Chapter 36

***

Director Hwang In-joon was a fan of Yoo Jeong-a.

He had liked her with a bit more personal affection than that of a mere fan.

Even though he had been reprimanded and never even brought up the topic, his feelings for her remained unchanged.

Her haughty demeanor, which seemed to indicate that she would never give her heart to anyone, only deepened his affection, and now it was almost purely a fan's heart.

He did not believe the scandal when it broke.

Even after seeing the photos, he shook his head and snorted.

"Those paparazzi are really good at fabricating things. They probably made a big fuss over him catching someone who was about to fall. Ugh."

Of course, not believing the scandal and feeling jealous were two different things.

He was curious about the person involved in the scandal and looked into it.

The newcomer actor had no information available other than his name and physical measurements. He didn't even have an agency.

"Well, at least the mask is okay."

What started as a casual investigation had soon turned into a professional obsession.

"Should I take a look?"

The final episode was almost over.

Hwang In-joon casually turned on the TV, but before he knew it, he had moved right in front of it.

***

In a bar in Cheongdam-dong, Oh So-hee and Kim Da-hye exhaled the breath they had been holding.

"Wow."

"Amazing."

"Is he a newcomer? This guy should go to Hollywood. He could probably sweep all the awards."

"Yoo Jeong-a has a good eye for talent. She must have seen something in him and decided to give him a chance. You can't argue with that."

"What do you think, Oppa?"

Oh Tae-woo, whose pupils had been trembling nonstop, finally came to his senses and looked to the side.

"Huh? Huh? What?"

"About our Seohoon's acting. Since you've seen a lot of criminals, how did it feel? Was it realistic?"

"Man, I thought he had actually killed people and was using that experience to act. His eyes were so real. It gives me chills, chills."

"So that's why you went to the set? To check if he had really killed anyone?"

"Are you crazy? I can tell the difference between acting and reality. I just wanted to see who had the guts to approach our Jeong-a... Ah! Jeong-a is on. Be quiet."

The two women giggled at the bear-like man's face, which was now softened as he gazed at Yoo Jeong-a.

***

The climax of the drama had exploded, and now it was wrapping up its final breath.

With the death of Lee Jin-wook, the case was closed, but Seoul's chaos was just beginning.

New night lords were taking their places, flattering tycoons and power brokers, while Hwang Seon-hye began sharpening the sword of justice to hunt them down.

Goo Jea-man completely closed his divorce law practice and transformed into a lawyer for the socially vulnerable.

Though they still didn't get along, the two found common ground in protecting society from evil and worked together peacefully.

"Goo Jea-man, can you help me with this case? I want to, but as a prosecutor, I can't do much."

"What case is it?"

"It's an entertainment trainee who was drugged and raped. She's too scared to speak. If you can get her testimony, I'll make sure those guys stay in jail until they die. Please help me, Lawyer."

"Let me take a look."

Thus, the two began to find their own answers to the questions and confusion they had gained while tracking Lee Jin-wook.

The scene changed again.

Two sprouts grew over Lee Jin-wook's grave, and two nameless flowers bloomed. A melancholic tune played softly in the background.

And the credits rolled.

"Thank you for watching <Illegals: Outlaws>."

***

Kim Sang-hee was sobbing loudly, drunk and sprawled out on the bar.

Bartender Kim Min-seok tsked and pushed a glass of honey water in front of her.

"Writer, have a glass of honey water and cry."

"Sniff, sniff... Why! Why couldn't it reach 30%! Whyyyyy! I poured my soul and life into it, whyyyyy!"

"29.9% is still impressive, isn't it?"

"It's not 30%! I was so confident! It could have reached 30%! Was Yoo Jeong-a's aggro power only this much? Screw the innocent top star. Yoo Jeong-a is dead now."

Kim Sang-hee sniffled and gulped down the honey water in one go.

Then she extended her hand again.

"Vodka. A very strong one, please."

"You'll regret it."

Despite his words, Kim Min-seok filled a shot glass with vodka and handed it to her.

"My 30%... I was sure I could reach it this time..."

"You've already hit 30% before."

"But that was on a terrestrial channel. I wanted to hit it on cable too. Missing it by 0.1% is so frustrating."

Just then, Kim Sang-hee's phone vibrated.

The sender was Jeong Seohoon.

"Writer, thank you for your hard work. Congratulations on the record-breaking ratings. Thanks to you, I had an unforgettable and special experience."

"It's Seohoon. I feel so sorry. I should have made your debut work hit 30%. That way, you could have earned a few thousand per episode for your next role."

"How much does he earn now?"

"90 per episode. It's really low. Who can live on that?"

"Still, the drama was so well-received and your acting was great, so your value will rise soon. I'm looking forward to it. Aren't you coming today?"

"I'm watching it with my family since it's my debut work."

***

The final episode ended, but her mother said nothing.

Jeong Soo-ryeon was suspicious, and Jeong Seohoon was puzzled.

Her mother, who had been sighing deeply, silently got up and went into the bedroom.

Jeong Soo-ryeon whispered.

"Hey, it seems like Mom was really shocked, huh?"

"Seems like it."

"Maybe she was really surprised by how realistically you played the killer. It probably didn't feel like her son. Seeing a killer with your face, determined to kill one more person even at the end, must have been a shock."

"I need to be careful around Mom for a while."

"Yeah, you should. Don't sit in the living room in the dark, pretending to be emotional at midnight. Mom might come out for water and faint."

"Why would I do something so pointless? With this acting skill?"

"Bad luck."

It was Jeong Soo-ryeon herself who used to pretend to be emotional in the living room at midnight.

"Still, you acted well. I think you have talent."

"When I told her I was going to a science high school, a classmate who was always at the bottom of the class said something similar. It was a bit ridiculous. Who's talking about who?"

"Hey, I just couldn't get the lead role because I didn't look good on camera. My acting wasn't bad."

Jeong Soo-ryeon, who was constantly checking the production team's group chat, continued.

"I'll set up a contract meeting, so be prepared. I've picked out three good agencies. This time, let's get a bit more money."

"Are you leaving too?"

"I have to. Now that the drama is over, there's no need to hide anymore. But no one will know who I am anyway. That's the pain of being a junior assistant director."

"Try to become a drama producer. You might not make it, but if you do, I'll give you a 10% discount on my acting fee as a welcome gift."

"Cheapskate. What discount? Just use your power as a producer to jack up the fees by 150%."

Just then, Jeong Seohoon's phone started vibrating.

Jeong Seohoon flinched when he saw the caller.

"It's Dad. Why is he calling at this hour...?"

"Right, it's almost dawn there. It must be something serious. Answer quickly."

Jeong Soo-ryeon, worried, put down her phone, and Jeong Seohoon answered in speaker mode.

Thinking about how to act proud of his son without feeling awkward, he took a deep breath.

An urgent voice poured out.

"Seohoon, what happened to your mom?"

"Why do you ask?"

"No, she just called and was sobbing. What did she say? Someone died today, and who is Lee Jin-wook? Why is she crying so much? Do I need to go pay my respects?"

"..."

"..."

There was a moment of silence, and Jeong Soo-ryeon chuckled mischievously.

"Dad, Lee Jin-wook is your unknown third son. We only found out recently."

"What?!"

"So, Dad, come pay your respects. If you don't, Mom will blame you for the rest of her life."

"Third son? What are you talking about? No, that's the dog's name, right? Isn't it?"

"If you want to know, come pay your respects. By the way, Mom really misses you. I miss you too."

"I'll book a ticket right away. Wait for me."

"Bring a Birkin bag when you come."

"Mom wants one too! Hang up!"

Major Hype? Major Fire? (1)