An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 41

41. #10 – Not One of the Two (3)

People moving busily, lost in their own worlds.

A large office enclosed by sterile white walls.

Rows of partitions creating cubicles.

I stood at the center of it all, disoriented.

Where am I?

Looking down, the dark gray linoleum tiles of the floor seemed to ripple and distort.

Something felt profoundly wrong.

I consciously tried to take a breath, but I couldn’t feel any air entering my nostrils.

Even with slow, deliberate breaths, no air seemed to move in or out.

Is it even possible to exist without air circulation?

But this chilling feeling… it’s a sensation I’ve experienced before.

What is it…?

Where have I felt this before?

Wait.

Could this be…?

That’s right.

…It’s a dream.

I always breathe in my dreams, but there’s never any actual air being inhaled or exhaled.

I sensed something was off, but now I know for sure.

I’m in a dream again.

I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head violently, trying to break free.

I snapped my eyes open, but the scenery remained unchanged.

“Assistant Manager Min, did you leave the documents with me?”

The person leaning into my personal space was Manager Park, with her signature short bob and standard office attire.

“I put the documents up earlier, didn’t I?”

She tilted her head, puzzled by my question, then greeted me.

“That’s strange. I’ll look again. Anyway, head to the meeting.”

“Okay.”

Giving her a quick nod, I walked towards the conference room.

A conference room dominated by a long, polished table.

Inside, all the employees were already seated, waiting.

“Assistant Manager Min, over here!”

Section Chief Son, already seated, waved me over.

“Yes, Section Chief.”

I took the seat next to him, and the meeting commenced.

And the first person to speak was, predictably, Section Chief Son.

“I’ll go first.”

At Section Chief Son’s announcement, all eyes turned to him.

“The university hospital project that I reported on last week has been finalized for contract and delivery this week.”

He continued, consulting his densely filled planner.

“I will prepare the quotation amount and delivery items separately and submit the report today.”

Section Chief Son’s update concluded concisely.

As my turn approached, just as I was about to speak.

The CEO raised his hand, stopping me.

“I’ll talk first.”

“Yes, CEO.”

He looked at me with a pleased expression and said.

“I received a report that the deliveries to Kukdong Orthopedics and Modern Orthopedics were all handled by one person. Is that correct?”

At the CEO’s words, the employees exchanged puzzled glances.

And a murmur rippled through the room.

“What, he delivered to those two hospitals together?”

“Is that even a possible feat?”

“Wow, that employee doesn’t have to worry about their performance review this year.”

Adding fuel to the fire was a voice from the opposing faction of Section Chief Son.

“Seriously, anyone can see that’s the kind of performance that can only come from a director-level position.”

“That’s right. Otherwise, how could you possibly market to those two hospitals simultaneously?”

“Exactly. For a director to be praised for that achievement during a meeting is a bit….”

Bang.

To silence the increasingly noisy conference room, the CEO slammed his hand on the table.

“Okay, quiet.”

The noisy atmosphere was instantly extinguished by the CEO’s commanding voice.

“It’s truly an amazing skill.”

He gestured for me to stand with a subtle nod of his chin.

I rose from my seat at his summons.

“Assistant Manager Min Jihoon has done a great job this time. Let’s all give him a round of applause.”

Clap… Clap clap clap.

The conference room filled with the sound of polite applause.

I looked at them and raised the corners of my mouth in a bright, confident smile.

That’s right.

I was the one who achieved this remarkable feat.

Section Chief Son looked at me with a pleased smile and raised his eyebrows in acknowledgment.

“Thank you. I will work even harder in the future.”

The conference room buzzed with renewed chatter at my words.

It was inevitable.

I had single-handedly secured hospitals that were typically unattainable for someone in the position of assistant manager.

Everyone was looking at me with admiration, except for one person who looked like he’d just swallowed a bitter pill.

It was Assistant Manager Choi.

Assistant Manager Choi, who had joined the company before me, was a perennial assistant manager, stuck in his position.

I, a junior colleague with demonstrably better skills, must have been a thorn in his side.

He always found fault with me and harbored resentment, and today his expression was particularly sour.

Our eyes met.

I, who had been smiling, stared at him intently and stretched one corner of my mouth a little further, a subtle taunt.

The more my mouth twisted into a smirk, the darker his expression became.

A moment later, when the meeting adjourned and people were filing out of the conference room.

“Hey!”

Assistant Manager Choi shouted at the back of my head.

At that voice, I slowly turned around with a deliberately stiff face, and he continued, his voice laced with barely suppressed anger.

“Assistant Manager Min, how did you get those deals?”

“Excuse me?”

When I frowned and asked him to clarify, he rolled his eyes and practically shouted.

“Those hospitals, I mean. Did you land those accounts with your own power?!”

Flash-

Damn it.

I’ve returned to reality.

To wake up from a dream at such a crucial moment.

I closed my eyes tightly again, willing the dream to continue, but it was gone.

Quickly getting up from my seat, spurred by the lingering memory of the dream.

And hurriedly opened the ‘Became a Genius Salesman’ movie script.

What is going on?

This has never happened before….

The role I was cast for is not Assistant Manager Min Jihoon, but Assistant Manager Choi.

But in the dream I just had, I wasn’t Assistant Manager Choi, but ‘Min Jihoon’.

Is this even possible?

Then who was playing the role of Assistant Manager Choi in my dream?

Slowly closing my eyes, I replayed the scene from the dream in my mind.

Wait a minute.

The face of Assistant Manager Choi, who was constantly glaring at me with resentment, was none other than ‘Choi Seobin’.

…What the heck is going on?

***

When I arrived at the company, Manager Kim approached me with a bright, welcoming face.

“Heesung, the schedule is finalized.”

I nodded and greeted him.

“How is it? How much overlap is there between the drama and the movie?”

“As we discussed, it looks like there will only be about a month of overlap during the final filming of the drama.”

I had secretly hoped that the schedules wouldn’t overlap at all, but the outcome was as predicted.

However, I had already anticipated about a month of overlapping filming, so I wasn’t too disappointed.

It will be a demanding schedule, but if I prepare diligently for both the drama and the movie, it shouldn’t be insurmountable.

It all depends on my preparation.

I felt a surge of determination.

“Now that I’ve committed to both projects, I want to excel in both.”

Manager Kim’s lips curved into a satisfied smile at my words.

“That’s the spirit. You already have acting experience, so you can gradually prepare for the movie while studying the script.”

“I will.”

“Let’s focus on the drama filming first and foremost.”

I clenched both fists and nodded, reaffirming my resolve.

Chasing two rabbits is never an easy feat.

It’s not something that can be achieved simply by doubling the effort.

To accomplish this challenging task, I will have to work several times harder than everyone else.

After taking a short break to gather my thoughts.

I immediately resumed practicing the script.

Script practice became my constant companion, starting as soon as I finished lunch.

But when I glanced out the window, the sun was already beginning to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple.

“If you make such a mistake on stage….”

Zhee-ing.

Then, Manager Kim’s cell phone began to ring, interrupting our rehearsal.

He, who was meticulously going over the script with me, put it down and said.

“Heesung, I’ll take this quick call.”

“Okay.”

To avoid interfering with the call, I silently reviewed the next scene in my head.

And he answered the call.

“Hello. Yes, that’s right. Ah… really?”

Assuming it wouldn’t be a lengthy conversation, Manager Kim remained seated while continuing the call.

“No, there’s no problem. Isn’t it just about acting well? Yes, don’t worry. Yes.”

I paused my mental rehearsal, drawn in by his side of the conversation.

And soon, the call concluded.

I immediately inquired, “Hyung [older brother/male friend], what’s wrong?”

At my question, Manager Kim made a ‘tsk’ sound of annoyance and said.

“It’s about Director Jang’s movie.”

“‘Became a Genius Salesman’?”

He nodded in confirmation.

“They called to inform us that Park Minjoon is also joining the cast.”

“But?”

I tilted my head, confused.

Why would that be significant enough for Manager Kim to bring it to my attention?

“His agency contacted the production company, expressing concerns about potential friction between you and him.”

“Park Minjoon’s agency?”

Manager Kim chuckled and replied.

“Yeah, so we assured them that there’s absolutely no issue when it comes to acting professionally.”

“Good job. It’s absurd to let personal feelings interfere with business.”

Park Minjoon seems to still be bothered by my success.

Manager Kim nodded repeatedly in agreement.

“Oh, and Park Minjoon is also cast in the same supporting role as you, Heesung.”

The prospect of working alongside Park Minjoon again wasn’t particularly appealing.

But strangely, I didn’t feel the same sense of crisis or anxiety that I used to.

In fact, I felt a surge of confidence.

Park Minjoon was the only one among my university classmates who had managed to establish himself as a professional actor.

But that title has become somewhat hollow, as he has remained confined to supporting roles for several years.

But I was different.

From extra to minor role, and now to supporting role.

Because I am steadily progressing, the feeling of being intimidated by him has diminished.

Rather, I was convinced that he would be the one feeling a sense of insecurity when he saw my growth.

I think I can handle this well.

As I was smiling inwardly, Manager Kim cautiously broached the subject.

“Should we try rehearsing the movie script together sometime?”

Unlike my own confident feelings, Manager Kim seemed concerned about Park Minjoon’s presence.

I shook my head and smiled reassuringly.

“No, hyung. There’s no need to worry about Park Minjoon.”

He raised his eyebrows, surprised by my confident demeanor.

“Let’s proceed at our own pace. I’m confident in my abilities.”

Seeing my unwavering confidence, Manager Kim’s expression relaxed, and he nodded.

“Good, let’s quickly get back to practicing the drama script.”

Manager Kim and I picked up the drama script that we had momentarily set aside, as if by unspoken agreement.

“Should we start from scene 43?”

“Yeah.”

***

I went to work at the company to continue practicing the script as usual.

I hadn’t taken a single day off from practice so far, dedicating myself entirely to mastering the role.

From early morning until late at night, the lights in my practice room remained on, a testament to my dedication.

Manager Kim also seemed to recognize my burning desire to succeed, and he diligently assisted me with practice, never missing a session.

Like me, who had rehearsed so extensively that I had practically memorized the entire script.

Manager Kim, too, knew the script by heart, anticipating every line and nuance.

Manager Kim, who had left for a meeting earlier, returned to the practice room after several hours.

And he was carrying something in his hand.

I intuitively knew that he was bringing it to deliver to me.

I fixed my gaze not on Manager Kim’s eyes, but on the papers in his hand.

“Heesung, were you practicing diligently?”

“Of course, but what are those?”

He playfully waved the papers and said.

“They said the casting for the drama’s main, supporting, and minor roles is complete.”

“Then we’ll be starting filming soon, right?”

Manager Kim shook another piece of paper and replied.

“That’s right. The script reading schedule is also out.”

I shrugged my shoulders and took a deep breath, bracing myself for the next stage.

I had practiced countless times, and the real thing was finally approaching.

My heart started to pound with a mixture of excitement and the desire to excel.

Manager Kim sat down in the chair in front of me and handed me the papers.

[Entertainment Industry Extra]

-Lead role: Kang Chanseong (as Manager Hwang Hyun)

-Supporting role: Jin Heesung (as singer Mino)

…

-Minor role: Han Sojeong (as singer Mino’s stylist)

I narrowed my eyes, my gaze fixated on the words ‘my stylist’.

Huh…?

Wait a minute.

The role accompanying me is Han Sojeong?