An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 301

301. Episode 55 – A True Friend (1)

As soon as I left the hotel, which was serving as our filming location lodging, I arrived at the set with Manager Park.

“Hello.”

After greeting the staff upon arriving at the set, I looked at the building.

A 폐hospital [abandoned hospital].

This place, from the first time I came to the set until now, after several days of filming,

I couldn’t get used to it.

A desolate feeling permeated the air.

It was a hospital building built in the mountains, with no surrounding commercial district at all.

The white hospital building had faded to a grayish color, showing how much time had passed.

Because of that, the eerie feeling emanating from the hospital seemed to be amplified.

At that moment, a staff member approached me.

“Hee-sung, hello.”

“Yes, hello.”

“I wanted to tell you about today’s scene before you go in.”

As always, the staff member showed me the script and began to explain the filming for today.

“We’re going to film a few scenes before Hee-sung goes in, but the previous filming has been delayed a bit. The scene you’re doing today is…”

At his words, I nodded and opened the script to the relevant page.

“Yes, we’re doing the scene where I infiltrate and investigate first, right?”

“Yes, you infiltrate and investigate the drug manufacturing inside.”

He pointed to the location where I would be filming.

At his words, I nodded and asked.

“You must have worked hard to create the drug manufacturing setup. When I first came to the set, there was nothing there.”

At my words, he let out a short sigh.

I could feel his exhaustion in that sigh.

“That’s right. The building has been abandoned for so long, so the people setting up the set had a hard time.”

“I see. But this building was originally here, right? You didn’t build a set this time?”

At my words, he glanced at the building and replied.

“Yes, it’s an actual hospital that used to be in operation. I heard it’s been closed for a long time.”

At the staff member’s words, I looked around and asked.

“It’s just this hospital standing alone, so I thought you might have built it this time. But it looks like a very old building, so I was wondering.”

“To build this building… the production costs would have been enormous.”

“True.”

He came closer to me and quietly opened his mouth.

“This is a three-story hospital, and I heard that a lot of people died when the hospital was in operation.”

At the staff member’s words, I widened my eyes and asked.

“Really?”

“Yes, I heard the doctor was completely crazy. He said he had developed a new drug and gave it to the patients. And he experimented….”

At his words, I chuckled and waved my hand.

“Come on, how could that happen in this day and age? Are you teasing me?”

Even with my laughter, he replied with a straight face.

“No. It really happened.”

“Really? But I don’t think I’ve seen that kind of story in the news.”

He sighed and said to me.

“I heard they deliberately gathered patients with incurable diseases. Those patients came to this hospital with the hope of grasping at straws.”

“So, if he developed new drugs for those patients to cure their diseases, wouldn’t he be a good doctor?”

At my words, he shook his head.

“If they had been cured, he would have been a good doctor. The problem is, he didn’t have any knowledge related to that. He brought in patients with incurable diseases and just ripped them off with the excuse of new drugs.”

“…….”

I was so surprised that my mouth dropped open.

“That’s not covered by insurance, is it? Patients with incurable diseases entrusted their lives with the hope that something might happen. But they weren’t cured, and they were ripped off….”

“Wow, what kind of person is that…? Money is one thing, but doing that with people’s lives is really evil.”

“That’s right. That happened about 15 years ago… I heard.”

At the staff member’s words, my gaze toward the desolate building changed slightly.

“So the hospital closed down then?”

“This building was also passed on to his wife at that time. But this time, his wife also died in an accident, so I heard it came up for auction.”

“Haa… this is a scary building.”

He nodded at my words.

“But more importantly, they say a lot of ghosts appear here.”

Then, with his arms crossed, he brushed away the goosebumps.

At the staff member’s words, I smiled wryly and replied.

“Come on, you’re going too far.”

“It’s true. So many people died in this building. Especially a hospital….”

At his words, I suddenly felt goosebumps all over my body.

“Because you told me that, the building seems even more sinister.”

“That’s right. I always come to work with other staff members. It’s a bit… the building has such an eerie feeling.”

The staff member checked his watch and snapped his fingers.

“Ah, then I’ll go prepare for filming. I’ll guide you again before filming later.”

“Okay.”

The staff member quickly ran to the set, and I looked at Manager Park next to me and said.

“The building is giving me the creeps.”

He also shook his head at my words.

“I know. It’s eerie here.”

Manager Park clapped his hands and opened his mouth again.

“Oh, are you going back to Seoul this week?”

“Hmm… do we have a day off from filming this week?”

“Yes, I heard we’re off on the weekend. If you let me know your schedule, I’ll prepare.”

At Manager Park’s words, I opened my cell phone and checked the calendar.

It was to see if I had anything to do in Seoul.

Song Yu-na was on overseas rotation, so she wasn’t in Korea, so there wasn’t really anything to do even if I went up to Seoul.

I was staying alone in a hotel for rest, so it was enough to rest here.

Moreover, with the severe headaches I’ve been having lately, it seemed like the travel time between Seoul and the filming location would be even more difficult.

“Manager Park, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to just stay here. I don’t think I have anything to go up to Seoul for.”

He nodded at my words.

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

* * *

Filming continued for several days.

As soon as the last scene on Friday ended, people were divided into two categories.

People going to Seoul for rest or business.

And people staying in the filming area for a 회식 [company dinner/gathering].

회식 [company dinner/gathering] were frequent in 지방 [rural] filming.

After filming, there was nothing to do but go to each other’s lodgings to rest, so there were often gatherings for meals or drinks to build camaraderie.

This filming was the same.

On the first Friday, a 회식 [company dinner/gathering] was arranged without anyone taking the lead.

As it was the first 회식 [company dinner/gathering], most of the actors and staff decided to stay here instead of going to Seoul.

Normally, I would have naturally attended the 회식 [company dinner/gathering], but with the constant throbbing headache, I headed to the hotel.

“Haa… I’m tired.”

In the empty room.

I sat on the bed and looked out the window.

It was a time when it should have been completely dark.

But a bright light could be seen through the slightly open curtains.

“What is it, why is it so bright?”

I got up from the bed and approached the window.

The outside was emitting a faint light, as if the sun was faintly rising.

It seemed like the 거리 [street] of 박명 [twilight] still had sunlight remaining.

But that dim light gave me goosebumps.

The 거리 [street] felt eerie instead.

“What, why is the 거리 [street] so gloomy….”

Ding-dong-

At that moment, my cell phone rang.

It was a group chat with the actors I was working with.

-We’ve decided to have a round two at the pension [vacation rental]. Come if you can!

-That’s right. Hee-sung, if you’re bored at the hotel, come hang out~

It was a 톡 [message] from the actors, and at the same time, Manager Park came to my room.

“Oh? Manager.”

Manager Park showed me his cell phone and asked.

“Hee-sung, they’re saying they’re having a round two at the pension [vacation rental] now, so I was wondering if you were going.”

I wouldn’t have gone normally.

But today, for some reason… I wanted to get out of this hotel.

“Hmm… I think I’ll go today.”

Because of the eerie energy felt from the window and the 폐hospital [abandoned hospital] that was faintly visible, the staff member’s story kept lingering in my mind.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, it’s a bit scary here today… no, I think I’ll go to the pension [vacation rental] 회식 [company dinner/gathering].”

At my words, Manager Park raised the corners of his mouth and asked me.

“Is it a bit scary because you can see the 폐hospital [abandoned hospital] from here?”

“No, it’s not that… I was a bit bored being quiet at the hotel. I thought I’d go to a crowded pension [vacation rental] now.”

Manager Park nodded.

“Ah… it’s not scary.”

“Of course.”

He raised the corners of his mouth as if holding back a laugh and asked.

“Should I move your lodging to the pension [vacation rental] altogether? You must be tired of living only in the hotel.”

At Manager Park’s words, I nodded without hesitation.

“Should we do that, then?”

In fact, I was a little scared of this place because of the 폐hospital [abandoned hospital] that kept appearing.

* * *

The 회식 [company dinner/gathering] unfolded at the pension [vacation rental].

It was noisy and crowded here.

It felt like I was enjoying a hectic 회식 [company dinner/gathering] for the first time in a while.

Jang Jun-woo sat next to me and poured me a drink.

“선배님 [senior/older colleague], please have a drink here.”

“Ah… thank you.”

After receiving a drink from him, I filled his glass and asked.

“Jun-woo, how old are you?”

At my question, he smiled and opened his mouth.

“I’m the same age as 선배님 [senior/older colleague]. Haha.”

“Oh, really? It’s rare to meet someone the same age in this industry, it’s nice to meet you.”

He smiled brightly at my words and clinked glasses.

As the bottles of alcohol piled up and a lot of time passed, nearing midnight.

The wariness and awkwardness between us disappeared, and a comfortable drinking session continued.

“Jun-woo always wears that necklace?”

A staff member looked at Jang Jun-woo and asked, and he raised his eyebrows and took out the necklace to show us.

“This is pretty, right?”

“Yeah. The pendant is very unique.”

As I also looked at his necklace, Jang Jun-woo held out the necklace in his hand in front of me.

“The pendant is really unique. It feels very antique?”

At my words, Jang Jun-woo smiled contentedly and nodded.

“Yes, it’s a necklace that I really like, so I wear it every day.”

With an uncommon design, I looked at the necklace with interest.

Then Jang Jun-woo handed me the necklace and replied.

“Feel free to look at it.”

“Ah, I will.”

The necklace pendant was quite heavy, and I fiddled with the pendant as I examined it.

The actor in front of Jang Jun-woo looked at the necklace and asked him.

“Is that necklace old?”

“Yes, actually… my father left it as a 유품 [keepsake/memento]….”

At that moment.

턱- [sound of something falling]

A staff member passing behind me accidentally bumped into my back while trying to pass through a narrow space.

“Oh… oh?”

In an instant, the necklace in my hand fell and went into the food placed in front of me.

I hurriedly turned over the bowl containing the food and took out the necklace.

I quickly wiped the necklace with a tissue and said.

“Jun-woo, I’m really sorry. I accidentally….”

While apologizing to him, I quickly wiped the necklace with my hands.

Even in the midst of trying to clean up, the actors and staff members were all watching Jang Jun-woo’s reaction.

It wasn’t just any necklace, but he had said it was his father’s 유품 [keepsake/memento].

I looked at him with drooping eyebrows.

“I’m really sorry. I don’t know how to apologize and compensate you….”

I couldn’t just keep saying that I would compensate him rashly.

It wasn’t something that could be bought with money, and it wouldn’t be easy to get this necklace, which was his father’s 유품 [keepsake/memento], right now.

I was so sorry that sweat was beading on my forehead.

At that sight, Jang Jun-woo soon gave me a faint smile and replied.

“It’s okay.”

I widened my eyes and asked at his rather calm words.

“…Yes?”

“It’s really okay. The necklace isn’t broken, and it’s just food on it, so it’s enough to wipe it off.”

“Still….”

“It’s really okay. I made you embarrassed by telling you to look at it.”

Holding out the necklace to him, who was rather worried about me in this situation, I carefully opened my mouth.

“No. I’ll find out where to clean this and restore it to its original condition. If it was something that could be bought with money, I would want to compensate you right away… but it’s not that kind of thing….”

At my words, Jang Jun-woo laughed and said.

“I can clean it with water. Thank you for saying that.”

“No. Please tell me anytime if you need anything.”

“I will.”

Even though it was a situation where he could have been angry, I felt even more sorry for him not holding me accountable at all.

“Here’s my number. I feel bad, so if you need cleaning or repair, please tell me.”

I 찍었어 [entered] my number on his cell phone.

At our 모습 [sight/scene], a passing staff member asked us.

“Oh, what is it. Hee-sung and Jun-woo, have you become close? Did you become friends because you’re the same age?”

I smiled at the question, and he came to us and said again with a good-natured smile.

“Or, did Jun-woo save Hee-sung last time, so you’re already attached to each other?”

Then, at the staff member’s words, Jang Jun-woo spoke first.

“Come on, friends. I’m just unilaterally 좋아하는 [fond of] 선배님 [senior/older colleague].”

“But you’re both the same age?”

I nodded at his question.

“Yes, we’re the same age.”

“Wow… even though there are so many actors in this industry, it’s hard to meet someone the same age in one production. That’s great.”

At the staff member’s words, Jang Jun-woo and I made eye contact.

He playfully said to me, 맞춰 [going along] in the excited atmosphere.

“선배님 [senior/older colleague], can we be friends later?”

“Ah… of course. Haha.”

Jang Jun-woo was a 후배 [junior/younger colleague], but I didn’t feel any aversion to him asking me to be friends.

Regardless of 후배 [junior/younger colleague] or 선배 [senior/older colleague], if they were the same age, they could be friends.

However, I was suspicious of him being so friendly and nice to me from the first meeting.

To be honest, there were many cases where people approached me under the guise of friendship to ask me to put them in other productions.

After that, I quickly drew a 적당한 선 [line] with Jang Jun-woo in this place.

I had seen so many people who wanted to get into productions through connections before, so I had no choice but to do this.

And I became aware of reality in this 모습 [aspect].

사회 [society].

So, the people I meet in the entertainment industry.

Song Yu-na is excluded because she’s my 연인 [lover], and CEO Kim, who is my 매니저 [manager], is too busy now, and he’s a 비즈니스로 엮인 사이 [business relationship], so pass.

Choi Seo-bin is close, but she’s a 선배 [senior/older colleague], so I couldn’t treat her like I would treat a friend.

In the future, a ‘진짜 친구 [true friend]’ who I can open my heart to and talk to.

Can I really meet such a person…?

I glanced at Jang Jun-woo out of the corner of my eye and poured a glass of 쓰디쓴 술 [bitter alcohol].