episode_0096

“Su-ah, have you thought about your acceptance speech?”

It was when I was heading towards the awards ceremony stage without any particular thoughts. Su-ah was taken aback by Seo Yeon-ju’s sudden question.

“Acceptance speech?”

“Yeah, acceptance speech.”

At Seo Yeon-ju’s nod, Su-ah quietly pondered.

‘I haven’t even thought about winning an award.’

Excellence Award, Top Excellence Award, Grand Prize.

It would be a lie to say I hadn’t imagined it, but at the same time, I didn’t expect much. High expectations lead to great disappointment, and that’s why Su-ah tried to grasp her own level.

Just an aspiring actress who got a special privilege.

That’s how Su-ah saw herself, still.

Of course, it would be nice to receive an award, but even if I don’t, I could just shrug it off? Su-ah had only just taken her first step as an actress, and there was a long road ahead.

So, she asked back lightly.

“Do people usually prepare for that sort of thing?”

“Of course. Oh, so Su-ah doesn’t need any preparation?”

Seo Yeon-ju gave a slight smile.

“Hmm.”

Su-ah pondered for a moment.

“Is this award that big?”

It was a despondent question, implying that the bigger the award, the harder it would be for her to receive, but Seo Yeon-ju naturally perceived it differently. It seemed she found it rather arrogant.

Like Su-ah was saying, ‘What’s the big deal about something like that?’

“…What?”

Perhaps that’s why Seo Yeon-ju’s eyes widened.

“Of course, it might not be much in Su-ah’s eyes, and your acting career won’t end if you don’t get it, but the moment you win even one, it’s like wings sprouting on your back.”

“Wings?”

“Yeah. You’ll get tons of good scripts, and you’ll be flooded with offers for commercials and variety shows. Winning an award is on a completely different level than just making it to the finals.”

Seo Yeon-ju emphasized her voice.

“A rookie like Su-ah starting off by putting a short film festival trophy in her display case? I don’t think there’s a more unconventional move than that. It’s like engraving the first line of your portfolio in gold.”

“…”

Listening to her, it wasn’t something to just brush aside.

Su-ah’s special privilege was ‘script experience.’

In other words, a good script is a basic requirement, and winning an award would greatly increase the chances of getting only excellent ones. It was hard not to be tempted.

“…I guess it would be good to receive it after all.”

No, actually, I wanted to answer that I really wanted to receive it.

Su-ah’s mind had suddenly changed.

But there was one more problem.

And that was…

‘What should I say?’

If I receive it, what should I say?

But then.

As if reading Su-ah’s thoughts.

“You don’t have to say anything too grand.”

Seo Yeon-ju said.

“Have you ever seen people making wishes while watching a meteor?”

“…A meteor?”

The story was a bit sudden, so I tilted my head.

“You know, they say that if you make a wish while watching a meteor, it will come true.”

“I’ve heard of it.”

Su-ah nodded.

“But it’s too unrealistic. It’s too difficult to react in a fleeting moment and say all your wishes.”

“Then what if you knew exactly when the meteor was going to fall? And you had your wish all set?”

“Then… it might be possible.”

“Right?”

Seo Yeon-ju turned slightly and looked at Su-ah.

“An actor is like a meteor to someone. You too.”

“Huh?”

“It means there are people who are ready to make a wish while watching you. The wish that you win an award.”

Su-ah could see her surroundings more clearly now.

Director Park Jun, CEO Kim Yi-seo, and Seo Yeon-ju and Kim Sun-il, who had appeared together in ‘Sword.’ They all seemed to want Su-ah to win the award.

This meant that it wasn’t just a goal to be achieved for Su-ah alone. To them, Su-ah was like a meteor.

A meteor that makes them wish for the future.

So, without thinking, I wanted to receive the award.

I didn’t worry about what to say anymore.

That already came to mind on its own.

Because I wanted to express my gratitude to them.

◈◈◈◈◈

“We will now begin the awards ceremony!”

The ‘Sword’ production team had seats in the center, so Su-ah had to press down on her pounding heart with her hand. To be in the center seat among so many people.

And it was done quickly.

The awards ceremony started right away.

“First, let’s meet the honorable mentions. Congratulations!”

The invited actors and renowned directors took turns announcing the winners, and the rookie directors’ faces were filled with tears of joy at just receiving an honorable mention.

Clap clap clap clap─!

Sincere words of gratitude and responding applause.

Su-ah felt that this atmosphere was truly beautiful.

After the honorable mentions awards ceremony ended.

“Now, let’s focus on the shining stars. Excellence Award, Top Excellence Award, Grand Prize. We will honor a total of three people!”

After that, a gaunt director went up on stage.

Director Go Tae-min, with his deeply sunken eyes. He began to speak in a soft voice.

“It was an honor to be in charge of such a monument of an event as the ‘Busan International Short Film Festival,’ which was richer than ever before. I was surprised by the works, which were beyond expectations, and it broadened my horizons a lot. Now, let’s meet the Excellence Award-winning actor.”

The Excellence Award-winning actor who came up after that was a complete rookie whom no one recognized. Her nervousness and excitement were evident.

“T-thank you! I’ll work hard!”

Clap clap clap─

Now it was time to announce the 2nd place, the Top Excellence Award.

“The Top Excellence Award goes to Yang Ha-rin of ‘Wind.’ Congratulations.”

The person in question was Yang Ha-rin.

Yang Ha-rin stood up confidently as if she had been waiting for it, and her lips already wore the expression of a winner.

Meanwhile, the audience was filled with not only applause but also a lot of whispering. This was because the outline of this awards ceremony was too predictable for them.

“Yang Ha-rin got the Top Excellence Award… well, she deserved it.”

“The Grand Prize will either be Kim Sun-il or Seo Yeon-ju anyway.”

“Kim Sun-il made a special appearance, so I don’t think it’ll be him, it’ll be Seo Yeon-ju. It’s the way to end the awards ceremony with the least amount of noise.”

Meanwhile, Yang Ha-rin went up on stage with a triumphant expression. Top Excellence Award. 2nd place. Her face revealed an undeniable satisfaction worthy of the amazing achievement.

Soon she received the trophy.

“Congratulations again, Ha-rin.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Yang Ha-rin stroked the trophy, which had the ‘Busan International Short Film Festival’ logo prominently displayed, without giving any particular acceptance speech for a moment. As if she was savoring this moment.

She opened her mouth after a while.

“Thank you. To our CT Entertainment CEO, and to the ‘Wind’ production team who always work hard. I’ve always wanted to repay you, and I’m glad that I can prove it with my performance like this.”

An extremely calm voice.

“I’ve always had a lot of worries. I was worried if I was suited for the role of lead. But now I feel like I’ve heard the answer, so the emotion is great. I think I’ll have the courage to play the lead in the future.”

Su-ah tilted her head slightly around that time.

For some reason, Yang Ha-rin had blatantly scanned Su-ah once. And here, Su-ah’s wit was activated. A unique sense that she was being seen unfavorably.

Then inner Yoo Han-su-ah opened her mouth.

─She says that she was a fit for the lead all along, and that she finds Su-ah *sunbae*, who coveted Wi Ji-hye’s role, pathetic. She’s saying, ‘You coveted the lead, but you didn’t even win an award.’

─What an arrogant attitude. Su-ah didn’t take it away badly in the first place, did she? You tried to use the director as a puppet, and you don’t even know shame.

Of course, Su-ah didn’t feel good either.

I scratched my cheek at that moment.

“One more thing.”

Yang Ha-rin suddenly emphasized one thing.

“I imagine how much effort everyone who receives an award today has put in. So, I would like to take this opportunity to say to everyone who received an award that you worked hard. And congratulations.”

─She pretends to praise everyone, but in the end, it’s a way to elevate herself. She’s saying that she put in a lot of effort, right? And at the same time, she’s saying that Su-ah *sunbae*, who didn’t receive an award, was lazy.

─…I’m speechless. A woman who just slathers on money.

But this was a bias that only those who knew the inside story between Yang Ha-rin and Su-ah could feel, and to others, it was nothing more than a very polite thank you.

Clap clap clap─

At that moment when applause was pouring in.

“Now, only the final, long-awaited Grand Prize award remains.”

Director Go Tae-min stepped aside slightly and said.

“The award will be announced by a famous director who has kindly made his way here all the way from overseas, Director Yusaku from Japan.”

Around that time, the audience’s eyes began to gather on Seo Yeon-ju one by one. Now there was only one award left, and it was expected to be Seo Yeon-ju’s.

After that, Director Yusaku appeared.

Yusaku, who had built up a high profile in both Korea and Japan, smiled with his neatly wrinkled face, with his beard grown like a goat’s.

“ありがとうございます.” (Thank you.)

He began to give his impressions.

“It was a valuable experience to be able to examine various short films from Korea. As a director who also loves art, I will announce the winner with all my heart.”

Of course, Yusaku’s progress took a little longer than Go Tae-min’s. This was due to the interpretation. Every time Yusaku spoke, the interpreter next to him had to speak in Korean once more.

“Film festival, Grand Prize.”

Director Yusaku looked at the cue card and smiled.

“‘Sword’s’ Lee Su-ah. Congratulations!”

Su-ah.

Lee Su-ah’s name was called.

But Su-ah couldn’t react right away. It wasn’t just the person involved. Everyone around was the same.

“Who? Wasn’t that Seo Yeon-ju’s name just now?”

“…It’s Lee Su-ah?”

“Huh? Then what about Seo Yeon-ju?”

“Who is Lee Su-ah?”

It was inevitable that those who hadn’t seen ‘Sword’ or the invited actors would be confused. Because an upset that was hard to believe had happened.

They had to applaud while looking at the person involved, but even that wasn’t easy. Because they didn’t know who was where. So everyone started clapping first.

Clap clap clap─!

After a long time, Su-ah stood up hesitantly from her seat.

Only then did an ‘ah’ escape from the people. It was the reaction of people who remembered seeing ‘Sword.’

“I wondered who it was, it’s Wi Ji-hye.”

“That’s right. She acts well.”

“Still, a no-name getting the Grand Prize… .”

“…She doesn’t seem particularly surprised?”

“I thought that’s what Wi Ji-hye’s character was like, but it seems she’s actually like that too. It’s hard to think of her as a rookie… .”

Amidst all sorts of reactions mixing in the air, Su-ah moved to the stage. She was trembling a lot, but it was perceived by others as a calm walk.

“W-what?”

In the middle, Yang Ha-rin’s flustered shout hit my ear, but soon it was swallowed up again by the applause.

Su-ah didn’t care much. ‘Second place’ indeed.

After a while.

When Director Yusaku and Su-ah stood facing each other.

First, a female employee in a suit who was in charge of interpretation whispered to Su-ah. It was a voice that wouldn’t mix into the microphone.

“Can you stand around here?”

“Like this?”

“Yes. The shooting angle is matched to that part.”

In the meantime, Director Yusaku first hugged the trophy. Whether he was always smiling, even the wrinkles on his face were neatly formed. Su-ah suddenly thought of the Hahoetal mask she had seen as a child.

“おめでとうございます. 演技は印象深かったです.” (Congratulations. Your acting was impressive.)

But then.

*Thump!*

A gasp resounded loudly from the audience.

“…!”

Director Yusaku’s face was also stained with shock, and it was understandable. Because he had dropped the trophy he was about to hand over.

The problem was that the trophy was in the shape of a sculpture. Because it was thin and long, it was perfect for breaking, and it broke indeed.

“あ、こうしたら….” (Ah, if it turns out like this….)

Director Yusaku showed a sorry face towards Su-ah, and then looked at the staff with a troubled expression. As if he wanted an answer on what to do in this situation.

But.

Then.

Someone suddenly picked up the broken trophy.

It was Su-ah.

“大丈夫です. これも気に入ります.” (It’s okay. I like this too.)

At that moment when the audience was surprised by Su-ah’s actions.

Yusaku and the interpreter were surprised first by something else.

‘W-what? Her pronunciation is fluent?’

‘…Japanese?’

Su-ah’s pronunciation was almost like an announcer.