The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter: 16

**[ @KeyRing, 1 day ago on Lee Jung-hyun’s phone]**

“Are you seriously living your life without watching the making of ‘The Tail’?”

“I believe none of my family members would commit such an atrocious act.”

└ [ @say_lovelee, 1 day ago]

“KeyRing, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I might have lived without tasting this precious content. You’ve saved a life.”

**[Title: The making of the child actor in the yellow hat is up! Go check it out!]**

“It’s insane seeing Lee Jung-hyun walking around hugging the child actor…ㅠㅠㅠㅠ It’s heavenly to see such handsome people together….”

— “The drama is almost over, and they released this now… But it’s so cute, so I forgive them….”

└ “Why is the child actor so shy that he can’t even greet properly ㅠㅠ What’s with Lee Jung-hyun’s gaze in that moment? Such a guilty person ㅠㅠ”

**[Title: Am I the only one who thinks the yellow hat kid’s ad-lib is fake?]**

“No, it’s true~ Our Yeon-jae is indeed a genius actor recognized by Lee Jung-hyun.”

“Sorry for the clickbait title; there were too many troublemakers in the posts.”

“Original lines: two sentences > ad-lib increased the length (added ‘petty’, ‘game console’ all ad-libbed) Originally only appeared in the park > writer and PD persuaded him to appear at the funeral.”

“It’s official.”

“If you have time, check out Kim Johan’s (Main PD of ‘The Tail’) full interview here > https://hottopnews.com/view/id=NS207”

“Rebuttal with Yeon-jae’s photo cards accepted.”

— “Why is it so funny that they thought it was his original personality? How good must his acting be….”

└ “Just watching the eye acting in the last scene gives you the answer. I got goosebumps while watching the live broadcast.”

— “Was it just me? His acting seemed ordinary;”

└ “I felt the same. Just looks like people are hyping him up because he’s good-looking.”

└ “It’s pathetic to be jealous of a kid, guys….”

└ “It’s not jealousy; it’s just personal taste. Honestly, there’s a tendency to overrate him.”

└ “Isn’t it impressive enough that a kid who came in as an extra increased his screen time with ad-libs? It’s not like we’re giving him an Oscar, just a few compliments. Does that make you so angry?”

└ “(ㄱㅆ) I applaud the dedication to come here and stir trouble despite it being written in the main post. I’ll send you a DM; send the photo card within two days.”

— “What’s his next project? ㅠㅠ I hope he comes out soon.”

└ “He’s not an actor. This was supposed to be a cameo.”

└ “What? So he hasn’t even debuted yet? What are the agencies doing? Hurry up and release a black-and-white profile photo with a turtleneck ㅠㅠ”

* * *

The actor management scene was in an uproar.

An unknown gem had appeared in a public broadcast drama without going through any agencies, casting managers, or academies.

Like proving the saying “even a hedgehog thinks its baby is soft,” countless parents, losing objectivity, knocked on the doors of agencies day after day.

Some kids, dragged by their parents without a clue, burst into tears, while others displayed cutesy acts that only looked adorable to their parents.

For mid-sized agencies that couldn’t be selective like the big ones, they reluctantly held such auditions multiple times a day.

Even after enduring the exhausting day filled with kids’ cries, they couldn’t find a ‘usable actor.’

But then, a kid with looks that didn’t get overshadowed even next to Lee Jung-hyun suddenly appeared, and his acting wasn’t bad either.

They talked about his ad-libs, but within the industry, such media play was considered a courtesy.

With that face, even if he chewed and spit out his lines, it would still make sense.

In other words, the one who picks him up wins.

Calls poured in from the PD, writer, cast, crew, and even the day laborers on the set of ‘The Tail: Tracing the Evidence,’ all asking for Lee Yeon-jae’s contact information.

According to the prior discussion with the orphanage director, they revealed nothing about Lee Yeon-jae.

However, nothing could surpass the attention-seeking nature of elementary school kids attending the same school as Yeon-jae.

Once it was known on the internet which school Lee Yeon-jae attended, agency representatives flocked to wait in front of that elementary school.

* * *

“Hello. Are you Lee Yeon-jae, who appeared in ‘The Tail’? I’m from OO Entertainment—.”

“Yes. Please give me your business card. I’ll contact you if I’m interested. Thank you.”

I politely accepted the business card and quickly said goodbye.

The representative seemed to want to say more, but Noh Bi-hyuk and I had already left.

Sighing lightly and shoving the business card into my pocket, Noh Bi-hyuk squinted and smiled.

“You’ll contact them if you’re interested? You know that’s more cruel, right? Why didn’t you just say you weren’t interested?”

“It’s not the first time, and I can’t explain it all every time.”

“Yeah, I guess. But are you really not interested? It seems like a waste. Why not at least talk to them?”

Noh Bi-hyuk’s gaze brushed over my pocket full of business cards with regret.

For a kid dreaming of becoming a celebrity, my attitude must be incomprehensible.

“I don’t want to. Besides, I’ve never learned acting.”

“Then start learning now. Honestly, with your looks, it’s weirder if you don’t become a celebrity, you know?”

“What do you mean? Ah, let’s go this way today.”

Mist said I would get hit by a sudden water splash if I took the usual alley today.

Even when I suddenly suggested a different path, Noh Bi-hyuk followed without complaint.

After all, he was the one who insisted on walking home together despite my saying a hundred times that I wanted to go alone, so it was only right for him to put up with this much whimsy.

“Are you preparing to become an idol?”

“Yeah, I’m going to start auditioning when I become a middle schooler. Once I get in, it’s game over. My face is already a ‘free pass’.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“Just curse at me instead. Do you know that your tired expression hurts more?”

I had recently found out that Noh Bi-hyuk was quite serious about becoming an idol.

He didn’t talk about it much, but it seemed like he had detailed plans laid out.

Whether it was a defense mechanism or something else, he kept saying, “If it doesn’t work out, oh well,” but his eyes were serious despite his light tone.

It was so uncharacteristically serious for Noh Bi-hyuk that I couldn’t forget the genuine expression on Park Ha-eun’s face when she said his eyes made her feel like throwing up.

“If you’re going to pursue acting, come to the same middle school as me. Considering attendance, it’s better to transfer to an arts middle school.”

“I told you, I have no interest.”

“Oh~ So pricey, so pricey. Anyway, even if you go to a different school, don’t forget me. Let’s hang out on the weekends.”

Noh Bi-hyuk smiled brightly at me.

When I looked at him without responding, he suddenly changed the subject, saying he craved dumplings.

Ignoring him and walking quietly, he threatened to lie down on the street and throw a tantrum.

As soon as I sighed and nodded, he darted into a snack bar.

Following slowly behind his back, I couldn’t shake off the inexplicable uneasiness and kept sighing.

‘Why does this guy keep sticking to me?’

Objectively, I’m not the most interesting person to talk to.

Actor Lee Jung-hyun said I was fun to tease, but that was an adult’s perspective. Kids my age probably felt differently.

It was strange that he kept clinging to me despite my constant rejections and pushbacks. Why would a popular kid do that?

It seemed too odd to say he just liked me purely. Sometimes, his eyes were inscrutable when he looked at me.

Especially when he smiled like that, it felt too refined, as if he was hiding his true intentions….

‘I don’t know.’

Anyway, there wasn’t much I could do even if I thought about it.

I sat down and cut off Noh Bi-hyuk’s shout, “Auntie! Three orders of meat dumplings, two orders of kimchi dumplings, and tteokbokki with fried food—” and asked for just one order of meat dumplings.

I’d better feed him quickly and get back to the orphanage.

* * *

“Yeon-jae!”

“Hello.”

As soon as I opened my eyes, I felt a languid mood and sprawled on the bed where Mist was lying.

Mist now always created furniture like chairs or beds whenever I came.

As the furniture accumulated in the small space, it started to feel more lived-in.

Now, when I thought of the black space, I naturally imagined Mist sitting in a rocking chair waiting for me.

Today, too, Mist, in Noh Bi-hyuk’s form, smiled brightly.

“Mist, could you change your appearance?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just… I’m tired.”

When I mumbled in an uncharacteristically weak tone, Mist looked very flustered.

But seeing that expression, I suddenly felt all my strength drain out, thinking that the real Noh Bi-hyuk would never make such a face.

“It’s okay. You can stay like that.”

“Okay.”

Suddenly feeling an empty sense of futility, I stopped Mist from changing and watched as he awkwardly lay back on the bed.

While I zoned out, I felt Mist watching me carefully.

“Yeon-jae, did something happen? Nothing happened today! You avoided all the misfortunes!”

“Nothing happened.”

Mist knew I wasn’t being sincere but looked at me, unsure of what to say.

So both of us stayed silent, and Mist seemed at a loss with the sudden quiet.

But… strangely, I started to feel a sense of peace looking at him. Maybe because it was so like Mist.

Lying on the bed, I quietly opened my mouth while watching him.

“You know.”

“Yeah?”

“Why does Noh Bi-hyuk keep talking to me? Doesn’t it seem weird?”

Mist looked puzzled at my words but answered brightly.

“What’s weird about it? I talk to you all the time, too.”

“That’s because you have no one else to talk to but me… He has plenty of people around him.”

“Really? But even if there are many humans around, Yeon-jae might be the most fun! I think you’re the most fun!”

Mist’s voice was as soft as a freshly steamed bun.

I wasn’t sure if he meant it, but it sounded quite comforting, making me laugh.

“Thanks. But it feels like he wants something from me. I just don’t know what.”

“Hmm~ Didn’t you say that the human’s dream was to become famous?”

“It’s more like he wants to be an idol.”

“Same thing! Either way, Yeon-jae is already famous. Isn’t he sticking around because he wants to become famous too?”

Despite Mist’s innocent laughter, his words were quite realistic.

Right, why didn’t I think of that?

For celebrities, notoriety is crucial.

One of the most common ways to become known is to claim friendship with someone famous.

But it’s not like I’m going to keep acting, and I was just an extra… Does that even matter?

But thinking of it that way explained why he sometimes clung to me out of a sense of duty.

Surely, he’d been particularly friendly lately, more so than at the start of the semester.

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

I readily agreed with Mist’s words.

Though it wasn’t certain, knowing the most likely reason made me feel better.

I had been uneasy about transferring the misfortune factor, but if that was his intention, he would have to bear some of it too.

Though a part of my heart still felt stifled, I decided to leave it at that.

Taking a deep breath and relaxing on the bed, Mist grinned and looked at me.

“Do you feel better after talking about it?”

At that moment, my mind snapped back to attention. Mist’s words pierced through my thoughts and hit me hard.

Right. I… I wanted to talk to someone.

Looking up at Mist again, I felt comforted by his soft, unobtrusive presence.

He was the only one I didn’t have to worry about transferring misfortune to, didn’t feel guilty for thanking me for preventing accidents, and didn’t feel like he was hiding something.

And he was someone I might not be able to see again one day.

‘Am I thinking of you as a friend?’

At that moment, I was truly glad Mist couldn’t read my thoughts.