I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 235

The girl in the wheelchair who received a piano performance as a birthday gift from Kang Woo-jin. That was Asami Yusako. Her mother, Asami Saya, was a very well-known voice actress in Japan. However, while voice actors in Japan are often treated like celebrities, Saya wasn’t that type.

A voice actress with a beautiful voice and highly regarded skills.

She had top-tier recognition among those of a similar age and was highly respected in the industry. She had worked as a voice actress in many hit productions and continues to do so. Therefore, Saya had many followers on her Instagram, and now she had posted about Kang Woo-jin.

For fans, it was a bit puzzling.

However, after reading the content, it was easy to understand why Saya was mentioning Kang Woo-jin.

[I told Kang Woo-jin-nim, ‘It’s my daughter’s birthday, and she received a wonderful gift.’ Kang Woo-jin-nim asked my daughter what her dream was. My daughter replied that she wanted to be a voice actress and that her favorite work was ‘Howl’s Moving Castle.’ Kang Woo-jin-nim cheered her on. He was such a nice person. That was the end of it. We didn’t even exchange many words. But the actors from the movie ‘A Strange Woman’ were gathered at the restaurant, and Kang Woo-jin-nim also came to the same restaurant.]

[Then, a piano performance echoed through the restaurant. Yes, it was Kang Woo-jin-nim who played. Really, not only my husband and daughter but everyone in the restaurant was surprised. As you all know, the song was ‘Merry-Go-Round of Life’ from ‘Howl’s Moving Castle.’ Why did Kang Woo-jin-nim suddenly play that song? Did you catch it? That’s right. Kang Woo-jin-nim remembered ‘Howl’s Moving Castle,’ which my daughter had mentioned. That sudden piano performance was for our daughter.]

[Can you imagine? It was a birthday gift for a girl from another country, with whom he had barely spoken. It was an amazing act that went beyond fan service.]

Saya described in detail what she saw and felt, explaining the situation. Although not expressed in words, the entire post was overflowing with emotion and awe. The post concluded by mentioning her, her husband’s, and her daughter’s tears, the reactions of the restaurant guests at the time, and the final greeting Kang Woo-jin gave her daughter after the performance.

Of course, many words related to Kang Woo-jin were tagged at the end.

[#KangWoojin #KangWoojinPiano #KangWoojinPianoPerformance #MerryGoRoundOfLife······]

Comments from fans who saw her post began to pour in instantly.

-Oh my god…. I had no idea there was such a story behind it…. It’s really touching.

-I already watched the video of Kang Woo-jin playing the piano, but after reading this post and watching it again, I burst into tears.

-Kang Woo-jin is so, so, so, so cool!

-He gave a piano performance just for one person??

-Wow, if it were me, I would have fainted on the spot.

-This story really needs to be seen by many people, I’ll share it diligently.

-I completely understand your daughter’s tears, Kang Woo-jin seems like a really wonderful person.

-His fan service is insane!! I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere! My favorite artist playing the piano for me right in front of my eyes……

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Comments poured in endlessly. It started with the fans of the famous voice actress Saya, but people who searched the tags also flooded in. That atmosphere, that flow, began to cause another tidal wave.

Because there was a twist hidden in the big issue that shook Japan.

Japanese netizens were enthusiastic about the movie-like story that went beyond a good deed. It’s always the case that when a story that was unknown about an incident comes out, it becomes even more heated. Especially if it’s something unexpected. Just like the current situation.

Many changes were happening among the Japanese public.

People who had viewed Kang Woo-jin with prejudice took off their tinted glasses, and those who were simply admiring his piano skills were moved. It instilled intense favor in those who had no particular thoughts, and those who already liked Kang Woo-jin became almost devout followers.

However, this was only the beginning of the second tidal wave.

About two hours later, in Korea.

Late morning. A large van was speeding down the highway. Its destination was Seoul. Inside, Kang Woo-jin was seen silently looking out the window. His poker face was as thick as ever. But inwardly, he was jumping for joy.

‘Oh- how long has it been since I’ve been in Korea! It’s so good to be back, my hometown.’

It had been a while since he had returned to Korea. In his heart, he wanted to do a shoulder dance, grab his phone, and make a fuss by contacting his family and close friends. But because his concept was so strong, he had to postpone such things.

Whatever the case, it was a stealth entry, so neither Korea nor Japan knew Kang Woo-jin’s location.

Since both countries were already buzzing with talk about Woo-jin, there was no need to make things bigger. This was the same thought for both Kang Woo-jin and Choi Sung-gun. Similar to Japan, there were many new issues related to Kang Woo-jin in Korea. ‘Our Table,’ his next project with PD [Production Director] Song Man-woo, his piano skills in Japan, etc.

Well, Kang Woo-jin was still unaware of the second tidal wave that had occurred in Japan. Choi Sung-gun was the same.

“Hoo- I’d like to let you rest today if possible, Woo-jin. But the schedule is so packed that there’s no time to spare. There’s a lot to do in Korea too. The time we have isn’t long, so I compressed it as much as possible, but it’s still like this. What can we do? We have to do it.”

His schedule in Japan wasn’t light, but Kang Woo-jin’s main focus was still Korea. Not only were there commercials, but his backlog of schedules was exploding.

“Yes, it’s fine.”

Even so, he was also amazed.

‘It’s February now- I’m so busy.’

Last year and this year were so different. He was even going back and forth between Japan and Korea for activities. Woo-jin, who was just an ordinary citizen, had become a famous actor in Japan. It was proof that he had been running non-stop.

And now.

“That’s the rough schedule for the future. I contacted Director Ahn Ga-bok, but shouldn’t you call him separately? Hmm- no. If you do it now, he’ll be busy preparing for the auditions.”

They were on their way to the audition for the actors of ‘Leech,’ which had been confirmed earlier. His first schedule after returning to Korea was to be a judge for the movie by the legendary director Ahn Ga-bok. The audition was scheduled to start around 2 PM. There were about 4 hours left.

‘Well, I just have to sit there. Keep my mouth shut and just watch. Yeah.’

Although he was a judge, Woo-jin’s mindset was no different from that of an audience member.

Still, he didn’t want to look stupid.

‘I heard there will be quite a few top actors there, right?’

Along with the veteran director Ahn Ga-bok, the great actor Shim Han-ho was also a judge, and the actors auditioning ranged from A-list to top-tier. He hadn’t heard exactly who was coming, but for Kang Woo-jin, it was like a battlefield.

Since there were so many big names, his concept had to be several times more important.

Moreover, Kang Woo-jin was the first actor cast in ‘Leech,’ and he was a co-lead actor alongside the formidable Shim Han-ho. Style and dignity were essential.

‘Hmm-’

Woo-jin, who had slowly crossed his legs, turned his gaze to the scripts and scenarios piled up on his right seat, and reached out to pick up the ‘Leech’ scenario. He had already read it several times with his eyes, and had done several readings, but reviewing it was the best way to kill the rising tension.

-Flap.

Additionally, he had thoughts about the recently acquired ‘role synthesis.’ The situation was different from when he had read it before. Kang Woo-jin turned the first page of the ‘Leech’ scenario.

The beginning of ‘Leech’ was about the articles of a conglomerate family.

Their enormous lives and shadows. Incidents and accidents. After quickly showing several articles, the scene changed. The background showed a subway during rush hour. Many people were cramming themselves into the subway to go to work.

Then the scene changed again.

The place was a large warehouse of a manufacturing company. Koreans and foreigners were busy working. Carrying, making, packaging, and stacking materials on pallets. Everyone was sweating profusely. Among them was the protagonist of ‘Leech.’

He was a bit taller, but generally ordinary.

His hair was neat, and his skin was rough as if he didn’t care about skincare. He was wearing work clothes, so there was no difference between him and the other employees.

His name was Park Ha-sung.

A person who only worked to death. Why? Because he had a lot of debt. His father had passed away when he was young, and his mother had also recently passed away. Park Ha-sung was left alone. No, not alone. Debt was always by his side. The hospital bills for his parents and various other things amounted to thousands.

Park Ha-sung’s only choice was to work.

On weekday mornings, he worked at this manufacturing company, and at night, he worked as a designated driver. Unfortunately, he was also a non-regular employee at the manufacturing company. He didn’t rest on weekends either. If the time was right, he took on short-term part-time jobs.

‘If I want to pay off my debt, I have no time to rest.’

His day, month, and year started and ended with work. He had given up on college because he had no money. Studying? He had no time for that. The only skill Park Ha-sung had was sign language. His mother had a disability, and he had to learn it from a young age. Other than that, there was nothing special about him.

Except that he was a bit observant and resourceful?

As usual, Park Ha-sung finished his weekday with work, and on the weekend, he looked for a short-term part-time job to work. Then, he noticed a conspicuous advertisement. It was for staff for a charity event held by a large church. Well, it was just hiring staff to take care of odd jobs.

So what?

The type or intensity of the work didn’t matter to Park Ha-sung. He would just do what he could.

Fortunately, his application was accepted, and after a day of training, Park Ha-sung went to work at the charity event. The place was a huge mansion with a large yard. Food was laid out buffet-style in the yard, and many important people gathered around it. When he actually went, it was a meeting place for the wealthy and influential, rather than a charity event. Foreigners were also noticeable.

In the scenario, Park Ha-sung expresses deep regret about the first person he met here.

‘I shouldn’t have met her.’

At this point, Kang Woo-jin tapped the black square next to the scenario to once again enter the world of ‘Leech.’

In an instant, his world turned into a subspace.

“Let’s see-”

Kang Woo-jin selected ‘Leech’ from the listed white squares.

-[8/Scenario (Title: Leech) has been selected.]

-[Lists the characters available for reading (experience).]

-[A: Park Ha-sung, B: Chairman Yoon Jung-bae, C: Yoon Ja-ho······]

The character was, of course, Park Ha-sung.

[“Preparing to read ‘A: Park Ha-sung’······”]

Soon, endless gray covered Kang Woo-jin. At first, it was dark and nothing was visible. But Park Ha-sung’s voice was heard. No, he didn’t even know if he was speaking now.

“I don’t know anymore, who I am. Who I exist as. I’ve lost my way. Is it really me who’s speaking now? Or am I just making excuses to fit the situation? I’m telling you again, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll be smiling tomorrow morning.”

His voice was weak and drained.

“Is the me who’s smiling tomorrow morning really me? I’m confused. Who am I imitating, or is that me? At first, it was envy. I wanted it. Your world. But now, I can’t find the real me. I think I lost it on the way. It’ll be hard to find.”

As the voice stopped, the world of ‘Leech’ flashed into Woo-jin’s eyes. Or it was Park Ha-sung. Park Ha-sung filled Kang Woo-jin from head to toe. The most prominent feelings were ‘urgency’ and ‘anxiety.’

The colors around him gradually became clearer.

The weather was also like that. It was chilly. The murmur of people was heard in his ears. He felt like his clothes were tight on his body. A suit. Woo-jin, or Park Ha-sung, was wearing a suit. One hand was heavy. He was holding a round tray full of empty wine glasses.

The ground under his feet was rustling.

It was because of the artificial grass that was standing upright. The world of ‘Leech,’ or reality, was not as dark as he thought. It was splendid and enjoyable. The expressions of the people he saw, their relaxed behavior, and the smell of the mouth-watering food were all like that.

-♬♪

Faint classical music was also heard. The first word that came to Kang Woo-jin’s mind after seeing the vast scenery was this.

‘What kind of world is this?’

It was envy disguised as whining. It was jealousy. Then what could he do? They were in the same space, but they were people from different planets. Park Ha-sung sighed softly and continued his work. He carried wine glasses, carried food, and did various errands.

Then, when he went to get some extra chairs that were piled up behind the mansion.

“Hmm?”

Park Ha-sung saw a middle-aged woman. But she looked young. She was also quite tall. Her style was good. It was unknown whether she was lost or just looking around. But one thing was certain.

“She’s a madam.”

Her designer clothes, the jewelry on her ears and neck, and the ring on her finger all looked expensive. In an instant, something hot surged in Woo-jin’s chest.

‘Damn, one of those rings is probably my annual salary, right? Life sucks.’

But he didn’t express it outwardly. Because saying it would only highlight Park Ha-sung’s miserable reality. Soon, he approached the madam and threw out a sales pitch.

“Are you looking for something?”

Then the madam turned her head. She was prettier than he thought up close. No, a lot. Kang Woo-jin almost blurted out a “wow.” How much money did she spend on her face? But age cannot be hidden. There was something subtly aged about her.

She just looked at Woo-jin without answering.

“······”

What is it? Slightly annoyed, Woo-jin asked again.

“I’m sorry, I was just asking if you were looking for something.”

At this point, the madam smiled faintly and shook her head. Here, Kang Woo-jin realized something. No, it was more like a certainty. Without knowing why, Woo-jin reflexively raised both hands.

-Swish.

It was sign language. Woo-jin showed sign language to the madam. He was even very good at it.

[“Are you looking for something?”]

Perhaps it was because of the unique smile and behavior she had just made. Park Ha-sung’s mother was also like that. That practiced smile or laugh that people who use sign language have. If Park Ha-sung or Woo-jin was wrong, he would be called a madman, but fortunately, the madam slightly widened her eyes and raised both hands.

[“You know sign language?”]

[“Yes. I learned it from a young age because of my mother.”]

[“Mother? How is your mother now?”]

[“She passed away.”]

[“I’m sorry.”]

[“It’s okay. It’s been a long time. How can I help you?”]

The madam’s practiced smile disappeared instantly. As if she could finally breathe.

[“Then, will you talk to me? I’m bored to death here.”]

He was reminded of his deceased mother. Of course, the madam in front of him had a completely different face, but Woo-jin was immersed in memories. Thanks to that, Woo-jin unfolded the chairs he was about to move and gestured to the madam. Then, Kang Woo-jin also took out a chair and sat down.

They talked for several tens of minutes.

The topics of conversation were all over the place. She was clearly a madam from a wealthy family, but she was kind to Woo-jin. It was strange. She was different from the wealthy people Kang Woo-jin had imagined. Then, the madam’s phone rang. It seemed like a text message had arrived. After asking for his understanding, she sent a reply. Then, exactly 10 seconds later, a presence was heard from behind.

-Swish.

“Hmm?”

A low, thick male voice. When Woo-jin turned his head, he saw a middle-aged man. A well-fitting full suit, graying pomade hair, he looked over 60 but had a solid body. Above all, his eyes were unusual. He looked at the madam and then turned his gaze to Woo-jin.

“Who are you?”

Kang Woo-jin jumped up.

“I, I’m sorry. I’m a staff member working here, and somehow······”

“Ah, is that so?”

The man, who was smiling faintly, raised both hands to the madam. It was sign language again.

[“Were you having an affair with a young man here?”]

Kang Woo-jin, who was startled, answered.

“A, an affair!! No! We were just talking for a while! I’m sorry!”

“Oh? You know sign language?”

“Yes? Ah- yes. I learned it from a young age.”

“Ho- that’s amazing? Well, if not, you wouldn’t be able to talk to my wife.”

So, the madam was his wife? At this moment, the madam, who had gotten up from her chair, approached her husband and showed him sign language. Kang Woo-jin couldn’t see it because she had turned her back.

[“Honey, I’ll be playing with this kid here. The party is too boring.”]

It was the moment she voluntarily attached herself to the leech.

End