An Actor Who Has Lived For 10,000 Years [EN]: Chapter 9

9. #2 – Unexpected (5)

“Kyaaaaaa!”

Song Yuna, trying to avoid the crumbling rocks, tilted and lost her balance.

Seeing Song Yuna in peril, Jin Heeseong threw himself forward without hesitation.

Thud!

Nearly half of Jin Heeseong’s body dangled precariously over the cliff edge.

Hanging from his hand was Song Yuna’s slender wrist.

Song Yuna cautiously raised her head, her face etched with terror.

Her gaze met Jin Heeseong’s, his face flushed red as if his blood vessels were about to burst, clutching her wrist.

“Ah….”

Song Yuna gasped, realizing she hadn’t fallen off the cliff.

“Ugh… carefully. Stay still. It’s okay.”

Even in this precarious situation, Jin Heeseong tried to protect and reassure Song Yuna, embodying his character, the loyal royal guard.

At his words, Song Yuna swallowed hard and quietly stared at Jin Heeseong.

The staff seemed frozen in shock, and Jin Heeseong’s face contorted in pain.

In that instant, a flash of inspiration struck his mind.

‘I must save Her Highness… like that moment when I single-handedly beheaded the approaching enemies to protect Her Highness….’

Simultaneously, an unknown power surged within Jin Heeseong.

He gripped the ground above the cliff with one hand for support.

With just his other hand, he began to pull her up with superhuman strength.

As Jin Heeseong’s body, his upper half still hanging over the cliff, slowly rose, the staff rushed forward and grabbed him, pulling him to safety.

“What are you doing? Everyone, grab on quickly!”

“Yuna! Grab my hand, here!”

The staff and surrounding extras shouted as they pulled Jin Heeseong and Song Yuna back onto the cliff.

“Yuna! Are you okay?”

Her manager, Chief Choi, rushed over from a distance, shouting.

He had been staying back to avoid disrupting the scene and had only just heard what happened.

Finding Chief Choi, Song Yuna burst into tears and cried out.

“I told you the skirt was too long! I tripped because I was wearing this stupid outfit! Will you take responsibility if I die?”

Song Yuna’s stylist quickly wrapped a blanket around her.

“To film something so dangerous without any safety measures….”

Chief Choi was about to protest to the staff member next to him when Director Kim approached Song Yuna.

“Yuna, are you alright?”

Given the situation, the director couldn’t say much and offered words of comfort.

“…I don’t know.”

Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be seriously injured anywhere else, only gently touching the wrist Jin Heeseong had grabbed.

“Where’s the medical team! Get them here now!”

At Director Kim’s shout, the staff sprang into action.

Chief Choi turned to Song Yuna.

“Yuna, it’s dangerous here. Let’s move to the car first and check if you’re hurt anywhere.”

At his words, Song Yuna nodded.

Then, her gaze turned to Jin Heeseong.

Song Yuna’s lips twitched as if she had something to say, but she quietly left without a word.

After the staff moved away with her.

The extras and some staff members near Jin Heeseong murmured and asked him.

“Heeseong, you look so slender, but how did you lift Yuna?”

“Right? Even if she’s a woman, how can you lift an adult with one hand?”

“More than that, I was amazed at how quickly Jin Heeseong jumped to grab Song Yuna.”

“Heeseong, are you okay?”

Despite their murmurs, Jin Heeseong didn’t respond.

No, he couldn’t open his mouth because he was still trying to calm his own surprised heart.

He could only breathe a sigh of relief that he had held onto Song Yuna and protected her.

‘What was that scene that suddenly flashed in my mind on the cliff? It felt like I saw it in a dream before…?’

***

Early dawn, just an hour or two before sunrise.

The darkest hour of the day, before the sun rises, had arrived.

And now, all the filming was finally over.

Because it would be difficult to return to this cliff for reshoots, they took a short break and then successfully finished all the scenes.

With today’s filming, my role was also complete.

I had died during the last shoot, but the writer brought the royal guard back to life dramatically.

Thanks to that, I was able to film additional impactful scenes as the royal guard.

Afterward, my role ended with a death scene.

That scene, too, was of the royal guard dying for the princess, and it seemed like it would leave a strong impression.

Since the writer directly ended my role, there would be no chance for me to come back to life.

Finally, the last filming for ‘Yellow Flower’ was truly over.

I had already said a deep farewell to Director Kim, thinking the last shoot was the end, so it felt awkward to say goodbye again today. I approached Director Kim with a calm expression.

“Director!”

“Oh, Heeseong. You worked hard today.”

Director Kim reached out to shake my hand first.

“It was nothing, you worked hard, Director. Thank you for everything.”

He patted my shoulder.

“We avoided a big accident today thanks to you, Heeseong. I’m really glad.”

“It was nothing.”

“Let’s meet again. Definitely.”

He said with a confident look in his eyes.

“Yes, I hope we can meet again!”

“Okay, go back to Seoul safely.”

“Yes.”

Afterward, I greeted the casting director and the remaining staff one by one.

Then, I walked toward the bus for extras heading to Seoul.

The dark mountain road of Gangwon Province.

Now, I would take this bus back to Seoul and return to my daily life.

It wasn’t that I was going home with nothing to do, but simply returning to where I belonged.

The drama shoot was a happy time, even if only for a short while.

It was a meaningful period that made me realize what acting was, and that I could feel a sense of accomplishment through acting, something I had always been criticized for.

I didn’t want to take the bus back, but I was also excited at the thought of being able to audition for other dramas and movies.

“Hey… Heeseong!”

The moment I stood in front of the bus door.

A voice calling my name made me stop.

“Yes?”

The person who rushed to me.

Who was it?

I tilted my head, and he immediately handed me a business card, saying.

“I’m Choi Taemin, Song Yuna’s manager.”

“Ah, yes.”

I took the business card he handed me and replied.

“I wanted to repay you for your help today.”

I waved my hand at Chief Choi, who was speaking to me with a bright smile.

“Oh, no. It’s something I should have done.”

“Something you should have done? It was a dangerous moment for you too, Heeseong. Besides, I don’t feel comfortable as her manager. The company won’t let it go if they find out.”

He trailed off, and I asked again.

“Yes?”

“In a good way!”

“Ah, yes.”

“And that….”

Chief Choi took a step closer to me and lowered his voice.

“Contact me when you come to Seoul.”

“No, really, the repayment….”

At my repeated refusal, Chief Choi raised the corners of his mouth and said with a kind smile.

“I want to repay you, and I also want to talk about work.”

“…Yes?”

“Oppa! Aren’t you leaving?”

Song Yuna, visible in the distance, shouted at Chief Choi in a sharp voice.

“I’m coming!”

Chief Choi answered Song Yuna loudly, then shrugged his shoulders and said.

“I’m sorry. I have to go.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Chief Choi nodded, making eye contact with me.

“Be sure to contact me.”

Then, he immediately ran to the car Song Yuna was in and got into the driver’s seat.

Perhaps because the engine was already running, the van left the set as soon as Chief Choi got in.

I stared blankly at the departing van, then shifted my gaze to the business card in my hand.

It’s not about the repayment, but about work….

If it’s about work, could it be…?

***

“Shall we go?”

Chief Choi got into the car, fastened his seat belt, and asked Song Yuna.

“Yeah, I’m tired. I want to go to Seoul quickly.”

“Okay, let’s go quickly. You worked hard today, Yuna.”

With those words, Chief Choi stepped on the accelerator.

Then, he glanced at Jin Heeseong in the rearview mirror.

‘Is he looking at the business card I gave him? I hope he contacts me….’

“Oppa! Oppa, can you hear me?”

“Huh?”

Chief Choi, who had been lost in thought while looking at Jin Heeseong, was scolded by Song Yuna again.

“What were you thinking about that you didn’t answer right away?”

“Sorry. I was thinking about something else for a moment. What is it?”

Song Yuna would have let it go normally, but she had gone through a difficult experience that went between life and death, so she was very sensitive.

“What was that just now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m talking about giving that guy a business card.”

Chief Choi’s eyes darted around quickly, realizing that Song Yuna had seen him give Jin Heeseong the business card.

“I have to repay him.”

“Repay? When I saw it earlier, you went and thanked him. Isn’t that enough? Did you have to give him a business card?”

“Hey, he saved your life, so I can’t just let it go.”

Song Yuna looked at her reddened wrist and replied.

“…Well, looking at it again, the cliff wasn’t that high.”

Whether he didn’t hear her words, Chief Choi immediately opened his mouth.

“And his acting seems pretty good.”

“What…?”

“No, the director also said that, and he actually does well on set. Honestly, I think he’s good.”

Song Yuna put down her wrist, which she had been looking at, as if she was upset by Chief Choi’s words, and shouted.

“No, that guy who can’t even act… yeah. That acorn head!”

“Yuna, but the atmosphere in our Team 2 isn’t good this time.”

“…….”

At Chief Choi’s words, Song Yuna quickly closed her mouth.

“You know that we need to recruit new actors because Kim Hana, who was our main star recently, and Hanbyeol and Junki, who had some recognition, have left.”

“…So you’re going to sign a contract?”

“I’m just going to talk to him once.”

“You personally?”

“No, I’m going to tell the team leader to watch the video and sign a contract if they think he’s good.”

Song Yuna crossed her arms as if she was uncomfortable and turned her head to the window.

“Hey, Yuna. Please understand the company’s situation. He was good at acting when I saw him today.”

“I really don’t like it… today.”

Looking out the window, she lowered her eyes and looked at her wrist again, which was red with marks.

Then, she gently stroked her wrist and murmured.

“Well… let me know if you sign a contract.”

“Okay, I will. You must be tired, get some rest.”