“Even if the setting is supposed to be ordinary, growing up in an orphanage, this seems beyond ordinary—it’s too meek.”
“It’s not meek; it’s more like his spirit is broken. Passive.”
“But for a kid like that to run away from the orphanage……”
“No~”
I asked one by one about the things I was curious about regarding Juho, the character I’d be playing, and we shared our thoughts on the work. Up until this point.
“The story of how he meets Cheolmin and fully enters the bad path feels too contrived, doesn’t it? These days, most people meet through chat apps or…….”
With my continuous questions, Incheol finally exploded.
“Hey! Did you write it? I wrote it!”
“No, you said independent films are made together!”
“I write it, and you act it to make it together.”
“How does that even work!”
The two people who had been polite as actor and director just moments ago were gone, replaced by two excited individuals.
“Uh…… You two seem too worked up…….”
Hayoon tried to intervene from the middle, but it didn’t work at all.
“Did you do this with other writers and directors too?”
“No way. This script is different from the ones I’ve seen so far.”
As Hyungkyu said, it wasn’t a role where the basic setup would make it work on its own; I had to convince the audience through my acting. Therefore, the basic setup and narrative had to be flawless without gaps.
“What’s different?”
“The setting is common and ordinary, but there’s not a single part that’s relatable.”
An orphan from an orphanage running away to find his parents. It wasn’t a situation the public could easily empathize with.
“That’s why I need to fully understand Juho so that the viewers can accept it too. For me, just like for you, Director, this work is a challenge.”
This work could be the first and last one I do not for popularity, but for myself.
“What do you see in Juho?”
“He could be seen as pitiful, but I think he’s actually selfish and ruthless.”
“I get the selfish part, but ruthless?”
“Of course he’s ruthless! Look later here……!”
And so, the two of us exchanged our thoughts on the work.
“Ah~ So that’s what that meant?”
“It’s an open ending to let people imagine Juho’s next appearance.”
“What’s the ending you have in mind, Director?”
“That’s…… a secret.”
“A secret? Even from me?”
“Yeah, only I know it. If you know, it might affect your acting.”
I was curious what kind of ending he was imagining, but since Incheol’s words made sense, I didn’t ask further.
“Okay. I get that.”
“Ha…… This is the first time I’ve debated this much with an actor over a single role.”
“First time?”
“Yeah.”
I’d heard he was a successful director in the past, but was this really his first time?
“Heh, this is really funny. I never thought I’d be sitting face-to-face with you talking like this.”
“I never thought this would happen either.”
When we first shot the ad, I wondered what kind of person he was, but it was intriguing.
Who knew we’d end up working on a project together.
“You said you really wanted to do it with me, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Why? Because I fit Juho well?”
“No, you don’t fit Juho at all.”
I had a feeling, but Incheol was firm as a wall in his response.
“Then why did you want to cast me? There must have been plenty of actors who fit better.”
Even with what happened, as a once-successful director, there wouldn’t be zero actors wanting to work with him.
“Your acting back then was pretty fun.”
“My acting?”
“Yeah.”
Back then, I knew nothing and did it purely on confidence, so it must have been lacking, but he found it fun?
“This might be my last work, so I have to do it my way.”
I couldn’t fully understand Incheol’s thoughts for sure.
But one thing was certain: he was more sincere about this work than anyone.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how this work turns out too.”
I was a bit excited at the thought of showing acting that’s 180 degrees different from what I’ve done so far.
“Uh…… Then, shall we end today’s meeting here?”
“Yeah?”
“Director…… You do eat properly, right?”
Leaving the director here in this rooftop room made me feel uncomfortable, and my feet wouldn’t move.
“I pulled out my apartment deposit, not all the money in my pocket. I left enough for meals.”
“That’s a relief then.”
After raising our voices almost like fighting and talking, Incheol felt comfortable like a neighborhood hyung.
“I’ll contact you when the exact schedule comes out.”
“Ah, yes. Then we’ll head out first.”
Hayoon and Incheol exchanged polite greetings, and we left the place.
“I feel a bit uneasy.”
“Well…… It is a bit like that, huh?”
The fact that Incheol’s deposit went to me was really bothering me.
“I’m thinking of talking to the CEO and returning the money I received.”
“Going no guarantee?”
“Yeah, this is something I want to do anyway, and I don’t need money right now.”
Of course, more money is always better, but I don’t have an immediate use for it, and if this money invests in the work to raise the quality, that’d be better.
“You sure that’s okay?”
Hayoon checked with me again, just in case.
“Yeah. It’s fine.”
“Got it. I’ll talk to the CEO about that part first.”
“Hyung, just drop me off anywhere.”
“Why?”
“I promised to go see Jeuk hyung’s play today.”
We’d postponed the play because of scheduling issues, but today we were going.
“A play?”
“Yeah.”
“Want me to come along?”
“No. I planned to go with Taewoon hyung.”
Taewoon had finished his album promotions and was on break, so we could go together.
“You two okay? Won’t a manager come along there?”
“It’s fine. I brought a mask, and since it’s not a big scale, people won’t crowd.”
No need to bring a manager for personal matters.
“Clock out early and rest at home~”
***
After sending Hayoon home, I headed to the meeting place with Taewoon.
I arrived at the theater where Jeuk was performing. I’d occasionally seen movies, but this was my first time coming to see a play like this.
Huh? There’s a photo zone too?
There was a photo zone in the theater lobby, with a life-size cutout of Jeuk standing there.
I want to take a photo…….
Taewoon hadn’t arrived yet, so I was alone and couldn’t take a photo, regretting it as I kept staring, and then my eyes met with one person nearby.
“……Shall I take a photo for you?”
She must have read my gaze, speaking cautiously, and I accepted the offer eagerly.
“Thank you!”
I quickly went next to Jeuk and posed.
“Thank you. Shall I take one for you too?”
“No. I’m fine. Mom!”
The one I thought was alone ran to a middle-aged woman, and seeing that, it naturally reminded me of Kyungho.
I should come with him next time.
Since he’s always in the countryside, we haven’t done cultural activities like this together.
After taking the photo, I sat in a nearby seat waiting for Taewoon, and when the theater lobby was almost empty, Taewoon arrived.
“Hyung, why are you so late? The performance is about to start.”
“Hey, why are you so early?”
Taewoon was late but turned it around on me.
“Isn’t it basic to come early and wait before a performance starts?”
“That’s more of a nuisance.”
“Huh?”
“Let’s watch this first and talk.”
“Thank you.”
Her flushed expression didn’t look like she was just being polite.
“Sometime, try a play too. I think you’d be good at it.”
“Me?”
She suggested I try a play.
“Now that greetings are done, let’s go~”
“Tch, got it. See you next time then!”
“What do you want to eat? We came all this way, so we should eat. There are lots of good places nearby.”
“Good places?”
Having argued with Incheol since morning and timed the play while starving, I was enticed by the talk of good places.
“Expect something good. Let’s go.”
“Were you waiting for someone earlier? It was Taewoon.”
“I heard they’re real close friends, must be true.”
“He even posted a promo on SNS back then.”
I thought the mask would prevent recognition, but everyone knew. They all pretended not to.
“The performance will start soon, so audience members in your seats, please refrain from talking and set your phones to silent…….”
Recognizing the noisy situation from our arrival, an announcement came to quiet down, and soon the performance began.
“Wait, hold on. This isn’t right.”
“Don’t change the subject, hand it over quick!”
The actors’ voices came through vividly, running around right in front of our eyes performing.
This is different again.
Unlike movies or dramas. No atmospheric locations or music, but unfolding the story in just one space was quite interesting.
“Every time, every time!”
“What do you mean every time?”
Jeuk started fighting with the female actor playing his couple counterpart.
This play was about a couple facing a crisis in their boredom period, dealing with events leading up to the world’s end.
“Look at you comparing again. Even now?”
“Ha, really…… What are you talking about. When did I compare?”
“You always do. Look!”
Jeuk came forward on stage, pointing at the audience in front while delivering lines.
“Checking if there’s anyone better than me around now.”
At Jeuk’s line, the female actor turned her gaze to look at me and Taewoon in the audience.
“Pfft!”
“Haha!”
And the audience burst into laughter at the same time.
“……The only people left now are you and me, so where are you looking.”
“Ah, no. You’re the one who keeps comparing me to your friends’ girlfriends.”
They immersed the audience purely with acting, and in no time, two hours passed.
“Let’s head out first.”
We slipped out of the theater first while the cast was greeting at the end.
“Plays are fun, huh?”
“It’s my first time too, but it’s fun.”
“Hello. I’m Jeuk hyung’s manager, this way…….”
The manager guided us to the waiting room, and we could meet Jeuk who had finished the performance in the waiting room.
“Hyung, you were really cool.”
“Thanks for both coming.”
“How did you memorize all those lines? That’s amazing!”
“I thought I’d die memorizing…… Ah! Say hi, this is the actor I work with.”
In the middle of talking, Jeuk introduced the actor who played his counterpart.
She’d been lingering around us earlier.
“Hello! Sunbaenim, I’m Yoo Seung-ah. I’m such a big fan!”
“Thank you. I enjoyed it a lot.”
She called Taewoon sunbaenim.
From the same idol background?
“I heard you were coming earlier and wanted to greet you from then.”
“Ah~ Is that so?”
“I became an idol because of you, sunbaenim.”
“Ahaha—”
At the mention of being a fan, Taewoon lowered his voice and straightened his clothes.
“I really like you too, Hyunjae!”
“Me?”
“How do you act so well? I became a total fan after seeing you in the drama.”
“Thank you.”
Her flushed expression didn’t look like she was just being polite.
“Sometime, try a play too. I think you’d be good at it.”
“Me?”
She suggested I try a play.
“Now that greetings are done, let’s go~”
“Tch, got it. See you next time then!”
“What do you want to eat? We came all this way, so we should eat. There are lots of good places nearby.”
“Good places?”
Having argued with Incheol since morning and timed the play while starving, I was enticed by the talk of good places.
***
“This is near a university area. I’ll go remove my clothes and makeup first.”
And so, we headed to the good place Jeuk recommended.
“Keuk! Cough! Cough! You’re joining that?”
“Yes.”
As soon as he heard about my Collision appearance, Jeuk was shocked enough to choke.
“Wow…… That’s really amazing.”
And he told me stories I didn’t know.