NOVEL NEXT Chapter 51
Time flew quickly to the end of May.
As “Tonight’s Song of the Supernova” gently echoes throughout South Korea.
The Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival was ramping up its massive promotional efforts.
“‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival opens mid-June! Who will be the star of this year’s awards?!’”
“‘With a dazzling lineup of judges, will they find the talent they’re looking for?’”
To ensure the week-long festival unfolds successfully,
articles highlighted how many works were submitted and how fierce the competition was.
With so many remarkable pieces, would you not come to see them? They put it that way.
However, the actual focal point of people’s interest was elsewhere.
“Kim Donghu is really coming! I just checked the website, and his name is there!”
“No way, this can’t be real; it’s truly on the official Mise-en-scène site!”
“Wow, this dude… shot Hydream and is here? What a journey!”
“Must be some art-crazy thing; isn’t it wild? He’s only 15!”
“Please, just focus on living your own life!”
And just like that, news broke that Kim Donghu would be attending the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival.
During a time when he was riding high on his popularity,
the update about Kim Donghu’s appearance spread like wildfire.
“Hey, Seong-deok! You little sneak! Did you really film with actor Kim Donghu?!”
“Uh, uh… y-yeah, that’s how it happened.”
Thanks to that, director Lee Seong-deok found himself overwhelmed by the attention.
Of course, he felt fortunate that a short film was attracting such interest.
“I’m feeling like I’m about to faint from all this pressure.”
Born as a type A, this kind of attention felt heavy for Seong-deok.
“Still, all of this must be thanks to the grace of actor Kim Donghu.”
Fully turned into a fan of Kim Donghu, Seong-deok graciously accepted the surrounding buzz and responded to everyone.
“Wow, how did you end up shooting with him? Seriously, how did that connection happen?”
“It was just luck. Their agency reached out to us first…”
“Oh really? Can I hitch a ride on that connection later?”
“Huh?”
While they were chatting, Seong-deok’s gaze was drawn by someone’s words.
He spotted a senior from college who was two years older.
Couldn’t recall the name, but the first impression wasn’t great.
“Hey, if you’re interested in short films, huh? I want some of that luck too. You came this far because of that handsome face, right? I could use that face magic…”
“Senior, don’t cross the line.”
“What? What did you just say?”
The light-hearted atmosphere immediately soured.
But Seong-deok was unfazed and continued to speak.
“Don’t cross the line, okay? Do you really want to be ugly and jealous of a kid? Get a grip on your life.”
“Hey, say that again! Hey!”
Jealousy, it seems, knows no bounds.
Done.
So I was going to let it slide, but…
“I can tolerate criticism about myself, but I can’t stand insults towards Kim Donghu!”
Lee Seong-deok, fueled with anger, unleashed his words like a machine gun.
“At your age, you can’t even get a decent movie rolled out, still hanging around school after two graduation postponements. Maybe you should get your act together first. What do you think?”
Want me to repeat that?
The shock of a stuttering kid suddenly speaking clearly.
Boom! Lee Seong-deok detonated words like a bomb and swiftly turned to leave.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
My heart raced, hands and feet trembling.
How many years had it been since I spoke like this?
I can’t quite remember the details, but one thing’s for sure.
“I will protect Kim Donghu!”
I’ve said all I needed to.
+++++
Meanwhile.
“You want a day off?”
“Yes, can I?”
“Nope, not happening. I understand you want a break, but we’re too busy.”
And Raerin, you’re the leader, the center. If you show this kind of attitude, the others will be influenced.
At the producer’s resolute words, Ryu Jaerin’s shoulders slumped.
I knew it wouldn’t be allowed, but hearing it for real hit my mood like a ton of bricks.
“Keep in mind you’ve already been given some leeway. The reason I trust you’ll do better than before is just that.”
At the producer’s next words, Ryu Jaerin flinched.
‘You knew about my phone, huh?’
I thought I hid it well, but did it show?
‘Without this, I can’t contact Donghu.’
Just staying in touch occasionally isn’t enough; I wanted to go to the Mise-en-scène Film Festival.
The producer, glancing down at the dejected Ryu Jaerin with a smirk, slyly dangled a carrot.
“Oh, wasn’t there a Brilliant School Uniform event coming up?”
“Y-yeah?”
“No, I just thought if you perform well, you could go out.”
To match the event schedule, I’d probably have to pass this month’s evaluation test, right?
After saying that, the producer stood up first from the personal interview room.
“What’s the use of telling you not to date at your age? They wouldn’t understand anyway.”
It’s best if they realize things on their own.
At the same time.
In a similar fate, another girl faced a different outcome.
“R-really?! Mom, are you serious?!”
“Of course, why would I lie about something like this?”
“You’re a judge at the Mise-en-scène short film festival? Why didn’t you tell me until now?”
“Because I thought you’d react like this.”
“Oh, Moooother!”
That was Kim Sujin’s case.
“I figured since the genres being evaluated were different, it wasn’t necessary to mention it.”
“Of course, you should’ve said it! That’d be the perfect excuse to go!”
“Can’t I just go watch if it’s not for me?”
“That would look like I’m just going to see Donghu!”
I think my daughter feels shy in strange places.
Kim Yu-ryun chuckled softly as she saw her daughter’s face turn beet red.
Is it okay for her to just think that way?
‘My daughter must not know much about love since she’s never been anyone’s first love.’
Or maybe she knows it better than anyone else, and that’s why.
She’s had a crush on Kim Donghu since she was five.
It was the kind of love that could be described as passionate.
And then that moment came.
“Hmm? Is our son-in-law coming to the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival? Haha, should I go watch it too? Maybe take a picture with my son-in-law?”
The oblivious dad, Kim Gi-cheol, interrupted, blundering in.
“Don’t put pressure on Donghu, Dad. Seriously, don’t come.”
“…”
His daughter’s cold words hurt him, and he collapsed right there.
+++++
Finally, the first day of the Mise-en-scène Film Festival arrived.
Countless reporters were gathered, cameras in hand, ready to snap pictures of the celebrities on the photo wall.
Their goal wasn’t just to capture various stars.
‘Definitely Kim Donghu.’
‘Kim Donghu at the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival.’
‘When will Kim Donghu appear? Is he coming out last?’
The priority was to photograph Kim Donghu.
Now that it was confirmed he would be at the festival, they had to write articles featuring him to boost clicks.
Click clack click!
As they recorded interviews and snapped photos of the celebrities at the photo wall…
“Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Kim Donghu.”
“Oh, hello! I’m director Lee, Lee, Lee Seong-deok, from the film Hero.”
The moment reporters had been waiting for finally arrived; Kim Donghu stood in front of the photo wall.
‘What’s with this uniform? It looks like a suit.’
‘He showed up looking like a student, which is nice, but is this all part of the strategy?’
‘So he’s announcing to the world he’s a brilliant school uniform model, and it really suits him well.’
In a getup that was just right for his age, Kim Donghu appeared in his school uniform, and flashes exploded around him.
Then came the interview.
“Can you tell us what inspired you to shoot this short film?”
“I really wanted to star in it because the screenplay by director Lee Seong-deok was excellent.”
“Can we interpret that as you being confident about winning an award?”
“To add credence to that interpretation, please definitely watch Hero. Thank you.”
Hahaha.
With that unique, cheeky way of speaking, the atmosphere on the photo wall lightened instantly.
“Now, let’s ask director Lee Seong-deok. How would you summarize Hero in a few words?”
Gulp!
The sound of someone swallowing could be heard over the camera shutters.
Just how tense was he? It was worrying.
Amidst their concern, director Lee Seong-deok struggled to articulate his thoughts.
“Well, um, perhaps it’s about wanting to truly realize the hero we’ve all dreamed about at least once.”
“A hero we’ve dreamed of?”
“Is he a hero?”
“Yes, yes… a hero who defeats villains and always upholds justice. I wanted to explore the hero before society built its boundaries.”
As he continued, he stammered less.
The reporters thought to themselves that they absolutely had to see the hero.
How could they not watch a movie with the super handsome Kim Donghu in it for 40 minutes all by himself?
+++++
“Ugh… I’m late, I’m late!”
Kim Sujin ran towards the cinema, checking her appearance in a hand mirror every few seconds.
Turning off her alarm to get a deep sleep was the root of her troubles.
‘If I had known this would happen, I should’ve just gone with Mom when she said she was going!’
She had wanted to surprise her mom this time too,
So she planned to go separately but ended up oversleeping.
If only she had gone together, they would have been chatting by now.
‘For now, let’s just watch the movie first.’
As it was the first day, the theater was packed.
The screening of [Hero] featuring Kim Donghu was fully booked.
‘Oh, there’s just one corner seat left.’
Sujin darted to the vacant seat, catching her breath and focusing on the screen.
And right at that moment.
Vroom vroom.
The lights went out.
Sizzle sizzle.
With a brief noise, a black-and-white screen came into view.
The first thing shown was…
‘Whoa, did they really zoom in that close on his face?’
It was a close-up shot of Kim Donghu’s face.
Then came the narration:
“I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to brutally kill the villains and emerge victorious— a hero like that.”
Kim Donghu’s narration added life to the black-and-white screen.
The audience, including Sujin, thought,
‘Is that really what a hero looks like?’
Even though he was a jerk,
Could that brat who turned a thug into a bloody mess and chuckled wickedly while looking down really be called a hero?
Drip drip.
From how hard he was hitting,
The blood on his hands dropped to the floor.
“Why are you running away?”
With an expression of disbelief,
The ‘hero’ tilted his head.
‘…scary.’
The audience felt chills run down their spines.
And at the same time, they couldn’t take their eyes off the screen.
One singular presence embedded a warning in their minds.
Look at me clearly.
Keep watching your hero until the very end.
No one in the audience could refuse that warning.