Ch.255Gunshots were heard.

“I need to… I need to make you an eternal angel.”

After a stretch of English, Korean suddenly pops out.

Is it to maintain his setting as a Korean-American?

Or is it unconsciously revealing his own incompleteness?

After that scene with unclear intentions,

While caressing the body of a ballet dancer on TV,

Kim Donghu’s eyes, gleaming with murderous desire, are reflected on the screen again.

The woman’s face isn’t shown.

Even her body isn’t properly visible.

All that can be seen are pink toe shoes.

A neatly polished floor and a gleaming white barre reflecting light.

What puts the final punctuation on this imagination-stirring image is:

“I want… I want to have you, Natasha.”

It’s a man’s well-composed, manic love.

No, it’s something sticky and unpleasant that can’t be called love.

The roughly two-minute video ends after showing that.

“Obviously this is an edited version, and it’s the audition theme.”

“That’s the theme?”

“Yes. They’re looking for the woman who best matches Natasha in the TV.”

“…”

This video was sent to the emails of actors deemed suitable by Dezni, regardless of nationality.

There were three conditions:

They must know ballet.

They must not lose their color next to Kim Donghu.

They must have a seductive quality.

Simple yet incredibly vague.

Truly ambiguous criteria, but…

“So they’re using this for auditions to decide who gets the spot next to Kim Donghu?”

“That’s right.”

“Hah, what’s the deadline?”

“One month. They said to spend that time freely.”

“Get me ballet lessons. Just the basics, scheduled for about three weeks all at once.”

The phrase “spot next to Kim Donghu” made everything make sense.

At this point, there’s no male actor hotter than Kim Donghu.

His looks have been discussed to the point of tedium, so I’ll skip that.

But he has never failed at the box office.

‘That’s truly a frightening level of success.’

From what I know, he officially debuted in Korea around age 15.

Now, about 8 years later…

Not a single one of his works has failed.

Far from failing, they’ve all been massive hits.

That’s why I strongly felt, “This time too?”

Plus, this performance seemed somehow different.

While maintaining the freshness he’s always shown,

How should I put it—there’s a more mature feeling?

Also, “Pianist” wasn’t just starring Kim Donghu.

It had many elements that stimulated interest.

“Selecting three people—are they doing some kind of harem?”

“I know, right? I’m not sure. But anyway, I think there’ll be tons of applicants.”

They weren’t choosing just one female lead, but three.

“Is the producer Verirad again this time? That’s really amazing.”

And Verirad, who normally never works with the same actor twice,

Had abandoned the philosophy he’d maintained for decades.

People were actually more surprised by the latter.

That strict, rigid man

Turns sweet as honey when he sees Kim Donghu—it was fascinating to witness.

Anyway, countless actresses applied to claim the spot next to Kim Donghu.

Time passed quickly, and a month later,

The first selected actress, Evelyn Queen Ember, stood before Kim Donghu.

++++++

“Tarzan! It’s been a while.”

“Jane, you’re here?”

Tarzan and Jane.

Evelyn felt great satisfaction at still being called by her nickname.

She flipped her hair back slightly and continued.

“I’m glad I learned several things while doing musicals, so I can be by your side again like this.”

“Haha, thank you for saying that.”

Hearing Kim Donghu’s response, Evelyn smiled and looked around.

A vast cornfield with a pristine white house placed right in the middle.

Though the house was certainly neat and tidy,

It gave the impression of being a blemish that didn’t fit its surroundings.

‘I was shocked when I first received the script.’

The script that writer Lee Minha handed to Evelyn.

The first line of that script was truly shocking.

-‘I knew as soon as I saw that man. It was an intense premonition. I’m going to die because of this man.’

An implicit instruction to act knowing she would die.

So she directly asked the writer and director.

‘I don’t really get this, how should I approach it?’

‘If you don’t lose your way in Kim Donghu’s acting, it will naturally resolve itself.’

The answer was truly artistic.

Don’t lose your way.

It was absurd yet somehow understandable.

Because…

“You meet women with such a cruel appearance.”

“Pardon?”

“I mean… knowing… even knowing I’ll die, I’d have no choice but to approach you.”

Kim Donghu’s outfit was chillingly captivating.

Muscles occasionally visible through his clothes,

A clean two-piece suit and pomade hair.

You might call it the image of an ideal gentleman.

If it ended there, it might feel boring and cliché.

‘But those hands….’

The hint of violence at Kim Donghu’s fingertips drove people crazy.

You could say he exuded a dangerous scent.

The feeling that this man could kill several people around him if he wanted to.

In the middle of a cornfield detached from reality.

The intimidation emanating from the most well-groomed person there.

All these things made Kim Donghu’s aura even rougher.

Gulp.

Why did she suddenly feel tense when he hadn’t done anything?

Trying to suppress that feeling, Evelyn brought up something she couldn’t convey through messages.

“Wh-what are you doing for Christmas?”

Today’s date is December 20th.

About 5 days until Christmas.

He probably has plans, but she really wanted to ask.

“Ah… I have plans then.”

“On the 25th itself?”

“Yes, that day.”

“What about the 24th?”

“I have plans then too.”

Momentarily dejected at his response,

Evelyn gathered her courage once more.

“The 24th… couldn’t you meet me too?”

“Uh, well… uh… honestly, the 24th would be fine if it’s okay with you, Evelyn.”

“Really? Just me?”

“Yes, uh… Seohyun likes meeting new people too, so I think it would be fine.”

“Seohyun? Who’s Seohyun?”

“My younger sister. The princess of our family.”

Kim Donghu’s sister!

‘She must be super cute!’

Having a sister like that had been her wish.

Evelyn’s thought process worked quickly, and she nodded hastily.

“By the way, this place is really remote, and the house feels desolate.”

And then came some talk to ease the tension.

Kim Donghu nodded in agreement.

“I know. Someone could sneak in and we wouldn’t even know.”

“Ugh, don’t say such scary things. A single house in a cornfield like this… someone sneaking in? That’s frightening.”

“It’s definitely not normal, even casually thinking about it.”

“Right, shall we go inside now?”

“Sure.”

After easing the tension like that,

When the atmosphere had sufficiently relaxed…

As if on cue.

“Then we’ll begin filming!”

The director’s instruction came down.

The first meeting between the pianist and the ballerina begins.

++++++

The first meeting.

It begins with the pianist fully sponsoring the ballerina,

And inviting her to a dinner.

Clatter, clatter.

The two facing each other across a long table.

Even as they dine at opposite ends,

Neither of them speaks a word.

“Thank you for inviting me to this meal….”

When the ballerina can’t bear the awkwardness and opens her mouth,

“When eating, just eat.”

“I’m sorry.”

The pianist silences her.

Kim Donghu, or rather Dogyu, stared blatantly at the ballerina.

He observed her dining behavior:

Whether her utensils hit the plate,

Whether her tongue comes out to meet the food,

Making sounds while eating, how she uses utensils, and so on.

He examined various things.

Does this woman really need to die?

Sometimes pearls emerge from mud.

Couldn’t that pearl become Venus?

‘No, that’s impossible.’

A being that has been tainted once cannot be cleansed.

The past is a stain, an indelible medal.

Therefore, she must die.

While continuing the meal with such thoughts,

BANG!

“Uh, hehehehe, hahahahaha! I-I’m here! I’m here! I’m telling you I’m here!”

Suddenly someone burst through the bathroom door.

Openly holding a gun.

“…?!”

Evelyn was startled.

I quickly looked toward where the director was.

I saw faces shocked and confused about what was happening,

And the producer’s face filled with shock.

Seeing those faces, I instantly knew.

‘An intruder.’

A third-party intervention.

Shabby appearance.

Attire suggesting they’d been homeless for quite some time.

Unkempt hair and slightly dilated pupils.

Someone mentally unstable

Had been hiding in the model house.

‘Since the bathroom doesn’t actually function… they probably didn’t check it.’

A place they didn’t even check.

Someone was there, took drugs, got high, and lost their mind.

Is this common in America?

Should I think of it like a hooligan rushing onto a sports field?

‘The difference is that they’re holding a gun.’

The gun barrel isn’t pointed at anyone yet.

But the fact that they’re holding it was the problem.

The mentally disturbed person had complete control of the scene.

Everyone held their breath to avoid provoking him.

Call the police? In this vast cornfield?

Call the guards? Through this narrow space?

‘The cameras are rolling, and everyone is tense.’

Obviously, no matter how spacious the house is,

It’s not large enough for guards to enter during filming.

The space is barely enough for the filming crew.

In this place, the king is currently the drug-intoxicated intruder.

I clearly recognized what I needed to do.

‘I need to subdue him. I’m the closest person who can take him down right now.’

First, I slowly rise from my chair.

Creeeeak.

Without provoking him.

I raise my body while his gaze is elsewhere.

“I, I’m telling you! This is my house! This place, so. I! Uh! Hahaha!”

I clearly assess the intruder who’s speaking with a loose tongue, not even knowing what he’s saying.

Thick Ugg boots and a faded beanie pulled down low.

An old coat with what appear to be cigarette burn holes.

One hand holding a gun, the other in his pocket.

Calculating the distance with my eyes, considering any possible variables.

‘Not bad.’

The distance isn’t too far.

‘If there’s an appropriate signal… something to divert his attention.’

Just as I’m lowering my body and preparing to lunge,

“Hic… hic… sob… hic…!”

Evelyn, overcome with fear, finally burst into tears.

“You, what are you? Why are you crying! Why are you crying!”

Just as the gun barrel starts moving toward Evelyn,

BANG!

I stomped on the ground and launched my body.

My goal: perfect restraint.

RIIIIIP!

The sound of my suit tearing from the rough movement.

But it didn’t matter.

I was already in front of him.

BANG!

And at that same moment,

A gunshot rang out.