“So what Jooho means is that working hard like Hyunsoo is ultimately the way to go for long-term success. Hyunsoo is doing well. That’s what he meant.”
“Ah, hyung! Come on.”
Yoon Jooho snapped at Director Bang about the move.
He pulled his legs down from the ottoman where they had been resting, straightened his slouched posture, and furrowed his brows.
“What, man?”
“I’m speaking Korean right now, aren’t I? Are you my interpreter or something?”
“Your words need interpreting, why?”
Director Bang hit the nail on the head.
Kheuk—
Song Hyunsoo made a strange noise trying to hold back his laughter.
Both pairs of eyes turned toward him.
He quickly wiped the smile off his face and composed himself.
“So… exactly what do you need me to do?”
“Script practice partner.”
Yoon Jooho answered succinctly, and Director Bang elaborated.
“I’m terrible at acting. Jooho says it’s too hard to get into character with me. Hyunsoo, how do you usually practice scripts?”
“I record myself acting out the other characters’ lines.”
“But then there’s no sense of realism.”
Yoon Jooho asked skeptically, as if questioning how that could possibly work.
“I don’t have the luxury of hiring someone just for script practice.”
“……”
Yoon Jooho shot Director Bang a look, and the director quickly pulled out a few documents.
“Take a look. This is our proposal. Feel free to mention anything you’d like to adjust.”
“What’s there to adjust? If it were me, I’d take it in a heartbeat.”
Shut up and stay quiet, Director Bang shot Jooho a warning glance.
Song Hyunsoo skimmed through the documents.
In short, it was a kind of employment contract for a part-time job where he’d come to Yoon Jooho’s house three times a week for three-hour script practice sessions.
The difference from a typical part-time job was the additional conditions listed below.
“Jooho’s bulking up for this role. He’s got a lot to learn, so three times a week is the only schedule that works. If it’s okay with you, we’d like you to come to his place.”
Song Hyunsoo glanced up from the documents and peeked at Yoon Jooho.
“You’re bulking up?”
“You stared hard enough. Didn’t you notice?”
Seriously?
Biting back the urge to retort, he turned to Director Bang.
“But is it really okay for an outsider like me to come and go from his house?”
“Yeah, well… all the important rooms have separate locks anyway. For actors like Jooho, security and time are everything. Just keep everything confidential as stated in the contract.”
Song Hyunsoo doubted his ears. He thought he must have misheard or misunderstood.
Not the front door, but the rooms had locks?
His eyes darted around quickly.
From where he was sitting, he could see three doors, one of which actually had a keypad lock installed.
It was the same door Yoon Jooho had come out of earlier and Director Bang had been using.
Noticing his gaze, Director Bang added in a bitter tone,
“Let’s just say we’ve had… incidents in the past.”
“……”
“I know some of the terms are strict, but that’s why the pay is more than generous.”
Director Bang stood up and pointed to a section in the middle of the contract.
Without thinking, Song Hyunsoo followed his finger— and his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
This time, he didn’t even have the presence of mind to worry about appearances.
Three times a week, three hours per session, hourly wage… T- ten thousand won?!
His mental calculator spun rapidly.
At 100,000 won per hour, that was 300,000 won per session, 900,000 won a week, and in a month… 3.6 million?!
It was more than what he made from Jessica and the theater combined.
Not that the theater paid much beyond bus fare anyway.
He wanted to bite the bait right then and there.
But the sweeter the offer, the higher the chance of a hidden trap— especially in the entertainment industry.
Struggling to keep his wits about him, he scanned the conditions below.
The confidentiality clause stood out the most.
Wrapped in fancy legal jargon, it essentially meant he could never disclose anything he saw or heard in this house.
If he violated the terms, ‘Party B’ (Yoon Jooho’s representative) would hold ‘Party A’ (Song Hyunsoo) legally accountable— with strong implications.
Wait, since when is Yoon Jooho, of all people, the ‘weaker party’ in Korea’s entertainment industry?
However, even upon reviewing the contract again, ‘Party A’ was Song Hyunsoo, and ‘Party B’ was Yoon Jooho’s representative.
If a heavyweight like Yoon Jooho were to sue him, the outcome was obvious.
He’d be saddled with a debt he could never repay in his lifetime.
Just the thought sent a chill down his spine.
But he was confident he wouldn’t let that happen.
No one around him, not even Choi Hongseo or Jung Jin knew that Song Hyunsoo was a fan of Yoon Jooho.
The same went for Jeongho or Chaeyoung.
No one knew that he fell asleep every night to Yoon Jooho’s films playing in the background.
Some might say that even if Song Hyunsoo were drowning, he’d only float with his mouth barely above water— but that was a misunderstanding of who he really was.
The chatter he indulged in front of others was all meaningless noise, just a shell.
He never shared his hardships or worries.
He didn’t need others’ understanding, and he believed such confessions would only become vulnerabilities.
Even Jung Jin hadn’t known anything about Song Hyunsoo’s family or background until they grew closer after that incident.
And the only person who had known everything was Choi Hongseo, who was no longer in this world.
“Mr. Hyunsoo, I hear you’re close with actor Jung. That makes me trust you even more.”
“Huh?”
Lost in thought, Song Hyunsoo looked up at Bang Isa.
“Actor Jung. Jin, I mean.”
“Ah, yes! Jin’s my hyung. We’re close!”
At the mention of Jung Jin, Song Hyunsoo’s face brightened.
As if Jung Jin had appeared right before him, just hearing the name made him happy.
“How is actor Jung these days? Is he doing well?”
But Bang Isa’s expression as he asked was a little odd.
Since Yoon Jooho and Jung Jin were close, he’d naturally hear updates anyway.
Yet he seemed cautious, like someone inquiring about an ex-lover they could no longer contact directly.
“He just moved, so he’s still a bit busy settling in. But he’s already started working out again and seems to be adjusting well.”
“That sounds like him. Actor Jung is the type to thrive anywhere. Is he planning to keep acting there?”
“Hyung.”
Yoon Jooho, who had been silently spinning his juice glass, cut in.
“Drop it.”
“Ah, sorry. I got sidetracked.”
Bang Isa awkwardly smiled and quickly wrapped up the topic.
A strange tension lingered between Yoon Jooho and Bang Isa, different from the playful banter from earlier.
Yoon Jooho’s expression even turned grim as he crushed his cigarette into the ashtray.
Song Hyunsoo thought he understood the reason for the stiff atmosphere.
He nodded meaningfully to himself, careful not to let the two notice.
I’m not as clueless as people think.
Ah, so Jin hyung must’ve fought with him.
Fought?
No, Jin hyung isn’t the type to pick fights.
It’s definitely Yoon Jooho who messed up.
When they met at ‘Jessica’ last time, everything seemed fine.
What the hell did he do wrong in the meantime to make things like this?
Ugh, this guy…
Yoon Jooho, having completely stubbed out his cigarette, reached for the contract.
“If you’re not going to sign, let’s just drop it.”
Song Hyunsoo quickly snatched the document.
“Whoa, so impatient! Who said I wasn’t gonna sign?”
“Then hurry up and sign.”
“Before I sign, I have one condition.”
“You’re getting 100,000 won an hour and still have demands?”
“Haah.” Yoon Jooho let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. Then, with the expression of someone testing the limits of their patience, he asked:
“What is it?”
“Mentor me. That’s all I ask.”
“……”
“And give me acting advice.”
Yoon Jooho’s previously bored expression slowly shifted.
The corner of his mouth curled up like a cartoon villain who’d found an amusing opponent, and his eyes gleamed with interest.
“You’re persistent, junior.”
Though his tone sounded weary, his expression betrayed his enjoyment at meeting such a tenacious junior.
Song Hyunsoo picked up the pen.
“Then we’re in agreement? I just signed here, right?”
After Song Hyunsoo signed, Yoon Jooho set his glass down on the side table and stood.
“Let’s start right away, today.”
Is Yoon Jooho my lucky charm or a rotten lifeline?
Guess I’ll find out.
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Wow juicy, I like it. Thank you for the translation.