Ch.82Um, bro, do you happen to know what my recent schedule looks like?

‘Since Seokho hyung has decided to move forward, I guess we don’t need to worry too much about money.’

If it were a large theater company, that would be different, but with the current size, our agency could take the lead.

‘It would be good to raise our agency’s profile through this opportunity.’

Right now, it’s a small agency with just me and Yerim. But in the future, it was meant to become a small but elite agency.

‘Because I’m going to make it that way.’

Setting that aside for now, I quietly stood in the auditorium and enjoyed the entrance ceremony.

‘It’s not the number one arts high school for nothing.’

Dance performances, band music, and dance routines befitting its prestigious status. The performances that delighted the eyes were hard to believe were at a high school level.

Even Chairman Edward Park, whose name clearly showed his foreign education background, displayed no authoritarian attitude during his speech.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you all. You are the gems that I! Carefully! Selected one by one. So continuously polish yourselves, strive to shine brighter than anyone else! That’s all.”

An entrance speech that skipped the introduction and delivered only the main point and conclusion. The ceremony was certainly entertaining with so much to see.

“Oh, and when the entrance ceremony ends, I recommend you visit the exhibition hall before going to your classrooms. There are many wonderful photos and paintings.”

Now I will truly conclude the entrance ceremony. I support your brilliant futures!

With those words, the entrance ceremony ended cleanly.

‘Since I have some time, maybe I’ll stop by the exhibition hall.’

Just as I decided to take a leisurely tour of the school before heading to the classroom—

“Kim Donghu, you’re crazy. If you got into Daejong High, shouldn’t you greet your noona first?”

A very familiar voice came from behind me.

“Sujin!”

“Sujin? I’m a year above you, you know?”

Daejong High’s uniform was known for being pretty, and it was indeed cute enough to make one exclaim in admiration.

The face that perfectly suited the hime cut, and the harmony with the fresh school uniform was, how should I put it?

It felt like she was doing a uniform photoshoot all by herself. She was definitely the daughter of Kim Yuryeon, the queen of the small screen.

‘She has a different aura.’

Even when I was standing alone behind her, I could feel people’s gazes, but as soon as I started talking with Sujin, I felt the attention shift dramatically.

“You’re just born early in the year.”

“Still, I’m older! Call me noona!”

At Sujin’s words, I shrugged my shoulders.

“What noona? You cry at the drop of a hat, how can you be a noona?”

“W-who says I cry!”

“I’m going to check out the exhibition hall now, want to come with me?”

“What, you become a high schooler and immediately ask me on a date?”

At those words, I smiled brightly.

Sujin stared at my face for a moment as if checking if something was on it.

She was talking fine until just now, why is she like this?

“This guy really needs to cover his face when he goes out later.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

What’s that? What did she mutter?

Anyway.

‘I should go to the exhibition hall.’

I was about to move because staying here would attract too much attention.

“Oh, unni! Hello. I’m Shin Yerim, Donghu’s best friend since middle school.”

Yerim appeared.

‘I thought we’d be in different departments so we’d hang out separately, but she came right away.’

That’s why I didn’t bother looking for her, but here she is. Do I not need to make new friends?

While I was thinking about that, the conversation between Sujin and Yerim flowed faster than expected.

“Really? I’m Donghu’s childhood friend. Nice to meet you. And you can speak comfortably with me, I’m born early in the year so we’re the same age anyway.”

“How could I? You’re a year above me, so I should call you unni.”

“What senior? We’re in different departments so we won’t run into each other much. You can call me comfortably.”

I couldn’t hear the details, but seeing them talking and smiling, it seemed like they were in the process of becoming friends.

‘I heard kids grow up doing things like this.’

Well, it’s not bad for them to get to know each other. It’s a meeting of future top stars.

‘This will all be memories someday.’

I headed to the exhibition hall, leaving the two focused on their conversation. After briefly feeling like I was at an exhibition in the Arts Center, I immediately moved toward the theater club.

‘Was it called Sparking?’

It was time to get the number of the writer who wrote the A-grade script.

++++++

Bong Jinwoo couldn’t believe everything that had happened today.

“…Is this a dream?”

Not only did the actor known as the National Prince like his script, but he came to find him right after the entrance ceremony, asked for his number, and even proposed a collaboration.

And it wasn’t just a simple collaboration.

‘He said I could even get investment at the agency level.’

With that one statement, the low-budget label disappeared instantly. A problem that seemed permanently stuck like glue was erased.

Moreover, renting a theater became incredibly smooth. Originally, he would have had to beg to secure a spot, but as soon as Kim Donghu stepped in, everything became easier.

‘Is this really okay?’

It felt like the difficulty level of his life had suddenly decreased. Bong Jinwoo touched his own face, which had frozen in disbelief at the surreal situation.

‘Is Mr. Kim Donghu my benefactor?’

He even had such thoughts. At the same time, Bong Jinwoo looked at the bundle carefully stored in the corner of his home.

Two boxes he had kept with the intention of properly honoring them later when he had money. Perhaps it was finally time to let them go.

A tiny gosiwon room less than two pyeong. A four-hour round-trip commute.

Was this life finally coming to an end? The conversation with Kim Donghu gave him such expectations.

-By the way, have you found all the other actors besides me?

-Uh… that… I haven’t found them yet. I have a few people in mind though.

-Who?

-Well… I’m thinking of Kim Sujin, a second-year theater and film major.

-And?

-Ah, I haven’t found anyone else yet.

-Then would you like to hold auditions with me later? We could post a notice.

-A-auditions?!

How surprised he was then. Bong Jinwoo found himself quite amusing when he thought about it.

-Since we’re doing an external performance and the school approval is all set, why don’t we just recruit external personnel?

-Can I do that?

-Since I’ll be doing it with you, of course you can.

-You’ll do it with me?!

-Of course, I’m both an actor and an investor. And you can speak comfortably with me.

-This is comfortable for me.

It was then that he realized.

What it meant to work on the same project as Kim Donghu. And what an incredible opportunity he had seized.

*Grip*

Bong Jinwoo tightly clutched the script of “Story of the Moon and the Stars.” It was a story he had been thinking about since childhood.

During his orphanage days, children grow up faster than expected, and naturally come to realize one thing.

Ah, cultural activities are a luxury for us.

Bong Jinwoo found that fact so detestable. So he made a promise.

To create a script that no one could ignore, and to replant forgotten dreams in children’s hearts. That’s what this play was for, and that’s why his stubbornness never wavered.

For dreams and hope. Childish as it may sound, Bong Jinwoo made it his motto.

+++++

At the same time.

‘I said I’d hold auditions with him, but…’

I was contemplating the audition method.

Since Bong Jinwoo was quite inexperienced in these matters, I judged it would be better for me to take the lead with my agency’s backing.

How to gather people most effectively, and how to make “Story of the Moon and the Stars” more successful.

While pondering this—

>Donghu junior, how have you been?

A KakaoTalk message arrived from actor Han Taegeon.

‘What’s this?’

Why suddenly?

++++++

‘I wonder how long our junior’s break will last.’

Han Taegeon, who played the lead role of Kim Suha in “Endless Frontline.” He was one of the actors who had great interest in Kim Donghu.

Of course, it was partly because he was a good actor, but he also just had the feeling that Kim Donghu would rise high.

‘It would be nice to share deep contemplations about acting and grow together.’

Plus, the fact that actor Han Taegeon didn’t have many friends played a role. Naturally, when you become a celebrity, your relationships change, so your network inevitably shrinks.

So he just contacted Kim Donghu.

He was bored, and wanted to chat with someone on the same path to success.

But then.

>Hello, senior. I’m currently preparing for an audition.

A very interesting story came up.

‘Audition? Junior Donghu at an audition?’

An audition for an actor with 10 million viewers, 4 Mise-en-scène awards, guaranteed 30% ratings whenever he appears, with a highest rating of 41%? How much must a writer love their work to ask Kim Donghu to audition?

He was curious.

<What kind of audition? Is our junior starting a new project?

>Ah, I’m preparing for a play. I’m the lead, but the other roles haven’t been decided yet.

A play? He’s doing a play?

Actor Han Taegeon’s mind started spinning. While earnestly replying to Kim Donghu via KakaoTalk, he entertained a possibility in one corner of his mind.

<A play? A play audition? Where is it? At school? Can I come watch?

>It will probably be near Daehangno. Or maybe around Hongdae… it’s an external performance.

<So you’re saying you’re going to perform a play in front of people, with our junior as the lead, and the other roles haven’t been decided yet?

>Yes, that’s right.

<Haha, is that so? I understand.

>What? Senior, what do you understand…?

<Nothing. I understand, I get what you mean.

After sending that reply, actor Han Taegeon immediately called his manager.

“Hey, what’s my schedule like recently?”