I Was Mistaken As A Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 434

Chris Hartnett was about two hours away from facing the ‘real’ ‘Joker’ he had been trying to challenge. He was burning up. His whole body was filled with heat.

How long had it been since he felt this kind of exhilaration?

He, who had been a top star in Hollywood for over a decade, had forgotten. The desperate, combative acting. When he was a rookie, Chris had those qualities too. But at some point, everything had become lukewarm. He had been lucky with his projects, and his handsome looks had also played a part. After reaching the top, everyone praised Chris’s acting.

It was around that time that he started enjoying ad-libs.

It was like performing CPR on his slightly boring acting.

Chris thought he was at the top. And he was, in reality. In terms of recognition and influence in Hollywood, Chris was a Tier 1 star.

However, that was before he saw Kang Woo-jin.

‘It was a delusion.’

The moment he saw the ‘Joker’ at the audition, everything shattered. It wasn’t that his prestige had crumbled. It was just that Chris had declared his first surrender, and now, for the first time in his life, he was heading to the set as a ‘challenger.’ Chris opened his eyes and moved his hand. He picked up the script.

-Flip.

His script was quite messy. It was filled with analysis. But today, he had to do more than just that. He needed agility, flexibility, and creativity.

“······”

In ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain,’ the character Chris played was a reporter. His name was ‘Robert Franklin.’ He was a typical greedy reporter obsessed with scoops, craving wealth, material possessions, and novel experiences. He also becomes the first follower of the ‘Joker.’

Of course, ‘Robert Franklin’ himself intends to use the ‘Joker.’

Thanks to this, the early part of the story features the conflict and psychological gap between the two characters. The awakened ‘Joker’ is busy trampling on society, while ‘Robert Franklin’ tries to take maximum advantage of him. Today, Chris was filming the first encounter scene between the two characters. Soon, he recalled the ‘Joker’ he had witnessed at the audition.

The real ‘Joker’ had come into reality, thoroughly enjoying the antics of the actors imitating him.

‘Damn it, I’m getting goosebumps.’

The goosebumps on his arm. Chris, looking at the script, was keenly aware.

That he was very nervous right now.

Was he scared? It was similar, but it wasn’t about shrinking back; it was the opposite. A challenger before a test. He had been preparing all along, but now that the actual reality had arrived, he was getting anxious.

Around this time.

-Squeak.

The van stopped in the outside parking lot. Looking around, many foreign staff members were running around. They had arrived at the filming location. The place Chris needed to go was his trailer. But he headed to another actor’s trailer, not his own.

-Knock knock.

When he knocked, the door slowly opened. It was Kang Woo-jin, with a cold expression. In other words, this trailer was where Woo-jin was resting. Chris gave him his signature smile.

“You were here, as expected.”

But inside, he was filled with determination. Whether Woo-jin knew this or not, his reply was short and clear.

“Please take care of me.”

“Likewise.”

Even as he replied, Chris recalled the line Woo-jin had given in response to his challenge.

‘But you won’t be able to enjoy it, and you’ll need to be prepared.’

It was a warning. That if he approached it lightly, he would be torn to shreds. Any actor who had seen Kang Woo-jin’s acting so far would have to think about it at this point. Especially someone like Chris, who was already a top star.

‘It’s best to avoid it.’

There wasn’t much to gain for Chris by getting involved with Kang Woo-jin. Even if he did it moderately, Chris’s life would continue to be smooth sailing. Yet, at this moment, he was excited.

‘I don’t care about the gains, I just want to find fun at my limit.’

Chris had already pulled up the emotions of the reporter ‘Robert Franklin’ he was playing, and was looking at Kang Woo-jin in front of him as the ‘Joker.’ It didn’t matter whether there was a camera or not. Analyze and break it down. He would carry this excitement and tension until right before the filming.

Chris, maintaining his smile, spoke to Kang Woo-jin.

“The resolve I talked about last time, I’ll show it to you today. Let’s have a fun shoot.”

“······”

Woo-jin, silently watching Chris’s enthusiastic expression, sighed inwardly.

‘It’s tough, tough. This handsome face is a burden.’

But outwardly, he was as cold as ice.

“As you wish.”

About two hours later.

As always, but especially today, the atmosphere on the set of ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ was heavy. Or rather, should it be said that it was full of spirit? Director Ahn Ga-bok, surrounded by several monitors.

“Let’s start with a bust shot.”

“Sure.”

“Let’s shoot and change the composition step by step.”

“Yes, Director.”

He was talking with the filming team and several key staff members, and about a hundred staff members were busy setting up in various parts of the set, which resembled a city. Extras and minor image actors were also visible. And.

“······”

Nora Foster, the general producer, was watching the entire scene with her arms crossed. Several executives from ‘Columbia Studios’ were around her. They had already heard from Nora about how today’s filming would go. Half of them thought there wouldn’t be any problems, and the other half had worried expressions.

Nora could hear them talking among themselves.

“Director Ahn Ga-bok’s ambition is growing.”

“Aren’t we the same?”

“But it’s unnecessary for the actors’ atmosphere to be too relaxed.”

“Do you want to see a stuffy ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’?”

It seemed their opinions were also fluctuating. Well, it was a natural phenomenon. Anyway, they all had one thing in common: they cared about the project. The worries and conflicts stemmed from that. Nora, standing in front of the executives, didn’t really join the conversation.

‘Talking here is just a waste of energy, it’s something to watch.’

The answer would come from the filming.

It was then.

“Kang Woo-jin is ready!!”

A group appeared in the scene where hundreds of foreigners were lined up. Kang Woo-jin and the makeup team.

No, Kang Woo-jin’s face was pale right now.

Wet, long hair reaching his chin, red lips and eyebrows, a red jacket and pants, a blue shirt, a yellow vest, worn-out brown shoes, and mismatched red and blue socks.

It was the ‘Joker.’

Woo-jin, walking towards the filming zone, looked fully prepared. Overall, he had a solemn air, but Kang Woo-jin subtly recognized that the entire filming set had a heavy atmosphere.

‘Why are they all so serious? Is it just me? Hmm- I don’t know, whatever. I’ll just act as I always do.’

Following him.

“Chris is coming in!!”

Chris Hartnett, wearing round glasses, a brown jacket, slightly worn jeans, and messy brown hair, entered. He had also finished his makeup as the reporter ‘Robert Franklin.’ Soon, the two actors stood on a city street. A brief exchange of glances. But there was no conversation.

Was it a subtle battle of nerves?

Chris felt that way.

‘It feels real now that he’s in front of me.’

On the other hand, Kang Woo-jin did not.

‘Ugh- the gaze is a burden.’

Director Ahn Ga-bok, holding the shooting script in one hand, and a few key staff members approached. Director Ahn Ga-bok gave the two actors some appropriate direction and encouragement.

“As I said yesterday, do whatever you want. Let’s go with that for the first scene.”

Kang Woo-jin and Chris nodded. Director Ahn Ga-bok stepped back. Staff members with boom mics and slates approached. Two cameras held by two people were assigned to Woo-jin and Chris. A camera on a medium-sized jib also moved. The images of the two actors were simultaneously displayed on the several monitors where Director Ahn Ga-bok was sitting.

Soon.

-Swish.

Nora and the ‘Columbia Studios’ executives stood behind Director Ahn Ga-bok, who was sitting in his chair. Director Ahn Ga-bok, who had been staring at them for a moment, turned his gaze forward.

“Ready.”

The dozens of foreign staff members in the filming zone retreated like a tide. Kang Woo-jin stayed in place. Chris moved to the opposite side of the street. Among the few remaining people, a female staff member hit the slate with the scene number in front of Woo-jin’s camera.

-Clap!

Director Ahn Ga-bok’s signal dropped throughout the set.

“Action.”

At the same time, Kang Woo-jin pulled up everything that was imprinted as the ‘Joker.’ ‘Character Synthesis’ and ‘Character Freedom’ also became rampant. The ‘Joker,’ released into reality, suddenly looked at the camera behind him and grinned, his mouth stretched wide.

“Hehehe!”

He ran. He ran like his tail was on fire. But the camera remained still. The first to move were two sturdy men who had been waiting. They chased after the ‘Joker.’ Only then did the waiting camera quickly follow. The monitor shook with a vivid sense of the scene.

Then.

“There he is.”

Chris Hartnett, on the other side of the street. No, the reporter ‘Robert Franklin’ hurriedly crossed the street. The camera followed from the side. Suddenly, a yellow taxi that was speeding by screeched to a halt. It yelled at ‘Robert.’

“Hey!! Are you crazy?!!”

‘Robert,’ or Chris, with a camera around his neck, gave the taxi driver the middle finger.

“Shut up!!”

So far, it was the same as the script. Soon, Chris took off the camera around his neck while still looking for the ‘Joker’ who had disappeared between the buildings.

Slightly. Chris, leaning against the corner of the building, peeked into the alleyway, half his face showing.

At that moment.

-Bang bang bang!!

The sound of gunshots that shook his eardrums.

“Huh!!”

Chris, startled, slipped and fell to the ground. The camera filmed him from above. This was an ad-lib. Chris, slightly trembling his hands, leaned his back against the wall and breathed heavily.

“Haa- haa- crazy.”

Should he run away? If he went like this, wouldn’t the bullet that fired those shots hit his head? Ah- but he was curious, so incredibly curious. Just a little, just a tiny peek? He was dying to see that monster.

That kind of expression was all over his face.

Eventually, Chris slowly turned his body backward while leaning against the wall. Then, he peeked his face into the alleyway again. But strangely, his eyes saw not the inside of the alleyway, but worn-out brown shoes and mismatched red and blue socks. The camera adjusted its angle to Chris’s low line of sight.

Then, his eyes slowly moved up from the visible socks.

Past the red pants and jacket, a pale face with blood splatters, partially covered by wet red hair, was looking down at him.

It was the ‘Joker.’

The ‘Joker,’ or Kang Woo-jin, was staring at Chris as if looking down on him, as if he had been there all along. His head was tilted crookedly. Thanks to the thick painted lips, he seemed to be smiling, but he was expressionless, and he held a silver gun in his hand.

Chris’s body froze because of the hideous ‘Pierrot’ that had appeared right in front of him.

“······Ah.”

It was understandable. This was also a cut that wasn’t in the script. Originally, Chris was supposed to approach the ‘Joker’ quietly, but Kang Woo-jin had come out to greet Chris first, on the contrary.

Here, Director Ahn Ga-bok, who was watching the monitor, buried his face even deeper.

‘It’s ten times more chilling. Yes, the ‘Joker’ should always show unexpected behavior.’

Nora, in the back, narrowed her brows.

‘Is this a horror movie? I would have screamed if I had seen it in a movie theater.’

Around this time, Kang Woo-jin’s first line, looking down at Chris. In the script, it was ‘Did you follow me?’ But while wiping the blood off his cheek with his gun-holding hand.

“You know.”

Woo-jin’s words, with his torn mouth smiling even more prominently, were different.

“Why the long face?”

“······”

Chris, sitting and looking up at the ‘Joker,’ was speechless. Both in acting and in reality. Then, suddenly regaining his senses, he replied with difficulty.

“S-scared?”

“Hehe, ah- yeah. I thought something sad had happened.”

Kang Woo-jin tucked the gun into the front of his pants. He swept his wet red hair back with both hands. It sounded like screams were coming from somewhere. Unfazed, Woo-jin looked down at Chris again and said.

“Wanna see something fun?”

“······Y-yes. Sure.”

“Get up, get up. Let’s go see it together.”

Kang Woo-jin helped Chris up. Chris, while getting up, kept looking at the gun tucked into Woo-jin’s pants. Woo-jin, or the ‘Joker,’ walked with his arm around Chris’s shoulder. The scene captured by the camera looked just like friends walking together. Kang Woo-jin said.

“Oh- what’s your name?”

“M-my name is Robert. Robert Franklin.”

“Robert Franklin. Nice to meet you, Robert.”

“What about you?”

“Me? I’m the ‘Joker.’”

“The ‘Joker’?”

“Yeah.”

Woo-jin’s gaze went down. He saw the camera that Chris was holding.

“A reporter?”

“Huh? Yes.”

“You followed me, right?”

Chris was looking around.

“N-no. It was just a coincidence.”

Up to this point, it was the same as the script. But Chris added a line that wasn’t there.

“What’s your real name, not ‘Joker’?”

-Stop.

Kang Woo-jin suddenly stopped walking. He put his hands on Chris’s trembling shoulders, then slowly narrowed the distance and pushed Chris’s cheeks with his two index fingers, making him smile.

“I told you, I’m the ‘Joker,’ friend.”

“······”

Chris’s eyes were shaking. Woo-jin, who was moving again with him, stood in front of two meat lumps lying on the ground. The foreheads of the two men were pierced. In an instant, Chris’s eyes widened, and Kang Woo-jin, who had been smiling faintly, spread his hands with a ta-da feeling.

“Look! Isn’t it fun?”

Chris was trembling. Here, his line in the script was ‘Did you kill them?’ But Chris changed it.

“H-how many times have you had this kind of fun?”

Woo-jin, or the ‘Joker,’ who seemed about to burst into laughter, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.

“Pffft.”

Eventually, he started to laugh heartily.

“Kekekeke.”

He laughed even while smoking. Chris, frowning at the sight, asked again.

“Why, why are you laughing?”

“Hehehehe, hahahaha.”

Kang Woo-jin, who had been laughing heartily for a while, looked at the front camera and replied. It was a line that wasn’t in the script.

“I just thought of another prank.”