Chapter 168: Breaking (7)

Chapter 168: Breaking (7)

Hmm? What did you just say, Woojin~ssi?

At Kang Woojin's sharp refusal, the voice of Seo Gu-seob, the CEO on the other end of the phone, cooled down. However, Woojin's response was not much different from before.

It's difficult to talk right now.

CEO Seo Gu-seob forced a laugh. That was the tone.

Did you hear my name clearly, Kang Woojin~ssi? And that it's from GGO Entertainment?

I can hear you fine.

And so?

What do you mean, And so?' Kang Woojin sighed softly. He would have liked to treat it as a voice phishing scam and hang up right away, but in the jungle-like entertainment industry, rumors spread faster than light. He preferred to avoid unnecessary gossip. Choi Sung-gun had also warned him to be careful.

GGO Entertainment, I've heard a lot about it. Anyway, let's end this call appropriately.'

If it's a major entertainment company, their influence would be stronger. Before he knew it, Woojin had reached the level where he even took care of his own image.

Soon, Kang Woojin spoke again in a low tone.

I have to go into shooting.

Ah- Is that so? Then let's make this quick. I heard about your one-year contract, and our GGO Entertainment is quite interested. We'd like to meet as soon as possible.

This week seems difficult.

Maybe even until next year.

Difficult?

It includes a schedule in Japan.

Ah, The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger'?

Disappointed yet exhaling a strange breath, CEO Seo Gu-seob on the other end of the phone suddenly laughed.

Ha-ha, okay, then let's meet as soon as possible after you return from that. Even though our start with the Mise-en-scne Film Festival' wasn't great, in terms of business, we should see it as fate.

I'll check and get back to you.

Alright, I'll be waiting. Oh- Just so you know, we're willing to meet all the conditions you want.

Thank you.

-Click.

Only after the call ended did Kang Woojin clearly remember who CEO Seo Gu-seob was. The clue was Mise-en-scne Film Festival'. Well, his face was vague, but they had crossed paths at the Mise-en-scne Film Festival'. Fallen top actor Park Jung-hyuk, who tried to white wash his image with Exorcism', also came to mind.

Did I mess up the scene by getting involved?

However, Woojin didn't think too deeply about it. He just understood a bit why this entertainment industry is called a jungle. In the past, they would attack and turn red in the face, but now they laugh off as if they were friends.

Kang Woojin felt a bit off about how all relationships are tied to business here.

What can I do, I'll have to adapt.'

Muttering to himself, he sent appropriate replies to the entertainment companies that had contacted him just now. The content was similar to what he told CEO Seo Gu-seob. There was no reason to get on their bad side, so he maintained courtesy. With that, Kang Woojin briefly lost himself in thought.

Hmm-Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Somehow, the treatment he received on the day of Hanryang's reading and now was worlds apart. The news about Woojin's contract was blowing up, and renowned entertainments like GGO Entertainment were directly contacting him.

Even the CEOs themselves were taking action.

Back when I received business cards, at best, they were from managers.'

It meant that Kang Woojin's position in the acting industry was quite high. Hence, it couldn't be taken lightly. It was a contract that would determine the next few years. Thanks to that, Kang Woojin, who was green in this area, had been doing his homework.

Before going to bed or on his days off, etc.

Especially when he was alone, he reviewed his current contract multiple times and checked the conditions of various top actors online.

Additionally.

The difference between the past me and the current me.'

He took stock of what he had achieved so far and what he planned to do in the future. However, it was still difficult. It didn't make sense for him, who had only gone through one contract negotiation in his first year, to be very knowledgeable.

Nonetheless, Kang Woojin was determined about one thing.

Ah, should I go as far as to think this is a bit over the top? Let's give it a shot.'

He decided to include a bit of a concept in the contract negotiations. Since Kang Woojin's character was already well-established, acting boldly would not seem odd to the other party. The plan was to naturally arrive at a fair value through this approach.

Heh, not bad.

What stopped Kang Woojin, who had been indulging in self-satisfaction, was.

-Rattle.

The van door opened, and Choi Sung-gun pointed backwards with his thumb.

Standby! Let's go, Woojin.

Yes, CEO~nim.

Kang Woojin, dressed in military uniform, got off the van silently. Yet, he glanced at Choi Sung-gun, who hadnt taken his eyes off his phone.

Hmm- Its probably best not to mention the calls from the entertainment companies, right?

Around noon, at the SBC.

The corridor, adorned with posters of various hit shows, also featured Profiler Hanryang.' The poster, seemingly added recently, was in pristine condition, and through the glass doors of the conference room at the end, many figures were gathered.

The composition was mostly of older individuals.

However, it wasnt just SBC executives present. There were influential figures from various sectors related to the entertainment industry. The reason was simple. They were the jury for the SBC Acting Awards, which was less than two months away.

The atmosphere was solemn.

In front of the people seated around the large rectangular table, tablets and papers were abundant, detailing this year's confirmed awards, SBCs productions, and the actors who shone in those works. The jury was examining these with great depth.

Interestingly,

Hmm- As expected, Profiler Hanryang' is strong this year.

The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' by Japan's ultra-popular writer Akari Takikawa was a tale of revenge. Of course, the movie screenplay adapted by Director Kyotaro was the same. However, the intensity of the revenge was missing. It wasnt passionate.

It was a dignified, static, and poignant revenge.

But there was no mercy. A stark bleakness stood out. Leading this was the character Iyota Kiyoshi', played by Kang Woojin. Iyota Kiyoshi' was a Zainichi Korean.

This setting differed from the original.

It was a change made in the transition to film. However, having a Korean actor play Iyota Kiyoshi' fit well. It was all an intended setting. The beginning of The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' started with bullying at the high school. A disgusting problem that has not been eradicated in both Korea and Japan, from the past to the present.

Iyota Kiyoshi' was the victim of this bullying.

It started from very simple things. Just because Kiyoshi looked gloomy or had an unpleasant face. Trivial reasons escalated, and eventually, being a Zainichi Korean was also brought up, making Kiyoshi an outcast throughout the school.

Yet, Kiyoshi was unaffected.

Whether his desk disappeared or his shoe locker was filled with trash, whether he faced sudden assaults or his gym clothes and school uniform vanished, whether milk cartons from the cafeteria were thrown at him or his money was stolen,

No matter the bullying, he showed no reaction.

There wasnt even a hint of disturbance.

His face showed no expression, emotion, thoughts, or pain. There was nothing on Kiyoshi's face. He seemed like a broken robot.

This reaction from Kiyoshi only escalated the bullying.

At school, Kiyoshi was treated no better than livestock. Yet, this livestock', Kiyoshi, simply kept his mouth shut and lived on. He attended school without fail. The villains began to gradually enjoy bullying him. It escalated.

This is where one unruly girl came into the picture.

Her name was Misaki Toka. Toka was a transfer student, and upon seeing the atmosphere at the school, she somehow found the courage to protect Kiyoshi. She boldly told everyone to stop. Then, she asked Kiyoshi if he was okay. It was the first time Kiyoshi had ever heard such words.

Why? Why is this girl protecting me?

Though Kiyoshi remained indifferent, he took an interest in Toka. It wasnt something romantic. It was more akin to a respect for her as a human being. He observed and watched over her. Fortunately, with her arrival, the bullying against Kiyoshi momentarily paused.

Thanks to that, Kiyoshi could spend time with Toka.

They ate lunch together and talked. She treated people as people. Being with Toka made Kiyoshi feel as if a cool breeze was blowing through his desolate heart.

However, that time did not last long.

The bullying hadnt stopped. Unbeknownst to Kiyoshi, the target had shifted to Toka. He realized this when she hadnt come to school for a few days. When she returned, there were scars on her face.

However, Toka was not as stoic as Kiyoshi.

Regrettably, Kiyoshi was also the one who witnessed her end. Of course, Kang Woojin experienced Tokas demise not through words but with his own eyes.

-[7/Scenario (Title: The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger), S+ Grade]

-[*This is a very complete movie scenario. 100% reading is possible.]

Becoming the protagonist, Kiyoshi.

[A:Iyota Kiyoshi reading preparation in progress]

[Preparation complete. This is a very complete movie scenario. Implementation rate is 100%. Beginning the reading.]

Kang Woojin's perspective merged with Iyota Kiyoshis. A vague sensation spread, neither cold nor hot. His heart felt parched. It was as if his emotions stretched out like an endless desert. Yet, the wind brushing against his cheeks and the sunlight beating down were warm.

Cherry blossoms fluttered in the distance.

-Rustle.

Is it spring? The expressionless Kang Woojins, Kiyoshis, empty eyes moved. Woojin stood on the school rooftop. And there, in front of the railing, stood a girl with a fluttering school skirt, of medium height.

It was Misaki Toka.

She sat perilously on the rooftop railing, staring somewhere ahead. Dangerous. Yet, Kang Woojin did not move. He just stared at Tokas back with a rigid face. At the same time, he noted her school blouse. Why were her buttons undone, why was there so much dust on her, why had her wounds increased?

Then.

Kiyoshi.

Toka, who had been looking ahead, turned her head to speak to Kiyoshi. Her face was gentle but without any regrets.

I dont regret meeting you.

Kang Woojin, who had remained in the same posture, responded in an emotionless tone.

Its time for lunch.

But Toka, who showed no signs of coming down from the railing, smiled at Woojin.

She vanished.

However.

Kang Woojin's face remained expressionless. He simply stared endlessly at the now-empty railing. Far from being excited, his breathing was even.

Then.

-Swish.

Standing still, he began folding his fingers on his right hand one by one. He murmured names softly. One person, two people, three people as if compiling a list. That's when it happened.

-Thud!

Someone ran up to the rooftop. It was a male student with a pointed face, included in the list just mentioned. Then, noticing the state of the rooftop, he asked Kiyoshi standing beside him.

Did you see that?

Yes.

Keke, I should have come up faster.

The laughing male student strode over and leaned his stomach against the railing where Toka had been just moments before. Then, he sneakily looked down below.

Heh- Impressive, how could she from such a high place! Aaack!!!

Suddenly, the male student let out a strange scream and disappeared below the railing. Screams could be heard again from below. Kang Woojin, who had carried out the act, left the rooftop with an expressionless face. On the stairs, he also gave a belated response to Toka.

I do regret it.

Soon, Kang Woo-jin, with his ten fingers spread out, folded his right thumb and murmured quietly in a nonchalant tone.

For now, one done.