Top Star by Luck

Chapter 31

“……What?”

Lee Min Ki, who was about to leave the audition hall, stopped in his tracks.

It was because of the unexpected words from Director Yeom Gwang Ho.

“Read this script.”

His head started spinning.

He had already made up his mind to accept the outcome, even if he failed this audition.

After all, he had challenged himself with a character interpretation he usually wouldn’t try.

Instead of the typical ordinary citizen role from the original movie, he had gone for a more provocative character.

Given the short amount of time he had to contemplate, he thought the quality of his performance might be lacking.

Although Manager Park Han Mo’s words bothered him, the choice was ultimately his own.

Even if that choice led to his elimination from the role, he was fully prepared to accept it.

But now, what was this situation?

“Hurry up. There’s no time.”

“Ah.”

At Director Yeom Gwang Ho’s repeated urging, Lee Min Ki barely managed to regain his composure and walked over to receive the script.

His heart was pounding like crazy.

Auditions always had this effect, but this time it was even more intense.

His entire body felt hypersensitive, to the point where the high-lumen lights pouring down on him felt scorching, despite the dim interior of the room.

But his task was clear.

‘Act.’

That was all there was to it—accept the director’s proposal.

What more could there be?

“Let’s see.”

Director Yeom Gwang Ho glanced at his wristwatch before speaking.

“I’ll give you a little more time. Read it calmly, and we’ll start afterward. I won’t take any questions about the content.”

“Yes.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lee Min Ki took a deep breath and began to furiously read through the script.

And then, as he read, he felt dizzy and realized something.

‘This… this is a much bigger role.’

It was a far more significant role than the one he had just auditioned for.

[Detective Goo Hak Jin]

A secondary protagonist, a sidekick to a corrupt detective, who was chasing the murderous main character.

–

No, I’m telling you, it’s him!

Ha, I already told you something didn’t smell right.

Where in the world is there a perfect person?

Everyone’s the same.

We all poop, right? The important thing is how much we do it.

And the ones who poop in secret are the worst.

Why don’t you get that, senior?

Ah! Seriously! Ugh!

–

He was a character who spent the whole time on the verge of exploding in anger under the corrupt detective.

A supporting role, but practically a lead.

Of course, only Lee Min Ki knew this level of detail.

Not only was it not explained in the official notice, but even in the excerpted script, the character’s significance wasn’t fully revealed.

But Lee Min Ki knew.

He had seen the finished version in the theater, so he knew very well.

‘Are they offering me a better role?’

After briefly contemplating, Lee Min Ki bit his lip and shook off the unnecessary thoughts.

‘I need to let go of the idea that I’m the only one getting this special opportunity. They might have said the same thing to other candidates. For now, I need to clear my head and focus solely on acting.’

Before and after reading the script, now and in the future, his task remained clear:

To act.

As Lee Min Ki started memorizing the lines, someone watching this scene was lost in complicated thoughts.

‘What was I thinking?’

It was Director Yeom Gwang Ho.

After seeing Lee Min Ki’s acting, he had a thought.

Though a rookie, his acting skills were impressive.

He felt confident that whatever role he gave him, Lee Min Ki would at least meet expectations.

Moreover, his gentle, unassuming face suited the role of an ordinary citizen.

But something made him think there was even greater potential to be drawn out.

He began to consider giving him a bigger role.

The kind of role that could add seasoning to the entire production.

Someone needed to play such a part.

But it couldn’t just be anyone.

Characters come with a natural color, and only those who match that color can produce the best results.

Of course, there are people with overwhelming talent who can transcend a character, but that’s rare.

In terms of his physicality, Lee Min Ki wasn’t a natural fit for the role of Detective Goo Hak Jin.

Yet his acting style unmistakably matched the character.

‘Will it work?’

He was dying to see how it would turn out, as if he wanted to lift the lid of a bubbling pot and peek inside.

But for now, it was time to wait.

Wait until Lee Min Ki read the script, analyzed it, and finally accepted it.

“……”

“……”

At this moment, Lee Min Ki felt time ticking by as slowly as a second hand.

For Director Yeom Gwang Ho, however, the second hand felt like a minute hand.

A moment later, with both of them feeling different speeds of time as they awaited the same outcome—

“Begin.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Director Yeom Gwang Ho spoke first. As the acting started, it took just a few seconds.

Only a few seconds in, and he couldn’t suppress his grin.

‘I found him.’

***

On his way out of the audition hall, Lee Min Ki stared blankly up at the sky.

‘I never thought things would turn out like this.’

He had come for a minor supporting role audition.

But now, that role had flown out the window.

‘I can’t believe I got cast as Detective Goo Hak Jin.’

He had stuck to an entirely different role.

He had thought they’d notify him of the result later, but right there on the spot, they had declared him successful.

Director Yeom Gwang Ho’s voice still echoed in his ears.

[There’s no need to see more.]

At first, he thought he had failed. But instead, they told him he’d passed.

Lee Min Ki was not the only one shocked.

Another director sitting next to Yeom Gwang Ho had looked like his jaw would drop in astonishment.

“Hehe, hehehe, hahaha!”

Laughter spilled out of him involuntarily.

Anyone walking by might think he looked ridiculous, but at this moment, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Chills ran up from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

‘Is this what luck feels like?’

That was half right and half wrong.

Strictly speaking, luck had brought him this great role.

But everyone makes choices.

Lee Min Ki had chosen the performance he was capable of, over a textbook-perfect one.

Director Yeom Gwang Ho had chosen Lee Min Ki after watching that performance.

While luck had given Lee Min Ki the opportunity, it was his skill that allowed him to seize it.

‘I should treat the manager to a meal later.’

Unfortunately, the manager had only dropped him off and hadn’t waited until the end to take him back.

No matter how big a company it was, assigning a dedicated manager to a rookie actor was apparently seen as a waste of manpower.

But that didn’t matter.

Right now, he was in the mood to savor the joy of success with a nice walk.

‘Okay, maybe I’ll run all the way to the gym today. Cardio is the best for warming up, and the weather’s perfect for it, too.’

Ah, but before that, there was something else to do.

He needed to spread the news far and wide.

Starting with Manager Park Han Mo and Trainer Kim Ah Sung, then moving on to Yoo Seon Ah, Kim Tak, and his classmates at Jam Acting School.

‘Just boasting would be a bit too much, so I should buy them dinner while I’m at it.’

As the saying goes, when you have good news and want to boast, you should always treat others to a meal.

That way, there’d be no hard feelings afterward.

Lee Min Ki was a firm believer in this old adage.

‘Since I passed the audition… hmm, I guess beef would be the best option. Sirloin and short ribs have too much fat, though, so maybe beef sashimi? Or should I splurge a little more for tenderloin…!’

It was a bit expensive, but you had to spend when it mattered.

He still had plenty of his signing bonus left from the company, and he had even gotten a refund for his academy fees recently, so he had a decent amount saved up.

‘I can finally afford weekly beef dinners now!’

He was overcome with emotion, trembling as he realized how far he’d come.

After sending out light-hearted messages of congratulations to his contacts, just as he was about to set off, his phone buzzed.

But the message he received was a bit unexpected.

[Min Seo: Hey]

[Min Seo: What are you up to?]

It was a message from his family.

***

How would one describe Lee Min Ki’s family?

They were ordinary.

Not just ordinary—textbook examples of an average working-class family.

His parents were still around, and he had one older sister.

His sister, Lee Min Seo, had always been academically gifted and had gone to a good university.

But Lee Min Ki was different.

He had no particular talent for studying, and fundamentally, he had terrible luck.

Whenever there was a multiple-choice question, he would always pick the wrong answer.

When he applied to a lower-tier university, that year, the competition skyrocketed.

Even when he barely got a waitlist number, his spot was cut off just before his turn came up.

In short, his college entrance attempt had been a disaster.

And his family wasn’t in a position to support him retaking the exam.

So, Lee Min Ki gave up on it.

Instead, he spent his early twenties doing odd jobs, thinking he would at least help support the family.

At this point, his parents still saw him as a son to be proud of.

If only he hadn’t made one particular choice afterward.

[I want to become an actor.]

With confidence, Lee Min Ki declared that he wanted to start studying acting at an age that was already considered late for an aspiring actor.

His mother’s reaction to this was simple:

[A kid with luck as rotten as a crumbled cookie wants to be an actor?]

She was horrified.

But Lee Min Ki’s determination was as strong as steel, and after long persuasion, the outcome was this:

[Son… it doesn’t matter what you do, just do something else, okay?]

Not only his parents.

Even his sister, who he had always trusted, wasn’t on his side.

[Look, I never said this out loud, but I’ve always been kind of proud of you, you know? I’ve told people how great my brother is… But being an actor? That’s a no. How about we try again with the entrance exams? I’ll even take a leave of absence from school to help you. I can teach you too.]

His entire family was firmly against it.

Looking at it objectively, their reaction was understandable.

Even in an ordinary family, wanting to become an actor might be met with strong opposition, and considering how unlucky Lee Min Ki had been for over 20 years, it was even more so.

Given the circumstances, what choice did he have?

Lee Min Ki had only one option.

Either give up on becoming an actor.

[I’ll come back stronger.]

Or give up on his family.

So, he packed his bags and left home with all the money he had saved.

Years had passed since then.

The last time Lee Min Ki had been in touch with his family was months ago.

Though it felt like nearly five years had passed, considering his experiences from the previous life.

He had spent his early-to-mid twenties aspiring to be an actor, only to repeatedly fail well into his thirties.

No matter what his family thought of him, the awkwardness between them led him to avoid them for a while, until eventually, he completely cut off contact.

It had been so long that their faces were almost a blur.

‘But that’s over now.’

This time, he finally had something to show for himself.

At least he was much better off than before.

It wasn’t exactly a triumphant return, but it could be considered a modest one.

‘There’s no rule saying I have to live glued to my family, but I should at least stop them from worrying.’

Today, his sister Lee Min Seo was scheduled to visit.

Ostensibly, she was delivering kimchi their parents had made.

But that was just the surface reason—her real task was likely something else.

She was probably there to check up on his lifestyle and report back to their parents.

‘The path to mending relationships starts here.’

He would show her only his best side.

So, Lee Min Ki dressed more neatly than usual and headed to a café.

Since his place was too small, he had suggested they meet at the café.

“Phew.”

Arriving at the café alone, he sipped on the Americano he had ordered and couldn’t help but notice the attention from those around him.

It was probably because he was being too sensitive.

Even veterans get nervous before a big battle, after all.

…Or so Lee Min Ki thought, but in reality, it was this:

“Isn’t that Lee Min Ki?”

Someone in the café recognized him.

They were a viewer of Campus Story, the drama that had gained decent popularity among women in their teens to thirties.

That’s right.

He was now at the point where, while he might not have full-fledged fans yet, there were people here and there who would recognize him.

“Who is he?”

“You know, the second male lead… or something? Anyway, someone who had a pretty significant role.”

“Oh, he’s handsome. He looks even better in person.”

As the two of them chatted for a bit, one of them finally made up her mind.

“Should I ask him for an autograph?”