An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 17

#4 – The Girl from My Dreams (2)

The long-awaited first day of filming had arrived.

I had been eagerly anticipating this day and dedicated myself to practice, so I felt more excitement than nervousness.

It was the first time I had a full makeup session since the audition.

After getting all dolled up, I got into the car to head to the set.

“It’s been a while since you’ve had a full makeover, Hee-sung. You look even more handsome.”

“Haha, now that I’m all dressed up like this, I can’t wait to start filming.”

“The clothes you’re wearing today, as well as the other new outfits for the university professor role, are all so stylish. I’m really looking forward to the drama.”

“Me too.”

“Let’s hurry. I’ll get going then!”

The car started heading towards the set.

Manager Kim had prepared coffee, water, and snacks for me, knowing I would be in the car for a long time.

He even included a neck pillow and a blanket.

As expected, his meticulousness as a manager was beyond words.

“Ah! Hyung [older brother/male friend], about Choi Seo… the one I saw at the company last time…”

Manager Kim spoke before I could even finish my sentence.

“Oh, you mean Choi Seo-bin?”

“Yeah, what happened to her? I thought she was going to join our company.”

“Unfortunately, I heard she went to WG Entertainment.”

Before I knew it, a feeling of disappointment surfaced.

“Ah… really?”

“Well, WG Entertainment does have a stronger lineup of actors, after all.”

“That’s a bit of a shame. I was hoping I could become friends with her if she came to our company.”

At my words, Manager Kim chuckled and shook his head.

“Even if you’re in the same agency, you’re lucky if you even know each other’s faces. Hee-sung, you haven’t even seen all the celebrities in our company yet, have you?”

Manager Kim was right.

Even though I go to the company almost every day and stay there all day long, I can count the number of times I’ve seen a celebrity on one hand.

At best, I’ve only seen a few supporting actors from our agency. I’ve never seen any of the main leads or top stars.

“That’s true. I’m not even close to the celebrities in our company yet.”

“Right. Everyone’s busy, so it’s hard to even see each other’s faces. Especially someone as famous as Choi Seo-bin. Even if she did join, you’d have even less of a chance to see her at the company.”

“Still, it’s a shame.”

Manager Kim changed the subject and asked me.

“Anyway, how’s your condition? It’s your first day of filming.”

“Good. But how long is our filming period?”

He quickly glanced upwards, thinking, and replied.

“A one-act play is only an hour long, so it’s not that long. Well, at most, about a week?”

“That’s really short, isn’t it?”

“But this drama is almost entirely filmed on campus, so it might be over in as little as four or five days.”

“The filming will be over in the blink of an eye.”

“That’s probably how it’ll be. You’ll be so busy acting that it’ll be over before you know it.”

In the car, after driving for over an hour.

Breaking the silence, Manager Kim spoke.

“Oh, right. Hee-sung, there’s a company dinner after we finish filming. Did you know?”

“Yeah, but with only a week of filming, are there dinners in between too?”

“Usually, in the case of mini-series, if we go to a local filming location and the director or lead actors like to drink, we might have dinners every day.”

“Every day?”

“Yeah, but there are also many cases where they don’t do it at all.”

“It really is case by case.”

“That’s right.”

Manager Kim continued.

“But we’re doing a one-act play, and it’ll be over soon, so they said they’re holding back until the end of filming. That makes it a bit easier.”

“That’s a relief.”

***

“Alright, let’s start filming. Actors, please stand by!”

At the assistant director’s words, Jin Hee-sung and Han So-jung began walking towards the set.

Director Park sat in a chair next to the camera, grabbed the megaphone, and shouted.

“So-jung, please move a little more to the side.”

At his words, Han So-jung moved one step with a stiff face.

“Okay, let’s go. Ready, action!”

As soon as the camera started rolling, Han So-jung instantly changed her expression to a shy one.

Then, with her cheeks quickly turning rosy, she slowly walked down the steps in the empty auditorium, one step at a time.

Jin Hee-sung, without paying any attention to Han So-jung approaching him, organized the documents on the podium.

“Excuse me… Professor.”

Han So-jung’s trembling voice.

It wasn’t trembling from nervousness, but a tremble faithful to the role.

Jin Hee-sung’s gaze turned towards her.

The camera zoomed in, capturing his gaze and expression.

Jin Hee-sung looked at Han So-jung without the slightest movement.

“Class is over, and questions should be asked next time. Student?”

Jin Hee-sung’s resolute face.

The camera slowly moved down, capturing his hand in the frame.

Jin Hee-sung, with a trembling hand, organized the papers, fully immersed in the professor’s inner self.

“If I don’t come like this, I won’t have a chance to talk to the professor. When will you meet me…”

In an instant, Jin Hee-sung’s expression froze coldly, and he cut off Han So-jung’s words, opening his mouth firmly.

“No, Su-ji. We can’t meet outside of class.”

Jin Hee-sung’s firm and cold words made even the staff on set feel breathless.

Only the red light of the camera was spinning fiercely.

“No matter how many times you come, nothing can change between us, not even a little.”

Jin Hee-sung’s trembling voice.

He was pushing her away, but it was evident that he loved her too.

And Han So-jung’s tears started falling.

“Professor, why? Why… when we like each other, why…”

Jin Hee-sung indifferently took out a handkerchief and handed it to her as she cried.

He bit his lip tightly, curling it inward.

Watching that fleeting, pointed performance, Director Park raised one corner of his mouth.

“Cut!”

At Director Park’s voice, Han So-jung stopped crying instantly.

“Good work.”

Jin Hee-sung spoke to Han So-jung, and she nodded in response.

“Wow, Hee-sung, So-jung, your acting was great.”

Director Park got up from his seat and headed towards them.

“Thank you, Director.”

“Hee-sung, did you even practice shaking your hand?”

Jin Hee-sung gave an awkward smile at Director Park’s compliment and nodded.

“Yes, I thought that’s how I would feel if I were the protagonist.”

It was half acting, and half I was so immersed that it came out without me realizing it.

“Wow! Amazing. The lip-biting acting at the end was so good too.”

“Haha, thank you.”

“I should be the one thanking you. I’m glad I cast Hee-sung as the lead, after all.”

At Director Park’s words, Jin Hee-sung smiled brightly and replied.

“You’re exaggerating, Director.”

“Just do the next scene like you did just now, okay?”

“Yes, I’ll do my best!”

***

“Cut! Let’s take a short break and then go into the next scene.”

“Yes, good work, everyone.”

I bowed my head to greet the staff and the other actor, then stepped out of the camera’s view.

Han So-jung’s expression changed drastically with the cut sound.

Watching her today, I had countless thoughts.

Considerable acting skills.

Because she was always so cold, I was left speechless every time I saw her voice and expression change as soon as the shoot started.

Moreover, every time I saw her acting, that image from my dream kept overlapping.

The her in my dream, who seemed endlessly cheerful and innocent.

Han So-jung’s acting kept reminding me of the girl I saw in my dream.

My gaze was fixed on Han So-jung, who was fixing her makeup in front of me.

In Han So-jung’s face, the image of the girl from my dream overlapped like a lingering image.

In an instant, Han So-jung, who was turning her head, made eye contact with me.

“…What?”

She frowned and asked me.

“Yes?”

“No, it’s just that you keep staring at me.”

I stretched out both hands and waved them, replying.

“It’s nothing.”

Without answering, she glared and moved away.

Han So-jung… I knew she was cold, but she’s more prickly than I thought.

“Hee-sung.”

Manager Kim called me, tapping my shoulder.

“Oh, hyung.”

“Here, drink some water.”

It seems he heard me clearing my throat a little while ago and brought me water.

“Thanks.”

“But what’s wrong?”

As I tilted my head, Manager Kim asked again.

“Just now, why did Han So-jung suddenly act like that?”

“Ah… it’s nothing.”

I took a sip of water and casually asked.

“But So-jung is always alone, isn’t she?”

Looking around, she was the only one alone.

In contrast, the other actors were busy sticking together and chatting, or talking with the staff or Director Park.

It wasn’t just now.

This was the same even during filming breaks or when she didn’t have her scene.

Despite my curiosity, Manager Kim shrugged and replied.

“Why do you ask?”

“No, it’s just that the other actors are sticking together and talking, but So-jung is always alone.”

“Isn’t it because she lacks sociability?”

Manager Kim added as if it were nothing.

“When you look at actors, there are really a lot of personalities like that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, if they’re idols, they have to greet their seniors and be friendly, but actors are a bit better. Of course, it’s just less, but the system is definitely in place here too. You know?”

“Of course.”

Listening to his story, I looked at Han So-jung.

She was still standing in one corner, blankly staring at the air.

Like someone lost in deep thought.

***

“Okay, let’s take the picture. One, two, three!”

“Don’t Look at the Stars, fighting!” [A phrase used to show support and encouragement]

Click.

“Everyone, good work!”

“Wow! It’s already over, good work, everyone.”

With the last group photo, my first lead drama in life came to an end.

It was a short period, but there were actors and staff shedding tears.

We hugged each other with regretful expressions and wrapped up on set.

“Hee-sung, you’re going to the dinner too, right?”

Director Park, who had become close while filming, put his arm around my shoulder and asked.

“Of course. I have to have a serious drink with the director today.”

“Good.”

Director Park shouted so that all the actors and staff could hear.

“No one’s missing today, right?”

“No, sir!”

In a friendly atmosphere.

That’s how the filming of ‘Don’t Look at the Stars’ came to an end.

About an hour later.

Following the staff, all of our cast members arrived at a nearby restaurant.

This time, all the actors attended, including Han So-jung, without anyone missing.

“Okay, you all know that the first shot is a one-shot, right?” [Meaning everyone should down their first drink together]

Baek Seung-hyun, the youngest of this drama, filled the glasses with a cute voice.

“Wishing for the success of ‘Don’t Look at the Stars’, cheers!”

“Cheers!”

At Director Park’s lead, we shouted as if the restaurant would collapse and poured the alcohol into our mouths.

How long had it been?

The meat on the grill was slowly being emptied.

And the bottles were piling up on the table.

The state was being filled with countless empty bottles of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] and beer that I couldn’t even count how many there were.

Director Park, who had gotten heavily drunk, returned to the accommodation first.

Staff and some actors also left the dinner one by one.

And next to me was Baek Seung-hyun.

Han So-jung was sitting across from me.

“Everyone, you’ve really worked hard. So-jung, and Hee-sung hyung too.”

“You’ve worked hard too, Seung-hyun.”

Baek Seung-hyun grinned with a bursting face.

“I want to act with you again next time.”

“Yeah, I hope everyone sees each other in other works next time.”

At my words, Baek Seung-hyun nodded and shifted his gaze to Han So-jung.

“What are you going to do now, So-jung?”

At his words, Han So-jung replied with a still cold face.

“I have to go to auditions.”

Baek Seung-hyun swayed and asked again.

“What auditions?”

“For dramas.”

Still, a short answer came back.

Baek Seung-hyun pouted and opened his mouth.

“I mean, what drama? Can’t you answer a little longer?”

At his words, Han So-jung narrowed her eyes and glared at Baek Seung-hyun.

As if asking why he was asking so specifically.

But she answered obediently as if it were too bothersome to argue about such things.

“The Clockmaker and the Dancer.”

At the drama’s name, I shouted to her without realizing it.

“Oh? I saw the script for The Clockmaker and the Dancer too. That script was good.”

At my words, Han So-jung’s eyebrows, which had been indifferent to the world, twitched subtly as if surprised, and she turned to look at me.

“You saw it?”

Curiosity was blooming on her face as she asked me.

It was the first time she seemed lively since the dinner started.

“Yes, I’ve seen almost all the scripts, and there’s a scene where the supporting character meets a woman. The clock falls on a rainy day…”

Before I could even finish speaking, Han So-jung opened her eyes wide and said.

“The scene where the clock falls and breaks?”

“Oh, that’s right!”

“I loved that scene too. Are you going to audition for it?”

A faint smile appeared on her lips at last.

“I want to see if I can get the role… but I don’t know if I’ll get it because I don’t have enough filmography.”

At some point, she pulled her body closer to my table.

She looked at me with sparkling and lively eyes.

“Try it. That director said he doesn’t look at filmography at all except for the leads.”

“Really?”

“Yes, the leads inevitably have the influence of the investment company, but he said he picks the supporting roles himself.”

“So-jung, are you auditioning too?”

“Yes, I’m waiting because they said the audition date will be out soon.”

At some point, the table was filled with our conversation.

Slipping through the gap, the actor next to me opened his mouth.

“You two were the leads in this drama, so it would be nice if you were together in the next drama too.”

Baek Seung-hyun, as if he had been waiting, said.

“Then shall we cheers in celebration?”

He shouted, raising his glass high.

“Cheers!”

I chuckled and raised my glass.

Han So-jung also raised her glass with a gentle expression.