The Genius Actor Who Lives Twice - Chapter 22

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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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Episode 22

After that, Choi Byeong-cheol didn’t speak unless he was acting on set.
Thanks to that, it became easier for me to match my rhythm with Lee Hyeon-jin and the other actors.
So when we gathered on set today to film, both Choi Byeong-cheol’s and my smartphones buzzed at the same time.

— Final Admission Results Announcement.
Please check the university’s admissions office website.

I clicked the link in the message and went to the site.

“Dae Ye Jong? That’s where I graduated from.”

Lee Hyeon-jin said to me from beside me.
He thought for a moment with a serious expression, then continued.

“University isn’t everything, Gi-jun. You’re already doing the acting well enough, and you can learn a lot on set too.”

He was probably saying this to lighten the burden—so I’d feel less depressed if I didn’t get in.
He was a good person.

“Did your entrance exam results come out?”

The makeup team leader, whom I’d gotten close with while doing makeup for other actors before, approached me with a bright smile.

“Yes. I need to check whether I passed or failed.”
“My son’s in elementary school—don’t call me sister. Call me auntie.”

While she and I were talking, Director Choi Il-hyeong came over.

“What’s everyone gathered here for?”
“Gi-jun’s entrance exam results came out today.”
“Really? We should all look at something like that together.”

Director Choi Il-hyeong called over the other staff members.

“Better yet, let’s connect it to the monitor and watch it.”
“Director Choi, that’s…”

Choi Byeong-cheol spoke, his expression darkening.
He looked like he was wondering what would happen if he didn’t get in.

“Who wants to check first—you, Gi-jun, or Byeong-cheol?”

I naturally took a step back.
Naturally, Choi Byeong-cheol ended up stepping forward.

“Oh, Byeong-cheol first? Okay.”

Choi Byeong-cheol was now in a situation he couldn’t back out of.
If he tried to excuse himself from watching because of the excited atmosphere, what would happen?
Director Choi Il-hyeong connected Choi Byeong-cheol’s phone to the monitor with a cable.
Choi Byeong-cheol’s smartphone screen appeared on the monitor too.

“Actors Yeon Gi-jun and Choi Byeong-cheol got their entrance exam results today.”
“Really? Where?”
“Dae Ye Jong.”
“Wow, I heard the competition rate there was record-breaking this time?”
“The competition ratio this time was what, a hundred ninety to one?”

Everyone on the Film Set crowded around us, eyes fixed on the monitor.

“We have to get this on camera.”

Even the cinematographer joined in, determined to capture the admission results for the Making Film.
I could have failed the exam, but I wasn’t particularly anxious about it.
The last time I’d applied, I’d registered for eight schools, but this time I’d only applied to Dae Ye Jong.
For one thing, I needed to save on application fees, and for another, I’d come to believe that going to university wasn’t strictly necessary.
If I didn’t go to university, I’d have fewer opportunities to build networks and skills, but I could still gain experience on a Film Set.
Still, it would be nice to get in.
Watching actors who’d graduated from Dae Ye Jong perform so brilliantly, it was clear the school had something special to offer.
Choi Byeong-cheol entered his Exam Number first, and the monitor screen changed.

-Searching for results.

Choi Byeong-cheol swallowed hard.

“Please let me in. Please.”

The moment the results appeared, Choi Byeong-cheol let out a sigh.

-Exam Number 28,175 is Reserve Number 5.

Reserve Number 5.
At any other school, that might have been close enough, but not at Dae Ye Jong.
Among the acting departments, Dae Ye Jong had the highest competition ratio.
Heuksuk University had a similar ratio to Dae Ye Jong.
But the two schools valued such different types of talent that getting accepted to both was extremely rare.
Watching Choi Byeong-cheol despair was a bit satisfying, but at the same time my own test results suddenly felt terrifying.

“Alright, next is Gi-jun.”

I handed my Smartphone to Director Choi Il-hyeong.
And when the results screen appeared, I squeezed my eyes shut.
I wouldn’t need to see the screen to know — the reactions around me would tell me everything.
Silence meant rejection. Cheers meant acceptance.

……

Wait?
There were no cheers.
Not even a single word of congratulation.
Uneasy, I opened my eyes slightly.
I’d been expecting the two characters ‘passed’.

-Exam Number 28,174 is…

And seeing the result, I exhaled sharply.
Because it wasn’t the two characters ‘passed’—it was four.

* * *

“Auntie, we need more rice!”

Right after filming, Director Choi Il-hyeong took a few staff members to a nearby Restaurant to console ourselves.

“Three orders of pork belly too!”

Between filming sessions, I’d gotten by on cup ramen and kimbap for breakfast and lunch.
The hungry staff devoured the meat with reckless enthusiasm.
While alcohol and grilled meat found their way into everyone’s mouths, I grilled meat in a kind of frenzied daze.

“Gi-jun, stop grilling and eat something yourself.”
“It’s fine. I’ve been eating while grilling. Please try some of this.”
“Wow, Gi-jun! This really is delicious!”

Director Choi Il-hyeong thrust his thumb up sharply.
Back in my days as an unknown actor—before the regression—when I had to do whatever it took just to survive, I’d worked for quite a long time at a meat restaurant.
Director Choi Il-hyeong placed three pieces of grilled meat, a spoonful of rice, some ssamjang and garlic onto a lettuce leaf, wrapped it, and popped it into my mouth.

“Mmm-mmph!”

I widened my eyes and nodded vigorously, smiling broadly.

“Want a drink too, Gi-jun?”

Director Choi Il-hyeong shook a bottle of soju and asked.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want one.
But filming came first.
This was the film shoot I’d dreamed of—there was no way I could afford to miss this opportunity.

“Thank you, but I think it might affect my performance on set.”

To maintain the best condition for filming, I’d decided to stay away from alcohol until we wrapped.
Once it was over, I could drink my fill.

“Whew, why does the soju taste so different tonight!”
“In some drama, they say when the soju tastes sweet, that day becomes unforgettable.”
“Oh! So you know that drama too, Gi-jun?”

Director Choi Il-hyeong threw back his drink in one shot.

“Director, if you don’t mind, I’ll pour you another.”

Seeing his glass empty, I respectfully poured for Director Choi Il-hyeong with both hands.

“Man, here I am getting a drink from someone with Second Place Admission to Dae Ye Jong!”
“Seriously, Gi-jun, I knew you could act, but Second Place? How’d that happen?”

When the assistant director spoke up from the side, Director Choi Il-hyeong slammed the table with his hand.

“That’s what I’m saying! Didn’t I tell you Gi-jun would be great at acting~”

He was clearly quite drunk.
I glanced around the table.
Everyone was talking about my Second Place Admission.

“What was the competition ratio?”
“About 190 to 1. Really incredible, right?”
“A ratio like that?”
“It’s impressive. Second place out of seven thousand applicants.”
“So you’re good at studying too?”
“Ha ha, thank you.”

With everyone talking like this, I understood why Byeong-cheol hadn’t shown up for the meal.
I’d had a feeling I might pass, but I never expected Second Place Admission.
The moment “Second Place Pass” flashed on the screen at the venue, everyone had been too shocked to say anything.
Shin Da-hye was supposed to be the Second Place admission, so did that mean she was pushed down to third?
Probably the top spot still goes to ‘that person’.
While I was thinking that, Lee Hyeon-jin spoke.

“So now you’re not just my junior in the industry, but my junior at university too?”
“Ha, well, I’ll work hard not to dishonor your reputation.”
“Call me brother.”

Lee Hyeon-jin placed three pieces of meat on my plate.

“That’s what I mean!”

Director Choi Il-hyeong shot up from his seat.

“The star of today’s toast is Yeon Gi-jun!”

How much had he drunk?
Director Choi Il-hyeong, his tongue completely loosened, pulled me to my feet.

“Before you even debuted, you got Second Place Admission to Dae Ye Jong — you absolutely have to say a few words about how you’re feeling.”

I hesitated for a moment, then picked up my water glass and spoke.

“Well, it feels incredibly fortunate, honestly. When I first started acting, I never imagined something like this would happen.”

Dae Ye Jong was a university I’d dreamed of attending back in my twenties.
And being here now, even as a supporting actor, working alongside brilliant directors, actors, and crew—
it all felt like a dream.

“I’m grateful to everyone here today. Without even one of you, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”
“Is this an awards speech?”

A staff member’s comment drew laughter from the group.
This atmosphere. It’s nice.
Once things settled down a bit, I continued.

“I think is going to do really well. It might even be the biggest hit of the second half of this year.”
“You’re probably the only one who’d say that.”

Director Choi Il-hyeong added wryly.
Seeing his self-deprecating smile, I helped him up.
He still has Cannes to go to later—he can’t be in this state.

“The film is called , but with Director Choi Il-hyeong as our captain, we’re bound for calm waters.”

I raised my water glass high.

“To the success of !”
“To success!”

* * *

Senior Inspector Han Seo-jin stepped through the front door.
For the past two months, he’d commanded the investigation unit for the X Drug distribution case day and night.
After setting the investigation’s direction and leading field operations, he’d arrested a key member of the organization.
Surprisingly, it turned out to be an actor who appeared on TV frequently.
Soon reporters would swarm the Police Station and all hell would break loose.
Before that happened, he planned to head to his Family Home for the first time in a while and get some proper rest before returning.
He wanted to see his youngest sister’s face and do some healing.

“I’m home. ……Is nobody here?”

But she was nowhere to be seen.
Normally, when he came home like this, she’d come greet him.
He stepped into his sister’s room and found her sitting at the computer.
She’d never touched a game when they were kids. Had she finally caught the bug?
Well, she’d been through enough these past three years retaking exams.
When Han Seo-jin made a sound, his sister finally turned around.

“…Ugh, oppa.”

His sister sat there, tears streaming down her face.
Han Seo-jin rushed over.

“What’s wrong? Why are you crying? What happened? Come on, calm down and tell me.”

His sister had always been timid and easily hurt, but he’d never seen her break down like this—not since middle school.
Han Seo-jin’s mind raced.
This was about the time Dae Ye Jong’s Early Admission results would come in.

“Is this about failing the university exam? It doesn’t matter, I’m telling you. What’s the point of university for an actor anyway?”
“No, that’s not it….”
“Then what is it? Did someone say something to you?”

His sister was crying too hard, so Han Seo-jin scanned her room.
Then he saw why she was crying.

Dae Ye Jong School of Performing Arts, Acting Department Acceptance Announcement.
Exam Number 28,172—

“I got in.”

Han Seo-jin practically leaped with joy at those words.

“Really? You really got accepted?”
“…Yes.”

Han Seo-hyeon nodded, wiping her tears away.
Han Seo-jin knew firsthand how hard his sister had worked these past three years.
Even when he’d gotten into the Police University himself, he hadn’t been this happy.
In one moment, all the fatigue from the past weeks drained away.
He’d buy her a few new outfits as a gift, and get her those old glasses replaced with a new pair. He’d figure out somewhere nice to take her for dinner.
He was considering options when his smartphone rang.
It was a call from the Police Station.

“Hello?”
-Yes, Captain Han Seo-jin? Do you have a moment?”

Han Seo-jin spoke while watching his sister search for her outer jacket.

“I can spare a few minutes. What’s this about?”
-I’m here at the Control Center helping with some records. I was going through documents from a few months back and found something I thought you’d want to know about.
“Are you talking about the drug trafficking case our team investigated?”
-No, that’s not it. There was an incident you handled a few months ago.
“Which one?”
-The man with the knife causing a disturbance. If I remember right, a call came in while you were out on patrol, and you responded directly….”
“Ah, yes. I remember.”

A few months back, some man had wielded a knife in an alley and threatened people.
A helmeted figure had subdued him.
Han Seo-jin had even tried tracking down CCTV footage to give them a commendation, but he’d never been able to identify who they were.
The alley where the incident occurred was an old residential neighborhood, and the installed security cameras were few and far between.
Only blurry footage remained.

—We’ve identified the person’s identity.

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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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