An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 116

116 #22 – Rooting in a New Place (4)

“Let’s do a project together. One that I’m planning.”

Choi Seo-bin raised his eyebrows and looked at me.

And there was no way I could refuse his offer.

Of course, it wasn’t like I hadn’t worked with Choi Seo-bin before.

Any project with him, a guaranteed box office success, was always welcome.

For any actor, working with Choi Seo-bin would be an honor.

I was rather grateful to Choi Seo-bin for making such a proposal.

I smiled broadly and replied to him.

“Of course, I’m in.”

Only then did Choi Seo-bin smile.

I hurriedly wiped the smile off my face and pursed my lips.

“But, *sunbae-nim* [senior colleague or mentor], there’s one condition.”

“Condition?”

He frowned instantly.

He tilted his head as if wondering what that condition could possibly be.

“Yes, I’m happy to work with you on any project. However, I’d like it to be a project where I can have a leading role.”

Choi Seo-bin stroked his chin at my words.

Afraid that he might misunderstand, I spoke again.

“Ah, I’m definitely not saying that you should take a supporting role, *sunbae-nim*. I just mean that it would be great if it were a project where I could appear with you as a lead.”

Only then did he smile faintly.

He jutted out his lower jaw and asked me.

“Why, is it not okay to stay in supporting roles now?”

Knowing that my role in the recent movie was a supporting one, he caught on to my feelings at once.

“Since filming that supporting role in the movie, I’ve only been getting offers for supporting roles.”

He nodded repeatedly and replied.

“I know. If you do supporting roles a few times like that, your place will become fixed there.”

“That’s right. That’s what I’m worried about.”

I was worried that it might be a rude request to Choi Seo-bin.

But he listened to my story seriously, as if agreeing with my words.

“I understand. I’ll contact you when a good project comes up. Let’s work together.”

“Yes, I’d be honored.”

Choi Seo-bin smiled and raised his glass.

“How is it since moving to WG Entertainment? Is there anything uncomfortable?”

“Not at all. They even accepted Kim Sil-jang [manager] to transfer with me, so there’s nothing uncomfortable.”

He narrowed his eyes so much that wrinkles formed on his forehead and said to me.

“If you ever have a hard time or if anything happens, contact me anytime. Now, besides being my junior, you’re also a member of the same company.”

A member of the family….

Those were nice words to hear.

Choi Seo-bin had always taken good care of me as a senior colleague.

And I, too, felt that he had more interest in me than other juniors.

I felt that even more because there was no senior colleague at HS Entertainment to whom I could freely speak my mind.

It wasn’t that HS Entertainment didn’t have famous senior actors.

But there weren’t many opportunities to build friendships, nor did the company help foster a sense of camaraderie among the actors.

The only actors I became close with were those I met while filming.

That’s how I met Choi Seo-bin as well.

I always had the thought that instead of just feeling grateful to him, I wanted to repay Choi Seo-bin in some way.

However, I realized at some point that all I could give him, all he needed,

was just my heart.

Even though Choi Seo-bin was in such a high position, he had hardly any close celebrity friends.

It wasn’t that he had a bad personality, but he kept a wall between himself and everyone else.

I never got a clear answer as to why he lowered that wall only for me.

His answer was always just that I was good at acting and that he liked me.

But for whatever reason, I also didn’t feel uncomfortable being so open with Choi Seo-bin.

No, I wanted to maintain this relationship.

I became a member of the same company as him.

And so, my connection with him became even stronger.

After meeting and talking for the first time in a while.

Before I knew it, a couple of hours had flown by.

Yet our conversation didn’t die down.

“Ah, *sunbae-nim*. About this movie.”

“’The Edge of the Blade’?”

‘The Edge of the Blade’ was a movie that Choi Seo-bin and I were working on together.

“Yes, I saw an article when I was filming in Australia. The article said that Im Ha-joon was also appearing in that movie.”

At my words, he bit his lower lip and wrinkled his nose.

“He almost made it to the very end, but… well… somehow another actor was chosen in the final selection.”

“Ah….”

Until the final contract is signed.

No, even after a contract is signed, roles sometimes change due to unavoidable reasons.

So, I didn’t think much of it and replied casually.

But Choi Seo-bin’s expression said otherwise.

He looked very disappointed that Im Ha-joon had been replaced by another actor.

It seemed like he wanted to act with him.

Choi Seo-bin made a ‘tss’ sound and shifted his gaze into the air.

“That friend is really good at acting.”

The way he spoke, recalling Im Ha-joon, and the look in his eyes seemed to have something unsettling about them.

“Yes, I’ve heard that too. About Im Ha-joon’s acting.”

At my words, Choi Seo-bin snapped his fingers and replied.

“Oh, so Hee-sung knows too?”

Then, he narrowed his eyes and murmured.

“He’s so good at acting, but his personal life is… a rather peculiar friend….”

Choi Seo-bin trailed off and spoke vaguely.

Even if I didn’t know exactly, I could guess some of it.

Im Ha-joon had once been the subject of a sensational news report in the past.

Propofol addiction.

But it was after a long period of self-reflection.

And because he was so good at acting, many fans opened their eyes and praised Im Ha-joon’s return.

There were conflicting reactions: some said that it didn’t matter if an actor’s private life was important as long as they were good at acting,

while others said that a public figure’s private life was important, especially since that private life involved a crime, so they shouldn’t be allowed to return.

I knew very well that Im Ha-joon was good at acting.

But regardless of whether he was a public figure or not.

I didn’t want to support someone who caused such an incident and committed a crime.

I didn’t want to go find him and criticize his return.

Of course, I didn’t want to support him either.

Choi Seo-bin mentioned Im Ha-joon’s acting.

And judging by the way he vaguely talked about his past, it seemed like he wasn’t planning on defending Im Ha-joon either.

Just an evaluation of his acting.

After that, Choi Seo-bin held up his glass towards me.

“Let’s just drink.”

“Yes.”

***

“So, these projects also have auditions for the lead roles?”

Looking at the numerous scripts piled up in the practice room.

I asked Kim Sil-jang, looking at the scripts he had put down.

He pouted and nodded slowly.

“Yeah, but there will be actors who have been given a nudge to audition [favored treatment].”

Kim Sil-jang shook his head at his own words, continuing as if denying himself.

“But there are also projects that are definitely casting only through auditions.”

Kim Sil-jang’s tone was full of worry.

Kim Sil-jang was more anxious than I was about whether I would be able to rise to a leading role.

Rather, I was the one who relieved his worries.

“*Hyung* [older brother/close male friend], it’s not like you’re guaranteed to get every audition you take anyway. I’ll read the scripts first.”

At my words, Kim Sil-jang smiled faintly and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m just worrying for no reason. Let’s look at the projects together today.”

He pulled up a chair and sat down.

Clearing his throat, he picked up one of the scripts in front of him.

Looking at Kim Sil-jang, who was more worried about me than I was and wanted me to succeed.

Holding back the corners of my rising lips, I also opened a script.

Around the time I was past the first three pages of the first script.

“That’s right!”

I flinched in surprise at Kim Sil-jang’s voice.

“You scared me.”

“Sorry, it just suddenly came to mind.”

He reached out and calmed me down.

I shook my head at Kim Sil-jang’s gesture.

“So, what came to mind?”

“That Im Ha-joon guy.”

Hearing Im Ha-joon’s name suddenly come out of Kim Sil-jang’s mouth.

My face instantly contorted.

“I’ve been hearing Im Ha-joon’s name a lot lately.”

At my words, Kim Sil-jang raised his eyebrows.

I smiled and shook my head.

“No, it’s nothing. So, what about Im Ha-joon?”

“I heard that his comeback project fell through, so he’s looking for another project again now.”

“Ah….”

Seeing that I wasn’t surprised, Kim Sil-jang widened his eyes and asked.

“You knew?”

“I knew it fell through. The comeback article came out when we went to Australia, back then.”

Only then did Kim Sil-jang remember and let out a sigh.

“That’s right. I forgot about that. So, after reflecting, it seems like it wasn’t easy for him to make a comeback.”

“I guess so. It’s not just anything, he committed a crime and reflected on it.”

Kim Sil-jang clicked his tongue at my words.

“Right. But there are also a surprising number of people waiting for Im Ha-joon’s return, so there seems to be a lot of curiosity about his comeback project.”

He held out his cell phone to me and said.

“Look at this. There are tons of articles about Im Ha-joon’s comeback.”

I quickly scanned the articles with my eyes.

Since he was someone I wasn’t very interested in.

After reacting to Kim Sil-jang’s words, I shifted my gaze back to the script.

“Well… I just hope I don’t overlap with him.”

As I fixed my gaze on the script, Kim Sil-jang turned his cell phone over on the table.

“Right. Let’s hurry up and find a better project.”

***

WG Entertainment, where I go to work without fail every day.

When I was at HS Entertainment, the environment at home wasn’t conducive to practicing, so I always went to the company.

I’ve even moved now, but whether it’s because the habit is already ingrained in my body, my feet naturally head to the company as soon as I open my eyes.

The bustling employees.

Seeing everyone absorbed in something.

I also felt like my concentration was doubled.

Today, as I was unfolding the script and reciting the lines.

Beep beep.

[Sender: Choi Seo-bin *sunbae-nim*]

I shifted my eyes from the script to my cell phone at the call from Choi Seo-bin.

“Yes, *sunbae-nim*.”

-Oh, Hee-sung-ah. Where are you?

“I’m in the company practice room.”

-You really go to the company a lot. It’s like you’re a full-time employee?

“Haha, somehow, I’ve become accustomed to practicing at the company. Are you at home, *sunbae-nim*?”

-Yeah, I should go visit the company sometime too.

“Yes, please come anytime. I’m always stationed here.”

-Okay. Ah, I just sent an email to Kim Sil-jang through my manager *hyung* [older brother/close male friend]?

“What kind of email?”

-It’s a script, take a look at it.

“Thank you. Kim Sil-jang is also in the office, so I’ll have him receive it and read it right away.”

-I think it would be good for us to work together. Anyway, read it slowly and contact me.

“Yes, please go in. *Sunbae-nim*!”

He said he wanted to work on a project together, and he’s sending me a project this quickly.

As soon as I hung up the phone with Choi Seo-bin, I ran straight to Kim Sil-jang.

And so, I received the script.

‘Black Man’.

This work, which is a romantic comedy genre, was the story of a grim reaper.

I hurriedly opened the script and started reading.

The story was solid and interesting without any flaws.

A grim reaper who absorbs the souls of humans in this world, wanting to become like them.

The grim reaper, who seems like he would be eerie, shows a gap [unexpected vulnerability].

Experiencing ups and downs, at the moment he reaches humanity.

The last human he has to absorb the soul of.

He falls in love with that woman….

And so, whether he remains a grim reaper while loving, or abandons love and is reincarnated as a human himself.

The story of a grim reaper who is at the final crossroads.

The script that reads smoothly.

Certainly, the story was interesting and sucked me in.

But the expression on my face as I closed the last page was not bright.

No, rather, my face was contorted.

“This drama, I don’t think I’ll stand out too much…?”