[‘The One Who Defined an Era’ does not like your outfit.]
Reading the message, Han Seongtae let out a small snort of laughter.
Right now, he wasn’t dressed up.
He was wearing black athletic wear with just a sweatshirt on top.
With only a long-padded coat thrown over it, he looked plain in the extreme.
That was why, ever since earlier, the god of acting had been telling him to dress properly.
“I’m going to a friend’s place. I don’t need to dress up.”
Han Seongtae didn’t particularly feel like dressing up.
If he were going to an awards ceremony, or somewhere public, maybe.
But he was going to his friend Kim Minseok’s house.
If you’re going to a friend’s place, there’s no reason to dress uncomfortably, is there?
‘And this isn’t bad, either.’
The clothes he had on right now were fine.
Even this was something ‘The One Who Defined an Era’ had picked out for him with a sigh.
[‘The One Who Made Laughter from Tragedy’ asks if it isn’t almost 5 o’clock, and whether you should get going soon.]
Ah, it was already this late?
As Seongtae was about to pack his bag to leave, he hesitated for a moment.
The bag with the script inside.
Staring at it for a long time, Seongtae let out a quiet chuckle, then straightened from where he’d bent over.
When he walked out the door, there was no bag in his hand.
—Hey, where are you?
“I’m on my way.”
—Then buy some drinks on the way. I ordered chicken, but I forgot.
“Okay. Isn’t there a convenience store on the first floor of your building? I’ll grab them there.”
—Yeah, there is. What time do you think you’ll get here?
“I think I’ll be there before 6.”
Han Seongtae checked the time on his wristwatch and answered Kim Minseok immediately.
—Got it. Oh, my noona is here too, okay? She says she’s dieting, so she wants you to get her Zero.
“Miso-noona, you’re dieting?”
—Yeah, she’s gained a ton lately. She’s probably bigger than me. (Wanna die?)
From beyond Kim Minseok’s voice, he could hear Kim Miso shouting.
Seongtae laughed at their voices as he kept walking and continued speaking.
“Zero Cola is fine, right?”
—Yeah. Call me when you get to the convenience store.
“Okay.”
Answering Kim Minseok, Seongtae lowered his phone and looked up at the sky.
Maybe because it was winter, even though it was only just nearing 6, the sky was already growing dim.
And yet, his surroundings were bright.
The streetlights were lighting the road so well that it almost made you forget night was coming.
“Haa… It’s cold.”
After exhaling a white puff of breath, he immediately picked up his pace toward Kim Minseok’s place.
[‘The Actor of Eternal Youth’ says he thinks this every time you come, but your place is such a stark comparison.]
The moment Seongtae stepped into Kim Minseok’s home, the gods sent messages.
Seeing what they said, Seongtae gave a bitter smile.
He had been thinking lately that he really needed to move.
Once he had some breathing room, he would move right away.
“You’re here?”
“Is it cold outside? Come warm up.”
Kim Minseok and Kim Miso greeted Seongtae warmly.
Seongtae smiled at them, and they all moved together to sit on the living-room sofa.
“Let’s eat chicken. Go to the fridge and bring the drinks.”
The chicken they’d ordered had arrived, and somehow it was already past 7.
“What time did you say it drops?”
“Seven thirty.”
“Soon, then. Let’s eat chicken first. Later, when we watch the drama, we can eat snacks.”
“Not bad.”
He was getting hungry, so Seongtae welcomed his friend’s suggestion.
“Why do you guys only ever eat chicken? Every time I see you, it feels like you’re eating chicken whenever you meet. Don’t you get sick of it?”
“If you’re going to say that, put the drumstick down.”
As Kim Miso asked while holding up a drumstick, Kim Minseok frowned.
Even at her younger brother’s twisted expression, Kim Miso didn’t care at all and took a big bite of the drumstick meat like it was delicious.
“Seriously, with you like that, it’s impossible not to gain weight. It’s all karma, I’m telling you.”
“I can hear you.”
“Huh? You heard that?”
At Kim Miso’s sharp glare, Kim Minseok awkwardly laughed and scratched his head.
Seeing them, Seongtae let out a faint laugh.
They’re such a close brother and sister.
“So why do you only ever eat chicken? There’s jokbal (braised pig’s trotters), and there’s gopchang (beef small intestines) too.”
“Because chicken tastes the best.”
At her question, Kim Minseok spoke as if it were nothing.
Saying there was no food more delicious than chicken, he turned to look at Seongtae.
“Right? You like chicken too.”
“Yeah.”
At his words, Seongtae smiled and nodded.
Did Kim Minseok know?
That there was a separate reason Seongtae ate chicken whenever he met him.
Back in his past life, whenever Seongtae was about to give up on living, the food Kim Minseok brought when he came to see him was always chicken.
“Ah, it’s up.”
Right around when they’d almost finished the chicken, the video was released on Netflix.
<Haru>, a total of six episodes.
With each episode only 20 minutes long, even if you watched it all at once, it wouldn’t take more than two hours.
—Boom, boom-boom-boom!
With grand music, Episode 1 of <Haru>, began.
“Wow…”
Right beside him, Seongtae could hear Kim Miso’s voice of admiration.
It had already been an hour since they started watching <Haru>.
Now, there was only one episode left.
Before watching the final episode, the three of them took a short break.
<Haru>, was a drama that maintained a heavy atmosphere the whole way through.
Because of that, with each episode, you inevitably spent mental energy as you watched.
“Wow… Seongtae, I knew you were good at acting, but I didn’t know you were this good.”
At Kim Miso’s words, Seongtae smiled gently.
Even without her saying it, Seongtae was deeply satisfied right now.
<Haru>’s quality came out better than he’d expected.
From the directing to the use of music.
Because all of it was edited properly, Seongtae’s acting could shine that much more.
“You worked hard.”
“I really did. I couldn’t even sleep properly for a whole month editing that.”
“Sounds like it.”
It was easy to tell Kim Minseok wasn’t lying.
To edit at that level, half-hearted effort would never be enough.
“Seongtae, that’s all makeup, right?”
“Yes.”
“What, the makeup looks more real than reality. That’s what makes it even scarier. It’s like it makes your acting feel even more alive. Seriously, you just feel like a completely different person.”
Hearing her, Seongtae’s smile deepened.
What actor wouldn’t be happy to receive praise for their acting?
[‘The One With a Thousand Faces’ marvels, saying it turned out even better than expected.]
[‘The One Who Lives and Dies by Speed’ says the editing captured your acting exactly as it was, and is greatly satisfied.]
While even the gods were watching <Haru>, in admiration—
Bzzz.
Seongtae’s smartphone vibrated.
—Kim Mucheol: Hey, what is this? Why is your acting so good?
—Ma Seokdong: Seongtae-ssi, I watched Haru and enjoyed it. It’s fun. If you have time next time, let’s grab a meal.
—Choi Yecham: Your acting was amazing. As expected, it was you, Seongtae-ssi.
Messages from people he knew.
They had watched <Haru>, and immediately contacted Seongtae.
As he checked the texts, the corners of Seongtae’s lips slowly lifted.
Because he could tell they were paying attention to him.
Naturally, his mood couldn’t help but improve.
“Huh? Seongtae, look at this.”
Tap, tap.
Kim Miso, who had been looking at her phone, widened her eyes and tapped Seongtae’s shoulder.
At her touch, Seongtae turned his head and saw what was on her screen.
[End your day with Haru, at the start of Haru.]
#Haru #Thriller #Horror #Popcorn #Crash.…
Starting with Kim Mucheol, actors who were acquainted with Seongtae were posting on OnStar.
—Kim Rina: Sunbae-nim! Seriously, this is so fun!
Kim Rina took a selfie that included her family watching <Haru>, and herself and sent it to Seongtae.
Seeing that, Seongtae couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
The roads he’d run so far were now lighting the road he would run from here on out.
“You’ve got insane connections. At this rate, it really might blow up.”
Kim Minseok also checked OnStar, not holding back his amazement.
It wasn’t strange for him to be shocked that so many actors were all posting about <Haru>.
Seongtae laughed as he looked at Seo Harin’s OnStar post.
Just like Kim Minseok said, he had a strong feeling that this <Haru> was going to be a huge hit.
Because every little action from people he knew was increasing <Haru>’s incoming traffic.
In a happy mood, Seongtae moved his hand to play the final episode.
Yumi.
She was one of PAN Entertainment’s singers, and she was currently resting after releasing an album.
“Is there nothing worth watching these days?”
Yumi browsed Netflix, looking for something to fill her day.
After releasing her album, her small pleasure had become starting her day with Netflix and ending her day with Netflix.
“This is the first time I’m seeing this. Did it come out today?”
As she scrolled through Netflix, she found a newly released title.
A six-episode series, <Haru>.
Even the thumbnail was quite striking.
‘If it’s 20 minutes per episode… that’s perfect to watch while eating.’
Smiling with satisfaction, she immediately started <Haru>.
In front of her, dinner was chicken.
Holding up a drumstick, she stared intently at the TV screen.
Bang!
A man raised an axe and chopped down at a door.
The axe blade bit into the door and stopped right in front of the female lead’s nose.
—So close.
Through the gap made by the axe, the killer peered in at her and muttered as if regretful.
“Wow…”
Watching that, Yumi couldn’t help but admire it.
The acting was so good.
The female actor was good, but the male actor’s performance delivered a shock so fresh that even she, who had watched countless dramas and films, felt it keenly.
‘There was someone who could act this well?’
Intrigued, Yumi picked up her smartphone.
If someone acted this well, their name would be known.
She searched the actor’s name, and—
“He’s from our company?”
She learned that Han Seongtae was under the same PAN Entertainment as her.
While she’d been buried in music, an incredible actor had entered the company.
“Even the ending is perfect.”
The moment she started <Haru>, she ended up binge-watching it straight through from beginning to end.
“That was fun.”
A satisfied smile spread across Yumi’s face as she watched <Haru>’s ending.
‘You said he’s from our company, right.’
After thinking for a moment, she turned on her phone.
Click, click.
She took several photos that included the TV playing <Haru> and herself, and immediately posted them on OnStar.
[Today’s end is with Haru.]
After her post went up, countless people visited her OnStar that day.
And then, an interview video from Netflix was uploaded to MiTube.
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