An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 323

323. Episode 58 – How to Turn an Enemy into an Ally (5)

“Hee-sung.”

It was Manager Park, knocking on the door bright and early.

“Oh, hyung [older brother or close male friend]. You’re here early?”

I welcomed Manager Park, who I’d grown much closer to since coming to LA, and opened the door. He came inside with luggage in both hands.

“Of course. I came to take care of your breakfast.”

“Hyung, why do you keep taking care of me and tiring yourself out? I’m fine.”

At my words, he smiled and waved his hand.

“It’s my job to make sure you can focus on your practice. Taking care of your health is also my responsibility. So, you have to eat well and not skip meals.”

“Thanks, hyung.”

He naturally opened the refrigerator, started filling it with food, and said,

“Don’t mention it. This is juice from your favorite cafe. I’ll put it in the refrigerator, so don’t forget to drink it.”

“Wow… that juice is really delicious.”

“Of course. That’s why I got the juice by the bottle.”

Manager Park took out food from another bag and placed it on the table.

“This is from that bagel shop you like…”

I widened my eyes and asked,

“Hyung, the waiting line there is crazy. Did you wait in line to buy that?”

At my words, Manager Park smiled proudly.

“Of course. It’s what you like. Hyung did an open run [arrived before opening to be first in line]. Haha.”

“I don’t have any schedules now; hyung should go sightseeing and rest a bit.”

I replied with gratitude and apology, but Manager Park waved his hand and answered,

“No. Besides, this bagel shop is near my accommodation, so it’s not hard. Is there anything else you want to eat?”

At his words, I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head vigorously.

“No. Absolutely not. Hyung, you should rest now, too.”

“I’m resting well, too. Thanks to you, I get to hang out in America for a long time.”

“Hanging out? Hyung, you’ve been working the whole time.”

“I told you. That’s my job.”

I quickly grabbed Manager Park’s arm and said,

“Hyung, I’m really grateful for you taking care of me, but the schedule is over. Now we’re just resting before going back to Korea, so you don’t have to do this much. I feel bad.”

The moment I conveyed my sincere words,

Our eyes met, and Manager Park’s complexion darkened.

He murmured in a small voice.

“No… I was more sorry.”

I tilted my head at Manager Park’s words.

“What are you sorry about, hyung?”

At my question, he smiled and opened his mouth.

“…I mean I want to take care of you more.”

He hurriedly opened his cell phone and said to me again.

“That’s right. Anyway, what about the schedule for going back to Korea?”

“I was going to talk to you about it today.”

At my words, Manager Park took the juice and looked toward the terrace.

“The weather is nice today; shall we talk while drinking juice out there?”

“Sure.”

As we went out to the terrace, the warm sunlight and pure white clouds greeted me.

“Wow… the weather is really nice.”

We took a sip of the fresh juice and continued the conversation.

“I don’t have any schedules set in Korea, so it’s okay to go slowly. I’ve talked to CEO Kim about everything.”

“Yeah, but I was thinking of going to Korea after the weekend.”

At my words, Manager Park raised his eyebrows.

“Not resting longer?”

“No. I’ve been resting even after the meeting.”

“You did a talk show, too.”

“That wasn’t physically demanding, so it’s okay. And I can rest here until the weekend.”

He nodded and checked the date on his cell phone.

“Let’s do whatever you want, Hee-sung. CEO Kim and I thought you would want to rest here for a long time before going to Korea.”

“I guess… I miss Korea?”

Manager Park shouted in strong agreement.

“Food?”

“Totally. Hyung, you miss Korean food too, right?”

“Yeah. Korean food in America doesn’t seem like the Korean food we think of.”

“Right. There’s broccoli in sundubu jjigae [soft tofu stew], and broccoli in bibimbap [mixed rice with meat and vegetables]…”

He sighed deeply and said,

“Do Americans think that all the vegetables Koreans eat are broccoli? I don’t know why they put broccoli in everything.”

“I know, right? It’s just enough to suppress the longing for Korean food for a while. It doesn’t satisfy the craving for that spicy taste.”

Manager Park nodded and closed his eyes tightly.

“When I go to Korea, I’m going to eat real red stews first. Kimchi jjigae [kimchi stew], sundubu jjigae, and gochujang jjigae [red pepper paste stew]…”

Then he smacked his lips and smiled.

I burst into laughter at the sight.

“Hyung, you’ve already eaten it all in your imagination? Haha.”

“Let’s… go to a restaurant right away next week when we go to Korea.”

“Okay. I want nakgopsae [octopus, tripe, and shrimp stew] and tteokbokki [spicy rice cakes]… Ah, I want to go to Korea quickly.”

“Next time I come for filming, I’ll learn some Korean cooking.”

“Okay!”

He checked the time and jumped up from his seat.

“That’s right, I have to go to my accommodation to send data to WOM [his agency].”

“Okay.”

“Then I’ll check the flight time and contact you. Get some rest.”

After Manager Park left,

I took a cup of coffee and returned to the terrace.

“Haa… good.”

Such a nice house.

Soaked in the leisurely atmosphere on a sunny day, the only person I miss the most is Song Yu-na.

“I talked to Yu-na at night, but I miss her again.”

Because of the time difference, it wasn’t easy to contact Song Yu-na.

She would be sleeping now.

Still, I was soothing my longing with video calls with Song Yu-na.

Song Yu-na also didn’t have any schedules, so she had said countless times that she would come to America.

Because there would be fewer eyes watching here than in Korea.

However, I was worried that a pointless article would break out and people would talk about it, so I suppressed that feeling and swallowed my longing by seeing her in Korea.

“Yu-na must still be sleeping?”

As I was looking at my cell phone and thinking of her, then,

Bee-beep-

[Sender: Jang Jun-woo]

I hurriedly clicked the receive button at the welcome name.

“Jun-woo!”

-Are you doing well in America, senior?

I laughed at his voice.

“Oh, our junior. Are you guarding Korea well?”

-Of course. When are you coming to Korea?

“I’m going next week.”

-Already? I thought you’d stay there for a long time while you’re there.

“I have to go to Korea quickly. You must be bored without me, Jun-woo.”

At my words, he chuckled and shouted.

-Ugh, of course. Come quickly. Let’s have a drink. I’ll treat you.”

“What, is there something good happening?”

Jang Jun-woo swallowed hard as if he had something great to say and replied excitedly.

-Hee-sung.

“Yeah?”

-I got a role in a production this time.

At his words, I jumped up from my seat without a moment’s hesitation and shouted.

“Really? That’s great, congratulations!”

-Thanks. But there’s something even bigger.

“What is it?”

-My role is amazing. Do you know what I got in as?

At Jang Jun-woo’s words, I hid my excitement and asked carefully.

“What, maybe… did you get the lead role?”

-Yeah!

At his shout, I was so happy as if it were my own business and shouted.

“Wow, congratulations!”

-Thanks. I wondered if I should tell you this, but I still wanted to tell you.

“Of course, you should tell me. I’ve been wanting to hear that news.”

-Thanks for being so happy for me like it’s your own business, Hee-sung.

“Oh, don’t mention it. I’m all thankful.”

There was nothing but congratulations and joy at the news of Jang Jun-woo’s lead role.

In fact, in the old days, I would have been filled with jealousy and envy at the news of someone else’s lead casting.

But now, I only had the heart to purely congratulate him.

As if something good had happened to me.

It’s because Jang Jun-woo is a grateful person and a close friend to me, but now I was happy to applaud anyone’s news rather than being jealous.

Does this mean that I have risen to the point where I am not unhappy with the news of someone else’s blessing?

-Thanks. Come to Korea quickly. I’ll treat you to a big meal. I feel like I’ve grown a lot thanks to you.

“It’s not because of me. You did well. I’m going next week, so I’ll contact you when I get there.”

-Okay, contact me as soon as you come to Korea. Come safely.

As soon as I hung up the phone with Jang Jun-woo, a smile spread across my face.

“I’m so happy that Jun-woo is doing well.”

It was a moment when I naturally looked back at myself, smiling as I thought of him becoming the lead.

I always felt like I was growing one step closer to my dream.

“But where is the end of the dream I thought of…?”

That ‘end’ that suddenly came to mind.

I knew that I had already grown to the point where I couldn’t even imagine it.

With this work, it was fair to say that I had achieved everything.

Receiving an award at an awards ceremony like the Academy.

It seemed like I had already passed the stage of being obsessed with such awards.

The awards they made based on the standards they set.

From some point on, I focused on the ‘public’ more than those things.

Because I realized that the evaluation of actors is not done by other actors or judges, but by the public.

Then suddenly, a word came to mind.

“Retirement…. Should I really retire after this work is over?”

In fact, I was sure that I had earned so much money that my parents wouldn’t have to work, and that I could have children and they would be able to live comfortably.

Furthermore, I could confidently say that I had achieved everything as an actor.

From rising to the top actor in Korea to advancing to Hollywood. From movies to musicals in Hollywood.

“At this point, I don’t think I have any more goals I want to achieve?”

The moment I leaned against the railing with a sentimental feeling and took a sip of coffee.

Whoosh-

Suddenly, a cool breeze brushed past my cheek, and something hot seemed to flow from my nose to my philtrum [the vertical groove between the upper lip and the nose].

“Huh? What is it.”

I quickly rubbed my nose with my hand, and a hot liquid touched my hand.

“What… a nosebleed?”

The moment I saw the nosebleed, my vision blurred.

“I guess I was on the terrace for too long with the wind blowing…”

I quickly blocked my nose and went into the room.

***

Manager Park arrived at the airport and smiled broadly.

“Um… the smell of Korea, so good.”

“Hyung, we haven’t even gone outside yet? Haha.”

“Doesn’t it already smell spicy?”

At his words, I laughed and replied.

“That’s right. Let’s go eat quickly. What should we eat?”

“Let’s eat nakgopsae. I keep thinking about it since you mentioned nakgopsae last time.”

“Sounds good!”

As soon as we got out of the airport, we arrived at a Korean restaurant.

We ordered a table full of red dishes in a row.

“Nakgopsae, kimchi jjim [braised kimchi]… spicy pork. Crazy.”

Manager Park swallowed his saliva and picked up his spoon, and we cut off the conversation without anyone saying anything first.

Our mouths were too busy eating.

“Wow….”

“Yeah.”

“It’s spicy and delicious.”

Only exclamations about the food poured out at the table.

We ate the bright red dishes until sweat beaded on our foreheads, and we weren’t envious of any other food in the world right now.

In less than thirty minutes, the plates were empty.

“I’m so full.”

“Me too.”

Only then did we regain our senses.

I leaned back in my chair and posted the photos I had taken as soon as the food came out on SNS [social networking service].

It was to let the fans know that I had returned to Korea.

Because they were always worried about me.

Then, as if they had been waiting, comments quickly appeared.

I couldn’t help but be surprised to see the comments.

“What is all this?”

At my words, Manager Park also looked at the SNS comments and shouted in surprise.

“English, Thai, and Arabic…. There are more comments from foreign fans than Korean people?”

“I know. Why are there so many foreign language comments all of a sudden?”