I Will Live As An Actor

Chapter 95

There is a common saying that driving training is not something you do with your family. 

For novice drivers, their vision is narrow and they have a hard time judging the size of the car, so most of them end up scratching their car a few times before they get the hang of it. 

Especially on the road training, they sweat in their hands. Just like now.

“Young-guk, try to stay in the middle lane as much as possible and always keep your foot on the brake. When there is an emergency, people tend to step on the pedal without knowing it, so if you are on the accelerator, you are in trouble. Keep your eyes on the far side. It’s important to understand the traffic flow. You know what I mean, right?”

Manager Lee Bong-chun is sitting in the passenger seat, gripping the assist handle tightly, feeling nervous. 

There are many cars on the road. So he has to be careful of sudden accidents at any moment.

Not to mention the cars parked on the side of the road suddenly popping out, or bicycles appearing out of nowhere from the back roads. 

Let alone Seoul, which is known for having the most traffic and congestion in the country.

“When you align the car width with the lane, just think of the size of the car handle. If the car handle is inside the lane, it’s about right. By the way, Young-guk, didn’t you get your license too fast? I’m honestly worried.”

As soon as he turned nineteen, he took the practical test, and right after the college entrance exam, he took the road test. 

Young-guk had a simple reason for getting his license so quickly.

As he made his name known in various media, from dramas and movies to plays, now even if he wore a hat and glasses, there were more people who recognized him. 

He couldn’t call his manager every time he had a personal matter.

“Don’t worry about it.”

As Young-guk started the car and changed gears, Manager Lee Bong-chun’s neck swayed greatly. 

The car was a van, so he was naturally worried. If he had his way, he would have written ‘Novice!’ in large letters on the back of the car, but he decided to hold off for Young-guk’s sake.

‘Huh?’

But to his surprise, the ride was comfortable. 

Young-guk’s expression looked relaxed, as if he had been driving for a long time. 

He even had enough composure to have a conversation on the busy road.

“Hyung, you said you were going to your hometown for this vacation, right? Your parents work at Jagalchi, right? Do they know that you are my manager?”

“Ugh, they still don’t believe that I’m your manager. They think I’m still struggling to make a living after moving to Seoul. Every time I visit them, they tell me to give up my Seoul life and come back to Jagalchi and catch eels again. That’s why I didn’t go down for a while. But this time, it’s my grandmother’s birthday, so I’m going to go down and come back.”

“Your maternal grandmother?”

“No, my paternal grandmother. My maternal grandmother passed away and my paternal grandmother lives alone. I’m her favorite grandson, so she loves me very much. She still calls me a baby every time she sees me.”

Young-guk barely held back a laugh. 

How could he imagine that Bong-chun, who was as big as a bear, would be called a baby?

“Don’t do that and take me with you and show me your face. I’ve been with you for years, I should at least say hello. You take such good care of me. How about going down to Busan with me on this vacation? I’m going to see my mother anyway. I’ll drive to Busan.”

“Busan… all the way?”

He would be lying if he wasn’t nervous. Busan was as tough to drive as the congested Seoul roads. 

Why else would there be a saying about the flashy decorations in Busan? 

Of course, that was because the roads were not properly repaired after the Korean War.

“Why, are you nervous?”

Young-guk gave a faint smile. 

What’s the big deal about driving to Busan? 

He had been a fishmonger in his previous life. 

Compared to driving a truck back then, this was nothing.

***

Sizzling.

The eel is being cooked over the charcoal fire. 

He had come down to Busan for a rare weekend after the college entrance exam. 

Manager Lee Bong-chun’s parents were still looking at Young-guk with disbelief.

His father was small in stature, but his mother was majestic, as he had said he was her favorite grandson. 

Manager Lee Bong-chun said something to ease the burden of their gaze.

“Mom, dad, stop staring at him. Young-guk will get worn out. If he collapses, you’ll be responsible!”

“Inoma raised his voice at me. He said I would make him sick because of you. By the way, Mr. Young-guk, our Bong-chun is very good at his job. He’s not the kind of person who gets scolded when he works somewhere else, but I was so worried about him. I thought he was lying to me, but it turns out you really are his manager.”

“Mother, please speak comfortably. Bong-chun and I have been working together for years. If you are Bong-chun’s parents, you are like my mother too.”

“Oh, you can really do that! I’m a real fan of Mr. Young-guk, no, Young-guk! Young-guk, whenever you appear on TV, I can’t take my eyes off you until the end.”

“Bong-chun’s mom, stop bragging. But how is it to your taste?”

They are such warm parents. 

As soon as Young-guk appeared, they were so surprised that his mother almost dropped the eel she was holding in her hand and stabbed her thigh.

Young-guk barely caught it.

“Did you take the college entrance exam this time? How did you do? I saw you on some entertainment show last time.”

“My score hasn’t come out yet. I only checked the estimated result, but I’m quite satisfied.”

“Oh, thank goodness! You’re good at acting and studying! I never thought I would be proud of my son-in-law, but it’s true. Young-guk is a treasure of Busan.”

“Mother, you’re too much.”

“Too much? What do you mean too much? You’ve been causing trouble all the time, almost getting kicked out of school and fighting with your friends. I had to go to school a few times because of you. You’re such an unpredictable guy with a slippery eel face. I had to hold you down at Jagalchi market. But then you suddenly went to Seoul and said you were a manager or something. I was so worried. But when I heard you were working with a friend like Young-guk, my heart was relieved.”

They kept asking him many questions. Manager Lee Bong-chun looked worried that Young-guk might feel uncomfortable, but the person himself didn’t mind. He felt like he was visiting his hometown.

“By the way, Bong-chun. Is your grandmother not coming?”

“Grandma doesn’t like eel very much. I’m going to see her tomorrow anyway.”

“Chuna, when you go to see grandma, bring some tea leaves. She asked me to bring them last time. I bought them from my oil shop.”

“Yes.”

“Speaking of which, when is Bongsoon coming? She must have finished school by now, but she’s always wandering around outside.”

Bongsoon?

“Mother, does Bong-chun have a younger sister?”

“Of course, you didn’t know? He has a sister who looks nothing like him. She’s also a fan of Young-guk. I’m not saying this because she’s my daughter, but she’s very pretty and lively.”

“Oh, mom!”

Just then, someone entered the closed eel shop. A female student in a uniform came in with a clatter.

“Oh, mom! You’re so busy and you call me again. It was finally my turn. If I don’t come, they’ll break my legs. Brother, you should have come down and done what you had to do. Why do you have to bother your only daughter? Here, I brought the eel legs you were looking for. What is this? Let me see. I’m going to try this eel too.”

She was a sturdy-legged girl who showed off her calves. 

It was obvious from afar that she was manager Lee Bong-chun’s sister. 

Bongsoon stopped yelling at her parents and fixed her eyes on the person in front of her. Then she pinched her chubby cheeks as if she was dreaming.

“Young-guk oppa?”

She hastily fixed her clothes and made a shy expression.

“Uh, mom…! Am I dreaming right now? How can Young-guk oppa appear in this humble place? Am I really seeing Young-guk oppa?”

Her mother shook her head as if she had spilled water.

“What are you saying, you silly girl.”

***

Fortune-teller.

Kim Sung-hwan was a representative who believed in fortune-telling quite well. 

Why do they say to knock on the stone bridge and cross it? 

When he was faced with a choice in his business, he would look for a reliable fortune-teller like this. 

The reason he came to Yeongdo was simple.

He had visited various fortune-tellers in Seoul, but most of them were nonsense. 

They either said something vague or gave him vague answers, asking for money.

‘Is this the place?’

It was the same place I visited four years ago. 

Time had passed, but this place seemed frozen in time. 

The faded walls and the shabby house were unchanged. 

There was no signboard, so it looked like a normal residence at first glance. But this was the best fortune-teller in the whole province, if not the country.

‘I wonder if Granny Bear is here.’

That’s when Kim Seong-hwan, the CEO, swallowed his nerves.

“What are you doing out there? Come in.”

The door opened and a majestic old lady appeared. 

Kim Seong-hwan’s eyes widened in surprise. 

How did she know he was here? 

The fortune-telling house was just like before, with a small shrine and a pile of books on divination in one corner. 

Kim Seong-hwan sat on a cushion and asked, shaking his neck.

“How did you know I was coming? Did you cast a hexagram or something?”

She was indeed a formidable fortune-teller. 

How did she know that Kim Seong-hwan, who came from Seoul, would arrive at this time and date? 

The old lady snorted and answered.

“Don’t talk nonsense. How would I know when you would come? I saw your head popping up and down over the wall. Don’t you think I don’t have eyes? I recognized you as soon as I saw your face. You’re the same guy who came here a few years ago to ask about your business.”

He let out a nervous laugh as his tension eased. But that was it.

“You came here today because of that noble person, didn’t you?”

“…!”

“You already had your fortune read before, so there’s nothing else for you to see. You must have come here to ask about someone else. By the way, that noble person has taken a good look at you. If it weren’t for him, you would have been homeless by now, betrayed by someone you trusted.”

Kim Seong-hwan nodded his head slowly. 

He had always struggled with human relationships, cutting them off abruptly. 

If it weren’t for Young-guk’s advice, he would have been ruined by Hwang Cheol-su, his former co-CEO. 

Today was no different.

He came here to find out about Young-guk’s future. His next work, his college, everything. 

And she knew it all at once. It was as if she read Kim Seong-hwan’s mind. 

The fortune-teller continued.

“Whatever decision the noble person makes, you just have to watch over him. Don’t judge by appearances.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Why can’t you understand what I’m saying? Don’t judge by appearances. He may be younger than you, but he’s much more mature inside. He’s already seen a few steps ahead of whatever you’re worried about. You just have to protect him well by his side. That’s your role. He’s someone who can turn a chicken into a phoenix. He’s also lucky to have met you. He’ll have a smooth and prosperous life from now on. In other words, it’s a win-win situation.”

Gulp.

Kim Seong-hwan swallowed his nerves and took out an envelope from his coat. But the fortune-teller shook her head as she glanced at the envelope.

"Don’t bother. Do you think I’m a scammer or a fortune-teller if I take your money for this? "

“But still.”

“Didn’t I say no? You did the same thing last time. People who came here to find out about their families after the war found their families thanks to me. They came back to thank me. You met the noble person thanks to me. That’s enough. If I take your money every time, the one I serve will be angry. Besides, it’s cold, so have a cup of hot tea and go.”

She shouted to the other side of the shrine.

“Kid, bring two cups of hot tea.”

Kid?

Kim Seong-hwan looked puzzled by the sudden call. 

Could it be that she had an apprentice? Then a man appeared from behind the shrine, holding a small tea tray. 

He looked like a bear. 

He had a similar build to the fortune-teller. 

The man’s eyes widened and he asked.

“CEO?”

Kim Seong-hwan rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and looked at his manager, Lee Bong-chun. His gaze seemed to ask.

‘Why are you coming out of there…?’