The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter: 25

―”I hope we get along well. It shouldn’t be too bad. It’s hard to find a manager as good as Jin-bae.”

‘What kind of personality does he have?’

―”He’s kind. He’s good at his job. In a word… he’s courteous?”

‘You didn’t say he was this courteous…’

Seeing Manager An Jin-bae bowing at a 90-degree angle, the conversation with Actor Lee Jung-hyun flashed faintly in my mind.

Without a moment to swallow my sigh, I quickly bowed, and Manager An Jin-bae, startled, bowed even deeper. Please, stop…

“Manager.”

“Yes! Actor.”

“Shall we move to a different spot first?”

Manager An Jin-bae finally seemed to notice the surrounding stares and quickly nodded.

His gentle eyes contrasted with his tough-looking short haircut.

After quickly greeting Noh Bi-hyuk, who was trying to hold back his laughter with a weird expression, I approached the car that Manager An Jin-bae had brought.

As I was about to open the passenger door, I heard a thudding sound from behind, and suddenly, a large hand appeared in front of me.

“…Thank you.”

“Not at all! Please get in carefully.”

As I somewhat reluctantly got into the car, Manager An Jin-bae kindly closed the door for me.

Is he always like this, or is he just nervous because it’s his first day? As I quietly fastened my seatbelt, various thoughts ran through my mind.

In the meantime, Manager An Jin-bae walked around the car and got into the driver’s seat.

“Actor, I heard you like rice cakes. Shall we go there?”

“Yes. And you can speak comfortably.”

“No, I’m more comfortable speaking formally. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I will try to adjust.”

Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable for anyone to be addressed with extreme honorifics by someone significantly younger?

But I wondered if his speaking informally would actually relieve any discomfort, so I told him to do what was comfortable for him.

This seemed to be the right answer, as Manager An Jin-bae’s face visibly relaxed.

When we arrived at the rice cake shop that I had visited with Actor Lee Jung-hyun before, cakes started coming out one after another as soon as we sat down, even though we hadn’t ordered anything.

Upon inspection, they were the cakes I had particularly enjoyed last time.

“I ordered five in advance, but if it’s not enough, please feel free to let me know.”

“No, this is more than enough. You’ve put a lot of thought into this. Thank you.”

“No, it’s nothing! It’s only natural.”

Manager An Jin-bae’s expression looked very proud as he said that.

His bright eyes contrasted sharply with his eyebrows, which had a slight scratch on them.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Actor Lee Jung-hyun. It’s an honor to work with you!”

“No, it’s more of an honor for me…”

What’s so honorable about it? His constantly surprising expressions left me feeling dazed.

Having nothing to say, I quietly picked up my fork and then realized there was only one set of cutlery.

Seeing my hesitation, Manager An Jin-bae hurriedly spoke up.

“Please don’t mind me. Just eat comfortably.”

“Why… Do you not like rice cakes?”

“I had a bad experience with rice cakes when I was young… But if it’s unavoidable in a social setting, I can eat them without showing it, so please don’t worry. I can show you now if you’d like!”

“No, I wasn’t concerned about that―, I mean, you don’t have to eat them. Please, put it down.”

I quickly shouted as he reached for a fork from the next table.

Even though he insisted he could eat it, he obediently put down the fork.

I could see the tension in his cheekbones slowly easing.

It seemed he had a tendency to force himself to do things because of others, even if he didn’t want to. I should be careful with my words from now on.

“I read the drama script I received yesterday, and I’m really looking forward to seeing you play Yu-hyeon. Is there anything uncomfortable for you while practicing?”

“No, it’s been fine so far.”

“That’s a relief!”

We then talked a lot about the drama. The rice cakes were always soft, no matter when I ate them.

By the time three empty plates were in front of me, Manager An Jin-bae spoke up cautiously.

“Actor. I have something to say.”

“Yes.”

“Just because Actor Lee Jung-hyun recommended me, you don’t have to sign a contract with me.”

Suddenly? I looked at him curiously as he took a deep breath and began to speak as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Although it’s a six-month contract, it’s still your first manager contract, so it’s good to proceed carefully. A manager spends more time with a celebrity than their family, and if your personalities or styles don’t match, it can be very difficult. Even if you don’t continue your acting career, this time could remain as a memory, so it would be great if you could meet a good manager. Of course, it’s not that I don’t think I can be a good manager―, if I take on the role, I’ll do my best! But personally, I think I have many shortcomings, and I worry that these might make you uncomfortable. So, I wanted to tell you in advance before the contract. Please feel free to decide as you wish. I won’t mind at all.”

After his long speech, Manager An Jin-bae gulped down half a cup of water as if he was short of breath.

He glanced at me, as if checking whether he had finished speaking.

I see, I nodded a couple of times and then asked the question that had been on my mind.

“Did you practice this in advance?”

“Uh…”

His gentle eyes widened in surprise and he froze.

Seeing him stammering in embarrassment, I quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tease you.”

“No, it’s not that. I actually practiced a bit at home.”

“Yes, you spoke very well.”

“Th-thank you!”

Ah, I shouldn’t tease an adult.

I tried not to show it, but I had to bite my lip to hold back my laughter at his proud expression.

Just a few minutes ago, his excessive politeness had felt a bit uncomfortable, but now it seemed different.

“Thank you for being considerate. I actually had a similar conversation with Jung-hyun hyung yesterday.”

I put down my fork on the last plate and recalled my conversation with Actor Lee Jung-hyun last night.

―”Yeon-jae, you haven’t signed the contract yet, so talk to him and if anything feels off, make sure to tell me.”

‘Okay. But since you recommended him, I’m not too worried.’

―”Just because he’s good to me doesn’t mean he’ll be the same to you. You never really know someone until you experience them firsthand.”

His voice sounded slightly bitter as he said that.

―”Especially at your age, you need to be careful with everyone you meet. This is even more important with a manager. Sometimes, if the manager is younger, they might try to dominate you. Even without physical violence, they can cause mental stress. Do you understand what I mean?”

‘Yes, I understand.’

―”Good, you’re doing well as it is. Just remember, you don’t have to sign the contract.”

I started to understand why Actor Lee Jung-hyun recommended him.

I didn’t know Manager An Jin-bae’s financial situation, but it couldn’t be easy to be so honest about a job that pays well.

It showed that his principles came first.

“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to work with you. Can I rely on you?”

“…! I should be the one thanking you! I will do my best not to disappoint you.”

Disappointment… Regardless, filming would end in a month or two at most, and as a supporting child actor, I wouldn’t be too busy even when the drama aired.

We wouldn’t see each other often during the six-month contract period.

I didn’t expect much to happen between us during that time.

I wanted to say there was no need to worry, but saying that I had no expectations didn’t seem positive, so I swallowed my words.

‘I’m not really in a position to be picky.’

I understood the intentions behind Actor Lee Jung-hyun and Manager An Jin-bae’s words.

But realistically, was there anyone truly suitable?

If there was a perfect manager, then the celebrity next to them should be perfect too.

So, it wasn’t a matter for me to decide.

I stopped Manager An Jin-bae from ordering more rice cakes and picked up my fork.

The slightly melted cake clung to the fork.

* * *

“Hello, actor!”

“Hello, hyung.”

Time passed, and the day for the script reading arrived.

Although I had only ridden in it three or four times, I was already familiar with Manager An Jin-bae’s car. The cool air inside was a stark contrast to the sweltering heat outside.

“Is the air conditioner temperature okay? Should I turn it down?”

“No, it’s perfect. Thank you.”

“There’s a blanket next to you if you get cold. I brought lukewarm water in the thermos, so please avoid drinking cold water.”

As I had felt during our first meeting, Manager An Jin-bae was very meticulous.

He made sure not to miss a single thing I mentioned.

I put my worn-out script into my bag and looked over the crisp new script Manager An Jin-bae had prepared for me.

“Aren’t you nervous for your first script reading? I brought some anti-anxiety pills if you’d like.”

“No, I’m fine.”

Surprisingly, I wasn’t that nervous. I hadn’t been that shaky during auditions either.

When I lightly declined, I heard his calm voice agree.

But the face I saw in the rearview mirror was different.

I swallowed a sigh and quietly spoke.

“Hyung, on second thought, it might be a good idea to take one.”

“Oh, really? Please choose whichever you like from these.”

Manager An Jin-bae’s face brightened as he handed me a pile of items from the console box.

Individually wrapped anti-anxiety pills, chocolate, and chewable vitamin gummies… he was thoroughly prepared.

I took out one anti-anxiety pill labeled “For Children” and popped it into my mouth, then refocused on the script.

The bitter herbal taste filled the car.

Manager An Jin-bae, who seemed ready to chat more, drove quietly afterward.

“Actor, we’ve arrived.”

“Oh.”

I had been so engrossed in the script that his sudden voice startled me.

Feeling apologetic for not realizing we had arrived earlier, I apologized, but Manager An Jin-bae quickly shook his head, looking pale.

“Don’t apologize for things like this. If you feel the need to, just say thank you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Not at all! Since there’s about an hour left, it’s best to be the first to wait since you’re new. Shall we?”

I nodded and stepped out of the car.

Manager An Jin-bae, seemingly familiar with the place, confidently led me through the maze-like corridors.

We arrived at the reading room, which was empty.

I quietly sat at the corner seat marked with ‘Lee Yeon-jae’ and stood up to greet everyone who entered.

“Hello, I’m Lee Yeon-jae, playing the role of Yu-hyeon.”

“Hello.”

The first person I greeted who wasn’t a staff member was a girl with striking eyes.

She was clearly around my age, but her calm demeanor and posture made her seem more mature.

“I’m Han Se-young, playing the role of young Na-bi. Nice to meet you.”

With a well-mannered smile, she bowed her head. As she stepped closer, I noticed a unique scent.

It wasn’t quite floral but had a heavy, mature feeling to it.

“Nice to meet you, too.”

I bowed my head in response, and Han Se-young smiled and passed by.

The lingering floral scent swayed in the air.

I barely managed to hold back a frown.