BTT 76

“You’re only twenty-one, actor, and you thought about marriage?”

“I was serious.”

“So, are you still dating?”

“No. I was dumped.”

Clunk, Hae-jun’s heart plummeted. Reporter Shin exclaimed dramatically.

“I can’t believe you were dumped. Are there women who would dump a man this handsome?”

Lee A-gon smiled wordlessly again. He wasn’t that handsome, and his partner wasn’t a woman, so he had nothing to say.

Hae-jun, watching, bit his lip. Dumped? That was something he should be saying. Lee A-gon was the one who dumped him. Hae-jun didn’t want to break up.

“Do you know why you were dumped?”

“Hmm. Perhaps because I found out everything that person said was a lie. I believed our feelings were mutual, but it turned out they were just playing with me from the start.”

“That’s a terrible person.”

“Yes. Truly terrible.”

Reporter Shin seemed to want to ask more about it, but their agreed-upon time was up. Lee A-gon made a gesture of checking his watch, and Reporter Shin reluctantly stood up. It was a gesture indicating the interview was over.

“Hyung, I’ll go move the car.”

Yang Road whispered into Hae-jun’s ear, explaining that there was no parking nearby, so he’d parked in a paid lot a little way off.

Hae-jun nodded absently. Yang Road’s words didn’t register. No, he didn’t even realize Yang Road was beside him. Hae-jun was simply spaced out.

“……A-gon-ah.”

As soon as the interview ended, Hae-jun chased after Lee A-gon, who rose like the wind and walked towards the elevator. The moment he had longed for had finally arrived. A situation with just the two of them, with no one else around. Hae-jun, following him into the elevator, quickly pressed the close button. Reporter Shin, who was walking towards the elevator a few steps behind, wore a bewildered expression, but he ignored her.

“I never dumped you.”

As soon as the doors closed, Hae-jun said quickly.

“I don’t know why you think that, but I still like you.”

Lee A-gon glanced at Hae-jun. Hae-jun spoke earnestly.

“I want to keep dating you.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because I like you, of course.”

“Is it not because I’ve returned as Umyung’s son?”

“What?”

Lee A-gon twisted his body towards him. Hae-jun was flustered.

“Hyung, you only stay by my side when I’m useful. When I was young, it was to get to Yeonjang through me. After that, you toyed with my feelings to achieve what you wanted. What do you want this time, to say such things?”

“What are you talking about.”

He was about to retort that it was an insult to him, but his emotional footing faltered. Hae-jun couldn’t argue back. Lee A-gon was right.

He had approached him in the first place because he wanted something, and he had pretended to accept his feelings to achieve what he wanted. It was understandable that Lee A-gon couldn’t trust him. Hae-jun replied in a weak voice.

“Not this time. I really mean it.”

“…….”

“Please believe me. This time, really……”

Just then, the elevator stopped on the first floor. Lee A-gon got out.

“Hyung, I truly loved you. Enough to give my life for you. I wanted to get better because of you, and I wanted to live again because of you.”

“Lee A-gon.”

Hae-jun’s face brightened slightly. As he tried to approach, Lee A-gon raised his hand to stop him.

“That was until I knew you were playing with my feelings.”

“I wasn’t playing with your feelings. It was just…”

To control you well. Because it was good for you too. For you. Because I wanted you to get better.

Hae-jun closed his mouth, his expression clouded. He couldn’t say it like that.

Through his actions, Lee A-gon had overcome his illness and become a proper adult. But that didn’t negate the fact that he had toyed with his feelings. It was a very deep wound.

“I thought you were an amazing person. I thought there was no one as handsome and cool as you in the world. But that wasn’t true.”

Lee A-gon cut him off. Hae-jun’s heart pounded.

“You don’t deserve my love. You’re not that kind of person. You’re just an opportunist. Don’t approach me anymore. You’re dirty.”

As he said that, the corners of Lee A-gon’s eyes crinkled slightly. It looked like a smile.

“Please leave the company as soon as possible. I don’t even want to see your face.”

“That’s not happening.”

Hae-jun managed to reply.

“I can’t leave. Not until we reconcile. I……”

It was hard to continue speaking. His chest felt heavy. The words he had spoken kept echoing in his ears. You’re dirty. I don’t even want to see your face. You’re dirty. Don’t approach me. You’re dirty.

“If you won’t leave, I’ll make you leave.”

“Do as you please.”

Whatever you do, I’ll endure it. I’ll grovel and beg for your forgiveness.

Hae-jun ignored the bleeding wound in his chest and looked up, meeting Lee A-gon’s eyes. Just then, Yang Road appeared, driving the car. He honked lightly towards the two of them, who weren’t approaching his car. Only then did Lee A-gon head towards the car. Hae-jun gritted his teeth, then let go, following behind.

Back and forth. Their relationship had been flipped. Hae-jun couldn’t give up until he succeeded in flipping it one more time.

∞ ∞ ∞

August. began filming.

On the first day of shooting, a ritual table was set up, and all the actors and staff stood before it. Lee A-gon, who had taken the lead role, was in the front row.

“Heavenly spirits. Please bless our film, , and ward off evil spirits and malevolent deities during the filming period. We pray that our film, , made with all our might in these difficult times, will surpass ten million viewers.”

At the end of the long incantation, the entire film crew bowed in unison. Hae-jun imprinted the sight of Lee A-gon bowing into his eyes.

He remembered the ritual table from the independent film . The director and staff had argued over which part of the pig to use. On the small table were four fruits brought by the staff from home, a block of rice cake bought for four thousand won in three packs, and a meager piece of raw meat. The total number of staff was less than ten.

Over a hundred people were gathered here. The ritual table was properly set with all the proper formalities, and Director Kim Jun-haeng was already a box-office director with several hit films. The capital invested in the film was 9 billion won, and this was expected to increase further. It was truly a grand occasion.

Lee A-gon, born the son of Umyung but abandoned for being an Ability User, had returned. He stood proudly in his rightful place.

His eyes felt like they might well up. Hae-jun watched Lee A-gon bowing from behind and prayed along with him. That someday, he would look at him again. So that he could hear him say he liked him one more time.

Hae-jun prayed earnestly.

was a genre film combining psychological thriller with action, and the protagonist, Nam Hyun-woo, was 19 years old.

The film, whose title was taken from the saying that children are the mirror of their parents, depicted a mother who staked her life on her only son’s success and the son who was being ruined by her.

From childhood, the child dragged a suitcase as big as himself, shuttling between academies, and from elementary school, he prepared for Seoul National University admissions with an admissions officer. Fortunately, he was admitted to a specialized high school.

The start was smooth, but soon, among the top students nationwide, Nam Hyun-woo’s grades began to plummet. The mother, obsessed with her son’s success, resorted to abusing him.

Here, Lee A-gon, twenty-one years old, was cast as the abused son Nam Hyun-woo, and Hanna Young, forty-two, as the mother.

“At first, I was surprised when they offered me the mother role. Just three years ago, I was playing leading female roles, and now a mother. I was so angry I almost had a fight with my CEO, but when I read the script, it was just too good. I felt like I absolutely had to do it before someone else took it.”

Hanna Young, one of Korea’s most famous actresses, known for her lovable and charming personality, had consistently played female leads in romance genres. For her to take on the role of a mother with a 19-year-old son was a tremendous acting transformation.

She had been playing the lead role in weekend dramas consistently since she was twenty and had a large fanbase. A female lead with a solid fandom, Director Kim Jun-haeng with multiple hit works, and the rookie actor Lee A-gon.

Naturally, there were rumors when a rookie actor with no prior fame was cast in such an important role. When Lee A-gon appeared, whispers of “Who is that?” and “A parachute” could be heard.

“All stand by.”

This had happened during as well. Even earlier, during , Lee A-gon had heard such things. Hae-jun wasn’t worried. As always, Lee A-gon would prove himself with his skills.

“Speed.”

“Roll.”

“Mark.”

The slate was clapped. Director Kim Jun-haeng shouted, looking at the monitor.

“Action!”

Silence fell. All eyes were on Lee A-gon and Hanna Young.

The first scene was a conversation between mother and son. The mother, holding her son’s mock exam report card, asked in a low voice.

“Your rank has dropped.”

“I’m sorry.”

The son replied immediately. The mother looked blankly into space and asked.

“Is there something I did wrong?”