I’m Not That Obsessive

Chapter 38

He also announced Geon-woo’s arrival. Saying that it was his first movie in a while so he kept getting nervous, Mitchell explained that he had brought Geon-woo against his will and asked for understanding.

“I actually liked seeing Geon-woo come and visit. Why haven’t you come before?” 

When Director Robert said this, the surrounding staff members nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. Please come visit often.”

“Oh, but Geon-woo, I was really surprised. How did you catch the serial killer?”

“Right? I checked several times to make sure it was the Geon-woo I knew!”

“I was really surprised too when I heard. Who would have thought a real hero would be born from our movie?”

The topic of conversation naturally shifted to the episode of catching the murderer. As the most talked-about story stirred up excitement, people gathered in small groups.

It was then that Mitchell really started talking.

“Geon-woo is fearless. Even when that guy came charging at him like a madman with a knife, he faced him without flinching. Saying things like, ‘Trash like you should pay for your crimes,’ and ‘I’ll punish you myself.'”

“Wow, that’s so cool!”

One staff member clapped enthusiastically. Mitchell’s mouth didn’t stop.

“He took the guy down with one roundhouse kick, as you all know. The guy came at Geon-woo again with the knife, saying he’d kill him. But Geon-woo’s feet were so fast. Even if that murderer had been holding a gun, Geon-woo wouldn’t have hesitated.”

“Oh my goodness!”

“And you wouldn’t believe how polite he is normally. He knows how to help those in need, doesn’t envy others, doesn’t covet others’ possessions.”

Mitchell smiled and eyed the jacket Geon-woo was wearing. It was actually Mitchell’s jacket.

“He’s a really upright person.”

Geon-woo, already awkward from the barrage of compliments, started to malfunction like a broken machine because of Mitchell. He felt like he could swim in the cold sweat that was now dripping off him.

Geon-woo met Mitchell’s eyes and smiled awkwardly. He mouthed a word visible only to Mitchell. It started with ‘A’ and ended with ‘E’. Of course, in the English version.

“It’s an honor to have such a person living next door to me.”

Of course, Mitchell paid no attention to this. Instead, he put on a moved expression and patted Geon-woo’s shoulder.

Geon-woo was good at roundhouse kicks, but Mitchell was good at roundhouse insults. He was so skilled at verbally beating people up. This must be the American way of giving someone the finger.

“You’re really amazing! Wow, maybe that’s why, but Geon-woo looks especially handsome today!”

Other staff members listening nearby chimed in.

“Geon-woo was always handsome. Not just today.”

Even the passing camera director added a comment, igniting the conversation. People who had been quietly listening began to speak up.

“Geon-woo is definitely handsome. Mitchell is handsome too, but they’re handsome in different ways.”

“I watched a Korean movie Geon-woo was in. His acting was really top-notch. I think the role he has here is too small.”

“To think a person’s true worth would be revealed like this? You’re really cool, Geon-woo.”

As the compliments continued endlessly, Geon-woo’s face grew hot. Honestly, he did like this situation where goodwill and attention were pouring in.

Then, what about Mitchell?

Standing next to him, Mitchell seemed even more excited than Geon-woo.

“Haha, it’s nothing.”

“Geon-woo is quite handsome, isn’t he?”

“Stop it. He’ll float away at this rate.”

Mitchell’s refreshing lips curved into a wide smile. Even though he wasn’t the one being praised, he seemed more embarrassed.

‘Why are you the one enjoying this?’

Looking at Mitchell, Geon-woo let out a hollow laugh. He had no idea what thoughts were stuck in that head of his.

***

After finishing the morning shoot, there was a bit of time left. After eating lunch boxes, with nothing particular to do, they got in the car. Mitchell reclined the back seat almost flat, while I sat in the passenger seat, skimming through the script.

Mitchell always waited in his own car, saying the trailer provided by the film company was stuffy. The trailer was occupied by his assistant staff, bodyguards, and stylists. Even if it seemed somewhat reversed, who would stop Mitchell if that’s what he wanted to do?

Anyway, Mitchell didn’t seem to like staying in places he didn’t consider his own space. He always stayed in his car or a friend’s car, occasionally visiting the trailer when it was time to change clothes.

Mitchell not only disliked being alone, but he also seemed to hate staying in unfamiliar spaces even with others. In short, he was a picky person.

“Get some sleep. I’ll wake you up when filming starts.”

Mitchell looked tired. It was natural after rolling around all morning for the shoot. Moreover, soon he was scheduled to roll on the dirt ground outside. It would be good if he could rest even for a moment, but Mitchell didn’t sleep.

“I’m not sleepy.”

“You look really tired.”

“More than tired, I’m a bit hurt.”

“What? Where?”

“On my leg.”

“Why are you only telling me now? I’ll call someone.”

“It’s not that bad. It’ll get better if I put some medicine on it. Just some chafing from the clothes.”

“Do you have medicine?”

“Yeah, over there.”

As soon as I found the ointment and bandages in the glove box, I opened the car door. I could have thrown the ointment to him to apply it himself, but I wasn’t that heartless. It definitely wasn’t because I was curious about where Mitchell was hurt.

I moved to the back seat and took a place next to Mitchell. After closing the door, I took out the ointment from the paper box.

“Where is it?”

As I twisted the cap of the ointment, Mitchell lowered his pants zipper.

“Wh-what, hey hey.”

“What? I’m hurt on the inside of my thigh.”

“Ah… really?”

“You think I’m always doing something weird, don’t you?”

Well, I do think that.

I opened and closed my mouth a few times but ultimately held back.

Soon, Mitchell’s pants were down to around his knees. There really was a long wound on the inside of his thigh. The scratch-like wound wasn’t too severe, but it was enough to be bothersome. There were areas where blood had slightly clotted or swollen and turned red, which seemed too large for a small bandage.

I squeezed out the ointment and applied it to the vertically long wound. At that moment, Mitchell’s leg twitched. Wondering if it hurt, I looked up at Mitchell.

“It tickles.”

Mitchell, who had briefly sat up, lay back down and covered his eyes with his arm.

I quickly finished applying the ointment, but I left the pants down for now to avoid getting ointment on the clothes.

“Do you have time today?”

What kind of question is that for someone who’s idle except for following Mitchell around? I chuckled and answered.

“Time is all I have. Why?”

“I was thinking of teaching you at home… or now is fine too.”

“Ah…”

I knew what he meant to teach without him saying it all. It was sudden, but not something I could keep postponing.

“Okay.”

I answered after a moment’s hesitation. I couldn’t see Mitchell’s face properly because of his covered arm.

“But Mitchell, since time is a bit tight now, after we finish and go home…”

“I think something simple would be fine now?”

“Is it possible here in the car?”

“It’s possible.”

Mitchell mumbled as if talking to himself. He sounded dreamy, like someone about to fall asleep, which made me feel a bit sorry for him. The filming seemed to be very tiring.

“How are you going to teach anything when you’re this tired?”

“I’m fine. Want to try?”

Mitchell’s voice drooped. If his intention was to evoke sympathy, it worked. Even though I clicked my tongue in disapproval, I eventually agreed to Mitchell’s words.

“How do we do it?”

Before I finished speaking, Mitchell raised his upper body. The voice that had been almost dying and the body that had been stretched out with fatigue suddenly came back to life. His face bloomed with a smile and radiated. I had never seen Mitchell look so bright in any movie. I felt like I had been tricked again without realizing it.

***

Geon-woo didn’t have an exceptional talent for studying, nor did he like learning. Due to his lack of enthusiasm, he maintained a low ranking throughout his school years.

There was only one time when Geon-woo ranked first in the entire school, and that was during the final exams of his third year in middle school. He, who couldn’t solve beyond the second question due to lack of basic knowledge, managed to beat out formidable classmates and take first place. And that too, first in the entire school.

It all started when Geon-woo visited his classmate Kim Dong-san’s house and overheard a conversation between Dong-san and his mother.

“Mom, since my rank went up this time, you’re going to get me a new phone, right? You promised.”

“Of course. I’ll get you the latest model, son.”

“Then, what will you do if I get into the top 3 in the class?”

“What else, I’ll love you.”

“Ah, don’t say weird things. Buy me a laptop. The one at home is too old.”

“Oh my, our cute son, so greedy for expensive gadgets. You’re going to break your mom’s back.”

Laughing with a “ho ho,” Dong-san’s mother ordered galbi-jjim for lunch that day. Although she was busy with work and ordered delivery food, she cooked the rice herself and scooped it out of the rice cooker.

Even though she was ready to leave, she hurriedly fried some eggs. Only after placing a fried egg on each of Geon-woo’s and her son’s rice bowls did she leave for her late work.

Geon-woo couldn’t take his eyes off the back of his friend’s busy-looking mother.

“Can you eat fried eggs if you get good grades?”

Geon-woo asked Dong-san while eating rice and fried egg.

“What are you talking about?”

“…Nothing.”

After that day, Geon-woo focused solely on studying. As a result of his pathological immersion and desperate obsession, he was able to achieve the unbelievable feat of ranking first in the entire school in just half a year.

Because it was difficult to encounter his mother who rarely came home, it took Geon-woo several days to get the opportunity to present his proud report card.

“Ah, first place? Well, I guess you take after your father in this. I’m busy, let’s talk later.”

She was just as busy as Dong-san’s mother, but her reaction was very different. As Geon-woo watched the closed door after his mother left, he laughed, “Hehe.”

‘It wasn’t because of the grades.’

He couldn’t eat fried eggs even with good grades. He wasn’t loved even with good grades. Eventually, Geon-woo gave up on studying again.

Geon-woo prided himself on being smart, just not studying. That’s why he had been able to go from being at the bottom to hitting first place in the entire school.

Afterwards, his grades sank back to the bottom, but Dong-san quickly raised his grades enough to enter medical school. It was thanks to Geon-woo teaching Dong-san how to improve grades in a short period.

Geon-woo had a track record in learning that he could boast about to others. Because he actually had good memory and comprehension, he was faster at memorizing scripts than others and had a high understanding of roles.

So he was confident that he could definitely acquire whatever Mitchell taught him. Although it was a bit uncomfortable that it was Mitchell, he had already prepared himself, so he might as well try. Geon-woo clenched his fist.

“What should we start with?”

He was ready to seriously receive Mitchell’s teachings.

“Just tell me. I can do anything.”

At that, Mitchell’s emerald-like eyes sparkled like candy. Geon-woo unknowingly gulped and listened intently to Mitchell’s words.

“You just need to learn my preferences anyway. You’re only going to do it with me, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Mitchell paused for a moment at the matter-of-fact answer.