The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest

Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 265

Late at night, Lee Yeon-jae posted a message on his fan cafe.

Typically, Lee Yeon-jae posted messages at regular times, so the sudden alert made many fans think it was unexpected.

However, the title and content of the post were not something that could be easily dismissed as 'unexpected.'

[Title: This is Lee Yeon-jae. If you have seen this child, please contact me]

The post included a picture and name of an elementary school student, along with several distinctive features, the police station, and the guardian's contact number.

Due to the life of a child being at stake, the message urged not to make prank calls, although it was full of typos.

The elementary school student in the photo seemed quite familiar if one was acquainted with Biyeon.

'This kid... wasn't he the child actor in Killing Horn?'

Recently, the child had become a hot topic after appearing on a Nade live broadcast, held by Bambi.

The fans became even more confused.

―What the;;

―What’s this sudden chaos??

―Is he missing? There’s nothing on the news.

―Now it’s on the news. A 9-year-old child model went missing from a studio.

―They say it’s only been half a day since he disappeared? Isn’t it usually a day before they’re considered missing?

└You idiot. It’s a child, not an adult. Think before you post.

―Won’t they find him by checking the CCTV? It doesn’t seem like a big deal. I’m worried Bambi is overreactingㅠㅠ

└There are countless missing kids every day, but only if you know a celebrity does it get publicized. What a dirty worldㅋ

└Is the comment above insane? Why is someone who’s not even a fan of Bambi making noise here?

―Hey guys, there’s breaking news. The kid’s phone was found on the mountain behind the studio;;

└Seriously?

In an instant, Lee Yeon-jae’s post spread across various communities.

At the same time, Lee Jung-hyun also posted a similar message on social media, causing the internet to buzz late into the night.

But right now, nothing buzzed more than Lee Yeon-jae’s mind.

*    *    *

His fingertips were cold.

“Actor, don’t worry. We’ll find him soon.”

“…….”

Jin-bae hyung’s voice was audible next to him, but he couldn’t respond.

After standing still for a while, he covered his face with his hands.

‘Han Ha-ram….’

He had received the news that Han Ha-ram was missing about an hour ago, around 10 PM.

After receiving calls from Jung-hyun hyung and Ha-ram’s mother, he had driven frantically on the highway to Seoul.

During that time, he couldn’t think of anything.

As soon as the car stopped, he jumped out of the door.

He ran toward Jung-hyun hyung, who was standing in front of the police station.

“What happened? What was going on?”

When he asked in a frenzy, Jung-hyun hyung also responded in confusion.

‘Well, I’m not exactly sure.’

Han Ha-ram’s mother was crying loudly next to him.

He saw the police officers moving busily behind her.

The surreal feeling closed in, suffocating him.

‘I got a call from Jin-bae that you were coming to Seoul, so I contacted Ha-ram’s mother. I thought it would be better if Ha-ram was at home when you arrived. But then she said she was at the police station….’

This was the situation.

This morning, Ha-ram and his mother visited a studio for a children’s clothing brand shoot.

Due to equipment failure, the shoot was delayed, and they had to wait indefinitely.

His mother said she would quickly visit a friend who ran a nearby cafe, telling Ha-ram to stay put, and left.

After about an hour, Ha-ram asked the staff where the bathroom was.

And that was the last time anyone saw him.

‘How could this….’

Ha-ram’s mother was sobbing in front of the police.

He had so much to say to her.

‘Why did you leave him alone?’

Who could be trusted there?

‘Damn it, why the kid?’

Unrefined, rough thoughts and various curses swirled in his mouth.

Clenching his teeth, he shook his head quickly.

‘Cursing won’t help now.’

First, find Ha-ram and then think.

Grinding his teeth, he barely managed to ask.

‘So, it’s been over seven hours since he disappeared, and you’re just reporting it now?’

‘She thought it wasn’t a big deal. Ha-ram has been saying he doesn’t want to shoot recently, so she thought it was a small act of defiance. She didn’t want it to escalate into a rumor.’

‘…….’

‘But when it was getting dark and Ha-ram didn’t answer his phone, and they couldn’t delay the shoot anymore, they checked the CCTV… and realized he hadn’t left alone.’

It was clearly captured on the studio’s CCTV.

Ha-ram was led toward the parking lot by a man wearing a hat.

None of the staff recognized the man, and the panicked mother finally reported it to the police.

The police, after tracking the phone, found Ha-ram’s phone discarded on a mountain about ten minutes from the studio.

Seeing the scene where Ha-ram was with a stranger and his abandoned phone, the police judged it more likely to be a kidnapping than a disappearance.

They were now converting it to a public investigation and deploying additional personnel when Jung-hyun hyung contacted him.

His hands trembled.

“Actor, your breathing is too rough. Look at me.”

Seeing that he couldn’t calm down, Jin-bae hyung urgently grabbed his face.

He harshly brushed away his hand.

“Hyung, I’m sorry, but just, just for a moment.”

He knew it was a worried hand.

But it was not him who needed that hand, it was Ha-ram.

The image of Ha-ram’s innocent eyes flashed in his mind.

Simultaneously, curses filled his mouth again.

‘Damn it….’

What if something happened to the kid?

Would he be alive now? No, I shouldn't think like this.

I shook my head roughly.

My body trembled uncontrollably with anxiety.

"Actor. I understand. I really do."

When I bit my lip hard, Jin-bae hyung patted my back.

"But it will be okay. Don't worry. The police have already searched half of the mountain where the phone was found. They'll find Ha-ram soon."

"......"

His low voice lingered in my ears and then faded away.

I couldn't calm down at all.

'What if he isn't there?'

They said the child was led away by a stranger.

What if the person discarded the phone in the mountain to mislead us?

How can we know where the child is now?

How can we know what he's going through?

'I’m just waiting here like an idiot...'

Helplessness crept up from my toes.

I couldn't just sit still, overwhelmed by self-reproach.

'Pathetic.'

Helpless. Incompetent.

There's nothing I can do.

The child is missing, and there's nothing I can do.

'I should have spoken more strongly then.'

It hadn't even been a week since I warned Han Ha-ram not to follow strangers.

'Ha-ram, adults don't ask children for help. If someone does, ignore them and call your mom immediately.'

'What if mom doesn't answer? What should I do then?'

'Then...'

I remembered his eyes vividly black in my memory.

His eyes were innocent and pure, like a puppy's moist nose.

'Damn, then call me.'

'Hehe. Okay!'

The memory of making a pinky promise, trusting only me, surfaced.

It made me feel even worse.

I buried my face in my hands deeply.

"Actor..."

Jin-bae hyung's worried voice reached my ears.

He slowly stroked my trembling back.

The sobs I had been holding back escaped thanks to his comforting touch.

"It's okay. It will be okay."

"Huh..."

"Yeon-jae, it’s okay."

Jung-hyun hyung, who squatted beside me, whispered softly.

'It's not okay at all.'

Guilt washed over me at the kind voice meant for me.

'The one most scared right now must be Han Ha-ram.'

It wasn't a time for me to be comforted.

It wasn't a time for me to act like a child.

I felt pathetic.

'Is there really nothing I can do?'

What about looking around the studio with the hyungs?

Should I ask to see the CCTV footage again?

It could be someone we know.

'Think. Think of something.'

I had to think of a way to find Han Ha-ram somehow.

I forced my sluggish brain to work.

Get it together, think of something.

What's the best thing to do now, how can I―.

‘Ah.’

At that moment, an epiphany struck me like lightning.

I stopped trembling and breathing, my mouth slightly open.

"......Mist."

"Yes?"

"Mist. Mist."

I saw Jin-bae hyung frown at my mumbling.

But I didn't have time to worry about that.

I quickly stood up.

'Mist would know.'

Surely Mist would know where Han Ha-ram is right now.

I just needed to fall asleep in this state.

Then Mist would tell me right away.

'As soon as I wake up, I’ll go to the location Mist tells me.'

Why didn't I think of this earlier?

My mind raced so fast it was almost unbearable.

As I hastily organized what I needed to do, Jin-bae hyung asked again.

"Actor, what do you mean by that...?"

Only then did I see the two faces filled with confusion.

And I realized I had just mentioned Mist out loud.

It was a situation I usually avoided, but I couldn't care about that now.

I spoke urgently.

"Jin-bae hyung, Jung-hyun hyung. Let's go back to the car. To our car. No, to Jung-hyun hyung's car."

"Huh? My car?"

"Yes. Hyung, you keep sleeping pills in your car, right? Can I borrow some? Just one, no, two."

"What? No, Yeon-jae."

Jung-hyun hyung was bewildered by my rapid-fire words.

It was a perfectly understandable reaction, but there was no time for this now.

"How do you know I carry sleeping pills―."

"Mist told me."

"Mist?"

"Yes. Quickly. Let's go to the car first. We'll talk there."

I grabbed their arms and pulled them along.

Jung-hyun hyung, still confused, and Jin-bae hyung, trying to stay calm, followed me.

Once we were in Jung-hyun hyung's car and the doors were shut, I spoke rapidly.

"I know you're both trying to find out who Mist is. Mist told me. Jin-bae hyung, you've been hiring people to investigate, right? And you haven't found anything. Mist told me that too."

"......"

"Mist knows where Ha-ram is right now. To meet Mist, I need to fall asleep. So please, Jung-hyun hyung, lend me your sleeping pills."

"......"

I couldn't wait for Jung-hyun hyung to respond, so I reached for the pill bottle in the back seat.

"Wait a minute!"

Jung-hyun hyung urgently grabbed the bottle from my hand.

"How did you know there were pills here―"

"Mist told me! There's no time to explain. We don't know what's happening to Ha-ram right now! Let's find Ha-ram first, then we can talk."

Jung-hyun hyung's face showed he couldn't comprehend what was happening.

I immediately turned my gaze to Jin-bae hyung.

"Hyung, you know I keep my promises. After we find Ha-ram, I'll explain everything. I promise. But right now, we need to focus on finding Ha-ram."

"......"

Jin-bae hyung stared at me silently.

Then he slowly opened his mouth.

"So, to summarize... If you fall asleep, you can meet Mist? And this Mist knows where Ha-ram is."

"Yes, yes."

I nodded urgently.

Jin-bae hyung sighed briefly, then nodded.

"Alright. Just don't forget your promise to explain everything."

"Yes! Jung-hyun hyung, the sleeping pills―"

"Take only one pill."

Jin-bae hyung interrupted me.

It was disappointing, but at least I got one pill.

With a reluctant expression, Jung-hyun hyung handed me the pill.

I swallowed it without water.

'Calm down.'

Calm down. We can find him now.

What I need to do here is stay calm and try to fall asleep quickly.

'I can do this.'

I closed my eyes.

I relaxed my body and leaned back in the seat, but then a thought struck me, and I opened my eyes again.

"If I don't wake up in ten minutes, wake me up."

"What?"

"Okay? If I don't wake up, slap me awake. Ten minutes. Start timing now."

"......"

They both still looked bewildered.

I quickly closed my eyes again.

Before long, a dark space came into view.