An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 236

236 #42 – The Person Who Will Remain (2)

I received another script as soon as I got back to Korea.

I sat in the company conference room with Manager Kim, looking at the new script.

‘The Resurrected Beings’.

I stared at the script and asked Manager Kim,

“The title, ‘The Resurrected Beings,’ fits the content well. Has the script changed much?”

He nodded.

“Slightly. I heard the overall framework hasn’t changed significantly.”

I immediately turned to the first page, where my name was written in large letters.

-Leading Role: Jin Hee-sung.

I smiled, looking at the letters.

“Wow, seeing my name as the lead in a Hollywood production feels strange.”

Manager Kim smiled brightly.

“Considering that, you don’t seem too excited?”

Manager Kim knew my usual demeanor well and seemed to have noticed my recent subdued mood right away.

“…Well, maybe it’s because I haven’t been sleeping well.”

I couldn’t tell him everything, nor was it something he could understand even if I did. After vaguely answering, I quickly opened the script.

The character I played in this work was not an ordinary human.

A villain, or rather, someone who was beyond bad—a terrible person—seemed like the most accurate description. A crazy person on the level of having a mental illness.

There were reasons why this character had no choice but to become evil.

I, or rather, this character, was someone born from genetic manipulation by the government. To be precise, not a person, but merely a life form.

Because I was a person created through forced genetic manipulation.

Since I was created through genetic manipulation, everything was perfect.

My mind was beyond imagination, of course. Appearance, body, height—everything was extraordinary. A person who was too perfect.

A character who lacked nothing.

That’s because I was the person created by manipulating genes, failing, and repeating hundreds, thousands of times.

Manager Kim spoke while I was reading the script.

“Hee-sung, your character is really perfect. Appearance, mind, speech, and all abilities are the best in the world.”

I kept my gaze on the script and replied.

“That’s true, but in the end, he’s a character who turns evil.”

“Well, even if I were that character… if the government kept doing experiments, I’d have no choice but to turn evil.”

Manager Kim and I focused on the script and continued our conversation.

“Yeah, repeating the same thing like crazy… especially if it’s something bad, you can’t help but go crazy. It’s natural to turn evil.”

A long sigh escaped me as I suddenly remembered the recurring dream.

Manager Kim, still immersed in the script, smiled.

“So, the character starts taking revenge on the government and the citizens.” He continued to turn the pages with an excited expression and tone.

An hour passed.

Manager Kim, who was reading the script, got up from his seat and said to me.

“Hee-sung, I have to send the materials for our Hollywood trip, so I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Okay.”

Manager Kim left, and I was left alone in the conference room.

I continued to analyze the revised script.

I wanted to play this role perfectly.

And I had a dream and goal that I had held for a long time: to become the best actor.

What the best actor dreams of being varies from actor to actor, but what most actors think of is breaking into Hollywood.

Because the actor who can be most recognized in the world, beyond Korea, is a Hollywood actor. And I wanted to not only break into Hollywood but also reach the top in Hollywood.

There was no guarantee that I would reach the top in Hollywood with this work, but I wanted to do my best to get as close to that dream as possible.

Effort doesn’t betray you.

But I wasn’t in the same physical condition as before because of the painful dreams I had every day. I was always in a situation where I couldn’t conserve my energy.

I woke up from sleep several times a day, wiped away the cold sweat, and couldn’t fall asleep for a while. Then, when I fell asleep again out of exhaustion, another nightmare would begin.

So, my body and mind couldn’t help but be unwell.

While struggling with the pain, I invested the rest of my time in my dream.

While reading the script, I suddenly remembered the dream.

My head throbbed with all the memories that felt so clear and vivid. And Song Yuna’s crying face, which I had seen in my dreams several times.

Song Yuna was one of the people who caused me heart-wrenching pain. She was among those who cried desperately when I passed away. And I, too, had fallen into the same despair when she met her death in my previous life.

All of that overlapped, and just as I bit my lip and sighed…

Knock knock.

Like a lie, Song Yuna appeared before my eyes.

“Hee-sung!”

Song Yuna, who opened the conference room door and entered, looked at me and asked bluntly.

“What, I heard you’re going to Hollywood again?”

I nodded, bewildered.

“Yes, have you heard already?”

“Of course.”

Song Yuna naturally sat in the empty seat in front of me. She stared at me intently and tilted her head.

“Wow, Hee-sung. Why have you lost so much weight?”

I touched my face.

I couldn’t sleep properly, so I had no choice but to lose weight.

“Well… I guess it’s because I’ve been practicing and busy lately.”

She let out a deep breath, as if she was dumbfounded, and jumped up from her seat.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s go eat to gain weight.” Song Yuna frowned and called out to me.

At her urging tone, I put down the script and got up from my seat.

“Suddenly?”

“You’re going to Hollywood now. I won’t be able to see you when you go, so I’m treating you while you’re here.”

I tilted my head.

“So, why are you suddenly treating me, Yuna….”

Song Yuna swallowed hard, waving her hand in the air.

“You kept talking about home-cooked meals when we went to the States last time. I know you’ll keep saying ‘home-cooked meals, home-cooked meals’ if you go to the States again this time, so I’m treating you to Korean food while you’re here.”

“……”

I smiled, watching Song Yuna speak bluntly as if she was snapping at me.

Now I could understand her true feelings even when she spoke brusquely.

It was her way of wanting to take care of me with Korean food in Korea before I left for Hollywood for a long time.

As I stood there blankly, Song Yuna urged me again.

“What are you doing? Come out quickly!”

***

Before leaving for Hollywood, I had a little over a month in Korea.

Almost two months of long time was given.

Usually, I spend that time studying the work and practicing the script.

And once filming starts, I have to stay in the United States for a long time.

I tended to spend time living my personal life in Korea.

But I couldn’t have any personal life because of my damn dream.

I don’t even remember when I last smiled.

I couldn’t even remember when I laughed without worry.

I spent all day at the company looking at the script and practicing.

Even in those moments of practice, the people and scenes I saw in my dreams vividly came to mind and tormented me.

Then, when my body and mind were exhausted and filled with darkness, I went home.

And when I collapsed on the bed and fell asleep, the nightmare started again.

Thanks to that, I was gradually adapting to the role of the hysterical protagonist in the work ‘Resurrected Creatures’.

A character like the bottom of a deep darkness.

It felt like I was becoming one with that character.

Both body and mind.

Kim, my manager, who was looking at me with concern, swallowed a sigh and asked me.

“Hee-sung, how’s your health these days?”

His question seemed to be asking out of curiosity.

But he seemed to have already noticed that my condition was not good.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

At my short answer, he raised his eyebrows and asked again.

“Is there anything going on these days?”

I couldn’t answer his question rashly.

I knew too well the cause of my body being like this.

That’s why I couldn’t tell Manager Kim.

Seeing that I didn’t answer, Manager Kim blinked and spoke again.

“If anything happens, if you need help, tell me anytime. I’ll find a way somehow…”

I cut him off and replied coldly.

“It’s okay. It’s just because I’m immersed in the work.”

At my words, his eyes shook for a moment.

But he seemed to nod and swallow what he was about to say.

***

“Team Leader Han, you called for me?”

Team Leader Han looked at Manager Kim standing at the door and waved his hand.

“Yes, sit down.”

“Yes.”

The two people sat facing each other.

Team Leader Han looked at Manager Kim and began to speak.

“The Hollywood filming starts in about a month, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Is the preparation going well?”

At his words, Manager Kim hesitated for a moment.

“The preparation… is going well, but, um…”

Seeing Manager Kim unable to finish his sentence, Team Leader Han tilted his head.

“But?”

Manager Kim avoided Team Leader Han’s eyes and held back a sigh.

“Team Leader.”

“Yes, tell me.”

“Actually, Hee-sung’s condition has been a little strange lately.”

At his words, Team Leader Han frowned.

“What exactly do you mean by that? Explain it in a way I can understand.”

“To put it simply, Hee-sung is getting a little worse.”

At Manager Kim’s words, he leaned forward.

“How so?”

“It looks like Hee-sung’s condition is… intense. As one of the people who cares about Hee-sung, I even considered suggesting we cancel this project.”

Manager Kim sighed deeply, thinking of Jin Hee-sung.

“But I can see that he’s so serious about the work, so I couldn’t even bring up that idea.”

Team Leader Han quietly focused on his story.

He shrugged his shoulders and let out a breath, then nodded and asked.

“So, what’s his condition like?”

“You know that the role Hee-sung is playing in this work is a villain, a bad and wicked one. A completely blackened character, right?”

“I know.”

Manager Kim raised his eyebrows and said.

“I know he’s trying to perfectly understand and work hard on the psychology of that character, but that effort is so extreme that I’m very worried.”

Manager Kim adjusted his posture and continued.

“He said he wanted to feel the trapped psychology like that role, so he rented a one-room apartment for a week and only ate the same food there every time.”

At his words, Team Leader Han opened his eyes wide and asked.

“He works that hard? Isn’t that amazing?”

“Yes, of course it’s amazing. But that’s not all.”

“There’s more?”

Manager Kim nodded, his eyebrows drooping.

“Yes, he was also confined in a mental hospital for another week on purpose.”

“That’s right. I was surprised when I heard that story at the time, but the higher-ups also liked that there was no other actor with such thorough preparation.”

In the case of confinement in a mental hospital, it could easily become public knowledge.

Also, because an article dealing with Jin Hee-sung’s mental abnormality could come out, Jin Hee-sung was confined in a mental hospital through thorough consultation with the company.

“But there has never been a time like this.”

“Isn’t it just that he wants to work harder this time?”

Team Leader Han raised his thumb as if applauding Jin Hee-sung’s passion for acting.

But Manager Kim was like Jin Hee-sung’s family.

He couldn’t help but worry about Jin Hee-sung’s appearance being so different from usual.

“In the past, there was life, but now when I see Hee-sung, it seems like he’s only left with ‘actor’ and ‘work’.”

When his words were finished, Team Leader Han stroked his chin and seemed to be deep in thought.

After putting all the stories together, he seemed worried even when he thought about it.

“Hmm… Manager Kim, stay by Jin Hee-sung’s side a little more and take good care of his condition. If there’s anything wrong, have him get some psychological counseling.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Manager Kim bowed his head and thought of Jin Hee-sung’s face.

‘Hee-sung… will he be okay?’