The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Chapter 147

A multitude of people passed by outside the heavily tinted windows.

‘Did anyone else besides me decide to come today?’

I wondered for a moment.

I was curious, but there was no time to ask Jin-bae hyung separately.

Without any time to prepare myself, the door opened, and I quickly stepped out.

‘My eyes hurt.’

The flashing lights were always hard to get used to.

Still, perhaps because of the practice, the expression I had prepared beforehand was already on my face.

With each step I took, all eyes and lenses turned toward me.

‘I am nervous.’

Honestly, it was a bit burdensome, but pulling back now would be disrespectful to the people working hard since early morning.

I diligently turned my head and greeted the reporters who asked for my attention.

I was buried between Jin-bae hyung and the bodyguards who stuck close to me as we entered the airport.

And then I held my breath for a moment.

“Be careful, Bambi!! Have a safe trip!!”

“Everyone, step back!!”

“Our Yeon-jae, fighting!!!”

The airport was the largest place I had ever been to.

Yet it felt surprisingly small with so many people.

‘Wow, this is really causing trouble.’

People unrelated to me must be thinking this is a mess on what should be a leisurely trip.

The bodyguards firmly pushed back the people approaching me. Please, everyone, calm down.

“Fans, please come to your senses! Bambi is scared!”

At the voice of a woman, I gave an awkward smile.

‘I’m not scared.’

I wouldn’t get seriously hurt today anyway. I had practiced enough.

I was just worried someone might get hurt in this chaos.

As I was thinking that, someone in front of me stumbled.

My body moved faster than my mind.

I barely caught the falling person, and Jin-bae hyung quickly helped them up.

“Oh, thank you.”

“No, be careful.”

In truth, I had only managed to grab their arm, and the real help came from Jin-bae hyung.

It was too hectic to explain in detail, so I just smiled.

While being swept away by Jin-bae hyung, who held me tightly, I nodded enthusiastically to the fans and reporters.

Fortunately, there seemed to be a barricade from a certain point onward, and the crowd quickly dispersed.

From then on, greeting people became much easier.

As we received our tickets and moved to the lounge, I waved at every opportunity.

Once inside the lounge, I finally let out a breath I had been holding.

“Whew.”

“Actor, you worked hard. Are your hands okay?”

“They’re a bit tingly. Is it always this crowded?”

“I’ve followed other actors on overseas schedules a few times, but today seems to be the most crowded. Probably because it’s the Cannes Film Festival.”

I see. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal, but I felt drained since the morning.

After changing clothes in the bathroom and taking a brief rest, we boarded the plane.

But something felt off.

“Hyung, by any chance….”

“Yes, that’s correct. Hold my hand tightly.”

I was about to ask if those people were following me, but before I could finish, Jin-bae hyung held me tightly.

‘Only people with the same flight ticket should be here, right?’

Surely, they didn’t buy those expensive flight tickets just to follow me.

That seemed too self-absorbed. But the stares were intense.

After managing my expression throughout, I finally relaxed once we boarded the plane and closed the private curtain.

“Actor, don’t worry now. The seats around us are all our staff’s, so you can rest without any worries.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Even though it was my first time flying, I was sure these seats weren’t in economy class.

‘I should thank CEO Jang once we land.’

I didn’t know the exact price, but I knew these seats were expensive.

Perhaps because I felt drained from the morning, I slept soundly on the plane without any issues.

Since I had been lazing around with Mist all the time, I felt refreshed.

‘It’s not like we’re in Korea, and I don’t know anyone in France.’

There was nothing more to be nervous about.

And 14 hours later, I realized I had been foolish.

“Yeon-jae! Noona is here!!”

“Here’s a letter. Please take it.”

“(My Bambi, I love you!!)”

“How do you feel about being in France?”

As soon as we arrived at Nice Airport in France, a crowd swarmed.

Jin-bae hyung and the stylist team huddled around me.

‘Wow, this is crazy.’

Even more shocking than the large crowd was that most of them seemed to be my fans rather than reporters.

They handed me various items with emotional faces as if they were seeing a celebrity.

By the time we got into the car, my hands were full of letters and various envelopes.

“……Are there always this many Koreans in France?”

I asked in a daze, and Jin-bae hyung chuckled wearily.

“It seems like your popularity also extends to France. Let’s head straight to the hotel. Buckle up.”

Jin-bae hyung’s hair stuck up as if someone had been pulling it.

I quickly reached out and pressed it down.

I felt bad for making Jin-bae hyung and the staff suffer because of me.

* * *

The next day, after sleeping like a log in the hotel, I met Director Yoon in the lobby.

He didn’t look bad in a suit that fit him well.

“Hello, Director.”

“Yeah. Long time no see.”

Perhaps because there were many people around, Director Yoon had a solemn expression.

I was so used to his innocent look that it was a bit funny, but it was impressively natural.

“Director, are you sure you don’t want to act?”

“…This is just a director’s passion for understanding actors.”

If that were the case, he would only do it in front of people.

He seemed to be emanating ‘I’m managing my image right now’ with his whole body, and it suited him well.

I also had to start managing my image like that.

“So, are you ready?”

“Yes. Is it just the two of us?”

“Yeah. Two Asians, usually perfect conditions to be ignored… You’re lucky. You’re with me.”

I chuckled at his shrugged shoulders.

“Yes. I get to walk the red carpet with the director who won the Palme d’Or.”

“Of course! Let’s wrap this up quickly and grab something to eat. I’m exhausted.”

His childish whining was hard to believe, considering his stern face.

It was funny how he lowered his voice, fearing others might hear.

“Director, you’ve been here two years ago. Do you have any tips?”

“It’s not as grand as you think. Our film will be screened in a week. Today, we just take pictures and return to the hotel.”

I thought it was a half-hearted piece of advice. But it was true.

‘There really isn’t much to it.’

Other than the overwhelming crowd, there wasn’t much of an imposing atmosphere.

They weren’t all focused on me anyway.

I could feel that the attention of the people and cameras was more on Director Yoon than on me.

Only a few reporters who seemed to be Korean took my pictures.

After taking photos without any incidents and attending the opening ceremony, we returned to the hotel.

“I thought it would be something special, but it ended in a whirlwind.”

I was satisfied, but Jin-bae hyung seemed a bit disappointed.

I laughed at the slightly dejected tone.

“Director Yoon said our big day is in a week. Let’s believe him.”

“Do you have any plans for the next week? Shall we go sightseeing?”

“I’ve picked out a few movies to watch today. We can watch them, sightsee a bit… We’ll do whatever seems fitting.”

“Then I’ll stay up tonight to plan everything perfectly―”

“Let’s make tomorrow’s plan tomorrow. Let’s sleep now.”

He seemed ready to open his laptop immediately, so I quickly stopped him.

As I lay down next to Jin-bae hyung, I felt at ease.

‘I want to go home soon.’

Cannes, Cannes, Cannes.

I had heard so much about it for the past six months that I had been more anxious than I realized.

It wasn’t as grand as I thought.

There hadn’t been any tiring incidents. It was great.

‘Of course, Team Leader Choi will be disappointed.’

The company seemed to expect that my status would rise at this film festival….

Coming here made me realize. I was really nothing.

No one paid attention to me all day, and no one asked me anything.

‘I guess studying English was pointless.’

Well, I might need it someday.

I felt an increasing anticipation of returning to Korea without any issues.

So, I realized again that I had been foolish, not long after.

* * *

“Did you know you’re being mentioned as a nominee for the Best Actor award?”

I grimaced at the comment Director Yoon made while we were having breakfast.

“Stop joking and just eat.”

“I’m not joking.”

His eyes were full of mischief.

As I snorted, Director Yoon frowned in indignation.

“Hey, it’s true. Why would I lie about this?”

“If it’s not a lie, where did you hear that?”

“You seem to forget, but I won the Palme d’Or two years ago?? The first Korean to do so?”

He grumbled, saying no one would disregard him like I did.

I knew his expression would soon change to pious and solemn, so it was just amusing.

“I have many connections from back then. One of the jury members this time is a friend of a friend of a friend. I heard

it from them.”

Isn’t that practically a stranger?

The credibility plummeted.

As I kept silent and spread butter on my bread, Director Yoon sighed.

“Oh, come on! You saw the final cut. It’d be stranger if you didn’t win an award with that performance.”

“Yes, thank you. Do you want some jam?”

“Ugh, I should stop talking.”

Director Yoon pouted like a sulking child.

It was just funny to me, knowing that stern face would soon change.

‘I just want to go home.’

But once ‘Twins’ is screened today, I can go home. Just a little more patience.

I was definitely thinking that….

‘What’s this?’

Why is everyone looking at me?

It was another red carpet event before the screening of ‘Twins.’

I wore a different suit from the opening ceremony and got out of the limousine without much thought.

But unlike the first day, I felt the gazes and lenses clinging to my face.

Though it was bewildering, I managed my expression well.

After taking photos, I entered the theater.

It was only after hiding in the large seats that I could breathe properly.

‘Why is this happening suddenly?’

I was curious but had no one to ask.

Director Yoon beside me was in ‘image management’ mode.

‘I’ll just ignore it.’

They might just be interested for a moment because I’m the protagonist of the film about to be screened.

It wasn’t incomprehensible.

The important thing was the movie starting soon.

I had already seen the final cut in Korea, but it was my first time watching it on a big screen.

‘It’s starting.’

It was the first screening of my debut film, Twins.