Chapter: 09
The hunt was successful.
But the headache, chills, and cough that lasted 16 hours were worse than I had imagined.
I lay under a blanket in the eerie office, wearing a mask. Jung-sik hyung was at the one and only table, organizing business cards one by one as he spoke.
“You know, I figured it out the moment you unbuttoned three buttons. You were wandering around happily, and now you’ve caught a cold?”
“My nose isn’t runny. This isn’t a cold.”
For the cost of a wish that lasts 16 hours, I lay on the bare floor, gasping for breath. I had coughed so much my head was spinning.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You’ve got all the big ones. Oh? Here’s Seon-kyung. You got one here too, huh?”
“That… cough I got it at Jamsil Charlotte Walt.”
“Right. You got it from the person in the pink padding. I’ve never seen anyone from Seon-kyung Planning before. They’re doing well these days. They even went public.”
Went public, huh.
“If you bought stocks, sell them quickly.”
They’ll soon be worthless.
‘A classic scam production company that swallows investments and disappears.’
What’s worse is that the people who did such things continue living well. In the end, only the investors and shareholders lose out.
“Eek. That’s scary talk. Chanan, I don’t do stocks.”
Thank goodness.
“I tried before and got scolded by Ju-hee. I had to hold my hands up for three hours. It was just a hundred thousand won!”
“Three hours… that’s a bit much.”
“Right? My arms hurt so much.”
“Too short. Maybe three hundred hours would make sense.”
I always thought Ju-hee loved Jung-sik hyung way too much.
“Hey, isn’t that too much?”
“How much did the hundred thousand won end up being?”
“About thirty thousand won?”
“See, three hundred hours isn’t enough either.”
How much could you buy with seventy thousand won, yet you lose it on a sloppy investment? My whole body shivered as I shook my head.
“Your chills are because you’re such a cold-blooded human!”
A strange logic.
Well, even though Jung-sik hyung said that, he tossed me another blanket. I wrapped myself in it, but the shivering didn’t stop.
‘I thought it was nothing, but if this happens during filming, it’d be a disaster.’
<So now you realize. Chanan, you’re foolish. Regret your past of carelessly making wishes.>
‘I don’t regret it, fairy. Look, I got 22 business cards as the cost of being noticed.’
I looked up at Jung-sik hyung. The round-faced man hummed as he organized the cards.
He looked genuinely happy.
‘Headache, chills, cough… it’s almost sweet. Really, it’s nothing.’
The results were that good.
<Anyone would think you just quietly collected business cards.>
‘I did just quietly collect business cards.’
<Yesterday, you received fifteen vulgar propositions on the street, and were almost dragged away by strange people three times.>
I laughed brightly.
‘Beauty really is a disadvantage sometimes.’
<I could have been in big trouble!>
‘Well, that’s why I brought a guard.’
Honestly, I was prepared but still surprised. Who knew a pretty middle schooler could be this dangerous?
Jung-sik hyung placed the last card in the holder and said:
“I realized yesterday. Chanan, you really shouldn’t be left alone.”
“I’m not a newborn. I can manage.”
“No. I was really shocked. You could have been kidnapped.”
He smiled faintly and poked my cheek.
“That’s all because of your looks. Young, weak, and pretty—danger comes naturally.”
Then he lowered his finger from my cheek and stretched his hand out. I saw a palm that still had a lot of growing to do.
“But it’s only temporary. Once you grow taller, it should be fine, right?”
“Hopefully. But after yesterday, I thought, if our little Kong-al were a girl, I’d carry her everywhere.”
“Haha. That’s a good idea. This time, make sure to carry her around for a long time.”
Don’t die in the middle, you know. I need to see Ji-woo go to school in her uniform and graduate from college.
‘Carry Ji-woo around? She was strong.’
Jung-sik hyung’s daughter started weightlifting in elementary school.
‘The house was stacked with gold medals. Once a year she even caught a dangerous criminal. Well, bears are weak when they’re young.’
Even wild beasts need protection sometimes. I thought of the strongest Ji-woo in the arena and pulled the blanket up. The chills continued.
“But Chanan, let me ask just one thing.”
“cough You can ask two. What is it?”
Jung-sik hyung handed me barley tea he brewed himself. I lowered my mask and sipped carefully.
“Why do you want to act?”
What did he mean?
“Your looks could make you an idol. You’re young too. Isn’t that the trend these days?”
Ah.
“I can’t dance.”
“Really?”
“Yes. My joints snap like a wooden doll. Maybe with effort, I could be like a balloon figure.”
I realized I had misspoken immediately.
‘That was my old body.’
Maybe this body was different. I hadn’t tried, but there could be talent.
‘I didn’t think about it. Idol work isn’t completely impossible.’
But I shook my head within three seconds.
“No. Idol work is really not for me.”
I wanted to be an actor. Why, you ask…?
“Because you like acting?”
I was surprised even as I said it. I blinked.
‘Did I really like acting that much?’
Of course, I didn’t hate it. But I preferred the rewards over the work itself. Popularity and fame were more thrilling than acting.
‘I thought, as long as I go to Seoul, I’ll improve my acting.’
I didn’t even know if I had talent. I just got better by doing it. I kept doing it because I enjoyed it, even when it was hard.
Acting had always been fun, to the point that my past self wouldn’t have liked it.
‘So this time, I want to start because I genuinely enjoy acting.’
Huh.
I muttered without realizing it.
“Wow… I really like acting, huh?”
I laughed faintly, then coughed. Even while coughing uncontrollably, I couldn’t stop smiling.
I really liked it. Even waking up in another body, idols weren’t even on my mind.
I remembered the roles I had written in my notebook.
‘Fool, genius. Prince of a fallen kingdom, usurper and heir of a conglomerate. Con artist, thief, delinquent…’
I drank barley tea to catch my breath. The coughing subsided, but the smile remained.
‘I want to play all of those.’
All the roles I regretted not doing properly before.
I whispered softly.
“Hyung, I didn’t realize it before, but I sincerely want to be an actor.”
Jung-sik hyung looked at me carefully and nodded.
“I see. You really want to act. Got it. But you really don’t need acting classes?”
Classes, huh.
‘I wouldn’t know if I taught myself. What could they possibly teach me there?’
I smiled widely.
“It’s okay.”
“No, how can you say that’s okay? Chanan, acting is a skill. You can’t just learn it. You need to go to a proper academy.”
He had a point.
“But acting is also very personal. If you clumsily follow someone else’s method, you could get in trouble.”
Of course, fundamentals are always the same.
“But still, Chanan. I really want to help you grow. I know many academies.”
“If I feel the need, I’ll ask you.”
“Frustrating. You need to go to check your skills. Who knows where connections might lead you.”
Ah.
“Don’t worry. Just wait a week. I’ll get you a job.”
“What?”
“All you need to do is answer the phone if they call and say you’ll do it.”
He smiled brightly and coughed again. Jung-sik hyung blinked, surprised, but I pulled the blanket tighter.
After 16 hours, I’d leave.
‘To debut.’
I sipped the barley tea again. The warm feeling was pleasant.
How could I appear in the First Love music video?
‘It’d be great if actors were chosen through auditions.’
Unfortunately, even after scouring the actor communities, there were no casting calls from the production company Utopia.
‘Then there’s no choice.’
I’d have to go directly and catch the director’s eye. Luckily, I had information. Searching the actor community, I found Utopia’s location.
‘The first floor is a café. Perfect.’
I went straight to the café, sat in a spot clearly visible from the entrance, and opened a book. I slightly brushed over the visible title.
‘The Last Leaf.’
It was a calculated move. The first love in the First Love music video would appear reading this book.
‘Somewhat cliché, huh.’
First love reading The Last Leaf. Awkward because it’s the first time, pure love ending in the boy’s death.
Then the fairy whispered.
<Chanan, you’re reading books uncharacteristically.>
‘Fairy, I read quite often.’
<Oh, this body knows you. You won’t read a single word unless it’s acting-related.>
That was true.
‘But fairy, acting is about characters, and most characters come from words.’
So just by reading originals, my reading volume was substantial.
<So you only read novels. Fine. The Last Leaf is a masterpiece. Will you continue reading?>
‘No, this is another book.’
<What?>
I brushed the cover with a fresh smile. I had changed the cover yesterday. What I would read now was a famous original that would later become a drama. No production plans yet, but the audition announcement would come soon.
<Why do this!>
‘I don’t need to reread what I already know while waiting for hours.’
The last leaf content wasn’t even in the music video anyway.
<Tricky, huh.>
What’s with this?
‘Thanks for the compliment?’
<Not a compliment!>
I shrugged and pretended to focus on the book. Soon after, the iced tea I ordered arrived. A group in black padding entered.
‘That was quick.’
Even from afar, I could tell. They were the filming staff.
<How can you be sure?>
‘Their haggard faces are the proof, fairy. I’ve never seen staff looking healthy while working as an actor.’
It was evidence of a tough production environment.
The staff walked like zombies and ordered americanos.
Now.
‘Fairy, wish please. Make a gentle breeze.’
<Weird wish. The cost is losing your voice for 3 minutes, 3 seconds from now.>
‘Oh, that’s a light cost. Better than a fever.’
<Maybe.>
The sticker on my collarbone trembled slightly.
<Chanan, do not underestimate cause and effect.>
I nodded.
‘I’ll ignore it for now, fairy.’
‘Now. Fairy, wind.’
I wished it blew from front to back, but it went the opposite way. Still, it was fine.
I felt the staff’s gaze.
‘As expected.’
My plan was working.
‘Staff, keep watching.’
Soon they murmured quietly. Of course. The first love boy in First Love would appear exactly like this.
‘They must be surprised.’
Someone was bringing the scene I imagined to life.
‘Good.’
A thrill surged. Eyes stayed on me. I continued pretending to read, slightly parting my lips then closing them naturally.
I realized.
‘It’s nothing special, but with this face, no one could look away.’
Not just the staff, but everyone in the café was watching me.
‘I know that feeling well.’
You want to capture it on camera, right? To keep it somewhere forever?
