Chapter 239: Tidal Wave (6)

Chapter 239: Tidal Wave (6)

Kang Woojin, looking at the veteran Director Ahn Ga-bok, made an indifferent declaration. Though his tone was very low, it was clearly conveyed to everyone in the theater.

Suddenly, silence engulfed the theater.

“······”

“······”

“······”

Simultaneously, everyone stared at Kang Woojin’s poker face. There were more than 20 people seated in the theater. All of them were staring intently at Woojin. Regardless, Kang Woojin’s poker face remained unshaken.

That peculiar atmosphere lasted only for a moment.

“He, he’s going to play the counterpart?”

“Did Woojin-ssi just say that? Did I hear it wrong?”

“No. I heard it that way too.”

The actor managers scattered across the fairly spacious seats started to murmur. Their expressions showed a mix of various emotions: confusion, absurdity, curiosity, bewilderment, and so on. What the heck is that guy saying all of a sudden? Out of nowhere, he’s going to play the counterpart? The timing was so unpredictable, and Kang Woojin’s silent expression made it impossible to discern his thoughts.

The managers shared a common image of Kang Woojin.

Cold, arrogant, eccentric, absurd, among other traits. They had rarely experienced him directly, only hearing rumors about him. But seeing him today, he seemed similar to the rumors.

‘He just seems like someone who would sit there posing.’

Moreover, his overwhelming popularity didn’t give off the aura of a rookie. His posture and attitude were somehow different.

But what was he thinking all of a sudden?

Choi Sung-gun, who narrowed his brows, thought similarly. However, unlike the other managers, he was more curious than surprised. Why was the usually lukewarm Woojin suddenly doing something noticeable?

‘I thought he would just stay quiet.’

Whatever it was, the murmuring volume of the managers sitting here and there gradually increased, and Director Ahn Ga-bok, seated in the front row, asked Kang Woojin, who was seated at the end.

“······Are you really going to play the counterpart, Woojin-gun?”

Kang Woojin, with a firm expression, briefly answered.

“Yes, Director-nim.”

“Oh- really? While it would certainly make the evaluation clearer, are you really okay with that?”

“No problem.”

“Hmm.”

Curiosity gleamed in the eyes of the short white-haired Director Ahn Ga-bok. On the other hand, Sim Han-ho, who was keenly observing Woojin, had an unreadable expression. Then, the film company’s CEO and the casting team leader chimed in.

“If Woojin-ssi suddenly plays the counterpart, the atmosphere will be like······”

“There’s no need to go that far. Why the sudden decision?”

Why, you ask? Woojin’s indifferent thought was very simple.

‘Just because, I’m bored. And a little nervous too.’

It was already an awkward place. Being a judge, his heart had been faintly beating since earlier. So, just sitting still felt rather like sitting on pins and needles.

‘Besides, there’s nothing to do just sitting here. I don’t even know how to evaluate or what criteria to score on. Unless it’s evaluating the taste of gukbap restaurants.’

Adding to this, the strange tension made it hard to breathe. Well, the fact that the heater was blasting in the theater also contributed. Hence, he reached a conclusion.

‘In that case, it’s better to play the counterpart for the actors.’

Upon thinking about it, it seemed like a pretty good conclusion. He could subtly shirk the responsibilities of a judge. It would also be acting practice. Including testing his abilities, time would pass well too. Seeing it this way, Kang Woojin judged that acting was many times better.

‘Okay, it’s decided.’

At this moment, the old voice of Director Ahn Ga-bok, who continued words of the film company CEO, was heard again.

“Woojin-gun, is there a reason for wanting to play the counterpart?”

Since he couldn’t say it was because he was bored, Woojin replied appropriately with a solemn face. Naturally, he kept his voice as low as possible.

“I think I’ll be able to see more clearly than from this seat.”

Honestly, he just said something that matched the situation. But for some reason, Director Ahn Ga-bok’s eyes slightly widened upon hearing the answer.

“!!”

Then, he subtly smiled with his wrinkled face.

‘To see more clearly, huh- I see.’

He slowly scanned the managers seated in the back rows, then whispered to Sim Han-ho, who was seated to his immediate right.

“He’s showing them off to those who are grumbling.”

“I think he means he’ll see it more clearly... hmm, it sounds like he believes he’ll see even while watching.”

They were talking about the highly controversial matter of ‘Kang Woojin as a judge’. In reality, many actors had dropped out after hearing that a top actor like Woojin would not only not audition but also serve as a judge. That controversy still lingered among the actors, and the participating actors and managers were still uncomfortable.

Director Ahn Ga-bok judged that Kang Woojin was trying to show his class regarding this matter. The sharp judgment of a veteran.

“He’s letting them know ‘why I’m sitting in the judge’s seat’.”

No, it was a clear misunderstanding. A misconception. That misconception spread from Sim Han-ho to the film company CEO and the casting director. They all looked at Woojin with wide eyes.

Without any change in his expression, Kang Woojin thought inwardly.

‘What, what’s this?? Was it too much? Should I take it back?’

Even though they were looking at different points, the situation strangely proceeded smoothly. Director Ahn Ga-bok smiled a wrinkled smile at Woojin. Then he made a gesture towards the stage.

“Then let’s give it a try, shall we?”

A lead actor standing shoulder to shoulder with a great actor like Sim Han-ho playing the counterpart? As a director, there was no reason to refuse. He even joked with Sim Han-ho.

“Haha, Woojin-gun is playing the counterpart—today’s auditioning actors better put in some effort.”

Soon, Kang Woojin got up without much fuss. He rolled up the sleeves of his gray knitwear as he slowly walked towards the stage. His strong concept gave him a considerable heaviness.

At that moment.

“······Woojin-ssi.”

Sim Han-ho, expressionless, called out to Kang Woojin who was walking onto the theater stage.

“The script.”

Oops, he realized he had left the script on his seat. Feeling like he messed up, Woojin answered in a low voice.

“It’s okay.”

“You can do it without looking at it?”

“It’s better that way.”

This was the same thought shared by everyone else in the small theater, including Director Ahn Ga-bok, Sim Han-ho, and especially the managers.

‘It doesn’t make sense for him to handle all the roles.’

‘With his packed schedule, knowing all the roles would make him an alien-level monster, he’ll just deliver the lines.’

‘No way... leaving the script behind was just for show.’

Regardless of these thoughts.

“I’m ready, Director-nim.”

Jin Jae-jun, with a resolute expression, murmured as Director Ahn Ga-bok, who showed a thumbs up, gave a small signal.

“Hi- action.”

The role Jin Jae-jun was aiming for was ‘Yoon Ja-ho’, the eldest son in the chaebol family setting of ‘Leech’. Among the three children, he was the one with the most extreme power lust. Jin Jae-jun, embodying ‘Yoon Ja-ho’, changed his gaze.

His eyes filled with irritation and slyness.

“······”

His posture also changed. He stood straight and proper but expressed arrogance by putting one hand in his pocket. His counterpart this time was Park Ha-seong. Kang Woojin had already brought out Park Ha-seong the moment he heard which scene Jin Jae-jun had chosen.

From his mind to the blood running through his body, he was Park Ha-seong.

But.

‘Just looking at his posture, he came to pick a fight.’

The current Park Ha-seong was not in the mindset of the early Park Ha-seong from ‘Leech’. He had been corrupted and altered. The soul that wrapped around Woojin’s body was tainted. He was Park Ha-seong, but he wasn’t. The eyes that were once full of defeatism were nowhere to be found.

Instead, his eyes were filled with overflowing ambition.

It was natural since the current scene was set some time later.

The world seen through Kang Woojin’s eyes, filled with boiling ambition, was no longer a stage. The spotlight vanished, the rear screen disappeared, and the podium faded like smoke. What Woojin saw now was the garden of a massive mansion. Well-maintained grass covered the ground, with trees planted here and there.

In the middle of it stood Park Ha-seong and Yoon Ja-ho facing each other.

The eldest son of the chaebol family, Yoon Ja-ho, smirked and spoke first.

“How is Mother doing these days?”

“······”

But Yoon Ja-ho, or Kang Woojin, only stared intently at Yoon Ja-ho without responding. He even seemed relaxed. Then.

-Swoosh.

Turning his body, he grabbed a white chair nearby. The sound of the chair dragging on the grass spread. Of course, to Director Ahn Ga-bok, Sim Han-ho, and the others in the small theater, it sounded like a grating noise. This was because Kang Woojin had dragged a metal chair from one side of the stage.

Sitting in the chair, Kang Woojin crossed his legs. Then he lightly replied to Yoon Ja-ho.

“Madam— no, Mother is doing very well.”

“What? Mother?”

“Mother told me to call her that.”

It was a lie. But there was no way to confirm it.

“Hah—this is driving me crazy. Hey, servant, watch your words.”

“I’m just telling it as it is. Ah—then should I call you hyung-nim?”

Jin Jae-jun, with a cold face, put his hand on Woojin’s shoulder.

“I said, watch your words.”

“If it’s hard to adjust, I’ll do it later. Mother said to take it slow too.”

“Don’t call her Mother.”

Jin Jae-jun grabbed Woojin by the collar. But Woojin, smiling faintly, simply accepted it and spoke.

“Mother will be sad.”

“······”

Jin Jae-jun, who had been glaring at Woojin, roughly let go of his collar. Then he poked Woojin’s face with his index finger.

“Hey, as a servant, act like one. Just suck blood like a leech. Don’t try to dip your feet into another world like you don’t know your place.”

Woojin sat back in the chair. The height difference between Jin Jae-jun and Woojin reappeared. Then Woojin looked up and replied calmly.

“Are we in different spaces now? We are in the same place.”

Yoon Ja-ho gritted his teeth. Here, Kang Woojin turned his face to the right. He saw himself sitting in the chair reflected in the window of the grand mansion’s first-floor living room.

Of course, Yoon Ja-ho was there too.

Anyone would see him as a person of this house. Kang Woojin, looking at his reflection in the window, slightly raised the corner of his mouth.

“We’re together, aren’t we?”

Yoon Ja-ho. No, Jin Jae-jun narrowed his brows. At some point, he too saw not the stage but the garden of the mansion. The Kang Woojin effect. Goosebumps formed on his arms.

‘I expected it, but- as I thought, Woojin has no intention of half-assing it. To think he can bring out Park Ha-sung’s hidden side like this.’

And the great actor Sim Han-ho, who was staring intently at Kang Woojin on stage, murmured softly.

“······Ripley Syndrome.”

At the same time, DM Production.

Inside the largest conference room of the new production company DM Production, which was in the midst of producing ‘Beneficial Evil’, bearded PD Song Man-woo was seen. He was seated with his back to the window in the middle of a square desk. On both sides of him were the key staff of ‘Beneficial Evil’.

What was interesting was.

“PD-nim.”

Among the guests seated opposite PD Song Man-woo, there was a familiar-faced woman. It was Kim So-hyang, the executive director of Netflix, with a relaxed smile. The slightly plump woman leaned forward slightly.

“How about releasing the work you’re preparing now, not through a broadcasting station, but on Netflix?”

She spoke decisively to PD Song Man-woo.

“Of course, it would be launched worldwide.”

******

For more chapters, you can check out my Patreon here –> /dreamscribe

If you enjoy this novel, please review and rate it at Novelupdates. Thanks! <img draggable="false" role="img" class="emoji" alt="????" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/svg/1f60a.svg">

To receive the latest update notifications or report mistakes, join our Discord server linked below.

Discord Server: https://discord.gg/woopread