Do You Have a Girlfriend?
Just search for it and it pops right up. Check it out when you have some free time ^^
I put it on because I'd finished the housework and had nothing to watch, and somewhere around the final episode I found myself in tears…. T_T
It's technically a promo video, but it doesn't feel forced at all — it's genuinely entertaining.
I was stunned to hear the actor wrote the script himself, too.
He's so young, yet he acts brilliantly and there's apparently nothing he can't do.
I hope my son grows up to be just like him ^^
1. Debuted on the big screen playing dual roles → his debut film went straight to the Cannes Film Festival in France.
2. Youngest Best Actor winner in the world → nominated at countless festivals since.
3. Supporting role in a web drama that hit #1 in buzz → the view count exploded so hard, Season 2 got picked up for terrestrial broadcast.
4. Only three years into his career and already 5 public donations → and supposedly he keeps donating privately on top of that.
5. Planned his own bed commercial, and now he's writing drama scripts → a genius even outside of acting.
6. The most insane part? Even with not a single real name in this post, every single person knows exactly who I'm talking about.
It's past fun and into intoxicating.
Reliability already certified — everyone hurry and take your first bite.
A value-for-money fandom that lets you ride a domestic actor all the way to world class. Highly recommend.
Team Leader Woo asked if I could come by the office, so I hurried over. I wondered if something had happened, but the moment I arrived, what she actually told me was this.
"Take it easy for a while."
"I'm sorry?"
"Out of nowhere?" I must have looked as baffled as I felt, because she waved a hand at me. "Go on a trip with your friends if you want. You've been pushing yourself hard these past few days, so rest up properly."
I stood there staring blankly for a moment before finding my voice again.
"My schedule's packed starting next week, though."
Killing Horn, the series I'd shot with Junghyun-hyung and actor Kim Seokjun, was due for release soon. There was the production press conference, the interviews, the promotional events — the schedule was so dense we'd have had to move in minute-long increments.
At my words, Team Leader Woo made a face like she'd just developed a headache.
"All of that's cancelled."
"……I'm sorry?"
"The drama's release date got pushed back. All the related events will be rescheduled once the new date is confirmed."
What on earth was she talking about now? The moment I furrowed my brow, she heaved one long sigh after another.
"There's been some kind of management shake-up inside the platform, apparently. Something to do with a stock issue — they've put Killing Horn on hold, along with a whole slate of other projects."
"Are they even allowed to do that?"
"Of course not. That's why the production companies are up in arms threatening to sue them for breach of contract. Haah…. What a way to start the year."
The way she pressed her fingers into the corners of her eyes made her look utterly worn out.
"Worst case, it's delayed a month or two at most, so don't worry about it. Give them a month and they'll have the whole mess sorted out."
She said it was the kind of thing that happened all the time in this industry, and I nodded.
"I see. Understood."
I didn't know the details, but if I was told to rest, then rest I would.
Well, this works out nicely.
The Korean Sign Language drama had only wrapped recently, after all. As much as I loved acting, the fatigue had been stacking up. Taking a breather now wasn't a bad idea at all.
"So I really get to rest?"
"Yep. Things could get busy again in a month, so rest while you can. I'll call if anything comes up."
Team Leader Woo rose from her seat, saying she had a meeting to attend. Judging by the way she shuffled along like a zombie, the work must have been brutal.
I should bring her some supplements.
Tsk. Too many people around me to look after. Maybe it really was time to hire an actual babysitter on the side.
"Shall we head straight home, sir?"
"Yes."
I stepped into the elevator with Jinbae-hyung.
"A real vacation, for once. I hope you'll take full advantage of it."
"I think I will."
"And don't worry too much about the drama — like Team Leader Woo said, it'll be out before long."
Jinbae-hyung gave my shoulder a slow, gentle pat. His tone was careful, the kind people used when they were worried you might be anxious.
"I'm fine, really. What worries me is disappointing the fans."
"Ah, right. Come to think of it, someone posted yesterday asking if they'd finally get to see white-haired Bambi."
"……"
He said it completely deadpan, but the words white-haired Bambi made me oddly self-conscious. My ears started to prickle, so I changed the subject as fast as I could.
"Good thing I filmed February 3rd, huh. I didn't plan it that way, but at least I'm not coming back empty-handed, so the fans won't be too let down."
"That's true. Killing Horn will sort itself out with time, so just rest up now, sir. Do you have any special plans?"
There was no expectation on Jinbae-hyung's face as he asked. If he had to guess, he clearly figured I'd say something like practice acting.
"Yes. I do."
The instant I said it, Jinbae-hyung's head whipped around.
"……What kind of plans? You, sir?"
His eyes had gone so wide they looked about to pop out of his head. That endearingly clueless expression he only ever showed when it was just the two of us pulled a laugh right out of me.
"What? Are you going to take an acting intensive or something?"
Did he honestly think my head contained nothing but acting? I shook my head, smiling.
"Nope. I have some fangirling to do."
"…?"
In front of the Express Bus Terminal, I stood at the entrance with my cap pulled down low.
……Why is everyone staring at me?
I had a mask on too, so there was no way anyone could tell it was me, and yet I kept feeling people's eyes on me. I was just starting to think I should have asked Jinbae-hyung to do this after all when a red bus rolled into the terminal.
The moment I spotted a familiar figure stepping off, I hurried over.
"Haeun-ah."
"Yeon—! Ah, right, I can't just shout your name."
Park Haeun clamped both hands over her mouth just in time to cut her own shout short. I looked down at her, now wide-eyed as a startled rabbit, and smiled.
"It's been a while. You doing okay?"
"Yep! Nothing's changed with me. Wow, but your height — you've grown so much! What is that? You weren't this tall when I saw you last year, were you?"
"Thanks. Though I've still got a long way to go if I want to beat Bihyeok."
"Ugh, Noh Bi's gotten taller too? Gross."
Park Haeun gave an exaggerated shudder. Watching her pull a face of genuine, heartfelt disgust, I laughed.
"He hit 180 centimeters recently, I heard."
"Ugh, that boy seriously needs to stop growing."
Ever since Park Haeun had gone to a middle school in another region, seeing each other's faces had become rare. We still made the time to meet up about once every six months, but every single time, she and Noh Bihyeok would take one look at each other and gape in disbelief. They'd known each other since kindergarten, so apparently neither of them could quite adapt to how fast the other kept changing.
She suggested, entirely seriously, that someone should hold his head down so he'd stop getting any taller. I laughed it off.
"I'm dead serious. Why are you laughing?"
"Haeun-ah, let me take your bag. Give it here."
"I am being completely serious right now…."
Noh Bihyeok wasn't the only one who'd grown — Park Haeun had, too. The lines of her face were more defined than the last time I'd seen her, and it felt strangely unfamiliar.
Time really does fly.
The passage of the years hit me anew. Elementary school felt like it had been only yesterday, and yet we were already in our last year of middle school. One more year, and we'd be high schoolers.
High school.
Would I still be going to school with Bihyeok then, too? Just a few years back, the future hadn't even been on the table — getting through each day as it came was all I could manage.
I've changed a lot myself, haven't I.
And a lot more would change going forward. It struck me as a strange, wondrous thing that the unknown no longer frightened me — now it was something to look forward to.
"How's the studying going? Still set on becoming a doctor?"
"Obviously! I'm going to get early admission to med school if it kills me!"
Park Haeun declared it with her chest puffed out. Her burning ambition to become a doctor hadn't faded one bit, then.
"That's impressive. Doesn't it wear you out, studying all day like that?"
"……Yeonjae, that's a bit rich coming from you, isn't it?"
Oh. Fair point. I gave an embarrassed laugh.
"I mean, all I do is study on my own, but you're already out here working. Honestly, I'm jealous. I want to be a doctor soon, too."
"Why do you want to be a doctor so badly?"
"Because it's cool. Saving people's lives."
Park Haeun broke into a grin.
"When I was little, Mom used to tell me about the surgeries she'd done that day. The look on her face, so full of confidence — I thought it was the coolest thing in the world."
"It really is a noble job. And I know you'll do it beautifully."
The words were barely out of my mouth when Park Haeun burst out laughing.
"You never change, do you."
"…? What do you mean?"
"If you don't get it, never mind. Oh — hey, if you ever film a medical drama later, you'd better come to me for advice. I'll walk you through everything in detail."
"Won't you be too busy by then?"
"No matter how busy I am, if it's to help this great actor, I'll make the time!"
She squared her shoulders like she was already a practicing physician, and I couldn't hold back a snort of laughter. We chattered away, losing all track of time, and before I knew it we'd arrived at our destination.
"I'm just going to drop my bags and run back down!"
"No rush. Take your time."
Park Haeun darted inside the villa — the one her aunt lived in, and where she'd be staying for the next week or so.
I should text Bihyeok that I'll be over soon.
The reason Park Haeun, who was buried in studying every day, had carved a whole week out of her schedule to come up here was Noh Bihyeok. His debut was right around the corner.
We'd agreed to spend the week making the most of it, just the two of us — preparing for the grand, full-scale fandom campaign for Noh Bihyeok.
I should get the lay of this neighborhood memorized first.
There was no telling what might happen, so from now on, every time we parted ways, I'd walk her all the way home.
I was standing at the entrance of the villa, pulling up a map app on my phone, when someone approached.
"Excuse me."
"…?"
I looked up to find a woman with an unfamiliar face standing there.
"I'm, um, really sorry to say this so suddenly…."
Her face was flushed bright red.
Religious recruitment? Begging for money? The parade of possibilities flashing through my head vanished in an instant the moment I heard her next words.
"Do you, by any chance, have a girlfriend?"
……I'm sorry, what?