The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter: 37

“Lee Yeon-jae!”

“Ah, Bi-hyuk.”

“Why are you so slow to respond? I thought I was going to die from frustration.”

As I walked up the familiar school hill, I laughed when Bi-hyuk’s arm naturally slung over my shoulder.

“Anyone would think you had been holding back your frustration. You couldn’t even wait five minutes before calling.”

“Yeah, I know. You liked hearing my voice every day, right? I know everything.”

Bi-hyuk’s cheeky voice was familiar.

It was different seeing his face instead of just hearing him over the phone.

Hmm, I thought I’d be more excited to see him after a long time.

But since I saw him every day through the Mist, I didn’t feel any particular emotion.

“Are you going to practice right after school today too? The opening ceremony ends early, so let’s hang out. Hey, there’s a new escape room nearby. Let’s go together~.”

“Sure, let’s do that.”

“……What? You’re not Lee Yeon-jae.”

Bi-hyuk backed away with a doubtful expression.

Then he started shouting, asking where the real Lee Yeon-jae was and demanding his friend back.

Bi-hyuk’s exaggerated performance was so dreadful and cringe-worthy that it made me want to close my eyes.

“Bi-hyuk, you should really practice your singing and dancing.”

“Huh? Suddenly?”

“Yeah. Acting doesn’t seem to be your thing.”

Of course, many idols are good at acting, but I don’t think Bi-hyuk is one of them.

Bi-hyuk’s face scrunched up at my words, and he looked like he was about to get angry, but then he admitted he wasn’t interested in acting anyway.

Well, people should have some conscience.

I greeted Park Ha-eun when I entered the classroom, meeting her for the first time in a while.

After the opening ceremony ended before noon, the three of us went to the escape room together.

I felt at ease because I had woken up early to practice for more than two hours. Or rather, I did.

“Puhak, Lee Yeon-jae, what’s wrong with you? Is this why you haven’t been hanging out with us? Are you really this bad?”

“Quiet, Noh Bi-hyuk.”

“I told you not to call me by my surname, ah!”

Bi-hyuk slipped off the ladder while goofing around. Serves him right.

Ignoring him as he fell, I focused on unlocking the padlock with a deep frown.

The place we entered with blindfolds was smaller than I thought.

We divided the visible area into three parts and decided to solve our respective parts.

Park Ha-eun was the fastest, followed by Bi-hyuk.

The two waited for a long time for me to finish, then ended up solving it for me, repeating the process three times before Bi-hyuk started mocking me.

‘Why isn’t it unlocking?’

The hint to unlock the padlock was supposed to be in front of me, but all I could see was Bi-hyuk’s annoying figure.

I didn’t think I had much of a competitive spirit, but I wanted to solve it first out of sheer frustration.

As I ground my teeth, I felt Park Ha-eun glance at me.

“Yeon-jae, sticker….”

“Huh?”

“There’s a sticker on the padlock. There’s a matching sticker on that wall.”

Park Ha-eun whispered in a barely audible voice and then pretended not to know anything.

Blinking for a moment, I looked at the wall she mentioned again.

It was true. If it matched, it would be 4…, 3…, 2, no, 5. So, 435?

“Oh?”

It unlocked. The padlock that hadn’t budged despite my efforts opened easily.

As I stood there dumbfounded, holding the padlock, Park Ha-eun shouted.

“Bi-huk! Yeon-jae unlocked it! You’re last!”

“What? Really? No way! Ha-eun, you helped him!”

“How weak are you to slip off a ladder? You’ll debut as a sickly idol at this rate. Move!”

Park Ha-eun pushed Bi-hyuk, who kept slipping, and quickly climbed the ladder.

She reached the ceiling in no time and pressed the buzzer, signaling the mission was clear with a loud song.

“As promised, the loser buys tteokbokki.”

“I can’t believe I lost to Lee Yeon-jae….”

“Yeon-jae, have you tried rose tteokbokki?”

“No, but I’ve heard of it.”

“This is so humiliating… I can’t believe it….”

“Then let’s go eat it today! There’s a good place nearby.”

As I stood between Park Ha-eun, who was praising rose tteokbokki with sparkling eyes, and Bi-hyuk, who was sprawled out, the door suddenly burst open, and an employee wearing a headband came in.

The Polaroid photo taken to commemorate our escape turned out great.

Bi-hyuk was perfectly captured, miserably crumpled in the corner.

After eating tteokbokki, we went to a coin karaoke room.

I saw Bi-hyuk sing for the first time, and he was much better than I expected.

As I clapped in amazement, Park Ha-eun quietly whispered beside me.

“Times like this make me feel it’s worth being friends with him. It’s the only time I’m happy.”

“……I see.”

When Bi-hyuk debuts, I’ll get to hear him sing a lot without having to be close to him.

I wondered if Park Ha-eun would still stay close to Bi-hyuk by then.

After eating chicken skewers together, the day that had been so hectic finally ended.

Except for the Polaroid photo on my desk at the orphanage, it was a normal conclusion to the day.

* * *

“What is this….”

Time flew by, and it was Saturday, the last day of filming.

I was too nervous to feel anything new because the scene we were filming today wasn’t easy.

However, when I arrived at the filming site, I saw an unexpected sight, and all my nerves disappeared as my mind went blank.

“Would you like to order?”

“……Hyung, what are you doing here?”

Jung-hyun was standing in front of a trailer, taking orders.

Seeing three large trailers lined up, I wondered what was going on. It turned out they had brought meals, snacks, and coffee all at once.

Next to my face, a crazy sentence was printed, saying, ‘Protect Yeon-jae, the angel who fell from the sky.’

My face was burning with embarrassment, but Jung-hyun, who was dressed nicely today, smiled brightly.

“I’m here to boost your spirits, Yeon-jae.”

“I’m losing confidence in real-time.”

“Ha ha, why? Be confident. Have you eaten? There’s also rice cake. Make sure to have some after you eat.”

After taking a photo with Jung-hyun, who hugged me tightly, and greeting the director and staff who came running with big smiles, the director carefully brought up the idea of a cameo. Jung-hyun gently declined, so gently that they might not have realized it was a refusal.

However, he agreed to an interview and confidently stepped in front of the camera, looking every bit the celebrity.

“Is that really Lee Jung-hyun?”

“Hello, Yeon-jae…!”

When I turned around at the hand tapping my shoulder, Han Se-young and Sung Lee-jun were standing there.

When I asked why they came out even though they had no filming, they said they came to support me on my last shoot.

I squinted at them, suspicious, and Han Se-young laughed, admitting she came out after hearing from a close staff member that Lee Jung-hyun was here.

Sung Lee-jun, his eyes wide, insisted he really came out to support me, waving his hands in explanation.

“Thanks, hyung. There are non-spicy options over there. Order and eat.”

“Uh…, how did you know I can’t eat spicy food?”

“…? You mentioned it last time, hyung.”

Sung Lee-jun still seemed awkward around me, but it was surprising that he showed up.

Of course, his attitude wasn’t overtly awkward.

It was just a fleeting sensation that occasionally brushed by, but his overall demeanor was quite friendly, making it not uncomfortable to interact with him.

Sung Lee-jun generally had a gentle expression and tone, and he often joined in our conversations smoothly when Han Se-young and I talked.

Perhaps that’s why the staff increasingly smiled warmly, finding the growing closeness between me, Han Se-young, and Sung Lee-jun adorable. But that also ended today.

“Wow, this is crazy! Lee Jung-hyun! He never comes when I call him!”

I was eating shrimp with a tangy sauce when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

It was actor Kim Seok-jun. Why was everyone coming even without filming?

“Ha ha, Yeon-jae is different from you.”

“Wow! That stings so much I can’t even retort!”

Kim Seok-jun laughed and lightly patted Jung-hyun’s back, looking very friendly.

Then he immediately ran to the trailer and came back carrying three plates, sitting in front of me.

“Yeon-jae, thanks! I get to eat a feast thanks to you.”

“No, it’s not like I prepared it… Enjoy your meal.”

While I ate one shrimp, Kim Seok-jun finished a whole plate.

Watching him eat so neatly made me think I understood why people enjoy mukbangs. I stopped eating and just watched him for a while.

“Hyung, you really eat well. Did you come to watch my filming today too?”

“Yeah, and also to talk to you. What you mentioned last time really helped me.”

We had talked so much, what was he referring to? His loud voice clarified.

“Remember you said Yu-hyeon dislikes the queen? I completely changed my character concept based on that. Since I have more scenes with the queen, my practice has become tougher, but I felt I had to thank you.”

“It’s no big deal.”

“How is it not a big deal? Thanks to you, my role increased. I couldn’t have dreamed of it otherwise.”

Kim Seok-jun’s expression wasn’t artificially polite. He kept repeating his thanks so sincerely that I had to tell him to stop and eat more, bringing him more food.

After finishing his interview, Jung-hyun joined us, and Han Se-young and Sung Lee-jun also sat at the same table.

The rice cake from Manager An Jin-bae tasted almost like it did in the restaurant.

I gave the green tea-flavored one to Jung-hyun and started eating the blueberry-flavored one in front of me when Kim Seok-jun suddenly shouted.

“Wow, I’m so jealous! I also want to earn more money and treat people like this.”

“You’re already making good money. Why not start now?”

To Jung-hyun’s comment, Kim Seok-jun shook his head and replied indifferently.

“Not enough yet. I’ll earn more. Honestly, I’m doing this to make money, but people’s greed is endless.”

“Actors who focus on acting well will naturally make money. You’re not making it because your mind is elsewhere.”

“Are you trying to shut me up? Yeah, I’m doing it for the money. So what? Fine, I won’t act if there’s no money. Satisfied?”

Their conversation was on the verge of crossing a line, but neither seemed bothered.

Han Se-young and Sung Lee-jun looked uneasy, but the ones actually talking seemed fine.

I swallowed the rice cake and spoke to Kim Seok-jun, who was grumbling.

“It seems like you actually enjoy acting.”

“Huh?”

“I think you enjoy acting, hyung. People who don’t like it wouldn’t come out on non-filming days to ask questions. And you’ve done that several times.”

Kim Seok-jun paused at my words, then stammered slightly.

“Hey, that’s… just to do well. You have to do well to make more money.”

“People work to make money. Without payment, it’s volunteer work.”

“Uh…, that’s true.”

“Isn’t working hard to make a lot of money and striving to do well enough? I think it’s admirable.”

Seeing the empty plate, I felt a little regretful.

Should I eat another? No, that’s enough for now.

Gathering my fork and used wet wipes, I continued.

“But I think you like acting. I can tell just by looking at your eyes when you talk about it.”

“……My eyes?”

Startled, Kim Seok-jun looked at me, his expression somewhat dazed.

What part surprised him so much? His slightly trembling eyes made me nod.

When we talked about Yu-hyeon, Kim Seok-jun’s eyes were always full of life.

“Can I get up now? I think I should review my script. Do any of you want me to bring something?”

Holding the plate and trash in one hand, I stood up, but no one answered.

As I stood awkwardly at the silent table, I heard a voice filled with laughter.

“It’s fine. Go ahead. Can I watch you film later?”

“…? Isn’t that why you came?”

Jung-hyun’s eyes, filled with a gentle smile, softened even more at my words.

Nodding, I quickly moved away.

There were only 30 minutes left until filming.