An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 141

141. Overflowing Gratitude (3)

“Isn’t it great coming on a private jet, Senior?”

Instead of feeling stiff after getting off the plane,

I felt refreshed, and Choi Seo-bin looked at me with a proud smile.

“Hee-sung, have you ever been to Australia?”

At his question, I nodded vigorously.

“Yes, I came to Australia during the filming of ‘Survivor of the Ruined World’.”

“That’s right. You should have said so. I would have taken us to another country.”

Choi Seo-bin frowned as he spoke.

I quickly waved my hands and replied.

“No, it’s okay. I came for filming last time, but I went to a complete desert and filmed for a whole month. I didn’t get to do any sightseeing.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I haven’t been to any tourist spots in Australia. Haha.”

We continued talking as we left the airport.

“Wow, it’s nice to come to Australia after being in the cold. It feels like spring.”

“I agree. It feels even better because it feels like spring.”

We took off our jackets.

Choi Seo-bin squinted at the sunlight and asked me.

“So, where have you traveled to?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, I answered his question.

“Australia.”

“You said you came to Australia for work. Besides that?”

“…Australia is all. Haha.”

“What?”

Choi Seo-bin’s eyes widened at my words as he asked.

“So, your overseas travel—no, not even travel, but work—is all you’ve done?”

At his words, I scratched my head and replied.

“Yes, well, it just turned out that way. I didn’t grow up rich. I went to university while working part-time and prepared to be an actor.”

I looked at Choi Seo-bin and forced a smile.

Well, it didn’t make me feel bitter or sorry for myself.

Of course, I wish I had traveled abroad a lot for leisure.

But that doesn’t mean my past wasn’t happy.

Back then, I had more time than money.

I didn’t have any financial leeway.

Dreaming of being an actor, I was too busy making a living day by day to even properly work part-time.

At that time, overseas travel was a luxury; I couldn’t even dream of it.

Even if I went back to that time, I wouldn’t live a leisurely life, traveling and enjoying hobbies.

Because I have been working hard since then, that’s why I am an actor now.

Choi Seo-bin stared at me intently and raised the corners of his mouth.

“You must have gone through a lot, Hee-sung. I’m glad I brought you on this overseas trip.”

He looked at me with admiring eyes.

From some point on, he started treating me with a closer relationship than his own brother.

I didn’t dislike Choi Seo-bin’s actions.

Rather, I was more grateful to Choi Seo-bin for treating me kindly.

“I agree. This is the first time in my life that I’ve come on an overseas trip like this, and it’s an honor to come with Seo-bin, the top actor in Korea.”

At such flattery, Choi Seo-bin ruffled my hair with his hand and replied.

“Are you praising me because I spent money? You little rascal.”

“Haha, no. I’m really grateful.”

We quickly left the airport.

In front, a large car was waiting for us.

“Let’s go. It’s a car I booked in advance.”

“Wow, Senior. I’m really touched!”

We got into the car that we had booked.

The accommodation we arrived at with Choi Seo-bin.

It was a regular house like a pension [a Korean-style guesthouse], not a hotel.

“Wow, this place is so nice!”

I looked around the accommodation without even unpacking my luggage.

A huge living room.

I was speechless at the high ceiling, and the kitchen was also large enough to cook in, even if a group of people came.

“Senior, isn’t this accommodation too expensive?”

I asked him worriedly.

Choi Seo-bin burst out laughing at my words.

“Hee-sung, I’m Choi Seo-bin.”

At his reasonable confidence, I nodded and automatically agreed, not laughing.

“That’s right. I was worried for nothing.”

“Haha, I’m just kidding. Still, since we’re coming to play, we should have fun and chat comfortably in a good accommodation. Hotels are good too, but I like staying in local houses like this in that country.”

“I agree. We can cook here, right?”

Choi Seo-bin looked at the kitchen and nodded.

“Oh, you know kangaroo meat is famous in Australia, right?”

“Kangaroo?”

“Yeah, they sell it at the mart. Let’s buy it and grill it for dinner.”

“Oh, good!”

Choi Seo-bin said, unfolding his carrier.

“Let’s get ready quickly and go out. We have to see Australia.”

“Yes!”

We left our luggage at the accommodation and hurried outside.

“Wow….”

I was speechless at the sight in front of me.

Choi Seo-bin burst into laughter at the sight.

“Haha, Hee-sung is very surprised today.”

“Of course. Senior, this is the first time I’ve actually seen the Opera House.”

“I guess so. You said it’s your first time here.”

“Ah… that’s right, haha. Is that the Harbour Bridge over there?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

The majestic Opera House was so grand that I couldn’t close my mouth.

And in front of it, there were many people of various nationalities.

I was busy looking around.

Choi Seo-bin was also looking around, but it felt different from when I was looking around.

It looked like he was looking for a place to sit.

Then he sat down on the bank and took out the beer he had bought on the way.

I followed Choi Seo-bin and took a seat next to him.

Choi Seo-bin opened the cold canned beer he handed me.

Cheek- [sound of opening a can].

We sat side by side and drank beer with the river in front of us and the Harbour Bridge in the distance as snacks.

“Kyaa, it’s so nice.”

Choi Seo-bin nodded in agreement with my words and replied.

“I like this when I go abroad. In Korea, I have to wear a mask and a hat, and I can’t even go to crowded places.”

At his words, I shook my head violently.

It was only a few days ago that I went to my parents’ house and got trapped in a mart in a crowd.

Since when, I only went to places where there were no people.

I couldn’t go outside without a mask and a hat.

But the fact that no one recognized us among so many people was not humiliating, but so welcome and good.

How long has it been since I felt this freedom?

“There are as many seagulls as there are people, right?”

As I said, looking at the seagulls circling around, Choi Seo-bin chuckled and replied.

“There are always a lot of seagulls here. Shall we take a picture as a souvenir?”

“Okay.”

We opened the camera on our cell phones and took selfies as souvenirs.

Then suddenly, I saw our clothes.

The moment we saw the picture, Choi Seo-bin and I looked at each other and burst into laughter.

“Senior, aren’t we wearing too much of a couple look? Hahaha.”

As if we had matched, we were wearing the same sky-blue shirts.

At the sight, Choi Seo-bin made a playful, lewd expression.

“Why, it feels like we’re on a date, and it’s nice.”

“I agree. Isn’t today’s course a date course too?”

“That’s right. Tomorrow, we’re going to see a performance at the Opera House over there.”

“Wow, perfect?”

We made eye contact and clinked our beers in the air.

Cheang- [sound of clinking glasses].

***

The 3-night trip passed in an instant.

We left our regrets behind and arrived at the airport.

“Can time really pass this quickly?”

I said to Choi Seo-bin as I entered the airport entrance.

He shook his head and replied.

“I know. It’ll be difficult if we don’t work on the same project in the future, but let’s go on a trip once in a while when we have a break.”

“Definitely.”

It was a short 3-night trip, but we were able to get much closer than before because we were with Choi Seo-bin all the time.

Because it feels completely different from being together during filming.

We entered the airport and started touring the duty-free shops with time left before our flight.

Then I saw a large luxury store in front.

I winked at Choi Seo-bin and said.

“Senior, can I take a look over there for a moment?”

“Sure. Let’s go together.”

As soon as we entered, the staff greeted us.

I picked out an item and asked Choi Seo-bin.

“Senior, how about this?”

“Oh, good?”

I held a men’s clutch and showed it to Choi Seo-bin.

“It suits you well, Senior?”

“It does.”

In that way, I looked around several luxury stores with Choi Seo-bin, including sunglasses, belts, and ties.

“I’ll go to the bathroom for a moment.”

“Okay.”

While Choi Seo-bin was away in the bathroom,

I quickly bought all the luxury goods that he said were okay.

After a few minutes,

We boarded the plane, and Choi Seo-bin looked at the luggage next to me and opened his mouth.

“What, why did you buy so much?”

“Haha, I bought the ones that Senior said were pretty earlier.”

“It has to be to your liking; why do you buy what I said was okay?”

Choi Seo-bin said to me worriedly.

I raised the corners of my mouth and replied to him.

“It has to be to Senior’s liking. It’s a gift for you, Senior.”

“What?”

Choi Seo-bin’s eyes widened.

“I’m so grateful this time. Please accept it; it’s my way of saying thank you.”

“Hey, but this is too much.”

“No. Senior has done so much for me. Next time I go on a trip with Senior, I’ll prepare everything.”

He bit his lip, avoided my eyes, and replied.

“Thank you.”

It seemed like he was embarrassed to say thank you while looking into my eyes.

I gave him the gift.

Just seeing Choi Seo-bin being grateful made me smile.

***

The long flight came to an end.

Choi Seo-bin and I set foot in Incheon Airport.

Unlike in Australia, we could only leave the airport after wearing our hats and pulling our masks up to our eyes.

We got into the car of Choi Seo-bin’s manager, Manager Bae, who was waiting at the entrance.

“Manager Bae, hello.”

“Yes, Hee-sung. Long time no see.”

“Thank you for picking me up too.”

“Oh, of course, we have to go together. Manager Kim said he was sorry he couldn’t come. He went to another actor’s schedule.”

At Manager Bae’s words, I waved my hands and replied.

“No, I don’t have a schedule today, and I went on a trip with Senior, so it’s okay.”

In that way, the car quickly began to leave the airport.

Choi Seo-bin and I sat side by side in the back seat and looked out the window.

“I already miss Australia.”

“I agree. We just came, but I want to go play again.”

We were heading to Seoul, missing Australia, where we had been until yesterday.

In the car that had been running for several tens of minutes,

In the quiet atmosphere, I leaned back in my chair and opened my cell phone.

I naturally clicked on the internet window.

I clicked on the news to check the many new articles that had been uploaded for 3 days.

The moment I saw the entertainment article at the top, I shouted, filling the car.

“What is this?”

At my voice, Choi Seo-bin looked at me in surprise.

Manager Bae, who was driving, looked at me through the rearview mirror and asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah….”

As I trailed off, Choi Seo-bin turned his eyes to the cell phone I was looking at.

“Wow, what is that.”

“[Choi Seo-bin♡Jin Hee-sung, a trip to Australia alone… Beyond chemistry, to a male-male [homosexual] couple….]”

As soon as Choi Seo-bin read the article title, he frowned and shouted.

“Male-male couple? What kind of nonsense is this!”