The Haunted Monster Actor - Chapter 76



Only Noblemtl

Episode 76

‘Huh? Fellow actors? Of course it doesn’t matter. It’s called a celebration party, so the more people, the better, right?’

It was an impromptu invitation, but fortunately, those who had a prior engagement with Hyun-soo readily accepted the actors’ attendance.

‘Well, even if you invite the neighborhood elders rather than your fellow actors, they’ll welcome you with open arms.’

Yes, that’s right.

The promise was the name of the celebration party with Imjinhan and Gold Marie members.

It was also a congratulatory event for not only Hyunsoo but also Gold Marie, who was performing on the big stage at the same time as the release of her new song ‘Wings Running’.

Because both of our schedules have been so busy, we are only able to meet now.

When Hyunsoo arrived at the party venue, Drug Kitchen, with both hands full of shopping bags filled with gifts, the place was bustling with familiar faces he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Brother, are you here?”

“How have you all been?”

“Of course, bro! Oh, congratulations on the first episode of ‘Nadav’! The viewer ratings were really great, huh? I don’t know who taught him, but his musicianship was no joke.”

“Nadav? I guess that’s how you shorten the title of a drama?”

As I tilt my head toward Hyungjin and ask, Jooheon suddenly approaches me and opens his mouth.

“No, Hyungjin hyung is the only one who sings it like that because it’s hard to pronounce. How can a rocker not be good at English pronunciation?”

“… … Am I the vocalist?! And, it wasn’t me, it was Mari who sang that first, you punk!”

“Honestly, hyung, you haven’t seen episode 1 yet? What about Musician Force? Hyunsoo hyung doesn’t appear in episode 1.”

“… … trailer, trailer, trailer!”

Hyunsoo smiled and continued speaking at the sight of the two people who were still close(?).

“… … Haha. But if you’re here, why don’t you go in? There’s still filming equipment set up outside, so there won’t be any tables.”

Jooheon answered Hyunsoo’s question with a slightly awkward smile.

“Oh, Marie is inside, but… … .”

Jooheon continues speaking quietly, keeping an eye out for anyone who might hear.

“I… … But, hyung. Are all actors originally this gloomy?”

“How could that be? Just looking at our Hyunsoo hyung, he has such a chill personality.”

“… … Right? After all, those ‘two people’ are special, right? The atmosphere inside right now is totally heavy metal.”

Bloody. Two people. Heavy metal.

Even without seeing it directly, it was obvious what the situation was inside.

“… … It’s okay, let’s go in.”

As we bring the group in, we see Jeong I-shin and Song Ah-jin sitting on the left and right ends.

Since it was a place where it was, they didn’t fight openly like they did on set. Instead.

‘They sat apart from each other openly.’

Between the two people who treated each other like invisible people, the Gold Marie members were wandering around outside, not knowing which side to sit on.

Oh, of course.

“Hello, Hyunsoo.”

Among them, Marie, who was watching Nadav’s trailer without any concern, was an exception.

At Mari’s greeting, Song Ah-jin and Jeong I-shin simultaneously turned their heads towards Hyeon-su.

“Is actor Kim here?”

“Are you here?”

The two people who said that were looking at Hyun-soo with expressions that seemed to want something.

The meaning in that gaze was clear.

It’s the look in his eyes that wants him to sit next to him.

Song Ah-jin naturally pulled out the chair next to her, and Jeong I-shin even set up the cutlery.

“What are you doing here? Why don’t you sit down?”

“I was the first one to arrive and was waiting.”

‘… … But I guess I should be thankful that they didn’t openly grab each other by the collar and fight.’

However, Hyun-soo is still a senior, so he is uncomfortable with the childish courtship(?) of the two.

It was then that a voice of salvation was heard from the center.

“Hyunsoo oppa, are these people babies?”

“… … Uh, yeah?”

“They’re not kids, they’ve been bickering and arguing among themselves since a while ago.”

“… … .”

Whether or not everyone’s eyes widened at her bombshell statement, Marie continued speaking without hesitation in her characteristically languid tone.

“Oh, that’s true. Woo-ram and Yul are still twenty, so that could be possible. I haven’t fought with Heon since I turned twenty-one.”

“… … .”

“Ah… … Haha, it looks like our Mari watched the first episode of Nadav live! Right, hyung? Haha, hahahahahaha! Do you understand, Mari? That’s enough… … .”

“Episode 1 wasn’t that fun. Especially the scene where Woo-ram and Yul-yi bickered reminded me of Jin and Heon watching it when they were young. It was exciting when Yoo-han watched it. Hyun-soo oppa, Yoo-han isn’t dead yet, right? He’s coming out next week, right?”

Song Ah-jin, who couldn’t come to her senses, blushed in embarrassment at the pure white words and actions that were completely unfiltered and different from Jeong I-shin’s.

Even that Jeong-i-shin is consciously avoiding Marie’s gaze.

Marie delivered the finishing blow to those two.

“I’m sorry, but Hyunsoo oppa’s seat is here. The stars of the party today are Hyunsoo oppa and I.”

The seat that Marie was pointing to when she said that was none other than the seat next to her.

Bang bang.

Marie knocks on the seat next to her as if telling her to come and sit down.

It was the moment when the winner(?) of the love triangle was decided.

So, under Marie’s command, the members of Rising Dive and Gold Marie sat down in a jumbled manner.

An awkward silence followed for a while.

… … Foot.

Starting with Kang Ji-hoon’s timid laughter.

Puhahahahahaha!

Soon all the members of Gold Marie began to burst into laughter.

Jeong Ee-shin and Song Ah-jin look embarrassed as they watch the members holding their stomachs and laughing.

Looking at those two people, Hyunsoo also burst into a heartfelt(?) laugh.

The only people who can say harsh words to Jeong Ee-shin and Song Ah-jin, who have been acting since they were child actors, are Jeong Geun-ho and Choi Ui-jeong.

Hana Jeong Geun-ho is the type of person who doesn’t open his mouth unless it’s really necessary, and Choi Ui-jeong isn’t always on site.

Yes, that’s right.

During that time, no one was able to properly put the brakes on the two people’s reckless behavior.

In short, the two met their match today.

* * *

Hyunsoo’s strategy was simple.

I am not Dr. Oh In-young, an expert in improving interpersonal relationships and self-reflection, and I have no idea how to reconcile the two seniors who growl at each other whenever they see each other.

What if you don’t know how to reconcile?

If you don’t make peace, that’s the end of it.

In short, there was no strategy.

As if spending time with Jeong-in allowed her to get to know another side of him.

The two people just had to collide and that was it.

So what if things between the two of you end in disaster?

Hyunsoo never thought that something like that would happen.

At the script reading with Jeong Ee-shin, Hyun-soo saw his sincerity.

‘Senior Jeong-in never hates Senior Song.’

Although he is not very good at expressing himself, he wants to help Song Ah-jin and everyone at Nineties Dive.

‘A virtual conversation between senior Jeong In-shin and me.’

Although it may not be an accurate interpretation, all of Oh Yul’s lines in the dialogue log were filled with lines expressing curiosity about what kind of person Ji Yu-han was.

‘Maybe this is why Senior Jung decided to do this drama.’

I’m curious about Jiyuhan.

I want to know what he can give.

I want to find out.

In a word… … .

I want to make ‘friends’.

And as far as Hyunsoo knew, the way to make friends was very simple.

Just like Dong-geun called him after 10 years.

‘You have to approach.’

In the end, it is Jeong In-shin who must approach first.

The help that Hyunsoo was talking about was precisely providing an opportunity for him.

The meeting with Goldmary was an appropriate occasion for such a meeting.

“Do you both want to sit next to Hyunsoo oppa? Then I, as an adult, will give it to you. Instead.”

“… … ?”

“I won’t fight like kids from now on.”

Of course, there were some side effects(?).

The two people who would grind their teeth whenever they saw each other on set were like mice in front of a cat, unable to move.

Did he gain courage from seeing Marie like that?

It was at that time that Kang Ji-hoon, who had been anxiously watching Song Ah-jin whenever the two actors argued, opened his mouth.

“… … It’s true that Ah-jin has been acting a bit like a child lately.”

“What? You think I looked like that all this time?”

“Yeah, it looked like that.”

“Do you know that that’s the word I hate the most?”

“Do you know that the thing I hate the most is fighting?”

Kang Ji-hoon reveals his inner feelings that he had been holding back.

When Song Ah-jin looks dumbfounded as if shocked by Kang Ji-hoon’s words, Jeong Yi-shin nods her head in front of her.

“Senior. You are included in that too. Not only Senior Kang, but no one on set likes to fight.”

Jeong-in also stopped nodding with a serious expression as she continued to support Hyeon-su.

And the final, long-awaited decisive blow.

“handshake.”

“… … ?”

“Both of you quickly shake hands and make up.”

Marie continued to speak firmly to the two people who had puzzled expressions on their faces.

“Do you want to ruin today’s celebration party?”

This is… … the truth of Baesu.

In this case, the person who doesn’t shake hands loses.

Jeong-in Shin and Song-ah Jin, who had quickly made a decision, shook hands for the first time in a sincere(?) reconciliation.

“… … Tsk, I’m sorry, Senior Jeong.”

Song Ah-jin, who didn’t want to hear that she was childish anymore, said sorry with a helpless expression on her face.

And towards that Ajin, Isin.

“I’m sorry for everything. I was like that when I was little, but I’m still clumsy.”

Unlike the first script reading, the voice was full of sincerity.

“… … Yes? Oh, that, that’s it?”

“… … That’s right.”

Soon, a mysterious current began to flow between the two.

Jooheon, the self-proclaimed mood maker of Gold Marie, instinctively felt(?) that this was the right time and stood up from his seat holding a bottle of alcohol in both hands and shouted.

“Wow! Oh Yul and Cha Woo Ram made up! It’s like we’re watching the next episode of the drama in advance. It’s awesome!

“I, actor Jeong-i Shin! I couldn’t speak earlier because the atmosphere was a bit different, but I’ve been a real fan since I was little!”

“… … Would you like me to sign it for you?”

“Actor Song Ah-jin has a really manly and fiery personality, completely different from her appearance!”

“Manly and hot… … Well, I guess I am a bit like that. Did you see me extending my hand and apologizing just now?”

“… … Haha! Anyway, since we’ve made up, how about we start off by having a drink to make up for it all, hyungs? I’ll have a drink with you today in a heavy metal version!”

“The side dishes haven’t even arrived yet?”

“Snacks? I guess you don’t know since it’s your first time here, but we don’t serve things like that.”

Starting with a handshake between the two, the members of Gold Marie soon began to display their usual high energy.

Before long, the members of Rising Dive also began to get into their rhythm.

Hyunsoo, who was watching that scene, smiled inwardly.

As I was watching Jeong-i Shin and Song-a Jin, who were playing along with Gold Marie’s ‘performance’ without realizing it, I found myself recalling the first time I laughed and chatted with them.

‘But… … Since childhood? Were the two of you known each other since long ago?’

Come to think of it, both of them started out as child actors and are similar in age and period of activity.

Although they didn’t have the opportunity to work together as adults because their careers diverged between movies and dramas, they may have had some connection in the past.

“Oh my, the side dishes haven’t even arrived yet and you’re already drinking?”

“What are you talking about, Anna? Alcohol is meant to be a drink to warm the stomach. Everyone is doing very well.”

While everyone was having a good time together, Anna and Jinhan arrived.

“Oh, our Hyunsu is very indebted to us. Everyone else is much nicer than Hyunsu.”

“Hey Im Jin-han, what are you talking about, putting your disciple right next to you… … Oh my, actor Kang Ji-hoon! He’s really handsome in person! How can someone be so statuesque?”

“Ah, go, thank you, Ms. Joanna… … .”

“What about Mr. Joanna? Just call me Anna.”

“Yes? Oh, yes, Anna… … !”

Soon, all kinds of delicious side dishes that Jinhan and Anna had brought in will be served.

The empty stage of the drug kitchen began to fill with the laughter and chatter coming from the mini room.

Hyunsoo smiled as he looked at the two people who seemed to have become a little closer to each other, a little faster than he had thought.

Then, suddenly, I realized one thing.

‘Was I originally… this kind of active person?’

Just like with Dong-geun, Hyun-soo wasn’t a very proactive person in interpersonal relationships even before he had the dream.

‘In the past, I would have been busy doing my job regardless of whether other actors were in conflict or not.’

The warm feeling Hyun-soo feels in his heart right now is something different from the simple sense of responsibility as the main character of a drama.

‘This is… I see. A musician.’

It was clear that the person who felt overwhelmed with emotion while watching the two people laughing and chatting together was none other than the musician, Hwang Su-in.

Before he knew it, Hyunsoo’s gaze turned to Im Jinhan, who was sitting next to him.

‘… … Well, I guess it’s because he’s this kind of person that the teacher still hasn’t forgotten him.”

A musician who feels a sense of joy as if he has gained everything in the world when he sees everyone having fun together.

‘And, in a large, dark pit outside the stage… … Hwang Su-in was curled up in an empty feeling that he couldn’t do anything about.’

Of the two… … which one is closer to the musician’s true appearance?

“Huh? You want to know the secret recipe for Ramen? You said I told Hyunsoo? That’s weird, I’ve never done that.”

Hyunsoo now truly wanted to know about his existence.

And, to truly know someone.

“Hyunsoo, what on earth is this?”

You have to approach first.

Continued in the next episode ▶