The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest

Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 267

"Han Ha-ram!!!"

There was Han Ha-ram.

To be precise, Han Ha-ram was looking at me, and a man was covering his mouth.

“What, what―.”

The man appeared flustered by my sudden appearance, but my body was already in motion.

With all my strength, I shoved the man hard.

"Ugh."

The man and I tumbled along the dirt path.

Dust flew everywhere, and I heard the man coughing.

I also started coughing. My throat felt scratchy.

"☓발, 이게." (Damn, this…)

I saw the man cursing and charging at me.

And then I lost my sanity.

I couldn't think at all.

No, on reflection, maybe I did have one thought.

'He must die.'

Right now, by my own hands.

That thought filled my mind completely.

I dodged the man's kicks and grabbed his leg.

"Ugh!"

I heard the sound of his head hitting the ground hard, followed by a scream of agony.

In the next moment, I was on top of him, my fist raised.

"Actor!"

"Let go of me!!"

"Yeon-jae, calm down! Calm―."

At that moment, someone rushed in from behind and pulled me away.

I couldn't even think about who was pulling me off the man; I only felt obstructed.

I screamed at the person holding me from behind to let go.

Someone kept shouting something, but it didn't reach my ears as I struggled frantically.

After a long struggle, trying to break free, I heard a tiny voice.

“Yeon, Yeon-jae….”

It was a voice trembling with fear.

Simultaneously, my body stopped as if commanded by the voice.

‘Han Ha-ram.’

The name flashed through my mind, and I immediately turned my head.

There was Han Ha-ram.

A child looking at me with tear-filled eyes, about to cry.

"……Han Ha-ram."

I moved again.

The person holding me immediately loosened their grip.

Without thinking, I crawled over.

"Sob, Yeon-jae. Yeon-jae…."

When I came to my senses, Han Ha-ram was in my arms.

It seemed like he relaxed, and he started crying loudly.

"It’s okay…. It’s okay."

Unconsciously, I relaxed my grip and hugged him tighter.

"Why are you so late? Sob."

"I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

I whispered into his ear while holding him.

"……I won’t be late next time. I'm sorry."

Han Ha-ram couldn’t respond and cried even more sorrowfully.

At the end of his wailing, I heard the sound of a police car siren.

Still holding Han Ha-ram, I looked around blankly.

Jin-bae hyung was restraining the man completely, staring at me, while Jung-hyun hyung was waving his arms toward the police car.

The siren grew louder, and the flashing lights from the police car illuminated us.

Was it because it felt like a scene from a movie?

Or was it because the warmth I felt in my arms was too comforting?

Still unable to grasp the reality, I had to hold him even tighter.

*    *    *

—"Elementary school kidnapping foiled by actor ‘Lee Yeon-jae,’ who personally found the culprit…."

—"Man in his 40s arrested on the spot, numerous weapons found in his vehicle."

—"‘Hero’ Lee Yeon-jae who prevented a child abduction, netizens say ‘he deserves a reward.’"

Reporters were quick.

They must have followed the police car because the alley was filled with vehicles when we emerged.

I was holding Han Ha-ram, who had cried himself to sleep, and the reporters’ eyes darted towards me the moment they saw us.

The police line hadn’t been set up yet, and thanks to the police restraining them, I wasn’t bombarded with interview requests.

However, I turned my body quickly to avoid Han Ha-ram being captured by the flashing cameras.

Jung-hyun hyung immediately took off his shirt to cover us.

Back at the police station, I finally exhaled the breath I had been holding.

"Ha-ram. Are you okay? My child, I’m so sorry."

"……Mom?"

Han Ha-ram’s mother, who had been waiting at the police station, rushed over.

‘Just let him sleep.’

Why wake him up?

Han Ha-ram blinked his swollen eyes, then urgently turned his head.

"Yeon-jae, where’s Yeon-jae?"

I answered his anxious voice immediately.

"I’m here."

Relief spread through his eyes as they met mine.

And then, perhaps feeling sad again, he began to cry.

"Yeon-jae…."

"Yes. It’s okay."

Seeing him reaching out to hug me again, I immediately embraced him.

"There are no bad people. You’re safe now. The police officers are right here, see?"

"Okay…."

Han Ha-ram seemed to be holding it in, but then he burst into tears again.

I gently patted Han Ha-ram's back, and he mumbled in a mix of English and Korean while in my arms.

Han Ha-ram’s mother watched us with a blank expression.

Regardless, I asked Han Ha-ram, “Ha-ram, did you eat anything while you were with that man earlier?”

“Eat? Uh… I ate some snacks.”

“Did it taste strange?”

“It was weird. It smelled…”

I quickly turned my gaze to Jin-bae hyung.

Since Mist had already informed us, I had mentioned it to the hyungs while we were in the car looking for Han Ha-ram.

I hadn’t had a chance to ask Mist if the snacks were poisoned, so I was very anxious.

Jin-bae hyung immediately approached the police to ask about the snacks.

“Snacks? We're currently searching the house, but I’ll put in a call.”

“Yes. He said it tasted strange, so we’re worried there might be something wrong with the food.”

“It’s probably because they were old. The house was pretty run-down overall.”

The police suggested we go to the hospital just in case.

“We’ll take you in the police car. Let’s get you examined and treated at the hospital.”

The police looked at me as they said this.

“…?”

Why are they looking at me?

I was momentarily puzzled, but then I saw my reflection in the window and understood.

‘…I look fierce.’

After the scuffle, I was covered in dirt from head to toe.

Anyone would think I had been kidnapped.

“I’m fine. I’m not hurt anywhere.”

Even though I spoke urgently, the police didn’t listen and escorted me to the car.

No, seriously, I’m not hurt.

“I’m really okay. Take him first―”

“Actor.”

Jin-bae hyung’s voice made me shut my mouth quickly.

Until now, I had been too out of it to notice.

‘The hyungs don’t look happy.’

Both Jin-bae hyung and Jung-hyun hyung looked very displeased.

Only then did the memories of the past few hours slowly come back.

‘Wow, I even told them about Mist.’

Slowly, my rationality returned.

I had acted without thinking about the consequences.

Thanks to that, I found Han Ha-ram, so I didn’t regret it, but I felt overwhelmed.

‘How should I explain this?’

Noticing the shadow on my face, Jin-bae hyung sighed.

“Actor.”

“Yes….”

“I understand your feelings. I would have done the same. But ignoring us when we were yelling at you not to go was too much.”

“Pardon?”

For a moment, I wondered what he meant.

Seeing my confusion, Jin-bae hyung frowned.

“Why are you frowning?”

“Oh, I thought you were asking about Mist.”

“…….”

Jin-bae hyung looked at me with a complicated expression.

“You can ask about that later. You promised to tell us. Are you not going to keep your promise?”

“No, no. I’ll keep it.”

“Yes. I understand. Just tell us when you’re ready.”

He continued by saying I didn’t have to explain today.

‘Thank goodness.’

I needed time to sort things out since my head was a mess.

When I sighed in relief, Jin-bae hyung sighed along with me.

“Actor. Please… Please don’t act so recklessly.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You’re not sorry at all.”

“…….”

An unusually sharp remark came from Jin-bae hyung.

I opened my mouth to respond.

Then Jung-hyun hyung intervened.

“Jin-bae, let’s get Yeon-jae to the hospital first. It’s already 2 AM. He needs to sleep.”

“Haa, alright.”

Jin-bae hyung sighed deeply with a complicated look.

As I looked around nervously, Jung-hyun hyung turned his attention to me.

“Yeon-jae. Do you understand why Jin-bae and I were so worried?”

“……Yes.”

“I know how you feel. Really. But what you did was foolish. What if that guy had a knife? Did you think about that?”

I didn’t have time to think about that….

But it would sound like an excuse, so I kept quiet.

Jung-hyun hyung opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before letting out a long sigh.

“Jin-bae and I are upset. It feels like you don’t trust us at all.”

“…….”

“Ha-ram is young, but so are you. You’re not even in high school yet, you know.”

He said I could rely on them. After hesitating, I spoke.

“I’m sorry for worrying you. Next time, I mean, there won’t be a next time, but… what I’m trying to say is….”

I stammered.

“I’ll try not to act so recklessly.”

I couldn’t make any promises, so I changed my wording.

Jung-hyun hyung rubbed his temples as if he had a headache.

“…Let’s go to the hospital first.”

I felt naturally guilty and lowered my head.

*    *    *

The next morning.

Due to the events of the previous night, I woke up later than usual.

Naturally, the news was full of stories about me, and my phone had been turned off, probably because it had been ringing all night.

I was busy with acting practice and reassuring people that I was okay.

Almost everyone in my contact list had reached out.

There were many missed calls from directors and writers I had worked with before, and by the time I had responded to them all, it was already afternoon.

“Actor, are you really going to attend the awards ceremony?”

“Yes. I'm not hurt anywhere.”

“The CEO said you should rest, but you’re determined to go.”

“I’m really okay, hyung. And I'm excited about the possibility of winning an award since I’m nominated. I definitely want to go.”

“You don’t care about winning awards.”

“…….”

Hyung must have had a tough night.

Facing his stiff expression, I smiled awkwardly.

“It’s just… after hearing the news, the fans must have been really worried. I need to show them I’m okay at the awards ceremony so they can feel at ease.”

“The fans would prefer you to rest. Can’t you just stay home and relax?”

Jin-bae hyung was persistent.

But so was I.

I had finished all my practice for today, I wasn’t injured, and there was no reason to postpone the awards ceremony or filming.

Most importantly, I had something I wanted to do.

‘If I do win an award…’

In that moment, with everyone watching me, there was something I wanted to say in my acceptance speech.

Well, that’s only if I actually win.

“But I feel like my face is a bit swollen from oversleeping. Do you think it’s okay to go like this?”

When I changed the subject, Jin-bae hyung sighed.

“You’re not swollen at all. Let’s go get your hair done. We have three hours before the ceremony starts.”

“Okay. Is Ha-ram still asleep?”

“Because of the sedative, he’ll probably sleep until evening. Just in case, we’ve sent security to the hospital, and we’re receiving photo updates every hour, so don’t worry.”

As expected.

When I gave a thumbs up, Jin-bae hyung smiled, as if he couldn’t help it.

Afterward, I got my makeup done and changed into the suit I had chosen a few days ago.

I had to repeatedly assure the stylists, who said they had been worried sick all night, that I was fine.

“Actor, get ready.”

“Yes.”

We arrived at the venue of the awards ceremony, and it was time to get out of the limousine for the red carpet shoot.

‘Wow.’

Even though I had prepared myself, it was still overwhelming.

‘Am I going to get pierced by these stares?’

The attention focused on me was hotter than ever.

Hiding my awkward feelings, I put a smile on my face.

And exactly two seconds later, a thunderous burst of camera shutters erupted, nearly deafening me.