Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 133

The Former Hero is a Top Star – Episode 133

From Each of Their Planets (7)

* * *

“Travel safe. Call me when you arrive.”

“Dad, they have Wi-Fi on planes these days.”

“What? The world’s gotten that good?”

It was the morning of the two brothers’ departure.

The whole family gathered in front of Han Young-joo’s flower shop near their apartment in Dongjak District, before it opened.

Park Geon only had a small carry-on, but Park Seon was almost buried under a mountain of luggage.

“Need a hand?”

“Uh, no, it’s okay. I just ended up packing a lot of stuff I needed… But I’ve been working out lately, you know? Look at this bicep pump.”

Han Young-joo watched her youngest son show off his arm to his brother, a worried expression on her face.

“Don’t go anywhere, just stay at the hotel. And be careful on the day of the film festival.”

“Yeah, your mother’s right. I saw on the news that the neighborhood’s been noisy lately.”

Due to the indiscriminate terrorist attacks in Europe, including France, earlier this year, the film festival schedule was somewhat delayed.

Most of the armed terrorists operating in Western Europe had been arrested, but his parents still couldn’t shake their worries.

“It’s okay. There are a lot of police around there, and they’re being extra careful to prevent accidents because it’s the film festival season. A lot of high-profile people are coming, including our brother.”

“Still, be careful. Does being famous mean you can’t get shot?”

“Oh, Mom, you worry too much.”

While mediating between his mother and youngest brother, their father, Park Yeol-ho, asked,

“You’re taking a taxi to the airport, right? I thought I heard you calling one earlier, but haven’t you caught one yet?”

“Oh, uh, no, it got canceled after I booked it.”

“Should I book one?”

“No, hyung [older brother]! I booked another one!”

Just as Park Seon, who had been acting suspiciously, was desperately stopping his brother from opening the app,

A bright red Porsche pulled up and stopped. The driver’s seat opened, and the person who got out of the car had a familiar bobbed haircut.

“…Actress Jin Ji-yoo?”

Han Young-joo, who was well-versed in the entertainment industry thanks to her son, muttered blankly.

Jin Ji-yoo, wearing a white jumpsuit, ran up cheerfully and bowed deeply.

“Hello, Mother! Nice to meet you, Father. I’m Jin Ji-yoo!”

“Ah, yes. I’ve been watching you… diligently.”

Although she was an actress from her son’s agency, it was her first time seeing an actual fellow actor besides Byun Hwi-seung.

And wasn’t she a famous visual깡패 [visual kkaengpae, slang for someone stunningly attractive] in real life? Han Young-joo received her greetings in a daze, when Park Seon suddenly clapped his hands.

“Ah, Ji-yoo was going to take us to the airport today! I forgot. Right, hyung?”

“I didn’t hear anything about that…”

“I’ll take a taxi. Oh, it’s already time to go.”

…Judging by his awkward acting tone, it was definitely a setup. On the other hand, Jin Ji-yoo was unshaken, as expected of an actress.

She called them Father and Mother in a friendly manner, even holding their hands once each, and then made plans for the next meeting.

“I really wanted to see you both. I’ll visit you separately soon. Let’s have a congratulatory party together when Geon oppa [older brother, term of endearment] returns!”

“Well… if your mother’s okay with it…”

“Of course, I’m okay with it. Our Geon doesn’t talk much about work, so I didn’t even know he had such beautiful colleagues. Come visit the shop or the house later.”

Han Young-joo seemed to like Jin Ji-yoo very much. She grabbed her husband and pushed her eldest son, who had been standing there blankly, into the car.

“Then keep in touch, and travel safely.”

“Yes, Mother, Father! I’ll take oppa safely!”

“I’ll be back.”

With Park Geon’s words of resignation, the Porsche disappeared like a gust of wind.

As soon as the engine sound faded away, Han Young-joo smacked her youngest son on the back.

“Hey, you should have given me a heads-up when something like this happens! Look how flustered your father was, huh?”

“No, I didn’t know either! She suddenly contacted me this morning. She said she had something to say and asked if I could keep it a secret from hyung.”

She thought she was just pretty, but her boldness was like a bulldozer. Han Young-joo, who had been searching Jin Ji-yoo’s filmography, lowered her voice and asked.

“So, what’s going on between you two?”

On the way to the airport, an awkward atmosphere flowed in the car.

“······.”

She was doing so well in front of his parents, but now that they were alone, she seemed to have lost her tongue.

Jin Ji-yoo moved her lips several times before finally offering something similar to a greeting.

“…How have you been?”

“Yes, so-so.”

As he answered, Geon looked at his colleague’s profile.

‘Her health has recovered. Her complexion is good… but her heart rate is still high.’

It had already been over two weeks.

The issue of stalking crime, backed by a member of the National Assembly, had been successfully brought to the forefront.

Victims of stalking, including fandoms of other celebrities and influencers, were at the forefront of pushing for the amendment of the law.

[Family Stalking, ‘Hong Kwang-seok Law’ Gaining Momentum… Expectations for Effectiveness]

[If You’re a Celebrity, You’ve Experienced It Once… Terrifying Stalking, “Please Help Us Now”]

The culprits who caused him to enact that law, Jin Ji-yoo’s family, were paying the price for their crimes.

The Team Leader of Secretariat 1, whom Jin Gyu-il had connected him with, sent a short report.

-Progress is normal. Monitoring the verdict and original trial, up to the appeal trial, and will intervene if necessary.

“Can I play some music?”

“Yes.”

When Jin Ji-yoo turned on Bluetooth, old idol songs began to play.

She seemed to relax only after listening to ‘Five Queens’ music. Jin Ji-yoo, who was tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, murmured quietly.

“I’m late in saying this… Thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You did it for me. Even if my father didn’t, my mother and sister would have come to me again.”

Geon didn’t bother to deny it.

They were family she had been with her whole life. Even if the Human Camp or Assemblyman Hong’s bill were in place, there was no way they wouldn’t have noticed why they were being quiet.

Jin Ji-yoo chose her words carefully for a moment.

“Do you remember when we first met?”

“Yes. You made a special appearance at Eun Writer’s introduction.”

“Actually, I knew about you before that. I heard that you barged into the company and had a showdown with the CEO, so I was curious about what kind of person you were.”

It had already been a long time ago. It seemed to be a group called Wow… something, and he remembered 실금 [silgeum, losing bowel control] the manager who had physically assaulted his younger sibling.

After that, he heard that the group had disbanded after the contract renewal fell through, and it was unfortunate that he had touched his younger sibling on the first day of his return.

‘It was a bit excessive… but they wouldn’t have been successful anyway.’

Thanks to that, he met writer Eun Hee-wook and even debuted as an actor, so it could be said to be a wonderful coincidence.

Perhaps recalling those days, Jin Ji-yoo, who had a faint smile, started the car.

“I’ve been like that since I was young. Even if someone took my things or hit me, I just endured it. I couldn’t say anything I didn’t like.”

The story flowed in a different direction, but Geon listened silently.

Jin Ji-yoo was talking to herself.

“Looking back now… I wonder if that was the biggest problem. Not saying I don’t like it, I can’t do it. This is the end. If I had said those things a little earlier, my dad and mom would have…”

The last words didn’t come out, but he could guess enough. He cut off his colleague’s self-reproach.

“It’s not because of Jin Ji-yoo.”

“······?”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from living, it’s that what’s going to happen will eventually happen. Just like the character Eun Han-seom, whom I played, couldn’t prevent his mother’s death even after regressing. There are things that I can’t do with my own power, no matter how many times I relive it.”

“If it’s something I can’t do…”

“Whether it was when you were a child actor or during your idol days, it’s not your fault. Those who are tempted by desire and delusion would have been tempted again someday.”

Before they knew it, the airport was in sight. Jin Ji-yoo, who had pulled over to the side of the road for a moment, stopped the car and stared at him intently.

“Then what should I do?”

“You have to move forward. Just like you’ve been doing.”

Perhaps because she had dreamed of being a saint, she seemed to be in a somewhat sentimental mood. Geon turned his upper body and looked Jin Ji-yoo straight in the eye.

“You’ll do well, if it’s you, Ji-yoo.”

A silence flowed for a while. As if suddenly coming to her senses, Jin Ji-yoo, who looked at her watch, said in a choked voice.

“I’ve told you my story, so tell me just one thing.”

“Tell me.”

“…When did you get a girlfriend?”

This was a truly unexpected question. Geon looked at Jin Ji-yoo, whose neck was turning bright red, and replied.

“I didn’t have a girlfriend. Not since before I enlisted.”

“No way, then maybe…”

Geon stopped her from imagining dangerous things.

“It’s not like that either.”

“Then why don’t you meet anyone?”

“Something happened in the military, and it’s not over yet. Someday I’ll be able to date someone too.”

It had only been two years since his return, and he hadn’t even found all the memories of the Iron Kingdom. It was a serious sound, but Jin Ji-yoo’s expression was that all her emotions were broken.

“Not even dating, but 교제 [gyoje, associating with someone]…”

“Let’s get going soon. Other people will arrive sooner.”

“There’s still plenty of time left for the flight, what’s the rush.”

Jin Ji-yoo, who grumbled softly, started the engine again.

“But, oppa.”

“Yes.”

“So what style do you like? I asked you before, but you didn’t answer.”

“…You have a persistent side.”

A small city in France,

Nice gradually becomes crowded as the Cannes Film Festival approaches.

It is originally a popular tourist destination with beautiful natural scenery and coastal landscapes, but this time, the film festival was delayed for several months due to the terrorist attacks in Western Europe.

[Eastern European Terror… Turns Out to Be Anarchists from South America, Not the Middle East?]

[Last Year Was a Plague, This Year Is Terror… World-Class ‘Stars’ Gather Through France’s Aches and Pains]

[Saint Seiya Venus, The Week, Osherlock Much… What About Domestic Works Among Fierce Competitors?]

Cannes is considered the highest of the three major film festivals.

In Korea, articles have been flooding in for several weeks, even a couple of months, before.

Among them, the two teams that are attracting attention are the ‘Black Priest’ and ‘Beyond the Sunset’ teams.

It is a long-awaited achievement in the competitive section after the popularity of Korean Wave works, which once advanced to the Emmys through Cannes and OTT [Over-The-Top media services, e.g., Netflix], has slowed down.

Several works were invited to the non-competitive section, but in any case, the award-winning works come from the competitive section.

Expectations are high for the thriller starring Park Geon and ‘Beyond the Sunset’, which was a big hit earlier this year.

And at Nice Airport.

“CEO, hurry up!”

“No, why aren’t there any reporters here? Haven’t they heard we’re coming?”

“…Why are you doing this after enjoying it all in Korea? I told you, we’re complete strangers in France.”

“Still, it’s Park Geon! He’s been to 씨빙 [ssibing, a mild curse word] Fashion Week and Cannes, so isn’t he in the ranks of world stars now?”

CEO Tae Jong-beom and actress Lee Jang-mi bickered as they came out, followed by director Kim Ryul and Park Geon.

“It’s a long way to go to be a world star. I haven’t even been to Hollywood yet.”

“Park Geon will be there soon. We’ll catch something here.”

Behind Kim Ryul’s confident words, Park Geon, who took off his hat, looked around at the crowd filling the airport.

“I hope so.”