“Is There Anyone for This Role!”
He was such a perfect fit for the role of Cheolmin that I wondered why I hadn’t thought of him sooner.
“Even though I’m in a rush, I’m not going to cast just anyone.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
I was certain Incheol would like him too. In this situation, there was no one better.
“Who is it, then? You know we can’t offer much in terms of pay.”
“Probably… he won’t mind too much.”
He was someone more sincere about acting than anyone, so I believed he wouldn’t be hung up on the guarantee.
“Is it someone I’d recognize if you said the name?”
“Hmm… you probably won’t know him, Director.”
“Who the hell is it?”
Leaving the curious Incheol behind, I hurried to contact him.
***
An apartment in Gyeonggi-do.
Does he live here?
I was here to meet “him” right now.
He’d started a new job and was too busy to make time, but I’d barely convinced him and set up this meeting.
“Hyunjae!”
I looked around at the voice calling me from somewhere.
“Huh?”
But I couldn’t see him anywhere.
“Jung Hyunjae!”
My name was called again, and I turned around to find the source of the sound.
“Over here.”
Then, a hand suddenly stuck out from the window of a parked car in front and waved up and down.
Korea Delivery…?
As I approached slowly, a familiar face appeared in the driver’s seat.
“Hyung!”
“It’s been a while, Jung Hyunjae.”
It was Jinseok, who had been at Hyungcheol’s agency.
“Why… delivery?”
“I told you. I started a new job.”
“And that’s delivery?”
“Yeah, I have to head to the next apartment anyway, so let’s talk on the way. Get in.”
With wireless earbuds in his ears, he spoke hurriedly—he was every bit the delivery driver.
- He looked so busy that I didn’t hesitate and got right into the passenger seat.
“Delivery out of nowhere…”
When he’d said he started a new job, I’d thought maybe acting teacher or a regular company job.
Delivery never crossed my mind.
“What kind of job could I do without any certifications?”
He said it matter-of-factly to my shocked self.
“Still, I never imagined delivery.”
“It took a long time and was tough at first, but now I’ve got some experience under my belt.”
“Ah…”
The actor he once was had become a completely ordinary member of society.
“I work all day without breaks, but I make more money than before.”
“Isn’t it hard?”
“It is, but I have to do it.”
That’s when I noticed it.
As he gripped the steering wheel, a ring sparkled on his fourth finger.
“A ring…?”
“I couldn’t tell you because we didn’t have a wedding, but I’m married.”
“Married?”
So much had changed for Jinseok in the time I hadn’t seen him.
“I’ve become the head of the household, so I have to work hard.”
I could totally understand why Jinseok had started the delivery job.
We arrived at the next apartment quickly, and he got out of the car, skillfully unfolding the cart and unloading the packages.
“If I don’t finish today’s load, I can’t go home, so I don’t have time to chat at a cafe or anything.”
“No problem. Is this all that needs unloading?”
When I tried to help him with the heavy stuff, he stopped me.
“Forget it. How can I make a star do this kind of work?”
“Star? I’m not that big a deal. And hyung, didn’t you see ‘Three Meals in the Countryside’? I’m great at work.”
“My wife is a fan of that. She didn’t believe me when I said I know you—perfect timing. Get her an autograph later or something.”
“Hyung, you’re a total lovesick fool now, huh?”
Back then, he only cared about acting, but love had changed Jinseok a lot.
“Ahem, we’re newlyweds.”
“Will an autograph do? I could do a fan meeting.”
“Huh? A fan meeting?”
“Let’s go for now. You said you have to finish to go home.”
This wasn’t the place to talk about it, so finishing Jinseok’s work came first.
With both of us hustling, it took less time than if he’d done it alone, and once finished, we headed to Jinseok’s house.
It was his consideration for me.
“Hello~”
“Wow! It’s really you?”
When we entered, Jinseok’s wife was waiting at the door and couldn’t hide her surprise upon seeing me.
“I told you. We were at the same agency when I was acting.”
“I’m a huge fan~ I watched all your dramas! I thought he was lying, but it’s true?”
“Have you ever seen me lie?”
“Yeah, tons of times? Come in anyway.”
“Yes, excuse me~”
Even in the short walk to the living room, the two were whispering and touching—it was obvious to anyone they were a loving couple.
“I threw this together quickly since you were coming, but I don’t know if it’ll suit your taste.”
“Wow~ It looks so delicious?”
“Don’t worry. It’s all meal kits… Oof!”
His wife elbowed him in the side as he revealed the source of the food.
“Hahaha, enjoy~”
Over the meal, I heard their love story, and when we finished, his wife brought out two drinks and went into the room.
“All right, you’ve been waiting all day—tell me now.”
I’d come to ask him to do the project with me, but seeing Jinseok living happily in his ordinary life, I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
“Want me to guess what you’re going to say?”
“Huh?”
“You’re here to ask if I have any thoughts about acting again, right?”
Jinseok nailed my purpose exactly.
“How did you know?”
“It’s obvious. You’re not here to borrow money, or pitch a pyramid scheme, or hand me a wedding invite.”
“Hyung, there’s a good project…”
“Sorry.”
He apologized right away without even hearing me out.
“I’m happy now. I completely gave up on acting after that time.”
“But you were so sincere about acting.”
“I was. That’s why I shook off every last regret.”
This won’t work… There was no one more perfect for the role than Jinseok.
“Even if you just read the script and then decide…”
“No. What’s the point of reading it if I’m not going to do it?”
He was firm, like he’d already made up his mind.
“It’s not some huge thing. It’s a small indie film, but I think you’d find it interesting, hyung.”
“Indie or not, it doesn’t matter to me…”
“What is it? What project?”
His wife, who must have been listening, popped out from the room and showed interest in the project.
“I said I’m not doing it. Why?”
“You can at least hear him out, right? Isn’t that okay?”
“Absolutely. You might have seen it in the news—it’s Director Ser Incheol’s project.”
“Ser… Incheol?”
At the mention of Ser Incheol, Jinseok’s expression shifted slightly, and I could feel his ears perking up.
“Yes.”
“He’s doing an indie film? Ah… yeah, I see. I didn’t know.”
He showed clear interest but then seemed to catch himself, like he shouldn’t.
“You probably know the situation. So not many people are jumping to join, and it’s hard to find actors.”
“But for that director’s work… there should be people interested.”
Interpreting that another way, it meant he himself had at least a little desire if it was Incheol’s project.
“We can’t offer much pay, and I can’t promise it’ll change your life or anything. But I think you’d like it, hyung.”
“Forget it. I said I’m not doing it…”
“Why not give it a try?”
But Jinseok’s wife’s thoughts were different.
“What try? I’m busy with delivery as it is.”
“It’s not like shooting takes a year or twelve months—we won’t starve if you take a few months off from delivery. I can handle that much.”
“I’ve tried it, and I know it doesn’t work—why try again? Anyway, thanks for thinking of me. But I think this is enough for me.”
He rejected so politely that I couldn’t keep pushing. I knew better than anyone the mindset that made him quit acting.
With no real gains, I had no choice but to leave Jinseok’s house—then his wife followed me out.
“Hyunjae-ssi!”
“Yes?”
“Could I maybe get that script?”
“The script…?”
“Yes.”
She looked at me with bright, sparkling eyes as she spoke.
“He says that, but he wants to do it. Before delivery, he even looked for extra roles.”
He’d said no, but deep down, the passion for acting was still there.
“I’ll convince him somehow, so just wait a bit.”
“How are you going to convince him…?”
“I’ve got ways, so don’t worry about that.”
She winked her right eye and flashed a confident smile.
***
“Then I’ll send you the script.”
“And thank you. For thinking of my husband, coming all this way, and recognizing his talent.”
Seeing her thank me made me feel strangely off.
“Ah… no problem. People just don’t know, but he’s talented.”
“I think so too. Hehe, see you next time then.”
She dashed back into the house. And exactly a week later, I got a call from Jinseok.
“Hello, Director. It’s an honor!”
Jinseok greeted Incheol stiffly, tense and rigid.
“You don’t have to be so nervous.”
“I love all your works, Director. Thank you so much for the offer.”
“I’m the one who’s grateful that you’re doing the project with me.”
Warm words passed between the two.
“Hyung, what about your job?”
“I took a short leave.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah… it’s fine.”
His smiling face, overflowing with love, somehow reminded me of someone else.
“With all the actors gathered, we’ll start shooting soon, and the schedule is expected to be about three months.”
It was definitely shorter than other shoots.
“I’ve done some research on this Cheolmin character.”
As if his refusal had been a dream, Jinseok rattled off everything about Cheolmin like he’d spent the whole week studying the character.
Incheol listened and said with his eyes:
Where did you find this kid?
I answered by blinking twice and nodding. With preparations complete, Collision dove into full shooting in the cold winter.
***
Sssup.
We’d finished setup and were standing for a simple camera test, but Incheol crossed his arms and inhaled, looking dissatisfied.
“What’s wrong?”
We hadn’t even acted yet, but his reaction made me think something was off.
“This isn’t it.”
“What isn’t? Did I do something wrong?”
It seemed like my issue, so I hurried over and asked, and Incheol showed me the monitor screen.
My face was on it, and nothing special stood out.
“This… why? You said to adjust position, so I just stood still?”
“Yeah, that’s the problem.”
“Huh? I haven’t acted yet.”
“It’s not the acting—it’s your face that’s the problem.”
“Huh? My face?”
I’d gone to bed early for the first shoot today, so it wasn’t swollen or anything.
“Does it look bad today? Is it the hair?”
I hadn’t styled it—just washed and dried, so it was a bit messy.
“Should I call the stylist noona to fix it a little?”
“Why are you so handsome?”
…Huh?”
What kind of fresh nonsense is this.