Chapter 4

Villain Only Acting 004

Wouldn't Go This Far (1)

I've seen it many times on the battlefield.

The convulsions caused by a worn-out heart due to war stress, the aftereffects of war.

The sound of the kettle in the kitchen hissing and spewing steam can be heard.

While listening to that sound, which resembles the ship's horn of an enemy vessel as he raked cannon fire at his comrades, Jeong Se-hoon closed his eyes for a long time and took deep breaths.

A few hours ago by Jeong Se-hoon's standards.

Three years ago by a soldier's standards.

The memory of that day, when he was swept into another world by a massive flash of a comet visible only to him, now emits a vivid scent.

***

"Listen well!"

The booming voice of the propaganda officer covers the area.

"You are now to land in the Kordot Sea and destroy the enemy's supply base! And you must secure a landing supply point for our forces!"

"Kill as many enemies as possible! Kill, kill, and keep killing!"

"Be heroes! Fight proudly, shed blood, and protect your comrades! Protect your families, your neighbors, and your country!"

"Move quickly! There's no time!"

At first, he was plunged into fear and confusion, denying everything.

He struggled, trying to wake up from this nightmare and not be absorbed into the order created by the nightmare.

However, the pain from the boots stomping and the cold from the hard iron floor of the cell were more vivid than reality.

Time passed helplessly for a few days, and even when he woke up from sleep, he did not return to reality.

As if mocking his struggles, the memories of reality quickly became hazy.

It felt as if a transcendent power was forcibly encrypting all his memories.

On the day the first battle began and the ship swayed as if it were about to sink after being hit by a torpedo, Jeong Se-hoon could not recall his family's faces.

On the day his bunkmate was shattered by a bomb dropped by the enemy on the deck, Jeong Se-hoon forgot his friends' names.

On the day he landed on a small island occupied by the enemy, broke through gunfire, captured a trench, and committed his first murder, he forgot his original name.

On the day he celebrated the victory of the first local battle with his comrades, wept over the horrors of the battlefield, and sent the dead comrades away from his heart.

Private Rashid thought that the conscription, war, and the stress of losing comrades were all part of a 'dream of Earth.'

Everything from the moment he was enveloped by the comet's flash in the car, rewinding the timeline, was just a momentary escape.

With the horrors of the battlefield and the intensity of combat, and the screams of dying comrades so vivid, how could this not be reality?

Just as one forgets even the most vivid dream upon waking, he gradually distanced himself from his past memories as he became more of a soldier.

Through over two years of war, he was thoroughly trained into a killing machine.

He no longer felt any guilt about killing the enemy.

Instead of grieving over the deaths of comrades or subordinates, he channeled his anger into the driving force of battle.

The rare memories of Jeong Se-hoon that occasionally surfaced were now nothing more than fragments of a strange dream from long ago.

Killing, fighting, and burying dead comrades and subordinates...

That's how he spent three years on the battlefield.

The scared new recruit who was locked in a cell on the first day of conscription had quickly risen through the ranks to become an excellent corporal.

And then, after a long time, he heard a voice.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

-...Wh...at...are...you...doing...?

-...Wh...at...are...you...doing...?

"What are you doing! What are you doing! What are you doing!"

Three years.

The memories of the past, which had been forcibly locked away, suddenly flooded out.

Blinding light filled the entire area, just as it did when he was first dragged here.

And that's how he returned to reality.

Holding the box that Jeong Su-ryeon had asked him to carry, he got back into the vehicle.

With each step, the memories of Corporal Rashid became vividly clear.

Although he had been promoted to a non-commissioned officer during the war, he always thought of himself as a soldier.

No matter what rank he held, he was just one soldier.

Unlike the memories of the battlefield, which were firmly locked away, the memories of Jeong Se-hoon and Rashid were now vividly alive.

Or rather, the identity of the soldier who had fought for three years was greedily trying to consume Jeong Se-hoon, drooling over him.

'Am I Jeong Se-hoon, or a soldier?'

Before Jeong Se-hoon's memories could bring up the dilemma, the composure of Rashid, honed on the battlefield, reached a conclusion.

'I am Rashid, and I am Jeong Se-hoon. Both are me. This is my life, the life I have experienced.'

While lying in the bushes, waiting for the enemy, ready to consume everything.

***

"Ah, really. Why are you so late!"

Substituting annoyance for gratitude is a common occurrence between siblings.

"I don't have anything to do, right? Are we leaving now?"

"Come in and help a bit. You should at least carry some luggage. Even a cat's paw would be useful."

"Can outsiders just enter the filming site?"

"We haven't started filming yet. The casting isn't even complete, so what's the problem?"

"Then there's no reason to be busy, right?"

"There's no reason not to be busy. There's a lot to set up in advance. The PD is a bit particular about that."

"Is that so?"

"As soon as the actors are cast, we start setting up the background the next day. We can't afford to mess it up now."

Jeong Se-hoon moved the box into the studio.

"It's incredibly heavy."

"You're not getting paid by your mom. Work with gratitude. Who would give 150,000 won for just this?"

"Technically, it's your mom giving you the money, isn't it?"

So far, it felt natural.

The soldier's instincts twitched at the presence of people around him, but he calmly acted as Jeong Se-hoon.

It was a bit ridiculous to act as himself from three years ago.

***

"Mr. Kim, about the role of Private Jin-wook that you were considering."

At PD Song Jeong-woo's words, screenwriter Kim Sang-hee shook her head immediately.

"No way."

"Come on, at least hear me out before you say no."

"You'll just try to raise the age again. No, no. To resonate with housewives, a fresh-faced private is perfect."

"Wouldn't it be easier to immerse yourself if he were in his late 30s or early 40s, like a younger brother or husband?"

"Ah, but a fresh-faced nephew or son is more touching. It's better to have a younger actor."

"Well, actually, I wasn't really suggesting raising the age. I saw a good actor on my way here."

Kim Sang-hee's eyes sparkled.

"Really? Do you think he would fit the role of Private Jin-wook?"

"I only saw his first impression and eyes, but he seemed perfect. I saw him practicing and getting overly immersed, so his acting skills seem quite good. He said he came for the audition, so you'll see him soon, Mr. Kim."

"What about his looks?"

"Ah, they're good. He's handsome. He's over 180 cm tall. Most importantly, he has a presence. He's definitely an unknown newcomer. Maybe from theater? He seems trustworthy."

"If PD says he has presence, there's nothing more to see."

PD Song Jeong-woo and she had worked together many times.

Moreover, he was known for his talent in discovering promising new actors, having a keen eye for talent.

Feeling more relaxed, Song Jeong-woo said playfully,

"And when you see him, even if his acting is a bit lacking, you'll want to pass him."

"Is he that handsome?"

"Yeah, just by his looks, he could be a lead actor, but since he's unknown..."

"But the role of Private Jin-wook is a bit challenging for a complete newcomer."

"That's why I was suggesting raising the age..."

"Is this perfect actor a lie? You keep suggesting raising the age."

Until the end of the auditions, the face that Song Jeong-woo remembered did not appear.

Given the striking looks and impressive acting, it was impossible to have missed him.

"PD, are you lying?"

"No, that can't be. He definitely said he came for the illegal audition."

Song Jeong-woo anxiously went through all the applications from the beginning to the end.

But there was not even a similar face among the applicants.

***

The training to suppress the soldier's instincts with Jeong Se-hoon's rationality was carried out calmly.

The process of perfectly blending back into Jeong Se-hoon's life.

Jeong Se-hoon thought of it as a kind of rehabilitation.

He tried to deceive himself by thinking that he had just had a very long, unrealistic dream, but it was still impossible.

It was as if the soldier's identity was shouting that it would not give in on this.

Helping Jeong Su-ryeon diligently was a great help in his 'rehabilitation.'

"Are you transitioning from the first son of Lady Lee Jeongsuk to Jeong Su-ryeon's younger brother? Why are you helping so diligently these days? I'm scared, you know."

"Scared?"

"Did you do something wrong and are trying to build up some good deeds? If so, just tell me and get it over with."

"Shut up. I'm doing this to earn some pocket money."

Jeong Se-hoon was inwardly satisfied with how natural his words and actions were.

At that moment, the rapid sound of approaching footsteps caught his senses.

"Hey, hey! Wait a moment! Let's talk!"

"Huh? PD? Hello!"

Jeong Su-ryeon bowed her head in surprise at the out-of-breath PD Song Jeong-woo.