An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 142

142. #26 – Overflowing Gratitude (4)

I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

Choi Seo-bin sighed deeply, then leaned back in his chair and said,

“Wow, I’m actually getting a scandal with a male actor.”

His words filled the car with laughter.

“Haha, you two must have had a lot of fun.”

Manager Bae, who was in the driver’s seat, burst into laughter.

I, too, finally let out a chuckle.

“Sunbae [term of respect for a senior colleague], were we too carefree in Australia?”

“I guess so. But where did everyone see us?”

We quickly grabbed our phones and searched for articles and social media posts.

It didn’t take long to find photos of our trip.

“Sunbae… we look like a complete couple?”

I showed Choi Seo-bin one of the photos from the article.

Choi Seo-bin laughed so hard he almost fell over, his eyes nearly closing.

“Yeah, we looked like a gay couple to anyone who saw us that day, didn’t we?”

The first day we arrived in Australia.

We coincidentally wore matching colors, as if we were wearing couple shirts.

It seemed someone had captured the moment we were sitting side by side, clinking our beer glasses.

We zoomed in on the photo with our fingers and said,

“Sunbae, the way you’re looking at me is unusual, isn’t it?”

“You little rascal. You’re the same. Look at your eyes in the photo. You look like you’re in love with me.”

“I was just fascinated by Australia….”

We exchanged jokes and examined the scandal articles.

Then, Choi Seo-bin opened his mouth with a serious face.

“But there are more articles than I thought?”

At his words, I refreshed the internet, and articles poured out one after another.

The articles were all about our love story.

I frowned and said,

“They don’t actually believe this, do they?”

The article titles were crossing the line.

The comments below were even more outrageous.

Choi Seo-bin stared at the articles for a while, then finally smiled and replied,

“Hee-sung, I guess we look good together. Did you see the photos taken in Australia?”

“Yes, I saw them.”

“Even though a passerby took them, we look affectionate.”

“Still… Sunbae.”

I held back a sigh and called out to him.

“Yeah?”

“My first scandal as an actor… is a dating rumor with you….”

At my words, Choi Seo-bin and even Manager Bae, who was driving, burst into laughter.

Choi Seo-bin finally thought of a solution.

“Then let’s clarify it.”

Then, he leaned towards Manager Bae in the driver’s seat and said,

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend], we don’t need the company to make an official statement, do we? Can I just post it on social media?”

At Choi Seo-bin’s words, Manager Bae nodded.

“Sure. It’s just a happening, what. If it gets serious, the company will handle it.”

Manager Bae looked back and forth between me and Choi Seo-bin in the rearview mirror, with a sly look in his eyes.

“But… are you two really like that?”

At his words, Choi Seo-bin and I simultaneously contorted our faces.

“Ah, Hyung!”

“Oh, Manager!”

At Choi Seo-bin’s and my shouts, Manager Bae laughed and reached out his hand.

“Haha, sorry. Hurry up and post it on social media.”

“Okay.”

Choi Seo-bin clicked on the camera on his phone, showing his face along with mine.

“Hee-sung, let’s take a picture.”

“Yes, Sunbae.”

We took a picture with playful expressions.

Immediately, Choi Seo-bin posted the photo he had just taken on his social media, along with a message.

-Hello, this is Choi Seo-bin.

I saw some very absurd articles today, and I was going to let it pass, but I decided to leave this message.

Before this ‘Black Man’ project….

.

.

.

I went on a trip with actor Jin Hee-sung.

I’m sorry if the reporters are disappointed, but we are not the gay couple you think we are haha.

We had a fun trip, and we will see you in good projects in the future.

Oh, by the way, I like women!!

As soon as Choi Seo-bin’s post was uploaded to social media, I immediately went to his post and pressed the ‘like’ button.

And comments started pouring in instantly.

-Kya! Oppas [term of endearment for older brothers/male figures], you weren’t a couple ㅠㅠ.

-lol, there’s even a happening like this. I support your love… no, your friendship!

-If it was the love of my two favorite actors, I could have supported it lol. You like women, so can I stand in line, Oppa?

-It’s okay if you two just date? lol I’d approve if it was you Oppas!

-Reporters, don’t 엮지 [meddle/interfere] our Oppas. Oppas have to show chemistry in their works for the rest of their lives ㅠㅠ.

-Ah… there are so many people who supported this bromance, but it was a false article. What a shame!

-Seo-bin Oppa, sorry, but please stand in line. I stood in line for Hee-sung Oppa first, that’s what I’m saying.

Choi Seo-bin and I couldn’t help but laugh as we looked at the comments on our phones.

Choi Seo-bin nudged my shoulder and said,

“Hee-sung, what should we do?”

“Yes?”

“They’re telling us to just date?”

Looking at Choi Seo-bin, who was raising the corners of his mouth while looking into my eyes.

I shuddered and replied.

“Sunbae, no way. It’s forbidden love!”

Choi Seo-bin didn’t care about my words and continued to joke, raising his eyebrows.

“Why, can’t we be together?”

“Ah, Sunbae!”

The car drove on like that for a while.

Before we knew it, we had forgotten about the scandal.

After being on his phone for a while, Choi Seo-bin put his phone down, bored, and asked me.

“Hee-sung.”

“Yes?”

“By the way, you really don’t date?”

“…….”

I hadn’t really thought about it.

I was just too busy running to achieve my dream.

The acting I’m doing now, and the next project.

I was too busy focusing on the drama’s ratings and the movie’s audience numbers.

Of course, that’s how it’s been so far.

Like the article that broke out a little while ago, it’s definitely not that I like men.

Of course, I like women, but.

I just haven’t been relaxed enough to look at women and focus on work at the same time.

As I hesitated to answer, Choi Seo-bin spoke again.

“Don’t tell me… you like me?”

I burst out laughing at his joke.

“Is that okay?”

When I joked back at Choi Seo-bin, he shuddered and said,

“Gross, you.”

“Haha, dating… I think I’ve been too busy acting all this time. I didn’t have the time to like someone or be interested in them.”

Choi Seo-bin tilted his head and replied.

“Hey, people fall in love even during wartime, what’s so busy about it.”

“You know, I’ve been working on projects ever since I started getting my face out there.”

“That’s true. But everyone meets on set. Even if you’re busy, you should love a lot when you’re young.”

At his words, I nodded and smiled.

Choi Seo-bin made a tsk sound and asked me.

“You’ve done a few projects so far. Was there anyone among the actors you worked with?”

“No, I’m a rookie, so how could I have the mind to do that. I was too busy not making mistakes and practicing, so I didn’t have time to look around.”

“Hey, you’re good at acting, but you’re humble.”

I gave a faint smile.

“There wasn’t anyone I liked even if they weren’t an actor.”

At my words, Choi Seo-bin raised his eyebrows and said,

“Should I introduce you to someone?”

“Yes?”

When I asked with wide eyes, he looked at me with a serious face.

“There are a lot of people in the industry, and there are also ordinary people. I’ve been in this business for a few years, just tell me.”

I waved my hands at his words and replied.

“Thank you for the offer, but I’m okay.”

“Why, you should date a little.”

“Haha, I’ll try it sometime. If I want to be introduced, I’ll definitely tell Sunbae.”

He pouted his lips and nodded.

“Yeah, stop liking me and date.”

“Yes, I understand. Hahaha.”

Choi Seo-bin leaned back in his chair again.

Looking out the window, he opened his mouth.

“Ah, did you get your appearance fee this time?”

“That’s right. It came in before we went to Australia.”

He rolled his eyes, thought for a moment, and then nodded.

“Yeah, I got it then too. You got quite a bit from Black Man, didn’t you?”

“Yes, they took really good care of me.”

Choi Seo-bin looked at me with a pleased face and asked.

“Hee-sung, you did a drama before Black Man, right.”

He raised his eyebrows and continued.

“Your bank account must be full, did you make any plans?”

At Choi Seo-bin’s words, I stroked my chin and pondered for a long time.

In fact, this worry started as soon as the money was deposited into my account.

It wasn’t the first time I had received an appearance fee settlement, but it was the first time such a large sum of money had come in.

So I thought about what I should do with this large sum of money.

I haven’t decided yet, but I thought the most suitable thing would be a house.

“I’m thinking of moving. I haven’t decided yet, but I’m still thinking about it.”

He tilted his head and asked.

“Didn’t you move a while ago?”

“That’s true… but the amount settled this time was bigger than I thought, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to buy my own apartment, rather than just spending it vaguely.”

Choi Seo-bin turned his body towards me with an interested face.

“Yeah, it’s good to have your own house if possible.”

“Yes, but I don’t know if it’s possible yet.”

“Then where are you going to do it?”

I shook my head and replied.

“I haven’t thought about that yet.”

Choi Seo-bin clapped his hands together.

“That’s great. Then how about coming to my neighborhood?”

“Isn’t Sunbae’s house in Wangsimni [district in Seoul]?”

He nodded vigorously and replied.

“Yeah, there are a lot of good apartments in Wangsimni. If you live nearby, it’s good to have a drink together, and go back and forth to each other’s houses.”

Choi Seo-bin’s eyes sparkled.

I didn’t dislike living in the same neighborhood as him either.

No, I liked it even more.

With the amount of interaction I’ve had with Choi Seo-bin lately, becoming neighborhood friends with him couldn’t be bad for me.

“…Should I?”

***

“Yes?”

I asked with wide eyes.

The real estate agent standing in front of me smiled brightly and said.

“This house has a good view and is very spacious. So the price is expensive.”

“Ah… yes, the house is nice.”

Choi Seo-bin introduced me to a real estate acquaintance of his.

Thanks to that, I looked at several houses, but the house prices far exceeded my expectations.

‘Seoul house prices… buying my own house is not as easy as I thought.’

She bowed her head to me and said.

“Then think about it and contact me.”

“Yes, thank you.”

On the way home from the real estate office.

I recalled the houses I had seen for several hours and moved my feet.

The money I had saved while working as an actor for a long time, though not a long period.

The appearance fees I received for appearing in the works and the contract money I received from the company.

Even if I combined all of that with the advertising fees, I couldn’t afford to buy my own house without debt.

I couldn’t even dream of a loan before.

Now that I’ve become a freelance actor who’s known to some extent, a loan is possible.

I was proud of the fact that I had become an actor who could get a loan.

But that joy was only temporary.

The fact that I had to get a loan and pour all the money I had saved so far to buy this house made my head complicated.

Of course, if I do this, I can buy my own house in the house I want.

However, due to the nature of the job, income is not constant.

The fact that I had to pour all the money in my bank account was bound to be a burden.

I fell into deep thought again.

I bit my lip at the thought that suddenly came to mind.

“Then should I give up on the house this time… and buy a good car?”