The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter: 13

The first semester of the sixth grade had begun.

Even though we were covered with a blanket called spring, the March wind, which was closer to winter, was still chilly.

“Yeon-jae, good morning.”

“…? Morning.”

As I was walking up the hill to school, a girl I didn’t know greeted me.

When I responded, taken aback, she smiled shyly and ran off to her friends.

“Oh~ Lee Yeon-jae. Popular from the morning, huh?”

“Oh, Bi-hyuk.”

While I was momentarily dazed, wondering what just happened, Noh Bi-hyuk strolled up behind me.

Laughing mischievously like an old man, he put his arm around my shoulder. Even though it had been a week, I still wasn’t used to this kind of skinship.

As I subtly tensed my shoulders, Noh Bi-hyuk exaggeratedly raised both hands.

“Okay, okay! You’re really stingy~. You only act kind to Ha-eun and don’t even let your best friend touch you.”

“Who said you were my best friend?”

“See, why are you so cold? You’re so heartless to me. You’re a difficult guy…”

“I told you to stop browsing the internet so much.”

Despite my scolding, Noh Bi-hyuk just kept laughing.

He kept teasing me all the way to the classroom, and I was already exhausted from dealing with him for the past week.

He even showed up in my dreams, claiming to like Mist, making it feel like Noh Bi-hyuk’s face was hovering around me 24/7.

Noh Bi-hyuk and Park Ha-eun had been friends since kindergarten, and they were in the same class for the first time in sixth grade.

Because I was in the same class as Park Ha-eun, I had to endure Noh Bi-hyuk’s self-introduction. He said I was the only one who didn’t laugh at his name, and from then on, he followed me around.

“Don’t forget about your best friend just because you’re popular. Got it? They say friends made in elementary school last a lifetime.”

“I don’t know. And where did this popularity thing come from?”

“If you’re being modest, that’s just being coy. Everyone at school is talking about you.”

“Talking about me?”

When I frowned slightly at the unexpected comment, Noh Bi-hyuk looked puzzled.

“They said you filmed a drama. The whole school knows.”

What?

* * *

[Title: What, YJH in a drama?]

First broadcast in two weeks. Prediction: super fun mystery/crime drama.

Wasn’t anything to watch, but now there is.

―Is that Jung-hyun?

└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

└Lee Jung-hyun, go wash your feet and go to sleep.

―Jung-hyun. This is your mom. Lost my phone. Leave your number. Miss you very much.

└Reported for sexual harassment, bye.

└Hey, these days…

―ㅋㅋㅋ so funny. But seriously, the drama scene has been bad lately. Mystery genre was in a real drought. Jung-hyun, work harder.

―Anything with Lee Jung-hyun is usually good. He has such good luck with projects.

└If he hit it big six times in a row, it’s not luck, it’s skill.

[Title: Lee Jung-hyun production announcement preview]

(Photo 1)

(Photo 2)

(Photo 3)

Wow, faster than reportersㅋㅋㅋ

―His face is insane; honestly, he’s the top among actors in their 20s. No one can compete with Lee Jung-hyun’s face, right?

└Why are you putting down N JH and K YD? If you write like this, it just makes Lee Jung-hyun look bad.

└Just writing my thoughts ㅇㅅㅇ chill out…

―Lee Jung-hyun’s fans treat him like an idol; is he really that handsome? Honestly, he looks pretty ordinary.

└At least he’s better looking than you ㅠㅠ

└Why are you picking a fight suddenly;

└Sorry ㅠㅠ I just can’t stand idiots acting up ㅠㅠ

* * *

“Choi Sang-hoon.”

When I called out to a kid sitting on the podium in the next classroom, the big guy, who was giggling, flinched.

“Why…?”

“Don’t you have something to say to me?”

Though I hadn’t intended it, my voice came out more stern than I expected.

Choi Sang-hoon, sensing the tension, climbed down from the podium.

“I mean… I didn’t intend to say it… I’m sorry, it just came out.”

Choi Sang-hoon glanced at my face, not knowing what to do.

Meanwhile, the surrounding gazes sticking to my face felt prickly.

It hadn’t been like this until last week.

Two months ago, I filmed a drama. The fact that it was ‘that’ Lee Jung-hyun’s drama, which Choi Sang-hoon had blabbed about, made the school buzz.

Kids who hadn’t even spoken to me were suddenly talking to me today.

“I didn’t specifically tell you not to say anything, but still, be careful.”

“Sorry… Are you still mad?”

“Huh? I’m not mad.”

The unexpected timing of the revelation was troubling, but I wasn’t actually angry.

I wondered if my words had been too harsh, but looking back, I hadn’t crossed any lines.

Choi Sang-hoon seemed like he had something to say but clammed up again when Noh Bi-hyuk put his arm around my shoulder.

“Lee Yeon-jae~ Let’s stop here and head to our class. The bell’s about to ring.”

“Oh, okay. See you later, Sang-hoon.”

I gave him a slight nod, knowing we’d see each other at the orphanage after school anyway.

When I said “see you later,” his previously stiff expression relaxed a bit, probably reassured.

As we walked out into the hallway, I could feel the kids’ eyes turn toward me in an instant.

I sighed softly, and Noh Bi-hyuk, still with his arm around my shoulder, giggled.

“Why are you so stressed? Just enjoy it. I’m only jealous.”

“Just be quiet. And get your arm off me, you’re heavy.”

“Huh? Is Bi-hyuk’s arm that heavy? As expected! It’s worth all the workouts I’ve been doing. Ah, I feel proud!”

“Sigh….”

I’m really stuck with this guy.

Ignoring Noh Bi-hyuk’s antics, I entered the classroom.

Why is Park Ha-eun friends with someone like him? Why did I have to end up in the same class as him?

I sent an SOS signal to Park Ha-eun when our eyes met, but she subtly avoided it upon seeing Noh Bi-hyuk clinging to me. Don’t leave….

“Oh, right. The first episode airs on the 18th, doesn’t it? My house is free that day. Wanna watch it together? You can sleep over, right?”

“Watch what? It’s rated 15. We can’t watch it.”

“…You know, you’re really strange too.”

I felt annoyed hearing this from a guy admiring his biceps in the classroom mirror.

I pushed Noh Bi-hyuk’s face away as he leaned in again and took my seat.

He kept messing around in front of me until the first-period bell rang, then finally returned to his seat.

It’s only first period… unbelievable.

* * *

“Alright, everyone, raise your glasses, and Jung-hyun, make a toast!”

“Oh, yes!”

Lee Jung-hyun quickly put his phone into his coat pocket and raised his glass.

“When I shout ‘Episode 1 of The Tail!’, you all shout ‘Let’s hit it big!’ Episode 1 of The Tail!”

“Let’s hit it big!”

With the clinking of glasses, the barbecue restaurant quickly became lively.

After taking a polite sip, Lee Jung-hyun turned his attention back to his phone.

“Jung-hyun. It’s obvious your mind is elsewhere. At least pretend to be interested.”

“My mind isn’t elsewhere. All I can think about is The Tail right now.”

“Stop lying, you punk. You’re texting that kid Yeon-jae or whatever his name is.”

Lee Jung-hyun’s manager replied in a bored tone as he flipped the pork belly.

Despite his half-hearted efforts, the pork belly turned a delicious golden brown.

The enticing aroma was enough to make anyone’s mouth water, but Lee Jung-hyun was too distracted by his manager’s words.

Ding―.

“Oh, a message!”

Lee Jung-hyun quickly pulled out his phone at the notification sound. The manager clicked his tongue at the sight.

[Adorable Genius Actor Yeon-jae: I probably won’t be able to watch it because of my age. Enjoy watching it.]

“Pfft, hey, look at this! Oh, this is killing me. He says he can’t watch it because he’s too young. How cute is this kid?”

Lee Jung-hyun, laughing so hard he was almost crying, showed the text to his manager.

Even though it had taken almost twelve hours to get a reply, it was so cute that he found texting fun.

Seeing him grin at his phone, the manager looked at him with a curious expression.

“Do you like him that much?”

“Isn’t he just adorable, hyung? How can a kid be this cute?”

“You think he’s cute? I don’t know… He doesn’t talk much, so he feels hard to approach.”

Sure, Yeon-jae doesn’t talk much. But that’s what makes him cute.

“Hyung, you have no sense.”

“What did you say, punk?”

Lee Jung-hyun really liked Lee Yeon-jae.

The way he looked away without any excitement when seeing a celebrity, and the fact that he couldn’t watch his own debut drama because of his age, none of it was ordinary.

He seemed indifferent to everything, but when hugged or touched, he would stiffen up, and that was the cutest thing about him.

He would try so hard to keep a straight face despite the awkwardness, and it was impossible not to feel affectionate seeing his struggle.

Most importantly, he was twelve years old, no, now thirteen, and he could act like that.

The shock of watching Lee Yeon-jae act was still vivid in Lee Jung-hyun’s mind.

A usually quiet kid suddenly behaving like a different person once the camera started rolling was surprising enough.

His speech, his gait, and especially the movements of the muscles he used to express his emotions changed.

It was obvious to Lee Jung-hyun, who had been practicing facial muscle control every day for ten years, that such control couldn’t be achieved without rigorous training. He knew right away—this kid’s an actor.

So when the filming began and Lee Yeon-jae, despite being a first-timer, delivered such a polished performance, he wasn’t too surprised. He just thought, ‘As expected.’

Clearly, this kid had always wanted to be an actor. Despite pretending otherwise, he must have practiced a lot on his own.

It was during their endless ad-lib exchanges that Lee Jung-hyun was truly amazed.

That was truly incredible.

Unless someone was fully immersed in their character, it was impossible to deliver lines so smoothly without stumbling even once.

Above all, he wasn’t just an extra.

While the character Joo-won, played by Lee Jung-hyun, had a lot of background that could be inferred from the script, the character played by Lee Yeon-jae had nothing predetermined.

He created everything from nothing.

This wasn’t something a 13-year-old with no experience could pull off.

At first, hearing the unbroken stream of lines delivered without a blink, Lee Jung-hyun thought it must have been a true story.

But the answer he got after the shoot was astonishing. Yeon-jae said he had just mimicked a friend.

“My classmate smiles a lot… It felt natural to act like him.”

Yeon-jae said he just copied his friend, but the way he talked about it like it was no big deal was anything but normal.

It’s hard to find a sane person among the well-known actors.

Lee Jung-hyun was no exception, and that’s why he liked Yeon-jae even more.

The thought of getting his contact information immediately dominated Lee Jung-hyun’s mind, so he asked for his number right away but only got the answer that he didn’t have a cell phone.

The curiosity about how there could be an elementary school student without a phone these days was naturally resolved when he learned it was a signature rule from the orphanage teacher.

On the second day they met, Lee Jung-hyun gifted him the new smartphone he was advertising.

As expected, Yeon-jae firmly refused the gift.

When Jung-hyun said, “I want to stay in touch with you, so should I leave notes at the orphanage gate? What school do you go to? Can I visit you whenever I want to see you?” Yeon-jae reluctantly took the phone.

Since then, no matter how many texts Jung-hyun sent, the replies came back hours later at the earliest, sometimes even a day later.

When he asked why the replies were so late, Yeon-jae explained that his friends didn’t have phones, so it felt awkward to take out his in front of them.

Upon receiving that message, Jung-hyun immediately opened a window to buy as many phones as there were kids at the orphanage, but urgent messages started arriving one after another.

[Genius Actor Yeon-jae: H-hyung]

[Genius Actor Yeon-jae: Just in case, but don’t buy more phones.]

Jung-hyun laughed for a long time at the urgency conveyed through the typos.

Thus, the Genius Actor Yeon-jae became the Adorable Genius Actor Yeon-jae.

“Hey, it’s starting now!”

Jung-hyun quickly replied to Yeon-jae and turned his attention to the TV in the middle of the barbecue restaurant.

The drama they had been filming for months was finally airing.

There were no competing shows to worry about, so there was no concern about ratings.

All the staff had relaxed faces, warming themselves with drinks.

Having already watched the final version multiple times, Jung-hyun leisurely popped a piece of pork belly into his mouth.

Once the first episode ended, talks about Yeon-jae would surely stir things up.

Even if the general public didn’t notice, people in the industry would move quickly.

Jung-hyun finished his mental calculations and smiled.

“Indeed… I need to stake my claim early.”

Thinking about how Yeon-jae would likely not appreciate his thoughts at all.