Ch.45Looking for a skilled swordsman and a handsome child actor?

After the successful conclusion of the High Dream Special Concert.

As if to prove its success,

the internet was plastered with talk about the High Dream Special Concert.

ㄴToday’s quote, Kim Donghu says “Why are you speaking informally to your oppa?”

ㄴThat’s not something a 15-year-old would say, what kind of idol is he?

ㄴIf anything, he’s more impressive than an idol, not less

ㄴSomeone who’s about to blow up, the guy’s a master at knife fights in Monkey Garden

ㄴJust looking at his face honestly it’s rude to compare him to anyone else, he makes everyone next to him look like squids

ㄴKim Donghu the squid maker, seeing him in person was unbelievably handsome

The 15-year-old’s bold fan meeting remarks earned Kim Donghu the top spot in real-time search rankings.

His lines that gently wafted the scent of love more than flowers, and his simply, unreasonably handsome appearance.

The synergy of these two factors was beyond imagination.

ㄴI wish Kim Donghu would debut as an idol.

ㄴDon’t actors sometimes sing OSTs? Please at least do that and appear on music shows ㅠㅠ

ㄴSomeone who’s about to blow up in Gunz, the guy’s a master at butterfly steps

ㄴDoes anyone know what Kim Donghu’s next project is? I really want to see him so badly;

With the situation developing like this, people focused on Kim Donghu’s next project.

The catalyst that helped his debut work <High Dream> achieve a 30.2% viewership rating.

Where would that brilliant explosive power detonate next?

Amid everyone’s expectations,

“Noona, please save me just this once. That Yeo Sujeong is just whining because she came early, but I’m really in a desperate situation!”

There were two writers who hoped that Kim Donghu’s next step would be with them.

“Unni, look at him, he has no manners at all. Strictly speaking, I’m the senior debut writer, is it right for him to act like that?”

“Senior? What senior? In this industry, results determine seniority! My debut had better results than yours!”

“What?! How dare you speak that way in front of your unni? You’ve really lost your mind!”

Writer Yeo Sujeong, who was preparing the historical drama <Eclipse>, and

Writer Kwon Jaeho of <Swordsman Baek Dong-soo>, who had a casting vacancy due to a child actor’s injury.

‘How did it come to this?’

Writer Lee Minha briefly recalled the past amid this chaotic situation.

‘Sujeong was impressed by High Dream and came looking to contact actor Donghu…’

Then was it Jaeho who came worried about frequent injuries in historical dramas?

They visited her house with different purposes and happened to run into each other,

‘As usual, they fought like they wanted to kill each other…’

Then suddenly Jaeho’s child actor really got injured, causing a problem.

“Calm down first. I’ve already spoken to him, so please stop fighting so much.”

“R-really?! Did he respond?!”

“Unni, what about my answer?! What about my answer?!”

“If you both don’t calm down, I’m seriously not going to say anything anymore.”

At Lee Minha’s words, both Writer Yeo Sujeong and Writer Kwon Jaeho fell silent.

Smiling at the peace that had finally arrived, Lee Minha spoke again.

“Kim Donghu said he needs to read the scripts himself and make a decision, so please wait a little.”

“C-can’t you tell him I’m really in a hurry? My actor is injured, I really don’t have anyone else!”

“Unni, don’t believe him! The replacement isn’t even confirmed yet!!! Does he think I don’t know the Swordsman Baek Dong-soo production team is looking everywhere for someone?!”

“What, so I should just cast anyone? Talk sense, we need to filter candidates, you idiot!”

“W-what? I-idiot?! Did you just call me an idiot? I know the injured actor might recover and resume filming!”

“Ha, you don’t understand injuries. Don’t you know people become timid and shrink back after getting hurt once?”

Kwon Jaeho felt suffocated by the whole situation.

‘I really need actor Kim Donghu!’

With filming scheduled and an actor injured,

naturally, from Kwon Jaeho’s perspective, he was going crazy.

Even if he tried to find someone immediately, where would he find them?

Writer Kwon Jaeho and the production team had searched everywhere,

but finding child actors for historical dramas wasn’t easy.

And not just any historical drama.

They needed a child actor familiar with martial arts, especially swordsmanship,

and since such actors don’t just appear out of nowhere, they planned to train someone quickly.

‘And if we have to train someone anyway, the most handsome and popular child actor would be best.’

He hoped Kim Donghu would agree to do it,

then he’d reject all other candidates and definitely cast Kim Donghu.

‘But then how would we teach actor Kim Donghu swordsmanship?’

This was driving him crazy.

Isn’t there a child actor who’s good at swordsmanship and handsome?

Sigh.

At Kwon Jaeho’s deep sigh, Writer Yeo Sujeong glanced at him cautiously.

Objectively speaking, Writer Kwon Jaeho’s situation was indeed serious.

But that was that.

‘The success of our <Eclipse> is important too!’

This was this.

What writer in the world would sacrifice their own career?

Sigh.

Not wanting to lose Kim Donghu, she couldn’t help but sigh.

Watching the two historical drama writers’ anguish and sighs,

‘Sorry, but you two really suit each other.’

Writer Lee Minha secretly harbored thoughts she would never voice aloud.

+++++

“Nice weather.”

The morning after the High Dream Special Concert ended.

My daily life was as peaceful as could be.

Except for the school gate banner still fluttering.

These days were so happy I wondered if it was even possible.

‘But how did Yerim debut as a model?’

That made me curious about those around me.

Stare.

“W-what, why are you looking at me like that? It’s embarrassing.”

Had I been staring without realizing?

Yerim blushed slightly and smiled shyly as she looked back at me.

“How did this bed-wetter…”

“Hey! Didn’t I tell you not to mention that! Honestly, he was there too back then, why am I the only one with that nickname!”

Yerim jumped up from her seat and poked Minhyeok with her finger.

Minhyeok, feeling guilty whenever he thought about it, hung his head low.

“I-I was just immature back then.”

“I didn’t say anything, Yerim did, right Kangsik?”

“Y-yeah, yeah… that’s right.”

“Let’s continue our notebook game. Where were we? My turn?”

“D-Donghu, you rolled a 1 six times in a row, so your planet is collapsing now.”

“…Please let me pay to win, please.”

Notebook games,

they really drive people crazy.

While I was enjoying break time with my friends,

>Donghu, we received two historical drama scripts, so I was wondering if I could deliver them right after school?

>If you’re comfortable with it, we could check the scripts in the van on the way to the office.

>If you have plans today, we can check them another time.

A KakaoTalk message from Manager Seokho.

‘Two historical drama scripts, huh.’

One must be <Swordsman Baek Dong-soo>,

but what’s the other?

Of course, I didn’t need to think too deeply about it.

<Yes, I’ll do that.>

I could check them directly.

+++++

After school.

I saw Manager Seokho’s van parked behind the school.

Slide.

As if he sensed me, Manager Seokho opened the van door as soon as our eyes met.

Seeing things like this made me wonder if managers really have some kind of sixth sense.

“Wow, your school security guard really sticks to principles. If I couldn’t prove my relationship with you, I wouldn’t have been able to get in.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I barely managed to park by using your parents’ connection. But maybe that’s why? I don’t see any outsiders trying to see you.”

So that’s why.

‘Someone has been protecting my daily life.’

It must be hard to keep outsiders away, even if it’s part of the job.

‘I should send him a gift later.’

Just as I was thinking that, Manager Seokho continued.

“If he’s such a helpful person, we should definitely get him something, right? I should get him some red ginseng.”

Was he reading my mind? That’s what I thought.

Manager Seokho smiled as if it was obvious and started driving.

“The black script under the window is for <Swordsman Baek Dong-soo>, and the white one is for <Eclipse>.”

They seem to be urgently looking for someone for Swordsman Baek Dong-soo, not just for the role but also because they need someone who can learn swordsmanship.

I got the gist of the situation from Manager Seokho’s explanation.

‘It’s exactly as I saw in the future text.’

I decided to check <Eclipse> later and picked up the <Swordsman Baek Dong-soo> script, which needed an immediate replacement.

Quite coincidentally,

I received a script requiring swordsmanship right after learning swordsmanship from Hero.

<Swordsman Baek Dong-soo, B (rating adjustment in progress)>

Once again, a B with rating adjustment in progress.

High Dream was at a similar level,

so with the right effort, I could potentially break the 30% barrier again.

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

My role would be,

‘The childhood rival of Swordsman Baek Dong-soo, Jaun.’

Immersion.

I immediately dove into the script.

++++++

The Star of Killing.

A star of slaughter bestowed by heaven,

a fate meant for taking lives.

When the father learned his child was born with this fate, he tried to kill the baby.

But how easy is it to kill a newborn life?

The mother desperately resisted,

and the heaven-destined child continued to live at the cost of his mother’s sacrifice.

As time passed and the child began to show signs of boyhood.

“Father, did you really kill her?”

“Yes.”

The boy learns that his father killed his mother.

“…You were born under the Star of Killing, born to kill people.”

“You committed such an act because of that ridiculous superstition?”

“Superstition? Heh, you call it superstition?”

The father laughed faintly.

Looking at the scene unfolding before him,

he opened his mouth in disbelief.

“Look at yourself, holding a knife to your father’s throat. Is this truly a superstition?”

The boy Jaun.

His first step toward becoming an assassin,

“…”

Was about to be taken right now.