Chapter 74
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: A Surprise Announcement
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“Hello! I'm actor Lee Seojun!”
- Hi, Seojun!
As Seojun beamed, groans of adoration erupted from all around.
A close-up of Seojun's face filled the screen set up behind the stage.
Noticing the screen, Lee Dajin nudged Seojun, who turned his head.
When the large screen showed the back of Seojun's round head, everyone burst into laughter.
“Let's have fun today!”
- Okay!
Lee Dajin held up a square cue card with the event's schedule. Choi Soyoung and Lee Seojun sat in chairs that had been prepared for them.
“First off, I hear you're a great singer, Seojun.”
- Yes!
“So, shall we start with a song?”
Seojun, who was already prepared, stood up with a microphone in hand. He didn't know what song was coming, but Samchon Eunchan had told him it was one he knew well. It was probably a song by the Brown Black hyungs or another famous tune.
Music flowed from the speakers. Ta-dan-ta-dan-
Ta-dan-ta-dan?
Seojun tilted his head at the intro. The fans also tilted their heads, then burst out laughing when they saw the screen. Hearing the roar of laughter from the audience, Seojun slowly turned his head.
- Playing is the best!
Familiar characters were running around on the big screen. The lyrics were displayed below, but even without them, he knew what song it was. It was the theme song from a popular children's cartoon.
Lee Dajin and Choi Soyoung were already laughing so hard they were crying and slapping the floor. Seo Eunchan was also covering his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter.
After glancing around at all the laughing people, Seojun casually brought the microphone to his lips.
“Playing is the best!”
He sang it well, but with a murderous tone. That deadly intent was directed at one person only. Seo Eunchan shuddered under the force of that glare. It seemed his nephew was a genius who could act with atmosphere alone.
It wasn't Seo Eunchan's prank, but a request from Seojun's fan cafe that had received the most votes.
As the song progressed, the fans, Lee Dajin, and Choi Soyoung all sang along. Seojun soon shed his menacing vibe and sang with excitement.
After all, it was a song he often sang in kindergarten. It felt a little strange to be singing it as an elementary schooler, but doing it after so long was kind of fun.
“Alright! A round of applause!”
Cheers erupted. Seojun scratched his cheek and sat back down.
“Next up is the Q&A session with questions from the fans.”
“Okay.”
A staff member brought a box full of questions written on slips of paper onto the stage. Seojun reached in himself, swirled his hand around, and pulled one out. Lee Dajin took the paper and read the question aloud.
Some fans hoped their question had been picked, while others listened intently for Seojun's answers. Seojun answered each question with sincerity. Every question reflected the fans' interest, and every answer revealed Seojun's passion for acting.
The meaningful Q&A session was drawing to a close.
“Oh, this one is a bit much.”
After reading the last question Seojun pulled out, Lee Dajin shook her head. Seo Eunchan, who hadn't taken his eyes off the stage for a second, turned to look at the planning team leader. The team leader quickly shook his head.
“We filtered them all.”
“But, what kind of...”
Before Seo Eunchan could even curse, Lee Dajin spoke.
“Seojun, who do you like more, your mom or your dad?”
Laughter erupted from the audience at the question. Some put on serious faces, calling it too harsh a question, but couldn't hide the twitching corners of their mouths. Among them was the person who wrote the question. Lee Dajin and Choi Soyoung also looked at Seojun, their faces full of curiosity.
Seojun's eyes wavered more than they ever had before. His agitation was so visible on the screen that everyone couldn't help but laugh.
For a young actor like Lee Seojun, there was probably no question more mischievous than this.
Once again, Seojun's gaze shifted to the back. He caught sight of Seo Eunchan, who was snickering.
Feeling like he'd made eye contact with Seojun, Eunchan belatedly straightened his expression, but Seojun had already seen him.
*My fans, who like me, would never ask such a question, so this must be Samchon Eunchan's doing!* Unaware of the fans' desire to see his cute side, Seojun came to this strange conclusion and answered with a bright smile.
“I like Seo. Eun. Chan. Samchon the best!”
“Oh! Not your mom or your dad, but your uncle? Your uncle must be thrilled!”
Everyone burst out laughing at Seojun's evasion, and Seo Eunchan prayed that his sister and brother-in-law wouldn't hear about this. Watching from behind, An Daho shook his head.
After the Q&A, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. The chairs were moved to the back, and Choi Soyoung and Lee Seojun stood facing each other.
Lee Dajin spoke into the microphone, giving a brief summary of the play. Even though they were all Seojun's fans and had seen the VOD, they quieted down and listened intently to her voice.
The only time Choi Soyoung and Seojun had acted facing each other was during practice. Choi Soyoung recalled Seojun from practice and Seojun on stage.
‘He was even more amazing during the performance than in practice. I guess we can't show that. It's a shame, but he was incredible in practice too.’
When Lee Dajin's explanation ended, Choi Soyoung delivered her line. It was hard to get into character on a bare stage with no set, decorations, or props, but she did her best. If there was one thing she was confident in, it was this role.
“Blue Dragon! Blue Dragon!”
As everyone watched, Seojun brought the microphone to his lips. His hair and eyes didn't change. No horns grew, and no scales appeared.
[(Good) The Blue Dragon Hatchling's weak Fear is activated.]
But his skill remained the same!
[Thank you! I shall grant your wish!]
Seojun's voice sent shivers down the fans' spines.
It was different from watching the VOD. Of course, the VOD was impressive, but seeing Seojun's acting in person, hearing his voice reverberate through their bodies from the speakers, was something else. They could understand why that high school student had watched the same play eight times.
They felt a pang of regret for not seeing the play, but at the same time, they were glad they came to the fan meeting.
[Hahahaha!]
His refreshing laughter eased the tension in their bodies. Uwaah—groans of adoration erupted from all around.
It even felt as if a cool breeze was blowing from somewhere. For a moment, the fans were lost in the afterglow before coming back to their senses.
Lee Dajin said with a bright smile.
“Isn't he just amazing? I've never seen an actor as talented as Seojun.”
Responses of agreement were heard from all around.
“Thank you.”
Seojun bowed deeply and sat down. Lee Dajin, who was looking at her cue cards, spoke.
“Unfortunately, that's the end of Part 1. We'll take a short break before continuing with Part 2. Please wait just a moment.”
- Okay!
Thanks to a prior announcement from Cocoa Entertainment, everyone leaned back comfortably in their chairs. They had been concentrating so hard, not wanting to miss a single one of Seojun's actions, that their bodies felt stiff.
Some took out their phones to post reviews of Part 1 of the fan meeting, while others took pictures of the venue.
“Wow. That was incredible.”
Lee Miyeon, a fan of both Brown Black and Lee Seojun, spoke to the person next to her, her face flushed with excitement. The fan sitting next to her, Kang Sora, nodded in agreement.
“There's a world of difference between the VOD and seeing him act in person.”
“By the way, that pin is really cute.”
“It's custom-made, so it was a bit expensive, but I can send you the picture if you want to make one.”
“Thank you.”
Lee Miyeon admired Kang Sora's pin. It featured an image of baby Seojun from his first CF, the Elephant commercial, which was no longer aired due to quality and regulations. The vivid cuteness was so captivating she couldn't take her eyes off it even while walking.
“Oh, I think they're giving out snacks.”
Fruit lunch boxes were being passed down from the next seat. Lee Miyeon and Kang Sora took theirs and passed the rest along.
After receiving her portion, Lee Miyeon opened the lid of the fruit box. It was filled with seasonal fruits, cut into bite-sized pieces.
“The fan meeting tickets were cheap, but they're giving us snacks and even a stamp of Seojun's signature later. The rental fee for this place must be expensive, too. This is really great.”
“That's because they're not doing this to make money.”
“True. If they were trying to make money, he wouldn't have done the play either.”
Although they had just met, the two chatted happily. As they were talking about the movies and dramas Seojun had appeared in, someone appeared on stage. The break wasn't over yet.
Kim Sooryun, the head of Cocoa Entertainment's PR team, walked onto the stage. The gazes of all the fans, who had been excitedly chatting and eating fruit, turned toward the stage. With a slight smile, Team Leader Kim Sooryun began to speak.
“Hello, everyone.”
- Hello.
“I'm Kim Sooryun, head of the PR team at Cocoa Entertainment. I've come up on stage because I have some wonderful news to share with you all.”
Wonderful news?
The fans tilted their heads.
News that had just arrived from the United States had thrown Cocoa Entertainment into an uproar.
An employee at the office informed Kim Sooryun, who then informed the CEO, Seo Eunchan.
Seo Eunchan, who didn't understand at first, finally grasped the situation after searching for it several times on his phone.
Seo Eunchan, who had a knack for teasing Seojun, grinned.
PR Team Leader Kim Sooryun continued, her face flushed.
“This is something that actor Lee Seojun doesn't know about yet. We just got the news. We hope that you, the fans, will be the ones to tell him.”
Seeing Kim Sooryun's excited yet serious expression, the fans gulped. The once-bustling, spacious venue fell silent.
Team Leader Kim Sooryun closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and speaking.
Even thinking about it again gave her a thrill. She recalled the voice of the employee who had delivered the news, trembling and speaking as if in disbelief.
“At the WTV Film Festival held in the United States, actor Lee Seojun has been nominated for the WMA's Remarkable Actor Award!”
...What?
Murmurs spread throughout the crowd. The United States? The WTV Film Festival? An award? A nomination? As the fans slowly processed each word, their jaws dropped.
Seeing the dawning comprehension on the fans' faces, Team Leader Kim Sooryun continued.
“Of course, the winner hasn't been decided yet, but just being nominated at an international film festival is an incredible achievement. Please, everyone, make sure you tell actor Lee Seojun.”
Wow...
WOW!!!!
The stunned fans screamed. An international, an international film festival!
“That's amazing!”
“I knew he'd get one someday! I just didn't think it would be this soon!”
“If it's for an international film this year, it has to be that one, right?”
“Shadowman!”
“Jin Natra!”
“Well, if they didn't nominate him after seeing that performance, it would be a crime!”
The venue became even noisier than before. The fans' cheers reached all the way to the waiting room where Seojun was.
Seojun, who was refueling with chocolate milk, tilted his head. Choi Soyoung and Lee Dajin were also busy filling up on sandwiches and juice.
“What's that noise? Did something big happen?”
“Nope. It's nothing.”
An Daho, the stylist, and the other staff members, who had already heard the news, all had goofy grins on their faces whenever they looked at Seojun.
Sip, sip—Seojun, sucking on his chocolate milk, narrowed his eyes. *No, they're hiding something.* Even when he stared at them, they all played dumb and went about their business, re-shuffling papers they'd already sorted and rearranging snacks.
This is so weird!
“Wow, Seojun! A ton of fans showed up, huh?”
The easiest prey had walked right into the trap. Seojun beamed at Seo Eunchan's arrival. *Ugh, a chill just ran down my spine.* He glanced around and saw everyone shaking their heads.
“Samchon, you're hiding something from me, aren't you?”
“What? Wha... No, I'm not.”
*For someone who's not hiding anything, you're not making eye contact.* Seojun turned his head this way and that, glaring at Eunchan. Eunchan had already told Team Leader Kim Sooryun to tell the fans that Seojun didn't know. He couldn't tell Seojun now.
“What is it? Tell me!”
“Seojun. It's time to go back on stage.”
Thanks to An Daho's perfect timing, the interrogated Seo Eunchan let out a sigh of relief. Even as he was led out of the waiting room by An Daho, Seojun didn't take his eyes off Eunchan. How many times had his uncle tricked him today already!
Under his nephew's continuous, ste-ady gaze, Seo Eunchan broke out in a cold sweat.
“I'll be watching you, Samchon.”
Seojun ground his teeth slightly.
“Ahahaha. Have a good show.”
The waiting room door slid shut. Choi Soyoung and Lee Dajin, who were already outside, must have heard something from the staff, because they were also beaming at Seojun.
*It doesn't seem like a bad thing.* Seojun studied Choi Soyoung and Lee Dajin as he held An Daho's hand and headed for the stage.
“What's really going on, Hyung?”
“Hmm. Something really good? The fans will tell you.”
The moment Seojun appeared on stage, the fans screamed without any signal. Stunned by the roar, Seojun raised his microphone. His lips naturally formed a pout. *Everyone knows but me!*
“Samchon Eunchan, Daho-hyung, and the nunas are all hiding something, but do you all know, too? Am I the only one who doesn't know?”
- Yes!
“What is it?”
- Film festival, congrats on the nomination!
- Congratulations!!
Hearing the congratulations coming from all directions, Seojun tilted his head. With so many people shouting at once, the words were jumbled and hard to understand. Seojun asked again.
“Congratulations for what?”
- Look behind you!
That voice, in particular, rang out clearly. Seojun turned around to see a website displayed on the large screen.
Before he could even read the English text on the site, Lee Dajin's voice came through. The voice flowing from the speakers was bright, cheerful, and distinct. It drilled straight into Seojun's ears.
[Congratulations to actor Lee Seojun on being nominated for the Remarkable Actor Award at the 39th WTV Film Festival.]
[(Photo) Jin Natra, Seojun Lee/Age 7]
“...Wow.”
Seeing the website with his photo plastered on it, that was the only word Seojun could manage.
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