How a Loan Shark Survives as an Actor Chapter 98

Chapter 98

 

Bang!

“Team Leader, did you know about this?”

The moment I opened the door to his office, I went straight to the point.

Partly because I was in a hurry, and partly because Choo Seomok had been driving me crazy until just moments ago, I wanted to change the subject as quickly as possible.

“Hm? About what?”

“My fans’ nickname is apparently Straws. They were joking around with it in the past, and now they’re still calling each other Straws. Does that even make sense? Team Leader, you didn’t know either, right?”

As I fired off words like a machine gun, Team Leader Ahn blanked out.

After moving his lips for a moment, he said,

“So you’re asking whether I didn’t know your fandom name was Straws?”

“Yeah.”

“What are you talking about, Seulho…? Of course I knew.”

Team Leader Ahn let out a half-laugh.

“Do you think I pay that little attention to you?”

His voice even carried a hint of hurt.

I was so dumbfounded that I momentarily couldn’t speak.

“No… If you were paying attention, you should’ve told me. What kind of insane celebrity just lets his fans run around calling themselves Straws?”

Wasn’t it the agency’s job to stop me from becoming that kind of insane celebrity?

‘I thought he was good at his job.’

Suppressing a slight sense of betrayal, I spoke logically.

I expected Team Leader Ahn to stumble over his words a little, but instead, an unexpected laugh came out.

“Hahaha! You’re so cute that I can’t even tease you. Don’t worry. I was planning to suggest something to you this week even if you hadn’t said anything.”

“What suggestion?”

“I’m thinking of creating a place where you can communicate with your fans. You’ve been with our company for quite a while now, right?”

He said it’d be nice to update them on how I’d been doing and what I’d be doing in the future, and officially decide on a fandom name.

“I figured it’d be best if you told the fans directly.”

His smiling words made me frown.

“What do you mean by telling them directly? Are you saying I should hold a fan meeting?”

I’d thought this before, but I had absolutely no intention of doing a fan meeting.

‘I can’t deceive Yoo Seulho’s fans.’

Taking over another person’s body and acting was one thing, but playing with young people’s feelings?

The very thought made me instinctively recoil, causing me to frown harder, but Team Leader Ahn shook his head.

“No, just a simple livestream.”

“A livestream?”

“We’ll prepare everything at the company. You just need to read comments and chat with fans for an hour or two.”

That was unexpected.

“Then we’ll decide on the fandom name, then?”

“Yeah. We’ll come up with a few candidates internally, mention them during the stream, and maybe even hold a vote.”

Even if it was unofficial, fans had spent months enjoying that nickname.

He said releasing some unilateral statement out of nowhere would probably leave them unhappy.

“What do you think? Sound good?”

“Okay… But why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

I grumbled, asking why he’d waited until this week.

Ever since entering his office, my tone had been blunt.

Anyone would’ve gotten angry at such rudeness, but Team Leader Ahn merely smiled as if looking at his youngest brother.

“Why? Do you hate the name Straws that much?”

“Of course. Isn’t it weird to like it?”

“It’s not exactly a pleasant-sounding name. But thanks to it, your image improved a lot.”

Team Leader Ahn explained.

Just a few months ago, searching “Yoo Seulho” only brought up controversies, criticism, and negativity.

But seeing Yoo Seulho’s fans joking around while calling themselves Straws gave the public a different impression.

People admired how they never lost confidence even against Woo Junseo’s fans, and they laughed at how they turned unpleasant situations into jokes and even made a fandom name out of it.

Of course, some people mocked them for being obsessed with celebrities, but every fandom had to endure those kinds of comments.

“Thanks to your fans’ efforts, your image changed as well.”

“How did it change?”

“You were always the celebrity who smiled everywhere. Some people saw that as weakness, and some thought they could insult you however they wanted.”

But once people realized Yoo Seulho’s fans were a group of unhinged lunatics who weren’t easy targets, Yoo Seulho naturally stopped looking like a pushover.

To maintain that effect a little longer, they couldn’t change the fandom name so easily.

‘Hmm.’

I lowered my head quietly, unable to argue.

‘As expected, I don’t know everything.’

It reminded me once again that there were always circumstances I didn’t know.

“You’re right, Team Leader. Sorry for whining and acting rude.”

“Haha, it’s okay. Seeing you act differently from usual is nice. It even makes me proud somehow.”

“…?”

His ridiculous words made me raise my head, but he didn’t seem to be lying.

The gentle smile on his face proved it.

‘He’s really strange.’

I had a feeling I’d never fully understand Team Leader Ahn.

“So when are we doing the stream? I’d like to do it soon.”

“I’ll arrange the schedule and tell Seomok. Nothing difficult lately?”

Something difficult?

Filming Director Baek’s romance movie was going smoothly, and Director Seo’s horror movie had a successful reading.

“I’m fine. We’ll have to see once filming starts, but today’s reading went well. I didn’t get any criticism about my acting.”

“That’s good. Your beer commercial’s doing well too. If you keep this momentum up, you’ll probably renew the contract next year.”

Team Leader Ahn patted my back and praised me.

At the same time, he looked like someone who wanted to say something but swallowed it.

“What?”

“Hm?”

“Weren’t you about to say something?”

“…Honestly, your instincts are on another level.”

Shaking his head, Team Leader Ahn continued.

“I was just going to mention another offer that came in. I wanted to tell you how popular you’ve become lately, but I held back because I had a feeling you’d say yes.”

“What kind of offer?”

“A survival variety show. Psychological warfare and brain games are the main theme. Netflix exclusive, though I think it’s still in the planning stage.”

Brain games?

My eyes widened.

‘I didn’t know Yoo Seulho would fit something like that.’

While I was thinking, Team Leader Ahn continued without pause.

“But I don’t want you to do it.”

“Why?”

“You’re already filming two movies simultaneously. Why add more work?”

“How much are they paying?”

“Seulho.”

Team Leader Ahn sighed deeply and grabbed my shoulder.

“Just asking, but do you have some kind of debt–”

“I don’t.”

Had I acted like a complete money grubber?

Scratching my head awkwardly, I thought,

‘Guess my image as an actor devoted to his craft is ruined.’

Well, I’d already signed contracts long ago.

No point hiding it now.

“It’s better to work while I can. You never know what’ll happen.”

“What could happen?”

“No one succeeds forever. Some careless action could become a controversy, or something from the past might get dug up.”

Especially since Yoo Seulho had Yoo Taeho and Lee Seulmyeong ticking like time bombs.

What if one day they decided,

‘We’ve earned enough money. Let’s make sure our son doesn’t continue succeeding!’

Even with perfect damage control, it’d still affect my career.

‘I should earn as much as possible while I can.’

Aside from a few YouTube shows promoting dramas, I’d never really done variety.

And now a program planned by the world’s number-one OTT platform?

Not only was the scale different, but it was a survival show focused on strategy and intelligence rather than a talk show.

‘More importantly, it sounds fun.’

I vaguely remembered Maknae Hwang Taejun watching those kinds of shows on the office TV.

I’d only glimpsed them while passing by, but even then I found them interesting.

‘And I’d get to be on one?’

My eyes lit up with anticipation.

Team Leader Ahn sighed.

“Seulho, why are you already excited?”

“I want to do it.”

“You can’t do everything you want. You only have one body.”

“Then I’ll use that one body efficiently.”

“…How are you exactly like Actor-nim when it comes to refusing to listen?”

Team Leader Ahn held his head.

“Let’s talk again in a month.”

“A month?”

“Yeah. I can stall them that long. If your movie shoots go smoothly until then, I’ll let you do the variety show.”

But if I failed to manage my condition or disrupted filming due to my busy schedule, the offer would be canceled.

It was a completely reasonable proposal, so I readily accepted.

‘If I can’t do it, I can’t do it.’

I wasn’t desperate to appear on a variety show.

There was no downside for me.

But the very next day, it looked like I’d already lost the bet.

“What?”

[I’m seriously losing my mind too, Hyungnim.”]

Director Seo’s irritated voice came through the receiver.

He suddenly called and blurted out,

[Remember that mountain villa we were going to use? The owner suddenly changed his mind. He says he won’t cooperate anymore.]

“Why? He was incredibly cooperative before.”

[Exactly! I even offered more money, but he won’t budge. Says he doesn’t need any of it and just wants us to get our cameras out. Damn it.]

Director Seo whined for several minutes.

“So what now?”

[We’ll have to use another place. It’s not like there are only one or two mountains in Korea. There are plenty of options.]

He said he’d already scouted several villas before and would probably have to use his second choice.

“Where is it?”

[XX.]

That location was an eight-hour round trip from the original filming site.

“…That’s too far.”

[Exactly. We’d probably have to stay nearby. The problem is your other movie schedule…]

Only then did I understand why he’d called me first.

‘So it’s not because I’m comfortable talking to.’

I was the one who’d suffer the most if the filming location changed.

‘What do I do?’

If the location really changed, shooting two movies simultaneously would become impossible.

No matter how much I adjusted the schedule, the horror movie would be endlessly delayed.

Unlike Director Baek’s film, I was the lead with the largest role in the horror movie.

Without me, filming couldn’t continue.

‘There’s no way it’ll finish within the expected schedule.’

At that point, my bet with Team Leader Ahn didn’t matter.

Taking a deep breath, I spoke.

“Jinki.”

[Yes, Hyungnim.]

“Can you give me the villa owner’s contact information?”

[Huh?]

Listening to his confused voice, I made a vow.

‘I’ll solve this myself.’

‘No matter what it takes.’