How a Loan Shark Survives as an Actor Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 

“What?”

I replied blankly to Choi Ran’s unexpected question.

I didn’t want to look absentminded, but maybe because she was young, I just couldn’t follow what she was saying.

“What do you mean, where did I go?”

“Didn’t that person say it earlier? That you were thinking about taking acting lessons.”

Choi Ran gestured toward Park Sangin in the corner with her chin.

Park Sangin looked flustered at being brought up so suddenly and rudely, but Choi Ran paid him no attention and looked back at me.

“I was asking where you took lessons. An academy? A private coach? Do you carry a business card or something? If it’s referral-only, can you refer me? If you do, I’ll compensate you properly.”

The rapid-fire barrage of questions left me dizzy.

‘Is she an actress or a rapper? Why does she talk so fast?’

At the same time, the moment Choi Ran finished speaking, everyone turned to look over here.

Though they all pretended not to care, their ears were clearly perked up. Looking at them, I realized that was why they had all been staring at me earlier… they were curious about the same thing as Choi Ran.

‘So if she’s asking this…’

That meant my acting just now hadn’t been bad?

She was convinced I had taken acting lessons because my skills had improved that much compared to before.

‘Oh ho.’

See? I knew I could do it if I tried.

It was pitiful thinking about just how bad Yoo Seulho must have been to receive comments like this, but at the same time I felt proud that the days of hard work had actually paid off.

‘I was already thinking that if things didn’t work out, I’d just give up acting and find another path.’

Hyun Jingae had told me several times that I was doing fine, but I hadn’t really trusted him.

But Choi Ran, a former child actress with a solid reputation, and the other actors secretly listening in…

The fact that people who had spent years in the acting world thought my performance was at least ‘not unpleasant to watch’ reassured me.

“I didn’t take any lessons.”

“What?”

Choi Ran frowned deeply.

The accusation of ‘Stop lying’ was practically etched into the wrinkle between her brows.

I found it fascinating how expressive her face was.

And oddly enough, it didn’t irritate me.

‘If Woo Junseo acted like this, I’d be ready to beat him up immediately.’

The way she kept talking was definitely rude, but…

I don’t know.

It felt more like a baby chick chirping on its own.

It just didn’t have much impact.

When I simply stared at her without answering, Choi Ran pressed harder.

“Just tell me. If it wasn’t lessons, then how did you go from being that terrible to–”

“Hey!!”

A woman who had been watching from afar rushed over and smacked Choi Ran hard across the back before she could finish.

SMACK!

“Gah!”

The loud impact and yelp startled not only me and everyone nearby, but even Director Jang, who had been in his own world talking with the assistant writers.

Ignoring everyone’s stunned stares, the woman glared at Choi Ran and shouted.

“You little brat! I told you not to be rude to people! What kind of manners are those? Have you been acting like this your whole life? You’re embarrassing! If you’re going to behave like this, don’t become a celebrity!”

“I was just curious… Ow.”

“I hit you because I wanted it to hurt! Even if you’re curious, that’s something you ask privately and carefully! You can’t even understand something that simple? Are you twenty-three or thirteen? You said you’d change, but if you keep acting like this, I’m not being your manager anymore!”

“Ah! No, that’s not it. I’m sorry, unni. I won’t do it again.”

Choi Ran, who had been listening with a pout, immediately panicked at the last threat and started apologizing desperately.

The sudden two-person drama left everyone dumbfounded.

‘What the…’

With her pure appearance and aloof way of speaking…

From the moment the reading started, Choi Ran had barely spoken casually with any of the other actors.

She had seemed somewhat arrogant.

Seeing that same girl now apologizing like a five-year-old getting scolded by her mother felt completely unbalanced.

“I’m sorry, Seulho. She’s immature…”

While everyone else remained frozen, unsure what to say, the woman, presumably her manager, bowed repeatedly in apology.

Seeing a woman who looked less than half my age apologizing over and over made me uncomfortable almost instantly.

“No, it’s fine. Really.”

“I should’ve corrected her attitude years ago. Sigh. She may seem like that, but she’s not a bad kid at heart. Let me apologize on her behalf.”

“I’m really fine.”

Despite my insistence, Choi Ran’s manager declared that this wouldn’t do and said she was taking Choi Ran into the hallway to beat some sense into her.

Then she dragged Choi Ran out by the back of the neck.

“…What exactly did I just witness?”

“Ran… is completely different from what I imagined.”

Director Jang muttered blankly.

Everyone else felt the same.

It was like a hurricane had blown through and disappeared.

They just sat there blinking.

‘There are really a lot of crazy people in the entertainment industry.’

How is there not a single normal person?

Scratching my head, I worried that the manager might actually kill Choi Ran and headed into the hallway.

“Good grief! Good grief! You’re going to be the death of me!”

“Ow, unni! Ah!”

The sound of the manager hitting Choi Ran echoed down the long corridor.

‘She’s really hitting her.’

The thuds sounded pretty solid.

I seriously considered running away for two seconds.

Then gave up.

“Manager, I’m really fine. If you’re doing this because of me, please stop.”

Only after I intervened did the manager stop her assault and smile awkwardly.

“You’re such a kind person. That must’ve startled you. Come to think of it, I never introduced myself. I’m Choi Ran’s manager, Choi Yoon.”

“Ah… So you’re sisters. Nice to meet you. I’m Yoo Seulho.”

Now that I heard her name, they really did resemble each other.

Unlike Choi Ran, who had an elegant and hard-to-approach aura, Choi Yoon had warm, smiling eyes.

“I only became her manager recently. She was such a sweet kid when she was little, but after living alone in Seoul and working as a celebrity from a young age, her attitude gradually… Ah! Seulho, you and Ran have known each other for a long time, right?”

Choi Yoon, who had been making excuses nonstop, suddenly brightened up.

I hesitated over how to answer.

Before I could speak, Choi Ran, apparently unhappy that I was talking to her sister, grumbled.

“We knew each other, but we’re not close anymore. Oppa kept insisting on isolating himself.”

“Hey! Didn’t I tell you to watch your mouth–”

“Yoon-ssi, it’s fine.”

“Honestly, Seulho… Please take care of her from now on. I’ll beat her senseless whenever she crosses the line, so please don’t hold it against her.”

She was talking about beating her younger sister, but every word was full of affection.

I gave Choi Yoon a small smile.

Meanwhile, Choi Ran muttered with obvious dissatisfaction,

“Yoon-ssi, Seulho-ssi… They’ve known each other for all of two minutes. Seriously…”

‘They’re both kind of cute.’

Back when I was a loan shark, and even after entering Yoo Seulho’s body, I had been surrounded almost entirely by men…

And most of them were people I wanted to punch.

Seeing sisters who genuinely cared for each other made something inside me soften.

“So you really didn’t take lessons? You’re not lying?”

“Nope.”

“Then what? You improved that much on your own? Your acting was seriously terrible before.”

“Choi Ran!”

“It’s fine, Yoon-ssi.”

Choi Yoon looked ready to grab Choi Ran by the hair, so I hurriedly stepped in.

“So from your perspective, my acting was pretty decent?”

“No.”

“…?”

I tilted my head.

Choi Ran continued with a grumpy expression.

“…It wasn’t just decent. It was the best acting I’ve seen recently. Didn’t you see Woo Junseo? He was grinding his teeth trying not to get overshadowed by you. After the scene ended, he looked completely shaken.”

The blunt compliment made the corners of my lips rise without me realizing it.

What was this feeling?

Like being praised by a five-year-old niece?

“Thanks. I’ll have to keep working harder.”

“Whatever. Let’s get back to the reading. And don’t be the only one working hard… tell me your secret too. It’s unfair for a supporting actor to act better than the lead.”

“You’re good too. Besides, maybe it feels that way because I’m playing a type of character I never played before.”

“I guess. You always took nice-guy roles because of your parents, right?”

“Hm?”

I froze mid-step at her casual remark.

‘She knows about Yoo Seulho’s parents?’

I had assumed there was no way to learn about his past except through a private investigation.

This was an unexpected windfall.

I quickly hid my surprise.

“Did I say that?”

“Stop pretending. You told me yourself at one of the child actor gatherings years ago.”

Ah.

‘So that’s how Choi Ran and Yoo Seulho knew each other despite never appearing in the same project.’

There had been gatherings like that.

“You’re the one who said you couldn’t try different roles because of your parents.”

“Oh my, Seulho’s parents? You mean actors Yoo Taeho and Lee Seulmyeong, right? I’m a huge fan of both of them.”

Choi Yoon glanced at me carefully as she spoke.

I simply smiled.

But Choi Ran, who never seemed to care about anyone’s feelings, continued without hesitation.

“Before that, I thought my parents were the worst. Then I heard your story and changed my mind. But judging by the role you chose this time, I guess things are different now?”

“Well… maybe a little.”

“That’s good. Honestly, if I were you, I would’ve quit acting ages ago and just worked part-time jobs. What’s so important about being a good son? You’re lucky you didn’t end up depressed and kill yourself.”

“……”

The bluntness of her words made me swallow hard.

She couldn’t possibly know that Yoo Seulho had actually made that choice.

Yet somehow, I couldn’t find any words.

“You really are…”

Choi Yoon sighed again and raised her hand to smack Choi Ran.

Dodging her sister’s hand, Choi Ran passed by me and muttered quietly.

“Back then, you looked like you really hated acting… I’m glad that’s not the case anymore.”

That left me even more speechless.

‘Yoo Seulho hated acting?’

 

***

 

The very day the script reading ended, the moment I returned to my hotel room, an email arrived from the private investigation agency.

The first report on Yoo Seulho had finally come in.