How a Loan Shark Survives as an Actor Chapter 90

Chapter 90

 

Yoo Seulho quickly apologized as though he’d unconsciously cursed.

“Ah, sorry. I’ve been driven crazy lately, so it just slipped out…”

“No, it’s fine. Is calling someone insane really a swear word?”

Of course it was.

But for some reason, Noh Hamrak found himself taking Yoo Seulho’s side.

It was almost embarrassing how much he’d sincerely disliked the man for years, because the Yoo Seulho sitting in front of him didn’t really feel like a celebrity.

‘He’s just like a regular guy.’

From Hamrak’s perspective, being older than Yoo Seulho, the actor even felt like a younger acquaintance.

‘This is strange.’

No one knew better than him that this person was a celebrity, yet the sense of distance kept disappearing.

Perhaps…

“Who eats rice all the time? If you’re busy, you can just drink a protein shake, or eat a hamburger like this.”

It was probably because of his casual tone.

Whether he lacked awareness that he was a celebrity or not, Yoo Seulho continued speaking comfortably despite having only just met Hamrak.

“He eats plain rice with nothing but a fried egg and insists that’s a good diet. Says he’s getting protein and carbs.”

“T-That’s… quite something.”

“It’d be impressive if he only did that himself. But nagging other people is excessive. Why does it matter to him whether someone eats a fried egg or a raw egg?”

After letting out a huge sigh, Yoo Seulho apologized again.

“Sorry. I’m dumping all this on someone I just met. I’m not usually like this.”

“No, no. It’s a fascinating experience for me too, so it’s fine.”

“Still, thanks to you… Ah, what’s your name?”

Before he knew it, Hamrak had ended up introducing himself.

At that moment, both their hamburgers came out, and Hamrak even brought Yoo Seulho’s tray over.

“Thank you, Mr. Hamrak. I’ve really imposed on you in a lot of ways.”

“It’s really nothing… honestly, it’s fine.”

Seeing the other man apologizing over and over made Hamrak a little uncomfortable.

Sensing that immediately, Yoo Seulho promptly reverted to his shameless demeanor.

“Alright then, I’ll eat comfortably.”

Then he unwrapped his burger and took a huge bite.

It looked like he was filming a hamburger commercial.

‘Good looks really do make a picture.’

Hamrak hated himself for admiring another man’s face, but he could confidently say any man sitting here would think the same thing.

He even wondered whether Yoo Seulho realized just how blessed he’d been.

“All done.”

As promised, Yoo Seulho devoured two hamburgers in no time.

Yet he didn’t touch the fries, causing the humanity Hamrak had momentarily sensed from him to fade again.

‘Well, he’s an actor. He has to manage his weight.’

In truth, Yoo Seulho simply stopped eating once he felt full.

Unaware of this, Hamrak awkwardly said goodbye.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I got to eat hamburgers again and have a comfortable meal.”

“It was nothing…”

Putting his mask back on, Yoo Seulho stood up.

“Then I’ll get going.”

“Okay.”

Without even looking back, he coolly left the restaurant.

Still holding his half-eaten burger, Hamrak sat there blankly before finally coming back to his senses.

“…Was that a dream?”

His face was filled with disbelief.

 

***

 

“I’m back.”

“Why are you so late?”

The moment I entered the house, Choo Seomok tilted his head in confusion.

His tone was dry, but somehow the words themselves sounded sharp.

“Ha… I wonder why, Seomok.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t even have a wife or a girlfriend, so why does it feel like someone’s obsessing over me?”

Seomok responded to my muttering as though I’d made an unfunny joke.

“A manager keeping track of an actor’s schedule is natural. It’s not obsession.”

“The fact that you think that’s natural is exactly what obsession is.”

I added that his future girlfriend would have a hard time.

‘So controlling, seriously.’

The fact that he wasn’t even aware of it made him look like he’d become the worst boyfriend imaginable.

Bravo. Amazing.

“So why are you late? You said you’d only go work out.”

He really had to ask.

I snorted.

“After working out, I ate with a friend. Happy?”

“Oh, I see.”

Fortunately, Seomok didn’t cross the line by asking who I’d met or what we’d eaten.

No matter how much of a manager he was, interfering in another adult’s private life wasn’t proper.

“I have lots of friends, right?”

Knowing how childish it sounded, I asked anyway.

Seomok innocently nodded.

“Yes. I’ve realized I had a prejudice.”

“What prejudice?”

“We haven’t worked together that long, but somehow… I thought you were the type who didn’t need friends.”

That part was true.

The guy I ate hamburgers with today wasn’t a friend either.

‘Still, it was fun.’

The moment I got on the treadmill, he recognized me.

I casually greeted him, but honestly, I was a little annoyed.

I already didn’t want to exercise, and once I realized someone had recognized me, I just wanted to go home.

But seeing him trying so hard not to inconvenience me naturally lowered my guard.

‘And he didn’t seem to hate me.’

Long before entering Yoo Seulho’s body, I’d developed an instinct for identifying whether someone was hostile or not.

The man had looked at me with eyes full of things he wanted to say.

‘Is he a Yoo Seulho fan?’

It wasn’t just the gaze of someone amazed to see a celebrity.

Since inhabiting Yoo Seulho’s body, this was the first time I’d encountered someone who seemed like a fan.

So I found myself paying attention to him and ended up doing something I normally wouldn’t.

‘Well, I didn’t lie.’

Like I’d told him, I really didn’t want to hear Choo Seomok nagging while I ate hamburgers.

The ideal situation was eating there, but the hidden corner seat had already been occupied by him.

After calculating several things, I deliberately sat in front of him and chatted.

‘Still can’t tell if he’s a fan or not.’

He didn’t enthusiastically talk to me or stare at me adoringly, but there was something analytical in his gaze.

It was the same look I’d seen from directors and producers these past few months.

‘Maybe he works in something similar?’

If so, that expression made perfect sense.

Once I concluded he wasn’t a fan, I relaxed and simply enjoyed eating hamburgers in front of a stranger.

‘I did say some unnecessary things, but it should be fine.’

Reviewing everything afterward, I couldn’t think of anything that would spark a personality scandal.

After thinking it over several times, I concluded:

‘It’s no big deal.’

‘It’d be fun if we ran into each other again.’

Since entering Yoo Seulho’s body, I’d hardly talked to ordinary people.

Though there was a chance he worked in the industry, we hadn’t talked about work, so it just felt like a refreshing outing.

‘It’s nice having something different happen after nothing but work every day.’

Maybe it was better that he wasn’t a fan.

At the time, I’d spoken to him without thinking, but now that I reflected on it, it’d have been troublesome if he had really been a long-time Yoo Seulho fan.

‘Why? Because I’m not Yoo Seulho.’

Even if entering this body wasn’t my choice, I was still living a life that belonged to Yoo Seulho.

If his old fans met me, they might notice the changes.

And above all, I had a conscience.

I wasn’t shameless enough to deceive people who’d be overjoyed just to meet Yoo Seulho.

“Guess I’ll never be able to do fan meetings…”

“Hm?”

Seomok questioned my unconscious muttering.

I waved my hand and said it was nothing.

 

***

 

Time passed, and before I knew it, the first day of filming ‘What I Loved’ had arrived.

Last week, all the cast members had gathered for the traditional ritual ceremony.

‘Next week is the script reading for the horror movie The Sixth Night.’

Busy, busy.

It was exhausting, but it was still better than having free time and no money.

The busier I got, the fatter my bank account became.

‘Especially the horror movie’s signing bonus.’

It was the largest amount I could possibly command at my current level.

Director Seo Jinki really was the son of a rich family.

The moment we signed the contract, he paid the entire amount at once instead of splitting it into installments.

‘Such a lovely kid.’

He was already adorable just for being an obedient little punk who listened to me.

And now he was rich too?

‘What a good kid.’

Regardless of whether the horror movie succeeded, I intended to maintain my connection with Seo Jinki carefully.

Completely unaware of how I thought of him, Seo Jinki excitedly talked about drinking together sometime.

“Seulho! You’re here?”

The moment I arrived on set, Bae Dain greeted me.

I usually came an hour earlier than required, but she always arrived before me.

“Miss Dain, please sit here until shooting starts.”

“Ah, okay~! Thank you!”

Perhaps because her diligence showed how desperate she was, the staff treated her kindly.

‘That’s a relief.’

Unlike Byeon Duho and me, Bae Dain was an unknown actress with no representative work.

I’d worried she’d lose confidence, but her bright personality had helped her adapt well.

‘Then again, who am I to worry about others?’

Today would be my first time playing Dogeon in front of the camera.

My own nose was already three feet deep in trouble.

“Mr. Seulho, could you come over here?”

“Yes.”

After finishing my makeup and changing clothes, I rehearsed once more with Director Baek, ironing out the details.

“Alright, let’s go. Ready–!”

At Director Baek’s booming voice, everyone on set held their breath.

All eyes turned toward me in front of the camera.

‘Whew.’

I quietly suppressed my slight nervousness.

Well then…

Let’s do this.

“Action!”