Chapter 209

Chapter 209: To Reach for the Stars, or to Become One (1)

TL: emptycube / ED: Isleidir

-Hey, we had a serious discussion while eating live octopuses.

Kim Taewoong’s voice sounded out from the audio speaker.

It seemed my friends were hanging out as it was noisy in the background. I unconsciously frowned. Has there ever been a good result from their discussions?

-That, crowdfunding thing. We decided to invest a lot in it. Friends need to help each other.

“If you want to help, just watch the film. Did you watch Alive?”

-There’s no need to feel any burden. Although we promised never to exchange money between each other, the situation this time’s a little special. We decided to consider like giving you your wedding gift and invest five thousand won each.

{1}

Friends need to help each other.

“That’s why I said, if you want to help- How much?”

-Five thousand won each.

I hung up immediately.

Chief Lee Kyojin, the casting director, grinned from the passenger’s seat.

“There are quite a few people like that around me too. People interested in crowdfunding City Jungle. There were a lot of people who bet on whether your next project would be a success or not for fun, and now it seems like you set up the playing field for it.”

Chief Lee Kyojin loosened his tie as he looked at me.

“There must be more around you.”

“There are.”

My family members, relatives, and even people beyond that were curious. There were a few people who asked me to tell them how the film was after the shoot or how people reacted to internal screenings. It felt like I was on a gambling table.

“Aren’t there too many people here?”

Chief Lee Kyojin said in astonishment as he looked out past the parking lot.

The crowd was so large that you might think we were at a flea market on a holiday.

“Will you be okay? A lot of people might recognize you.”

“I’ve come prepared.”

I put a thick, clunky pair of glasses and a hat over my naturally tangled hair. My face reflected in the rear-view mirror looked slightly different. When I got out holding a light jacket, Chief Lee Kyojin, who got out before me, raised his brows.

“That’s it? It’s a bit weak considering you’ve come prepared.”

“I have one more.”

I replied as I put the green jacket on like a cloak. Chief Lee Kyojin burst laughing after seeing a university’s name in big letters on the back.

“I don’t know which department’s jacket that is, but it’s quite intense.”

“It was a prop for a drama. A stylist brought it over.”

Disguised as a university student, I entered the flea market with steadfast steps. People had laid out mats from the park to the road, and people buying and selling were noisily mixed together. The scene was full of vigor.

The face I was looking for was in a place with easels and portrait paintings.

A painter, who gave off a heart-warming feeling, and a spot between his clients were particularly still.

“Stop. Don’t move.”

The painter said in a low voice.

The child sitting in front of him straightened his neck.

“Mister, when will it be done?”

“Endure for a bit longer. I’m trying to an especially good job for you.”

The parents pacified the grumbling child. They waited expectantly.

The painter painting the child’s portrait gave off a different mood. Unlike his colleagues, who wore simple t-shirts, he wore a dress shirt on and a professional apron with its strings tied tightly around his waist.

His black hair looked soft, and he wore a lightly faded pair of glasses and a black face mask.

His expression was somewhat gloomy, and his actions were delicate.

“Ahh…”

Chief Lee Kyojin admired.

The young painter’s gaze alternated between the paper and the child’s face before his hand started moving again. As mood elevated to where it seemed like a masterpiece was about to be unveiled, passersby stopped in their tracks and tilted their heads.

“Hey, doesn’t that painter look like he has a story?”

“What? Just admit he’s handsome.”

“I think he’s good at painting too. Let’s go get our portrait too. How much is it?”

“Three thousand… Huh? Only he’s doing it for free. Why is he drawing for free?”

“You’re right. Is he just volunteering?”

The two women stood in line as they tilted their heads.

Soon, the painter put down his pencil. The child was hopping in his seat.

“Mister, is it done yet?”

“It’s done, but I don’t like it very much.”

“Please show me!”

The child’s small hand snatched the paper away. The moment the child looked at the painting he had held his breath in expectations for, he flinched. Even his parents, who were happily watching, flinched. The women who were waiting in line also glanced at it and flinched.

It wasn’t a portrait. It was an abstract painting.

Besides there being a mouth, nose, and eyes on a face, there was nothing similar.

“… Mister, what is this? Did you paint this with your feet?”

“I painted it with my hands.”

“Is this me? Do I look like this?”

“I told you it wasn’t good.”

“I didn’t know it would be this bad!”

The irritated child looked at other painters’ works beside him and shouted,

“Other misters and sisters are drawing really well! Why is yours like this?”

“Child.”

A man wearing a baseball cap behind the painter cut in.

“The painting’s like that because it’s free. If you want a better portrait, go next door, pay three thousand won, and ask them to draw it again.”

“Trash!”

“That’s life.”

Even while grumbling, the child took the portrait and left. Of course, the women who were waiting in line also left. The painters next to them laughed like he caught another one.

“How are you planning to live off your paintings if your skills are this bad?”

“My friend’s works are always a bit peculiar… Team leader?”

Kim Hyunsup recognized me and got to his feet.

Then, the street painter, Nam Joyoon, smiled with a welcome face.

“You’re here?”

“How are you? There are more people than expected. Is everything okay?”

Nam Joyoon nodded. Kim Hyunsup replied for him,

“He’s in disguise. He’s wearing glasses and a mask, and his hair his unkempt, so no one can recognize him.”

“There isn’t anyone who recognize me even with my glasses off though.”

“Let’s just say it’s because you’re in disguise.”

Kim Hyunsup patted Nam Joyoon’s shoulder.

I watched Nam Joyoon pack his things and asked,

“You really looked like a painter when I was watching you. How is it?”

“I’ve become used to it.”

“He’s gotten used to being cursed at.”

Kim Hyunsup joined in again.

“Can’t you just watch and imitate painters? Do you really have to give people, who came to have good memories, your paintings?”

“It’s better than drawing then not giving them it.”

I introduced them to Chief Lee Kyojin as they got up.

He examined Nam Joyoon since the moment he saw him and was still looking at him after I got painters coffee from a nearby coffee truck.

“I suggested a few actors for the role Mr. Nam Joyoon played in Alive.”

Chief Lee Kyojin said while licking his lips.

“Minor role actors, stage actors, musical actors, and even aspiring actors attending acting school. I showed Director Choi Sungwon hundreds of people, but he rejected them all after seeing them audition. That was why I honestly thought Team Leader Jung pulled some strings when I heard you got cast. I was wondering how well you’d do.”

His gaze looked at me and Nam Joyoon.

“You were really great. I was convinced as soon as I saw.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

“Chief Lee Kyojin’s eyes curved like willow trees.

“I thought that you’d be quite good for the artist with a ‘distorted sense of aesthetics’ after reading City Jungle’s scenario, but it’s much better seeing you in person. I feel pumped to cast supporting roles since you fit so well as the lead.”

*

“Did you already reserve tickets?”

“What did you come to see? If you buy tickets now, we’ll give you a 20% discount!”

Promoting part-timers handed out pamphlets. They looked at me, Chief Lee Kyojin, Nam Joyoon, and Kim Hyunsup before clinging to Kim Hyunsup, who looked like the easiest target. Chief Lee Kyojin waved his hand like he was chasing flies away.

“We already reserved our tickets, and we are on our way to see it.”

By the time we arrived at the small theatre, our hands were full of promotional posters for plays.

Kim Hyunsup was astonished.

“It’s so crazy here.”

“This is after they started cracking down on illegal promoters.”

Chief Lee Kyojin shrugged. We passed the ticket booth and went down to the first basement floor. The walls were filled with pink posters. At the very bottom of the casting board, we saw pictures of the actors appearing today.

“It’s this fellow here.”

Chief Lee Kyojin pointed to the middle of the casting board.

A company employee role. Park Hyejae. He was the reason why we came all the way here.

Chief Lee Kyojin and I went through hundreds of profile picture for one of the important supporting roles, the hitman. Park Hyejae was an actor suggested by an agency manager.

His long eyes didn’t have double-eyelids gave off quite the impression. He’s been doing plays for eight years or so?

“I wish his acting was good too.”

“The manager who suggested him said it was really good, but we need to see for ourselves. If we simply believe whatever they say, all their suggestions are prettier than Lee Songha and better at acting than Park Hyeseung

{2}

.”

We went up to our designated seats. People’s gazes focused on us when we all sat down in a line.

Kim Hyunsup lowered his baseball cap visor as he asked,

“Was there a need for all four of us to come here?”

“The role has a lot of scenes with the lead. The image becomes clearer if I see them both together, so it’ll be helpful. There are also cases where actors don’t work well together.”

“Then it would have been great if Ms. Lee Songha came along as well.”

“I think Songha will stand out no matter where she goes.”

Kim Hyunsup returned to his seat with a bitter expression at my words.

“I think it’ll be less eye-catching than four guys sitting together like this.”

Most of the people who filled the seats were couples. Or two women. With four guys sitting in a row amongst them really was a strange sight. Also, the group was too awkward to be considered friends.

Kim Hyunsup grumbled,

“How about we sit in pairs?”

“I think that’ll look stranger?”

“Then let’s act like theatre employees on business than to enjoy ourselves.”

Chief Lee Kyojin took out City Jungle’s scenario. Kim Hyunsup also took out a scenario from a bag containing his painting tools. Nam Joyoon didn’t care about other people’s gazes and his gaze was fixed on the stage after getting ready to watch the play.

Chief Lee Kyojin flipped over a page filled with memos as he admired,

“I felt this while reading it, but the details are really good. I read a lot of crime/action scenarios, but the dialogue in this one seems particularly realistic. It seems the director did a lot of research.”

“From what I heard,”

I brought up what Forest’s CEO told me in the past,

“Director Oh Hyunkyung actually borrowed money from a loan shark and didn’t pay it back for two or three months back when she was editing the scenario.”

“Pardon?”

“To see their reaction. This is a scenario made with blood.”

“There are other things to try on your own.”

Kim Hyunsup looked frightened. Chief Lee Kyojin made a stiff smile.

“The director seems to have risked her life on this project then. Someone like her is also critical of actors. You should prepare yourself.”

While we were chatting, the lights turned off and the play began.

It was my first play in a long time, so I got completely absorbed in it. The screenplay was quite good, and the actors’ acting skills were very good. There wasn’t a single familiar face. I guess there really were a lot of unknown talented actors.

Park Hyejae shined amongst them. Of course, he didn’t shine in only my eyes.

There was no need to discuss. Park Hyejae and the other actors came out after the play ended. The actors murmured to each other after discovering us. I heard them mention autographs, fans, and pens.

Chief Lee Kyojin skillfully took out his business card and approached them.

“Mr. Park Hyejae?”

“Yes, what is…”

“I am a casting director. Would you like to audition for a movie?”

Their murmurs grew louder. Park Hyejae took Chief Lee Kyojin’s business card. The other actors stuck closer and looked at it with doubtful eyes. It was normal for them to be wary. There were too many scammers in this industry.

Just as I was wondering if it would be good for Nam Joyoon to take off his mask, the actress who played the female lead widened her eyes when she saw me.

“Huh?”

{1}

Koreans give money at weddings. Here, his friends are saying they’d give him ~$5 each.

{2}

I don’t think this person has ever been mentioned.