Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 188

The waiting room for the child actor audition of ‘Escape’.

Kim Joo-kyung, Yang Ju-hee, and Kang Jae-han were tapping their phones.

Some of the other kids were also checking their acting skills that they had filmed at the academy, or going outside to talk with their guardians and relieve their tension.

They could hear some murmuring sounds from inside the audition room, but they couldn’t hear them clearly.

The audition was to give three applicants a designated script and have them memorize it for 10 minutes, then randomly decide the order and show their acting.

“I wonder if the designated script will be hard.”

Ju-hee shrugged her shoulders at Joo-kyung’s question.

“Maybe it will be something we know? They won’t give us anything too weird since we’re child actors. I think the zombie role might need some practice though. But they’ll teach us that if we pass.”

Joo-kyung and Jae-han nodded at Ju-hee’s words.

“Oh, the kids from class 2 are here too.”

They waved their hands at the familiar faces that had just entered, and the kids from class 2 also greeted them.

“The kids from class 1 are here too.”

“Are they the ones who hang out with Seo-jun?”

The kids from class 2 whispered to each other as they sat down. The three people who were closest to Seo-jun were quite famous in Yeoul Arts Middle School. Kim Joo-kyung was popular because of ‘One Step’, Yang Ju-hee had a wide network as the class president of class 1, and Kang Jae-han had many kids who liked him as a younger brother.

“I guess Seo-jun didn’t apply this time.”

“Well, he just finished filming his role not long ago.”

The kids from class 2 who were glad that one of the roles was already taken flinched.

Kim Joo-kyung and Yang Ju-hee, who seemed to be sending messages to each other on their phones until a moment ago, quietly moved to both sides of Kang Jae-han and slapped his back hard.

Kang Jae-han twisted his body as if his back was burning, and tapped his phone with his trembling hand as if sending an SOS signal. The SOS signal seemed to work as Kim Joo-kyung and Yang Ju-hee moved back to their original seats with bright faces.

The kids in the waiting room chuckled at the situation that looked like a comedy skit.

The atmosphere in the waiting room seemed to relax a bit.

But that soon changed.

The door of the audition room opened and three applicants came out with a staff member.

The staff member’s appearance made the next three applicants who would be called wait with stiff expressions.

The staff member glanced at the paper and called out the next numbers.

“Jae-han, we’ll go first.”

“Good luck!”

It was Kim Joo-kyung and Yang Ju-hee’s numbers.

All three of them had received their numbers in order, but they couldn’t see the audition together.

Joo-kyung and Ju-hee were in front, and Kang Jae-han was alone in the back.

That’s why Kang Jae-han, who had to show his acting alone, was more nervous than the two who were going to audition together.

“Don’t be too nervous.”

“Do you want one more hit?”

Kang Jae-han quickly shook his head at Joo-kyung’s gesture of spreading her palm.

Seeing Jae-han’s reaction, Joo-kyung and Ju-hee smiled and headed to the audition room, and Kang Jae-han picked up his phone again.

[Ju-hee and Joo-kyung went in.

Seo-jun: Really? I’m on my way home right now.

[You finished early?

Seo-jun: I have an appointment today.

Seo-jun: Is your back okay?

[ㅠ Their hands are so spicyㅠㅠ

Kang Jae-han made a sad face at Seo-jun’s question.

The burning sensation was gone, but he still felt the touch of their palms on his back.

Seo-jun: ㅋㅋ Good luck on your audition.

[Okay!

Kang Jae-han let out a sigh and waited for his turn.

***

“Is it your audition day today?”

Seo-jun nodded at Ahn Da Ho’s question as he sat in the passenger seat.

“Yes. There are some kids from our school too.”

“I hope they pass.”

“But there are only a limited number of spots…”

“Five archery club members, right?”

“Yes.”

“Only five can pass. It must be fierce.”

Seo-jun nodded.

He hoped his friends would pass.

He briefly prayed and asked Ahn Da Ho.

“Da Ho hyung. Do you know who the lead actors are?”

“Yeah. You know them too, seo-jun.”

Seo-jun pondered at Ahn Da Ho’s words.

He knew most of the actors. He knew the actors from Jo Juyeon’s group, of course, and even the names of the extras who had memorable roles or good acting skills.

‘If they’re not just actors I know by name, they must be actors I’m close with. Who are they?’

As Seo-jun was lost in thought, Ahn Da Ho smiled and said.

“It’s Lee Da-jin and Kim Jong-ho.”

Seo-jun’s eyes widened at Ahn Da Ho’s words.

“Da-jin hyung and uncle Jong-ho?!”

He didn’t expect that at all.

Ahn Da Ho chuckled at Seo-jun’s surprised voice.

“Yeah. I was surprised too. They both didn’t know that you were in ‘Escape’, but they ended up acting in the same work.”

“Really?”

He couldn’t believe it.

Uncle Jong-ho and Da-jin-hyung.

“Really. According to Lee Da-jin’s side, he wanted to do a ‘fantasy’ work like this after the children’s play Spring. But there aren’t many works with fantasy elements. So he kept doing other works, but then ‘Escape’ came out and he agreed right away.”

“Wow!”

Seo-jun’s eyes sparkled.

Lee Da-jin.

He was the friend of the protagonist Choi So-yeong and the hunter in the children’s play Spring, and the cheerful hyung who was the MC at the fan meeting.

‘He’s good at acting too.’

Seo-jun smiled brightly.

“What about uncle Jong-ho?”

“Kim Jong-ho said he wanted to try fantasy too, since he had done modern works. And then he got the script for ‘Escape’ and agreed.”

The king in Naegwon who was Seongnyeong Daegun’s father, taejong. Seo-jun laughed as he remembered him bickering with Lee Ji-seok.

…Ah!

Seo-jun burst into laughter as he remembered something.

“So that’s why uncle Jong-ho called me today!”

**

The marbled beef with snowflake-like patterns was placed on the grill.

As the beef sizzled, Kim Jong-ho smiled smugly.

Lee Ji-seok and Park Do-hoon, who were sitting across from him, looked at Kim Jong-ho with subtle eyes.

Kim Jong-ho had been smiling like a deflated balloon since a while ago.

“Uncle. Did something good happen?”

“Why are you buying us all this beef, hyung?”

“Just wait a minute. I’ll tell you when Seo-jun comes.”

‘That’s weird.’

Lee Ji-seok frowned as he saw Kim Jong-ho smiling and occasionally sending him a provocative look.

“Hello! Uncle Jong-ho, Ji-seok hyung. Do-hoon hyung. I’m here!”

“Seo-jun, come on in!”

“How have you been?”

“It’s been a while, Da Ho.”

The door of the private room opened and Seo-jun and Ahn Da Ho came in. Seo-jun and Ahn Da Ho greeted the three actors and sat down at the same table. The three actors seemed to have come without their managers.

They briefly talked about their recent situations, and then Kim Jong-ho cleared his throat and opened his mouth.

“Ahem. Do you guys know who I’m filming with?”

Lee Ji-seok, who had just put a piece of cooked beef in his mouth, tilted his head.

“Why do I have to know that?”

“Are you filming your next work, uncle?”

Unlike Lee Ji-seok, who was snarky, Park Do-hoon asked with a smile.

‘That snarky bastard. Be more like Do-hoon.’

Kim Jong-ho made an annoyed expression and then smiled again.

“I’m filming with Seo-jun!”

At that, Lee Ji-seok and Park Do-hoon were surprised and looked back and forth between Seo-jun and Kim Jong-ho.

“Seo-jun, are you doing your next work?”

“Already? It hasn’t been long since you finished your role.”

“There was a good work that I wanted to do. So I decided to do it.”

Seo-jun answered, and Kim Jong-ho laughed out loud.

“That’s exactly what I wanted to do, and Seo-jun chose it too!”

Ignoring the boastful Kim Jong-ho, Lee Ji-seok and Park Do-hoon racked their brains.

“What is it? A movie? A drama? What were the scripts that came in lately?”

“Right. What was it? I don’t think there was anything with a child actor in it.”

They couldn’t think of anything that would suit Seo-jun’s taste.

“It’s a zombie movie. The title is Escape.”

At Seo-jun’s words, Lee Ji-seok’s eyes widened as he recalled the rumor that was floating around.

“…You mean the zombie movie that hasn’t cast the lead role yet? You’re going to shoot that?”

“They said it would flop, but… it turned out to be a sure thing.”

Park Do-hoon was also surprised.

With Seo-jun and Kim Jong-ho’s appearance, it seemed like it wouldn’t flop even if they held a ritual for it.

“But why aren’t they promoting it?”

Kim Jong-ho smiled smugly at Lee Ji-seok’s question and said.

“That’s their marketing plan. They’re going to make a lot of noise with negative reactions and then slowly leak the rumor that Seo-jun is filming.”

Seo-jun and Ahn Da Ho nodded at Kim Jong-ho’s words.

“It has to be noisy for it to be noise marketing or whatever. Uncle Jong-ho. This was almost buried.”

Park Do-hoon was right.

Unless they liked zombie movies, people didn’t care. If it was a normal movie, it would have flopped by then.

But Park Do-hoon, who said that, soon tilted his head.

“But why am I not worried?”

“Why worry? Proper promotion can be done after the filming is over. Even if Seo-jun is buried deep, he’ll come back to life in no time.”

Kim Jong-ho spoke proudly as if he was bragging. Lee Ji-seok looked displeased and said.

“But why didn’t I get the script?”

“Director said he wanted to see a different combination for your role…”

“Who’s the director?”

“Director Choi Dae-man.”

“…”

For a moment, Lee Ji-seok felt a sense of betrayal.

Wasn’t he on good terms with him as they worked together on his first project?

Lee Ji-seok took out his phone and tapped it hard.

The recipient must have been Director Choi Dae-man.

Everyone laughed at his sight.

“Then why didn’t you send me one?”

“You look too young for the role, Do-hoon.”

“Oh, too bad. I could have filmed with Seo-jun. Hyung and uncle are filming with Seo-jun, but I can’t. Let’s do it next time, seo-jun.”

“Okay!”

Seo-jun quickly nodded at Park Do-hoon’s face full of regret.

Lee Ji-seok put down his phone as the other party didn’t answer.

He looked at Kim Jong-ho who was giggling.

His face clearly showed a mocking expression as if he was teasing him.

Lee Ji-seok’s expression worsened.

‘I knew it. This guy bought me beef.’

“So that’s why you called me today.”

“Yeah. How much did you brag about filming with Seo-jun?”

He heard it so much during and after the filming that he almost got sick of it.

“Let me brag too. Jealous? You’re very jealous, right?”

Kim Jong-ho, who was high on drugs, and Lee Ji-seok, who had an angry expression, made Seo-jun, Ahn Da Ho, and Park Do-hoon laugh.

He had a feeling this would happen ever since he heard about Uncle Jong-ho’s appearance from Da Ho hyung.

“Seo-jun. How’s your preparation for filming?”

“Yes. I’m playing an archer, so I’m learning archery.”

“Are you good at it?”

“Hehe. Yes. The teacher said I’m good. Do-hoon hyung, did you decide on your next project?”

“Not yet. I’m still looking for something I like.”

While Lee Ji-seok and Kim Jong-ho were bickering as usual, seo-jun, Ahn Da Ho, and Park Do-hoon had a friendly conversation.

When they were talking,

“Do-hoon!”

Lee Ji-seok called Park Do-hoon.

Seo-jun and the two people turned their heads to Lee Ji-seok.

Kim Jong-ho, who had been teasing Lee Ji-seok, blinked his eyes at the sudden call.

Where did his angry face go?

Lee Ji-seok laughed wickedly.

“Let’s join them too.”

“…What?”

“As cameos!”

“…Huh?!”

At Lee Ji-seok’s words, the three people, and even Kim Jong-ho who had been giggling, stared blankly at Lee Ji-seok who was laughing.

***

“I found it!”

“I can’t work with Director Choi again. He’s not human.”

“Uhahahaha.”

The location manager’s words didn’t seem to reach him, as Director Choi Dae-man ran around and examined the building in detail.

He liked the exterior, but the interior could be different.

‘I can fix the inside.’

The location manager, who was panting, picked up his phone. Director Choi Dae-man, who had fallen into his own world, didn’t seem to have any intention of contacting the production company.

He looked down at the hard road he had climbed up and caught his breath.

“Yes. Director. We found it.”

“You found it quickly.”

“There aren’t many buildings that fit the criteria. It’s just a matter of looking around the candidates. It’s a bit small, but I think it’ll be fine if we change it here and there for filming.”

‘It was hard to find the candidates though…’

It was better than wandering around the countryside for The Ghost, which had become a must-see tourist course by now.

“Where is it?”

The location manager explained the location. It was a bit far from Seoul, but not too far. There was a pension nearby, so it was good for accommodation and meals.

“That’s good. How about vehicle access? Is there a parking lot?”

“There is a road, but it needs to be repaired. The parking lot looks like a mess with garbage since they didn’t clean it up after the typhoon in the summer.”

“Okay. Let’s fix it. Make a new road very sturdy, and make a parking lot too.”

The location manager looked around.

He saw the place that used to be a parking lot and the asphalt that was cracked. It would be fine if they fixed it. They wouldn’t make it a mess again by restoring it after changing it,

‘The owner will be pissed.’

Then, Director Lee Hansol said over the phone.

“Then contact the owner of the building.”

“Yes. Renting it? It’ll be hard to restore it after making the background.”

“No.”

Director Lee Hansol chuckled.

“Buy it. The building.”

“…Yes?”

“The fire department did a good job.”

His eyes sparkled as he thought of the ‘One Step’ tour that had become almost a mandatory tourist course by now.

“Let’s make one of those too.”