The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 62

As I lifted my head, I saw a dog trembling in my arms. A dog?

“……”

I was so taken aback that I couldn’t speak.

All the thoughts that had filled my mind just moments ago vanished in an instant.

The dog kept burrowing into my arms, making whining noises, pushing me back.

“What’s going on all of a sudden…?”

― Whine….

“Do you have an owner? Where did you come from?”

Was it just an ordinary dog? No, it had flown over from there earlier.

I looked down at the white furball trembling in confusion.

As I carefully held it and peeled it off, I saw its moist eyes.

It kept whining incessantly.

Seeing this unfamiliar dog, I felt strangely familiar.

“…Mist?”

I mumbled quietly just in case, and the dog suddenly wagged its tail wildly as if it understood me.

As it licked my hand fervently while whining, I spoke reluctantly.

“Are you really Mist?”

― Whine!

“……Why are you like this?”

Given the brightened space and other possibilities, there was a high chance it was Mist.

But Mist had always appeared in human form, and even when he turned into a chalkboard early on, he could still speak well. Now, acting like a real dog was very strange.

“Can’t you change your form?”

― Whine!

“Can’t you talk either?”

― Whine….

Luckily, it seemed to understand what I was saying.

It couldn’t answer, but it shook or nodded its head whenever I asked a question.

I didn’t know why it ended up like this, but for now, I had no choice but to comfort the crying creature.

It was pitiful to see it shedding tears incessantly.

I had never touched a dog before, so it felt awkward, but after petting it a few times, it felt no different from touching a human head.

After petting it for a while, it stopped trembling and slowly relaxed its body.

The warm furball spread loosely over my lap.

“Are you sleepy?”

― Whine….

I brushed its blinking eyes, and suddenly, something caught my eye.

“Only one of your paws is black.”

At my casual remark, the dog, which had been languidly stretched out, flinched.

It wriggled its right paw and hid it in its chest.

I could still see it from above, though.

Despite the unexpected reaction, I didn’t ask more questions since it couldn’t talk anyway.

After petting it quietly for a while, it started to purr and fell asleep.

“……”

I kept moving my hand, and despite the situation, I felt a languid sensation.

I wondered if it was okay to be so relaxed, but there wasn’t much I could do anyway….

Rationalizing like that, I closed my eyes.

* * *

“Jin-bae!!”

“…You’re here.”

An Jin-bae, who had been sitting in a chair in the hallway, turned his head blankly at Lee Jung-hyun’s call.

His usually neat hair was disheveled, as if he had run here in a hurry after hearing the news.

He had many questions but didn’t rush.

Lee Jung-hyun first approached the woman sitting next to An Jin-bae with a sorrowful expression.

“It’s been a while, Director.”

“Yes, it has…”

He patted the shoulder of Morin, the head of the orphanage, who was barely holding back tears, and then approached An Jin-bae and asked in a low voice.

“What’s the situation? How’s Yeon-jae?”

“They said the back of his head was cracked open. Fortunately, there’s no brain hemorrhage, so the surgery shouldn’t take too long, but he lost a lot of blood….”

His voice, which he tried to keep calm, eventually wavered.

He patted An Jin-bae on the back, who was covering his face with his hands.

Lee Jung-hyun tried hard to hide his anxious expression, but his patting hand was trembling slightly.

“It’s my fault. I should have gone to pick him up….”

“Why is it your fault? Don’t think like that.”

Lee Jung-hyun, who had been heading home after finishing his radio schedule, almost had his heart drop when he got the call.

When he hurriedly checked his phone, he saw words like ‘Lee Yeon-jae dead,’ ‘Lee Yeon-jae car accident’ trending.

The video of the accident showed the boy’s body partly sticking out from under a dump truck. Blood had spread on the road.

Less than a minute after Lee Jung-hyun saw it, the video was reported and taken down.

“He’ll be okay. Don’t worry.”

Lee Jung-hyun muttered as if talking to himself.

After a few hours, a doctor with a tired expression approached.

“The surgery went well, and the patient has been moved to the recovery room. He should regain consciousness within two days. I’ll explain more later, so please rest assured for now.”

Director Yu collapsed into a chair as if her strength had left her at those words. Lee Jung-hyun did the same.

Despite the doctor’s words, An Jin-bae, who had been pacing anxiously, finally relaxed his expression when he saw Lee Yeon-jae lying peacefully on the bed.

Journalists who had come to report on the incident crowded the hospital entrance.

After sending Director Yu home through his manager, Lee Jung-hyun sat by Lee Yeon-jae’s side, replacing An Jin-bae who had gone to make a call.

“Haa….”

A sigh of relief escaped.

There wasn’t a scratch on Lee Yeon-jae, who lay there looking clean.

The doctor had said that the amount of blood loss could have been fatal and that if it had been a little later, he might have gone into a coma. It was hard to believe.

Staring at Lee Yeon-jae, Lee Jung-hyun quietly sat next to An Jin-bae, who had just finished his call.

“What did the company say?”

“They said they’d handle the media, so not to worry about it.”

“What about the kid who pushed Yeon-jae? Are they handling that too?”

At Lee Jung-hyun’s question, An Jin-bae’s face crumpled instantly.

His face twisted with an unconscious scowl, exuding a fierce atmosphere.

“I said I’d handle it. I contacted his family.”

Lee Jung-hyun clicked his tongue internally at the sight of An Jin-bae clenching and unclenching his fists in anger.

Then he thought of the foolish kid sitting in a police station right now.

Tsk, your life is ruined now.

Lee Jung-hyun planned to use all his connections to ruin that kid’s future, but if An Jin-bae’s family was involved, there was no need.

‘If he’s smart, he’ll emigrate.’

Unfortunately, being under 14, the kid wouldn’t face legal penalties, but he would find it hard to live in Korea.

Lee Jung-hyun didn’t feel any pity for the kid’s future.

“You should go home too, Actor. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“No, I want to stay. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at home anyway.”

The gruesome scene from the video was still vivid.

It was better to wait while checking on the unharmed Yeon-jae.

The Internet was already in an uproar.

The shocking news, in addition to the buzz from his recent appearance on ‘Mission Clear,’ excited people even more.

With no official statement yet, social media and communities were filled with unverified rumors.

Ignoring the chaotic world outside, he gently brushed the hair of the peacefully sleeping child.

“I hope you’re having good dreams.”

“…Indeed.”

The spacious single room was filled with the two men’s sighs.

* * *

“Yeon-jae.”

“…Yeah.”

“Yeon-jae, wake up.”

I frowned at the sensation of my shoulder being gently shaken.

Someone carefully smoothed my furrowed brow.

As I was about to fall back asleep to the soft touch, I heard a familiar voice murmur, “You shouldn’t sleep….”

The voice was very familiar.

The moment I realized who it was, I opened my eyes wide.

“Director, um, Director?”

I cleared my throat and answered hastily, shaking off the sleep from my voice.

Why was I in the director’s arms?

The unexpected situation left my mind numb.

Thinking I shouldn’t be a burden, I sprang up.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I—”

“Yeon-jae. What’s wrong?”

As I apologized, unable to meet her eyes in my embarrassment, the director interrupted.

When I looked up, I saw a face as bewildered as mine.

Her furrowed brows made her look just like the director usually did….

“…Mist?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, you scared me.”

I was really startled.

As I let out a long sigh of relief, I felt the uncertain air from her. It was really Mist.

I knew something was off.

No matter what form he took, Mist had a distinct way of speaking, but now his energy was completely drained, so I didn’t recognize him right away.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you in the director’s form. Sorry for not recognizing you.”

“No, it’s fine….”

“But were you really that dog earlier?”

“Yeah.”

“Why couldn’t you speak? You could talk when you turned into a chalkboard before.”

Curious but unable to ask earlier, I posed the question.

It felt strange to be able to talk like this.

An odd sense of relief made me smile out of place.

Even with my gentle question, Mist hesitated to answer.

“Well…”

“…?”

Seeing him so dejected was unusual.

He looked like he had been scolded, his neck retracting like a turtle’s.

Watching his slightly trembling eyes, I spoke carefully.

“Is it something you can’t tell me?”

“……”

After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded.

I see, that could happen.

But my mood dropped instantly.

I could feel my mouth tightening.

Seeing my grim expression, Mist froze, but I was even more surprised.

Why am I feeling so bad?

I closed my eyes for a moment and thought rationally.

Did I have any reason to be angry at Mist or blame him for this? No.

No matter how much I thought about it, there was no justifiable reason for me to be upset.

Therefore, this was an emotion I had to manage myself.

Clenching my fist, I quickly relaxed my expression.

“Okay, I understand. Then, can I ask why I’m suddenly here? Am I dead?”

“No! Why would you be dead? I saved you!”

I tried to smile as I asked, and Mist, sensing my mood, suddenly shouted as if a button had been pressed.

“You’re not dead! I saved you!”

“You did?”

“Yes!!”

Mist, back to his usual tone, started explaining, bouncing as he spoke.

Every time he spoke, his shoulders jumped like popcorn kernels.

He said that when I was leaving school with Noh Bi-hyuk, he had been watching me as usual, but suddenly felt an unsettling energy from the black stone.

Frozen in shock at the unprecedented sensation, he saw something sticky and foul-smelling appear next to the black stone.

As soon as it appeared, the misfortune factors on the ground stuck to me, and within seconds, the misfortune was reset.

“So, the original misfortune wasn’t Oh Seung-hyun pushing me?”

“Yeah…. This is the first time something like this happened, so I was slow to respond. I’m sorry….”

“Why are you apologizing?”

Mist had nothing to apologize for.

I asked, puzzled, and Mist, still wary, spat out the remaining words.

And those words left me stunned.