An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 115

115. #22 – Taking Root in a New Place (3)

“Hello.”

As soon as I arrived at the office, I bowed my head in greeting.

The employees of WG Entertainment welcomed me brightly.

“Hee-sung, your movie was a huge hit. Congratulations.”

“Yeah, the results are amazing, aren’t they?”

The employees rushed to offer their congratulations.

“Thank you.”

I bowed my head in response to them.

Then, I hurried to the practice room.

I had already checked yesterday and this morning, but…

I opened my phone again to check the movie’s performance.

The final number of viewers for the movie ‘Survivor of the Destroyed World’.

It recorded a whopping 3.8 million, and it had long since passed the break-even point.

I was so dumbfounded by the incredible record.

It was a hit movie that broke the prejudice that zombie movies don’t do well in Korea.

With the name K-Zombie attached, it was well-received overseas.

On social media, the characteristics of K-Zombies and the differences between K-Zombies and foreign zombies were discussed.

Various parodies started circulating.

As a result, interest in me, actor Jin Hee-sung, naturally grew.

This was evidenced by the exponential increase in the number of SNS [Social Networking Service] followers.

I was amazed and delighted by the number of 3.8 million viewers, but…

There was one thing that bothered me.

Choi Seo-bin, a close senior colleague at WG Entertainment, also had a movie out.

It was released around the same time as my movie.

Therefore, news articles and TV media were always comparing our two movies.

Inadvertently, we became rivals in Chungmuro [Korean Hollywood] this season.

The results of the movie starring Choi Seo-bin were also revealed to the world.

3.2 million.

There was a difference of 600,000 from the movie I appeared in.

If you only look at the number 3.2 million, it was a very successful finish.

Of course, that movie also exceeded the break-even point.

However, reporters kept harping on the difference of 600,000.

[Same company, but the temperature difference between the two movies?]

[What has captured the film industry this season is not Choi Seo-bin, but… Zombies!]

[Is top star Choi Seo-bin’s box office myth collapsing like this…?]

[‘K-Zombie’ final 3.8 million, captivating the movie market…]

[They started together, but the one who laughs last was different. Song Yu-na, Han Si-a… Jin Hee-sung…]

[Two movies competing for first place, the result is a 600,000 difference… Who is the winner?]

I sighed deeply as I looked at the articles that kept making comparisons.

“Haa….”

Instead of each of us commenting on the movie itself,

I hated the articles that compared it to Choi Seo-bin’s movie and tried to extract the most sensational content.

Of course, he was a top actor who always ranked first in every movie he appeared in.

The fact that his work came in second could only excite the reporters.

To be competing for first and second place in a movie that overlapped with Choi Seo-bin’s…

“Hee-sung, you’re here?”

At that moment, Manager Kim approached the practice room.

He heard my sigh and asked me with a worried expression.

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Then, I asked Manager Kim a question.

“Hyung [term for older brother or close male friend], by the way, have you received any offers?”

At my words, Manager Kim sat down and opened his mouth.

“We have, but…”

I could tell just by the way his voice trailed off.

“Are they all supporting roles?”

“…Yes.”

He still had a worried look on his face.

His drooping eyebrows conveyed his feelings.

But I didn’t care much.

Of course, I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get any offers for lead roles, but.

In the first place, the reason I took on a supporting role in this movie was because I liked the work itself.

I have no intention of staying in supporting roles forever.

Nevertheless, if the work is good, I always want to do it.

“Hyung, then can you take a look at those works?”

At those words, Manager Kim looked at me with wide eyes.

“Hee-sung, if you film as a supporting role this time, it might be difficult to work on a lead role in the future.”

“I know, but I can’t just keep waiting.”

Maybe I was also impatient.

The anxiety of not getting offers for lead roles.

However, I didn’t want to stay stuck in that anxiety.

I judged that waiting idly was not the way to overcome it.

“It would be nice to film as a lead role this time, but first, I want to see the scripts of the works that have been offered.”

“Okay. I’ll bring the script. But this time, you have to land a lead role.”

At Manager Kim’s request, I smiled and shook my head.

He left to get the script.

I was left alone in the practice room and opened my phone.

And checked the schedule marked on the calendar.

It was a dinner appointment.

The get-together with Choi Seo-bin that we talked about last week.

Meeting Choi Seo-bin when the movie results are out.

It was quite a strange situation that my results were better than his, but I couldn’t avoid him just because of that.

I felt sorry for Choi Seo-bin, who was my senior, for no reason.

But it wasn’t like I had made a mistake or done anything wrong to him.

“I’m supposed to meet Seo-bin sunbae [term for senior colleague or older person in a field] this evening, but I already feel a little uncomfortable….”

***

A bar I haven’t visited in a while.

It’s a bar I always come to when I meet Choi Seo-bin.

We haven’t been able to meet because we’ve been busy filming, so it’s been almost three months since we last met.

But I wasn’t worried that it would be awkward to be alone with him.

Rather, I wanted to meet him as soon as possible.

I wanted to quickly express my gratitude to him for helping me get out of HS Entertainment.

The dark entrance.

As expected of a private bar, as soon as I entered, the employee recognized me and carefully approached me.

“Are you here for the reservation with Choi Seo-bin?”

He seemed to remember that I only came to this bar when I met Choi Seo-bin.

I smiled brightly and nodded to him.

“Yes, has he arrived?”

“He just arrived. I’ll guide you.”

I followed him to the innermost room.

All the seats were in private rooms, so I wouldn’t run into other guests.

As I walked all the way to the end, the scent of Choi Seo-bin’s favorite cologne brushed past my nose.

Creak.

The employee opened the sliding door after a short knock.

Inside, Choi Seo-bin raised his hand to greet me.

“Hee-sung, you’re here?”

“Yes, sunbaenim [term for senior colleague or older person in a field]. I was going to be here first today, but you’re already here!”

I bent down in a polite bow and approached him.

I apologized to Choi Seo-bin, who was always the first to arrive, and he shook his head.

“Hey, are we the kind of people who need to stand on ceremony? Haha.”

“Still.”

He said it was okay and patted me on the shoulder.

We quickly sat down.

“Have you been well?”

“Of course. We’re now part of the same company, but this is the first time we’ve seen each other’s faces.”

“That’s right. Now you’re really my senior in the company.”

Then, we started talking about each other’s recent activities that we hadn’t been able to share for months.

“I heard from Seok-hoon hyung [term for older brother or close male friend] that you even brought your manager with you?”

“Seok-hoon… Team Leader Son?”

“Yeah.”

Team Leader Son Seok-hoon.

He was the one who extended the offer from WG Entertainment and the one who signed a contract with me.

In other words, he is a person in a fairly high position at WG Entertainment.

Seeing Choi Seo-bin calling such Team Leader Son ‘Seok-hoon hyung’.

I was reminded of his position again.

“Yes, the person who knows me best and can take care of me is my current manager. So I made a suggestion, and Team Leader Son readily accepted….”

Before I could finish speaking, Choi Seo-bin smiled and replied.

“Good job. Taking care of your people like that, it seems easy, but most people can’t do it.”

He raised one corner of his mouth and continued.

“I knew I had a good eye for people.”

At Choi Seo-bin’s words, I smiled and filled his empty glass.

Soon, Choi Seo-bin picked up his glass.

We swallowed the ice-cold alcohol down our throats for the first time in a long time.

The alcohol going down on an empty stomach.

My stomach tingled, but this time and feeling were not uncomfortable at all.

“Here, have another drink.”

Choi Seo-bin immediately filled my glass and opened his mouth.

“Hee-sung, your movie was a huge hit, wasn’t it?”

At his words, my expression froze for a moment.

I didn’t want to bring up the story about the results as much as possible.

I didn’t like that Choi Seo-bin brought up the movie story from the beginning.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to be congratulated.

It was because of the mix of guilt and discomfort about getting better results than him.

“Ah….”

Choi Seo-bin seemed to notice my feelings as I tried to smile and relax my expression.

And he continued without missing a beat.

“See? I told you to choose it if the work is good, even if it’s a supporting role. It’s really great.”

“Thank you. I was able to choose the work because of your advice, sunbaenim.”

He shook his head with a proud face as if it were his own business.

“I just gave you a word. You acted well. The script and direction were also very good.”

Choi Seo-bin continued with sparkling eyes.

“I sincerely congratulate you. I’m so happy to see you doing well, Hee-sung.”

At his words, I bit my lip and swallowed hard.

How can a person be so great?

Even if he was in a high position, a top star.

I thought it would be difficult to praise a movie that did better than his own and sincerely celebrate it.

That would be the psychology of a normal human being.

But there was nothing false in Choi Seo-bin’s eyes, tone, and expression when he congratulated me.

Sincerity dripped from it.

No matter how close we had become.

Choi Seo-bin, who gave me this blessing.

He made me feel so much.

And deep in my heart, my respect for him began to grow like a snowball.

“Thank you so much for congratulating me, sunbaenim.”

“There’s a lot to be thankful for. Haha.”

Clink-.

He and I clinked glasses.

About an hour had passed since I arrived at the bar.

The second dish was set on the table.

And I looked at Choi Seo-bin with a more serious face.

“Sunbaenim.”

At my call, Choi Seo-bin raised his eyebrows.

“About my contract termination with HS Entertainment.”

Even at my words, Choi Seo-bin didn’t react at all.

I thought he would say that he helped me, but he didn’t show any signs of it.

I quickly continued to speak to him.

“I heard that you helped me, sunbaenim.”

Only then did Choi Seo-bin frown and let out a short breath.

“What, did you know?”

“I heard about it a few days ago. Why didn’t you tell me?”

With a sorry and grateful heart, I pursed my lips and shifted my gaze to him.

Choi Seo-bin avoided my eyes and scratched his face.

“It’s embarrassing. A beloved junior is having legal battles over a contract with an agency, and articles are coming out.”

At his words, I nodded.

Choi Seo-bin looked at the air, feeling embarrassed and shy about the fact that he helped me.

“You just started to spread your wings, but how can I watch you being held back like that and not being able to do anything? I can’t turn away from you.”

As soon as Choi Seo-bin finished speaking, I took a long breath.

His heart and words that cared for me.

I was so grateful to him that I didn’t know what to do.

I can’t express it all in words.

“Sunbaenim. Still, you should have told me….”

“Hey, it’s nothing, it’s like I’m showing off. It’s embarrassing.”

I finally closed my eyes tightly at his words.

I hadn’t done anything for him.

He was always the one who led me from above.

I wanted to repay him, but there was no way to repay him.

He wasn’t short of money, and I wasn’t in a position to pull him up.

The only way to repay him was with ‘heart’.

I opened my closed eyes and held out my glass to Choi Seo-bin.

He smiled and drank the alcohol.

I opened my mouth in a serious and low voice to Choi Seo-bin.

“Sunbaenim, I’m so grateful that I want to do something, but there’s nothing I can do for you.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t do it expecting anything in return.”

“No. I don’t know if there will be something you want to ask me later… but if you tell me, I will definitely….”

Choi Seo-bin’s eyes sparkled as he listened to my words.

Cutting off my words for a moment, with wide eyes,

“Then let’s film a movie together.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s do one together with the work I’m going to do.”