“Cheers!”
The people clinked the glasses they held high.
Liquor spilled over from the glasses as they collided, but no one paid the slightest attention to the alcohol on their hands.
They were in far too good a mood to care about that.
“Everyone, thank you for all your hard work!”
Kim Minseok sprang to his feet.
The people from Youth My Way filled the space before him.
It was the cast-and-crew dinner after all filming had finally ended.
This time, they had rented out an entire restaurant.
“I honestly never thought this moment would come. The fact that we were able to make it this far is entirely thanks to all of you!”
People laughed at Kim Minseok’s words.
Everyone there was certain of one thing.
Youth My Way would become a work that left everyone impressed.
That was why every face was filled with smiles.
“Everyone really worked so hard!”
“You worked hard too, Director!”
“Great work, everyone!”
Voices burst out from every direction.
Amid them, Han Seongtae picked up a piece of meat and ate it.
“How many viewers do you think we’ll get this time?”
“I think I’d be happy if we just passed one million.”
“What do you mean one million? We’ll get at least three million.”
The chatter of the people could be heard.
Han Seongtae quietly listened as they discussed how many people would see the movie.
[‘The One With a Thousand Faces’ is certain it can surpass five million.]
[‘The One Who Lives by Speed and Dies by Speed’ says he thinks it will hit seven million.]
[‘The Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ exclaims that seven million is stingy and shouts for eight million.]
“What do you think, Seongtae?”
While even the gods were discussing the audience numbers, someone suddenly leaned his face toward Han Seongtae and asked.
His chopsticks, which had been headed toward the meat, paused.
A brief silence followed.
“Ten million.”
The others fell silent at his answer.
That silence did not last long.
“Hahaha. Seongtae, you think just as big as you act.”
“Ten million. If that really happened, I wouldn’t have anything else to wish for.”
They did not take Han Seongtae’s words too seriously.
Ten million was a record that required luck as well as the quality of the movie itself.
People began chatting among themselves, and Kim Minseok also mingled with them and joined their conversations.
Han Seongtae watched him and smiled.
‘He’s doing well.’
He felt that his friend was moving steadily along his own path.
It was exactly the sight Han Seongtae had hoped to see.
‘Maybe I’ll get some air.’
He rose from his seat and went outside.
The people, intoxicated by the alcohol and the atmosphere, paid no attention to him.
“Whew… Is it already starting to feel like fall?”
It had still been midsummer only a few days earlier, but now the nights were becoming slightly chilly.
Perhaps because filming had ended, staring blankly at the night sky made him sentimental.
He had quit smoking after his previous life, but right now, he found himself wanting a cigarette.
Step.
He heard approaching footsteps.
Han Seongtae turned his head to the side and unconsciously laughed.
“You came again, sunbae.”
Somehow knowing where to find him, Lee Seunghyeon was walking toward him.
“I think it’s about time you gave me your answer.”
Lee Seunghyeon spoke without even offering a greeting.
Han Seongtae looked at him and remained silent for a moment.
It was not a particularly long silence, but Lee Seunghyeon’s expression changed by the second as he waited for Han Seongtae’s answer.
“You’re not going to answer me again…”
“I’ll go.”
“…What?”
“I’ll go. To Canada.”
Lee Seunghyeon’s eyes widened at Han Seongtae’s answer.
Han Seongtae smiled at his senior’s reaction.
[‘The One Who Made Laughter from Tragedy’ questions your choice.]
[‘The One Who Defined His Era’ wants to know why you changed your decision.]
Han Seongtae could understand the gods’ reactions.
While filming the movie, he had said that he would not do anything else.
Yet at the cast dinner, he had reversed his decision.
No.
Could it really be called reversing his decision?
He had only now finally arrived at an answer.
“My acting has felt like it’s stopped lately.”
Han Seongtae calmly stated his reason.
[‘The One Who Lives and Dies by Speed’ tilts his head at your words.]
[‘The One Who Made Laughter from Tragedy’ says that you are still continuing to grow, and that your words are contradictory.]
The gods pointed out the contradiction.
Han Seongtae did not deny it.
Without denying it, he calmly continued.
“I’m still growing, but it’s been slow.”
[…]
The gods fell silent.
They knew it as well.
If things continued this way, even Han Seongtae’s growth would eventually reach its limits.
“I lack experience. So even when I try to do different kinds of acting, I realized I can’t do ‘everything.’”
Han Seongtae’s growth had come from the gods.
If they did not possess something, then Han Seongtae could not do it either.
Of course, people might say that what he already had was more than enough.
“I want to act. I want acting without limits.”
Han Seongtae was parched by the thirst he kept feeling.
To quench that thirst, he needed to act more, and to perform a wider variety of roles, he needed experience.
Going to Canada with Lee Seunghyeon could fill that gap in his experience.
[‘The Founder of Jeet Kune Do’ says you are right and recalls his own past.]
[‘The Pioneer of Method Acting’ says he highly values your willingness to challenge yourself.]
[‘The Actor of Eternal Youth’ says that experience is the reason an actor’s performance deepens as their career grows, and strongly agrees with your choice.]
‘The timing isn’t bad either.’
With filming for Youth My Way finished, a gap had opened in Han Seongtae’s schedule.
Depending on his choice, that gap could be long or short.
He intended to fill that empty period with experience.
Lee Seunghyeon: See you in a week. Just bring yourself. I’ll take care of everything else.
Han Seongtae: Okay.
Three days passed after he replied to Lee Seunghyeon.
After being told he could be in Canada for a month, he had taken care of the things around him in advance.
As he packed ahead of time, his smartphone began to buzz.
It was a call from Jung Dusik.
“Yes, hyung. What is it?”
“Hey, Seongtae. Are you busy right now?”
“No. I can talk.”
“Do you happen to know Demian?”
“Demian… Isn’t that a film company?”
“Yeah, it is. It’s incredibly famous worldwide. It probably competes for first or second place among all the film companies in the world.”
“Why?”
“They contacted us. They said they want to meet you.”
Unexpected news had arrived.
Josh was a director at the globally renowned film company Demian.
As a director at a film company that only capable people could enter, he took pride in his own abilities, position, and company.
And if there was anyone such a man respected, it was the great director Benjamin.
Benjamin, who had started from the bottom and reached the very top, was practically his role model.
Their professions were different, but they belonged to the same industry.
Benjamin was someone he respected, and that was why Josh headed to Korea before Benjamin did.
‘I need to find out exactly who this Han Seongtae guy is.’
He was someone Benjamin had personally chosen.
There had never been an unimpressive person among those Benjamin had chosen.
So Josh had looked into him himself and learned that he was an actor who had only recently begun to rise.
He had filmed Rampage, but put another way, that was all he had done.
There were plenty of actors more impressive than Han Seongtae.
So Josh decided to see him in person.
‘It’s a request from Demian. What actor would refuse?’
He had been full of confidence when he left for Korea.
“…What did you just say?”
“He isn’t here.”
“Say that again. What did you say?”
“Actor Han isn’t in Korea right now!”
His confidence collapsed in an instant.
It was the moment a Korean actor stood up the director of a world-famous film company.
“Hey, are you sure this is okay? You know things are going crazy over here right now, right?”
Jung Dusik’s voice was trembling considerably.
A director from Demian had come, but Han Seongtae was not in Korea.
“It’s not like I was the one who made the appointment.”
“Well, that’s true. But I didn’t think we’d actually end up standing him up.”
“It’s not standing him up. I already had my schedule planned. The company just moved ahead on its own.”
“I’m sorry about that. I think I got impatient because the contact came from Demian.”
“It’s okay. Just explain it to them properly. If there’s another opportunity later, I’m sure we can meet.”
Demian was undoubtedly an extraordinary place, but to Han Seongtae, his own growth as an actor was more important.
“Are you in Canada now?”
“No. I’m in the United States.”
“…What? You said you were going to Canada.”
“I know. I wonder why I’m here too.”
Han Seongtae muttered like he was complaining as he looked around.
The streets of America were before him.
He had sensed something strange from the moment he boarded the plane.
“Sunbae, is there a reason we came to the United States?”
“Oh, we’re going to wander around here for a bit. After this, we’ll go to Russia, then France, and then Canada.”
“…Why?”
“There’s a reason for all of it.”
Lee Seunghyeon showed no sign of explaining further.
Han Seongtae did not ask again.
Whatever the case, Lee Seunghyeon was one of the actors who represented Korea.
The title of “the best” was not something handed out for free.
‘But what are we supposed to do here?’
Han Seongtae’s face was full of questions as he followed Lee Seunghyeon.
From where he stood, Lee Seunghyeon was simply wandering aimlessly down the street.
There seemed to be no discernible purpose to his movements.
“Sunbae?”
Han Seongtae’s confusion deepened when, the moment Lee Seunghyeon entered a place resembling a public square, he began pulling things out of his bag.
Han Seongtae immediately recognized what Lee Seunghyeon had taken out.
A clown costume.
A prop that looked like something one would wear only in a stage play was now in Lee Seunghyeon’s hands.
Why in the world was he taking that out?
“…Sunbae, what are you doing right now?”
Lee Seunghyeon casually began changing clothes right there on the street.
He was wearing underwear, but the suddenness of his actions was still bewildering.
“…”
Lee Seunghyeon did not answer.
After finishing changing his clothes, he even took out makeup supplies and began painting his face.
He looked quite practiced at it, making it clear this was far from his first time doing something like this.
Tap, tap.
While applying makeup to his face, Lee Seunghyeon paused and turned toward Han Seongtae.
“What are you doing? Get ready. Your clothes are over there too. Change.”
“…”
“You’re not doing it?”
No wonder there had been so many bags.
Han Seongtae sighed as he pulled out another clown costume.
[‘The One Who Made Laughter from Tragedy’ bursts out laughing, saying he is an interesting fellow.]
[‘The Pioneer of Method Acting’ chuckles, saying that at least you will definitely gain some real experience.]
Lee Seunghyeon was, quite literally, a man utterly obsessed with acting.
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