Chapter 52: The Choice Not to Look Away

“Hey, Jeon Yeo-hoo. Wait a minute.”

“What now?”

Jung Yoon-woo caught Jeon Yeo-hoo as he was leaving the filming set.

While the two exchanged glances, quite a few staff members passed by them.

Jeon Yeo-hoo glanced briefly at the passing staff before brushing off Jung Yoon-woo’s hand.

“Let’s talk inside. Don’t say it here, it’s embarrassing.”

As soon as they entered the waiting room, Jeon Yeo-hoo sent out all the staff members who were inside.

While unfastening the cheap watch he had worn as a sponsorship item, Jeon Yeo-hoo spoke.

“Say it now.”

Unlike the calm Jeon Yeo-hoo, Jung Yoon-woo continued with an agitated face and a trembling voice.

“Yeo-hoo, the way you acted earlier wasn’t right.”

“What did I do?”

“You ignored him even when he spoke to you. For several hours. Sure, a controversy broke out, but it’ll be sorted out. Besides, he was polite and a good guy on set. You liked him too and treated him well.”

Jeon Yeo-hoo let out a faint sigh.

‘I’m the villain who has to tell my naive friend how terrible hypocrisy is.’

‘This is exhausting.’

“Yeah, I treated him well. He was polite. But that wasn’t the real him. The reason I wanted to be close to him disappeared, so I just stayed quiet. It hurts my feelings that you’re saying this to me, Yoon-woo.”

“Still, how could you do that? He must be confused too. Didn’t you see him crying in front of me?”

“How long have you known him? It’s only been a few months, Yoon-woo. You see someone for a few months and trust them? Does that make sense?”

“Yeo-hoo. I’m… well. Sigh.”

Jung Yoon-woo ran a hand through his hair.

“Yeo-hoo. My point isn’t that I’m taking his side. If he did something wrong, fine. He can be criticized. But we’re not complete strangers; we’re close enough to ask what happened.”

“People aren’t curious about his circumstances.”

“What does that have to do with anything? If we can help, we help. You’re a good guy.”

“Just like you said, I’m a good guy, so what’s so strange about not wanting to be colleagues with a piece of trash? Jung Yoon-woo, didn’t you hear that recording on the internet? The way he talks? Just because he’s good to us doesn’t mean he has to be good to everyone else. What’s so strange about not taking the side of a guy like that? To be blunt, I don’t go around swearing like that. It’s not because I have a great personality, but because I don’t want to deal with the trouble of being caught. Do you think a guy who lacks that much common sense can even make it as a celebrity?”

“Yeo-hoo, let me ask one thing.”

“What.”

Jung Yoon-woo asked.

“If the same thing happened to me, would you ghost me like this too?”

“Why would you say that? And how can you compare yourself to him?”

“Tell me. Would you not even ask if it was true? Would you just believe what others say?”

“That depends on the situation… Hey! Hey! Jung Yoon-woo! Hey!!”

Jung Yoon-woo left the waiting room without even listening to the end of Jeon Yeo-hoo’s answer.

It was because he already knew what he would say.

Left alone in the waiting room, Jeon Yeo-hoo kicked a nearby chair.

“Fuck.”

*Crash!*

The chair fell over with a loud noise.

Sprawled on a long sofa meant for three people, he recalled what Jung Yoon-woo had said.

But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.

‘What did I do wrong?’

‘Not taking the side of a bad person?’

‘Is that wrong?’

‘The recording of him swearing is already out there.’

‘It’s the most basic rule for a celebrity to be careful with every single move.’

‘Even one slip of the tongue guarantees your downfall.’

‘Isn’t that why you, Jung Yoon-woo, try so hard to walk around with a smile on your face in front of others?’

“Fuck… Am I the problem again?”

‘If this were a drama, the people watching wouldn’t be frustrated with you.’

‘They would be on my side, Jung Yoon-woo.’

***

“This isn’t good. Hey, wait. I’m going to call 911 right now —”

Just before Jung Yoon-woo could call 911, I barely managed to regain consciousness and grabbed his arm.

“It’s… it’s okay. Don’t.”

“What do you mean, okay? You can’t even breathe right now!”

“I said I’m fine now!”

The pain that was torturing me a moment ago vanished like melting snow.

‘It’s a wonder.’

It seemed the effect of the pill had ended.

Jung Yoon-woo, seemingly suspicious of my claim that I was okay, kept the screen with 911 dialed open for the entire ten minutes.

“Are you really sure you’re okay? By any chance, do you have… a chronic illness?”

“I don’t have anything like that. I just stumbled because I haven’t been sleeping lately.”

“You seemed to be in quite a bit of pain for just that.”

“It’s because my head hurts.”

“Why would a guy with a headache clutch his heart?”

“Maybe my head is attached to my heart.”

“Hey.”

“What.”

Jung Yoon-woo finally gave up and tossed his phone onto the sofa.

“Fine. Whatever.”

A wise choice.

“I’m sure you’ll tell me if you want to.”

“More importantly, why did you come to my house without saying anything?”

“What are you talking about? I told you.”

“When.”

“I sent a text. Ten minutes ago.”

Was it while I was busy searching the shop?

“If there’s no reply, you shouldn’t have come. No, forget it. You’re already here, so what’s the point of talking?”

“I knew you’d say that. I bought four cans of beer to drink with you, but can you even drink? You’re hurting.”

“I told you I’m not. Want to bet?”

“With a friend’s life? Forget it. Just don’t drink. Let’s just watch a movie. How about it?”

“Sure.”

Jung Yoon-woo, who placed the bag he had tossed aside onto the table, leaned his back against the bed and started searching for a movie.

‘Of all people, why did it have to be him?’

I was caught again by Jung Yoon-woo, the very person who appeared in my dreams and made me feel guilty.

Even this memory was related to him.

The forgotten guilt pressed heavily on one side of my chest, making it difficult to even form an expression.

I remembered exactly when that memory was from and what drama it was.

Perhaps that incident was the first thing that planted guilt in me.

***

The next morning.

As soon as I woke up, I checked one more item from the special kit.

Since I would be going to a new audition soon anyway, I felt like picking up something useful.

I also needed something to distract myself because my mind was still troubled.

As if it knew I was confused, an item perfectly suited for this situation appeared.

Since it was the second item, there was no need to use it immediately, but I used it right then and there.

Two hours after using the item.

I headed straight to the agency’s office.

“This movie… you’re saying you want to audition for this?”

“Yes.”

***

“If it’s this movie… hmm.”

Ma Eun-in, who greeted me at the office, scratched his temple at my words and asked.

“But did I ever tell you about the audition for this movie, Mr. Jeon?”

“When I visited last time, I happened to see it on the table.”

There was no way I just happened to see it.

Given Ma Eun-in’s personality, there was no way he would leave a script lying around on a table.

The idea of seeing a script without him knowing was impossible from the start.

However, Ma Eun-in was such a kind person that if someone asked, “Isn’t it like this?” he was the type to reply, “I suppose so.”

“Ah, is that so? I guess that could happen.”

Just as I thought.

“I also think this movie is good, but I wanted to recommend another project with a similar feel.”

Ma Eun-in brought several scripts from a drawer where he kept audition materials.

Then, he handed over a familiar script.

“It’s the role of a killer with a hidden secret. There’s a twist, and it’s a popular theme. There are pros and cons to playing a high-impact villain when you’re a rookie, but if you do it once, the benefits are greater because you won’t have to worry about auditions for several years.”

It was a drama with the plain title *A Happy World*.

I already knew Ma Eun-in would suggest this project to me.

*A Happy World* was the drama I had appeared in for the same role before my regression.

The very drama that allowed the returned version of me to regain my former fame in one go.

The memory I recalled after taking the black pill was of something that happened during the filming of this drama.

By the time the controversy broke out, the drama had already reached the peak of its popularity and was nearing its final episode, so there wasn’t much damage to me.

If I were to film this drama again, I would certainly perform that role better than anyone else.

I had practiced more than others, knew more than others, and had even proven it with numbers.

But at the same time, I had spent several years trying to change that fixed early image.

Moreover, I didn’t think that doing *A Happy World* with Jung Yoon-woo would allow me to efficiently resolve the controversy that would arise.

‘Instead, wouldn’t me making a different choice lead to a different result?’

Just as I took the role of the actor who was originally supposed to be in *The Prosecutor of Revenge* and didn’t have Joo Tae-kang leave the show, making a completely different choice—an entirely new choice—might open up other possibilities.

— If the same thing happened to me, would you ghost me like this too?

— Tell me. Would you not even ask if it was true? Would you just believe what others say?

Don’t worry, Jung Yoon-woo.

Even if the same thing happens.

At least this time… I will never act the same way.

Furthermore, now that I had seen *The Killing Recipe*, I didn’t want to let this project fail. I wanted more people to see this movie.

Instead of *A Happy World*, I held the movie *The Killing Recipe* in my hand—a project I hadn’t appeared in and one that had been a complete failure.

“I’ll audition for this one.”

Ma Eun-in, who had been observing my expression, smiled readily and replied.

“Understood! If that’s what my actor wants, I can’t oppose it.”

Even though he could insist on his opinion, Ma Eun-in didn’t.

Looking back, Ma Eun-in was someone who had consistently believed in “me,” both before and after my regression.

And every time I looked at him, I thought I could never become like him.

In the past, I doubted how he could be so kind, but it’s different now.

Even if it were hypocrisy, I knew that trying to act out that hypocrisy was even more difficult.

“There must be a reason why you chose that script, Mr. Jeon.”

I smiled leisurely, waving the script in my hand.

“I’m glad you think so.”

“Then the company will set up the audition schedule, so just go and do your best. Once it’s decided, I’ll contact Kido.”

“Understood.”

I quickly left the company before my thoughts could become more complicated.

It was a relief that I didn’t come to the office in Brother Kido’s car today.

Kido’s taste would have definitely been *A Happy World*.

And as soon as I decided to audition for this movie, a message arrived from Ha Je-ban.

[You’re doing that?]