‘It’s always hard when it’s time to go back.’
Han Seongtae looked around the lodging he had used and let out a faint sigh.
When he used lodging, he never used it messily.
He always tried to keep it looking the way it looked in the beginning and because hotel staff came in once a day to clean, it had always stayed neat.
And yet, the reason he was sighing was because while using the lodging, his belongings had ended up scattered all over the place.
On top of that, because of the gifts given to him by the actors he had come to know in America, his luggage had doubled compared to when he first arrived.
It would probably take several hours just to organize everything.
“Why are you sighing like that? Is something wrong?”
Han Seongtae, who had been moving to organize his luggage, paused at the voice he heard beside him.
Whoosh, tap.
Rogers was sitting on the sofa, repeatedly tossing a baseball high into the air.
Seeing how relaxed and carefree he looked, Han Seongtae’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I’m sighing because organizing my luggage is hard, but are you sure it’s okay for you to be here?”
“Doing what?”
“You said you had to shoot an advertisement this week. It seems like you’d be busy preparing, so I’m not sure if it’s okay for you to be hanging around here like this.”
Unlike Han Seongtae, whose main stage was Korea, Rogers’s stage was America.
Because of that, Rogers was a very busy person in America.
And yet that kind of person was sitting leisurely in Han Seongtae’s lodging, repeatedly tossing a baseball around.
It was not strange for him to wonder why a busy person was acting like this.
“For an ad, I can just go there, get the storyboard, and do it decently. There are still four whole days left, you know? A person needs to rest when it’s time to rest.”
“It feels like you rest too long.”
“Who in the world lives busier than me…!”
Rogers stopped speaking midway and looked at Han Seongtae.
Anyone could see that Han Seongtae looked extremely busy as he organized his luggage.
No, it was not just organizing luggage.
Han Seongtae was someone who was always prepared to act at any time.
How many people could say they lived busily in front of someone like that?
“Of course, I can’t compare myself to you, but… ah, whatever. I came here to rest today. Don’t bother me!”
“I’m asking why you’re resting here.”
If he was going to rest, he should rest at his own house.
Why had he come all the way to a busy person’s lodging?
Han Seongtae shook his head and picked up some clothes.
For now, everything else was done, so he had to start organizing his luggage.
“…”
“…”
After Han Seongtae began organizing his luggage, the two of them did not exchange a single word for nearly an hour.
Only silence passed between them, with no conversation, but neither of them felt uncomfortable.
Han Seongtae was busy organizing, and Rogers was someone who played well by himself.
Another thirty minutes passed like that.
Around the time, he slowly started getting hungry,
“Han.”
“Yeah.”
“When you leave this time, when are you coming again?”
“I’ll come back up when it’s time for ADR recording1.”
“If it’s ADR recording… won’t that take at least a month?”
“Probably.”
ADR recording was usually done after editing was finished, when the lines were recorded again and inserted.
To do that work, at least a month would have to pass.
Han Seongtae was expecting it to take two months.
And Rogers was thinking the same.
“What am I supposed to do when you leave? I’ll be bored.”
“So that was it after all.”
“Do you have to go to Korea? Stay here a little longer.”
“I can’t. My schedule is already all set.”
At Rogers’s words, Han Seongtae immediately shook his head.
It would be different if he had no schedule in Korea.
But starting with his move, then filming.
Han Seongtae had many things to do as soon as he returned to Korea.
He could not delay his schedule just because they wanted to hang out a little longer.
He had to go back to Korea.
“If it’s really like that, you can come visit Korea.”
“Huh?”
“You said you wanted to come to Korea. If you have time, come visit.”
Even as Han Seongtae made the suggestion, he thought that would never happen.
Rogers was a busy person.
Because he was such a famous actor, broadcasting stations and various brands were placing advertisements with him.
Even now, he had an ad shoot scheduled for this week.
He was an extremely busy person, and he was also passionate about acting.
A new project to film would surely come to him too.
For Rogers to come to Korea right now was impossible.
“Huh? Then that works.”
“……?”
“I should coordinate my schedule with my manager. Thanks for the good idea.”
Han Seongtae had never expected Rogers to take such a casual suggestion seriously.
Seeing him get up while saying thanks, Han Seongtae blinked.
‘Come on, would he really come?’
Rogers was a busy person.
That was something anyone active in Hollywood knew.
Han Seongtae was certain he would not be able to come to Korea.
“But what are you going to do when you get to Korea?”
At his sudden question, as if it had just occurred to him, Han Seongtae raised the corner of his mouth.
“I have to act.”
It had been that way in the past, it was that way now, and the fact that he would act in the future would not change.
“Our plane will soon arrive at Incheon Airport.”
At the sound of the announcement, Han Seongtae lowered the script he had been holding.
On the script, the title City of Criminals was written.
It was the script he had received from Ma Seokdong, and a work he would have to film as soon as he returned.
Even while filming Rampage, Han Seongtae had not forgotten to practice City of Criminals whenever he had time.
Because of that, he was confident he could act even right now.
“Let’s get off, Seongtae.”
“Yes.”
At Jung Dusik’s words, Han Seongtae got off the plane with him.
“You’re going straight home, right?”
“I should. I’m going to go home, rest a little, and then practice.”
“You’re moving your things tomorrow?”
“Yes, the furniture is supposed to start coming in tomorrow. I need to finish moving within this week.”
“Got it. Then I’ll come help a bit when they move the furniture.”
“Yes, hyung. Thank you.”
“What are you thanking me for? As your manager, it’s only natural.”
Jung Dusik laughed, saying there was no need to thank him for something like this.
At that, Han Seongtae also gave a small laugh.
The two moved the luggage and got into the car.
Only after getting into the car did Han Seongtae truly feel that he had returned to Korea.
“Once you move your things, you have to go straight into filming too. You’re busy. Isn’t your schedule too packed?”
“It can’t be helped. If I want to succeed, I need to go through at least this much hardship.”
“Hey, at your level, you don’t have to go this far. Honestly, if I could, I’d want to push back your schedule.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem.”
Jung Dusik let out a sigh and told Han Seongtae that he had a lot on his plate.
A lot on his plate?
‘I’m doing all of it because I want to.’
He was simply grateful for Jung Dusik’s concern.
On the way home, Han Seongtae’s time continued to flow busily even after he returned to Korea.
“Please put the bed over here.”
Han Seongtae pointed toward the master bedroom where he would sleep, speaking to the movers coming in through the entrance.
At his words, the movers moved busily.
The bed came in, and the sofa came in.
There were still far too many things left to come in.
‘The bed was given to me by Mucheol-hyung, and the sofa was from Senior Ma…’
Han Seongtae’s eyes trembled as he looked at the furniture filling his house.
Among the furniture coming into his house, how many had Han Seongtae bought with his own money?
In Han Seongtae’s mind, aside from miscellaneous things, it felt like everything had been received as a gift.
Even the company had given him a dishwasher as a gift.
He had not acted hoping for things like this.
Looking at the things he had received from them, his head was already beginning to hurt over how he was supposed to repay them.
“Excuse me….”
“Ah, yes. You worked hard. Thank you. It’s nothing much, but please drink this.”
Seeing the mover who had finished setting up the bed and come out, Han Seongtae smiled and handed him a sports drink.
If not for them, he would have exhausted himself just setting up one piece of furniture.
What was there to be stingy about over one drink like this?
“Um….”
“Yes, do you need some water?”
“That’s not it. Could you please give me an autograph?”
“…Pardon?”
“My daughter is a fan of Actor Han Seongtae. If possible, I’d also like you to take a photo with me.”
“Huh? Me too!”
“Please take a photo with me too.”
At the sight of them asking for autographs and photos from all sides, Han Seongtae wore a strange expression.
He had never imagined that the movers would recognize him.
Even if they had, he had not expected them to make this kind of request.
‘It’s not bad.’
Being recognized by them was not entirely bad.
He also felt a little that he must have been doing well.
After giving them autographs and sending them off, Jung Dusik approached and spoke to him.
“Oh, superstar.”
“Ah, don’t tease me.”
At Han Seongtae’s words, Jung Dusik and Kim Minseok laughed.
They had come to help Han Seongtae move.
“Are you hungry? I’ll buy, so tell me what you want to eat.”
“Ah, then I want jjajang. ”
“Oh, I was thinking Chinese food too. I’ll have jjamppong.”
“You can eat something more expensive.”
“What are you talking about? On moving day, it’s Chinese food.”
“Wow, our Dusik-hyung really knows what’s up. You heard him, right? Moving means Chinese food!”
At their words, Han Seongtae smiled faintly and nodded.
He could buy them something tastier next time, and for now, he should order jjajang and jjamppong.
The advantage of Chinese restaurants was that delivery was fast.
Looking at the food that arrived not even thirty minutes after ordering, the three of them brightened and tore open the packaging.
Slurp.
Chomp, chomp.
The house filled with the sound of eating.
Only after they had focused on eating for a long while and filled their stomachs did Jung Dusik speak to Han Seongtae.
“How does it feel to have moved?”
“It’s just nice.”
“Of course it’s nice. You came to such a good house. It’ll be convenient later when you get a girlfriend.”
“What nonsense is that?”
“Are you not planning to date?”
“No, it’s not that. But that just came out of nowhere.”
“Conversation is originally something that continues through random remarks.”
At the sight of Kim Minseok speaking like a philosopher, Han Seongtae shook his head.
Why had the subject suddenly jumped from moving to dating?
“I’m not thinking about dating yet. I’m busy just handling my schedule right now. How would I do something like that?”
“Well, that’s true. Seongtae has been busy lately. You’re going into filming soon too.”
“Phew… working is good and all, but shouldn’t you rest a little? You should date, go out to have fun, and all that too.”
“I don’t know. I’m satisfied even now.”
Compared to his past life, his current life was happiness itself.
Did he really need to add something else here?
Han Seongtae was not sure.
Beside him, Jung Dusik and Kim Minseok could be seen muttering something.
Seeing that, Han Seongtae laughed.
Their mood grew more and more lively.
And like that, the day of the script reading for City of Criminals dawned.
T/N: Jjamppong and jjajangmyeon (noodles with black bean sauce) are common dishes for Korean Chinese delivery. They are usually served in huge portions and both use the same noodles.
Ugh I’m hungry and it’s 2:30am… TT_TT
- ADR or Automatic Dialogue Replacement is just one phase of the post production process. This process replaces dialogue recorded on set with dialogue that is recorded in a studio afterward. ADR in film usually happens after the film is edited and after the dialogue editor has sifted through the on-set audio to determine a list of cues for the actors to perform. The actor or actors come to a studio to deliver lines which are then synced with the film. ↩︎
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