Ch.254First Filming = Audition Video

“Boss, it was a magnificent match, but five seconds was too quick. If possible… I hope today was the last time for something like that.”

“To be honest, I lost interest in the rematch, so I had no choice.”

On the private jet flying to America.

I was having a video meeting with Bob, the representative of Top Rank Promotion.

The topic was the match duration.

The championship match didn’t even last five minutes.

And the rematch was just five seconds.

I might have demonstrated overwhelming skill.

But from a business perspective, it was quite ambiguous.

Of course.

“I understand. Honestly, the five-second record was so fresh that people’s reactions weren’t bad.”

The current business wasn’t a problem.

It was actually more of a huge success.

But what Bob was deciding was “future issues.”

“I’m absolutely, absolutely not talking about match-fixing, but if you have an opponent you can play with, please play with them as much as possible.”

“Should we go until the third round then?”

“Personally, I’d like it to go until… the fifth round.”

Bob made a face that suggested he found his own words amusing.

With a faint smile, he continued.

“Honestly, who would last twelve rounds against you?”

“No, there will definitely be someone.”

“Haha, I hope so. Sincerely.”

“By the way, how is that champion unification match coming along?”

“Ah, after our meeting, since there are four organizations, it seems we’ll need to fight with two titles at stake.”

“Two organizations?”

“That’s how the numbers work out, and you are a franchise champion after all.”

“I understand.”

Franchise champion.

Simply put, it’s a champion without mandatory defenses.

It’s a title that requires both popularity and skill.

A super champion doesn’t need to fight opponents designated by the organization.

They can cherry-pick only profitable matches.

In other words, it means being the organization’s greatest draw.

‘Of course, it feels like a contract position—if popularity drops, the title is immediately revoked.’

Still, being able to avoid all mandatory defense constraints was a tremendous advantage.

“So Boss will likely have a WBA heavyweight match.”

“They also have something similar to a franchise champion, called a super champion, right?”

“Yes, and since IBF and WBO don’t have such things… we’re looking to go with options that won’t restrict your acting activities.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“It’s only natural. I’ll contact you separately if there are any schedule changes or additional matters.”

“Yes, thank you.”

That ended the call.

I leaned back in my seat and looked around the interior of the private jet.

“This is the first time I’ve been on such a large private jet.”

To be precise, I didn’t even know such private jets existed.

The kind of private jet I’d only seen in movies and comics.

To think that I would be riding in a private jet that was entirely first class.

This wasn’t something you could easily buy no matter how much money you had.

While I was thinking about this.

“Oppa! Oppa! Clouds! There are so many clouds!”

“Aww, is that so?”

As soon as Seohyun realized my meeting was over, she jumped into my arms.

“Mmm, traveling with Oppa is so nice. Hehe, it’s my first time in America too!”

“We’ll go on lots of trips when I don’t have filming.”

“Yes! Without the other unnies! Just the two of us! Just you and me!”

Other unnies?

Why did that suddenly come up?

“Honestly, I’m absolutely against our family getting any bigger!”

“Oh my, our princess knows how to say such things?”

“Don’t even mention it. Seohyun takes after you and is super smart.”

“What about Dad?”

“He started drinking with Seokho. But hey, do they have some kind of balsamic here? They both really like it.”

So they’re drinking whiskey.

“Donghu, can we join you too?”

Kangsik, who was sitting nearby, spoke to me.

Now that we’re twenty-three years old.

Kangsik completely stopped speaking formally to me.

Actually, even the formal speech would have been funny now.

He’s introduced games in front of people so many times.

It wouldn’t make sense for him to still speak formally.

“I don’t have many friends, so I figured I’d invite everyone since we’re taking a private jet anyway.”

“Hehehe, right, I’m really benefiting from having you as a friend.”

“Oh, Minhyeok oppa is laughing weirdly again! Sooo! Disgusting!”

“…Donghu, you really need to lower your sister’s standards. She only sees you all the time, so her standards are way too high.”

“S-sorry… Seohyun, you shouldn’t say such things to Oppa’s friends.”

“Oh, um… I’m sorry. I-I say that to my friends all the time….”

She says “disgusting” to her friends?

Is this some kind of seven-year-old trend these days?

‘Did she develop a bad personality because I haven’t been able to play with her enough…?’

As I was unconsciously about to rub my face.

“They keep saying let’s play! Even when I say no, they keep saying let’s play! So I just said disgusting! I can’t hit them!”

Even more shocking words followed.

Yes, she could use strong words as a means of refusal. But “I can’t hit them”? What does that even mean?

“H-hit? Why would you hit kids?”

“Because I can hit them! Those kids who only push their own opinions, I can teach them all a lesson!”

“…How?”

“Hitman! With Hitman’s signature! The princess can do that too!”

After being shocked by Seohyun’s words for a moment.

I quickly found the cause of this conversation.

“Master!”

“Donghu, I can explain, I really can….”

“Get ready to hold the mitts right now! Just warm up first!”

By the way, there were actually facilities for exercising on the private jet.

It wasn’t gym-level, but it was sufficient enough.

There was nothing lacking for boxing training.

“No, I just taught her some self-defense techniques, just self-defense….”

“I’m sure you taught her more than just self-defense!”

“He said with great power comes great responsibility! MMA! Princess is good at that!”

Of course, I know how well the master teaches children.

I’ve been learning from Master Sangha since elementary school.

But to think Seohyun would be like this too.

How strong does he intend to make our siblings?

Actually, it wasn’t a bad thing.

I just found it funny how he flinched when I called out to him loudly.

The main reason for my behavior was that I suddenly felt like playing a prank.

“Donghu, Seohyun is a real talent. The female Kim Donghu! We need to start early education right away!”

“…Please give me some mitt training after a long time.”

“Have mercy.”

++++++

As soon as the private jet arrived at the airport.

We entered the country secretly.

Everyone except me and Seokho headed to the accommodation.

We immediately moved toward the completed set.

“I’m curious, I heard it’s almost like they built an actual house?”

“Yeah, I heard it feels like a model home.”

“The scale is definitely impressive, building an entire house.”

“Most of it is CG, but writer Lee Minha strongly insisted that the house must be built.”

“I guess writers have power in America too?”

“Not so much power as… well, it’s a country with a lot of lawsuits.”

Exchanging such conversations, we quickly arrived at the set.

I was overwhelmed by what’s commonly called the “American scale.”

“…No wonder it took 4-5 months.”

“Yeah, seriously.”

The first thing visible was a vast cornfield.

I heard they rented a portion of it, but.

If this is just a portion, how large is the whole thing?

No wonder people say you could lose someone here and never find them.

“Donghu Kim! Welcome! I wanted to come meet you, but I’m really sorry.”

“Not at all. We declined, so what’s there to apologize for? If you had come, reporters would have noticed.”

By the way, my private life was still completely hidden.

Starting with family relationships and various other things.

There was no need to disclose them, so I kept them hidden as much as possible.

That’s why it was important not to be discovered during family trips like this.

“How was the script?”

“Naturally, it’s excellent. I liked both the first draft and the revised version. I’m satisfied.”

“I’m glad. We’ve already finished all the preparations for filming.”

“What? Already?”

“There are many Korean-Americans here, haha. It’s better to finish work quickly and rest.”

“….”

What is this familiar scent of homeland in a foreign country?

Anyway, the set was ready, and the actor had arrived, so.

“Shall we start right away, then?”

There was actually nothing to delay.

“Yes, I’ll prepare right away.”

“You said today’s filming is for auditions?”

“The Pianist” was being filmed in a very special state.

The female lead exists in the script but hasn’t been cast yet.

According to Dez, they would use my footage for auditions.

I’m not exactly sure what that means.

But honestly, I didn’t feel the need to understand it completely.

That wasn’t an area where an actor should interfere.

Step, step.

After finishing the setup for filming.

I immediately opened the door of the white house in the middle of the cornfield.

The smell of a new house.

Despite the warm sunlight, the pale white stands out.

As if the house had been doused with bleach.

The white color, like a bleaching agent that erases everything.

It erased not only germs but everything.

From this place.

Whirrrr.

When I heard the camera rolling.

I slowly smoothed back my slicked-back hair again.

Like putting on a mask.

Like a conductor performing a solemn routine before conducting.

Click.

Right above the camera.

When the red light comes on.

“Action!”

I become the pianist.

++++++

Have you ever loved poverty?

Have you ever cherished something weak and fragile?

Have you ever held a baby?

Have you ever felt the beating pulse of that small thing alive?

Despite knowing how fragile it is in your arms.

Have you ever made up your mind to protect it?

Ah, I have.

I finally saw it.

“…How can something like you shine so brightly.”

This is not a love story.

That ballerina in pink toe shoes appearing on the black screen of the white TV was truly captivating.

I felt she was my other half.

But I realized that her background and the way she lived.

None of it satisfied me.

“A swan… should not show its paddling.”

It’s truly sad.

Who wants to see a swan paddling?

“I want to place you above my performance, and make you dance.”

And I vowed that moment would be the last.

I feel she should die gloriously.

At the brightest moment.

I don’t want people to remember her slowly fading away.

“You… I want to preserve you, to make you an angel.”

This might be a love story after all.

I want to be remembered as the pianist.

Who will forever love the moment of her death.

Forever.

Rrrring.

“Hello?”

“Please prepare, it’s dinner time after a long while.”

As an angel.

The time has come to save the angel in the mud and bring her to heaven.