小火星

Choi Sung-gun, lamenting with his face covered, and Kang Woojin, sitting in the driver’s seat, blinked in confusion. What? Why? This wasn’t the situation Woojin had anticipated.

Why is he lamenting?

Was there even a reason for that? It would have been more natural for him to be angry, accusing Woojin of deceiving him all this time, which Woojin was prepared for.

But Choi Sung-gun…

“Sigh- You really are…”

He looked at Kang Woojin somewhat pitifully. Why, though? So, Woojin replayed the recent conversation in his mind.

‘No, I clearly told the truth, didn’t I?’

The response he got was questioning whether he had been pretending to be ordinary all along, using his life as acting practice. Here, Woojin roughly realized why this situation had happened.

‘…Misunderstanding.’

It meant that Choi Sung-gun had completely misinterpreted Kang Woojin’s words. He had interpreted not just the recent few months but over 20 years of Woojin’s past as an act. There could be no other explanation for this reaction.

This is ridiculous.

Woojin almost laughed out loud in frustration. Internally, he was screaming,

‘Why does it turn out this way even when I tell the truth?! Why?? WHY???’

It felt unjust. There was no reason for it, but Woojin felt intensely wronged. It was frustrating how his honest words got distorted so easily. Soon, Kang Woojin attempted to converse again to clear the distorted misunderstanding.

“No, CEO, what I meant was…”

“Ah, yes.”

But Choi Sung-gun cut him off, patting Woojin’s shoulder as if he knew everything.

“You don’t want me to tell anyone else, I know. How many years do you think I’ve been in this industry to not know these things?”

You don’t know, not right now. You even misunderstood what was just said. Woojin felt frustrated. That emotion mixed with indifference became extreme cynicism, and facing Woojin, Choi Sung-gun sighed deeply once again.

And then he recalled Kang Woojin’s words.

‘CEO, the truth is, I’ve been acting… no, putting on a persona all this time.’

It was a statement that made everything understandable. Yes, you’ve lived that kind of life. Choi Sung-gun looked at Kang Woojin with pity and exhaustion.

‘Middle school, high school, university, and even at work. If he had lived as his real self, it would have been hard to blend in.’

The current Kang Woojin is the real one, but even now, he is far from normal. His personality is eccentric enough. If it weren’t for his monstrous abilities, including acting, he might have become an outcast long ago.

‘He might have been cast out.’

Even now, Woojin’s state was slightly more relaxed or cheerful than before.

“…”

If he hadn’t pretended to be ordinary, he would have been completely excluded from the world. Moreover, Woojin had skills beyond acting, such as singer-like vocals, native-like language proficiency, an uncanny Midas touch, and more. He had too much.

This goes beyond extraordinary; it would be believable if he were an alien.

What would people around him say if they knew of Kang Woojin’s extraordinary nature? Additionally, that his personality was like this? People tend to view others who are different from themselves as abnormal. Kang Woojin would have had to hide himself even more.

‘So, that’s why he must have lived his life acting ‘normal’. I would have done the same.’

Most top actors walk an elite path, receiving acting education in a protected environment. In contrast, Kang Woojin had, so to speak, grinded his life to learn acting in a combative manner. For over 20 years.

It was practically for survival.

Now, Choi Sung-gun understood why Kang Woojin never got excited about anything and was indifferent in any situation.

‘He’s been surviving in the wild for over 20 years; what can he be scared of.’

He vaguely realized why Woojin asked not to delve into his past; there might be some other circumstances. Of course, it was pure speculation. Nevertheless, nobody, not anyone, had realized Woojin’s ordinariness was an act. That’s how perfect it was.

Soon, Choi Sung-gun, who had dived into the quagmire of a twisted misconception,

-Swish.

looked down at the transparent file in Woojin’s hand. The testimonies of the people who had been with him. Choi Sung-gun thought.

‘After seeing the ordinary Kang Woojin suddenly show his true self… it’s no wonder these comments have surfaced.’

Woojin had been acting all the way up to his design company job, but once he became an actor, where acting was the main profession, there was no need to act anymore.

‘He returned to his true self.’

Choi Sung-gun, who was swimming about in the swamp of his own misconceptions, looked up again. He saw Kang Woojin’s impassive face.

“You were born to be an actor. Self-taught in acting. I never realized that it was that kind of self-teaching. It’s so profound that it’s hard to measure.”

As expected, a monster. Not a freak of abnormality, but a monster worthy of pure admiration. That emotion reflected in Choi Sung-gun’s eyes.

In his warm gaze.

‘…Ah.’

Kang Woojin lost his momentum.

It felt like something whizzed by right in front of his eyes. A flash of light? But it wasn’t. It was a snowball of misunderstanding, too fast and massive to stop. At least, that’s how Woojin felt.

He resigned himself.

‘Be it concept or misunderstandings, even if I lay it all out, no one’s going to believe this.’

It seemed as if a divine being was adjusting the situation, saying, ‘Nope, not happening.’ Woojin realized that confessing his true self was just a waste of effort.

‘I don’t know, damn it. Think whatever you want now.’

Whether he spoke the truth or stuck to his ‘concept’, the outcome seemed the same. Maybe it was better to push even harder on his pretending and misunderstandings. Let’s see how far it can go. It was then that Kang Woojin firmly resolved himself.

“Woojin.”

Choi Sung-gun, looking somewhat enlightened, leaned back his head on the passenger’s seat, and spoke looking blankly in the air.

“You’ve invested your life into this… well, anyway, I don’t think it’s something for the company to comment on.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah. Better to just bury it. Of course, I will, and you should also avoid discussing it elsewhere. It’s for your own good.”

No one would believe it anyway, even if he told them. As Woojin silently sighed, Choi Sung-gun, who had taken the transparent file from his hand, spoke.

“Most of these people who write these posts or comments are just attention-seekers, leaving these comments or posts, possibly out of malice or jealousy. They’re not even worth calling acquaintances.”

He was referring to people from Kang Woojin’s past.

“Even if I don’t bring it up, we can’t stop these faceless masses. They might keep increasing.”

“I suppose so.”

“If it increases, the paparazzi might catch wind of it, especially now that you’re selling so well. From movies to dramas, variety shows, and even expansion to Japan. They’re probably scraping for anything right now. Though it might just be unnecessary worry.”

Kang Woojin felt it again. How terrifying the entertainment industry can be. Regardless, Choi Sung-gun continued, pulling out his phone.

“But in this industry, when things are uncertain, it’s better to assume the worst and be prepared.”

“Could this turn into a bigger issue?”

“No? It’s not an issue. Media and public opinion just need entertainment. The gravity of the matter is irrelevant. Isn’t this industry always exploding with issues?”

“……”

“In the off-season, they just stir up some sensationalism. The topic doesn’t matter. Why else do you think rumors and tabloids exist? They just pick someone hot and slap on a provocative title to attract attention.”

This wasn’t speculation or prediction. It all came from Choi Sung-gun’s experience.

“Let’s say an article goes out about how different you look now compared to the past. That will definitely go viral, because you’re popular right now. You’re outperforming the top actors with your acting, right? ‘Oh, he’s a good actor?’ Then headlines like ‘Was Kang Woojin’s past all an act?’ That kind of title can easily come up.”

“That might happen.”

“Or they might say you have split personality. Whatever it is, if these distorted articles blow up, won’t people be interested?”

They definitely would be, especially at this point. Kang Woojin felt it intensely because he was still an ordinary person at heart. He too had clicked on articles with provocative headlines countless times.

“Whether someone gets hit by a rock and bleeds, in this field, attention is everything. The same goes for those who wrote about you. They stir things up for a while, and then the focus shifts to the media, do you know what they’ll say?”

When Kang Woojin chose silence, Choi Sung-gun snorted.

“Accident.”

“Ah.”

“It’s a ridiculous yet magical word. Simply saying ‘It was an accident’ resolves most things. Once the interest cools down, they turn their attention to something else. And repeat.”

“The one hit by the rock, which is me, will be getting treatment then.”

Choi Sung-gun, slowly nodding his head, suddenly gave a dry laugh.

“Well, I said it as a heads up or something to be aware of. Nothing might happen after all.”

He tapped his head lightly.

“But if something does happen, just focus only on your acting. Leave the rest to me. I thought of a solution while we were talking.”

“…What solution?”

“If I tell you, it’ll be long. It’s about maximizing the upcoming issues while hiding your past. It’s like killing two birds with one stone.”

With a deepening smile, Choi Sung-gun rubbed his hands together as he spoke.

“After all, the best way to cover an issue is with another issue.”

The next day.

Early in the morning, Japan was buzzing with the continuing popularity of ‘Hanryang’. The reason was simple.

『’Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi X Author Akari Takikawa’ Collaborate as Director and Original Author』

The new work of the master director Kyotaro, who had been quiet for a long time, was officially announced. Of course, there had been rumors that he was working on a new project. The key point here was that the work involved Akari, a globally popular author.

『Bestseller by Author Akari Takikawa to be Adapted by Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi.』

A collaboration between Director Kyotaro and Author Akari. They even announced the title.

『’The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ to be Adapted into a Movie.』

However, that was all that was revealed. The cast and other details were still a secret. Regardless, ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ was already a bestseller and had enough hype to stir the whole of Japan.

Indeed, with the power of these two heavyweights, the news quickly topped Japan’s portal sites.

The public’s reaction was also strong. The topic was instantly ablaze on SNS, especially among Author Akari’s fans.

Anticipation, worry, or criticism.

Many had read ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger.’ and there were numerous fans of Author Akari. In fact, there seemed to be more worry and criticism than anticipation.

Concerns about ruining the original work.

However, within Japan, Director Kyotaro’s reputation and recognition were also high. As a result, a sharp debate arose from numerous opinions. That atmosphere continued at least until lunch, increasing the interest in “The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger.”

Meaning it was being etched into the minds of the Japanese public.

Given the buzz and the significant recognition of Director Kyotaro and Author Akari in Korea as well,

『[Overseas] Author Akari’s ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ to be made into a movie, directed by Japanese master director Kyotaro Tanoguchi.』

This news reached Korea too. Of course, there wasn’t as much uproar as in Japan, but a fair amount of articles were released. However, except for those who knew the two big names, the majority of the Korean public reacted indifferently. It was mostly just, ‘Ah, okay.’

Instead, Korea had its focus on something else.

-I’ve been waiting for PD Yoon’s new variety show ㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅠㅠ

It was about the new variety show of PD Yoon Byung-seon. If Japan announced ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ in the morning, at the same time in Korea, PD Yoon Byung-seon’s new variety show was unveiled.

『’PD Yoon’s’ new variety show title revealed, named ‘Our Dining Table’』

The title was ‘Our Dining Table,’ with the precise planning intent included. The official article had a lengthy explanation, but in short, it was about ‘introducing Korean food,’ not domestically but abroad.

And later that afternoon,

『[Hot Issue] ‘Our Dining Table’ lineup announced – An Jong-hak, Ha Gang-su, Yeon Baek-gwang, Hong Hye-yeon, Hwalin, and Kang Woojin.』

‘Our Dining Table’ released the confirmed casting lineup. For the public, it was jaw-dropping.

-Lol, An Jong-hak? If he’s in, it’s certain that he’s like a free servant for PD Yoon lol

-Wow… the lineup is insane, right?

-Aside from An Jong-hak, there’s Ha Gang-su, Hong Hye-yeon, Hwalin, and Yeon Baek-gwang, and now they’ve added Kang Woojin?

-Hong Hye-yeon and Hwalin? I heard they were close.

-Kang Woojin is now at a point where we can’t just see him as a rookie, lol. He’s taking over dramas, movies, and now even variety shows, lol.

-I knew about Kang Woojin, but it’s surprising to see him mixed in there, lol. Why though?

-ㅜㅡㅜㅡㅠㅜㅠㅜ Best lineup! It was hard coming home from work with nothing to watch ㅜㅡㅜㅠㅠ

-I’m super curious about how the cast’s chemistry and PD Yoon’s style of variety will mix….

The cast of ‘Our Dining Table’ was a mix of ‘expected’ and ‘unexpected’ names. Kang Woojin’s inclusion, despite being announced earlier, still generated buzz.

In any case, the anticipation for star PD Yoon Byung-seon’s ‘Our Dining Table’ was at its peak.

『[Star Pick] The rising rookie ‘Kang Woojin,’ what charm will he show in PD Yoon Byung-seon’s variety show?』

Consequently, Kang Woojin’s popularity rose significantly.

Meanwhile, at a domestic media company office.

In the middle of a bustling newsroom, a reporter was seen reading the article about ‘Our Dining Table,’ his chin propped up. He had a face with a slightly protruding lower jaw.

“Hmm- good lineup. Isn’t this Hong Hye-yeon’s first collaboration with PD Yoon? This Kang Woojin guy is just devouring everything in sight.”

At that moment, an older man passing by shouted at him.

“Are you slacking off again?!”

“No, what do you mean? I’m searching for articles right now.”

“Don’t just search for articles, write them. You’re a reporter, damn it! Get something posted today, got it?!”

“Yes, yes.”

The reporter sighed and moved his mouse while scratching his chin. He logged onto social media. It was routine. No, perhaps that was how most entertainment reporters in the country operated. However, finding nothing of interest, the reporter changed his destination.

He switched to various online communities.

It wasn’t unusual. Many reporters, including him, looked for stories in these communities. Click, click. He went straight to the entertainment category. However, finding nothing of interest there either, the reporter clicked his tongue in disappointment.

“Tch.”

That’s when he saw it.

“Hm?”

The reporter’s eyes lit up at a post.

-[I graduated from the same high school as Kang Woojin, and his personality is completely different nowㅇㅇ]

His fingers started moving quickly.

“What’s this?”

Later that afternoon,

In a high-end Korean restaurant in Cheongdam-dong with its own garden. About six or so people sat in the VIP room of the restaurant. Interestingly, they were speaking Japanese.

“It’s nice here.”

“Yes, it is. But PD, is it okay for us to eat such expensive food when we’ve come for a meeting?”

“……They invited us here.”

Of course, they were the production team of Japan’s national talk show ‘Ame-talk Show!’ They had arrived in Korea yesterday for the meeting.

Around this time.

“Interpreter.”

A skinny PD among the production team spoke to the interpreter.

“We will have a slow conversation during the meeting, so please translate for us in as much detail as possible without leaving anything out.”

“Yes, understood.”

As the interpreter nodded,

-Knock, knock, slide.

The door of the room slid open, and the actor they had been waiting for appeared. It was Kang Woojin, wearing a thin shirt. Seeing him, all members of the ‘Ame-talk Show!’ production team stood up, and Woojin, with an indifferent face, stood in front of the table and greeted them in a deep voice.

“Hello, I’m Kang Woojin. Sorry for being late, the staff directed me to the wrong room.”

At the same time, the eyes of the female writers and the interpreter grew wide. Similarly surprised, the skinny PD’s mouth fell open in confusion as well.

‘What, what?! Wasn’t he a Korean actor? Why is his Japanese so fluent?!’

The ‘Ame-talk Show!’ team was caught off guard right from the start.