The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Chapter 183

Ding dong.

As soon as I pressed the doorbell, the door swung open.

“Yeon-jae! Come in…!”

“Hello.”

Sung Lee-jun’s flushed face greeted me as he opened the door.

‘It seems like he was waiting at the door.’

I handed over the envelope while thinking that to myself.

“Here, take this.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t want to come empty-handed.”

“Heck, I told you not to worry about that.”

Yet, you always bring something yourself.

“I just bought it. I got what you like, hyung.”

“Thank you, Yeon-jae….”

Even though it was just some fruit hurriedly bought from the market, Sung Lee-jun looked extremely shy.

“I’ll peel this and bring it to you. Do you want to wait on the sofa for a bit?”

“Okay. Where’s your father?”

“He went out for work.”

I see.

I had visited Sung Lee-jun’s house several times, and I had often run into his father.

Even if you rolled down a hill three times, you’d still shout, ‘That’s Sung Lee-jun’s father.’ They looked that much alike.

I remembered being amazed by the resemblance and greeting him.

Since no one was home, I confidently entered the living room without hesitation.

After sitting on the sofa and waiting for a while, Sung Lee-jun brought a beautifully peeled melon.

“Ha-ram didn’t come today?”

“Yeah. Twins might be a bit too much for someone Ha-ram’s age. He’s with Jin-bae hyung right now.”

“Aha. You’re always so considerate….”

Doesn’t he realize that he’s more considerate for praising such a trivial thing?

I naturally brushed off Sung Lee-jun’s familiar praise and ate the melon.

‘As expected, expensive things taste good.’

Sung Lee-jun liked fruits with a lot of juice, like melons.

‘Thanks to him, I’ve been eating a lot of fruit lately.’

I had hesitated to buy it for myself because it was absurdly expensive, but thanks to him, my mouth had been happy recently.

“Is that the viewing room over there? It looks like you did some major renovations.”

“Yeah. The structure changed a bit. My dad put a lot of effort into it. Do you want to watch something other than ‘Twins’? We could watch ‘Goodbye, My Summer’ or maybe you—.”

“Hyung, eat this.”

“Uhp.”

I put a piece of melon in Sung Lee-jun’s mouth as he started to get excited again.

Chewing the fruit in his mouth, he nodded when I motioned toward the viewing room.

“Can I take a look at the viewing room?”

“Sure!”

As Sung Lee-jun said, the viewing room was nice and comfortable.

After watching ‘Twins’ and several other dramas, I noticed the sun was already high in the sky.

‘I should get going soon.’

Stretching my stiff shoulders after staying in one position for several hours, I turned my head absentmindedly.

And I saw it. The framed picture on the shelf.

“…….”

I knew it.

I nodded slowly, my head feeling heavy.

‘Yeah. I thought so.’

Maybe because I had been expecting this for a long time, the shock was less than I thought.

As I stared blankly at the two people in the frame, Sung Lee-jun came out of the kitchen.

“Yeon-jae, what should we watch next?”

He had a bright face.

Holding a plate piled high with food, he asked what I wanted to watch next.

“I’m sorry, but I think I need to go now.”

“What, already? It’s still daytime….”

“I have to go home to the kid.”

Jin-bae hyung is not a babysitter. Since I brought the kid, I should take care of him.

While gathering my clothes, I asked if I could ask him something.

“Of course. What is it?”

Looking at his gentle smile, I spoke dryly.

“How do you know Eun-taek hyung?”

“…!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Sung Lee-jun backed away in fear.

At the same time, the plate he was holding fell to the floor.

I grimaced at the sharp sound and the scattered glass shards.

“Yeon-jae, let me explain—.”

“Stay still.”

As I thought, something felt off.

After pushing the terrified Sung Lee-jun back, I picked up the broken glass pieces one by one.

“Do you have any newspapers? Or any paper?”

“Yes. On that shelf….”

“Don’t move. I’ll take care of it.”

“It’s dangerous for you too, Yeon-jae.”

“I’m fine.”

I had acted enough today for my misfortune to drop completely.

Wrapping the sharp glass pieces in paper and taping them tightly, I wiped any remaining fine glass powder several times with a wet tissue.

“Just in case, let’s run the vacuum cleaner once.”

“Yeon-jae, I’ll do that.”

“It’s fine. Give me your hand, hyung. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No.”

His face was still pale, showing how shocked he was.

‘Is he worried about his father scolding him?’

When I asked if the dish was expensive, Sung Lee-jun’s face turned sullen.

“No….”

“Then why do you look like that?”

“……I was just surprised you brought up Eun-taek suddenly.”

Oh, right. That.

I had forgotten because of the dish.

I casually pointed at the frame.

“Because of that frame over there.”

“Ah…. Sorry. I usually put it away when you come over…. I must have been out of it today.”

His voice was full of dejection, and I asked curiously.

“Why are you sorry? For not putting the frame away? Or for knowing Eun-taek hyung?”

“…….”

“I figured it out. Since you mentioned having a friend from Heum Middle School before.”

It was during the wrap party before the airing of ‘Butterflies on the Burning Tree’.

‘Sung Lee-jun’s reaction was odd then too.’

Above all, Lee Eun-taek lived near Heum Middle School.

At my words, Sung Lee-jun mumbled that he did.

When I asked how they knew each other, he said they had been close since elementary school.

“When I moved from the U.S. to Korea, I told you I was bullied in elementary school.”

“Yeah.”

“At that time, Eun-taek helped me a lot. Even though I couldn’t bear it and switched to homeschooling…. We still keep in touch sometimes.”

I see.

Sung Lee-jun glanced at me, as if gauging my reaction.

Ignoring his gaze, I spoke as dryly as possible.

“I was briefly adopted by Eun-taek hyung’s family. When I was six or seven.”

“…Yeah, I heard.”

“Then you must have heard this too.”

I continued nonchalantly.

“That Ji-hyun hyung died because of me.”

“…….”

“You know who Ji-hyun hyung is, right? He was the oldest brother in Eun-taek hyung’s family. Eun-taek hyung was the second.”

And I was the youngest when I joined.

Words flowed more easily than I expected.

It was strange. Just a few days ago, thinking about this made it hard to breathe.

Now, it felt like nothing.

It was like I was talking about someone else’s story.

“At first, I felt you were reluctant around me. I wondered why, but I guess you heard from Eun-taek hyung.”

“Yeon-jae…. I’m really sorry. It’s my fault. I had a bias against you… I’m really sorry.”

Sung Lee-jun repeatedly apologized with a pale face, looking like a scared child.

I chuckled at his frightened appearance.

“Why are you apologizing? I’d have done the same. I don’t know how Eun-taek hyung told you, but I doubt he exaggerated.”

Sung Lee-jun and Lee Eun-taek were two years older than me.

When I was returned to the orphanage at eight, Lee Eun-taek was only ten.

I was too young, and so was he, so I don’t remember that time vividly.

But I remember the look in Lee Eun-taek’s eyes the last time we met.

Intense hatred.

‘Hmm, I feel a bit queasy.’

I said I wouldn’t dwell on the past, but it seemed it wasn’t something I could let go of easily.

I clenched and unclenched my fist to calm my churning stomach.

“It’s true I was influenced by what Eun-taek said. That’s why I couldn’t be comfortable around you…. But as I said, that was my fault. Yeon-jae, I was wrong to have a bias against you without even meeting you….”

“It’s not a bias. It really happened.”

Because of me, Ji-hyun hyung died. Eun-taek hyung was severely injured.

And I went back to the orphanage.

I never really talked about it to anyone after that, but I thought it was only natural I was returned.

‘I would have done the same.’

Well, who knew I had so much misfortune attached to me.

‘If only I had met Mist a little earlier.’

Would Ji-hyun hyung still be alive?

After thinking for a moment, I shook my head.

Thinking about it now was useless anyway.

“Yeon-jae. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Does Eun-taek hyung know? That you and I hang out separately.”

“…Yeah. I told him.”

I see.

I almost asked how Eun-taek reacted but stopped myself.

What good would it do me to know?

Instead, I poked the cheek of the pale, stiff Sung Lee-jun.

“Surprising.”

“Huh…?”

“That you still hang out with

me after hearing all that. Doesn’t it creep you out?”

“Why do you say that? It’s not like I’m doing you a favor, and I’m not creeped out!”

I laughed at his uncharacteristically angry face.

“Alright. Thanks.”

“……Yeon-jae. So, are we not going to meet anymore?”

Frowning at his cautious question, I replied.

“Why? Do you not want to meet me?”

“No! I was asking if you wouldn’t want to meet me…! I was afraid you might hate me.”

“Why would I hate you?”

“Well…, because I’m friends with Eun-taek….”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the unexpected answer.

Considering how often Sung Lee-jun and I met, it wasn’t like Eun-taek told him not to meet me.

“As long as you don’t mind meeting me, there’s no reason for that. Don’t say weird things.”

“Okay….”

I couldn’t be comfortable in front of Eun-taek because of Ji-hyun hyung.

To Eun-taek, I was the kid who took away his eldest brother, so how could I?

But regardless, I didn’t need to consider Eun-taek’s feelings in my personal relationships.

‘After all, we’re practically strangers.’

The adoption process had long been completed.

Whatever the past, I had no relation to Eun-taek in the present.

Unless it involved Ji-hyun hyung, I had no reason to act like a guilty person.

I poked Sung Lee-jun’s cheek, who was still dejected.

He didn’t seem able to tell me to stop, just looking at me with a concerned expression.

‘I get why Bi-hyuk pokes my cheek now.’

It’s unexpectedly fun.

Enjoying the soft feeling, I patted his cheek and then stood up.

“Alright, I’m going.”

“Okay….”

“Hyung, do you have any plans today?”

“No, I don’t….”

Seeing his puzzled face, I chuckled.

“Then come over to my place. Let’s hang out.”

“…!”

Sung Lee-jun’s eyes widened, then he smiled broadly.

The distinct mole under his left eye lifted with his smiling mouth.

“Okay!”

Goodness, so cute.

* * *

Lee Jung-hyun sat on a chair, watching the kids gathered in the living room.

“Yeon-jae, what were you thinking when you filmed that?”

“I didn’t think anything. I just filmed it.”

“Yeon-jae…! You look so pretty in this.”

“Thanks. Have some.”

Lee Yeon-jae answered Han Ha-ram and Sung Lee-jun as they handed him snacks, sitting on the sofa.

The three of them, sitting together, looked just like brothers.

It was a pleasant sight, but Lee Jung-hyun felt only bitterness watching them.

‘……Inpatient treatment?’

‘Yes. The doctor said he could start inpatient treatment immediately. Or at least combine it with medication, but… the doctor said that, given his maturity for his age, he would be very resistant.’

‘Yeah…. Yeon-jae would have refused.’

‘Yes. So, for now… we’re keeping a close eye on him, and if he shows any signs of hyperventilation or struggles even a bit, we’ll take him to the hospital right away. The actor doesn’t know.’

The conversation with An Jin-bae last night had a significant impact.

Reflecting on his long discussion with An Jin-bae, Lee Jung-hyun wondered what he could do to help.

Then a sudden thought made him jump up.

“Hyung. Standing up so quickly will make your blood pressure—”

“Yeon-jae.”

Ignoring Lee Yeon-jae’s natural nagging, Lee Jung-hyun walked over briskly.

“Do you want to do a live broadcast?”

“A live broadcast?”

“Yeah. Like the one you did with Se-hyun on Space.”

But this time, properly.

Watching the puzzled Lee Yeon-jae, Lee Jung-hyun smiled.