An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 22

“#22 #6 – Supporting Role (3)”

“Hee-sung, the filming schedule is out.”

Manager Kim approached me with his planner.

“Then, is it confirmed about the three supporting roles that were kept private back then?”

“Just a moment.”

He scrolled through the messages on his phone.

“Oh, it’s out. But only two out of the three are listed.”

“Still?”

He pouted his lower lip and nodded.

“Those two supporting roles. Both of them are from Double J Entertainment.”

Double J.

I expected them to come from one of the top three entertainment companies.

But I never imagined that two of them would be from the same agency.

What kind of power did the company use to get so many in?

And the remaining undisclosed spot.

That role was in a confrontational relationship with me.

Looking at the script, we’re always clashing, even fighting over a shaman [a religious figure believed to have access to the spirit world]. A kind of rival.

In fact, I was more curious about the remaining role than the two supporting roles Double J had placed.

Because it was the counterpart I had to work with.

The role wasn’t a lead, but a supporting role with significant importance.

A role even more significant than mine.

In colloquial terms, it was a role called ‘second lead.’

He creates a rivalry over the shaman but is also my senior as a watchmaker.

I was so curious about the actor who would be scolding and reprimanding me.

“Hyung [older brother or male friend], more than that, is there any talk about who the remaining one might be?”

“There’s talk internally that it’s somewhat confirmed, but the managers haven’t heard anything.”

“Ah, I’m so curious!”

“They’re planning to confirm it by next week at the latest, so let’s wait a little longer.”

“Okay. Let me know as soon as it’s out.”

“Of course.”

Manager Kim was checking his planner when he suddenly remembered something and asked me.

“Oh, right, Hee-sung. You have something on this weekend, right?”

“Ah, just a class reunion.”

He raised his eyebrows and said.

“Really? A class reunion, so you don’t need anything?”

I smiled at Manager Kim’s words and replied.

“Hyung, it’s just a class reunion in name. We’re just meeting up with classmates to drink and talk.”

“Call me if you need anything. I’ll pick you up in time.”

I quickly waved my hand.

“No, it’s okay. I can just take a taxi.”

“Still, you’re an actor. It’s good to be picked up by car.”

I burst out laughing at his words.

“Haha, it’s okay, Hyung.”

“Still, make sure to tell me if you need anything.”

“Okay.”

He leaned towards me and opened his mouth.

“You have to keep everything confidential except for what’s been reported about the drama or the company. Got it?”

“Yes! Of course. Don’t worry, Hyung.”

“Okay, contact me if anything happens.”

***

A small pub in the neighborhood.

I arrived on time for the appointment.

Since it was a reunion with classmates I hadn’t seen in a while, I stood at the entrance for a moment to gather myself.

The noisy sounds leaked out even before I opened the door.

It seemed like several people had already arrived and were chatting.

I quickly opened the door, and

“Hey, Jin Hee-sung!”

My friends shouted at me.

“Long time no see.”

I smiled brightly and headed towards my friends.

“Wow, it’s been so long. Hee-sung, you look better?”

“Haha, you haven’t changed, you rascal.”

Before even sitting down, we were busy catching up with each other.

After several refills of draft beer.

The conversation naturally shifted to catching up on recent events.

The friend sitting next to me took a sip of beer and opened his mouth.

“Ji-on, what are you up to these days?”

“I’m doing theater in Hyehwa [a district in Seoul known for its theaters].”

“Right. You said you went to Hyehwa last year, right?”

“Yeah, didn’t you say you were in a small theater too?”

He sighed deeply at Park Ji-on’s words.

“Ha, I ended up getting a job.”

I tilted my head and asked at his words.

“A job? What company?”

He raised the corners of his mouth with a bitter expression.

“Just a sales job.”

My heart also became uneasy.

Friends who had spent time together acting in the Department of Theater and Film.

At that time, we couldn’t see anything but acting.

We thought we would die if it wasn’t for acting, but after graduation, we faced reality.

I, too, had worked as a convenience store clerk to make a living before joining HS Entertainment, working as a minor actor.

Among my classmates, no one, including me, had properly settled down and was working as an actor.

Except for that one guy.

The only friend who made a living by making use of his acting major was one.

The rest were doing musicals, plays, or minor roles, starving, and eventually compromising with reality and joining the job market.

Still, when I saw friends who didn’t give up on their dreams and continued acting as a hobby, I always felt they were amazing and cool.

Of course, they can’t just focus on acting because they have to make money.

I felt sorry for that reality.

But that means there are so many people in the world who are good at acting and have a lot of talent.

As if trying to shake off the heavy topic, we switched the topic of conversation with a drink.

“Hey, is Professor Park, who taught us animal acting back then, still there?”

“Haha, that’s a real memory. Do you remember when I did the ostrich back then?”

“Look at this guy? My giraffe was more awesome!”

We soon burst into laughter.

As the appetizers were added once more, and soju [a Korean distilled spirit] was placed on the table.

Lee Myung-jin asked me.

“Hee-sung.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you still working part-time these days?”

Most of them didn’t know that I had passed the supporting role audition, let alone signed with HS Entertainment.

Due to Lee Myung-jin’s words, everyone’s attention turned to me.

“No, I quit my part-time job….”

Before I could finish my sentence, Park Ji-on, who was sitting at the next table, shouted.

“Oh, right! Hee-sung was on terrestrial TV this time.”

I thought that not many people around me would have seen it because it was a short drama with low viewership ratings.

But it seemed that even he, as a classmate, hadn’t completely abandoned his interest in acting.

He had liked short dramas and independent films since college, so he must have watched the short drama I appeared in without missing it.

The gazes that had been directed at me shifted as if possessed by Park Ji-on’s words.

Soon, the place began to buzz.

“Really?”

“What, Hee-sung, you’ve been acting all along?”

“Didn’t you know? Hee-sung has been acting in minor roles all along.”

They talked among themselves without asking the person involved.

And when the conversation subsided, Lee Myung-jin asked me.

“So, Hee-sung, answer me. What terrestrial broadcast did you appear on?”

I opened my mouth with an awkward smile.

“Well, it’s just a short drama.”

It’s not just a short drama.

It was my first leading role in a short drama.

I wanted to brag to those around me and my friends, but I couldn’t.

The reason why the friends here are not in the acting profession is not because they don’t want to, but because they have no choice but to give up due to the wall of reality.

I couldn’t bring myself to tell those classmates that I was doing well because of acting.

Park Ji-on reached out and waved his hand.

“Just a short drama. Hee-sung was the lead.”

“Really?”

“Wow, really?”

Exclamations poured out.

From friends clapping their hands to friends covering their mouths.

“Wow, Hee-sung has made it.”

“Yeah. I’m really proud of you, Hee-sung. Show your face on TV more often in the future.”

I smiled at their words and replied.

“Haha. Thanks, guys.”

At that time, bright lights came in through the glass wall.

We turned our heads to look outside at the car lights.

“Ah, what is it. Eye blinding!”

The car’s lights and engine soon turned off, and then we could see the vehicle.

“Hey, isn’t that a celebrity car?”

As one person shouted, answers poured out as if agreeing.

“That’s right. The main character has finally arrived.”

“Yeah, the most successful celebrity among us is coming!”

That guy I mentioned earlier who had settled down.

No, rather, the successful guy.

The door burst open.

A tight suit with full makeup.

And hair that was styled with a lot of effort.

Park Min-joon waved his hand and came in.

Everyone’s attention in this place was instantly focused on Park Min-joon.

“Wow, our great actor has arrived!”

“It’s a celebrity, a celebrity!”

Friends added one word each, and Park Min-joon, instead of being embarrassed, smiled brightly and approached the seat.

“Haha, a great actor, what are you talking about.”

“You’re the most successful actor among our classmates.”

“That’s right. How can you come looking so cool today?”

Park Min-joon looked down at his clothes and replied.

“Sorry. I was busy today, so I’m coming straight from my schedule.”

“Sorry for what. You look great, man. Sit down quickly.”

“Oh, can you guys move over one space each?”

Park Min-joon occupied the seat right in front of me among the many seats.

He had already made eye contact with me when he came in, but Park Min-joon greeted me loudly.

“Oh? Hee-sung is here too.”

I felt uncomfortable.

I didn’t like that he was looking at me in front of me, wondering if he had anything to say.

But I didn’t want to fully express this feeling.

“Yeah.”

At that time, the employee set up a glass and a setting for one person in front of Park Min-joon, and our conversation was cut off.

Friends were all looking at Park Min-joon and me.

“Hee-sung, I heard you’re going into the drama ‘Watchmaker and Dancer’?”

Park Min-joon shouted loudly as if for everyone to hear.

I was so embarrassed by his words.

What?

How does he know that I’m appearing in it?

And what’s the meaning of telling my story with his own mouth?

Lee Myung-jin, who heard our story, opened his mouth.

“Isn’t that an MBS mini-series?”

“Wow.”

“That’s right. I saw it on the internet too!”

Friends cheered at the unexpected news.

“Wow! Hee-sung, you filmed a short drama and are going straight into a mini-series like this?”

“I heard that they were auditioning for that, and the competition was no joke!”

Park Min-joon raised one corner of his mouth and shouted at them.

“Guys, Hee-sung got a supporting role in a mini-series.”

It was strange.

The Park Min-joon I know would never praise me.

There must be some intention.

There’s no way Park Min-joon would be excited to talk about my good news.

“Since Hee-sung was the lead recently, is this a lead-level supporting role?”

There are three levels of actors in dramas and movies.

Lead, lead-level supporting role, and supporting role.

And everyone else is a minor role.

Ordinary people call everyone except the lead a supporting role, but strictly speaking, there are levels even in supporting roles.

Since everyone had learned acting, they seemed curious about the level even if it was the same supporting role.

I raised my eyebrows at his question and replied.

“It’s a supporting role. I have to go up slowly now.”

“That’s amazing, Hee-sung. A supporting role in a mini-series, I want to try even a minor role.”

Park Ji-on gave a sincere thumbs up.

“Ahem.”

At that time, Park Min-joon cleared his throat.

It was to cut off the flow of my praise.

Then, he rested his elbow on the table, propped his chin, and stared at me intently.

At the same time, he made eye contact with me and opened his mouth.

“You’re going to work with me.”

Narrowed eyes, a sneeringly raised corner of his mouth.

I didn’t like him saying things with this tone and expression.

“What?”

“I’m doing it too. ‘Watchmaker and Dancer’.”

I was stunned for a moment.

Park Min-joon is coming to ‘Watchmaker and Dancer’?

I quickly racked my brain.

There’s no way this guy would take a minor role, so the only vacant role is Choi Min-hwan, the watchmaker who is in a rival relationship with me in the play.

No way….

“Are you playing Choi Min-hwan?”

Park Min-joon twisted the corners of his mouth and replied.

“Yeah, the role of Choi Min-hwan is me.”

Park Min-joon is the one who clashes with me all the time in the play.

Park Min-joon stared intently at me and said.

“Didn’t you know? It’ll be in the news soon.”

At his words, Park Ji-on, not me, opened his mouth.

“What, Min-joon, you’re going into the same drama too?”

“Yeah, that’s how it turned out.”

“What are you, the lead?”

Park Min-joon turned his head with a gentle face, as if he had never made a sneering expression.

“Oh, not quite.”

“Then Min-joon is also playing the same supporting role?”

Park Min-joon shrugged his shoulders and replied.

“No, I’m a ‘lead-level’ supporting role.”

The guy put strength into his voice.

I was dumbfounded by the sight of him emphasizing that he was one step higher than me, who was playing a supporting role.

“Wow, Min-joon is amazing.”

“As expected, Min-joon is a great actor?”

Lee Myung-jin, who was sitting next to me, grabbed my shoulder and said.

“Min-joon, you’re working with Hee-sung, so please take good care of him.”

“Of course. It’s Hee-sung’s first time as a supporting role.”

He twisted his lips suspiciously.

And he looked at me and continued.

“I’ll take good care of you.”