The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter: 40

“This is good news for me.”

“…?”

“I really enjoy working with you, and this will be good for you as well. You seemed to enjoy talking with Lee Jung-hyun, and if you’re in the same agency, you’ll have more opportunities to talk.”

I was so taken aback by his unexpected words that my mouth fell open.

“And it’ll be good for PD Kim Min-seok and Writer Han Ji-hye too. I spoke with Writer Han briefly last time, and she said you inspire her. If you act, they’ll be delighted to see you in another project. And also…”

Manager An Jin-bae’s expression was very serious as he spoke, one finger unfolding at a time. He didn’t seem to realize he was ticking off points on his fingers.

“It’ll also be good for my sister! She’s always nagging me about when I’ll start acting like a proper person, but if I get settled, it’ll ease her mind.”

“…”

He was so engrossed that even his usually calm forehead was furrowed.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his serious face.

“And also… uh… why are you laughing?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

I tried my best to stifle my laughter, but it must have been obvious.

Seeing Manager An Jin-bae’s puzzled expression, I quickly lowered the corners of my mouth. I cleared my throat awkwardly, but a silly smile kept slipping out.

“You’re right, hyung. I didn’t realize I was doing something good.”

I hadn’t expected this response from what initially seemed like nonsense.

Why was it selfish? Tell me more about it. Usually, that’s the kind of thing people say.

‘He’s really a unique person.’

Suppressing my laughter, I noticed Manager An Jin-bae looking at my face carefully. He cautiously spoke.

“Actor. I don’t know all the details, but I don’t think acting makes you selfish.”

“…”

“I can’t speak to anything else, but I can say this for certain. There will be many people who find comfort in your acting. It’ll be a good thing for them too.”

I watched him carefully choose each word.

Why was he so desperate? As if my acting was of great significance to him.

I thought of what he had just said and laughed again. Right, he said it would be good for him too.

His eyes were nervously checking my reaction as I kept laughing without giving an answer.

Even seeing that made me laugh. I gave in, I really did.

“That’s true. Then I guess there’s no choice.”

“…?”

“I have to try acting.”

I spoke nonchalantly.

Maybe because I said it so lightly, the words didn’t seem to register.

Manager An Jin-bae looked confused as to whether I was joking or serious. His stiff expression brightened when he heard my next words.

“Can you go with me? When I go to the agency?”

“…! Of course! Don’t worry.”

Hearing his energetic reply made me smile as well.

Maybe tomorrow, or perhaps as soon as I returned to the orphanage, I would regret it.

Nothing had changed from just a moment ago, and I knew very well that I was just caught up in a vague feeling.

I still had no certainty or confidence. So….

‘I need to do better.’

I couldn’t control encountering Mist, but at least I could find out the cause of the current situation.

I needed to figure things out step by step to find a solution.

First, I had to identify the nature of the black stone.

I had already said the words. Seeing his bright smile strengthened my resolve.

Right, I just needed to do better.

“Then it would be good if you could meet the CEO next Saturday. Oh, of course, I’ll check if he’s available first, and then I’ll talk to the secretary, I mean, to you―”

“Hyung. We have plenty of time. Don’t rush.”

We didn’t have much time.

I quickly organized the steps needed to identify the black stone in my head.

I couldn’t afford to move leisurely, considering I might not encounter Mist tomorrow.

Despite my complicated thoughts, I felt oddly uplifted.

I started to hope that things would turn out well.

In hindsight, it was the moment I made the worst decision.

* * *

Five days later, I stood in the lobby of Woo-yeon Entertainment’s building.

‘So, this person belongs to this agency too.’

Photos of what seemed to be their affiliated celebrities were displayed in the lobby.

Even at a quick glance, there were many familiar faces. If I signed the contract, would my photo be hung here too?

…I guess I couldn’t ask to be the only one left out.

As I was looking around the frames somewhat reluctantly, someone playfully poked me from behind.

I turned around, having anticipated it, and saw the expected person. And the expected actions followed.

“I’m so happy to see you here, Yeon-jae!”

“Ugh. Me too.”

After being hugged tightly by Jung-hyun hyung for a while, I was finally released.

When he asked where Jin-bae was, I simply replied that I didn’t know.

Manager An Jin-bae, who had brought me here, was dragged off by someone who seemed to be his superior as soon as we reached the lobby.

Even while being dragged, he hastily told me to stay put and that the actor would be here soon, to which I obediently nodded.

Still worried, he ran back a few minutes later to remind me, “Don’t follow anyone who talks to you, and don’t eat anything they give you,” before disappearing again.

Jung-hyun hyung laughed when he heard this. He seemed to have an idea of who had taken him away.

He said it was likely the head of Team 2, which An Jin-bae belonged to, but we decided to contact him later and see the CEO first.

We took the elevator to the top floor. As soon as the doors opened, I saw the luxurious interior.

Normally, I would have felt intimidated, but having recently visited Manager An Jin-bae’s home, it didn’t have much impact.

Hearing a noise, a man from the secretary’s office came out and beamed at the sight of Jung-hyun hyung.

“Jung-hyun.”

“It’s been a while, Manager Han.”

“Indeed. How long has it been? Why―, are you here to see the CEO today?”

“…I guess the message didn’t get through?”

Although Jung-hyun hyung still smiled, there was a hint of coldness.

The man addressed as Manager Han seemed to sense this and apologized, saying he would check the schedule again.

Hearing that the CEO was currently out, Jung-hyun hyung was silent for a moment before saying he would wait inside and moved.

The man, though flustered, didn’t dare stop him.

The inside of the CEO’s office was unexpectedly simple. I had expected it to gleam like the hallway.

Aside from a shelf filled with trophies, there weren’t many decorative items.

After settling comfortably on the sofa, Jung-hyun hyung began a brief introduction of Woo-yeon Entertainment.

When it was established and who the affiliated actors were.

The conversation that began lightly soon shifted to the CEO, and the description was more candid than I expected.

“He’s a decent scoundrel. Among scoundrels, he’s one of the better ones, which is why I joined this agency.”

“…”

“In my ten years of working with him, saying I’ve never regretted it would be a lie, but it hasn’t been bad. He does his job well.”

“Hmm, aren’t there any non-scoundrels?”

Debating whether to ask or not, I hesitantly posed the question, and a gentle smile returned.

“Of course, there are. There are many non-scoundrels. But there are no non-scoundrel CEOs. It’s not a position where you can be one. They have to make money by selling people.”

“…”

“When people say a CEO is really nice or a good person, usually, it’s just a nice way of saying they’re incompetent. In my experience.”

His flat voice fell onto the leather sofa.

Even though it wasn’t a sharp tone, his expression made the atmosphere tense.

Realizing this, he quickly softened his expression, impressively fast even for an actor.

“In that sense, our CEO is decent. At least he knows he’s a scoundrel. If there’s a final line to be kept, he skirts it without crossing it.”

“Um…, I’m right here, you know?”

A strange voice suddenly interrupted, and I turned to see a man who looked younger than I expected.

He was too young to be middle-aged, yet too old to be called a youth.

The presumed CEO spoke, but Jung-hyun hyung continued unperturbed.

“Just think of it as having a conversation. You don’t have to sign a contract. There are plenty of other agencies. Oh, if there’s another place you prefer, let me know. I can pass it on.”

“Jung-hyun…, did I do something wrong?”

Despite being in his own office, the CEO stood awkwardly at the threshold.

His pitiful voice sounded so forlorn that Jung-hyun hyung finally turned his head.

“How could you make us wait after scheduling an appointment? Do you expect to sign a contract with this kind of treatment?”

“Oh no. It wasn’t intentional. Manager Han was so busy he forgot.”

“Don’t blame Manager Han. It was probably you who didn’t inform him. That’s why I told you to call him right away then.”

With his expression unchanged, the CEO cautiously took a step forward.

“You’re right. It was my fault. I’m sorry, Yeon-jae, was it?”

“Wow. No manners at all.”

“Oh! I’m sorry. I’m Jang Woo-yeon, the CEO of Woo-yeon Entertainment. I apologize for being late.”

The CEO immediately corrected himself, smiling warmly as he approached.

He pulled a business card from his inner pocket and handed it over politely with both hands, the golden logo subtly shining.

“I’m Lee Yeon-jae. Please, feel free to speak comfortably.”

“No, I couldn’t possibly. I’m also more comfortable with formal speech. Hahaha.”

Although his polite refusal was quite natural, I had seen too much to let it go.

When I insisted it was really fine, he looked at Jung-hyun hyung for confirmation.

Hyung, undeterred by the pitiful look of a lost kitten, kept his eyes on me.

“…”

The CEO stared at hyung, hyung stared at me, and my eyes darted around.

Feeling a bit awkward in the middle, I must have shown some discomfort because Jung-hyun hyung immediately relaxed his expression.

“Sigh, Yeon-jae. Introduce yourself. He’s an ill-mannered but competent CEO.”

“Hello. It’s really fine, so please speak comfortably.”

“Well… okay? I’m really sorry for being late. A lunch meeting came up unexpectedly.”

A slight frown appeared on his face, dimpling his cheeks.

When I nodded to show it was okay, Jung-hyun hyung finally seemed satisfied, and the faint annoyance vanished completely.

Only then did a proper conversation start.

The CEO surprisingly knew quite a bit about me, though it felt a bit odd to say he ‘knew’ me.

“You watched last week’s filming?”

“Yes. I understand why Jung-hyun wants you. After seeing that, I decided I had to sign you no matter what.”

The scene where Yu-hyeon cries alone on the hillside last week.

It hadn’t even aired yet, so obviously it wasn’t edited either. He said he watched the raw footage?

He said it so nonchalantly that I doubted it.

‘I heard only authorized personnel could view the footage to prevent spoilers.’

Did Woo-yeon invest in “Butterflies on the Old Zelkova Tree”? Or does he know PD Kim Min-seok?

Distracted by these thoughts, I couldn’t focus on the conversation.

Noticing this, Jung-hyun hyung spoke in an understanding tone.

“I told you, he does his job well.”

…Can this be simply attributed to doing his job well?

I looked at the CEO, who was talking excitedly.

The distinct dimples that made him seem boyish now felt different.