The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Chapter 137

“Would you like to go to the Jeonju International Film Festival with me? It’s starting soon.”

Film festival?

When I quietly stared at Seo Ji-o, he gave a relaxed smile.

“You and I have similar tastes in movies. I’ll be your guide. I’ll find accommodation, and select the movies we’ll watch in advance. Just give me two days.”

“Two days?”

“Yes. I’ll prove my worth in those two days. If you’re not satisfied with me after that, I’ll back off without any regrets. I won’t even pretend to know you.”

His face, full of confidence, made me want to laugh. Instead, I nodded roughly.

What difference would it make no matter how I answered here?

“Thank you, for giving me a chance.”

“…What if, after getting closer to me like this, you find out I’m not as helpful as you thought?”

I was genuinely curious. What did he believe in to cling to me like this?

“I don’t have the power to recommend you for this role, and even if I did, I wouldn’t think to use it that way.”

“You won’t know that until it happens. And even Noh Bi-hyuk didn’t know when he first approached you, did he? That thanks to you, he’d get to shoot a commercial before his debut.”

“….”

He was right. But it didn’t feel good.

‘Why doesn’t it feel good?’

I didn’t know. It just didn’t.

I ruffled my bangs irritably.

“Talking to you just makes me annoyed.”

“Haha! Really?”

Why did he like me so much?

When I looked at him with contempt, Seo Ji-o laughed heartily, as if he found it genuinely amusing.

His hearty laugh didn’t match his languid face. It was annoying to see.

“What’s so funny?”

“You’re so honest. I feel like my worth is already proving itself.”

“What does my honesty have to do with your worth?”

“At least in front of me, you don’t have to soften your tone like you’re dealing with a child.”

“….”

When I frowned, Seo Ji-o gently pressed my furrowed brows as if asking for forgiveness.

I slapped his hand away, not liking him touching my face so freely.

Seo Ji-o laughed, finding even that amusing.

“You definitely have quite a personality. I was unsure because you usually speak so kindly.”

“I think I’ve treated you coldly enough already.”

“Compared to now, it was like a tropical night. I like this honesty better. You don’t need to be kind to me. I won’t cry or get upset over it.”

As he laughed and spoke, he seemed like a solid log.

A log that wouldn’t budge no matter what was said to its face.

‘Fine. I’ve already lost.’

Getting emotional would only be to my detriment.

Seo Ji-o silently followed me back to the classroom.

He kept a delicate distance, as if walking along a line between us.

* * *

“Hyung, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Have I been rude or said anything hurtful to you lately?”

“What?”

Jin-bae hyung’s hand, which had been handling naengi, stopped.

His gentle eyes were filled with shock as he looked at me.

“Why would you say that?”

“I just feel like I’ve become too sensitive lately. I was worried I might have made a mistake with you.”

It was something I had been thinking about ever since my conversation with Seo Ji-o.

I definitely seemed more irritable lately.

In the past, I wouldn’t have gotten so upset with Seo Ji-o.

Whether he treated me like a toy or not, I would have responded indifferently.

‘I’m not ignoring things as well as I used to.’

If I think about it, it probably started with Director Jang Joon-seok.

I was clearly angry when I read the script he sent. Why was I angry?

Even if I felt disregarded, I should have just let it go.

I should have been used to it. I shouldn’t have been so sensitive.

‘You definitely have quite a personality. I was unsure because you usually speak so kindly.’

Seo Ji-o’s words confused me.

Did I have a quick temper? Was I acting all the time without realizing it?

‘Bambi’ was supposed to be gentle and kind. What was my original personality?

If I acted according to my original personality, would my fans end up hating me? What should I do to prevent that?

‘How much more….’

Do I have to act? Just how much more?

My chest felt tight.

It felt like a huge stone was pressing against my windpipe.

At that moment, a large hand gently lifted my chin.

I met Jin-bae hyung’s gentle eyes.

“Actor-nim. Look at me. It’s okay.”

“….”

“I’ve never been hurt by you. You’re always kind to me.”

I silently watched his eyes crinkle into a smile and asked,

“Really? I’ve never been overly sensitive?”

“Yes. Really.”

Jin-bae hyung smiled softly and sat next to me.

“You seem to have something on your mind. Do you want to talk about it?”

“…No.”

I shook my head while looking at his solid, tree-like eyes.

‘Not with Jin-bae hyung.’

Even if I could get a helpful answer, I didn’t want to talk about this with Jin-bae hyung.

What if he thought I was weird?

After a long silence, I belatedly came to my senses and spoke hurriedly.

“Oh, it’s not because I don’t trust you. It’s not because you’re not reliable.”

“Yes. I understand.”

His hand rested on my shoulder, as if telling me not to worry.

Just yesterday, he had awkwardly patted me in the air, afraid of bruising me.

But now, he confidently put his hand on my shoulder as if he had mastered the art of strength control.

His calm voice settled in my ear.

“You once told Team Leader Woo that no one remains unchanged.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sure I’m different from back then, and you are different from back then too. That’s just how people are.”

That’s true.

But isn’t it important to avoid changing for the worse?

My chest still felt tight.

And the moment I heard the next words, it felt like my heart sank.

“I think you’ve changed a lot.”

“….”

I held my breath for a moment.

Did Jin-bae hyung think so too? Then what should I do to return to how I was?

A series of overwhelming thoughts were sorted out by his light words.

“Every day, you change to be kinder and more honest.”

“…Honestly?”

“Yes. In the past, if I asked if you had any worries, you would have made up something else to say. That was your way of being considerate.”

I quietly watched him.

“But now, you honestly say you don’t want to talk about it, while still considering my feelings. I like that.”

“….”

“I think you’re changing your kindness in a more mature direction.”

How could this hyung change my mood so much with just a few words?

‘Kind and mature person.’

He called me kind, but objectively, Jin-bae hyung was much kinder than me.

“I… want to be with you for a long time. What should I do?”

“Just keep doing what you’re doing. I don’t know what you’re worrying about, but I’m really happy with you as you are now.”

“You’d like whatever I did, though.”

“That’s precisely what I like most.”

Gosh.

Seeing his genuinely happy smile, I couldn’t help but laugh too.

When I laughed, he laughed the same way.

The worries still tightly knotted in my mind.

I didn’t know what to do. But still….

‘I feel okay now.’

I leaned my head on his shoulder. It felt solid, like it wouldn’t falter.

Of course, I knew. Even if someone as strong as him wouldn’t always be by my side.

After trust comes disappointment. To avoid disappointment, I shouldn’t trust.

But nonetheless, I felt that way.

Even if Jin-bae hyung left me someday, it wouldn’t be because of a few careless words from me.

So, there was no need to always be anxious and uneasy.

As if understanding my feelings, Jin-bae hyung’s head gently leaned against mine, feeling warm today.

* * *

After that day, surprisingly decent days continued.

Seo Ji-o, who had promised not to bother me, turned out to be less annoying than expected.

He stopped trying to stick by my side for a week, only approaching when I got up.

And the topics of our conversations changed.

“Yeon-jae. Did you watch the movie I mentioned yesterday?”

“Yes. It was interesting.”

“The part where the main character’s expression changes suddenly at the end was the most impressive. The acting was really good.”

“The direction was good too. I didn’t expect them to use shadows to show how the protagonist and antagonist’s atmospheres resembled each other.”

Talking about movies and dramas with Seo Ji-o was very enjoyable.

I wasn’t that great a conversation partner.

Thanks to Seo Ji-o’s smooth topic shifts, the conversation never stopped.

From currently screening movies to indie film audition information.

Once a conversation started, I found myself deeply immersed before I knew it.

“You two there! Can you focus a bit?”

At the class leader’s shout, I snapped my head up.

All the classmates’ eyes were on Seo Ji-o and me.

“Oh, sorry.”

“We have to decide on the class t-shirts by today.”

“Yes. I’ll focus now.”

I apologized with an embarrassed face.

The class leader seemed to want to say more but turned to the monitor.

On the screen were various outfits like hanbok, police uniforms, and

soccer uniforms.

“Class leader! How about prisoner uniforms?”

“No. The seniors in the third year already took that. I told you before, please focus. Guys….”

The class leader’s tired face looked exhausted. I felt sorry for him.

Although I had no interest in the sports festival, I felt bad for chatting with Seo Ji-o during the meeting and focused on the screen.

“Yeon-jae. What do you want to do?”

“Well, what about you, Seo-jin?”

“I want the Ha☓y Potter dorm uniforms!”

I thought it might be too hot, but seeing his eager face, I just laughed.

Last year, because of the filming schedule for Twins, I had missed all the early semester activities, so I was surprised by how many group activities there were.

‘I just want to go home already, forget the sports festival.’

I thought there would be at least a few people who felt the same as me, but surprisingly, many of the kids were excited.

I expected Baek Seo-jin to be, but not this guy too.

“Lee Yeon-jae. What’s your class doing for t-shirts?”

I looked at Noh Bi-hyuk’s excited face blankly.

“You seem to be looking forward to the sports festival.”

“Of course! It’s fun! Last year was really fun too. Finally, we can do it together.”

“…Aren’t we on opposite teams?”

“The point is doing it together!”

His wide smile was so typical of Noh Bi-hyuk that it made me laugh.

“I’m doing almost all the events. What about you?”

“I’m not sure. Our class hasn’t decided yet.”

“I’m doing soccer. You should too! We never got to do it in elementary school.”

I didn’t really like soccer.

But I couldn’t say that in front of his bright face, so I mumbled vaguely.

After talking about the sports festival with Noh Bi-hyuk all through lunch, I returned to the classroom.

‘A little tired.’

I composed my expression and opened the classroom door.

And finally, I found someone who looked like me.

“I’ll bring a Polaroid camera for the sports festival, so let’s take pictures together!”

“Okay, okay. How many times are you going to say the same thing….”

Baek Seo-jin was barking excitedly like a rabbit next to Seo Ji-o.

His exhausted eyes met mine.

“….”

“….”

When I quietly stared at him, his empty eyes brightened.

With a look that seemed to say ‘you too?’, I silently acknowledged our shared sentiment.