Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 34

Who Calls Them Outsiders (2)

* * *

If someone unknown suddenly becomes a star, how do they perceive their newfound popularity?

‘Just step outside. That’s how you’ll know, right?’

Some actor said that, but it’s only half true.

Popularity is usually felt first through industry insiders rather than the fans themselves.

“Hello, I’m Park Gun, a new signing. Please take good care of me.”

“Oh my, you actually came!”

“Wow… Actor, what took you so long!”

On the way to the PR team’s office, greetings and well wishes poured in from everyone he met in the hallway.

Park Sun, even more excited than his brother, handed out rice cakes and coffee he had brought, using both hands.

“Here, please have some of this. My brother said you guys are working hard late, so he wanted to get you something. We have white rice cake and red bean rice cake, and all the coffee is decaf!”

A handsome guy and a cute guy, a great combination, and they even brought gifts.

Broad smiles bloomed on the faces of the staff.

“It’s contract rice cake [rice cakes given to celebrate a new contract]. This is really special…!”

“It’s the first time an actor has come to hand out coffee like this since that old-timer actor did.”

“Hey, Ji-yu treats us often, too, right?”

“You can’t compare it that way. Our Angel Jin isn’t an actor; she’s an actual angel.”

“Did you say angel?”

The PR team’s reaction was especially enthusiastic.

“Oh, you guys!”

A man who seemed quite familiar, having looked up from his monitor, grabbed Park Sun in a hug.

“Hehe, Team Leader Gong. I’m back.”

“Welcome back. You look much brighter!”

Roman’s PR team leader, Gong Gi-hyung, was wearing a striking green suit.

While the two were catching up, another male employee explained with a smile.

“Team Leader Gong was very disappointed when the Oh Gwi-jun incident happened. Park Sun often came up because the Wow Kids caused so many minor incidents.”

“Those brats, I knew their eyes were up to no good. I should have known they were doing that behind the scenes.”

To Gun, who had nothing to his name back then, someone who treated his brother well was a benefactor. He bowed his head.

“I’m Park Gun. Thank you for taking care of Sun.”

“Taking care of him? I also heard a lot… no, I kept seeing your great work. While you’re here, my team and I will support you with all our might.”

“No, why are you saying that, Team Leader!”

“What does it matter? It’s good if you do well, get a huge offer, and go anywhere!”

Team Leader Gong was as cheerful as his first impression. The team atmosphere was also good, and everyone welcomed the new member, even though they all looked tired from working late.

“Okay, everyone, grab a coffee. I’ll share all the tips I’ve gathered over six years on how to get the most out of being exploited.”

He said he was going to take a break anyway and volunteered to give the two brothers a tour of the company.

As expected of a large agency, the internal facilities were more luxurious than most hotels.

Practice rooms, recording studios, a gym taking up an entire floor, an organic restaurant zone, and various convenience facilities, including a huge sauna, caught the eye.

Park Sun, who said he had only been to the practice room and bathroom, gaped.

“Wow, this is really nice…”

“Right? Now you guys can use it like you own the place. Especially Sun, if other team leaders or road managers give you trouble, tell me.”

“I don’t think they will.”

At Gun’s words, Team Leader Gong made a knowing expression.

“Well… who would dare to mess with Park Gun’s brother? But there’s one person you need to be careful of.”

“…Could it be actress Baek Ha-ni?”

“That’s right. Sun, you probably heard from the other team leaders, right? When Baek goes ballistic, even the head of the department and the CEO back down.”

As they were talking, they arrived at a lounge where some employees were drinking coffee.

During the day, a barista is stationed there, but even after work, employees can use it freely 24 hours a day.

Team Leader Gong took out three bottles of vitamin drinks from a huge display.

“Isn’t Baek Ha-ni an actress in the same company? I read her profile on the website.”

“That’s right. Goo Shin-seung, Choi Phillip, Jin Ji-yu, and Baek Ha-ni, these four are the faces of Roman. Among them, Baek Ha-ni is the most difficult. How else would the former PR team leader have gotten six stomach ulcers?”

Park Sun, who was listening, was startled.

“Really?”

“Hehe, actually, it was because of smoking. He smoked three packs a day. Work stress also played a part, though.”

Whether an actress in the same company has a bad temper or not is none of their business. It’s not like they’ll be in the same production, so what does it matter?

“How is Jin Ji-yu?”

“Ah, right. Gun, you’ve met Jin before, right?”

“Yes. She came as a special guest in the later part of the drama.”

Team Leader Gong winked meaningfully.

“There’s a saying among industry insiders: Jin Ji-yu is like an entertainer because she doesn’t seem like one, and Baek Ha-ni is like an entertainer because she’s every bit the entertainer.”

He had no idea what that meant, but his brother seemed to understand.

“You get the feeling, right?”

“Yes, I understand!”

“Okay. Let’s stop here for today, and later I’ll tell you how not to get caught up in Baek’s disasters…”

Team Leader Gong said with a smile.

In the distance, there was a small commotion near the entrance of the lounge.

“Hey, hey, Ha-ni! What now!”

“Leave her be, Team Leader. Is it the first time Baek-bomb [a reference to Baek Ha-ni’s explosive temper] is going off?”

Following the voices of men he had never heard before, stars appeared.

First, the man in the back wearing jeans. He was clearly a team leader-level manager working at Roman.

On the other hand, the two men and women in front boasted truly stunning beauty.

The woman had an innocent beauty that seemed almost unreal, with a sophisticated urban charm, and the man was handsome with gentle features and no double eyelids.

What they had in common was that they had incredibly small heads, great proportions, and a unique aura that radiated from them.

Team Leader Gong, looking back and forth between Baek Ha-ni and Choi Phillip, covered his eyes with his suit sleeve.

“Ah, my eyes hurt.”

Tension filled the air. The current top players and the promising newcomer stared at each other for a moment.

Choi Phillip, the one-pick [most popular] of the monolid world, smiled and launched a preemptive strike at Baek Ha-ni.

“What do you think, Baek Ha-ni? Isn’t it worth getting a solo article about renewing my contract?”

“Is the soundproofing in our company bad? I hear a dog barking somewhere.”

“Yeah, that’s your dog, Bopbi.”

Soon, the company’s two representatives began a fierce battle.

Saying things like they didn’t want to renew their contract because they were embarrassed because of the other, or that their neck wrinkles were growing like a lizard… Their innocent and gentle appearances contrasted sharply with the venomous words they exchanged.

“…That’s the Choi-Baek War I’ve only heard about…”

Park Sun took a step back with a look of exhaustion, but Gun retraced his memories.

‘Where did I hear that?’

The voice of a woman named Baek Ha-ni was in his memory. It was the voice he had heard from the van across from the restaurant during the wrap-up party for ‘Dogs of Seoul’.

Team Leader Gong mediated, making it clear that he didn’t really want to stop them.

“Hey, you two. Everyone’s watching. If you’re okay with it, why don’t you go to that empty recording studio over there…”

Baek Ha-ni scoffed.

“What are they going to do if they see? Is there anyone among the employees here who hasn’t cursed Baek Ha-ni’s bad temper?”

Choi Phillip also nodded.

“I have. Twenty times a day.”

You can’t say you did something you didn’t do. Gun kindly informed her.

“I haven’t yet.”

“Huh? That’s because you’re seeing me for the first time…!”

Baek Ha-ni, who was taken aback with a hit-in-the-face expression, quickly composed herself. A cold and haughty public mask adhered to her white skin.

“Hey, since you’re here, let me ask you something.”

“Go ahead.”

“Did you really dislocate the CEO’s jaw?”

“Pfft!”

Team Leader Gong finally spat out his coffee.

“I didn’t dislocate it. I don’t hit people either.”

Baek Ha-ni continued without changing her expression.

“Okay, so when you’re going to do something weird, give me a heads up. Same goes for when you’re going to break an arcade machine or a glass window. It’s the most horrifying thing in the world for a male actor to have the same concept as me, an actress.”

“Hey, do you think Park Gun is like you? He pays for everything he breaks.”

Choi Phillip interjected again, but Baek Ha-ni ignored him without turning around.

“I understand. If I ever have to break something again, I’ll contact Baek Ha-ni first.”

“What?”

“But I might not be able to get permission if it’s a matter of people’s safety.”

The actress’s expression was tinged with bewilderment, followed by a stain of some unknown emotion.

As expected of a top actor, every tremor of her facial muscles was clearer than anyone he had ever seen.

“…Seriously, unbelievable.”

Baek Ha-ni muttered and turned away.

“See you again, everyone, sorry for the trouble. Ha-ni, you’re going to see the head of the department, right!”

Even wearing heels that were well over a hand span, she was so fast that her manager hurriedly chased after Baek Ha-ni, who was quickly moving away.

“Well, then.”

Choi Phillip cleared the awkward atmosphere.

“The weird one is gone, so let’s introduce ourselves like normal people. I’m Choi Phillip.”

“I’m Park Gun.”

“I heard you were also discharged from a special forces unit? I’m also from the Special Warfare Command, 1st Airborne Brigade.”

“Yes. I served as a non-commissioned officer.”

“Wow, I’m even happier to hear you’re a veteran. All the guys in this industry get out as celebrity soldiers [a derogatory term for soldiers who receive special treatment due to their celebrity status].”

“Wait a minute, you two, freeze!”

The sound of flashing lights burst out in rapid succession. Team Leader Gong, who was taking pictures of the two actors’ two-shot like he was filming a pictorial, smiled contentedly.

“This picture is amazing too. A combination of a wildly sexy decadent man and a puppy-like handsome man… It’s different from when he’s with Shin-seung.”

“Hey, puppy? I’m a hellhound. The team leader knows best because he’s always covering for me.”

Choi Phillip replied nonchalantly and shook hands with Park Sun. Unlike his upright and wholesome appearance, he had a frank and cool attitude.

“Pfft, Phillip and Baek are our agency’s one-two punch. But where did you leave Team Leader Kim and come alone?”

“Ah, Hyung Young-tae.”

Choi Phillip chuckled innocently.

“I made a hotel reservation and sent him away. Tomorrow is his 200th day with his girlfriend, and I didn’t want to cause a controversy by making him take care of a celebrity.”

Then the two laughed for a long time and disappeared downstairs with Team Leader Gong.

“I’ll borrow the team leader for a bit. See you later.”

Silence fell in the lounge. The employees who had been watching the commotion with interest returned to their work as if it were a common event.

In the aftermath of the storm, Park Sun drooped his shoulders.

“It’s still difficult here even after coming back…”

*

Time flies like an arrow.

The weather, which was early spring when he was discharged, became autumn, with the trees turning colorful.

According to the news that Park Sun diligently brought, Director Kim Ryul seemed to be focusing on the final revisions of the script to match the cast actors.

CEO Tae Jong-beom was said to be directing the production by mobilizing all the studio staff and was wailing that even ten bodies wouldn’t be enough.

‘Is filming a movie different from a drama?’

He would find out when he went. Gun downloaded a new game, watched a few horror movies, and spent his time.

And finally, the day of the script reading dawned.

*