NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor

Time passed after contacting Kim Su-hyeok, and the Lunar New Year holiday approached.

Two years ago, Yeon-woo was filming “Master Plan,” and last year, he was shooting “Sketch,” so he was always busy around this time and couldn’t see his relatives during the holiday.

‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve had a long break.’

The distance had become closer as he came up to Seoul, but visiting the main family house was actually the first time since high school.

Riiiing─.

As he put the smartphone to his ear, he heard So-hyeon’s voice.

Oppa, where are you? We’ve arrived and are in the parking lot.

“Yeah. I’m just entering the apartment complex of Uncle’s place now.”

Mom will wait, so let’s go up together.

Just as I heard So-hyeon’s words, I turned the corner and saw my parents taking luggage out of the trunk.

Yeon-woo lowered the window and called out.

“I’m here.”

“Oh, right. There’s an empty spot over there.”

“Okay. I’ll park and come.”

Yeon-woo drove in the direction his mother pointed and parked, then got out and took the box from the passenger seat.

Not just the passenger seat, but the trunk was also full of gift boxes.

As Yeon-woo came carrying the box, his mother asked.

“Did you bring gifts?”

“Yes. The agency gave me a few Korean beef sets to give to family and acquaintances.”

“I see. It’s cold. Let’s go in quickly.”

Yeon-woo and his family took the elevator up.

Perhaps because they had received a call that they were almost there, the older relatives were out in the corridor to greet them.

“Oh my. Our family’s pride, the movie actor, has arrived.”

Yeon-woo smiled as he saw his uncle and aunt approaching with open arms.

Yeon-woo’s last memory of his aunt was when she furiously raised a broom with her aching arm after his younger uncle had broken a potted plant she had brought when she got married.

“Have you been well? How’s your arm, Aunt?”

“Oh, it’s fine. Old folks’ bodies are full of broken parts, you know. Had surgery at the hospital, and it’s pretty much normal now.”

Then his uncle, standing beside, patted Yeon-woo and So-hyeon’s backs and pushed them.

“What are you doing? Keeping the precious kids standing outside. Let’s go in quickly. It’s cold out here.”

Yeon-woo and the relatives went inside.

Meanwhile, Kim Junsoo’s family had also come up to Seoul the day before, and as morning came, they were preparing the ancestral rite table.

Kim Junsoo’s expression was souring by the minute due to the incessant boasting from his aunt’s family, who had visited for the first time in years.

“Where did you say our son applied to again?”

“Yeonha University and Korea University, I told you.”

“Ah, Mom just can’t remember.”

There was no way she couldn’t remember. This was the fifth time she was bringing this up since yesterday.

“Wasn’t it hard taking the exam?”

“Mom. It wasn’t an exam, it was an interview.”

“What did you say the interview questions were again?”

“Well, the first one was…”

He had heard this story so many times that it was etched in his ears.

By now, Kim Junsoo could recite by heart what questions were asked in the interview and how he had answered.

“By the way, Junsoo, aren’t you going to the military soon?”

“Yes, Aunt.”

Junsoo nodded at the sudden question.

“I heard you got into university and even have a girlfriend.”

“Ah, yes.”

After staring at Kim Junsoo for a moment, his aunt turned her head.

“Junha, you’re not going to start dating as soon as you enter school like your cousin, are you?”

“No way, Korea University is so tough that there’s no time for that.”

“That’s right. Our son is going to be a great person, so he shouldn’t waste time on unnecessary things.”

Listening to the conversation, Kim Junsoo shook his head.

‘Now I understand why Mom dislikes Aunt.’

Junsoo looked at his cousin and asked.

“So, which department did you get into?”

“Me? Economics.”

“Oh. I have a friend in the Economics department.”

Then, with a slightly displeased expression, he looked at Kim Junsoo.

“…Really? The actor Ryu Yeon-woo is also a senior in our department.”

“Yeah. Of course I know.”

“You know the actor Ryu Yeon-woo too, right? Well, our senior is so famous. Ah, I should become friends with him as soon as I enter school.”

Hearing his cousin’s words, Kim Junsoo smirked.

“Ryu Yeon-woo is on a leave of absence, you know?”

“Well, he’ll come back eventually. Want me to get his autograph for you later?”

Kim Junsoo barely held back his laughter.

“No thanks. I don’t really need an autograph. And you’re already calling him ‘senior’ when you haven’t even met him?”

“Of course. We’ll be attending the same school now. He’s my direct senior, isn’t he?”

“Well, I guess so.”

He had only occasionally seen them at family weddings; there wasn’t much interaction with his aunt’s family.

So they seemed to have no idea that Junsoo and Yeon-woo were friends.

They had only heard news indirectly, and it had been a while since they had such a long conversation, but it seemed that these relatives, with whom they rarely interacted, suddenly visited for the holiday solely because they now had something to boast about.

“Anyway, when are you going to the military?”

“You asked that three times yesterday, too.”

It seemed his aunt had no intention of stopping her habit of meddling disguised as concern.

===

**

===

As Yeon-woo put on his shoes at the entrance, the adults came rushing out.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Why did you prepare pocket money like this again? I should be the one giving it to you.”

“Well, our nephew probably earns more than ten times what his uncle does. Thank you.”

“Oh my, is our Yeon-woo leaving?”

As even his aunt from the kitchen came out, Yeon-woo smiled and put on his mask.

“I have many places to visit today. I’ll come again soon.”

“Alright. Always take care of yourself and make sure to eat properly.”

“Yes, Aunt.”

After receiving their send-off, he took the elevator down to the first floor, where his uncle and aunt, who were waiting to ride up, recognized Yeon-woo.

“Oh my, nephew.”

Watching his uncle greet him warmly with a straight face, Yeon-woo tilted his head slightly.

‘Is his memory bad, or is he just that shameless?’

Behind his uncle and aunt, surprisingly, their daughter was also visible.

“Ah, yes.”

“Our Min-hee came after a long time to see her cousin brother too.”

“I see.”

Honestly, he wasn’t very interested, and he only learned today that his cousin sister standing behind was named Min-hee.

“Are you going out to buy something?”

“No, I have some work to attend to now. The elders upstairs will be waiting, so please go up.”

As Yeon-woo bowed his head slightly in greeting and walked towards the parking lot, Ryu Jeong-yun’s face contorted.

“Such a lack of manners.”

“Dad! What is this? He just left. I couldn’t even take a picture.”

Regardless, Yeon-woo got in his car and called Junsoo.

“Junsoo. You said your family was coming up to Seoul for the holiday, right? When are they coming up?”

They already came up yesterday. We’re at Grandpa’s house now.

“Oh, really? Send me the address. I have a gift for you.”

Huh? What gift all of a sudden? I didn’t prepare anything.

Thinking of the Korean beef set in the passenger seat and trunk, Yeon-woo said,

“The company gave me some gift sets to share with our theater group members.”

Wow, they even prepared something like that. Alright. I’ll send you the address.

As soon as he hung up, a message with the address came from Junsoo.

‘I gave Yu-han’s yesterday, and Joo-hyung said he’s going to Gangwon-do, so I just need to take care of Junsoo and Seong-sik.’

Yeon-woo drove to the address in the message.

“Oh, I’ve arrived.”

Already? I’ll come down now.

After waiting for a moment, he saw Junsoo coming out of the apartment entrance.

Yeon-woo put on his hat and mask and got out.

“Hey, brother.”

“Take this.”

He handed the gift to Junsoo, who was approaching with a big wave.

“Wow. What’s this? Is it Korean beef?”

“How did you know right away?”

In response to Yeon-woo’s question, Junsoo held up the gift set and said,

“When it’s wrapped up tightly in this gold cloth and feels this heavy, it’s gotta be Korean beef.”

“There’s quite a lot. Share it with your relatives.”

“Ah, there are some relatives I can’t stand to look at. It’s a waste to eat it with them.”

“What happened?”

Junsoo sighed and explained what had happened so far.

“I saw on the internet that they call it K-holiday?”

“It’s pretty much the norm.”

“By the way, I heard you’re entering our department?”

“Yeah. You should keep them in line a bit.”

Yeon-woo chuckled and continued,

“Military discipline in this day and age? Besides, how can someone who hasn’t even been to the military talk about discipline?”

“I’ve been dizzy from all the questions about when I’m going to the military since yesterday.”

As Junsoo went on complaining about his cousin, Yeon-woo tilted his head.

“Didn’t you tell them I’m your friend?”

“I’m not that close with my aunt’s family. Even if I told them, they’d probably just bother you for autographs.”

At that moment, a mischievous look appeared on Yeon-woo’s face.

“Then, since we’re here, let’s go say hello. It’s been a while since I’ve seen your parents and sister.”

“Huh? Now?”

Yeon-woo nodded.

“Why not? We’re practically family friends. Is it rude?”

Junsoo’s eyes filled with emotion at Yeon-woo’s words.

“Rude? No way. My relatives are going to flip out.”

In fact, having tutored at Junsoo’s house throughout their senior year of high school, Yeon-woo was quite close with the family.

“Then lead the way. Let’s go greet them.”

“Okay!”

Yeon-woo followed Junsoo into the apartment.

Ding-dong─.

“Junsoo, where did you go?”

“Grandpa, my friend came by just outside.”

“Hello.”

Yeon-woo bowed slightly in greeting as he followed Junsoo in.

“Oh, I see. Junsoo’s friend? Your face looks familiar.”

At that sound, Junsoo’s cousin came to the entrance.

“What? Who’s here?”

And then he froze, faced with a situation beyond his brain’s capacity to understand.

Ryu Yeon-woo was entering the house, taking off his shoes in the entryway.

“…Huh?”

Why is Ryu Yeon-woo here?

Because I got into Korea University’s Economics Department?

No, is this even realistically possible?

Is this some kind of hidden camera prank from the school?

Countless questions filled his mind.

“What’s going on? Why are you all standing in the entryway?”

Kim Junsoo’s older sister, Kim Yeonji, came out from the kitchen.

“Oh? Yeon-woo?”

“Noona, have you been well? I was in the neighborhood, so I came to say hello after a long time.”

“Wow. It’s been years.”

“I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t been able to greet you since high school graduation.”

Yeon-woo jokingly teased Kim Yeonji, who was wearing an apron.

He remembered when they first met at Junsoo’s house, she suddenly offered to peel some fruit and ended up nearly destroying it with her clumsy skills.

“Yeonji noona. You couldn’t even peel fruit well, what are you trying to do with that apron on?”

“Hey, I’m good at cooking now, you know?”

“Are your parents inside?”

“Of course. Mom, Dad! Yeon-woo’s here to say hello!”

Kim Yeonji ran to the living room.

Seeing the relatives joking around and seeming incredibly close with Ryu Yeon-woo, the cousin’s head was just mass-producing question marks.

“What on earth is…”

Hearing the commotion at the entrance, the aunt and uncle also came walking over, wondering what was going on.

Then Junsoo introduced Yeon-woo with a grin.

“Ah, this is my best friend. You know Ryu Yeon-woo, right? Well, he’s pretty famous after all.”

At that, the cousin’s face turned bright red.

The words that had come out of his own mouth just an hour or two ago flashed through his mind.

‘He’s your direct senior now. Should I get his autograph for you?’

‘You know the actor Ryu Yeon-woo too, right? Well, our senior is pretty famous after all.’

And then Junsoo, looking smug, added one more thing.

“Yeon-woo, give my cousin an autograph. He seems to be a fan of yours.”