The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Chapter 163

“Next question! You’ve probably heard this a lot and might be tired of it, but I have to ask. How do you feel about winning the Best Actor Award at the youngest age ever?”

I softly lifted the corners of my mouth.

“It’s hard to believe. Actually, everything is hard to believe. It’s still awkward for me to be on TV.”

“Oh my, you still feel awkward? But it’s been quite a while since you debuted!”

The woman conducting the interview was consistently bright.

Her cheerful demeanor faltered when she glanced at the script in her hand.

She hesitated for a moment, then wore a troubled expression.

“The next question is… about your elementary school days, which recently became a hot topic online…”

“Ah.”

“I’m sorry. Is it uncomfortable for you? We can skip it.”

I shook my head at the interviewer, who looked apologetic.

With a light smile as if it was nothing.

“I heard it too. There’s a rumor that I was bullied in elementary school. It’s somewhat exaggerated, but it’s not completely unfounded.”

“Really?”

“I got hurt a lot when I was young. A bit… unusually so.”

Recalling the prepared words, I answered calmly.

Since this interview was arranged at Director Jang’s request, everything felt scripted.

‘He really is good at his job.’

Director Jang’s handling skills were truly more impressive than I thought.

Even the woman in front of me was known for conducting smooth interviews. And she was certainly well-mannered now.

‘But how exactly did he handle Oh Seung-hyun?’

As soon as I fell asleep, I looked for Mist.

The entity that usually embraced me immediately hesitated when I asked to show me Oh Seung-hyun’s day.

‘…?’

When I tilted my head at the unexpected reaction, Mist fidgeted with its lips as if troubled.

‘What’s wrong? Why are you being coy?’

‘I’m not being coy…’

‘Then what’s the issue?’

‘Well… Yeon-jae! Everything has been resolved perfectly, just like that director said! Trust me! So can we just leave it at that?’

‘Why are you acting like this too? What did you do to handle it? Was it brutal?’

Despite my continued persuasion, Mist never showed me the memory.

When I asked why it was acting this way, all I got in return was a defiant ‘I will protect you! I can do that too!’

‘It’s frustrating, but… I trust it was handled well.’

Honestly, even if Oh Seung-hyun wasn’t dealt with perfectly, it didn’t matter.

What could he possibly do anyway?

Even if he posted something online, it wouldn’t mean anything to me.

‘Unless the fans get upset.’

I was a bit worried that fans might be disappointed if bullying didn’t fit the image of ‘Bambi,’ but it was a needless concern.

The fan cafe was filled with the usual messages of love.

Even checking the communities, there was nothing unusual.

‘Let’s stop worrying.’

Although I felt a bit uneasy, I could now trust Director Jang’s abilities.

‘This is the end for Oh Seung-hyun.’

After organizing my thoughts, I nodded.

Just in time, the woman asked the next question.

“Director Yoon Kang-yeon’s recent post caused quite a stir. Since this is your first interview after that, our subscribers are very curious. If it’s not too intrusive, could you share your feelings about Director Yoon’s post?”

I smiled lightly at her cautious voice.

“Honestly, I was puzzled. The director apologized to me immediately back then, and he apologized several times afterwards. I didn’t expect him to post separately like that.”

“Oh my, then you must have been quite surprised.”

“So I went straight to his studio, and he apologized again there. I even begged him to stop apologizing.”

I laughed to lighten the atmosphere as much as possible.

The woman seemed to catch on to my intention and laughed along.

“Having read the post myself… I think I understand why the director did that. But seeing that you’re okay makes me feel relieved. I think your fans will worry less too.”

Good. It was the perfect timing.

Holding back a satisfied smile, I said what I had wanted to say for a while.

“I’m happy and healthy right now. I have a lot of people around me who cherish me… And most importantly, I have Byeon by my side. Just having that makes me really happy. So if anyone is worried…”

I hesitated, thinking that saying they shouldn’t worry was too negative.

After choosing my words carefully, this was what came out.

“I hope they would love me more instead…?”

“…….”

“…….”

The surroundings fell silent. I closed my eyes.

“……I’m sorry.”

“Pfft, no, no. Haha! You’re so adorable!”

“My words… No… This won’t be edited, right?”

The woman answered with a bright smile that it wouldn’t be.

‘This is a disaster.’

My ears burned.

No matter how much I gripped my hands, I couldn’t hide my reddening ears as the blood rushed to them.

After a few more questions, the interview ended.

The additional interviews conducted on the same day were consistently smooth and calm.

However, after returning from work, an entirely different situation awaited me at school.

* * *

“Seo-jin, do you think it’s just my imagination, or is everyone staring at me?”

I wondered if I had developed a celebrity syndrome again, so I asked again, but unfortunately, Baek Seo-jin shook her head.

“No. Everyone is looking at you.”

“I see.”

Why was that? I hadn’t even received this kind of attention when I came back after winning an award at the Cannes Film Festival.

The stares I used to get from school kids had a distinct sense of distance.

It was somewhat like awe, as if they were looking at a different species.

But now, there was a strong sense of something impure.

‘Why is that guy staring at me?’

Particularly, the glances from some of the bigger guys were bothersome.

‘I should just ask why they’re staring.’

I needed to know the reason; it was too frustrating otherwise. Just as I was about to get up.

Baek Seo-jin, looking pale, held me down.

“Yeon-jae. I know you’re upset. But let’s not confront them for now.”

“Huh?”

Why would I be upset?

I was genuinely curious, so I asked, and Baek Seo-jin suddenly wore a serious expression.

“If you step up, things will escalate. They might write about it. Just don’t get involved. I’m already dealing with the more severe ones on my end.”

“Seo-jin, I really don’t understand.”

I asked what she was talking about, but Baek Seo-jin kept repeating the same thing.

“Stay here! I’m going to go tell them to stop staring.”

“No—”

Before I could say anything, Baek Seo-jin shot out like a bullet.

She went straight to the guy who had been staring and started barking at him like a genuinely angry Maltese.

Her forceful presence made the guys naturally disperse.

Watching the baffling scene, Seo Ji-oh, who had been quietly beside me, chuckled.

“It’s because of your rumor.”

“My rumor?”

“Yeah. The one about you being bullied in elementary school. Our age group thrives on gossip. Most of them are immature, so they can’t help it.”

Seo Ji-oh’s mumbling didn’t seem middle school-like at all. He was truly like an old man.

I asked, puzzled.

“What does my being bullied have to do with them?”

“It doesn’t. But some will see you as more vulnerable now, and others will pity you. Isn’t it ridiculous? As if they’ve become something significant.”

It was ridiculous. They really had nothing better to do.

“It’s fine. People have different feelings.”

It was laughable, but there’s nothing they could do with just looks.

That’s what I meant, but Seo Ji-oh slightly frowned.

“Yeon-jae, you have a tendency to think too much about others.”

“Huh?”

“This is a society. It’s personal freedom to feel emotions, but it’s not normal to blatantly gossip like that. Don’t try to embrace people like that.”

Though he smiled loosely, he looked oddly fierce.

“Too many people nowadays speak carelessly as if they’re just expelling waste.”

“…….”

“Regardless of age, this tendency seems to be getting worse. You don’t have to be kind to rude people.”

Seo Ji-oh looked at the gathered kids like they were garbage on the street.

‘He really has a personality.’

Though I was taken aback by his harsh gaze, I answered.

“Alright, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Yeah. Stray cats survive by thinking of themselves first. If you’re too altruistic, you’ll lose your own place to sleep.”

Why suddenly talk about stray cats?

Ignoring his nonsense, I turned my head away.

We stayed silent for a long time.

“Yeon-jae.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you know Seo-jin is being bullied?”

Though it was sudden, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

“Is she being bullied? I just thought she didn’t have any girlfriends.”

I knew Baek Seo-jin barely talked to anyone except me, Seo Ji-oh, and Noh Bi-hyuk.

But was that bullying?

“Everyone views bullying differently, so maybe you don’t see it that way.”

“Does it look that way to you?”

“Yeah. Seo-jin seems to feel that way.”

I knew she hadn’t been exposed to any violence, verbal or otherwise.

With the three of us, she had people to eat with and talk to.

So, while she couldn’t file a lawsuit for school violence, bullying was a different matter.

‘Right. I was

bullied in elementary school too.’

Realizing this anew, I slowly nodded.

“Now that you mention it, you’re right. Seo-jin must be struggling.”

“Since one girl is hanging out with three boys, I guess that’s why there’s gossip.”

“…? What does that have to do with them?”

I asked sincerely, and Seo Ji-oh burst out laughing.

“Haha! I just told you, it doesn’t matter. It has nothing to do with them. But it’s easier to think of them as brainless. I told Seo-jin to think the same.”

“What did Seo-jin say?”

“She said she understood. She’s not exactly weak-minded, so she’ll hold up fine.”

Though it sounded indifferent, considering Seo Ji-oh’s personality, it was excessive concern.

‘They must be really close.’

But I wasn’t particularly curious about how or why they became friends.

Baek Seo-jin hadn’t directly asked me for help, so my interference wouldn’t do much good.

So I simply said, “I hope it works out.”

“……Yeon-jae. It might be bothersome, but can I ask one more thing?”

“What is it?”

After a slight pause, Seo Ji-oh asked.

“What if it wasn’t Seo-jin, but Bi-hyuk being bullied? What would you think?”

“Bi-hyuk?”

I almost dropped my pen.

‘If Noh Bi-hyuk were treated that way.’

What else could I do?

‘I’d find the perpetrator and end it.’

While I was thinking that, Seo Ji-oh, staring intently at my face, murmured.

“Hmm…. The difference is more significant than I thought.”

Difference?

Even though I made a puzzled expression, Seo Ji-oh remained silent for a long time.

Then he suddenly leaned on the desk.

“Yeon-jae.”

Seo Ji-oh pressed one cheek against my desk and looked up at me.

I spoke politely.

“Could you change your position? For some reason, it makes me uncomfortable.”

“No. I’m trying to be cute.”

“Yeah. That’s probably why it’s uncomfortable.”

Just as I thought I should be more explicit, Seo Ji-oh laughed softly.

“Yeon-jae. Can you look at me favorably?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I like you. To be more precise, I like your acting.”

“…?”

So, what do you want me to do about it?