Not My Type (3)

Although marketed as a romantic comedy, Not My Type was less of a conventional romance and more of a film focused on a family brought together by love.

Ken would drop by Karen's house whenever he had free time, grab dinner, and head home. Karen, who meticulously looked after him—a man far too ordinary and somewhat childish to be considered a superstar—watched him on a television talk show one day. Seeing him on screen, she felt a strange sense of cognitive dissonance at how vastly different his public image was from the man she knew.

Then, Tommy, who had been staring at her face as she remained glued to the TV, asked:

"Mom."

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to marry Ken?"

"...W-Where did that come from?"

It was something she had never even considered. Just as she brushed it off, insisting there was no way, Ken suddenly invited her to dinner. When he explained it was a gesture of gratitude for all the dinners she had cooked him, Karen, trying to maintain some distance, replied that she would go only if her son could come along. Ken agreed without the slightest hesitation. In the following scene, the three of them sat together in a hotel restaurant, laughing brightly and sharing a moment that felt exactly like a real family.

The audience was drawn deeper and deeper into the story. This was especially true because, in an era where a movie character's image easily bled into the actor's real-life persona, the image of the "superstar" Ken overlapped perfectly with Sion, who was a superstar in reality.

Maybe Sion has a side like this to him too...

This is such a warm story.

Of course, they knew. A movie was just a movie, and Ken and Sion Lee were entirely different people. Yet, as psychological studies often show, the human subconscious struggles to distinguish reality from fiction. In their minds, Sion Lee was gradually becoming perceived as an actor with a poignant, hidden story. After all, it was a well-known fact that both of his parents had passed away when he was young.

Ken and Karen grew a little closer after that dinner. However, in classic comedy fashion, minor mishaps began to crop up.

"Aaaaaaaagh!!"

While babysitting, Ken's backside accidentally caught fire.

"Tommy?! Tomm-y!"

Tommy, wanting to give his mom and Ken some alone time, had hidden in the attic and fallen fast asleep. Believing he had gone missing, the two panicked and spent hours searching for him.

"It's going to be okay. First, let's call the police."

"I... I'm... I'm the worst mother ever..."

"No, you're not."

Surprisingly, Ken showed a reliable side in moments of crisis. After they finally found Tommy, Ken watched Karen sob in relief alongside the police officer who had arrived at the house. This incident seemed to serve as the catalyst that truly bonded them like a family.

Indeed, with Ken entering her daily life, Karen found a bit of breathing room. The single mother, exhausted from solely working and raising her son, naturally found herself becoming conscious of him and relying on him. Ken, too, realized that spending time with Karen and her son was bringing a peace of mind he had never experienced in his life.

Amidst this, Tommy delivered a poignant line to Ken.

"Ken. You can leave us whenever you want, but please don't hurt my mom. I'm begging you."

Hearing those words, Ken bit his lower lip tightly.

A mother and son who had grown used to being just the two of them. And a man who had grown used ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to being alone.

Since it was a comedy film meant to be enjoyed as such, it was only natural for the plot to unfold in a predictable manner. However, the emotional nuances depicted along the way were by no means treated lightly. In fact, in this specific genre, the actors' performances and their resulting emotional resonance guaranteed the overall quality of the film, serving as the benchmark that separated great actors from mediocre ones. Actors like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, and Will Smith were prime examples of this.

In the latter half of the film, rumors of Ken frequenting a single mother's house began to spread. Articles popped up everywhere like wildfire. Ken, worried about Karen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and Tommy—yet still not fully understanding his own feelings—stopped visiting.

Tommy kept asking when Ken would come back, while Karen repeatedly picked up the phone only to set it back down. Meanwhile, Ken sat in his pristine but cold house, staring at the telephone in his darkened living room. Watching their missed connections and hesitant hearts, the audience's chests tightened with anxiety.

And as if to soothe their aching hearts, Ken finally visited the mother and son's house again after a long absence.

"Ah... It's been... a while."

"Where's Tommy?"

"He's sleeping."

"Can we talk for a moment?"

"Not for too long."

Karen drew a firm line.

Right then, Tommy, whom they thought was asleep, came stumbling down from the second floor.

"Mom, my tummy... hurts..."

With that, he collapsed.

"Tommy?!"

"Tommy!!"

Ken rushed forward faster than Karen, scooping Tommy up in his arms. When Ken urged that they go to the emergency room, Karen couldn't help but worry about the cost first, but Ken insisted he would cover everything and immediately drove them to a nearby hospital. With Tommy groaning in pain and Karen on the verge of tears, Ken naturally stepped up, acting like a responsible father.

Upon arriving at the emergency room, the frantic pair received an unexpected diagnosis from the doctor.

"Ah, it's just a simple case of indigestion."

"...Excuse me?"

"Just give him a sip of Coca-Cola and he'll be fine. It seems he got startled by a sudden upset stomach while sleeping, which happens quite often at his age."

"Coca-Cola...?"

A five-minute consultation. With a loud burp, Tommy digested the lasagna he had eaten for dinner.

"...Smells good. Do you have any leftover lasagna?"

"Is this really the time for that?!"

As the tense situation wrapped up in a comical anticlimax, the audience burst into laughter once more.

In any case, the three naturally returned home together. Relieved, Tommy immediately grew drowsy. Ken carried him to bed, and afterward, he spoke with Karen in the boy's room, illuminated only by a single nightlight.

"I was afraid. Of getting this close to someone."

Ken quietly confessed his true feelings.

"I've always been alone. Always. With nowhere to lean my heart..."

"Me too. Or rather, I should say we have too."

"We have a lot in common, then."

"Not at all. You're someone whose face pops up whenever the TV is turned on, and I'm just a poor single mother."

"...Is that how you see it? I wonder who it was that rubbed ointment on my butt the other day."

"That was..."

Karen laughed, finding it absurd as she thought back.

"Come to think of it, you can't even eat broccoli."

Not Ken the Hollywood superstar, but a boyish man who couldn't even eat broccoli. Yet, a man who would step up and solve various problems when it mattered most. Karen's face instantly flushed. Cupping her cheeks to hide the blush, she spoke, drawing a faint line.

"You're not my type."

"...That's a first. Quite refreshing."

"I-I'm sure it is. Since you must be incredibly popular."

"I am. But... nobody else knew that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I couldn't eat broccoli."

That line from Ken encapsulated everything the movie stood for. The process of a family, each living in their own world and enduring their own hardships, coming together as one. Ken, Karen, and Tommy bridging the gap between them. The audience felt a wave of emotion, recalling the comical yet touching drama the three had shared throughout the film.

Karen, gazing at Ken's serious face, asked shyly:

"Do you want some lasagna?"

"..."

Instead of answering, Ken leaned in close. Karen's eyes widened in surprise. While everyone watched with bated breath, someone sat up between them.

"Mommy... I gotta pee..."

"O-Oh! Ken!"

"It's just Tommy."

Ken laughed, thoroughly amused and exasperated.

Yep, that's exactly what it's like living with kids!

Is Ken a kid too? Or is he the husband?

Everyone laughed heartily, watching the final conflict of the movie resolve itself.

Not My Type steadily climbed the box office charts. It secured the number one spot in its opening week, and thanks to word-of-mouth and various marketing campaigns, it continued to draw steady crowds. The audience's reaction could be summed up in one sentiment.

Ken was a man who, despite playing with a child, possessed a boyish sensibility that showed he hadn't fully grown up himself. The various slapstick comedy routines in the film were a far cry from the "handsome" image Sion Lee had maintained so far. From the highly talked-about "butt on fire" scene to the moment he fell off the jungle gym, landing squarely on his crotch and letting out a high-pitched squeak, every single piece of acting was incredibly funny. Though slightly exaggerated for cinematic effect, it never felt awkward, making the audience temporarily forget his good looks entirely.

Most notably, at some point after its release, the film began to be evaluated purely on its own merits. Through his chemistry with Olga's Karen, Sion completely suppressed the external gossip of "He's filming a romance with Elena's mother?" with the sheer quality of the romantic comedy, focusing all attention on the film itself.

A superstar and a single mother. Socially speaking, these two individuals stood at extreme opposites, and their interactions naturally caused various clashes. Karen looked after Ken like a mother because he couldn't do any housework, while Ken, who spent money freely, couldn't comprehend Karen meticulously clipping coupons. Despite being completely different, they learned to understand each other.

Shock and arguments, reconciliation and integration. The comedic and romantic sequences meshed organically over a simple plot, generating an explosive response not as a cheap comedy relying solely on a superstar's ticket power, but as a genuinely well-made film.

However, both the fans who fell head over heels for Not My Type and the skeptics who denied it stood no chance against the devilishly clever image-making Sion Lee pulled off next.

Although they were paparazzi photos taken from a distance, the shots of them returning to the pier definitely carried a familial warmth. The image of Sion carrying the child actor Leo Walker on his shoulders, with Elena and Olga walking right beside them, looked exactly like a close-knit, happy family.

...Of course, the behind-the-scenes story of that photo was quite different. Leo Walker, who had already grown into a thoroughly commercialized Hollywood child actor, had asked for meticulous details, saying, "The paparazzi are probably watching us by now. Should I smile more?" Sion, carrying him, had replied with his usual gentle face, "Don't make it look too much like acting. Just keep it natural like me." The photo was snapped right ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠during that directing session.

In any case, the impact of that single photo, which perfectly mirrored the vibe of Not My Type, was by no means small. Sion's image, which had been slightly tarnished by the jealousy surrounding Pain Walker and his Golden Globe win, began to shift in a highly positive direction. Perhaps thanks to this, even as it entered its second month of release, Not My Type continued to break records as a top-tier comedy film.

In some corners of the industry, people spoke of Sion Lee like this:

Ultimately, Hollywood superstars were bound to face as much criticism as the wealth and fame they acquired. It was no exaggeration to say that their profession required them to take a beating from the media when the timing, circumstances, and spotlight aligned against them. However, by starring in a single, well-crafted piece, Sion had completely made fools of the entire press, who had been trying to turn him back into the "easy target to chew on whenever needed" that he had been during his teenage years. In the current atmosphere, no one would dare to criticize him.

A few days later, Sion Lee appeared on an NBC broadcast. The show was Across the Table, a program where one star invited another to dinner. And the star who had invited Sion as a guest was none other than Olga Asimov, his co-star from Not My Type. Viewers who tuned in to watch the two share a meal were instantly intrigued from the very beginning.

Normally, Across the Table featured stars inviting guests to a restaurant they frequented. However, Olga boldly invited Sion directly to her home, where she proudly showcased her Russian heritage—an identity she hadn't particularly highlighted in public before.

With a heavy *splat*, a generous scoop of Olivier salad, thickly coated in mayonnaise, landed on Sion's plate.

"Eat up, dear."

Just like in the movie, the two began to converse like mother and son. ...Though, unlike the film, there was absolutely no romantic tension between them.

"I definitely don't cook much at home. At most, I just spray some whipped cream in my mouth."

"How can you have any energy if you only nibble on things like that?"

She only said that because she had no idea of the sheer volume of Whipped Cream Spray stockpiled in Sion's pantry. Of course, the viewers watching the broadcast didn't know either, and they found themselves completely captivated by the "sincere superstar" persona Sion was projecting.

"I've gotten used to living alone. Nowadays, I think just spending quiet time at home is the best."

"What about parties and the glamorous lifestyle?"

"Yeah. As I get older, I definitely do less of that. ...Heh, maybe that's why I end up acting more like a kid sometimes. Do you know how fun it is to run away with a paparazzi's camera? Sometimes I smash them to relieve stress. Of course, some people might call it a terrible, unforgivable thing to do... but hey, they make money by invading my privacy, so they should know they might face some retaliation."

"That sounds like a statement that will make you the target of every paparazzi starting tomorrow."

"It's fine. I'm used to it. ...How was the shoot for you, Olga?"

This time, it was Olga Asimov's turn to share her genuine feelings.

"It wasn't bad. ...No, let me be honest. I didn't think I still had the passion left in me to shoot a movie like this. It's all thanks to our rising star here handpicking an old lady like me. Thank you."

"Don't mention it. And what do you mean 'old lady'? You're still in your prime. ...Oh, this is really delicious."

Sion ate the Beef Stroganoff with relish. As he ate hungrily, getting a bit of sauce on his lips, the image of 'Ken' from Not My Type overlapped with him. The viewers were deeply moved by this down-to-earth side of the seemingly glamorous superstar. They began to think that instead of a young, handsome superstar driving a Porsche 911 and partying wildly, he might actually be a lonely soul living in a quiet house, struggling with the emptiness of life.

In the America of 1995, the concept of 'family' held a much deeper significance than it would in the future. Imagining the hidden side of the glamorous superstar, people began to feel a mixture of pity and affection for him.

"...Hmm."

Elena, who was watching the broadcast, fell into deep thought. Having recently begun to seriously map out her plans after graduation, she had been deeply inspired by this film starring her mother and Sion.

That connects to the third interview he did during the release of Fragments. He said those things back then to diversify his image... Ah, and Mother is keeping the door open to jump back into the film industry?

Both were exceptionally talented actors, yet they were carving out their territories in the industry in completely different ways. Because of this, a desire was blooming within Elena to establish her own domain in a way that differed from both Sion and her mother.

You really are amazing, Sion.

She had never expected to be influenced this much by an actor her own age. In a life where she had once thought she would live as a "normal actress" who only knew how to act, she felt that Sion was giving her a diverse set of goals in more ways than one.