An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 59

59. #13 – People Don’t Change Easily (2)

Kang Chan-sung as a relief pitcher?

My brow furrowed as soon as I confirmed the name.

“Hyung [older brother or close male friend], what’s this?”

“What is it?”

“Kang Chan-sung, he’s been added to the cast. Is this for real?”

He stuck out his lower lip and nodded.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I couldn’t understand why Kang Chan-sung was brought in, so I kept making a ‘tss’ sound and said,

“Why? His movies don’t do well.”

“That’s right. The word is already out in the entertainment industry.”

“Director Jang must know that too, so why?”

Manager Kim nodded, trailing off.

“But the movie budget…”

The budget for a movie is set before filming begins.

And the location scouting, casting, and filming are all done according to that budget.

Like any movie, there’s probably no set where the budget is overflowing.

It’s usually a tight schedule that sticks to the budget.

The budget must already be perfectly planned until the end of filming.

I quickly checked Kang Chan-sung’s scenes in the script.

There were plenty of scenes.

What was especially important as the amount of scenes were his lines.

Kang Chan-sung’s role, a supporting role with leading potential, required quite complex acting in many scenes.

Of course, he had to be a good actor.

Moreover, since he was a supporting actor who would be compared to Choi Seo-bin, he needed to be someone who was somewhat well-known or a top-tier actor.

“A famous person should have taken that role.”

Manager Kim added to me as I was flipping through the script.

I nodded.

An important role.

But suddenly, they must have had to spend an unexpected amount of money in the middle.

To match that budget, it would have been impossible to cast someone of Choi Seo-bin’s caliber.

“So, it was Kang Chan-sung?”

Manager Kim nodded at my words.

“Yeah, Kang Chan-sung is branded as a drama actor.”

Manager Kim swallowed and continued.

“So, his price is a bit lower in the movie industry. That’s why they cast Kang Chan-sung.”

“That’s right. That way, the calculations would be somewhat correct.”

I was now convinced by the casting.

Still, I was displeased that I had to face Kang Chan-sung again.

“Still, it had to be that bastard.”

“They must have been really desperate. Enough to bring in Kang Chan-sung.”

“Still…”

Manager Kim, who had been looking ahead and driving, turned to me as soon as the light turned red.

“And Hee-sung, it’s probably because of you.”

My eyes widened at his words.

“What do you mean?”

“There were rumors that you two had good chemistry. Although it’s not true in reality.”

Manager Kim smirked.

“Ah…”

He knew the relationship between Kang Chan-sung and me so well that he burst into laughter.

I also let out a ridiculous laugh.

Then, I rubbed my temples with both hands.

“Oh, my head.”

Manager Kim flicked his fingers and said to me.

“And there’s a company dinner before Kang Chan-sung joins.”

“To get close to the actors in advance?”

“Yeah, so they’re having a whole company dinner soon.”

I shook my head and sighed.

“I just hope it doesn’t get any worse.”

“Still, the director and other senior actors are there, what can they say to you again?”

I made eye contact with Manager Kim at his words and raised the corner of my lips.

Then, I immediately turned my gaze to the running scenery outside the window.

Come to think of it… Kang Chan-sung can’t do anything in front of Choi Seo-bin.

The thought of running into Kang Chan-sung again on set made me sigh repeatedly.

But what could I do?

It was already decided.

Moreover, I especially didn’t want his appearance to affect my acting.

Yeah, let’s not pay attention.

I just need to focus on my acting.

I shook my head vigorously and emptied my thoughts.

Then, I immediately opened the script and began to recite my lines for today.

***

A few days later, it was the day of the company dinner for Kang Chan-sung’s joining.

When I arrived at the restaurant on time, there were people lined up at the entrance.

I got out of the car, ran to them, and bowed.

“Hello.”

“Oh, Hee-sung, you’re here?”

Baek Geun-woo, an elderly supporting actor, greeted me.

“Yes, senior. Why aren’t you going in and staying here?”

He laughed heartily and replied.

“If I go in, I’ll have to keep sitting anyway, so I’m going to go in when Kang Chan-sung joins.”

“Ah… I see.”

I didn’t particularly want to greet Kang Chan-sung from the entrance.

But Baek Geun-woo raised his eyebrows and asked me a question.

“Hee-sung, about the scene we filmed last week. There…”

His continuous story.

I couldn’t cut off the senior’s words or ignore them and go in.

I stood next to him as if being a conversational partner.

At that time, a car stopped in front of us.

Click.

The person who got out was not Kang Chan-sung, but Choi Seo-bin.

“Hello, senior.”

Choi Seo-bin made eye contact with me.

He bowed to Baek Geun-woo, who was next to me.

Then, he came to my side and joined the conversation.

“It’s hot, aren’t you going in?”

He smiled brightly at Choi Seo-bin’s question and answered.

“Oh, I was talking to Hee-sung. I’ll go in now.”

I opened the door in front.

We came in side by side and took off our shoes.

Clang.

At that moment, the restaurant door opened once again.

Kang Chan-sung came in with a smiling face.

I turned my head at the sound of the door and made eye contact with him.

Damn it.

I didn’t particularly want to acknowledge him, but I ran into him right away like this.

Moreover, Baek Geun-woo and Choi Seo-bin, who had been acting for a long time, were next to me.

Kang Chan-sung is also a senior who has established himself in the entertainment industry.

There was no way I couldn’t greet him.

I barely suppressed my discomfort and opened my mouth towards him.

“Hello.”

I said while making eye contact with Kang Chan-sung.

But.

Despite my greeting, Kang Chan-sung completely ignored me as if treating me like an invisible man.

In an instant, my face contorted.

Kang Chan-sung greeted Baek Geun-woo in front of me as if nothing was wrong.

“Hello, senior. I’m Kang Chan-sung.”

“Oh, nice to meet you.”

Baek Geun-woo shook hands with Kang Chan-sung and walked to the reserved seats.

And Kang Chan-sung immediately turned around and looked at Choi Seo-bin.

“Hello, senior…”

“Chan-sung.”

Choi Seo-bin cut off Kang Chan-sung’s greeting before it was even finished.

Kang Chan-sung’s face hardened subtly.

He quickly released that expression and raised his eyebrows in response.

“Yes?”

Choi Seo-bin pointed to me with a nod and opened his mouth.

“Hee-sung just greeted you.”

Kang Chan-sung’s pupils shook rapidly.

“I’m just saying in case you didn’t see him.”

Choi Seo-bin continued with a faint smile.

His face was smiling, but his voice was cold.

He seemed flustered by Choi Seo-bin’s words, and he swallowed hard enough for his Adam’s apple to move.

“Ah…”

He glanced at me standing next to him and then shifted his gaze back to Choi Seo-bin.

“I didn’t see him.”

Kang Chan-sung curled his lips and tried to raise the corners of his mouth.

And that fake eye smile he always makes.

“Hee-sung, it’s been a while?”

“…Yes.”

He was smiling brightly, but there was a cold air surrounding him.

A few seconds of silence passed in an instant.

The conversation between Kang Chan-sung and me was just a greeting, that’s it.

“Chan-sung, you’re here?”

At that time, Director Jang came into the restaurant and found Kang Chan-sung.

He diffused the cold atmosphere.

“Yes, Director!”

Director Jang, who usually sees a lot of actors and is quick-witted, noticed the subtle atmosphere and quickly scanned Kang Chan-sung and me and asked.

“Weren’t you two close?”

Kang Chan-sung opened his mouth as soon as Director Jang finished speaking.

“You know, I’ve been too busy with the project.”

At his words, Director Jang looked at me.

Kang Chan-sung continued to speak without stopping.

“We can get close now. Right, Hee-sung?”

He laughed heartily and looked into my eyes.

Director Jang responded as if agreeing with Kang Chan-sung’s laughter.

“Haha, that’s right. You can get close while having a company dinner today.”

“That’s right, Director.”

Kang Chan-sung took a step next to Director Jang.

“Chan-sung, let’s go in quickly.”

“Yes!”

“Seo-bin and Hee-sung, come in quickly too.”

Director Jang gestured to us and opened the door to the reserved room.

The noisy restaurant.

The decibel level was gradually increasing as much as the number of bottles piled up.

Kang Chan-sung was busy greeting the actors and staff.

I didn’t particularly want to share a drink with him, so I didn’t even look at Kang Chan-sung’s table.

“Hee-sung, let’s have a drink.”

Choi Seo-bin also didn’t want to talk to Kang Chan-sung.

He didn’t leave my side throughout the company dinner.

“Yes.”

I poured him a drink.

Then, Choi Seo-bin, who was filling my glass, asked carefully.

“But Hee-sung, did something happen with Kang Chan-sung during the drama filming?”

I shook my head at his question.

“No. Well, it’s nothing special, but we’re not on good terms.”

His face hardened in an instant at my words.

He asked again with a serious expression.

“Is that all?”

“Yes, nothing happened.”

Choi Seo-bin nodded.

“Is he not doing anything to harm you?”

I smiled and nodded.

“Yes, that’s not the case.”

“That’s a relief.”

He picked up his glass.

I reached out to his glass and clinked glasses.

Clink.

Choi Seo-bin poured the alcohol into his mouth in one gulp.

He put the glass down on the table and looked at me with a serious face.

“If there’s anything like that, be sure to tell me.”

He immediately turned his gaze to Kang Chan-sung in the distance.

I raised the corners of my mouth and replied.

“Yes, thank you. Senior.”

***

The conversations shared while clinking glasses had very different topics at each table.

Director Jang’s table was having a profound discussion about acting.

Another table was quietly exchanging stories about backstage, whether it was an evaluation or gossip.

And one table was captured at the end of Park Min-joon’s gaze.

The place he looked at while drinking was Choi Seo-bin and Jin Hee-sung’s side, located at the very end.

They had so much to say, they were exchanging drinks with each other.

They were serious, then laughing, and the story didn’t stop.

It wasn’t just a few minutes ago that Park Min-joon had been watching that table.

Unlike his wish to approach Choi Seo-bin, greet him, and build a friendship almost at the same time as the company dinner started.

Choi Seo-bin never moved his seat even once, and Jin Hee-sung didn’t go to another seat either.

‘Jin Hee-sung, why is that bastard only sticking with Choi Seo-bin.’

Park Min-joon’s gaze, who wanted to get closer to Choi Seo-bin, was directed only at Jin Hee-sung, not Choi Seo-bin.

Because he didn’t particularly want to go to the place where they were together.

While watching Jin Hee-sung’s movements, he swallowed the bitter alcohol.

“Min-joon, can I sit here?”

Kang Chan-sung came to his side.

Before sitting down, Kang Chan-sung followed Park Min-joon’s gaze and glanced at Jin Hee-sung.

“Yes, of course.”

Kang Chan-sung, who had already greeted Park Min-joon a few hours ago, picked up his empty glass and took a seat in front of him.

The bottles piled up between Kang Chan-sung and Park Min-joon.

The two, who had been sitting facing each other, were now sitting side by side.

As much as the distance had narrowed, their conversation seemed to have become quite friendly.

“Min-joon, so is the set difficult?”

Kang Chan-sung poured alcohol for Park Min-joon and asked.

“It’s always the same. Waiting and acting, and then waiting again…”

“That’s right. How’s the atmosphere on set? Have the actors all become close?”

“Friendship…”

Park Min-joon picked up the clinking glass and fixed his gaze on Jin Hee-sung.

Jin Hee-sung and Choi Seo-bin were still laughing and exchanging conversations.

“How can everyone… get close?”

Kang Chan-sung moved his gaze following Park Min-joon’s hardened face.

At the end of that gaze, Jin Hee-sung was seen.

Kang Chan-sung raised one corner of his mouth and replied.

“That’s right. There are people you don’t want to get close to.”

Kang Chan-sung drank the alcohol.

He wiped the alcohol from his mouth and said.

“Is there any need to get close? If you don’t like it, you can just crush it….”