Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Action School (2)
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Day two of attending Action School.
Intense muscle soreness had set in, but with a "that's not my problem" vibe, I was getting drilled all over again.
I'd figured today would be a bit more relaxed since Action Director Bae Gi-young wasn't around.
In the FM-obsessed coach's class, I was getting worked alongside the male students.
"...You okay?"
"...Y-Yeah... huff... I'm... hng... fine... wheeze..."
"You've got more mental fortitude than I expected. Most women don't last this long."
The coach wasn't lying— the male students were sprawled out on the floor, panting like crazy.
But me, Jeong Gyeowol. Wild alpha male. I couldn't outmuscle them with my current strength, but no way was I losing in endurance.
"I'm... tougher... than I... look..."
"Then let's crank up the intensity and go again?"
Who even is this psycho coach?
Couldn't he see I was struggling to breathe, let alone respond?
I figured this was the perfect moment for him to call for a break.
Big mistake on my part to show off.
"...I'm... frailer... than I look. Please... spare me."
"One more set, then we rest."
With a stern, resolute expression, he shot down my plea flat.
As I made a face like the world was ending, the other students suddenly jumped in.
"Coach! We can't do it either! Let's take a break!"
"I went easy on you guys compared to usual. Already calling for a break?"
The coach stared at them in disbelief, but they kept insisting on resting, ignoring him completely.
"Gravity feels heavier today— my body's killing me!"
"This weather, this temperature, this humidity— everything's screaming for a break!"
"...What the hell are you idiots babbling about?"
"Just one minute! Please!"
"Seeing Jeong Gyeowol struggle like that breaks my heart!"
"Exactly! How can you make a woman train the same as us guys? This is abuse!"
"Ha... you little shits."
Ha?
Wasn't this some high-level psychological warfare?
I'd thought they were stepping up to help me out...
What guy in the world could stay quiet after hearing that crap?
-You look beat. Wanna drop some weight?
-Can't hack it? Just say so.
-This is what that girl from the last group was lifting...
In the gym, there are a few magic phrases that ignite a guy's competitive fire.
Stuff trainers toss out now and then.
This place was no different.
These bastards had clearly plotted to crush me today.
My limbs were shaking like jelly.
My muscles were begging to quit.
But me, Jeong Gyeowol. I wasn't the type of guy to take that kind of insult lying down.
I shot to my feet, about to demand we start right now...
"Gah!"
My trembling forearms, my impatience, my burning will to win— that was the problem.
With my biceps, triceps, and forearms all clocked out, my poor wrist joint had to bear my full weight alone.
And just like that, I sprained it.
I tumbled, banging my head on the way down.
My vision went white, consciousness fading fast.
It was on a mat, so this shouldn't be happening.
This was all the FM coach's fault for wearing me out.
The students' fault too, for getting my blood boiling.
"Jeong Gyeowol!"
"Call 119! 119!"
No way was I this fragile...
"Hey! Call them quick..."
"Jeong Gyeowol! Jeong Gyeowol! Stay with..."
Me...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
An unfamiliar ceiling.
"You okay? Do you know who I am?"
A familiar voice.
It was Screenwriter Bae Jongwook.
I started to say it was nothing... but then I felt like pranking the infuriating Bae.
About thirty percent of me ending up like this was his fault.
"...Who... are you?"
"...Pardon?"
I deliberately relaxed my face. Like someone unfocused, completely out of it.
Bae Jongwook's reaction was even better than I'd hoped.
I nearly burst out laughing.
I doubted he'd make that face even if the movie investment fell through or his house went to auction.
When he said he was making me his muse, I'd thought it was a joke, but apparently it was dead serious.
The guy was incredible in all sorts of ways.
But that's that, and this is this.
I kept up the act, ignoring it.
"Where... am I? Who... am I?"
"Ughhh... Doctor! Doctor! The patient's got... amnesia!"
The soft-hearted Bae bolted to fetch the ER doctor, killing my fun.
I'd started the prank just to mess with him, but it ended in a solo flop.
"...Sir, you can't pull pranks like that. Look how worried this guy's been."
"...Sorry. It just slipped out."
Bae stared back and forth between me and the doctor, babbling incoherently like he couldn't process it.
"Wh-what? What's going on? A prank?"
"Malnutrition. Then intense exercise on top triggered orthostatic hypotension."
"Ah... mal-nutrition... And her memory? Her memory didn't fly away, right? No amnesia?"
"She's fine."
Only then did he let out a long sigh of relief.
Watching him, I started feeling a bit bad for going too far.
Though if you looked at it another way, him being the cause of my collapse kinda justified it...
Eat proper meals, take your supplements religiously, cut back on exercise. Never skip meals.
No booze, no smoking, coffee's bad, no energy drinks.
Minus the exercise part, it was straight out of the doctor's playbook. The doc headed off to the next patient.
In the meantime, the Action School's FM coach returned after settling the bill.
"...Sorry, Coach."
"I'm the one who should apologize. What kind of coach pushes a student without checking their condition?"
The FM coach bowed his head deeply, looking ashamed.
"What about class?"
"I barely talked the others out of following and came alone. Another coach is covering."
"...Thank you."
"My apologies again..."
"Keep apologizing and I'll rip this IV out and go home."
What did the coach have to be sorry for?
The real culprits were Action Director Bae Gi-young for scripting insane action scenes and Screenwriter Bae Jongwook for asking him to make me pull them off in two months.
Glance—
I shot Bae a glare laced with resentment.
He looked guilty, averting his eyes sneakily.
Then he smacked his fist into his palm.
The gesture he made when a brilliant idea struck.
...A brilliant idea from that weirdo's brain.
I wasn't dying to hear it, but Bae barreled ahead without asking my opinion.
"Why don't you join an agency while you're at it!"
"...An agency?"
"Commuting to Ilsan all the time is a hassle, and the malnutrition shows no one's taking proper care of you. An agency could handle all that."
Agency.
I'd thought about it myself.
Korea's entertainment management was on another level.
It'd definitely help me in tons of ways.
But...
If this were my past life's Earth, sure.
But in this current Earth, the agencies I knew were nowhere to be found.
I had no clue which ones were good for actors.
Which ones screwed over their talent.
Which were run by gangsters, which by con artists.
I lacked the connections to scout decent agencies.
The only industry folks around me were Screenwriter Bae Jongwook and Director Kim Chi-seung?
Couldn't cozy up to the director before shooting even started... and honestly, I didn't fully trust Bae.
Maybe CEO Kim Seulgi could hook me up, but that felt more like a modeling agency.
That's why I'd planned to casually bring it up with people I bonded with after filming.
But Bae bringing up agencies first just sparked suspicions he was trying to monopolize my connections.
This way, movie—Bae.
Action School—Bae.
Agency—Bae.
Everything funneled through Bae, making me his actor.
"...Any good ones out there?"
"Hmm... What about Treeactors? They've got a ton of actors. Sounds solid, right?"
Bae Jongwook was just spitballing.
No insider connections or industry gossip about good agencies.
Just "lots of actors means it's gotta be good?" What a ridiculous answer.
Then, unexpectedly, the FM coach chimed in.
"If you're looking for an agency, mind if I quietly ask around with some actors I know?"
"...Actors?"
Come to think of it, the FM coach must have built up actor connections working at Action School.
Honestly, that alone would be a huge help.
A quick word to a junior hunting for a reliable agency, and industry rumors would pour in.
Some might pitch their own: "Ours is great, come here!"
Others warn: "Ours is trash, stay away!"
But... asking the coach who'd rushed me here to the ER for that felt like too much imposition.
"I'll just check with a few close contacts, no pressure."
"Ooh! That's perfect! I hear intros from people you know get you better treatment. Jeong Gyeowol, you should snag a proper agency this time, so even harsher training won't cause issues... Er, I mean, so we worry less overall. Yeah, that's it."
Bae started dodging my gaze midway and pivoted the topic.
So... "Don't flop around causing trouble, get agency care, and train harder"?
Our Bae needs to pipe down a bit.
"...Then, shamelessly, I'll take you up on that, Coach."
"No trouble at all. This is standard support for students. Don't worry about it."
He said that, but "support" for a coach probably meant linking to a few partner agencies with Action School.
Digging into his personal network was pure personal favor.
Female Jeong Gyeowol must be blessed with luck in people too.
As the warm atmosphere built, Bae puffed up his shoulders beside us.
"All sorted then! Thank goodness— I was sweating bullets about scrapping the action scenes."
Jongwook hyung...
No wonder they call him a total nutjob.
He wasn't worried about me— just the script.
Did the guy even have human emotions?
If I ever do an interview someday.
And they ask for the toughest episode in my life.
It'll be a full rundown starring Bae Jongwook.
Did the ER read my mind?
The nurse booted Screenwriter Bae Jongwook to the waiting room.