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 play Kim Yeonmi.
Not only the tone of voice, walking, and gaze but also playing the guitar and singing. Yeonmi showed me everything she had prepared.
Now it is time for Yeonmi to show her father the last 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.
“—.”
Now I was standing in front of Yeonmi’s father.
The last 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 her last 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.
“—.”
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…”
“—.”
“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 internet 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 played 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 welcoming 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?”
“—.”
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.
“– 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 glad 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 playfully.
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 quite large…”
“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 management companies in Korea.
He is also a giant in the entertainment industry, having recently successfully launched an ambitious idol group.
Moon Jong-seo was full of confidence because he was producing a drama that was fully supported by such a company.
Since it is the work of writer Kwon Chaeyoon, box office success is guaranteed. And the competing 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, the largest 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 no competition and any problems that arise during production are handled by other companies.
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.
***
“—Ah, 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-sized companies to village 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, come to your senses and eat something first. And then go home for a while. Mr. Jesu will be worried.”
Choi Hoon said as he placed 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 blankly 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].
“—Yes? 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