Chapter 47

<Outburst (5)/From here, it's paid>

In the large screen of the movie, Kang Wujin, who is a friend, appears. What the hell is this crazy situation? Sometimes it happens, when you're so flustered, your actions and thoughts just stop.

The trio watching "The Detective Agency" were exactly like that.

Starting with the burly Kim Daeyoung.

"Are you kidding me, Kang Wujin?! What are you doing there?!! Why are you there?!! Damn, what the hell is this?!"

Lee Kyungseong, who dropped the popcorn in his hand.

"Are you kidding me! Is my eyesight bad? No, it's fine! Kang Wujin? Seriously, Kang Wujin??!"

Nah Hyunggu, who opened his mouth wide and stared with big eyes.

"Is this a dream?? Damn, is this a dream?! Then, what the hell are you doing there, Wujin??"

To put it simply, the trio of close friends were outwardly still, but inwardly they were going crazy. They were on the verge of losing their minds. If there were no people around, it wouldn't be strange for them to slap each other's cheeks repeatedly.

That's how shocking Kang Wujin's face on the giant screen was.

"Wow, I'm going to lose it!!"

"Hey, Kang Wujin, answer me, you bastard!! What are you doing there?!"

"Ah, right. It must be a lookalike. Yeah, it must be someone who looks like him. Right... But is it really a lookalike??"

It was a mental assault for the trio.

Meanwhile, Kang Wujin, who was watching the back of his close friends' heads from the back, was.

"Whoa!"

Trying hard not to laugh. He hadn't planned to, but it was hard to hold back once he saw them.

The reason was simple.

The current trio of friends.

'They look like meerkats—oh, I can't take it.'

Because they looked like sitting meerkats. They would stretch their necks to look at the screen, then turn their heads to look at each other. How could he hold back? For Wujin, it was a crisis.

'These guys' backs are so entertaining.'

Among the trio looking up at the screen, Nah Hyunggu slowly lowered his head and whispered to Lee Kyungseong next to him.

"Hey. Let me slap you once."

Lee Kyungseong, still holding the popcorn container, frowned and whispered.

"Shut... up. I don't have the mind for that."

"Is it really Kang Wujin?"

"Doesn't it look like him? Who else could it be if it's not Kang Wujin?"

"Right, right?"

Kim Daeyoung, who had been slightly dazed, finally spoke softly.

"Wait... Let's calm down a bit."

"You calm down. Your eyes are about to pop out."

The trio simultaneously raised their eyes to the screen again. Kang Wujin was still performing as Kim Ryu-jin. Yeah, that's definitely Kang Wujin. At first, they didn't believe it, but now the trio acknowledged that the character in the movie was Kang Wujin. However, they couldn't digest it.

They denied reality.

If a friend you saw naked in a bathhouse suddenly appeared on a movie screen, anyone would do the same.

Soon, Kim Daeyoung raised his broad arms and rubbed his eyes. The other friends also showed their astonishment in their own ways. From this point on, the trio started to mix the content of the short film "The Detective Agency" with Kang Wujin's performance. Well, let's say he's in the movie. But why only you?

Kim Daeyoung, who was interested in acting, realized.

'...Even the lead role??'

That Kang Wujin was not an extra but the lead in the movie. Since "The Detective Agency" had been running for over 5 minutes, Kang Wujin kept appearing on the screen. "The Detective Agency" was a short film, not a commercial one. So, Kang Wujin, who led the story from the beginning, was definitely the male lead.

At this moment.

"Hey, hey."

Nah Hyunggu, sitting at the end, whispered to his friends.

"Let's go out first. We'll call or talk to Kang Wujin outside."

They seemed unable to concentrate due to the shock. However, the other friends, Kim Daeyoung and Lee Kyungseong, shook their heads with serious faces.

"No. Just watch. We'll talk after we finish."

"Agreed."

In the end, Nah Hyunggu, who had given his opinion, followed his friends' decision and raised his head toward the screen again. At this moment, Kang Wujin in the screen. No, Kim Ryu-jin was in a car.

-♬♪

A trot song played throughout the theater. Kim Ryu-jin naturally turned down the volume. Thanks to that, the characters' dialogues were heard more clearly.

["Can I kill those bitches? How much does it cost to kill them?"]

Kim Ryu-jin, with a cold expression, replied to the angry client.

["500 million won per person."]

["That's expensive."]

["I'm kidding, man. I wouldn't do something like that."]

["No discount? Like a mobile carrier or credit card discount?"]

["Hey, are you listening to me? Do I look like someone who makes pizzas or burgers?"]

Clearly, "The Detective Agency" was a short film of considerable quality. The sound was especially realistic and meticulous. The characters' breathing, the sound of touching objects, dialogues, and sound effects. It was obvious that a lot of effort had been put into the sound.

'Really, I'm going to lose it.'

Among the trio, who were gradually getting absorbed in the movie, Kim Daeyoung's astonishment was intensifying. He was knowledgeable about acting.

'Kang Wujin, you're really going to lose it, aren't you? Why are you acting so crazy?? Why are you so good at acting?'

Kang Wujin's performance as Kim Ryu-jin was absurd. To put it mildly, even the evaluation of "natural" was a stretch. The Kang Wujin on the screen could only be described as Kim Ryu-jin. His performance was that vivid.

But why? Why can Kang Wujin act like this?

At that moment, a few scenes from the past with Kang Wujin flashed in Kim Daeyoung's mind. It started when they went to the "Super Actor" audition together.

'Yeah, thinking about it, that day was a bit strange.'

Wujin had been acting strangely since the audition ended, and he even showed interest in scripts and dialogues, which he had never cared about before. A guy who didn't enjoy content.

'Ah, right! I gave him the script for "The Detective Agency," didn't I?'

The script for "The Detective Agency" that had gone to Kang Wujin. Later, for some reason, Wujin started asking about short films. It was from that time that Kang Wujin said he was busy and stopped showing up.

Kim Daeyoung, who had been staring at the screen, pieced together the puzzle.

'...So, what? Did he look at the script briefly, audition, and get the lead role? Was he busy with filming?'

Everything fit perfectly, but Kim Daeyoung shook his head slightly. It just didn't make sense.

'A guy who's been designing all his life, suddenly acting?'

However, no matter how much he denied it, reality didn't change. Kang Wujin was still performing as Kim Ryu-jin on the screen. Of course, Kang Wujin was also among the audience, not on the screen.

'At first, they were opening and closing their mouths like goldfish, but now they're watching well. It's a bit embarrassing.'

Kang Wujin, who covered his face with a cap and mask, smiled slightly. It felt like he was watching a hidden camera. Then, Wujin alternated his gaze between the screen and the back of the trio's heads, scratching his chin.

'Honestly, it's a bit early for it to be known.'

The timing he had set to tell his friends was a bit later. Around the first episode of "Profiler Hanryang." But the trio suddenly appeared here. Kim Daeyoung must have led it.

'Hmm... In this case, I should at least say something roughly today.'

Finally, the time had come. The time to make his friends understand.

'What should I say? I ended up acting somehow? Are you crazy? I wouldn't believe it either.'

Well, about them. Suddenly, Kang Wujin looked at the main screen. Indeed, the impact of the large screen was immense. It was like a dream. The grandeur was on a different level from the test screening he had seen in the sound studio.

'Ah... The bigger the screen, the more embarrassing, my face is so big.'

At that moment.

"Is it okay?"

"Yeah, it's interesting."

The whispers of the couple in the adjacent seat reached Wujin. Moreover, Wujin didn't know, but all 500 spectators, who initially had no expectations, started to sit up straight. "The Detective Agency" was more interesting than expected. The fact that it was a short film also worked positively.

Although it was buried in the strong sound of the movie.

"It's interesting?"

"Exactly. It's a short film, but the quality is good. Especially the sound is great."

Audiences in various parts of the theater murmured.

"Is it worth watching? It doesn't feel like a short film?"

"But is the male lead a newcomer? His acting is really good."

Gradually, the entire audience got absorbed in "The Detective Agency." Like being soaked in a drizzle, they were gradually drawn in.

At that moment.

'What??!!'

Among the trio, the burly Kim Daeyoung was startled by someone on the screen. The trio's eyes widened as if they were about to pop out, as if the shock was contagious.

'Wow—Damn it!!!'

'Are you kidding me! Kang Wujin, you bastard!!'

Suddenly, top actress Hong Hye-yeon appeared on the screen.

The scene was when the protagonist Kim Ryu-jin started to monitor the client's wife. In other words, it was Hong Hye-yeon's first appearance as the wife. The screening of "The Detective Agency" at the "Mise-en-Scène Short Film Festival" was the first today. Therefore, it was shocking not only to the trio but also to all 500 spectators.

"What, what? Is that Hong Hye-yeon?"

"Is Hong Hye-yeon in this movie?"

"Wow—Hong Hye-yeon. Amazing."

The audience's attention soared dramatically.

At the same time, in Nonhyeon-dong GGO Entertainment.

In the spacious CEO's office, CEO Seo Guseop was looking down at a tablet. As usual, he looked like a bulldog. What he was looking at was, of course, related to the "Mise-en-Scène Short Film Festival," and a team leader-level employee sitting on the adjacent sofa was reporting while looking at the same tablet.

"The 'Mise-en-Scène Short Film Festival' started at 10:00 an hour ago, and starting today, we are screening Jeong Hyuk's 'Mentor' on a rotation basis."

CEO Seo Guseop, who was nodding slowly, asked.

"Jeong Hyuk's is for two days from today, right? Is there any problem with the screening?"

"No, CEO. According to the team on site, there are no problems."

"The 'Mise-en-Scène Short Film Festival' seems to be drawing a lot of people, right?"

"Yes, it's definitely several times more than last year. Journalists are also showing more interest than usual, and BJ and YouTubers are often seen on site."

"Well, that's good."

The bulldog-like CEO Seo Guseop, showing a satisfied smile as he put down the tablet, paused and narrowed his eyebrows slightly, changing his question.

"Did you check Shin Dongchun's?"

CEO Seo Guseop, not only for Park Jeonghyuk's "Mentor" but also for Shin Dongchun's "The Detective Agency," which criticized him, had dispatched employees. Therefore, the team leader's response was quick.

"Yes, the location is CCV COEX, and like 'Mentor,' it started with the first screening."

"Who is the male lead in 'The Detective Agency'?"

"It's an unknown actor. He seems to be a nobody."

Seo Guseop, hearing the answer, snorted in disbelief.

"What? Damn it. Not even a B-list, just a nobody? Is Shin Dongchun crazy? How dare he put a nobody and criticize me or Jeong Hyuk? He's completely insane."

"But... the unknown actor's acting is not bad."

"So what? No matter how well he acts, a nobody is still a nobody. Forget it. As long as Jeong Hyuk doesn't give a terrible performance, he's guaranteed to win the award."

Soon, CEO Seo Guseop, picking up the cigarette pack on the table in front, continued.

"From now on, don't pay attention to that trash movie Shin Dongchun made. We'll follow the plan and start the publicity. Especially, mix Park Jeonghyuk's name with the 'Mise-en-Scène Film Festival' and keep sending articles to the journalists we've bribed."

"Understood."

"Pay attention to the attention it generates. Once the topic explodes, manage the issues well until the award ceremony. Well, if it's just a bunch of nobodies, the journalists will only focus on Jeong Hyuk."

Just as the employee bowed deeply in response to the instructions.

-Knock, thud!

The door to the CEO's office opened urgently, and another employee ran in. Seeing him, CEO Seo Guseop raised an eyebrow.

"What is it? Park Team Leader."

The employee called Park Team Leader, slightly out of breath, immediately got to the point.

"CEO, just now, we received a call from 'The Detective Agency.'"

"Ah, forget that trash movie. Ignore it and focus on the publicity."

"No, I don't think we can do that."

"What?"

Seo Guseop, asking coldly, received a difficult report from Park Team Leader.

"Hong Hye-yeon is in 'The Detective Agency.'"

A moment of silence. Seo Guseop, staring at the employee for about 5 seconds, suddenly stood up.

"What?! Hong Hye-yeon? Hong Hye-yeon is in 'The Detective Agency'?!"

"...Yes."

"No, damn it! What the hell are you saying? Hong Hye-yeon is in a drama with PD Song, right? Why is she in 'The Detective Agency'?!!"

"She... just appeared as a supporting role."

"..."

Suddenly, the bulldog-like CEO Seo Guseop's head throbbed. If Hong Hye-yeon was in it, all the publicity he had prepared for Park Jeonghyuk's rehabilitation might be in vain. She was a top actress in the country.

In terms of issues, she was unbeatable.

Seo Guseop, clenching his teeth, threw the cigarette pack in his hand to the floor. Then, the face of a man with a mullet came to mind.

"...Choi Sung-geun, that bastard, was the investor."

Around lunchtime on the same day.

While the "Mise-en-Scène Short Film Festival" was in full swing, the "Profiler Hanryang" team showed some movement. They uploaded a video to their YouTube channel, other video platforms, and the official website.

-[15-second Official First Teaser] He's a Loafer, but He's a Genius! <Profiler Hanryang> First Episode on 5/15 (Fri)! | Profiler Hanryang

-[SBC]/ENG SUB

-2020. 5. 2

It was the official first teaser for "Profiler Hanryang." Unlike the teasers released so far, this one contained actual scenes from the story. Although it was only 15 seconds long, it included key elements.

The narration was by Ryu Jeongmin.

The teaser, which began with his atmospheric voice, quickly cut through various scenes, showing multiple characters. Yoo Ji-hyeong crouching at a crime scene, Jung Yeon-hee chasing someone, the tension of various supporting actors, a massive car explosion, and many more scenes rapidly changed as the teaser progressed. The background music also picked up the pace.

Finally, as the teaser neared its end, the screen turned black, and Ryu Jeongmin's narration echoed softly.

["Everything began."]

At the same time, a man's sinister smile, with his face partially hidden above the nose, filled the screen.

["From this twisted smile."]

A creepy smile. The viewers wouldn't know, but the actors in "Profiler Hanryang" recognized it immediately.

It was Park Dae-ri's.

As soon as the teaser was uploaded, the first comment appeared.

-Crazy... Who is the actor smiling at the end? He appeared briefly but had a huge impact....

In a university cafeteria, four women gathered. One of them, who had seen the teaser, was excited. She was showing the teaser to her friends sitting around her, boasting about it.

"Look at this! The teaser quality is insane! Wow, who is the actor smiling at the end?? So creepy!"

She was Kang Wujin's sister, Kang Hyuna.

"Ah, I can't wait to see it!"

Meanwhile, in a park about 10 minutes from COEX.

After passing through the busy streets and entering an alley, a common park appeared.

-Swoosh.

Kang Wujin, who had just arrived, was visible. He was still wearing his black jacket and cap but had taken off his mask. His expression was quite serious. He had just finished watching "The Detective Agency" and immediately moved here.

Anyway, Wujin glanced over the park beyond the flower bed.

"There they are."

He saw the familiar trio sitting on a wooden bench. They were the friends who had watched Kang Wujin on the screen a few minutes ago. As soon as "The Detective Agency" ended, Kim Daeyoung called Kang Wujin, and