I Acted Once, and Now They Call Me a Genius - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 12

Preparations for the play proceeded steadily.

Strictly speaking, it might be more accurate to call it Kim Seon-woo’s preparation rather than play preparation.

Except for him who joined midway, everyone else was already prepared.

It would be a lie to say there was no pressure.

Time was short, and experience was lacking.

‘It really is a poisoned chalice.’

One week wasn’t enough time to prepare for a role.

Especially for someone like Seon-woo who had no stage experience.

There was no choice.

If time was short, he had no option but to make the most of every minute.

Seon-woo devoted all his time to practice except for sleeping.

He asked anyone who had spare time to be his scene partner, and when there was absolutely no one available to help, he practiced alone.

Fortunately, Seon-woo’s attitude seemed to make a good impression.

At first, quite a few people seemed to view him unfavorably, but even those people had started acknowledging his greetings lately.

It was an encouraging change.

And if we were to discuss the biggest change among them all…

“Want a drink?”

It was this person.

Seon-woo turned his head. Do-young was holding out an ion drink to him.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“You’re doing well.”

Do-young said, patting Seon-woo’s shoulder.

“Is it tough?”

“No, I’m completely fine.”

Honestly, it was tough.

But how many things in the world aren’t tough?

So he put on a brave front and acted strong,

“I don’t usually say things like this, but I personally like your acting.”

An unexpected compliment came from Do-young.

Seon-woo’s eyes widened at the unexpected praise.

“…What?”

“Just saying. It was something I wanted to tell you at least once.”

“Uh… th, thank you.”

Do-young left after saying that.

Seon-woo stared blankly at Do-young’s retreating figure and chuckled softly.

‘I did achieve my goal.’

Not losing his own color even in front of Do-young.

That was Seon-woo’s one and only goal.

Simply put, his goal was not to be overshadowed by Do-young’s acting.

So, was he confident about the performance?

Of course he was…

* * *

It’s hot.

Global warming must really be getting serious – even though she had walked only in the shade, her clothes were already soaked with sweat and sticky.

The Iced Americano she had just bought was already lukewarm with all the ice melted.

Da-sol fanned herself with a hand fan, looking like she might melt at any moment.

“In this age of OTT, what theater are we even going to watch…”

“Ah, just trust me and watch it, Sister. It’s really a whole new world, I tell you?”

“I’m satisfied with the old world…”

The reason she was dragged here despite this deadly heat was because of her sister, Da-yeon.

She had suddenly suggested going to see a play while Da-sol was lounging around on her day off.

“There’s this absolutely incredible actor!”

“If he’s so incredible, why is he in the Theater Scene…”

“That’s exactly why we should go! He’s someone who could easily become a top star later. When that happens, we won’t be able to see him like this even if we want to!”

What top star.

Da-sol let out a sigh with an indifferent expression.

Honestly, she didn’t have any particular expectations.

There were many times when she couldn’t even stand to watch the acting of people on TV, so she figured the Daehangno theater scene would be even worse.

Well, she’d have to watch first before complaining.

…Though it would be nice if she could just not watch and not complain at all, but since she’d been dragged all the way here, what choice did she have.

As she sat there with her arms crossed and an indifferent face, Da-yeon let out a sigh.

“Ah. But it’s a shame. The actor playing Seung-do is changing this time.”

“…The Seung-do role? Not that ten-million-viewer actor?”

“Yeah. His acting was good too… but I heard he left this time due to scheduling issues.”

“Hmm~ You really know everything.”

“I follow all of this theater troupe’s official SNS accounts! Hehe.”

Hmm… going as far as following them?

Da-sol glanced around as she sat in the audience seats.

There were surprisingly many audience members. The seats looked like they could hold at least a few hundred people, and it seemed nearly full from what she could see.

Was this normal for weekends? Since she’d never been to see plays before, she couldn’t really tell.

Watching Da-sol like this, Da-yeon felt secretly annoyed.

She had no idea how hard it was to get these front seats… But she’d find out soon enough. Just why she had made such a big fuss about this.

‘Cheongseong is the best.’

If you had to find one flaw in the Daehangno theater scene, it would probably be the severe disparity in acting ability. The cutoff for getting into theater troupes usually isn’t that high.

But Cheongseong was different.

From the leads to even the minor extras, everyone showed stable acting ability.

Their breathing, emotions, and even their looks were all decent.

And even within Cheongseong, there was one man who had become the talk of the town.

‘If she saw Do-young oppa, she wouldn’t be sitting there with such a blank expression.’

The memory of first encountering him was still vivid.

It felt like the world suddenly changed to 4K, no, 8K resolution.

Was it just because he was handsome? Well, that was part of it, but that wasn’t everything.

Do-young’s acting… had a magic that made people focus with all their nerves on edge.

Acting ability that made all distracting thoughts disappear, making you see only his performance completely.

The first day she saw his acting, Da-yeon fell for the actor named Cha Do-young.

And it had already been a year since she started regularly attending Cheongseong.

And the performance that Da-yeon first saw back then was exactly this—[Confession].

A play where you could feel the charm of the actor named Do-young from beginning to end.

Today, she had come to do some sales pitching to Da-sol.

After all, sisters should share good things with each other.

‘It would have been perfect if Actor Eun-seok could play Seung-do too.’

That was exactly what she found disappointing.

But she wasn’t worried.

This is Cheongseong, after all.

Whoever comes out will at least do the basics right.

Today, Da-sol would surely be captivated by this Cheongseong… and furthermore, by Do-young.

Of course, Da-sol had no idea about the devious schemes brewing in Da-yeon’s head.

Right now, there were exactly two thoughts in her mind.

It’s hot.

What should I eat for dinner later.

However, her indifferent attitude didn’t last very long.

“Confess your sins.”

The actor who appeared wearing priest robes… looked so ridiculously stunning.

Handsome. This wasn’t even on that level. How should I put this. Really… should I call it a blessed visual?

Even though Da-yeon hadn’t given her any signal, Da-sol naturally realized.

Ah, this is the person.

He was someone you couldn’t help but recognize at first sight.

His appearance and aura… made her wonder if he was really the same species as her.

Just by looking, she could understand why Da-yeon had tried so hard to bring her here.

‘…He really is amazing.’

Da-sol cleanly admitted it.

It was definitely worth coming in this heat.

That kind of appearance, that kind of acting… it was her first time seeing it with her own eyes.

And she could watch this from the First Row?

How many opportunities does one get to experience something like this in life?

The play was also interesting.

A story where a priest gives appropriate punishments to people who come to confess their sins, leading them to repentance.

The only disappointing thing was…

‘That person is too overwhelming.’

Because of that, the other people didn’t really catch her attention.

She could understand why.

The priest’s presence was too intense to compete with.

Both the actor’s acting ability and the direction of the work itself made it a piece where only the priest could perform a one-man show.

Right. That’s what she thought.

“You didn’t come to confess your sins. You came to announce them.”

“…I intend to kill someone.”

But the moment The Man appeared… Da-sol’s thoughts had to change.

‘…Huh?’

He was a man wrapped in a somehow dangerous atmosphere.

It felt like cold anger was lingering around him, as if he might tear This World apart at any moment.

Something felt different.

“I’m going to kill the person who killed my family. How will you punish me for this sin?”

“…”

“How… will you punish me?”

Thump.

Da-sol’s heart began to beat violently.

It was the first time.

The priest was like the sun that had risen on this Stage.

He felt like an absolute being that no one could go against.

“I do not punish for sins that have not been committed.”

“…I understand.”

On the other hand, this man was a shadow.

“They commit sins and come back again.”

“That’s…!”

The shadow that grows larger and darker the brighter the sun shines.

But why was it? Was it because she had been looking only at that sun all this time? Da-sol felt her gaze continuously drawn to that shadow.

Unlike that sun which was too burdensome to even look at, that shadow was comfortable to watch and at the same time… somehow pitiful.

Seung-do departs.

The Priest, watching Seung-do’s empty space, grieving and lamenting.

And only then did Da-sol realize something was strange.

Just moments ago, she thought only the Priest caught her eye, but even now when only the Priest was on stage… a completely different man was circling in Da-sol’s mind.

Seung-do.

That man with the dark atmosphere.

Why? How?

…Let’s not pretend not to know. She actually knew the answer.

Yes.

Seung-do’s precarious yet somehow dangerous feeling… was honestly attractive enough to make her grit her teeth.

Enough to lose her mind for a moment.

Enough to forget the Priest’s light, even if just briefly.

That might have been why.

A moment later, when the stage lights went out all at once… and the spotlight illuminated Seung-do covered in blood again,

“I have come, Priest.”

When she saw that broken and twisted smile on his lips…

“Will you punish me now?”

With goosebumps that made every hair on her body stand on end… Da-sol suddenly found herself thinking this.

Like her sister… somehow she felt she would keep coming to this place too.

That she would become a fan of that man.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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