The Face Genius Actor

Episode 064

A few days before the fan signing event, the following post was uploaded to the Syrup fan cafe:

[Confirming Lee Si-joon’s Touching True Story]

I’m Syrup, who won the official fan club name submission!

It feels so strange to say I’m Syrup because the name I came up with became the official fan club name (Note: I am proud though).

Anyway, I originally didn’t want to come forward or brag about this, but I received something unexpectedly amazing, so I ended up writing this post.

When they announced the official fan club name submission, I honestly wasn’t interested. But Si-joon oppa’s cherished item as a prize? That changes things, right? And a gift certificate on top of that? I had to participate!

From that day, I tried brainstorming for the first time since learning it in school. Maybe it’s thanks to squeezing my brain until it felt hot, but I, Syrup, did it.

After hearing the news of winning, I became like a dog waiting for a package every day, lingering in front of the door. What could the unrevealed cherished item be? Hah… A hat? A hoodie? I thought it might be some kind of clothing. I’m not a pervert who wanted to have Si-joon oppa’s breath or scent or anything. It’s just that those things seemed generally safe.

(Photo)

And that cherished item was… a fountain pen.

God Si-joon, wall oppa. How can even his cherished item be so gorgeous?

Why a fountain pen, you ask? It’s because Si-joon oppa has been using this fountain pen to analyze scripts since he was an aspiring actor. Should I really receive this? I was so honored I felt bewildered.

To think it’s a fountain pen dripping with meaning and symbolism that Si-joon oppa has been using for so long.

But the more surprising fact is that this isn’t the end. A 300,000 won department store gift certificate? Yes, I was surprised by that too. But that was just my head being surprised. What made my world crumble and my heart flutter was for a different reason.

How did I find out that the fountain pen that arrived as a cherished item was used for script analysis? The answer is in this photo.

(Photo)

That’s right. It’s a handwritten letter. Even if it just said “Thank you… I’m sending you the fountain pen I often used for script analysis as a cherished item…” in Si-joon oppa’s handwriting, I would have fainted.

The content filled one whole page of the letter and went on to a second page? All I could do was scratch my head and cry… What else could I, Syrup, do?

And the handwriting was so neat and beautiful. So this is what a person who analyzes scripts with a fountain pen, a god, is like. After reading the whole letter, ah… so this is what it means for breath to stop. I could only think that what I just read wasn’t oppa’s letter but a waiver for my body.

Honestly, I pride myself on having been a fan of various things until now, but this is the first time I’ve received such a sincere letter. I wanted to keep this side of oppa to myself, but that wouldn’t be right as a human being.

Only I know this side of oppa? My stomach might burst from greed? I really want everyone to know that oppa is such a warm-hearted person who loves his fans (it might be a bit of bragging).

I used to complain a lot about Festa not creating Si-joon oppa’s official fan club quickly, but if this was their big picture, I won’t criticize anymore. Of course, from now on, Festa should work hard as Si-joon oppa’s foot washer. I’ll be watching.

(Photo)

I think many Syrups will be curious about the letter’s content, so I’ll leave a photo. I’ll delete it if there’s a problem!

[Comments]

└You really received a handwritten letter!?

└Wow, I wish I had known to try tooㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

└The handwritten letter is insane!! He really filled almost two pages!!

└I was dying waiting for Princess Cohabitation teaser photosㅜㅜ A handwritten letter is too happyㅜㅜㅜ

└Coming from being an idol fan, it felt like there wasn’t much content personally, but this is so movingbb

└Looking up Si-joon’s interviews, it was obvious he was a genuine person, but this puts the final stamp on it…

└I want to receive a handwritten letter!! I want to receive a fountain pen!! I’m confident I can spread the word well in my neighborhood too!!

└The Syrup idea was really good, I think you fully deserve the fountain pen and handwritten letter, but will you share?

└This is so niceㅠㅠ As a fellow Syrup, I think I’d lose my mind if I received something like this from Si-joonㅠㅠ

└The letter content is even better! I’m reading it for the 238th time now, and I feel like not a single sentence was written carelessly!

└I’ve read it 1,344 times and concluded that it’s true Si-joon oppa didn’t write a single sentence carelessly^^

└Someone who cried reading the middle part: “Thinking that the fan club name is called by a name given directly by fans makes me so happy and keeps the name lingering on my lips.”

└222222 I also really liked the part after that: “Did you receive the gift well? I’m writing this letter with that fountain pen now. I hope this item I cherished becomes a meaningful gift.” It seems he didn’t just give any random item from home like some celebrities

└We should prepare gifts for Si-joon well too, how did people chosen for the fan signing event decide?

└Ahㅠㅠㅠ I’m so jealousㅠㅠㅠ Why can’t I go to the fan signing event tooㅠㅠㅠㅠ

An extremely long, sincere review post.

The vivid and affectionate review was spreading rapidly.

And although no one knew what impact this response would have on the fan signing event…

* * *

The fan signing event was conducted through a lottery system.

They decided to select about 80 people from fan club members who wished to participate in the fan signing event.

There was a lot of deliberation about how to select 80 people, but a lottery system seemed better.

They considered doing it on a first-come, first-served basis.

But thinking about fans shivering in the cold, standing in line from dawn, made them uneasy.

Even with a lottery system, there would be some complaints, but it seemed better than first-come, first-served.

So, preparations for the fan signing event proceeded step by step.

The venue was Census Hapjeong branch.

Census, with whom I first formed a connection through “Arrest”, had seen a significant increase in sales after my recognition grew with “I Will Cast Love”.

Perhaps because of this, they contacted me first about the fan signing event news, saying they wanted to provide the venue.

It was natural that if I held a signing event at Census, it would promote Census products.

Census’s condition was to pay additional promotional fees on top of that.

There was no reason for Festa Entertainment to refuse.

‘I’m a model for Census anyway…’

So on the day of the fan signing event.

Arriving at Census Hapjeong branch, there was a banner with “Lee Si-joon Fan Signing Event” written along with the Census logo.

While it was quite an impressive design banner, well-prepared by Festa Entertainment, there wasn’t time to look at it for long.

Because from the moment they confirmed the car arriving, fans started cheering.

“Kyaaah!!”

“Oppaaa!!”

“Si-joooon!!”

Loud cheers that could hurt one’s ears.

Having done fan signing events before the regression, this wasn’t my first fan signing event.

But it was the first time I had heard such cheers.

It was that tremendous of a cheer.

‘Surprising.’

If you only consider the number of people, there were actually more fans gathered at the signing event before my regression than here at Census Hapjeong branch now.

Yet the cheers were incomparably louder.

I could feel it with my whole body.

Yeo Kyung-chan was also surprised, continuously uttering exclamations.

‘I guess that means the current fans are much more sincere and passionate about me.’

It was truly a joyous thing.

To think I had to stand in front of people who liked me this much.

As happy as I was, I felt nervous.

‘I shouldn’t disappoint them.’

As I was repeatedly clenching and unclenching my warm hands,

The voice of the staff member in charge of the fan signing event resonated loudly even inside the car.

“The fan signing event will start soon! Please sit in your seats in the order of the lottery!”

With that, the noisy scene started to settle down gradually.

It could have become more chaotic, but fortunately, the scene was well organized before any accidents could happen.

Yeo Kyung-chan, who was watching the scene beside me, asked,

“Shall we go now? Actor?”

“Yes, let’s. I’ll follow you.”

So the car door opened, and I came out a step behind Yeo Kyung-chan.

Simultaneously, as always, a moment of silence enveloped the venue.

The noise decreased sharply, but the temperature of the air was rising.

And like a balloon that had inflated and then burst, people’s voices suddenly erupted all at once.

“Wowww!”

“It’s Lee Si-joon!”

“Si-joon oppaaa!”

“He’s so handsome!”

“Take a picture! Take it now!”

Not only fans but quite a few reporters were also present at the scene.

It seemed to be thanks to the increased interest in “Let’s Live Together, Princess” after the production press conference.

I stood in place for a moment and waved towards the cameras with various purposes mixed in.

Flashes went off in succession.

And when I quietly smiled,

“Waaaaaah!”

Cheers loud enough to lift the Census store erupted.

It was just a small smile, but.

I was a bit surprised, but trying to appear calm, I continued fan service for the grateful fans.

I made a V-sign with my right hand, and made a finger heart with both hands.

The reporters wanted more diverse and intricate hand gestures than the fans.

After making a few more hand gestures, I was finally able to sit in the chair prepared on the platform.

It was the official start of the signing event.

* * *

“Oppa! I really, really like you so much. Oppa… I really… I’m really so happy right now… I really had something I wanted to say originally… How many times have I said ‘really’?”

“Only six times. You can say it more.”

“Uh… Oppa is really, really, really, really perfect.”

“Thank you really, really much.”

First, second, third…

Fortunately, the fan signing event progressed smoothly.

Seeing the happy faces of fans who came to meet me despite various hardships, my heart swelled up too.

It felt good to be able to do something for the fans.

And it was enjoyable in itself to communicate with fans, make eye contact, and have conversations.

However, apart from the smooth progress, I was feeling a bit troubled gradually.

I looked at the fans’ gifts piling up on one side of the desk.

Various gifts were piled up, including handwritten letters, flower bouquets, perfumes, candles, and various goods with me as a character.

I thought about not accepting gifts, but decided not to put such restrictions.

They would want to convey their feelings to me somehow.

‘But… What’s this….’

Is there a fan signing culture that I don’t know about?

‘Did they all buy this together or something?’

Even while signing for the next fan, I found myself glancing at where the gifts were piled up.

Along with their individual gifts, every fan was definitely handing over one common gift, and.

Thanks to this, the same gift boxes kept piling up.

“Si-joon. This is my small token of affection.”

“Ah.”

Again.

This time too, a mother fan who claimed she ‘gave birth to me in her heart’ handed over the same gift.

It was an item I knew well.

A fountain pen.

Fountain pens of the brand I had been using for a long time kept piling up on one side of the desk.

There was no end to it.