Chapter 226
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 226
Chapter Title: Awards and Announcements
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“Ready, action!”
Just as Jin Natra had said, the unstable Time Stone brought change to Planet Natra.
He would open his eyes to bright sunlight, only to find the sun setting in the next moment. He would try to fall asleep in the pitch-black night, only to have the searing sun hanging overhead.
It wasn't just the Natrans; the livestock they raised and the plants they grew couldn't adapt to the fickle passage of time.
Every day was fraught with anxiety.
Everyone stared up at the sky with worried faces, wondering how long this bizarre phenomenon would last.
Those who knew the cause could only keep their mouths shut and follow Jin Natra, who held their lives in his hands. The only things that could solve this cataclysm were the fragments of the Time Stone that Jin Natra possessed.
For that reason, the Natra Royal Palace—a mixture of those who bowed their heads out of necessity and those who sought to curry favor with the current ruler—was as precarious as walking on thin ice.
Jin Natra, who seemed ready to act at any moment, was surprisingly spending his days quietly. Perhaps thanks to the successor training he had received, he handled his duties proficiently.
The madman who had shattered even the Time Stone was quiet… That made the knights and ministers by Jin Natra’s side even more anxious.
It felt like the calm before the storm.
Jin Natra, who had taken over the king’s office, was once again dealing with the incidents and accidents caused by the unstable time cycle, just like any other day.
“Your Highness. Vel… Natra’s spaceship is approaching.”
Now that the king had been decided, Vel Natra, a mere candidate for the throne, was no longer addressed with the honorific ‘Lord Vel.’ The knight stumbled slightly over the unfamiliar title.
Jin Natra, who had been looking at his documents, lifted his head. A light flickered in his black eyes, which had been so lifeless they made one question if he was even alive.
At that gaze, the knights and ministers unknowingly bowed their heads. It seemed the madman was about to make his move.
“Shall we capture him?”
All the other successor candidates had their shadows forcibly taken, and those shadows had become energy for the Time Stone. They were now clinging to life by a thread, just like the former king who was confined to the royal bedchamber.
“No.”
Jin Natra smiled leisurely.
“Withdraw all guards within the palace.”
“N-No. If we do that…”
“Withdraw them.”
“…Yes.”
The knights bowed their heads at Jin Natra’s firm command.
A short while later, a knight came running.
“Your Highness! Tul Natra has disappeared!”
One of Jin Natra’s few loyal knights knelt before him and reported.
Even at the report that Tul Natra, who had been confined to the royal bedchamber barely clinging to life, had vanished, Jin Natra showed no sign of surprise. With a relaxed expression, he set down his quill, rose from his chair, and walked toward the window.
Beyond the large window, a single spaceship could be seen flying at high speed. It was a familiar sight, second only to his own ship. The knights behind Jin Natra recognized it as well.
‘This is why I was against the order to withdraw the guards…!’
Would they be held accountable for failing to guard him properly? The knights turned pale as they recalled Jin Natra's immense power. They waited for his command, their hands clenched and slick with cold sweat.
Watching Vel Natra’s spaceship speed across the blue sky under the high sun, Jin Natra spoke, his eyes still fixed outside.
“If you can’t catch him within two hours, return.”
“Yes!”
All but the knights assigned to his protection rushed outside.
A moment later, dozens of spaceships soared into the sunset-streaked sky in unison.
Dozens of spaceships attacked Vel Natra’s fleeing vessel. Vel Natra’s ship evaded the attacks as if dancing.
Jin Natra watched with a smile as Vel Natra’s ship was attacked and as his own ships attacked the former king’s daughter.
“Cut! OK!”
***
Early morning.
Seojun woke up and opened his eyes. Still groggy, he glanced at the wall clock and saw it was 6:40 AM. He was up twenty minutes before his 7:00 AM alarm.
‘Should I just get up later?’
It wasn't time to get up yet, after all.
Blinking a couple of times, Seojun snuggled deep into his warm blankets.
It went without saying that *Shadowman 3* focused more on the hero, Shadowman, than the villain, Jin Natra. So, during the slightly over three-month filming period, Seojun’s schedule was quite relaxed.
‘Though not relaxed enough to fly back and forth to Korea.’
With no filming scheduled for today, Seojun rolled around in his bed.
‘Since I don’t have filming today, I’ll rest a bit, do my school homework… If I have time, should I go visit the set? Or maybe Jack’s school? A walk in a nearby park would be nice, too, or watching a new movie…’
He spent twenty minutes in a half-asleep daze, and soon it was 7:00 AM. Bolting upright before the alarm could ring, Seojun turned it off, yawned widely, and headed for the bathroom.
After washing up, he went down to the first floor, where Seo Eunhye, who was preparing breakfast, greeted him with a bright smile. She quickly wiped her wet hands and held her phone out to Seojun.
“Seojun. Look at this.”
“Hm? What is it?”
The phone Seo Eunhye handed him had an article open.
“Wow.”
Seojun’s eyes widened. It wasn't just that one article; there were many others. Seeing Seojun’s face light up with a broad smile at the good news, Seo Eunhye beamed as well.
“Eunchan asked if you could film a short acceptance speech and send it to him.”
Seojun burst out laughing at his mother, who looked even happier than he was.
“Okay. I’ll send it now.”
“Fix your hair a bit first!”
“Okay.”
Putting the phone down, Seojun headed to a mirror to tame his roughly dried hair. The phone screen, left on the table, glowed brightly.
[Escape’s Lee Seojun Wins Best Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards!]
***
“I won an award!”
Having decided his plans for the day the moment he saw the article, Seojun was now on the set of *Shadowman 3*. The scene being filmed today featured Shadowman Mac, along with Vel Natra and Tul Natra who had escaped to Earth, so all three actors were present.
“Congratulations, Jun.”
“Thank you.”
“Jun, congrats.”
“Let’s have a celebration party!”
Seojun grinned after receiving praise from Swalin Anum. Evan Block and Richel Hill also smiled and congratulated him. In response, Seojun quickly showed them his phone.
“There’s something for you too, Evan and Richel.”
“Huh?”
“Look at this.”
[Blue Dragon Film Awards, Special Cameo Award! Evan Block and Richel Hill Win!]
Seeing Evan Block and Richel Hill’s surprised faces as they looked at the phone screen, Swalin Anum tilted his head in confusion. Seojun, who translated for the Korean-illiterate Swalin Anum, said with a smile.
“There are trophies, too. Cocoa Entertainment knows your addresses, so we’ll send them over once they arrive.”
“Hmm. There’s no need for that, is there?”
“I agree.”
Just as Richel Hill was about to continue, Jonathan, the assistant director, shouted.
“We’re starting the shoot!”
Swalin Anum, Evan Block, and Richel Hill stood up, and Seojun waved at them.
“Have a good shoot!”
***
“Ready, action!”
Tul Natra and Vel Natra fled to Earth, hiding from the pursuing Natran forces. The father and daughter had only one place to turn: the small apartment of Shadowman, Mac.
Once Tul Natra, who had been subjected to a forced succession, could move about reasonably well, Vel Natra pushed the two awkward men out the door.
“Weren’t there things you wanted to do with your father? Do them now!”
Pushing Tul Natra’s wheelchair, Mac headed to a nearby park.
Unaware of the reason Vel Natra and Tul Natra had come here, Mac couldn’t take his eyes off Tul Natra, the man who was supposedly his biological father. Tul Natra, too, couldn’t bring himself to look directly at Mac, the boy said to be his son. In the midst of the awkward atmosphere, Mac was the first to speak.
“Uh…”
The word ‘father’ just wouldn't come out. Ever since they left the house, Tul Natra had been on high alert. Mac managed to utter a single word before falling silent again.
The park was filled with the sound of people’s laughter.
Pushing the wheelchair in silence, Mac’s lips moved, and he painstakingly continued.
“…Want to play catch?”
Playing catch, something almost every child who grew up in America did with their family at least once.
It was the dream of the orphan, Mac, who could only watch with envy when his school friends complained about not wanting to play catch with their dads.
“…Catch?”
Mac flinched at Tul Natra’s quizzical voice. His hands, gripping the wheelchair, grew sweaty.
‘No, is-is catch a bad idea? I guess it’s a bit childish for someone his age…’
When Tul Natra didn’t answer, Mac hurriedly said.
“If you don’t like catch, you don’t have to do it!”
After a brief hesitation, Tul Natra spoke.
“…What’s catch?”
Mac explained what catch was to the clueless Tul Natra with his whole body, then quickly ran off to buy a ball. Since the still-weak Tul Natra couldn’t throw hard, gloves weren’t necessary.
Seeing Mac’s beaming, excited face, even Tul Natra, who didn't understand the significance of the act, felt his heart ache. Seeing Mac’s face clearly under the sparkling sunlight was an indescribably moving experience.
The colorful ball flew in a gentle arc from Mac to Tul Natra, and from Tul Natra back to Mac. People strolling through the park smiled at the sight of the affectionate father and son.
“Mac!”
At the appearance of a man who seemed to know Mac, Tul Natra stopped his hand mid-throw.
“Who’s that? Volunteering?”
The man, who knew Mac volunteered at a nursing home, lowered his voice and asked.
But Tul Natra’s hearing was still sharp. Ready to accept however Mac introduced him, Tul Natra subtly shifted his gaze so as not to pressure him.
As if by chance, there was another family playing catch nearby, just like he and Mac had been doing moments before. Mac followed Tul Natra’s gaze and his lips trembled.
“No.”
“Huh?”
“He’s my father.”
Mac, no, Muel Natra, said.
At the words of the son he had finally found after more than a hundred years, the father could only bury his face in his wrinkled palms.
“Cut, OK!”
***
“It’s a bit cliché, but it had to be catch, right?”
Everyone burst into laughter at Evan Block’s comment as he tossed a ball to Richel Hill.
When it came to showing familial love in everyday life, there was no cliché quite like playing catch. It was predictable, but highly effective.
“True. It’s in a lot of other movies, too.”
Richel Hill, having caught the ball from Evan Block, tossed it to Swalin Anum as she spoke.
“How was the shoot, Jun?”
Swalin Anum caught the ball and tossed it to Seojun. Seojun smiled at the feel of the ball in his hands.
“It was fun. The green screen was a bit unfamiliar, though.”
Seojun threw the ball to Evan Block.
“I was the same way when I filmed *Shadowman 1*.”
“I still find it a bit awkward now.”
Evan Block caught the ball and threw it to Richel Hill, who threw it to Swalin Anum, who then threw it to Seojun.
“Still, thanks to CG, we can express so many more scenes in movies. It’s a good thing.”
“Though it’s become a bit harder for actors to get immersed.”
“You say that, but you do it so well.”
The actors burst into laughter at Evan Block’s feigned complaint and Swalin Anum’s retort.
It was Swalin Anum who had suggested this four-way game of catch.
“My joints were getting stiff from sitting and lying down all the time,” he had said.
Director Ryan had also nodded with a smile at Swalin Anum’s words as he playfully groaned and held his back.
Time flew by as they chatted about various things while playing catch.
“Looks like they’re almost done with the preparations for the next shoot.”
“Should we stop here, then?”
At Seojun’s words, Swalin Anum stopped his hand as he was about to throw the ball.
The three actors handed the prop ball to a staff member and walked off to get their makeup touched up. Seojun, who wasn't in the next scene, followed behind them.
“By the way, when is the article coming out?”
“They said they’d release it once everything is confirmed.”
Evan Block replied to Richel Hill’s question.
“It’s going to be a huge deal.”
“I think so, too.”
Nodding at Swalin Anum’s comment, Seojun thought about what was about to happen and let out a villainous laugh. *Hoo hoo hoo.*
***
[Lee Seojun Wins Best Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards!]
[Actor Lee Seojun Wins Best Actor for the Second Consecutive Year!]
[Escape Wins in 8 Categories at the Blue Dragon Film Awards!]
[Another Clean Sweep? The Blue Dragon Film Awards Dominated by Escape!]
[Blue Dragon Film Awards, Special Cameo Award! Evan Block and Richel Hill Win!]
- Seojun wasn’t there, but I watched it.
= He’s in the middle of filming, can’t be helped. Shadowman!
- Seojun, congratulations!
- He won at the Daejong Film Awards this January and at Baeksang in May, lol.
= That was for *Yeok (Reverse)*.
= He’ll probably win next year too. With *Escape*, haha.
- I have a feeling it won’t just be the Blue Dragon Film Awards where he wins two years in a row.
= Just like *Yeok (Reverse)*, he’ll probably sweep the other award shows too.
= Everyone else gave up for this year. Heard that movies with award ambitions postponed their releases.
= Oh.
- The Special Cameo Award, lol. I couldn’t believe my eyes when the online poll went up.
= Me neither. Imagine how big of a deal it was for them to create a whole new award.
= And the website crashed!
= To the 11,324 people who were trying to access it, lol.
= To the 147,913 people who voted, lol.
- Seojun’s acceptance speech is up on [From Sprout]!
= Going to watch it!!
= Me too!!
While everyone was buzzing with joy over Seojun’s Best Actor award, Cocoa Entertainment, the agency for Hollywood actor Lee Seojun, was in an uproar over a fresh piece of news that had just arrived from the US.
“…So this is why he said he looked forward to working with us again.”
Recalling Evan Block’s kind smile as he left Korea after finishing his cameo for *Escape*, Seo Eunchan could only laugh blankly, completely stunned.
***
Two weeks later, an article that would turn Korea upside down was published.
[(Exclusive) Shadowman 3 Confirmed to Film in Seoul, Korea!]
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