Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 45

45.

In an apartment living room.

A man in a tracksuit sat alone, chuckling while staring at his phone.

“Wow, Min-ki, you’re really popular.”

“…….”

The person sitting across from him was silent and didn’t say a word.

“I’m jealous. I wish I were popular too.”

“…….”

“What does it feel like to be handsome?”

“…….”

“Min-ki, tell me. Huh?”

It was like a senior teasing a junior in the army.

After being teased unilaterally for a while, Lee Min-ki sighed and said,

“Teacher, stop teasing me.”

“I’m not teasing you. I’m always sincere.”

“You’re sincerely teasing me!”

“Caught me.”

The man in the tracksuit, trainer Kim Ah-sung, chewed on a dried squid leg and burst into laughter.

“But it’s true. The teaser you released this time is getting a great response. You can’t deny that, right?”

“That’s…”

“It is.”

Yoo Seon-ah also added a word.

“It’s a sensation online. People are saying, ‘Where was this rookie hiding?’ and that they’re looking forward to the movie’s release date.”

“We’ll see when it’s released. It’s only known to a few people right now.”

“Ah! Min-ki! Being too humble is just showing off!”

Even Kim Tak joined in, saying,

“These days, the director at the academy is bragging about you. He even printed out your picture and hung it on the wall, saying you’re from our academy.”

“…….”

That director?

He couldn’t picture it at all in his head.

Lee Min-ki became a bouncy ball in the face of the three people’s all-out siege, losing his words and repeatedly washing his face with his hands.

He couldn’t argue.

It was true that the recent response had been good.

[Title: I’ve brought some forever-blue GIFs.gif]

Centered around movie fans on the internet.

[Is his name Lee Min-ki? He looks stylish ㅇㅈ [Short for 인정, meaning ‘ 인정’ or ‘I acknowledge it’]]

[The teaser isn’t bad]

[After 9 years of being into actors, I think it’s finally time to change my favorite actor]

[What if the movie is bad after it’s released?]

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’m not going to see the movie?]

[Ah ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[Have we only been watching movies for a day or two ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[The director is Yeom Gwang-ho ㅋㅋㅋ He’ll figure something out, right?]

[ㄹㅇ [Short for ‘real’]ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

The work hasn’t even been released yet.

Moreover, the topic is still lacking in buzz due to the nature of the work.

But in the midst of that, the portion of the conversation about Lee Min-ki was large.

And it was mostly about his appearance.

‘I’m happy, but honestly, I’m really happy.’

Who wouldn’t like being praised for being handsome? It’s just that it’s a little weird if you show off about it yourself.

Besides, the movie hasn’t even been released yet.

It’s good to get a response for his looks, but it’s just a response from a fraction of people.

‘The really important thing is to watch the movie.’

That’s the main event.

For that reason, he was trying to lower his expectations as much as possible and be humble.

Trainer Kim Ah-sung found that reaction funny and teased him even more fiercely.

“Next year, you’ll be so high up in the sky that I won’t even be able to talk to you, right?”

“……Teacher.”

“When that day comes, I’ll have to sell medicine under the title of ‘Lee Min-ki’s teacher.’ Thank you, actor Lee Min-ki. But I’m not just saying this, don’t you think Min-ki takes especially good photos?”

“Do I?”

Yoo Seon-ah seemed to perk up at the word “photogenic” and added a word.

“He’s really good-looking in person, but he seems to shine even more in photos or videos? Ah, but I think he’s better in person.”

“Ah, that’s it. He doesn’t have any humiliating shots in any situation. Look, look, they all look good, right?”

“Really? It’s true? There are no humiliating shots at all.”

That was exactly it.

Lee Min-ki tended to not have any humiliating shots in any situation.

You could say he was lucky.

No, it was actually luck.

[A photo is a gift from God.]

That’s what a photographer said.

[If your goal is a 90-point photo, you can work hard. But a 100-point photo is different. It requires something more than effort. Countless coincidences must follow, including the flow of time, the situation, and the lighting. That’s why a well-taken photo can be said to be a gift from God.]

Lee Min-ki was especially photogenic in this regard.

A good pose and a stable face in any situation also played a part.

In the end, Lee Min-ki, who was about to explode with embarrassment, waved his hand and said,

“Okay, stop it. I’m really going to die if you keep doing this. I’m already half dead.”

“Hehe, okay, okay. Then let’s have a toast.”

Trainer Kim Ah-sung said, raising his glass.

“For Min-ki’s movie debut to be a big hit!”

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

“……Cheers.”

That’s right.

Today was a gathering to pray for the success of Lee Min-ki’s movie debut.

At trainer Kim Ah-sung’s house.

The three of them used to hang out at the academy often.

But after Lee Min-ki stopped going to the academy, they were looking for a new place, and they made trainer Kim Ah-sung’s house their new hangout.

“But Min-ki, you’re not drinking today either?”

“Because of my health. And I get breakouts on my skin when I drink.”

“That’s too bad.”

As Kim Tak tried to drink his share as well, Lee Min-ki added.

“And I have a reunion tonight too.”

“A reunion?”

At the surprised voice, Lee Min-ki lowered his head shyly and said,

“Yes, it’s been a few years since I’ve gone, but anyway, it’s a high school reunion.”

That’s exactly what it was.

With less than two weeks left until the release, he was planning to finish all the events in one day, and one of them was the reunion.

‘It feels like a long time ago.’

It felt like more than 10 years had passed.

Looking back on his high school days, he honestly couldn’t think of any good memories.

Perhaps it was because he was so unlucky.

His school life was quite difficult.

He didn’t have good luck with people, so accidents happened often.

‘I lived getting pushed around a bit.’

Because of this, Lee Min-ki had hardly ever gone to reunions.

Perhaps because his self-esteem had become severely low as his life as a small-time actor dragged on, he had slowly been avoiding them.

‘But now my luck has gotten better. What would be different if I met them again?’

He had some expectations.

Like being able to share ordinary high school memories like others.

“I didn’t use to go often, but I thought it might be fun to go again.”

He envied an ordinary life.

He muttered with that feeling.

“Really? Celebrities usually don’t go to reunions.”

Trainer Kim Ah-sung shrugged and said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, the ones who have made it even a little don’t go to reunions. At least most of the ones I know.”

“Why? Is there a reason?”

“It’s a job that’s perfect for being hated.”

He chuckled and continued.

“If you haven’t made it, you’re ignored, and if you make it, the vultures stick to you. It’s only good for getting hurt. Celebrities usually have a hard time making even one friend to confide in after they debut.”

“Ah.”

“They go to meet old friends to heal that, but they only get even more hurt and go into a cave and close the lid. Click.”

Trainer Kim Ah-sung filled his glass with alcohol and muttered silently.

“Stars who have made some money are all regulars at the psychiatrist’s office.”

It was a story that was uncharacteristically serious for him.

No, it was actually close to trainer Kim Ah-sung’s experience.

He is working as a trainer now, but he used to be an aspiring actor.

Whether it was then or now, his classmates’ gazes had never been kind.

The story continued for a while.

“Ahem.”

Yoo Seon-ah cleared her throat and said.

“But Min-ki, you have a good personality. You always worked hard even where others couldn’t see. Don’t you think your classmates will recognize that?”

“I hope so.”

“They probably will. I guarantee it.”

Yoo Seon-ah picked up the bottle, filled the glass, and handed it to Lee Min-ki, saying,

“Cheers.”

“…….”

What trainer Kim Ah-sung had said earlier came to mind.

He had said that it was difficult to make friends to confide in after debuting.

‘That might be right.’

Experience isn’t just for show.

But he had a feeling that the three people in this place would be his friends forever.

Trainer Kim Ah-sung is rough at first glance, but he knows how to be considerate of others.

Yoo Seon-ah is a genuinely good person.

Kim Tak… anyway, let’s be thankful that he doesn’t harm others.

‘Yeah, that’s enough for a person.’

He’s not perceptive, but he’s not just not perceptive.

‘Anyway, they’re all good people.’

Lee Min-ki chuckled, feeling something indescribably warm and touching seeping into his heart.

“Thank you. But give me water instead of alcohol.”

“…….”

At the firm words, Yoo Seon-ah blinked.

How could he avoid alcohol even on this good day?

His willpower is amazing. I respect him as an aspiring actor.

But it was also a bit of a buzzkill.

‘But that’s what makes Min-ki who he is.’

I need to catch up quickly.

Yoo Seon-ah handed him a glass of water, thinking that.

“Cheers.”

* * *

At a noisy bar on the 4th floor of Hongdae [A vibrant district in Seoul known for its artsy vibe, indie music scene, and youthful energy].

Bustling voices overflowed from there.

“Hey! It’s been so long.”

“I really missed you so much.”

“How have you been? I thought you were going to die early riding your motorcycle, but how are all your limbs still intact?”

“Why don’t you just curse me.”

There were about 20 men and women in their mid-20s.

The same age, they were cheerfully sharing drinks.

The identity of these people was.

“Ah, thank you for coming to the 24th Imhak High School reunion.”

They were classmates who attended the Imhak High School reunion, Lee Min-ki’s alma mater.

As the makeshift opening ceremony came to an end, the reunion’s true form unfolded.

That was, a drinking party.

“Why are so many people absent?”

“They say they’re all busy with work.”

“Then did the people who came come because they’re all unemployed?”

“Hey, don’t look down on the unemployed. Isn’t there one here?”

“……Can you call me a full-time investor?”

As is always the case with reunions, their stories were nothing special.

Just old memories.

And maybe a story about their recent situation.

But today, there was a conversation topic that he was secretly looking forward to.

After the particularly empty stories continued for a while, they made one person the central axis of the topic as if they had been waiting for it.

That was.

“Did you hear about Min-ki?”

It was Lee Min-ki.

He, who was not yet at this place, continued to be mentioned in various places at the reunion.

“Min-ki? Who’s Min-ki?”

“Lee Min-ki, the actor. Wait, I’ll show you a picture. This guy.”

“Wow, was there someone like this in our class? He’s really handsome.”

“He was in a drama. Was it Campus Story? About school life.”

“He’s a supporting actor.”

“I heard he went to a good agency? Isn’t JC a really big place?”

“I saw an article saying he’s handsome and it’s a sensation.”

The main topic was how successful Lee Min-ki had become.

Or talking about him now, based on how successful he was going to be.

But among the flood of stories, there were also stories in other directions.

“Come to think of it, I remember Min-ki in high school.”

It was a story about Lee Min-ki’s high school days.

To be exact.

“He really wasn’t anything special in high school.”

Stories that he wasn’t particularly special to be doing acting work.

The majority of those stories were.

“He was really insecure. I didn’t even think he was handsome.”

“He was cool in the drama, though?”

“Photos and real life are different. He must be a face that takes good photos.”

They were mostly negative.

It couldn’t be helped.

Lee Min-ki in high school was severely lacking in confidence.

To the point where it was hard to even imagine that he would become an actor.

He was passive in his relationships, so it was impossible for his high school classmates to have positive stories.

What Lee Min-ki got back was the past 7 years.

He couldn’t do anything about the past events that had happened before that.

“Really, I wondered who he was when I saw him. He was always sitting in his seat reading a book.”

“Even during gym class, when everyone else was running around on the playground, he was sitting in the corner watching. With the girls.”

“Was it because he was always getting hurt?”

“Hey, that’s all excuses. How can someone always get hurt?”

The output is proportional to the input.

There weren’t any good stories to begin with, so how could good stories come out?

Naturally, it had no choice but to lead to gossip.

“Hey, but Min-ki’s personality was nice…”

It wasn’t that there weren’t people who were subtly trying to speak well of him, but they were soon swept away.

Gossip had one characteristic.

At first, it was cautious to say harsh words, but gradually the guilt was washed away by mob mentality.

Gossip that had lost its reins became snowballing.

It was because the guilt that should have been had was diluted as it was shared by many people.

It was the same this time.

Like that, for several tens of minutes.

The words going back and forth in the air began to cross the line at some point.

“Didn’t he get plastic surgery?”

“There was a rumor that he used to go to host bars [Establishments where male hosts entertain female customers] from the beginning.”

“His entrance exam also failed, and he went to a construction site, so his life flowed in a shabby way.”

“He became an actor in the end, so you never know. No. Is that what actors are originally like?”

“Hey, but actors have to be lucky. Lee Min-ki is famous for being unlucky, so can he succeed as an actor? Maybe if he shoots one or two works.”

To the point where even his complexes were flowing out.

Perhaps it was fortunate that the person in question was not at this place.

It was because trainer Kim Ah-sung was drunk and acting up, so he was late because he was caught up in that.

“Hey, I can be an actor too.”

“Even Lee Min-ki gets that photo taken because he gets camera massages [A slang term referring to how cameras can make someone look better than they do in real life], so you’re more than enough.”

“Should I just ask Min-ki to introduce me to his agency later? If one work becomes a hit, then life blooms.”

“That’s great.”

As they got drunk, even the last remaining guilt faded.

Like that, they were addicted to badmouthing without even knowing it.

Ding.

The bell at the entrance of the bar rang, and one person walked inside.

No, he was just standing still.

But that alone was enough.

“…….”

“……Wow.”

The twenty or so men and women in the bar stopped talking, fixing their gazes all at once.

They just stopped and couldn’t do anything.

It couldn’t be helped.

It was unavoidable.

‘Who is that?’

‘Crazy, he’s so handsome.’

‘He looks familiar for some reason.’

It was because the person standing at the door was Lee Min-ki.

He was wearing an aristocratic coat and standing silently, receiving the bluish lighting of the interior, creating even a mysterious atmosphere.

As the shallowly cast shadow slightly covered his face, the lighting that rose behind the building became his halo.

What should I say about his appearance, where various situations were intertwined?

The completion of the mood.

It was reminiscent of a scene from a Hong Kong movie.

Lee Min-ki, who was at the center of it, slowly scanned the interior with eyes that seemed to have been drawn with a brush.

‘Did I come to the right place? I think so.’

It’s been more than ten years since I last saw my classmates’ faces, but I can see some faces that are somewhat familiar.

Why isn’t there any reaction?

Lee Min-ki muttered softly, thinking that he should say something first.

“Excuse me, is this the Imhak High School reunion?”

There’s still no reaction.

Lee Min-ki cleared his throat awkwardly and said,

“I’m Lee Min-ki.”

It was the moment those three names flowed out.

‘Ah.’

‘It was Lee Min-ki?’

‘Is it really Lee Min-ki?’

The pupils of the people who had attended the reunion in advance shook all at once.

‘……Real life is amazing.’