The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest

Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 253

As soon as I returned to Korea, I sought out a doctor.

If there was a problem with the way I handled my anger, I needed to find a solution and fix it.

However, the response I received was quite underwhelming.

“Well, that's unusual. You've had a rough time.”

"…Is that all?"

The doctor's indifferent expression left me feeling deflated.

Threatening someone with a knife didn't seem like such a trivial matter.

“Well…, there are moments in life when everyone loses their temper once or twice. Even the most rational person will experience it at some point. Especially with people who are racist; there's no reasoning with them. You handled it well.”

I felt uneasy at the ensuing praise.

“I threatened someone with a knife. Is that really okay?”

“You said it wasn’t a real knife.”

“Well, that's true, but….”

When I trailed off, the doctor shrugged.

“Of course, it wasn't an ideal situation. Someone could have gotten hurt.”

“That's right.”

I nodded immediately.

“So, how can I fix it?”

“…”

The doctor stared at me without answering.

“Let me ask you one thing first. If the situation hadn’t ended there and had continued, leading to someone getting hurt, who do you think it would be?”

Before I could answer, the doctor answered his own question.

“In all likelihood, it would have been you, Yeon-jae.”

“…Is that so?”

“In a situation where you lost your temper and switched to a spatula, you didn't have a real weapon. Even if you had tried to bite their neck, the bodyguards would have subdued you.”

That made sense.

As I nodded quietly, the doctor continued in a calm voice.

“Usually, in such situations, we should suspect violent tendencies, but considering the previous points, there’s not enough evidence to say you have a violent nature. In my view, it was actually an efficient action.”

“Efficient?”

“You realized the other person wasn’t someone you could reason with. People who pride themselves on their wealth or race often need to be put in their place early on, and your actions seem more aligned with that approach.”

The doctor said to think of it as the animal kingdom.

A world ruled by the law of the jungle.

“You thought of the quickest way to subdue the enemy and put it into practice. In conclusion, it was effective.”

“But…”

I hesitated, then asked if we weren’t animals after all.

“Haha! That’s true.”

It was then that the doctor, who had maintained a dry expression throughout, burst into laughter.

Why is he laughing?

“I understand what you’re worried about. You always carefully consider what the right action is. But the situations you'll face in the future will be incredibly diverse. There are no fixed answers for all those varied situations.”

The doctor said there was a limit to imagining the correct response through simulations.

He mentioned that it’s extremely difficult to prioritize rationality in all situations.

His words, suggesting not to carry such burdens so early, were full of smiles.

“I understand that you don’t want to regret your actions, but don’t be too anxious. Personally, I think your response was pretty good. I found it quite refreshing myself.”

The doctor gave a thumbs-up and smiled.

Although his attitude was relatively light, I knew he wasn’t someone who would blindly side with me.

‘Hearing a professional say it makes it seem like nothing.’

I realized anew how powerful the word ‘professional’ was.

“Still, it’s best to avoid creating situations where you might get hurt so casually, Yeon-jae.”

“Ah, yes.”

“You seem like the type of person who doesn’t care about getting hurt yourself.”

I felt a pang of discomfort at the doctor’s casual remark.

‘Well…’

Because I practice acting every day.

If I act enough, the misfortune factor doesn’t affect me.

In other words, at least on those days, I wouldn’t get hurt.

Having grown accustomed to this fact over the years, I seem to have become more indifferent.

When I laughed awkwardly, the doctor smiled.

“I’m proud that you came to see me first, Yeon-jae. Has it been over half a year since we last saw each other?”

Has it really been that long?

The counseling that started during the latter part of filming *Killing Horn* was progressing more smoothly than expected.

That was probably because the doctor, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, still had a laid-back and indifferent demeanor.

Although I was a bit wary when he mentioned joining my fan café during our last meeting, I had gotten used to his ‘It’s not my business’ attitude.

Honestly, it made it easier to talk.

“To prevent losing your temper frequently like this, you need to manage your stress regularly. Why not take up a hobby like exercise or painting? Something other than acting.”

“Yes. I’ll think about it.”

“Good. Was there anything else?”

I was about to nod right away but hesitated.

‘Should I say this?’

It seemed too personal.

I wondered if I was wasting his time, but the doctor laughed.

“Feel free to talk. I won't bite.”

“It’s nothing major… My manager hyung cried. He heard me introduce him as family to someone else.”

I recalled Jin-bae hyung, who had sobbed for quite a while after hearing the story from Mia.

He buried his head in the steering wheel, possibly not wanting to show he was crying, which made the wheel seem comically small compared to his frame.

“Your manager must have been touched.”

“Yes. He’s a very kind person.”

When I chuckled, the doctor asked how I felt about it.

‘How I felt?’

I blinked a couple of times at the unexpected question.

"Uh... it felt good..."

"It seems so."

"Does it really seem so?"

When I asked in bewilderment, the doctor replied, "Yes. Very much."

Then, as if waiting for something, he quietly watched me.

This strangely made my mouth itch.

Unable to hold it in, I murmured quietly, almost whispering.

"...Actually, it's a bit scary."

"What part of it?"

"The fact that someone can be so happy just by hearing the word 'family'... I didn't know someone could want that place so badly."

But it was fine.

‘Because I have Mist.’

So, this state was enough for me.

Thinking of someone as my family on my own was already a stroke of luck.

I was ecstatic and thrilled.

Until I saw Jin-bae hyung cry.

"Hyung has so many good people around him. Besides me, he has other friends, and even real family."

Unlike Mist, Jin-bae hyung has more than just me.

Does hyung gain anything by thinking of me as family?

‘No matter how I see it, there's nothing.’

So, it scared me.

"I'm afraid hyung might be mistaken, that later on... he might regret saying those things to me."

I bit my lip as if chewing on my words.

"So, I'm trying not to expect too much. I'm trying to react naturally if hyung says later that it wasn't quite right, but it's not easy."

"Ah, you're scared of getting used to it."

"Yes."

As soon as I answered, the doctor nodded.

"It can be scary. The more meaning you assign to a word, the more it binds you. I wish you would put less meaning into it, Yeon-jae."

"How?"

"Just as I said. The word 'family' may feel special and noble now, but it's just a word. There's no need to assign too much meaning to it."

The doctor said words can change from being friends to lovers, and even real family members can end up estranged.

"There are no unchanging relationships. So, it's pointless to be anxious about it."

"..."

As expected, the doctor quickly understood.

‘Ugh.’

To hide my embarrassment, I rubbed my face.

"Yes. I'm very anxious. I feel like I want to forge documents just in case hyung changes his mind later."

When I honestly confessed, the doctor smiled faintly.

"But you know, right? In the end, documents are just..."

"A piece of paper."

"Right. What's important are not words or documents. Don't get caught up in defining the relationship; focus more on enjoying the moment."

The doctor's advice was indifferent yet lukewarm.

Not too cold, not too warm, so it put me at ease.

"Then I'll see you at the next counseling session."

"Thank you, doctor."

After thanking the doctor, I left the counseling room.

A tall person approached me immediately.

"Are you feeling okay, actor?"

The owner of the kind voice was my manager and housemate, the person I considered family.

And surprisingly, he also thought of me as family.

"I'm so happy, it's making me anxious."

"What?"

I watched the confusion turn into seriousness on his face.

‘How long will this last?’

Sometimes, I wish there were things that wouldn't change.

I chuckled softly, feeling like a child who wanted to whine.

"It's all your fault, hyung."

"What??"

Grabbing his hand as he looked even more confused, I whispered for us to go home quickly.

‘I wish this moment could last forever.’

I had known for a long time that I was greedy.

It was just amazing to realize that my greed could grow even bigger.

*    *    *

With such a subtle and complex feeling, I arrived home.

I was feeling somewhat sentimental when opening the front door.

That feeling didn't last even three minutes.

‘It couldn't.’

How could I think with a scene like this before me?

"It's unfair. I'm the one who introduced Jin-bae. I'm the one who calls him dad. But you only introduce Jin-bae as family."

"...Hyung, get up. The floor is dirty."

"I don't care. I'm upset. I'm depressed."

Hyung, who was lying in front of the entrance, was protesting.

His mature face was belting out a whining voice.

Watching Jung-hyun hyung, whose face clearly showed he was sulking, I sighed.

"When did you hear that story?"

"Jin-bae sent a group message."

What?

Turning around in shock, I saw Jin-bae hyung smiling shamelessly.

"It's good news. The more people who know about it, the better."

"What, I mean, who did you send it to?"

"I sent it to everyone in my contacts."

I was going crazy.

Jin-bae hyung's eyes glinted with a hint of madness.

When I rubbed my forehead, Jung-hyun hyung grumbled.

“I want to quit acting and become your road manager.”

“Hyung, get a grip.”

“Because of my schedule, I can't even be by your side, and you don't introduce me as family.”

His speech was slurred, probably because one cheek was pressed against the floor.

It was a somewhat cute sight, but I worried that his mouth might become twisted like that.

“Get up quickly. Okay?”

“I'll get up if you call me family too.”

“…Hyung, of course you're my family.”

As I hesitated and said the words, Jung-hyun hyung shouted loudly, “Humph!”

“What’s with the silence before? It’s hurtful. I’m hurt. Am I not family?”

“No, I was just embarrassed. Jin-bae hyung, stop laughing and help me out here.”

“Forget it. I hate him the most. I’m going to stay here forever.”

Jung-hyun hyung was acting like a five-year-old lying on the floor of a supermarket, demanding a toy.

Meanwhile, Jin-bae hyung wore a proud smile.

What are they doing, seriously?

As I sighed, a familiar voice interjected from the living room.

“No matter what you say, the real family here is me.”

I looked at Lee Eun-taek, sitting confidently on the sofa as if it were his own home, in astonishment.

What are you doing here?