An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 256

256 #46 – Choice (5)

I groaned and tossed around in bed before finally opening my eyes in the morning.

The sun outside the window was already high in the sky.

I couldn’t even tell what time it was or what day it was.

All I knew was that I was spending my days in pain.

I barely managed to get out of bed and headed to the living room.

As always, there was food left by Manager Kim in the living room.

Starting two days ago, Manager Kim, tired of ringing the doorbell, had been opening the door and coming in directly.

He didn’t interfere or try to persuade me, even though he was entering without permission.

He just seemed to be checking if I was eating well and hadn’t collapsed from the pain.

I was grateful to Manager Kim, but I couldn’t have a long conversation with him.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to.

It was just that my current state didn’t allow me to laugh and chat with anyone.

The memories of 10,000 years were piling up in my head every day.

The memories of a staggering 1,000 years a day were pouring into my body.

-Hee-sung, I bought some braised short ribs from Koreatown, which you used to like. It reminded me of you. Don’t just eat it cold, make sure to heat it up.

Manager Kim had left a small note on the food bag.

I nodded as I read the note.

Then, with half-closed eyes, I turned and walked to the window.

The large letters of ‘Hollywood’ in the distance.

I stared blankly at those letters with my barely opened eyes.

I must have been staring absentmindedly for a while.

My eyes were very clouded, and my vision was filled only with the word ‘Hollywood’.

And then, in that moment.

I felt a flash before my eyes, and my body trembled.

“Ugh…”

I placed my hands on the railing in front of me to support my trembling body.

I squeezed my blurry eyes shut and opened them again, and finally, my eyes were fully open.

“Haa, haa…”

I gasped for breath and collapsed to the floor because my legs had given out.

“Now… it’s finally all settled.”

The memories of my past 10,000 years had entered my body intact.

It took ten days, with 1,000 years coming in each day.

Ten days sounds like a short time, but it was non-stop.

And it wasn’t easy to have memories pouring in for ten days without a break.

It was incredibly painful to receive those memories into my body.

Perhaps no one else in the world has ever experienced this.

So, the pain I experienced for those ten days cannot be compared to any other pain.

Ten days ago.

It was hard enough to accept the memories of the past 10 years of daily life that I had seen in my dreams.

Having 1,000 years of memories pouring in each day.

It was a continuous, unspeakable agony.

I stared out the window again with eyes full of strength.

“The memories of the past 10,000 years. Every moment comes back so vividly.”

While living as an actor in Jin Hee-sung’s body, I sometimes had dreams of the past.

At that time, when I woke up from the dream, all the scenes were as clear as if they were unfolding before my eyes.

Just like something that happened yesterday.

But now, those long 10,000 years, those times that I can’t even fully describe.

It was so clear, so vivid, as if it had happened yesterday, no, just now.

If you asked me what I was doing on the fifth day of the 7th year of my 895th life?

I could answer without a second’s hesitation.

I stopped the prisoner in the second cell from taking his own life.

I was the prison guard who prevented him, who had committed terrible crimes, from ending his life.

The day I left the owner of that body in my 528th life.

The day I met the owner of that body in my 703rd life.

Monday of the first week of the 2 years and 3 months in my 932nd life.

Just thinking about the dates of all these things, I could vividly recall what happened that day.

My body had no time to rest, as I was receiving such a vast amount of memories into my body.

No time to sleep, no time to feel hungry.

I was just writhing in agony.

Then, exhausted, I would collapse and fall asleep, and then another 1,000 years of memories would come in.

I had no time to feel hungry, so if it weren’t for Manager Kim.

I probably wouldn’t have even had a drop of water in my mouth during these ten days.

Now, the hellish hotel room began to look new again.

Well, it’s not like the hotel room suddenly looked beautiful and luxurious.

It just looked like the room I used to see.

“Braised ribs… I liked eating this with Hyung [older brother/close male friend].”

I quickly tore open the bag of braised ribs that Manager Kim had brought.

After sticking his note on the table, I resealed the braised ribs that I had opened.

“But it’s not like I have an appetite or feel hungry….”

All the memories had come in, but I still had many concerns.

The life as Jin Hee-sung.

It was the only life in 10,000 years that I could live as ‘me’.

The punishment of living for 10,000 years went in cycles of 10 years.

I had no idea what nationality, gender, or age I would be.

Just 10 years in that body.

On the day of the 10th year, I was mercilessly transferred to another person’s body.

Before that life began, I could live here until Jin Hee-sung’s life ended.

After Jin Hee-sung died, I would start the 10-year cycle again.

I didn’t know how long Jin Hee-sung’s life would be.

It was the first and last body where I could live my life.

I didn’t want to just live as the water flows, spending my freedom in Jin Hee-sung’s body.

“Let’s think calmly about what I have to do… with the things I really want to do….”

I looked over my body and nodded.

“First… let’s get out of here. Let’s go back to Korea for now.”

***

“Ah, I’m full.”

Manager Kim pushed the empty braised rib bowl to the side.

As his stomach filled, he immediately thought of Jin Hee-sung, pushed the food away with water, and sighed.

“Haa, I wonder if Hee-sung has eaten. I’m so worried about that kid.”

At that moment.

Beep, beep.

[Sender: Head of Department Han Si-jin]

Manager Kim hurriedly got up from his seat and cleared his throat at the incoming call.

“Ahem.”

In the empty hotel room where no one was watching.

But he held his cell phone in the most polite posture and clicked the receive button.

“Yes, Head of Department.”

-Oh, Manager Kim. Is it a good time to talk?

“Yes, of course.”

-Okay, how is Jin Hee-sung doing?

“He’s doing… fine without any major issues.”

-Nothing special?

“Yes, his body is a little unwell….”

Head of Department Han cut him off, sensing that he had something to say.

-Okay, you know Jin Hee-sung well, so take good care of him.

“Yes, I will.”

-Anyway, what should we do about Jin Hee-sung?

“Yes? What do you mean?”

-I’m talking about the contract. Hee-sung’s contract is about to end.

“Ah… you’re talking about renewing the contract?”

Head of Department Han clicked his tongue and asked him.

-By any chance… doesn’t Hee-sung tell you anything, Manager Kim?

At his question, Manager Kim sighed briefly so that Head of Department Han couldn’t hear.

‘It’s not the renewal of the contract that’s important now, I’m worried about Hee-sung.’

But he couldn’t explain Jin Hee-sung’s condition in detail over the phone.

Manager Kim also didn’t know how to talk about Jin Hee-sung’s condition.

“No, we haven’t discussed the contract yet.”

-Manager Kim, then what did you go there for? While you’re there, you should find out if any entertainment companies are contacting Hee-sung. You need to find out what Hee-sung is thinking!

“…I understand.”

-Has Hee-sung contacted any companies?

“No, not at all.”

-He’s not contacting them behind your back, is he?

Manager Kim squeezed his eyes shut and answered at Head of Department Han’s pressing question.

“Yes, he is not.”

-Are you sure? Keep a close eye on him. We can’t let him be snatched away by another company after we’ve raised him so well.

Manager Kim finally sighed at Head of Department Han’s attitude, who didn’t care about Jin Hee-sung’s condition or feelings.

“Head of Department Han.”

-Yeah, speak.

“It’s not that that’s important now, Hee-sung might retire.”

-What… retire?

“Yes, he doesn’t seem to have any motivation in life. From the time I arrived in LA until now.”

-What the heck are you talking about? Explain it in a way I can understand.

“It’s as I said. I don’t know if he’s lost interest in the entertainment industry, or if he’s just trying to settle down and stay here….”

At that moment.

Beep, beep.

Manager Kim’s cell phone rang.

He stopped talking and looked at his cell phone.

Manager Kim’s eyes widened as he read the text message from Jin Hee-sung.

-Hyung, I want to go back to Korea.

As soon as he checked the text message, Manager Kim shouted to Head of Department Han.

“Head of Department, Hee-sung says he’s going back to Korea.”

-See? If Manager Kim takes good care of him, it’ll be fine. Report to me as soon as the date is set. I’ll set up the airport as luxuriously as possible this time.

“No. I think it would be better to enter the country quietly.”

-Why, Korea is in an uproar right now. The movie is doing well, it’s the return of the king, we can’t just sit still. We’ll have reporters lined up….”

Despite his words, Manager Kim answered firmly.

“Looking at Hee-sung’s current condition, I think it would be better if there were no reporters. If an article comes out saying that Hee-sung’s condition is not good….”

-Well, that’s true too.

“Yes, I think it would be better to enter the country quietly.”

-Okay. Then try to appease him and talk about renewing the contract.

“Yes, I’ll check the date and contact you.”

***

“How long has it been since I smelled the scent of Korea.”

Manager Kim said to me with a smile.

“Yeah.”

“Hee-sung, it’s been so long since you’ve been to Korea that it must feel unfamiliar. Right?”

At his words, I smiled awkwardly and nodded.

“I guess.”

As much as I had stayed in the United States for a long time.

The large carrier was slowly coming out of the baggage claim.

Looking at the luggage, I asked Manager Kim.

“Hyung, did the news of my coming to Korea spread to the reporters?”

At my question, he shook his head.

“No. I told the company. You’re coming to Korea after a long time, it would be hard if there was a crowd at the airport.”

“Thanks for caring.”

“Don’t mention it.”

He patted my shoulder with his arm and said.

As we headed towards the arrival gate, I pulled my hat down low to prepare for any reporters.

Rather than worrying that my haggard face would be in the articles, I was just tired of dealing with a lot of people in a crowded place.

Because my body was not yet fully recovered.

I just wanted to get there quickly and lie down on the bed.

As I pressed my hat down, Manager Kim smiled and said to me.

“Don’t worry. I told the company well, so no one knows about our arrival. Let’s go out.”

“Okay.”

As the arrival gate opened, unlike my worries, there was not a single reporter, just like Manager Kim said.

“Stay here and I’ll bring the car around.”

“No. Let’s go together.”

“Do you want to? I parked at the parking lot entrance.”

I nodded and headed to the car with him.

After a while, we got into the car.

“Hee-sung, you’re going straight home, right?”

“Yeah.”

The car soon left the airport, and a strange silence flowed in the car as we got on the road.

Manager Kim must have had a lot of questions he wanted to ask me.

Where it hurt, why it happened.

And why I suddenly said I was coming to Korea.

But he didn’t ask anything, out of consideration for me.

The car drove like that for a while.

After confirming that we were caught at a traffic signal, I opened my mouth towards Manager Kim.

“Hyung.”

At my call, he raised his eyebrows as if he was a little surprised and answered.

“Yeah, Hee-sung.”

At that moment, our eyes met through the rearview mirror.

I looked at his eyes with a calm face and said.

“I’m going to quit acting.”