The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest

Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 270

“Bi-hyuk, do you remember Mist?”

It had been a long time since I mentioned Mist to Noh Bi-hyuk.

I thought maybe he had forgotten.

“Yes. He was your childhood friend, right?”

As soon as I brought it up, he responded quickly.

“He’s the one you met before entering the orphanage, and the one who wished you a happy birthday at the awards ceremony, isn't he?”

“......”

He remembered it too well.

Before I could say anything, Noh Bi-hyuk grumbled.

“Hey, honestly, I was a bit disappointed that you didn't mention me in your acceptance speech yesterday. I understand, given what happened the day before, so I didn't say anything.”

“You’re saying something now.”

“Just be quiet. Remember what you said last time? You promised to wish me a happy birthday when I debuted.”

I was taken aback by his complaining tone.

“Your birthday was two months ago...”

“Still.”

What do you mean "still," you idiot?

I flicked his pouting lips.

“Ouch!”

“It was supposed to hurt.”

Even as Noh Bi-hyuk grumbled, he covered his lips with his hands, perhaps fearing I might hit him again.

‘This isn't the atmosphere I imagined.’

Where did it go wrong?

As I held my throbbing head, Noh Bi-hyuk asked.

“Why are you bringing him up? You said you weren't in touch. Did he contact you?”

“Well...”

“Did he ask to borrow money? You didn't lend him any, did you? If you did, I swear... No, give me his number. I’ll call him.”

“Let me speak.”

I hastily grabbed Noh Bi-hyuk’s shoulder, trying to calm him down.

Then I got straight to the point.

“Bi-hyuk, Mist isn't human.”

“What?”

“He’s a yokai, but I’m not sure if he’s the kind of yokai we know. Anyway, he’s not like us. I can see him when I fall asleep.”

“......What?”

He looked as if he had been hit in the face.

I recited the speech I had prepared.

From the day I first met Mist to the Misfortune Factor, the black stone, and how my acting could disrupt the Misfortune Factor.

After rattling off everything without taking a breath, I took a short, deep breath.

“Did you understand?”

“Huh? Oh, uh...”

Noh Bi-hyuk looked like someone who clearly hadn’t understood.

I swallowed a sigh as I looked at his blank face.

‘He’ll need time to process this.’

I should give him some time to digest what he just heard.

For now, I should stay quiet....

“Bi-hyuk, I know it sounds crazy.”

An anxious voice slipped out unconsciously.

‘How can I stay quiet like this?’

Just thinking that he might think I was crazy made my breathing quicken.

“I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t want you to think I was crazy. Originally, I planned to keep it a secret until I died.”

But I had to tell him that I needed Mist’s help to find out where Han Ha-ram was kidnapped, so I had to tell Jin-bae hyung and Jung-hyun hyung about Mist.

“I decided to explain everything to the hyungs tonight. I wanted to tell you first. I promised you before, remember? That I’d tell you first when I could.”

“Ah, yes. You did...”

Noh Bi-hyuk nodded, still looking bewildered.

Then there was a stifling silence.

“......”

“......”

Maybe because I was too nervous.

There was a buzzing sound in my ears.

I could feel my heart pounding in the roof of my mouth.

‘What if it just slips out?’

I imagined stuffing my escaping heart back into my mouth.

No need to panic. Just put it back in.

I even pictured my hand holding my sticky heart, soaked in red blood.

“Lee Yeon-jae.”

Finally, Noh Bi-hyuk spoke.

When I raised my head at his dazed face, I saw his thick eyebrows.

He was looking quite calm.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“There’s something I don’t get based on what you said.”

“Sure. What is it?”

I swallowed nervously.

With a calm face, he asked.

“Is his birthday a real birthday?”

“......What?”

Birthday?

The strength left my clenched fist.

“You said he wasn’t human, but a yokai. He doesn’t know how he came into being. So how did he figure out his birthday?”

“He said he wanted it to be the day we first met.... But is that really important?”

“Of course, it is.”

Oh, it’s important?

This time, I was the one left bewildered.

Noh Bi-hyuk still asked with a serious face.

“Then what exactly is your relationship with him? Is he your friend?”

“Well… yes?”

“What the heck. You always said I was your best friend.”

I was momentarily at a loss when he asked who I was closer to, him or Mist.

As I hesitated to answer, his thick eyebrows twitched.

“Why aren’t you answering? Are you buying time?”

“No, Bi-hyuk. Are you really asking this now? You believe all this?”

“Was it a lie?”

“No, it wasn’t….”

“So who is your best friend? What will you say when others ask?”

I kept stammering, unable to say anything but “No.”

‘No, but…’

Is he the strange one?

Who’s strange now, him or me?

I was confused.

“If you keep avoiding the question, I—”

“I’m not avoiding it, so calm down. I told you before, didn’t I? You’re my best friend. That was after I met Mist too.”

“Hmm.”

Noh Bi-hyuk looked satisfied with my answer.

Then he kept asking irrelevant questions.

“Is he a girl? Or a boy?”

“There’s no such thing. Mist is… just Mist.”

“But you said he talks in human form. Does he have a set appearance?”

“He changes every time. He appears as he wants to.”

I told him that when Mist first appeared, he showed up looking just like him, and it was exhausting.

He burst out laughing.

“Haha! Really?”

“Yeah. It felt like seeing you 24/7.”

“Oh, I like him. Can’t I meet him?”

“Well…, that might be difficult.”

“Too bad.”

Noh Bi-hyuk’s tone was so light.

So it felt even stranger.

‘Is this okay?’

Is this right?

The conversation was much more comfortable and cozy than I had expected.

At some point, I realized that I had relaxed without knowing it.

“……Bi-hyuk, do you really believe me? Isn’t it weird?”

“It’s weird. But you were always weird, so it’s fine.”

This brat.

When I glanced sideways at him, I heard him chuckling.

“Well, it’s not like you’re the type to joke about this. And you said it’s not a lie. Whether it’s really true or just your imagination, I’ll never know for sure.”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m anxious.”

Because I was worried you’d think I’m crazy.

When I confessed honestly, he laughed.

“Hey, but I’m not a doctor. You know, there’s that illness where you hear things and see things and even talk to yourself.”

“Schizophrenia?”

“Yeah, that. I worried you might have that, but it’s not like you don’t go to the hospital…. A doctor would handle that part.”

He shook his head, saying he was terrible at medical stuff.

His carefree response made me feel even more drained.

“You said this was the first time you told anyone?”

“Yeah.”

Noh Bi-hyuk, who had been staring at me, raised his hand.

“Then you must’ve been really nervous.”

“…….”

“It must have been really frustrating, not being able to tell anyone. I’d have been scared. Weren’t you scared?”

His hand, poking my cheek, wasn’t mischievous as usual but gentle.

It felt strange.

Maybe Noh Bi-hyuk felt awkward too, as he stopped poking after a few times.

“……I was scared.”

Ignoring the stinging in my eyes, I scrunched up my nose.

“I thought I was finally going crazy.”

“Yeah. I can see how freaked out you must have been with your personality. Ah, now I get it. That’s why you acted like a hedgehog.”

“A hedgehog again. Aren’t you tired of it?”

I chided him for the repetitive nickname, but honestly, I was grateful.

I expected him to scold me, asking if I was mentally ill.

We chatted for quite a while after that.

Time flew by without us noticing.

“Ah, the manager hyung texted. He said to come down.”

“Already?”

I didn’t realize two hours had passed so quickly.

Suppressing my regret, I got up from the bed.

Noh Bi-hyuk pressed down on his hat, which had been on the desk, and hesitated for a moment.

“Lee Yeon-jae.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t be too nervous.”

“…….”

I closed my mouth at his sudden words.

“You know your hyungs’ personalities. Even if they can’t believe what you say, it’s not because they don’t trust you. It’s just different perspectives.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“If I had the time, I’d stay with you.”

Scratching the back of his neck, he said he couldn’t skip the group practice.

“Hey, if it gets too hard in the middle, call me. I can just say I’m going to the bathroom.”

“Got it. The manager hyung will call again. Go quickly.”

“I’m not just saying it. Don’t suffer alone, call me.”

“I got it.”

I pushed him towards the door while opening it.

“Yeon-jae!”

At that moment, Han Ha-ram, who was sitting on the sofa, ran over.

“I waited quietly! I even did my homework with Jin-bae hyung!”

“Well done.”

As I patted Han Ha-ram’s head, Noh Bi-hyuk, who was putting on his shoes at the entrance, looked incredulous.

“Hey, little Yeon-jae. Don’t you see your hyung is leaving? Aren’t you going to say goodbye?”

“……Bye, hyung.”

Han Ha-ram replied with a sulky face.

Earlier, when Noh Bi-hyuk and I went into the room, Han Ha-ram had thrown a fit, demanding why that hyung was hogging me for two hours.

Noh Bi-hyuk had teased him from the door, asking if he was jealous.

The resentment seemed to still linger.

“I can’t hear you. Say it louder.”

“Bi-hyuk, just go. The manager hyung is waiting.”

I shot a look at the snickering Noh Bi-hyuk.

“Man, you really care for your kid. I can’t stay here anymore out of jealousy. Jin-bae hyung, I’m leaving!”

Noh Bi-hyuk flung open the front door.

Just before it closed, he quickly waved his phone at me.

‘Call me!’

He mouthed before the door shut.

I stood still, staring at the closed door.

“Yeon-jae, that hyung is a bit strange. Are you two really close?”

Han Ha-ram grumbled with a face full of discontent.

I couldn’t help but suppress a laugh as I replied.

“Yeah. We’re really close.”

“Ah…, then it can’t be helped.”

“Haha!”

Han Ha-ram’s disappointed expression made me burst into laughter.

I added with a smile on my face.

That he was my closest friend.

*    *    *

Night had fallen.

After putting Han Ha-ram to sleep in my bed, I came out to the living room.

Just in time, Jung-hyun hyung had arrived after finishing his schedule, and the three of us, including Jin-bae hyung, sat on the sofa.

“I first met Mist when I was in the fifth grade.”

It was much easier to talk to them than it had been with Noh Bi-hyuk.

Thanks to Mist, we had found the address where Han Ha-ram was kidnapped.

They knew it couldn’t be dismissed as mere nonsense.

“I also wondered if I had some sort of condition, so I looked through various books, but I’ve never experienced hallucinations or heard voices in daily life.”

I continued the speech I had prepared.

Most of the symptoms of hyperventilation were related to Mist, which made it harder to explain.

Since I kept my promise not to reveal anything, Mist had never failed to appear.

After finishing my explanation, a silence followed.

“Feel free to ask me anything. I’ll answer everything.”

The hyungs were older than Bi-hyuk and me.

They must have seen and learned a lot over the years.

I was determined to answer without hesitation, so they could fully understand.

But what came next wasn’t words or questions, but actions.

“……What are you doing?”

“Can’t you see? I’m telling you to sit on my lap.”

Jung-hyun hyung patted his lap again.

“No, I see that. But why would you want me to…”

I wasn’t Han Ha-ram.

My speech barely concealed my disbelief.

Jung-hyun hyung persistently repeated the gesture.

“Come on. I want to hug you.”

I hesitated but approached him.

Of course, I didn’t sit on his lap.

‘What if his knees break?’

As if he didn’t expect me to actually sit on his lap, he reached out and pulled me into a hug.

“Yeon-jae, thank you so much for telling us.”

“Thank you, actor.”

Jung-hyun hyung’s big, familiar hand patted my back as he hugged me.

I stood there, wide-eyed, and only after a while did I relax.

‘……It’s amazing.’

Everything around me was now familiar.

The single light on in the living room, the scent of the cologne Jung-hyun hyung always wore, the soft yet firm sofa, and the always warm touch of Jin-bae hyung’s hand.

‘It’s amazing.’

Despite all that familiarity, it still felt so foreign.

So it was strange and amazing.