I’ve Become a Genius Chapter 12:

Chapter 12:

Han Yooil sighed and looked out the window. The attire of people outside had beco thicker.

It's getting cold now.'

The convenience store had been Yooil's part-ti job for several months since his discharge from the military.

He would have quit the job if he was receiving a substantial signing amount from acting or had a regular inco but it wasn't ti yet.

You'll be able to quit soon, Yooil. Don't worry.

No, I'll handle it.'

Was it Charlie Chaplin who said life is a tragedy when seen up close but a cody in long shot?

It's the sa for all service jobs. Convenience stores were no exception.

"Hey, hurry! Call

a taxi! Eh?!"

This ant the occasional appearance of problematic custors.

A middle-aged man with disheveled appearance and flushed face started fumbling with items in the convenience store.

Drunken custors were present, not just late at night or early in the morning, but quite frequently. Yooil learned this through various part-ti jobs.

"Why, because I'm not buying anything? I'll buy! I'll buy, okay?!"

"Sir, there's a custor ahead of you. Please wait a mont, and I'll assist you shortly."

Yooil responded calmly without changing his facial expression and began to scan the multitude of snacks the man in the hat had brought.

Then, the swearing drunkard changed the direction of his anger. He started poking at the young man standing in front of him.

"Hey, you bastard, who are you to ignore ?"

Judging by his level of intoxication and the loudness of his voice, it didn't seem like it would end easily.

"Sir. Please don't do that."

The drunkard, who had been touching the man in front, now started shaking a display stand in anger.

At that mont, the man, who had been quietly standing with his face covered with a hat and scarf, spoke for the first ti.

"It's okay. You can proceed with his transaction first."

The man was polite.

Yooil responded with a similarly calm voice.

"I've just reported to the police."

"!"

The man with his face covered was startled and looked behind him. Fortunately, the drunkard didn't seem to have heard it.

"At this point, he's not in a state to have a conversation."

"Hmm I see."

The man with only his eyes showing nodded and turned around again.

That's when Brion popped up unexpectedly.

Well done, Yooil.

Though 90% of what Brion said was either unnecessary or aggressive, sotis it could be quite helpful.

Fortunately, a patrol car nearby is on duty. They are expected to arrive in 5 minutes.

Just like now.

"Damn it! Every one of you is pissing

off! Do you think I'm easy? Am I? You bastards"

The man with only his eyes showing flinched at that voice. Han Yooil scanned the barcode calmly and said,

"I apologize for the delay, sir. I'll finish your transaction quickly. That'll be 16,800 won."

"Thank you."

The man said. It was a pleasing tenor voice. He briefly lifted his head and looked at Yooil. His eyes, the only visible feature, t Yooil's gaze directly.

He gathered the snacks into his arms and smiled with his eyes.

"Take care."

The sound of the siren was heard shortly after the man left. Soon after, two police officers entered the convenience store.

"Oh, that guy's here again."

"He's a regular troublemaker."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

The officers approached the drunkard with tired expressions. After a brief scuffle, the store regained its quiet only after the drunkard left with the police.

Han Yooil muttered softly as he gazed out the window.

"I want to act."

It was a spontaneous utterance.

89% of stage 1 objective achieved.

"What?"

That was an unexpected remark.

However, Yooil couldn't inquire further. New custors had entered the store. He began reciting the movie script in his mind, recalling his lines.

It was a long afternoon.

* * *

After his shift, Yooil headed to the rooftop caf at school. With the sester break passed, there were fewer students around.

This is nice.'

It was the season when the sun sets early, and the sky was already darkening.

He took a deep breath as he looked at the mountains in the distance and the low buildings.

The rooftop caf was his favorite spot in the school.

Even though he had only attended for one sester before enlisting in the military, he used to go up to the rooftop whenever he had a chance.

In fact, Han Yooil had always liked rooftops since he was young. It was a kind of hobby. Looking down from the rooftop always eased his claustrophobic feelings.

Shall we practice?

"Yeah."

He nodded and then closed his eyes. The lines for the next day's shooting scene ca to mind.

[S#40 Rest Area Bench (Day)

The group has just finished their al.

As they are conversing, Sohee suddenly collapses forward. Foam starts coming out of Sohee's mouth.

Yooil: Noona Noona!

A pale Yooil, along with Jongsun and Joonki, rushes towards Sohee. Jongsun's expression darkens as he examines her.

Jongsun: Could it be

Yooil: What? What's happening?

Joonki: What's the matter?!

Jongsun: Poison.]

Hearing that, Yooil slowly blinked.

"What do you an, grandma?"

"Call 119 right now."

Yooil, with a puzzled look, glances at Jongsun and then at Sohee.

So, is Sohee noona poisoned?

But why?

"Hurry up!"

Yooil snaps back to reality and starts to act. His body, which had been frozen, seed to thaw all at once.

Right, I need to contact soone, call 119

Yooil, there's a presence detected not far from here.

Huh?'

Yooil tightly closed his eyes and then reopened them. His blurred vision gradually cleared.

The subject is approaching.

Are you a navigation system now?

Yooil was about to voice his complaint when soone indeed approached him. It wasn't a typical call of his na.

"Hey! Convenience Store!"

"?"

Yooil turned his head, blinked for a mont, and then let out a sound of recognition. It was the sa custor who had faced the drunkard's harassnt at the convenience store earlier.

"Nice to et you. Are you a student at Wolmyeong University?"

At Yooil's question, the man wearing the hat rolled his eyes.

"No, I'm not a student! I ca to see soone I know."

And then he smiled. The only visible part of his face, his large eyes, crinkled into a crescent moon shape. Seeing those eyes, a thought flashed through Yooil's mind.

A celebrity?'

Now that he noticed, the man's small face and slender figure gave off an extraordinary vibe.

There were a few celebrities in the acting departnt at Wolmyeong University besides Ji Eunho. Han Yooil rembered how Kim Jinwoo would get excited whenever they happened to et celebrities.

Yooil wasn't particularly interested in such matters. After all, actors or idols were just professions.

Moreover, they were at a school where people ca to study, not work, so he didn't want to unnecessarily attract attention.

You'll soon be like that too, Yooil.

Yooil ignored Brion again and shook his head.

"Well then."

As Yooil was about to leave, the man looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Then he chuckled softly and bowed his head, saying goodbye.

Is he in a good mood?'

Yooil shrugged and got on the elevator.

Now it was ti to prepare for tomorrow's film shoot.

* * *

While Yooil was at the rooftop caf, Lee Hyejin, having just finished the sester, was glued to her bed, focused on her phone.

More specifically, she was engrossed in BlueChat. She absentmindedly posted anything on BlueChat.

[@jinnnny

Not doing anything but want to do even less of anything.]

Having many followers ant that even the most trivial posts quickly gathered empathy. Yet, Lee Hyejin's boredom did not fade.

"Isn't there anything fun?"

For example, like theater, theater, or theater.

Indeed.

Even after the sester had ended, she couldn't break away from .

Lee Hyejin scrolled through BlueChat posts with a dry expression.

[@gmrgmr

Her face is crazy again today (picture) (picture)]

[@qmfforvjcjehfdl

Eunho-ya, I love you (crying GIF)]

"Is fangirling fun?"

But she wasn't particularly drawn to anyone.

However, at that mont, a face suddenly flickered through Hyejin's mind.

-My love, my wife. Even the god of death, who drank all your honeyed breaths, couldn't conquer your beauty.

Murmuring his lines as if he were handling sothing so fragile it might break any mont, he tenderly caressed the woman's face

"that was really great acting."

If he were an actor, I would have taken photos of that scene already and set them all as my wallpaper'

Lee Hyejin shook her head. To harbor such thoughts about a re stranger, not even a celebrity. She slapped her own cheek and refreshed her feed once more.

Then, a post caught her eye.

[@dkdlzn

Our show's vampire and the boy on stage Insane (photo) (photo)]

"Show? Ah, Jung Suho."

Theatre and musical buffs, colloquially known as thea-mus buffs,' had various nicknas for their favorite actors. Jung Suho was affectionately called Show.'

"Is this a poster?"

Staring blankly at the photo, Lee Hyejin almost dropped her phone.

"c-classmate?"

She thought she was mistaken, but she wasn't. Indeed, it was her classmate.

The first poster featured the young, frail-looking Han Yooil crouched beside Jung Suho, who was dressed as a vampire.

In the second poster, Han Yooil's face was utterly different. His skin was pale, his lips curled into a sinister smile, as he stared piercingly into the cara. This ti, Jung Suho, clad in a grey sweatshirt and jeans, sat beside Yooil with a somber expression.

"Crazy."

Lee Hyejin clamped her mouth shut.

Why on earth are you there?'

Just days ago, they were attending lectures together

And yet, she found herself coveting these posters, wanting to plaster them on her wall.

From then on, Lee Hyejin began collecting tidbits of information like gathering specks of dust.

Movies too and theatre? Really?'

It seed Han Yooil, a student of Myungwol University's Departnt of Korean Literature, was aiming to beco an actor.

This ans a real debut right?'

Lee Hyejin's heart started racing. And her lips, too, curled up uncontrollably.

I can start fangirling now!'

That was when she started sharing related articles and photos as if possessed.

Lee Hyejin creating a new account for her fangirling started around this ti too.