Superstar From Age 0

Hwang Do-yoon, who was getting ready to go out, turned around at the sound of the door opening and gasped.

“Why do you look like that?”

It was because Hwang Ji-yoon looked pale after staying up all night. Holding a laptop in one hand, he walked to the kitchen, drank a glass of water, and opened his mouth.

“Where are mom and dad?”

“They said they were going on a trip for two days starting today.”

“Oh… was that today? But isn't today Saturday? Where are you going?”

“There's a festival soon. I have to go check out the play.”

Oh. Right.

Hwang Ji-yoon, who looked a bit dazed as if he hadn't slept at all, nodded his head.

“Uh-huh.”

Hwang Do-yoon looked at Hwang Ji-yoon, who took out a sandwich from the fridge and went to the living room table, with a displeased eye. Hwang Ji-yoon put his laptop on the table and took a bite of the sandwich.

‘He always looks like that when he works…’

But he hadn't seen him like that since he finished all the script work during the summer vacation.

“Didn't you finish the script? Why are you working again?”

“…Sigh…”

What a sigh?

Hwang Do-yoon raised a question mark over his head as he saw Hwang Ji-yoon sighing deeply while looking out the living room window.

“…I didn't believe in something like a muse…”

His voice, which was speaking in the morning sunlight, was faint.

“…What are you talking about?”

Hwang Do-yoon looked at Hwang Ji-yoon with a dumbfounded expression.

***

“Wow. If the work I starred in was plagiarized, that would be really…”

“I know, right?”

The acting department was buzzing with the news that broke out yesterday, which almost involved the actor Lee Seo-jun in the incident.

“Seo-jun, you must have suffered a lot too.”

“I did.”

Everyone who came to watch the rehearsal of the play for today's festival said a word or two to Seo-jun as they passed by. Maybe because they were actors, they felt more empathy for Seo-jun, who was swept up in the incident, than the students of the film department, who were the parties involved.

Seo-jun scratched his cheek as he listened to the stories of his friends and seniors.

He felt a bit embarrassed because he didn't suffer at all thanks to his good agency and manager.

“Do-yoon, your brother must have had a hard time too.”

“Is he okay?”

Hwang Do-yoon, who came to check on the play, was the same.

There were also acting students who were caught up in the fight between Hwang Ji-yoon and Oh Seong-tae, so there was more detailed talk than elsewhere.

“He's fine. He's fine. Cocoa Entertainment handled it well, so he's working comfortably.”

“That's good to hear.”

“He must have been really stressed out…”

Hwang Do-yoon clenched his chin as he listened to the student council members’ talk.

He thought it would be better not to say that his brother, who had suffered so much, was so energetic that he refused to star in Seo-jun's work.

Seo-jun and Hwang Do-yoon's eyes met as they listened to the talk among the students, and they soon laughed.

The rehearsal continued.

As the actors on stage checked their movements again, seo-jun spoke to Hwang Do-yoon.

“Senior Do-yoon. How is senior Ji-yoon?”

“He's the same as usual. He's fine. He said he stayed up all night working on the script today.”

“Script work?”

Seo-jun's eyes widened.

“He said he came up with a better ending.”

“…Hmm. Really?”

Seo-jun's reaction was not very good. He seemed to be lost in thought.

Seeing him like that, hwang Do-yoon realized something.

***

Cocoa Entertainment.

Ahn Da Ho's office.

“I wanted to make a deep impression, but I didn't know it would be so effective that you would change the script. How well did you do?”

Seo-jun smiled bitterly at Ahn Da Ho's playful words.

“I'm grateful that you changed the script after seeing my acting, but I have to think again about the casting if the ending changes.”

He could accept the changes that didn't affect the flow of the work.

But the ending was something he had to think carefully about.

The ending determined the impression of the movie, and no matter how fun the beginning was, if the ending was ruined, the movie would never be seen again.

What if, in [Escape], they dropped a bomb on the hospital to stop the zombies? When all they had to do was spray the vaccine they had finally obtained with a sprinkler.

‘Maybe it would have been a mess.’

If they had killed off the main characters in such a futile way, the movie wouldn't have been popular enough to have events like theme parks or Halloween festivals.

That's why the ending was more important than any other part.

He didn't know what kind of revised version Hwang Ji-yoon would bring, but Seo-jun was a bit worried as he liked the content and ending of [Fire] now.

‘Jeffrey director was experienced, so he was fine…’

It was a similar situation to [Survivors].

But Jeffrey Rodex, the director, had a lot of experience and was able to make another cool ending, but he was a bit doubtful whether Hwang Ji-yoon, who was still a student, had that ability.

Ahn Da Ho nodded at Seo-jun's words.

“Well, that's right. You haven't signed the contract yet. Let's read the revised version as soon as it comes and think about it.”

“Yes.”

“It's not easy to choose the next work. Is it a disaster year?”

Seo-jun laughed at the sight of Ahn Da Ho searching for the zodiac sign of the year on his phone.

-Ya ya ya! Hwang Ji-yoon! Don't change that!

Hwang Ji-yoon dropped his phone far away at the loud voice coming from the other side of the phone.

What the hell…

“What? Why?”

-I told Seo-jun that you were changing the script…

“Why did you tell him that?!”

-You're going to send it to Seo-jun, right? Aren't you?

“That's right, but… I was going to think about it a little more and send it. What a nuisance.”

Hwang Ji-yoon took his hand off the laptop and leaned back on the sofa, sighing.

“So what are you saying?”

-Seo-jun chose the script that wasn't changed, right? If he doesn't like the changed ending, he won't star in it, will he?

As Hwang Jiyoon listened to Hwang Doyoon's story, her eyes slowly widened.

‘…That's right. Why did I think that the revised script would naturally appeal to actor Lee Seo-jun?’

Maybe it was because she knew how sincere Lee Seo-jun was about [Fire], even showing her his acting despite being rejected once.

She thought he would gladly accept the revised script, seeing how passionate he was as a great actor. She was a bit arrogant. Hwang Jiyoon banged her head on the table.

She was embarrassed. Really.

‘…Let me think.’

Lee Seo-jun liked the original script. She didn't know about the revised one.

Hwang Jiyoon bit her lip and looked at the laptop screen.

The characters in the script were vividly alive with colors. As expected, the most eye-catching one was the unknown painter.

“…But this is interesting…”

-It might be for you, but Seo-jun might think differently. So you should revise…

Hwang Doyoon's voice came through, but Hwang Jiyoon didn't hear it.

It had only been a day, but she couldn't think of any other unknown painter than Lee Seo-jun.

So Hwang Jiyoon didn't care about the pressure of box office, the interference of the script, or the attention of the people. She could overcome anything if she could get Lee Seo-jun, who would make her work shine more, to star in it.

But she didn't expect her work (the revised script) to be a problem.

‘What if Lee Seo-jun says no… Should I just film with the original script?’

But then she felt like she wouldn't be able to sleep every night. There was a better story here, but she had to film with an inferior script… She felt frustrated.

Lee Seo-jun or the work.

Hwang Jiyoon, who didn't want to lose either, touched her forehead.

“Why did I refuse…”

If she had signed the contract and gave him the revised script, there might have been some room for compromise.

-So? You're not going to change it?

Hwang Jiyoon lifted her head at Hwang Doyoon's voice. She saw the unknown painter's line on the laptop. She naturally imagined Lee Seo-jun saying that line.

She couldn't imagine any other unknown painter than Lee Seo-jun, nor any other script than the revised one.

“…No. This is better. I’ll film with the revised script.”

-…What if Seo-jun doesn't do it?

“I can't… help it.”

-Ah, you’re so stubborn.

Hwang Doyoon's sigh came from the other side of the phone. She said it lightly, but Hwang Jiyoon's hand was nervously tapping the table.

‘As much as Lee Seo-jun showed his sincerity…’

It was her turn to show her sincerity.

Hwang Jiyoon typed on the laptop keyboard, recalling Seo-jun's acting.

***

And a week passed.

Hwang Jiyoon, sitting on the sofa, shook her legs.

She had just sent the revised script to Cocoa Entertainment. Now all she had to do was wait for Lee Seo-jun to read [Fire (revised)] and answer.

She kept looking at the clock, wondering why time was not passing. She wished Hwang Doyoon, who was nagging, was here, but the student council president was still working at school for the festival that was coming next week.

♪

Then the phone rang.

She gasped and quickly picked up the phone.

[Kim Seoyeon]

Her tense shoulders relaxed. Hwang Jiyoon let out a small sigh and answered the phone.

“Hello…”

-What did the actor say?

Kim Seoyeon, who would be the assistant director of [Fire], got straight to the point.

-You know we have a lot to do, right? We have to gather the music team, the art team, the costume team, the filming team, and the actors. We have to apply for the filming equipment, too. You know you wasted a week by revising the script, right? So what did the actor say? Yes or no?

“I just sent the script…”

-Sigh, really?

Kim Seoyeon, who had to coordinate the filming schedule as much as the director Hwang Jiyoon, sighed.

-How good is his acting that you had to revise the script?

“Really. He's amazing. I can't think of any other actor than him now.”

-What if he says no?

Hwang Jiyoon chuckled.

She remembered how she had replied ‘I'm sorry, but I refuse.’

a while ago. She was such a fool.

Hwang Jiyoon, who had given up, said.

“I can't film it, then.”

-…Okay. It's your work, so do as you please. I've gathered the filming team for now. Park sunbae agreed to take care of the camera…

As Kim Seoyeon continued, hwang Jiyoon scratched her cheek. She meant it, but Kim Seoyeon seemed to take it as a joke.

While Hwang Jiyoon and Kim Seoyeon were talking about the upcoming meeting schedule on the phone, a message arrived.

Hwang Jiyoon saw the message and covered her mouth. She felt like she was going to scream without knowing. She took a few breaths and called Kim Seoyeon on the other side of the phone.

“…Seoyeon.”

-We’ll post the notice on the school bulletin board and… Huh?

“Do you have time tomorrow?”

-I have plenty of time.

“Then come with me to meet the actor. He said he’ll star in our movie! Let's write a contract!”

-Really? That's good. But is that something to be so happy about?

Hearing Hwang Jiyoon's cheering voice, Kim Seoyeon suddenly thought that Hwang Jiyoon's words ‘I can't film without this actor.’

were sincere.

***

The next day.

“…Where is this?”

“Cocoa Entertainment's new building!”

“…What?”

Kim Seoyeon, who followed Hwang Jiyoon, blinked her eyes at the building in front of her.

She thought they would meet the actor who would star in their movie at a cafe or a theater, but it was Cocoa Entertainment.

“…Oh. Cocoa Entertainment got new actors.”

There was an article last week and it was quite a buzz.

It was Cocoa Entertainment where that Lee Seo-jun actor was. And they had new actors for the first time in over 10 years.

People speculated about who they signed with, how good their acting was, and what their future activities would be. Not only the entertainment industry, but also the general public who were interested.

-There are rookies and unknowns. What's the criteria?

=22 I'm curious about the criteria they chose.

=If they signed with Cocoa Entertainment, acting must be the basic!

=Yeah, I have some kind of trust.

-Will there be actors who go straight to Hollywood?

=Even if it's Cocoa Entertainment, that's impossible, right?

Kim Seoyeon, who received a visitor's pass at the lobby where posters of their affiliated celebrities were hung, recalled the comments she had seen a few days ago with a smirk.

-Who will be the first to debut?

=Maybe the first one will flop? LOL

“I hope we’re not the first…”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Her friend Hwang Jiyoon looked happy and excited as she put the visitor's pass around her neck. Kim Seoyeon sighed inwardly.

‘Well. It's an indie film, so it's okay if it flops.’

Or maybe it wouldn't even get any attention.

She decided to think comfortably and followed Hwang Jiyoon, who was moving along with the staff. They arrived at a meeting room on the first floor.

“Jiyoon. Have you been here before? You look familiar.”

“I talked to the actor team leader here because of the plagiarism issue.”

Oh.

That's how she met the actor.

“Who is the actor?”

“Well… He did a play once and appeared in a public service ad. You must have seen it. It was a big deal.”

“Really?”

A public service ad that was a big deal.

The only one she could think of was [One Step], but it couldn't be the actors there.

‘Then it must be another ad…’

Hwang Jiyoon's face was full of mischief as she saw Kim Seoyeon lost in thought.

“I don't remember any actor… What other works does he have?”

“None. But he's really good at acting.”

Well, for a college student's indie film, that level of actor seemed appropriate. Cocoa Entertainment wouldn't sign with an actor who couldn't act.

As they waited for a while, they heard a knock.

Hwang Jiyoon and Kim Seoyeon, who were having a brief meeting, looked up at the door.

The door opened and two people came in. They were the actor and the manager. Hwang Jiyoon smiled brightly and Kim Seoyeon opened her mouth wide.

The actor greeted them with a bright smile.

“Hello. I'm actor Na Jin.”

…What?

“Nice to meet you, actor Na Jin. I'm Hwang Jiyoon.”

…What?

“Please take good care of our actor Na Jin, director.”

…What?

Haha.

As they laughed and talked, Kim Seoyeon felt like Alice who had entered a strange land alone. She couldn't blink her eyes.

‘…That's Lee Seo-jun, right?’

Anyone could see that he was actor Lee Seo-jun.