An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 135

135. #25 – A Crisis for Some, An Opportunity for Others (4)

Knock knock.

‘Han Si-jin, Head of Department’s Office’.

I swallowed hard and knocked on the door.

“Yes, come in.”

Head of Department Han responded to my knock as if he had been waiting.

I opened the door and went inside, and Head of Department Han greeted me with a smile.

“Hello.”

After bowing to him, I walked to the seat he guided me to and sat down.

Soon, a drink was placed in front of me.

It wasn’t my first time seeing Head of Department Han’s face today.

After transferring to WG Entertainment, I had a chance to greet him.

I had the same thought then, but Head of Department Han’s presence was immense.

Well, if you’re going to become the head of a department in such a large company, it would have been difficult to climb up without this level of charisma.

He sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, leaning back, and asked me.

“I heard you pushed to get into the drama that just ended, Hee-sung?”

A faint smile from Head of Department Han.

Even without saying much, his posture, tone, and expression exuded relaxation.

I naturally brought my hands together on my knees at that unapproachable demeanor.

Tensely, I answered him.

“Yes, that’s right.”

However, I had no intention of holding back or hesitating about what I wanted to say.

I didn’t come up to the head of department’s office to be persuaded.

He took a sip of his drink and nodded.

“I watched it well. The viewership ratings were good, and I heard MBS [broadcasting station] is even giving out bonuses. You’ve worked hard.”

“No, thank you.”

He raised his body, which had been leaning back, to put the glass of drink on the table.

He leaned forward, peeked his head out, and stared at me before opening his mouth.

“I thought our company would get an award thanks to you, but you’re going to be a substitute in Blackman?”

Head of Department Han didn’t have a stern face, nor was he smiling.

He just spoke to me while maintaining a faint smile from the beginning.

That subtle expression created even more tension for me.

“Yes, I thought I could do well. The story of the drama is also good….”

Head of Department Han extended his left palm and gently raised it in front of him.

I trailed off at his gesture.

“Everything you’ve worked so hard for until now could collapse because of that. You’ve thought about that, right?”

Everything collapsing….

Actually, it wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about it.

But I didn’t think that just because I was being put in as a substitute for that drama, everything I had built up until now would crumble.

No, I would never just stand by and watch that happen.

Even if the drama turned out to be a failure, I thought I would just spend a slightly lonelier end of the year than I would have otherwise.

But even if that happened, I wanted to repay Choi Seo-bin.

Back when I was about to fall into the deepest swamp, the person who turned that swamp into a very small puddle was Choi Seo-bin.

And I wanted to express my gratitude to him in this way.

I judged that the best I could do right now was that.

I nodded towards Head of Department Han.

“As you said, I am prepared. However, I will try not to let that happen.”

My eyes were wide open as if projecting my will as it is.

Head of Department Han stared at my eyes without saying anything.

After a few seconds of suffocating silence passed, Head of Department Han raised the corners of his lips and picked up the phone.

“Hey, it’s me. Tell Choi Seo-bin to come up right now.”

After sending a short instruction, he returned to his relaxed expression and took a sip of his drink.

A moment of silence flowed.

Knock knock.

The door to the head of department’s office was knocked on once again.

Soon, Choi Seo-bin came in.

“You called?”

“Yeah, sit down first.”

“Yes.”

Choi Seo-bin also seemed to have a difficult relationship with Head of Department Han, as he walked in quite hesitantly and took a seat across from me.

Head of Department Han raised his chin and said to Choi Seo-bin.

“Seo-bin.”

“Yes, Head of Department.”

“How about Hee-sung for Im Ha-joon’s empty spot in Blackman?”

Choi Seo-bin’s eyes widened, and he turned his head to look at me.

He just blinked and fixed his gaze on me.

I nodded once, seeing Choi Seo-bin’s gaze meeting mine in the air.

“…Are you saying Hee-sung is coming into Blackman?”

Choi Seo-bin quickly shifted his gaze and asked Head of Department Han.

He raised his eyebrows and replied.

“Yeah, how is it?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Choi Seo-bin shouted loudly.

“I like it!”

Only then did Head of Department Han look at me.

“Can you keep all the things you said earlier?”

The words that I wouldn’t lose everything as the company feared.

I couldn’t be sure of the future, but I believed in myself and could guarantee it.

I could achieve everything with my efforts.

I looked straight into Head of Department Han’s eyes and nodded.

“Yes, I will make both the drama and myself successful.”

The corners of his lips curved.

He got up from his seat and walked to his desk, opening his mouth.

“Don’t go home and wait. I’ll talk to the Blackman side.”

“Yes!”

I shouted immediately at Head of Department Han’s words.

He sat down in his seat, looked at me and Choi Seo-bin, and opened his mouth again.

“What are you doing? Both of you, get out now.”

“Ah, yes.”

Choi Seo-bin and I looked at each other and got up from our seats.

***

“Hee-sung, let’s talk for a bit.”

“Yes, senior.”

As soon as we came out of the head of department’s office, we headed straight to the terrace.

Choi Seo-bin opened the terrace door and turned around to look at me.

“What’s this? Why are you suddenly coming in as a substitute?”

At his question, I frowned and answered.

“Blackman, I saw the work. Isn’t the story good?”

At my words, Choi Seo-bin burst into laughter.

“Hey, man. You said the drama wasn’t good when I asked you to do it with me last time.”

I wrinkled my nose and replied to him.

“Hey, senior. When did I say it wasn’t good? I said the role didn’t suit me.”

“Exactly. You refused then, but now you’re just coming in. Why are you being Im Ha-joon’s substitute?”

At Choi Seo-bin’s words, I just replaced my answer with a smile.

He bit his lip and narrowed his eyes, asking me.

“Don’t tell me… are you coming in to repay my kindness or something?”

At Choi Seo-bin’s words, I answered with a face that had erased its smile.

“Yes.”

He raised the corners of his lips as if he was dumbfounded and shook his head.

“Hey, Jin Hee-sung.”

“Yes, senior.”

Choi Seo-bin sighed deeply and said to me.

“I… can’t take responsibility if you fail like this. Think carefully.”

As soon as Choi Seo-bin’s words ended, I raised my eyebrows and nodded vigorously.

“Senior, I can take responsibility for myself. I’m at that level now.”

“…This kid, you’ve grown up.”

He burst into a burst of laughter.

With a face full of laughter, he ruffled my bangs with his big palm.

“…Thanks, man.”

Choi Seo-bin stared at me, who had raised the corners of my lips, and then passed me by and headed for the terrace door.

At that moment when he grabbed the handle, he turned around and shouted.

“Ah, by the way.”

At his voice, I turned my head and looked at Choi Seo-bin.

“Yes?”

“Even if the director says no, I’ll make sure you get in.”

“…Yes?”

At his words, I asked with wide eyes.

Choi Seo-bin raised one corner of his lips and raised his chin.

“You said you wanted to be in this drama. I’ll make sure you get in somehow.”

He opened the door and left with those words.

I took a deep breath, looking at Choi Seo-bin’s back.

***

I arrived at the conference room with Manager Kim.

Because the filming of Blackman was suspended and they were resting, the people involved were able to come to WG Entertainment faster than expected.

“So, you’re going to have an interview with the Blackman director and staff today and make a decision?”

At my question, Manager Kim nodded and replied.

“Yeah, they’re coming knowing the situation, so if we talk and there are no major obstacles, it’ll be done right away.”

“Hoo, I’m nervous.”

At that time, the door opened, and several Blackman staff members and the director came in.

“Hello.”

“Nice to meet you.”

After exchanging brief greetings, seats were arranged.

“Thank you for coming all the way here.”

“Oh, no, not at all.”

Director Cha Hyun-jong, who had a good physique, laughed heartily and sat down.

He looked at me first and opened his mouth.

“Hee-sung, I enjoyed your recent work.”

“Ah, thank you. I’m honored that you took the time to watch my work even though you must be busy.”

Director Cha, with his distinct features, looked fierce because of his glaring eyes, but he continued to speak in a soft and calm tone.

“I wouldn’t have watched it if it was a competing drama, but it was a Monday-Tuesday drama, so I made sure to watch it. Haha.”

At his words, the conference room quickly eased its awkwardness.

He widened his eyes as if curious and asked me.

“By the way, it must have been a difficult decision to come in as a substitute….”

At his words, I straightened my posture and opened my mouth.

“I thought the work was good. That’s why it was recording first place in the Wednesday-Thursday drama time slot. I didn’t think the work should just disappear like this.”

At my words, Director Cha smiled.

“Even if it’s not, I was thinking that we should start filming as soon as possible so that the flow doesn’t get cut off. First of all, I’m grateful just for your decision.”

“No, not at all.”

We exchanged stories in a bright atmosphere.

While spending time sharing such personal stories, the main topic of putting me into the drama set began.

“Our Blackman has only aired up to episode 6 yet. So, if you are put in, filming will start from episode 7.”

“Yes.”

“We have to throw away all the already filmed episode 7….”

I listened to the words of the Blackman staff.

“And we are going to go with not replacing the existing role with another role, but just changing the actor for that role.”

Usually, when one actor leaves for whatever reason, they hastily modify the script to make that role disappear.

And they insert another role in that role’s place and start anew.

But as Blackman wants now, there are cases where they take the role as it is, and only the actor changes.

In these cases, it can cause confusion for viewers in the beginning.

Of course, in the previous episodes, it was the role that Im Ha-joon was doing, but in the next episode, I am suddenly doing Im Ha-joon’s role, so there is no choice but to cause confusion.

However, that much meant that the script was one that shouldn’t abandon the role that Im Ha-joon was doing, because he was the lead in the drama with Choi Seo-bin.

Viewers may hesitate for a moment while watching the drama, but everyone will know that Im Ha-joon committed a crime and left.

And to make that confusion disappear as quickly as possible, my acting is the most important.

In other words, everything depends on me.

The position that feels that much pressure is the substitute position.

“So, what we are saying from our side is….”

The staff looked at the documents they had printed out and continued to speak to me.

Manager Kim and I listened to their words until the end.

“Please do this. Can you do it?”

At his words asking while looking at me, I immediately nodded vigorously.

“Of course. It’s possible.”

Director Cha, who was next to me, smiled brightly and said to me.

“We will pay you highly. And there will be bad press, and viewership ratings will definitely be lower than the previous episodes.”