Chapter 46

Protrusion (4)/This one is free too

Hong Hye-yeon, who had been watching Kang Woo-jin a few steps away inside the white van, frowned. He was standing in front of the minivan, smirking. Hye-yeon's expression grew increasingly serious.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Her appearance, resembling a tough detective 'Jeong Hyun-hee,' added to the gravity of the situation. Inside the van, Woo-jin's voice was barely audible, sounding muffled.

"Hehe... It's not working... Keep..."

Clearly, it was a frivolous laugh that was never seen on the usual Kang Woo-jin.

Thanks to that.

-Whoosh!

Even as Hye-yeon threw the pink blindfold she had placed on her forehead, she immediately moved.

-Creak!

Hye-yeon, who had opened the van door, rushed to Woo-jin.

"Mr. Woo-jin!"

At that moment, Kang Woo-jin had abruptly stopped his chuckling. Or rather, he was startled. Given the situation, Hye-yeon had likely seen through Woo-jin's act. Therefore, Woo-jin remained motionless. Even when Hye-yeon called out, he just stared blankly out the minivan window.

However.

"Kang Woo-jin!"

Hye-yeon, standing right behind Woo-jin, grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. Immediately, Hye-yeon's face came into view. Her long, loose hair tied back, her expression was extremely serious. Kang Woo-jin immediately felt uncomfortable. No, this was a crisis.

"......"

"......"

A moment of silence. Neither Kang Woo-jin nor Hong Hye-yeon spoke, just staring intently at each other. Then, Kang Woo-jin broke the silence first, speaking cautiously and in a low tone.

"......When did you get here?"

"From the beginning."

Instantly, Kang Woo-jin's firm face twitched slightly. Then he let out a somewhat deflated sigh.

"Phew......"

It was a mix of resignation. At that moment.

-Thump!

Suddenly, Hong Hye-yeon grabbed Kang Woo-jin's shoulders and shook him violently.

"You can't do that!"

Kang Woo-jin's face was shaken around aimlessly. But Hye-yeon didn't stop, and suddenly her face was right in front of Woo-jin's nose. Too close. Too close, right? Woo-jin involuntarily pulled his face back.

But Hye-yeon, with a serious look in her eyes, scrutinized Kang Woo-jin's pupils. One second, five seconds, ten seconds.

Then.

"Snap out of it!"

Once again, Hye-yeon boldly shook Kang Woo-jin's shoulders.

At that moment.

"Why are you doing this?! What's going on?!!"

From the front, Choi Sung-geun, with his spiky hair, ran over. Behind him was the bulky Jang Su-hwan. It was even worse. More people had gathered. Choi Sung-geun, who knew Kang Woo-jin and Hong Hye-yeon's personalities, called out.

"Hey! Hold on a second!"

He quickly ran over and separated Woo-jin and Hye-yeon.

"Are you two fighting?!"

Misunderstandings piled up. Regardless, Hong Hye-yeon grabbed Choi Sung-geun's shoulder and pointed at Kang Woo-jin.

"No, it's not that! Mr. Woo-jin was..."

"What about Mr. Woo-jin?! What?!"

"Mr. Woo-jin was laughing to himself! And it was a chuckle."

"......What? Mr. Woo-jin was laughing?"

"I've never seen him laugh, have you?"

Choi Sung-geun also took it seriously.

"Mr. Woo-jin was chuckling to himself?"

Soon, everyone's eyes turned to the usually expressionless Kang Woo-jin. Then, Hong Hye-yeon spoke again, still serious.

"Just now, he was chuckling and muttering to himself. It was completely different from the usual Mr. Woo-jin."

She called out to him.

"Get out of it! Don't get consumed by Park Daeri. Mr. Woo-jin, you're not a psychopath or a sociopath!"

Huh? Kang Woo-jin was momentarily stunned. But Hong Hye-yeon didn't stop.

"Of course, Mr. Woo-jin's laugh just now was a bit more exaggerated than Park Daeri's......but that made it even more unsettling. The filming is over, right? You were too immersed, couldn't you pull yourself out?"

Choi Sung-geun, looking at Kang Woo-jin's face closely, added his concern.

"Really? Is that true? Are you struggling? Should I make a reservation for a psychiatrist? It's okay, many actors go to psychiatrists."

"......No."

"You need to be more careful, man! Let's go once."

At that moment, Kang Woo-jin's mind was racing. He was going to have to go to a psychiatrist, a place he had never been to before. He needed to give an answer, any answer, to avoid going to the psychiatrist and resolve the current situation.

Then.

'Ah.'

Something came to mind. Woo-jin immediately recited the excuse that had just come to him, sarcastically.

"No, that wasn't Park Daeri just now."

Hong Hye-yeon, frowning, was quick to respond.

"......Not Park Daeri? Then who?"

"I was trying out a character from the script of 'The Missing Island.'"

"'The Missing Island'? What's that?"

"It's a script by Director Kwon Gi-taek."

Soon, Choi Sung-geun, with a reaction of "Ah," turned to Hong Hye-yeon.

"Is that what it was? Phew, I was scared. It hasn't been confirmed yet, but 'The Missing Island' is indeed Director Kwon Gi-taek's next project."

"......Mr. Woo-jin got the script for Director Kwon Gi-taek's next project?"

"Yeah, he did."

"Really? Doesn't Director Kwon usually vet actors before giving them scripts? And I haven't heard about the next project."

"Mr. Woo-jin passed the vetting. And it seems Director Kwon's next project is still under wraps."

"So, only Mr. Woo-jin got the script?"

Choi Sung-geun glanced at the silent Woo-jin and answered.

"Well, the production company says they've sent it to a few actors, but it seems only Mr. Woo-jin got it, given the silence."

Hong Hye-yeon, eyes wide, turned to Kang Woo-jin.

"......You're joining Director Kwon Gi-taek right after finishing the shoot with PD Song Man-woo?"

"It's not confirmed yet."

"So, you practiced the character for Director Kwon Gi-taek right after finishing the shoot with Park Daeri? Without resting?"

"It wasn't practice, just something I did out of boredom."

"What kind of character?"

"Split personality. I can't say more than that."

"Ah, that's why the laugh was more exaggerated than Park Daeri's......"

This place had become 'The Island of Misunderstanding' rather than 'The Missing Island.' Nonetheless, Woo-jin felt a deep sense of relief inside and spoke calmly.

"Thank you for your concern, but it's a misunderstanding."

He resolved to be more careful in the future.

'Wow, I really need to be more cautious from now on.'

Later.

After 'The Island of Misunderstanding' was somewhat resolved, Hong Hye-yeon, for some reason, said a polite goodbye to Woo-jin and returned to the set, saying she was going to practice her lines. On the other hand, many actors saw Kang Woo-jin off as he left work.

Not just Ryu Jeong-min, but all the lead actors who were shooting today.

"Mr. Woo-jin, I heard you made it to the main competition of the 'Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival.' Congratulations."

"They say the festival has grown a lot this year with a new sponsor. I got an invitation, so I'll go if I have time. I heard a lot of domestic masters and foreign directors were invited."

"Mise-en-Scene is a festival a lot of actors attend, right? The awards ceremony is on May 7th, right? Oh, then it might coincide with the premiere of our drama on the 15th."

"If you win an award and become a hot topic, you should definitely be featured. If the festival goes well and our drama gets high ratings, you might be the rising star of the year, Mr. Woo-jin."

The actors were generally very interested in Kang Woo-jin's 'Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival.' Of course, they didn't know Hong Hye-yeon was in 'The Detective Agency' yet, as it was a secret. Among them, the usually jovial Jang Tae-san casually mentioned something that came to mind.

"By the way, they've added an acting award to this year's Mise-en-Scene. I heard Park Jeong-hyuk is also participating. Ha, if you do well, you and Park Jeong-hyuk might end up competing for the award. I'll vote for you, Mr. Woo-jin."

This noisy send-off lasted about 30 minutes, and the minivan Kang Woo-jin was in was quiet. Han Ye-jeong, the stylist who had worked hard with him, was dozing off. The usually noisy road manager Jang Su-hwan was driving silently. Choi Sung-geun, in the passenger seat, was looking at his phone without a word.

And.

'Something feels... strange.'

Kang Woo-jin was just looking out the dark window with a calm face. The 'Profiler Hanryang' set, which had been hell but also a place he had grown attached to, was no longer a place he needed to go. He wouldn't see the entire staff or actors again except for the premiere dinner.

'It feels like I'm leaving my comrades behind after a long struggle. I guess actors need to get used to parting ways.'

Yes, like leaving the military. Kang Woo-jin's current feeling was similar to the day he was discharged. Around that time.

"Mr. Woo-jin."

Choi Sung-geun, who had opened his diary, turned around and asked.

"Are you really okay? If you need a psychiatrist, just let me know."

No, I absolutely won't go. Woo-jin answered with a firm voice.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

Choi Sung-geun nodded and began to recite the schedule for the week.

"You worked hard on the shoot. From tomorrow to the 30th, you'll be working on post-production for 'Profiler Hanryang,' including profile updates and other tasks. Take a good rest on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For the 'Mise-en-Scene Film Festival,' we'll start preparing around May 4th."

Kang Woo-jin, calculating the dates in his head, answered quietly.

"Yes, Mr. Choi."

Finally, Kang Woo-jin had his first day off.

A few days later.

April had ended, and the sun of May had risen. Today was Saturday, May 2nd. It was a typical weekend morning, but the film industry was a bit different.

['Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival' grandly opens on April 30 / Photos]

The 'Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival,' which had been aggressively promoted two days ago, had begun. The festival opened on the 30th and would run for about six days, with the closing ceremony and awards presentation on the 7th.

And.

"It's been a while since I've been to COEX."

Kang Woo-jin appeared at the ongoing 'Mise-en-Scene Film Festival.' The venue was COEX CCV, a large cinema, and the current time was 9:30 AM.

"Wow, there are quite a few people."

Kang Woo-jin was a bit surprised by the unexpectedly large crowd even in the early morning. Not all of these people were here for the 'Mise-en-Scene Film Festival,' of course. Nonetheless, Woo-jin checked the time.

'It starts at 10 AM, right?'

The funny thing was that Kang Woo-jin's appearance was a bit peculiar. The black denim jacket was fine, but he was wearing a black hat and a mask, like a celebrity. Well, he was an actor, but he hadn't officially debuted yet. Still, Woo-jin was dressed this way because of Choi Sung-geun's advice.

'Huh? You're going to watch 'The Detective Agency' at the Mise-en-Scene in person? Ah, it should be fine. Watching it on a big screen is different from the test screening. It's good to go, but cover your face? Got it.'

Thinking about it, it made sense. If people recognized Kang Woo-jin while he was watching 'The Detective Agency' with others, it could get complicated. Since today was Woo-jin's private day off, it was better to be cautious.

"Just covering my face should be enough. After all, who would recognize me anyway?"

Kang Woo-jin entered the large COEX. He thought he should just head to the cinema, but festival signs were posted from the entrance.

Then, Woo-jin arrived at the COV CCV cinema.

The 'Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival' was indeed being held in a special hall, not the regular screening area. The atmosphere of an event was evident from the entrance, with staff in festival-themed attire and promotional posters.

Most importantly.

'Whoa, how many people are here?'

There were a lot of people who had come to enjoy the festival from the first session. The lobby was almost packed, with over a hundred people, perhaps. There were also journalists taking photos here and there, and a few BJ or YouTubers with phones on sticks.

Therefore, Kang Woo-jin was a bit nervous.

'It's really happening.'

By the way, the 'Mise-en-Scene Film Festival' screening venue wasn't the only one. About 30 short films were being shown, with 10 films screened in rotation each day. There were three venues in total, and today was the first day 'The Detective Agency' was being shown.

Anyway.

-Swoosh.

Kang Woo-jin, who had paused for a moment, picked up the festival pamphlet displayed on a pillar. It contained various information, such as the film schedule and festival details.

Among them, Kang Woo-jin focused on the screening schedule.

'Let's see 'The Detective Agency'—Ah, it's the first session at 10 AM.'

Since it was a short film, watching all 10 would take a bit over 3 hours. 'The Detective Agency,' with its longer running time, was the first in the session. Therefore, Woo-jin, after picking up the ticket he had reserved in advance, thought.

'Is this the right place?'

He opened the door to the special hall indicated on the sign. Inside, it was almost the same as a regular screening room, but on a larger scale. The lights were still on before the screening, but there were already quite a few people. With the screening time approaching, about 80% of the 500 seats were filled.

The audience was diverse.

People who came alone, couples, friends, and seniors. The room was bustling with conversation. However, no one paid attention to Kang Woo-jin. A few people glanced at him, probably because of the mask. Of course, Kang Woo-jin didn't pay much attention either and found his assigned seat.

It was at the end of the middle entrance.

At the same time, Kang Woo-jin, who had switched his phone to silent mode, took a small deep breath. The thought of seeing himself on the large screen in front of him made him somewhat anxious and awkward.

'Phew—Usually, I just see the faces of top actors. Who would have thought my face would be on that big screen?'

He was nervous. It was a different feeling from the test screening, as Choi Sung-geun had said. Additionally.

'With the audience here, I'll get real-time reactions, right?'

Hundreds of viewers were around him, ready to see his performance and face. Gradually, Kang Woo-jin's heart rate quickened.

Right then.

"Here, right?"

"Yep, it's right."

"Shut up and find your seat."

Voices of men reached Kang Woo-jin from the entrance. The problem was.

"Huh?"

They were very familiar voices to Woo-jin. As a result, Kang Woo-jin naturally turned his head to the left. He saw three men. As soon as he saw them, Woo-jin quickly bowed his head.

The reason was simple.

'Those crazy guys, why!!'

The men were his close friends—starting with the burly Kim Dae-young, Lee Kyung-sung, and Na Hyung-gu. With Kang Woo-jin, they formed the original four. Therefore, Woo-jin desperately tried to hide his face.

For some reason, he felt he had to.

Fortunately, his friends didn't seem to notice him, continuing their conversation as they passed by Woo-jin's side. Kim Dae-young was in the lead, walking down the stairs and quietly explaining to his friends.

"