In This Life, I Want an Oscar, Not a Husband - Chapter 34

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

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This life, I choose The Oscars over a husband.
Chapter 34

After the customary pleasantries concluded, Je-gal Se-yeon launched into the main discussion.
“We’re submitting our film to the Busan International Film Festival.”
Everyone had anticipated this much.
“And we’re planning to submit to international film festivals as well.”
This too was expected.
I’d heard the response within the Film Academy had been positive.
But what we’d all been waiting for—
“Shining Pictures has agreed to distribute the film!”
“Wooooow!”
A wave of excitement erupted from the staff and cast.
“Wait, Director. You could’ve given us a heads-up in the group chat!”
“But then it wouldn’t be fun~!”
The distribution company was already decided, even before the festival results came in.
My heart raced with exhilaration.
I turned my head slightly to glance at Seo Kyung-bin, the actor sitting right beside me.
Seo Kyung-bin wore a rare, radiant smile.
“This is wonderful, isn’t it, senior?”
“Yes. It really is wond… derful….”
My words faltered again, but at least we managed to meet eyes and smile together.
That’s when it happened.
An unexpected statement tumbled from Je-gal Se-yeon’s lips.
“The theatrical release is set for six months from now.”
The release date is already set?
I thought it would take a year.
The festival awards haven’t even been confirmed yet.
Typically, for independent films like this, the release date was set only after the festival results were announced.
You needed phrases like “Winner of XX Film Festival” or “Selected for XX Film Festival” emblazoned on the poster.
“This is all thanks to Ha Eun-rae!”
Je-gal Se-yeon gestured toward me as she spoke.
Me?
I….
The moment I was about to ask “Why?” I understood.
Right. I’d shot back-to-back commercials, a music video, and a web short film.
“Dear Kim Ji-hyun” had now reached 5 million views.
Because it had gone viral overseas as a short, I heard the Cinematographer was even producing an English subtitle version.
The Channel’s subscriber count itself was approaching 100,000.

[Mr. Eunrae. I don’t know how to thank you ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ From now on, when I see you on set, I will carry Eun-rae on my back ㅠㅠㅠㅠ I will make sure Eun-rae’s feet do not touch the ground ㅠㅠㅠ Angels don’t walk on their feet]

Since it was a small Channel owned by the Cinematographer, I had originally planned not to accept any appearance fee, but he insisted on splitting the video revenue with Park Seo-woo and me.
I refused several times, but it seemed genuine, so I eventually accepted after his continued persuasion.
‘If I don’t take it, I’ll probably get criticized later anyway….’
Either way.
“The distributor said they want to distribute quickly because they trust actress Ha Eun-rae.”
“Ohhh-! Ha Eun-rae! Ha Eun-rae! Ha Eun-rae!”
The staff chanted my name.
Ha ha…. I really can’t get used to this small film atmosphere.
But there was something pleasant about feeling the collective rhythm of creating together.
Like an underdog narrative, it felt like we were all making this small film and navigating through a vast, boundless sea.
Unable to resist the cheers around me, I stood up and said something.
“I hope our film does well!”
Really, I hope our film does well.

* * *

After the rough cut screening ended.
I rented a small café connected to the movie theater and had a simple meal with delivered food.
The timing was awkward, so fortunately there was no alcohol involved.
‘I need to lose weight since the meeting is coming up soon.’
The character Park Chang-sung was looking for had to be lean, apparently.
I stared at the pizza and chicken spread before me like they were paintings I couldn’t touch, and shared steamed chicken breast with cabbage with Seo Kyung-bin.
“….”
“….”
This was incredibly awkward.
In this monastery-like atmosphere, I watched Seo Kyung-bin’s expression carefully before finally opening my mouth.
“Um….”
“Yes?”
Seo Kyung-bin even dropped the fork he was holding.
“Oh, are you alright?”
“Yes, yes.”
Seo Kyung-bin quickly picked up the fork and set it aside.
I thought we’d gotten a bit closer, but apparently not.
That’s when it happened.
“I, I’m quite clumsy….”
Seo Kyung-bin said something unexpected.
“You must have had a hard time filming the romance with me… and all….”
Oh, the voice was very quiet, but I could hear the sentence ending.
“I should have been more considerate… and we had to share the car too, so it must have been difficult….”
Was that the end of what he was saying?
I watched Seo Kyung-bin’s gaping mouth for a moment before slowly opening mine.
“No, not at all. It really helped me a lot, senior. Watching you act, I wanted to learn that kind of focus from you. I must have been lacking since I’m a newcomer, but every time, even when the camera wasn’t on you, you matched my acting and I’m grateful for that.”
This was sincere.
In fact, in scenes where we face each other, when only my face is captured, the other actor often takes a break.
But Seo Kyung-bin, even when it wasn’t his scene, would shout along with me, cry with me, and laugh with me so I could concentrate on my acting.
It was absurd that rumors had spread about me being rude because of people’s misunderstandings.
‘In this life, I’ll make sure to mention this in interviews so there’s not even a hint of such misunderstandings.’
“Th, that… th… yes…. Thank you….”
At my sincere greeting, Seo Kyung-bin’s face turned bright red as he lowered his head.
He seemed embarrassed.
The atmosphere was good, so I decided to bring up the story I’d prepared.
“Um, senior. You have volunteer schedules every week, right? Where do you go?”
At my question, Seo Kyung-bin’s eyes widened.
As if asking how I knew that.
How did I know?
In my past life, I saw it in an article that came out after the “Seo Kyung-bin character controversy” was overturned in one talk show episode.

[Seo Kyung-bin: 17 years of weekly volunteer work at the School for the Visually Impaired, a tradition of good deeds stretching back to his high school days.]

Anyway, those entertainment reporters have a supernatural talent for riding the wave of shifting public opinion.

* * *

“What did you bring today, oppa?”
“Pizza today! Enjoy!”
I think this is the first time I’ve seen Seo Kyung-bin speak without hesitation.
I came to the School for the Visually Impaired with Seo Kyung-bin.
He volunteered here every Wednesday.
His rapport with the students seemed excellent, and the way he navigated the administrative office and classrooms with such ease gave the impression of someone who had been volunteering for a very long time.
He said his main duties were cleaning, miscellaneous tasks, and assisting students with their lessons.
“Since we volunteers don’t have special education credentials, you can think of us as handling only supplementary duties.”
He even explained it well.
I realized that Seo Kyung-bin truly regarded this place as his second home.
“Normally we don’t accept one-month volunteers, but we made a special exception.”
That was right. I had agreed to volunteer here for about a month alongside Seo Kyung-bin.
Truth be told, it was called volunteering, but I had another purpose.
‘The role I’m playing in this Park Chang-sung film is a visually impaired person, after all.’
Of course, if I hadn’t felt a twinge of conscience, I wouldn’t have been human before being an actress.
But Park Chang-sung’s film was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
And as long as I worked hard enough, it would be fine!
That’s what I thought—
“A blue pen.”
“Yeah, here.”
“No, where is the blue pen located?”
I fumbled my way through the supplementary tasks the entire time.
“Ah… it’s at three o’clock. Sorry.”
The student who heard my response looked exasperated and shouted to the teacher.
“Ah, teacher! Please change my assistant teacher!”
…Damn it.
I was on the verge of being fired after just one day of volunteering.
Seo A-reum, my assigned student, grumbled and complained every time I tried to help her.
‘I’m doing my best, but….’
Sigh.
Wiping down the grill at a meat restaurant, the night convenience store, the ice cream shop—I had survived the legendary “Big Three” of part-time job hell, and now Ha Eun-rae’s pride was cracking.
“Hey now, the teacher might not be good at everything, but you shouldn’t talk like that to someone’s face!”
At the Special Education Teacher’s words, Seo A-reum pouted her lips.
“I don’t even know what this person’s face looks like.”
Seo A-reum said this while looking toward me.
The moment I saw her black pupils drifting aimlessly across the whites of her eyes, I found myself flinching without warning.
Even though I knew it shouldn’t be this way, there was something unsettling about facing someone who looked in my direction yet didn’t see me.

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

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