Like the language of flowers, the young man with deep eyes sometimes appeared naïve. His blue jeans and white half-sleeve T-shirt went together like a painting. It seemed like a country house with a garden and a dog playing around, but surprisingly, it was a wealthy neighborhood in Seoul.
I knew she was rich, but I didn’t realize it was this much.
In his past life, he had heard rumors that she was wealthy. According to rumors in the entertainment industry, even a second-generation chaebol had asked her out seriously. He thought it might have been true.
Her father was from a judge, right?
He had heard that the family had been in the legal profession for generations. Not only her father but there were also many prosecutors from the second rank in her maternal family. Was it because she resembled the nature of a legal professional? She had a clear sense of right and wrong. Ironically, she was quite free-spirited, even though she grew up in such a strict household.
“Yeongguk, we don’t have much prepared, but please eat a lot.”
A kind-hearted grandmother served the meal. Contrary to her words, the table was filled with various dishes that could be called a feast. The grandmother looked at the young man with a warm smile as if she were looking at her grandchild.
“You have no idea how much our daughter’s personality has changed thanks to you, Yeongguk. Before, she only knew about herself, but now look at her. She even follows me in volunteering and sends gifts to the children at the orphanage. She said she learned a lot on the set thanks to Yeongguk. That’s why I’ve always wanted to treat you to a meal.”
“I wondered why my sister was so kind, but now I see she takes after her mother.”
“Ahaha, thank you for saying that. I don’t have any more wishes now. I’m just worried that my daughter is too shy. If only she finds her match and gets married…”
It was then.
“Mom!”
A sharp voice. Even after all this time, the actress was still an actress. Like a flower blooming in the warm spring sunlight, it was the brightly beautiful actress Park Suyeong.
“Little one!”
“Have you ever seen such a big little one?”
“If you’re done eating, get up quickly. We have a meeting at the company today. The CEO said he has something to tell you.”
“I told you I’d handle it myself. It’s not like my noona insisted on coming home.”
“Look at you being so shameless after eating such a delicious meal! You were going to cycle to save transportation costs again, weren’t you? No matter how nice the spring weather is, we need to avoid direct sunlight. Do you think your skin will last forever? If you don’t take care of it, it’ll age quickly!”
Even with Park Suyeong’s nagging, Jang Yeongguk finished every last bit of his rice and got up.
“Yeongguk, come visit again!”
The grandmother (Park Suyeong’s mother) waved her hand and saw him off. She looked endearing as if watching her grandchild leaving the country house. Jang Yeongguk opened the car window and waved back. As they passed the alley and Park Suyeong’s mother was out of sight, he added,
“Noona, I guess your mother doesn’t know?”
“What’s there to worry about?”
“I’m talking about my noona being the love doctor.”
“Seriously!”
Park Suyeong and Jang Yeongguk bickered in the car. The manager, watching the scene through the rearview mirror, smiled contentedly. Park Suyeong was known for being picky and sensitive on set in his past life. Her aura was said to be extraordinary among the actresses. However, the current Park Suyeong was much more affectionate than anyone else, especially towards her own people.
* * *
Youth.
The drama Youth portrayed the unpredictable, transitional period between being a boy and a young man, like a spring cold that came with the wind or a flower that bloomed in the springtime, both bright and feverish.
It would be a lie to say that a work depicting a time everyone reminisced about and missed was not fascinating. Moreover, with Writer Hwang Sugyeong, success was almost guaranteed.
“CEO, please! We have to cast him!”
It was unexpected. He never imagined that SBC Broadcasting’s PD Kim Jin would personally come pleading. Like countless grains of sand on the beach, the number of actors who wanted to appear in Hwang Sugyeong’s work was countless. That’s why when she started writing her next work, entertainment reporters would all be looking for who would be chosen.
“It’s indeed an attractive work, but…”
CEO Kim Seonghwan licked his dry lips. He had never said it before. Since he firmly believed that one only experienced their school days once, he encouraged Jang Yeongguk to only make cameo appearances and never star in other works. A prepared actor could act anytime. But an actor with an empty heart would eventually crack. That was Kim Seonghwan’s belief.
It was then.
“CEO Kim! Someone from SBC came and just left!”
A thick-skinned, toad-like face barged into the CEO’s office.
“Hwang Sugyeong is really something! Just by looking at the synopsis, the writing comes to life, and I’ve treated those SBC guys to booze so many times! They wouldn’t give us a good role even though I’ve begged them many times! This is for Park Mincheol, right?”
There’s a saying, “He who stays near ink gets stained black.” Hwang Cheolsu recruited actors who were similar to him. Among them was Park Mincheol. Except for his pretty face, the guy had no talent for acting. It was even rumored that Hwang Cheolsu took him with him when he entertained guests from time to time.
“Back off. It’s Yeongguk that they wanted.”
“What?”
“PD Kim himself requested it! He asked me to explain the role well to Yeongguk. So don’t set your sights on it and look elsewhere!”
“CEO Kim! Let’s talk frankly, how much down payment are we getting for giving Jang Yeongguk that huge advance, when for years we haven’t seen any profit, just treading water. Three years ago, too, when that child actor won a rookie award at the year-end awards ceremony, we should’ve just kept pushing forward! But no, he just stopped and only appeared in cameos. No matter how great Baek Janghun is, this is like a dog with a shiny coat but rotten inside! We’re not charity workers, and for crying out loud, is this your personal business?”
CEO Kim Seonghwan clenched his teeth. He wanted to punch that fat face right now. But he had to be patient. They say a gentleman’s revenge takes ten years.
Over the past three years, he had collected evidence of Hwang Cheolsu’s embezzlement and other illegal activities. They would have been in a mud fight long ago if he had been hot-headed. But Kim Seonghwan was patient and knew how to knock down his opponent.
“CEO Kim! Let’s just hand this over to Mincheol.”
Kim Seonghwan could feel that the time was ripe.
* * *
Would Hemingway’s first paragraph be like this, with deep eyes that seemed to devour every line of dialogue? It’s brimming with vitality like a fish leaping out of the mud. Each word seemed alive and wriggling, making it impossible not to be engrossed.
“How is it?”
CEO Kim asked cautiously. He thought that not only the company’s policy on script selection was important, but the actor’s opinion was even more critical. Just as a painter didn’t want to leave a blemish on their painting, an actor didn’t want to leave a mark on their acting either.
“CEO, there’s no need to ask or hesitate! If it’s a script by Writer Hwang Sugyeong, we must take it even if we can’t eat. Yeongguk needs to start acting again. How long are we going to hide him away like a museum piece? He can’t just enjoy his school days forever either because he has to live as an actor. Plus, from what I can see, Writer Hwang Sugyeong wanted Yeongguk to be the main character, and she wrote the script with him in mind. Look! Tall, broad shoulders with eyes that resemble a calf. This is exactly him!”
As Park Suyeong said, there was no doubt that Writer Hwang Sugyeong had written the script with Yeongguk, the child actor, in mind. Even the rumors floating around at the broadcasting station were saying so. They said Hwang Sugyeong would decide on the main character first and then start writing. At this point, everyone wanted to be Hwang Sugyeong’s man, so it was a happy problem to have. That’s when it happened.
“CEO Kim! Let’s finish our earlier conversation and give this script to Mincheol!”
Like a dog that couldn’t change its habits, Hwang Cheolsu barged into the office, swinging the door wide open. Park Suyeong rolled her eyes at the toad-like man. A thick stench of rotten food permeated the CEO’s office.
“Okay.”
Yeongguk lifted his head after putting down the script. Was it because of his firm words? Hwang Cheolsu’s brows narrowed menacingly.
“Ahem, let’s give another role to Mincheol. I’m sure we can get a few supporting roles even if Yeongguk becomes the main character. After all, I recruited him, so let’s save his career with this opportunity!”
“Can he be called an actor if he can’t act?”
“What? Look at this clueless brat! We CEOs are talking here. Who are you to butt in? CEO Kim, I’ve told you countless times. That brat Yeongguk is rotten from the core, and it’s because you, CEO Kim, handle everything yourself instead of letting the team leader deal with it!”
It was not even funny. Hwang Cheolsu fumed as he saw Park Suyeong laughing beside him.
“Why are you looking at me like that, Park Suyeong? I told you before. Is it that hard to join a drinking party? Why do you have to make it so difficult for others? Don’t you need a good role, Park Suyeong?”
She had been holding back, but she couldn’t take it anymore. It looked like Park Suyeong was about to get up from her seat and hit Hwang Cheolsu’s fat face with her high heels. Considering her fiery personality, it was more than likely to happen.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“What?”
Yeongguk stood up and faced the toad. The thick, bulging cheeks seemed to writhe angrily. Like a cicada clinging to a tree trunk, the toad barely managed to grab the collar of the tall Yeongguk. It was not only ugly but even disgusting.
“CEO Kim! I need to teach this brat some manners today!”
That’s when it happened.
With a dull thud, a figure fell sideways like a toppled doll. CEO Kim Seonghwan stared angrily at the fallen Hwang Cheolsu. Unable to speak because of the sudden turn of events, Hwang Cheolsu’s eyes grew wide.
Yeongguk, who was rescued, couldn’t help but be surprised as well. He had always seen CEO Kim Seonghwan as a gentle lamb. But Yeongguk wouldn’t know. In fact, it was the CEO who had been rescued, not him.
Kim Seonghwan glared, his eyes wavering.
“How dare you lay a hand on my actor.”
You son of a bitch!
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