Chapter 260
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 260
Chapter Title: The Graduation Performance
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Two weeks before the graduation performance.
The music team gathered in the Yeoul Arts Middle School recording studio to record the final piece for the play.
Unhappy with the performance, the music team leader and the third-years were checking the sheet music when they noticed the tired faces of the first and second-years and decided to take a short break.
As they tuned their instruments, someone spoke up.
“I heard *Mirror* started selling overseas, right?”
“Yeah. Seojun’s international fans are buying it like crazy.”
“Someone who read both the Korean and English versions posted a review saying the translation was really good.”
The English edition of the novel *Mirror* had begun its international release.
As Seojun’s overseas fans bought the book, sales soared, and as sales soared, it climbed the charts. Once on the charts, the general public started to take notice. When news broke that a Korean novel was selling exceptionally well abroad, even those who were previously uninterested found themselves looking it up.
Just as it had in September, the novel *Mirror* was flying off the shelves in December.
“I heard it’s still selling like mad. The publishing house must be swamped.”
“Ugh. I’m so nervous thinking about all those people watching our play.”
At the first-year’s words, the second and third-years shivered. The biggest competition they had ever been in was at the national level, and now their performance was about to be heard by the entire world.
“I’m just glad it’s a recording.”
“Just like Juhee said, it would’ve been a disaster if it were live.”
“If we’re like this… the acting department kids must be incredibly nervous.”
The students nodded, thinking of Seojun and the acting team, who were likely practicing hard in the studio at that very moment.
“Alright, let’s start recording again.”
“Yes!”
The students responded energetically to the music team leader’s call.
While the music team was busy at work, the background and props team was also in constant motion.
In the warehouse connected to Yeoul Hall, props and items for the graduation performance were sorted by team. Standing in the space designated for the ‘Mirror Team,’ the background team leader held up a checklist and went through it item by item.
“Costumes!”
“All here!”
The outfits for the five actors hung on a rack. After checking for any tears or stains, first-year Park Minhyung shouted out.
“Props!”
“All present!”
From large props to the small ones that would add detail to the play, a second-year who had either borrowed or personally crafted them called out.
“And the furniture?”
“They said they’ll send it next week.”
A third-year, who had tracked down usable furniture that was difficult to make and not available at the school, answered. The checklist was completely filled. Satisfied with the perfect preparation, the background team leader smiled warmly.
“Now, let’s practice moving everything. Seojun gave us the stage layout. We’ll need to practice if we want to get it all on stage within ten minutes.”
“Yes!”
One week before the graduation performance.
The students performing were now allowed to miss their morning and afternoon classes.
“Yeoul Hall will be open starting tomorrow, so we can practice on stage. We’ll have to share it with the other teams, so we can only use it during our allotted time.”
The Mirror Team nodded at Seojun’s words.
“Then we can practice in the studio and do rehearsals on stage.”
“A rehearsal? That makes me nervous.”
“Let’s borrow a camera from a teacher to record ourselves and review it.”
Seojun nodded at the acting team’s suggestions, then turned his gaze to the music and background teams. Looking back and forth between their leaders, he spoke.
“We need someone to handle the lighting, background music, and sound effects.”
The music team had finished all their work, but the background team still had to set up the stage on the day of the performance. That meant their team leader was out.
“Chaeyeon, can you do it?”
“Ugh. I’m not confident, but I’ll give it a try.”
The music team leader, a piano major named Kim Chaeyeon, nodded. *At least it’s better than playing live while watching the play,* she thought. The background team leader cheered her on.
“If you get used to it starting tomorrow, you’ll do great on the day.”
“…I wonder if I’ll get used to it.”
And so, the next day.
The first on-stage rehearsal for the play *Mirror* began.
Seojun, sitting in a chair with his head bowed, was waiting for the spotlight to turn on. When it didn’t, he lifted his head.
He glanced to the side of the stage and saw the music team leader looking flustered, as if she had just snapped back to reality.
*Hmm. It would be great if Chaeyeon can get used to it and nail the timing, but if not, I should think of a backup plan.*
While Seojun and the acting team were comforting the music team leader, the members of the music and background teams, who had finished their work and were watching the rehearsal from the audience, silently rubbed the goosebumps on their arms.
The students understood why the music team leader had missed her cue.
No, they couldn’t help but understand.
“Wow. How are they even better than they were in practice?”
At the background team leader’s words, the other students nodded in agreement.
***
[December 26th, Brown Black's 15th Anniversary Concert Scheduled!]
[WNET to Air Brown Black's 15th Anniversary Documentary!]
[Tomorrow, the 23rd, Yeoul Arts Middle School's Graduation Performance!]
[When Will Yeoul Arts Middle School's Graduation Performance Be Uploaded to N-tube?]
-Whoa, Brown Black is already 15 years old?
=Well, Lee Seojun is 16 lol
=LOL, it's funny how you can tell by Lee Seojun's age ㅋㅋ
-I bet Lee Seojun will be in the documentary.
=Agreed. It’s a 15th-anniversary special, so they’ll definitely talk about their debut. There’s no way Seojun won’t be in it.
-Can't believe the graduation performance is already tomorrow!
=The time has come to unseal the book!
=I can't read it until it's on N-tube. When is it getting uploaded?
=Looking at the dates of past uploads, it seems to be within a week.
=That’s too slow…!
-But I don't like the editing.
=I know, right? Since it's a play, the camera is always fixed. You can see the actors' faces, but there are no close-ups like in a drama or movie.
=Can't be helped ㅠㅠ
***
December 23rd. The day of the graduation performance.
Lee Jiseok, who was able to attend the performance as a Yeoul Arts Middle School affiliate thanks to a special guest lecture he’d given, got into Park Dohun’s car. In his hands was a bouquet of flowers, blooming brightly despite the winter cold.
“Dohun. Are we going to Jongho Hyung’s place?”
“Yes.”
“How about we go without him?”
“Hahaha.”
Park Dohun simply let Lee Jiseok’s words go in one ear and out the other as he drove. On the way to Kim Jongho’s house, Lee Jiseok shrugged and spoke.
“Did you know? The Yeoul graduation performance is a three-day event.”
“Is that so?”
“First day is the acting department’s plays, second day is the art department’s exhibition, and the third day is the music department’s concert.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Should I tell Jongho Hyung the performance is tomorrow?”
“Hahaha.”
-You brat!
Startled by Kim Jongho’s sudden voice, Lee Jiseok craned his neck. Park Dohun’s phone was on speaker.
The caller ID read [Jongho Samchon].
“…Since when?”
“Just now.”
“…You’ve grown up, Dohun.”
Lee Jiseok covered his ears as Kim Jongho’s booming voice filled the car.
***
Parents and affiliates of Yeoul Arts Middle School gradually gathered at Yeoul Hall. Park Dohun’s car pulled into the staff parking lot. Leaving three bouquets in the car, the three actors got out.
“When is Dajin getting here?”
Park Dohun answered Lee Jiseok’s question.
“She’s on her way now.”
“The gates close at one, so I should tell her to hurry.”
“Okay.”
As the three actors were leaving the parking lot to head to Yeoul Hall, they spotted some familiar faces.
Three people were chatting cheerfully.
“Isn’t that Director Choi Daeman?”
“Director Woo Jeonghan and Producer Choi Minseong are here too?”
The directors of *Yeok*, *Escape*, and *Naeuiwon* were laughing and talking. The three directors noticed the three actors as well. After they exchanged pleasantries, Park Dohun asked a question.
“I heard writer So Eunjin also gave a special lecture. Did she not come?”
“Ah, she said she saw someone she knew earlier.”
Just as Producer Choi Minseong said, writer So Eunjin had been startled to see a familiar face and had followed after them.
“…Actor Jeong Siwoon?”
At the sound of his name, Teacher Jeong Siwoon turned around, surprised by the title ‘actor.’ Their eyes widened in mutual recognition before breaking into broad smiles.
“Ah, Writer So Eunjin. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is all mine!”
“I saw the news. I had no idea you’d become a drama writer. I’ve been enjoying your work.”
Jeong Siwoon had read the article titled [The Original Author of the Novel ‘Waiting for a Star,’ Naeuiwon’s So Eunjin!].
“I saw an article about you, too. It said you were a teacher at Mirinae Arts High…”
Writer So Eunjin had read the article [Where Are the Actors of the Drama ‘Waiting for a Star’ Now?]. Although there were no photos, she recognized his face from the archival footage of the drama.
“Ah, yes. The arts high school teachers often come to help out during the graduation performance since it gets so busy.”
“I see. Um… are you no longer acting?”
Jeong Siwoon smiled at So Eunjin’s question.
“I still do. It’s a small theater company, but I still get on stage from time to time.”
“Which company is it? I’d love to see you perform!”
The original author’s eyes sparkled, having met the one actor who, all those years ago, had perfectly embodied the character she had envisioned.
***
“The cameras, you mean?”
“Yes. If there isn’t anyone assigned to it, would it be alright if I filmed?”
At Director Woo Jeonghan’s words, Jeong Siwoon scratched his cheek.
He had run into the three directors and three actors while talking with writer So Eunjin in the hallway leading to Yeoul Hall. Upon being introduced as a teacher, Director Woo Jeonghan’s eyes had lit up.
“I’ve seen the graduation performance videos uploaded to N-tube. You only use three cameras, correct?”
The graduation performance videos on N-tube were bland, simply showing the stage from the front, right, and left, with no camera techniques like close-ups.
“Yes. We don’t have a dedicated videographer. We just capture the overall stage, not the actors’ expressions or detailed movements.”
That would likely be the case for Seojun’s play as well.
Reading Jeong Siwoon’s unspoken thought, the directors and actors all had the same look on their faces: *What a waste…!*
This time, even Jeong Siwoon had to agree. Seojun would undoubtedly shine even in a bland video, but with proper camera work, the scenes could be even more spectacular.
Director Woo Jeonghan voiced the thought he’d been mulling over ever since he’d first seen the graduation performance videos. It would be a little difficult to do alone, but there were two other people here.
“What if we were to man the cameras?”
“Pardon?”
“Front, right, left. That’s exactly three people.”
Director Woo Jeonghan pointed to himself for the front, Director Choi Daeman for the right, and Producer Choi Minseong for the left.
*Oho.*
Director Choi Daeman and Producer Choi Minseong nodded enthusiastically. Lee Jiseok, Park Dohun, Kim Jongho, and So Eunjin were momentarily surprised but then nodded as if it was a great idea. Their styles were different, which might make editing difficult, but they would surely manage.
“Well, that’s…”
Seeing Jeong Siwoon hesitate, Director Choi Daeman quickly backed up Director Woo Jeonghan.
“Of course, we’ll film all the other students’ performances as well.”
At the offer to film the other teams too, Jeong Siwoon said he would discuss it with the other teachers and excused himself.
From his demeanor, it seemed he was already halfway convinced. The directors beamed.
“I was actually thinking I should just grab a camera myself… I didn’t know you were thinking the same thing, Director Woo.”
“The videos were a bit too static, weren’t they?”
Feeling a sense of relief, Producer Choi Minseong spoke up as a thought occurred to him.
“But won’t three cameras be insufficient, Director Woo?”
If this were a movie, they could shoot a scene twice, but a play was a one-time event. They had to capture both the full shot and the close-ups simultaneously.
One camera would have to be for the full shot and another for close-ups, meaning at least two per location. With three locations—front, right, and left—they would need at least six cameras.
Director Woo Jeonghan shrugged.
“I have cameras in my car. I brought the best ones for the size.”
“I also have two cameras in my trunk.”
At the words of the two thoroughly prepared film directors, who had clearly come with every intention of filming Seojun, Producer Choi Minseong scratched his cheek.
“Looks like I’m the only one who didn’t bring any.”
“Would you like to borrow one? I have three.”
“I’d appreciate that!”
Producer Choi Minseong nodded at Director Woo Jeonghan’s offer.