Chapter 375 (2/2)

“You’re right. It did horribly. I went to watch it last week. I mean, it’s a movie with an idol as the main character. I wanted to see how it was as well as the atmosphere at the cinema. Also, on how well it would do. The movie itself was not that bad. The story was interesting, and the acting skills of the prosecutor character, actor Choi Jaechul, were good as well. But this guy, this guy made it look bad.”

Sungjae folded the poster again. He had a relaxing smile on, but it looked like he was seeing far into the future.

“There were definitely many girls. The internet was still hot about it as well. But that was it. There was nothing other than that. At the start of the year, the movie Silmido was released, right? And it received over 10 million views. In that movie, there were no actors that had lacking acting skills. Even the actors that I don’t know the name of, contributed to the movie with heavy acting skills. Back then, I thought that it would be fine to replace one of them with an idol. I believed that even if one of the minor actors was lacking, the power of popularity would make up for it. But I found out that I was too narrow-sighted through the movie shoot this time. On TV, popularity does work. But it doesn’t work for movies. I forgot about the obvious fact that you need to go and pay for tickets to watch a movie. I was mistaken just because I was a little drunk on momentary popularity. I forgot that the public was frighteningly sensitive to ‘fun’. The ‘fun’ that can be satisfied by idols and the ‘fun’ that can be satisfied by movies is different.”

He nodded his head before putting the poster back in his bag.

“Sorry for stepping over the line.”

Maru apologized to Sungjae. He felt sorry that he tried to probe him out. What he found out through this conversation was that the person named Ahn Sungjae was not light at all. Only those that think deeply can introspect themselves. Sungjae was a person that had already finished looking back on himself and was making progress. Meeting people like him as a junior at a company would make the senior both happy and afraid. That was because they knew that that junior would soon rise in ranks.

“No, I feel good since you were just as I expected.”

“Just as you expected?”

“When I shot Twilight Struggles, I kinda became insistent on staying there. I delayed my entire schedule and begged the president so I could stay there. My part of the movie was finished already, so in order to find an excuse to stay there, I did some menial work for the staff and drank together with them at night. The fact that I can drink a lot helped quite a lot back then.”

“Drinking? Did you perhaps drink with the elder as well?”

“Yeah, as well as the other actors. Back then, sir Moonjoong talked about you a lot. He said that you’re quite bold and unexpected and that I will never be bored when I’m with you. Now that I met you in person, I think I know what he was trying to say.”

“I’m not that bold. I’m a quiet guy.”

“This guy says whatever he wants and is so cocky.”

Gyunglim suddenly interfered and said a line.

Sungjae laughed. Maru just watched as Sungjae laughed heartily.

‘He’s a decent guy.’

He might really be a good guy. Maru always had a bad image of idols, he thought that Sungjae might change his mindset.

“Looks like the lesson was too easy for you from how you’re laughing and chatting. Well, then. Let’s resume, shall we? Let’s start with light acrobatics to remove those smiles on your faces.”

Miso clapped as she walked forward. Maru wished them luck before walking backwards. Today, he was just watching after all.

“Mr. Han Maru.”

“Yes?”

“Where are you going?”

“Going back to my seat and watching?”

“You don’t need to. Come here and stand against the wall. If you’ve been keeping in shape, you should be able to stretch your legs out like last year.”

“I thought I was just watching for today….”

“Do you want to do it moderately today? Or do you want to do twice as much, tomorrow?”

Maru walked to the wall as he watched Miso’s twitching smile, thinking that there were enemies he could not win against in this world.

* * *

“Then see you tomorrow, everyone.”

Miso left the lecture room with a refreshed expression. Maru clenched his teeth as he fell to the floor. This class was even harder than his action classes.

“You still alive?”

Sungjae spoke from the side. Maru replied yes in a small voice.

“Looks like Gyunglim-noona died.”

“It seems so.”

“Should we hold a funeral for her?”

“I’m too exhausted to do that.”

“I guess we can’t help it then. Let’s just go by ourselves.”

“Alright. Oh, Maru. Do you want to eat together? There’s a good bossam restaurant nearby.”

“Are you buying?”

“I wouldn’t have someone younger than me buy.”

“I’ll treat you like a big brother for a lifetime. Are you going too, Gyunglim-noona?”

Gyunglim stood up like a zombie and slowly nodded.

“Ah, right. Sungjae-hyung.”

“What is it?”

“You know what?”

“What?”

“Apparently, you like someone.”

“What the heck does that mean?”

Sungjae tilted his head, and Gyunglim screamed as she stood up.

Seeing her, Maru giggled for a while. He really liked this class.

An actual movie released in 2003. for more details