Chapter 77
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Flight to England
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow you know what it is, right? Your first commercial shoot.
Yeah.
I nodded vigorously at Kim Sangcheols words.
Of course I did.
Id marked it on every calendar in the house and made sure to memorize it so I wouldnt forget.
The day 20 million won would come rolling in!
I couldnt even begin to say how long Id been waiting to buy Mom a new car with it.
Like we talked about, its a cereal commercial, and nothings changed in the proposal we reviewed together last time. It shouldnt be too hard for you, Siu.
Uung, Ive seen all the storyboards.
Kim Sangcheol had sent the proposal and storyboard drafts ahead of time through Uncle.
Id read them bit by bit while watching TV, so I didnt think itd be a problem.
It seemed way simpler than a drama shoot, too.
Haha, you memorized that script in a flash, so thisll be a piece of cake.
Kim Sangcheol knew how good I was at memorizing scripts, so he laughed heartily.
I nodded to tell him not to worry, and he flipped to the next page on the paper he was holding and continued.
That was the schedule Uncle had put together late into the night until yesterday.
Hed get calls about casting offers from all over, filter them once, then show the promising proposals and plans to Mom and Uncle.
Of course, they did that at home, so Id peek over their shoulders.
Then Kim Sangcheol would review the second round, check for any company or external influences, and make the final contacts.
What was left after all that was this neatly organized schedule.
Kim Sanho PDs variety show is slated for year-end filming, and youve seen the list of incoming projects, right?
Yeah. There were a ton.
Haha, and thats already trimmed down to a third.
Wow.
Just looking at the list, the number of projects was no joke. This era sure had a ton of diverse scripts.
Dozens upon dozens, with genres that made my head spin just glancing at them.
Now, pick out the ones you like from this list and let me know. Ill reach out to them.
Yeah!
Kim Sangcheol set down the chart with rough story summaries and planned filming dates.
He said hed send the scenarios for any that caught my eye.
It felt like a treasure hunt.
Would one of these be the project Id star in?
But I was surprised. I thought you were just saying you were cut out to be a manager, but damn, Dongwook, youve got some serious organizing skills. Neat as hell.
Wha, really? Thank you. It was my first time, so I wasnt sure if I was doing it right. But with Sius popularity shooting up so suddenly, the volumes insane.
Uncle patted his chest in relief.
Seeing that, I grinned and plopped down right next to him, sticking close.
Whats up, Siu? Whyre you doing that.
Heehee, thanks, Uncle.
Haha. You bet! Who else would do it for you?
Lately, hed been staying up all night every night glued to his laptop. Guess this was why.
When I thanked him again, Uncle blushed to his ears and scratched his head, embarrassed.
Um, but Siu. Now that youve got some recognition, projects are coming in willy-nilly. Im thinking maybe you take a little break this time before jumping into the next one. Movies have longer gaps between shoots lets you focus more on the acting itself. What about these?
Kim Sangcheol pointed to a section of the list hed shown me.
I looked closely at where he was pointing.
Projects starting as early as the beginning of this year, or next.
Coming from Kim Sangcheol, whod done theater, dramas, and movies, it carried weight.
I nodded, saying Id think about it.
He had more experience and years in the game than me, whod only done theater in my past life.
Alright, tonight at home, Id skim those scenarios first.
Thats when I resolved to do it.
Uung-
A call from an unfamiliar number.
But the area code looked a bit off.
Huh? Whats this. Uncle, check this out.
Oh looks like an international call?
International call?
Then was it Jessica?
Hmm? But this wasnt the number from Japan or the US.
As the two of us tilted our heads, Kim Sangcheol spoke urgently.
If its really Jessica, pick it up quick!
Uh, uh okay, Ill take it, Theater Owner.
Yeah, yeah. Answer it!
Even Kim Sangcheol looked curious if it was really her.
I flipped open the phone and answered.
Hello? Jessica?
Surprisingly, it really was Jessica calling.
I nodded to Kim Sangcheol and Uncle.
It was her.
The two gestured wildly for me to focus on the call.
Seeing that, I answered comfortably in English.
Whats up?
-Oh, uh. I heard your first drama wrapped. Howd the shoot go?
Yeah, yeah. Thats right. Finished the drama shoot recently.
-Ooh. Heard it turned out great. Whats next on the schedule, Superstar?
Got one commercial shoot tomorrow.
-Hmm really?
As I quickly chatted in English, the two blinked and waited for the call to end.
It had been a while since I talked to Jessica, so I shared updates energetically.
But no matter how I thought about it, her reactions felt a bit off from usual.
Like her mind was only half on our conversation.
Jessica, tell me. Whats going on?
I picked up on it fast and asked.
-Youre sharp. Ahem, Siu. The thing is
What Jessica said next was shocking.
I couldnt help but get serious, focusing on her call.
Forgetting the two people right beside me.
Yesss?! Uh, um. Yeah. Should be fine. But Ill check with my parents and get back to you, okay? Yeah, got it. Ill call back soon.
After hanging up, I turned to the two waiting with blank faces.
Whatd she say?
Whats going on? She sounded pretty urgent at the end.
Kim Sangcheol and Uncle bombarded me with questions.
Still gripping my cellphone tight, I answered dazedly.
Jessica wants to know if we can come to England?
Huh, what? England?
England?! Wait, when?
Uh well,
As soon as possible.
I recalled what Jessica had quickly added at the end of the call.
Right away?
Fate, maybe.
Kim Sanhos variety show, and Jessicas sudden summons.
Both pointed to England.
Murmur murmur.
A huge hall packed with people.
I was at Incheon International Airport right now.
Just a few days after Jessicas call.
Boarding procedures done, I sat at the gate with Mom and Uncle, waiting.
Wow, Siu. Look over there. Your ads already up that big?
Ung.
Then Mom pointed to a massive ad on one side of the airport.
There I was, beaming in front of a bowl of cereal.
Looked like the cereal ad photos from the other day had gone up here too.
Eek
But seeing that photo made my face pale instantly.
Why arent you excited? You were looking forward to that shoot so much.
Mom tilted her head, puzzled.
Uncle, whod been checking his phone, overheard and stifled a chuckle.
Haa
Hed been at the shoot with me, so he probably got how I felt.
I dont wanna do commercials anymore.
What?
Mom whipped around to Uncle like what the hell.
Uncle, barely holding back laughs, burst out.
Puhaha! Sis, dont mention cerealor even the letter Saround Siu for a while.
Why? What happened on set?
Mom, seeing my pained face, fidgeted and prodded Uncle.
Uncle clutched his stomach, still dying laughing, and waved her off.
No, nothing happened. Nothing for you to worry about, Sis.
Then whys he?
Keuk, he ate almost a years worth of cereal in one day?
Urk.
Uncles words made cereal rise in my throat.
That much?
Couldnt be helped for the acting.
At first, acting like I was enjoying it?
Piece of cake, I thought.
Nailed the first bowl easy, even got praise from Director.
Heh, gotta eat it for real to act properly.
I was cocky like that.
Thats where all the misery began.
Alright, lets keep going, bowl by variety?
That day, I drowned in an avalanche of cereal, eating and eating and eating.
There were running scenes, standing up and down, lots of movement, so digestion wasnt the issue.
Wasnt.
But that night, I had to ask Uncle for digestive meds.
.
I quietly recalled that day, staring out at the runway stretching straight ahead.
Gazing at the open view seemed to settle my queasy stomach a bit.
Uncle, whats that?
Shoving aside thoughts of that hellish ad, I grabbed Uncle to ask about the unfamiliar sight.
Oh, that probably what the ground crew rides around on. Pretty cool shape, huh?
Yeah. Wow, these huge planes can really fly?
You bet. Youll be up there soon too, Siu.
Wooow.
The airport was my first time, full of total strangers to me.
Turn my head, and thered be some new thing or unheard-of sight.
I clung to Uncle, asking about every one I spotted.
Hehe, that excited, Siu? Lets munch on this while we wait.
Uung! Thanks for the food.
Even the churros Mom handed me felt extra novel.
Tastier than at Happy Land amusement park, somehow?
When do we board?
Hmm, should be any minute now.
Woo!
In just minutes, Id board that iron bird and head to my homeland, England.
When Kim Sanho PD first said England, and now Jessica calling me there, I wondered.
How the heck do you even get to that far-off place?
Sure, TV let me see foreign places freely, but going there myself?
When I told Jessica Id go to England, she immediately booked and sent tickets for me, Uncle, and Mom.
Once I heard it was a plane, I researched airplanes like crazy.
The more I learned, the weirder it felt.
Twelve hours from Incheon to Heathrow in London.
Ride a plane that long, and Id be back in my distant homeland.
Wed like to announce boarding for the UK flight at Gate 10. Please board in order starting from the front of your ticket numbers.
Our turn! Lets go, Siu.
Uncle grabbed our light bags and my ticket, offering his hand.
I took it, passed the gate, and entered the plane.
Wooow.
Buckle your seatbelt.
Uung.
A bit tense, I sat in my seat, waiting for takeoff.
Heart pounding with nerves and excitement, I clicked the belt shut.
Clueless about the massive vibrations and roar about to hit.