The Face Genius Actor

Episode 126

A long lingering feeling remained in the place Junior Cashfl had left.

The meeting with Junior Cashfl was that brief and intense.

Because of this, even after the opening ceremony ended, Director Choi Seo-young and I couldn’t help but talk about Junior Cashfl.

On the way back to our accommodation.

Director Choi Seo-young spoke first.

“When I saw Junior Cashfl giving the opening speech, I couldn’t believe it. I wondered if it was really him who had just talked with us.”

“I was surprised too. Above all, what Junior Cashfl said at the end stayed in my heart.”

“You mean when he said your passion for film would be rewarded? I also found that meaningful. We couldn’t possibly win the Palme d’Or, could we?”

Director Choi Seo-young said it jokingly, and at the same time, we both burst into laughter.

We couldn’t help it.

The Palme d’Or wasn’t an award just anyone could receive.

Even people invited to Cannes three or four times might barely receive it once, if at all.

That’s how prestigious the Palme d’Or was.

‘Being invited to Cannes is already a great achievement. We don’t need to be greedy for more.’

I organized my thoughts like this even while laughing, and it seemed Director Choi Seo-young felt the same.

But as we stopped laughing, somehow an awkward atmosphere settled between us.

Because Junior Cashfl’s authority was as high as that of the Cannes Film Festival.

Even though we had sorted out our thoughts, Junior Cashfl’s words wouldn’t leave our minds.

Director Choi Seo-young shook her head roughly and said.

“Ah. I don’t know. I don’t want to think about it anymore. I don’t want to get my hopes up and be disappointed.”

“Me too. Let’s just go in and have a refreshing beer.”

By then, the vehicle had arrived at the hotel, and when we came down after changing clothes, we saw the other staff members.

Seeing them gathered and talking about the film festival, it seemed they had attended the opening ceremony without any particular difficulties.

For reference, the staff walked the red carpet separately from us.

“You were all gathered here. Did you enjoy the movie?”

“Yes! I enjoyed it! It was totally my style.”

“To be honest, I didn’t like it much. I had expectations because it was Giovanni Trevisi’s work.”

“But wasn’t the visual beauty good? The editing techniques were also worth noting.”

“But objectively, it’s true that it falls short compared to Giovanni Trevisi’s other works.”

“Was it really that bad? I thought it was okay…”

Opinions were clearly divided about the opening film.

I wasn’t surprised because I had expected this.

It was unusual for an opening film.

Usually, opening films are selected to be works that don’t polarize opinions.

‘That doesn’t mean the movie was bad. It just didn’t meet the expectations for an opening film.’

While I was thinking this and discussing the opening film with the staff,

I saw Yeo Kyung-chan coming down, and I approached him because I had something planned.

“Manager.”

“Ah. Actor. Do you need anything?”

“No, nothing like that. I just had something I was curious about.”

“What is it?”

“Have you thought about where you might go tomorrow?”

“Ah… I haven’t really thought about anywhere in particular.”

“Really? I found a restaurant, how about going there?”

“A restaurant?”

“Yes. It’s a Michelin 1-star restaurant in a place called Antibes not far from here, and they say their John Dory dish is excellent.”

“Michelin 1-star…”

“I made a reservation without knowing there was a good movie screening tomorrow, so I thought it would be nice if you and the stylist went instead of me. I’ve already paid for the food…”

While I was explaining about the restaurant,

Yeo Kyung-chan suddenly interrupted me.

“Um… Actor.”

I stopped talking and answered.

“Yes?”

“Well… I have something to say…”

“What is it? Go ahead.”

“Uh… Never mind.”

“Pardon?”

“I just wanted to say thank you for making the restaurant reservation.”

Something seemed off, but I soon could understand Yeo Kyung-chan’s emotional state.

‘He seems embarrassed because I’m pushing too obviously.’

But from my perspective, I couldn’t help it.

If I hadn’t noticed Yeo Kyung-chan’s feelings at all, it would have been different.

Now that I had noticed everything, I really wanted to push the two of them together.

It was even more so because it was clear that Song Jin-ah also had feelings for Yeo Kyung-chan.

I gently put my hand on Yeo Kyung-chan’s shoulder and spoke.

“Manager.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t be too embarrassed. From what I can see, there’s a possibility if you just have a little courage.”

Yeo Kyung-chan looked up at me blankly, his lips quivering, then nodded.

“…Yes. Actor. I understand what you mean. Thank you again for the restaurant reservation.”

I smiled once more at Yeo Kyung-chan and pulled my hand back.

Just then, Song Jin-ah appeared.

“Then shall we forget about tomorrow’s work and have a beer?”

* * *

The next day.

The previous night’s drinking session had continued until late in the evening.

But Director Choi Seo-young and I managed to get up and move to watch the movie.

Unlike yesterday, Yeo Kyung-chan and Song Jin-ah didn’t accompany us.

Instead, we moved with the interpreter and a cinematographer who had obtained an international license.

It was that person who was said to be the only one older than his peers.

I looked out the window and thought.

‘I wonder if the Manager and Stylist are preparing well for their date today?’

Yesterday, I witnessed several scenes where Yeo Kyung-chan and Song Jin-ah made eye contact.

As I expected, the atmosphere between the two was unusual.

Then, around 1 AM, I even caught them talking alone for quite a long time.

It seemed like Yeo Kyung-chan was asking Song Jin-ah out on a date.

‘Their faces were so red, I hope they didn’t make any mistakes. But their first date… They must be so excited.’

While I was imagining what Yeo Kyung-chan and Song Jin-ah might be doing now,

Director Choi Seo-young, sitting next to me, bent over and spoke.

“Ah. My stomach hurts. I must have drunk too much hard liquor yesterday.”

Director Choi, who had been drinking beer endlessly, started drinking whiskey from 1 AM to get rid of tomorrow’s hangover.

That seemed to be the problem.

“I told you not to drink whiskey.”

“I heard drinking hard liquor makes you feel fresh without a hangover the next day. I really won’t drink today.”

I had several drinking sessions with Director Choi while working on “I’m Not a Villain”.

Because of this, I knew that Director Choi’s resolution had no meaning.

She would surely be sipping at least one cocktail by evening.

“By the way, Actor, you drank together but you look fine. Your beauty is clear today too.”

“I controlled myself in my own way.”

“You seemed particularly happy yesterday, I thought you were drunk. Were you controlling yourself?”

“Yes, that’s right. But did I look happy yesterday?”

“You were smiling all day. Even the staff were commenting on how good your mood seemed. Right, Cinematographer?”

Director Choi asked the cinematographer who was driving, and he immediately answered.

“Yes, he looked very happy. Thanks to that, everyone there couldn’t take their eyes off him.”

“That’s right. Even the hotel staff were stealing glances at Actor’s smiling face. I was so tired from being conscious of it.”

Director Choi grumbled, and I smiled and replied.

“It must have been troublesome because of me. I’m sorry.”

“No, well. The attention was a bit bothersome, but is that something to apologize for? Everything happened because Actor is handsome.”

“That’s right. And it was nice to see. I think that’s why the staff were in higher spirits yesterday too. By the way, may I ask why you were in such a good mood?”

At the cinematographer’s question, I briefly wondered if it would be okay to speak honestly.

But soon I thought I shouldn’t.

It was unavoidable that I had noticed the relationship between the two,

but it wasn’t right to talk carelessly about other people’s private lives.

“There’s no particular reason, I was just in a good mood. I also met Junior Cashfl, who has long been my idol.”

It was true that I was happy to meet Junior Cashfl.

So I could easily gloss over the situation, and Director Choi and the cinematographer talked about Junior Cashfl for a while.

It seemed they weren’t tired of talking about it even though we discussed it so much yesterday.

That’s how enormous Junior Cashfl’s influence was on filmmakers.

As we continued our conversation, the topic naturally shifted to other staff members.

“What are the others doing today? Have you heard anything, Cinematographer?”

“It seems most of them will sleep in late at the hotel and come to watch movies in the afternoon.”

“I’m a bit tired too, maybe I should have slept more at the hotel.”

“If you’re really tired, should we turn back now?”

“No, it’s okay. Even if I’m tired, I should watch Anisha Blonde’s work.”

A huge number of works were screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

All the works were excellent in that they were invited to this prestigious film festival,

but among them, the twenty-five works in the competition section needed to be watched without fail.

However, Anisha Blonde’s work that we planned to watch this morning was a special screening.

In this way, even works not in the competition section provided plenty to see at the Cannes Film Festival.

With sections like ‘Cannes Classics’ or ‘Cinema on the Beach’, you could even rewatch works that had already been released.

‘Should I watch Halfsia Johansson’s work at Cinema on the Beach tomorrow, also to see the sea?’

While I was thinking this, Director Choi asked an unexpected question.

“By the way, it seems Kyung-chan and Jin-ah are going on a date today. Where are they going?”

A date?

I was taken aback and asked Director Choi back.

“…How did you know they’re going on a date today?”

“How could I not know? Only the two of them, who are a couple, disappeared.”

“What? What did you say? What kind of relationship do the Manager and Stylist have?”

“They’re lovers. Lovers. Huh? Don’t tell me, Actor… You didn’t know they were dating?”

I was at a loss for words and turned my head towards the cinematographer in confusion.

But surprisingly, the cinematographer also seemed to know that Yeo Kyung-chan and Song Jin-ah were dating.

‘No way… Was I the only one who didn’t know?’

At the same time, all the things I had said to the two of them since arriving in Cannes flashed through my mind, and my face naturally turned red.

‘To think I was the oblivious one…’

The emotion I was feeling was shame.