Chapter 51

51. The Path to Take (Revised)

“Wow, wow, wow!!”

The students and teachers of Myeongseong High School, who were sitting in the audience, all stood up and hugged each other in a frenzy.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fireworks exploded on stage, and confetti flew.

“Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!”

The warriors of the soccer field were clear. A rhythmic cheer, like a soccer chant, echoed through the auditorium.

“From Baekdoo’s spirit, down the Han River—”

Huh? Suddenly singing the school song?

The people in the auditorium were momentarily puzzled, but it didn’t matter to the warriors of Myeongseong.

“Shining forever—Myeongseong High School!”

It was an extremely over-the-top ceremony that made one’s limbs curl, but everyone in the auditorium gave the Myeongseong students a warm round of applause.

“Haha! Our very energetic Myeongseong High School students. Please give another big round of applause to the Myeongseong High School drama team and cheer squad.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

“Now, let’s hear the acceptance speech from Woojin-hyuk, the representative of the Myeongseong High School drama team.”

“Wow, wow, wow!!”

“Woojin-hyuk! You’re so handsome!”

Amidst the loud cheers, Jin-hyuk took the microphone. Soon, everyone in the auditorium held their breath and looked at Jin-hyuk.

“First, I want to express my gratitude to the students and teachers of Dongrae Arts High School and Munhwa Arts High School, and to all the other participants for the honor and joy of being here with you.”

“Squeal—”

The students, who had already become Jin-hyuk’s fans, were almost falling over.

“Wow. Your voice is so sweet.”

“Oh, my. You’re too good.”

Jin-hyuk’s gaze turned to Mr. Kim Jong-ho.

“I also want to thank Mr. Kim Jong-ho, who wrote, directed, and guided this play. Without you, I wouldn’t be standing here today.”

As Jin-hyuk’s gaze met his, the tears that had been welling up in Mr. Kim’s eyes began to flow uncontrollably.

When Mr. Kim was almost forced out of the CMI Acting Academy, he had wondered if he would ever teach students again. Jin-hyuk had given him the opportunity. Although it was a temporary position, he had fully experienced the joy of creating theater with students, something he loved.

And more than that, it was a time of excitement to guide the acting prodigy, Woojin-hyuk.

Mr. Kim was certain that Jin-hyuk would become a great actor. Being able to witness the beginning of a great actor’s career would be his greatest pride.

The dream-like time ended with the real dream of winning the grand prize.

The joy, gratitude, and the regret of having to part with these students, as if waking from a dream, mixed into tears that streamed down Mr. Kim’s cheeks.

“Oh, this person. Crying.”

The chairman, who was patting Mr. Kim’s back, had tears in his eyes as well.

“I also want to thank the chairman, the principal, and all the teachers for proposing and fully supporting our participation in the drama festival.”

As Jin-hyuk looked at the chairman, the chairman smiled broadly and gave a thumbs up. Although his mouth was smiling, the tears in his eyes became even blurrier.

‘Father, I want to be an actor.’

‘What? Are you crazy? As an only son, you don’t want to take over the business your father built with blood and sweat, and you want to be what? A performer?’

‘Father, not a performer, an actor…’

‘That’s a performer!’

The cold glare of his father made the young chairman freeze.

‘You! You’re so full of yourself. Your mother spoiled you too much. Quit the drama club right now. You!’

‘How did Father know about that?’

In his school days, the drama club was the last thing his father would tolerate.

And once he crossed the line, there was no more consideration. He had to quit the club.

It was a thoroughly patriarchal era, and he couldn’t cross the line of that era either.

When he became his father’s age, having compromised with the world and time,

he started the Myeongseong High School festival play as a way to vicariously satisfy himself, as if to compensate for the irretrievable past.

But in the festival play, which was always somewhat disappointing and frustrating, he witnessed a scene that made his eyes widen.

When he saw the amazing performance of Byun Satto, who stirred the stage as if throwing a dart at the existing order.

And when he realized that it was an impromptu improvisation.

He couldn’t help but fall in love with Jin-hyuk, who was so different from his own young self, trapped by the world and his father.

It was as if the stage where Jin-hyuk stood was his own, and the chairman felt proud and grateful.

“And to those who performed this wonderful play with me, Seo-yeon, Yeong-joon, Min-young….”

Jin-hyuk recited the names of each person who had performed with him.

The children’s eyes were filled with excitement each time their names were called. But one person’s expression darkened.

‘Could he have forgotten me?’

As Do Min-woo’s expression neared tears,

“Finally, to the hidden contributor of the play’s script, Manager Do Min-woo, thank you.”

Jin-hyuk’s gaze turned to Min-woo.

“Haha. Kid. You missed one thing. ‘Best friend.’ Best friend Do Min-woo. Hahaha!”

Do Min-woo, who had suddenly perked up, muttered this so everyone could hear.

“Now, let’s conclude the 2011 Busan Youth Drama Festival. Thank you to everyone who participated.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

“Now, it’s time for the group photo. Please come to the front, all performers.”

As soon as the emcee’s words were spoken, the representatives of Dongrae Arts High School and Munhwa Arts High School, who were on stage, approached Jin-hyuk.

“Congratulations!”

The reason they wanted to stand next to Jin-hyuk in the photo.

The performers who rushed forward. A battle for the best spots to take photos with Jin-hyuk ensued.

After the group photo, it was time for individual commemorative photos.

It had almost turned into a fan meeting for Jin-hyuk.

“It will take a while to greet everyone.”

“Indeed.”

The two agency managers, surrounded by students, sighed.

As the students’ photo session, which had been bustling, began to wind down,

“Good job, Jin-hyuk.”

The two managers from HC and NTN approached Jin-hyuk as if they had made a pact. Jin-hyuk recognized them and greeted them.

For Jin-hyuk, it was quite a surprise that the two had come all the way to Busan.

“How did you get here?”

“How did we get here? We came to invite Jin-hyuk to HC.”

Park Sung-woo, the manager of HC, threw a straight pitch.

“Isn’t HC the place for actors? Ah, Hyun-woo sends his regards.”

Park Sung-woo, who smiled, was glanced at by Jang Dong-soon.

“Sigh. Can Jin-hyuk just be an actor? Singing and acting. NTN is perfect for both.”

“Haha. We have many singers at HC too.”

“Haha. Only NTN?”

“Actors? We have many too. We have actors.”

The second round of the 2011 Busan Youth Drama Festival began. The title of the play was “Where Will Woojin-hyuk Go?”

***

Jin-hyuk moved to a pier in Busan. A shabby food stall.

A place where his heart sometimes rested in his previous life. And there, the person who had helped him escape was waiting.

“Hello.”

A rough man, whose face and knuckles were etched with the storms of life, stopped the knife he was moving on the cutting board and looked at Jin-hyuk.

A brilliant youth, out of place in the workers’ haven where they sought solace with a drink at the end of a hard day.

But the weight of the years on his shoulders was too heavy to be surprised by the youth’s appearance.

“Jin-hyuk, friend?”

“Yes.”

“Sit.”

The man gestured to a corner table outside the food stall. He washed his hands roughly and wiped them on his apron before heading to the table.

“Hey! Mr. Kim. A bottle of soju here!”

“I’m busy. Get it yourself.”

“Okay.”

A scene no different from 17 years ago. It was natural, as this place was the same as 17 years ago, where the last traces of his escape a few months ago remained.

“So, how do you know Jin-hyuk?”

“We just got close while passing by.”

“True. It doesn’t really matter how you know each other. After all, it’s a life where you can meet anyone anywhere.”

The man asked while opening the soju bottle.

“Want a drink?”

“I’m a student.”

“Did I ask if you’re a student? Drink or not?”

“I’ll pass.”

The man filled his own soju glass. He downed the poured drink in one gulp and said,

“It’s been a while since I heard from Jin-hyuk. You finally came?”

“That’s how it turned out.”

The man looked at Jin-hyuk with a stern gaze. Jin-hyuk met his gaze.

“Since you know my number, you must be a friend. But you’re heartless. Anyway, it’s good that you came now.”

The man muttered, unsure if he was talking to Jin-hyuk or to himself.

Jin-hyuk’s heart ached as he looked at the man. The only person who had shared his heart outside the organization when he was part of it.

Seeing how the organization’s leaders didn’t treat him casually, Jin-hyuk had a rough idea of his past, but he didn’t ask, and the man didn’t tell.

‘Jin-hyuk.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Quit that life.’

This person genuinely worried about Jin-hyuk’s life.

‘Kid, it might seem like something now, but it’s nothing. You’re just a thug.’

But Jin-hyuk didn’t hear that advice back then.

‘Will you still be getting stabbed in ten years? Or will you worry about getting stabbed tomorrow, assuming you’re still alive by then?’

Without this person’s help, Jin-hyuk from his previous life would not have escaped and would have been found as a corpse on the street.

“Where is Jin-hyuk now? I only heard that he went far away.”

Instead of answering, the man bowed and placed a small box on the table.

“Take it.”

Jin-hyuk’s eyes widened in surprise as he opened the box. His body stiffened with shock.

Why is this here?!

The old MP3 player that he should have had in his previous life.

“Jin-hyuk….”

The man, who was in too much pain, spoke the rest of his words with a stoic expression.

“Died.”

A cold sea breeze swept past Jin-hyuk.

***

It was raining in winter.

Jin-hyuk’s slow steps descended onto the KTX platform.

In the middle of the platform, Jin-hyuk’s steps stopped. There was no reason for the stop. They just stopped.

Jin-hyuk leaned against a pillar from which the ceiling descended.

What had he expected?

What had he wanted to know?

The traces of another self living on this land, even if unreachable?

Or the traces of old comrades that Jin-hyuk from the mercenary unit might meet?

“Ha—.”

The breath from Jin-hyuk’s mouth dispersed like cigarette smoke. The hazy lighting enveloped the platform.

Here I am, breathing so clearly.

Jin-hyuk couldn’t describe the strange feeling of confirming his own death while being alive.

Familiar music from the old MP3 player flowed into Jin-hyuk’s ears.

– Do you regret it? If we live again, can we be a little different?

He didn’t feel that sad, but tears welled up in Jin-hyuk’s eyes.

‘Sir, I will become rich!’

‘How can a thug become rich?’

‘Oh, sir, you’re so stubborn. Even when I talk.’

‘What will you do when you become rich?’

‘Just… live happily and comfortably. Hehe.’

Jin-hyuk didn’t stop his tears.

For the boy Woojin-hyuk, who lived a painful life and left the world pitifully, shedding a tear in farewell was not too much.

The tears fell to Jin-hyuk’s feet. The rain fell to his feet.

Swoosh—

The rain intensified, but Jin-hyuk wiped away his tears.

Jin-hyuk clenched his fist, wiped his tears, and lifted his head.

Two people stood in his blurred vision.

Seo Mi-ryeong. And Min Seo-yeon.

The wind and rain rushed into the platform. One person remained.

Min Seo-yeon.

She seemed a bit flustered and tried to tidy up.

“Hey. Why are you standing there so stiffly?”

***

“Excuse me. I’m sorry, but this is my friend, and… Can you switch seats with me?”

This was unlike Min Seo-yeon. She had been restless on the platform, talking non-stop, and finally asked the middle-aged woman next to Jin-hyuk.

The woman frowned, annoyed.

“What? You’re not a kid, and you want to sit with your friend. Where’s your seat?”

“Car 3, first-class….”

“First-class?”

The woman jumped up.

“Oh, sit down. Sit. What’s the big deal about switching seats? Then you two can have fun.”

The woman rushed toward the KTX first-class car.

“…”

Jin-hyuk asked Seo-yeon, who sat down next to him with a pleased look.

“Do you have to sit here?”

“I can’t sit next to someone I don’t know. It’s uncomfortable.”

“Aren’t there separate seats in first-class?”

“…”

Seo-yeon didn’t answer and changed the subject.

“You stayed to meet a friend?”

“You’ve asked that three times already.”

“What kind of friend would you go out of your way to meet?”

“Stop asking.”

“A girl?”

“…”

Jin-hyuk frowned, and Seo-yeon finally shut up.

“Tch. You’re so expensive.”

Seo-yeon grumbled but soon rummaged through her bag and threw something at Jin-hyuk.

Chocolate.

“I don’t like how you look like you’re going to eat it all by yourself. Do what you want. They say eating chocolate makes you feel better.”

Seo-yeon quickly peeled the chocolate and took a bite.

“Hey, but, Woojin-hyuk, which agency….”

Seo-yeon stopped her question.

“No, that would be a foul.”

“Min Seo-yeon.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to the bathroom.”

Jin-hyuk passed the fidgeting Seo-yeon and headed to the bathroom.

It wasn’t an urgent need. In the chaotic situation, and with Seo-yeon unusually chatty, he just wanted to take a break.

Swoosh—

Jin-hyuk splashed water on his face. It was cold, and he came to his senses.

On the right side of the sink, the chocolate and the old MP3 player he had brought in a hurry were placed.

Jin-hyuk stood up and stared at them.

After what felt like a long moment, Jin-hyuk smiled slightly.

Swish.

Jin-hyuk put the old MP3 player deep into his pocket and took the chocolate, heading back to the cabin.