he had was the money he had saved to pay off his debts. Lee Manseok thought about it for a while and then made up his mind. ¡ª¡ª I¡¯ve got to get Jiyeon an operation first. The money is here. I can earn it back. ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok put his wife¡¯s life first. ¡ª¡ª ¡°You¡¯re paying for your wife¡¯s operation without paying the debt?! Did that punk hit you!!¡± ¡°Hey! Drop everything!¡± ¡ª¡ª A gangster who realized that Lee Manseok was spending money on his wife instead of paying his debt. They came and started to tear down the shop. Lee Manseok stood still without resisting. The problem will only get worse if I touch them now. But then. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Hey! Get your little brother. I¡¯ll have him for sale on the ind. ¡°Oppa!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch Minyoung!¡± ¡°Hey! If you don¡¯t bring him back fast, what are you going to do? ¡°¡ª- Don¡¯t touch me! ¡ª¡ª He was Lee Manseok, who endured everything but couldn¡¯t bear it if someone touched his younger brother. Lee Manseok, who was standing still, flew up. He broke the jaw of a gangster who tried to kidnap his brother and broke the leg of a man who rushed him. They were stabbing, shing, and smashing gangsters all over the ce. It was a gruesome image that I couldn¡¯t imagine from the Lee Manseok I had seen so far. Before I knew it, the store was empty. Only his younger brother, Lee Min-young, was looking at Lee Man-seok with fear. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Oh, brother. . . . ¡°Mi, Minyoung. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok approached Lee Minyoung, but Lee Minyoung stepped back and refused to touch him. Lee Minyoung looked at Lee Manseok, who had blood all over his body, with terrified eyes. The look was like a dagger to Lee Manseok. A ¡°man¡± was watching Lee Manseok and his brother in front of the store as if he was interested in them. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Manseok, life is like hell, right?¡± ¡°No. It must be more hell than hell. It¡¯s not much, but I¡¯m just happy to live with my brother and my wife.¡± ¡°Because you can¡¯t even do that.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok outside the store a while ago, is drinking alone. The man said with a wry smile as if he understood everything. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Manseok, do you know how to be happy in this hellish world? ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°You have to be a devil. The only happy foal in hell is the devil.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°So have a try and work under me. Work like the devil.¡± ¡°¡ª What can I do? I¡¯m just a shopkeeper.¡± ¡°What do you mean, a small businessman? I saw earlier that you didn¡¯t lose your martial arts skills when you were in school.¡± ¡°How can I do that?¡± ¡°How do I know about that?¡± I am friends with all the guys in Busan¡¯s martial club.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°If you work for me, I¡¯ll pay off your debt and your wife¡¯s operation. That solves everything.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s live happily in the future. What do you think?¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok clenched his fist as he listened to the man. My fingernails dug into my hands and bled from gripping it so tightly. But I didn¡¯t feel any pain. I felt like I was going to burst, and I was even more frustrated. He wanted to kill the man who was the main culprit of all this. But his inability to kill him was catastrophic. Lee Manseok was in such a state of self-hatred. ¡ª¡ª ¡°I¡¯m going to think about it a little bit more.¡± ¡ª¡ª When I opened my eyes, I was back in the audition room. My heart was heavy with emotion. Because in that short period of time, I experienced happiness, sadness, and lethargy in a person¡¯s life. ¡°Let¡¯s have a look at the script first.¡± There was a piece of paper in the envelope. There was a familiar scene written on it. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Omanho,¡± who was proposed as a gangster. He is drinking in his shop in ruins. He made a monologue while looking at the ce where his younger brother stepped back and ran from him. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Happily¡­¡± The most difficult moment in Lee Manseok¡¯s life. It was the moment I made the decision to be a gangster instead of a normal family man. It was also the moment when my sister saw me as a monster. I sat back in the chair and stared into space. As if I was sitting in midair, I stared into space. Whatever was around me. It didn¡¯t matter. What matters to me now is whether I will be a gangster or not. That was all I needed to know. I inhaled. I filled my lungs. Then he sighed deeply. Deeper than a sigh, in a dark and heavy voice. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work.¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Just before Jinseok started to act, Ha Sarang sighed slightly. ¡°I hope you do well.¡± Will you be able to do well? Ha Sarang was fascinated by Nakamura¡¯s acting and invited Jinseok to audition. Frankly, she had high expectations. But since she has high expectations, will he be able to y ¡®Arrogance¡¯ well? The realistic worry that was hidden in front of his eyes. Noir. There is no clear definition, but ¡®noir¡¯ is often a work about criminal organizations. And noir, contrary to popr belief, is a very difficult genre to make. This is because it can be criticized as ¡°glorifying criminals¡± or ¡°idolizing gangsters. No matter how beautiful the theme of the work is, ¡°family love,¡± it is an Achilles¡¯ heel that the main character has to carry because he is a ¡°gangster. Therefore, the actors who perform in this work should have very good skills. It¡¯s not to glorify crime but to bury the theme of ¡°family love¡± in the performance of the gangster. ¡°If he can continue to show his acting skills at the level of ¡®Nakamura¡¯¡­¡± It¡¯s possible enough. As Ha Sarang thought about Kang Jinseok, his mood changed. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with your voice?¡± Up until now, the voice of Jinseok that Ha Sarang had heard was a good medium to deep voice. I would have given you a pretty good grade if you had acted with that voice. ¡°This voice right now¡­¡± It was a heavy voice that made my heart feel suffocated. If I had to express it, I would say that his voice is ¡°dark. There has never been a better voice for noir. Ha Sarang and Jinseok¡¯s eyes met as they had to hide their surprise. Ha Sarang, seeing Jinseok¡¯s eyes, eximed to herself. ¡°Oh Manho¡¯s audition is¡­¡± It¡¯s over! Ha Sarang concentrated on Jinseok¡¯s acting, barely catching her lips, which she had unintentionally loosened. *** Flop down. Jinseok fell onto a chair like a loose doll. He looks into the air with a nk stare like a person who has lost everything. However, it was not the eyes of the person who gave up everything. It was an eye hidden in such a determination that there was nothing to lose, but there was something left to protect and he could not give up. Kwak Jinwook¡¯s eyes caught Jinseok¡¯s attention, showing two conflicting emotions at the same time. ¡°Look at this guy¡­¡± Before seeing Jinseok¡¯s performance, Kwak Jinwook did not like Jinseok. As he said to Ronald earlier, Kwak Jinwook thought of Jinseok as a ¡°lucky boy¡±. ¡°A rookie can express his feelings like that?¡± Even though he had not acted seriously yet, Jinseok poured out a lot of emotions. Anger and injustice, torment and regret, determination and decision, and sadness in all of them. Kwak Jinwook was very curious about what kind of scene he would y with these emotions. At that time, Jinseok said in a low voice. ¡°Mom, what should I do now? ¡°I want to protect Minyoung¡­¡± As soon as he heard this, Kwak Jinwook muttered to himself. ¡ª- I don¡¯t need to see any more. The ¡°Omanho¡± of his imagination is right in front of him, so what else is there to see? Kwak Jinwook let out a deep sigh as he watched Jinseok suppress his emotions just before he exploded. ¡°It¡¯s definitely different from rookies these days.¡± He¡¯s not an imitator, he¡¯s a man who can act. Kwak Jinwook was excited to think that he had found an interesting rookie. But on the other hand, he felt very ufortable. He can¡¯t believe he just made his debut. At that time, Jinseok acted roughly to empty the ss. Another drink. Another drink. There are no bottles of alcohol and no sses, but it is an illusion that I am really drinking. Jinseok, who emptied his ss one after the other, opened his mouth. ¡°When my mother died, I promised to live a good life while protecting Minyoung.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I worked really hard to keep the two of them.¡± But I don¡¯t think I can do that anymore.¡± Kwak Jinwook admired himself as he watched Jinseok speak with sober eyes. I thought there was nothing left to see, but does he have anything left to show? There was a reason why they said he was a favorite junior. The more I looked at him, the more new he was. Kwak Jinwook held his breath and concentrated on Jinseok¡¯s acting. *** It¡¯s easy. Jinseok forcefully blocked the tears with both of his mrs. Jinseok, who seemed to have managed to suppress his emotions, murmured in a low voice. ¡°As my mom said, I did my best to save it in a really nice way¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to protect Minyoung in this hellish world.¡± The audition hall, where everyone was fascinated by Jinseok¡¯s acting. There was only one person with aplicated mind. Oh my God¡­ Even though he was a corrupt judge, Ronald was a real man, at least for his ability. So he could see exactly how much Jinseok¡¯s acting is now. ¡°Even if he put it on Broadway right now, I¡¯m good enough to y the lead. Broadway, a holy ce for ys and musicals all over the world. Video acting in dramas movies ys and musicals is different, but Jinseok¡¯s acting now was an acting that could work anywhere. ¡°If I knew he was an actor like this, I would have never gotten that money!¡± Ronald was happy to cheer for Jinseok and could not help but admire him. I¡¯ve already received money from KL Entertainment. ¡°What wascking in this acting?¡± It was easy to give a bad review. He just had to write the numbers down. But he also had to convince the other judges. Saying what that actorcked, what parts he needed to fill in, and who was better. However, his pride would not allow him to undermine the actors that everyone recognized. ¡°If Kang Jinseok gets a good score, KL Entertainment won¡¯t stand still. But I can¡¯t eliminate this actor At that time, Jinseok got up from his seat and took a few steps. Then he pretended to make a phone call and said. ¡°If I work for you, ¡­ My Parents¡¯ debt and Jiyeon¡¯s operation promise me that you¡¯re going to pay it. Make sure you keep that promise.¡± Jinseok said with a nonchnt voice. The expression didn¡¯t seem to mean anything. But the tears in his eyes slowly trickled down and finally fell to the floor past the tip of his jaw. Fxxx! KL!¡¯ Ronald, who saw Jinseok¡¯s tears, roughly stroked his forehead with a face full of anger. *** Writer Kang Hyunjin. He didn¡¯t have a great interpretation like the other judges. He watched the acting with the eyes of a truly pure spectator and the feelings of the writer who created the work. This is it. There was no need for an evaluation. *** After the scheduled intermission, he wiped away his tears with tissues given by the sergeant and the PD. After wiping a few tears, Ha Sarang PD said. ¡°Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The emotion still lingered in my heart, but I will try to answer as normally as possible. ¡°Can you shave your head?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s possible. . . But why all of a sudden? ¡°Oh, that¡¯s ¡­..¡± Ha Sarang said with a little hesitation. ¡°The setting is that ¡®Arrogant¡¯ in the y bes a gangster and then shaves his head.¡± Ok! I can do that I soon understood the intentions of the sergeant and the PD. Don¡¯t tell me. ¡°You mean you¡¯re going to cast me?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a person who can¡¯t talk in a twist, to put it bluntly.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do it unless it¡¯s Kang Jinseok.¡± After saying that, the sergeant and the PD asked Kwak Jinwook. ¡°What about you, Mr. Kwak?¡± Kwak Jinwook, who had closed his eyes, looked at me with his beak eyes and said. Kang Jinseok? ¡°Yes! I¡¯m Kang Jinseok!¡± ¡°Yes, Kang Jinseok. ¡°From whom did you learn to act?¡± This question was as unexpected as Ha Sarang¡¯s. ¡°I read it myself. I¡¯m in college now.¡± Kwak Jinwook replied looking straight into his eyes. But as if he didn¡¯t like the answer, he frowned and said. ¡°If you lie, you¡¯re out.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Your acting can¡¯t be done by studying alone. A middle-aged actor who has been acting for a long time wouldn¡¯t know, because it¡¯s not something a young actor like you can do.¡± I think you¡¯re very wrong. What can I say? When I hesitated for a moment, Kwak Jinwook murmured with his pte. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to reveal yourself, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°Mr. PD, I like him. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a young actor these days if he¡¯s serious about acting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that¡­¡± I didn¡¯t expect Kwak Jinwook to give such a good review. There was a story I heard from Lee Nayeon, and the first time I saw her at the audition, she was really scared. ¡°I¡¯m worried about whether I can show consistent acting skills until the end because I¡¯m a rookie, but that¡¯s a matter for the producer to take care of.¡± While exhaling a sigh of relief, Kwak Jinwook added a criticism with a bitter aftertaste. When I smiled awkwardly, Kwak Jinwook said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Just do your best.¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Kwak Jinwook smiled contentedly. The sharpness from the first time disappeared and he smiled like a kind old man. ¡°What¡¯s left is¡­¡± It was Ronald with the most serious look on his face. While waiting for Ronald¡¯s review, Kwak Jinwook asked Ronald. ¡°How did Ronald feel? He was really serious about acting.¡± ¡°¡ª¨C mmmm.¡± Ronald replied with his eyes fixed on the desk. With a deep sigh. ¡°Good acting, yo. Even with the mixed emotions, the diction is very good¡­¡± I felt that you prepared a lot. ¡°Yo.¡± Contrary to expectations, it was a positive review. ¡°You were the judge I was most worried about, but fortunately, did I do well?¡± ¡°Anyway.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°A, the emotions are so¡­ How shall I put it? out of control. Unlike other judges, Ronald was rambling. I decided to listen to what he had to say. ¡°Anyway, I think that¡¯s the kind of acting that could be a problem when you start filming. It wasn¡¯t bad. I think you can be a good actor with a little more effort. ¡ª ¡°Yo. The review was neither good nor bad. ¡°Even though you acted as an act of righteousness, didn¡¯t you feel you weren¡¯t good enough?¡± Still, it wasn¡¯t a bad evaluation, so it was somewhat satisfying. First of all, two out of three got a passing grade. You did a good job. Finally, Kang Hyunjin raised his hand and said. ¡°I really liked it! That¡¯s what I really wanted to see. ¡°Wait a minute. Kwak Jinwook apologized after cutting off Kang Hyunjin¡¯s words in the middle. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for cutting you off in the middle. Writer.¡± ¡°What? Oh no. It¡¯s okay!¡± Kang Hyunjin said as if he was really okay. After giving him a moment of silence, he looked at Ronald. ¡°Ronald. I just want to ask you one thing about your review.¡± ¡°¡ªOkay.¡± Kwak Jinwook, who until a while ago had the smile of a kind grandfather. But now he was staring at Ronald with a very sharp eye. ¡°I know that the judging criteria are at the discretion of the judges, so I can¡¯t argue about it.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°But you have to do a screening that the actors and other judges can understand.¡± Kwak Jinwook asked in a low voice. ¡°What was wrong with Kang Jinseok¡¯s acting?¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°I have no idea.¡± Kwak Jinwook¡¯s voice coldly lowered the audition room. A rather ufortable situation for me standing in front of them. There was a moment of silence. To the point where you could hear the clock hands on the wall. ¡°Ronald by any chance?¡± ¡°¡ª¡± ¡°Have you got money on KL Entertainment?¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ¡°Why are mentioning KL Entertainment here all of a sudden?¡± I stopped and looked at Kwak Jinwook and Ronald alternately. Kwak Jinwook was still staring at Ronald with a grim expression. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ronald, on the other hand, is a pupil earthquake. He seemed very embarrassed. ¡°Haha¡ª. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, yo. KL Entertainment? I¡¯ve never heard of that name. Yo¡ª!¡± ¡°Really? Does it really have nothing to do with KL Entertainment?¡± Kwak Jinwook asked, tilting his head. But Ronald was strangely overreacting. ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s something? It has nothing to do with them Yo!¡± ¡°No, you might be close to the agency. Why are you so sensitive? Just like someone who has done something wrong.¡± Kwak Jinwook spoke calmly, but his words had thorns in them. I decided to just watch because I didn¡¯t think it was a conversation I wanted to have. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask you something for a while. It was a little strange. Only KL Entertainment actors gave good reviews. ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°But in the meantime, the acting of actor Kang Jinseok has been saying that he doesn¡¯t like it. That¡¯s why I asked about it just in case.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°From the looks of your reaction, there must be something on your mind.¡± Due to Kwak Jinwook¡¯s smooth words, Ronald¡¯s face changed. ¡°Did you really fall for getting interrogated?¡± Just as Ronald was about to say something, the sergeant and the PD banged on the desk and said. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Ha Sarang frowned and looked at Kwak Jinwook and Ronald. ¡°This is not a conversation to be had in front of the applicants. Let¡¯s talk again after Kang Jinseok leaves.¡± Ha Sarang gave me a bright smile. ¡°Kang Jinseok, thank you for your hard work. You can go out. I¡¯ll text you the results of the audition.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I wondered if Kwak Jinwook was really thoughtless about Ronald or if he said that because he knew something. Seeing Ronald¡¯s reaction, I think he has something to do with KL Entertainment. However, as long as the order for the celebration was in ce, there was no way I could be here. ¡°I¡¯ll go out then. Thank you!¡± Leaving a somewhat confusing audition room behind me, I slowly walked out of the door. *** ¡°Hey! Jinseok!¡± Min Kyungsoo was also waiting at the door to see if the audition was over. ¡°Did you finish your audition?¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Call me Big Brother. ¡°Ha ha, ha ha. Yes, brother.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I was waiting to eat with you when you came back from the audition. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°I think I did okay in the end¡­¡± I stopped when I was about to tell him that the atmosphere in the audition hall had deteriorated because of the KL Entertainment name. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it for no reason because I don¡¯t know it well.¡± I just swallowed without finishing myst words. Then Min Kyungsoo asked as if he was curious. ¡°What happened at the end?¡± ¡°¨C I was criticized for acting a little too much at the end.¡± Min Kyungsoo¡¯s eyes widened as if he was surprised by the rough equivocation. ¡°You went too far? ¡°You must have been a little nervous.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did I say I should be nervous earlier?¡± Come to think of it, I did. But he said, ¡°Yes. I couldn¡¯t say, ¡®It¡¯s all because of you,¡¯ so I just kept quiet. When I looked at Min Kyungsoo, he covered his head with both hands and suffered alone, saying, ¡°I ruined my junior¡¯s audition! ¡°I¡¯m an idiot!¡± and ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± But even thatsted for a while. Min Kyungsoo asked with a subtle voice. ¡°How was Kwak Jinwook?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Kwak Jinwook, is he a judge?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my friend. He¡¯s an old man. He always makes rookies open their eyes. What did he say?¡± ¡°He said very little. ¡°Was he your friend?¡± ¡°Yes, we are quite close. ¡°I asked her to tell you. Didn¡¯t she hear me?¡± I didn¡¯t hear it. By the way, it¡¯s ¡°To Nayeon¡±. ¡°You seemed pretty close to Lee Narin and you must be close to Lee Nayeon. While I was thinking, Min Kyungsoo made a slight impression and made a phone call. Maybe it was because I turned the phone up so loud that I could even hear it next to me. [Hello?] Senior?] ¡°Yes, Nayeon. I¡¯m Kyungsoo. ¡°Did you tell Jinseok that Kwak Jinwook is my friend?¡± [What?] [Was the judge your friend?] ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± [Huh?] You. Just say, ¡°He really hates rookies, so tell Jinseok. [He said, ¡°Hahaha!¡±] This man. . . . You had a bit of a sloppy personality. Where was his charisma when he defeated Moon Jongchul before the audition? As I watched Min Kyungsoo with open eyes, I suddenly remembered something I wanted to ask Lee Nayeon. ¡°Senior. I wanted to ask her something as well. Can I talk to her for a second?¡± ¡°What? Uh, okay. Hey, Nayeon. Jinseok wants to ask you something, I¡¯ll change it for you.¡± [Yes!] Lee Nayeon¡¯s lively voice was heard over the cell phone. Min Kyungsoo handed over his cell phone as if he wanted to talkfortably. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Kang Jinseok who said hello earlier.¡± [Yes!]! [How was your audition?] ¡°Yes, thanks to you, I enjoyed it.¡± [Thanks to Ho-ho¡­]! So, what do you want to ask? What are you doing this weekend? [I have plenty of time] ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s not like that. ¡°Mmmm.¨C¡± After organizing his thoughts for a while, he asked. ¡°Before the audition, you said there was someone I had to be very careful about. ¡°Do you remember?¡± [Yes]. [Of course.] It was a nonchnt voice with a nuance that it was nothing. ¡°Can you tell me who it was?¡± [Oh, that one?] Lee Nayeon said in a calm voice, just like a while ago. [Producer Ha Sarang] ¡°Ha Sarang the producer?¡± [Yes]. Because she was so direct during the judging process, there was more than one actor who cried. [That¡¯s why I wanted to tell you in case actor Kang Jinseok might get hurt] It wasn¡¯t about Ronald. I think I was just worried about my junior as a senior. I was a little relieved, but I was frustrated because my curiosity had not been satisfied. When I sat still for a while without saying anything, Min Kyungsoo said to Lee Nayeon. ¡°Okay, Nayeon. You did a great job, and I¡¯ll see youter.¡± [Yes!] [If you have any more questions, feel free to call me¡­] Lee Nayeon said something at the end. But Min Kyungsoo yawned and hung up. ¡°Jinseok. Come on. Let¡¯s go eat. After an audition, you need to fill your stomach. Auditions go by very quickly.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°OK. What kind of food do you have in mind? It¡¯ll be on your bill. Say anything you want except beef.¡± ¡°Except beef?¡± ¡°Yeah, beef is too expensive, dude.¡± ¡°All right, then.¡± I thought about it for a while. Then I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat sushi.¡± ¡°¡ª Clever child. Your choice is something as expensive as beef.¡± He said that. But Min Kyungsoo immediately started looking for sushi restaurants. *** I went to a Gopchang restaurant. There was no suitable sushi restaurant nearby. Maybe it was because it was early. There weren¡¯t many customers, so I could eatfortably. ¡°It¡¯s so good!¡± even before the food came out. I had to take a picture with a part-time employee and give an autograph to the owner. Chee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee. The tripe was fried so that it was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, and it was rolled well so that the fat of the tripe did note out. Min Kyungsoo admired and said. ¡°Wow, Jinseok, you were really good at grilling the meat at thepany dinner.¡± ¡°You¡¯re also good at the tripe grill¡± ¡°Yes, I used to work part-time at a tripe restaurant as well. I learned it from the boss there.¡± ¡°No wonder! You¡¯re not going to go anywhere for a part-time job.¡± ¡°Are you excited about it?¡± ¡°Um. ¡®Vibe from Jjam.''¡± ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± You know that as well. Min Kyungsoo said. He was eating meat and talking about this and that. ¡°Yo, Jinseok. Aren¡¯t you going to get involved with the Company? ¡°Company¡­ You¡¯re talking about the agency, aren¡¯t you? ¡°Yes. I think there are severalpanies you can have a look at.¡± ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± Seo Inhyuk suggested his agency MAJOR 77 in the past. And these days, when I go to and from school, I get business cards from a lot of agencies. Some were agencies I¡¯d heard of. Some were agencies I¡¯d never heard of. Some of them also had suggestions for specific contract details. There were a couple of ces where I had a direct call to my number from time to time. How the hell they got my number, I don¡¯t know. There was nopany I liked even though it was offered by severalpanies. To be honest, I don¡¯t have enough schedules yet to feel the need for an agency. So I never really thought about it. Min Kyungsoo poured himself a ss of coke and said. He continued: ¡°Actually my contract with thepany ends next month. I tried to stay as long as I could, but after the CEO change, the atmosphere in thepany was quiet. So I¡¯m going to move.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Yes. That is why I had the idea of moving with you at the time of my transfer to thepany.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°It might be a bit unfortunate to say this, but I¡¯m a bit powerful. If you move in with me, I can take care of you. I can also see a little bit of you if you do well. I¡¯m saying: Let¡¯s get to know each other. Min Kyungsoo said with a smile. This is certainly a very good offer for me. Min Kyungsoo is a talented actor who is recognized by everyone, even though he is not a top star. From what we¡¯ve seen so far, he has a good personality. I am sure that there will be more good things for us to do together in the future. ¡°Just to let you know, Narine and Nayeon, oh, Woo Hyun are going to move together. We¡¯re all in the samepany. The time of the end of the contract is the same.¡± ¡°Were there any other people who worked at the samepany?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you have any idea?¡± ¡°Yes. I had no idea. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. So, what¡¯s it going to take?¡± He spoke calmly as usual. But I could feel a subtle expectation in his eyes. He hesitated for a moment before answering. Min Kyungsooughed and said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to a strangepany, so don¡¯t worry. Even if it¡¯s at least the size of KL Entertainment or a start-up, it will be a solidpany. Oh, the size is KL Entertainment, not KL Entertainment. Even if you put all your money in there. (Singing ¡°Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo.¡±) While Min Kyungsoo was talking, my phone suddenly rang. ¡°Oh, brother, I¡¯m so sorry. I just got a phone call.¡± ¡°Yes. Answer it, answer it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± [010-XXXX-XXXX] It was a number I didn¡¯t know. But I got it in a hurry because it might be an audition call. ¡°Hello?¡± [Hello. Is this actor Kang Jinseok¡¯s phone?] It was a serious male voice. It had a medium to deep tone. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± [I¡¯m Ryoo Sungho. I¡¯m the first director of KL Entertainment.] [I have something to say. Can I talk to you on the phone?] Chapter 50 Chapter 50 It is unbelievable to me that he is the first CEO of KL Entertainment. He is a man that I have never met before in my life. ¡°Why did you give me a call?¡± ¡°I can have a word with you for a moment.¡± [Oh, let me begin the conversation] [I¡¯ve heard that one of our employees yed a ¡°low-grade¡± prank at auditioning today.] ¡°If it¡¯s a low-grade practical joke¡­¡± Is this rted to Ronald¡¯s issues earlier? Ryu Sungho continued after a moment of thought. [This is my apology phone call.] [And I¡¯m very interested in the actor Kang Jinseok.] [On a personal level, not on apany level.] *** At the coffee shop in Seongsu-dong. Seo Yeonsoo was wearing a uniform and sighed deeply. ¡°Haaaay¡­.¡± Seo Yeonsoo wipes the floor with a nk face. It was hard to tell if Seo Yeonsoo was carrying a mop or if the mop was dragging Seo Yeonsoo. When the manager saw this, he kicked his tongue and said. ¡°Tut, tut, ¡­ Yeonsoo. When are you going to clean up like that? The customers will being soon, so we have to hurry.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes.¡± The manager asked, scratching his head at the appearance of Seo Yeonsoo, who seemed quite lost. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes.¡± ¡°Are you listening to me?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re listening at all.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.¡± ¡°Jinseok has been in her mind since she didn¡¯t see him for a long time.¡± The manager thought as he saw a picture of Jinseok hanging in the middle of the cafe. ¡°It¡¯s a huge boom because Jinseok suddenly became famous.¡± Was it bad news for Yeonsoo? The cafe was doing so well now. As word spread about ¡°the cafe where Kang Jiseok worked part-time,¡± fans of the drama ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± began making pilgrimages to the Holy Land. ¡°It has withered a bit since Nakamura¡¯s death, but Kang Jinseok¡¯s coffee still sells well. Kang Jinseok Coffee¡± was a coffee that Jinseok made by mixing this and that for fun when he was working part-time. A coffee with all the ingredients that can be added to coffee nowadays, such as condensed milk and sugar. What he gave to some regr customers as a service became popr on SNS, and now it has be a popr menu that should be called a cafe signature. ¡°It¡¯s too sweet, so there are people who like it and people who don¡¯t like it.¡± The manager, who briefly remembered Jinseok, said to Seo Yeonsoo. ¡°Yeonsoo, Kang Jinseok. LOL.¡± ¡°Jinseok Oppa?¡± The manager sighed when he saw that Seo Yeonsoo suddenly reacted to the word ¡°Jinseok¡±. ¡°No. Have you prepared all the ingredients for ¡®Kang Jinseok Coffee¡¯? Yesterday, it was cut off in the middle, so ten customers just left.¡± ¡°¡ªYes, I¡¯m done. It¡¯s full on refrigerators. Very full.¡± Seo Yeonsoo replied weakly, leaning on a mop. ¡°Hey, Yeonsoo. You can call Jinseok if you want to see him. I think he¡¯ll have a lot of time since his drama is over these days. ¡°¡ª I don¡¯t want to!¡± When Seo Yeonsoo shouted loudly, the manager rubbed his ears. ¡°Why do you have such a loud voice?¡± Or you can say no. Why are you angry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not because of Jinseok, then what is it?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re tired, I¡¯ll get you another position.¡± ¡°Then there will be no ce when Jinseokes backter.¡± When Seo Yeonsoo spoke in a crawling voice, the manager shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s because of Jinseok.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± ¡°Okay. All right, let¡¯s finish cleaning quickly.¡± The two of them cleaned for a long time without saying anything. When the cleaning was done to some extent, the manager opened his mouth. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Yeonsoo.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I called Jinseokst time and gave him some money to help him get by¡­¡± ¡°Did you call Jinseok?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard that Jinseok is auditioning for another drama. Do you know that?¡± Seo Yeonsoo tilted her head. ¡°How long has it been since he filmed a drama? His auditioning again?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t he usually take a few months off after a job?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know much about that. Anyway, His going to audition. Did you know that? ¡°¡ª I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since he finished filming. You¡¯re working really hard.¡± Jinseok oppa. It¡¯s been a long time since Seo Yeonsoo heard Jinseok¡¯s update. That¡¯s because she couldn¡¯t meet Jinseok except when she passed by at school, and after bing famous, it was a burden to contact him first without knowing why. ¡°In the past, I used to keep in touch with small things.¡± Seo Yeonsoo asked the manager. ¡°Do you know the title?¡± ¡°Yes. he told me. What was it? I¡¯m sure it was their choice, well, that kind of name.¡± ¡°¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! He said he was going to audition for it.¡± ¡°The Way They Chose¡± was the work that had received the most attention from all the aspiring actors recently. It was a work that auditioned for everything from leading roles to group and supporting roles, so opportunities were open to aspiring applicants. As a result, many aspiring actors tried to get even a line or two of dialogue, which was significant in its own way. ¡°I didn¡¯t apply because I thought it wouldn¡¯t fit my image because it was noir. If I had known that Jinseok was auditioning, I would have applied. Seo Yeonsoo thought this, but she knew that even if she had applied, she would have failed. Anyone can apply, but not everyone can join. ¡°But should I check if they still have extras?¡± Seo Yeonsoo took out a cell phone and put it in his uniform apron. She then essed the audition website on her cell phone to check the audition schedule for The Way They Chose. ¡°As expected, the auditions for the supporting and minor roles are over. But we¡¯re still recruiting extras like ¡®Happiness 8¡ä. There was no special audition because it was a role that literally flew by. Seo Yeonsoo applied for the extra using her saved profile. The roles I applied for are ¡¯19-Year-Old Girl¡¯ and ¡¯17-Year-Old Girl¡¯. It was a role that almost appeared on the back of my head, not to mention the lines. ¡°¡ª- Oh-ho.¡± ¡°Laugh!¡± After checking the ¡°Support isplete¡± message, Seo Yeonsoo turned around. Seo Yeonsoo, who thought there was no one behind her, was surprised and almost dropped her cell phone. ¡°Hmmm,¡± the manager said. ¡°Did you apply for a drama his auditioning for?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes. But it¡¯s really weird to look at someone else¡¯s cell phone.¡± When Seo Yeonsoo stared at him and said this, the manager looked straight at him and said as if it was not funny. ¡°Is it okay to look at your phone when you have a part-time job?¡± ¡°¡ª I¡¯m sorry.¡± The manager told the truth and went to the bathroom. With my daughter! Then the door of the cafe opened with a clear bell. Seo Yeonsoo, who had a gloomy expression on his face until a while ago, greeted the guest with a bright smile as if she had done so. ¡°Wee!¡± A total of three people entered the cafe. A middle-aged bald man and a middle-aged career woman with a simr sense of dignity. It was thest man with his eyes wide open. said the bald man who entered first. ¡°Hello. Is this the cafe where actor Kang Jinseok used to work?¡± ¡°Oh, yes! That¡¯s right! ¡°Are you looking for ¡®Kang Jinseok Coffee¡¯?¡± Seo Yeonsoo replied with a bright smile of service. Then the bald man said with a wink. ¡°Oh, actually, I¡¯m not here for coffee. I¡¯m here to drink. I want an iced Americano. ¡°What are you going to have?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the ¡®Kang Jinseok coffee¡¯. What about the Chief of Staff?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have an extra iced tea shot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re having that again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my preference.¡± The bald man organized the menu and told Seo Yeonsoo, then offered his business card. ¡°I¡¯m that kind of person.¡± Seo Yeonsoo handed over his business card with a dubious gesture. ¡°¡ª?¡± Many customers asked for my number, but this was the first time they gave me a business card. However, I epted it carefully because I couldn¡¯t help it, but Seo Yeonsoo was surprised to see thepany name on the business card and dropped it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°¡ª.¡± ¡°The Vice President will tell you why we¡¯re here. ¡°Vice President?¡± As the bald man stepped back slightly and said, a woman named ¡°Vice President¡± stepped forward. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Yoon Gayeon from OS Entertainment.¡± ¡°Ah, ha, ha, ha. Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I knew that the former CEO of Yoon Entertainment had gone to another agency like a rumor. But it was OS Entertainment, an agency founded by OS International. ¡°Why did youe to see me?¡± While pressing her heart, Seo Yeonsoo managed to keep a smile on her face and saw Yoon Gayeon. Yoon Gayeon said while looking at the name tag ¡®Yeonsoo¡¯ on Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s uniform. ¡°I¡¯m actually here because of Kang Jinseok, but I¡¯m also interested in Yeonsoo.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have a good posture¡­ The makeup is also good. I think the camera will also work well. ¡°Did you model for a shopping mall?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯ve never done anything like that.¡± ¡°What about being an actor? ¡°Are you interested?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I want to be an actor first.¡± Yoon Gayeon pped her hands and said. ¡°No wonder. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t recognize it.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not it!¡± When Seo Yeonsoo shook her hand and said in a hurry, Yoon Gayeon took out her business card from her wallet. ¡°I have a big auditioning up, so I¡¯d like you to apply.¡± I think I¡¯ll be a good fit for Yeonsoo. Whether this is a dream or real life. Seo Yeonsoo took the card with shaking hands and put it in her pocket. ¡°But I heard that Kang Jinseok worked here for a long time. Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! he worked with me for a long time!¡± ¡°It was just a coincidence. I wanted to ask you something.¡± Seo Yeonsoo asked with a shaky voice. ¡°If you want to ask¡­¡± ¡°Yes. Is there anything that Kang Jinseok liked or needed?¡± Well, he never said anything like that?¡± Seo Yeonsoo tilted his head. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Jinseok doesn¡¯t say that often. He always says that he wants to act well.¡± ¡°Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm¡­¡± ¡°But why is that¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, that is.¡± Yoon Gayeon turned around for a moment and looked at the chief of staff. The chief of staff did not say anything but just shook his shoulders as if he would do as she pleased. ¡°We¡¯re trying to recruit him, but there¡¯s apetition.¡± ¡°What? There is apetition?¡± ¡°Yes, and a formidable one at that.¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°An easypetitor?¡± ¡°Yes. Kang Jinseok is the first actor to be recruited by ourpany, so he shouldn¡¯t be taken away.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m meeting people around me in person like this. I want to know the sauce that will capture his heart.¡± Yoon Gayeon said with a light sigh. ¡°A sauce that can capture Jinseok¡¯s heart?¡± Seo Yeonsoo couldn¡¯t have known that. If there was such a thing, she would have tried it first. ¡°Huh? Sir, what¡¯s wrong?¡± At that time, the manager who had been to the bathroom asked in a worried voice. It was because he didn¡¯t know what Seo Yeonsoo and Yoon Gayeon were talking about. ¡°¡¤¡¤Huh?!¡± As everyone¡¯s eyes turned to him, the manager, who scratched the back of his head as if awkwardly, uttered consternation as to whether any of them had familiar faces. ¡°Oh, are you CEO Oh Haneul?¡± ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! I started a business after reading the book you wrote Oh Haneul said with a smile at the excited voice of the store manager like a fan who met his favorite celebrity. ¡°Haha. This is very embarrassing.¡± The manager approached Oh Haneul in a hurry and asked, alternately looking at Yoon Gayeon and Kang Kyungsik by his side. ¡°How did youe to such a shabby ce?¡± ¡°Oh, I want to ask you something about Kang Jinseok. I¡¯m sorry if it interferes with your business.¡± ¡°Not at all! Take it easy and go!¡± He said so, but the manager carefully asked Seo Yeonsoo if she was worried about Jinseok. ¡°But you want to know about Jinseok?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, I¡¯m going to do OS Entertainment¡­¡± Oh Haneul told the manager what Yoon Gayeon said to Seo Yeonsoo and about OS entertainment. ¡°Well, I see. If you want to hear about Jinseok to recruit him, you¡¯vee to the right ce.¡± Only then did the misunderstanding clear, the manager said with a bright face, nodding his head constantly. ¡°Then you¡¯vee to the right ce. Here, Yeonsoo is an expert on Kang Jinseok. But it doesn¡¯t seem like a story to be shared in a crowded ce.¡¤¡¤¡± Yoon Gayeon and Oh Haneul looked at Seo Yeonsoo with sparkling eyes, saying, ¡°Oh.¡± Surprised, Seo Yeonsoo pped her arms with a red face. The manager, who had been contemting for a while, made a decision. ¡°Yeonsoo put down the shutter.¡± ¡°What? Put down the shutter?¡± ¡°Yeah. You might take a day off for Jinseok.¡± Oh Haneul bowed slightly to the manager¡¯s words. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± But the manager was aiming for something. ¡°Instead!¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to ask the CEO for some advice, too.¡± ¡°Advice?¡± ¡°Yes. About business, about business, about business, about business?¡± The excited store manager opened his nose and exhaled in his nose. Oh Haneul smiled and pointed to Yoon Gayeon, whether it was funny. ¡°Then my vice president will talk to Yeonsoo, and I¡¯ll talk to the manager.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Thanks to Jinseok, the store manager met the best mentor in the industry. *** Oh Haneul and the manager, Yoon Gayeon and Seo Yeonsoo. Kang Kyungsik was watching their conversation nkly while drinking iced tea. ¡®I know it¡¯s an important issue, but I can¡¯t believe you took so much time.¡¯ Oh heaven¡¯s time was not usually valuable. His judgment alone determines the lives of countless employees around the world. I remembered the meeting I had with Oh Haneul before Kang Kyungsik came to the cafe. ¡ª¡ª OS International Representative Office. There, Kang Kyungsik spoke calmly to Oh Haneul. ¡°This is a document that summarizes the targets of therge agencies that you requested in the first half of the year. As you said, most of them are putting Kang Jinseok on the.¡± ¡°I guess so. It wouldn¡¯t have been easy to take out the data, but you¡¯re the manager. By the way, the results of the new Netflix movie haven¡¯te out yet, have they ¡°Yes, but when I checked with the internal staff, they said he was the most likely candidate.¡± ¡°Good for you. Good job.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kang Kyungsik gave a slight silence and spoke out while looking at Oh Haneul¡¯s face. ¡°CEO. I¡¯d like to ask you a question.¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°Why do you care so much about a new actor named Kang Jinseok? That¡¯s what you¡¯re curious about, right Before Kang Kyungsik finished his speech, Oh Haneul first confirmed his question. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re a ghost.¡± Kang Kyungsik said with his head in full force. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m worried that I¡¯m spending too much time on one actor now that I¡¯ve entered Latin America and elerated my business in Europe.¡± ¡°Well, certainly you deserve to worry about that.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°As expected of the chief of staff. Kang will be the only one in ourpany who can say such a straight word without looking at me. Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Oh Haneul got up from his seat and walked through the representative¡¯s office and said. ¡°First of all, the first reason is my friend¡¯s request. I owe him a lot.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve heard that before.¡± ¡°Okay, and the second reason is, in fact, a vague idea.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Kang Jinseok will remain a popr actor in Korea.¡± ¡°Are you saying that if you¡¯re not an actor who only works in Korea, you can go overseas?¡± ¡°Yes. The OTT market will continue to grow, and if we can produce high-quality works ordingly. The status of Korean actors will also increase.¡± The chief of staff also nodded lightly as if to agree with that opinion. ¡°That¡¯s why I care about him. You know how great a sports star named Michael Jordan was, don¡¯t you? ¡°Do you think Kang Jinseok will grow that much?¡± ¡°Yes, and it only takes an actor named ¡®Kang Jinseok¡¯ to take a sessful first step, and the entertainment business is not a charity that started for him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I understood all of the CEO¡¯s thoughts. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You could have thought so. Nothing has been proven by the data yet.¡± Oh Haneul spoke lightly in a passing tone, but Kang Kyungsik did not listen to it. Oh Haneul, who has a great sense of business among the OS group families, said that. ¡°But it is not without precedent. The clothes, bags, and food, ¡¤¡¤ of ¡®world stars¡¯ who have a strong influence not only at home but also abroad. Everything about them has be an issue, creating a new trend of consumption.¡± Sales of rted products surge just because they were worn by famous singers and actors. They are the best billboards, models, and new trends. Recruitment of top actors and singers for fashion shows in the fashion industry and sponsoring sports stars and games in the sportswear industry are all part of marketing. ¡°The entertainment business makes it possible to buy intangible values that money can¡¯t buy. If it goes ording to n, not only the stocks of rted affiliates but also their operating performance will overwhelm other older brothers.¡± A stepping stone to bing president of the OS Group. Kang Kyungsik had no choice but to just listen to it. ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t work, you can make it so.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s how I got here.¡± ¡ª¨C ¡°Even so, it seems like a waste of time for the CEO to move himself.¡± At that time, Yoon Gayeon, who had been talking to Seo Yeonsoo for a long time, stood up and said. ¡°Thank you, Yeonsoo. You¡¯ve been a great help.¡± In particr, it was information that I had no idea that Kang Jinseok worked part-time at a warehouse.¡± ¡°What? Oh, yes! I¡¯m d it helped you. Hehe.¡± ¡°And like I said earlier, I¡¯m also interested in Yeonsoo, so pleasee and watch it.¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you!¡± Just in time, I got up from my seat to see if the conversation with Oh Haneul was over. ¡°Well, then shall we go too? I think there will be a lot of work to do.¡± Oh Haneul asked Seo Yeonsoo as if he had forgotten to leave the cafe. ¡°By the way, Yeonsoo.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°How should I give you a case?¡± ¡°G, The case? You don¡¯t have to give it to me separately. What a case with this¡­.¡± ¡°You have to get it. You gave me such valuable information.¡± Oh Haneul took some paper from his wallet and put it down on the table. ¡°Then, see you next time?¡± Oh Haneul went out of the cafe with his eyes winking. Seo Yeonsoo stared nkly at the back and checked the paper on the table. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤~¡± There were a lot of zeros in the check to the point where I could breathe in vain without realizing it. *** ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon, actor. Please let me know if you are ufortable driving.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, sir.¡± The phone call from ¡®KL Entertainment Actor 1 Director¡¯ came while eating with Min Kyungsoo. I thought the story would be long, so I said, ¡°I¡¯m eating now, so I¡¯ll contact youter,¡± and hung up the phone. It was not polite to call your senior for a long time. To me, the first manager really sent me the car, saying, ¡°Then I¡¯ll send you a car, so please take your time to eat ande back.¡± I couldn¡¯t finish my meal properly because I was worried about the luxury sedan waiting for me outside. But now was not the time to care about hunger. Because. Because I was going to KL Entertainment right now. It¡¯s the first luxury sedan I¡¯ve ever ridden in my life. It¡¯s not a van that celebrities often ride, but a car that ¡°high people¡± can ride. ¡°I said I would send you a car myself, but I didn¡¯t expect you to do this.¡± After a while, I arrived in the basement of KL Entertainment headquarters, which I saw only in pictures. I was about to open the door, but someone opened it for me outside. It was a man in a neat suit. ¡°I¡¯m Kim Wook, team leader of the actor¡¯s room 1. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Hello, I¡¯m Kang Jinseok.¡± After a light handshake, Kim Wook took me to the elevator. The elevator said ¡®VIP¡¯. I looked around while waiting for the elevator. The exterior was very neat. There were several real flowers, and there was a small pond. It¡¯s like an indoor garden. But on the contrary, the atmosphere flowing through the building felt cold. After a while, the elevator arrived and Kim Wook arrived on the 35th floor. ¡°Wow.¡± When the door opened, there was a red carpet that could be seen at the awards ceremony, and numerous pictures of actors were captured in luxurious frames in the long hallway. ¡°Go straight inside and you¡¯ll find a room. The manager is waiting in the room.¡± Kim Wook told me where to go while looking around the hallway, and immediately took the elevator down. As he said, I walked along the corridor and came up with a visit. The fairlyrge door is a luxurious material that goes well with the hallway. The moment I¡¯m about to knock. Click. The door opened and a man¡¯s face was seen. ¡°Nice to meet you. Actor Kang Jinseok. I¡¯m Ryu Sungho, the director of the first actor I talked to on the phone before.¡± a subdued voice. And neat eyes that I¡¯ve seen somewhere. The suit and shoes that were moderately tight made the man¡¯s atmosphere more antique. It¡¯s hard to pinpoint exactly what, but there was a strange sense of ipatibility with this perfect-looking man. If I had to express it. ¡®Something. . . . It doesn¡¯t fit in here.¡¯ As I said earlier, KL Entertainment was so cold that it felt like the castle of the devil. However, Ryu Sungho didn¡¯t feel cold. a sense of familiarity that doesn¡¯t know why. I felt that. It was different from the KL entertainment actors I¡¯ve met so far. What, what, what, what. They learn, and this is an employee, so maybe it is. ¡°Come this way.¡± Ryu Sungho led me into the room. It was simple. One big desk, four sofas, and oneputer. And a bookcase full of scripts. The office, which really brought only what was needed, seemed to show his character. As he sat on the sofa looking around, Ryu Sungho gave him a teacup and said. ¡°Was it convenient on your way here?¡± I paid attention to it.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. It¡¯s my first time riding a luxury car, and it wasfortable.¡± I answered honestly without much meaning. I came here reallyfortably. However, the answer was unusual. ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? Yes?¡± ¡°If you be our actor.¡± Chapter 52 Chapter 52 It was embarrassing to say that I would give you a car, but Ryu Sungho¡¯s proposal was much more surprising than that. ¡®Just in case, I didn¡¯t expect KL to offer recruitment first.¡¯ When I stared at him, Ryu Sungho handed me a document envelope and said. ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll have to apologize before that. Because that¡¯s the order.¡± There were two pictures in the document envelope. A photo that says ¡°Fifth Director¡± and a photo of him handing something to Ronald. Ryu Sungho said, pointing to a picture of the head of the five offices. ¡°This man is a five-room manager of KL Entertainment. I¡¯m the one who bought Ronald to drop the actor in today¡¯s audition.¡± ¡°You really bought Ronald?¡± ¡°Yes, other audition officials may have noticed this, but first of all, I think the victim should know.¡± When I listened to Ryu Sungho, I felt that the scattered puzzle was fitting. ¡°This is why Ronald reacted violently to Kwak Jinwook¡¯s words at the audition.¡± I was a little angry. It was ridiculous. ¡°How can you be a judge at an audition?¡± Before I could say anything, Ryu Sungho said first. ¡°The reason I asked to see you today is to apologize for what happened today and to warn you that this will happen every once in a while.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the water level will get higher and higher. That¡¯s how actors 2, 3, 4, and 5 have lived.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Oh, six rooms will be made soon, so six rooms are included.¡± The words were ¡®warning¡¯, but for me, it was like a threat. I wanted to be angry, but I couldn¡¯t feel any hostility in Ryu Sungho¡¯s voice or attitude. First of all, I decided to talk calmly. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤So what do you want to say? You didn¡¯t call me to threaten me, did you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if it sounded like a threat. I didn¡¯t mean to do that. It was literally just a ¡®warning¡¯. Anyway, what I¡¯d like to say is.¡± Ryu Sungho handed over another document envelope. When I checked, it said ¡°exclusive contract¡± on the first page. ¡°For the actor¡¯s safe and sessful acting life, KL Entertainment and no. I¡¯m telling you to sign a contract with our actor¡¯s room.¡± A few months ago, if KL Entertainment had asked to sign a contract, I would have weed it with both hands. KL Entertainment was like the final destination for the actors. but. ¡°Not anymore.¡± Just because I did a few works doesn¡¯t raise my nose. I just don¡¯t want to be with apany that tramples on other people¡¯s efforts and passion, buying audition judges. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear about today¡¯s story. Of course.¡± I put the envelope on the table and slowly got up from my seat. Then Ryu Sungho spoke in a calm tone that showed no impatience. ¡°Actor Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°First of all, please listen to what I¡¯m trying to say until the end. And then if you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll never bother you again.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Whoo.¡± ¡®Okay. Let¡¯s hear what he says when he talks like that.¡¯ When he sat down again, Ryu Sungho shone his eyes and slightly extended his upper body toward me. ¡°As I said earlier, KL Entertainment will disturb you like crazy in the future.¡± ¡°Like today¡¯s audition?¡± ¡°As I said earlier, it¡¯s a ¡®low-quality¡¯ prank.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Whatever you imagine, we¡¯ll try to destroy you in a mean, creative way.¡± I said it wasn¡¯t a threat, but it was like a threat. But I didn¡¯t get scared. Instead, I was curious. ¡°Why? Why are you doing this to me?¡± When asked my question, Ryu Sungho thought for a moment and continued. ¡°The beginning was not a big deal.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°The actor hurt Lee Homin¡¯s pride in the audition room for ¡°Spring Without Flowers.¡± ¡°Do you remember?¡± I hurt Lee Homin¡¯s pride. It seemed to mean having a small verbal fight at the audition andpeting for the role of ¡®Nakamura¡¯. ¡°I remember. So what?¡± ¡°Lee Homin¡¯s father is a bit of a ¡®great¡¯ person. He¡¯s a person who knows a lot of people here and there and has a lot of money.¡± ¡°You must be someone who cares terribly for your son.¡± ¡°So Lee Homin¡¯s father moved. I tried not to let him film ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡± itself. You know, right? you almost couldn¡¯t film because it was out of investment.¡± There¡¯s no way they don¡¯t know. At one time, when I opened the entertainment section of the portal site, that was the only article. ¡°But even though he used his own hands, the work was eventually made. It was even a hit, and the actor became famous.¡± With a slight nod, Ryu Sungho kept saying ¡°If the work was ruined as he intended, that might have ended the ¡®punishment¡¯ against actor Kang Jinseok.¡± It was ridiculous. You¡¯re only going to do this for that?¡¯ ¡°You thought it was a masterpiece, right?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°In the entertainment industry, a lot of changes because of the pride of being a ¡®master¡¯.¡± Well, even if it¡¯s not in the entertainment industry, it¡¯s the same everywhere.¡± Ryu Sungho said with a slight sigh. ¡°No one in the entertainment industry has ever won against KL Entertainment.¡± After finishing his speech, Ryu Sungho got up from his seat. ¡°But he also doesn¡¯t carelessly about actors from the samepany.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°No, if you dare to touch our first room, I won¡¯t stay still.¡± I felt pride and confidence in my voice. ¡°Why?¡± It wasn¡¯t like a charade. So I was more concerned. Why is Ryu Sungho taking care of me like this? ¡°I want to ask you one question.¡± ¡°Ask me anything.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± Like you¡¯re trying to take care of your own family.¡± Perhaps it was an unexpected question, his face was perplexed for the first time. For a while, too. Ryu Sungho, who went back to expressionless, said. ¡°Why do I care about Kang Jinseok?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Ryu Sungho, who blurted the back words, approached me and said. ¡°If you be an actor in our first room, I¡¯ll let you know then.¡± *** Studio Redcat headquarters where all the auditions scheduled for today are over. ¡°KL Entertainment, how dare you y tricks on my work?¡± After shouting for a long time, the sergeant and the producer took out a cigarette from their arms and bit it in their mouth. The moment she tried to light a cigarette with her natural hand gestures, she realized Kwak Jinwook¡¯s existence and spit a cigarette out of her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mr. Kwak. I¡¯ve been mean. . . . .¡± Kwak Jinwook bowed his head and said, shaking his hand, as if he was okay with Ha Sarang, who apologized. ¡°It¡¯s okay, producer Ha. I¡¯m also very angry at their behavior.¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. . . . Thank you for your understanding.¡± Ha Sarang gulped down the cold water. I asked Kwak Jinwook if he was a little calmed down thanks to this, with a much calmer voice than before. ¡°By the way, sir. You asked me earlier if I got money from Ronald.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you really just poke it?¡± Kwak Jinwook answered Ha Sarang¡¯s question with a smile. ¡°Actually, I got a call from him, too. I want you to cheer up your actors in this movie. If Kang Jinseok auditions, he asks me to drop him.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ Even to the teacher?¡± ¡°Yes. I got the same offer as Ronald.¡± Ha Sarang grated her teeth. ¡°KL Entertainment, these pups make youe out with your personality. ¡°How should I tighten it so that it¡¯s well-coordinated?¡± Kwak Jinwook shrugged his shoulders and said to Ha Sarang, who was verbally abusive. ¡°Well, well, if you need my help, please feel free to let me know. I¡¯m also a little angry at those thunderstorms who are trying to ruin a young and promising actor.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°However, you have to be careful no matter how certain the evidence is. You know, KL Entertainment is a big deal Ha Sarang gave her head to Kwak Jinwook, who spoke anxiously. ¡°Yes. But I¡¯m going to drop all KL Entertainment actors.¡± This is their fault, so they can¡¯t say anything about it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to watch all the roles again. Is that okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I recorded the audition video anyway, so I¡¯ll watch it and select it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I think there will be a lot of people.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll work out if you stay up all night for about three days.¡± Kwak Jinwook threw his tongue when he said it as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal on the 3rd. ¡°Hwiyu, ¡¤¡¤. That¡¯s amazing. All right. Then I¡¯ll get going. Please contact me again.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Thank you for your hard work.¡± Just before Kwak Jinwook left the room, Ha Sarang asked. ¡°By the way, sir. What happened to you going into the agency? You said you were contacted by a new agency.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m still thinking about it. There¡¯s no actor there, so. I¡¯m going to see which actores in and go in.¡± Kwak Jinwook finished with a big smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin myst years by going to apany with people like a fool.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s apany that wants to take you there, wouldn¡¯t it be easy to skip it on its own?¡± Kwak Jinwook¡¯s face smiled as if he felt good about the words that gave him a high evaluation. ¡°I hope so. Rumor has it that the CEO is working hard on recruiting the first actor, and I think it would be fun for me to work at such apany.¡± *** Late at night when everyone is asleep. Seongsu warehouse workers¡¯ day begins with eating chocte bars. Park Chunsam said with a lot of chocte bars in his mouth. ¡°As expected, stealing chocte bars is the best. It tastes different from buying and eating with my own money Kim, who saw it, said it as if he was pathetic. ¡°Oh, my. Tsk, tsk. Jinseok bought me a lot of chocte bars so we wouldn¡¯t fight. ¡°But you steal it again?¡± ¡°Huh? Jinseok bought it for me because he got paid for his appearance?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste, so it¡¯s been a long time since I took it in the refrigerator at home.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t help but eat chocte bars, so I¡¯ll steal yours ss president¡¯s and eat it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strangely convincing.¡± When the two of us were talking about small things. Thump! Someone knocked on the warehouse door. ¡°Who is it? Were there people who werete?¡± ¡°If there had been ate student, the president would have been going crazy.¡± Kim opened the door yawning. ¡°Ha-am, ha-am, ha-am, ha-am. Who¡¯s show?¡± ¡°Is this the warehouse where actor Kang Jinseok worked?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. How did you know that?¡± Mr. Kim scanned the people outside the door. The thing that stands out the most is the bald head standing at the front. You look like my age, but you¡¯re already losing your mind.¡¯ It was a clean bald head, seemingly without any chance of resuscitation. While feeling sorry for Kim as the same hair loss person, bald head said. ¡°Oh, my name is Oh Haneul. May I see the manager of the warehouse?¡± ¡°What? Who¡¯s in charge? ¡°Did youe to see the leader of the team?¡± Oh Haneul handed his business card to Kim. Kim carefully examined the business card. [OS International, CEO, Oh Haneul] ¡°Oh, this is thepany that subcontracted our warehouse, right?¡± It was thergestpany that Mr. Kim knew. A goodpany that sends bonuses for Chuseok and Lunar New Year despite being subcontracted. By the way. ¡°The CEO of a ce like that ising here?¡± Kim, who had been agonizing for a while, burst intoughter as if he was dumbfounded. ¡°Put. That can¡¯t be the case.¡± Kim said, looking down at his bald head. ¡°Hey, bald head.¡± ¡°Are you bald?¡± ¡°Oh, you punk. Why are you ying this game at this hour because you have nothing to do?¡± ¡°No, what¡¯s that?¡­¡± ¡°Phew. If you¡¯re old and have nothing to do, wash your feet and sleep at home. What kind of representative is a representative?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I see your sincerity in digging up your business card and ying around, so I just send it to you.¡± There are a lot of scary people here, so just go back.¡± ¡°Oh, no. I really¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Bang! When Kim responded roughly and closed the door nervously, Park Chunsam asked. ¡°Hey, Mr. Kim. Who is it?¡± Kim said as if it was nothing. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was crazy.¡± ¡°Crazy guy?¡± ¡°Uh. I heard he represents OS International.¡± Park Chunsam smiled in vain at Kim¡¯s words. With the words, ¡°What a new Dora.¡± It was then. ¡°Hey, Mr. Kim!¡± The head of the work team came running and shouted loudly. ¡°Why? I didn¡¯t steal the chocte bar. Park Chunsam over there. . . . .¡± ¡°No, the chocte bar isn¡¯t the problem. Let¡¯s clean up quickly.¡± ¡°Cleaning? Why cleaning? I did it yesterday too, but what are you doing? Tomorrow. Tomorrow.¡± The ss president shouted as if he was frustrated with Kim, who was talking leisurely. ¡°Oh,e on!¡± ¡°Oh, why!¡± ¡°Sigh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. You know OS International, right ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I heard that the headquarters is going to be visited by the CEO of OS International!¡± Kim looked at the door he had just closed with a trembling look. Then I asked the ss president in a trembling voice. ¡°Mr. President, are you bald?¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Seongsu Warehouse General Office. This ce, which was usually used as a lounge, is now more unusual than ever. Five people are in the room. From the top of the table, it was Oh Haneul, Yoon Gayeon, Kang Kyungsik, the head of the work team, and Kim, the ¡°sinner.¡± Click. Oh Haneul put the teacup down on the table. Kim was surprised by the sound. It might have seemed strange that a big distracted man was surprised by such a sound, but it was understandable considering the sin he hadmitted. ¡°You said Mr. Kim, didn¡¯t you? What¡¯s your name?¡± Kim answered Oh Haneul¡¯s question in a trembling voice. ¡°Oh, yeah! Myst name is Kim and my first name is ¡®Sea¡¯! My father named me in pure Korean so that I could be a seed for big things.¡¤¡¤¡± He was Kim, who doesn¡¯t usually talk like this, but today he was rambling because he was guilty of a crime. Oh Haneul said with a smile. ¡°Haha. You don¡¯t have to be so nervous. Mr./Ms./Ms. Kim, the wording is weird. Anyway, I would have done that if I were Mr. Kim.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ Thank you!¡± Kim¡¯s face was brightened by Oh Haneul¡¯s words that seemed to understand. However, the head of the work team, who was watching Kim from the side, was shaking as if he could not forgive him. ¡°CEO, I¡¯ll handle him in moderation, so don¡¯t be too angry.¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°No, sir. It¡¯s really okay. More than that, do you have anything in mind that I asked you earlier?¡± ¡°Oh, you asked about Jinseok, right?¡± ¡°Yes. What you usually said you needed or wanted. Anything is fine.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡¤¡¤¡¤. I don¡¯t know. Jinseok, he¡¯s so unambitious and nice.¡± The head of the work team said as if he was agonizing, smoothing his thick hands. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll ask other people, no, other employees.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could do that.¡± When Oh Haneul¡¯s permission fell, the head of the work team called in employees one by one and asked. What Jinseok wanted, what he wanted, and what he wanted. But all the answers that came back were, ¡°Well, he was the one who even gave up the chocte bar.¡± I wonder if there was anything he wanted.¡± The only answer was the same. I asked all the staff, but I couldn¡¯t get a clear answer. At a time of such deep agony. ¡°Me¡­¡± Kim raised his hand carefully and said. ¡°Can I say something?¡± When Kim said with a smile, the head of the work team shed his eyes. ¡°Well, Mr. Kim, man. Stay still. If you really want to help, turn the fan with your hand.¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± The president tried to say something to Kim in a low voice, but Oh Haneul restrained the president. ¡°No, sir. Let¡¯s hear it. Mr. Kim. Anything is fine, so please tell me.¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Kim said to Oh Haneul. ¡°Do you know that Jinseok doesn¡¯t have his parents?¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± ¡°Then the story will be fast. This is what I heard while eating with Jinseok before.¡± Kim continued for a long time. Oh Haneul, Yoon Gayeon, and Kang Kyungsik listened to the story intensively like a child listening to a fairy tale. And when Kim¡¯s words were over, Oh Haneul smiled satisfactorily and pped his hands. ¡°That¡¯s really good information. Mr. Kim.¡± ¡°Thank you. Then how can I take into ount what I did earlier Oh Haneul smiled graciously and said to Kim, who looked at his attention. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s a normal consideration? That¡¯s all right. I¡¯m just calling myself ¡®Baldhead¡¯. ¡°Bad hair¡± is right, too.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Hong Gil-dong, who can¡¯t call his father his father. I called ¡®Badhead¡¯ ¡®Badhead¡¯, but I don¡¯t care at all.¡± Oh Haneul, who especially emphasizes ¡°Bad hair.¡± Mr. Kim was scared of something. ¡°It¡¯s going to be really okay, right?¡± Kim suddenly passes the faces of his rabbit-like children waiting for him at home like antern. Oh Haneul smiled at Kim once and got up from his seat. ¡°You must be busy, but thank you for your time. Then we¡¯ll get going now.¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Unlike when he came in, Oh Haneul left the warehouse with ease. ¡°Sigh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. I think 200 years is old.¡± The work leader who confirmed that they had left breathed a sigh of relief and red at Kim. ¡°Hey, Mr. Kim.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Why. Still, I cleaned up the poop I packed.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll forgive you for that. But when did you hear what you said earlier? ¡°What I said is true¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kim stood up and said, stretching out loud. ¡°I stole your lunch box before¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°That¡¯s when I heard it while talking to Jinseok.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a long time ago?¡± ¡°You stole my lunch box and ate it?¡± ¡°Yes. But it was so delicious that I still remember it.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ You¡¯re a loser.¡± *** ¡°The audition results are much slower than I thought¡­¡± A week after auditioning for and going to KL Entertainment. I was living with my cell phone in my arms every day because I didn¡¯t know when I would be contacted as a result of the audition. ¡°The producer said it¡¯s confirmed, but¡­¡± Still, I couldn¡¯t help but wait. ¡°I should just exercise.¡± I got on the bar for the chin-up that I recently bought. After working out for about 30 minutes, my body became moderately hot and I started sweating. It was then. (Singing ¡°Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo.¡±). ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± As soon as I heard the vibration, I came down from the bar and checked the text with a trembling heart. by the way. ¡ª¡ª [Leader of KL Entertainment, Ryu Sungho] Hello, actor Kang Jinseok. An article about our involvement in the audition for ¡°The Way They Chose¡± and an apology about it has now been posted on the Inte. The link is below. ¡ª¡ª Maybe it¡¯s not the contact I¡¯ve been waiting for, but I¡¯m disappointed. I thought it was a contact from a loved one, but in fact, if it was a disaster response text, would it feel like this? I¡¯m not sure because I¡¯ve never done that, but I¡¯m probably feeling like this. ¡°Ryu Sungho, this person really contacted me.¡± Ryu Sungho said he wanted to keep watching my performance even though I politely refused the recruitment offer. I was grateful, but I didn¡¯t intend to belong to KL Entertainment. It was harder than I thought to pull out the ugly hair that was once embedded. He sent me two articles. One was an apology, and the other was an article about Ronald. It¡¯s an apology anyway, ¡°I feel responsible for something unfortunate, and I¡¯ll do my best to prevent this from happening in the future.¡±I wasn¡¯t very curious because it was obvious that it was a clich¨¦ like ¡®. So I checked the article about Ronald first. It was an article titled ¡°The Pioneer of Korean Broadway, Spotted with Dirty Money.¡± In summary, Ronald Jang, the first Korean to y a supporting role on Broadway, received back money from ¡°K¡± Entertainment. ¡°By the way, . . . What¡¯s this My name was written at the bottom of the article. ¡ª¡ª ¡¤¡¤In particr, it is known that Kang Jinseok, a new actor who is famous for ¡®Nakamura¡¯, also participated in this audition. Judge Ronald Jang said, ¡°What I want to apologize the most about this is actor Kang Jinseok,¡± adding, ¡°All the reviews I gave at the audition were nonsense. Your performance was on a different level,¡± he praised actor Kang Jinseok¡¯s performance. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Now that the audition results haven¡¯te out yet, attention is focusing on whether Kang Jinseok will pass the audition?¡± For the general public, the purchase of audition judges may be enough to go, ¡°Wow, this is all happening.¡± However, it is enough to cause a stir among actors. I can¡¯t believe you finished the article with that kind of content. I rushed to check the article¡¯sments. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤There are no articlesments?¡±¡¯ No matter how interested the public was in auditions, it was ridiculous that there were noments. Just in case, I kept refreshing thements, but noments were made. [¡°L¡± actor¡¯s transformative personal life!] [Inadequate rtionship with a high school student?]? [¡°L¡± actor¡­¡¤¡¤¡¤.] [It turns out that ¡°L¡± was dominating the hearts of women in Daehakro] ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± Instead, there was a flood of provocative stabbings that would easily cover up ¡°audition screening irregrities.¡± *** The top floor of KL Entertainment headquarters. There were two men in a room with a bleak atmosphere. One is the director of the actor¡¯s office. The other is Lee Homin¡¯s father and KL Entertainment CEO ¡®Lee Youngkyung¡¯. ¡°The 5th director. The audition ended a bit disappointing¡± Lee Youngkyung said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t expect Ronald to open his mouth so easily.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. A person may make a mistake or two in his life.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Of course, not three times.¡± At the words of Lee Youngkyung, who has bones, the 5th chief broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m going to cover it up with other issues anyway. You know, my style.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. But who is the actor?¡± ¡°Actor? Oh, a bullet stand?¡± Lee Youngkyung casually called a person a ¡°bullet.¡± He¡¯s a really scary person.¡¯ Chief 5 himself was a cruel owner of the castle, but Lee Youngkyung changed the course. Lee Youngkyung handed a photo to the head of the 5th office and said. ¡°He¡¯s an actor from our agency, and he¡¯s a theater guy right now. I can¡¯t waste my precious cards just because of this, can I?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤I see.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s paid enough to be satisfied.¡± After hearing that, the head of the 5th division asked in a trembling voice. ¡°But CEO. No matter how much money his been paid. ¡°Isn¡¯t he not going to be an actor in the future?¡± Lee Youngkyung, who listened to Chief 5, smiled for a moment and burst intoughter. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± It was the first time Lee Youngkyung smiled without reason, so the 5th chief stayed still, looking at his intentions. Lee Youngkyung, whoughed for a long time enough to make his eyes tear up, finally stoppedughing. ¡°Iughed out loud after a long time. Director 5, are you worried about the actor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just. I¡¯m a little sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. you can be sorry. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be bothered.¡± Lee Youngkyung stared at the head of the 5th office like a ¡®male¡¯ who was aiming for prey, contrary to his gentle attitude a while ago. ¡°By the way. Do you have time to care about others now?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Haha, of course not. It¡¯s not crazy.¡± Lee Youngkyung got up from his seat and went to the front of the 5th chief. The distance between each other¡¯s faces is so close that they are less than 20 centimeters. The head of the 5th department barely held his trembling hands. ¡°Five chiefs.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s yourst chance.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like Kang Jinseok. I don¡¯t want to see it anymore.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°The 5th chief has a good sense, so you understand what I¡¯m saying, right?¡± After finishing his speech, Lee Youngkyung left the room. Director 5 could not say anything until now. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± The five chiefs, who were left alone, sat down on the chair next to them as if they were copsing. ¡®We have to do something. Or else¡­¡¯ I¡¯m done. The head of the 5th department called somewhere thinking that. [Yes, sir] It was Team Manager Nam in the 5th room of the actor. ¡°Uh, team leader Nam. Did you get some information about Kang Jinseok? I think I¡¯ll have to move a little faster.¡± [I¡¯m sorry]. I don¡¯t have anything in particr.] This was not the answer that the 5th chief wanted. [Oh, but there¡¯s information that bothers me] Team leader Nam¡¯s words brightened the expression of the five chiefs. Like someone who found an oasis in the desert. ¡°What is it?¡± The head of the 5th division asked in a hurry. But the answer that came back was not the answer he wanted again this time. [I think I need to be careful when I work on Kang Jinseok] ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Why?¡± [Hmm¡­] Nam¡¯s painstaking voice from beyond the cell phone. The head of the 5th department saw Nam in frustration. ¡°Oh, what is it? Hurry up and tell me!¡± [That¡­] Team leader Nam, who had been agonizing for a while, said. [OS group seems to be looking behind Kang Jinseok] Chapter 54 Chapter 54 ¡°What? OS group?¡± [Yes]. To be exact, it¡¯s OS Entertainment ¡°Are they trying to recruit Kang Jinseok from OS Entertainment?¡± As far as the head of the 5th Division knows, OS Entertainment has not moved much even though it has been some time since itsunch. Except for bringing Yoon Gayeon, the former CEO of Yoon Entertainment, as a deputy CEO. ¡®So I wasn¡¯t paying much attention.¡¤¡¤. You¡¯re saying they were looking after Kang Jinseok like a rat in the back, right But OS entertainment was too big to be called a ¡®rat.¡¯ The CEO of OS International is also serving as the CEO of OS Entertainment. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem if he was just trying to do the entertainment business out of boredom, but¡­¡¯ If Oh Haneul was serious, he needed to be more careful when he touched Kang Jinseok. ¡°Let¡¯s meet and talk first. I think there are some things to pay attention to.¡± [Yes, sir]. I¡¯ll go into thepany now.] ¡°Yes.¡± The head of the 5th office, who hung up the phone, scanned Lee Youngkyung¡¯s room once. I haven¡¯t been here a few times, but whenever I came, I thought it was simr to Ryu Sungho¡¯s room in the first division of actors. ¡°Come to think of it. ¡®What is he doing, Ryu Sungho?¡¯ Chief 1 was a man who had known him for quite a long time, but many things were hidden. I didn¡¯t like it because it felt heterogeneous, but I also acknowledged the 5th head of the office. I¡¯ll have to get some help from him.¡¯ Director 5 left the room pressing Ryu Sungho¡¯s call button. *** I got a call from the staff and the producer that I had passed the audition. And surprisingly, there has never been news that KL Entertainment has given back money to the judges. Instead, only articles about ¡°Actress L¡¯s Private Life¡± poured in. (Singing ¡°Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo.¡±). A few dayster, I got a call from the staff of ¡°The Way They Chose¡± and the residents¡¯ district. ¡°Hello?¡± [Hello, actor]. It¡¯s a residential area! [Can I talk to you now?] ¡°Yes, hello! I¡¯m okay with the call. Go ahead.¡± [Yes, it¡¯s because we¡¯re almost done casting]. I called you because I wanted to schedule a detailed schedule.] ¡°Finally¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my joy because it was long-awaited news. [The reading schedule will be confirmed when Jordan Station is out, but please think of it as the weekend after next week] ¡°Yes, yes!¡± [And the producer said that the casting took longer than expected and that he wanted to finish the poster shoot before the reading]. [Only the main cast will be on the poster, so you don¡¯t have to wait for Cho Dan¡¯s role] My constituency kept saying while I listened. [The photographer and other actors said they had time before reading the script. When is Kang Jinseok okay?] A drama poster can be said to be a cover in a book. It ys an important role in attracting viewers¡¯ attention by making it possible to know the atmosphere and plot of the drama at a nce. I realized that I was cast as the main character. ¡°Anytime is fine with me, too. Tomorrow is fine right now!¡± [Oh, that¡¯s great!]! Then, I¡¯ll send you an address, so pleasee there tomorrow!] The shooting was scheduled immediately. *** A studio in Gangnam, Seoul. The staff were busy walking around. ¡°How long is the studio rental open today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unlimited!¡± ¡°Are you saying that you don¡¯t get off work?¡± ¡°Uh, uh, I¡¯ll check it out!¡± ¡°Why would you check that out!¡± Some people run around with lights, and others run around with bags full of stuff. When you were all over the ce. The entrance to the studio opened. That bump. That bump. Scruffy gray sneakers with something on them in ces. There came a man in rustic fluffy ck sweatpants and a dented checkered shirt. with a hat on one¡¯s head. It was a very difficult fashion for anyone to see, but the man is confident as if he doesn¡¯t care about that. One of the staff who found him ran to the man. ¡°Oh, hello!! Writer Yang Chihoon ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± The staff rubbed their hands and spoke politely to Yang Chihoon, who spoke in a slightly vague voice. ¡°Did you feelfortable on your way here?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha, ha. How do you like the studio? As you said, I rented a ce as wide as I could.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± The staff smiled awkwardly at the continued short answer. Then the staff around me chatted small. ¡°Hey, is that writer Yang Chihoon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so different from what I thought¡± ¡°I know. From the outside, I think I¡¯ll go to a PC room instead of a studio.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t go like that even when I go to a PC room these days.¡± A senior staff member who was listening to their conversation said. ¡°Huh. Hey, you guys, don¡¯t you be quiet? What are you going to do if the writer hears it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± The old man¡¯s pressing quickly dispersed the staff. Looking at it, he kicked his tongue a few times and immediately approached Yang Chihoon. ¡°Hello, writer. I¡¯m Seo Haehee, who you worked with once before. It¡¯s an honor to work with you again.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes. When we were shooting ¡®Riol¡¯ brand¡­¡± You worked with him, right When Yang Chihoon remembered himself, Cho Haehee was surprised. It was six years ago that Cho Haehee worked with Yang Chihoon. In addition, at that time, Ha Younghee had little presence because he was a newbie sweeping and wiping the floor. ¡®You said you put everything on set under your own control, but I didn¡¯t expect you to remember even me, who was at the end of the set.¡¯ It was both thankful and surprising to remember him, but Yang Chihoon was also a very picky person. ¡°It took me a week to shoot a bag for the Riol shoot.¡± It took more than 10 days to film with the model on, so the model was very nervous.¡¯ While Cho Haehee was thinking about that, Yang Chihoon handed over the sketchbook. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ This is the conti today. actors and actresses. Please exin when youe. I misspeak. The exnation is as detailed as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cho Haehee carefully handed over the sketchbook. ¡°As expected,¡¤¡¤¡¤. You¡¯re no joke.¡¯ The sketchbook was filled with paintings drawn by Yang Chihoon himself and exnations about them. The finished version could be clearly seen just by reading the picture and exnation. But there was also a problem. ¡°Will actors listen to all these instructions?¡± If the target to be photographed is an ¡°object¡± such as a bag or wallet, all you need to do is to set theposition well. However, it is not easy if the target is a ¡°person.¡± And most of all, there were many people with dirty personalities in the ¡°actors¡± that Cho Haehee knew. It is unlikely that he will listen to such demanding instructions well. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa¡­¡± You¡¯re going to have a hard time today.¡¯ Cho Haehee stared at the fern. Yang Chihoon is touching the camera with a slightly nk look on his face. Contrary to his expression, his hands were very agile. then. ¡°Hello!¡± I heard a sweet voice at the entrance of the studio. Cho Haehee turned to the door. I see a man walking into the studio with an awkward look on his face. It was the first time I saw him, but all the other staff recognized him. ¡°Actor Kang Jinseok is here!¡± One of the staff members who was scolded by Cho Haehee earlier shouted. Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on Jinseok, as when Yang Chihoon came. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so handsome. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fun to work on today¡± ¡°But you came very early. ¡°Didn¡¯t youe two hours early?¡± Cho Haehee approached Jinseok and said. ¡°Hello, actor. I¡¯m Cho Haehee. You came a little early, didn¡¯t you ¡°Oh, yes! It was my first time filming a poster, so I came a little early and tried to get used to it. ¡°Was it disturbing?¡± ¡°I see. No. It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone like this before.¡± There¡¯s a point ofing early, it was the first time I¡¯d ever seen an actor so early. Anyway, I couldn¡¯t stand the actor up like this, so I took Jinseok to Yang Chihoon and introduced him. ¡°I¡¯m writer Yang Chihoon, who will be in charge of today¡¯s shoot. Writer, this is actor Kang Jinseok.¡± Yang Chihoon scanned Jinseok from head to toe. His eyes look like he¡¯s painting a work of art. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Please give me sketchbook number 4.¡± ¡°What? Oh, yes!¡± Among the sketchbooks that Cho Haehee put down on his desk, he handed over the sketchbook that said ¡°No. 4¡± to Yang Chihoon. (Singing ¡°Twinkle¡± in Korean) He quickly turned over the sketchbook, opened a page, and gave it to Jinseok. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ I¡¯m going to take this. This is all I can take in person. I prepared about 50 other contents. But I¡¯m going to film this.¡± *** ¨C We¡¯ll start shooting in 10 minutes! One of the staff shouted. The atmosphere of the studio, which had been noisy, was cleared up, and preparations for the shooting began in earnest. ¡°What does this mean?¡­¡± However, even before the shooting, he has not been able to find an answer to what the director¡¯s intention is and how to express the scene. ¡ª¡ª With an empty but empty gaze, he regrets the past. Desperate that there is no turning back that past, but grieve with regret that presses down on despair-. ¡ª¡ª I didn¡¯t think he was an ordinary person when I first saw him, but I didn¡¯t expect to make such a strange request. ¡°It¡¯s harder than the script.¡± He was holding on to the sketchbook and posing around, and Cho Haehee came up with coffee in both hands. ¡°He¡¯s usually very intuitive, but strangely, only the directions I gave to actor Kang Jinseok are very difficult.¡± As Cho Haehee said, the content written in other sketchbooks was not this philosophical. That doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯tin. ¡°Ha ha, ha, ha. Yeah. But I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll help you as much as I can. Oh, would you like some coffee? I thought today¡¯s shoot would take a long time, so I brought it. Please recharge your caffeine in advance.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you.¡± At that time, Yang Chihoon crept up. I tried not to look at it because it might be rude, but my eyes kept on the painter¡¯s hat like the y props he was wearing. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤I¡¯ll take just one cut in advance. It¡¯s very different from what you see with your eyes, and what you see with your lenses.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I put down the Conti and coffee I was holding, and I went to the camera. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Then, test¡¤¡¤¡¤cut. I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As soon as he answered, Yang Chihoon pressed the shutter. sh! I was blindfolded by the intense sh. And then I open my eyes again, There was a change of sight. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ This It was Lee Manseok¡¯s memory. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Where did it go wrong?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª A quiet funeral hall where thugs stand silently. There is a portrait of Lee Manseok¡¯s wife, Kim Jiyeon. ¡ª¡ª ¡°No matter how bad the floor is,¡­¡± How can you make a family?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª ¡®By other thugs, my wife was murdered.¡¯ But Lee Manseok was not angry or anything. ¡ª¡ª ¡®If I didn¡¯t be a thug, . . . No one would have aimed for Jiyeon¡¯s life. Then Jiyeon wouldn¡¯t have died like this.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª This is because this regret has engulfed the anger. Only two people in the world became thugs to protect their wives and brothers. Lee Manseok couldn¡¯t keep his wife. ¡ª¡ª ¡®It¡¯s not about being a gangster, there must have been another good way. Why did I be a thug like a soldier?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª The thought of ¡°If I hadn¡¯t be a gangster¡± continued to circte. When Lee Manseok was looking at his wife¡¯s portrait with an empty gaze. His men spoke quietly. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Why.¡± ¡°My brother is here.¡± ¡ª¡ª The funeral hall, which had been quiet as if it had died, became a little noisy. It was because Lee Minyoung, Lee Manseok¡¯s dear brother, came. The thugs walked out of the way, greeting Lee Minyoung in a clumsy manner. A rather unbnced situation, with the ugly bigs greeting an ordinary schoolboy. But is this treatment familiar? Lee Minyoung didn¡¯t seem to care much. Lee Minyoung was wearing a ck school uniform as soon as school ended. Lee Manseok stared at Lee Minyoung. Seeing my brother seemed a littleforting. Lee Manseok waved at Lee Minyoung without strength. by the way. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Jiyeon is¡­¡± ¡°You were like a mother to me.¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Minyoung red at Lee Manseok. The eyes and voice were full of sadness and resentment. ¡ª¡ª ¡°But, uh, she died today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because of you, too.¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t a gangster, Jiyeon wouldn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I hope we don¡¯t see each other again.¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Minyoung said to Lee Manseok in tears. To Lee Minyoung, Lee Manseok couldn¡¯t bear to say anything. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Minyoung¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª A long time ago, my brother¡¯s bright smile came to mind. However, the face of the younger brother who loved him and smiled was full of hatred and resentment. ¡ª¡ª ¡®I became a gangster to protect Jiyeon and Minyoung, but no one could keep it in the end.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Whoo.¡± Being possessed at the saddest moment of a person¡¯s life, no matter how many times you experience it, you don¡¯t get used to it. The pain of not getting used to it gives new impetus time and time again, but no one knows if it will be the inspiration that leads to the correct answer. ¡°Director, I think I¡¯ve found the answer.¡± So sometimes it was necessary to try boldly. Just like right now. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Right before Yang Chihoon pressed the shutter. I admired Jinseok¡¯s face in the camera lens. ¡®¡¤¡¤That¡¯s perfect.¡¯ A perfect proportion as if God had made it with all his heart and soul. As a photographer, I have photographed countless people, objects, and animals, but there was no such ¡®look¡¯. Works made by high-nose artists called geniuses throughout the world, were also iparable to Jinseok. ¡®And above all, his eyes are extraordinary. There is a life so sad in this man¡¯s eyes.¡¯ Although he may just look pure and nice to others, Yang Chihoon found something different in Jinseok¡¯s eyes. Emotions such as ¡°regret for the past¡±, ¡°joy¡±, and ¡°regrets¡± were not seen even in the elderly over the age of 100. It is unknown how such a young person has such eyes. But the important thing is that the person with those eyes is in front of his camera. So I gave Jinseok the content of ¡®Sketchbook No. 4¡ä. It was a Conti depicting a character named ¡°Oh Manho,¡± which came to mind when Yang Chihoon saw the script of ¡°The Way They Chose.¡± I know it¡¯s going to be difficult, but. It might be this man.¡¯ sh! Jinseok closed his eyes when the sh went off. ¡°Seeing you close your eyes because you¡¯re surprised by the sh, I guess you haven¡¯t done a lot of photo shoots.¡± Yang Chihoon waited until Jinseok opened his eyes again. Jinseok with his eyes closed for quite some time. At least it was only one or two seconds, but Yang Chihoon felt that time was long. ¡°Are you really surprised?¡± People who are not familiar with filming sometimes feel dizzy when they see the sh. It was then. ¡°Director, I think I¡¯ve found the answer.¡± Jinseok said with his eyes still closed. ¡°Your voice¡­¡± It¡¯s different.¡¯ However, Yang Chihoon could not express what had changed in Jinseok¡¯s voice. He¡¯s a ¡®photography¡¯ expert, not a ¡®voice¡¯ expert. Jinseok and Yang Chihoon¡¯s eyes met. His empty gaze contained a mournful feeling of despair, regretting the past, but grieving more than that. ¡°No. This is ¡®arrogant¡¯ beyond what I imagined Seeing the despair in Jinseok¡¯s eyes, Yang Chihoon shouted to himself. ¡°Bba, hurry up.¡± We have to film that In the studio, Yang Chihoon was always rxed. But for now, I couldn¡¯t keep calm. But I didn¡¯t make a mistake either. As if the machine were moving, the shutter was pressed with borate movements. Bam! There was a chilling sound and a burning smell. ¡°Seo, no way.¡± Yang Chihoon hurriedly checked the camera sh. ¡°Come on, Jen-Ja-ang.¡± The sh that I didn¡¯t expect was broken. ¡°The average sh life is 50,000 times.¡± But it¡¯s going to break now?¡¯ Maybe a broken sh the moment you try to shoot the best work of your career. It was ridiculous, but it did happen. ¡°I should have just taken it.¡± Yang Chihoon fixed the sh with his bare hands. ¡°You can take your time preparing. I can take as many pictures as I want.¡± Unlike frustrated ferns, Jinseok spoke nonchntly. ¡°I understood exactly what it was, the conti that the writer said.¡± Yang Chihoon looked at Jinseok with trembling eyes. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤Oh my God.¡¯ Jinseok had another life in his eyes. ¡°What kind of imagination, no, experience have you experienced in that short period of time to change people¡¯s eyes like that?¡± There have been questions that have never been asked while filming numerous actors so far. ¡°I think you¡¯ve calmed down. Shall we start filming?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Jinseok, who heard the answer, stood in front of the camera again. After Yang Chihoon hurriedly reced the sh. sh! I started filming. *** ¡°Thank you for your hard work!¡± ¡°Great job!¡± ¡°It¡¯s over so fast!¡± ¡°Just be like today!¡± Contrary to Cho¡¯s concerns, the shooting was over in just over an hour. That¡¯s also satisfactory enough for Yang Chihoon to say, ¡°It¡¯s the best, the best.¡± I just nodded because I didn¡¯t know the picture well. ¡°I think it came out well.¡± Today¡¯s footage was seen on arge screen in the center of the studio. A look from top to bottom in a suit. On top of that, the expressionless expression that ¡°Lee Manseok¡± often did. I don¡¯t know what kind of finished version wille out because it hasn¡¯t been edited yet, but I thought a good picture woulde out. Yang Chihoon approached and said. ¡°Bae, actor, thank you for your hard work. It was a difficult shoot. Thank you so much for doing a good job.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not. The writer had a hard time. I just stood still.¡± Looking at me like that, Yang Chihoon burst intoughter. ¡°Laughing out loud¡­¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m guilty, I¡¯m sorry. The expression of standing still is so humble. Unbeknownst to me, . . . .¡± Yang Chihoon blurted his words and continued. ¡°By the way, actor.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°When you were filming earlier, the atmosphere suddenly changed. ¡°Did you act?¡± ¡°Acting.¡± If it was acting, it was acting. I was possessed by Lee Manseok. ¡°Yes, I acted ording to the content you gave me.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s amazing. I understand why Sarang praised you like that.¡± ¡°Love sister?¡± ¡°Yes. Staff Sergeant Foster and the producer are close to me. He asked me to take this poster, so I did it ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I was supposed to take a poster for another drama, but I threw it away because I asked for your love.¡± But I did well. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m taking a picture like this Yang Chihoon said with a big smile. As I kept looking, his clumsy tone and his anger hat matched well. ¡°By the way, actor.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can you tell me which character you yed before the shooting? I¡¯m asking if I¡¯ll be an inspiration when I shoot another er. It¡¯s so impressive.¡± ¡°Um, uh¡­¡± ¡°What kind of person is he?¡± I showed him this many seats as he did, but I didn¡¯t think about what he was like either. ¡°My acting is¡­¡± I thought about it for a while and said. ¡°He was a devil who regretted going to hell.¡± *** Studio Redcat headquarters. Ha Sarangy down on a camping cot that she brought from home. ¡°Huh! Is it organized now?¡± For a few days that filled in the absence of KL entertainment actors. I couldn¡¯t even wash properly, so I was very tired and stressed, but I was satisfied because I finished a big deal. Then, Ha Sarang¡¯s cell phone rang. (Singing ¡°Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo.¡±). ¡°Who is it?¡± It¡¯s 4 a.m. now. Either the liver has popped out of the boat enough to contact me at this time, or it¡¯s really urgent. I checked my phone with a light sigh. [Yang Chihoon: Sister. [This is Kang Jin Seok¡¯s first corrected version] [Yang Chihoon: Attachment:((Picture) Kang Jinseok¡¯s first correction] ¡°It¡¯s already out?¡± Ha Sarang knows Yang Chihoon, who is not usually a strict photographer. As a result, there were many people who were reluctant to work together even though their skills were very good. ¡°But I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s already sent me a corrected version¡­¡± Ha Sarang opened the attachment wondering. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a harpoon.¡± Jinseok¡¯s appearance mixed with much moreplex andplex emotions than what she saw in the audition. When he expressed it in ck and white with light and shade, the atmosphere was literally ¡®crazy¡¯. ¡°Kang Jinseok and Yang Chihoon.¡± When the two geniuses meet, this kind of picturees out.¡± Ha Sarang got out of bed. Until a little while ago, I was fully fit, but when I saw the picture, I was very motivated to work. ¡°I can¡¯t lose either.¡± Ha Sarang sat at the desk again and spread the profiles. The profiles she sees now are assistant and minor roles. There are few important roles in the development of the drama, but they are characters who have to y the role of Licorice in the middle. ¡°But I don¡¯t like this one.¡± Ha Sarang frowned while looking at the profile of an idol belonging to MAJOR 77. ¡°I don¡¯t like something¡± is literally a feeling. However, in this industry, ¡°gam¡± is sometimes the basis for an important judgment that cannot be ignored. Ha Sarang, who had been contemting for a long time, eventually found another profile. ¡°Seo Yeonsoo more than her?¡± I think this is better.¡¯ Seo Yeonsoo was such an actor who was caught in her eyes after seeing her profile. ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk about it at the morning meetingter.¡± Ha Sarang, who could not finally make a decision, put both profiles in one box. *** The lobby of ¡®W¡¯, one of the best hotels in Korea. I can feel the hotel staff in uniform staring at me. Maybe he¡¯s suspicious of me armed with a mask and a hat. I called AD Kang Heeyeon before I had a problem. [Hello?] ¡°Oh, yes, it¡¯s Kang Jinseok! I¡¯ve just arrived in the lobby of the hotel!¡± [Oh! You came early!]! I¡¯ll go to the lobby now. Please wait a moment!] The reason I came here today was to attend the joint end party of ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising¡± and ¡°Spring Without Flowers.¡± There has been no end party together so far, but this time, it is said to have been done together due to a strong request from an investmentpany. I could see AD Kang Heeyeon running in the distance. ¡°At that time, it was so cool that I went to the broadcasting station to read the script.¡± Seeing the ¡°STAFF¡± ne around her neck swaying around reminded me of a time when I went to a BDD station to read ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising.¡± ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°Oh, yes. It¡¯s been a while. ¡°How have you been?¡± When I took off my hat and mask and tried to say hello, Kang Heeyeon stopped me in an urgent voice. ¡°Now, wait a minute!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re a little frustrated, inside!¡± Go inside and take it off! If you take it off in a crowded ce like this, it¡¯ll be crazy!¡± What do you mean? If anyone hears it, they¡¯ll think you¡¯re taking off your clothes. When I changed my hat and mask again, Kang Heeyeon guided me to the party. Soon, signs and doors reading ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising¡± and ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± ended party were seen. Kang Heeyeon held out a ¡°STAFF¡± ne to two men with wide shoulders guarding the door. ¡°I¡¯m Kang Heeyeon, the staff of BDD. I brought an actor who was invited today!¡± After checking the ne for a while, the man opened the door. ¡°Wow.¡± Gorgeous chandeliers, various refreshments catered in between, luxurious carpets, and spacious podiums. The spectacr party scene that I saw in movies and dramas unfolded in front of my eyes. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ¡°If it¡¯s this much of a party¡­¡± The part-timers must have really died because they were preparing.¡¯ I had a part-time job at this hotel in the past, My job was to carry the luggage needed for the party, so I could imagine it. Kang Heeyeon asked as she looked nkly inside as I recalled the memory of that time. ¡°Actor? Aren¡¯t youing in?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I went inside with an awkward walk. Then there was a familiar voice in the background. ¡°Oh, Kang Jinseok!¡± It was Producer Na Jinho, whom I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. I bowed deeply. ¡°Hello, PD!¡± ¡°Haha! You¡¯re still very friendly.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t look so good.¡± I couldn¡¯t say, ¡°I thought how hard it must have been for the part-timers,¡± so I talked about it in other words. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I think it¡¯s because I¡¯m so quick to be invited to such a fancy ce.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s understandable. I¡¯ve been rolling on this floor for 20 years, and it¡¯s my first time having an end party here. Originally, I just finished it roughly at a meat restaurant, but this time, ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising¡± was also a hit, so the director cared about it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°By the way.¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± Na Jinho approached me and asked. ¡°How did that work go?¡± ¡°Oh, I got a call a while ago that I was epted. Thanks to the producer, I got an opportunity to audition for a good work. Thank you very much.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my virtue? It¡¯s all Jinseok¡¯s skill. Anyway, that¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After hearing my answer, Na Jinho asked in a worried voice. ¡°By the way, I heard KL Entertainment was mean again. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤How did you know that? ¡°The article went down in an instant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kind of close to the producer in charge of the work. She said she handled it by removing all KL Entertainment actors, but Jinseok is also careful, just in case.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your care.¡± I did not say that I met with KL Entertainment¡¯s first manager. Because I didn¡¯t want to be involved with them. Na Jinho, who looked at my face, said. ¡°Tell me if anything happens. I¡¯ll help if I can.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± After that, we talked about how we¡¯ve been doing. It was mainly the story after I left out of the filming of ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising¡±. ¡°I¡¯m personally curious about this, but doesn¡¯t actor Kang Jinseok want to have an agency?¡± If you go into ¡°The Way They Choose¡±, it won¡¯t be easy to manage your schedule.¡± ¡°I feel the need these days, but I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an actor, but let me give you a piece of advice. Rather than the strength or conditions of thepany, apany that allows an actor to act what he or she wants to do is the best. Especially a talented actor like Jinseok.¡± It is probably a conclusion made while watching and filming numerous actors so far. He bowed to the advice that he could not buy even if he paid for it. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll decide with your words in mind.¡± ¡°Haha, yes. Then have a good time Go ahead.¡± Na Jinho walked toward the staff with his back. *** When the end party began in earnest, close people gathered in groups. Among them, the busiest one is. ¡°Hey, Jinseok. ¡°The poster photos were amazing¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Jinseok, you¡¯re so popr these days ¡°I heard from Nayeon. ¡°I heard you did well on your audition¡± It was around me. Min Kyungsoo, Park Woohyun, and Lee Narin became close in ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising.¡± And Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah, with whom I became close in ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡±. My table, where arge number of leading actors gathered, was getting everyone¡¯s attention at a nce. Reporters who came to cover the end party were also pressing shutters toward this side. When I said hello to each person, Park Woohyun said. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Jinseok and Kyungsoo, I heard you¡¯re going to work together again.¡± ¡°Oh, of course!¡± Min Kyungsoo jokingly put his arms around me. ¡°Jinseok and I are soulmates who are older than each other.¡± Right, Jinseok?¡± ¡°What? Oh, yes. Ha ha, ha, ha.¡± Park Woohyun shook his head when he answered with an embarrassing smile. ¡°What do you mean soulmate? It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re trying to put it on Jinseok.¡± ¡°Look at the cheap thing you¡¯re talking about. Ouch, really.¡± After ring at Park Woohyun once, Min Kyungsoo said in a slightly serious voice. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. ¡°Jinseok.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I changed my role.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? Yes?¡± How can you change your role? ¡°You were originally a ¡®police¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes. But it changed to ¡°Boss.¡± Originally yed by Min Kyungsoo, ¡°Police¡± was a person who helped the main character, ¡°Oh Manho.¡± On the other hand, ¡°Boss¡± was the head of the viin. In other words, it was the opposite role. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Yes. You know Moon Jongchul, right? Originally, he was the boss, but he was cut off because of his agency¡¯s problems.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°Producer Na Jinho said all KL entertainment actors would be excluded. That¡¯s what he meant.¡± ¡°So somehow it changed from ¡®police¡¯ to ¡®boss¡¯. Well, I¡¯m confident in any role.¡± Other actors would be quite embarrassed. However, it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal for an actor like Min Kyungsoo to change his role. Park Woohyun, who was listening to the two of us, said. ¡°Bro, it¡¯s been a long time since I acted to be a nice guy. It must be a shame.¡± ¡°Producer Ha Sarang is asking me a lot, but I can¡¯t help it. At times like this, shouldn¡¯t a ¡°talented middle-aged actor¡±e forward like me again Min Kyungsoo said with confidence, beating his chest. Park Woohyun smiled slowly at Min Kyungsoo. ¡°Then it¡¯s rather good.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s rather good ¡°What?¡± ¡°The boss of the organization fits your image perfectly. I¡¯ve seen you for a long time, but you have to do something bad. You¡¯re a bad person from the start of your skin. Even if you y the role of an alien viinter, I don¡¯t think you have to dress up as a special guest.¡± ¡°What?¡± Park Woohyun, who had been arguing with Min Kyungsoo for a long time, told me this time. ¡°Jinseok. I heard you¡¯re already the main character.¡± ¡°Yes, the producer liked it.¡± ¡°How can you nail everything?¡± It¡¯s all about your skills. By the way, if Jinseok is the main character and Min Kyungsoo is the viin.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Is Kyungsoo and Jinseok going to y a game with acting?¡± Park Woohyun¡¯s yful words slightly subdued the atmosphere of the table. It wasn¡¯t because Min Kyungsoo and I fought each other or looked at each other. This is because Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah, who do not know the rtionship between Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun, came out and were looking at Min Kyungsoo. At that time, Lee Narin said calmly, as if it were no big deal. ¡°You two, never mind. What Woohyun and Kyungsoo say is that 9 out of 10 is just meaningless.¡± The two were furious at Lee Narin¡¯s words, not to mention who came first. ¡°Hey, Narin. I¡¯m a serious talker. You know, it¡¯s all because Park Woohyun is with Yang Ahchi ¡°Hey, Narin. I¡¯m a serious talker. It¡¯s all because I¡¯m with a fool, Kyungsoo Wow. How can you say such a long sentence at the same time? Maybe these two are true soulmates. Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun kept saying, ¡°Why are you copying me?¡± and ¡°Wow, I got goosebumps. I¡¯m in a bad mood. ¡°I want to go home,¡± she said, bickering again. ¡°You seem to be having a good time.¡± ¡°What about her?¡± At that time, CEO Yoon Gayeon, who met as a judge in the audition for ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising¡±, approached. ¡°Hello, CEO. Producer, it¡¯s been a while since I saw the writer.¡± ¡°Hooray. Yes. Long time no see, Kang Jinseok. But Jinseok, I¡¯m not the representative anymore. I went to anotherpany.¡± ¡°Anotherpany?¡± ¡°Yes. Now I¡¯m a vice president of OS Entertainment.¡± This time, Min Kyungsooughed and told Yoon Gayeon. ¡°Oh, is our sister here? I heard you might not be able toe because you are so busy at work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to work. But why am I your sister? Min Kyungsoo is two years older than me.¡± ¡°How old are you? If it¡¯s an older sister, it¡¯s an older sister.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You¡¯re a bit of a young mind.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my charm.¡± It was like a conversation between Park Woohyun and Min Kyungsoo. ¡°You two must be quite close.¡± As I stood staring nkly at the two, Min Kyungsoo said. ¡°Oh, Jinseok. I told you before when I had an audition and ate. I changed the CEO of thepany I originally had.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The original CEO is this person. After she left, thepany became a little strange.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± It was a very small world. I can¡¯t believe the rtionship is so intertwined. Yoon Gayeon looked at me and said. ¡°Did Kyungsoo really say that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m gone and thepany is weird?¡± ¡°Yes. And I also said, ¡®I¡¯m going to move to apany like Mr. Jeon,¡¯ and I said, ¡®Do you have any ns to go with me?''¡± Yoon Gayeon said, hitting Min Kyungsoo¡¯s back as if she was proud. ¡°Kyungsoo! It was worth raising you¡± ¡°I grew up on my own.¡± ¡°Thud. This is not why you reap ck-haired beasts.¡± Yoon Gayeon shook her head and kept talking to Min Kyungsoo. ¡°Oh, you said something interesting earlier.¡± ¡°A funny story?¡± ¡°Oh, I heard you¡¯re working on the same work. Min Kyungsoo, you¡¯re the viin in the lead role of actor Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Min Kyungsoo said calmly as if it was not a big deal. On the other hand, Yoon Gayeon asked interestingly. ¡°Park Woohyun was working with Kang Jinseok and got eaten during the reading. What do you think?¡± When asked by Yoon Gayeon, everyone around him looked at Min Kyungsoo. With a look full of tension and doubts. Unlike the atmosphere around him, however, Min Kyungsoo even smiled lightly and said. ¡°To be honest, I think I¡¯m going to be eaten, too.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s why I like it rather. In the script for the final episode, there is a scene where ¡°Boss¡± is robbed by Jinseok, and I don¡¯t think it needs acting. Just follow what Jinseok does! Methodplete.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the article is no joke.¡± ¡°As expected of Min Kyungsoo.¡± Like a delicious viin.¡± Min Kyungsoo said with a chuckle. Yoon Gayeon, who listened carefully to the words, crossed her arms. ¡°Kyungsoo¡¯s eyes have improved a lot since I haven¡¯t seen him.¡± You know exactly how good other actors are.¡± ¡°My eyes opened when I saw Jinseok¡¯s acting. Something¡¯s different about him.¡± Producer Kim Mansoo, who was listening to the story, said. ¡°But vice president. Didn¡¯t you say you had something to say to the actors here?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I forgot while talking with Kyungsoo.¡± Yoon Gayeon erased her yful smile and made eye contact with the actors with a serious face. ¡°Kyungsoo, Woohyun, and Lee Nayeon.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah, too.¡± I understand that the contract with the agency is over now, or you¡¯re over, but I¡¯d like to take you to ourpany this time.¡± A confident attitude that can be clearly heard even in a noisy party. ¡°Oh, of course.¡± While everyone was focusing on Yoon Gayeon, she smiled and reached out to me as well. ¡°Actor Kang Jinseok, too.¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Me too? I blinked my eyes in amazement at the sudden remark. ¡°OS Entertainment is apany that I¡¯ve been building up from the bottom. We have enough capital, so there won¡¯t be any minor problems. I guarantee you, there¡¯s nopany that¡¯s more helpful to actor Kang Jinseok than us.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± It felt quite different from when I got a proposal from KL Entertainment. At that time, I felt a little overwhelmed and repulsed, but now I¡¯m excited. I haven¡¯t heard the detailed terms of the contract yet, but I felt something good. In addition, ¡®Yoon Entertainment¡¯, which Yoon Gayeon once represented, was apany I admired. Apany that values people over money. It was the dream of many aspiring actors as well as me. I took a moment topose myself and tried to say, ¡°Okay.¡± At that time, Yoon Gayeon nodded and spoke in a serious voice. ¡°Well, I see. I must first present the terms and the vision before I say this.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤? Yes?¡± Conditions and vision? *** Yoon Gayeon, who suggested recruiting Jinseok. She pretended to be rxed on the outside, but she was quite nervous on the inside. ¡°Kyungsoo said we had a meeting at KL Entertainment headquarters¡­¡± Yoon Gayeon recalled the information she heard from Min Kyungsoo beforeing here. ¡°You didn¡¯t even sign a contract, did you?¡± Of course, Jinseok had no intention of signing with KL Entertainment. However, Yoon Gayeon, who did not know the fact, was bound to be worried. First of all, I¡¯ll have to say the conditions.¡¯ I don¡¯t know what conditions KL Entertainment offered, but Yoon Gayeon was confident in turning Jinseok¡¯s mind. ¡°Well, I see. I must first present the terms and the vision before I say this.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤What?¡± ¡°First of all, please listen to our business n. Then I will tell you the terms of the contract.¡± When Jinseok asked back, Yoon Gayeon quickly continued. ¡°Just as Yoon Entertainment did, OS Entertainment will go out as a minority elite.¡± Yoon Gayeon said while looking at the actors around her. ¡°And unlike otherpanies, we will allow our actors to interact with each other.¡± Like a team.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°We participate in works or advertisements together, and we also appear in works that we produce ourselves. Of course, thepany will support the payment ordingly.¡± The event made the surroundings noisy, but Yoon Gayeon¡¯s voice was conveyed to everyone properly. Min Kyungsoo, Lee Narin, and Park Woohyun just nodded their heads as if they had heard it once. Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah were surprised by the word ¡°team¡± and were happily imagined. Lastly, Jinseok. ¡°It¡¯s very lengthy¡­¡± There was nothing I wanted in particr because I had never received care in the first ce. It was enough to just give me a ride and take good care of my meal when I was filming. If you pay attention to the styling, it¡¯ll be the icing on the cake. ¡°And there is a special condition I was going to tell youter.¡± Yoon Gayeon approached Jinseok a little closer and whispered in a small voice. ¡°The ¡¯10 million nursery¡¯ where actor Kang Jinseok grew up.¡± OS Entertainment will support it.¡± Jinseok, who was listening to Yoon Gayeon in a vague way, was slightly surprised. ¡°How do you know 10 million nurseries?¡± ¡°You have to understand all the actors you want to recruit. The Seongsu warehouse staff who worked part-time told me.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°I heard you told an employee named ¡®Kim¡¯ before. If I make a lot of money in the future, I will rebuild the nursery building and send the children to the academy.¡± ¡°He remembered that.¡± ¡°Yes, and I heard that the reason you started acting was to find your parents.¡± Yoon Gayeon said in a more serious voice. ¡°On that matter, OS International will do its best, not OS Entertainment.¡± After this, Yoon Gayeon took a few steps away from Jinseok. Other actors couldn¡¯t tell what the two were talking about so seriously. Yoon Gayeon said with a confident smile. ¡°How do you feel? We¡¯ll have to talk about the details of the contract while looking at the contract ¡°I¡¯ll sign a contract.¡± ¡°A verbal contract is also a contract, is that okay? The contract we¡¯re giving you is a verymon contract, though.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a little unfavorable. If I can be a good person and produce good works.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°In addition, I think you¡¯ll pay a lot of attention to me.¡± Yoon Gayeon smiled satisfactorily at Jinseok¡¯s words. ¡°A good person and a good work¡­¡± What Jinseok said now was the same as his management philosophy. In addition, he felt good because it seemed to be of great help to obtain information about Jinseok¡¯s parents. When the warm atmosphere continues. An unexpected interrupter appeared. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Hey, Jinseok. But you must look at the contract, man.¡± It was Min Kyungsoo. ¡°Even though she looks like a wise mother-inw, she¡¯s a really tough person.¡± I used to sign a contract without knowing what to do, but my soul was divided by 12 hours of acting training a day.¡¤¡¤¡± Min Kyungsoo breaks the warm atmosphere. Lee Narin covered her face with her hands as if embarrassed, and Park Woohyun sighed as if pathetic. The two spoke at the same time. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ brother.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Senior.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go eat. Don¡¯t break the mood.¡± ¡°Go eat.¡± Min Kyungsoo was kicked out. *** The top floor of OS International headquarters. Oh Haneul was on the phone with a smile. ¡°He signed a contract?¡± [Yes, CEO]. [I think it was effective to focus on Kang Jinseok¡¯s personal history] ¡°I see. Thank you for your hard work. Go to the end party.¡± [It¡¯s my job] ¡°Well done. I¡¯ll see youter, then.¡± ¡°So far, it¡¯s going ording to n.¡± Kang Kyungsik, who was waiting for the call to end, asked Oh Haneul. ¡°CEO. Did she sign a contract with actor Kang Jinseok?¡± ¡°Yes, actors Min Kyungsoo, Lee Narin, Park Woohyun, Han Jehoon, and Lee Hyunah signed a contract as well.¡± Kang Kyungsik nodded as if she had done well. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to hurry up and assign a manager. There are a few people who I have already put on the.¡± ¡°Yes. Oh, speaking of that part, I think we only need to hire actor Kang Jinseok¡¯s manager. Other actors areing over with their manager now.¡± ¡°I see. Then, take a look at this.¡± Kang Kyungsik handed Oh Haneul some resumes. ¡°They were team leaders or managers in other agencies. Because ourpany¡¯s conditions are so good, they are willing to work as a manager. I¡¯ve finished my background check, and they¡¯re all ¡®rtively¡¯ clean people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rtively clean. Does that mean dustes out when you shake it off?¡± ¡°Yes, the entertainment industry is all over the ce.¡±I think I can¡¯t help it. There are some people who are very clean, but they have not been tested yet Oh Haneul, who heard Kang Kyungsik¡¯s exnation, was deeply troubled. ¡®Not everything can be perfect. But it¡¯s stupid to take the risk of blocking it in advance.¡¯ Kang Kyungsik waited calmly until Oh Haneul¡¯s head was organized. ¡°Have you discussed with the vice president what kind of person you should use?¡± ¡°Yes, but the vice president also said that most managers and team leaders would have this much w.¡± ¡°I see.¡± When Oh Haneul could not easily decide, Kang Kyungsik said carefully. ¡°Me, Mr. President.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a manager?¡± ¡°Grow up a manager. That¡¯s an interesting suggestion. What kind of person are you going to take and raise?¡± Kang Kyungsik hesitated for a moment. ¡°How about the staff of ourpany¡¯s secretariat?¡± Oh Haneul¡¯s eyes were filled with joy. ¡°Because I¡¯m an employee of our secretary¡¯s office.¡± The OS International Secretariat is a ce where the best talent in Korea gathers. Everyone is second to none, and they are disappointingly talented people with outstanding qualifications, personalities, and connections. ¡°They¡¯re my friends, so they¡¯ll quickly get used to the entertainment industry.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not ignoring the job of ¡®manager¡¯, but is there an employee in the secretariat who wants to be a manager?¡± But the real problem could not be ignored. There¡¯s such a big difference between the titles ¡°OS International Secretary¡± and ¡°OS Entertainment Manager.¡± No matter how much you pay, the difference is not easy to bridge. Kang Kyungsik spoke calmly as if there were measures against it. ¡°It¡¯s still just my idea, but there¡¯s one employee who can say he¡¯s going to work as a manager.¡± ¡°Really? Who is it?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you know this employee?¡± Kang Kyungsik gave a profile of an employee. A picture of a man in a suit with his mouth tightly closed and his waist straight. Under the name of Jang Sunho, his career and history were organized in a good way at a nce. ¡°I¡¯m sure this friend. Aren¡¯t he the staff right underneath you ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s an employee I¡¯ve seen for a long time. He is good, and the ability to read ¡®the board¡¯ is excellent.¡± ¡°Yes. How many times have you told me before? When the chief of staff retires, he will be the next chief of staff.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But why does this kind of employee want to be a manager?¡± Kang Kyungsik answered with a deep sigh. ¡°There¡¯s a story I heard when the two of us had a ss of soju before. Eight years ago, this friend¡­.¡± Kang Kyungsik told Oh Haneul the story he had with Jang Sunho. Oh Haneul, who heard Kang Kyung-sik¡¯s story for a long time, said in a heavy voice. ¡°Hmmm.¡¤¡¤¡¤. I can¡¯t believe he was a friend who went through that.¡± ¡°How do you feel? Would you like to meet him?¡± Oh Haneul stared at Jang Sunho¡¯s picture. It was a little rough appearance, but the energy from the eyes was not normal. ¡°Yes. Please schedule it right away.¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¡°The weather is so nice today.¡± to the extent that it¡¯s fascinating.¡¯ Jang Sunho, who was smoking on the roof of thepany, stared at the sky. Then, Jang Sunho¡¯s cell phone rang. [Chief of Staff Kang Kyungsik] ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Jang Sunho answered the phone immediately. ¡°Yes, sir. It¡¯s Jang Sunho.¡± [Oh, Mr. Jang]. It¡¯s Kang Kyungsik. [Is it okay to talk on the phone?] ¡°Yes, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Jang Sunho¡¯s voice was a little tense. This is because Kang Kyungsik rarely calls. ¡°No matter how urgent it is, His a person who usespany messengers or e-mails¡­¡± While thinking about that, I heard Kang Kyungsik¡¯sid-back voice. [Oh, it¡¯s not a big deal]. [Do you have an appointment tonight?] ¡°Nothing in particr.¡± [That¡¯s great]. Then let¡¯s have dinner together.] ¡°Do you have anything to say in private?¡± It made sense to make a phone call if it was this personal. ¡°I see. Then should we make a reservation for the meat restaurant we went tost time [There?]? It tasted good. Is there a room there?] ¡°There will be no room. But that¡¯s not a problem. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s okay to go anywhere if we¡¯re going to eat together.¡± When Jang Sunho asked as if he was puzzled, Kang Kyungsik answered in a calm voice. [Oh, we¡¯re not eating together today] ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± [CEO is going toe too]. [He wants to talk] I can¡¯t believe the CEO ising. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤You said it wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡¯ This was a very big deal. I went to work, but it was much bigger than thepany elevator being inspected. *** ¡®Luckily I arrived a little early.¡¯ Checking the time, Jang Sunho entered a high-end steak restaurant. The waiter approached Jang Sunho and asked politely. ¡°Did you make a reservation?¡± ¡°Yes. It will be booked under the name of Kang Kyungsik.¡± The waiter briefly checked hisptop and said with a smile. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Jang Sunho, right? Come this way, please. Yourpanions are here first.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re here first.¡± As expected, I should havee without changing my clothes.¡¯ After Kang Kyungsik¡¯s phone call, Jang Sunho immediately returned home and changed his clothes. It was because Kang Kyungsik said, ¡°I¡¯m off work, so change intofortable clothes.¡± Even if it¡¯sfortable clothes. I can¡¯t do that because it¡¯s where the representatives are.¡¯ Jang Sunho checked his clothes by looking at the mirror next to him. The suit I always wore to important meetings. It was the same suit as the armor worn by a knight who was about to fight. knock, knock. ¡°Jang Sunho is here.¡± ¡°Yes, pleasee in.¡± A familiar voice could be heard from the inside of the door as the waiter knocked on the door and announced his arrival. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± And when the door opened, two mountaineers sat down. Two fashionable men who don¡¯t fit in a fancy restaurant at all. It was a ¡®really¡¯fortable outfit that matched makgeolli and green onion pancake rather than wine and steak. It was the first time Kang Kyungsik and Oh Haneul were dressed like this, so Jang Sunho looked at them with a stunned look. Kang Kyungsik said, gesturing toe in. ¡°Mr. Manager, why are you standing there? Withouting in.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jang Sunho came into the room awkwardly. Oh Haneul, who scanned Jang Sunho from top to bottom, asked Kang Kyungsik. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me him to dressfortably?¡± ¡°I said, ¡®It¡¯s after work, so don¡¯t be nervous about the CEOing, he¡¯lle in afortable outfit.¡¯ The two talked as if it was nothing, but it was a sweaty moment for Jang Sunho. Oh Haneul said to Jang Sunho. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you liked, so I ordered a lot of things.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you for the food.¡± I¡¯ve been preparing my mind, but I was still nervous because it was in front of the representatives. Jang Sunho started eating without showing as nervous as possible. But it¡¯s because I¡¯m nervous I didn¡¯t really enjoy the cognitive taste. ¡°Did you finish eating?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for the meal.¡± ¡°You¡¯re eating well. I¡¯ll have toe with you once in a while.¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha, ha.¡± Kang Kyungsik spoke in a serious voice when the tense atmosphere was resolved by talking for a while. ¡°Mr. Kang. There¡¯s a story you told me about Mr. Jang¡¯s brother in the past.¡± Jang Sunho¡¯s hand paused when he said ¡°Brother.¡± He replied with a slightly far-fetched smile. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to bring up bad memories either.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Can you say that again?¡± Jang Sunho stared at Kang Kyungsik. ¡°Why are you doing that here?¡± But I didn¡¯t necessarily ask why. There must be a good reason for Kang Kyungsik to ask such a question when he is with the CEO. Jang Sunho, who finished thinking, replied with a light sigh. ¡°I see. ¡°Can I go get some fresh air before that?¡± *** Jang Sunho went out to get some air. He was smoking an e-cigarette on the roof. Originally, his preference was at the beginning of the year, but he brought it as a makeshift because it was a ce where the CEO was present. This is because it was not possible to smell cigarettes in front of a representative who was quitting smoking. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa¡­¡± I sucked in the smoke deeply and then let it out. ¡°Shall I slowly go back?¡± It was then. ¡°If possible, quit smoking.¡± It¡¯s not good for your health.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤!¡± Jang Sunho was embarrassed by Oh Haneul¡¯s voice suddenly heard from behind. Unbeknownst to me, I hid my cigarette behind my back. Like a student caught smoking by a teacher. Oh Haneul said, leaning on the railing next to Jang Sunho. ¡°Actually, I heard briefly from the manager earlier. A story about Mr. Jang¡¯s younger brother.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°As you know, the chief of staff is not the type to talk behind other people¡¯s stories, right? Still, looking at what I said, I think I felt sorry for Mr. Jang. So don¡¯t get too angry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I don¡¯t really care about that.¡± When Jang Sunho answered, Oh Haneul took something out of his pocket. It was a cigarette. ¡°Actually, I smoke too. Cigarettes are a must when smokers talk to each other. Oh, it¡¯s a secret from the manager. Because I think I hung up now.¡± Jang Sunho received a cigarette from Oh Haneul. ¡°CEO, you said you wanted to hear about my brother, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My brother was an actor. He wasn¡¯t a famous actor, but he was just a ywright acting in a small theater in the province.¡± Jang Sunho said, looking at the darkened sky. ¡°Then one day, my brother called me crying. He wasn¡¯t usually a sick person. It wasn¡¯t long before I joined OS International.¡± Jang Sunho¡¯s eyes got a little moist. ¡°It¡¯s so hard. So when someone asked what was hard, I said this.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡®I¡¯m just saying it. Never mind.¡¯ Jang Sunho¡¯s dry voice began to tremble. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have let it go then. A weekter, my brother was found dead in his own room.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°The police investigated, and it turned out that something bad happened at the theater where my brother belonged. And my brother¡¯s will was also found.¡± Jang Sunho took out his wallet after finishing his speech. He took out a piece of folded paper from the wallet and showed it to Oh Haneul. ¡°This is my brother¡¯s will. Do you know what it says here?¡± Jang Sunho asked, but Oh Haneul didn¡¯t answer anything. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°The paper says, ¡®Bro, I thought my job as an actor was someone who gavefort and happiness to others. But it wasn¡¯t like that. What have I been holding out for?¡¯ it said After saying that, Jang Sunho bit the cigarette he had in his hand in his mouth. Oh Haneul lent his lighter to Jang Sunho. ¡°Thank you.¡± Smoke rose with red mes as the cigarette was lit. Oh Haneul asked while watching Jang Sunho¡¯s cigarette smoke. ¡°If that had happened, . . . Assistant Manager Jang Sunho must hate the job of being an ¡®actor¡¯ that made his younger brother like that.¡± It was a natural question and thought. However, Jang Sunho was different. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Hating them doesn¡¯t mean your brother wille back alive, right? And the job of being an actor isn¡¯t the problem. It¡¯s the people who killed my brother. I don¡¯t think they speak for the actor.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Rather, after that day, I became interested in the job of ¡®actor¡¯. What is the ¡°actor who givesfort and happiness to someone¡± that his younger brother said, and how he passed away after holding out so hard, ¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°If I knew that, I thought I could understand a little bit of the pain and frustration my brother felt. So I had a part-time job on the set and went to see a y on the weekend, but I couldn¡¯t find it in the end.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t find it¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell what kind of actor my younger brother was talking about by simply acting in sight. What we see is ¡®acting¡¯ and ¡®image¡¯ made.¡± Jang Sunho with a wry smile. Oh Haneul was looking into Jang Sunho¡¯s eyes from the side all the time he spoke. Eyes are the window of the soul. If you look into their eyes, you can tell if the other person is telling a lie or if they mean it. ¡®This friend, you mean it.¡¯ And there was no lie in Jang Sunho¡¯s words reflected in Oh Haneul¡¯s eyes. There¡¯s no reason to make up a story like this. ¡°He¡¯s a friend who thinks ahead of the irreversible past.¡± Oh Haneul looked into Jang Sunho¡¯s eyes and asked. ¡°Let me ask you onest question.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you still interested in acting?¡± Jang Sunho hesitated for a moment to an unexpected question, but soon realized the intention of the question and answered it. ¡°If I¡¯m looking for a ¡®good actor¡¯ that my brother mentioned, of course I¡¯m interested. The problem is¡­.¡± ¡°The question is, didn¡¯t you have a chance to enter the entertainment industry yourself?¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, I thought about changing jobs when OS Entertainment wasunched, but it was difficult in reality. It¡¯s still tight to pay for my parents¡¯ hospital bills. It¡¯s a big difference from the sry I¡¯m getting now.¡± Jang Sunho said with a little hesitation. This is because it seemed to be talking about personal matters that shouldn¡¯t have to be revealed. ¡°Then let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Go to work on OS Entertainment starting tomorrow. As a ¡®manager.¡¯ ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you 1.5 times the annual sry you have now. I want to give you more, but I have to think about other managers as well.¡± 1.5 times a year. It¡¯s a tempting offer that anyone can ask. However, Jang Sunho calmly examined Oh Haneul¡¯s intention first. ¡°May I ask you one question before I give you an answer?¡± ¡°Ask me anything.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the manager of this team? Why are you suggesting this?¡± Unlike Jang Sunho¡¯s cautious voice, Oh Haneul said in a nonchnt voice. ¡°There¡¯s an actor that I¡¯m investing a lot in. He¡¯s very talented and a nice person. Sometimes I get into trouble, but I also have the sense and guts to respond in moderation.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I want to put Mr. Jang Sunho on the actor. As part of the ¡°investment¡± I mentioned earlier. You can make money somehow, but it¡¯s hard to get a good person.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing it like this. I¡¯m also a businessman, so I don¡¯t do this to people who don¡¯t have value.¡± When Jang Sunho heard that, he sighed slightly with his nose. Whoo. It didn¡¯t mean it was hard or hateful. It was such a sigh that I felt better than that. ¡°I see. Then I¡¯ll go to work as OS Entertainment from tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll talk to the manager.¡± Oh Haneul rubbed out the cigarette he was smoking and said. ¡°Then, shall we go meet the actor in charge?¡± ¡°What? Now?¡± ¡°Yes. I think it would be better to get to know each other in advance if you want to work from tomorrow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s veryte. Wouldn¡¯t the actor feel ufortable?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Jang Sunho asks anxiously. Oh Haneul said with a smile to Jang Sunho. ¡°That actor is having a drama end party at Hotel W right next door.¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 ¡°The actor is in the hotel right next door?¡± Jang Sunho asked in a shaky voice. Oh Haneul replied with a slight smile. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re having the end party of ¡®Dreams of the Sun Rising¡¯ and ¡®Spring Without Flowers¡¯ today.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes, yes.¡± ¡°Did you set up the appointment here because of this?¡± The restaurant where I had dinner tonight is quite far from thepany. If so, there must be a reason why I called you here. Maybe Oh Haneul was convinced that Jang Sunho would ept his proposal. ¡°I¡¯m slowly going down. The chief of staff will be waiting.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I see.¡± Jang Sunho followed Oh Haneul, who was walking with his back. *** Hotel W manager, Kwon Moonchang. He seemed to be distracted by the sudden call from his boss. ¡°I¡¯m already busy because of the ending party. Even the CEO of OS International ising?¡± Kwon Moonchang¡¯s stress index has already exceeded its limits. Actors and journalists. And the entertainment industry. This is because they were controlling all the needs andints of those numerous people. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. It¡¯s so hard. I can¡¯t wait to get off work and have a beer. I must use my annual leave next week.¡¯ I thought like this, but I didn¡¯t see it on my face. This is because the level of facial expression management has been exceptional as I have been serving for a long time. In addition, the head of OS Entertainment, which is about to meet, is VVIP at a hotel. There should be no mistake. Then, a ck car arrived at the hotel entrance, seemingly shouting ¡°I¡¯m rich!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the car of the CEO of OS International.¡± Without any doubt, Kwon Moonchang approached the car. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± But the person who got off was not bald. ¡°The representative of Oh Haneul that I know is bald.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it this person?¡± Kwon Moonchang took a step or two back and looked around. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been here, too. I used toe here sometimes because seolleongtang was delicious.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It tasted good, but the portion was so small that I remember you always had two servings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Oh, Mr. Jang, you should try itter if you have a chance.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Two men in hiking gear and a man in a neat suit entered the hotel nonchntly. ¡°What are they?¡± You shouldn¡¯t judge a person by their appearance, but this party is not a ce where you can dress like that. The person in the suit didn¡¯t seem to have a problem, but the hiking clothes were too much. Kwon Moonchang tried to restrain them, but he ate them up. ¡®Hmm. The other staff will take care of it.¡¯ And this wasn¡¯t the time to care about such little things. Kwon Moonchang again turned to the hotel entrance. ¡°When is heing?¡± The boss said he¡¯d be there in five minutes.¡¯ An urgent voice resonated with Kwon Moonchang¡¯s radio, which had been hanging around for a long time. [Manager] ¡°Uh, go ahead.¡± [CEO Oh Haneul is here] [He said he didn¡¯t see the manager] [They¡¯re waiting to say hi to you] [Weren¡¯t you waiting at the entrance?] ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ What?¡± *** He didn¡¯t just sign the contract, but he actually belonged to ¡°OS Entertainment.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that something great happened.¡± Still, the surroundings were the same. Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun were arguing with each other, and Lee Narin was looking at the two as if they were pathetic. Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah still seemed to distance themselves. Still, thanks to Min Kyungsoo¡¯s unique affinity, everyone seemed to have conversations to some extent. ¡°I think you all got closer than when you first saw each other.¡± Meanwhile, the entrance to the party suddenly became noisy. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I peeped my head up to look at the entrance. Yoon Gayeon, who was next to me, said. ¡°The CEO of ourpany is here. With the chief of staff. Jinseok, the manager who will take care of you is alsoing. . Oh, is that the manager?¡± I was surprised by the word ¡°representative¡± and surprised by the word ¡°manager¡± once more. While I stood still, blinking my eyes, three men at the entrance approached. ¡°Hello, Mr. President.¡± Yoon Gayeon greeted the man in front of her. Unlike the intense image of the ¡®representative¡¯ in my head, it is quite a warm impression. ¡°Yes, vice president. Thank you foring first and working hard.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Rather than that, I will introduce other actors first. This is Min Kyungsoo When Lee Hyunah finished introducing, my turn came. Yoon Gayeon pointed at me with her palm and said. ¡°Lastly, it¡¯s Kang Jinseok. Jinseok, this is Oh Haneul, CEO of OS International.¡± It was the first time I met a person named ¡®CEO¡¯, so I felt energized without realizing it. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Kang Jinseok!¡± ¡°Haha. Yes. Nice to meet you. It¡¯s my first time seeing you in person.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, I mean I only watched it on TV. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Oh Haneul called a man wearing a suit. ¡°Mr./Ms.¡¤¡¤No. Manager. Come this way.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my manager.¡± It¡¯s 1.5 times bigger than the hotel¡¯s security staff, and its beak eyes. a tall height that is likely to easily exceed 190 centimeters. His face honestly looked a little scary, but he felt cool as a man, perhaps because of his sluggish body. ¡°You look really good with your hair in the back.¡± That¡¯s a hairstyle that¡¯s not easy to pull off. ¡°I¡¯m Jang Sunho. Starting today, I will be the manager of actor Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. It¡¯s Kang Jinseok. I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± ¡°Yes, I will do my best.¡± At the end of the short greeting, the representative standing next to me said. ¡°Jang Sunho is one of the elites in ourpany¡¯s secretariat. It¡¯s my first time working as a celebrity manager, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be a great help.¡± The secretary¡¯s office? ¡°Isn¡¯t that an amazing ce?¡± It suddenly reminded me of the ¡®secretary¡¯ I saw in dramas and movies. People simply handle variousplex tasks by installing the basic instation of fivenguages, and there is nothing they can¡¯t do. If Jang Sunho in front of me is the ¡®secretary¡¯ I imagine, ¡¤¡¤¡¤. ¡°Is he an all-around manager with great physical skills?¡± ¡°A, thank you. I¡¯ll do my best, too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Just do it as it is now.¡± After finishing his speech, the CEO turned back and said to the man who came with him. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back, chief. This ce is for young folks to y.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Do you want to eat rice soup?¡± I¡¯m a little hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have boiled pork and white rice.¡± The two really disappeared like an arrow, having a friendly conversation. When the representative and the chief of staff disappeared from sight, he gave me his business card and said. ¡°I think a new business card will probablye out tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, but I¡¯ll give it to you first.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I don¡¯t have a business card, so¡­¡± ¡°The actor¡¯s face is his business card. It¡¯s all right.¡± As soon as I received the business card, I sent a text message to him. It was a short text saying, ¡°I¡¯m Kang Jinseok.¡± Jang Sunho, who checked the text, nodded and said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be waiting outside. I would appreciate it if you could contact me if you need anything or when you return home.¡± Jang Sunho bowed down while adjusting his clothes. It was like a greeting from shoulder brothers that I saw in Lee Manseok¡¯s memory. ¡°But manager.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Have you eaten?¡± It¡¯s time for you to eat It¡¯s just past 8 o¡¯clock. I would have eaten it if I could but, I asked because I thought you might not have eaten yet if you came right from thepany. ¡°I just ate. This is next to¡­.¡± The sound of ¡°crook¡± was too loud to pretend not to know. Jang Sunho continued to speak in a slightly trembling voice. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤I ate with the CEO at the restaurant. I¡¯m fine.¡± I was a little embarrassed, but his voice trembled slightly. When I first saw him, It felt scary, but when I saw it like this, I felt the humanity again. ¡°Then eat something with me. It¡¯s hard to wait when you¡¯re hungry.¡± Jang Sunho nodded after looking around for a while. ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat some and go.¡± *** A weekter. After 2 p.m., Yang Chihoon¡¯s studio in Ilsan, Gyeonggi-do. Yang Chihoon, wearing a pink pajama and a yellow beanie, yawned loudly. ¡°Sigh.¡± Next to it were empty energy drinks and coffee by type. It was all proof that they had been working all night for several days. He checked his work on arge monitor. ¡®There¡¯s no poster that¡¯s 100% satisfactory.¡¯ This included Jinseok¡¯s poster. ¡®But this poster is 200 percent satisfactory. It¡¯s thrilling no matter how many times I look at it.¡¯ Because Kang Jinseok¡¯s poster was a ¡°work¡± that was more than expected. While Yang Chihoon was smiling and watching his work, his cell phone rang. ¡°Noona who is closer than love than friendship.¡± It was Ha Sarang¡¯s call. ¡°Hello¡­¡± [Oh, CHI HOON!]! Are you still alive?] ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not dead yet, ¡¤¡¤. I was working on the second half of another poster. I have to do what I have to do and die.¡± Ha Sarangughed from beyond the cell phone as Yang Chihoon said. With the words ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet either,rade!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I was going to you ask a question, too.¡± [What?] ¡°Can I post the picture I took this time on my Instagram?¡± Just use it as a poster. It¡¯s such a waste to end it.¡± [On your SNS?]? Of course, you can! [I¡¯m actually calling to ask for that too!] ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± [Just wait]. [I¡¯ll check with the actors¡¯ agency right now!] I¡¯m done. Ha Sarang hung up after speaking in an excited voice. Two hourster, Ha Sarang called again. ¡°Honey, are you there?¡± [Yes!]! [I just called everyone, but everyone said okay after seeing your SNS followers!] ¡°Oh, yes.¡± [But they asked me to show them the pictures you¡¯re going to upload first] ¡°Yes, I have a corrected one. I will send it to you now.¡± [Okay, okay] Yang Chihoon said after sending some pictures. ¡°I sent it. Yes.¡± [Oh, it¡¯s here!]! I¡¯ll tell you right away after I check with the agency. It won¡¯t take long!] ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes.¡± The phone was cut off again, and about 30 minutester, I got a call. [Okay!]! Go ahead! I¡¯ll put in the hashtag through Kakao Talk ¡°You¡¯re going to get a confirmation so soon?¡± It¡¯s an all-time pace.¡± [The main characters are not very strict]. Rather, there are some supporting actors who are a bit cheeky. Anyway, that¡¯s right.] ¡°Yes, but this is not the finished version. ¡°is that okay?¡± [Yes]. You can put it up like a still cut. But you have to post a poster of Kang Jinseok! That¡¯s the main part.] ¡°Yes, yes, yes, yes. Then I¡¯lle right away.¡± [Okay! Then let¡¯s have a drink of soju with Jinhoter] After hanging up the phone, I logged in to SNS right away. ¡ª¡ª [ID: YangisSHEEP_photo] [Post: 756] [Followers: 3.15 million] [CHI HOON] [Photographer] ¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡ª¡ª It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen SNS. There were countless notifications. These are notifications that I have already given up checking for years. Yang Chihoon started uploading photos on social media. ¡°I chose it without self-interest.¡± I wonder if it¡¯s natural because it¡¯s a face that wille out well no matter who takes it.¡± Yang Chihoon, who wrote a picture, a few tags, and a simple article, threw his cell phone anywhere. ¡°I really need to sleep now.¡±¡® He threw himself into bed, sobbing like a deted balloon. Yang Chihoon fell asleep shortly afterward. On the contrary, notifications began to pop up like crazy on his phone. TN: idk if Ha Sarang and Chihoon are together or not but let¡¯s see after a few more chapters. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 After Yang Chihoon fell down. The actors¡¯ agency in ¡°The Way They Choose¡± went crazy. ¡°Hey, did you leave ament on Kang Seunghoon¡¯s post on your official ount?¡± ¡°Yes, I did!¡± ¡°Ask actors toment on their personal ounts, too! Check the spelling before you post it!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any pictures of the actors in ourpany. Is it okay?¡± ¡°You¡¯re in the same drama, so just go with it!¡± It¡¯s a chance never toe again!¡± Cast members such as Jinseok and Min Kyungsoo knew that poster photos were posted on Yang Chihoon¡¯s SNS. However, the actors in the group and minor roles did not know. This is because Ha Sarang did not contact the assistant or minor roles. In the meantime, a photo of their actor¡¯s work was suddenly posted on social media with 3 million followers. It was an opportunity to promote not only actors but also small agencies once in their lives, so it was not unreasonable for them to go crazy like this. They were not the only ones who were distracted. Jang Sunho, who has been working overtime for several days. He had a lot of work to do not long after he became Jinseok¡¯s manager. From arranging advertisements for Jinseok to confirming his appearance on entertainment shows. I was tired, but I couldn¡¯t handle a single thing. Advertisements and entertainment shows are crowded with poisonous snakes, so if you don¡¯t check them properly, you can be disappointed. ¡°Slowly, I¡¯ll go pick up actor Kang Jinseok.¡± Today is the day of practice for the action scene of ¡°The Way They Choose¡±. I got up from my seat with the intention of starting leisurely. ¡°Before we leave, let¡¯s check photographer Yang Chihoon¡¯s SNS.¡± Jang Sunho pressed Yang Chihoon¡¯s ount, ¡°YangisSHEEP_photo,¡± which was followed in advance. ¡ª¡ª Main poster #Kang Jinseok Good. 1,982,681 hearts View all 9,513ments ¡¤¡¤¡¤ ¡ª¡ª ¡°You should hurry up and make an SNS ount for the actor.¡± Other actors and agencies were alreadymenting on their official ounts. It seemed that not only the actors who were not in the picture, but even the actors who did not appear in the work were posting the agency. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly going to hurt us, but¡­¡± Most of the fans who visit Yang Chihoon¡¯s SNS now are enthusiastic about Jinseok¡¯s photos. However, Jang Sunho didn¡¯t like it when he put it on top of it and took the fans. ¡°I¡¯ll have to bring it up on the way.¡± Jang Sunho¡¯s mind, which was rxed, became a little urgent. Jang Sunho took the car key and immediately ran to the parking lot. *** Jinseok and Jang Sunho are on their way to action school. The two were talking while looking at Yang Chihoon¡¯s SNS. ¡°As you can see, the reaction to the picture of the actor who went up today is very hot. Imented on the official OS Entertainment ount, but I think the actor should have his own SNS as well.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. But it¡¯s SNS. Actually, until now, I don¡¯t have time to care about that. I¡¯m ashamed, but I don¡¯t even know how to do it.¡± When Jinseok said scratching his cheeks, Jang Sunho shrugged his shoulders as if he was okay. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think too hard. I sometimes post pictures of my daily life and writements from fans. Oh, it¡¯s not. Don¡¯t reply if you can. ¡°If I put one person on it, I have to put them all on it.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s really difficult, I can help you, so just think about it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jinseok thought for a while and asked Jang Sunho. ¡°What do you think, manager?¡± ¡°Are you talking about making SNS?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best to make it if possible. Aside from promoting advertisements and works through SNS, SNS is also important as a ¡°star.¡± After all, SNS is a channel ofmunication with fans.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Of course, one way is to go to mysticism withoutmunication, but that¡¯s not the trend going forward. ording to the paper I looked up, ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± After that, Jang Sunho talked about a difficult story for a long time. The same story as a professor who is famous for marketing at a university in a country did some research. Jinseok was just nodding his head still. ¡°For that reason, I rmend you to do SNS.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. ¡°I see.¡± ¡®I didn¡¯t understand it at all. . .¡¯ However, I understood in what context Jang Sunho spoke. ¡°Well, then do I just have to create an ount?¡± ¡°I can also create an ount for you. I¡¯ll prepare everything while you practice at the action school today. Even the first post.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Jinseok and Jang Sunho haven¡¯t done much with each other over the past week. Nevertheless, through these minor parts, Jinseok was able to feel Jang Sunho¡¯spetence. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel a little too much.¡± ¡®There is, though.¡¯ While Jinseok was thinking that, Jang Sunho said. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± *** An action school in Seoul. The actors¡¯ practice was in full swing, sweating with a harsh sound of breath. ¡°Okay! 15 minutes of rest!¡± As soon as Choi Songrok shouted, the action actorsy down on the spot as if they were copsing. It was a hard practice in the first ce, but it was because coach Choi Songrok¡¯s training intensity was so strong. Director Choi Songrok was busy watching such actors. ¡°Hmm. I think I¡¯ll be able to meet the shooting schedule somehow.¡¯ The work that director Choi Songrok¡¯s team will enter this time was ¡°The Way They Chose¡±. Choi Songrok is also waiting for the shooting because it is a highly anticipated work. ¡°Everything is good, but the schedule is so hard.¡± The action scene that the public sees may be a simple scene of just hitting, getting hit, and swearing, but in fact, it is the most dangerous and difficult scene in the shoot. Actors move with one promise, and even if only one of those promises goes against it, they have to film again from the beginning. A staff member approached director Choi Songrok, who was considering it and said. ¡°Director.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is the action scene of Kang Jinseok¡¯s ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡± that you requestedst time. He said it was really hard to get it.¡± It was the video that director Choi Songrok was waiting for. ¡°Wow, you did a great job. ¡°How did you get this?¡± ¡°My brother is a BDD employee, and he got it from his seniors because of his circumstances. ¡°This is a making film that wasn¡¯t even on their official YouTube.¡± ¡°You must have had a hard time. Thank you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Choi Songrok waved his hand to the staff who turned around after saying hello and inserted a USB into theptop. There were numerous video files in the folder, and I started checking the file at the top. [Nakamura, get him!]!!] [Sad guys¡­] ¡°Hmm.¡± Choi Songrok, who had been checking the video for a long time. Since he is a director specializing in action, I could see the actor¡¯s action skills just by looking at the scene of the shooting. ¡°Something feels weird.¡± He¡¯s really good, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s acting.¡¯ The reason why Choi Songrok sees Jinseok¡¯s acting is that today was a practice day to match Jinseok. It¡¯s the basics to check an actor¡¯s skills before a full-fledged practice. I focused on the video again. [Thud!] [Cut!] [Tongue! Are you okay?]? Did you break your bone?] [Hey!]!! Are you okay?] ¡°Wait, this is a real p. Huh?¡± But the other actor suddenly wakes up. ¡°What is this?¡± Jinseok kicked the male actor roughly in the leg, grabbed the female actor¡¯s head, and threw it away. an excessively harsh action. [Haha] [It¡¯s okay]. It¡¯s okay.] However, although they looked sick, the actors did not seem to be seriously injured. Choi Songrok¡¯s head became moreplicated when he saw it. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± If you¡¯re an actor who doesn¡¯t know the action at all, you can teach it from the beginning. However, it is too difficult for an actor who cannot measure his skills like this. This is because it is ambiguous where to start teaching. ¡°I¡¯ll have to meet first and work together.¡± ¡®And then¡­¡¯ It was then. ¡°Hello!¡± Jinseok opened the door and came in. Next to him was Jang Sunho, a huge man in a suit. Choi Songrok approached Jinseok with a happy face. ¡°Hello, nice to meet you. It¡¯s director Choi Songrok.¡± ¡°Yes, director. I¡¯m Kang Jinseok! I¡¯ll do my best today!¡± The two greeted each other in a friendly atmosphere. Choi Songrok asked in a subtle voice. ¡°Have you ever learned martial arts or action?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± I¡¯ve never learned it separately. Then how did you do that move earlier?¡¯ I decided to check the doubts because I thought it would be better to see them in person than to worry about them for a while. ¡°I see. Then before we start practicing properly, I¡¯ll just taste it.¡± Choi Songrok is an actor who is simr in physique to Jinseok among the action actors resting in the distance. ¡°Hey, poop-sik! Kim Dongsik!¡± ¡°Yes, director!¡± ¡°Come here!¡± Kim Dongsik jumped at the director¡¯s call. ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Actor Kang is the person who will film his first action scene with him. Dongsik, say hello. This is actor Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Hello! It¡¯s Kim Dongsik ¡°I¡¯m Kang Jinseok. I look forward to your kind cooperation!¡± Jinseok and Kim Dongsik shook hands lightly and greeted each other. Choi Songrok brought a thick bundle of paper in between. ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll try to match the details in a little while, and I¡¯ll try the simple ones first.¡± On the cover, it was written in neat cursive, ¡°the road action content of their choice.¡± Choi Songrak showed the conti to the two and exined the movement. ¡°First of all, if Dongsik swings his right fist toward actor Kang Jinseok¡¯s face, actor Kang avoids it to the left. And immediately, Dongsik hits him in the stomach two times in a row. You got it, right The content shown by Choi Songrok depicted the actors¡¯ movements like a webtoon. So, even Jinseok, who was watching action scene content for the first time, didn¡¯t have much difficulty understanding it. ¡°I see.¡± When Jinseok answered, Kim Dongsik immediately took the position. Other action actors who saw it surrounded them. ¡°Hey. What are you doing over there?¡± ¡°Oh, Dongsik! Your form ising out.¡± ¡°But Dongsik is really ugly next to actor Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Wow, even if everyone in the world says that you shouldn¡¯t say that. Look at your wakoo.¡± It was entertainment during hard practice. Coach Choi Songrok also allowed him to watch the show, saying, ¡°Look quietly so as not to disturb me,¡± instead of threatening him to train. ¡°Actor, I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll practice and do it gently. Then let¡¯s do it right.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± When Kim Dongsik told Choi Songrok that he was ready, Choi Songrok also gave a cue sign immediately. ¡°Cue!¡± Kim Dongsik shook his fist. As I told Jinseok before, take your time as a practice. Jinseok avoided it and punched Kim Dongsik in the stomach. Tick, tap. ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s get it right this time.¡± Kim Dongsik has settled down again. This time, I was much more nervous than before, waiting for the cue sign to fall. ¡°Cue!¡± As soon as he heard the coach, Kim Dongsik shook his fist. I slightly turned the angle of the fist upward because I was afraid Jinseok would not be able to avoid it properly. by the way. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± Jinseok disappeared from view. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 ¡°Because it¡¯s action.¡± There was also an action scene in the previous work ¡°Spring Without Flowers¡±. At that time, I tried to put it together simply, but it was my first time practicing with such an angle. There were a lot of action scenes in this movie. There were also two scuffles.¡¯ After thinking of the script for a while, I saw Kim Dongsik standing in front of me. He was a little shorter than me, but maybe because he exercised a lot, he looked 1.5 times thicker than I was growing up for this work. ¡°First of all, I¡¯ll practice and do it gently. Then let¡¯s do it right.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As Kim Dongsik took his position, coach Choi Songrok shouted cue signs. ¡°Cue!¡± As mentioned earlier, Kim Dongsik slowly shook his fist like a slow video in a movie. evaded a fist ordingly, and struck him in the stomach. Tick, tap. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do it right this time.¡± When Choi Songrok spoke, Kim Dongsik settled down again. ¡°Cue!¡± The director¡¯s signature was heard. Then, Kim Dongsik shakes his fist at a speed iparable to before. As Conti says, when you bend your knees to avoid a fist. ¡°At this time?¡± The view is blurred. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Kill all of you punk!¡± ¡°Namcheon-dong, you buggerheads! Where are you crawling in here!¡± ¡°Kill me, dog, dog!¡± Kill me, you punk!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡°This, this, this¡­¡± It was a fish market where the business ended. The fish market is a mixture of cool sea smell and fishy smell, and you can almost hear the sound of an auction. There were thugs fighting blood. It is not an idiomatic expression. There was literally ¡°blood sshing.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡°Brother. I think there are a lot of Namcheon-dong kids.¡± ¡°Um, uh¡­¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re a little behind. . . . I¡¯ll go y a little bit, too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy today. Jiyeon is leaving the hospital today. We¡¯re going to eat together.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡°Ah¡­¡± This was before Shin Jiyeon died. ¡°Is today the day you were attacked while eating with your wife?¡± While I was thinking about that. Lee Manseok jumped into a mess. ¡ª¡ª ¡°X, X! The brown bear is here!¡± ¡ª¡ª Sometimes such scenes appear in dramas and movies. A scene where a really good fighter takes down dozens of people. So far, I thought such a thing was just an absurd production. But it was actually unfolding in front of my eyes. ¡°Oh, my. . . It wasn¡¯t an organized movement like the fighters. However, he easily overpowered the gangsters with his seasoned movements trained in practice. Honestly, except for being a gangster, it was so cool that my heart fluttered even when I was a man. ¡°Um, uh¡­¡± When the view returned to its original state, Lee Manseok¡¯s movement was engraved on his body, as he had previously been possessed by Kang Hoshin. If what Kang Hoshin did is ¡°violence,¡± Lee Manseok¡¯s is ¡°fight.¡± That¡¯s also the battle of a natural fighter. Perhaps because the sensation was embedded in the body, Kim Dongsik was clearly seen swinging his fist with a tense expression. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I dodged the fist as quickly and sinctly as Lee Manseok did. And immediately, just before he poked his fist into Kim Dongsik¡¯s stomach like a conditioned reflex. ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤I almost hit it.¡¯ I stopped my fist. Maybe because I was too immersed, I almost had an ident. Tick, tap. I managed to slow down my fist and move it as the conti. ¡°Whoa.¡± Maybe because the intensity of the just possessed still lingered in my heart, I was out of breath for some reason. It was then. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤ Actor Kang Jinseok.¡± Choi Songrok said in a dreary voice. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you say you never learned martial arts?¡± ¡°Uh.¡¤¡¤¡¤. Yes.¡± I don¡¯t know why, but the atmosphere around me was weird. Choi Songrok asked carefully while looking around with a side nce. ¡°Did you fight when you were young?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hmm! It¡¯s not.¡± *** After Jinseok and Kim Dongsik¡¯s practice. Choi Songrok was watching Jinseok practice with other actors from a distance. ¡°Are you a genius?¡± Jinseok was learning the movements strangely and quickly enough to make no sense. It was never the speed at which the person who said, ¡°I never learned martial arts.¡± ¡°Did you usually do other exercises?¡± Or is he just good at using his body? This is a bit surprising, though.¡¯ Director Choi Songrok continued to closely observe Jinseok. ¡°I don¡¯t hesitate to make a fist, and I don¡¯t get scared even if the fist flies.¡± It¡¯s not too much, but it¡¯s as fancy as ¡°real.¡± What the hell is he doing? I thought so, but there was an indescribable smile on Choi Songrok¡¯s face. ¡°Will I be able to write ¡®That Scene¡¯ that I¡¯ve saved so far?¡± I remembered the scene that Choi Songrok had conceived for a long time. It was his lethal move, which he saved to try with an actor who was really good at action. As I watched Jinseok¡¯s acting happily, one of the staff approached me and said. ¡°Me, the director?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You must like actor Kang.¡± ¡°As much as it is. All right. ¡°You look good from afar. How is the practice?¡± ¡°Practice atmosphere?¡± It¡¯s absolutely great.¡± The staff nodded and said. ¡°Actor Kang is very passionate, hemunicates with other actors respectfully. Above all, he¡¯s just good, right? Compared to the girl who came yesterday.¡± The staff¡¯s words reminded Choi Songrok of the actor who came two days ago. ¡°Oh, that cheap thing, right? I made a fuss about practicing one p scene.¡± ¡°Yes. Actually, I was a little worried because you said it was the same work. What if it¡¯s a simr person? But if you learn something like that, I¡¯d be so grateful.¡± As if I had enough of thinking about that time, the staff hated it and asked questions. ¡°Actor Kang, is this your first time acting?¡± ¡°Have you ever learned boxing or other sports?¡± ¡°Oh, they said he had never done it before¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing. I saw you have a really good body.¡± ¡°Do I have a good body?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not a muscle that¡¯s loose, but it just feels well-made. I heard you used to do some hard work, but how can you be so healthy? It¡¯s fascinating.¡± ¡°Every person has a constitution.¡± There are a lot of people who have good muscles even with hard work. By the way, ¡°¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°Your body is good. This is it, right?¡± Choi Songrok¡¯s head had this and that content when he said, ¡°I have a good body.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯d be good to have an action scene that can emphasize the beauty of the body.¡± There would be a lot of high-level movements, but I wasn¡¯t too worried. Humans are adaptable animals. ¡°Director.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your expression has be insidious again.¡± ¡°Is it too obvious?¡± Choi Songrok smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head as if he had caught such an idea. *** ¡°Come on, stop! 15 minutes of rest! As soon as Choi Songrok¡¯s words fell, the action actors fell on the spot. ¡°Oh my gosh¡± ¡°I¡¯m dying¡­¡± ¡°Why is it so hard today? Director did something bad happen ¡°I don¡¯t know. . . . Don¡¯t talk to me. I¡¯ll die.¡± Leaving those actors behind, Choi Songrok immediately approached Jinseok. ¡°Actor Kang. Wait a minute.¡± Jinseok replied with a wild breath. ¡°Oh, my. Oh, my. Yes!¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing so much better than I expected, so I¡¯m going to modify the content a little bit, is that okay? It¡¯s a little bit.¡± Other actors also listened to Choi Songrok. Changing the Conti was rted to them too. ¡°If the director says it, I¡¯ll follow him. By the way, what direction is it changing?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no big deal,¡¤¡¤¡¤. I¡¯m going to go to ¡°morous¡± just a little bit more Choi Songrok speaks with a nice smile. Jinseok, who knew nothing, nodded without a doubt. ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± but. ¡°Oh, no. No.¡± ¡°Sa, please save me. Director.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe that the director said ¡®morous¡¯¡­¡± The faces of the actors who were told to be ¡®morous¡¯ became contemtive. Flop down. ¡°I, I can¡¯t do it. It¡¯s too much to go after actor Kang Jinseok right now ¡°Hey! Poop Sik!! Kim Dongsik Among them, Kim Dongsik, who is in charge of the most action scenes, was even faint. *** ¡°Thank you for your hard work today! See you tomorrow!¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work!¡± ¡°Great job, actor Kang!¡± After today¡¯s practice. Jinseok greeted the action actors, who became quite close in a day. Jang Sunho looked at the scene with a happy expression. ¡°You just became friends.¡± It is probably because of Jinseok¡¯s personality that they were able to get close so quickly. There¡¯s no one who doesn¡¯t show off their ¡°Juyeon¡± and hates people who work hard and treat them with courtesy. Jinseok approached Jang Sunho. ¡°Good job, manager. You were bored waiting.¡± ¡°Not at all. Oh, and I made a social media ount.¡± Jang Sunho showed hisptop to Jinseok. ¡°This is the actor¡¯s Instagram ount that I made while practicing. It¡¯s still a private ount. The video you practiced today, I edited it briefly and prepared it. I even corrected the photos.¡± Jinseok asked as if surprised when he saw his SNS ount. ¡°Do you know how to edit videos and photos?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, but?¡± When Jang Sunho answered as if asking what was so obvious, Jinseok smiled embarrassingly. ¡°Can I take a look? I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Jang Sunho yed the video. It was a one-on-one scene between Kim Dongsik and Jinseok. It was not an angr movement like the action in a drama or movie. Rather, it¡¯s more like a street fight. [Oh!] [Oh my!] [Dongsik is a good match!] [As expected, Seoul¡¯s representative human sandbag!] [Wow¡­]. Actor Kang is really good.] However, Kim Dongsik hit well, and Jinseok hit well to the extent that other action actors admired. [Thud!] [Are you okay?] [Wow, it¡¯s so nice]. It¡¯s the best. Just do it like this.] The video ended with Jinseok raising Kim Dongsik, who copsed. Jinseok, who saw his performance, scratched his cheek as if he was ashamed. ¡°Ha ha, ha, ha. I didn¡¯t know when I was doing it, but ites out very morous.¡± ¡°There are other videos, but I think this is the best.¡± ¡°Then please do this. I really like it too. By the way, . . . .¡± Jinseok asked, hesitatingly. ¡°What if no one saw me when I posted a picture?¡± I think it¡¯s going to be very embarrassing.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± Jang Sunho looked at Jinseok for a while and lowered his head. It was to hold backughter. He was always expressionless, but his expression was shaken by Jinseok¡¯s cute worries. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Jang Sunho said in a confident voice. ¡°There are tens of thousands of people looking for Kang Jinseok¡¯s SNS ount.¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¡°Tens of thousands of people are looking for me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of the poster you shotst time.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about the picture you asked me if I can post it on social media, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that photo is receiving a lot of attention on social media right now.¡± Everyone was desperate to find out who was on the poster.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°That picture was such a big hit.¡± A ck and white photo wearing a ck suit against the backdrop of Busan in the 1980s. It was a work that I can see that I put a lot of effort into even if I didn¡¯t know the picture well. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to make SNS.¡± I¡¯m strangely nervous.¡± ¡°Everything will be fine, so don¡¯t worry too much. Then shall we proceed like this? You must be bored until you get home, so let¡¯s watch the number of followers go up.¡± ¡°I see.¡± When I smiled slightly and nodded, Jang Sunho switched his ount to ¡°public.¡± ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll get going.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The van moved forward gently. *** Studio Redcat headquarters conference room where the meeting of is in full swing. Ha Sarang said, sticking out Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s profile on the desk. ¡°As I saidst time, I¡¯m going to change the ¡®Daughter of the Boss¡¯. I¡¯m going to have an audition one more time.¡± ¡°The boss¡¯s daughter? Wasn¡¯t that what Park Hayeon was supposed to do?¡± Park Yihan, a staff member wearing thick sses, asked Ha Sarang. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a waste to just use her as an extra. And Park Hayeon doesn¡¯t feel good Park Yihan stepped back as if she had no choice when she said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel good.¡± ¡°Gam¡± is a word that has no basis, but it is also the most convincing word in the broadcasting industry. Furthermore, if that¡¯s what the producer said, it was good to follow. ¡°The boss¡¯s daughter is a small role, but she¡¯s still an important character, so I¡¯m going to pay attention.¡± As Ha Sarang said, ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter¡± is not a character with a lot of appearances. Nevertheless, she shows a vicious appearance every time she appears, ying an important role in the audience¡¯s empathy. On top of that, a viin seduces ¡°Oh Manho,¡± who became alone after his wife¡¯s death. Although she is a supporting actor, it was not strange that Ha Sarang cared so much. Park Yihan nodded and said. ¡°If the producer says that, we can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m actually worried.¡± ¡°Worried? What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Park Hayeon is almost confirmed to appear on the show. If youe now and say you¡¯re auditioning one more time, . . . . I think it¡¯s going to be crazy.¡± Ha Sarang frowned at Park Yihan¡¯s words. ¡°Is she good enough to make a fuss about us?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a popr idol group overseas as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re only going to believe that and flirt with it?¡± ¡°Well, you have star¡¯s disease. ording to my friend who works there, the manager in charge changes once a month, and she can¡¯t even talk to me because she¡¯s so sensitive before the recording.¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± ¡°They¡¯re pretty, but their personality is really¡­¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I heard that there were many times when I got a bad feeling and got a bad shoot.¡± Ha Sarang, who listened to Park Yihan¡¯s words,ughed in vain and said. ¡°Then we have to filter more and more. I can¡¯t film with someone like that. Lee Han brought it up well.¡± ¡°What? Then, Park Hayeon¡¯s audition¡­¡± ¡°Notify her properly. I¡¯m going to have an audition again. I don¡¯t know how popr it is, but this isn¡¯t a show that takes all the fuss.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know the topic and are busy on set¡­¡± I won¡¯t let you go.¡± The staff swallowed their dry mouths with Ha Sarang¡¯s powerful voice. As the atmosphere subsided slightly, Ha Sarang said yfully. ¡°But my personality is ¡®dog¡¯, so I¡¯m rather craving it.¡± The character of ¡°Daughter of Boss¡± is also like a dog. No wonder it seemed like the acting was reflected in reality when they auditioned.¡± Ha Sarang¡¯s yful words brightened the atmosphere of the conference room again. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. It wasn¡¯t like someone who¡¯d never acted before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure thepany learned it in its own way.¡± Ha Sarang, who waited for the staff to talk for a while,ughed and pped her hands. ¡°Now! Then let¡¯s do one more audition.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a littlete. You have to workte again today, so enjoy your meal. Please finish your work well.¡± Ha Sarang, who was watching the staff leaving the conference room, told Park Yihan, who was organizing his luggage. ¡°Park Yihan.¡± ¡°Yes, PD.¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me about Park Hayeon. I don¡¯t know much about her.¡± ¡°What? Oh, yes!¡± Park Yihan scratched the back of his head as if embarrassed by the unexpectedpliment. ¡°But you said you were worried earlier. I¡¯m afraid Park Hayeon will go crazy.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I also have one personality. People don¡¯t call me ¡®crazy dog¡¯ for nothing.¡± Ha Sarang said with her mouth raised. The smile was like a cat, or a ¡®lion¡¯. ¡°Park Hayeon and Seo Yeonsoo. Please contact the two of them. Let¡¯s have an audition.¡± *** ¡°What?¡± Wasn¡¯t that my role to y?!¡± Park Hayeon shouted sharply and red at the manager. Then the manager began to soothe her eagerly. ¡°Ha, Hayeon. They didn¡¯t say it was confirmed. The actor who was originally supposed to do it fell into the issue ¡°No, I mean! If she fell, shouldn¡¯t it be me?¡± The manager was sweating. In fact, the hardest thing in this situation was the manager. I was being hit between the casting team and Park Hayeon. ¡°How on earth do you do this and ask me to audition again!¡± Park Hayeon kept yelling at the manager. Every time that happened, the manager seemed to age by a year. ¡°Hey, Park Hayeon. Be quiet. Do you live alone? ¡°why don¡¯t you rent a car and shout in there?¡± Then, Ha Minah, who came out of the room, said in a cold voice. There was a mix of irritation, but she certainly looked satisfied somewhere. ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me now. Because I¡¯m about to explode.¡± ¡°So what do you want me to do? Are you saying that all the other members are looking at you? And as the manager said, no one said it¡¯s fixed. ¡°Did you drink kimchi soup alone again?¡± Ha Minah didn¡¯t like that Park Hayeon appeared in a drama, and Jinseok appeared in it. In the meantime, she felt good when Park Hayeon¡¯s casting was about to copse. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤If you really say one more word. I¡¯m really going to die.¡± Park Hayeon¡¯s voice was very cold and spicy. However, Ha Minah, who was rather pleased by the pre-reaction that day,ughed at Park Hayeon and said. ¡°One word~¡± ¡°You¡¯re so¡­!¡± Park Hayeon¡¯s eyes turned upside down when she said that. It seemed that things would get out of control, so the manager hurriedly blocked the rtionship between the two. ¡°Now, wait! Stop!¡± ¡°Oppa, get out of my way. Because I can¡¯t be with her anymore brat.¡± ¡°Ha, Hayeon. Listen to me first. The other actor is not that great. ¡°I heard she¡¯s a college student who wants to be an actress.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°She¡¯s only done a few small extras so far, you can win enough. So calm down! Let¡¯s prepare calmly. What?¡± Park Hayeon, who was attracted by the manager¡¯s story, calmed down a little. When Ha Minah saw it, she kicked her tongue as if she was sorry. ¡°What¡¯s his name? ¡°Have you looked up the profile?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I didn¡¯t get a profile or anything, but I looked up SNS by name instead. Here.¡± The manager hurriedly showed his cell phone to Park Hayeon. Park Hayeon snatched a mobile phone from the manager¡¯s hand and checked Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s SNS. Hit it! ¡°Seoyeon¡­¡± What? ¡°She¡¯s really a college student, right?¡± Park Hayeon, who was watching Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s SNS for a long time. Perhaps because Seo Yeonsoo looked easy, she seemed to be more rxed. ¡°Are you sure about her?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just the same name?¡± ¡°Oh, no! I even checked with the official myself!¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. . . . Park Hayeon, who was watching Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s SNS for a few minutes, smiled softly. Then, she looked at Ha Minah, who was trying to bite her just a moment ago, and said. ¡°Minah. I have a favor to ask, will you do me a favor?¡± *** It¡¯s eight in the morning. I overslept for the first time in a long time and got two missed calls. One from Jang Sunho and the other from Seo Yeonsoo. The manager knocked to call me when I woke up. What about Yeonsoo [YEONSOO: Oppa!] [YEONSOO: Awesome!] [YEONSOO: I got to audition for ¡°The Way They Chose¡±!!!] [YEONSOO: I just applied for an extra, but the producer¡­] ¡°Yeonsoo is auditioning for ¡®The Way They Chose¡¯?!¡± It was a fact I didn¡¯t know at all. ¡°That¡¯s really great.¡± Knowing how hard Seo Yeonsoo is, she was really happy to be given this opportunity. I sent a reply saying congrattions and let¡¯s do our best. And I called the manager right away. Jang Sunho answered the phone even before the reception sound was heard exactly three times. [Yes, actor]. Did you wake up?] ¡°Yes. Good morning. I¡¯m calling you because you have a picture of your absence.¡± [Oh, I got a call at dawn]. Park Hayeon of ¡°Red Liz¡± wants to go on a variety show with the actor. She asked for a quick answer.] ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that name somewhere¡­¡± ¡®Ah!¡¯ Seo Inhyuk used to be an idol who told me to be careful. I heard rumors are bad. It¡¯s a bit difficult to judge people by just hearing rumors, but I thought it would be better not to get involved. On the other hand, however, he didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity to appear in a popr entertainment show called ¡°Yeonyan Diary.¡± I was thinking about what to say. Jang Sunho said. [I don¡¯t really rmend it]. [There weren¡¯t many good stories about Park Hayeon] ¡°Did the manager know that?¡± [Did I know? What do you mean?] ¡°Ah. I have a friend who is an actor in the same agency as Park Hayeon, and he usually tells me not to get into trouble with her.¡± [I see]. I got some information because I know a friend in the advertising department. Anyway, then I think you have to refuse even more. There are research results like this. The uracy of the same information from two institutions ofpletely different characteristics After that, Jang Sunho exined another difficult theory. Of course, I didn¡¯t understand it perfectly this time either. I understood the nuance. ¡°I always feel this. Why is this person doing this as a manager?¡± [Then, I¡¯ll reject the variety show] ¡°Yes, please. Still, I want to do other entertainment shows if possible.¡± [Yes, actor]. [See you in two hours] ¡°Thank you, manager.¡± [Yes]. [Then get some rest until then] After the call with Jang Sunho, I moved my body while watching Conti practice at the action school today. I was a little sweaty, maybe because I was moving quite intensely. When I was practicing for so long, the phone rang. [010-XXXX-XXXX] It was a number I didn¡¯t know. ¡°Staff members are going to call my manager¡¯s number. Who is it?¡± I thought about it for a while before answering the phone. ¡°Hello?¡± A woman¡¯s voice was heard over the phone. [Hello, is this actor Kang Jinseok¡¯s phone?] ¡°Oh, yes. That¡¯s right. Who are you, by the way?¡± [Oh! Look!]. I¡¯m sorry. [I¡¯m Park Hayeon of Red Liz!] ¡°Park Hayeon?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 [I¡¯ve met you once before at the ballpark]. [Do you remember?] ¡°Oh, yes. Hello.¡± [I¡¯m sorry to call you so early][Oh¡­] ¡°That¡¯s fine. But where did you get my number?¡± [Oh, I should¡¯ve told you that first!]! In the past, Ha Minah. No, you exchanged your contact information with Minah, right? At the ballpark! I got it from her.] A contact number saved as ¡®Red Liz¡¯ came to mind on my cell phone. Oh, her name was Ha Minah.¡® When I didn¡¯t say anything, Park Hayeon hurriedly continued. [I heard it from my manager]. [I heard you¡¯re very busy preparing for ¡°The Way They Chose¡±] I think the manager looked around in moderation. I couldn¡¯t have said calmly, ¡°You have a problem with your personality, so I can¡¯t be with you.¡± ¡°Yes, I have a lot to prepare.¡± [I see¡­]. Actually, I¡¯m auditioning for ¡°The Way They Choose¡± again. [The person who was supposed to be in charge dropped out.] I didn¡¯t know that. Park Hayeon wanted to be in the same work as me. ¡°Did the manager know?¡± But this wasn¡¯t the time to think about it. How can I ¡®naturally¡¯ cut off the call with Park Hayeon? [Kang Jinseok, I¡¯ll tell you straightforwardly] Park Hayeon said in a serious voice when she was about to gloss over her wish for a good result. [A few dayster, I¡¯m auditioning for the role of ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter,¡± you know? What kind of role is it?] There was no way I didn¡¯t know. She¡¯s a supporting actor who ys the role of Licorice in this work. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± [It¡¯s a supporting role, but it¡¯s an important role, right?]? So, please say that it would be better to use a recognized actor for that role. [Since you¡¯re the main character, I think that¡¯s possible] ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± [Then I¡¯ll do my best to help you with what you¡¯re doing]. I get a lot of variety shows andmercials, and we can do it together. [How is it?] Park Hayeon speaks confidently as if there was no way I could refuse. I was angry at her suggestion, but the attitude was even more upsetting. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. Are you asking me to cheer you up for the audition?¡± [that¡¯s right, to be honest]. [Still¡­] ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± [¡¤¡¤¡¤.] ¡°I hope you don¡¯t call me about this in the future. a request for an audition. It¡¯s something I really hate.¡± [This is not a request, but a win-win¡­] ¡°A close friend of mine is also auditioning for the role. But even if she asked me for this, I would never have listened to her. She wouldn¡¯t have asked for this in the first ce.¡± Park Hayeon was listening to me without saying anything. I hung up right away because I had nothing more to say. *** About a weekter. Now I was at the headquarters of Studio Redcat. ¡°Hey, 2.13 million!¡± Huh? ¡°You got better! 2.14 million!¡± From a distance, Min Kyungsoo called me yfully. The staff around me were holding back theirughter and peeking at Min Kyungsoo and me. ¡°Brother, ¡¤¡¤. Please don¡¯t call me that.¡± ¡°Huh? I can¡¯t believe 2.14 million followers call me brother!¡± After such a minor prank. said Min Kyungsoo. ¡°Wow, but I was really surprised. ¡°How can your followers go up so fast?¡± ¡°I was surprised, too. ording to my manager, I think there was a lot of inflow from photographer Yang Chihoon¡¯s SNS.¡± ¡°Oh, did he take the picture of the poster?¡± ¡°Yes, if you look at his Instagramments, there are a lot of international fans.¡± I can¡¯t be famous abroad, so they must have seen the picture of writer Yang Chihoon.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± But why don¡¯t I have an inflow? ¡°Didn¡¯t they upload my picture?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they be posting it in order?¡± The reason why I met with Min Kyungsoo today was because of the audition. Of course, I¡¯m not auditioning. It¡¯s not like Min Kyungsoo is watching it. It was due to the request of the Staff Sergeant and PD to watch the audition together. ¡®Ronald was kicked out, and Kwak Jinwook said he was busy.¡¯ So, she said that the only thing that can be judged right now is the PD and the writer. They called us because they had to watch the acting in order to see it more objectively. Arriving at the busy audition, we greeted loudly. ¡°Hello! Min Kyungsoo is here ¡°Hello! Kang Jinseok has arrived, too!¡± Ha Sarang, who was giving instructions from a distance, came up to us and greeted us. ¡°Are you here? ¡°You must be busy preparing for the shoot, but thank you for your time.¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t leave out my dad when I¡¯m picking my daughter.¡± Leaving Min Kyungsoo smiling behind, Sergeant and PD told me this time. ¡°Min Kyungsoo, you said you¡¯ve done several auditions¡­¡± Actor Kang, is it your first time doing an evaluation?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. So I¡¯m a little worried, to be honest. I¡¯m also a rookie, but I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m evaluating someone¡¯s acts. ¡°Ho ho. Don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s not like a day or two. And actor Kang isn¡¯t watching alone, and Min Kyungsoo is with us, so it¡¯s okay.¡± Ha Sarang smiled slightly as if to be relieved. Then Min Kyungsoo hit me on the back and said. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m right next to you and how dare anyone bother you. Oh, and judging is not a big deal? It¡¯s best if someone who¡¯s good at acting and knows well does it.¡± Min Kyungsoo, who finished speaking, asked Ha Sarang. ¡°Producer, when will it be over?¡± ¡°I think it will be over before lunch.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Then I¡¯ll go to the bathroom.¡± Senior Min Kyungsoo walked toward the door looked back at me and said. ¡°Jinseok, aren¡¯t you going?¡± ¡°Yes, I am fine.¡± ¡°Draw~¡± *** Min Kyungsoo, who was heading to the bathroom leisurely, looked around and thought. ¡°I¡¯m very busy.¡± There¡¯s not much time left until the main shoot. Is it because of the additional audition? At that time, I could see the door of the audition waiting room across the bathroom was slightly open. I was about to enter the bathroom without much thought, but a familiar word came out of the door. ¡°You¡¯re auditioning for the role of ¡®Daughter of Boss¡¯, right?¡± ¡°The boss¡¯s daughter?¡± Min Kyungsoo approached the door of the waiting room as if he was possessed by something, and looked inside the waiting room through the door. *** Audition Waiting Room. There was literally a ¡®northern windstorm¡¯ there. It was because of Park Hayeon, who was aiming for Seo Yeonsoo. ¡°she¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s¡­ right?¡± Since it was only Seo Yeon-oo and herself who auditioned for ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter,¡± Park Hayeon noticed that the ¡°close friend¡± Jinseok mentioned was Seo Yeonsoo. ¡°If only she wasn¡¯t there¡­¡± I shouldn¡¯t have to audition again in the first ce. I didn¡¯t have to talk about that to actor Kang Jinseok for no reason, and he didn¡¯t have to hear anything he didn¡¯t like.¡¯ Just as Park Hayeon cares about Seo Yeonsoo, Seo Yeonsoo also cares about Park Hayeon. It¡¯s because a famous idol kept staring at her. At first, I was like, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Did I make a mistake?¡¯ I thought. However, Yeonsoo also felt a little bad due to the continuous tant hostility. Park Hayeon opened her mouth first when a subtle air current flowed between the two. ¡°Hello. Are you the one who came to audition today? Oh, I¡¯m Park Hayeon.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Seo Yeonsoo.¡± Seo Yeonsoo knew who Park Hayeon was from the first time she saw her. This is because I often watch ¡°Yeonyan Diary¡±. But she didn¡¯t make it obvious. I don¡¯t know why, but Park Hayeon kept staring at me, and she didn¡¯t want to cheer her up. ¡°I¡¯m auditioning for the same role¡­¡± ¡°Did you prepare a lot?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. I really prepared a lot, too.¡± Park Hayeon said with a slightly fishy smile. ¡°I¡¯m auditioning for the same role, but one of the two will end up failing out. But let¡¯s not me each other.¡± It was something I didn¡¯t have to say before the audition. Nevertheless, Park Hayeon deliberately brought up such words. To press Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s g. ¡°I was trained all night by the acting coaches for this audition.¡± It was a kind of war of nervesmon in one-on-one audition halls, with no cameras or witnesses. ¡°One of them told me. The key to this audition is to see if ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter,¡± who has lived her entire life at her disposal, can seduce and take away the first person in her life.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°To put it simply, it tests how fascinating a person can look.¡± Park Hayeon, who finished speaking, smiled slightly. It was a rich and fascinating smile, not a cute smile that has been shown so far. ¡°At first, it was hard to get those emotions. I¡¯ve never had anything that didn¡¯t go my way until now.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°But strangely, Kang Jinseok couldn¡¯t do as I wanted. Maybe that¡¯s why he acts well. Perhaps because the emotions that this role demands are simr to those that I feel for actor Kang Jinseok Park Hayeon continued with her arms crossed. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you can act like that. It¡¯s too in.¡± As I said as if to advise, there was certainly a mockery of Seo Yeonsoo. Seo Yeonsoo, who had been listening silently for a long time, finally opened her mouth. ¡°Well, let¡¯s say so. So, what is it that you want to say?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± Park Hayeon was a little embarrassed by Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s confidence. For Park Hayeon, she thought that if she said this, Seo Yeonsoo would naturally feel discouraged, because the opponent was surprisingly formidable. Park Hayeon bit her lower lip took a step closer to Seo Yeonsoo and said as if she was picking more. ¡°What do I want to say?¡± I¡¯m telling you not to overdo it and try to do well. I¡¯m going to get in anyway.¡± Then, Seo Yeonsoo also looked at Park Hayeon and took a step closer to Park Hayeon without losing. A waiting room with tension and silence as if something big was going to happen. It was Seo Yeonsoo who broke the silence first. ¡°You said that earlier, right? ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter¡± is simr to Park Hayeon¡¯s situation right now. So I practiced ¡®acting¡¯ with that emotion.¡± ¡°Yes, I did. What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just. I think I can do better if you practice like that. At least more so than that.¡± Her voice was divination and her words were polite. However, the nuance and eyes were clearly provoking Park Hayeon. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal¡­¡± When Park Hayeon was about to shout in a sharp voice. ¡°Did you practice seducing actor Kang Jinseok for your ¡°Acting¡± Seo Yeonsoo cut off Park Hayeon¡¯s words. Then she said with a fascinating smile, her eyes shing. ¡°I practiced to actually use it on you.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Can you beat me like that?¡± TN: GL? LOLOLOLOLOL Chapter 64 Chapter 64 I didn¡¯t mean to peek. Really. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I just happened to hear it because I heard a familiar voice.¡¯ Looking at the waiting room, Min Kyungsoo insisted on his innocence inside. ¡°I practiced to act for Jinseok because I want him because he doesn¡¯t have his own way.¡±Is that why you¡¯re doing this? What is this all about?¡¯ It was Min Kyungsoo who looked troubled as if he had heard something great, but in fact, he was very interested. The atmosphere in the waiting room seen through the door was unusual. This scene, staring at each other, was like a live-action version of a drama. Min Kyungsoo took a breathless look inside the waiting room. ¡°And I can never lose this role to someone who treats others carelessly like you.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°At the very least, I¡¯m sorry.¡± When Seo Yeonsoo was about to continue talking. ¡°Hmm? What are you both doing here?¡± flinch. Open it up! Surprised by the sudden sound of words from behind, Min Kyungsoo opened the door he was leaning on. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡­¡± Min Kyungsoo smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head as if he had heard something he shouldn¡¯t have heard. However, the two¡¯s attention was on Jinseok, not Min Kyungsoo. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤ Oppa?¡± Seo Yeonsoo asked in a slightly trembling voice. ¡°Oh, brother? ¡°Since when have you been here?¡± *** Since when. ¡°I just got here¡± When Seo Yeonsoo heard me, she thought hard about something and said. ¡°Did you hear what I said earlier?¡± ¡°Words?¡± What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not.¡± Seo Yeonsoo breathed a sigh of relief. Then this time, Park Hayeon looked at me and said. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Are you sure what you just said?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What we said before. I mean, he didn¡¯t hear it.¡± It was a much colder voice than the one I heard on the phone. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s enough, then.¡± Park Hayeon also sat down with a sigh of relief. ¡°What the hell were you talking about?¡­¡± At that time, Min Kyungsoo said next to me. ¡°You, you punk. without a trace of poprity ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean to surprise you, I¡¯m sorry. Sergeant and the producer said they had something to discuss before the audition, but they didn¡¯te for a long time, so I came to find them.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Then we¡¯ll have to go quickly.¡± Min Kyungsoo spoke to Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon in a bit of a hurry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt you both just before the audition. Goodbye, then.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Min Kyungsoo almost dragged me out. then. ¡°Now, wait a minute!¡± Seo Yeonsoo called the two of us up. ¡°Min Kyungsoo¡­¡± Right, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What? Oh, yes. [Voiceover] That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Min Kyungsoo.¡± ¡°Hello. My name is Seo Yeonsoo. By the way, Jinseok just said, ¡°For a while¡­¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°Did you hear us talking?¡± Min Kyungsoo, who heard that, looked at her once and said with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a heavy mouth.¡± Click. Min Kyungsoo came out of the waiting room and closed the door. ¡°Jinseok. I haven¡¯t gone to the bathroom, so please wait a moment.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you gone yet?¡± ¡°Uh, because of personal issues.¡± After about three minutes, Min Kyungsoo came out of the bathroom. ¡°Brother, what happened inside and you didn¡¯t go to the bathroom and were watching?¡± Perhaps Park Hayeon gave Seo Yeonsoo a hakohoji. Contrary to my concerns, Min Kyungsoo smoothed his chin and gave him a meaningful smile. ¡°Whoa. It¡¯s a secret. I¡¯m heavy-mouthed.¡± He looked at Min Kyungsoo with dubious eyes. When Min Kyungsoo saw the look, he said with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s a little strange to say it with my own mouth. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll find outter anyway. But¡­.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?¡± ¡°I envy you! Ha ha!¡± ¡°What?¡± *** knock, knock. ¡°We will enter the applicants for the audition.¡± ¡°Yes, pleasee in.¡± Ha Sarang replied to the staff¡¯s words from outside the door. The door opened immediately, and staff and Seo Yeonsoo came in. Her face and gait look tense at first nce. When Seo Yeonsoo sat in the prepared chair, Ha Sarang asked. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not nervous, but my body is strangely shaking.¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°Ho. You must be very nervous. Don¡¯t be too nervous. You just have to show what you¡¯ve practiced.¡± Seo Yeonsoo nodded with a forced smile. ¡°Just as I practiced¡­¡± Seo Yeonsoo, who was taking a deep breath, nced at Jinseok. Jinseok did not look at her but was only looking at her profile. Maybe, so that I don¡¯t put pressure on myself. ¡®Okay. Let¡¯s just do what we¡¯ve practiced.¡¯ While Seo Yeonsoo calmed down for a while, Ha Sarang said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you acting in ¡®Part 1¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Seo Yeonsoo, who caught her emotions with her eyes closed for a while, began acting. When she opened her eyes again, her eyes were on Jinseok. ¡°I want you. Unlike these men on the floor, they look soft.¡± Seo Yeonsoo said, turning her slightly flowing bangs back. It is not a direction in the script, but a movement that she has nned in advance. ¡°I heard from your men. I heard you¡¯ve never killed a man so ruthless when fighting. You became a gangster for your family, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be embarrassed if you kill someone. true, true, true, and true. He¡¯s a funny guy.¡± As if looking at a strange animal, Seo Yeonsoo scanned Jinseok. ¡°Let¡¯s live with me from today. And be loyal to me, not to my dad. Then I can give you anything you want. Whether it¡¯s money, honor, or power. If you want to, ¡¤¡¤ Me too.¡± She raises the tail of one mouth slightly and smiles fascinatingly. ¡°What do you think?¡± Such a sticky voice and body movement that the other person has no choice but to ept. The greed to have everything you want at all costs was clearly revealed. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s it.¡± After thest line, Seo Yeonsoo, who finished acting, smiled shyly and said hello. Ha Sarang said with a satisfied smile at Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s performance. ¡°The applicant for the training course was originally an extra. I suggested auditioning for ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter¡± because the mask was such a waste. But¡­.¡± Ha Sarang smiled contentedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to act so well. The appearance and the feeling of acting, you look exactly like a character made by the writer.¡± Kang Hyunjin also nodded loudly with a bright expression on his face. ¡°I enjoyed your good performance. I¡¯ll review it after seeing the next applicant. Lee Han, please guide the applicant Seo Yeonsoo back to the waiting room.¡± The staff who brought Seo Yeonsoo took Seo Yeonsoo outside. And in a moment. knock, knock. ¡°Park Hayeon, I¡¯ll go in.¡± Ha Sarang replied to the staff¡¯s words as before. ¡°Yes, pleasee in.¡± The door opened and Park Hayeon came in. It was the same as when Seo Yeonsoo came in, but unlike Seo Yeonsoo, Park Hayeon didn¡¯t seem nervous. A confident walk, and a confident smile. Perhaps because she¡¯s used to receiving the attention of others, the audition venue seemed morefortable than Seo Yeonsoo. When Park Hayeon sat down in the chair, Ha Sarang put her finger on and said. ¡°I personally looked for Park Hayeon before the audition. I think there are a lot of international fans, so I think it¡¯ll be helpful if you appear.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± Park Hayeon answered brightly, but Ha Sarang¡¯s words that followed quickly put tension on her face. ¡°But acting is more important than fans in dramas. I hope you¡¯ve prepared a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a lot.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± She looked at Park Hayeon as if she was surprised by Park Hayeon¡¯s more serious attitude than she thought. Ha Sarang said, rubbing her hands hard. ¡°Good. Then please start acting on ¡®Part 2¡¯ which is the audition script I gave you earlier.¡± ¡°Yes, Maam.¡± Part 2 is a scene right after ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter¡± was rejected for seducing ¡°Arrogance.¡± Park Hayeon bit her lips and started acting. ¡°Look at this, Mr. Omanho. Do you know who¡¯s in front of you right now?¡± Park Hayeon, speaks in a way that sounds ridiculous while spouting a false smile. With her unexpected acting skills, the judges focused more on her performance. ¡°I admit you¡¯re attractive. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to hang on like this. By the way, why are you acting like a woodstone? Just because of his loyalty to his dead wife? Ha!¡± Park Hayeon approached Jinseok two steps. Then, with slightly loose eyes, she looked down at Jinseok and said. ¡°But it¡¯s fun to bounce like this.¡± One day when you be my ¡®thing¡¯, the satisfaction will double.¡± Park Hayeon finished her lines. I gave strength to my eyes that she loosened a little before she said thest line. ¡°You¡¯ll end up being my ¡®thing¡¯. You can count on it. I¡¯ll y with you very thoroughly.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m generous with my ¡®s¡¯.¡± Park Hayeon finished acting with a gesture that seemed to smooth someone¡¯s face. Like Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s moves, this was not a scripted direction. In other words, it is a movement that has been studied and nned separately. Park Hayeon showed a confident ¡°daughter of the boss¡± who was hurt greatly by her self-esteem. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± *** ¡°You really prepared a lot.¡± Watching her acting, I felt like she came out with venom in this audition. ¡°You were really good at acting¡­¡± To be honest, it was hard to decide whose hand to raise. knock, knock. ¡°We will enter the applicants for the training.¡± While she was thinking about that, Seo Yeonsoo also came into the audition room for the final evaluation. Seo Yeonsoo sits in a chair side by side with Park Hayeon. There was a chance of a casual eye greeting, but the two didn¡¯t even look at each other. Something must have happened in the waiting room. Ha Sarang asked Min Kyungsoo at the audition hall full of tension. ¡°Do you want to go first?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Min Kyungsoo tapped the desk and said. ¡°You both acted really well. To the point that there is no problem at all with picking anyone.¡± Min Kyungsoo pointed to Seo Yeonsoo first. ¡°Applicant Seo Yeonsoo yed the boss¡¯s daughter ording to her character. In other words, it¡¯s also called ¡°western acting,¡± right? acting inplete self-control of the role.¡± Min Kyungsoo, who spoke for a long time, pointed to Park Hayeon this time and said. ¡°On the other hand, I think Park Hayeon tried to erase herself as much as possible when she was acting. I think she was going to try the ¡°Method¡±, but I think it was mixed with her emotions. But it wasn¡¯t awkward at all. I felt that she prepared a lot.¡± Min Kyungsoo breathed deeply and said. ¡°This audition alone makes it a waste for both of you to use the minor roles like ¡®The Boss¡¯s Daughter¡¯. But if I had to choose one person, . . . . .¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I want to raise Park Hayeon¡¯s hand.¡± After Min Kyungsoo¡¯s agonizing evaluation, this time, the staff and the producer said. ¡°I¡¯m going to evaluate Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s acting first¡­¡± The evaluation of the staff and the producer was as long as Min Kyungsoo. After a long evaluation, Ha Sarang said. ¡°I would like to vote for Seo Yeonsoo. Park Hayeon did a great job, but I think Seo Yeonsoo¡¯s acting was better.¡± ¡°Is it one-on-one?¡± As Ha Sarang spoke, Seo Yeonsoo breathed a sigh of relief. Ha Sarang asked writer Kang Hyunjin. ¡°How was it, writer?¡± ¡°What? Oh, that¡¯s. Actually, both of you are so good. To be honest, I¡¯m not sure. Maybe it¡¯s because I don¡¯t know how to act, but¡­.¡± It was a rather disappointing evaluation, but it was also an honest evaluation. It takes a lot of courage to say that you don¡¯t know something you don¡¯t know. ¡°What about actor Kang Jinseok?¡± Min Kyungsoo asked in a serious voice. He is usually yful, but he is also very serious when ites to acting. ¡®Honestly, I don¡¯t know.¡¯ You both did a great job. If I put my self-interest in it, I would like to side with Seo Yeonsoo, but I couldn¡¯t. Auditions should be a ce where you evaluate only based on their skills. While I was contemting alone, Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon looked at me with intense eyes. That gaze put me in deeper agony. ¡°As expected, I¡­¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 ¡°If I had to choose one person¡­¡± The moment I was about to say a person¡¯s name after much thought. ¡°By the way, PD!¡± Writer Kang Hyunjin hesitated and said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to shoot soon, and I¡¯m very sorry to say this, but¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we do ¡®The Boss¡¯s Daughter¡¯ in two?¡± The writer¡¯s suggestion that no one in the audition had anticipated. Ha Sarang, who heard the proposal, said embarrassingly. ¡°If it¡¯s two¡­¡¤¡¤. Will the weight increase a lot? Then there might be a problem with the overall filming schedule.¡± ¡°Oh, no! I think the weight will be simr to when one actor takes the role. Instead, I think I can draw out more scenes.¡± ¡°Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm¡­¡± Ha Sarang asked Kang Hyunjin, smoothing her chin as if she was in trouble. ¡°If you have one more role, you¡¯ll have to change the script a lot, is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes. Seeing the two acting right now reminded me of the lines in my head. I think I can use more diverse scenes. Can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well, I think it¡¯ll be okay because the production cost is enough anyway. However, as far as the role is concerned, I can¡¯t decide on my own, no matter how much I am in charge. I¡¯ll talk to the staff separately.¡± Ha Sarang asked Min Kyungsoo this time. ¡°What do you think, actor Min Kyungsoo?¡± About having two ¡®Daughters of the Boss¡¯.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if the scriptes out before the shooting. I hope the schedule goes as nned as possible Min Kyungsoo looked at me and asked in a yful voice. ¡°But actor Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t told me who did better yet.¡¤¡¤¡¤. Please tell me. I think those two are very curious, too.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤This guy is really¡­¡± Min Kyungsoo with an unknown smile. It was an embarrassing question that came in at a time when I was relieved that I wouldn¡¯t have to make a difficult decision. I looked up slightly and saw Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon. The gaze was too intense. To the point where it feels like aser ising out of their eyes. ¡®I think it¡¯ll be a mess if I say it¡¯s hard to distinguish between the best and the best.¡¯¡¯ Everyone¡¯s focus was on me. ¡°Both of you maye into the work, but don¡¯t argue about who did well and who didn¡¯t.¡± As soon as I had no choice but to say what I thought earlier, the Sergeant and PDughed and said. ¡°If we shoot together, we¡¯re all in the same team. We don¡¯t have to argue about it, right?¡± Min Kyungsoo hit the desk as if he was disappointed. ¡°Oh, PD. It was a very important moment just now.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really curious, please ask me personally when we¡¯re not here. Well, thank you all for your hard work. Let¡¯s proceed with the remaining auditions.¡± ¡°Thank you, right?¡± said Ha Sarang with her eyes. She smiled slightly and bowed her head in appreciation. Park Yihan, who stood by the door throughout the audition, said. ¡°Then, please follow me, the two applicants.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤Yes.¡± Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon got up from their seats with a slightly disapproving look on their faces. ¡°Thank you. ¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± *** Time flew by and the script reading date approached. In the meantime, after discussions with internal staff, Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon were in charge of ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter,¡± as Kang Hyunjin hoped. The script was revised a little, but it waspleted quickly, so there was no change in the overall schedule. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± A bigger problem than that was the two actors who yed the role of Oh Minyoung, the younger brother of Oh Manho, sitting opposite the reading room. It was in 1979 that ¡°Omanho¡± in the y became a gangster. And the drama began in earnest in 1985. There is a six-year gap between them, so ¡°Oh Minyoung¡± was yed by two actors. Only adult actors can cover the difference of 5-6 years with makeup, but not child roles. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Lee Nayeon talked to me calmly, as if she didn¡¯t care about the cold atmosphere of the two. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here, sir. I¡¯m sorry. I was thinking about something else.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here, sir,¡± is too hard. I¡¯m not as old as you are. Actor Kang and I are a year apart, so you don¡¯t have to be so polite.¡± ¡°Ha ha, ha, ha. Yes.¡± ¡°So, what were you taking so seriously?¡± He spoke quietly, pointing to the two actors in the role of Oh Minyoung. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to get along very well. It¡¯s my first reading, but if it¡¯s like that ¡°Oh, the friends who yed the role of Oh Minyoung?¡± The little one is Mo Hyein and the other one is Han Sora.¡± ¡°Do you know them?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve worked together before.¡± Lee Narin, who drew attention from Mo Hyein and Han Sora, said. ¡°Well, there are quite a few cases where they have such a war of nerves when they are ying one role. It¡¯s because I think, ¡°What if he acts better than me?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s perfect for viewers topare. ¡°Like a child vs. an adult.¡± Well, they¡¯re both children after all.¡± Lee Nayeon shrugged, exining the rtionship between the two. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. But those two are good at acting. Rather, if you have a rival like that, your acting skills will increase, so it¡¯s good. By the way, ¡°¡¤¡¤¡± This time, Lee Nayeon asked, pointing to one side. ¡°They¡¯re both unusual. Do you know why?¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± There were Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon. ¡°I¡¯m sure those two are also like ¡®Rival¡¯ as you just said.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. The role in ¡°The Boss¡¯s Daughter¡± has increased to two Gil-Rae, I thought the two actors who were on good terms shared the role.¡± When we¡¯re talking about such trivial things. Drop it! The door inside the reading room opened, and Staff Sergeant, PD, and several staff walked out. ¡°The producer is even more haggard than thest time I saw her.¡± When all the staff came in, Ha Sarang looked around and said. ¡°I think everyone¡¯s here, so¡­¡± Shall we get started? It¡¯s a little early, but we¡¯d better start quickly and finish quickly.¡± Ha Sarang bowed her head as the actors nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll officially say hello. I¡¯m Ha Sarang, who is in charge of this work. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been in charge of production at the front line. I will work harder than anyone else so that I don¡¯t hear that it¡¯s a retreat, and for those who believed in me and participated in the work. Thank you.¡± a short and bold greeting. Since then, staff members such as photography directors, art directors, director team leaders, and makeup team leaders have constantly introduced themselves. It seems that only the leadership level in each field was greeted, but that alone has taken a long time and a lot of manpower has been put into this work. ¡°Hmm. ¡®What should I say?¡¯ And when the staff finished greeting, the actors¡¯ turn came. I was thinking of an impactfulment that wasn¡¯t as long as the Sergeant and PD did a while ago. ¡°Kang Jinseok. This¡­.¡± A staff member who appeared to be the youngest handed over the microphone to me. ¡°Come to think of it, Juyeon always said hello first.¡±¡¯ When I got up from my seat, I felt their eyes focused. From Min Kyungsoo, who is smiling and smiling, to the unknown staff standing at the edge of the reading room. I took a big breath and said. ¡°Hello! It¡¯s Kang, Jin, and Seok! I was very lucky, and thankfully, I got a big part that wasn¡¯t right for me. I¡¯ll act so that I don¡¯t be someone else to other senior actors. Thank you!¡± So, starting with my greeting, all the actors¡¯ greetings ended, and the reading began in earnest. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± *** ¡°Studio 139¡± in Paju City, Gyeonggi Province. The staff could not hide their nervous expressions in the huge studio, which was nearly 300 pyeong. ¡°Phew.¡¤¡¤¡¤. How is the first shooting an action scene?¡± A staff member murmured. The staff next to him also sighed and nodded. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sure there will be NGs for all sorts of reasons, whoo.¡¤¡¤¡¤¡± ¡°If you take a break in the middle to recover your stamina, you can¡¯t go home today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to change with Team 2.¡± then. ¡°Dongsik, should I make a bet with you?¡± An action actor who was warming up next to the staff said. The eyes of the staff who wereining were naturally drawn to it. ¡°Bet? What kind of bet?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s scene will be over within three times, so I¡¯ll bet all my appearance fees today.¡± What do you think?¡± ¡°Oh, paying the appearance fee?¡± Is it a bit strong? Then four times for me.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re insured. You¡¯re trying to stretch it out because you made a mistake in part of what could be done in three times.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not that rubbish. Then I thought I¡¯d be scolded by the director. I don¡¯t want to live that long.¡± When the action actors were talking. ¡°Hey, guys. Stop talking nonsense and go in and get ready.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry!¡± Action actors scattered over martial arts director Choi Songrok¡¯s push. ¡°Tsk,¡¤¡¤¡¤. Children. Just try to make an NG.¡± The staff asked in a curious voice when they heard the story. ¡°Am I a martial arts director?¡± ¡°What? Oh, I¡¯m sorry. The kids talked without any tension, and said, ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I¡¯m d that the actors are in good condition. More than that¡­.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°I think everyone¡¯s confident in filming today¡­¡± Are you guys so well prepared?¡± A little while ago, I saw a glimmer of hope in the eyes of the staff who were worried about today¡¯s shooting. Choi Songrok breathed long and said. ¡°Sup, yes, yes, yes. I don¡¯t know. They¡¯re probably doing that because of actor Kang Jinseok. Kang Jinseok is good at ¡°a lot.¡± When the staff heard that, they tilted their heads. ¡°Kang Jinseok, is really that good at action?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it. I was born with that friend.¡± TN: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see¡­¡±. Is he that good?¡¯ Director Choi Songrok said with a smile to the staff who looked puzzled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll excuse myself. I have some things left to check before the shoot.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Good luck.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Director Choi Songrok walked inside the studio, and a sound was heard from the walkie-talkie they were wearing. [4885 Benzz Sprinter is going in] It was the voice of the youngest staff who controlled the site outside. Another staff member said to the staff standing in a daze. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Let¡¯s go out. If it¡¯s 4885, it¡¯s Kang Jinseok¡¯s car.¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah, that¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go.¡± Two staff members rushed out of the studio. Soon after, arge van came in from the entrance of the studio. ¡°4885¡­. That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go pick him up quickly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vehicle number 4885. It was a car that Jinseok, the main character of this work, decided to ride. If it were another actor, senior staff would not be waiting like this. However, Jinseok is the main character of this movie. He is a person who must be treated, so the two came out to meet him. Rumor has it that Jinseok is very nice¡­.¡¯ Despite such thoughts, the staff did not rx. Although the images and rumors were good, many actors were the best psycho in the universe. ¡°Hello, actor!¡± ¡°Thank you foring!¡± As the two staff greeted loudly, the van door began to open slowly. Jinseok holding a green drink that doesn¡¯t know if it¡¯s green tea or something else. When they saw him in person, the staff was surprised. ¡°Wow¡­. He¡¯s really handsome.¡¯ Jinseok and the staff¡¯s eyes met. The staff smiled awkwardly and bowed slightly. Then Jinseok approached them with a bright smile. ¡°Oh! Hello, I¡¯m Kang Jinseok!¡± The staff also said with a smile at Jinseok¡¯s polite attitude. ¡°Yes! Hello.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I look forward to today¡¯s shooting.¡± ¡°As the rumor goes¡­ The man seems to be fine.¡¯ *** ¡°Now, it¡¯s our first shoot! Everyone put your energy in! ¡°Remember your movements! Okay?¡± The sergeant and the producer spoke to the loudspeaker. Whether it was an actor or a staff member, everyone answered loudly. ¡°Yes! I see!¡± Inside the studio, the tension is hovering. Lee Nayeon approached as she was rxing in the middle of them. ¡°Whoa¡­. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s the scene where we left from the first shoot. I feel unsettled.¡± The first scene we shot today was a date scene to celebrate the discharge of ¡®Oh Manho¡¯s wife, Shin Jiyeon. During that date, Shin Jiyeon is caught up in a raid by a hostile organization and dies. She said to Lee Nayeon with a bold smile. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to finish it all at once.¡± ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t get too tired. ¡°If you rx too much and it interferes with the scene you and I are filming tomorrow, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°Haha¡­. Yes.¡± The scene scheduled to be filmed tomorrow was the scene where newlyweds ¡°Oh Manho¡± and ¡°Shin Jiyeon¡± were having fun. It was a little bit itchy. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go get ready for the acting.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Today¡¯s background is a restaurant in front of a theater in the 1980s. The bright chandelier on the wine-colored sofa exuded the feeling of a farmhouse. While we were dating here, a hostile organization came in¡­ The action scene starts right away.¡¯ Behind me were the action actors who yed the subordinates of ¡°Oh Manho¡± far away. On the other side of the studio, there were a lot of actors waiting for the role of a hostile organization. Among them, actor Kim Dongsik, standing in front of them, stood out. Kim Dongsik was holding a hoe knife with the handle wrapped in cloth. It was a prop, but it looked sharp enough to be real. He was practicing one movement or another with a knife. ¡°You¡¯re still practicing even though it¡¯s right before the shoot.¡± Looking at the movement, I also thought of the promised movement. ¡°Whoa¡­.¡± Let¡¯s just do that much, as we¡¯ve practiced so far. ¡°Let¡¯s start filming!¡± *** ¡°When will the shooting start?¡± Producer Joo Wonho of ¡°Yeonyan Diary¡± asked the team member next to him. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it start when the actors get their emotions together?¡± ¡°By the way, thanks to Park Hayeon, I ate one thing. I also got a sketch from the set of Netflix.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Yeonyan Diary¡± is an observational entertainment program that shows the daily life of a celebrity, as the program name suggests. Although it is amon entertainment show in Pomet these days, it was well received by viewers because it was much more ¡®real¡¯ than other programs. It was thanks to Park Hayeon that the filming staff of ¡°Yeonyan Diary¡± were able toe here today. Through Park Hayeon, who stars as semi-fixed, asked Ha Sarang and PD to cooperate in filming, and Ha Sarang and PD were also allowed to film because it¡¯s not bad to promote their work. ¡°Park Hayeon¡¯s first drama is Netflix, so even if she does well with Agro, the ratings wille out to some extent.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start filming!¡± Then, I heard the staff¡¯s voice in the distance. ¡®It must be starting.¡¯ Joo Wonho looked at the actors. Jinseok said the line first. ¡°Congrattions on your discharge. You did a great job.¡± ¡°Your voice is nice.¡± Jinseok smiled brightly and cut Lee Nayeon¡¯s steak. Jinseok looked really happy, but Lee Nayeon didn¡¯t look happy at all. When Lee Nayeon didn¡¯t even touch the food even with the steak in front of her, Jinseok asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Or is it not to your taste ¡°Whoa¡­. Manho.¡± Lee Nayeon said with a sigh. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Now¡­ ¡°Can¡¯t you stop being a gangster?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I heard you paid off all our debts.¡± Now¡­ ¡°Can¡¯t we just live in our store like we used to?¡± Jinseok put his fork and knife down on the table. Then he said with a forced smile. ¡°Jiyeon, let¡¯s talk about thatter. Today, it¡¯s just¡­.¡± ¡°No. I want you toe back to your old ¡®arrogant¡¯ as soon as possible even for a second. to the Oh Manho that I liked.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re¡­ That¡¯s not who he was then.¡± Jinseok smoothed his forehead. Then, he gave up a deep sigh and gave her head a big hug. ¡°¡­I got it. I¡¯ll talk to my big brother.¡± ¡°I told you to tell him when I¡¯m in the hospital. You said you¡¯d quit after my discharge.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m so worried. The thing you always say¡¯s get stabbed.¡± Jinseok was deeply troubled by his worried eyes looking at her. Then he said with a light smile. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll definitely tell them tomorrow. I¡¯m retiring.¡± In that voice, Joo Wonho could feel ¡®sincere¡¯. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s going to quit being a gangster. ¡°Wow¡­. His good at acting.¡¯ Joo Wonho, who is now an entertainment producer, was impressed by Jinseok, who once did a drama. By the time their emotions were ripe, the quiet studio quickly became chaotic. ¡°Catch the 50,000-ho!¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Kill all the X-rayed babies!¡± ¡°Hurry up and clean up!¡± Jinseok¡¯s men, who were standing guard outside, ran into the restaurant, followed by thugs in cheap sweatpants. Jinseok jumped up and shouted. ¡°What are they doing?¡± The subordinate who came to Jinseok¡¯s side said urgently. ¡°My Brother, I think you need to get out quickly. There are a lot of gangster kids outside.¡± ¡°Who are they, those pups? Where are they? I¡¯m eating with my wife and without anymon manners. Huh?!¡± ¡°Brother! That¡¯s not the point right now! Now¡­!¡± Bang! The door broke and thugs came in. ¡°Ha! X wave! I finally found it. ¡°Hey, Arrogant!¡± Jinseok frowned fearfully at the thug who called him. ¡°Hey, you punk. Can¡¯t you see me eating with my wife? Even if it¡¯s not the case, isn¡¯t it a basic rule not to touch it when you¡¯re with your family?¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­ I wonder if the gangster kids are going to pick something like that. I don¡¯t know anything like that, just give me your throat. I¡¯ll give you a pretty shot.¡± The thug said, digging his ears as if he didn¡¯t want to hear it. Jinseok, who saw it, gritted his teeth with a dreary voice. ¡°This X-ball is a hole in the mouth¡­¡±.¡± Jinseok clenched his fist and tried to move forward. However, I couldn¡¯t bear to because of Lee Nayeon, who was shaking. ¡°Hey, take Jiyeon out the back door quickly.¡± Jinseok spoke quietly to his subordinates, hiding a frightened Lee Nayeon behind him. ¡°What? What are you going to do with them?¡±?¡± ¡°I think these guys are here to catch me, but if I run away with you, Jiyeon might also be in danger.¡± ¡°No, brother. Even so¡­.¡± ¡°I only trust you.¡± Afterpleting his lines, Jinseok immediately jumped at Yang Ahchi, who wasughing. At once, he punched him on the chin and climbed onto the table. That was the starting point. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s die today, you punk!!¡± The action actors jumped at each other. Arge enough number to fill the studio. The table was smashed and the chair was flying. The neat restaurant had blood everywhere before I knew it. In this ce where there are a lot of swear words and blood, the only chandelier glitters brilliantly. ¡°Kill that punk no matter what!¡± Kim Dongsik, the first gangster who had a war of nerves with Jinseok, jumped on Jinseok. Kim Dongsik, who wields a sashimi knife recklessly, and Jinseok, who tries to take away the knife while blocking and avoiding it. All the action was being done on the circr table. ¡°Gasp¡­. Oh my¡­.¡± It wasn¡¯t until the suit that Jinseok was wearing became a mop that the studio finally became quiet. Jinseok looked around and exhaled a rough breath. Joo Wonho also took a breath that he had held back. It¡¯s because he held his breath while watching the actors¡¯ acting. ¡°Wow¡­. The level of the actors is crazy. Really.¡¯ Among them, Jinseok was definitely the most brilliant. Jinseok stumbled and walked somewhere. A little while ago, it was a door where a subordinate ran away with Lee Nayeon. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s this!¡± Okay! Cut When Jinseok came out of the restaurant, the excited staff and PD cheered. Joo Wonho was able to understand Ha Sarang¡¯s feelings 200% even though she was a little clumsy. Joo Wonho called the team member next to him. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Hurrah!¡± ¡°What? Oh, yeah!¡± The team member, who was mesmerized by Jinseok¡¯s performance, was surprised. ¡°When is this going to be uploaded on Netflix?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know. I think I¡¯ll have to find out¡­ Why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s cast him before his appearance price goes up.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Joo Wonho pointed to Jinseok, who is surrounded by actors and receives praise. ¡°It¡¯s Kang Jinseok.¡± Chapter 67 Chapter 67 ¡°You want to cast him before his appearance fee costs go up?¡± Joo Wonho nodded when the team member asked. ¡°Oh, if he goes up on Netflix, Kang Jinseok¡¯s price will go up a lot.¡± ¡°Of course. By the way¡­.¡± The team member said, scratching the back of his head. ¡°We got dumped.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Joo Wonho was rather embarrassed by the team member¡¯s nonchnt voice and asked. ¡°Oh, no. ¡°The producer turned it off without even realizing it?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s an episode we took when we invited guests one by onest time ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I was going to bring Park Hayeon when I filmed it, but she opened it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. I think I heard it at first nce.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I heard it, I¡¯m sure you heard it.¡± I told you a few times during the meeting.¡± ¡°¡­All right.¡± Joo Wonho answered in a gloomy voice and asked again as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°No, but what the hell? We consistently hit two spots for our program ratings, and there are many fans overseas as well.¡± ¡°I thought it was weird too¡­ Maybe something bad happens with Park Hayeon, or maybe she doesn¡¯t want to get involved with a female celebrity at all. Scandal is the enemy of all celebrities.¡± ¡°What kind of scandal does she have with being on a variety show together?¡±. Hmm. Thepany must be very tough.¡± The team member pointed to Jang Sunho, a huge man holding green juice from a distance. ¡°That¡¯s actor Kang Jinseok¡¯s manager.¡± He said he takes care of all the schedules. Actually, as soon as he got here, he tried to offer him again with the offer of an appearance.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°As you can see, his mood is a little¡­ Because I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Oh, my God, you pathetic fellow. How scary a person can be.¡± After Joo Wonho lightly criticized his team members, he nced at Jinseok¡¯s manager. A man with his hair straightened and a rough look on his face. He was watching Jinseok act with a fierce look. Joo Wonho said embarrassingly, scratching the back of his head. ¡°¡­It¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°Right? The atmosphere is no joke.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the head of the bodyguard, not the manager?¡± Even if he was a manager, he didn¡¯t seem to be a regr manager because he wore a suit to the set. ¡°You wanted to do it with Park Hayeon, but you opened it, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not sure about that either. Park Hayeon¡¯s manager made it ambiguous.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s closed, it¡¯s closed. What¡¯s that ambiguous thing? Anyway, I got it. I¡¯ll go tell him.¡± ¡°Are you going to go yourself?¡± I heard that if the producer asks you to cast him, you¡¯ll lose your voice.¡± ¡°I know, why didn¡¯t you take good care of my Gao?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go ask, so tell me if Park Hayeon will start filming.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joo Wonho slowly approached Jang Sunho. *** After the first action scene. I was drinking a ¡®special drink¡¯ prepared by Jang Sunho. ¡°Wow¡­. Manager. ¡°Do I really have to drink this until the end of the shoot?¡± What I¡¯m drinking right now is a green liquid in a 1.5L bottle. I don¡¯t know what was in it, but it seemed to have a lot of vegetables. ¡°Yes, you lost a lot of weight practicing at an action school. You have to eat well to maintain your current appearance. However, you shouldn¡¯t eat anything, but you should eat it with a healthy carbon dioxide diet.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.Thank you so much for your care. Is there something in here by any chance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a juice with green vegetables, protein powder, brown rice, and a little bit of fruit. Still, all the essential nutrients are in, so you don¡¯t have to worry. Oh, there¡¯s some milk in there, too.¡± ¡°¡­Everything that¡¯s really good for you is in it.¡± ¡°Of course. I adjusted the amount by checking with the nutritionist one by one.¡± As expected, my manager was overlypetent. In the corner of the waiting room table, there was a tteokgalbi lunch box brought by the staff. It looks so delicious that it¡¯s steaming and the portion is generous. With the earnest desire of ¡®Can I have a bite?¡¯ I alternately looked at the lunch box and Jang Sunho with mournful eyes. but. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Jang Sunho was an iron wall. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to copse because I¡¯m hungry¡­ ¡°Can I have a bite of tteok-galbi?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not going to fall. Some actresses eat 330 days of the year like this. But they are still healthy and living well, right ¡°¡­I see.¡± I had no choice but to drink all the green juice. I managed to drink it because I kept drinking it somehow. ¡°There are two actors left in the scene today. One is a studio shoot, the other is an outdoor shoot.¡± When I finished drinking the juice, Jang Sunho said. As he said, there were two scenes left today. The following is the scene where the prosecutor and Oh Manho talk in the studio shoot. The prosecutor is the friend whom ¡°Oh Manho¡± was closest to when he was young. amonly referred friend of mine. ¡°The actor who yed the prosecutor was Han Kangmin.¡± An actor who has recently made a name for himself inmercial films and dramas. ¡°You were really good when you were a student.¡±. I¡¯m a little nervous. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡¯ ¡°Actor, if you¡¯re done eating, let¡¯s go watch other people¡¯s film.¡± It¡¯s better to be on set than in a waiting room for images.¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± He got up from his seat, stretched out loudly, and went down after Jang Sunho. *** The set still looked busy. ¡°The scene we¡¯re shooting right now¡­¡± Is it a war of nerves between Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon?¡¯ Park Hayeon yed Park Miyeon¡¯s older sister, Park Miyeon, and Seo Yeonsoo yed the younger sister, Park Sooyeon. It is a setting where both of them are people who have lived their own way and do not want to be. They¡¯re verypetitive. I watched Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon act from a proper distance. ¡°NG!¡± The staff and the producer approached the two with their heads tilted. ¡°It¡¯s not bad, but you two have to show your emotions a little more intensely. Like Kang Jinseok, it¡¯s like ¡°Pure¡±. Don¡¯t do it by force. Do you two understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll try again.¡± Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon answered with their heads down almost at the same time. ¡°Yeonsoo, let¡¯s not say that¡¯s true¡­¡±. ¡°Park Hayeon is unexpected.¡± Despite the continued NG, Park Hayeon followed Ha Sarang¡¯s instructions quite obediently. When Ha Sarang returned to her seat, the staff ran to Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon. Some people fix their makeup and others clean up their hair. After about five minutes, the two returned to their original neat appearance. When the two were ready, the Sergeant and PD shouted. ¡°Standby¡­¡±. Cue!¡± It was Seo Yeonsoo who started the line first. ¡°No matter how much you covet the Oh Manho, how can you think of killing his wife? Do you know that Oh Manho is about to go to war because of her death? Seo Yeonsoo shoots back in an angry voice as if it was amazing. Then Park Hayeon calmly pretended. ¡°Kill his wife? Me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t deny it. You bought it up. Then it¡¯s like you killed her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you, but you still don¡¯t like me. Talk informally to your sister or say ¡°Squeak.¡± ¡°We have a different belly, but what are you doing? And don¡¯t change the subject.¡± ¡®¡­Both of them are really good.¡¯ I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s being photographed on camera, but just by looking at the acting scene, it was enough to be called ¡®heat acting¡¯. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill her. There¡¯s no reason for me to kill her in the first ce, is there?¡± ¡°There are many reasons to kill her. Because Shin Jiyeon was the biggest obstacle to you having the Oh Manho.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. I mean, I coveted the Oh Manho, so I killed his wife?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Oh, my God¡­.¡± Park Hayeon said with augh as if she was dumbfounded. ¡°Hey, Park Sooyeon. I don¡¯t use that dirty way. He¡¯s a man I can have whenever I want, so why bother doing that?¡± After the line, Park Hayeon raised her chin and said, looking down at Seoyeon. ¡°I thought you did it. It¡¯s exactly what kids like you who are not confident with men do. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A man who is shaking because he lost his wife, digging in tofort him. Yes, it¡¯s your specialty¡­.¡± When Park Hayeon was about to finish her line. Oh my god! Seo Yeonsoo pped Park Hayeon in the face. Strong enough to be heard even by me, who is quite far away. You looked sick just by looking at it. ¡°Wow¡­. I can¡¯t believe Yeonsoo can hit people like that.¡¯ Park Hayeon, who was pped, swept her hair back. Then she spat with red blood from her mouth. ¡°Tw¡­.¡± Blood was like a shooting prop that she put in her mouth in advance, but¡­ I wondered if it might be real blood. Park Hayeon, who turned red on one side, said, breaking her lips. ¡°I hit one earlier, so I¡¯ll let you off the hook for once. And keep that in mind. I¡¯m going to have Oh Manho. If you interrupt, the next time you die¡­ ¡°You know even if I don¡¯t tell you, right?¡± Then Seo Yeonsoo took a step closer to Park Hayeon. She looked very rxed, perhaps because of the p on the face. ¡°How can you express such details¡­¡±. You¡¯ve really practiced a lot.¡¯ Seo Yeonsoo said in a confident voice. ¡°You¡¯ll never have Oh Manho.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have him.¡± At the end of Seo Yeonsoo¡¯sst line, Ha Sarang shouted out loudly as if satisfied. ¡°Ah! Cut! Good!¡± Let¡¯s move on to the next scene Only then did the studio, which had been under heavy tension,e back to life. ¡°Wow, the actors in this movie are amazing¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect much because you said you were an idol, but you¡¯re really good. Park Hayeon.¡± ¡°That friend named Seo Yeonsoo. ¡°Is she a rookie?¡± ¡°Hey! Mr. Man-ho!¡± While nodding his head while listening to the staff¡¯s conversation, Min Kyungsoo came up waving his hands. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Watching?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. To learn how other actors act¡­¡±.¡± ¡°I see. Aren¡¯t you tired? You¡¯d lose your energy if you took just one action scene. Take a rest in the waiting room.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little tired, but I¡¯m fine. And the manager said it¡¯s better to be outside on set.¡± Min Kyungsoo nodded and said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. The manager knows something.¡± ¡°Haha¡­.¡± ¡°I think he knows a lot¡­.¡¯ Min Kyungsoo also asked with a serious face if he had watched Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon¡¯s performances. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°What? Oh, acting? they¡¯re really good. Especially, I didn¡¯t know Yeonsoo would act so sharp. I think Park Hayeon haspletely melted down as well.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± I can feel Min Kyungsoo¡¯s sigh. Did he feel differently from what I felt? ¡°From your point of view¡­ Was it not good?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that-¡± Min Kyungsoo said with his arms crossed. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s ¡®acting¡¯.¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 What do you mean it¡¯s not acting? When I looked at Min Kyungsoo¡¯s face, I didn¡¯t mean it in a bad way. But he asked carefully just in case. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not acting?¡±?¡± Unlike my cautious voice, Min Kyungsoo answered yfully. ¨C ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not ¡°acting¡±. It¡¯s like real. ¨C That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying. Like ¡®really.¡¯ ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°A war of nerves between two evil girls over a man. It was written like that in the script, right?¡± It seemed like a good misunderstanding. ¡°But as we go back, her training may be dyed. I know her personally, but she¡¯s so nice that it might be a burden to act like that.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think so. I saw her in the audition waiting room before, and Seo Yeonsoo was also very energetic.¡± Unlike me, who was worried, Min Kyungsoo seemed quite rxed. ¡°I couldn¡¯t say a word to Park Hayeon and talk about you¡­¡±.¡± The moment Min Kyungsoo tried to say something. ¡°Oh, brother!! I¡¯ve been looking at you for a long time.¡± A man wearing jeans and a sweatshirt approached and told Min Kyungsoo. ¡°Bro, the next shoot is a little pulled up. You have to go right now.¡± Looking at him talking, he seemed to be Min Kyungsoo¡¯s manager. Min Kyungsoo shrugged at the man¡¯s words. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Jinseok, I¡¯m going to film soon, so I¡¯m going to go first.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Yes! Good luck!¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± I thought while looking at the back of Min Kyungsoo¡¯s head as he was walking. I thought he was trying to say something important¡­.¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t think long. It was time for me to start filming soon. *** Through the semi-underground window, a bluish yet bleak light came in, and an eye-splittingly bright ¡°light bulb¡± was hanging on the ceiling to illuminate the table. The walls are dirty stained tiles, and the entrance is tightly closed with iron doors and bars. It is an ¡®Intrigumental Room¡¯ that ismon in movies set in the 1970s and 1980s. ¡°They made it really well.¡± I¡¯ve never been to the interrogation room, but when I looked at the details, I felt that I paid close attention to each one. I pulled a chair and brought it to my desk. ¡°I have some time left, so I¡¯ll just have to look at the script one more time.¡± At that time, a staff member approached and said. ¡°Well, actor Kang Jinseok. Excuse me a for moment. I need to change the light bulb to a different one¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Click! The staff came up to the desk and pulled out the light bulb. Then the interrogation room quickly went dark. The eyes, which were ustomed to bright light, could not adapt to the darkness, so they could not see well. In the dark, the staff could hear the switch on. This is¡­?¡¯ As the interrogation room became brighter again, the view changed. It looks just like the set of the interrogation room I was sitting in a while ago. The only difference is that it smells like a bloody smell and a stale basement that is not known here. In the center, Lee Manseok, a haggard, was sitting in handcuffs, and across from Lee Manseok, a man in a dirty dress shirt was constantly sighing. The man sighed several more times and told Lee Manseok. ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡­It¡¯s been a long time. All seats.¡± ¡°Yes, Kyunghoon. It¡¯s been 10 years. I heard you were tested, but I didn¡¯t expect to see you like this.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How are your parents doing?¡± ¡ª¡ª When asked by Lee Manseok, the prosecutor said as if he was frustrated. ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡­¡± Byeongsin, is this the time for you to worry about my parents?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The nice, smart guy somehow became a gangster¡­ X shot.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor, whoined of swearing, took out a cigarette from his arms and bit it in his mouth. Smoke rises when the cigarette is lit. The prosecutor said after smoking a cigarette to the end of the filter. ¡ª¡ª ¡°You know that the president is trying to destroy all the thugs.¡± ¡°Oh, I saw it on the news.¡± ¡°Because of that, your judgment came down directly from ¡®above¡¯. The ruling that came down¡­.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor took a deep breath as he slurred his words. He breathed it out slowly and spoke in a helpless voice. ¡ª¡ª ¡°You¡­ It¡¯s the death penalty.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡®¡­¡¯Oh no.¡¯ A bolt out of the blue saying ¡®death penalty¡¯. As soon as he heard that, Lee Manseok¡¯s breathing trembled irregrly. I suddenly felt as if I had been hit in the back of my head. After several deep breaths, I managed to calm down. Lee Manseok spoke as calmly as possible. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Yes, not to be a thug, but to have lost a loved one because of it. That¡¯s all the way I¡¯ve chosen.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That punishment, I¡¯ll take it all.¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok, who finished speaking, drooped like a deted wind doll. He looks down at the floor of the interrogation room with unfocused eyes. The prosecutor asked Lee Manseok carefully. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Hey, can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°¡­¡± What is it?¡± ¡°While you were going to Seoul¡­ What happened to you that you became a gangster?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even a cop, what a thug! ¡°Why the hell?¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok agonized over the prosecutor¡¯s question for a while. Inhale deeply and exhale repeatedly. The bitter, acrid cigarette smoke came through his nose. But strangely, he didn¡¯t hate it. ¡ª¡ª ¡°It¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I have to do something to survive in this hellish world.¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseokughed and continued. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Two years after getting married, Jiyeon had a car ident. My parents also owe me a lot, and I had to pay for Jiyeon¡¯s surgery.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect much either. I wanted to live a normal life with Jiyeon and Minyoung. But it didn¡¯t even work.¡± ¡°You punk¡­.¡± ¡°Then, some demon whispered. You have to give up being human to survive in hell. You have to be a devil to be happy.¡± ¡°So I became a gangster. I want to be happy in this hell.¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok sighed. Kyunghoon vomited only cigarette smoke as if he was suffocated by his friend¡¯s family history, which he had never expected. ¡ª¡ª ¡°By the way, the real devil should have no blood or tears. They stab people easily, and they y with people who are weak.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I didn¡¯t be a real devil.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Minyoung and Jiyeon end up unhappy because of my hypocritical heart?¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor, who listened to Lee Manseok for a long time, clenched his fist and struck him as if breaking the desk. Bang! Then he grabbed Lee Manseok by the cor and said. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Hey!! If that happened, shouldn¡¯t you at least contact me?¡± ¡°Is it hurting your pride to open your hand to me?! ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± ¡°Say something, you punk!¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor¡¯s hand, which grabbed Lee Manseok by the cor, trembled. But it wasn¡¯t just anger. It was because he was so sad. And it was because he was so pathetic that he couldn¡¯t help his friend. Lee Manseok said to his friend, looking at the water. ¡ª¡ª ¡°I know. Why didn¡¯t I think of that then?¡± ¡°There must have been a much better way than to be a gangster.¡± ¡ª¡ª Lee Manseok talks as if it¡¯s someone else¡¯s business. Perhaps he didn¡¯t like the attitude, the prosecutor tried to hit Lee Manseok. ¡ª¡ª ¡°You little idiot. What are you talking about¡­!¡± ¡ª¡ª However, when Lee Manseok¡¯s eyes met his eyes, the prosecutor had no choice but to rx his fist. Because his eyes were already filled with sadness and regret, and it was tearful eyes. Flop down. The prosecutor sat weakly in the chair. They were sitting without saying anything to each other. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Hey, Manseok.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor settled down and said. His voice contained a glimmer of hope. ¡ª¡ª ¡°I just heard what you said¡­ It¡¯s a long shot, but I¡¯vee up with a way to avoid the death penalty.¡± ¡°The death sentence¡­ Can I get away with it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor took out a few sheets of paper and a pen. He wrote down something and started exining it. ¡ª¡ª ¡°What you just said, say it in court.¡± ¡°What I just said¡­ Why did I be a gangster?¡± ¡°Yes. There was a gangster simr to you in Seoulst week. He was originally the death penalty, but speaking of his family, the death penalty changed to life imprisonment. Words are life imprisonment, if the government is a little harmful, in 10 years, or 20 years¡­.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor even wrote down Lee Manseok¡¯s remarks in court on a piece of paper. Lee Manseok, who was staring at it, smiled weakly and said. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Kyunghoon, I appreciate you for your help, but I don¡¯t want to live like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What?¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor stared at Lee Manseok as if he couldn¡¯t understand. Lee Manseok looked the prosecutor in the eye and said again. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s say I live in a courtroom saying I became a gangster because of my family, as you say. Then¡­ ¡°What do Jiyeon and Minyoung think?¡± ¡°Hey, man! That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°If I say that in court, Jiyeon and Minyoung are the ones who turned their families into gangsters.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor wrapped his forehead around Lee Manseok¡¯s words. He washes his face roughly dry with his hands as if it was too stuffy. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Ha¡­ X shot. You have to do something if you live! What a stupid¡­.¡± ¡ª¡ª After sighing one after another, the prosecutor took out a cigarette from his arms and gave it to Lee Manseok. Lee Manseok bent down and bit the cigarette into his mouth. The cigarette smoke from the two of them rose thickly. The dark air turns gray. Lee Manseok, who was watching the smoke spreading in the air, calmly told the prosecutor. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Kyunghoon. I¡¯m sorry. Can you do me a favor, please?¡± ¡°¡­Please? What request?¡± ¡ª¡ª When the prosecutor asked, Lee Manseok put his hand on the desk. His hands were heavily cuffed. Lee Manseok just held up a pen that the prosecutor had in his hand. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Let me write one letter.¡± ¡°Letters?¡± ¡°Yes, I have something to tell Minyoung.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor thought for a while, nodded, and handed some papers to Lee Manseok. I felt that the prosecutor was trying to take care of Lee Manseok, which was especially hard than other papers. Lee Manseok started writing a letter. It was a little ufortable because both hands were tied, but he could use it somehow. Writing a letter reminded me of my brother. My heart sank and my eyes turned red. I wiped my tears with my sleeve before it flowed because I thought I was going to cry. However, the tears that began to rise did not disappear easily and eventually fell into the letter Lee Manseok wrote. The tears smeared my handwriting. Lee Manseok hurriedly wiped the tears from the paper. in a rush. ¡ª¡ª ¡°I¡¯ll release your handcuffs until you finish writing.¡± ¡°Write whatever you want to say. So that you won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡ª¡ª The prosecutor who released the handcuffs rose from his seat. And before leaving the interrogation room, he finally expressed his sincerity. ¡ª¡ª ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Manseok.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°All I can do is to send a letter¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡ª¡ª Since then, Lee Manseok has written more than ten letters. Tears dropped throughout the letter. Like a drop of water from a faucet that¡¯s not properly locked. But for some reason, in tears, not sadness, but relief that he could convey his heart to his brother and wife for thest time before he died. after a long time. Lee Manseokpleted thest sentence. ¡°This is¡­ Is this the letter that Lee Manseok wants to write to his younger brother?¡¯ It is a letter written in really neat handwriting mixed with Chinese characters in the middle. A letter that I¡¯ve been curious about all the time since the beginning of filming. But there were also new questions. ¡°I wrote a letter like this and left it to my friend¡­ Why do I want to write a letter again? Is the letter not delivered by any chance?¡¯ No, anyway, I have to write a ¡®letter¡¯ containing Lee Manseok¡¯s heart. And I have to give it to Lee Manseok¡¯s younger brother. After that thought, Sisa returned to the interrogation room¡¯s ¡®set¡¯. *** First of all, congrattions on bing the head of the department. You know it¡¯s the first time in ourpany that the new actor¡¯s room has been created, right The head of KL Entertainment¡¯s 5th division told the 6th division. ¡°Yes, Chief Five. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°You have to do it properly rather than work hard. If you don¡¯t want to be like me.¡± The 6th chief nodded with difficulty to the heavy voice of the 5th chief. As can be seen from the words of the head of the 5th division, the position of the head of the 5th division was considerably lower in thepany. It was because he lost the confidence of the CEO since he was hit by Jang Sunho after being caught buying Judge Ronald. The sixth chief, who watched from the side the copse of the fifth chief, who had been doing well in his own way, could not take the words of the fifth chief lightly. ¡°I heard the CEO told you to disturb Kang Jinseok. ¡°Is there something you¡¯re preparing?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been thinking about this and that, but first of all, I¡¯m going to make the atmosphere of ¡°The Way They Chose¡± bad. Rather than directly targeting Kang, it encourages conflict among other actors.¡± ¡°Is it ¡®shoot a horse to catch a general¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m already working on it.¡± The head of the 5th office implicitly asked the head of the 6th office while drinking coffee. ¡°Now I¡¯m not the team leader, but the head of the team, so I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll do well. So what exactly are you trying to do?¡± ¡°This is it.¡± The 6th chief handed over the documents to the 5th chief with a corrupt smile. ¡°This is¡­.¡¯ The head of the 5th office who saw the documents made a significant look. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°That sounds like an interesting idea. If things go well, he can make the atmosphere on set quite blurry. As long as it goes ¡°well.¡± Strangely, the head of the 5th department emphasizes the word ¡°well.¡± He don¡¯t know what that implies, but Director 6 didn¡¯t like what Director 5 said. Because it sounded as if it was going to fail, or as if it was going to fail. But he didn¡¯t react to it. No matter how low the opponent¡¯s status has been, he has just be the head of the team. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem. But¡­.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Well¡­ No. Never mind.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± The 5th and 6th chiefs, who continued to speak vaguely, were nervous. But again, he spoke politely without showing any displeasure. ¡°The truth is¡­ The CEO asked the manager 5 to move after asking for advice. He heard that the person who knows the most about Kang Jinseok in ourpany is the 5th manager.¡± ¡°He did a lot of research on Kang Jinseok¡­ That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he showed him the n with the manager. To seek advice.¡± If so, the head of the 5th team had to cooperate with the head of the 6th team. The representative¡¯s order is absolute. but. However, he did not intend to give all the information he knew to the sixth chief. It¡¯s because they are drinking coffee face-to-face now, but he¡¯s apetitor after all. But the CEO asked him to ask for advice, so he should tell him something.¡¯ After organizing his thoughts for a while, the head of the 5th Division stood up and said. ¡°People around Gangjinseok strangely tend to unite around Gangjinseok.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to get together¡± ¡°Yes. It was the same in ¡°Dreams of the Sun Rising¡± and ¡°In Spring Without Flowers¡±. This is also the case in this work, ¡°The Way They Chose.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even people¡¯s personalities seem to change. A few months ago, it was said to be the best in the industry¡­. No, ¡®Dol-i¡¯ is also a gentle sheep and trying to be next to Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°What a gentle sheep. Can you tell me a little more about it?¡± The head of the 6th division asked curiously. However, as he thought earlier, Director 5 had no intention of telling him everything. The head of the 5th division said to the head of the 6th division with a dirty smile. ¡°It¡¯s not fun if I tell you everything, right?¡± *** ¡°Are you writing a letter?¡± The staff looked at me with a puzzled look. I thought it was weird that I was going to write a letter on set. ¡°I said it wrong because my mind was so ahead of me.¡± While thinking about that, the staff said in admiration. ¡°Are you going to practice for the letter scene?¡± It seemed like something was firmly wrong, but it wasn¡¯t a bad development, so I just nodded still. ¡°Wow¡­. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re going to practice that. That¡¯s amazing. Actually, I heard action actorsplimenting Kang Jinseok earlier.¡± ¡°Compliments?¡± ¡°Yes. You worked so hard when you were practicing at the action school, and you were flying around the set. ¡°I heard they had never seen an actor so serious about acting.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s exactly right. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re practicing writing a letter¡­.¡± The staff who had been talking for such a long time said with a big smile. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you the letter that I was going to write during the shoot. I have a lot of spare parts, so I won¡¯t mind taking a few out with practice.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you.¡± The staff immediately ran to the ce where the other staff were huddled together. Then he pointed at me and told them something. I couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying, but it seemed like he was saying something he told me earlier. After hearing that, the staff looked at me and said, ¡°Oh¡­.¡± He looks like a mouth that he does. I think everyone misunderstood¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is a big deal.¡± *** A meat restaurant in an alley in a crowded area. It¡¯s a fairly expensive restaurant, but it¡¯s always crowded today because of its good taste. A man was grilling meat in the corner of the restaurant. ¡°Oh, ¡®Secretary-General Prosecutor¡¯. Hello.¡± A middle-aged man with wrinkles engraved around his eyes smiled and said hello. A man called the ¡°Secretary Prosecutor¡± slowly raised his head. As soon as he saw the face of the man who greeted him, he got up and greeted his head politely. ¡°Are you here?¡± ¡°Yes, Minyoung. It¡¯s been a while.¡± The man who was grilling meat alone was ¡®Lee Minyoung¡¯. Lee Manseok¡¯s younger brother and a prosecutor who was recently promoted from head of department to deputy head of department. It was Song Kyunghoon who greeted him like that. Lee Manseok¡¯s close friend and a man who has taken care of Lee Minyoung since Lee Manseok¡¯s death. Now he was working at aw firm after his retirement. ¡°I still have some time these days. But this person¡­?¡± Lee Minyoung asked, looking at the man standing awkwardly next to Song Kyunghoon. ¡°Oh, this is the guy I told you about then. Writer Kang Hyunjin wrote the drama with Manseok as the main character.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, prosecutor. I¡¯m Kang Hyunjin. I¡¯ve heard a lot from Kyunghoon.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.All right. It¡¯s Lee Minyoung.¡± ¡°This is the person who wrote it as my brother.¡± When Lee Minyoung reached out to Kang Hyunjin, Kang Hyunjin slightly bowed down and held hands together. ¡°Come on,e on! Don¡¯t stand like that, let¡¯s sit down and eat. It¡¯s been a while since I got promoted, but it¡¯s still Minyoung¡¯s promotion celebration party. I¡¯m going to eat a lot.¡± Lee Minyoung and Kang Hyunjin also sat down following Song Kyunghoon, who spoke while sitting down. While eating meat while talking for a long time, Lee Minyoung asked carefully. ¡°I¡­ Writer.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°But how did you end up writing this work?¡± ¡°What? Oh, that¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you that.¡± Kang Hyunjin looked at Song Kyunghoon with a strange smile. Then Song Kyunghoon crossed his arms and breathed a light sigh. ¡°Is it a year ago?¡± I was resting at home in the evening, and suddenly I got a call from him.¡± Song Kyunghoon, who blushed because of a little alcohol, said. ¡°So I got it, and he suddenly said, ¡®Tell me the most spectacr incident you¡¯ve ever experienced while inspecting.¡¯ ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So I asked why, and he said he was doing research to try out for thest time on a drama.¡± Song Kyunghoon put soju in his mouth while talking. ¡°So I thought about it carefully. Manseok came to mind. So I talked about Manseok¡¯s life over a ss of soju¡­.¡± Then he pointed at Kang Hyunjin with his index finger and said. ¡°He shed tears and said he would write with full seats. That¡¯s how the work was created called ¡°The Way They Chose¡±. As expected, Netflix is currently producing!¡± Song Kyunghoon said aloud with a satisfied smile. On the other hand, Kang Hyunjin scratched his neck as if he was a little embarrassed to give him apliment. Lee Minyoung, who listened to it for a long time, asked hesitantly. ¡°That¡­ Senior. ¡°Did you tell the writer about the ¡®Letter¡¯ that he wrote?¡± ¡°Letters?¡± ¡°Yes, you know the letter you gave me after he was executed. I didn¡¯t even look at it¡­.¡± ¡°Yes¡­. you did.¡± ¡°I was wondering if the letter would be in that drama.¡± Song Kyunghoon stretched his back and lookedplicated. ¡°I told him that, too.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the highlight of life. It¡¯s not a highlight in a good sense.¡± Lee Minyoung sighed with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s done, man. You don¡¯t have to feel sorry for me, and honestly, I would have torn it if I were you. Manseok, it¡¯s wrong that he became a gangster.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But I heard you collected the pieces of torn letters.¡± ¡°Yes, I did, but¡­ I couldn¡¯t understand what it was about because It was torn into pieces. Only a few sentences¡­.¡± After hearing that, Song Kyunghoon said, mixing soju with beer. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± But if you forgive and understand Manseok, he will be satisfied.¡± It was quite a bright atmosphere until a while ago, but as soon as the story of ¡°Letters¡± came out, the atmosphere subsided. To revive the atmosphere, Lee Minyoung said with a smile. ¡°By the way, I wanted to tell the writer something too.¡± ¡°To me?¡± Kang Hyunjin asked again, slightly surprised. ¡°Yes, you know the actor who ys my brother. Mr. Kang Jinseok.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The more I think about it, the more I think that the casting is wrong.¡± Kang Hyunjin rolled his eyes back and forth to Lee Minyoung¡¯s bold words. Whatever he says, it won¡¯t change anyway, but it¡¯s still a work based on his ¡°family.¡± Moreover, Kang Hyunjin was strangely scared of Lee Minyoung, perhaps because of his job as a ¡°vice-chief prosecutor.¡± he might get stabbed for no reason because of the jaywalk he did yesterday. ¡°What part did you not like?¡±?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it or anything. Kang Jinseok is¡­.¡± Lee Minyoung said with a smile to Kang Hyunjin, who seemed a little nervous. ¡°He is so handsome. My brother doesn¡¯t look like that.¡± Kang Hyunjin was immediately relieved by thatment. Song Kyunghoon giggled and startedughing. ¡°That¡¯s right. Manseok is a gangster because he¡¯s good at fighting. He looked so harsh that your legs were will be weak just by looking at him.¡± After saying that, Song Kyunghoon asked Kang Hyunjin this time. ¡°Hey, Hyunjin. Who¡¯s going to act with Minyoung and me? Come to think of it, I still haven¡¯t asked that.¡± ¡°Oh, It¡¯s actor ¡®Han Kangmin¡¯.¡± ¡°Han Kangmin? Oh, that simple-looking friend! tall!¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know what he looks like, but first of all, his tall. And prosecutor Lee Minyoung¡­.¡± Kang Hyunjin took out his cell phone showed the picture and said. ¡°These two will act.¡± On the cell phone screen, there were profile pictures of Mo Hyein and Han Sora. Lee Minyoung, who was staring at the picture, smiled gently. ¡°This is also a casting mistake. Everyone looks so handsome.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But everyone looks just like me.¡± Kang Hyunjin and Song Kyunghoon smirked at Lee Minyoung¡¯s words. ¡°Now, it¡¯ste. Shall we get up now?¡± Lee Minyoung rinsed his mouth with water and said. It was already past twelve o¡¯clock. It¡¯s time to get up to go to work on time tomorrow. It¡¯s already long past time to look at someone¡¯s face during rush hour, but his iron rule was solid Lee Minyoung. *** ¡°Wow, look at the set s. It¡¯s no joke!¡± Han Kangmin, Jinseok¡¯s counterpart, entered the interrogation room set, dividing the parts into two to eight. Originally, he was pursuing a short and neat hairstyle, but he wore a wig ording to his role. Han Kangmin greeted the passing staff. ¡°Oh! Thank you for your hard work.¡± A staff member who received a greeting from Han Kangmin said. ¡°Oh¡­. Yes. The actor is here.¡± said the staff, somewhat dithering. As if you¡¯re looking at someone¡¯s face. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Han Kangmin took a sneak peek around. Each of the staff was busy walking around, but everyone was cautious in their actions. ¡°Hey¡­. Did something happen? I feel like I¡¯m drooping.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­.¡± At Han Kangmin¡¯s words, the staff pointed to Jinseok and said. ¡°I think actor Kang Jinseok is getting emotional. Everyone is being quiet on purpose so as not to disturb him.¡± ¡°Well¡­. ¡°I see.¡± Han Kangmin looked at Jinseok. Jinseok keeps writing something down on a piece of paper with his head down. At first nce, he seemed quite focused. ¡°No matter how quiet the whole staff is¡­.¡¯ The Jinseok that Han Kangmin knows is a ¡®new man¡¯. Although he is very good at acting, it was not good to see the rookie controlling the staff to this extent. ¡°I heard that he is really nice.¡± Was it a false rumor?¡¯ It was a natural idea. It was clear that the staff was not usually angry when they looked at it like this. Even while Han Kangmin was thinking like that, Jinseok kept writing something down. Han Kangmin slowly approached Jinseok. I didn¡¯t mean to say anything. I was just going to say hello before the acting. It¡¯s¡­ ¡°Are you crying?¡± The highlight of this scene is when Oh Manho writes a ¡°letter¡± to his brother. Before writing the letter, the scene where the prosecutor talks with Manho is important, but in the end, the highlight is ¡°Letters.¡± ¡°Are you practicing that by yourself?¡± I can¡¯t believe you even shed tears. Han Kangmin carefully greeted Jinseok, swallowing dry saliva. ¡°Hey¡­. Kang Jinseok. I¡¯m Han Kangmin. Good luck with today¡¯s shooting.¡± Jinseok, who heard Han Kangmin¡¯s greetings, slowly raised his head. Jinseok¡¯s face was covered with ¡°Expressiveness¡±. It was as if the ¡°Arrogance¡± of this scene had popped out. ¡°Oh¡­. Yes, sir. I should have said hello first¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I was trying to get into the mood¡­ I think I was a little too immersed.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Uh, yes. Haha¡­.¡± The staff¡­ He also understood that they were quiet.¡¯ Han Kangmin said in a shady voice, not knowing what to say. ¡°It¡¯s all right, so keep doing what you¡¯ve been doing.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Jinseok sat down on a chair as if he was falling down. Flop down. Han Kangmin, who saw it, hurriedly approached the staff and asked. ¡°P, PD, when are theying?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be here in five minutes. The call time is 15 minutes. Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not a big deal¡­.¡± Han Kangmin said, looking at Jinseok. ¡°I think Kang Jinseok will regret it if he misses his emotions.¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 At Han Kangmin¡¯s words, the staff nodded at Jinseok. This is because he also understood what Han Kangmin was saying from his experience of traveling to various filming sites. Come on! The sergeant and the producer entered the interrogation room smoothing the back of their neck. ¡°Whoa¡­. I¡¯m here.¡± Ha Sarang¡¯s voice was full of tiredness, but her expression seemed quite rxed, perhaps because the shooting was going smoothly. She scanned all over the interrogation room. It was not an action of great significance. She just checked the set for thest time before the shooting. Soon Ha Sarang¡¯s gaze reached Jinseok, who was sitting at the table. ¡°Hey¡­.¡± As soon as Ha Sarang saw Jinseok, she gave an honest admiration and approached Han Kangmin and said. ¡°Kangmin, if you don¡¯t mind, can we start shooting right away?¡± As he hoped, Han Kangmin smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, PD. Let¡¯s start right away.¡± *** The shooting started a little earlier than scheduled. In this scene, prosecutor Song Kyunghoon, who was a childhood friend of ¡°Omanho,¡± interrogates ¡°Omanho.¡± Han Kangmin, who yed the role of prosecutor, told Jinseok as he scanned a bunch of thick documents. ¡°Hey, Manho. The crime that¡¯s on you¡­ Murder, murder, assault, intimidation, extortion¡­ And this and that. X shots, that¡¯s a lot.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been sincerely and sincerely facing bad things every single day. When we were in school, our teacher praised us for being the most diligent in our ss. But you became the number one gangster in Korea, very much.¡± Han Kangmin said in a voice of regret as if he was dumbfounded. Then Jinseok stared into the air with a nk stare and said. ¡°No man has ever been killed. It won¡¯t make any difference to say this now.¡± Han Kangmin¡¯s expression was momentarily nked by Jinseok¡¯s words, which seemed to have given up everything. For a while, too. Han Kangminughed and hit Jinseok on the head with a bunch of documents. ¡°Ha¡­. Oh my gosh.¡± He hit him so hard that the string that tied the documents was broken and the documents were scattered. It was an unexpected variable, but Jinseok and Han Kangmin continued their acting without paying attention to such trivial matters. ¡°What? Doesn¡¯t it change anything?¡± Han Kangmin grabbed Jinseok by the cor. ¡°You punk! It¡¯s not the time to say that! Do I look like I¡¯m going to be put to death for murder!! Is that what you¡¯re saying?!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If I say that, what do I be that I¡¯m trying to save you?¡± Han Kangmin shouted while standing up with his rising blood. He shouted furiously for a long time as if his clothes were about to be torn apart because he was frustrated, and soon threw Jinseok to the floor. (Singing ¡°Dancing¡±)! Han Kangmin took a cigarette out of his pocket and asked, leaving behind Jinseok who fell on the floor. ¡°Whoa¡­.¡± Jinseok has been lying still on the floor. he could have been hurt, but he didn¡¯t moan at all. It was all as written in the script. Ha Sarang watched it breathlessly. ¡°Oh¡­. It¡¯s really great.¡¯ It was an unspeakable performance. Han Kangmin¡¯s acting ability was great, but Jinseok¡¯s acting, which made such rough acting real, was also the best. Of course, I¡¯ll have to check how the scene just took ce on a camera other than the main one she was looking at, but she didn¡¯t have to worry. It¡¯s harder to not be good at acting like this. ¡°Ya! Manho.¡± Han Kangmin said, exhaling cigarette smoke through his nose. ¡°You only have to say two things in court. I never killed a man.¡± ¡°And I was forced to be a gangster for my family. It¡¯s not because he¡¯s trying to satisfy his self-interest or because he¡¯s good at ssamming.¡± ¡°Say these two things and you¡¯ll get away with the death penalty. Then I¡¯ll take you out one way or anotherter.¡± Jinseok slowly raised his head to Han Kangmin¡¯s words. For the first time in this scene, Jinseok¡¯s eyes are trying to look ahead, not on the floor. Jinseok slowly raised his head and asked Han Kangmin. ¡°No man has ever been killed, and for the sake of my family, I have be a thug¡­. Is that all I have to say?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all you have to say. Even if you say that, it will be more than 17 years, but you will live and see.¡± Jinseok shook his head at Han Kangmin¡¯s words. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± What?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you do it?¡± Is it that hard to say those two?! ¡°Are you trying to follow Jiyeon because she¡¯s dead?¡± Han Kangmin punched the desk and shouted at Jinseok¡¯s iprehensible reaction. Bang! ¡°Don¡¯t you think about your brother?¡± What are you going to do with your brother if you get behind him? Without parents¡­.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say that because of Minyoung. If I say ¡®I became a gangster because of my family¡¯¡­ Minyoung has to live with the stigma of being a year who turned his family into a gangster for the rest of his life.¡± In the middle of a long line, Jinseok cut off Han Kangmin¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve already hurt Minyoung too much, but I don¡¯t want to hurt him like that. I¡¯m sorry I cared about him.¡± When Jinseok finished his line, Han Kangmin admired inside. ¡°You punk¡­¡±. ¡®What the hell is it?¡¯ Han Kangmin usually acts as if he is prepared when acting. He is the style of acting with the lines he prepared, the gestures he prepared, and the emotions he prepared. Based on that, Han Kangmin pursues high-quality acting. However, he couldn¡¯t do that today. Jinseok¡¯s acting was destroying Han Kangmin¡¯s ¡°prepared acting¡± and drawing out ¡°adlib.¡± Eventually, Han Kangmin was led by Jinseok¡¯s acting, and even the lines came out of his mouth. ¡°Kyunghoon, please¡­ Do me at least one favor.¡± ¡°¡­What request?¡± ¡°I want to write a letter to Minyoung. What I want to say¡­ There is so much to be said.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything about it?¡± While Jinseok recited his lines, Han Kangmin watched Jinseok¡¯s eyes. Tears are shining close to the eyes. The tears were, apparently, not the artificial grief produced by smoke. Beau was the crystal of pure emotion that made everyone feel sorry and shared pain. Han Kangmin¡¯s eyes turned to the ceiling. This is because Jinseok¡¯s emotions were contagious and he felt like he was going to cry unknowingly. ¡°Whoa¡­.¡± Han Kangmin, who sighed and organized his emotions, handed over a piece of paper and a pen and spoke calmly. ¡°Write as much as you want.¡± Jinseok, who was handed a paper and a pen, replied with a faint smile. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± *** ¡°Okay! Cut! Let¡¯s go with this!¡± In response to the PD¡¯s cheers and simr cut signs, other staff members spoke in admiration. ¡°Wow¡­. I almost cried, too.¡± ¡°I forgot to breathe¡± As the staff said, everyone was enjoying the shooting with Jinseok. Of course, the Sergeant and PD were the same. by the way. He was the only man who drooped on the set with a bright and lively atmosphere. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m tired.¡± It was Han Kangmin, Jinseok¡¯s counterpart. I was exhausted from acting one-on-one with Jinseok. Jinseok approached Han Kangmin, who was hanging on the desk like a dried squid, and greeted him. ¡°Senior, thank you for your hard work. My tempo was a little fast, but I was able to finish it well because you set it well.¡± ¡°What do you mean, get it right?¡±. I was just taken away by Jinseok.¡± Han Kangminughed despondently at Jiseok¡¯s polite greeting while handing over vitamin drinks. ¡°On the contrary, I¡¯m sorry. I thought I prepared a lot for it, but I might have caused trouble with Jinseok¡¯s acting.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. I learned so much today.¡± When Jinseok hurriedly shook his hand, Han Kangminughed as if he couldn¡¯t stop him. Then he got up from his seat and told Jinseok. ¡°I¡¯ve done almost everything from ys to independent films,mercial films, and dramas. I¡¯ve never seen anyone like Jinseok who¡¯s good at acting.¡± Jinseok scratched his cheek and bowed his head to the senior¡¯s praise. Han Kangmin patted Jinseok¡¯s shoulder slightly as if encouraging him. ¡°I¡¯m done filming today, so I¡¯ll go now. ¡°You still have more to shoot, right?¡± ¡°Yes, we have outdoor shooting left.¡± ¡°Then it must be a night shoot. Anyway, you worked hard to act with an ugly senior, and I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°No, sir. See you tomorrow!¡± *** I stretched my neck while watching the back of Han Kangmin leaving the set. ¡°Is it because my neck is so straight with my back bent?¡±. I¡¯m a little thirsty.¡¯ I was ufortable throughout acting, but I put up with acting. This is because ¡°Lee Manseok¡± continued to sit in this position when he was interrogated. I massaged my neck again, rxed it, and told the staff. ¡°Thank you for your hard work!¡± ¡°Oh, yeah! You did a great job, too!¡± Some staff members greeted me brightly. After I finished my greeting, I approached the Sergeant and PD for thest time. ¡°PD, thank you for your hard work.¡± Then I¡¯ll wait until the next shooting.¡± ¡°Oh, yes! Jinseok, I really liked this scene, too.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± She seemed quite busy, so she tried to say hello lightly and pass by so as not to disturb her. It was then. ¡°PD!¡± One of the first-ever staff members ran into the set at Ha Sarang. She slightly frowned and kicked her tongue at the staff. ¡°Tut, don¡¯t run on set if you can¡­¡±. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, But I think you¡¯ll have toe up a little bit now.¡± ¡°Come up? Why?¡± When Ha Sarang asked back, the staff answered carefully as if they were in trouble. ¡°We¡¯ve got some trouble.¡± ¡°Trouble? Did you have a fight?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re doing all kinds of things. ¡°Which team are they on?¡± When Ha Sarang asked as if it was ridiculous, the staff looked at Ha Sarang and said. ¡°That¡­ Not the staff, but the actor got into trouble¡­.¡± ¡°The actor got into trouble?! What the hell are you talking about!¡± She shouted in surprise, unlike her rtively rxed voice just a moment ago. The voice was so loud that even the staff who were busy stopped and looked at her. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­.¡± The staff, who was hesitating, replied as if they had no choice but to respond to Ha Sarang¡¯s urging. ¡°¡­I think Park Hayeon has a problem.¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 "Park Hayeon is fighting?" Then maybe the opponent¡­.¡¯ As soon as she heard the staff, she expected who Park Hayeon was fighting with. ¡®¡­"Is it Yeonsoo?" During the audition and the reading, they didn''t seem to get along very well, but she didn''t expect it to explode like this. While she was nervous inside, the Sergeant and PD urgently asked the staff. "Who is Park Hayeon fighting with?" In response to Ha Sarang''s question, she thought the staff would say, "It''s an actor Seo Yeonsoo," but her expectation was far off. "Sigh¡­. It''s Park Hayeon''s own fans. She came with a snack car and some fans, and she got into a fight with them." ¡­What does this mean? "Park Hayeon got into a fight with her fans?" *** About an hour ago. Park Hayeon''s manager smiled and told Park Hayeon, who was resting in the van. "Hayeon, your acting was good today." Much more than when we practiced! All the staff membersplimented her a lot, too!" Manager who praises Park Hayeon for quite a long time. "Yes, thank you." The answer returned to such a manager was a rather short answerpared to thepliment. Even that seemed quite insincere, as she kept her eyes off the script. However, the manager was surprised by Park Hayeon''s reaction. She can''t believe Hayeon said thank you¡­!¡¯ So far, Park Hayeon has only answered, "Uh," no matter how fancy thepliment is. There were times when there was no answer when she felt ufortable, or when she said, "So what, do you want me to do better?!" Compared to that, it was a huge change, so it was not unreasonable for the manager to be surprised. "Now that he thinks about it, she thinks Hayeon''s personality has changed a bit since she was cast in this movie.".¡¯ There was still a sharp side, but it was cutepared to the past. Like a tomboy sister in a fantasy¡­ ¡®¡­What am I thinking?'' The manager shook his head and exhaled his mind. Park Hayeon asked when she saw it. "What''s wrong?" "Oh, no. I''m sorry to disturb you. Keep reading the script." The manager apologized because he seemed to break Park Hayeon''s concentration. However, contrary to her appearance, Park Hayeon was not able to concentrate on the script at all. This is because the more she read the script, the more she kept thinking of Jinseok''s acting. "Kang Jinseok¡­". What an amazing person.'' After being cast in The Way They Chose, Park Hayeon met Jinseok at an action school every day. She didn''t make a separate appointment, but Jinseok and Park Hayeon naturally encountered each other because they had lived in an action school for the past few weeks. "Even though the martial arts director praised him for being perfect, he constantly practiced." He was very polite to the minor roles¡­. he was very polite to my manager, too.'' Park Hayeon felt something she missed and lived in from Jinseok, who treated everyone humanely without understanding. And Jinseok''s appearance was very different from the entertainment industry people Park Hayeon has seen so far. The entertainment industry that Park Hayeon has seen so far has been a "Jungle" full of poachers. A jungle that can survive only by taking away what others have. Park Hayeon, who was in the entertainment industry before she grew up, has lived that way until now. But Jinseok was different. ¡®Kang Jinseok was not someone who tried to take away what others had. Rather, he was such a special person who made people want to give something to him.'' Park Hayeon, was jealous because Jinseok didn''t get her way. But before she knew it, Park Hayeon was feeling a human crush on Jinseok. "I really wanted it." When Park Hayeon sighed, the manager asked carefully. "Why are you sighing, Hayeon? It''s not working well? Do you want me to read the script together?" "No, it''s okay." Then, The phone of the manager in the passenger seat rang. "Yes, this is the manager of Park Hayeon. Are you the on-site control staff? Oh yes. What? A snack cart? a fan of Hayeon? Uh¡­ That''s weird. I didn''t say that. Anyway, I see." When the manager tilted his head after a fairly long call, Park Hayeon asked the manager. "What''s wrong? I think I heard my name." "Oh, nothing''s going on. I heard your fan club sent you a snack car. But I haven''t heard anything." The manager continued to tilt his head as if it were strange and added. "Did they send it to me after they saw a post on social media that I''m going to shoot a movie on Netflix?" There were very asional cases like that. When some "real fans" who are not fan clubs save money and send them snack cars or coffee cars. Considering that it usually costs 500,000 to 1 million won to send a snack car once, and more than 2 million won for a good snack car with a variety of menus, it was not easy unless you were a fan. Park Hayeon said in a brighter voice than before when she heard that the snack tea had arrived. "Let''s go. You said it was a snack tea for me. I''ll go and say hello." "Huh? Yeah, you should." Park Hayeon got out of the car before the manager. The manager, who got off after her, pointed to the crowd and said. "I guess it''s over there. Seeing that there are so many people." "I know. Let''s go." Park Hayeon approached the snack car with quite a quick step. She thought, "How can she say thank you?" Park Hayeon came near the snack car. There was a banner saying, "Congrattions on Park Hayeon''s debut in the drama!" ¡°¡­Park Hayeon, it''s the snack car that your fans sent you, right Park Hayeon''s eyes met with the staff who was returning after receiving the snack. The staff greeted her with an ufortable look and said with a light sigh. "Yes, that''s why I came here too." "Oh, yes¡­ Thank you for the food." The staff sighed again and sneaked a glimpse of Park Hayeon. Those eyes included criticism of "What''s wrong with your fans?" and resentment of "Why did you call them if you were like this?" ¡®¡­What is it?'' She didn''t expect a huge thank you. However, she never imagined that such a reaction would ur. However, she heard an unpleasant sound in Park Hayeon''s ear. "Is it her? Is she the one who tried to steal my sister''s part?" "Seoyeon is right. she''s so shameless. Then theye in a hurry to get snacks." "I heard she''s totally unknown. How did she get into this drama?" "Seo Yeonso, she worked part-time with Kang Jinseok a long time ago."Dunnie, I guess those two have something. "Didn''t Kang Jinseok ask PD to put her in?" Park Hayeon frowned and swung her head toward the sound. Some fans gathered and chatted. Where they pointed their fingers, where Seo Yeonsoo stood alone. Seo Yeonsoo is barely smiling while looking around. ¡®¡­What''s wrong with her If you hear such insults, you should know how to be angry. However, Seo Yeonsoo didn''t seem to have any idea how to respond. "Are you the one who gave me a quick answer while putting blood on my neck?" You pped me so hard earlier.'' While Park Hayeon was thinking like that, the deafening sound continued. "But I heard there are a lot of new actors." "Why did they join this drama?" "It''s because of their agency. I''m sure they did as they were told." "It''s a gangster drama in the first ce, but I don''t know if my sister is in it." Now she understand why the staff saw her with that look. They came to the set to say that they were a fan, but the fans couldn''t have looked good. "They are my fans, but¡­ ¡®No, it''s more annoying because it''s my fan.'' Thanks to Jinseok, Park Hayeon''s fierce temperament, which had disappeared unknowingly, tried to wriggle again. "It''s Hayeon!" One fan who found Park Hayeon shouted. Then, other fans approached in unison, cheering as if they had promised. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" "Unni! Congrattions on your drama debut!" "I prepared a really delicious snack! Expensive ones!" This reaction was obviously a fan of Park Hayeon. In addition, it seemed clear that she was a "real fan" who seemed to be considerate of celebrities to keep a moderate distance withouting too close. But it rather upset Park Hayeon. The fact that her fans smeared their faces. "I worked so hard to do well in this drama¡­"!¡¯ It was unforgivable for Park Hayeon to ruin the atmosphere on the set. Park Hayeon said with a sharp eye, staring at the fan who came first. "Are you really my fan?" ¡°¡­What? What''s wrong with you? I came from Seoul to be here¡­.¡± "Do fanse to the set and say that?" The manager, who arrived in the snack carte and heard Park Hayeon''s yelling, wrapped his head around her. "F, Park Hayeon¡­" You''re back.'' *** Room 6 of KL Entertainment actors. The head of the 6th department was sitting at his desk drinking coffee. Anxiety that things might go wrong and expectations of just in case came to his face alternately. On the other hand, the team leader in front of him was smiling like a clown, without any tension. "Wow, chief. That''s amazing. How did youe up with the idea of hiding the practice in your snack car? Isn''t this "Troy''s Horse" As team leader 6 said, it was the 6th manager who sent a snack car to Park Hayeon on the set of "The Way They Chose". The n is to send Fri pretending to be a "fan" with a snack car and to make the filming atmosphere bad by alienating the actors. "If ordinary people are on the set, the staff will drive them out." In the first ce, ordinary people won''t be able to go near the studio. But if you''re a fan, you won''t be able to kick him out.'' In addition, it will be even harder for the staff to control them, as they are fans who went with the "snack car." It can be said that kicking snacks on set is the pride of celebrities. "It''s all about how you came up with the rtionship between actor Seo Yeonsoo and Park Hayeon. But how did you find that out?" "There''s a way. I have strings here and there in my own way." "It''s a string¡­ Hoot. All right." This time, the team leader asked a slightly smiling head of the 6th division. "But Mr. Manager. Who are they? the one you sent with a snack car." "There is. I also have ¡®strings'' in my own way." "String?" Oh¡­.Ha ha! Wow! You have a great sense of applying it right away. It''s amazing." Other people might have felt burdened and hated the way the team leader spoke, but the team leader did not look so bad as he fawned against him. "But Mr. Manager. What if things go wrong? Chief 5 got caught messing around, and if we knew that we were ying with his work, Sergeant and PD wouldn''t stay still." When the team leader spoke with concern, the head of the 6th division said condescendingly. "It doesn''t matter. They''re not my own acquaintances anyway, they''re my two-legged acquaintances, so even if things go wrong, we won''t get caught." ¡°¡­.¡± "It cost me some money, but it''s better to be safe. "Isn''t it?" "That''s true. But¡­ Wow, you''re really sneaky." "It''s apliment, right?" "Of course." The head of the 6th division asked as he watched the team leader nodding his head repeatedly. "So, what''s going on now?" Team Leader 6 took out his cell phone and turned on the KakaoTalk. "Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡­. We arrived 40 minutes ago, and the snack car started 20 minutes ago. And he''s talking like the manager told him to." "Okay. Then let''s not worry about that, and bring some profiles of rookies who will go to work part-time. I have to take five people to Paju this weekend." "Will only rookies go this time?" "Yes. The superiors are saying they want to see the new face.¡° Team leader 6 said with a sharp smile to the manager who sighed deeply. "Hehe. It''s a six-room room dedicated to that, and we have to do well. To make a living." "Okay. I see, bring me your profile." "Yes~" The team leader jokingly said hello and went to get his profile. Then, Team Six''s cell phone rang. "Yes, it''s Team Six." Team leader 6 answered the phone in a bright voice. However, within a few seconds, his expression changed dramatically. He didn''t stop and his expression gradually darkened, and soon opened the door of the sixth room and ran in. ¡°¡­" Mr. Manager, why don''t you pick up the phone?" "Why, what''s going on?" The team leader''s unusual expression and voice made the manager a little nervous and handed over the phone. "Yes, I changed the number of the 6th manager." As soon as I spoke, I immediately heard an urgent voice from beyond my cell phone. [Oh, yes! Sir! I''m in the snack car] "Snack car?" Oh yes. Please do say. What''s the matter?" [That''s¡­]¡­. [Whoa] The one in the snack car sighed lightly while talking. In that sigh, the sixth chief sensed that something was wrong. "What''s going on, why aren''t you talking¡­.¡± [The situation here is a bit¡­]¡­ [It''s a bit awkward] Chapter 72 Chapter 72 ¡®¡­What do you mean, get in trouble?¡¯ The head of the 6th division asked in a hurry. "What do you mean by that? How is it?" [That''s¡­]¡­. [As nned, they cursed other actors, peeled their work, and intensively gossiped actor Seo Yeonsoo] "Yes." [All of a sudden, Park Hayeon told us to stop¡­]¡­. It''s crazy right now. She knows we''re a fan of her, but she doesn''t leave us alone, She might going to grab someone''s hair. She''s a crazy kid. [What should I do?] The 6th chief briefly agonized over the embarrassing voice of the snack car. "Well, first of all¡­.¡± When the head of the 6th department was about to say something. [Hurry up and turn it off!]!!!] He heard a sharp voice from beyond the cell phone. As soon as he heard it, the snack car said in a hurry. [Go, sir] She''s screaming in front of me¡­. I''ll withdraw first and get back to you!] "Hello? Hello?" (Singing "Doo"). The 6th manager called for a snack car, but all he could hear was the disconnection of the phone. "You told your fans to stop?" "Park Hayeon?" The head of the 6th division bit his lower lip with an anxious look. Park Hayeon, who she investigated, is notorious in the industry, but there was little backtalk among fans. "So he thought she was through in taking care of her fans¡­ Wasn''t that it?'' ording to the original n of Director 6, Park Hayeon should not have cared about what fans said to other actors. No, even if she cares, she shouldn''t say that much. "Doesn''t it mean that she prioritizes filming over her fans? She''ll getpliments from the other staff¡­". It''s not like the mood gets better or anything, right He was the 6th manager, who was rxed just a moment ago, but now he was nervous enough to roll his eyeballs around. *** Meanwhile, an actor''s room is on the top floor of the same building. First manager Ryu Sungho was on the phone with one of the "Frhi" disguised as a fan of Park Hayeon. [¡­So, I decided to leave first because of Park Hayeon.] "Yes, sir. Please keep me posted if you have any other specials." [Yes] (Singing "Doo"). Ryu Sungho, who hung up the phone, leaned deep into the sofa and muttered as if pathetic. "Chief Six is more stupid than he thinks." Ryu Sungho knew in advance that he was doing this in the actor''s room 6. So he thought he might have tipped off Jinseok in advance about the n for room six. Ryu Sungho didn''t bother to inform Jinseok because he expected it to fail anyway. It might interfere with the filming if he feels better. ¡®A fool. If he had investigated Park Hayeon properly, he wouldn''t have done such a childish thing.'' While constantly monitoring Jinseok, the first manager also continued to observe the figures around Jinseok. At the same time, the foundation of Park Hayeon was a person who must get what she wants. "This work is a great opportunity to get the title of actor that Park Hayeon wanted to have." No matter how many fans he or she tries to ruin his or her work, he or she will not let it go¡­.¡¯ Moreover, as is well known, Park Hayeon is a "person who can''t tell what to do" because of her dirty personality. It felt too pathetic for Ryu Sungho to n with a person with many such variables. "In the end, this will end up as a simple happening." The first manager, who had been thinking for a long time, got up from the sofa. Then he sat in front of his desk. Now that the issue has ended, it was his turn to step up. ¡®Come to think of it, I think they''re preparing something for the 5th room as well. I''ll have to find out about that, too.¡¯ Ryu Sungho started calling somewhere on his cell phone. *** "Can''t you turn it off quickly?" "What''s going on here?".¡¯ When Park Hayeon and a fan started fighting, everyone in the "Intrigue Room" came up to the first floor. And they literally watched ¡®Park Hayeon fighting with a fan''. To be exact, Park Hayeon was unterally shouting at the fans and kicking them out. At that time, Ha Sarang asked the staff holding the snack in a trembling voice. "Hey, Sungwoo. That¡­ What''s going on?" "What happened was¡­.¡± This is what the staff said. Fans of Park Hayeon, who came with a snack car, criticized other actors and works. Because of that, Park Hayeon kicked out the snack car and the fans when the staff was talking and the actors were about to feel bad. Ha Sarang, who was listening to the staff for a long time, asked again as if she didn''t understand. "I mean¡­ She kicked out her own fans "Yes. She said, ¡®If she''s going to say that, go away.'' At thest meeting, Park Hayeon said she was a key figure¡­ It''s a really new character." ¡°¡­.¡± "Just before, the atmosphere on the set was really bad because of the fans, but actor Park Hayeon handled it in one shot." As she said, the atmosphere was quite bright now. I think she heard apliment of Park Hayeon at first nce. Ha Sarang burst intoughter as if all this happened. "Hey, Mrs. Seo Yeonsoo. Are you a fool?" Park Hayeon, who kicked out all the snack cars and pans, approached Seo Yeonsoo and said. Park Hayeon''s face was somewhat flushed. "Why are you just listening when they say that?" "When you talked to me, you said everything you wanted to say" When Seo Yeonsoo didn''t answer anything, Park Hayeon shook her head. "Well, I''m good if I''m such a person who doesn''t have such a strong will. Then, Kang J¡­.¡± Park Hayeon tried to say something. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± But when their eyes met, she blurted it back. And whether she found that Ha Sarang was looking at her, Park Hayeon walked quickly toward us. Park Hayeon said with her head down. "I''m sorry, PD. There was amotion because of my fans." "Yes, well¡­ I''ve had a rough idea of what''s going on, too." Ha Sarang thought for a moment and replied with a light smile. "You''ve solved it yourself, so that''s enough. It''s my first time experiencing it in many ways, but I won''t take it as a problem. "You''re okay with filming, right?" "Yes." Ha Sarang nodded when she heard Park Hayeon. Then she looked around and shouted out loud to the staff. "What are you all doing?" "If you don''t eat much and rest, you should go back to work, right?" The staff began to move around in response to Ha Sarang''s rebuke. Ha Sarang said to Park Hayeon, looking at the scattered staff. "Park Hayeon." "Yes?" "Thank you. I''ve heard from the staff exactly what happened, but it wouldn''t have been an easy decision to kick your fans out." Park Hayeon smiled embarrassingly as if she was embarrassed by the suddenpliment. "Kang Jinseok should also say something as the main actor. Actor Park Hayeon is in big trouble." "Oh, yes." I thought about what to say for a while. To be honest, Park Hayeon wasn''t very nice to me. "There''s something that Inhyuk told me¡­". She asked for the audition. She''s not a very likable person.'' However, Park Hayeon kicked out the fans who even dragged the snack car from afar, saying it interfered with the filming. Even though it was a situation where there could be enough bad rumors about her image, she thought of the atmosphere of the set first. "Thank you. Actor Park Hayeon. Thanks to you, We can continue to do well." ¡°¡­Yes." Park Hayeon replied in a slightly trembling voice. With a smile that doesn''t know if it''s embarrassing or shy. "By the way. "How did a normal persone into the set without my permission?" As if he didn''t like Ha Sarang, punched his palms and muttered. "I don''t know who''s in charge of the orthodoxy, but¡­ I died after today''s shoot, very much." In the growling voice of Ha Sarang, she just sent her condolences to the staff who managed the entrance to the studio. *** Toho Co., Ltd., is a film productionpany in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, Japan. It is a hugepany that upies a huge proportion of Japan''s media industry, such as agencies, movies, cinemas, video art, and animation. And now, a major meeting was taking ce in the heart of thepany. Katahiro, the man sitting at the top, said. "Thank you foring even though I called you out of the blue. I''m sure you''re all busy." Katahiro, who gave a short greeting, immediately brought up the subject. "The reason why I have you here is because of my next film, The Painst in the World, The Match Made in Heaven." "Isn''t there still a lot of production left for that work?" And I heard that preparations are going well." asked the man on the right of Katahiro. Maybe because I didn''t sleep well, I looked quite tired. "The truth is¡­ Shinnosuke''s agency, which was supposed to y the male protagonist, contacted me. They said there was a scandal that they didn''t even know about." "Hmm¡­.¡± "The reporters already know quite a bit, so they say it''s going to explode soon. So I said I would leave my work before that because I was afraid it would have a negative effect on my work." This time, the woman sitting opposite Katahiro said. "I can''t believe the agency said that first. As expected, Katahiro must have a strong power." As she said, Katahiro is a director with considerable influence in the Japanese film industry. Especially in movies about romance and youth. It could have sounded sarcastic, but Katahiro said it with a slight smile, without much upset. "Compliment, thank you. But the first thing to do¨C" "Do I have to pick a new male character?" "Yes, it is." The man sitting on the right asked Katahiro''s words. Unlike before, this time, he has a rather irritated voice. "Was it necessary to bring us together with that?" It''s casting anyway. I''m going to leave it entirely to director Katahiro. We have a lot of time left to produce." "You''re right. But¡­ I''d like to ask you for your opinion because I want to try something new." "A new challenge?" "Yes." Katahiro answered briefly. After a moment''s reflection, he slowly looked around at the people in the conference room. Then he said with a unique, interesting smile. "I heard that there is an ¡®interesting actor'' among Korean actors." ¡°¡­.¡± "I want to write that friend in my work." Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Director Katahiro''s words put the conference room into a moment of silence. Originally, it was a quiet conference room, but now he can''t hear even a small breath. First, it was the woman who was sitting opposite Katahiro who broke the silence. "Learn Korean¡­". First of all, can I say one thing first?" "Yes, say it." "You have to be very careful about using a foreign actor as your main character. There is anguage problem, and there is a domestic recognition problem. But is there a reason why you want to use Korean actors?" It was a polite voice, but it was a fairly sharp question. Katahiro answered seriously. "First of all, you don''t have to worry about the linguistic part of the actor I''m paying attention to. I heard he speaks Japanese very well." "Who told you that?" "Yes, I heard from an actor named ¡®Ryosuke Sato'' who recently appeared in a Korean drama." "He is the most famous Japanese actor in Korea these days, starring in ." "Yes, because the drama sold so well." The people in the conference room nodded their heads. They were also people who were involved in the video, so they were always monitoring the best works in Korea. The man sitting on the right asked. "If you know a Korean actor, was he an actor in that drama?" "Yes." The man nodded and said. "I remember the main actor in that work. I remember that his acting skills got better as the episodes went on. But isn''t the image so different from the main character of "The World''s Sickest Match"? What we need in our work is an actor with a lot of cuteness, and he has such a normal impression. "He''s handsome, though." Katahiro said with a slight smile at the man''s words. "The actor I''m trying to write is not the main character." "Then?" "The supporting actor is Kang Jinseok, who yed ¡®Nakamura''." Everyone in the conference room threw a word at Katahiro''s words. "You want to use an actor who ys a supporting role in a drama as the main character in our drama?" "The actor who yed ¡®Nakamura''¡­ The acting was really great. Come to think of it, I think he was very fluent in Japanese." "If you think about the image¡­ It''s a lot more precious than Shinnosuke, but¡­.¡± "Do we have to gamble like this?" This isn''t art, it''s business!" Thump! To make the noisy conference room quiet, the woman sitting opposite Katahiro hit the desk. The woman said as the conference room became quiet again. "Director Katahiro. You didn''t answer all my questions earlier. But before that." "Yes." "The actor Kang Jinseok is fundamentally problematic to write in Japan. Actor who appeared in Japanese colonial era''s background work against Japanese video fans¡­.¡± At the time the woman was talking, the man sitting next to Katahiro cut off the horse. "That''s not it, Mr. Markey." "What do you mean it''s not?" "Korean actors who appear in the film set in the Japanese colonial era do not arouse antipathy from the Japanese public. If you think about how an actor named ¡®Juil'', who appeared in "Gakgak mask" in Korea in the past, became known to Japan." ¡°¡­.¡± "The Japanese public is not very one-dimensional. Except for very few, they see the work as a work. It would be the same in any country." Director Katahiro bowed his head in appreciation of the man''s words. Because the man told them what he wanted to say at a nce. The woman still seemed to have a smallint left, but she shrugged her shoulders as if she had no choice in the words of the two. "If you say that, I will follow the director''s opinion. When ites to casting, the director''s authority is the first priority." "Thank you." "But that audition, I''ll attend it, too. It''s not even a work that costs a penny or two, so I''ll have to see it with my own eyes as an investment director." The woman looked sharply at director Katahiro. "A Korean actor named Kang Jinseok." *** Time flew by so fast. Obviously, when the filming of "The Way They Chose" began, it waste June, when it was getting hotter, but it was October when the wind was quite chilly. I''ve been really busy, but when I look back, I''ve only done two things. Filming and resting. The amount and weight of the first "Juyeon" I took on for the first time were considerable, and I couldn''t afford to do anything other than shoot and rest. "What¡­" The staff and the producer liked it, saying it was the first time filming as easy as this one, and that there would be no more in the future¡­.¡¯ Then I couldn''t even tell how hard it was to shoot "Tough". For your information, the mood of the shoot has reached its peak since Park Hayeon kicked out her fans. The atmosphere was good before that, but after that, the staff and actors felt like they had to work together as a team. And surprisingly, nothing much was said on Park Hayeon''s fan cafe or SNS. ¡®I thought there would be some noise.'' It was such a relief. Anyway, I was physically and mentally exhausted throughout the shoot, but I had a lot of fun. It''s a waste of time to sleep and I can''t wait to wake up in the morning. "We''re here." "Oh, yes." When you''re in such thoughts. The taxi driver, who was driving silently for a long time, said. I paid for the meter and got out of the taxi. "This is¡­ Is it a charnel house of twenty-thousands?'' This is the first time I''ve been to a charnel house in my life. I came here today to do Lee Manseok''s favor. To give a letter of his heart to his younger brother, Lee Minyoung. ¡®I don''t mean to deliver it myself.'' I entered the building quietly. When I went inside, I saw a guide wearing a neat suit. As he approached the guide, he asked politely. "Is it your first time here?" "Oh, yes. The¡­ Late Lee Manseok, there must be someone whoes every Thursday, do you know who it is?" I said the guide thought for a moment and spoke calmly. "If youe every Thursday¡­ It''s only a few minutes. However, I can''t give you an urate answer just by the name of the deceased." "Oh, I see. Do you remember the middle-aged man whoes every Thursday?" "Well¡­. I think there''s someone like that. What is this about?" I took out a letter that had been pinned in my bag in the suspicious gaze of the guide. "I want to convey this letter to him¡­. Is there any way?" ¡°¡­Letters?" "Yes." The guide alternated between the letter and me as if he hadn''t expected it. "Do you think it''s weird¡­?¡¯ It was understandable. It''s because someone suddenlyes and asks me to deliver a letter to the bereaved family. "By any chance¡­ What do you have to do with the deceased?" "What? What do you mean, rtionship?" "Seeing youe to deliver a letter to the bereaved family like this, you must be quite a close acquaintance." When he asked back, the guide said with a subtle smile. "Sometimes. People whoe like teachers and leave letters or money to the family members of the deceased. Most of them beg for forgiveness from the deceased or receive great grace." ¡°¡­.¡± "I think they are courageous people. It''s a littlete, but they''re trying to ask for appreciation and forgiveness somehow." The guide, who was speaking calmly, asked me again. "That''s why I asked. What was your rtionship with the deceased?" "Oh, yes. I see¡­.¡± "I asked because the bereaved might be curious. Even if you don''t tell me, I''ll give him the letter, so if you''re really ufortable, you don''t have to tell me." "It''s not inconvenient or anything like that. It''s just¡­.¡± I hesitated because I didn''t know what rtionship to call it. My rtionship with Lee Manseok. It was the most difficult question I''ve heard in recent years. "The helper who fulfills each other''s wishes¡­ Would you understand if I said?'' However, it is really difficult to exin this special rtionship in a way that others can understand. ¡®Let''s just say I got help.'' As the guide said, the letter will be delivered even if you don''t have to say it. However, even considering unnecessary misunderstandings and Lee Minyoung, who will suddenly receive "Oppas''s letter," it was necessary to clear up the issue. "It''s my benefactor. He taught me how to work¡­ He also taught "Family Love." The guide listened to me and nodded. "I see. Leave it to me, and I''ll pass it on." "Thank you." "Yes, and¡­ Are you going to see the deceased by any chance?" I was going to do that if possible. "Yes, I''d like to see him." "Then just write down your name here. Those who are not bereaved are always required to write a guest book." The guide, who put his name on the documents he received, exined some precautions. "Then, take your time to see him. You don''t have to tell me when you go out." "Thank you." The ce where the remains were ced was the center of the building, quite inward from the entrance. There were a lot of people outside, but when I went inside, there were not many people. "Here it is." Lee Manseok''s ashes on the altar. Two pictures were ced next to the urn. Both were very old pictures, and one was Lee Manseok''s solo picture. And the other one. "Brother¡­ The picture they took with Lee Minyoung.'' If Lee Manseok''s memory had not been obtained, the picture was so crumpled that he could not recognize their faces. There were some torn ces. Nevertheless, it was clear that Lee Manseok and Lee Minyoung had really happy smiles. "Whoa¡­.¡± After a moment of silence, I took a flower out of my bag. It is the same flower that I gave to Yeonmi before entering Seoguk University. When I looked up the Inte, I decided to use this flower because it was not polite to offer flowers with flowers other than chrysanthemums. I put flowers next to the altar. After fixing it firmly so that it wouldn''t fall off, I slightly lowered my head and said myst goodbye. "I''m going to go." And when I raised my head, the urn twinkled slightly as if it were going well. *** Again, again, again. With the familiar sound of shoes, Lee Minyoung came into the charnel house. "Hello." Lee Minyoung greeted the guide with a light smile. Then, the guide called Lee Minyoung, naturally headed toward the altar as usual. "Sir, wait a minute." "What?" "Yesterday, a man came and asked me to deliver this letter." The guide gave Lee Minyoung a letter written by Jinseok. "¡¤¡¤¡¤A letter to me?" "Yes, he was greatly indebted to the deceased¡­ He asked me to deliver a letter." "What do you mean grace to my brother¡­".¡± Lee Minyoung received the letter, muttering in a dazed voice. "First of all, thank you. I''ll read it." "Yes." Lee Minyoung immediately opened the letter. The guide looked at Lee Minyoung reading the letter with a happy smile. With the expectation of ¡®I''m sure he will be happy.'' ¡°¡­?¡± However, not long after reading the letter, Lee Minyoung wrapped the end of the letter. For a while, too. He carefully opened the crumpled letter again with a bewildered gesture. Lee Minyoung''s shoulders have been shaking irregrly. I couldn''t see his face because it was covered by the letter, but the guide could see that Lee Minyoung was crying. "What kind of letter is it¡­.¡¯ The guide asked carefully. "I¡­ Sir? Are you all right?" Despite the guide''s question, Lee Minyoung was unanswered. He just covered his face and read the letter in tears. Lee Minyoung, who had been reading the letter for so long, put the letter down and said. "This¡­ May I know who gave it to you?" Chapter 74 Chapter 74 The guide briefly agonized over Lee Minyoung''s question, "Tell me who it is." Then he shook his head slightly. "I''m sorry. I can''t tell you." "I can''t believe you can''t tell me¡­". What the hell?!" When Lee Minyoung asked in an urgent voice, the guide said with a light smile. "It''s our enshrinement regtions. Personal information such as visitor''s name or contact information cannot be disclosed to others." Lee Minyoung paused when he said "regtion." That doesn''t mean there''s no way. Under the name of the deputy chief prosecutor, he''s just trying to find out the name of the visitor because it''s not even a job. If it were normal, I wouldn''t have thought of this at all. This is because Lee Minyoung was a person who thought of convictions and principles as life. But this time, I was shaken, "But just in time." ¡°¡­?¡± "The guest book is here. I can show you this. The regtions don''t say don''t show the guest book." Still, with a nice smile, the guide handed over the guest book. "You can check the name of the person who came to see Manseok Lee." Upon hearing that, Lee Minyoung quickly scanned the guest book handed over by the guide. ¡®¡­"Kang Jinseok?" It was a name I heard a lot from somewhere. "Kang Jinseok¡­". Is that actor Kang Jinseok?'' I don''t know why, but Lee Minyoung came up with the name "actor Kang Jinseok." Maybe it''s because he''s an actor who ys his brother. Lee Minyoung scanned the letter quickly again. "This letter¡­ As expected, it''s so simr to the letter he wrote." Although Lee Minyoung tore the letter to pieces and couldn''t recognize the content properly, some sentences were recognizable. However, the sentences were written in this letter. "And the back page¡­.¡¯ It seemed to contain the contents of the letter he tore up when he was young. Even the childhood memories of himself and his brother that no one knows. Lee Minyoung''s mind, which recalled the contents of the letter, becameplicated. ¡®Let''s be calm. ¡®Lee Minyoung. What I need to find out now is who wrote this letter.'' As Lee Minyoung investigated, he began to collect information step by step. "Do you remember the description of the person who wrote the letter?" "If you don''t remember, can you show me CCTV?" "That''s also out of regtion. In addition, our CCTV only records 24 hours, so he won''t be recorded." ¡°¡­.¡± "But, he was a really handsome young man. He has a good voice. I felt it even though he was wearing a hat and a mask¡­.¡± After listening to the guide, Lee Minyoung hurriedly took out his cell phone. I immediately searched for Jinseok and showed it to the guide. "Was it this guy?" The guide looked at Lee Minyoung''s cell phone. "¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Well, I think they have simr eyes. By the way, my God, was he Nakamura by any chance? No wonder, he looked familiar!¡± The rxed attitude so far disappeared, and he said in a surprised voice. The guide made a small fuss, but Lee Minyoung didn''t have time to care about him now. "Actor Kang Jinseok wrote this?" Why? No, how¡­?¡¯ This was an undoubtedly ¡®oppa''s'' letter. What he wanted to see so much. "Wake up, Lee Minyoung." It''s not certain yet.'' There was onest thing left to check. Lee Minyoung brought the letter to the guest book. "If¡­. If it was written by actor Kang Jinseok¡­.¡¯ The name written in the guest book and the handwriting of the letter will be the same. "Oh, my God¡­.¡¯ It was the same. the handwriting of the name and the letter. *** Early Friday morning. Maybe because I rested at home all day yesterday, I felt fresher than usual. I drank a lot of ¡®green juice'' in the refrigerator. "Ugh¡­.¡± It''s a healthy taste that you can''t get used to no matter how much you drink. I wiped the juice from my mouth and checked today''s schedule. "Well¡­ Today is thest day of filming.'' Today''s shooting is the scene where "Oh Manho" is executed. The highlight scene in the second half of the drama. Originally, it was supposed to be filmedst week, but since it had to deal with "The Death Penalty," the Sergeant and PD dyed itst. The scene of being executed is not filmed, but the scene of walking to the death penalty should be filmed. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). The cell phone rang. It was Jang Sunho. "Yes, manager!" [Yes, actor]. It''s Jang Sunho. Have you eaten yet? [I''m calling because I''ve arrived in about 5 minutes] "I''m drinking juice right now. Then I''ll slowly go down!" In response to Jang Sunho''s call that he had almost arrived in front of the house, he left the house with his clothes on. It wasn''t long before I saw a familiar van. "Good morning! Thank you foring today as well." I got into the van and greeted Jang Sunho in the driver''s seat. "Yes, actor. Today is finally thest shoot. "How are you feeling?" "I like it maybe because I took a day off yesterday. But it''s a little bittersweet. It''s a shame that it''s already thest shoot¡­ I''m looking forward to how the work will turn out." "It wille out well. Let''s get going first." "Yes." The van moved forward gently. Students wearing school uniforms were seen gathering in groups and going to the school. Some of them pointed to the van and said something. I didn''t know what they were talking about. "¡¤¡¤¡¤ We have arrived." I dozed off without realizing it, and I felt like I arrived at the set. "Did we arrive already?" Today''s set is Iksan''s "Prison Set". It is not an exaggeration to say that most of the Korean works taken in the background of prisons are taken here. "It''s really big." After passing through the tall, long gray concrete wall, I arrived at the ce where the staff gathered. "Hello, Kang Jinseok has arrived!" "Oh, yes! Hello! You came very early today, too!" The set looked as busy as ever. Although the only scene I shoot is the scene where "Oh Manho" walks to the death penalty, the staff will also have other scenes. When I was walking around looking at the set. "Kang Jinseok!" I heard a familiar voice next to me. It was Kang Hyunjin, the writer who wrote this work. "Oh, hello, writer! It''s been a while since I saw you. "Did youe to see it because it''s ourst shoot?" "Oh¡­. There''s that, and the producer said there''s something to discuss on the spot. They asked me to change the script. More than that, how have you been?" After asking about each other''s updates for a while, Kang Hyunjin asked in a cautious voice. "I¡­ But I''m a little sorry to tell you this." ¡°?¡± "Actually, an acquaintance of mine came to the set today. I told the producer beforehand, but¡­.¡± "The writer''s acquaintance?" "Yes. He''s the one who helped me a lot when I wrote this work. He said he really wanted to meet actor Kang Jinseok. (Laughing out loud)¡­.¡± Kang Hyunjin looked at me and said. Although it didn''t matter to me, the person in question. "It''s not that big of a deal to see your face." It doesn''t wear out just because you see it.'' I tried to say that it was okay. At that time, Kang Hyunjin muttered. ¡°¡­In fact, rather than my acquaintance, I''m an acquaintance of an acquaintance. He is the junior of the person who gave me the subject matter of this work. He''s also the younger brother of the person who became the motif of "Faithful Manho." ¡°¡­.¡± "He said he really wanted to meet actor Kang Jinseok. He said it so desperately¡­ Please just say hello." Kang Hyunjin was constantly looking embarrassed. But I was asplicated as Kang Hyunjin, or obviously more than that. "I can''t believe you''re the younger brother of the one who became the motif of ¡®Pride''." Don''t tell me¡­.¡¯ A person came to mind. ¡®¡­" Lee Minyoung?" I knew that Manho and Lee Manseok''s lives were so simr. However, I did not think that this work was made by Lee Manseok. I asked writer Kang Hyunjin carefully. "By any chance¡­ Who would it be "Oh! Is he going to meet me now?" "Yes, hees all the way to the set. More than that¡­ I want to know who it is first." "Oh, yes. He''s an incredible man. The deputy prosecutor in Korea¡­!¡± When writer Kang Hyunjin was speaking in an excited voice. "Nice to meet you. Mr. Kang Jinseok." I heard a calm voice in the background. I looked back slowly. "I''m Lee Minyoung. Lee Manseok¡­ It''s his brother." There was Lee Minyoung slowly approached me. With a bouquet of flowers in one hand. I was taken aback. No, I was a little surprised rather than embarrassed to be exact. "I heard that you''ve acted really well so far. I don''t know about acting but thank you very much. And I look forward to your kind cooperation until the end." When I looked at Lee Minyoung without saying anything, he said with a slight smile. "It''s kind of hard toe empty-handed, so I brought a bouquet of flowers. I don''t know what to bring. I''d like you to ept it if you don''t mind." Lee Minyoung put out a bouquet of flowers. a bouquet of flowers that isrge enough to exceed 50 flowers. "This flower is¡­.¡¯ It was the flower that I put on the altar of Lee Manseok. *** "Whoa¡­.¡± Before filming, he sighed slightly while receiving makeup. It was because Lee Minyoung, who suddenly appeared, still hadn''t calmed down his surprise. "Oh no, it''s thest shoot today, why do you keep sighing? You''ve done a great job so far." The artist who looked at my makeup throughout this work said as if pressing. After seeing each other almost every day over the past few months, we became close enough to make small jokes. "Haha¡­. I''m sorry. Maybe it''s because it''s thest one, I''m a little nervous." It wasn''t long before the makeup was done. I changed into a ready faded prison uniform and stood in front of the mirror for the final self-check. ¡°¡­.¡± a pale, shabby-looking skin tone. And dark circles that have fallen down. It really reminded me of Lee Manseok''sst moment. "Then I''ll go shoot. Thank you for your makeup." "Yes." After a polite greeting, I came out. The staff waiting outside led me to the set. "Kang Jinseok is here!" The staff who brought me to the set said loudly. Then, the staff looked at me in unison. Everyone looked exceptionally bright because it was thest shooting. Among them, there was a person who caught my eye. "Lee Minyoung hasn''t gone yet." Lee Minyoung stood alone, distancing himself from the staff. "I thought you died right away because you didn''t say anything after giving me the bouquet." Are you going to watch the shooting? That was fine. Seeing him standing proudly on the set, it seemed like he got permission from the Sergeant and PD. Still, it bothered me. That''s right because the scene I''m filming today is where Oh Manho goes to the death penalty. The scene where "Oh Manho" goes to the death penalty. In other words, it is a reproduction of the moment Lee Manseok goes to the death penalty. I felt so frustrated because I knew so well what Lee Manseok was like to Lee Minyoung and what Lee Minyoung was like to Lee Manseok. "This scene is hard to show¡­".No. I don''t want to show you.'' To Lee Manseok, who is watching his brother somewhere right now, and to Lee Minyoung, who is on set. If possible, I wanted to show such a happy ending, which was not allowed in reality. A happy ending is only possible in novels, dramas, and movies. Eventually, after much thought, I went to the producer with Sergeant. "I¡­ Producer. Let me tell you something." "Oh, yes. I just happened to have something to tell you. Go ahead and tell me." "Thank you. That¡­.¡± I slurred my words. Because I was sorry that what I was going to do now was purely my ¡®greed''. ¡®But I still have to say.¡¯ said Ha Sarang, looking straight into his eyes. "I''m so sorry, but¡­ "Today''s scene. Can''t we do it differently?" ¡°¡­?¡± Ha Sarang looked at me as if surprised and curious at the same time. The other staff who heard me made a simr look. When he asked her to change it right before the shoot¡­ they all looked flustered But it couldn''t stop here. Since you''ve already spoken up. "If you change¡­ "In what direction?" "I want to turn it into a happy ending. It''s not that the Oh Manho is being executed, it''s being released from prison¡­ In the direction of meeting my brother." I bowed deeply and asked for a favor. Maybe they''ll hear, "The rookie is good at acting, and when he asked them, he asked them to change the story?!" They deserve to hear that. "Still¡­. I can''t help it.'' At that time, the Sergeant and PD put their hands on my shoulders. He looked up slightly and looked at Ha Sarang. ¡°¡­" Producer?" She was smiling with Sergeant. No, to be precise, it was quite surprising. After a while, I could see why. "Huh¡­ Oh, what a coincidence. Actor Kang Jinseok." Coincidence? Ha Sarang said in an admiring voice as I made a face that I didn''t know why. "I told you earlier that I had something to tell you." "Yes." "I was going to tell you that, too." Staff Sergeant and PD handed over a script and said. "Why don''t you change the ending?" Chapter 75 Chapter 75 -¡­I want to change it to a happy ending. It''s not that the Oh Manho is being executed, it''s being released from prison¡­ In the direction of meeting his brother. When I heard this from Jinseok, I couldn''t hide my surprise with Ha Sarang. "How can I tell him what I was going to say first¡­".¡¯ Ha Sarang looked at Kang Hyunjin, a writer standing dithering next to her. With a questioning look, "Did you tell actor Kang Jinseok before me?" Kang Hyunjin shook his head as if saying, "It''s not me!" with an unfair look on his face. I thought hard about it with the Sergeant who heard it. "It''s what he thinks¡­ He''s an amazing actor the more I see him.'' In fact, there have been constant talks about changing the ending since the middle of the drama filming. It was due to internal statistics from Netflix that said, "I rewatch more happy ending works than sad ending." The production team of "The Way They Chose" wanted to create a work that viewers would look for every time they thought of it, not a work that they saw once. ¡®So I''ve been talking to writer Kang for a long time. While maintaining the overall flow, I haveid a lot of groundwork that Oh Manho will not be executed and may one day be released from prison.'' This is a 100% pre-production drama that Netflix gave full power to Ha Sarang and PD. The story could be changed as long as the production team and actors agreed. I''ve already talked to the other actors. Anyway, thest scene only had to prepare one camera, so it wasn''t that difficult to shoot. "So I only had to persuade the main actor¡­ There is no such thing as coincidence.'' Ha Sarang saw Jinseok. Jinseok was still bending over deeply. If another actor had spoken up about changing the story, she would have felt bad with Sergeant. However, I didn''t feel too bad because it was said by Jinseok, no one else. Because he had the authenticity of the work he''s shown so far. Hit it. Ha Sarang, who had been thinking for a long time, put her hand on Jinseok''s shoulder. "I told you earlier that I had something to tell you." "Yes." "I was going to tell you that, too. How about changing the ending?" *** "I always feel this, but he gets really good makeup because he has good skin. It''s sofortable to stick to what I draw." The makeup artist kept talking to herself and changed my makeup. "Since he came out of prison after suffering, he should look older than that, right? About 15 more years?" This is because the ending of "The Way They Chose" changed to Oh Manho being released from prison after 12 years of imprisonment. "Okay! I think this is enough." Open your eyes." I slowly opened my closed eyes. As the makeup artist said, Kang Jinseok in his mid tote 40s, who seemed to have suffered a lot, was seen in the mirror. Wrinkles were naturally located all over the face, and wrinkles were particrly deep around the eyes. If the makeup before the ending changed expressed a shabby feeling, this makeup was expressing "difficult years." "Do you like it?" The makeup artist said with a smile. "Yes, I think it came out really well. As expected, you''re the best." "Hooray. Thank you for your words. Then, fighting for thest shot." "Yes, thank you." I left the waiting room and walked across the prison yground toward the entrance. Sunlight, which was beginning to fall, was blocked by the high walls of the prison, and the shadowy long. "This scene¡­". I''ve seen a lot of Lee Manseok.'' With a red name tag on his chest, which means death row inmates, he saw this scene every day until he died. The sky where the red sunset was scattered was a beautiful sight. He prayed in the passage of time that his letter would reach his brother. "It''s bitter." But I was well aware that the wind was useless. That his letter was not delivered properly. Even if it was told, my brother wouldn''t have read it properly. If he had read the letter correctly, I would havee at least once before I died. ¡®But it''s different today.'' I got to y a part that didn''t exist in his life, but it didn''t matter. Lee Manseok imagined meeting his brother after he was released from prison right before he died, and I only need to show that feeling. I arrived at the front door of the prison. I can feel the staff who are ready looking at me with anticipation. Cho Yeonchul approached and asked. "Actor, the producer said he''d do a rehearsal and start the main shoot." "Rehearsal?" "Yes. The ending has changed suddenly, so you might need time to sort out your feelings." It''s a rehearsal. It wasn''t a difficult call at all. "I''m sorry, but can''t we start filming right away?" However, when that huge iron door was opened by rehearsals, it seemed that this feeling would slowly dissipate. The feeling of "expectation" that he might have a brother outside the prison door, "concerned" that he would be so sad without his brother, and "sad" that he would feel when he was not there. Cho Yeonchul hesitated to an unexpected answer and said. "Uh¡­ Yes, I''ll talk to the producer first." Cho Yeonchul immediately began to say something to the walkie-talkie, smiling and asking if the conversation went well. "Yes, actor. The producer asked me to start filming right away. "Even when the sun sets, it starts to fall." "Thank you." As soon as he heard my answer, Cho Yeonchul shouted out loud. "We''ll start filming in a minute!" This scene is really simple. Just follow the guidance of the prison officer and go out through the open door. And if you smile brightly at your brother''s voice from afar, it''s over. Even though it was a simple scene, I was more nervous than in any other scene I''ve ever filmed. [Let''s start] I heard the voices of the Sergeant and PD from the walkie-talkie. Probably looking at the camera outside the prison door. Cho Yeonchul, who was controlling the inside of the prison, shouted in the direction of Ha Sarang and PD. "Ready¡­. Action!" The moment Lee Manseok wanted so much. "I have to show you." *** In a rush. Giggling. The iron bars at the front door of the prison open. Is it over there or not? My long-cherished brother, whose face has faded now. If it hadn''t been opened, I could have had a happy delusion to myself that there would have been a brother across the hallway. I don''t want too much. I just want one chance in my humble life. If there was a brother outside that door, there was no regret to die right away. "No. 1755. Out of prison!" I can hear the prison guard''s voice full of annoyance and irritation. It seems to be urging me to get out quickly. Maybe it''s because that''s how I can rest. Move your steps. I could feel the rushing eyes of the guards around me, but my nerves were all directed at the iron door. I didn''t take a few steps, but I was already in front of the iron gate. Come on! Finally, the front door of the prison begins to open. Unlike its heavy shape, it opens too quickly. "Well¡­.¡± The iron door ispletely open. When the obstacles blocking the setting sun so far disappeared, the pouring light zed my eyes. For some reason, the light was brighter than the sunset I saw in the prison. I looked around. There''s no one. Then that''s right. I looked forward to it, but I also expected it. So I thought it would be okay¡­ "Laughing¡­.¡± Tears leaked out by themselves. It may be that expectations were higher than reality. Even as I got older, my tears didn''t go as I wanted, so They kept flowing. ¡°¡­" Oppa." But. I''m used to it, but it''s different. I heard a familiar voice. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± Maybe it''s because I have a younger brother I''ve missed so much. Is it because the sunset from the outside was beautiful? I had no choice but to cry and smile. *** ¡°¡­" Are you crazy?" Producer Na Jinho muttered after seeing an edited version of "The Way They Chose". Na Jinho watched the video for about 16 hours without a break. I didn''t eat and didn''t go to the bathroom. It was that much fun, and I fell in love with it that much. "It''s perfect until the end." Jinseok''s "happy" smile at the end was stuck in his mind and not forgotten. ¡®¡­I can only say that It''s really crazy.'' When Na Jinho was feeling the afterglow of emotion, a voice breaking the afterglow was heard. "Whoa, what do you think? My skill." It was a smirking, smirking, and proud producer. Na Jinho red at Ha Sarang in a dim manner and said. "Why is this your skill? Kang Jinseok made a hard carry." "Because you talk like that, you''re still not married. Youplimented the other person¡­.¡± "Wow, but it''s really crazy? "Isn''t this piece going to get a really big award?" "I made it myself, but I didn''t know how I took it like this." (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). Ha Sarang''s phone rang while she was enthusiastic about her work. "Who is it? At this early hour¡­".¡± [It''s an international call] [001380¡­] If it''s 001¡­ "I''m in America." Ha Sarang, who studied abroad in the United States for a long time, knew the U.S. country code. "It''s probably spam." Ha Sarang, who thought it was spam, pressed Refuse to receive it. [It''s an international call] [001380¡­] Then, she got a call again with the same number as before. "What is it?" Ha Sarang frowned slightly and looked at her cell phone. Na Jinho asked Ha Sarang. "Why? Who is it?" "I don''t know. It''s an international call, but they''reing to the same number one after another." "Don''t you know your friends when you studied abroad?" Na Jinho''s words reminded me of the faces of friends I was close to when I studied abroad. Eventually, I received a phone call that kept ringing loudly with the Producer, who was agonizing. "Hello." Because I was so tired, I heard a voice mixed with a little annoyance. If it''s voice phishing, not friends, I was going to take a swipe at you. ¡°H, Hi!¡± Let''s jump! Then suddenly, Ha Sarang stepped out of her seat and got up to answer the phone. ¡°This is producer Ha speaking¡­.(Ha Sarang PD answered the phone.) Na Jinho stared at Ha Sarang, who was talking on the phone in a polite manner. It was because I had never seen her answer the phone so politely and with a nervous expression. ¡°¡­Yes, I clearly understood. Thank you.(¡­I understand. Thank you.)" Soon after hanging up the phone, I sat down on a chair as if I was exhausted. It was a call for a few minutes, Na Jinho asked in a worried voice, looking old. "Who is it? "Weren''t you friends?" "Well, that''s¡­.¡± Ha Sarang blurted his back words looked at her cell phone, and said with a dazed face. "The director of the headquarters of Netflix¡­ He called." Chapter 76 Chapter 76 "Did you get a call from the head office director?" Why?" "As soon as theption was releasedst week, I reported it to the superiors. I couldn''t send everything because I was a little pressed for time, and I only sent it until the 8th episode.¡¤¡¤" When producer Na Jinho asked back in a surprised voice, Ha Sarang still answered in a dreary voice. "Hurry up and send thest part." ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± "He said he can''t stand it because he wants to watch the next episode." *** After the filming of "The Way They Chose", they returned to their normal daily lives. I went to school and went to a part-time job as Kang Jinseok. The manager said, "Can you stop working part-time now?".¡¯ Still, I wanted to do something rather than stay still at home. However, Jang Sunho strongly opposed the part-time job at the cafe, so he could only do the part-time job at the warehouse. I went to school peacefully. Perhaps it''s been a while since "In Spring Without Flowers" ended, and people are slowly forgetting "Nakamura" in their heads, but as I passed by, some students looked at me, but not as much as when the show went on for a long time. There''s no ss today¡­ Should I clean my room after a long time?'' When I was about to get up from my bed stretching out loud, I got a Kakao Talk from Jang Sunho. [Manager Jang Sunho: Actor, I''m sorry if I disturb your resting. You got an audition for your next work and an offer to appear on the show. If you have time today, can you talk to me for a moment?] "It''s an audition and an offer to appear on a show." I was touched. Not long ago, I was searching for a role on the audition site. I don''t know what kind of work and broadcast it is yet, but it was a huge changepared to the past. I immediately called Jang Sunho. A familiar voice was heard as the call connection went over a few times. [Oh, yes!]! Did you read Kakaotalk?] "Yes, I got an audition proposal?" [Yes]. Two works havee in, and both are movies. The script is good, but there''s something I need to discuss with the manager.] "It''s a movie." Like any actor, I naturally wanted to try out for a movie. I also wanted to be an actor who freely moves between dramas and movies. I don''t know what kind of work it is, but I thought it was a great opportunity. [And the broadcast is "Yeonyan Diary" that I was asked to appear on before]. [The actor said he didn''t want to be involved with Park Hayeon, so he refused] "Oh, ¡­".¡± Although he refused to appear, he watched the highlights of "Yeonyan Diary" on YouTube a few times. I didn''t really look for it, but it just came up as a rmended video, so I watched it. The editing was fun, so it was a good entertainment show to watch lightly as a killing time. Unlike the "entertainment show that shows celebrities living well," which is popr these days, there was no reluctance because it was a program that showed the real life of the cast without any addition or subtraction. ¡®Thements were quite friendly in that regard as well. They said it wasn''t pretentious.'' While thinking of "Yeonyan Diary" for a moment, Jang Sunho continued to say. [Actually, the producer asked me to do it myself]. At the time, I thought he was just poking it, but I think it''s quite sincere seeing that he proposed it as a "special feature."] "Special episode?" [Oh, yes]. I didn''t tell you that. ording to the producer, he is nning a casting special for "The Way They Chose". I think he''s going to film it in advance and broadcast it on time for the opening of Netflix. "Oh, yes." [Not all the cast members are on the show, but actors, Kyungsoo, Han Kangmin, and Park Hayeon who was originally on "Yeonyan Diary"] To be honest, I didn''t mean to cover it up unless it was a very strange broadcast. It''s not a great ce to go to a show that suits your taste. It was because of Park Hayeon that he avoided appearing before, and if it wasn''t for Park Hayeon, he would have happily appeared. ¡®And Park Hayeon, I don''t think she''s a very bad person after experiencing it in person on set. She also brought out the atmosphere of the set.'' I thought about it for a while and told Jang Sunho. "First of all, I''d like to see the audition script, so can I see you today?" Then, I think it would be good to decide whether to appear on an entertainment show or not." [Yes, of course]. Then I''ll leave right away because I''m at thepany right now. I''ll call you when I arrive.] "Oh, if you''re at work now, I''ll go there. If you take the bus and subway, it will be¡­.¡± [I''ll pick you up]. Please stay at home.] While I was talking, Jang Sunho said firmly. *** "Wow¡­. There''s a lot going on in thepany." It''s been a while since I came to OS Entertainment''s office building. When I came to sign the contract, it was very neat enough to feel empty, but now it was quite fancy because there were posters of works and profiles of actors. Jang Sunho, who was walking next to me, pointed to one wall and said. "Yes, the actor''s work and profile picture are posted over there." As Jang Sunho pointed out, a photo reading "Actor Kang Jinseok" was hung. Next to it were posters of "Dreams of the Sun Rising" and "In Spring Without Flowers" with my autograph. "This way." Jang Sunho opened arge door and entered. When he opened the door, what I saw was a fairly spacious office. There seemed to be about 20 desks, but all of them were empty except for one. "It''s your first timeing to my office, right?" Jang Sunho gave away his chair and said. "Yes, but does the manager use this big office alone?" "That''s how it is now. This office is dedicated to actor Kang Jinseok." "A dedicated office?" "Yes. The actor will soon be a superstar. Then it''s like a small and medium-sizedpany walking around, so there should be that many employees." "Haha¡­.¡± The word "superstar" made me scratch my cheek with an awkward smile. "My prediction is that when this work, ,unches, four more employees should be hired. My goal is to fill all the desks in this room by next year." Jang Sunho took two thick books out of the desk drawer with a pleasant smile. It was written as "The World''s Saddest Match Made in Heaven" and "Absolute Unlicensed Counselling", respectively. "Both are romantic works. The difference is that "The Saddest Match in the World" has a sad melodrama, and "Absolutely Unlicensed Counseling" is a romanticedy." Listening to Jang Sunho''s exnation, he gave a synopsis of "The Saddest Heavenly Feast in the World." ¡ª¡ª [The saddest match in the world ¨C Sinopsis] The main character, who has everything, including appearance, academic background, wealth, and family, is "Shirogan Yuu". Everyone, regardless of gender, supports and fawns him, but Shirogan realizes that it''s because of money and background, not because he loves himself. After that, he go to Siro, who traveled alone to find ¡®real love''. While traveling alone in Hokkaido, he meets "Aki" at a shabby ramen restaurant and falls in love at first sight. For the first time in my life, I''m going to the city where I know "real love." One day, however, Shirogan gradually develops a rare form of amnesia that he cannot remember from his childhood. Now, when he can''t even remember what happened a few months ago, Shirogan fears every day that he will forget his first "love" in his life, Aki. But it wasn''t just Shirogan who was afraid. Aki was a time limiter. So before she died, she was eating her favorite ramen every day, and then she met Shirogan. Time for each other to hide their pain and love each other casually. What will happen at the end? ¡ª¡ª "Wow¡­.¡¯ I wanted it. I really really wanted it. I only heard the synopsis, but it''s been a long time since I''ve been curious about the ending of the script. "The script is in Japanese" Jang Sunho replied with a smile to my words. "Yes, the work is from Japan." "I can''t believe it''s a work from Japan¡­". "Is this a Japanese movie script?" "That''s right." "The director of this work is ¡®Katahiro'', and he fell in love with the actor''s acting after watching ¡®In Spring Without Flowers. And I heard that an actor named Sato Ryosuke praised your acting very highly. You''re good at acting, but I heard you''re good at Japanese, too." It was a bit surprising and sad that even foreigners saw my acting. "By the way, if you''re talking about Sato¡­.¡¯ Ryosuke Sato is a Japanese actor who appeared in "Spring Without Flowers". The actor got quite close to ying the role of right-hand man in Nakamura. I think the actor rmended me. "I should contact him to say thank you." While thinking about that, Jang Sunho said in a rather serious voice. "However¡­ The work is really good, but there''s a problem." "A problem?" "Yes, well¡­ The guarantee is too low. To the point of absurdity." In particr, the word "outrageous" came to my ears. "And it was weird that I got paid even before I even auditioned." The fee is usually negotiated." Jang Sunho, who was speaking in a serious voice for a long time. As the atmosphere became serious, he spoke in a bright voice again. "Well, leave the money to me. Let''s look at another script first. It''s as fun as ." "Yes." ¡ª¡ª [Counseling without a license ¨C Sinopsis] Moon Hyemin, the only daughter of the chairman of the ShinMil Group. She was suffering from severe anaphobia, a wound suffered by her stepmother when she was young. No one in the world can understand themselves, and they locked up their hearts because they thought they could not be loved. In order to treat Moon Hyemin, the chairman tried to appoint the world''s best doctor and counselor, but none of them opened their daughter''s heart. Meanwhile, the name "Song Faith," a genius con artist, enters the chairman''s ear. A legend in the world of fraud who has been tried dozens of times but has been cleared of all charges. He was known to be the best at opening people''s hearts to the extent that he sold the Bible to the monk and the Buddhist scriptures to the pastor. The chairman proposes to Song with a determination to grab a straw. The suggestion is, ¡®Try to manipte my daughter perfectly, and open her heart with it.'' It''s like opening the heart of a rich family, Kyusoo, who doesn''t know much about the world, so he confidently epts the chairman''s proposal because it is too easy for Song to believe. There''s no heart he couldn''t take away so far. However, Moon Hyemin was stronger than expected. It was not easy to open up Moon Hyemin''s heart more than anyone else who has ever experienced it, and Song Faith is bing more serious about this "fraud." As time passes, Moon Hyemin gradually opens his heart to Song Faith. At the same time, Song also hopes that this "fraud" will be "reality." The chairman disapproves of the two''s feelings. Although he was a benefactor who opened his daughter''s heart, Song Faith, a "fraudster," could not be recognized as his daughter''s lover. The chairman scarily threatens Song''s faith to keep the line. Song Faith, who always stole other people''s hearts and never lost his heart, can''t easily leave Hyemin''s side¡­ a chatan who has lost his mind. a victim who has taken the heart of a fraudster. What will the ending be? ¡ª¡ª "Sigh¡­.¡± I lowered my face and breathed a sigh full of agony. "Why did this worke in at once?" Both were good. Really, I didn''t want to give up this either. I don''t know how much Jang Sunho''s "outrageous" appearance fee was earlier, but I could give up as much as I could if I could go into such a work. The senior actor''s words, "If it''s good work, you don''t have to get paid," were fully understood. "Manager, would it be difficult to do both of these works?" "The filming period of the two works does notpletely ovep, but it will still be difficult." "Whoa¡­. "I see." I leaned on the chair with the script in both hands. ¡®Lee Manseok said. There are people everywhere who live a life like dramas and movies. So I''m sure there are ghosts who lived this scripted life¡­.¡¯ So if you allow me my time, I can digest both. But now I had no choice but to give up one of the two. Jang Sunho asked while thinking about sweeping his hair roughly. "What kind of work do you want?" Chapter 77 Chapter 77 He couldn''t answer Jang Sunho''s question in a cool way. After thinking about it for a long time, I eventually asked Jang Sunho. "What kind of work do you think I should do?" "Personally, I rmend . All the roles you''ve yed so far are serious and serious characters, so I think it would be good to take this opportunity to show that you can also act lightly. And¡­.¡± Jang Sunho slurred his back while talking. It was as if he was wondering if he could say this to me. "As I said earlier, has a very low appearance fee. No matter how good the work is, I don''t think you have to take it while being treated like this." "Well¡­. "I see." When Jang Sunho heard, the bnce of the weight, which had been tight, tilted. I still have lingering feelings about the saddest match in the world, but I still have to decide for sure. "I see. Then I''ll go with ." "You made a good choice. Oh, and the actor. "How should you appear on ¡®Yeonyan Diary''?" "Oh, . I don''t know¡­.¡± I thought about it for a while and said. "I think it''s okay to appear. I also looked up some videos on YouTube and they were pretty fun. And Park Hayeon¡­ I don''t think she''s a very bad person." "I see. Then I''ll have a meeting with the writers of "Yeonyan Diary." After saying that, Jang Sunho got up from his seat. Then he looked at the clock and said. "It''s a little after midnight. Would you like to have a meal?" But it''s a time when there are a lot of people everywhere, so is the cafeteria okay with you?" "Yes. I''m good at anything, and I eat a lot." "Haha, yes. Then let''s go to the cafeteria." We left the office and took the elevator to the cafeteria. "Wow¡­. This is the cafeteria When he pointed to the cafeteria, I thought I hade to the wrong ce. There are so many menus that areparable to the franchise buffet that I used to work part-time. And a cozy interior and subtle scent. No matter how I looked at it, it was more like a restaurant than a cafeteria. "We share our cafeteria with OS International, and it''s very well-received. The CEO has a strong thought of ¡®Koreans are rice!''. I''m going to be like most hotel buffets." "Well, I see." I went inside with Jang Sunho. Then some employees recognized me and said, "Hey, it''s Kang Jinseok," and "Wow¡­. I heard him talking about me, saying, "His really handsome." Jang Sunho handed over arge te. "You can choose what you want to eat." "Yes, I''ll have just one of all the menus." And I really tried all the menus and headed home. *** "I heard actor Kang Jinseok came to the cafeteria earlier." "Really? Why didn''t I see it?" "I heard he came as soon as it was 12 o''clock. I''ve seen it." "Wow¡­. "How was it?" "His so handsome." It''s a total alien. But he''s really nice. They took pictures of all the employees who asked him to take pictures and signed autographs for them." Jang Sunho, who returned to work after walking Jinseok back home. I was listening to other employees'' stories at the employee-only cafe on the first floor of thepany. Obviously, there were only good stories, but Jang Sunho was not at ease. Actor Kang¡­ People are so nice.'' It is natural for a "star" to take pictures or sign autographs with fans. But if you''re a star, you should know how to say no to some extent. Jinseok took pictures with everyone who had asked him to do so at the restaurant today. I left it alone because there weren''t many people today, but I''ll make sure to restrain it next time.¡¯ Jang Sunho epted the coffee he ordered. I sat at a table in one corner and checked the time. "4:30." they should arrived at this time. Is there a traffic jam Jang Sunho was waiting for the writers of "Yeonyan Diary". As soon as Jinseok said he was willing to appear, the "Yeonyan Diary" team set up a meeting right away. Fortunately, Jang Sunho also had no special work until thete afternoon, so we decided to meet immediately. "Oh my¡­ Oh my¡­.¡± "Oh, my god¡­ Oh, my¡­.¡± It was then. ck sweatshirt and ck cks. And even a ne called ¡®Visit'' hanging from their neck. The design was different, but men and women of the same fashion came in. "Are they the writers who said they wereing to the meeting today?" Jang Sunho wasn''t familiar with it because he was not an OS group employee. Jang Sunho approached the two and asked. "HAN SEUNGHEE, are you a writer or a reason?" The two answered in amazement. "Oh, yes! I''m Han Seunghee!" "It''s Lee Yuna!! I''m sorry I''mte!" "Haha, yes. I''m Jang Sunho, Kang Jinseok''s manager." When Jang Sunho handed over the business card that read "OS Entertainment''s Kang Jinseok, Team Leader of Actor''s Team," Han Seunghee and Lee Yuna also hurriedly took out their business cards. Jang Sunho received the writers'' business cards politely and said. "Come this way. I don''t know what kind of coffee you''ll like, so I haven''t ordered it yet." "Oh, we''ll buy the coffee." "It''s all right. The staff is free at this cafe¡­ What would you like?" "Oh, I see. Then I''ll drink it with thanks." When Han Seunghee and Lee Yuna sat down after receiving the drink they ordered, the meeting began in earnest. It was Han Seunghee who opened his mouth first. "I came right here because you told me that he would like to appear on the show. First of all, our producer will try to match everything for him, so make sure! that he can confirm his appearance." "You don''t have to be so nervous. Our actor is not that picky. Is there a direction that the writers think of?" "Oh, yes! It''s not very detailed, but we''ve prepared a n in our own way. Yuna, give me my tablet." "Yes!" When Lee Yuna handed over the tablet as if she were waiting, Han Seunghee showed it to Jang Sunho and said. "As the materials we''re preparing this time is a special episode of ¡®The Way They Choose'', we''re going to get some making films. I thought it would be fun to tell the behind-the-scene story with that. He naturally promotes his work¡­.¡± Han Seunghee shows various materials on a tablet and exins them enthusiastically. However, Jang Sunho did not like the n that Han Seunghee had been preparing. ¡®It must be boring.'' The n that Han Seunghee brought was focused on wrapping Jinseok in a cool way. Because the producer asked me to cast him unconditionally, it seemed that he somehow brought an "actor-friendly" n that suited the taste of the actor and the agency. However, the strength of the "entertainment without packaging" unique to "Yeonyan Diary" disappears. "Actor Kang won''t like it either." Jinseok, who I''ve seen so far, was not a person who wanted to be treated so much. Rather, he felt somewhat ufortable when he received special treatment. ¡®What should I do?'' Listening to Han Seunghee''s exnation, Jang Sunho thought of another n instead. "First of all, this is what we''vee up with¡­". What do you think?" Han Seunghee asked carefully. This is because Jang Sunho''s expression was not so good throughout his exnation. Jang Sunho said honestly. "Well¡­. It''s a shame that it feels a little different from the "Yeonyan Diary" we thought." Han Seunghee''s face turned pale at Jang Sunho''s words. Jang Sunho smiled slightly at Han Seunghee. "That doesn''t mean he won''t appear. First of all, let me tell you what I said to the actor earlier." Han Seunghee, who looked back, shed his eyes. "Yes, yes. Please tell me." "Actually, actor Kang said he was a little worried because his daily life wasn''t that special. The actor is very "check-in." "Check-in?" "Yes, my actor hasn''t been able to take off his ¡®ordinary'' t-shirt since he just debuted." How much is it¡­.¡± Jang Sunho said that Jinseok was going to take public transportation when he came to work today and that he is still working part-time. He also said that he is still living in a monthly rented room simr to the Gosiwon where he used to live because the contract period was three months away. Even though thepany said it would get him a house. "Not only that, but he also goes to the nursery once a month. That''s what he wants to do, even if it''s okay. He goes to school every day." ¡°¡­.¡± "I was worried that the video would be too ndpared to the other cast members." Jang Sunho, who was in the midst of talking, looked into Han Seunghee''s eyes and said. "But now that I think about it, I think this might be rather fun." Jang Sunho continued with a smile that he was looking forward to. "When unches on Netflix, he will be a famous actor that everyone recognizes. Although I am still aware of it." "That''s right. That''s what our producer said." "Yes, but what if such an actor works a part-time job close to working in a warehouse, gets a schrship just like ordinary college students, and shows him suffering from assignments and exams?" ¡°¡­.¡± "Don''t you think we can definitely pick the ratings while keeping the feeling that ¡®Yeonyan Diary'' has been loved by viewers so far?" At Jang Sunho''s words, Han Seunghee looked at Lee Yuna. Lee Yuna also stared nkly at Han Seunghee. When the two looked at each other still, Jang Sunho asked carefully. "Did I say something wrong¡­?¡± Han Seunghee shook his hands in a panic. "Oh, it''s not. It''s not that¡­ I was a little surprised. The n you just mentioned, it''s so simr to the first one we prepared. Yuna, take out what we were going to do." Lee Yuna nodded. Then she took a thick note out of her bag. "Please take a look at this. It''s a n that we originally prepared. The strength of our professional¡­.¡± After a while, Jang Sunho, who heard all of Lee Yuna''s exnation, said with a satisfied smile. "I think you can prepare it like this. I''ll tell him this, too." *** "Kang Jinseok appears in ¡®Yeonyan Diary''¡­". That''s great." Park Hayeon''s agency, "MAJOR 77" idol 1st room manager, and Jung Joonsun murmured. "I should take this opportunity to make a frame that Kang Jinseok and Hayeon are very close." So that Kang Jinseok can enter the entertainment,mercials, and events thate in the future with Hayeon.'' Jung Joonsun expected Jinseok to be a huge star after this work. That''s why he wanted to gain an advantage by preupying the image of being close to Jinseok. Even if you''re not really close, the image shown to the public is a reality in the entertainment industry. "I should grease producer Joo Wonho in . I want you to connect Kang Jinseok and Hayeon.'' After finishing his thought, Jung Joonsun took his cell phone out of his pocket. I was going to make a meeting and drink appointment with producer Joo Wonho. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). Then, I got a text message. [010-XXXX-XXXX] [Hello, Director Jung Joonsun]. Reporter Ko Seoyoung of Life of Star¡­.] "Go Seoyoung?" "Is it Ko Seoyoung?" Jung Joonsun hurriedly checked the text. ¡ª¡ª Hello, Director Jung Joonsun. I''m reporter Seoyoung Ko of Life of Star. I have an interesting story about Park Hayeon of Red Liz. There was a report that Park Hayeon recently filmed a drama, and she shouted and even cursed at the fans on the set. There are also quite reliable recordings. I can just spread it, but I think it would be good to solve it in a way that benefits each other, so I''m contacting you like this. Please reply.^^ *the Attached file ¡®Park Hayeon ¨C Recording on set'' ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡­Ha, X shot." The bomb fell on Jung Joonsun''s n, which seemed perfect. Support the trantor by sending gifts on ko-fi. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Support the trantor by sending gifts on ko-fi. "Oh, my God¡­ Let''s hear what the recording is for now." Jung Joonsun cursed and opened the attached file sent by reporter Ko Seoyoung. [What are you guys doing?] You won''t turn it off quickly? Are you really my fan? Huh? I went crazy¡­ How dare you say that this ce is¡­.] I''m done. I didn''t even need to hear the rest. It was definitely Park Hayeon''s voice. "Sigh¡­. It''s really tightened, really." Jung Joonsun sighed deeply. I thought It was just passing by because I fell asleep¡­.'' As a manager, Jung Joonsun was naturally aware of the issues Park Hayeon argued with her fans. However, even at that time, it passed without any problems, and when I monitored it for the next few weeks, I erased it from my memory because she didn''t say anything. "But why did this go into Ko Seoyoung?".'' If it were another reporter, Jung Joonsun would not have been so worried. The reason they usually contact like this is because they ask for money. However, Ko Seoyoung did not have money. This missionary journalist was the type who only wanted to reveal the reality of celebrities. In a way, it can be said that the journalist''s spirit is strong, but as an official, he was just an unanswered reporter. "By the way¡­ Who reported to Ko Seoyoung? A fan on the set would not have reported it. Fans like to report to YouTubers rather than reporters these days. However, it doesn''t make any sense that the staff or other actors on the set gave it to her. When such a scandal breaks out, the work will be hit hard, and there are usually no actors or staff who record it. First of all, it doesn''t matter who gave it to her. The question is how to solve this.'' Jung Joonsun, who had been agonizing for a long time, got up from his seat. ¡®I''ll have to think about it after Ie back after smoking a cigarette.'' Jung Joonsun left the room with a deep sigh. *** Room 6 of KL Entertainment. Reporter Ko Seoyoung and the 6th chief were sitting face to face drinking coffee. "I''ve been boredtely. Thank you for the sauce, manager." "Hey, reporter Ko. What do you mean by this? I mean, let''s give each other a mutual aid." It was the 6th head of KL Entertainment who gave Ko Seoyoung the recording file. The reason was, of course, to ruin "The Way They Chose", starring Jinseok. Although Park Hayeon is not the main character, it will be a small blow if the issue breaks out. Ko Seoyoung said with a fishy smile. "Anyway, thank you for the good data. Please let me know if there''s anything interesting next time." When Ko Seoyoung tried to get up from her seat, the 6th chief restrained her. "Wait a minute, reporter Ko." "What?" "I actually have one more thing to tell you, there is a rumor that one of the actors in "The Way They Chose" had friction with Park Hayeon." "What if it''s friction?" "I heard that she abused her power over a new actor who waspeting at the audition, so I don''t know exactly what happened. I''m telling you because I think it would be good if you had time to find out about this, too." Ko Seoyoung''s eyes glinted slightly at the word "gapjil." "Famous idol, are you abusing your power to a new actor at a drama audition?" There''s a quote for the article. Ko Seoyoung said with a calm expression, although she wanted to run right away and proceed with the work. Instead, she said as if she was trying to show sincerity. "Well¡­. Yes, well. I''ll find out when I have time. "Who is the actor who was bullied?" The head of the 6th division handed over a picture with a fishy smile. "I''m an actor named Seo Yeonsoo." *** Seo Yeonsoo finished filming "The Way They Chose" long before Jinseok. Her character, "The Boss''s Daughter," is a very important role in the beginning of the drama, but rarely appears in thetter part of the drama. So Seo Yeonsoo returned as an ordinary university student and was listening to the lecture as usual. "Well, that''s all for today''s lecture. It''s almost the final exam season, and I hope you all prepare well." "Thank you for your hard work!" When the professor spoke quietly and left the ssroom, Seo Yeonsoo also cleared her seat and left the ssroom. "I need to look into auditions after the final exam." At that time, a woman in a ck semi-suit with her hair tied to one side approached Seo Yeonsoo and said. Apparently, I was waiting until the lecture was over. "Actor Seo Yeonsoo?" "¡­" Me?" At first, Seo Yeonsoo, who was embarrassed by a woman who called herself an "actor," answered awkwardly. The woman handed her business card to Seo Yeonsoo with a rxed smile. "Hello, I''m reporter Ko Seoyoung of ¡®Life of Star''." A concise but confident self-introduction and a sharp voice. Even a subtle smile made everyone feel friendly, but Seo Yeonsoo was ufortable because she didn''t know why. I feel like a frog with a snake in front of me. Seo Yeonsoo looked at Ko Seoyoung with an ufortable gaze. Seeing that look, Ko Seoyoung said with a gentle smile. "You don''t have to be so vignt. If you don''t mind, why don''t we go to a cafe and talk?" "Yes, well, yes, yes." A franchise cafe inside Seoguk University. Ko Seoyoung said to Seo Yeonsoo as she handed her coffee. "The reason I came to see you like this is because I got a report." "Report?" "Yes. I heard you had a hard time at the audition for "The Way They Choose", which was recently filmed. He said you were abused because you were a rookie actor¡­." "¡­." "You must have had a hard time, right?" Ko Seoyoung asked in a worried voice. Of course, she wasn''t really worried at all. Seo Yeonsoo thought about it for a while and said. "¡­I don''t know. She didn''t look down on me. It was just a normal audition." Like Ko Seoyoung, Seo Yeonsoo was not saying ¡®sincere'' either. "I can''t tell you that I fought with Park Hayeon because of Jinseok." At the audition, I fought Park Hayeon with a strong heart, but now that I think about it, it was a shameful remark. What a fight over a man. Isn''t it something that would be like an old novel? If such a story reached the ears of a reporter, I didn''t know what the article would be about due to the childish triangle between myself, Park Hayeon, and Jinseok. Seo Yeonsoo couldn''t even set foot properly in the entertainment industry, but she had that sense. Ko Seoyoung asked again in a still worried voice. "Did nothing really happen? You can tell me. I heard from someone quite reliable, and I heard that some ¡®idol'' ignored actor Seo Yeonsoo." Seo Yeonsoo was briefly embarrassed by Ko Seoyoung''s words emphasizing "idol." Do you know what Park Hayeon and herself said about Jinseok? It''s because she thought. "No! Nothing really happened." However, Seo Yeonsoo decided to catch her first. Ko Seoyoung bit her lips slightly at Seo Yeonsoo''s firm words. "I think there''s something going on when I see you''re flustered or looking at me." However, if she didn''t open her mouth, it would be aplete disaster. But I didn''t get impatient. It was a piece of cake for Ko Seoyoung, who has been through all kinds of prenatal events, to open her mouth like Seo Yeonsoo. All she needed was a little time. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). Then, Seo Yeonsoo''s cell phone rang. [010-XXXX-XXXX] "It''s a number I don''t know." Who is it?'' "Reporter, wait a minute. I got a call." "It''s all right. Take your time." Seo Yeonsoo got up from her seat and answered the phone. "Hello?" Then, I went out of the cafe. "Are you here? Then even what we were talking about¡­." About five minutester. Seo Yeonsoo, who returned to the cafe, stared at Ko Seoyoung sharply, unlike a while ago. And she took a 10,000 won piece out of her wallet and put it on the table. "I won''t drink coffee." "What? YEONSOO, why are you suddenly¡­"." Seo Yeonsoo said first before Ko Seoyoung said anything about Seo Yeonsoo''s sudden change in attitude. "And. Don''t live your life like that." "Oh, no, what are you talking about all of a sudden¡­." "Park Hayeon did her best throughout the filming of "The Way They Chose," and she really looked professional. So don''t dig around for no reason." Seo Yeonsoo left with her bag. As if Ko Seoyoung was trying to say something to Seo Yeonsoo, she was silent and couldn''t say anything. I thought she was a new actor who didn''t know anything, but she was overwhelmed by her powerful voice a little while ago. Seo Yeonsoo, who roughly opened the cafe door, stared at Ko Seoyoung looking at nkly and said. "Why is there such a person?" The voice still sounded like it wasn''t all gone. Taking a quick step, Seo Yeonsoo recalled the call a while ago. ¡ª¡ª "Hello?" [Hello, actor Seo Yeonsoo]. [I''m the director of KL Entertainment, Ryu Seongho] "¡­What?" ¡ª¡ª At this time, Seo Yeonsoo thought it was voice phishing or spam. It''s the same for him, who would believe him when he calls himself "the first head of KL Entertainment?" However, after hearing thetter words, Seo Yeonsoo came to believe the man''s words little by little. ¡ª¡ª [It doesn''t matter who I am]. More importantly, reporter Ko Seoyoung of "Life of Star" will visit you soon. She might already be there right now. [The reporter''s feet are really fast] [Seeing you don''t say anything, I guess you''ve already met her. Then reporter Ko Seoyoung must have asked about "Park Hayeon" or "The Way They Chose."] "¡­Yes." [The best thing is, don''t say anything to the reporter. Not only for actor Seo Yeonsoo but for all the actors who participated in this work. [I texted you the reason, so please check it out] "¡­." [Originally, I had to ask Kang Jinseok to deliver it to Seo Yeonsoo]¡­. I contacted you directly because time was running out. [Of course] ¡ª¡ª As if he had said everything he had to say, the man hung up. And after a while, as the man said, a real text came. The contents of the text were all articles written by "Reporter Ko Seoyoung" using celebrities of their personal lives or mistakes. The problem was that there were not a few reasons or circumstances for the celebrity to make such a mistake, but only the actions were stimting, which was highly misleading. Among them was the issue of the semi-forced retirement of a pretty famous celebrity more than a decade ago. "But how did you know my number?" It was a question of course. Seo Yeonsoo, who doesn''t know such a thing, was not even a job for the first manager to find out her contact information. "No, it''s not. It''s not how I knew your number that matters now. First of all, tell Jinseok. Ko Seoyoung, that bitch mighte to Jinseok.'' Seo Yeonsoo immediately called Jinseok. *** The top floor of OS International headquarters. Oh Haneul''s bald head was subtly shining in the dark representative room. Oh Haneul took a leisurely sip of tea and said. "KL Entertainment is trying to y tricks on "The Way They Chose" again?" When Oh Haneul asked, Chief of Staff Kang Kyungsik, who was sitting opposite, replied. "Yes. They are using the recording that Park Hayeon cursed in the ¡®Snack Car Case'' that I reported before." They gave that file to reporter Ko Seoyoung." "I see." Oh Haneul said calmly and calmly. However, Kang Kyungsik could feel unpleasant in Oh Haneul''s voice. The displeasure with the ¡®lovers'' who try to sabotage their businesses. But. Oh Haneul didn''t give any instructions about this. ¡®It was unusual, he would have ordered me to resolve it earlier.'' Kang Kyungsik, questioned, asked cautiously. "Mr. President, are you going to leave this one alone?" "Yes." "¡­." "I don''t think we need to be involved." Kang Kyungsik spoke in a somewhat worried voice at Oh Haneul''s calm words. "Mr. President, with all due respect, things could get quite big if you leave this one alone. I think Park Hayeon''s agency won''t be able to solve it smoothly¡­." While Kang Kyungsik was talking, Oh Haneul put down the teacup and cut off his horse. "Even if we don''t use our hands, ¡®that friend'' will take care of it." Kang Kyungsik closed his mouth at Oh Haneul''s firm words. Instead, I thought hard about who Oh Haneul said "that friend" was. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). Chief of Staff Kang Kyungsik''s phone rang. [Jang Sunho] I got a call from Jinseok''s manager, Jang Sunho. Kang Kyungsik got up from his seat and answered the phone in the corner of the representative office. "Hello?" [Chief of Staff, I''m Jang Sunho]. I''m calling to report something.] "Yes, go ahead." Kang Kyungsik answered, but Jang Sunho didn''t say anything for a while. When Kang Kyungsik was going to ask what was going on. [KL Entertainment keeps crossing the line] Jang Sunho''s determined voice was heard as if he had made up his mind. [I need to sort out the order] Chapter 79 Chapter 79 "Sort out the order?" Kang Kyungsik asked Jang Sunho in a calm voice. "What do you mean to sort out the order? What does that mean?" [As I reported before, KL Entertainment keeps interfering with Kang Jinsseok] "¡­." [So I''m going to give them a warning]. So that they don''t stand out again.] Kang Kyungsik nced at Oh Haneul at Jang Sunho''s firm voice. "Is the ¡®that friend'' that the CEO mentioned earlier referring to Jang Sunho?" "Do you have any ns?" [Yes] "Then¡­ All right. I don''t know what you''re trying to do, but I''ll talk to the CEO first." [Thank you] Kang Kyungsik hung up the phone and sat opposite Oh Haneul again. Oh Haneul was still savoring the tea. "You''re talking on the phone quite seriously. Is there something interesting?" "That''s¡­ Manager Jang Sunho wants to give KL Entertainment a ¡®warning''. The reason is that they keep interrupting actor Jinseok." As if he expected Jang Sunho to contact him, Oh Haneul nodded his head still. "Listen, I think manager Jang Sunho has a n, but first of all, I''ll ask him to upload a n about what he''s thinking. If things get too big, there''s a dispute betweenpanies¡­." "Mr. Chief of Staff." Oh Haneul slightly raised his hand and stopped Kang Kyungsik''s words. "Yes, sir." "First of all, let''s let him do it on his own. "He''s not an ordinary person, is he?" Kang Kyungsik nodded his head as if acknowledging what he said. "I see." "And I don''t really like KL Entertainment either. So let''s take this opportunity to dere war as a taste." Oh Haneul''s eyes and baldness shed like a well-determined great sword. "That way, if we hit themter, wouldn''t they be less embarrassed?" *** "I''ll take responsibility. You have to keep up the work. It''s okay to edit all my parts." Park Hayeon said in the conference room of the "MAJOR 77" headquarters. In front of her was Jung Joonsun, the first director of Idol. Park Hayeon''s hair was dry and her skin was rough, not knowing how many days she had not slept properly. Jung Joonsun spoke with a light sigh as he smoothed his throat. "Hayeon, this is not something you should be responsible for now." "¡­." "Idol''s swearing at fans is really¡­ It''s hard to fix. If you do something wrong, Red Liz itself may not be able to make aeback." "But Mr. Manager! What I cursed was that the fans who came to the set were so rude¡­!" Jung Joonsun cut off Park Hayeon''s angry words as if she were unfair. "I know! That you''re not at fault. But now is not the time to me others. First of all, as I said earlier, we have to go to reporter Ko Seoyoung and somehow prevent her from writing an article!" Then, as if to show that she is as frustrated as Park Hayeon, he said in an evil voice. "Hayeon, I''m so sorry that I can only say this but it was because of you! but I can''t help it. Now is the time to bend your pride and tter Ko Seoyoung¡­." It was then. "No, sir. Now is the time to build up our pride." A male voice was heard at the door of the conference room. Jung Joonsun looked puzzled and turned to the side where he heard the sound. "Why are we so humble when we didn''t do anything wrong?" Not long ago, there was Jinseok and a big man whom Jung Joonsun thought hard to connect with Park Hayeon. Among them, a big man approached Jung Joonsun and said. "I''m Kang Jiseok''s manager, Jang Sunho. I''m so sorry that I didn''t make an appointment in advance Jang Sunho asks for a handshake. At the unexpected appearance, Jung Joonsun was embarrassed and received a handshake. Jung Joonsun was not the only one who was embarrassed. "Kang Jinseok¡­"?'' When Park Hayeon looked at herself with trembling eyes, Jinseok looked directly at Park Hayeon and said. "As a colleague who watched the situation at that time, I couldn''t just stay still, so I came to help." "¡­." "And I didn''t mean to overhear, but I heard it because the conference room door was open. I''m saying that it''s okay to edit the whole thing because of this issue." Park Hayeon was muzzled by Jinseok''s words. I meant it, saying, "I''ll take responsibility," but I was a little embarrassed why. "This drama isplete only with Park Hayeon. It''s impossible without Park Hayeon. So don''t tell me you''re going to leave out." Jinseok may have said it without much thought. However, Jinseok''s words came to Park Hayeon. When Park Hayeon looked at Jinseok nkly, Jang Sunho pped his hands and said. "I think you''re done with your greetings, so may I tell you something?" Park Hayeon and Jung Joonsun were still puzzled, but they decided to focus on Jang Sunho''s confident attitude first. "I heard that a recording of Park Hayeon swearing at the fans at the set went into the reporter. And that happened to be reporter Ko Seoyoung." Jung Joonsun nodded slightly. "Yes, but¡­ How did you know that? "Did reporter Ko Seoyoung threaten OS Entertainment as well?" "No, it''s not. I found out after researching this and that about the path they chose." "You found out while looking into this and that?" No matter how fast the rumors are in the entertainment industry, there is a secret. And the "secret" that Park Hayeon cursed at her fans was really well kept. If the secret had been leaked, there would have been a flurry ofints from advertisers. ¡®But you found out and said it like nothing¡­ Are you just a manager Jung Joonsun looked at Jang Sunho with doubts and boundaries. Regardless of the look, Jang Sunho continued to talk. "As long as the recording has already been recorded by reporter Ko Seoyoung, it is a foregone conclusion that there will be an article. Reporter Ko Seoyoung is a person who likes to get attention rather than money." "That''s right. She''s a human being who wants to see celebrities dry up rather than money." After Jung Joonsun said, he said, "Oops." There was no need to say this in front of Park Hayeon. However, contrary to Jung Joonsun''s concerns, Park Hayeon was calmly looking at Jang Sunho. "So this is how we thought about it." Jang Sunho took some documents out of his bag and said. "We spread it first. If it''s going to be known that Park Hayeon cursed at her fans anyway, we should do it first." Park Hayeon asked in a surprised voice at Jang Sunho''s words. "You want me to bring it up first? that I cursed at the fans." "Yeah. After the article ¡®Park Hayeon cursed at the fans,'' the public won''t listen to whatever she says." "¡­." "If that''s not the case, I''d rather Park Hayeon exin the case first and then exactly." Park Hayeon said something she didn''t like about the rude attitude of the fans who came to the set at the time." Park Hayeon, who listened to Jang Sunho, looked at Jung Joonsun. This is because Jung Joonsun, the person in charge, was curious about what he was thinking. "I think it''s a pretty good idea to confess that Hayeon cursed first." Jung Joonsun seemed much more rxed than before as if it was a trick that he did not think of in Jang Sunho''s n. "But I don''t think the public will listen to it just because she exin what happened on the set. Rather, they might think that she did it first because she was caught swearing¡­." Jang Sunho smiled softly at Jung Joonsun''s words. I guess I knew you were going to say this. Jang Sunho handed out the documents he took out earlier. It was a n to appear in Jinseok''s "Yeonyan Diary." "That''s an urate point. So I''m going to talk about it on the show." "If it''s a broadcast¡­ "YEONYAN''s Diary?" "Yes. Isn''t "Yeonyan Diary" an entertainment show that captures the daily lives of the cast? I''m going to invite Park Hayeon to that "daily life." "¡­." "It won''t be awkward at all to eat with an actor who she worked with, and if it''s a ce like that, the viewers won''t feel burdened even if they talk honestly." When Jang Sunho finished speaking, Jung Joonsun clenched his fist and covered his mouth as if he was worried. But it wasn''t out of thought. ¡®¡­"It''s so nice." The reason why he covered his face was because Jang Sunho''s n was so satisfactory. Even before Ko Seoyoung received a text message saying she had Park Hayeon''s "green odor," Jung Joonsun tried to weave Jinseok and Park Hayeon somehow. A solution to the issue emerged while I thought it was all over the ce. In addition, Jinseok and Park Hayeon were even woven together. It couldn''t have been better. But I didn''t show this thought. I was very grateful to Jang Sunho and Jinseok, but the moment I showed my gratitude, I would be a "debt." I''ll have to pretend I''m rxed.'' Jung Joonsun leaned on the back of the chair and looked at Jang Sunho. "That doesn''t mean we''re going to serve for free." Jang Sunho said in a meaningful voice. "This is ¡®debt.'' You know what I mean, right "¡­." "Then I understand that you have agreed to this n, and I will contact producer Joo Wonho of "Yeonyan Diary" right away. I have to discuss the details with him." Jang Sunho said, gently raising one end of his mouth. Jung Joonsun, who saw it, sighed lightly inside so as not to show embarrassment. "This guy¡­ He''s ying with me¡­?'' It wasn''t a bad feeling. Instead, I was curious. If this is a simple manager. What kind of OS entertainment do we have? *** Room 6 of KL Entertainment actors. Chief 6 has been enjoying a more satisfying day than ever since he became the head of the department. The reason is, of course, because of the Park Hayeon issue that wille up soon. I don''t know when and how reporter Ko Seoyoung will spread the article, but I''m sure she''ll write it very provocatively. I''m looking forward to it.'' On the one hand, I felt sorry for Park Hayeon, who would be sacrificed in this. It was worth watching every time it was on TV because she looked pretty, but I might never see her like that again. "No, it''s not. Could it be better for me?'' Idols who are in trouble are self-refined for a while. Then it returns to a ¡®bold'' attempt to raise awareness again. I''m going to expose myself that I haven''t done before Or prepare a stimting choreography. "That would be worth watching in its own way." The head of the 6th division giggled insidiously andughed. It was then. Open it up! Team leader 6 came in through the door. The head of the sixth division frowned at the rude appearance of the team leader. "Hey, you punk. No matter howfortable you are, you can''t even knock¡­." "I''m sorry, sir. But I think you should y the BDD now" "BDD? Why? Is there something wrong?" "That''s¡­ Right now, Park Hayeon and Kang Jinseok¡­. Anyway, I think you need to see it quickly." "What are they doing in BDD?". Tsk." The sixth team leader said in a hurry, but the sixth team leader turned on the TV, thinking nothing of it. [I heard you had a hard time because a reporter threatened you for swearing at your fans] [Yes¡­]¡­ It''s right that I made a hundred mistakes when I spoke too harshly. [But I didn''t expect someone to record it and report it to the reporter] [¡­.] [I really worked hard only seeing the fans¡­]¡­ It was so hard going through that.] Jinseok and Park Hayeon were talking candidly while eating pork belly. Park Hayeon on the screen looked quite pitiful, and she looked very pitiful to anyone. Park Hayeon said while eating the meat cooked by Jinseok. [But¡­]¡­ Strangely, I wanted to meet that fan. What on earth were you thinking about when you came to the set and told other actors and staff, and even reported to the reporter? And¡­ [I really want to ask if you''re my fan] The sixth manager strongly grabbed the back of his head with both hands. There was a sense of bewilderment on his face. "Hey¡­ Hey! What''s this? Why is Kang Jinseok in "Yeonyan Diary?" "Well, I''m not sure about that either. But the manager. There is a bigger problem now." "A bigger problem?" "Yes, that''s¡­ Whoo¡­." Team leader 6 sighed deeply. He seemed to be agonizing over whether to say this or not. "The fans who went to Park Hayeon''s filming site at the fan cafe are going crazy about finding that person." there finding that person really hard." Team leader six said, looking at the head of team six. "No way¡­ We''re not going to be found out that we''re involved in this, are we?" Chapter 80 Chapter 80 "You punk! Hey, don''t you watch your mouth? Don''t you know that words make a seed?" "I''m sorry, Just in case¡­.¡± "Okay, shut up. This child is unlucky¡­ Tsk." He pretended to be strong on the outside, but the head of the sixth team was just as embarrassed as the head of the sixth team. "I didn''t expect Park Hayeon to open her mouth first¡­".¡¯ But that wasn''t the end. [¡­But the reporter who threatened me with the recording I mentioned earlier said she used to be acquainted with a senior from our agency. Eventually, she even wrote an article to make him be famous in the entertainment industry¡­. That''s why I was more worried.] Park Hayeon''s somber and weak voice came out of the TV. It was a word that passed by as if it were nothing, but the 6th chief could not be easily passed. Park Hayeon''s words just now served as a clue forizens to find the reporter who threatened Park Hayeon. "One in a while¡­". If it turns out that Ko Seoyoung was the one who threatened Park Hayeon¡­?¡¯ I didn''t know how things would go then. Perhaps it was revealed that they were the ones who gave Ko Seoyoung the recording, and then the situation became uncontrobly serious. The head of the 6th division said to the team leader with his hands shaking. "Hey, hey! Hurry up and call reporter Ko Seoyoung. And ask her if she''s watching this broadcast." "Yes, yes!" The team leader immediately called Ko Seoyoung. but. [You can''t answer the phone right now¡­]¡­.] Seoyoung is not answering the phone" "What?" Until this morning, Ko Seoyoung was answering their phone right away. But now she didn''t answer the phone. "Mr. Lee¡­.¡± The 6th manager feels stuffy due to unknown tension. He hurriedly called Ko Seoyoung on his cell phone. [Customer is calling¡­]¡­.] "Shibal! What are you doing? why don''t you answer the phone when it''s important!!" Bang! The head of the 6th department roughly threw his cell phone at the desk. "Hey, you keep calling until Ko Seoyoung picks up the phone. And if you receive it, tell her to meet me right now!" "Yes, yes!" Team Leader 6 left the room as if he was running away. You could have set yourself on fire. "Sigh¡­.¡± When the team leader left, the 6th chief sighed. ¡®Let''s think positively. It''s going to be all right.'' I memorized these spells myself. Nevertheless, I couldn''t get rid of the anxiety that something was going wrong. *** "Come on, journalist. Don''t waste time with each other for nothing, and stick to us." Jang Sunho said in a secluded cafe. He looked sharp and rxed as usual. Reporter Ko Seoyoung is sitting in front of Jang Sunho. She was in the position of being threatened for the first time since bing a journalist. "I mean¡­ The manager said that if I write articles that are favorable to OS entertainment in the future¡­ you''ll cover this up, is this it?" "Yes. Not only this one but all the ¡®things'' you''ve done so far." ¡°¡­.¡± "Of course, if you keep your promise, you will no longer see my face." Jang Sunho speaks hard without emotion like a robot. It was like a person who had made numerous threats under the guise of negotiations like this. Ko Seoyoung, who was thirsty under pressure from Jang Sunho, drank lukewarm coffee. "Whoa¡­.¡± When the bitter coffee passed through my throat, I had time to think about it. "You got caught in a bad way." Jang Sunho, who came to see her, handed over several materials as soon as he saw Ko Seoyoung. It was all evidence of Ko Seoyoung''s intimidation of celebrities so far, and the gains she gained through them. Among them, even Ko Seoyoung herself forgot. That''s how thorough the data was. "It''s no one else, but you''re threatening after a reporter¡­".¡¯ KL Entertainment, which I worked with a few times, was not this good either. "So what the manager wants me to do is to write an article about OS entertainment in the best way possible, right?" "Yes, and please write as sharp as possible on KL Entertainment." ¡°¡­I see." Eliminating KL Entertainment was not very wee. But what can I do? I''m already on a leash. Jang Sunho, who looked at Ko Seoyoung for a while, stood up and said. "I''m d we don''t have to blush at each other. Then I''m busy, so I''ll go now¡­.¡± Then. "Wait a minute." Ko Seoyoung called in Jang Sunho. "Is there anything else you want to say?" "I have a question." Jang Sunho is back in his seat. "Go ahead." "First of all, why did you ask me to negotiate first? The data you showed me earlier would have brought me down." ¡°¡­.¡± "And one more thing. Because of what Park Hayeon said on the show, the Inte is already going crazy about finding a reporter who threatened Park Hayeon. How are you going to put this to sleep? That''s the most important thing for you right now." "Is that all you''re curious about?" I''m a little busy today, so I have to slowly get going." Ko Seoyoung nodded with a firm look. Then Jang Sunho crossed his arms and began exining. "First of all, I negotiated with reporter Ko Seoyoung because I wanted to have a reporter on our side who is good at writing like reporter Ko Seoyoung." "If you''re a journalist with good writing¡­?¡± "Even though you''ve written so many articles about ¡®Rumors'', you''ve never been hit before, right?" ¡°¡­.¡± "That''s the journalist''s ¡®glib''. I bought such abilities highly. And the answer to the second question is simple." Jang Sunho finished with a faint smile. "The issue can be covered with the issue. Don''t worry too much." *** Studio Redcat Editorial Office. Ha Sarang sighed lightly and looked around. "Ugh¡­.¡± The surroundings were like battlefields swept away by a battle. Empty energy drinks and coffee were scattered here and there, and various delivery food containers were scattered. On top of that, some employees can''t ovee their tiredness and sleep in one corner. It was the result of editing during a few days of vigil. Ha Sarang thought, covering the employee sleeping with a nket. "Everyone had a hard time moving up the schedule." Originally, "The Way They Chose" was scheduled tounch early next year. However, when "Park Hayeon''s recording" broke out and Jinseok decided to appear on "Yeonyan Diary" and film a special episode of "The Way They Chose," she was forced to pull theunch schedule. This is because the drama special entertainment show is going out, but it was not possible tounch the drama after a long time. It was hard, but she had to do this much. The reason Park Hayeon cursed was because of the work.'' Fortunately, the headquarters of Netflix also understood this situation. "Even so¡­ I don''t want to do this kind of blood-drying work again.'' Still, they somehow finished editing on time, and Ha Sarang sent the edited version to the headquarters for final confirmation. After sending the edited version, Ha Sarang tried to get the employees off work for now. This is because she couldn''t wait for the confirmation from the headquarters. However, Ha Sarang''s teammates said they would stay until everything was finished. They were very thankful but very stupid team members. When Ha Sarang was thinking like that. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). "It''s here!!" When her cell phone rang, Ha Sarang shouted with a twinkle in her half-unstretched eyes again. At the sound, other employees came to their senses like zombies. Ha Sarang spoke to the phone in a tense voice. "I''m Ha Sarang¡­"!¡± I heard the voice of the person in charge waiting and waiting from beyond the cell phone. [Oh, yes, PD]. Thank you for the finished version. I got a call from the headquarters saying they enjoyed watching it.] "Of course¡­ "Are we going to go like this?" [Yes, themercial for YouTube was well chosen]. Thank you for your efforts. Now leave the rest to me, and rest well for a while Ha Sarang hung up the phone and stared nkly at the ceiling. The other employees could not hear the call, so they all focused on Ha Sarang''s mouth. Ha Sarang enjoyed the reaction of her team members, took a while, and shouted out loudly. "Let''s go home!" The staff cheered when they heard it. "Let''s go to bed! Let''s clean up when we go to work tomorrow, and let''s go home first." "Yes!" Employees gathered in groups and left the editing room, and thest remaining employee asked Ha Sarang. "That producer. So theunch will be next week, and the trailer will be uploaded tomorrow, right "Yes. We''re going to start advertising tomorrow at 6 o''clock. The headquarters burned a lot of money, so if you watch YouTube videos for a while, only the trailer for our work wille out." "I''m looking forward to it. All right. Then I''ll really go home now." "Draw it." Redcat editorial room with lights off. Everyone left, but the enthusiasm they left warmed the empty editing room. *** "Oh¡­ I''m tired. Maybe it''s because I''m more nervous than usual because I''m filming¡­.¡± I filmed two specials of "Yeonyan Diary", and "Kang Jinseok''s University Life". Usually, when I passed by, some students looked at me, but today, there was a camera, so I received a lot of attention from students. Perhaps because of that, I felt more exhausted than usual. ¡®But I guess it was okay because I did it as usual. The producer was satisfied, too.'' Dried squid drooped down on the bed and enjoyed the bed. Then, suddenly, I remembered Park Hayeon. "The manager said it was resolved well, but¡­ I wonder if I should have to contact her.'' After the first episode of "Yeonyan Diary", which went out with Park Hayeon, Jang Sunho told me, "I''ll take care of Park Hayeon''s recording." Ko Seoyoung did not post any articles, as if to show that it was unfounded that she was really worried. I don''t know what happened, but he was also apetent manager. "By the way¡­ It''s time for the trailer toe up soon.'' I urged her not to worry because the video was good, but I was excited and worried. Because it''s my first "Juyeon." Sitting upright on the bed, I waited for the time. "I don''t think time goes by as much as I waited for the audition results."¡¯ It''s ticking. I only stared at the innocent clock hanging in the room. I checked the time several times, and it was definitely 58 minutes earlier, but it''s still 58 minutes now. It''s ticking. [18:00] It''s finally time. I immediately went to the Netflix YouTube channel. And at the top was the main trailer for "The Way They Chose". "Whoa¡­.¡± I pressed the y button carefully. [I wanted to be happy in hell] [So I¡­]¡­ I became a devil.] The trailer for this work began with a narration. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¡ª¡ª a shabby little shop. I see the back of a man. He was holding hands with a woman who appeared to be his wife. a young couple who can be said to be somewhat young. He didn''t show his expression, but "The Man" looked really happy. Next to them was a brother like a son. He smiled brightly, too. [If you didn''t know happiness] [Wasn''t he even aware of the sadness?] However, contrary to his happy appearance, the narration was still dark. [Boom!] Then, suddenly, a car ident urred, and the screen cked out. [You don''t have much time]. She needs to get surgery right now.] When the screen was bright again, the scene changed to an old hospital. The doctor in the white robe said to the ¡®man''. Until then, "The Man" only showed its back. But this wasn''t the end of the ordeal for the ¡®man''. [The debt left by your parents]. If you don''t pay me back soon¡­ [Don''t you know what we''re going to do with your brother?] The thugs who filled the corner store giggled. Then he pped his terrified brother on the cheek. At that moment, the "man," who was standing like a folding screen like now, began to knock down the gangster next to his brother. My brother looked at such a "man" with fearful eyes. When his brother blinked, the background surrounding the man turned into a colorful room salon. [He''s so talented] [Why don''t you work for me?]? [Then I won''t touch your wife and brother] [What do you think?] The boss sitting inside the room salon said to the ¡®man''. As soon as the boss''s words were over, several scenes quickly appeared. [How can you do this to us?!] Your parents will curse you in the sky!] [Oh man, you''ll feel cool even if you chew your teeth!] An old man howls at a ¡®man''. [¡­I don''t know anyone like that.] My brother turns a blind eye to the ¡®man''. [It just bes mine]. [Then I''ll give you everything] Two women with different deadly charms are seduced. Then finally, the back of the ¡®man'' in a ck suit was seen. The back of the "man" was hit by heavy rain with mud and blood all over his body. Momentster. The back of "The Man" is slowly closed up, and as he turns his head to the screen, his face is seen for the first time. The face of a man who lost everything. [The Way They Chose] [Only on Netflix]. [December 24] ¡ª¡ª "I can''t believe they edited it like this¡­".¡¯ It was a short 59-second trailer, but I couldn''t take my eyes off it for a second. "Ha Sarang and PD, you''re amazing." I didn''t even think about it. I didn''t expect to show my face at the end after just showing my back. In addition, the face was a face that was haggard from the diet, and it felt almost like Lee Manseok. However, there was still a really important "evaluation" ofizens. To me, it was a really well-made trailer, but it could be different for the viewers. A nervous moment. I turned down the screen and checked thements. ¡ª¡ª Tuna Can TV (just a moment ago) It''s just, GOAT. (8,170 likes) ¡ª¡ª Everyone seems to have the same eyes. *** Producer Joo Wonho of "Yeonyan Diary" asked as if he was talking to himself while watching the trailer of "The Way They Chose". ¡°¡­Hey, Changhoon. "Are you two the same person?" Joo Wonho alternately saw Jinseok, who appeared at the end of the trailer for "The Way They Chose," and Jinseok, who was smiling in the filming of "Yeonyan Diary." "Don''t you think I''m a different person?" I think his voice is a little different." "Well, that''s true." Yoo Changhoon, an employee wearing a hat, nodded awkwardly next to him. "By the way¡­ Producer. I think it''s the right thing to cast Kang Jinseok in advance. If you tried to cast him now, I don''t think you would have been able to do it." "Why, is there something?" "Yes. Most of the real-time searches right now ate." ¡°¡­.¡± "Park Hayeon, who came out 1.5 seconds into the trailer, came in second and third, ¡®The Woman Who Tempted Kang Jinseok with Park Hayeon.'' I''ll probably learn this from Seo Yeonsoo." ¡°¡­" Really?" "Yes, and fourth ce is actor Min Kyungsoo." 8th ce is Min Kyungsoo''s personality." "Then the first ce¡­.¡± Yoo Changhoon said with a big smile. "Kang Jinseok is first ce. Thanks to you, the ¡®Yeonyan Diary'' Kang Jinseok episode is in ninth ce." Yoo Changhoon''s words caught Joo Wonho''s mouth. "Hey, Changhoon." "What?" "Kang Jinseok''s university episode. I''ve been thinking about this while editing it. Isn''t it such a waste to send it all at once?" Yoo Changhoon nodded his head after thinking hard. "Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡­ That''s true. There are more than one or two that I threw away the cut. It''s fun to think about the menu at the school cafeteria¡­. Oh, Kang Jinseok''s scene of suffering while studying for the exam will get 300,000 views even if you upload it as shorts? Viewers and celebrities like to show their human selves." "Right? So¡­ "How about extending Kang Jinseok''s special feature?" "To do that¡­.¡± The moment Yoo Changhoon was about to say something. "Hey! Joo Wonho! Cheersik!" With a big smile like a hahaha mask, the director of the BDD Entertainment Bureau opened the conference room and came in. There was a huge amount of snacks in both his hands as if he had robbed a convenience store. Joo Wonho hurriedly got up from his seat and said hello. "Good evening, Director-General. What brings you here¡­.¡± "Ugh, what''s happening! Sit down, sit down! Our lucky one!" ¡°¡­.¡± Although he was a director who usually stayed with other employees without any hesitation, it was the first time he was so bright. Not only Joo Wonho but also other employees looked shy. Joo Wonho asked the director carefully. "I¡­ Director General. But what''s the matter? He even bought snacks all of a sudden." "Good things happen! It''s good for me, it''s good for you!" Joo Wonho, who was shaking in state affairs, said, holding both shoulders. "They''re going to air ¡®Yeonyan Diary'' overseas right now, dude!" "Yes, yes? What is that¡­.¡± "You''re a big hit!" Hahaha!" Due to unexpected good news, Joo Wonho grabbed his head. *** An advertising agency, INSEA. Most of the employees were working half-conscious, as shown directly that "creative advertisements are made by grinding people." However, among them, there was an employee with an exceptionally bright face, and Park Kyunghoon, who recently won arge-scale TVmercial for "Maserati." "Ugh¡­ Everyone''s working hard. "And¡­ I think there are people who can''t go home." Park Kyunghoon seemed worried, but he clearly felt that he was ignoring other employees in his speech. However, the employees didn''t care if they were familiar with the way they spoke. In addition, it was difficult for other employees to say anything because they were making significant achievements recently as well as this "Maserati" advertisement. "Hey! Park Kyunghoon! Don''t be silly, just write a final report and submit it. "Maserati, it''s not organized yet!" Park Kyunghoon sat down with a rough nod to the manager''s words passing by. "Oh, yeah. Mr. Manager." "That, that, that, that talking pack¡­. (Sighs)¡­ Oh my gosh." The manager was unable to speak properly due to Park Kyunghoon''s fairly rude attitude. Yoo Yeon sat down and pretended to write a rough report. Then I talked to the staff next to me. "Yoo Yeon, are you free this evening? I heard you like wine, so I found a really good ce." "What? Ahaha¡­ No. I think I''m going to be busy today, too. I think I''ll leave workte. I''m sorry, deputy." Yoo Yeon turned round and refused. In reality, he intended to leave on time, but he did not want to meet Park Kyunghoon in private. "Oh, really? Then I''ll help you out. I don''t know if it''s someone else, but if it''s Yoo Yeon, I should help you. It''s my adverb." However, Park Kyunghoon persisted. "Oh, no. It''s okay, deputy. I''ll do it. You have to write a report¡­.¡± "You can write the report roughlyter. That''s it, I''ll take care of it, don''t worry. Let''s finish it quickly and go out together." Yoo Yeon picked up the white g on Park Kyunghoon, who stuck to the end. He lets out a small sigh so that he doesn''t get caught. "Sigh¡­" There is nothing I can do. I should take out what the manager ordered me to investigate by next week. It''s gonna take a long time¡­ I''ll be able to send it today somehow.'' Yoo Yeon hated meeting Park Kyunghoon in private rather than working overtime. I sent Park Kyunghoon a task that was not urgent at all through messenger. "The manager told me to investigate the guarantee of a new actor that I could use. Advertisers said it was boring because only the people they saw every day came out." "Well, I see. So, who are you going to investigate?" "One for now." Yoo Yeon turned on the Excel on the desktop. It said ¡®Kang Jinseok''. "Today, the trailer of "The Way They Chose" is going crazy. So the manager told me to investigate the guarantee in advance. But Kang Jinseok never shot an advertisement, so he had to ask his agency. It''ll probably take a long time to answer, right? Oh, that''s not all, but we also need to look into brands that can be suggested to Kang Jinseok. I need to list the actual products. This is going to take a long time, too. So just leave work first¡­.¡± Yoo Yeon spoke like a fastball. There was a heart in it that said, "Please turn off." "That''s great just in time. If it''s Kang Jinseok, I''ve already done a thorough investigation." However, Park Kyunghoon, who was unnecessarilypetent, said with a fishy smile. "It was Kang Jinseok that I asked ¡®Maserati'' to use as a model." Maserati was not very recognized in Korea, but it was a very recognizable car brand worldwide. ¡°¡­" Really?" Yoo Yeon asked as if he was interested for the first time. As a fan of Jinseok from Jinseok''s debut film, "Dreams of the Sun Rising," he had no choice but to respond lightly to Jinseok''smercial. Even more so if it''s a luxury car brand, Maserati. "Yeah, Kang Jinseok should do a Maseratimercial¡­.¡¯ Yoo Yeon looked into the air with a slightly dim eye as he recalled Jinseok. Park Kyunghoon, who mistook it for admiring his greatness, was even more condescending. "So I''m going to meet the manager of Kang Jinseok and talk to him tomorrow. I''m going to advertise Maserati, how much do you want to receive?" "How much did you charge for modeling for Kang Jinseok?" "I called the advertiser really hard. 500 million." Yoo Yeon''s eyes opened wide at the word 500 million. "He''s a rookie actor. 500 million won?" Did Maserati ask you that?" "It''s all thanks to my words. Anyway, I''m going to call Kang Jinseok''s manager as cheap as possible tomorrow. That way, I leave a lot, and that''s how much it''s my bonus." I asked Park Kyunghoon, who was so arrogant that I didn''t want to see him, flexing. "Oh¡­ Yes. But does the manager negotiate like this? "Not the manager or the team leader?" "I heard that Kang Jinseok''s manager takes care of everything. Oh, this is high-quality information, too, but I told you." I thought to myself, "This person can''t be attached only when he has affection." "But deputy." "What?" "How much would you tell the manager of Kang Jinseok?" Then I suddenly wondered something. This was purely a question as a fan. What he was curious about was how much money his favorite star would make. Park Kyunghoon shrugged his shoulders as if they were nothing. "150 million." ¡°¡­150 million? Out of 500 million?" "Yes, no matter how sessful Kang Jinseok is, he''s a rookie. Whether it''s 1 million won or 10 million won, I''m sure they''ll say that they''re doing it because they''re happy with the advertisement." N spoke to Yoo Yeon as if Park Kyunghoon was bragging. Again, Park Kyunghoon mistook Yoo Yeon for admiring his greatness. Yoo Yeon could not wee Park Kyunghoon''s words, which seemed to ignore Jinseok. But he said, "Don''t ignore our Jinseok! Yoo Yeon, who could not say, "Our Jinseok is the best!" said instead, warningly. "But shouldn''t you be too greedy?" Actor Kang Jinseok''s agency, OS International subsidiary¡­. It''s a big deal if you mess around with the model fee and don''t like OS International." However, such words did not even touch Park''s ears. "Even so, the new nning ident and the manager would be a new chick." Park Kyunghoon, who once more ignored Jinseok, said with a light smile. "Is everything okay?" Chapter 82 Chapter 82 "I can''t believe everything''s going to be okay¡­".¡¯ As a fan of Jinseok, Yoo Yeon was usually interested in many issues rted to him. From the incident in which KL Entertainment interfered with the production of "Spring Without Flowers" to this "Park Hayeon''s abusive recording incident." None of these events could easily be overlooked. However, all such cases were solved like water. Scaryly and naturally. Considering that Jinseok''s agency will never be an easy ce. ¡®Well, that doesn''t mean I haven''t warned him.'' He wasn''t even a person to listen to advice anyway. In the first ce, I didn''t intend to help Park Kyunghoon, who was unfavorable. I just wanted to go to the meeting with my manager alone. Because he didn''t want to be involved in this for no reason. Contrary to what Park Kyunghoon thought, something big was going to happen. *** OS Entertainment''s "Kang Jinseok Team". Jang Sunho was the only team, but he had a considerable amount of work to digest. Jang Sunho mumbled while putting down the documents he had been looking at for a long time. "There are not many new proposals that came into Jinseok. From advertising, volunteering, and invitations to events, to suggestions on "selecting representative students from Seoguk University." they wanted Jinseok in various ces. Among them, I was selecting things that would benefit Jinseok, but I didn''t really like most of the proposals. [It''s 2 o''clock] Jang Sunho''s cell phone announced the time. "Is it already 2 o''clock?" We should get going now.¡¯ Today is Jinseok''s first advertisement, a meeting with "INSEA," an advertising agency for "Maserati." It was also an important day for Jang Sunho, so I came with more mental armament than usual today. "So I heard that the soon-to-be-changing branch manager of Maserati is very close to Mr. Oh¡­. I''ll ask Kang Kyungsikter.'' Jang Sunho put on his overcoat thinking about this and that. "It could be his firstmercial. Should I tell the actor first?" Jang Sunho fiddled with his cell phone and agonized. Then he shook his head. Advertisement does not necessarily take ce just because an offer is received. There are many cases where there is a breakdown in the middle because they do not agree with each other. So, it would be better to say it after it''s confirmed, even if it''s a littlete, rather than saying it first and disappointing Jinseok. Jang Sunho put his cell phone in his pocket. Then, the moment I was about to leave the office, I got a call from Jinseok at a subtle time. "Hello?" [Oh, manager!]! Can you talk on the phone now?] "Yes. How can I help you?" [That''s¡­]¡­ I got a call from Yeonsoo. their filming a department promotion video for freshmen next year. Can I participate?] "If you want to promote your department¡­.¡± Jang Sunho recalled the "proposal to appear in a promotional video for Seoguk University" that he saw a while ago. "Are you talking about the school representative video?" [No, it''s not that great]. I guess it''s just at the level of our department''s student council. I''m not good enough to take a video as a representative of the school¡­. [Laughing] Jang Sunho smiled bitterly at the words of Jinseok, who did not know his value at all. "I think you can do it if you want to. There''s a lot of time left until the audition for the next film." [Yes, if you have any other questions, I''ll call you!] "Please feel free to contact me." After the call, Jang Sunho headed to the headquarters of INSEA. Looking at the navigation system, there is no traffic today. There is no traffic, so I should feel good, but Jang Sunho was frustrated by the call with Jinseok a while ago. "Whoa¡­.¡± Jang Sunho sighed deeply when he was caught in the red light. "Are you evaluating yourself as not enough for a university representative?" Jinseok is the main character of the work, which has received a whopping 5 million views just for the trailer. If such an actor can''t represent a university, who would do it? At this point, it can be said that it is not humbling, but ¡®ignorance'' and, in a bad way, ¡®foolish''. If it were OS Entertainment or a manager other than himself, Jinseok might have been rolled like a ve. You may live like your brother and end up with it. ¡®¡­Let''s stop having bad thoughts.'' Perhaps theunch of "The Way They Chose" got closer and became sensitive, Jang Sunho was standing differently than usual. Jang Sunho, who arrived at "INSEA" headquarters a littleter, called the person in charge. [Hello?] "Hello, I''m Jang Sunho from OS Entertainment who decided to have a meeting today. I arrived in front of thepany." [Oh, you came early]. [If you''re in the lobby on the 1st floor, I''ll go down] About a minute after waiting in the lobby. "Are you manager Jang Sunho?" "Yes, that''s right." "Yes, this way¡­.¡± The person in charge took Jang Sunho to the meeting room. "Mr. Park Kyunghoon and Yoo Yeon will be here soon for today''s meeting. Please wait a moment." "Yes." Jang Sunho waited for them while drinking bottled water on the table. Before long, someone came in knocking on the door. "I''m sorry to have kept you waiting." It was two men who came in. Jang Sunho stood up and greeted the two. "Hello. It''s a great pleasure to meet you. It''s Jang Sunho." ¡®I thought they were at least the deputy director level because they were having an in-person meeting, but they''re quite young. "let''s see?" The TVmercial fee is not a transaction of money or two. However, Jang Sunho thought it strange because the two who just came in were not the "deputy-level" who was in charge at first nce. "It''s Park Kyunghoon." "I''m Yoo Yeon!" While Jang Sunho was thinking about that, Park Kyunghoon and Yoo Yeon handed over their business cards to Jang Sunho. Jang Sunho sat down and said after politely receiving the business cards handed over by the two. "First of all, thank you so much for liking my actor. "INSEA is a specialist in car advertising, and my actor is really looking forward to working with those people." Of course, it''s a lie. Jinseok doesn''t even know that he has an advertisement. However, this much lip service was the basis of the meeting, so Jang Sunho was able to lie without putting saliva on his lips. "Thank you for watching us like that. We are also looking forward to seeing actor Kang Jinseok, who has recently been raising stock prices. Then let me first exin the whole project." "Yes, please." Park Kyunghoon began exining by handing over thick PPT materials to Jang Sunho. After a long perfunctory exnation, he finally brought up an important matter. "Now let''s talk about Kang Jinseok''s guarantee." "Yes." "I don''t know if you know, but a new Korean branch manager ising to ¡®Maserati'' soon. But maybe because he was an engineer, he''s quite stingy about spending on advertising." ¡°¡­.¡± "To the extent that it doesn''t suit the reputation of ¡®Maserati''. I think you might find it a little upsetting. I''d appreciate it if you could understand this." Park Kyunghoon seemed embarrassed and said kindly. However, Jang Sunho felt a sense of alienation in Park Kyunghoon''s words. "Your tongue is too long." That sense of alienation was just too much talk. The basis of negotiation is to go short and thick. speak at length for nothing This is because it is easy to catch weaknesses. The fact that there is a lot of talk in negotiations is that there is something about it. Jang Sunho noticed it earlier, but first of all, he answered inly. "I see. I''ll try to understand as much as I can." "Thank you. First of all, the guarantee we''re proposing is¡­ Give me the contract, Mr. Yoo Yeon." "Yes, deputy." Yoo Yeon gave the contract to Jang Sunho. There was something awkward about the movement. Park Kyunghoon said with a smile. "Please check the draft contract. Please take a look and tell me." "Yes, let me check." Jang Sunho read the contract one by one. These contracts were also masterful at the level of awyer, so if you were ying with the contents of the contract, he would quickly notice it. ¡®But maybe because it''s a bigpany, the contract is clean. Let''s look at the amount now.'' Jang Sunho saw an item called "Advertising Model Fee" in the middle of the contract. ¡ª¡ª -Sunday: KRW 150,000,000 (VAT not included) ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡­?¡± As soon as he saw the amount, Jang Sunho was frankly embarrassed. Looking at the ridiculous amount of money, Park Kyunghoon said earlier, "The advertiser is stingy in spending advertising." It felt real. "That can''t be true." However, Jang Sunho quickly regained his coolness. They want to save the model fee. It''s natural forpanies. However,panies have a "face." "Ourpany spends this much money on advertising models." However, if it is known that a luxury car brand such as ¡®Maserati'' has spent only 150 million won on modeling, there is no such shame. Jang Sunho calmly organized his thoughts. "Because I''m a practitioner, I''m in a hurry to increase my performance." ording to his judgment, Jinseok''s model fee was ss B, ranging from a minimum of 200 million to a maximum of 500 million. Jinseok was hot recently, but he made a judgment from an objective perspective that it would be difficult to receive more than that because he was a "newbie." 150 million¡­ It''s a bit hard to cross the line.'' This is an amount that sees not only Jinseok but also himself and even the entire OS entertainment as a "ho-gu". "If possible, I would justugh and sign a contract, and I was going to give you good news¡­. I''m afraid I can''t.'' Maseratimercial. If we can, of course we''d better. But that doesn''t mean we''re being treated like a fool like this. ¡®Plus, the first CF guarantee is really important. That will be the starting point for negotiations on the numerous advertising fees that we will be doing in the future. Just like the sry negotiations.'' Jang Sunho, who organized his thoughts, breathed a heavy sigh and put the contract forward to Park Kyunghoon. Park Kyunghoon asked slylyly as if he didn''t know why. "Is there a problem?" Jang Sunho, who does not like Park Kyunghoon''s attitude, stared at Park Kyunghoon. As soon as both of their eyes met Park Kyunghoon and Jang Sunho''s eyes, who were smiling slyly until a while ago, their expressions hardened. "When I first met Assistant Manager Park Kyunghoon, I said that Kang Jinseok said he was looking forward to thismercial, right? That''s actually a lie." ¡°¡­" Lies?" "Yes, I didn''t say anything about the advertisement because I was afraid the agency would offer me a ridiculously low amount or offer me ridiculous terms." Park Kyunghoon said in a bewildered voice because the life felt in Jang Sunho''s eyes was unusual. "Uh, if you tell me which part you didn''t like¡­.¡± "Tell me what you want me to say?" Is the guarantee you just suggested that we should have a conversation?" "That, that." "Well, that''s good. Now that you''ve said that, I''ll ask you a question." Park Kyunghoon nodded cautiously. The expression was full of embarrassment. "To the extent that you put my actor in front of the camera for only this much money¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± "Do we look like a pushover?" Chapter 83 Chapter 83 "What do you mean, look at it as a pushover. I think your words are too harsh. It''s a ce where we made it to narrow our differences, so if you could tell us¡­.¡± Park Kyunghoon couldn''t look at Jang Sunho properly and said. Looking at Park Kyunghoon from the side, he sighed his head into Yoo Yeon. "That''s why you have to spend a reasonable amount of money¡­.¡¯ Beforeing to the meeting, Yoo Yeon told Park Kyunghoon several times that he should spend at least 300 million won with Jinseok''s guarantee. But Park Kyunghoon said, "I''m Park Kyunghoon. "Don''t worry," he said, which was not even cool, and eventually Yoo Yeon gave up. "Well, I mean¡­.¡± Park Kyunghoon opened and closed his mouth because he didn''t know what to say. The meeting room continues to have an ufortable atmosphere. "I¡­.¡± Yoo Yeon carefully dropped his words to solve the situation. However, Jang Sunho''s firm voice was heard before Yoo Yeon could speak properly. "500 million." ¡°¡­?¡± "I won''t take it unless it''s more than 500 million." Yoo Yeon said in amazement. "Mae, manager. 500 million is a guarantee for most middle-aged actors. That''s too much to ask." "I know. So I was originally going to be satisfied with 300 million won. But since you mentioned this ridiculous guarantee first in INSEA, I can''t help it. Please match it. No, please match me." Jang Sunho now red at Yoo Yeon. Thanks to this, Park Kyunghoon, who could afford to keep his mind together, intervened in the conversation between the two. "If it is known that you asked for such excessive guarantees, actor Kang Jinseok may not be able to shoot any othermercials in the future!" At Park Kyunghoon''s words, Yoo Yeon bit his teeth tightly and looked at Park Kyunghoon. The expression was full of "Please shut up!" Jang Sunho spat outughter at Park Kyunghoon, who was about to rise again. ¡°¡­Are you threatening me now? You''re going to tell the industry?" In response to Jang Sunho''s apparently angry voice, Yoo Yeon covered his face with his hands as if there was no turning back now. Park Kyunghoon only had his lips twitching again. "Rumorize it. I''m not afraid of anything. And I think you''re mistaken about one thing." ¡°¡­.¡± "Even if it''s not ¡®Maserati'', it''s full ofmercials. It''s a cash cushion even if you just shoot an advertisement for our affiliates. But the actor doesn''t want that, so I''m just not doing that." After ring at Park Kyunghoon and Yoo Yeon once, Jang Sunho got up from his seat and packed his coat. "I''ll look forward to seeing what kind of face you''ll see next time we meet. If you two could meet me." *** About a week has passed since the trailer of "The Way They Chose" was released. In the meantime, there was no contact from Jang Sunho, and there was not much interaction with Staff Sergeant, PD, or others. Maybe it''s because I''ve been busytely, but suddenly I feel like I''m wearing out because I''m so rxed. "I''ll have to read the script again." I still have a long way to go until the audition, and I opened the script for "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." Maybe because I read too much, I''m already in tatters. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). The cell phone, which had been on the floor all day, rang. I immediately snatched my cell phone and answered the phone. "Hello!" [I''m Jang Sunho]. [I''m sorry if you''re resting, actor] "No! What''s up?" [I was wondering if you had time this evening]. The CEO and his acquaintance want to eat together. [There''s something else I want to tell you about "advertising"] First of all, I was surprised once by the words "CEO" and "CEO''s acquaintance" and again by the words "advertisement." "Advertising to me?" [Yes]. I should have told you earlier, but now I''m telling you because something has happened. If you are not busy, please attend. [CEO''s acquaintance said he really wanted to meet you] The CEO of the agency met at the end of the party. He was impressive, confident, and shiny bald. It was a friendly impression that you could see anywhere, so it wasn''t much of a burden to meet him, even though he was a "CEO." You said you had something to talk about advertising¡­ We have to meet, right "I see. What time and where should I go?" [Reservation is 6:30]. By the way¡­.] Jang Sunho slurred his back. It is rare for Jang Sunho, who always says everything straight away like a robot. [Actor, what are you going to wear?] "Clothes?" I thought of the clothes in the closet once and said. ¡°¡­I shouldn''t wear what I always wear, right [If you''re talking about jeans, a hoodie, and a padded jacket, of course, you can''t wear that "never". [You''re going to see the advertiser] "Advertiser? "Didn''t you say that you were with the CEO and the CEO''s acquaintance?" [Yes]. An acquaintance of the CEO is the advertiser. Anyway, that''s great. I thought you should pay attention to your outfit now, so let''s go shopping.] ¡°¡­.¡± [I''ll be in front of your house in 30 minutes]. Get ready.] In 30 minutes. Jang Sunho arrived in front of the house, and I got in the van. As soon as I got into the van, Jang Sunho looked at me as if he was scanning me. His eyes were fiercer and more meticulous than most audition judges. "We don''t have much time. We have to be busy, so please understand if it''s a little hard." "What? Oh, yes. But we don''t have much time. Didn''t you say the appointment was 6:30? It''s only one o''clock." "That''s why we''re running out of time. We have to buy clothes, too." We just have to buy clothes then, but I didn''t understand it well when you''re saying that. ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± And after a while, I realized. The meaning of Jang Sunho''s words is "understand even if it''s hard" and "there''s no time." Jang Sunho nned to try all the clothes in the department store. "Try this on." "It''d be better to be a little darker in color." "This is too dark." "It''s rather hard to choose because you look good in everything. Try on what you wore earlier." "You look good in pink, too." "Orange, too." "I can''t believe it suits you even with the color of national defense." "The seat is the seat, so you have to take care of your socks." "I have to choose a watch, but I don''t have time today, so let''s go with the simplest one." "The shoes¡­.¡± As if I were some fashion model, Jang Sunho kept throwing clothes at me. "Mae, manager. Wouldn''t this be enough?" I asked about 50 times when I went back and forth to the changing room. but. "I haven''t even tried on half of it yet. Please change quickly." ¡°¡­Yes." As I passed by, people who recognized me stopped walking and looked at me or took pictures. At first, I greeted each one of them and waved, but as time went on, my expression hardened. Perhaps my reaction was interesting, the department store employee was smiling brightly. Jang Sunho''s immediate payment of clothes that he thought fit him may have yed a role. "Sigh¡­.¡± It was harder than most sports. I felt like I knew why all the fashion models were skinny. Let''s go to the dressing room about 100 times like that. "Luckily, we finished shopping earlier than I thought. It didn''t take long because the actor liked the hangers." Jang Sunho spoke in a satisfied voice, holding a shopping bag full of clothes in both hands. "Let''s go to the restaurant right away. I think it would be good to leave before there is traffic." "Yes¡­.¡± He nodded weakly. I could see myself in the mirror installed on the way down to the parking lot. Overall, a bright navy semi-suit, and a dark tie that looks like ck without patterns. Maybe because the brand was a brand, it was quite luxurious. "There''s a saying that clothes are wings for a reason." As soon as I got in the car because I was busy shopping, my body spread out. Jang Sunho put a shopping bag in the back seat and said. "Let''s go." ¡°¡­Sir. Actor, we have arrived." I felt someone shake my shoulder. When I barely open my eyes, I can see Jang Sunho''s face. Did you fall asleep just by closing your eyes for a while? "You must have been really tired. Still, your face looks much better, maybe because you slept for a while. It''s rather good." Jang Sunhoughed and led me to the restaurant. "Wow¡­.¡± As soon as I entered the restaurant, I was amazed without realizing it. White marble walls, subtle gold lights, neat settings, and subtle floral scents. It wasn''t spacious, but it seemed to show the value of this restaurant. I was proud to have worked at a high-end restaurant a lot, but it was my first time in a ce like this. I understood why Jang Sunho chose clothes even though he bothered me so much. "But¡­ It''s weird.'' There were no customers except Jang Sunho and me. I thought it was because it was the entrance, so I looked inside, but there was no one inside either. "Manager. Hasn''t it been opened yet? There are no customers." "Oh, that''s because they rented this today." ¡°¡­" A charter?" "Yes. The advertiser of this ad borrowed the whole thing." Jang Sunho speaks as if he''s okay. I had a lot of questions to ask. But even before I asked, Jang Sunho bowed down and greeted me. "Hello, Mr. President." Looking at Jang Sunho''s greeting, I saw Oh Haneul, who had been covered by the pir. Still a warm impression, a strong air, and a bright bald head. I was nervous abouting to such a high-end restaurant, but when I saw Oh Haneul''s bald head, I felt calmer. Manager Jang, thank you foring. It''s been a while since I saw actor Kang Jinseok. Thank you foring even though you must be busy." "No, thank you for calling me." I looked around as I greeted him. It was to find the "CEO''s acquaintance" that Jang Sunho said. Oh Haneul smiled and said "My friend said he wasing soon too¡­ Oh, hising." Oh Haneul pointed behind me. I looked back slowly. ¡®¡­What about him?'' It''s definitely a guy I''ve seen before. However, I almost couldn''t recognize it because the appearance was different from then. The man reached out to me. "Hello, actor. It''s been a long time since I saw you. I''ve watched all the dramas you''ve appeared in so far. I also watched the trailer of "The Way They Chose" with great admiration "Oh¡­ Yes." The man handed me his business card with a nice smile. "This time, I came as the manager of the Korean branch of ¡®Maserati''. It was thanks to the actor who got me up again at that time." I received his business card with trembling hands. "Park Jinsoo, head of Maserati''s Korean branch." Park Jinsoo. He was the son of the first ghost I met, ¡®Grandma''. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 "Park Jinsoo became the manager of the Maserti branch¡­"?¡¯ He was no longer a thin, haggard, bearded man in my memory. Instead, there was a very nice middle-aged man standing. Middle-aged people who think ck cat and orange brandy will go well together. It was literally a ¡®transformation'' appearance. "How have you been?" Park Jinsoo asked me. "Oh, yes. I''ve been well. But you became a branch manager¡­?¡± "Haha. A lot of things happened after I got help from the actor and came to my senses. He gave me luck, too. Let''s eat first and talk." Park Jinsoo led me to the table. I sat down at the table still in a dazed mood. Employees appeared somewhere and started serving dishes. "Then talk to me and call me when you need me." Jang Sunho said politely and turned around. Oh Haneul called such Jang Sunho. "Manager, let''s eat together. I think it would be better for a working-level person to talk with you." Jang Sunho took a look at the atmosphere slightly at Oh Haneul''s words. Soon he lowered his head as if he knew it, and sat down with the words, "Excuse me then." a meal that began shortly afterward. From sds-only forks to dishes with names that are difficult to pronounce, I was not familiar with anything, but I managed and eat well. I was nervous and didn''t know if the dish went into my mouth or nose. "Now, then." Park Jinsoo, who had finished eating to some extent, said while sping his fingers. "First of all, I would like to apologize. I heard that the advertising agency we decided on made an ¡®outrageous'' offer to actor Kang Jinseok. He''s not my employee, but that doesn''t mean we''re not responsible." "What? A ridiculous offer?" It was the first time I had heard of it. Jang Sunho said carefully when asked back because he didn''t know why. "Mr. Governor. Actually, I didn''t tell the actor anything about the advertisement. I think it would be better to hear from the branch manager than I tell him." "Oh, I see. So where do I start talking about this¡­.¡± Park Jinsoo thought about it for a while and looked directly at me. "There was an advertising agency that said it would be best to use actor Kang Jinseok as a model for the Maseratimercial. Thepany offered to spend 500 million won on Kang Jinseok''s guarantee." "500 million won?" You''re going to give me 500 million won to model?" Of course, not only part-time jobs but also all the appearance fees that I received so farbined, are just too much. I took a sneak peek around. "I thought it would have to be that much to repay the grace I received from the actor." I think I was the only one who was surprised by therge amount of money called ¡®500 million''. Oh Haneul was satisfied with eating chocte pudding, and Jang Sunho had a unique expressionless face. "Well, not only that, but considering your image and future growth potential, I thought it was worth it." "Well, I see." However, an advertising agency called "INSEA" proposed 150 million won to Jang Sunho, and Jang Sunho rejected it. In response, he added that he will officially protest at the Korean branch of Maserati, and apart from that, the advertising contract will continue as it is. Support the trantor by sending gifts on ko-fi. "Anyway, let''s stop talking about such boring things. Kang Jinseok, if you don''t want that pudding, can you give it to me? It''s sweet and delicious "What? Oh, yes." Pudding that I forgot was there because I was concentrating on Park Jinsoo. When I handed over the pudding, Oh Haneul continued. "In the end, what he wants to say is that he wants Kang Jinseok to film amercial for ¡®Maserati''. Even now,petitors are lining up because they want to use actor Kang Jinseok as a model." This was also the first time I had heard of it. I saw Jang Sunho with a surprised eye, meaning, "Is it real?" Jang Sunho nodded with a light smile. "It''s true. Manypanies want to model-actor Jinseok. Not just in cars, but in other industries." "Well, I see." He nodded his head grimly. Park Jinsoo said in a serious voice again. "The model I''m going to ask Kang Jinseok to do this time is called the best masterpiece in ¡®Maserati''. It''s also the first car we made using the technology I developed." "Haha¡­.¡± "So I hope you can model for me." He smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. I don''t know how to react because I''m suddenly being supported like this. "What''s going on?" When Park Jinsoo saw me like that, he murmured in a somber voice. ¡°¡­As expected, you must be angry. I understand that feeling a hundred times." "No, it''s not. For me, 100 million-." I think my expression of contemtion seemed quite serious. The moment I''m trying to make an excuse. "I''ll pay 500 million won for the guarantee and give you a car as a gift. What do you think?" ¡°¡­.¡± "Of course, we will pay for the full option and the tax and utility bill. If you need anything else, I''ll match you as much as I can." I was going to say that 150 million is enough to take it. No, rather, I tried to say thank you. However, looking at Park Jinsoo''s voice and eyes, I felt that even if I wanted to shoot an advertisement for that money, I would force him to give me more money. "I see." I finally nodded because I didn''t think I could continue to reject his favor. "Thank you for choosing me." Park Jinsoo''s expression brightened up to my answer. Oh Haneul, who even finished my share of pudding, asked as the atmosphere at the table improved again. "By the way, actor. When is theunch date for the first episode of "The Way They Chose?" "It''s next week. December 24th." *** A few dayster, on Saturday, December 24, Christmas Eve, Park Chunsam''s house. "Daddy''s here! I bought chicken and pizza¡­.¡± Park Chunsam, who bought food full of both hands like Santa, smiled brightly and shouted from the front door. Perhaps after a snowstorm, his whole body was covered in snow. ¡°¡­.¡± But the house was too quiet. Park Chunsam was a beloved husband and father, so his wife and daughters always rushed out and weed him when he returned home. Recently, as my eldest daughter became 20 years old and my younger daughter became a senior in high school, she seemed to distance herself from me more than before, but he still thought she was okay. "But this kind of reaction¡­ ¡®Seo, don''t tell me.'' A few days ago, I remembered that Kimined, "My daughter doesn''t even want to eat with me these days." Park Chunsam became nervous about the anxiety that such a thing might happen to her in the present progressive manner. Park Chunsam went to the living room in a hurry. In the living room, there were three mothers and daughters covering their mouths in front of the TV in the same pose and holding back tears. "What are you looking at? Dad is here, and everyone is like that¡­".¡± Park Chunsam grumbled when he saw it. "You be quiet!" "Daddy,e on!" "Oh, really!" The three mothers and daughters shouted as soon as Park Chunsam spoke. The first daughter who screamed rewound the drama with a remote control. "That was a very important line! You''re out of it "Mi, I''m sorry." Park Chunsam was sad. I bought chicken and pizza myself when I couldn''t deliver because of the snow. I ran to get it before it got cold. Park Chunsam stared at the TV that took away the love of his daughters and his wife. "What kind of guy was there?".¡¯ Jinseok was on TV. "Come to think of it¡­ Jinseok said his new drama will be released on the 24th.'' It was a drama about a gangster that Park Chunsam, a former detective, didn''t like very much, but he said to Jinseok he wanted to watch it because he worked hard on it. "He forgot about it." Park Chunsam carefully put down chicken and pizza in the living room. Everyone would rush in like a hungry baby bird, but no one cares. Park Chunsam was upset again. However, Park Chunsam quietly watched TV because he didn''t know what he would hear if he said a word. [What should I do?]¡­ [Jiyeon] Jinseok murmured helplessly in the chaotic small shop. He looked really desperate sitting on his knees between the broken chairs. I don''t know what it''s about, but¡­.¡¯ Admiring Jinseok''s handsomeness, Park Chunsam opened a beer can he bought at a convenience store. When ites to alcohol, he picked beer loudly to get the attention of his wife, who was taking off the crane but was indifferent to return. Park Chunsam drank beer in a sullen mood. Strangely, today''s beer didn''t taste good either. "Whoa!" "Mom, mom. I''m d you asked me to see it, right? "I know. Isn''t ¡®Oh Manho'' so handsome?" He''s such a good actor." "Mom, it was ¡®Nakamura'' before this person. You didn''t know that, did you?" Park Chunsam felt alienated from the "family talk" that left him out. ¡®I have to get my daughters'' attention back somehow. Otherwise¡­.¡¯ Sooner orter, he might have to go fishing or hiking with Kim or the ss president every weekend. I don''t know if I''m with my family, but I didn''t want to be with them. ¡®Do I have to use that method after all?'' Park Chunsam decided to take out the secret card he had hidden so far to get his daughters'' attention. "Daughter, do you want me to let you talk to Jinseok?" That was Jinseok. Park Chunsam has not yet informed the house that he knows Jinseok. Some of his fellow employees had already announced them, but Park Chunsam hid them until the end. To ovee this very crisis. The first daughter looked at Park Chunsam with suspicious eyes and said. "Jinseok? Who is that?" "Who do you mean? The one who came out in the drama you were watching earlier. Kang Jinseok." Park Chunsam''s confident voice made the house quiet for a moment. "Dad, are you lying because you can''t join the conversation?" "Honey. But still, such a bluff to the kids¡­.¡± "Daddy, finish eating the chicken leg." The answer was full of distrust and sympathy. "No, it''s true! "I''m very close to Jinseok!" Park Chunsam said as if they were unfair. But it was still a cold response toe back. "Okay, Dad. I''ll enjoy the chicken and pizza. I love you. I love you." "Yes, honey. We were so indifferent. You did a great job." "Daddy, the chicken is going to get cold. Hurry up and eat the chicken legs first. "Huh?" After running Park Chunsam roughly, the daughters and their wives went back to talking about the drama. "Oh, my¡­.¡± Park Chunsam made a video call to Jinseok with a gant breath. [Hello?] After a while, I saw Jinseok''s face sweating, maybe he was exercising. Park Chunsam shouted to Jinseok. "Hey, Jinseok! Can you talk on the phone?!" [Yes, it''s possible]. But why did you make a video call¡­.] "Wait a minute. I''ll get my girls." [¡­What? Your daughters?] Without answering Jinseok, Park Chunsam put his cell phone down on the table. Support the trantor by sending gifts on ko-fi. "Look! It''s Kang Jinseok!" I''m close to Jinseok ¡°¡­Ha. Dad, I got it. Come here, let''s eat together. "Honey. Stop with that beer, go in and sleep." "Okay. Dad, eat the chicken legs first." The daughters and their wives sighed and told Park Chunsam. [Uh¡­]¡­ Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok. I''m always indebted to Chunsam.] Park Chunsam''s cell phone had a pleasant voice. The daughters and the wife saw Park Chunsam''s cell phone at the same time. "Laughing!" "Ji, are you serious?" "Mi, crazy! X, you''re handsome." Thanks to Jinseok, Park Chunsam was able to get his daughters'' attention back. *** December 25th, Christmas Day. Now that most of them are having fun with their families, lovers, and friends. There was only tension in the studio Redcat. The reason is that today is the day when the ratings for the first day of "The Way They Chose"e out. A viewing ranking is nothing more than a "report card" for a content producer. It was not strange that most of the staff gathered on holiday and were restless. "Mr. PD! I got an email from the headquarters!!" The employee pointed to theptop and shouted. He was always a calm and calm employee, but now he was quite agitated. People gathered quickly around theptop. Some rubbed their hands like flies to relieve their tension, and others covered their faces with their hands as if they couldn''t see it. "Whoa, what hase atst." As Ha Sarang muttered and approached, the gathered employees made their way. With a nervous touch, she pressed an e-mail saying, "Netflix Original Ranking on December 24th." ¡ª¡ª Today''s top 10 series in Korea 1. The Way They Chose 2. I Can''t Say Love 3. It''s My 150th First Kiss 4. A Moonflower 5. Catch A Hundred Won Thief¡­ ¡­ ¡ª¡ª Chapter 85 Chapter 85 As soon as I saw the ranking, all staff members gasped for air. As if a ghost had passed by, there was not even a crackling sound. "First, first ce¡­"!¡± An employee murmured as if possessed by something. "Wow!" "It''s done! It''s done! It''s done!" Like the 2002 World Cup semifinals, everyone hugged and cheered each other. The only thing that''s not screaming is the Sergeant and PD. I was really happy, but I couldn''t cheer purely because the pressure was so high until this result came out. Ding! [A new email has arrived] [Title: Let''s watch it on the 24th (overseas)] As soon as the mail came, the heat in the room faded in an instant. "Oh¡­ There was this." Ha Sarang murmured in a subdued voice. This work, "The Way They Chose", has been promoted and advertised abroad quite a lot. But that doesn''t guarantee ratings. Not only the number of views but also the duration of viewing is an important factor in the ranking of Netflix viewers. This is the ce where the tense silence flows once more. "Whoa¡­.¡± Ha Sarang breathed a deep sigh and checked the mail herself again this time. ¡°¡­Crazy." The silence was broken by someone''s really pure reaction. *** Is this how it feels like being drunk and floating in the air? Or do drunkards who are drunk and excited feel like this? I don''t know exactly what they feel like, but it couldn''t be as good as I feel right now. "I can''t believe we won first ce¡­".¡¯ I''ve already scanned the titles of Inte articles that I don''t know how many times I''ve read. [There was a lot to eat at the famous feast]. [The Way They Chose] [The winner of the Christmas War, Netflix ] [The reason why soloists should stay up this Christmas, ] The title was different, but the content was simr. As soon as "The Way They Chose" wasunched, it was said that it ranked first in Netflix Korea. In addition, not only domestic but also overseas reactions were continuously published and updated. [K-noir, is it finally going to the world?]? [Let''s get 3rd ce overall] [Korean sentiment, noir made with Korean action] [Special Column] Will continue to be popr around the world. Honestly, I couldn''t believe it. In recent years, Korean works have been in the spotlight around the world, raising viewers'' "eye level," but Netflix is never an easy ce to do so. "But first ce in Korea and third ce overall¡­".¡¯ I never wanted to wake up if it was a dream. "By the way, this is not the time." I turned on the TV immediately after checking the time. Today is the day of the airing of "Yeonyan Diary" "Kang Jinseok''s College Life." I couldn''t miss the airing. After the shortmercial and intro, I saw my room. It was a room I used to watch all the time, but it felt different when I watched it on TV. [Rolling!!!] [Ugh¡­]¡­.] [-05:00] [College student Kang Jinseok wakes up] In my reflection on the screen, I cradled my forehead from the start. ¡°¡­Is that me?" I woke up to the sound of the rm and wriggled like a zombie with my stomach half exposed. Then, he swung his hand around toward the sound of the rm and turned off the rm without looking at his cell phone. [Kang Jinseok''s daily routine starts with turning off the rm after sleeping] [Because he''s a college student] [-06:30] [College student Kang Jinseok wakes up after turning off the rm 9 times] [Ugh¡­]¡­! [Whoo-ha!] I can see myself crawling out of bed while stretching. He looked really embarrassed. A bushy head, a nk gaze, and a window with unnecessary sunshine. All the celebrities in the other episode of "Yeonyan Diary" had a bright feeling, but I was very far from it. It''s like a military life hall¡­ That''s what it felt like. "Sue, fix¡­.¡± I picked up my cell phone and called Jang Sunho. Jang Sunho answered the phone when the sound went over a few times. [Yes, actor!] For some reason, Jang Sunho''s voice sounds more enjoyable than usual. I spoke to Jang Sunho in an urgent voice. "Mae, manager. Are you watching "YEONYAN''s Diary" [Of course]. I''m watching with the CEO, branch manager Park Jinsoo, and the chief of staff.] ¡°¡­" Are you watching this as well?" [Yes]. I feel good because I think I came out as a "human" Kang Jinseok, not an "actor" Kang Jinseok as I wanted. The problem is¡­ I don''t think there''s a correction or filter, but maybe because the actor himself is cool, it''s a bit of a w to look like a pictorial. [I wish I looked more normal] I don''t know what I''m talking about. That''s a pictorial? [By the way, do you have a habit of sleeping with your stomach open?]? Then you''ll catch a cold. It''s not good for your intestines either. Please fix it. [Or sleep in long pajamas] ¡°¡­Oh, yes." For the first time, I couldn''tmunicate well with Jang Sunho. I answered dashingly and hung up the phone. I decided to keep watching for now. "How can you reveal one''s secret in such a stark way?" People who do entertainment are really scary people.'' It was a day when I realized that the entertainment industry was not easy. *** "It''s going ording to n." While monitoring "Yeonyan Diary", Jang Sunho could not remove his smile from his mouth. It''s because everything was going ording to his n, as I told Jinseok a while ago. ¡®You''ve only yed too heavy a role so far. As a result, there was a sense of distance for the public.'' In particr, "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling", which I think of as Jinseok''s next work, was a light romance, so it was essential to break away from Jinseok''s heavy image. No matter how well you act, it''s hard to pick an actor with an image that doesn''t match the work. Jang Sunho checked the real-timements of "Yeonyan Diary" with satisfaction. ¨C Kang Jinseok is a ¡®real'' college student, as he spends longer time preparing for his studies than studying for the exam. HJ: He fell asleep and put his head on the desk LOL And then rubbing his head is so cute ? LOL HJ: But isn''t that a script? That''s acting? Don''t you see that line? If Kang Jinseok''s acting skills are good, he can do it. "Thements aren''t bad either." Although there were asional people who called it a "script" or a "set," most of them responded favorably. It seemed that I naturally felt that he was more like a human beings than other celebrities. "I''ll let you film twomercials before your next audition." I''ll also send you a movie. There''s a lot of work to do. I need to hire a staff member quickly.'' Jang Sunho, who organized his thoughts for a while, turned his eyes to the TV again. The TV screen reflected Jinseok walking out of the library after studying for exams all night. *** a rich vige in Seongbuk-dong. Known as the traditional "rich neighborhood," it is a ce where people from political and business circles live together. An elderly man was reading a book in a posh detached house in the neighborhood. It was the script for "Counseling Without a License". "This work I wrote for my daughter. Who will y the male lead?'' knock, knock. It was then. Someone knocked on the door. The man waited for a moment without answering. knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door again. Only then did the man speak in a bright voice. "Come in." There was no answer from beyond the door. Instead, the door opened slowly, and the man''s daughter came in. A face with ck, shiny hair and white jade-like skin. A face that is sharp but hidden somewhere in its softness. It was not because of his daughter, but because she was objectively beautiful. The man said with a warm smile. "What''s going on?" ¡°¡­¡­The." The daughter muzzled her mouth. It''s clear that she wanted to say something, but my daughter''s mouth couldn''t speak properly. The man kept waiting for his daughter. But even after some time had passed, the daughter couldn''t say anything. The man''s eyes became tearful without realizing it. The man didn''t make it obvious that his feelings would get emotional, so he told his daughter. "You can text me if it''s hard to say." Nodding. My daughter took out her cell phone. Then she texted with a very fast hand. Ring! Got a text message on the man''s cell phone. [My prettiest daughter in the world: I was wondering if you had a role to y in "Counseling Without a License"] "I haven''t auditioned yet." What''s wrong with you?" [My prettiest daughter in the world: It''s my first work, and I''m wondering who I''m going to do it with. I''m also worried.] "Worried? What are you worried about?" [My prettiest daughter in the world: I think they are reluctant to act with me¡­ Because. I can''t talk.] The man said with a wry smile. "Don''t worry too much. You''ll do well." The daughter stared at the man. In his daughter''s eyes were doubts, worries, tension, and fear. The man smiled brightly at his daughter and said. "It''s time for the Ptes teacher toe. Don''t you have to go down and get ready?" The daughter bowed slightly to the man and left the room. The man saw his daughter''s back to the end. The man leaned into the chair and sighed as the door closed carefully. "You still can''t even say a word to me¡­".¡¯ Until she was young, his daughter was a very bright and cheerful child. The man gave everything for his daughter, who is lovelier than anyone else. But one day, my wife suddenly died and everything changed. The daughter could not escape the sadness of losing her mother, and for such a daughter, the man remarried. This is because experts said it couldfort his daughter''s heart. My acquaintances who were in simr situations told me that it was a good way. But it was the worst choice. While the man was busy filming abroad, the daughter spent her childhood with her stepmother. And like a third-rate drama, the remarried wife did something indescribable to his daughter. As soon as he found out that it had happened, the man dropped his wife, but the daughter, who had already broken her heart, became afraid of people. The man invited all the names of the world to treat his daughter. As a result, the daughter had the courage to stand in front of people, but she still couldn''t speak. "But her birthday when she turned 15. The script I gave her as a gift¡­ I read it.'' The script presented by the man was a script he wrote with his dead wife. Above all, the precious script brought miracles. But that was it. The daughter still couldn''t ¡®talk'' and could only recite ¡®dialogue''. Of course, that alone was too much of a touch for a man. After that, the man brought the world''s best works to his daughter, and she made friends with the scripts and learned to act. The daughter may have inherited the genius of her birth mother, but she has matured as an actor day by day. Looking at such a daughter, I wrote . A childish story about a girl who lost her mother and lost her ability to municate" due to the wounds she got from her stepmother, and a "fraudster" who ys with a human heart and treats the girl who no one has ever treated. It was a confluence of male delusions and fantasy. Even the man knew it couldn''t happen. But like the miracle that happened on my daughter''s 15th birthday, I expected another miracle. ¡®I don''t know who will act with my daughter.'' With that in mind, the man turned on the TV. [I hate exams] On TV, "Yeonyan Diary", Kang Jinseok''s college life episode was being aired. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 On TV, with a light BGM, Jinseok wasing out of the library rubbing his sleepy eyes. "That''s the actor I asked for an audition." There was no word from Jinseok''s agency that he would audition yet. Still, I knew what kind of person it was in advance, so I watched it carefully. [Hello. Two pork cutlet sets and cheese ramen, please] [Student]. Howe you don''t gain weight when you eat like that every time? Auntie, tell me.] [Why do you say that?] [Oh my¡­]¡­ Look at him talking. [I''ll put eggs in ramen as a service] [Thank you!] It was quite natural to treat the restaurant staff. "Well¡­. It''s a little different from the image I''ve seen before.'' Until now, I thought Jinseok would have a cynical personality. This is because, in the man''s experience, the actor''s actual personality was often partially reflected in the character yed by the actor. However, Jinseok on the TV seemed to be quite bright and nice. Of course, the agency may have agreed with the PD to shoot it that way. But the man decided not to look at it with such a crooked gaze. Jinseok, who ordered three portions for breakfast, sat at the table. Jinseok starts eating with a still-tired face. At the same time, Jinseok greeted the students passing by and ate together. It was quite fitting tough well and talk naturally with his peers. After a long broadcast, there was a caption saying, "Thank you to the faculty and students of Seoguk University for cooperating with the filming." "Was it Seoguk University?" The man smiled softly. "If Hyemin goes back to school one day¡­ I hope you''ll be her friend.'' To the extent that I thought of this, ¡®College student Kang Jinseok'' appeared to be a likable person. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). Then, a text message came to the man''s cell phone. ¡ª¡ª Hello, director Yeo Jaeyoon. I''m Jung Hyeongseok, head of KL Entertainment 4. First of all, thank you for bowing down to the audition proposal for you sent me the other day. In our actor''s room 4¡­ ¡ª¡ª *** The advertising agency INSEA was noisy due to the untimely issue of ¡®standby issuance''. "I heard you''re on standby for Assistant Manager Park Kyunghoon" "The manager was determined, but it''s still sudden." "My manager wouldn''t have hit the disciplinary action for no reason¡­.¡± "But the atmosphere in the office is really good without Park Kyunghoon." "I ept that." As can be seen from the conversation of the employees, the employee who received the waiting order was Park Kyunghoon. However, Park Kyunghoon was not a good person to ept such disciplinary action. Bang! "Mr. Manager!" Park Kyunghoon stormed into the manager''s office. The manager frowned as if he didn''t like it and looked at Park Kyunghoon. "Why, dude." "Why not! I''m the next person to be promoted to the section chief, but what do you mean by waiting?!" ¡°¡­.¡± "Is it because of Kang Jinseok''s guarantee negotiations?" I''ll meet the manager again and persuade him!" He seems to be unfair and confident at the same time. Park Kyunghoon shouted to the manager. However, the manager said that he didn''t want to talk to Park Kyunghoon and didn''t even look at him. "Get out, man. I asked him why he came because he''s been working well so far, but he came in without knocking and even shouted. "Where did you learn how to make such burlesque?" It was a soft voice. But there was definitely a ¡®warning'' in the voice. Park Kyunghoon paused in an unusual atmosphere. The manager put the documents on the desk and looked at Park Kyunghoon with pathetic eyes. "Be quiet at home looking at the wall and reflecting on yourself until this project ispleted." ¡°¡­.¡± "The boss was originally going to cut you off, but Kang Jinseok''s agency told me not to do that, so it was only a waiting order.¡° G, Did the boss try to cut me off "Yes." Park Kyunghoon''s spirit died in the name of ¡®President''. Park Kyunghoon said in a trembling voice. "What the hell¡­ Why does he even care about the boss for nothing like a guarantee issue? It''s only worth 500 million won¡­.¡± The manager sighed when he saw Park Kyunghoon, who said he did not know why, and slowly began to exin. "Yeah, even if you''re less of a person, I''ll exin it to you because you''re a hard worker. Listen carefully." ¡°¡­Yes." When Park Kyunghoon nodded timidly, the manager crossed his arms and said. "The manager you met, the guy who was in the OS International Secretariat a year ago. The guy who was mentioned as the next chief of staff just 10 years after he joined thepany. He was a man who should never touch." "O, OS International Secretariat?" "Yes, man. You know what the secretariat is like, don''t you?" "C, of course, I know." OS International Secretariat. It is Korea''s best brain group that oversees marketing, management, human resources, technology, and everything from a huge enterprise called OS International. In fact, it''s the kind of people who roll OS International. Park Kyunghoon asked as if he didn''t understand. "Why did the person who was in the secretary''s office make a celebrity manager¡­"?¡± "That''s it. I don''t know. Anyway, let''s move on to the next question. "Where is ourpany''s number one advertiser?" "OS International. No way¡­.¡± "Yeah, that''s not true. I guess OS International also said they don''t trust us because you yed with Kang Jinseok guarantee this time." ¡°¡­.¡± "The story eventually went into the boss''s ears, and he personally went to OS International and OS Entertainment to apologize to deal with it." Do you understand now? Why have you been disciplined?" When I heard so far, Park Kyunghoon couldn''t say anything. If OS International''smercial was almost cut off because of you, it was really fortunate that it wasn''t cut as the manager said. "Okay, sir. Then when you go home¡­ I''ll be waiting." "Yeah. I don''t know when I''ll call you, but I''ll call you when the timees. At that time, you¡­ Huh? Be a human ande." ¡°¡­Yes." Park Kyunghoon turned around with his drooping shoulders and went to the door. As soon as I was about to open the door and leave, I asked carefully as if I had ast question left. "I¡­ But, sir." "Why?" "You said earlier that Kang Jinseok''s agency told you not to cut me." "Yes." "Did Jang Sunho tell you that?" The manager thought for a moment about Park Kyunghoon''s question, shook his head, and said. "No." "Of course¡­?¡± "The boss happened to meet Kang Jinseok at OS Entertainment, and that''s what he said." *** OS Entertainment''s "Kang Jinseok Team". "First of all, the schedule that the actor should pay attention to is the end-of-the-year award ceremony. I''ll organize everything else after the ceremony and tell you again." Jang Sunho spoke in an exceptionally serious voice. It felt a little different from usual. I asked carefully, feeling some awkwardness for some reason. "If it''s an award ceremony, you mean the BDD broadcasting ceremony, right?" "Yes. This time, "Nakamura" from "Spring Without Flowers" was nominated for Best New Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Actor." Best New Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Performance. It was a great honor to be nominated for these three categories. Of course, the award was not confirmed, but just being nominated made me want to clench my fist and cheer. But I couldn''t be so frankly pleased. Because Jang Sunho, who was looking at me, didn''t seem very happy. You looked particrly upset today. I asked Jang Sunho while looking at him. "I¡­ Manager?" "Yes." "Is there anything wrong? You look stiff all day long." "Nothing at all." ¡­It looks really good. When I looked at Jang Sunho with such a gaze, Jang Sunho sighed and said. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. . . . Actually, I think the actor forgave Mr. Park Kyunghoon too easily." "What? If it''s Mr. Park Kyunghoon¡­".¡± "I was originally going to scold him very properly. To the point of leaving the industry altogether." "Oh, you''re talking about the person who was going to cut my modeling fee, right?" "Yeah. That toad-like ad AE. And as I''ve said over and over again, what Park Kyunghoon did was not to "cut" the advertising fee, but to "steal it." "Are you being so serious because it bothers you?" Jang Sunho spoke firmly without changing his expression. "No, it''s not." Well, that''s for sure. I said with a slight smile. "Still, you promised to receive a car as a gift on the guarantee promised by branch manager Park Jinsoo. And at INSEA, we decided to push advertisements to our celebrities as much as possible." "That''s a given. I took this opportunity topletely grab the leash of "INSEA"¡­.¡± Jang Sunho said as if he was frustrated and swallowed his words. "I''m sorry. I got too excited." "It''s all right. Anyway, Assistant Manager Park Kyunghoon will also reflect on himself a lot because the Director ¡®INSEA'' will be on standby. And now that I''ve got all the money, I''m very satisfied." If there was a big damage, I would have been angry, but it was resolved well. I didn''t want to be angry about what had already happened. Jang Sunho stared at me. There still seemed to be a lot to say. Before he said something like that, I said it first. "I''m really fine, so let''s move on. If you keep making such a face, you''ll get wrinkles." When I said half-jokingly, Jang Sunhoughed in vain. I think that''s why my anger has eased a little, so I said it in a much softer voice than before. "As far as I know, whether it''s an actor or an idol, it changes once it bes famous and it starts to pop up. But." ¡°¡­.¡± "The actor doesn''t seem to change. Nothing has changed from the first time I saw you. Will you change a bit if you go to Hollywood?" To Jang Sunho''s yful voice, I also answered yfully. "Wouldn''t Hollywood be hard?" "Have you already been recognized for your acting skills through Netflix?" Anyway, let''s talk about thatter." Jang Sunho continued with a shrug of his shoulders. "Are you satisfied with just being nominated?" "Haha. That''s true, but honestly, I''m greedy about this. I know that no actor has won the Rookie Award, Best Supporting Actor Award, and Best Actor Award at once. "In reality, it would be impossible to win three awards, but I really want the Rookie Award and the Best Supporting Actor Award." Jang Sunho, who heard me, gave his thoughts. Jang Sunho''s unique pondering eyes shine exceptionally. "I''m also ¡®purely'' greedy to write the history of an award ceremony at a broadcasting station." "I knew it, right?" Jang Sunho finished his speech by raising one end of his mouth. "So I''ll have to use my hands. so that the actor can write a new history." Chapter 87 Chapter 87 How can you use your hands? He sounded as if he was nning something treacherous. When I looked at him with a slightly embarrassed look, Jang Sunho waved his hand. "I don''t have a bad idea. It''s hard to do something big even though there''s not much time left until the award ceremony. Jang Sunho said calmly and crossed his arms. His face was full of confidence. "What are you going to do?" "It''s not a big deal. I''m just going to make sure that I can''t bear it without giving an award to the actor." "You can''t bear it without giving it to me?" "Yes. Even if the producers and writers of thework pretend not to, they are wary of public opinion. I don''t know who the judges are, but neither do they." "¡­." "Anyway, leave this to me and just think about what you are going to say at the award ceremony." So far, nothing that Jang Sunho has nned has harmed me. No, I''ve always worked things out before I even noticed them, or led them in a better direction. I decided to trust Jang Sunho and nodded. "I see. Then I''ll think about the prices." I turned my attention to the bread the president of INSEA had bought me. It''s unknown, but it''s a very luxurious roll cake at first nce. But my eyes went to the bread next to it. It is a bread with a cute character on the wrapper. I used to eat it a lot when I was young because it tasted cheap, buttely, it has be difficult to get character stickers as they have suddenly be popr. Looking at the bread in the basket, I thought about what to eat and tried to pick up the chocte bread. That was when Jang Sunho took the bread basket away from me. "Actor. Other actors are checking their drinking water because the award ceremony ising up, but you can''t have a snack at all." "¡­." "I''ll get you a breadmercial after the awards ceremony. Let''s eat it then." Jang Sunho said firmly. Earlier, I wanted to eat the bread because my mouth was bored, but when I told him not to, I really wanted to eat it. With such a desperate heart, I looked at Jang Sunho with sad eyes. "You can''t look at me like that. And don''t even think about eating something in secret. I can tell what you atest night just by looking at your face. Even the seeds didn''t seem to work for Jang Sunho. "I see ¡­." *** A YouTuber specializing in drama reviews, "Can of tuna left after eating,"monly referred to as "Can of eating." Muknam Can, who began attracting subscribers with "Dream of the Sun Rising" and "In Spring Without Flowers," has grown rapidly in recent years with professional reviews, neat editing, and fast uploads. Now, a popr YouTuber who is about to reach 700,000 subscribers. Muknam Can muttered while watching his YouTube channel. "It was originally Kang Jinseok''s fan channel." (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo"). Muknam''s cell phone rang. It was ate call after 1 a.m. After checking the caller, he answered the phone with a slight sigh. "Yes, sir." [Oh, I''m sorry I left work] "No, sir. How can I help you?" [This is¡­]¡­ [I''m sorry to ask you to do this after leaving work in 3 days] As soon as I heard, "I''m sorry to ask you," I was worried about the food can. But he replied without losing his aloofness. "Yes, yes." [Can youe out tomorrow at 7?] We''re in the final stages of preparing for the awards ceremony, but we don''t have enough hands. I guess the newbies are not good enough.] A premonition can make me cry at the senior''s words. Like the phone call, Muknam Can left work three days after taking a nap at work, and now it''s only been two hours since he left work. "If you can''t answer the phone after sleeping, you can go to work at 9 o''clock. I was awake the moment I got 700,000 subscribers ¡­.''. But I already picked up the phone. The Inkman said without showing. "Okay, sir! Can I be in the studio tomorrow at seven?" [Oh, thank you]. [Take a rest. You cane at 7:10] "Yes!" As soon as the call was over, Muknam Can leaned his neck back and looked at the ceiling. Then he sighed loudly. "Poo-haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa¡­." For a moment, Muknam Can corrected himself again. Since this happened, I have been going to sleep after seeing 700,000 subscribers. Oh, I''ll check the e-mail. As the number of subscribers increased, the Muknam Can channel also received several advertisements. It''s not often, but every time I remembered, I checked Muknam. But there was an unusual e-mail. [Title: Hello, OS Entertainment¡­.] "¡ªOS Enter?" Then Muknam Can rushed to check the email. ¡ª¡ª From: Team Kang Jinseok of OS Entertainment, Team Leader Jang Sunho To: Tuna can leftovers Hello, Mr. Tuna Can Who Leftovers. I''m Jang Sunho from OS Entertainment. As a drama fan, I always enjoy watching the YouTube videos you post. I''m contacting you like this¡­ (omitted) Please feel free to reply. Thank you very much. H.P: 010-XXXX-XXXX ¡ª¡ª "¡­" What?" It was quite a long email. The main point is to make a video about Jinseok and upload it to the channel. In return, he said he would give a small advertising fee and a direct cam of Kang Jinseok during the making of "The Way They Chose," which has be the most popr topictely. The video that I even got permission from Netflix. "Are you trying to do a viral in your agency?" Whether you''re an actor or an idol, there''s no agency that doesn''t promote virals. There are even agencies that directly runrge SNS pretending to be fan ounts. However, most of these cases are to promote neers or to "remember" unpopr celebrities to the public. "Oh¡­. Maybe it''s because of the year-end ceremony. Jinseok''s agency, which is raising its stock price, had no reason to do a viral event unless it was an award ceremony. "Come to think of it, you were nominated for the Rookie Award and the Best Supporting Actor Award." For Muknam Can, the Rookie Award was almost a foregone conclusion. However, there were many opinions that the Best Supporting Actor award would be won by one of the actors of "Return Doctor Kim Chulsoo," which ended at the end of the year. This is because viewers were more familiar with "Return Doctor Kim Chulsoo," which aired at the end of the year than "In Spring Without Flowers," which aired at the beginning of the year. "You''d think that the impression of a new person would be somewhat stable, but when you''re doing this¡­. "Are you going for the best supporting actor award?" After thinking for a while, Muknam Can grinned. "For me, there is no reason not to." Although he was an employee of the broadcastingpany, he had been a fan of Jinseok before. Besides, he had already made a lot of highlight videos of Jinseok for his personal collection. When Jinseok''s agency included the making of "The Way They Chose", the number of views was sure to explode. It''s like rxing your nose without touching it. Muknam replied immediately. "Hello, I''m Muknam. Thank you for contacting me. I really want to continue¡­ "Okay. This is good enough." Ding! [New mail¡­]¡­.] [Subject: RE) Hello, I''m Muknam ¡­.] As soon as I sent the mail, I got a reply right away. I was surprised that I got a reply just after 1 am, and when I checked the mail, an electronic contract came. "¡­" Is it okay to proceed so quickly?" Muknam, who couldn''t hide his shyness, confirmed the contract. There was nothing unusual about it. The only thing that bothers me is that I have to use my real name in the "Contractor" at the end. Thepany was hiding the fact that he was running a personal YouTube channel. So I wanted to avoid using my real name as much as possible. But it''s a waste not to. It''s a perfect opportunity for virtue signaling. Muknam Can wrote his name on his "real name" and sent the contract. Muknam Can''s real name was Kang Heeyeon, he was a staff member of Jinseok''s first work "Dreams of the Sun Rising" and an audition staff member for "In Spring Without Flowers". *** Like every station at the end of the year, the BDD stations had a busy day. "Hey! Did you make sure the actors came in? Never ovep likest time!" "Send me the subtitles you made to send overseas. Let me check." "Senior! What should I do if Hong''s Family wants me to take it out in front of the table?" "If the ratings are 3%, tell them to pay for it themselves!" "Can I really say that?" "Hey, Mr.¡ª. Is this going to work?" The year-end awards show was a "celebration" of the year''s funniest and brightest stars, but for thework, it was nothing short of war. And there were some of the busiest of them all, the staff in charge of judging the ceremony. Na Jinho, who became the head of drama at BDD this year with the unprecedented sess of "Spring Without Flowers," said. "Hmm! You''re going to give the Best Supporting Award to another actor?" He hid his emotions even though he was coughing in vain, but there was a glimmer of joy in Na Jinho''s voice. I had no choice. What is being discussed as the winner is the actor who appeared in his work. "Yes, Commissioner. Originally, I wanted to give it to Lee Seokmin who appeared in ¡®Return Doctor Kim Cheolsoo'', but now the public opinion is¡­ I can''t believe it." Changing the winner is obviously an inconvenience. However, from Na Jinho''s point of view, it was wee. "In a few days, ¡®Dreams of the Sun Rising'' and ¡®In Spring Without Flowers'' suddenly began to climb the charts. It''s not a big deal on YouTube, Instagram, or anything right now." Another staff member added. "Everyone supports Kang Jinseok no matter who they are. I thought it might have moved from the agency''s perspective¡­ It''s too much to think that way. There are also a lot of videos made by overseas fans." "Well¡­ I see." At the employees'' words, Na Jinho spoke as calmly as possible. First of all, as the ¡®director'' of the BDD drama channel, he tried to remain neutral. The staff member showed his cell phone to the director and continued. "The website has articles like ¡®Kang Jinseok, will you win two awards? Maybe it''s because the number of views is good, but other reporters copy it and publish it. As you can see from the staff''s speech, the staff thought it was right to give the "Best Supporting Actor Award" to Jinseok. But no one said it prematurely. This is because other actors might feel ufortable giving two awards to a neer. However, it''s not without precedent. In fact, there were some senior actors who did not like the neers receiving many awards. They didn''t say anything, but they were all silent about the "facts" they were secretly sharing. Na Jinho knew this as well, so he couldn''te up with a refreshing solution. Meanwhile, Na Jinho said as if he had made up his mind. "Hey, it''s a problem to give two awards at the same time. We''ve already reduced the price since this year." The employees also nodded to each other. "That''s true." "But I''m so sorry to give a Rookie or Best Supporting Actor Award to another actor, but it''s ambiguous to give an Excellence Award or a Poprity Award." "Yes." "Then there''s only one way." The employees listened attentively to Na Jinho''s tone as he seemed to being up with a solution. Na Jinho said with a smile to the employees who seemed a little nervous. As if I couldn''t help it. "Except for all the other awards." "¡­." "I''ll give him the acting award." Chapter 88 Chapter 88 The coworkers looked stunned when they heard "Grand Prize. They looked at each other and began to speak with their eyes. "I can''t believe it. It''s the Grand Prize for Acting. Even if it''s the director''s work, it''s not a grand prize for a neer. Is it? "Give the grand prize to a rookie supporting actor, who would like that?" Of course, it wasn''t Na Jinho who couldn''t read the atmosphere of such employees. "It''s just a joke. He''s not gonna get the grand prize, even if he''s an actor in my work." When Na Jinho said this with a smile, the employees breathed a sigh of relief. "What should we do then?" "Let''s give two awards, the Rookie Award and the Best Supporting Actor Award." "Director, you know what''s wrong with you. If you give two awards to a neer, the actors will talk behind you. Besides, actor Kang Jinseok is almost a neer." The employee said in a tired voice as if he didn''t have the strength to make a joke. Na Jinho said to the employee as if he didn''t care. "If they choose, tell them to act better than him! Or they can get a better evaluation." "¡ª." "I heard that public opinion is on Kang Jinseok''s side anyway." Then what are you looking at? It''s not the first time a rookie has won two awards." The employees looked at each other again at Na Jinho''s words. It was a matter of exchanging opinions with their eyes as to whether it would be okay to continue as it was. In the end, the employees agreed. It was not wrong, and the award was the responsibility of the station. As Na Jinho said, there is no need to look at other people''s faces. Rather, it was an opportunity for Kang Jinseok and BDD to be stronger. When the most difficult item on the agenda was resolved, the employees'' faces immediately lit up. After that, the meeting proceeded quickly. "Well, Mr. Commissioner." In the end, just before the meeting ended, an employee asked. "Are you still in touch with actor Kang Jinseok?" "I don''t really these days. Why?" "Oh, I''m just curious. I think you used to contact him a lot." The clerk said as if it was nothing, but Na Jinho could sense his intention. "You want me to help you cast him in your next movie?" "Well, it''s not like that. Yes, that''s actually true. If you don''t have any ns, I thought it would be good to at least have a meeting." The employee was slightly surprised and smiled awkwardly at Na Jinho who had read his mind. For such an employee, Na Jinho looked strange and shrugged his shoulders. "I want to help, but I guess I can''t. I heard that the script is piling up in front of actor Kang Jinseok." *** "Wow, Jinseok''s face looks good." "How did your skin get better after losing weight?" Min Kyungsoo looked at my face and asked. I was hungry and had no energy, but I answered as cheerfully as I could. "I ate only green juice for a few days and my skin was incredibly nourished. It feels like I gave my skin something to eat¡­." "Green juice?" "Yes, there''s a healthy juice my manager made for me. I brought it with me, would you like to try some?" "No. I''m a person who gets sick when I eat something healthy. I''ll only ept your heart." "¡ª-? Yes?" "When you eat something healthy, you get sick¡­" On the way to the award ceremony. I rode in a van with Min Kyungsoo, Park Woohyun, Lee Nayeon, Han Jehoon and Lee Hyunah. Normally, they don''t travel as a team for awards ceremonies. This is because I want to end the year with a "single spotlight. Even though the public''s interest in the Acting Grand Prize is not as high as it used to be, it is still a big event that attracts the attention of the whole nation. But the reason we all went together was because Min Kyungsoo said he wanted to imitate what he saw at the American Academy Awards. Four or five close actors looked cool walking on the red carpet together. Fortunately, other seniors joined in to see if Min Kyungsoo''s idea was interesting. "We''re almost there." I could see the awards ceremony from a distance. Colorful lights were shining here and there. As I approached the awards ceremony, my heart was pounding and I was nervous. "Jinseok, are you nervous?" Park Woohyun asked in a casual tone, not worried. "What?" When I unconsciously asked the question, Park Woohyunughed and said. "You were staring nkly at the window." "Oh¡­" He scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile. "I''m a little nervous. I''ve only seen it on TV, but now that I''m here myself. Haha¡­" "¡ª." "Actually, I didn''t sleep wellst night. What if I lose my footing and fall? What if I step on another senior''s shoes or the hem of a dress? Because of such concerns." It was a serious concern. In fact, it was enough, and just imagining it was embarrassing or awkward. But it sounded like a funny joke to the seniors. "Laughing¡­." Senior Lee Nayeon, who always had a noble expression on her face,ughed. "Hahaha!" "Hey! Jinseok, are you really a rookie?" "I know. I was confused sometimes when I saw Jinseok''s acting, but I''m sure he is a rookie. LOL¡­." The other seniors, led by Min Kyungsoo, held their stomachs andughed. I looked around, not knowing what to do. Park Woohyun, who had beenughing for a long time, said. "Oh, Iughed for a long time. I''m sorry, Jinseok. But the worries you had¡­ I did the same. That''s why I wasughing. I think everyone did. "Didn''t Kyungsoo do that too?" Other seniors also helped Park Woohyun with his words. "I used to be like that" or "I actually stepped on someone else''s dress". "We''re here." Afterughing and talking for a long time, I arrived at the awards ceremony. Senior Min Kyungsoo patted his manager''s shoulder and said. "Good job, Donghoon. Please take good care of me next year. Did you get your allowance? "Yes, brother. I thank you every year. You gave it to me for Christmas too." "How can you thank me? By the way, I told thepany, so rest well until the 5th. I''m going home alone. You will take your girlfriend on a trip with your pocket money." "Yes, brother. But I broke up with her." "Again?" We were together at Christmas." "We broke up yesterday." "You''re still going to date her again, right?" "I should, right?" As expected, the two are a match made in heaven. Get married quickly. Well done, and I''ll be off now." "Yes." Maybe because an actor and manager who worked with me for more than 10 years, I didn''t hesitate to talk to each other. to the point of not being able to keep up with the flow of the conversation. Can I have such afortable rtionship with Jang Sunho? "Then I''ll open the door. The door opened slowly. "I''ll get out first." Min Kyungsoo got out of the car. I can hear "Wow, Min Kyungsoo is handsome!" in the distance. "Wow¡­" I was fine until the door opened, but suddenly my lips were very dry when I heard such fans. After that, Park Woohyun apanied Lee Nayeon and Han Jehoon apanied Lee Hyunah. "Slurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr¡­." I shook off my tension by dropping my lips. I adjusted my sponsored suit and got out of the van. sh! sh! sh! Whoa! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! The fans greeting me were shing as if they had been waiting for this moment. *** Suite at the Taemyeong Resort in Hongcheon, Gangwondo. "Currgh! Ahem!" The leader of the work team gave him a cough with all his strength on his shoulders. The wife and daughter are glued to each other next to such a work leader. "Wow¡­ I skied a lot today. That''s right, Mom." The daughter said in a tired voice. It was definitely a tired voice, but there was a lot of joy in it. "I know. But you are nning toe here with your family at the end of the year. What kind of wind is it?" "Ahem! What kind of wind? I only came because you wanted to go to the ski resort. Doyeon said she wanted to go to the ski resort too." The ss president thought to himself while watching TV. "Thanks to Jinseok, I came to this ce¡­ Thank you. Jinseok gave the ss president a ¡®resort pass''. It was a product that Jinseok got as an event at a baseball stadium in the past. I should at least call Jinseok to thank him. His busy right now, so maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Then the loud voice of the host was heard on the TV. [2023 BDD Drama, Rookie Award Winner¡­]¡­! The ss president''s eyes naturally turned to the TV. On the TV, a woman in a sky-high dress was smiling with a cue card. ["Spring Without Flowers"] [It''s Kang Jin Seok!] As soon as the host spoke, Jinseok''s face appeared on the TV. Jinseok bowed to the other actors around him, who congratted him with a confused expression. The ss president nodded with a happy smile. "As an outsider of acting, it''s obvious to me because his good at acting. Hmm? While the ss president was happy, the climactic scene of Jinseok''s "In Spring Without Flowers" began to y on the television. The ss president was nervous when he saw it. "There''s no way my face is going to be on the screen. I''m pretty much edited out when it''s other people. The ss president has not yet told his family that he was an extra in "Spring Without Flowers." "What?" The daughter, who was watching the TV nkly, pointed her hand at the screen and shouted as she approached the TV. "Isn''t that our dad?" His wife, who had gently closed her eyes at his daughter''s words, opened them. "Oh, is that right? Why are you there?" The highlights of "Spring Without Flowers" were ying on TV. Nakamura''s first appearance. The awesome appearance of the ss president eating rice soup caught the viewers'' attention as much as Jinseok''s. Of course, there was enough time for the daughter and wife to recognize the ss president. "Daddy, Daddy! What? When did you film the drama? "No, more than that! Why do youe out there?! Did you always go hiking at work to film?!" The daughter and wife grabbed his shoulder and shook and screamed. The head of the work team decided to stick out his fins first. "Oh no. Why is Dad on TV? He looks like me¡­." Meanwhile, Jinseok began to express his feelings about the award on TV. [Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok who won the Rookie Award.] First of all¡­ I''m so grateful to receive such a great award.[On the table prepared by other seniors and staff¡­] "No, it was a real father before! "I saw it clearly too! Did you reallye out in a drama?" In front of him, his daughter examined him, and next to him, his wife examined him. "Oh, that''s not it? I guess he''s just a rough-looking actor like me." The ss president pretended to be as nonchnt as possible, but his voice was different than usual. "How can there be two people in the world who look as mean as their father? It doesn''t make sense. No doppelgangers, no fathers." "Doyeon, are you repeating this?" "I don''t know about rerunning it, but it will probably be uploaded to YouTube." The daughter and the wife spoke in an excited voice as if they were surprised. But he kept saying, "Is it your dad or not?" I really like Kang Jinseok!" and "You. Hurry up and tell the truth. Of course, the ss president always denied the usations. "Oh, by the way. It''s not true!" But then. [I was able to continue acting without giving up thanks to the Seongsu warehouse staff and the cafe owner]. [In particr, I remember President Kwak Dupal saying, "If you work hard without losing your original spirit, you will definitely rise." I won''t forget this, and I will continue to work hard. Thank you]. After Jinseok''s clear eptance speech, he bowed deeply. "¡­." The ss president never imagined that he would say his name at the awards ceremony. While watching TV, he felt overwhelmed without realizing it. "Huh¡­ by the way." Jinseok, thinking like his son, told his name and it was heartbreaking. But his impression didn''tst long. "What? You''re even saying your father''s name!" "Honey! What are you?! What were you doing out there?" The daughter and his wife grabbed the ss president and shook him around. TN: The guy in the warehouse they call them ss president so don''t get confuse it''s not the ss president in the university. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 "Oh, my¡­.¡± I got the Rookie of the Year award and came back to my seat. As I sat down, my legs became weak. "I''m sure I didn''t make any mistakes¡­?¡¯ I did some imagination training in my headst night, but when I actually stood on the podium, my head went nk. When I came to my senses, I was talking as if I were possessed by something. I don''t think it was bad based on the host''s expression and the reaction of other actors¡­. I''ll have to rewatch itter¡­.¡¯ Min Kyungsoo said on my right. "Hey, Jinseok. "The Rookie Award is definitely yours. Is it there something like that?" "What?" When I made a face that I didn''t know why, Min Kyungsoo smiled coolly. "The eptance speech. "I''ve never seen a rookie do such a good job with his eptance speech." "Oh, it''s true that I prepared the eptance speech in advance. But I was really nervous¡­ Was it okay "Everything''s okay. "Right, Woohyun?" Park Woohyun nodded and said. "I know. What was the next award? This year''s BDD acting award will be drastically reduced in the type and number of awards. Last year, I was criticized for spraying too much." At that time, the screen of therge screen on the tform changed with the MC''s cheerful voice. "Now! Next, let''s meet the nominees for 2023 BDD Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor!" ¡ª¡ª 2023 BDD Acting Grand Prize, ¡®Best Supporting Actor'' category. ¨C Kang Moonchang [I don''t know who you are]. But still¡­ I''ll definitely find you and kill you.] ¨C , Park Minwook [No, I really didn''t do anything wrong!]!! [Why are you doing this to me?] -, Choi Yoonsun [Kim Chulsoo, get out]. [Don''te into my operating room again] -, Kang Jinseok [There are some irreversible mistakes in the world]. But there are also mistakes that you have to look back on.] ¡ª¡ª I knew I was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. However, I didn''t know that the next best-supporting actor would be the Best Supporting Actor award. When my face from the introduction of the Rookie of the Year Award came out on the screen once more, the tension rose again. ¡­Can I go to the bathroom? It won''t work. "Wow, they''re giving you a supporting actor award, right after the rookie award? You really got rid of a lot of awards." Park Woohyun said in a surprised voice. "I know. I only heard that they were going to cut back on awards, I didn''t expect to cut back this drastically.¡° Min Kyungsoo looked at the screen as if he was interested. Then he spoke in a subtle voice to my ear. "But Jinseok is a candidate again" "Haha¡­ Yes." When I answered in a dashing voice, Min Kyungsoo rubbed my shoulder. "It''s kind of ambiguous because he''s a candidate, but I think you can ride it if you get rid of him." "Wow, is Jinseok winning two awards in a row?" While Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun were jokingly talking. "2023 BDD Performance Grand Prize, Best Supporting Actor Award winner -!" "Yes! Kang Jinseok, congrattions!" said the MC, holding the cue card aloft. "Ji, really?" "Jinseok, are you winning the Rookie Award and the Supporting Actor Award?" "In one role?" The two spoke in a happy yet surprised voice. He seemed much more surprised than when he won the Rookie of the Year award earlier. The camera approached me again and began to film me. I can see myself like that on the screen in front of me. It''s a pretty embarrassing, yet serious look. Actor Kang Jinseok ys Japanese martyr Nakamura in "Spring Without Flowers"¡­.¡± "He yed an intense viin and at the same time showed his role as a luxury helper to help the main character¡­.¡± While the MCs exined the reason for the award, I climbed back to the podium under the guidance of the staff. In the background, I heard the voices of seniors saying, "Kang Jinseok is handsome!" "Kang Jinseok!" and "I look forward to your thoughts!" "Whoa¡­.¡± Breathe out a big sigh to relieve the tension. I walked to the center of the podium, feeling the ball, which was filled with a sigh, slowly returning. "Congrattions, actor." "Thank you." The staff who handed me the Rookie of the Year trophy a while ago said with a big smile. The trophy said "2023 BDD Actor Award for Best Supporting Actor." I got the trophy and stood in front of the microphone. Is it because I came up to the stage once when I received the Rookie Award? The eyes of fans and actors who filled therge venue are a little clearer. That doesn''t mean I''m rxed. "Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok. How did I get toe up again?" I opened my mouth slowly. "I thanked the people who helped me not to give up acting earlier. So this time, I would like to thank Producer Kim Mansoo of BDD Broadcasting Station and Director of Drama Na Jinho for recognizing me." He spoke long and took a short breath. I lowered my gaze slightly and looked at the seniors of "Dreams of the Sun Rising" and "In Spring Without Flowers" looking at me. "And I would like to thank the seniors and staff of and , who made me shine as a supporting actor. I will do my best to be a more dedicated actor. Thank you." After I finished speaking, I bowed deeply and greeted 100 degrees like I did when I won the Rookie of the Year award. p, p, p! The apuse that filled the awards hall covered me. *** After the ceremony, on Jan. 4, my contract with Gosiwon ended, and I was organizing my luggage for moving. "Whoa! Did you organize your important things?" I thought carefully by putting the Rookie of the Year award and the Best Supporting Actor trophy in the box. "I can''t believe we got two awards¡­".¡¯ I thought it would be nice to receive it, but when I really got two awards, I was surprised enough to have a brain stop. There were a lot of articles about me winning two awards. I was worried that a bad story mighte out because I had been nominated for too many awards, but fortunately, it was only a good article as if such worries were unfounded. Before leaving the room, I looked around the room for thest time. A bed with a familiar squeak, a peeled-off desk here and there, and aptop that barely works. It''s a small room where I lived for six years. It was a ce where I couldn''t sleep well because of mosquitoes that kepting in from somewhere in the winter, but when I left, I felt restless. When I came down to the first floor, Jang Sunho weed me. "Oh, the actor is here. Is that all your luggage is?" "Yes, I''m sorry it took longer than I thought. I looked at it carefully." "It''s all right. Give me your luggage. I''ll even take the car." Jang Sunho reached out to the box. I smiled slightly and shook my head. "I''ll take it with me. The manager must have been tired from going back and forth since the morning If I was busy organizing the house in the morning, Jang Sunho was busy moving back and forth between the Gosiwon and the house he would move to in the morning. Today, I''m moving to an apartment called "Startown" at the entrance of Kukgeon University, not far from where I live now. Every time I passed by, I wondered, "What kind of person would live in an apartment like that?" and I came to live there. Well¡­ Although it''s not technically my house, it''s mypany''s house. After about 15 minutes by car, I saw the ¡®Startown'' apartment. After a while. After a few doors, I could barely get inside the apartment. I ran into a resident while passing by, but there was no response as to whether they didn''t recognize me or if they were used to seeing celebrities on the day wearing a hat and mask. I went up to the 54th floor by elevator. Jang Sunho opened the door and told me. "Here it is. Room 5403." He followed Jang Sunho into the house. "Wow¡­.¡± It was really spacious. The sunlight came through therge window and it was very bright even though the light was not turned on. It''s the house of a ¡®real'' celebrity that I saw on TV. "This is my home¡­?¡± asked in a dashing voice. Jang Sunho smiled slightly and nodded. "Yes. There is a gym on the first floor, a park where you can take a quick walk, and a swimming pool about five minutes away. There''s a department store and a mart. You should gradually find out about that¡­.¡± Jang Sunho led me inside the house, blurring his backbiting. Pointing at furniture on one wall, Jang Sunho said. "This is a gift from me as a celebration of your move-in. I got it as big as possible in hopes that it will be filled up in the future. It''s a luxury item in its own right." Jang Sunho''s gift was arge ss trophy disy case. "Thank you. I''ll have to work really hard to fill all of this.¡° "You''ll fill it up in a minute. And there''s one more.¡° Jang Sunho handed over a shing car key. "This is the car that the governor gave me in advance. They gave it to me and asked me to take a lot of pictures. You know how to drive, right "Uh¡­ Yes." Driving has left the army in its head. I''ve done a lot of ballet parking part-time jobs. "We didn''t even shoot themercial yet. Did they give it to us already?" "Yes. You can think that they are paying a lot of attention to actor Kang Jinseok.¡° After that, Jang Sunho introduced me to the house everywhere. From the system air conditioner that seems like you need to study how to use it for a long time, to the curtain operated with a button. Among them, my favorite was that there was a separate collection facility on each floor. Thanks to this, there was no need to worry even if it rained on the day of recycling. "As expected, luxury apartments are different." After looking around the house for about 10 minutes, Jang Sunho asked me. "Do you like it?" Actually, the CEO asked me to find a better ce, but I had no choice because this is the only house that you can move in right now." "This house is good enough. Please say thank you to the CEO¡­.¡± (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). Jang Sunho''s cell phone rang. "Oh, take it easy." "Yes, excuse me." Jang Sunho nodded and answered the phone. "Oh, yes, director. Hello. Yes? I see. All right. Yes. I''ll check next week''s schedule and let you know right away. Yes, please go on." After the call, Jang Sunho looked at me while thinking about something. "This is the phone call of director Yeo Jaeyoon of <¡­. "Have you read the script?" "Yes, I''ve almost memorized the lines. It''s so much fun that I read it like a novel." "That''s a relief." Jang Sunho spoke in a serious voice as usual, but his tone was a little different. I feel a sense of satisfaction and confidence that I don''t know why. "There were more applicants than expected for this work, so I asked if I could audition next week." Jang Sunho smiled slightly and said as if he was looking forward to it. "They have to see Kang Jinseok first before the other actors" Chapter 90 Chapter 90 "Do you mean that I''m the number one cast member?" I asked carefully because I might be drinking kimchi soup. Jang Sunho raised his lips slightly and said. "I think so. If you like your performance, you said you don''t have to watch other actors." "I see." I tried to answer calmly as if it were nothing, but my mouth went up without realizing it. Jang Sunho said to me looking at his phone. "Director Yeo Jaeyoon said he wants to have the audition next week. But we have an advertisement shoot next week, so it''s a little ambiguous. "If you look at the advertisement content for ¡®Maserati'', it''s not that difficult to shoot, but it takes a lot of energy to shoot." "My physical strength is fine. After the awards ceremony, other seniors bought me beef, so I have enough strength¡­¡± While I was talking, Jang Sunho shook his head. "I''m not okay. No matter how good the actor is, he may have a condition problem as a person. It''s absurd to audition when you''re not in a perfect condition." ¡°¡­.¡± "However, the director contacted me directly, I can''t postpone your schedule¡­ I''ll have to think about it. I''ll adjust this part well. So don''t worry about anything and rest well today." Jang Sunho finished his speech firmly. As I always felt, he seemed to care more about me than I did. "I see. Then please let me know as soon as you have a schedule. I will prepare ordingly." I checked the time. Perhaps because I was busy in the morning, it was already past one o''clock. No wonder I was hungry. I asked, caressing my stomach. "Manager, it''s past lunchtime. Would you like to eat first?" "Yes, I''ll buy it if there''s anything you want to eat. You can have them delivered." "You came home after a long time, so I''ll do it for you." "What? You''re going to do it for me?" "Yes. I''m pretty good at cooking. At the nursery, I gave my younger siblings snacks, and I lived alone and ate a lot of this and that. If you buy it outside, it''s all money." "Oh, yes¡­¡± Jang Sunho said in an unexpected voice. After telling him not to worry, I opened the refrigerator confidently. However, the refrigerator was full of green drinks, and there was nothing to cook. I hurriedly closed the refrigerator door and asked Jang Sunho. "Did you say there''s a supermarket nearby?" *** A car shooting studio in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. "Sigh¡­" It''s going to work out, right Yoo Yeon, who was the PM of the ¡®Maserati''mercial due to Park Kyunghoon''s sudden waiting order. It was an opportunity and burden for him, who has just been in his third year this year, to take charge of such a big project. Perhaps because of such pressure, Yoo Yeon''s hands, which were undergoing the final inspection even though it was quite cold, were full of sweat. Yoo Yeon approached Yoon Deokhwan, the director in charge of the first half of today''s shooting. "Director, I look forward to today''s shooting." Yoon Deokhwan smiled warmly at the voice that seemed quite nervous. "Don''t worry too much. I was asked directly by the boss this time, and I only collected talented staff." "Thank you. Still, I look forward to your kind cooperation once again. Even before the shooting, there was a lot of noise¡­.¡± "Haha! If there were a lot of problems before the shooting, there wouldn''t be a problem anymore. Think of it as a bad sell, and rx." "Yes¡­¡± Yoo Yeon forced a smile. As Yoon Deokhwan said, it was to somehow rx. But it wasn''t easy for him, who was about to get a new ticket, to even smile forcibly. "Hello!" Then, a familiar voice was heard at the entrance of the studio. Yoo Yeon turned his head reflexively and found the owner of the voice. Then, you can see a touching visual that all of your worries about filming just before are gone. ¡°¡­" Wow." Yoo Yeon unknowingly uttered an exmation. "I heard that there was a rumor that you were handsome even among actors¡­" It''s true.'' Gulp. Yoo Yeon swallowed his dry saliva and stared at Jinseok. It seems that he will not miss this moment when he meets Jinseok in real life. Jinseok approached by distributing the drinks he bought with his manager to the staff. The way they greeted each other was more like a new staff than an actor. Looking at Jinseok slowly approaching, I thought about what kind of greeting Yoo Yeon would say. "Hello, I''m your fan"? Nice to meet you, and I look forward to your kind cooperation. How can I say hello?'' In the meantime, Jinseok greeted Yoo Yeon first. "Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok. Please take care of today''s shooting. I bought Bhus and Vita 600, which one would you like Yoo Yeon, who had not yet decided what to say, bowed deeply in a bewildered voice and replied. "Parker¡­ I''ll eat Vita 600! Thank you! It''s Yoo Yeon!" "Haha, yes." Jinseok smiled brightly as he handed over the drink and approached another staff. Jinseok, who passed by, smelled a good scent for some reason. Yoo Yeon stared nkly at the back. ¡®The real thing is much crazier.'' While Yoo Yeon was thinking about that, the shooting began in earnest. Themercial content this time is ¡®Responsibility'', ¡®Professional'', and ¡®Luxury''. In line with that, Jinseok was wearing suit pants that neatly clung to a shirt with slightly rolled sleeves. Oxford shoes without brogues there. It was an ordinary office worker style that was seen in anypany, but the staff''s eyes were different. "It''s a really normal style, but it''s cute. Should I dress like that, too "Please don''t do that. Do me a favor. Please don''t ruin my beautiful memory." "Look at the tendon on your arm. It''s hard toe out that pretty." "I know. It''s going to sell well even if you shoot a watchmercial" While the staff was buzzing, Jinseok stood next to the SUV in the center of the studio. When Jinseok was ready, Yoon Deokhwan immediately began to give Jinseok instructions. Sitting on a bo, or looking up with your chin down. Yoon Deokhwan couldn''t take his eyes off the camera even though he gave instructions nonstop. "Wow¡­ You''re killing me, really.'' From a rather unreasonable pose to a pose that we haven''t discussed in advance. He follows the director''s instructions without saying anything. Perhaps because of that, each cut was perfect enough to call it a work, and the director had no choice but to feel favored by Jinseok. "Was Oh Sihoon the actor I saw on the set of Fiskerst time?" It''s different from him.'' Oh Sihoon was an advertising model he met when he went to help his friend shoot. Throughout the filming, there was no other "puppy" to grumble and get nervous all the time. Yoon Deokhwan smiled while looking at Jinseok through the camera. "I think the Fisker advertisement and the Maserati advertisement will be released around the same time, so these two will bepared a lot." Not only does the timing of the advertisement ovep, but Maserati and Fisker arepetitors in their own right. The two advertisements are bound to bepared. After about an hour of filming. Yoon Deokhwan said, checking the filmed version. "There''s nothing more to shoot indoors." Let''s go to the outside shooting right away." As soon as it was taken, the okay cut came out, so the filming ended much faster than expected. A subordinate staff next to me said while watching the filming. "We still have a lot of time left. Why don''t we film more?" "Well." Yoon Deokhwan agonized over his chin. He wanted to do that, too. It wasn''t an opportunity that came often to film with a model who was favorable to the director''s instructions. "No, don''t lose your strength as a model for no reason, let''s go shoot outside right away." "I see. Then I will convey that." The staff began to convey Yoon Deokhwan''s words to other staff. Looking at it, Yoon Deokhwan approached Jinseok. "Hey, actor Kang Jinseok. Thanks to you, it''s so easy to shoot. Is this your firstmercial? You''re so good." "I think it''s because the director''s order is good. I just did what you told me to do." Jinseok smiled shyly at the director''spliment. "Oh, my order. I''ve been shooting carmercials for 20 years, and if I pick people like you. I think there will be a really good work." Yoon Deokhwan, who praised Jinseok, asked Jinseok carefully. "By the way, I heard you''re a good driver, but there''s no problem driving today, right? Just in case there''s a problem." "Yes, I''m all good. Thank you for your concern." Jinseok spoke confidently and added a word. "And I am a former driver of cars." Yoon Deokhwan said with a big smile to Jinseok''s confident voice. "HaHa! Then should we go with the right angle?" *** KL Entertainment Actor Room 4. The 4th manager was sitting on the sofa reading the script of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling". In front of him is Oh Sihoon, an actor who decided to audition for this work. Oh Sihoon asked in a rather arrogant voice. "Is Kang Jinseok going to audition for this drama?" Oh Sihoon, who emphasizes ¡®Kang Jinseok'' in particr. Of course, I didn''t say that because Jinseok is doing well these days. Rather, it contained the hostility of KL Entertainment to Jinseok so far and the pathetic feelings of his agency, which was struggling with only a rookie. The fourth chief also said with a wry smile as if he knew what Oh Sihoon was thinking. "That''s right. The 6th chief got his arms and legs cut off after touching Kang Jinseok wrong, and the 5th chief lost a lot of his position." "Hey~ I''m scared. Then if I win this audition, will it be hard for our 4th director? " Oh Sihoon said in a cheeky voice. Naturally, the 4th chief did not like Oh Sihoon. But I couldn''t say anything to him that I didn''t like. ¡®He''s more rude than a rumor.'' None of the four actors he manages to fit in this work. Oh Sihoon was convinced that "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" was a hit, and was a "mercenary" borrowed from the actor''s room 3. "If actor Oh Sihoon loses to Kang Jinseok, it''ll be hard for me, too." But I don''t think actor Oh Sihoon will lose to Kang Jinseok. Of course, you must not let your guard down." Contrary to such feelings, he said with a kind smile. "What do you mean by neglect? You don''t have to worry about that either." Oh Sihoon frowned at the words of the 4th chief. There was a lot of nuance in that expression and my pride was hurt. "Well, I admit that Kang Jinseok is good at acting. But he''s only yed heavy roles so far. On the other hand, I specialize in romance. I don''t know anything else, but I never lose in this work." Oh Sihoon, who describes himself as a ¡®professional'' and describes himself as a ¡®specialist'' in a specific role to Jinseok. Here, it was implicitly revealed what Oh Sihoon thought of other actors. Of course, I didn''t point that out again this time. You didn''t have to upset him. "And this is director Yeo Jaeyoon''s work. He must have a lot of overseas connections, so if you take this opportunity to impress him, it will be much easier to go abroad." The 4th chief said with a forced smile to Oh Sihoon, who was condescending like a bully. "As expected, it''s good to see you confident. "So I can look forward to it, right?" "Of course. I''ll press Kang Jinseok''s nose so that he doesn''t appear in this film." Oh Sihoon leaned deeply on the sofa and shrugged his shoulders. Cross his legs and look at the script of "Absolute Unlicensed Counselling" with a sharp gaze. "Very thoroughly." Chapter 91 Chapter 91 The 4th chief nodded to Oh Sihoon''s confident words. Oh Sihoon was not a favorite, but he still looked good with his skills and spirit. "So, when is my audition? I heard director Yeo Jaeyoon said he was a little busy." "As early as next week. He said he had something to check before auditioning for an actor." "What is he going to check?" When Oh Sihoon asked back, the 4th chief said as if it was nothing. I''m sure his busy preparing for the shoot. Director Yeo Jaeyoon said that he would direct everything from this one to ten. They''re probably trying to take care of everything before they start filming." He said it without changing his expression, but the 4th chief was lying. Director Yeo Jaeyoon said he would watch an actor first before watching Oh Sihoon. And it''s probably¡­¡¯ While the 4th chief was thinking, Oh Sihoon asked. "What? Is the director paying for the production?" "Huh? You didn''t know?" "Yes, I didn''t know that director Yeo Jaeyoon wasing back. By the way, direct investment¡­ I knew the director was rich, but I didn''t know it would be that much." "Anyway, I''ll tell my manager when the detailed schedulees out, so please be on hand. Don''t go to a club or something and make an ident." "Yeah~" Oh Sihoon got up from his seat with a yful answer. Looking at Oh Sihoon, the 4th chief sighed slightly. "Then I''ll be preparing for an audition." "Wait, let me tell you¡­¡± Thump! Oh Sihoon left the room before the 4th chief even answered. Again, he''s not a favorite. "Still¡­ I have a feeling that things are going to work out this time.'' I don''t know if it''s because I got a mercenary or for another reason. I had a good feeling that I didn''t know what it was, so the 4th chief started looking at the documents. *** "Expensive cars are definitely different." When stepping on the Excel, the power of the car running forward was unusual. It makes your heart grand. I realized that expensive cars are not expensive for nothing. "Even so¡­¡¯ Having already driven the same road nearly 30 times, I was a little tired no matter how good the car was. In the past, I wasn''t very tired even if I drove all day, but I was exhausted probably because I was conscious of the Russian arm that I was driving outside. From a distance, a sign reading "Stop" was seen. I slowed down and pulled over. Director Yoon Deokhwan came up with a big smile. "Hey, actor! That''s enough! It really came out perfect! It must have been hard because I was so greedy, but thank you so much for doing well until the end." "No, it''s okay. I''m d you got a satisfactory film. I can take it over and over again if you need it." The amount of money I received for filming today is a whopping 500 million won. I even got a car as a gift, I wanted to take it properly even if I stayed up all night. However, Yoon Deokhwan''s expression when he heard me was a little strange. He looked like he was looking at something interesting. "As expected, actor Kang Jinseok is a bit¡­ It''s different from other models." What do you mean different? I looked at Yoon Deokhwan with questions in my eyes. Then Yoon Deokhwan shook his hand and said. "Oh, it''s different in a good sense. Usually, celebrities don''t say that. When I ask them to film it again, most people look upset, or sometimes they get angry." Yoon Deokhwan smiled easily. "Anyway, you did a great job today. I''ll edit it properly and make a piece of work." "Haha. Thank you." When I bowed my head, Yoon Deokhwan also greeted me. After seeing Yoon Deokhwan disappearing from a distance among the staff, he turned around. "Thank you for your hard work. It took longer than I thought." Jang Sunho, who was behind me, said before I knew it. "Kkah, you scared me. "When did youe?" "It started when director Yoon Deokhwan said, ¡®As expected, Kang Jinseok is different from other actors.'' ¡°¡­If you''re here, please give me a hint." "I''m sorry. I don''t want to interrupt the conversation." Jang Sunho made a slight impression and stared at the staff. "By the way, I left him alone this time because I had a meeting with Governor Park Jinsoo, but I will not allow such meaningless re-shooting like today in the future." It sounded a little angry. I said with an awkward smile to soothe Jang Sunho. "I''m fine. Come on, let''s go to the car. It''s time to get off work soon, so I have to leave quickly before there''s traffic." ¡°¡­All right. And don''t worry about the traffic. There''s not much traffic going from Paju to Seoul." Jang Sunho, who finished speaking, handed over the padded jacket he had in his hand. I can feel my cold skin warming up when I wear a padded jacket. While following Jang Sunho to the van, Jang Sunho''s thin clothes were caught in his eyes. "Come to think of it, the manager doesn''t wear a coat often. I can wear it, but I can only wear a thin coat." It''s warm for early January weather, but it''s still near freezing temperatures. Jang Sunho''s clothes were thin, and not suitable for such a temperature. "Yes. Thick coats make your body dull. And it needs to be moderately cold to maintain tension. My job is to take care of the actor, so I can''t rx." "Oh¡­.¡° Jang Sunho spoke calmly, but it was a touching word to me. I can''t believe you''re enduring this cold like that for me. "That''s why I wear long jeans. I don''t want it to be too cold.¡± Oh, I see. I was a little less moved. As soon as I got to the parking lot, I saw the van. The van was full of warmth thanks to Jang Sunho turning on the heater in advance. "Let''s go." With Jang Sunho''s words, the van gently moved forward. But I was strangely sleepy. I was tired, but I wasn''t so tired that I couldn''t get myself together. I felt sorry for Jang Sunho driving in front of me, so I tried to stay awake as much as possible. But I just couldn''t stand it. "Sigh¡­ Manager. I''m sorry, but let me put my eyes off for a second." "Yes, I''ll wake you up when we get there. Rest well." When I heard Jang Sunho''s strong voice, I felt more sleepy. *** I fell asleep right away, but I was mentally fine. Because I was in a white space. In that white space where I meet ghosts in my dreams. "I was sleepy because of this." I looked around to find the ghost who called me here. "The role I''m going to y in the next movie is a con artist." Then is the ghost I''m going to meet this time a scammer?'' It was then. As usual, someone walks through the white mist. As the distance got closer, I could see the ghost well. a tall man with full back hair. Cool features and afortable smile just looking at him. His eyes, slightly closed, are smiling like half a moon. an imposing gait and cool features. Even though I''d never seen him before, I felt a charm that I didn''t know for some reason. Unbeknownst to me, I was feeling for this ¡®ghost''. The ghost spoke to me in a soft voice. "Hello, actor Kang Jinseok. It''s Kim Faith." "Oh, yes. Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok." "First of all, I''d like to briefly introduce myself. As you may know, I am a fraud." Kim''s trusty hands held together. I can feel the right grip to rx my mind. "That doesn''t mean he''s a misdemeanor. Despite this, it is evaluated that it has raised morale to the level of art. Although it''s a story thates and goes among ghosts." "Well, I see.¡° Whether it was fun for me to answer awkwardly, Kim Mi-sungughed. Then, with a slight face toward me, he said resolutely. "So you can trust my ¡®skill''. I''m the best con artist you need right now." *** "Well." Jang Sunho leaned on the steering wheel when he was caught in a red light. Then, he looked at Jinseok, who was asleep in the rear mirror. It''s not the first time Jinseok fell asleep in a car. However, it was the first time he fell asleep to the point where he couldn''t figure it out even if I carried him on my back. "You must be very tired." After the filming of "The Way They Chose", Jinseok appeared in "Yeonyan Diary". Then he attended the awards ceremony and even filmed an advertisement. And a part-time job at dawn. It''s literally a murderous schedule. No matter how strong Jinseok is, his physical strength as an actor has not yet been strengthened. Jang Sunho struggled inside. "You have to audition for ¡®Absolute Unlicensed Counseling'' this weekend." Jang Sunho, worried about Jinseok''s condition, loosened his tie and buttons roughly. There''s no underwear under his loose shirt. I''ll call Director Yeo Jaeyoon right after I take you there. Auditions next week, no. I''ll put it off until next weekend.'' (Singing "Boo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo!")! Perhaps it reflected Jang Sunho''s urgent mind, the van moved forward with a little rough engine sound. "Well¡­¡± Did he wake up to that sound? Jinseok, who was sleeping like a baby, slightly frowned and tried to open his eyes. Jang Sunho quickly filled the button on his shirt and even tied the tie around his neck. ¡°¡­We''re almost there?" When Jinseok spoke in a slightly submerged voice, Jang Sunho nodded. "Yes, but we still have another twenty minutes to go. Please keep sleeping." "I''ll stay awake. Maybe it''s because I slept for a while, but I''m warmed up." Jinseok''s voice seems to be happy for some reason, but at the same time, it''s a bright voice. Jang Sunho nced at Jinseok through the rear mirror. ¡°¡­.¡° Then, I met Jinseok''s eyes through the rear-view mirror. Jinseok asked with a gentle smile. "Manager, when did I audition for ?" "It''s not confirmed yet. I will postpone it as much as possible so that you can recover your condition." Jang Sunho spoke calmly as usual. "Thank you," anticipating Jinseok''s answer. However, Jinseok''s words were not the answer Jang Sunho expected. "Thank you for your care. But it''s okay. I can audition tomorrow right away." Jang Sunho tried to say, "I''m not okay" again this time. "It''s all right with me. So audition for , please fix it right away." However, Jinseok''s words were faster this time. "I''m ready for the audition." Jang Sunho smiled bitterly at Jinseok''s confident voice. "No matter how much you say it''s okay, it''s hard to carry out schedules in a row¡­" Jang Sunho couldn''t finish his speech because of Jinseok''s facial expression reflected in the rear mirror. Now, Jinseok had the look of ¡®actor Kang Jinseok''. ¡®¡­I forgot.'' I forgot because Jinseok was so nice like a fool. Kang Jinseok is the most famous actor in Korea in just one year. If he is confident, it will be his responsibility to trust and leave it to him. "I see. Then I''ll try to schedule it as soon as possible." Chapter 92 Chapter 92 When I got home, I decided to look for ¡®Kim Faith'' right away. If he is one of the best scammers among ghosts, he must be a fraud who made a name for himself. ¡®Well, since he''s a fraud, I don''t think there''s anything good to say.'' With that in mind, I searched for ¡®Kim Faith'' on the Inte. ¨C Faith Kim, film director¡­ ¨C Kim''s faith, actor¡­ -Kim Faith (kimb2live2), Instagram¡­ Unfortunately, however, I couldn''t see the ¡®Kim Faith'' I was looking for. I changed the search term and looked it up as ¡®Faith Kim''. ¨C We use the usednd scammer of ¡®Kim Faith''¡­ ¨C Don''t outsource it to him, it''s muktu. "Faith in Kim"¡­ There were a few rted posts, but there were no scammers who could shake up the country I thought. "Is he a con artist who is not known to the media?" I searched for a few more minutes, but nothing still came out. "It''s not that important." I turned off theputer, got up, and headed to the bathroom. I wasn''t too tired, but I was going to take a shower when I got home. "When will the audition be for <> After a brief shower, I thought while wiping off the water. Until now, auditions have always been a nerve-wracking ¡®test'' for me. But this time it was a little different. Like the interviews of middle-aged actors I saw before, I was excited and looking forward to this audition. "It''s because of the expectation that I can smile with Faith Kim." Kim''s smile was so deep in my mind. A smile that made me feel that I wanted to be close to Kim, even though I was wary of Kim''s belief as a "fraud." "I''m sure Kim Mistrustughed like this¡­?¡¯ The eyes smiled with a crescent feeling as if they had closedfortably. Keep your mouth tight, but close it naturally until you have dimples. At the same time, if you pull your chin slightly to give the impression that you are respecting the opponent, it isplete. "It''s awkward." But my smile in the mirror was not that of Kim Faith. I don''t know how to express it, but if I had to express my smile now, it was "sour and hard marshmallow." It tastes good if you try it, but I don''t think you''ll pay for it. "Boooooo¡­.¡± After loosening the facial muscles by making his cheeks full, he smiled again. Let''s hope it''s better than before. But it was still awkward. Is it because I saw the perfect model answer just an hour ago? I couldn''t help butpare my smile with Kim Faith smile. And the more I did, the more I felt the wall. *** SKC Broadcasting Studio. The host introduced today''s guest. "We have two people who have been very popr recently. Park Hayeon of Red Liz, who made a splendid debut in the drama with "The Way They Chose"! And Ha Minah, who released her solo album, Just Like It. Hello!" "Hello! I''m Park Hayeon." "Hello! I''m Ha Minah." The two of them greet each other in a simr but different way. If Park Hayeon greeted her with a calm feeling, Ha Minah greeted her brightly ording to the mood of her recently released album. After a light greeting, the recording began in earnest. The recording proceeded without difficulty because we discussed what to talk about in advance. "It''s a talk show that came out to promote my first solo album." "Why do I have toe out with Park Hayeon?" Ha Minah felt ufortable throughout the recording. Red Liz, is one of the most popr idols in Korea. Among them, she did not like her appearance with Park Hayeon, who is running at the top of the poprity list. "It''s been 3 weeks since was No. 1 on Netflix. How¡­¡± "Do you have any behind-the-scenes stories from the set?" "Recently, highlights of Kang Jinseok''s work were very popr on social media. What do you think about acting together?" In addition, more than 70% of the questions were focused on Park Hayeon. During the pre-interview, I was confident about half and half or 6:4. ¡®¡­'' Tut.'' Ha Minah kicked her tongue inside. Of course, I didn''t notice my inner feelings. But there were things she didn''t know. In the first ce, only Park Hayeon was invited to "The Talk Show." However, Park Hayeon handed out pies for Ha Minah, who recently released a solo album. Ha Minah, who did not know such a fact, had no choice but to chew Park Hayeon inside. Fortunately, the host skillfully brought up Ha Minah''s solo album in the middle, so it''s a mess, otherwise, Ha Minah''s insides would have been charred. "With Park Hayeon''s actinging out quite impactfully this time, I think the other members of MAJOR 77 will have a chance." When the recording was going on for a long time. To fill Ha Minah''s portion, the host gave Ha Minah a chance to speak. Of course, this was also one of the questions discussed in advance. "Ha Minah, don''t you want to act?" "Me too¡­.¡± Ha Minah thought about it for a while while talking. Should I say what I prepared in advance or increase my volume? Naturally, Ha Minah''s choice was thetter. "Actually, there''s someone who contacted Hayeon before auditioning for "The Way They Chose." I didn''t hear it exactly, but I think she was trying to get some help with the audition." ¡°¡­?¡± "I don''t think it will be easy to act because I don''t have the connections to help me with the audition like Hayeon. So first of all, I''ll stick to my main job, and I''ll try itter if I have a chance." The host, producer, and writers were slightly embarrassed by Ha Minah''s unexpected words. However, I blinked at the thought that something interesting woulde up immediately. The only thing that was nervous was Park Hayeon. Because she didn''t even know what she had forgotten to say. The host asked, leaning toward Ha Minah for the first time. "Have an audition help? "To whom?" "Kang Jinseok. Hayeon asked me before the audition. Help me pass the audition." "If you asked me to help you pass the audition¡­ Did I ask you to teach me how to act?" Ha Minah smiled lightly at the host''s question. On the contrary, Park Hayeon''s expression was clearly stiff. "Rather than asking me to teach you how to act, it felt a little different." ¡°¡­.¡± "Hayeon, how did it feel?" Ha Minah''s unexpected remarks made the atmosphere of the studio strange. *** Three dayster, Jang Sunho contacted me again. [Manager: I''m going to the audition at the director''s house tomorrow. I''m going to the audition at 11 o''clock, so I''ll pick you up by 9:30] It was a reasonable time, neither toote nor too soon. "How are you feeling?" "What? Oh, great!" And finally, it''s the audition day for . I was going to director Yeo Jaeyoon''s house with my manager. "Your skin doesn''t look good. Did you not sleep well?" "No, it''s not like that¡­. Yes, I was strangely nervous and couldn''t sleep. But it doesn''t interfere with acting at all, so it''s okay." Actually, I wasn''t in a good condition. I''ve been practicing for the past few days, but I didn''t get a satisfactory performance. But I couldn''t help but practice. It was because I felt anxious and frustrated when I stayed still. Jang Sunho stared at my face in the rear mirror. "I see." In front of director Yeo Jaeyoon''s house we arrived a little early. It was a small castle-like mansion, invisible from the outside. Jang Sunho rang the doorbell. Soon a middle-aged man''s voice could be heard from the speaker. Who are you? "Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok, actor-manager, and I''m going to audition for director Yeo Jaeyoon." Oh, you came a little early. Let me open the door for you. Wait a minute. Immediately the gate next to it opened slowly. "Let''s go, actor." "Yes." Entering the gate, I saw a garden decorated with ponds and pine trees. Surprised that there was a house like this in Seoul, I followed Jang Sunho. "Oh, actor Kang Jinseok. It''s a great pleasure to meet you. It''s Yeo Jaeyoon." Then, an old man in simple clothes approached from afar. Director Yeo Jaeyoon, who met for the first time, feels warm like a grandfather at a chicken restaurant in "KFC." "Hello, director! I''m Kang Jinseok. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to audition." "Haha. I have to thank you. I really enjoyed watching "The Way They Chose". Your acting is amazing, I''m looking forward to today''s audition." Director Yeo Jaeyoon, who finished speaking, came out and guided Jang Sunho to the inside of the house. Director Yeo Jaeyoon said, handing a chair to Jang Sunho in the living room. "Now, then the manager, please wait here. The actor follows me." "Yes." "I see." As soon as he tried to follow director Yeo Jaeyoon''s footsteps, Jang Sunho''s voice was heard. "Actor." "What?" "I''d rather have you an audition next time¡­".¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­No. I''m sure you''ll do well." It was not like Jang Sunho, but it was a word that had a bitter aftertaste. Still, his expression was as usual. "Yes, I''ll do my best." After answering confidently, I went into the room with director Yeo Jaeyoon. It was a typical rich man''s study. With a bookcase full of books and a bonfire, you can see arge desk. There was a woman sitting at the desk whom I had never seen before. "Is that the heroine of this drama?" I knew beforehand that the director and the lead actress were auditioning together. Before the other person said hello, he bowed his head first. "Hello. I''m Kang Jinseok. I''ll do my best!" Nodding. The woman gave her head a little without saying anything. She might answer briefly, but is she usually quiet? I don''t think it''s arrogant or malicious. At that time, director Yeo Jaeyoon pped his hands and said. "Well, there''s nothing urgent, but there''s no need to drag your feet. I''ll watch the acting as soon as you are ready." It means that you don''t need a clich¨¦ of greeting. I also nodded, wanting to get rid of the anxiety I had suffered in the past few days as soon as possible. "I see." Before performing the role, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I recalled the lines I recited dozens or hundreds of times in front of the mirror and the scene I created in my head. I always had a familiar feeling before I was possessed. "It''s now." I opened my eyes. Looking forward to seeing the memories and emotions of Kim Faith unfold before my eyes. ¡°¡­?¡± But the view hasn''t changed. I can see the face of director Yeo Jaeyoon and the actress looking at me still. I closed my eyes again and focused. "It''s really now." I got a feeling again. I opened my eyes right away. ¡°¡­.¡± But nothing happened. "What is it?" It''s unexpected. I can feel the cool sweat flowing on my back. Maybe because of panic, my heart beats so loudly that I can hear my heart pounding. Suddenly, a word of Faith came to mind. -¡­I''m a con artist. I felt like I heard Kim Faithughing at me somewhere. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 While Jinseok focused his mind on being possessed, director Yeo Jaeyoon waited for Jinseok with his fingers crossed. "You must have been very nervous." You didn''t look good when you first came in.'' No matter how great a career you are, you are a rookie after all. In a way, it''s natural to be nervous before an audition. "Even so¡­. Isn''t it taking too long Jinseok had his eyes closed for more than 30 minutes already. If he wasn''t the actor he was looking forward to the most, he would have eliminated it earlier. ¡°¡­Let''s get started." It was then. Jinseok said in a subdued voice. Then he immediately looked directly at himself and recited the lines. "Isn''t it ufortable that you can''t talk?" Well, that''s a strange question." It''s quite a bright voice, contrary to the dark voice a while ago. Even in the expression, the tension from before disappears, and it seems to show something that was prepared. Yeo Jaeyoon analyzed Jinseok''s acting with his eyes shining. ¡®I was nervous, but I don''t have any skills.'' But¡­ It''s a little awkward looking at it closely. It''s not that it''s awkward¡­ You don''t look confident.'' A slight tremor of gaze, and a voice that cannot extend to the end. Even a smile that seemed to hesitate a little. Yeo Jaeyoon was able to recognize at a nce the minor mistake that most directors would not notice. ¡®But I didn''t feel nervous because I didn''t practice enough. You didn''t look well, did you not feel well Yeo Jaeyoon focused on Jinseok''s acting by rubbing his lower lip well. "Whether you can''t speak or you can''t see. And even if you don''t hear my voice, it doesn''t matter if my heart is conveyed." "You can talk, you can see, you can hear your voice. It''s a world where there are more people who don''t get along with each other." Jinseok acts with a charming smile from start to finish. It hasn''t been long since I distributed the audition script, but I wanted to apud him for showing this much interpretation and acting. ¡®This is not the ¡®Kang Jinseok'' I expected.'' However, the acting so far was so great that Yeo Jaeyoon had no choice but to give a poor evaluation of Jinseok. "Right now, there may be effort in this acting, but there is no power to move a person''s mind." It was not an acting skill that could overwhelm other actors. That it''s not the ¡®Kang Jinseok'' that he thought he would show in other dramas. "Now you know it. That I''m a ¡®fraud''." "Yes, I''ve been lying all my life. However, I mean it this time." "I like you¡­.¡± ¡°¡­All right." Jinseok didn''t finish hisst line properly in the end. *** As soon as I finished acting, I felt like I was back to ¡®then''. Even though I tried like crazy, I was eliminated from numerous auditions because I didn''t have the talent. Oh, my God¡­.¡¯ I was helpless. The audition judge''s eyes, which he had forgotten in his memory, saying "It''s too bad," "It''s too bad," and "It''s not as good as I thought," became a dagger and stuck in his heart. "If you don''t have a will¡­ "Am I just an actor like this?" I can''t help but clench my fist. Maybe because I squeezed it too hard, my fingernails went through my palms. "Well¡­.¡± Director Yeo Jaeyoon, who had been thinking about something for a while, opened his mouth. "Thank you for your hard work. Before I give you my evaluation, let me ask you a question first." ¡°¡­Yes." "What do you think of your current acting?" It was an unexpected question. But it wasn''t difficult to answer. "It was not enough. I felt seriously what it was that I couldn''t achieve with my efforts alone." ¡°¡­.¡± "I''m so sorry that I think you took your time with poor acting." It wasn''t unfair. If I don''t get help from ghosts, this is my ¡®real'' skill. Instead, it was pathetic. If I don''t have an ulterior motive, this is all I can do no matter how hard I try. Director Yeo Jaeyoon said in a serious voice. "It''s not that much of an act to me yourself. Actor Kang Jinseok''s performance just now was definitelymendable." ¡°¡­.¡± "But it wasn''t Kang Jinseok''s ¡®overwhelming'' performance until now. The acting you showed today was not the ¡®Kang Jinseok'' I''ve seen and expected." He gave his head a little bit of pressure. Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s real skills didn''t seem to be as bad as I thought. But I didn''t live like this to act ¡®not bad''. "Good words¡­ Thank you." I bowed my thanks. When I bowed down, I felt like the tears I had been holding back would fall, but I managed to hold it back. "You can go out now." ¡°¡­Yes." Leaving my frustrated heart behind, I left the audition room. *** The audition room where Jinseok went out. Heavy air was still spread through the audition room. It was because of the feeling of "anger" that Jinseok left at the audition. Yeo Jaeyoon tapped his finger on the desk and thought. "Have you been able to show that kind of acting since you''re pursuing perfection that much?" As I told Jinseok, director Yeo Jaeyoon''s performance was definitely great. Jinseok, who flogged himself despite such acting, felt sorry for him and was proud of him. I felt that grit, which is hard to see in other young actors these days. Yeo Jaeyoon asked his daughter after much thought. "Hyemin, how was it?" Yeo Hyemin wrote something on a piece of paper and showed it to Yeo Jaeyoon. "He looked under a lot of pressure from acting. He was smiling, but his eyes were stiff." "Well, he did." "But I was a little sad because I think he thinks his skills are very pathetic." Yeo Jaeyoon nodded. The reason why he is worried is that he reflects on his past self in Jinseok''s appearance. "Hmm¡­.¡± When I first became a director. It''s frustrating that I can''t capture the work I imagined on camera and the feeling of helplessness when the work is evaluated hard. And the sense of self-destruction when it was more beautiful to see with your eyes than with the camera. Perhaps Jinseok will experience "failure" like he did in the past in this audition. "Should I give him another chance?" Yeo Jaeyoon thought about it for a while and then drew "triple" on Jinseok''s profile. Then, I immediately texted Jinseok''s manager, Jang Sunho. ¡ª¡ª When Kang Jinseok returns to his condition, he will audition again. It''s a waste for him. ¡ª¡ª *** After the audition, the atmosphere in the car was solid all the way home. I didn''t want to make Jang Sunho ufortable because of my mood, but I couldn''t help it this time. Jang Sunho didn''t ask anything until we got home. You must have noticed how the audition went when you saw my expression. "I''ll go in. Manager, thank you for your hard work this morning." "Yes, do not be so heartbroken. I don''t think the result would have been as bad as the actor thought." ¡°¡­Yes." I got into the elevator with a deep sigh. I can see myself in the elevator mirror. It''s the face of the loser. A very familiar, such face wees me. -It''s on the 54th floor. The elevator door opened and went into the house. He threw his clothes on the floor and fell on the bed. When I feel the familiar body odor in the pillow and nket, I calm down. ¡®¡­Let''s get some sleep.'' I didn''t want to do anything now. I fell asleep quickly, maybe because I worked so hard preparing for the audition, or maybe because I barely slept recently. *** When I came to my senses, I was already in a white space. I looked around with my fist broken. The fact that I came here means that Kim Faith called me. "Wow, that was quite a big deal. Auditions that you didn''t use the power you believed in and didn''t show what you prepared for." And as I expected, there was Kim Faith in the distance. "Are you okay? Are you surprised?" He said as if nothing had happened. With that ¡®smile'' that I wanted to imitate so much. I''m telling you, I''ve never seen someone so ugly. I clenched my fist. No, it''s not. It might just be a grunt that I''m angry about.'' The reason why I didn''t act properly today is not because Kim Faith didn''t help. The reason why I didn''t act properly today is because of myck of skills. However, being angry because you were not possessed is proof that you are relying too much on the possessed when acting. It''s not that I''m possessed, but I didn''t want to rely on it. "Why did you do that to me?" But maybe because I''m an ordinary person, this situation is so frustrating and angry. I looked straight into Kim''s eyes, controlling his resentment as much as I could. "Because you want to cheat even when you die?" Or because you want to see me shudder at the audition? Do you want me to make you realize that there are things that you can''t do with your efforts?" Maybe it''s because it''s easier to me someone else than to admit your shorings, so I can''t suppress my feelings that burst once again. "Before I tell you why I did this, let me tell you this first." However, Kim Faith did not change his expression and continued his words in a calm voice. "I''m a con artist. I have a lot of doubts because it''s my job to deceive others. And if I have any doubts, I don''t help others first. That''s how you don''t fall for others." ¡°¡­.¡± "I know you''re a good person, but I don''t know when and how you''ll change. Just like I did. Just like the actor is mad at me right now." Kim Faith, who spoke calmly for a long time, opened his eyes. As the eyes, which had been closed like a crescent moon, open, the sharp eyes hidden in them can be seen. "So if you want my help." Faith Kim, who erased a smile, stared at me with a perfect expression and said coldly. "Please do me a favor first." Chapter 94 Chapter 94 "If you want my help, do me a favor first?" "Whatever your request may be, shouldn''t you apologize first? If you''ve watered a person like this, you have to apologize." ¡°¡­.¡± "No matter how much of a con man you have lived a rubbish life, isn''t that the least courtesy?" Without hiding his anger, he shot back Kim Faith. He smiled as if to say something. "Don''t do that-" But I didn''t intend to listen to Kim Faith, so I didn''t give him a chance to speak and kept saying it. "And one more thing. I don''t need your help anymore. The audition is already over, and there''s no room for me in this one ¡°¡­.¡± "So don''t offend me anymore and go away. I don''t want to talk to you." After finishing his speech quickly, he turned around. I didn''t mean to go anywhere in particr. I just wanted to move away from Kim Faith. "One more audition, one more time." At that time, every word of Kim Faith stopped my step. ¡®¡­"You have one more chance to audition?" "You still need my help." In my head, I shouted that Kim Faith was a fraud and that he was lying. However, when I heard that I had one more audition, my heart pounded again without realizing it. "So would you like to hear what my request is?" I slowly turned around and looked at Kim Faith. He had an expressionless, nk face, unlike ever before. "I have another audition. How can I believe that?" "It doesn''t matter if you don''t believe it. Is it true?" ¡°¡­.¡± "And there is no reason for me to lie. Why would I lie to you anyway if it''s just a few phone calls and you''ll get burned out quickly?" It was just as Kim said. After contemting for a while, he said, slightly holding his head back. "Your request¡­. I''ll hear it." Kim Mi-sung smiled again as if he liked my answer. I don''t want to admit it, but no matter how many times I look at it, it''s a very coveted smile. "My request is simple. You can return the money in a private safe to each owner. The amount isn''t that big, so with your physical strength, you''ll be able to deliver it quickly." Delivery? Kim Faith said with a smile when he put a question mark on his face. "You don''t have to worry. That money was collected by fraud before I died." ¡°¡­.¡± "When you wake up from your dream, you will naturally know the key to the private safe and the location of the safe. Then, I look forward to your kind cooperation." Kim Mi-sung, who finished speaking, looked somewhere. After a while, he began to fade into smoke from his toes. I can feel myself waking up from my dream ordingly. "Actor." When Kim Faith was disappearing to his shoulders like that, he called me. "You said that the priority is to apologize while being angry with me." ¡°¡­.¡± "That apple, is it toote if I do it now?" It wasn''t the right word toe out of the mouth of a con artist. I thought he was ying with me again, so I slightly frowned and looked at Kim Faith. But his eyes were filled with tears like dew. It''s a tear that I don''t think is fake. For some reason, I felt like I had to ept Kim''s apology now. ¡°¡­I was told that an apple is the fastest when I thought it waste." "I''m sorry. No one epted my apology because I always lied. Thank you for epting." The tip of his mouth went up slightly in my words. "Well, then, I hope you can y the best con man." *** ¡°¡­Whoo." Perhaps after being in a white space, I felt very refreshed. But because of thest words he left, he felt as if he had a thorn in his neck. It''s already 6 p.m. I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. "Poo-ha-ah¡­" I washed my face roughly and looked in the mirror. His face was a little haggard, but his dark circles disappeared, and his skin was clear again. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). The cell phone in my pocket rang. I washed my hands roughly and checked my phone. It''s Jang Sunho''s Kakao Talk. [Manager Jang Sunho: Actor, actually, I got a text from the director as soon as you finished his audition. He wants you to audition one more time when the actor is in good condition. [I was going to tell you earlier, but I don''t think you''re in a state to hear that, so I''m contacting you now] It was just as Kim Faith said that he would let me audition one more time. "I''m so¡­.¡± Unbeknownst to me, a smile rose on my face and Iughed in vain. Kim''s request¡­ I''ll have to listen to it quickly.'' I don''t know when the next audition is, but I had to do Kim''s request before that. But it wasn''t necessarily just because of the audition. This is because Kim''s true appearance and tears at the end continue to be seen. I didn''tpletely forgive him for his mistakes. He was still a repugnant man. However, in order to fully express Kim''s "smile," this feeling now seems to be important. "Let''s start right away." I put on my mask and hat and came out to the front of the house. It was time to get off work, but fortunately, I was able to get a taxi quickly. The driver asked as he got into the taxi. "Wee. Where can I take you?" I said the address where the key to the safe Kim Faith was found out when I woke up. "Please go to ¡®Golden Pawnshop'' in Dapsiri-dong." *** "Is it because the game is difficult these days?" People just leave things to them.¡¯ The old pawnbroker looked around the store. The store disys various items such as luxury bags, watches, and high-endptops. They are all things that have lost their owners. The white dust was seen in the eyes of the pawnbroker who was checking the condition of the object. I''ll just dust it off.¡¯ The pawnbroker picked up a duster hanging on the wall. It was then. "Hello." A man opened the pawnshop and greeted me. It''s a well-built, male guest wearing a hat and mask. It bothered me a little bit that Ipletely covered my face. However, the pawnbroker weed him brightly because he was a guest after a long time. "How did you get here?" Do you have anything to leave with?" When the pawnbroker asked, the man said with an awkward gesture. "Oh, it''s not. I''m just going to look around." "I see. Take your time and look around. You can ask me if it doesn''t have a price on it." "Yes, sir." The man examined the items disyed in the store one by one. It''s a careful move as if looking for a hidden treasure. Momentster, the man pointed to an old luxury bag that had been tucked away in one corner. "I''d like to buy that bag." The pawnbroker saw the bag that the man pointed to. Looking forward to what bag you decide to buy after choosing so carefully. ¡®¡­You''re going to buy that?'' The bag that the man pointed to is more than 15 years old. It was a luxury item, but no one looked at it because it was not designed. There are many other pretty items at simr prices, but I didn''t understand why I would buy them. ¡®Well, I''d just appreciate it if you bought such junk. It''s been a while since I had a stick.'' The pawnbroker said in a bright voice. "You have a good eye. I should give it to such customers at a low price. Please give me 1.3 million won in cash." *** I bought a bag and left the pawnshop. Now that I found the key, it was time to go to the safe. It''s been smooth so far. 1.3 million won for a bag. Is this right?'' It was too expensive for the price of a used bag full of dust. I searched on the Inte because I thought it was a very famous luxury brand, but it was a brand that withdrew from the Korean market a few years ago. They say AS is not working either. I felt like It had been ripped off. ¡®But I can''t help it. Here''s the key.'' At that time, the taxi driver driving in front of me said. "Sir, we''re almost there, are we really here?" "Yes, that''s right, but¡­?¡® "Well¡­. I brought you here because you told me, but this is a bit of a dangerous neighborhood." When I stared at the street, he said in a serious voice. "There are many criminals who cannot be identified, and there are many poor foreigners, so it''s a ce where the police hush." The atmosphere around him, which he did not know due to the 1.3 million won shock, was horrible. The brilliant neon signs are full of Chinese characters, and drunken people are fighting each other. People who fight hard even carry knives. But passers-by don''t care as if it''s natural. "I don''t know what''s going on, but you''d better get home soon." "I see¡­.¡± As I looked outside, I arrived at my destination before I knew it. When I got out of the car, the taxi ran out of the street. The safe of Kim Faith¡­ Is it there?'' Among the numerous neon signs, a sign called the "Hama Vault" was seen. Around it, there were many ugly rice cakes simr to those seen in Lee Manseok''s memory. Honestly, I was scared. If it wasn''t for Kim''s request, I wouldn''t have even thought ofing to a ce like this in my life. "Whoa¡­.¡± He walked toward the safe with a light sigh. By the time I arrived at the entrance, the scattered size surrounded me. It''s a mess because I''m wearing a mask and a hat, and if it wasn''t for this, I''d be caught rolling my eyes out of fear. ¡°ÄãÊÇʲô¶«Î÷?( What are you doing here?)¡± A rice cake wearing a fancy T-shirt hit me on the shoulder and spoke in Chinese. Actually, I didn''t know that was Chinese. It was just like the Chinese. As I stood still without saying anything, the other rice cakes approached me little by little. I thought it would be a big deal if my eyes were cuter. "Haha¡­. That''s¡­ I''m here for this." He showed the key in his bag and rambled in a strange voice. I don''t know why he showed me the key. It just felt like this was the key to getting me out of this crisis for some reason. The man looked closely at the key in my hand. ¡°¡­I didn''t know a precious person!" A man who was speaking in Chinese just a moment ago bowed down in fluent Korean. "Hey, your little pups. Why don''t you say hi quickly? This is a VIP among VIPs." While panicking at the sudden change of posture, the man shouted at the other rice cakes. "I''m sorry, brother!" "I didn''t see you!" Then, the rice cakes greeted me at 100 degrees, and everyone who was passing by looked at me wondering what was going on. I didn''t want this kind of attention. Thanks to the polite attitude of the rice cakes, it was a moment when he was imprinted as "dangerous" by the people here. TN: Maybe Rice Cakes is a Chinese gang? or a Chinese person? Chapter 95 Chapter 95 "Come in this way, please." "Oh, yes¡­.¡± Among the rice cakes, a man who seemed mild-mannered took me into the building. Unlike its morous appearance, the building was quite dark, reminiscent of a basement. I was worried that I had put my head in the tiger''s den, but I couldn''t help it because I had alreadye in. After climbing the stairs a few times and walking down a long corridor, I arrived in front of a visit. The rice cake knocked on the door and said carefully. "¿Í À´ÁË." (Guests ising) "ÏÖÔÚºÜæ, ÈÃËûÒÔºóÔÙÀ´. (We''re busy now, tell him toeter.) " Still, I couldn''t understand what they were talking about, but from the look on their faces, they seemed to be in an awkward situation. The rice cake spoke to the door again. "¹ó±öÊÇ´øÀ´Ô¿³× º«¹ú¿Í ÒªÈÃËûÒÔºóÔÙÀ´Â𣿠¡£ Õæ (VIP key) is a Korean guest. Do you really want me to ask him toeter?" Inside the door, there was no answer for a while. The rice cake, which had been waiting for a while, bowed to me and apologized. "I''m sorry. I think they''re very busy. If you have time, please have a drink somewhere. Or at the business, I know¡­.¡± It was then. A lock and heavy iron could be heard moving from the inside of the door, and a skinny man wearing only a sleeveless top opened the door and came out. "Korean guest with VIP key?" After bowing to the man, the rice cake handed him the key. "Yes, brother. This is the key that he brought." "Well¡­¡± "Our keys are right." The man picked up the key and looked around for a while. Then he tilted his head and looked me up and down. "I don''t think it''s the owner" The man''s meaningful words red at me. The atmosphere that was still calm until a little while ago changed frighteningly. Then the man shouted, hitting the back of the rice cake. "Hey, I told you not to stare at him like that. The key owner could have lent the key to someone else. How many times do I have to tell you that you can''t do business if you''re so strict?" "I''m sorry, brother." After a nce at the rice cake, the man told me this time. "But we should at least check your identification. Who did you get this key from?" The man asked nonchntly. I was scared that I would be in big trouble if I said the wrong name, but I answered calmly without being swayed by the atmosphere. "I got it from Kim Faith." The man caught my eye with my answer. "I''ll deal with you," he said, and sent him back, before guiding me into the room. "Pleasee in." Unlike the hallway, the room was very antique. It''s like a lounge or salon in a luxury hotel. The man called me as I stood in a daze. "Come here. Aren''t you here to get money?" "Oh, yes." As he approached the man with a quick step, he pulled back arge curtain. Inside the curtain was another dark and long corridor. "It''s safe number four inside. By the way¡­.¡± The man looked over at me and slurred his back. "How much are you going to take?" Of course, I''ll take everything with me. I didn''t even think ofing back here. Kim Faith said it was not even a small amount, so I would be able to take it all at once. He took out the shopping bag he had brought in advance from his pocket and said. "I''ll take everything with me." ¡°¡­With that little bag?" The man shrugged as he measured the shopping bag with his eyes. "Well, I see. Let me know if you need any help." After speaking in a passing tone, the man walked toward the desk. "This shopping bag is small?" I said it wasn''t that long.'' With a dubious mind, I went inside the hallway. Soon after, I saw a safe with "4" written on it. "Why is the safe door so big?" I put the key in a huge iron door the size of the entrance of most restaurants and turned it around. I heard several cogs interlocking. I waited for the sound to stop and opened the door. "Oh, the smell¡­¡¯ When I opened the door, the smell of old paper, along with the stinging smell of the cer, struck the tip of my nose. I covered my mouth and nose with my hands and went into the safe. ¡°¡­You fraudulent son of Faith in Kim. This is a little bit?" Inside the safe was a pile of money that could have been in a bank as tall as my height. The width is too wide to cover even if I open both arms. There are even five such huge lumps. So much that I''ve seen so far and so much that I shouldn''t have to put all the money I''ve seen in the future. I was deceived by Kim Faith again. *** ¨C Since the beginning of this year, I''ve heard heartwarming news everywhere. An angel without a face¡­ -The amount of money in the Apple box has only been confirmed¡­ "I don''t understand why you donate without revealing your name. Why are you doing something that you can''t even get an ie deduction? Tsk." Director 4 of KL Entertainment evaluated the newsing out of the car radio. I asked my subordinate, Team Leader Woo, who was driving next to me. "Isn''t it?" "Team Leader Woo?" "What? Oh, yes. Isn''t that great though? If you didn''t even reveal your name, you would have done it in good faith." "It''s not a big deal. Such a man will never seed. Unless most soldiersy the groundwork, they will never seed." The 4th chief said the faceless angel as if pathetic and stretched out loudly. "Hoop¡­! Oh, that''s right. Did you tell Oh Sihoon? Don''t go anywhere and brag about the audition results." "Yes, I have told him a hundred times to keep silent." "Okay. But just in case, keep taking care of him. You never know when he''s going to get into trouble again." Ten days after Jinseok''s audition, Oh Sihoon auditioned for "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." Oh Sihoon, who was as good as he was, received a passing score from director Yeo Jaeyoon, and thanks to this, the 4th chief was in a very good mood. That wasn''t all. After the audition, director Yeo Jaeyoon told the fourth director, "Oh Sihoon did the best among the actors who have auditioned so far." In other words, Oh Sihoon did better than Jinseok. Without Jinseok, there was no actor who could beat Oh Sihoon in this audition. With that in mind, the 4th chief smiled satisfactorily. Team leader Woo asked such 4 chiefs as if they were curious. "But Mr. Manager." "Why?" "It''s like the audition results have alreadye out, so can''t we just sprinkle the articles?" I think the director will think it''s promoting the work anyway." "Never." "Never?" "The thing that director Yeo Jaeyoon hates the most is that actors and agencies talk about the audition results. Don''t you remember when SC Entertainment closed down because of director Yeo Jaeyoon?" "If it''s SC Entertainment¡­ Oh, I see. I''ll just have to keep quiet." Team leader Woo nodded as if he had gained a huge realization. "Okay. We''ll start working soon. We can get the PR team to spray the articles." The cell phone rang while the 4th chief was talking. The 4th manager took out a cell phone from his inner pocket and checked it. [Director Park Daegi of PR team] "Why is the PR team calling?" Before answering the phone, Director 4 pondered why the public rtions team called him. But I couldn''t think of anything. "It won''t be a big deal." The 4th manager answered the phone calmly. "Yes, sir. It''s the 4th manager." [Director!]! It''s Park Daegi! Where are you right now?] "Oh, you punk¡­ Why are you yelling and screaming at the phone?'' Park Daegi''s voice was quite exasperated. The 4th manager asked while lowering the volume of the phone. "Yes, what''s the matter?" [Did you know that?] "Knights? What articles?" The eyebrows of the 4th chief wriggled at the words "The Knight." Park Daegi sighed constantly and said. [Sigh¡­]¡­. I''ll send you a link to the article, so take a look. Director Yeo Jaeyoon, how are you going to deal with this¡­ [Whoa] "Yeo Jaeyoon?" Why is that nameing out After saying that, Park immediately hung up the phone. It was certainly not polite to hang up without saying goodbye, but now was not the time to care about that. [Park Daegi, Deputy Director of Public Rtions] This is a link to the article. https://entertain.news¡­.] ¡ª¡ª [The master''s new movie, cast?!] The casting of director Yeo Jaeyoon, who announced his return after 10 years, has beenpleted. Director Yeo Jaeyoon said, "About My Romantic Comedy Is a Thriller", "The Man Who''s Been Chilled for 30 Years", and "The Former Casanova Is Still Solo.">He is a director who represents Korea with a thick fan base. "As soon as I auditioned, I could feel that I was cast," said the ¡®O'' actor, who is deeply involved in Yeo''s next film, "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." "I would like to express encouragement to the actors who auditioned before me," he said, adding, "I know that romanticedy is popr in other genres, but it''s apletely different genre." I wish I could work harder," he added. ¡­Actor "O" is a famous actor who has appeared in numerous works such as "Love Naturally" and "External Scandal" at leading domestic agencies. ¡ª¡ª "Oh Sihoon, are you crazy?" The 4th chief shouted, cradling his head. Even if you are not an industry official, it was so tant that anyone could know from the actor "O" or the filmography of the work in the article. "Oh my¡­ "Doo." Team leader Woo looked at the head of the 4th office with a bewildered look next to him. However, he only focused on driving because he thought he would have a firestorm after talking to him for no reason. "I can''t believe you''re writing articles without the permission of director Yeo Jaeyoon.". He''s a man who only allows interviews that he attended to promote the media.'' Thump! The 4th chief was in trouble, tapping his forehead against the window. In fact, there was a time when this tendency of director Yeo Jaeyoon caused big trouble. Thirteen years ago, the pretty popr agency "SC Entertainment" promoted its rookie audition by featuring its actor in director Yeo Jaeyoon''s work. Then director Yeo Jaeyoon cut the actor right away and vowed that he would never use the agency''s actor in the future. And because of that, the agency was plunged into the abyss. At that time, Yeo Jaeyoon''s words were that powerful in the film industry. "It''s been a long time, so actors these days must think director Yeo Jaeyoon is a pleasant person." The fear of director Yeo Jaeyoon was still embedded in the minds of managers and actors who yed in the field at that time. In particr, the fourth chief was more sensitive to the incident than others. Before he moved to KL, his job was at SC Entertainment. Let''s check with Oh Sihoon first. Is it really true that he did this interview?'' The 4th manager took out his cell phone. The moment I tried to call Oh Sihoon straight away. [Director Yeo Jaeyoon] A phone call came from Yeo Jaeyoon faster than that. When he saw the name on his mobile phone, the 4th chief sighed. ¡®¡­Ha. It''s X.'' Chapter 96 Chapter 96 The fourth manager was holding onto his cell phone, which was constantly ringing. "Don''t answer the phone first, let''s check with Oh Sihoon first." Because it could be a hoax on OS Entertainment.'' Of course, that was unlikely. Now, however, the fourth chief had to catch a rotten rope. After a while, the cell phone of the 4th manager, which had been sounding scary, stopped. I didn''t know when I would get a call from Yeo Jaeyoon, so I called Oh Sihoon in a hurry. [Can''t answer the phone].] But Oh Sihoon did not answer the phone. "Oh, my gosh! Is it a special feature of actors to make an ident and dive?"! Bang! The fourth manager kicked the car in a fit of nerves. Team leader Woo, who was driving next to him, was surprised by the impact, but fortunately, he was holding the steering wheel well. "Hurry up and answer the phone, really"! Oh Sihoon finally answered the phone when he made his 12th call while cursing. [Yes!]! Manager! I was so busy that I didn''t get it!] Oh Sihoon''s breathless voice could be heard from beyond his mobile phone. At first nce, it may sound like after a fierce exercise, but the 4th chief noticed that Oh Sihoon was ying at the club now, due to the pounding club music around him. "Are you in a club?" I''m going to make a fuss about it "Oh actor, are you in a club now?" [Yes!]! I had an audition today, so I can relieve my stress! Don''t worry! This is a membership system. 24 hours! Do you want toe, too?] Chief 4 sincerely wanted to kill Oh Sihoon. Still, he didn''t express himself and said in a calm voice as much as possible. "No, someone who might be in the works soon will go to the club Uh-huh. Yeah, it''s important to relieve stress." [Yes, of course]. Acting is supposed to be stressful [Wait, let me call you] Club music and men and women continued to cheer from beyond the cell phone. The 4th manager spoke calmly, even though he was angry. "Oh actor, did you get an interview from a reporter by any chance? "Today''s audition?" [Huh? What?]? I can''t hear you!] "Did you have an interview with the reporter?" [What?]? I can''t hear Hold on, hold on. Oh, he''s on the phone. Ha ha! Okay, just a little bit. Oh, I''m sorry, manager. I have to go now. [Please do it on Kakao Talk!] "No, oh, actor! Shit. The phone was cut off while the 4th chief was talking. "You punk!" The 4th manager kicked the front seat once again. Team leader Woo was not surprised this time. Chief 4 called Oh Sihoon again. [Can''t answer the phone].] "You crazy punk! I called a few more times, but Oh Sihoon didn''t answer the phone. In the end, the 4th chief had no choice but to send a Kakao Talk message to Oh Sihoon. [Oh, actor!]. Did you have an interview with a reporter about your audition this time?] After sending the Kakao Talk message, the 4th chief held onto his cell phone and shook his hands. It wasn''t until a long timeter that I got a reply. [Actor Oh Sihoon: I don''t know. I don''t know. It''s a to say that I saw the of shire today] There were many typos in Kakaotalk he was still ying. Based on the tone felt in Kakaotalk, Oh Sihoon did not seem to be aware of how serious the problem was. "Sigh! Director 4 sighed roughly and checked the entertainment articles on the portal site. [Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s next film, cast!] [Who will be the next actor to be with the director?]? [Jinseok? Oh Minsoo? Or "Oh Sihoon"?] [Will there be a true romance movie after "Mosol is dating too?"] Sure enough, there were numerous articles posted. "X-ball is really. There are few cases where the main character of the next famous director has been decided. However, it was not strange for reporters to rush in, as there were no particr issues in the Korean entertainment industry except for "The Way They Chose". It''s already hard to fix. The fact that such an article was published must have already been heard by director Yeo Jaeyoon. If so What should I do?'' The head of the 4th division held his head and agonized. I couldn''t think of a proper way. Then the phone rang. I hurriedly checked my cell phone just in case it was Oh Sihoon''s phone. However, the name on the screen was not Oh Sihoon. [Director Yeo Jaeyoon] "X-ball is really. Having already avoided calling once, I could no longer ignore it. If he avoided it again this time, he might not be able to take care of it. "Yes, director." *** "What''s this article about?" Yeo Jaeyoon, who was finally checking the script of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" at home. I was looking at an Inte article without much thought to take a break, and I noticed a very disturbing article. [The master''s new movie, cast?!] "Well. Yeo Jaeyoon, who was curious about the word "master," read the article. The O'' actor, who is deeply involved in Yeo''s next film, "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" "If you''re an actor". It''s Oh Sihoon.'' Tap it Yeo Jaeyoon was worried by tapping on the desk. "What should I do with this kid?" Yeo Jaeyoon breathed a sputum sigh. The sigh was full of displeasure. If it had been another work, I would have cut off Oh Sihoon with a single stroke without thinking about it. At the same time, I went to KL Entertainment and said, "I didn''t even do the interview, but the actor opened his mouth first?!", and "I will never work with you again." I''m sure the other directors would have made a fuss like this. I can''t do that. This one isn''t just a piece of work.'' This work, "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling", is a work he has written for his daughter for more than 10 years. At the same time, the debut film of an adorable actor named "Yeo Hyemin." Because it''s such a work, I couldn''t make a bad storye out even before the shooting. "Whoa. I sighed deeply as I looked at the ceiling. After about 10 minutes, my mind calmed down a little. "Oh Sihoon is your actor''s 4th manager, right?" Yeo Jaeyoon called the 4th manager. [Can''t answer the phone].] He didn''t answer the first call. He might be busy, but he seemed to avoid my phone call intuitively. About 20 minutester, when Yeo Jaeyoon called again, the call was finally connected. [Yes, director]. I''m Kim Hyungbin.] *** [I read the article]. Actor Oh Sihoon was interviewed about the work before me. [As if he was a cast] Yeo Jaeyoon''s cold and calm voice was heard from beyond the cell phone. "Yes, director. I was so embarrassed when I saw the article that I checked it right away. I guess the reporter heard that Oh Sihoon was so happy to be cast in the work of a director he really respects. I''m so sorry, director." Whether he thought he should say this in advance, the 4th chief''s words were very smooth. an eloquent manner that would make anyone feel better. But Yeo Jaeyoon wasn''t that easy. [It''s done]. What''s the point of saying that now?] . [We''re going to be busy, so I''ll tell you straightforwardly. This is my daughter''s debut. It''s a work that everything has to be perfect.] Yeo Jaeyoon took a breath and continued. [So I decided to kill my personality in this work] "If you decided to kill a personality Are you saying you''re just going to move on? Is that director Jaeyoon The 4th chief asked back in a bewildered voice after Yeo Jaeyoon''s unexpected words. "Seo, killing your personality Do you happen to forgive actor Oh Sihoon. Are you saying you''ll do it?" [Yes] Chief 4 never expected Yeo Jaeyoon to forgive him so easily. However, it was resolved well, but there was no need to scratch it and make a fuss, so the 4th chief just spoke in a bright voice. "Thank you! I will repay you with the grace you trusted and wrote, and with good acting. I will do my best to supplement actor Oh Sihoon. [What do you mean to trust?]? [I never said I would use actor Oh Sihoon] While the 4th chief was talking, Yeo Jaeyoon criticized him "What nonsense are you talking about?" [The audition is not over yet]. Of all the actors who auditioned so far, Oh Sihoon was the best, but there may be better actors than Oh Sihoon in the future.] "Oh.Ha ha! Yes, that''s right. I went too far ahead. I''m sure other actors will prepare a lot LOL." Although he spoke politely on the outside, he had a fishy smile on the inside. "There was no actor who could beat Oh Sihoon except Kang Jinseok in this audition." The 4th chief said to Yeo Jaeyoon, thinking about that. "Director, we made a big mistake this time, so I want to apologize to the director." Do you have time on the weekend [This weekend?] "Yes. We opened a new restaurant in a hotel near ourpany, and it''s quite famous. What do you think?" Literally, it was intended to apologize and provide "hospitality" to the director to look good before the full-scale filming. [Oh, this weekend is hard]. [Kang Jinseok will have an audition.] "What? Kang Jinseok is also auditioning?" Uhmm, Didn''t actor Kang Jinseok already auditioned?" [How did you know that?]. Anyway, yes, that''s right. I saw it once.] "Why did you let him audition again?"? [It''s because I want to see it one more time]. Is there a problem?] The 4th chief turned pale at Yeo Jaeyoon''s nonchnt words. "Is there a problem with Kang Jinseok auditioning again?"? There were a lot of problems. There was a lot of that, too. Of course, just because Kang Jinseok retakes the audition, there is no guarantee that he will do better than Oh Sihoon. However, there was no second chance for Oh Sihoon. In this situation, what if Kang Jinseok shows a better performance than before? "I''d look like the head of the 6th department who had his limbs cut off, and the head of the 5th department who was ignored by the deputy." You couldn''t do that. How did hee up with this idea? but. "Oh, it''s not. There''s no way there''s a problem. If it''s the director''s will, of course, he will do that." The head of the fourth division could not speak his mind straight away. Casting is entirely the authority of the director. I don''t know what kind of punishment I''ll get if I vite that authority. [If you don''t have anything else to say, I''ll hang up now] At the end of the call, the 4th chief''s reason also began to go crazy. "X-ball! You crazy old man. Very much lifted and let go of my actor, you''re ying with it!!" It was so intense that the car in the driving was a little rattled. The 4th chief, who had been expressing anger for a long time, urgently called somewhere. [Hello?] "Oh, reporter Ko Seoyoung! I''m Kim Hyungbin. Haha, it''s been a while since I contacted you. "How have you been?" As if it was a lie to say a little while ago, the 4th chief said calmly. [Yes, I''ve been well]. [But why did you call me?] "Oh, do we have to call each other if something happens between us? People who cheer up to live well together." [Laughing]. That''s true.] After a small greeting, the 4th chief talked about the body. "Reporter Ko. "You''ve been writing a lot of articles about OS Entertainment. Do you know the actors well?" [OS Enter?]? Oh. Yes, well. I know it well.] Unlike so far, Ko Seoyoung said boldly. Like someone who hides something. It was a little strange, but it wasn''t something to worry about, so the 4th chief continued. "Do you know Kang Jinseok well?" [Kang Jinseok]. Yes, a little bit.] "Good. We have a deal." [Really?] "Yes, anything is fine, so please tell us about the scandal about actor Kang Jinseok. Then I''ll tell you some interesting stories about actors from other agencies. What do you think?" an exchange of information. It was something that the 4th chief often did with other reporters as well as Ko Seoyoung. Naturally, with that information, the 4th chief has crashed the other actor. It is good for Ko Seoyoung, a reporter and a journalist, to know a lot of "information," so the 4th chief was confident that Ko Seoyoung would not reject his request. [Yes]. Chief.] However, contrary to expectations, Ko Seoyoung opened his mouth it was awkward. [That''s going to be hard] Chapter 97 Chapter 97 "Haha. No, reporter Ko. Why is he acting so strict? Let''s help each other." Of course, this was not the answer that the 4th chief wanted. In response to Ko Seoyoung''s unexpected words, the 4th chief said with a smile. "Come on, don''t do that. First, listen to my story. You know Park Ho Eun, right? Unism Entertainment is pushing these days. While the 4th chief was talking, Ko Seoyoung cut off the words firmly. [I''m sorry, manager]. I do know about other actors, but it''s hard to give you information about actor Kang Jinseok. He''s such a clean person that I don''t have the information to give you.] Ko Seoyoung added in a cautious voice. [And it''s better that you don''t touch Kang Jinseok]. The manager is out of the ordinary. [This is advice because it''s between us, just like the manager said] What, what? What''s wrong with the manager. [Then I''ll hang up now]. I''m kind of busy.] "Now, wait a minute. Reporter Ko Seoyoung! No, journalist Ko!" The 4th chief urgently called Ko Seoyoung, but the call had already been cut off. The 4th chief made a big impression. "It''s better not to touch Kang Jinseok?" If it came out of someone else''s mouth, I might have just spilled it. However, the 4th chief could not pass it in vain because it was said by the entertainment industry''s Madangbal, "Ko Seoyoung." "But I can''t stay still." I don''t know why, but I was very confident and anxious that Jinseok should not be allowed to audition. However, this weekend was Kang Jinseok''s audition, so I didn''t have enough time to do something now. "Oh, my God Something''s going wrong." Team leader Woo, who was watching from the side, carefully opened his mouth. "Team leader, what''s wrong? Is there anything I can do. "Do you think everything''s okay?" The head of the 4th division opened his axed eyes and said to Team Leader Woo. "Just drive. Don''t annoy me." Yes." Team leader Woo had no choice but to just nod at the words of the four chiefs who were hurting his pride. *** "This is really thest chance." I''ve been really busy thest few days for today. Kim''s warehouse returned billions to the original owners, and he prepared for auditions by reducing his sleep. As if topensate for such hardships, the weather was really clear today. After looking outside for a while, I remembered today''s audition. It was a precious opportunity not toe again, so I was fully prepared. Even if I can''t be possessed, I won''t regret it even if I fail to audition. "Whoa. I sighed to relieve my tension. "Are you nervous, actor?" Jang Sunho, who was driving quietly in front of me, asked after he heard my sigh. "Yes, I''m a bit nervous, to be honest. Maybe it''s because it''s an audition that I messed up once LOL." "Don''t worry too much. I''m sure the actor will do well." Jang Sunho looked directly at me in the rear mirror and said. Jang Sunho''s expression through the mirror didn''t seem to worry at all. "Thank you." He bowed slightly to Jang Sunho thanked him, and turned his eyes out of the window. I''m telling you, it''s the weather I want to go anywhere to y. While watching the dazzling sky without hesitation, Jang Sunho pointed at someone and said. "Director Yeo Jaeyoon is here." When I saw where Jang Sunho pointed out, director Yeo Jaeyoon was in front of the gate. Jang Sunho said, slowing down the speed of the car near Director Yeo Jaeyoon. "Actor, please get off first. I''ll park and go in." "Yes." After answering lightly, I took a deep breath again. "Whoa". Let''s go.'' As soon as he got out of the car, he bowed to director Yeo Jaeyoon. "Hello, director! I''ve just arrived. Thank you so much for taking time out of this weekend!" "Thank you. What''s left for me is time. Then, Let''s go in." "Yes!" He entered the gate after director Yeo Jaeyoon, who smiled sadly. As the gate opens, you can see a cute garden hidden behind a grand door. I crossed the garden and arrived at the door. When director Yeo Jaeyoon opened the house, someone was seen with a clear bell ringing. It''s Yeo Hyemin in a white dress. I don''t know why women are wearing something like that at home, but it was a little strange to be wearing something close to an outing. But the quizzes didn''tst long. The white dress looked so good on her, it looked morefortable than any other clothes. "Hello, it''s been a long time since I saw you." Nodding. Yeo Hyemin nodded half a beatte and left without saying anything. She could have just said a casual hello Come to think of it, she didn''t say anything when we metst time. I wondered if I had made a mistake, but I didn''t make any particr mistake. I thought my personality was taciturn, and I decided not to care anymore. "Actor Kang. You''re going to audition in my study that we tookst time. Is that all right?" Director Yeo Jaeyoon, who was watching us, said. Just as it is convenient to take the audition where you auditionst time. It was wee for me to audition again in the study room where I had acted once. "Anywhere is fine with me." "I see. Okay, then. Would you like more time? Or can we go audition right now? "Yes, I think I can do it right now." I didn''t think it would be good to drag it out for a long time. Rather than being nervous and rxing, it would be better to audition even for a second. Actor!" It was then. Jang Sunho hurriedly opened the door and called me. He looks a little rough to breathe, maybe it''s running from the parking lot. He looked straight at me and spoke forcefully, as he did in the car earlier. "You will do well." *** You two must be quite on good terms.'' As Yeo Jaeyoon took Jinseok to his study, he recalled a conversation between Jinseok and Jang Sunho a while ago. Yeo Jaeyoon, who has seen many actors and managers, could guess the rtionship between the actor and the manager with just a short conversation. And Jinseok and Jang Sunho, whom Yeo Jaeyoon saw, seemed to get along quite well. I can say that I feel a strong trust in each other. "In order to have a good rtionship between an actor and a manager, you must have a good actor personality." The rumors about actor Kang Jinseok must have been real.'' Yeo Jaeyoon recalled Oh Sihoon, who auditioned a few days ago, and was the head of the 4th office. Oh Sihoon, who is drunk on his own pride, and the 4th manager who forcibly takes such an actor. They''ll definitely be different from them.'' Leaving behind his thoughtful thoughts, Yeo Jaeyoon guided Jinseok into the study room. It was a familiar study room that had been used for decades. In it, Yeo Hyemin came in before him and sat down. Yeo Hyemin had a nk look as if she didn''t care much about Jinseok. However, Yeo Jaeyoon could see that sometimes Jinseok was looking sideways. She seemed to be into "The Way They Chose"te these days. Did you end up being a fan of him?'' As a father, I felt ufortable for some reason. It seemed that Jinseok''s were about to turn into an inconvenience. "Hmmm." After a small cough, Yeo Jaeyoon sat next to Yeo Hyemin in her seat. "Then, start as soon as you''re ready. For the audition, as in the first round, you can y the scene that you are most confident in." Yeo Jaeyoon, holding his chin while holding his fingers, looked through Jinseok. Jinseok had a stiff standing posture and a stiff expression. If you express it, it feels like a mannequin. I think he was quite nervous at the first audition. Is it the same again this time?'' The rigid Jinseok reminded Yeo Jaeyoon of Jinseok''s first audition. Jinseok''s first audition, where he was so nervous that he even broke out in a cold sweat. That time, Jinseok took a long time to start acting again this time, but it was also a nervous moment for Yeo Jaeyoon, who was waiting for Jinseok''s performance. Every minute and second passes, there is a lot of tension. "Hmm. Can''t you ovee the pressure?'' Yeo Jaeyoon was a little, no, quite disappointed. This is because an actor who could outperform another actor just by showing half of his acting skills so far was not at a loss. In addition, Jinseok was an actor whom Yeo Jaeyoon wanted to work with at least once. But such an actor was nervous at his audition. He was so sad and disappointed. Maybe, between me and Kang Jinseok, we can''t work together.'' I looked at my daughter sitting next to me, immersed in heavy thoughts. I can see a white hand holding the hem tightly than the dress ced under the desk. From the minute shaking of the hand, Yeo Jaeyoon could see his daughter cheering for Jinseok. Despite such support, Jinseok still stood still with a nervous look, and the silence continued. "Well. Yeo Jaeyoon breathed a light sigh through his nose and looked at the clock behind Jinseok. Surprisingly, less than a minute has passed since Jinseok''s audition began. I thought it had been quite a while Am I nervous too?'' then. "Here we go, director." Jinseok broke the silence with a light voice. At that voice, Yeo Jaeyoon, who was looking at the clock, looked at Jinseok. Yes, this is it. This is Kang Jinseok.'' And Jinseok was smiling as if his hesitation just before was a dream. Yeo Jaeyoon''s deadly smile could only be expressed in glo, softening everyone''s boundaries and seducing anyone. It''s different from then.'' Yeo Jaeyoon raised the tail of his mouth slightly as if he were satisfied. Then, the moment he tried to circle Jinseok''s name with a pencil. Suddenly there was a strange sense of alienation. ? Yeo Jaeyoon raised his head and slowly looked at Jinseok again. I still see a perfect smile. I''m telling you, like he was nervous earlier was it a LIE. The stiff expression he showed before acting. "Was that also acting?" If Jinseok had such a smile as soon as he started auditioning, he would not have admired this much. However, the nervous expression and awkwardness he showed before he started acting made his smile stand out even more now. And if Jinseok even calcted that, isn''t this a real fraud? When Yeo Jaeyoon looked at Jinseok while swallowing dry saliva. "My name is Song Trust." Jinseok said with the most perfect smile in the world. AND "I''m a fraud." Chapter 98 Chapter 98 "Then, start as soon as you''re ready. For the audition, as in the first round, you can y the scene that you are most confident in." Director Yeo Jaeyoon said, but he couldn''t start acting immediately. It was because I felt restless because I remembered the failure I had at my first audition. Let''s not think about useless things. I''m just doing what I can.'' When I calmly organized my mind, the script of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" came to mind. From the scene where the "representative" is asked by a con artist to open up his daughter''s heart to the scene where the con artist bes sincere to his daughter and falls in love. These are all scenes that were analyzed underlined in the script. Among them, the scene I prepared for this audition is the first time that a "representative" and "genius con artist" meet. An important scene is the introduction of the work which makes the audience immerse themselves in the work. The point of this scene is that you have to y a fraudster with confidence and wit who is not intimidated in front of a representative who has gone through a lot of pre-natal warfare. "Let''s get started." The moment I slowly close my eyes, breathe in slowly and slowly recite the lines. "This is! The memory of Kim Faith began toe to mind. *** a room that is more splendid than a suite in a luxury hotel. The subtle scent of flowers added luxury. There, Kim Mi-seong and an old man of sturdy build sat face to face. "Are you trusting Kim?" "If you''re talking about someone who''s been charged with 27 frauds and has been cleared of all charges, I''m right." The old man opened his eyes slightly wide at Kim''s confident voice. The expression reveals a subtle sense of satisfaction, saying, "Look at this guy." On the other hand, the guards standing around the old man stared at him fiercely to see if he didn''t like Kim''s attitude. "Wow, but the house is really nice. How much is a house like this? 8 billion? 10 billion "Well, I think you can buy enough with the money you''ve saved." "No way. I only have 400,000 won in my bank ount." Kim Faith shook with excitement. Then, with a rxed gesture, he said, drinking tea on the table. "So, why did the chairman call me himself? I''m busy even though I''m like this." "It''s not a big deal. I just asked you to return my wife''s secret money'' that you took." The old man said, looking straight at Kim Faith. The look contained a clear warning. A warning containing the spirit of an old man who went through all the hardships of life. "You''re good at joking. You called me for a "non-payment" of your wife who''s in the middle of a divorcewsuit? That can''t happen in Daemyungcheonji." "You have other reasons than that. I knew everything." Kim Faith was still rxed. The old man stared at the belief in Kim. It''s an intense look that a criminal can''t easily pass, but Kim''s expression has not changed at all. In the end, the old man smiled and nodded. "He can''t be beaten. By the way, who told you that I was suing for divorce from my wife? It''s something that very few people know." "That''s my trade secret, so I can''t tell you." . "Let''s talk about business sooner than that. Isn''t the real reason why you called me because of your pretty daughter?" Kim Faith leaned on the sofa and spoke in an arrogant manner. The old man stared at him and gave him his ears. "I think you know everything, so I''ll say it straightforwardly. My daughter suffers from interpersonal aversion. I''ve improved a lot thanks to the doctors, but she still can''t speak." "The doctors said that the reason my daughter can''t speak'' is there''s no one to open up.'' That''s why I called you. You who have opened and stolen thousands of hearts." "Open my daughter''s heart." The old man continued to add in a serious voice. "The deadline is until we meet in six months." Until then, please put my daughter at a level where she can talk to others." "It''s six months. What about the pay?" "For you, money is not attractive as a remuneration. You present it to me." "Well. I can''t think of anything right now. Just give me a nk check. You''ll listen to what I wantter." "It''s not bad." The old man nodded and said to the bodyguard next to him, "Get me the contract." Faith Kim raised his hand and restrained the bodyguard. "Oh, the contract is done. An appointment is enough. The chairman is not the one to break his promise." . "I''m more curious than that. Can you tell me?" "Tell me." "I heard that the CEO, unlike your wife, really cares for your daughter, so why are you asking me to do it? Doesn''t the CEO think of someone like me as a bug? The CEO of "Lee Bong-seok" that I know It''s a person." The old man was impressed by Kim''s words. The faint wrinkles on the forehead were noticeably visible. Whether something touched the old man''s anger switch, somehow the feelings he had been holding back were eventually revealed. The old man growled in a heavy voice. "That''s right. I think people like you are no better than bugs. But if even such a man could help my daughter, I could keep my head down as much as I wanted." . "I didn''t ask a bug because I didn''t love my daughter, but I loved my daughter so I could ask a bug. Do you understand?" The old man''s heavy voice seemed to frustrate the air. However, again this time, Kim Faith did not even change a minute expression. "Well, I see. Anyway, that''s an interesting thing. It''s a pretty big challenge for me, too, to work on my social phobia. Is that all you have to say?" "Not yet. There are three conditions to this request." "Conditions?" "Yes. First, don''t tell anyone what I asked you to do. Second, periodically report directly to me." . "And finally, always identify the subject. All I want is a key to open the tightly closed heart of my daughter, not a worm-like son-inw." The old man''s words put Kim Faith in deep thought this time. For a moment, he said calmly as if there was still no problem. "It''s good. I can do that for you." "I like one cool personality. Then let''s hear the n first. What are you going to do?" When the old man asked for the "n," Kim Faith was in trouble again. However, it didn''t take too long to open the mouth again this time. "First of all, I have to investigate the person I need to work on''. You have to prepare thoroughly step by step so that there is no failure." "If it''s a survey Are you going to do my daughter''s background check?" "Yes, but please say pre-investigation'' rather than background investigation." . "I''ll contact you when I''m ready. Then I''ll get up first because I think I''ll be busy." Kim Mi-seong took a leisurely time to empty the teacup and got up from his seat. Several bodyguards continued to shoot him at Kim''s gentle voice and attitude. Whether such a fierce look triggered Kim''s mischief, he even winked at some of the bodyguards who were staring at him, saying, "Good work." The moment you try to go outside after some of the bodyguards. The old man brought up Kim Faith. "Wait. Can I ask you a question?" "Yes, well. As much as you want." "Now, are you confident of getting my daughter to speak in six months? No, even if I am confident, how can I trust you?" Faith Kim smiled slightly at the old man''s words. As if I had expected this question. Faith Kim slowly turned around and looked at the old man. Confident and confident, and at the same time said with a soft smile''. "I''m a con artist. I''m someone you can''t trust, but you can''t help but trust me. So just feel free to believe it. You called me anyway, and I was the only one who you believed that can help your daughter, right You''re right. All right, I''ll trust you." After the old man''sst words, his vision came back. It was a rtively short act, but I got everything I needed. Without realizing it, a faint smile rose on my face. It was because I felt so rxed as if I was lying about preparing for acting until a while ago. He lowered his chin slightly and looked straight at Yeo Jaeyoon. His gaze is directed somewhere behind me, not me. Said to bring his focus back. "Here we go, director." I could see director Yeo Jaeyoon''s eyes rushing back to me. I can see his face, which had been a little stiff until a while ago, unraveled as if relieved. I started to recite the lines I had prepared. "My name is Song Trust. I''m a con artist." *** Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s living room. "Whoa. Jang Sunho is walking around the living room with his arms folded. The people will be virtuous when they see him like that. "Is that Kang Jinseok''s actor-manager?" "Yes, but he looks much warmer than what I saw in the picture. "If you look at the picture with actor Kang Jinseok, he looks very ugly." "That''s probably because he''s next to actor Kang Jinseok. But why is he look so restless?" "I''m not sure. Is it because he''s worried about Kang Jinseok''s audition?" "Other managers don''t go that far." Jang Sunho knew that the people were whispering to him. But it didn''t really bother me. Jang Sunho is also busy caring about Jinseok. "How is it going?" I''m sure you did a good job, right At that time, I heard the sound of pulling slippers in the hallway near the study hall. Jang Sunho turned his head reflexively. Jinseok and Yeo Jaeyoon are seen. Fortunately, their expressions were bright. "Audition". It must have gone well.'' I felt as if the heavy stone on my chest had disappeared. However, Jang Sunho approached Jinseok without showing such a thing. "Thank you for your hard work." Jang Sunho speaks with no expression as if he isn''t worried or worried at all. Unlike Jang Sunho, Jinseok honestly said with joy. "Oh, yes. You''ve waited a long time!" Listening to Jinseok''s bright expression and voice, Jang Sunho''s expressionless expression almost copsed. I thought about congratting him honestly, but I decided to refrain from doing so because I was afraid that people around me would look like I was out of arms. Yeo Jaeyoon stood next to those two and said. "You auditioned really well today. I''ll get in touch with you sooner orter." Although he did not say clearly that he passed, I could feel that Jinseok captured his heart from Yeo Jaeyoon''s expression and voice. Yeo Jaeyoon added while Jang Sunho looked at Jinseok as if he was proud. "By the way, actor Kang. I''m serious about what you asked me earlier. Think carefully and tell me." "Oh. Yes, haha. Jinseok scratched his cheek with an embarrassing smile at Yeo Jaeyoon''s words. Jang Sunho asked as if he was curious about Jinseok''s reaction, which seemed a little embarrassed. "Director, what do you think you asked me earlier?" "Oh, it''s nothing." Yeo Jaeyoon talks as if it''s really nothing. However, the words destroyed Jang Sunho''s expressionless expression. "I just asked actor Kang Jinseok to take good care of my daughter." Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Please take good care of your daughter. Yeo Jaeyoon''s words were literally bomb remarks''. Not only Jang Sunho but also the people who were listening to the story slowly opened their mouths. Some sober people looked at Jinseok. What does Yeo Jaeyoon mean? With their eyes demanding an exnation. Jinseok, who felt the hot gaze around him, waved his hand and said. "Well, that''s not what he means. Director, I think everyone will misunderstand if you say that." Even Jinseok''s words only intensified the eyes around him. The question "What is it if it doesn''t mean that?" goes around in the air. When Jinseok was embarrassed, Yeo Jaeyoon said with a nice smile. "Oh, it''s nothing else, but I asked you to get along with Hyemin if we shoot this work together. If Hyemin bes an actress in the future, we need someone we can trust, but I think Jinseok is a reliable person as a colleague." Yeo Jaeyoon''s words gradually cooled down the hot gaze toward Jinseok. However, Jang Sunho asked in a somewhat trembling voice whether he was still confused. "Go, director. That means Are you saying that you''re going to use our actor for this work?" "We need to hear Hyemin''s evaluation, but I do. Oh, but you shouldn''t talk to the media before me. You know, right "Yes, of course. Of course, I know." Jang Sunho nodded. He also had no hesitation because he figured out what kind of person he was while investigating director Yeo Jaeyoon. "You didn''t even eatst time, did you? The time is ambiguous, but please bring something with you today. The guest I came home to is at least a person who should be fed and sent." At Yeo Jaeyoon''s rmendation, Jinseok asked for permission while looking at Jang Sunho''s attention. Jang Sunho nodded slightly to mean that he was okay. "Then excuse me. Director." *** SKC Broadcasting Station''s representative entertainment, conference room. PD, writers, and staff gathered to watch the edited version of "The Talk Show Park Hayeon, Ha Minah." The image from the beam projector is reflected on arge screen, and the voice flows out. -Ha Minah, don''t you want to act? When the host asked, Ha Minah''s face was slightly close-up. In a moment, she seemed to be agonizing over something and slowly opened her mouth. Me too Well, actually, there''s someone that Hayeon contacted before auditioning for "The Way They Chose". I didn''t hear it exactly, but I think she was trying to get some help with the audition. I don''t think it will be easy to act because I don''t have the connections to help me audition like Hayeon. So I''ll stick to my main job first, and I''ll try itter if I have a chance. As soon as Ha Minah finished speaking, the faces of Park Hayeon and Ha Minah were seen in two shots on the screen. Ha Minah continues to look rxed, but Park Hayeon''s expression shows awkwardness. The host asked, leaning toward Ha Minah, as if interesting. What do you mean, get help from the audition? To whom? Actor Kang Jinseok. Hayeon asked him before the audition. Help her pass the audition. If you called him to help me pass the audition Didn''t you ask me to teach you how to act? Rather than asking you to teach me how to act, it felt a little different. How did it feel, Hayeon? Ha Minah''s words made Park Hayeon look even worse. As if to emphasize that, Park Hayeon''s face appears alone on the screen. Beep! The PD stopped the video that had been ying nervously for a long time. Then he looked around and asked. "Are you going to go like this?" When the PD asked around, the team members avoided the PD''s gaze. Everyone seems to feel awkward, but they don''t look confident. "You''re asking if I''m going to go like this!" The main writer, who was eventually sitting opposite the PD, raised his hand carefully and said, following the PD''s continuous ascension. "Mr. PD, why don''t you take a look at thetter part and make a decision?"? "You''ve already watched it 10 more times. You''re watching it again? All right, let''s see." As if to be a producer, he said, "Do what you want," and then yed the video. Park Hayeon stared at Ha Minah, who said, "Do you want to talk?" I don''t know what kind of emotion the eyes contain, but what was certain was that it wasn''t afortable feeling. -I contacted Kang Jinseok before auditioning for "The Way They Chose". I asked him to use his connections to get into the work. Since he''s the main character, he said that''s impossible. Kang Jinseok refused right away. I also worked hard to prepare and conduct an additional audition. I hope this doesn''t hurt Kang Jinseok. The PD stopped the video again. Then he said with a sigh. "Do you need to see more?" There isn''t, right? After this came out, the atmosphere in the studio was like a gopchang and we were filming it." Everyone in the conference room nodded at the PD''s words. Because everyone knew how the recording went at that time. It was a really fun recording until Ha Minah opened the "Park Hayeon Audition Story." However, after Ha Minah''s remarks, Park Hayeon couldn''t concentrate properly on the recording, and only Ha Minah was excited and chatted. The problem is that even that was so no fun'' that there was nothing to save. Eventually, we tried to shoot again from the beginning, but the re-shooting was not done properly because of the broken atmosphere. One of the staff, who seemed to have quite a bit of experience, said, scratching his head roughly. "Why did Ha Minah bring up such a thing? By the way, Park Hayeon, why do you take something so seriously that you can justugh it off? Should I do a broadcast once or twice? Ugh. "Hey, it''s better to exin right away like that. If we talk about something elseter, it''ll be moreplicated for Park Hayeon and us. And looking at Ha Minah talking, if Park Hayeon hadn''t said that first, she would have kept biting her tail." The staff sighed again at the PD''s words, then folded their arms and closed their eyes. "I. A moment''s silence. Kwak Doyeon, the youngest staff member who was sitting at the edge of the conference room through the silence, raised his hand and said. "What? If you have something to say, don''t hold back and say it quickly." "Yes." The staff fiddled with his long straight hair and carefully talked about his thoughts. "These days, "The Way They Chose" is going so well that it would be quite controversial if it goes on air like this." "Everyone here knows that. So is there a solution?" "Why don''t we just blow thest part of the show rather than broadcasting the content that''s going to be a problem?" The producer sighed at Kwak Doyeon''s words. "Hey, if you air this, you''ll do an hour and a half broadcast for 30 minutes?" "What about ying the national anthem for the other hour?" The PD, who criticized Kwak Doyeon with a sharp voice, sighed and turned his eyes to the other staff. "Hey! Don''t stay still like a honeyed mute, say something. Whatever you say is good." It wasn''t for the person who shot back at the youngest just a while ago, but the situation was frustrating enough to say this. "I. But then. Kwak Doyeon, who was scolded by the producer a while ago, raised his hand again. The producer frowned and pointed at him with his chin and said. "What, why again?" "What I was going to say earlier was that I was going to ask you what it would be like to send another cast member to the show. As if we are doing broadcasts in parts 1 and 2, I don''t think the flow will be significantly different if we recruit performers rted to Park Hayeon and Ha Minah." Kwak Doyeon''s words made the conference room buzz. "Let''s invite another cast member?" "It certainly seems like there is no answer in the filming right now, so it seems like a good way. "But isn''t time too short? To record and edit. "More than that, who is a celebrity rted to Park Hayeon and Ha Minah? Red-Liz member? I don''t want to bring them." Crack it! "Hey, everyone, be quiet!" The producer knocked on the desk shouted out loud and asked Kwak Doyeon. "Park Hayeon and Ha Minah, who''s the cast that wouldn''t be weird if you put it in the back right away? There must be someone who thought because you said it." "That''s. It''s Kang Jinseok." The youngest spoke carefully while blurring his back. "As you all know, there was an article about a picture taken with Park Hayeon and Ha Minah at the ballpark in the past, right? Kang Jinseok and Park Hayeon are close enough to appear in "Yeonyan Diary" together. While Kwak Doyeon was talking, the producer cut off his speech in a voice full of irritation. "Hey, how can we cast Kang Jinseok? we have to start recording tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at thetest. "Do you know actor Kang Jinseok?" . "And let''s say you can cast him. You''re going to use Kang Jinseok for only 30 minutes? Bring up something that is more realistic." The producer spoke roughly and gulped down the water. I felt the PD was very frustrated with that behavior. It may be discouraging from the continued criticism, but Kwak Doyeon said firmly. "I don''t know well, but my father knows actor Kang Jinseok well." Phew! The producer who was drinking water slightly spewed water at Kwak Doyeon''s words. It''s an impressionable mistake and, excuse me, no one in the conference room cared. "I''m sorry. The atmosphere was so bad that I told them I shouldn''t have stepped up. "Oh, no! You brought it up well. As expected, our youngest, I like it. I didn''t think you were a normal person when I first saw you. You have a great father." The producer asked in a trembling voice while rambling. "But you know Kang Jinseok personally?" What does your father do?" Kwak Doyeon carefully took out his cell phone showed it to the producer and said. "He''s the working leader of the Seongsu Warehouse." Chapter 100 Chapter 100 "Ah! Actor Kang Jinseok said he was the one who let hime this far?!" "He was among the top three actors in the eptance speech of the acting grand prize." "He. No, he''s the youngest father The staff nced at Kwak Doyeon and threw a word at each other. "Come on, be quiet!" After silencing the noisy conference room again, the producer calmly told the youngest. "Certainly. I think they''re quite close enough to mention it separately in the awards speech." "Yes, Kang Jinseok once came to our home. "He came to your home? "Yes. At that time, I thought he was just a very handsome brother". I didn''t expect it to go this well. "Doyeon, if you cast Kang Jinseok. Jinseok came to Kwak Doyeon''s house to take the drunk ss president back after thepany dinner, but he didn''t even mention that. "I buy beef with my personal card. A bold pledge by a veteran producer who is famous for not buying coffee. Kwak Doyeon scratched his nose with a dazed hand gesture at the PD''s voice, which was added with seriousness and expectation. "Then first of all Should I contact my father?" *** After returning home after eating with director Yeo Jaeyoon, I cleaned every corner of the house. In my mind, the audition would have ended, I wanted to postpone it to tomorrow, but I couldn''t. In a little while, I''ll have a visitor at my house for the first time. "Whoa. This should be enough. I turned off the vacuum cleaner, which got hot from inhaling the dust for a long time, and looked around. Wouldn''t this be a clean house for a man living alone? When I was looking around the clean house satisfactorily, someone rang the bell. The time is 5:30. It''s exactly the time we promised. I put the vacuum cleaner on the floor and immediately checked the inte. As expected, the guys are pushing their faces into the inte camera. Bad faces but so heartwarming to me. They are warehouse part-timers. "Are you here?" "Oh! Yes, Jinseok. It''s here!" "Oh! Park Chunsam! Don''t push me!" Pushing the ss president who was standing in the front, Park Chunsam was the first to enter the house. The ss president, who lost the first ce, shouted, but of course, Mr. Park Chunsam spoke confidently without paying a little attention. "Wow, but the house is nice! Is it different because it''s the house of Wald Star? "I''m not a wald star, I''m a world star, you ignorant punk." "Whether it''s a world or a wald, it just needs to be meaningful. "Then can I call you Mojiri?" "Why?" "Park Chunsam or Moji, the meaning works. "You''re so mean. The old men''s talk for the first time in a long time made meugh without realizing it. It''s been a while since I''ve seen them, but they''re still the same. After they stormed in, Jang Sunho, who guided the men, came in thest. "Manager, you must be tired from taking me to audition in the morning, but I''m sorry to ask you to do this. "No, thank you for inviting me to the housewarming party. As Jang Sunho said, the reason why the men and Jang Sunho visited the house today was because of the " Housewarming Party.." It''s been a while since I moved in, so it''s a littlete to have a housewarming party, but I still wanted to invite the men at least once. I invited Jang Sunho because I thought it would be good to join the party, and he epted it with joy. While I was greeting Jang Sunho, the men all scattered around and started looking around the house. "The house is really nice!" "Kya, Jinseok really seeded." "Wow, look at the bathroom. It''s no joke? I think it''ll be enough to stack the people who will die after drinking today." "There''s not much furniture. Is this "Animal Life" that''s been on TV a lot these days? "It''s not Animal'', it''s Minimal Life''. You''re a genius. There were a lot of questions around, but first, I took a lot of drinks out of the refrigerator and handed them to the men. "You must have had a hard timeing, so eat this first. But what did you buy so much? I told you not to buy anything because you have everything you need. "If the house is here, of course, I should buy a present. By the way. The ss president looked around and said. "Did anyonee here?" "What? No, why? "It''s too clean for a man''s house. Did someone elsee and clean it? The men''s attention was drawn to the president''s words. "That''s true. "As far as I can see with 25 years of experience, this is definitely the house where a woman came. Otherwise, if a man lives alone, there''s no reason to clean the house. "I''m a former detective, and I admit it. Hey, look through the floor. Maybe there''s a long hair. The criminal always leaves evidence. Iughed in vain at the start. "There''s no woman, no one else came here." "Suspects all say that at first. Never met, never talked on the phone. And then when the evidencees out. Uncle Park Chunsam said in a solemn voice that didn''t suit him. Leaving them behind, Iid out arge table in the living room that had been taken out in advance. The men are searching for traces of a woman who can''t be around for a long time. The men who had been scouring the floor for more than 10 minutes fell on the sofa and said. "Wow, there isn''t. He really doesn''t have any. "Kang Jinseok is a thorough child. You''ve got rid of all the evidence. "I''m sure there''s no evidence." The men, led by Uncle Park Chunsam, shook their heads as if they were sorry. "I cleaned because you guys wereing today. Stop having strange doubts and have a drink." A smallmotion passed, and a full-fledged housewarming began. And naturally, our topic became the dinner menu''. "Let''s eat jokbal. Pigs'' feet." "Eat off your feet. Chinese restaurants are the basis of housewarming parties. "Pork back-bone stew is delivered. Can''t you cook it and eat it? "What about drinks?" "Oh, I filled the refrigerator with alcohol in advance. "Soju?" "By type. "Jinseok, you had a n, didn''t you? In the end, we failed to unify the menu, so we decided to order what we wanted to eat, and we decided to get it as soon as it was delivered. Soon after, the living room was lined with various dishes. "Now, cheers to Jinseok''s new house! Let''s y quietly so that there''s no noise between floors! A drinking party that started with the introduction of the ss president. While having such a good time for such a long time, Mr. Kim pointed to the phone in front of the ss president. "Hey, he gets a call? "Hmm? You''re right. Who''s at this hour. Frowning as if his eyes were gloomy, the ss president struggled to stare at his cell phone. Then, suddenly, he shook his hand and shouted in a hurry. "Hey! Hey!! Everyone, be quiet! My Son''s calling! The ss president''s made the surroundings quiet, not to mention who said it first. Kwak Doyeon, the son of the ss president, was one of the few people the ss president was afraid of. And he hated the ss president drinking alcohol extremely much. The house went quiet in an instant. Men who didn''t normally fit in well were in good harmony at times like this. "Uh, son. Why?" It seemed that he tried not to show that he had drunk as much as possible, but the sound from the tip of his tongue was awkward, perhaps because he had already drunk quite a lot. "What, alcohol? Oh, no! Dad doesn''t drink. I have to go to work tomorrow, I can''t drink. Dad''s not that kind of person." You got caught. I couldn''t hear the call, but I could quickly notice it in the ss president''s words. Say you''re drinking with me.'' I often became an excuse for the ss president because his son took it into ount when he was drinking with me. "It''s not because Dad wanted to drink, but because of Jinseok''s housewarming party, I had no choice but to just have a beer." As expected. "What? Are you really with Jinseok? Oh, of course! It''s true? Do you want me to hand him the phone? All right!" The voice of the ss president, who had been crawling on the floor a little while ago, suddenly became confident, and suddenly gave me his cell phone and said. "Hey, Jinseok. Please say a word." "What? Oh, yes." I often defended the ss president in the past, so I wasn''t so embarrassed. He said after clearing his throat by looking at the name "Son" on the screen. "Hmmm. Hello, Doyeon, I''m Kang Jinseok. I''m sorry. Because of my housewarming party, the ss president. [Is it really Kang Jinseok?]] [Wow].] [Everyone, be quiet!] Perhaps it was a speakerphone, the surrounding reaction came to the mobile phone. I was blindfolded because I didn''t know what to do, but I heard my name from beyond my cell phone. [Hello, Kang Jinseok]. I''m Kwak Doyeon. Remember What are you doing?] "Yes, of course. But are there other people around you?" [Yes]. Actually, I''m in the SKC team, and they''re the ones.] " You''re the staff of The Talk Show?" I woke up in a moment when I didn''t even get very drunk. Of course, I thought of him as a friends, but I can''t believe his a broadcasting staff. Surprised, his voice rose without realizing it. I didn''t do anything wrong, but I felt like I had to change my posture, so I gathered my knees and sat politely. Jang Sunho, who was on the opposite side, was sitting next to me and concentrating on the call. [Yes]. I''m sorry. I didn''t know you all this time.] "Oh, it''s not. That''s okay, but? [That''s]. [I wanted to ask if you could appear on our show] "Appearance?" [Yes]. Tomorrow morning, we will officially include an offer to appear on OS Entertainment, but we are in a hurry. In fact.] Kwak Doyeon exined the current situation quite long. To sum up, We have a problem with the broadcast that we have to go out next week right now, and your appearance will solve everything.'' [It''s hard to tell you the details over the phone]. I think we should talk about it during the meeting between the managers. But I called you because I wanted to tell you that we''re in a real hurry.] While wondering what to answer, Jang Sunho quietly told me. "Actor, may I take the call?" "Oh, yes. That would be better." After answering Jang Sunho briefly, he handed over the phone. Jang Sunho took over the cell phone and spoke calmly. "I''m Kang Jinseok''s manager, Jang Sunho." *** SKC Broadcasting Station conference room, well after 1 a.m. The PD, some staff, and Jang Sunho were having a meeting. It waste, but no one showed signs of tiredness. What we want to ask you to do is that actor Kang Jinseok will appear and add what Park Hayeon said. I thought it would be quite noisy if the show went on like this." The PD spoke to Jang Sunho, who was sitting at the opposite desk. Jang Sunho responded by staring at "The Talk Show Park Hayeon, Ha Minah''s episode" on the screen. "Definitely, I think this will be a problem if it goes on air. It''s obvious that Park Hayeon received preferential treatment for auditions through actor Kang Jinseok." Jang Sunho spoke calmly, but he was in a bit of deep agony. "If the show goes on like that, Park Hayeon will be second to none, and it might hurt the actress as well." Due to Jinseok''s personality, Park Hayeon could not be given preferential treatment through personal friendship. In the beginning, Jinseok didn''t like Park Hayeon even before filming "The Way They Chose". However, it was clear that the media and the public would not believe it. I''m sure they''re talking freely about their open mouths. The best way Is not to aired at all. But that would be practically impossible.'' If it didn''t matter to Jinseok, Jang Sunho would have rejected the offer to appear on The Talk Show at once. Of course, "The Talk Show" is a good program, but Jinseok''s value is not low enough to appear in a hurry. However, Jang Sunho, who judged that this could be a problem for Jinseok, looked at PD. "Mr. PD." "Yes, go ahead." "Honestly, we''re not very happy that our artist is mentioned on the show without discussing it in advance. It''s not a good story either, even more so because it''s about this." . "But I think it''s hard to ask you to edit it altogether. Right?" As a producer, it was upsetting for a manager to say this to him. But at thiste hour, he could not make such a point to anyone who hade running for them. And most of all, Jang Sunho''s momentum was not easy. "That''s right." When the PD nodded, Jang Sunho immediately said. "The water was spilled anyway, and if you leave it unattended, it will also damage actor Kang Jinseok." So. I think it''s important to make sure that the story about Park Hayeon''s audition doesn''t be an issue." "Yes. That''s why we want to invite actor Kang Jinseok. That way, it will be blurred before it bes controversial." Jang Sunho shook his head at the PD''s words. "No. If you exin these issues, the problem grows as soon as you exin them." "Well. The PD took a deep breath at Jang Sunho''s firm words. To be honest, even as a producer, I thought so at first nce. "You''re right. But. There''s no other way. Unfortunately, in this situation, you have to choose. "Why choose Chaak? I''ll try to find the best." Jang Suho cut off his words. Everyone in the conference room looked at Jang Sunho in response to the new opinion that appeared in the sagging meeting. "If it''s the best? When the PD asked carefully, Jang Sunho leaned on the table and spoke quietly. "Issues can be covered with issues." Chapter 101 Chapter 101 "I don''t know what issue you''re talking about, but I don''t think it''s good to create a new issue now. Wouldn''t it be a priority to find a way to pass by somehow?" The producer looked at Jang Sunho with a dazed gaze, with a little worry and anxiety. Then he added immediately. "If you add more firewood to the fire for no reason, it might spread out of control. Several staff members nodded as if they were epting the producer''s words. Their expressions also contain concerns like PD''s voice. "If it''s a bad issue, it''ll be a problem. But what if it''s an issue that anyone would like to celebrate and yet interested in?" Jang Sunho''s words made the staff look at each other''s faces and roar. "Any issue that anyone can celebrate?" "Is it like a wedding or an official date announcement?" "Is it Kang Jinseok and Park Hayeon?" "But if they''re in that rtionship "Isn''t it going to be more of a problem?" As if anyone wanted to listen and answer, each person expressed his or her curiosity. PD also had a lot of questions, but he asked Jang Sunho without saying anything. "So what is the issue? "I can''t tell you right now. I need to get permission, too." "Permission?" Jang Sunho''s words raised the curiosity of not only the PD but also the staff. "It''s about director Yeo Jaeyoon''s work, so I need to get permission. It''s a littlete, so I can''t contact him, so I''ll contact him in the morning." "If it''s about director Yeo Jaeyoon''s work. The PD asked with his eyes wide open while blurring his back words. "Did Kang Jinseok be cast in director Yeo Jaeyoon''s work?"? Jang Sunho said with a vague smile. "Well, I haven''t said anything yet." *** The living room was where the quiet but intense housewarming party ended. Jinseok was checking the presents of the old men''s houses one by one. "This is "Is it beef bone soup?" Half-melted beef bone after freezing it and leaving it outside for a while. I don''t know who gave it to me, but I felt like Mr. Kim gave it to me. On therge soup container, the word "Korean beef" is written as if to show off its existence. "Korean beef bone". Why did you give me all this precious? You won''t have to worry about the country for a while." I said it a little indifferently, but Jinseok''s mouth was now facing his ears. I don''t hate cooking, but there are times when I can''t be bothered, if there''s beef bone soup in that case, it''ll be very helpful. Jinseok, who filled the refrigerator with all the beef bone, thought as he closed the refrigerator door. "What happened to The Talk Show''?" Since Jang Sunho went to SKC Broadcasting Station in the middle of the housewarming party yesterday, Jinseok has been concerned about "The Talk Show." Jinseok couldn''t enjoy the party properly because of the sudden offer of appearance. Of course, I didn''t make it obvious to the guys. Jinseok took out his cell phone and fiddled with it. "Should I contact him?" Jinseok shook his head after contemting for a while. It was only 10 o''clock in the early hours, and if you were still in a meeting, I might interrupt Jang Sunho if I contacted him for no reason. (Singing "Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo-Woo."). Jinseok was suddenly surprised by the vibration felt in his hand. Looking at the screen, it''s Jang Sunho''s phone call that I''ve been waiting for. "Yes, manager!" [Sorry for calling early in the morning]. [I''m calling because of "The Talk Show"] Jang Sunho''s tired voice is a little locked unlike usual. Jang Sunho continued even before asking if Jinseok, who cared about such a voice, was okay. [I had a meeting with the staff of "The Talk Show" early in the morning]. Apart from that, I have good news, but before I tell you that.] "Yes." [Are you willing to appear on "The Talk Show"?] Jinseok nodded as if it were natural to Jang Sunho''s question. "Of course. Doyeon asked me to do it. "The Talk Show" is a great show. I''m also enjoying watching it." [All right]. Then, you''ll take a step toward appearing on the show. I talked to Director Yeo Jaeyoon on the phone this morning "With the director?" Did something happen to. [Yes, they decided to cast the actor in the final round]. Thank you for your hard work!] Jinseok opened his eyes wide and round when he said that. "I, really?" Of course, the atmosphere was good in the previous audition, and I was confident that I had a satisfactory performance, so I was looking forward to it. However, it was always new and thrilling to receive a call that I was officially cast. Jinseok, who was in joy and emotion, came to his senses and asked in a hurry. "Then when is the recording of The Talk Show''? Doyeon said yesterday, "I think it''s urgent." [Yes]. As you said, the schedule is a little tight. As soon as the script is organized today, I think you need to start recording as soon as possible tomorrow "Tomorrow I see." I didn''t have any special schedule anyway, so there was no problem with tomorrow''s recording. I was a little tired from staying up all night because of the housewarming party, but if I take a good rest today, that won''t be a problem. "Is there anything you need to prepare?" Jang Sunho answered Jinseok''s question with a smile. [Yes]. First of all, please take a good rest. [I''ll prepare everything you need] *** KL Entertainment Conference Room. It was a sunny morning outside, but the atmosphere here was as heavy as ever. During the long meeting, he pointed to the 4th chief with a voice that the CEO seemed to have forgotten. "By the way, chief 4." Kim Hyungbin, head of the fourth division, responded with surprise as he did not think his name would be called. "Yes!" "Why are you so surprised? Anyway, what happened to the next movie directed by Yeo Jaeyoon? "What? Oh, that''s. Kim Hyungbin''s voice responding to the representative was weak and hesitant. That''s because I haven''t heard the results of Jinseok''s second audition yet. However, it is not possible to say, "In fact, Kang Jinseok got another audition opportunity, so I don''t know what happened." Director Yeo Jaeyoon said that Oh Sihoon was the best actor who auditioned before. So I think it''s probably the most likely." In the end, he uttered spective remarks in an insecure voice. "Really? There were a lot of spective articles back then, and it must have been true. So Oh Sihoon is better than Kang Jinseok?" "Yes, for now." "I didn''t feel good because I''ve been doing well these days, but I can''t believe he lost the role." Thank you." Kim Hyungbin smiled and said hello to the CEO''s praise, but he didn''t smile. "Now, the next agenda is ." It''s a Japanese production, but he wants to use a Korean actor. The representative turned the topic to the next meeting. Thanks to this, as the CEO''s attention turned to another chief, Kim Hyungbin also felt a little calm. "Whoa. You took a breather.'' Kim Hyungbin filled the cup in front of him with water. Then the moment I was about to take a sip. "Mr. Chief, I think there''s a problem." The four team leaders standing behind whispered in Kim Hyungbin''s ear. Kim Hyungbin slightly frowned and asked again. "What is it? Is it urgent? If it''s not urgent, tell meter." After not listening to the team leader, he just focused on the meeting again. I understand, so if it''s not urgent, then the team leader will stay still. It''s urgent." But the team leader said to his ear again. The CEO nced at Kim Hyungbin and the team leader as if he was worried about the two whispering secretly. "Is there something fun there?" When the CEO said upsettingly, Kim Hyungbin bowed his head and apologized. "No, sir. I''m sorry." "Focus on the meeting." "Yes." When the meeting, which had stopped for a while, proceeded again, Kim Hyungbin quietly asked the team leader. "What''s going on." "That''s. Stunned by Kim Hyungbin''s growling threats, the 4th team leader barely opened his mouth. "I heard from SKC''s staff a little while ago. This weekend''s broadcast will be divided into parts 1, 2, and 3." "Why is that? I guess they''re doing a show all at once because of their guest schedule." "Yes, that''s what I thought. But the guest Ha Minah and Park Hayeone out in the first part, and Kang Jinseokes out in the second and third parts." " What?" Kim Hyungbin unknowingly spoke a little louder in the name of "Kang Jinseok." Again, the CEO''s cold gaze hit Kim Hyungbin, but there was nothing more important to Kim Hyungbin than the name "Kang Jinseok." "Why does hee out there? Even if we do part 1 and part 2, Ha Minah and Park Hayeon are abination of Red-Liz. It''s not rted to Kang Jinseok." "I asked because I was curious about that, but the staff said there was a problem in part 1, so Kang Jinseok wille out in part 2 to fix it." . "Part 2 will feature Park Hayeon, Staff Sergeant, and PD as a special feature of "The Way They Chose." "You don''t know what it''s about?" "It''s probably mainly the behind-the-scenes story of filming The Way They Chose." The recording will be tomorrow afternoon at one o''clock." Is it urgent to appear on "The Talk Show"? Kim Hyungbin briefly fell into thought after the team leader''s words. And when he was convinced that he was not, he criticized the 4th team leader in a subdued voice. "Hey, is it urgent for Kang Jinseok to appear there? he just appeared as a guest. Do I have to pay attention to that?" "It''s because of the other guests in part three." "Part 3? Who else ising out in part 3?" "Whoa. That''s what I mean." The team leader smiled bitterly as if he didn''t know what to do and couldn''t say it properly. Naturally, for Kim Hyungbin, I didn''t like the team leader who didn''t speak clearly. Kim Hyungbin now turned his head back and stared at the team leader. It was a bit rude to do this at a meeting with a representative, but I couldn''t afford it that much. "Don''t be annoyed and tell me quickly. What''s part three?" "The director Yeo Jaeyoon will appear in the third part." At Kim Hyungbin''s urging, the team leader said in a sighing voice as if he had no choice. "Two People with actor Kang Jinseok, with Yeo Jaeyoon''s new film, Absolute Unlicensed Counseling''." Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Director Yeo Jaeyoon and Kang Jinseok They''re going to be on "The Talk Show" together Kim Hyungbin asked again, swallowing dry saliva. The voice is full of shock. Team Leader 4 nodded and said. "Yes, and furthermore, it is said to be a final matter. Manager, this Kang Jinseok may have been cast in . What should we do?" . "Director?" "Shut up. Let me think." Kim Hyungbin was annoyed and smoothed his forehead roughly. Director Yeo Jaeyoon is not a person who likes to be in the media. But why does he want to go on a show that sells well like "The Talk Show?" Kim Hyungbin was in trouble by biting his lower lip. He bit hard, and the tip of his lips began to bleed. "Four chiefs." . "Four chiefs!" Kim Hyungbin couldn''t answer right away because he thought too deeply. The CEO stared at Kim Hyungbin coldly. "Yes, yes, sir!" "The team leader and I kept talking. Is something wrong?" "Oh, that''s. Kim Hyungbin rolled his eyeballs around and lowered his head. "It''s no big deal. I''m sorry." "Are you talking about nothing at the meeting?" . "What is it? Tell me." Kim Hyungbin took a deep breath at the repeated urging of the representative. Then he spoke to the representative with a miserable face like a soldier who lost the battle. Director Yeo Jaeyoon will appear on "The Talk Show" with Kang Jinseok. That''s also a special feature of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." The CEO made an expression that he did not know the reason and said it as if it was ridiculous. "I can''t believe director Yeo Jaeyoon will appear on The Talk Show." What does he mean? More than that, the fact that Kang Jinseok and the two of them will appear together Are you saying that Kang Jinseok got a role? "Beating Oh Sihoon?" "It''s possibleten thousand Oh, I''m not sure yet. It''s a story of possibility. I said no, but I was not confident. And, of course, this was not a wee story for the representative. "Didn''t you say Oh Sihoon got a role?" "I''m sorry. I just heard about it, too. Well, it''s not clear yet, so I''ll check it separately and report it again." Kim Hyungbin struggled to escape the immediate crisis, but the CEO was not kind enough to allow it. "What are you checking separately? You can check it out right now." The representative spoke to the head of the first office sitting right next to him. "Director 1, call SKC and check it out. "Whether director Yeo Jaeyoon will appear on The Talk Show with Kang Jinseok." "I''ve already checked. As Director 4 just said, director Yeo Jaeyoon and actor Kang Jinseok will appear on The Talk Show." Kim Hyungbin looked at the first manager, who said as if he already knew it. Chief 1, did you know? Director Yeo Jaeyoon and Kang Jinseok appear together. " "Yes, I heard it this morning. As a KL entertainment executive, I can''t miss anything about actor Kang Jinseok." . "So when the 4th manager said that actor Oh Sihoon beat actor Kang Jinseok to get the role, I wondered if I heard it wrong. But you were justte with the information." The tone was polite, but there were definitely many nuances in the first chief''s remarks that ignored Kim Hyungbin. Depending on the listener, it is even called a "sad guy." "That punk. Kim Hyungbin bit his mr and stared at the first manager. "Four chiefs." Representative Kim Hyungbin was called. "What are you doing?" *** SKC Broadcasting Station, Studio. In this ce where the recording was taking ce for a long time, Jinseok was talking leisurely. "It''s true that Park Hayeon contacted you before the audition. Honestly, at that time, I also felt like she was asking for an audition. She asked me to pick her in the audition." Jinseok looked at Park Hayeon sitting on the left and continued with a light smile. "But she was such a good actress that I realized I got it wrong. I think anyone who has seen will understand what I''m saying." "As Sergeant and the producer said earlier, Park Hayeon''s attitude toward the work was the best. I''ve seen and learned a lot, too." Throughout Jinseok''s speech, Park Hayeon looked up at Jinseok, blinking her big eyes. Her eyes were wet whether it was because of the bright lighting or the aftermath of the sudden recording. And "The Talk Show" PD and Lee Kyuhyung watched from behind the camera. "Okay" It feels good.'' A little while ago, Jinseok''sment seemed to cover the Park Hayeon audition solicitation issue'' without difficulty. He breathed a sigh of relief to himself and stared at Jang Sunho, who stood far away and looked at the recording site as if observing it. Actor Kang Jinseok''s manager Was his name Jang Sunho? I should say thank you separately after the recording. Jang Sunho had a significant impact on the special n, from recruiting staff and PD separately to how guests should speak. In a way, it could be said that he took the role of a producer or writer. Frankly, it hurt his pride as a producer, but his n was perfect enough to nod casually. OS Entertainment is full of talented actors, the manager must be the same.'' Except for his scary appearance, he was a very good person. I think it''s a waste to remain as a manager. After the recording continued smoothly. Lee Kyuhyung shouted out loudly with satisfaction. "Oh, that''s great. We''ll end the second part of the recording! Thank you for your hard work! Lee Kyuhyung''s bright voice was sung by the staff. "Thank you for your hard work!" "We''ll start filming part 3 in 30 minutes!" "Is Director Yeo Jaeyoon here?" Despite the sudden recording, the staff''s voice was bright. That''s because today''s additional recording solved many problems. Lee Kyuhyung approached the second part of the guests, breaking through the scattered staff looking for something to do. "You all worked hard. The schedule was tight, but thank you for doing so well." Ha Sarang said to Lee Kyuhyung, who was smiling and talking, with a hand fan as if she was tired. "Whoa It''s not easy to stand in front of the camera. I''ve always been looking behind the camera." "Ha ha, but you were really good at talking? Maybe it''s because of experience." "I''m d I did. I look forward to the editing." Ha Sarang shrugged and got up from her seat. "Then I''ll get going. "Jinseok, you still have a recording left, right?" "Oh, yes. I''ve decided to film a special episode of Absolute Unlicensed Counseling'' with director Yeo Jaeyoon." Ha Sarang pped her hands as if she had forgotten what Jinseok said. "Oh, I was going to ask you that. So you were cast in director Yeo Jaeyoon''s new movie? Is that why you and director Yeo Jaeyoon are appearing together "Well Jinseok nodded after contemting for a while. "For now, that''s it. Still, director Yeo Jaeyoon hasn''t officially announced it yet Please keep it as secret as possible." "Of course, I should. I know director Yeo Jaeyoon''s personality well. Anyway, that''s great. Please send me your ticket for the premiereter. Jinho, no. Director Na Jinho''s, too." "Haha, yes. I''ll send you two to a good seat." Ha Sarang, who had a short greeting with Jinseok, said to Park Hayeon. "Park Hayeon?" Park Hayeon, do you have more recordings . "Park Hayeon?" Park Hayeon, who was staring at Jinseok in a vague way, replied slightly surprised. "What? Oh Yes. I have to go." Park Hayeon woke up with a hesitation. She looked like she had a lot to say to Jinseok, but she couldn''t take her mouth off. "Director Yeo Jaeyoon is here!" At that time, Kwak Doyeon, the youngest staff member, opened the studio and spoke briskly. Following that, Yeo Jaeyoon and Yeo Hyemin came in slowly. "Director, are you here?" Jinseok, who saw Yeo Jaeyoon, gets up from his seat I greeted him. Yeo Jaeyoon approached me with a sad smile and held out his hand. "Long time no see, actor Kang Jinseok. No, it''s not been a long time. Did we see each other two or three days ago? "That''s right. I saw you at the audition on Sunday." "Huh. But why does it feel like it''s been so long? Maybe it''s because I want to shoot as soon as possible." After shaking hands with Jinseok, Yeo Jaeyoon greeted Ha Sarang and Lee Kyuhyung this time. "It''s Yeo Jaeyoon. Staff Sergeant, PD, and PD Lee Kyuhyung, you''re right "Yes, director. It''s an honor to meet you!" "Thank you foring, director. I''ll do my best." "What''s so great about this old man is that he''s so polite. Thank you, though." The three were new to each other, but there was no awkwardness because each of them was recognized in their own way in the industry. Yeo Jaeyoonst asked Park Hayeon to shake hands. "Park Hayeon, who appeared on . Right?" Park Hayeon replied in a slightly embarrassed voice as if she didn''t think she would be recognized. "Uh Yes, that''s right, director. Thank you for recognizing me." "You are such a good actress, it''s weird not to recognize you. If you have a chance, try romanceter. Melona. I think you''ll be good at that genre, too." Yeo Jaeyoon said as if she didn''t think much about it and looked back. "Hyemin." Yeo Hyemin slowly approached Jinseok at Yeo Jaeyoon''s call. As Yeo Hyemin stood next to him, Yeo Jaeyoon introduced Yeo Hyemin with a smile. "It''s my daughter. She''s an actress who will work with actor Kang Jinseok in this movie, so you can look forward to it." As soon as Yeo Jaeyoon finished speaking, Yeo Hyemin bowed her head and said hello. Then, Yeo Hyemin took off her hat and mask as if she realized her mistake. It wasn''t polite to cover your face while greeting for the first time. " Wow." It''s crazy." When Yeo Hyemin took off her hat and mask, the staff members who looked at the crowd of Jinseok without much thought expressed their admiration. Even Ha Sarang, who has filmed numerous actresses, was surprised by Yeo Hyemin''s appearance, and she looked at her with her eyes wide open. Yeo Hyemin is burdened with the attention focused on her. She slightly blushed and bowed her head. Now that everyone is looking at Yeo Hyemin with a surprising feeling. There was a particr, or the only one with a cold eye. "Is this a romanceedy?" It was Park Hayeon. It was Park Hayeon''s gaze that even felt hostile, but no one noticed it because the atmosphere was good. There''s a good time going on for a while. Lee Kyuhyung handed Yeo Jaeyoon some papers and said. "Director, this is a list of topics and questions to talk about during this recording." When Yeo Jaeyoon was handed a piece of paper, he tilted his head. "I think it''s the same as the previous email, has anything changed?" "Oh, nothing has changed. However, one more talk content has been added. If you look at the bottom." "This one?" "Yes, that''s it. But I think the level of talk is a bit strong "Can I put it in?" In response to Lee Kyuhyung''s cautious voice, Yeo Jaeyoon fixed his sses and scanned the questionnaire. "Well "I thought KL Entertainment would be in trouble if the content was aired. I''m asking in advance because I wonder if I''ll be a director or someone in the work." As if Jinseok and others were curious about Lee Kyuhyung''s words, he looked at the paper with a side nce. But the handwriting was so small that he couldn''t see it properly. "KL Entertainment is not a smallpany. If I say this for no reason, I think it can be annoying. I don''t think there''s a need to scrabble unnecessarily." "Oh "Yes." Lee Kyuhyung also gave his ears as if he had no choice in responding to Yeo Jaeyoon''s cautious response. But he didn''t make any sense of regret. Even the person who filled out the questionnaire thought it was a little too much. "If it was an other piece''." "What?" "If it''s another work, you''ll have to be wary of KL Entertainment, so it''ll be hard to say this on the show. But this is a work that I invested in from start to finish, so there is no problem at all." Yeo Jaeyoon said with a meaningful smile. "It''s going to be fun. Let''s go like this." Chapter 103 Chapter 103 "What kind of content is it that they''re having so much fun?" My curiosity grew even more with the smile of director Yeo Jaeyoon, who seemed interesting but was a little mischievous. Director Yeo Jaeyoon asked PD Lee Kyuhyung. "Kang Jinseok, do you know these questionnaires?" "No, But I want to know what is it." "I see." Director Yeo Jaeyoon handed me a piece of paper. "Thank you." I scanned the paper I received quickly. On the paper, how do you feel about being cast in "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling", your aspirations for your first movie, and whether I''m not tired of working nonstop? I can see the questions and the contents of the talk. Everything else is the same Is this the added question Host Question: There was an article about an O'' actor being cast in , what happened? Answer Note: You should never say that the actor O'' is Oh Sihoon. Answer Note: I think you can reveal that he belongs to KL Entertainment. Everyone knows it anyway. "Why is it that KL Entertainment is at a loss when this question goes out?" While I was wondering inside, director Yeo Jaeyoon asked. "What do you think? Are you okay with that Kang Jinseok? "Even if it''s about that?" "What? Oh, yes. It''s all right." I answered briefly and immediately asked again. "But why does KL Entertainment get in trouble when this content goes out? I don''t think it''s a big deal." Are you asking because you really don''t know? Yeo Jaeyoon and Lee Kyuhyung looked at each other and exchanged eyes. The two looked at each other, and soon smiled and said director Yeo Jaeyoon. "You may not know Kang Jinseok because you just debuted, but it is very hurtful and embarrassing as an actor to be canceled." "Oh. "The implicit rule is not to publish spective articles until the casting is confirmed in the first ce. Anyway, from the agency''s point of view, it''s very funny that they didn''t even take care of their actors properly." When I heard Yeo Jaeyoon''s exnation, I understood a little. There''s nothing more ignominious than saying, It turned out not to be!'' when you made a rumor in your neighborhood. "However Come to think of it, there''s a little bit of a problem." Yeo Jaeyoon crossed his arms and continued his words in a cautious voice. "I think actors in <> may be on the KL Entertainment cklist. It''s not a big problem, but KL Entertainment may interrupt when they do other work." . "The same goes for actor Kang Jinseok. No matter how good actor Kang Jinseok is at acting, directors like KL Entertainment do not want to write actors in big agencies. Not only when you work, but also when you appear on the show. At the time when Yeo Jaeyoon was talking about ufortable things. "You don''t have to worry about that." Behind me, Jang Sunho said confidently. Yeo Jaeyoon asked with a slight tilt of his head at Jang Sunho''s confident attitude. "I don''t have to worry?" "Right now, KL Entertainment is the most influential in our entertainment industry, but the ranking will change soon. With our OS Entertainment. To be honest, you can press as much as you want to press now It''s just not the time yet." . "You don''t have to worry about that because we''re stronger now and we''ll continue to overwhelm them." So let''s go with it." Jang Sunho''s reliable voice came from above his head. Yeo Jaeyoon looked at Jang Sunho and said it was interesting. "Hmm. I''ve heard that OS Entertainment and KL Entertainment have bumped into each other over trivial matters since a long time ago, but it must have been true. Seeing you speak so firmly." "Yes, unlike KL, we can protect him enough." The studio became quiet due to the meaningful conversation between Jang Sunho and Yeo Jaeyoon. Everyone doesn''t show, but their ears are standing up and facing this way. Yeo Jaeyoon smiled again and said as if the atmosphere had be a little heavy. "Then should I send Hyemin to OS Entertainment?" I told actor Kang Jinseok that Hyemin asked her to do it, so it would be nice to be in the same agency. Don''t you think so, actor Kang Jinseok?" What?!" "Now, "take good care of my daughter?! The studio was slightly shaken by Yeo Jaeyoon''s words. It''s the same reaction that I felt in the living room of Yeo Jaeyoon''s house in the past. Again, "Asking for your daughter. What do you mean by that?" The staff was all curious. "Director, if you use such an ambiguous expression. "Oh, my. Haha, it''s a phrase I use often, so it''s stuck in my mouth. I''m sorry." Despite Yeo Jaeyoon''s exnation, the hot interest in me shows no signs of abating. Rather, it just adds to the question, "So what do you mean take good care of your daughter?" In particr, I can feel the fierce gaze from Park Hayeon below my diagonal line. Why is she staring at me like that? "More than that, is actor Kang okay? If this story goes out, they won''t stay still." KL Entertainment will hate you. Is it okay? Of course, it was fine. "It doesn''t matter, director. I don''t really like them either." I''ve always had a bad rtionship with the crabs. Director Yeo Jaeyoon was interested in my answer. Then, he nodded with a strange smile as before. "Well, then it wouldn''t be a problem. Shall we start recording now? I think it''s time." *** The representative room is on the top floor of KL Entertainment. In this dark, dreary atmosphere, Kim Hyungbin, head of the 4th office, and "Lee Youngkyung," head of KL Entertainment, were watching TV. [I was also surprised to see that article]. No, I didn''t know as a director, but suddenly there was an article saying that my casting was over. I got a lot of calls from all over the ce.] [I see]. But the "O" actor Who the hell is it? [Did he audition to?] The conversation between Yeo Jaeyoon and the host continued on TV. [He auditioned for this movie]. Oh, he''s a pretty good actor. He belongs to KL Entertainment [Can I say this?] [If it''s a problem, the producer will edit it]. Right, PD?] At the host''s words, a man wearing a hat behind the camera was caught on the screen for a moment. When the man raised his thumb as if it was okay, Yeo Jaeyoon appeared on the screen again. [Then I''ll speakfortably]. Looking at the Inte reaction anyway, everyone who knows knows it. Anyway, I didn''t know that he would be so excited to get an article out. He''s an actor with quite a bit of experience.] [His been an actor for about 10 years, right?] [Yes]. He''s not a rookie actor who''s auditioning for the first time, and his agency won''t be doing business for a day or two. In fact, I think it''s more about the agency''s inappropriate response than the actor''s problem.] Lee Youngkyung turned off the TV because he couldn''t watch the broadcast anymore. As the bright light disappeared, the unique bluish light of the representative room spread. Is it because of the bluish light? Kim Hyungbin''s face was as pale as a dead body. Maybe he''s really gone. The TV was turned off, and only silence lingered in the representative room. After a while. Lee Youngkyung got up from his seat, loosening his legs. Director Yeo Jaeyoon is very open-mouthed. The old man''s character is dead, but his mouth is rejuvenated." . "The article is already out. With the title of "Actor Management Agency, KL Entertainment." Ko Seoyoung, won''t you grease his pen? I think I''ve been getting on so muchtely." It''s a calm voice. It''s soft and kind enough for most people to ease their tension. However, Kim Hyungbin knew that Lee Youngkyung''s voice now is the voice thates out when he barely presses his anger. Kim Hyungbin''s lips trembled and opened with difficulty. "I''m sorry, I''m in charge of "Responsibility?" Lee Youngkyung cut off Kim Hyungbin''s words as if it was absurd. "How are you going to take responsibility when the broadcast is going out like that, and articles areing up in real-time?" . "Are you going to turn back time?" Or are you going to make a case that''s hot enough to cover this issue?" The voice was still calm, but the message was getting more and more. Strictly speaking, the contents or articles in "The Talk Show" were not very serious. Of course, it was a story that hurt pride from the perspective of representatives and executives, but it is not something to react sensitively. But this was uneptable for Lee Youngkyung, who can say that it is a piece of pride or the crystallization of that piece. "Whoa-." Lee Youngkyung takes a deep breath and tries to suppress his anger somehow. But in the end, his anger exploded. "What kind of disgrace is this! What would people think of me Lee Youngkyung? Lee Youngkyung burst the lion hoo into Kim Hyungbin''s face. Kim Hyungbin, who could not see Lee Youngkyung''s face, bowed his head. "Whoa Whoo Lee Youngkyung breathed a rough breath with a red face. That alone didn''t calm the excitement, so he took the cold water out of the refrigerator next to his desk and gulped it in. "Whoa X shot." Lee Youngkyung, who barely eased his anger, pressed the button on his desk. When I pressed the button, I heard the voice of the young secretary from the phone on the desk. [Yes, CEO] "Tell the 3rd manager toe in." [Okay].] Lee Youngkyung disconnected before the secretary answered. Sitting on the desk, he took out a cigarette from his arms, held it in his mouth, and began to smoke one after another. a representative room with an ufortable silence. It was so quiet that I felt like I could hear the smoke spreading. knock, knock. [It''s the 3rd manager] Outside the door, the chief of staff 3 knocked. Lee Youngkyung said with a cigarette in his mouth. "Come on in." [Yes] With an answer, the third chief immediately came in. What I saw as soon as I came in was Kim Hyungbin standing with thick cigarette smoke. He''s not just handcuffed, he''s like a sinner. The chief of staff 3 nced at Kim Hyungbin as if pathetic and greeted the CEO. "Did you call?" "Did you watch "The Talk Show" "Yes, I was watching." "Four, five, and six." You fools disappoint me so much." Lee Youngkyung spat his cigarette on the floor. After rubbing it roughly with the sole of the foot, I told the head of the 3rd office. "Kang Jinseok, pull this punk down quickly. by all means. You can do it, right? Room 3 is the ace of ourpany." Lee Youngkyung said to the head of the 3rd office with his eyes shining. Eyes that can feel a little pressure. However, the chief of staff 3 remained calm. "Of course. If you leave it to our room 3, you will definitely see satisfactory results. And. The head of the third division raised his eyes, blurring his backbiting. Lee opened his eyes to the attitude of the three chiefs, who seemed unconvinced. "I was preparing because I thought the CEO would find me. Such a n to make it no longer visible to the CEO." Chapter 104 Chapter 104 "I was preparing in advance" Lee Youngkyung muttered as if he was interested in the words of the three chiefs. The words of the head of the 3rd department, which seemed to have something nned, seemed to be a little loose now. "Can you tell me what you''re thinking?" "Of course." The head of the 3rd division nodded and handed the script to Lee Youngkyung. Lee Youngkyung asked after being handed the script. "It''s the script of "The Painst Match Made in the World." What are you going to do with this?" "Yes, it was originally intended to finish casting by next month and start filming in the second quarter. However, the production was postponed to the fourth quarter due to the productionpany''s circumstances "So?" The chief of staff 3 continued calmly. "Uniquely, this work is a Japanese work, but they are going to use a Korean actor as the main character. So far, the productionpany has proposed auditions for KL Entertainment, YJ Entertainment, and OS Entertainment''s Kang Jinseok." "Go on." "Yes. If "The World''s Sickest Match" was filmed in the second quarter as originally scheduled, Kang Jinseok would have given up this work because of the filming schedule for "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." But now that we have some time on our schedule, I''m sure will try as well. I''m a greedy person when I see work nonstop." He firmly said, holding the script held by the three chiefs hard enough to crumple. "Our actors in the third room are going to be immersed in this work for a while." "Are you saying you won''t give this work to Kang Jinseok? What if he doesn''t audition? "What are you going to do then?" "It''s all right. This work is a prelude to the end. In the next three rooms, they n to audition by shooting only the works that Kang Jinseok is trying to enter." . "I will clean up Kang Jinseok in front of the CEO with my real'' skills, not ying behind the scenes like 4th, 5th, or 6th chiefs." Lee Youngkyung stared at the three chiefs, who spoke in a firm voice. "Well, it''s skill. An unexpected variable thates with aplicated n. But what if the variable ispeting with "skill" that doesn''t exist? "It''s not bad. As expected, it''s three rooms." Lee Youngkyung''s voice and expression were now distinctly different from before. Now his face looks beyond interest. "But are you confident?" Strictly speaking, Oh Sihoon must be an actor from the 3rd room. Of course, Oh Sihoon''s grade is low for three rooms." Just as the speed changes depending on who the horse rider is, the acting ability changes depending on how the same actor presses and grinds. If I took Oh Sihoon for an audition." In the middle of the 3rd chief''s speech, he finished his speech by staring at the 4th chief. "The results must have changed. Aren''t actors a tool that can perform only when they push to the limit?" The 4th chief flinched at the words of the 3rd chief. Because what he was saying now was demeaning his ability. I''m sorry." However, the fourth chief could not say anything. This is because the 4th chief''s right to speak was all gone, there is a performance difference between the 3rd and 4th rooms that cannot be crossed. "Sir, give me a chance. I will make Kang Jinseok''s retirement work. What do you think?" "Good. Do whatever you want to do 3rd chief. Let me know if you need anything. It''s enough of that dork to let me down. Do you get it?"" Lee Youngkyung nodded to the confident voice of the three chiefs. His words had sharp spines, and the head of the 4th room went further down as if it stung. "Don''t worry. Mr. Yang Manchun, the head of the 3rd division, has never disappointed the CEO?" *** While traveling on a van to read , Jang Sunho stared straight ahead and told me. "Actor, there will be some reporters, not actors. The distributor is alsoing to film a video to use when making a promotional videoter." "Reporters?" "Yes." I haven''t done much work, but there have been no reporters at the reading site so far. There were quite a few staff members who filmed promotional videos. When I tilted my head, Jang Sunho exined the reason. "There were so many issues in this work." "Yes." "So the director said he would hold talks with reporters before filming the work in earnest. "He filming for no reason, so he can''t cloud the water by writing useless articles." "Aha If that is the case, it is fully understood. "Is there anything you need to pay attention to?" "Yes. And the reporters are only verified reporters, so no one will ask the actor for an interview all of a sudden. But apart from that, I have something to tell you." Jang Sunho caught a red light while talking. Jang Sunho, who slowly slowed down, looked at me through the rear mirror. "Actually, director Yeo Jaeyoon contacted me yesterday." "The director?" "Yes, it''s because of Hyemin." Jang Sunho spoke carefully while blurring his back words. "Yeo Hyemin says she can''t talk." "What?" What do you mean she can''t talk? I didn''t understand Jang Sunho''s words at the moment. When I looked confused again this time, Jang Sunho said in a cautious voice. "Until now, when the actor said hello to Yeo Hyemin, she never answered." "Uh Yes. Come to think of it, I see. I thought it was because she doesn''t usually talk much." "I thought so, too. But that''s not it, Yeo Hyemin is suffering from a pretty serious mental illness." "A disease in her heart?" "Yes, ording to director Yeo Jaeyoon Jang Sunho''s exnation that followed. In summary, it was said, "Ye Hyemin became ill in her mind for some reason when she was young and was unable to speak." While listening to Jang Sunho''s exnation, I somehow thought that Yeo Hyemin looked very simr to the main character of this work, Lee Hyemin. "But they say there''s no problem in acting. They said she''s good at reading scripts." "Oh Yes." Jang Sunho''s words, which were quite long, are over. Then the traffic light turned green with good timing. "I see. I didn''t know that, so I was just guessing. I almost made a big mistake. Thank you for telling me." " Doesn''t it bother you?" "What do you mean it bothers you? "What?" When I asked as if I was rather curious, Jang Sunho nced at me in the room mirror and said. "Not being able to talk. you guys need to talk, but if you don''t, I think it''ll be a little frustrating." . Director Yeo Jaeyoon was worried. Originally, I was going to tell you before the audition, but somehow he said he was sorry that I waste to tell you." Jang Sunho said as if defending Yeo Jaeyoon. I smiled softly to Jang Sunho, meaning that I was okay. "I heard she can act." It doesn''t matter because we can talk through acting." . "And sometimes people who can''t speak are better. They''re more honest." While I was talking, we were near the C'' hotel before we knew it. It''s the ce where we decided to do the reading today. *** Hotel C''srge conference room is decorated with the reading room . HJ: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! -Wow! Actor Kang Jinseok I guess he''s here.'' Yeo Hyemin turned to the window slowly due to the cheers of fans outside the hotel. The white face of pure white and long straight hair like the night shone gracefully in the bright sunlight. Some actors and staff looked at it nkly and mesmerized, but she was more concerned about Jinseok than that. "I heard my father talk about me." She knew that one day he would tell not only Jinseok but also others about her condition. Nevertheless, after it was known to others, I was worried. This is because people viewed themselves as poor people who could not speak, not as "equal" people. Not only doctors who came to treat her, but even her father Yeo Jaeyoon could not look at her normally. "I know that look is a worry and a pity for me, but. Yeo Hyemin hated the gaze that seemed to see her as the protagonist of a tragic novel. So since hearing her father tell Jinseok about her conditionst night, she hasn''t slept a wink. Because he is the first actor to work together and is worried that the actor he admitted will see it as an "inconvenient gaze." "Whoa. Yeo Hyemin breathed a calm sigh through her nose. It was the first sound made by Yeo Hyemin since she came here. The moment she sighed in session, the door to the reading room opened. "Oh, really. I told you. "There are so many fans." "Haha, I''m sorry. But didn''t you get a lot of energy?" "That''s true, but I won''t be able to do that next time. It''s far too dangerous. The person who almost fell earlier is also doomed because I caught him, and if I didn''t catch him, he could have been seriously injured." "I see. Next time, I''ll control it more clearly The voices of the two men spread softly in the reading room. It wasn''t a loud voice, but it was so quiet that their voices spread everywhere. People''s eyes naturally turned to the two men. It''s Kang Jinseok." "Wow, he''s really handsome." "But the person next to him Is he a manager?" "He''s pretty famous, too. It lookspletely opposite to actor Kang Jinseok." In a voice that would not be heard by Jinseok and Jang Sunho, the staff quietly spat out one word each. The actors also seemed to want to say something, but they didn''t respond much, whether they were conscious of each other''s eyes or for other reasons. Naturally, Yeo Hyemin''s gaze was also directed at Jinseok. Without saying anything like any other actor. But that didn''t mean I wasn''t interested. Rather, it would be right to say that she was much more nervous than other actors. "I want to say hi." I wanted to say hello not only to Jinseok but also to other actors and staff. Smiling lightly and shaking hands like others. However, Yeo Hyemin couldn''t bring herself to say hello first. I didn''t have the courage to do that, and there was no way to deal with it when I talked to myself after saying hello. . Yeo Hyemin bowed her head weakly. I see a new pair of white sneakers that I bought long ago for the first shot, or for the first reading. "Hello, actress Hyemin." ? "The weather is really nice today. The temperature is warm for the end of January. Huh? Are they new shoes? It''s very clean." A blurry shadow obscured the sneakers and I could hear someone''s voice. As Yeo Hyemin slowly raised her head, I could see Jinseok''s face. He was smiling with warm eyes that were no different from before as if he was really fine with her ws. . Yeo Hyemin looked at Jinseok without saying anything. I wanted him to look at me with normal eyes like now, but it felt weird to look at him like that. When a subtle silence flows between the two. Jinseok said with a light smile. "Shall we say hi to other actors and staff?" Yeo Hyemin kept looking at Jinseok. Jinseok''s eyes and facial expressions didn''t have any of the "inconvenient gaze" that others had seen her so far. Yeo Hyemin, who hesitated for a while, got up from her seat. Nodding. She nodded with a slight blush. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 "Shall we go say hello to Mr. Park Jinmo first? I think it would be nice to say hello first because he''s the most senior in this work." Yeo Hyemin grabs all the crumpled clothes and looks straight at me. It seemed to mean that she was somewhat ready. "Come on Then where is Park Jinmo?" I looked around to find Park Jinmo. It was difficult to find him because the entire hotel hall was rented for public reading, but we focused on the ces where people gathered. "Did they note yet?" Park Jinmo was not seen even after searching here and there. I looked carefully at each one of the people who might be wearing a hat, but it wasn''t Park Jinmo. I looked for about a minute more and told Yeo Hyemin. "I don''t think Mr. Park Jinmo is here yet, so should we say hello to the other actors first? I''ll say hello to Mr. Park Jinmo when wee backter." Yeo Hyemin nodded and stuck close to me. I don''t think it needs to be this close. But I didn''t want to ask them to move a little, so I decided to leave it. Then I found the actor closest to me, and I went straight there. "Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok, who ys the role of Song Faith''. Nice to meet you, sir." When I finished speaking, Yeo Hyemin immediately followed me and bowed. Then she looked at me without saying a word. Are you asking me to introduce you? After looking at Yeo Hyemin''s intentions for a while, he said. "This is Hyemin Yeo. She yed the role of Moon Hyemin." The first actor we said hello to was Park Do. He is what the public often calls "an actor who knows his face but doesn''t know his name," and he is a middle-aged actor who has appeared as a scene stealer or a major supporting actor in several works. Kim Donggil, an ordinary man who was deceived by Song Faith, is the role he yed in this work Although he does not an important role in the film''s development, he is still the one who is tasked with attracting the audience''s attention at the beginning of the film. Park Do came out and said, staring at Yeo Hyemin. " Yes. Park, too." The tone was cold. That doesn''t feel hostile, but it''s certainly not a favorable attitude. I hesitated unknowingly to a different reaction than any other actor I''ve ever met. After looking at Park Do''s face slightly, heughed and talked to him again. "Haha. Yes, sir. This is my first movie. I promise to work hard at it. I ask you to lead me well." "Yes." I said it as politely as I could, but Park Do said it colder and more determinedly. Then he turned his back on me and started reading the script with his eyes. He just didn''t talk openly, and he didn''t want to mix his words with me anymore. "Did I make a mistake?" I thought I might have made a rude mistake without knowing it, so I remembered every detail of my behavior. But I couldn''t think of anything. I sneaked a look at Yeo Hyemin next to me. Originally, the big eyes were getting bigger because they were embarrassed. Park Do''s reaction seemed to be as awkward and worried as I was. Well Let''s go meet another actor first. "I''m sorry to disturb you. I''ll see you in a little while!" I couldn''t go without saying anything, so I said myst goodbye. Park Do still looked at the script without saying anything. When I moved away from Park Do, Yeo Hyemin followed me right behind my back again this time. Looking around, I saw some actorsughing and talking at the entrance of the reading room. Seeing that the atmosphere was good, I thought they would probably ept it well if we said hello. I took Yeo Hyemin in the direction where the actors gathered. "I''m sorry in the middle of the conversation. I''m Kang Jinseok, who ys the role of Song Faith''. It''s a great pleasure to meet you. This is Yeo Hyemin who ys the role of Moon Hyemin." This time, as before, I bowed down with Yeo Hyemin. Then the actors closed their mouths as if they had muted. A few seconds ago, the friendly atmosphere cooled down, and I felt a chill. Yes, it''s nice to meet you. It''s Heo Sooyeon." "I''m Yang Soomin." "Jung Wooyoung." There was an awkward silence for a while, and the actors who were looking at each other epted our greetings. However, the other two turned their backs without being greeted, and they began to talk among themselves. I feel very clear that they don''t wee me. ''What the hell is it?'' I was so upset by the unexpected reaction of the actors. I didn''t see Yeo Hyemin''s expression, but Yeo Hyemin is probably much more nervous than before. "Is there anything else you want to say?" Heo Sooyeon, who was the first to receive greetings, said to me. "Oh No. Excuse us." "Yes." After a short answer, Ha Sooyeon turned her back on me. She didn''t speak directly like Park Do, but it was a clear celebration order. After watching them for a while, he smiled awkwardly and said to Yeo Hyemin. "Well Shall we go back to where we sat earlier? Yeo Hyemin nods her head. I felt like crying if I was turned away by other actors once more. I dragged two chairs by the window where Yeo Hyemin was sitting earlier and sat down. Yeo Hyemin sat next to me and bowed her head. "I wanted to say hello to other actors, but was it okay?". He apologized to Yeo Hyemin, scratching his cheek. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have stepped up and even actress Hyemin experienced something bad." Yeo Hyemin, who was lowering her head, looked up in amazement. Then she took a small notebook out of her arms and quickly started writing something down. Yeo Hyemin, who repeatedly wrote something down for a while and then erased it, showed me her notebook. No, it''s not. It''s probably because I didn''t say hello properly. It''s all my fault. "Well I don''t think that''s the case. As soon as I said hello, everyone didn''t like it." "Let''s take a break and go again. Or putting aside the actors and saying hello to the staff When I was talking calmly with a wry smile. The door of the reading room, which had been tightly closed for a while, opened. "Hello. I''m a littlete because there''s more traffic than I thought." Then, all the actors and staff showed interest in the man, regardless of who came first. "Mr. Park Jinmo is here!" "Hello, sir!" "Sir, it''s been a while!" Everyone has apletely different reaction than when I said hello. Park Jinmo, who entered the whirling reading room, greeted the actors and spoke friendly to Park Do. "Hey, it''s been a while Park Do. But you You''ve gotten a lot of hair since we haven''t seen each other? Did you nt it?" "Oh, sir. You''re acting strange. I used to have a lot of hair." "What do you mean, you said you were stressed about your hairst time. By the way, you said you go to a hair loss hospital, right? Please introduce me to the situation where we are getting old together." Sir, you''ve decided to keep that a secret." Hahahaha! Park Do also became apletely different person from before. Earlier, it was stiff as if it had an iron core in its neck, but there is no other gentlemb in front of Park Jinmo. Even the actors of the Heo Sooyeon group who didn''t even look at me when I went to say hello earlier were like sparrows weing their mother birds in front of Park Jinmo. "Did you decide to keep it a secret?" Then I''m sorry. Hey, are you ashamed of your hair loss? You can''t do that as a hair-loss person. Live confidently even if you don''t have anything." Park Jinmo continued to have casual conversations with other actors. Perhaps because he was on the actor''s board for a long time, or because he was attractive, he quickly captivated the actors. But then. I made eye contact with Park Jinmo, who was standing in limbo. What should I do?'' If I were a normal person, I would have stood up and said hello right away because I made eye contact with my senior. No, I would have approached him right away and said hello before our eyes met. But now things haven''t worked out for that. I know for sure now because I''m sensible. I don''t know why, but other actors are staying away from me. But I couldn''t sit still. Even now, he is not considered wee by other actors, but his image would be even worse if he didn''t say hello to Park Jinmo. I had no choice but to get up from my seat and bend my back deeply. Park Jinmo approached me, perhaps because he saw me say hello. The actors around him dispersed slowly, paving the way. Actors covertly surrounded Park Jinmo with me. . . Soon after, Park Jinmo, standing in front of me, looked closely at me. He was much shorter than me, but I felt so tall for no reason. The energy felt in the frame, which can be said to be dwarfed, was unusual. Whether he was waiting for me to say, Park Jinmo looked at me still. The wrinkled face and sharp eyes seemed to contain numerous works that Park Jinmo has done so far. I felt the eyes of all the actors in the reading room toward me. "Good evening, sir. It''s a great pleasure to meet you. "You''re Kang Jinseok, right?" He took his mouth off with difficulty, but Park Jinmo said first before the sentence was evenpleted. When Park Jinmo pretended to know me, a rookie, first, the reading room became quieter. Staff members who talked among themselves from afar also covered their mouths. "Yes, sir. This time, I''m Kang Jinseok, who ys the role of "Song Faith." "Too much. I spoke carefully with much more courtesy than before. Unlike other actors, I expect a little positive response. However, nothing positive was said again this time. Actor Kang. Can I talk to you separately for a moment? Chapter 106 Chapter 106 C Hotel, in front of the smoking booth, where the reading is taking ce. Someone had been smoking a while ago, and the faint smell of cigarettes was scattered nearby. Jinmo Park opened the booth door and entered, and Jinseok followed behind him. Park Jinmo thought as he looked at Jinseok standing in front of him. Kang Jinseok What kind of guy is he? Of course, Park Jinmo also heard rumors about Jinseok. When he was asked about him, he was always evaluated as an actor who has good acting skills and is good to the staff. However, Park Jinmo did not believe such rumors and other people''s evaluations. Especially the rumors about him in the entertainment industry and his evaluation. He said, His face is definitely the main yearbook. He has been acting for over 30 years and has seen many actors, but he has never seen a face like this. He saw Park Jinmo take out his cigarette from his pocket and he held it out to Jinseok. "Cigarette?" It wasn''t a word with much meaning. I just brought him to the smoking booth, so if he smoked, we would smoke together. However, Jinseok seemed to have taken it a little differently and answered in a serious voice. If I smoke, I will smoke. Park Jinmo chuckled at Jinseoks words. This is a funny friend. If you smoke, do you want to smoke? This isnt some kind of military camp. . I asked because you smoked in . If you don''t smoke, don''t smoke this. Once you start, you cant stop. Park Jinmo took out his lighter. But he felt bad about smoking in front of non-smokers, so he put the cigarette in his cigarette pack. There was nothing special about calling actor Kang Jinseok, I just wanted to talk to him. And he wanted to give me some advice that wasnt advice. "Yes." Have you ever said hello to other actors? I saw you sitting in the corner earlier. The words, I saw you sitting in the corner earlier, sounded to Jinseok like Did you just sit there without saying hello? Jinseok said, bowing his head politely. "Sorry. I went around to say hello to the other actors before you came, but they didnt seem to be very happy with me, so I stayed away. You even apologize. But what do you mean they werent happy about it? "Hmm Actually, when I was greeting people. Jinseok calmly told what he had experienced before Park Jinmo came. He took Yeo Hyemin with him to say hello to the other actors, but he said everyone''s reaction was cold. Park Jinmo thought about it as he listened closely to Jinseok''s story. He said, I see. In fact, Park Jinmo vaguely expected that Jinseok would be ignored by other actors. And in a way, it was a natural step. Other actors have gone through all sorts of hardships, including childbirth, misfortune, and dogfighting, before being cast in a good work like . There are actors who have gone through dozens of auditions to win a minor role, and there are also actors who have gone into debt to produce, direct, and even act on their own. To those who had survived with only the stubborn belief that they liked movies, Jinseok was just a lucky guy. Of course, they couldn''t help but feel jealous. Honestly, Park Jinmo himself was jealous of Jinseok. That guy left too fast. He tried to tell Jinseok that. Even though he didn''t really like Jinseok, he was still the main character in this work. If you are unable to act due to problems outside of work, it will be a loss not only to Jinseok but also to myself and the other actors. At that time, Jinseok spoke quietly. I dont know why other actors do that to me, but honestly, it doesnt matter. Whether other actors view me favorably or negatively. This was something Park Jinmo didn''t expect at all. He would have been more restless and whined for help. You dont care? "Yes. If people looked at me negatively because I did something wrong, I would have cared, but no matter how much I look back, I didnt do anything wrong. Park Jinmoughed at Jinseoks bold words. It didn''t really mean to ignore Jinseok. It was just a natural reaction after seeing Jinseoks confident attitude. I thought you were worried because you spoke as if you wereining. But if you dont really care, why did you give me such a long exnation?" I did it because I was curious. Im afraid other actors might not be able to focus on their acting because of me. Is that all? And Im sorry to Yeo Hyemin. Hyemin Yeo? Jinseok trailed off and continued speaking in a heavy voice. "Yes. I greeted the other actors with Yeo Hyemin. But if Yeo Hyemin also got a bad impression because of me, shouldnt I take responsibility and resolve the issue? Park Jinmo spoke with admiration for Jinseok, who spoke calmly without any hesitation. These days, kids are all busy looking for their own way to live. I am also looking for my own way to live. I have to solve this problem for this work to do well, and only then will I be able to produce better work in the future. Jinseok continued to speak in a in voice. It didn''t seem like he was forcing himself to act calm. Rather, he seemed like a veteran, trying to solve problems as calmly as possible. This bastard Are you a rookie? An average rookie would not be able to speak so boldly in front of himself. Even more so if he was tantly ignored by other senior actors. Even if they don''t show it on the outside, there are many cases where they feel restless inside, and I''ve seen many times when they go to the bathroom and douche on their own. But Jinseok was different. There was something about him that felt old. Well, thats good. Then I will tell you. Why did the other actors behave so badly? "Yes." Jinseok Kang is different from us. While other actors were struggling desperately to be recognized, Kang Jinseok easily took the leading role. . To put it simply, I am jealous of actor Kang Jinseok. You might think it''sme for grown adults to be jealous, but I understand. Honestly, Im on their side too. As Jinmo Park said, Jinseok must have had a lot to say, so his mouth twitched. But he seemed to think there was no need to speak out, so he quickly closed his mouth again. As Jinseok remained silent, Jinmo Park took out his cigarette from his arms. Can I smoke one? Yes, please feel free to smoke. "Thank you." Park Jinmo put his cigarette in his mouth and lit it. He may have been a quick smoker, but before he knew it, the cigarette had turned into a butt. Whoa Spitting out thest sip, Park Jinmo mixed the butt into the ashtray. His eyes were sharp, perhaps because he was charged with nicotine, or because he was trying to say something important. When I came here earlier, I said I was going to give you advice, that wasn''t advice earlier, right? "Yes." Ill do that now. Park Jinmo said, taking a step closer to Jinseok. No matter how friendly you are to the other actors, you will continue to be ignored by them. Because the lucky guy is already stuck in the minds of other actors. . So we need to change that image. Change my image? "Yes. Now other actors don''t know how much effort Kang Jinseok has put in, and they don''t care. There is no one on this floor who doesn''t try hard. It doesn''t matter what kind of acting you did in previous dramas. People only believe in the results they see, right? Park Jinmo took a moment to catch his breath. After taking a deep breath through his nose, he added, his voice more serious than before. So, you have to prove it yourself. he said that it was not luck that got him there, but skill. . Is that possible? Jinmo Park spoke in a somewhat provocative tone and voice. He originally didn''t intend to speak so aggressively. Because he didn''t need to corner a young new actor. However, Jinmo Park felt that Jinseok was not just a rookie. He was a proud and confident leading actor. Park Jinmo quietly waited for Jinseoks answer. The cigarette smoke in the smoking booth has already gone out, but the air feels even heavier because of the tension. At that time, Jinseok asked Jinmo Park. Among the actors participating in todays reading, who do you think is the best actor in your opinion? Who is the best actor? "Yes." Park Jinmo pondered for a moment and then asked again. Why are you asking that? You said I had to prove my acting skills. If I am recognized by the most outstanding actor, wont other actors also recognize me? Its not a very sophisticated method, but its the most reliable method. however." Park Jinmo, who had been talking for a while, let out a light snort and continued his words. Is that possible? In this work, the other actors think I am the best acting actor, right? Whether intentional or not, it was a challenge to Park Jinmo. And Park Jinmo was not a great person to avoid such challenges. Park Jinmos voice exudes the nuance of How dare you challenge me? "Great." Despite the pressure, Jinseok spoke in a calm voice. I will prove my skills. And I will be recognized. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Are you going to get recognition from me for your acting? It is an excessive and arrogant attitude. To put it harshly, it could even be said to be cheap. Thats fun. But it didn''t look bad to Park Jinmo. In any case, Jinseok was the actor who was recognized by director Yeo Jaeyoon as the leading role in this work. If youre the main character, you have to have this kind of courage. Regardless of whether his acting career is short or long, Jinseok is the lead role in this work. The lead role is the leader who must lead the work together with the director. A lot of things have to be coordinated and resolved between the director and the actors. As such, if he hadined about why I was doing this to him or asked for help, I might have been more disappointed. "Great. Let''s take a look. How good of an actor is Jinseok Kang? Of course, if you had no skills and rushed in with pride, I would have killed half of you. Then, shall we go down and check it out? *** While Jinseok and Park Jinmo were engaged in a war of nerves, the reading room was full of conversation about the whereabouts of the two people. I heard that Park Jinmo took Kang Jinseok to the rooftop What is he trying to do? Well, thats fine. He just wanted to talk . Was it just a matter of talking? I thought he was taking him there to crack some kind of joint. No matter what, hes the main character. Well, if its Park Jinmo, he can do that. In this way, each actor had different thoughts. And the more Yeo Hyemin heard such negative conversations, the more worried she was about Kang Jinseok. Are you going to be okay? On the outside, she seemed to have no thoughts, but on the inside, she was worried. I wanted to tell my father, who was giving instructions to the staff, to help Jinseok, but I couldn''t. While filming his work, his father and daughter decided to strictly maintain a rtionship between director and actor. Imte because the conversation got long. sorry." Kang Jinseok is back. sorry." At that time, the reading room door opened and Jinseok and Park Jinmo came in together. Actors who were unable to greet Park Jinmo and actors who were curious about what happened on the rooftop approached Park Jinmo. And Jinseok approached Yeo Hyemin a little faster than that, but with clearly leisurely steps. Whats going on? Why are you looking so serious? I have a serious expression? At Jinseok''s words, Yeo Hyemin looked at his expression reflected in the ss window. It''s the same as usual, such an ordinary expression. It doesnt show anything . Sensing his strangeness, Yeo Hyemin wrote something about him in her notebook and showed it to Jinseok. -You''rete. Honestly, I was going to ask, Did you fight with Park Jinmo? or Did you get scolded?, but I changed the sentence because it seemed too explicit. "Ah. Were you worried? Jinseok thought about it for a while and then smiled and said. Its no big deal. He just gave me advice on various things. For some reason, Yeo Hyemin was disappointed by Jinseok''s calm reaction. She was a little sad too. Still, since nothing special happened, there was no need to say anything more. Lets start reading! One of the busy staff members shouted. Then, one by one, the actors got up from their seats and began to sit at therge table in the center of the hall. Shall we go too? Nod. This time, Yeo Hyemin followed right behind Jinseok. After a while, when all the actors were seated, director Yeo Jaeyoon spoke. This is Yeo Jaeyoon, the director of this work. It was a short greeting without any words like Please take care of me, work hard, or anything like that. Still, I feel like he said everything he needed to say. There were many meanings contained in the name Yeo Jaeyoon. p p However, the reactions of other actors except Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin were not good. Of course, all the actors cast in this work did their best to audition just because it was Yeo Jaeyoon''s work. I was cast despite the hugepetition, and of course, I was really happy. But who are the two actors appointed as the leads? Kang Jinseok, a lucky new actor. And the director''s daughter, Yeo Hyemin. There was bound to be dissatisfaction and disappointment. Even though the director said hello, the somewhat t response made the atmosphere awkward. However, to some extent, Yeo Jaeyoon expected this reaction, but he did not show any particr reaction. "Hello. This is Kang Jinseok, who ys the role of conman Song Faith. After that, the actors started greeting each other. Jinseok was the first to say hello. As expected, the response was minimal. But this wasnt just about Jinseoks greeting. This is Park Do. Excellent. This is Joo Hyungdo, who ys the role of waiter Kang Domin. Even when other actors greeted them, the apuse was quiet. Even though the actors expressed their dissatisfaction with Yeo Jaeyoon, they could not openly ignore the director. . And finally, Yeo Hyemin stood up and said hello. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She hesitated for a moment, just as Hyemin was about to sit down in her seat. This is actress Yeo Hyemin, who ys the role of Moon Hyemin. Jinseok slightly bent his waist forward and he spoke on behalf of Yeo Hyemin. Hyemin was taken aback for a moment by Jinseok''s unexpected help, but she soon lowered her head again. p p p. Park Jinmo, who was sitting across from Jinseok, pped the back of his hand. Only then did the other actors begin to roughly respond as before. It was strange that Jinseok greeted Hyemin instead, but it didn''t matter to the other co-stars. What they are just curious about is how much acting Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin will show. That''s it. Yeo Jaeyoon, who nced at Jinseok, Yeo Hyemin, and Park Jinmo, slowly opened his mouth. Okay then Shall we begin? Yeo Jaeyoon opened the script. The script, which was filled with post-it notes and notes, was twice as thick as the original script. Then lets begin. Park Jinmo said calmly. Are you Song Faith? Then, looking directly at Jinseok, not at the script, he said: A grave voice,pletely different from when he said Lets begin a moment ago. Park Jinmos voice now was the same as Chairman in his script. And for some reason, the other actors felt like it wasn''t acting. Rather than acting so well that it felt real, it seemed like Park Jinmo was trying to test whether he was really good at acting. Park Do, who was sitting next to Park Jinmo, nced at Park Jinmo. Ya You''re serious.'' Although it was a short line, Park Do, who has worked with Park Jinmo on numerous of his works until now, was able to understand it. He is now as focused as when Park Jinmo was filming, perhaps even more focused than he was. In fact, not only Park Do but other actors also vaguely knew about it. Because everyone had the sense to understand that much. Kang Jinseok What about you? Park Do looked at Jinseok without showing any signs of awareness. That bastard is smiling, isnt he? Jinseok was smiling arrogantly. To be precise, a smile full of confidence rather than arrogance. It was a smile that I wanted to see again and again without knowing why. Yes, well If you are referring to the scammer Song Faith that the Chairman is looking for, then I would be correct. Jinseok sat in a somewhat rude posture, leaning his neck against the back of the chair. Without stopping, he crossed his legs and recited the line while staring straight at Park Jinmo. Rx your expression. I''m scared to death. I am a guest called by the Chairman. Isnt that too much? The other actors flinched at Jinseoks lines. This is because It felt simr to when Park Jinmo said a short line a little while ago. What is he? Like other actors, Park Do was surprised by Jinseok''s acting. But what was even more surprising was Jinseoks boldness. No matter how good you are at acting, there are many cases where you cannot act properly when you stand in front of a senior actor. If he is a human being before being an actor, he is concerned about human rtionships, and without realizing it, he is influenced by the opinions of his new senior actors. What if the senior actor decides to suppress the other person? If you are a junior or even a rookie, it is even more difficult to demonstrate your skills. But Kang Jinseok There is no sign of that at all. Despite the pressure, he acts calmly as if he is enjoying the situation. No, he actually pushes him even harder to prevent him from thinking about anything else. Now he is your Chairman, not your senior, Park said. Now, I am not Junior Kang Jinseok, but I am Song Faith, a fraudster. Then lets write a contract based on what weve said so far. Even if I prepare the contract Hey, does anyone know what the contract is? Lets just trust each other and go. Its between me and the chairman. Now youre telling me to believe a fraudster? Anyway, right now, Chairman, the only person you can trust is me, right? . Who is A and who is E now? You need to understand it well. The two''s acting became more and more intense. Jinseok, who had consistently responded to Park Jinmo''s lines, counterattacked Park Jinmo for the first time. Of course, it was a line that was in the script. However, the meaning of the same line can bepletely different depending on how you interpret it. The actors looked at Park Jinmo''s noticed as Jinseok''s tone was more aggressive than what was written in the script. Huh . Park Jinmo took a deep breath. He then let out his lungs full of breath and looked at Jinseok. There are no longer any eyes trying to test his acting. Instead, there was only doubt in Park Jinmo''s eyes. And with that question in mind, he asked Jinseok. I know you are a huge fraud. But will those skills also apply when treating my daughter? Although there was a question in the voice, it was already halfway through. It was worth admiring the acting that freely moved between those boundaries, but the other actors couldn''t afford to do that right now. Rather than admiring Park Jinmo''s acting, they were more looking forward to Jinseok''s next line. "Hmm . Jinseok pauses. These are not instructions in the script. It''s just that the actor analyzes his role and acts ordingly. The reason why the Chairman should trust me is because I am a scammer. Jinseok spoke confidently, holding the Chairman in his hand. Either I lie or I tell the truth. The job of a fraudster is to make others believe him. So don''t be too guarded. Its not shameful to trust me and then be deceived. Jinseoks voice spread quickly and urately throughout the reading room. The actors nodded without realizing it as if the lines were stuck in their ears. Anyway, the Chairman has no choice but to trust me. Otherwise, he wouldn''t need to find me and make this suggestion. Please leave your daughters work to me, the professional. The actors secretly looked at Park Jinmo. Jinseok''s acting was thought to be great by those who were watching next to him, but they were curious about what Park Jinmo''s opinion would be after actually getting it right''. Perhaps feeling the gaze of the actors, Park Jinmo smiled faintly. He then spoke in a quite polite manner and voice. Okay, Ill trust you. Only Park Jinmo could tell whether he was acting or serious. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Its no joke. Actor Choi Seungyeop, seated at the edge of the table, was swallowing dry saliva and watching Jinseok and Park Jinmo''s acting. Are you really a rookie? Arent my acting skills a joke? Choi Seungyeop is a used rookie actor who graduated from college and worked in ys and minor roles before being cast in a supporting role for the first time. And even though he was his own age, he disliked Jinseok, who yed the lead role, much more than other actors. I shouldn''t have made those faces when he came to say hello . I now regret the childish behavior that I ignored in an attempt to discourage him. I knew he was good at acting for a rookie, but I never thought he would be on par with, or even better than, Park Jinmo. His fathers advice to never ignore a leading role, no matter how new, came to mind. Im caught in the middle for no reason . However, even if Choi Seungyeop had been given another chance, he would not have been able to treat Jinseok warmly. He knew what the other seniors thought of Jinseok, and it was impossible for him to be the only one to treat Jinseok kindly. To survive in the world of actors where connections and rumors are important, a certain level of insight was essential. However, I still regretted it. I just regret that I shouldn''t have rejected Jinseok to the extent that others did. Okay, Ill trust you. As Park Jinmo opened his eyes long, he recited the line. Then Director Yeo Jaeyoon pped his hands as if he was satisfied and said. Hmm. It doesn''t feel like it''s overheated. Im grateful that you both are working hard, but wouldnt it be a bit awkward if you both lost all of your energy now? Yeo Jaeyoon had a bright smile, but Choi Seungyeop could see a different meaning in that smile. That smile clearly conveyed the meaning of I was right, wasnt I? to the actors who doubted Jinseok. Director, what you said is correct. I can''t believe there''s so much heat in the reading. I guess I was excited to meet a new person after a long time. sorry." Im sorry. I dont mind at all because I know Jinmos personality. Thank you for your understanding. Rather Park Jinmo blurted out his words and looked at him Jinseok. That guy is good. "Yes? Then shall we smoke a cigarette and start again? At Yeo Jaeyoon''s words, the actors and staff stood up. Their flushed faces seemed to be excited by the acting Jinseok and Park Jinmo showed a little while ago, and anticipation for the uing filming appeared. *** The reading I did with Park Jinmo a little while ago was a scene where I had already been possessed once, so I performed it without any pressure. Why is it so quiet? However, after Director Yeo Jaeyoon took Park Jinmo and his staff out, no one said anything even though a considerable amount of time had passed. Looking at Park Jinmo''s expression and Yeo Jaeyoon''s reaction as we exchanged readings, I think it was pretty good. Are you saying you cant recognize my skills at this level? Of course, I didn''t think I could capture the hearts of other actors with just one reading. As Park Jinmo said on the rooftop, the actors here were all armed with strong pride and confidence as filmmakers. I cant help it. I need to prepare for the next reading'' Grumble. Hmm The sound of a chair being pulled and a sigh broke the silence. When he turned his head towards the sound, he saw Park Do slowly walking towards him. This is Park Do, who ys the role of Kim Donggil. Nice to meet you." Park Do, standing in front of me, held out his hand to me and said. In any industry, it is not easy for a senior to apologize to a junior first. This is especially true in the case of actors who have a clear rtionship between seniors and juniors and have strong self-esteem. Park Do took the initiative to reach out to me despite his shame. To be honest, my first impression of him was not that good, but thanks to this behavior, that first impression was greatly diluted. Have you been recognized? Park Dos fingertips tremble slightly. As time passed little by little, the tremors became worse. Maybe he''s worried that I''m ignoring his greeting like he did to me earlier. This is Kang Jinseok, who ys the role of Song Faith. I will do my best. It''s my first time doing a movie, so there are a lot of things that I don''t know. Please help me a lot, senior. I put aside my pride and approached him first, so I couldn''t make him wait any longer, so I got up from my seat and held his hand. This is a really hard-won opportunity and role. Whether before, after, or during filming. It doesnt matter at any time, so I would appreciate it if you could say anything. "Him . Park Do smiled briefly, not knowing if he was empty or justughing. I dont know if I can help you with anything, but I get it. Then youll have to say hello to the other actors too, so thats it. Park Do squeezed my hand again. It wasn''t an attempt to keep me in check or pressure me. It seemed like he was giving me one more promise to do better than that. Park Do let go of his hand and turned around to head to his seat. He looked at his back for a moment and was about to sit down. "I." A man''s voice was heard from behind. My name is Seungyeop Choi. I couldn''t say hello properly earlier sorry." He was one of the two who didn''t even look at me when I went to say hello earlier. When I saw him earlier, I thought he had a pretty cynical personality, but it seemed like that wasn''t necessarily the case due to his hesitation. This is Kang Jinseok." This time I was greeted politely again. Choi Seungyeops expression noticeably brightens. Hmm! hmm. I also couldn''t say hello properly earlier. This is Heo Suyeon. I am Jung Wooyoung. This is Yang Sumin! Then, one by one, other actors came over and started saying hello. *** OS Entertainment Vice President''s Office. In this ce, which was practically the representative office of OS Entertainment, Gayeon Yoon and Sunho Jang were sitting across from each other. Im d Jinseok Kang solved the problem on his own. Movie actors have unusually high egos, so it wouldnt have been easy with even average acting skills. Jang Sunho nodded with a stern face at Gayeon Yoon''s words. "Yes. As you instructed, the problem was resolved smoothly even though I did not intervene much this time. Jang Sunho especially emphasizes instructions. There was a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice. Gayeon Yoon, who noticed this, asked Sunho Jang soothingly. Are you not happy that I told you not to help me this time? To be honest, yes. Its a shame that it was resolved well, because you may have had trouble keeping the other actors in check. . It was an instruction that I did not understand. I dont think there was any need to take this risk. Jang Sunho is the type of man who, if he can prepare and deal with any problem in advance, he will definitely do so. So he didn''t like the fact that he left Jinseok alone like this time, even though he was aware of the crisis. But you managed to listen to me. "Yes. It is the duty of subordinates to follow their superiors instructions. Jang Sunho, who had been speechless, opened his eyes sharply and continued his speech. He must have given such instructions for a special reason that I dont know. The vice president knows the entertainment industry much better than I do. "That''s right. I also had my own thoughts. Yoon Gayeon nodded her head and said to Jang Sunhos words. The reason I told the team leader not to do anything this time is that I wanted Jinseok Kang to learn leadership skills as the main lead. Leadership as a lead actor? "Yes. Jinseok Kang will continue to y the lead role in many works. Theres no way directors can leave alone an actor who is good at acting and good-looking. "Yes." But when an actor with short experience takes on the lead role, many problems arise. Like this time, other actors may look down on the lead actor, or they may be swayed by the supporting actors. . Well, a mid-level actor can organize the hierarchy, but these days, people dont want to do it because they get called old-timers. This was new information to Jang Sunho, as it was something only people who had worked in the field for a long time would know. Thats why I asked you not to help him this time. Anyway, its better to experience things first than to experience themter. Imitted rudeness without knowing much. How rude. It was natural for him to get angry because he was trying to pick on his actor. Rather, wouldnt you have been more disappointed if the team leader hadnt gotten angry? After finishing speaking, Gayeon Yoon got up from the sofa. Then she handed Jang Sunho a thick bundle of documents on her desk. "This?" The CEO wanted to do something fun again. Jang Sunho muttered as he quickly scanned the documents. To Jang Sunho, Yoon Gayeon spoke as if she was interested. They say KL Entertainment cant remain number one in our country forever. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 OS Entertainment Open Audition? Jang Sunho is not surprised that OS Entertainment is holding open auditions. It''s natural for entertainment agencies to hold auditions to find new talent. However, the reason Jang Sunho was surprised was because of the content in the middle of the document. Youre holding an audition in conjunction with the BDD broadcasting station? And that too in the form of entertainment? Like singer or idol audition programs, OS Entertainments open audition was an actor audition program. While Jang Sunho was quickly scanning the documents, Yoon Gayeon smiled and said. This is an audition that anyone who dreams of bing an actor can apply, as long as they have no criminal history, including age, gender, and education. Among them, actors with potential will sign a contract with us and be trained as actors. Anyone can apply, and it is an audition that leads directly to debut. It was an audition that every actor could, or should, attempt. It will be a hugepetition, but it is an opportunity that cannot be given up. The applicant who wins first ce in the audition will be cast in writer Cho Seokwons next work, which will be aired on BDD next year. In addition, several directors and producers will participate, so if there is an actor they like, they will be able to cast it autonomously. After gathering his thoughts for a moment, Sunho Jang asked Gayeon Yoon. I think it will be a fun project. I just have one question, who will be the judges? In an audition like this, the judges would also be important. I guess it hasnt been decided yet? Its not confirmed, but the roughposition has been decided. We are nning to add about four more actors from ourpany. Are there directors or PDs who are familiar to the public? Drama director, star writer, Netflix PD, senior acting coach, agency representative, and current actor. Looking at the lineup, which felt a bit excessive, I could see that CEO Oh Haneul was sincere about this audition. We n to recruit at least ten new people through this audition. Topete with KL Entertainment, the quality of actors is important, but numbers are also important. "Come to think of it. You said you were holding this audition because of KL Entertainment. "Yes. The CEO instructed us to take away all of KL Entertainments No. 1 modifiers. So, first of all, I want to take away the title of No. 1 actor. Of course, its not possible to recruit just anyone. Jang Sunho thought carefully in his mind. In that case, it would be most effective to bring in actors from KL Entertainment You dont look like a CEO. People know Oh Haneul as a kind and virtuous businessman, but the Oh Haneul that Jang Sunho knew was never that kind of person. That doesn''t mean he''s a bad person, of course. It is a thoroughly calcted and cool-headedpany. But Jang Sunho said nothing about this. Just like Yoon Gayeon, it was clear that Oh Haneul had some intentions that she was unaware of. By the way, Vice President. May I know why you are telling me this? I dont think you gave it to me just to look at it. Oh, I didnt tell you that. actually." Gayeon Yoon trailed off, smiled charmingly, and spoke to Jang Sunho as if inviting him to do so. The CEO said he would like Team Leader Jang Sunho to supervise this audition. . He also said that if the team leader is in charge, the n can be modified as the team leader wants. Jang Sunho smiled helplessly at Yoon Gayeons words. Was it my job to handle it from the beginning? In any case, a fun project like this was weed by Jang Sunho. More than anything, if it was a fight with KL Entertainment, I wanted to step up even if I wasn''t told to do so. Jang Sunho held the documents tightly and spoke confidently. I will definitely prepare. *** The first day of filming . The pre-filming examination, which can usually be seen at any filming location, was in progress for a long time. Please make sure we can finish this shoot without any problems! I hope no one gets hurt and we finish without incident! After several staff members came forward as representatives and said goodbye. "Guys! Now lets sort things out! A senior staff member shouted loudly. Then Jang Sunho, who was standing next to me, spoke in a rxed voice. How are you feeling today? Oh, I was so excited that I slept a littletest night, but Im in really good condition. Rather He looked at Jang Sunhos face and spoke carefully. Manager, whats going on? It seems like you have dark circles these days I think youve lost some weight. Im sorry for bothering you. Ive recently taken on a new job, and I think thats why Im so busy. Jang Sunho continued speaking with a faint smile as if he was okay. By the way, actor. Would you ever consider serving as an audition judge or something? An audition judge? What does that mean Knock knock. Someone tapped my shoulder from behind. It feels like carefully poking the cheek of a newborn baby. I looked back. It was Yeo Hyemin. She was wearing a pure white dress that I had seen before. Although he felt it at the time, thebination of her white face and pure white dress matched surprisingly well. Ah, Yeo Hyemin is here. Please perform well today. When she bowed her head, she showed her own notes. -Hello. Please enjoy todays filming. Then she immediately turned the back page. I can see the words written in advance. -Yes. Did you eat? Rice? She tilted her head and asked at the unexpected mention of rice. Yeo Hyemin looks at me nkly. It says in the note that she ate. As I pointed to the notebook, Yeo Hyemin hurriedly looked at her notebook. Then, with her red face, she quickly wrote something down in her notebook and showed it to me. -Sorry. I wrote down the answers to the questions you might ask in advance, but I showed them incorrectly. A somewhat sloppy handwriting with a clear look of embarrassment. Heh When I saw that, I smiled without knowing. Of course, I didn''t mean to ridicule or anything like that. It was just fun to have the answers written down in advance. Yeo Hyemin''s face became even redder at myughter and looked like a ripe apple. -I''m so nervous because it''s my first shoot. If I do something wrong or make a mistake, please tell me right away. "Haha. I''m not skilled enough to say anything to other actors. Lets just work hard and have fun together. I think you can do well. Just as the cleanup was over, the staff member who rushed to lead Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin informed them of the progress. Ready to shoot! Actor Kang Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin, please stand by! Then shall we go? Nod. Nodding her head vigorously, Hyemin followed Jinseok, clinging to his back. *** Room Bar near KL Entertainment. Ugh I think Im a little drunk. Kim Hyungbin muttered as he poured the liquor straight into his mouth. Just as Kim Hyungbin was about to refill the ss he had emptied in one go. Director 4. How many days has it been already? I just keep drinking like this. Director 5, who was sitting across from Kim Hyungbin, stopped Kim Hyungbin. "What. What are you saying to me now? . No matter how simr our rtionship is, Director 5 cant do that. You and I are seniors and juniors ! Director 5 looked at Kim Hyungbin, who spoke with his half-twisted tongue as if he were pitiful. Kim Hyungbin didn''t like the way Director 5 looked at him, but right now his only focus was on alcohol. Still, I thought we could talk, so I called If you''re going to act like this, get out of here. Hyungbin Kim looked at Director 5 with drunken eyes. Director 5 seemed to have no intention of giving the bottle of alcohol, so he ced it next to himself. "Under Fuck you. hey! hey!! Is there anyone outside? Kim Hyungbin cursed and shouted outside. Then the door slowly opened and a waiter in a simple suit came in. Yes, boss. Did you call me? Lets send this bastard out and bring in the best kids today . While Hyungbin Kim was speaking, Manager 5 cut him off and spoke to the waiter. Its done. This person drinks a lot. sorry." The waiter looked at Manager 5 and Kim Hyungbin alternately and forced a smile as if the situation was familiar. "Ah yes. Then lets go out. "For a moment. Still, I called and had to tell him to do something. Let me buy you some hangover reliever and coke. Tip the rest. Manager 5 took out several checks from his wallet and gave them to the waiter. This is a huge amount of money, considering that you usually get paid 100,000 won at most or 50,000 won for this kind of errand. The waiter bowed deeply and politely epted Manager 5s check. Thank you, boss! I will assist you right away! When the waiter left, Kim Hyungbin spoke in a crooked manner. You threw away a lot of money. Is there anything good happening? The 5-year-old salty manager spends money like that. Stop talking nonsense. How long are you going to keep doing this? Arent you going to work? "Day? What the fuck happened. Do I want to work now? I cant show up at work because of that bastard Kang Jinseok? . Yesterday, the assistant manager in Room 3 also smiled at me. A kid with no blood on his head I should have ripped the ink out of his eyes. Although the words were rough, Kim Hyungbin''s voice had no strength. That''s because, as Kim Hyungbin just said, his status and reputation have fallen to the ground. Fuck Hyungbin Kim put a cigarette in his mouth. Then he took out his Zippo lighter from his inner pocket. Tick. Tick tick. There was no fire, perhaps because the fuel had run out. Holy shit! Nothing works! Hyungbin Kim threw the lighter hard against the wall. It was an expensive lighter that he cherished, but he didn''t care about it at all now. Whoa . Hyungbin Kim sighs deeply. Director 5 waited until Kim Hyungbin calmed down before opening his mouth. Director 4. Are you going to give up like this? "What?" Im asking if youre going to get lost and run after like this. Isnt it a waste of effort to get to that position? At the serious words of Director 5, Kim Hyungbin red at him, chewing the cigarette in his mouth. So what do you want to say? The reason the director and I are like this right now is because of Kang Jinseok. But Kang Jinseok is doing well. When Kim Hyungbin heard the name Kang Jinseok, his stomach seemed to turn. But. Rather than getting angry, he felt that it would be better to listen to Director 5. Are you going to just watch like this? Hyungbin Kim poured a cup full of cold water and drank it. As the cold water flows down his esophagus, hees to his senses a little. Are you just going to watch? There is no way, there is no way! If you do something useless and make a mistake again, then it''s really over. Just let Director 3 solve it Why isnt there one? While Kim Hyungbin was speaking as if he wasining. ? There is still one step left. Director 5 cut off Kim Hyungbins words and spoke calmly. There is someone willing to help us. They are going to help us? "Yes." Although Kim Hyungbin and Director 5 have lost a lot of status due to various failures, they are not so broken that anyone dares to say they will help. He must be of considerable skill to offer to help Kim Hyungbin and Director 5. Who is that? When Kim Hyungbin asked cautiously, Director 5 smiled and answered. It''s Director 1. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Who said they would help us? Kim Hyungbin, who hadpletely sobered up, asked in a trembling voice. To that extent, the person who came out of Director 5''s mouth was an unexpected and surprising person. It''s Director 1. To be honest, Room 1 is so closed that there is no interaction, but arent you sure about their skills? . How is it? Do you feel like trying something now? It was somewhat arrogant for the subordinate, Director 5, to ask Director 4, Kim Hyungbin, Are you willing to try something? However, right now, I had no intention of ming Director 5 for his rudeness. If Director 1 really helps us, we will be able to achieve something big this time. Because that person is a really scary person. "Yes." But Im not a great person to get involved in such aplicated matter. Arent you trying to soak me? Director 5 smiled pleasantly at Hyungbin Kims words. This is because he finally seemed to have returned to being the Director 4 he knew. What would be the point of not being the 1st director, but the 4th director? And we''ve only known each other for 15 years, so please believe me. After cleaning up Kang Jinseok At that time, Kim Hyungbin was about to say something to what Director 5 said. [This is Director 1. I will go in.] Manager 1s voice was heard outside the door. Director 5 confidently spoke to Director 4, who was watching him. Do you believe it now? *** Is this finally the first filming? The scene to be filmed today is the scene where the scammer, who haspletely investigated and analyzed the chairmans daughter Moon Hyemin, appears in front of him for the first time. The setting is a restaurant, and a conman approaches Moon Hyemin, whoes to the restaurant alone. Since there is not much dialogue, facial expressions, and bodynguage are important. I have to do well. Because in everything, the first start is the most important. I sat down at the table and looked around. Yeo Hyemin is sitting not far across from me, and I can feel the gaze of the camera filming the two of us. I''ve gotten used to it now, but I''m still excited and nervous about filming. While I waspiling my thoughts, I heard a loud voice filled with the spirit of an old man. "High-Q!" When I heard Yeo Jaeyoons words, my vision became blurry. It has begun. I can see Kim Faiths memories. *** A luxury restaurant with gorgeous chandeliers. Kim Faith was smiling leisurely at this ce that took a year to make a reservation. A pianist''s performance flows from a tform installed in the center of the restaurant. Chopin''s Nocturne No. 2 was specially requested from the restaurant for tonight. This is a song that the Chairmans daughter, Lee Hyemin often listens to, and it will put her mind at ease whether she knows it or not. Kim Faith looked around. Again At that time, the sound of shoes was heard through the soft music and quiet conversation. Kim Faith looked at her. The subject of todays work, Hyemin Lee, is visible. Its much prettier in person. Lee Hyemin in her fluffy white one-piece dress. It was a one-piece dress that did not have a special design and might look somewhat in, but because the person was wearing it, it was more perfect than any other luxury item. Pleasee this way. The waiter guided Hyemin Lee to her seat. That waiter is also on the same team as Kim Faith and was bought in advance. As Kim Faith instructed in advance, the waiter seated Lee Hyemin in an appropriate ce, neither too far nor too close to Kim Faith. Then he handed Hyemin Lee the menu. Kim Faith looked at Lee Hyemin closely without showing any signs of it. See you Hyemin Lee put down the menu. She takes a deep breath, her fingertips trembling slightly. She barely opened her lips to say something. A short voice that doesn''t know whether to call it a word or a syble. Even speaking short words was not easy for Lee Hyemin. Of course, there was also a way to order by pointing to the menu with your hand, but that was meaningless. The reason I mustered up the courage toe to the restaurant alone was that I wanted to practice verbally ordering like everyone else. Youd think so. Kim Faith, who studied and analyzed Lee Hyemin for over a month, was able to figure out what dish she was about to order and what she was thinking. Seeing Yeo Hyemin ordering, Kim Faith''s brain began to work quickly. See you Hyemin Lee opened her mouth again but then closed it again. She tried again several times, but the six letters Boeuf Bourguignon would note out of her mouth. Its as expected. When Lee Hyemin hesitated for over 30 minutes, the waiter forced a smile and spoke carefully. Then, miss, please call me when you have decided on the menu. . Lee Hyemin stared nkly at the waiter who greeted her lightly and turned around. There is urgency in those eyes. She is in a situation that anyone who knows her situation would feel sorry for. But Kim Faith was in a good mood. Because everything was going as expected and as nned. Faith Kim looked at the waiter. Then, the waiter, who was walking away from Lee Hyemin, hurriedly approached Kim Faith. Yes, Chef. Thank you again for visiting our restaurant. May I take your order?" Due to the nature of the restaurant, the name Chef is enough to attract everyones attention. At the waiters words, chef, all eyes turn to Kim Faith. Of course, Kim Faith is not a chef. He''s a fraud. However, he made numerous preparations for today, and Chef was also one of his ns. Lee Hyemin, who was looking at the menu nkly, also turned to Kim Faith. Kim Faith smiled, satisfied that he had attracted attention even if it was a pointless look. Then, he deliberately spoke a little louder so that Lee Hyemin could hear him clearly. Boeuf Bourguignon, plus bread and boiled potatoes. The wine is Ghibli Premier Cru Clos Salomon. Kim Faith orders in a mix of Korean and fluent French with an easy-to-hear voice. The men who showed up in great style looked at him with envy and jealousy, and the women looked at him with a little curiosity. Hyemin Lee was no exception. Although she felt a little different from the other women, Lee Hyemin was clearly also secretly looking at Kim Faith. This is a great choice. Is there anything else you need? Oh, one more thing. Please prepare the same for the woman across from me who came alone. At those words, Lee Hyemin looked at KimFaith with surprised eyes. As if to soothe her surprised feelings, Kim Faith looked straight at Lee Hyemin and smiled charmingly. It''s the fatal smile that made Kim Faith the best conman who could break anyone''s heart. We will prepare it right away. As the waiter greeted him politely and walked away from Kim Faith, Kim Faith slowly stood up from his seat. With the leisurely movements of a well-fed cat, he approached Lee Hyemin and whispered softly. I know its presumptuous, but I thought you were a little awkward at ordering food, so I helped you. . Bon Apptit (Have a nice meal). The nuance is that he helped out of goodwill, not because he thought you were beautiful or because he had a special purpose. He didn''t show off or ask for contact information. Anyway, the purpose of today was to stamp my face on Lee Hyemin, so if I get too close, it could backfire. Ive done everything I need to do today, so now I just have to enjoy my meal. That was Kim Faiths n up to this point. Perhaps because everything waspleted as nned, his face looked very rxed. "Hmm? Whats going on? At that time, Lee Hyemin approached Kim Faith. Until this time, Kim Faith was confident and thought, If she approached from the other side first, things might turn out easier than I thought. However, Lee Hyemin''s expression when I saw it up close was strange. Her expression looks a little flushed and angry. Hyemin Lee handed a note to Faith Kim. She then left the restaurant without even looking back. What?'' Kim Faith was slightly embarrassed by the unexpected behavior and looked at the note left by Lee Hyemin. -Unwanted consideration is rather a nuisance. Chef. So far, not all ns have gone as desired. But this was the first time it had gone this far. Even though she couldn''t speak, I knew she had a bold personality, but I never thought it woulde out like this. Kim Faith let out a sigh as if he was dumbfounded. This is my first time seeing a woman like that. It was a type of work he had never experienced before. The excitement ofmitting a scam to steal someone elses heart, something he had forgotten about for quite some time, bloomed within him. Maybe it''s a little different excitement this time. *** Huh, indeed. Jinseok looks at the note that Yeo Hyemin gave him and sighs as if it is absurd. Director Yeo Jaeyoon, who was appreciating the performance, could not hide his smile. He really is a great actor. An attractive conman with strong confidence is embarrassed by an unexpected counterattack from the target of his work. This is a rathermon development in romanticedies about con artists. However, Jinseok clearly showed that the level of the same performance varies depending on who is performing it. Okay. I guess Ill have to go to the next scene. Satisfied that Jinseok had masterfully digested the script, he tried to shout cut. Its fun. But then Jinseok looked at where Yeo Hyemin sat and muttered. This is a line that is not in the script. There was pure excitement in Jinseok''s eyes as he recited that line. Like a hunter who has found his prey, he carefully examines the area where Yeo Hyemin walked. The assistant director next to Yeo Jaeyoon flinched at Jinseoks ad-lib. This is because he knew that Yeo Jaeyoon dislikes ad-libs that were not agreed upon in advance. Yeo Jaeyoon said quietly, holding the assistant director''s shoulder with his raised hand. Lets keep going. I don''t like it when other actors do things that aren''t in the script, but I wanted to watch Jinseok''s acting. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 While Yeo Jaeyoon was admiring Jinseok''s acting, Yeo Hyemin also couldn''t take her eyes off Jinseok. Really. Hes good at it. She knew that Jinseok was good at his acting. But after acting with Jinseok in real life, she knew for sure. There is something different about an actor named Kang Jinseok. Actress Seo Yeonsoo? That actress said that. All you have to do is follow Jinseok Kangs lead. Jinseok was an actor I remembered because it was unique that I couldn''t take my eyes off him throughout the interview. When I saw the interview, I thought it was just a formality, something a new actor would say to treat his seniors better. However, after actually experiencing it, there was not a single lie in what Seo Yeonsoo said. Its fun. Jinseok, who she thought had finished acting, spoke quietly. Yeo Hyemin''s eyes, which were looking at Jinseok nkly, came into focus. Then, the scammer is looking at where Hyemin sat and walked a little while ago. I don''t know what he''s looking for so much, but I can''t ignore it because it seems like an act of great significance. The extras were momentarily taken aback by Jinseok''s subsequent acting, but everyone continued their acting like professionals. Perhaps that level of awkwardness can somehow be resolved through editing. Jinseok, who had been looking around for a while, looked at Yeo Hyemin. To be exact, he was looking at the camera at her next to Yeo Hyemin, but Yeo Hyemin felt like Jinseok was looking at her. Jinseok is smiling inexplicably. His smile is different from when he acted a little while ago. If the smile before was a smile so charming that it could tempt anyone, now it is a smile like that of a child, purely anticipating and looking forward to something. That smile clearly seemed to mean that he was looking forward to meeting her, the subject of his future work. Okay cut! Yeo Jaeyoon, who was satisfied with Jinseok''s acting, immediately shouted loudly. Ill turn over and go one more time. Kang Jinseok, repeat what you just did one more time! "Yes, I understand!" With Jinseoks lively answer, the filming set became bustling again. If I wanted to reverse what I had just filmed, I would have to reinstall both the lights and the camera. Jinseok returns to the table where he first started acting. Hyemin, who was staring at Jinseok silently, also returned to her seat. *** While Jinseok was concentrating on filming a movie, the Seoguk University Theater Department student council was holding an important meeting at a cafe in Seongsu. Somehow Jinseok has to bring his older brother to the student council. Other than that, there is no way to beat the Applied Music Department. As Park Dongseop, who took over as the new student council president this year, spoke in a voice full of concern, other student members nodded in agreement. "Surely. It seems there is no other way. By the way, Jinseoks school isnt doing well either. If you ask him to join the student council, should I do it? "Therefore. It seems like your ss also reces reports. But what are you doing outside today? There are so many people. The reason why the student council members of the Department of Theater gather together during vacation and hold meetings like this. It was because of the bar that would be there soon after the start of the semester. Park Dongseop said, clenching his fists. This year, practical music and children must win. You cant have the stigma of being the student council president who lost the bar. Seoguk University''s Department of Theater and Applied Music were rivals for a very long time. Every year, during the opening season, the two departments open a bar, and this year, there was information that Kwon Seonhee, a 600,000 YouTuber who is on the rise recently, was enrolled in the Applied Music Department. In fact, it was just information, and seeing that Seoguk University''s restaurant tour was posted on Kwon Seonhee''s SNS every day, the admission was certain, and this was a big bad news for the theater department. Psychologically, if there is a bar with a simr concept and price, we will go to the ce where the famous person is. Park Dongseop said, mming his clenched fist on the desk. Do you remember how I shed tearsst year because I lost by 13,420 won? I still remember it vividly. The students nodded at those words. It was an unforgettable humiliation. Park Dongseop pounded his fist and said to Seo Inhyuk, who was sipping coffee at the edge of the table. Inhyuk. You are close to Jinseok. Can I please ask you one question? "Yes? You can ask, but you probably won''t. Jinseok seems to be busy filming a movie these days. "ah. Jinseok is doing a movie. Its really amazing. "Yes. And wouldnt it be better for Yeonsoo to ask rather than me? Seo Inhyuk said, pointing to Seo Yeonsoo sitting next to Park Dongseop. At his words, the entire student council looked at Seo Yeonsoo. But no one could talk to Seo Yeonsoo. This is because Seo Yeonsoos mood was unusual today. Rather than looking upset or anything, she looks a bit restless. -Producer Ha Sarang: What are you doing these days? Lets talk about thetest news. -Senior Min Kyungsoo: I''m ying and eating. I weighed 8kg more than when I was filming. Indeok (belly fat) is increasing. -Hayeon Park: Im preparing my next album. I also practice acting. -Senior Min Kyungsoo: Is Jinseok busy filming a movie? -Jinseok oppa: Yes. We are filming today as well. Seo Yeonsoo was preupied with the KakaoTalk group chat room of . It''s been a while since filming ended, but the team asionally exchanged greetings with each other in a group chat room. The atmosphere was so good that even Seo Yeonsoo, whose name value was much lower than that of the other members, was able to contact themfortably. After being cast in Jinseoks movie, Im reluctant to contact him Of course, it wasn''t because I hated Jinseok or hated him. It''s just that Jinseok, whom I thought we had be a little closer to while working together on , seemed to be moving much further ahead while filming the movie, so I felt a distance between us. Whoa It wasn''t that I was depressed or had low self-confidence, but I was nervous that we would be distant forever. Wooooow. Jinseok Oppa: Filming ! (Photo) Jinseok Oppa: The person right next to me is actress Yeo Hyemin, who ys the female protagonist in this work. She is the director Jaeyoon Yeos daughter. Senior Min Kyungsoo: Wow, so is that Jinseoks girlfriend? Jinseok oppa: (emoticon shaking head and tapping forehead) Seo Yeonsoo immediately checked the photo. Seo Yeonsoo''s shoulders slumped even more when she saw Jinseok taking pictures with prominent middle-aged actors, including Park Jinmo and Park Do as if it were natural. Whoa That was when Seo Yeonsoo sighed again helplessly. Sister Yeonsoo. Whats going on? . Yeonsoo sister? When Seo Inhyuk called again, Seo Yeonsoo responded with surprise. "Uh? Oh sorry. why?" Can you ask Jinseok Hyung if its okay for him to appear for at least a day? Are you asking Jinseok oppa toe out to the bar? She usually smiled brightly when talking about Jinseok, but today she was a little less confident in her voice. "Well. I havent had any personal contact with Jinseok oppa for a while. "Omg. Noona, did you fight with Jinseok? What fighting? Jinseok oppa seems to be very busy. He also films movies. But if my sister asks, wouldnt he give you some time for a day? It must be hard. He just posted a picture in the group chat room, so I guess theyre filming today too. Group chat room? "Huh. It''s a group chat room they created when we were filming a while ago, and sometimes we talk about thetest news. He posted a picture there. Seo Yeonsoo showed the photo Jinseok sent. Its this picture. When Seo Yeonsoo showed the photo, the students rushed to put their heads forward. This was a natural reaction for most students who dream of bing actors or directors. Wow, isnt this Park Jinmo?! "Oh my god. This is director Jaeyoon Yeo. Is there also Park Do? The world we really live in is different. w. When will I go to a ce like this? A time when everyone was amazed. "And. But who is this person? Isnt it so pretty? Seo Inhyuk said, pointing to the woman who was standing right next to Jinseok and making a shy V sign. "I know. Its really pretty. "Who is it? Is she a new actress? "Wait. I think Ive seen it somewhere In case there was any misunderstanding, Seo Yeonsoo took the cell phone and spoke firmly. This time, Jinseok oppa and her are working together as actors. Director Yeo Jaeyoons daughter, Yeo Hyemin. The students came to their senses again at the sound of that voice and sat down in their seats, quietly looking at each other. Oh, now that I think about it, Jinseoks filming this time was a romanticedy. Is he showing hisck of tact, or is he still unable to get out of Yeo Hyemin''s face? Seo Inhyuk smiled and spoke like a person in a dream. So, are the two so sweet? under. I envy him. I also like acting, so I wish I could hold hands with an actress like that and have a go at it. Jinseok got on his brothers side. After all, a man must have the ability. . Its not like that. Dongseop hyung? . Dongseop hyung? Seo Inhyuk, who had been imagining happy thoughts for a while, blurted out his words. The dark aura emanating from Seo Yeonsoo was unusual. Inhyuk. Jinseok oppa got on board? Isnt that actress the one who got on board? . And acting is just acting. It''s not sweet or flirtatious. Yes?" Seo Inhyuk rolled his eyes here and there and spoke awkwardly. "Ah. haha. Yes? Im going to go to the bathroom for a moment! As Seo Inhyuk quickly left the scene, the awkward atmosphere became more mysterious. However, Seo Inhyuk, who had hurriedly left the ce, kicked down the cafe door and came running in a huff. Is Jinseok hyung outside? *** "Huh?" The door opens and a group of peoplee in. One of the customers pointed to the first man who came in. The short Huh? contained the meaning of Where have I seen this person before? Like other guests, several of the student council members also looked toward the door. "Uh?" Who is he? Same reaction as other guests. But the meaning was different. Is Jinseok really here too? Seo Yeonsoo, who had been staring intently at her cell phone, also looked toward the door, wondering if anything. This is where he worked part-time. Oh, I know this ce. It''s very famous. It also appeared in . "Uh? Director, have you seen ? "Yes. He''s an actor I''m trying to cast in my work, so I have to watch all the shows he''s on. In fact, thanks to that broadcast, this was chosen as the filming location. The alley near here was exactly what I was thinking of. Jinseok is seen entering the cafe and talking with Yeo Jaeyoon. Bah, Park Jinmo?! Is Yang Sumin also there? Yeo, yeo, this is Director Yeo Jaeyoon. Yeonsoo, didnt you say you were filming Jinseok? After that, other actors followed suit and the students spoke with excitement as if they had met a celebrity, no, they really had met a celebrity. This is a very heart-pounding moment for students who dream of bing actors and directors. It was the same for Seo Yeonsoo, so she looked at the actors with her eyes wide open. Rattle. As if there were still people left toe in, the cafe door was carefully opened again. The person who opened the door and came in was Yeo Hyemin. . ? She blinked her big eyes and looked around her as if in wonder, and then her eyes met with Seo Yeonsoo''s. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 When she made eye contact with Seo Yeonsoo. Like her, Yeo Hyemin also recognized Seo Yeonsoo. It appeared in That actress. If it were the general public, they would not have recognized Seo Yeonsoo. Seo Yeonsoo was still not known as an actress, but rather as someone who thought, Where do you think Ive seen her before? However, Yeo Hyemin was able to recognize Seo Yeonsoo. This is because she watched the interview with Jinseok and Seo Yeonsoo several times. When the two recognize each other there is some awkwardness. "Uh? Cold water?" Jinseok looked at Seo Yeonsoo as if he was surprised and said. With those words, the tension between Seo Yeonsoo and Yeo Hyemin eased for an instant. Isnt today your day off from your part-time job? As Jinseok approached with a smile, Seo Yeonsoo spoke awkwardly, unable to erase the awkwardness from her expression. I came for the student council meeting. Most people live near Wangsimni and Seoguk University, so its easy to gather here. But wasnt that what you were filming? Whats going on here? Oh, theres a photo shoot nearby. While I was here, I brought the director and other seniors with me. Jinseok spoke briefly and asked the students politely. Are they a member of our departments student council? As soon as Jinseok finished speaking, the students stood up one by one and greeted Jinseok. "Hello! This is Do Jaehoon. that. I''m a real fan. Im really honored to be in the same department. This is Ha Sujin! Oppa, Im a real fan! Ha, this is the student council president, Park Dongseop. You probably couldn''t vote for me, right? You may not have been able to vote for student council president because you were busy. haha!" When Jinseok was receiving a lot of attention from cafe customers and students. Jinseok, do you know these people? Yeo Jaeyoon asked leisurely from behind. "Yes. Director. These are friends from our departments student council. This friend acts on . Oh, I know who it is. You''re good at acting. Were you a student at Seoguk University? When director Yeo Jaeyoon recognized her, Seo Yeonsoo greeted him in a voice full of tension. Ah, ah, hello, Director Yeo Jaeyoon! My name is Seo Yeonsoo. Its an honor to be recognized by you! "Haha. You are a friend full of energy. It looks good. Thank you! Yeo Jaeyoon gave a friendly smile and called Yeo Hyemin, who was standing quietly behind him. Hyemin. Come here. Yeo Hyemin, who was watching Jinseok and Seo Yeonsoo from a distance, slowly approached and stood next to Yeo Jaeyoon. This is my daughter Hyemin. You may not know this because she just started school and never went there, but she is in the same theater department. If you see her at schoolter, please be friendly. When Yeo Jaeyoon introduced his daughter, Yeo Hyemin bowed her head, brushing her hair behind. It''s just an ordinary greeting, but Yeo Hyemin''s movements feel like a dance. Not only her male ssmates but also her female ssmates were mesmerized by her greeting. She asked, Were you a student at our school? I saw it somewhere, I saw it, I thought Was it not a dream, but a school? But its really so pretty No, you are so beautiful. She may have been whispering softly, but her words were all leaking out of her. "And. But I get along really well with Jinseok. Its quite a painting. Seo Inhyuk spoke in a slightly dazed voice. In some ways, it may be an impolite remark, but since everyone in the room, including Yeo Jaeyoon, thought so, there was no one in particr who reprimanded her. The same was true for Seo Yeonsoo. I didn''t want to admit it, but when I saw Yeo Hyemin standing next to Jinseok, I couldn''t help but nod my head. He was with me just a year ago Now Jinseok oppa has be a real star. It can be a sad situation to feel like the person you admire is getting further and further away. But Seo Yeonsoo was not depressed. If I want to stand next to Jinseok again, I have to be such a great person ! It wasn''t Seo Yeonsoo''s style to just stare. Her way was to chase and win at any cost. Oh, by the way, we forgot to order. Actor Kang, what is delicious here? At that time, Seo Yeonsoo clenched her fists and made a firm resolve in her mind. Yeo Jaeyoon asked, looking at the menu from afar. He wasn''t asking himself, but the director''s sudden words woke Seo Yeonsoo out of her thoughts. Jinseok looked at the menu, then shrugged his shoulders and said. Everything here is delicious. But other than Americano, most of them are sweet. Director, if you dont like sweets, you can have a taste. I like sweets. I didn''t like it that much in the past, but as I got older, I started liking it. hmm. Then I Yeo Jaeyoon thought for a moment while looking at the menu. Then he asked, pointing to Kang Jinseok Coffee written in golden letters at the end of the menu. What is Kang Jinseok Coffee over there? "Oh, that''s" Jinseok scratched his cheek awkwardly, as he was ashamed to say that it was his menu. "It''s a menu made by Jinseok. It''s a signature coffee that only exists in our cafe." The manager, who approached him before he knew it, said with a big smile. Celebrities such as Jinseok, Park Jinmo, and Yeo Jaeyoon visited the cafe now he felt so happy. The mere visit of them will attract customers for a while. "Is it Kang Jinseok Coffee'' because it was made by actor Kang?" "Yes, that''s right. Director, the name is also Jinseok''s coffee. In addition, if you order now, Jinseok may probably'' give you the coffee himself." The manager looked at Jinseok in a yful voice and said. "Oh,. It''s a coffee served by actor Kang." This is you. It''s not something you can drink at any time." Yeo Jaeyoon also looked at Jinseok, mingling with the manager''s prank. At the eyes of the two, Jinseok smiled and warmed up as if he couldn''t help it. "Ha ha, ha, ha. Then, shall we put down some coffee Park Jinmo, who was looking around the whirling cafe, approached Jinseok whether he heard the conversation between the two. "Oh, then can I ask you to do me a favor?" "Oh, of course. "Sir, but my coffee is really sweet, would you mind?" "I like sweets. What do you guys want? Jinseok is going to make coffee for us." When Park Jinmo asked the actors who followed, they all spoke in unison as if they had promised. "I like Kang Jin Seok''s coffee." "Me too." "Big size for me. "Will you put whipped cream on top?" Not only the actors but also the students wanted to try the coffee that Jinseok made. However, great actors, led by Park Jinmo, appeared all at once, so he couldn''t bring it up. "HYEMIN, would you like the same one?" Yeo Hyemin nodded as if she was waiting. At the time Seo Yeonsoo smiled a little bitterly. "YEONSOO, what about you?" When Jinseok also asked Seo Yeonsoo, Seo Yeonsoo smiled brightly and raised her hand. "I want Kang Jinseok''s coffee, too!" *** "Are you ready?" Kim Hyungbin, head of KL Entertainment''s 4th Division, spoke in a rather nervous voice. Now, he was reviewing the Ruining Kang Jinseok'' project with the five chiefs who became amunity of destiny. "Yes. Kang Jinseok will be filming in a ce with a lot of floating poption around Seongsu Station today, so I''m going to work then." "Yes, but this one is a little. Isn''t it too stubborn? You''re going to use thugs to ruin the shoot. No matter how clean the first manager is, I think it''s a little dangerous." When Kim Hyungbin spoke with concern, the 5th chief spoke in afortable voice. "That part is fine. The thugs will disguise themselves as residents and shopkeepers living around the set. And it''smon for a drunk resident to go on a rampage because they''re annoyed with the filming?" "Hmm.. That''s true." Kim Hyungbin''s voice was still full of concerns despite the words of the five chiefs. The reason is that this "Ruining Kang Jinseok" n does not end up simply interfering with filming. This was the n of "Ruining Kang Jinseok" prepared by Kim Hyungbin and the head of the 5th division. Gangsters disguised as residents and shopkeepers interfere with filming. After that, the gangsters hurt Jinseok''s face under the guise of a "mistake," ruining not only the filming but also Jinseok''s acting life in the future. The first manager said he would take care of the rtionship with the gang, so there would be no problem. However, . . . .'' Kim Hyung-bin was a little ufortable. No matter how much I hate actor Kang Jinseok'', I didn''t want to do this. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" "The 4th manager." When Kim Hyungbin sighed with signs of difort, the 5th chief said in a serious voice. "You can''t shake now. It''s a situation where we have to do everything we can. I have to make an achievement that the CEO will like so that both the manager and I can live." . "Whether you stay at KL Entertainment or set up apany independently in the future. At this rate, neither of us can do anything. Think about life ahead." Kim Hyungbin nodded slightly to the strong voice of the five chiefs. Yes. I need to show my determination to the CEO this time. That way we can survive on this floor in the future.'' There may be a little guilty conscience, but that will be forgotten in time. Just like Kim Hyungbin has done so far. *** It''s not even 6 p.m. It was always a holy water warehouse that started work at dawn, but the lights were on from the early hours today. What''s even more surprising is that everyone is having a solemn meeting in the office without a single absentee. It was unusual in the Seongsu warehouse, where it ismon to bete every time one by one. There was even one more employee than the original number today. "As I told you in advance, there are people trying to disturb actor Kang Jinseok in this shoot. It''s Baro.." That one is Jang Sunho. He said, putting some pictures on the table in the conference room. "Are you saying they''re the ones?" Park Chunsam said, cutting Jang Sunho''s words. Now, none of the usual mischief was found in Park Chunsam. Jang Sunho nodded. "That''s right. KL Entertainment No. It''s information I''ve heard from a pretty reliable person, so I''m sure." "That''s what it is. It''s not something we care about. More than that, manager, do you know what''s going on? What they''re trying to do to ruin the shoot and even hurt Jinseok." "I didn''t tell you on purpose. If you do that for nothing, it could interfere with the filming." Everyone nodded at Jang Sunho''s words. I don''t know much about acting, but they said Jang Sunho, is an expert, so that''s why. "I wanted to ask the police, not you, if possible. But I don''t think it''s going to be easy to get help from the police even though things didn''t happen. I know it''s a little too much to ask, but I came like this." Jang Sunho bowed his head as if he was sorry. Park Chunsam tapped Jang Sunho''s shoulder and said. "How can you ask too much? You said it well. And that''s what I always said when I was running on the field, idents are better prevented than handled." Park Chunsam, who spoke uncharacteristically calmly, looked closely at the picture again. "Luckily, these guys are creative, so they won''t be confused. I think there are people I''ve seen a few times before." . "Let''s start slowly. It would be better to go and prepare in advance." After that, when Park Chunsam got up from his seat, other employees followed him. 3 to 650 working group leaders without medication, "Kwakdupal" Presidential Cup Boxing Competition, 2nd ce in Super Heavyweight, Kim''. Twenty-one years as an early football defender, "Talented system". "Howdon" is, a former standing army member of the judo world championship team. A former homicide detective and incumbent Seongsu warehouse chocte bar thief Park Chunsam''. And Seongsu warehouse employees who are not behind their strength. Everyone put a new red Noganda glove in their hand that Jinseok bought for them. Cracking sound. As they warmed up all at once, there was an eerie crackle in the conference room. Park Chunsam, the leader of this project, said in a low voice. "Don''t worry, manager. This is my profession." Park Chunsam intended to save his career. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 KL Entertainment''s 4th and 5th floor managers, and the thug who received orders from them, Yoo Joseok. He was a muscr brute with a history of disgrace near the pub of Seoguk University, where he had been humiliated by Jinseok in the past. Yoo Joseok sharpened his gaze at Jinseok, who was reading the script in a corner of the film set. "I thought I''d seen him somewhere before As expected, it was that bastard." The incident where he was helpless and humiliated by Jinseok without using his strength properly was a significant shame for Yoo Joseok. Yoo Joseok, loosening his knuckles, quietly spoke to his henchmen beside him. "I''ll take the lead this time, so follow right behind. We''ve got plenty of money, so let''s do the job properly." "Yes, hyungnim. But what if the police show up?" "What can we do? Everyone has to handle it on their own." Yoo Joseok surveyed the surroundings. Perhaps because the filming hadn''t started yet, the area was noisy. Expressions of admiration for Kang Jinseok''s good looks echoed from various corners. "Yeah. Take a good look now. You won''t see that handsome face again in the future." At that moment, "It''s 10 minutes before shooting!" From somewhere, a staff member shouted. The surroundings became even noisier at the announcement, and everyone gradually approached the direction of the filming site. Yoo Joseok spoke to his henchmen. "Let''s get started." As soon as he finished speaking, Yoo Joseok grabbed the shoulder of the man in front of him. The man was quite bulky, and Yoo Joseok thought he could easily push him aside with his own strength. However, the man didn''t flinch. Instead, as if anticipating Yoo Joseok''s actions, he turned around with a casual gesture. "Hey, Yoo Joseok. Long time no see." The man chuckled, revealing all his teeth. Then, he grabbed Yoo Joseok''s arm, mentioning Yoo Joseok''s name. Yoo Joseok looked at the man with a bewildered expression in a situation he hadn''t anticipated at all. "This, this guy, can it be!" Yoo Joseok quickly figured out the man''s identity. "Ba, Park Chunsam?" "Yeah, it''s me. Long time no see, huh?" "" "But seriously, you''re a man of few words, huh? Tsk, if this guy had seen the person you owe your existence to, you should show some respect." As if he had witnessed a colossal trauma, Yoo Joseok hurriedly stepped back. His henchman blinked, seemingly unsure of what was happening. "Hyungnim, do you know this person?" One of the henchmen asked Yoo Joseok, but Yoo Joseok couldn''t reply. "Why, why on earth is this guy here" The rtionship between Park Chunsam and Yoo Joseok was so dreadful that one could say they were a married couple in their past life. The first person Yoo Joseok ever subdued in his thug days was Park Chunsam. Even after that, he had been caught by Park Chunsam several times. Having such a person in front of him, it was not strange for Yoo Joseok to be flustered. "Hold on. Come to think of it Did this guy quit his annoying job?" As that thought crossed his mind, a faint smile appeared on Yoo Joseok''s lips. If Park Chunsam wasn''t a cop, there was no need to be afraid. Approaching Park Chunsam with shaky steps, Yoo Joseok spoke. "Hey, Park Chunsam. You''re not a cop anymore, huh?" "" "And even if you were a cop, so what? I haven''t done anything yet, what''s it to you? Huh?!" Yoo Joseok intentionally raised his voice, creating a menacing atmosphere. As he wished, the tension in the air eased a bit, and an atmosphere that something big could happen at any moment formed instantly. People around looked at Yoo Joseok and Park Chunsam. This, too, was what Yoo Joseok desired. Park Chunsam remained silent, just staring at Yoo Joseok. Empowered by Park Chunsam''s passive stance, Yoo Joseok was about to raise his voice again. "Hey, Yoo Joseok." Park Chunsam approached the confident Yoo Joseok and spoke in a low, ominous voice directly into his ear. "Aren''t you supposed to be more afraid that I''m not a cop? The police have the weakness that they shouldn''t engage in excessive force,'' but the current me doesn''t have such constraints." "" "Don''t understand what I''m saying? I''m telling you, you might die by my hands today." "Pft, boasting! You''d kill someone like me who hasn''t done anything wrong?" "Yeah, as you say, not yet.'' But did youe here to ruin this shoot?" "H-How did you?" "I probably don''t need to exin that part. Anyway, that person over there filming is my very close younger sibling. But if you mess up the shoot and make things difficult for my sibling I won''t be pleased. And you, who knows me well, should be aware that doing such foolish things wouldn''t be a good idea, right?" "" "Also, think carefully about whose side thew will be on when a former detective and a four-time offender sh." Pressured by Park Chunsam''s demeanor, Yoo Joseok stepped back a few paces. Memories of how reckless and skilled inbat Park Chunsam was, earned through several beatings, contributed to his decision. "Come to think of it, this guy quitting the police was because of excessive force, huh?" Having been a thug who experienced excessive force himself, Yoo Joseok was well aware of Park Chunsam''s intimidation. "That guy still can''t even eat alone" There was now stating that he had to be like him. Yoo Joseok looked at Park Chunsam with fearful eyes. Somehow, he mustered the courage to clench his fist. He had received too much money to retreat from the situation right now. "And No matter how much he''s Park Chunsam, he can''t take on all five of us alone. It''s better this way. I''ll deal with this guy and even Kang Jinseok at once." Having finished his thoughts, Yoo Joseok forced a confident smile. Then, he approached Park Chunsam again and spoke. "I don''t know why you''re making a fuss, but it doesn''t matter. There are five of us. No matter how much you" While Yoo Joseok was speaking, Park Chunsam interrupted. "I understand." Park Chunsam grinned, revealing even more of his teeth than before. "But what now? We''re 40." As Park Chunsam finished speaking, it felt like a wall had been erected around them. "Are you guys the ones trying to ruin Jinseok''s shoot?" "Yeah, take a good look. Your face looks really healthy, huh?" "What''s with this guy, drawing tattoos like that on his body? Tigers, dragons, bears, there are so many. Is it a zoo? Hey, you! Body art Anyway, don''t you know? Don''t mess with your body given by your parents." "Do some exercise. Your body''s all bby." People, evenrger than Park Chunsam, surrounded them, speaking menacingly. "What the hell are these guys?" If Yoo Joseok''s crew were thugs, these were like an army. It was unclear what kind of gang they were, but they wore red gloves, perhaps symbolizing the blood of a rival organization. As Yoo Joseok and his crew nervously assessed the situation, Park Chunsam spoke quietly. "What are you going to do?" "Sorry, we''ll just leave." "Yeah, you made the right choice. Oh, by the way, your ce is quite far from here, isn''t it? You came a long way, so have some potato stew before you go. It''s famous around here." Park Chunsam might have said it without much thought, but Yoo Joseok, hearing this, felt intimidated by Park Chunsam once again. "Did he figure out where my house is?" If so, he didn''t know when and how he might be targeted. Park Chunsam patted Yoo Joseok''s trembling shoulders. "Let''s make sure we don''t run into these kinds of situations again." Swallowing hard, Yoo Joseok nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes. Of course." *** "Going into the shoot!" "Ladies and gentlemen, we ask for your cooperation! Please follow the instructions of the staff!" "Taking photos is fine, but please refrain from video recording!" The shoot began with the staff''s announcements. Jang Sunho looked around the filming site in silence. "It calmed down quickly Looks like they really handled it well." However, Jang Sunho couldn''t fully rx yet. This scene might not involve Jinseok; it could be where the thugs hide, waiting. As he nced around once more, a thought crossed Jang Sunho''s mind about the "Manager of Room 1," who had tipped him off about KL''s maniption. "Come to think of it Why would the Manager of Room 1 at KL Entertainment be trying to help actor Kang Jinseok?" From what Jang Sunho had investigated, the Manager of Room 1 was the person most trusted by the CEO of KL Entertainment. It didn''t make sense to him that someone with such trust would "warn" him about the schemes of other managers in the same agency. From KL Entertainment''s perspective, Jinseok might be a thorn in their side, even if they managed to deceive him. "Is it an internal issue?" Jang Sunho took out his phone and called the Manager of Room 1. If it had been Jinseok''s shoot, he wouldn''t have had the luxury to make a call, busy monitoring. But at this moment, he had a little time for a brief conversation. [Manager of Room 1 here.] The voice was as calm as the first time they spoke. Jang Sunho matched that tone and spoke calmly. "I''m Kang Jinseok''s manager, Jang Sunho. Thanks to the information you provided, we''ve taken measures to ensure there are no issues during the shoot. First, I want to express my gratitude." [You don''t need to thank me. But about this incident You probably used the Seongsu Warehouse employees to resolve it, am I right?] "How did you know that?" [It would have been the most efficient way. Even if I were Manager Jang Sunho, I would have handled it the same way. Anyway, I''m d it''s resolved.] The Manager of Room 1 spoke in a passing tone, but for Jang Sunho, it held significant meaning. "If I were in your shoes, I would have handled it the same way" It sounded like they were alike. Though it might be unpleasant to be told that he resembled the leadership of KL Entertainment, whom he considered an enemy,'' Jang Sunho found himself oddly epting it. "I''ve never actually met the Manager of Room 1 in person, but through our few conversations, I''ve felt that our thought processes are simr." "If I can answer, anything." "Why are you helping actor Kang Jinseok? Honestly, I don''t quite understand. Even if I expose this incident to the media, KL Entertainment won''t easily get away with it." "Any information you have won''t have any effect. It''s fizzled out, and with just suspicions, not a single article woulde out." It was a valid point. Attacking without concrete evidence would likely result in a counterattack. Nodding slightly, Jang Sunho epted the Manager of Room 1''s words. [And the reason I''m helping actor Kang Jinseok I can''t tell you yet.] [But I''m always on Kang Jinseok''s side. I need an actor like Kang Jinseok'' too.] Chapter 114 Chapter 114 [I see. Seems like you don''t trust me.] Jang Sunho didn''t believe the Manager of Room 1''s words. In the world today, especially in the entertainment industry of South Korea, who could be trusted? Given what KL Entertainment had done to Jinseok so far, such suspicion was natural. [Well, if there''s nothing else to say, I''ll end the call now. Please take care of Kang Jinseok in the future.] The Manager of Room 1 hung up, seemingly understanding Jang Sunho''s skepticism. Jang Sunho began to review if he had missed something. I don''t know if the information Manager of Room 1 provided is urate. Maybe they gave me a bluff to see how we''d react.'' At that moment, the phone in Jang Sunho''s hand rang. The screen disyed Mr. Park Chunsam.'' "Yes, Jang Sunho speaking." [Oh, Manager-nim. I''ve taken care of all the guys I showed you in the photos earlier. Just reporting the situation and letting you know not to worry.] "Got it. Thank you for your hard work." While relieved that the thugs were all taken care of, his mind became moreplicated. The manager of Room 1 is the closest aide to the CEO of KL. Is today''s incident in line with the CEO''s intentions?'' After a brief contemtion, Jang Sunho shook his head. Now was the time to focus on Jinseok''s shoot rather than dwelling on such thoughts. *** "Let''s start shooting! Actor Kang Jinseok and actress Yeo Hyemin, please stand by!" I walked towards the alley where the lights and cameras were concentrated. As I passed, I noticed some citizens capturing me on their phones. Meeting people like Actor Kang Jinseok'' like this was almost a first since the awards ceremony, and it felt both cool and uplifting. Then, someone tapped on my shoulder. Without turning around, I could already guess who it was. "Did you enjoy the coffee? It was delicious." As I turned around, as expected, Yeo Hyemin was holding out her notebook. "Oh, yes. Thank you. Wasn''t it too sweet? The director seems like he hasn''t had half of it yet." "It was just right for me." Yeo Hyemin smiled. Though it might appear almost expressionless to others, I had be able to read some expressions after seeing her frequently. Her brighter demeanorpared to our first meeting lifted my mood. "We''re counting on you for this shoot too. It''s a really important scene, you know." An important scene, huh.'' Every scene was important in its own way, but as Yeo Hyemin said, this scene was incredibly'' crucial. It marked the moment when the female lead, Moon Hyemin, first opened up her heart to the scammer, and simultaneously, the scammer began to see Moon Hyemin not just as a job'' but as a person.'' "I''m really counting on you. Well then, shall we go? Everyone seems to be waiting." Yeo Hyemin nodded, and with the staff, entered the alley. Watching their backs, I waited for the cue sign from Director Yeo Jaeyoon. "Action! Cut!" With that signal, the scenery changed. At an entrance to an alley simr to where I was just now, yet slightly different. People hurriedly walked, wondering what could be so urgent. Among them was Kim Faith''s target, Lee Hyemin.'' Hyemin, this time, you can''t ignore me.'' After the embarrassment at the restaurant, Kim Faith analyzed Lee Hyemin even more thoroughly. He systematically gathered information on Lee Hyemin''s likes and dislikes, the recent dramas and movies she watched, her favorite songs and singers, and even the restaurants she frequented. Kim Faith continued to approach her under the guise of coincidence.'' Not only did he attempt to win Lee Hyein''s attention by acquiring the ownership of a store or hiring people to portray him in an appealing light, but all these efforts ended in failure. Despite such thorough preparation and effort, this was the first time Kim Faith had failed to approach his target. This is practically thest chance. If I continue to approach her here, Hyemin will eventually realize that I''m targeting her.'' Kim Faith''s final operation was somewhat clich, but it was always effectivethe Prince on a White Horse'' operation. I never thought I''d resort to such a cheesy method.'' Today was a rare day when Lee Hyemin was walking alone without her bodyguards. Since this operation was something that could only be attempted today, Kim Faith feltpelled to give it a shot, despite the somewhat cheesy nature of the n. "A beautifuldy like you shouldn''t be wandering around alone; it''s dangerous. Where are you headed?" "We''re not bad people. Let''s grab a coffee. It''s going to be really fun, I promise." A typical street thug''s cheesy lines echoed. The voice seemed to match the lines, indicating that this was not the thug''s first attempt at using such lines. "It''s begun." Three street thugs blocked the path of Lee Hyemin, chuckling. A few passersby caught a glimpse of the scene, but they paid no attention and continued on their way. These were all team members prepared by Kim Faith, each participating in the orchestrated n to be the White Horse Riding Prince.'' "Why so silent? We''re not scary people, you know?" The thugs approached Lee Hyemin. She remained motionless, seemingly lost in thought. Perhaps she was too stunned to react. Kim Faith, judging that the atmosphere had simmered down just enough, approached Lee Hyemin slowly. They exchanged nces with the thugs without being noticed. "Well then, let''s go with us. I know a really great ce" Just as one of the thugs attempted to subtly grab Lee Hyemin''s shoulder, somethingpletely unexpected happened. With a sudden force, Lee Hyemin seized the thug''s hand that was reaching for her shoulder. Then, effortlessly, she smoothly twisted the thug''s arm. "Ah, ahh! W-wait a moment!" Even though he was ying the role of a thug, this man had been a professional who had synchronized well with Kim Faith throughout. He had put in his fair share of physical effort. However, at this moment, this man, who had only half the strength of the woman in front of him, found himself unable to use any force. Suddenly, a piece of information about Lee Hyemin crossed Kim Faith''s mind. Come to think of it, Lee Hyemin had learned martial arts too!'' Kim Faith didn''t pay much attention to the fact that Lee Hyemin had learned martial arts. Learning martial arts doesn''t necessarily mean you can use it in practical situations. "Aaaah! I-I''m really in pain! Just a moment! M-My arm is going to break!" "I-It''s not a joke, really! Aaah!!" The thugs looked at Kim Faith with bewildered eyes. Reading their gaze, Lee Hyemin also turned around. She looked at Kim Faith with an emotionless gaze. Even though Lee Hyemin appeared calm, Kim Faith''s mind was moreplicated than ever. "I need to quicklye up with the next n." In his career as a scam artist, not everything went ording to n. Strictly speaking, more often than not, things didn''t go as nned. After all, life doesn''t always go as one desires. However, this was the first time everything failed so perfectly. Once Lee Hyemin let go of the arm she was holding, the thug hastily retreated. If the n went awry to this extent, there was no choice but to leave it to the leader, Kim Faith. Unbeknownst to them, pedestrians had disappeared from the alley, leaving only Kim Faith and Lee Hyemin. In the silent alley, Lee Hyemin took out a notebook and pen from her bag, wrote something, and then handed it to Kim Faith. "We''ve been meeting quite frequently these days." Even if it was just a coincidence at other times, meeting in an alley like this is somewhat suspicious. With an expressionless face, Lee Hyemin showed the notebook. Her handwriting was so neat that it was impossible to tell if she was annoyed or indifferent. If there had been even a slight expression on her face, Kim Faith might have been able to read Lee Hyemin''s intention. Although confident in reading people''s hearts more than anyone else, at this moment, Kim Faith felt nothing but a sense of bewilderment. Are you following me? With that question, Kim Faith''s mind became even moreplicated. Whether Lee Hyemin was asking if Kim Faith was worried about her entering the alley alone or if he was stalking her, there was no way to know. The information was not sufficient. It was too confusing. In order to find a convincing excuse that Lee Hyemin could ept, Kim Faith quickly racked his brain. But a good idea didn''te to mind. Huh. Lee Hyemin sighed at Kim Faith, who remained silent. Then, as if she had no lingering feelings, she turned and walked away. Ah, no. If I let it go like this'' It was over. No matter what ns he made for the future, she would only doubt him and wouldn''t treat him properly. That was certain. "Wait a moment!" With the thought that grabbing Lee Hyemin was a priority, Kim Faith blurted out as soon as the words came to his lips. Lee Hyemin looked at Kim Faith again. Her expression still revealed nothing about what she was thinking. "Well." "That''s" Unable to string words together properly, time continued to pass. The more time passed, the more Kim Faith''s mind nked, and he became even more unsure of what to say. Then, as if determined, Kim Faith bent deeply at the waist, extended his hand to Lee Hyemin, and said, "I-I''ve fallen for you!" "When I first saw you at the restaurant, I fell for you at first sight. That''s why I kept trying to talk to you and ended up following you to this alley!" What am I saying?'' Kim Faith felt like he had gone crazy from squeezing his brain too hard. Or perhaps, had he be foolish and unable to think straight because of Lee Hyemin these days? He couldn''t understand the wordsing out of his own mouth. Falling for her out of the blue. Wasn''t that a corny phrase that even a high school student, no, a middle schooler wouldn''t use? Damn, damn, damn, damn! Someone please kill me, please!'' Still, Kim Faith''s gaze remained fixated on the ground. Only the shadow of Lee Hyemin, cast by themplight, was visible. Like that shadow, Kim Faith''s heart seemed to be burning pitch ck with shame. Silence engulfed them once again. That silence continued to amplify Kim Faith''s embarrassment. After a while, with no response from Lee Hyemin, Kim Faith maintained his posture and cautiously lifted his head. "" For some inexplicable reason, Lee Hyemin''s face turned even redder than before. This was a situation entirely different from what Kim Faith had expected, or rather, imagined. As Kim Faith nkly stared at himself, Lee Hyemin''s face grew even redder. Eventually, she quickly walked away as if escaping from the alley. "Damn, I messed up. Seriously messed up." If he sent her off like this, there might not be another chance. However, going after her now would be even more unreasonable. With trembling pupils, Kim Faith gazed at the spot where Lee Hyemin''s shadow had been. It wasn''t a significant gesture, just a reaction to the confusion and embarrassment that kept his head bowed. Then it happened. Footsteps were heard from the other end of the alley. Without the possibility of what was happening, I lifted my head just in case, and there stood Lee Hyemin with her face still flushed red. After hesitating for a moment, Lee Hyemin scribbled something in her notebook and showed it to Kim Faith. "Is that true?" TN: Yotttss why am I blushing as well? Lol Possessed 10 Million Actors Ep.115 Possessed 10 Million Actors Ep.115 "Where on earth did such an actore from?" Park Jinmo marveled as he watched Jinseok''s acting from the corner of the alley. Whatever it may be, there''s always a limit'' to everything. No matter how perfectly an actor immerses themselves in a role, there is a certain awkwardness inherent in their performance due to the habits they''ve developed throughout their life. For instance, the actor''s pronunciation or actions might reveal a familiarity with their previous roles. However, in Jinseok''s acting right now, there was not a hint of awkwardness. It felt as if he had extracted from the script the scenario of a perfect con artist, thrown off bnce by the deviation of his n, identally confessing'' and brought it to life. Such admiration wasn''t limited to Park Jinmo alone. "Hehe" A smallugh escaped from Yeo Jaeyoon''s lips. During the shoot, Yeo Jae-yoon had been strict and somewhat cantankerous, but Jinseok''s acting undeniably caused the muscles in his face to loosen. "During the first audition, he couldn''t find the direction, and now." On the screen capturing Jinseok''s face were dted pupils expressing bewilderment, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and a lower lip uncertain of how to deal with shyness. And, in an awkward yet harmonious manner, the fingertips directed towards a flustered Lee Hyemin were captured,pleting the ensemble. "Surely, there''s something different about actor Kang Jinseok''s performance. It''s something that can''t be exined simply by excellent script analysis." At that moment, Jinseok''s face, which had been facing the floor, subtly turned towards the camera. Following his gaze, the camera slowly shifted to a frontal view. It was a first-person perspective aligned with his eye level. As scripted, the face of Lee Hyemin, blushing and disying signs of embarrassment, entered the frame. However, for some reason, there was a feeling slightly different from those emotions. "Is this a sense of being moved?" More precisely, it was an expression that seemed to be inspired by something rather than just being moved. "My intention was a bit different." Since there was no intention to cut ck just because she was his daughter, if the acting had been subpar, Yeo Jaeyoon would have called for retakes without hesitation. However, the current feeling wasn''t bad, so he decided to let it pass. Just insisting on reshooting might have been a huge setback if Jinseok''s acting wavered. Lee Hyemin wrote a note with trembling hands and showed it to Jinseok. "Is it true?" "Re-really? Of course!" It was an unexpected note, and Jinseok''s eyes widened in surprise. That too was brief; Jinseok somehow managed to speak in a nonchnt tone, but he still trembled visibly, unable to conceal his hesitation. "Uh, well we um, food!" "Foo-food? Shall we eat? There''s a delicious pig''s trotters ce nearby, and a pork bone soup ce also a fried chicken ce." "Or there''s bossam" The menus suggested by the man who had just confessed weren''t exactly suitable for a date. That''s why Lee Hyemin found it even more endearing. Jinseok, or rather, the man who had just confessed, was making his embarrassment even more apparent. The two of them, caught on screen, looked incredibly awkward. Lee Hyemin shyly nodded her head. The screen disyed a charming awkwardness, reminiscent of a couple attempting to take their first steps in a rtionship. "One, two, three." Watching their interactions, Yeo Jaeyoon silently counted in his mind. "Ah, cut!" Yeo Jaeyoon tossed aside the headset connected to the microphone and let out a heartyugh. "Wow, this is no joke." "But I feel embarrassed just watching." "Amazing. What''s the title of this movie?" "Hey! When is this movieing out?!" "I forgot to breathe. This is real acting." Whether it was the trigger for the apuse or the citizens who were watching the shoot, they all collectively marveled. Among them were, of course, students from Seoguk University. "You have to do that to make a movie." "But the two of them in a two-shot, they really match well." Like beginners admiring a veteran, the students were impressed by Jinseok''s acting. Of course, Seo Yeonsoo felt the same way. As the citizens and students marveled, the staff members moved the lights for the next shoot, and Jinseok and Lee Hyemin walked out of the alley, chatting with each other. Seeing this, most of the citizens took pictures, and Jinseok, with a stylish smile, shook hands with people. "Wow, as expected of Jinseok!" "That was great! It was worthing to see the acting!" "Is this a drama? Oh, was it a movie?" At that moment, breaking through everyone''s voices, the loud voices of the workers from Seongsoo Warehouse echoed. They seemed rxed and carefree. The considerably robust voices drew the attention of both the citizens and the staff members. Of course, Jinseok''s gaze naturally turned in their direction. "Oh? Gentlemen, how did you end up here?" Jinseok greeted them warmly as he approached. However, their bright smiles suddenly turned nk. "Us? We just" "Uh Why did wee here?" "Did wee to eat something?" Park Chunsam, the team leader, and Mr. Kim, who were at the forefront, gave vague answers. "We brought them here. Since there''s filming nearby, I thought you all might want to see it." Then, unexpectedly, Jang Sunho, who was standing by Jinseok, took over from Park Chunsam. In response, Park Chunsam and the other employees awkwardlyughed, saying, "Oh, right, right. We just came to see it. It''s nearby. Haha" "Um" Examining them curiously, Jinseok spoke as if sensing something odd. "Is that so? But everyone seems relieved, like after finishing work on Chuseok or New Year." "" "Did something happen for you all toe here?" Jinseok asked without much thought, but the moment he spoke, the men and Jang Sunho hesitated. Then, Park Chunsam clenched his fist and spoke with a solemn voice. "Nothing at all" "?" "Happened." It seemed a bit strange, but since they were insisting like this, Jinseok couldn''t press further and just shrugged, nodding his head. "Oh, Actress Lee Hyemin. These gentlemen are" Then, he noticed Lee Hyemin standing behind him, observing him and the men with a curious expression. "They''re like my father." Jinseok didn''t want to simply define them as coworkers.'' So, he expressed them as family, using the term father.'' Whether they were surprised or moved by his words, the Seongsoo Warehouse workers seemed to be touched, their noses twitching. Lee Hyemin politely greeted the Seongsoo Warehouse workers. Whether it was because of Jinseok''s reference to them as like his father'' or perhaps due to their intimidating stature, they were being quite cautious. "Are they intimidated?" Lee Hyemin wasn''t usually the most outgoing, but at this moment, she seemed particrly tense, almost frozen. It was understandable, given the somewhat intimidating appearance of the men. "I wonder if a cheerful greeting would help." To ease Lee Hyemin''s tension, Jinseok introduced her to the men. "This is Lee Hyemin, the actress who ys the female lead in this project. You saw her a little while ago, right? She''s really good at acting." "The female lead?" "Yes." "Oh, I see." At the mention of "the female lead," the men exchanged knowing nces. "Jinseok is filming a romanticedy this time, right?" "Not exactly a romanticedy. But well, that''s close enough." "I see. So, are they going to hold hands and act all lovey-dovey?" "Probably. These days, that''s a trend." "Hmm. That''s the trend of trends. But what is the trend, exactly?" Normally, those who would scold each other without hesitation were strangely in sync during moments like these. It was a conversation very familiar to Jinseok. In response, he raised his head with a somewhat embarrassed smile, as if saying he couldn''t help it. However, for Lee Hyemin, the somewhat heated conversation seemed a bit unfamiliar, and her face flushed. The men found her reaction cute and burst intoughter. "You said Hyemin, right? Nice to meet you, Hyemin." At that moment, Kwak Dupal, the team leader, nodded slightly and greeted her. Startled by his unexpected greeting, Lee Hyemin quickly blinked herrge eyes. Then, with her long hair falling to her waist, she gracefully bowed to Kwak Dupal. *** "At Pizza King, they want to use Kang Jinseok as their exclusive model." In the conference room of the advertising agency "Dolphin Excursion." Like a calm pond disturbed by a thrown stone, the tranquil atmosphere was disrupted by the team leader''s casual remark. "If it''s Pizza King KL Entertainment''s Kwon Seokhoon, right? KL Entertainment must be aware that the contract is likely to be extended." "Besides, Pizza King should know that KL Entertainment doesn''t like Kang Jinseok. Why would they want to use him?" "It''s going to be noisy again." "Actor Kwon Seokhoon didn''t react badly either. Why would they want to change?" In response to the team members'' questions and reactions, the team leader ced documents on the table and spoke. "The person in charge said they want to change Pizza King''s image, and Kang Jinseok is quite popr these days, right? His recent work with Director Yeo Jaeyoon? Even though the movie won''t be released for a while, there are photos popping up on social media and news portals. You know, right?" "That''s true." "And if the movie bes a hit after it''s released, his appearance fee will go up. They might be trying to secure him in advance." "What if the movie flops?" Still, even if it''s a contract with a rookie guarantee, it wouldn''t be bad. Besides, Kwon Seokhoon doesn''t really have much activity going on, right?" As the team leader exined in a weary voice, the team members nodded in agreement. Looking at his team members, the team leader added one more thing. "And this uing project is expected to hit at least a mid-range. I have a friend in the film industry, and it seems like other directors are all trying to dy the release dates for their films." "Why?" "They think they''ll lose all the audience if they release around the same time. I don''t know the details, but it seems like rumors are already spreading over there. This next project is no joke." Surprised by the team leader''s words, the team members nodded, saying, "If it''s thebination of Director Yeo Jaeyoon and Kang Jinseok, it''s sure to be at least a mid-range hit." Sipping on his lukewarm coffee, the team leader continued. "But there''s a problem. The advertiser wants to grab Kang Jinseok specifically for the model, so we have to adjust to that. But suddenly rejecting Kwon Seokhoon seems like KL Entertainment would catch on." "Oh that''s true. That director really has a dirty personality." "That''s right. Also, besides our Pizza King project, there are a few more ad shoots lined up with KL Entertainment actors. We need to extend contracts for some of them. If our rtionship sours because of this, it''s really going to be a headache. Do you understand what I mean?" The team members nodded in understanding. Although the advertising agency and the entertainment nning agency weren''t in a direct hierarchical rtionship, they often collided with each other, so maintaining a good rtionship was preferable. After a moment of silence, one of the employees asked the team leader. "But, Team Leader, isn''t KL Entertainment a bunch of money-crazed people? They won''t care much, right? They''ll do anything that makes money." "Well, that''s true, but when you actually go to the shooting site, they can be quite picky. This one has too much exposure, so it''s a no-go. This one doesn''t match the image, so it''s a no-go. This one doesn''t align with the nning and feels different, so it''s a no-go.'' They''ll go on about that kind of stuff." "Ah" The team member nodded, seeming to understand. It was a challenging situation where the desired actor for the advertiser could potentially have a negative impact on another advertisement. The conference room fell silent in the face of the difficult circumstances. "Now, let''s tell KL Entertainment that Kwon Seokhoon is done as a model, and we need to sessfully wrap up this project." In that atmosphere, the team leader threw another question into the mix. "Anyone confident?" Possessed 10 Million Actors Ep.116 Possessed 10 Million Actors Ep.116 At the team leader''s words, everyone lowered their heads. Seeing the team members'' hesitant reactions, the team leader shrugged and said, "If you all don''t want to do it, the most skilled senior should handle it. Manager Seo?" "Team Leader, aren''t you the most skilled senior here?" "I know you''re busy." At the team leader''s words, Manager Seo covered his face with his hands. In reality, from the moment such a discussion arose, he had an uneasy premonition that he would end up taking on this task. "Whoa, sorry for being a bitte. The previous call ran long." At that moment, the representative of Dolphin Excursions, Go Seokwoo, entered. As he came in, the employees adjusted their postures. Go Seokwoo looked around at the peculiar atmosphere in the meeting room and asked, "What''s going on? Why is the mood like this?" "Well, everyone is a bit reluctant to deliver the news about the non-renewal to KL Entertainment." "Oh, really? Why?" "Well you know." "Because they have nasty personalities?" As if wondering why they''re bothered by such things, Go Seokwoo reacted surprisingly lightly. The employees chuckled at the unexpected response from the CEO. The CEO''s reaction seemed to suggest that there might be a solution. "Well, what can you do? You have to tell the truth. After all, you can''t avoid putting soybean paste on the rice because you''re afraid of the maggots, right?" But in reality, there wasn''t much of an alternative. "And don''t worry about that kind of thing. Are we the ones who care about what the advertiser thinks, or the ones who care about what the agency thinks?" Though Go Seokwoo deliberately spoke lightly, the employees couldn''t bring themselves tough. As the heavy atmosphere continued in the meeting room, he sighed and shook his smartphone. "Well, okay. I''ll personally call the manager in charge of actor Kwon Seokhoon and talk to him." "" "If I''m getting paid more than you guys to solve these kinds of problems, then fine." The CEO''s impressive words brought a glint to the employees'' eyes. Among them, the one most moved was Manager Seo. CEO! *** So, does this mean our Seokhoon is no longer the Pizza King model? The head of KL Entertainment''s actor division growled into his cell phone. Currently, he was on a call with Go Seokwoo, the CEO of Dolphin Tour''. Trying to calm the head of the division, Go Seokwoo spoke. [Manager, I apologize for contacting you so abruptly. We''re also quite awkward about Pizza King''s sudden decision.] It''s not just awkward. CEO, Pizza King has been doing ads with Seokhoon for five years through Dolphin Tour. Why would they suddenly want to drop him? [I mentioned it earlier, but Pizza King''s side we really had no choice.] The repeated "we had no choice" response only fueled the anger of the head of the division. Those bastards, "had no choice" my ass. There must be a reason for this.'' Suppressing the urge to curse, the head of the division spoke. Sigh I understand. I won''t ask for the reasons then. Instead, please tell me who the celebrity is that Pizza King is trying to promote as their model, other than our actor. I need to report it to the CEO, as we have to consider who will be used as the Pizza King model. [Um that''s also difficult to disclose. It''s not confirmed yet. I apologize.] Even with this, the head of the division gritted his teeth and said. No, Mr. CEO. If you say you can''t reveal the reason for removing our actor and also can''t disclose who''s recing him, how am I supposed to handle this? Why are you doing this when you''re someone who knows everything? [Haha I apologize, Director. Do you think I would personally contact you in this awkward situation?] [Please understand generously this time and next time, I will definitely offer you a really good advertisement. I promise.] It had a tone of apology, but strangely, the Division Head felt that Highstone''s words were somewhat slick. Perhaps it was because he was feeling upset, and that''s why it sounded insincere. [Oh, Director, I''m sorry. I have an urgent meeting I''ll contact you again.] Go Seokwoo finished saying what he wanted to and hung up the phone. The director of Division 3 had nothing more to say, but he felt incredibly bitter at being on the receiving end. X, darn it! Bam! Director 3 threw his cell phone on the desk. With the impact, the cell phone bounced off the ground andnded in front of the sofa. The fallen cell phone on the ground hit someone''s foot who was sitting on the sofa. It was none other than Kwon Seokhoon, an actor from Division 3 of KL Entertainment and the model for Pizza King''. . Kwon Seokhoon picked up the cell phone from the floor with a vacant expression. Then, like a limp doll, he walked over and politely handed it to Director 3. X, darn it, orphan bastard. Hey, who told you to pick this up for me? Director 3 nced at him with an annoyed look. Then, with a lot of force on his forehead, he spoke with a rough voice. "Do what you''re told properly. Stop doing this nonsense. Just because you''re such a moron, it doesn''t mean the ads we got for you were easy to secure!" Director 3 spewed baseless words without structure or reason. However, in response to such words, Kwon Seokhoon just bowed his head. "I''m sorry. I''ll do better." You, youcking bastard. After spitting out another round of curses at Kwon Seokhoon, Director 3 leaned back in his chair and asked, "Are you practicing acting? The audition for The Most Painful Fate in the World'' is less than five months away, you know?" "Yes." "Prepare properly. If you make a fool of yourself like me and the 4th and 5th Directors, I''ll expose your sister''s videos and pictures to the reporters." "Yes." "Oh, and when you''re outside, try to maintain a decent image. If I hear rumors about you having some trouble, you''re dead, got it?" "Yes." Kwon Seokhoon continued to respond with a simple "yes," as if he were a doll programmed to say only that. Director 3 observed Kwon Seokhoon with a gaze that resembled how a wicked stepmother would look at her stepchild. "Seokhoon, why don''t you develop any affection even after more than seven years? Am I the one at fault?" "No." "Don''t give me that no.'' Are you cursing me in your mind?" "No." Continuing to speak with little strength, Kwon Seokhoon was nced at by Director 3 as if he were insignificant. "Oh, right. As the contract is approaching its end, we will continue with the terms as before. Any issues?" At the mention of the contract, Kwon Seokhoon''s face twitched for the first time. However, it was short-lived. Kwon Seokhoon weakly nodded in agreement. *** In the OS Entertainment headquarters, it has been a while since the Kang Jinseok Team'' meeting. "Sir, please review these documents." Sunho Jang handed over a thick stack of documents. It seemed like there were more than a hundred pages. epting the documents, Kang Jinseok asked, "What''s this?" "These are the advertising offers that havee in for you. As you can see, they are quite diverse." Until now, the only ad Kang Jinseok had filmed was for Maserati,'' but he had consistently received various advertising proposals. However, he hadn''t felt the need for more money, and he was focused on his projects, so he hadn''t taken on additional advertisements. "There are financial sector ads and public service announcements, among others. It''s quite diverse." "Wow" "Filming a public service announcement before getting even busier might be helpful for your image. There are many interesting concepts, not necessarily limited to public service announcements. Take some time to look through them." "Can I do things the way I want?" "Of course." Jang Sunho nodded and stood up from his seat. "I''ll make a quick call and be right back." "Sure!" As Jang Sunho made a call, he slowly left the room. Actually, the fact that Jang Sunho showed me means that any proposal would be a good one. Still, I couldn''t just skim through them, so I checked carefully. "Have you made a decision?" At that moment, Jang Sunho entered the room again and asked, "I haven''t decided yet. I''ve seen them, but nothing has really caught my eye. Considering that all the proposals are from outstandingpanies, it''s a bit challenging." "I see. In that case, may I suggest a few? I''ve picked some ads that I think would suit actor Kang Jinseok''s image to some extent." "Yes, please!" As I nodded approvingly, Jang Sunho took some documents and returned shortly afterward, handing me a few sheets. "These are the ads I rmend: a Pizza King'' TVmercial and a YouTube ad." Pizza King'' Pizza King'' holds significant memories for me. During my time in the orphanage, we would have it at every birthday party, and it was also where I had my first job after leaving the orphanage. I worked in the kitchen making pizzas part-time. The owner was incredibly kind and would asionally treat us to a whole pizza. Among the brands I''ve encountered, it was the one I liked the most. "Compared to other pizza franchises, Pizza King is known for its affordable prices, yet the quality and taste are top-notch, earning high praise from consumers. It''s considered a brand with great value, and even in terms of packaging and menu design, it has a premium feel. It''s currentlypeting for the top spots in brand reputation" Jang Sunho exined his reasons for rmending Pizza King for about a minute. Despite my own positive memories associated with Pizza King and Jang Sunho''s endorsement, there was an issue. Here Isn''t Kwon Seokhoon an ambassador for Pizza King?'' As I contemted various thoughts, Jang Sunho noticed my expression and asked, "Don''t you like Pizza King? You seem to have a somewhat displeased look." "Yes? Oh no. I like Pizza King. I used to work there part-time, and I have only good memories. However" Uncertain of how to express my thoughts, I hesitated before calmly continuing, "Right now, Kwon Seokhoon is doing the Pizza King ads. If I were to take it, it might feel like I''m taking it away from him. It just makes me ufortable." "Do you have a personal rtionship with Kwon Seokhoon?" Jang Sunho asked, tilting his head. It might have been just a casual question, but I found myself momentarily speechless at Jang Sunho''s inquiry. A personal rtionship?'' Kwon Seokhoon might not know me well, but he was quite significant to me. "Kwon Seokhoon is" As I spoke slowly, Jang Sunho seemed genuinely surprised. "He is my role model." Chapter 116 Chapter 116 At the team leader''s words, everyone lowered their heads. Seeing the team members'' hesitant reactions, the team leader shrugged and said, "If you all don''t want to do it, the most skilled senior should handle it. Manager Seo?" "Team Leader, aren''t you the most skilled senior here?" "I know you''re busy." At the team leader''s words, Manager Seo covered his face with his hands. In reality, from the moment such a discussion arose, he had an uneasy premonition that he would end up taking on this task. "Whoa, sorry for being a bitte. The previous call ran long." At that moment, the representative of Dolphin Excursions, Go Seokwoo, entered. As he came in, the employees adjusted their postures. Go Seokwoo looked around at the peculiar atmosphere in the meeting room and asked, "What''s going on? Why is the mood like this?" "Well, everyone is a bit reluctant to deliver the news about the non-renewal to KL Entertainment." "Oh, really? Why?" "Well you know." "Because they have nasty personalities?" As if wondering why they''re bothered by such things, Go Seokwoo reacted surprisingly lightly. The employees chuckled at the unexpected response from the CEO. The CEO''s reaction seemed to suggest that there might be a solution. "Well, what can you do? You have to tell the truth. After all, you can''t avoid putting soybean paste on the rice because you''re afraid of the maggots, right?" But in reality, there wasn''t much of an alternative. "And don''t worry about that kind of thing. Are we the ones who care about what the advertiser thinks, or the ones who care about what the agency thinks?" Though Go Seokwoo deliberately spoke lightly, the employees couldn''t bring themselves tough. As the heavy atmosphere continued in the meeting room, he sighed and shook his smartphone. "Well, okay. I''ll personally call the manager in charge of actor Kwon Seokhoon and talk to him." "" "If I''m getting paid more than you guys to solve these kinds of problems, then fine." The CEO''s impressive words brought a glint to the employees'' eyes. Among them, the one most moved was Manager Seo. CEO! *** So, does this mean our Seokhoon is no longer the Pizza King model? The head of KL Entertainment''s actor division growled into his cell phone. Currently, he was on a call with Go Seokwoo, the CEO of Dolphin Tour''. Trying to calm the head of the division, Go Seokwoo spoke. [Manager, I apologize for contacting you so abruptly. We''re also quite awkward about Pizza King''s sudden decision.] It''s not just awkward. CEO, Pizza King has been doing ads with Seokhoon for five years through Dolphin Tour. Why would they suddenly want to drop him? [I mentioned it earlier, but Pizza King''s side we really had no choice.] The repeated "we had no choice" response only fueled the anger of the head of the division. Those bastards, "had no choice" my ass. There must be a reason for this.'' Suppressing the urge to curse, the head of the division spoke. Sigh I understand. I won''t ask for the reasons then. Instead, please tell me who the celebrity is that Pizza King is trying to promote as their model, other than our actor. I need to report it to the CEO, as we have to consider who will be used as the Pizza King model. [Um that''s also difficult to disclose. It''s not confirmed yet. I apologize.] Even with this, the head of the division gritted his teeth and said. No, Mr. CEO. If you say you can''t reveal the reason for removing our actor and also can''t disclose who''s recing him, how am I supposed to handle this? Why are you doing this when you''re someone who knows everything? [Haha I apologize, Director. Do you think I would personally contact you in this awkward situation?] [Please understand generously this time and next time, I will definitely offer you a really good advertisement. I promise.] It had a tone of apology, but strangely, the Division Head felt that Highstone''s words were somewhat slick. Perhaps it was because he was feeling upset, and that''s why it sounded insincere. [Oh, Director, I''m sorry. I have an urgent meeting I''ll contact you again.] Go Seokwoo finished saying what he wanted to and hung up the phone. The director of Division 3 had nothing more to say, but he felt incredibly bitter at being on the receiving end. X, darn it! Bam! Director 3 threw his cell phone on the desk. With the impact, the cell phone bounced off the ground andnded in front of the sofa. The fallen cell phone on the ground hit someone''s foot who was sitting on the sofa. It was none other than Kwon Seokhoon, an actor from Division 3 of KL Entertainment and the model for Pizza King''. . Kwon Seokhoon picked up the cell phone from the floor with a vacant expression. Then, like a limp doll, he walked over and politely handed it to Director 3. X, darn it, orphan bastard. Hey, who told you to pick this up for me? Director 3 nced at him with an annoyed look. Then, with a lot of force on his forehead, he spoke with a rough voice. "Do what you''re told properly. Stop doing this nonsense. Just because you''re such a moron, it doesn''t mean the ads we got for you were easy to secure!" Director 3 spewed baseless words without structure or reason. However, in response to such words, Kwon Seokhoon just bowed his head. "I''m sorry. I''ll do better." You, youcking bastard. After spitting out another round of curses at Kwon Seokhoon, Director 3 leaned back in his chair and asked, "Are you practicing acting? The audition for The Most Painful Fate in the World'' is less than five months away, you know?" "Yes." "Prepare properly. If you make a fool of yourself like me and the 4th and 5th Directors, I''ll expose your sister''s videos and pictures to the reporters." "Yes." "Oh, and when you''re outside, try to maintain a decent image. If I hear rumors about you having some trouble, you''re dead, got it?" "Yes." Kwon Seokhoon continued to respond with a simple "yes," as if he were a doll programmed to say only that. Director 3 observed Kwon Seokhoon with a gaze that resembled how a wicked stepmother would look at her stepchild. "Seokhoon, why don''t you develop any affection even after more than seven years? Am I the one at fault?" "No." "Don''t give me that no.'' Are you cursing me in your mind?" "No." Continuing to speak with little strength, Kwon Seokhoon was nced at by Director 3 as if he were insignificant. "Oh, right. As the contract is approaching its end, we will continue with the terms as before. Any issues?" At the mention of the contract, Kwon Seokhoon''s face twitched for the first time. However, it was short-lived. Kwon Seokhoon weakly nodded in agreement. *** In the OS Entertainment headquarters, it has been a while since the Kang Jinseok Team'' meeting. "Sir, please review these documents." Sunho Jang handed over a thick stack of documents. It seemed like there were more than a hundred pages. epting the documents, Kang Jinseok asked, "What''s this?" "These are the advertising offers that havee in for you. As you can see, they are quite diverse." Until now, the only ad Kang Jinseok had filmed was for Maserati,'' but he had consistently received various advertising proposals. However, he hadn''t felt the need for more money, and he was focused on his projects, so he hadn''t taken on additional advertisements. "There are financial sector ads and public service announcements, among others. It''s quite diverse." "Wow" "Filming a public service announcement before getting even busier might be helpful for your image. There are many interesting concepts, not necessarily limited to public service announcements. Take some time to look through them." "Can I do things the way I want?" "Of course." Jang Sunho nodded and stood up from his seat. "I''ll make a quick call and be right back." "Sure!" As Jang Sunho made a call, he slowly left the room. Actually, the fact that Jang Sunho showed me means that any proposal would be a good one. Still, I couldn''t just skim through them, so I checked carefully. "Have you made a decision?" At that moment, Jang Sunho entered the room again and asked, "I haven''t decided yet. I''ve seen them, but nothing has really caught my eye. Considering that all the proposals are from outstandingpanies, it''s a bit challenging." "I see. In that case, may I suggest a few? I''ve picked some ads that I think would suit actor Kang Jinseok''s image to some extent." "Yes, please!" As I nodded approvingly, Jang Sunho took some documents and returned shortly afterward, handing me a few sheets. "These are the ads I rmend: a Pizza King'' TVmercial and a YouTube ad." Pizza King'' Pizza King'' holds significant memories for me. During my time in the orphanage, we would have it at every birthday party, and it was also where I had my first job after leaving the orphanage. I worked in the kitchen making pizzas part-time. The owner was incredibly kind and would asionally treat us to a whole pizza. Among the brands I''ve encountered, it was the one I liked the most. "Compared to other pizza franchises, Pizza King is known for its affordable prices, yet the quality and taste are top-notch, earning high praise from consumers. It''s considered a brand with great value, and even in terms of packaging and menu design, it has a premium feel. It''s currentlypeting for the top spots in brand reputation" Jang Sunho exined his reasons for rmending Pizza King for about a minute. Despite my own positive memories associated with Pizza King and Jang Sunho''s endorsement, there was an issue. Here Isn''t Kwon Seokhoon an ambassador for Pizza King?'' As I contemted various thoughts, Jang Sunho noticed my expression and asked, "Don''t you like Pizza King? You seem to have a somewhat displeased look." "Yes? Oh no. I like Pizza King. I used to work there part-time, and I have only good memories. However" Uncertain of how to express my thoughts, I hesitated before calmly continuing, "Right now, Kwon Seokhoon is doing the Pizza King ads. If I were to take it, it might feel like I''m taking it away from him. It just makes me ufortable." "Do you have a personal rtionship with Kwon Seokhoon?" Jang Sunho asked, tilting his head. It might have been just a casual question, but I found myself momentarily speechless at Jang Sunho''s inquiry. A personal rtionship?'' Kwon Seokhoon might not know me well, but he was quite significant to me. "Kwon Seokhoon is" As I spoke slowly, Jang Sunho seemed genuinely surprised. "He is my role model." Chapter 117: Chapter 117: "Role model?" "Yes." Actor Kwon Seokhoon, like me, is from an orphanage and worked hard to be a top star. Of course, there''s no sessful actor without hard work, but themonality of not having parents gave me a sense of camaraderie with him. The moments when such an actor received the spotlight provided me with hope and the possibility of sess. Although he doesn''t seem to be actively working on projects these days, in the past, I studied his performances while watching the works he appeared in. As I pondered these thoughts, Jang Sunho just silently looked at me, wearing a somewhat serious expression. "Did I say something unnecessary?" I wondered if refusing to shoot an advertisement with Pizza King as the model''s role model mighte off as a bit presumptuous as if I were a brash kid with too much ambition. "I''m sorry. I spoke thoughtlessly It doesn''t make sense for me to refuse the advertisement Manager-nim worked hard to secure just for personal reasons." "No, it''s not about that. Whether it''s a project, an advertisement, or a broadcast appearance, your opinion as an actor is the most important. But more than that" Jang Sunho continued with a more serious expression and tone than before. "What concerns me is Kwon Seokhoon, who is Kang Jinseok''s role model." "Kwon Seokhoon?" "Yes. Actually, President Oh Haneul instructed us to investigate KL Entertainment''s actors one by one. It wasn''t a thorough investigation, just a process of searching for actors who might be brought to ourpanyter." Jang Sunho said it casually, but recruiting actors from KL Entertainment was not an easy task. It was thergest entertainment nning agency in the country, and actors who were already receiving top-notch treatment might not find it necessary to move to OS Entertainment, even if they were unhappy. "But Seokhoon''s lifestyle is a bit peculiar. Despite shooting many advertisements and seeding in several projects, he still lives in the KL Entertainment dormitory where he lived as a rookie. Moreover, this is just a rumor, but it seems he has a contract with KL Entertainment that is quite disadvantageous." "A disadvantageous contract?" "Yes. To put it simply, it''s a ve contract.'' There''s no reason for a top star like Kwon Seokhoon to have such a contract, but well, there''s a saying that smoke doesn''te out of a chimney without fire, so we''re investigating." But if, as Jang Sunho mentioned, it''s indeed a ve contract,'' and if actors are being unfairly exploited Jang Sunho picked up a bottle of water that was in front of him as if he were very thirsty. After pouring water into a cup and taking a sip, he asked me, "Then I''ll say it''s difficult to do the Pizza King'' advertisement for now. No matter how good the advertisement is, it''s not right to do it if you feel ufortable about it." There was a slight disappointment in Jang Sunho''s voice. It was evident how disappointed he was, considering that he never showed such emotions. At that moment, Jang Sunho''s phone rang. "I''m sorry, actor-nim." "Oh, it''s okay. Feel free to answer it." "Yes." Jang Sunho took out his cell phone from his pocket. After checking the caller ID, he said with a lingering expression, "It''s the advertising agency for the Pizza King. I''ll take a call outside for a moment." *** "Wow, really. So, Kang Jinseok can''t do the Pizza King'' ad because he doesn''t want to snatch it from Kwon Seokhoon?" The representative of the Dolphin Tour, Go Seokwoo, expressed disbelief with a disheartened tone. "Yes, Representative. Even though I''ve been in the advertising industry for a long time, it''s the first time I''ve seen an actor refuse a job just because they don''t want to snatch an ad from another actor. Other celebrities are relentless about snatching ads from others." "That''s true. With such a good reputation, I thought he managed his image well, but does he really have to go this far?" "At this level, it''s not image management; it''s more like he''s genuinely a kind fool. Even when told to do an ad, he refuses because he doesn''t want to." At that moment, the team leader, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, opened his eyes slightly and said slyly, "Could it be that he''s trying to raise his appearance fee?" "No, I didn''t get that feeling. It seems like Kang Jinseok doesn''t want to snatch the ad from Kwon Seokhoon, just as Manager Kang Jinseok said." Go Seokwoo rubbed his forehead, looking troubled. "If I had known it would be like this, I should have contacted KL Entertainmentter. Now, theye and say Kang Jinseok won''t do it, but Kwon Seokhoon will. It''s quite amusing." "Seems like it. Kwon Seokhoon is such a nice person, he''ll probably just smile and go along with it. But 3rd Manager won''t let it slide easily. You know, 3rd Manager has a bit of a tough vibe." Despite discussing for a long time, Go Seokwoo and the team couldn''te up with a clear solution. As time passed, it was already midnight, and the meeting room was filled with silence. "Since it''se to this, let''s modify it to use both Kwon Seokhoon and Kang Jinseok." Go Seokwoo scratched his head in confusion. "Yes? What do you mean? Use both of them?" "Just what I said. Literally. If Kang Jinseok doesn''t want to do Pizza King because of Kwon Seokhoon, why not have both of them do it together?" It was a straightforward solution, and surprisingly, it might work. However, there was a problem. "Well it''s a clear solution fitting of the CEO, but would Pizza King or KL Entertainment agree? Pizza King didn''t n for this additional expense, and KL might insist on Kang Jinseok alone due to pride." "Then it''s even better. We have something to say to Kang Jinseok, right? We nned to make an ad with Kwon Seokhoon, but KL Entertainment rejected it. So, if Kang Jinseok took Kwon Seokhoon''s ad, it''s not our fault." "Ah!" "After securing the PT, we can modify the n. Even if Kang Jinseok is the main focus, Pizza King won''t say much. And as for KL? They''ll definitely do it. Those guys can''t resist money." With Go Seokwoo''s confident words, the atmosphere in the meeting room, which had sunk into despair, revived. When everyone started to predict optimistic oues, Team Leader Seo, still cautious, cautiously presented his concerns. "Well But, sir. Although I hope everything goes ording to your n, can we really convince Pizza King? They might have already set their budget." The manager''s point was a very realistic concern. No matter how good the ad n is, if you can''te up with the money'' in the end, you can''t proceed. "Don''t worry, Manager Seo." "Yes?" However, Go Seokwoo responded to Manager Seo''s concerns with a faint chuckle. "I''ll personally handle this uing Pizza King presentation. And remember this: office workers can never beat field workers in practical matters." *** On the day of the Pizza King ad presentation. "Kwon Seokhoon has been the image maker for Pizza King, providing consumers with the perception that Pizza King is reliable through his bright, friendly, and trustworthy image." Go Seokwoo was proving that his words to Manager Seo were not just boasting. "If that''s the case, how about the new model you proposed, Kang Jinseok? Although he yed a viin in his representative work, Spring Without Flowers,'' he changed to a positive role and received love from the entire nation. In the recently concluded The Way They Chose''" The executives at Pizza King were in a negative position with the idea of using two models, especially expensive ones. "Of course, proceeding with Kang Jinseok alone is also eptable. However, what we are concerned about is the abrupt departure of Kwon Seokhoon,'' who has been with Pizza King for five years. The termination of the contract of the model who has provided trust'' so far. Will people simply think it''s the end of the contract? Seeing Kang Jinseok, who came in as his recement, what will people think?" But the more they listened to Go Seokwoo''s words, the more convinced the executives became. "Indeed. Then, should we reconsider using Kang Jinseok?" "Although Jinseok is considered a rising star, to the public, he''s just a talented rookie actor.'' By featuring Jinseok as the model, we can capture a young and energetic vibe, but it''s inevitable that the existing image of premium'' we''ve been pursuing will be somewhat diluted. "Jinseok has a well-established image for a rookie actor. When he''s an opponent, he''s fearsome, but when he''s an ally, he''s reliable! Entrusting the trust'' that Seokhoon has built for Pizza King to Jinseok!" Feeling the atmosphere shift, Go Seokwoo began to exin the advertising concept. Using Jinseok as the main model while maintaining the brand image of Pizza King withoutpromising it. A premium pizza you can trust.'' By the time Go Seokwoo finished speaking, everyone was nodding in agreement. "Moreover, ording to the information I''ve acquired, Pizza Hut'' is also considering Jinseok as an exclusive model." When the talk shifted to thepetitor'' Pizza Hut, Pizza King executives focused even more on Go Seokwoo. Deliberately pausing for a few seconds, Go Seokwoo spoke with significance, "Have you seen Pizza Hut''s new menu? They released a concept simr to our Pizza King''s new menu, and now they are trying to snatch our image as well." With that statement, Go Seokwoo concluded the PT. "Suggesting to add Seokhoon to the previously proposed Jinseok was meant to solidify our unique Pizza King image. Thank you." As the PT ended, Pizza King executives began their meeting with serious expressions. "Pizza Hut, those sons of they copied our menu, and now they are trying to steal our image?" "The menu concept is simr, so marketing is crucial, but if we mishandle this, the impact could be significant." "Still, with Seokhoon and Jinseok, the cost is exceeding our budget." At that moment, a heavy sigh pierced through the meeting room, expressing someone''s displeasure. It was a sigh that didn''t attempt to hide the frustration. "Pizza Hut, those shameless guys. This time, we need to rearrange the pecking order." When the Pizza King CEO dered as if making a decision, the executives echoed his sentiment, rallying with a few words each. "All right, CEO. Let''s put some real spirit into it this time!" "Ipetent fools trying to snatch our products just because theyck the ability daring to challenge our position?" The Pizza King CEO, calming the heated atmosphere, spoke to Go Seokwoo. "Mr. Go Seokwoo, I''ve heard you well. We might have some internal discussions, and our representative will contact you soon. You''re free to leave now." "Yes, I understand." With aposed voice until the end, Go Seokwoo bowed and bid farewell. Honestly, Go Seokwoo didn''t know if Pizza Hut was considering Jinseok as a model. But whatever. It''s a done deal as long as we secure the contract. "As nned." Go Seokwoo smirked subtly as he picked up his belongings. Watching him, the manager thought to himself. There''s no con artist quite like him. Chapter 118: Chapter 118: "So are you saying you want to use both Kang Jinseok and Kwon Seokhoon as models?" The 3rd-floor manager of KL Entertainment grimaced as he spoke into his mobile phone. Although his displeasure was evident in his expression, his voice did not betray much, leaving it uncertain whether the person on the other end could sense it. [Haha. Yes, exactly. As I mentioned before, originally, we were nning to go with Kang Jinseok alone, not Kwon Seokhoon.] Perhaps that''s why theughter-infused voice of CEO Go Seokwoo came through the phone. [Having both Kwon Seokhoon and Kang Jinseok together seems to create a more beautiful picture. I should have mentioned it earlier, but I''ve been so busy Sorry about that.] Since a significant portion of Kwon Seokhoon''s modeling fee went into the 3rd-floor manager''s bank ount as a performance bonus, he was eager to somehow persuade Kwon Seokhoon toply. "Still, shooting with Kang Jinseok no matter how you think about it, it''s a bit" However, what would be Youngkyung Lee''s reaction if he heard about the idea of Kwon Seokhoon and Jinseok appearing together in the same advertisement? Naturally, he would probably explode. After all, it was none other than Kang Jinseok.'' "But it''s too regrettable to say no." If Kwon Seokhoon''s modeling fee was around 100 to 200 million won, the 3rd floor manager probably wouldn''t have had such concerns. Of course, it''s not a small amount of money, but it''s not big enough to be bothered by Youngkyung''s gaze. After deep contemtion, the 3rd floor manager spoke to Go Seokwoo. I understand, Mr. CEO. Once you send the proposal, we will review it and give our feedback. Until when should I respond? [Of course, the sooner, the better, but you have about a week. We''re entering the first meeting with the advertiser next week.] Understood. I will respond as quickly as possible. The third-floor manager rubbed his neck as if he had a headache. Suddenly, he noticed Kwon Seokhoon sitting quietly on a small chair in the corner of the room. "Hey." "" "Hey, you!" "Yes!" Seokhoon, lost in thought, didn''t respond immediately to the third-floor manager''s words. The manager, not one to let it slide, wasn''t about to pass over Seokhoon without saying anything. "Hey." "" "Hey, you!" "Yes!" "Damn it, you. Are you just sitting here daydreaming while I''m working like this?" "I apologize." "Anyway, this guy is less than human. He doesn''t know courtesy and respect. That''s what happens when someone grows up without parents." Although the words carried a sense of contempt, Seokhoon showed no reaction. His clenched fist didn''t even tremble, and his eyes remained calm. It was as if he were acting out, "I''m used to hearing such words." The third-floor manager nced at Seokhoon with a sly smile. Then, as if something suddenly urred to him, he snapped his fingers and asked, "Oh, right. Your younger sibling seems to be going to college this year, huh? Seoul National University." "How do you know that?" "How do I know? I know everything about your little family. And isn''t he famous? Wasn''t it the Department of Practical Music?" Until now, Seokhoon had remained unchanged, like a puppet with strings pulled. However, when the word brother'' came up, emotions flickered in his eyes. Of course, the emotion wasn''t joy. It was a mixture of concern for his brother and an undisguised hostility towards the third-floor manager. Seokhoon quickly organized his emotions. There was no point in letting the manager catch a glimpse of such a look. With a slight nod, Seokhoon spoke. "Department of Practical Music, correct." "Yeah. So, I called to congratte him on passing and gave him some pocket money. Then, he said to me, Thank you, Uncle Manager!'' and even added, Take care of my brother!''" "" "He has no idea how his big brother is being treated like an idiot. Chuckle. What a naive kid." As the third-floor manager spoke, Seokhoon took a slow and deep breath. Then, silently, he repeated to himself, "I don''t know how to get angry. I don''t know how to get angry. I don''t know how to get angry" 3 Manager silently observed Seokhoon for a moment. Then, with a dryugh, he remarked, "Boring. In the past, you used to at least react a bit when your brother was brought up." "" "You''ve be quite the actor. Isn''t that nice?" After a final sarcastic remark, the third-floor manager stood up. "I''ll get permission from the CEO for you and Jinseok to do the ad together. Just wait patiently." "Yes." "If we end up doing the ad, I''ll treat you to a meal. Let''s grab a proper beef dinner and take a photo together. You''ve been a bit quiet on social mediately, haven''t you?" With a chuckle, the third-floor manager spoke before stepping out. Left alone in the room, Seokhoon stared nkly. An empty room, with no one but himself. It was well-soundproofed, so even if he wanted to, he refrained from yelling or cursing. Making such noises might disturb the delicate bnce of his acting. "Kang Jinseok Are we going to shoot an ad together?" Kang Jinseok'' was an actor known to almost everyone. He was an actor who sparked conversations within thepany and beyond, achieving tremendous sess with every project he took on. Above all, there was a sense of camaraderie as they shared a simr background. It felt like meeting someone from my hometown in a distantnd. If they were in the samepany, perhaps, even in his own situation, someone would have taken care of him As Seokhoon thought of Jinseok, an unintended murmur escaped his lips. "I envy him." It wasn''t that Seokhoon envied Jinseok''s talent or skill. He envied the enjoyment Jinseok found in acting. Unlike Jinseok, Seokhoon harbored a disdain for his own acting. At that moment, the silence was shattered by Seokhoon''s ringing phone. The screen disyed Dongsaeng'' (younger sibling). Seokhoon nced at the screen with a poignant expression. "Hey, Seonhee! What''s going on?" Then, when he answered the call again, he spoke with the voice everyone in the world known as Kwon Seokhoon.'' *** Saturday. Seokhoon and Jang Sunho were heading to the Pizza King headquarters for the first meeting of the Pizza King advertisement. "Sorry for scheduling this suddenly. I assume it was your day off after a long time." Jang Sunho, who was driving in front, looked at me through the rearview mirror and said, "No, it''s not that. You''re the one who has it tougher, Manager. You''ve been shooting every daytely, and then going back to thepany." "That''s my job. I have to do what needs to be done." "But still, Manager, you should always take care of your health. Lately, it seems like your dark circles have increased a lot and you''ve lost some weight." "I''m sorry for making you worry. Once I wrap up the project I''m currently preparing, I should have some more time, so it''ll be okay." "Is that project the audition program?" "Yes. It''s the first project I''ve taken on since joining OS Entertainment, so I want to do it perfectly. Also, I''ve been looking into various things personally Anyway, don''t worry too much. I know my body the best." Jang Sunho smiled as if trying to alleviate my concerns. It seemed like he rarely smiled before, but at some point, he started smiling more. It must be something good. After a while, when we stopped at a red light, Jang Sunho slowed down. Seizing the opportunity, I asked what I had been curious about. "Manager. So, is Kwon Seokhooning today too?" "Probably. The advertiser and the agency said they wanted to have a meeting with the models as well. Normally, only the staff goes to these meetings, but this time, with the bold move of using two models, it seems like Pizza King is paying extra attention." Jang Sunho''s voice sounded somewhat displeased. It seemed like the advertiser, who hastily arranged the meeting, didn''t sit well with him. "Haha. That''s great. They said they''ll let you try the new menu today. I''ve been craving pizza for a while, so it worked out well. And it''s a chance to meet Kwon Seokhoon, so it''s killing two birds with one stone." As we chatted, we arrived at the Pizza King headquarters. As Jang Sunho and I got out of the car, a group of people approached me. The man at the forefront greeted me. He wasn''t tall, but he had a robust waistline. "Hello! I''m Heo Dowan, the marketing team leader at Pizza King." "Nice to meet you, I''m Kang Jinseok." As I bowed in greeting, Heo Dowan quickly reciprocated. After exchanging brief pleasantries, Heo Dowan smiled and said, "Let me guide you to the meeting room." "Yes, please. Thank you." Perhaps because it was the weekend, there were hardly any employees around. The few we encountered seemed busy with their tasks. "Here we are." Heo Dowan opened arge door and gestured for me to enter. Following him inside, I saw a spacious room with arge table filled with pizza boxes. Feeling hungry as I hadn''t eaten breakfast, my gaze naturally went towards the pizza. However, before the pizza captured my attention, something else caught my eye. Kwon Seokhoon!'' Standing before me was the role model, actor Kwon Seokhoon. My heart raced at the sight of him. I widened my eyes and looked directly at Kwon Seokhoon, and it seemed he noticed my gaze as he turned to look in my direction. Kwon Seokhoon wore the familiar gentle smile that I had often seen on the screen. "Hello, senior! I''m Kang Jinseok. It''s truly an honor to meet you like this." Approaching Kwon Seokhoon directly and bowing, he looked at me for a moment, then smiled subtly and said, "Haha, this is tickling my ego a bit. When someone as impressive as Kang greets me like this." "Oh, no. I''ve never missed any of your work, senior. I''ve learned a lot from watching your performances. You''re truly my role model." There was a moment of silence. "I''ve gained so much from you. I''ve wanted to express my gratitude someday." He spoke calmly, without showing too much excitement, and he spoke the truth. For a brief moment, Kwon Seokhoon''s expression stiffened. It was fleeting, as the bright smile that had disappeared for a moment returned. However, Kwon Seokhoon''s expression remained awkward. It felt like he was acting that kind of feeling. Did I make some mistake?'' The momentary change in Kwon Seokhoon left me with a sense of difort as if I had made some kind of error. "Senior, did I make some verbal mistake or something?" I asked, watching Kwon Seokhoon''s reaction. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then smiled broadly, showing even his gum, as he spoke. "No, no, no. It''s not that. Just" Even though he was speaking in a bright tone, there was something awkward about it. ncing around to check the surroundings, Kwon Seokhoon took a step closer and whispered. "Actor Kang Jinseok Is my acting good?" Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Whether Kwon Seokhoon''s acting was good? It was obvious. Not only me but any actor admired Kwon Seokhoon''s acting. Kwon Seokhoon was not only skilled in acting but above all, he exerted all his strength when he acted. Not just actors, but critics also made suchments. Kwon Seokhoon''s acting was always not necessarily the best, but it was always his best. "Senior, is my acting good? Of course. As I mentioned earlier, you are my role model." At my words, Kwon Seokhoon''s eyes trembled. After silently staring at me with those eyes, he spoke in a heavy voice. "I am not someone worthy of being a role model. And my acting is not the kind you should watch and learn from. Absolutely, from now on, don''t watch my works." "Yes?" "Watching and learning from someone else''s acting will make you resemble that acting. Right now, Actor Kang Jinseok is joyfully acting. So Please, don''t learn from watching me. There''s nothing more for you to learn." It was a yful but serious tone. He wasn''t a person who could talk about such matters yfully. The unexpected and heavy conversation between me and Kwon Seokhoon created an awkward atmosphere. "Oh! Who is this? Aren''t you Actor Kang Jinseok?" At that moment, someone called me from outside with apparent delight. I turned my head, and there stood a man with arge build and a sly expression. "I''m Yang Manchun, the 3rd floor manager at KL Entertainment. We''ve had some unpleasant encounters, but this might be a good opportunity to clear up misunderstandings. You never know how rtionships can turn out in the future, right? Hahaha!" Yang Manchun. A man I had never seen before. But strangely, I felt ufortable. It wasn''t about his appearance or way of speaking; it was the atmosphere he exuded that made me uneasy. Yang Manchun seemed to remind me of the unscrupulous part-time job bosses I had encountered in the past. Calling someone an "unscrupulous part-time job boss" might sound cute, but if you feel that way at first sight "Could it be is that really true?" Suddenly, I remembered what Jang Sunho had mentioned. The suspicion that Kwon Seokhoon might be tied to an unfavorable contract with KL Entertainment. After the appearance of Yang Manchun, the atmosphere stiffened between Kwon Seokhoon and the tangled stories we had just shared, making my head feelplicated. "Well, since we''ve met like this, let me give you my business card. I''m sure you still have some time left in your contract, but someday, give me a call" "I''ll excuse myself in the middle of your conversation." Preventing Yang Manchun from handing me his business card, Jang Sunho stepped forward. "I understand that you may need help." Blocking the space between me and Yang Manchun, Jang Sunho pulled out his business card from his pocket and handed it to Kwon Seokhoon. "Please get in touch." In the midst of Jang Sunho''s significantly meaningful words, the surrounding air began to feel even more awkward. Amid the awkward atmosphere, Yang Manchun, unable to endure any longer, grimaced and spoke in a threatening tone. "What on earth are you doing now? Your agency manager is right here, and what help are you talking about" "Don''t speak recklessly." At the moment when Yang Manchun was getting angry, Jang Sunho interrupted him again. "?!" "Someone like you, without any chance of rehabilitation" Just as Jang Sunho was about to speak to Yang Manchun he looked as if he was seeing a bug. "Haha, why are you acting like this on such a nice day? Manager, I won''t take this business card." As if advising Kwon Seokhoon to stay calm, Kwon Seokhoon interjected, showing his palm. The awkward expression I felt before disappeared, reced only by Kwon Seokhoon''s characteristic gentle smile. Carefully examining the business card that Jang Sunho had offered, Kwon Seokhoon returned it, saying, "And Manager Jang Sunho? I have a good rtionship with KL Entertainment. We n to renew the contract soon. I appreciate your interest, but I will politely decline." "" "Now then, let''s not stand around like this. How about having some pizza? I had a piece without the director knowing earlier, and it was delicious." Having finished speaking, Kwon Seokhoon led me to the table, shoulder to shoulder. There were many things I wanted to ask him what that meaning he mentioned earlier was, whether he was facing any troubles at KL Entertainment. However, I didn''t ask anything. Even if I asked Kwon Seokhoon now, he probably wouldn''t answer. Most importantly, the gaze of Jang Sunho looking at Yang Manchun from behind seemed suspicious. *** After the "Pizza King" meeting. Yang Manchun cursed Jang Sunho in the car on the way back to thepany. "Ha, damn it. I don''t know where this guy came from, but he''s shameless. Well, Don''t talk to me recklessly''? Oh, please!" "" "Try calling meter. I''ll crush that bastard." Seems like one round of cursing wasn''t enough to relieve his anger, as he continued to mutter things like "Just a big guy relying on his size" or "Anyway, both Kang Jinseok and that manager are a pair of bastards." Riding in the car back to thepany with Yang Manchun, Kwon Seokhoon overheard his words. Yang Manchun, venting his frustration alone, wasn''t an umon sight. Instead, Kwon Seokhoon was more concerned about something else. Needs help?'' Out of the blue, it seemed like he needed help. Kwon Seokhoon couldn''t fathom what that meant. I don''t know your situation.'' Only two people in the world knew about Kwon Seokhoon''s situation himself and Yang Manchun. If Yang Manchun didn''t know, Kwon Seokhoon seemed like a top star living an envy-inducing life. However, Jang Sunho''s seriousness bothered Kwon Seokhoon. Maybe he overheard something I identally muttered to Jinseok.'' But even if Jang Sunho knew about his situation and wanted to help, Kwon Seokhoon couldn''t leave 3rd Manager. Even if he knows, nothing will change.'' Even if, by some chance, Jang Sunho knew about his situation and wanted to help, Kwon Seokhoon couldn''t leave the 3rd Manager. Otherwise, the 3rd Manager would ruthlessly expose his sister''s ws to the reporters, and the reporters, like hungry wolves, would have a field day writing articles about it. When his sister, then a trainee singer, had a terrible incident while intoxicated "Hoo" To clear his mind, Kwon Seokhoon took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. If the room had been silent, even this small freedom wouldn''t have been allowed, but since Yang Manchun was in the front, incessantly cursing, there was room for such liberties. At that moment, Yang Manchun, leaning against the chair, turned around and said, "Oh, right. Hey, Kwon Seokhoon." "Yes." "The CEO asked when you''re going to renew your contract. Do I have to worry about this one thing? I gave you the contract back then. Why haven''t you signed it yet?" "I apologize. I''ll sign it quickly." "I''ll have a new contract drawn up at thepany today. Ah, geez. It''s annoying. Fine, I''ll leave it at the front of the dorm for you next time youe to thepany. Don''t bother me with this bullshit about forgetting again." "Yes." They soon arrived at the dorm. Kwon Seokhoon got out of the car, and without any farewell, Yang Manchun drove away. This was also a familiar urrence, so Kwon Seokhoon didn''t think much about it and headed to the dorm. Ding. The sound of the front door closing was a sound he had heard for about eight years. Kwon Seokhoon absentmindedly took off his coat and tossed it onto the sofa. Dazedly flipping through TV channels, Kwon Seokhoon suddenly remembered the contract Yang Manchun mentioned. "A contract extension What can I do?" Kwon Seokhoon walked tiredly to his room. It was a in room with only a bed, a desk, and a bookshelf filled with scripts. As he approached the desk to mechanically sign the contract, his hand stopped. Thunk. Kwon Seokhoon paused because of the contract''s "contract period." "7 years?" Typically, an actor''s contractsts for two years. For rookies, it might be longer, but for an actor like Kwon Seokhoon, it usually doesn''t exceed one to three years. However, 7 years? It was an unimaginably long time. Wasn''t this practically a lifelong contract? "7 years, is it?" What he had endured until now was that there would be a change in the situation during the next contract. Perhaps, next year, he would be able to break free. Believing in that small glimmer of hope, he had persevered. "Now, is it over?" But Seokhoon Kwon had no choice. He had considered death, but that would inevitably lead to 3rd Room''s fury directed at his sister for losing the "honey jar." Kwon Seokhoon picked up a pen. An old pen he had used to make countless notes on scripts. It was a familiar pen, but today, it felt unusually heavy. *** After the Pizza King ad meeting on the way home. I initiated a conversation, ncing at Manager Jang Sunho, who was driving. "Manager, may I ask you something?" Without saying a word, Jang Sunho nodded, anticipating what I was going to ask. "Well Earlier, you said to Kwon Seokhoon, If you need help, contact me.''" "Yes." "Could I know what you meant by that?" As I finished my question, the traffic light conveniently turned red. Jang Sunho calmly spoke, bringing the car to a stop. "Yes, do you remember when I mentioned before that it seemed like Kwon Seokhoon might be bound by an unfavorable contract?" "Yes." "After that, I looked into KL Entertainment''s contract in more detail. He is a role model for Kang Jinseok and a potential target for OS Entertainment." "If you looked into it Does that mean the rumors you mentioned back then were true?" Jang Sunho nodded. "No, there was no problem with the contract." "Yes? Then everything is fine with the contract?" "Not exactly. While there was no issue with the contract itself, Kwon Seokhoon was undoubtedly receiving unreasonable treatment." "Unreasonable treatment?" "Yes. Kwon Seokhoon is not receiving his appearance fees or advertising payments properly." Anticipating my questions, Jang Sunho exined further. "So, my conclusion is that KL Entertainment is exploiting Kwon Seokhoon''s weaknesses. There is no problem with the contract per se, so there are no apparent internal or external issues." "Weakness? Could it be that Kwon Seokhoon did something wrong?" Jang Sunho, as if expecting my inquiry, provided more detailed exnations. "So, the point is, Kwon Seokhoon has be a pawn in KL Entertainment''s hands due to financial constraints. His sister''s debt is in my care, and Kwon Seokhoon has no choice but to follow KL Entertainment''s lead." "That''s not the case. Kwon Seokhoon was clean. It''s 3rd Room who''s the problem." "" "He went through some difficulties, but I found out why Kwon Seokhoon, despite receiving such treatment, remains at KL Entertainment. And I also realized that I can help him enough." I can help him enough. Among all that Jang Sunho had said, these were the most hopeful words. "So, I gave Kwon Seokhoon my business card earlier. I told him to reach out if he needed help. If things work out well, we might be able to bring Kwon Seokhoon on board." "Oh!" It felt like the oppressive feelings were finally lifting. "But didn''t Kwon Seokhoon refuse your business card earlier?" When I expressed my concern, Jang Sunho smiled subtly. "He''s an actor who has memorized thick scripts for years. Remembering a phone number should be a piece of cake for him. So, if he needs help, he''ll definitely contact me." At that moment, Jang Sunho''s phone buzzed briefly. Whether it was a text message or not, Jang Sunho nced at his mobile phone as if he were subtly contemting. Concerned about an important text, Jang Sunho asked me, "Actor, do you have any ns for dinner tonight?" "Dinner ns? No, I don''t have any." "Then how about having dinner together? Someone really wants to have dinner with you, and they contacted me about it." Does someone want to have dinner with me? "Having dinner together is fine No, I''mpletely okay with that. Is it someone you know?" "It''s not someone I know." After Jang Sunho extended his exnation, he showed me his mobile phone and said, "It''s a request from Actor Kwon Seokhoon." Chapter 120: Chapter 120: At a certain steakhouse in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Although it''s quite expensive, every table is partitioned into rooms, making it a quiet and conducive ce for conversation. Seated across from each other are Jinseok, Jang Sunho, and Kwon Seokhoon. "Thank you so much foring, even though I contacted you so suddenly," Kwon Seokhoon says with a weak voice. He forces a bright smile, but even that seems tired. As if to reassure him, Jinseok looks at Kwon Seokhoon and says, "No problem. I would have had dinner anyway, and if it''s a meal with a senior, it''s my honor." "Haha You''re relieving me of my burden. Thank you." After exchanging such casual greetings, After finishing the meal to some extent, Kwon Seokhoon speaks with a heavy voice. "Firstly Kang Actor. Earlier, before the Pizza King'' meeting, you mentioned that I was your role model." "Oh, yes." "I should have said thank you back then, but my emotions suddenly intensified, and I couldn''t even say thank you. I''m sorry." "" "Kang Actor, I know you''re busy, but I really wanted to express my gratitude. And" After finishing what he wanted to say to Jinseok, Kwon Seokhoon looks at Jang Sunho. "Team Leader Jang Sunho." "Yes." "When you asked earlier if I could contact you if I needed help Could I ask what that was about?" It was the voice of a desperate person, but he seemed to disy little expectation regarding hope.'' In response, Jang Sunho, straightening his posture, spoke firmly but cautiously, "Of course, it''s about your younger sibling, Kwon Seonhee." Kwon Seokhoon''s eyes widened at Jang Sunho''s words. The change in his expression, from seemingly rxed moments ago to something more intense, was evident. Anticipating Kwon Seokhoon''s reaction, Jang Sunho continued speaking in a rtively calm manner, "The photo of the sister that Director 3 has, that" "Wait a moment," Kwon Seokhoon interrupted Jang Sunho. Then, he turned to Jinseok, who had been earnestly listening to their conversation. "Actor Kang, I invited you to have a meal together, and I''m really sorry for saying this, but could you excuse us for a moment? It seems there''s something I need to discuss privately with Team Leader Jang Sunho." Jinseok, ncing at the two, subtly rose from his seat. "No, there''s no need for that," Jang Sunho said as he suddenly took out a tablet PC from his bag. "The photos and videos Director 3 has of Kwon Seonhee, they''re fake." "Fake?" Kwon Seokhoon was perplexed. Who his sister was, what was in the photos, what the videos contained, and the meaning of them being fakenone of it made sense. Jinseok remained oblivious to the details. However, sensing that it wasn''t the right atmosphere to ask questions, he decided to stay quiet for now. "F-fake? What do you mean?" Kwon Seokhoon asked. "Exactly as it sounds. Director 3, Yang Mansu, ims that the photos and videos of the sister who threatened Kwon Seokhoon are fake." "That can''t be I saw them with my own eyes. That photo and video, it was undoubtedly my sister." Kwon Seokhoon said with a serious expression, shaking his head. In response, Jang Sunho showed him the tablet PC he had taken out a while ago. "Is this the photo?" "Yes." Unlike Jang Sunho''s casual tone, Kwon Seokhoon''s expression, upon seeing the tablet, closed his eyes as if he had witnessed something horrific. Unable to bear looking at it any longer, he pushed the tablet toward Jang Sunho. Jinseok, though curious about what kind of photo it was, couldn''t bring himself to look at it. Seeing Kwon Seokhoon''s reaction, the person involved, made it impossible. Knock, knock. At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Jang Sunho, as if expecting it, said, "Come in." The door opened, apanied by the sound of worn-out sneakers, and a man entered. Jinseok and Kwon Seokhoon turned their gaze toward the door. Worn-out gray sneakers, tacky loose-fitting pants, and a rtively neat shirt. "Hello, Actor Kang Jinseok. It''s been a while." Wearing his trademark artist''s hat was Yang Chihoon, the photographer. *** Unexpectedly, with Yang Chihoon''s entrance, I found myself standing up from my seat. "Oh! Hello, sir." "Yes. You''ve be even more handsome since west met. I enjoyed The Way They Chose'' I could feel the tremendous effort you put into the poster." "Haha, thank you. But what brings you here?" Instead of Yang Chihoon, Jang Sunho responded to my question. "I invited him. He''s the solver who will reveal that Kwon Seonhee''s photos are fake." "A solver?" "Yes. Mr. Yang is one of the renowned photo experts in our country. Not only does he take photos, but he also deciphers them." While Jang Sunho was talking, Yang Chihoon took out twoptops from his bag. Despite his lumbering movements, he was surprisingly fast. "I''m ready. Can we start?" "Yes, sir. Please." As Jang Sunho spoke, Yang Chihoon turned off the lights. In the dark room, the brightptop screen illuminated our faces. "I don''t know who did it, but this photo has been manipted quite skillfully. Even for most experts it would be difficult to find traces of maniption." Yang Chihoon spoke with his usual vague tone. However, unlike earlier, his voice was quite cold and stern. After the leftptop''s mouse clicked, the expected photo appeared, causing Kwon Seokhoon to close his eyes. His ufortable breathing filled the quiet room. "But there is no perfect maniption. Photography is an honest art. If you force something, there will inevitably be something wrong." This time, Yang Chihoon clicked the mouse on the rightptop. "What''s this?" Upon opening his eyes with effort, Kwon Seokhoon looked at Yang Chihoon with a vacant expression. The photo on the rightptop had the sameposition as the one on the left, but it depicted apletely different person. "This is the original a photo taken with a woman who closely resembles Kwon Seonhee. It was meticulously prepared to be used for maniption," Yang Chihoon pointed to the photo on the right. "It may have looked like Kwon Seonhee due to retouching rather than synthesis. However" As he manipted the rightptop, evidence of slight maniptions in the photo became erged on the screen. "As I mentioned earlier, there''s no perfect maniption. Distorted parts are bound toe out." "That can''t be" Kwon Seokhoon leaned over theptop, his face as if lost in thought. When Yang Chihoon exined it, it was impossible to know what had been manipted. However, seeing the expert pointing out each manipted part, it became impossible not to believe that the photo had been manipted. "Mr. Kwon Seokhoon, have you ever discussed this photo with your sister?" "No, I haven''t. I believed the photo was real just by looking at it, and I thought my sister had somehow forgotten about it and was trying to live her life. I didn''t want to bring it up and bother her unnecessarily." After staring at the photo for a while, Kwon Seokhoon slumped into the chair. It was impossible to read theplicated expression on his face, suggesting he was lost in thought. "I first saw that photo seven years ago. I was in my twenties, and Seonhee was fifteen. It was during my idol training days at KL Entertainment. That''s when I first met Director 3." "" "Since then, I dedicated my twenties to Director 3. But to think that the photo was manipted" Everyone in the room listened quietly to Kwon Seokhoon''s words. "Seonhee never debuted in the end. Still, fortunately, there were people who liked her songs, so she continued singing on YouTube. She even entered university this year. She seemed so happy I wanted to protect Seonhee. She''s my only remaining family." Kwon Seokhoon leaned back in the chair. He looked at the empty ceiling with a hollow gaze. However, unlike before, there was no disappointment or vacant look in his eyes. It was more like the gaze of someone who had unloaded a burden, a gaze like that. "But Team Leader Jang Sunho." "Yes." "Why did you help me? I don''t know how you got that photo, but it must not have been an easy task." Looking at me, Jang Sunho smiled and said, "Well" "Actor Kang Jinseok kept giving signals," Jang Sunho said suddenly. "He asked for my help, saying you''re his role model." I didn''t expect my name toe up, so I was a bit surprised. Before I could say anything, Kwon Seokhoon bowed his head. "Thank you very much." "Huh? Oh haha. I haven''t really done much. If you want to express your gratitude, you should thank Photographer Yang Chihoon and the manager." Feeling like things were resolved well, I felt good. However, at the same time, it felt dirty and ufortable. "Director 3. I had a bad feeling about you, and you really are trash." Kwon Seokhoon rose from his chair, pulling it back. Then, he bowed again. "I''m truly grateful for today. From now on, I''ll take care of things myself." After the farewell, Kwon Seokhoon put on his coat. He seemed decidedly lighter than when I first met him. "Well then, I''ll leave first. I''m sorry for getting up first. Enjoy your meal." As Kwon Seokhoon was about to leave, Jang Sunho called him. "Excuse me, Mr. Kwon Seokhoon." "Yes?" "You mentioned that your contract with KL Entertainment is ending soon. Have you thought about your next agency?" *** The next day, KL Entertainment, Actor 3''s office. Manager Yang Mansu, as usual, leisurely approached his seat with an iced Americano in hand. He put the coffee down and looked at the entertainment news to see if anything interesting had happened yesterday. "Tsk tsk. These days, journalists are so boring. They keep praising Kang Jinseok in their articles." Bang! At that moment, someone forcefully opened the door and walked in. Manager 3 raised an eyebrow, shifting his gaze from the monitor to the person who dared to barge into his roomthe guy who barely made it into the makeshift office. "Kwon Seokhoon? Have you gone mad? What are you doing now?" Manager 3 looked at the intruder, chuckling sarcastically. Kwon Seokhoon, ignoring Manager 3''s derisiveughter, stared at him. "No, I''m perfectly sane." "What, what?" "I said I''m perfectly sane. This bastard here." Click. After speaking calmly, Kwon Seokhoon locked the door. It was a sound Manager 3 always heard, but today, it sounded strangely eerie. Looking at Manager 3, Kwon Seokhoon approached him, looked down at him, and said, "Did you enjoy it?" "What, what?" "Did you enjoy it? ying around with me and my sister." "W- What are you talking about? Seokhoon-" Bam! While Yang Mansu managed to smile, Kwon Seokhoon struck him hard on the jaw. It was the first time Manager 3 had ever been hit, leaving him unable to regain hisposure. "Snap out of it. You have to be sober to take a punch like a man." "Ugh" Grabbing Manager 3 by the cor as if tearing off a chicken''s neck, Kwon Seokhoon lightly pped his cheeks. Still unable to recover his senses, Manager 3 couldn''tprehend the situation. "Get a hold of yourself. You need to be fully conscious to feel the pain." "Ughhh" Even after the relentless ps, Manager 3 remained dazed. Undeterred, Kwon Seokhoon picked up the iced Americano on the desk. "Alright, let''s clear your head with a bit of water, shall we?" "Ughhh" St! Kwon Seokhoon poured the coffee on Manager 3''s face. Thebination of cold ice and coffee jolted Manager 3 back to reality. "Hack Hackoo. You you, what the hell. S-Stop it." Ignoring Manager 3''s feeble protests, Kwon Seokhoon continued to hold him firmly. He then pped Manager 3''s cheeks again. However, Manager 3 still seemed disoriented. "Alright, wake up. We have six more to go." "W-What what?" "One punch per year. Seven years in total. It''s a cheap price for what you''ve done, isn''t it?" "Ugh ugh." "If you want to press charges, go ahead. When the timees, I won''t hold back either." Kwon Seokhoon struck Manager 3''s face again. No longer did Kwon Seokhoon enter Room 3 with caution, always gauging Manager 3''s mood. TN: Now Reader''s That''s What We Called Karma Is A Bitch. Chapter 121: Chapter 121: "Did Kwon Seokhoon really get promoted to 3rd director?" When a reporter passing by asked in a casual tone, Go Seoyeong, who had been writing an article nearby, shrugged her shoulders. "Well, who knows? Seeing the 3rd director staying quiet without saying anything, might be just a baseless rumor. Considering his personality, whether it''s one punch or two if he got hit, he would have sued right away, don''t you think?" "Yeah, that''s true. Oh, then what kind of article should I write now? Lately, there''s been no interesting issue, and the editor keeps nagging me because I keep recycling Kang Jinseok''s articles." "Why is there no issue? This country called South Korea is a ce where there''s never a quiet day." As Go Seoyeong said with a dismissive gesture, the reporter sneakily looked at Go Seoyeong''sptop. "What kind of article are you writing, Ms. Go? Oh, what the Are you also writing about Kang Jinseok? Give it a rest. Kang Jinseok is overused." "Oh. I''m also writing about Kang Jinseok. But can we respect each other''s privacy? Why do you keep stealing a nce at myptop?" "What privacy between us? Hey, but just in case I ask, are you not trying to get an exclusive by asking for a good source and publishing a solo article, right? You always do solo articles about Kang Jinseok. Let''s cooperate a bit. Help me out a bit." "Cooperate? Are we an insurancepany? Enough, just go jump around. Reporter Baek. If you keep sitting in the office, will articlese out?" After casually responding to the fellow reporter, Go Seoyeong picked up herptop and stood up. The fellow reporter watched Go Seoyeong as if she was pathetic. "I''m going to interview and then resign. See you tomorrow." "Interview? With whom?" "Somebody." "Oh, who is it?" "It''s a secret." Ignoring the urgent words of her colleague, Go Seoyeong quickly left the office. "The interview time is still quite a bit away, but It won''t hurt to go early." Go Seoyeong caught a taxi on the street in front of thepany. "Wee. Where can I take you?" "OS Entertainment." filming location. I was in the middle of chatting with Yeo Hyemin to ease the tension before shooting. "You''re shooting a Pizza King'' ad, right?" "Oh, yes. Fortunately, a good opportunity came up. I think we''ll probably shoot it next week." "If ites out, I''ll order one too." "Haha, thanks for saying that. But you don''t have to force yourself to eat it. Pizza puts on a lot of weight. It must be hard for you to manage your weight." In response to my words, Yeo Hyemin asked with a sly smile. "Manage weight?" "Yes. Our manager says that female actors diet 300 days a year Or something like that?" "It''s zero calories if you enjoy it." I wondered if it was a joke and scrutinized Yeo Hyemin''s expression, but her expression seemed quite serious. She seemed to be contemting ordering pizza. But, there are so many people. There were really a lot of citizens around the filming location. I wondered how they found out and gathered in such numbers. As the filming drew closer, the crowd increased, and now it seemed challenging for the staff to control. Today''s shooting involved an awkward date between the character who identally confesses, The Swindler,'' and Moon Hyemin.'' It was set to take ce at Seokchon Lake, famous for its beautiful cherry blossoms, but since it was still February, the cherry blossoms had not yet bloomed. ording to Director Yeo Jaeyoon, they were shooting now because the flowers hadn''t bloomed yet. It was to express the time before the love between the two characters fully blossomed. "Actor Kang Jinseok, Actress Yeo Hyemin! Please stand by!" The announcement from the staff made the surroundings even more chaotic. There was anticipation and excitement, a positive disturbance filled with expectations to see our acting. "Shall we go then?" Leading the way, Yeo Hyemin followed me. As we got closer to the camera, we could hear the conversations of the citizens watching us. "Actors really look different in person," or "Wow. He''s even more handsome than in the videos." There were citizens admiring Yeo Hyemin, and among them, I heard someone say, "Oppa, am I pretty, or is that actress prettier?" I didn''t catch the response, though. "We''re going to start shooting!" The voice of the staff who called me and Yeo Hyemin a while ago echoed again. In response, other staff members began to ask for cooperation from the citizens. "We ask for your cooperation, everyone! The shooting is about to start, so please be quiet!" As the staff spoke, the surroundings quickly quieted down. Some citizens still tried to say something, but they too closed their mouths under the sharp gazes of other citizens. When the surroundings became somewhat quiet, Yeo Hyemin headed to a bench on the other side. Then, she sat down and stared nkly ahead, following the script. "Hi!" "Cue!" At the same time as Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s sign, the view changed. Now, it was the somewhat familiar memory of Kim Faith. Next to ake simr to Seokchon Lake, where I had been a while ago. People gathered in small groups, strolling around theke. Some women nced at Kim Faith. It was a natural reaction since Kim Faith had dressed up for the first date.'' Usually, he would smile lightly and throw a yful remark, but now was not the time. He hade to the meeting ce for the promised date with Lee Hyemin. She''s really pretty.'' About 10 meters away. Lee Hyemin sitting on a bench not far away is visible. The sunlight and the reflection on theke illuminate her face. Well Have I seeded halfway in teasing Hyemin?'' As there''s a saying that you only need to go to Seoul no matter where you''re headed, Kim Faith was quite satisfied with the fact that he was dating Hyemin. Such thoughtssted only a moment. Kim Faith shook off his thoughts by tapping his head. Now was not the time to be admiring; it was time to capture Hyemin''s heart, just like he had been doing until now. Having made up his mind, Kim Faith approached Hyemin slowly and called her from behind to startle her, using a fast and appropriately loud voice. "Hye-min-ssi! I''m here. Have you been waiting long?" Whether surprised by the sudden words from behind or just startled, Hyemin was taken aback. She quickly adjusted her appearance, stood up, and looked at Kim Faith. Once their eyes met, Hyemin couldn''t speak. Whether it was because she recalled the embarrassing confession he made a few days ago or for some other reason. Whatever the reason, Kim Faith had his mouth closed and was awkwardly rubbing his nose. It was something unheard of for Kim Faith, who had met countless women until now. As the two continued to gaze at each other, Hyemin took out a notebook from her bag and wrote something, showing it to Kim Faith. -Hello. "Oh, yes! Haha, yes! Um Yes. Hello. I''m Kim Faith." Nod. "Well, um I''m not usually like this, but I''m nervous. Stuttering and all. Haha Oh, right, food! Shall we go eat? Is there anything you like? Something you want to eat? Oh, your clothes are pretty. Really Haha." What am I saying? Pull yourself together!'' After a light walk, they had nned to go to a cafe and then have a meal, but Kim Faith couldn''t say anything properly. Moreover, all the restaurants that seemed good for Hyemin were already reserved, and he left the choice even for that to Hyemin. Watching Kim Faith ramble on, Hyemin gazed at him in silence. "Pft" Whether she found Kim Faith''s fluster amusing or for some other reason, Hyemin let out a small smile and a shortugh. Then, she showed a short phrase written in her notebook. -It''s a bit early for lunch. Can we take a short walk? It''s my first timeing to a ce like this. "Oh Is that so? Lunch is a bit early, right? Haha, sure! Let''s walk. I like walking. Actually, I looked around a bit beforeing here, and there''s a ce over there where the photose out nicely. Oh, your bag! Should I carry it for you?" Somewhat absentmindedly, but with a strong desire to look good to the other person, Kim Faith spoke in a tone and manner that were quite enthusiastic. Hyemin let out another shortugh. *** "Seeing it in person, he''s really good at acting." When Kwon Seokhoon admired Jinseok''s acting, Jang Sunho, who was standing beside him, asked. "Seeing it in person, he''s good Any particr reason for saying that?" "Oh, sorry. What I meant was, seeing it in person, he''s even'' better. I''m not at the level to evaluate Kang Jinseok''s acting." With a faint smile, he said that and then looked at Yeo Hyemin this time. Yeo Hyemin, who was acting without any lines, expressed everything with subtle facial expressions and eyes from the beginning to the end. Even for Kwon Seokhoon, the skill was impressive. "Is that actress a protege of Director Yeo Jaeyoon?" "Yes, that''s correct." "Amazing. Shining brightly without a single line of dialogue. Is this person also under OS Entertainment?" Jang Sunho nodded. "No, this person is currently not affiliated with any agency." "Do you have any intention to sign her?" "I don''t have any specific ns yet. The matter of signing actors is entirely handled by our CEO, not me." "I see." At the mention of CEO,'' Kwon Seokhoon''s eyes showed a hint of interest. After all, Yoon Gayeon, the CEO of OS Entertainment, was someone he wanted to meet at least once. Just when Kwon Seokhoon seemed like he was about to say something, his vibrating phone caught his attention. Stepping a bit back from the shooting site, he checked his phone. [10 missed calls] It was a call from Yang Manchun, the head of KL Entertainment. As soon as Kwon Seokhoon saw the caller ID, without much hesitation, he ended the call. [10 missed calls] Soon after, another call came in. Frowning at his phone, Kwon Seokhoon answered it quietly. "What''s going on?" "Oh, it''s nothing much. Just" [10 missed calls] "3rd Manager keeps calling. I was considering blocking him, but since I''m keeping an eye on it due to the contract termination, I thought he might contact me with a different number anyway." Kwon Seokhoon rejected the call once again. Simultaneously, the phone rang. "I guess I''ll just leave it. I''m tired of dealing with this." As Kwon Seokhoon shrugged, about to put his phone back in his pocket, Jang Sunho quietly asked, "Is there something wrong?" "Oh, it''s nothing. Just" "May I make a call?" Chapter 122: Chapter 122: "Team Leader Jang Sunho, would you like to take the call?" Kwon Seokhoon asked, eyes widening. Jang Sunho nodded when questioned. "Yes. Kwon Seokhoon, you''ll soon be part of the family. Even though I might not be your assigned manager, I want to support you as a fellow family'' member." Listening to Jang Sunho speak seriously, Kwon Seokhoon stared at him quietly. Then, he suddenlyughed and spoke with a voice full of gratitude. "Just words are enough. But, really, Team Leader Jang Sunho doesn''t need to bother dealing with this. And, in fact, I''m enjoying this right now." "Enjoying?" Jang Sunho questioned. "Yes. The one who treated me like a servant for years is now fidgeting to give me a call. It''s somewhat satisfying." "" "And although not entirely, I''ve fought back to some extent. Thanks to that, my hands got a bit injured." Kwon Seokhoon shook his right hand, wrapped in bandages. The end of the bandage had neat handwriting: Get well soon! Kang Jinseok.'' Jang Sunho looked at the writing for a moment, then nodded and said, "I understand. If you need any help, please let me know." "Yes, thank you." Even after that, Kwon Seokhoon''s phone kept ringing continuously, but Jang Sunho and Kwon Seokhoon paid no attention. And then, a littleter, "Ah~! Cut! That was great!" With Yeo Jaeyoon''s cheerful cut sign, the shooting ended. Citizens who had been watching the shooting once again threw theirments. "Wow So this is why people watch romantic movies." "Ugh. The love cells areing back to life. Leave my body, Kang Jinseok." "Should I contact my ex-boyfriend" While some citizens admired the acting, others were more interested in the actors. "Oppa, why are you staring nkly? Completely captivated, huh?" "Sorry." "And you didn''t answer earlier. Am I pretty, or is that actress pretty?" "Well, um Hey, but seriously, she acts really well. Let''s definitely watch this when it''s released, okay?" "Why are you changing the subject?" Jang Sunho, listening to the on-site reactions, nodded with satisfaction. A bit regrettable was that the citizens'' reactions were not as hot as during the filming at Sungsu Station. But, it seemed that it was not because Jinseok''s acting wascking at that time, but rather because the citizens'' expectations were much higher now. Nevertheless, actress Yeo Hyemin seems to have improved.'' Although she was a great actress with acting skills as outstanding as her appearance, her skills seemed to have grown with each filming, enough for Kwon Seokhoon to openly praise her. No, more precisely, it''s not that her skills have improved it''s more like her feelings have changed a bit.'' The Yeo Hyemin Jang Sunho saw during the first filming was an actress who acted ording to the script, suppressing her emotions as much as possible and following the instructions of the script. But at some point, it seemed like Yeo Hyemin was trying to express the emotions of the actual person rather than the script. It felt like she had be immersed in the role. Whether it started changing while acting with Jinseok or for some other reason, Jang Sunho didn''t know. Still, it was a good change, so Jang Sunho didn''t pay much attention. "Moving to the next filming location!" With the staff''s announcement, the shooting set began to move. *** The shooting ended earlier than scheduled, and now it''s just past 7 PM. In the van on the way home, Jinseok muttered to himself, "If the senior hade, he should have let me know. I didn''t even know he came." "Haha, sorry. I thought if I said I came, you might feel burdened, so I didn''t mention it." "I thought you might think that But still, next time, if you happen toe to the filming site, please let me know." "I will." Kwon Seokhoon nodded with a slight smile. "But why did youe today? It''s not just to visit the set, right?" "Oh, actually, I had an interview today. With Team Leader Jang Sunho." "You and the manager had an interview together?" This was the first time he heard about it. While I don''t know every detail of Jang Sunho''s daily activities, I usually know about important schedules. But more importantly, an interview with Jang Sunho and Kwon Seokhoon together "Are you, by any chance,ing to ourpany? Leaving KL Entertainment?" Asking with a bright voice, Kwon Seokhoon thought for a moment before yfully saying, "Well, who knows? Maybe if Actor Kang Jinseok approves me?" "Me approving the senior? What does that mean?" "Haha! Just kidding." I looked at Jang Sunho with a puzzled expression. He must have felt my gaze, but Jang Sunho was only looking straight ahead. His expression, visible through the rearview mirror, showed a faint smile like Kwon Seokhoon''s. "Manager, do I have to approve Kwon Seokhoon senior? What does that mean?" As I was speaking, "Actor, we''ve arrived." We had already arrived home. Inside the OS Entertainmentpany cafe. This ce, usually a resting spot for employees, was always busy, but today, only three people were present due to the restricted ess to an important interview. One of them, Reporter Go Seoyeong, spoke. "First of all, thank you, Actor Kwon Seokhoon, for taking the time for this interview." "Well, I have plenty of time. You must be busy, so thank you foring all the way here." Kwon Seokhoon spoke in a cheerful voice. The voice caught Go Seoyeong''s eye. He seems unusually bright today. And'' As Go Seoyeong stared at Kwon Seokhoon''s hand wrapped in bandages, she continued her thoughts. It seems that the rumor about the Room 3 manager getting beaten up is true. Not that I would often have the chance to injure my hand like that.'' Staring intently at the bandaged hand, Go Seoyeong caught Kwon Seokhoon''s eye. He read her gaze and shook his hand up and down. "It''s nothing. I just got injured during exercise. The hospital says it''ll heal quickly." "Exercise?" "Yes. I''ve been boxing for a while. I got hurt during sparring. But even though it hurts, winning feels good. Haha!" "Who was your opponent?" "He exists. Someone I''ve been eyeing for quite a while." Although he didn''t explicitly mention it, Kwon Seokhoon was subtly implying that he had punched the Room 3 manager. In the past, Go Seoyeong might have written a Kadoran'' article with just this much information. However, the current Go Seoyeong had no intention of doing that. It was more interesting, and exciting, and could garner more attention to write a fun, stimting, and certain article. And that''s what people wanted, after all. But now, there''s no need for that.'' Since joining OS Entertainment, Go Seoyeong could obtain exclusive news faster than any other reporter. There was no need to add MSG or attract attention anymore. "Yes. Please get well soon. Now, shall we start the interview?" Having finished her thoughts, Go Seoyeong spoke in a rxed voice, "That''s right, Mr. Kwon." As soon as she heard Kwon Seokhoon''s response, Go Seoyeong turned on the camera she had brought. After confirming that the camera was functioning properly, Go Seoyeong began the interview. "It was two days ago, right? When you announced that you would part ways with KL Entertainment after over seven years." "Yes, that''s correct." "To be honest, I was quite surprised to hear that announcement. Mr. Kwon Seokhoon was a very important actor at KL Entertainment, and your rtionship with thepany seemed good, so I naturally thought you would renew the contract. Was there something that happened?" At Go Seoyeong''s question, Kwon Seokhoon looked away for a moment as if contemting. It was a gaze that seemed to reflect deep consideration. However, since they had already discussed what questions to ask in this interview, Go Seoyeong knew that Kwon Seokhoon deliberately showed such a reaction. Perhaps it was a conscious action, aware of the camera capturing him. He was indeed a veteran actor. "Well There isn''t much I can say about that part. Still, one thing I can say for sure is that contrary to what the public knows, my rtionship with KL Entertainment wasn''t as good as it seemed. I didn''t receive the treatment everyone thinks I did." "Are you suggesting that KL Entertainment mistreated an actor of your caliber, or was there some resentment?" "Haha, well, it''s a story that has been rified now, and it''s a past story, so I won''t go into it deeply. I''ll just say that my time at KL Entertainment was quite painful. That''s all I''ll say." "Painful I understand." Smiling with a satisfied smile, Go Seoyeong nodded her head. Rather than openly exposing what happened, it''s scarier to talk about it ambiguously. People will spread rumors on their own. Especially for someone like Kwon Seokhoon, with a thick fandom and high recognition, it''s even more so. After briefly discussing the contract with KL Entertainment, Go Seoyeong, to refresh the atmosphere, brought up another topic. "Now that your contract with KL Entertainment has ended, you''ve be a free agent. It seems like you''ll receive a lot of offers. Can you give us any hints about the contract?" "Haha, well As you said, I''ve received offers from various ces. Not to brag, but I''ve received some intriguing offers. But I haven''t made a decision yet." "I see." Go Seoyeong said calmly. This was also a pre-discussed question with Kwon Seokhoon. But then, Kwon Seokhoon brought up something that Go Seoyeong didn''t know. "By the way The past was so painful that I didn''t have the confidence to smile and act again. So, to return to my roots, I''m thinking of auditioning again." Upon hearing this, Go Seoyeong was taken aback, her eyes widening in surprise. Kwon Seokhoon is going to audition?'' This was akin to a high-ranking executive at a major corporation dering that they would interview entry-level candidates. Swallowing in her dry throat, Go Seoyeong asked, "Can you tell us which project it is?" "Unfortunately, I didn''t say I would immediately join a project. Of course, I''ll engage in projects as well, but right now, it''s a time for self-reflection." "Then" As if she wouldn''t miss a single word, Go Seoyeong was looking at Kwon Seokhoon when he spoke with a faint smile. "Yes, I''ve heard that OS Entertainment will be holding auditions for new actors soon. So, I want to be evaluated not under my name'' but based on my skills,'' with the mindset of a neer." A well-known established actor applying for an audition at apany selecting new actors. A drop of sweat rolled down Go Seoyeong''s back. It''s a scoop.'' Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Beforeing to today''s interview, Go Seoyoung had received a hint from Jeong Sunho that "Kwon Seokhoon will make a major announcement." Frankly, Go Seoyoung thought that even if it was called a major announcement, it was probably just OS Entertainment recruiting Kwon Seokhoon. But the fact that Kwon Seokhoon was auditioning for OS Entertainment surprised her. Suppressing her astonishment as much as possible, she looked at Jang Sunho sitting next to Kwon Seokhoon. "" However, Jang Sunho wore his characteristic expression of unreadable emotions. Judging by that expression, he seemed unlikely to say anything before being asked directly. Go Seoyoung drank the water in front of her as if her throat was dry and calmly organized her thoughts. With Kwon Seokhoon''s career, there shouldn''t be any need for more. Why would he bother auditioning?'' Go Seoyoung looked at Jang Sunho again. But this time, Jang Sunho remained calm with a nonchnt expression. People are fine when you get to know them, but they can be too naive. Subtly authoritative, too.'' Not only this time but also until now, Jang Sunho has handed her several good leads. As a result, Go Seoyoung''s perception of Jang Sunho changed a lot. When she first met Jang Sunho, she thought of him as someone frighteningly strategic and meticulous, a person you should never turn against. Now, she even felt a certain liking for him. But every time he handed her a lead, he wouldn''t say anything until she asked, making it frustrating for Go Seoyoung as a journalist. "Um Manager Jang. Could you give me more detailed information about the interview?" "What exactly are you asking about?" While Go Seoyoung wanted to write the article as soon as possible, Jang Sunho seemed unhurried. Wondering if he was making fun of her, Go Seoyoung squinted at Jang Sunho. Still, Jang Sunho didn''t say anything. Go Seoyoung sighed slightly and began to organize her questions on theptop. But what could she do? He was her superior. After organizing her questions on theptop for a while, Go Seoyoung looked straight at Jang Sunho and asked, "Manager Jang Sunho. May I ask you a question?" "Yes." "Thank you. Then, first, I''d like to ask about the audition. OS Entertainment has never held auditions since its establishment, only recruiting through FA. However, this time, Kwon Seokhoon mentioned that he would audition for OS Entertainment when he left KL Entertainment. Considering he''s willing to lower himself and audition, it seems like Kwon Seokhoon has a great liking for OS Entertainment. Is there a reason for making an actor like him audition rather than directly recruiting him?" As if she were an announcer, Go Seoyoung asked her questions in a steady rhythm. Jang Sunho answered as if he had been waiting for it. To tell you the truth, we originally nned to sign him directly. However, Kwon Seokhoon refused. He said that although joining OS Entertainment would be good, he wanted to return to his roots and start like a rookie." "Returning to his roots, is it because of a discord with his previous agency?" "I''m just conveying what Kwon Seokhoon said. I don''t know the details." "" "But the timing was right. We were coincidentally preparing for arge-scale audition at OS Entertainment, and when Kwon Seokhoon heard about the nning intentions, he expressed his intention to participate." While Go Seoyoung recorded Jang Sunho''s words on herptop, she asked again. "Kwon Seokhoon, the decision to participate seems to make this audition quite special. Could you please exin about this audition?" "Yes." Jang Sunho answered briefly and immediately began to exin about the audition. "This audition is a coborativepetition audition program created in partnership with BDD Broadcasting Station. Anyone dreaming of bing an actor can apply." "The judges include actors from OS Entertainment, Director Na Jinho from BDD drama, PD Kim Mansoo, PD Netflix Ha Sarang, Acting Coach Kwak Jinwook, and Director Yeo Jaeyoon." "It is an opportunity for active actors and professionals to evaluate acting skills, and it is an audition for the lead and supporting roles in the next work by writer Jo Seokwon." Although Jang Sunho spoke calmly, Go Seoyoung listening to it could not be calm at all. A coboration audition between a nning agency that has been growing tremendously recently and a star writer. Moreover, seeing that it is being conducted by BDD, it must have been scheduled. It was an excellent opportunity for those dreaming of bing actors. As expected Riding the OS Entertainment line was a stroke of luck.'' Although she had suffered a lot in the past because of Jang Sunho, thanks to him, she could now receive exclusive leads like this. "That''s all. For more details, please refer to the announcements on the official website of OS Entertainment." After finishing the exnation, Jang Sunho nodded his head. After a few minutes of Go Seoyoung organizing Jang Sunho''s answers on herptop, she showed a satisfied smile. With this scoop, I can feast on it for a week, no, maybe two.'' At that moment, Go Seoyoung noticed thest question she had written. Ask about impressions and determination to participate in the audition. It wasn''t particrly important. It was just a formal question. But since the opportunity to have a solo interview with Kwon Seokhoon doesn''te often, she decided to ask everything she could. "Actor Kwon Seokhoon, how long has it been since you participated in a nning agency audition?" "Yes? Oh, it''s my first time. I used to be in a theater group, and I was just cast by KL Entertainment." It was a story that even Go Seoyoung, as a reporter, heard for the first time. As the outline of the article was taking shape, satisfied, she nodded her head and continued with the questions. "I see. Then, do you have any determination and goals for this nning agency audition that you are challenging for the first time?" "Um" Kwon Seokhoon touched his chin and pondered, ncing briefly at the bandages wrapped around his hand. At the end of his gaze was Jinseok''s message, Get well soon!'' "I want to enjoy acting as a rookie and return to my roots. That way, I won''t be embarrassed in front of my friends who consider me a role model.''" It was a safe and witty answer. Since Go Seoyoung didn''t have any particr intention with her question, she nodded her head in agreement. For Kwon Seokhoon, it was a statement keeping Jinseok in mind, but Go Seoyoung interpreted it as a rookie actor'' reading this article. Without any additional questions, she recorded the answer. "Oh, and this is separate from the audition." Kwon Seokhoon smiled mysteriously and continued, "I''m preparing for another audition apart from the OS Entertainment nning agency audition. It''s for the work The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World.''" "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World?" "Yes. It''s a Japanese word, a sad romance. It''s the genre I''ve often done." "If you received an audition proposal for a Japanese work Oh, I''m sorry. Please continue." "Haha, yes. But it''s not just me who received the audition proposal for that work. Kang Jinseok, who is expected to be a judge in the OS Entertainment nning agency audition, also received it." Upon hearing Kwon Seokhoon''s words, Go Seoyoung looked at Jang Sunho. But this time, too, Jang Sunho was calmly looking straight ahead. Before Go Seoyoung could feel frustrated about Jang Sunho''s attitude, Kwon Seokhoon added. "I went to watch Kang Jinseok''s filming for beforeing to today''s interview, and he acts well." "So, I want to try auditioning for , which is an open audition." "Justpeting in the same work can be a great learning experience." With the scent of a scoop in the air, Go Seoyoung, afraid she might miss Kwon Seokhoon''s words, was diligently tapping on herptop, organizing his words. *** "Hello! Man-chunah, your sister came to visit! Aren''t you grateful? Huh?" Swinging open the door to the hospital room, KL Entertainment''s 2nd Division Manager, Jo Chaeyeon, shouted. At the sound of her ttering voice, Yang Manchun, lying on the hospital bed in room 3, frowned. "Ugh" In response, a painful groan escaped from Yang Manchun''s face, where he had been hit by Seokhoon. Ignoring Yang Manchun, Jo Chaeyeonughed cheerfully, dragging a chair over to sit. Then she ced a fruit basket on Yang Manchun''s stomach. "Ta-da! A fruit basket with lots of mangoes, your favorite! How about it, suddenly losing strength?" Yang Manchun looked at Jo Chaeyeon with an irritated expression. She deliberately made eye contact with Yang Manchun, then covered her mouth andughed. "Phew Hahaha!! It''s a masterpiece! Can I take a picture of you now? It feels like a Mira cosy!" "Sigh" "Don''t re at me like that. You should be grateful that such a beauty came to visit you while I''m busy." Click! Click! Jo Chaeyeon started taking pictures of Yang Manchun lying in bed. Even though he had told her not to take pictures, he resigned himself to it, closing his eyes and staying still. After Jo Chaeyeon took pictures for a while, she took an apple from the fruit basket on Yang Manchun''s stomach and bit into it. "I heard a rumor that you got caught because you were pretending to exploit Kwon Seokhoon''s weakness. I didn''t expect it to be this bad. Well, you yed it well. You should''ve caught real'' weaknesses like me; actors would have gone crazy then. Tsk tsk." "" "But it worked out well. You can get stic surgery and go on a diet now. I have a hospital my kids often go to; it''s amazing there. If I introduce you, you get a 3% discount! Should I introduce you? Huh?" Yang Manchun red at Jo Chaeyeon who continued to yfully talk. He was at the point of turning his stomach inside out, and having a woman who came to visit acting like this made him naturally angry. Jo Chaeyeon extended her hand apologetically. Of course, her expression continued to smile, but she kept saying sorry. "Okay, okay. Stop teasing. If you keep ring at me like that, I''ll just leave, big brother." "Ungya eojyeo." "What did you say? I can''t hear you well." "Ungya eojira-o." "Oh, Manchun''s baby-like whining is cute." Perhaps no longer wanting to y along with Jo Chaeyeon''s joke, Yang Manchun closed his eyes. Expecting that she would eventually get tired of him and leave if he didn''t respond. However, at that moment, something was said that made Yang Manchun''s eyes snap open. "Manchun, I came here today as a get-well visit and also to convey a message from Division Manager 1." "Huh?" "Division Manager 1 wants you to leave thepany. You have to repay all the money you embezzled." Snap! Surprised, Yang Manchun grabbed the bed railing and sat up. It was a violent movement thatpletely disregarded the doctor''s rmendation for stability. Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Yang Manchun pulled down the bandage that had been covering his mouth, speaking roughly. Despite having only removed the bandage around his mouth, his face was visibly swollen, indicating the severity of his injuries. "Leave thepany?" No matter what profession you''re in, being told to leave thepany can be quite disconcerting. Especially if you''re the breadwinner responsible for supporting a child who looks at you like a rabbit and a lovely fox-like wife. But Yang Manchun had no family to support. "Leave thepany'' means thepany won''t protect me anymore." The reason Yang Manchun was so afraid was that, for several years, he had been involved in numerous dirty deeds under the title of "KL Entertainment Director." Some were done for thepany''s profit, but most were for his own selfish desires, often involving activities that vited thew. But if he left thepany like this, he would lose the protective shield that had kept him safe all these years. It wouldn''t be surprising if the police knocked on his door at any moment. "1 Manager No, did 1 Manager really say that?" Yang Manchun asked with a trembling voice as if he couldn''t believe it. "Yeah, yeah. If it were the CEO, would he have told you to leave? It''s even better this way, isn''t it?" "Oh, no. Why? Leave thepany over just that one thing?" "I don''t know. I don''t care. I''m just here to pass on what 1 Manager said." Chaeyeon smiled consistently as she spoke. However, her gaze at Yang Manchun was incredibly cold. It''s unbearable to live like this. Yang Manchun grabbed Chaeyeon''s arm and pleaded. "2 2 Manager. No, Manager. Please don''t do this and just tell me clearly. That way, I can I can fix whatever needs fixing." Chaeyeon looked at Yang Manchun''s hand, holding onto her arm, with disdain. His trembling arm was truly pitiful to behold. But Chaeyeon was not moved by Yang Manchun''s desperation. "Manchun, do you know what Kwon Seokhoon is doing now that he''s left ourpany?" Chaeyeon pulled her arm away roughly as she spoke. "Kwon Seokhoon? I don''t know. He took away the TV and phone to stabilize his condition. Besides, with no visiting allowed, how could I know?" "Don''t bother with those trivial things. Hmm. I see. Then let me tell you. Do you know what Kwon Seokhoon is up to?" Chaeyeon calmly continued speaking as she took out lipstick from her bag and stood in front of a mirror. Yang Manchun seemed puzzled by Chaeyeon''s actions, but he silently watched her apply lipstick. "Kwon Seokhoon auditioned for OS Entertainment. Because of that, the little actors in ourpany are in chaos." "That guy" "Not just the kids, even the decent actors are in turmoil. The managers are no exception. Well, the managers probably knew that OS Entertainment treated their talents much better than ourpany." Chaeyeon turned her face from side to side, admiring her lips. With a satisfied smile, she said to Yang Manchun, "So, to strengthen internal solidarity, prevent actors from leaving, and offer a sacrifice that would capture everyone''s attention." "A sacrifice? You want me to be the sacrifice?" "Yeah. I can''t do it, can I? We''re not even that close." "" "But kicking out Managers 4, 5, and 6 wouldn''t make much sense. It happened in the first ce because of you." At the mention of sacrifice,'' Yang Manchun''s body began to tremble. He could see what awaited him in the future. Then, "It was a hidden camera all along!" Watching Yang Manchun in that state, Chaeyeon pped her hands like a child who had just enjoyed a funny y. Looking at him with an astonished expression, Yang Manchun asked, "What does that mean?" "What do you mean! It means exactly what it sounds likehidden camera!" "" "Manchun, was my acting good? I could debut as an actor rather than a manager at this level, right?" In her yful tone and actions, Yang Manchun seemed bewildered and sighed in disappointment. "You should y pranks within limits! Why y with someone''s life?" "Huh? Why get mad over a joke?" "Shut up. Before I split you in half and kill you." "Oh,e on. ying with people''s lives is all the same, isn''t it? Oh, are you scared because you almost died for real?" Yang Manchun gritted his teeth, getting more agitated. The more intense his reaction, the louder Chaeyeon''sughter became. "Oh, I haven''tughed so heartily in a long time, thanks to Manchun. Sorry, sorry." With no response from Yang Manchun, Chaeyeon stood up from her seat. "Still, not everything was a lie. Thepany atmosphere is really bad right now. One of your 3rd-floor guys who is it? I don''t know the name. Anyway, one of the team leaders is aiming for your position, trying to be a manager." "Manager? He dares to challenge my position? Wait, is it the 3rd team leader? That guy, without any gratitude" "Well, you climbed up the same way, didn''t you? What''s the problem?" "Anyway, I came to advise you on that. I thought I should give you a heads-up between us." Chaeyeon smiled slyly and headed towards the door. Whether it was because the tension had eased or not, Yang Manchun could now sense the strong scent of Chaeyeon''s cosmetics and perfume that he hadn''t noticed before. "Alright then, I''m going. Oh, and about the stic surgery I mentioned earlier, let me know if you really need it. I can create apletely new person for you" "So, what does 1 Manager say about this whole situation?" As Chaeyeon was about to leave, Yang Manchun urgently called out to her. "Huh? 1 Manager? Why?" "Why ask when you know? If he says a word to the CEO, you could be in big trouble." "Figure it out yourself. I''m still avoiding that person because he''s terrifying." Yang Manchun couldn''t respond to Chaeyeon''s words. To Im Youngkyung, he was still a useful ve, but to 1 Manager, he had no value at all. *** "Are these all audition applicants?" On the way back after another day of shooting , Sunho Jang replied when I asked, looking at the piles of documents in the passenger seat. "Yes." Although I didn''t count, the amount seemed like it would easily exceed 1,200 in one box. Despite the boxpletely filling the passenger seat, Sunho Jang casually replied with his usual calm voice. "It must be really difficult to check each one individually." As I stared nkly at the pile of profiles, Sunho Jangughed and said, "I''m not doing it alone, so don''t worry too much." I jumped a little at his words as if he could read my mind. Apparently finding my reaction amusing, Sunho Jang smiled slightly. "There are as many profiles in the office as there are in the passenger seat. We started receiving applicants yesterday, and it''ll probably increase until the deadline next week." "Wow Isn''t that too much? Just with what''s here, it looks like easily a thousand." "I actually felt it was fewer than I expected. During OS International''s public recruitment season, we received way more resumes than this. And as I mentioned earlier, I''m not checking them alone, so it''s fine." We continued talking about auditions and profiles for a while. During that time, Sunho Jang''s voice remained as calm as usual, and the workload seemed trivial to him. "Manager, could I take a look at the profiles?" Even though I was a bit tired after shooting, the more we talked about the auditions, the more my curiosity about the applicants grew. "Yes, that''s not a problem. It worked out well. If you find any profiles you like, let me know separately. We''ll prioritize selecting those applicants." "Haha Saying it like that makes me suddenly feel a bit pressured. I''ll just watch." Smiling gracefully, I picked up the box from the top of the mountain of profiles on the passenger seat. Even though it was just paper, the word profile'' gave a solid sense of pressure. Well, maybe it was because there were so many papers. It would be really difficult to check each one individually.'' Perhaps reading my mind, Sun-ho Jang spoke, making me jump unintentionally. Finding my reaction amusing, he spoke with a slight smile. "I''m not doing it alone, so don''t worry too much." After that, we continued our conversation about auditions and profiles. Meanwhile, Sun-ho Jang''s voice remained as calm as ever, as if the workload was inconsequential. "Manager, may I take a look at the profiles?" Although I was a bit tired from the shoot, the more we discussed auditions, the more my curiosity about the applicants grew. "Yes, that''s not a problem. It worked out well. If you find any profiles you like, let me know separately. We''ll prioritize selecting those applicants." "Haha Saying it like that makes me suddenly feel a bit pressured. I''ll just watch." With a graceful smile, I picked up the box from the top of the mountain of profiles on the passenger seat. Even though it was just paper, the word profile'' carried a certain weight. Well, perhaps it was because there were so many sheets. How many of them will pass the profile screening?'' I slowly examined the profiles. It seemed there was no specific application format, as each applicant''s profile was unique. Honestly, they had much more impressive credentials than I did two years ago. Moreover, it was evident that each one had put a lot of effort into their profiles. I hope they all do well.'' With a casual curiosity, I started looking through the profiles, but as I continued, I found myself getting a bit serious. It wasn''t long ago that I was in a simr position, going through profiles like this. As I scrutinized the profiles, Sunho Jang looked at me through the rearview mirror and asked, "Is there a problem?" "Excuse me?" "You seem to be taking it seriously." "Oh, haha. No, it''s not a problem. It''s just it reminded me of the old times. By the way, Manager Jang, how many people are expected to pass the profile screening among these?" "It depends on the number of applicants, but we n to select a maximum of about 100." Up to 100 people. Just what was in the passenger seat seemed more than that. Thepetition is no joke'' Moreover, passing the profile screening doesn''t guarantee sess in the audition. The profile screening is just the first step; the real auditiones afterward. And then, it will be my role to eliminate the 100 candidates who make it through. Judging auditions is not an easy task.'' Until now, I had always been the applicant,'' so I hadn''t realized how uneasy it would feel to be on the other side of the process. After flipping through profiles for a while, a familiar face caught my eye. "Hmm?" Although it was a long time ago, it was someone I couldn''t forget. Iseo-gu'' The guy who used to bully his friends in high school, thinking he was invincible. Why someone from a well-off family like him felt the need to steal others'' money and torment kids was beyond me. Yet, he excelled in academics and teachers didn''t really reprimand him. He dropped out in the early second year to take the GED, and although the faces of other friends were faint in my memory, I remembered Iseo-gu distinctly. He was that much of a menace. But the reason my forehead furrowed so much, not just from seeing Iseo-gu apply, wasn''t solely because he applied for the audition. He''s marked. Does Manager Jang have a thing for Iseo-gu?'' It seemed like Sunho Jang had marked Iseo-gu''s name. I figured it was something I needed to discuss. After all, I have to say something.'' A school bully appearing on an audition program could be an issue. It seemed better to address it before the program encountered problems. Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Next to the name, I wasn''t quite sure what the checkmark meant, but it caught my attention because none of the other applicants had it. "Anyway this one has quite an impressive portfolio." Theater, short films, web dramas, independent films. There was even a record of appearances in cable TV dramas. And not just as an extra with roles like Pedestrian 1'' or Casual Greeting Friend 3'', but with a substantial role named Yang Minwoo.'' I hadn''t seen any of the works, but objectively, for a neer, it was an impressive profile. "Did he study acting since high school?" If so, it should have left an impression, but I couldn''t recall anything in particr. "We''ve arrived, sir." Startled by the announcement, I quickly returned the profile to Jang Sunho beside me. But my movements seemed a bit awkward. Jang Sunho nced at Iseo-gu''s profile, which was now on top. "So, Iseo-gu is one of the applicants." The tone sounded as if Jang Sunho knew Iseo-gu. While tidying up the disarrayed stack of profiles because of me, Jang Sunho continued, "We are alumni from the same high school, so I took a closer look. This actor has done quite a lot." "Same high school Oh, is that why you marked it?" "Yes. Besides, there were other things I was curious about. Are you two close?" "We''re not that close. I just know his name and face." I didn''t mention what kind of person I knew Iseo-gu to be. The guy I knew in the past might not be the same person now, so it was better not to say anything unnecessary. "We''re from the same high school, and the profile is quite impressive, so I looked into it. We can''t bring someone with issues onto an audition program, you know." As if reading my thoughts, Jang Sunho sighed heavily. "If you looked into it did anythinge up?" Jang Sunho nodded. "Nothing came up. It was remarkably clean." "" "In his school records, he''s just an ordinary student, and he started working as an actor in earnest after graduating from high school." Upon Jang Sunho''s words, I unintentionally made a small humming sound. "Iseo-gu is clean?" At least the Iseo-gu I know isn''t like that. He''s the type to be at the forefront of the recent entertainment industry school violence controversies that explode whenever things get boring. During that moment of hesitation, I wondered whether I should mention that or not: "However, it was suspiciously clean. No matter how much of an upright person you are, humans always have some dust when you shake them. But there seemed to be none in Iseo-gu''s application." Jang Sunho made a meaningful statement. "People tend to make small mistakes in their lives. Even actor Kang Jinseok had a dispute with a freshman during a wee party, right?" "You knew about that?" "Of course. Anyway, it was so strange that I looked into it thoroughly and found something interesting." Jang Sunho took a deep breath and continued speaking. "Among Iseo-gu''s rtives, there is a high-ranking legal official in the legal field. He used to be a prosecutor, and now he''s with a majorw firm. It seems that person helped in various ways to ensure no problems arise when he bes a celebrityter." I didn''t know how impressive being a prosecutor was, but if Jang Sunho called him a high-ranking official,'' he must be someone quite important. But what I was curious about right now wasn''t that information. I was more interested in whether they would let Iseo-gu''s profile pass. Rather than beating around the bush, I decided to ask Jang Sunho directly. "So do you, as the manager, n to let this guy Iseo-gu''s profile pass?" "Never. The thing I hate the most is avoiding avoidable risks. Even if it looks okay on the profile, why bring someone with potential controversies? Even though he might be fine on paper, you never know when and how a controversy might arise. Why bother taking him along?" Upon hearing my question, Jang Sunho made a face as if he couldn''t understand it, then chuckled and said, "And applicants with this kind of profile are a dime a dozen. But we can''t pick someone with issues. There are plenty of genuinely good applicants." "" "asionally, some variety shows deliberately cast problematic participants for noise marketing, only to have them leave midway. But our show doesn''t need that. We are on a different levelpared to those programs." Upon Jang Sunho''s words, I felt like I had worried unnecessarily. "Indeed, Manager-nim must have everything nned out." I looked at Jang Sunho with eyes filled with admiration. Whether he noticed that look or not, I couldn''t tell. After a while, Jang Sunho opened the van door. "We''ve been talking for quite a while. Go ahead and rest upstairs. We have a shoot from tomorrow morning, don''t we?" The mention of a "shoot" snapped me out of a momentary daze. I quickly grabbed my discarded coat and hat and got out of the van. "Oh, yes. I''ll go up then. Thank you for your hard work today, Manager-nim." "Yes, rest up. I''lle by tomorrow morning by 7." "Got it!" *** A cafe in Seongsu-dong where Seo Yeonsoo is working part-time. "Haah" Seeing customers lining up outside even before opening, Yeonsoo sighed deeply. "Haha Yeonsoo, there seem to be quite a few customers these days, huh?" The owner, hearing her sigh, spoke while watching Yeonsoo''s expression. "Is that just quite a few'' to you?" "Well, considering I pay double the hourly wage" "You only raised it because you said you didn''t need more part-timers even if you raised the wage." "Should I hire one more person? But then there might not be a ce for Jinseok when hees backter." "Why would Jinseok oppa work part-time? The cafe should be doing well enough to set up without him now." "Haha" "No, really. What if he just bought this building?" Despite mentioning Jinseok''s name, Yeonsoo''s indifferent voice prompted the owner to cough awkwardly. "She used to perk up just at the mention of Jinseok''s name. Must be tough for her." Although he thought that, the owner knew it wasn''t because Yeonsoo was having a hard time. "Is it because of Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin, maybe?" hadn''t been released yet, but it was already causing various issues. Among them, the hottest topic was the course where Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin had a date during filming. Every ce they visitedcafes, streets, restaurants, movie theaters,keshad be a hot spot, to the extent that there was even an influencer who specialized in covering only those ces. "It''s good that our cafe was chosen as the top date spot, but" In reality, this cafe wasn''t actually used as a filming location. However, the reason it was chosen as the top date course was that Jinseok personally made coffee for Yeo Hyemin. The video of Jinseok brewing coffee, along with other scenes of him signing autographs for fans during breaks, waspeting for the top spots on social media. Although he made coffee not only for Yeo Hyemin but also for other actors and staff, that fact was easily overlooked. What mattered to the public was the fact that "Jinseok personally made coffee for Yeo Hyemin." The owner, who had learned business know-how from Oh Haneul in the past, didn''t miss this opportunity. He worked hard to create and sell products centered around Jinseok. They prominently featured the Kang Jinseok Coffee'' menu, and the spot where Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin sat became the Jinseok-Hyemin Photo Zone.'' "Well, it''s helped our sales a lot, but" The only problem was that Yeonsoo, a key employee and the only one, was radiating a dark, almost ominous aura. "Yeonsoo might not like this situation since she used to be interested in Jinseok." Still, there was nothing to be done about it for a while. The owner nned to maintain this situation until the poprity of died down. It might have to be maintained for quite a long time. "Come on, Yeonsoo! Instead of sulking, let''s give it our all today too!" However, as it couldn''t be left that way with Seo Yeonsoo, the owner walked up to her, clenched his fists, and said, "Today, I''ll clean the bathroom! Hey! This is real top-notch service, isn''t it?" Seo Yeonsoo nced at the owner with a skeptical look. The eyes between her long, narrow eyelids seemed a bit cold. In response to that gaze, the owner made another pledge. "Uh, should I handle the closing by myself then?" "" However, Seo Yeonsoo still showed no reaction. Faced with Seo Yeonsoo''s eyes that showed no intention of ying along, the owner awkwardly smiled and said, "Just stay quiet, okay?" Without responding, Seo Yeonsoo nodded her head and headed towards the Jinseok-hyemin Photo Zone.'' Pulling out a dry towel and cleaning solution from her apron, she wiped the tables. As she worked, she nced at a framed photo of Jinseok, who was smiling. "He''s gone too far now." Contrary to the owner''s thoughts, Seo Yeonsoo''s recent fatigue wasn''t because people constantly linked Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin as a couple. If she were honest, it did bother her a bit, but more than that, it was frustrating how much Jinseok was advancing. "I need to get into my next project quickly too." After "The Way They Chose," Seo Yeonsoo auditioned for several roles. Regardless of the size, she took auditions seriously and achieved some sess. But whenever she took a step, it felt like Jinseok was ten steps, no, a hundred steps ahead. When Seo Yeonsoo barelynded a role with a few lines, Jinseok was handling a significant role in a nationwide buzzworthy production. "Hmm" Seo Yeonsoo let out a light sigh at the fleeting mncholic thought. But only for a moment. "Still, don''t be discouraged! Somehow, I have to catch up!" Making a small resolution in her mind, Seo Yeonsoo put a towel and cleaning solution in her apron. Then, she puffed up her cheeks, rxed the muscles on her face, and put on her usual bright smile. "Alright, alright, aja, aja, aja-ja! Seo Yeonsoo, fighting!" Seo Yeonsoo shouted with her arms raised. Startled by the sudden outburst, the owner, who had been watching her, looked at her in surprise. Addressing the owner with an energetic voice, Seo Yeonsoo said, "Boss! You said you''d clean the bathroom today, right? Then, can I leave 30 minutes early? I have an audition tomorrow!" "Oh? Uh, sure, sure! Seo Yeonsoo, fighting!" Although a bit taken aback by the sudden change in Seo Yeonsoo''s mood, the owner responded cheerfully. "But seriously, I''m just a manager, why am I reading the mood of a part-timer?" Suddenly puzzled by that thought, the owner had already lost control. "Well then, shall we open? We can''t keep the customers waiting!" As Seo Yeonsoo was about to open the door, her mobile phone rang. Anticipating that she might not have a chance to check once customers came in, she decided to check her phone first. [Assistant Manager Yoon Gayeon Hello, Ms. Yeonsoo. It''s been a while since I contacted you] A contact from an entirely unexpected person. It was a message from Yoon Gayeon, who had visited the cafe before and handed her a business card, suggesting she auditioned for OS Entertainment when the opportunity arose. Chapter 126: Chapter 126: "Vice President Yoon Gayeon contacted me all of a sudden?" Forgetting to even open the caf door, Seo Yeonsoo, with a surprised expression, continued reading Yoon Gayeon''s message. [Vice President Yoon Gayeon It''s been a while since I reached out. I contacted you because of ourpany''s audition this time. I checked to see if you applied, and it seems you haven''t applied yet. I don''t know if you remember, but I once suggested that you try auditioning. I''m really preparing for this audition in earnest, so I hope you consider applying. Of course, it''s not about special treatment, but I just want to say that I had a good feeling about you from the first time I met Ms. Yeonsoo. You don''t have to send a reply. I''ll take it as applying through the audition profile. ^^] It was a long message. After reading the message again, Seo Yeonsoo took a deep breath and exhaled. The Vice President personally asking me to audition'' She certainly remembered Yoon Gayeon suggesting she auditioned in the past. Also, she was aware of therge-scale audition being held by OS Entertainment this time. However, Seo Yeonsoo purposely didn''t apply. They said that OS Entertainment actors are also on the judging panel for this audition. Obviously, Jinseok Oppa will be there too. If I participate in such an audition I might unnecessarily burden him.'' The OS Entertainment audition is a golden opportunity that anyone in the acting field would want to try. However, Seo Yeonsoo hesitated due to her concerns about adding unnecessary pressure on Jinseok. But Vice President directly reaching out, it''s not something I can just ignore'' As Seo Yeonsoo''s thoughts tangled like threads, deep in contemtion. The cafe owner, noticing her standing in front of the cafe door with a tightly held phone, asked, "Yeonsoo, is something wrong?" "Yes? Oh, no! I just received a text message I''ll open it right away!" Hastily grabbing her phone, Seo Yeonsoo opened the cafe door. I should think about it when I have some free time, maybe look at the audition guidelines.'' Looking at the long line, she wasn''t sure when that would be, but for now, she needed to focus on her part-time job. Seo Yeonsoo greeted customers with a cheerful voice, "Wee!" *** After Kwon Seokhoon''s departure from KL Entertainment, those in the entertainment industry were curious about his next move. Which agency would he join? Could he be starting his own? Amid rumors and gossip, a solo article by Go Seoyoung surfaced, calming all controversies. Exclusive! Kwon Seokhoon "I am leaving KL Entertainment and participating in OS Entertainment''s audition." The impact of this article was significant. KL Entertainment faced internal turmoil, and OS Entertainment''s stock prices soared day by day. And it wasn''t just OS Entertainment that hit the jackpot thanks to the article. "As expected, Reporter Go! You''ve been a bit quiettely, but you''ve hit the jackpot again! How about a team dinner today? Beef? Huh? Hahaha!" The editor praised Go Seoyoung, tightly clenching his fist with a heartyugh. Since the article was published, the editor has vigorously praised Go Seoyoung every time he saw her. Thanks to this article, the overall readership of the newspaper increased, and advertising rates went up. "Editor, you''ve been talking about it for a week. Whether it''s beef or pork, anything is fine, so treat us!" Although Go Seoyoung red at the editor with yful eyes, the editor skillfully brushed off her words. "A week? Has it already been a week since that article came out? I''ve been so excitedtely; I didn''t realize time was flying!" "" "Alright! Then, for the next exclusive scoop, I''ll definitely treat you." "Always talking about the next scoop. Is that easy?" "Of course, it''s not easy! But Reporter Go makes it look easy! Hahaha!" The editorughed heartily, shaking his thick jaw and belly, and gave Go Seoyoung a thumbs-up. "Then, stay strong! I have a meeting, so I''m off!" The editor swiftly left the office, his bulky body surprisingly agile. Watching his retreating figure, Go Seoyoung nodded her head a few times and then took her seat. A fellow journalist with dark circles extending down to his chin approached her. For several days now, the journalist hadn''t been home, and the smell of sweat and nauseating cigarette smoke wafted over. "Reporter Go, please give me some sources for the article. I might really die at this rate." In response to her colleague''s plea upon sitting down, Go Seoyoung chuckled and distanced herself slightly. "I might die from your smell. Go wash up. When did youst go home?" "After you published the scoop, the editor said, Are the others not working?'' Since then, I haven''t gone. I have to be careful. I''m newlywed; cut me some ck. If this continues, my belongings might get thrown out." "Ugh. Instead offortably writing articles, go out and do some reporting!" "That''s true." Unable to refute Go Seoyoung''s words, he patted his chest in frustration. As if unwilling to be involved any longer, Go Seoyoung retreated, identally bumping into another journalist''s chair behind her. "Oh, sorry. Suyeon?" "Senior?" "Why are you so absent-minded again?" Kang Suyeon, who was sitting behind, looked at Go Seoyoung with tired eyes. Her disheveled hair was ttened, and her skin looked quite rough. "Ugh Why this absent-mindedness again? It''s all thanks to the great Senior." Kang Suyeon gulped down coffee of uncertain origin and spoke. "Are you also unable to leave work because of me?" "Yeah" Thud! Kang Suyeon weakly said and banged her head on the keyboard. As she did, the letters Ahh'' appeared sessively on the article writing panel disyed on the monitor. Seeing this, Go Seoyoung felt a bit sorry for her other colleagues. It wasn''t intentional, but because of her, others were feeling pressure from their superiors. Well, since there was something to ask, might as well bring it up casually.'' Besides, Kang Suyeon was her subordinate. It felt a bit ufortable to leave her alone like this. "Ugh, okay. Both of you,e here." Go Seoyoung sighed as if there was no other choice and spoke. Then, the fellow journalist and Kang Suyeon, who had been slouching in her chair, huddled next to Go Seoyoung. "What''s up? Do you have some scoop hidden away again?!" "Senior, I really admire you. You know that, right?" "Alright, look at this. You step back a bit. You smell." "Yes, Reporter Go." The colleague backed off about a centimeter from Go Seoyoung. His gaze fixed on Go Seoyoung''sptop screen. Since it seemed useless to say more, Go Seoyoung opened the Article Sources'' file. It contained the leads she had used for articles until now and those she nned to use in the future. Opening the Kwon Seokhoon File,'' Go Seoyoung said, "You know Kwon Seokhoon left KL Entertainment and is participating in the OS Entertainment audition?" "Of course, we know." "Yes." "Okay. But besides the OS Entertainment audition, Kwon Seokhoon is participating in one more." At the mention of participating in another audition,'' their eyes sparkled. "Kwon Seokhoon, the actor, is auditioning for another agency, not just OS Entertainment?" "Rea, really?" "No, listen to the whole story first. Not an agency audition but a project audition." At that statement, the eyes of the two, which had been sparkling until a moment ago, dimmed again. Participating in a project audition was quitemon for actors, and it could be turned into an article, but it wasn''t exactly breaking news. Seeing their reaction, Go Seoyoung chuckled and said, "But here''s the catch. Kang Jinseok and Kwon Seokhoonpeted for the same role." Go Seoyoung conveyed the nuance of Isn''t this good material for an article?'' However, the responses were still lukewarm. "So what? It''s not umon for actors from the same agency to audition for the same project." "Right. It doesn''t seem like breaking news." With their indifferent remarks, Go Seoyoung shook her head as if they were pitiful. "Ugh, you guys. Just reporting it like that wouldn''t be interesting. You need to add MSG, you know, MSG." "MSG?" "Yeah. Hey, you both know that the OS Entertainment audition will also have actors from the agency as judges, right?" "Yes." "Yeah." "Then, won''t Kang Jinseok naturally be a judge?" "Of course." "Right?" They both answered without much thought. Soon, Kang Suyeon, with widened eyes as if realizing something, asked, "Wait. You mentioned Kang Jinseok and Kwon Seokhoon auditioning for the same role earlier. So are judges and audition participantspeting for the same role?" Competing for the same role between audition judges and participants. This was an issue that even someone not interested in movies might find intriguing, something worth clicking on. Perhaps more than Kwon Seokhoon leaving KL Entertainment and participating in the OS Entertainment audition, this could be an even more significant issue. "As expected of my subordinate. You catch on faster than that guy. So, what do you think? Isn''t this a decent source?" "Not bad, right? It''s a jackpot!" "Sure, then let''s write the article together." Go Seoyoung said with a satisfied smile, alternating between nces at Kang Suyeon and the fellow journalist. Both were looking at Go Seoyoung. "But why are you giving us such a good lead? Isn''t it an article we shouldn''t write?" Just for a moment. The fellow journalist asked cautiously. "If you doubt it, don''t write it. Suyeon, if you want to handle it individually" "No! It''s not that I doubt it. It just doesn''t suit your character. Haven''t you yielded exclusive scoops to others before? And now, giving it away for free like this." Go Seoyoung looked at the fellow journalist in silence. Then, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "When did I give anything away for free? It''s obviously a give-and-take." "If you say so. What difficult favor are you trying to ask for by giving us this scoop?" "It''s nothing much. I''m going out somewhere for just a day tomorrow, so could you handle the work for me?" Doing personal business outside without the editor''s knowledge was a surreptitious affair. However, to do that, she had to ask her colleagues to handle the office work. The fellow journalist responded casually, "That''s not too much to ask. But what''s the matter?" "I have a job interview tomorrow." "Oh, a job interview? Good luck Wait, not fighting.'' A job interview?!" "A job interview?!" Both of them eximed in surprise and asked Go Seoyoung. Go Seoyoung urgently hushed them by cing a finger on her lips. "Hush! Keep it down! What if the editor hears?" "Sorry, but what''s the interview for? Are you changing jobs?" Go Seoyoung shook her head. "No, I''m thinking of quitting journalism." "Then?" "I received an offer from an entertainment nning agency. It''s in publicity and marketing Anyway, that''s the story." The fellow journalist and Kang Suyeon still had surprised expressions, but they nodded in understanding. Taking a journalist to the publicity team was not an everyday urrence. "That''s good. Give it a try. By the way, where?" "OS Entertainment." The fellow journalist sincerely wished her well and asked, "OS Entertainment? Good luck. By the way, why there?" "Jang Sunho, the team leader at OS Entertainment, suggested I give it a shot during the interview." Even though her colleagues and Kang Suyeon still seemed surprised, they nodded in understanding. It wasn''t umon for journalists to transition to roles in publicity, and this seemed like a good opportunity. Chapter 127: Chapter 127: "Really, Senior? Are you going to the interview with the enter key for the OS?" "It''s just an interview. Nothing''s confirmed." "But still, if you got an interview request, it''s halfway there, right? I heard they have great benefits and a fantastic sry. Congrattions!" Kang Suyeon was surprised as if it were her own affair, and she congratted again. Even a fellow journalist, Go Seoyeong, admired Jang Sunho as if he were remarkable. "Hey, but you''re talented too. The team leader there is rumored to be extremely picky. He notices everything." As he said, Jang Sunho''s meticulousness was a well-known fact throughout the entertainment industry. Of course, entertainment reporters like them were well aware. However, Kang Suyeon, a rtively new recruit, seemed to be hearing the story for the first time and asked to Go Seoyeong. "Why? What kind of person is he to be considered picky?" "Well" After thinking about Jang Sunho for a moment, Go Seoyeong said. "He''s physically all over the ce like a wrestling athlete, his hairstyle is a tacky 90s bowl cut. He speaks sternly and is a principled person. Yet, he''ll tell you about the expensive things he wears without even asking." "Uh just hearing about it makes it seem difficult to work with him, doesn''t it?" As Kang Suyeon spoke, seemingly disgusted, Go Seoyeong defended Jang Sunho. "But when you actually experience it, it''s not that bad. It''s a bit frustrating at times, that''s all. He''s responsible andpetent." "Ah I see." "And besides, when ites to taking care of his people, he seems to do it for sure, especially with actor Kang Jinseok." Go Seoyeong introduced Jang Sunho and smiled faintly. Kang Suyeon spoke as if reminded of something by that smile. "Oh? By the way, Senior. Isn''t that team leader person your ideal type?" "What?" "I think you mentioned it at a drinking party a while ago. Didn''t you?" "Come to think of it, I think I heard something too. It was probably when I was drunk and yelling." At their words, Go Seoyeong''s face stiffened. "At that time, other customers at your table cursed a lot. So the chief editor, after catching wind of it, sighed and said you''re making a scoop out of it?" As the vivid testimony continued, memories from that time seemed to resurface and Go Seoyeong''s face turned contemtive. The colleague journalist shrugged as if understanding everything and said, "Well, as long as you keep throwing good article sources my way, it doesn''t matter if you change jobs." "" "And even if you go there, you must not forget me. We''ve worked together for 10 years, you know?" Normally, it would have been a light-hearted joke to beughed off, but now she couldn''t muster a smile. Lost in the shock that she might have feelings for Jang Sunho, she stared nkly at her mobile phone. "Senior, I truly admire you. To change jobs for love!" *** S Hotel VIP room, filming location for . "Hello, Kang Jinseok has arrived!" As I opened the door and greeted loudly, Park Jinmo, flipping through a thick script, turned around. "Oh my, who''s this? Our lead actor, isn''t it?" "Haha" Smiling stylishly and scratching my cheek, I lightly nudged my shoulder, and Park Jinmo said, "How''s your condition today? Can you deliver like you did back then?" "Yes, I''ll do my best not to let you down, senior." "You speak nicely." Afterward, I exchanged small talk with Park Jinmo. Having recently filmed continuously with Yeo Hyemin, it was a bit nerve-wracking to shoot with the senior actor. However, as I began to loosen up a bit, the tension eased. "We''ll probably start shooting soon. I should go smoke a cigarette before that." "Oh, I''lle with you." "Alright, you. Why would someone who doesn''t smoke follow?" "But still" "Ssh! Enough. Just stay here. Do whatever you want, say hi to the guy over there who''s been staring at you." Pointing somewhere behind me, Park Jinmo spoke. Looking there, Yeo Hyemin was indeed looking in my direction with a somewhat reserved posture. Today, Yeo Hyemin doesn''t have a shoot, right? Is there another shoot after this one?'' I decided to greet Yeo Hyemin as Park Jinmo suggested. Rather than doing something else just before shooting, it seemed better to read the script. I opened the script. Each line was filled with notes I had made. Today''s shoot involves a scene where the scammer'' reports to the chairman, who is Moon Hyemin''s father, the client.'' It''s a scene where he reveals how much he has opened his daughter''s heart and discusses how to proceed. In this scene, the scammer''s true feelings about Moon Hyemin, which he himself didn''t know, are revealed to the chairman. "Shall we start?" As if he had recharged with nicotine, Park Jinmo''s face was noticeably brighter than before. At this, Director Yeo Jaeyoon, as if expressing anticipation, stroked his hands together. "Good. Is Actor Kang ready?" "Oh, yes!" "Okay, then. Let''s take our positions and go straight in." "Yes!" After I energetically responded, Park Jinmo smiled at me once and sat on the plush sofa. I took a seat on the opposite side, perched on the edge of a luxurious yet somewhat stiff chair. "High cue!" Yeo Jaeyoon''s voice echoed. The view changed. *** A room as luxurious as the one I was in a while ago. Kim Faith was sitting across from the chairman. ncing at the photosid out on the table, the chairman muttered. The photos were all of Kim Faith and his daughter on various dates. "The time sure flies. It''s been already three months." "Sigh Yeah." In response to the chairman''s words, Kim Faith stretched as if annoyed and gave a vague answer. It was quite an irritating behavior, but the chairman nodded as if satisfied and said, "To be honest, when I first hired you, you seemed a bit inexperienced. But now, making Hyemin smile like this, it''s beyond my expectations. Thank you, sincerely." "For you to say that to someone like me I really can''t figure out my own worth." "Enough of that. Let''s hear the report. Tell me what has happened between you and my daughter until now." "Yes, sure." With an expression as if Kim Faith was annoyed to death, he wrinkled his face and began the report with a light sigh. "At first, she was suspicious and seemed like an unlucky woman. She couldn''t speak because of the scars from her stepmother when she was young, so I thought of her as a pitiable woman who needed care." "Hmm." "But when I actually met her, my goodness, she''s far from ordinary. She ignores people''s kindness and avoids getting close. I really went through a lot." After talking about Hyemin for a while, Kim Faith picked up one of the scattered photos on the table. It was a picture capturing the moment when Kim Faith identally confessed to Hyemin in an alley. "And then Do you know? In the alley, I confessed to your daughter." "I know." "Yes. Anyway, I made a somewhat cheesy confession. Then your daughter hoo." "Oh, I''m sorry. Suddenly, the memory came back, and I couldn''t help butugh." "It''s okay. Please continue." "Yes. After that, your daughter showed me a note saying, Is it really true?''" "" "Ha! You should have seen her face at that time, Chairman. The haughty woman blushing and giving me a note was really worth watching." "" "Oh, I have that note. I have it in my wallet Here it is." Kim Faith took out the note from his thick wallet in his back pocket and handed it to the chairman. The note, precisely folded into four parts, showed almost no creases except for the folded part. The chairman alternated his gaze between Kim Faith and the note with an annoyed expression. Whether he didn''t notice that gaze or chose to ignore it, Kim Faith continued speaking. "Surprisingly, there were cute sides. At that time, I thought I might be able to open her heart more easily than I thought. But strangely, when we went on our first date, she had that expression that made the other person ufortable again." "" "As I mentioned before, it was really challenging to make your daughterugh to this extent." Kim Faith extended a photo taken with Hyemin at the botanical garden two days ago toward the chairman at the end of the table. Upon seeing this, the chairman pointed to other photos and asked Kim Faith to talk about them. "Tell me about the other pictures as well." Kim Faith continued his report as if he had no choice, given the chairman''s serious expression. "This is the ce where your daughter and I had our first proper date. It''s ake inside Konkuk University." "There''s a tree here where many couples take pictures. When I suggested taking a photo in front of that tree, your daughter" "These days, the term soul food'' is trending, meaning your favorite food. Hyemin say it''s tteokbokki. So, I took her to a real hidden gem tteokbokki ce in Sindang-dong that only I know" "Oh, she said it was her first time watching a movie at a theater. Anyway, that day, the two of us watched ate-night movie. We were unsure about which movie to watch, but since a romantic movie might create an awkward atmosphere, we ended up watching a horror movie. She started crying, so I had tofort her" Kim Faith, while appearing annoyed, detailed everything before the chairman could ask curious questions. However, I could tell. In Kim Faith''s detailed descriptions of each photo, there was an unmistakable joy. It was a change, a subtle emotion that only an outsider could notice. The chairman stared at Kim Faith with a cold gaze. His gaze toward Kim Faith was unusually chilly than usual. "You''ve really worked hard. There''s a clear sign that you''ve conquered what Hyemin wanted to do." "It''s not that difficult. It''s just the basics." "I see. Hyemin seems to have enjoyed it quite a bit." "Yes, well. It was a date that I prepared." As if asking why he would question the obvious, Kim Faith casually responded. The chairman, in a passing tone, asked him, "How about you then?" "Yes?" "How was it for you during the date? Was it fun?" Facing the unexpected question from the chairman, Kim Faith quickly shook his head. What could be the intention behind this question? Why ask such a question at this time? In that fleeting moment, Kim Faith considered various possibilities. "For me, it was just work.'' There''s no way it was fun." "Hmm Because it was work,'' it couldn''t be fun. Really?" "Yes, that''s right. To put it like this might be a bit much, but it was challenging." Kim Faith concluded and answered honestly and calmly. In the awkward atmosphere, the chairman pushed aside each photo as if analyzing. "You certainly understand others'' feelings well and y with them." The chairman spoke in a subdued voice. However, as Kim Faith, he couldn''t grasp the meaning behind those words. Kim Faith raised his head. It was a gesture of not understanding what was being said. "You used to proudly call yourself a pro,'' right? Is that correct?" "Yes." "Then, try looking at this man in the photo with the eyes of that pro.'' Consider that the man in the photo is not you but just an unknown man.''" *** "Do you think the man in this photo, from your perspective, is finding it challenging because it''s work,'' or is he enjoying the meeting with the other person?" "" "In my view, it seems more than just enjoyment; he appears to be happy as if he''s on a date with a lover." Park Jinmo spoke with a heavy tone. Wrinkles marked by the passage of time deepened on his forehead, and his gaze was filled with confidence as if he could already see through the other person''s heart. The sharp gaze was directed at Jinseok''s face, which became stiff and rigid. The once light and yful con artist'' seemed to have vanished, leaving only a man with a bewildered expression. Perhaps due to the intense tension, Jinseok''s eyelids trembled. The ce that couldn''t help but shake, even if intentionally, trembled naturally, as if the heart was beating without conscious effort. "Me? Like Ms. Moon Hyemin? Ha! That''s an absurd!" TN: KIM FAITH IS INDENIAL ERA. ^ ~ ^ Chapter 128: Chapter 128: "Take a look at this, Chairman. This is Kim Faith. To think that I, Kim Faith, would fall for the target of my operation, it''s an unthinkable thing." Ack of dignity and a light tone. It was undoubtedly the tone of a con artist,'' but there was no leisure in Jinseok''s voice now. A sense of unfamiliarity, as if trying to forcibly conceal something, and an excited, rough breath. Yeo Jaeyoon smiled, revealing his teeth, at every detail of Jinseok''s acting, even the smallest nuances. This is it.'' No other pretense was needed. Jinseok''s performance showed exactly what he intended. Jinseok filled the cup in front of him with water and downed it in one breath. Chewing on the ice that entered his mouth with the water, he swallowed it roughly down his throat. Only then did Jinseok seem to calm down a bit; his breath became steadier. His expression returned to the original con artist,'' full ofposure. "Shall we continue the conversation?" As Jinseok nodded, Park Jinmo looked directly at Kim Faith and spoke. "You said it yourself. You''re an expert at moving people''s hearts." "Yes." "Then let me ask an expert like you something." Park Jinmo slightly bent his waist, leaning his face towards Jinseok. Then, with a more serious tone than ever, he said, "Between my daughter and you, whose heart is more open to each other right now?" Jinseok''s expression stiffened again at Park Jinmo''s words. He didn''t answer, but everyone watching him could sense Jinseok''s feelings just by looking at his expression. Jinseok avoided eye contact without saying a word. Park Jinmo, who had been observing him, spoke again. "I believe you''re a pro.'' Even if you''re a con artist who trivializes promises, as a professional, you must have your pride." "" "Get your feelings in order. And for the remaining three months, don''t harbor any unnecessary feelings. Just open your heart to my daughter. Don''t do anything else, understand?" Jinseok couldn''t say anything in response to Park Jinmo''s warning. Maintaining the gaze that had trembled a moment ago seemed challenging for him. "Why no answer?" As Jinseok remained silent, Park Jinmo issued a heavier warning with a more serious tone than before. "I''m very grateful for what you''ve done so far. But if you go against my will, I may not know what I''ll do to you then." "" "So, make an effort to keep our rtionship harmonious." With that, Park Jinmo stood up and said, "By the way, I''ve prepared the finest dinner for you. Take it with you. I have a promise to my daughter'' today. Goodbye." Park Jinmo left the room, and the staff brought in dishes one by one, cing them on the table in front of Jinseok. The dishes, like works of art, would make anyone''s mouth water. However, Jinseok''s eyes were still fixed on the empty space. "Ah! C''est dlicieux!" *** "After You''re truly amazing. Where did you learn acting?" After the shoot, Park Jinmo admired me. "Haha No, I just held a spoon on a te made by a senior." "What do you mean making a te? You made everything. But, seriously, who did you learn acting from?" It seemed like Park Jinmo was genuinely curious about who taught me acting. Not sure how to answer, I hesitated for a moment and replied, as I did when I received a simr question a long time ago. "I''m self-taught." "Self-taught?" "Yes." As I answered confidently, Park Jinmo scrutinized me. It was a much gentler gaze than when I was acting earlier, but a different sense of pressure could be felt. "Well, if that''s the case, nothing can be done. If you had a teacher, I would have asked for a favor for my son." "If it''s your son, um" Park Jinmo''s son was a fairly famous actor. However, his fame wasn''t due to outstanding acting or looks but simply because he was Park Jinmo''s son.'' Honestly, I had never seen any of the works he appeared in. So, I didn''t know if he was good at acting or not. "Do you know my son?" "I saw him on entertainment shows when your family appeared together a while ago." "Seeing a celebrity face on an entertainment show, well, it''s just because he''s my son. What would a talented actor like you know about my son?" "" "Don''t worry about it. I was thinking of asking if you knew a good teacher. I would prefer to teach him myself, but for some reason, it doesn''t work well with my son. Judging from the works he''s been in, he doesn''t seem bad, though." Although Park Jinmo casually spoke as if it was pathetic, I could sense a tinge of regret and affection in his words. "Anyway, today was really good. Let''s do well in the next shoot." "Oh, yes! Thank you for your hard work, Senior!" "Hmm." Park Jinmo left with his entourage, probably looking for someone to smoke with before heading home. Watching him, I also began to rise from my seat, preparing to leave. While searching for Jang Sunho, I noticed Yeo Hyemin looking at me with a somewhat curious gaze. Since we didn''t greet each other earlier, it would be good to at least say hello before leaving. "Hello. Did youe because of today''s shoot?" As I approached and asked, Yeo Hyemin nodded slightly and took out a notebook from her pocket, showing me something written in it. "No, I don''t have a shoot today. I just came to observe." "Observing?" "Yes. It''s notmon to see Kang Jinseok and Senior Park Jinmo acting together. And today" Yeo Hyemin stopped trying to write something in her notebook. Then, she quickly flipped to another page and wrote something else. "So, I came. Also, to study acting." "Oh, I see." Since I originally intended to exchange casual greetings and leave, I didn''t have an obvious topic to bring up. However, to break this awkward atmosphere, I felt like I should say something "Actor, thank you for your hard work. Your acting was excellent today as well." At that moment, a savior appeared to dispel the awkward atmosphere. Jang Sunho approached my side unnoticed, and the awkward tension vanished in an instant. "Thank you. Where were you?" "Oh, I saw that the shoot was over, so I made a brief call and came. I have an important interview tomorrow Nothing that would bother you, Actor." Jang Sunho calmly spoke and then nodded at Yeo Hyemin. "Oh, Actor. Do you have any ns for dinner tonight?" "Yes? I don''t have any ns." "If that''s the case, how about having dinner at this hotel tonight? The CEO prepared it separately for you, saying you had a shoot today." "The CEO prepared dinner here? At this hotel?" "Yes. This hotel is part of the OS Group. Since he hasn''t been in touchtely, he wanted to treat you to dinner here." "Oh Well, I appreciate that. But, Manager." After a brief response, I gestured towards Yeo Hyemin. "Since it turned out like this, how about having dinner with Actress Yeo Hyemin as well? Oh, or maybe dinner is only prepared for me and the manager?" "Adding one more person should be fine." "Great. Then, would you like to join us for dinner?" Upon my question, Yeo Hyemin blinked herrge eyes, showing a slight surprise. After a moment, she dropped her shoulders as if in a slightly disappointed manner, then showed me something written in smaller letters. "I''m sorry. I have to go to the hospital today." "Looks like she''s going for counseling today." It wasmon for Yeo Hyemin to visit the hospital after the shooting to recover her voice.'' Perhaps she had stopped by the set before going to the hospital that day. Since there was no need to bring up the other person''s difort, I just nodded lightly. "Yes. Then, next time when you''re avable, let''s eat together." "Yes. Definitely." *** In the evening, at a university hospital in Seoul. "Sigh. It took longer than I thought." Wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, Yeo Jaeyoon pressed the elevator button after finishing shooting anding to the hospital. Not long after, with the familiar sound of ding,'' the elevator doors opened. Familiar with being in this hospital, Yeo Jaeyoon naturally pressed the button for the 9th floor. As he stepped out of the elevator, arge sign saying Department of Psychiatry'' and some slightly tired-looking nurses came into view. Putting the handkerchief in his back pocket, Yeo Jaeyoon approached the nurses. "Thank you for your hard work. I am the guardian of Patient Yeo Hyemin." The nurses weed Yeo Jaeyoon warmly. "Hello, Director. Did youe to hear the results for your daughter?" "Yes. Uh by any chance, where is Hyemin?" "She should be in the break room. Shall I guide you?" "It''s okay. I''ll go myself." After politely greeting the nurses, Yeo Jaeyoon tried to head towards the break room when one of them called him. "Director. The Doctor asked to bring you in as soon as you arrived. How about meeting the doctor first?" It was the first time the doctor had requested a meeting first. Yeo Jaeyoon felt a bit concerned that something might be wrong, but he nodded calmly. "Alright. I will see the doctor first." "Yes. Please wait for a moment." The nurse contacted the doctor through the inte. "They cane in now." "Yes." Upon hearing the nurse''s words, Yeo Jaeyoon headed straight for the counseling room of Doctor Kim Seyeon. Knock, knock. With a nervous heart, Yeo Jaeyoon knocked on the door. "Come in." With permission granted, Yeo Jaeyoon opened the door and entered. He sat down in front of Doctor Kim Seyeon with a tense expression. Seeing him like that, Doctor Kim Seyeon smiled and said, "You always seemed rxed, but today you look in a hurry. Is something wrong?" "Oh, no. You mentioned you wanted to see me separately, so I was a bit worried that the results might not be good." Contrary to the anxious Yeo Jaeyoon, Doctor Kim Seyeon''s face was quite bright. Handing a few sheets of paper to Yeo Jaeyoon, Kim Seyeon said, "I wanted to tell you some good news since I wanted to meet the guardian quickly." "Good news?!" "Yes. This is the first time I''ve had a counseling session like today while watching Ms. Yeo Hyemin." With a faint smile, Kim Seyeon added, "Today, Ms. Yeo Hyemin asked her first question.'' The fact that she asked a question first signals a readiness to ept others, unlike in the past when she avoided conversation. When a patient bes open not only to acting but also to other things, their condition improves significantly." Yeo Jaeyoon''s face brightened at Kim Seyeon''s words. Honestly, he didn''t fully understand what Kim Seyeon was saying, but he epted it as good news that her condition had improved. "However" Adding a bit of vagueness, Kim Seyeon wore a slightly ambiguous expression. It was a small change, but Yeo Jaeyoon couldn''t help but feel tense again. "It seems that the guardian may need to observe more closely." "To observe closely?" "Today, the patient asked, Doctor, what does it mean if a man suggests eating together?''" When Yeo Jaeyoon cautiously inquired, Kim Seyeon touched her chin, contemting for a moment. Then, with a sly smile, she said, cing her thumb against her fingers, "It seems that she has developed feelings for someone she likes." TN: WHAT''S HAPPENING? Chapter 129: Chapter 129: "Someone she likes has caught her eye?" Yeo Jaeyoon furrowed his brow, thinking about men who could be around his daughter. "Is it Reporter Kim? Lately, he seemed overly kind to Hyemin. Or maybe Chef Park? Well, he has a family, so probably not." The first toe to mind were the male servants in the house. However, they were all more like fathers'' or uncles'' rather than potential suitors, so they were ruled out. "Could it be Kang Jinseok?" Suddenly, one man came to mind. If it was Kang Jinseok, it was entirely possible. As peers of the same age, the two had been shooting together for quite a long time, and it wasmon for actors to make eye contact on set. "But I never expected Kang Jinseok to make the first move." Since Jinseok always presented a professional demeanor on set, Yeo Jaeyoon hadn''t thought he would be interested in anything other than acting. No, even if they were close, Yeo Jaeyoon assumed it was because he had asked Jinseok to take care of her first. When he agreed, Jinseok''s expression was more like colleague'' than romantic interest.'' "Wait. Come to think of it, he was quite guarded when other actresses approached. Could it be Kang Jinseok has an interest in Hyemin?" Normally, Yeo Jaeyoon didn''t pay much attention to the personal lives or interests of other actors. However, perhaps because it was rted to his only daughter, for the first time in his decades-long directorial career, Yeo Jaeyoon found himself pondering such matters. Even if it was an acquaintance formed because he had asked first, the heart of a father with a daughter was not like that. "Hmm." Yeo Jaeyoon recalled Jinseok along with a deep sigh. "Well that friend is indeed a good person. He acts well, looks good, is tall, and has a clean rtionship with women. He''s hardworking, has perseverance, and good manners, earns money quite well, and is a good person. However, no matter how good he is, my daughter hmmm." No matter how outstanding he might be, even if he acknowledged it himself, knowing that someone was eyeing his daughter made him uneasy. As a father with a daughter, inevitable boundaries and prejudice arose. As Yeo Jaeyoon was deeply immersed in these heavy considerations, Kim Seyeon spoke. "So I asked Miss Yeo Hyemin directly. In what situation did the man suggest having a meal together.''" Snapping out of his reverie, Yeo Jaeyoon responded, "Oh, yes." "She said, After the actor finishes shooting.''" With this statement, Yeo Jaeyoon became certain. The man who invited his daughter to a meal after the shooting was indeed Jinseok. "Ahem" Yeo Jaeyoon made an ufortable sound again. In his mind, thoughts like Hmm. If it''s Kang Jinseok, it might be okay'' and How dare he approach my daughter just because he acts well'' shed with each other. However, gradually, the thought of Hmm. If it''s Kang Jinseok, I might be able to trust and leave my daughter to him'' began to dominate Yeo Jaeyoon''s mind. But then, at that moment, Kim Seyeon sighed and spoke with a deted voice. "I thought that actor might be interested in Miss Yeo Hyemin, but unfortunately, it doesn''t seem to be the case." "Yes? What do you mean by that?" "It turns out the male actor didn''t suggest having a meal alone. He suggested eating together with his manager, a group of three." "Three?" When actors secretly date, friends or managers often act as a screen, ensuring that even if they are seen together, it doesn''t lead to dating rumors. But Jinseok''s manager was there. The rtionship between the two was already "It seems like he said it out of courtesy when parting ways. The patient attached meaning to it. The reason I asked you to watch closely was to control the situation on the set." With Kim Seyeon''s exnation, Yeo Jaeyoon felt relieved. Inviting his daughter to a meal was just a form of greeting. Yeo Jaeyoon felt embarrassed for having pondered it alone. But only for a moment. Yeo Jaeyoon felt strangely upset. If Kim Seyeon''s words were true, it meant that Jinseok had no particr interest in his daughter. "Hmm" Yeo Jaeyoon sighed lightly, his expression slightly darkening. For some reason, Yeo Jaeyoon''s mood seemed quite sour, so Kim Seyeon cautiously asked, "Um Director, did I make a mistake in my words?" "No, no, Doctor. Anyway does Hyemin have an interest in that male actor?" "Yes. It''s just that it''s almost the first time she''s shown interest in someone other than you, Director, so the patient seems quite bewildered." "Hmm Doctor, separating the two at the filming site is impossible. What should I do now? Is there anything I can do for Hyemin?" This was a question Yeo Jaeyoon had asked Kim Seyeon every time he came for counseling. What he should do for Yeo Hyemin? Each time, Kim Seyeon would say, "Just wait." But this time was a bit different. "In that case, it''s better to show your support." Simr to saying just wait,'' but it felt different. While Yeo Jaeyoon was contemting this difference, Kim Seyeon added, "Actually, whether this emotion is the first friend''s friendship, affection for the opposite sex, or another emotion, I don''t know. Anyway, for the first time, the patient has opened the door to her feelings for someone else." "" "I didn''t mean to control the set by telling you to separate the two. On the contrary, I''d appreciate it if you could ensure that there''s no problem even if your daughter releases her emotions during filming." "Why is that?" "Human emotions and thoughts areplex. Since we can''t always have good thoughts and emotions, it might be good for her to be exposed to various emotions this time." "Hmm" "Don''t try to find out who the patient is interested in or reveal it even if you know. Don''t put pressure on the other party. Do you understand?" Yeo Jaeyoon felt a bit embarrassed inwardly at Kim Seyeon''s words. Everything Kim Seyeon was advised not to do, Yeo Jaeyoon either had done or was nning to do. "It''s all for your daughter." With the words for his daughter, Yeo Jaeyoon slowly, reluctantly nodded heavily. "What would it be like for the chairman who entrusted his daughter to a con artist? Somehow today, he could fully understand the heart of the chairman in the scenario he had written." *** OS Entertainment headquarters, top floor restroom. "Sigh. Why am I so nervous?" Like most interviewees before an interview, Go Seoyoung came to the restroom. But as she looked at herself in the mirror, she still felt something wascking. She had gone to an expensive salon for makeup and hair, which she usually didn''t do. Why did she do that? If it were another interview, Go Seoyoung probably wouldn''t have gone to such lengths. But this interview was suggested by Jang Sunho, so maybe, just maybe, she might meet Jang Sunho "No, it''s just an interview. I dressed up for it." Sorting out her minor thoughts, Go Seoyoung adjusted her appearance. Then she took a deep breath. "Okay, let''s go." Confidently, Go Seoyoung walked down the hallway after leaving the restroom. Soon, she saw a well-decorated door with the sign Conference Room.'' Go Seoyoung hesitated in front of the door. However, thinking about someone waiting on the other side, she knocked vigorously. "I''m Go Seoyoung." "Come in." From inside the room, Jang Sunho''s dry voice could be heard. Upon hearing that voice, for some reason, Go Seoyoung started to feel tense again. To regain herposure, Go Seoyoung tilted her head slightly. It didn''t help much. "Excuse me." Go Seoyoung opened the door and entered. However, the scene inside the room was very different from what Go Seoyoung had imagined. "Alone?" Adequate refreshments, beverages, and Jang Sunho. The atmosphere in the room felt more like a conference room than an interview room. Seeing Go Seoyoung standing there awkwardly, Jang Sunho spoke, "Thank you foring. Go Journalist, please have a seat." "Oh, yes" Go Seoyoung sat in the chair Jang Sunho indicated, looking somewhat flustered. "You seem more nervous than usual, Go Journalist. Is it because you''re dressed up in a suit?" "" "Did you dress up specifically for the interview? Including your hair." Although it might have been just a casual greeting, Jang Sunho''s words made Go Seoyoung prick up her ears. Internally, she wondered what evaluation Jang Sunho might make upon seeing her today. "It suits you." Receiving a positivement, Go Seoyoung felt an inexplicable sense of joy. "Oh, if you thought it sounded like an appearance evaluation, I apologize." Rather not say anything at all. Go Seoyoung''s momentary joy dissipated at Jang Sunho''s words. "Well, yes. It''s just that. Like this person would give mepliments." Go Seoyoung opened her eyes wide and stared at Jang Sunho. She hadn''t dared to scrutinize or stare at him during the interview. Seemingly pleased with her gaze, Jang Sunho smiled slightly and said, "You''ve returned to your usual self, Go Journalist." "" "Good. Since the interview is just a formality, let''s not waste time and get straight to the point." At that, Go Seoyoung, unknowingly anxious, asked hurriedly, "What? You''re skipping the interview. What do you mean?" "Anyway, you''ve worked with me for more than a day or two. The interview is meaningless, isn''t it? And the fact that you came for the interview means you have intentions to work with me, so I don''t need to convince you." "Oh, well, but" "Moreover, all the authority in the Kang Jinseok team'' is in my hands. So there won''t be any procedural issues." Seemingly indifferent, even saying it as if to say, You knew all this, right?'' Go Seoyoung felt frustrated again at Jang Sunho''s tone. "No, then just tell me to start working. I didn''t know that" Excellent. What amendable attitude for a new employee''s first day. Shall we move on to the work talk? There are some urgent matters to handle." Go Seoyoung had many things she wanted to say to Jang Sunho. However, that was strictly within the personal domain.'' Jang Sunho brought up work-rted matters, and given the urgency, Go Seoyoung couldn''t bring up her personal concerns. "It seems there might be a scandal involving Kang Jinseok." "A scandal?" "Yes, so I think we should handle it before it breaks." A scandal, is something that almost every celebrity experiences at least once. But a scandal involving Jinseok, who was well-known for being amiable in the industry? Go Seoyoung looked at Jang Sunho with a face that showed she couldn''tprehend. Instead of worrying about tomorrow morning''s headlines, concern for Jinseok took precedence in her mind. At this moment, Jang Sunho seemed to realize that she was not just a journalist'' but a member of the Kang Jinseok team.'' He nodded heavily and handed her some documents. Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Go Seoyoung checked the documents handed by Jang Sunho and asked, "Is this aption of rumors'' about Kang Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin circting on various onlinemunities?" Rumors circting on onlinemunities are often not very credible. While there are asional instances of truth, most are written without fact-checking, aiming to attract attention with sensationalism. However, the contents of the material Jang Sunho provided were not something to be dismissed lightly. Go Seoyoung quickly skimmed through the documents, biting her tongue. "It''s written in great detail. I''ve never seen anything like this." The document contained a post written by an anonymous author titled Reasons Kang Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin Are Dating: Fact.'' To Go Seoyoung, it all seemed like a joke, but to the general public, it was written in such a way that it could be believed due to its meticulous details. "Well If the quality is this good, reporters might take the bait. Nowadays, many articles are written based on There''s a post like this onmunity M.'' Moreover, once it''s turned into an article, the public tends to believe it is true We might actually have a dating scandal on our hands." Go Seoyoung, still flipping through the documents,mented awkwardly. However, her voice showed no signs of trouble; rather, she disyed confidence as if finding it amusing. "Do you have any good ideas then?" Jang Sunho, sensing Go Seoyoung''s confidence, asked. "Wait a moment. Let me finish reading it first. Regardless of who wrote this, it''s really entertaining. Is this a romance novel? Is the author someone in the industry? How did they write this in such detail?" After Go Seoyoung finished reading everything with a grin, she spoke, "First, let me confirm one thing. Kang Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin, really have no rtionship, right? Is there any chance that Kang Jinseok likes Yeo Hyemin, or vice versa?" Jang Sunho pondered for a moment before responding. "As far as I know, Actor Kang Jinseok doesn''t have any personal feelings for Actress Yeo Hyemin." "Well, that''s a shame personally. They really suit each other." "So, how should we respond?" "It''s simple. Sue the person who wrote this." "Sue? Really?" "Yes. If you sue, you can correct it right away." "Are there no other solutions besides suing?" "The reason you proposed this position to me in the first ce wasn''t to effectively deal with these kinds of articles? In that sense, this has crossed the line." Having confidently expressed her opinion, Go Seoyoung nced at Jang Sunho, and when his reaction wasn''t negative, she continued. "Sometimes agencies consider not responding as the best response to rumors like this, but it depends on the situation. In the case of scandals, there is a need to respond quickly, even considering the fans." "Yes, indeed. You''re as great as I expected." "Haha. Of course." Encouraged by Jang Sunho''s praise, Go Seoyoung clenched her fist, disying a confident posture. "But, Manager No, Team Leader." "Yes." "Whichmunity did this articlee from? I usually check mostmunities, but this is the first time I''ve seen such an article." Go Seoyoung was genuinely curious. If the quality of this article was this high, it should have been published much earlier. Jang Sunho nced at the document as if it was nothing special and replied, "I wrote it." "What?" "I wrote it for today''s interview for you Reporter Go Seoyoung. Did you forget? We are in the middle of an interview right now." After a moment of dumbfounded expression, Go Seoyoung shouted at Jang Sunho, seeming to understand the situation, "No, you said there was no interview earlier!" "That''s also part of the interview. It''s to see how effectively you handle unexpected crisis situations." "What, do you think I''m joking? I can''t work with someone like you!" Go Seoyoung stood up abruptly and headed towards the door without looking back. However, just as she was about to leave without any regrets, Jang Sunho calmly said, "I need your help, Reporter Go Seoyoung." Overwhelmed by the serious look in Jang Sunho''s eyes that she hadn''t seen before, Go Seoyoung sighed and returned to her seat. "Fine, what do you need me for? What kind of situation is this?" "I need your opinion on the most effective way to prevent scandals." *** "Prevent scandals from happening? Jang Sunho, is this guy trying too hard?" As a member of "The Kang Jinseok Team" rather than a journalist, Go Seoyoung came to the filming site of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" to contemte solutions. She looked at Yeo Hyemin, sitting not far away, thinking about how to prevent scandals. "You came early today too. Have you had breakfast?" At that moment, Jinseok arrived at the filming site and greeted Yeo Hyemin. Yeo Hyemin, initially taken aback by Jinseok''s arrival, quickly jotted something down in her notebook and showed it to him. Although Go Seoyoung couldn''t discern the content, she gathered from Jinseok''s response, "Yes, I had breakfast too," that it was probably about whether he had eaten. They seem to get along well. Even their drawings look nice.'' Having been a journalist for a long time, Go Seoyoung had encountered numerous actors good, bad, peculiar, and those with a stark difference between their public and private personas. When viewed through the lens of a journalist,'' Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin appeared to be good people,'' albeit this judgment might be a bit premature. Leaving that aside Manager Jang Sunho''s concerns seem valid. Indeed, Yeo Hyemin sees Kang Jinseok in a slightly different light.'' There''s a certain intuition that women share. Yeo Hyemin''s gaze towards Jinseok seemed to convey an ambiguous feeling, closer to friendship than love. "Hmm" While Go Seoyoung was contemting, Yeo Jaeyoon called Jinseok. "Actor Kang, can I have a moment?" "Yes, Director!" Jinseok and Yeo Jaeyoon disappeared together, leaving Yeo Hyemin alone. Maybe I should bring up the topic now while they''re not around.'' There wouldn''t be a better time to discuss it since there wasn''t any suitable topic to broach when others were present. With her thoughts organized, Go Seoyoung walked towards Yeo Hyemin. "Hello, Actress Yeo Hyemin." Offering a friendly smile, Go Seoyoung extended her greetings. Yeo Hyemin responded with a wary look, scrutinizing Go Seoyoung. "Oh, I''m Go Seoyoung from Kang Jinseok''s team." Go Seoyoung took out her business card from her wallet and handed it to Yeo Hyemin. It was the new business card that Sunho had prepared for Go Seoyoung even before she joined OS Entertainment. Yeo Hyemin epted the card, stood up, and greeted with a slight bow. Despite being a rookie who hadnded a lead role, there was no sign of arrogance. People really areplicated. So, Go Seoyoung felt even more ufortable. Having to prevent a kind and beautiful person from admiring a certain man. Jang Sunho, that guy is really something. Making me deal with this kind of situation. He''ll definitely pay for this in the future.'' Muttering to herself, Go Seoyoung pulled over a folding chair and sat next to Yeo Hyemin. How should I bring this up Let me try it once.'' Yeo Hyemin seemed to have some feelings for Jinseok, but it could be otherwise. So, it might be a good idea to ask and turn it around. "If you look at the business card, you''ll see I''m in charge of promoting and marketing for Actor Kang Jinseok." With a nonchnt tone, Go Seoyoung spoke. However, simultaneously, she observed Yeo Hyemin''s reaction. Indeed, Yeo Hyemin was staring at Go Seoyoung with a face that said, "Why would someone like you?" "Recently, there has been a lot of talk about you and Actor Kang Jinseok being a verypatible couple. Have you heard anything about it?" If Yeo Hyemin had feelings for Jinseok, there would surely be some reaction to this question. Yeo Hyemin quickly took out her notepad and began writing. After filling in about half a page, she showed it to Go Seoyoung. -I admire Actor Kang Jinseok. -Not only for his acting skills but also for how he treats the staff, his rtionship with the manager, and his attitude in epting Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s demanding requests. -Thanks to Actor Kang Jinseok, I was able to greet many people without hesitation for the first time. It''s a lifelong favor. -Being able to say such things to someone I met for the first time, like Assistant Manager Go Seoyoung, is also thanks to Actor Kang Jinseok. In the past, I couldn''t even make eye contact with someone I met for the first time. Indeed looks like she likes Actor Kang Jinseok.'' Discovering the affection hidden behind admiration, Go Seoyoung tried to force a smile at that moment. -So, I''m sorry for being linked as a couple'' with Actor Kang Jinseok. -I hope he won''t suffer because of me. To an unexpected question, Go Seoyoung swallowed a gasp, taken aback. Instead, she could have said something like, "I like Kang Jinseok," even if it was just a pretext. If she had done that, she might have been more decisive. "No, it''s not like that" "I know why you came. You came to check if I have feelings for Kang Jinseok, right?" The moment Go Seoyeong saw the written words in the notebook, she realized her rash approach toward Yeo Hyemin. This way, Yeo Hyemin''s feelings for Kang Jinseok might get hurt. She regretted drawing such a clear line. Feeling remorse for her impulsiveness, Go Seoyeong was about to say something when Yeo Hyemin quickly wrote in the notebook and showed it to her. "I know too. So, don''t worry." "It''s not like that, Yeo Hyemin! I just wanted to say that the two of you" As Go Seoyeong looked bewildered, Yeo Hyemin gently smiled and took out her mobile phone, showing it to Go Seoyeong. "This is" It was the application form for the OS Entertainment audition. Reading through the form, Go Seoyeong could sense Yeo Hyemin''s determination. "I applied for the OS Entertainment audition too. If I want to stand beside Kang Jinseok, I need to be recognized as an actress, not just as Yeo Jaeyoon''s daughter." Seeing Go Seoyeong staring at her nkly, Yeo Hyemin met her gaze with a determined look. "I''ll postpone confessing my feelings for Kang Jinseok untilter. Until then, I''ll be satisfied with the acting'' as lovers." Watching this, Go Seoyeong realized. She would confess her feelings when she became a confident actress. When that timees, no one will be able to stop her confession. TN: TEAM SEOYONSOO OR TEAM HYEMIN Chapter 131: Chapter 131: "Yes, I understand, Director. I''ll keep in mind what you''ve said and act ordingly." "Yes. If you find anything challenging while acting, let me know." "Got it! Thank you for the guidance." "Yes." Throughout the shoot, Yeo Jaeyoon had rarely called me separately for acting guidance. Usually, we reviewed and improved scenes by watching the footage, but today, there were specific instructions. Somehow, it feels particrly perplexing today. Maybe it''s because it''s the climax of the shoot?'' On top of that, Yeo Jaeyoon''s gaze towards me was unusually fierce. It might be just my mood, I thought, putting aside trivial thoughts and focusing on the script with sticky notes. [After a meeting with the chairman, the scammer goes to break up with Moon Hyemin to sort out his feelings. The scammer still had lingering feelings for her. However, realizing that continuing to see her might lead to an irreversible mistake, the scammer decided topletely end things with Moon Hyemin. But when the scammer sees Moon Hyemin looking at him, he can''t bring himself to break up harshly. Instead, he confesses even more. Without waiting for Moon Hyemin''s response to his confession, the scammer goes to negotiate with the client, the chairman.] As I was about to read further, I heard murmurs not far away. "Hmm?" Turning my head, I saw Yeo Hyemin and Go Seoyeong talking in a serious tone. In the uneasy atmosphere, I eventually couldn''t focus on the script and approached the two. "Hello, Assistant Manager. I heard the manager woulde to the set, but here you are. Why are you two having such a serious conversation?" "!" "!" In response to my words, Yeo Hyemin and Go Seoyeong were startled and looked at me. I thought I spoke quite gently Did I surprise them? I apologized with a self-conscious smile. "Haha I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to startle you." "Oh, no. We were just Uh, we heard that the director and the actor were talking, so I was asking Yeo Hyemin if everything was going well. Right?" At Go Seoyeong''s words, Yeo Hyemin nodded vigorously. "Oh, yes. That''s right. Can I help you with anything specific? Do I need to give an interview orment separately?" "Huh? Oh, no. If I need anything, I''ll ask youter. I''ll leave now. Busy with official duties." Go Seoyeong got up from her seat and quickly distanced herself from me as if fleeing. What''s this?'' Wondering what was happening, I looked at Yeo Hyemin. She was tearing off a few pages from her notebook and putting them in her pocket. Though she behaved as if hiding something from me, I didn''t ask. If she intended to tell me, she wouldn''t have hidden it in the first ce. Can''t help it. As I sat beside her and opened the script, Yeo Hyemin did the same. Just like my script, hers was filled with sticky notes. "Oh,e to think of it, today is Yeo Hyemin''s first line." Yeo Hyemin, who had been quietly listening to me, showed me something written in the nk space at the end of the script. Yes, I''m confident in today''s performance. Really. Yeo Hyemin, who rarely expressed her emotions openly, made me smile involuntarily at her enthusiastic attitude before the shoot. "Actor Kang Jinseok, Actress Yeo Hyemin! Please stand by!" *** It was quiet here even when I visited before. There''s always a serene atmosphere.'' Today''s filming location is in front of Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s house in Seongbuk-dong. Perhaps because it''s an ambiguous time of 7:30 PM or due to the neighborhood ambiance, there were hardly any citizens gathered for the outdoor shoot. Instead, a few people from balconies and rooftops of houses were observing the filming site with courtesy. Whether they noticed me looking at them or not, some residents waved. I nodded lightly in response. Well then, I''ll go in and get ready. Yeo Hyemin said as she entered the gate. After nodding lightly, I rxed my facial muscles. "Poo-!" As I exhaled loudly from my puffed-up cheeks, a faint mist appeared. During the early shoots, it was so cold that breath could be seen distinctly, but now, at the end of February, it wasn''t as chilly even after the sun had set. Observing the dispersing mist, I thought to myself. Today''s scene is crucial. Let''s do well.'' That''s when I made a pledge to myself. "Action!" With Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s cue, the perspective changed. *** A residential area with a simr feeling to where I was just a while ago. In front of Yeo Hyemin''s house, Kim Faith took deep breaths, repeatedly inhaling and exhaling. But no matter how much he breathed deeply, his heart didn''t easily calm down. Kim Faith thought about Yeo Hyemin. If I tell that girl it''s time to stop seeing each other, the mission will fail. But I can''t help it. If I continue like this, the problem will only get bigger.'' Until now, living as a scammer, I had pulled off many cons. Not all of them were sessful, but abandoning one midway like this was a first. Failing so miserably was also a first. It didn''t feel good. Literally, it was unsettling.'' The feeling was different from the usual unease of not receiving the promisedpensation. What was bothering me now was solely my own feelings towards Yeo Hyemin. I didn''t want to admit it, but Kim Faith had fallen for Yeo Hyemin. Ridiculous.'' What makes the best scammer? Someone who can''t even control their own heart. Kim Faith hesitated for a moment, not pressing the doorbell. Maybe I''ll just disappear without saying anything.'' That could be one way. At least, it might get him out of this ridiculous situation. *Sigh* If he did that, Hyemin''s heart, which had barely started to open, would forever close. He couldn''t bring himself to do such a thing. Even though breaking up would hurt Hyemin, this strong woman would grow even more after parting ways. And that pain would eventually heal by meeting someone far better than himself. He gathered his breath from below his belly button and exhaled. Dew formed on the chilled door due to the slightly chilly weather. He pressed the doorbell as if determined. To conclude the already failed scam. *Ding-dong.* Not long after, the voice of an unfamiliar middle-aged woman was heard. Probably a housemaid that Hyemin had mentioned before, known for cooking delicious bulgogi. "Who is it?" "Uh, I''m Kim Faith. I''m a friend of Hyemin. I have something to tell her for a moment." "At this hour? Did you make an appointment?" "I didn''t make a separate appointment." "I''m sorry. The elderlydy is about to cook a food. Pleasee back after making an appointment, sir!" While the housemaid was saying that it couldn''t be done, or perhaps as Hyemin appeared, a surprised voice of the housemaid was heard. Kim Faith resigned, ready to turn around. Yet, out of curiosity, he waited silently. "Miss, are you going out like that?! Wait! Put this on before you go!" "Hey! What are you doing? Quickly, take this and follow me!" The desperate voice of the housemaid echoed through the inte. In the end, it seemed Hyemin was determined toe out despite the opposition around her. Not long after, the awaited sound was heard. *Creak!* The heavy door opened, and Hyemin came out. She was wearing a shower gown inside and a thick padded coat outside. Her cheeks seemed to be reddened, maybe from running, and her breath was heavy. Her hair was still moist as if she had hastily dried it. When Kim Faith looked at her with surprise, she handed him a note. "What''s going on?" "If my dad finds out, it''ll be chaos!" It wasn''t the usual neat handwriting. The surprise at my sudden visit was evident in Hyemin''s expression. Kim Faith pretended not to notice Hyemin''s reaction and met her eyes. Despite her initial confusion, Hyemin''s mouth curled into a smile, seeming pleased with his unexpected visit. Beautiful. No, really beautiful. Thinking that today might be thest, it''s hard to take my eyes off her face. If possible, I want to engrave that face in my memory for a long time, so I can recall it anytime, anywhere. As if embarrassed by the intense gaze, Hyemin shyly avoided eye contact, smiling subtly. Only then did Kim Faith regain hisposure and took out a thick album from the shopping bag, handing it to Hyemin. "This I came to deliver this." Kim Faith''s unusual attitude and the sudden gift intrigued Hyemin. She opened the album with confusion. The album was meticulously organized with photos they had taken together until now. Originally, this album was supposed to be Kim Faith''s data'' to analyze and record his dates with Hyemin. However, in the process, it had turned into a memory.'' Handing this album to Hyemin was initially to sever ties with her, but perhaps that wasn''t the only reason. Now, striving to cut off the rtionship with her tongue like a sharp dagger, though strained, it didn''te out easily. While the words circling in his mouth were more about Kim Faith''s feelings than Hyemin, a cheerful voice from somewhere interrupted. "Hehe" Hyemin, unaware of Kim Faith''s feelings, looked at the album with a happy face, enjoying it for some unknown reason. Her childlike innocent expression was too lovely. Oh, I can''t do this. I just can''t. Having seen that face, Kim Faith couldn''t bring himself to say goodbye. And as if possessed by something, he muttered. It was the opposite of his intention. But it was something he had to say. *** The scene where the scammer confesses to Moon Hyemin. This scene was eagerly awaited by all the staff of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." The reason was How will Actress Yeo Hyemin''s voice sound?'' That curiosity drove everyone mad. Some staff members heard Hyemin''s voice in the reading room, but most of them didn''t. Moreover, since she was usually quiet, their curiosity only grew over time. Because of that, those staff members who hadn''t heard her voice eagerly awaited this day. "This album I made it intending to give it as a gift when we officially started dating. Now, I want to create it together from now on." "" "From the moment I fell for you at first sight, I wanted to say this. Will you help me create this album together?" Yeo Hyemin opened her eyes wide and looked at Jinseok. In her gaze, various emotions were mixed, but more than anything, the emotion of joy was vividly expressed. "Sure" However, at that moment. "NG!" Director Yeo Jaeyoon threw off his headset, shouting NG'' vigorously. TN: NG means No Good/Not Good Chapter 132: Chapter 132: When everyone had forgotten even to breathe, there was one man who disyed difort. "Um" Yeo Jaeyoon scrutinized the faces of Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin on the screen with an unpleasant expression. The two-shot of the two was wless, without any ws. "Good" Yeo Hyemin said. A short sentence, but it emitted a natural admiration. However, the moment Yeo Jaeyoon heard that first word, he lowered his head. "Wrong. That''s not the feeling I intended." At this moment, Yeo Hyemin''s acting did not capture theplex emotions he wanted. Certainly, when someone you like confesses to you, feeling happy is natural. However, the emotion Yeo Jaeyoon wanted at this moment was not joy'' but bewilderment.'' "NG!" Due to the emotion that shed in Yeo Hyemin''s brief moment, the immersion in the acting, which had been so natural like flowing water until now, was shattered. Because the joyous emotion was more intense, a mechanical reaction came out, as if he knew about the confession in advance. In fact, this level of mistake was forgivable. Jinseok''s emotional line was good, and Yeo Hyemin''s reaction was not overly exaggerated. However, the moment Yeo Jaeyoon took the megaphone, he was not a father'' but a director.'' Even if she was his daughter, if she showed acting contrary to his intention, he needed to cut it decisively. "Ms. Yeo Hyemin, in that line, you should feel happy, but the feeling of bewilderment should be stronger. It''s a sudden confession." Yeo Jaeyoon confidently spoke and put on his headset again. Most, or practically all, couldn''t understand his exnation, but Yeo Jaeyoon didn''t care. "Let''s go again." It was true that the director''s intention and Yeo Hyemin''s acting were different, and considering the importance of the scene, even a small mistake shouldn''t be allowed. This is a decision without any personal bias, necessary for the sake of the work.'' At that moment when Yeo Jaeyoon was persuading himself about the justification of shouting NG. "Haha, it''s okay. People can make mistakes." Jinseok, whoforted Yeo Hyemin, who didn''t know what to do because of her mistake, was seen smiling. Seeing that, Yeo Hyemin continuously bowed her head and showed something she had written on the script. Jinseok, looking at Yeo Hyemin''s handwritten note, smiled kindly and said, "I was a bitcking too. It worked out well. So, don''t feel too sorry." Hearing those words, Yeo Jaeyoon came to his senses in an instant, as if someone had thrown cold water on him. Wait. So, do I have to watch that guy, no, actor Kang Jinseok confessing to Hyemin again? And do I have to watch Hyemin saying she likes him again? It seemed like a massive misjudgment had led to a colossal mistake. *** Cut. With Director Yeo''s feeble voice, the shoot came to an end. Was my acting not good? Until now, after finishing a scene, I would receive reactions like Wow! That was fantastic! or Hey! Thats it! enthusiastic responses. However, this time, the reactions from the staff were unusually tepid. But seriously! Isnt it just too cool? or Get a grip; you wont get married even in your next life! somewhat ticklishpliments. The staff''s reactions werent bad. Well, for now, I got the okay sign, so it should be fine, right? I tilted my head slightly and nced at Hyemin. Her face was still as gloomy as before. She looked quite cold. Youve been through a lot. Your hair is wet, and your clothes are thin, so you must be cold. Hyemin nodded, indicating that she was fine. Thanks to her nod, the water on her hair sshed onto her face. Ugh As the cold water sshed on my face, I unintentionally made a sound of difort and closed my eyes. Then, Hyemin, surprised by the sudden noise, flinched. Haha, its okay. Even though I said it was fine, Hyemin continued to be visibly ufortable. Hyemin, you should go home, change your clothes, and Kang Jinseok, start preparing for the next shoot. At that moment, beyond the back of my head, a gloomy voice could be heard. When I turned around, Director Yeo, who seemed to have aged ten yearspared to before the shoot, was staring at me with squinted eyes. Maybe it was because of my mood, but it felt like a dark mist was rising only around Director Yeo. Ah Yes, Director. Because Director Yeos atmosphere was unusual, I said I understood while ncing around. To me, Director Yeo seemed to have a lot to say, but without saying anything, he turned to the staff. Well then, I''ll go in and get ready first. Politely greeting, I went inside. Inside the mansion, the staff were already installing cameras, lights, and microphones. The next scene to be filmed was The swindler who can''t give up on Hyemin negotiating with the chairman.'' In this scene, the swindler had to honestly express his feelings to the chairman and persuade him. Of course, convincing the chairman, who viewed the swindler as nothing more than a bug, was by no means an easy task. Even the audience who had watched the movie so far knew this, so depending on how the swindler persuaded the chairman, the evaluation of the movie could change. How did Kim Faith persuade the chairman? The key to this shoot was how well the swindler could persuade the chairman and the audience. While pondering over the script for a moment, someone across from me was waving their hand. I nced over, and it was Park Jinmo waving at me. He was too far away for me to recognize who it was, but as he approached, I could see that it was Park Jinmo, wearing a thick, long padded coat. "Ah, senior. You''re here first. I didn''t know. I apologize." "Apologize for what? It''s only natural not to know when you''ve been holed up inside because of the cold. Ah, it''s cold. But is Kang Jinseok okay? Wearing such thin clothes?" "Yes, I''m fine." "Youth is truly a good thing. By the way, Kang Jinseok, did you ever swim in the sea during the dead of winter when you were young?" Despite wearing a padded jacket that seemed suitable for climbing Everest, Park Jinmo shivered as if he were freezing. After exchanging various small talk for a while, I decided to ask what I had been curious about since before the shoot. "Um But, Senior." "Hmm?" "Did something happen to Director Yeo Jaeyoon today? Since before the shoot, he seemed in a bad mood" "Director Yeo? Well, I didn''t feel anything like that Ah!" Park Jinmo suddenly realized something and raised his voice. Then, looking at me with an inexplicable smile, he said, "Maybe Kang Jinseok won''t understand at all. It''s the feeling of having to smile while watching a thief raid your house right in front of you." "The feeling only a father with a daughter could have?" "Well, if I were to express it, it''s likeughing while a thief robs your house right in front of you." "" "I know it well. When my daughter brought her boyfriend home to say they were getting married, it was that feeling. If I were 10 years younger, that guy wouldn''t have been able to walk out the door." At first, I didn''t quite understand what he was saying, but with his following words, I could grasp the meaning. It must be a joke. "Haha, no way. It''s just acting." With a lightugh as if to say it couldn''t be true, Park Jinmo looked at me, then patted my shoulder and said, "Well, your acting was so good that you don''t need to worry. The preparations for the shoot seem almostplete. Let''s get ready. I''ll be waiting in the second-floor study." Before I could respond, Park Jinmo headed quickly toward Yeo Jaeyoon''s house. Looking around, he was right; the preparations were almost finished. "Scene 109, start shooting!" "Just acting." Recalling the conversation with Jinseok a while ago, I watched Jinseok shoot through the window. Right now, Jinseok was slowly walking home, basking in the fading sunlight. "But why? Why does that figure seem so impressive to me?" It was like the appearance of a warrior facing a decisive battle. Footsteps filled with tension and fear, yet with a determination that had to lead to victory. "Maybe I would have been like that too." 40 years ago, when Park Jinmo was an unknown actor, he visited his wife''s house to seek approval for their marriage. Now, with much wealth and fame, he had nothing back then, so all he could present was his feelings towards his wife. Jinseok seemed to perfectly replicate the helplessness and strength he felt at that moment. Is that really just acting?'' As Jinseok approached the house, Park Jinmo felt an inexplicable tension. It was a simr emotion to when his daughter brought a boyfriend home. However, whether it was because of the ovep between himself and Jinseok 40 years ago, the emotions were subtly different and much moreplicated. "Sigh" Park Jinmo let out a light sigh, closing his eyes. Even the simple act of walking seemed to be portrayed with such sincerity by the junior actor, making him reconsider how to act against such a genuine performance. He couldn''t just act with a feeling of No, don''t do it, go back.'' That wouldn''t be appropriate for a junior actor to present such acting, and it would be impolite since he didn''t want to do it. Like how the master showed it to me 40 years ago.'' Though it was too long ago to remember clearly, his body retained the feeling from that time. As he recalled the old memory, a knock was heard. A regr knock, but it conveyed a polite determination. Reacting to the sound, the staff, who were holding cameras and microphones, were observing the scene with bated breath. "Come in." A soft click. The door opened, and Jinseok entered. As expected, and as hoped for, he had a resolute expression. Jinseok approached him at a pace neither fast nor slow. His footsteps were model-like, with no discernible tremor, as if it reflected Jinseok''s determination. "What''s going on" "Give me your daughter." Park Jinmo recalled the emotions from 40 years ago, simr to what the master felt and what he felt ten years ago. "You want my daughter Are you out of your mind?" "No. It seems crazy." "Crazy?" "Yes. Even I think it''s crazy. If I were in my right mind, I wouldn''t do something like this." Park Jinmo raised an eyebrow. The atmosphere from Jinseok was unsettling. Even when Jinseok approached from outside, he felt it, but now Jinseok seemed truly determined. As if he wouldn''t back down until he got the answer he wanted. ring at Jinseok with an intimidating gaze, Park Jinmo pointed to the chair at the center of the study. "Sit. It seems like this conversation will take a while." However, Jinseok showed no movement. Seeing this, Park Jinmo spoke again. "Haven''t you heard? I said sit." "I heard. But I don''t think there''s a need to sit. I didn''te here for a long conversation, I''m just standing." Jinseok took another step towards Park Jinmo and continued. "Thepensation for this request. Do you happen to remember?" Chapter 133: Chapter 133: "But apensation?" "Yes. Chairman said that if I make it possible for Hyemin to speak, he''ll grant whatever I want." "So?" "Aspensation, please acknowledge me. As Hyemin''s lover." "" "I request it." Just as before, Jinseok''s voice was firm. It was exactly as in the script. However, for some reason, Park Jinmo felt that Jinseok''s acting was a bit different from the script. Now, Kang, actor, is It''s just a request, but practically, he''s informing me.'' In the script, the swindler'' is supposed to be confident but earnestly plead with the chairman. However, now Jinseok was informing, not pleading. Giving notice that he would take the daughter away. It was different acting from what the script demanded. Yet, Park Jinmo felt that Jinseok''s acting was closer to the correct answer than the script. The reason was something Park Jinmo couldn''t precisely grasp. Perhaps, throughout Jinseok''s portrayal of the swindler,'' glimpses of an undaunted, dignified figure were seen, regardless of the situation. His script interpretation is truly excellent.'' Having admired Jinseok''s acting, Park Jinmo continued his own performance. "So, is it acknowledging your rtionship with my daughter aspensation?" "Yes. At that time, the Chairman definitely said he would do anything if you could." "Surely. But, do you remember the condition I added afterward? I said the rtionship with my daughter should be no more than friends" While Park Jinmo was speaking, Jinseok interjected. "I agree. The condition is that it shouldn''t go beyond friendship. But isn''t that only during the contract period''?" "" "A little while ago, Hyemin said something. It was a brief word, but there will be more in the future. So, this request is over. I am entitled to the reward." Park Jinmo stared at Jinseok without saying anything. A mix of difort at having his words cut off and irritation that he couldn''t refute the swindler''s words swirled within him. In his heart, he wanted to strike the swindler who had cleverly vited the promise. However, he couldn''t. If he made a mistake, his daughter, who had just regained her voice, might fall into silence again. For a while, Park Jinmo red at Jinseok and spoke with a growl. "The discussion aboutpensation will have to wait until we confirm whether Hyemin can speak." Reflecting on these words, Jinseok asked, "If you confirm that Ms. Hyemin can speak, will you acknowledge me?" "If that''s thepensation you desire. Even if I don''t acknowledge you, I won''t be able to stop you at least. But" "But?" "If you turn out to be a swindler who deceived hundreds or thousands of people and approached yourself as a request''" Park Jinmo finished his sentence with a cryptic and meaningful tone. "Whether Hyemin will acknowledge you or not, I don''t know." "" "Regardless, it''s unrted to me." *** The sunset that had filled the roadside disappeared, and the atmosphere in front of Yeo Jaeyoon''s house was now dimly lit. Using the bright streemp as a makeshift spotlight, the staff were preparing for the next scene. I was sitting a little away from them, sipping the coffee that Jang Sunho had brought. "No matter how challenging the neighborhood is for filming, shooting so many scenes like this is quite a forced march." Jang Sunho put his hands in his pockets, slightly frowned, and said, "Haha, still, isn''t it better to shoot everything at once rather thaning back and forth multiple times?" "Fortunately, it is, but" "Also, most of the scenes today are where I appear, so I didn''t have to wait for filming much. Shooting without waiting is really pleasant." He was sincere. While other actors might not know, I found waiting on the set to be the most challenging. When I wasn''t used to filming, it was difficult because of the continuous tension, and after getting used to shooting a bit, it was tough due to my eagerness to show my acting quickly.'' "But today, unusually, it''s coffee, not green juice?" "Since today''s shoot seems quite demanding, I thought you might feel exhausted. I prepared it. But since you don''t seem to find it very challenging, from next time" "I''m extremely tired. If it weren''t for this, I might have fainted." "" Before Jang Sunho could say anything else, I quickly blurted out what I had to say. Seeing me like that, Jang Sunho nced at me with a wry smile. Even amid such conversation, the staff continued to bustle around, and it seemed like the preparations for filming were graduallying to an end. Watching that scene, I envisioned the next one in my mind. How would Kim Faith have said it?'' After the con artist who confessed to Moon Hyemin shed with the chairman and revealed his true identity to Moon Hyemin, there was a scene where he confessed. Naturally, he couldn''t casually say, I am a con artist.'' Despite hesitating and resorting to lies, as a con artist, he had to express sincere feelings toward the other person. "It''s one minute before filming!" At that moment, the staff''s voice echoed. I put down the coffee and the script, then said to Jang Sunho, "I''ll go get ready." "Yes, since it''s thest shoot today, I hope you''ll fight until the end." "Haha, sure." Under the bright streemp, in front of therge gate, I stood where several cameras were focused, closing my eyes. It seemed like the staff had already finished preparing, as everyone was still, and only the sound of leaves rustling in the wind was audible. "Action!" *** Under the streemp, it''s the front of Lee Hyemin''s house. About an hour ago, it''s where Kim Faith confessed to Lee Hyemin. Why did I confess like that?'' Certainly, today Kim Faith came to the end of his rtionship with Lee Hyemin. However, by speaking from the heart, their connection deepened instead. Acting on the impulse of the heart rather than the mind was something Kim Faith had never done before in his life. Because of thator thanks to thatKim Faith found himself in the most critical situation of his life. Facing the crisis of having to tell the person he truly loved that all the memories between them were lies. If I don''t reveal it, will the chairman expose my identity? No. The chairman wouldn''t do such a risky thing to his daughter. It could cause significant harm to his daughter''s feelings.'' If he kept his mouth shut, everything might be resolved. He could continue acting as the cool and kind person'' to Lee Hyemin for the rest of his life, just as he had done so far. But Kim Faith couldn''t do that. He knew that if he revealed his identity, Lee Hyemin wouldn''t just hate him but might harbor resentment. Despite knowing this, he couldn''t lie to Lee Hyemin any longer. Unlike anyone else, at least not to Lee Hyemin. Kim Faith took a step toward the front door. And just as he was about to press the bell nk! A sound came from inside, unlocking the gate. Startled by the sudden noise, Kim Faith stepped back, and from inside, Lee Hyemin peeked her head out. Then, she handed him a note. I saw you standing outside. If you came, why didn''t you call? Why are you just standing there? "Ah" Come to think of it, I could have just made a call. There was no need to ring the bell earlier.'' Was his mind so tangled that he couldn''t think of such a simple thing? Heughed lightly, even finding it ridiculous when he thought about it. Seeing hisughter, Lee Hyemin started to write something on the note to show him but then decided to take it back. Then, as if she had made a significant decision, she took a deep breath and calmly asked, "Why did youe?" Although she hesitated in her words, the tone wasn''t unfriendly. Kim Faith knew she was, in fact, very d. She was just not skilled in expressing it. In a cute demeanor visible only to himself, Kim Faith found himself almost smiling involuntarily. However, soon the question "Why did youe?" made him feel flustered as he pondered how to answer. He took deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling repeatedly. When the cold air filled his lungs, courage surged, but as it gradually turned warm again, the courage faded away. Yet, Kim Faith knew he had to confess once again. A confession revealing his true identity. And the sooner, the better. Kim Faith parted his lips, heavier than they had ever been. Unable to decide on the exact words to say, Kim Faith felt that the more he contemted, the further away he got from the right answer. It was an attempt to say what came to mind at the moment. "There was a child who lost their parents at the age of twelve. All they had were a clever mind, quick witpared to others, and a delicately handsome face. Oh, and there was also the debt left by the parents." At the sudden story, Lee Hyemin raised an eyebrow. However, Kim Faith continued without providing detailed exnations. "To escape from the loan shark, that child did whatever it took. They clung to construction sites where they weren''t even acknowledged, trying to earn money, and even stole food and goods from the market. Naturally, with such meager earnings, the interest was umting faster than repaying the debt." "" "Then, when the child turned eighteen, they happened to witness something strange. A ragged man in a shabby suit, iming to be a government official, was sweeping the market floor, muttering something about hygiene management. Anyway, after seeing that, the child decided to be a government official. It seemed impressive, you know." Kim Faith continued the story with realistic details, even adding nuances to his speech. "However, the child didn''t have time to study for the civil service exam. The loan shark woulde knocking every day, and there was no food to eat right away. So, instead of studying for the civil service exam, the child decided to study being a civil servant'' itself. And they began mimicking a government official." "While mimicking a government official, the child quickly paid off the debt. And as soon as the debt was repaid, the child decided to stop mimicking a government official. After all, mimicking a government official wasn''t something one could do for a long time." "Instead, they started other scams. Deceiving people who were aiming for a windfall, taking money under the pretext of investment, or deceivingnd that wasn''t theirs as if it were." After speaking for a while, Kim Faith, who had been looking at Lee Hyemin''s reaction, lifted his head. Then, he looked directly into Lee Hyemin''s eyes and continued. "So, to this guy who lived without a trace of conscience, a remarkable request came in. It was a request to open the heart of a wealthy family''s daughter. The pay was good, and it didn''t seem like a difficult task, so he epted." "." "But contrary to what that guy thought, this request wasn''t easy. It was supposed to be an easy task, handling a mute rich girl and opening her heart with some gentle y, but she turned out to be anything but typical. She wasn''t an ordinary adversary. The con artist who had never failed even once found himself cornered until the brink of failure. So, you know what he did?" "He didn''t know what was going on in his head, but he suddenly confessed. Now, looking back, he doesn''t even want to think about what a disgrace it was. But what''s even funnier is" Having said this much, Lee Hyemin could now understand what Kim Faith was trying to convey. The expression on Lee Hyemin''s face, reflected in Kim Faith''s eyes, was indescribable. "What''s even funnier is that in response to that guy''s idental confession, the girl properly responded for the first time. And that was the beginning of everything." "That guy started mimicking being in love with the wealthy girl. Just like when he mimicked being a government official when he was young. They went out together, pretended to have fun somewhere, and pretended to enjoy eating disliked food together." "As if he actually liked her." After finishing his words, Kim Faith took a deep breath again. Unlike before, his expression was now clear, and Lee Hyemin, in turn, was feeling a sense of sadness. Was Kim Faith also feeling sad as those emotions were conveyed? Or was he saddened by the thought that someone he loved was sad because of him? Kim Faith''s eyes also turned red. However, knowing that if he cried now, he wouldn''t be able to say everything he needed to say, he forced back the tears and spoke. "There were some deviations, but everything went ording to his n. However, as is the case with all stories in the world, problems arise." Chapter 134: Chapter 134: "That guy, without even realizing it, genuinely fell for the rich girl. He was supposed to pretend to have fun when they went somewhere together, but he ended up bing genuinely happy." "He was supposed to pretend to like her, but he ended up falling in love." Kim Faith tightly closed his eyes. He cooled his heated eyes and slowly opened them again. Then, he looked straight into Lee Hyemin''s eyes and spoke. "And an hour ago, he tried to break up with the rich girl who believed he was real.'' He was supposed to say he was a fake.'' But the moment he faced her, he couldn''t say it. Instead, he confessed as his heartmanded." "So here I am, standing here, confessing again. I did consider whether to hide it from you, but I can''t lie to you anymore." "Until now, my life has been nothing but lies but at this moment, I wanted it to be real for you." **** In the script, Moon Hyemin'' is supposed to hesitate for a while and then embrace the con artist, concluding the scene. In other words, it seemed unnecessary to rely on Kim Faith''s memory anymore. What is it?'' However, the scene doesn''t shift. It seems like Kim Faith has something more to show. The two stood silently for a while after that. If it weren''t for the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves or the eyes being blurry with tears, one could have thought time had stopped. After a while of silence, Lee Hyemin, who had been silently watching Kim Faith, spoke with trembling lips. "Uh, there was a child who lost her mother at the age of twelve." It was the firstplete sentence from Lee Hyemin. It was surprising and slightly touching, but Kim Faith was astonished not only by that but also by Lee Hyemin''s ability to skillfully divert the conversation, just as she had done a little while ago. Whether it was the opening of her words or Lee Hyemin continuing to speak, it still felt somewhat awkward. "Unlike someone else it was a child with a lot of money. One day, after losing her mother and being sad, her father brought in a young woman. She resembled her mother. She was a beautiful woman." Despite trying to speak calmly, tears still welled up in Lee Hyemin''s eyes. After a brief pause where she couldn''t continue, she finally gathered herself and spoke again. "But that woman she only resembled on the outside; inside, she was different. That woman subjected the child to terrible things and made sure the child couldn''t tell anyone about what happened to her. Just showing any sign of wanting to speak earned punishment throughout that evening." "3 years, no, 4 years, the child had to endure it alone. Even when the father, who realized the woman''s wrongdoing, kicked her out it was already long overdue. The cheerful, lively child from before died, and the child left was filled with fear and distrust towards people." Kim Faith could also understand that the child'' Lee Hyemin was talking about was herself. Lee Hyemin took a slow, deep breath before continuing. "The woman who tormented her disappeared, but the child couldn''t speak. It was terrifying every time she tried to speak. I don''t know the reason. It was just scary to speak." "Fearing others and not trusting them, the child tried to live her whole life inside her room. But because of her father, who looked at her with sadness while bringing in women, the child couldn''t do that. Even though the father who brought in the woman was hated she was still the only family left for the child." Lee Hyemin nced towards the back for a moment. Then, after taking a few breaths, she spoke with difficulty. "The child who left her room found everything terrifying. The servants were scary, and the doctors who came every day were also scary. So, the child deliberately had to act tough and strong. Like a timid dog barking loudly." "One day, a man appeared. Honestly, he didn''t give a favorable first impression. Despite having a charming appearance and a handsome smile, he was like the other men who approached the child, busy showing off and unting himself." "So, as always, the child ignored him. Ignored all his attempts to approach her, turning him away every time. Then suddenly, he confessed. The first confession the child ever received, with a feeling so pure." Tears streamed down Lee Hyemin''s cheeks. However, the more she spoke, the more memories flooded back, and the corners of her eyes curved upwards, forming a smile. Shaking off the teardrop clinging to the corner of her mouth, Lee Hyemin continued. "The child epted the confession without knowing what to think. From my memory, both the man and the child were bewildered. Somehow, the child ended up continuing to meet him and got her first boyfriend since birth." "The child who didn''t know what it meant to be in a rtionship did many things with him. They walked by thekeside, went to cafes, visited the aquarium, and even tried street tteokbokki." "And they walked hand in hand at night. Like in books, there was no kiss, but they did hold hands." Kim Faith couldn''t hold back a sigh at Lee Hyemin''s words and let out a deep breath. Tears, which he had eventually suppressed, flowed down, perhaps due to the expression of frustration. The happy moments they had shared over the past three months shed through his mind. It was the brightest moment. After wiping away the flowing tears, Kim Faith focused his eyes and looked at Lee Hyemin. Then, Lee Hyemin continued with a smile mixed with sadness. "The first date. On the day we went to thekeside, the truth was, the child had hurt her foot the day before. Despite not being able to walk properly, she endured it and walked along. Weughed, took pictures, and enjoyed ourselves." "On the day we went to the cafe, the child knew that drinking milk would upset her stomach. However, she smiled and drank the milk-based drink rmended by her boyfriend. That night, the child couldn''t sleep because of a stomach ache. Of course, she didn''t tell her boyfriend about it." "The street tteokbokki was the spiciest. The child really couldn''t eat spicy food. Nevertheless, she forced herself to eat it while watching her boyfriend enjoy it. It was so spicy that she ended up having to go to the emergency room." "There might be things that the child couldn''t eat or were ufortable with, and her boyfriend probably didn''t know. It was a small secret only known to the child." She wanted to ask why she didn''t say it, but for now, it was more important to listen to Lee Hyemin''s words to the end. "And an hour ago. The friend came to the child and confessed. It was a very wonderful confession, with all the memories we had together contained in an album." "Not long after that, the boyfriend confessed to the child again. He revealed who he really was, how he had lived, and that meeting me was just because of her father''s request." "The process of bing boyfriend with the child was all a lie.''" Lee Hyemin smiled lightly, almost like a bitter smile. Kim Faith shook his head at the sincerity of the confession, feeling that even though she spoke the truth, the sinsmitted were too great for forgiveness. But then, a miracle happened. "But I I don''t think the moments when youughed with me were lies." "?" "As you said, you really like me. That''s something you can''t hide." "" "You talked as if you were a great con artist, but you''re just a fool inexperienced in love. You don''t even know what the other person likes or dislikes for sure." Kim Faith looked puzzled by Lee Hyemin''s gradually brightening voice. Lee Hyemin chuckled at that expression. "Look at this. You don''t know anything, right?" "" "If you had hidden the fact that you deceived me, I might have been really disappointed in you. But since you believed me and confessed first I''ll believe in you too." After finishing her words, Lee Hyemin smiled gently. Kim Faith, as if in disbelief, raised his head and looked at Lee Hyemin. Kim Faith took a step towards Lee Hyemin. Then, instead of trying to embrace her as he had dreamed, he hesitated and stopped. Not yet.'' He didn''t have the right to be happy. After all, he was the one who had lived by deceiving others. Even though he couldn''t undo everything, to walk with her, he needed to atone for his mistakes. With traces of tears and a bright smile mixed on his somewhatical face, Kim Faith said, looking incredibly happy. "100 days from the day I first confessed to you, two weeks ago." "Yes. But?" "By that day, I''ll return all the wealth I''ve earned through scams. I think that''s the only way I can properly face you." As Lee Hyemin looked at herself intently, Kim Faith grabbed Lee Hyemin''s shoulders and finished speaking. "So, on February 16th, at 6 p.m. Let''s meet again at the Nonhyeon-dong restaurant where we first met. I''ll prepare myself with at least the minimum qualifications to meet you ande to see you." "" "Promise me." In response to those words, Lee Hyemin seemed to want to say something, but eventually, with a faint smile that seemed to convey understanding, she nodded her head. Having confirmed the answer, Kim Faith hurriedly ran to his car. To return all the money he scammed, it might be tight, so he was in a hurry. It was such a fortunate day. He had received partial approval from the chairman for his rtionship with Lee Hyemin, and he had been acknowledged by her despite revealing everything. Really, it couldn''t get any better than this. Kim Faith immediately got into his car and started the engine. I can''t return it openly, so I''ll have to secretly arrange for it, I guess.'' Kim Faith let out a refreshing sigh. It felt like he was expelling all the depression that had built up over the past few weeks. The car moved forward rapidly, and the refreshing night air flowed in through the open window. The past few weeks had been so frustrating, but he thought it was for the sake of this refreshing feeling now. With that in mind, he felt like he could do it two, no, three times over. But What about all the money I returned? Boom! The headlights went out, and the eerie horn red loudly. A massive truck wasing towards him. It didn''t stop. He couldn''t avoid it. The truck approached closer and closer. Just before the collision of the two, in that fleeting moment. What crossed Kim Faith''s mind was We promised to meet at the restaurant on February 16th'' If he died, he would be lying again. TN: WHY? WHY? WHY? Chapter 135: Chapter 135: "Until now, my life has been nothing but lies, but this feeling, at least, is real." Jinseok barely managed to swallow his tears and calmly finished his lines somehow. The filming was supposed to conclude with Yeo Hyemin embracing Jinseok after his deliberation. But then, at that moment, flop. Jinseok suddenly sank to the ground as if his legs had given way. Amidst the bewildered faces on the set at Jinseok''s spontaneous action, he burst into tears. Yeo Jaeyoon, watching Jinseok''s face on the monitor, sensed that something was amiss and urgently shouted, "Cut!" A perfect portrayal of emotions suddenly kneeling and sobbing? This was an unprecedented experience even for Director Yeo Jaeyoon. Caught off guard, not only Yeo Hyemin but also the staff were in disarray. Even the onlookers from the balcony and rooftop, who were watching the shoot, were startled by the sudden turn of events. "Director, I apologize. Can we take a short break?" At that moment, Jang Sunho hurriedly approached Yeo Jaeyoon and said. His voice was calm, but confusion was evident in his expression. "Yes, please quickly check on Actor Kang Jinseok''s condition." "Yes." Jang Sunho held Jinseok''s long padded coat and rushed towards him. Even in the midst of this, Jinseok continued to cry, seemingly lost in another world. What''s happening all of a sudden'' While covering Jinseok with the coat, Jang Sunho asked, "Are you okay, Jinseok?" "" "Jinseok?" Jinseok, who always answered even in a daze when called, now had vacant eyes and remained silent. Sensing that something was wrong, Jang Sunho tried to lift Jinseok up first. "I saw something too sad." Suddenly, Jinseok murmured before Jang Sunho could ask. Before Jang SUnho could respond with a "What?" Jinseok spoke again. "But that was the reality." "" Confused by the unfamiliar words, Jang SUnho looked at Jinseok. Jinseok still seemed dazed. After a moment, Jinseok snapped out of it, stood up, and bowed apologetically. "I''m sorry. I just It''s difficult to put into words." "" "I''ll make sure there are no more mistakes from now on." That was Jinseok''s first NG (No Good, a term used in filmmaking to indicate an error or mistake) throughout the entire filming of this movie. *** On the way to drop Jinseok home after the shoot, Jang Sunho observed Jinseok in the rearview mirror, looking unusually tired. Why did that suddenly happen?'' No matter how talented an actor''s acting skills were, everyone, being human, made mistakes. If Jinseok had forgotten his lines or burst intoughter out of the blue, Jang Sunho would have overlooked it without much thought. But Jinseok''s NG was different. Suddenly copsing and shedding tears. It was an unusual situation that couldn''t be ignored without concern. "Fortunately, he showed perfect acting again after that NG, but Hmm." Jang Sunho''s contemtion deepened. "And he mentioned seeing something sad" Recalling his conversation with Jinseok, Jang Sunho shook his head. He couldn''t afford to think about other matters while driving. "Manager." At that moment, Jinseok spoke in a low voice. "Yes, what is it?" "I''m really sorry, but could we make a stop somewhere before heading home?" "Now What do you mean?" "Yes." Honestly, Jang Sunho wanted to send Jinseok home as quickly as possible. It wasn''t that he found it troublesome for Jinseok to go elsewhere ore back, but he simply wanted to give Jinseok a break, sensing that he wasn''t in good condition. As Jang Sunho slowed down in ordance with the traffic light, he said, "I''m sorry, Jinseok. Normally, I wouldn''t mind, but right now" Jang Sunho hesitated in his words. Whether it was due to his mood or not, he felt like Jinseok might go out alone even if he were dropped home now. "Well, it''s better if I go with him in that case." In the end, Jang Sunho didn''t feel like it, but he had no choice but toply with Jinseok''s request. "Where would you like to go?" Upon Jang Sunho''s suggestion, Jinseok sighed softly and said, "Please take me to the Mingles'' restaurant in Nonhyeon-dong." *** In the Mingles'' restaurant in Nonhyeon-dong, a waiter named Yu Jihoon was observing a middle-aged woman sitting alone with a vacant expression today as well. "She''s ordering the same dishes again today." He had been working at this restaurant for four years now. ording to the chef who had worked there the longest, she had been sitting like that every year even before he started. "Well from the restaurant''s perspective, she orders food, doesn''t cause any trouble, so it''s not a big issue." Yu Jihoon was curious. Why was the woman behaving like that? As he pondered, someone behind him spoke, "Mr. Yu Jihoon, it''s rude to stare at the guest like that." Turning around, he saw a senior waiter with a disgruntled face. "Yes? Oh, sorry." "If you have nothing to do, tell the guest that the kitchen will be closing in 10 minutes. Let the others know as well." "Got it." Nodding, Yu Jihoon approached the middle-aged woman. "Excuse me. As it''s almost closing time, if you n to order anything else, please do so within the next 10 minutes." With the demeanor of an experienced waiter, Yu Jihoon spoke to the woman. In response, she gave a faint smile and nodded. "Yes. I''m sorry for upying the table until thiste." "No, it''s fine." Smiling professionally, Yu Jihoon headed toward another table. "Huh?" "Who is that person?" "Right? Right?!" Suddenly, there was amotion near the entrance of the restaurant. It was unusual for Mingles,'' which aimed for a quiet atmosphere, especially at thiste hour nearing closing time. Curious about what was happening, Yu Jihoon discreetly turned his head to nce at the entrance. There stood arge and menacing-looking man, and another man who made people think, People can be so good-looking.'' "Where have I seen him before?" "Wow, wow, Kang Jinseok is unreal" Jinseok wandered near the entrance of the restaurant. The senior who had been giving orders to him just a while ago was now looking at Jinseok, recognizing him as the famous Kang Jinseok, a fan favorite among the staff. Even those who didn''t know Jinseok well could tell that the man was Kang Jinseok.'' Other customers, noticing the sudden appearance of a star, also turned their attention toward Jinseok, causing a stir. In the midst of this, the senior waiter spoke to Jinseok. "Um I''m sorry. Actually, we''re closing in ten minutes." "Oh, it''s okay. I didn''te here for a meal; I just wanted to ask something." "Ask something?" "Yes. By any chance" Jinseok chuckled lightly and whispered something to the senior waiter. As Jinseok''s face approached, the senior waiter blushed, but after hearing Jinseok''s words, he regained hisposure. "Yes. She''s over there. Is she an acquaintance of yours?" "Acquaintance yes, let''s call her that. Thank you." Expressing gratitude with a nod, Jinseok left the senior waiter behind and approached the table where Yu Jihoon and the middle-aged woman were seated. "Why is heing to me?" Caught off guard by Jinseok approaching him suddenly, Yu Jihoon looked around in confusion. From the earphones plugged in, the senior waiter''s voice was heard. [Mr. Jihoon, please vacate the table quickly. And go into the kitchen right now and bring out something light to eat. It''s the owner''s order, don''t worry about closing time!] Following the senior''s firm instructions, Yu Jihoon headed straight to the kitchen. Now, only Jinseok and the woman remained at the table. "Kang Jinseok, the actor right?" The woman looked at Jinseok with a puzzled expression. "It feels strangely familiar." It wasn''t the kind of recognition one gets from seeing someone on screen or in photos. It felt more like a connection from a long time ago, somethingforting and nostalgic. Suddenly, the woman seemed bewildered. "Why is he approaching me? Why is he sitting at the table?" Jinseok, appearing somewhat desperate, greeted her with a faint smile and a slight nod. In response, Jinseok, nowposed, continued speaking. "Mr. Kim Faith had nned to return all the money he scammed from the victim after his meeting with Lee Hyemin. Do you understand what I mean?" The woman''s expression hardened. The name the man just mentioned wasn''t a trivial one to be thrown around casually. Before the woman could ask anything, Jinseok continued. "If Kim Faith were here, he would have apologized for beingte and apologized again for not being able to keep his promise due to the pressure. This is what I heard from a staff member earlier You''ve beening here for years. If Kim Faith heard that, he would have cried a lot." However, at Jinseok''s earnest attitude, the woman looked puzzled. Why does he know about what happened between me and Kim Faith?'' Unable to tolerate further interference, the woman asked hesitantly, "Do you know Kim Faith that person?" "Yes. I found out recently." "If recently you met him in person?" "Yes." "Where is he now!" The moment the woman spoke urgently, Jinseok calmly responded without a change in his voice. "He has passed away." "" "He confessed to Lee Hyemin and, on his way back, had a traffic ident in the early morning." The woman''s face stiffened again. After a moment of hesitation, she squinted her eyes and red at Jinseok. However, the face of Jinseok''s serious expression, the woman couldn''t utter a word. Jinseok didn''t seem like he was joking or sharing a story he casually overheard somewhere. His expression conveyed a gravity that made her speechless. "Please tell me your story" Rather, Jinseok seemed sadder than her, as if he knew everything. In the clear eyes of the young man he was meeting for the first time, there was a profound sympathy for him. "All Kim Faith asked of me was to return all the money he earned in a bad way to the owner" In the silence, Jinseok struggled to speak. "I came to deliver his apology to Lee Hyemin on his behalf." With those words, Jinseok stood up. While doing so, he took out a business card from his pocket and handed it to the woman. "It''s my manager''s contact information. There will be a movie preview soon. If you contact that number, my manager will send you tickets to the preview." "A movie preview?" "Yes, I hope youe to see it. No, you muste." With his final words, Jinseok bowed and said, "Enjoy your meal. I''ll excuse myself now." TN: SADDENING! Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Lee Hyemin stared nkly at the seat where Jinseok had been sitting. Suddenly showing up with a confusing story and invited her to watch a movie. It was beyondprehension. "Did he reallye all the way here to tell that story?" But Lee Hyemin couldn''t easily brush off Jinseok''s words. "I don''t know how he knows about me and Kim Faith If he came all the way here to tell such a story, there must be something I don''t know." Pausing to recall the conversation with Jinseok, Lee Hyemin looked intently at the business card Jinseok had given her. "OS Entertainment, Kang Jinseok Team Leader, Jang Sunho" She put the card in her wallet and stood up from her seat. *** Despite Jinseok''s NG in the middle, the shooting and editing of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" proceeded smoothly as nned. As the work nearedpletion, the schedule for the film preview and the release date were also set. The preview would take ce from Saturday, March 25th, to the next day, Sunday, March 26th. The official release date was set for Monday, April 1st, right after the preview. And today, on March 25th, the preview of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" was taking ce at Yongsan CGB. "Why are you staring at the pamphlet so intensely? Were you always this interested in movies?" A female student, munching on popcorn while waiting for the theater to open, looked at her friend and said. "It''s not that. I''m just curious." "About what?" "I wonder if Kang Jinseok really looks like this." In response to her friend''s question asked with a very serious tone, the female studentughed as if it was absurd. "You''ve chased celebrities like crazy, and now you believe in screens and photos?" "There are a lot of good-looking people in real life too." "Yeah, yeah. Didn''t you regret going to the SKC awardsst time?" "You said there were many good-looking people. If they have a preview today, Kang Jinseok mighte. Will I be able to see him from afar?" The friend turned her gaze into the distance as if looking at a distant mountain. Then, she asked with a twinkle in her eye, "Are you working next weekend? Oh, you said you don''t do weekend jobs anymore. But, I heard so much about this movie on social media, it''s a bit intimidating." "Why are you intimidated by something trending on social media?" "Because everyone says it''s fun. It feels a bit forced when everyone is making a big deal about it." With a sigh, the female student spoke and then stood up from her seat. "It''s almost time for admission. Let''s go and line up." At that moment, the door to the screening room on the second floor opened, and people starteding out one by one. Some wore faint smiles, some had red eyes, and others hurriedly made phone calls. "Hey, isn''t this the ce where the Aboslute Unlicensed Counseling'' preview is today?" "I think so. It was marked as off-limits for the screening on the second floor today." "Let''s get closer. I''m curious about people''s reactions." "Hey! Where are you going when it''s almost time for admission!" Ignoring her friend''s urging words, the female student went near the esctor on the second floor. While it might be difficult to directly ask about the movie, you could infer the level of enjoyment by just listening to what people were saying. While scanning the surroundings, the usual conversation between couples,monly found anywhere, caught her ears. "Oppa, when is this released? Let''se see it again." "Were you so entertained? I wasn''t that impressed." "What do you mean, not impressed? Oppa, you teared up when the con artist had a car ident at the end." "" "And then, in the end, the two met again" "Ah, I got it, I got it. Yeah, it was fun!" The couple quickly left the theater, and from the other side, conversations like "Oppa, did you keep saying Kang Jinseok looked handsome while I was watching the movie?" and "Oh, no," "Oppa, you''re handsome too. At least a generic version of Kang Jinseok," "Really?" "Is that so?" "Do you really ept that?" could be heard. While her friend observed the couple''s departure, urgent and serious voices from nearby conversations reached her ears. "Team leader! The Absolute Unlicensed Counseling'' preview just ended! Pleasee to our next product with Yeo Hyemin as the model. What? Team leader, trust me. It has to be Yeo Hyemin. I''ll write a resignation letter if it fails. No, I''ll sell my house to cover the losses." "Hey, babe. It''s me. I said back then to buy the shares of Kang Jinseok''s agency. Did you sell that? Oh, this guy! Why are you shouting? Buy them again! Ah, this person! Why so many words? Just buy them again!" "Unni,e to Sangsu Station right now. I just watched the movie preview, and I came up with an idea for the next video on our channel. Let''s go to the ces featured in Absolute Unlicensed Counseling,'' shoot a review in advance, and upload it to coincide with the movie''s release. The movie? It''s no joke. Everyone in the theater was crying." Couples moved by the pure experience of the film, middle-aged individuals who seemed to be industry insiders, and a YouTube influencerall the way to individual investors, the reactions were diverse. "Is the movie really that good?" As the friend stood there, dumbfounded by people''s reactions, the female student hit her on the back. "Hey! They''ve started the admission! Get a hold of yourself!" "Ugh Why did you hit me?" "Because you don''t listen to words!" "Do you even listen when I speak?" As the two bickered, a sudden roar from the second floor caught their attention. The enthusiastic cheers, mixed with apuse, made their gaze naturally turn in that direction. "What''s that" "I-Is that Kang Jinseok?" The friend tore apart the pamphlet she was holding, revealing a figure that seemed even more handsome than what came out of it. Shaking hands with people inside the screening room, Kang Jinseok, in a suit, walked somewhere guided by security guards. Amidst the excitement, the female student and her friend couldn''t take their eyes off Kang Jinseok. Perhaps feeling the intensity of their stares, Kang Jinseok nced in their direction. Although it wasn''t a significant action from Kang Jinseok''s perspective, the shock the female student and her friend felt from Kang Jinseok''s gaze was not insignificant. "Heuk He saw me" "I-I made eye contact." "Mom, Dad. Thank you for giving birth to me" Having heard those admiring words, Kang Jinseok, with a shy smile, subtly waved his hand. When Kang Jinseok disappeared from their sight, the female student and her friend continued to wave their hands until his back was no longer visible. Regaining herposure, the female student shouted to her friend. "Hey, hey! What are you doing? We need to go quickly!" "Uh? Oh let''s go. But why are you angry? You got yourself together too!" "Well, that''s true Never mind, let''s hurry up!" After a while, the sound from the second floor suddenly changed. The female student and her friend, still curious about themotion, looked in that direction. "Phew just saying hello was more tiring than I thought." Wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, I spoke, and Jang Sunho handed me a handkerchief. "You have to get used to it now. Once the movie is released, you''ll have to do fan appreciation events and autograph sessions." "Is that so? Anyway, I''m relieved that the audience''s reaction wasn''t as bad as I feared. I was worried because when I looked it up on the inte, the audience at preview screenings tended to give harsh reviewspared to regr viewers." "Jinseok, this film is not just getting a mildly positive response" During Jang Sunho''s words, the waiting room door opened, and a staff member shouted. "Is Manager Kang Jinseok here?" "Yes, I''m here." Responding to the staff''s call, Jang Sunho said to me, "I''ll be right back," and left the waiting room. After a short while, Jang Sunho returned with several people. It was Go Seoyeong and a woman I hadn''t seen before. She observed the waiting room with round eyes, spotted me, and froze. "!" It was a reaction straight out of aic, and I couldn''t help but chuckle. With the woman by her side, Go Seoyeong greeted me. "Hello, actor. I enjoyed the movie. Your acting was excellent." "Haha, thank you. But who is this?" Still frozen, the woman was pointed at, and Go Seoyeong nudged her shoulder. "What are you doing, Suyeon? You should say hello." "Oh, um! Hello! I''m, I''m Kang Suyeon!" "Why are you acting like this? Sorry, actor. She''s my junior from my reporter days, and I got her to handle the exclusive interview today. Maybe that''s why she''s so nervous." "Oh, so you''re the reporter conducting the interview today. I''m Kang Jinseok, nice to meet you." "Yes, yes! Nice to meet you!" When I extended my hand for a handshake, Kang Suyeon was startled and firmly held my hand. I could feel her trembling like a newborn kitten. Though I haven''t met many reporters so far, this was a first-time reaction. Whether the trembling was noticeable, Go Seoyeong, as if sensing it, remarked with a hint of sarcasm. "Suyeon, it''s impolite to be so nervous. What would happen if you acted like this?" "I''m, I''m sorry. So, shall we start the interview now? I, I provided the questionnaire Oh, may I proceed with the interview right away?" "Haha, sure, go ahead. But there''s no need to be so tense." "Phew! Let me set up the camera, and we''ll start right away!" Kang Suyeon, still nervously fidgeting, began setting up the camera. While observing this, Jang Sunho''s face showed no change, but he undoubtedly cast a displeased look at Go Seoyeong, the one who brought Kang Suyeon. Go Seoyeong, oblivious to Jang Sunho''s gaze, continued whistling, and I could only manage a wry smile. "Well, shall we start the interview, then?" *** After the preview, various reviews of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" began to surface on social media, YouTube, and entertainment news articles. [Exclusive! Meeting Kang Jinseok, the Love Scammer of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" Reporter Kang Suyeon] [After "Loting Hill," "Notebook," and "Cute Lady," Finally Encountered a Heartwarming Romance Film Influencer: Want to Watch a Movie with Me?''] [It was entertaining in the beginning. It got sentimental in the middle. I cried in the end. After the movie, I called my ex-girlfriend. Ye-eun, I''m sorry. Movie-specialized YouTuber Kong Cinema''] [Praise to the director who created such love. Gratitude to the actors who portrayed such love. Lee Minho, movie columnist] With experts and general audiences alike praising the movie, the expectations of those who haven''t seen the film yet only grew. However, on the other hand, there were concerns about the credibility of the reviewers due to the overwhelmingly positive evaluations. Usually, film previewse with criticisms, big or small, but it was challenging to find such critiques in articles and columns. Amidst these concerns, a video on YouTube was uploaded to dispel the public''s worries. [ Preview Site Reactions_Fancam] [Channel: Leftover Tuna Can] Chapter 137: Chapter 137: On the top floor of the luxurious apartment building, Lee Hyemin let out a sigh. "Everyone seems to be praising it a lot." Lee Hyemin had just returned home after attending the premiere of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." As soon as she got home, she searched for the reactions to the premiere. Amidst her search, she came across a video titled "Audience Reactions at the Absolute Unlicensed Counseling'' Premiere." The video featured an influencer named "Leftover Tuna Can" interviewing regr people who had watched the movie. "Seriously, you must watch it." "If you don''t, you''ll regret it. Definitely watch it." "I''lle to see it again. I''ll watch it whenever I have time." "The actress is so beautiful (What?!) Oh, don''t pinch me! Anyway, the movie is really fun!" In the video, some were teary-eyed, and others had satisfied expressions while watching the film. However, unlike the audience who treated it as fiction,'' to Lee Hyemin, "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" was an old diary and a faded memory. "It seems like the happy ending is possible only in stories that''s what it meant." The events in "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" closely mirrored experiences she had gone through, particrly the setting where a wealthy mute girl, thanks to a swindler, gains the ability to speak.'' "It''s strangely simr, even putting everything else aside." Curious and bothered, Lee Hyemin delved deeper into the details of the work. A few months ago, she had watched a video of Yeo Jaeyoon talking about the film on "The Talk Show," and she discovered the reason. "Yeo Jaeyoon, the director''s daughter, Yeo Hyemin. The actress couldn''t speak either." The film "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" was made for his daughter, just as Yeo Jaeyoon had the same thoughts as her own father. Maybe all fathers in the world think alike. "Leaving that aside thatst scene was truly unbelievable." Lee Hyemin chuckled dryly as the scene from the movie continued to rey in her mind. In the final moments of the film, the swindler, while returning the money he swindled, collides head-on with a truck. In an ident that would be fatal for anyone, the swindler miraculously gets transported to the hospital, unconscious. A few yearster, when the protagonist regains consciousness, he finds Moon Hyemin'' looking down at him with teary eyes. From then on, with a piece of touching background music, the two embrace each other, and the story ends. It was an imusible event. If he had collided with a dump truck as in the movie, he wouldn''t have left a single bone fragment behind; he would have disappeared from the world. There is no way to miraculously survive and meet a loved one after such an ident. But why, Lee Hyemin continued to chuckle with a self-deprecating smile. "Phew" Closing herptop, Lee Hyemin stood up from her seat. Then, she took out something from the most worn-out part of her bookshelf. It was an album'' that Kim Faith had given her a long time ago. As Lee Hyemin flipped through the album, a faint smile appeared on her lips. It used to make her cry every time she looked at it. Perhaps it was because of what Jinseok and Kim Faith had said, along with watching the happy ending'' in the movie, but now, even looking at the album didn''t make her sad. Now, the memories were joyful. Putting the album back in the drawer, Lee Hyemin picked up her mobile phone from the desk and started typing a message. "Hello. I really enjoyed the movie today. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to see such a great work. If there''s ever anything I can help with, feel free to contact me." *** March 31. One day before the release of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." "Ugh" I was rolling around on the living room floor at home. There was nothing else to do. "Even the manager is too much. I understand not letting me see the articles, but taking away everything, from the TV to theptop and mobile phone." After the premiere, Jang Sunho confiscated every device I could use to ess the inte. "On April 1, the movie will be released, and on April 2, you have to attend a fan signing event. Until then, to avoid stress, the inte is off-limits," he said. Instead, he brought a bunch of books. From fashion magazines to a novel where the protagonist is a manager named "Chandy Wexler" who ims to have gained great inspiration from reading. Although I wasn''t particrly fond of reading at first, since there was nothing else to do, I ended up reading everything. Anyway, whether I should thank him for that or say it was because of that, following Jang Sunho''s intentions, I was truly leading a healthy'' routine. A wholesome life without the inte, spending my time on exercise and reading. Woong! Woong! That''s when it happened. On the third day of the confiscation, the mobile phone Jang Sunho gave me rang. It was a phone that only allowed calls and messages because the inte was restricted. [010-XXXX-XXXX] "Where have I seen this number before? Who could it be?" If it were an unknown number, I wouldn''t have answered, but since it was a familiar number, I decided to pick it up. "Hello?" [Oh, Oppa! It''s Yeonsoo!] A little surprised by the unexpected caller, I asked, "Yeonsoo? How did you get this number?" [When I called you with Oppa''s phone, Manager-nim answered. I said I had something to ask and he gave me this number.] "Oh, I see. By the way, Yeonsoo. Were you talking about Absolute Unlicensed''" [And he told me not to talk about the movie at all.] "" [Absolutely not.] Indeed, I was in Jang Sunho''s palm. While I let out a disappointedugh, Seo Yeonsoo continued. [Um Oppa. Our department is holding an event in early April before the midterm exam season. Do you happen to know about it?] "An event?" [Yes, it''s our department''s pub.] "Oh, I know. I''ve heard about it. Sometimes even senior actors visit, right?" [Yes, that''s right. So, um do you happen to know about thepetition with the Practical Music Department?] "I''ve heard something about it. But why?" Asking again, beyond the mobile phone, Seo Yeonsoo hesitated with sounds like "Well" and "Um" It seemed like the first time she couldn''t articte herself properly. "Why? What''s going on?" [It''s because um] "Why are you so nervous? Are you asking me to work at the pub?" [Yes.] "Juste and ask me to work. Since my project is finished, I have some free time, and I already told the manager." For a while, Seo Yeonsoo didn''t say anything. Just when I thought the call might have been cut off and checked, Seo Yeonsoo spoke. [Really? Can you decide so easily?] "Yeah. But how did you manage to persuade the manager so easily?" [Um Yes. He said it might be helpful for you. I''m not sure what that means, though.] It was difficult to express, but it felt somewhat awkward. It was a strange reaction from Seo Yeonsoo after a long time of not talking. "But what do I have to do? I''ve done a lot of part-time jobs in Hongdae pubs before, so I can handle most things." [We haven''t decided that yet. Um for now, just know that much.] "Okay. Let me know when it''s decided." [Yes, sure] Until the call ended, the distance felt continued, and it was impossible to know. She suddenly contacted me, maybe she feels sorry for asking.'' After a moment of contemtion, I got up from the floor. It was time to do something other than lying down. *** The next morning at 8 a.m. As the front doorbell rang, I rushed to the entrance like someone waiting eagerly for a delivery. When I opened the door with force, Jang Sunho was standing there, shing his characteristic smile. "Good morning, actor. Did you rest well for a week?" "Yes, yes. So!" Blurting out, I extended my hand. It was a gesture asking for the return of my mobile phone. Jang Sunho alternated nces between me and the phone, then with a peculiar smile, he said, "I can give you the phone now, but in my opinion, it might be better for you to endure until you arrive at the fan signing event." "Why, why?" "Well" When I asked again, Jang Sunho thought for a moment and then smiled subtly. "Because if you check the articles first, the joy you get from on-site reactions might decrease." "" "First, let''s go to the shop. I''m quite busy today." *** The Yongsan CGB where the premiere of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" took ce. "Wow there are so many people today." The snack bar staff sighed as they observed the bustling crowd. The female staff next to him nodded in agreement. "Yes, it''s because it''s Sunday, and normally, it''s crowded. But today, it''s even busier because of the Absolute Unlicensed Counseling'' actor fan signing event." "Have you seen that movie? The ratings are really good." "I haven''t seen it yet. I n to watch itte after work." "Do you want to watch it together? I haven''t seen it either." He said it casually, but it took considerable courage for the male staff to say those words. "Oh, I already promised to watch it with my boyfriend. I''m sorry." She had a boyfriend. It was a failure. At that moment, he felt a bit down, not knowing this fact before. "They''re here!" Someone in the crowd pointed towards the entrance, and the attention of the people focused there. Cheers erupted! Wide-eyed! The spacious Yongsan CGB was filled to the brim, and the echoes were so loud that it sounded like a roar. The male staff was surprised and turned his head when someone, apanied by security guards, was entering. It was Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin. On the makeshift screen, their images began to appear. Yeo Hyemin''s cheeks were slightly flushed, but her expression remainedposed. On the other hand, Jinseok was visibly surprised. The astonishment was evident in his wide-open eyes as if he were a naive boy from the countryside who hade to the city for the first time. "Ah, hello. I''m Kang Jinseok. Um Did everyone have their meals?" Jinseok and Yeo Hyemin took their seats in front of therge poster for "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." Jinseok, still bewildered, took the microphone. "Yes!" "No!" "Oh, some have eaten, and some haven''t. Um, actually, beforeing here, I memorized what kind of greetings I should give, but I forgot everything. Ahaha I didn''t expect so many people toe. But, what should I do?" With a lost look in his eyes, Jinseok nced around. Whether it was cute or for some other reason, camera shes from reporters and fans began to go off. Some were even recording videos from start to finish. "Uhm, host. Please help." As Jinseok requested assistance, the host smiled and skillfully guided the fan signing event. Questions that had been discussed in advance were asked, and Jinseok provided the answers. After about 15 minutes of Q&A, the host said, "Now, we will have time for fans to shake hands and get autographs from the actors in order of ticket numbers!" As the host spoke, numerous staff members began to move. Fans waited patiently for their turn, having received various instructions beforehand. The event concluded smoothly. One week after the release, the first-week audience count for "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling" waspiled. Chapter 138: Chapter 138: The meeting room of the distributionpany LK E&M. The only thing shining in the dark room was the screen in front. "2.53 million." A man in front of the screen spoke. "That''s the first-week performance of this film." 2.53 million viewers. The director of LK E&M said, and everyone in the meeting room swallowed dryly. "How much was the production cost for this?" "Net production cost was 5.8 billion. Including P&A, it''s 7.5 billion." "Then is the break-even point roughly 2.53 million viewers?" "Approximately, yes." Although the director spoke calmly, other staff couldn''t hide their surprise. "With this kind of performance, it''s like a blockbuster overseas." "Is there finally a domestic film reaching ten million viewers?" "This film is not a family drama or action, and it wasn''t released during the Golden Week. It seems challenging for the current target audience." Opinions were divided on the sess of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling." However, the positive reactions continued with the expectations for future performance. As the film seeded, more money flowed back to the distributionpany, benefiting everyone involved. It was a structure where the sess returned as bonuses for the employees. "But, Director" "Why?" "Is there something wrong? You seem not in a good mood." Like the other staff, the director also received bonuses based on the film''s performance. As the highest-ranking employee, the director received a substantial bonus. For someone like him to have such aposed expression, it was somewhat strange. The employee who asked the question looked at the director and asked cautiously, "Is there something wrong? You seem not in a good mood." The director looked at the employee for a moment and then said, "Well, even if the inw buysnd, it still hurts the stomach. If the cousin earns a lot, wouldn''t your stomach ache or not?" "Cousin? Does the Director have a cousin among the actors in this film?" "No. Not among the actors, but among the directors." "?" "Yeo Jaeyoon, the director, is my cousin. He''s more like a friend than a distant rtive." The director had known him for a long time, but it was the first time he heard this story. The employee was surprised, and just as he was about to ask more questions, the director said with a bitter voice, "Invest if he makes a joke before entering the shoot. If I knew this would happen, I would have borrowed money to invest." Even as he spoke, the director felt like he had just used the winning lottery ticket as toilet paper and flushed it down the toilet. Time passed quickly. Exactly one week after the release. "Director, I''ve confirmed the figures for Absolute Unlicensed Counseling'' until today, and it''s 2.53 million. There will be articles soon." In a calm voice, Jang Sunho informed me, and I thought I must have misheard. "What? How many people?" "2.53 million." " ." Misheard, indeed. With a puzzled expression, I looked at Jang Sunho and expressed my regret in a disappointed tone. "I wish the first week had hit around 5 million, making it an unprecedented sess." "5 million? That''s like mobilizing 10% of the entire nation, isn''t it?" Upon hearing that, I couldn''t help but burst intoughter involuntarily. "It doesn''t seem that difficult. Let''s aim for 5 million for the next film." In Jang Sunho''s voice, there was a sense of belief that "it''s entirely possible." While I was overwhelmed by the number of 2.53 million viewers, it seemed far from enough for Jang Sunho. While discussing the movie, the conversation shifted to the content of a call with Seo Yeonsoo. I immediately asked Jang Sunho. "Oh, Manager. Can I go to a school event?" "Yes. If you don''t want to go, please feel free to tell me. I''ll convey it to Seo Yeonsoo." "No, no. It''s not that, but I find it surprising that you allowed it. You know I was reluctant even to attend school sses." Jang Sunho, after gently rubbing his chin for a moment, said meaningfully. "I allowed it because there''s a need to make your image more friendly to the public." "Friendly?" As I asked with a quizzical head tilt, Jang Sunho continued calmly. "Do you remember the OS Entertainment audition judging you''re scheduled for soon?" "Yes, of course. I''m still not sure if I''m qualified to be a judge." "You''re more than qualified. Anyway, during a meeting with the responsible PD, they mentioned that the judging lineup consists of too many heavyweight figures. Min Kyungsoo is one, and so are Director Na Jinho, Manager Kwak Jinwook, and others." "Isn''t Min Kyungsoo considered a heavyweight in terms of image?" "Although he has a yful and carefree personality, the majority of the roles he''s yed have been serious, giving him a heavy image in the eyes of the public." "Really? I remember him appearing quite lively on The Talk Show'' in the past." "That was the case until recently, but after ying a viin role in The Way They Chose,'' he got stuck with that image." "Ah" Now that I thought about it, it made sense. In The Way They Chose,'' he yed the role of a boss,'' and even before that, in Dreams of the Sun Rising,'' he portrayed a bad hospital director.'' "Although holding the title of a judge brings weight, if all judges have that kind of image, the atmosphere of the program would be too serious. That''s why the PD wants you to take on a lighter, stimting role." "I see But what does creating a friendly image have to do with going to events? Not that I don''t want to go. I actually want to." "To create a friendly image, there are various ways for celebrities. Among them, the easiest is to show a natural side while mingling with fans. However, you can''t just go anywhere. There needs to be a suitable reason'' for you to attend." "Ah, I see." "In that sense, this event is perfect. Your movie has just been released, and you''ll be participating in a university event as a student. There couldn''t be a better reason." Although I didn''t fully understand what Jang Sunho was saying, it seemed reasonable, and I agreed. Wait, do I really have to go this far to change my image? Is my image really as heavy as others?'' Curious, I asked Jang Sunho. "Manager, by any chance How''s my image? I mean, not personally, but how do the public see me?" Unlike my cautious question, Jang Sunho''s response was quick and straightforward. "A handsome brother, a man of genius acting, and a young man with the right character. A dragon born in a stream. Despite achieving tremendous sess shortly after debut, you don''t boast, maintaining an appropriate air of mystery as an actor." " Who on earth is this perfect adult man?" It''s you, actor. Jang Sunho said casually. It was a relief that it wasn''t a bad image. But with such an image, wasn''t it friendly enough? As I continued to struggle with understanding, Jang Sunho smiled and said. "For this audition program, your role, Jinseok, is that of a senior.'' When other judges criticize the audition participants harshly, youfort them and y a supportive role. "Ah I get the feeling. There''s always someone like that on audition programs. Someone ying that role. Thinking of some idol audition programs I had seen before, I said. "But it seems too difficult for me. I''ve neverforted or encouraged anyone. "When you appeared on Entertainment Diary'' with Park Hayeon before, just handle it like covering a rumor. Listen and empathize. "That''s all?" "Yes. To unknown actors, Kang Jinseokes across more as a genius'' than a senior.'' So, this time, while showing a good connection with other regr students, dilute the image of an unapproachable genius.'' The publicity team will write articles with that kind of vibe. Even though it was just attending a department event, so much preparation was being made behind the scenes. I was grateful for the various considerations for me, but somehow, I felt sorry for the other students. It felt like using them for my image-making. Even if it wasn''t intentional on my part, the conclusion seemed to be heading in that direction. "Don''t think too hard about it; just enjoy it. "Yes?" "Because you seem apologetic to the other students. Weren''t you thinking of using them?" "How did you know?" "An actor''s thoughts are written all over their face. Jang Sunho finished with a faint smile. "Just having such thoughts makes you a good person, Jinseok. *** Near Seoguk University, at a pub named Rest.'' This ce, borrowed by the Theater Department for a day, was reaching its closing time. "Hey, Yeonsoo. Would actor Kang Jinseok reallye?" Student council president Park Dongseop, who was overseeing the scene, asked Seo Yeonsoo. "Well yes. So, please stop asking. How many times have you asked? It feels like I''ve heard it more than a hundred times today." "I only asked six times Without listening to Park Dongseop''s words to the end, Seo Yeonsoo turned around in frustration. She seemed irritated by the repetitive questions, but, in fact, she felt better than she had in a long time. "Jinseok Oppa is it after two months?" She had seen his face and news frequently through inte articles and YouTube, but it had been a long time since she saw him in person. But she couldn''t rx yet. A well-established actor like Jinseok could have a schedule at any time. "Well actually, even if it''s not a schedule,ing to such an event doesn''t make sense. At that moment, someone opened the door to the pub. Since it wasn''t yet opening hours, Seo Yeonsoo turned towards the door and said. "I''m sorry; we start at five, so could you wait outside for about 20 minutes?" She spoke urgently, so she didn''t confirm who it was. She checked the face of the person who entered the pub and was surprised. "Yeonsoo, it''s been a while. I tried toe earlier, but the traffic was jammed. Jinseok said as he took off his hat and mask. As he did, the busy students turned their attention towards Jinseok. Even the students who were busy moving around noticed Jinseok and rushed over, each throwing in a word. "Is it, is it really Kang Jinseok?" "I wanted to take sses with you, so I gave up on Korea University and came to Seoguk University. "A precious person like youing to such a humble ce. Jinseok was dressed in three-line sportswear bottomsmonly seen on the streets, paired with a simple hoodie. Despite that, there seemed to be a radiance emanating from behind him. "Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok. It feels like I''ve met some of you a few times, and there seem to be those I''m meeting for the first time today." As Jinseok approached them, the students involuntarily eximed, "Wow" and stepped back ordingly. Smiling lightly at their reaction, Jinseok asked, "I''m sorry, but I have apanion. They''re waiting outside. Is it okay if I invite them in for a moment?" "Companion? Yes, sure." Park Dongseop replied hastily, and Jinseok opened the door again. "I apologize. My younger sibling also works at the adjacent store today, so I dropped by while sightseeing." Opening the door and entering was none other than Kwon Seokhoon, a top-tier actor who, even whenpared to Jinseok, showed no signs of falling short. Chapter 139: Chapter 139: The students gasped once again at the appearance of Kwon Seokhoon. "Wow" "Guys, it''s Kwon Seokhoon. No, it''s Actor Kwon Seokhoon." "What''s this? Could this be some kind of hidden camera or something?" Kwon Seokhoon smiled subtly at the students'' reactions. As someone who had never experienced meeting fans so casually, this situation felt refreshingly new. "Having the chance to eat food served by Actor Kang Jinseok is not something that happens every day. That''s why I came." With one hand on Jinseok''s shoulder, Kwon Seokhoon spoke. "Ah Sure." "Make yourselves at home." "Hey, Dongseok! Bring us some drinks." Despite Jinseok and Kwon Seokhoon''s efforts to be friendly, the students found it challenging to interact with them easily. It was inevitable. To these students, Jinseok and Kwon Seokhoon weren''t just celebrities or entertainers; they were dreams and goals. After the initial excitement passed, Jinseok asked, "So, what should I do? I can handle pretty much anything." The students exchanged nces again, unsure of what to assign him. They hadn''t discussed specific tasks, mainly because they thought anything illuminating Jinseok''s face was already more than enough. It wasn''t that they couldn''t assign him anything; it was just that nothing seemed fitting for Jinseok. "What do you want to do, oppa?" As the students hesitated, Seo Yeonsoo spoke up. "Me? I''m fine with anything" "Even if you''re fine with anything, there must be something you particrly enjoy." Perhaps only Seo Yeonsoo could speak so boldly in this situation. Of course, she couldn''t speak asfortably as before, cautiously watching Jinseok''s reactions. "Since you''re here to help, how about serving? I used to focus on serving when I worked part-time." At the mention of serving, some students reacted. "Kang Jinseok, a senior, serving?" "Does that mean I get to be a customer? No, not a customer But still, isn''t serving usually tough? Are you sure it''s okay?" Though challenging, serving is one of the most direct ways to interact with customers, presenting various challenges. Of course, with Jinseok serving, the sales would explode. Kang Jinseok bringing soju if you couldn''t drink it here, many would probably take it home. Caught between concerns about Jinseok and the potential sales, the students found themselves in a dilemma. While they genuinely wanted to assign Jinseok something rtively easy, they also knew that serving could greatly boost sales. As the students grappled with these conflicting thoughts, Jinseok had already put on an apron. "Wearing an apron after a long time. It reminds me of the old days." "Haha" In the face of Jinseok''s overwhelmingly enthusiastic demeanor, the students couldn''t help but chuckle, nodding their heads as if to convey that they had no choice. "Got it!" "We entrust it to you!" "Please take care of it!" Although the surrounding reactions were a bit lukewarm, since there was no opposition, Jinseok smiled and said, "Well then, shall we start slowly?" *** University pubs are usually aboutworking.'' Since our department runs this pub, it''s like, "Come and support us" that kind ofworking. As a result, it''s notmon to see people lining up to get into university pubs or regr individualsing to university pubs without any acquaintances, unless it''s a school festival attracting many outsiders. However, today, the atmosphere at the Seoguk University Department of Theater''s pub is very different. "Whoa, look at all these people. Is this all for waiting in line?" Looking at the queue in front of the pub, the customer clicked their tongue. When pictures of Jinseok serving started circting on social media, it attracted not only Seoguk University students but also students from other universities and even some regr people. "Excuse me. How long do we have to wait?" The customer asked the employee wearing an apron and the busy female student, Seo Yeonsoo. She was busy moving around. "Yes, the expected waiting time from now is two hours and thirty minutes!" "Two hours and thirty minutes? It''s not even a club or anything" "I''m sorry! There''s a waiting list upfront; if you write down your name and number, we''ll contact you 30 minutes before. We set a one-hour time limit per table, so we can contact you on time!" Seo Yeonsoo, trained with numerous part-time jobs, pacified the customer''s dissatisfaction with a suitable response. Although the customer hade from quite far away and would have to wait for more than two hours, they couldn''t help but smile at the polite service of the attractive student. "But wasn''t the employee who just came out wearing an apron the one from The Way They Chose''?" Seeing Seo Yeonsoo''s back as she went back into the pub, the customer asked, and the apanying group inquired. "Who? That person?" "Yeah, didn''t she fight with Park Hayeon with her hair pulled back?" "Oh, no. It''s apletely different image." "Is that so?" "Yeah, absolutely not. I''ve watched The Way They Chose'' several times." Some customers were uncertain as they looked at Seo Yeonsoo, but no one directly asked. It was because her image was so different from when she appeared on The Way They Chose,'' with much softer makeup. "Should we write our names and go somewhere else? There''s probably a coin karaoke nearby." "Oh, there''s also a pub where Kwon Sunhee works around here. Let''s go check it out." "Kwon Sunhee? The singing YouTuber?" "Yeah." In this way, customers also entered the Seoguk University Practical Music Department''s pub. "One bottle of soju and Nagasaki for the appetizer" "Hey, we''re just killing time; why order an expensive soup? Just give us the basic appetizer." The problem was that there were many customers, but the orders were unimpressive. On the other hand, the Department of Theater''s pub was flourishing thanks to Jinseok''s professional service. "Yes! What can I get for you?" In response to Jinseok''s bright greeting, the customers were rather taken aback and stammered. "Uh, well, um, what''s delicious?" "Everything at our ce is delicious. If you''re having trouble choosing, may I rmend something for you?" "Yes, please." "Then one mussel soup, two dried appetizers, and if you order a steamed egg, I''ll secretly bring you aplimentary drink." It was too much to eat within an hour. However, the customers couldn''t refuse Jinseok''s rmendation and just nodded their heads. "Uh, yes, please." "I got it! I''ll bring it right away!" As Jinseok swirled his apron and left, the students regained theirposure and looked at each other. "Whoa, unbelievable Is that really Kang Jinseok?" "X, he''s good-looking. There''s a glow on his face as he walks around." "But this isn''t even a shoot. It''s the first time I''ve seen an actor working in a real ce like this." "That''s right. He was so diligent in YeonYoo Diary,'' and now it turns out he was the real deal." Thanks to Jinseok''s performance, the showdown with the Department of Practical Music had already begun to lean toward the Department of Theater. Although the students from the Department of Practical Music decided to offer a free bottle of soju if a snack was ordered to attract customers, it didn''t have a significant impact on the situation. "Hey, Park Dongseob." In the end, the president of the Department of Practical Music, Gu Seungmin, came to Jinseok''s pub. Smiling at Gu Seungmin, who suddenly appeared and called him, Park Dongseob responded. "Hehe Why?" "No matter how much you want to beat us, isn''t it cheating to call actor Kang Jinseok? Where''s the fair y spirit!" "Hey, do you think actor Kang Jinseok wille just because I call him?" At some point, when Park Dongseob called Jinseok, the title used became Actor.'' That was how much Park Dongseob was grateful to Jinseok. "I didn''t call him. He decided toe on his own. And isn''t it too shallow for you guys toin about fair y? You guys called Kwon Sunhee." Although the conversation seemed calm, they were both from the same high school, and their rtionship was quite good. However, as club presidents,'' they had roles to y, and they couldn''t say a single word to each other. "Hey! Is that the same as this?" "What''s the difference?" Gu Seungmin red at Park Dongseob. He seemed to have a lot to say, but he couldn''t utter a word and just bowed his head. "Well, let''s make one request." "Ahem. Juste in first. Speak, pitiful junior." Gu Seungmin''s forehead veins bulged at Park Dongseob''s mocking tone. However, as of now, Park Dongseob was A,'' and Gu Seungmin was B,'' so he suppressed his anger and calmly spoke. "Lend us actor Kang Jinseok." "What?" "Lend us actor Kang Jinseok. If not, we won''t be able to pay back the money we borrowed for this pub. In that case, we''ll have to use the student council budget." Park Dongseob was overly surprised at Gu Seungmin''s words. "Wow. This is a real crisis. How serious is it?" "Stop mocking. You know too. The students worked so hard preparing for this, and if we have to use the student council budget on top of that, how unpleasant would it be?" "Um" "Please make a request." Park Dongseob clenched his fists. Honestly, he wanted to help Gu Seungmin, his friend. Can I be someone influential enough to tell Kang Jinseok to go here and there?'' Even though he was the president of the student council, Jinseok was an active actor and a highly sessful one at that. It was unreasonable for him to be serving here. Even if Park Dongseob wanted to extend a favor to the person who had shown kindness to him, telling Jinseok to work in another pub was a bit much. But I can''t just pretend not to know.'' After contemting for a moment, Park Dongseob spoke. "Um. Let''s do this." "How?" "Since we also have too many waiting customers, and the students are about to burn out, let''s merge our pubs. If we use two kitchens, the snacks wille out faster." Gu Seungmin had no reason to refuse. Just as he was about to nod immediately, Park Dongseobid down a condition. "Instead." "?" "You have to ask actor Kang Jinseok. It might be hard for him toe and go since the pubs are closed. If he says it''s tough, I can''t do anything either." "All right, then. Please ask quickly." At that moment, Jinseok unexpectedly popped up behind them like a meerkat. "Why me?" Although he wasn''t talking about Jinseok''s stint in service, the sudden appearance of Jinseok made the two startle. "Oh, well" With a charming smile, Park Dongseob brought up the conversation he had with Gu Seungmin a little while ago. Due to the Department of Theater taking too many customers from the Department of Practical Music, there was a concern that they might not be able to recover the initial capital used to prepare the pub. "So we''re thinking of merging our pubs. We''re wondering if actor Kang Jinseok is okay with it. It''s not far, but he''ll have toe and go It seems like it would be too hard for you." While saying this, Park Dongseob secretly thought, This is an unreasonable request.'' He expected Jinseok to refuse outright. That was probably what Gu Seungmin, who asked Park Dongseob for the favor, also thought. "Sure, I''ll do that." However, Jinseok casually nodded his head in response. Surprised by the unexpected answer, Park Dongseob hurriedly asked. "I-Is that okay with you?" "Yes, it''s perfectly fine. No problem at all. Besides, it''s fun to hang out with peers like this after a long time. Really." "" "But I don''t know the menu of the Department of Practical Music''s pub. Can I write down orders on paper and take them?" When Jinseok asked, Gu Seungmin nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes. Or should we assign another friend to help?" "Haha, there''s no need for that. Shall we move right away?" "Oh, wait a moment. We need to prepare too. Hey, Dongseob. Thanks. Just wait. I''ll be right back." Gu Seungmin hurriedly returned to his own pub. Left alone, Park Dongseob smiled awkwardly and said, "Are you really okay with this?" "Yes, really. It''s no problem. In fact, it''s a reward." "A reward" "Please take our orders!" "Yes! I''ll go right now. President, then I''ll go back to work." "Ah, yes" As Jinseok fluttered his apron and flew back to the customers, Park Dongseob stared at his departing figure with a nk expression. Someone was capturing that scene with a mobile phone, not just Jinseok but also the students working with him. It seemed like they didn''t want to miss the enthusiasm of this youth. Chapter 140: Chapter 140: The kitchen of the Department of Theater''s pub. Despite being busier than ever due to the influx of orders, the students'' morale was higher than ever. "Three orders of potato wedges! Two lunch sets! Four spicy rice cakes!" "Three orders of potato wedges, two lunch sets, four spicy rice cakes. Order confirmed!" "The potato wedges are all gone. What should we do?" "I''ll go buy some from the burger joint in front!" "Oh, there''s that option." Although it was undoubtedly tough, the "Fighting! Fighting!" chants of the students continued, perhaps because they were working together with Jinseok. However, among them, there was naturally someone who was dissatisfied, and that unexpected person was Go Seoyoung. "Why am I here?" It was okay for her toe and see Jinseok working at the school pub. After all, she was now an employee of "OS Entertainment," Kang Jinseok''s team. Following Jinseok wherever he went was also part of her job. "But toe here to take a picture of actor Kang working at the pub" However, the reason Go Seoyoung expressed dissatisfaction was that she was not a customer but an employee working in the pub. "Do they expect me to do kitchen work too?" Jinseok didn''t ask Go Seoyoung to work. It was Jang Sunho who did. "He told me to do kitchen work?" It wasn''t like Go Seoyoung liked Jang Sunho. When Go Seoyoung stared at him with disdain, Jang Sunho, who was washing dishes, casually asked, "Why do you keep looking at me like that?" "Are you asking because you don''t know?" "Yes. I asked because I didn''t know. Does Assistant Manager Go Seoyoung, who is asking because she doesn''t know, know the answer?" Even in the face of Go Seoyoung''s perplexed face, Jang Sunho responded calmly. "Are you asking Assistant Manager Go, who doesn''t know, for information?" Go Seoyoung sighed in frustration at Jang Sunho''s still-calm voice. "Taking pictures of actor Kang here and spreading promotional articles is fine. Because I get paid for that." "Yes." "But is this going too far? Why do I have to wash dishes?" "I''m doing it too." "No, that''s not what I mean! Why do the Team Leader and I have toe all the way here to wash dishes? Over there, we could have taken a cozy spot, enjoyed some snacks and soju" "Do you want to have a drink with me? If you do, we can make a separate appointment-" "No, that''s not it! Seriously, are you doing this on purpose?" While Go Seoyoung and Jang Sunho were bickering, the students working in the kitchen barely suppressed theirughter. At first, they were quite surprised when Jang Sunho and Go Seoyoung said they would work in the kitchen. And every time Go Seoyoung grumbled, it was ufortable for no reason. However, as they went through it, it became like aedy routine, and the students had already gotten used to it. Watching them bicker, the students in the kitchen, who were ustomed to the newlyweds'' squabbles, barely held back theirughter. It seemed that the students were already used to it as a sort of si. "I''m also a valuable resource." "Well, let''s not talk anymore." Seemingly tired of talking, Go Seoyoung responded vaguely. Phew! Maybe it was because she didn''t understand why she was doing this anymore, but Go Seoyoung sighed and asked bluntly, "No, then tell me the reason. If the purpose ofing here is to take a picture of actor Kang, then just take pictures. Why do I have to do the dishes?" "Would you like to be served by your assigned actor?" "Then let''s say it''s okay for the dishes! What about the pictures? If you want to take pictures, isn''t it better to call other reporters instead of me? If information about actor Kang working here is given, reporters will flood in, even more than ten dump trucks. And even the reporters who came to find you were all turned away, right?" Jang Sunho, pushing a clean cup to the side, calmly replied, "The reason is that the moment other reporters are called, it may look like actor Kang is forcing himself to do a show.''" "A show?" "Yes. The reason why the customers are amazed by actor Kang and treat him with joy is that his sincerity is conveyed. The sincerity that says, Right now, I am just a student in the Department of Theater, enjoying my work.''" "" "But if reporterse rushing in, both actor Kang and the customers will feel ufortable. Perhaps they''ll think, Kang Jinseok was called here. Is he trying to manage his image?'' like how politicians only visit traditional markets and volunteer for coal distribution during election season. Then, it bes worse than not doing it at all." "So, did you intentionally send reporters away?" Calmly speaking, Jang Sunho wiped the foam and moisture from the gloves and then grasped his sides, stretching in various directions. Go Seoyoung looked at Jang Sunho, who had be slightly more gentle, with a puzzled expression. "Did you even think about that?" "Of course. Isn''t it basic?" Jang Sunho, who had finished wiping the foam and moisture from the gloves, started doing the dishes again. Seeing his calm demeanor, Go Seoyoung smiled slightly. He''s really a good person.'' How many managers in the entertainment industry would think so much for the sake of the celebrity they are in charge of? Ten people? A hundred people? Regardless of the number, Go Seoyoung, who had been active as an entertainment reporter for a long time, was seeing such a person for the first time. How happy would it be to be a person cherished by such a person?'' As Go Seoyoung unknowingly began to have pink thoughts, Jang Sunho was looking at her sternly. "Your hands are idle. The speed is slow too. Don''t you do the dishes at home?" "" "Even though dishwashers are said to be good these days, primary dishwashing has to be done by hand. You know that, right? And use the detergent moderately. Using too much is not good. We''ll put them in the dishwasher again, but whenever possible, wash them with hot water." "" "In the food business, the first is hygiene, the second is also hygiene, and the third is hygiene." Again, with Jang Sunho''s nagging, Go Seoyoung''s pink thoughts quickly disappeared. "I will never meet this person even if they beg me to. How on earth does Kang Jinseok manage to endure this person''s nagging?" Annoyed, Go Seoyeong grabbed the te roughly. Bang! Unfortunately, the foam sttered in a ce the apron couldn''t cover. "Ugh" She had carefully chosen her blouse for the evening at the bar, but when foam stained it, Go Seoyeong''s face quickly turned into a frown. "They say the bar closes at ten tonight." It was truly the worst timing. However, since the spilled water was already done, she sighed and refocused on dishwashing. In the moment of concentration, Jang Sunho, who had been washing silently, spoke up. "After you finish, how about having something light? There''s an izakaya nearby that stays opente. Since you''ve been through a lot, let me treat you." "" "Take the day off tomorrow. I''ll handle things on my end as much as possible." Go Seoyeong didn''t respond immediately. It''s not like he''s ying with people or anything, what is this? But a faint smile gradually appeared on her face. *** After the bar closed, Seo Yeonsoo kept her eyes on Jinseok, who was driving beside her. "Oppa is driving me home" It was the first time. Although they had been on good terms for quite some time, until now, they had always gone their separate ways after work. When someone you like suggests driving you home, it''s a situation that would make anyone''s heart flutter. But "Hey! Jang Shono! You! Limma! No way!!" "" "He''s younger than me! Hey! You, superior! Well, then it''s not allowed!" "" "This sister has a good personality! Hey! You, just stay still I''m the boss! Do you know how scary I can be?!" Due to the thug causing a ruckus in the back, thanks to Go Seoyeong, no sweet atmosphere was allowed. Jinseokughed while looking at Go Seoyeong, who was causing a scene with alcohol-rted issues. "Manager Go Seoyeong, your alcohol tolerance seems to be quite low." Jang Sunho sighed and covered his face. "I''m sorry, actor. Manager Go was nning to send me home with just a little drinking tonight. I didn''t expect it to turn out like this." An hour ago, at 10 PM. When the bar closed, the students said, "We''ll take care of the cleanup ourselves," and sent Go Seoyeong and Jang Sunho off. Jinseok also tried to send them away, but he said, "Since I''ve touched it, I''ll finish it," and ended up cleaning with them. As a manager, Jang Sunho wanted to help Jinseok, who was working, but since there was a promise from Go Seoyeong, he asked Jinseok for understanding and went to the bar he nned to visit. Exactly, with half a bottle of soju, and half a ss of draft beer, Go Seoyeong becamepletely drunk. It took about 40 minutes for her to lose consciousness. "If she couldn''t pull herself together, she could have taken a taxi, but" However, Jang Sunho, who had watched Go Seoyeong''s intense drinking, didn''t have the courage to take a taxi. After much deliberation, he asked Jinseok for help. And now, riding in Jinseok''s car, heading home. "I''m really sorry, actor. If I hadn''t drunk, I would have driven, but because I drank, it turned out like this" "It''s okay. We''re almost there anyway. Where should I drop you off?" Thank you for saying that Oh! It''s our diligent Tune Manager! Wow, you''re good at washing dishes and good at work too Heek! Jang Sunho, dealing with the clinging Go Seoyeong, spoke while fastening her seatbelt again. No, Assistant Manager Go, pull yourself together. What kind of scene is this? Never mind. I''m going home! Seoul, Gwangjin-gu, Achasan-ro 35 What was it? Where''s my house? Tune Manager? At that, Jinseok''s eyes widened, and he asked in a surprised voice. Manager, are you two in that kind of rtionship? Absolutely not. This person is just drunk right now What?! I''m not drunk! I''ve been a journalist for ten years! Please After a while, Go Seoyeong, who had calmed down, was finally sent back to her seat by Jang Sunho. Jang Sunho apologized to Jinseok again. Actor, I''m really sorry. I''m sorry for even showing you this disgrace. Haha, it''s okay. It''s entertaining. Phew Jang Sunho, now exhausted, sighed deeply and leaned back into the seat. Until a short while ago, he had been lively until the end of work at the bar, but taking care of Go Seoyeong had drained all the energy from his body. Um In the quiet time with only the gentle radio flowing from the speaker, Seo Yeonsoo cautiously spoke. Manager Jang Sunho That''s correct, right? Yes, that''s correct. Sorry, but may I ask you one thing? A little tired, but not to the extent that he couldn''t answer, Jang Sunho nodded. I''ll answer if I can. Oh, yeah. There''s an OS Entertainment audition, right? I saw an article before, and it said that the manager was interviewed. Among the friends who applied together, there''s one who received a rejection notice, and there are still some who haven''t received any contact. Yes. Has the announcement for the sessful applicants not been made yet? Or has it already been done, and are all those who haven''t received separate contacts considered failed? I''m curious. Before Jang Sunho could answer Seo Yeonsoo''s question, Jinseok asked. Yeonsoo, did you apply to ourpany? Yes? Oh, yes. Somehow, I ended up applying Hehe. Really? Then Why didn''t I see it? Jinseok closed his mouth. There was no need to tell Seo Yeonsoo that I had seen the profiles of other applicants. And considering the number of applicants, it was natural not to see them all. As Jinseok was about to speak, Seo Yeonsoo grinned. "Why?" "Oh, it''s nothing. I just hope it goes well. Really." While Jinseok spoke with a smile, Jang Sunho looked at his mobile phone and said, "Some of those who haven''t received the announcement yet have been epted, and some have been rejected." Upon hearing this, Seo Yeonsoo''s face awkwardly stiffened. "Ah So, if you haven''t received a rejection notice yet, it doesn''t mean you''ve been epted?" "Yes. But you''ll find out soon. I scheduled an email to be sent tomorrow at midnight. Most will probably be rejections." "Midnight? At 00:00?" "Yes, not much time left." Jang Sunho casually mentioned, putting his mobile phone back in his pocket. In contrast, Seo Yeonsoo hurriedly took out her phone. [00:00] The clock in the car pointed to midnight. Vroom! Seo Yeonsoo''s phone buzzed. [Important) You''ve got mail] [Sender: OS Entertainment Audition Manager] [Content: Hello, I''m the OS Entertainment Audition Manager] Chapter 141: Chapter 141: When Jinseok pulled over the car for a moment in sync with the signal, she didn''t say anything until Jinseok, who had be restless, asked. "How did it go?" "Hmm? Oh, I haven''t checked yet." "Check it quickly. I''m curious." "Um" With a contemtive smile, Seo Yeonsoo fiddled with her mobile phone. "I''ll check when I get home. Feeling a bit nervous." She smiled again as she put the phone back into her pocket. I had expected her to check immediately. When I gave Seo Yeonsoo a puzzled look, she seemed to be aware of my gaze and said with a smile, "It gets awkward I failed for no reason. I''ll check alone at home and let you know right away." I was curious about the results, but I couldn''t keep pressing when the person involved said that. With Yeonsoo, it seems like she''ll pass.'' While I was thinking that, "If you''re worried that it might have failed, you can check." Jang Sunho said, pushing away Go Seoyeong, who was clinging to him from behind. "Ms. Seo Yeonsoo has passed." "Yes, really?!" "Although it''s a profile review, congrattions." The next morning, Jang Sunho''s officetel. "Assistant Go Seoyeong, I really won''t drink with you again." Jang Sunho said sternly, changing into a neatly ironed shirt. In response, Go Seoyeong, with a reddened face behind him, pped his hands, unsure of what to do. "I-I''m sorry. I don''t usually drink like that" "Not being able to drink is not the problem. In front of the actress and Ms. Seo Yeonsoo, making a scene is bad enough. And to make matters worse, after putting you up for the night, did I hear words like pervert or harasser when I woke up?" "Ah, no. It''s not like that. I was just surprised lying on a bed I''d never seen before, and when the team leader came into the room, I was shocked" "" "Some people slept in a decent house, but they stayed in a motelte at night." "I-I''m sorry." As Go Seoyeong bowed deeply, Jang Sunho stopped scolding her. He shook his head and chose a high-quality tie and tie pin that he often used for meetings. Unable to respond to Jang Sunho''s continuous admonition since morning, Go Seoyeong could only acknowledge her mistake obediently. Her manner of admitting her fault was quite submissive. "If you''vee to your senses, get up quickly and have a meal. I have a meeting at BDD Broadcasting Station today, so I have to leave now." Jang Sunho checked the time. If he left now, he would arrive 15 minutes earlier than the meeting time. He put on the jacket he had prepared in advance and left the room, saying, "As we promised yesterday, don''te to work today. If there''s anything urgent, I''ll take care of it, so don''t worry." "Ah Yes." "I''m off." With that, Jang Sunho went out of the house. Watching his back in a daze, Go Seoyeong came out of bed and headed to the living room. On the small table between the living room and the kitchen, a meal prepared by Jang Sunho was set up. [If the food has cooled down, please microwave it. After you finish eating, I bought a hangover cure, so take it. Don''t worry about washing or cleaning up; I''ll take care of it when Ie back. Just leave the dishes on the table.] There was a Post-it note on the cloth covering the meal. It was written in Jang Sunho''s neat handwriting that she had seen often. "Did he write this in advance, thinking I might be asleep in the morning?" Go Seoyeong pushed aside the note and the cloth. There were five side dishes, soup, and freshly cooked ricea neat arrangement that could fit into a family CF. Reflecting Jang Sunho''s personality, the dishes were arranged in a straight line, as if measured at angles. Steam rose slightly from the recently set table. Slurp. As she took a spoonful of the soup, she felt a relieving sensation in her stomach. It was truly impressive that he had personally made the hangover soup. "It''s delicious." In many ways, he was quite an extraordinary person. Good at work, good with words. "It would be nice if he were a bit more flexible." Although she herself was someone who clearly distinguished between work and personal life, she wasn''t as strict as Jang Sunho. "Well That has its merits." After taking a few more bites, Go Seoyeong finally had the leisure to look around. It was her first time in a man''s house. It was much neater than she had imagined. Jang Sunho might be someone special, after all. Drumroll. After finishing the meal, G Seoyeong gathered the dishes and took them to the sink. Although Jang Sunho had said to leave them as they were, given the situation where she had taken advantage of him and even borrowed his room, she couldn''t do that. However. "I told you to just leave the dishes. I need to do my own dishes to be at ease. If you really want to help, please ventte the ce before you leave." "" Indeed, Jang Sunho was above her head. And he was even principled about such trivial things. After the sessfulpletion of Jinseok''s pub. On social media, certification shots and reviews of visiting the pub began to overflow. -Kang Jinseok came to take the order, admired his looks, nodded his head, and the bill came out to be 70,000 won. But it''s not regrettable. Kang Jinseok personally gaveplimentary drinks. Oh, and he even ced an order to make Kang Jinseok more attractive. -10,000 won ordermemorative photo.'' -I''m a practical music student who opened a daily hof in the store next to the theater department. There were too many customers on the theater side, and I almost couldn''t pay the rent for the pub, but he volunteered to help. Thank you. -Really very handsome and very kind. Apologized for thete arrival of the side dishes Almost had a heart attack. Among many posts, the most discussed one was amunity post from Kwon Sunhee,'' who had worked in practical music, on the YouTube channel (Kwon Sunhee). I watched yesterday, and I never thought I''d see Mr. Jinseok in person I had so much fun working all day. Let''s hit 10 million views for !! A photo with Jinseok, Kwon Sunhee, and her brother Kwon Seokhoon, affectionately raising their fists, apanied the post. Although articles specting about Jinseok and Kwon Sunhee''s rtionship circted after this photo was shared, they all became the talk of the town before He descended from the portal site. Of course, not all thements were positive. Kang Jinseok looks like he''s here for a show. Those customers must be pre-selected part-timers. Just standing there while Kang Jinseok serves? Not even rushing in? If you don''t know, just stay quiet. You can''t approach within a 1-meter radius in person. It''s a sacred no-entry zone. These kinds of people''s specialty: Can''t even ce an order when they go. No, they probably don''t even have the money to go. Is he a zombie? Running towards people just because he saw them? Ah, shouldn''t feed these types ofments. But leaving them alone will probably boost their spirits and lead to more posts. Excluding a fewments like these, the reactions to Jinseok''s pop-up pub werergely positive, just as Jang Sunho had intended. This was good news for Jinseok and OS Entertainment. However, naturally, for those who always regarded Jinseok as a thorn in their side, it was absolutely not good news. KL Entertainment Conference Room. The room, already always dimly lit, today exuded an unusually eerie and gloomy atmosphere. Representative Lee Youngkyung sat at the head of the long circr table, with branch managers from 1 to 6 sitting on either side. Lee Youngkyung red at the branch managers one by one before speaking in a bitter voice. "When we I mean, when you belittle Kang Jinseok, the more you bring him down, the more he seems to shine. Am I the only one who feels that way?" Everyone, except Branch Manager 1, swallowed dry saliva at the representative''s words. "Well, it''s not your fault that his image has improved because of what happened at Kang Jinseok''s pub this time. But" Branch Managers 3, 4, 5, and 6 became more tense because they knew Lee Youngkyung''s words were directed at them. Branch Manager 3, who had recentlye to his senses due to the incident with Kwon Seokhoon, had hands trembling beneath the table. "It''s true that your leniency towards Kang Jinseok has allowed his little trick to work. Am I wrong?" "Oh, no!" "Your words are uraurate. Yes." The sinners replied in unison, not to unnecessarily provoke Lee Youngkyung''s mood. Lee Youngkyung cast a chilling gaze over these sinners. "Can''t even manage to get him one actor and role. Failed to ruin the atmosphere on set. Now, failing even to handle it directly, and our actors being taken away?" "" "Our proud branch managers jointly created a big mess. Isn''t that right?" Except for Branch Managers 1 and 2, the four sinners exchanged nces. Anyone could step forward and try to appease Lee Youngkyung''s difort. However, your four managers,cking the courage, could only hope that Lee Youngkyung''s anger wouldn''t escte too much. "Now, as we''re about to start shooting the audition program, Kang Jinseok''s face, that guy''s face, will be all over the ce for a while. I''ll have to endure that sight again." "" "But am I the only one who feels this way? Why is everyone silent? Hey!" Bang! Lee Youngkyung mmed the table, causing the managers, particrly those excluding Manager 1, to flinch. "Trusting these guys, saying I went on business trips to Japan, China. It''s unbelievable, just unbelievable." Lee Youngkyung paused for a moment, started smoking a cigarette, and tapped the table with his fingertips. "Manager 1, what do you think about the current situation?" Looking directly at Manager 1 sitting across from him, Lee Youngkyung asked abruptly. Manager 1, without being flustered by the sudden question, calmly responded, "I believe there''s a lot for our KL Entertainment to reflect on for being so domineering toward one actor and onepany. The responsibility lies with each manager, but I also think it''s with me, the overall manager, who couldn''t control them effectively." "Responsibility for Manager 1 too?" "Yes." "Hmm" Lee Youngkyung made a displeased sound, then, as if annoyed,bed his gray hair back and said, "Does Manager 1 understand our current situation?" "Of course not. It''s an uneptable situation-" "No, that''s not it. Do you understand why we''re helplessly dealing with this situation?" At this remark, Manager 1 looked at the sinners with a pitiful expression. "If that''s the understanding you have, it''s even worse. Even a stray dog eats its share before going home. Yet, KL Entertainment is suffering in South Korea, not even abroad. It''s absurd." "That''s what I''m saying. Our managers, all of you have done well so far, right? We put up the celebrities we wanted, asked whatever we wanted from them" "" "So I''ve been thinking carefully, and there seems to be only one reason for this situation." Lee Youngkyung pierced Manager 1 with cold eyes as he stated, "My conclusion is this." "" "There is a traitor in this meeting room." Chapter 142: Chapter 142: The word "traitor" cast a colossal, heavy, and icy silence in the conference room. Managers and team leaders, standing behind them observing the meeting, began to feel a cold sweat forming on their backs. Meanwhile, Lee Youngkyung stared menacingly at Manager 1. The intensity of his gaze made the other managers stay silent, cautiously navigating the situation between Manager 1 and the CEO. "It won''t be like that," Manager 1 said, looking straight at Lee Youngkyung. "For others, I don''t know, but the people in this room have their lives tied to the CEO." "" "Isn''t that right?" Manager 1''s words solidified the expressions of the managers. It was because the forgotten vulnerabilities of their own, constantly changing managers surfaced. Perhaps sensing the managers'' changing expressions, Lee Youngkyung, in a much softer voice than before, spoke. "Well, that''s true." "" "But, Manager 1, saying it like that makes me sound like a really bad guy. I''m not that bad." "If it was unpleasant, I apologize." "It''s not that unpleasant." With a hollowugh, Lee Youngkyung stood up from his seat. "Hmm. I guess I was a bit emotional in today''s meeting. Suspecting you, the Managers. I apologize." After a formal apology, Lee Youngkyung headed toward the door of the conference room. However, instead of leaving the room first, he hesitated and then looked back at Manager 1. "Manager 1,e see me separately. Come up to my office." *** "'' CEO Lee Youngkyung has started to suspect internal figures, so it might be difficult to contact for a while.''" After reading the message sent by Manager 1, Jang Sunho deleted it. He then stretched his neck, calmly contemting. "It was quite helpful, but is it going to be tough from now on?" Jang Sunho shook his head. If there was no help from Manager 1, he would manage the incidents on his own. Standing up from his desk, he cracked his knuckles and straightened his back. Coming to the office early in the morning had left his body a bit fatigued. The reason for this fatigue wasn''t solely due to long hours. It was because of Go Seoyeong. Since that day when he lost sleep, the fatigue hadn''t dissipated properly. "Hmm. It''s been over a week, but feeling tired like this is a bit strange As the actor suggested, maybe I should get a check-up." Knock, knock. At that moment, the voice of the employee who had brought Jinseok to him spoke. "Team leader, it''s Yeom Junyeol. I brought actor Kang Jinseok. May wee in?" "Yes,e in." As the door opened and Jinseok entered, he was greeted with a bright smile. "Hello, Manager. Good morning." As if the fatigue he showed a moment ago was a lie, Jang Sunho replied with a strong and reliable voice. "Yes, Mr. Kang. Good morning. Today is the first shoot for the audition program. How''s your condition?" Before the first shoot of the audition program. "Your skin is really good. Did I mention that? Normally, I only work with female actresses. Male actors seem to have rougher skin, and my skills don''t shine as much. But with you, it sticks perfectly as I draw." "Ahaha Thank you." A makeup artist, wearing something that looked like a swimming cap, examined my face with a brush, or rather, makeup. Although I thought I had be ustomed to makeup after several shoots, this enthusiastic makeup artist made me feel a bit drained. Surely, I had been full of energy until I met Jang Sunho at thepany and came to the shooting location. If Jang Sunho were with me, he probably would have noticed my mood and said something, but after sitting here at the makeup table, he only left the room, saying, "I have something to discuss with the PD. I''ll be back in a moment." Thanks to that, I was suffering at the hands of the makeup artist, wearing what looked like swimming goggles and a swimming cap. "Well, how is it? I tried to capture the image the writers and PDs mentioned earlier in a moderately stylish way." I didn''t know what moderately stylish'' meant, but my face didn''t seem to have changed much from its original state. "If I had said it directly, it felt like I would have to erase everything I''ve done so far and start over. So, I just smiled and nodded, saying, Haha, yes, it feels good.''" "Haha Yes, it has a good vibe." "Really? I focused on preserving the original because the original was good. Indeed, actors who act well like you also have an eye for makeup, huh? Actors who notice these subtle details reallyst. Oh, I enjoyed the movie. By the way, what cosmetics does actress Yeo Hyemin use? We want to put them in our shop. And what about her and the bar she worked at? Does she still work there? If she does, maybe I could" After that, the swim cap bombarded me with a barrage of questions andments that I couldn''t answer all at once. Fortunately, the swim goggles didn''t have much to say. If they were as lively, I might have lost my mind. "Sorry for beingte, actor. The conversation with the PD got a bit long." While I was smiling weakly, trying to answer somehow, my savior, Jang Sunho, appeared. Although he always had a sturdy presence, today, I was especially d to see that figure. As Jang Sunho approached me, the swim cap looked at him. Perhaps he wants to ask about the makeup and boast about his skills. However, Jang Sunho, without paying attention to the swim cap, looked at me in the mirror and said, "Let''s get started. It''s time for your interview shoot." "Ah, yes!" I stood up with a bright smile. From behind, I heard the swim cap say, "Do well ande back! I''ll definitely watch the broadcast!" After a brief nce in his direction and a light wave, I followed Jang Sunho. As we entered the interview studio, only the chair in the center was visible. All the lights were concentrated on that chair. Feeling a bit solemn, I approached the PD, who was busy giving instructions to the staff and greeted him quietly. "Hello, PD. I''m Kang Jinseok." "Oh, yes! You''re here. I''m PD Lee Geonyoung." The PD smiled and greeted, then added with a sorry expression, "Mr. Kang Jinseok, I''m really sorry, but the interview with the other judges in front took a bit long. Would it be okay for you to go straight into the interview shoot?" "Of course. That''s fine. Do I just sit there?" "Thank you. Then please." As I sat in the central chair and looked straight ahead, my face appeared on therge screen next to me through the camera. As talkative as the swim cap was, her skills seemed to be good because, through the camera, my face glowed smoothly. The interview, based on pre-discussed topics, wasn''t difficult. It was about my recent activities, impressions of Absolute Unlicensed Counseling,'' andmitments as a judge on the audition program Let''s Be an Actor.'' However, towards the end of the interview, the PD said something not in the script. "Judge Kang Jinseok. Before we interviewed the judges, we had an anonymous vote from the audition participants." "A vote?" "Yes. It was a poprity vote for the judges, and you came in first, sir." At the mention ofing first, a smile unconsciously spread on my face. While I was smiling, a staff member handed me a box with a round hole in it. Inside the box were numerous small, round balls. "What''s this?" "It''s a box with the missions for the audition. Just pick the first audition mission." "Let''s Be an Actor" contestant waiting room. In this ce where 100 applicants gathered, there was a subtle psychological warfare going on among them. It couldn''t be helped. Everyone waspeting for the few casting'' tickets avable. In this context, the only good friends were Kwon Seokhoon and Seo Yeonsoo, who quickly became close due to themonality of being Jinseok''s friends.'' Kwon Seokhoon quietly said to Seo Yeonsoo, "Wow. The atmosphere is no joke. It''s iparable to the KL Entertainment rookie audition." He said it like this, but there was no sign of tension in Kwon Seokhoon. Perhaps because he was a veteran actor even though he was a participant, or maybe he was nervous but didn''t show it. Only he knew. "Well, even if you don''t know Mr. Kwon, I" "Ms. Yeonsoo is famous too. Even if the public doesn''t know, other actors should know, right?" "Hehe Maybe." "Don''t be too nervous. It won''t help if you''re more nervous." "Yes" Always confident Seo Yeonsoo was unusually tense at this moment. Cameras were installed everywhere on the ceiling and walls, making her feel constantly aware of being watched. At that moment, the screen installed in the waiting room turned on. As it did, the attention of the applicants, who had been silentlypeting, shifted to the screen. On the screen, only a ck space and ordinary chairs were visible. "Looks like they''re showing the judge''s interview again. Who''s it this time?" In the same scene as when the six judges appeared earlier, Kwon Seokhoon said with his fist clenched. Soon, when Kwon Seokhoon confirmed the face of the person who appeared on the screen, he smiled subtly. "It''s Actor Kang Jinseok." The one who appeared on the screen was Jinseok. [Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok.] As Jinseok greeted with a smile, the waiting room buzzed with excitement. It wasn''t just Jinseok; it was the same when the other judges were interviewed. [After the release of Absolute Unlicensed Counseling,'' I''ve been quite busy. Meeting fans, attending school events, and other than that, always doing what I used to do] Seo Yeonsoo watched Jinseok''s interview with sparkling eyes. He''s really good. Way to go, Jinseok oppa.'' The title of judge'' suited him so well, and there was no hesitation in Jinseok''s words as if the position was natural. He was clearly on a different level from herself, who was tense in front of multiple cameras. While Jinseok was conducting the interview, he looked at the box handed to him by the PD and asked. [What''s this?] [This is a box containing the missions for this audition.] At the mention of missions,'' the waiting room buzzed again. "An audition mission?" "I thought we just had to act. Was there such a thing?" "I think it''s a mission expressing what kind of acting to perform?" A deep hum prated through, and the voices of the PD and Jinseok continued to emanate from the speaker. [Would you like to open the ball once? There''s a mission inside.] [Sure.] Jinseok''s hand was shown in a close-up. On the back of his hand, appropriately masculine, attractive veins were visible. He used that hand to take out and check the mission slip. [Wow This wasn''t just an audition? They do things like this too?] When Jinseokughed as if to say, "Really?" the PD responded with a satisfied tone. [Even if it''s an audition, it''s entertainment. Please read the mission.] [Sure.] Jinseok, chuckling again, smiled subtly and showed the note to the camera. At the same time, Jinseok recited the mission. [Haha The first audition is Role yed by the Judge Random.''] Chapter 143: Chapter 143: One Month After the First Shoot in Tokyo, Japan In thete evening, on a bus heading home in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, a high school girl showed her smartphone to her friends, all dressed in the same school uniform. "Kyoko, have you seen this?" " Episode 3? You watched it, right Huh? It''s Episode 4? Did I miss it? Why didn''t I know?" "A girl who wants to be an actress can''t miss this. It was uploaded yesterday. Let''s watch it together." What they were watching was Episode 4 of with Japanese subtitles. Like many popr Korean variety shows, was also avable on Netflix. [Hoo. Well, I don''t know. The applicant, Lee Jinwook, seemed very confident, and he acted in his own way, but He seems overly confident. His understanding of the role wascking. I''d like to say he looks confident, but Well, it''s a bit hard to watch. Yes. Director Yeo Jaeyoon, how was it?] Min Kyungsoo, who had watched the audition participant''s performance, sighed deeply. "Just now, the script that applicant Lee Jinwook acted in is the one actor Kang Jinseok performed during the audition. Right in front of me. When I saw actor Kang Jinseok''s performance at that time, it gave me goosebumps Now, Lee Jinwook''s performance gives me goosebumps in a different way. How can he be this bad?" The harsh evaluation from Yeo Jaeyoon echoed, and the face of the applicant was shown in a close-up. It was a face that seemed like it would burst into tears if touched. In response to the applicant''s reaction, Yeo Jaeyoon continued mercilessly. "Acting is a process of convincing the audience The acting Lee Jinwook showed us nowcks persuasion. I don''t know what he was thinking while acting, but it''s just cringe-worthy. He just said he was the post-Kang Jinseok, but it was the worst. I don''t know how he survived until now." As if not wanting to see anymore, Yeo Jaeyoon closed his eyes. Continuing the severe evaluation, tears finally flowed from the applicant''s eyes. Seeing that, one of the high school girlsmented, "Really, what the judges say is so scary. Saying it''s the worst, isn''t that too harsh for a Korean audition variety show?" "You didn''t watch Episode 3? This one is something else." "Why? What happened in Episode 3?" "He said that if he had done like Kang Jinseok, he would have done better than Jinseok-nim himself." "Huh? Really? Even though their faces are so different?" After gained immense poprity in Korea, it was released worldwide, extending its sess to Asia, Europe, and the United States. Unfortunately, it didn''t gain as much poprity in English-speaking regions, but it became a huge hit in Asian markets. At that time, with Netflix distributing worldwide, the show caught the attention of viewers around the globe. In Japan, especially among the younger generation, particrly women, was receiving a lot of love. The applicant disyed on the high school girl''s smartphone screen bowed his head, shedding tears like small droplets. [Hoo. How was Judge Kang Jinseok? Since you acted in the role you did yourself, you probably have a lot to say.] Seeing this, Yeo Jaeyoon sighed and asked. [Um Lee Jinwook, in the first mission, showed the role Oh Manho'' that I yed in . At that time, he did so well that I had high expectations this time too, but it''s a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, your fundamental skills seem very solid. Although the other judges spoke very harshly, I didn''t see it as that bad.] As Jinseokforted the crying applicant, the eyes of the high school girls sparkled. "He''s so handsome. How is he so good-looking? And he speaks so kindly." "Yeah. Ah~! Why don''t we have someone like Jinseok at our school? If we did, I''d somehow get to know him." "Even if we had someone like him, you wouldn''t date him? Kyoko-chan, you might." "What''s it to me!" "Why are you asking if you don''t know? You only have to look in the mirror." "What are you talking about?" "Look in the mirror." As the students bantered about, a middle-aged man in a worn-out suit observed them silently. "Huh, I knew Kang Jinseok would be famous this quickly." The person they were watching on their smartphones, or precisely in the reflection of the screen, was Katashiro, the director of . He had wanted to cast Jinseok as the lead in his work for a long time. Katashiro took a deep breath and thought. Yet, the casting for is not over yet. But would he want to participate in a movie where I previously offered 2.5 million yen for his appearance?'' 2.5 million yen, approximately 25 million won. Although considering that Jinseok was not as famous back then'' as he is now, it was still too little. But Katashiro couldn''t help but be grateful to the investors who had offered such a small amount. That''s how tight the money is in the current Japanese film industry. More urately, spending was stingy. From some time ago, good actors disappeared from the movie industry. Even talented actors go to dramas, and rookies don''t even try to do movies. Directors are the same. Those who have some skills have all moved to animation or other industries.'' Perhaps the abnormal distribution of profits might be the problem. Regardless of how it turned out, the conclusion is that the Japanese film industry is in a dark period. I heard that dramas and animations are still holding their own to some extent, but movies themselves are in a deep abyss. In the midst of that, if they offered 2.5 million yen, investors probably considered my reputation. However, it''s absurdly insufficient. There''s no reason for me, as Kang Jinseok, to appear in a film right now.'' If it were a Hollywood production, he might have been able to bring Jinseok in with a lower appearance fee. After all, Hollywood has many actors who value international exposure. However, "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World" is a domestic production in Japan. Unless one is foolish, there''s no reason for a highly valued actor in the prime of their career to appear in their own work. "Hmm." As Katahiro recalled the Japanese film industry, a sigh escaped from him. The female student who overheard nced at him suspiciously. "But the guy behind keeps looking at us and sighing. Is he a pervert?" "Really? It''s ufortable." "Hey, be quiet. If he hears us" "Should I get off? I''m scared. What if he follows us?" As the students spoke, Katahiro gave a wry smile, hearing their conversation. It wasn''t anything special for Katahiro to be treated this way. Although he was a somewhat respected film director in the industry, the reality of being a Japanese film director'' was not so favorable. With such an attitude, whenever he used public transportation, there were always people who looked at him with disdain, thinking he was not worthy. He just wanted to draw inspiration from the mundane stories of people. "I''m sorry, but I have to get off. Could you please step aside for a moment?" "Huh? Oh, yes." The female student, holding a smartphone and wary of Katahiro, moved aside with her friend. Katahiro nodded slightly in thanks and got off the bus. Watching the departing bus, Katahiro quickened his pace. The meeting was imminent, and there was no time to dy. *** Presenting his ID at the first-floor lobby, Katahiro took the elevator. As he walked through the familiar corridor, the conference room came into view. "I''m a bitte. I apologize." Katahiro opened the door to the conference room and spoke. The people inside, who were in the middle of a conversation, stopped and looked at him. "Oh, the director is here. Please take a seat. We might have a lot to discuss." A man with short hair offered him a seat and said, "Yes, thank you." As Katahiro sat in the middle of the conference room, the surroundings became even quieter. In the atmosphere where everyone was dying who would speak first, Katahiro asked. "What''s going on? What happened?" Breaking the silence, the man with short hair responded. "Director, have you seen Absolute Unlicensed Counselling'' by any chance?" "Of course. It''s the film I rmended featuring Kang Jinseok, the actor I supported from his unknown days. Even if not, it gained so much poprity." "Well yes. I thought about it, considering it was Director Katahiro. You recognized his talent even when he was an unknown actor." "Yes. But why that film all of a sudden?" When Katahiro asked, the man let out a sigh of distress. "Do you know which distributionpany brought in that film?" "I believe it''s Shoshukura. It''s apetitor of Toho Corporation, our sponsor." "That''s right. I assumed it must be Director Katahiro behind it. You knew the value of that film since Kang Jinseok was an unknown actor." "Yes. But why suddenly bring up that work?" Katahiro asked, and the man sighed as if in pain. "Thepany that imported that film, do you know where they are?" "I''m aware of it. Shoshukura. They are apetitor of Toho Corporation." "Yes, they are. I don''t know how they managed to bring in that film, but there have been quite a few stories about it." "What kind of stories?" "Well I won''t go into details. Since Absolute Unlicensed Counselling'' is gaining such enormous poprity, we decided not to make a work centered around romance.''" Not make a work? At the shocking news, Katahiro''s eyes widened. "Oh, no. What do you mean? What''s the reason" "Um. Well, I won''t beat around the bush. Since Absolute Unlicensed Counselling'' is attracting so much attention, we decided not to create a work with a romance'' theme to avoid diminishing the poprity of theter work. If the work supported by Toho Corporation, under Director Katahiro, receives worse reviews than Absolute Unlicensed Counselling,'' it would damage our reputation." "Just for that reason my work?" "It''s not just for that reason. As Director Katahiro knows, our decision to support the director''s work was out of respect. After all the time we''ve spent together." "" "But the situation has changed, so there''s nothing we can do. Since it hasn''t gone into production, you can simply cancel it with a reasonable penalty, considering it''s already cast." Katahiro, looking dumbfounded, stared at the man. The man forced a smile and said, "Haha, it''s not like our connection ispletely severed. If Director Katahiro wishes, we can introduce you to ourpany''s animation department or the drama productionpany that has a close rtionship with us." "That''s enough." "What?" "I said that''s enough." With an air of bewilderment, Katahiro kicked his bag on the floor and stood up. "A year ago, when I came here with this project, all of you made a clear promise to me. For the revival of the Japanese film industry, let''s bring out that unique, poignant emotion we can create so well. Let''s help once again introduce Japanese films to the world.'' That''s what you said." "" "But to just abandon a project for such a reason ha. Is it difficult to produce a work because a simr one is popr? Won''t you do it to avoid losing apetition with a rivalpany? It''s just too sad to think that your distribution and confidence at the forefront of the Japanese film industry are only at that level." As Katahiro was about to leave the room, he paused. After taking a deep breath and organizing his thoughts, he bowed. "Thank you for everything until now. Goodbye to the Japanese film industry." Thud! With that, Katahiro left the conference room without any regrets. If they had decided not to create the work, there was nothing more to see. A few minutes ago, Katahiro retraced his steps through the corridor he had walked. No one came to stop him. Outside thepany, Katahiro headed towards the main road. In the midst of busy traffic, he hailed an empty taxi. "Wee. Where would you like to go?" "Doesn''t matter, just go anywhere." "Really?" "Just go anywhere." The taxi driver assessed the passenger through the rearview mirror. Despite his neat suit, he didn''t seem to have much money. Seems like something bad happened.'' "Alright. We''ll get going then." From the driver''s perspective, as long as he got paid, it didn''t matter where they went. He started driving silently. After about 20 minutes of driving through the city, the passenger''s mobile phone rang. The driver paid no particr attention and continued driving in silence. "Hello? Wh-who is this? How did you get my number, no, more importantly Yes? No, really? All of a sudden, how No, no, I''m fine. Sorry? No, I''m good. I''ll go to Korea right away. No, I have plenty of time." The passenger, who had been staring out the window as if the world had copsed just a moment ago, regained his vigor after a phone call. "Huh." After ending the call, he sighed in wonder. Observing the sudden change in the passenger, the driver, who had been silently watching, hastily averted his gaze when the passenger looked at him intently. "Driver." "Yes, yes." "How long does it take to get to the nearest airport?" "Um?" TN: Ghaddd I wish I could watch Jinseok movies in real life. Chapter 144: Chapter 144: After the shooting. When I got home, I was lying in the living room like a dried squid. Entertainment is really not easy. I tried , but it wasnt that hard. It was just a video of me doing what I usually do. But entertainment like , which is densely packed from 1 to 100, was so difficult that it could make other activities impossible. I dont remember how the first shoot went. From the second or third one, I got used to it, but if it was as hectic as the first shoot, I might never have done entertainment again. But today, theres no shooting, so I should rest at home for a long time. I thought I was resting, but I didnt mean to just lie down and do nothing. I had to check the CFs and magazine interviews that Jang Sunho left behind, and I had to fill the empty refrigerator and clean the house that I had put off for a while. First of all, I have to fill the refrigerator. How much does the mart in front of here deliver for free? I picked up a mart promotional paper that said SALE! and sat on the living room sofa. Pork is on sale Should I make bulgogi after a long time? If I season it and put it in the refrigerator, I can eat it for a while, so its okay. Even though kimchi is on sale, its expensive. Its better to buy ingredients and make it. At that moment, when I was pondering with my chin, the mobile phone lying on the living room floor rang. I checked it out and it was Jang Sunho. Hello? [Actor. Im sorry to bother you while youre resting. Are you out?] No. Im at home. Why? [Oh, I just wanted to talk to you for a moment. Can I go to your house now?] Yes, of course. Should Ie if youre busy? [Since Im nearby, Ill go.] Yes. As soon as I hung up the phone, I headed for the refrigerator. I knew it, but it was really empty. I should give him something to drink when the guestes. I have to order delivery. I immediately ordered coffee from the delivery app. The expected delivery time was 15 minutes. I waited, hoping it would arrive faster than Jang Sunho. Ring ring ring ring. "But then, I heard someone opening the door lock. The only people who knew my house door lock password were me and Jang Sunho, so it must be Jang Sunho. As expected, the door opened, and Jang Sunho came in with both hands full of something. Have you arrived? But whats that? I bought some drinks and side dishes for you to eat. I thought it was time to fill the fridge. Jang Sunho was definitely a ghost. Then excuse me. Jang Sunho put the coffee and fresh fruit juice on the living room table and headed for the refrigerator. It was thergest garbage bag filled with something, but before I went to help, Jang Sunho had already finished organizing in the kitchen. Im sorry toe suddenly when you must be very tired. No, its okay. But whats going on? Is there anything wrong with ? Its not that. Dont worry too much. By the way, since it came up, let me tell you first. Its about , and it has risen to second ce in the Chinese box office. It seems difficult to get first ce. Unfortunately, it oveps with the sequel to . Jang Sunho sounded regretful, but I was more happy than regretful. If its second ce, it means that my acting is recognized not only in Korea but also abroad. The reason I came to see you today is because of the next work. Jang Sunho continued to speak while taking a sip of coffee. A lot of movies havee in. Park Jongbin, Heo Chanwook, and Choi Jangsoo, among others. Park Jongbin, Heo Chanwook, and Choi Jangsoo? Did their workse in at once? Yes. Its not surprising, but anyway. Its not surprising? Haha, yes. Butpared to the reputation of the directors, the synopsis and script didnt fit that well. I dont know how the actual work will turn out, but in my judgment, the feeling is not good. While speaking calmly, Jang Sunho took out several scripts from his bag. They were all works of great directors whose names I had heard a little while ago. Can I take a look first? Of course. If you have any roles or works that you like, please feel free to tell me. The script was epted with gravity as if receiving a sacred offering. After reading each line of dialogue and description, the coffee I had ordered earlier arrived. By the time the ice in the coffee bought by Jang Sunho and the newly arrived coffee hadpletely melted, "Hmm" It''sckingpared to the director''s reputation.'' That statement was urate. It''s not bad, but there''s ack of that "wow" feeling. The characters are unique, and the background and flow are interesting, but strangely, it didn''t click. Casting strong actors with ticket power, given the director''s name value, might make it okay While pondering which work to choose, I suddenly remembered a Japanese work that hade to me before. "A bit of a different story, Manager-nim. What about The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World''? What happened to that?" "Oh, that" Jang Sunho hesitated, obscuring the details before finally speaking. "The Japanese productionpany contacted us. They said it fell through. Oh, not that they''re not casting you, but they decided not to make the film at all." "That work? Why? It was so good." "There are severalplicated issues involved. I don''t know everything. If you want, I can look into it in more detail." "No, no. That won''t be necessary." Perhaps sensing my disappointment, Jang Sunho cautiously asked, "Were you considering that work?" "Yes, that work was really good. Originally, if everything had gone ording to schedule, wasn''t I supposed to audition soon?" "Yes. The productionpany also apologized, saying it was decided hastily." "Yeah" The more I thought about it, the more regretful it seemed. Did he sense my feelings? Jang Sunho, with his index finger on his chin, bent towards me and asked carefully, "If you''re so disappointed, I can talk to the CEO once." "Talk to the CEO?" "Actor Kang Jinseok really has an alluring project, but the productionpany gave up on it. So, what if we bring it in and give it a try once OS Entertainment establishes itself to some extent? The CEO mentioned doing original works when thepany is more stable." I extended my hand directly into the overwhelming scale. "While the project is tempting, it''s a bit overwhelming. It would cost a lot too." Jang Sunho, slightly surprised by my words, calmly said, "That''s a bit surprising. It would be a burden, indeed." Actor. Not only , but usually romance works dont cost that much to produce. Even if its not big, doesnt it cost more than 50 or 60 billion won? I think Director Yeo Jaeyoon said that this work cost about that much. 50, 60 billion haha. Thats right. Hmm. Jang Sunhoughed awkwardly as if he didnt know what to exin. 5, 60 billion won is certainly a lot of money. But considering the size of OS International, its not that much money. Moreover, if youre doing a project that the CEO is directing, 60 billion won is enough money to spend. You have to follow the procedures, but . And youre saying that because you dont know how much profit OS affiliates are making just by having raised Actor Kang Jinseok. Especially since has made an incredible profit since it exceeded 5 million viewers. Even if you invest in an original work once and fail, it wont even show up. I nodded my head without realizing it at Jang Sunhosfortable voice. Its not like youre asking for something unreasonable, right? Youre investing in good work, and you can get it almost for free. If you want it, Ill do my best. I felt sorry for Jang Sunho for making him do something difficult for me. When I couldnt answer right away, Jang Sunho smiled as if it was okay. Its not that difficult to bring up the story to the CEO, so Ill just tell him. Dont worry too much. OS Internationals representative office. The wall, which used to be decorated with masterpieces andndscapes, is now filled with various drama and movie posters. Jang Sunho, Secretary General Kang Kyungsik, and Oh Haneul were having tea timete at night in that representative office. So, our Actor Kang Jinseok wants a certain work? Oh Haneul asked, his eyes and head sparkling. Yes, Representative. Its a work called , and its a work written by a Japanese director. I see. And that work has now beenpletely canceled, right? Thats right. When we looked into it in a hurry, it seemed that they hadpletely withdrawn from Toho, which they had originally nned to produce. Oh Haneul drank the soup while listening to Jang Sunhos exnation. The tea is good. Its a tea that a Chinese samoyed who knows me well sent to me to have a meal with Actor Kang Jinseok. "Yes? Oh, yes." "Anyway, yes, about the project Kang Jinseok, the actor, wants What do you think, Director Jang? Is that project suitable? Does it seem good?" Though there was a yful tone, Jang Sunho nodded firmly in response to Oh Haneul''s serious voice. "It seems to be on par with Breathtaking Reckless Driving.''" "As you know, Breathtaking Reckless Driving'' could be the first romanticedy film in South Korea to reach ten million. Nevertheless, any change in your thoughts?" "Just by reading the script, it seems so. And depending on who acts in it, the dynamics might change, don''t you think?" "So, if Kang Jinseok acts, it might surpass Breathtaking Reckless Driving''?" "With the right release timing and appropriate marketing, I believe it''s possible. The total production cost would be at least 7 billion, but in my judgment, the risk is not on the significant side." Upon hearing this, Oh Haneul leaned back on the sofa, his forehead creased in contemtion. Jang Sunho couldn''t help but feel doubtful. "Why is he contemting so much?" Oh Haneul rarely engaged in contemtion.'' His decisions were usually based on the intuition and experience that came from being a shrewd businessman. Because of this, he faced quite a few failures when he was younger, but now, as his stature indicated, he has achieved significant sess. Why is he pondering so much? Is he not particrly interested?'' Oh Haneul''s extended contemtion, unusual for the bulldozer-like way he usually approached things, prompted Jang Sunho to cautiously sip his cooling tea, perhaps sensing something. "If we take on that project, it will be the first original work for OS Entertainment, right?" As Jang Sunho set his teacup down, Oh Haneul seemed to have resolved his contemtion and opened his mouth. "Yes." "In that case, it''s a bit of a dilemma. The first step is crucial for future sess. Well, fine. I trust the eyes of Kang Jinseok and Director Jang. Secretary Kang, since it''s decided, please proceed." Kang Kyungshik, sitting beside Oh Haneul, nodded. "Understood." "But where is the director who wrote that script? We can''t just inform him out of the blue that we''ll support him and expect him to make it. We might need to take a look first." "Oh, yes. You''re right. He''s probably in Japan." "Japan, huh? How about we go eat sushi in my hometown after a long time? It could be a good opportunity to meet the director." In response, Kang Kyungshik firmly stated, "We don''t have time for that, sir." "Well, we have to eat to live, though." "Still, we don''t have time." "I''ll have it wrapped up and delivered." Oh Haneul looked at Kang Kyungshik as if feeling disappointed. Jang Sunho, barely suppressing a smile, spoke to both of them. "I have the director''s contact information. Shall I call him now?" "Please do." As soon as permission was granted, Jang Sunho went to a corner of the executive office and made the call. In a short while, he returned to his ce. "Sir, I just spoke with him." "Good. How will the meeting proceed?" "He''s heading to the airport right now. Conveniently, he was already in a taxi." "Huh, the director seems to have affection for his work." Satisfied with Jang Sunho''s words, Oh Haneul smiled and said, "For that project, even if it costs a lot, make it big." Chapter 145: Chapter 145: For 365 days a year, the bustling heart of South Korea, Incheon International Airport, never took a break. It was evening, the time to wind down the day, but the airport continued its relentless activity. In the midst of it all, there was someone wearing a particrly poignant expression Director Katahiro. "Is this thend of Kang Jinseok, the actor?" Although he had visited Europe and the United States several times for shootings, events, and studies, this was his first time in neighboring Korea. Exiting the gate and heading towards the bus stop, Katahiro felt the chillyte spring air. Struggling to find his way to the bus bound for Gangnam, he leaned his head against the seat. "Excuse me" At that moment, a woman sitting in the adjacent seat spoke quietly in Japanese. Katahiro, not thinking she was addressing him, closed his eyes and tried to sleep. "Um, excuse me. Are you Director Katahiro?" At the mention of "Director Katahiro," his eyes shot open. Looking at the person who called him, he saw a young woman who seemed to be a college student or a young worker. "Are you talking to me?" Katahiro pointed at himself with his thumb. "Yes. If you''re not, I''m sorry." "Oh, no. I''m Katahiro. But how did you recognize me?" Even in Japan, very few people recognized him. Surprised, Katahiro looked at the woman, who responded with a charming smile. "Really? That''s amazing! I''m a big fan of yours, Director. I''ve watched all the films you''ve made. Oh, I''m sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I''m Inoue Masaki!" "Ah yes, I''m Katahiro Takeshi." Perhaps because he had met a fellow countryman in Korea, or maybe it was the recognition, that Katahiro''s voice sounded a bit brighter than usual. "Director, if you don''t mind, can I sit next to you?" "Yes, of course." As Katahiro cleared a space for her bag, Inoue took a seat beside him. "By the way, Director, what brings you to Korea?" "Oh well." Katahiro chuckled as he recounted the events of the day. He exined how he had originally nned to work on a project with Toho, but it fell through. Inoue initially showed surprise and joy upon hearing that Katahiro was working on a new project. However, her expression darkened upon learning that it had been canceled. Curious about Inoue''s reaction, Katahiro wondered. "In fact, after watching one of your films, Director Katahiro, I dreamed of bing a film actor." Inoue sighed before slowly speaking. "After watching your work, I wanted to be an actor. When my friends watched dramas or anime, I watched movies. The first film I ever watched was your ''10 Centimeters Per Second.''" "Oh" Katahiro''s smile, mixed withplex emotions at hearing about his work after a long time, emerged. Back then, making movies seemed fine.'' "So, I studied acting and took lessons to be an actor. But living as a film actor in Japan was too difficult. People around me looked at me strangely. Some said I had a maniacal taste for choosing movies over dramas." "" "So, I came to Korea. It was too hard to make movies in Japan. But you know that saying, There is no paradise where you escape.'' Even in Korea, it''s not easy. Since I''m not fluent in Korean, the roles are limited, and there are so many actresses who are much prettier than me I even thought about getting stic surgery. I have a very ordinary face, you know, and my figure is too." "Oh, I see" "I eventually gave up and was nning to return to Japan. But today, I''m heading back onest time to audition. It''s not for a film but for an agency audition." "You''re auditioning at this hour?" "Yes. I don''t know why, but the audition coordinator suggested having the auditionte in the evening. Anyway, that''s why I boarded this bus again, thinking it might be myst chance." After Inoueined for a while, she brought both hands to her cheeks andughed brightly. "Haha, sorry. I''ve been talking too much, bothering the director with these pointless stories. I apologize." "No, it''s okay. More importantly I''m the one who should apologize. Someone like me should have somehow created a good environment for young actors. But, I guess I got caught up in my own concerns and neglected that." Perhaps because they found themselves in simr situations, Inoue and Katahiro, who had just met on the bus today,fortably shared their stories as if they had known each other for a long time. Squeak. As the bus stopped after about two hours, Inoue spoke. "I''m getting off here, but are you going further?" "Where is this? I need to get off at Gangnam.''" "This station is Gangnam. You almost missed it." Caught up in a conversation with someone he could talk to after a long time, Katahiro had forgotten to get off. Following Inoue, he stepped off the bus. Inoue, who got off first, was retrieving her suitcase from the luggagepartment underneath the bus. A momentter, after taking out all her luggage, Inoue said to Katahiro, "Well then, I''ll be going now. Director, it was an honor to meet you!" "Oh, yes. I truly appreciate it." "Yep!" Despite the difficult situation, Inoue said goodbye cheerfully. Katahiro closely watched her. She resembles her.'' It wasn''t about her resembling someone he knew. Inoue''s personality and image were simr to the protagonist he had envisioned while writing his works. "Inoue-san." After pondering for a moment, Katahiro cautiously spoke. "Yes?" "You mentioned auditioning this time, right?" "Yes, yes." "If things don''t go well, well, I hope they do in any case" Katahiro mumbled, handing his business card to Inoue. "Please give me a call. I didn''t mention it earlier, but there are people interested in investing in my next project, so that''s why I came to Korea." "Oh" "But nothing is confirmed yet. Anyway, Inoue-san, go ahead and attend the audition you nned to see. If you happen to not make it, please contact me. My social media handle is also on the card." Inoue epted Katahiro''s business card as if receiving a billion-dor check, carefully. Looking at the card, she repeated Katahiro''s name several times, expressing her gratitude. Then, she bowed deeply. "Thank you! I will definitely get in touch!" "Haha, saying you''ll definitely get in touch sounds like you''ll fail the audition. Well, even if you do well, contact me. A passionate actress like Inoue-san is always wee." "Yes!" Katahiro quietly observed Inoue, who bowed to him in gratitude. He pondered whether to offer advice on the concerns he heard from her on the bus or stay silent. "Inoue-san, earlier on the bus, you mentioned being troubled because there were many beautiful actresses. You even considered stic surgery." Having made up his mind, Katahiro cautiously spoke. "Yes? Oh, yes." "This is just my personal opinion, but I hope you don''t undergo surgery. Inoue-san, you have a very charming aura. You said you look ordinary, but depending on the role, you can have a very attractive appearance." "" "Perhaps I hope it doesn''t happen, but if someone criticizes Inoue-san''s appearance with your features, don''t be swayed. You''re someone who can portray your own unique beauty." Suddenly sharing a serious conversation, Katahiro felt a bit embarrassed and gave a gentle smile. "Haha, I got too serious. You can just let it go. I apologize for holding you up when you''re probably busy." "Oh yes. Thank you, Director. I''ll check it out!" "Yes, be careful." With those words, Inoue left, leaving Katahiro alone. He checked his phone. "Well, now I should go to the hotel. Where should I go?" Fortunately, Kang Jinseok''s agency, who expressed interest in investing in his next project, had arranged amodation for him. After pressing the reservation text sent by a man named Jang Sunho, whom he had spoken to on the phone, a map in Japanese appeared on his cellphone. "Even receiving such treatment in Japan" Jang Sunho''s sent map was quite intuitive, making it easy for Katahiro, who was visiting Korea for the first time, to find his way. After walking for about 10 minutes following the map, he soon arrived at his destination. Taking a deep breath, Katahiro looked at the building in front of him. "Is this it?" He thought it would be nice to stay at a capsule hotel if it was a sincere arrangement, but what he found was something else. There were stars outside the hotelfive stars to be exact. So, the hotel reserved by a person named Jang Sunho turned out to be a five-star hotel. "Haha, I must havee to the wrong ce. Let''s see" Backtracking, Katahiropared the hotel in the photo on the map with the building in front of him. No matter how hepared, this building matched. "Should I make a call? There''s no way the director would provide such a luxurious hotel for free. Did he mistakenly send it to someone else?" As Katahiro puzzled over it, a few men and women in suits came out of the hotel''s main entrance. Thinking they were blocking the entrance, Katahiro sidestepped to avoid them. However, the suited men and women continued to follow him. "Korean employees are really persistent." Eventually, Katahiro raised both hands and made a gesture of apology. The man at the front of the suited group smiled and spoke. "Are you Director Katahiro?" *** Katahiro and Inoue, who gained some courage after their meeting on the bus, were in different situations. She was at a Korean agency for an audition and interview. After finishing her prepared acting, Inoue, speaking in somewhat awkward Korean, said, "I am Lee Sang." Not only her voice but also her tense expression and gestures revealed her nervousness. The short-haired judge with heavy lipstickughed and said, "Hoho, you don''t need to be so nervous. You did well." "Th-thank you." "Yes. Your acting is really good, but there''s a bit of an issue with pronunciation. How long have you been in Korea?" "It has been one year. I study Korean every day." "Self-taught?" "Yes." "Impressive. If you start learning properly, you''ll improve quickly." Seeing the positive reaction from the judge, Inoue smiled subtly, showing a pleased expression. Meanwhile, other judges nced at Inoue''s profile, scrutinizing her with sidelong nces. Although Inoue wanted to listen to their conversation, no words reached her ears. "First of all, your acting is truly impressive, and I really like it. I highly appreciate that you studied Korean on your own because you want to act in Korea. Your passion is remarkable." Watching the nervous Inoue, the woman among the judges who seemed to hold the highest position apuded and spoke. "Oh Yes, yes!" "As I mentioned earlier, there is a slight issue with pronunciation, but that can improve over time, so it''s okay. Or, you could take on a role that suits slightly awkward Korean, like a foreign exchange student.''" Inoue''s eyes widened at the overwhelmingly positive words. Despite attending numerous auditions, she had never experienced such a good atmosphere before. I decided to try this onest time, and it was a good decision!'' Although not cast in a project, she had passed an audition for a Korean agency. She could work hard here, not being picky about roles, and someday, she might shine. While Inoue was immersed in such happy thoughts, a judge with a seemingly higher position spoke with a thoughtful tone. "However, looking at your profile, I felt it, and there''s something about your appearance It''s just that there isn''t a distinctive, attention-grabbing quality. When you see actors, especially actresses, you can feel their aura. If you don''t have that taste, do you understand?" "Oh Yes." "I''m not saying you''re ugly. It''s just that you give off a very ordinary feeling. Unless a director specifically looks for ordinary appearance,'' it might be challenging to secure roles. Do you understand what I''m saying?" Inoue felt stifled as if a rock was pressing against her chest. It was aplex she was aware of. Whether her feelings were evident on her face or not, the judge smiled kindly and continued. "I''m not saying there won''t be opportunities. If you promise to do well as I tell you, there might be a way. How about it?" "A promise?" "Yes. Um, Inoue, you''re busy, and I''m busy, and we both have a lot to do, so let me just say it." The judge smiled subtly, tempting Inoue with a look like an enticing devil. "Let''s change you a bit. Oh, I misspoke. Not change,'' but cultivate.'' Sorry." "Change?" "Well, it could be surgery or exercise, something like that. Don''t be too scared; it''s something everyone does to a certain extent. As a woman, I won''t ask you to do anything bad to another woman." The judge licked her deep red lips, concluding her words in a seductive manner. "Inoue, if you promise to listen to me and do as I say, I''ll take responsibility and turn you into a star." "" "Not just me. It''s our KL Entertainment, Actor Team 2." The judge emphasized the collective effort of KL Entertainment, suggesting that it wasn''t solely her decision but a coborative effort from the entire team. Chapter 146: Chapter 146: In the face of KL Entertainment''s Room 2 Director''s words, Inoue felt like she had been hit in the back of the head. Should she do it or not? If she does, what will be of her life from now on? It wasn''t a deliberation she had anticipated during the audition. She was literally dumbfounded'' by the unexpected words. "Don''t think too negatively. Inoue, you probably understand, but our KL Entertainment is not a smallpany, and the hospital we know is the best in the industry. The surgery period will be incredibly short. You know that Korean stic surgery is the best in the world, right?" As Inoue, with unfocused eyes, looked at herself, the Room 2 Director smiled and said, "And Inoue is on the lucky side. There''s a director who wants to use a Japanese actress at a good time, so that''s why you were allowed to audition at thiste hour. The role is quite good too." The phrase good role'' made Inoue''s gaze waver. Like drug addicts reacting to the word drug,'' the phrase good role'' was just as provocative, especially for actors, especially for those dreaming of bing actors. Inoue clenched her fist tighter. Even though she had heard the insulting words of getting surgery directly, the phrase good role'' made her feel miserable. I don''t want to run away anymore'' But, as Inoue said to Katahiro on the bus, she had already escaped from Japan toe to Korea. In doing so, she gained the important realization that there is no paradise for those who flee. Now, the only remaining options are to ept this proposal or give up acting altogether.'' That was the thought, but Inoue knew well that she couldn''t easily give up on acting. Then, what should she do? There was only one option left. Inoue squeezed her fist even tighter against her thigh. And at the moment she was about to say something, she felt the sensation of paper being crumpled in her pocket. Not like a receipt or a note, but the firm and thick feeling of paper. Katahiro''s director business card.'' It was Katahiro''s business card that said to contact him if this audition didn''t go well. As his face came to mind, thest words he said echoed in Inoue''s ears. "Perhaps it shouldn''t happen, but if someone criticizes Inoue''s appearance, don''t waver. Inoue is someone who can portray her own beauty through acting." To change herself or give up actingshe thought those were the only two options, but there was one more option. "Director Katahiro hasn''t confirmed anything about the project yet" Even so, if it were Director Katahiro, he would support the kind of acting she wanted to do. Of course, she would have to continue working part-time to make ends meet. "Hoo!" Inoue took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. Inoue''s decisive reaction made Room 2 Director smile like a snake. "Did you decide to give it a try with me?" "Director, do you happen to know Japanese?" Without answering her question and abruptly switching to Japanese, the Room 2 Director looked at the team leader beside her with a puzzled expression. "Japanese? Well, most of the judges here can understand it to some extent." "Then, I''ll speak in Japanese. I feel like I need to express my thoughts urately." Inoue said with a firm voice. "First of all, thank you for giving me the audition opportunity. However, I didn''t start acting simply to look good to others. Unfortunately, it seems that our directions are different. I will pursue my own acting." "" "That''s it." Inoue''s eyes, which were filled with confusion and anxiety just a while ago, were clear again. "Inoue, what I said might have hurt your pride a bit, but think about it again. Actors who want such opportunities have struggled in both Korea and Japan. There''s nothing to be ashamed of." The Room 2 Director persuaded Inoue, paying attention to her change. "And as I mentioned earlier, the hospitals we work with at KL Entertainment are among the best. You can''t even make a reservation without an introduction. I''m confident that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Inoue." If the voice a moment ago was like the seductive voice of a devil, now the Room 2 Director''s voice was like that of an angel. A voice that genuinely wanted to help Inoue. "I''m fine. So, please give that opportunity to someone else." But Inoue, who had already made up her mind, didn''t waver. "Thank you for stayingte to see the audition. I''ll take my leave now." Inoue, finishing her words, tried to leave the room without looking back. "Well, if that''s how you feel, there''s nothing we can do. You''re free to go." Just before she opened the door, the Room 2 Director spoke. "However, let me say one more thing. This might be a precaution, but if you go out and talk about what I said, it won''t do any good. You might even end up backfiring. We''ve already checked all electronic devices when you entered, so there''s no evidence. You probably understand roughly what I mean, considering your age, right?" Inoue, about to exit, hesitated for a moment. "I hope you understand. Anyway, you''re free to go." With that, Inoue left without saying a word. "Ha, that damn woman. Selling herself so dearly. What a cheap woman." The Room 2 Director muttered curses while taking out a cigarette from inside his jacket. "Light." "Yes, yes!" The team leader hurriedly provided his lighter. Fortunately, the team leader quickly found a lighter and lit the Room 2 Director''s cigarette. Phew. As smoke emanated, the team leader hastily opened the window and turned on the venttion. With a loud noise, the smoke in the room was instantly sucked out. The papers inside the room fluttered due to the much stronger effectpared to the venttion in a meat restaurant. "Phew" The Room 2 Director, who smoked the cigarette to the end, irritably took another drag, and the team leader quickly lit it again. After smoking one after another, she seemed somewhat satisfied. With a much softer voice than before, she asked: "Among the Japanese actresses who auditioned, was there anyone else Park Bokyeong PD specifically mentioned, aside from her?" "I''m sorry. There was only that woman." "Hmm. She''s twisting things. Why is that bastard suddenly obsessed with a Japanese actress? If he liked her looks, he should''ve just cast her. Why create such a fuss for us?" "Haha Park Bokyeong PD seems very sincere about character development, don''t you think?" "Sincere about character development? What a joke. He''s just trying to please his eyes." The Room 2 Director asked with her hair roughly tousled: "Among the actresses in our Room 2, who were about to enter Park PD''s project?" "Yes. And both of them said they would bring in a certain actress, Inoue, for their project" "I know! But she already stormed out. What should we do? Kidnap her or something?" "Oh, no. It''s not like that. I just" The team leader, hesitatingly speaking, earned a pitiful look from the Room 2 Director. After gently massaging her temples for a moment, she sighed. "Well, we can''t help it. You better find someone simr to her quickly. Whether it''s a Japanese exchange student or someone active in Hallyu. Since it''s a minor role, acting skills don''t matter." "Understood. But, Director" "Why?" "Do you think Park PD might have seen that woman, Inoue, even if she wasn''t his choice?" "Do I have time to spare? Absolutely not. Do you keep asking obvious questions?" It was the expected answer. The team leader asked one more question. Then what if the woman suggested getting surgery and wanted to sign a contract? How would you handle it? "Just stick her in a PD Park film, and it''s done. Am I her mother? Do I have to take care of everything from one to ten?" "" "Why ask something so obvious? It''s not like we audition actors once or twice." As the 2nd manager dismissed the strange question with an air of Why ask such an obvious thing?'', her phone rang. Checking the caller ID, she grumbled, "Damn, why does this pervert keep calling," and cleared her throat before answering the call. "Oh my~ PD Park Bokyung, at thiste hour, for what reason? Yes? Ah, that friend? I saw her in person, but she wasn''t that great. Hmm. I''d rather you leave it to us in ourpany. We have a neer with a simr vibe, innocent and all Yeah. Leave it to me; I''ll persuade her." The 2nd manager left the room. Watching her back, the team leader had only one thought in his mind. The 2nd manager, that woman is really a nasty one. *** "Are you Director Katahiro?" Katahiro was puzzled as he looked at the man who spoke to him in Japanese. "Yes, if you mean Katahiro Takeshi" Even in Japan, where no one recognized him, he was already the second person in Korea. Katahiro nodded as he met the man''s eyes. "It''s an honor to wee the representative''s guest. I am So Imhoon, the general manager of The OS Hotel Gangnam.''" "Huh?" The representative''s guest? Honor? General manager? Katahiro couldn''t help but spit out an unwittingly ridiculous question. Whether he didn''t hear it or didn''t want to upset the guest''s mood, Imhoon continued to guide Katahiro into the hotel without a change in his expression. "We''ll escort you inside. Pleasee in." "Oh, yes" Although it seemed that he was being escorted, Katahiro felt ufortable, as if he were being dragged away in handcuffs. It was the first time he had received such treatment. "Is this all your luggage, sir? We''ll take you to your room." Katahiro clutched his bag as the friendly staff member tried to take it. "No, it''s okay. I''ll go on my own. Yes." "Are you sure you''re okay?" "Yes, then. Good night." Hurriedly, Katahiro ran to the elevator. Even in the elevator, he felt tension on his face, like the protagonist fleeing from ghosts or monsters in a horror movie. Once inside, he pressed the button for the 22nd floor. Even the friendly staff members looking at him through the gap in the elevator door were making thatforting smile again. Surely, it was a smile that should put his mind at ease, but Katahiro felt ufortable. "What''s this? Why are they treating me so well?" Suddenly, Katahiro recalled histe mother''s words. Behind unexined kindness hides a frightening conspiracy.'' [22nd floor.] As the elevator door opened, Katahiro quickly began searching for room 57. His initial intention was to calm his mind alone in the room and try to make sense of the situation. "55, 56 Here it is." Holding the keycard, Katahiro opened the door. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, a beautiful Seoul skyline, simr to Tokyo but distinctly different, greeted him. "Are they expecting so much from my work to give me a room like this just for a meeting?" As Katahiro reached for the fridge to find water, there was a knock. Knock, knock, knock. Someone hade to find him. Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Knock, knock, knock. The knocking sound echoed again. "" For some reason, at the heavy knocking sound, a bead of sweat ran down Katahiro''s back. A man, guided to a luxurious suite with a warm wee in a foreignnd, and strangers who came to himte at night. In a situation that could be straight out of a thriller, Katahiro''s heart thumped. Simultaneously, his mother''s words, "Behind unexined kindness hides a frightening conspiracy," continued to echo in his mind. Katahiro slowly approached the door and secured the chain. Then, he checked through the peephole to see who might be outside. "Yikes!" It was a tall man with a shaved head, holding a 007 bag, and his expression frozen like a statue. Katahiro swallowed dryly in fear. "Is he a Korean yakuza?" "He doesn''t look like hotel staff." The intimidation emanating from the man outside was substantial enough for Katahiro to entertain such thoughts. He turned his eyes away from the peephole and leaned against the wall to catch his breath. Then, Vrrrr! The vibration of the mobile phone on the ss table sounded like a thunderous noise. Though louder than usual, it wasn''t that surprising. Due to the tension, Katahiro reacted more sensitively than usual. Hurriedly, he checked the phone. [OS Entertainment, Jang Sunho] "Why would he call at thiste hour?" While questioning, Katahiro felt somewhat grateful. In this unfamiliar ce with no acquaintances, at least there was someone he could ask for help. Although he could have called the hotel front desk, Katahiro was too overwhelmed by the extravagant reception and the sudden appearance of the intimidating man to consider such a simple solution. After some hesitation, Katahiro answered the call. "Hello?" [I apologize for thete-night call, Director. I got the notice that you checked in at the hotel, so I contacted you. Actually, our CEO would like to meet you tomorrow morning as the first schedule. So, I came to discuss a few things before that.] "Discuss? In the hotel room?" [Yes. I''m right outside the door now. However, I knocked, and it seems you''re not inside. Did you go out?] While continuing the call, Katahiro nced through the peephole at the man outside. "Is this person Jang Sunho?" Thinking of the man who saved his work from being discarded, he imagined a short, stout uncle. Instead, the man outside looked like the beast from Beauty and the Beast, just before the enchantment was lifted. As Katahiro was hesitating, he heard the man outside still talking on the phone. "It seems I can''t get in touch with him. I wonder if he went out." "Ah, no. I''m here. Just a moment." Katahiro unlocked the chain and opened the door. The man outside, Jang Sunho, greeted him with a deep bow and spoke fluent Japanese. "Nice to meet you, Director Katahiro. I apologize for thete-night intrusion. I am Jang Sunho, team leader of the Actor Team at OS Entertainment." *** Is it okay to buy sirloin, sirloin tip, and tenderloin even if it''s with the production card? It all looks expensive. Late at night, Jang Sunho was inspecting the side dishes and ingredients he had filled the refrigerator with. When Jang Sunho had provided side dishes before, thinking he paid for them with his own money, I apologized. Jang Sunho replied, "It''s the support fund specified in Actor Kang Jinseok''s contract, so don''t worry." Isn''t this a bit too much, no matter what. It would be easy to eat, but it seemed too wasteful to force down the precious beef. To make it delicious, I should season it with hunger. While contemting this, when he was organizing the refrigerator. "[Oppa, so about eating with the judges and participants this time. What are you going to do?]" From the mobile phone ced on the counter next to the refrigerator, Seo Yeonsoo''s voice was heard. It was on speakerphone. Although I had seen Seo Yeonsoo''s face in passing during the shooting of "Let''s Be an Actor," I hadn''t had a proper conversation with her, so I called her to ask about her recent situation. "Eating with the participants? Ah I forgot. My mind has been all over the cetely, so I didn''t think about it." "[What will you do if you still haven''t decided? Our team is shooting at the next shoot, as PD said to foster camaraderie in the final stages. So, fostering camaraderie like that will work, right?]" Seo Yeonsoo said with a mischievous tone. "Well, there''s still some time left. I''ll think about it slowly." Seo Yeonsoo, who applied for "Let''s Be an Actor," survived until the final 20. As you can tell from the term our team'' mentioned a little while ago, she, along with other participants, would eat together at the next shoot. Where should we go?'' Looking at the SNS of other actors, pictures taken on rooftops or at upscale restaurants were frequently posted. But I didn''t know about those ces. The ce I know and like for dinner is the frozen pork belly restaurant and the simple Korean meal ce where I went with the guys from the warehouse in Seongsu. The cost-effectiveness is good there. If we go to the pork belly restaurant, we can take care of all the staff. Should we go there?'' As I was thinking this, suddenly, I heard the lively voices of boys from the distance. ("Noona! Check my homework! I did everything Mom asked!") ("I did everything Dad asked! But, Noona, he copied the answers!") "[Hey! Didn''t I tell you not toe into Noonan''s room?!]" ("Hehe, who are you talking to on the phone to get so surprised~?") ("Uhu~ Noonan''s boyfriend? I should tell Dad~ I won''t tell if you give me pocket money~") "[It''s not a problem who I''m talking to Hoo. I''ll contact you again. My parents are on a trip, so I have to take care of the kids now.]" "Oh? Ah, okay." Around the time Seo Yeonsoo hung up, Jang Sunho faintly smiled at the unexpected context and closed the refrigerator door. I guess the cleanup is done. Since there are no special schedules until tomorrow, how about watching a movie tonight?'' Coincidentally, among the things Jang Sunho had bought, there was microwave popcorn. It was a popcorn with a note attached that read, Eat only one a week. It makes you gain weight.'' Humming a tune, I was about to put the popcorn in the microwave when his mobile phone rang. It was Jang Sunho''s KakaoTalk. [Manager-nim: I apologize for thete hour. The director of "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World" has entered Korea. He wants to meet tomorrow afternoon. Are you avable?] The director is in Korea? The next morning, VIP Guest Room at The OS Hotel Gangnam.'' A middle-aged man in a suit with an ordinary look and a bald gentleman with a shining head were sitting across from each other. Jang Sunho was standing behind them, escorting the two. "Haha, you don''t have to be so nervous. Have some tea before the car arrives. It''s quite good tea." The bald gentleman, Oh Haneul, rmended the tea with a smile. "Uh Yes, thank you." The middle-aged man, Director Katahiro, tried to drink the tea cautiously, making as little noise as possible. "How was your sleep? Our Team Leader Jang Sunho did his best to choose the best ce for you in a hurry." "Yes. I slept very well. I never imagined receiving such extravagant treatment." "Haha, you''re being humble, saying it''s extravagant." With a benevolent smile, Oh Haneul lowered the teacup again. Then, looking at Katahiro, he said, "Regardless of what Team Leader Jang Sunho said about me, I am a businessperson who invests only in things that are worth investing in. I''m not a phnthropist." Throughout his words, Oh Haneul was smiling, but there was clearly a bone in his words. Unable to overlook this, Katahiro asked in a tense voice, "Do you mean you see potential in my work?" "Yes. To be precise, I believed in the vision of Team Leader Jang Sunho behind me." While speaking, Oh Haneul nced at Jang Sunho. "But why is Team Leader standing? Sit down. Don''t strain your legs." "I find standing morefortable." "It''s ufortable to look up at you." "I''ll sit down, then." When Jang Sunho sat down, Oh Haneul continued speaking. "Let''s finish the conversation we were having. Team Leader Jang Sunho mentioned that your work, Director-nim, has the potentialparable to .''" "My, my work?" "Yes, Kang Jinseok really wanted to work on your film. And" Oh Haneul paused, looking straight at Katahiro before continuing. "After receiving Team Leader Jang Sunho''s call and hearing that you wereing from Japan to Korea, I felt the director''s passion for the project. Trustworthy support from a subordinate, the choice of excellent actors, and a passionate director. With these three elements, the project can''t fail. So, I decided to invest. My gut feeling was good too." "Th-thank you." "Just show your gratitude through a good piece of work." After quickly finishing his words, Oh Haneul pped his hands to lighten the mood. "Now! Shall we get into the business discussion?" Katahiro nodded with a more tense expression. "Yes. I assume you''re quite busy, so it''s better to proceed." "Thank you for understanding. Frankly, there won''t be much for us to discuss. Detailed matters will be handled by Team Leader Jang Sunho and other staff." "Yes." "I''m just here to provide the money, so don''t think too hard about it." "Haha" Just providing the money, so don''t think too hard about it.'' No matter what the situation, the most important thing in creating a piece of work is money. And every solution to a problem involves moneywhether it''s time, manpower, or anything else. Although Oh Haneul consistently spoke lightly, Katahiro couldn''t treat him casually. "I''m not one to beat around the bush. I''ll ask directly. How much production budget do you need?" Asking directly like this. Even though he had made quite a few works so far, this was the first time Katahiro encountered an investor like this. "In What''s the upper limit?" Katahiro asked, swallowing dry saliva. "For now, don''t worry about theplications. Just tell me how much money you need to turn your script and the image in your head into a movie." Although squeezing within a set budget was a skill, being told to do as he pleased was a first for Katahiro. His head started to getplicated. Yesterday, I discussed with Team Leader Jang Sunho, and Kang Jinseok''s appearance fee is around 60 million yen. So, I should match the supporting role with 30 to 40 million yen. Other main supporting roles, 10 million yen, minor roles, 3 to 4 million yen Korean actors'' fees are too expensive. Considering the staff''s sries and other expenses Fortunately, there won''t be much money going elsewhere'' Deep in thought, as Katahiro was pondering, one particr idea flickered across his mind. No, the actors originally nned for the film, except for actor Kang Jinseok, are all Japanese actors. I should calcte differently.'' "Oh, um, if it''s 500 million yen" With his forehead dampened to the point where sweat formed, he spoke with a trembling voice. "I can create a wless work No, I will make it." Even as he spoke, he felt it might be too much. Honestly, even three or four hundred million yen would have been sufficient. Regret washed over him for not discussing the production budget during the meeting with Jang Sunho yesterday. However, the words were already out, and there was no turning back. As Katahiro closed his eyes, waiting for Oh Haneul''s reaction, at that moment "If it''s 500 million yen, it''s a bit less than 5 billion won, isn''t it?" "More precisely, it''s 4,777,300,000 won, Representative." After Oh Haneul asked Jang Sunho with a puzzled expression, he turned to Katahiro for confirmation. "You said 500 million yen. Did you misspeak?" "Oh? Um, if it''s a lot, then 400 million yen should be enough" "I heard Team Leader Jang Sunho say you need about 7 billion, so I thought a generous 10 billion yen would be appropriate." "Oh" Katahiro, overwhelmed by an amount he hadn''t even considered, anxiously looked at Jang Sunho. Sending a gaze that said, "Is this person joking right now?" Jang Sunho remained expressionless, tilting his head. "Oh, and, President. The 7 billion I mentioned earlier is already a considerable budget for a romance film. Even considering the trend where the Korean film industry doesn''t spare expenses for production these days." "Ah, I see." "Yes. Spending 10 billion on a romance film might be excessive. Since this project is not a historical drama." Listening to Jang Sunho''s exnation, Oh Haneul nodded in understanding. "Let''s just go with that. Anyway, thepany probably nned the project based on a 10 billion won investment." However, what came out of his mouth was far from that. "Originally, you need ample funds for everything to run smoothly on set, don''t you?" With Oh Haneul''s significant words, vitality returned to Katahiro''s eyes, which had lost their vigor. Chapter 148: Chapter 148: 10 billion yen, 100 billion. It''s not the name of a house or a dog, not even a cat. It''s a vast amount of money that most people around the world would nevery eyes on in their lifetime. At the mention of investing such a huge sum by Oh Haneul, Katahiro trembled. "10 billion yen for my work?" Just thinking about it made his heart swell. With that kind of money, he felt he could create a truly perfect piece of art in every aspect. That''s why, if it were most directors, they would have epted Oh Haneul''s proposal without hesitation. "Can I take on that responsibility?" It''s not ten million or one hundred million yen; it''s 10 billion yen. Investing a lot of money doesn''t guarantee a good piece of work, but when given a substantial budget, a director is fated to produce something outstanding. Even with ample funding, if Katahiro couldn''t create good work, he would be a director without skill "Director Katahiro." Katahiro clenched his fist. The warmth and moisture of sweat clung to the tips of his nails. "Let''s make a decision." Would he give his best with a reasonable budget, or would he create the best with the best budget? The answer was clear. Looking straight at Oh Haneul, Katahiro spoke. "10 billion yen, I''ll use it well. I won''t waste a single yen, and I''ll control everything. No, I''ll prove it through the results, as you suggested." It was a resolute voice, like a general making a pledge to a king before heading into battle. Oh Haneul, seemingly pleased, smiled so broadly that his gums showed. "If you didn''t hesitate and epted the money right away, I was going to set the total production budget'' at 10 billion yen. But" "?" "If the director had simply taken the money without thinking, it seemed like he wanted to take responsibility for the money. I''ll support you with a production budget'' of 10 billion yen. We can discuss the total production budget, including promotion and marketing expenses, afterpleting the work." With the increased budget, Katahiro blinked and asked with curiosity. "Can I know why you''re supporting me to this extent?" "Of course. I mentioned it earlier. This project is ourpany''s monumental first original." "" "If I''m going to spend money anyway, I prefer to spend it decisively. In case you thought I was stingy about money because I''m bald, change your perception of bald people from now on." Speaking solemnly until the end, Oh Haneul''s mention of baldness at thest moment brought an awkward expression to Katahiro''s face. Seeming to find the reaction amusing, Oh Haneul, satisfied, chuckled lightly before rising from his seat. Jang Sunho followed suit, and Katahiro, too, stood up somewhat unsteadily. "Well, I''ll be going now. Don''t see me off." Oh Haneul waved his hand casually and left the reception room with leisurely steps. Watching his retreating figure in a daze, Katahiro received ament from Jang Sunho. "Well, Director. Now that the fundraising is over, it seems appropriate to discuss the practical matters with me. But before that, shall we have a meal?" "Oh, yes! I''ll treat you to the meal. I''ve received such a grand reception." "No, it''s not necessary. The CEO gave you a personal card to use during your stay in Korea." Jang Sunho took out a ck card from his wallet and spoke. "Actor Kang Jinseok has also arrived at the hotel, so let''s go. Is there anything specific you''d like to eat?" *** A Japanese restaurant on the top floor of THE OS HOTEL Gangnam.'' I, Jang Sunho, and Director Katahiro were seated in front of a rotating sushi conveyor belt, contemting our choices. What should I eat?'' To be precise, I was the only one in confusion. It was my first time at a rotating sushi restaurant, and as I pondered what to eat, the sushi kept passing me by. When I finally decided to grab one, Jang Sunho would deftly pick it up first. So this time, I made up my mind to unquestionably eat the red te that caught my eye from a distance. Hurry up.'' At the moment I aimed for the tempting red sushi te "?" Jang Sunho once again picked up the sushi I was eyeing. Always getting along like a well-matched couple, today they seemed to be especially in sync, making it challenging for me. Unable to reach for anything and frozen in ce, Jang Sunho asked with a concerned tone, "Aren''t you eating, Actor? Do you happen to dislike sushi?" I couldn''t just say, "The manager ate everything I wanted to pick," so I justughed. "Haha, no, I like sushi. I''m just struggling with what to eat." "Rotating sushi is like a good piece of work. If you hesitate too much with a good piece, other actors might snatch it away, don''t you think?" Yes. And now it''s the manager who''s snatching that good piece of work, right? I covered it up with a smile, not revealing my thoughts. Katahiro, looking at me apologetically from the left side of Jang Sunho, said, "I''m sorry if you don''t like sushi. I mentioned wanting to try Korean sushi." "Oh, no, Director. I really like it." Feeling like I was burdening both Jang Sunho and Katahiro, I randomly picked up a passing te. It happened to be an egg roll. Choosing an egg roll as the first sushi among all these high-quality options wasn''t the most polite thing to do, but knowing it wasn''t courteous to put it back, I ate it right away. "It''s delicious, maybe because it''s an expensive ce." After finishing the egg roll, I immediately picked up another passing sushi. Now that Katahiro seemed a bit relieved, he started talking to Jang Sunho again. Most of their conversation was rted to the production of "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World," and I didn''t have much to contribute. asionally, I would answer questions about acting or confirm how proficient I was in Japanese. "There aren''t many customers." In reality, I was a bit worried when Jang Sunho suggested eating here. The rotating sushi restaurant I had seen in pictures was generally a public ce, and since the release of "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling," I had gained quite a few fans who might recognize me. Well, maybe there was no need to worry. The manager probably had everything nned. More importantly, could I have a meal here with the applicants for the "Let''s Be an Actor" audition? It seemed like a good idea. Putting those thoughts aside, I grabbed another passing sushi. It looked delicious, probably tuna. "Director, then, do you n to audition for the role opposite Kang Jinseok in this project?" "Yes. I mentioned there was an actor I had in mind for the role opposite Kang Jinseok, didn''t I?" At that moment, I heard Jang Sunho''s conversation, tuning my ears out. "Yes. It was an actor named Himari.''" "That''s right. However, after seeing Kang Jinseok in person, I felt that the atmosphere wouldn''t match with that actor." After wiping his hands, Katahiro hesitated for a moment, then continued decisively. "Actually, when I came to Korea, I happened to meet an actress by chance. She''s not very famous, but her appearance and way of speaking were exactly what I had imagined for the role." "Then, why not proceed with the audition for that actress?" "Yes, I''d like to do that. However, I don''t have the contact information for that actress." "Hmm" "She mentioned that she had an audition at a certain agency, and I asked for her to contact me whether it went well or not. But there''s still no response." A sense of disappointment lingered as Katahiro repeatedly turned the phone screen on and off. Jang Sunho, touching his chin in thought, asked, "She didn''t mention which agency''s audition it was?" "Yes." "You don''t know the name of the agency either?" "No, I don''t." Jang Sunho''s expression brightened at the confirmation that Katahiro knew the actress''s name. "If you tell me the name, I can personally look into it. There shouldn''t be many Japanese actresses who recently auditioned, so I might be able to find her." "Ah! That would be great!" As if relieved, Katahiro pped his hands. Jang Sunho smiled subtly and asked, "If you tell me the name, I''ll instruct my staff to look into it right away." "Yes. It''s Inoue. Inoue Masaki." Jang Sunho entered Inoue Masaki'' on his phone. After discussing a few more details with Katahiro, they left the sushi restaurant. "Thank you for your hard work today, Director. Take a good rest, and I''ll contact you again." "Hard work? No, not at all. I''ll be waiting for your call, Team Leader. I''ll see the actor soon as well." "Oh, yes! See you again!" Katahiro went back to his room, and Jang Sunho and I headed to the lobby on the first floor using the VIP elevator. In the fast-descending elevator, Jang Sunho asked me. Manager, next week, we''re going to have a meal with the applicants for Let''s Be an Actor.'' Yes. Since you hadn''t mentioned it yet, I took the liberty of making reservations here and there. He made reservations without me asking. I couldn''t bring myself to suggest filming at the Japanese restaurant we ate at today. Is there a ce you had in mind? When I remained silent, Manager Sunho continued the conversation. Oh, no. Nothing like that. I was just thinking, if there were no reservations, we could go to the Japanese restaurant we ate at today. At first, you didn''t eat much, so I was worried. Did the food suit your taste? Haha Yes. Then, let''s go to this ce. It''s one of the ces I''ve reserved anyway. Really? Yes. The CEO will probably like it. Since ourpany''s restaurant is getting featured on TV. It''s a restaurant the CEO cares a lot about, but the sales have been low, making him upset. Sunho nodded with a subtle smile. Alright then, let''s proceed like that. *** OS Entertainment, Team Kang Jinseok. The team, which initially only consisted of Jang Sunho and Go Seoyeong, had grown to more than ten employees. Currently, the members of Kang Jinseok''s team are busy answering phone calls. Yes, hello. This is OS Entertainment. Have you recently auditioned for an actress at SIN8 Entertainment''? Oh, you haven''t? Then why, have you auditioned for a Japanese actress recently? Hey, yourpany has a lot of foreign actors, right? Do you know a Japanese actress named Inoue Masaki''? No? Haven''t even heard of her? Everyone was searching for the actress Inoue Masaki that Katahiro had mentioned. Sunho thought he could find her quickly, but it was taking longer than expected. Team leader, I asked the reporters, and they haven''t heard of the actress either. Frustrated, Go Seoyeong, unbuttoning the top of her blouse, spoke. The name is Inoue Masaki. Does that sound right? Yes. I confirmed it with Director Katahiro. It''s not a stage name or alias? If you''ve seen auditions at nningpanies in Korea, she wouldn''t be famous enough to use a stage name. Seoyeong answered, and Sunho checked his monitor. There was a list ofpanies that the team had contacted. I''ve checked almost all of them. Now, all that''s left is here. Sunho''s here'' referred to KL Entertainment. Although it was argepany and the most suitable one to contact first, he deliberately instructed me to contact themst. Not to gauge KL Entertainment''s reaction, but simply because there wasn''t anyone at KL Entertainment worth contacting. OS Entertainment, and especially between Kang Jinseok''s team and KL Entertainment, rtions were not particrly good. Um Team leader, assistant. I apologize in the midst of your conversation. I contacted all the agencies in Seoul, but it seems Inoue Masaki is nowhere to be found. At that moment, a new employee with a handsome appearance cautiously spoke. After Sunho nodded as if understanding, the new employee returned to his seat. No choice. I have to contact KL Entertainment.'' While Inoue could contact Katahiro herself using Katahiro''s business card, waiting passively was not an option. Sunho scanned through his contacts and found the contact information for KL Entertainment'' on his phone. It''s hard to contact Manager 1. As for Managers 3, 4, 5, and 6, they might not give us urate information since we had a bad experience with them. That leaves Manager 2.'' Jang Sunho recalled Manager 2 at KL Entertainment. She was a woman with a snake-like demeanor, a style he really didn''t like. The actions of the actors in Room 2 were annoying, to say the least. Even so, it''s probably better than other options.'' After some contemtion, just as Jang Sunho was about to call Manager 2 at KL Entertainment, his phone rang. It was a call from Katahiro. "Yes, Director. I''m sorry. We''re still looking for Inoue" [A call came in!] "Yes?" [Inoue Masaki has just been contacted!] Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Upon hearing that the director had contacted him directly, Jang Sunho let out a disappointedugh and rubbed his forehead. In the past few hours, he and his team had struggled to the point where it could bepared to a spy mission, and now it was resolved so easily that he felt drained. "Well, good things are still good, I suppose." At Jang Sunho''s bitterughter, Go Seoyoung, who had been watching him from the front, smirked. When she silently asked with her mouth, "What''s going on?" Jang Sunho showed her something written on paper. Director Katahiro called. He contacted actress Inoue Masaki. As soon as Go Seoyoung saw the note, she clenched her fist lightly. It was a genuine joy at the good news that hade out of nowhere. As Go Seoyoung told other staff about finding Inoue, Jang Sunho focused on the call with Katahiro. "It''s fortunate that we found him quickly. Well, it''s a bitte today, so how about holding the audition tomorrow? Fortunately, Kang Jinseok doesn''t have any special schedules tomorrow either." [Oh, Team Leader. Actually, I have something to tell you about the audition.] "Yes." [Inoue is a priority, but it still seems like a good idea to hold auditions for other actors.] "Other actors?" [Yes. Since it''s a production, I thought it would be good to test several actors. I would like to start shooting as soon as possible, but Still, I think everything should be done perfectly.] Jang Sunho nodded silently, listening to Katahiro''s words. [We need to hold auditions not only for the lead but also for supporting roles.] "So, are you nning to announce auditions and recruit applicants?" [Oh, no, not that. I already have a list of actors that I''vepiled before, so you just need to hold auditions. But the problem is] "?" [Most of those actors, actually, all of them, are Japanese actors. So, it seems like you would have to conduct auditions in Japan to see them. However, I understand that Team Leader Jang Sunho is likely busy, and I apologize for the inconvenience of having toe to Japan for auditions. Also, Kang Jinseok, who agreed to judge the auditions with you, will also have toe to Japan] Unlike when he mentioned the contact from Inoue a while ago, Katahiro''s voice hesitated a bit. Understandably, it had been regrettable for Katahiro to make Jang Sunho and Jinseok travel back and forth to Japan. But Jang Sunho didn''t seem to mind much. As he had mentioned earlier, if it was for creating the work properly, a business trip to Japan was something he could easily manage. I heard that actor poprity is remarkable in Japan these days. It might be good to take a break, manage poprity, and visit in person. nning ahead in his mind, Jang Sunho smiled and spoke. "All right, Director." [?] "Since we have the filming for Let''s Be an Actor'' this week, it might be challenging. How about nning to depart next Wednesday?" *** THE OS HOTEL Gangnam.'' Even on a regr day, this ce saw a multitude of peopleing and going for business, but today it was even busier. The reason was that the filming of Let''s Be an Actor'' was taking ce at the hotel''s Japanese restaurant. Somehow, the fans of the cast had already gathered in front of the hotel, as if knowing in advance. Except for guests and the production team, no one could enter the hotel, but the fans seemed reluctant to easily step back. Amidst them, someone headed towards the hotel entrance. It was Park Kyunghong, Park Jinmo''s son. I can''t believe I came all the way here Finally removing thebel of my father. Park Kyunghong, who applied for Let''s Be an Actor,'' got the privilege of having a meal with Jinseok and Seoyeon, along with some other actors. Throughout the audition, despite receiving a more rigorous evaluation due to thebel of Park Jinmo''s son,'' it was a meal he earned by oveing all that. Park Kyunghong adjusted his disheveled clothes and entered the hotel. At the entrance, a staff member tried to stop him, but as soon as they saw his face, they recognized him as Park Kyunghong and politely let him in. When the entrance that had been quiet for a while opened, the attention of the staff in the lobby naturally turned towards the entrance. "Oh? Isn''t that him Park Jinmo''s son, right? From Let''s Be an Actor.''" "It seems so. I heard there''s some filming in the Japanese restaurant here today." "But even if he''s unknown, actors are different. He''s really good-looking." "Will Kang Jinseoke too?" There were still many people who referred to him not as Park Kyunghong'' but as Park Jinmo''s son.'' However, Park Kyunghong didn''t mind. It was different from before; now people remembered his face. It''s six fifty Perfect timing.'' Park Kyunghong''s call time was at seven. Since they were shooting the judges separately before that, even if he arrived early, he couldn''t enter the restaurant. "Sigh, hoo. Sigh, hoo." As he took the elevator up, Park Kyunghong repeatedly took deep breaths in and out. Why am I so nervous about this?'' It''s just a meal. There''s no need to memorize a script like an audition, and there''s no need to simmer emotions for acting. Just enjoy the food. But perhaps because it was a meal with the judges, Park Kyunghong couldn''t easily shake off the tension. "[24th floor.]" With a calm announcement, the elevator doors opened. Perhaps because it was the time when applicants were supposed toe up, staff members were waiting in front of the elevator. "Oh, Mr. Kyunghong. Hello. You arrived right on time." "Yes. The PD told me not toe too early." "Haha, I see. Please follow me. Since everyone else is already here, we can all go in together." Park Kyunghong led the way, followed by the staff. Soon, familiar faces appeared. Upon his arrival, the actors warmly greeted him. "You''re here? But Oh, why are you dressed like this? I just camefortably." "Senior Kwon Seokhoon can look cool even dressed casually, but I need to dress up a bit to look presentable." "What do you mean cool? You should be at Kang Jinseok''s level to be considered cool even if you dress casually." The camera, indicating that filming was in progress, had a red light on. Park Kyunghong, ncing at it, yfully stuck his tongue out internally. As expected of Senior Kwon Seokhoon. He''s not nervous at all.'' Indeed, it would be even strange if Kwon Seokhoon was nervous. He was a level of actor more suited for a judge than an applicant. In fact, he had shown a different level of acting than other applicants throughout this audition program. Observing the slightly tense Park Kyunghong, Kwon Seokhoon looked around at the other actors. Other actors seem a bit nervous, just like me.'' Everyone seemed like new employees at their firstpany dinner, some even sneaking a sip of herbal medicine in a corner. Kwon Seokhoon admired his outfit, but there were actors who had put in much more effort. And that person seems particrly nervous.'' In one corner, there was someone who seemed exceptionally tense, with a pale face. It was Seo Yeonsoo, wearing a white sweater and a red skirt. "Ms. Seo Yeonsoo, are you okay? You seem a bit shaky." Approaching Park Kyunghong, Seo Yeonsoo said, "Huh?! Oh, yes. I''m fine!" Startled by being called suddenly, Seo Yeonsoo responded with a ttering voice. When her voice echoed in the quiet hallway, people''s attention turned to Seo Yeonsoo and Park Kyunghong. Seo Yeonsoo signaled sorry'' with an awkward gesture. "Actually it''s my first time eating at such a fancy ce. Plus, I''m nervous because I''m having a meal with the judges. It might be awkward, hehe." Feeling awkward due to the sudden attention, Seo Yeonsoo scratched her cheek and continued, "It might be awkward. I feel that way too. Other actors seem nervous too. Senior Kwon Seokhoon seems to be the only one rxed." "Is that so? When I saw it, everyone seemed rxed." "Ms. Seo Yeonsoo, you might seem that way to the viewers." Unexpectedly, a camera had approached them, capturing their conversation. Throughout the audition program, the staff frequently featured Seo Yeonsoo and Park Kyunghong, unintentionally creating a friendly image. In reality, they had be subtly closer during the filming. Park Kyunghong stood next to Seo Yeonsoo, looking at the still-closed entrance of the restaurant. Inside, there''s probably Kang Jinseok, Min Kyungsoo, Park Woohyun, and Lee Narin.'' Except for Jinseok, all the judges were genuinely intimidating. Min Kyungsoo had a record of reacting strongly even to small mistakes, making several applicants cry. Park Kyunghong had also been scolded quite loudly a few times. Since it''s a revolving sushi restaurant, let''s sit far away from Min Kyungsoo. Just to be safe from making mistakes nearby.'' The best seat would undoubtedly be next to Jinseok. However, he couldn''t tantly rush to that spot. The camera and the other judges would be watching. ncing around discreetly and quickly, it was crucial to subtly and swiftly take the seat next to Jinseok. Of course, it wasn''t that Park Kyunghong disliked Min Kyungsoo. As a fan, he supported and liked Min Kyungsoo. But as a judge and participant, he was just terrifying. "We will now escort the applicants inside." The PD and the staff insidemunicated via walkie-talkie. Looking at the slowly opening restaurant door, Park Kyunghong took a deep breath, trying to minimize his tension. Probably, everyone inside is in a very formal atmosphere. Let''s quietly enter. And once we''re inside, confirm where Kang Jinseok is.'' Considering the atmosphere of the judges he had seen at the filming site, he could roughly anticipate the atmosphere during their meal. With that thought, Park Kyunghong, in an attempt to reduce tension, was the first to enter the restaurant. Despite his efforts not to show signs of nervousness, his face couldn''t hide the tensionpletely. "Hey, Park Woohyun! I''ve been eyeing that since earlier, nning to eat it!" "Where''s that in revolving sushi? The one who grabs it first owns it. Didn''t you hear what Jinseok said earlier? Revolving sushi is like a good piece of work. The moment you hesitate, another actor takes it.'' Come on Hyungnim, try the rolled omelet. It''s delicious." "Are you telling me to eat a rolled omelet aftering all the way here? Wow, look at him talking. Jinseok put this te in front of Park Woohyun. He''s going to foot the bill." "Haha" "In the end, it''s useless. Anyway, today''s treat is from Representative Oh Haneul." "Seniors, please maintain some dignity. What are we going to do with our image once this airs?" "Is image important right now? He keeps picking only the tuna! What''s the point?!" "Mmm~ It''s so delicious. It melts in your mouth. Is this what Kyungsoo Hyung was aiming for?" Park Kyunghong, along with the other applicants, found themselves in a conversationpletely unexpected. Chapter 150: Chapter 150: "After the filming of Let''s Be an Actor'' concluded without any issues, on the way back home, Jang Sunho, seeming content, spoke to Jinseok, who had buried himself into the car seat. "Actor-nim, do you happen to remember the act actress Inoue'' that Director Katahiro mentioned when we had dinner before?" "Inoue Oh, yes. The Japanese actress the director mentioned, whom he coincidentally met when he came to Korea? He gave her contact, but there''s been no response." "Yes, but during the shoot just now, I received a text. Inoue, the actress, has finally reached out to Director Katahiro." "Oh, that''s good." "Yes. So, we''re nning to have an audition soon" Jang Sunho tapped the steering wheel with his fingertips, his actions suggesting he was contemting something. "Actor-nim, do you happen to have a passport?" "A passport?" In the midst of discussing auditions, I unintentionally blurted out the question about a passport. "Yes. It seems like we might need to have the audition in Japan. Because Director Katahiro is looking for a specific actor, and all the supporting roles are Japanese actors. It seems more advantageous to find actors locally rather than those active in Korea." "Oh, I see" "But I don''t have a passport." I had no reason to go abroad, so I didn''t have a passport. Did he catch on to my thoughts? Jang Sunho calmly said, "If you don''t have one, you can get it issued. It usually takes about 4 to 5 days, so you can go tomorrow." "Alright, I understand." I was a bit worried, but hearing Jang Sunho''s calm voice reassured me. Just as I was about to lean back into the car seat and rx. "By the way, Actor-nim, you might be surprised when you go to Japan." Jang Sunho spoke with a voice mixed withughter. "Your poprity as an actor is quite high in Japan." *** I once saw a photo in an old article with the title Overseas Reactions to Hallyu Stars.'' Fans gathered in droves at the airport, bodyguards surrounding the star, who, wearing stylish sunsses, smiled and navigated through the crowd. It was a truly magnificent photo. Fans are enthralled by the star, and the star providing fantastic service to such fans. So, I made up my mind that if I ever became such a star, I would definitely do the same. But "Now that I''m actually in that situation I can''t gather the courage at all." Tokyo International Airport in Japan. In front of thest ss gate, I couldn''t even bring myself to step inside. "There are so many people" In the front row were people holding cameras that looked fit for journalists, and behind them were people holding cards, though the writing wasn''t visible from afar. If I stepped through this gate, it felt like they would press the shutters, waving their cards as if they had been waiting for me. Scratching my head while asking Jang Sunho, who was standing beside me, "They''re all fans of Actor Kang Jinseok." "Oh, yes But how did they know I would be here today?" "I leaked the information. It''s your first overseas schedule, so it should be grand, right?" "Going grand, and possibly too grand" Looking at him with an uneasy gaze, Jang Sunho smiled again and said, "The photos will spread quickly on social media. It''s necessary to show that we''re attracting this level of fans. We''ve also deployed many security guards, so there shouldn''t be any safety issues." "Alright" Peeking through the gap in the ss, I continued to survey the outside. Fortunately, security guards with a physique simr to Jang Sunho''s were firmly holding their positions. "It''s time. Let''s start going out slowly." Jang Sunho checked his watch and said. Just before going out the door, I nced at my reflection in the ss next to me. Sponsored NIKE'' sneakers, ADIDAS''petition pants from the samepany, and OS FASHION'' hoodie. And for some reason, under the rabbit ear hat given by a girl on the ne, there I was, unable to pull myself together, nervous, holding a fluffy, rabbit-shaped plushie hanging below the hat. Staring nkly at my reflection, I grabbed the round, fluffy bundle that looked like a rabbit''s hand. As I did, the rabbit ear on the hat bounced up. As Jang Sunho approached the gate, the automatic door opened. Jang Sunho went out first, and I followed him outside. "Squeeeal!" "Jinseok, you''re adorable! What''s with that hat?!" "You''re so handsome." "Look at me here, just once!" "Here too!" And as we stepped out of the door, the cheers were so loud it felt like a wall of sound. I was mentally preparing myself, but it didn''t help at all. If I looked here in response to requests to see me, there were requests from the opposite side as well. I turned my head in all directions. Due to nervousness, my grip tightened on the rabbit plushie, and the rabbit ears on my head were standing upright with all their might. While I was trying to put on a natural smile, "Hurry, please pass quickly. If there''s an ident, it''ll be a big problem." An agent controlling the scene said. Feeling like I had lingered too long, trying to provide fan service, I hurried my steps. "There he goes!" "Chase him!" "Grab the rabbit!" Fans with cards andrge cameras in hand started chasing me from the front row. Maybe it was my mood, but the cards they held felt like hunters'' clubs, and therge cameras felt like guns. I was a rabbit running away from them. "This way." "Yes." Thanks to the excellent security guards, I could board the van without any problems. Jang Sunho followed me and got into the passenger seat. Jang Sunho turned towards me and said, "Now that the introduction is over, shall we go to work?" *** Toho Corporation. Thepany that originally took charge of "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World" was now embroiled in unexpected controversy. "Kang Jinseok came to Japan for the The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World. What''s going on? Is this true?" "Yes. Relevant content is continuously being posted on social media and inte articles." "No, I didn''t even know Kang Jinseok entered the country. I mean, did hee for The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World''? Is that right?" In the face of the senior''s reprimand, an employee broke into a nervous sweat. They didn''t know well either. The information that Jinseok came to Japan for the audition was just a rumor circting in Korea. "He came for the work directed by Katahiro." At that moment, Honda, who had been on the phone in front of the meeting room for a long time, spoke. He was the highest-ranking person in this meeting room. "I confirmed it with Director Katahiro. We agreed to produce our self-funded project in Korea." "Funded by Korea?" "Yes. It seems to have originated from OS International in Korea." At the mention of OS International,'' the employees in the room exchanged knowing nces. They all knew how significant OS International was. Honda, looking at his cell phone, muttered in an irritated voice, "This project. Wasn''t it originally supposed to be ours?" "?" "What happened while I was briefly on a business trip to the U.S. for it to turn out like this?" Though he didn''t appear visibly angry, everyone in the meeting room knew that Honda was quite upset. When no one answered even though he had asked, Honda turned to the employee in front of him. "Maki, you were in charge of the finances for this project, right?" "Yes, yes. Vice President." "What kind of trouble happened for Katahiro''s director to say he was rejecting'' it?" "That to be honest, it didn''t end on good terms between us. At that time, Absolute Unlicensed Counseling'' was selling so well that we hesitated to create a simr romance work, citing the difficulty of making somethingparable." Honda said with a puzzled expression. "So, just because there was a sessful work before, you were told not to create a simr one? By the director?" "Yes." "This is insane. What kind of ridiculous excuse is that? Are you all employees of a filmpany? No, whose idea was this?" "" "Wait, does the president know about this incident?" The employees avoided each other''s eyes. While they had reported to the president, they didn''t have the courage to bring it up to Honda. Seeing the atmosphere, Honda massaged his temples as if his head was throbbing with pain. "The president knows as well." "Yes." "Ugh, this Director Yeongam is really Why did he approve it without saying a word to me?" Honda sighed helplessly. Not wanting Honda''s frustration and anger to escte, a close employee who usually got along with him began to console him. "Assistant Manager, don''t worry about things that are already over. Let''s hear what we''ve prepared first. We recently had a meeting with the author of Bing the Spirit King,'' which is doing well on Bing a Writer.''" "Why is that important now? Our work is being taken by anotherpany, causing such a mess!" "No, it''s not that" "Do you have your wits about you or not? Tsk." Though it was a derogatory remark, the employee didn''t show any signs of resentment. After all, he had yed a part in discarding The Way They Chose.'' "Everyone, do you understand who Director Katahiro is?" After massaging his throat, Honda, seemingly bothered, opened his mouth. "He is a director who knows how to capture the true'' essence of Japanese emotions. I''m sure I gathered everyone here and clearly mentioned it before my business trip to the United States. Don''t you remember?" The employees didn''t answer, but they all nodded in apparent agreement. Honda, not pleased with their reaction, sighed again and continued. "Let''s assume for a moment that this work bes sessful. Not only in Japan but also in Asia, Europe, and the United States, bing a sensational piece. Then, how ridiculous will we look, just like you argued about Absolute Unlicensed Counseling.''" " " "Ourpany will be criticized by the Japanese media for having no foresight. Director Katahiro will probably give interviews. Of course, it won''t be positive for us." Although it was all a supposition,'' as Honda spoke, the atmosphere in the meeting room worsened. "Even if spilled water cannot be recovered, if you lick the floor, you might save your throat." "Assistant Manager, that''s" Someone tried to express their dissatisfaction, but seeing Honda''s resolute attitude, they swallowed their words. "Let''s focus on The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World.''" Chapter 151: Chapter 151: The employees in the conference room exchanged nces, attempting to discern the meaning behind Honda''s words. However, it seemed no one grasped his intentions, and a silence lingered in the room. "Um Vice President?" One employee, rtively closer to Honda, gathered the courage to speak. Having heard Honda''s murmurs a while ago, there was no one else to turn to but him. "What exactly does it mean to spoon-feed''?" the employee asked cautiously. "Literally, it means spoon-feeding," Honda replied. "So, that means" "Ugh, fine. Do I have to spell it out for you?" Honda sighed in frustration before starting his exnation. "As you all know, no matter how much money we have, it''s never enough when ites to creating a piece of art. So, let''s invest a reasonable amount in the project, add some color to it, and secure some shares for ourselves." "Uh" "And considering the auditions happening in Japan, it seems the casting isn''t finalized yet. With connections like Kang Jinseok, even if it''s challenging for a male lead, securing a female lead or supporting roles should be a piece of cake, right?" The employees diligently jotted down Honda''s words as if determined not to miss a single detail. Whoever ended up handling this task, wanted to ensure it was done without any mistakes. Seemingly satisfied with the sight of employees busily taking notes, Honda''s irritation eased, and he spoke in a calm voice. "First, find out the contact information for the person handling the investment or project at OS International. Since they''vee to Japan, set up a meeting separately. No need to go through the hassle of finding the contact information of the person in charge." "Yes, understood." "It''s not that difficult, so don''t mess it up like an amateur. Got it?" Honda spoke casually and then stood up, heading towards the door. Other employees followed suit, watching him leave. "Vice President. There''s something I''d like to ask." At that moment, a cautious employee raised his hand and called out to Honda. "What is it?" "Earlier, you mentioned securing shares either by investing in Katahiro''s film or assisting with contacts on the actor''s side." "Yes." "But what if Katahiro or the investors reject the idea? What do we do then?" It seemed to be a question on everyone''s mind, as they all looked at Honda with curious eyes. Seeing their anticipation, Honda shrugged. "Surely, that won''t happen, right? I''ve never seen anyone refuse money in my life." "" "Let''s contact them now. It should work out well." *** [We don''t need money.] Katahiro''s resolute voice echoed through the speakerphone. The employees in the conference room looked at Honda with puzzled expressions. Honda took a deep breath and said, "No. He says they don''t need money" Honda hadn''t explicitly said, "Does that make sense?" but his tone carried a distinct nuance. "If this is because of something our employees did previously, and it''s affecting your mood, Director, that''s not appropriate. I thought Katahiro was a professional." [It''s not about that. I genuinely don''t need the money.] "So, that makes sense" [1 billion yen.] "?" [OS International, or rather, OS Entertainment, has agreed to invest 1 billion yen in my project this time. With that level of investment, why would I need more money?] A hush fell over the conference room at the mention of 1 billion yen. If that amount was indeed being invested, then it made sense to say he didn''t need more money. [Moreover, my work is the first original project for OS Entertainment, and they probably won''t even allow external investment.] "" [Since it seems like you have nothing more to say, I''ll end it here.] "Director, just a moment. There are still things to discuss" Click. Before Honda could speak, Katahiro ended the call. Only a moment ago, Honda seemed confident when speaking with Katahiro on the phone, but things didn''t turn out as expected. Employees started avoiding eye contact with Honda. They hoped to avoid any sparks that might fly if they identally met his gaze. After silently staring at the table for a while, Honda muttered. "Who was the person we discussed casting with Katahiro before?" "" "Am I talking to myself here? Why is no one answering?!" As Honda raised his voice, a startled employee beside him replied. "Yes! I, I was in charge of casting." "Do you have the list of actors Katahiro said would audition? The one we discussed before?" "If you mean their profiles I probably have it. I need to check, though." "Hurry up and check." The employee quickly turned on theirptop and started searching for the file. "Here it is." The employee presented theirptop to Honda as if offering a gift. Honda snatched theptop abruptly and scrutinized the profiles. Tap, tap. Tap, tap, Honda drummed his fingers on the table as he pondered for a while before exhaling and speaking. "Contact the agencies of these actors and inquire whether Katahiro received audition offers for his project. If he did, advise them to decline. If they audition, make it clear that they won''t be able to participate in any future films produced or invested in by ourpany." "Yes, understood?" "This applies not only to the actors but also to the productionpany. Inform the staff of The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World'' that they won''t be able to work with us in the future." Honda''s firm instructions made the employees exchange uneasy nces. Although Honda hadn''t explicitly stated it earlier, he now seemed to sense the employees'' confusion and began to exin the reasons behind his actions. "As I mentioned earlier, if this project seeds and gains recognition, our situation will look bad." "Yes" "To be honest, I wasn''t confident when I said that. It felt more like, What if it seeds?'' But hearing about a 1 billion yen investment makes me believe it might not just end as a what if.''" "" "If it turns out to be my misjudgment, that would be great. But we need to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. So, even if it means resorting to somewhat dirty methods, make sure this project doesn''t happen." The employees, now understanding the gravity of the situation, nodded in agreement. "Spoon-feeding failed, so now we have to overturn the table." *** Two dayster, in Katahiro''s directorial office. In this ordinary space filled with a desk, sofa, and shelves stacked with books and scripts, Katahiro spoke on the phone with a bewildered tone. "No, look here, Shindo-kun. What does that mean? Suddenly saying we can''t work together?" [Sorry, Director Katahiro. I wanted to create a piece of work happily with you since you mentioned getting an investment. But then they threatened that if Toho'' coborates with me, I should be prepared to leave the industry.] "" [I have my employees and a family to support. If it were anotherpany, I might have ignored it and worked with you happily. But you know, Toho isn''t just anypany, right? I''m really sorry. I''ll end the call now.] After apologizing and hanging up, Katahiro sighed. It seemed like he wouldn''t call back, realizing there was no room for persuasion. "These Toho guys. Why are they so desperately trying to meddle like this?" Perhaps, when he spoke with Toho''s vice president a few days ago, he had offended them with hisck of manners. "Maybe it''s revenge for my rudeness. But even if that''s the case, it can''t be just for such childish reasons. There must be another motive." However, regardless of the reason, it was clear that Toho was going to great lengths to sabotage his work. Katahiro ran his hand through his hair. Having secured a substantial investment after being rejected for his previous work, it felt like experiencing a nightmare within a nightmare. [Ah, Director, it''s Kojo Uchida. I''m sorry to contact you like this suddenly, but it seems challenging for me to participate in the audition for your uing project.] At that moment, a message arrived. Upon checking, it was one of the actors who had eagerly agreed to audition. "Huh, actors too?" He had been pleased when these actors epted his audition proposal. However, hearing that they now couldn''t audition was a shock. The actor didn''t provide detailed reasons, but Katahiro could guess. "Probably for the same reasons as Shindo." Exhaling heavily, Katahiro furrowed his brow deeply. The messages continued to flood in, each expressing an inability to audition. "What should I do?" No matter how much money there is, a director can''t make a film alone. Even with a remarkable actor like Kang Jinseok, it''s impossible to create a film with just one actor. Fortunately, there has been no contact from Inoue, the one they are somewhat relying on after Kang Jinseok. It''s a "fortunate" situation, but only to a certain extent. Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the office door. Since they weren''t expecting anyone today, Katahiro opened the door, curious. "Who? Oh, Team Leader Jang Sunho." "Sorry foring unannounced, Director. I was nning to contact you." "It''s okay. Please,e in." Guiding Jang Sunho inside, Katahiro tidied up his disheveled hair. As Jang Sunho sat on the sofa, Katahiro asked, "But what brings you here?" "I wanted to inquire about the audition preparations and if there''s anything I can help with. Also, I heard some strange rumors beforeing." "Strange rumors?" "Yes. Rumors that there''s someone meddling with our project." "How?" "I know everything about Kang Jinseok and the project because it''s my job." Though Jang Sunho spoke nonchntly, Katahiro nodded with a sigh, indicating that the situation was troublesome. "Hmm. It''s the work of the Toho guys. They control over 40% of the Japanese film distribution, a major yer in the Japanese film industry." "Yes. So, how is Toho interfering with us?" Katahiro exined the current situation, where Toho''s control over Japanese productionpanies and pressure on actors had halted auditions. Listening silently to Katahiro''s exnation, Jang Sunho clenched his fist. His suit seemed ufortable as it swelled up in anger. "It''s a difficult situation. Have you had any trouble with Toho before this incident?" "While it wasn''t trouble per se, Toho did contact me about investing in the project." "Investment?" "Yes. Naturally, I refused. We have enough money, and honestly, I didn''t want to give Toho any stake in this project. I don''t know the exact reason, but that seems to be the cause. I apologize." Lowering his head in apology, Katahiro was met with a reassuring gesture from Jang Sunho. "You have nothing to apologize for, Director. If anything, you did well." "Hmm" "More importantly, how are we going to resolve this?" "I''ll visit Toho once. If I need to apologize, I''ll apologize, and we''ll seek an amicable solution." "No. Why should we apologize when we''ve done nothing wrong?" Jang Sunho interrupted Katahiro, preventing him from continuing. Afterward, he fell into silence, lost in thought. Katahiro observed Jang Sunho silently. Since their first meeting, he had suspected that Jang Sunho was not an ordinary manager. "Director, if it''s challenging to find a production team and actors in Japan" "Yes." After a moment of silence, Jang Sunho spoke. With a glimmer of hope in his eyes, Katahiro responded with seriousness. "If it''s difficult to secure them in Japan, what about importing the production team and actors from Korea?" Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Katahiro blinked rapidly in response to Jang Sunho''s unexpected suggestion. "If we import from Korea Are you suggesting we work with a Korean productionpany?" "Yes. Even though Toho has a significant influence in the Japanese film industry, they might not have control over Korean productionpanies." "That makes sense." Katahiro nodded thoughtfully as if considering this proposal. However, there was a fundamental obstacle to Jang Sunho''s suggested solution. "But, Team Leader, it''s a good idea, but there''s a problem." "Is it aboutmunication?" "Yes. I''m embarrassed to admit it, but I don''t speak Korean at all. It might be a bit challenging for me to work with people from Korea." Katahiro sighed as he expressed his concern. However, Jang Sunho seemed to find thenguage barrier not as significant. He smiled and responded, "You can find a Korean productionpany that speaks Japanese. We can also hire a few interpreters. Considering our ample budget, that should not be a problem." "Ah" "Moreover, if we offer support for amodation and daily life during the shooting period in Japan, many productionpanies will be willing to participate. They will likely be of high quality. If needed, we could even rent an entire floor of THE OS HOTEL Tokyo,'' where we are currently staying." Money could indeed solve any problem. With the discovery of a clue to the major obstacle, Katahiro''s expression brightened. However, the joy was short-lived, as there were still issues that needed to be addressed. "Even if we bring in a productionpany from Korea, what about the actors? I''m not sure if there are many actors in Korea who can fluently handle Japanese." "There are more actors in Korea who speak Japanese well than you think. I know some agencies that specialize in such actors." "Really?" "Yes. Also, even if they don''t speak Japanese fluently, there are many actors who can act in Japanese." Katahiro seemed to have difficulty grasping Jang Sunho''s words, and in response, Jang Sunho subtly smiled. "Don''t worry too much. I have a n." I understand. But more importantly It hasnt been long since you came to Japan, and now you have to go back to Korea. What should I say to the actors? *** Hmm Late at night, lying in the hotel room and staring at the ceiling, Kang Jinseok recalled what Jang Sunho said during the dinner gathering. To go back to Korea tomorrow.'' There''s apany called Toho,'' and thatpany is interfering with the movie production. And because of that, he has to go back to Korea to prepare for filming. It''s a bit disappointing.'' After sighing once again, he closed his eyes tightly. Thinking that it was thest night in Japan, the regret became even greater. It felt like the feeling of a worker who regrets the passing holiday. You have to sleep for tomorrow, but it feels like you don''t want to sleep. Well, this wont do. Instead of rolling up the nket like a gimbap, he suddenly got up. Yeah. Let''s not sleep. I can''t spend thest night of my first overseas trip like this. Let''s make this night memorable.'' He opened his eyes wide. To spend tonight splendidly, he was going to boil the snacks and cup of ramen secretly bought from the convenience store in front of the hotel, hidden under the bed. Tomorrow morning, even if his face is swollen, he might get scolded by Jang Sunho, but it should be fine for once. But then Sigh As if mocking my thoughts a while ago, sleep suddenly came. *** Where is this'' When I came to my senses, I opened my eyes in a white space. Although this ce should have be familiar by now, it felt strange because it had been a while, and my body felt light and buoyant. Who called me?'' But even when I looked around, I couldn''t see the smoke that usually appears when a ghostes. Usually, it would appear as the ghost appears. Hello. At that moment, someone greeted me by tapping my shoulder from behind. Since there was no sign of the presence, I was surprised, too. Like when a bug passes in front of your face. Haha, sorry. I didn''t mean to startle you. The man smiled confidently and extended his hand. I''m Tadano Kenjiro. Ah yes. I''m Kang Jinseok. Tadano, the ghost suddenly appeared. His first impression was that of a confident new employee.'' When I first met Kim Faith, It had the enchanted smile that I admired, nor did It radiate the aura of someone who had reached the pinnacle of their field. However, Tadano had his own confidence. As I slowly nodded in greeting, Tadano continued with a smile, "Originally, I nned to meet you after the audition for this project. However, considering both my schedule and yours, I decided to bring you here hastily." "Am you in a hurry?" "It''s rted to my request. Well it might be a bit of a long story, shall we sit down and talk?" Tadano gestured to the side. When I turned my head, a soft sofa was suddenly there, as if it had always been there. While I was bewildered by the sudden appearance of the sofa, Tadano casually took a seat and motioned for me to do the same. Seated on the sofa opposite Tadano, he began his story with a yful expression, like a storyteller recounting tales of the past. "I was born into a wealthy family. Not exactly a chaebol, but well-off enough to live without financial worries for a lifetime. Moreover, I was smart, not as much as you, and my looks were decent, if not as good as yours." "Haha" "So, my life was smooth, and people around me treated me very well. It was as if I were genuinely precious to them." With a faint smile, Tadano continued, "But everything changed when my parents passed away. I inherited a tremendous fortune at a rtively young age, and the people around me turned into hyenas, trying to fleece me, a clueless youngster, for everything I had." Whether he had awakened from the splendid glory of the past or not, Tadano continued with a stern face, "Even awyer who had known my parents for decades tried to take advantage of me. Fortunately, I was young at the time, but I didn''t easily sumb to them. I got rid of everyone who targeted my money and my parents'' honor." "Oh, got rid of them?" "Yes. Oh, I didn''t kill them. It would be more urate to say I severed ties with them. Haha." Tadanoughed, pped his hands, took a breath, and then resumed his story. "After cleaning up for about 2 or 3 years, there was no one around me. Not a single person." "" "The sense of loss was indescribable. I don''t know if I had the misfortune of being surrounded only by such people, but in any case, that was my reality. I lived my life receiving fake love'' for a lifetime." Listening seriously to his story, Tadano smiled as if to assure me. The smile on his face was not the rehearsed one from before; it was a genuine emotion from Tadano. "Haha I''ve made my boring story too long. Anyway, I lived that kind of life. Then, by chance, I met my first love. She was the first person who liked Tadano'' instead of my wealth." "You''re talking about the person from the ramen shop." "Yes, exactly. And my request is rted to that ramen shop." "The ramen shop?" "Yes." Tadano, who answered briefly, seemed to be thinking about her,'' as his eyes trembled at the corners. After suppressing the trembling of passionate emotions, he spoke with a voice mixed with concern. "The ramen shop where I met her and grew in love together. It was a ce with really good taste. However, the shop may be facing difficulties and might close." "Ah I see." "As you can see, although I''m dead, my love is still in the afterlife. She''s not doing well health-wise, currently in the hospital. But when she gets better someday, she will definitely visit that ramen shop. I don''t want to show her that the ramen shop has closed." Tadano, wanting to preserve the space of memories they shared for the one left behind, began to disappear gradually from his tiptoes, perhaps signaling that his time to enter my dream was up. "So, I ask for your help. Please, somehow, protect that ramen shop. Time is running out, so please do it quickly." Watching his desperate expression, I asked, "If time is running out, how much time is left?" "Three days." "Three days?" "Yes. The shop owner was nning to try running the business until the end of this week, and if it doesn''t work out, they will try to find another job. Originally, there was a bit more time, but the situation suddenly changed." As Tadano spoke, he began to disappear in the dust and mist from his waist down. As the eleration increased, my heart became more urgent. "Well, wait a moment. I have something to do tomorrow-" "I know. You''re going back to Korea tomorrow." "" "As I mentioned before, both I and you have urgent matters." Now disappearing up to around his chest, Tadano smiled and said, "I heard that this person named Kim Faith'' did something transaction-like with you, suggesting that if you don''t fulfill his request, he won''t help you. Because Kim Faith was so desperate, he took advantage of your desperation." "Yes, that''s what happened." "I have a request as desperate as that friend, but I won''t do it like that. Just having such a kind and wonderful person like you portray my life is reward enough for me. Given the circumstances, even if you can''t fulfill my request, I will still help you." "" "But I hope you can fulfill my request if possible. I want to see her, who has recovered, eating ramen at that ramen shop." As Tadano''s form finally disappeared, his voice brushed past my ears. "And if you''re willing to fulfill my request, be sure to try Miso Ramen, Rich Taste.'' Ask for all the toppings, and boil the noodles very firm.'' It was our favorite ramen. Since you also like garlic, feel free to add garlic after putting all the toppings." "" "The ramen shop''s location will be clear once you wake up. I hope you''ll be able to fulfill my request." *Ding-dong.* The hotel room bell rang. With that sound, the door opened, and a familiar voice called out. "Good morning, actor-nim." "" "It''s time to get up. You don''t have much time left before heading to the airport." It was Jang Sunho, ready for the return trip. Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Jang Sunho''s call woke me up. "" In a moment, I was back in the hotel room I had just dreamed of. As I opened my eyes and stared nkly at the ceiling, Jang Sunho asked cautiously, "Did you have a bad dream?" "Yes? Oh, no. It wasn''t bad, but" "If that''s the case, I''m relieved. Your expression seemed a bit off, so I asked." Listening to Jang Sunho, I got up from the bed. As always, after encountering a ghost, my body felt remarkably refreshed. However, Tadano''s request continued to weigh on my mind, creating a sense of unease. Protect the ramen shop where I met my first love or something like that.'' Perhaps due to the expression "protect," the request felt quite challenging. It wasn''t as clear-cut as the requests from other ghosts so far. Not only was it not an easy request, but Tadano also mentioned that I didn''t have to fulfill it. However Thest words Tadano said continued to shake my heart. "Given the circumstances, even if you can''t grant my request, I will help you regardless." "" "Still, if possible, I really hope you can grant my request. I want to see her, who has recovered, eating ramen at that ramen shop." When he said those words, Tadano''s eyes were incredibly sincere.'' Although he said I didn''t have to fulfill his request, his eyes were very earnest. He genuinely wanted to see his first love enjoying ramen at that shop again. I couldn''t refuse such a heartfelt request. "Jinseok?" As I stared into space, contemting, Jang Sunho called me again. "Oh, yes. I''m sorry. I need a moment to think." "Are you really okay? If you''re not feeling well, please let me know." "My condition is really good. It''s just that" I hesitated. I had decided to return to Korea today, but suddenly considering staying in Japan made me feel guilty. But still'' If I went back to Korea, I felt I would be ufortable throughout the filming of this project. Every time I looked at his memories, I would think of the precious ramen shop that had closed down. "Manager" After making my decision, I spoke to Jang Sunho. "Yes." "I''m sorry, but can I stay in Japan for a bit longer? There are some things I need to do, not that I have to do, but want to." "?" Jang Sunho tilted his head in confusion. Early morning at the first-floor in-house cafe of OS Entertainment. This well-known foreign franchise offered free coffee to employees of OS Entertainment for their welfare. "Good morning, Vice President." "Yes~ Good morning~" Yoon Gayeon cheerfully responded to the employee greeting her as she entered the cafe. The cafe was always busy with employees wanting coffee to wake them up in the morning. "Non-fat milk, pistachio deep mocha, deep cream, paraffinachino, lots of chocte sauce, please. Oh, and just a little whipped cream, please." After cing her order like a rap, Yoon Gayeon sat down and waited for her coffee. At that moment, she noticed Go Seoyeong, who seemed to have put extra effort into her makeup and outfit today. Smiling like a child who discovered a new toy, Yoon Gayeon called out to Go Seoyeong. "Good morning, Assistant Manager. But your outfit seems unusually stylish today. nning to go somewhere after work?" Go Seoyeong was taken aback by Yoon Gayeon''s sudden question. "What? S-sylish? Well, it''s the same as usual." "Same as usual It''s been a few days with simple outfits. Oh, right. I heard Manager Jang Sunho ising back today; is that why?" "Oh, no!" "Really? It feels like you put in a lot of effort as if weing a returning prince from a distantnd. It''s quite noticeable." "It''s really not like that. I just heard that Manager Jang Sunho has to work overtime today, so I wanted to change my mood and do something different." "Working overtime and you dress up for that?" "." Despite Go Seoyeong''s strong denial, to others, her strong denial seemed more like a strong affirmation. Yoon Gayeon looked at Go Seoyeong meaningfully. "It feels like weing a returning prince. You can''t fool me, even if you can fool others." With Go Seoyeong unable to provide any further response, Yoon Gayeon chuckled. Go Seoyeong, who usually didn''t engage in verbal sparring or maintain a conversation flow with others, seemed strangely powerless in front of Yoon Gayeon. "It''s been a while. Vice President." At that moment, the seemingly most formal voice in OS Entertainment was heard. Upon hearing the voice calling her name, Yoon Gayeon turned her head to see arge man striding toward her. "Oh, Team Leader Jang Sunho, it''s been a while. Did your business trip to Japan go well? But it seems like you returned earlier than nned. Was there an issue there?" "There were some issues. I''ll report the detailster." Jang Sunho briefly spoke and then looked toward Go Seoyeong. "You mentioned ordering my coffee. Has it not arrived yet?" "Yes. There are many orders in front, so it should be out soon." "What? What? Assistant Manager Go Seoyeong is getting Team Leader Jang''s coffee. Well, well. Seems like even my support is needed" Interrupting Yoon Gayeon, who was about to bring up an embarrassing topic again, Go Seoyeong quickly spoke. "I''ve organized the materials you asked for, Team Leader. Profiles of actors who auditioned for OS Entertainment in the past and can speak Japanese." "There must have been quite a few. Thank you for your hard work." "It wasn''t that difficult. But why are you suddenly gathering actors who can speak Japanese?" "I''ll exin that gradually." During their conversation, the coffee arrived. The three of them took their ordered coffees and headed to their respective offices. In the end, Yoon Gayeon encouraged Go Seoyeong, saying, "I support you, Assistant Manager Go Seoyeong. But Team Leader Jang Sunho has many admirers. Even new employees follow him very well. Fighting!" Jang Sunho took the lead and entered the office of the "Kang Jinseok Team." "Team Leader, are you here?" "Yes. It''s been a while." After responding to the greetings from the office staff, Jang Sunho, after throwing his bag carelessly onto his seat, spoke aloud for everyone to hear. "Please pay attention for a moment. There''s been a bit of an issue with our first original production at OS Entertainment, The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World.'' Originally, Director Katahiro was nning to control the entire production, but due to some troublemakers, we couldn''t use most of the Japanese productionpany and Japanese actors." As Jang Sunho spoke, the employees exchanged puzzled nces. They didn''t know the details, but the fact that there was a problem with the production was a cause for concern. "As an alternative, I suggested to Director Katahiro that we use Korean staff and actors. So, I asked Assistant Manager Go Seoyeong to organize actors who can speak Japanese." Go Seoyeong nodded, and Jang Sunho continued. "First, what you all need to do is find a film productionpany with staff who can speak Japanese. It shouldn''t be too difficult, but time is money, so please find one as quickly as possible." "Yes!" "Also, those of you who have evaluated audition profiles for OS Entertainment in the past will have to work overtime with me starting today. We need to select actors who can be proposed for this project. We also need to collect profiles from Japanese actor agencies, so there''s a lot to do." At the deration of overtime by the team leader, some employees covered their faces with their hands. From one corner, a voice was heard saying, "Ugh overtime and I have to do overtime!" It didn''t sound like aint or irritation but more like someone joking. Of course, everyone disliked overtime, but since Jang Sunho was a person who alwayspensated for overtime, the morale of the employees was high. The only one feeling down was Go Seoyeong. She thought she would be working overtime alone with Jang Sunho. Go Seoyeong sighed inwardly. Ugh. If I had known, I wouldn''t have worn this ufortable semi-formal suit.'' With such thoughts and a slightly resentful look at Jang Sunho, he seemedpletely unfazed. "Well, then, let''s each do our best with our respective tasks. I apologize for taking your time since this morning." After finishing his words, Jang Sunho headed to his seat. Due to the backlog of work caused by his recent business trip, there was not much time to dy. Masareti ad extension. Nothing separate for shooting; just an extension of the period, so let''s go with it. Pizza King also an extension. Two Marts are okay. Then, let''s decline any TV appearances for the time being.'' Jang Sunho quickly skimmed through various reports neatly organized by the employees. Sorting out Jinseok''s schedule like solving a puzzle, Jang Sunho concentrated. Before he knew it, it was well past 12 o''clock, and while the employees went to have lunch on their own, in the office, only Jang Sunho and Go Seoyeong remained. "Ugh~ Haha! Team leader, aren''t you having lunch?" Go Seoyeong asked, stretching widely. "Oh, I should." "I saw in the group chat that the president came to the cafeteria today. Employees were taking pictures and all that. I wonder if he''s still there." Jang Sunho remembered the image of Oh Haneul happily taking pictures with employees while holding a tray. Thinking about it, Jang Sunho chuckled. I tried to fill it with bread, but since the president came, I should go and greet him. He might have already left, though.'' Jang Sunho stood up and said, "I''m going to have lunch now. When are you going, Assistant Manager?" "Oh! I''ll go with you. I just finished up." Thud! Go Seoyeong quickly closed herptop. Even though it didn''t look like she was done with her work at all, there didn''t seem to be an option to leave Jang Sunho alone. A littleter, without saying anything, the two left the office and headed to the cafeteria. Suddenly, Go Seoyeong thought of Jinseok. "So, did Actor Kang Jinseoke back to Korea right away?" "He was nning to, but I gave him some time off. Since he went all the way to Japan, it''s also an opportunity for him to take a break. It''s hard to exin in detail." "On vacation. Is Actor Kang Jinseok alone?" "Yes." "Hehe" Leaving Jinseok alone in Japan. As Jang Sunho, who had always stuck with Jinseok, whether it was for shooting a drama or an ad, it was something Go Seoyeong found hard to believe. "Lately, Actor Kang Jinseok has been incredibly popr even in Japan. If any issues arise" "Actor Kang Jinseok is not a five-year-old child; there shouldn''t be any significant problems." "You say that just before some issue pops up." "In that case, I''ll cancel it." When Go Seoyeong expressed her concerns, Jang Sunho responded with a meaningful smile. "Don''t worry too much. I''ve taken out insurance in my own way beforeing." Chapter 154: Chapter 154: "Insurance?" Go Seoyeong asked, tapping Jang Sunho on the back of his head. Without looking at her, Jang Sunho casually replied. "Yes, it''s a kind of spy No, it''s more like a bodyguard." "You hired a bodyguard?" "Not exactly. I''ve assigned someone to follow Actor Kang Jinseok." She looked at him with a puzzled expression and cautiously said, "You ordered stalking? If Actor Kang Jinseok finds out" "Stalking? I didn''t send someone with bad intentions. I informed Actor Kang Jinseok as well. I told him that it would be another manager following him, not me." "If it''s not Team Leader, then another manager Ah." Go Seoyeong seemed to have figured something out. "The new employee who recently joined, Ha Jun, right?" "Yes." "He''s aplete newbie. You assigned Actor Kang Jinseok to him?" "Yes." Go Seoyeong felt a bit disappointed with Jang Sunho''s brief answers. However, at the moment, she was more curious about the intention behind assigning Jinseok to a neer. "CEO! Could you take a photo with me too?" As Go Seoyeong was about to ask about it, "Sure. Come in." "CE-CEO, me too!" "Come in. Let''s take a photo together." "CEO, um, can I post this on my SNS?" "Of course. But you need to post the one where I look good." At the entrance of the restaurant, Oh Haneul, who was as popr as most celebrities, was visible. Jang Sunho pointed to Oh Haneul and said, "Deputy, won''t you take a photo with the CEO?" "Well, I don''t really Haha." Go Seoyeong smiled charmingly as she looked at the crowd gathered around Oh Haneul. "More importantly, leaving Kang Jinseok to the new guy. It''s not like Team Leader Jang Sunho to make such a decision." "Why?" "Why? Because the Team Leader always emphasizes that Kang Jinseok should receive the best treatment, almost to the point of obsessively repeating it. So, it''s surprising that Team Leader left Kang Jinseok to a newbie." Listening to Go Seoyeong''s words, Jang Sunho nodded slowly. Rather than expressing agreement, it seemed more like he was thinking, I guess people could see it that way.'' "At least in Japan, that guy will probably do better than me. Especially in supporting Kang Jinseok''s personal vacation like this." Jang Sunho nced at Go Seoyeong and spoke. "?" As Jang Sunho had always been someone who relished in his own excellence, it was quite rare for him to admit that someone else might be better. Instead of conveying a sense of agreement with her words, it felt more like a thought of I suppose one could think that.'' "Let''s have lunch. Today, they have sausage and vegetable stir-fry. It''s a menu you like, Deputy." Hokkaido, Sapporo. While Jang Sunho and other employees returned to Korea, Jinseok came to Sapporo to fulfill Tadano''s request by finding a ramen restaurant. As Jinseok walked towards the Sapporo Station exit, he spoke to the man next to him. "I apologize if you couldn''t go back to Korea because of me." There was no hierarchical rtionship between celebrities and managers. However, when Jinseok bowed his head and apologized, feeling overwhelmed to apologize to himself, whom everyone else recognized as a "top star," Ha Jun awkwardly extended his hand. "Ah, no! I''m truly honored. It''s only been three months since I joined, and now I get to apany a star like you all by myself." "Haha apany? Please don''t say that. Just treat it like we''re traveling together and feel free to befortable." While Jinseok was trying to make Ha Junfortable, Ha Jun naturally couldn''t treat Jinseok casually. Hmm. Even though we got a bit closer while taking the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Sapporo, he''s still nervous.'' Although Ha Jun was modest in his words, he was quite, or rather significantly, a high-spec man. He had sessfully passed thepetition with apetition rate of over 100 to be a manager at OS Entertainment. Being such a high-spec person, when Ha Jun told his parents that he had joined an entertainmentpany as a "manager," they were extremely disappointed. They had pressured him, saying, "Did I send you to Japan to study abroad so that you could work behind celebrities?" However, as soon as they heard his sry, they said, "You had a n all along. Mom and Dad are proud of you." ncing at Jinseok, who was heading toward the exit, Ha Jun made up his mind. Anyway, this is my first solo assignment. I have to do well no matter what.'' To do that, he needed to eliminate the slight awkwardness between him and Jinseok. Ha Jun gathered his courage, smiled, and spoke to Jinseok. "We finally arrived, Actor. The time it''s past 6 p.m. It''s quitete. How about having dinner first?" "Yes. I''ll pay for the meal." "That''s what I thought. Team Leader Jang Sunho gave me a ck card and told me to use it no matter what." Ha Jun showed a ck card from his wallet and smiled. "But, Actor, I still don''t know why you came here. Could you tell me?" "Oh, Manager, he didn''t tell you? Team Leader said to support whatever you do with all our might and to handle any problems that might arise." "I see." Somehow, Jinseok''s voice felt like it was providing reassurance. Jinseok smiled appreciatively and said, "I have a ramen ce rmended by my acquaintance. Let''s go there." *** "Ramen?" I must have seemed perplexed. Ha Jun blinked and asked, "R-Ramen? Did youe all the way to Sapporo to have ramen? From Tokyo?" "Haha, yes." "Wow Is it a really famous ce?" "Not really. It''s an old ce, but it has a local gem vibe. It''s not far from the station. This way." As I led the way, Ha Jun followed closely behind me. Anyway, what should I do?'' Although I was heading to a ramen shop in Sapporo to fulfill Tadano''s request, I didn''t have a clear solution for how to revive a failing restaurant.'' If I were with Jang Sunho, he might casually ask and provide a good solution. However, in reality, I didn''t have a concrete way to help a struggling restaurant. While walking, I pondered various thoughts, but I didn''t have a good solution. If Jang Sunho were here, he might ask subtly and offer a helpful solution. Jang Sunho Manager rmended Ha Jun, right?'' The employee rmended by Jang Sunho, who stuck with Jinseok, would undoubtedly be a capable person. Although he was currently nervously saying, I''m a newbie!'' with an anxious expression beside me. Even so, maybe I should ask once?'' Rather than having an ufortable journey with awkward nces, it might be less awkward to put our heads together and think about how to save the ramen shop. As I nced at Ha Jun, who was nervously ncing at me, I made up my mind. Let''s ask once.'' Ha Jun, showing an awkward smile, asked, "Did I make a mistake or something?" "No, no. It''s not that. There''s something I''d like to ask." With a slightly tense expression, Ha Jun leaned toward me and asked, "Please, ask me anything." Thinking about how to phrase it, I decided to be straightforward. Instead of beating around the bush, it seemed better not to hesitate. I didn''t even know how to phrase it differently. "How can you revive a failing restaurant?" "Yes?" Ha Jun''s expression crumbled. It seemed that suddenly bringing up the topic of a restaurant had thrown him off guard. Even I felt my exnation was insufficient, and perhaps it was natural that Ha Jun''s expression changed due to the sudden shift to a discussion about a restaurant. Fortunately, he quickly regained hisposure, and Ha Jun looked at me again with a serious gaze. "I don''t know why you''re asking about this, but it might be a bit challenging. Are you okay with that?" "Uh yes. I''ll listen first." "First, you need to determine whether the restaurant is a franchise or an independent one. Most franchises have operational guidelines, so even if you know what the problem is, you can''t make significant changes." The person who was anxious just a while ago spoke in a surprisingly knowledgeable manner, sharing his experiences with a prominent owner in the food industry and even referencing a well-known paper. It felt like I was attending one of Jang Sunho''s lectures after a long time. "So, you need toprehensively understand these factors first. I don''t know if this was helpful." "Haha Yes, thank you. It was a big help." To be honest, I didn''t understand anything as much as when Jang Sunho gave difficult and professional advice. Ha Jun hesitated and said, seemingly aware of my bewildered voice. "Um The theory might be difficult, but applying it in reality is simpler than you think. Just like an actor shining when they act well if the food at a restaurant is good, customers will recognize it. Such restaurants only need promotion. On the contrary, if the food isn''t good no matter what methods you use, it''s inevitable that it will fail." In the end, taste is the most important factor. Ha Jun, who seemed embarrassed to talk about something trivial, provided me with the most realistic advice. The ramen shop that Tadano mentioned. He said the taste is good. In that case'' I thought about promoting the ramen shop on SNS so that others could discover its taste. The problem was that Jang Suhon had been in charge of managing SNS until now. I had never posted a photo I took myself, and I didn''t know how to write a good caption. Looking at the delicious-looking photos of food on SNS, anyone could be hungry. At that moment, someone came to mind. Should I ask for help from author Yang Chihoon?'' *** "Manager, I''vepiled the list of productionpanies that can handle Japanese, as you requested. Also, here''s a list of agencies with Japanese-speaking actors or actors from Japan. I''ve sent the files separately via messenger." Go Seoyoung handed several documents to Jang Sunho. "Thank you. By the way, when will the list of actors who applied for our auditions and can speak Japanese be ready?" "I''ll check right away." While they bantered and exchanged words when it was just the two of them, Go Seoyoung was serious when it came to work. Seeing Go Seoyoung return to her seat, Jang Sunho stretched. "I wonder what Kang Jinseok is doing now. I heard he arrived in Sapporo a while ago." He had heard that report from Ha Jun about an hour ago. "As long as there''s nothing special, he said there''s no need to report. No news is good news. Yeah, let''s just hope there''s no contact." Wooong. At that moment, Jang Sunho''s phone buzzed. "Check KANGREALSTONE''s Inbyulgram post." "" A notification'' arrived,pletely ignoring Jang Sunho''s intentions a while ago. Since Jang Sunho only followed Jinseok, this was a rare sight of a social media notification, who usually had little interest in it. Even more unusual was the fact that Jinseok rarely used social media, and whenever he needed to post something, Jang Sunho usually helped him organize the photos and captions. In a hurry, I checked the post. "Is Kang Jinseok, the actor, uploading to SNS?" [Currently enjoying Miso Ramen in Sapporo. It''s really delicious.] (Photo: Kang Jinseok eating ramen) "" As expected, Jang Sunho, who had not used SNS much, was at a loss for words at the description and the hastily taken photo of his face. It seemed like there was a need for quick editing, but there were already constant likes'' andments umting, so it seemed toote. However, there was a bigger problem than that [@YANGisSheepPHOTO] The shooting technique I mentioned is not like this But still, a perfect picture came out thanks to your shining appearance. The familiar nickname, ament from the photographer Yang Chihoon. I didn''t know what he meant by the mentioned shooting technique,'' but Jang Sunho first checked otherments. [Wow, I''m in Sapporo right now. Is anyone familiar with this ce?] [Wow, amazing. I''m in Sapporo right now too.] [Anyone who knows, quickly. Before Jinseok disappears after eating.] [Hurry hurry hurry hurry hurry] People began to locate Jinseok. And with fierce determination. Among the numerousments, the most problematic one emerged. [Oh? This is a ramen shop deep in the alley near Sapporo Station.] (Photo: Ramen shop map) Someone had figured out Jinseok''s location. Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Jang Sunho immediately checked thements section to verify the location. There was a red mark deep in an alley near Sapporo Station. "Where is this?" No matter how well Jang Sunho knew his way around, he couldn''t be familiar with every corner of Japan. As he studied the map, Jang Sunho raised his head slightly in thought. "Well it shouldn''t be a major issue." Just because they knew Jinseok''s location didn''t mean there was a high chance of fans swarming at the airport. While there was a bit of concern about being near the station, Jang Sunho wasn''t overly worried since Ha Jun was apanying him. "Yes! Team leader! I got a call from Ha Jun!" Still, just to be sure, Jang Sunho dialed Ha Jun. "Hello, Mr. Ha Jun. Where are you now? Everything okay?" "Yes! No issues. We''re at a ramen shop where actor Kang Jinseok brought us." "I see. Is the ramen shop crowded?" "No, not at all. Right now, it''s just me and Mr. Jinseok in the ramen shop." It was as Jang Sunho expected. "Alright. I just called out of curiosity. Take care." "Yes!" After the lively voice of Ha Jun, the call ended. Jang Sunho returned his focus to theputer and various documents. Now that he knew Jinseok''s situation, it was time to concentrate on work. Ring, ring Jang Sunho''s phone rang again. Checking, it was Ha Jun, the person he had just spoken to. "Why did he call right after our previous conversation?" Answering the phone, Jang Sunho heard the urgent voice of Ha Jun. "Yes, Mr. Ha Jun." "Team leader, I''m sorry. We left the ramen shop, but we got caught." "Caught? By whom?" "Fans of actor Kang Jinseok." "" "At first, one or two people were taking pictures with the actor, but suddenly the ramen shop was packed." After a moment of hesitation, Ha Jun asked, "W-What should we do?" *** The ramen shop, Rockil.'' More customers had gathered in this shop near Sapporo Station in the past few months than in all the previous monthsbined. "Who is this young friend that has attracted so many people?" The elderly owner, whose hair had turned white with the passage of time, looked at Jinseok with a bewildered expression. In his shop, where even regrs seldom visited now, a Korean man entered and said, "Miso ramen, thick, all toppings, and make the noodles very firm!" Until then, the owner hadn''t thought much about it. asionally, tourists explored the old shops in search of local vors. "But as soon as that guy came in, customers started pouring in. It''s not like he''s a Maneki-neko or anything" At first, there weren''t many. But as the numbers increased one by one, there was no room to step inside the shop. Some even stood outside, waiting in line just to get a glimpse inside. "Wow, is that really Kang Jinseok?" "He looks even better in person." Most of the customers hade to see the actor. However, the owner didn''t mind. His shop being filled with customers like this was truly a rare sight. "Sir! Give me the same thing as Kang Jinseok!" "Me too!" "Four servings here!" "Should we try it too? It looks incredibly delicious." Moreover, each customer ordered a bowl of ramen. Now, there weren''t enough bowls to serve the ramen. "Wow, this is really delicious." "As expected, hidden gems are hard to find." "But surprisingly, it''s not that far. About 20 minutes from the station. We just need to walk a bit more than we used to after work." "We should bring our girlfriends here on the weekend." There were also Japanese customers expressing their thoughts like this. "-Hey, this ce is way better than the ramen shop introduced by that YouTuber." "Agreed. Why hasn''t this ce gained any fame?" "Local gems usually don''t get much attention. Want another bowl?" "I''ve already ordered." Likely, words of praise from Korean tourists were also heard. The owner couldn''t understand the meaning, but by looking at their expressions, he could tell they were enjoying the food. The rarepliment made the tip of the owner''s nose tingle with emotion. With countless customersing and going, tirelessly boiling noodles without a break, it had bete at night. Now, inside the shop, only the man and hispanion, probably a manager, remained. "I''m sorry. I thoughtlessly posted a picture on social media, and after people saw it, they crowded in. I apologize for not seeking your understanding earlier." The man scratched the back of his head and apologized to the owner. "N-No, not at all. I''m grateful, actually. But?" ncing at Jinseok''s face, the owner cautiously asked, "Who are you? From what the customers were saying earlier, you seem to be an actor?" "Oh, yes! I''m Kang Jinseok. I''m shooting dramas and movies in Korea." "Ah, I see" If he''s Kang Jinseok is he Korean? A Korean actor being this famous in Japan is surprising.'' A little surprised, but as the owner, it didn''t matter at all. Thanks to Jinseok, numerous customers visited his shop today, and it seemed like these customers would bring in even more. After organizing his thoughts, the owner deeply bowed in gratitude to Jinseok. "Thank you so much foring to this humble ce. In truth, I was thinking of closing the shop soon, but thanks to you, I believe I can somehow keep it running." Jinseok looked puzzled at the elderly man''s greeting. Then, with a proud expression as if he had achieved something, he spoke. "Please keep running your business. If Ie to Japan again, I''ll definitely stop by." *** "Whew! Ha-ha." Coming out of the ramen shop, Jinseok stretched widely. Rxing his tense body, he turned to Ha Jun. Seeming tired from restraining fervent fans as a manager, Ha Jun was loosening up. "Actor, do you have any other ns after this?" "No, this is it. We can return to Korea now." "Oh, okay. So, first to the hotel What? You mean we can go back to Korea now?" "Yes. The only purpose left in Japan was to visit this ramen shop. I think I mentioned it before." "Well, you did mention it, but are you really staying in Japan just to have ramen?" "Yes." At my brief response, Ha Jun looked at me with a bewildered expression. Then, nodding with a somewhat awkward smile, he said, "Got it. Let''s go back to the hotel first, and tomorrow, I''ll check the flights back to Korea." For some reason, maybe due to my mood, Ha Jun''s voice seemed powerless. It didn''t seem like it was because he was tired from guiding and controlling the enthusiastic fans. Just a short while ago, his voice had strength. When I stared at Ha Jun silently, he spoke with a charming smile, "Actually, Team Leader Jang Sunho suggested that Kang Jinseok take about a week-long trip to Japan. Lately, the actor has been working non-stop, so the Team Leader thought about giving him a break. And, it turned out to be a good opportunity." "Oh" "So, the Team Leader had looked into various ces for the actor to visit, but I might have been a bit too quick. Haha" An awkwardugh from Ha Jun. Though not certain, it seemed like he regretted not being able to present what he had prepared. Honestly, deep down, I wanted to visit tourist spots like Universal Studios or Tokyo Tower since I was in Japan. However, feeling sorry for Ha Jun, who had to apany me, I couldn''t say that. But if he''s telling me this much I probably shouldn''t decline.'' Like a dog eager for a walk, unable to contain my excitement, I said with a bright smile, "Then, I''d like to go to an onsen." "Huh?" "When you think of Japan, onsen is a must, right? It appears a lot in movies andics. Since Team Leader Jang Sunho suggested staying for about a week, how about staying for ten days? Oh, and on thest day, let''se to this ramen shop again." "Sure, sure! I''ve already researched onsen. The efficacy varies depending on the mineral content in the water" *** Incheon International Airport. Today, like clockwork, numerous people are going their separate ways. Among them was Jang Sunho, who wore a particrly solemn expression as he came to greet Jinseok returning from Japan. "Hmm." Jang Sunho looked at the pictures of Jinseok posted on social media, thinking, When the actor first mentioned staying in Japan, I was a bit worried, but looking at these pictures, it seems like my concerns were unfounded.'' Over the past week, certification photos taken by fans who met Jinseok kept appearing on social media. Even when wearing a hat and mask, it seemed that the star''s aura was unmistakable, and the fans were able to recognize him. It seems like he took pictures with anyone who asked.'' Considering Jinseok''s personality, providing this kind of service to fans was natural, but Jang Sunho felt a bit uneasy. Even though he was an entertainer living off the love of fans, there were times when one should know how to refuse. "Team Leader Jang Sunho!" At that moment, a familiar voice rang out. Looking in that direction, he saw Ha Jun, Jinseok, who had his face covered with a hat, mask, and sunsses, and a sign that read I''m a suspicious person.'' The sunsses were like those worn by aliens in movies. Where did he find something like that? More importantly, why is he wearing it? Did he receive it as a gift from a fan, like a rabbit hat?'' Although it suited him well, Jinseok''s fashion, trying to stand out in various wayspared to other celebrities, was in many ways unique. "Wee back, Team Leader Jang Sunho!" Jang Sunho approached Ha Jun and Jinseok, who was wearing a hat, mask, and sunsses, and greeted them. Before hearing Jinseok''s response, he took the luggage Jinseok was carrying. At a nce, it looked like souvenirs from the duty-free shop and items bought during the trip to Japan. "Yes, thanks to Ha Jun, I had a really enjoyable time. Ate a lot of delicious food too." "If that''s the case, I''m d. Ha Jun, you did well." "Oh, no! I had so much fun." To the bright Ha Jun, Jang Sunho said, "Ha Jun, you might be tired. Take a break until the day after tomorrow." "Oh, no! I''m not tired at all." "When you can take a break, do take one. You''ll be busy soon. Go home right away today. I''ll take care of the actor now." Despite Ha Jun''s repeated attempts to decline, he eventually yielded to Jang Sunho''s words. After Ha Jun went home, Jang Sunho and Jinseok headed towards the van. "Wow, it''s been a while since I''ve been in this van. Feels really good. But Manager, it looks like you''ve lost some weight recently. Is something going on?" "I''ve been quite busytely. Selecting a productionpany and listing actors, you know." "Ah, I see." Jinseok scratched the back of his head, clouding his words. "I feel a bit sorry. I had so much fun." "You don''t need to feel sorry at all. This is my job. But speaking of which, tomorrow you have a schedule. Are you feeling okay about that?" "Yes, of course. But what''s the schedule?" "A meeting with the production team of The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World.''" "Oh, it''s decided already? Where?" After asking Jang Sunho, Jinseokughed innocently, saying, "Actually, I don''t really know much about the productionpany. Hehe." "The staffing in for this project might be the most luxurious team in Korea, or perhaps even in the world. It''s like an all-star team." "All-star? Ah, not the productionpany but the production team?" "Yes. Since I couldn''t find a productionpany that I really liked, I gathered talented individuals from various ces. People you might know as well." Jang Sunho said with a slight smile and a confident tone. Chapter 115

Chapter 115

"Where on earth did such an actore from?" Park Jinmo marveled as he watched Jinseok''s acting from the corner of the alley. Whatever it may be, there''s always a limit'' to everything. No matter how perfectly an actor immerses themselves in a role, there is a certain awkwardness inherent in their performance due to the habits they''ve developed throughout their life. For instance, the actor''s pronunciation or actions might reveal a familiarity with their previous roles. However, in Jinseok''s acting right now, there was not a hint of awkwardness. It felt as if he had extracted from the script the scenario of a perfect con artist, thrown off bnce by the deviation of his n, identally confessing'' and brought it to life. Such admiration wasn''t limited to Park Jinmo alone. "Hehe" A smallugh escaped from Yeo Jaeyoon''s lips. During the shoot, Yeo Jae-yoon had been strict and somewhat cantankerous, but Jinseok''s acting undeniably caused the muscles in his face to loosen. "During the first audition, he couldn''t find the direction, and now." On the screen capturing Jinseok''s face were dted pupils expressing bewilderment, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and a lower lip uncertain of how to deal with shyness. And, in an awkward yet harmonious manner, the fingertips directed towards a flustered Lee Hyemin were captured,pleting the ensemble. "Surely, there''s something different about actor Kang Jinseok''s performance. It''s something that can''t be exined simply by excellent script analysis." At that moment, Jinseok''s face, which had been facing the floor, subtly turned towards the camera. Following his gaze, the camera slowly shifted to a frontal view. It was a first-person perspective aligned with his eye level. As scripted, the face of Lee Hyemin, blushing and disying signs of embarrassment, entered the frame. However, for some reason, there was a feeling slightly different from those emotions. "Is this a sense of being moved?" More precisely, it was an expression that seemed to be inspired by something rather than just being moved. "My intention was a bit different." Since there was no intention to cut ck just because she was his daughter, if the acting had been subpar, Yeo Jaeyoon would have called for retakes without hesitation. However, the current feeling wasn''t bad, so he decided to let it pass. Just insisting on reshooting might have been a huge setback if Jinseok''s acting wavered. Lee Hyemin wrote a note with trembling hands and showed it to Jinseok. "Is it true?" "Re-really? Of course!" It was an unexpected note, and Jinseok''s eyes widened in surprise. That too was brief; Jinseok somehow managed to speak in a nonchnt tone, but he still trembled visibly, unable to conceal his hesitation. "Uh, well we um, food!" "Foo-food? Shall we eat? There''s a delicious pig''s trotters ce nearby, and a pork bone soup ce also a fried chicken ce." "Or there''s bossam" The menus suggested by the man who had just confessed weren''t exactly suitable for a date. That''s why Lee Hyemin found it even more endearing. Jinseok, or rather, the man who had just confessed, was making his embarrassment even more apparent. The two of them, caught on screen, looked incredibly awkward. Lee Hyemin shyly nodded her head. The screen disyed a charming awkwardness, reminiscent of a couple attempting to take their first steps in a rtionship. "One, two, three." Watching their interactions, Yeo Jaeyoon silently counted in his mind. "Ah, cut!" Yeo Jaeyoon tossed aside the headset connected to the microphone and let out a heartyugh. "Wow, this is no joke." "But I feel embarrassed just watching." "Amazing. What''s the title of this movie?" "Hey! When is this movieing out?!" "I forgot to breathe. This is real acting." Whether it was the trigger for the apuse or the citizens who were watching the shoot, they all collectively marveled. Among them were, of course, students from Seoguk University. "You have to do that to make a movie." "But the two of them in a two-shot, they really match well." Like beginners admiring a veteran, the students were impressed by Jinseok''s acting. Of course, Seo Yeonsoo felt the same way. As the citizens and students marveled, the staff members moved the lights for the next shoot, and Jinseok and Lee Hyemin walked out of the alley, chatting with each other. Seeing this, most of the citizens took pictures, and Jinseok, with a stylish smile, shook hands with people. "Wow, as expected of Jinseok!" "That was great! It was worthing to see the acting!" "Is this a drama? Oh, was it a movie?" At that moment, breaking through everyone''s voices, the loud voices of the workers from Seongsoo Warehouse echoed. They seemed rxed and carefree. The considerably robust voices drew the attention of both the citizens and the staff members. Of course, Jinseok''s gaze naturally turned in their direction. "Oh? Gentlemen, how did you end up here?" Jinseok greeted them warmly as he approached. However, their bright smiles suddenly turned nk. "Us? We just" "Uh Why did wee here?" "Did wee to eat something?" Park Chunsam, the team leader, and Mr. Kim, who were at the forefront, gave vague answers. "We brought them here. Since there''s filming nearby, I thought you all might want to see it." Then, unexpectedly, Jang Sunho, who was standing by Jinseok, took over from Park Chunsam. In response, Park Chunsam and the other employees awkwardlyughed, saying, "Oh, right, right. We just came to see it. It''s nearby. Haha" "Um" Examining them curiously, Jinseok spoke as if sensing something odd. "Is that so? But everyone seems relieved, like after finishing work on Chuseok or New Year." "" "Did something happen for you all toe here?" Jinseok asked without much thought, but the moment he spoke, the men and Jang Sunho hesitated. Then, Park Chunsam clenched his fist and spoke with a solemn voice. "Nothing at all" "?" "Happened." It seemed a bit strange, but since they were insisting like this, Jinseok couldn''t press further and just shrugged, nodding his head. "Oh, Actress Lee Hyemin. These gentlemen are" Then, he noticed Lee Hyemin standing behind him, observing him and the men with a curious expression. "They''re like my father." Jinseok didn''t want to simply define them as coworkers.'' So, he expressed them as family, using the term father.'' Whether they were surprised or moved by his words, the Seongsoo Warehouse workers seemed to be touched, their noses twitching. Lee Hyemin politely greeted the Seongsoo Warehouse workers. Whether it was because of Jinseok''s reference to them as like his father'' or perhaps due to their intimidating stature, they were being quite cautious. "Are they intimidated?" Lee Hyemin wasn''t usually the most outgoing, but at this moment, she seemed particrly tense, almost frozen. It was understandable, given the somewhat intimidating appearance of the men. "I wonder if a cheerful greeting would help." To ease Lee Hyemin''s tension, Jinseok introduced her to the men. "This is Lee Hyemin, the actress who ys the female lead in this project. You saw her a little while ago, right? She''s really good at acting." "The female lead?" "Yes." "Oh, I see." At the mention of "the female lead," the men exchanged knowing nces. "Jinseok is filming a romanticedy this time, right?" "Not exactly a romanticedy. But well, that''s close enough." "I see. So, are they going to hold hands and act all lovey-dovey?" "Probably. These days, that''s a trend." "Hmm. That''s the trend of trends. But what is the trend, exactly?" Normally, those who would scold each other without hesitation were strangely in sync during moments like these. It was a conversation very familiar to Jinseok. In response, he raised his head with a somewhat embarrassed smile, as if saying he couldn''t help it. However, for Lee Hyemin, the somewhat heated conversation seemed a bit unfamiliar, and her face flushed. The men found her reaction cute and burst intoughter. "You said Hyemin, right? Nice to meet you, Hyemin." At that moment, Kwak Dupal, the team leader, nodded slightly and greeted her. Startled by his unexpected greeting, Lee Hyemin quickly blinked herrge eyes. Then, with her long hair falling to her waist, she gracefully bowed to Kwak Dupal. *** "At Pizza King, they want to use Kang Jinseok as their exclusive model." In the conference room of the advertising agency "Dolphin Excursion." Like a calm pond disturbed by a thrown stone, the tranquil atmosphere was disrupted by the team leader''s casual remark. "If it''s Pizza King KL Entertainment''s Kwon Seokhoon, right? KL Entertainment must be aware that the contract is likely to be extended." "Besides, Pizza King should know that KL Entertainment doesn''t like Kang Jinseok. Why would they want to use him?" "It''s going to be noisy again." "Actor Kwon Seokhoon didn''t react badly either. Why would they want to change?" In response to the team members'' questions and reactions, the team leader ced documents on the table and spoke. "The person in charge said they want to change Pizza King''s image, and Kang Jinseok is quite popr these days, right? His recent work with Director Yeo Jaeyoon? Even though the movie won''t be released for a while, there are photos popping up on social media and news portals. You know, right?" "That''s true." "And if the movie bes a hit after it''s released, his appearance fee will go up. They might be trying to secure him in advance." "What if the movie flops?" Still, even if it''s a contract with a rookie guarantee, it wouldn''t be bad. Besides, Kwon Seokhoon doesn''t really have much activity going on, right?" As the team leader exined in a weary voice, the team members nodded in agreement. Looking at his team members, the team leader added one more thing. "And this uing project is expected to hit at least a mid-range. I have a friend in the film industry, and it seems like other directors are all trying to dy the release dates for their films." "Why?" "They think they''ll lose all the audience if they release around the same time. I don''t know the details, but it seems like rumors are already spreading over there. This next project is no joke." Surprised by the team leader''s words, the team members nodded, saying, "If it''s thebination of Director Yeo Jaeyoon and Kang Jinseok, it''s sure to be at least a mid-range hit." Sipping on his lukewarm coffee, the team leader continued. "But there''s a problem. The advertiser wants to grab Kang Jinseok specifically for the model, so we have to adjust to that. But suddenly rejecting Kwon Seokhoon seems like KL Entertainment would catch on." "Oh that''s true. That director really has a dirty personality." "That''s right. Also, besides our Pizza King project, there are a few more ad shoots lined up with KL Entertainment actors. We need to extend contracts for some of them. If our rtionship sours because of this, it''s really going to be a headache. Do you understand what I mean?" The team members nodded in understanding. Although the advertising agency and the entertainment nning agency weren''t in a direct hierarchical rtionship, they often collided with each other, so maintaining a good rtionship was preferable. After a moment of silence, one of the employees asked the team leader. "But, Team Leader, isn''t KL Entertainment a bunch of money-crazed people? They won''t care much, right? They''ll do anything that makes money." "Well, that''s true, but when you actually go to the shooting site, they can be quite picky. This one has too much exposure, so it''s a no-go. This one doesn''t match the image, so it''s a no-go. This one doesn''t align with the nning and feels different, so it''s a no-go.'' They''ll go on about that kind of stuff." "Ah" The team member nodded, seeming to understand. It was a challenging situation where the desired actor for the advertiser could potentially have a negative impact on another advertisement. The conference room fell silent in the face of the difficult circumstances. "Now, let''s tell KL Entertainment that Kwon Seokhoon is done as a model, and we need to sessfully wrap up this project." In that atmosphere, the team leader threw another question into the mix. "Anyone confident?" Chapter 156: Chapter 156: "How extraordinary must the production team be for him to speak so highly of them?" Jang Sunho, always careful with his words, found his newfound confidence in speech somewhat unfamiliar. He nced at himself in the rearview mirror, just as he was about to inquire who those production team members were. "But, actor." Jang Sunho spoke first. "You seem to have bought a lot; what did you get?" "Oh, this?" I pointed to the various shopping bags piled next to me. "I bought some gifts while I was in Japan. I bought some for the manager too" After a quick exnation, he rummaged through the bags. "Ah, here it is." "Did you buy mine as well?" "Of course." Jang Sunho alternately looked at the traffic lights and the shopping bags as if anticipating gifts. As soon as the signal changed, he stopped the car. "I was unsure of what you might need, so I asked Manager Go Seoyoung. She suggested that a watch might be a good choice." As he handed over the gift, he alternated his gaze between the shopping bag and my face with aplex expression. When his normally stern face became even more rigid, I couldn''t help but feel uneasy. "Oh, but I personally chose the model. I thought this would suit you better. Haha, I don''t really know about watches, so I got help from Manager Ha Jun, who knows more about them." Jang Sunho opened the elegantly packaged watch case. What if he doesn''t like it? Even though I had been extremely careful in selecting the gift, I couldn''t shake off the worry. "Thank you. It feels like I received a gift that''s too much, but I''ll use it well." Gently looking at the watch, Jang Sunho put it back into the shopping bag as if handling a delicate heirloom. After a while, he discovered another box inside and asked, "Did you buy two?" "Oh, that''s a gift for Manager Go Seoyoung. Other team members bought things they thought of, but since I didn''t know what to get for Manager Go Seoyoung, I bought a watch. It has a simr design to the one the manager has." "A design simr to mine?" "Yes, it''s the trendiest one in the store these days." "Ah I see. Got it." There seemed to be a lot on his mind, but before he could say anything, the traffic light changed, and Jang Sunho focused on driving again. "Oh, by the way, Manager-nim. Can you tell me who the production team for this project is that you mentioned earlier?" "We''ve gathered the best in each field." *** At OS Entertainment, in the conference room. Director Katahiro, sitting at the head of the table, looked at the other people assembled in the room and swallowed dry saliva. "These staff members are too much. Am I really fit to represent them?" Katahiro scanned the staff one by one. Director Yeo Jaeyoon, Producer Ha Sarang, Cinematographer Eom Hyeryeong, and the leader of the Trantion Team,'' Takafumi. Not to mention other experts who were equally impressive. At first, he didn''t know who the Korean production staff were, but after hearing about the work they had created, Katahiro couldn''t hide his surprise. Each of them had the experience to take on the role of a director or an equivalent position in any production. In a way, they could be considered more remarkable than himself. "I was curious about the people Jang Sunho Team Leader gathered as the best members, and they''re really something." Although he thought so, Katahiro didn''t show this externally. That''s because he was the director of this project, and a director like Katahiro wouldn''t let the staff outshine him. "The only concern is whether this ship with many sailors will sail smoothly Well, with sailors like these, I''m sure it''ll be fine." Meanwhile, Katahiro wasn''t the only one astonished by the team members. Eom Hyeryeong, sipping her favorite drink, observed the people in the conference room with a sidelong nce. "They were recruiting staff for Kang Jinseok''s film, and I asked the director for a favor to get in. I never thought it would be a ce like this." Eom Hyeryeong, being affiliated with BDD Broadcasting, wasn''t originally supposed to be here. However, due to the past debts BDD Drama Division owed to OS Entertainment, and Eom Hyeryeong''s strong stance "If you don''t let me go, I''ll just resign. There are plenty of ces willing to take me." Director Na Jinho had no choice but to assign Eom Hyeryeong to the "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World" team. It wasn''t a big deal for the broadcasting station to run without Eom Hyeryeong. Instead, BDD Broadcasting had received something from OS Entertainment, but Eom Hyeryeong wasn''t aware of it. Eom Hyeryeong clenched her fist in thought. "I came here in a hurry because I wanted to work with Kang Jinseok again, but anyway, it was a good decision. With people like this, the oue will surely be the best." However, due to her colleagues being exceptionally talented, there were concerns. She worried that she might be overshadowed, or worse, not able to handle the camera. While acknowledging their skills, Eom Hyeryeong, with her pride and confidence in her abilities, had her reservations. At that moment, "Is it good?" In this ce where everyone was sizing up each other''s skills and momentum, the only man who seemed indifferent to everything, Takafumi, spoke to Eom Hyeryeong. "Yes, I like it. It''s a drink that can be divisive in terms of taste, though." "I see. I''ve been in Korea for a long time, but it''s the first time I''ve seen this drink. Is it avable at the nearby convenience store?" "It''s in the conference room fridge. Team Leader Jang Sunho researched the drinks the staff likes and stocked them there." "Hehe. That person doesn''t seem like an ordinary person. To go to the trouble of preparing like this. Come to think of it, when we met, he asked about my favorite drink. I think I said beer at the time." After leaving a meaninglessment, Takafumi walked toward the fridge with a light step. Meanwhile, he exchanged a few words with others. "Hey, there''s a drink over there, but no one''s having it?" or "Oh, hello. Nice to meet you. It''s my first time seeing you." Even Yeo Jaeyoon, who emitted an atmosphere of being the oldest and had a difficult-to-approach aura, Takafumi showed no hesitation. To this, Yeo Jaeyoon initially had a perplexed and awkward expression, but not long after, he naturally engaged in conversation with him. "He''s quite the talkative person." However, that didn''t seem to be a bad thing. Though they had only known each other for a short time, it felt strangely friendly. Perhaps because of this, the subtle tension in the meeting room gradually eased. At that moment, a knock echoed in the room. Amidst the rxed atmosphere, the sound of a knock spread through the room, and everyone waited for the door to open with a mixture of anticipation and concern, wondering, "Who could it be this time?" "You''ve arrived first." "Hello! I''m Kang Jinseok!" Jang Sunho entered first, followed by Jinseok. As Jinseok entered the meeting room, he widened his eyes like a surprised rabbit. "Wow it''s really a dream team." Jinseok, who wasn''t informed about the production team until just before entering the meeting room, was quite surprised. After gathering his thoughts, he awkwardly greeted each staff member. Once Jinseok finished his greetings, Jang Sunho stood at the podium and spoke, "Since everyone is busy, I''ll skip my introduction. Now, let me introduce the director of this project." Jang Sunho pointed to Katahiro Takeshi, who was sitting at the head of the table. "The director of the OS Entertainment original production, The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World,'' Katahiro Takeshi." "Nice to meet you. I''m Katahiro." Katahiro greeted with a slight bow, looking at people''s eyes. Contrary to his concerns, no one doubted Katahiro''s skills. "It seems like I worried for nothing." Thinking about it, it was natural. Professionals among professionals had no reason to doubt the director. Such doubts were more likely to arise from those with ambiguous skills and only soaring self-esteem. After confirming the staff''s sentiments, Katahiro spoke with strength in his voice, "Originally, this project was supposed to be a Japanese production. However, due to various issues, it was rejected. Fortunately, I met Team Leader Jang Sunho and was able to work on this project with such talented individuals." "I want to raise awareness in the Japanese film industry through this work. I also want to prove my skills. So, for the next few months, it might be a tough schedule, but I hope you all give your best." *** In the KL Entertainment representative office, where an oppressive atmosphere always prevailed, representative Lee Youngkyung said, "Until when do I have to endure seeing this?" The managers standing in front of Lee Youngkyung swallowed their saliva quietly at his words. "He even held a fan meeting at a ramen shop in Japan and still had the leisure to enjoy a trip there." As Kang Jinseok gained attention, the name of KL Entertainment, which he and KL Entertainment had built, was falling to the ground. Lee Youngkyung didn''t want a single minnow to muddy the water. "I must have gathered you guys several times and said it. That son of bitch, Kang Jinseok, get rid of him without me noticing. Is it so difficult? No, even if it is, you have to manage it. It''s not OS Entertainment; it''s just handling one actor. Isn''t it?" The managers nodded heavily. Lee Youngkyung''s gaze, which had been staring at each of them as if to kill, stopped in front of the second manager. "Second Manager. Do you know a Japanese actress named Inoue''?" The second manager answered seriously without his usual cheerful expression and exaggerated gestures. "Yes, I know." "As far as I know, she auditioned in the second division. Is that correct?" "Yes." "But how did she end up taken by OS Entertainment?" The second manager trembled her hands discreetly enough not to be noticed by others. Inside, she only had questions like, How does Lee Youngkyung even know such an unknown actress?'' But now wasn''t the time to resolve her questions. She had to somehow divert the ufortable gaze of the CEO away from her. "It wasn''t taken. We let her go." "Let her go? Hm, Second Manager. Did you lose your mind? You made an uncharacteristic mistake. You, another ipetent parasite" Before Lee Youngkyung''s words could be sharper again, she interjected as if rebelling against his criticism. "CEO! So, I have something I''m preparing for this." "Preparing?" "Yes." Hiding her trembling hands, the second manager spoke as confidently as possible. "The higher you climb, the more painful the fall, right?" "" "When that guy is flying highest, at that moment, I will break his wings." Chapter 157: Chapter 157: "Until now, other directors have said the same thing in front of me. They all imed they would definitely bring Kang Jinseok down." "" "But the results were terrible. They all just made loud promises, but in reality, they just gave that guy wings on his back." The CEO spoke sarcastically and then nced at Director 2. "Can I trust you this time?" "" "Do you have a real, solid n? If not, just forget it. I''ll ask Director 1 to take care of it. Director 1 won''t disappoint my expectations." In response to the CEO subtly mentioning himself, Director 1 nodded. However, he didn''t explicitly volunteer for the task. "CEO, even though Director 2 seems confident in what she''s saying, it seems like she has something in mind. How about giving it a try?" Instead, Director 1, alternating between nces at Director 2 and the CEO, expressed his position. Director 2, surprised by the unexpected praise from Director 1, looked at him with bewildered eyes. "Did that guy suddenly take my side?" Director 1 was always a figure pressuring directors as the CEO''s representative. He wasn''t the type to make warm remarks like that. It was unclear what his motive was, but in the current situation, it wasn''t a bad thing. Director 2 maintained aposed expression, not rxing her tension. "Hmm" After Director 1 spoke, the CEO stared at Director 2 for a while. Then, as if understanding, he nodded and said, "Director 1, if you say so, I''ll give it another shot, pretending I''m being deceived. Director 2." "Yes!" "I''ll give you the opportunity, so do it right. If you need anything, ask Director 1. Don''t mess it up like those fools without a purpose." The CEO extended his hand as if to signal that he had nothing more to say. It was a clear dismissal. "Sigh" Exiting the CEO''s office, without anyone saying anything, a collective sigh escaped. Taking it as a cue, the directors headed for the elevator to carry out their respective duties. "Wait a moment." At that moment, Director 2 called the other directors. In contrast to her usual light tone and gestures that seemed to alleviate psychological pressure, she now spoke with a firm tone, unlike the CEO''s office. "I have something to discuss. I know you''re all busy, but let''s talk." "What is it?" "Uh, it''s about the n I mentioned to the CEO earlier. I need your help." At the mention of help,'' the directors exchanged nces, sensing the unspoken tension. Honestly, except for Director 1, the other directors, morepetitors than colleagues, were not inclined to help others. Knowing this, Director 2, in the same tone used in the CEO''s office, began to coax and persuade the directors. "I know what you all must be thinking, but isn''t now the time for us to join forces? At least until the CEO''s anger subsides, if nothing else." Secretly hoping for Director 2''s downfall, the other directors remained uncooperative. Their reluctance was evident. "I''m offering you a chance right now. Honestly, I could seed on my own somehow, but if I do that, it''s going to put you all in a difficult spot, isn''t it? Don''t you think so?" The directors exchanged signals with their eyes. It was a calction of whether assisting Director 2 would be advantageous or not. "But the answer is already clear." Director 1 observed the directors, forming a peculiar standoff. "Even if we fail, the risk to be shouldered will decrease if we all face it together." At the end of that deliberation, the first to shake hands with Director 2 was Director 6. Director 6 smiled subtly and said, "Let''s do this together. But, can you spare us the boredom of hearing you brag when it goes wellter?" "Don''t worry about that. I consider myself an honest person, in my own way." "Alright then. But it''s amusing to hear Director 2 call herself honest" As Director 6 joined Director 2, the remaining directors, one by one, expressed their willingness to participate, throwing in a word or two. The only one detached from the situation, silently observing, was Director 1. If Director 1 lends a hand, it would certainly be more secure'' Director 2 nced at Director 1 discreetly but didn''t directly ask for help. This was because Director 1''s working style and the atmosphere he exuded were strikingly simr to that of the CEO. Perhaps that''s why Director 2 had felt uneasy around Director 1 for a long time, not to mention that Director 1 was the representative of the CEO. That person somehow makes me ufortable. Let''s not approach until he takes the initiative.'' While Director 2 was having such thoughts, Director 1 spoke up. "I''ll help too." "What?" "Other directors are stepping forward, and I can''t just sit here doing nothing alone." Director 1 walked toward the group of directors and continued, "I can''t let others do all the work when I can contribute." "1, Director 1 is helping too?" "Yes. Is there a problem?" "No, it''s not that" Although it was a relief that Director 1 was willing to help, the burden felt overwhelming when he actually offered assistance. But Director 2 couldn''t show that. Making him an ally rather than an enemy was more advantageous than turning him into an opponent. "Thank you. I feel more confident with Director 1 by our side." Director 2posed herself and smiled. "Well then, can we hear what n you''vee up with?" *** "Um Thank you for your hard work. You can leave now." *The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World* audition room. When Yeo Jaeyoon spoke with a dry voice to the audition participant, the participant awkwardly greeted, "Ah yes. Thank you for watching." "Yes." In response to Yeo Jaeyoon''s consistently cold words, the participant made an embarrassed expression, thinking, I must have failed.'' While doing so, the participant nced at the reactions of the other judges, and the members of the judging panel. "" Everyone''s expression was heavy. Despite expecting the auditions to be challenging with the high-profile actors, it was even more difficult than anticipated. "I''ve been Arimura Suzu. Thank you so much for watching my performance!" Even with the hope of another opportunity lingering, Arimura Suzu appealed her name with a bright voice before leaving the audition room. As she left, Ha Sarang shrugged her shoulders and said, "Too bad. The mask is fine, and the acting isn''t bad either but there''s nothing outstanding." "I felt the same way. It can''t be helped." Listening to their brief conversation while hearing the evaluations, Katahiro, who was sitting in the center, sighed almost inaudibly. Even after seeing that level of acting veryposed.'' Throughout the audition, Katahiro had been quite impressed by the skills of the audition participants. Whether Japanese or Korean actors, they all demonstrated exceptional acting abilities. As a director, he felt pleased, but at the same time, something felt uneasy. The actors from Korea seemed to have, on average, better skills than the actors currently in Japan. Most of them seem to have given up acting in Japan ande to Korea It''s a shame. If such talented actors worked on Japanese films, the industry would thrive.'' While Katahiro was contemting the future of the Japanese film industry, Eom Hyeryeong, who was sitting on the left, looked at the profiles and asked, "The next applicant is Inoue, right? The one you rmended, director?" "Yes. I happened toe across this actress, and her image, appearance, and personality seemed simr to what I had in mind. Still, if any of you feel she iscking, please let me know." Considering that his rmendation might bias the judgment, Katahiro preemptively stated his position. Although he had the final decision as the director, Katahiro wanted to hear the opinions of many people. However, the judging panel, seemingly oblivious to the director''s intentions, all nodded immediately. At that moment, a staff member''s voice was heard from outside the door. "We''ll send in the applicant Inoue " "Yes,e in." Representing everyone, Ha Sarang, who was closest to the entrance, spoke, and the door opened, revealing Inoue. "Oh, hello! I''m Inoue Masaki." Trying to greet cheerfully, Inoue''s voice trembled. It was because she got nervous after witnessing an actor leaving the audition room in tears just a while ago. Even with the rmendation from Director Katahiro, getting an audition opportunity But perhaps it''s impossible for someone like me?'' While Inoue was worried about such things, the judging panel began to understand why Director Katahiro rmended this actress. That''s exactly the feeling from the script.'' Eom Hyeryeong touched her chin, quickly scanning Inoue from head to toe. Ordinary, someone you could see anywhere. To speak unfavorably, a face toomon to be an actress. The appearance of a young office worker or college student you might see on the subway to work. Charming.'' Inoue had her own unique charm. It was a feelingpletely opposite to the female protagonist of *Absolute Unlicensed Counseling*, Yeo Hyemin. While Yeo Hyemin was like a dazzling flower that caught your attention at a nce, Inoue owned a charm that wouldn''t lose its luster no matter where you ced her. I bet she''d look good standing next to anyone. That''s not easy.'' While Eom Hyeryeong and others were organizing their first impressions of Inoue, Katahiro spoke. "Alright, let''s start with the free acting you prepared." *** Jang Sunho looked at the watch Kang Jinseok, The auditions must being to an end.'' While the audition for *The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World* was in full swing, Jang Sunho was at Incheon International Airport, not the audition room. Unless it was something significant, Jang Sunho wouldn''t be apanying Kang Jinseok everywhere. The reason he was at the airport was for the staff.'' Toho I didn''t have any grudges, but he made things difficult. I should visit himter.'' When preparing for *The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World* for the first time, Jang Sunho tried to handle everything rted to the film in Japan. The director, actors, staff, and even equipmenthis initial n was to manage everything in Japan. However, due to the interference from Toho Corporation, it became challenging to find actors or staff in Japan. Eventually, Jang Sunho had to recruit personnel from Korea. Of course, recruiting personnel wasn''t a difficult task for Jang Sunho, but he couldn''t help but feel various diforts due to his ns going awry. It has be a bit troublesome, but oddly enough, it feels like my energy is rising. I want to show those guys that I can handle it well.'' As Jang Sunho gathered his thoughts with such feelings, a message arrived. *Buzzing sound* [KL Entertainment, Director 1] [Team Leader Jang, if you''re not busy now, we need to have a call. It''s regarding actor Kang Jinseok.] The urgency in Director 1''s message was palpable. TN: Guy''s the KL Entertainment Directors/Managers from 1-6, I don''t know if I should use Directors or Managers. I hope you guys are not confused. From now on I''ll be using Directors. Thank you! Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Regarding actor Kang Jinseok?'' It was a somewhat vague expression. Whenever Director 1 contacted him until now, he always clearly stated what the matter was. Jang Sunho, after some contemtion, decided to call Director 1. Before the signal could pass a few times, Director 1''s voice came from the mobile phone. [Director 1] "Yes. This is Jang Sunho. I saw the message. What''s going on?" [Um.] After a short contemtive sound from Director 1, he spoke. [Is there any incident rted to school violence with actor Kang Jinseok during high school?] "School violence?" [Yes.] Jang Sunho made a bewildered expression. What nonsense is this'' "Are you talking about something he did or something done to him?" [Of course, I''m talking about actor Kang Jinseok hitting someone. If he did hit someone, it wouldn''t be a big issue for actor Kang Jinseok, would it?] "As far as I know, the actor has never hit anyone. If such an incident had urred, it would have already been widely known in today''s world. Besides, Actor Kang Jinseok didn''t spend much time in high school. He dropped out and took the GED." [Are you sure about that?] Director 1 spoke as if he knew something. Jang Sunho cautiously inquired in response to the insinuating tone. "Do you have any information you''d like to share?" [Yes. 2nd Director got information from somewhere. They im that Kang Jinseok, during his high school days, broke another student''s nose.] "Oh" [We have witnesses and evidence. That''s why the 2nd Director is trying to gather other directors for some action.] At the mention of evidence and witnesses, Jang Sunho furrowed his brow. Is there something I don''t know?'' For a moment, that thought crossed his mind, but Jang Sunho quickly raised his head. When Jinseok was first assigned to him, Jang Sunho checked everything about him. It was more for the prevention of potential issues with the entertainer he was going to handle rather than background investigation. But he couldn''t find anything. Jinseok had lived his life as innocently and diligently as a fool. From my point of view, I don''t think Actor Kang Jinseok would hit someone.'' Although violence cannot be justified, Jang Sunho thought that if Jinseok had hit someone who deserved it, it would have been a proportional response. After concluding his thoughts, Jang Sunho calmly addressed Director 1. "Well, I don''t think Actor Kang Jinseok did anything problematic during his school years. He''s not that kind of person." [I also think so. It could be true or not. However, in a situation with evidence and witnesses, if controversy arises, only Actor Kang Jinseok will be at a disadvantage.] "" It was a valid point. Whether it was true or not, just the rumor of Jinseok having caused trouble with another student during his school days would inevitably harm him. Though it was a concern, Jang Sunho wasn''t anxious. As long as he trusted Jinseok, he believed they could handle any situation. But what bothers me more is why Director 1 is helping Jinseok.'' Jang Sunho had always been curious about why Director 1 was supporting Jinseok. No matter how many times he asked, he only received ambiguous responses. Even when Jang Sunho investigated it himself, the same result urred. So, I don''tpletely trust this person. People with many secrets can strike unexpectedly.'' At that moment, Director 1 spoke with a significant tone. [As long as you don''t know what evidence KL Entertainment has, you''re bound to suffer. And if you truly believe in Actor Kang Jinseok''s innocence, he must have this evidence. That''s the only way to deal with it.] "Do you mean there is such clear evidence?" [2nd Director is consideredpetent by the CEO, unlike other directors. If this information leaks, we''ll know there''s a traitor within. I''ll probably be the first one used.] "Then it seems difficult for you to help this time." Even so, it was enough for Jang Sunho. He could handle the rest. By the way. [No, that''s not it. I will provide the evidence that the 2nd Director holds.] "Are you giving it to me?" [Yes. It''s time for me to leave KL Entertainment.] Jang Sunho gasped at Director 1''s unexpected words. Seizing the moment of shock, Director 1 added. [And one more thing.] "" [Why I am helping Actor Kang Jinseok, I will now exin properly. This way, Team Leader Jang Sunho can work with me without worries.] *** Click! Click! "I''ll do my best in filming. Thank you so much foring!" On the day of departure for the shooting of "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World," Jang Jinseok entered the gate, facing numerous camera shes from reporters and fans. He sighed as he heard the voices of fans cheering and encouraging him until thest moment. "Phew." Although he was getting used to such receptions, it still felt unfamiliar. Wiping the sweat on his forehead, he sighed, and Ha Jun, noticing that, spoke with a concerned voice. "Was the interview too long? You seem tired." No, it''s not that. I''m just a bit nervous, you know? I actually prefer longer interviews or events. It feels like I''m recharging with energy during those moments. Haha Watching me speak with clenched fists, Ha Jun chuckled lightly. The reason why Ha Jun was with me on the day of departure to Japan, not Jang Sunho, was that Jang Sunho suddenly got busy. Jang Sunho always tried to apany me unless it was something really important or urgent, so it seemed like quite an urgent matter. "I''m not as close to Mr. Ha Jun, but still, it''s morefortable with the manager. But I couldn''t cling to Jang Sunho when he was so busy. Besides, Ha Jun was capable and a good person. "Actor, it''s time to board the ne now. Shall we?" "Ah, yes." I followed Ha Jun to the chartered flight gate. They chartered the ne today because the staff and cast who went to Japan in advance decided to move together in one go. Perhaps because I had already taken a ne to Japan before, I found my seat naturally today. "Yussha." I put my bag in the overheadpartment and looked around at the staff and other actors. There was an atmosphere mixed with excitement and anticipation for overseas shooting. Among them, the person who stood out was none other than Inoue Masaki, my co-star in this project. "The film itself wasn''t that impressive, but she did really well in the audition. She beat all the otherpetitors and got cast unanimously." Above all, Inoue had a distinctively simr feeling to the female protagonist in the script. Perhaps the character in the script resembled Inoue''s personality in real life. Whether she resembled Tadano''s lover or not, it was impossible to tell, but considering the work alone, she seemed like a perfect fit. While pondering various thoughts, I happened to meet Inoue''s eyes. "!" Inoue widened her eyes, cautiously observing me. It felt like the way I used to scrutinize senior actors when I first entered the filming scene. Suddenly, a memory surfaced, andughter escaped from my mouth. Inoue, who had no idea about the meaning behind myughter, looked even more bewildered when I startedughing while looking at her. Before any misunderstanding could arise, I approached and greeted her. Unsure of what to say, I decided to keep it simple. I didn''t want to make her feel more ufortable with a lengthy conversation. "Inoue, hello. I wanted to greet you earlier, but it''s been a hectic day. I thought I''d properly say hello now." "Oh, yes! Hello!" Inoue straightened up and greeted me with a voice that sounded both tense and firm. To an outsider, it might have seemed like I was pressuring her with authority. "Haha Was I too sudden? I thought I should greet you before going into the shoot" Inoue still seemed tense, or rather, a bit flustered. "Is there any problem? Are you feeling unwell?" "Oh it''s not that. Actually" "?" "Today, the people from my hometown came to the airport in a group to cheer for me. I only told my younger brother about being cast in this project, but that foolish brother seems to have spread the news throughout the whole town." Spread the news in the town? Tokyo, Haneda Airport. Reporters and fans, having heard the news of Jinseok''s arrival for his next project, were waiting eagerly in front of the gate. Among them, there were individuals exuding a particrly ominous atmospherethe vice president and employees of "Toho," who had been trying to disrupt "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World" by any means necessary. "There are so many people. Even if they are reporters there isn''t even an official schedule, yet this many fans gathered." The vice president spoke with a feeble voice. "Yes. It seems like it''s because Kang Jinseok, the actor, had good interactions with fans during his previous trips to Japan." "Hmm" The vice president sighed, scanning the crowd with a disgruntled expression. Among them, a banner read, Pride of Tsurui Vige, Inoue Masaki.'' "Well, it seems there''s no other option now." They had mobilized every possible means, even resorting to methods that others might find petty, to ruin the project. However, their opponent easily overcame their opposition. So, what should we do now? "Well, there''s no other way. We''ll have to apologize and beg for forgiveness. And, we need to coordinate our story with Director Katahiro." Before the film''s release, they had to seek forgiveness from Director Katahiro, who acknowledged, "Originally, this project was supposed to be created with Toho, but it was discarded like a piece of trash." If not, Toho would face severe bacsh from the media and the public. "Sigh Well." Certainly, their pride was hurt. But business wasn''t conducted based on pride. The vice president took a bitter breath and, addressing the secretary, said, "Contact Director Katahiro and express our apologies. Also, tell him I''d like to meet him in person." "You want to meet him in person, Vice President?" "Yes. If he''s busy, I''ll go myself and make sure to convey our apologies." Chapter 159: Chapter 159: The secretary was taken aback. Throughout the time serving the vice president, the secretary had never seen the vice president bowing to anyone. Moreover, to personally go and apologize to someone. It was indeed surprising. This must mean that the situation is more serious than it seems. Havinge to this conclusion, the secretary nodded. "Understood. Is there anything else I should prepare?" "Well no, I''ll handle everything else. Please make sure the journalists don''t hear anything other than that I went to apologize to Director Katahiro. There''s nothing good for them to pick up on from the situation." "Yes." The secretary nodded, understanding the instructions. At that moment, the gate for arrivals opened. *** The first day of filming for "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World." As if they had been coordinating for a long time, the staff efficiently moved around the set, creating a bustling atmosphere. Even though this was a project being filmed in Japan, most of the staff were Korean, and some were familiar faces from previous projects, making the adjustment quite smooth. I wonder if those rumors are true. Among the staff preparing for the shoot, I overheard a conversation: "Vice President Toho came to the director''s hotel yesterday and apologized, didn''t he?" I was curious to know more details, but considering it was right before the shoot and not directly rted to my concerns, I chose not to ask Ha Jun about it. Actors have their own matters, and staff have theirs. Well judging by the fact that there was an apology, it seems to have been resolved. Setting aside misceneous thoughts, I opened the script. Just like how flipping through a book before an exam brings peace of mind, reading the script before shooting helped calm my nerves. "5 minutes until the shoot!" A staff member shouted. Looking at their face, I recognized them as the same staff member who called the shooting time during . Maybe it''s time to start getting ready. As I stood up from the folding chair, Ha Jun, who had been watching me from behind, spoke. "Ac, Actor!" "Yes?" "D, don''t be nervous, just do what you always do!" Even though I wasn''t particrly nervous about acting, Ha Jun seemed so tense that his words were shaky. His demeanor was like that of a rookie manager,'' and I couldn''t help but smile unintentionally. "Haha, yes. I''ll do my best as usual." "Yes! That''s all you need to do. Fighting!" With a different kind of encouragement from Manager Jang Sunho, I headed towards the center of the studio. Today, we''re shooting the scene of the protagonist, Yuu Shirozaki, attending his parents'' funeral. The family and rtives console Yuu, who is struggling with the sudden death of his parents. Up to this point, it''s amon and gentle scene that can be seen anywhere. The protagonist discovers that the people he trusted the most nned to take advantage of his parents'' wealth. Soon, he finds out that the ident involving his parents was a scheme orchestrated by those culprits. Shocked by this revtion, the protagonist As I was recalling the overall scene, something happened. "1 minute before shooting!" With a louder voice than before, the staff announced. The movements of the staff became even faster at the sound. A momentter, a studio with an atmosphere believable for an actual funeral was created. Behind the camera and monitor, Katahiro looked at me with a serious gaze. Even for someone with experience, the first shoot seemed to be a nerve-wracking experience for him. On the other hand, other staff members seemed quite expectant, sparkling eyes fixed on me. In the midst of the scene, Inoue, who doesn''t appear in this particr scene, subtly peeked out among the staff, her eyes gleaming. "Ready, action!" The first cue from Director Katahiro resonated. As the actors, who had been frozen, began to move in unison ording to the script, the perspective changed. This is'' It was a funeral home simr to the one I saw in the studio a while ago, shockingly simr. The only difference was that people''s attire was slightly more formal. In the foreground, Tadano could be seen. Looking nkly at the bright smiles of his parents in the photo, Tadano seemed frozen in shock from the sudden loss of his parents. Someone approached Tadano and asked, "Are you okay?" Tadano slowly raised his head to look at the person who spoke to him. Then, he stood up and politely greeted me, "Ah Uncle, have you arrived? I''m sorry; I should have gone out." "Never mind that. First, let''s greet my brother and then have a conversation." "Sure." After offering chrysanthemums in front of the deceased''s portrait, the uncle sat down next to Tadano. Tadano still seemed to have no focus in his eyes. "I was going toe yesterday, but I got caught up. Did you manage to get some sleep?" "Yes. I managed to close my eyes for a moment." "Alright. I don''t know if these words will help, but the one who''s alive has to keep on living. Even if it''s just thinking about your parents who went first." "" "I''m sorry to say this, but awyer wanted to meet briefly. He said your father was in the middle of a project, and you''re designated as the proxy. Your signature is needed." Even as he spoke, the uncle wore an embarrassed expression. Despite that, Tadano forced a smile and said, "It''s okay. There are things that need to be done. Originally, I was supposed to be the proxy, but your father elevated you, so that''s how it is." "Yeah." "Is thewyer outside now?" "Yeah. He came in with me earlier, so he should be outside. He said he couldn''t bring himself to work in front of my deceased brother." "I understand. Please wait for a moment." "Sure." Tadano weakly rose from his seat and went outside. As he did, mourners gazed at him, each uttering a few words. Suddenly losing parents like this The boss was truly a great person. Even so, Tadano will manage to ovee this. He was a top student at Dongkyung University Law School. A genius since childhood. Passed the preliminary exam for the judicial examination in his first year of enrollment. I heard he ns to take the judicial exam next year. If he passes, he''ll inherit the entire estate Today will be sad, but his life will be happy from now on. What about the person who caused the ident? Apparently, they''re missing. It was a hit-and-run, so it''s probably difficult to catch them. Words of sympathy, envy, and asionally mixed emotions. Among them, there were even some words that should not have been spoken at a funeral, but Tadano didn''t pay them any mind. He simply hoped for this moment to pass. *'' Where is Attorney Katsuke?''* As Tadano sighed and looked around, someone at the entrance waved slightly. It was Attorney Katsuke. Katsuke bowed deeply to Tadano as he approached. "I should apologize for discussing business right in front of your parents''s final journey. I''m sorry, young master." "No, Attorney. So, what kind of documents do I need to sign?" "This." Handing over what seemed to be a considerably thick stack of documents, Katsuke exined, "It''s nothing special, just dealing with overdue payments from the opposing party. Also, various contract documents regarding minor details." "Yes." Tadano, physically and mentally exhausted, unhesitatingly brought the pen to the signature line. *'' Wait. Overdue payments?''* *''My father, who repeatedly emphasized the importance of money in any situation, could he have fallen behind on payments?''* When Tadano was young, he learned about work beside his father. Since entering university, he even went out alone for business as a part-time employee. His father imparted various wisdom about business, with the most frequent being about money.'' "Tadano, no matter the situation, you must never dy in receiving money. Money must always be handled as promised." "Understood." "Yes. And remember one more thing. Rtionships, whether family, friends or any connection, can crumble in the face of money." "Then, shouldn''t I avoid making deals with anyone? If any rtionship can crumble in the face of money" "That would be the mostfortable way. But you can''t live like that, can you? So, never let anyone feel bitter about money from the start. Not even a single yen." "No matter how close the rtionship, it fades in the face of money. So, don''t make anyone unhappy with money Is that right?" "Yes. Never forget." *'' Could my father, who repeated this advice hundreds, even thousands of times, have fallen behind on payments?''* It couldn''t be. In the past few years of working with his father, there had never been a single argument over money with business partners. It felt uneasy. Somewhere, he could almost hear his departed father''s shout, "Wake up, you scoundrel!" *'' But''* Tadano nced subtly at Katsuke. A family-likewyer known since childhood. They were genuinely close, and he couldn''t imagine such a person doing something bad to him. As Tadano hesitated to sign with the pen in hand, Katsuke cautiously asked, "Is there a problem?" " The contract has been double-checked by me several times, so there should be no problem. I understand you''re going through a difficult time, and I don''t want to bother you further." A friendly and concerned voice, a voice that raised no suspicion. But. *'' Wouldn''t it be okay to check just once?''* If there was any doubt, even the slightest, it had to be checked. Tadano began reading the first page of the contract. Despite the overwhelming grief from losing his mother and father, he was so tired and exhausted that he could barely drink water. Still, this seemed like something he had to do. "Young master? You don''t need to check it so thoroughly" With a slightly trembling voice and a graceful smile, Katsuke spoke to Tadano. Tadano, without responding, silently continued to read through the contract. After a while of scrutinizing the contract. Phew. He let out a sigh of relief. *'' Seems like there''s no issue. Maybe I misunderstood things needlessly?''* But then. "?" At that moment. "" Around thest page of the contract, Tadano''s hand stopped. After carefully reading each character of the same use, he couldn''t look at Katsuke, and with a trembling voice, he spoke. "Attorney." "" "Has my father ever caused any dissatisfaction with you and my uncle involving money?" It was a momentary reaction of less than a second, but Tadano could tell he had hit Katsuke right on the mark. A brief silence flowed between them. Tadano spoke with a heavy voice. "This contract, thest use. It seems like a provision cleverly giving all of my father''s assets to you and my uncle Why would you include such a use?" "" "Why would you put such a provision in this contract?" His voice was filled with betrayal, disbelief in the harsh reality, and anger. Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Tadano shifted his gaze from the contract to thewyer. It was a look demanding an exnation. Under the weight of that intense gaze, thewyer hesitated, then awkwardly spoke. "Th-that is, um" At that moment, Several police officers and individuals who appeared to be detectives stormed into the funeral home. The unexpected intrusion turned the previously hushed atmosphere into chaos. "Katsuke Moy, is it?" The detective who entered first called out to thewyer with a solemn voice. Thewyer, ncing at the detective, let out a bitterugh mixed with a sigh. "Well, look at that. They''vee chasing already I suppose the police have already found evidence in my case. These idiots move surprisingly fast in situations like this." "Katsuke Moy. You have the right to retain an attorney-" "Ah, forget it. Just go. What''s the point of Miranda rights in a situation like this?" Thewyer''s voice and attitude, distinct from a moment ago, left Tadano bewildered. Thewyer chuckled, ncing at Tadano. "Sharp senses you''ve got there. Managed to protect the money without signing in that short time." "What is going on?" "Talking now will only make my mouth hurt, let''s discuss it in court, Mr. Tadano." Leaving words unknown to thewyer, he extended his hand to the police, as if instructing them to handcuff him. Thewyer, caught without any significant resistance, surprised the detective a little, but as a matter of course, they cuffed him. As the police took thewyer away, the detective spoke to Tadano. "It seems you''re a resident here. Did Mr. Tadano also happen toe?" "Uncle?" "Yes, Mr. Masui Tadano." "Yes, he dide. He''s inside at the memorial altar But what''s going on?" "Inside the altar. Bring him." "Yes!" As soon as they heard Tadano''s words, several police officers rushed to the memorial altar. From inside, rough swearing and intense scuffling sounds could be heard, with someone shouting, "What the hell are you guys doing?! Do you have a warrant?! What is this?!" As the sounds of the fight subsided, the detective handed Tadano a piece of paper. "Do you have a friend named Yuta Ryochi?" "Yuta Ryochi Yes, he''s a friend I''ve known since elementary school." "Alright. That man attempted suicide this morning." "Suicide?" "Yes. He ims to be the one responsible for the ident that took your parents'' lives yesterday." "?" "The reason is written in this letter. Yuta called the police, confessed over the phone, and took his own life. The details are in the letter, so read itter when you''veposed yourself." The detective looked at Tadano with infinite pity. Under that gaze, Tadano blinked his eyes nkly. Thewyer and uncle were trying to take the parents'' estate, and a friend was the one who killed them. What is going on?'' Tadano, stared at the letter from his friend with vacant eyes as if he had be a fool. In the meantime, the uncle was dragged out by the police, shouting at Tadano. But Tadano couldn''t hear. Amidst the chaos, the funeral became a mess, and guests began to leave one by one. Alone, holding his friend''s letter like a stone, Tadano stood still. After all the guests had left, Tadano left alone in the funeral home, unfolded the letter. It was a messy handwriting. Even considering that he wasn''t good at writing, it was still challenging to read. Tadano. Nada. Yuta. Two weeks ago, awyer named Katsuke and your uncle visited me out of the blue. The first thing they said was, "Do you hate yourself?" I immediately dismissed it as nonsense. But those bastards knew me better than I knew myself. You were born rich, smart, and had everything since birth. But my parents were idiots, and I was an idiot too. I didn''t know, but hearing those words, I realized I hated you too much. I envied you. And I resented you. Thewyer said he was the same. He studied for over ten years to barely be awyer. But you, a genius, passed the bar exam after just one year. If you pass the bar exam next year, you''ll be awyer. Thewyer envied your talent. Envied you. Resented you. Your uncle hated you too. Your father''s business was originally supposed to be inherited by him. But your father took it because of the elder brother. And he was going to pass it on to you. Your uncle despised you. So he tried to take all the property. He imed it was originally his. Thewyer and your uncle made me an offer. If I kill your father and mother, they''ll take the property from you and give it to me. Then I can live like a normal person instead of a loser. I agreed. And I did it. But after doing it, I regretted it too much. I didn''t want to do this to you, the only friend who treated me like a friend even on the day I was treated like an idiot by my parents. I can''t undo what I did. Still, I want to apologize to you like this. Finally, I resent you. "I''m sorry, but many people around you hate you. Envy you. Many harbor ill feelings like mine. Be careful." Having read the letter, Tadano grasped the full story of the incident. However, his mind felt empty, unable to process any thoughts. The scent of incense spread in the hollow funeral home. Thunk! His vision returned. *** I knew he was good at acting, but is that really an emotion a young friend like him can express?'' A gulp. Watching Jinseok within the camera and lights, Katahiro had this thought first. Even though he had felt it when watching movies or dramas, witnessing Jinseok''s acting in person conveyed a true experience'' of his skills. "Hmm" And unequivocally, experience cannot be gained through talent and effort alone. It is only achievable through time and exposure. But if he keeps acting as if every day is hisst from the first scene, he might eventually tire.'' If a drama is a marathon, a movie is a half marathon. The running time may be shorter, but it requires even more effort. Some may argue which is more challenging, but both are undeniably difficult. Actor Kang Jinseok has been in several works, so he probably knows how to manage his condition.'' At that moment, Katahiro was admiring and worrying simultaneously. Jinseok unfolded his friend''s letter. Rather than muttering with uncontrolled anger, he subtly shook his hands, as if deeply shocked. "" So, silence flowed through the studio. Deciding that the scene had roughly concluded, Katahiro quietly said, "Okay, let''s move on." *** After the first shoot. Without much rest, they moved to the next filming location. Since the first scene didn''t take much time to shoot, it was a natural procedure, but Is it because it''s been a while since I was possessed by someone Or maybe because it''s such a serious experience? I''m quite tired.'' He sighed briefly, rubbing his forehead. At that moment, the driver, Ha Jun, who was driving in front, asked with a concerned voice. "Hoo" "Actor-nim, are you feeling okay? Did you perhaps have trouble sleepingst night?" "Oh, no. I slept well. I just feel a bit oddly tired. Don''t worry; it won''t affect my acting." To reassure him, he deliberately smiled brightly. "If that''s the case, I''m relieved. However, if there''s anything ufortable or if you feel unwell, please let me know. Your well-being is a priority over the shooting schedule." "Haha, sure." It was a conversation without much significance, but still, talking to someone made him feel a bit more rxed. After taking a deep breath or two, he nced through the script for the next scene. [Betrayed by family, friends, and loved ones, the protagonist, Shirosaki, begins to feel disillusioned with his life. He starts sorting through the traces of his life one by one, with the first being dropping out of university. Shirosaki meets with the dean to discuss his decision to drop out.] As per the script, the next scene is where the protagonist, having decided to drop out, meets with the dean for a final consultation. Although it was a dialogue-heavy and straightforward scene, it wasn''t without significance. In this work, the protagonist encounters the catalyst that leads him to meet his first love. As he was going through the script for a while, The van stopped, and Ha Jun spoke. "Actor-nim, we''ve arrived." They had arrived at the second filming location, Tokyo University. *** Is this the ce?'' Jang Sunho, who was driving, parked the car, observing the quaint building in the distance. Seeing a sign nearby saying Ten Million Daycare,'' it seemed they had found the correct ce. So this is where the actores to volunteer when he has no schedule. Quite far I should have offered to pick him up if I had known.'' Jang Sunho parked the car closer. With bags full of snacks and gifts for the teacher and kids, they got out of the car. At that moment, as if on cue, the daycare door opened, and several teachers came out. "Oh! Are you the Manager of Jinseok by any chance?" The middle-aged woman with a warm demeanor, standing at the forefront, said. "Yes. Nice to meet you. I''m Jang Sunho." "Yes, yes. Jinseok told us a lot about you. Ah, my, you brought so many things." "Just a little something. It''s nothing." "Thank you. Come inside instead of standing there." "Ah Yes." Jang Sunho hesitated a bit unexpectedly. It was the first time someone he met for the first time treated him so warmly since Jinseok. Jang Sunho was aware that his appearance could be somewhat intimidating. Seems like a nice person.'' Jang Sunho entered the daycare slowly. Inside, there were numerous posters with Jinseok''s autograph. Some posters also featured the autographs of other actors. For some reason, there were even bromides and autographs of the RedLeads'' Park Hayeon. As Jang Sunho''s gaze was captured by the posters, the teacher smiled and spoke. "Everyone here is a fan of Jinseok. Among the girls, there are many who say they will marry Jinseok. Some are quite serious about it." "Haha That''s cute." "Well, it might not be cute for Manager-nim. There are even some who are seriously preparing to propose to Jinseok." "It seems like the actor is really well-loved." "It''s inevitable. Even before, he was popr, but after Jinseok''s sess, he really helped our facility a lot. He taught the kids and sponsored them a lot. The kids he sent to college had their tuition covered." Jinseok''s substantial financial support to the daycare was something Jang Sunho was aware of. However "So, the actor teaches the kids as well?" "Yes. Didn''t you know? Jinseok is really good at studying. He never missed being at the top of the ss. Although he dropped out of high school." "Oh" Knowing that Jinseok was good at studying was something Jang Sunho was aware of. He had read Jinseok''s student records to the point of memorizing them. However, he didn''t know that Jinseok also taught the kids. While the teacher looked at the posters with a proud gaze, she asked Jang Sunho. "By the way, why did youe here today?" "Oh, that I came because there''s something I wanted to ask about the actor." "Me?" "Yes. Um" Jang Sunho hesitated with his follow-up. It was a small dilemma, wondering if it was appropriate to ask such a question to a teacher who had raised Jinseok since their first meeting. However, havinge this far, he couldn''t refrain from asking. "Teacher, did Kang Jinseok, the actor, happen to be involved in fights during his school days I mean, if there were any stories about him being involved in school violence? Do you happen to know anything?" Jang Sunho finally opened his mouth after some hesitation. I asked, hoping the teacher would respond with something like, "No, Jinseok involved in fights? That''s absurd." However "Yes." "" "When Jinseok attended school, he often had conflicts with other kids." Suddenly, Jang Sunho felt choked up, as if his throat tightened. Chapter 161: Chapter 161: The teacher said that Jinseok frequently got into fights with other students. Jang Sunho''s expression hardened at those words. Judging by the way the teacher spoke, as if it were entirely expected, it suggested that perhaps the concern was a reality. However, at that moment The teacher, reminiscing about the past, added with a nostalgic smile, "In the past, children living in facilities were often teased a lot at school. It''s not drastically different now, but Anyway, that''s why there were a lot of fights." "Did he experience bullying during his school days, teacher?" "No, not at all. Jinseok was incredibly popr. Whether it was academics or sports, he excelled at everything. Teachers liked him a lot, too; he was even a ss president many times." "Then why did he get into fights?" "Unlike Jinseok, many other kids were teased a lot, just because they grew up in a facility, as I mentioned earlier." The teacher shrugged and continued speaking. "He used to go after those kids and stand up for them, getting angry and fighting on their behalf. Once, he even went to the house of a kid who had teased his friend and gave a piece of his mind to the parents." "Ah Yes." "I''ve met many children, but Jinseok was the first of his kind. Thanks to him, the atmosphere in the facility improved a lot, and the kids gained confidence." "Did he ever get into fights trying to protect other kids?" "Yes. It seemed like typical fights that boys get into as they grow up. However, it probably wasn''t a big issue." Jang Sunho let out a sigh of relief at the teacher''s additional exnation, gently rubbing his forehead. "Well, then. What was I even thinking?" Jang Sunho med himself slightly for worrying unnecessarily. However, there was still something that bothered him. "But, ording to the documents Director 1 gave me, there was a mention of him being hospitalized after an altercation, not just once, but several times. Can a fight between kids lead to someone being hospitalized?" As Jang Sunho was cautiously pondering this alone, "Oh,e to think of it Jinseok had a pretty big fight once. Surprisingly rough for him." The teacher''s words added anotheryer ofplexity to Jang Sunho''s thoughts. Perhaps this was the concern he had feared. "When you say rough,'' do you mean he was trying to protect the kids from the facility, as you mentioned earlier?" If this were the case, it could even be spun as a heroic tale. Jang Sunho secretly hoped that this was the reason. "No." "" "Jinseok had a group of friends he hung out with in high school. They got into a fight with another group, and that''s when it happened." *** The second filming location is Donggyeong University. In the lecture room, which also served as a waiting room, while reading the script, Ha Jun handed something to Jang Sunho. "Sir, you look tired, so I bought you some coffee. Would you like to have it?" "Oh, yes. Thank you." As I took the coffee, Ha Jun sat down next to me and spoke. "I went to buy coffee, and there were quite a few students outside. Since it''s the weekend and there are no sses, they probably heard a rumor about filming today and came to see." "Oh so the rumor has spread." "No matter how much you try to hide it, fans always find out somehow." Ha Jun continued to speak with a slight smile. "Oh, and many people were wearing the rabbit hat you wore when you first came to Japan. You might see it outside as well." Sipping the coffee, I looked out the window. As Ha Jun mentioned, there were indeed quite a few people gathered in front of the building, and on one side, there was a group of people wearing rabbit hats. *Click.* Finding it somewhat cute, I took a picture. I would have to get permission from Manager Jang Sunhoter and then post it on social media. At that moment, the lecture room door opened, and a staff member entered. "Actor Kang Jinseok, it''s time for you toe now. The set is ready." "Yes!" The staff guided me to the office.'' In the modest room, there were bookshelves filled with what seemed like hundreds of books, along with a simple desk and chair. As I entered the office, Katahiro spoke. "Oh, you''re here. Setting up took a bit longer than expected, but can we start filming right away, or do you need some time for preparation?" "It''s okay, Director. I''m ready." "Great. Let''s get started then." With Katahiro''s words, the office quickly fell silent. I handed the coffee I brought to Ha Jun and took a seat at the desk. A momentter, even the faint rustling sounds disappeared. "Ready Action." In the quiet office, Katahiro''s subdued cue signaled the beginning. As the actor ying the headmaster'' slowly spoke, the scene unfolded before me. *** Here is'' A room with a somewhat simr atmosphere as before. The air was filled with the musty, old-book scent of an aging library. In that room, an elderly man with white hair and Tadano sat facing each other. The old man looked at Tadano in silence before speaking. "Hmm, Tadano-kun. You want to drop out?" "Yes, Headmaster." The headmaster let out a deep sigh at Tadano''s dry and emotionless voice. "I roughly know about the things you''ve been through. The news has been making a fuss about the case involving Lawyer Katsuke and your uncle for a while now, so it wouldn''t be strange if I didn''t know." "" "I don''t have any intention of consoling you for what you''ve been through. I can''t do anything about it, and even if I tried, it probably wouldn''t reach you." Tadano remained silent, offering no response. In the face of such silence, the headmaster''s expression grew heavier and more severe. "Hmm" He let out a long sigh and pointed to the withdrawal confirmation form'' lying on the desk. "Usually, when a studentes to me saying they want to drop out, I tend to dissuade them. The reasons students want to withdraw are diverse, but most of the time, it''s something I can help with or resolve. However" He paused. "It seems your reasons are something I might find difficult to assist with." . "You were a student I had high expectations for. Smarter than anyone else, with a clear belief inw and justice. Yet, you had the qualities of a leader who could guide others, and you were a cheerful young person who could be friends with anyone. So, I believe you would undoubtedly be something remarkable. Honestly, I saw you as a hope that could rebuild the crumbling Japanese economy and society." . "Because you were that kind of person, let me ask you once more. Instead of dropping out, how about taking a leave of absence, calming your mind, and thening back?" Throughout the headmaster''s words, Tadano looked at him with an emotionless expression. In response to Tadano''s reaction, the headmaster nodded solemnly. "Well, if that''s your decision, there''s not much I can do. However, as the headmaster, I have a few things I need to ask students before they leave school. May I ask you some questions?" "Yes." "Thank you. So, what do you n to do after dropping out?" "I don''t have any specific ns." "No ns, hmm. Then, is there something you want to do or have wanted to do?" "That, too, I don''t have." "If you don''t have any ns and there''s nothing you want to do" The headmaster mumbled for a moment before asking in a meaningful tone. "So, what you should do?" "What should I do Are you asking about?" "Yes. Everyone should have one of the three: future ns, things they want to do, or things they must do." Without much hesitation, Tadano responded promptly. "Neither of those. I don''t have ns, things I want to do, or things I must do." "Hmm Then why did you bothering to formally withdraw from school? You didn''t have toe just for that." "I wanted to tidy things up." "Tidying up?" "Yes. I wanted to erase the footprints of my life so far. It''s not that I want to die. I have to live until I die, after all." Upon hearing Tadano''s words, the headmaster took a deep breath. After pondering something deeply, he ced his fingers together and spoke with a heavy voice. "Since you say you have nothing you must do, how about I give you an assignment?" "An assignment for a student withdrawing from school?" "Even if you''re withdrawing, you were my student. If you agree to do the assignment, I''ll sign this withdrawal form right away." The headmaster''s words seemed odd, but for Tadano, it didn''t matter much. Once he got confirmation on the withdrawal form, he wouldn''t have any more business with this old man. As Tadano nodded, the headmaster spoke as if waiting for that. "I hope you can forgive yourself." "I''m not sure what you mean. Forgive myself?" "I read the reason for withdrawal'' you wrote on the withdrawal form. It seems like you hate yourself more than anyone else. You mentioned that your parents were murdered because of the many blessings and grace you had since birth, and that''s why you find yourself in this situation now." "You didn''t write those exact words, but you implied something simr, didn''t you?" Faced with the sharp words of the headmaster, Tadano neither affirmed nor denied. He simply continued to gaze indifferently at the headmaster. The headmaster continued speaking. "People can live without forming connections with others, but they can''t distance themselves from their own selves, even if they want to. It''s an obvious statement, isn''t it?" . "So, forgive yourself for the sake of your future life. That''s the only way you can live." "I don''t particrly hate myself." "That''s your perspective. From what you''ve written and said, I can be sure that you truly hate yourself." After the headmaster spoke firmly, he handed Tadano a notebook. "To forgive oneself, a person must first look at the past objectively. The best way to do that is by writing a diary. Start writing a diary every day. The content can be anything. If you can''t think of anything, you can even write about something that happened in the past." . "And go on a journey. To somewhere where no one knows you. There, as you make new connections, you''ll realize that the world isn''t filled only with bad people." The headmaster continued to speak with a lot of emotion. However, Tadano''s expression remained unchanged. Regardless of what the old man in front of him said, he showed no interest or thought. He just wanted to get the signature on the withdrawal form as quickly as possible. "I understand. I''ll do as you suggested, Headmaster." "Good thinking. But for some reason, if I let you go like this, it seems like you won''t write a diary or go on a journey. You might just end up holed up at home." . "We can''t leave it like that. There''s a saying that you should seize the opportunity when it arises, so I think I should send you somewhere right away." "What do you mean by that" Before Tadano could say anything more, the headmaster stood up, grabbed his bag, and prepared to leave. "Coincidentally, I''m done with sses today, and there''s no ss tomorrow, so we can go on a trip together. Oh, we''ll only travel together until we reach our destination, and once we arrive, you''re free to go as you please, so don''t worry." "A sudden trip? If we''re going on a trip, we should prepare-" "A trip that''s prepared isn''t a real trip. A proper journey is one embarked on without proper preparation. I''ve got the money ready for now. When it''s time to pay it back, I''ll check if you''ve been writing your diary andpleting the assignment properly." As if Tadano''s opinion didn''t matter much, the headmaster spoke quite decisively. However, as a third party, I could understand. The reason the headmaster was going to such lengths was because he genuinely felt sorry for and cared about Tadano. Of course, Tadano probably just wanted to go home. But if I resist, the headmaster will probably try to convince me one way or another. It might be better to just go along ande back home right away. I can figure out how to repay the borrowed moneyter, maybe through the mail.'' Having finished his thoughts, Tadano followed the headmaster outside. Taking a bus, and then a train, they arrived at their destination around sunset when the moon was rising. The ce they reached was Sapporo Station. It was the Sapporo Station with the ramen shop that Tadano had asked me to watch out for him. Chapter 162: Chapter 162: "Then let''s part ways here as promised. I hope you have a great trip." As the headmaster and Tadano got off the train, the headmaster lightly tapped Tadano''s shoulder and spoke. After leaving a brief farewell, the headmaster truly left Tadano alone at the station, heading somewhere else. It was a somewhat odd situation, but Tadano didn''t seem to mind at all. Once the headmaster was far enough, Tadano headed towards the ticket counter. His intention was to board the next train back to Tokyo. "Um I''m sorry. The trains to Tokyo are all sold out today. Even the standing tickets are sold out. Thest train has just left." Sold out. Tadano sighed at the ticket counter employee''s words and asked. Then when is the next train? There aren''t many trains from Sapporo to Tokyo. It should be tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. That''s toote. Is there any way to go back by bus? "I don''t know about that either." I guess I''m stuck here for now, at least until tomorrow afternoon. After a moment of contemtion, Tadano spoke to the station attendant. "Then, please arrange the fastest train back to Tokyo for tomorrow." "Understood. Oh, and please be aware that the station will be closing soon, so make your way out in time." Tadano walked out of the station into the crowd. Inside the station, there weren''t many people, but as he stepped outside, he found quite a crowd. As he absentmindedly observed the people, a loud voice echoed, audible enough for others nearby to hear. "Come to think of it, I haven''t eaten anything since lunch yesterday. I should grab something to eat" Near the station, even at ate hour, there were many restaurants still open. However, most of them seemed too crowded, making it too noisy. Tadano didn''t mind the taste much at the moment; he just wanted to go to a quiet restaurant. Then, Tadano''s eyes caught a group of people entering an alley behind the station. -Now that our stomachs are full, how about having a light drink and heading back? That sounds good. I know a decent street stall. -A street stall? I''m not a fan of noisy ces. The restaurant we just visited was too loud; it gave me a headache. -There are not many customers in the restaurants inside the alley. Well, except for the ramen shop. That ce is always busy. -Then it''s fine. "Shall we check over there?" It seemed like he knew the restaurant he wanted. Tadano kept a reasonable distance and followed the people entering the alley. In the dark alley, there were various street food stalls and shabby shops scattered around. He saw a run-down ce nearby and decided to enter, not wanting to look strange by going into the same ce as the others. ng! "Wee! It''s Rockil!" From the outside, it looked like a shabby ce with no customers, but once he stepped inside, it was bustling with so many customers that there were no avable seats. Looking at the menu, it turned out to be a ramen restaurant. It seemed like this was the busy ramen ce'' that people mentioned earlier. Of all ces, I had to walk into a crowded one.'' Considering the rather noisy atmosphere, Tadano briefly contemted leaving, but since he had already entered, he decided to just go with whatever was avable. As Tadano was scanning the menu, a waiter approached him and asked. "Nice to meet you. What can I get for you?" "Oh, yes. Um just give me the regr, please." "Sure! You mean the Raku-il Set.'' Excellent choice. And what type of ramen would you like?" "Just anything, please." "Anything? Okay! I''ll bring you the Miso Ramen. Please wait a moment!" Not long after, the food arrived. Despite the term set menu,'' the offerings were quite simple. Ramen, rice, a fried egg, apanied by what seemed to be a rather strong alcoholic beverage and mozzare. I have no idea why mozzare is served in a ramen shop Just as Tadano made a nonchnt gesture to start with the rice. "Um Excuse me?" "?" "The seats are all taken right now. Would it be possible for me to join you?" The waiter who had brought the meal a little while ago approached and asked. While it was naturally ufortable to share a table with a stranger, Tadano didn''t pay much attention to it, so he nodded in agreement. "Yes, that''s fine." "Phew, thank you. As a gesture of service, let me bring one more te of our house specialty, mozzare." "That''s not necessary." In response to Tadano''s cool words, the waiter shed a faint smile. It was a brief moment before they turned to someone standing near the door and spoke. "Yomi,e here! This person said it''s okay to join." "Wow, really? Thank you so much!" The waiter, already quite energetic, seemed to be overshadowed by the even more spirited voice of the woman. Tadano furrowed his brow slightly. He had intended to quietly enjoy his meal, never expecting to end up sharing a table with someone like her. "I guess I should eat quickly and leave," Tadano thought to himself. With that thought in mind, Tadano picked up his spoon again. "Thank you for letting me join. I eat here every day before going to work. Um but you''re someone I haven''t seen before, right? It''s strange. Usually, only regrse here." As soon as she sat down, the woman extended her hand and spoke with a lively voice. It seemed she was quite talkative. Anticipating that she might continue chatting endlessly, Tadano put down his spoon and spoke coldly and firmly. "Let''s eat in silence. I''m not in the mood for small talk with you," Tadano said, coldly and with determination. Tadano, thinking his somewhat impolite remark would quiet her down, was surprised when the woman bent slightly, looked up at him, and spoke in a friendly tone. "Hehe. Seems like you''ve had a rough day. Well, you''re here at this ce, after all." "?" "Oh, if I put it that way, you probably won''t understand. Then, um what should I say?" The woman continued with a thoughtful "Hmm," as if to convey that she understood. "This ce attracts a lot of people who are going through tough times, like you and me. Other customers are the same. Isn''t that interesting?" "Nonsense." "I thought the same when I first heard it. But it''s true. Only people with storiese to this ce." "How do you know whether I have a story or not, and why would you say such things-" "Hey, you can tell by looking, right? I had that exact expression too. Even that old guy next to you, chuckling away like a mountain bandit with a hairy face." "Hey! Yomi! Calling me a mountain bandit with a hairy face! Isn''t that too much? I''m still in my 30s! Not an old guy!" "Hahaha!" Tadano had remained emotionally unchanged throughout the day. However, the audacity of the unfamiliar woman iming to know his "story" irritated him. For the first time, Tadano spoke with a hint of anger in his voice. "I have no idea why you keep talking to me, but just have your meal. And, seriously? People with storiese to this ce?" "Why did youe here, then?" "Just by ch-" "Just by chance?" "Yes." "There you go. Everyone says they came here by chance. I did too. Seems like there''s something about this ce." As they continued their conversation, the woman''s meal also arrived. The menu was the same as what Tadano had ordered, the "Rak-il Set." Pouring drinks into her ss and Tadano''s, she spoke. "Since we''ve met like this, let''s exchange names. I''m Yomi. Haruna Yomi." With a cheerful smile, Yomi''s words marked the return of the scene. Once again, they were in the principal''s office at Tokyo University. *** "Okay, cut. Great." With Katahiro''s distinctive low voice, the second shoot concluded. Once again, Katahiro couldn''t wipe off the satisfied smile on his face, thanks to Jinseok''s sincere performance that lived up to expectations. "This project I can afford to be a bit ambitious this time." As Katahiro was deep in thought, a staff member approached and spoke. "Director, um We just got a call from Toho. The Vice President wants to join the celebration dinner for the first day of shooting. What should we do?" "Toho''s Vice President? Why would that guy" "I''m not sure. I didn''t ask for the reason. I just told them I would check with you." "Hmm." Katahiro''s expression turned slightly annoyed. "Why would hee?" While they had reconciled with Toho, their rtionship hadn''t reached the point of sharingughs and meals. Moreover, with the actors attending tonight''s dinner, he wasn''t keen on bringing in outsiders without good reason. "But it''s kind of ambiguous to refuse when the Vice President ising." He was confident he couldplete this project well even without Toho''s assistance. However, acknowledging Toho''s help could bring about greater sess not only in distribution but in various aspects. There was no need to be overly picky about it. "I''ll give the Vice President a call." After a brief moment of contemtion, Katahiro spoke. "Alright." Katahiro reached into his pocket, stepped out of the office, and called Toho''s Vice President. After a few beeps, the Vice President''s voice came through. [Oh, yes. Director Katahiro. What''s up?] [Yes, Vice President Honda. I heard you might attend our celebration dinner today. I know you''re busy, so I was wondering if it''s necessary.] Although Katahiro tried to phrase it politely, his words carried a subtle nuance of "It''s better if you don''te unless absolutely necessary." Nevertheless, the Vice President seemed unyielding. [Even if I''m busy, I should attend. It''s an opportunity to apologize and greet the other staff and actors.] [Well you don''t have to go that far. I''ve already spoken.] [That''s even more reason to go. If the person involved doesn''t apologize, it mightck sincerity.] "" He''s clueless. Was he always this oblivious? It doesn''t seem like it.'' Eventually, Katahiro had no choice but to be straightforward. "Vice President, to be honest, it''s a bit inconvenient for you toe to the celebration dinner. I feel that way, and I''m sure other staff and actors do too." After saying this much, Katahiro expected the Vice President to step back. However. [Is that so? Still, I feel like I really should go.] "" [There''s someone it would be good for the Katahiro Director to meet. Other actors especially Actor Kang Jinseok, too.] Katahiro, who had been silently expressing annoyance, quickly turned his attention, asking with interest. "And who is this guest that you''re so insistent on me meeting?" *** "Thank you foring to Japan so quickly at my request, even though I''m sure you''re busy, Mr. James." Vice President Honda, after ending the call with Katahiro, spoke to the man beside him. The man had slightly tousled blond hair and blue eyes. "Don''t worry about it. We''re good between us." The man shrugged, and the Vice President nodded slightly. "So, the actor ising too?" "Yes. However, the director mentioned that since today''s gathering is for a dinner party, he''d prefer not to delve intoplex business discussions." "Anyway, today is just about exchanging greetings, so it''s fine. More importantly" James trailed off, then asked Honda with a long-winded follow-up. "Mr. Honda, are you sure about this? I worked really hard to include Japanese auditions for my project, and now you''re giving that opportunity to another actor. Not just any actor, but a Korean one. I know rtions between Japan and Korea aren''t great." "It''s not as bad as it used to be these days. And it''s a matter of conscience, I suppose. I caused a lot of trouble for that actor''s project, so I feel like I should make it up in some way. Also, the Japanese actor I was considering suddenly became involved in some issues." "Hmm Well, I did want to meet that actor at least once, so I thought it worked out well. I really enjoyed The Way They Chose.''" "In that case, I''m d." At James'' words, the Vice President smiled faintly. However, at that moment, James spoke sharply. "But here''s the thing." "?" "Is that actor really remarkable enough to cross the threshold of Hollywood?" Chapter 163: Chapter 163: With a profound tone, James received Honda''s words with a faint smile. "I believe Actor Kang Jinseok''s acting is on par with other actors. Mr. James, you also acknowledged his high-level performance. He''s good-looking too." "I didn''t say he was good-looking. My daughter, a K-pop fan, mentioned, Actor Kang Jinseok seems to be the most handsome among Korean entertainers.''" Honda, inwardly thinking, Did his daughter say that?'' chuckled to himself, then continued as if it were nothing. "Well, anyway, if the director thinks he''s good enough, he should do well in Hollywood, don''t you think?" James pondered for a moment in response to Honda''s words. Then, clenching his fist, he spoke with a serious tone. "Sess in Hollywood doesn''t necessarily require acting skills or looks. It''s about star quality.''" "If you say star quality,'' could you specify exactly what you mean?" "Well, it''s a bit challenging to exin, but if I were to express it, it''s the ability to turn an ordinary work into an outstanding one." James took a moment to breathe after his statement. Sensing the delicate nature of the topic, Honda cautiously inquired, "So, when the director sees him, does he perceive Kang Jinseok as an actor with star quality?" "Well, in Asia, he''s considered a tremendous star. Thanks to The Way They Chose,'' he''s somewhat known in the United States and Europe too. However, it''s challenging tobel him as a star.'' Personally, I''m a fan, though." Honda''s expression subtly stiffened at James''s words. The fact that Jinseok didn''t fit James''s criteria meant, in other words, that he wouldn''t be cast. In truth, Honda didn''t particrly care whether James chose to cast Jinseok or not. However, the reason he was concerned about Jinseok was his personal ambition. He wished for the actor he rmended to be cast in James''s project. But judging from the way he''s talking there might be a candidate in mind.'' At that moment, as Honda entertained such thoughts inwardly, "But," James spoke with a meaningful tone, "No one knows when or how a star is born." "" "Just like I once said." *** First Shoot Celebration Dinner. They rented out a Korean barbecue restaurant near the amodation. Surprisingly, we were the only ones there. Perhaps because of that, although it was a celebration dinner in Japan, it felt like the typical gatherings we had in Korea. "Come on! Has everyone filled their sses?" Among the staff, Director Park,'' who took on the role of the drinking party leader, raised his ss energetically and shouted. "Originally, the first toast should be given by the director, but since the directors have their own space, I, the drinking party leader, Director Park, will give the first toast. As expected, when we toast, it should be refreshing!" At that moment, as Director Park was about to give a typical toast "Manager, you keep saying cheers.'' I''ll tell the director, and you''ll be sent back to Korea." The senior staff next to Director Park spoke in a yful tone. Although it was likely a joke, the senior staff was the type of person who could actually do it, so Director Park was taken aback. After hesitating for a moment, Director Park quickly finished the toast with a forced smile. "Haha Well, everyone, thank you for your hard work on the first shoot. We still have a long way to go, so don''t tire yourselves out too much." "Hey, stop with the unnecessary talk and just sit down. Let''s just grill some meat." "Yeah." The somewhat robust Mr. Park getting scolded by a senior with an even higher position seemed amusing to some of the staff. Upon hearing this, Mr. Park squinted his eyes and menacingly asked, "Hey, find this funny?" causing the surrounding staff to awkwardly cough and avoid eye contact. "Alright, everyone, just eat as you please. Don''t use the excuse of no shoot tomorrow so drink excessively. Keep your alcohol intake in check, in moderation," the senior officer dered loudly, scanning the group. "Yes!" "That''s right. Oh, and actors, please enjoy the meal too!" The senior officer waved his hand toward the table where I was sitting, and some of the actors responded by shaking hands with him. "Wow, having apany dinner here. I really feel like I''ve made it," one of the actors eximed. "This ce is famous, isn''t it? I heard it''s hard to get a reservation. How did they manage to book the whole ce?" "Look at the marbling on this beef. It''s a true work of art, a masterpiece." And so, the dinner began. Even though we had only started shooting a day ago, we had be quite friendly with each other through script readings and various meetings, making the atmospherefortable and rxed. After about an hour into the dinner, some of the actors began to stand up from their seats. Unlike the staff, it seemed like the actors didn''t want to overeat and were content with eating a moderate amount. "Should I leave too?" Since the hotel was right in front of us, and staying here any longer might lead to endlessly indulging in the all-you-can-eat restaurant, it seemed like a good idea to leave as soon as possible. "Sigh. It''s a shame to leave this meat behind though." Muttering with a hint of regret, I stood up from the table. At that moment, Ha Jun, who was dining nearby with other managers, quickly rushed over and asked, "Where are you going, sir?" "I was thinking of getting up. If I stay any longer, I might end up eating too much." "Oh, if that''s the case, I''lle with you." "No, it''s okay. I can go alone. You stay and enjoy, Ha Jun. The hotel isn''t far-" Just as I was saying this. "Excuse me for a moment." Katahiro pped his hands, bringing a sudden hush to the bustling restaurant. "I apologize for interrupting your enjoyable time. I have someone I''d like to introduce." "Allow me to introduce Vice President Honda from Toho." Katahiro gestured towards the man standing beside him. "Many of you may already know, but during the early stages of production for The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World,'' there was a slight misunderstanding between Toho and us, causing some trouble. Although it has been resolved now, Vice President Honda from Toho would like to personally apologize to all of you for that incident, so he''s here with us today." "Hello, everyone. I''m Honda Maru from Toho." The sudden appearance of Honda caused a buzz among the staff. "Toho''s Vice President?" "Came to apologize?" The whispers and questions spread among the staff. "I heard the director went through a lot because of Toho. We suffered too." Honda nced around for a moment before lowering his head and speaking. "As Director Katahiro mentioned just now, there was a bit of a misunderstanding. It was entirely our fault, and I''vee here to meet you all and apologize." . "I hope the rest of the shoot goes smoothly without any incidents." Whether it was because the interruption during the dinner dampened the mood or simply because Honda wasn''t wee, the staff didn''t show much of a reaction. In response to the staff''s indifference, Katahiro spoke with aposed smile. "Come on, everyone, don''t be like that. It''s not just Vice President Honda who came to encourage you. Do you all know? Director James One is here. Director James, say hello." "Good evening. I''m James One." A man from behind Katahiro stepped forward, wearing a cap with three stripes, a logo of a sports brand. Wait, James One? "The Hollywood director?" It was a name that anyone with even a slight interest in movies, let alone actors, might have heard of. In his younger days, he was known for making horror films, but in recent years, he has been creating one sessful thriller after another. The unexpected appearance of such a figure caught everyone by surprise, and my eyes widened in astonishment. And I wasn''t the only one. "J-James One? The James One?" -Why is he here? -Hey, Sangmu. Get an autographter. -I can''t speak English. -Just say James Please, sign. I''m Sangmu.'' That''s all you need. The reactions were markedly different from when Honda appeared. Not only the staff but also the actors sparkled with interest as they looked at James. With a faint smile, James spoke, "You might think I''m just saying this, but I really love Asian films. Especially the charming and delightful feel unique to Korean works and the beautiful sensibility that Japan has in its works." . "And I believe that the work you''re creating this timebines those two emotions I love. I''m grateful to all of you who are creating such a piece, and meeting you is truly an honor." At James'' words, the staff exchanged subtle smiles. Of course, there was no reason to dislike the atmosphere. Being praised by a master in the US film industry was something to be proud of. "Well then, please enjoy your meal. I''ll always be rooting for your creative endeavors and wishing you good luck in your work." p, p, p, p! In response to James'' words, the staff began to apud in unison. I also joined in, apuding enthusiastically while gazing intently at James. After a while, the apuse gradually subsided. However, everyone''s attention still lingered on James. However, at that moment, "Oh, you were there." James nced around and then pointed at me with a bright smile. "Actor Kang Jinseok, could you please sign this? I''m a huge fan. If it''s okay, can we sit together and have a meal? I have something to discuss." "?" James One is my fan? Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at me simultaneously. *** Two dayster, filming resumed. Today, the staff were bustling around, and I was going through the script. However, "The atmosphere feels a bit different." Whenever the staff passed by me, they nced at me curiously. We had shared a meal together, and most of the staff had worked together on the previous film, "Absolute Unlicensed Counseling," so it wasn''t like I was a stranger. Yet, the way they were looking at me was probably because of "It must be because of Director James One." An actor whom a sessful Hollywood director called his "fan." It was only natural that the staff would find it intriguing. Trying my best not to show any sign of difort from the staff''s curious gazes, I continued reading the script. "Actor Kang, how''s your condition today?" Director Katahiro approached and said, "Oh, hello, Director. I''m feeling good." "That''s good to hear. Today''s shoot might be a bit long, and it might get tiring, but let''s do our best. I trust you since you''re an actor to the extent that that director'' calls you his fan." "Haha" As I responded with a bashful smile, Katahiro patted my shoulder. "I''m not trying to pressure you, but it''s an important scene. You''ve done well so far, but today, I''ll rely on you a bit more." It is an important scene indeed. Today''s shoot involves the protagonist being somewhat reluctantly taken on a journey by the school headmaster. It''s a scene where the protagonist meets the female lead for the first time, a part I had seen in the previous possession. As is typical in many works, the scene where the main characters first meet is crucial. It practically marks the beginning of the movie in earnest. "And I''m curious too." I couldn''t help but wonder how Tadano, who is extremely guarded and wary of people, ended up liking the woman he met at a ramen shop. It continued to upy my thoughts. "I''ll do my best. I''ve been looking forward to this scene as well." Chapter 164: Chapter 164: "Okay, cut! Let''s take a break." With Katahiro''s words, the previously quiet set became lively. Staff members received various instructions from the director and went about their tasks. The atmosphere on set was bright, much like the first shoot, as the filming went smoothly. However, except for one person. Watching Jinseok walking towards the staff after the shoot. "¡­Does he not like me much?" Inoue''s thoughts were triggered by today''s acting. The scene she had just filmed with Jinseok was the first encounter between the male and female leads at a ramen shop. The female lead approached the mncholic male lead warmly, while the male lead strongly disliked and avoided her. Given the nature of the scene, it was natural for Jinseok to portray an aversion towards himself. "Somehow, it felt more like sincerity than acting." Having been to various sets and witnessed the performances of many actors, Jinseok''s acting was different. His acting genuinely seemed like he disliked himself. "Now that I think about it, he seemed to keep his distance subtly even during the dinner¡­" At that moment when Inoue was looking at Jinseok''s back with a slight concern, "Inoue, I''ll fix your makeup a bit." "Oh, yes!" A staff member who had been in charge of Inoue''s makeup since the shoot approached. As Inoue stood there, looking at herself with a puzzled expression, the staff member smiled and offered her a makeshift chair. "Please have a seat. Don''t stand ufortably." "Oh¡­ thank you. This is the first time I''ve been treated like this in a project, so I still haven''t gotten used to it. Hehe." As Inoue sat on the makeshift chair, the staff member spoke with a voice mixed withughter. "You did a great job in your performance, so why are you making such a sad face?" "Huh? Me?" "Yes. You have a look on your face like a puppy that knocked over its food bowl." Inoue nced at her reflection in the mirror. It truly was the expression the staff member described. "That¡­ I''m not sure if it''s just my imagination, but it seems like Actor Kang Jinseok doesn''t really like me." "Really? Why?" "Well, to exin, it''s a bit of a long story¡­" Inoue scratched the back of her head and awkwardly exined. She mentioned how Jinseok seemed to keep his distance during the previous dinner, and today during the acting, it felt like he genuinely disliked her. In response to Inoue''s rather serious exnation, the staff member shrugged, as if to say it was nothing. "That''s just how Actor Kang Jinseok is." "Is he always like that?" "Actor Kang rarely talks to women during dinners. I first saw him in ¡®The Way They Chose,'' and even during the dinner, he kept his distance from the female actors. Except for Seo Yeonsoo, if I remember correctly." "Really?" "Yes. Even though he usually treats people warmly, he bes very cautious during dinners. It seems like it''s something the agency advised him to do." "Oh¡­" "So, don''t worry too much. Actor Kang Jinseok is a really kind person. And his acting is so realistic¡­ Well, how should I put it?" The staff member changed the brush, smiling subtly. "We''ve just started shooting, you shouldn''t be so surprised already. Actor Kang Jinseok is really good at acting, you know." *** After the first shoot of the day ended, there was a brief break. "We''ll resume shooting in 5 minutes!" The staff announced. "Should I go check it out now?" I took a sip of water, letting it linger in my mouth before swallowing. Thanks to that, my slightly dry mouth became moist. "Ha Jun, I''ll be back after the shoot." "Yes! Fighting, actor!" Although we had been together for quite some time, there was still a strong sense of formality in Ha Jun''s cheers. With Ha Jun''s encouragement, I entered the ramen shop to shoot the next scene. The other extras were already seated, and Inoue, like a diligent student cramming for an exam, had her head buried in the script, quickly scanning through it. For some reason, her scene preparation reminded me of myself, and a smile formed on my face. "Inoue, actress, please take good care of this scene too¡­" I was about to speak casually, but I held back. She seemed so focused on the script, and I didn''t want to interrupt her flow with unnecessary conversation. Trying to be discreet, I sat across from Inoue. But then¡­ The chair hit something on the floor, and at the sound, Inoue looked up. "Oh¡­ Actor Kang Jinseok is here." "Ha ha¡­ Yes. I tried to sit quietly to avoid disturbing you while you were reading the script, but I ended up making a sound. I apologize." "S-Sorry¡­" Inoue mumbled in response to my words. She seemed to have something to say, but in the end, she just gave an awkward smile without saying anything. I was going to tell her to speak freely if she had something on her mind, but I decided against it. It might actually make her ufortable. As a somewhat awkward moment passed¡­ "Actor Kang Jinseok, Actress Inoue. Are you ready?" Director Katahiro''s voice broke the silence. I turned towards the director with a smile and a nod, and Katahiro, acknowledging my readiness, raised his thumb. "All right. Ready¡­ Action." With his characteristic calm demeanor, Katahiro signaled for action. And at that moment, the scene unfolded before my eyes. *** ¡ª¡ª "¡­Since we''ve met like this, let''s exchange names. I''m Yomi. Haruna Yomi." ¡ª¡ª With a cheerful smile, Yomi pours sake into Tadano''s cup. Tadano looks at Yomi with a mixture of annoyance and incredulity, his expression subtly conveying a sense of inconvenience and disbelief. ¡ª¡ª ¡®What is up with this woman?'' ¡ª¡ª Ever since his parents passed away, he had never encountered anyone who spoke to him so naturally. Anyone else would hesitate to strike up a conversation with him, given the dark and heavy atmosphere surrounding him. However, Yomi treated him as if they were old friends, addressing him with unprecedented ease. As Tadano stared at her with an expression he couldn''t quite decipher, Yomi met his gaze directly and spoke. ¡ª "Why? Have you suddenly felt the urge to talk now?" "¡­As if." "Huh? Then why are you staring at me like that? I thought you were falling for me." "Hmph." ¡ª Tadano let out a bitterugh and shook his head in response to Yomi. He wasn''t sure who this woman named Yomi was or what she was up to, but she seemed not easily dismissible. ¡ª ¡®Just leaving this ramen shop might be a way out¡­'' ¡ª Tadano found Yomi irritating. Although he didn''t know what kind of person she was, starting from iming she had a "story" to the overly cheerful expression she wore, he wanted to hurt her enough for her to leave on her own. That was how twisted Tadano''s sentiments were. ¡ª ¡®How can I make this woman leave?'' ¡ª After pondering for a moment, Tadano''s eyes shed. ¡ª "All right. Since you suggested we talk, let''s do it." "Wow, really? Awesome." "Yes. First, let me ask you one thing. Earlier, you mentioned that everyoneing to this ramen shop has a story. So, what''s your story foring here?" ¡ª Tadano asked, focusing on Yomi''s response. He didn''t know what kind of story she had, but whatever it was, Tadano intended to mock it, saying, "To call that a ¡®story'' is pathetic. I''ve been through far worse." ¡ª "What about my story?" ¡ª Yomi asked briefly, then began to reveal her story. ¡ª "My story is nothing special. My dad was terminally ill, and my mom did everything she could to save him, ending up drowning in debt. Well, it''s amon story for one or two people around. Oh, and then my mom was murdered. Don''t ask how." "¡­?" ¡ª "My dad couldn''t afford the surgery and eventually passed away. That was when I was seventeen." ¡®Is this supposed to be ordinary¡­?'' ¡ª Tadano barely maintained an indifferent expression. Internally, he was quite, no, extremely bewildered. Yomi casually sipped her drink. Observing her, she seemedpletely unfazed. Tadano, watching Yomi in a daze, cautiously asked, ¡ª "So¡­ what happened then?" "Not much. Both my parents were gone, and I had to raise my two younger siblings. Since we couldn''t all die together, you know." "Rtives? Didn''t you get any help?" "Our rtives cut ties long ago. When my dad got sick, they didn''t care about our house." ¡ª "And the rtives who came demanding repayment for the money my dad borrowed? Eventually, they took everything, including my mom''s heirlooms and clothes. Family doesn''t mean much when ites to money." ¡ª ¡®Family means nothing when ites to money.'' Hearing that, Tadano found himself nodding slightly, unintentionally. It was something he had keenly felt recently. A small trace of sympathy appeared in Tadano''s eyes, though he hadn''t been feeling anything for a while. Recognizing this, Yomi spoke with a light smile, ¡ª "It''s not over yet. Now, the real story begins." "More than this?" "Yes. Earlier, I mentioned my dad getting sick." ¡ª ¡®What more could there be?'' Tadano thought, but Yomi continued as if discussing someone else''s story, downing the ramen broth in one go, ¡ª "It''s not over yet. Now, the real story begins." "More than this?" "Yes. Earlier, I mentioned my dad getting sick." ¡ª ¡®What more could there be?'' Tadano thought, but Yomi continued as if discussing someone else''s story, downing the ramen broth in one go, ¡ª "Kaha! This ramen broth in this ce is the best." ¡ª She sounded truly happy. Unable toprehend Yomi''s feelings, Tadano showed a hint of empathy. Upon realizing this, Yomi spoke with a light smile, ¡ª "It''s not over yet. Now, the real story begins." "More than this?" "Yes. Earlier, I mentioned my dad getting sick." ¡ª ¡®What more could there be?'' Tadano thought, but Yomi continued as if discussing someone else''s story, downing the ramen broth in one go, ¡ª "Kaha! This ramen broth in this ce is the best." ¡ª She sounded truly happy. Unable toprehend Yomi''s feelings, Tadano showed a hint of empathy. Upon realizing this, Yomi spoke with a light smile, ¡ª "Anyway, that''s how it is. So, I''m barely scraping by, feeding my younger siblings on my own. I work as a station attendant during the day, and at night¡­ well, I do odd jobs. But there''s no way I could support my three siblings with just my station attendant sry if I wanted to keep them all together." "And your siblings¡­ don''t they earn any money?" "Earning money is tough for my siblings. One just started elementary school, and the second one is in the second year of middle school. Oh, the second one is in the baseball club. They say if he goes pro, he''ll make a lot of money and take care of me. I don''t know if I can hold out until then, though. Hehe." ¡ª Tadano, upon hearing Yomi''s words, couldn''t help but feel sympathetic. Perhaps because Yomi had experienced something as severe as, if not more so than himself. So, Tadano wondered. How could someone who had gone through such hardships as Yomi make such a cheerful expression? Staring at Yomi with eyes mixed withplex emotions, Tadano carefully asked in a measured voice, ¡ª "Can I ask you something?" "Of course." "Even after going through such an ordeal¡­ how can you make such a cheerful expression?" At Tadano''s question, Yomi tilted her head with a yful smile. After a moment of contemtion, as if wondering why he would ask such a thing, she answered with a smile, ¡ª "The reason for living happily is simple. It''s just better to live brightly,ughing like this." "Living happily is better?" "Yes. It''s better to live joyfully and happily than to be sad about something bad that happened. Haven''t you heard that saying? ¡®Smile, and the whole world will smile with you. Cry, and you''ll cry alone.''" "¡­That''s E Wheeler Wilcox''s poem, the first line of ¡®Solitude.''" "Oh. It was a poem? I didn''t know. You seem quite smart on that side. I thought you wouldn''t read books at all, looking the way you do." "¡­" "Anyway, people die eventually. So, what''s important is what you do while you''re alive, right? Oh, I realized that while eating ramen here." ¡ª Yomi spoke with a perpetual twinkle in her eye. Witnessing Yomi in this light, Tadano couldn''t say anything. While he understood Yomi''s words intellectually, he couldn''t grasp them emotionally. So, the two sat in silence for a while, eating, until Yomi got up from her seat. ¡ª "Well, I''ll be going now. It''s time for me to go to work." "Oh¡­ okay." With a nk expression, Tadano listened as Yomi smiled at him again before leaving the restaurant. Watching her leave, Tadano suddenly snapped back to reality. ¡ª ¡®Work, huh? What could she be doing at this hour?'' ¡ª In truth, whatever Yomi did didn''t concern Tadano. She was a woman he wouldn''t have any business with once he returned to Tokyo tomorrow. But still, why? Tadano was curious about Yomi''s life. How a woman who imed it was better to live joyfully no matter what had gone through and experienced. Having finished his thoughts, Tadano seemed to make a decision and got up from his seat. ¡ª "Owner, I''ll leave the money here. Thanks for the meal." -Yes! See you again! ¡ª After paying for the meal, Tadano hastily left the restaurant and followed Yomi. Her figure was visible as she entered an alley. ¡ª ¡®Her steps are quite fast.'' ¡ª Although Tadano had been following Yomi for quite some time through the alley she entered, the distance between them didn''t seem too close. Eventually, Tadano increased his pace, almost running lightly. As he got closer to Yomi, just as he was about to call out to her. ¡ª "Yomi, is that you? You''re early today. Ugh, you should havee a bit earlier yesterday. Two customers left because you werete." "Hehe¡­ I''m sorry. Are there many customers today?" "Strangely, there aren''t any customers looking for Yomi today. But since Yomi is popr, they''lle soon. For now, go in and do your makeup." "Yes." "¡­" ¡ª Yomi entered a building where the bright pink light fluttered. That building was a ce where women sold liquor andughter. Chapter 165: Chapter 165: As if entranced, Tadano walked toward the building Yomi had entered. Then, at the door, a woman who seemed to be the madam, the one who had greeted Yomi earlier, called out to Tadano. ¡ª "Oh, a cute young man. What brings you here?" ¡ª Her words were friendly, but there was annoyance in her voice. It seemed like she was silently thinking, ¡®He doesn''t seem to have enough money toe to our establishment.'' When Tadano didn''t respond, the madam approached slowly. As she came close enough for the scent of heavy makeup to be noticeable, she spoke to Tadano in a subtly suggestive tone. ¡ª "Are youing in? But our ce is quite expensive. If you go inside that alley, there might be a ce suitable for a young man. How about going there?" "I''m not here for that¡­ No. I''ll just go." "Yeah~ If you need anything, I can rmend other ces¡­" "No need." ¡ª Tadano nced briefly at the building and turned away. He didn''t have any particr thoughts or emotions. He had followed Yomi to understand his purpose, to learn what she did at night. As Tadano distanced himself a few steps from the madam. ¡ª "Oh, madam. It''s been a while." "Ah! Shinno-san, it''s been a while since you came. Why did youe so casually?" "I''ve been busy with work. By the way, did Yomie to work?" "It hurts my heart when I see your face and you immediately look for another woman." "Hahaha!! Sorry, sorry." "It''s okay. Yomi is much prettier than me anyway. Luckily, Yomi has a lot of free time today. Go on in." "Oh, really? I picked a good day toe, considering I was just passing by. Haha!" ¡ª A pause. Tadano stopped at the name ¡®Yomi.'' ¡ª ¡®Is he going to meet that woman?'' ¡ª Suddenly, Tadano''s footsteps didn''te to a halt. It wasn''t that he felt bothered by Yomi meeting another man or harboring such innocent thoughts. In a ce like this, meeting other men was a natural urrence. But for some reason, it bothered him. Unusually so. After sighing, Tadano turned back towards the madam. As he approached, the madam squinted her eyes, then asked Tadano with an extended gaze. ¡ª "Why? Do you really want me to rmend another ce?" ¡ª "No. How much for one here is enough." "¡­?" ¡ª While the confident Tadano spoke, the madam, intrigued, smiled slyly. ¡ª "Young man, this ce is a bit expensive. It''s not a ce where someone like you can juste in. Don''t take it the wrong way. Do you understand what I mean?" ¡ª It wasn''t an explicit dismissal, but a clear warning. However, Tadano remained confident. ¡ª "I have the money." "So, with the money you can afford to spend¡­ huh?" ¡ª As the madam was about to dismiss Tadano again, she hesitated when she saw the bundle of money he pulled out of his bag. It was all the money the professor had given him for travel expenses. ¡ª "Young man, are you really going to spend all that money? Aren''t you overdoing it?" "Is this not enough?" "No, it''s not that¡­ but looking at you, you seem like a student. Spending such arge sum might make your life difficultter. I don''t want to see a young friend spend all his money on a night of fun." "Don''t worry about it. Besides¡­" ¡ª As Tadano was about to continue, he looked towards the door Yomi had entered. ¡ª "¡­I want to see a woman named Yomi." "Hmm? Do you know Yomi? Have you been here before?" "It''s my first time. Isn''t that okay?" "That''s not it¡­ The customer who just went in seems like he''s going to call Yomi." "Then I''ll wait." "How many hours it''ll take? I don''t know how long that customer will keep Yomi." "It doesn''t matter. I have time." "In that case¡­ Let''s go in together. I''ll arrange a room for you." ¡ª Holding Tadano''s arm, the madam led him into the building. From the outside, the building had colorful and provocative lights, but inside, it had a surprisingly calm atmosphere. As the madam guided Tadano to the counter, a counter employee greeted them. ¡ª "Madam personally bringing in a customer, that''s a rare sight." "Hoho, it''s because it''s a cute young customer on his first visit. I brought him in, afraid he might get lost. Is room 1 avable today? Book it for him. The reservation is under Yomi." "Um¡­ Madam, Yomi just left with Shino-san." "For how many hours?" "Five hours." ¡ª Madam nced at Tadano. It seemed like she was asking if he could wait for five hours. Tadano nodded nonchntly. ¡ª "It''s okay. I can wait." "Alright. Then the next reservation after Yomi is for this young gentleman." "Understood." "But even if you''re waiting, we can''t have a customer sitting quietly in the room for five hours. Would you like to talk with the other girls while waiting?" "That''s fine." ¡ª Madam shrugged at Tadano''s firm answer. ¡ª "Well, then take a deep breath. We''ll bring you a customer." "Yes, madam." ¡ª As Madam headed back outside, the counter employee guided Tadano inside. "Hohoho!" "Hahaha!" Inside, intermittentughter mixed with the scent of women and the aura of men. Though Tadano had been to such ces before and initially didn''t pay much attention, for some reason, theughter felt awkward and ufortable. ¡ª "Here we are." ¡ª Tadano nodded slightly and entered the room. It was a typical tavern with tatami mats and paper sliding doors. The only difference was its remarkable sophistication. Inside the room, Tadano randomly found a ce to sit and absentmindedly stared into space. ¡ª ¡®Why did Ie here?'' ¡ª No clear reason came to mind. Lying down on the soft futon spread across the floor, Tadano looked around. The fragrance, possibly from a sprayed perfume, emitted a nameless flower scent from the floral-patterned nket. In a strangely suffocating state of mind, Tadano let out a long sigh. His thoughts were tangled with various things. His head hurt so much that he decided to sleep. However, sleep didn''te easily. With closed eyes, time passed. One hour, two hours. And several more hours after that. ¡ª Knock, knock. A cautious knock sounded from outside. Tadano slowly rose from the futon and spoke a bit louder. ¡ª "Come in." -Yes. ¡ª As the counter employee responded, the door opened. A woman, dressed in a light kimono with gracefully tied-up hair adorned in white and pink makeup, entered. The woman, looking at the floor, spoke gently but with an appropriately lively voice. ¡ª "I''m Yomi. Thank you for calling me today. I heard you waited a long time. Whether it''s a short or long time, I''ll serve you wholeheartedly." ¡ª After Yomi finished her greeting, several waitresses brought in various dishes and drinks. It wasn''t an extravagant setup, but even if called a casual selection, it was more than enough. The waitresses bowed, greeted, and quickly left the room. Still bowing, Yomi approached Tadano. A simr scent to the madam he saw outside, but nowing from Yomi, wafted through the air. ¡ª "Now, let''s start with pouring the drinks¡­ Huh? You¡­ No, why are you a customer here?" "¡­" ¡ª Yomi, smoothly offering a ss to Tadano, finished her sentence with doubt. Yomi seemed flustered, but Tadano appeared even more so. ¡ª ¡®What should I say? How did I end up following her anding in here? No, that''s too strange. I''m not a stalker. Then¡­'' ¡ª As Tadano was quickly spinning his thoughts, ¡ª "Did you happen to follow me?" ¡ª Yomi''s words halted Tadano''s thoughts. Tadano, unable to say anything and only looking at his own expression, saw Yomi smile wryly. ¡ª "Hehe, judging by your reaction, it seems you really did follow me. Why did you follow me? Worried that I''d go out alone at night?" "¡­ It''s not that." "Then why?" ¡ª Persistently asking, Yomi paused Tadano''s thoughts again. Even Tadano seemed perplexed, not knowing why he came here. Once again, Tadano couldn''t say anything. Yomi, finding amusement in Tadano''s silence, continued to watch him with a teasing gaze. ¡ª "If you don''t want to tell me, you don''t have to. Still, it''s nice to see your face like this. For some reason, you look more handsome than when I saw you at the ramen shop, maybe because of the lighting." "You too¡­" ¡ª Tadano was about to politely say, "You look better too," but he swallowed his words. It could sound like apliment on her heavy makeup. Tadano, in the midst of trying to speak, was interrupted by Yomi''sughter. ¡ª "How''s this outfit? It''s the first time I''m wearing it today." "It suits you well¡­ I mean, do you work here every day?" "As you can see, yes. Oh, except when I go to the hospital once a month." ¡ª ¡ª Yomi approached a bit more, casually speaking. However, Tadano distanced himself as Yomi approached. Seeing Tadano''s action, Yomi raised an eyebrow and, with a nk expression, coughed lightly before asking. ¡ª "Ahem. But really, what are you doing here?" "When you ask what I''m doing¡­ it''s simple. I''m here to bringughter and joy to the customers." "¡­Be more specific." "I don''t know why you''re asking me that, but it''s a bit embarrassing." ¡ª The word ''embarrassing'' froze Tadano''s expression. Working in a ce like this, he had expected it, but experiencing the unpleasant feeling for the first time, Tadano felt a suffocating sensation in his chest. ¡ª ¡®Why am I thinking like this?'' ¡ª Whatever this woman did, Tadano wasn''t concerned. She was a woman he had just met yesterday, and soon, when he returned to Tokyo, there would be no reason to see her again. Still, Tadano felt strangely uneasy. Without saying anything, as Tadano looked down at the floor, Yomi asked cautiously. ¡ª "Why are you so concerned about what I do here?" "Not particrly." "Not particrly? Your face says ¡®I''m extremely concerned.''" "¡­" "Even so, telling you directly feels a bit awkward. How about trying it together?" ¡ª Smiling like a cat, Yomi leaned towards Tadano''s side. Startled by Yomi''s sudden movement, Tadano stopped her. ¡ª "Wait, just a moment. I came here to do that kind of thing¡ª" "Huh? What kind of thing?" "So¡­" ¡ª Tadano couldn''t continue his words, rolling his eyes around. When spoken aloud, it felt embarrassing, just as Yomi had mentioned before. ¡ª "Pfft." ¡ª At that moment, Yomi couldn''t hold back herughter, bursting intoughter. Tadano, with a dazed expression, looked at Yomi. ¡ª "Why are youughing?" "Why wouldn''t I? Your expression right now is the most troubled one in the world." "¡­" "At the ramen shop, you had the most troubled expression, and now you''re making such a cute face. How can I notugh?" ¡ª Continuouslyughing, Yomi looked at Tadano with a teasing smile. ¡ª "Huff¡­ Huff¡­ I''m sorry. I haven''t seen something amusing in a while, so Iughed too much." "¡­" "Okay, let''s get back to the main point! This isn''t the kind of ce where you think such things are happening." "If it''s not that kind of ce¡­ Then, what kind of ce is it?" ¡°What kind of ce is this? It''s just a ce for us to talk.¡± ¡°Just talk? Then why is this futon here?¡± ¡°Sometimes, guests like you whoete at night stay for a rest. Why? Were you expecting something mischievous?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡ª Though the tone remained chilly, there was a clear sense of relief in Tadano''s voice. Looking up at Tadano, Yomi asked, ¡ª ¡°Were you worried that I might have been in the arms of another man?¡± ¡°Worried about what?¡± ¡°Lies again. Your face clearly says, ¡®I was really concerned.¡¯¡± ¡ª In response to Yomi''s words, Tadano subtly raised the corner of his mouth. Though initially irritated and uneasy when they first met, it wasn''t so bad conversing with this woman after just one day. Perhaps, ¡®Smile and the world smiles with you'' wasn''t entirely false. As a faint smile appeared on Tadano''s face, Yomi pointed at him and said, ¡ª ¡°Oh? You smiled just now! You did, right?¡± ¡°As if.¡± ¡°Oh, another lie. How can someone keep lying with the same expression without changing at all?¡± ¡ª Once again,ughter almost burst out, but Tadano managed to maintain hisposure. Yomi stared at him as if expecting another amusing response. But instead ofughter, Tadano asked Yomi, ¡ª ¡°Do you treat other customers the same way?¡± ¡°Do I? Oh, do you mean being friendly like this?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Of course. Considering how expensive this ce is. You know it too. In a ce like this, where you spend that much money for just drinking tea and chatting, you should be treated warmly.¡± ¡ª Yomi spoke dismissively as if asking such an obvious question was unnecessary. Tadano felt ufortable again. Whether Yomi sensed his unease or not, she promptly reassured him, ¡ª ¡°But I won''t y pranks like I do with you.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I''ll just talk. Today, it''s about what was tough for you, what you struggled with, words of encouragement¡ªthose kinds of things.¡± ¡ª With these words, the difort in Tadano''s heart intensified. Perhaps realizing his feelings, Yomi immediately requested, ¡ª ¡°However, I won''t make jokes like I do with you, okay?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just talking. We''re not sitting close today. Our shop rule is to keep a minimum of 50 cm between us.¡± ¡ª While speaking, Yomi moved away from Tadano, as if asking, ¡®Is this okay?'' As the distance increased, Tadano could regain his usual casualness. ¡ª ¡°Then why do you y pranks on me?¡± ¡°Because we''re friends.¡± ¡°¡­Friends?¡± ¡°Yes. Don''t you know that phrase? ¡®Once you meet, it''s a coincidence; twice is fate; three times is destiny.''¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We''ve already met three times, so it''s destiny. So, friends or maybe more than friends?¡± ¡ª Rubbing her chin, Yomi pretended to think deeply. ¡ª ¡°Once you meet, it''s a coincidence; twice is fate; three times is destiny, right? It''s not destiny just meeting three times.¡± ¡°Oh, no, just three times is-.¡± ¡°Well, then everyone in the world must be destined. Everyone meets three times at some point.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Now that you mention it, that makes sense. Destiny must involve meeting three times by chance.¡± ¡ª Yomi seemed to realize something important and lightly tapped her palm with a fist. Tadano, looking at Yomi with a nk expression, let out a sigh mixed withughter. ¡ª "So, this is why this woman is popr." ¡ª This woman, who made even himself, who hated the world and himself so much, smile a little. That''s how much positive energy she emitted. Perhaps, that''s why he found himself chasing after her because of this energy. ¡ª "Maybe I¡­ came after this woman because of this energy." ¡ª While Tadano was seriously contemting Yomi, Yomi was gesturing wildly and chattering happily all by herself. Surprisingly, there was not a single negative thing in her story. After listening to Yomi''s story for a while, Tadano stood up and said, ¡ª "I guess I''ll be going now." "What? Already? I just came in." "I''ve heard everything I wanted to. It was a much more enjoyable and informative time than I expected. Thanks." ¡ª Speaking rapidly, Tadano headed towards the door. Yomi, taken aback, fluttered her hands as if trying to stop him. Seeing Yomi''s reaction, Tadano, holding the doorknob, asked, ¡ª "Would anything bad happen to you if I leave first?" "It''s not like that¡­ If you leave early, I might have to take more customers. It''s not that I don''t like it because I can earn money, but still¡­ Since you''vee all this way, it would be nice if you filled up the time." "If that''s the case, I''ll tell the counter. I''ll say you''ve worked hard today and ask for a break for you." "¡­" "Is that okay then?" ¡ª When Yomi didn''t say anything, Tadano lowered the doorknob. At that moment, ¡ª "Wait, just a moment. I also have something I want to ask you." "Curious about me?" "Yes. That¡­ " ¡ª Yomi, stroking her finger, asked Tadano while ncing at his reaction. ¡ª "What happened to you that you had such a difficult expression at the ramen shop? I''m curious. It was a simr expression to how I used to be in my age group. I used to think I was the most troubled person among my peers." ¡ª Tadano, holding the doorknob, stared into space. He had just been freed from some unpleasant memories, but now they were forced back into his mind. Naturally, Tadano didn''t want to talk about his own story. Phew. Sighing, Tadano turned his head towards Yomi. Yomi''s eyes revealed a truly innocent curiosity and a hint of concern. After gazing at those eyes for a while, he finally spoke. ¡ª "I won''t share a light story with someone I just met today. The concept of having a friend is something I no longer possess, and even if I did, it would involve a difficult tale to tell." "Why don''t you have any friends? I thought we were friends. It''s a bit disappointing." "It''s challenging to call someone a friend after meeting them only once." ¡ª Tadano''s tone was noticeably different from a little while ago, as cold as when they first met. In response, Yomi rose from her seat and approached Tadano. From a close distance, Yomi stared directly into Tadano''s eyes and spoke. ¡ª "So, if we happen to meet twice by chance, will you call me a friend? You said that if it''s twice by chance, it bes fate." ¡ª Her voice contained a mixture of emotions, though there was no trace of bitterness. It was more like she wanted to confirm something. Tadano nodded lightly as he momentarily locked eyes with Yomi. ¡ª "Sure. If we happen to meet twice by chance, I''ll say it then." "¡­" "But that''s unlikely to happen. Fate isn''t created that easily." ¡ª Tadano spoke firmly, and Yomi, who was scrutinizing him, remained silent. When a brief silence settled, Tadano continued. ¡ª "If there''s nothing more to say, I''ll be going." "Then I guess I''ll hear your story soon." "What does that mean?" "You said you''d tell your story if we happen to meet twice by chance, right?" ¡ª With a light smile, Yomi''s unique expression, she whispered something to Tadano, seemingly amused by his reaction. ¡ª "I have a good sense, so I have a feeling we''ll meet again soon." "¡­" "It''s a coincidence, and it might happen in apletely unexpected ce." Chapter 166: Chapter 166: ¡®Incredibly stable. Perfect.'' Director Katahiro, watching the filming scene on the screen, wore a satisfied smile. "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World" was such a crucial project that Katahiro paid attention not only to the filming but also to the actors'' performances. Naturally, he didn''t let any scene pass without scrutiny, leading to murmurs among the staff and some actors saying, "Director Katahiro is too meticulous." However, even Katahiro couldn''t find fault with Jinseok''s acting. To be more precise, he couldn''t criticize it. ¡®Felt this before, but Kang Jinseok''s acting is different.'' It was challenging to pinpoint what that difference was. Still, Jinseok''s acting undeniably possessed a charm not found in other actors, captivating both actors and staff alike. Thanks to Jinseok''s performance, the actors who yed alongside him also delivered a performance one or two steps higher. Especially Inoue, who breathed in sync with Jinseok, appeared wless from every angle as the female lead. ¡®I''m looking forward to the uing shoots even more.''Katahiro spoke with a deeper smile, contrary to his inner thoughts, in a somewhat calm voice. "Okay, cut. Great job. Take a 10-minute break, then let''s do it again with a different angle." Upon hearing Katahiro''s words, the surrounding staff expressed relief. "We''ll take a break!" "Inoue,e this way. I''ll fix your makeup!" While the staff exchanged words, Katahiro couldn''t understand their conversations. Seeing the interpreter standing next to him not saying anything, he seemed to be moving well in response to Katahiro''s instructions. Moreover, Katahiro''s attention was solely focused on Jinseok. ¡®I''m not thinking about working together in the current shoot, but¡­ Maybe it would be nice to work on the next project. It might be challenging for a while as the next project is likely Hollywood-bound.'' Katahiro was so immersed in Jinseok''s acting that such thoughts crossed his mind. Meanwhile, the 10-minute break passed, and one staff member approached Katahiro. "Director, everything''s ready." "Ah, yes. Let''s get back to shooting. Before the flow is lost." And the filming resumed. *** When Jinseok was shooting in Japan for a while. Jang Sunho was in a constant state of anxiety due to the story about the orphanage director who raised Jinseok. ¡®The actor got into a fight and hospitalized a student¡­'' When Jang Sunho was young, there were times when he gathered with others and got into fights. He couldn''t remember the reasons well, but he fought with students from other schools, and once, while ying ser with the next ss, they ended up fighting for no apparent reason. In those days, such incidents weremon. However, he had never fought to the extent of sending someone to the hospital. ¡®This is troublesome.'' Regardless of the reason, fighting alone was never good news for an entertainer. Moreover, the fact that Jinseok, who already had a good image, "hospitalized another student during his school days," was even more fatal. ¡®The best solution would be to silence everyone who knows about this¡­ But practically, that would be difficult.'' Now, it wasn''t someone else but KL Entertainment trying to put Jinseok in danger with this information. Resolving it amicably seemed challenging as the rtionship between them was not good. "Hoo-." Jang Sunho, sitting in the office, sighed looking up at the ceiling. At that moment, someone walked in. "Oh? Team leader, haven''t you left yet?" It was Go Seoyoung, holding a convenience store stic bag in one hand. "What''s going on these days? You seemed really busy. You look busier than usual, and you seem to have less free time." "Nothing special." Actually, there was something ¡®special,'' but Jang Sunho didn''t bother to tell Go Seoyoung. He thought it would be better if as few people as possible knew about this matter. While putting the stic bag down at his desk, Go Seoyoung nced at Jang Sunho. "You seem to have something on your mind. Do you know how scary the team leader looks these days? It''s getting to the point where even the usual scary person is frightening now." "Scary?" "Yes. So, the team members are having a hard time approaching you these days." ¡®Did I unintentionally let it show?¡¯ Jang Sunho sighed slightly, giving a bitter smile. At that moment, Go Seoyoung, with a concerned tone, asked, "Is there really something troubling you? I don''t know what it is, but just tell me. Sometimes, talking about your worries can be a solution." ¡®Is it okay to tell Assistant Manager Go?'' Jang Sunho considered for a moment then exhaled slightly and smiled wryly. When he did, Go Seoyoung asked with a worried voice, "Do you really have something not good going on? I don''t know what it is, but tell me first. Discussing your worries can be a solution, you know." Go Seoyoung has been a reliable person to work with for a long time. Except for the times when she drank and caused a scene, she was an excellent colleague. Soon, Jang Sunho opened his mouth with a serious expression. "I heard a story that Actor Kang Jinseok was involved in school violence during his school days." "Actor Kang Jinseok involved in school violence? Was Kang a bully?" "Not exactly. It''s not about bullying someone or taking money. It''s about hitting other students hard enough to send them to the hospital. There''s quite a bit of evidence." "Surprising. Kang doesn''t seem like the type to hit others. But what about the evidence?" "Medical records and handwritten reflection letters by Kang Jinseok. The director of the orphanage where Kang was raised confirmed the authenticity, even though these details weren''t in his student record." Sunho showed the documents given by the Director. Copies of hospital records with the names erased and a duplicate of Jinseok''s handwritten reflection letter. As Go Seoyoung examined the documents closely, she raised her eyebrows and said to Sunho. "Isn''t this just kids fighting and getting hurt? My younger brother used to get into fights ande home with injuries all the time when he was young." "I wish it were that simple. The student who imed to have been beaten by Kang Jinseok ended up in the hospital. There were about four students who said they were hospitalized after being hit by him. And there''s another, bigger problem." "Another problem?" "Yes." Sunho closed his eyes, sighed, and spoke with a mixed tone of frustration. "KL Entertainment also has this information." "¡­" "Whatever the reason Kang had for hitting the other students, KL Entertainment will somehow turn Kang Jinseok into a viin. Reporters won''t fact-check and will write articles about it." "Well¡­ that might happen. So, is that why you''ve been so serioustely?" "Yes. If you have any good ideas, I''d like to hear them. You, being a former reporter, might be more of an expert in this kind of media y than I am." Sunho spoke with a serious tone throughout. After listening to Sunho''s words for a while, Go Seoyoung, with her chin in her hand, asked hesitantly, "But, Team Leader, isn''t this a bit strange?" "What do you mean by strange?" "These days, any bit of celebrity gossip gets dug up, especially their past. Since social media is so active." "That''s true." ¡°Why is this kind of storying up now?¡± Jang Sunho momentarily paused at Go Seoyeong''s words. "Come to think of it, you''re right. Kang Jinseok has been a star for quite some time now¡­ If it were a negative story about him, it would have surfaced earlier." While Jang Sunho was lost in his thoughts, Go Seoyeong continued speaking. "What''s even strange is that KL Entertainment has this information but hasn''t taken any action yet. We''re currently shooting ourpany''s original work, so it would be an opportune time to expose Kang''s school violence scandal." "That is true." "By any chance, do you know why Kang Jinseok hit other students?" "No. The orphanage director doesn''t know either. Apparently, at that time, there was a sudden increase in the number of children at the orphanage, and they were quite busy. I went to the school Kang Jinseok attended, but the school had merged with another, and the teachers had scattered everywhere." "Hmm¡­ Something seems off." Go Seoyeong bit her nails, a habit she had when deeply contemting something. After thinking for a while, she spoke. "Team leader, I''ll look into this." "You''re going to investigate?" "Why not? Don''t you trust me?" "It''s not that, but honestly, I''ve searched diligently, and there was no one who knew about this incident. It seems like only the parties involved know about it¡­ I was nning to ask Kang directlyter." "Is Kang Jinseok working on another project during this time?" "Of course, after the shooting is finished." "Then, it might take some time. This is a time bomb; we don''t know when it will explode." Go Seoyeong was right. This was a time bomb set by KL Entertainment. Jang Sunho was well aware, and that''s why he had been saving every second to find out the whole story. However, he hadn''t found any decisive evidence. "Hmm¡­" After pondering, Jang Sunho spoke with difficulty. "Do you have any good ideas?" "Yes. I''m Go Seoyeong, after all. I used to cover stories like this. Don''t worry too much." Trying to uplift the deted Jang Sunho, Go Seoyeong intentionally spoke with a cheerful tone. Nevertheless, Jang Sunho remained dejected. Undeterred, Go Seoyeong continued with a light smile. "By the way, Team Leader, is there a bonus for handling assignments outside of our regr duties?" "Don''t treat it as a joke. It could seriously damage Kang Jinseok''s image." "Oh,e on, don''t be so serious. And I''m not joking." "¡­" "Anyway, so, there''s a bonus, right? After all, I''m helping our Team Leader Jang Sunho with his worries." Jang Sunho sighed and nodded vaguely. "Yes, sure. I''ll provide everything I can. Not just a bonus, but it''ll be reflected in your performance evaluations, and of course, you''ll get amendation." "Great! That''s what I wanted to hear. I''ll get started right away." "But, you did say you would do anything I asked just now, right?" "¡­It was just a conventional expression. I meant to say I''ll do my best to help in any way I can." Ignoring Jang Sunho''s words, Go Seoyeong closed her ears and said, "Ah~ I can''t hear you, I can''t hear you. You already made a promise. You promised to help with anything." After swiftly grabbing her bag, she walked out, saying, "If I handle this, please make sure to keep that promise. The promise that you''ll do anything I ask." ¡ª "Now, where should I start?" Go Seoyeong pondered deeply as she walked out of thepany. Then, looking at the still-lit office, she sighed lightly. "Jang Sunho, that guy. If something like this happened, he should have told me sooner instead of suffering alone." Jang Sunho heard about Kang Jinseok''s school violence incident about a month or two ago. It meant that Jang Sunho had been wrestling with his thoughts alone for quite a long time. It was regrettable. It stung that there had been no word from him during that time. "But still¡­ well, now that he told me, I guess he believes in me, right?" Thinking like this, she felt lighter again. As much as Jang Sunho trusted her, she also wanted to repay him with good results. After walking for a while, Go Seoyeong arrived at her parked car. She got in, kicked off her high heels onto the passenger seat, reced them withfortable slippers, and took out her phone to check KakaoTalk. [Korea University Department of Journalism and Broadcasting 46th-50th Batch Group Chat] "I''ve been lurking in the group chat all the time, but it feels a bit awkward to send a KakaoTalk now. But I can trust them, at least they''re from my major." After hesitating for a moment, Go Seoyeong sent a message. [46th Batch Club President Go Seoyeong: Looking for someone to work with.] [46th Batch Club President Go Seoyeong: If you help, I''ll provide you with a topic to make OS Entertainment and KL Entertainment fight soon. It''s not a difficult task. Promise to do it, and no withdrawal. Additional rewards based on performance.] [46th Batch Club President Go Seoyeong: However, when writing future articles, you must write favorably towards OS Entertainment. If vited, you''ll be removed, and the group chat will be reset.] [46th Batch Club President Go Seoyeong: Firste, first served, 150 people.] After Go Seoyeong sent the KakaoTalk, replies poured in within seconds. [48th Batch Park Daegi: Hello, senior! It''s been a while. I''ve reserved my spot. No. 1.] [50th Batch Reporter Lee: I''m also in line. No. 2.] [46th Batch Oh Jaehwan: Hey, Seoyeong, count me in too. I''ve been getting scolded by the editor all the timetely. Seriously, I might get fired at this rate. No. 3.] [49th Batch Kim Hyunsoo: Loyalty, loyalty. I trust Senior Go Seoyeong''s pick. No. 4 reserved.] ¡­ [47th Batch Lee Soohyun: The 150th spot is the jackpot.] [47th Batch Park Hyunwoo: The 150th spot is the jackpot.] [47th Batch Park Hyunwoo: Ah, Lee Soohyun, you jerk. You''re unnecessarily fast only at times like this.] [47th Batch Lee Soohyun: Yup, I was first. Suck it.] [47th Batch Park Hyunwoo: Senior Go Seoyeong, can''t you squeeze me in too? I''m getting married next month¡­] Go Seoyeong''s KakaoTalk message triggered a frenzy of responses from reporters all over the country. Chapter 167: Chapter 167: "Hmm¡­" After receiving a call from Go Seoyeong and agreeing to work together, the junior reporter, Lee Gija, was sitting in the office early in the morning, blinking at the file sent by Go Seoyeong. "There''s definitely something fishy about this." The contents of the file sent by Go Seoyeong were straightforward. It detailed Kang Jinseok''s school days, mentioning a brawl thatnded several students in the hospital, and the fact that KL Entertainment possessed the rted documents. Moreover, the information suggested that, for some reason, KL Entertainment was still keeping quiet about the issue. "If there was something wrong between KL Entertainment and Kang Jinseok, they would have exposed it right away¡­ Why are they keeping silent?" In reality, the reason was simple. Revealing this now would cause more damage to KL Entertainment. Of course, it could be strategic, saving it forter when the benefits would be greater, but Lee Gija''s intuition didn''t lean towards such an idea. Tap, tap. "I feel like there''s something here¡­"As Lee Gija pondered, tapping the mouse with his finger, the editor-in-chief, with long dark circles under his eyes, entered. "What''s this? Did this reporter pull an all-nighter?" "Oh, Editor-in-chief, did youe in early today?" "Yeah, did you sleep wellst night or something? Woke up early in the morning." "Did you sleep well? The dark circles under your eyes suggest otherwise." "You''re not in great shape either. So, why did you stay upst night?" "Well, about that¡­" Lee Gija chuckled and vaguely replied. "It''s a secret." "A secret? What kind of secret?" "It''s a secret because it''s a secret." "Is this guy joking? Hurry up and spill the beans. Are you trying to bring in another nonsensical report and article?" "No, it''s not like that. This time, I''m really sure." "You,st time you said it was definite and almost got ourpany, OS Entertainment, sued for trying to write an article about some square rtionship between Kang Jinseok, Yeo Hyemin, Park Hayeon, and Seo Yeonsoo. I still haven''t forgotten that. Hurry up and spill it! Do you know how much trouble I got into with the boss because of that?" "Oh, that was originally not awsuit matter, but Senior Go Seoyeong set an example¡­ Anyway, this time it''s really, really solid, so look forward to it, Editor-in-chief. I''ll go cover it!" "Hey, you! Where are you going? Morning meeting¡­!" Ignoring the editor''s scolding, Lee Gija rushed out of the office door. Then, he raised his thumb to the editor and said, "Give me a week! I''ll bring back something really, really solid!" *** A few days after shooting the scene where the female lead and male lead met for the first time. I returned to Dongkyung University to film the next scene. While waiting for my call time in the ssroom I used it as a waiting room. "Wow¡­ Actor-nim, have you seen outside?" "Outside?" "Yes. There are a lot of rabbit fans today too." "Rabbit fans¡­ you mean my fans?" "Yes. It seems like there are one or two times more thanst time. Oh, there! That person seems to be selling carrots?" Approaching Ha Jun, I leaned toward the window. "¡­Really." Looking outside, there were various fans in rabbit costumes, and asionally someone even cosying with rabbit ears over a hat. "Should I go say hello?" I thought about it but quickly shook my head. It wouldn''t be polite to act solo just before filming. Moreover, without any control, going to greet so many people could lead to trouble. It might cause inconvenience to the staff. "But I should greet those who are still here after the shoot. Let me take a picture first." Click, click. After taking pictures from various angles, I returned to my seat. There was still some time until the call time, so I nned to read the script once more. ¡ª¡ª "Someday, we''ll meet again." Leaving the woman''s words behind, the protagonist Shirosaki returns to Tokyo. Back in Tokyo, Shirosaki visits the school again to repay the money he borrowed from the principal. While having a brief conversation with the principal, he realizes a shocking truth. ¡ª¡ª "The shocking truth is¡­" I was about to read the next part when¡­ Knock, knock. "Excuse me. Is Actor Kang here?" A staff member opened the door and entered. "Yes, that''s me." "Oh, there you are. Actor Kang, would it be okay to start the shoot a bit earlier?" "Sure, I''ll go now." As I casually stood up, Ha Jun, who was next to me, seemed surprised. He didn''t say anything, but his expression seemed to convey, "They''re calling the actor when there''s still 30 minutes until the call time?" Call time is a promise actors must keep, but it''s also amitment the production team has to uphold. So, I understood and appreciated Ha Jun''s reaction. "It''s okay, Ha Jun-nim. It''s good to shoot quickly and move on to the next scene. Waiting is the hardest part in filming, after all." I lightly joked, and Ha Jun nodded with a cool smile. A littleter, I arrived at the shooting location, the principal''s office. As the staff had mentioned, the preparations seemed to be almostplete, with no bustle but the characteristic calm tension of a filming set. "Ah, Actor Kang. You were in the waiting room." Katahiro spoke with a slightly tired voice. "I''m sorry for calling you in so early. The staff worked very efficiently, and everything was ready quickly." "That''s fine. It''s good to take it easy during the shoot." Katahiro responded with a satisfied smile and a nod. "Well, as soon as Actor Kang is ready, we''ll start. Let''s do well in one take again this time." "Yep." I sat down at the desk in the center of the headmaster''s office, where multiple cameras were pointed. The actor ying the role of the ¡®headmaster'' had arrived earlier and greeted me with a slight nod. Since he was usually a man of few words, I also greeted him with a smile without saying much. And a momentter. "We''re going to start filming right away!" The staff member who always announced the start of filming spoke with a strong voice, and¡ª "Ready¡­ action." Katahiro''s careful voice signaled the beginning of the shoot. When the actor ying the ¡®headmaster'' in front of me started speaking, the scene changed. *** "This ce is¡­ the headmaster''s office." In the familiar, slightly musty-smelling headmaster''s office that I had visited before, Tadano stared into space with a somewhat vacant gaze, recalling the words of the woman he had met on his journey. ¡ª¡ª "If you have to live anyway, it''s better to live happily than sadly. Smile and the whole world will smile with you¡­ Cry, and you''ll end up crying alone." ¡ª¡ª After parting ways with the woman at the bar, Tadano''s mind echoed with her words and voice like an importantmand. It persisted during the train ride back to Tokyo and even at this moment when he came to repay the principal. It wasn''t just the words and the voice that came to mind. The image of the woman smiling brightly like a fool also lingered. Honestly, Tadano couldn''t help but envy the way she lived so brightly. However, that didn''t mean Tadano decided to live as carefree and bright as she did. ¡ª¡ª "Ah, Tadano-kun. Sorry for beingte. The meeting rante." ¡ª¡ª As the headmaster opened the door and entered, Tadano stood up and greeted him. ¡ª¡ª "No problem, Headmaster. I understand you''re busy." ¡ª¡ª "Thanks for understanding. By the way¡­" ¡ª¡ª The headmaster put his bag down somewhere under the desk and asked with a puzzled voice. ¡ª¡ª "Have you already finished your trip?" ¡ª¡ª "Yes. I used the money you gave me back then for the trip." ¡ª¡ª At Tadano''s words, the headmaster scratched his chin and said in a perplexed tone. ¡ª¡ª "Hmm¡­ That money shouldn''t have been so little that you could spend it so quickly." ¡ª¡ª "Don''t worry. I brought back the money you lent me." ¡ª¡ª Tadano''s words made the principal raise his eyebrows as if something was strange. ¡ª¡ª "Well¡­ It''s not about the money. I''m just curious. I wondered what you did to spend that much money so quickly." ¡ª¡ª As Tadano was about to hand the wad of money back to the headmaster, his hand stopped. He didn''t know how to answer the headmaster''s question. ¡ª¡ª ¡®With that woman, for a day¡­ No, for a few hours of chatting, I spent all that money. Well, saying it like that doesn''t sound right.'' ¡ª¡ª Regardless of the truth, he couldn''t say he had spent such a sum frivolously. After a brief hesitation, Tadano spoke with the calmest voice he could muster. ¡ª¡ª "I spent it in a good ce." ¡ª¡ª "A good ce?" ¡ª¡ª "Yes. It was somewhere I really needed it." ¡ª¡ª ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª The headmaster stared at Tadano with a long gaze. When Tadano didn''t avoid his gaze, the headmaster smiled subtly and spoke. ¡ª¡ª ¡°I don''t know what happened for the past few days, but your face seems to have improved. Your voice, too. You might not notice it yourself, but anyway.¡± ¡°What do you mean, I don''t understand. I haven''t changed anything.¡± ¡°People often don''t realize the changes in themselves. Anyway, if it''s difficult to tell what you did with the money, tell me what else you did. By the way, did you write a diary? It was also an assignment.¡± ¡°Oh, I''m sorry. I forgot to write the diary.¡± ¡°It seems like you had quite an enjoyable trip if you forgot your assignments. You''re a good student, just like that.¡± ¡ª¡ª As the headmaster spoke with a slightly teasing tone, Tadano chuckled. ¡ª¡ª ¡°It wasn''t particrly enjoyable. It was just a bit of a busy trip.¡± ¡°A busy trip, huh? What happened?¡± ¡°Well, that''s¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª Tadano hesitated with his words. Then, as if reminiscing about old memories, he began the story with a vacant look. ¡ª¡ª ¡°After parting ways with the headmaster at the station, I went into a restaurant because I was hungry and wanted to eat.¡± ¡°I see. And then?¡± ¡°I met a woman in that restaurant. We ended up sharing a table by chance.¡± ¡°Oh, so you shared a table with a woman? I kind of liked the sound of that.¡± ¡°It''s not like that. We just ended up sitting together purely by chance. She was quite talkative, and I even got to know her name. Her name was¡­¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Her name was¡­ well¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª Tadano, who had been speaking casually, suddenly got stuck at the mention of the woman''s name. ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡­What was her name?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Wait a moment. It was quite amon name. Her name was¡­¡± ¡ª¡ª Wrinkles formed on Tadano''s forehead. He struggled to find the woman''s name in his memory to the extent that sweat formed on his forehead. However, the name eluded Tadano''s lips. After Tadano failed to utter the name for a while, the headmaster spoke as if unconcerned. ¡ª¡ª "It''s okay about the name. More importantly, what kind of ce did you go to? In travel stories, these details are important." "Oh, yes. That ce was¡­" "? "So, what kind of ce was it? It was a shop that sold things that didn''t suit Mozuku at all. They sold alcohol, too, and there were a lot of people. It was in an alley behind the station. For some reason, the woman said that people with stories gathered there." ¡ª¡ª Tadano struggled to recall the ¡®shop'' as if trying to memorize answers to an exam he had stayed up all night studying for. However, the crucial ¡®shop'' didn''te to mind, and only misceneous details about the shop circted in his head. The headmaster initially looked at Tadano with a smile, perhaps thinking that Tadano was joking inappropriately. However, as Tadano exerted himself to find the memories to the point where his breathing becamebored, the headmaster''s expression became a bit more serious. ¡ª¡ª "Tadano-kun? Is there a problem?" "Oh, no. No problem. Just, well, the shop where I met that woman¡­ a bar? No, it wasn''t. I chased after her the second time we met. The first ce we met was¡­" Tadano continued to mumble and fumble. However, instead of obtaining the desired answer from himself, he kept muttering unnecessary information. After a while, as Tadano continued to murmur, he asked the headmaster with a trembling voice. ¡ª¡ª "Um¡­ Headmaster?" "¡­?" "Why did I go on that trip?" Chapter 168: Chapter 168: ¡ª¡ª In response to Tadano''s question, the headmaster awkwardly asked with a puzzled tone. ¡ª¡ª "Why did you go on a trip? What does that mean?" "No, well¡­ I remember going on a trip, but I can''t recall why. I met someone during the trip, but I can''t remember who. I met you before the trip, but¡­ why did I go on a trip?" ¡ª¡ª The headmaster looked at Tadano with a perplexed, yet serious expression. Then he spoke in a thoughtful tone. "Tadano-kun? What''s the matter?" ¡ª¡ª"Oh, no. Nothing''s wrong. It''s just that, well, why did I go on that trip? The reason doesn''te to mind. It was because my parents passed away, and I told you I would drop out." "Did that note to mind either?" ¡ª¡ª At the headmaster''s question, Tadano took a short breath. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "¡­Yes, that''s right. I said I would drop out¡­ I said I wanted a break and would go on a trip. So, the headmaster offered to apany me. Haha. I remember. I''m sorry for saying something strange out of the blue. Haha¡­" ¡ª¡ª Despite his confident smile and saying he remembered, Tadano''s voice carried a slight awkwardness. However, the headmaster did not overlook this subtle difort. From the beginning, Tadano''s words were incorrect. ¡ª¡ª The headmaster asked Tadano in a serious tone. "Tadano-kun." "¡­?" "Do you really remember?" ¡ª¡ª At the headmaster''s question, Tadano hesitated again. His calm breath began to tremble, and along with it, his pupils and fingertips shook slightly. After a brief silence, Tadano spoke with a voice filled with uncertainty. "¡­I don''t remember well." "After my parents passed away¡­ Meeting you here¡­ I remember that, but after that, I don''t remember well¡­" ¡ª¡ª Even as he spoke, Tadano continued to make an effort to grasp something vaguely remembered. However, the smoky memories seemed to disperse as if teasing Tadano when he tried to catch them. ¡ª¡ª "Why can''t I remember? A regr¡­ shop¡­ Who was that woman? What was her name? Certainly, it started with ¡®Yo,'' didn''t it? Was it Yona? Yoki? No, it wasn''t such a name. Did it even start with ¡®Yo''? Why did I go on a trip? It was something important¡­ Or was it important?" ¡ª¡ª He felt as if his stomach were filled with stones, a suffocating sensation. Suddenly overwhelmed, Tadano clenched his fist and pressed it hard against his stomach. Cold sweat broke out. Observing Tadano intently, the headmaster didn''t seem to be merely assessing Tadano''s condition. Instead, it appeared he was contemting what assistance Tadano might need at this moment. After watching Tadano for a while, just as he seemed about to make a call somewhere, Tadano abruptly stood up. ¡ª¡ª "Headmaster, I''ve returned the money, so I''ll take my leave now. I''ll contact youter. Uh, I''m feeling a bit tired, that''s all. Excuse me." "No, wait. Let me contact a doctor who might help you-." "It''s okay. I''m really fine. It''s just that I feel a bit exhausted. I''ll take my leave then." "Wait, Tadano-kun! Just a moment-!" ¡ª¡ª Avoiding the headmaster''s urgent plea, Tadano hastily left the headmaster''s office. Then, like fleeing, he rushed outside the building, taking deep breaths. ¡ª¡ª "¡­What''s going on?" ¡ª¡ª Everything else seemed normal, but there were gradually parts where he couldn''t remember. Woeful¡­ oppressive. He took calm deep breaths and reflected on his memories. ¡ª¡ª "I clearly¡­ came to drop out after my parents'' funeral. And¡­ talked to the headmaster about it. Then¡­ I went on a trip and met a girl¡­ somewhere." ¡ª¡ª He couldn''t recall the conversation with the headmaster or the girl he met during the trip. No matter how hard he tried to remember, only vague scenes surfaced, like waking up right after a dream. If it were something unimportant, he would have ignored it and moved on. However, Tadano felt an odd concern that the part he couldn''t remember was significant. But he couldn''t remember why it was important. ¡ª¡ª "What the heck is this?" ¡ª¡ª The more he thought about it, the more stifled he felt. ¡ª¡ª "Should I go to the hospital?" ¡ª¡ª Except for asional morning headaches as a child, Tadano had never seriously considered going to the hospital. He hadn''t even caught themon cold, let alone the flu that everyone seemed to get. But this time was different. Tadano could sense, intuitively, that something significant was happening to him. ¡ª¡ª "The hospital is nearby¡­ I should go right away." ¡ª¡ª Tadano headed straight for the Dongkyung University Hospital building, which appeared quite visible from a distance. Despite its distance, it didn''t take long to arrive, given it was within the university campus. After a short while, he arrived at the hospital. ¡ª¡ª "Luckily, not many people around." ¡ª¡ª It was unclear whether there were usually so few people or if it was just today. Regardless, it was a good thing for Tadano, so he headed to the reception. ¡ª¡ª "Wee. Do you have a reservation?" "No, it''s my first visit." "If it''s your first visit, please show your ID, and where have you been ufortable today?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano was tongue-tied at the receptionist''s question. He didn''t know what to say. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Should I say I don''t remember?'' ¡ª¡ª To be precise, it wasn''t that he didn''t remember at all. He just couldn''t recall some things, especially those rted to the woman. ¡ª¡ª "Are you the patient?" "Oh, yes. Sorry. Well, suddenly, I can''t remember well. I''ve had headaches sometimes." "Memory and headaches¡­ Then I''ll arrange for you to see the neurologist. You can go to the Neurology Department on the 7th floor. There should be a receptionist there too, so let them know." "Oh, yes. Thank you." ¡ª¡ª Whether many people visit the hospital because they don''t remember or not, the receptionist''s voice sounded too casual. Perhaps it was just an ordinary illness. ¡ª¡ª ¡®7th floor, Neurology¡­ Neurology¡­ Is it there?'' ¡ª¡ª Although it was his first time at a university hospital, fortunately, Tadano quickly found the Neurology Department. He approached the ¡®Neurology Receptionist,'' who was wearing the same uniform as the one on the 1st floor and asked. ¡ª¡ª "Hello. I''m Tadano Kenji. I just registered on the 1st floor." "Wait a moment. Tadano Kenji¡­ Oh, yes. You''re scheduled to see Doctor Yamanaka. You''re lucky." "Lucky?" "Yes. Doctor Yamanaka is usually very busy. It''s rare to get an appointment on the same day, but today, strangely, there are no other patients, so you can see him." "Oh¡­ Okay." "Just have a seat. I''ll call you." ¡ª¡ª Yamanaka. It was the first time he heard the doctor''s name, but judging by what the receptionist said, he seemed to be a quite skilled doctor. Hmm¡­ Taking a deep breath to calm his mind amid the hospital''s heavy atmosphere, Tadano sighed. ¡ª¡ª ¡®She told me to wait, but it''s taking so long.'' ¡ª¡ª In reality, it didn''t take that long. At most, five minutes. But for the impatient Tadano, five minutes felt like an eternity. Then. ¡ª¡ª "Tadano Kenji, please enter examination room 1." ¡ª¡ª Upon hearing the receptionist''s words, Tadano quickly walked into the examination room. Inside, there was a middle-aged doctor with a friendly smile. The doctor gestured for Tadano to take a seat. "Please, have a seat." "Thank you." "Mr. Tadano, what brings you in today? What seems to be bothering you?" The same question Tadano heard from the receptionist on the first floor. Although it might sound strange to say that he couldn''t remember, Tadano decided to speak directly this time. "Today, my memory is suddenly not working well." "Memory? You mean you can''t remember things that happened today?" The doctor, who had been smiling kindly, suddenly lost that smile. Tadano''s worry deepened as the doctor''s reaction differed greatly from the receptionist''s on the first floor. "Yes. Suddenly, my memories have be unclear." "Your memories are unclear?" The doctor looked puzzled at Tadano''s words. It didn''t seem like he doubted Tadano''s words. "Um¡­ yes. Suddenly, I can''t remember certain things, especially those rted to a person." At Tadano''s words, the doctor''s face showed a perplexed expression. Touching his chin with his fingers, he spoke with a solemn voice. "Suddenly not remembering things rted to a person¡­ that''s not amon symptom. I can''t think of any cases off the top of my head." "Yes¡­" "Have you consumed excessive alcohol or something simr?" "I haven''t drunk to the extent of excessive drinking." "Hmm¡­ Besides not remembering, do you have any other symptoms?" "Well, not really. I''ve had frequent headaches, especially at night or in the morning." The doctor continued his series of questions, asking about recent significant events, whether Tadanopletely forgot certain things, when the headache started, and how it manifested. After more than twenty minutes of questioning, the doctor, with his forefinger resting on his chin, spoke in a serious tone. "Based on what you''ve told me, it''s difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what disease or symptom this is. We might need to take some pictures." "Pictures?" "Yes, an MRI." "I don''t know what that is, but can it urately diagnose my symptoms?" "To be honest, I can''t guarantee that. It''s the best option we have." The doctor''s words were the typical response in such situations. Although frustrating as a patient, Tadano couldn''tin to the doctor. As Tadano nodded in understanding, the doctor cautiously continued. "However, the cost is quite high. The MRI machine is rtively expensive since it''s a newly introduced device in the country." "Money is not an issue." "If you say so¡­ Alright." Once the decision was made, Tadano changed into a patient gown and underwent the MRI. The scene of the MRI itself wasn''t significant, quickly transitioning like fast-forwarding through a video. Four days after the MRI. Tadano returned to the hospital. Throughout the past few days, he struggled to recall that woman''s face, but instead, his memories became even more blurred. Despite reassuring himself that it was probably nothing significant, Tadano couldn''t find sce. ¡ª¡ª "Tadano Kenji, please go into examination room 1." ¡ª¡ª With the receptionist''s words, Tadano entered the examination room. It looked the same as when he came four days ago. However, the only thing that had changed was the expression on the doctor''s face as he looked at Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "Mr. Tadano, please take a seat for now." ¡ª¡ª The serious tone of the doctor seemed to imply that there was much to discuss. Feeling an unexinable sense of pressure in the doctor''s voice, Tadano awkwardly took a seat. Just as he was about to ask, "Is there any problem?" The doctor, perhaps showing films resembling brain images, spoke. ¡ª¡ª "Why did youe to the hospital sote?" ¡ª¡ª Chapter 170: Chapter 170: While Jinseok was deeply engrossed in the filming, One of the reportersmissioned by Go Seoyoung, a certain Lee Gija, sighed as he spoke. "Hmm¡­ Something decisive isn''ting out, is it?" Coborating with other reporters, Lee Gija identified people who had encountered Jinseok during his school days, as well as those who had conflicts with him. Until that moment, he had thought that, given the reasons Jinseok fought more easily than one might think and why KL Entertainment still hadn''t disclosed anything about ¡®Kang Jinseok''s school violence,'' he could easily find out. However, "They all refuse interviews." As if they had made a pact, those associated with ¡®Kang Jinseok''s school violence'' did not utter a single word. Not even the teachers from that time. Even for the seasoned reporter, it was an unprecedented situation. Not one or two but nearly ten people not saying a single word. "Sigh¡­ The more you dig, the more futile it seems."Though not as much as Go Seoyoung, Lee Gaji had experienced various exclusive reports on his own. Based on that experience, when something was deeply hidden like this, there was often something sinister behind it. "The problem is, there''s no way to find out what it is." Lee Gaji had already handed out his business card to the people he had found until now, along with a request to contact him anytime if they felt like talking. Nevertheless, Lee Gaji didn''t hold high expectations. People who hadn''t spoken once tended not to say anything until the end. "Hmm¡­ This is annoying." As Lee Gaji sighed, pondering the situation, "Hey, you, this reporter." The editor-in-chief called him. "Why?" "Why? Are you not working? While everyone else is burning their keyboards writing articles, you''re here idly twiddling your thumbs?" "Twiddling my thumbs? I''m deep in thought right now." "Deep in thought? If you''re wandering around iming to be on assignment for days and haven''t brought back a single story, you, my friend, who bragged about questioning the CEO about a few exclusive reports before, if you keep this up¡­" As the editor-in-chief began his lecture, the reporter turned his gaze towards the monitor. Thanks to years of enduring such lectures, the reporter had reached a point where he listened with one ear and let it flow out the other. "If only something decisive woulde out, it woulde together like unraveling a skein of yarn¡­" At that moment, "Woo-woo-woo-." The journalist''s work phone rang. Checking, it was an unfamiliar number. Since calls to his work phone from unknown numbers usually meant a tip, Lee Gaji promptly answered. "Yes, I''ve answered the phone." [Um¡­ Hello. Is this Reporter Lee Gaji''s phone¡­ Am I right?] The voice on the other end was that of a man, with the distinctive worries and concerns typical of a tipster. "Could it be that I''m one of the people who you asked for a call?" In anticipation, the journalist corrected his mobile phone and responded immediately. "Yes, this is me. How can I help you?" [Yes, um¡­ I''m Park Jihoon. I heard you''ve been looking into matters rted to the actor Kang Jinseoktely.] ¡®If he''s saying he''s been approached here and there about Kang Jinseok the actor¡­'' Listening to his words, it didn''t seem like the person the journalist had met so far. ¡®Where did he hear that I''m covering Kang Jinseok the actor?'' Curious, the journalist didn''t ask Park Jihoon. Instead, he skillfully continued the conversation to allow Park Jihoon to keep talking. "Oh, I see. So, did you call because of that?" [Yes, that''s right. I''ve been really worried, and it seems like I shouldn''t remain silent about what happened with Jinseok.] "Shouldn''t remain silent as much as you, Jihoon? What do you mean by that?" There was a brief silence in response to Lee Gaji''s question. Then, a firm voice came through from the other end of the mobile phone. [When Jinseok was in high school, he got into a fight while helping my younger brother. It ended up causing trouble with others.] "¡­!" As soon as Lee Gaji heard this, his eyes widened. It was the answer to the questions he had been searching for in the past few sleepless nights. But then, What followed surprised Lee Gaji even more. [And about a month ago, someone started looking for me. A person who said they would pay me if I said that Jinseok, during his school days, randomly bullied other students.] "¡­?" [And they threatened that if I didn''tply, it would be difficult for me to work in the future. I''ve been pressured at work as well.] The once bright expression on Lee Gaji''s face instantly turned serious. Thinking that this wasn''t a conversation suitable for a phone call, Lee Gaji spoke with aposed voice. "Mr. Jihoon. May I inquire about your current residence? Would it be permissible for me to meet you in person and hear your story?" *** Late at night, in the OS Entertainment Kang Jinseok team office. With most employees having left for the day, Jang Sunho, Go Seoyoung, and Lee Gaji sat facing each other, listening to a recorded interview. The recording was an interview conducted by Lee Gaji with Park Jihoon. ¡ª¡ª "Reporter, this story might take a while. Are you okay with that?" "Of course." "Then, let me start with the story of my younger sister. She is my twin, and she has a congenital disability. It''s not severe enough for her to attend a special school, but since she went to a regr school, she didn''t have many friends until middle school." "Yes." "However, when she entered high school, she finally made a somewhat close friend. It was a friend assigned to the seat next to her in the first semester, and that friend happened to be Jinseok. Jinseok was very popr, so he was friendly with everyone, including my sister." "¡­" "But because of that poprity, there were also kids who didn''t like Jinseok and picked on him, especially some nasty ones. I don''t know what they call them these days, but back then, they were known as the ¡®Iljin,'' and they disliked Jinseok. He excelled in academics, and sports, and even looked good, so he rubbed them the wrong way in many aspects." "Did Jinseok, the actor, fight with those students?" "Yes, that''s correct. However, it wasn''t just a simple fight." "If it wasn''t just a fight, then?" "Well, to be honest, the Iljin kids had been bothering Jinseok for a while. They deliberately bumped shoulders with him whenever they passed by, and picked fights for no reason. But Jinseok justughed it off. Looking back, it seems like Jinseok was mature." "So why did they end up fighting?" "Because Jinseok didn''t react, those guys started bothering Jinseok''s friends." "¡­" "As far as I remember, Jinseok was the ss president back then, so he talked to the teacher about it. But among the Iljin kids, there were some who even the teacher couldn''t touch. Kids from well-off families, and there was even one whose father was a member of the parliament." "I see." "They were nasty. They went as far as gaslighting the kids who were being bullied, saying, ¡®We''re doing this to you because of Kang Jinseok.''" "¡­" "In the end, they even targeted my younger sister. But you know, my sister has a disability. She couldn''t judge situations like other kids, and she was fearless. So, she stood up to them." "If she stood up to them, did she fight back?" "Yes. But, you know, a girl with a disability standing up to them¡ªespecially at that time when high school students can be quite intimidating. It was harsh. pped in the face, hair set on fire with a cigarette¡­ and all of this during lunchtime." "¡­" "Jinseok couldn''t stand it anymore. I heard from other students because we were in different sses. Our school didn''t have a cafeteria, so students ate in their ssrooms. One day, while they were eating, Jinseok flipped the tables and fought those guys." "¡­" "Then there was a massive fight with other Iljin kids, and even the ones who had been victimized by them joined in. It turned into a brawl. I went to see it around that time when I heard that Jinseok was fighting. It was fierce. I vividly remember that Jinseok had no hesitation in beating those guys." "So what happened next?" "The PE teachers rushed in to break it up. One of the kids was the son of a member of parliament, so they didn''t want the fight video to spread. Teachers confiscated all the students'' phones to erase the videos. The police came inrge numbers." "¡­" "The official announcement to the whole school was something like ¡®There was a dispute and a fight involving Kang Jinseok and some students.'' They left out all the details of what those guys had done before. After that, not long after, Jinseok withdrew from school¡­ and then rumors started spreading that Jinseok was the one in the wrong." "Why did the rumors turn out that way? There must have been students who were victimized by the Iljin kids." "The students who were victimized back then all kept quiet once Jinseok withdrew. After that incident, the Iljin kids didn''t bother other students, and bringing up that story wouldn''t have been beneficial for anyone. It might have been embarrassing for the victims. Many students also transferred to other schools." "¡­" "The students who were bullied at that time and the Iljin kids know exactly what happened. My sister knows it too. But, as I mentioned during the call, threats and persuasion are circting among the victims now. They are being pressured to provide unfavorable testimony regarding Jinseok. It happened to my sister and me. I felt that it was not right, so I contacted you." "Thank you for your courage. So¡­ is this the first time you''ve shared this story?" "Yes. Actually¡­ there was a time when the team leader from Jinseok''s agency came to see me, but at that time, I was going through some internal conflicts, so I couldn''t speak up." ¡ª Beep! As the recording flowed up to this point, Lee Gaji turned off the mobile recording device. "First of all, this is the interview content. And I''ve also received a business card from the person Park Jihoon mentioned, the one involved in threats." Lee Gaji calmly spoke and ced a business card on the table. The card read ¡®Hyunmil Unemployment, Manager Kim Hyungjong.'' When Jang Sunho received the business card, he murmured in a subdued voice. "Hyunmil Unemployment¡­ I''ve never heard of thatpany before." "I briefly looked into it beforeing here, and it seems like it''s simr to Paper Company. There''s almost no information avable." "It doesn''t matter. Since it''s likely apany rted to KL Entertainment or its affiliates." Jang Sunho continued to speak in a calm tone. However, considering the time he had spent working together with Go Seoyoung, she could sense that Jang Sunho was quite angry. Tap, tap. Jang Sunho held the business card with one hand and, with the other, tapped it while contemting. Then, he sighed and spoke. "Hmm¡­ First of all, if KL Entertainment is bringing out such a phantompany, it''s clear that this matter will eventually explode. And once it does, it will undoubtedly cause significant damage to Actor Kang Jinseok. Regardless of the full story of the incident, the fact remains that he was involved in a physical altercation, doesn''t it, Manager Go Seoyoung?" "Well¡­ yes. And I''ve prepared quite thoroughly to expose it." "Exactly. So¡­ In my style, I would press them with various means to silence them before they can expose this, but doing that wouldn''t be fun." The word ¡®fun'' made Go Seoyoung and Lee Gaji raise their eyebrows. It wasn''t the appropriate term for the situation. However, Jang Sunho''s expression was more serious than ever, and they could sense that he had something on his mind. As Go Seoyoung and Lee Gaji stared at Jang Sunho, he took out his mobile phone from his pocket. Then, with a familiar gesture, he started making a call somewhere. After a moment, the call connected. "President. I''m sorry for calling at thiste hour. I contacted you because there''s an urgent matter." ¡­! ¡­? At the word ¡®President,'' both Go Seoyoung and Lee Gaji flinched again. The only person Jang Sunho would refer to as ¡®President'' was Oh Haneul. Ignoring their reactions, Jang Sunho continued the call with a serious tone. After a while, the call connected. "President. Last week, I mentioned that if KL Entertainment kept bothering us, they should properly deal with it. It seems like that time hase¡­ May I proceed?" Chapter 171: Chapter 171: "I need to take care of KL Entertainment." Upon Jang Sunho''s words, Go Seoyoung and Lee Gaji swallowed hard, staring at Jang Sunho with widened eyes. ¡®This guy, Jang Sunho¡­ Was he waiting for this moment all along?'' ¡®This is breaking news.'' However, both of them kept their thoughts to themselves, refraining from saying anything out loud. At that moment, beyond the mobile phone, Jang Sunho''s expression hardened as he listened to something from Oh Haneul. "That should be fine. Yes, it could be burdensome if there''s too much. Understood. I''ll head there right away." After a brief response, Jang Sunho stood up. Go Seoyoung looked at him and asked, "Team Leader, you''re going to give KL Entertainment a hard time. What did the President say?""It seems we need to discuss the details." "Is that all?" "Yes." When Jang Sunho replied calmly, Go Seoyoung tilted her head and asked, "Then why did you have such a long conversation if that''s it?" "I took a while to choose from the options they offered for myte-night meal." "¡¤¡¤¡¤?" Suddenly, ate-night meal? Go Seoyoung''s face showed a puzzled expression at the unexpected mention ofte-night meal. However, it was only for a moment. After the initial surprise, Go Seoyoung blinked and said, "Uh, if it''s ate-night meal, are you saying we should meet now? At this hour?" "Yes. The President asked me toe right away." While Jang Sunho spoke calmly, Go Seoyoung and Lee Gaji, bewildered by the situation, blinked their eyes in confusion. Seeing them, Jang Sunho gestured for them to get up. "Get your clothes ande. We need to leave now." *** Jang Sunho, Go Seoyoung, and Lee Gaji arrived at Oh Haneul''s house. Looking at thevishly prepared food, Jang Sunho inwardly sighed. ¡®I''m pretty sure I told him not to prepare too much.'' However, he couldn''t me the president. While Go Seoyoung and Lee Gaji refrained from touching the food, sitting still, Oh Haneul spoke. "Eat before the dishes get cold. It''s my homemade dishes." Go Seoyoung and Lee Gaji cautiously picked up their food, ncing at each other. Observing them, Jang Sunho hesitated a bit. Oh Haneul smiled and said, "Eat, Team Leader Jang. I purposely ordered pizza because I heard you like it." "Ah¡­ Yes. Thank you. By the way, Mr. Oh, before we eat, may I discuss the ns we couldn''t talk about during our call?" As Jang Sunho spoke with a serious tone, Oh Haneul, while munching on a chicken leg, casually replied, "You don''t have to talk about the ns if you don''t want to. Just do whatever you want as the team leader. I''m sure you''ll do better than my expectations." "¡¤¡¤¡¤." ¡°When we were talking earlier, I thought it might be good for the team leader to hear the story, but while cooking, I realized that it might not be my ce to speak. With three professionals like you here, it seems even more absurd for me to step forward, don''t you think?¡± With a subtle smile, Oh Haneul spoke in a trusting tone. While appreciating Oh Haneul''s generous evaluation, a thought crossed Jang Sunho''s mind. ¡®But still, I have to share this story.¡¯ After a moment of contemtion, Jang Sunho spoke to Oh Haneul, who had just finished devouring chicken. ¡°Nevertheless, given the circumstances, I think I need to exin.¡± ¡°Well, if you insist on exining, I can''t help it. Please go ahead.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Oh Haneul put down his chopsticks and looked at Jang Sunho. Jang Sunho nodded slightly in gratitude and began his exnation. ¡°First, let me exin the current situation.¡± ¡°Oh, no need to exin the situation. I already know. KL Entertainment keeps causing trouble, right? Just tell me about your n, Team Leader Jang.¡± ¡°Alright. I n to do a broadcast.¡± ¡°A broadcast? What kind of broadcast?¡± ¡°It''s ¡®I Want to Know That''¡ªdo you happen to know it?¡± ¡®I Want to Know That.¡¯ A program hosted by the famous mid-level actor Kim Sangjun, mainly addressing social issues and expos¨¦s. With Kim Sangjun''s engaging hosting and the production team''s excellent skills, the program has been receiving steady support and love from the public. ¡°Of course, I know. I''m a fan of the actor Kim Sangjun.¡± ¡°Yes. I intend to expose the wrongdoingsmitted by KL Entertainment through that program.¡± Jang Sunho spoke calmly as usual, but internally, he was somewhat tense. Because he didn''t know if the President would allow such a significant move. ¡®Once we expose all of KL Entertainment''s wrongdoings through the broadcast, it''ll turn into a mud fight. What I''m going to reveal also includes information about the member of parliament who received favors from KL Entertainment, so I expect pressure from that side as well.¡¯ In reality, whatever KL Entertainment did, it didn''t pose any problem for Jang Sunho. He had a n. However, this time, given the scale of the operation, he needed the President''s approval. ¡°I understand. This seems to align well with ¡®.'' If you proceed with your n, Team Leader Jang, I believe it will work out.¡± ¡°Are you sure about this? It might harm thepany.¡± ¡°It''s possible. Still, you seem to have everything figured out, Team Leader Jang. If there''s a problem, I''ll handle it when the timees. If you need my help, let me know.¡± Oh Haneul spoke lightly, picking up a chicken leg. He didn''t seem like the decisive ¡®President'' one might expect. Perhaps, having built thepany through various struggles, he was now in a more rxed position. ¡°Thank you, President. I won''t disappoint you.¡± ¡°Don''t push yourself too hard. Just do what you''ve been doing. Oh, but Team Leader Jang, even if we provide our materials to ¡®,'' will the producers air them as they are? It could cause legal issues, and the production team might hesitate. KL Entertainment might have some connections in the legal field as well.¡± Oh Haneul had a point. No matter how solid the evidence was, it couldn''t be broadcast without careful consideration. It could potentially lead to significant legal problems. ¡°Don''t worry about that. I''ll prepare everything thoroughly and present it to them.¡± However, Jang Sunho seemed confident that there wouldn''t be any issues. *** Two dayster, BDD Broadcasting Station. Jung Woncheol, the CP of ¡®,'' and Jang Sunho were in a serious meeting. ¡°To summarize, OS Entertainment will provide evidence of various wrongdoings by KL Entertainment, so they''re requesting us to n a broadcast. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes, and to be more precise, it includes the wrongdoings that KL Entertainment is nning as well.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Jung Woncheol sighed with deep contemtion, rubbing his chin. ¡®It''s a tough situation. A highly sensitive issue.¡¯ The materials provided by Jang Sunho included not only a current member of parliament but also issues rted to a top star. Just exposing information about one of them could create significant waves in the media. But if they expose all of it at once¡­ ¡®It could shake the entire nation.¡¯ ¡°Don''t worry about it too much. Whether it''s for the better or the worse, thendscape within thepany could change.¡± The information Jang Sunho provided was a ¡®Pandora''s box.'' Simr to Jang Sunho''s concerns, Jung Woncheol had simr worries. After pondering for a while, he asked Jang Sunho, "But where did you get this information?" "I obtained some of it, and there are materials collected by reporters. Also¡­" Jang Sunho hesitated to mention, "There is a coborator within KL Entertainment." "I see. Well, first of all, this is my personal opinion, but I want to do this. KL Entertainment might appear clean on the surface, but people in this industry know they are quite messy. I didn''t know it was to this extent, though." "Yes." "But honestly, it''s a bit intimidating. This is a very sensitive issue. Since politicians are involved, even if we focus on factual information and maintain a neutral approach, we might face criticism for being political. So, I''m a bit worried." "I fully understand your concerns, CP." "Thank you for understanding. But, is OS Entertainment okay with this? If we expose this, it will lead to a full-scale confrontation with KL Entertainment." "It''s fine. If you produce a broadcast with this content, KL Entertainment will be unsalvageable in no time." Jung Woncheol nodded, "Well, that makes sense. It seems like there are many journalists sailing on the same boat as OS Entertainment. But supporting reporters could be serious business." "Yes, everything is prepared. You just need to make the decision, CP." After circling, it all came down to this. The decision was difficult, even though he was the one who had to make it. ¡®What to do.¡¯ Jung Woncheol thought for a while. ¡°Hoo¡­ I''m sorry, Team Leader. I can''t do this.¡± He sighed, then continued, "What KL Entertainment is doing, especially to rookie actors or idol groups from small satellite agencies, I want to take a stand against it for justice. However, the risk is too high." "Is it a legal risk you''re concerned about?" "Yes. In our country, even if there is evidence, unterally exposing it could be a problem. You know about ¡®factual defamation,'' right? If we get involved in that, it''ll be a real headache." Jung Woncheol seemed genuinely sorry, but Jang Sunho smiled subtly as if he had been waiting for this moment. ¡°You don''t need to worry about that. Thew is on our side.¡± ¡°Thew is on our side¡­ What do you mean?¡± At that moment, someone knocked on the door. ¡°It seems she''s here now. A bitte.¡± Jang Sunho mentioned as if he had been waiting. However, Jung Woncheol, not knowing who had arrived, expressed confusion. The door opened, and a woman entered the conference room. She was dressed in a perfectly tailored ck suit. "Sorry for beingte, Team Leader. I took a day off, but something urgent came up." "No problem. Thank you for taking the time toe." Jang Sunho stood up and greeted the woman. However, Jung Woncheol, still unaware of who she was, raised a questioning look. As the door closed behind her, Jang Sunho introduced her. ¡°Let me introduce you.¡± Jang Sunho gestured toward the woman and said, "This is Deputy Prosecutor Lee Minyoung from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors'' Office." "¡­?" "She will be assisting us." Jung Woncheol was left in silent astonishment. Chapter 172: Chapter 172: While in Korea, Lee Minyoung, Jung Woncheol, and Jang Sunho were having an important meeting. Meanwhile in Japan, the filming of "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World" was in full swing. Since the staff had already worked together several times, everyone knew their tasks without explicit instructions. The director, Katahiro, delegated minor tasks to the staff and only exchanged crucial matters based on their roles. Jinseok was a bit away from the shooting location, going through the script. ¡®This project is almost over.¡¯ The thick script now had only a few pages left. There was anticipation for how the project would turn out, and the joy of reaching the final stages of shooting. Yet, there was also a sense of regret. As he prepared for the acting, reviewing the notes he had written in the script for about twenty minutes, a staff member shouted. "It''s 5 minutes before shooting!" *** With the announcement that there were 5 minutes left until shooting, he put down the script and headed toward the center of the camera.Though he had be ustomed to the filming process, standing in front of the camera and lights still made his heart pound. As time passed, the surroundings gradually became quieter. The unique tension of the filming location, felt just before the shooting started, enveloped him. "We will begin shooting!" When the staff member, who had shouted a while ago, shouted again, the surroundings fellpletely silent. Then, the director Katahiro''s characteristic calm cue signaled. "Ready¡­ Action!" *** ¡®Is this¡­ Sapporo Station?'' In thete afternoon, Sapporo Station bustled with numerous peopleing and going. Among them was Tadano, who hade from Tokyo to Sapporo to meet Yomi. However, Tadano''s behavior was a bit peculiar. ¡­ "¡¤¡¤¡¤." ¡­ Like a person in a trance, Tadano stood still, staring into the void. Although he hade to Sapporo, longing to meet Yomi right away, he remained motionless. After a while, Tadano, still gazing into the space, asked himself. ¡­ "¡¤¡¤¡¤Why did Ie to Sapporo Station?" ¡­ Once again, he couldn''t remember. There was undoubtedly an important reason foring from Tokyo when he departed, but upon arrival, the memory eluded him. ¡­ "Umm¡¤¡¤¡¤." ¡­ Tadano furrowed his brow, covering his face with both hands. Despite his efforts, he couldn''t recall why he hade to this ce. Passersby cast fleeting nces at Tadano, but no one approached him. After contemting for a while¡­ Ah. With a small sigh, Tadano formed a bitter smile. ¡­ "¡¤¡¤¡¤Right. The headmaster told me to go on a trip." ¡­ Although he hade to Sapporo to see Yomi, Tadano couldn''t remember that. Instead, his memory had reverted to the time when he traveled to Sapporo at the headmaster''s suggestion. ¡­ "I should go back to Tokyo." ¡­ Just like before meeting Yomi, as soon as Tadano arrived in Sapporo, he wanted to return to Tokyo. Approaching the ticket counter, Tadano asked the staff. ¡­ "Please give me the fastest train to Tokyo." ¡­ As soon as he said that, Tadano felt an odd sensation. ¡­ "¡¤¡¤¡¤What''s this? It feels like I''ve been in a simr situation before." ¡­ He was puzzled by vaguely felt memories from the past. However, no matter how hard he tried to recall, the memories wouldn''t surface, leaving Tadano in confusion. Concerned, the ticket counter staff spoke to Tadano with a worried tone. ¡­ "Sir? Are you okay?" ¡­ "Ah, yes. I''m fine." ¡­ "If you have a headache or anything, our station clinic-" ¡­ "It''s fine. Just book me the fastest train ticket to Tokyo." ¡ª Despite the ticket counter staff''s kind concern, Tadano responded coldly. He had returned to the version of himself before meeting Yomi, avoiding mixing with people as much as possible. ¡­ "Ah¡¤¡¤¡¤ Yes. Please check for the train to Tokyo." ¡­ With a somewhat hesitant voice, the ticket counter staff began to check the train tickets to Tokyo. Then, apologetically, as if scratching his cheek, he spoke to Tadano. ¡­ "I''m sorry. All the trains to Tokyo are fully booked today, including the standing seats. Thest train has just left." ¡®¡¤¡¤¡¤I feel like I''ve heard this before.¡¯ ¡­ Faced with consecutive strange sensations, Tadano put on aposed expression. ¡®It''s probably just fatigue.¡¯ ¡­ After deciding not to think much about it, Tadano asked the ticket counter staff. ¡­ "So, when is the next train?" ¡­ "It should be in the afternoon tomorrow." ¡­ "That''s toote. Is there a way to go back by bus?" ¡­ "I''m not sure about that." ¡­ Tadano bit his lip. The reason he was getting irritated wasn''t that there was no train to Tokyo right now. It was because his head had been hurting continuously since earlier. ¡­ "Sir? Are you okay?" ¡­ "¡¤¡¤¡¤I''m fine. Then, please book me the fastest train ticket to Tokyo for tomorrow." ¡­ "Understood. Oh, and since it''s almost closing time, you should head out soon." ¡­ "Yes." ¡­ After receiving the train ticket for tomorrow''s ride to Tokyo, Tadano left the station. Unlike inside the station, there weren''t many people outside. While absentmindedly looking around, a sound came from Tadano''s stomach. ¡­ ¡®I should eat something. I also need to find amodation.¡¯ ¡­ Despite thete hour, the restaurant in front of the station was crowded. Tadano, who preferred not to bump into people if possible, didn''t want to enter such a noisy restaurant. ¡­ ¡®Even if it''s not delicious, I want to go to a quiet ce.¡¯ ¡­ That''s when it happened. ¡­ "The food cart I went tost time was decent. Should I go there again?" ¡ª "The ce I wentst time? Ah, that quiet one inside the alley?" "Yeah. It was decent there. The owner is polite, and the ce has a certain dignity." "Dignity in a food cart?" ¡ª Men in suits, appearing to be office workers, were heading into the alley. ¡ª "A quiet pub¡­ should I follow those guys?" ¡ª Tadano followed the men from a reasonable distance. After about five minutes of following, he saw a food cart and a run-down store side by side in the dark alley. The men ahead entered the food cart on the far right. ¡ª "I shouldn''t go to the same ce as them; it might raise suspicion. I''ll go to the store next to it. It looks less crowded." ¡ª With his hand in his pocket, Tadano headed towards the store. As he opened the door ¨C "Ding-dong! Wee! It''s rockhil!" The energetic voice of the waiter echoed. The inside of the store was very lively. For Tadano, who wanted to go to a quiet ce, it was the worst choice. But what bothered Tadano more was what the waiter said. ¡ª "Rockhil? I feel like I''ve heard this somewhere before." ¡ª As Tadano stood outside in a daze, the waiterughed and said, "It''s cold out there;e on in. Please take a seat over here." The waiter guided Tadano to a seat. As Tadano sat down, the waiter pointed to the menu on the wall and asked, "What would you like?" "Um¡­ just give me the top menu." ¡ª At Tadano''s words, the waiter chuckled and said, "Haha, you said the same thing the first time you came. Alright, I''ll prepare the ¡®Rockhil Set'' for you! By the way, today, we only have Smile Ramen for ramen. Is that okay?" "Ah, yes. That''s fine." ¡ª Did I say the same thing when I first came? Tadano tilted his head as the waiter spoke as if he had been there before. However, Tadano decided not to pay much attention, thinking it was a mistake. Then it happened. ¡ª "Look at this, look at this. Didn''t I say? We''re bound to run into each other again, right?" "¡¤¡¤¡¤?" ¡ª While waiting quietly for the food to arrive, a woman came to the table, throwing her bag on it. At the rude behavior of the woman he had never seen before, Tadano frowned. ¡ª "I don''t know who you are, but behaving like this on our first meeting seems impolite." ¡ª In response to Tadano''s cold voice, the woman grinned. ¡ª "What are you talking about? Being like this on our first meeting is impolite? We''ve seen each other before, remember?" "Do you know who I am?" ¡ª As the woman spoke as if it were ridiculous, Tadano scrutinized her face. Despite hearing her speak, she looked like a stranger. Tadano spoke with a hint of irritation. ¡ª "Nice to meet you for the first time." ¡ª "Ha! Are you doing this? Spending money to meet me at the store, waiting until dawn? I thought you liked me?" "¡¤¡¤¡¤." "Seriously ridiculous. Well, fine. If you keep this up, I''ll make sure you can''t pretend not to remember." ¡ª The woman strutted and sat across from Tadano. Tadano didn''t permit her to join him at the same table, but she wasn''t the type to listen to such conventional manners. When Tadano, not bothering to hide his displeasure, looked at her, the woman spoke with a voice full of resentment. ¡ª "¡¤¡¤¡¤Will you keep doing this? After not seeing each other for so long?" ¡ª Her voice carried not only a sense of being hurt but also frustration. Tadano, being observant, could sense it, but he saw no reason to console a woman he had just met. So, Tadano continued with a dry tone. ¡ª "If you''re pretending to know me for some reason, I''m not in the mood to y along. I came in here, already annoyed by the noisy ce¡­ It would be better if you just left quietly." "Well, why would I pretend to know you? Is that what you think?" "Yes. If you continue, I''ll ask the waiter to kick you out. If that doesn''t work, I''ll call the police." ¡ª Upon Tadano''s words, Yomi fell silent. She looked at Tadano with resentful eyes. After a while, she spoke with difficulty. ¡ª "¡¤¡¤¡¤Fine. I don''t know why you suddenly appeared and did this, but I get the vague intention. Let''s pretend we don''t know each other from now on." "No, I mean we didn''t know each other-" "Yes. Let''s say we didn''t know each other now." "Wait, I mean-" "Today, since you seem to have ordered first, I''ll leave. But starting tomorrow, don''te here. This ce is precious to me, and I have to eat ramen here at this time every day. Got it?" ¡ª After sharply dering this, Yomi stood up from her seat. She grabbed her bag, which was on the table, and said to Tadano. ¡ª "I¡­ ugh, I thought we could be friends, though." "¡¤¡¤¡¤." "You''re a bad person. I really¡­ How long I''ve waited." ¡ª Leaving such words behind, Yomi went straight out of the store. Watching her leave, Tadano sighed as if he couldn''t understand. *Huh.* ¡ª ¡®Who is that woman? Why is she acting like this?'' ¡ª Even if Tadano hated people and usually didn''t care about others, in this situation, he couldn''t help but be concerned about the woman. But he only cared; he didn''t actively pursue the woman. ¡ª "Your meal is ready! Huh? But where did Miss Yomi go?" ¡ª The waiter said as he ced Tadano''s dish on the table. ¡ª "That woman just left." "Huh? Why? Did she not eat anything? Did you two fight?" "No fighting. I was the only one who got attacked. She suddenly started using me and burst into tears." Tadano spoke with an irritated voice, quickly ate the ramen, ced the money on the table, and left the noisy and unpleasant ce. ¡ª ¡®I want to return to Tokyo.'' ¡ª Tadano walked towards Sapporo Station with his head down. He considered getting amodation, but there were no familiar ces nearby, so he decided to spend the night outdoors in front of the station. ¡ª ¡®Even if it''s a bit cold, as long as I avoid the wind, I should be able to stay for just a day.'' ¡ª Arriving at Sapporo Station, Tadano found a corner and sat down haphazardly. Leaning against the wall, he looked up at the sky. Unlike Tokyo, the night sky in Sapporo had quite a few stars. While gazing at the stars, Tadano suddenly thought of Yomi. ¡ª ¡®But why did that woman act like that?'' ¡ª Although he usually tried not to care about others, the situation seemed to have forced him to be concerned. ¡ª ¡®Anyway, why did she do that.'' ¡ª Despite trying not to think about it, Tadano found himself continuing to be bothered by the situation. ¡ª ¡®As if she had been waiting for me for a long time¡­'' But Tadano didn''t know anyone in Sapporo. It was true. So, her words bothered him even more. Tadano sighed deeply. The more he tried not to think about it, the more the woman''s words lingered in his ears, making it hard for him to sleep. ¡®¡­This won''t do. I should go meet her again tomorrow. If I return to Tokyo like this, I''ll keep worrying, and it''ll be irritating.'' Tadano crumpled the Tokyo-bound train ticket in his pocket and tossed it away. Then he wrapped himself tighter in his clothes and forced himself to sleep. The next day. ¨C Beep beep! Hey, watch where you''re going up ahead!! ¨C Hey! It''s almost departure time! Let''s go quickly! Tadano woke up to the noisy sounds of people and cars passing by the station. But for some reason, he felt groggy, and his eyes wouldn''t open easily. Moreover, there was a severe headache inside his head, perhaps from catching a cold while sleeping outside. "Ugh¡­" Graduallying to his senses, Tadano struggled to open his eyes and surveyed his surroundings. When he realized he was sitting on the ground, he was incredibly surprised. ¡®¡­What am I doing here?'' Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Tadano sat on the ground, staring nkly into the sky for a few minutes. His mind was filled with only one question: why was he here? ¡ª¡ª "Yeah¡­ right. I was trying to go back to Tokyo yesterday, but there were no tickets, so I decided to take the train this morning. But it feels like I''ve forgotten something important¡­" ¡ª¡ª Furrowing his brow in deep thought, Tadano couldn''t recall the memory. However, no matter how much he contemted, the memory eluded him. ¡ª¡ª "Well, if it was important, I would remember. Let''s just take the train and get going. Since I bought the ticket yesterday, we can head straight to the train." ¡ª¡ª Tadano rummaged through his pockets to retrieve the ticket he bought yesterday. However, to his surprise, the ticket was nowhere to be found. He checked every pocket, even patting down his innermost one, but it was futile.¡ª¡ª "Did someone steal it? It doesn''t seem likely, considering I still have all my cash." ¡ª¡ª After fruitlessly searching his pockets, Tadano decided to buy a new ticket. The cost of a train ticket was a trivial matter for him. He headed to the ticket counter where the same station attendant from yesterday was selling tickets. ¡ª¡ª "Wee. Where are you heading¡­ hmm? Weren''t you the one who bought the Tokyo-bound train ticket yesterday?" ¡ª¡ª "Yes, that''s me. I lost the ticket." ¡ª¡ª "How did you manage to lose the ticket?" ¡ª¡ª "No need to exin. Just give me the fastest one to Tokyo, please." ¡ª¡ª Avoiding unnecessary conversation with the station attendant, Tadano spoke coldly, just like yesterday. The station attendant nodded approvingly and handed him a new ticket. ¡ª¡ª "Here you go. It departs in three hours." ¡ª¡ª "Isn''t there a faster one?" ¡ª¡ª "No. There aren''t many trains from Sapporo to Tokyo, and this is the fastest one." ¡ª¡ª Sighing lightly, Tadano reluctantly epted the ticket. Without any further acknowledgment, he walked to the central area of Sapporo Station, where a few passengers were waiting for their trains, and a janitor was sweeping between them. Tadano surveyed the seats and ced his luggage in the least crowded spot. ¡ª¡ª "There''s nothing to do, might as well get some sleep." ¡ª¡ª It was still early in the morning andbined with the fatigue from sleeping on the ground the previous night, Tadano quickly felt drowsy. Clenching his fist and settling into the chair, he soon sumbed to the embrace of sleep. That''s when it happened. Tap, tap. ¡ª¡ª "Excuse me. I need to clean this area, could you please move your feet for a moment?" ¡ª¡ª Somewhere, a voice, vaguely familiar, reached Tadano''s ears. But when he opened his eyes, he saw a woman he had never seen before. More precisely, she was the cleaning staff he had seen before he fell asleep. Awakening from a short nap, Tadano frowned slightly and spoke to the woman. ¡ª¡ª "Why here, exactly, in this vast space? People are sleeping here." ¡ª¡ª "Yes, sir. I need to clean this area." ¡ª¡ª For some reason, the woman''s voice had a peculiar charm. The more he heard it, the more familiar it seemed. Curious if he knew her, Tadano scrutinized her face again, but she was entirely unfamiliar. As Tadano stared at his face, the woman spoke with the same calm voice as before. ¡ª¡ª "Why are you looking at me like that, sir?" ¡ª¡ª "Well, I thought I might know you by your voice. It sounded familiar. I apologize if it made you ufortable." ¡ª¡ª "Huh." ¡ª¡ª In response to Tadano''s words, the woman chuckled as if finding it amusing. ¡ª¡ª "You looked at me because you thought you knew me?" ¡ª¡ª "Yes. I mentioned the voice felt familiar. If it made you ufortable¡ª" ¡ª¡ª "I''m not ufortable. It''s refreshing." ¡ª¡ª "What?" ¡ª¡ª "Please move your legs. I need to clean." ¡ª¡ª Puzzled by the woman''s words, Tadano awkwardly moved aside. However, the woman continued sweeping around him as if she didn''t care whether he looked or not. But there was a distinct annoyance in her sweeping, more than when she cleaned elsewhere. After a while, the woman spoke to Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "Are you going today?" ¡ª¡ª "Going where?" ¡ª¡ª "To Tokyo. Are you going to Tokyo today?" ¡ª¡ª "Yes, but how do you know I''m going to Tokyo?" ¡ª¡ª "How do I know? You told me yourself that you''re going to Tokyo. Well, if it turns out that way until the end, there''s nothing to be done." ¡ª¡ª For Tadano, it made no sense at all. The woman spoke as if she knew him well, but he didn''t know her at all. ¡ª¡ª "Can I ask onest thing?" "If I say you can''t, will you still ask?" "No, I''ll ask." ¡ª¡ª As expected, the woman was straightforward and true to expectations, she immediately spoke to Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "I didn''t know I would meet you here today, but did you know?" "Did I know I would meet you here? What does that even mean?" "I''ll take that as a no. So, we coincidentally met three times today. First at the ramen shop, the second time also at the ramen shop, and thest here at Sapporo Station." ¡®Ramen shop?'' ¡ª¡ª Tadano was confused, but he didn''t bother to inquire further. He sensed that if he said anything, the woman would start talking more than necessary. As he silently looked at her, the woman continued. ¡ª¡ª "They say if you meet once, it''s a coincidence; twice, it''s fate; and three times, it''s destiny." ¡ª¡ª Tadano stared at the woman with a surprised expression. This saying was something his mother used to say a long time ago, and he wondered where the woman had heard it. But before he could ask, the woman spoke faster than him. ¡ª¡ª "But meeting three times and it stilling out like this, destiny doesn''t seem as impressive as we think." "I have no idea what you''re talking about." "Alright. I won''t say anything more." "¡­" "Goodbye. Mr. Tadano. I don''t know why you''re acting like this, but still, thanks for being a short-time friend." ¡ª¡ª Tadano looked at the woman in amazement. The fact that this stranger knew his name left him baffled. Ignoring Tadano, the woman quickly walked away, and eventually, he shouted at her. ¡ª¡ª "Hey! How do you know my name? Who are you!" ¡ª¡ª Tadano''s wary shout echoed in Sapporo Station. The woman must have heard it, but she only quickened her pace and moved farther away. Watching her disappear, Tadano shook his head in disbelief. ¡ª¡ª "Enough. Let''s not dwell on it." ¡ª¡ª Tadano tried to sleep again. There was still quite some time until the train departure, and sleeping seemed like a good way to pass the time. Gradually, Tadano drifted off to sleep. And after some time. Tap, tap. ¡ª¡ª "Excuse me? Sir?" ¡ª¡ª Someone woke Tadano from his deep sleep. Opening his eyes, he saw a man in station staff attire, someone he hadn''t seen before, smiling pleasantly at him. ¡ª¡ª "You didn''t go to Tokyo? Did you miss your train because you were sleeping?" ¡ª¡ª The station staff''s words brought Tadano back to his senses, but he was still not fully awake, and the situation wasn''t clear yet. Or perhaps, there might be another reason. Tadano, still groggy from sleep, couldn''t fully open his eyes, and the station staff continued speaking. ¡ª¡ª "Sir? Please wake up. Sir? We''re closing the station now, and you need to leave." "What¡­ did you say? Station?" "Yes, sir. Have you had some drinks by any chance?" "Drinks? No, I didn''t drink any alcohol." "Not drinking, huh? Seems like you had quite a bit. Anyway, please leave quickly." ¡ª¡ª The station staff grabbed Tadano''s arm and helped him up, leading him outside the station. Until then, Tadano was not fully aware, so he just followed the station staff''s lead. When they arrived outside the station, a chilly wind brushed against his cheeks, and only then did Tadano fully regain his senses. As Tadano opened his eyes wide, the station staff smiled and said, ¡ª¡ª "If you n to take the train to Tokyo,e early tomorrow morning. Don''t try to catch the next one like today." "Train to Tokyo¡­ Ah." ¡ª¡ª Hearing that, Tadano remembered. ¡ª¡ª "Oh, right. I came to Sapporo because the headmaster told me to go on a trip. I was going to go back right away, but there was no train, so I decided to take the morning train tomorrow." "Ah, yes. Thank you." "Yes, then I''ll go back in." ¡ª¡ª The station staff went back inside, and Tadano observed the surroundings outside the station. There were not many people inside the station, but there were quite a few outside. ¡ª¡ª "I''m hungry. Should I grab a meal? But the restaurants seem crowded. I don''t like noisy ces¡­" ¡ª¡ª While contemting, he nced at a nearby establishment. Then, he heard the voices of passing revelers. ¡ª¡ª "Otani-kun! How about just one more drink somewhere quiet?" "Oh, Lieutenant, are you sure? You came inte yesterday. Wouldn''t Mrs. feel upset?" "It''s okay, it''s okay! I''d rather have another sake with you, Otani-kun!" "Haha¡­ Alright. Let''s go to a quiet street vendor nearby." ¡ª¡ª The subordinate led the manager toward the inner alley. ¡ª¡ª "A quiet street vendor in the alley. It should be decent for a quick meal." ¡ª¡ª Tadano, keeping a suitable distance, followed the men. As they entered the inner alley, the crowd diminished, and near the gathering of street vendors, there was hardly anyone. ¡ª¡ª "Any ce would be fine, but I shouldn''t go where those men are heading. That manager, drunk as he is, will be extremely noisy." ¡ª¡ª Tadano entered the shabbiest ce right next to the small eatery where the two men had gone. Once inside, he realized he had walked into the wrong ce. ¡ª¡ª "Hahaha! So when I said I''d take responsibility, you know what the boss said? Suddenly praising me for being manly, saying if he liked it, he would take care of it himself!" "Hu, huuhuk¡­ I miss Sasaki¡­" "Owner!! Three regrs here! And five for Mozuku!" "Yes, sir!" ¡ª¡ª The inside of the ce was noisy. Tadano, who hade inside seeking a quiet spot, didn''t want to eat here. ¡ª¡ª ¡®I should leave.'' ¡ª¡ª Tadano turned to leave immediately. But then. ¡ª¡ª "¡­Why are you here again?" ¡ª¡ª A woman questioned him, staring directly at him. Chapter 174: Chapter 174: ¡ª¡ª "Why shouldn''t Ie here?" "You''re not supposed to. We agreed on that from today." "Me?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano pointed at himself, asking. His expression was filled with confusion and bewilderment, not understanding what the woman was saying. In response to Tadano''s reaction, the woman sighed heavily and spoke. ¡ª¡ª "Why on earth are you doing this? Didn''t we agree to keep our distance? In the morning at the station, we acted like we didn''t know each other. But why are you wandering around here again?"¡ª¡ª Taken aback by the sudden usation from the unfamiliar woman, Tadano couldn''t say anything. As she looked at him in silence, the woman sighed again and passed by Tadano. While passing by, she deliberately bumped into Tadano''s shoulder. Whether it was intentional or unavoidable in the narrow shop, Tadano naturally didn''t feel good about it. Entering the store suddenly and yelling at him with unknown words, and even bumping shoulders, it was no wonder he felt uneasy. Tadano gave the woman a slightly disapproving look. But then¡­ ¡ª¡ª "Sni¡­ Sniff." ¡ª¡ª The woman, sitting at a small table in the corner, was barely holding back tears and trembling shoulders. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Why is she suddenly crying?'' ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª It was filled with iprehensibility. Suddenly, she confronted him, expressing anger. Did she intentionally bump into his shoulder while passing by? And then, unexpectedly, she went to a corner and started crying. It was a series of inexplicable events. ¡ª¡ª "What did I do wrong?" ¡ª¡ª No matter how much he thought about it, there was nothing that could make the woman angry with him. There was no reason for her to cry so sorrowfully. Since he hadn''t done anything wrong, Tadano tried to leave the store. ¡ª¡ª "Sni¡­Sniff¡­" ¡ª¡ª However, when he saw the woman crying alone in the corner, his steps involuntarily slowed down. Even though Tadano hade to resent and despise people, he wasn''t so callous as to leave a woman crying alone, possibly because of him. Tadano approached the woman and spoke. ¡ª¡ª "Hey." "¡­" "Hey." ¡ª¡ª Tadano called twice, but the woman remained silent. Irritated by her response, Tadano scratched the back of his head and called her again. ¡ª¡ª "Sigh. Hey, you. I don''t know why you''re acting like this but consider my feelings. Suddenly getting mad at someone, crying alone in a corner ¨C how do you think that makes me feel? I haven''t done anything wrong." "Nothing wrong?" "Yes. I haven''t done anything wrong. We just met today, right here, right now. What did I do wrong?" "¡­" "If there''s a mistake, you made it. Getting annoyed at someone you just met out of the blue." ¡ª¡ª The woman, hearing Tadano''s words, raised her head. In a short time, her eyes had swollen, and tear stains were vivid on her cheeks. Using her sleeve, she wiped her eyes, and with slightly clearer eyes, she looked directly at Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "¡­We met for the first time today?" "Yes." "Don''t you remember meeting at the train station this morning?" "What morning at the train station? I came here from Tokyo tonight." ¡ª¡ª With Tadano''s repeated words, the woman seemed to have finally sensed something strange, and she asked with a softer voice than before. ¡ª¡ª "About a week ago, didn''t we eat ramen here untilte at night? Don''t you remember that?" "I came to this shop for the first time, and no, it''s the first time I''ve ever been to Sapporo. Isn''t it possible that you''re confusing me with someone else?" ¡ª¡ª As the woman listened until this point, her gaze at Tadano noticeably changed. Now, her eyes held confusion, concern, and bewilderment. ¡ª¡ª "Why are you looking at me like that?" "¡­" "Why are you looking at me like that?" ¡ª¡ª However, the woman couldn''t answer. Instead, she posed one question to him. ¡ª¡ª "I''ll just ask you one more thing." "What else do you want to ask?" "Do you know what day it is today?" "The date? Why are you asking-" "Just tell me. What day is it today?" ¡ª¡ª Even though Tadano thought it was a pointless question, he answered willingly. ¡ª¡ª "October 23rd." "¡­October 23rd?" "Yeah." ¡ª¡ª Tadano stated confidently, and the woman''s expression became peculiar. When he tried to ask why she reacted that way, she took something out of her bag. It was a thick diary. Flipping through the pages quickly, she muttered. ¡ª¡ª "October 23rd, October 23rd¡­" ¡ª¡ª The woman''s hand, flipping through the diary, stopped. After looking at the diary for a moment, she closed her mouth. She alternated between the diary and Tadano for a while. Then, slowly, she opened her mouth. ¡ª¡ª "¡­You said you came for the first time today?" "Yes." ¡ª¡ª "So, why did you end up here?" "Why did Ie? I just happened toe." ¡ª¡ª Upon Tadano''s words, Yomi sighed deeply and nodded her head. ¡ª¡ª "¡­Right. It must be just a coincidence. Like that time." "Yes?" "No, it''s just¡­ Do you perhaps n toe back here tomorrow?" "Not at all. I''ll take the first train back to Tokyo tomorrow morning." "I see." ¡ª¡ª After speaking in a trembling voice, the woman stood up. ¡ª¡ª "If you''re taking the first train to Tokyo tomorrow morning, where will you stay until then?" "Nowhere. What does that have to do with you?" "If you don''t have a ce, I can let you stay at the ce where I work for a day." "Fine. I''ll find amodation after eating. If I can''t find one, I''ll just sleep at the station for a day." "¡­Sleeping at the station might be a bit cold, don''t you think? This is Sapporo, after all." "I''ll manage. Don''t worry about it." ¡ª¡ª Despite Tadano''s annoyed tone, the woman nodded reluctantly. Then, she conveyed words that were difficult for Tadano to understand. ¡ª¡ª "If we happen to meet here again tomorrow¡­ I''ll try to do the same asst time." ¡ª¡ª With that statement and no more words to say, Yomi promptly left the shop. Tadano, once again, found himself puzzled by the woman''s mysterious words. ¡ª¡ª "Don''t bother. It seems like she''s a bit mentally unstable. It''s better to keep a distance from people like that." ¡ª¡ª Deciding not to dwell on thoughts about the woman, Tadano ced his order. ¡ª¡ª "Here, the ¡®Rock-hil Set.'' Please. And for the ramen¡­ Miso Ramen." ¡ª¡ª Not long after cing the order, the dishes arrived. Tadano, looking at the dish he ordered, inwardly let out a small sigh. ¡ª¡ª "Ramen with rice, fried egg, and mozuku. I don''t know why mozukues with ramen, but¡­ It''s quite a simpleposition for a set." ¡ª¡ª Although he wasn''t pleased, Tadano didn''t call the waiter toin. After all, he didn''te to this restaurant to savor a meal; he just wanted to fill his stomach quickly. ¡ª¡ª Having finished a quick meal, Tadano left the payment on the table and stepped outside the shop. It was quite cold outside for October. ¡ª¡ª "Must be because it''s in the north. It''s colder than Tokyo." ¡ª¡ª Luckily, Tadano was wearing thick clothing. He left the alley and headed towards the station. He nned to find any amodation near the station to spend the day. Entering a ce with lights on, Tadano inquired. ¡ª¡ª "Do you have any rooms avable?" "Oh, sorry. All rooms are taken." ¡ª¡ª Since the rooms were full, Tadano, without saying anything, headed to another lodging. However¡­ ¡ª¡ª "Um¡­ We don''t have any vacant rooms." ¡ª¡ª Every ce he went to was fully booked. Even though it was near the station, it seemed improbable for all the rooms to be upied. However, there was no reason for the innkeepers to lie. In the end, unable to secure amodation, Tadano headed back to the station. ¡ª¡ª "Sleeping rough for a day won''t hurt. As long as I avoid the wind, it should be fine." ¡ª¡ª Tying his clothes tightly in a corner, Tadano tried to get some sleep. The wind wasn''t too strong, and it seemed suitable for sleeping outdoors. However, Tadano couldn''t easily fall asleep. The words the woman from the ramen shop spoke kept echoing in his ears. ¡ª¡ª "If we happen to meet here again tomorrow¡­ I''ll try to do the same asst time." ¡ª¡ª What could those words mean? Despite trying not to dwell on it, he couldn''t easily dismiss them. The more he tried not to care, the clearer the woman''s voice became in his mind. It was as if something in his head was insisting that he shouldn''t forget those words. ¡ª¡ª "Hmm¡­" ¡ª¡ª It was a headache. Not in the metaphorical sense of being annoying or troublesome but a genuine headache. Whether it was because of the woman''s words or sitting in the cold for a while, the headache intensified. Trying to alleviate the pain, Tadano vigorously massaged his forehead, the back of his neck, and his temples. It didn''t have much effect, but at least the pain eased a bit. ¡ª¡ª "I should sleep soon. Hopefully, it''ll get better if I rest." ¡ª¡ª After properly adjusting his slightly loosened clothes, Tadano tried to sleep. His head continued to ache, and the woman''s words lingered, but somehow, he felt like he could manage to get some sleep. And the next day¡­ ¡ª¡ª "Excuse me." ¡ª¡ª Someone tapped Tadano''s foot. Still groggy from sleep, Tadano struggled to open his eyes, and there stood a woman holding a broom. Tadano, with a faint groan, massaged his forehead. For some reason, he had a headache this morning. Seeing Tadano like that, the woman spoke with a slightly worried tone. ¡ª¡ª "You said you''d sleep rough, and you slept here?" "Did I sleep here¡­ What are you talking about?" "¡­Don''t you remember what you said yesterday?" ¡ª¡ª Just waking up and with his mind still foggy, it was challenging for Tadano toprehend the iprehensible words from a woman he was seeing for the first time. Tadano lightly brushed his forehead to alleviate the headache and said to the woman. ¡ª¡ª "Is it a problem that I slept here? Is there a rule against sleeping rough at Sapporo Station or something?" "No. It''s not like that." "Then don''t worry about it and go about your business. I have to catch the first train to Tokyo." ¡ª¡ª His body ached from sleeping on the ground. Tadano, struggling to get up, told the woman. ¡ª¡ª "The first train to Tokyo has already left." "What? What time is it now? Has the first train left?" "It''s eleven." "Eleven? Did I sleep until then?" ¡ª¡ª As if he couldn''t believe he made such a mistake, Tadano covered his face with his hands for a moment, then headed towards the station. Chasing after him, the woman asked. ¡ª¡ª "Where are you going?" "I''m going to catch the next train to Tokyo. But why do you keep talking to me?" "I¡­ I¡­" ¡ª¡ª The woman tried to introduce herself, but Tadano didn''t listen. Right now, he didn''t care about some unremarkable woman. Approaching the ticket counter, Tadano said. ¡ª¡ª "To Tokyo, please give me the fastest one." "Hello? You''re here again today? Did you miss the first train again?" "¡¤¡¤¡¤What? Missed the first train again? What are you talking about?" "What am I saying? You missed it yesterday too." ¡ª¡ª Tadano couldn''t make sense of what the station attendant was saying. As Tadano expressed his confusion with his expression, the station attendant, still smiling, looked at him. After a moment, the station attendant shrugged and said, ¡ª¡ª "Well, let me issue a ticket for the Tokyo train. It departs in three hours, so don''t miss it this time." "Sure, well¡­ Okay." ¡ª¡ª After Tadano responded vaguely, he received his ticket. Then, he turned around and headed to the central area of the station where several chairs were gathered. There were already many passengers upying seats. Wanting to avoid contact with others as much as possible, Tadano chose a spot where there were fewer people. Sitting down, Tadano checked his ticket. ¡ª¡ª "Three hourster. Until then, there''s nothing to do. Might as well get some sleep. My head hurts anyway." ¡ª¡ª Tadano rested his head on his fist and settled into the chair. Despite the familiar position, his head still ached, but sleep quickly overtook him. After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, Tap, tap. Someone tapped Tadano''s shoulder. He tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, but the repeated interruptions made Tadano reluctantly open his eyes. Looking ahead, he saw a station attendant with a disappointed smile. ¡ª¡ª "Heh¡­ Did you miss the train again, sir?" ¡ª¡ª TN: looks like an Alzheimer''s than a brain tumor. LOL Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Still, with unfocused eyes, Tadano looked at the man speaking to him. Who is this? Is he a station attendant? At that moment, Zzzt! Ugh.A sudden, sharp pain shot through his head. Tadano couldn''t precisely describe the sensation, but it felt as if needles were piercing through his head. Tadano, wincing in pain, grabbed his head, causing the station attendant to be surprised. Why, what''s happening? Are you okay? Unable to respond immediately due to the intense pain, Tadano clutched his head. After a while, when the pain subsided to some extent, the station attendant, looking concerned, asked, Why, what''s happening? Are you okay? Tadano couldn''t answer immediately because of the pain. After some time, when he became somewhat ustomed to the ache, he asked the station attendant, Where is this? This is Sapporo Station. Sapporo Station? As if not understanding the words, Tadano inquired with the station attendant. Then, he strained his eyes and looked around. As the station attendant had mentioned, there were several signs with a map of Sapporo and the words Sapporo Station'' in various ces. It is Sapporo Station. But why am I here? What reason do I have toe to Sapporo? Oh. Deep in thought, Tadano recalled why he came to Sapporo. "Yeah, I was on a trip with the headmaster. I nned to return to Tokyo right away, intending to catch the first train tomorrow morning. But why am I sleeping here?" As Tadano woke up, memories started to return vaguely. The headache had mostly disappeared by now. Still confused, he felt he could move. Tadano stood up, picking up his belongings. "What time is the first train to Tokyo tomorrow morning?" "At six in the morning." "Six in the morning I see." Nodding slightly, Tadano headed toward the exit of the station. Watching his back, a station employee shouted, "Don''t miss the train tomorrow!" "Hmm?" Hearing the words from behind, Tadano tilted his head, finding it odd. Yet, he didn''t pay much attention, thinking it was addressed to someone else. Outside the station, it was considerably coldpared to the inside. Tadano zipped up his jacket, surveying the surroundings. "I need to find amodation until tomorrow morning. But before that I should grab a meal." Being close to the station, there should be plenty of ces to stay. Tadano decided to focus on having a meal first. Even though it was quitete, many restaurants near the station were still open. However, they were crowded and noisy. "I don''t care about the taste; I just need to find a quiet ce." Just then, "Excuse me! Customer!" Someone from inside the station ran towards him, shouting. Wondering if someone was calling him, Tadano turned toward the source of the noise. It was the station employee he had seen earlier, running towards him with a bag in hand. "Heh, heh. You run fast. You left this bag." "Bag? Oh." Only then did Tadano realize that his back felt empty. He slightly bowed his head in gratitude to the station employee. "Thank you." "You''re wee. It''s my job. Well then, be careful. Don''t miss the train tomorrow morning." "Yes? Oh, yes." They even worry about me until tomorrow. Quite a kind station employee.'' Thinking nothing of it, Tadano put the bag on his back. Then he called out to the station employee who was about to go back into the station. "Excuse me." "Yes?" "Since you''re here, can I ask you something? Is there a quiet restaurant around here?" "Oh, you want to eat? But a quiet restaurant um. It might be noisy in front of the station. Instead, I know a ce with good food, right in front of this-." "I just need to fill my stomach quickly; taste doesn''t matter. Anyway, you don''t know any quiet restaurants?" After thinking for a moment in response to Tadano''s question, the station employee said, "If you go straight into that alley, there''s a ce with several food stalls. It''s rtively quiet since only locals and acquaintances go there." "You mean an alley with food stalls Thank you." "Don''t mention it. Oh, by the way, don''t go to that ramen shop. It''s very noisy there." After a nod in response to the station employee''s advice, Tadano headed into the alley he had been told about. The alley didn''t have many streetlights, making it quite dim. Yet, for some reason, this street felt strangely familiar. A littleter, a few food carts appeared at the end of the alley. They seemed to be the food carts the station official had mentioned. Wasn''t he telling me not to go to a ramen ce?'' Tadano scrutinized the food carts, but from their appearance alone, it was impossible to tell which one served ramen. After briefly checking each ce, Tadano, with a wry smile, headed towards the shabbiest food cart, assuming it had the fewest customers. However, as soon as he stepped inside, Tadano realized he had made a wrong choice. "Wee! It''s Rockhil!" The lively voice of the waiter at the entrance and the vibrant conversations inside made it clear that this was the ramen shop the station official had talked about. "Last night, our dog gave birth! Five puppies!" "Ouch, why does my stomach hurt so much? What did I eat wrong?" "My father-inw and mother-inw areing tomorrow. I don''t know what to serve. They came from Tokyo." "Hahaha! I told you yesterday! That nobleman is not an ordinary person!" The noise inside the shop was so overwhelming that Tadano sighed lightly and turned toward the door. Of all ces, why did Ie in here? I need to get out quickly.'' As Tadano hurriedly tried to leave, "Come this way! We have seats inside!" The overly cheerful waiter grabbed Tadano''s arm, seemingly under the impression that he was trying to leave because there were no seats avable. Shaking off the waiter''s grasp, Tadano said, "No, thank you. It''s too noisy-." "Oh, don''t say that. Since you''re here, why not have a meal and enjoy it? And today is our monthly special ramen day. It would be a shame if you left without trying it. You''ve beening quite oftentely, and I can tell you like our ramen." Latelying often?'' While Tadano was puzzled by the waiter''s words, the waiter led him to a small table inside. As Tadano awkwardly took his seat, the waiter spoke. "Well then, we''ll serve it as a full course. You usually enjoyed our Miso Ramen, right?" "Yes well, that''s fine." "Great! Please wait a moment!" As Tadano ced his order hesitantly, the waiter immediately responded and headed toward the kitchen. Tadano looked at the waiter''s retreating figure with a somewhat doubtful expression. What''s going on?'' It was natural for such questions to arise. Tadano was seeing this waiter for the first time, yet the waiter treated him as if he were a regr customer who had visited several times before. It seemed a bit strange, but he decided not to dwell on it. It wasn''t something particrly important. Tadano closed his eyes tightly and rubbed his temples. His head had been aching strangely today, both at Sapporo Station earlier and now. Am I catching a cold?'' However, he didn''t have a fever, unlike a typical cold. Perhaps recent stress from various events was the cause. I should just take it easy when I get home.'' As Tadano was contemting this, the waiter who had made the odd remark spoke awkwardly. "Um sir?" "Hmm?" "Since all the seats are taken right now, could we ask you to share a table? It''s Yomi-san; you''ve sat together a few times." Yomi, who sat with me a few times?'' Even now, Tadano couldn''t understand what the waiter was saying. Considering the waiter''s previous statements, he might be confusing Tadano with another customer. "Yes, that''s fine." "Oh, thank you. As a token of our appreciation, I''ll add one more of our house specialties, Mozuku, on the house-." "That''s enough." As Tadano replied coldly, the waiter, as if expecting such a reaction, shrugged and stepped back. Immediately, a woman sat in front of him and struck up a conversation. "Thank you for allowing me to share the table. I usually eat here before going to work. Uh but you''re a new face, right? It''s interesting. Only regrse here." "" Tadano paused at the woman''s words. There was something, or precisely, he felt like he had heard the phrase somewhere'' before. However, he couldn''t recall it exactly. It was like a sentence from a textbook he had seen just before an exam. When Tadano looked at himself with a slightly puzzled expression, the woman smiled brightly and said, "What''s the matter?" "Well, it''s just" "Just?" "nothing." "It''s not nothing. Tell me. Did you fall in love at first sight or something?" At the woman''s words, Tadano looked genuinely puzzled, tilting his head. "Me, with you?" "No, There''s no way I''d fall for you." Tadano couldn''t help but wonder where she got such confidence with that ordinary face. Such questions filled Tadano''s mind. He sighed, thinking that he might only end up hurting his pride by delving into it further. "Let''s just eat quietly. I don''t feel like talking now." "Why? Did something bad happen? Well, you dide to this ce for some reason." "Something bad? On what basis are you saying that?" "Well" The woman pondered something for a moment. Then, as if recalling something, she smiled brightly and continued speaking. "This ce attracts a lot of people going through tough times, like you and me. Other customers too. It''s strange, isn''t it?" "A lot of people going through tough times? What a nonsensical thing to say." "When I first heard it, I thought the same. But it''s true. Only people with storiese to this ce." "How do you know whether I have a story or not? How can you make such remarks?" "Oh, you can tell by looking. I had that exact face too. I had the same face as you." Tadano expressed a bewildered expression at the woman''s words. It was inevitable. A woman he just met was speaking as if she had known him for a long time. Whether she knew that Tadano was having such thoughts, or she didn''t care, Yomi reached out with a grin. "This meeting is fate, so let''s at least exchange names. I''m Yomi. Haruna Yomi." Chapter 176: Chapter 176: What made her so happy? The woman continued to smile brightly, looking at Tadano. Seeing her, Tadano sighed and gazed at the store''s door. ¡ª¡ª "Just leave." ¡ª¡ª Having lost his parents, deceived by someone he thought of as a brother, and betrayed by a trusted friend, Tadano felt an instinctive aversion to bright people. Above all, Tadano just wanted to quietly have a meal without engaging in conversation with anyone. So, it would be a wise choice to leave before the food arrived. But leaving wasn''t that simple with the woman in front of him. No, she bothered him. "Haruna Yomi," who consistently looked at him with joy. ¡ª¡ª "You don''t even know me, but pretending to have a story or acting like we''re close, I don''t like it. And above all¡­ that smile. That''s what I dislike the most." ¡ª¡ª Tadano red at the woman, grinding his teeth. The smile of a person who knows nothing about the ways of the world and possesses only a positive mindset. It was the happy smile he used to have before his parents passed away and before he became disappointed in humanity. ¡ª¡ª "A person who can smile like that dare say they have a story?" ¡ª¡ª A person with a real ¡®story'' couldn''t smile like that. Tadano wanted to correct her expression. He wanted to tell her what a real ¡®story'' was, to change her cheerful face into a dark one. Tadano slowly opened his mouth, staring at the woman. ¡ª¡ª "Earlier, the peopleing to this ramen shop, they all said they had a story." "Oh, you finally thought of talking to me? You kept ring at me, so I thought you wouldn''t talk to me." "Don''t say useless things. Just answer the question." ¡ª¡ª Tadano''s wordscked courtesy. But the woman continued to make jokes. ¡ª¡ª "Sure, I''ll only answer the question." "Fine. Earlier, everyone here said they had a story. Can I hear your story?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano expected the woman to say something absurd. To say that her story was just that, and he had experienced something much sadder. So, if she had been sad about that until now, she should expect much more sadness in the future. However, The words that came out of the woman''s mouth were something Tadano couldn''t easily dismiss. ¡ª¡ª "I have two stories. First, it''s a family story. My dad was terminally ill. My mom, who worked herself to the bone to save him, was brutally murdered one day, not just any murder, but the culprit disfigured her face so badly that even I couldn''t recognize her." "¡­" "After that, my dad also died. I''m seventeen." ¡ª¡ª Her story was more profound than his own. Tadano couldn''t bring himself to ridicule the woman. When Tadano, without saying anything, looked at her, the woman continued. ¡ª¡ª "After my dad died, suddenly rtives came looking for us. At first, I thought they were there to take care of me and my younger sibling." "If you thought that at first¡­ it wasn''t the case?" "No. The rtives came to steal money. They didn''t even attend my dad''s funeral; they just took everything valuable left in the house. Not a single yen was left." "Trashy people." "Not all of them are like that. There are worse people than those." "There are worse people?" "Yes." ¡ª¡ª The woman answered with a smile. Tadano wanted to ask who those people were, but the woman''s words were faster. ¡ª¡ª "But that''s not all." "Not all?" "Yes. After my dad''s funeral, a littleter, one day, my chest started to ache, and I went to the hospital. They told me I had the same illness as my dad. I became terminally ill, just like my dad." "¡­" "That''s my first story." ¡ª¡ª Even as she spoke these words, the woman continued to smile, as if she couldn''t make any other expression. No matter how much Tadano tried, he couldn''t help but feel sympathetic towards this woman. With a much gentler tone than before, Tadano asked the woman, ¡ª¡ª "Well, what''s the second story?" "Oh, this one is quite sad. I might cry while talking about it." "Sadder than what you said earlier?" "Iparable. Why, are you curious?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano nced at the woman, tilting his head. In response, the woman took a deep breath and looked at Tadano with a faint gaze. ¡ª¡ª "The second story happened because of a guy worse than those rtives I mentioned earlier." ¡ª¡ª This was a story that even Tadano was curious about. Who could be worse than those trashy people? His curiosity was piqued. As Tadano focused on her, the woman blushed a little, seeming a bit embarrassed, and began her story. ¡ª¡ª "Having gone through such experiences from a young age, I couldn''t have the ordinary happiness that others have. By the time I went to school, my mom had passed away, and when I finally escaped the sadness, my dad died, and rtives caused trouble." "That must have been tough." "Yes. Unable to die, I worked tirelessly from the age of 17 to raise my siblings. I had already given up on school. So, I had no peers to be friends with. There was no one I could call a ¡®friend.''" ¡ª¡ª As the woman spoke of her second story, her expression gradually changed. The bright face that was almost unpleasant to look at earlier now became shaded. She sighed and continued. ¡ª¡ª "But one day, I met a man. He was sitting alone in a corner, looking as sad as I did when I was left in the house swept clean by rtives. Maybe because of that, I felt interested in him the moment I saw him. It seemed like he had experienced something simr to be sitting there so sadly." "¡­" "At first, it was just curiosity. But as we talked, I found myself liking him. Perhaps it was the empathy that people who have gone through simr experiences feel." "But then what happened with that man? You mentioned he was a bad guy, so it probably didn''t end well." ¡ª¡ª In response to Tadano''s words, the woman pped her hands and said, ¡ª¡ª "It didn''t end badly. It ended very well." "Well?" "Yes. We drank together the first day we met, and the second day, we spent the night together." "¡­You slept together after two days of meeting?" ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª "Strictly speaking, it wasn''t sleeping together. We just talked all night. Well, we did sleep a bit too." "Just talked and slept?" "Yes." ¡ª¡ª Tadano sighed as if he found it pathetic. Upon which, Yomi burst intoughter, almost spitting on Tadano''s face. ¡ª¡ª "I-I''m sorry. It''s just that your sudden remark was so funny." "¡­Forget it. I knew you were an uncouth woman." ¡ª¡ª Tadano wiped his face with a handkerchief. At that moment, the dish Tadano ordered arrived. It wasn''t something extraordinary, as the ce was a humble eatery, but the dish presented as a ¡®set meal'' seemed rather meager. The woman pointed at the ramen and asked, ¡ª¡ª "Aren''t you going to eat? It''s delicious here." "I''m more curious about your story than eating." "¡­?" ¡ª¡ª At Tadano''s words, the woman paused. Though she had merely expressed her inner thoughts, she seemed quite taken aback. "Why is that?" "Oh, no reason. Let''s eat while you continue talking. I''m curious about everything, even the fact that you talked all night together." ¡ª¡ª The woman hesitated for a moment at Tadano''s words and then continued. ¡ª¡ª "At first, he was a cold and awkward guy, but as we talked, I realized he was an interesting and warm person. So, before parting ways with him, I asked him casually. I asked if he could be friends with me." "Just friends, even though you found him interesting enough to tempt you? Not lovers?" "How could I ask someone I met only twice to be my lover? Besides, as I mentioned earlier, I''m terminally ill. It''s a bit much to ask a dying person to be in a rtionship, don''t you think?" "¡­I guess so." ¡ª¡ª "Yes. And I thought being friends was enough. It was a chance to have a presence called ¡®friend,'' something I had never experienced. But¡­" ¡ª¡ª The woman chuckled, her shoulders shrugged. ¡ª¡ª "He rejected me." "Rejected? But you said let''s be friends. It''s hard to be friends after just one idental meeting." "The first meeting was a coincidence, but the second one wasn''t. He came to see me intentionally. What a funny guy, right?" "Funny isn''t the word. He seems like an annoying guy who talks too much. Going by what you said earlier, he must be quite a useless guy, going on and on." ¡ª¡ª Tadano poured himself a drink as he spoke. This time, as when Tadano mentioned ¡®useless'' earlier, the woman burst intoughter. Fortunately, Tadano didn''t get sprayed with saliva this time. However, theughter lines on her face didn''t easily fade away. Looking at her face, Tadano asked, ¡ª¡ª "Earlier too. I was talking bad about that guy, and youughed. Is he that funny?" "Yes, he is." "Why?" "Well¡­ I''ll tell you in a bit. My second story isn''t finished yet." ¡ª¡ª Tadano nodded, gesturing for her to continue. ¡ª¡ª "Anyway, we didn''t be friends, but I got a promise. If we happen to meet somewhere by chance next time, he promised to be friends then. I don''t know what he meant by it, but to me, it was a precious promise. It was the first promise in my life to have a ¡®friend''¡ªsomething I had never had before." "I see. I understand." "Thank you. Thanks for understanding my feelings." "It''s not strange to understand. So, did you meet that man again?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano asked, but the woman couldn''t answer. Whether it was an inability to respond to the question or her speech gradually faltering since she said, ¡®I understand'' a while ago, only the woman knew. ¡ª¡ª After remaining silent for a while, the woman struggled to open her mouth. ¡ª¡ª "We met again. Truly by chance, in a ce I never expected. But¡­ that man couldn''t remember." "Couldn''t remember what? The promise?" "No, me." "He couldn''t remember you? The woman he spent a night with?" "Yes. He couldn''t remember¡­ anything. Not the stories we shared, not my name, not my face." ¡ª¡ª The woman, who had been speaking calmly, suddenly covered her mouth and began to cry. Tadano was momentarily surprised and bewildered by the abrupt change in her demeanor. However, it was only for a moment. Tadano could understand the reason behind the woman''s sudden tears. ¡ª¡ª ¡®This woman¡­ she must have liked that man.'' ¡ª¡ª Whether it''s a day, two days, or a year, falling for someone doesn''t always require a special trigger or a long time. The saying that one can fall in love at first sight isn''t groundless. Especially if someone thought of the person as their first ¡®friend,'' it''s natural to feel heartbroken if that person doesn''t remember them. Tadano awkwardly handed a tissue to the woman. She took the tissue with trembling hands and wiped away her tears. Then, with swollen eyes, she looked at him. ¡ª¡ª "But you know what''s even sadder than that?" "Something sadder?" "Yes." ¡ª¡ª The woman smiled sadly. ¡ª¡ª "The sadder thing is that the man listening to this doesn''t realize that it''s his story." ¡ª¡ª Chapter 177: Chapter 177: The woman imed that the man speaking was himself. What kind of absurd nonsense is this? Tadano looked at the woman with a bewildered expression, as if he didn''t understand Japanese. Wiping the tears flowing down her cheeks, the woman spoke to Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "But still, I consider it fortunate that you understand why I''m so sad. And¡­" "¡­" "I was worried that I might be mistaken, but you are a good person. Despite appearing rough and unapproachable on the surface, you can tell after a little conversation. Whether before losing your memory or now, you are still yourself." ¡ª¡ª Tadano didn''t want to interrupt her because the woman seemed to be speaking earnestly. However, just listening was frustrating. He continued to insist that he wasn''t the ¡®bad guy,'' yet he couldn''t remember anything at all. But the woman didn''t seem like she was lying. Taking a deep breath, Tadano sighed. ¡ª¡ª "Am I unable to remember?" ¡ª¡ª There was no way. He knew who he was¡ªthe youngest person to pass the judicial exam, the top student at Donggyeong University, a prestigious school that attracted gifted students from across the nation. There was no way he could forget such an important part of his life. But as he thought earlier, the woman didn''t seem like she was lying. ¡ª¡ª "Really, can I not remember?" ¡ª¡ª Once again, Tadano thought, ¡®There''s no way.'' Yet, looking at the woman''s sorrowful expression made him consider, ¡®Perhaps¡­'' The two conflicting thoughts tormented Tadano. At that moment, someone pushed open the door of the ramen shop and entered. The man looked around, and then, upon seeing Tadano, rushed over. ¡ª¡ª "Tadano-kun! Are you okay?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano, engrossed in the woman, hadn''t noticed the man approaching. He was taken aback by the sudden call. ¡ª¡ª "Headmaster? How did you¡­?" "How, you ask? Haruna Yomi contacted me. She said she found my business card that you dropped." "Haruna Yomi? Headmaster, do you also know this woman?" ¡ª¡ª When Tadano pointed at the woman and asked, the headmaster greeted Yomi. ¡ª¡ª "Are you Haruna Yomi?" "Yes¡­" "I see. I''m Headmaster Inagama Kenta from Donggyeong University, the one you spoke to this morning. Thank you for contacting me." "Not at all. Well then, I''ll be going. It''s about time for me to start working." ¡ª¡ª After Yomi spoke to the headmaster, she promptly stood up. She didn''t even spare a nce at Tadano. Perhaps she couldn''t or simply chose not to. Just as Yomi was about to leave with her bag, she looked at Tadano for a moment, as if there was something else to say. ¡ª¡ª "About what I said earlier¡­ Can you remember anything at all?" "¡­" "Nothing, I guess. I see¡­" ¡ª¡ª Yomi sighed deeply. The sigh, reaching the depths of her belly, vividly portrayed how frustrated she was. Before tears could well up in her eyes again, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Then, with a brighter smile, she spoke to Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "So, what if. What if¡­" "¡­" "If that man we talked about today is you¡­ would you have be friends with me?" ¡ª¡ª Though her expression was bright and her voice lively, Yomi''s eyes were filled with sadness. With those sad eyes, she gazed at Tadano earnestly. Perhaps this question was the real question Yomi wanted to ask Tadano today. Tadano didn''t avoid the woman''s gaze, nodding his head. ¡ª¡ª "I don''t like ¡®what ifs,'' but if that ¡®bad guy'' you mentioned is me¡­" "¡­" "I would have dly be friends with you." ¡ª¡ª Tadano''s words were sincere. However, even as he spoke, his emotions remained unmoved, not a hint of sentimentality or wavering. ¡ª¡ª "Haha¡­" ¡ª¡ª Nevertheless, Tadano''s words seemed to hold significant meaning for Yomi. Her eyes quickly reddened, and tears streamed down her face. Wiping away the tears in haste, the woman spoke. ¡ª¡ª "Hehe¡­ Tears keeping. I wanted to leave with a smiling face." "¡­" "Thank you for saying that. Well then, I''ll be going. If we meet againter¡­ I''ll make sure not to cry." ¡ª¡ª With those words, Yomi left the ramen shop. Tadano sighed silently while watching her receding figure. Whew¡­ ¡ª¡ª ¡®I have no idea what''s going on.'' ¡ª¡ª Tadano shook his head. As he did so, the headmaster helped him up, saying, ¡ª¡ª "Well¡­ Tadano-kun, shall we get up now?" "Yes? Oh, yes. But how did you get here, Headmaster? There shouldn''t be a train from Tokyo." "There''s a regr train from Tokyo to Sapporo. It''s just that there''s no return trip. I''ve booked a nearby amodation, so take the first train back to Tokyo tomorrow." ¡ª¡ª The scene began to pass by quickly. Tadano, with a slightly uneasy feeling, followed the headmaster towards the lodging. After spending the night there, the next morning, the headmaster and Tadano took the train back to Tokyo. Inside the train, Tadano gazed out the window absentmindedly. ¡®But today, I remember what happened yesterday.'' ¡ª¡ª ¡®Is that woman okay?'' ¡ª¡ª Sincest night, Tadano had been constantly thinking about Yomi. It wasn''t that he had fallen for her or anything like that. It was just that the woman who spoke affectionately and happily to him had left an impression. Clunk, clunk. Though the train jolted roughly, Tadano, lost in deep thought, hardly felt it. Suddenly, Tokyo appeared in the distance. Tadano stood up, preparing to disembark as soon as they arrived. After a while, the train arrived at the station. Tadano and the headmaster got off the train. Then, like other passengers, they passed through the tform and headed toward the station exit. ¡ª¡ª "¡­Ah." ¡ª¡ª The moment Tadano set foot outside Tokyo Station as if a spark had ignited in his mind, memories flooded back. From the first meeting with Yomi to the recent memories of treating her coldly, every moment returned. Among them, the most vivid memory was the disappointment and sadness on Yomi''s face when she realized he didn''t recognize himself and was saying hurtful things. As the image of Yomi''s face shed in his mind, tears rolled down Tadano''s cheeks. ¡ª¡ª "¡­I have to go back." ¡ª¡ª The moment Tadano thought he needed to go back to Yomi. ¡ª¡ª "Ugh¡­!" ¡ª¡ª As if something was devouring his brain from the inside, a horrifying pain surged. It was so intense that Tadano wanted to smash his head to extract that part. Tadano suddenly grabbed his head, knelt on the ground, and suffered in agony. Seeing this, the headmaster urgently spoke to Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "T-Tadano-kun! Why are you doing this!" ¡ª¡ª Tadano, with one hand clutching his head and the other holding onto the principal''s hand, managed to speak through the pain. ¡ª¡ª "Head-Headmaster. I need to go to Sapporo, right now." "Oh, no. I''m not a doctor, but it seems like you should go to the hospital instead of Sapporo. Your eyes are extremely bloodshot, and you''re sweating a lot¡­ Your condition doesn''t look good!" ¡ª¡ª The headmaster''s words were urate. Tadano was indeed sweating, and his eyes were so bloodshot that the whites were hardly visible. Naturally, Tadano himself felt that his physical condition was serious. However, there was something more urgent and important than his well-being. ¡ª¡ª "No, Headmaster, I can''t. I need to go to Sapporo right now. That person, I don''t know when she might die. I have to go and apologize quickly." "Apologize? What are you talking about? More importantly, the one who seems like they might die right now is you! Get a hold of yourself!" "No, I''m fine. I need to go to Sapporo-!" ¡ª¡ª As Tadano tried to shout again that he needed to go to Sapporo, suddenly, all strength left his body, and his vision darkened. It was as if everything around him had been muted, with no sound and no sight. He had fainted. Time passed, though it was hard to gauge how much time had passed. In reality, it wasn''t clear how long it had been, but it felt like a considerable amount of time had passed. Gradually, his darkened vision began to brighten. At the same time, he heard some words in his ears. ¡ª¡ª "Tada¡­ Are you¡­ awake?" "¡­" "Tadano-san. Are you awake?" ¡ª¡ª In response to the voice calling his name, Tadano struggled to open his eyes. As he did, the voice calling him became clearer. As he regained consciousness, the surroundings began toe into view. Seeing doctors and nurses bustling around a white hospital bed, it seemed he was in a hospital. The doctor looked down at Tadano and said, ¡ª¡ª "Tadano-san, can you hear me?" "¡­Yes." "Oh, you can speak. That''s a relief." "Being able to speak, what does that mean?" ¡ª¡ª Still unable to fully open his eyes, Tadano asked with a groggy voice. ¡ª¡ª "Tadano-san, you lost consciousness at Tokyo Station. Do you remember?" "I lost consciousness?" "Yes. ording to Headmaster Inagama, who was with you, you said you needed to return to Sapporo and then lost your memory." "Did I go to Sapporo?" "Yes. Do you not remember at all?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano shook his head as if indicating he didn''t understand the doctor. ¡ª¡ª "I have no memory whatsoever." "Hmm." ¡ª¡ª The doctor sighed withplex emotions. Then, cautiously, he asked Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "Tadano-san, then do you recall the most recent event?" "The most recent thing I remember¡­ It''s my parents'' funeral. And I had a meeting scheduled with the headmaster for withdrawal." "Do you happen to know the date of that day, the day of the meeting with the headmaster?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano responded promptly. ¡ª¡ª "It was October 23rd." "October 23rd?" ¡ª¡ª Upon Tadano''s words, the doctor pointed to the calendar hanging on the wall. ¡ª¡ª "Tadano-san, today is November 4th." "¡­November 4th?" "Yes." ¡ª¡ª The doctor spoke in a solemn voice and then showed Tadano several pictures. They were MRI images of the brain. ¡ª¡ª "This is an MRI image taken when you visitedst time. I showed you this to assure you that your condition was significantly serious. Do you remember?" "I have no memory. I came to this hospital and had an MRI. By myself?" ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª "Yes." "That can''t be¡­" ¡ª¡ª Tadano rubbed his forehead, trying hard to recall the past. However, no matter how much he tried, he had no memory ofing to this hospital. The doctor waited for Tadano for a moment before continuing. ¡ª¡ª "For now, it would be best for you to stay in the hospital and undergo more detailed tests. Although you''ve stabilized somewhat now, we can''t predict when another seizure might ur." "A seizure?" "Yes. When you first arrived in the ambnce, your condition was quite serious." "¡­" "I understand that this must be very confusing for you. Please rest for now. We''ll start the tests tomorrow." ¡ª¡ª After a slight bow, the doctor left the room. The doctor''s exnation was calm and kind, but Tadano still couldn''t grasp what had happened. ¡ª¡ª ¡®¡­Did I go to Sapporo? And then, I fainted?'' ¡ª¡ª The doctor wouldn''t be joking about something like this, so it must be true. And the fact that it was ¡®true'' made it even more confusing. Tadano stared nkly at the ceiling. Before long, drowsiness gradually overwhelmed him. Whether it was due to extreme mental fatigue or something injected into his arm through the IV, he felt incredibly sleepy. He fell asleep. The next day. ¡ª¡ª "¡­Ugh." ¡ª¡ª As soon as Tadano woke up, he clutched his head. Today, he felt a headache upon awakening. Perhaps it was due to recent stress,pounded by the passing of his parents and the consecutive difficult events. ¡ª¡ª ¡®But¡­ where is this?'' ¡ª¡ª Upon waking up, it wasn''t his home but an unfamiliar hospital room. Sunlight was streaming in warmly through the window. And the next day. ¡ª¡ª "¡­Ugh." ¡ª¡ª Once again, Tadano woke up, clutching his head. Today, he had a headache upon awakening. Perhaps it was due to recent stress,pounded by the passing of his parents and the consecutive difficult events. ¡ª¡ª ¡®But¡­ where is this?'' ¡ª¡ª Upon waking up, it wasn''t his home but an unfamiliar hospital room. Rain has been pouring outside since the morning. And so, day after day. Tadano woke up on the same day, but the weather was different each time. One day. On an unusually warm and pleasant morning, Tadano woke up from his sleep. Regardless of the weather, Tadano felt a headache today¡ªno, he thought, it''s more urate to say it''s a headache ¡®now.'' ¡ª¡ª ¡®But where is this?'' ¡ª¡ª Even today, when he struggled to open his eyes, he found himself lying in a hospital bed, not at home. It felt strangely familiar as if it were his house, but it was a hospital he had never seen before. In a daze, he sat up on the bed. Then, from across the room, a certain woman spoke in a gentle voice. ¡ª¡ª "You woke up early today, Tadano." "¡¤¡¤¡¤?" ¡ª¡ª As the unfamiliar woman greeted him warmly, Tadano looked at her with curiosity. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Who is she to talk to me so amicably?'' ¡ª¡ª At that moment, he saw the name of the woman lying in the hospital bed. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Haruna Yomi?'' Chapter 178: Chapter 178: ¡ª¡ª ¡®Haruna Yomi¡­ Haruna Yomi¡­ The name sounds familiar, but where have I heard it before?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª However, he couldn''t recall exactly where he had heard it. Tadano looked at himself with a slightly puzzled expression, and the woman smiled lightly, speaking. ¡ª¡ª "How''s your condition today?" "You know me?" "I do. You might not remember me." ¡ª¡ª With a wistful look in her eyes, the woman gazed at Tadano. Then, she picked up her diary and approached Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "Today marks our 100th encounter. And every single day is recorded in my diary. If you have timeter, please read it. It''s a bit embarrassing, so don''t show it to anyone else." "¡¤¡¤¡¤?" ¡ª¡ª To the woman who spoke to him so frankly, Tadano looked at her strangely. It might have been an ufortable gaze, but the woman continued to smile without losing it. cing a thick diary next to Tadano, the woman said: ¡ª¡ª "Can I ask you for one favor?" "You''re asking me for a favor? Why?" ¡ª¡ª Tadano replied coldly to the woman''s words. Waking up in an unfamiliar hospital for the first time and having a random woman talk to him had already left him confused and irritated. But even then, the woman seemed unperturbed, maintaining her smile. Lowering herself a bit, the woman sat on the edge of the bed, locking eyes with Tadano. ¡ª¡ª "I''m having surgery today. It''s a very difficult procedure with a high chance of failure. That''s why I''m scared. Not of dying, but of not being able to see you again." ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤?" "So, just as a bit of encouragement, could you say something like, ¡®Let''s meet again tomorrow''? If I hear that, it feels like I might see you again tomorrow.¡± ¡ª¡ª The woman smiled, but her lips trembled slightly. It was a phenomenon that urred as she tried to hold back her smile. For some reason, the woman seemed sad. If it were someone else, they might have offered words of encouragement to a woman saying such things. ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡ª¡ª The current Tadano was not someone who would care enough to console someone like her. Tadano continued to treat the woman as if she were a strange person. ¡ª¡ª "Are you perhaps having a headache? Or maybe confusing me with someone else?" ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± "I don''t understand what you''re saying, and I''m not interested in whatever it is." ¡ª¡ª After quickly saying this, Tadano pushed the woman aside. Then he went outside the room, grabbing a passing nurse and asking. ¡ª¡ª "Hey, where am I? Why am I here?" "Oh, Mr. Isagani, the patient is up. Please wait a moment in bed. The doctor wille to see you." ¡ª¡ª Despite Tadano''s forceful attitude, the nurse responded casually, as if Tadano''s attitude was familiar. The nurse''s response was so natural that Tadano was taken aback. Since he didn''t want to cause unnecessary trouble, Tadano followed the nurse''s advice and returned to the bed where he woke up in the morning. On the bed was the woman''s diary. ¡ª¡ª ¡°This wasn''t taken.¡± ¡ª¡ª Tadano briefly considered cing it on the opposite bed, but the current Tadano wasn''t as emotionally soft as to offer such kindness. Tadano, much like brushing away dust, swept the diary from the bed underneath, treating it almost like throwing away garbage. The woman across the bed watched him. Though she could have been angry at the act of discarding her diary like trash, she simply smiled. That was when it happened. Drip, drip. The hospital room door opened, and a group of doctors and nurses entered. It was quite arge group, and most of them turned towards the woman, while only a few approached Tadano. One of the doctors who approached Tadano spoke in a friendly tone. ¡ª¡ª "Hello. I''m Inoshita Honda''s attending physician, Tadano Kenji." "My attending physician?" "Yes. I understand you may be very surprised, but please listen calmly while I exin." ¡ª¡ª The doctor exined various things. It was said that there was currently an issue with Tadano''s brain, leading to memory loss. Though Tadano couldn''t easily ept this, the doctor showed a recorded interview scene and then fell silent. Confirming the records of the past 100 days and that today was January 31st, Tadano gradually became aware of reality. ¡ª¡ª ¡®¡­I have amnesia.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª Bing aware of reality didn''t mean he felt relieved. Instead, his chest became more congested, and his breathing grew heavier. However, being a rational person, Tadano didn''t act out or express anger. What he needed now was time to ept reality. As Tadano grappled with reality, the doctors began to leave the room. Their reflections shimmered in Tadano''s hollow eyes. Following them, the woman in the bed opposite Tadano, supported by the nurses, also left. During the time Tadano absentmindedly stared at the woman. ¡ª¡ª ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡ª¡ª Tadano, who was staring nkly, met eyes with the woman. As his unfocused eyes sharpened, the woman approached him and spoke. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Let''s meet tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡¤¡¤¡¤.¡± ¡°I heard the weather will be nice tomorrow.¡± ¡ª¡ª Tadano couldn''t respond to the woman''s words. He hadn''t fully epted the situation he found himself in, and more than anything, he didn''t understand why this woman was treating him so kindly. As Tadano remained tight-lipped, looking at her, the woman gave a faint bitter smile. Then she picked up her diary from the floor, ced it beside him, and spoke. ¡ª¡ª ¡°You don''t have to read this, but please don''t throw it away. It''s a request.¡± ¡ª¡ª Again, Tadano said nothing. In response, the woman, just like before, smiled wryly at hisck of reaction. The nurse who had been observing them from behind spoke. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Miss Yomi, it''s time to go.¡± ¡°Yes. I''m sorry. I just wanted to say goodbye.¡± ¡ª¡ª The woman followed the nurse and, for thest time, spoke to Tadano. ¡ª¡ª ¡°See you tomorrow, Mr. Tadano.¡± ¡ª¡ª With those words, the scene quickly transitioned. Tadano alternated between sitting and lying on the hospital bed, staring nkly out the window. He didn''t engage with anyone. The only interaction he had was the mundane conversation with the doctor in front of a camera. A day passed, and the night grew deeper. But today, Tadano experienced too much. Was it because of that? As time passed, sleep refused toe, and instead, his mind became clearer. He tried closing his eyes, counting sheep, and even taking deep breaths, but sleep eluded him. Sighing, Tadano changed his position in another attempt to sleep. Then. Thud. Something snagged Tadano''s foot. ¡ª¡ª ¡®A book¡­ Is it the diary that woman left behind?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª Initially, he thought about kicking it away, but then he recalled the woman''s words. She said he didn''t have to read it but asked not to throw it away. Tadano casually tossed the diary onto the small table next to the bed. However, at that moment. Thud! Ssh! ¡ª¡ª "¡¤¡¤¡¤!" ¡ª¡ª Because he forgot that he had ced a water bottle on the table, Tadano identally knocked it over with the diary. The water spilled over the diary, and although he quickly lifted it from the water, the diary had already been soaked for a while. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Oh, no.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª He didn''t care much about the woman, but damaging someone else''s belongings was not something he intended to do. Hurriedly, he wiped away the water, but nearly half of the front side of the diary was already soaked. Tadano opened the diary, intending to dry the paper before the moisture spread. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Why would she unnecessarily give her diary to someone else?¡¯ ¡ª¡ª After scolding the innocent woman once, Tadano assessed the condition of the diary. Unfortunately, the pages were wet due to the clumsily ced water bottle, and the ink from the pen used for writing seemed to be water-soluble, making the text illegible. Given the circumstances, he had no choice but to find pages where the writing was still somewhat readable. He didn''t intend to read it; he just wanted to preserve whatever was left in decent condition. However, in doing so, he naturally started reading the diary. ¡ª¡ª [January 31, Clear weather.] Today, I write in my diary while looking at Mr. Tadano, who is sleeping across from me. The weather is clear again today. Yesterday, it rained as if the sky had a hole, but today seems to be sunny again. I don''t believe in superstitions or jinxes, but seeing the good weather on the day of the surgery, I can''t help but feel a sense of anticipation. I wonder how Mr. Tadano''s condition is today. He has always been gentle when the weather is nice, so I expect him to be the same today. Today marks the 100th day of seeing that man sleeping across from me, and it might be thest day. The man I happened to meet at the ramen shop has be quite significant in my life. Today is not only the day of my surgery but also a meaningful day. That''s because, before my surgery, I will give the diary to that man. Whether he reads this diary and regains his memory or simply ignores it and throws it away, I don''t know, but giving him the diary makes me excited. As I write this, Mr. Tadano seems to be waking up. As always, let''s ask him about his condition today. Oh, and¡­ Today, I want to ask a question that I''ve always wanted to ask. Which is sadder: not being remembered by the person you love or not being able to remember the person you love? (A somewhat mncholic question, but I''m really curious) ¡ª¡ª As if it were a twist of fate, Tadano could only read thest page of the diary. However, even thatst page had some spots soaked with water. Tadano''s attention kept returning to the woman''s question that was near the end. ¡ª¡ª Which is sadder: not being remembered by the person you love or not being able to remember the person you love? ¡ª¡ª He couldn''t understand why his gaze kept focusing on this sentence. But Tadano continued to read this sentence repeatedly, and each time, an indescribable emotion surged within him. ¡ª¡ª ¡®Why is this happening?'' ¡ª¡ª Tears rolled down his cheeks. Tears for reasons even he couldn''tprehend. Tadano wiped away the tears with his hand. However, the tears wouldn''t easily stop. It took a while for the tears to finally cease. Only when Tadano managed to calm down did sleep start to overtake him. Both his body and mind were exhausted from the intense crying. With the diary by his side, Tadano fell into a deep sleep, and that became hisst memory. Chapter 179: Chapter 179: After thepletion of the filming, three monthster. The film was released simultaneously in Korea and Japan, and controversy erupted immediately upon its release. [Controversy Surrounding the Ending of [Kim Dani, a film critic, "It was perfect that the two protagonists died. If they had lived, it wouldn''t have been different from any other romance."] ["Actor Kang Jinseok," Director Yeo Jaeyoon, "As a fellow filmmaker, I respect Director Katahiro''s choice of ending. However, as an audience member, I want to ask. Did they have to all die for it to be satisfying? ¨C Column, ¡®This'' movie of this film.] While reading inte articles, Jang Sunho muttered, "It seems controversies arise when the work is sessful." His words were somewhat sarcastic, but a small smile adorned Jang Sunho''s face. The current controversies were not due to the artistic quality or the actors'' performances but rather because the work was exceptionally well-made. At the center of this pleasant controversy was Jinseok''s acting. [Director Katahiro on , "When actor Kang Jinseok acted, I truly thought he had lost his memory. He repeated the best performance every time."] [¡®K'' Entertainment President, "If you felt sorry, frustrated, and annoyed by the protagonist, isn''t that proof that you fell into Kang Jinseok''s acting?"] [The leading actress of her debut film turned Korean-Japanese top star ¡®Inoue Masaki,'' talking about the acting prowess of her ¡®co-star''.] Whenever he read such articles, Jang Sunho felt a mix of joy and a slight anger. He hadn''t seen Jinseok acting on set because he was busy preparing to counter KL Entertainment''s scheming. Because of that, Jang Sunho''s animosity towards the viin, KL Entertainment, was piercing the sky. "But I''ve prepared thoroughly for it¡­ I''ll have to repay them properly soon." Jang Sunho sighed and opened the small refrigerator next to his desk. It was filled with unidentified medicinal herbs, all gifts from Jinseok. "Since it''s something the actor gave me, I should take good care of it." Originally, Jang Sunho was meticulous about every ingredient when it came to food. However, he wasn''t too particr about the medicinal herbs Jinseok had gifted him, especially since they came rmended by the staff at the herbal medicine store. He could trust rmendations from those knowledgeable people. After downing the medicinal herbs in one go, Jang Sunho grimaced. "No matter how good it is for the body, it''s a bit too tasteless even for medicine." After taking a brief break to ingest the herbal medicine, Jang Sunho returned to his desk. Despite Jinseok''s recent film having just been released, numerous advertising offers and program invitations were already flooding in for Jinseok. "This one''s a rejection. No matter how much they''re offering, the concept and image don''t suit the actor. This brand looks good; it''s even a luxury brand. Next¡­," Jang Sunho smoothly evaluated various proposals. As he adeptly reviewed the offers, a loud ringtone emanated from the mobile phone ced on the table. [010-XXXX-XXXX] It was an unfamiliar number. Contemting whether to ignore it, Jang Sunho decided to answer it for now. If it turned out to be unnecessary, he could end the call promptly. "Hello?" [Hello. May I speak with Manager Jang Sunho, the manager of actor Kang Jinseok?] "Yes, that''s me. May I ask who''s calling?" [Ah, I''m Manager Kim Hyun, representing Director James Won.] Jang Sunho didn''t respond immediately; he took a moment to ponder. ¡®If it''s James Won¡­ could it be the Hollywood director James Won?'' Jang Sunho didn''t memorize the names of every director, but someone of James Won''s caliber was a director even ordinary people might have heard of. It would be strange if Jang Sunho didn''t know him. Moreover, most importantly, James Won and Jinseok had some interaction. ¡®He came to our dinner in Japan suddenly and said hello. He mentioned being a fan of Actor Kang.'' As Jang Sunho thought, he didn''t say anything. Kim Hyun spoke up when there was no response. "Hello?" "Ah, I apologize. I was briefly attending to something else. You''re Manager for Director James Won?" [Yes, that''s correct. I wanted to reach out and say hello before formally sending an official letter.] "I see. About the official letter¡­ what is it about?" Kim Hyun replied with a smile, [It''s regarding an audition request for our director''s next project.] *** KL Entertainment conference room. Once again, this room was filled with various heavy topics for discussion. Oddly enough, most of the agenda items were somehow linked to Jinseok. "Why did the ¡®Apple'' advertisement that Kim Joonhyun was supposed to shoot suddenly fall through?" President Lee Youngkyung calmly spoke but with a clear hint of displeasure asked the 4th floor director. Swallowing dry saliva, the 4th-floor director cautiously replied, "Well¡­ the advertiser wanted to change the model suddenly, before sealing the deal." "To whom did they change it?" "¡­ to Kang Jinseok." As soon as the 4th-floor director mentioned Jinseok''s name, an even colder atmosphere filled the meeting room. The source of this coldness was Lee Youngkyung. "Again, Kang Jinseok? He already snatched the ¡®Hermes'' advertisement from us." "Well¡­ uh¡­" "Stop with the vague exnations. Get straight to the point. And why was it taken away? Originally, Seo Hyeji was supposed to do it. Why is a female model''s advertisement being snatched away?" "Hermes seems to be changing their marketing strategy for Q2, moving towards a gender-neutral, unisex feel. They seem to be leaning towards hiring a male model rather than a female one." "So, this time, they''re hiring only a male model?" "¡­ They are also using a female model, but ording to internal data, they''re considering using actress Yeo Hyemin, who previously worked on , and she fits well with Kang Jinseok''s image." Lee Youngkyung, annoyed at the 4th-floor director''s hesitant attitude, cut him off. "Enough. 4th-floor director, if the marketing strategy is shifting towards a neutral tone, can''t we use our male actors as models?" "¡­ I apologize." "Come to think of it, it was ¡®Pizza King''st time, right? That was snatched by Kang Jinseok too, wasn''t it?" "¡­ Yes." "Why does that guy keep snatching everything?" As Lee Youngkyung criticized, the 4th floor director silently thought to himself. "Because Kang Jinseok is doing well." However, that response remained confined to his thoughts. The 4th-floor director wasn''t foolish enough to say aloud in front of the CEO that Kang Jinseok was doing well. As the 4th-floor director stared silently between his desk and the empty air, Lee Youngkyung spoke to the 3rd-floor director this time. "3rd floor director." "Yes!" "3rd floor director, there wereints about Kang Jinseok interfering by having all our actors cast in the auditions for the uing project he''s auditioning for." "¡­ Yes." "How''s that going?" When Lee Youngkyung asked, the 3rd-floor director hesitated as he fumbled through some papers. It wasn''t really a search for documents; it was an attempt to stall, even if just a little, to calm Lee Youngkyung''s anger. However, Lee Youngkyung wasn''t one to tolerate such evasive actions. "Haven''t you prepared for the meeting properly?" "Oh, no. ording to my findings, Kang Jinseok is auditioning for James Won''s next project." "James Won? The Hollywood director?" "¡­ Yes." Lee Youngkyung continued with an impressed expression, "Kang Jinseok auditioning for James Won''s work? Are you sure?" "It''s almost certain. And although it''s just a rumor, it''s said that the director personally proposed the audition to Kang Jinseok. It wasn''t Kang Jinseok applying for the audition himself." While it might seem obvious, there''s a vast difference between an actor applying to audition because they want to be part of a project and a director proposing an audition because they want that actor in their project. Moreover, the director who proposed an audition to Jinseok, ¡®James Won,'' wasn''t just any director. He was one of the most sessful Asian directors building a prominent career in Hollywood. Given that such a director had personally proposed an audition to Jinseok, it was natural for Lee Youngkyung''s expression to distort. Lee Youngkyung no longer concealed his annoyance and said, "So, are you just going to stand by and watch?" "Oh, no. We were also preparing for the audition on the 3rd floor!" "Preparation? What kind of preparation?" "Thoroughly analyzing actors suitable for Director James Won''s next project, not only from our 3rd floor but also from actors in otherpanies¡ª" Interrupting the 3rd floor director''s exnation, Lee Youngkyung asked sharply, "Tell me briefly. Whom are you nning to cast?" "¡­Currently, we arepiling a list of actors to consider. It hasn''t been organized enough to report to the President yet, but we will provide updates as it gets finalized." "¡­" Lee Youngkyung scowled at the 3rd-floor director''s words, rubbing his forehead harshly. "Hey." "¡­" "James Won offered an audition to Kang Jinseok, right? But when did that happen that you still haven''t finalized the cast?" "I apologize." "Apologies won''t cut it. Working this slowly, what excuses will youe up with when the casting is finally confirmed?" The tone of Lee Youngkyung''s sharp voice seemed to pierce the 3rd-floor director''s ears. Yet, as the 3rd floor director, he had something to say. The news of James Won proposing an audition to Jinseok had just arrived today, and considering that, the 3rd-floor director''s response had been quite swift. However, even so, the 3rd floor director couldn''t say anything. Just as the 4th floor director mentioned earlier, in this atmosphere, any words spoken would only further enrage the President. Still, he had to respond, so the 3rd floor director bowed his head and said, "I''m sorry." "Don''t just apologize. Do it properly." Lee Youngkyung, expressing his displeasure at the 3rd and 4th floor managers in session, then turned to the 2nd floor director. "2nd floor director. Is the preparation for Kang Jinseok''s past revtion going well?" "Yes? Oh, yes. Of course. We can expose it anytime." Though she tried to sound nonchnt, there was a certain awkwardness in the 2nd floor director''s voice. Chewing on her lips, she thought, ¡®There''s something that''s bothering me¡­ but I shouldn''t unnecessarily provoke the President by saying it out loud.'' While she hesitated, Lee Youngkyung continued, "Well, do it properly." Looking at the 2nd-floor director and the atmosphere, it was clear that the recent rumors about the frequent meetings between the CP and Jang Sunho were the source of her concern. Meeting other programs or variety show PDs wouldn''t have bothered her much. However, it was inevitable that she would be concerned, especially when she happened to meet the CP while manipting rumors about Kang Jinseok. It was like a thief getting caught red-handed. After a moment of contemtion, the 2nd-floor director raised her head. ¡®Don''t worry too much. Only the President and high-ranking directors know about this matter. There''s no way the information leaked.'' At that moment, Lee Youngkyung asked the 2nd-floor director, "2nd-floor director, regarding Kang Jinseok''s school violence, you said the preparations wereplete earlier, right?" "Yes, that''s correct." "Then, can you brief me on what you''ve prepared? I trust the 2nd floor director, but considering the gravity of the situation, I''d like to check it myself." Caught off guard by the sudden request from the President, the 2nd-floor director felt flustered. However, the atmosphere didn''t allow her to refuse outright. ¡®Nothing can be done about it.'' The 2nd-floor director rose slowly from her seat and began exining the ¡®Kang Jinseok Revtion'' that she and the other directors had prepared. "First, we simultaneously posted articles on anonymous intemunities, and our gathered 50 or so journalists published articles simultaneously¡­" Lee Youngkyung listened intently to the 2nd-floor director''s exnation with his eyes closed for a while. "That''s enough." When the briefing by the 2nd floor director concluded, Lee Youngkyung expressed a satisfied smile and said, "Proceed with it." Chapter 180: Chapter 180: "Wow¡­ CP-nim, is this for real? KL Entertainment manipted everything to bring down Kang Jinseok''s reputation just so that KL Entertainment''s name coulde up?" BDD Broadcasting Station Editing Room. A member of the "I Want to Know That" team eximed while looking at the monitor. What he was watching was a video edited by CP Jung Woncheol, summarizing the entire story of KL Entertainment creating and spreading rumors about Kang Jinseok. Jung Woncheol paused the video at intervals and said, "I found out while making this that KL Entertainment doesn''t just dislike Kang Jinseok casually. Rumor has it that there''s even a Kang Jinseok curse doll in President Lee Youngkyung''s office." "Really?" "Really. But seeing them go to this extent makes me think it might be true." "But CP-nim, are you going to release this as it is? If we release this, we''ll never be able to work with KL Entertainment or any entertainment industry professionals. Variety show PDs and drama PDs might never make a sound with us." When the team member spoke, Jung Woncheol nced at him. His expression toward the team members was full of contempt. "Hey, it''s been a long time since our station worked with KL Entertainment. What nonsense is this now?" "Is that so?" "Is that so? What nonsense. Since KL Entertainment messed with our drama department after their stunt with Director Kim''s work, we haven''t used a single KL Entertainment actor in our dramas." "Oh, right. I remember that. But what about the variety show side?" "It''s the same there. Oh, the news department will make some noise. They couldn''t release the first exclusive report, so they''ll make sure to make a fuss." As the team members spoke under Jung Woncheol''s not-so-subtle criticism, they were engrossed in a conversation for a while. During their discussion, Jung Woncheol''s mobile phone rang. "Who¡­ Oops." As soon as Jung Woncheol checked the caller ID on the screen, he straightened up and politely answered the phone. "Yes, Prosecutor. it''s Jung Woncheol speaking. What? Ah¡­ verification, right? There shouldn''t be a problem, but we''re still in the middle of the operation. Oh, really? You''ve arrived? I''lle down right away." "?" The team member looked at Jung Woncheol with a puzzled expression. It was the first time he had seen Jung Woncheol answer a call with such formality. After a while, when Jung Woncheol finished the call, the team member asked, "Hyungnim, why did you answer the phone so cautiously?" "Prosecutor Lee Minyoung." "Hyungnim, what crime did youmit?" "¡­Committing a crime? No such thing. She''s someone helping us." "What is Prosecutor Lee helping with?" When the team member asked with a curious expression, Jung Woncheol stood up and vaguely replied, "There''s something like that, kid. Don''t ask too much. It''s dangerous." *** After the release of "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World," I was leading a busier life than ever. Mostly due to appearances on variety shows and shootingmercials. The ad I was shooting today was for ¡®Hermes.'' "As expected¡­ Actor Kang Jinseok has a unique¡­ feeling. Even if you just take a shot¡­ it turns out well. Just like that feeling¡­ I''ll shoot the next product as well." Photographer Yang Chihoon spoke with his characteristic slow tone. I had felt this before, but it was hard to tell whether he was genuinely pleased with the calm tone or not. When Yang Chihoon took the pose he had informed me of, shes went off incessantly. Unlike before, I had be quite familiar with such shes now. "Ten minutes. No, Well take a fifteen-minute break¡­ and then do it again." After a while of continuous shooting, Yang Chihoon set the camera down on the desk and said. Upon which, the staff members who were quietly assisting in the shoot shouted. "We''ll take a break!" "How many more products do we have to shoot?" "Six left!" It was a break, but Yang Chihoon''s gaze did not leave the screen. Next to him was a foreign employee from the ¡®Hermes headquarters, and she, too, carefully examined the footage with Yang Chihoon. "I should sit down for a moment." Although I had done several ad shoots, this was my first time with luxury goods. Perhaps that''s why, strangely, I felt more nervous than shooting other ads. I was worried that I might identally damage these bags and clothes, even though I didn''t know their prices. As I took my seat, Jang Sunho handed me a drink and said, "You seem to be in great condition today. You seem to shine even more than usual." "Haha¡­ Well, that''s a relief. Honestly, I''ve been so nervous, wondering if it shows. What if I mess up?" "There was no sign of nervousness at all." "Thank you." Feeling somewhat relieved after Jang Sunho''s words, I took a sip of the drink he gave me. It was a green juice that was both bitter and good for the body, simr to one I had tried before. "But today, it seems a bit more bitter. It almost tastes like traditional medicine." Nevertheless, since he made it for me, I couldn''tin, so I managed to finish it somehow. At that moment, Jang Sunho asked me, "Actor, do you happen to have a favorite among the products you shot today?" "A favorite?" After ncing at the stacked bags, wallets, and other products, I replied, "I''m not familiar with luxury items. They all look pretty, though. Why do you ask?" "Oh, the advertiser was so satisfied after seeing the shoot that they wanted to give gifts. They said they would give everything, but it felt a bit much, so I suggested just picking two or three items you like." "¡­Giving away those luxury items just like that?" In a surprised tone, I asked, then quickly added, "Those things are over a million won, aren''t they? I checked online before the shoot, and many products cost 3 to 4 million won." "A million won?" Jang Sunho looked at me with a puzzled expression, then lightlyughed and said, "Actor, well¡­ The cheapest among the products we''re shooting today is $8,900. With the current exchange rate, that''s over ten million won." "¡­What?" I thought I had misheard. I had looked into it a bit when they said we were shooting an ad today, and it didn''t seem like they were that expensive back then. "Oh, wallets are a bit cheaper. Still, they usually cost around 8 to 9 million won." "And they''re just giving that as a gift? Why?" "As I mentioned earlier, they might be satisfied after seeing the footage, but the advertising effect is much greater when the model uses the product. Just like they gave ¡®Masareti'' as a gift before." "Oh¡­ I see." Listening to Jang Sunho''s exnation, I somewhat understood the advertiser''s intention. However, I still couldn''t get over the shock that a single bag cost over ten million won. As I nodded my head in bewilderment, Jang Sunho said, "If you don''t particrly like any of the products, we could prepare something else." "Is there no option to just not ept them?" "Don''t you like them that much? When I exined the ad before, you seemed quite enthusiastic, and I thought you liked it." "Well¡­ It''s a well-known brand, so I was excited about that, but it''s a bit burdensome to receive such expensive products as gifts. In the case of ¡®Maserati,'' I heard it was included in the advertising fee, so I epted it, but¡­" Amid my hesitant words¡­ I suddenly remembered what the leader of the warehouse, Mr. Bang, had said a while ago. "Come to think of it, the leader mentioned wanting to give a luxury gift to the Madam at some point." Thinking carefully, I asked Jang Sunho cautiously, "Manager-nim, it wouldn''t be right to give away the gifts to someone else, would it?" "That doesn''t seem like a good idea. Why do you ask?" "Well, the leader of the warehouse mentioned wanting to give a luxury bag to the Madam a while ago. So I thought, what if I don''t ept it and give it to him? It doesn''t have to be such an expensive product¡­ but maybe it''s a bit too much." At my words, Jang Sunho made a hesitant expression with a soft sound. Then he nodded and said with a careful voice, "I''ll talk to the coordinator about it." "Oh, no, you don''t have to do that." Before I could finish speaking, Jang Sunho was already discussing something with the employee next to Yang Chihoon. It was hard to hear because of the distance. Besides, they were speaking in English or French, some foreignnguage, so even if I could hear, I wouldn''t understand. I continued to feel uneasy, wondering if I had brought up unnecessaryplications. However, at that moment, unexpectedly, Jang Sunho quickly came up to me. "Uh, what happened?" "If you agree not to use other brands for the next four years and use our new products for free, we''ll gift as many as you want." "¡­?" His unexpected proposal left me looking somewhat foolish. Seeing my confused expression, Jang Sunho calmly continued to exin. "It''s a suggestion considering that you''re likely to be much more famous in the future. Since you might enter Hollywood soon, it could be a good investment for them." "That''s¡­ I mean, Hollywood? Me?" Surprised, I asked, and Jang Sunho paused for a moment, then casually said, "It was a saying that with your talent, you could enter Hollywood anytime." Although Jang Sunho spoke casually as usual, there was an awkwardness in his words, as if he was hiding something from me. Just as I was about to inquire about it, he quickly approached me. "We''re starting the shoot again! Kang Jinseok, please get ready!" *** KL Entertainment, Actor 2''s office. All the directors'' heads, except for director 1, were gathered for a meeting. "Do you all know that Kang Jinseok shot a ¡®Hermes'' ad?" When Director 2 asked, Director 3, as if asking why she was asking the obvious, replied somewhat sarcastically. "Is there anyone who doesn''t know? It''s all over social media that the ¡®luxury actor wearing luxury'' is causing a sensation. But why?" "I think it''s a good opportunity for us." "A good opportunity?" "Yeah. It''s a hot topic on social media, and we can write articles about it. Before the start of exposing Kang Jinseok, we could tactfully release a few articles, maybe stir up the reporters to move in our favor." The director 4, sitting next to the director 3, asked, "What kind of tactful articles are you talking about?" "You know those types. Articles criticizing celebrities who shoot luxury ads or wear expensive clothes, raise the prices of those brands. How about something like, ¡®Kang Jinseok, the modest youth, turns out to be addicted to luxury?''" "Ah, I see." Director 4 nodded. However, with a somewhat hesitant attitude, he spoke in a skeptical tone. "But do we really need to do that? Anyway, once ¡®Kang Jinseok''s exposure'' begins, he''s likely to fall." "I told you. It''s a kind of ¡®practice'' for our journalists before the real ¡®Kang Jinseok''s exposure.'' We have nothing to lose, so why not try it once?" The Directors generally nodded in agreement with the words of the Director 2. Seeing this, she added one more reason. "Also, we need to see how OS Entertainment responds to negative articles about their actors. We should see in advance. Once the ¡®Kang Jinseok''s exposure'' starts in earnest, we''ll be fighting Gene and OS Entertainment like crazy. We need to analyze their strength in advance." "Why bother with an analysis of strength? We have around 50 reporters on our side. Will they even stand a chance against us?" "Well, being thorough won''t hurt." "Yeah, that''s true." As Director 3 spoke in agreement, Director 2 shook her phone and said, "Shall we start the preliminary skirmish lightly?" Chapter 181: Chapter 181: I once saw an article where a famous actor posted pictures of themselves going to the supermarket in front of their house. There was nothing particrly special about it; the article simply listed the clothes the actor was wearing. At first, I wondered why such an article was written, but to be honest, I felt a bit envious. I, too, wanted to be someone whose daily life could be a topic of interest. However, when it happened, it was a bit bewildering. "Kang Jinseok bes the model for ¡®Hermes,'' adorned with luxury¡­ How much did he earn for all of them?" "Targeting the Asian market, ¡®Hermes,'' first model Kang Jinseok, second model Yeo Hyemin?" "From ¡®Maserati'' to ¡®Hermes.'' How much did Kang Jinseok earn exactly?" "So this is why celebrities don''t worry. Kang Jinseok''s one-room where he lived?" It wasn''t necessarily bad news for me, but depending on the viewer, the headlines could be somewhat off-putting. Well, there were intentionally provocative articles too."Hmm¡­" As I read the online article with a slightly puzzled expression, Jang Sunho, who was sitting across from me, asked. "Is there a problem?" "Uh? Oh, no. It''s nothing." Afraid of unnecessarily bothering Jang Sunho, I quickly put my phone in my pocket. However, Jang Sunho, whether he already knew I was reading the article or not, brought up the topic. "It seems like you''re bothered by the flies buzzing around due to the ¡®Hermes'' ad shoot this time." "Flies¡­ Haha, it''s not that big of a deal." "Now you have to get used to it. Fanse, and with them, anti-fans also appear as much as a celebrity gains poprity." Jang Sunho said as ifforting me. Nodding in understanding, I put my phone away, but Jang Sunho spoke once again. "Still, we can''t just stand by. We''ll release some articles to address these rumors. It''s also a practice for dealing with these kinds of sensational articles." ¡ª "Hmm¡­" Go Seoyeong, taking advantage of a rare day off, was sleeping in at home. At that moment, a vibration interrupted her short nap. Woo-woo-woong. At the first vibration, Go Seoyeong showed no signs of movement. Because she had been working overtime for the past few months, preparing to respond to KL Entertainment''s moves, she had vowed to sleep in until the afternoon today. However. Woo-woo-woong. Woo-woo-woong. Woo-woo-woong. As if testing her patience, the mobile phone continued to ring. "Ugh, who¡­ uh?" Checking the mobile phone with an annoyed voice, Go Seoyeong''s attitude changed when she saw the name disyed on the screen. [Team Leader Jang] ¡®Why is this person contacting me first¡­ Oh, could it be because of the promise to treat me to a meal on the weekend?'' "Hmm!" Go Seoyeong cleared her throat with a fake cough. She couldn''t afford to speak with an irritated tone while talking to Jang Sunho. "Hello¡­?" [Oh, Assistant Manager Go. Are you busy today?] Upon hearing these words, Go Seoyeong thought it was what she had been expecting. However, she couldn''t show too much excitement. So, Go Seoyeong casually bounced back. "I do have some work, why?" [You rememberst time I said I''d buy you a meal because Assistant Manager Go was working overtime a lot? I thought today might be a good day for that.] "¡­" Go Seoyeong clenched her fist and silently mouthed, "Yes!" in excitement. [Assistant Manager Go?] When Jang Sunho called her again, Go Seoyeong, managing her expression, spoke calmly as before. "Oh, you want to have lunch today? Um¡­ I did have a priormitment, but if the Team Leader calls, I can''t refuse. I guess I''ll have to reschedule." Of course, there was no priormitment whatsoever. "At what time and where should we go?" Go Seoyeong asked casually as she headed quickly to the bathroom. However, at that moment, a message came that shattered her expectations. [Right now, I''m at the filming location of Kang Actor''s . Come to the beef soup restaurant in front of thepany by seven¡­ no, eight. You know the one we used to go to when workingte, right? Oh, and bring yourptop. There''s something urgent that needs handling.] "¡­" [Is it okay?] Go Seoyeong sighed and replied, "Sure." ¡ª OS Entertainment, Kang Jinseok Team Office. Go Seoyeong was typing on the keyboard so quickly that she seemed almost invisible. At a nce, it seemed like she waspletely focused on her work, but all her attention was directed towards Jang Sunho sitting across from her. Tap-tap-tap! "Assistant Manager Go." Jang Sunho called Go Seoyeong. "Yes, yes?!" "Why are you so startled? I just called you." "Oh¡­ I was so focused on work that I got startled. Why?" "I was wondering if you''ve finished the draft I asked for." Nodding, Go Seoyeong handed a file to Jang Sunho through KakaoTalk. "I sent the file. I wrote a brief article focusing on Kang Actor gifting presents to those who helped him when he was struggling in the past, rted to the recent ¡®Hermes'' ad shoot." "Hmm." Jang Sunho nodded as he looked over the draft. Despite Go Seoyeong''s downying it, the article was well-written. "Good. Then, Assistant Manager Go, please ask your acquaintances to proceed with articles in a simr tone." "Yes." With a short reply, Go Seoyeong posted the article in the reporters'' group chat. Immediately, junior reporters who were still looking for weekend news stories rushed in like hungry baby birds, tweaking her article bit by bit before reposting it. "Everyone seems quite proactive about Kang Jinseok''s article. Well, it''s natural since there aren''t many keywords that generate as many views as Kang Actor''s." "It''s fortunate. It seems like we''re united. If we have about thirty articles, it should be enough." "Why? Wouldn''t more be better?" "I just have a feeling that if it''s KL Entertainment, they might be closely watching this situation. We don''t need to let them know that we can mobilize over a hundred reporters. This case isn''t big enough to warrant that." "Uh¡­ Well, I understand. Since it''s the Team Leader''s suggestion, we should follow." "Thank you." Jang Sunho spoke without taking his eyes off the monitor. Go Seoyeong nced at Jang Sunho for a moment. Additional work on a weekend. If it were with someone else, it would undoubtedly be irritating and challenging, but working on additional tasks with Jang Sunho wasn''t so bad. The work was somewhat enjoyable. "Sorry for calling you on the weekend again." When Go Seoyeong didn''t say anything, Jang Sunho cautiously spoke. Once again, his gaze was fixed on the monitor. "I thought Assistant Manager Go could handle it or that working together would be good, so¡­ I didn''t consider what Assistant Manager thought at all." "¡­" "So, I mentioned it to the CEO earlier. I told him that I might be giving Assistant Manager Go too much work, and it seemed tough for her. Then the CEO suggested, ¡®What if we move the team?''" "Move the team?" "Yes. Anyway, even if we move the team, we can still work together. And if we''re separated, the workload will decrease significantly." Upon hearing Jang Sunho''s words, Go Seoyeong was surprised, her eyes widening. She was startled by Jang Sunho''s statement that sounded like sending her to another team. "¡­" As Go Seoyeong remained silent, Jang Sunho coughed lightly and continued, "I don''t know how Assistant Manager Go feels, but I felt that we worked well together in many ways. I don''t know if it''s just me." "¡­" "Even if you go, it would be better to wait until the KL Entertainment matter is resolved." Jang Sunho continued speaking without looking at Go Seoyeong. It was a bit strange for him to act this way, considering he usually looked at the person he was instructing or talking to. Go Seoyeong paused for a moment, then asked, "How would you like it, Team Leader Jang?" "What? What are you talking about?" "The CEO mentioned promoting me and sending me to another team. What if you were in my position? What would you prefer?" "Well¡­ it''s indeed a good opportunity. As long as I''m holding the fort from above in our team, there''s no exceptional chance for you to stand out or get promoted. So, if we think about your career-" Interrupting him mid-sentence, Go Seoyeong said, "No, not that. I mean, what would you want, Team Leader Jang?" "¡­" "If I were to go to another team, would that be better for you?" In response to the repeated question, Jang Sunho nodded without much hesitation. "It''s true that it''s a good opportunity. As long as I''m holding the fort from above in our team, there''s no exceptional chance for you to stand out or get promoted. So, if we think about your career-" During his exnation, Go Seoyeong cut in, saying, "No, not that. Apart from that, how would you feel if I went to another team?" "¡­" "Do you want me to go to another team?" With this follow-up question, Jang Sunho raised his head without much hesitation. "Honestly, I would prefer if you didn''t go to another team." "¡­" "I''ve chosen you, and while it might not be apparent, we''ve be quite close through working together." After quickly finishing his words, Jang Sunho stood up from his seat. Then, he approached Go Seoyeong and spoke with a serious tone. "Please stay in our team. I''llpensate for the insufficient sry due to not getting a promotion, even if it means deducting it from my sry." Upon hearing Jang Sunho''s words, Go Seoyeong turned her head slightly to the side. Hearing such words made her cheeks warm, and they flushed slightly. With her head turned, Go Seoyeong said, "Just tell me to stay. Why do you have to make it sound so difficult?" At that moment, a ringing sound echoed. Woo-woo-woo-woong!! Suddenly, both Jang Sunho and Go Seoyeong''s phones rang simultaneously. Startled, they each checked their mobile phones. After checking, they looked at each other and said, "The group chat is going crazy right now. It seems KL Entertainment has started posting articles." "Yes, I''m checking the portal sites right now. It''s better this way. It was always difficult waiting for when it would start." "That''s true." Nodding, Go Seoyeong smiled slightly and concluded, "Shall we take out the things we prepared one by one?" Chapter 182: Chapter 182: [Exclusive] ¨C "I am Kang Jinseok''s school violence victim." Victim Reveals Kang Jinseok''s School Life "Hoo hoo¡­" In KL Entertainment''s President''s office, Lee Youngkyung smirked sinisterly as he read an online article. "The article came out well." Though he had already read it several times, it became more amusing with each read. After thoroughly rereading the article from start to finish, Lee Youngkyung checked another one. ["At that time, Kang Jinseok was a teacher''s favorite, acting recklessly¡­"] [Kang Jinseok High School Friend Interview.] ["Every time Kang Jinseok appears on TV, that dayes to mind. It''s the day he got hit with a tray during lunch."] [Resurfacing Celebrity School Violence¡­ This time it''s Kang Jinseok.][¡®School Violence'' Shock for Kang Jinseok Fans¡­ Fans Leaving Fan Cafes in Droves.] There were articles nted by KL Entertainment from the beginning, and manyte-joining journalists had fabricated articles as well. "Good. It''s catching fire." Spreading articles across multiple newspapers at once and having other reporters share them¡ªall ording to KL Entertainment''s n. The next step was for the pre-arranged social media influencers to upload videos about ¡®Kang Jinseok''s school violence.'' KL Entertainment aimed to turn Jinseok''s school violence into a fact through inte articles and social media. "Hoo hoo¡­" It had been a while since Lee Youngkyung hadughed so much. With a smile on his face, Lee Youngkyung typed ¡®Kang Jinseok school violence'' into the YouTube search bar. "Now, what kind of videos will be up¡­ hmm?" Filled with anticipation, Lee Youngkyung searched for ¡®Kang Jinseok school violence.'' However, an unexpected video was at the top. [BDD YouTube Special Episode. ¡®Kang Jinseok School Violence, I Wanna Know That.'' (5 Language Subtitles)] ¡®A special episode of ?'' The video thumbnail also had the designation ¡®live.'' It seemed like they were broadcasting it on YouTube in addition to airing it on TV. With a vague sense of unease, Lee Youngkyung clicked on the live broadcast of . Soon, a familiar catchphrase was heard. ["¡­ However, our team''s investigation has revealed that the allegations of Kang Jinseok''s school violence are entirely manipted rumors."] "¡­?" Lee Youngkyung wore a bewildered expression at the host''s words. The broadcast continued. ["Even more shocking is that this maniption was led by none other than a celebrity nning agency within the same industry."] "¡­?" ["What we are about to show you is an interview that our team obtained exclusively from someone who attended the same high school as Kang Jinseok. Let''s take a closer look."] *** At that moment, while Lee Youngkyung was watching with a stern expression. At home, Lee Minyoung was also watching the broadcast on TV. [(Mr. Park, Kang Jinseok''s high school ssmate) "One day, someone came to me offering money to testify that Jinseok had randomly hit another student during his school days. They also threatened that if I didn''tply, it would be difficult for me to find work in the future."] [PD: Threats?] ["Yes. And in reality, I started facing pressure at work as well."] Watching the broadcast, Lee Minyoung bit her lip forcefully. It was content she had already seen several times in the BDD broadcasting station''s editing room, but it was still astonishing each time. [-So, are you saying that Kang Jinseok didn''t engage in violence at school to harass or bother anyone?] ["Yes, it''s true that Jinseok was involved in a lot of fights. However, he wasn''t the one causing trouble; rather, he was the one protecting weaker friends."] [-What was the reaction at school back then when Kang Jinseok, the actor, got into fights?] ["The kids were thankful, but they didn''t show it overtly. Showing gratitude could attract unnecessary attention from the bullies."] [-How about the teachers back then? What was their reaction when Mr. Kang Jinseok got into fights?] ["From what I remember, the teachers didn''t approve of it."] The PD, whose face couldn''t be seen, seemed curious at this response. [-Why? While fighting might be wrong, if he did it for a reason, shouldn''t that bemendable?] ["Some parents went crazy, iming their sons came home beaten up because of Jinseok. Among them were some high-profile figures."] [-When you say high-profile figures¡­] ["A member of parliament. I also recall there being a CEO of a smallpany."] [-Ah¡­] ["As a result, Jinseok was the one who got severely punished at school. He even got hit so hard that his school uniform pants burst."] After the brief interview, the screen returned to the studio of < I Wanna Know That>. The host, Kim Sangjun, who had been watching the video with a serious expression, spoke with his characteristic sophisticated and mature voice. ["Based on this interview alone, it seems that Kang Jinseok''s school days, recently highlighted, involve variousplicated circumstances. Therefore, we''ve decided to delve a bit deeper into the details. Who, after all, and why is trying to portray Kang Jinseok as the perpetrator? To find out, we''ve met the person who orchestrated the maniption."] Kim Sangjun, with a serious expression, delivered the statement, sping his fingers and gazing somewhere. Then, the screen transitioned back to the informational disy. *** "It''s my turn now." [Penthouse in a luxury office.] There, KL Entertainment''s Director 1 Ryu Seongho, set down his wine ss and focused on the TV. He, too, was watching . [(PD) ¨C First, could you briefly introduce yourself, please?] ["I''m Ryu Seongho, Director 1 at KL Entertainment. I''m the one involved in manipting and spreading the rumors about actor Kang Jinseok."] [- That''s quite a bold introduction¡­ Can you say that?] ["Yes, because I''m going to be exposed by KL Entertainment anyway. I don''t mind if they sue me. After all, there''s nowhere left for me and KL Entertainment to go."] Unlike other interviews, Ryu Seongho''s face was fully visible in this one. It was exactly what Ryu Seongho wanted. [- You mentioned that KL Entertainment manipted the rumors about actor Kang Jinseok. Could we hear the details?] ["Yes. First, let me exin why KL Entertainment targeted Kang Jinseok, and why we engaged in such actions. To do that, I''ll have to start with why Kang Jinseok ended up out of KL Entertainment''s, specifically Lee Youngkyung''s, favor."] Afterward, Ryu Seongho calmly continued. ["Kang Jinseok gained recognition with the project . He rose through auditions. Like most auditions, there were severalpetitors for the role of ¡®Nakamura'' that Kang Jinseok auditioned for. Among them was Lee Homin, an actor and the son of Lee Youngkyung."] [- Yes.] ["Before the audition, there was a small issue between Lee Homin and Kang Jinseok. It wasn''t a big deal unless you consider pride battles. Lee Homin seemed to take it to heart. After losing the role to Kang Jinseok in the audition, Lee Homin developed a significant dislike for him. Furthermore, after beingpared to Kang Jinseok in acting abilities in , which he appeared in instead of , he not only disliked but also grew to hate Kang Jinseok."] [¡¤¡¤¡¤.] ["Eventually, Lee Homin suffered a significant blow to his pride, and that became the starting point for KL Entertainment''s animosity towards Kang Jinseok. Lee Youngkyung, the President, was someone pathologically fond of his son Lee Homin. He couldn''t forgive the ¡®rookie actor'' who tarnished his son''s face."] [- So, Director, are you saying¡­ KL Entertainment manipted these rumors because of that pride issue?] ["What I just mentioned is indeed the cause, but it''s not the only reason. After that, KL Entertainment and actor Kang Jinseok shed unknowingly quite a bit. The incident with Park Hayeon''s fan swearing, the public criticism of KL Entertainment by Director Yeo Jaeyoon ¨C all of that had connections to Kang Jinseok. Also, the subsequent transfer of actor Kwon Seokhoon to OS Entertainment was deeply linked to Kang Jinseok''s involvement."] [- Ah¡­] ["The pride-filled Lee Youngkyung, the president, was annoyed by the constant irritation from this rookie actor. So, he instructed the directors to somehow suppress Kang Jinseok. The result was the creation of these rumors about Kang Jinseok."] After hearing that, Ryu Seongho turned off the TV. All the information he wanted to hear had been revealed. Staring nkly out the window, Ryu Seongho turned on the lights. The once-dark house began to reveal itself. "I''ve lived here for quite a long time." Despite having lived here for a long time, the house felt empty, as if it had been prepared to be vacated at any time. Ryu Seongho went into his study. A worn-out desk and stacks of documents greeted him. "All the materials I''ve collected over the 20 years working at KL Entertainment. The time to use them has finallye." These documents were all evidence rted to numerous illegal activities KL Entertainment had carried out until now. From actions he executed those performed by other employees under the president''s orders, everything was documented. "I''ve worked like a dog just to bring down Lee Youngkyung. It took 20 years." These contents, when exposed, would not only create a stir in the entertainment industry but also in politics and business. Tap, tap. Ryu Seongho lightly tapped the documents with his hand. While perusing the documents, Ryu Seongho took out his mobile phone and made a call to someone. ["Hello?"] "Yes, Prosecutor Lee Minyoung, it''s Ryu Seongho. I''ve gathered all the KL Entertainment documents I mentionedst time. You can pick them up anytime." [¡¤¡¤¡¤.] "My role ends here. Please keep what I asked for in mind when the timees." Click. Ryu Seongho finished speaking and hung up. Then, he immediately called Lee Youngkyung. [¡¤¡¤¡¤Ryu Seongho. What are you up to?] A voice full of anger and a dark tone echoed through the mobile phone from the other side. It was a voice that would intimidate anyone from KL Entertainment, but Ryu Seongho wanted to hear this kind of voice from Lee Youngkyung. A voice struggling with anger, not knowing what to do. With a light chuckle, Ryu Seongho said, "Hoho¡­ What are you doing there? I''m just doing my job." [I don''t know why you''re doing this, but I won''t let this slide.] "Don''t just let it slide. I''m going all the way anyway." [What?] "I''m going to expose all the misdeeds and crimes you''vemitted so far in the media." [Expose what I''ve done? If you do that, you too will-] "Yes, I won''t get away unscathed either. But you know what? That''s exactly what I wanted. I''ll go to prison with you, and I''ll watch you suffer until the day you die." To Ryu Seongho''s words, Lee Youngkyung remained silent. Facing this silence, Ryu Seongho continued. "Do you wonder why I''m doing this?" [¡¤¡¤¡¤I wonder. Why! Why are you, who was most devoted and loyal to me, trying to betray me?] Even though Lee Youngkyung''s face wasn''t visible, Ryu Seongho could imagine that he was angrily shouting with a flushed face. Just the thought of it brought a smile to Ryu Seongho''s face. "President, do you happen to remember an actress named ¡®Lee Jeongmin''?" [¡¤¡¤¡¤Lee Jeongmin?] ¡°Yes.¡± Ryu Seongho spoke calmly and then looked at the wall of his study. There was a framed picture hanging on the wall. In the frame, there was a picture of a woman and a freshly discharged Ryu Seongho, both smiling brightly. While looking at the photo, Ryu Seongho said to Lee Youngkyung, "In your ambition to grow thepany, you lost a life¡ªLee Jeongmin." [¡¤¡¤¡¤.] "That woman was my sister. Now, do you understand why I''m doing this?" Chapter 183: Chapter 183: [So, you''re Lee Jeongmin''s brother¡­ Differentst name, how is that possible?] "My original name is Lee Jeongho. I discarded both myst name and my name to go under you." [¡­] "I will destroy you. Right now, at this very moment, when you are at the peak of your sess. Just like my sister died because of you when she was at her most beautiful moment." Ryu Seongho, who had been smiling lightly throughout his speech, adjusted his cell phone. Then, in a voice that sank as ifmanding to listen carefully, he spoke. "I''ve waited for revenge for 20 years. Now it finally begins. Please struggle with all your might to make revenge as happy and enjoyable as my expectations." [This guy¡­] "I''ll end it here."After finishing the call, Ryu Seongho stared nkly at the photo taken with his sister. "Sister, it''s going to be fun from now on. Watch closely." *** The day after the special episode of "I Want to Know That" was aired. I was at home, discussing various things with Jang Sunho in a rtively rxed atmosphere. "A lot happened overnight." As I spoke somewhat absentmindedly, Jang Sunho bowed his head and apologized. "I''m sorry. I intended to tell you in advance, but you were shooting, and I couldn''t find the opportunity to speak. After that, I thought it might interfere with advertising shoots and variety shows." "That''s okay. But¡­ is there any problem? I only saw the article that KL Entertainment spread and ¡®I Want to Know That.'' I haven''t checked the inte at all, worried about what might be said." "Don''t worry at all. Public opinion is leaning towards sympathizing with Actor Kang Jinseok and ming KL Entertainment. Although KL Entertainment reporters are still making a fuss, once they receive the summons, they''ll shut up." "Summons?" "Yes. We''ve sued all the KL Entertainment media outlets. We prepared in advance, so there''s no escape for them." "nning for ¡®I Want to Know That'' or preparing for awsuit." It seemed that Jang Sunho had prepared a lot behind my back. "I feel a bit sorry. It seems like I was the only one in peace." Still, it seemed more appropriate to express gratitude than to apologize. "Thank you, Manager. If it weren''t for you¡­ I would have just sat there and taken it." "No need to thank me. It''s my job." After a slight smile, Jang Sunho checked the time. Then, he stood up and said, "Actor-nim, we should start heading. We shouldn''t bete for the press conference." "Ah, right. The press conference¡­ um." The ¡®press conference'' Jang Sunho mentioned was a gathering organized by the Department of Theater at Seoguk University where I was enrolled. It was an opportunity for senior actors toe and interact with new students and current students at the beginning of the new semester. I nned to attend as a current student from the perspective of a ¡®senior actor.'' "I''ll get to see the faces of old university friends and also catch up with colleagues I haven''t seen due to being busy." "After all this happened, it feels a bit awkward to go." Jang Sunho said everything should be fine, but I couldn''t help but be cautious. It had been a mentally taxing night. As I hesitated, Jang Sunho spoke, "Actor-nim, if you''re reluctant to attend because of yesterday''s incident, you don''t have toe. No one will criticize Actor Kang Jinseok for skipping a university gathering." "¡­" "But I hope you''ll still go. It would help resolve this controversy quickly if you could engage in external activities naturally and calmly, as you usually do." "Helpful?" "Yes. Whether the rumors are true or false, when a celebrity hides, people tend to think, ¡®There must be something he''s guilty of hiding.'' On the contrary, if you confidently step forward, people will think, ¡®He must be innocent.'' So, even if it''s a bit difficult, I think showing your usual self would be beneficial." As always, I could feel the sincerity in Jang Sunho''s advice. After contemting his words for a moment, I smiled slightly and said, "Got it. I''ll do as you say, Manager." "If it gets too tough, you can take a break. I''ll talk to the school on your behalf." "No, it''s okay. Listening to Manager-nim, I feel like it''s more appropriate to stay strong at times like this." After speaking energetically, I picked up my outerwear and stood up. "Besides, I can''t not go today. I''ve already sent snacks." *** Seoguk University''srge seminar room. Not only were the 200 seats filled, but even the stairs were crowded with people. All of them were students from the Department of Theater at Seoguk University. Most of the buzz was about Jinseok. "There was a bullying incident yesterday, and Kang Jinseok, the actor, mighte today. It''s not like he won''te, right?" One female student asked in a hesitant voice. "Yeah¡­ that''s right. Usually, when celebrities face such issues, they lock themselves up at home." "Today is the day I came to school just to catch a glimpse of Actor Kang, even though I wasn''t nning oning. If I can''t see him, I''m going to protest at KL Entertainment." As the confident female student spoke, her friend nodded in agreement. Her friend shared the same sentiment. To them, a student behind them said, "They''re already protesting. They brought ten trucks to KL Entertainment, saying it''s for Kang Jinseok''s fan club." "Ten trucks?" "Yeah. Didn''t you know? They''re live streaming the protest on YouTube right now." The student showed their mobile phone. On the screen was a YouTube channel, ¡®Leftover Tuna Can.'' ["CEO Lee Youngkyung,e out right now!"] ["If you don''te out, we''re going in!"] ["Come out! Come out!"] It wasn''t a protest with flying rocks or brandished spears, but it was a demonstration that showed more intensity than that. The student who was showing the protest scene turned off the screen and said, "But that''s not the important thing right now. The crucial thing is whether Kang Jinseok, the actor,es or not." "That''s true. Most people here probably came to see Actor Kang." "I came to see the professors." "What''s the point for someone like you who never attends ss?" While students were engaging in casual conversations, Behind the stage curtain, a female student was fidgeting with her cell phone, unseen by others. It was Seo Yeonsoo. "Jinseok Oppa¡­ Should I contact him and ask if he cane today?" It had been a repeated dilemma for her, but Yeonsoo couldn''t bring herself to contact him easily. If Jinseok hadn''te today, the atmosphere of the gathering would significantly dampened. As the student sitting in front mentioned earlier, most students came to see Jinseok. Even other senior actors and professors attending the gathering seemed to have high expectations of seeing Jinseok. Now, there were less than 20 minutes left until the start of the gathering. "Hmm¡­ It won''t work. I should try contacting him." Just as Yeonsoo gathered the courage to send a message to Jinseok, "Wow¡­ There are so many people." Suddenly hearing a voice from behind, Yeonsoo was startled. Then, someone behind herughed casually and said, "Haha, sorry. I didn''t mean to surprise you." Yeonsoo turned around with wide eyes. "Oppa? Why are you here, Oppa?" Stunned by the unexpected question, Yeonsoo blurted out something strange. To her, Jinseok chuckled and said, "Why am I here? Because it''s a gathering." "Oh, right¡­ No, not that! Oppa, are you okay?" "Am I okay? Ah, because of the article yesterday?" Jinseok said with a lightugh. "Of course, I''m fine. It''s just a gossip, no big deal." "Just a gossip¡­" "The manager said there''s no problem at all, so I''m not worried." Yeonsoo was dumbfounded by Jinseok''s nonchnt tone. Seeing Yeonsoo''s expression, Jinseok smiled and said, "Have everyone else arrived? I''d like to greet them before the gathering starts." "Oh, yes. Everyone is here. But, Oppa, with so many people, how did you manage to sneak in without being noticed?" "I just parked in the underground parking lot and took the elevator up. Through the back door." "What if someone caught you doing that!" "Well, no one did, so it''s fine. Plus, since I came with the manager, even if I ran into someone, it probably wouldn''t be a big deal." Yeonsoo stared at Jinseok, who spoke and acted as usual, with a dumbfounded expression. ¡®Is he really okay after what happened yesterday?'' As a fan of Jinseok and a friend, she felt relieved. Smiling brightly, Yeonsoo gently pulled Jinseok''s arm. "Then let''s go meet the professors. They''re in the ssroom next to the seminar room." *** ¨C CEO Lee Youngkyung,e out right now! ¨C If you don''te out, we''re going in! ¨C Come out! Come out! Hearing the angry voices from outside, Lee Youngkyung rubbed his forehead roughly. "Ugh, damn it! What are the police doing? Why aren''t they dealing with those bastards quickly!" Lee Youngkyung shouted in frustration. However, there was no one to answer him in such a state. Most of the secretaries and even the department heads were on vacation or hadn''te to work. Even the directors, who used to fawn over Lee Youngkyung like minions, were nowhere to be found. "Ugh¡­" Sighing deeply, Lee Youngkyung started smoking a cigarette. After smoking three in a row, he seemed to calm down a bit. However, it didn''tst long. "You son of a b***, Ryu Seongho! How dare you betray me!" Bang! Lee Youngkyung mmed his desk forcefully, muttering angrily. "No, whatever you''re preparing, it won''t work." Lee Youngkyung had maintained connections with people from various social strata, expecting that one day, in the dirty business world, he might face such a situation and would need help from these people. Among them were directors from a famousw firm, a member of the National Assembly, and even a former minister. "I won''t die. Absolutely not. How did I crawl up to this point?" Lee Youngkyung took a deep breath, calming his mind. He knew very well that he had to respond calmly in times like these. "If I go down, there will be more than a few people in trouble. Just catching one of those bastards will be nothing." After checking his contacts for a moment, Lee Youngkyung''s eyes sparkled as he pressed the call button. [Hello?] "Oh, President Oh Sungchan. This is Lee Youngkyung." [Call me Director. I''m not a member of the National Assembly anymore.] "Haha, yes, Director." [So, why did you bother calling me? Oh, is it about ¡®I Want to Know That?''] "Haha¡­ Yes, that''s right. Because of that, I have some things to discuss with you. How about I arrange a meal for us?" Lee Youngkyung hoped that Oh Sungchan would respond with the same enthusiasm as he presented himself. But then, [President Lee Youngkyung. I think this time might be a bit difficult for me.] "What?" [I heard something, and soon there will be a raid on KL Entertainment. And the prosecutor in charge is Lee Minyoung. I might have to step forward¡­ I''m sorry.] Through the phone, words that were far from his usual optimistic tone flowed. Perplexed, Lee Youngkyung asked in a trembling voice, "No, Director. Just who is this Lee Minyoung to make you sound so anxious?" Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Dawn, Seoul Central District Prosecutors'' Office. Lee Minyoung quickly scanned through the thick documents. As someone ustomed to swift work, she was workingter than usual, handling not only routine tasks but also overseeing Jinseok''s case. A subordinate cautiously asked Minyoung, "Prosecutor, aren''t you leaving for the day?" "Yes. I need to look through this a bit more. You go home first." Even though she didn''t look at him while speaking, the detective didn''t feel offended at all. Having worked with Minyoung for a long time, he knew her style well. The subordinate nced at his watch. It was 3:30 in the morning. The quitting time had long passed. "I''d like to stay and help Prosecutor as much as possible, but¡­" Today, he had to leave on time. For several days now, he hadn''t been able to go home, and his wife was probably getting anxious. Although it was alreadyte, if he didn''t go home today, he wouldn''t be able to handle the aftermath."Well then, I''ll head home first." "Yes. Good work." Once again, she didn''t look at him, but the detective didn''t mind. After respectfully bowing, he left the office. Six hourster. "Good morning." The detective, dragging his tired body, returned to the office. "Wee." As always, Lee Minyoung was the first to arrive at the office. The detective looked at Minyoung, who greeted him, with surprised eyes. "Could it be that she''s pulling an all-nighter again?" Minyoung''s appearance hadn''t changed since six hours ago. The only difference was that the pile of documents on the right had shifted to the left. "Prosecutor, didn''t you leave work again today?" "I went to the sauna for a moment." Just as the detective was about to say more, Minyoung, without taking her eyes off the documents, looked at him. "Oh, I found quite a few connections with gangsters in the KL Entertainment materials. Some of the people we know are involved." "Yes, it seems like clean business is hard toe by." "I''ll give you the list of names now. We''ve already obtained a warrant from Judge Seo." As Minyoung casually spoke, the detective nced at his wristwatch. "It''s not even 10 yet, and she''s got a warrant from the judge?" That meant she had contacted the judge early in the morning. Seeing the detective standing still, Minyoung asked, "Is there a problem?" "Oh, no. Should we leave now?" "Yes. But there are some rough characters, so make sure you''re well-prepared before you go." When Minyoung expressed concern for him, the detective chuckled lightly and said, "With Prosecutor Lee''s warrant, who would dare to mess up?" *** "Hyung, did you see the news yesterday? It won''t affect us much, right? We had some dealings with KL Entertainment, remember?" Early in the morning, Park Hongwoo, a gangster, was grilling pork belly and ncing at his subordinate sitting across from him while taking a big bite of chili. "It''s okay, man. It''spletely unrted to us." "But still¡­" "Enough. Stop worrying about useless things and eat the meat. It''s Hanwoo beef." "Yes." When Park Hongwoo spoke calmly, his subordinates refrained from bringing up anything rted to KL Entertainment. That''s when it happened. Bam! "Come on, everyone, wake up! A friendly and affectionate letter, an ¡®arrest warrant,'' has arrived!" The police, breaking in as if smashing the door, quickly upied the office. "What is this? What warrant? We''ve been quiettely, haven''t we?" When Park Hongwoo, with a stern expression, spoke, the detective at the forefront smiled broadly. "Hongwoo, just because it''s been quiettely doesn''t mean your past crimes are getting sorted out." "Hongwoo? Who are you¡­ Oh no." As Park Hongwoo confirmed the detective''s face, he let out a heavy sigh. "Why are you here again? Don''t tell me Minyoung sent you again?" "Minyoung? Is she a close friend of yours, a chief prosecutor in South Korea?" "¡­" "Anyway, listen up. Park Hongwoo, assault, aggravated fraud, procuring prostitution, extortion, and embezzlement¡­ oh, if you go in this time, you probably won''t see the light of day again. Let''s cooperate nicely, shall we?" After hearing his charges, Park Hongwoo looked at the detective in disbelief. "No, seriously, when did Imit those crimes? I''ve been in and out for 15 years, and there''s more left?" "Yeah, right. But why ask me when it happened? It''s your wrongdoing." "Are you kidding me right now?" Park Hongwoo covered his face with his hands. If it were any other prosecutor, they might not have unearthed the hidden criminal activities as Minyoung would. For a few seconds, Park Hongwoo, who had been scowling, extended both hands. "Hurry up and put on the handcuffs since they have a search warrant. If we''rete again and Prosecutor Lee gets angry likest time, I''m scared." "Wow, you''re being incredibly calm." "Just say the right things. Say you came quietly." "But don''t worry too much. When I saw the Prosecutor''s face this morning, it didn''t seem like she was trying to scold you." Park Hongwoo''s expression brightened at those words. "Oh, she came to catch the big boss?" "Probably." Click. With handcuffs on, Park Hongwoo turned to his subordinates. For someone being arrested, he seemed rather cheerful, thanks to what the detective had saidst. "Let''s go." "Yes." Following the detective obediently, Park Hongwoo spoke to his subordinates. "I''ll be back soon. Eat some Hanwoo while I''m gone." ¡ª "¡­So, ording to Prosecutor Lee, if I testify that I did these things under the request of KL Entertainment, will she consider my other crimes nonexistent? Is that right?" Park Hongwoo spoke steadily in the interrogation room. In front of him, Minyoung seemed tired, massaging her neck and turning it from side to side. "So, the sins will disappear? You''re saying instead of 13 years of beating, it''ll be reduced to only 8 years?" "Eight years? Prosecutor, you''re being too harsh. I''m cooperating so well." "Well, didn''t we call Mr. Park Hongwoo here first? Do you think the gangsters involved with KL Entertainment are only Mr. Park Hongwoo? If you keep talking nonsense while I''m busy, I''ll call in the next guys." "¡­" "Hurry up and wrap this up. What''s your n?" Park Hongwoo sighed at Minyoung''s upromising attitude. "Ugh¡­ Minyoung is disgusting. What kind of connection did we have in our past lives for this to keep happening?" If it were any other prosecutor, Minyoung would be truly formidable, even in such circumstances. Thinking that prolonging the time unnecessarily might lead to a longer sentence, Park Hongwoo nodded. "Alright. I understand. I''ll do as you say, so please be lenient. I''ve been living decently since I got married." "Considering your actions, I''ll include parole conditions and various other things. I''ll try to make the visitations as free as possible." "Thank you. Can I stamp here?" "Yes." Park Hongwoo dipped his thumb in ink and stamped his fingerprint on the confession statement he had written. After confirming the stamp, Minyoung spoke to the detective beside her. "Thank you for your hard work. Officer, please prepare a meal for Mr. Park Hongwoo and bring in the next person." "Yes, Prosecutor." The detective escorted Park Hongwoo out. At that moment, Vrrring. A mobile phone in Minyoung''s pocket rang. ¡®Who could it be?'' Minyoung checked the caller ID. [Oh Sungchan] ¡®Why is this person¡­'' Oh Sungchan was Minyoung''s senior, a former chief prosecutor when Minyoung was a rookie prosecutor. He had entered politics after leaving the prosecutor''s office, serving three terms as a member of the National Assembly. Currently, he works as a director at a prestigiousw firm, wielding significant power. Back when he was a prosecutor, their rtionship wasn''t bad. They were seniors and juniors, so they took care of each other in various ways. However, that didn''t mean they were close enough for him to contact her out of the blue. "Yes, senior. Minyoung speaking." After a brief hesitation, Minyoung answered the call. [Oh, it''s you, Prosecutor. Long time no see. How have you been?] "Yes, senior. I''ve been well. I hope you''ve been doing well too." [Sure.] After exchanging casual greetings, Minyoung spoke. "I''m sorry, senior, but I''m currently in the middle of work. If it''s not urgent, could I call you backter? Or I can contact you separately after I finish my work." [Oh, you were working. Sorry for bothering you while you''re busy.] Oh Sungchan, with a light chuckle in his voice, then dropped an ufortable question on Minyoung. [Is it about the KL Entertainment case, by any chance?] "Uh¡­ yes. How did you know about that?" [I just happened to hear. Anyway, cut to the chase. Can you spare some time today? Let''s grab a meal.] "Today, I''m a bit busy¡ª" [I know. I know you''re a busy prosecutor. That''s why I called you myself. I have someone I want to introduce to you.] "Someone you want me to meet?" [Yes. It''s about time you start looking around, isn''t it? It might be a useful opportunity for you. Don''t avoid it, okay?] Upon hearing Sungchan''s words, Minyoung felt a sense of difort. More precisely, it wasn''t difort but rather an unwee feeling. ¡®I don''t want to go.'' However, refusing a direct call from a senior, especially one with significant influence, was not an easy task. It wasn''t because Minyoung was the type to be influenced by her senior or to be cautious of his reactions. It was solely because of the ¡®power'' that Oh Sungchan held. ¡®If I casually refuse Oh Sungchan, it might strain my rtionship with judges¡­ and it might interfere with handling this case.'' Even though Sungchan was someone she would eventually deal with, for now, Minyoung needed to keep her intentions hidden. After a moment of contemtion, Minyoung responded. "I understand. Where should I go?" [As expected! This prosecutor. I''ll send you the address. Come as soon as possible. I''ll be waiting.] "Yes." After ending the call, another detective, apanied by another gangster, entered the interrogation room. Unlike Park Hongwoo, the man seemed quite tense. Minyoung, looking at the documents, spoke to the gangster. "You''re Joo Hyunchul, right?" "Yes, yes, yes. That''s me." "You don''t have to be so nervous. Depending on your cooperation, Joo Hyunchul, you might avoid prison time. Of course, it could go the other way." Minyoung looked directly into Joo Hyunchul''s eyes as she spoke. "Four years ago, you were in charge of the campaign funds when Oh Sungchan ran for his fourth term, right?" "Yes, yes." "At that time, you received election funds from KL Entertainment. We have evidence, but we need a clear statement for the trial. So, please tell the truth during the trial." Minyoung showed Joo Hyunchul a thick bundle of documents as she continued. "Also, there''s something else. You''re aware that Oh Sungchan covered up the drug use and overseas gambling of KL Entertainment celebrities, right? Considering you continued working under Oh Sungchan even after the election, you must be aware." "¡­" "We have all the evidence for this too. If you cooperate, I''ll make sure Joo Hyunchul doesn''t go to prison. What do you say? Will you cooperate?" Minyoung had effectively sealed off all escape routes for Oh Sungchan. After all, he was the subject of this investigation. Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Seoul, Gangnam, an upscale Korean restaurant. As Minyoung stepped out of her car, she surveyed the surroundings outside the restaurant. "It looks like this is the ce." It was a building with high walls,nterns, and a tiled roof, clearly suggesting an expensive establishment. Being invited to such ces wasn''t new for Minyoung, especially as she climbed the ranks and dealt with sensitive cases. However, this was the first time she had epted an invitation. That spoke to how meticulous Minyoung was. "I didn''t want toe this time either, but well." As Minyoung entered the restaurant, a staff member stopped her and inquired, "Excuse me, have you made a reservation?" "I''m here to meet Senior Oh Sungchan. I''m Minyoung."Upon hearing this, the staff member''s expression softened, and they smiled warmly. "Oh, you''re here. I''m sorry I didn''t recognize you. Please follow me." Whether it was because she was Oh Sungchan''s guest or for some other reason, the treatment was noticeably different. The staff member led Minyoung to the deepest part of the restaurant, saying, "Here you go. Pleasee in." "Yes." After a slight nod to the staff member, she knocked on the door. "It''s Minyoung. May Ie in?" "Oh! You''re here. Come in, Prosecutor." "Yes." Minyoung opened the door and stepped inside. The first thing that caught her eye was arge dining table, about 4-5 meters long, covered with an abundance of food that could break a leg if someone identally stumbled into it. Whether they had just started the meal or had been waiting until Minyoung arrived, there were no signs of anyone touching the food. But what intrigued Minyoung more than the extravagant feast was the presence of two men. "Somehow I didn''t want toe, and there he is." One of them was Oh Sungchan, who greeted her warmly, and the other was a man Minyoung recognized as Lee Youngkyung, the head of KL Entertainment. As Minyoung stood still, Oh Sungchanughed heartily and spoke to her. "Haha! Long time no see, Prosecutor. How have you been?" Minyoung, with a stern expression, replied to Oh Sungchan. "It''s been a while, Senior. I apologize for not being able to visit you sooner. However, it seems I don''t belong here. I''ll make my wayter." Upon hearing Minyoung''s words, Oh Sungchan''s expression stiffened for a moment. Soon after, he rxed his expression and spoke to Minyoung again. "You''re still as stern as ever. Come on, don''t be like that. Sit here." "Senior, I''m not sure if you''re aware, but the person sitting there, Lee Youngkyung, is someone I''m nning to prosecute soon. I say soon, but it could be as early as tomorrow¡ª" "Prosecutor, I know. Do you think I would have called you without knowing that? Well¡­" Minyoung fell silent as Oh Sungchan intended to lecture her, but he quickly moved on to the main point. "Lee Youngkyung, the President over there. He knows a lot of people and could be of great help for your future sess. We''re not close, but we have some connection. But if you fight and bicker with someone like him, how awkward would it be for me?" "¡­" "I''m not saying you shouldn''t prosecute him at all. You have your pride as a prosecutor, and you''ve investigated so far. How should I put it? Just handle it appropriately. Right, Mr. President?" "Oh, yes. That''s correct." Unlike his usual self, Lee Youngkyung seemed quite subdued. It was understandable, considering that the oue of Oh Sungchan and Minyoung''s conversation could significantly impact his future. Contrary to Lee Youngkyung''s wish, Minyoung had no intention of cutting her some ck. "I apologize, Senior. I''ll just leave now." Having said that, Minyoung turned around without hesitation and left. "Hey, Minyoung!" Oh Sungchan shouted at Minyoung''s back. "You, seriously, do you have to trample on the senior''s dignity like that?!" "¡­" "And you, are you so pristine? In life, people inevitably make mistakes and do various things, right? I''ve looked into it briefly, but if we''re talking about President Lee Youngkyung, he''s rtively clean!" The atmosphere quickly became tense due to Oh Sungchan''s stern words. Lee Youngkyung remained silent, observing Minyoung and Oh Sungchan. At that moment, Minyoung turned around slowly and spoke. "Senior, you taught me that if someonemits a crime, they should face the consequences. I don''t know how much you''ve looked into it, but Mr. Lee Youngkyung must face the consequences." "Minyoung, you''ll keep doing this!" "¡­" "If you keep going like this, I also have ways! How about receiving gratitude once and letting your soul be exposed? Do you think you''ve climbed up there without making a mistake or taking any kickbacks?" Minyoung didn''t respond to Oh Sungchan''s words. Thinking that his threat or persuasion had worked, Oh Sungchan smirked slightly and said, "Prosecutor, I apologize for what I just said. You know my style, right? I tend to blurt things out when I''m excited. Sorry, okay?" "Senior, I appreciate your offer to expose me as much as you want. I have nothing to be ashamed of." "¡­" "Well then, I''ll take my leave." With those words, Minyoung exited the room. Despite hearing Oh Sungchan''s intense curses directed at her from behind, she paid no attention. Minyoung headed back to her car and took out her mobile phone to make a call. "Judge Seo, this is Minyoung. I apologize for thete call. Regarding the arrest warrant for Director Oh Sungchan that I mentioned earlier, it seems we need to expedite the process. Also, the warrant for Mr. Lee Youngkyung." *** ¡®Ha, something seems to be going wrong.¡¯ After the meal with Oh Sungchan, Youngkyung leaned back in the rear seat, sighing inwardly. ¡®Oh Sungchan told me not to worry, but still, it''s concerning.¡¯ Thanks to Minyoung causing a scene and leaving, the reception area was in chaos. However, since the preparations were already made, Youngkyung did his best to entertain Oh Sungchan sincerely. He called in rookie actors and celebrities that Oh Sungchan liked. ¡®I should probably look into other aspects as well.¡¯ Youngkyung had connections with various people, not just Oh Sungchan, in many different ways. While Oh Sungchan was the first person he contacted due to his significant influence in the legalmunity, he was not the only one. Youngkyung took out his mobile phone and started going through his contacts. However, he couldn''t find anyone who could neatly resolve this crisis. "Tsk¡­" Youngkyung clicked his tongue and decided to check the online portal sites to gauge public opinion. But then¡­ ¡®What''s this now?¡¯ A news article that furrowed his brows was featured on the main page of the portal site. [Kang Jinseok Receives Hollywood Audition Proposal¡­ Will He Take It?] The title wasn''t particrly provocative or long, but it was enough to attract Youngkyung''s click. Youngkyung clicked on the article. ¡ª¡ª [Kang Jinseok Receives Hollywood Audition Proposal¡­ Will He Take It?] Reporter Lee Hanyoung. Director James Won, well-known to Korean movie fans for films like ¡®Saw,'' ¡®The Conjuring,'' and ¡®Insidious,'' has been making headlines for extending an audition offer to actor Kang Jinseok. OS Entertainment, Kang Jinseok''s agency, released an official statement via social media, stating, "We cannot provide precise details at the moment. While it''s true that Kang Jinseok received an audition proposal from a renowned Hollywood director, amidst recent baseless rumors, Kang Jinseok has politely declined, nning to take a break from his acting activities for the time being." Fans expressed disappointment about Kang Jinseok taking a break, yet did not hide their resentment towards KL Entertainment in thements. ¡ª¡ª As soon as Youngkyung read the article, he kicked the front seat with his foot. "What the hell? Are they ming us for not going to see the Hollywood audition?!" Whether it was true or not, Youngkyung was not in a good mood. With KL Entertainment and himself already facing unfavorable public opinion, such an article would only worsen the situation. "I need to act quickly. If the situation doesn''t improve from here, it might be irreparable." Youngkyung hurriedly checked his contacts. Then, he sent a group message to influential people who could potentially help him. "Help me." *** "Manager. Is it true that Director James Won offered an audition?" During a long-awaited dinner with Jang Sunho, a memory of something he had said before crossed my mind. Jang Sunho nodded calmly when I asked about it. "Yes. However, I declined because I felt the script and role wouldn''t suit actor Kang Jinseok''s image. Also, considering the situation with KL Entertainment that I posted on social media, I thought it might be good for you to take a break." "Hmm." I was truly grateful for his concern, but it still left me feeling a bit disappointed. After all, it was an opportunity for Hollywood. I wished I had at least tried the audition. "What was the role?" "A serial killer with dissociative identity disorder named Harry Sung. The story is based on a memoir written by a former FBI agent about his experiences." "It sounds like a quite heavy role." Hearing about the role, I somewhat understood why Jang Sunho had declined. Probably due to his emphasis on ¡®image management,'' he always preferred roles that portrayed a positive character. "It''s a bit regrettable." I must have revealed my feelings on my face because Jang Sunho cautiously asked, "If you''re disappointed, I can contact them again and express your willingness to audition." "Even though you''ve already declined?" "Yes. I intended you to take a break because of KL Entertainment, but if it''s a project by Director James Won, I''d like you to be a part of it for sure." "Manager, isn''t this too much trouble for you?" "It''s not much trouble at all. Just writing an email and making a phone call. However¡­" Jang Sunho hesitated, his words trailing off as he spoke. "I am concerned about you." "Because of my image?" "No, it''s you''re acting that I worry." I tilted my head in confusion, not quite understanding. Jang Sunho calmly added an exnation. "From what I''ve observed, you have a style ofpletely immersing yourself in the role when you act. It''s not just about being a good actor; it''s about embodying the character." "Haha, suddenly such praise¡ª" "That''s why I''m worried." Interrupting me, Jang Sunho continued. "If it were a different role, I wouldn''t mind. But ying a murderer, especially a ¡®multiple personality murderer,'' seems like a significant burden for you. I hope it''s just my excessive concern." "¡­" "I initially thought I''d like you to take on such a role. However, the more I read the script and synopsis, the more I felt that it might not be suitable. It''s a very brutal story, fitting for a director like James Won." Jang Sunho took a document bundle from his bag and handed it to me. "This is the synopsis that Director James Won sent. Would you like to take a look?" Chapter 186: Chapter 186: "Why on earth are you so concerned about the content of the work?" Curious about the synopsis, I was grateful for Jang Sunho''s concern. He worried that the role I was ying might be emotionally burdensome. Would there be another manager like this one? "I need to treat the manager well." Resolving once again, I carefully took the synopsis that Jang Sunho handed over. "I''ll take a look." "Yes." I unfolded the synopsis.¡ª¡ª Title: "Long Time No See, Andy" Andy is an infant adopted from Korea to a rural American vige. He endured various abuses from his foster parents since childhood. In addition to the abuse from his parents, Andy, unable to make real friends due to racial discrimination, found his onlypanion in the ¡®self in the mirror.'' Every day, Andy soughtfort from and shared friendship with his reflection in the mirror. One day, by chance, Andy escapes from his foster parents with the help of a pastor. Receiving proper love for the first time since birth, Andy finally gains a normal life. In no time, Andy excels in academics, entering a prestigious university and eventually bing a young doctor. One day, in the attic of the church, Andy, who fell asleep, wakes up in shock. Holding a bloodied knife, he finds himself in the pastor''s room, and the pastor, covered in blood as if stabbed multiple times, lies beside him. Unable to recall anything, fearing being falsely used as a murderer, Andy hides the pastor''s body behind the church in amunal cemetery. After dealing with the pastor''s body, Andy goes to the shower room to wipe off the blood covering his body. It was the moment he absentmindedly looked into the mirror. Andy encounters the ¡®self in the mirror,'' sporting a bizarre smile. ¡ª¡ª "Ah." The reaction that escaped my lips as I read the synopsis. And along with that reaction, I recalled what Jang Sunho had said earlier. "So that''s why he mentioned it''s intense." I sighed lightly as I covered the synopsis. "Certainly, this kind of work is a bit¡­ intimidating to act in." If it were an ordinary performance, it might be different, but my acting involves ¡®possession.'' It''s the expression of living through and embracing the protagonist''s life, a form of ¡®possession.'' Honestly, I wasn''t sure if I could handle the life of Andy, the protagonist of this work. After covering the synopsis, I sat silently for a while, and Jang Sunho spoke. "How do you feel? Would it be okay to proceed?" "Huh? Oh¡­ I think I understand the meaning Manager-nim conveyed. It''s not for nothing that it''s a James Won director''s work." The work was truly tempting, not just because it was from the renowned director James Won, but simply because of its outstanding artistic merit. So much so that I couldn''t easily return the synopsis to Jang Sunho. "Manager-nim, can I have a bit more time to think?" "Of course. I''ll contact James Won''s side again during that time. We might be able to buy some time until the week after next." "Thank you." As I nodded slightly in gratitude, Jang Sunho spoke as if he had forgotten something. "Oh, by the way, how is your English, actor-nim?" *** On the way back home after finishing dinner with Jinseok. Jang Sunho couldn''t shake off the image of Jinseok reading the synopsis of "Long Time No See, Andy." "If he''s an actor, he''ll eventually audition." If Jinseok decides to audition, Jang Sunho will support him toplete the audition. However, Jang Sunho hoped that Jinseok wouldn''t choose this particr work. It was because of the reason he mentioned to Jinseok earlier. "Actor Kang has always shown an extraordinary immersion in his performances. If someone like him ys a psychopathic murderer like the protagonist¡­" Jang Sunho, like Jinseok, was intrigued by the work itself. But on a practical level, considering everything, it seemed better not to do this particr work. "Speaking of which, Jinseok''s answer was a bit strange earlier." When Jang Sunho asked, "Do you speak English well?" Jinseok replied, "I¡­ think so." It was a somewhat ambiguous answer. "Maybe he just modestly answered." Honestly, Jang Sunho hoped that Jinseok couldn''t speak English. Because then, whether he wanted to do the work or not, there would be a practical issue preventing him from doing it. Lost in variousplicated thoughts, Jang Sunho shook his head. "Let''s wait for actor-nim''s decision first. Anyway¡­ no matter what you choose, I need to be prepared so that there''s no regret." Jang Sunho changed direction and headed towards thepany. It waste at night, but Jang Sunho still had a lot of work to do. *** "¡­Who eats cup ramen to fill their dinner until this hour and is working overtime, and the team leaderes back after eating at a hotel buffet?" Upon entering the office, Go Seoyeong''s nagging reached Jang Sunho. Ignoring her nagging with one ear, Jang Sunho said. "I suggested going for a meal together, but Manager Go said you wouldn''te." "If you said it was a hotel buffet, I would have gone! I thought you were going to a beef soup restaurant near here again!" "Where were you nning to go and not go with the actor?" Jang Sunho''sment was casual, but it had a significant impact on Go Seoyeong. "W-Well, it''s not like that." When Go Seoyeong spoke with a slightly broken voice, Jang Sunhoughed lightly and said, "Alright. Once things are settled with KL Entertainment, let''s go eat together. I went there for the first time today, and it was delicious." "R-Really?" "Yes. But Manager Go, please treat me. I heard your sry has increased a lot." "Even so, it''s not even half of the team leader''s sry." She grumbled, but Go Seoyeong''s mood seemed to improve as her face rxed. Handing a file to Jang Sunho, Go Seoyeong said, "I wrote down the contents of the conversation with Prosecutor Lee Minyoung earlier. She said they n to arrest everyone rted to President Lee Youngkyung tomorrow morning." "Faster than expected. Did the warrant alreadye out?" Jang Sunho nodded. "If the warrant is out, I probably don''t need to worry more about the KL Entertainment case." Now, all that remained was the legal battle. If necessary, he could attend as a witness, but with sufficient evidence and public opinion already turned against KL Entertainment, it didn''t seem necessary. "Manager Go yed a significant role." Jang Sunho nced at Go Seoyeong. She responded with a somewhat awkward voice. "W-Why are you suddenly looking at me like that? It makes me ufortable." "Just grateful. Manager Go yed a significant role in resolving the trouble caused by KL Entertainment. I wouldn''t have been able to handle it smoothly if it weren''t for you." "Don''t praise me so awkwardly." Go Seoyeong avoided Jang Sunho''s gaze as if it tickled her. "Oh, and James Won''s manager called earlier. He really won''t audition? He even asked if the reason for not auditioning was because of KL Entertainment." "When did that calle?" "About 10 minutes ago." Go Seoyeong pointed to the office phone on Jang Sunho''s desk. "They asked for a prompt response. Director James Won is eagerly waiting." "Hmm." Jang Sunho fell into deep thought for a moment. ¡®It''s still difficult to answer¡­ But I can''t keep someone like Director James Won waiting indefinitely either. It''s awkward.'' It was gratifying and pleasant that James Won was showing such interest in Jinseok. Jang Sunho lifted his work phone as if resigned to the situation. ¡®But I should at least give a response. I can''t make him wait indefinitely.'' Jang Sunho started sending a text message to Kim Hyun. The content of the message was a request for a response by the end of the day. *** The next morning, in a standalone house in Hannam-dong, Seoul. Oh Sungchan, who had spent the night with Lee Youngkyung until dawn, rubbed his neck as if tired. "Ugh, my stomach¡­" Perhaps because they had yed intensely after a long time, his back hurt, and his whole body was sore. Oh Sungchan, drinking cold water in the kitchen, regained hisposure. ¡®By the way, that Lee Minyoung, how dare she ignore my words?'' Lee Minyoung, who was still arrogantly talking yesterday, seemed to appear before his eyes. Thinking that he would someday give her a big scolding for daring to defy him, he drank more cold water. "But why is it so noisy outside again?" It was always quiet in the house, but today, the noise from some event outside was audible even inside the house. Oh Sungchan, looking annoyed, nced out the window. Outside, a group of reporters had gathered like a swarm of bees. "What''s going on?" Just as Oh Sungchan was taken aback by the unexpected situation, someone rang the front doorbell. Feeling a sense of unease, Oh Sungchan checked the inte. "Who is it?" [This is the police. We have a warrant, please open the door.] At the mention of a ¡®warrant,'' Oh Sungchan frowned. But more than the fact that a warrant had been issued, what irritated Oh Sungchan was the attitude of the police. ¡®What? ¡®Oh Sungchan?'' Who the hell is this guy going to¡­'' He wanted to open the door right away and give him a good p, but Oh Sungchan held back for now. With so many reporters outside, he couldn''t afford to show such behavior. ¡®But a warrant. Who is it from?'' One face came to Oh Sungchan''s mind. ¡®Could it be Lee Minyoung?'' Besides Lee Minyoung, who has been investigating various irregrities at KL Entertainment recently, there was no one else who woulde after him. ¡®This bitch was talking nonsense yesterday, and now she''s sticking her nose out even further.'' While thinking about this internally, Oh Sungchan felt uneasy. He knew Lee Minyoung''s capabilities better than anyone. Then, the doorbell rang again. Ding-dong. [Senior, it''s me, Lee Minyoung. I had toe too because the police can''t go alone to arrest you.] At the same time, a familiar voice flowed through the inte. [Please open the door quickly. We have a lot to do today.] Chapter 187: Chapter 187: ["Kang Jinseok Rumor" Maniption Suspicions: President and Directors of KL Entertainment Detained] [Prosecution Raiding Former Minister and Current Member of Parliament. What''s the story with KL Entertainment?] [Lead Prosecutor Lee Minyoung, "We will handle it ording tow and principles. There is nothing more to say."] [Unprecedented Joint Statement from Both Opposition and Ruling Parties: "Let the People Prevent the High-handedness of the Prosecution and Prosecutor Lee Minyoung."] [Prosecution: "This prosecutor is the principled one gangsters fear the most. Most people who call her ¡®high-handed'' are usually criminals."] "Hmm. Looks like things are gradually settling down." Once again, while sipping his morning coffee, Oh Haneul mumbled to himself as he watched the news. "By the way, I wonder if Prosecutor Lee Minyoung is okay." No matter how much they im to follow w and principles," ultimately, prosecutors are also members of an organization. Members of the vast organization called the prosecution.As such, making enemies so boldly all at once would make life within the organization very difficult. Whether what they''re doing is right or wrong, human rtionships are what they are. "Being a deputy prosecutor at such a young age, I don''t have to worry, but still, it must be nerve-wracking." Oh Haneul didn''t know why Lee Minyoung was pressuring KL Entertainment so much and assisting OS Entertainment. But regardless of the reason, it was a fact that he received help. Oh Haneul was someone with a clear rtionship with Eunwon. He immediately called Secretary-General Kang Kyungsik. [Kang Kyungsik, I have a call for you.] "Yes, Secretary-General. Good morning. There''s a lot of interesting news this morning." [That''s correct.] "While Secretary Kang must have handled it well, there shouldn''t be any issues we need to worry about, right?" [I''ve already checked, and there''s absolutely nothing to worry about.] Oh Haneul nodded at Kang Kyungsik''s words. "As expected of President. You''re doing well. However, the reason I called isn''t about that." [Then why did you call?] "I was wondering if our legal and audit teams could create a position for Prosecutor Lee Minyoung." Although Oh Haneul casually mentioned it as if it were nothing, Kang Kyungsik was visibly flustered and couldn''t respond immediately. "President?" [Oh, I''m sorry. So, are you suggesting that we hire Prosecutor Lee Minyoung?] "Yes. As you know, President, if it bes too noticeable like this, she might notst long in the prosecution." [Yes.] "Regardless of the intention, we received assistance in the end. So, I want to return the favor a bit. As a legal advisor or something simr. What do you think?" Oh Haneul was asking for Kang Kyungsik''s opinion, but Kang Kyungsik could tell that Oh Haneul had already made up his mind. [Understood, President. I''ll discuss it with the relevant departments and prepare for the possibility of hiring.] "Yes. Just check if there''s a position avable. She might not want it, after all." [Got it.] Oh Haneul hung up the phone calmly. Then, with a satisfied expression, he continued watching the news. *** Jinseoky on the living room sofa, staring nkly at the ceiling. A synopsis of "" was ced on his stomach. "It''s a tempting piece the more you look at it¡­ But it''s troubling." He continued to ponder without even sighing. Should he take on this project or not? Of course, expressing the intention to do so didn''t mean he would get the role. He had to go through auditions first. The auditions wouldn''t be easy either. Considering the quality of the work and the director''s status, many outstanding Hollywood actors would probably apply. However, the reason for his hesitation was that just participating in the audition would mean encountering the "killer ghost," and honestly, meeting a "killer ghost" was scary. "A serial killer with multiple personalities¡­ It can''t be normal." After much contemtion, Jinseok got up from the sofa and headed to the kitchen. He took out the green juice that Jang Sunho had made from the refrigerator, poured it into a ss, and stared at it with a tense expression. "Ah, I should drink it today as well¡­" As Jinseok tasted the bitter vor, which he couldn''t get used to even after drinking it every day, he slightly wrinkled his face. Then, in a hurry, he put a grape-vored candy in his mouth. "Instead of pondering alone, should I meet the ghost in my dreams first?" Jinseok felt like he could encounter the "ghost" whenever he fell asleep. Encountering the ghost of a serial killer was indeed a bit frightening. After pondering for a while while twirling the candy, Jinseok made a decision. "Yes, let''s meet him for now. It might be a bit scary, but it can''t be that bad." Feeling the candy slowly diminishing in his mouth, Jinseoky down on the bed. After a night of contemtion, he fell asleep quickly. *** I found myself in the dreamlike "white space" after a long time. It was the usual dream space, but I was much more nervous than usual. It was because this time, I was going to meet a ghost, a murderous one at that. And then, it happened. "Hello." Someone behind me greeted me with a weak voice. It was an ordinary greeting, but because of my heightened tension, I turned around in surprise. When I turned around, I saw the ghost who greeted me. The first impression¡­ looked pitiful. Although the face was quite handsome, and the height was tall, everything was overshadowed by a sense of misery. As I stared at the ghost, trying to make sense of it, the ghost lowered its head again in greeting. "Hello. I''m Andy Miller." "Oh, yes." Andy extended his hand to me. I cautiously shook his hand. "Cold." It felt much colder than when I shook hands with other ghosts. Seeing my slight surprise at the sensation, Andy gave a wry smile. "I see you were surprised by the coldness. It''s a characteristic of ghosts who took their own lives." After asking, I realized it might be a somewhat impolite question to ask a deceased person. "That was the only way to stop ¡®Andy Miller.''" Fortunately, Andy nodded as if not caring at all. "You''ll learn more about these things gradually, so I won''t say more. I sense you''re still debating whether you should y the role of a murderer or not." I nodded slightly. "Yes. I might make you feel ufortable saying this, but honestly, experiencing your life scares me." "I understand. Waking up every morning scared me too. I fully understand what you''re saying." "¡­" "So, that''s why I came here. It''s at a time when you haven''t even decided if you''ll take on the role yet." Andy said, looking at my reaction with a distant gaze. Come to think of it, he hadn''t made eye contact with me since our first meeting. "While it''s known to the public that I killed 30 people, the actual number is 39." "¡­You killed thirty-nine people?" "Yes." Thirty-nine was already an unimaginable number, and yet he said thirty-nine. In response to my shock, Andy gave a wry smile and took a step back. It seemed like he was distancing himself for my sake, knowing that I was afraid of him. Continuing his confession, Andy spoke with a sense of penance. "Out of the 39 people I killed, the families of the 9 whose bodies were never found are still searching for them. I don''t want to see the families of victims suffer in agony, clinging to a painful hope." "¡­?" "Even after decades, the police are still looking for the bodies, but as time passes, traces of ¡®me'' fade, making it difficult to find the bodies. If this continues, they might eventually give up." "So¡­ is what you''re saying that I should reveal the locations of the victims'' bodies?" "Yes. It shouldn''t be too difficult. Director James Won analyzed my movements and chose the shooting location nearby. He''s a truly remarkable director." Throughout the conversation, Andy, who had shown a deste atmosphere, seemed as if he might burst into tears at any moment. He appeared genuinely saddened and disgusted by his actions. However, I still couldn''t fully trust him. Regardless of the circumstances, he was a murderer. "It''s natural for you to doubt me. I have no intention to me or resent someone like you. I''m just asking for a favor." "¡­" "If you''re hesitant, how about just auditioning once? At that time, I''ll show you my life. Afterward, you can decide whether to grant my request or not." "Do I need to offer anything in return?" "No." Upon hearing Andy''s words, I could sense that he truly regretted his life. "Alright. I''ll audition first then." As I gave my answer after contemting, Andy deeply bowed in gratitude for my trust. "Thank you. But, actor." It seemed like Andy was slowly transforming into mist and dust, starting to disappear. "Yes?" "To prepare for the audition for this project, you''ll need to memorize the English script. However, I understand that your proficiency in delivering English lines naturally is not at that level. Am I right?" "Well¡­ yes." "In that case, I''ll give you a boost in your English proficiency when you wake up from your sleep." As I felt earlier, seeing how much Andy cared for me, he genuinely seemed to hope that I would grant his request. "Actor, I''m counting on you." *** Late dawn in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor''s Office. Minyoung led her tired body towards the parking lot. Today, she has arrested a total of 32 people. Each one of them held a significant career, a powerful figure whose arrest could potentially overturn the entire country. Beep! As Minyoung pressed the button on her car key, the sound of the car door opening echoed. Just as she was about to get in her car¡­ "Prosecutor Lee Minyoung." Someone called her in the darkness. Minyoung, on guard, turned her head toward the source of the voice. "Who is it?" In the voice that seemed to linger in the air, a man smiled, reassuring Minyoung. The man handed her a business card. "I''m Kang Kyungsik, Secretary-General of OS International. I have something to discuss with you. Could you spare me a moment?" Chapter 188: Chapter 188: "OS International Secretary?" As Lee Minyoung received the business card extended by Kang Kyungsik, she examined it carefully. It was indeed an OS International business card. "Why did OS contact me?" Baffled, Lee Minyoung questioned, and Kang Kyungsik chuckled in response. "Well, we should at least share a meal or some tea, but time being what it is, let me get straight to the point. Our President expressed a desire to bring you on board with OS International." "Me?" "Yes. I''ve heard that you''ve been of significant assistance to the actor Kang Jinseok, who is under our agency. We are truly grateful for your help." Lee Minyoung responded as if it were nothing extraordinary, dismissing Kang Kyungsik''s words. "I didn''t do anything particrly for Kang Jinseok. I just stumbled upon something while investigating another case."In reality, it was to help Jinseok, but that couldn''t be openly admitted. "And I have no intention of quitting my job as a prosecutor yet. There''s still much to do." This, too, was a lie. After concluding this case, Lee Minyoung had ns to resign as a prosecutor. Knowing that she had made too many enemies within the prosecution due to this case, she was well aware that continuing organizational life would be difficult. "Is that so? Nheless, before you decline, would you be willing to hear the terms?" "It''s not about the terms; it''s about my personality. If you take me, OS International will find it quite exhausting." "Why?" "I only knoww and principles. My nature doesn''t fit well with corporate life." As if concluding her words, Lee Minyoung moved to get back into her car. However, at that moment, "It''s a good thing. That''s exactly what our President is hoping for from Deputy Chief Prosecutor-nim." Kang Kyungsik unexpectedly made this remark. In response, Lee Minyoung, who was about to get into her car, turned to look at Kang Kyungsik. "If that''s what the President wants, what does that mean? What are you trying to say?" "I mean sticking steadfastly to principles in the face of any external temptations. Our President, Oh Haneul, desires that strength in Deputy Chief Prosecutor-nim." "¡­?" "He wants you to y the role of candidly sharing ufortable truths. Oh, and just to be frank, we''re not looking to bring you in to expand connections in the legal field." Lee Minyoung had thought that OS International had sought her out for legal advice rather than ethical reasons. It seemed like a crafty maneuver to acquire favorable ¡®connections.'' However, the reality was quite the opposite. As Lee Minyoung stared at him nkly, Kang Kyungsik chuckled lightly and continued, "The President suggested cing you in the audit or legal team, but personally, if you were to join ourpany, I''d like to have you in the secretary''s office." "If it''s OS International''s secretary¡­ the Strategic nning Office sets thepany''s operational policies, isn''t it? It''s just called a secretary''s office in name." "You certainly know your way around. Originally, there was an employee in the secretary''s office, like you, who had been marked as my sessor, but they left for another ce. I hope you can take on that friend''s role." Lee Minyoung was genuinely surprised by his words. "Someone left the OS International secretary''s office for another ce?" It was an unusual urrence unless it was a less-than-desirable workce. Perhaps sensing Lee Minyoung''s curiosity, Kang Kyungsik smiled and said, "You also know this person well." "Someone I know? An employee who left the OS International secretary''s office?" "Yes. Currently, he is Jang Sunho, the team leader in charge of actor Kang Jinseok." "¡­?" "I hope you can take on the role that he used to fulfill. Ever since Sunho left for Kang Jinseok, the secretary''s office has been a bit disorganized. It could use some restructuring." After finishing his statement, Kang Kyungsik checked his watch. "It''s already five in the morning. I might have detained you for too long. I''ve given you my business card, so please think about it carefully and contact me. You''re wee anytime." "Ah¡­ Yes." Lee Minyoung nodded hesitantly. After Kang Kyungsik replied with a bow, he drove away. Watching the gradually disappearing car, Lee Minyoung recalled his words from earlier. "So¡­ Kang Jinseok''s manager was originally a staff member in the OS International secretary''s office?" Come to think of it, she vaguely remembered hearing something about it somewhere before. The managers at OS Entertainment were known for being exceptionally high-spec. It seemed that the rumors were true. "Was he originally the deputy head of the secretary''s office?" Thinking of Jang Sunho, Lee Minyoung chuckled. Deputy head of the secretary''s office. Considering her encounters with him while nning to confront KL Entertainment, it seemed like a role that suited him exceptionally well. While thinking about it, Lee Minyoung nced at Kang Kyungsik''s business card. "epting might not be a bad idea. It could be interesting." Although she thought positively, it wasn''t the time to consider a job change just yet. With the prosecutions of dozens of influential figures just beginning, she would be busy day and night. Nevertheless, Lee Minyoung carefully tucked Kang Kyungik''s business card into her wallet. *** "" You said you''d like to audition for the Hollywood project?" In response to the early morning call from Jinseok, Jang Sunho spoke with a bit of surprise. [Yes. Even though it''s a Hollywood project, I''d like to audition. It seems like it could be a good experience.] "Oh, yes. If the actor wishes¡­ understood." After Jang Sunho awkwardly responded, he immediately asked again. "But, sir. I''ve tranted the synopsis into Korean for you, but the actual script is likely in English. Are youfortable acting in English?" This was an obvious concern and a crucial point to confirm. No matter how good an actor is, if they struggle with thenguage, it could be a deal-breaker. Despite Jang Sunho''s concerns, Jinseok confidently replied, [Yes, no problem.] "Alright then, sir. Before I inform Director James Won''s team about your intention to audition, can I test your English skills once?" *** Confirming Jinseok''s English proficiency, Jang Sunho couldn''t help but be amazed. ¡®¡­He''s good at it.'' It wasn''t just being good at it. Jinseok''s pronunciation and ent were so fluent that one could believe he was a native speaker. ¡®Why did he speak vaguely back then when he''s this good?'' With that question in mind, Jang Sunho found another curiosity. ¡®Come to think of it, he''s good at Japanese too. Is he studyingnguages separately?'' Perhaps Jinseok had been striving for international sess for a long time. Admiring Jinseok''s efforts once again, Jang Sunho said to him, "You''re really good. It seems like you''re even better than me. I feel embarrassed for saying I''d test you." "Haha¡­ No, not at all." After Jinseok replied modestly, he asked Jang Sunho, "Is this good enough to tell Director James Won that I want to audition?" "Of course. If I had known you were this good at English, I would have encouraged you to actively appeal to international projects a bit more." After praising Jinseok once again, Jang Sunho continued, "Since you expressed your interest in auditioning, I''ll contact Director James Won today. Now that we''ve decided, the sooner, the better." *** "Jinseok is going to U.S.?" Once again, in the busy warehouse, Park Chunsam asked while unloading heavy cargo. The person standing beside him, carrying a simr load, answered. "Jinseok sent a KakaoTalk message in the group chat a while ago. Didn''t you see?" "I rarely pay attention to the group chat because you guys always talk nonsense. So, is he going?" "Yeah." "Well, Jinseok, that son of a gun, is going to the U.S. and making it big." Although said yfully, Park Chunsam''s voice was filled with pride. Knowing how hard Jinseok had worked in acting, there was a deep sense of satisfaction in his sess. "So when is he leaving?" "He said he''ll leave as soon as his visa or whatever is sorted out. Normally, it takes a while, but thepany is trying to expedite the process. He might leave by next week at thetest." "Next week, huh? Then shouldn''t we meet up and show some support before he goes?" Upon hearing this, the employees who were eavesdropping around them fell silent. They exchanged nces and uttered a few words. "Well, it might be nice to show support before Jinseok goes." "We''re busy, so going to his ce might be a bit much. How about we go to the airport?" "Going to his house might be a hassle. It''s probably better to go to the airport." "That''s fine. We could each bring a flower bouquet. And since American food might not suit him, we should also bring some food." While they usually took over an hour to decide on a menu for meals, showing ack of unity, the warehouse employees demonstrated a surprising level of determination when it came to matters rted to Jinseok. Once some consensus was reached, the team leader, Park Dupal, spoke up. "Alright, then let''s all go together to support Jinseok on the day of his departure. Dress neatly, no casual attire since it might bother Jinseok. Okay?" "Okay!" Unbeknownst to Jinseok, a grand farewell ceremony was being nned. A very grand departure ceremony, indeed. Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Incheon Airport. I somehow knew I was departing because a group of reporters was waiting for me at the airport. "Actor Kang Jinseok! Hollywood director has extended a love call this time. Could you please share your thoughts on the oue?" Journalists'' questions were always ambiguous, as I always felt. What should I say? In the past, I might have been flustered and asked for help from Jang Sunho, who was standing next to me. But now, I could respond appropriately. "I consider it a truly overwhelming opportunity and will do my best." It was a bit strange to have reporters waiting just for an audition. It was something I couldn''t have imagined in the past. Among them, there was a noticeable group of people. They were middle-aged men in suits. Unfortunately, the suits seemed to be tightly stretched over their muscles, ready to burst at any moment.The airport police seemed to consider these men as potential troublemakers and were desperately trying to prevent them from approaching. "Hey, Jinseok! Fight on!" "If you don''t like the taste, eat the gochujang and ramen I packed in your bag!" "Don''t forget to buy liquor at the duty-free shop on your way back!" "And bring some wrapped-up McDonald''s!" Seemingly oblivious to the gazes of others, the middle-aged men each waved and shouted words of encouragement, not showing the slightest concern for onlookers. I smiled alternately in both directions. When one reporter opened the floodgates with a question, others raised their hands as if they had been waiting. "We are curious about your intention to go to the United States when the school violence rumors have not beenpletely resolved! With the trial, sparked by these rumors, currently underway, could you please share your thoughts on that!" I hadn''t anticipated such a question here. Although it was a somewhat ufortable question to answer, I had no reason to hide, so I decided to speak confidently from the heart. Jang Sunho had advised me before, "Act with confidence." Just as I was about to respond, Jang Sunho took a step forward to speak. However, some reacted even faster than him. The middle-aged man is right next to the reporter. "Huh?" Park Chunsam, with a grim expression, created an intimidating atmosphere. The other men stared at the reporter with a simr intensity. Although they didn''t say much, it seemed like their expressions conveyed a clear message. ["Hey, Mr. Reporter, is that something you say to an actor going to the United States?"] ["Wow, this guy has no clue about reading the atmosphere. Maybe we should teach him how to do it."] ["Hey, Mr. Kim, stop eating cotton candy and handle this reporter."] In the mysteriously charged atmosphere, a problem solver emerged. It was an airport staff member. "Um, excuse me, but Kang Jinseok, your flight is about to depart soon. You should start wrapping up," the employee said with an awkward smile, addressing Jang Sunho. After giving the reporter a cold look, Jang Sunho guided me inside. "Pleasee in, actor." "Oh, sure." Amidst the questions from reporters and farewells from the middle-aged men, Jang Sunho spoke. "Oh, yes. Well then, I''ll go. I''ll do my best ande back." As I spoke, reporters shouted something like "Actor Kang Jinseok, onest question!" and the men yelled, "Do well ande back, Kang Jinseok!" While I wanted to continue responding to both the reporters and the men, Jang Sunho subtly guided me inside, and I found myself partly obliged to enter the airport. As an aside, for some reason, Jang Sunho seemed to have etched the face of the reporter who asked thest question into his memory. After a while, Jang Sunho escorted me to the airne. The first time I went to Japan, everything felt awkward, but having flown a couple of times, it was somewhatfortable. Shortly after taking my seat, the ne took off, and almost simultaneously, the flight attendants brought snacks and drinks. "Snacks¡­!" Reflexively, I reached for the snacks they offered. Since the audition date was confirmed, not only meals but also snacks had been controlled. "Actor, you''re not thinking of having snacks, are you?" "¡­" At Jang Sunho''s weighty question, I could only sit back down with a dejected expression. The flight attendant, initially taken aback by my actions, listened to Jang Sunho''s exnation, chuckled lightly, and left with the snacks. It was a casual exnation that I was on a diet. As I couldn''t tear my eyes away from the snacks, Jang Sunho spoke in a solemn voice. "Not only snacks but also please refrain from eating the in-flight meals for now. The in-flight meals have a tremendous amount of calories." "Today, I only had green juice. Am I supposed to endure twelve hours on an empty stomach?" "Oh, I requested a special meal." "A special meal?" "Yes, it''s not the typical in-flight meal, but if you eat that, you''ll feel reasonably satisfied. Also, there should be a lunchbox prepared by the OS International U.S. branch employee at the destination. You can eat that. It should be sufficient for the audition, right?" That was more than enough. "Alright." Casually responding, I took out the audition script and the original book that Jang Sunho had prepared from my bag. "Where''s the audition script section¡­ Is it here?" The reason for wanting to read the original book was simple. Before the audition, I wanted to check small details not included in the script by referring to the original work. Since I hadn''t had the chance to read the book while memorizing the script, I nned to read it during the flight to the United States. "There isn''t much time, so let''s just read the audition script part." The audition script I received was titled ¡®The Night Andy Miller Killed the Pastor, Reference to Chapter 2 of the Original.'' I began reading the second chapter of the book as per the script. The movie was titled "Long Time No See, Andy," while the original title was "Who Is Andy." ¡ª¡ª The most challenging aspect to understand when investigating Andy Miller was the people he had murdered. Usually, the targets of murderers are those who have caused them harm, such as men who have taken away their wives or people who have tormented them. Except for those who murder for money, this pattern holds for most cases. However, all the people Andy Miller killed were those who had helped him. The first victim was the pastor who had rescued Andy Miller from his foster parents. Then came Andy''s first girlfriend, a guiding professor, club friends, and even the owner and waiter of the restaurant he frequented. Andy seemed to repay their kindness with vengeance by killing them. ¡ª¡ª I felt a bit awkward as soon as I started reading the book. "The original feels like a memoir. Andy Miller wasn''t the protagonist." ¡ª¡ª What was even more unusual was his method of murder. Although Andy Miller was right-handed, he always used his left hand tomit crimes. The forensic examiner said so at the time, and even analyzing the autopsy photos again confirmed that fact. This confused the FBI. Confused, we excluded Andy Miller from the list of suspects. At that time, he was dedicated to the localmunity, and there was no resentment between him and the victims. ¡­ If they had known about the illness called ¡®multiple personality disorder'' at that time, maybe they could have arrested Andy Miller sooner, before he left a shocking suicide note and took his own life. In Andy Miller''s suicide note, he imed responsibility for killing over 30 people, stating that it wasn''t him but ¡®Andy Ramil'' or ¡®his reflection in the mirror.'' ¡ª¡ª "Hmm. It certainly provides a more detailed description of Andy than what''s in the script." But something was odd. "No matter how I look at it, the audition script doesn''t seem to match well." The audition script I received was titled ¡®The Night Andy Miller Killed the Pastor, Reference to Chapter 2 of the Original.'' However, no matter how much I looked, there was no description in Chapter 2 of the book about how Andy Miller killed the pastor. "Is it mentioned in another chapter?" I quickly checked the other chapters of the book. But such content was nowhere to be found. The original focused mainly on solving the case from the perspective of FBI agents. "It just got moreplicated." It felt like looking at the answer key to a math problem, only to find written there, ¡®You can know the answer by solving the problem.'' I wondered if I had missed something, so I went through the book again from the beginning. However, the information I was looking for wasn''t there. That''s when it happened. "Actor." Jang Sunho called me. "You''ve been reading the script and the book for six hours already. How about taking a little break? The audition is in four days, resting now will help with adjusting to the time difference." "Oh, sure." I hadn''t realized so much time had passed. Following Jang Sunho''s suggestion, I closed the script and the book, leaned back in my chair, and closed my eyes. However, my mind was still filled with questions. "How did Andy Miller kill the victims? Why isn''t the script providing clear directions?" Even if I could deliver perfect acting by embodying the character, these lingering questions weren''t easily dismissed. Amidst this curiosity lingering in my mind¡­ "Ah." Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. "The content of Chapter 2 described a person named Andy Miller. Then, could it be that what the director wants is¡­ to imagine and portray how Andy Miller from the book, based on the content, would have killed the pastor?" ¡ª In James Won''s office in Los Angeles, evaluations for the actors who auditioned today were being conducted without reservation. "Lewis Chang seemed tock acting skills more than I expected. He had a sharp edge in the previous work, but there was none of that in today''s audition." "I agree. Now, how about Nakamoto Jack?" "That actor held the knife in his right hand. Regardless of his acting skills, he didn''t even make basic preparations. We wrote in the script ¡®Reference to Chapter 2 of the Original.''" "Was it a mistake?" "Mistake or not, it''s a matter of skill." Despite a lengthy discussion, it seemed no actor perfectly captured the hearts of the production team. At that moment, one of the production team members asked Director James Won, "How about you, Director? Were there any actors you particrly want to see again?" "Nothing in particr. I haven''t found an actor that stood out." James Won expressed his disappointment and continued, "We need an actor who can urately analyze and portray the Andy Miller depicted in the original. To do that, they need to understand the life of the person ¡®Andy Miller.'' Based on the contents of Chapter 2." "That''s correct." "I don''t know if such an actor exists among the remaining auditionees, but we''ll continue the auditions. We still have time." Chapter 190: Chapter 190: After arriving at Los Angeles Airport and retrieving my luggage, Jang Sunho guided me to the exit. "Over here, actor," he said. Unlike me, Jang Sunho moved without hesitation, as if he had been here several times before. "When I went to Japan, there were quite a few reporters. I wonder if it''ll be the same this time," I thought. I wasn''t particrly expecting it, but still, it would have been nice if people had been waiting for me since I hade to the United States. However¡­ "¡­" Outside the exit, there was no one. To be precise, there were many people, but they were all waiting for their acquaintances, not me.A situation quite different from what I had experienced in Korea and Japan. Faced with the temperature difference, I was momentarily bewildered, but I faced reality. Here, I was aplete rookie. While and other works on Netflix had achieved considerable sess, I, in the end, was a neer who had achieved nothing here. It didn''t make me feel bad or ufortable. Instead, it stimted me. "It feels like I''ve returned to being a rookie actor," I thought. Even now, if I were to be honest, I was still a rookie. "Actor Kang! Team Leader Jang!" While I was looking around with various thoughts, a man approached, calling out to me and Jang Sunho. Jang Sunho lightly raised his hand in response to the man who called him, then moved in that direction. "Hello! I''m Lee Jaehyun, the manager who will be assisting Actor Kang Jinseok during his U.S. schedule this time." The man greeted me with a cheerful voice and handed over a stic bag. "Team Leader Jang asked me to prepare a lunchbox for you." A lunchbox! It was truly a wee phrase to hear. Of course, I had eaten the ¡®special meal'' that Jang Sunho had prepared for me on the ne. However, it was a somewhat nd porridge, and to be honest, it didn''t taste good. Itcked the savory vor of regr porridge; it was just like ¡®tasting water.'' "Thank you!" As I graciously epted the lunchbox, Jang Sunho, as if it wasn''t the right time yet, took the lunchbox away, saying, "Let''s move by car first. Mr. Lee, did you happen to park the car openly somewhere?" "I parked it right in front." The car Lee Jaehyun came in was outside the airport. It was the same type of van I used to ride in Korea. "Ah, more than that, it''s truly an honor to meet you in person like this. I''m a big fan of Actor Kang Jinseok." Lee Jaehyun said to me as he started the engine. "Oh, yes! Thank you." "Oh, I should be the one thanking you. Well then, let''s get going." Our destination was ¡®The OS Hotel LA.'' It was a hotel with the same style where I had stayed even in Japan, and the room was truly luxurious. As soon as we arrived, I sat down at the table and hastily started eating the lunchbox. I was curious about the menu since it was a lunchbox in the United States, but it turned out to be the same as what I would eat in Korea. During that time, Jang Sunho checked the schedule with Lee Jaehyun. "ording to the schedule I received, today is a day off. You will finish acting rehearsals by the day after tomorrow and then attend auditions, is that correct?" "Yes, that''s right." "After the audition, will you return immediately?" "Yes. I can''t wait endlessly for the audition results." "Since you''re here, you might as well do some sightseeing. Anyway, I understand. Oh, and didn''t Team Leader Jang mention that you have a meeting to attend?" After ncing at me, Jang Sunho spoke to Lee Jaehyun. "Yes. I have to meet the head of OS USA. I''ll provide you with the details separately." "Understood. Well then, you must be tired froming here. I''ll take my leave now. Rest well!" As Lee Jaehyun cheerfully said goodbye and left the room, Jang Sunho also stood up. "Actor, I''ll be in the next room, so if you need anything, please don''t hesitate to call." "Sure." "And I''ll take the snacks the Warehouse Men gave you from your bag. It''s called ¡®Gyeonmulsengsim.'' Since it''s visible, you might want to try it." I pretended not to know, but as expected, Jang Sunho was thorough. "Then I''ll go out." "Yes¡­" That''s how Jang Sunho left the room, carrying ramen, beef jerky, pickled fish, and gochujang¡ªfoods the middle-aged men had prepared¡ªin both hands. *** Seoul Central District Prosecutor''s Office. There, Prosecutor Lee Minyoung and Ryu Sungho, the director of KL Entertainment 1, were having a serious conversation. "Firstly, thanks to you, Ryu Sungho, the case is being handled smoothly. The evidence is so clear that at this rate, we might be able to finish all the trials by next year." "I''m d I could help." Unlike when dealing with other suspects, Lee Minyoung treated Ryu Sungho with courtesy. Although he was involved in criminal activities, he had made efforts to rectify all wrongs, and Lee Minyoung respected his choice. "And regarding the investigation into Lee Jeongmin that you asked for earlier, we''ve decided to restart it. However, the case has been a long time, and there isn''t much-remaining data. Also, honestly, I''m too busy to handle it all." "I understand, Prosecutor." "Thank you. I entrusted the investigation of Lee Jeongmin to a reliable junior. She''s a friend who is very interested in the KL Entertainment case and is such a responsible person that she will take full responsibility and reveal the truth to the end." At Ryu Sungho''s words, Lee Minyoung bowed deeply. "But the problem is¡­" Lee Minyoung continued with difficult and vague words. "The actions you''ve taken during your 20 years at KL Entertainment are the issue." "My actions¡­ Are you talking about the things I did assisting President Lee Youngkyung?" "Yes. Other directors and employees we are currently investigating are stating that ¡®Ryu Sungho, Lee Youngkyung''s right-hand man, led most of the activities.'' This is evident in the evidence you provided as well." "¡­" "Of course, considering that you actively cooperated, making the handling of this case easier, we intend to take that into ount and adjust the possible sentence ordingly. However¡­ it seems difficult to avoid imprisonment." Even with the mention of imprisonment, Ryu Sungho''s expression remained unchanged. "I understand, Prosecutor. Because that''s the truth. Regardless of my intentions, I did all the dirty deeds under Lee Youngkyung''s orders." He even showed a faint smile, as if feeling relieved. "I will ept the consequences of my sins." Lee Minyoung had aplex expression. She had prosecuted and judged numerous criminals until now, but this was the first time someone readily admitted guilt and expressed willingness to face punishment. However, thew and principles had to be fair to everyone. "I understand. Still, I will try to amodate as much as possible." With a sigh, Lee Minyoung spoke to Ryu Sungho. "Thank you." "Is there anything else I can assist you with?" Ryu Sungho responded as if he had been waiting for that question. "Prosecutor, would it be possible for you to ce Lee Youngkyung and me in the same prison? It would be perfect if we could share a cell." Lee Minyoung was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected request. After quickly regaining herposure, she asked Ryu Sungho, "You want to be in the same prison and even the same cell?" "Yes. I want to see him rotting away in prison, suffering just like my sister did until she died, in pain and agony." "¡­" "Can you do that for me?" Lee Minyoung chuckled ufortably. After a moment, she responded with a somewhat uncertain voice, "I can''t definitively say which prison you''ll go to or how the cell assignments will be made. And, fundamentally, it''s discouraged to ce convicts involved in the same case in the same space. I''ll look into it, but don''t get your hopes up too much." "Just that alone is appreciated." Ryu Sungho, seeming to have no more to say, leaned back on the chair''s armrest. As if almost forgetting, he asked Lee Minyoung, "Oh, Prosecutor. How is the public opinion regarding Actor Kang Jinseok? It seemed fine before I went to prison." "The public opinion is really good. He even went to the United States for an audition yesterday." "If it''s an audition in the U.S¡­. it must be Director James Won." "You knew?" "Yes. I''ve had various interactions with Actor Kang Jinseok and even caused him some difficulties. I''ve been interested in him." Ryu Sungho gave a faint bitter smile. "I hope things go well for him. It might be a long time before I get to see that work." *** "Actor Kang Jinseok''s audition ising up soon." Late at night, James Won sipped strong coffee, thinking about Jinseok. Drinking coffee at this hour would likely make it difficult to sleep. But James Won didn''t have much thought for sleep anyway. Strictly speaking, he was too busy to have time for a good night''s sleep. "Among the actors that auditioned so far, Steve Oh is the one I liked the most. We''ve worked together on a project before, so it would be convenient to cast him." But James Won didn''t find Steve Oh particrly agreeable. It wasn''t because of Steve Oh''s acting abilities; his acting was considered top-notch not only by other Hollywood directors but also by fellow actors. The reason James Won wasn''t satisfied with Steve Oh was because of Jinseok. "When I saw his acting in Japan, it felt like my eyes were opening anew. There was a divine quality to his performance." James Won recalled Jinseok''s acting that he had secretly observed among the staff in Japan. It was difficult to express in words, but Jinseok''s acting was on a different level from other actors. His acting not only immersed himself but also drew other actors into the scene. James Won wanted that kind of performance. "Maybe my standards have be too high." At that moment, someone knocked on the door. "Director, it''s Kim Hyun." "Yes,e in." Kim Hyun entered the room and handed James Won a thick stack of documents. They were all actor profiles. "This is the list of actors for the fourth callback. It includes both lead and supporting roles." A callback generally referred to re-inviting actors who had already been interviewed or auditioned and were deemed suitable for the project. So, a fourth callback meant they had gone through this process four times. Yet, there were still so many actors remaining. It indicated the considerable interest among actors in James Won''s uing project. "Even if it takes up to the sixth callback." James Won chuckled and spoke as he looked at the profiles, then pushed them aside on the desk. While these roles were important, the most crucial one now was the ¡®protagonist,'' so he had little concern for the others. Kim Hyun, looking at Jinseok''s profile on James Won''s desk, asked, "It seems like you have great expectations for Mr. Kang Jinseok." "Yes." After a brief response, James Won tapped Jinseok''s profile with his hand and concluded, "I''ve seen thousands of auditions, but an actor awaited with such anticipation as Kang Jinseok is a first." Chapter 191: Chapter 191: ¡°How''s your condition?¡± Time flowed swiftly, and before I knew it, the day of the audition had arrived. Just before heading to the audition venue, Jang Sunho asked for confirmation. "I''m good. I adapted to the time difference faster than I thought." "Good to hear." With a brief reply, Jang Sunho didn''t say anything more. It seemed like he didn''t want to disturb me, especially since the audition was imminent. Although Kang Jinseok imed to be in good condition, the truth was, that it wasn''t as great as he made it sound. "Now, if I start acting, I''ll be embodying ¡®Andy Miller,'' and honestly, watching his life still scares me." "Nevertheless, I can''t stop here; I''ll have to give it a try until it works out." ***Surprisingly, there weren''t many people in James Won''s office, which served as the audition venue. Unlike the audition venues I had been to before, which were always bustling with actors. As I was carefully looking around, a woman who seemed to be part of the production staff came out of the office. After checking my face, she called me. "Actor Kang Jinseok. You cane in." "Oh, sure." As I stood up, Jang Sunho, without saying anything, lightly clenched his fist and gave me a ¡®fighting'' sign. After nodding slightly in response to Jang Sunho, I followed the woman into the office. James Won greeted me with an expectant voice. "Finally, we meet again." "Hello, Director. Thank you for waiting." "Haha, no, not at all. I can wait as long as needed. I''ve been eagerly anticipating how you''ll portray ¡®Andy Miller.'' And¡­" James Won started to say something but chuckled lightly, deciding to cut his words short. "I got too excited, and my words got too long. Well, let''s get right to the performance then." "Yes." I took a slow breath, recalling the script''s instructions and lines. Slowly, the familiar sensation of ''embodiment'' began to set in. I closed my eyes lightly and then opened them. "It begins." The perspective shifted. *** It was a filthy room. Clothes and empty bottles were scattered everywhere, and leftover food clung to the dishes. In that room, a ten-year-old Andy Miller was sitting. Andy Miller held a small hand mirror. He was conversing with his reflection in the mirror. ¡ª¡ª "I got beaten by Mom again today." "Again today?" "Yeah." "Where?" "My throat and buttocks." "Still better than yesterday. Yesterday, she tied me up and pped me." "But it still hurts the same." "That''s true. But did you make a friend today?" "No. Dad won''t let me go to school. It doesn''t matter; nobody ys with me at school anyway." "Don''t you feel lonely without friends?" "Well, yeah, but¡­ It''s okay because you''re here, ¡®Ramil.''" ¡ª¡ª It was such a natural conversation that it would be hard to believe it was a monologue while looking at the mirror. Moreover, when the reflection in the mirror spoke, changing its voice, if one were to listen without watching the scene, it would sound like two kids talking. The Andy Miller in the mirror, or perhaps the boy who wasn''t Andy Miller, smiled and spoke. There was a sinister undertone in that smile. ¡ª¡ª "I hate your mom and dad for hitting you, but still, I''m thankful to them." "My mom and dad? Why?" "Thanks to them, I could meet you. I was always so lonely because I was alone." ¡ª¡ª The reflection of Andy Miller in the mirror, about to respond to ¡®Andy Ramil,'' was interrupted. ¡ª¡ª "Andy!!" ¡ª¡ª A menacing voice echoed. It was Andy Miller''s stepfather. ¡ª¡ª "Are you muttering to yourself again?!" ¡ª¡ª With those words, the sound of footsteps running up the stairs was heard. Andy Miller hastily hid the mirror under the bed. The bed was poorly made, old, and light, but it was his only refuge. However, his stepfather, in his intoxicated state, couldn''t remain oblivious to Andy hiding under the shabby bed. With roughnguage, the heavily drunk stepfather yelled at Andy. ¡ª¡ª "You can''t hide in there forever! What''s this mess in the room again?! Adopting an Asian like him was a mistake, as expected!" "¡­?" "Noting out, huh?!" ¡ª¡ª When Andy didn''te out from under the bed, the stepfather, as usual, prodded Andy''s bed. Then, Andy Miller, who had been hiding under the bed, came out. Terrified, Andy Miller. The stepfather used his belt as a makeshift whip andshed it at Andy. Snap! In the pain akin to being struck by the whip, Andy Miller screamed and fled to a corner. But there was nowhere to escape the stepfather''s whipping. Eventually, Andy Miller lost consciousness. A whileter, the dimmed vision brightened. It was still Andy Miller''s messy room, but before him was not his stepfather but another man. A pastor with a kind smile. ¡ª¡ª "Andy, from now on, you''ll be living with Pastor at our church. You don''t need to worry about anything. Your mom and dad won''t be able to touch you anymore." ¡ª¡ª The pastor warmly embraced Andy, whose body was full of scars from his step-parents'' beatings. In the warmth of the newfound love, Andy, fearful at first, gradually opened his heart. Having escaped from his step-parents, Andy sorted out everything in that ce and came out. The only thing he took with him was the ¡®mirror,'' his friend. And the scene quickly transitioned. Rescued from his step-parents, Andy Miller lived with the pastor at the church and attended school. Initially, there were difficulties in school life. However, Andy Miller quickly made friends like any other child and enjoyed a happy life. Having a life as good as anyone else, Andy no longer needed to alleviate loneliness by talking to the mirror alone. Living those happy days, one day¡­ ¡ª¡ª "Pastor, I''m back!" ¡ª¡ª Returning to the church from the dormitory during the vacation, Andy Miller greeted the pastor with a bright voice. The pastor weed Andy Miller as if a proud son had returned home after a long time. ¡ª¡ª "Oh, Andy! I got a call from the school principal. You''re getting a schrship again next semester, right?" "Yes! I have to study hard to repay the grace I received from you, Pastor. Honestly, I was worried this time because my grades were slightly lower thanst semester, but I was lucky." "Haha, I see. But I hope you live for your life rather than for my grace. You deserve to live for yourself." ¡ª¡ª After exchanging affectionate greetings, Andy Miller and the pastor had dinner together after a long time. They talked about college experiences and stories about people Andy encountered while working part-time. After listening to Andy Miller''s stories to the end, the pastor rose from his seat as the night deepened. ¡ª¡ª "Let''s continue the remaining stories tomorrow. I need to get some rest if I''m going to attend the dawn service." "Understood. I''ll take care of the cleanup." "Thank you." ¡ª¡ª Sending the pastor back to his room first, Andy cleaned up the dishes. Although there were only two of them, the amount of dishes for washing was quite considerable, so he felt quite tired. As soon as Andy returned to his room, he threw himself onto the bed. Enjoying theforting sway of the worn-out but familiar mattress, Andy drifted off to sleep. ¡ª¡ª "¡­It feels damp. There''s a smell. What is this?" ¡ª¡ª From the quilt, Andy felt a damp and warm sensation. Not only that but there was also a pungent smell of ironing from somewhere, piercing his nose. With half-opened eyes, Andy struggled to lift his quilt. It was bright red. No, it was deep crimson. The color had changed due to the blood that had been spilled for a long time, that kind of deep crimson color. And there was so much blood that it seemed to have soaked the entire quilt and bed. In his left hand, there was also a blood-stained knife. ¡ª¡ª "W-What is this?!" ¡ª¡ª Startled, Andy jumped out of bed. In his haste, he fell under the bed. Underneath the bed, Andy discovered the owner of the blood-soaked bed. ¡ª¡ª "¡­Pastor?" ¡ª¡ª The pastory dead, beaten all over his body. The only untouched part was his face. For some reason, his face had not a single scratch. Andy looked at the knife he was holding, trembling. ¡ª¡ª "No way¡­ Did I do this?" ¡ª¡ª There was no way. Why would he kill the pastor, the benefactor who had saved his soul? But all the evidence pointed to him as the culprit. ¡ª¡ª "No. It''s not me. It''s not me." ¡ª¡ª Panic struck Andy''s mind. What should he do? That was the only thought running through his mind. After trembling for a while, Andy looked at the knife in his left hand. ¡ª¡ª "I-I didn''tmit murder. I can''t be framed as a murderer. Not." ¡ª¡ª And not just any murder, but the murderer who killed a father-like pastor. It was impossible. He needed to buy time somehow to find the real culprit. The problem was that if the church members came for worship tomorrow morning, the pastor''s body would be discovered quickly. In that case, he would undoubtedly be the first suspect. What should he do? To avoid suspicion, he had no choice but to hide the body. ¡ª¡ª "Uh¡­ Ugh¡­ I''m sorry, Pastor. I''m sorry." ¡ª¡ª Even though he didn''tmit the murder, Andy felt immense guilt about burying the pastor. While burying the pastor, he thought it wasn''t right, but once he hade this far, there was no turning back. Since the moment he started digging to bury the body, there was the possibility of suspicion that he killed the pastor. If he wasn''t the murderer, there would be no need to secretly dispose of the body. ¡ª¡ª "I''m truly sorry. Pastor, I''ll catch the one who killed you, and I''ll kneel here to repent." ¡ª¡ª After burying the pastor in one of the least frequented sections of the cemetery, Andy returned to the pastor''s room. The room waspletely covered in blood. ¡ª¡ª "There''s no time to clean all of this up." ¡ª¡ª Now, there wasn''t much time left until the morning service. Since realistically it was impossible to tidy up the room, Andy just locked the door. ¡ª¡ª "When peoplee for worship, I''ll just say that the pastor went somewhere urgentlyst night and asked them to leave. That''s the right thing to do." ¡ª¡ª Aftering up with a usible excuse, Andy threw the bloodstained clothes into the furnace in one corner of the church to dispose of them. Then, Andy headed to the shower. He needed to wash off the blood on his body. ¡ª¡ª "Blood¡­ I need to wash it off." ¡ª¡ª Shhh-. Unlike the showers at the university, the church''s shower facilities were modest. The water flow was minimal, and there was no hot water, but Andy vigorously washed his body until it was nearly peeled. After finishing the shower, with trembling hands, Andy wiped his body and happened to nce at the mirror. ¡ª¡ª "Long time no see, Andy. How have you been?" ¡ª¡ª In the mirror, his reflection was grinning strangely and sinisterly. It was his long-time friend, ¡®Andy Ramil.'' Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Staring at the eerie smile reflected in the mirror, Andy''s lips quivered. ¡ª¡ª "¡¤¡¤¡¤Andy Ramil?" "Yeah, it''s me. How''ve you been? You must have been doing well. I''ve been watching you closely." "Watching me closely? What does that mean?" "Exactly as it sounds. I''ve witnessed every moment of happiness you had after following that pastor guy." "¡¤¡¤¡¤." "You looked happy, Andy. I was lonely." ¡ª¡ªIn the mirror, Andy Ramil blinked and continued speaking. ¡ª¡ª "One day, you stopped calling for me. How could you do that to me? I was there for you when you needed it the most. So, I prepared for a long time to be able toe out, regardless of your will." ¡ª¡ª Though reflected in the mirror, the presence of Andy Miller was strangely alien. ¡ª¡ª "I was so lonely. You know that, right? You know how hard it is to be lonely. I emerged from the unbearable pain and sorrow. ¡®Andy Ramil.''" "I, I don''t understand what you''re saying. Suddenlying out." "Suddenly? How can you say I ¡®suddenly came out'' to you? We''re friends! Each other''s only friends!" "¡¤¡¤¡¤!" ¡ª¡ª As Andy Miller intensely expressed anger in the mirror, he startled, taking a step back. Andy found himself frightened in the mirror. ¡ª¡ª "Ohh¡­ Andy. This isn''t right. Why are you scared of me? We''re friends." "¡¤¡¤¡¤." "Now, I won''t leave you anymore. And now, you can''t push me away either. I can use your body whenever I want." "Use my body¡¤¡¤¡¤? Wait, did you kill the pastor?!" "If it wasn''t me, then who else? But this is just the beginning. Now that I''ve taken care of the devil who stole you from me, I''ll kill other bastards¡ªthose who im to be your friend without even knowing your past or your girlfriend. Well then, see you next time, Andy." ¡ª¡ª With that statement, the eerie-faced Andy in the mirror disappeared. Suddenly, memories flooded into his mind. The ¡®mirror self,'' Andy Ramil, remembered brutally killing the pastor. *** During those few seconds as James Won awaited Jinseok''s performance, he suppressed his excitement. As mentioned earlier, no matter how much he was anticipating a talented actor, he had to view him with the same perspective as other audition candidates. However, the excitement from expectations didn''t easily subside. James Won''s legs were trembling slightly with excitement. "Pastor, I''m back!" That was the moment. Jinseok began acting in front of the camera set up to his right. It was the performance of Andy Miller returning to the church. ¡®It''s not as special as I expected.¡¯ Perhaps because the expectations were too high. Jinseok''s acting was not significantly different from other actors. It was good, but not impressive enough to apud. James Won decided to continue observing. "Wow, Pastor the omelette is probably the most delicious thing in the world. Schrship? Hehe, I was worried because my grades were lower this semester thanst." It was a scene of a dinner with a pastor who was more like a father than his father. This acting, too, was too natural. It wasn''t extraordinary. ¡®Hmm¡­ Is it because he''s acting in English?¡¯ The acting James Won had hoped for from Jinseok was not like this. He wanted the kind of acting ability and impact that could turn even simple lines into memorable ones. But now, Jinseok''s acting was no different from any other actor. While James Won looked at Jinseok with a somewhat disappointed feeling, Jinseok continued the acting. After solving the puzzle with the pastor and enjoying a delicious dinner, he finished the cleanup and entered the room. Jinseok copsed on the audition room floor as if he had fallen. It was as if he was lying on the familiar bed he had used for a long time. With half-closed eyes, Jinseok murmured. "Let''s just sleep today since I''m tired. We can wake up early and shower in the morning." As Jinseok continued his performance, not only James Won but also the other production staff responsible for judging gradually felt a disappointment in the atmosphere. It was because the actor they had most anticipated kept delivering a subtly unsatisfying performance. However, at that moment, Jinseok slowly stood up from the floor. Without paying attention to the judges, he walked slowly towards a prop, a kitchen knife, prepared on the side. His steps were somewhat different from Jinseok''s usual ones. At a nce, there was a sinister smile on the side of his face that could not be attributed to ¡®Kang Jinseok.'' Strictly speaking, it was a sinister smile that could be associated with ¡®Andy Miller,'' the character Jinseok had been portraying. "Hehe." Jinseok let out augh audible enough. There was wickedness in thatughter. Jinseok grabbed the kitchen knife with his left hand as if it were a precious treasure. While holding the knife, he continued tough wickedly without erasing the smile. Without removing the smile, Jinseok walked slowly to the other side of the audition room, holding the knife. Therey a mannequin, set up as the ¡®sleeping pastor.'' Jinseok quietly sat beside the mannequin and looked straight at its face. "Hehehehe." Something unusual seemed about to happen. The once quiet audition room had now fallen into a silence so deep that not even a breath could be heard. Just a while ago, James Won and the judges, who had been disappointed in Jinseok, had forgotten to evaluate him at some point. "Hehehehehehe." Jinseok slowly brought his right hand to the mannequin''s neck. Then, as if to say he was going to break the mannequin''s neck, he grabbed it forcefully. Jinseok pressed down on the mannequin as if it were resisting violently. However, unsatisfied, he hesitated for a moment and then ruthlessly stabbed the knife he was holding. The order was the neck, the chest near the heart, the armpit, the upper abdomen, the lower abdomen near the kidneys, the groin, and the thigh. "Hehehehe¡­" After suppressing the opponent so that it couldn''t resist, he went on with this gruesome act. Though it was an action with props, it was so horrifying that it was difficult to watch with open eyes. It was truly a demonic sight. The judges widened their eyes and covered their mouths. James Won was no exception. But what surprised him wasn''t just Jinseok''s demonic appearance. James Won recalled his interview with the original author. ¡®That''s the same murder method the author described.'' While preparing for this project, James Won heard various stories from the former FBI agent who was the author of "Long Time No See, Andy." The stories included unrevealed actions of Andy Miller, his habits, and details about his methods of murder, all of which were not written in the book. The reason the FBI agent didn''t include Andy Miller''s modus operandi and murder methods in the book was to prevent ¡®copycat crimes.'' ¡®But is he just doing it exactly as described?'' It was a behavior pattern only someone like an FBI agent would know. However, it was a bit strange. Such a behavior pattern wasn''t in the script. ¡®But he followed it perfectly? Should I think of this as a coincidence?'' Regardless, it was a good thing for James Won. Jinseok''s acting was wless. "Hehehe." After decisively ¡®killing'' the ¡®pastor mannequin,'' Jinseok casuallyy down next to it. Lying down and looking satisfied, he closed his eyes. After killing the pastor, he portrayed Andy Miller sleeping beside him. For a while, Jinseok didn''t move. If any other auditionee had stayed motionless like that, the judges would have exchanged nces, signaling to each other, "Should we end it now?" But Jinseok''s acting prevented them from even considering such thoughts. Silence filled the room. After a moment, the eerieughter that had filled the audition room gradually returned to its original atmosphere. Soon after, Jinseok twitched. As if feeling ufortable on the bed, Jinseok slowly opened his eyes with a vague impression, not fully awake yet. Then, still somewhat drowsy, he looked around. "W-What is this?!" Startled, Jinseok swiftly threw off the nket, disying agile movements as if removing a disgusting and frightening insect. To the judges, it seemed like he was revealing a nket covered in the blood of the pastor he had just ¡®killed.'' Soon, Jinseok noticed the lifeless pastor mannequin lying beside him. And also the kitchen knife clutched in his left hand. "Pastor?" As if unsure and overwhelmed, Jinseok tentatively touched the pastor''s mannequin, seeming lost. His hand trembled, and he didn''t know where to look. After thoroughly examining the mannequin, Jinseok bit his lip tightly and lifted the pastor''s mannequin. Then, taking a few steps, he mimicked burying the mannequin in the ground. Even in an audition, there was no need to go to such lengths. However, no judge tried to stop Jinseok, who was sobbing while pretending to bury the mannequin. "Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­ I''m sorry, Pastor. I''m sorry." Jinseok apologized to the mannequin, shedding tears and mucus. It was a sight that couldn''t be associated with the person who had cruelly and ruthlessly killed the pastor just moments ago. For ten minutes¡ªwhether short or long, the judges watching Jinseok''s acting were unaware of the passing time. "I, I have to wipe away the blood." Jinseok mumbled, his lips trembling. It was a scene where Andy Miller washed away the blood after killing the pastor. Reaching into the air, he turned on the shower and used his hands to vigorously wipe his body. The force he applied was so strong that the visible veins on his skin turned red. For a while, Jinseok continued wiping his body. After presumably cleaning off the blood, he reached into the air again and turned off the shower. With natural movements, he wiped away the remaining water on his body. At that moment, "¡¤¡¤¡¤." "¡¤¡¤¡¤." By chance, Jinseok''s eyes met with James Won''s. Upon this, Jinseok raised the corners of his mouth to his ears, forming a peculiar and sinister smile as he spoke. "Long time no see, Andy. How have you been?" Although it was a short line, James Won felt a chill. ¡®¡­Terrifying.'' Even the voice seemed somehow different from Jinseok''s usual voice. Moreover, even ¡®Kang Jinseok'' saying those words seemed not to be the ¡®Kang Jinseok'' James Won knew. In that moment of doubt, a statement from the FBI agent, the original author, shed through James Won''s mind. [Harryson Identity Disorder, or in other words, someone with multiple personalities, should be considered an entirely different person. They may share the same body, but their tastes and preferences differ. Naturally, their voices, speech patterns, and behavior are also distinct. This is why the FBI faced significant challenges in proving Andy Miller''s guilt. Anyway, the ¡®Andy Miller'' I investigated was such a person. I hope the director has cast an actor who can portray such an ¡®Andy Miller.''] And now. The actor the FBI agent had mentioned was right in front of them. Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Two years after the audition. Finally, the release of the film was just a day away. [Director James Won, starring Kang Jinseok. premieres tomorrow. Dyed by a whopping 6 months. Why?] [Dyed release. Was there a problem with the movie production?] [ distributor ¡®OS MOVIES'' Team Leader Jang Sunho, "There''s no problem with the movie. Don''t worry and enjoy."] Like most film projects, , which had be endlessly prolongedpared to its original production period, had many twists and turns even before its release. The prolonged production period implied issues during the production process. Actor''s escapades, friction among the production team, cooperation issues with shooting locations, and the like. Apart from these concernsden articles, there were plenty of others.[Props and remains of a victim discovered during the filming of returned to the victims'' families through DNA analysis. The bereaved family expresses gratitude to the actors and production team who ended 50 years of hopeless hope.] [ simultaneous global box office release.] [Kang Jinseok shines in CGB nationwide!] The press poured out articles about , billed as the ¡®first Hollywood film with a Korean lead'' as if reflecting the public''s interest in the work of the top star returning after a whopping two years. *** Saturday morning, 9 o''clock. Yongsan CGB 1 theater was filled with Jinseok''s acquaintances from start to finish, ranging from Warehouse employees to university juniors and seniors. Among them were celebrities like Seo Yeonsoo, Yeo Hyemin, and Park Haeyeon. They all had different outfits and various ways of getting here, but they shared the same thoughts. "¡­I thought I was the only one given a ticket." However, upon arrival, the cinema seemed to be almost a gathering of ¡®Kang Jinseok''s acquaintances''. While the Warehouse employees and other directors and producers were happily waiting for the movie, those three couldn''tugh or make noise as much. There was a subtle and awkward atmosphere circting among them. After a while, the movie began. ¡ª¡ª "Got beaten by Mom again today." "Again?" "Yeah." "Where?" "My neck and butt." "Still better than yesterday, though. Yesterday, she tied me up and pped me." "Yeah, but the pain is the same." "That''s true. But did you make any friends today?" "No. My dad won''t let me go to school. It doesn''t matter since no one ys with me at school anyway. But it''s okay because you''re here." ¡ª¡ª The movie begins with a monologue from a child facing a mirror. The child''s face was full of scars, and bruises on parts exposed beyond the clothes seemed even more severe. It was undoubtedly a depiction of a child suffering from domestic violence. Soon, the culprit who had ruined the child appeared. ¡ª¡ª "Andy Miller!! Are you talking to yourself again?!" ¡ª¡ª A man, with his face flushed, either from alcohol or anger, rushed into Andy Miller''s room. Trying to evade him, Andy Miller fled under the bed, but there was no escape from the man''s belt whip. It continued with the repeatedshes. ¡ª¡ª "Andy, from now on, you''re going to live with me at our church. You don''t have to worry about anything. Your stepmom and dad can''t touch you anymore." ¡ª¡ª With the help of the pastor, Andy Miller escaped from his abusive foster parents. He left everything behind to erase the horrifying memories of his foster parents, except for one thing¡ªhis friend, ¡®Hand Mirror.'' Seeing Andy holding the hand mirror, the pastor asked with a warm smile. ¡ª¡ª "Are you taking that with you?" "Yes. This is my friend." "Friend?" "Yes. ¡®Andy Ramil.'' I''ll introduce youter." ¡ª¡ª Looking at Andy saying such words, the pastor seemed a bit concerned. However, he couldn''t make Andy discard the only thing he had clung to. Eventually, the pastor allowed Andy Miller to take the hand mirror. The movie then portrayed Andy Miller''s happy life for a while. Going to school like everyone else, engaging in sports, and making friends¡ªa normal life. Having ovee the pain of his childhood, Andy grew into a popr young man at school, excelling in his studies and gaining admission to a prestigious university. After spending such joyful times, Andy returned to his home and the church for the summer vacation. ¡ª¡ª "Pastor, I''m back!" ¡ª¡ª Up until he spoke so cheerfully, everything seemed fine. But. On that night, Andy Ramil brutally murdered the pastor. ¡ª¡ª "Sob¡­ Sob¡­ I''m sorry, Pastor. I''m truly sorry." ¡ª¡ª Jinseok choked up as he buried the pastor''s body. After that, he headed to the shower room to wash away the blood and dirt on his body. While showering. Jinseok happened to see a mirror. The screen, which showed Jinseok''s torso with lingering shower water, gradually shifted towards the mirror. Soon, the back of Jinseok''s head was visible. And reflected in the mirror was Jinseok. There, ¡®Andy in the Mirror,'' Andy Ramil, was present. ¡ª¡ª "Long time no see, Andy. How have you been?" ¡ª¡ª The Jinseok in the mirror spoke eerily with a strange smile. Upon hearing those words, Seo Yeonsoo gripped her arm tightly. "¡­Chilling." Although she had already seen this scene multiple times in the trailer, it felt entirely different when experienced in the movie. Seo Yeonsoo wasn''t the only one feeling this way. The sounds of tense breaths from other audience members echoed throughout the theater. From that point on, the movie passed in the blink of an eye. Scenes of ¡®Andy Ramil killing Andy Miller''s acquaintances and Andy Miller agonizing over his deeds unfolded. It was a simple scene transition, yet the audience couldn''t take their eyes off for even a moment. Whether it was due to excellent direction, Jinseok''s acting, or both, the immersion was remarkable. And the movie reached its climax towards the end. ¡ª¡ª "Now¡­ Please, stop. Please stop. How many more do you need to kill to be satisfied¡­" ¡ª¡ª Through Jinseok''s fingers covering his face in his room, red liquid trickled down. The blood on his face melted into tears, creating bloody tears. On the bedroom floor where Jinseok looked down, there was the ¡®Hand Mirror.'' The hand mirror that created ¡®Andy Ramil,'' who protected and became a friend during his childhood. ¡ª¡ª "Oh¡­ Andy. What do you mean by stop? It''s just the beginning. There are still many more people to kill." "You crazy bastard! When the hell are you going to stop? How many more do you need to kill to be satisfied?!" "I''m going to kill everyone who took you away from me. So, when there''s no one else around you except me again, let''s have fun together." "For fuck''s sake, stop¡­" "Andy, do you finally understand now? The pain and sadness of bing alone?" ¡ª¡ª The presence of Jinseok''s back and the hand mirror filled the screen. Jinseok''s face was reflected in the hand mirror, and he continued to change his voice and expression while talking to himself. It was as if the two were having a conversation, so natural and chilling. The movie theater was filled with the sound of the movie and even the slightest rustling, the sound of popcorn scraping the floor, and even the sound of breathing were unheard. ¡ª¡ª "Shut up!!!" ¡ª¡ª Jinseok threw the hand mirror against the wall. The mirror shattered, fragments flying everywhere, and some shards embedded themselves in Jinseok''s face. ¡ª¡ª "Phew¡­ Phew¡­" ¡ª¡ª Jinseok breathed heavily. With the disappearance of the hand mirror, ¡®Andy Ramil'' did not appear anymore. The perspective shifted again. Now, instead of Jinseok''s face, the back of his head was visible on the screen. But then. ¡ª¡ª "Andy, breaking that precious hand mirror filled with our memories, isn''t that a bit too much?" ¡ª¡ª Even though the hand mirror was gone, the voice of ¡®Andy Ramil'' could be heard. Jinseok grabbed his head, covering his ears. He hit his ears repeatedly with fists and palms to avoid hearing ¡®Andy Ramil''s'' voice, causing blood to flow. Whether it was Jinseok''s real blood or a prop, only the production team would know. ¡ª¡ª "We''ll be together until we die. If there''s a mirror, you can see my face, but even without it, it doesn''t matter." "Why are you like this, Andy? We''re friends. And don''t worry. Soon, my revenge will be over. Before that, whether you get caught by the police and end up in jail or a mental hospital, it doesn''t matter. You''ll be alone again, and then we''ll be together forever. Hehehe." ¡ª¡ª Now unable to bear it any longer, Jinseok began to throw everything in the room like a madman. ¡ª¡ª "Ahh!" "Hehehe." ¡ª¡ª Jinseok violently tore at his messy hair. Inside his head, the ominousughter of ¡®Andy in the Mirror'' continued. ¡ª¡ª "That is¡­" ¡ª¡ª At that moment, something twinkled in Jinseok''s eyes. A gun. The same gun ¡®Andy Ramil used to kill his girlfriend. Jinseok picked up the gun as if possessed by something. Then Jinseok''s monologue was heard. ¡ª¡ª "To stop Andy Ramil, there''s no other way. I have to die." ¡ª¡ª Jinseok loaded bullets into the gun, trembling hands dropping more bullets than he loaded. But somehow, he managed to load the gun. Jinseok pressed the gun to his mouth. If he pulled the trigger, with that single action, everything would be over. Thunk! Jinseok''s left hand blocked his right hand holding the trigger. With the barrel in his mouth, Jinseok, with an eerie smile, said: ¡ª¡ª "Oh, Andy, what are you doing? No, this can''t be. It''s not right. We still have so many days to spend together." "Let go. Let me go. I''m going to die." "Do you think I''ll let you do that? Absolutely not. Let''s have fun like we used to. We were happy back then." ¡ª¡ª Jinseok''s right hand trying to pull the trigger and his left hand trying to stop it fiercely shed. For over 30 seconds, the one scene illuminated only Jinseok''s face, the gun, and both fingers caught on the trigger. Then, suddenly, the screen went ck. Bang! And breaking the silent atmosphere, the sound of a gunshot was heard. Chapter 194: Chapter 194: [ Original Author, After watching the movie, "It felt like I saw an Andy Miller I didn''t know."] [Is the Kang Jinseok in the mirror the real Kang Jinseok, or is the Kang Jinseok outside the mirror the real one?] [The voice of ¡®Kang Jinseok in the mirror'' is not a special effect?] ["Why does it take so long for the movie to be released? It''s because it takes a long time to capture Kang Jinseok''s acting with my limited abilities. That''s the only reason." Director James Won''s previous statement is highlighted¡­ It wasn''t just lip service to Korean fans.] However, like any well-received work, also faced criticism. [Even if you only watch the first 5 minutes and thest 5 minutes, you understand the movie. The middle 100 minutes were unnecessary.] Most of the criticism was unreasonable, but the article''s title was provocative enough to attract a lot of readers. Of course, it didn''t receive much apuse. This was because the scenes of Jinseok portraying a gruesome murderer had an immersive quality that couldn''t be ignored for a moment.So, riding on its poprity, achieved the top spot at the domestic box office. Another big news broke out. [Kang Jinseok to produce a movie titled depicting his life story.] *** In the conference room of OS Entertainment''s ¡®Kang Jinseok Team.'' Jinseok, Jang Sunho, the PD, and the writers were in the midst of a meeting. "Hmm." Author Jo Seokwon sighed briefly as he set down the bundle of papers on the desk. It was Jinseok''s synopsis. "So, this is the synopsis for that you wrote, right?" "Yes. How was it, by any chance¡­?" As Jinseok spoke, checking for Jo Seokwon''s reaction like a student inspecting his homework, Jo Seokwon chuckled lightly and said, "It''s a bitcking in the structural aspectspared to synopses written by professional writers. I suppose it''s because you haven''t written many synopses." "Oh¡­" With somewhat negative feedback, a sigh of disappointment escaped Jinseok''s lips. "However." "?" "The content itself is very good. The idea of embodying characters who lived lives simr to the roles and acting is fresh. Although there is a fantasy-like feel that needs refining, overall, it''s a synopsis with plenty of potential." Following Jo Seokwon''s positive words, Jinseok''s face brightened. Next, Director Yeo Jaeyoon said, "So, does this mean our Hyemin will also be cast if the production is confirmed?" "I haven''t even thought about who to cast yet. It''s not even confirmed, and it feels like jumping the gun to think about it." "Even if it''s not confirmed, all we need is money in the end. I''ll invest." "You, Director?" "Yes. I think it''ll be fun if I make this." Yeo Jaeyoon''s generous proposal left Jinseok surprised, and he widened his eyes in astonishment. Finding Jinseok''s reaction amusing, Yeo Jaeyoon chuckled and asked, "But there''s a character named ¡®Yeo Jaeyoon'' here. Should I act on it? I can''t act, though." In response, the PD and writers who were with Jinseok threw in theirments. "Right. For actors, we should probably use real actors, but what about the production team?" "What about the Warehouse employees?" "Oh, they might be a problem too. It''s not easy to find people with those kinds of montages." "I have acting ambitions. Can''t I just appear in it?" "Kim PD, trying to ruin the project?" Even though the production wasn''t confirmed yet, the atmosphere in the conference room had shifted towards the direction of making a movie. At that moment, while others were discussing, Na Jinho, the chief, who had been continuously scrutinizing the synopsis, spoke. "But Kang Jinseok, in the production intent written at the end of the synopsis, you mentioned ¡®wanting to find your parents.'' What''s that about?" "Oh, that''s¡­" With a slight wry smile, Jinseok exined, "As you all know, I am an adopted orphan. The reason I decided to be an actor was also because I wanted to find my parents. I had this vague idea that if I became famous, my parents might appear." "But I still haven''t found my parents. Despite bing somewhat famous." Jinseok''s words cast a solemn atmosphere in the conference room. To be precise, it had be serious. Jinseok continued in a calm voice, "Recently, I started thinking, ¡®What if my parents don''t recognize me?'' I was abandoned when I was very young, so my parents might have forgotten who I am." "So, is the intention behind this movie to widely publicize your life in the hopes of finding your parents?" "Yes." Jinseok nodded heavily. A quiet stillness lingered in the conference room for a while. "Is it good because there''s a story?" PD Ha Sarang broke the silence. "Rather than just feeling like a movie about a sessful actor who was once an orphan, it carries more weight as a movie made by an orphaned actor to find his parents. It''s a bit different from the typical ¡®production intent,'' but it has a unique angle." In agreement with Ha Sarang''s words, others nodded their heads. Feeling a more positive response than expected, Jinseok inwardly sighed with relief. "Thank goodness." Ha Sarang, who had been reviewing the synopsis, asked as if curious, "But, actor-nim, just in case I''m asking¡­" "Yes?" "Is this real? Meeting ghosts in dreams and possessing and all that?" When Ha Sarang asked, everyone in the conference room looked at Jinseok. They were all curious, but they hadn''t dared to voice their thoughts, thinking, "No way, right?" Seeing them, Jinseok gave a vague smile and said, "Well." *** "Actor-nim, here are the audition applicants'' profiles." Jang Sunho handed him a tablet. When he turned it on, it disyed a familiar format that I often saw. "You''re busy; you don''t have to make each one a PDF like this. You can just give them to us on paper." "There are too many to give on paper, so I gave it to you on a tablet. It might take ages to choose otherwise." "Is there that many?" Curious about how many applicants there were, I checked the tablet. [635] "635 isn''t that many, is it?" "That''s just the file for those who applied for the role of ¡®Director Yeo Jaeyoon.'' If you press below, you''ll see another file for actors who applied for other roles." 635 applicants just for the role of Director Yeo Jaeyoon? "So, how many people applied in total?" "As of this morning, it was around 83,000 applicants in total. There might be some duplicate applications for various roles, so the actual number will likely be lower. But since there''s still a lot of time left for audition applications, it could increase." "¡­" It''s truly grateful that so many people are interested in the project I''m creating. However, this level of attention was bing a burden. "Can I see them all?" As I made a hesitant expression, Jang Sunho lightly smiled and said, "If you work hard, eventually, you''ll be able to check them all. And even though there are many document applicants, the actual number of applicants for the acting tests won''t be that high, so it won''t take too much time. Probably." "¡­" "If you run out of time, you can work overtime. This is a good chance for you to experience ¡®office life'' as an actor. It will be a great help when youter y the role of an office worker." With that, Jang Sunho rolled up his shirt sleeves and finished speaking. "Shall we start working in earnest then?" *** After finishing the first overtime with Jang Sunho and the rest of the production team, I returned home and threw myself onto the bed. I should wash up, but I just didn''t have the energy to do it. "¡­Perhaps thepany employees aren''t just revering Manager Jang Sunho for no reason." I found myself referring to Jang Sunho as ¡®Team Leader'' instead of ¡®Manager.'' Of course, it''s not like I haven''t worked until thiste before. It had been only a few years ago when I worked part-time untilte in the evening and went out again for another part-time job in the early morning. However, working overtime with Jang Sunho was not only more challenging than other jobs but also equally, if not more, exhausting. He worked tirelessly, like a machine equipped with AI. While I had experienced judging auditions on an audition variety show before, evaluating profiles side by side with Jang Sunho was entirely different from that time. "But I should at least wash up." Dragging myself to the bathroom like a seaweed, I hurriedly finished a shower. Afterwards, I copsed onto the bed once again. The familiar scent of the pillow and nket, the ones I always used, felt unusuallyforting today. "Let''s sleep quickly. Manager Jang Sunho said he''ll pick me up at 7 a.m. tomorrow." Even though I was tired of thinking about creating my project, it wasn''t unpleasant or burdensome. As Iy in bed with my eyes closed, I drifted off to sleep without realizing it. *** "¡­Why did I end up here?" It''s a dream, a white space. The ce I woulde to when I needed to act in a different role. But now wasn''t the right situation. "Who called me here?" I looked around. Usually, around this time, some ghost or spirit would approach me and start a conversation, but this time, no one appeared. Then, it happened. "Long time no see, young one. You''ve worked hard." I turned toward the direction of the voice. There, an olddy I had helped long ago at the subway stairs was standing. Seeing her, I felt surprisingly calm. I walked briskly toward her and greeted her warmly, "Hello, Grandma. What brings you here? I thought I''d never see you again. How did youe?" "I came to express my gratitude for helping my son and to grant your wish." "¡­?" The son she mentioned was probably referring to Park Jinsu, the head of the Maserati Korea branch. I feel like I received more help, but anyway¡­ "My wish?" I asked, and Grandma nodded with a kind smile. "The reason you''ve been living so diligently until now, wasn''t it to find your parents?" "Ah¡­ yes." "I will grant that wish for you." After Grandma finished speaking, she gestured behind me. She didn''t say anything specific, but it seemed like she wanted me to look in that direction. I turned around slowly. There stood a man and a woman in their early thirties, strangers I had never seen before. However, upon seeing them, I instinctively knew. They were my parents. Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Every May in a small town in the southeast of France, superstars from around the world gathered. This was because the world-renowned Cannes Film Festival, one of the top three film festivals globally, was taking ce. In line with this, in front of the festival venue, numerous reporters were sending breaking news to their respective countries. "This year marks the 83rd Cannes Film Festival, already reaching its closing ceremony." "On this closing day, the attention of filmmakers and fans worldwide is converging. Who will be the protagonist of this year''s Cannes Film Festival?" "Oh, Rachel, what a splendid dress. After a long break, you''re back on the red carpet. Can you briefly share your feelings about being invited to Cannes for youreback film?" It was a ce where the festival of filmmakers unfolded, and where the pride of films from various countries shed. That ce was none other than ¡®Cannes.'' At that moment, a reporter pointed to a car that appeared in the distance and eximed, "They''re here!"Upon hearing this, people around turned their gaze to where the reporter was pointing. There, a luxurious SUV from Maserati was slowly approaching. Though not remarkably expensive, the journalists'' hands were busier than ever, capturing the moment. That Maserati SUV had been a long-timepanion of a particr actor. The SUV came to a halt in front of the red carpet. As the door opened slowly, camera shes erupted in session. "Hello. Good afternoon." The man who stepped out of the car lightly raised his hand, greeting the cameras and capturing his image. It was Jinseok. Now ustomed to such camera sh rituals, Jinseok appeared at ease. In response, journalists immediately began crafting articles. The hands of Korean reporters, in particr, were busier than ever. [Kang Jinseok, "Good afternoon."] [Jinseok elegantly stepping out of the car.] [Actor Kang Jinseok personally driving.] [Jinseok wearing a suit, once again from ¡®Hermes.'' The suit''s price is astonishingly¡­] Although the articles didn''t contain any groundbreaking information, journalists wrote them down as best as they could. Jinseok slowly walked on the red carpet. As if determined not to miss a single step, cameras followed Jinseok''s every move. As Jinseok walked past the red carpet and ascended the stairs, the host approached for an interview. "Actor Kang Jinseok, wee to Cannes. The interview can be conducted in English, French, or Korean. What would you prefer?" "I''ll go with French. If youe to Cannes, you should speak thenguage of Cannes. I wanted to do it in French this year, so I worked hard on studying French." "Haha, understood." When the staff ryed Jinseok''s words to the reporters, they eagerly extended microphones to him. "Last year, you were invited to Cannes as an actor, but this year, you''re here as a director. It must feel different. Please share your feelings briefly." "Just being invited to an event like this is truly an honor and a joy. I''m grateful for the positive reception of ¡®Possessed 10 Million Actors.'' It took quite a while to produce, and I want to express my gratitude to everyone who stuck with it till the end." With a light smile, Jinseok replied, and another reporter asked, "Actor Kang Jinseok, two years ago, you won the Best Actor award for ¡®Long Time No See, Andy.'' If you win again this year, it will be a consecutive honor. What do you think? Do you think you can win?" "If I say I have no ambitions, it would be a lie, but there are so many talented individuals that it won''t be easy." The questions continued. "The ¡®Possessed 10 Million Actors'' team went in ahead. Is there a specific reason for your separate arrival?" "To be honest, should I tell the truth?" "That would be great." "Min Gyeongsu insisted on going separately, saying he didn''t want to have the spotlight stolen." "Haha! Is that true?" "Yes. I thought it was a joke too, but he left me alone at the hotel." "You didn''t fight?" "We get along really well." After finishing the interview, Jinseok entered the ceremony hall. The venue appeared grand, almost to the point of being majestic. It was filled with directors and actors who could be called "superstars" anywhere in the world. At first nce, everyone seemed to be enjoying the event withughter, but a closer look revealed that they were subtlypeting with each other. The silent eye battles between actors and directors known to have a high chance of winning in their respective categories were a quiet war in itself. While this was happening, when Jinseok passed by, the attention of the actors shifted towards him. No matter how remarkable these superstars were, in the end, there was only one person, naturally drawing attention to Jinseok. "Mr. Kang Jinseok. It''s been a while." It was Director Katahiro from "The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World." Jinseok warmly shook his hand. "Oh, Director. It''s been a while. How have you been?" "I''m good. If it weren''t for ¡®The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World'' that I shared with Kang Jinseok, I wouldn''t be here today." "Haha¡­ No, it''s what you aplished, Director." In response to Jinseok''s humble words, Katahiro shrugged his shoulders as if to say he couldn''t deny it. When Katahiro engaged in a very friendly conversation with Jinseok, other directors and actors sent envious nces their way. Although everyone seemed eager to talk to Jinseok, no one stepped forward. It was a challenging task for a director hailed as a master in their own country to initiate a greeting with an actor from another country without any formalities. "Well then, I''ll be on my way." As Jinseok politely said this, Katahiro seemed disappointed. "Is that so? Are you going back to Korea right after the award ceremony today?" "It seems necessary. I have a schedule." "Ah¡­ I see. If you have time, I would have liked to have a meal together. Alright then." After expressing his regret, Katahiro returned to his seat. ¡®I should head back to my seat too.'' Jinseok slowly looked around before heading back to his ce. *** Inside the press center within the award ceremony venue. Reporters anxiously watched the live broadcast of the award ceremony while checking the articles they had prepared in advance. Some seemed more nervous than the directors or actors who were actual nominees. ¡®Who will take home the Golden Palm?'' ¡®Best Actor?'' ¡®There''s a Korean actor nominated for Best Actress. It''s probably challenging for them to both win, right?'' Among the journalists contemting this, there was Kang Suyeon, a deputy editor who used to be Go Seoyoung''s subordinate. Thanks to her past mentor Go Seoyoung, she found herself in this bustling environment. Kang Suyeon nced at the window open on herptop. Like the other reporters, her screen disyed various pre-written article contents. [¡®Cannes, Best Actor'' Kang Jinseok, the first Korean to win twice!] [¡®Possessed 10 Million Actors'' Director Yeo Jaeyoon, wins the Golden Palm!] It might seem like excitement, but Kang Suyeon hadpleted all the preparations faster than anyone else to publish articles. She had written articles for various scenarios, but none of them mentioned Jinseok not winning or his film receiving no awards. It was a precaution, as words can be seeds of reality. ¡®Phew. I hope Kang Jinseok wins.'' Thanks to Go Seoyoung, Kang Suyeon had already secured an exclusive interview with Jinseok. However, if Jinseok didn''t win, the interview would undoubtedly be awkward, and there wouldn''t be much material to work with. Even if it wasn''t for that reason, as a fan of Jinseok, Kang Suyeon sincerely wished for his victory. ¡®I heard it was chaos when he won the Best Actor awardst year.'' As Kang Suyeon was lost in various thoughts. [Best Actor, we will announce it.] The voice of the host echoed from the TV installed in the press center. The somewhat murmuring crowd fell silent. Everyone was waiting and anticipating the names the host would call. A momentter. The host smiled joyfully and announced, "[Best Actor, Kang Jinseok]." As those words echoed, "Wow!!" He won again! Again! The press center erupted in cheers. Even though everyone was surely prepared to publish articles, few were doing so. Click! Unlike other journalists, Kang Suyeon uploaded the article she had prepared in advance as nned. The article reported that Jinseok won the Best Actor award, and both the jury and the audience gave him a standing ovation. Meanwhile, as Jinseok walked to the stage and received the trophy, he began his eptance speech. "Um¡­ Haha. First of all, what should I say? Thank you so much. I didn''t expect to receive this award again." While admiring the trophy, Jinseok continued speaking into the microphone. "Last year, I think I said something simr in this very ce. I prepared an eptance speech. It''s not that I was confident I would win again, but if Ie up here and say somethingme, I would feel sorry to those who gave me this award, my colleagues, and the fans." After a brief pause, Jinseok smiled sheepishly and added, "Maybe I''m still a bit nervous. I''m an actor known for not making mistakes during filming, but this ¡®live'' situation makes me nervous in various ways. Other seniors and colleagues seem to handle it effortlessly, but I wonder if it''s because I''m still acking actor." Kang Jinseok saying he''s still acking actor brought a burst of lightughter to the venue. Encouraged by the good atmosphere, Jinseok gathered his courage and continued, "[I don''t exactly remember the words I intended to say, but it was something along these lines. Last year, I expressed my gratitude to many who helped me be in this position. So, if I have the opportunity to be in a ce like this again, I want to say something different for others.]" After ncing around for a moment, Jinseok calmly spoke, "[Looking at me in this position now, I believe many juniors who are nurturing their dreams might be here. Those who sweat to appear on the screen for even a second. Although it''s not my ce to speak, unexpectedly finding myself here due to various twists of fate, I hope you all don''t give up. You may want to give up each time you hit the wall of reality, but at those moments, I hope you envision yourselves in this position dreaming, just like I did with a script in hand.]" After speaking for a while, Jinseok approached the microphone even closer. "[Every time you feel like giving up, consider that as another starting point, and I sincerely hope a protagonist is smiling at the end of your life''s film. Thank you.]" With Jinseok''s final words, the venue erupted in more fervent apuse than ever before. Chapter 196: Chapter 196: After attending the Cannes Film Festival, Jang Sunho, who had dropped me off at home, spoke calmly at the doorstep. "Well then, Actor, please rest well. You''ve worked hard." "Yes, Manager-nim, you''ve worked hard too. So, there won''t be any specific schedules for a while?" "For now, that''s correct. If any schedulese up, I''ll contact you." "Thank you." "Yes, then I''ll be going." Jang Sunho nodded slightly, greeted me, and closed the door. I immediately went into the living room and carefully ced the trophy I received at Cannes on the trophy shelf. "When Manager-nim gave this as a gift, it seemed like it would never fill up in my lifetime. But now, it''s quite a collection."Every time I look at it, I feel proud. The coveted ¡®Golden Palm'' at the Cannes Film Festival was not received for , but instead, Director Yeo Jaeyoon received the ¡®Jury Prize''. That, too, was a tremendous honor, and the media was in a frenzy. The fact that a Korean filmmaker brought home two awards from Cannes was truly a miraculous event. *** The next morning. After a long time, sleeping in my bed felt refreshing. The hotel in Cannes was undoubtedly a world-ss establishment, but the home was still the best. "I should have breakfast¡­ What should I order for delivery after such a long time?" Due to my recent trips to Cannes, for the past few weeks, I have been maintaining Jang Sunho''s special green juice and an extremely healthy diet. ording to Jang Sunho, it was for "showcasing the best beauty." Even in Cannes, I had food restrictions under Jang Sunho''s strict supervision, so I craved the delivery of food. Pizza, burgers, chicken, ck bean noodles, pig''s feet¡ªthose kinds of things. Oh, and ramen too. I found my hidden phone under the bed and opened the delivery app. Unknowingly, I started humming. I wondered why ordering food through a delivery app made me so happy. "I''ll get a burger, some chicken¡­ and I should order tteokbokki too. I''ll put the leftovers in the freezer and eat themter." As I added drinks and side dishes to the cart, just when I was about to press "payment." [Jang Sunho, Manager-nim] A discreet notification popped up at the top of my phone. It felt as if someone was quietly opening the door and scrutinizing me while I secretly snacked in the car, monitoring whether I indulged or not. Feeling a bit embarrassed for no reason, my finger, about to press "payment," paused. "¡­I should probably answer the call first?" "Hello?" [I apologize for bothering you, actor. There''s something I''d like to discuss.] "Oh, sure!" [But is everything okay? Your voice seems a bit shaky.] "¡­No, no! I''m perfectly fine." [¡­] After a moment of silence from Jang Sunho, he continued in aposed voice. [Understood. The reason for contacting you in the morning is regarding your uing project, endorsements, and potential variety show appearances. I mentioned yesterday that there wouldn''t be any schedules for a while, and we intended to dy these discussions to regte your condition. However, some opportunities are a bit regrettable to miss.] "If they''re regrettable to miss¡­?" [Yes. First, the next project is a film directed by Kang Chanwook. He contacted usst night, saying it''s a piece too valuable to let pass. There won''t be a separate audition, and if you agree to do it, you''ll be cast immediately. Well, that''s somewhat expected, isn''t it?] Although Jang Sunho said it was ¡®expected'' for me to be cast in a project without an audition, it still didn''t feel quite real. Having appeared in numerous works, received awards, and even attended Cannes with a film based on my script, I have grown into a respectable ¡®actor.'' However, my heart still resembled the Kang Jinseok of the early twenties, struggling tond even a minor role. "If it''s a film by Director Kang Chanwook, I want to do it. I''m a huge fan of ¡®Oldman.''" "Understood. Still, you need to review the script first; we''ll bring it to youter today." "Yes!" "Now, regarding the endorsement offer¡­" Jang Sunho continued his exnation. "We''ve received an exclusive contract proposal from ¡®LVHM.'' It came in shortly after you received the award at Cannes. However, we declined it because we had been advertising with Hermes, and LVHM and Hermes are essentially rivalpanies." "Ah¡­ I see." "But they contacted us against night¡­ I''d like to know your opinion on it." "Well, let me think." While answering, I nced at the wardrobe. Inside the closed wardrobe were numerous luxury items received when shooting the Hermes ad¡ªclothes, bags, and more. "I don''t wear them often, though." For some reason, I felt a bit reluctant to wear luxury brands. Unless it was a formal asion, sportswear felt morefortable. "Um, Manager-nim." "Yes?" "Where is LVHM located? I haven''t heard of it." "¡­" Jang Sunho hesitated for a moment and then began to exin in an awkward tone. It seemed he was taken aback by my unfamiliarity with the brand. "Um¡­ LVHM is the world''srgest luxury goodspany, ranking first in market capitalization on the European stock market." "Is it such an impressivepany?" "Yes. ¡®LV'' in ¡®Louis Vuitton'' represents thepany. It''s an impressivepany that deals not only with clothing but also with beverages, cosmetics, and more." In my experience, there was nothing Jang Sunho called ¡®impressive'' other than when hemented on my acting. However, saying it like this made it clear that it was indeed an extraordinarypany. "But why would such an impressivepany want to use me?" I asked that to myself. Jang Sunho asked with a subtle tone. "Actor, are you curious about why such an impressivepany would want to use you?" "¡­" "Seems like I hit the mark." Whether it was my mood or not, I could faintly hear Jang Sunho''s sigh through the phone. "As I''ve mentioned before, you need to more firmly recognize your value. Your mobile phone, the car you drive, the food you eat¡ªeverything bes an issue. Thanks to that, this time, even President Oh Haneul recognized you as the representative of the entire OS Group¡­ Anyway, you understand, right?" "Um¡­ yes. I understand." "While your answer is somewhat uncertain, it bothers me a bit, but if I guide you consistently, it should get better. Returning to the main point, your opinion is crucial for this advertisement. The contract with Hermes is about to expire, so partnering with LVHM poses no problem. However, your decision is important in terms of advertising shooting or schedule adjustments. And keeping loyalty to Hermes by rejecting LVHM is also¡­" "I see." After a brief response, I asked Jang Sunho. "Manager-nim, in your opinion, which one do you think I should go with?" "My opinion is less important than yours. Still, since you asked, financially, LVHM would be more advantageous. Of course, Hermes is also a giantpany, but it''s weaker than LVHM in terms of finance. However, in terms of advertising shoots or schedule adjustments, Hermes would be better. Also, to maintain loyalty with Hermes, rejecting LVHM is¡­" In response to my short question, Jang Sunho exined the pros and cons of the twopanies for almost 10 minutes. Honestly, I understood the first few sentences, but as it went on, the specialized terms became difficult for me toprehend. However, I could understand the essence. Despite the borate exnations, it somehow felt like I hade back to square one, but it might be due to my mood. After exining for a while, Jang Sunho asked me. "Now, Actor, which one will you choose?" I found myself in a position to choose between two of the world''s top fashion brands. After discussing the uing project and endorsement, Jang Sunho proceeded to talk about an opportunity for a variety show. Although variety show participation felt somewhat less weightypared to the previous two matters, it was still important enough for Jang Sunho to personally inform me. This variety show was something I genuinely wanted to participate in. *** "Ah, hello! I''m PD Seo Hyunwook! It''s truly an honor that Actor Kang Jinseok responded to our program''s invitation and even came here personally!" In the meeting room of BDD Broadcasting Station, PD Seo Hyunwook introduced himself as such, bowing at a 90-degree angle and extending his hands to hand me his business card. I reciprocated by bowing simrly to receive the business card. Not to mock Seo Hyunwook or anything, but he was being so polite that I felt I should reciprocate in the same manner. "Haha¡­ No, thank you for the offer. I enjoy watching ¡®.'' As far as I know, this is your first program, and it''s truly impressive." "Y-you enjoy watching my show?" "Yes." Upon my response, the writers and production staff, who had been watching the situation from behind, started yfully hitting each other, saying, "He''s watching ours!" As they made amotion, Seo Hyunwook looked back at them and restrained his subordinates. At that moment, Jang Sunho, who was sitting beside me, cleared his throat and ventted the situation. "Ahem. PD-nim, as you may know, Actor Kang Jinseok just returned from Cannes the day before yesterday. So, he''s still in a state of considerable fatigue, and I''d appreciate it if we could conclude the meeting quickly. I intended toe alone, but Actor Kang insisted on meeting you in person, so I brought him along." "R-right! I understand. First, what we are nning with Kang Jinseok is¡ª!" Seo Hyunwook continued his exnation, showing me his tablet. " is a variety show where actors and idols travel to observe local reactions. While the main item is ¡®local reactions,'' as it is a travel variety show, they carefully select ces to introduce not only well-known tourist attractions but also lesser-known ones. "Well, I am looking forward to that." While I was having various thoughts, Jang Sunho and Seo Hyunwook quickly adjusted the schedule. Since I had expressed my willingness to participate beforeing to the meeting, Jang Sunho was efficiently managing the schedule. "So, let''s proceed like this!" Seo Hyunwook, who had been chatting with Jang Sunho for a while, spoke in a cheerful voice. Judging by his expression, it seemed like he hadn''t expected me to be so proactive. And thus, my appearance on " was decided. Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Seongbuk-gu. Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s house. Jaeyoon and his daughter, Hyemin, were casually watching TV and snacking. Jaeyoon took a bite of an apple and discreetly observed his daughter''s expression. Though her expression seemed somewhat dry, as usual, Jaeyoon could discern a subtle difference in it. "It seems like she''s upset about not being able to travel with Kang Jinseok." Originally, Hyemin was supposed to appear together with Jinseok in the travel variety show, "Recognizable Abroad?". They had worked on two projects together, even attended Cannes together, and filmed advertisements for famous overseas brands together, creating an image of them being quite close. The assigned PD, Seo Hyeonwook, also weed it with open arms. Just having Jinseok appear was a big deal, but with Hyemin joining as well ¨C it was beyond sensational. Hyemin, surprisingly, expressed her willingness to appear actively, and it seemed like the appearance was confirmed. "An unmarried man and woman traveling alone? Absolutely not." However, Hyemin''s appearance was thwarted, all because of Director Yeo Jaeyoon.Of course, it wasn''t truly ¡®alone'' as there were plenty of staff and a manager apanying them. Yet, as a father with a daughter, Yeo Jaeyoon couldn''t ept it. Moreover, Yeo Jaeyoon was well aware that his daughter harbored subtle feelings for Jinseok, making him even more reluctant to let her go on the trip. Even if he thought of himself as a troublesome father interfering with his daughter''s romantic affairs, it didn''t matter. To Yeo Jaeyoon, Hyemin was always the top priority. "Hello, I''m Kang Jinseok!" Jinseok greeted cheerfully on TV. Watching Jinseok like that, Yeo Jaeyoon clenched his fist and pondered. "Well, if it''s Kang Jinseok, he''s an eptable person. Charismatic, friendly, polite, lively, reasonably well-off, clean in rtionships with women." Somehow, he felt like he had simr thoughts in the past, but Yeo Jaeyoon attributed it to his mood. "But it''s still not eptable." He didn''t know how long he could continue to interfere with his daughter, but Yeo Jaeyoon was determined to do it as long as he had the strength. At that moment, another participant appeared on the screen. "Hello, I''m Park Hayeon! I arrived in Japan before Jinseok oppa!" Park Hayeon. An entertainer who would be appearing instead of Hyemin this time. She recently finished a concert in Japan, and her schedule conveniently ovepped with Jinseok''s shoot. Besides, her recognition as a Korean idol in Japan and her proactive attitude toward her appearance bonus points, not to mention her past appearance on the entertainment show "Entertainment Diary" together with Hyemin. Crunch. It was just an ordinary act of eating an apple, not much different from usual, but for some reason, Yeo Jaeyoon sensed his daughter''s mood. Clearing his throat, Yeo Jaeyoon asked Hyemin, "Hmm, Hyemin. Are you still upset about not going there?" Instead of answering, Hyemin increased the volume of the TV. It was admirable and appreciated by Yeo Jaeyoon that she expressed her feelings like that, but being her father, he felt somewhat uneasy. "For now, it''s probably better to stay quiet." He had a nagging feeling that if he pried too much, Hyemin might retreat to her room. Meanwhile, on the TV screen, Jinseok was heading to Japan from Incheon International Airport. At the airport, he shared anecdotes like, "I was lost a lot when I first came here" and "A young fan wearing a rabbit hat gave it to me when I entered Japan. I still have it," while asionally putting on the hat. A grown man wearing such a hat. As a somewhat conservative Yeo Jaeyoon, it was a bit ufortable to see, but strangely, it suited him well, perhaps because he had a good sense of style. Then, it happened. Jaeyoon couldn''t help but notice that Hyemin, who couldn''t take her eyes off the TV, was caught in his gaze. At that sight, Jaeyoon let out a faint sigh. And so, the ufortable TV viewing for the two continued. *** At the same time, at Park Chunsam''s house. Celebrating a rare holiday, Park Chunsam was leisurely watching TV in the living room. His sparkling-eyed wife and daughter were with him. On the screen was an episode of "Recognizable Abroad?" featuring Jinseok. Park Chunsam''s wife and daughter were avid fans of Jinseok. However, it wasn''t just because of Jinseok''s work. It was also because whenever Jinseok traveled abroad or on special asions, he would send gifts through Park Chunsam. Park Chunsam recalled the gifts from Jinseok inside the refrigerator. "Last time, he sent wine and expensive beef." Honestly, Park Chunsam''s preference was soju and pork belly. Jinseok was well aware of this but had sent wine and beef, saying, "I can''t just give you soju and pork belly since it''s for both Mrs. and Ms. You can enjoy these with them." "Well¡­ thanks to that, my wife and daughter liked it." As Park Chunsam was lost in various thoughts, Jinseok''s video continued on TV. "Wow¡­ when I first came here, there were hardly any customers. Now, there are so many customers waiting." Jinseok licked his lips, observing the long line filling the alley. Subtitles on the screen read, ¡®Kang Jinseok''s rmended Japanese ramen restaurant.'' "It''s a ce rmended by Jinseok." Someday, he thought he should go there. While Park Chunsam was having such thoughts. Ding-dong. Someone rang the doorbell. Since it wasn''tmon for visitors toe at this hour, Park Chunsam grinned and went to the front door. "Who is it?" As Park Chunsam opened the door, there was no one outside. Instead, arge package was ced on the floor. "What''s this? It looks like an icebox." Even at a nce, it seemed like a substantial box. Most people would groan while lifting it, but Park Chunsam effortlessly brought it inside. "Hey, do you have something you ordered?" "No? Did ite to me?" "Let me see¡­ Oh? Is it for me? The sender is¡­ Kang Jinseok?" As Park Chunsam spoke, the attention of his daughter and wife, who had been focused on the TV, turned abruptly towards him. "Sent by actor Kang Jinseok?" "Jinseok oppa?!" "Well, it seems so. But why do you call Jinseok ¡®oppa''? He''s younger than you." "Because he''s handsome." As if questioning why she was asked such an obvious question, the daughter approached Park Chunsam. Then, she inspected the package. "It''s an international delivery. Let''s open it, Dad." "Sure. What did he send this time?" Park Chunsam ced the box on the living room table and began to open it with familiar movements. Although the box was tightly sealed with tape and strings, it was futile against Park Chunsam''s strength. After a while, Park Chunsam opened the box. As he expected, it was an icebox. Inside were bottles of sake and a letter. ¡ª¡ª During my recent filming in Japan, I discovered a truly delicious drink, so I''m sending it for you to try. I might have to go back to the United States after this shooting, so I might not be able to enter Korea for a while. I''ll asionally share pictures on the group chat to say hello. -Kang Jinseok ¡ª¡ª It was Jinseok''s gift. "Well, well." Park Chunsam smiled with satisfaction. Truly, this guy hadn''t changed much even after achieving significant sess. After the variety show filming in Japan, he immediately headed to the United States. "Steven Spielberg calling me¡­!" Steven Spielberg. A renowned Hollywood director. He had reached out to cast me as the lead actor in his uing project. When I heard those words, my heart pounded as if it would burst. The directors who had called me so far were all top artists, but Steven Spielberg was in a different league. "It seems the schedule is not going as nned for me." However, unlike me, Jang Sunho seemed somewhat ufortable. "Even if you, are said to have good stamina, having a meeting in Hollywood right after overseas filming. This is all my oversight." "Haha¡­ You don''t need to think that much. And if Spielberg calls, of course, you go. The casting isn''t confirmed yet since the meeting hasn''t happened." "I practically see it as a confirmed casting. But, more importantly, are you really in good health?" "I''m fine." As I smiled and emphasized twice, Jang Sunho nodded as if understanding. "I understand. Still, if you feel tired or anything, please let me know." "Yes. Oh, by the way, Manager-nim, wasn''t I supposed to be in Director Kang Chanwook''s project originally? But now with Spielberg''s project, won''t the filming schedules ovep?" "You don''t need to worry about that. As you know, in Hollywood, it takes several months to over a year to start shooting after the casting. When Spielberg briefly spoke, he mentioned that the actual shooting would be in the second half of next year, so it won''t ovep with Director Kang Chanwook''s project." "I see." It was Jang Sunho, as always. I felt like I could just follow his schedule, as I had done until now. Then suddenly, an important fact crossed my mind. "But Manager-nim, how about your wedding preparations? There''s less than two weeks left now." I was concerned about Jang Sunho''s wedding, which was just around the corner. I wondered if he was handling the preparations well and if there would be any disruptions to my schedule due to both my shooting and his wedding preparations. However, "I''ve already finished all the preparations. To the second." "To the second?" "Yes." Contrary to my worries, Jang Sunho calmly replied, seemingly without any concerns. As expected, my concern for Jang Sunho turned out to be the most useless thing in the world. "But, honestly, Manager-nim, I never thought you''d get married to her. From my memory, when you two worked together, you always seemed to be bickering." "I also think the same. In fact, ¡®marriage'' wasn''t in my life ns, but somehow, it happened." Jang Sunho spoke with a slightint, but there was a subtle smile on his face. It was rare to see him smile like this. During our various conversations, an announcement came over the airne''s speaker. "Ladies and gentlemen, we will soon be arriving at Los Angeles International Airport." With that announcement, I nced out the window. Outside the window, I could see Los Angeles International Airport, the closest airport to Hollywood. Chapter 198: Chapter 198: Whenever I go abroad, I tie my stay to ¡®THE OS HOTEL.'' In the suite room of that hotel in Los Angeles, I enjoyed the night view outside the window. "Director Spielberg''s work might fit in here." Recalling the meeting with Director Spielberg a little while ago, I leaned closer to the window. The faint chill felt on the tip of my nose from the ss. The cityscape looked even clearer. "I never knew I could live like this." When I was younger, or more precisely when I hadn''t yetnded the right role, I couldn''t even imagine living this kind of life. But since winning the role, my life has started to change rapidly and decisively. "I wonder how the others are doing."Thinking about it, I decided to get in touch. Considering the time difference, it should be afternoon in Korea now, so it should be okay to contact them. "Let''s start by contacting Manager Park Jinsoo." *** "¡¤¡¤¡¤Now, the next agenda is about strengthening the differentiation of our brand image frompetingpanies. Currently, our Maserati-." Maserati Korea branch meeting room. The meeting, which had started early in the morning, continued even after lunchtime. Manager Park Jinsoo, sipping water, received a call on his mobile phone while watching the employee''s presentation. Although the principle during meetings was to keep phones on silent, he asionally set his to vibrate because important calls coulde through to him as the branch manager. "I''m sorry, please continue." "Yes." When the presenter hesitated upon feeling the vibration of his mobile phone, Park Jinsoo gestured for him to continue and check his phone. [Actor Kang Jinseok] [Hello, Manager Park Jinsoo. It''s been a while since west talked. How have you been? The reason for reaching out like this is simply to ask how you''re doing. In case you''re busy and wondering why I contacted you¡­] Reading the message, Park Jinsoo let out a light chuckle. "This friend truly has a unique personality." He and Jinseok had known each other for quite some time. They had a rough start when they first met, but they quickly reconciled. His life had changed since meeting Jinseok. Of course, there had been efforts on his part before, to make this transformation possible. However, if he hadn''t met Jinseok, he might still be regretting his past alone in a crumbling rooftop room. "It''s been a while; maybe I should give him a call. Since he sent a text." With a light smile, Park Jinsoo said, "Hold on. It''s gettingte, and we''ve all been working hard. Let''s grab some lunch. Assistant Manager Woo, your presentation was excellent. We''ll continue after the meal." "Oh, yes! Thank you!" Assistant Manager Woo, unexpectedly praised by the branch manager, nodded deeply. Then, Park Jinsoo stood up from his seat and spoke in a pleasant tone. "I have some personal matters to attend to today, so I''ll have my meal separately. Please enjoy your lunch, and let''s reconvene at three." "Yes!" As Park Jinsoo heard the employees'' responses, he headed out of the meeting room. After that, he began dialing Jinseok''s number. "Hello?" *** "Manager Park Jinsoo seems to be doing well." Not long after I sent the text, Park Jinsoo called. I felt a bit surprised that he contacted me so quickly, but it was still nice to hear his voice after a while. "Now, who''s next¡­ Should I contact Professor?" It''s not a boast, but I know a few professors. While most of them teach acting, there''s also Professor Kim Minhan from the medical school. Deciding to contact Kim Minhanter, I first decided to reach out to the acting professor and Yeomi''s father, Professor Kim Seunghyun. *** Kim Seunghyun, Professor at Seoguk University''s researchb. "The next lecture is¡­ it seems to be in Room 301 of the Arts Building." Kim Seunghyun, who was having a light snack before the lecture, stood up from his seat with a tablet containing lecture materials. Although there was still sometime before the lecture, he had the habit of arriving 20 minutes early to prepare for the ss, not to burden the students but to take a moment to catch his breath and get ready. Having been standing at the lectern for over 20 years, Kim Seunghyun still felt excited and nervous before every lecture. "No, it''s not that. Ever since meeting that student, I''ve been feeling excited and nervous again." After his daughter''s death, it had been challenging for Kim Seunghyun to teach, as he would see glimpses of his daughter in every student. However, meeting Jinseok had alleviated much of that burden. The vanished burden was reced with anticipation, interest, and joy. "Come to think of it, Kang Jinseok, it seems like he''s auditioning for a new production these days." Though not currently appearing in productions or directing, Kim Seunghyun, having spent a long time in the acting world, has a broadwork. ording to the stories circting, Jinseok seemed to have auditioned for a work by Kang Chanwook, one of Korea''s leading directors. "He''s the most sessful case among my taught students." Strictly speaking, Kim Seunghyun hadn''t directly taught him anything. With these thoughts in mind, Kim Seunghyun entered the ssroom. Several students were already seated, and they greeted him as he entered. "Hello, Professor!" "Hello. Have you all had your meals?" "Yes!" As they exchanged light greetings, Kim Seunghyun connected his tablet to the screen. His tablet started to appear on the screen. But at that moment¡­ Ding! A KakaoTalk notification popped up on the screen. [Actor Kang Jinseok] [Hello, Professor. It''s been a while since west talked. The reason for reaching out like this is¡­] One student, who had been absentmindedly staring at the screen, eximed, "Huh?" A nearby student, curious about the sound, looked at the screen and uttered a simr word. "Huh?" "Hmm?" "Huh?" And the confusion wasn''t limited to just the students. Kim Seunghyun, who received a message from Jinseok, was also quite surprised. "Actor Kang Jinseok contacting me?" Of course, it wasn''t the first time Jinseok had reached out. Whenever there was a significant event or an award ceremony, he would always get in touch. Considering how busy he must be receiving calls from other acquaintances, it was both appreciative and fascinating for him to contact a seemingly uneventful professor like himself. "What could be the matter?" However, it wasn''tmon for him to contact me just to ask how things were. Kim Seunghyun quickly checked the KakaoTalk. For a moment, he forgot that his screen was visible to the students. [Actor Kang Jinseok] [Hello, Professor. It''s been a while since west talked. The reason for reaching out like this is¡­ I had a meeting with Director Spielberg in the U.S. today. I''ll get in touch again when I return to Korea. Best regards, Kang Jinseok] It was just a contact to ask how he was doing. Kim Seunghyun, after quickly checking the KakaoTalk, let out a sigh of relief. "He had a meeting with Director Spielberg. As expected, he''s on a different level as an actor." Indeed, a talent like Jinseok was more than qualified to meet such a renowned director. "Well, he''s doing well, and I appreciate him reaching out. A simple reply should suffice¡­" As Kim Seunghyun was about to casually reply to the message, he felt an intense gaze directed straight at him. When he looked ahead, he noticed that the students were looking at him with more sparkling eyes than ever before. Although no one said anything, the meaning behind their gazes was clear ¡ª it was admiration. The students were sending infinite respect to Kim Seunghyun, who was being asked about Jinseok''s well-being. With an awkward smile, feeling the fervent admiration that was usually hard to perceive, Kim Seunghyun asked, "Do you all like Actor Kang Jinseok?" In response to his question, the students nodded in unison, as if to say, "Isn''t that an obvious question?" "Yes!" "I want his autograph!" "Professor, can''t you just make one call for us?!" Facing the students'' pouring questions, Kim Seunghyun nodded. "Yes, it seems to be Spielberg, and as for the call, well, I''m not sure. It looks like Kang Jinseok is currently in the U.S., so it might bete at night there." Kim Seunghyun raised his head. No matter how well he was treated as a professor, callingte at night was not only impolite but considering Jinseok''s status, it felt inappropriate. "It seems that a call might be difficult. He''s probably busy, and it''s getting close to the time for the lecture." Kim Seunghyun continued, "Well¡­ should we give it a try?" It seemed that Kim Seunghyun also wanted to have a conversation with Jinseok, as he changed his statement. *** [Professor Kim Seunghyun] Not long after I sent the KakaoTalk message, a call came in. "He''s calling?" After a few fake coughs to clear my voice, I picked up the call. "Yes, Professor. I answered your call. If you''re busy and I bothered you, I apologize." "No, not at all. Thank you for getting in touch. You''re in the U.S. right now?" "Yes, I just finished a meeting." "You must be tired. But more importantly¡­" Kim Seunghyun trailed off, then cautiously asked, "We''re currently in the lecture hall, and the students would like to hear Actor Kang''s voice. Would that be okay?" "In the lecture hall? Were you in the middle of a ss by any chance?" [Oh, no. We haven''t started the lecture yet.] Thankfully, I hadn''t interrupted a ss. "Sure, it''s fine." [Thank you. I''ll switch to speakerphone then.] After Kim Seunghyun spoke, he added, [It''s on speakerphone now.] "Ah, yes. Hello, this is Kang Jinseok. Are you all¡­ my juniors?" [Wow, insane. He picked up!!] [Amazing.] [Sen¡­ senior! Hello! I''m Sunghoon! I''m the guy with yellow hair who drank with you at the pub before!] I was taken aback by the sudden voices of the students. Then, I heard Professor Kim Seunghyun''sposed voice from the other side of the phone. [Oh, Kang Jinseok, sorry. They''re all just excited right now.] "Haha¡­ no problem." I awkwardly chuckled, assuring them it was okay. ¡®What should I say now?'' Just as I was pondering my next words, a student asked, as if to answer my unspoken question. [Senior! I have a question!] "Oh, sure! Go ahead." Unintentionally, it seemed like I was now in a spontaneous Q&A session. Chapter 199: Chapter 199: On the way to the wedding venue. He gradually slowed down the car as he observed the traffic light changing to orange. Then, looking at Jang Sunho sitting next to him, he spoke with a voice mixed withughter. "Manager-nim, it''s finally the wedding day." "¡­Indeed. How did this daye so quickly?" Jang Sunho murmured as he looked at the quiet street early in the morning. It was unfamiliar to see a weak side of him who always presented a confident demeanor. Perhaps the excitement and tension of ¡®marriage'' weremon to everyone, and that might exin it. "But Manager-nim, how was the experience of dieting for the past month? You tried the same diet and menu as when we filmed before. Three meals of green juice a day." "Through this experience, I realized that you, Actor-nim, are truly a strict person. You''ve been doing it for five years already. If it were me, I would have given up long ago. Let''s try to take it a bit more leisurely from now on." "Pfft."I couldn''t help butugh at Jang Sunho''s voice mixed with self-mockery. "Oh, and Manager-nim." "Yes?" "Thank you for personally driving me to the wedding venue today. You must have been tired from the shoot yesterday." "Even if I''m tired, I have to do what needs to be done. Besides, the shoot ended quickly yesterday. Director Ha Sarang and the other staff members areing today, so they wrapped up the shoot early for you." "Well, that''s fortunate, but please don''t let your condition deteriorate because of me." On his wedding day, Jang Sunho was still concerned about me. "Oh, by the way, Manager-nim." "Yes?" "Is it okay if I don''t go in with the bride? Usually, don''t you enter the venue with the bride?" "I''m not sure about that either. It''s my first time getting married." "Well, that''s true." "The wedding nner told me to do as I please, so I''m doing it the way they suggested, casually." Amidst such conversation, we arrived at the wedding venue without realizing it. Perhaps because the wedding was still a long way from starting, the parking lot didn''t have many cars. "Alright, we''ve arrived." "Yes, thank you." "Wait a moment, Manager-nim. I said today I''ll be the manager. Please wait. I''ll open the door for you." "¡­I don''t remember asking you to go that far." "You used to do it for me asionally when I was tired before." Saying that I quickly got out of the car and opened Jang Sunho''s door. Jang Sunho, seemingly unaware that I would go this far, awkwardly stepped out of the car without responding. He seemed quite nervous. His expression was never particrly warm, but today it seemed even more rigid than usual. "Well, I''ll go prepare first. If you want to rest in the car ore in at the right time, I''d appreciate it." "Hey, we should go together. After all, I''m your manager for the day." "¡­You''re going to help with the wedding preparations too?" "Yes. Isn''t it obvious for a manager?" Unable to refute my words, Jang Sunho nodded reluctantly. "Ah, I understand. Then, let''s go." "That line is my line. ¡®Let''s go, Mr. Jang Sunho.''" As I used to do during shoots. This time, I yfully said it to ease his tension somehow. Well¡­ it didn''t seem to have much effect. His movements were as robotic as his expression, jerking awkwardly. "Are you okay? You seem like you might stumble during the wedding." Though it was amusing to see Jang Sunho, usuallyposed and meticulous, in such a state, I couldn''t help but worry. With that thought in mind, I hurriedly went to Jang Sunho''s side. I intended to escort him, just as he always did. *** "Oh¡­ Manager-nim, your makeup is done, and you lookpletely different. And with your hair down, you look much softer." I watched Jang Sunho getting his makeup done while holding a green juice. It was the same appearance he had shown during his intense dieting days. Although I didn''t mean to, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction, almost like getting revenge. "It''s my first time wearing makeup, so it feels awkward. I''m a bit embarrassed because it doesn''t seem to suit me." Jang Sunho said with a charming smile. "Oh no, it suits you. Right, Miss?" When I casually asked the makeup artist, she was startled and replied, "Yes, yes! It suits him well." "See, even the makeup artist agrees. We should do this more often¡ª" Woo-woo-woo-. Jang Sunho''s phone rang. I intercepted his reaching hand to answer it in a dignified voice. [From Oh Haneul, the President] I couldn''t bring myself to take this call, so I handed the phone back to Jang Sunho. *** One hour before the wedding. Gradually, guests began to enter the wedding venue. I watched Jang Sunho greet the guests, take pictures with them, and even received asional requests for photos with me. "Um¡­ H-hyung, could you also take a picture with actor Kang Jinseok?" Once in a while, I received requests for photos like this. Since everyone came to congratte Jang Sunho on his marriage, I happily took pictures. ¡®It''s not easy being an assistant. Manager-nim did it so effortlessly.'' At that moment, I keenly felt Jang Sunho''s greatness. "Hey, our Manager-nim! Maybe it''s because he''s a newlywed, but he looks so handsome!" A familiar voice reached my ears. Looking in that direction, I saw the employees from the Warehouse entering the venue. However, there was a problem¡­ ¡®He said he woulde as the representative for a few minutes¡­ Why did everyonee?'' Ready to burst suits, hair shining as if coated with oil, and a face that could stop a crying child in its tracks. When a dozen or so of these gentlemen entered the venue simultaneously, the atmosphere quickly became awkward. I felt the need to quickly lighten the mood, so I approached the gentlemen with a warm smile. "Have you all arrived?" As I spoke, Mr. Park Chunsam, who was behind the foreman, extended his head and greeted me. "Oh, Jinseok, it''s been a while." "What do you mean it''s been a while? I saw you the day before yesterday. Jinseok had a shoot near our warehouse." "The day before yesterday?" "Don''t you remember? This guy drank and passed out, and it seems he lost his memory after that." As the foreman scolded Mr. Park, Mr. Park grinned and scratched the back of his head. As I chatted amicably with the gentlemen, the atmosphere somewhat improved. There were casual remarks like, "The men from Kang Jinseok''s YouTube," "Oh, those guys worked together before Kang Jinseok became famous," and "He also appeared in ," circting among them. I led the gentlemen to the photo zone where Jang Sunho was. There were still many guests waiting to take pictures with Jang Sunho at the photo zone. After a while, "Hey, Mr. Kim! Get closer!" "Oh, Park Chunsam, lower yourself a bit!" "Don''t push!" Since there were too many people to take individual photos, we decided to take a group photo with Jang Sunho. The photo with about a dozen men in ck suits looked somewhat problematic, but since everyone was smiling brightly, the picture didn''t turn out too bad. After the gentlemen''s photo session, There was a brief lull in the guests. Since Jang Sunho seemed quite tired, I handed him a cup of coffee. "Haha¡­ Manager-nim, you must be very tired." "It''s okay." It didn''t look okay at all. "More importantly, Actor-nim." "Yes?" "Is it okay if I take a photo with you? We haven''t taken a picture together, just the two of us." "Oh." Come to think of it, until now, I had been taking pictures with other guests, but I hadn''t taken a photo alone with Jang Sunho. Now that I thought about it, we hadn''t taken a picture together all this time while working. "Yes! Let''s take one together." "Thank you." "No, thank you." I took out my phone and stood next to Jang Sunho. Click! *** "Jinseok, aren''t you getting married?" A few minutes before the wedding ceremony. Min Kyungsoo spoke to me from behind as I sat in the front row of the venue. "Yes?" "Aren''t you getting married?" "¡­Married? I don''t even have a girlfriend." In response to my words, Min Kyungsoo looked at me silently. Then, he chuckled and asked Park Woohyun next to him. "Hey, is Jinseok lying?" "That''s right. Jinseok, if you lie to your seniors, you''re in trouble. Is it true that you don''t have a girlfriend?" "Well, yeah. You have a lot of actor friends you''re close to. Why don''t you mention that, like Director Yeo Jaeyoon''s daughter¡­ and even Yeonsoo?" "And who was that? Someone you worked at a cafe with from your unknown days¡­" "Are you talking about actress Yeo Hyemin?" "Oh, right. Those two. You even leavements on each other''s social media." I lightly smiled and shook my head. "I''m not in that kind of rtionship with those two. First of all, Yeo Hyemin is busy with a photo shoot in Europe, and Yeonsoo is busy with her recent projects." "Hey, can''t actors date because they''re busy shooting? It''s part of being an actor, isn''t it?" "Anyway, I''m not in that kind of rtionship with those two." As I waved my hand to emphasize, Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun looked at me with suspicious nces. At that moment, "Oh!" Park Woohyun, as if realizing something, pped his hands and said, "That friend who''s an idol. Right!" "Yes? An idol?" "Oh, right. You''re close with that friend." "Are you talking about Park Hayeon?" "That''s it! Park Hayeon!" Min Kyungsoo shouted as if he had just eximed ¡®Eureka!'' like Archimedes. I tilted my head again. "No, it''s not like that. We asionally keep in touch, but Park Hayeon is also extremely busy, so there''s no time for that." As I casually spoke, Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun scrutinized my expression and said, "Hm¡­ Something''s odd. Your expression seems like you''re telling the truth even though you''re lying." "That''s right. He acts so well that it''s hard to distinguish whether he''s telling the truth or lying." "Haha¡­" [Shortly, the wedding ceremony will begin. Guests, please take your seats to congratte the bride and groom.] Laughing and chatting with Min Kyungsoo and Park Woohyun, the MC announced that the wedding would proceed. The one in charge of the socializing was said to be the head of the secretary''s office at OS Entertainment. It was the first time I saw her in action. ¡®I originally wanted to do this.'' Seeing her handle the socializing, I thought it was a good decision to concede. Perhaps because she was the head of the secretary''s office, the atmosphere she exuded was stable and dignified, fitting well with the wedding venue. A whileter, "Today is a special day to celebrate the new beginning of the bride and groom''s life together. Despite your busy schedules, I thank everyone for gathering here¡­" With the MC''s announcement, the wedding ceremony began. "Groom, Jang Sunho''s entrance." Jang Sunho entered with confident steps. However, I could tell. I could tell that he was truly nervous. Others might not have noticed, but having known him for a long time, I could sense it. As Jang Sunho stood in front of the officiant, the MC spoke again. "Bride, Go Seoyeong''s entrance." Jang Sunho and Go Seoyeong''s wedding proceeded grandly. *** "Alright, let''s end today''s ss here. There will be a brief exam tomorrow, so please prepare ordingly." "Ohh¡­" Professor Kim Minhan at Hanhyang University. At his words, students made various groaning sounds. Although Kim Minhan said it would be a ¡®brief exam,'' the exams he gave were never easy. However, since the students were medical students used to tough exams, they all quickly epted it and began to leave the ssroom. Seeing the students, Kim Minhan gave a faint smile. Suddenly, Kim Minhan thought of Jinseok. "I wonder how that friend is doing. There was a movie releasedst week." Until recently, Kim Minhan had no interest in movies or dramas. He had focused solely on his work, criticizing himself every day. But after meeting Jinseok, Kim Minhan''s life changed. He forgave himself. ¡®All thanks to that friend.¡¯ It had been seven years since Kim Minhan got to know Jinseok. Since then, Jinseok asionally inquired about his well-being through personal contacts, but they had never met separately. Kim Minhan considered it fortunate not to have seen Jinseok. This was because meeting him, a top star, was an impossible task unless Jinseok was unwell. As a doctor, Kim Minhan hoped never to meet Jinseok. ¡®But still, I''d like to see him at least once¡­ Whenever I get the chance, I should go to a preview or something. It''s a bit embarrassing to follow a drama set at this age.'' Kim Minhan briefly thought about Jinseok and faintly smiled, organizing his lecture materials. There were a few lectures left after lunch, so he had to move a bit busily. Late at night, Kim Minhan returned home. He was so tired that he wanted to copse into bed right away, but he couldn''t. Today was his counseling day. And it was the st'' day. Kim Minhan pressed a random key on hisptop keyboard and turned on theptop screen. Then, with familiar gestures, he connected to a video call. After a short while, the screen showed the gentle face of an elderly doctor. Kim Minhan greeted him with a light smile and a nod. "Hello, Doctor." [Yes, Professor Kim Minhan. It''s been a month since west contacted. How have you been?] "Yes, thanks to your concern, I''ve been well." Kim Minhan smiled again. The elderly doctor across the screen nodded his head and spoke. [It seems like you don''t need my help anymore. You don''t resemble Professor Kim Minhan from the past.] "It''s all thanks to you, Doctor. Without you, I would still be that helpless person, knowing nothing but my work." [Haha, saying that makes me grateful. However, it''s not because of me. It''s because Professor Kim Minhan overcame it on his own.] Kim Minhan gave a meaningful smile at the doctor''s words. ¡®The decisive reason I could change like this was thanks to actor Kang Jinseok.¡¯ But that doesn''t mean the doctor who counseled him for over a decade yed no role. If the doctor hadn''t been there, he might have fallen apart long before meeting Jinseok. Having such various conversations for a while, the doctor asked. [By the way, Professor Kim. How about that woman you met at Kang Jinseok''s fan clubst time?] "Doctor, it''s not a fan club, it''s the ¡®Kang Jinseok Fan Club.''" [Oh, I see. Sorry. I''m quite old-fashioned.] "No problem. And about that woman¡­" Kim Minhan blurred out the details but finished with a lightugh. "She works in a different field than I do, but surprisingly, we found somemon ground. Thanks to that, we decided to have dinner together tomorrow." *** Chapter 200: Chapter 200: THE OS HOTEL Gangnam. In the luxurious restaurant on the top floor, Kim Minhan was waiting for someone. "It''s about time she arrives." The woman Kim Minhan was waiting for was someone he had met at a fan cafe called ¡®Kang Jinseok Fan Club,'' which was amunity with a slightly older age group. "You''ve never beente for an appointment before. Is something wrong?" As Kim Minhan checked his watch with such minor concerns, a momentter, a woman behind him spoke, breathing heavily. "Whew, sorry. Something came up suddenly, so I''m a littlete." Kim Minhan stood up and looked at the woman. "No problem, I just got here too. Inspector.""Calling me that again. Should I call you Doctor then? Also, I''m not an inspector anymore." "Haha, right." Kim Minhan gave a charming smile and scratched the back of his head, and then the woman sat across from him. Afterward, she took out a business card from her pocket and handed it to him. "I''m officially an employee at OS International starting today." "Congrattions. Your sry must have increased significantly." "In exchange, my pension has decreased. That''s the only thing I had while working in public service." Kim Minhan chuckled lightly at the woman''s yfulint. Kim Minhan examined the business card the woman handed him. [Executive Director of Legal Affairs, OS International, Lee Minyoung] "Executive Director of OS International. I''m not sure if I can address you informally. Shouldn''t we be recruiting someone like actor Kang Jinseok?" "If Kang Jinseokes, shouldn''t the CEOe instead of me? I had a meeting with the CEO earlier, and it seems even the CEO finds it hard to see Kang Jinseok''s face these days." "¡­ The CEO is feeling down? That oh-so-high-and-mighty CEO?" "Yes. I didn''t know either, but when I saw him, he seemed like a very down-to-earth person." While the two were chatting, the waiter came to take their orders. Despite the already expensive restaurant, the menu they ordered was quite high-end, considering. "Please wait a moment." After the waiter left with a respectful greeting, Kim Minhan awkwardly smiled and said, "Minyoung, aren''t you pushing it too much? It''s several times more expensive than what I boughtst time." "I earn several times more than a professor, so I should buy something several times more expensive. And here, OS International employees get a discount." "Even with a discount, it must still be quite expensive." "Well, then, next time, Minhan, you can treat me. When are you free?" Even though they had just met, Lee Minyoung was already casually nning their next appointment. As someone experiencing the subtle beginnings of romance for the first time in his life, Kim Minhan felt grateful. After exchanging light greetings and casual conversation, Kim Minhan asked, "Um, Minyoung, it''s not that I want to nitpick, but I''m just a bit curious. Why were youte today? You always used toe at least 20 minutes early." "Oh, that." Lee Minyoung set down her utensils, took a moment to think, and then spoke with a faint smile. "I received a call from Director 1." "If you mean Director 1 from KL Entertainment, the former Director 1, right?" "Yes. He was released from prison today." "Ah¡­ time has alreadye to that." The incident where KL Entertainment, under the direction of Director 1, attempted to sabotage Jinseok systematically under the orders of Lee Youngkyung was not just a simple entertainment industry issue. It involved numerous figures in politics and business, making it a matter of great interest even to those not interested in the entertainment world. The trial of Lee Youngkyung and Director 1 was unusually broadcast live. "And during that live broadcast, Lee Youngkyung not only swore at Director 1, who appeared as a witness but also physically attacked him." Fortunately, if there was any fortune in this situation, it was thatpared to Lee Youngkyung, Director 1 received a rtively lenient punishment. Of course, having served a prison sentence, it wasn''t entirely lenient. "It feels like that incident happened just yesterday¡­ time flies." Afterward, the two shared various stories. They talked about their respective jobs, but inevitably, the main topic was Jinseok. As time quickly passed, it was time for the restaurant to close. They left the restaurant and headed towards the parking lot. "So, I understand that you''ll decide on the location for our next appointment." "Oh, about that." "Yes?" "Would you be interested in a short trip to Japan next weekend? Our full-fledged member of the ¡®Kang Jinseok Fan Club,'' Ms. Haruna Yomi, has invited us. She recently got discharged and mentioned wanting to try the ramen ce where actor Kang Jinseok used to go. It might be nice if we all go together." "The ramen ce that Jinseok used to visit?" "Yes. It was a popr ramen shop during the peak of ¡®The Most Painful Predestined Rtionship in the World.'' It''s still maintaining its poprity." As a fan of Jinseok, it was an iconic ramen spot in Japan, drawing crowds during the show''s heyday. It continues to be popr even now. Since it was a ce Lee Minyoung also wanted to visit, there was no reason to refuse. Moreover, now that she had transitioned from being a busy ¡®prosecutor'' who worked even on weekends to a ¡®director'' with guaranteed personal time on weekends, she had the flexibility. Lee Minyoung smiled brightly and said, "Sure. Oh, while we''re at it, should we ask Ms. Yeo Hyemin, another club member, if she wants to join? It''s been a while since all our club members went together." "¡­" Honestly, Kim Minhan wanted to go with Lee Minyoung alone. However, upon reflection, he realized that he wouldn''t be able to entertain her. So, going with other members seemed like a good idea. After a moment of thought, Kim Minhan nodded. "Sure. I''ll bring it up in the group chat. It would be great if everyone could go together." Those who had received help from Jinseok continued to lead ordinary lives, sharing amon thread that went beyond the ordinary. -The End- The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!