Chapter 247
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 247
Chapter Title: Mirror
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September.
Summer vacation ended, and the second semester at Yeoul Arts Middle School began.
Unlike usual, Seojun arrived at school early. He dropped his bag in the classroom and took out a file. Inside the file were several copies of an announcement he had made at home.
“Should I start from the first floor?”
Seojun left the empty classroom and posted the announcement on the bulletin board of each floor.
Students arriving early tried to slip past the upperclassman standing in front of the bulletin board, but when they realized it was Lee Seojun, they gasped and covered their mouths.
“What's he doing?”
“Looks like he's posting something.”
The students, who had been thrilled to see Seojun as soon as the semester started—as if the effect of his ability had worn off over the summer—calmed down a little and grew curious about what he was doing.
When Seojun finished posting on the first floor and went up to the second, the students swarmed the bulletin board. A single, crisp sheet of A4 paper, without a single wrinkle, stood out.
“Whoa.”
[Recruiting Team Members for the Graduation Performance]
[Team Leader: Year 3, Class 2, Lee Seojun]
As soon as the announcement, which started with these lines, was posted, Yeoul Arts Middle School erupted into chaos.
“Aaaah! It's finally up!”
The students who had been glancing at the bulletin board every day since Seojun submitted his graduation performance application in March took a picture of the notice and posted it in their group chats. Some were so surprised they ran straight to their classrooms.
Students on their way to school and even those who had just boarded the bus stared wide-eyed at the flood of messages.
It didn't take long for the news to spread throughout Yeoul Arts Middle School, with its three departments and two classes per grade.
The Art, Music, and Acting departments were all in an uproar. Even the teachers' office was buzzing.
“Teacher! They said Seojun posted the announcement! I'll be right back after a quick look!”
The second-year class president's eyes sparkled as he dashed out of the teachers' office. His homeroom teacher watched in admiration at the swift movement.
“Wow. I've never seen him run like that.”
The teachers burst into laughter.
“But it seems Seojun has finally made up his mind.”
“I thought he was going to cancel.”
It wasn't unheard of for students to withdraw their graduation performance applications. The reasons were varied, as these were student-led performances: not having a suitable script or actors, a production too large for Yeoul Hall to handle, or the team breaking up due to lack of practice time.
“I'm really looking forward to this year's graduation performance.”
“Me too.”
“By the way, what's Seojun's production?”
* * *
“Mirror?”
“What's 'Mirror'?”
The second-year students were happy that Lee Seojun had posted his announcement, but they tilted their heads in confusion at the unfamiliar title of the production.
“Hanseok! What's 'Mirror'?”
The question, as always, was directed to Kim Hanseok, who was closest to Lee Seojun.
“Just a sec.”
>Jukyung: It's a book! Seojun adapted it himself!
>Jukyung: Wow... How did he even think of adapting a book?
>Jukyung: He's on another level of talented!!
“Whoa.”
“What? What did she say?”
“It's a novel. Seojun hyung adapted it himself.”
“Wow... That's insane....”
The information that spread from the Acting Department's Year 2, Class 2, quickly blanketed Yeoul Arts Middle School. While the school was marveling at Seojun's overflowing talent,
Seojun, sitting at his desk, was growing anxious for a different reason than when he was adapting the script.
‘Why isn't anyone coming?’
Homeroom was about to start, yet no one had come to submit an application.
He thought at least a few of his classmates would apply, but they were all just staring at their phones. Juhee, Jukyung, Jiho, and Jaehan were no different.
Wondering if some incident had occurred that he didn't know about, he took out his phone, but the world seemed to be running as usual. A shadow fell over Seojun's face as he put his phone away.
‘The music isn't difficult...’
The music students who would handle the background music.
‘The sets are easy to make...’
The art students who would create the sets and props.
No one came.
‘…Is this a failure?’
He had anticipated not finding a suitable work or failing to adapt one, but he had never imagined it would fail because he couldn't find people.
As the shadow on Seojun's face deepened, a white piece of paper appeared on his desk.
“Seojun. Here's my application.”
Seojun, who had been staring at his desk with a grim expression, slowly lifted his head to look at Jaehan.
Superstar Lee Seojun smiled more brightly than ever before. For a moment, it seemed like there were flowers and a halo in the background. That aura drew the gazes of even the students who had been glued to their phones.
“Jaehan, thanks! But... we might not be able to do the play.”
“Huh?”
Seojun, who had just breathed a sigh of relief at getting one actor, pouted unconsciously at the still-lacking number of applications.
“I guess the others aren't interested. Daho hyung said half the second and third years would apply, so I was a little worried... but I guess I worried for nothing. No one's coming. What if we can't do the play because of this?”
The day after he finished the adaptation.
An Daho had said he might have to audition at least 40 people, and Seojun, half-believing it, had even drafted an audition schedule. Now, with only one applicant, he felt embarrassed for getting his hopes up so much.
This was definitely something he'd be kicking himself for later.
Kicking the blankets before bed. Kicking them in the Library of Life.
If his future self read Lee Seojun's book, this would probably rank in the top ten most embarrassing moments.
Hearing Seojun's words, Jiho, who sat next to him, let out a hollow laugh.
“That's because everyone's trying to find out what 'Mirror' is.”
“Still. I listed the character names, genders, and descriptions...”
“Everyone at school knows how high your standards are. Do you think you'd give them a proper look if they applied carelessly? What if you suddenly said, 'Let's audition right now'? They'd be totally unprepared.”
Hmm.
It was a valid point, so Seojun kept his mouth shut.
“I'm trying to buy the book right now, too. Just wait a few days for auditions.”
Juhee, who had been furiously tapping on her phone, said with a glint in her eyes.
“Me too. Ugh. This one's sold out too.”
“It's not available anywhere! Does this publisher even want to sell books or not?!”
The other students clutching their phones also voiced their complaints. Seojun blinked at their reactions. Huh?
“Wait, you were all trying to buy the book?”
“Yeah. So extend the application period.”
Seojun nodded, looking bewildered at Juhee's words.
Jaehan, the first to submit an application, scratched his cheek and said.
“I was only able to apply now because I borrowed the book from you and read it. Otherwise, it would've taken me a few days.”
“Oh, I see.”
‘So they weren't uninterested.’
Seojun chuckled, feeling a sense of relief.
“You're lucky, Jaehan. You've already read it.”
Jaehan shook his head at Jukyung's envious tone.
“I still have to buy the book, though. Who reads a novel thinking, 'I should memorize this character's lines' or 'I need to analyze this role and act it out'? I just read it for fun.”
“That's true.”
“Who reads a book and thinks, 'I should make this into a play'...? Oh, right. There is someone.”
Seojun laughed awkwardly under the gazes of Jukyung, Jaehan, and Jiho.
“Ah! This place is sold out too!”
“Aaaah! I got one!”
“Wait, where?!”
“The address, the address!”
Feeling like he was the cause of all this chaos, Seojun quietly placed Jaehan's application into the file.
* * *
“Mom! Mom! Mooooom!!”
Hearing her son's shouts as he returned from school, the mother couldn't help but sigh.
“Didn't you go to your acting acade—”
“Lee Seojun!”
The son, who had rushed in breathlessly, uttered the magic words that could appease his mother's anger. The mother, who was about to erupt in fury, ran to her son with a surprised look on her face.
“What about Lee Seojun!”
“He posted the graduation performance announcement!”
“Finally!”
A name that had been mentioned at least once a week since her son enrolled at Yeoul Arts Middle School.
Lee Seojun.
She had heard he applied for the graduation performance back in March, but the announcement that hadn't appeared through the first semester and summer vacation was finally up.
The mother's eyes lit up.
“Did you submit an application?”
“No!”
The mother clutched the back of her neck at her son's immediate reply.
“...My dear, cheerful son. Why ever not?”
“It's a production I don't know!”
“...Didn't you say you've tried all sorts of things at the academy?”
She heard that since the day after Lee Seojun submitted his application, he had been practicing famous works suitable for middle schoolers—no, an even wider range.
Was that not the case? Should she change his acting academy?
As the mother was seriously contemplating this, her son spoke.
“Lee Seojun made it!”
“...What?”
“The original is a novel, and he adapted it into a play himself!”
Adaptation? He did it himself?
His abilities were far beyond what one would expect from an upperclassman just one year older. Then again, his career as a Hollywood actor was no small feat either.
“Oh my goodness... But why didn't you apply?”
“I was going to, but Hanseok said I wouldn't stand out if I gave a sloppy audition. He said Seojun might even dislike it. He said even if I fail the audition, if I act well, I'll leave a strong impression on Seojun, so I didn't submit it yet!”
“Son.”
“Yeah?”
“Stay close with Hanseok.”
“Okay!”
We're already close, but I'll get even closer!
The mother patted the head of her son, who was nodding eagerly. How can my son be so innocent?
“Oh, right! Mom, I need some money!”
“What for?”
“The original is a novel, remember? I'm going to the bookstore to buy it! It's sold out everywhere online! All my classmates are going to buy it too!”
“...You should have said that first!”
The mother shot up, grabbing her handbag with one hand and her son's hand with the other, and rushed out.
“The stores near the school are probably all sold out, so we'll have to go somewhere far. Son, buckle up!”
“O-okay.”
Seeing his mother fired up, the son instinctively gripped his seatbelt with both hands.
* * *
“C...ider. Ugh. Give me a cider.”
“Well, this is new. A booze lover like you isn't drinking.”
Amidst his friends' teasing, the employee from Hero Publishing diligently avoided the green bottle full of alcohol and drank from the long, green bottle of soda.
“You're the same green as that one, so why do you taste so different?”
“...Seriously, what's wrong? Just have one glass.”
“No! I can't get drunk!”
“Come on. Just one glass.”
Tempted by his damn friends' suggestions, the employee quickly shook his head, shot up from his seat, and ran out of the restaurant.
Everyone stared blankly at their friend who had vanished like lightning.
“...Has he lost his mind?”
The employee, having resisted temptation, returned home, quickly washed up, and went to bed.
“I wish it were November already...”
Then he could drink as much as he wanted.
The employee lamented the fact that it was only September as he tried to sleep.
The next morning.
“I can't get drunk!!”
The employee shot up in bed. His face was pale, covered in a cold sweat.
He'd had a nightmare.
His friends had poured him drinks, and he had chugged them down as if they were the most delicious thing in the world. The scene had suddenly changed, and he was at something like a press conference, blabbering to reporters with a microphone in front of him. Then, a villain-mode Jin Natra appeared behind the reporters, glaring at him.
“Phew. I wish this would just be revealed already.”
The employee scratched his head and looked at his phone to check the time. It was the weekend, but he had woken up too la—
[43 Missed Calls]
[82 Text Messages]
[325 BananaTalks]
“...Huh?”
His heart sank.
A chill ran down his spine. A cold sweat felt like it was pouring from the top of his head, drenching his entire body. His hands and feet were slick with sweat.
“....!!”
Could it be that his nightmare wasn't a dream?
Unable to speak, he tapped the search engine app with a trembling hand. He couldn't bring himself to check his BananaTalks or text messages.
‘I'm sorry, President! Editor-in-chief!’
Wondering for how many hours he'd have to grovel on his knees, the employee escaped reality for a moment before squinting at his phone.
He didn't need to search for anything or even try to look. It was written in big letters right in front of his eyes.
[Actor Lee Seojun to Star in the Play 'The Juror'!]
“I'm screw... huh?”
The employee blinked.
“Huh??”
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