I Acted Once, and Now They Call Me a Genius - Chapter 47

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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 47

 

“What makes everything so easy for you? Huh? Why do you always give up so easily? Have you ever done anything properly? Have you ever seen anything through to the end? But what? It’s hard? Do you think you have the right to say something like that?”

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

“Ms. Kwon So-ri?”

 

“Ah, yes, yes?”

 

“Aren’t you going to act?”

 

“Oh… I, I am.”

 

Kwon So-ri stammered in confusion.

 

She couldn’t help it. Something unimaginable had happened.

 

‘I was overpowered?’

 

Yes. She was overpowered.

 

As soon as Seon-woo started acting, she felt the air in this place flowing around him in an instant.

 

She couldn’t understand it.

 

She had practiced this scene alone for a year. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this was the scene she was most confident about among all the acting she could do.

 

But she was overpowered?

 

By someone with only six months of acting experience?

 

And by acting he had only prepared for a few hours at that?

 

“…Let’s do it again.”

 

She couldn’t accept it.

 

Kwon So-ri bit her lip.

 

It must have just been a momentary mistake. Since Seon-woo had been on such an upward trajectory, she must have gotten scared prematurely.

 

There was no way she could have been overpowered.

 

“…I’m tired now, oppa. Watching you like this, living in this damn house… I’m sick of it all. So leave me alone. Please… just get lost.”

 

Kwon So-ri drew up her emotions once more.

 

Acting is ultimately a battle of momentum. As long as she didn’t lose momentum, she’d be fine. Then the time she had poured into studying this role would naturally overwhelm him.

 

…Yes, that’s how it should be.

 

“Don’t talk bullshit!”

 

Why… why am I being overwhelmed by just those words?

 

Kwon So-ri desperately maintained her immersion as she looked into Seon-woo’s eyes. They were blazing eyes. Eyes that seemed like they would break any heart that met them.

 

“What makes you think it’s so easy? Huh?”

 

Every time Seon-woo growled and spat out each word, the cheap neon pink light flickered and spread like lightning.

 

And each time, the spider webs that had been wrapped around Kwon So-ri’s body were torn apart, dismantled, and disappeared.

 

The only reason some spider webs still remained covering Kwon So-ri’s skin was because she desperately tried to maintain her immersion.

 

She couldn’t lose.

 

Kwon So-ri gritted her teeth and delivered her lines.

 

“Until the end? For me… every single day was the end.”

 

It was a line that showed Jun-hee’s despair.

 

And it was also the line that required the most careful handling. She had to fully express Jun-hee’s character, whose insides had been completely emptied, within this one short sentence.

 

But why was it?

 

Kwon So-ri felt like she could barely show even half of what she usually could.

 

It couldn’t be helped.

 

Seon-woo’s emotion was… too big and intense.

 

It was an absurd situation.

 

Rather than her, who was about to throw away her life, Seon-woo stood out more.

 

But it wasn’t only Seon-woo who was surprised by this.

 

‘…What?’

 

The fact that Kwon So-ri’s color kept dimming and fading wasn’t entirely her fault alone.

 

The color that Seon-woo was emitting had become much richer than before.

 

Why?

 

‘Is it because of… Mute?’

 

The first thing that came to mind was Mute.

 

When acting as Mute, Seon-woo had to portray Mute’s emotional line without a single line of dialogue and without any special physical acting.

 

Yet he boasted a presence that didn’t fall behind among those monsters like Hye-seong and Yeon-woo.

 

But now he could freely unleash both dialogue and movement.

 

‘It’s not even Sandbag Training…’

 

Seon-woo inwardly let out a hollow laugh.

 

Acting out how to express a character even in a constrained environment seemed to have become a kind of training in itself.

 

As a result, his emotions felt like they were bursting out more explosively than he had expected.

 

‘…Should I tone it down a bit?’

 

At this rate, it seemed like Kwon So-ri wouldn’t be able to act properly.

 

Even now, she was showing signs of not being able to fully handle his emotions.

 

But that was the moment.

 

Suddenly, Kwon So-ri’s voice snapping at him venomously came to mind.

 

—Why are you being so stubborn for no reason? Everyone’s suffering because of you!

 

‘…’

 

His mind changed.

 

For now, let’s give her a good scare.

 

* * *

 

Just get through this mission and it’s TOP 10.

 

And the TOP 10 were promised drama appearances.

 

Just get through this hurdle and they could show their faces on screen.

 

“I’m not even greedy for winning or anything. Just TOP 10… honestly, if I could just appear in a drama, I couldn’t ask for more.”

 

Everyone said that.

 

With trembling lips, anxiously rolling their eyes, along with rough breathing.

 

All of them looked on edge without exception.

 

But not everyone was like that.

 

“I’m hungry.”

 

“…Are your nerves really made of steel wire?”

 

“Aren’t you hungry, hyung?”

 

“Now that you mention it, I guess I am a bit hungry…”

 

Hye-seong looked at Jae-won as if he was beyond help.

 

The two had become teammates for this mission. Thanks to that, they were stuck together like this. And Hye-seong realized anew that Jae-won was truly a unique person.

 

“Aren’t you worried about TOP 10?”

 

Indeed, Jae-won hadn’t shown any signs of nervousness since appearing on this program.

 

The only time he had shown something resembling wariness was when he met strange team members and his score dropped… and even then, it didn’t feel like he was particularly anxious.

 

Jae-won answered with an indifferent expression.

 

“Well, if I’m meant to advance, I’ll advance. If I fall, then I was meant to fall.”

 

“If you fall, you’ll have to go back to construction work. Doesn’t that bother you at all?”

 

“Construction work isn’t bad either. You just do what you’re told, so it’s actually quite peaceful.”

 

“…You’re not exactly normal either.”

 

Hye-seong laughed.

 

Jae-won looked at Hye-seong and tilted his head.

 

“Actually, I don’t understand why someone with your skills is so nervous.”

 

“Being nervous is natural. If we do well this time… maybe our lives could change completely.”

 

“That’s true, I suppose.”

 

Jae-won nodded.

 

He understood. Actually, being nervous right now would be normal.

 

Nevertheless, the reason Jae-won acted so nonchalantly was… partly because he didn’t want to think about it more.

 

Thinking about it wouldn’t bring that opportunity any closer anyway.

 

Jae-won disliked complicated and difficult things.

 

He just wanted to think simply, you could say.

 

If he came here to act, then he should just act.

 

If he showed good acting, he’d stay; if he didn’t, he’d fall.

 

Wasn’t it that simple a story?

 

From that perspective,

 

“That guy is really amazing too. Don’t you think so, hyung?”

 

“Who? Ah…”

 

Hye-seong, who was turning his head, looked where Jae-won’s gaze was directed and nodded. It was Seon-woo.

 

‘…What a twisted combination.’

 

Whether it was coincidence or the production team’s scheme, he couldn’t tell.

 

But of all people, it had to be Kwon So-ri, who had tormented Si-on like that. Knowing well how much Seon-woo had cared for Si-on, it was quite a provocative combination.

 

But the reason Jae-won was looking at Seon-woo now wasn’t because of that combination.

 

In the first place, Jae-won couldn’t even remember who Kwon So-ri was.

 

Jae-won was looking at Seon-woo purely because of his acting.

 

—What makes you give up so easily? Huh? Why do you always give up so easily?

 

Listening to the voice that leaked out of the practice room, Jae-won pulled up the corner of his mouth.

 

“That guy Seon-woo… his skills seem to be improving at an insane rate.”

 

“…I’ve been more surprised lately too.”

 

Hye-seong looked at Seon-woo.

 

He was definitely good. His basic acting skills and delivery had grown tremendously to the point where he couldn’t remember what he was like when he first saw him.

 

Even though they were watching from outside the practice room, the emotional line of his acting was so intense they could feel it tingling…

 

‘Kwon So-ri, can she handle this? It doesn’t seem easy.’

 

Hye-seong looked at Kwon So-ri with a strange expression.

 

No matter how he looked at it, it wasn’t acting that Kwon So-ri could handle.

 

And Kwon So-ri’s thoughts were the same.

 

‘…I’m certain.’

 

Kwon So-ri gritted her teeth.

 

‘This oppa is definitely not 6 months into his career.’

 

At first, it was just a suspicion.

 

But the more she watched him act right in front of her like this, the more she felt it. This person’s career was definitely not 6 months. At the very least, he must have been practicing acting for several years.

 

Finally, Kwon So-ri couldn’t hold back anymore and opened her mouth.

 

“Oppa, be honest with me. You’re not really 6 months in, are you? I’ll be the only one who knows.”

 

“…I don’t think that’s something we should be talking about right now.”

 

“Aw, why not. Partners shouldn’t keep secrets from each other!”

 

“It really is 6 months.”

 

“Hmm… I don’t think so.”

 

Seon-woo looked at Kwon So-ri without any change in expression.

 

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

 

“….”

 

Kwon So-ri’s expression became strange.

 

If she said it wasn’t a compliment, it would mean she was picking a fight, but to say it was a compliment would also be annoying.

 

But Seon-woo didn’t particularly care about her.

 

Since becoming partners, this wasn’t the first or second time she had spouted such nonsense.

 

—Ah, oppa was roommates with Si-on?

 

—Why did that kid come out to a place like this when he’s not even ready yet…

 

—Am I going to get criticized? But I’m being honest. People should speak their minds.

 

When he heard those words, he didn’t even feel angry.

 

Should he say she wasn’t even worth getting angry at? The more time he spent with her, the more certain it became that she wasn’t worth dealing with.

 

‘How can someone’s thinking be limited to only this level?’

 

The more he talked with her, the more she made him sigh.

 

The problem was that this person was his acting partner.

 

If she at least acted well, he would worry less, but the problem was…

 

“Each day, each day is… *sob*”

 

Kwon So-ri’s acting wasn’t improving at all.

 

Actually, it was difficult to blame only Kwon So-ri. When she first showed her acting, Kwon So-ri wasn’t like this.

 

Kwon So-ri’s acting began to crumble like this after Seon-woo started acting.

 

In the end, it meant that Seon-woo had broken her down.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“…Just a moment. My throat seems a bit dry. Let’s take a break.”

 

“Yes.”

 

It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand.

 

Even he could feel that the momentum of his current acting was extraordinary. It felt like his weight class itself had gone up.

 

At first, thinking he would teach Kwon So-ri a lesson, he didn’t bother controlling his emotions.

 

But if his partner had been Yeon-woo or Min-hee instead of Kwon So-ri… they wouldn’t have crumbled like this.

 

Rather, they would have used Seon-woo’s strong emotional line to make this scene even richer.

 

‘What a shame.’

 

He suddenly remembered when he first acted with Do-young long ago.

 

Back then, Eun-seok had warned him. He said to be prepared because acting against Do-young wouldn’t be easy.

 

And indeed, Do-young’s emotions came rushing in like a tsunami… Seon-woo had experienced how difficult it was to withstand that.

 

Perhaps the current Seon-woo was in a similar position to Do-young back then.

 

Of course, he knew he still lacked much compared to Do-young, but at least to Kwon So-ri, it would appear that way.

 

‘…Should I help her a bit?’

 

Seon-woo’s heart softened a little.

 

Although his feelings toward Kwon So-ri weren’t good, they were partners creating a stage together right now anyway.

 

He thought it might be good to give her some coaching without hurting Kwon So-ri’s pride.

 

Just then, Kwon So-ri returned.

 

Seon-woo moved his lips, wondering how to bring up the topic. And that’s when it happened.

 

Kwon So-ri struck first.

 

“Oppa. I have something to say.”

 

“Yes? Ah. Please go ahead.”

 

“Can’t you tone down your acting a bit?”

 

“….”

 

…And she said something completely unexpected.

 

Seon-woo looked at Kwon So-ri with blank eyes. She was looking at him with her arms crossed and a displeased expression.

 

“What do you mean by tone it down?”

 

“Kill your emotions a bit. You’re putting too much force into your acting, so it’s too hard for me to work with you.”

 

“….”

 

Instead of answering, Seon-woo just stared at Kwon So-ri.

 

Beyond being angry… he was dumbfounded.

 

What did she mean by kill his emotions?

 

In the end, since she had no confidence in matching Seon-woo’s pace, wasn’t she telling Seon-woo to match hers instead?

 

She was asking him to regress along with her.

 

Seon-woo finally realized he had been making a tremendous mistake.

 

Try to lead her without hurting Kwon So-ri’s pride?

 

No, this person wasn’t someone who could be handled with such a naive attitude.

 

“That would be difficult.”

 

I just need to crush her completely.

 

“…Difficult?”

 

Kwon So-ri’s eyes widened as if she hadn’t expected to hear such words.

 

Seon-woo looked at Kwon So-ri with cold eyes.

 

“If this were an ordinary scene, I wouldn’t know, but it’s a scene where your younger sister dies. And you think it’s right to kill the emotion there? That doesn’t make sense.”

 

“I’m not saying to eliminate emotion, but to tone it down.”

 

“That’s exactly my point – when the emotion should be heightened even more, is it right to ask for it to be toned down?”

 

Seon-woo’s tone became sharp.

 

Confusion crossed Kwon So-ri’s expression. She hadn’t expected Seon-woo to come at her so sharply.

 

But Seon-woo had no intention of stopping here.

 

“Kwon So-ri, are you that lacking in confidence?”

 

“Hey, oppa! Aren’t your words too harsh?”

 

“Don’t you think the person being harshest to Kwon So-ri right now isn’t me, but yourself?”

 

“What do you mean by that!”

 

Kwon So-ri raised her voice angrily.

 

Seon-woo glared at her with cold eyes.

 

“The one who doesn’t believe in you right now isn’t me, it’s you yourself, So-ri.”

 

“What do you mean doesn’t believe…”

 

“If you believed in yourself, you wouldn’t have asked me to kill my emotion. You’re doing this because you don’t have confidence to heighten your own emotion.”

 

“That, that’s…”

 

Kwon So-ri’s eyes wavered.

 

Seon-woo looked at her and shot back coldly.

 

“Sorry, but even if So-ri gives up, I have no intention of giving up on So-ri. So…”

 

He wanted to tell her not to say such pathetic things anymore.

 

But there was no need to express it that far.

 

Seon-woo quietly looked into Kwon So-ri’s eyes.

 

“Don’t be scared. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

 

Perhaps even saying this much, she might not understand.

 

But surprisingly, Kwon So-ri obediently nodded her head. Seeing her earlobes turn red, it seemed she was also somewhat ashamed of herself.

 

“…Yes, oppa.”

 

Well, even if she hadn’t understood, it wouldn’t have mattered.

 

Because he had no intention of accommodating them any longer.

 

He had no intention of waiting for them to follow either.

 

He would have to drag them along.

 

Even if it meant grabbing them by the collar.

—————
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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