"Since Seokho has agreed to take action, we won’t have to worry much about money."
Unless it’s for a major theater production,
a project of this size could easily have our agency as the primary backer.
"It’s a good chance to raise the agency’s profile, too."
For now, it’s just Yerim and in this small agency,
but soon it’ll beco a powerhouse, an elite agency.
"I’ll make sure of that."
Setting this matter aside,
I stood quietly in the auditorium, enjoying the entrance ceremony.
"No wonder this school holds its top ranking."
The performances—dance, band, and even classical ballet—
were dazzling and far beyond what one would expect from high school students.
Even the chairman, Edward Park, had a polished, international air,
and his speech was refreshingly free of any authoritarian tone.
"Hello, everyone. It’s a pleasure to et you all. Each of you here is a jewel I handpicked one by one! So, keep polishing yourselves, strive to shine brighter than anyone else! That’s it."
Skipping the usual preamble, he dove straight to the heart of his speech, delivering both ssage and conclusion in one go.
There was so much to see at this entrance ceremony; it was truly a feast for the eyes.
“Oh, and once the ceremony ends, don’t head straight to class. I recomnd taking a look around the gallery. There are so fantastic photos and paintings on display.”
With that, the entrance ceremony wrapped up cleanly.
"Got a bit of free ti; maybe I should check out the gallery."
I decided to take a leisurely tour of the school before heading to class—
just as I reached that conclusion, a familiar voice called out behind .
"Kim Donghu, are you crazy? If you’ve joined Daejong High, shouldn’t you greet your elder sister first?"
I turned around to see a very familiar face.
"Sujin-ah!"
"Sujin? I’m a year above you, rember?"
The Daejong High uniform was well-known for being stylish,
and it was honestly cute enough to be impressive.
The way her hi cut suited her face so perfectly,
paired with the fresh look of the uniform, was…
how should I put it?
It was like she was posing for a solo uniform photoshoot.
She truly was the daughter of Kim Yuryeon, the queen of the screen.
‘She’s got a different kind of aura.’
Even standing behind her, I could feel the attention shifting in our direction the mont Sujin and I started talking.
"That’s only because you’re a fast-track student."
"Anyway, I’m still older! Call ‘noona’!"
At her insistence, I shrugged my shoulders.
"Why would I? You cry at the drop of a hat. How does that make you a noona?"
"W-when did I ever cry?"
"I’m heading to the gallery now. Are you coming along?"
"Oh, is this an invitation to a date now that you’re in high school?"
I laughed openly at her words,
and Sujin stared at my face as if there was sothing on it.
She had been talking confidently just monts before—what happened?
"This guy seriously needs to start covering his face in public."
"Huh? What was that?"
"Nothing."
What was she mumbling about?
Anyway,
“To the gallery I go.”
Sensing that lingering here would only draw more attention, I began moving.
"Oh, hello, unnie! I’m Shin Yerim, Donghu’s best friend since middle school."
Yerim appeared.
‘I figured we’d hang out separately since we’re in different programs, but she ca right over.’
I hadn’t planned on looking for her, but here she was.
Do I even need to worry about making new friends?
While I pondered this, Sujin and Yerim’s conversation flowed quicker than I expected.
"Oh, really? I’m Donghu’s childhood friend. Nice to et you. And feel free to speak casually. I’m technically your age since I’m a fast-track student."
"But still, you’re a year above . I should call you unnie."
"Senior? Nah, we’re in different departnts, so we won’t see each other much. You can speak casually."
I didn’t catch all the details of their conversation,
but it seed like they were bonding nicely, laughing together.
‘They say kids grow up this way, right?’
Well, in any case, them getting along is probably a good thing.
After all, they’re both destined to beco top stars in the future.
‘Monts like this make for good mories.’
Leaving the two of them to chat, I headed toward the gallery.
It felt like stepping into a gallery in the Arts Center,
but soon I directed my steps toward the theater club.
‘Sparking, was it?’
It was ti to secure the contact of the writer behind that A-grade script.
Bong Jinwoo couldn’t believe everything that had happened today.
"...Is this a dream?"
It wasn’t enough that the actor known as the “Nation’s Crown Prince” liked his script—
after the entrance ceremony, he’d co straight to him, asking for his contact info and suggesting they collaborate.
And it wasn’t just any collaboration.
"He said he could even bring in investnt through his agency."
With that one sentence, the low-budget label was gone in an instant.
A problem that had seed permanently glued to him was suddenly erased.
Not only that, arranging to rent a theater also beca incredibly easy.
What normally would’ve required begging for a spot happened seamlessly the mont Kim Donghu got involved.
‘Is this really okay?’
It felt like his life’s difficulty level had dropped significantly.
Jinwoo touched his face, frozen in disbelief at the surreal turn of events.
‘Is Kim Donghu my benefactor?’
The thought crossed his mind.
At the sa ti, Jinwoo glanced at the little bundle tucked away in his room.
Two boxes he’d kept aside, planning to open them properly once he had the funds.
Maybe it was finally ti to let them go.
A tiny, cramped dorm room barely two square ters.
A four-hour round trip commute.
Was this life finally coming to an end?
The conversation with Kim Donghu filled him with such hope.
By the way, have you already found other actors?
Um… not yet. I have a few people in mind, though.
Who?
Well, there’s Kim Sujin, a sophomore in the Performing Arts Departnt.
And who else?
Uh, actually, I haven’t found anyone else yet.
Then maybe we could hold auditions together later? We could even post a notice.
Auditions?!
He’d been so shocked at the suggestion.
Jinwoo couldn’t help but feel a little foolish.
Since it’ll be an outside performance, and the school’s already approved it, we could try recruiting externally, right?
You think I could manage that?
I’ll be there, so of course you can.
You’ll help ?!
Of course, I’m both an actor and an investor. And feel free to speak casually.
I’m fine as I am.
Only then did Jinwoo fully realize what it ant to work on a project with Kim Donghu.
And just what an amazing opportunity he’d been given.
Clutch.
Jinwoo gripped The Story of Stars and Moon script tightly.
It was a story he’d envisioned since he was young.
In the orphanage.
Kids grew up quickly there, and they naturally ca to understand a simple truth.
Ah, for us, cultural experiences are a luxury.
Jinwoo despised that reality.
So he made a promise.
To create a script no one could ignore,
to reignite the forgotten dreams of those kids.
That was what this play was for and the stubborn dream he wouldn’t abandon.
For dreams and hope.
As childish as it sounded, Jinwoo made that his personal motto.
anwhile.
‘I did say we could hold auditions together.’
I was contemplating how to handle the audition process.
Jinwoo was quite inexperienced with these things,
so I figured it would be best if I, with the agency’s backing, took the lead.
How could we gather people most effectively,
and make The Story of Stars and Moon a success?
While pondering that—
Donghu, how’s it going?
A ssage from actor Han Taegon arrived.
‘What’s this?’
Why now?
‘How long will our junior’s break last, I wonder?’
Han Taegon, who had played the lead, Kim Suha, in The Endless Battlefield,
was an actor particularly interested in Kim Donghu.
It wasn’t just because of Donghu’s undeniable talent.
There was sothing about him that just seed destined for greatness.
‘I’d love for us to grow together, discussing our deep thoughts on acting.’
Besides, Taegon didn’t have many friends.
In the entertainnt world, relationships changed naturally,
and one’s social circle often shrank.
So he reached out to Donghu.
Mostly out of boredom, and to chat with soone on the sa path to success.
But then—
Hello, sunbae. I’m actually preparing for an audition right now.
He heard sothing intriguing.
‘An audition? Donghu’s doing an audition?’
A top-rated actor, a four-ti Mise-en-scène winner, who hits 30% viewership with every appearance and once hit a peak of 41%,
was going to an audition?
How passionate must this writer be to insist on auditioning soone like Donghu?
Taegon’s curiosity piqued.
A play? He was doing a play?
As he continued texting Donghu, Taegon’s mind raced with possibilities.
After sending that, Han Taegon imdiately called his manager.
“Hey, do you know my schedule for the coming days?”
Reviews
All reviews (0)