Chapter 116. Loud Cheers (11)
“Rika is healthy and well, so don’t worry. It’s good if you could come regularly for checkups.”
“Okay, thank you for your hard work.”
The vet put Rika down on the table.
Rika did not seem tired at all, considering that she had just gone through a full series of tests: physical examination, blood tests, ultrasound tests, dental check, and eye checks.
Ha Jae-Gun put his face forward, and Rika did the same. The two rubbed noses.
“She’s really pretty and elegant,” said the vet as she looked down at Rika. The vet was a female in her early thirties, and her facial features resembled a cat in Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes.
“I like Russian Blues as well. I’ve got one at home, too, but it isn’t as elegant as Rika.”
“Rika must be happy about that compliment.”
“I’ve been running the clinic for a while now, but I haven’t seen a Russian Blue as pretty as Rika. She’s quiet, understands what we say, and is smart. How are her eyes so bright?”
Ha Jae-Gun wordlessly smiled.
He somewhat felt like the vet was quite talkative today.
The vet owned both the clinic and the pet supplies store next door.
The pet supplies store was the same store he visited to buy Rika some food when he first found her by Seo Gun-Woo’s grave.
Afterward, he had been frequenting the store since it was near his house, but he had just discovered that the vet owned both of the businesses.
“Thank you, I’ll be going now.”
Ha Jae-Gun picked up Rika into his arms.
Ha Jae-Gun was about to turn around, but the vet called out to him.
“Excuse me, Mr. Ha.”
“Yes?”
She gathered her hands on her chest and asked, “If you don’t mind, can I ask you for a favor?”
“What is it?”
“I would like to put a picture of you and Rika in the clinic.”
“Ah… Sure, please go ahead.”
“Thank you so much! L-Let me take my camera!”
She pulled out a DSLR from under the counter and then took a few photos of Ha Jae-Gun and Rika around the clinic.
“Thank you. The photos are beautiful. The customers will love to see them around the clinic.”
“Please edit them well. I’ll be going now, then.”
“No, no. Not yet. Hey, Yeong-Mi! Come here! Bring some dry and canned foods for Rika.”
“No, Director. It’s just photos. You don’t have to do that.”
The director insisted despite Ha Jae-Gun’s refusal. Not only did she pack food, but there were also health supplements and toys for Rika packed into a huge bag. Her appreciation for taking just a couple of photos had filled Ha Jae-Gun’s trunk.
“Wow, I really don’t know what to say, how can I come again next time? Isn’t that right?” Ha Jae-Gun asked as he started the car.
However, Rika just kept staring behind at the trunk while sitting in the front passenger seat, feeling happy about her presents.
“We’re going to Mysterium’s office now. They said I’m allowed to bring you in there. Isn’t the editor-in-chief great?”
“Meow.”
Ha Jae-Gun entered the address of OongSung Publication Group’s headquarters into the navigation and grabbed the steering wheel.
He was going there to meet the rookie director—Yoon Tae-Sung.
Yoon Tae-Sung was thirty-four years old, and that was all Ha Jae-Gun knew about the man.
“Yes, editor-in-chief. I’ve just arrived and entered the basement car park. 11th floor? Yes, I got it. I’ll be heading up soon.”
Ha Jae-Gun parked his car in the huge space and took the elevator up. He saw Oh Myung-Suk standing in the lift lobby as soon as the doors opened on the 11th floor.
“Why are you out here?”
“I should, of course, personally greet you when you’ve come all the way to our humble quarters. Please come this way.”
Oh Myung-Suk led Ha Jae-Gun past the reception and into a small meeting room. Director Yoon Tae-Sung had already arrived, and he stood up to greet Ha Jae-Gun as the latter entered the room.
“Hello, Writer Ha Jae-Gun. I’m Yoon Tae-Sung.”
The man looked thin and somewhat lifeless. However, his eyes were shining brightly, which piqued Ha Jae-Gun’s interest.
“It’s nice to meet you. You’ve come early.” Ha Jae-Gun greeted him in return and shook hands with the man.
Ha Jae-Gun was quite the punctual man himself. He hadn’t been late for his appointments, but why were there many times when the other party would come much earlier and wait for him to arrive?
“Please have some coffee.”
The trio’s conversation started with some coffee. After briefly sharing and complimenting each other’s previous works, they headed straight for the main agenda of the day.
“I’ve seen the half-completed scenario you wrote. I’m worried about a few scenes that might be hard to pull off, but it didn’t look like there were too many issues. I feel that it’d be better if we could iron out some of the awkward-sounding dialogues as well. I’m not that fond of having actors improvising on the spot.”
Yoon Tae-Sung was straightforward and outspoken with his own opinion.
He did not say things in a roundabout way, nor did he add any flowery words.
And that was exactly why Ha Jae-Gun liked him…
“As for the treatment you’ve done up for the ending, I’ll accept the scenario if you’re going to complete the scenario based on how it is right now. The story is right up my alley as well.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
Yoon Tae-Sung took a sip of his coffee and shook his head expressionlessly.
“I should be the one thanking you. It’s my first commercial movie. Writer Ha’s Summer in My 20s is still going strong, and I think this novel will do great as well. In the worst-case scenario where I end up ruining this movie like Summer in My 20s, we can still break even.”
Yoon Tae-Sung expressed his thoughts without an ounce of hesitation despite Ha Jae-Gun’s bitter smile.
“I won’t work on projects that don’t suit my personality either. I look like this, but I’ve got quite a lot of pride as well. However, I like how your story fits with me, and of course, I do not wish to pass up on this opportunity.”
“I understand what you mean.” Ha Jae-Gun met eyes with him and nodded.
There was only excitement and no traces of pretentiousness in Yoon Tae-Sung’s eyes. Ha Jae-Gun was convinced that Yoon Tae-Sung would be able to film a great movie.
“Feel free to drop by the filming site whenever you want. I’ll make sure that you can check the recorded scenes every time we’re done filming a certain scene.”
“Thank you for being so considerate.” Ha Jae-Gun finished his cup of coffee that had turned cold. Discussions of the scenario had ended there. However, there was still something he had to discuss.
“I’ve got something I would like to discuss with regard to the actor…” Ha Jae-Gun trailed off, then looked to Oh Myung-Suk, tossing the baton to him.
Oh Myung-Suk fixed his glasses and said, “We would like to have Actor Park Do-Joon as the male lead.”
Yoon Tae-Sung narrowed his eyes. “Mr. Park Do-Joon?”
“Yes, you may hold an audition to cast the other actors, but we would like to have Mr. Park Do-Joon as the male lead. Writer Ha mentioned that he originally modeled the character Cho Kang-Jae with the actor in mind as well.”
Yoon Tae-Sung turned to look at Ha Jae-Gun, who only nodded silently in return, agreeing with Oh Myung-Suk.
“Park Do-Joon… Hmm…”
Tae-Sung pondered with his eyes closed while Oh Myung-Suk and Ha Jae-Gun waited for his response quietly.
Yoon Tae-Sung finally opened his eyes after a while and said, “I think it’ll be fine.”
“Mr. Park Do-Joon appearing in the movie by himself will be a huge issue,” Oh Myung-Suk added.
However, Yoon Tae-Sung waved his hand, saying, “I have no interest in how popular Park Do-Joon is. It’s because I feel that he fits the character Cho Kang-Jae that I have in mind. Ah, but…” Something seemed to have come to his mind, which prompted him to lower his gaze before continuing. “I know someone in Newdon. According to him, Actor Park Do-Joon was confirmed to act in Director Woo Jae-Hoon’s next movie.”
“Did he mention about a contract being signed?”
“I’m not sure about that. However, the two of them are quite close anyway, and the director has been looking out for Park Do-Joon ever since his debut. If There Was A Sea is scheduled to start filming at the end of the year, could he film? It seems to me that it’s highly unlikely.”
“Hmm. Well, I guess we will have to call him, then. Thank you for letting us know.”
That was all they had discussed about Park Do-Joon.
Ha Jae-Gun and Yoon Tae-Sung were sent off by Oh Myung-Suk and hopped onto each of their own vehicles. Ha Jae-Gun felt relieved to have met the director Tae-Sung, but he got worried about Park Do-Joon.
‘Will he really only agree if it’s directed by Director Woo Jae-Hoon?’
Ha Jae-Gun recalled the conversation he had with Park Do-Joon at his place. He could still remember Park Do-Joon’s desire to act in There Was A Sea. He wondered if he should drop Park Do-Joon a message to ask him about it, but he ultimately decided against it.
Ha Jae-Gun thought that this wasn’t something he should meddle in, and as per Oh Myung-Suk, he should let the clear-headed Oh Myung-Suk handle this himself.
Bzzt!
Just then, a call from Lee Yeon-Woo arrived. Ha Jae-Gun grabbed the steering wheel and headed to the Bucheon office without using the navigator before answering the call.
“Did you call to rush me?”
— I’m just worried that hyung will forget about the company dinner tonight. How was your discussion on the movie?
“Not bad. Anyway, I’m on the way back now.”
— Eun-Young noona is cooking chicken and seafood soup[1], so you should hurry up and come back!
“It’s barely 6 p.m. now. You told me to be there by 7 p.m., didn’t you? I’ll drive faster, so let’s talk later. I’m driving as well.”
— All right, hyung.
Upon arriving at the office, Ha Jae-Gun saw all the writers, including Kwon Tae-Won and Jung So-Mi, gathered there. Meanwhile, a large pot of soup was boiling in the kitchen.
“Wow, it smells amazing. I think you’ll be a great chef at this rate, Writer Jang.”
“Is it because I’m bad at writing?”
“Aye, how could you make such a cruel joke?”
“Hyung, this pot has five whole chickens, abalone, octopus, and even octopus added in it! The smell is amazing. I could already feel my stomach sticking to my back.” Lee Yeon-Woo fussed with his signature gesture.
Jang Eun-Young chuckled and slapped Lee Yeon-Woo’s lower back. “You can start setting up the table, Yeon-Woo.”
“Yes, noona.”
“What should I do?”
“Ah, you can just sit around for a while, Jae-Gun hyung. I will do everything.” Lee Yeon-Woo did not allow Ha Jae-Gun to even lift a finger around in the office.
Ha Jae-Gun had no choice but to hug Rika and made his way to the terrace. Jung So-Mi approached him and took Rika from him, then said, “Writer Ha, you’re looking great these days. Even I am getting affected by your mood.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Ms. So-Mi. Thanks to your advice, I’ve been reformed as a writer with regular working hours. If I were to inadvertently ruin my health once again, please point it out to me immediately.”
“Okay, I’ve inherited my mom’s nagging skills, so do look forward to it.”
At that, Jung So-Mi and Ha Jae-Gun chuckled while staring at each other.
They were about to talk about something else, but Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang.
Ha Jae-Gun saw Park Do-Joon’s name on the screen and excused himself to the hallway.
“Yeah, Do-Joon.”
— Thank you, Ha Jae-Gun. I’m glad to be friends with you.
Park Do-Joon sounded excited.
“What do you mean?”
— I’ve heard from Newdon’s team leader. You met Director Yoon Tae-Sung and said you wanted me as the male lead?
“Ah, I thought it was something else… I didn’t do anything, actually. You live up to your name as well, so everyone is happy about it. But someone from Newdon told you?
— Yeah, the distribution investor is still by Newdon this time, I think?
“See, as expected of Park Do-Joon. I thought the investors would run since he’s a rookie director, but your power is amazing.”
Park Do-Joon’s laugh was heard loud and clear.
— You’re just adding weight to my shoulders now. Plus, it’s not exactly because of me, I heard that OongSung would be investing 4 billion won in the project.
“…OongSung?” Ha Jae-Gun asked, bewildered.
Oh Myung-Suk was OongSung Publication Group president’s eldest son and editor-in-chief, so the former’s face couldn’t help but appear in Ha Jae-Gun’s mind.
Oh Myung-Suk had to have used his power.
— Either way, thank you, Ha Jae-Gun. I’m free today, what are you doing? Shall we have some drinks somewhere nice?
“Ah, I’m sorry. I’ve got a company dinner with the others at the office today. We’re just about to start.”
— Is it a writer’s office? Can I go there, too? I want to take a look.
“Of course you can. Everyone would be elated to see you here. But the popular actor Park Do-Joon will actually come to a writer’s office to play?”
— Yes, it’s a done deal. I’ll be there soon, so send me the address.
“Huh? Do-Joon?”
The call was unilaterally ended. Ha Jae-Gun tilted his head to one side and sent the address to Park Do-Joon before heading back into the office. He then told everyone about it.
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got a friend wanting to come over to hang out. Would that be fine with everyone?”
“Why ask us about it? This is Writer Ha’s office. But which friend of yours?”
Jang Eun-Young’s question got Ha Jae-Gun scratching the tip of his nose as he answered, “He’s called Park Do-Joon, and he’s the male lead of Summer in My 20s.”
The others were stunned at the answer.
Jang Eun-Young lightly tapped Ha Jae-Gun’s shoulder and grinned before bursting into laughter.
“Writer Ha… Seriously. You’re even good at making jokes.”
“No, it’s true…”
The writers didn’t believe his words at all.
Even Jung So-Mi and Kwon Tae-Won seemed doubtful about it, but they were aware that Ha Jae-Gun wasn’t the type to make such jokes.
Ding dong! Ding dong!
The doorbell rang about twenty minutes later.
Ha Jae-Gun headed to the door and personally opened it.
Park Do-Joon stood tall outside in a white silk shirt and black slacks, grinning at him.
“You look like you’ve just come out of a pictorial just standing there.”
“No, I just legit finished a photoshoot and came right away.”
“Welcome in.”
“Please excuse me!”
Park Do-Joon greeted everyone with a loud voice. Everyone was speechless at his entrance. The office turned silent instantly, and only the sound of the water boiling in the pot could be heard.
“Uh, uh, uh, uh, uh…” Jang Eun-Young stammered, and her chin started trembling. Her eyes grew so wide that it would make one wonder if her eyes were just that large.
“I-i-is… it really you, Park Do-Joon?”
Jung So-Mi didn’t dare to approach him as she rubbed her flushed cheeks with both hands. Everyone froze upon seeing Park Do-Joon in the flesh when they could only see him through the small and big screens up until today.
Jang Eun-Young finally snapped out of it and shouted, “I really like you, Park Do-Joon-nim! Oh my god, how did you get to know Writer Ha?!”
“It seems like he hasn’t told you yet, but we’re friends.”
“Oh my! Oh my! P-please take a seat! I’ve made a pot of chicken and seafood soup, so please join us!” Jang Eun-Young hurriedly guided Park Do-Joon to his seat.
It took a long time before the group could calm down and start eating.
Park Do-Joon captivated everyone with his eloquence. He even ate the drumstick with his hands. There wasn’t an ounce of a popular actor’s aura in him, and his easy-going character made him acquire everyone’s favor.
“Writer Jang Eun-Young, where’s my soju?”
“You… drink soju as well? I thought you only drink wine and all, so…”
“That’s nonsense. I even drank from rice bowls back in the army. Please fill it up for me.”
Bzzt!
“Ah, I’m sorry. Please wait a moment.”
Park Do-Joon picked up his phone and stood up.
The screen showed the name Kim Na-Yeon. He accepted the call and said, “Hello?”
Chapter 117. Loud Cheers (12)
— Hello, it’s Kim Na-Yeon. I didn’t know you called me since I was asleep. I’m sorry.
“I should be the one apologizing for calling you unexpectedly.”
Park Do-Joon headed to the balcony as he recalled her work lifestyle. She would have been entertaining customers up until daybreak and returning home after to rest but did not consider that.
— But why did you call…?
“You mentioned that you’d like to become an actress, right?” Park Do-Joon asked her outright.
— …
Soft breathing could be heard for a few moments, and finally, a reply came.
— Yes, if that’s possible…
“An audition will be held soon.”
— An audition?
“It’s for a movie. It can happen earliest in two weeks or maybe a few months, but prepare a few acts if possible. Make sure you have an impressive self-introduction, and prepare to show a few special talents if you have any. I’ll send the details to you once the criteria are set so you can reference those as well.”
— Okay, I’ll do that. But can I ask what movie it will be?
“I’ll let you know later. I’m quite busy at the moment, so I’ll need to go now,” Park Do-Joon quickly said his piece and ended the call.
When he returned to the table, Ha Jae-Gun asked, “Do you need to go?”
“Nah, it’s just… I met this girl somewhere, and she looked pretty good, so I thought of sending her to join the audition.”
“Audition?”
Park Do-Joon grinned and bumped shoulders with Ha Jae-Gun.
“For There Was A Sea.”
“Oh… Does she look that good for you to recommend her to join the audition?”
“Go take a look at the auditions if you’re curious.”
“Would there be any need for me to be there?”
Jang Eun-Young, who was waiting to fill Park Do-Joon’s glass, chimed in. “Mr. Do-Joon, my arm is going to break soon.”
“Woah, I’m sorry. My mistake. Please, let me pour it for you as well.”
Park Do-Joon filled everyone’s glasses and shared a toast.
“It’s really nice to have met all of you.”
“It’s the same for me. I still can’t believe that you’re here with us in the flesh.”
“Same here. I won’t be able to forget tonight’s dinner.”
Tonight’s star was definitely Park Do-Joon. He was leading the atmosphere at the table with his fun celebrity aura.
“…there was once when I needed the washroom urgently during a live broadcast. If I had beer, I would have stomach problems all day the following day. But even after having diarrhea medicine, hoo—my vision turned yellow, and the panelists kept asking me questions, but I just couldn’t understand them!”
Every time Park Do-Joon said something, there was a particular someone who would keep on grabbing their stomach and bend over to laugh out loud. He had a totally different personality compared to when he was on camera.
The alienated feeling was like a strange charm for everyone else.
“Thanks to Mr. Do-Joon, I’ve learned a lot about celebrities and can use them as references for my character building. Could I use the stories you shared in my novel?”
“Feel free to use the others, except what I said about the washroom.”
They laughed once more. Meanwhile, Lee Yeon-Woo opened another bottle of alcohol. Ha Jae-Gun looked worriedly at the wall clock. It was already past 10 p.m., and they enjoyed the dinner so much that they had forgotten the passing time.
“Yeon-Woo, can you still handle it?”
“Yes, hyung. I’m not drunk yet.”
Despite saying that, Lee Yeon-Woo’s eyes looked torpid.
“Please have another glass, hyung. Park Do-Joon hyung, too.”
Lee Yeon-Woo addressed Park Do-Joon as hyung despite having only met the man for the first time today. His lethargic look and droopy head got Park Do-Joon asking, “Are you alright, dongsaeng[1]?”
“Yes, I’m really fine. I was just thinking a bit about both Park Do-Joon hyung and Ha Jae-Gun hyung.”
“What kind of thoughts?”
Lee Yeon-Woo stared alternately at both of them, then sniggered and said, “It’s about the movie Summer in My 20s. The movie was honestly, uh… not that good. Still, Park Do-Joon hyung acted really well as Lee Jin-Hyuk from the novel. I was thinking of that.”
“Thank you.”
“However…” Lee Yeon-Woo put strength in his drunken gaze and looked up before continuing. “I actually like Ha Jae-Gun hyung’s fantasy novels much more. Summer in My 20s was great, and There Was A Sea would be great as well, but whenever I feel burned out or bored, I would turn to Poongchun-Yoo’s novel first.”
“I agree with you, dongsaeng. I’ve recently started reading Oscar’s Dungeon, and I love how it’s such a much smoother read for me.”
At some point, Park Do-Joon had dropped formalities with Lee Yeon-Woo.
Lee Yeon-Woo was overjoyed to hear that Park Do-Joon agreed with his opinions, so he said excitedly, “Right? Right? People criticize novels and say that they’re bad or whatever just because the writing style isn’t too complicated, but I don’t feel that way.
“Aren’t novels great so long as many people are reading them? So what if no one is reading a novel, despite its greatness by virtue of its verbosity?”
“Just what are you trying to say, and what’s up with those deep words?” asked Ha Jae-Gun.
However, Lee Yeon-Woo continued speaking in a roundabout manner.
“Can’t the Records series or Pezellon get adapted into a movie as well? The same goes for Oscar’s Dungeon. Ha Jae-Gun hyung could write the original, and Park Do-Joon hyung could take the male lead roles—wow, just imagining that made my heart pound.
”What’s that? Why doesn’t the Nobel Literary Prize give awards for fantasy or martial genres? I think Ha Jae-Gun hyung is more than qualified to receive them. His novels are interesting and extremely touching as well.”
Lee Yeon-Woo’s drunk speech didn’t make any sense at all.
Moreover, his ideal argument didn’t give any form of consideration to reality, making everyone else smirk in response. All except for one person. Park Do-Joon’s expression was serious as he nodded and agreed with Lee Yeon-Woo.
“Like what you’ve said, there’s no rule saying that fantasy genres can’t receive the Nobel Literary Prize, too. And as long as it’s Ha Jae-Gun’s novel, even if it’s a bad novel, wouldn’t there come a day that it would get adapted into a movie as well?”
“Do you really think that way?”
“Of course. If Oscar’s Dungeon gets adapted into a movie, I would get my hair bleached immediately and join the audition for the role of the male lead.”
Lee Yeon-Woo couldn’t hide how touched he was by Park Do-Joon, and even started making gestures of his pounding heart at him.
“Ah, Park Do-Joon hyung, I really love you.”
“I like girls more, so forget it.”
Lee Yeon-Woo collapsed less than twenty minutes later.
Ha Jae-Gun quickly caught him and supported him while tutting. “Seriously, he can’t even handle his drinks, but he actually drank so much?”
“Let me help you.”
Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon supported Lee Yeon-Woo back to the room and laid him in his bed. Lee Yeon-Woo was smiling as if he was having a great dream.
“I should get going now, too,” Park Do-Joon said.
“How are you going to drive?”
“My manager hyung is resting and waiting for me somewhere in the area.”
“I’ll send you to the car park, then.”
Park Do-Joon bade his goodbyes to everyone else, promising to drop by again next time, and then left the office. As they walked down the corridor together, Ha Jae-Gun asked, “Isn’t Yeon-Woo cute?”
“Yeah, he’s really guileless. I’m so envious.”
“Thank you for accepting his antics.”
“No, I actually agree with him wholeheartedly.”
Park Do-Joon pressed the button on the elevator, then said, “I’ve looked up all the past interviews you’ve done before. You like fantasy novels, and that’s why you started writing them first, right?”
“…”
“Think back about what novels made you feel happy the most when you were writing them. Isn’t that what Yeon-Woo was trying to say? You should write whatever makes you feel the happiest.”
“Hearing you say that makes me think that I’ve felt something, too.”
“It’s something random from me, so I guess you can ignore it.”
Park Do-Joon’s manager was already waiting at the car when the pair arrived at the car park. Park Do-Joon hopped into the car and wound down the window to wave at Ha Jae-Gun.
“Thanks for inviting me. I’ll see you again.”
“Um, Do-Joon,” Ha Jae-Gun called out.
“Yeah?”
Ha Jae-Gun looked around to check if anyone else was around before asking softly, “Do you really want to act in There Was A Sea? Is Director Woo Jae-Hoon going to be fine with it?”
“…I knew you were going to say something about it. I want to act in the movie that I want, so why would he complain? It’s my problem as well, so don’t worry about it. Anyway, I’m going now.”
The window went back up, and the car cruised away.
Park Do-Joon’s manager looked through the rearview mirror at Ha Jae-Gun and muttered, “It’s definitely going to be an issue, Do-Joon.”
“But the president gave his word.”
“Can it even be considered a promise? He lost to you just because you’re too stubborn.”
“I hate getting led by the nose and being told what to do. I want to do what I like, and I want to enjoy the roles I’m acting out.”
Park Do-Joon’s opinions were made clearer than ever. The words he had said to Ha Jae-Gun in the elevator earlier were also meant for himself.
“Aigoo, I don’t know anymore.”
“How can there be an irresponsible manager like you? How can you say that? You should keep looking out for me.”
“God, what sin did I commit that you have put such a nuisance in my care?”
Park Do-Joon smiled and took out his phone. The first half of the scenario that he had read over ten times appeared on the screen. He started practicing the lines alone in the car.
***
“Yeah, Soo-Hee. It’s tomorrow. Well, I’m not that nervous yet. If I am, I’ll just have one of those calming herbal drinks. All right, I’ll call you again. Do a good job at work.”
Ha Jae-Gun ended the call and looked at the full-length mirror before him before sighing. He was holding the lecture script that he had prepared beforehand.
“Rika, my expressions and gestures are weird, right?”
“Meow?”
“Even I feel that I look too stiff. There are over 300 attendees, and it’s different compared to the orientation and library lectures, too.
”I think I’ll go crazy from nervousness even before it starts. I’m afraid that I’ll faint upon stepping onto the rostrum.”
Bzzt!
The vibration from his pocket made him flinch, which made it clear that he was truly nervous.
He answered calmly when he saw Park Do-Joon’s name on the screen.
“Yeah, Park Do-Joon.”
— I just dropped by Newdon’s office and received confirmation that I’ll be acting as Cho Kang-Jae in There Was A Sea.
“Congratulations, and thank you.”
— I heard that you’re invited to watch the casting auditions as well. I actually called you because of this.
“Me? Why?”
— Because you’re the author of the original novel. You must have had some sort of image in your mind when you created your characters. Your opinion matters, so Director Yoon Tae-Sung said it would be better if you could attend as well.
“I see…” Ha Jae-Gun recalled the look of the thin-looking director.
Who could have known that the director would go to such lengths to make sure Ha Jae-Gun could make it for the auditions? The confidence that he had met a decent director just grew stronger.
— So what are you doing now? I’m quite bored now since I’m free, can I drop by your place?
“I’ve got a lecture to give tomorrow at a game development company, so I’m practicing right now, but I’m going crazy from the nervousness. It’d be great if I could be as confident as you are.”
— Hey, you should have told me earlier. I’ll help you out, so just wait for me.
“Do you know where I live? I’m at home practicing, not at the office.”
— How would I know that? Just send me your address already. I’m hanging up.
Park Do-Joon arrived roughly thirty minutes later at Ha Jae-Gun’s house.
Park Do-Joon was shocked at the sight as he passed the gate and through the garden.
“Wow, you did a great job buying this house. You must have earned a lot of money.”
“Not really, I’ve spent almost all of my savings on doing up the interior.”
Rika ran up to Park Do-Joon upon recognizing him. She did not even shun away from his reach and even let Park Do-Joon pick her up.
“Shall we view the house later and take a look at your script first?”
“You’re really going to help me with it?”
“I’m here to tease you about it. Quick, pretend that I’m one of your audience.”
As Park Do-Joon took a seat, Ha Jae-Gun began practicing according to his script. However, less than five minutes later, Park Do-Joon started yawning and waved his hand at Ha Jae-Gun.
“Why? Is something wrong?” Ha Jae-Gun asked.
“Isn’t this a relatively important event? And it’s important for your portfolio as well, I suppose?”
“Yeah, since the company is relatively well-known and all…”
“But why is it so boring? If you weren’t the one doing the lecture, I would have upped and left already.”
“Umm…”
“The reporters would be attending as well, so it has to be interesting enough for them to write an article on it, too. What’s that introduction anyway? Hello? Nice to meet you? I’m Ha Jae-Gun? Wow, that isn’t funny at all. Hand me your script.”
Park Do-Joon snatched the stack of papers from Ha Jae-Gun’s hand. He briefly read through the seven to eight pieces of paper and was rendered speechless.
“Your lecture is missing the two most important things.”
“What is it?”
“Appropriate humor and emotions. You did it so well in your novels, but why did you write your script so lifelessly, like a robot? You must have a few tough episodes when creating your novels, no?”
“But I feel embarrassed talking about my own stories. It’s not like I lived my life just to reveal it to others.”
Park Do-Joon shook his head disapprovingly and picked up a ball pen, then began striking out more than half of the script.
“Here. Now you have to fill up the rest with your own stories and the right humor to elicit responses from the audience.”
“That’s easy for you to say, but how am I going to do that?”
“And that’s why I’m here. Now, it’s your turn to receive special training from the top star Park Do-Joon. You gotta treat me to drinks if it turns out well.”
Park Do-Joon loosened his necktie and rolled up his sleeves.
Ha Jae-Gun gulped and looked into the full-length mirror. He didn’t feel at all certain that Park Do-Joon’s help could help him change his timid demeanor.
Chapter 118. Loud Cheers (13)
“Everyone from the server team has to go?”
“Yeah, everyone except Deputy Koo.”
The employees from Nextion headquarters moved about busily.
They wrapped up all their work and headed for the elevator.
Their destination was the largest multi-purpose hall in the same building.
Tadadadak! Tak!
Meanwhile, the only person left in the mobile planning team office was Oh Myung-Hoon. He was focused on working on a game scenario. However, he was still under the effects of writer’s block, and his hands had long stopped typing on the keyboard.
‘Is it today?’
Oh Myung-Hoon’s stiff face was reflected on the monitor of his computer.
Today was the day that Ha Jae-Gun would give his lecture.
To accommodate more attendees, the lecture was decided to be held in the largest multi-purpose hall at Nextion’s headquarters instead of its subsidiary, JoyM. That alone was enough to make Oh Myung-Hoon upset since the lecture was the reason he hadn’t been able to see Lee Soo-Hee around.
‘That dumbass is giving a lecture? He probably wouldn’t be able to elicit any responses like during the orientation. How much of an interest would the employees of a game company have in a mere writer?’
Oh Myung-Hoon’s hatred and obsession had reached the same level. He had watched both of Ha Jae-Gun’s lectures at the orientation and library through the videos uploaded online, and he concluded them to be ridiculous.
“Writer Oh, are you not going to attend the lecture?”
Oh Myung-Hoon erased the mockery on his face and looked up to see the Planning Director Nam Gyu-Ho coming out of his own office and standing in the corridor.
“Writer Ha Jae-Gun is going to give a lecture today.”
“I know, but I’m not exactly interested.”
Nam Gyu-Ho fixed his shirt collar and said indifferently, “You should listen in since it’s not a long lecture, anyway. Who knows, it could be helpful to your writing.”
His words triggered Oh Myung-Hoon, and Oh Myung-Hoon’s face immediately turned red with anger. Nam Gyu-Ho was basically telling Oh Myung-Hoon to learn from Ha Jae-Gun.
“I repeat: I’m not interested in the lecture. Please go ahead, Director.”
Nam Gyu-Ho was taken aback, but he nodded before turning around to leave.
However, he didn’t forget to add a few more words.
“Your scenario has been getting better lately. Please continue producing such quality work. I’ll be leaving, then.”
Oh Myung-Hoon was so angry that he stood up and grabbed his desk.Immerse Yourself in the Storyverse: N♡vεlB¡n.
Nam Gyu-Ho hurried off.
He had no idea that Oh Myung-Hoon was glaring at him from behind.
“Hello, Director.”
“Hello, Director.”
The employees gathered outside the hall greeted Nam Gyu-Ho respectfully. Nam Gyu-Ho nodded lightly in return and entered the hall.
The seats in the large hall were almost full, and the lights were directed on the rostrum as well as the large screen in front of the hall.
The cameramen from a few broadcast companies were given access to the hall, and they flanked the hall. They were currently checking their equipment whilst the accompanying team took seats in the audience.
Lee Soo-Hee was in the front row, and she stood up upon seeing Nam Gyu-Ho.
“Director, please come this way,” she said.
Nam Gyu-Ho sat down next to her in the seat reserved for him.
“I heard that you were classmates?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“He’s become very successful in a span of one year.”
“He had always been diligent in his work, and it was only until recently that he’s finally under the spotlight,” said Lee Soo-Hee with a smile.
Her rare smile made Nam Gyu-Ho shrug.
‘I hope he performs well.’
Lee Soo-Hee twiddled with her fingers that were resting on her lap. She felt nervous for Ha Jae-Gun, as this lecture was different compared to the other two lectures he had given before.
The largest difference was the audience. The audience today wasn’t his juniors who dreamt of becoming writers like him, nor were they people interested in creation and had voluntarily come to listen to his lecture.
The audience present today consisted of the game company’s employees who had come voluntarily, along with those who were forced to attend.
‘Maybe I should have helped him with the lecture script.’
Lee Soo-Hee was filled with belated regret. She hadn’t asked him about the script out of consideration for Ha Jae-Gun’s pride. However, she was now worried about how much the employees would pay attention during the lecture later.
The lights that used to brighten up the hall darkened, and the voice of an emcee boomed through the microphone on the rostrum under the spotlight.
“The lecture on creative content by Writer Ha Jae-Gun will begin shortly. Please give a round of applause.”
The applause from roughly three hundred attendees rang through the hall. Ha Jae-Gun stepped out of the waiting room backstage and walked to the rostrum.
Lee Soo-Hee’s eyes widened as she watched him walk to the rostrum. It was the first time she had seen him today, as she hadn’t been able to meet him before the lecture started.
“Wow, writers these days look cool as well.” Nam Gyu-Ho’s comment seemed to reflect Lee Soo-Hee’s astonishment.
Ha Jae-Gun sported a new wine-colored hairstyle and donned a navy suit that fitted his physique. It was an unprecedented look.
‘What happened to him?’
The Ha Jae-Gun that she knew wasn’t one to care too much about his appearance or clothes. It wasn’t strange that she was confused. After all, she had no idea that popular actor Park Do-Joon had taken part in this change.
Lee Soo-Hee’s sparkling eyes were unwittingly fixated on the rostrum.
‘Phew…!’
Ha Jae-Gun fiddled with the microphone and took a deep breath.
The three hundred pax hall filled his view like a series of waves. His heart started pounding, and he felt dizzy. This felt entirely different from the smaller lectures he had given before.
‘I should have taken an anxiety-calming drink before coming on stage.’
It was his mistake to listen to Park Do-Joon. Park Do-Joon had told him not to rely on such things lest he become dependent on them.
Ha Jae-Gun straightened himself up, trying to relieve the nervousness in him. Just then, his eyes lay on one of the front-row seats in the audience. He had just made eye contact with Lee Soo-Hee, who was smiling brightly back at him.
– Good luck, Ha Jae-Gun!
Lee Soo-Hee’s sparkling eyes were sending messages of encouragement.
Ha Jae-Gun soon smiled. Knowing that Lee Soo-Hee was watching him, Ha Jae-Gun started to calm down, and his irregular breathing gradually stabilized.
‘Hoo…!’
Ha Jae-Gun closed his eyes and went through the faces of everyone he was grateful for in his mind. The moment Lee Soo-Hee’s existence brought about a sense of security in his heart, he opened his eyes and started the lecture.
“I’m sorry I blanked out.”
“…?!” Lee Soo-Hee’s expression stiffened. It wasn’t the usual greeting.
“I blanked out all of a sudden, and I’m not sure if I can continue with a coherent lecture going forward. There are just too many people here today. I panicked and blanked out. Anyway, I’ve recovered, so I’ll make sure to blow everyone’s mind today.”
The audience members laughed.
Ha Jae-Gun continued even before the laughter subsided.
“I hope it’d be the kind of lecture that makes you think—the lecture was funny today, but what was it about again? I hope that this short period will become an enjoyable break time for all of you amidst your busy schedule. I really think that salaried office workers also need times like these.”
Ha Jae-Gun’s voice was loud and clear, and he spoke neither too fast nor too slow.
The audience members grew comfortable and started smiling.
“The keyword for today’s lecture is creative content. Now, I might just be an ink slinger, but all of you are employees of a game company, so I’ll kick off with a story that’s game-related.”
A collage of various game logos appeared on the large screen.
Ha Jae-Gun looked back briefly and said excitedly, “I love playing games, too, especially RPG Games. I’ve tried Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and other similar games. I liked RPG games from North America as well, but I prefer Japanese RPG games more. Anyway, it’s all because…”
Ha Jae-Gun gestured, and the slides changed, showing a beautiful, curvy female character.
The audience members burst out into boisterous laughter.
“Yes, it’s all because of these beautiful women. Time and time again, the beautiful women in those games have never failed to make me feel febrile, and I don’t think we’ll have enough time for me to list all of them.
”I’ve written novels using the beautiful women I liked since there’s no other way for me to create content other than through writing. I couldn’t draw comics, and it was ridiculous for me to dabble in game programming at such a young age back then.”
While listening to the lecture, Nam Gyu-Ho whispered, “Didn’t you say he’s not that experienced in giving lectures?”
“Yes, that’s right,” Lee Soo-Hee replied with a smile without looking away from the rostrum.
Meanwhile, Ha Jae-Gun continued. “Now, um… was it called 3D? I think I’m much more attracted to the beautiful women in games as compared to those female celebrities on TV.
”Even when I dream, I don’t dream of the pretty girls in class but of the beautiful women I see in the games. They always distract me that I had virtually no interest in any real—in quotes—females back during my school days.”
At this point, Lee Soo-Hee felt completely at ease. She had been worried that the employees would find the lecture boring and break out in yawns.
“Am I the only weirdo here? Wait, am I even a weirdo?”
At Ha Jae-Gun’s question, the slides changed once more.
“And so, I want to show everyone my family portrait.”
The entire hall broke into roars of laughter at the photo that Ha Jae-Gun had put up.
Lee Soo-Hee also started laughing.
However, Ha Jae-Gun continued seriously. “As you’ve seen, I’m the most normal person in my family. I’m definitely not crazy, either. Yes, I see that everyone’s laughing. I’m laughing as well, so that makes all of us siblings today.”
A thunderous applause sounded.
Ha Jae-Gun waited until the excitement subsided before continuing. “So when I write my novel, I’ll first shape the female characters that appear in my novel. I tend to create beautiful female characters capable of making me feel febrile as compared to real-life women.
”This is especially more so when I’m writing fantasy novels. I’ll change their names, keep the personalities that the public likes, and add a special facial feature that I like so that I’ll enjoy the process of creating them.”
Ha Jae-Gun then reached his hand out toward the audience. The wristwatch that was gifted by the writers sparkled under the spotlight.
“I’m pretty sure there are many of you here who are like me. Those who never dreamt of becoming a writer somehow ended up in a game company. Shall we have a show of hands to see how many of you are here?”
Nearly a third of the audience raised their hands…
Ha Jae-Gun looked at all of them and nodded.
“It’s not just a hobby, but you made it into reality. All of you are great people. You’ve already embarked on your creative life and are making a difference in the world with all your might.”
Lee Soo-Hee turned around to see the audience that had turned silent. All of them seemed to be paying attention to the lecture, which made Lee Soo-Hee feel a great sense of pride.
‘You’re amazing, Jae-Gun…’
Ha Jae-Gun looked much more dazzling than the spotlight that was shining on the rostrum, and the fact that she was the only person closest to him among all of these people made her heart pound even harder.
***
The lecture was so enjoyable that time flew by. Thirty minutes had already passed, but Ha Jae-Gun didn’t feel exhausted. He continued speaking with vigor.
Just then…
Creak—
One side of the double doors slowly opened, and Oh Myung-Hoon quietly made his way into the hall. He was on the way home, but the cheers from the hall had attracted his attention and inadvertently brought him here.
“…I love all sorts of genres, so aside from using my real name, I also go by the pen name Poongchun-Yoo to publish genre novels.
”The characters in those genre novels are shaped to be more intuitive and clear. A three-dimensional character is a human in itself. However, it might affect the reader’s immersion in the story. For example, something like this…”
Ha Jae-Gun wiped the sweat off of his forehead, then snapped his fingers.
“Let’s say that there’s a villain who killed the main character’s family, harmed their friends, and even interfered with the main character’s future. However, we eventually discovered that the villain was actually quite pitiful and that he had a tragic backstory that led him to how he is in the present day. This would make the reader feel stunned for a moment. Ah, what’s this? Who do I vent my anger on or curse at now?!”
Ha Jae-Gun messed up his own hair, making an exaggerated gesture.
The audience empathized with him and clapped their hands, bursting into laughter.
Oh Myung-Hoon stared wide-eyed.
Had Ha Jae-Gun always been such a confident person? The way Ha Jae-Gun led the audience by the nose on stage made Oh Myung-Hoon wonder if he was even the same Ha Jae-Gun he knew.
‘Lee Soo-Hee…?!’
He recognized her right away in the sea of people. He spotted her in the crowd with her long, flowy hair that moved smoothly as she clapped her hands along with the other audience members.
Oh Myung-Hoon reached his hands out inadvertently, but there was no way he could reach her. Lee Soo-Hee seemed to be getting further and further away from him as well.
“Hello? Team Leader?”
Oh Myung-Hoon turned to the voice that came from beside him.
The speaker was a reporter who had a nametag emblazoned with Navin’s logo pinned to his chest.
“I think we can post this up as a special. The reactions are great, and the content is interesting as well. Yes, that’s right. Dawoom said that they’re live-streaming this, but I’ll try to get an interview after the lecture. Yes, yes, I understand.”
Oh Myung-Hoon turned around and gnashed his teeth.
Meanwhile, another thunderous round of applause echoed behind him.
Chapter 119. There Was A Sea (1)
Ha Jae-Gun’s lecture ended as a huge success.
The livestream, along with an article that was posted in real-time on Dawoom’s portal site, received an overwhelming number of views. There was also a multitudinous amount of netizens who left comments on the video.
– Kekekeke. This is a very interesting lecture. I’m watching this for the third time. That family portrait is just kekekekekeke
– I never knew there was this side to Writer Ha Jae-Gun. He’s good with words! Letting you know that I’m now a fan!!! >_<
– I really almost couldn’t recognize;;; Dyou agree? Yeah, agreed. That restyling, that amazing suit fit-nya.
– I want to do that hairstyle too. What is it called??? Can I just show the hairdresser this video instead???
– I’m an aspiring writer. The lecture was both interesting and informative. I’m always rooting for you, Writer Ha Jae-Gun.
– But does anyone know how Park Do-Joon and Ha Jae-Gun are related? Why did Park Do-Joon bow to Ha Jae-Gun?
– Oh… kekeke. I spotted the one-piece girl in the hall when the camera panned at 13:41 kekekekeke. Ah, a real goddess kekekekekeke
– I’ve preordered There Was A Sea! I hope it’ll come soon…!
Navin did an interview with Ha Jae-Gun after the lecture and hurriedly posted an exclusive article on their portal site. The article also had endless comments from readers after seeing the other side of Ha Jae-Gun during the lecture.
Ha Jae-Gun’s name and novels seemed to have been engraved into the real-time search rankings for the time being.
The responses from the employees of Nextion were no different either. It had been two days since the lecture was held, yet they still had him in their various conversation topics.
“Wow, what kind of writer has such a glib tongue?”
“Yeah, section chief. I thought I would doze off during the lecture, but it ended so soon unknowingly.”
“It’s my first time knowing that Ha Jae-Gun was Poongchun-Yoo too. I’ve read all of his novels as Poongchun-Yoo, they’re all interesting.”The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñøv€l-B1n.
“Really? Recommend me one. Does he have any from the martial arts genre?”
Nam Gyu-Ho and Soo-hee sat across from each other at a table in a corner of the pantry. The conversations they overheard got Nam Gyu-Ho muttering, “The responses seem good.”
“Yes, I think so, too,” Lee Soo-Hee replied with a smile.
Nam Gyu-Ho looked out the window onto the city center, keeping silent for a while. He then tapped on the table with his finger and asked casually, “What’s the most interesting thing about it?”
Lee Soo-Hee was taken aback by his question, but he soon understood the meaning behind it and replied, “Hmm, I recommend The Breath by Ha Jae-Gun. It’s a fantasy novel, plus it’s quite suitable for the project we’re working on right now…”
Nam Gyu-Ho waved his hand. “I’m not looking to read it as a reference, so just recommend me one that’s most interesting.”
“They’re all interesting,” Lee Soo-Hee replied confidently. She meant it without an ounce of exaggeration.
Nam Gyu-Ho expressionlessly nodded in understanding and stood up. “I’ll be going first. Take a look at Writer Oh’s scenario when he’s done with it, and let me know what you think afterward.”
“Yes, Director. Goodbye.”
Lee Soo-Hee continued sipping on her coffee with a faint smile.
She secretly realized that Nam Gyu-Ho had begun holding an interest in Ha Jae-Gun. The sky shown outside the window was clear like her heart, without a fluff of cloud in the blue sky.
***
“This is Kwon Tae-Won from Laugh Books. Ah, a lecture at MC Sport?”
“Hello, this is Shin Dong-Mi from Laugh Books. W-wait. Where are you from? NG Electronics? For your new employees?”
The phones in Laugh Books rang constantly.
Laugh Books office had been flooded with requests for Ha Jae-Gun’s lectures daily from not only large corporations but from smaller companies as well. It was a chore to even answer every single call.
“Thank you, this is Jung So-Mi from Laugh Books. Ah, yes. From Samsong Venture Investments? Could you please leave your name and contact number first? We will look at Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s schedule and contact you again.”
Jung So-Mi wedged the receiver between her shoulder and ear before typing the details on her computer. She couldn’t even keep track of how many such requests she had received so far.
“The requests are endless. Writer Ha wouldn’t even be able to accede to all of them even if there are ten clones of him.”
“This is seriously… At this rate, we’ll have to hire someone just to answer the phones.”
The constant ringing of phones was the same at Mysterium’s office. The requests that they had received were more toward casting Ha Jae-Gun for broadcast programs. They spanned from radio, educational, and refinement programs to even health and lifestyle programs. They had witnessed the bestselling author’s glib tongue in his latest lecture and thought the public would love his appearance on their shows.
However, Ha Jae-Gun had to reject all of the requests that had come through Kwon Tae-Won and Oh Myung-Suk. There was only one of him, and there was something else much more important for him to work on.
“Yes, I’m sorry. The scenario for There Was A Sea is still incomplete, and I wish to focus on my work at least for the next two months. Yes, I understand. Enjoy your meal, President Kwon.”
Ha Jae-Gun hung up the call and let out a soft sigh, then looked out the window.
Park Do-Joon was next to him reading a book.
Park Do-Joon looked up and asked, “Are you not going to give lectures now? You did so well, though.”
“Have you already forgotten how exhausted I was after that lecture? It was thanks to you that I was able to clear it without issues, but I’m not confident that I can do that again.”
“I didn’t help you much aside from giving you a few ideas. You’ve always had the qualities. But why is the traffic so bad today? Hyung, let’s just hit the shoulder and get out of this jam.”
“Okay. But did you manage to find another manager to drive you?”
They were currently headed to the venue where the audition for There Was A Sea was to be held. The director had made arrangements such that Ha Jae-Gun—the original author of the novel—could also be part of the judging panel for the casting.
That was exactly why they were traveling together.
“This is quite interesting, too,” muttered Park Do-Joon as he slightly lifted up the book that he was reading. It was There Was A Sea that he had purchased during the pre-order.
“Did they say the public release at bookstores will be tomorrow?”
“Uh, earliest tomorrow, otherwise, it’ll be the day after.”
“Reading the novel makes me understand Cho Kang-Jae’s psychology much better. His mental is amazing. I assure you, this would definitely perform way better than Summer in My 20s.”
“I’ll be relieved even if it only breaks even. I’m feeling quite burdened this time, as the movie adaptation was decided even before the novel was published.”
“It’ll turn out well. Chae-Rin had finished reading it and was going on about how good the book was. Do you know that the AppleT members have been reading The Breath and Oscar’s Dungeon?”
“Really? That’s interesting. The Breath is quite heavy.”
Bzzt!
Their conversation got cut when Park Do-Joon’s phone rang. He checked the name on the caller ID and answered the call.
“Hello.”
— Hello, this is Kim Na-Yeon. I’m here for the auditions right now, but I was wondering where you were…
“I’m on the way there, so don’t worry about me and prepare yourself. Did you not receive the designated script?”
— Yes, I have.
“Just focus on practicing that while you’re waiting. There’s no free lunch in this world.”
— I understand. I’ll see you later.
Park Do-Joon hung up the call.
The traffic light finally turned green, and the long-standing van started moving once again. They soon arrived at the building where the audition was held. Ha Jae-Gun alighted from the van.
Park Do-Joon said, “Do you want to head up first? I’ll talk to my manager for a while, make a phone call, then head up later.”
“Sure. See you later.”
Ha Jae-Gun headed to the elevator and pressed the button for the 5th floor. He checked himself out in the mirror and took in deep breaths.
‘There shouldn’t be much for me to do.’
Ha Jae-Gun didn’t have an eye for judging actors’ acting.
He was here to obtain new experience. The auditions that he would be experiencing later could become reference materials for his novel in the future.
Ding!
The doors of the elevator opened upon arriving at the 5th floor.
The first thing he saw was the notice on the audition venue stuck on the wall. After passing through the long corridor and turning a corner, a waiting room appeared in sight. It was brimming with people who were there to join the auditions.
‘There’re quite a number of familiar-looking people.’
He spotted quite a bit of familiar faces from various TV programs. Despite having a foot in the entertainment industry, many of them had still decided to join the auditions.
Ha Jae-Gun sat down in an empty chair. Past the opened doors to the waiting room, Ha Jae-Gun spotted a female who was in hot pants with her legs crossed while busily chewing gum.
Ha Jae-Gun recognized her immediately. She was Chae Bo-Ra—the same girl who acted as Lee Ye-Jin in Summer in My 20s.
‘I hope you’re not joining the auditions.’ Ha Jae-Gun thought to himself.
It wasn’t just because of her rude words and actions. He would have forgiven her if she acted well, but her acting had always been a mess. She was even criticized for her bad acting in Summer in My 20s.
“Writer Ha, why are you sitting here?” Director Yoon Tae-Sung asked when he spotted Ha Jae-Gun while on the way to the washroom.
“Hello, Director.”
“The auditions will begin soon, so why don’t you take a seat in the most left seat there?”
“Okay.”
Ha Jae-Gun took the seat on the far left of the long table. The people in charge of the characters, the assistant director and director, as well as the casting manager, took their seats at the table.
“We will begin the auditions now. They will be done in fifteen-minute intervals, only those whose names are called out may enter. Let’s start with Mr. Lee Jung-Taek.”
The auditions began, and the first auditionee entered.
He looked to be in his early twenties, seemingly nervous. He stammered a few times while acting out his given script, and he also made quite a few mistakes during the roleplaying with the assistant director.
“Do you have any other talents you would like to show us?”
“Ah… I’m not prepared to do that…”
“Thank you. Please call in the next person.”
Yoon Tae-Sung’s hawk-like eyes glinted as he took a sip of water. Sensing that he had been eliminated, the auditionee left the room with drooped shoulders. After that, the second auditionee walked in stiffly, like a huge piece of wood.
‘Nothing seems to be easy in this world.’
Ha Jae-Gun rolled his tongue at the auditions.
Everyone did their best, but the results weren’t always good. There were also quite a number of auditionees who had to leave midway through their performance with a hand gesture from Yoon Tae-Sung. And every time that happened, Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t help but feel sorry for them.
‘Would Ms. Da-Seul be auditioning somewhere else as well?’
Da-Seul’s face appeared in his mind. He recalled how she had confidently declared that she wanted to become a celebrity to find her mother. Ha Jae-Gun suddenly felt worried for her, as he didn’t know her real name or her whereabouts.
“Next is… Chae Bo-Ra? Is it that Chae Bo-Ra?”
Yoon Tae-Sung’s voice pulled Ha Jae-Gun back to reality. He turned and saw Yoon Tae-Sung’s cheeks trembling in anger.
“Don’t waste our time and send her away.”
“JQ Entertainment’s president even called to make sure we take good care of her. Please take a good look at her, at the very least.”
“Darn it.”
Eventually, the door opened, and in came Chae Bo-Ra. She gathered her hands in front of her and bowed down to each of the judges at the table. She flinched upon making eye contact with Ha Jae-Gun.
‘Who is he again? I definitely met him somewhere before.’
Chae Bo-Ra couldn’t recognize Ha Jae-Gun because of his change in hairstyle and overall demeanor. She tilted her head to both sides, trying to recall, but the assistant director cut her off.
“Please stand at the spot marked on the floor and act according to the given script first before acting in freestyle.”
Chae Bo-Ra started her performance. The scene in the given script was one where she had to suppress her sad feelings and say goodbye to her lover.
“Don’t be mistaken, I’ve never loved you even once. You had never managed to enter my heart. You’re just one of the many men who crossed paths with me. While we were both feeling lonely, we happened to meet each other and enjoyed our company together; that’s all there is to it.”
Yoon Tae-Sung looked down at his wristwatch.
The assistant director was kicking away the trash that had fallen to the floor with his foot. Chae Bo-Ra’s acting didn’t fall short of their expectations.
‘What kind of acting is this?’
Even Ha Jae-Gun was embarrassed.
It was a lot worse than what he had seen in Summer in My 20s.
Chae Bo-Ra’s gaze wasn’t stable, and her contorted face didn’t display any signs of her suppressing those sad feelings.
Her monotonous voice—as if reading out loud from a book—made it unclear whether she was really saying goodbye to a lover or if she was making a garbage disposal announcement.
“I will never see you again from now on, so—”
“Yes, thank you.”
Yoon Tae-Sung could not watch any further and reached out to stop her.
Chae Bo-Ra was taken aback and straightened herself up.
“Um, Director, I haven’t shown you the dance I’ve prepared.”
“I’m sorry, but we can see your dance another day.”
Chae Bo-Ra’s face twitched. She bit her lips and turned around.
Looking at her back, Ha Jae-Gun heaved a sigh of relief, thankful for Yoon Tae-Sung’s decision.
“Let’s take a twenty-minute rest.”
Ha Jae-Gun headed to the rest area across from the audition room and moistened his throat with a cold drink.
Chae Bo-Ra barged into the room with a phone to her ear, looking tearful.
“I’m so annoyed! I couldn’t even show everything I’d prepared and got chased out! Argh, I don’t know! How can they do this to me?! Are you sure the president put in good words for me?!”
Ha Jae-Gun quietly stood up from his seat. He didn’t want to get involved with Chae Bo-Ra.
However, the moment he held out to grab the doorknob, the words he had heard made him stop in his tracks.
“I can already tell the quality of the movie. All sorts of trash had shown up. I saw a host girl from a private room here as well. Was it Kim Na-Yeon? I think she was even a karaoke helper before. How did I know? Director Woo told me.”
“…?!”
Ha Jae-Gun’s face turned pale.
He looked down and saw his trembling knees
‘No way…’
There were so many people in this world. There was no way that she was the same girl that he knew, and there was no way that she was here for an audition.
‘…Kim Na-Yeon?’
Creeak!
Ha Jae-Gun opened the door with vigor, and his eyes quickly zoomed in on the waiting room.
Chapter 120. There Was A Sea (2)
“Where are you going, Jae-Gun?” Park Do-Joon called as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.
However, Ha Jae-Gun didn’t hear him. All Ha Jae-Gun had in his mind was the waiting room that he was heading toward. His footsteps soon crossed the door into the waiting room.
‘…?’
There were over twenty people in the room waiting for their turn to audition. Most of them took their seats and were either listening to music or practicing their lines. Ha Jae-Gun quickly scanned the faces of the auditionees, but he could not see the face he had in mind.
He looked around outside the waiting room to no avail.
‘Who is Kim Na-Yeon?’
Ha Jae-Gun looked out for the girl whom Chae Bo-Ra thought was disgusting by checking each of their name tags. He finally found someone with the name Kim Na-Yeon.
‘Is this her…?’
Ha Jae-Gun quietly looked at the girl, who was focused on reading the script.
Was she in her early twenties?
She indeed had a beauty that surpassed most auditionees.
“Ha…”
Nevertheless, Ha Jae-Gun felt discouraged as a bitter smile painted his face. She wasn’t the girl that he was looking for. Ironically, a hint of disappointment was added to his small sigh of relief.
‘Yeah… The world is so huge, it’s stupid of me to think that Ms. Da-Seul would appear here.’
Ha Jae-Gun mocked himself for his foolish thoughts and shook them away.
Park Do-Joon appeared from behind him and tapped his shoulder.
“Why did you ignore me and walk away?”
“When did you come here?”
“Just a while ago. I called you at the elevator, but you just walked past me. Ah, help me look at the back of my head. I think it got pressed down while I was in the car.”
Park Do-Joon pointed at his hair.
The auditionees’ attention immediately landed on Park Do-Joon.
It was a natural reaction since Park Do-Joon was the male lead of the movie they were auditioning for. The female auditionees’ reaction was more intense. They smiled widely and stared at him with flushed faces; the same went for Kim Na-Yeon.
She was only pretending that she was reading the script in her hand. She was actually stealing glances at Park Do-Joon. There was no way she could strike up a conversation with him first since Park Do-Joon had always reminded her to act like they were strangers in front of other people.Where Stories Blossom: N♡vεlB¡n.
‘But who is that?’
Kim Na-Yeon’s gaze then fell on Ha Jae-Gun. Who was that man talking so comfortably with Park Do-Joon? The man looked quite handsome and neat-looking, but he didn’t feel like a celebrity.
‘Is that his manager?’
As if agreeing with Kim Na-Yeon’s suspicions, all the other auditionees’ were also secretly stealing glances at Ha Jae-Gun. Just then, one of the many auditionees carefully approached Ha Jae-Gun.
“Um… Excuse me.”
“Yes?” Ha Jae-Gun turned around to see a large-framed, handsome-looking man in his early thirties looking at him with a slightly bent posture.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Yes, um… Are you Mr. Ha Jae-Gun?”
Ha Jae-Gun smiled awkwardly, feeling embarrassed to hear himself getting addressed not as a writer at the audition site.
“Yes, it’s me.”
“Ah, I knew it…! I wasn’t sure at first since you looked quite different from before. I love your novels, so I’ve decided to participate in this audition.”
The large-framed man’s words got several more auditionees’ gazes locked onto Ha Jae-Gun.
These people were the same as the male auditionees; they had joined the audition because of their interest in Ha Jae-Gun’s works. They were unlike the usual auditionees, whose agencies or acting academies had pushed them to join the auditions.
‘That’s Ha Jae-Gun?’
‘No wonder he looked so familiar! Ah, I should have gone up and talked to him first!’
After finding out Ha Jae-Gun’s identity, the questions in each of their minds disappeared without a trace, like melting snow. The feelings that came afterward were of admiration and envy.
“I’m Jo Won-Jun.” The man said excitedly, “I really enjoyed all of your novels. From Foolish Woman, A 90s Kid, and even Summer in My 20s, I’ve read each of them at least five times. I even bought There Was A Sea on preorder and finished it.”
“Thank you so much.”
“The story in There Was A Sea really touched me, especially when Cho Kang-Jae jumped off the bus that was heading to Seoul just to save Ba-Da, wow—I might look like a bear, but I’m quite sentimental. My eyes have puffed up so much after crying the entire night.”
The large-framed man pinched his own eyelids.
Ha Jae-Gun smiled apologetically as he gathered his hands together to his chest.
“You’re making me feel sorry now. I’ll make sure to let the director know of this and seek his understanding.”
Ha Jae-Gun’s joke elicited loud laughter from the large-framed man. However, the large-framed man continued with a serious look. “I joined the audition hoping to get the role of Kim Pan-Ho.”
“Ah, I see. He’s another one of the characters I liked while I worked on the novel.” Ha Jae-Gun nodded in agreement. The large-framed man seemed to fit that role pretty well.
Kim Pan-Ho was Cho Kang-Jae’s confidante. He was a relatively important character in the story and was often tormented between staying loyal to Cho Kang-Jae and worrying over his poor family.
“My self-esteem isn’t that high, but I want to do my best. Speaking of which, I would like to act out the scene where Kim Pan-Ho assassinates Cho Kang-Jae for my free-acting piece. Could I ask for some advice on what your thoughts on Kim Pan-Ho’s image or his psychology are like?”
“Advice? Hmm… I’m not sure.” Ha Jae-Gun trailed off with a perplexed look.
He had created the character, but it was only in written text. There wasn’t much advice he could provide in terms of acting.
Just then, a female auditionee approached them with a shy smile and said, “Mr. Ha, I’m looking to try for the role of Ba-Da’s friend, Eun-Hee. If not Eun-Hee, then maybe Mi-Ja. Could you give me some advice as well?”
“Ah, um… I’m an outsider when it comes to acting, so I doubt I can provide you with any useful advice—”
Another auditionee butted into the conversation.
“Mr. Ha, could you help take a look at my mask? Which role do you think I would fit best?”
Ha Jae-Gun broke out into a cold sweat and glanced at Park Do-Joon, asking for help. However, Park Do-Joon was busy drinking his canned coffee, ignoring his silent pleas and enjoying the scene before him with a playful smile.
“Everyone, break’s over. Ah, Mr. Park Do-Joon is here, too?”
“Hello, assistant director. How is the audition going?”
“Haha, let’s talk after it ends. Writer Ha, let’s head back.”
“Okay, I’ll be on my way.”
Ha Jae-Gun finally managed to escape, thanks to the assistant director. As soon as Ha Jae-Gun returned to his seat, the name of the next auditionee was called out.
“Ms. Kim Na-Yeon?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
Ha Jae-Gun looked up. Kim Na-Yeon was in a normal grey sweater and jeans, standing next to the camera. Her plain clothes didn’t become her disadvantage. It made her beauty stand out.
Director Yoon Tae-Sung looked at her application and asked, “I see that you’ve been taking acting lessons up until last year?”
“Yes, for around one and a half years.”
“Why did you stop?”
“Um… Because of my family situation.”
“You look quite shy right now, can you do this well?”
Kim Na-Yeon gulped and nodded profusely. Yoon Tae-Sung gestured for her to start, and she started acting out her pieces one by one.
‘…She’s quite good.’
Ha Jae-Gun was astonished. Was it a prejudice that someone’s acting skills would definitely be low when they had extremely good looks? Her ability to switch between sadness and happiness smoothly meant that she was indeed a skillful actor.
Ha Jae-Gun turned to observe the expressions of the other judges, curious to see their reactions. Starting from the director, everyone was expressionless, making it hard for him to read their thoughts.
‘I’m not sure if it’s because of the bad acting from earlier that I felt her acting was so much better.’
Ha Jae-Gun concluded his thoughts there as an outsider to the acting industry.
Kim Na-Yeon soon finished acting out all her parts, greeted the judges, and left the room.
“Mark her,” Yoon Tae-Sung said.
The assistant director nodded and drew a circle on Na-Yeon’s application.
Ha Jae-Gun felt proud that he wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
‘She said Director Woo knew her, right…?’
As the next auditionee stepped in for their turn, Ha Jae-Gun recalled what Chae Bo-Ra had said earlier at the pantry. He had heard her saying that Kim Na-Yeon was a host girl and that she had heard it from Director Woo.
Ha Jae-Gun felt slightly disturbed.
Meanwhile, Kim Na-Yeon stepped into the elevator that was heading down the building. She had spent all her energy on the audition, so she was completely exhausted.
‘Did I come all the way here for nothing…?’
She had taken the audition with Park Do-Joon’s help, but she still felt quite anxious. She had to stop taking her acting lessons due to her family’s financial situation and had to step into the ugly side of the entertainment industry to make ends meet, so how could she even dream of returning to acting?
Even she felt that she was trying to achieve a pipe dream…
Bzzt!
Her phone vibrated in her pocket.
It was a call from her roommate’s sibling. Kim Na-Yeon let out a sigh and held her phone to her ear.
“Yeah.”
— Na-Yeon unni! How was your audition?
“I’m not sure. I think I performed weirdly.”
— Things will turn out well. You’re pretty and a good actress, after all. Let’s eat out tonight. Let’s have meat, meat!
“What about your part-time work at the restaurant?”
— It’s my off day today. I changed shifts wanting to celebrate you passing the auditions in advance. Heheh.
The younger girl’s energy brought a smile to Na-Yeon’s exhausted face.
“Alright, I’ll be back soon. It’d be great if you could come together. Park Do-Joon came as well.”
— Wow, really? Really? I should have gone, too! Is he really tall? Is the height on his profile true?
“Yeah, he’s really tall. I thought I would get a herniated disc if I talked to him while looking at his face. Ah, and the author of the original novel came, too. Ha Jae-Gun.”
— …
“They seem to be friends. They look quite close.”
— …
“Hello? You can’t hear me?”
— Y-yeah, unni. Sorry, I’m underground right now, and I suddenly couldn’t…
“It’s fine, let’s talk when we meet. See you later.”
Kim Na-Yeon ended the call.
The elevator doors soon opened, and she stepped out into the sunlit area.
***
[Ha Jae-Gun’s new novel There Was A Sea on a steep rise, increasing twice as fast as Summer in My 20s]
[8th on Bandi & Lunia’s bestseller four days after the publication of There Was A Sea]
[There Was A Sea confirmed for movie adaptation before its publication, the male lead is once again Park Do-Joon]
[OongSung Publication Group invests 4 billion won production fee on rookie director]
“This is going to be a huge hit again.”
Kang Min-Ho and Jang Eun-Young were on the sofa in the writer’s office, enjoying their afternoon break. Kang Min-Ho was reading the articles on his phone while Jang Eun-Young was watching an entertainment program on the TV.
“If the initial response was twice of Summer in My 20s, it might hit two million copies sold. Wow, so how much would he be earning in royalties?”
“It’s going to be a huge sum, right? I can’t imagine. Oh my, hyung. Park Do-Joon appeared,” Jang Eun-Young said and slapped Kang Min-Ho’s shoulder.
The TV was broadcasting an interview with Park Do-Joon before the filming of There Was A Sea. The reporter asked various questions about the movie and finally asked about Ha Jae-Gun.
“The photo of you and Writer Ha Jae-Gun at the Apgujeong Rodeo has been quite the topic on social media platforms recently. Many fans are quite curious as to how both of you are related and why something like that happened. They have many other related questions as well. Any comments about it?”
Park Do-Joon scrunched his nose slightly with his signature aloof expression and replied, “I appeared at a radio broadcast sometime back before. We knew each other from back then. I have many things to learn from him as well. Our personalities matched, so we ended up becoming good friends.”
A picture of Ha Jae-Gun was shown on the screen behind Park Do-Joon. Kang Min-Ho and Jang Eun-Young both laughed, amused and fascinated at the same time.
“Mr. Park Do-Joon is definitely cooler in person.”
“And you want him to drop by the office again?”
“What, are you jealous?”
“Bull. He needs to be of a certain level for me to be jealous. Do you want some coffee?”
“Yeah, thank you. But where is Yeon-Woo? He said he went out to take a breather, but why is he taking so long? Should I call him?”
Kang Min-Hon let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. “Don’t look for him. It’s best for him to spend some time alone when things are going tough.”
“I don’t feel good to see the usually bright kid looking so depressed.”
“He’ll get himself up again soon, said Kang Min-Ho, but he was still quite worried.
Lee Yeon-Woo was going through his first ordeal since he had become a writer.
Both Kang Min-Ho and Jang Eun-Young had gone through the same ordeal as well, so they were aware that no one else could help Lee Yeon-Woo other than himself.
***
“Are you really fine with not going back?”
“I’m free until tomorrow. I love this place. Can I call some of the AppleT girls?”
Tap!
Park Do-Joon thrust the billiard stick toward the ball. They were currently at the lounge in Ha Jae-Gun’s basement. The construction had ended, and the space had become filled with a variety of colors.
Park Do-Joon had already spent a few hours here and was unwilling to leave.
“Come here, let’s play a game.”
“I’m not good at billiards.”
“I’ll help you as we go, so don’t be worried. Place five hundred thousand for yours, and I’ll place two million.”
“Will you remove three cushions for me, too?”
“Isn’t that going too far?”
Bzzt!
His phone left on the bar was vibrating. Ha Jae-Gun held his cue stick and went to answer the call.
“Hello?”
— Hello, is this Mr. Ha Jae-Gun? This is a call from Gasan Police Station.
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