Rogers.
He was a famous actor recognized by the whole world.
Not only abroad, but even in Korea, it would be harder to find someone who did not know his name and face.
A person like that had come to Korea.
People crowded around him at the sight of him wearing a refreshing smile on his handsome face, and reporters who had appeared from somewhere captured Rogers in photographs.
Han Seongtae stood at a distance and watched the scene.
Nearly five minutes had passed since Rogers had entered the airport.
But he simply could not bring himself to go into that crowd.
How was he supposed to get in there?
Dozens of people had gathered, and more than ten reporters were taking photos.
In his heart, he wanted to run away even now.
[‘The One of a Thousand Faces’ says that if you drag this out here, an even larger crowd will gather.]
[‘The One Who Defined an Era’ urges you to move before more reporters gather.]
The gods were urging him.
“Seongtae, I think we need to move a little faster. I think even the broadcasting station has gotten wind of it now.”
Beside him, Jung Dusik was saying that the longer they dragged this out, the harder things would become.
When they were telling him he had to move quickly, how could he possibly run away?
Han Seongtae let out a deep sigh and moved his feet.
“Rogers, this way!”
Han Seongtae pushed through the crowd, went in, and grabbed Rogers by the arm.
Jung Dusik took care of Rogers’s luggage.
“Han! It’s been a while. I think you’ve gotten even more handsome since then.”
“I’m glad to see you too. Should we move first?”
“Huh? Okay. Let’s go.”
At Han Seongtae’s urging, Rogers tilted his head, but he did not stop smiling.
Holding his arm, Han Seongtae ran in the direction of the car.
“Huh? It’s Han Seongtae!”
“What? Then Rogers came all the way to Korea to meet Han Seongtae?”
“That’s insane. Hurry and take pictures! This is a scoop!”
“This is Rogers’s first visit to Korea, isn’t it? This is going to cause a huge uproar.”
The reporters took photos of the two of them.
Click, click, click!
Camera flashes lit up the two of them, and people approached while acting as if they knew them.
Amid all of that, Han Seongtae quickly escaped with Rogers.
Thud.
Only after the car door closed could Han Seongtae let out a sigh of relief.
The influence carried by the name Rogers was beyond imagination.
How shocked had he been while running to the car, watching the number of people increase in real time?
Really, if they had moved even a little late, he thought they would have been buried in the crowd just like that.
Bzzzz.
“Ah, it’s already going crazy.”
Jung Dusik, who had climbed into the driver’s seat, clicked his tongue as he looked at the messages coming in on his smartphone.
Beside him, Rogers’s manager could be seen greeting them.
Han Seongtae gave him a brief greeting and turned his head toward Rogers.
Unlike Han Seongtae, who was sweating buckets, Rogers was smiling as if he were very amused.
“You look like you’re enjoying yourself a lot.”
“Of course I’m enjoying myself. How long has it been since I ran with you like this? Next time, let’s drive. I want to try driving on Korean roads.”
“…Right.”
They said you could not spit in a smiling face. Seeing Rogers beam like that, Han Seongtae lost his strength.
Yes, Rogers had not done this out of any ill will.
It had simply been an innocent thought of wanting to give Han Seongtae a surprise show.
There had been no intention anywhere of making Han Seongtae uncomfortable.
Because he could understand what Rogers was thinking, Han Seongtae was able to laugh too.
“It’s going to be noisy for a while.”
His joy at meeting his friend lasted only briefly, and he was already worried about the noise the reporters would make.
[Rogers’s surprise visit to Korea. “I came to meet Han.”]
[“Is this Han’s country?” People are shocked by Rogers’s visit to Korea.]
[An unscheduled visit from a Hollywood actor. He is spotted moving with Han Seongtae.]
Articles about Rogers’s visit filled the portal sites.
He was such a famous person that it would have been stranger if there were no articles.
Their articles soon spread to online communities and became the talk of the people.
[Wow, Rogers actually came to Korea]
Has anyone seen this article?
Rogers came to Korea, and apparently it’s because of Han Seongtae.
They said he filmed ‘ Instinctive Rush’, and now Rogers actually came all the way to Korea.
Seriously, Han Seongtae, this guy, what even is he?]
—Dolt: Han Seongtae must really be something. Even someone like Rogers came to find him.
—Barley Hill: They filmed Instinctive Rush together, didn’t they? He could have come to see a colleague. Still, it’s surprising. Honestly, if it’s someone on Rogers’s level, shouldn’t Han Seongtae be the one going to him?
—Missing Teeth: Looking at the photos, Rogers is smiling so brightly while looking at Han Seongtae. The two must be pretty close.
People looked at the photos the reporters had taken and guessed at the relationship between the two.
A close relationship.
Colleagues who had filmed Instinctive Rush together.
Because it was a meeting between a Hollywood actor and a Korean actor, Koreans’ interest could only grow along with it.
While the articles and communities were completely filled with stories about them.
“Are you going straight to your lodging?”
“No, let’s go eat first. I can go to the lodging anytime.”
“Got it. Dusik hyung, is there a good kimchi stew place around here?”
“There is. Should we go there?”
“Yes.”
At Han Seongtae’s words, Rogers immediately turned the steering wheel.
Watching that, Han Seongtae turned his head and spoke to Rogers again.
“What are you going to do after we eat? Are you going straight to your lodging?”
“That would be fine too. But can I go look around your filming site? You said you have to go back there anyway.”
“That’s true, but… hold on. I’ll ask for permission.”
Han Seongtae immediately called Ma Seokdong.
—An actor like Rogers is coming to visit? Of course he’s welcome.
He received permission right away.
It seemed the name Rogers really carried weight.
Seeing that even Ma Seokdong gave permission immediately.
And so, their schedule was decided.
“Khhah!”
Rogers set his bowl down with a clack and let out a groan full of admiration.
Red seasoning was smeared around his clearly exposed mouth.
In front of Rogers was kimchi stew with only traces left, and the side dishes around it had been completely emptied as well.
“Looks like you liked it.”
“Yeah! It’s quite spicy and stimulating, and that makes it even more attractive. Especially these extra noodles. This is insane. Kimchi stew ramen. Isn’t that just great? Who on earth thought of something like this?”
“I’m glad you’re satisfied.”
Hearing Rogers’s answer, Han Seongtae smiled.
Rogers had said he wanted to eat kimchi stew, so Han Seongtae had brought him to a good restaurant, and it seemed to suit his taste.
“We’re going to the filming site now, right?”
“We should. You said you were coming with me.”
“Yeah, and we got permission too. We definitely have to go.”
“Then let’s go.”
At Rogers’s answer, Han Seongtae immediately nodded and stood up.
On the way there in Jung Dusik’s car.
It seemed Rogers’s manager and Jung Dusik had grown fairly close, because they were talking to each other.
That was how they arrived at the filming site of City of Criminals amid a lively atmosphere.
“Wow… so this is what a Korean set looks like.”
Rogers looked around the filming site and marveled.
At his voice, people reflexively turned their heads.
When they spotted Rogers together with Han Seongtae, their eyes went round.
“Hello. I’m Rogers. I’m Han’s friend.”
He spoke awkwardly in Korean and greeted everyone.
At the sight of Rogers, people received his greeting with dazed faces.
They looked at Han Seongtae with eyes asking for an explanation.
Rogers was famous.
His fame was enormous worldwide.
An actor who was among the top even in Hollywood had come.
Who could not be surprised?
Han Seongtae could fully understand how they felt.
Because if he had been in their position, he would have reacted similarly.
When Rogers was right in front of them, what actor could stay perfectly calm?
For people in the industry, it would be stranger not to be surprised.
“Han, how was it? My pronunciation wasn’t bad, was it? I practiced that a lot!”
After greeting people, he turned his head and spoke as if asking for praise. Seeing that, Han Seongtae could not help letting out a laugh.
He always felt this, but Rogers was a very lighthearted person.
That did not mean the person himself was shallow.
It meant that Rogers was someone who could endlessly give when he was in front of his own people.
The fact that Rogers and he had become that kind of relationship felt newly surprising.
“Of course…”
“Of course?”
“…It was bad. I think you should practice a little more.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Look at everyone’s expressions. They look like they don’t know what you said because your pronunciation is bad.”
“Ah… is that so? Was it that strange? I thought I did well.”
Who could see that innocent side of Rogers and not laugh?
Han Seongtae chuckled.
He had been a little tired from practicing.
But after talking with Rogers, he felt somewhat recovered.
“I’m joking. It was good. I could tell you practiced a lot.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
When Han Seongtae nodded, Rogers’s face brightened, and he looked delighted.
It was only one compliment.
But seeing him so happy over it naturally made Han Seongtae smile.
“Han, you really brought him.”
“Yes. Rogers, this is our directing director.”
“Oh, nice to meet you. I’m Han’s friend, Rogers.”
“Nice to meet you. Your Korean is good.”
“I practiced a lot for this day.”
At Rogers’s awkward answer, the director could be seen smiling warmly.
Perhaps because he had many things he was curious about, the director threw various questions at Rogers.
Rogers did not find his questions annoying and answered them one by one right away.
Han Seongtae watched that with a smile.
Once the director started talking with him, other people also quietly approached and spoke to Rogers.
Ma Seokdong must have been curious about a Hollywood actor too, because he asked what kind of acting he did and how he practiced.
After that burst of commotion settled down.
“Now, then. Let’s begin filming.”
Under the director’s lead, the commotion settled, and people moved for filming.
Han Seongtae was about to move with them for filming as well.
Then he saw Rogers standing blankly, and he opened his mouth with a smile.
“Rogers, you can sit over there. I have to go film, so you can wait, right?”
“Of course. I was already curious about your acting in Korea. I’m looking forward to it, you know?”
“You can look forward to it. I’m not pathetic enough to disappoint a friend.”
“I know. That’s why I’m looking forward to it even more. Go do well.”
Rogers patted Han Seongtae’s arm and smiled.
Facing his smile, Han Seongtae also smiled gently.
‘A friend came from far away. I should show him properly, shouldn’t I?’
[‘The One of a Thousand Faces’ agrees with your words.]
[‘The One Who Made Laughter from Tragedy’ says they are ready and can act anytime.]
[‘The One Who Lives and Dies by Speed’ smiles at you, saying to show it properly.]
He was ready to give a good performance for his friend.
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