I Acted Once, and Now They Call Me a Genius - Chapter 148

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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 148

‘This is ridiculous.’

Meanwhile, at that moment, Seon-woo wasn’t the only one admiring.

Gripping the armrest so tightly his hands hurt, Do-won stared intently at Seung-ho’s figure in the movie. As if trying to engrave every moment of his acting into memory.

‘He’s completely insane, isn’t he?’

Insane.

That was Do-won’s impression upon witnessing Do-young’s acting.

It wasn’t just “good for a newcomer.” Acting ability so impressive that it made even Do-won tense up, to the point where he wondered how someone with this level of skill could still be unknown.

‘…If I had taken on this scene, could I have expressed that feeling?’

It was strange.

Even in the moment of strangling someone to death, Seung-ho didn’t look evil. What could be glimpsed from him was rather the pure sorrow of a child being chased away from a playground, and a sanctity like that of a religious person pursuing salvation.

How could someone killing a person appear pure and sacred?

‘Damn it…’

Do-won cursed inwardly.

If he didn’t curse, he felt he couldn’t bear all the emotions boiling up from within his chest.

Jealousy, envy, ecstasy, and longing.

Actually, until watching the movie, Do-won had secretly harbored such feelings.

Just how amazing could this Do-young guy be that they rejected him and hired such a newcomer instead? If he showed nothing special in his acting, he would mock him thoroughly.

But from Do-young’s first appearance, Do-won realized.

While Do-won might be able to imitate something similar to that acting, anything beyond that would be difficult.

In the most trivial moments, for instance, just the expression of feeling anxious about the reconstruction of ‘Eden Apartment’ was enough to captivate people with that charm, that stage presence.

This was something that couldn’t be helped just by honing one’s acting skills.

His very existence was beautiful.

His natural aura, in a way, his very seed as an actor was different.

You could say his innate soul was enormous.

He didn’t want to admit it.

But he had no choice but to admit it.

Director Yu Chan-woo had made the right decision.

Neither actor Seong Do-won nor human Seong Do-won… surely wouldn’t have been able to create The Ladder of Eden like this.

He didn’t like it.

But as the movie progressed, Do-won had no choice but to increasingly accept Yu Chan-woo’s judgment.

After killing the Special Investigations Unit prosecutor, Seung-ho burns the corpse right there at the crematorium. The crude crematorium that was used in the violent crime case Seung-ho had handled at the beginning of the work.

Where he once stood as a prosecutor, now he stands as a criminal.

However, Seung-ho’s figure standing before the burning corpse with an indescribably mysterious expression is as reverent as a priest offering sacrifice before God.

As if saying that not all corruption happens uglily.

All the crimes Seung-ho once condemned now occur at Seung-ho’s hands.

The director expresses this by slowly alternating between Seung-ho’s sins and the construction of Eden.

And what came out as the final ending was Seung-ho’s figure finally entering the Eden Apartment he had so longed for.

In the neat but modest living room that, considering all those sins, wasn’t very spacious or impressive.

Seung-ho stands on the balcony looking out at the Han River with an ecstatic face, as if he had obtained everything.

And just then, the apartment move-in commemorative fireworks begin, casting light on Seung-ho’s face.

Red and blue… light like police sirens.

The scene fades out with that sacred yet grotesque appearance that was somehow uncomfortable to watch yet impossible to look away from.

Even after the ending credits began slowly rolling up over the pitch-black screen, Do-won and his companions couldn’t move for a long time.

The first to speak was Seo Ryeong.

“…Amazing.”

It was a voice devoid of his usual playfulness.

The Ladder of Eden was that shocking of a movie. Could there be another movie that expressed the most ordinary dream of ‘owning a home’ in such a grotesque way?

It didn’t simply disparage modern people who sacrifice everything for homeownership. Rather, Seung-ho’s atmosphere, faithful to the point of being sacred, made homeownership seem like something worth sacrificing one’s life and everything for.

What remained wasn’t answers but questions.

Is there a Seung-ho within us?

The unsettling feeling that they too, without knowing it, might have become monsters like that.

“It’s a movie worthy of Director Yu Chan-woo.”

“…Indeed.”

Min-hee slowly nodded her head.

A director who makes the most ordinary things the most special. Critics often described him that way. The Ladder of Eden was a movie that made you clearly understand why he received such evaluations.

Who would have thought homeownership could be such a stimulating concept?

The trembling in her hands still hadn’t stopped.

She wondered if that was really the same Cha Do-young she knew.

She had always known he was an incredible person, but his wild performance on that screen was even more amazing than what she remembered.

‘Did his skills improve in the meantime?’

No, she thought he had no more room to improve.

If he keeps advancing like this, what about those left behind? Min-hee grumbled inwardly while looking to the side.

She was curious about what expression Seon-woo might be making right now.

And,

‘As expected.’

She nodded at the expression she had anticipated.

Was he still unable to escape from the emotion? Seon-woo was looking at the screen with sparkling eyes.

Eyes that sparkled like a child dreaming for the first time.

What exactly had he seen through this movie?

Unfortunately, Min-hee couldn’t ask about it.

Not only did she not want to disturb the emotion Seon-woo was feeling right now, but Seong Do-won who was beside him…

‘No, why did this senior suddenly become so gloomy again?’

It was because he was sitting with an extremely dejected expression.

She could understand it. [The Ladder of Eden] was a more beautiful movie than they had thought. If he thought he had missed the opportunity to be part of that movie, the regret could be great.

The problem was that even after leaving the cinema and going to a restaurant, Seong Do-won’s gloomy mood didn’t disappear.

A brunch cafe near the cinema.

Seo Ryeong frowned as he ate a salad without any dressing.

“Hey, Seong Do-won.”

“What.”

“Are you going to keep looking like you’re dead?”

“Who? Me?”

“Yes. You. You can’t get yourself together after watching the movie. What’s wrong? Acting like an amateur.”

“Leave me alone. I’m fine.”

“It’s suffocating because of you. Can’t you see the kids are being considerate?”

Only then did Seong Do-won lift his head to check Seon-woo and Min-hee’s expressions.

Both were pretending not to while watching his mood, so his expression must have been quite sour.

It couldn’t be helped.

His heart was actually in turmoil.

“It’s okay. Everyone eat without worrying about me.”

“…That’s what I’m saying, don’t make us worry about you.”

Instead of answering Seo Ryeong’s reproach, Seong Do-won cut a piece of French toast and brought it to his mouth.

He didn’t want to show his turbulent mood either.

Rather, he wanted to hide it. The confusion, jealousy, and shock he was feeling now… were emotions too childish to show at his level of experience.

“Sorry, everyone. I just have a lot on my mind. Don’t worry about me and eat.”

“Oh, no! That’s understandable. It was that kind of movie.”

Min-hee hurriedly waved her hands at that,

“…Haha, I’ll eat well.”

Seon-woo glanced around and started eating. And he thought to himself.

‘I think I know how he feels.’

Seong Do-won was someone who wanted to appear in Yoo Chan-woo’s work more than anyone.

As such, he must be feeling quite a lot of emotions right now. Various emotions that couldn’t exactly be called good.

But Seon-woo wasn’t particularly worried about Seong Do-won.

‘He’s not someone I need to worry about.’

The Seong Do-won he had seen so far was someone who fulfilled his role in any situation.

Shining when he needed to shine, breaking down when he needed to break down. Even if he seemed a bit down now, he would come alive again when he returned to the set.

—Or so he had thought.

“I’m sorry, PD. Could we cut for a moment?”

“Oh, yes! Or we could film other scenes first, so would you like to take a short break?”

“Yes, that would be good. I’m really sorry. Please excuse me for a moment.”

Seeing Seong Do-won, who had made 5 NGs due to consecutive line mistakes—an unimaginable sight normally—Seon-woo opened his mouth in bewilderment.

This seems like the shock was bigger than expected?

* * *

“What a mess.”

Seo Ryeong sighed watching Seong Do-won make line mistakes.

Seeing such Seo Ryeong, Min-hee shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“It’s not a big problem, is it? Everyone makes line mistakes normally. Do-won senior didn’t do it often, but… actually, making mistakes like this occasionally is rather human and nice.”

“Do-won isn’t human. He shouldn’t be human.”

Not human?

Min-hee closed her mouth, feeling that whatever she answered would end up badmouthing Seong Do-won.

And Seo Ryeong turned to look at Seon-woo.

“Seon-woo, could you go check on him?”

“Seong Do-won senior?”

“Yeah. Go check his condition and help him get his head together.”

“…Wouldn’t it just give him more of a headache if I go?”

“That might be possible, but still, you’re the one Do-won cares about most here. Wouldn’t he listen to what you say?”

“He cares about me?”

Seon-woo’s eyes widened as if this was news to him.

Seo Ryeong chuckled.

“I haven’t worked on many projects with him, but I’ve never seen him suggest going to the cinema first to a junior. This level would put you in his top ten relationships.”

“…”

Should he be moved by this, or should he offer a moment of silence for Seong Do-won’s meager human relationships?

Whatever the case, having heard such words, he couldn’t continue to leave Seong Do-won alone.

Seon-woo went to Seong Do-won’s dressing room and knocked.

Knock knock knock.

“Senior?”

“…Come in.”

Unexpectedly, entering the waiting room wasn’t particularly difficult.

As soon as he entered the waiting room, what he saw was Do-won staring at himself in a full-length mirror, having a staring contest with his own reflection.

…He definitely doesn’t seem normal.

Seon-woo tried to hide his uncomfortable expression as he spoke.

“Are you okay?”

“Cha Do-young.”

“Yes?”

“He was amazing, your senior.”

He hadn’t expected Do-young’s name to come up in response to asking if he was okay.

It meant that from the end of the movie, through dinner, and up to this moment when they had an NG during filming, that name was stuck in Do-won’s head.

Seon-woo was inwardly surprised.

Do-young’s acting was so marvelous that it felt like Seon-woo’s world had expanded, but he hadn’t expected it to leave such an impression on Do-won too.

“…He’s a wonderful senior.”

“You wanted to become like that guy, right?”

“Pardon?”

“Your acting, sometimes it felt like you were trying to flap wings that don’t exist. I wondered whose acting you were watching to act like that, but I found out today.”

Do-won didn’t turn to look at Seon-woo.

His gaze was fixed on his own face in the mirror. What is he looking at so intently? It was the moment Seon-woo peered at his face.

“…!”

Darkness.

A darkness with a somehow familiar tone instantly enveloped the waiting room.

The moment that darkness touched his skin, Seon-woo bit his lips at the feeling of endless thirst and hunger washing over him.

It was the darkness he had experienced in [The Ladder of Eden].

The darkness that surrounded Seung-ho, reminiscent of an abyss.

‘You were able to act this out so quickly?’

Admirable.

Without even reading the script, to be able to recreate the emotional line of a scene glimpsed in passing in a movie to this extent.

However, one disappointing thing was the light dwelling in Do-won’s eyes.

The light that dwelled in Do-young’s eyes was so sacred that all this darkness could be forgotten.

Even while killing people, the character Seung-ho didn’t feel evil at all. Rather, he seemed to be doing the right thing.

But Do-won’s light didn’t give that feeling.

It felt like it could shine brighter somewhere, but at some point it suddenly lost that power.

Eventually, after staring at the mirror for a long time, Do-won slowly straightened his back and turned to look at Seon-woo.

The darkness that had filled the waiting room had disappeared without a trace.

“You were imitating that guy’s acting, weren’t you?”

“…”

Seon-woo couldn’t answer immediately.

Imitating Do-young’s acting? He hadn’t intended to imitate from the beginning. However, Do-young’s acting had always been like North Star for Seon-woo.

Whenever he wondered how acting should be done, it was the first correct answer that came to mind.

Seon-woo eventually nodded.

“I think that’s what I was doing.”

“I understand. With acting like that, you’d have no choice but to want to resemble it. After seeing it today, I get it. Why Director Yu Chan-woo took that guy.”

Do-won nodded.

“But he’s a lunatic. A lunatic admirable enough to be amazed by.”

“…”

“It was acting that only fundamentally twisted lunatics could do. Most people probably wouldn’t even understand what it is.”

Whether he was talking to Seon-woo or to himself. Do-won’s gaze, muttering quietly, was once again directed toward himself in the mirror.

“The world is really shameless. Doesn’t it make you angry? Something that torments me my whole life, seeming like it might be given to me but never quite, someone else has it naturally from the beginning.”

“…”

“When I see that, I get this feeling. Like I could have that too. Like I’d get closer if I just did a little more. But that ‘just a little more’… it never seems to end.”

“Senior.”

“…”

Seon-woo called out to Do-won.

Instead of answering, Do-won quietly turned to look at Seon-woo. Seon-woo slowly opened his mouth. He had thought about it enough. Whether he should comfort him or not.

But no matter how much he thought about it, the facts needed to be clarified.

“I think you’re a lunatic too, senior.”

“…?”

And Do-won’s expression became blank.

It seemed his explanation was insufficient. Seon-woo calmly continued his explanation.

“The senior I’ve seen so far is definitely not an ordinary person. From the first time I saw you, I thought your brain structure was unusual. Ignoring greetings and such, that’s not really a typical reaction, is it?”

“…”

“Just the way you usually frown at most people, getting sensitive when reading scripts, not being able to sit unless it’s your designated chair, having separate copies of scripts for reading, writing, and analysis… I think all of those things are evidence that you’re actually a lunatic too, senior.”

“…Continue.”

“Yes. And the conversations you always have with us too. Actually, you never talk about anything other than acting with us, right? That’s not really normal either. It means your perspective is always limited to acting. Even this means you’re an extraordinary person, senior.”

“So, I’m a lunatic?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t even understand why he was worrying about something like this in the first place.

Do-won is clearly someone armed with talent. Before he started acting, hadn’t Seon-woo watched his acting and award videos, envying how brilliantly he shined?

Seon-woo looked at Do-won with eyes full of conviction.

“I think your brain structure is definitely not ordinary, senior. So I hope you won’t stress about things like this.”

After saying it, he was a bit worried.

Wondering if he had offered presumptuous comfort. But it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t just stand by and watch a senior he respected torment himself with untrue thoughts.

So, I need to tell him this clearly.

“Senior, you’re also absolutely a complete Lunatic.”

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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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