An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 11

#3 – HS Entertainment (2)

“Let’s work well together in the future.”

Team Leader Park said, offering me a handshake.

“Yes, please take good care of me. And please, speak comfortably, Team Leader.”

He smiled kindly at my words and replied.

“Then… should I? We’ll be contacting each other and seeing each other often, after all.”

“Yes, that would be more comfortable for me. Please treat me casually.”

“I will.”

Just then, Team Leader Park snapped his fingers as if he had just remembered something.

“Ah, Hee-sung. You said you’re living alone now, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“How’s the place? Is it livable?”

“Yes, it’s enough for me to live alone.”

*Well, it’s small and not soundproof, though.*

Moving to a bigger place right now would be a luxury.

“Okay, if there’s no need to move right away, let’s stay there a bit longer. It’s not urgent.”

I nodded at his words.

“For now, just keep using your current place. The monthly rent will be paid by the company and included in the settlement later.”

“Yes, I understand what you mean.”

Ding-dong.

The elevator stopped at the first-floor lobby.

“Chief Choi, please take Hee-sung home.”

“Yes, I will. Let’s go, Hee-sung.”

I quickly interjected in their conversation.

“It’s okay. I’ll take the subway.”

“Hey, you’re our agency’s actor now, I’ll give you a ride.”

“No, I have a place to stop by today.”

“Is that so? Okay, then I’ll contact you soon. Be careful.”

“Yes, I will.”

I bowed to Team Leader Park and Chief Choi.

Walking out of HS Entertainment.

I felt so different than when I walked in through this door a few hours ago.

*This company is mine now!*

I’ve joined one of the top 3 entertainment companies in Korea!

It felt like a dream.

I turned around, scanned the HS Entertainment building once, and took a deep breath.

Now that I have an agency, I can act in a wider world.

I’ll have more opportunities.

To seize better opportunities and good roles when they come.

I need to put in more effort than I do now.

And I headed straight to the subway.

In fact, I didn’t have anywhere to go.

I just wanted to organize my thoughts and go home slowly, so I made up an appointment.

More than anything, I wanted to enjoy this feeling alone on the way home.

Hugging the contract envelope tightly, I stopped for a moment and glanced at the contract.

‘HS Entertainment Exclusive Contract.’

Just looking at the words made me tingle.

After looking only at the title written at the top, I carefully put it back in the large envelope.

I could feel my heart swelling at that moment.

…I really signed a contract!

On the way back to the subway station.

A smile crept onto my face without me even realizing it.

***

As soon as I got home, I took out the contract I had been holding in my arms.

An exclusive contract with HS Entertainment.

I felt like opening the window right away and bragging to the whole neighborhood.

I also wanted to call someone and brag, but I couldn’t.

I don’t have a drama lined up yet, I just signed a contract.

Of course, just having a contract was a huge bragging point.

I wanted to throw a grand party, but the only party I could throw was a solo celebration.

I immediately opened my cell phone and clicked on the delivery app.

Jokbal [pig’s trotters] and Bossam [boiled pork belly], which I had been craving the most recently.

Today, I chose the Jokbo set that had both.

And that menu that I usually hesitated to press after a long time.

Today, I even added makguksu [spicy buckwheat noodles] and had a proper mukbang [eating broadcast] flex.

…I’m excited.

This is happiness, what else is happiness?

As soon as I confirmed the order completion window, I walked to the refrigerator and took out the beer I had been holding back from drinking for the past few days.

Chiiik.

The feeling of opening a can of beer and gulping it down before the side dishes arrive.

The tingling sensation of strong carbonation passing through the empty stomach.

Keeeuh.

It was fantastic.

About fifty minutes after ordering.

Finally, the Jokbo set and beer spread out before my eyes.

And the contract and department store gift certificate placed right in front of me instead of the script.

The feeling was so thrilling that I felt like I was flying.

One million won in department store gift certificates.

What should I do with this gift certificate that I received as a reward for helping Song Yuna?

The first thing that came to mind was luxury goods at the department store.

Now that I’m entering the path of a true actor, wouldn’t it be nice to have at least one luxury item….

I spread my wings of imagination with a swelling heart, but.

When I looked up and looked around the house, that feeling soon faded away.

Yeah, what luxury goods.

Let’s save it for living expenses.

It’s not time to splurge yet.

The makguksu is enough extravagance.

***

“Thank you, goodbye.”

I had a contract with HS Entertainment, but I still went to work at the convenience store today.

A contract is a contract, and I needed living expenses.

Since there weren’t any schedules for dramas or movies yet, I didn’t think about quitting my part-time job.

Beeep, beep.

Just then, the phone rang.

[Caller: HS Entertainment Team Leader Park Han-woong]

After confirming that there were no customers, I pressed the receive button.

“Yes, Team Leader!”

-Oh, Hee-sung. Are you busy?

“No. It’s okay.”

-You’ll be getting a call soon. Kim Ji-hoon is the chief. He’ll be your manager from now on.”

“My manager?”

-Of course. An actor needs a manager.

“Wow, that’s amazing. A manager.”

-Haha, it’s nothing amazing. Anyway, if you tell Chief Kim about anything, he’ll take care of it, and if there’s anything uncomfortable you can’t tell him, tell me and I’ll take care of it right away.”

“Yes, thank you. I’ll work hard, Team Leader!”

Clang.

Two customers came in while I was on the phone.

Fortunately, they went to the snack aisle and were chatting while picking out items.

It didn’t look like they would be coming to the checkout counter right away.

-But are you outside now? It’s noisy around you.

“Ah… I’m working part-time right now.”

At my words, Team Leader Park chuckled.

-Part-time? Say you’re quitting.

“Yes?”

-Now you have to become a ten-million actor by landing supporting and leading roles in movies and dramas, won’t you be busy?

At Team Leader Park’s words, I bowed and answered loudly.

“Yes, I will work hard. Team Leader!”

-Haha, okay. Let’s run hard, Hee-sung.

As soon as I hung up the phone, my cell phone rang again.

It was an unknown number.

“Yes, hello?”

-Hello. This is Chief Kim Ji-hoon.

“Yes, I just received a call from the team leader.”

-Can I meet you right away today?

***

A quiet cafe near my house.

Since it was the day I worked the morning part-time job, I was able to come to the meeting place before evening.

I opened the cafe door and saw a person sitting inside, as if waiting for someone.

That person must be Chief Kim.

Sure enough, he stood up as soon as he spotted me.

“Are you Jin Hee-sung?”

“Ah, yes!”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Chief Kim Ji-hoon.”

“Hello. I’m Jin Hee-sung.”

Chief Kim Ji-hoon.

He was about 178 cm tall and had a sleek body.

Unlike Team Leader Park’s friendly impression that I saw at HS Entertainment, he had sharp eyes without double eyelids.

Overall, he seemed to be a sharp and meticulous person, not a warm one.

In short, he was the type to do things meticulously and thoroughly when it came to work.

And next to him was a heavy shopping bag.

“Shall we sit down?”

“Yes.”

We shook hands lightly and sat down.

As soon as I sat down, I asked him a question.

“How old are you, Chief….”

“I’m thirty. I know Hee-sung is twenty-six, is that right?”

“Yes, that’s right. Please speak comfortably.”

“It’s okay.”

“Hey, that way I’m comfortable too.”

Only then did Chief Kim smile slightly.

“Then Hee-sung, you can speak comfortably too.”

“I will. No, I will, *hyung* [older brother/male friend].”

He nodded and took a sip of coffee.

“Then, shall we start talking about work?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll briefly tell you about the things you need to know when you’re active in the future.”

At his words, I leaned forward and listened.

“When you go to a shoot, I’ll pick you up from your house when the time is set. Hair and makeup are all done at the shop, so just wash your face and come out.”

“Just wash my face?”

“Yeah, they wash and start with your hair at the shop. I’ll take care of everything from the end of the day at the set to returning home.”

I was used to only taking the group bus that came out of the broadcasting station to go to the filming site, so I wondered if I could have such luxury.

“When you were active alone, you negotiated appearance fees yourself. The company does that now, so Hee-sung, you just have to focus on acting.”

“That’s right. I always did it myself….”

In fact, it was embarrassing to even call it a negotiation.

I was grateful if they just picked me, even if I didn’t get the minimum wage.

“I was just happy to be able to go to the set.”

I was deeply moved by the thought that I had been living this kind of life until just yesterday.

To think that it could change like this in just one day.

“Everything will be different from now on. You can’t just go to any audition now. That doesn’t mean you have to do work you don’t want to do. You and I will choose the work to audition for together.”

“*Hyung* will watch with me too?”

“Of course, now the company will also look at what roles suit you and what kind of work has a synergy effect. You’re going to be the next promising star of HS Entertainment, so you can’t just do any work.”

Next promising star….

It felt like I had become a real celebrity.

Of course, this is just the beginning.

It’s too early to be happy already.

Because nothing has changed yet.

“Now, Hee-sung, you can think that you don’t have to worry about anything other than acting. Because there are staff and a company that move for you.”

Chief Kim’s words made my heart flutter.

I don’t have to worry about anything other than acting….

I always had to worry about a lot of things in order to act.

I had to earn a living to act.

The countless days I had to stay up all night at the set for two days to shoot one cut of a scene.

Going to a shop to get hair and makeup?

That was never even a dream, let alone a luxury.

If I went to a shop for just one cut, it would be a huge deficit.

But now I could live only for acting, the acting I wanted to do so much.

How happy is this?

But at this point, I was curious.

According to Team Leader Park, even if I quit the convenience store right away, it doesn’t mean I’ll get a schedule.

What money should I live on?

Aside from money, I don’t have anything to do all day right now….

“*Hyung*, but how do I get cast now? You’re not just going to plug me in, are you.”

“Well, the company might be able to plug you into minor roles, but you don’t have any filmography yet, so it won’t work. First, you have to get supporting roles. That’s what the company… and what I have to do.”

“Then what should I do first right now?”

“You’re going to be busy tomorrow.”

I tilted my head at Chief Kim’s words.

“First, you have to take profile pictures tomorrow. That way, I can make a profile and spread it around. After that, you’ll build up your filmography starting with small roles.”

“Small roles… how?”

As if he had been waiting for my words, he put the shopping bag he had placed on the floor on the table.

A shopping bag that looked incredibly heavy at a glance.

“What is this?”

“Scripts.”

“…Huh?”

Chief Kim raised one corner of his mouth and replied.

“From now on, we have to choose the works to audition for.”