Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 180

“It’s too deserted, even for a quiet place like this.”

Lee Minki muttered, gazing out the window with a bewildered look.

“Manager, what’s the population of Geoje Island?”

“Around 100,000.”

“100,000 doesn’t sound like a small number.”

“Think of it as barely qualifying as a city.”

“That’s a controversial statement.”

“Assuming there’s someone trying to create controversy, that is.”

Manager Park Hanmo shrugged.

Then, like Lee Minki, he squinted and muttered.

“…It is strange. There are too few people.”

“Right? Is it because we haven’t reached the center yet? Like downtown?”

“This is downtown. Though it’s on the way to Okpo.”

The commercial districts of Geoje Island are divided into three: Gohyeon, Okpo, and Jangseungpo.

The most bustling of these was Gohyeon.

And the place Maiar Pictures was considering as a location was Okpo.

Right now, Manager Park Hanmo was passing through the outskirts of Gohyeon, heading towards Okpo.

“Is it because the city is small?”

To Lee Minki’s question, Manager Park Hanmo also muttered in a tone that suggested he didn’t understand.

“One of my maternal relatives lives around here, so I visit every few years, but I’ve rarely seen it this deserted. Especially since it’s lunchtime on a weekday.”

Lee Minki muttered the next words quietly.

“It’s like a zombie outbreak. Is it because the city is small, after all?”

“You’ve said the same thing twice. Both Gohyeon and Okpo are considered bustling areas in Geoje.”

“Then is it because it’s a small city?”

“That’s the third time. And a small city doesn’t necessarily mean a small floating population. The buildings might be shorter, though.”

That was true.

If it’s a city with a small population, you might imagine there would be few people, but that was just a prejudice of someone who hadn’t lived in the countryside.

As there are fewer people, the commercial districts are limited to certain areas. Naturally, people tend to flock there.

Even a small city’s center is usually comparable to the outskirts of a large city’s downtown.

The current state of Geoje City was clearly strange.

“It’s almost like we’re being filmed with a hidden camera show.”

“That’s a funny joke.”

Manager Park Hanmo chuckled and said.

“Actor Lee, it’s true that you’re one of the most successful actors in Korea these days.”

“Ahem, I’ve been doing alright lately.”

“But even so, 100,000 people isn’t a small enough number to be swayed by one actor. Don’t underestimate Geoje City.”

“…You’re so cold.”

Lee Minki grumbled at the reality check, but Manager Park Hanmo replied nonchalantly.

“I’m just reminding you to be aware.”

“Hmm, still, it’s a shame. I was hoping a lot of people would come to the fan meeting.”

That’s right.

If the city was this deserted, there was no way many people would come, even if it was his first fan meeting.

It wasn’t held in a very bustling area, and he didn’t want to seem too greedy for money from the first fan meeting, so he didn’t sell tickets. He just arranged it so that anyone could enter on a first-come, first-served basis.

But what should he say?

Was it because he had arranged it so that as many people as possible could come?

“It looks like it’ll be a quiet fan meeting.”

It was a bit disappointing for Lee Minki.

He thought it would be lively.

That’s why he had prepared a kind of ‘event’.

“I feel a bit bitter for nothing.”

“If you expect too much, you’ll get hurt.”

Manager Park Hanmo chuckled at the openly disappointed voice and continued driving.

“Working in the entertainment industry, I often feel that the energy in theaters and the energy offline are somewhat different. There are quite a few singers who hit number one on the charts but sell fewer tickets than those in the top ten, right?”

“That’s chart manipulation.”

“Let’s pretend I didn’t hear anything.”

Manager Park Hanmo looked away and cleared his throat, and Lee Minki continued.

“Still, it’s a shame.”

“You don’t need to feel disappointed just because your bowl is empty right now. Just keep filling it up slowly, as you’ve been doing.”

Even in a quiet city, the schedule was tight.

They had to visit famous restaurants, take a light tour of the surrounding tourist attractions, and then join the Maiar Pictures crew to explore the location.

Then, the fan meeting.

“Actor, why don’t you close your eyes for a bit? You need to show the fans a handsome face tonight, don’t you?”

“That’s right.”

Lee Minki chuckled.

“Even if fewer people come, I have to do my best. As the person in charge said, I’ll fill it up from now on.”

You can’t be full on your first try.

For now, this is enough. Let’s do our best for each and every person. If I work hard, the world will reward me. There’s no need to expect rewards for the effort I haven’t put in yet, and there’s no need to rush.

‘Let’s double the number of people at the next fan meeting.’

With that in mind, Lee Minki leaned back in his car seat, wearing the latest eye mask with a warm compress function.

* * *

Of course, it was entirely Lee Minki’s misunderstanding.

“……”

The Geoje City Gymnasium.

A capacity of 3,000 people.

One of the largest indoor facilities in Geoje Island. It’s called a gymnasium, but in reality, it’s more often used as an event venue.

Lee Minki arrived late in front of it.

“It’s Lee Minki!!!!”

He was finally able to realize.

“Wowwwww!!!!”

“God! Min! Ki! God! Min! Ki!”

Entering the inner waiting room with the pouring cheers behind him, Lee Minki barely managed to calm his pounding heart.

‘Why are there so many people?!’

Where did all the Geoje Island residents who had been hiding their presence go? It turned out they were all gathered around the Geoje City Gymnasium.

What is this.

Did Manager Park Hanmo’s car cleverly avoid that path?

Lee Minki muttered, still clutching his wildly beating heart.

“There must be at least ten thousand people?”

“Are you sure?”

“No, it’s just a feeling, but my feelings are accurate.”

The place was unbelievably crowded.

The Geoje City Gymnasium was located on a hill, and the crowd was so dense that it reached the beginning of the hill.

Except for the road, people had occupied everything!

No, even the road was occupied by food stalls targeting the people in line!

“Is today some special day? Like Buddha’s Birthday [a major holiday in South Korea]?”

“It’s the day the actor is coming.”

Manager Park Hanmo smiled subtly, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

‘As expected.’

He knew it.

‘So many came.’

In fact, he was sure that people would flock there, he just didn’t tell Lee Minki. No, he knew the objective truth.

Because the event was being directly managed by JC Entertainment!

‘I already knew when they said they were about to die from a lack of manpower because more people came than expected.’

He had already received word that people were gathering. He was just waiting to enjoy the reaction, pretending not to know, since Lee Minki would find out in an hour or two anyway.

No, he would have known just by looking at the SNS [Social Networking Services] he turns on whenever he’s bored these days.

But Lee Minki didn’t do that.

Why?

‘The actor is not the type to look at his phone when talking to people.’

Because he’s polite!

Lee Minki was fundamentally the type of person who tried to put his phone away when communicating with people.

He respects Manager Park Hanmo in everything. That’s why he doesn’t look at his phone when talking to Manager Park Hanmo. He puts down the phone he was looking at.

What does that mean?

‘If you keep talking to him, you can keep him from looking at his phone.’

You can control his actions!

Manager Park Hanmo can manipulate Lee Minki’s psychology. Unconsciously, at the subconscious level!

This, this was the reason why the taciturn Manager Park Hanmo was so talkative today.

“Manager, you knew, didn’t you?”

“……I was surprised too.”

“Your voice is a bit different from usual.”

“It’s because I’m surprised.”

He was trying to be calm, but a small, uncontrollable laugh leaked out.

This is why people are crazy about hidden cameras.

I should have filmed that face from the beginning.

‘I’ll get used to it.’

Meanwhile, the other colleagues who had belatedly joined at the venue also had bewildered expressions.

“Hana.”

“……Actor, didn’t all the people from Geoje Island come here?”

“That’s a possibility. Maybe they came to see Hana. But what’s that you’re holding?”

“It’s a tornado potato I bought in front. Do you want some?”

“I’m not really into fried food.”

Lee Minki said that and looked again at the crowds of people beyond the gymnasium.

There are so many people.

So many that my temples hurt.

It seems like people came not only from Geoje Island but also from the surrounding cities.

And that was the correct answer.

“It seems there are quite a few people who came all the way from Seoul for the actor’s fan meeting.”

Director Shim Sungbo enlightened him to this truth.

“There was a commotion this morning, so it seems like there’s even more attention.”

That was indeed the case.

Whether they were interested in Lee Minki or not, people couldn’t help but be interested in the kidnapping incident.

Moreover, the person who was at the scene of such an incident was going to go ahead with the event without resting that day. Shouldn’t they come to see him, even if it’s just to appreciate his fighting spirit?

[I came all the way here because of Lee Minki’s fans]

[To not let their efforts be in vain?]

[Where else can you find an actor like this]

[Someone else canceled their tour schedule and rested at home because their calf muscles were sore from playing early morning soccer the day before]

[That HoXX who did a national tour in China?]

[Shhh, they’re coming]

Lee Minki’s actions are innocent.

But because they are innocent, there was a part that touched people’s hearts.

As he unintentionally taught Chun Gunju, he didn’t greatly suspect others and didn’t suspect himself.

[I have to go]

[I came from Gangwon-do]

[Geoje-do is so great because there are many places to park]

[Was Lee Minki a real person?]

[Not CG [Computer Graphics]?]

[A hologram fan meeting lololol]

Eventually, today came.

‘Ah, I’m touched for no reason.’

Lee Minki’s eyes turned slightly red.

It’s fun to meet fans on screen. It’s also good to meet fans as numbers.

But still, it feels different when you meet them outside the screen.

What should I say?

It sinks into my cornea, my ears, my skin, and my heart.

“Lee! Min! Ki! Lee! Min! Ki!”

“Minki!”

“Minki oppa [term used by younger women to address older brothers or male figures]!”

“Joo Hana……”

“Lee Minki!!!!”

The voices echo through the building.

He stands in that echoing building.

The fact that the fans are standing in front of him, waiting for him. That alone made him feel like the world loved him.

Affection.

Lee Minki was feeling the most immense form of affection with his whole body.

“Sniff.”

“Actor, are you crying now?”

“……There’s dust in my eyes because of the fine dust.”

Lee Minki tried to make excuses to Joo Hana, but the person who had been standing there calmly from a while ago opened his mouth.

“Congratulations.”

It was Son Heejeong.

He seemed used to this level of crowd and was unusually calm.

“Since it seems like this level of mobilization will definitely be a success, it would be good to put it in an article.”

To the extent that he was looking at the ripple effect first.

Well, he’s an artist who performs live, so I guess that’s why.

He stroked his chin for a moment, feeling the difference in class, and quietly muttered as he looked out the window for a moment.

“Come to think of it, I see a park next to it. Why don’t we do an event there?”