The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Chapter 220

“Yeon-jae!”

As soon as I opened my eyes, I was greeted by Mist, who ran up and hugged me tightly.

“Hello.”

“I missed you!”

“Me too.”

But why does he look like Seo Ji-oh?

Although I had seen Mist take on many different appearances, this was the first time he looked like Seo Ji-oh.

When I asked curiously, Mist giggled shyly.

“You said the script you wrote for today’s shoot was inspired by me! So I took this form on purpose! How do I look?”

“What do you mean, ‘how do you look?'”

“Don’t you have something to say to me? Something you said during the shoot!”

I tried to recall what he was talking about and opened my mouth uncertainly.

“I missed you…?”

“Not that!”

I tried a few lines from the script, but Mist shook his head vigorously each time.

The more wrong my answers were, the more intense Mist’s gaze became.

“…Don’t you have anything you really want to say to me? Especially since I look like this??”

What did I miss?

Mist looked like he was about to get angry any moment. I blurted out without thinking,

“Hyung?”

“Correct!”

Mist’s expression softened, and he hugged me immediately.

I was so stunned by the sudden weight that it took me a moment to regain my senses.

“Seriously… You just wanted to hear me call you ‘hyung’?”

“Hehe, yes!”

Well, in that case, you should have taken on Lee Eun-taek’s appearance.

‘Seo Ji-oh is the same age as me.’

I felt a bit annoyed.

Although he had played the role of the older brother because he was taller than me, he was still the same age as me.

‘I’m not exactly short either.’

Surrounded by tall people, I had become a bit sensitive about height. I thought about drinking two liters of milk every morning while I pinched Mist’s cheek.

“Why should you be ‘hyung’ anyway?”

“Because I’ve lived longer than you! I don’t even know when I came into being!”

“Okay, grandpa.”

“Don’t call me that!”

Mist snapped irritably, and we playfully bantered as we lay down on the bed.

Despite the mundane nature of our conversation, it felt inexplicably delightful.

“Yeon-jae! Do you really like me that much?”

How many times have I heard this question now?

“Yeah, I like you.”

“Hehe, me too!”

Lately, Mist had been asking if I liked him whenever he got the chance.

It was probably because the first script I wrote was about him.

Mist didn’t even try to hide his excitement.

Seeing that made me feel a little guilty. After all…

‘I didn’t write the script thinking only about Mist.’

Of course, the script was inspired by Mist and me. The relationship between Minho and his brother was very similar to that of Mist and me.

The limited time Minho could spend with his brother, only Minho being able to see and hear his brother, and how Minho completely let his guard down around his brother.

‘And how I first cried in front of someone.’

The scene where Minho cried after finding his brother was inspired by the time Mist disappeared for three days in elementary school and then came back.

‘Yeon-jae… oh…’

‘…’

‘…Why, why are you crying?’

I remembered Mist being flustered, not knowing what to do when I suddenly started crying.

Though it happened years ago, it was still a vivid memory.

I wrote the script with Mist in mind, recalling how he had become a part of my life.

So, the drama “February 3rd” was inspired by Mist.

I wrote it for him, who thought of me even when he couldn’t talk to me.

But it wasn’t solely about Mist.

For me, when I think of a ‘dead brother,’ there is someone else who inevitably comes to mind.

‘Ji-heon hyung.’

Seo Ji-oh had said it.

As someone playing the older brother, he liked the younger brother. Would Ji-heon hyung feel the same?

My brother died in an accident caused by my misfortune.

‘Would my brother still not resent me knowing that?’

I pictured Ji-heon hyung’s face, now faint in my memory.

Would he resent me? I would never know.

Because he’s already dead. So, what about me?

Can I still like my brother knowing the truth?

‘I don’t know.’

Even Seo Ji-oh’s words didn’t give me confidence.

Do I really have the right?

I closed my eyes and thought about today’s shoot.

‘I know, Minho cares about his brother. How could I not know?’

The character of the brother was certainly created with Mist in mind.

However, since Mist’s exaggerated tone didn’t quite fit, I incorporated traits of another person I often thought of when thinking about an older brother.

As a result, the brother became more affectionate than I initially intended.

So much so that he resembled someone from my memories.

‘Jae-hee, are you hungry? Shall we have a snack?’

Ji-heon hyung was a very kind person.

Perhaps that’s why playing Minho kept bringing Ji-heon hyung to mind.

‘I miss you…’
Before meeting Lee Eun-taek, the past was just the past.

As each memory surfaced, unlike before when I had forced them down, the old memories I accepted without resistance were kinder than I thought.

So, it was even more miserable and confusing.

‘Can I keep longing for my brother?’

While lost in thought, Mist gently touched my cheek.

“Yeon-jae, Yeon-jae.”

“Hmm?”

“I like you so much.”

It was a sudden remark, but I was so used to hearing it that it didn’t bother me.

I was about to reply that I liked him too, but Mist pressed my cheeks with both hands.

“Mmph.”

“So don’t dig tunnels! I like you!”

“What?”

Why suddenly mention tunnels? That’s something Lee Eun-taek often says.

As I frowned, Mist pressed my forehead repeatedly, just like Noh Bi-hyuk does.

Maybe it was because of his complex actions, but strangely, being with Mist felt like being with many people.

“I really like you!”

So, Mist’s words felt like they were spoken by many people.

Noh Bi-hyuk, Lee Eun-taek, Jin-bae hyung, Jung-hyun hyung, Han Ha-ram.

Could Ji-hyeon hyung be among them?

I suddenly became curious.

* * *

Filming continued steadily.

The final script was released in four episodes, each episode tailored to fit the title with corresponding Korean sign language content.

For example, episode 2, titled ‘I Like You,’ starts with Min-ho receiving a sudden confession from a classmate.

Panicked by the unexpected situation, Min-ho, flustered, manages to handle the situation thanks to his brother’s frantic advice beside him.

Listening to his brother’s advice and experiences, Min-ho sorts out his feelings and rejects the confession by saying, ‘Thank you for liking me.’

In this way, the episodes naturally incorporated Korean sign language content by relating it to the episode titles.

At the same time, it also captured Min-ho’s daily improvement.

Except for blurring Seo Ji-oh, who played the brother, no major editing techniques were needed, so the filming progressed smoothly.

Before I knew it, it was time to shoot the last scene.

“Only today left to shoot.”

“Yeah.”

After spending all day talking with Seo Ji-oh over the past week, I had grown much closer to him.

He asked many questions to understand the character of the brother I had written.

As I stared blankly at the ceiling, a leisurely voice came from beside me.

“Yeon-jae. How was it filming with me?”

I wondered if he regretted telling me his name.

I stared blankly at Seo Ji-oh, who was smiling lazily.

“It was good.”

Filming with Seo Ji-oh was as good as I had expected, or even better.

Seeing Seo Ji-oh smile with relief, I spoke once more.

“I’m glad you played the brother.”

“……”

“I hope we can act together next time too.”

Seo Ji-oh, who had stopped at my words, was frozen for a few seconds.

The languid expression he usually wore was gone, and seeing his blank face made me laugh.

“Seo Ji-oh. Snap out of it.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

“Do you need a lemon candy?”

As I joked, Seo Ji-oh finally came to his senses.

Watching him cringe at the mention of lemon made me laugh, and before I knew it, the preparations for filming were complete.

“We’re starting the shoot!”

I changed into the school uniform I had worn all week.

After carefully checking the PD’s instructions, I reviewed my lines once more.

‘It’s already the last one.’

Even though this was the shortest drama shoot I had ever been on, it strangely left me feeling empty.

Maybe it was because it was a script I had written.

Maybe it was because I was too immersed in the character of Min-ho.

“Ready―”

I felt that there would be quite an aftermath when this shoot was over.

“Action!”

* * *

“Did you see his face earlier? It was epic.”

“See, good thing you listened to me, right? What would you have done without me?”

“Do you always have to brag?”

As I shook my head, my brother pretended to mess up my hair, saying look at this brat.

In reality, not a strand of hair moved, but I timed my reaction and shook my head, annoyed.

It had already been a month since I started being with my brother.

It was enough time to match the timing lightly.

“I’m so happy to be with you.”

“……Really?”

Although his response was a beat late, I didn’t think much of it.

‘I wish things could stay like this.’

Just having my brother by my side changed everything.

It was proof that I couldn’t be without him.

‘I should treat him better from now on.’

I should talk to him more so he doesn’t feel lonely and work harder to learn sign language.

If I tried hard, both of us could live happily.

As I was forcing down the smile creeping up my lips.

“Min-ho.”

“Yeah?”

“I think I have to go now.”

“…? Where?”

“Are you going to the bathroom or something?”

I lifted my head to joke.

My brother was smiling silently as he came into view.

Strangely, as soon as I saw that smile, I realized what he wanted to say.

In an instant, my blood ran cold.

“…So suddenly?”

“Well~. Actually, I heard about it a week ago, but I was putting it off because I thought you’d be too surprised. But I think it’s time now.”

“A week ago? What did you hear?”

“Someone came to tell me. They said I can go up now.”

What does that mean?

‘What on earth is he talking about?’

I couldn’t understand my brother’s words, nor did I want to.

I felt like I was suffocating.

As my vision swam and my mouth moved soundlessly, my brother gave me a troubled smile.

“Oh, it seems like you’re more surprised than I thought.”

“If it were you, wouldn’t you be surprised too?”

Despite everything, his nonchalant voice made my emotions surge.

“Why? Can’t you just not go?”

“I’d like to, but it seems like it’s dangerous if I stay longer. They say it might have a bad influence on you.”

“I don’t, I don’t care.”

“You shouldn’t say things like that.”

I was serious. As long as I had my brother, everything would be fine.

“Just… stay by my side. Brother. Just….”

I couldn’t even interpret what I was saying.

In my sudden panic, I was just blurting out whatever came to mind, and my brother approached me.

“Don’t worry too much. We have plenty of time to say goodbye. Let’s calm down for now, okay?”

He tried to soothe me, but I couldn’t easily calm down.

“Min-ho, look at me. Okay?”

My brother smiled and brought his pinky finger to his chin twice.

Seeing that made me tear up even more.

‘No.’

How could he say that?

How could this be okay in any way?