Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 123
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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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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 123
34. California’s Specialty?
-Gasp! Huff!
-Can’t go! I can’t go any further!
Inside two small monitors.
Matthew Payton strokes his chin.
“As expected….”
“It’s definitely different.”
Left and right.
The texture of the smoke is different.
There’s a clear difference.
The whitish smoke brushing past the actors’ faces, wrapping around their bodies before drifting away.
It looks like there’s a real fire.
It looks like they’re really running away.
Perhaps because of this, the actors’ expressions, breathing, and voice projection were coming alive more vividly.
Thanks to the realistic smoke, the actors could imagine the flames beyond the green screen more believably.
“This… we’re saving a tremendous amount of money.”
Matthew Payton nods at Nelson’s words.
Usually it’s difficult to maintain the initial tension until the end.
For actors and directors alike.
Because they become accustomed to the situation.
That’s why more NGs occur toward the latter half, leading to continuous reshoots.
But with Johann’s realistic smoke being introduced at the right timing, that process disappeared.
Even the extras could maintain their initial tension throughout.
“How is it?”
“I have no complaints.”
Running from flames, falling down.
Punching each other when opinions don’t match.
All those actions feel realistically authentic.
“If someone says they’re not satisfied after seeing such passionate acting, well… that guy would be crazy.”
Crazy about money. Or a lunatic action director trying to climb above the director’s head.
An action director is an action director through and through.
They shouldn’t dare express dissatisfaction with the director’s directing.
“That’s unlikely. Such opinions coming together make for better works.”
“You’re saying things you don’t mean.”
Nelson, who knows the director breed well, snorts.
“So is this the end?”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
It was time to understand why Nelson is called Hollywood’s top action director.
“It was an honor for me to work with such an excellent director too.”
The two smiled and clasped each other’s hands.
Thump thump thump!
“Manager, aren’t you coming out?!”
“Haha! Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
The Manager couldn’t miss the wrap party celebrating the end of filming.
Matthew and Nelson, having turned off the computer, left the trailer.
“Pour!”
“Drink-!”
“Go, Go, Go!”
“Waaaah!”
After a month and a half, including studio filming, a total of 45 days of filming during which everyone lived with restraint, all their reins are released.
Actors and staff, not excluding a single person, pour down beer and whiskey.
Thud!
“Kids should just drink beverages.”
“Right! You’re still young, Johann!”
Too much.
“You all probably did it at my age….”
The typical age when Americans encounter alcohol is around 11 years old.
Wild parties held at home when parents are away.
Worried about getting caught by police, they mix whiskey, vodka, or tequila with cola or Powerade.
‘And they kiss too.’
Most have their first kiss or one-night kiss at this time, and even go beyond that.
Those same people are blocking him now.
‘I just wanted to taste it!’
Alcohol that he’s tasted many times through Absorption Reading, but never actually drank.
He wasn’t pleased.
“Uhahahaha!”
“Go comfort the lady next to you, you playboy!”
Johann looks at Mackenzie Foy who’s tightly gripping his forearm.
“Waaah!”
Mackenzie Foy, who burst into tears as soon as Matthew Payton announced the end of filming and is still crying.
She didn’t cry continuously, but intermittently choked up and burst into tears.
“Are you that sad?”
“Aren’t you, Johann?”
After today passes, he won’t be able to see most of the people here.
People who laughed together, cried together.
Sometimes shared candy and snacks together.
“I’m sad too.”
Sad and regretful.
It’s disappointing to have to end it like this.
Did I act well?
Couldn’t I have done better?
What if I had done this at that time?
All sorts of thoughts swirl around.
‘This is that emotion Mark talked about.’
If he had known it would be this big and varied, he should have prepared more.
Johann’s lips crumple.
“See! Do you know what’s the saddest part of all?”
“What?”
“It’s….”
Mackenzie Foy’s face turns bright red.
“It’s…!”
Whiiiik! Clap clap clap clap clap!
“Eek?!”
At the sudden cheering, I turn my head to see Matthew Payton approaching.
“Our king graces us with his presence!”
“Kneel and bow your heads in worship!”
“Oh, my lord!”
“Puhahahaha!”
Matthew waves his hand arrogantly, not seeming to mind it.
The laughter grew even louder.
“Let’s go.”
“…Yeah.”
People gathering around Matthew Payton and Nelson.
Matthew Payton makes eye contact with each person one by one.
Each and every one of them are people he’s grateful for.
Among them, the most grateful would probably be Johann.
‘I never knew he would act this well.’
A movie made after seeing the mural Johann painted 4 years ago.
That’s why for him, one of the protagonists had to be Johann no matter what.
Honestly, it was a gamble.
He knew from Grey’s Anatomy that his acting ability was extraordinary, but that was his only filmography.
But he was wrong.
Johann, who fulfilled any request, no, exceeded expectations.
Thanks to him, they could film scenes even more wonderful than imagined.
‘Thank you.’
‘Don’t mention it.’
That’s what he wants to say.
The thirst he felt when finishing all his acting in Grey’s Anatomy, the thirst to act longer, was not just satisfied but exceeded—he was able to see one story through to the end together.
He was able to savor the food called acting until the very end.
It was an incredible experience.
That’s why thirst arises again.
‘I want to act in more works, more characters.’
A thirst that somehow seems like it will never be satisfied.
Johann clenches his fist and swallows his dry saliva.
‘You’re getting greedy.’
For acting.
For works.
It’s a good phenomenon.
‘I need to get busy too.’
How could he let such an actor slip away.
Matthew Payton twists his lips and looks at the people again.
“Everyone worked hard following this pathetic person around. Thanks to you, we were able to film a good work. Although after today passes, most of us will be hard to meet again…”
“Boo!”
“Too long!”
“Haha. Right, let’s meet again on set! Now, everyone raise your glasses!”
“Raise your glasses!”
“For the success of ‘Fire Always Targets Us’!”
“For success!”
“Cheers!”
Clatter clatter clatter!
Plastic cups clashing in mid-air.
“Kya!”
“Kya!”
And so everything came to an end.
* * *
Meow!
I open my eyes with a start to see golden eyes staring at me.
A small body the size of two fists, abundant black fur.
“Planet Destroyer?”
It’s not the black panther cub.
The black panther cub that safely finished surgery and was sent to the wildlife sanctuary.
You might say the place you leave shows more than the place you enter.
Ada, who missed the black panther cub she hadn’t even named, adopted a black Persian cat one day and gave it the terrible name Planet Destroyer.
A naming sense no one could have expected.
After that, Planet Destroyer became family.
“…Someone must have opened the door.”
Planet Destroyer is so smart that if Larry and Ada are later than their usual wake-up time, it sits in front of the door meowing.
Then one of the employees opens the door.
“Phew. What time is it?”
Johann, who checked the time while petting Planet Destroyer’s head, is startled.
“Seven thirty?”
What could it be.
He woke up much later than his usual time.
“I went to bed early yesterday though…?”
Unless he works until late at night, Johann usually wakes up between 5:30 and 6:30.
Puzzled Johann hugs Planet Destroyer and heads to the restroom.
“Did you work late last night?”
“No. I just overslept.”
“You?”
Ada and Emily also look at Johann in surprise.
“How are your joints?”
“…Ah.”
Hearing Larry’s words, only then does it seem like all his joints are aching.
“Oh, are you going to grow taller again?”
“That would be fortunate.”
He thought something was suddenly wrong with his body.
“Ah, are you both late today?”
“Mm. Sorry. I can’t come in today.”
A business trip came up so he’ll be back the day after tomorrow.
“What about Ada?”
“I’m at eleven?”
There’s a lot to investigate because of the cases she’s handling this time.
“I see…?”
Johann furrows his brow.
“Why?”
“Nothing. Got it. Today too…”
“Pfft!”
Larry, Ada, and Emily all burst into laughter.
That’s when it happens.
Ba-ba-bang!
The sound of fireworks hitting his ears.
Startled, he turned his head to see employees and guards wearing party hats approaching with a huge cake.
“Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday to our beloved Johann-!”
“Happy birthday, Johann!”
“Happy birthday!”
“Ah….”
“What? Did you think we forgot your birthday?”
Johann shook his head at Larry and Ada’s mischievous expressions.
Already his fifth birthday here.
Since the day he came down from the forest became his birthday, Larry and Ada had never forgotten to celebrate it each year.
So he thought this time would be the same, but he had been confused because their reaction was different from what he expected.
But it wasn’t.
Everyone had been acting for this surprise.
The disappointment disappeared, and excitement and joy filled its place.
“Come on, you need to blow out the candles, Johann!”
“Ah, yes! Whooo!”
Clap clap clap clap clap!
“Happy birthday!”
“This is the gift I prepared!”
“We prepared something too!”
When Emily held out a gift box, Larry and Ada, along with the employees and guards, all presented their own prepared birthday gifts.
Though he received gifts every year, he was always moved by his family’s thoughtfulness each time he received them.
“Thank you all.”
Johann smiled brightly.
* * *
“So you’re really going on a business trip?”
After the employees and guards scattered with pieces of cake, only the four of them remained in the kitchen.
“Yes. Something came up in New York that I need to take care of.”
It was already January 2014.
Soon, New York Fashion Week, one of the world’s biggest fashion festivals, would be held.
He needed to go and coordinate things.
“Johann, you’re not interested, right?”
“I don’t want to be treated like a hobbit.”
All the models were over 6 feet tall.
He didn’t want to become a laughingstock by being squeezed between models who were more than 5 inches (about 12cm) taller than him.
At those words, Larry nodded as if there was no helping it.
“I’ll be back by 11 PM at the earliest too. As I mentioned earlier, the case I’m handling is quite troublesome.”
“Hmm. I see.”
“Why?”
“Well, if you weren’t busy today, I was thinking we could go pick out a car.”
He was finally 16.
Old enough to drive.
“Puhaha!”
“Huh?”
“Open the gift we gave you, Johann.”
“…Really?”
When Larry and Ada nodded, Johann hurriedly tore the wrapping paper off the gift box the two had given him.
Then….
“My goodness.”
A brilliantly shining smart key.
A triangular star – Mercedes-Benz.
When he looked at Larry, he pointed outside.
“It’s in the garage. Go check it out.”
“Thank you! I love you!”
“Ah! Let’s go together!”
Johann and Emily rushed to the garage, and Larry and Ada also got up to follow behind them.
Tap tap tap! Click!
As they opened the door and entered, lights turned on in the large garage.
In the place where normally only Larry and Ada’s vehicles should have been waiting, a brilliant silver SUV stood there.
“Mercedes M-Class….”
“Woow….”
Emily’s eyes sparkled too.
Johann pressed the unlock button on the smart key.
Beep beep!
“Wow!”
His heart trembled at the orange lights turning on in the taillights.
He moistened his dry lips with his tongue and grabbed the driver’s seat door handle.
“Huh?”
‘Heavy?’
The weight of the car door was heavy enough that even he could feel it with his strength.
“Originally we were thinking of getting a Chevrolet Suburban, but we chose Mercedes instead. Do you like it?”
“Very much.”
The smell of the new car and the steering wheel made his heart pound.
Finally, it was unlocked.
Freedom of movement.
Johann’s mind was already racing down the desert roads of Nevada.
Larry and Ada smiled warmly watching Johann stroke the steering wheel and touch the gear stick.
“But are car doors normally this thick?”
“It’s because it’s a bulletproof vehicle.”
“Huh? Ah.”
He understood what they meant.
Larry was the CEO of Rocky Management and a major shareholder of Instory and Quick Food. Moreover, in a few months, the movie Johann himself had filmed would be released. Since they never knew when or what kind of threat might come, they had made it a bulletproof vehicle.
“Are we being too excessive….”
“No. Thank you.”
He could deeply feel Larry and Ada’s concern.
How could he say their worry was uncomfortable?
“Is it okay that it’s not a sports car? Really?”
“I like SUVs.”
Honestly, he preferred sports cars.
The exhaust and engine sounds that heated up his heart.
The sleek body.
But he couldn’t say that here and now.
“Oh!”
The three shared warm glances.
“But while buying my car, did you also buy new cars for Larry and Ada?”
There were cars in the garage he hadn’t seen before.
Larry and Ada burst into laughter again.
“Check the glove box.”
“…No way!”
Shocked, he opens the glove box to find three more car keys.
“Mr. Edward, Mr. Kellner, and Mr. Thompson also wish you happy birthday.”
Beep beep! Beep beep! Beep beep!
The Hummer H2, Cadillac Escalade, and GMC Sierra flash their tail lights.
All vehicles focused on safety rather than speed.
“Wow….”
Johann’s eyes went blank.
“Celebrate roughly and get in. We need to go to school.”
“Got it!”
The spot where Larry and Ada had left.
Emily bites her lip as she watches Johann caressing the steering wheel.
‘His freedom of movement has been unleashed.’
Until now, Johann had been riding in cars driven by Rick Bottom, unable to go wherever he wanted.
But now it’s different.
‘He’ll fly away anywhere he wants.’
It’ll become hard to meet him from now on.
She clenched her fists tightly.
“Johann. Do you want to go for a drive? Today!”
“Hm?”
Johann tilted his head at her strangely heated gaze.
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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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