Chapter 169
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: The Freshman Representative
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After talking with Jukyung, Seojun looked around for his seat.
Every time Seojun’s gaze passed over them, the students flinched. It seemed that, for now, his image as an actor was stronger than their perception of him as a classmate.
This was especially true for the first-year acting students at Yeoul Arts Middle School. As aspiring actors themselves, their admiration for Seojun was even more intense.
Who would have thought that a Korean actor, not even twenty years old, would star in a Hollywood movie, make his name known worldwide, win a Golden Globe, and be in the running for an Academy Award?
It was something no one could have imagined before an actor named Lee Seojun appeared.
As the classroom grew quieter, Seojun smiled awkwardly and sat down.
‘Well, I can just say hello first.’
Seojun spoke to the student sitting next to him.
“Hi. I’m Lee Seojun.”
The boy, who hadn’t expected Seojun to greet him, stared in surprise for a moment before quickly replying.
“Oh, hi. I’m Kang Jaehan. It’s really great to meet you!”
“You too. I saw your practical exam video. You’re a good actor.”
“Huh? You saw that?”
“Yeah. It was an original piece, right? It was really impressive.”
Seojun recalled Kang Jaehan’s practical exam video uploaded to N-tube. He had been a little nervous, but once he started acting, it was clear he was completely immersed in his role. Of course, there were some shortcomings, but considering his age, he was quite good.
‘That’s why he got in, I suppose.’
At Seojun’s words, Kang Jaehan’s eyes widened.
‘How on earth does he know about that?’
Although he had uploaded it to N-tube, the difference in view counts between his video and Seojun’s was like comparing a firefly to the sun.
‘And one of those views was from Lee Seojun?’
Kang Jaehan took a sharp breath and held it.
Whoa. Whoa. Gasps erupted from the other students who had been eavesdropping on their conversation. Jukyung, who had been playfully bickering with Yang Juhui, quickly approached Seojun.
“Seojun. Did you see mine too?”
“Yeah. Yours was the first one I watched.”
Standing behind Jukyung, Yang Juhui spoke up.
“Hi. I’m Yang Juhui.”
“Hi. I’m Lee Seojun.”
“It’s great to meet you. I’ve seen all your work. You’re really amazing.”
Jukyung and Jaehan nodded vigorously in agreement. Seojun smiled brightly and replied.
“Thanks.”
“But… you said your name was Kang Jaehan?”
‘Hey.’ Juhui gave a small wave, and Jaehan shyly waved back.
“I get why you’d watch Jukyung’s video since you know her, but was there a reason you watched Jaehan’s? Did you watch it because he was better than the others?”
If a reporter had heard that, an article titled [Hollywood Star Lee Seojun’s Pick for Child Actor!] would have been published instantly.
At Juhui’s words, all eyes in the classroom turned to Seojun and Jaehan. Jaehan forgot to breathe again.
“Ah.”
“Ah?”
Seeing Juhui and the other students hanging on his every word, Seojun laughed awkwardly and scratched his cheek.
“Well, I watched all of them…”
“What do you mean, you watched all…”
Juhui’s eyes widened.
“You watched all the practical exam videos?”
At Juhui’s question, the other students also looked shocked. Faced with their intense reactions, Seojun’s eyes darted around as he answered.
“Yeah. I saw them all. All thirty-six.”
A student holding a phone quickly went to the [Yeoul Arts Middle School] channel on N-tube.
Out of 40 incoming students, 37 had made their practical exam videos public. If one of those was Lee Seojun’s own, then he had indeed watched all 36.
“…It’s 36.”
A silent gasp rippled through the classroom at the student’s confirmation. Jukyung’s eyes sparkled. She had watched a few, but it had never occurred to her to watch all of them. It was the same for the other students.
Juhui voiced the question on everyone’s mind.
“Did you see mine?”
“Yep. *Round and Round, Our School.* You did the lines for the character Lee Yuna, right?”
“…Oh my god.”
Juhui stared at Seojun in astonishment. She never thought he would remember the content. He hadn’t just glanced at it. Hearing their conversation, the other students’ eyes lit up. Someone shot their hand up.
“Did you see mine?”
“Yeah. *See You Here Tomorrow*, you played Park Suhyeok, right?”
The student didn’t answer, but his jaw hung open, a clear sign that Seojun was correct. Another student raised their hand.
“What about mine?”
“I really enjoyed it. I never expected to see a performance of *Spring*.”
“Mine too?”
“It was from the play *Treasure Hunt*, right? I couldn’t find a video of it anywhere, so I looked up the script. If you have a video, can you tell me where to find it?”
Unbelievable.
Seojun remembered every single one of his classmates’ practical exam videos. Watching Seojun diligently answer everyone’s questions, Juhui nudged Jukyung in the side.
“Do you have to be that dedicated to become a Hollywood star?”
“No. I doubt even Hollywood stars are like that.”
“He’s truly incredible. Lee Seojun.”
A glittering celebrity aura, handsome looks, and this unimaginable level of dedication. He really seemed different from ordinary people.
Eventually, after confirming he had seen every student’s video, Seojun chuckled. It seemed the three who hadn’t made their videos public were in Class 2.
“This might sound weird… but why did you watch all of them?”
At Kang Jaehan’s question, Seojun shrugged.
“Because we might end up in the same project someday. I was curious to see how everyone acts.”
“So, when you act with other people, do you look up their past work too?”
Seojun nodded at Juhui’s question.
“I try to, if I can. For actors with a lot of work, it’s hard to watch everything, so sometimes I just watch their most recent projects. But the practical exam videos were short, under two minutes, and it was during break, so I was able to watch them all.”
“I see.”
“Do you watch Hollywood actors’ work too?”
At the mention of Hollywood, the students leaned in. It might be a pipe dream, but some of them wanted to make it in Hollywood. And here, right in front of them, was an actor who had already achieved that dream.
“Yeah. I watched Paul and Catherine’s work too.”
“Wow…”
“What’s it like filming in Hollywood? Is it very different from Korea?”
“Well, there’s a big difference in the production budget, so the scale is much bigger in Hollywood. The sets are enormous.”
“I see.”
The students were completely engrossed in Seojun’s stories. Seeing their sparkling eyes, Seojun shared a few anecdotes, making them as entertaining as old tales.
“The Natra spaceship. I wish I could see that.”
“Parties with Hollywood actors…”
Their admiration remained, but the students seemed to have become more comfortable around Seojun. He smiled gently at them.
Just then, the classroom door opened. From the uniform, it looked like a second or third-year student. The student opened his mouth, his face tense.
“Is… is Lee Seojun here?”
“Yes.”
When Seojun raised his hand, the student jumped in surprise, then continued.
“The entrance ceremony is about to start, and Lee Seojun is the freshman representative. You need to come now.”
“Okay. I’ll be right there.”
“Do great, Seojun!”
At Jukyung’s words, the other students added their own words of encouragement. Seojun waved and followed the upperclassman to the auditorium.
***
“I’ve brought Lee Seojun.”
The second-year student who had single-handedly escorted Seojun, who was radiating an aura from behind him, spoke in an exhausted voice. The pressure had been immense.
The broadcasting club members, who had been fiddling with equipment, adjusting lights, and reviewing scripts, all turned their heads toward the door. Then, they were captivated by the sight of the dazzling Seojun. Seojun chuckled. It was the second time he had seen that reaction today.
“Hello. I’m Lee Seojun.”
As if blinded by Seojun’s halo, the students squinted, then snapped to their senses at his greeting. The broadcasting club president shot up from his seat to welcome Seojun.
“Oh, uh, hi.”
The president, a third-year acting major, couldn’t help the tremor in his voice.
Oh my god. It’s really Lee Seojun! Lee Seojun! The acting students covered their mouths and stared at him. Just last year, they never would have dreamed he’d be at the same school!
After managing a single greeting, the acting students were lost in a daze again, while the art and music students gradually came back to their senses…
“I’m a violin major! What was the Stradivarius like?!”
Or not.
The music students, who knew of his incredible performance skills, were also staring at Seojun blankly.
To be acquainted with Professor Benjamin Morton and violinist Jayden Moore! And he plays the violin so well!
The eyes of the acting and music students shone brightly. Just as they looked ready to bombard him with questions, the third-year art major and vice president of the club, who was outside Seojun’s sphere of influence, signaled to the other art students. The art students covered the mouths of the students from the other departments.
With the atmosphere finally calming down a bit, the vice president smiled gently and greeted him.
“Hi. I’m the broadcasting club’s vice president, Lee Jihyun. I’m a third-year art major. The others were dying to see you. They nearly got into a fight over who would go get you. But seeing you in person, I get it. You have a different vibe from normal people. Would you be a model for my drawing later? I’m the best at sketching in our school.”
The art department’s vice president, Lee Jihyun, naturally revealed her personal desire.
“Even the vice president!”
“Hey! Lee Jihyun! I was first! Seojun, please just play *Over the Rainbow* with us once!”
“W-would you do a play with us?”
Faced with the chaotic atmosphere, Seojun couldn’t help but laugh. He was a bit flustered by the commotion, but playing in an ensemble and being a model for a drawing both sounded fun. As for a play, it wasn’t even a question. As long as the work was good, Seojun was already prepared to say yes, whether it was a play or a film.
“Alright, that’s enough. We need to prepare for the entrance ceremony.”
A low voice cut through the noise. Turning, they saw a man who appeared to be a teacher.
“Aw, sir. You’re here too early.”
“We’re already out of time. President, get to the broadcast.”
“Yes, sir.”
At the teacher’s words, the students moved to their positions with disappointed expressions. The president handed Seojun the freshman oath.
“Here’s the oath. When it’s your turn, bow to the principal, then face the audience and read it. There’s a mic, so it’ll be easy to find your spot.”
“Okay. Got it.”
Seojun nodded, and the president gave him one last wistful look before starting his own duties.
[In a few moments, the 11th entrance ceremony for Yeoul Arts Middle School will begin. All students, please gather in Yeoul Hall with your homeroom teachers. I repeat.]
Gone was the nervous expression from before. The president’s clear voice, positioned in front of the microphone, echoed through every classroom. His articulation, tone, and the speed at which he read the script were all flawless.
‘He’s a third-year, after all. I need to do well too.’
Sitting in the seat the second-year had shown him, Seojun began to read over the freshman oath.
***
[We will now begin the 11th entrance ceremony for Yeoul Arts Middle School.]
The freshmen, second and third-year students, and parents seated in the audience applauded.
The multi-purpose hall at Yeoul Arts Middle School, consisting of a stage and audience seating, was officially named ‘Yeoul Hall,’ but students and faculty casually called it the auditorium. Student plays were staged and concerts were held in this very hall.
The ceremony began with the opening address from the Yeoul Arts Middle School principal, followed by introductions of the chairman and other distinguished guests, the national rite, and the declaration of admission.
[Next, we will have the oath from the freshman representative.]
The teachers and the students of Class 1, Year 1, who knew who the representative was, began to stir. The confusion of the others was short-lived. As the freshman appeared from the side of the stage, gasps of admiration and applause erupted from all over.
“It’s Lee Seojun!”
“Lee Seojun was the freshman representative!”
Among the people shifting in their seats to get a better look, two were particularly busy. Seo Eunhye and Lee Minjun had been searching for Seojun among the first-years.
“No wonder we couldn’t find him anywhere!”
“Honey, the camera! The camera!”
“I’ve got it. You have to get a good shot.”
“I’ve been taking pictures of Seojun for over ten years. Leave it to me!”
Seo Eunhye’s eyes sparkled as she focused the camera lens on Seojun.
After bowing deeply to the principal, Seojun turned to face the audience. He unfolded the freshman oath in his hand. A radiant aura flowed from him, creating a sparkling presence.
His every movement was like a painting, making the eyes of the art students gleam. Their hands itched to draw.
“Oath.”
Seojun’s calm voice resonated through the auditorium.
At Lee Seojun’s appearance, the students, parents, and teachers who had been chatting fell silent one by one. The acting students marveled at how Seojun captured everyone’s attention with his voice alone.
“We, the 120 new students, solemnly swear to faithfully abide by the school regulations, to study diligently, and to do our utmost to achieve our dreams.”
His voice was clear and distinct, piercing the ears of the breathless audience. It was his delivery. It felt like listening to a famous line from a movie. They wished it were longer, but the oath was short.
“Freshman Representative, Lee Seojun.”
As Seojun finished the fleeting oath and bowed, a thunderous applause erupted.
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