Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 189

The Former Hero is a Ten Million Actor (2)

* * *

A year later, summer.

In a mixed-use apartment building in Dongjak District,

The actor’s family home is bustling from the morning.

“Ugh, I’m late! Mom, why didn’t you wake me up!”

Park Seon, rushing out of his room, screamed.

Despite the family’s recommendations, the lady of the house doesn’t hire help separately. Han Young-joo, rummaging through pots in the kitchen, replied.

“I woke you up several times, you just didn’t get up.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yeah. You take after your dad and can’t handle your liquor, yet you drank so much. You were completely passed out, reeking of alcohol.”

“Ah, I definitely remember up to a certain point…”

While Park Seon clutched his head, a grating voice came from the dining table.

“He’s officially a team leader now. Seon has to manage many actors, idols, and road managers, so he must have had a hard time lately.”

“No, hyung [older brother] drank more than I did!”

“That’s true. Our alcohol detoxification rates are different.”

The one who had downed a dozen or so bottles of champagne last night nonchalantly took a sip of seaweed soup.

Sitting at the table, the father, Park Yeol-ho, gave his eldest son a worried look.

“Hey, don’t just accept and drink everything they give you for your birthday. You can pass it on skillfully, and no one will say anything.”

Park Geon nodded readily.

“It’s okay. Either way, once I start a project, there are after-parties several times over.”

“Really? Well… I heard that people in broadcasting are famous for being good drinkers.”

“Yes. This time, many foreign friends came, so the parties are scheduled almost every day for a month.”

His birthday had passed three days ago according to the solar calendar.

However, an actor’s birthday party doesn’t usually end with just one or two events.

Birthday fan meetings, related personnel, acquaintances here and friends there… No matter how much you gather them all at once, you have to hold a drinking spree for over a week.

“Anyway, don’t overdo it. Especially you, Seon, you’ll get burned trying to keep up with your hyung’s drinking capacity. If you can’t drink, just pretend to be drunk.”

“Ah, I can drink well too!”

“You call that drinking well? You even lose to your mom. Hurry up and eat this and wash up. And wash your hair!”

Han Young-joo, who had quickly brought over some honey water, suppressed her youngest son’s rebellion.

Three years after being discharged from the military. It’s not just the Park Geon and Park Seon brothers who have changed. Park Yeol-ho, whose face is radiantly content, smiled broadly and picked up his spoon.

“Don’t treat him like a child, honey. Our Seon is the youngest team leader at that company. If we ever get cast for a family entertainment show…”

Han Young-joo, who was pushing Park Seon into the shower, narrowed her eyes.

“Why, do you want to be on public broadcast again?”

“No, I’m just saying!”

After EBC’s mockumentary, ‘The Path of Fire: Into the Firefighting,’ aired, Park Yeol-ho enjoyed popularity almost as much as his sons for a while.

He received casting offers from famous programs, and countless people recognized him just walking down the street.

Feeling a bit guilty, Park Yeol-ho quickly changed the subject.

“How are Young-ho and Seung-ah? Are they doing well?”

“Yes. Young-ho came up from Yeosu, and the three of us met the day before yesterday.”

His classmates, the two legal professionals from the ‘Hopeless Trio’ group chat, were also doing well.

Bae Young-ho had completed his service in Seoul and was assigned to a branch office in the provinces, and Seo Seung-ah had reportedly moved to one of the top three law firms in Korea.

“Your mom wants to treat them to a meal. Tell them to come over anytime.”

“Oh, Young-ho hyung and Seung-ah noona [older sister]? They said it’s been a long time since they’ve seen Mom and Dad, and they’ll visit soon with gifts!”

Park Seon, who had opened the bathroom door and was loudly washing his hair, chimed in from afar.

Looking around the living room, Park Yeol-ho clicked his tongue.

“Well, there probably isn’t any room to put them now…”

Even though the living room had become much larger after moving, it was not enough to handle the gifts pouring in for the world star.

Refrigerators, air purifiers, stylers… In addition to those, all sorts of large and small gifts filled the family home to the brim and were even being moved to Park Geon’s apartment.

Following Park Yeol-ho, Han Young-joo, who had looked around the house, sighed.

“Really, they’re such grateful people. Even after all this, they said there’s still more left?”

“Yes. Things that are hard to bring in or… things that came to the agency are kept at the company for now. A lot of gifts for Seon’s promotion have also arrived.”

From a parent’s perspective, there are few things as rewarding as seeing their children being loved.

With a touched expression, Park Yeol-ho took Han Young-joo’s hand.

“Honey, our sons have already grown this much. When they first went into the entertainment industry…”

With the tearful speech of the head of the family, the family finished breakfast.

Today’s first schedule is at Roman Entertainment. They planned to go to the company to meet with agency colleagues, then move to a lounge booked nearby to have a party from the afternoon.

“Two Quantoms, the full Puffing Dolls lineup, and two or so newly debuted teams are coming… There will be over thirty people again this time. Let’s go quickly, hyung.”

Park Seon, dressed in a neat suit and with his hair styled with pomade, urged him on.

On the other hand, the actor is still as laid-back as he was in his early debut days. Park Geon, wearing a baseball cap, exchanged greetings with his parents, who had come out to the front door.

“I’ll be back. I won’t be too late.”

Park Yeol-ho glanced sideways at Han Young-joo next to him.

“Don’t overdo it. Your mom has reserved a hotel restaurant for tomorrow.”

“Of course, it’s been a while since we had a family gathering.”

“Okay. But Geon, you…”

“Yes?”

Park Geon, who had opened the front door halfway following his younger brother who had gone out first, turned around.

Han Young-joo stared at her eldest son’s face for a moment before smiling contentedly.

“No. Have fun.”

“Yes. Hwi-seung hyung told me to pass on his regards to Mom, he said he’ll come visit soon.”

“…Again? Does that friend not work?”

Inside the van.

Usually, a road manager accompanies them, but Park Seon took the driver’s seat for the first time in a while.

Geon asked with concern.

“I can drive if you’re tired.”

Park Seon shook his head, looking in the rearview mirror.

“Hey, what are you talking about? This level of hangover disappears in an instant with a bowl of Mom’s seaweed soup!”

“For someone who says that, the car has been swerving since a while ago.”

“Oh oh, really?”

“Just kidding. You’re driving well.”

“Ah, hyung!”

Park Seon, who was hastily checking the center line, stroked his chest.

“…I can’t get used to hyung making jokes like this. You never used to joke before.”

“People change. I’ve become an ordinary person who can’t even regress anymore.”

The story he had serialized, the Tale of the Iron Kingdom, was still a secret between the two brothers.

One year ago… After the filming of ‘The Book of Gods’ was completed at the filming set, quite a few production companies and PDs [Production Directors] contacted them through the agency.

-This is Park Jong-ryul from MBS. If it’s a work written and acted by the actor, the director will schedule it for prime time anytime…

-We’re contacting you from Studio Gallos. If there are no ongoing contracts, we’d like to turn the actor’s story into a screenplay…

-This is Director Oh Yu-tae. A good position has opened up at Idea Plus, and we can receive full support for production costs, so we can work together…

All the countless contacts were rejected.

The story posted on the fan cafe was merely a reflection of memories, and he didn’t want to act out the events he had experienced in the Iron Kingdom again.

And, the biggest reason was—

“Hyung, I still don’t really understand. Was it really a past life experience?”

Taking advantage of a brief stop at a traffic light, Park Seon asked, looking in the rearview mirror.

Geon gave an answer that was true but not true.

“Well, wouldn’t it be similar?”

“It was like that on the last day of filming too. I felt like I was possessed by something, like we all had the same dream.”

“New Zealand?”

“Yeah. Mr. McLaine also said that when he came to his senses, it felt like the world had changed… The director and other staff members all said the same thing.”

Geon turned his gaze to the car window. Just before the connection between dimensions was severed and the stopped time began to flow, he was saying his last goodbyes to his old comrades.

—You look good in your current form.

As the saintess’s voice faded, Geon focused his mind on the fading thoughts.

—I have not given up.

—…

—Even if it’s not in this life, even if it’s not in this form, we will meet again someday. At that time, I will call your name again.

The wave that was about to disappear trembled faintly. Towards the scattering light, he conveyed his last words.

—As Park Geon, a human, not a hero.

And a year passed.

It has also been 13 months since ‘The Book of Gods,’ which ranked first on Wellflix on its first day of release and broke the platform’s rankings in less than an hour, wrote a new history.

Even though he swept the awards ceremonies at the end of the year and the beginning of the year and proudly made it to the platform’s annual Global Golden Best, he did not see any other illusions.

‘Hapki is…’

The traces of the Iron Kingdom, the Hapkido [Korean martial art] that returned whenever the camera turned on, disappeared.

Geon looked down at his hands. The power of the other world that had made the impossible possible was now gone.

His strong mentality, superhuman physical strength, and acting skills that immersed him in his roles were still there, but… the link that connected him to that world was severed.

‘It must be because all the memories have returned. The dimensional rift will gradually be filled.’

At that moment, his cell phone vibrated. When he checked the messenger, the name of a colleague who would be at the company in advance popped up.

[Jin Ji-yu]: Oppa [term of endearment used by a younger woman to an older man]! When are you coming?

[Jin Ji-yu]: Everyone is waiting ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s a surprise party, they’re so excited

[Jin Ji-yu]: Currently arrived: Jin Ji-yu, Choi Phillip, Seo Hee-do, Byun Hwi-seung, Lee Jang-mi

[Jin Ji-yu]: Baek-gu duo is expected to be late (upside down cat emoticon)

Geon smiled slightly. Even after the filming of ‘The Book of Gods’ ended, he continued to maintain a close relationship with his agency colleagues.

Choi Phillip had advanced to Hollywood, and Gu Shin-seung had stood together at last year’s Milan Fashion Week.

Others who had formed relationships through their works were also actively continuing their activities in various fields, whether it be movies or dramas.

The big news would be that Jin Ji-yu, Baek Ha-ni, and Lee Jang-mi would be appearing together in a new weekend drama.

[Park Geon]: I’ve departed. I’ll be there soon.

It was when he leaned back in his seat while sending the message.

“…?”

Geon turned his head. Noticing his hyung staring intently out the car window, Park Seon asked as if something was wrong.

“Hyung, why? Was someone there?”

At the intersection, the blonde hair that had been glimpsed was quickly obscured by the crowd.

He blinked a few times and replied.

“No. I think I saw wrong.”

Arriving at Roman Entertainment.

When the two brothers got off on the floor where the lounge was located, people were gathered like clouds.

Park Geon, his eyes wide, grabbed an employee and asked.

“Uh, why is everyone out here?”

“A foreign actor we don’t know came! They said they’re looking for Actor Park?”

“…Me?”

The person himself is the best to greet a guest. When Park Geon appeared from the back, the employee was overjoyed and pointed to the inside of the lounge.

“You came just in time! Go quickly, they’ve been like that since a while ago!”

A foreign actor? No one immediately came to mind. Park Geon tilted his head, and then a familiar voice was heard.

“No, I mean, who are you? I need to know to contact them or not.”

“Aria. I already said that.”

It was when a slightly curt voice was heard following Jin Ji-yu’s questioning.

“…Hyung?”

Park Seon turned to look at his hyung, who had suddenly stiffened. Without answering, Park Geon pushed through the crowd and moved forward.

After taking a few more steps, his company colleagues were surrounding a blonde woman.

“Wow, this is ridiculous. Coming here out of nowhere and demanding that we hand someone over…”

“But who is she? She looks like an actress, but I can’t find that mask even when I search for it.”

Next to Jin Ji-yu, who was raising her voice, Choi Phillip looked at his smartphone and the woman alternately with a strange expression.

“She must be an extreme fan. We can just call security and kick her out, why is everyone hesitating?”

This time, Baek Ha-ni, with her arms crossed, chimed in. Whether she understood Korean roughly or not, the woman with long blonde hair turned around abruptly and muttered.

“These kids can’t even understand what I’m saying. Hero, you must have suffered a lot among these fools…”

“Hey, who are you calling a fool!”

“Are you done talking?”

While the two actresses were shouting at the same time, the murmuring of the people stopped.

Step, step… In the silent crowd, Park Geon, who had walked in, faced the blonde uninvited guest with an indescribable expression.

“…Aria.”

What, were they really acquaintances? As Manager Yoo Joon-il whispered to Gu Shin-seung, the woman called Aria gave a faint smile.

“I told you? That I would come.”

“…”

Like that moment of farewell, a transparent cluster of light lingered at the ends of her hair before scattering.

Park Geon raised his head.

The smile of a ten million actor, who had shed the karma of a hero,