Chapter 80
It’s the first practice of the play today.
All the actors who will act in the play “Spring” gathered in the Milky Way Theater practice room.
Fifteen children chatted with their peers. Guardians, who came with the children, also sat on a chair on one side and talked to each other.
“I heard this is a play supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism”.
“Yes. So a few reporters will come to take pictures of the children later. I heard that a civil servant from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism would also come to visit.”
“Ah. But there aren’t that many people, right?”
“What, because of the audience? In the future your child will put this line of experience in his resume. Whether he will become an actor or decide to study, it will be a good external activity if it is a program supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.”
Everyone nodded at those words.
“But… isn’t a child missing?”
“That’s right. I heard they picked 16 children.”
“It’d be weird if he were late from his first day.”
At that time, Director Park, staff, and several reporters came into the practice room. Both the children and their guardians, who were talking earlier, stood up awkwardly.
Director Park Ji-soo first looked around the practice room before speaking.
“First of all, we’re going to take a group picture and then script reading. You don’t have to pay attention to the camera during the reading.”
“Hey, director.”
Choi So-young, the oldest child in the play “Spring,” raised her hand.
“Yes.”
“I think one person is missing.”
“Oh.”
Director Park Ji-soo scratched her head and replied.
“The actor who plays the role of the Blue Dragon cannot come today due to personal reasons, but he will definitely participate in the next practice. Shall we take a group photo together first? Let’s take a picture together with the actors first and then the guardians together.”
“Yes!”
The children gathered together. Short children stood in front while the tall children stood behind.
The camera held by reporters and the staff flashed.
The children’s first reading was better than the expectations of the reporters and the guardians, but it was worse than the expectations of the directors and the staff.
Direct Park Ji-soo and the staff burst into laughter in their hearts at the sight of reporters response and to the guardians applauding continuously.
That’s right. This is normal. Lee Seojun was just too special.
[Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]
[Practice in the Milky Way Center, (G)I-DLE’s play “Spring”]
(TL: The raws has definitely (G)I-DLE written as it is in English, the author here wanted to portray media that uses other famous name in order to gain clicks. It is not referring to the kpop group. From the context of the reporter’s title he wanted to say (G) means girl, I-DLE (Aideul) which means children but confusing it to a kpop group to gain clicks.)
[“Spring” is a play about a girl’s adventure…….]
[First day of ‘Spring’ play practice Group photo.]
The article of ‘Spring’, which only contained the children and guardians pictures, was buried among the other entertainment articles shortly after it was posted.
* * *
On the second practice day.
Seojun arrived at the Milky Way Center early because he was planning to follow Director Park Ji-soo’s plan, but he was waiting in the practice room next to the other children.
Seojun looked a little nervous, unlike usual. An Daho opened the water bottle and gave it to Seojun.
“Do you want some water?”
“Yes!”
Seojun sighed after taking a sip of the water as if he had finally eased his tension.
“Why are you so nervous?”
“I’ve never met any other child actor before.”
He knew it was too much for everyone to like him. Daho, his mother and father who heard his concerns comforted him.
Something unintended could have happened. He couldn’t solve all of those problems himself. Still, Seojun wanted to do his best for the happiness of himself and everyone.
Everyone likes acting here, so he hope everyone could enjoy making this work together.
‘How can we get along better?’
The staff checked the other room to see if everyone was already there.
Seojun exhaled loudly to calm himself.
It might look like he was cheating, but he started E.L.F.’s Basic Breathing to win the children’s favor.
And from Seojun’s body, the actor’s aura, which everyone was curious about, began to emerge.
The staff and An Daho flinched at what is happening around him.
‘Is this how he start?’
It was completely different from Seojun’s idea.
“Then, let me introduce the actor who will play the role of Blue Dragon.”
At the same time as Director Park Ji-soo’s words, the door of the practice room opened.
At first, the people didn’t recognize who it was. Soon, however, everyone realized who the child was walking toward Director Park Ji-soo.
The child posses a smile that shines brighter than anyone else.
Even Seojun, who was a little nervous at his first meeting with other actors of his age, really did his best to win their favors.
With that warm, non-ordinary aura, everyone recalled someone they had seen at least once.
“Lee Seojun!”
Choi So-young, who plays the main character of “Spring,” screamed without realizing it.
The kids who watched Shadowman were like, “Wow!”
They exclaimed loudly and their guardians were speechless.
Children, who did not watch the movie, were also opening their mouths at the appearance of “Hollywood Star, Lee Seojun,” which they had heard at least once on television.
Seojun, who was sending out his actor’s aura, stood in front of the children and bowed.
“Hello! I’m Lee Seojun!”
“Hello!”
As if he were a teacher, he smiled brightly as he saw the children copying his words and gestures.
Contrary to what he was worried about, everyone welcomed him without any other violent reaction.
His heart pounded as my worries disappeared. He would always act with adults, and it felt strange to meet peers like this.
This feeling was amazing and it was different from adults which required him to raise his heads.
All the children in this room are going to walk on the same path as acting.
It felt different from his school friends.
“Hi. I’m Choi So-Young.”
“Hello!”
When Choi So-young, the oldest and leader of the children on the first practice day, introduced herself first, the other children soon introduced themselves one by one.
When the children started to chatter about everything without any problems, Director Park Ji-soo winked at the Assistant director.
“Then, guardians, come over here for a moment.”
Director Park Ji-soo left the children to the Assistant director and headed to a different room together with the guardians.
Even then, the guardians only followed Director Park Ji-soo with a puzzled look.
Bam.
The door closed.
The door closed smoothly, but the guardians thought it was louder.
Everyone was in a situation they had never even thought in their dreams. This was unexpected.
Director Park Ji-soo opened her mouth.
“Please keep it a secret about actor Lee Seoju. Please tell it to your kids as well.”
“Why? If Lee Seojun act here, it will become a hot topic.”
When asked by an instructor at an acting academy, director Park Ji-soo slowly explained why Seojun used his stage name. The other guardians nodded and listened to the story.
“That’s true, but…”
Still, they wanted to spread rumors around their neighborhood that his son, daughter, and academy student were acting with together Lee Seojun. They wanted to brag.
People will come flocking, reporters will take pictures. It was an opportunity to have their children become a star, but not to the extent of Lee Seojun.
Director Park Ji-soo opened her mouth as if she already knew the thoughts of the guardians.
“If the secret becomes known during the practice period, actor Lee Seojun will have quit. And if the practice is over and it becomes known during the performance, then the real performances will be replaced by another voice actors.”
The practice room became quiet at the words of Director Park Ji-soo.
Director Park Ji-soo was looking at the guardians, made eye contact with someone and quietly went outside.
When the Director disappeared, everyone spoke their thoughts.
Everyone was full of complaints about why they do not want it promote under the name of Lee Seojun.
Then, a woman opened her mouth.
“It might be better to have it known after the play.”
“Why?”
“If it is known during the practice period and he quit, this play won’t even go into Lee Seojun’s filmography.”
“What about telling them during the play?”
“If it is known during the performance period, they will come flocking to the children first. They will ask, ‘Are you close to actor Lee Seojun, how was it during practice, and how was it during the performance?’ But soon, everyone will dig into why Lee Seojun was excluded to the next performances.”
Everyone agreed at the woman’s reasonings.
“Then rumors will start circulating. It happened because someone didn’t follow the rules. Then public criticism will pour toward the children, parents, and even the academies. The public will say, ‘I heard they broke the contract to make their names known.'”
“… The effect will it be that much?””
“Reporters do it. Since they can’t touch Lee Seojun, who hid himself for the children, we can find a way to raise the number of views with provocative content that can be a hot topic without putting in Lee Seojun’s name. We don’t want something like ‘Actor Lee Seojun couldn’t play because of someone’s selfishness?’ That can’t be the hot topic.”
Someone gulped down.
“The names of the children will be on the play pamphlet, and they will quickly find out about the elementary schools. The same goes for the acting academies. I’m sure everyone will guess what will happen after that. That’s the worst case.”
“……I see.”
“Then, what’s the best case?”
“Everyone, Seojun acting here will strictly be kept in confidential and the play will end safely. As the Director said, we can let them knowbit when the play is over, so we can brag it from then on. Since they can’t watch the play anymore, interviews will pour out to the children who were on stage with Seojun. If the child remains impressive then appearing in dramas or movies won’t be a problem.”
The guardians’ eyes sparkled. The same was true from the academy instructors.
An acting academy with a “child actor” who acted with “Lee Seojun.”
It’s a strange phrase, but anything with the name “Lee Seojun” is a good promotion.
Elephant milk powder is still sold at a great price. The Monster Doll company that Lee Seojun played with is still successful. His daily videos on YouTube that are uploaded from time to time still received millions of views.
Items with strange beliefs that aspiring actor students or family members must have, to allow them advance to Hollywood.
The guardians here also had it.
“Well, the secret should be kept until the end of the play.”
At the woman’s words, everyone nodded, thinking about the future of their children and students.
“Mission complete!”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“DAHO, good job!”
Looking at Seojun having fun and talking to the other children, An Daho put his cell phone back in his pocket.
The practice on the second day was now over.
The children and their guardians could not take their eyes off from either Seojun or An Daho while they were heading to the underground parking lot.
When Seojun got on the car seat, An Daho checked the surroundings first and got on the driver’s seat.
“How was it playing with the other kids?”
An Daho saw him enjoying with the other children, but it was still different from Seojun personally saying his thoughts.
Seojun replied with a bright smile.
“I like them all! But if after the group practice, we won’t have much time to meet each other again.”
At Seojun’s words, An Daho recalled the script of ‘Spring’.
“Seojun will to come out at the end. The character that you appear with is…….”
“The main character! I am going to practice with So-Young only”.
“Oh, my.”
The other guardians were quite disappointed to know that their child will not be practicing with Seojun. An Daho recalled this happening earlier.
The staff of the second team secretly infiltrated among the other guardians and talked about the worst situation that will happen if their revealed that Seojun will act on the Play.
Even if they couldn’t get close to Lee Seojun, a relationship with Lee Seojun would still be a great title as Seojun becomes more famous.
The next time they will meet Seojun as an actor, it will be easy to talk to him.
“I hope it ends quietly as the Team 2 planned.”
An Daho, who started the engine, prayed in his heart.
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