The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 66

“Wow, you look amazing! You should always wear a suit.”

Kim Seok-jun, the actor who had sauntered in, patted my shoulder.

He barely listened to my thanks before asking how I felt about attending the awards ceremony for the first time.

My answer was straightforward.

“I want to go home.”

It was 100% sincere.

Kim Seok-jun, seeing my exhausted face before the event even started, clutched his stomach and laughed.

“Puhaha! Man, I want to go home too. There aren’t even many people watching. What are we doing here?”

There were too many eyes watching for me to agree with him, so I just laughed.

But I really did sympathize.

What on earth was I doing here?

To prepare for the ceremony that started at 9 PM, we had been on the move since 7 AM.

I was already awake due to acting practice, but I was still taken aback by our unexpected destination.

‘Hyung, this place…’

‘Please ask your questions inside, sir.’

Following Manager An Jin-bae, we rushed into a skincare salon.

There was no time to say anything as we proceeded through a two-hour-long course.

After that, I dragged my relaxed body to a makeup shop and then a hair salon.

After donning the suit I had chosen a few days prior, we arrived at the broadcasting station hosting the ceremony at 3 PM.

I wondered what to do with six hours to kill, but that was a needless worry.

Time flew by as I wandered around the station greeting people.

While I managed to eat something, Manager An Jin-bae only managed to eat a single gimbap, which bothered me.

‘We work to eat, after all…’

I pondered the absurdity of working so hard that you can’t even eat, when Kim Seok-jun approached me.

Soon after, the cast of “The Burning Butterfly under the Zelkova Tree” began to arrive one by one.

It had been a while since I’d seen them.

Just answering repeated questions about my health used up the waiting time.

Right before stepping onto the red carpet, I was talking with Sung Lee-jun when Han Se-young approached.

“Hey guys, they said we can enter together. How should we do it?”

“…Walking?”

Was there another way to enter?

With a puzzled expression, I replied, and Han Se-young hesitated for a moment before bursting into laughter.

Her sharp eyes sparkled.

“Of course, we’ll walk. What I meant was how we should pose. Should we walk separately, or should I walk in the middle with linked arms?”

Oh, that. Feeling embarrassed, I rubbed my ear.

I told them to do whatever they wanted, and Han Se-young and Sung Lee-jun had a heated discussion.

Following their decision, we walked down the red carpet and approached the host holding a microphone.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen an entrance like this! Isn’t the lady usually in the middle?”

“Sung Lee-jun and I agreed. To be fair, we each took an arm.”

“Wow, did the male and female leads fight over Lee Yeon-jae? This is so different from the drama!”

The host exaggerated his actions and continued smoothly after Han Se-young’s response.

Sung Lee-jun, who had been laughing silently, took the microphone and started speaking, while I stood quietly.

I had no choice but to stand still, as my arms were held by the two people beside me.

“Lee Yeon-jae, how does it feel to be nominated for Best New Actor?”

When the host addressed me, Sung Lee-jun held the microphone to my mouth.

I could have just let go of his arm…

Reluctantly, I delivered the pre-prepared response: “I am thrilled and honored to be nominated for an award I never imagined receiving.”

After a few more rounds of questions and answers, we entered the hall where the ceremony was taking place.

The hall was filled with round tables and chairs scattered around.

Kim Seok-jun, Lee Seong-hye, and Jang In-ho were already seated.

I sat next to them and waited again. Fortunately, this wait wasn’t too long.

“The live broadcast starts now! One, two—”

The hall, which had been as noisy as a marketplace, fell silent in an instant.

Red lights blinked on the cameras slowly panning across the room.

“Hello! I’m Kang Jin-woo, your host for tonight’s MBN Acting Awards.”

“And I’m Lee Yoo-jin! It’s an honor to be here as your MC.”

A man and a woman, dressed impeccably in a tuxedo and gown, held the microphones.

The event flowed smoothly.

Despite thinking the day would never end, time passed quickly, and it was already the last event of the first part.

“For the Best New Actor Award! Let’s first meet the nominees through the video.”

As soon as the host finished speaking, the lights dimmed.

My face appeared on the screen.

[“Butterfly, I… I’m so happy to have you.”]

[“Do I have to answer that question?”]

[“Can’t you stay? Stay with me, please?”]

Scenes of me smiling at Butterfly, talking with Mrs. Lee, and desperately holding onto Butterfly followed.

A scene of me crying in a flower field also appeared.

As I watched without much thought, I suddenly felt all eyes on me.

Why is everyone staring?

“Yeon-jae, your ears are really red…”

I know, so be quiet.

After replying to Sung Lee-jun with my eyes, I watched the remaining nominee videos.

They were all familiar faces. One of them was even in the drama I watched yesterday.

It was surreal to think I was among them.

“All the nominees are outstanding. Yoo-jin, please announce the winner.”

“Yes, I will.”

The woman, who had just moved the microphone away from her mouth, opened the envelope she was holding.

A dramatic piece of music played simultaneously.

“And the winner is…”

They really use dramatic music for this.

I watched quietly as she took out the paper from the envelope. Suddenly, Han Se-young grabbed my hand.

“Noona?”

“Lee Yeon-jae! Congratulations!”

Just as I was asking her in confusion, I heard a thunderous cheer from behind.

Looking up, I saw the actors beside me enthusiastically patting my shoulders.

“Wow, Lee Yeon-jae~!”

“Yeon-jae, congratulations…!”

“Huh?”

I still didn’t grasp the situation.

I stood up reflexively and finally noticed my face filling the screen.

…Did I win an award?

“What are you doing? Go receive your award.”

When I stood there in a daze, Han Se-young laughed and shook my hand before letting go.

I composed my expression and climbed the stairs, where the host smiled and handed me a bouquet and a transparent trophy.

As I stood before the microphone, the applause gradually died down.

The camera in front of me blinked brightly.

My mind went blank.

“…Hello, I’m Lee Yeon-jae.”

Feeling the need to say something, I started to speak.

Standing as straight as possible, the bouquet in my arms rustled.

Maybe because of that, my chest tingled.

“Um, well, sorry. I didn’t prepare a speech.”

Blinking a few times, I realized it was a live broadcast and quickly regained my composure.

There was no time to be foolish. I couldn’t drag my words out rudely either.

I started by thanking the PD, writer, staff, and fellow actors, just like others had done.

“I think I was able to receive this undeserved award thanks to the help of many people. …Yes, really, thank you.”

Wanting to bow but holding too much, I nodded my head as respectfully as possible.

As I turned to leave, the host, who had been waiting leisurely beside me, hurriedly grabbed the microphone, looking surprised.

“Wait a moment!”

“Yes?”

“Hold on, don’t go yet. Isn’t your speech too short?”

The host, looking flustered, asked if there was anyone else I wanted to thank, saying I could speak more if I wanted.

He said, “you can,” but his expression was begging, “please, do it.”

Caught off guard, I stepped back to the microphone.

“Yes, first, I want to thank Jin-bae hyung, our manager. And also, to Lee Jung-hyun sunbae who always helps me, thank you very much.”

Who else am I grateful for?

There must be more, but my mind went blank.

The presence of so many people watching was palpable.

I quickly searched my mind for more people to thank.

…Oh.

How could I forget them?

“And to Director Yoo Eun-hee of the Morin Orphanage, thank you so much. Thanks to you… I was able to hold on. I also want to thank teachers Lee Si-hyun, Jang Bo-ram, Kim Min-hee, and Yoon Ji-seon.”

If it weren’t for the director and the teachers, I might have starved to death long before reaching this point.

I would have deeply regretted not expressing my gratitude just because I hadn’t prepared.

I looked gratefully at the host who had stopped me from leaving… His expression was peculiar.

Could it be that it’s still not enough?

“I also want to thank my classmates, Bi-hyuk and Ha-eun.”

“…”

“And…”

I think that’s really it.

As I glanced sideways and continued, the host nodded as if to say that was enough.

Seeing that, I quickly thanked everyone again and hurriedly descended the stage.

When I returned to my seat, everyone was looking at me, their eyes filled with laughter.

As the next award was being presented, no one opened their mouths.

Sure enough, as soon as the first part ended, everyone approached me, laughing.

“What happened! I’ve never seen you so flustered! Didn’t you expect it even a little?”

“How could I expect this?”

I recalled the actors who were nominated alongside me.

Did I really deserve this award?

…Is it really okay?

“What’s with that expression? Anyone would think you didn’t win.”

“It’s nothing. I just have something on my mind… Oh, Noona, why did you grab my hand earlier?”

Curious, I looked at Han Se-young, who smirked and said she had her reasons.

So what’s the reason?

I wanted to ask more, but the announcement for the second part began.

With a mix of strange guilt, light euphoria, and bewilderment, the second part started.

“Next, let’s meet the nominees for Best Couple.”

As soon as the host finished speaking, the screen showed… me again.

“…?”

I was so shocked that my head jerked forward.

Why am I on screen again?

The Best Couple Award is given to the couple who had the best response in a drama over the past year.

So, it should be a “couple.”

In the lower right corner of the screen, the caption read, “Lee Yeon-jae as Yu-hyeon & Han Se-young as Butterfly.”

‘Not Hyo-won and Butterfly, but Yu-hyeon and Butterfly?’

The ending was completely different from this.

I glanced at Sung Lee-jun next to me, who turned to ask, “Why?” with his lips.

I shrugged my shoulders.

As long as he had no objections, it was fine.

“The winners of the Best Couple Award are… the couple who delicately portrayed first love in ‘Butterflies on the Burning Tree,’ Lee Yeon-jae and Han Se-young! Congratulations.”

Wow. We actually won.

Still feeling dazed, I quickly composed my expression and stood up.

Next to me, Sung Lee-jun lightly hugged Han Se-young and, smiling, handed her hand to me.

It looked just like a father handing his daughter’s hand to her groom at a wedding.

I also bowed deeply to Sung Lee-jun, matching the mood, and felt the surrounding laughter.

‘So, he can do this too.’

His demeanor was so gentle that he didn’t seem his age.

Seeing his natural showmanship, I thought, ‘He really is an entertainer.’