NOVEL NEXT Chapter 58
After the news broke that Kim Donghu would appear in [Swordsman Baek Dong-su] through the drama,
public opinion surged once again.
ㄴSeriously, does this guy ever take a break?
ㄴ Drama – Ads – Short film – Commercial film – Drama, what a legendary sequence!
ㄴHe even has two action roles, one in a war setting, the other in a historical drama.
ㄴJust looking at how he wields a sword, it seems like he’s learned a thing or two?
The profession of an actor is quite mysterious.
If they appear too often, you get tired of them, but if they don’t appear enough, you start wanting more.
Depending on that balance, their market value is determined,
so it’s essential to maintain an appropriate level of appearance.
In that sense, Kim Donghu’s case is quite rare.
He appears frequently, but not for long.
You could say he comes in, makes an impact, and then disappears, right?
In reality, his presence was just that.
In Hi-Dream, he played a supporting role,
in the short film, he was literally a short presence,
and in Endless Frontline, he appeared for just 5 minutes.
Despite leaving a strong impression, his actual appearances were surprisingly few.
Perhaps it’s because he hasn’t accumulated much experience yet,
but ironically, that’s made Kim Donghu the strawberry on a strawberry cake.
He doesn’t appear in the boring parts,
just selectively showing up in the delicious bits before vanishing.
You could say he’s the cherry-picker of the drama world.
His role in [Swordsman Baek Dong-su] was no different.
He’d be someone’s child role and wouldn’t even appear half the time.
But…
Swish!
What was that just now?
Did he just cut the ties bundled in rice straw? But why is he cutting so well?
Turns out he didn’t gain fans in Hero for nothing; I guess he’s learned a bit?
How does a kid his age manage so much?
Through a one-take technique that erased any suspicion of editing,
people were once again surprised by Kim Donghu.
As time went on, it was a continuous cycle of astonishment.
During the much-anticipated rice bowl eating show with a million-view promise, suddenly there was a sponsorship for fresh rice, shocking everyone,
and shortly after, becoming the model for the fresh rice commercial, people couldn’t help but chuckle.
Furthermore,
“Sir, Boss! Boss! This is amazing, amazing!”
“…Keep your voice down. So, what’s the percentage?”
“W-Well, when Kim Donghu appeared in Swordsman Baek Dong-su, the highest viewership was 16%.”
“It’s time for us to reclaim the throne of Monday-Tuesday dramas.”
How infuriating it was when that cherry pie from next door bragged about hitting over 30%.
The SKS drama director calmly stated this while his subordinate bowed his head.
“Do everything you can for publicity, and let’s negotiate with the actors about any viewership promises we can make.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Keep monitoring public opinion and see if we can extract anything more regarding Kim Donghu.”
“Yep!”
Their intention to milk every bit out of the currently trending Kim Donghu was evident.
But there was no way I could avoid it.
Once I was out, it was a jackpot,
Not putting in the effort while the water’s rising would be downright foolish.
Amidst this hot topic,
Kim Donghu, who’s been the talk of the town, is currently,
“…I think I should take a break after the filming, right?”
“I was just about to say that! Thank goodness we’re on the same wavelength.”
I was already thinking about a break.
+++++
I was busy.
To sum up the current situation, that’s what it was.
At this very moment, both [Endless Frontline] and [Swordsman Baek Dong-su] are airing at the same time.
Up until then, my schedule had been a child’s play.
For the first time in my life, I felt the limits of my stamina.
Basically, the problem in this era was that there weren’t many promotional methods.
Because of that, things like viewership promises often required us to run around on set.
Not to mention school uniform events and new rice events.
I was really grateful and happy to be invited, but that didn’t change how tiring it was.
There were times I genuinely wished I had two bodies.
Suddenly, I missed the days spent with friends.
“I think it’s right to film and then take a break.”
I just declared my rest.
“I thought the same! It’s time to kick back now.”
My worth had risen as high as it could go.
I had built an image strong enough to be a surefire hit.
Now, all I needed was to play it cool.
I guess it was time to sit back and see how high my value could soar.
For an actor, this kind of strategy was essential.
“Oh, by the way, you don’t have any schedules at all until October, so you can rest easy, Donghu.”
“Wasn’t there a casting for filming?”
“Well, your career is going amazing right now! It’s already a guaranteed hit, and that’s why they just said you’re confirmed for the role.”
I didn’t know it could work out like that.
‘Nice.’
After deciding to take a break, it really felt like I had plenty of time to relax.
Seok-ho, sensing the opportunity, got busy adjusting schedules.
“So, you’re saying you’ll take it easy until before high school starts?”
“Yeah. I think that’s best.”
Unless it was related to future messages from [Sims – The Real Life],
There was no need for me to step out and participate more.
“You’re completely staying away from variety shows, right?”
“Yep.”
Most variety shows these days prioritize reality,
So if I made a slip-up, it would be game over.
Plus, it’s important to truly rest when taking a break.
“Oh, by the way, what if during the break someone contacts you about a story involving stars and moons?”
“Make sure to let me know for sure.”
Future messages could never be ignored, so I had to check them out.
“Alright, I’ll handle all the rest of the schedule, so just relax.”
“Thank you.”
The day after deciding on a break,
I became busy in another way.
He got busy in a different sense.
+++++
A martial artist resembling a white shark,
Baek Sang-ha was born with the destiny of martial arts.
In the era of romance, he cleared alleys with just a fist for peace.
Using that talent, he mastered various fighting styles.
He once dominated Asia with boxing,
and aimed for the UFC, but tragically fell short due to an injury.
However, his dream didn’t end there.
Baek Sang-ha immediately enlisted in a special forces unit and got deployed.
He encountered many people while experiencing numerous battlefields.
Surviving life-and-death situations, he honorably retired.
Using that experience, he set up a gym in a quiet town.
The reason, of course, was for a leisurely retirement, but
his real purpose was different.
‘Gem hunting.’
A saying always popping up in martial arts: beware of the child and the old man.
Just like that saying, Baek Sang-ha wanted to find a talented child.
And finally, here it is.
Swish!
Feeling the leather brush past his cheek,
Baek Sang-ha realized the genius he had been searching for was right in front of him.
‘I’ve been busy lately, so I thought my senses might have dulled.’
But taking a short break from training turned out to be a perfect rest.
Kim Donghu’s senses were sharper than ever,
no, even more refined.
One could almost liken it to an assassin’s.
‘The killing intent is extraordinary.’
Usually, when there’s such a clear intent to kill, it’s easier to deal with.
But Kim Donghu’s aura felt different.
All he seemed to feel was the thought of killing his opponent.
The gaze displayed when a predator is eyeing its prey.
While pondering that, Kim Donghu’s punch flew again.
‘The left fist is a decoy, the real attack comes from the right?’
Just as he concluded this and planned to lightly counter the left punch,
Swish.
Kim Donghu’s left foot stepped forward in a bold move.
‘Oh no!’
He had forgotten.
That Kim Donghu was a genius,
and,
‘Donghu primarily uses his left hand; he’s ambidextrous!’
Geniuses always operate on a different level of adaptability.
Thud.
Caught off guard by the suddenly changed move, he took a clean hit.
Even if it was a clean hit, it was still a light sparring match.
The problem lay in the skill levels of those sparring.
Thud!
It was a mere tap, but the sound was massive.
“Ugh!”
Only because he was Baek Sang-ha, the instructor, did it not hurt too much.
If it had been a spar between kids, they would have been knocked out immediately.
Baek Sang-ha rubbed his sore abdomen, struggling to continue speaking.
“Donghu… You know not to use those techniques unless in a tournament finals, right?”
“Yes, never use it elsewhere, right?”
“Exactly. You must never use it outside.”
“Never, ever use that.”
After saying that, Baek Sang-ha slowly took off his protective gear.
“Has it been two months since you said you’d rest? It’s already September.”
“Yeah, it feels like I haven’t really rested at all, but time seems to fly by.”
“Isn’t it because you’ve been playing so hard? I heard you went to an amusement park last time?”
“Yeah, even though I disguised myself, people recognized me. Maybe I’ll wear a mask next time.”
There are many ways to recognize you besides your face.
Baek Sang-ha said that while seriously looking Kim Donghu up and down.
Proportions and aura.
Even if his looks were hidden, the overall vibe was just Kim Donghu.
You could say his presence was completely different from ordinary people.
Just by the way he walked, you could tell, “Oh, that’s Kim Donghu.”
“When you become super famous, Donghu, we won’t be able to see you anymore.”
“When that time comes, you can be my bodyguard, Director.”
“Me? Hahaha, that would be fun.”
“Really? You said it!”
“…Are you serious?”
Hahaha.
Kim Donghu bowed his head without giving a definite answer and left the gym.
He had definitely been too busy having fun lately.
‘Maybe it’s time to focus back on my work.’
Right before entering a full-fledged break, the last work [Eclipse]
As he was about to get immersed in that as soon as he got home.
“Donghu, I need to talk to you for a second.”
Kim Donghu’s dad, Kim Jeong-ryeol, grabbed him.
And then immediately continued,
“Actually, I got pregnant quite a while ago. But I wanted to wait until the pregnancy stabilized to tell you. Now that everything is fine, I want to let you know.”
The straightforward announcement hit Kim Donghu’s head like a ton of bricks.
“Donghu, you’re going to be an older brother now.”
Fifteen-year-old Kim Donghu was going to have a baby sister.
+++++
After hearing the shocking news.
‘So that means there’s a 16-year age difference when she’s born?’
That’s a huge gap.
In shock, I grasped the script of [Eclipse].
What I needed to do now was quickly change my mood.
In other words.
‘Immersion.’
I was about to step into the script.
The first thing I saw was.
‘…Huh? Who are you?’
It was Su-Jin’s youthful face.
“My lord, how do you do?”
Why are you here?