Chapter 9

9. Have you ever acted before?

"What is it? Oh. Are you, Youngjun, shooting a movie with your friends? Yeah, yeah. If you work hard from now on, that's good. But... what's this angle? Is this some kind of fake documentary?"

Uncle ruffled Youngjun's hair and patted it.

"No, it's not a fake documentary."

"Huh? Then what is it?"

"Just a documentary."

Uncle was silent. On the screen, Woo Jinhyuk's dazzling action scene began.

"..."

Uncle, unable to utter a sound, just stared wide-eyed.

It wasn't a long time. Woo Jinhyuk had quickly dispatched seven people.

Even after the action scene ended, Uncle stared at the screen in a daze before turning his gaze to Youngjun.

"What is this? You didn't shoot a movie, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then, is this a real fight?"

"Uh-huh."

Seeing Youngjun's calm expression, Uncle burst out laughing.

"Hahaha! My nephew. Your acting skills have really improved. If that's real, I'm Tyson."

Tyson? Who's that?

While Youngjun was thinking, Uncle continued.

"Hey, but it's pretty realistic. At first glance, it looks like a real fight. If you only look at the action, it's almost like 'No Words to Say Even If You Kill Them All.'"

"No Words to Say Even If You Kill Them All." The debut work of director Park Tae-soo, known as the master of Korean noir.

An independent film that achieved unusual box office success. The work that heralded the arrival of Park Tae-soo's action style.

"The kids who got hit are a bit clumsy, but that main character, is he the main character? His movements are really impressive."

Reality is clumsier than movies. They really got hit.

"It would be hard to find someone like him even among stuntmen. His proportions are also very good."

At that moment, Woo Jinhyuk's face zoomed in.

"Huh?"

Uncle's eyes were fixed back on the screen.

"Hey, Youngjun, can you rewind the screen?"

"Huh?"

"I said, rewind the screen that just zoomed in."

Youngjun rewound the screen.

"There, there. Stop."

The screen was a bit shaky due to the zoom.

Uncle, unable to confirm clearly from the still image, rewound Woo Jinhyuk's close-up scene several times.

Finally, Uncle stopped the screen and turned his head to Youngjun.

"Youngjun, did you shoot any other scenes besides this one?"

"Hmm, yeah. But why?"

"Let me see."

Youngjun was filming his school life in a documentary style.

Naturally, today's subject was Woo Jinhyuk. It was his first day back to school after the playground incident. There was plenty of footage.

Uncle, with a dazed expression, carefully examined every scene featuring Woo Jinhyuk. As he followed the scenes, Youngjun spoke.

"But, Uncle, isn't he really good-looking? He used to wear glasses. His hair was messy. I didn't realize it before…."

"Youngjun."

"Uh?"

"Is he your friend?"

"Well, not really. Just a classmate."

"Is that so? That's good. I really need to meet him."

It had been a while.

It was the first time Lee Youngjun had seen such a sparkling look in his uncle's eyes.

***

"Nice to meet you, Jinhyuk, right? I'm Lee Bongchun. As you might have heard, I'm this guy's uncle."

"Nice to meet you."

Youngjun looked at Woo Jinhyuk greeting his uncle with a strange expression.

To Youngjun, it was unexpected. Jinhyuk had never even spoken a word to him until the end of the last semester.

'Hey, Woo Jinhyuk. This might be a bit sudden, but… can you meet someone with me for a moment?'

'Who?'

'My uncle.'

'Your uncle? Why should I meet your uncle?'

'Well, it's a bit complicated to explain… but it's not anything bad. Can you do me a favor?'

Of course, he expected to be refused. He only asked out of a sense of duty to his uncle.

'Well, if it's too much trouble…'

'No, it's fine.'

'Huh?'

'When can I meet him?'

'...'

This isn't right.

'Thank you.'

'No problem among friends.'

Friends?

It was a word as unfamiliar as Jinhyuk's attitude. The word "friend" had never been used between them.

Youngjun wasn't exactly unhappy, but it was certainly surprising.

Of course, the surprise had been ongoing since the playground incident.

"Have you ever acted before?"

Lee Bongchun, who had been exchanging casual jokes with Youngjun, asked Woo Jinhyuk.

In fact, Bongchun really wanted to ask about Jinhyuk's unbelievable action scene.

He naturally assumed it was staged, but his nephew insisted it was a real fight.

Youngjun even earnestly warned him not to let the secret out if he found out it was secretly filmed.

He became even more curious. But since he had promised to keep the secret, he couldn't ask about the action scene.

"No, I've never acted before."

Woo Jinhyuk shook his head.

"Ah, I see. Well, with such a striking appearance, I just thought you might have. So, are you interested in acting… or becoming an entertainer?"

"No, not really."

Woo Jinhyuk shook his head again.

Given what Youngjun had seen of Jinhyuk so far, it was a completely understandable answer. But Bongchun looked surprised.

"Wow, with your looks, most people would at least consider it once. You have no interest at all?"

"Yes."

It seemed that even without good looks or talent, most teenagers these days at least considered it once.

Bongchun had met countless teenagers aspiring to be actors.

"I've never thought about it before."

Among all the aspiring actors he had met, he had never seen anyone as close to stardom as this boy in front of him.

He had met many star actors. Actors have a certain aura that draws people's attention.

This boy had it.

But a boy who had never even considered being an actor.

"Ah, I see…"

Bongchun nodded, lifting his coffee cup to his mouth. But his gaze remained on Jinhyuk.

His appearance alone was enough to speak for itself. But the aura emanating from the boy was not just due to his good looks.

The boy's eyes.

Intense yet sad. They seemed to hold a deep pain that was hard to fathom, despite his young age.

That was what an actor should have. Not just a star, but a real actor.

Like a lover who has met their destiny. Like a director who has found their persona.

The heart that had been racing since he first sat down with the boy.

Bongchun was thinking that it didn't matter whether the boy had experience in acting or not, or even if he had the talent. It didn't matter at all.

He had to make him act.

"So, how about giving it a try now?"

"..."

"I work in the film industry. I haven't made my debut as a director yet, but…"

Bongchun said, his eyes sparkling.

"Actually… well… never mind. That's not important."

Bongchun quickly retracted what he was about to say.

"Anyway, when I saw the screen, I thought you were perfect. And now that I've met you in person, I'm even more confident. I'm not bad at spotting talent, you know."

"The screen?"

Woo Jinhyuk's words startled Lee Youngjun.

"Ah, well, I've been filming my school life like a sketch. But by chance, your face was caught in the classroom… hehe."

Youngjun glanced at Jinhyuk. Fortunately, he didn't seem particularly upset.

Youngjun's gaze turned to his uncle, who was giving him a sharp look.

Realizing his slip of the tongue, Bongchun laughed awkwardly.

"How about giving acting a try? Just to see if you like it. You never know, it might suit you."

"Maybe…"

"I have a senior who runs an acting school. Have you heard of Baek Yu-seong?"

"No."

Bongchun, who had gulped down his coffee, continued.

"He's a senior who has appeared in many places. You might recognize him if you see his face. I can introduce you. How about trying acting? Of course, I'll cover the tuition."

"..."

Acting.

A word that Woo Jinhyuk in his previous life had never even considered. But strangely, it was pulling at his heart.

Was it the body's reaction?

Was the original owner of this body interested in such things? He seemed to have considerable talent for singing.

Or was it a new curiosity that had arisen in Jinhyuk himself?

"Well, if you're not interested right now…"

"I'll give it a try."

"Huh?"

Woo Jinhyuk's decision wasn't long. Whether it was the body's reaction or a new curiosity, it didn't matter.

Jinhyuk decided to try anything he wanted to try. That was all.

In this life, Jinhyuk decided to live that way. To try anything he wanted, as long as it wasn't a sin.

Besides, it was a chance to learn acting for free. It wasn't like he was being asked to sign a contract.

The thirst for learning that had been boiling since his new life began had definitely extended to the unknown realm of acting.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Yahahaha!"

Bongchun laughed with delight.

"You're an interesting kid. You said you've never thought about this before."

"I just thought about it now."

"Yahahaha! That's refreshing, I like it!"

Bongchun's excitement was evident, beyond mere satisfaction.

As for Youngjun, he was quite surprised. He hadn't expected Jinhyuk to accept such a proposal so easily.

"But, I have a question."

"Huh? What is it?"

"Why are you giving me this opportunity?"

In his mid-30s, Woo Jinhyuk had been the leader of a mercenary unit.

From the moment Jinhyuk first met Bongchun's eyes, he scrutinized every word and gesture with a suspicious gaze.

Of course, it wasn't common for someone to try to scam a high school student, a nephew's friend.

But suspicion was like Jinhyuk's instinct. In the battlefield, a new opponent was always approached with suspicion first.

However, as they talked, Jinhyuk was able to ease his guard somewhat.

Most importantly, those eyes. They were filled with intense sincerity. Something that couldn't come from someone trying to deceive.

This question was more out of curiosity than suspicion.

"Hmm… let's call it an investment in a nephew's friend who shows great potential, based on my own intuition."

"..."

"If Jinhyuk develops an interest in acting and has the talent, then…"

Bongchun's eyes sparkled.

"Then, I'd like you to help me."

"Help you?"

"I'll make my own movie someday."

At that moment, a sudden memory flashed through Jinhyuk's mind.

"Hey, Jin, big news."

A few years before Jinhyuk's regression, James approached with a beaming face.

"A Korean director won the Best Picture and Best Director awards at the Academy Awards."

Jinhyuk, who hadn't sought out Korean news since leaving the country, often heard news from colleagues and acquaintances.

He didn't particularly want to hear it, but it happened.

"Is that a big deal?"

"Is that a big deal? Wow, I didn't know our leader was so ignorant."

Most of the Korean news he heard came through James.

James, a self-proclaimed intellectual, was interested in various aspects of society and culture.

"Hmm. Anyway, anyway, it's the first time a foreign film has won the Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It was sensational in the U.S., but in Korea, it's a huge deal."

"Is that so?"

To Jinhyuk's indifferent response, James chuckled.

"Hey, it's Bongchun."

"Bongchun?"

"The director's name. As a fellow countryman, you should at least know the name of such a historical figure."

"Is that a rule?"

"Yes, it is."

And James had explained the director's background and his works for a proper life.

Director Bongchun.

Now it made sense why the name sounded familiar when he first heard it.